ning-room and announced to the king that a man had been found within the palace gates without a royal permit, and

ather wanted to make a sketch of the palace and gardens, and he couldn't see very well from the slit in the top of the dungeon; but

in conclusion, "from all we have heard and seen, it

nd hat of a soldier and went with the prime minister and the turnkey to catch a glimps

d slide, let

are, and a

stay, why,

s equal the h

s looking at the sky through the bars in the top of his cell. The song had ceased and he was talking softly to himself. The king, in a whisper, told the prime minis

o yourself, man?" he a

lk to a sensible man, and I lik

good, pret-ty good! They tell me tha

n safely say

e you so po

much of a burden-I have long ag

e are you

so than here; the evil ones have left me and are befrien

asked this question he looked at the man in a pecu

not the whole world mine? Can even the king himself take from me my delight in the green trees and the greener fields, in that daint

prise, and there before him, holding out her pretty hands toward him

eet, clasped the little

dy, when you say that you are mine;

readful. Quick, take off that ugly soldier's

the rough coat and hat and stepped forth into the

n? I am the king. Hast thou n

y; I never do re

of the princess is offered to the firs

ajesty; I k

To thee I give my daughter, together with half my kingdom

st dazed with joy, knelt and kissed the princess'

t until now, for I should have been mise

LYING

ssia

s round about, because, she said, they all came in the same way, in carriages which had four wheels and were drawn by four horses. "Why could not one come in

o the kingdom. As the Princess was very beautiful and the kingdom very rich, men everywhere began to try to build shi

ing ship. So the mother, who was very proud of these sons, and quite convinced that should the Princess see one of them it would not be necessary for him to have a

r fine clothes and fine airs, but liked to wander off in the woods by himself. When Simple saw his b

ip very much appealed to Simple, though he

ck into the woods, Simple,

him a satchel containing a lunch of black b

hungry black bread is better than no bread." The Manikin certainly looked hungry, so Simple put his hand into the satchel and took out the roll of bread-and lo-it was not black at all, bu

nd Simple told him that he was going to build a flying ship. He almost forgot about the Princess, but remembered, as an

ith the ax, then bow before it three times, and then kneel down with your face hidden until you are told to get up. There will be a

three times before it, then knelt down and hid his face. By-and-by he felt someone touch his shoulder and he looked up, and t

he woods Simple saw a man with

"you below! What

the sounds of the w

up into the ship. Maybe y

. As they passed over a field they saw a man hopping

ow! Why do you hop on one le

nd the other I would step so far that I wou

nto the ship, that will be less

cold water they saw a man standing beside it looking so disconsolately at the wa

the man, "I am

hy don't you take a drink

, for I am so thirsty that I would drink all of this at one g

nto the ship. Maybe we can find

passed over a village they met a man carrying a great basket o

er end of the village to buy some bre

basketful of bread

I shall eat that up in one bite. There are not bakers enough

into the ship. Maybe we shal

flew on. As they passed over a meadow they sa

u carry that straw so carefully, when the

t has a magic power, and when it is scattered abo

along and come up into the sh

y flew on. As they passed over a wooded par

u carry those sticks so carefully when al

. "If I were to throw them on the ground they wou

icks indeed! Bring them up into the ship. T

ship was flying over, and men and women came out into the streets and on to the roofs of the houses to see what it mig

have him marry my daughter. He has not a knight in his train-and a

her strange folk behind him, repented of her rash word, and said: "You must give this fello

ing ship and say to him that before his daughter could be given in marriage a

, and reported it to Simple, who lamented, and said: "How can I bring a flask of water from the

rget that I am here. When the summons comes

ple answered quietly that the

f the world, and when he came there he filled the flask and came back with it, and Simple went

re a feast, and tell him that it must be eaten at once. Let forty oxen be killed, and five hundred loav

tion to Simple, who lamented and said: "How can we eat forty oxen, and five hundred loaves and f

loaves from his basket, "you forget that I am here. Perhaps

y oxen and the five hundred loaves and the five hundred cakes and there was not a crumb left. When he had quite finished he sai

wed the Princess. We will prepare a drinking, and serve five hundred flagons of wine, and tell him that it must all be drunken that same night,

ed this to Simple, who lamented and said: "How can we drink five hundred flagons

I am here. Perhaps now for the first time

n the thirsty man picked up flagon after flagon and drank them off until all were empty. And at the end he

a bath for him. And when Simple entered the room for the bath he found that it was heated so hot that the walls burned his hands when he touched them, and the floors were like red-hot iron. But the man with the straw had come in behind him, warned by the man with the wonderf

at we cannot have him wed the Princess. I will give him an impossible task. Go you to him," he said to the messenger, "and

d said: "Now at last am I beaten, though, after all, I have a flying ship, even if I do not wed th

ere. Now all of these others have proven that they could

ptains and colonels and generals to command them. And the King and his courtiers had never seen such an army, and the Princess, standing on the balcony beside her father, as they rode by the palace

he Princess there said to himself: "A flying ship is all very well, but the Prince

ns and the colonels and the generals of his army, and never had there been such a wedding in the kingdom. And by an

THE LOV

ENDICO

-chopper boy this time. Please, Mother, quick, fo

is the

in the forest all day, while the mother kept everything tidy at home and took care of Robin. Robin was an obliging, sunny-hearted little fellow who chop

in the autumn the squirrels chattered with him and brought him nuts. But his four dearest friends were the Owl, who came to his window evenings and gave him wise counsel; the Hare, who played hide-and-seek with him around the bushes; the E

taken ill, and the mother was at her wits' end to take care of him and to provide bread and milk. Robi

"if I were a great knight, perhaps I could rid

uck?" asked the Owl, who knew eve

a council of rob

den, the little gold chain snapped and the amulet rolled away. Everybody in the palace had searched, the soldiers had been called out to help, and all the small boys had been organized into an amulet brigade, for what they cannot see is usually not worth seeing at all. But no one could find it, and in the meantime the princess

said Robin, "we should have bread and milk al

nds, and asked them what they were going to do about it. They wa

clear-sighted and strong enough. Now I will lend him my wisdom, the Hare shall lend his swiftness

to little Robin's windo

ape the fox? If the Eagle cannot see, he will dash himself into the cliff if he flies, and he will starve to death if he sits still. If the Lion's strength is gone, the wolves will be the first t

d seek for the amulet. The king groaned when he saw him, sure that it would be a vain quest for such a little fellow. The truth was that the court philosopher feared the amulet had been stolen by the Ogre of Og

there, looking leagues and leagues away to Ogre Castle, he saw with h

ay ogres always have: "It must be a nut, for I can see something good inside." Robin cou

robin blew th

ding away with the Hare's swiftness toward Ogre Castle, and

t without trouble, but he had just tried to crack the amulet with his teeth. It broke off the very best tooth he had in his head, and his poor

k a pin into them and lie perfectly limp until they are bandaged up and set going once more. That is real

waved her lily

e palace. When the princess, who was watching from the tower window, saw the rosy light of the amulet in the distance, pi

that it would take three carts and six mules to carry it back to the cottage. The king counted out money all the afternoo

ulet, to conquer the Ogre of Ogre Castle, and to return to the palace, that it was almost night before Robin realized it. When the

cream was to be served at eleven, for in palaces people keep terribly late hours, not at all good for them. Just as Robin had dressed himself in a beautiful blue velvet suit, thinking how fine it was

ted. Then he went quickly to the king and told him that he must go away a

arty is spoiled. Besides, you will lose the Prize for Good Luck, for the people have been pro

jay mocked the

e to lose than that. For one day he had enjoyed the fun of being stronger and wiser and swifter and keener-sighted than anybody else. Isn't that better than money and all the prizes for good l

n like the blue jay. And it is much more important for a boy to be strong than for a common old li

ere, under a big oak, lay the Owl, her feathers all a-flutter. She had had no more sense than to go out in the brilliant sunshine, and something had gone wrong inside her head. The saucy blue jay stood back and mocked

aid Robin, gladly. But just then he saw a dark shape

pity. "Poor old Hare!" he said. "

sitting alone on the dead branch of a tree, one wing hanging bruised, perhaps b

ed the har

f the Eagle. Then he saw the poor creature, panting from thirst, trying to drag himself to the river. He was al

t rays of sunset struck the tower as Robin, forgetting all about his blue velvet clothes and the princess and the Prize for Good Luck, ran and raced, uphill and down, through brambl

fox was left so far behind that he was soon glad to limp back home and eat the plain supper that Mrs. Fox had prepared for him. The poor blind Eagle opened his eyes, and saw the moon and the star

m and the swiftness and the clear sight and the strength that had won the prize for him, and that without them he was only a very common little

s, and the tarts and honey for his mother, and whenever the princess gave another party she must ask him to open the dance with her, blue velvet suit or no

eth had go

dore C.

ees half ca

lily and

ht the sw

elephant

decided

wise r

t, with ser

flowers to

t and sm

ing both, dec

of perfume

h resem

O

wrong. But

end for point

uppose good

n elephan

ELVE H

as he traveled through the Enchanted Land. The prince loved

me?" asked the

den, "for there is no one in

d be. The maiden danced and sang, a

rrived hot and breathless. He came from the princ

d the messenger, "and he wo

until his death. Then I shall be king and I will come for you and you shall be my

r finger, and, with a sad hear

"Ah," said the dying man, "how glad I am that you are come. There is one p

what you ask. There is nothing I wo

l marry the bride whom I have chosen for you,"

ind, the prince said, "I promise." The King smiled glad

ust go to the bride his father had chosen for him, and ask, "Will yo

e her heart. Each day she grew paler and thinner, until her father at last said: "Wherefore

ther, find for me eleven maidens exactly like myself. Let

throughout the Enchanted Land until the eleven maidens were found. Each was f

th, trimmed with beaver fur; also twelve green caps each with a pheasant's feather. Then to each of t

ack to the court of the King, who, when a

ing did not recognize her. She asked if he were in need of huntsm

gladly engage them. So they entered his service, and lived a

lion. To possess this lion was as good as to h

: "You imagine you engaged twelve you

" said

on, "but I assure you, you are mistaken. They were

the King, "absu

said the lion, "but those whom you believe to b

you would have me beli

as be scattered. Then, as the huntsmen advance toward you, you will see them

g, and he ordered it to be don

at was to be laid, he went straight to them and said, "The lion is going to prove to the King that you are

called, and as they walked across the royal chamber, i

to the lion and said, "You have spoke

k the truth. To-morrow, summon the twelve to the royal chamber. Let twelve spinning-wheels be placed there. Then, as the huntsmen adva

gain be put to the test, for the lion was a wis

sed maidens, and they resolved not even to g

ross the royal chamber there was not one of them but looked straight into the eyes of

ou have spoken falsely." Then he told the royal beast that the twelve

" repeated the lion, but the

went out a-hunting with him, and the mo

s brought that the princess whom the King was t

ckward. Fortunately, the trunk of a tree supported her until the King, wondering

and recognized her, and in a flash he understood that she had come to court as a huntsman, only to be near him. The King was so touched that he kissed her

m, saying he was sorry he must ask her to return home, as the maid

the royal wedding the lion was an honored guest, beca

E DANCING

in a large hall, each in a little bed of her own. After they were snugly settled for the night, their father, the King, used

, and peeped in as usual, he saw twelve worn-out

nd after breakfast a messenger was sent to

he new shoes were worn

The shoes, he felt sure, were danced to pieces, and he sent a herald to offer a

ife," said the King, "and he shall reign after my death; but h

d he was willing to risk his life in the att

ar and his bed placed so that from it he could watch the door of the hall. The escape of the princesses he w

p. And while he slept, the princesses danced and danced, for, in the m

t again he must have fallen fast asleep, for in the morning twelve pair

d not keep his eyes open, and when in the morning the little slippers were as usual found riddled with

g to risk everything in the attempt to win the fairest of these f

s, was on his way home to the town where the twelve

e your country," she sa

e soldier; for he had heard of the mystery at the palace, an

ghters for your wife. His Majesty will welcome you gladly, and when night falls, you will be shown to a little bedroom. From the time you enter it, remember these three things. Firstly, refuse

efore the throne. "I would win the fairest of your fair da

his daughters, that he gladly welcomed the poor soldier,

could see the door of the sleeping-hall. No sooner had he been left al

e cup and pretended to swallow, but he really let the wine tri

to fall asleep. So well did he pretend, that before long hi

hey all sat up in bed and laughe

om their little white beds, and ran to and fro, opening cupboards, boxes, and

th mischief and merriment at the thought that once more they sho

"but I feel so strange-as if s

fraid. Why! I need not have put a sleeping powder in the soldier

r, and peered into the little room where the soldier lay,

n her bed. Immediately it sank into the earth, and, through

isible cloak around him, and followed the princesses into the hall, unseen. He was just in time to reac

e little princess, terrified. "S

caught on a hook." Then they all went down, down, u

ay a remembrance of the place to sho

d?" cried the youngest princess. "I t

he eldest. "The s

re golden. Here the soldier again broke off a

id the eldest princess to

ldier once more broke off a twig, the youngest princess screamed with fright, but he

ve little boats, and in each boat stood a handsome prince, one

princess in each, the soldier, still wearing his

the boat is so heavy to-day. I have to pull with

nswered the princess. "I dar

to the gay ballroom. And there they danced and danced, but never saw or guessed that the soldier with the invisible cloak danced among them. When a princess lifted a wine-cup to her lips and found it empty, she felt frightened, but she little thought that the unseen soldier had drain

shore, while the princes called after them, "Good-by, fair dau

d, waving their white hands, crie

, slowly and wearily, they reached the door of the hall where they slept, they heard loud snores coming from his room. "Ah, safe once more!" they exclaimed, and they undi

in their wanderings. And this he did a second and a third time, and each night the twelve sisters danced until their slippers we

ld their night-frolic, the soldier took with him the twig with its silver leaves, the twig w

es it that my daughters' slippers, morning after morning are danced int

an underground castle,"

the three twigs and the goblet to prove the truth

called the soldier; but when their eyes fell upon the twigs and the goblet they all turned

d speak, the princesses wrung their hands, crying, "Alack! alack!"

: "You have indeed won your prize. Which o

plied the soldier. "Let me

and far, and a few years later the old soldie

AND T

at a very rich gentleman and lady lived in that neighborhood. Their name was Lawley, and they had a fine old house and large garden wit

sed all people poorer than themselves, and there were none whom they d

ngland then so full of gyps

hildren. At length they had a son, whom they called Edwy. They c

ds and laced robings. He had a plume of feathers in his cap, which was of velvet, with a button of gold to fasten it up in front

s first sorrow came he was still too

f trouble, and when at last it came to Mr. a

es distant. On their return Edwy was nowhere to be found. His waiting-maid was

trates round about helped in the search and tried to discover who had stolen him. But it was all

f. But carried off he had been by the gypsies, and taken aw

. There were many trees and bushes, rocks and caves and holes there.

, and there they kept him all the following wint

d studs, and clothed him in rags and daubed his fair skin with mud. But th

ather's house. They thought he would forget to call himself Edwy, or to cry, "Oh, mamma, mamma, papa, papa! come to little Edwy!" as he so often did. They tau

enever anything hurt or frightened him, he w

So he never went with them on their rounds of begging and buying rags and telling fortunes. Ins

ise to breakfast with those who were going out for their day's begging and stealing. After they had left, he

f leaves and looked about him to see who was with him.

outside, but he heard nothing but the rush of a waterfall close by, and the distant cry of she

n the glen, at the edge of the brook, a little below the waterfall. When the child came out he

out of sight, but she was deaf, and did not hear the

e. Then he began to fancy terrible things. At the top of the rock from which the waters fell there was a huge old yew-tree, or rather bush, which h

dancing motion of the water. While he looked and looked, some great bla

ble bird, and ran down the valley, leaving hut and all behind. And, as he ran, he crie

here the valley became narrower and the rocks and banks higher on either side. The brook ran along between, and a path wen

oh, come to Edwy!" And he kept up this cry from time to time, til

his back toward the hut and ran and ran again until he got deeper in among the rocks. Then he stopped again, for t

im. It said, "Come, come to Edwy!" It said it once, it said it tw

d, and in his terror he cried more loudly,

. The more loudly he spoke, the more perfect was the echo. But he could onl

t the echo said came from them. They were calling to him, and saying, "Poor, poor Edwy!" But wher

among the reeds and sedges and alders by th

alled again, and c

e cry again, "Edwy i

ost! lost!" and now the voice sounded from behin

shriek, finishing up with broken sounds which to Edwy's ears seemed as if some one a long way off was mocking him. His terror was now at its highest, and he did not know wha

road, in a fine carriage with four h

im. They had come the day before to a town near to the place where the gypsies had kept Edwy all the winter. There they had made many inquiries, and asked about t

there, and the next morning they came across the country,

ught, if possible, more than ever of their lost child, and Mrs. Lawley wo

h arrived at the top of a high hill. The descent on the other side

and every one got down from it. Mr. Lawley walked first, followed closely by his servant

remember all the pretty ways of my boy, and think of his lovely face and gen

who knows but that our grief may soon be at an e

he looked up the wild lonely valley. He saw a raven rise from the wood and heard

ust be brooks running into the valley. Mr. Lawley, however, was too sad to talk to his

t there. They found that the brook crossed the road in that place

n the low wall, and looked upon the dark mouth

but the rattling of the coach-wheels over the stony road prevented his hearing it distinctly. He heard th

him jump over the low parapet of the bridge an

d. He had got just far enough away from the sound of the coach-wheels

t out. He looked back to his master, and his look made Mr. Lawley

d the ear of William. The young man once more looked round at his master and ran on. The last cry had been heard by Mr. Lawley

to come from opposite sides. Here he heard the cry again, and heard it distinctly. It was the voice of a child cry

l repeated in strange confusion by the echoes, rang in his ears. But amid all th

ho looked like a witch. She held the hand of a little ragged child very firmly, tho

to the woman, and had got hold

lliam had entered his service since he had lost his child and could not therefore

t run to meet him, for he was tightly held by the g

that the boy was her grandchild. But it was no use now. She let the child's hand go, and, while he was f

his own? Or who could say what the mother felt when she saw her husband come out from the mouth of the valley, bearing in his arms the little ragged

the grass to thank God for his goodness. There was no pride now i

as they had been feared and disliked. Even the gypsies in time became their fa

LE OLD W

A VINEG

egar-bottle. One day, as she was sweeping out her house, she fou

hen she got there the nets had just been drawn up, and there was only one l

, good woman, throw me into the water again. I am but a very little fish, and I sh

pity on the little fish, a

her. "My good woman," she said, "I am the little fish you threw into the water, and, as you

he did not want for anything. She lived in a nice little vinegar-

thing, you have only to come to the waterside and ca

of something she wanted. And the next morning she went to the waterside and cal

want, good wo

hrew you into the water when you were but a little fish. Now, if you please, ma'am, I should like a little cottage. For you must kno

shall have one,

here she found a nice whitewashed cottag

uld never want anything more; but afte

lled "Fairy, fairy"; and the water bubbl

want, good wo

e, and now, if you please, ma'am, I would like some new furniture. For the furniture I

shall have some

th nice new furniture, a stool and table, a neat little four-post bed with b

uld never want anything more; but afte

lled "Fairy, fairy"; and the water bubbl

want, good wo

re, and now, if you please, ma'am, I would like some new clothes. For I find that the clothes I wore

d, "Go home and yo

r old clothes changed to new ones. There was a silk dress and

she should never want anything more; but

lled "Fairy, fairy"; and the water bubbl

want, good wo

house and furniture and clothes; and now, if you please, I should like a maid. For

d, "Go home and yo

e found at the door a neat little maid with a b

she would never want anything more; but

lled "Fairy, fairy"; and the water bubbl

want, good wo

ouse and furniture, and clothes, and a maid; and now, if you please, I should like a

d, "Go home and yo

ere she saw at the door a little pony all

uld never want anything more; but afte

lled "Fairy, fairy"; and the water bubbl

ant, my good w

nd furniture, and clothes, and a maid, and a pony; and now, if you please, ma'am, I should

id, "Go home and

and there she found her pony harnes

the waterside, calling "Fairy, fairy"; and the wa

want, good wo

furniture, and clothes, and a maid, and a pony and a cart; but now, if you please, ma'am, I

ittle old woman! The more I give you, the mo

er pony, and her maid, and her clothes, and her furniture, and her house. Nothin

SNOW

le boy called Kay. And there was

little boy and girl, but they lived i

er time peeping at Kay, through one of the little

w-box. Often Gerda would step out of her attic window into the balcony, carrying with her a

it and play together, or tell fairy tales, or tend

ll into Gerda's balcony, and there, too, the little boy a

the red roses they bore gave Kay and Gerda more delight than you can imagin

es from a gray sky, then no flowers bloomed in the window-boxes. And the balcony was so slippery that the children dared not ven

, gazing and gazing at the lovely pictures of castles, and mountains, and sea

covered with pictures, how could Kay and Ger

dow-pane, and so make little round peep-holes. Then he would put his eye to one of these little rounds and-what did he

not play together on the balcony, that Gerda's

nd there, on the edge of the window-box, were a few big snowflakes. And as the little boy watched them, the biggest gre

ded to him, and waved her hand, and as he jumped from his chair, he fancied she

een spring burst upon the earth. Then once

at Kay and Gerda sat together on their little s

re is something sharp in my eye, a

ound Kay's neck and

nothing,

the boy, and they turned

gone; a little bit had reached his heart, and it was st

he world. It belonged to the worst hobgoblin that ever

hings in the world, and not one beautiful sight could they see. And the thoughts of thos

tle demons to carry the mirror all over the world

o hundreds of thousands of millions of bits. Then it did more harm than ever, for the tiny pieces, some no bigger than a grain

p and up on

t was mean and ugly; and if the tiniest grain of the glass reached his heart, alas! alas! it froze

. One tiny bit of the magic mirror had flown

orm in that rose. Roses are ugly, and so are window-boxes." And Ka

t is the matte

other rose, and then, without saying good-by, s

nd when the grandmother told them a story, he interrupted her and made ugly faces.

eated those who were weak. And all through the blue summer and the yellow autumn Kay te

le sledge across his back, and marched off alone. "I am going to ride in the square," he shouted in her ear as he passed. But Gerda could not answer; she could only thin

' carts. With what glee they felt themselves being drawn over the snow-covered ground! When they reached the t

cart, when a big sledge, painted white, drove by. In it sat some one muf

nd in a moment found himself flying through the streets. What fun! On and on through

ates. The snow fell so heavily that it blinded him. Now he could not see where they were going, and Kay grew more frightened still. He tried to say his prayers, but could only remember the multiplication table. Bigger an

lady; "come into my sledge.

but he felt as if he had

e old pain at his heart. But only for a minute, for the Snow Queen kissed him again, and then he forgot the pain, and he for

ver woods and lakes, over rivers, islands, and seas. No, he was not afraid, although th

long the boy would gaze at it and the twinkling star

of litt

and nobody could tell her where he was. The boys had seen him drive out of the

r. Oh, what a long, cold winter that was! But spring came at las

dead," s

s not true," sa

t believe it," twit

id little Ger

k it about Kay." So she put on her little red shoes, and kissed her old grandmother who w

I will give you these if you will bring him back to

ed them back on to the dry pebbles at her feet. "We d

, stepping into a boat that lay among the rushes, she flung t

among the rushes. Soon it was drifting faster and f

arther down the river. How pretty it was! Trees waved and flowers nodded on its ban

n to the river-bank. At the end of this garden stood a tiny cottage

ooden soldier. Gerda thought the sol

tiny house, wondered who it could be that called. She hobbled out, leaning on her hook

and catching hold of the boat with her hooked stick; "you poor dear!" And

e was a little bit afraid of the old, old woman, wh

nt on to tell the old, old woman the whole story of her playmate and his stran

aste my cherries." And when they had gone into the cottage, the old, old woman locked the door. Then she gave Gerda a plat

er hair, Gerda forgot all about Kay. And this was just what the witch wished, for she was a lon

bushes and they quickly sank beneath the brown earth. For Gerda had told her how fond Kay had once been of their little rose-bushes in the balcony, and the

suddenly fell on her knees to smell the pinks and mignonette, and th

. Then the old, old woman again took her by the hand, and led her to the little house. And she undress

and for many more Gerda played

rda looked at her hat with the wonderful p

none in the garden," thought Ge

And they fell on the very spot where the roses had grown, and as so

moment the tears fell again, for she thought of the

Kay, is he dead?"

ed, "for we have been beneath the

she went from flower to flower whis

n dreams, and these they told the little maiden gladly,

rusty latch. The gate flew open, and Gerda ran out on her little bare feet into the green fields.

ked around. And little Gerda felt sorry that she had staye

asked herself, and she jumped up and trudged a

till little Gerda was wandering alone through t

n that hopped on the stone

?" asked Gerda, and she t

nnot tell. But if it was, he will have forgot

with a princes

ld, and forgotten them again. Last winter she made up her mind to marry. Her husband, she said, must speak well. He must know the proper thing to say, and say it p

ocked to the palace in crowds, chattering as they came. But when they saw the great staircase, and the soldiers in their silver uniform, and the grand ladies in velvet and lace, they could only talk in whispers. And when they were led before the

ay, did he come?"

coming to that. On the third day came a boy with sparklin

. Dear, dear Kay, I ha

apsack on hi

een a sledge," agai

on his back, and he wore

had new boots. I heard them cre

passed the soldiers in silver uniform, he bowed to the ladies in velvet and lace, and still he was quite at his ease. And when he was led before the b

rda. "He was so clever. He could do arithme

t to my tame sweetheart. She will certainly be able to advise us. W

for your going to the palace with those bare feet-the thing is impossible. The soldiers in silver uniform would not let you go up th

hild,' said

raight int

ng avenue that led to the palace garden. And in the garden they waited silently until the last ligh

tips of her little bare toes she followed t

urned a small lamp. Beside

s her grandmothe

eld, "he has told me your story. It has made me sad. But if yo

little Kay," m

hat we shall see," sa

e, her heart thumping and thumping so loudly that she w

two little beds, one white and one red. The

, as she peeped at the little head tha

was the

ut the hair, surely it was Kay's hair. She drew down the little red cov

s I, little Ger

is head. He opened his eyes-and-a

rt would break. She cried until she awok

, and where do you come f

he is?" And Gerda told the princess all her sto

said the princess, "h

and he jumped out of his little

l indeed. She folded her ha

edge, and it was dragged by angels. But it was only a dream, a

the palace by the back staircase, this time they should be rewarded. They should for the rest of their li

ams, she saw the sunbeams stealing a

d her to stay with them at the palace. But Gerda begged for a little carriage, and a horse, a

there before the door stood a carriage of pure gold. The prince himself

ven flew to the carriage and perched by her side. He explained that his wife, for he was now married, would have come also, but she had eaten too much breakfast and was not well

rnuts and sugar-biscuits and fruit in the carri

ld she f

mong them was an old robber-woman, with shaggy e

a moving torch gleamed through the forest. It was Gerda's golden carriage. The robbers r

ow, just stand still, so, and-oh! stop, I say, stop," screamed the old woman, for at that moment her daughter sprang upon her back and bit her

ther they stepped into the golden carriage and drove deep into the wood. "No one will hurt you now,

e robber-girl all her story. "Hav

all kill you even if I am angry with you. I shall do it myself." And she dried Gerda's

obber-girl led Gerda into a large, old hall and gave her a basin of hot

ed, and saw that in one corner of the ro

see my pets. Com

lay down together on their straw bed.

went on, "he is mine, too;" and she caught by the horn a reindeer that was tied to the wall. He had a bright brass collar round his neck. "We have to keep him tied or he would run away. I tickle him every night with my sharp knife

eyes, "you are not going to sleep with

er knows what may happen. But tell me again all about

tle robber-girl put one arm round Gerda's neck, and w

close beside her? She would try not to think of it. She would li

above our nest in the Snow Queen's sledge. She blew upon

going? Where does the Snow

tell you everythin

e Kay was going to the Snow Queen's palace, a sp

ttle Kay!" s

ick my knife into you," s

sleep. In the morning she told the robber-gi

ughtful. Then she nodded her head importantly. At

wall. Then I should still tickle you with my knife, and have the fun of se

there? Had he not played in its snow-covered fields? As t

back to your old home?

leaped into t

her safely to the Snow Queen's palace. She must find her little playfellow." And the robber-girl lifted Gerda up and tied her on the reindeer's back, having fir

little Kay," and G

Look! here are two loaves and a ham." Then she opened wide t

ing her blackmittened hands, and the little robber-girl

lds and forests and swamps. The wolves howled and the ra

finished, and Gerda and th

hut one had to creep on hands and knees. How the reindeer squeezed through I cannot tell, but there he was in the little hut,

ndreds of miles away at her palace in Finland. But I will give you a note to a Finn woman, and she wil

man tied her on to the reindeer again, and they squeezed thr

he blue northern lights flickered in the sky overhe

chimney, for she had no door at all. Then they squeezed dow

the reindeer's head. Now that her visitors were more comfortable she could look at the letter they brou

he reindeer again told his story first, and af

he Snow Queen, and thinks himself the happiest boy in the world. But that is because a little bit of the magic mirror is still in his eye, and another

ower to overcome the Snow Qu

irl, and it is that loving heart that will conquer the Snow Queen. But this you can do. Carry little Gerda to the palace ga

d the r

and my mittens

with the red berries. There he put Gerda down and kissed her, while tears trickled down h

he sky. No, they were marching along the ground. And what strange shapes they took! Some

so great that she could not go on. She opened her eyes, and there, surrounding her, was a legion of bright little angels. They had been formed from her breath, as she prayed, "O

he is blue with cold, for the Snow Queen has kissed away the icy sh

o visit the countries of the south,

must go and cast my veil of white across t

hem on the ice-floor and goes to the window to gaze at the snowdrifts in the palace garden. Great

enters the vast hall. At a glance she sees the lonely boy. In a twinkling she knows it is Ka

ear, de

. He is still and col

e yet round Kay's neck, and her tears fall upon his heart of ice

y pour, the tiny bit of glass passes out of his e

you been, where have you been, where are we now?"

; she kisses his eyes, and they shine like stars; she

. The winds hush, the sun bursts forth. They t

im there waits another reindeer. They

w clothes ready for them, and brings out her sledge. Once more Kay and Gerda are sitting side by side. The Lapp woman drives, and the t

e kind Lapp woman; "good-

a forest. How strange and ho

oward them. She wears a scarlet cap, and ha

ve found l

smile, and asks for t

traveling

the r

l me what you have been doing,

ls of her journey through Lapland and Finland, and how at l

saying "Hurrah!" Then, promising that if ever she is near their to

d town where they had lived together. Soon they come to the narrow street they re

n pours in upon the old grandmother,

on either side of her, and listen to the words from the Good

summer-warm, brigh

ASTER

it seems a strange thing for a King's son to do, the Prince went to the Giant's house to be his servant, and the Giant gave the Prince a room, to sleep in, which,

goats. But the Giant did nothing of the sort. In the morning he prepared to take the goats to pasture himself; but

ct the work to be well done." Then, before he reached the door, he turned back and said, in a threat

to say, "I mean every word I have said," and he

dow. Then, when the Giant and his flock had gone out of sight, he began to w

d nothing to do. To clean a stable with only one sta

r what the Giant keeps behind those

uriosity; but he was far away, and the Prince boldly opened the first

Prince; "there is no fire under t

without a fire. As he did so, a lock of his hair dipped into the pot; and when he r

a cauldron inside, boiling merrily; but there was no fire to be seen. He went over and looked into the pot; and as it did not look exactly like the

t tip-toed into this room, he was so curious; but he went through the same performance. And when he raised his head from the thir

r with the greatest care. By this time he was so full of curiosity that he ran as fast as he could to

y quietly; and there on the bench, in the

d when she saw the handsome young Prince standing in the doorway, she started

found him a very easy master. Indeed, he said the Giant

yone else did, he would never finish the work, because f

use the handle of his pitchfork,

day and talked of pleasant things. Indeed, they liked each other

would do it; but when he found that in a very short time he would not have room to stand, he quickly turned the pitchfork around and used the handle. In a few moments the stable was as c

id not believe him; but he went out to see. When he came back he said very decidedly to the Prince: "

rd of the maiden before, and asked such stupid questions

he had to do that day was to catch the Giant's horse that was feeding on the mountain-side. And having set him this task, th

horse would rush at him with flame bursting from its nostrils, and its mouth wide open to tear him. But, she said, if he would take the bridle that hung on the crook by the door, and fling it straight into th

is opportunity, and just at the right moment he flung the bridle in between its teeth, and the horse stood still. Then the Prince mounted it and rode it q

y quietly that it was in the stable. The Giant did not believe him; but he went

id he would like to see the maid. "You shall see her soon enough," t

o go down underground and fetch his taxes. Then he warned th

e taxes, and how much he should ask for. She took him to the window and pointed out a rocky ledge. He must go there, she said, tak

en he asks how much you want, you ar

e together and talked until the evening of what they would do

y monster. Everything happened as the maiden said; and when the monster, with sparks flying everywhere from him, a

illed a sack, which was as much as the Prince could do to carry. Indeed, that was nothing to what the Pr

Giant reached home, the Prince sat quietly in his room, whistling sof

nce, showing him the bursting sack. The Giant examined the money, and

e third day you have talked about the

It is time enough to-morrow. I will show her to you myself, and you will

e the Master-Maid," he opened the door of the fourth room, beckoned the Prince to follow him in, and sai

epare some cauliflower for dinner," he lay down on the bench

l him in the large ca

n she gathered up a lot of rubbish, such as old shoes and rags, and put them in the cauldron with water and pepper and salt. Last of all, she packed a small chest with gold, and gave it to the Prince to carry; filled a water-flask; took a

used a little, and said sl

quietly: "It is just beginning."

ore he roused again and ask

s mournful voice, for she had seen so many dark deeds

eral hours; but then he became quite a

p, and looked around. The maiden was nowhere to be seen

it. So he called up his water-sucker, who lay down and drank two or three draughts; and the water fe

, and as soon as he did so it became such a high mountain that the Giant c

d a tunnel through the mountain, so that the s

e sea. As soon as he did so the sea filled up, and before the water-sucker could dri

. The maiden begged him not to go, because, she said, he would forget her; but he insisted. Then she asked him to speak to no one while he was away, and on no a

and questions the Prince said no word, and only shook his head when they offered him food, until the pretty laughing young sister of the bride-to-be rolled a bright red apple across the courtyard t

nd shelter. There she found a dark hut, owned by a Witch, who at first would not allow her to stay. T

boiled all over the hut, and gilded the dark, dingy walls. The Witch was so frig

aiden, and asked her to marry him. The maiden asked if he had a great deal of money, and the Sheriff said he had a good deal, and went away

iately she put a spell on him so that until morning came, he could not let the shovel go, and had to stand all night pouring red hot c

rich he was; and while they were talking the maid said she had forgotten to close the door, so the Attorney went to close it. When he ha

d not let go. He made a great deal of noise, but the maid slept as soundly as if she were in the midst of calm. In th

and brought at least six bushels of money to show how rich she would be, if she married him. The ma

dale holding on to the calf's tail, which he could by no means let go. In the morning he was a sorry sight, as he

d, indeed, it was arranged that he was to marry the young Princess who ha

ld not let go o

e, and no pin could be got that would not break, until the Sheriff thought of the maiden

a new one was made it fell to pieces. However, the Attorney thought of the maiden's

-Maid's calf; and although it was a very ridiculous thing to see the King's carriage drawn by a calf, the King sent to borrow it. The maiden, who was very obliging, lent

egan to go round and round so quickly that it w

he maiden who lived in the gilded hut, because without her help they could not have got to th

and tell him if he is too good to com

and as they went to the palace he thought she

the Master-Maid took out the golden cock and hen and the golden apple,

ock and hen b

here are fighting for the

ht to get out of danger

thrown him the apple disappeared, and now for th

' RUS

had three daughters, and he thought he'd see ho

o you love

she, "as I l

good,"

cond: "How much do y

e, "better nor

good,"

ird: "How much do yo

as fresh meat lov

ys he, "and in my house you stay no more." So he drove

thered a lot of rushes and made them into a kind of a sort of a cloak, w

n and on till she c

nt a maid?

don't,"

she; "and I ask no wages, and wi

o wash the pots and scrape the sa

d the saucepans, and did all the dirty work. And bec

the servants were allowed to go and look on at the grand people.

' rushes, and cleaned herself, and went to the da

at should he do but fall in love with her the minute h

nd away she went home. And when the other maids came back

aid to her: "You did miss

s that?"

aw, dressed right gay and ga'. The youn

e to have seen her,

er dance this evening, and

go with them. Howsoever, when they were gone, she offed with he

never took his eyes off her. But before the dance was over she slipped off and home she

uld have been there to see the lady. There she was again, gay

she, "I should ha' l

again this evening, and you must go

o what they would she stayed at home. But when they were gone, she offed w

never took his eyes off her. When she wouldn't tell him her name, nor where she c

d home she went; and when the maids came home she wa

Rushes, you didn't come last night, and now you

rarely liked to hav

go where he might, and ask whom he might, he never heard anything about her.

the cook. "He's dying for the love of the lady." The

u a-doing of

he young master," says the cook, "f

it," says C

Cap o' Rushes made the gruel. And when she had made it she slipp

it, and then he saw t

the cook

she

is gruel her

he cook, for sh

looked

he. "Say who did it, an

was Cap o' Rus

' Rushes he

o' Rush

ke my gruel

did,"

u get this ri

at gave it m

then?" says

ffed with her cap o' rushes, and the

ittle time. It was to be a very grand wedding, and everyone was asked, far and n

ing, she went to th

ss every dish with

are nasty," s

was in her be

't signify,

at down to the dinner. When they began to eat the meat, it was so tasteless they couldn't eat it

er?" said the ma

As much as fresh meat loves salt.' And I turned her from my door, for I thought she didn

Cap o' Rushes. And she goes up t

were all hap

llected by Joseph Jacobs; used by

FIL

on the morrow. A knock came at the door, and two strangers stood there. "We have lost our way," they said, "and the

said "No!" very shortly. T

borer and his wife. In this house there was much happiness, but there was no prepar

themselves. And, because there was but one bed in the house, the laborer and his wife gave that to their guests

ause there was no meat in the house, the laborer went out and killed the one goat which they owned, and his wife dressed it, and cooked it,

the strangers said to the laborer: "

his guests should know that he had sacrificed his last goat f

and your wife shall have two

They had looked into each other's eyes, and had seen that which made for happiness and contentment. So they told the guests that t

and took their leave, promising to come again next year, and spend t

od prices on the market; their corn grew thick and tall, and the barns were filled with golden grain; their

ime when their friends should come again next year. For it seemed to them that they could hardly enjoy the good

ad first come to them; and when they heard the story they were

t down the hill to the la

gain this year, send them up to our house, and we will give them a grand feast

their friends were to be so well entertained, and were ver

the next morning they said that they must hasten, as they were to enter the church with the friends of the year before. This was very satisfactory to the farmer and his wi

stood at the door. And just as they were about to drive away one of t

swered the fa

ny horns di

n waiting for, and the farmer's wife whispered in her husb

ndeed, it was a very pecul

, "you shall have four wi

ch, the farmer driving very fast, for he was eager to get back home

one of them stumbled and a trace broke. This was most provoking, and he could not wait to fix it right, but fastened it has

I wish-" But the words were not all out of his mouth before the

new that he had but one wish left and he wanted to make that one very carefully, so

, for she wanted to talk over with him what her two wishes should

rought so speedily, and at his wife for having so foolishly wasted a wish. So immediately they began to quarrel

, "I wish that two of the horns were

cried aloud in pain, for two horns were growing rapidly, one on each side of

exclaiming: "Oh, that was my last wish. Do

uld do me!" said his wife, "wit

, who saw his last hope of riches disappearing, as, indeed, it did, for he had hardly st

s the last wish, and so was the hope for great

GRISL

M THE BROT

but so haughty and vain she thought none of the Princes who came to as

in, and passed down the line by them all; but she had something disagreeable to say to every one. The first was too fat. "He's as round as a tub!" she said. The next one was too tall. "What a

g who was there. "Look at him," said she; "his beard is like an old mop. I call hi

and how she treated all his friends. So he said that, willing or unwilling, she should

: "Let him come in." So they brought in a dirty-looking fellow, and he sang before the King and the Princess.

l i will give you my

parson was sent for, and she was married to the singer. Then the King said: "You mu

eparted and took

reat wood. "Whose woo

d," said he. "If you had taken

I am! I wish I had ta

adows. "Whose are these beauti

Beard. If you had taken him

am! I wish indeed I had m

at city. "Whose is this

he said again. "If you had taken hi

r rode his horse

m," she sighed. "Why did I n

iness of mine,"

cottage. "To whom does this l

" said the beggar. "This

servants?" she a

l have to do whatever is to be done. Now, make

ing, and the beggar was forced to help her. Early

e, we can't go on like this, spending money and earning nothing. You must learn to weave baskets." So he we

said her husband; "try and spin.

husband tried to teach her; but the threads

bargain I have got. However, I will try and set up a trade in

rket, if any of my father's court pass by a

y without thinking of taking away the goods. Then her husband bought a fresh lot of ware, and she sat down one day with it in the corner of the market; but a drunken soldier came by and rode hi

everybody passes; but let us have no more crying. I see you are not fit for this sort

ame a kitchen-maid, and helped t

f one of the windows and saw all the ladies and gentlemen of the court in fine array. Then she thought with a sore heart of her own sa

the King's son in golden clothes broke through the crowd; and when he saw a beautiful woman at

. However, he led her into the ballroom, and as he did so the cover of her basket came off, so that the fragments of food

Grisly-Beard overtook her, brought her back,

ere because I loved you. I am also the soldier who upset your stall. I have done all this to cure you of y

her and his whole court came in and wished her much happiness. The feast

ountr

he To

town with his friend. On his arrival, the Town Rat placed before him bread, barley, beans, dried figs, honey, raisins, and last of all, brought a dainty piece of cheese from a basket. The Country Rat being much delighted at the sight of such good cheer, expressed his satisfaction in warm terms, and lamented his own hard fate. Just as they were beginning to eat, some one opened the door, and they both ran off squeaking as fast as they could to a hole so narrow that two could only find room in it by squeezing.

re desirabl

BL

X AND

en he saw the Fox in the well, so he said, "Is the water good?" "Oh, yes," said the Fox, "it is very good and nice, and there is a lot of it." In sprang the Goat, and at once the Fox sprang on to his back, and thence out of the well. "Ah

TWO

friend, and entreated him to change his residence and come and live with him, saying that he could enjoy greater safety from danger and more abundant food. The other refused, saying that he felt it so very har

IN THE

d ill-bred cur at once began to snarl and bite at him. "What a selfish Beast thou art!" said the Ox

AG AT

hese poor, thin, weak legs of mine." While he thought thus, all at once the cries of the huntsman and the bay of the hounds were heard. Away flew the Stag, and by the aid of these same thin, weak legs he soon outran the hunt. At last he found himself in a wood, and he had the bad luck to catch his fin

HORSE AN

ho did not wish to make the proud horse cross, at once went to the side, so that he might pass him. Not long after this, the Horse was sent to the wars. There he had the ill-luck to get a bad wound, and in that state, as he was not fit to serve in the field of war, his fine clothes were taken from him, and he was sold to the man wit

WHO WANT

d to take a peep at their new lord and King. At length some of the more brave swam to him, and they were soon followed by the rest; and when they saw that he did not move but lay quite still, they leaped upon his back, and sprang and sang on him, and cried out that he was no King but a log. Such a King did not at all please them; so they sent a fresh prayer to Jove to beg him for a King who had some life, and would move. Then Jove sent a Stork, and said he thought this would suit them. The Stork had bu

AND T

rushed one of them to death. The mother coming up, and missing o

y huge beast with four great feet came to th

out, inquired, "Was the be

do not be angry; for you would, I assure you, sooner burs

our nature, and act accordi

ERON

TO

down on the shore to die. A kite seeing it, exclaimed: "You richly deserve yo

e content to mind

ERD BOY A

the village would leave their work, and come in hot haste to the boy's help, each man with an axe or a club with which to kill the Wolf. But as each time they found that it was a Boy's joke, they made up their minds not to come at his cries. O

HE COCK, A

he Lion was in the act of springing on the Ass, the Cock sent forth a loud and shrill crow. The Lion took to his heels at once, and ran off as fast as he could. The Ass saw this, and thought that the Lion was running off through fear of him. So he gave a great bray, and threw up his

THE BEAR,

d own the body of the Fawn, they fell to blows. The fight was hard and long; and at last both were so faint and weak with loss of blood that they lay down on the ground and panted, for they were quite out of breath. Just then a Fox went by, and saw that the Bear and

SE AND

p him in punishing the Stag. The man replied, that if the Horse would receive a bit in his mouth, and agree to carry him, that he would contrive effectual weapons against the Stag. The Horse consente

N AND T

irst, and were soon engaged in the agonies of a mortal combat. On their stopping on a sudden to take breath for the fiercer renewal of the strife, they saw some Vultures waiting in t

AN AND THE

longing for the contents of the game-bag. They quickly agreed to exchange the produce of their day's sport. Each was so well pleased with his bargain that for some time they made the same exchange day after d

E

LION'

imals he met with in his wanderings. At last, meeting a fox, he tried to frighten him also, but the fox no sooner heard

l-concealed marks to escape d

nkey a miller, his

rtoise the town rat

s by bess br

golden eggs the

lion's skin the

s by bess br

and THE

y agreed that the fox should choose the course and fix the goal. On the day appointed for the race they started together. The tortoise never for a moment stopped, but went on with a slow but steady pace straight to the end of the course. The hare, t

teady wins

ND THE WO

had not seen the Fox. He declared that he had not seen him, and yet pointed, all the time he was speaking, to the hut where the Fox lay hid. The huntsman took no notice of the signs, but, believing his word, hastened forward in the chase. As soon as they were well away, the Fox departed without taking any notice of the Woo

D OTHER BEA

said he would be the chief judge, and laid his paw on one of the shares, and thus spoke: "This first piece I claim as your lord and king; this part, too, I claim as the most brave and most fierce o

LE AND

the dart was made in part with one of his own quills. "Ah!" said he, "how much more sharp are wounds whic

SE AND

ome days like this on land, they came to a pond. The Frog made a start to swim, and bade the Mouse be of good heart. When they had got half-way over, the Frog made a sharp plunge to the bottom-and of course took the Mouse with him. The

F AND T

l fall from that great height; and you will, too, find the grass down here much more fresh and thick." "I am much pleased by your kind thought," said

BA

thought that this was a thing to be proud of, so ran through the best known streets, and grew so vain that he scorned the dogs he met, and would not be seen with them

D AND

et it at least be gay. Do you pipe for a time, and I will dance." So the Wolf set to play and the Kid to dance; but the music was heard by some Dogs who were near, and they ran to find out

AND TH

r tricks to get them, but wearied herself in vain, for she could not reach high enough. At last, she turned

htened by philosophy, eve

AND TH

the beauty of her shape, and in the fairness of her complexion! Oh, if her voice were only equal to her beauty, she would deservedly be considered the Queen of the birds!" This he said deceitfully; but the raven, anxiou

often a mask

L AND T

th his horns. The Bull, though cross at this, did not butt at the Goat on the spot, but just said, "Do not think that I f

EN AND

went to the streams and lakes, where he spent all his time washing and dressing his clothes; but all was of no use, he was j

EF AND

og who took care of it quiet. So he threw to him some sops with the hope that that would stop his bark. "Get out will you!"

AND THE

r his load. But the Horse was not kind, and said lots of cruel things to the Ass and said he must trudge on in front. The Ass did trudge on; but the weight was too much for him, so he fell down on the road, and at once died. The

WITH T

d, went on his way with a light heart. Very soon after this the man went to the seaside once more, and put still more salt on his Ass. As they went their way they came once more to the bridge where the Ass fell into the stream. The Ass thought of his fall and what had come of it, and this time took care to roll into the water once more; the salt was again gone

K AND T

what use such a thing could be to him, and did not stop to think if it might be of use to any one else. But he shook his head with a wise air, and said: "You shine like a very fi

HO HAD LO

h himself, that in the common loss he might the better conceal his own deprivation. He assembled a good many Foxes, and publicly advised them to cut off their tails saying "that they would not only look much better wit

E AND TH

a great whir of his wings, and settled upon a large ram, with the intention of carrying him off; but his claws becoming entangled in his fleece he was not able to release himself, although he fluttered with his feathers as much as he could. The shepherd, seeing wha

our weakness an

ND THE GO

de, and killed it in order that they might get it, when to their surprise they found that the hen differed in no respect from their othe

ll things that are certain than to

G AND

nded both were famished with hunger, which the Ass was able to appease by eating the grass and thistles that grew by the

rudely, "you can eat grass just as

Wolf loping toward them, and the trem

will have to fight alone." And he went of

to their assistance. You do n

H WIND A

remove his cloak should be the winner in the contest between them. The North Wind began, by blowing a strong blast, thinking to tear away the traveler's clo

ed his cloak, and basked in their warmth, and finally quite forgetful of the cold, he ca

often strong

X AND

at he was near dying with fear. On his meeting with him for the second time, he was still much alarmed, but not to the same extent as at

ce softens

AND THE

so little water that he could not possibly get at it. He tried everything he could think of to reach the water, but all his efforts were in vain. At last he collecte

the mother

AND HI

Ass. As this afforded only protection for one, and as the traveler and the owner of the Ass both claimed it, a violent dispute arose between them as to which had the right to it. The owner maintained that he had

the shadow we ofte

F AND T

he Crane had extracted the bone, and demanded the promised payment, the Wolf, grinning and grinding his teeth, exclaimed: "Why, you ha

o reward, and be thankful if yo

AND TH

lse, and poured out into a broad, flat stone dish. The soup fell out of the long bill of the crane a

row mouth, so that he could easily insert his neck, and enjoy its contents at his leisure; while the

ense of others beget unhappiness and

E

n

h

NK

burning himself. Seeing a nice tabby cat in a corner, he thus accosted her: "Please come and sit with me awhile, for I am lonely." Puss took a seat at t

hose who, in the guise of friendship, wou

NCING

cle was often repeated with great applause, till on one occasion a guest, bent on mischief, took from his pocket a handful of nuts, and threw them on the stage. The Monkeys at the sight of the nuts forgot their dancing, and became (as

e not eas

ES AND

ecipice into a deep lake below. As they scampered off in a very numerous body to carry out their resolve, the Frogs lying on the banks of the lake heard the noise of their feet, and rushed helter-skelter to the deep water for saf

uer

N AND T

f upon the Lion, and stung him on the nostrils and parts of the face devoid of hair. The Lion, trying to crush him, tore himself with his claws, until he punished himself severely. The Gnat thus prevailed over the Lion, and, buzzing about in a song of triumph, flew away. But

ly nor lowly, but walk humbl

GS AND

ting in a meadow close by. "Alas!" cried one of the frogs.

"Their quarrels have nothing to do with us. Their

certainly triumph. The vanquished will take refuge from the vi

he weak are the greatest su

AND HER Y

and the full plumage of their feathers, when the owner of the field, overlooking his crop, now quite ripe, said, "The time is come when I must send to all my

ater, and saw the wheat shedding the grain from excess of ripeness, and said, "I will come myself to-morrow with my laborers, and with as many reapers as I can hire, and will get in the harvest." Th

is the b

NG TH

black cat that had taken up her abode there, and made her living by hunting and eating them up one by one, s

r, its little heart beating pit-a-pat, and they found it s

last a young mouse plucked up his spirits and said: "I will tell you what to do. Fasten a bell on th

chattered joyously, until an old mouse aske

that what seems an easy plan may be hard to carr

ER, HI

THEI

met a troop of women collected around a well. "Look," cried one, "did you ever see such fellows, to be trudging

ct is shown to old age in these days? Do you see that idle lad riding, while his old father has to walk? Get down, you you

once, "how can you ride upon the beast, while that poor little lad can hardly keep pace by the sid

ows are better able to carry the poor beast than he you." So they tied the legs of the ass together, and by the aid of a pole endeavored to carry him on their shoulders over a bridge.

erybody one is quite l

OISE AND

ft, and float her in the air. "I will give you," she said, "all the riches of the Red Sea." "I will teach you to fly then," said the Eagle; and taking her up in his talons, he carried her almost to the clouds,-when suddenly letting her g

y wished, they wou

ACOCK

auty and in size. The splendor of the emerald shines in your neck, and you unfold a tail gorgeous with painted plumage." "But for what purpose have I," said the bird, "this dumb beauty so long as I am surpassed in song?" "The lot of each," repli

ent is h

THE FOX, A

lly divided the spoil into three equal shares, and modestly requested the two others to make the first choice. The Lion, bursting into a great rage, devoured the Ass. Then he requested the Fox to do him the favor to make a division. The Fox accumulated all that t

o learns from the m

HER AND

y had done so, he placed the faggot into the hands of each of them in succession, and ordered them to break it in pieces. They each tried with all their strength and were not able to do it. He next unclosed the faggot, and took the sticks separately, one by one, and again put them into their hands,

VE AND

r, plucked a leaf and let it fall into the stream close to her. The ant, climbing on to it, floated in safety to the bank. Shortly afterward a bird-catcher came and stood under the tree, an

ill find opportuniti

X AND

aping its enemies. "I have a whole bag of tricks," he sai

ey heard the cry of a pack of hounds coming toward them, and the cat immediately scampered up a

s debating, the hounds came nearer, and at last the fox in his con

ght out plan of action th

e grapes the f

e raven the fo

s by bess br

rd to please the ant

he jackdaw the

s by bess br

E

n

RASSH

begged for a little food. The ants inquired of him: "Why did you not treasure up food during the summer?" He replied: "I had not leisure enough. I pas

by the laws of nature, and

S FRO

BY RAMAS

-WORM AN

seize him. "Wait a moment, good friend," said the Wo

is it?" sa

live in this forest. If you wish to have

ly!" sai

d pointing to the sparks flying about, said, "There you find the Glow-Worms warming themselves roun

em; but his mouth being burned by the attempt, he ran away ex

ith pride, "Wickedne

AND THE

report went abroad that, after all, he had been caught and killed by some one. In a moment, everybody in the villa

, said, "I ate a number of Hens and Chicks last nig

nd found a number wanting. "Alas!" sai

a good meal on your Hens and Chicks, yet you did not know of it. A moment ago the

G AND T

uld hide in the reeds and croak. The Frogs would say, "Why, there is one of us," and come near. The Snake would then dart at them,

d took care not to come near him. Thus the Snake got no Frogs t

lost the company of my kindred, and am now losing my life." One's

EMBLY O

in a wood. The Lion said, "Look how great my va

deep my cunning! 'Tis thi

y feathers! 'Tis this that makes me t

ng and powerful my tusks! there

im killed by the hunters. 'Tis the Fox's cunning that brings him to the furrier at last. 'Tis the plumes of the Peacock that me

AND HIS T

is three hens, Meek Love, Bright Wit, and Fine Feather. The

me at all?" sai

"of the noble qualitie

"you love me for the qual

said the three

e distance, Crimson Crest

saying, "Ah, h

saying, "Ah, ho

saying, "Ah, what b

e time after show

, "Oh, live and

"Oh, let us hear y

"Oh, let us see your

ty laugh exclaimed, "Ladies, you fancied you all loved me for one and th

DOG AND TH

hich is white, and the other black, as you see, and make a gray dog of them; and turn

ead a gray cur. The man rose up in the morning and complained bitterly t

f putting the two dogs together, and making a gray dog of them. So you must now perform th

The Wag and the crowd shouted-"The tongue hath no bone in it. It can

HANT AND

d Tusk and an Ape name

, "Behold, how big

, "Behold, how agile

y superior to the other, and which qua

hat lived in an old tower, to have

ust do as I bid, that

!" crie

onder river, and bring me the ma

. Then they came to the mango-tree, but it was very lofty and thick. Grand Tusk could neither touch the fruit with his trunk, nor could he break the tree down to gather the fruit. Up s

r? Grand Tusk crossed the stream, and Nimble gath

W AND T

day dawned because of his cawing. One day he said to himself, "How impo

So toward day-dawn he shut his eyes, and slept away without cawing. The

how it happened. Some knave of my kind

breeds

N AND T

ntry. One day an old Goat said, "We must put a stop to this. I have

t at once," said

h his flowing beard and long curved horns. The Lion on his wa

me, after all,"

u mean?" sa

nd ninety-nine Lions. One more Lion has been wanting. I have waited long and patiently. Heaven has, after all, been kind

one. So it is very likely some wicked spirit in this shape. Prudence often serves us

to the mouth of the cave, said,

ain," sai

able to see you, at least

ood any more," said the Lion, and running t

roar any more, gathered round the Goat, an

SU

hile at dinner, pointed to a burning candle and asked what it was. The Ci

unity, and hid it in a chest of drawers close by. Soon the chest caught

ed. The Clown turned over the embers of the chest of drawers. The City Man asked what he was seeking for. The

w found out the cause of all the

ROOM AND

as gazing at it, and said, "You contemptible thing, why do you stare at m

said the Mushroom

the people who are close by, and who are so silly as to care for you," and went strutting awa

after all, and so closely." Those who have a

OF PILPAY

ore Jesus was born, and who wrote fables that have been translated

X AND

was about to spring upon her he heard a great noise, and looking up, saw a

so much noise must certainly have mo

n the drum; but when he tore the parchment he

said he. "I have missed a da

e may miss everything

HREE

a little sense, and the third was foolish. A fisherman saw the

Fish. And he threw himself into a little channel th

wished he had followed the example of the Wise Fish; but he soon thought of a plan to escape. He floated upsid

was caught, and tak

ll endeavor

CON AND

re protected from foxes, and yet, when the men who do all this for you want to take hold of you, you run away and do not return their caresses

you never see a hawk roasting in front of the fire, wher

ances al

G WHO G

e as he was, managed to escape into his hole, and the dog ran off. A man who saw him threw a stone at the dog, and cracked his head; but at this

esson to me. I see that misfortunes al

King became a kind and

later overtakes tho

RSES'

FROM J

l the other horses on the farm that they were oppressed by th

nted one thing, one another, and at the last a young colt, who had not yet been trained sprang to the front w

ervile tasks; with straining sinews drag the ploughshare through the heavy soil, or draw the carrier's heavy load in winter cold or beneath the sun of summer? See how str

regained his place among the crowd, from which

came an aged steed. He faced the turbulent crew, and with f

for us. For us he braves the summer heat, to store our food. If we lend him our strength to plough the land, he sows and reaps the grain, tha

ace, and by his words the

K AND

THE FRENCH

o weak that even the tiniest bird that flies bends you to earth beneath her little weight.

ng rays of sunshine, but braves even the tempest; the wind that to you

I would have saved you from the storms which make you suffer. Alas, you are most often found alon

for me hold far less danger than they hold for you. I bend but do not break. You have

n them with fury. The Reed bent low before it, but the tree defied the anger of the blast and held its head upright.

eed raised up her head, and looking sadly at the giant tree who

bend before the sto

NTAGE OF

THE FRENCH

iages, and servants to wait on him. But he was stupid, for when he was a boy at school he learned nothing. The other man was po

ng in the world should be held in honor but riches, and that th

books? They do not bring you money! You have a small house,

answer back, he had too much t

e. The rich man, who had lost his money, was now poor indeed, for he had nothing, and wandered through the world getting nothing but scorn for his

dge is

ENT AND

THE FRENCH

own the mountain side. All fled before it; horror

ill followed. So when he reached the edge of a broad river, that seemed to him to be an image of sleep, it looked so soft and peaceable and quiet, he rode his horse into the water to cross it. It had no high banks, but a lit

e, its current ran so strongly that it lifted both the horse

are stronger

TIT AND

BROTHER

a wood, they heard a bird singing most sweetly. "Brother," sai

st take care to show him all respect." (Now I should tell

"I should like to see the royal pala

, "we cannot see it just yet, we m

food in her beak, and she and the k

the Bear; and was a

hey marked the hole where they had seen the nest, and went away. But the Bear, being very eager to see the pa

ace: I never saw such a filthy place in my life; and

t: "We are not base-born, you stupid bear! Our father and mother are honest,

creaming; and when their father and mother came home and offered them food, they all said: "We will not touch a bi

," said the old king, "you may be

hast been very rude to our lawful children. We shall therefore make war against thee and

sts of the earth. And the Tomtit also called on his side all the birds of the air, both great and sm

of the enemy's forces. So the gnat, who was by far the best spy of them all, flew backward and forwar

said, "Reynard, you are the cleverest of all the beasts; therefore you shall be our leader and go befo

ow remember, when you see me raise up my tail, you may be sure that the battle is won, and you have then nothing to do but to rush down

s, she flew back to the Tomtit and

h a fearful sound that the earth shook. King Tomtit, with his troops, came flying along also in warlike array, flapping and flutte

might. The wasps did as they were told; and when Reynard felt the first sting, he started aside and shook one of his legs, but still held up his tail with wonderful bravery. At the second s

ought of course all was lost, and raced

oy to their children, and said: "Now, children, eat

t till Bruin has humbly begged ou

ack to the bear's

my children to forgive the insult thou hast offered them. If t

nd do what the king bade him; and after that the young birds sat

SKUNK WEAR

NTON W.

go, when all the Skunk family wore black. Very handsome their coats were, too, a beautiful glossy black. They we

many other independent people, he did not always consider the rights of others. Indeed, it was hinted in the wood and on the Green Meadows that not all of Jimmy Skunk's doings would bear the light of day. It was openly said that he was

meadow folks who knew of her happiness were happy, too, for they all loved shy, demure, little Mrs. Grouse. Every morning when Peter Rabbit trotted down the Lone Little Path through the wood past the Great Pine he would st

ible state of affairs. Poor little Mrs. Grouse was heartbroken. All about the foot of the Great Pin

appen?" asked

eep something pounced upon me. I managed to get away and fly up in the top of the

, he looked under the bushes, he studied the ground with a very wise air. Then he hopped o

Johnny Chuck's ear, and told him all that he had seen. Together they went to Jimmy Skunk's house. Jimmy Skunk

said Jimmy Skunk,

ying to find out who did

hat morning and he would join them in the afternoon. Peter Rabbit and Johnny Chuck we

e do?" asked

me Nature," cried the Merry Little

ntively. Then she sent the Merry Little Breezes to all the little meadow folks to tell everyone to be at the Great Pine that aft

thered around the foot of the Great Pine. Brokenhearted little Mrs. Ruff

the Turtle, the Merry Little Breezes, all were there. Last of all came Jimmy Skunk. Very handsome he looked in his shining black coat, and very sorry he appeared that such

ped Chipmunk, Sammy Jay, and Blacky the Crow had gone to bed when Mr. Sun went down behind the Purple Hills. Jerry Muskrat, Billy Mink, Little Joe Otter, Grandfather Frog, and Spotty the Turtle had been down in Farmer Brown's corn-field. Hooty the Owl had been hunting in the lower end of the Green Mea

ter Rabbit what he had found

hairs before Old Dame Nature. "These," said Pete

us, Johnny Chuck," said she, "what you saw when

and Jimmy seemed very, very sleepy. It se

Dame Nature, and she ca

on the Green Meadows this mor

Mother West Wind, "as Mr. Sun was com

o early in the morning?

e Owl coming back from the lower end of the Green Meadows. I saw Peter Rabbit down in the berry patch. Last

t Jimmy Skunk. Jimmy began to lo

lack coat?" as

outed all the lit

iskers yellow?" ask

Peter Rabbit spoke up. "It might be t

py on a bright sunny morni

ht," said Johnny Chuck, who himse

n indeed, and her face was very grave. "Jimmy Skunk, I accuse you of having

hadn't a word to say. He just

out in the night without being seen, and because we can no longer trust you upon your honor, henceforth you and your descendants shall wea

y Jimmy Skunk wears a stri

ton W. Burgess; used by permission of the

HN BE

r, "Come, Cat, Drink this Dish of Cream; it will Keep your

of her Green Eyes, bristled her Tail like a Gun-Swab and w

how she ca

ent. It is so old that if all the nine lives of all the cats that have ever lived in the world were

nd the coffee in t

s is th

se as the entire distance thither and back, there was a huge cat that grou

ngular thing about him was that in all his life he had never once purred nor humped up his back, although his master often stroked him. The fact was that he never had learned to purr, nor had any reason, so far as he knew, for humping up h

messenger to say that he had beaten his foeman at last, and that he was coming home for an early brea

coffee are not cooked upon spits, and so they were free to sally forth

ed cross. "Scat!" said he, with an angry caterwaul. "It

ts; "turn and turn about is fair play: you

the cat. "Then all of you get to you

d over again, which is not fair play. 'Tis the coffee-mill that is turn and t

head-springs, and hee

and heel-springs as they went, and, after giving three hearty and vociferous cheers

s, sat down on his tail in the chimn

ullo!" he said gruffly. "Come, hurry up the coff

' he sai

rry up th

f a tiger in its lair; for Sooty Will had a temper like hot gunpowder, that was apt to go off sizz, whizz, bang! and no

wer; the city gates rang with the cheers of the enthusiastic crowd. Up from cellars, down from lofts, off work-benches, and out at the doors of their masters' shops, dodging the thwacks of their masters' straps, "pop-popping" like corks from the necks of s

din with their rootle-te-tootle-te-tootle-te-rootle; and pretty well up to the front in the ranks was the King himself, bowing and smiling to the populace, with his hand on his breast; and after him the army, all in shining armor, just enough pounded to be picturesque, miles on miles of splendid

the grand

anners waved over the city's pinnacled summits, and bugles blew, trumpets brayed, and dru

ery windows. It is not fair. It is no doubt true that "The cat may mew, and the dog shall have his day," but I have as much right to my day as he; and has it not been said from immemorial time that 'A cat may look at a king'? Indeed it has, quite as much as that the dog may have his day. I

l, box, handle, drawer-knobs, coffee-wel

at brightest joys too soon must end! Triumphs cannot last

ty Will, with drooping tail, stood by the palace gate, dejected. He was sour and silent and glum. Indeed, who would not be, with a coffee-mill on his conscience? To own up to the entire truth, the cat was feeling decidedly unwell; when suddenly the cook popped his head in at the scullery entry, cr

swallowed th

f remorse that he dared not look the kind cook in the face. It now really seemed to him as if everything had gone wrong with the wo

off to se

fee?" he said; then, catching sight of the seclud

feeling dec

seemed to him no way out of the scrape but by telling a plausible untruth. "Some one must have come into the kitchen and stol

if everything

t is unfortunate, very; but do not weep; thieves thrive in kings' houses!" he said, and, stoopin

eart leaped in

he coffee?'

Oh, oh! I am a gone cat!" And with that, in an agony of apprehension lest his guilt and his falsehood be thus presently detected, he humped up his ba

s back to cover his guilt, the coffee-mill inside rolled over,

swallowed the mill

nius that lived und

he cat; "I was on

ade bad matters worse. For betraying man's kindness to cover your shame, a curse shall be upon you and all your kind until the end of the world. Whenever men stroke you in kindness, remembrance of your guilt shall make you hump up your back with s

nius vanished in

t the coffee-mill began slowly to grind, rr-rr-rr-rr! inside him; so that, even in the prime of life, before his declining days had come, being seized upon by a great remorse for these

and still maintains, though cats have probably forgotten the facts, and so, when stroked, hump up their

red to a

reputab

GREE

n to the river with a stone round her neck, but before she started she was to have a meal of meat. So the goody set before her a bowl of porridge and a

goodman," s

d the goodman; "have y

s only a bowl of porridge and a trough of fat-and, now I think of it

e went into the byre, and

goody," s

oody; "are you here, and have

only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman-and, now I th

the manger," said th

the bell-cow; "have yo

bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the goody-and, now

home-field, and there stoo

f-picker in the fi

u had anything to eat to-

orridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the goody, and Daisy the cow-and, n

of stones, and there sto

toat of Stonehea

y; have you had anyt

idge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the goody, and the cow, and the leaf-pick

she came to a hazel-brake, and th

uirrel of the Bra

y; have you had anyt

and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the

r, she saw Reynard the fox, who w

nard Slyboots,

y; have you had anyt

a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, a

ittle farther she met

Hopper the hare

y; have you had anyt

ugh of fat, and the goodman, and the goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the squ

ne a bit farthe

Greedy Graylegs

y; have you had anyt

fat, and the goodman, and the goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the squirrel, and the

she had gone far and farther than far,

are-breeched bea

d the bear-cub; "have you h

the goodman, and the goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the squirrel, and the fox, and the ha

bear, who was tearing away at a stump till the spli

u Mrs. Bruin,

y; have you had anyt

goodman, and the goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the squirrel, and the fox, and the hare, and

l farther on, she met

Baron Bruin,"

said Bruin; "have you ha

odman, and the goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the squirrel, and the fox, and the hare, and the wo

ar, till she came to the abodes of men again,

l train on the king'

y; have you had anyt

e leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the squirrel, and the fox, and the hare, and the wolf, and the bear-cub, and the she-bear, and the he-bear-and, now I think of it, I'

ther, she came to a church,

u funeral tra

y; have you had anyt

and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the squirrel, and the fox, and the hare, and the wolf, and the bear-cub, and the she-bear, and the he-bear, and the bride

she was taken up to the sky, and when she

rs. Moon," s

y; have you had anyt

f-picker, and the stoat, and the squirrel, and the fox, and the hare, and the wolf, and the bear-cub, and the she-bear, and the he-bear, and the bride and bridegroom, and

ght about,' sai

ong way still, and

you sun i

aid the sun; "have you ha

eaf-picker, and the stoat, and the squirrel, and the fox, and the hare, and the wolf, and the bear-cub, and the she-bear, and the he-bear, and the bride and bridegroom, a

an far, till she came to a bridge,

y-goat on Broad-bri

you had anything to eat to

icker in the home-field, and Mr. Stoat of Stoneheap, and Sir Squirrel of the Brake, and Reynard Slyboots, and Mr. Hopper the hare, and Greedy Graylegs the wolf, and Bare-breech the bear-cub, an

and butted at the Cat till she fell right over

Daisy the cow at the manger, and the leaf-picker in the home-field, and Mr. Stoat of Stoneheap, and Sir Squirrel of the Brake, and Reynard Slyboots, and Mr. Hopper the hare, and Greedy Graylegs t

ON THE

He had a farm which lay far away up on the side of a hil

ver the man did the wife thought it so well done that no one could do it

llars at the bottom of their chest and two cows in

t to have a few shillings in our pocket like other people. The hundred dollars in the chest we mustn't touch, but I can't see what we want wit

oken. He took the cow at once and went to town to se

. I know I have both stall and food for it, and the way home is no l

rse to sell, and Gudbrand thought it was better to have a

fat pig before him, and then he thought it would be better t

goat, and so he thought it was surely better to have a g

ad a sheep. He changed with him, for he thought

he goose. And when he had gone a long, long way he met a man with a cock. He changed the g

the cock for sixpence and bought some food for himself. "For it is always

d till he came to his neighbo

t on in town?"

luck, nor can I grumble at it either." And then he

et home to your wife," said the man. "Heaven h

"but whether I have fared well or ill, I have such a kin

u won't get me to believ

dbrand. "I have a hundred dollars in m

there till the evening, when it began to get

side the door and listen while

said Gudbrand

e wife. "Heaven be prai

an. And then the wife asked

o brag of. When I came to town no one would

drive to church like other people, and when we can afford to keep a horse I don't s

l," said Gudbrand; "for when I had got a

e some bacon in the house and something to offer people when they come to see us. What do we want with a horse? Peopl

dbrand, "for when I had got a bit farther o

I want with the pig? People would only say: 'Over yonder they eat up everything they have.' No, now I ha

udbrand. "When I got a bit on the way I cha

at do we want with a goat? I should have to climb up hill and down dale to get it home at night. No, when I ha

" said Gudbrand, "for when I had got a b

e, and I do not care either to toil and drudge making clothes; we can buy clothes now as before. Now I can have goose-fat, whic

said Gudbrand. "When I had got a bit far

the same as if you'd bought an eight-day clock, for every morning the cock will crow at four, so we can be up in good time. What do w

ot a bit farther I became so terribly hungry I had to sell the co

s, what did we want with the cock? We are our own masters and can lie as long as we like in the mornings. Heaven be praised!

the hundred dollars now?" he asked. And the

AND

tramping over the bog with a fat pig, R

d the fox. "What's that so

" said

a dainty bit, to

hat?" aske

s comb I ever saw in m

icked his lips, he thought it would be so nice to taste a

id Reynard, "I

bear, he was to have leave to take one bite of the bacon; but if the bear could say them faster, he was to hav

doubt, but all I say is, if I win, you shall be b

, "I'll help you, as yo

to begin and

ruff in his tongue, that he was. But for all that he only

reamed Reynard, so th

t, and was just running off with it. But Bruin was angry because Reynard had taken t

bit," he said, and

ll right; let me go, grandsire, and

et go his hold, and away we

, "lies a leaf, and under this leaf is

neither honey nor honeycomb, but a wasp's nest, as big as a man's head, full of wasps, and out swarmed the wasps and settled on Bruin's head, a

since that day, Bruin

RD OUTWIT

hillside in the sun and slept. Just then Rey

hree field-mice and laid them on a stump close under Bruin's nose, and then he bawled out into his ear, "Bo! Bruin, here's

he was as mad as a March hare, and was going to lift up his paw and

lose upon Reynard that he caught hold of his off hind foot just as he was crawling into an earth under a pine-root. So there was Reynard in a pinch; but for all that he had his wits about him, for he s

at time, too, did

nd," growled Bruin down the e

AND THE C

e thought she was altogether too grand to be in company with the other hens, for they looked so old and shabby; she wanted to go

eap and showing themselves off, and picking and clucking, as th

he fence! cluck, cluck, cluck, over

neck and shook his comb

And all the ol

o-go not

ttle proud when she got away, and could go abo

n upon her. The Cock, as he stood on top of the dust-heap, stretching his neck and peering fi

tened the hawk so that he let go the Hen, and had to be satisfied with her tuft and her finest feathers, which he had pluck

ow I look! See, see,

his dignified way, drooped

t I te

er herself too good to be in the comp

ell you?" s

OMAN AND

er before the night set in. But all of a sudden he saw some lights between the trees. He then discovered a cottage, where there was a fire burning on the

old woman cam

and well met!"

d the woman. "Where

"and now I am on the way home again, for I have been all o

, then," said the woman. "Wha

helter for the

s well get away from here at once, for my husband i

o cross and hard-hearted, for we are both human bei

a thing? Who'll help me, do you think? I haven't got a morsel in t

old woman grumbled and complained as much as she could, he was just as persistent as ever, and went on begging a

he thought, and he

in the forest deep," he said; for he was a merry fe

badly off as she had pretended; but she was a greedy and stingy

f course, and asked her in his most i

id the woman. "I haven't tasted

was a cunning

said. "Well, well, I suppose I shall have

look as if you could ask any one to have anything! W

he who many things has seen has wits about him and senses keen," said

inquisitive, as you may guess,

ight till the fire was burning fiercely all round it. Then he took a four-inch

ared with al

going to be

p, and began to stir the wa

h?" asked

broth," sai

r time, but that anybody could have made broth wit

e to know," she said, "and I sho

id the tramp, but if she wanted to learn how to make it she h

hands clasping her knees, and her eyes f

broth the whole week with the same nail. If one only had a handful of sifted oatmeal to put in, that would make it all

where," said the old woman, and went out to

t on stirring, while the woman sat staring now at him and

"If I had only a bit of salted beef and few potatoes to put in, it would be fit for gentlefolks, howeve

ome potatoes, and perhaps a bit of beef as well; and these she gave the

enough for the best

the woman; "and just f

ramp! He could do more than drink a s

mself to have some of it," he said; "for this is what he has every blessed ev

exclaimed the woman, slapping her knees. She was qu

hout, it's no use thinking

for milk, well, she wasn't quite out of that, she said

the woman sat staring, one momen

e the tramp too

d the queen always take a dram or two, and one sandwich at least. And then they always have a cloth on

had it, she thought it would be nice to have it exactly the same way for once, and play at being king and queen with the tramp. She went straight to a cupboard

a grand feast, and never had she tasted such

n economical way of making broth that she did not know how to m

drank and ate, until they b

ould never do, thought the old woman; no, that was impossibl

said, "and a nicer woman I never came across. Ah, well! Happy are they who me

woke, the first thing he

e old woman gave him

t me," she said. "Now I shall live in comfort, si

only has something good to add to it

at the door st

't grow on every

WOMAN AN

the town. Her husband had been dead for many years, and her children were in service round about the pari

console herself with. But that the road up which she had to carry the pails from the well should be so heavy; and that the axe should have such a blunt and rusty edge, so that it was only with the

om the well, she happened to find a small pike i

e could have a really grand dish, she thought. But the fish that she

o!" said

may be sure. Such a fish she had

other fish, then?" she said

f," said the fish; "only let me go, and you sha

ee and frolicsome in the lakes," said the old woman. "And what one c

"but if you do as I tell you

get filled first," said the woman. "Promises are well enough, but keeping them is b

ish, "and listen to my words. Wish for three thing

to wish, and there might not be so much danger in try

king of the heavy h

ould go of themselves to the w

hall," sai

of the axe, and

ever I strike shall bre

all," sai

hat the stuff she was wea

atever I pull shall b

fish. "And now, let me d

all at once the pails beg

?" The old woman became so glad and pleased

her legs fell off, and she was left sitt

her eyes, whereupon she began blowing her nose with her apron, and as she

ll sits, on the lid of the well. And if you want to know what it is to have a long n

D AND

he came to a clearing in the forest he caught sight of a fox that was lying on

e who are on their way to church pass by my field of rye they'll say: 'Oh, what splendid rye that lad has got!' Then I shall say to them: 'I say, keep away from my rye!' But they won't heed me. Th

and made off at once for the forest, so that the l

can reach, for of undone deeds you sho

URES O

gian, his stories were probably known in Norway long before they were known in England. But the Norwegians have plenty of other stories of their own, and they love to sit by the fire of burning logs or round the stove in the long winter even

ch the little yellow-haired Norse

had left his coat behind, so he told his little daughter to go and fetch it. The child started off, but

night, as father wants his coat; but to-morrow night, if you will come whe

her father sent her eldest brother to look for her, but he came back without finding her. The second brother was also sent, but with no better resul

o sooner had he reached th

said Ashpot, "w

ered the bear. "G

ar's back and rode off. P

Ashpot, "will you

," answere

d Ashpot, and the three we

nlisted into Ashpot's service, and, mounted on the back o

Mr. Giant!"

giant, who lay stretched in fr

e giant knocked him over, and down he fell on to the hearthstone, break

was served like the hare. Then the wolf's turn came, but the g

ed the giant, turning i

atching," and he forthwith dug his claws into the

at the same time, all the giant's gold and silver. The bear and the wolf burst into the cattle-sheds and devoured all the c

out of his home. Poor Ashpot wandered away up into the mountains, where he met a huge giant. At first he was terribly a

an I want," said the gia

ke to club the tree down or climb up and hold the top of it. The boy thought that the latter would suit him best, and he soon got up to the topmost branches and held on to them. But the giant gave the tree such a blow with his club as to kno

g up to the ceiling as if he had been a feather, but he managed to catch hold of a piece of birch-bark among the raf

d, and heard him mutter to himself, "To-night I will kill him," so he began to think of a plan to outwit his master. When he went to bed he placed the giant's cr

re was a tremendous whack as the giant brought his club down on to the bed. Next morning the boy came ou

nt. "Didn't you feel

hought that it was only a sausage-peg that ha

should set her cooking-pot on the fire, and that Ashpot should be sent to see her, when she was to tip him into the caldron and boil him. In the course of the day the giant sent the boy off

do everything. I will tell you one thing that you can't do: you can't

d the giantess. "

crept into the nut, whereupon Ashpot hurled it i

of this sharp-witted little nuisance. He did not understand boys, and he was afraid of Ashpot's tricks, so he offered him as much gold and silver as he could carry if he would go away

nd silver and precious stones, he set out with the boy toward his home. When they reach

beasts are the

and you had better put down your burden and ru

his load, which was as big as a small hill, he made off

t succeeded in removing everything from the field where the giant had set it d

AN BIRD

ected with some of their birds. This is the story o

birds would come from tropical countries, he appointed a day in the warmest month; and the place he chose was a vast tract called Gr?nfjeld, where every species of bird w

seas the story does not say. The eagle welcomed them, and when the last humming-bird had settled down he addressed the meeting, saying that there was no doubt that he had a right to demand to b

rd of paradise and the peacock could look the prettiest, the parrot could talk the best, the canary could sing the sweetest, and every one of them, for some reason or other, was in his ow

had almost reached the sun, he shouted out, "Well, here I am, the highest of all!" "Not so," answered the goldcrest, as, leaving the eagle's back, he fluttered upward, until suddenly he knocked his head against the sun and set fire to his crest. Stunned by the shock, the little upstart fell headlong to the grou

and the burnt crest, is told of the common wren, who is said to have broken off his tail in his great fall

woodpecker is the largest. The woodmen consider it to be a bird which brings bad luck, and a

arer who by chance passed her cottage door. One day our Lord happened to come that way, and, being hungry and thirsty, he asked of Gertrude a morsel of bread to eat and a cup of cold water to drink. But the wicked old woman refused, and turned our Saviour from the door with harsh words. Our Lord stretched forth his hand toward the aged

turtle-dove is revered as a bird which spoke kind words to our Lord on the cross; and, similarly, the swallow is said to have perched upon the cross and to have pitied him; while t

's scissors, for which she was transformed into a bird, and condemned to wear a forked tail resembling scissors. Moreover, the lapwing was

he had as messengers two faithful ravens, "who could speak all manner of tongues, and flew on his behests to the uttermost parts of the earth." In those days the figure of a raven was usually emblazoned on shield and standard, and it was thought that as the battle rage

was made a raven was let loose, and the direction of his flight gave the viking ships their course. In this manner, according to

tion of bird w

GLY D

CHRISTIA

were great forests, and in the midst of these forests lay deep lakes. Yes, it was really glorious out in the country. In the midst of the sunshine there lay an old farm, surrounded by deep canals, and from the wall down to the water grew great burdocks, so high that little children could stand upright under the loftiest of them.

Piep! piep!" it cried, and in all the eggs there

could, looking all round them under the green leaves; and the mothe

ones, for they certainly had much more r

the parson's field, but I have never been there yet. I hope you are all together," she continued, and stood up. "No, I h

ked an old Duck who had

t burst. Now, only look at the others; are they not the prettiest ducks one could

had much anxiety and trouble with the young ones, for they are afraid of the water. I could not get them to venture in. I quacked and cl

nger," said the Duck. "I've sat so lo

," said the old Duc

id the little one, and crept forth. It was ve

e that: can it really be a turkey chick? Now we shall soon find it o

nes. Splash she jumped into the water. "Quack! quack!" she said, and one duckling after another plunged in. The water closed over their heads, but the

n the whole it's quite pretty, if one looks at it rightly. Quack! quack! come with me, and I'll lead you out into the great w

ible riot going on in there, for two families were quarr

She's the grandest of her tribe; she's of Spanish blood-that's why she's so fat; and do you see, she has a red rag around her leg; that's something particularly fine, and the greatest distinction a duck can enjoy; it signifies that one

r ducks round about looked at

enough of us already! And-fie!-how that Duckling yonder looks; we won'

the mother; "it doe

r," said the Duck who had bitten it;

the old Duck with the rag on her leg. "They're all pretty

tter. I think it will grow up pretty, and become smaller in time; it has lain too long in the egg, and therefore is not properly shaped." And then she pinched it in the nec

the old Duck. "Make yourself at home; and if y

rept last out of the egg, and looked so ugly, was bitten and

imself up like a ship in full sail, and bore straight down upon it; then he gobbled, and grew quite red in the face. The poor Duckl

s and sisters were quite angry with it, and said: "If the cat would only catch you, you ugly creature!" And the mother said: "If you we

fence, and the little birds

but flew on farther; thus it came out into the great moor, where the wild

ducks flew up, and looke

on, and bowed as well as it could. "You are remarkably ugly!" said the wild ducks.

ying, and only hoped to obtain leave to lie am

r, properly speaking, two wild ganders. It was not long since e

ecome a bird of passage? Near here, in another moor, there are a few sweet lovely wild geese, al

e were even sitting up in the branches of the trees, which spread far over the reeds. The blue smoke rose up like clouds among the dark trees, and was wafted far away across the water; and the hunting dogs came-splash, splash!-into the swamp, and the rushes and the reeds bent down on every side. That was a fright for the poor D

e Duckling. "I am so ugly that eve

ored; but the poor Duckling did not dare to rise up; it waited several hours before it looked around, and then hastened away out of the moor

tanding. The storm whistled round the Duckling in such a way that the poor creature was obliged to sit down, to stand against it; and the tempest grew worse and worse.

, he could even give out sparks; but for that one had to stroke his fur the wrong way. The Hen had quite little short l

was at once noticed, and the Tom Cat

therefore she thought the Duckling was a fat duck that had strayed. "This is a rare priz

use, and the Hen was the lady, and always said, "We and the world!" for she thought they were half the world, and

ay eggs?"

N

the goodness to

you curve your back, and

N

pinion of your own when sen

r and the sunshine streamed in; and it was seized with such a strange lo

have nothing to do, that's why you have these fa

aid the Duckling, "so refreshing to let it clos

est animal I know-ask him if he likes to swim on the water, or to dive down; I won't speak about myself. Ask our mistress, the old w

rstand me," sai

or all the kindness you have received. Did you not get into a warm room, and have you not fallen into company from which you may learn something. But you are a chatterer, and it is not pleasant to associate wi

t into the wide world

o," replie

e water, and dived, but it was slighted b

t fallen int

may learn

rds out of the bushes; they were dazzlingly white, with long flexible necks; they were swans. They uttered a very peculiar cry, spread forth their glorious great wings, and flew away from that cold region to warmer lands, to fair open lakes. They mounted so high, so high! and the ugly little Duckling felt quite strangely as it watched them. It turned round and round in the water like a wheel, stretched out its neck toward them, and uttered such a strange loud cry as frightened itself. Oh!

ght the hole in which it swam about became smaller and smaller. It froze so hard that the icy covering cracked again; and the Duckling was obliged t

njury, and in its terror fluttered up into the milk-pan, so that the milk spurted down into the room. The woman clapped her hands, at which the Duckling flew down into the butter-tub, and then into the meal-barrel and out again. How it looked then! The woman screamed, and struck at it w

Duckling had to endure in the hard Winter. It lay out on the moor among the reeds,

great garden, where the elder trees smelt sweet, and bent their long green branches down to the canal that wound through the region. Oh, here it was so beautiful, such a gladness of Spring! an

y the girl who takes care of the poultry-yard, and to suffer hunger in Winter!" And it flew out into the water, and swam toward the beautiful swans: these looked at it, and came sailing down upon it with outspread wings. "Kill me!" said the poor

born in a duck-yard, if one h

ow it realized its happiness in all the splendor that surrounded it.

ed joyously: "Yes, a new one has arrived!" And they clapped their hands and danced about, and ran to their father and mother; and bread and cake were thr

been persecuted and despised; and now he heard them saying that he was the most beautiful of all birds. Even the elder tree bent its branches straight down int

uch happiness when I was

WILD

CHRISTIA

school with a star on his breast and his sword by his side. They wrote with pencils of diamond upon slates of gold, and learned by heart just as well as they read: one coul

icularly well off; but it

ests came; but instead of the children receiving, as they had been accustomed to do, all the spare cake and all the roasted apples, they only had some sand given them in a tea-cup, and were told that they might make believe that was something good.

own living," said the wicked Queen. "

they became eleven magnificent wild swans. With a strange cry they

vered over the roof, turned their long necks, and flapped their wings; but no one heard or saw it. They were obliged to fly on, hi

she pricked a hole in the leaf, and looked through it up at the sun, and it seemed to her that she saw her brot

n you?" But the roses shook their heads and answered "Eliza!" And when the old woman sat in front of her door on Sunday and read in her hymn-book, the wind turned the

spiteful and filled with hatred toward her. She would have been glad to change her into a wild swan,

ed them, and said to the first: "Sit upon Eliza's head when she comes into the bath, that she may become as stupid as you. Seat yourself upon her forehead," she said to the second

d on her forehead, and the third on her heart; but she did not seem to notice it; and as soon as she rose, three red poppies were floating on the water. If the creatures had not been poisonous, and if the witch had not kisse

rl became dark brown, and smeared a hurtful ointment on her face, and let her beau

his daughter. No one but the yard dog and the swallows would recognize

ay over field and moor till she came into the great wood. She did not know whither she wished to go, only she felt very downcast and

prayer, and leaned her head against the stump of a tree. Deep silence reigned around, the air was mild, and in the grass and in the moss gleamed like a

half a kingdom. But on the slates they were not writing as they had been accustomed to do, lines and letters, but the brave deeds they had done, and all they had seen and experienced; and in the picture-book e

n her shoulders. She heard the splashing of water; it was from a number of springs all flowing into a lake which had the most delightful sandy bottom. It was surrounded by thick growing bushes, but at one part the stags had made a large opening, and here Eliza went down to the

of the hollow of her hand, and then wandered far into the wood, not knowing whither she went. She thought of her dear brothers, and thought that Heaven would certainly not forsake her. It is God who lets the wild apples grow, to satisfy the hunger. He showed her a wild apple tree, with the boughs bending under the weight of the fruit. Here she took her midday meal, placing props under the boughs, and then went into the dar

owfully she lay down to sleep. Then it seemed to her as if the branches of the tree

not know if it had really bee

es in her basket, and the old woman gave her a few of them. Eliza aske

I saw eleven swans swimming in the river c

ees on its margin stretched their long leafy branches across toward each other, and where their natural growth would not allo

hey flew onward

ent beside the river to the place where the

n. How was she to proceed? She looked at the innumerable little pebbles on the shore; the water had worn them all round. Glass,

be just as unwearied. Thanks for your lesson, you clear rolling waves

d continual changes-more in a few hours than the lovely lakes can produce in a whole year. Then a great black cloud came. It seemed as if the sea would say: "I can look angry, too." And then the wind blew, and the waves turned their white side outward. But whe

he land: they swept along one after the other, so that they looked like a long white band. Then Eliza descen

they were greatly altered, she knew and felt that it must be they. And she sprang into their arms and called them by their names; and the Princes felt supremely happy when they sa

ould sink down into the deep as men. We do not dwell here: there lies a land just as fair as this beyond the sea. But the way thither is long; we must cross the great sea, and on our path there is no island where we could pass the night, only a little rock stands forth in the midst of the waves; it is just lar

lies buried. Here it seems to us as though the bushes and trees were our relatives; here the wild horses career across the steppe, as we have seen them do in our childhood; here the charcoal-burner sings the old songs to which we danced as children; here is our father

sister; and they conversed nearly the who

far away; but one of them, the youngest, remained behind, and the swan laid his head in her lap, and she stroked his wings; and the whole day they

t we cannot leave you thus! Have you courage to come with us? My arm is strong enough to carr

e with you,"

when the sun rose, and her brothers were changed into wild swans, they seized the net with their beaks, and flew with their beloved sister, who was still a

over the sea. By her side lay a branch with beautiful ripe berries and a bundle of sweet-tasting roots. The youngest of the brothers had collected

was a perfect mountain; and upon it Eliza saw her own shadow and those of the eleven swans; there they flew on, gigantic in size. Here was a picture, a mor

he lonely rock in the ocean could not be seen. It seemed to her as if the swans beat the air more strongly with their wings. Alas! she was the cause that they did not advance fast enough. When the sun went down, they must become men and fall into the

than a seal might look, thrusting his head forth from the water. The sun sank very fast; at last it appeared only like a star; and then her foot touched the firm land. The sun was extinguished like the last spark in a piece of burned paper; her brothers were standing around her, arm in arm, but there w

Eliza from the island. The sea still ran high, and when they soared up aloft, from their high positi

beheld was the gorgeous, everchanging palace of Fata Morgana, and into this they might bring no human being. As Eliza gazed at it, mountains, woods, and castle fell down, and twenty proud churches, all nearly alike, with high towers and pointed windows, stood before them. She fancied she heard the organs sounding, but it was the sea she heard. When she was quite near the churches they changed to a fleet sailing beneath her

here to-night," said the youngest broth

y dream of a way to rel

s if she were flying high in the air to the cloudy palace of Fata Morgana; and the fairy came out to meet her, beautiful and radiant; and yet th

my hand? Many of the same kind grow around the cave in which you sleep: those only, and those that grow upon churchyard graves, are serviceable, remember that. Those you must pluck, though they will burn your hands into blisters. Break these nettles to pieces with your feet, and you will have flax; of this you must plait and weave eleven shirts of mail with

was broad daylight; and close by the spot where she had slept lay a nettle like the one she had seen in

blisters on her arms and hands; but she thought she would bear it gladly if she could only relea

ew sorcery of their wicked stepmother's; but when they saw her hands, they understood what she was doing for their sa

The whole of the following day, while the swans were away, she sat in solitude, but never had time f

me nearer and nearer; she heard the barking dogs, and timidly she fled into the cave, b

ck, and then came again. Only a few minutes had gone before all the huntsmen stood before the cave, and the handso

ither, you delightf

thers their deliverance and their lives. And she hid her hands unde

are beautiful, I will dress you in velvet and silk, and place the golden

s horse. She wept and wrung

appiness: one day you w

mountains with her on his horse, and

ns plashed in the lofty marble halls, and where walls and ceilings were covered with glorious pictures. But she had no eyes for all this-she only wep

ver. And the King chose her for his bride, although the archbishop shook his head and whispered that th

ver a smile came upon her lips or shone in her eyes; there she stood, a picture of grief. Then the King opened a little chamber close by, where she was to sleep. This chamber was decked with splendid green tapestry, and completely resembled th

ing. "Here is the work which occupied you there, and now, in the m

ks. She thought of her brothers' deliverance, and kissed the King's hand; and he pressed her to his heart, and caused the ma

her heart-sorrow for her brothers; she did not feel the bodily pain. Her mouth was dumb, for a single word would cost her brothers their lives, but her eyes glowed with love for the kind, handsome King, who did everything to rejoice her. She loved him with her whole heart, more and more every day. Oh, that she had been able to confide

wing that she could use; but she must pluck them

rment my heart endures?" thought she. "I must

oadest tombstones she saw sitting a circle of lamias. These hideous wretches took off their ragged garments, as if they were going to bathe; then with their skinny fingers they clawed open the fresh graves, and with fiendish gree

awake while others slept. Now he felt sure his opinion was correct

cent!" But the archbishop interpreted this differently-he thought they were bearing witness against her, and shaking their heads at her sinfulness. Then two heavy tears rolled down the King's cheeks; he went home with doubt in hi

there like sparkling diamonds, and all who saw the splendor wished they were Queens. In the meantime she had almost finished her work. Only one shirt of mail was still to be completed, but she had no flax left, and not a single nett

wicket gate; and when they drew near, the lamias were sitting upon the gravestones as Eliza had seen them; and

ust condemn h

ndemned her to su

nettles which she had collected: on this she could lay her head; and the hard burning coats of mail which she had woven were to be her coverlet. But nothing could have been

rothers. He had found his sister, and she sobbed aloud with joy, though she knew that the approaching night

stures she begged him to depart, for in this night she must finish her work, or else all would be in vain, all her tears, her pain, and her slee

p as well as they could; and a thrush sat outside the grating of the window, and

not be, they were told, for it was still almost night; the King was asleep, and might not be disturbed. They begged, they threatened, and the sentries came, yes, even the King

oarse sackcloth. Her lovely hair hung loose about her beautiful head; her cheeks were as pale as death; and her lips moved silently, while her fingers were engaged with the g

no hymn-book in her hand; no, there she sits wi

Then eleven wild swans came flying up, and sat round about her on the car

ertainly innocent!" whispered many. B

e swans, and immediately eleven handsome Princes stood there. But the youngest had a swan's

k!" she said. "

efore a saint; but she sank lifeless into her brother's ar

nnocent," said th

had taken root and was sending forth shoots; and a fragrant hedge stood there, tall and great, covered with red roses, and at the top a flower, whi

rds came in great flocks. And back to the castle such a

ER

t she was so sad that no one could make her laugh; she would

. But she would sit all day at her window, and, though the members of the co

that whoever should make the Princess laugh should have her ha

sort of postscript to his decree that whoever tried to make the Princess laugh and failed s

ngdom and in the kingdoms round about. For it was deemed but a slight matt

e were strange things done, the P

and they decided that each should have a trial at this task

always much laughter. And he said that it would not be worth while for his two brothers t

of the Princess like any pouter-pigeon. But, though the Princess looked at him, once, she did not even turn her eyes in his

always found that he could make folk laugh by quickly changing himself from a tall man to a mere dwarf. Moreover, he was a preacher, and he came out on the road in front of the Princess' window and preached like

nd made tapers out of fir, said he now would go and make the Princess laugh, the two older brothers turned to him in scorn, for how could he

m said that

here were who were trying that each day, and there was hardly a well back in all the kingdom by now, and Taper Tom had

d for work to do. They told him that th

? I am sure that the cook needs so

amberlain, "that might perhaps be.

work fetching and carrying. And every day Taper Tom s

caught a nice, fat one. As he came back he met a woman leading

," she said, "it is a very strange goose. If you lead it about and anyone lays hands on it, and you say,

"you may have my fish an

per Tom took the end of the string in

the goose with the golden feathers, and at last she said to Tape

t," said

said: "Hang on, if you care to go with us." And the old woman cou

dy, and he laughed loudly to see her hanging on to the goose and trying so hard to let g

on to the dress of the goody, and, try as hard as he would, he could not let go. He had to follow, hopping on

ng the goose, and the goody hanging on to its back, and the man following, hopping on one leg, he bega

come with us." And the smith had to follow after the man, for, try as he woul

nt of the window of the Princess, and though he did

on to the back of the goose, and the man hopping on one leg behind the goody, an

e in her hand, and she saw the golden goose, and the goody, and the man, and the smith, she began to laugh, and laugh, and laugh

ulder of the smith, and at that moment Taper T

ot in her hand, and trying hard to get loose, and the smith hanging on with his bellows to the coat of the man, and the man hanging on with one foot to the goody, a

Tom should wed the Princess, and tha

WENT TO TH

d the mother of the Boy. "And mind that you car

back with it the North Wind blew it away, and he went home

Boy to the safe again, and once more

"I will go to the North Wind and demand that he give b

e country where the North Wind abode; and

thanks for your coming.

and I am come for the meal which you have taken

me and taken the meal as he returned with it from the

a magic cloth which, whenever you say to it, 'Cloth, serve forth a din

ngry, and wanting to test the cloth, he sat down at a table and unfolded it before him, saying: "Cloth, serve forth a dinner." Im

n, the dinner eaten, he folded the cloth carefu

decided that he must possess so wonderful a thing as that, for it would save him much labor. Accordingly, after the Boy had gone to sle

mother asked him if he had been to the Nort

t said he did not have the meal. Instead, he gave me a magic cloth, so that we

ble, as he had done at the inn, and said: "Cloth, serve forth

ould not do as it was bidden. So he journeyed far to the home of the North Wind, and the

d had given him a magic cloth which should serve forth a dinner when it was bidden; but that, though at the inn the cl

ut I will give you a ram which, whenever you say to it,

s way home, and being anxious to try the skill of the ram, and needing to pay his bill to the inn-keepe

his is a famous ram indeed. I must have thi

inn-keeper slipped in quietly, leading another ram which could not coin ducats

Wind was glad to see me, and thanked me for coming, but he said that he did not have the meal. But he gave me a ram, which, w

, Ram, coin money." And the ram, not being a magic ram, did

rth Wind and tell him that his ram is worth nothing, and

ve nothing that I can give you but that old stick in the bag yonder. But when you say to it,

ight at the inn as he had done before. Though he did not call forth his magic stick, the inn-keeper knew by the way in which he cared for his

under the Boy's pillow, where the bag lay. But the Boy had not gone to sleep this tim

ck would respond only to the owner. But the Boy would not bid the stick to stop until the inn-keeper had been roundly punished for his stealings, and had promised to re

her had eaten; and he had said to the ram, "Ram, Ram, coin money," and the ram had coined golden ducats until he bade it to stop; and he had put the s

DERFUL

the foot of a hill. They were very poor, for the boy's father was dead, and the rich m

in the house to eat, and the mother s

town and sell it, and the boy put a rope aroun

thing under it. He asked the little boy where he was going, and the boy told hi

l her to me?"

e me for her?" ask

ou an iron pot

quickly said he would not, but as he spoke he heard a tiny voice under the man's

and gave the little boy the iron pot

get for the cow?

n his mother asked him what he had gotten. They were about to throw the pot away, for, as the mother said,

indeed, was all that she had to put in. And soon the water in the pot

kip, little Pot?"

he rich man at the top of

use of the rich man at the top of the hill, and it skipped right into the kitchen of the rich man's house where his wife was making a pudding. Al

little Pot? You are just wha

to skip, skip, first on one of its three legs and then on another, skippity skip, skippity skip, down the hill, and though the

his mother had puddi

on the fire, and as soon as the water began to

kip, little Pot?"

rich man at the top of the

skip, skippity skip, until it came to the barn of the rich man at the top of the hill. And in the bar

you come from, little Pot? You are jus

ntil all the wheat was in the pot. Then the little pot began to skip, skip, first on one of its three legs and then on another, skippity skip, skippity skip

his mother had plenty

, until it came to the bank of the rich man, and it skipped right into the window where the rich man sat with all his money spread out on his desk. And as he counted h

the little pot began to skip, skip, skippity skip, skippity skip, right out of the bank and down the street and straight on till it came to the little brown house at the bottom of the hi

ittle Pot? Have we not everything that we want?" But the little pot still wanted to be put on the fire; and at last, when the

d: "How far do you

rich man hunting for his money. And when he saw the little iron pot he cried out: "There is the pot that stole my money!" And he caught up with the pot and put his hand into it to take out his money, but his hand could

PIG WHO SET

best of everything, and he soon became so fat that one day the maid who came to bring his food said: "Eat full to

ding, and that, There is a cure and a physic for everything except de

then he butted hard against the gate of the pen, and it flew o

and made his way to a pigsty where was fas

ting!" said the Sheep. "Do you know why you

glad to get the good food and plenty of it, which

flask empties the cask. They want to make you very fat,

after meat," said the Pig. "I can

he woods and build a house and set up housekeeping," s

, and started off on the big road together. "Good compan

ods they met a Goose, who

st merry meeting," said the Goos

o the woods to build a house and set up housekeeping," said the Sheep, "for,

ut I should like to build a house; so if you like I will go w

er house nor stable!" said the Pig. "W

id the Goose. "I can gather moss to put into the crevice

se to be warm and comfortable, so he

ourneyed on th

merry meeting," said the Hare; "w

ing into the woods to build a house and set up housekeeping, "For," he s

e in every bush. But I have always thought that some day I

e dogs," said the Pig, "but you wo

e sharp teeth to gnaw the boards, and paws to hammer them fast. I can set up

go, and there was n

they met a Cock, who gave them gree

g into the woods to build a house and set up housekeeping, "For," said the

one's own perch, for then one can never be left in the lurch; besides, All

a-going!" he exclaimed, "but, A jaw on a stick never yet l

where there is neither dog nor cock. I will wake you up e

leep. "Sleep is a greedy thief, and thinks nothing of

e. The Pig hewed the timber, and the Sheep drew it home; the Hare was the carpenter, and the Goose ga

m, and comfortable. "'Tis good to travel east and we

came, when they put up a stove to keep warm

ved the Wolf and his family, and h

d the Hare and the Cock had builded, and they talked together of how warm and comfortab

d he had come to ask for a light to his pipe; and wh

it him; and the Goose nipped and pecked him; and the Hare ran about over the house, now on the floor and now aloft, so that the Wolf did not kno

ged to get near the doo

You must have made good friends, since you remained so long. But

beat and punched me with red-hot pincers, and tore great pieces out of my body, the hunter kept running about trying to find his gun, and it is well for me that he did not, for I should never have come out a

and an unbidden guest sometimes gets bad treatment. But I think t

her's family, let the Sheep and the Pig and the Goose and the Hare and

eads a f

IN-TH

e sons did not like to do useful things-they only liked to

ose a bride who can do useful things-and, to prove it, she must be able to gather the flax and spin

eautiful horse, and looking forward to having a great

ts, was not popular with

ll not have him along-he will not

his horse, and the oth

se and sat down on a log to think. For he did not know where to go to have the good tim

und like silver bells tinkling softly; or was it fairies l

grass at his feet, and there was the tiniest little creature smiling up

sad?" asked th

ers forth into the world to find brides, and my broth

ature laughed

most beautiful place in the world! And as for bride

was down in the sof

gather the flax, and spin and

little creature, "th

n, so that she gathered its flower, and in a minute the spinning-wheel was twirling merrily. A touch of the wand, and the loom was before her; then the thread was spun into white c

the palace-you shall be m

"I will go with you to the palace, and I will

any way that you

ver carriage came to her, drawn by two tiny white mice. And Boots rode bes

nto it little Doll-in-the-Grass and the silver carriage and all went under the water. Then Boots was disconsolate, but as he stood, mourning, a beautiful maiden came up out of

rse before him and exclaimed: "Ah

all the shirts that the wives spun, none was so fine or so soft as the one which Doll-in-the-Grass gave to her father-in-law; a

and Boots more than any of his other sons; so he said they should

ND HIS

one, and seek a bride. But Boots is too young to go, so he shall stay at home. And when you have found brides for yourselves, each

say which was the most beautiful. But the brothers were so interested, each one, in his o

retainers about them and their horses saddled ready to mount and depart, the Giant suddenly turned them all into stone where they stood-the brothers into large stone pillars, t

t son: "It must be that your brothers are dead. My heart is broken, and ha

I have been thinking that I must go fo

has certainly befallen them, and the same ev

I must fare forth and find out; and I will come back

e to give him, for the other brothers had taken all the fine horses from the stables, for their own riding, and to bring back their brides u

lmost at the horse's feet, and Boots pulled him ba

gry that I was faint, and fell from the tree. Will you g

ave but scant food. But if you are so hungry that you fell from a t

saw a Salmon swimming feebly about near the shore. "Oh," cried the Salmon, as Boots stopped to give

so am I. And how can you serve me, I would like to know? Nevertheless, since you are

ome of his food, and we

id to pass by where the animal stood. But the Wolf stopped him and said: "Will

tting a little thick. First a Raven,

rest. Nevertheless, with but a morsel I could follow the trail,

, and a Salmon, and a Wolf. I will give you food,

, the Wolf said: "Do you follow the trail which

as if the Wolf could lead him in that way. Nevertheless, since all ways were alike, he t

astle, and the pillars yonder are your brothers and their wives which the Giant has t

how will I prevent the Giant's m

into the castle, but once there you must look out for yours

mind that you are not far, for I th

rd the inner room, and there he saw a Princess which he knew at once was the fairest Princess in all the seven ki

turned his brothers, and their brides, and their retainers into stone, and

he do with me?"

his Giant, for he does not keep his heart in his body. It is hidden away somewhere, for he is afraid that some one will kill him, so he keeps it no one knows where. B

t her with eyes that told what he wo

good-natured, the Princess said to him: "I have always wondered where it i

ould have been dead long ago. But I will tell you where it is

here was no heart under it. Then the Princess piled flowers about, that it might not show where she had been digging, and when the Giant came back he laughed loudly, and said: "What sort o

they had moved the cupboard from the wall; but there was no heart there. So the Princess piled flowers about, as she had done before. That night when the Giant

incess, and she said: "Oh, then, tell me where i

in the forest stands a church, and in the church is a well, and in the well there is a duck, swimming backward and for

ing to the Wolf, who came at once. Boots told him that he wished to go to the church that stood on the high hill in

soon came to the church on the high hill. But the great doors were locked, an

Wolf, "we must

e was back with them. Then Boots opened the doors and he and the Wolf and the Raven entered; and in the church they found a well, as the Giant had said, and on the water in the well there

Wolf, "we must c

up the egg in his mouth, and Boots caught up the egg in his hand and

cried the Salmon, "

said: "Tell him that if he would have you spare his life he must at once s

s he did so; and the Giant called to him from far off in the forest that he had already done th

ueeze it but a little har

what was his surprise to see standing beside him two young Princes, fair, almost, as the fair P

may tell the Princes and their brides and the Princess in the c

ther wolves stood beside them. "Climb up, each one of you," sai

r fair brides, and the Princess waiting for them. Then they all set out for the kingdom of their father, who was very glad to see them, to be sur

ere very fair, yet all agreed that the bri

AND BE

Mrs. Gudrun

DER THE BRI

traw hat. Her mother had given her a pair of yellow shoes and the daintiest white dress. But her old

almost more than she loved Marie and L

a name now, and they had become fast friends. She had called her Beate,

d around the old well. There stood a big willow tree with a low trunk, and

ach little tassel has soft yellow d

that these might have just as good a time as the big geese and goslings that were swimming about in the pond. It was re

llow goslings into her little white apron, and when she counted the

re around the well, so that she might sit in comfort and watch the little goslings swim about on the water. Then gosling after

ight lean a little over the edge of the well and blow on them, for then she thought they might come to life again. Little Beate didn't answer, but she raised her left

over the wall and blew on the nearest ones. Yes, it helped-the goslings

the smooth log-splash! Down she fell into the water. It was so cold, so icy cold, and it closed over her head, and took the straw

't hold on. Then she saw her dear friend, Little Beate, standing stiff and dumb with fright, staring at her and with her right arm stretched out to her. Big Beate hurrie

me running as fast as they could, pale and frightened, and pulled her ou

id: "Never, never can I thank you enough, because you saved me from that horrible deep well, dear Little Beate. You shall be my very

OATING

that year she had lost Little Bea

one was like Little Beate. No one was so sweet

nds, Marie and Louise, on a visit, for it was her birthday; theref

ells anyone might wish for-round and fluted, with yellow and brown markings. They would be just the thing for her burea

ween the green branches and saw a big bird swimming about. It had a long blue neck and a whit

rightened, thinking it was drowned, when she saw it shoot up again far away, almost in the middle of the lake. Then it began

grass in some places, and in one end grew a little white-barked birch tree. Beate thought she

peeped through the leaves and branches to say good-night to t

he had to look again. And she became more astonished than ever, for now she saw the little green island again, but far from t

she found Anne, the nurse, a

f anyone stood on the floating island and took a loon's egg out of the nest and wished for something, that wish would come true, if the egg was put safely back into the nest again. I

ther and Mother

ne, "not to a

ll that evening, and when she had closed her

r to row her and Marie and Louise out to the floating island, wh

thought first that she would tell him everything, but then she remembered Anne's words, an

and you shall see a loon's

came to her eyes, for she knew well enough

ought this was the loveliest place they had ever seen, and they begged the father to stop an

it, and when he came to the other side the loon p

loon's nest,"

y island, hidden among the grasses, and in the nest were two big

d and was very quiet. She begged her father to let her stand on the isla

e egg gently between her two fingers, for if the bird not

e bent down to pick up the grayish-brown egg, but lifted it carefully bet

better than that. Then her lips moved softly, and she whispered to herself: "I wish that Little Beate

ve one shriek of joy. "Little Beate, my own Little Beate," she sobbed, when she had her own dearest friend in her arms ag

saying a word. At last the father kissed his li

bleached her brown curls? She was the guest of honor, and sat on the prettiest chair. She had all the cookies and chocolate

HE OLD

they said when he talked to anyone it sounded like a dog barking, and he looked as if he were ready to bite. But Viggo had once said that the Grenadier's

He was straight as a stick. His hair was long and snowy

on the left shoulder, like a gun, and marched stiff and straight, and kept step as if

bout the time he served in the army. He told of the batt

te. And such a nose between the eyes! The Prince of 'Gustenberg had a nose that shouted 'Ge

f the troops? 'One thing is a shame,' said he, 'and that is to turn your

silent a l

little boy to become a g

thing, though, that was very hard for him to do, and that was to beat 'Retreat.' 'Forward March' he knew how to drum; he never forgot that, and sometimes h

owball?" s

of the hill there stood the enemy in line. 'Aim!' commanded the enemy's officer, and all the guns pointed right at the captain. Quick as lightning the drummer boy grabbed a handful of snow and made a snowball, a

ade a sergeant

ven the rank of a sergeant, and something better

general," said Viggo. He added half aloud: "

l you want to be? Never mind, don't blush for that; it wasn't a bad que

iggo. "I have learned some of t

much more; you must learn to drill so that y

might become a gene

the right expression. But the nose-no it has not the correct sha

friend; but he often looked in the mirror and wished wi

M, TH

s a stick, with a soldiery step. Old Hans was standing outside the cottage waiting for him, and when Vi

it look?"

," said Hans

but a lump of brown sugar f

nned. "It is dark brown, it wal

Is it?" cried Viggo, and forgot all about st

e that's what it is,"

the nose and paws were light brown, and he had a light brown spot over each eye. When Viggo sat down on the floor beside him and stroked the soft fur, he licked Viggo's hand. Soon they had bec

en he was studying his lessons. The puppy was not allowed to go along to scho

d barked when he noticed that they were off for the woods. But Viggo's father said it would be best to leave Allarm at home, for there were packs of wolves in the woods. Viggo did not like to leave Allarm behind, but when his father said so of course he mu

d it to have Allarm so sad, happen what woul

dog, and not let him out of his sight. Then they untied him, and you may imagine Alla

ne. The forest was so still you could not hear the least sound except the horses' hoofs crunching in the snow. Here and th

ans the Grenadier waded in front, and the snow reached to his knees; th

membered Allarm; he had forgotten all about the dog since they turned away from the road. He look

s, but he noticed nothing: he only feared he would be too late. Once he had to stop a little to draw breath, then again he heard the pitiful wail of the dog, but now it sounded fainter. Off Viggo rushed again,

ht feet of them, the three grey-legs took fright and sneaked, tails between legs, far into the forest; but the fourth, who lay o

ax high above his head. Then grey-legs sneaked slowly away after the others. He t

uld not jump to his feet; and, when Viggo lifted him, the blood drippe

d very angrily: "If I did what you deserve I should have to whip you. Do you think it fit for a youngster like you to rush ag

that is to turn your back before "retreat" is called

ut the eyes are there, and I do believe the heart, too," said Old

BLAC

smates one morning, as he thrust his frost-covered head through the door and swung his skates. It didn't take Viggo long before he got his

gh the yard for Viggo's trail, and when he noticed that it didn't lead to the school he knew he might follow. Then he rushed madly after hi

would be very careful and not skate far out from the shore. Near the middle of the lake there

hat his father had told him, but

been twenty or more. Most of them had skates on, but some only slid on t

who skated by himself, and seemed not to care about the others. He was much bigger than Viggo, and Viggo saw immediately that it would not be easy to beat him in a race. The boys called him Peter

the ice, but the letters hung together. Then Viggo started. He ran, turned himself around backward an

rd!" shouted the boys, and threw up their caps. Th

iggo could not catch him. The race-course was scratched in the ice, and Viggo called, "Out, out, my geese," and off they ran. But V

right at his heels, Peter jumped and was far ahead of the fox again. At last Viggo had him cornered, but just as he would have caught the goose, Peter stre

d the boys and crowded around Peter. He got up

umped that, then four, then five, then six, but each time fewer got over and those who pushed the top cap off with their skates had to stop playi

d Viggo did. But all the boys shouted

, jumped-and whiff! he was over! He touched Viggo's cap

jump!" shouted the boys. "Viggo can nev

ur inches between his skates and the topmost cap. Then the boys crowded around him and shouted that Viggo was the champion. But Peter Li

. And many dared to try that, for the apple had not rolled far and the ice was strong enough. Now Peter threw an apple farther out, someone got that too. But at last he

t is dangerous!

asy, but if there is danger he turns pale

for his father had forbidden him to go near the hole. Allarm looked at him with grave eyes and wagged his tail slowly; he did not dare to whine. But that did not help. Viggo ran so that the wind whistled about h

e swam for the ice and seized the edge, but a p

that he must try to hold on, but no one dared to help him, and no one thou

e of Hans the Grenadier the old soldier was just standing in the open doorway. The dog put Viggo's stiff frozen cap at his feet, whined and cried, jumped up on the old man, held on to his coat and dragged him toward the ic

e had an armor of shining ice over his whole body. When the Grenadier pulled off the

old chest and came back with his uniform. Viggo looked rather queer; the yellow knee-trousers

a real uniform! H

but who knows you may wear a better looking uniform some day. The

Mrs. Gudrun Thorne-Thompson; used by special arr

UR WHI

f brave men and fair women-the race of the Dedannans. North, south, ea

t on a wide plain to choose a king. "Let us," they said, "

own, yet most royal stood Bove Derg and Lir. And forth did the five chiefs wander, tha

se a great cry, "Bove Derg is King! Bove

nnan people were, taking leave of none, and doing Bove

and flashed in the sunlight on the plain. "We go to slay Lir who doe

erg, and he bade the warriors do

great sorrow fell upon him, for his wife, who was dear unto him, died, and she had been

ty chariots go forth. Tell Lir I am his friend as ever, and ask that he come with you hither. Three fair foster-childr

they slacken speed until they reached the palace of Bove Derg by the Great Lake. And there at the still close of day, as the setting ra

een these mighty chiefs, brave men and fair women and little children rejo

orning the King said: "Full well thou knowest my three fair foster-daughters, nor have

nd choice is hard. But give unto me the el

was she married to Lir, and after two weeks she left the palac

onths. Then were born unto Lir twin babes. The girl

w their mother, she died. So sorely did Lir grieve for his beautiful wife that he

s four babes. And Bove Derg said to his mighty chiefs: "Great, indeed is our grief, but in this dark hour shall Lir know our friendship. R

palace of Bove Derg by the Great Lake, and he married the beautiful Eva and took her back

tenderness did Eva care for the little ones who we

d rise, and, pulling aside the deerskin that separated his sleeping-room f

lf. Ofttimes would he come to see them and ofttimes

the Dedannan people, there also was spread t

s heart, and so did it grow that it strangled the love which she had borne her sister's children. In

y in bed planning how she might

orth her chariot, that with the four childre

mother, should that day do a dark deed among those of her own household. Therefore was Finola sore afraid, but

, trembling lips of their sister. As they reached a gloomy pass, Eva whispered to her attendants: "Kill, I pray you, these child

Fearful, O Eva, were the deed, and great is the evil that wil

to slay them with her own hand, but too weak for

ead. Golden glistened the buttercups among the shamrock. From the ditches peeped forget-me-not. Honeysuckle scented the hedgerows. Around, above, a

Eva was there behind them, holding in her hand a fairy wand. And with the wand she touched the shoulder of each. And, lo! as she touched Finola, the maiden was changed into a snow-white s

swans turned toward h

but greater evil shall befall thee, because of the hardness and jealousy of thine

e swan-maiden: "Tell us, O Eva

gnen, and the good saint come to Erin, and ye hear the chime of the Christ-bell, neither your plaints nor prayers, neither the love of your father Lir, nor the might of your King, Bove Derg, shall have power to deliver you from your doom. But lone white swans though ye be, ye shall keep forever y

swans floated

to be yoked to the chariot, an

he lone lake were

rg alone, greatly was he troubled lest

King of the magic spell she had wrought by the way. Therefore Bove Derg aske

no longer trusteth thee, therefore wou

ter, and that night he secretly sent messen

with a heavy heart he summoned a company of the Dedannans, and together they set out for the palace of Bove

ven than of old, and yet, before and around, only the lone blue lake. The haunting music rang clearer, and as the last words died away, four sno

y the wicked magic of our stepmother into four white swans." Whe

he waters between Erin and Alba, and three hundred years on the wild Western Sea. Not until Decca be the Queen of Largnen, not until

peech, how they would sing songs so haunting that their music would bring peace to the souls of all who heard. She told how, beneath their snowy plumage, the human hearts of Finola, Aed, Fiacra, and Conn should s

t night and until the morning glimmered. Then,

bid farewell to his children, that he mig

, and there by the waters of the Great Lake did Bove Derg meet him. "Oh, Li

ked magic changed them into four snow-white swans. On the blue waters of Lake Darvra

voice as he pronounced her doom: "Wretched woman, henceforth shalt thou no longer darken this fair earth, but as a demon of the air shalt thou dwell in misery till the end of time." And of a sudden from out her shoulders grew black, shad

e, and let us pitch our tents on the shores of Lake Darvra. Exceeding dear unto us are the children of Lir, and I, B

ren of Lir and of the vow that Bove Derg had vowed, from north, south, east, and

told of their joys and fears; and by night the mighty Dedannans knew no sorrowful memories,

ell the long white hair. Fearful grew the four swans, for the time was no

their three hundred happy years on Lake Darvra were at an end, and

r plumage so dazzled the beholders, never had music so sweet and sorrowful floated to Lake Darvra's sunlit shores

spread their wings, and, soaring high, paused but for one short moment to gaze on the kneeling forms of Lir and Bove Derg. Then, stretching their g

swans had flown, so great was the sorrow of the people that they m

hildren of Lir remembered the still waters of Lake Darvra and the fond Dedannan host on its peaceful shores. Here the sighing of the wind among the reeds no longer soothed their sorrow, but the roar of the breaking surf struck fresh terror in their souls. In misery and terror did their days pass, until one night the

apart, may it be to meet again on the rocky isle that has ofttimes been

ightning's flashes, the children of Lir beheld each the snowy form of the other. The mad fury of the hurricane yet increased, and the force of it lifted one swan from its wild home on the billows, and swept it through the blackness of th

o sign was there of one of them. Then to the highest summit of the rocks she flew. North, south, east, and west did she loo

ooped. And as she looked, behold! Fiacra appeared, but it was as though his strength failed. Then did Finola swim toward her faint

ever. But, at noon, sailing he came over the breast of the blue waters, with head erect and plumage sunlit. And under the feathers of

listen to the sad, slow music. And when Aed and Fiacra and Conn were lulled to sleep, Finola's notes g

sts, and the misery of the four white swans was greater than ever before. Even their most sorrowful Gaelic songs told not half their

the swans crouched together on the rocky isle for warmth, but each morning they were frozen to the ground and could free themselves only with sore

ea of Moyle, the salt water entered their wounds, and they well-nigh died of pain. But in time the

n Island of Erin, or to the rocky blue headlands of Alba, or they would swim far out into a dim

w coming to the coast a troop of horsemen mounted on s

they had seen no human form since they spread their win

n Dedannan folk." And Aed and Fiacra and Conn strained their eyes, and Aed a

four swans, each man shouted in the Gael

h, and saw the faces of their own people, their happiness was greater t

er, of the black frost, and of their own poor battered and wounded bodies. Of their loneliness of soul, of that she could not

old how Lir and Bove Derg were alive and well, and were even now celebrating the Feast of Age at

more, for they must hasten to fly from the pleasant shores of Erin to the sea-stream of Moyle, whic

s the snow-white birds faded from sight, the sorrowful company turned the head

f the Dedannans. Yet was Lir glad that his children were alive, and he thought of the day when

rn Sea, and tempest-tossed as before, here they in no way escaped the pitiless fury of wind and wave. Worse than aught they had before endured was a frost that

ke heart. "Believe, dear brothers, in the great God who hath created the earth with its fruits and the sea wi

rust in God, and they all

fter, until the three hundred years on the Western Sea were ended

morning to sunshine and to peace. And there on the grassy island was their home, until the three hundred years were at an end. Then Finol

reat for speech was their joy. Then again did they spread their wings and fly above the green grass on and on, until they reached the hills and trees tha

ss, and again they flew westward. And it was not until they came to Inis Glora that they alighted. On a small lake in the heart of the island they made th

of the children of Lir. When would the good saint come to Erin?

estled close the one to the other, until the brothers stretched their wings and fluttered hither and thither in great fear. Yet trembling they flew back to their si

have dreamed through thrice three hundred years. Soon the spell will be broken, soon our sufferings will end." Then did Finola gl

more the chime stole across the isle. No longer did it strike terror into the hea

Finola said, "Let us sing to the

ross Inis Glora, until they reached the good Saint Kem

the voices he heard were the voices of Finola and Aed and Fiacra and Conn, who thanked the High God for the chime of the

ans gliding on its waters. And no need had the saint to ask whether these indeed were t

now to land, and put your trust in me, for it is in th

d he led them to his cell, and there they dwelt with him. And Kemoc sent to Erin for a skilful workman, and ordered that two slender

k had brought to the Green Isle. And the story so gladdened their hearts that the misery of their past sufferings was well-nigh f

of Lir. "Until Decca be the Queen of Largnen, until the good saint come to Erin,

himes of the Christ-bell had been heard, and th

es did she hear of their haunting songs. It was told her, too, of their cruel miseries. Then b

k Kemoc to part with the swans

argnen, until he brought the singing swans to the palace. And t

s to go after her, saying he would send for the white swans if she would but come back. Therefore Decca returned to t

ell of Kemoc. But he found the saint in the little ch

ou refused these birds to Q

y told," re

hand, and the chain of Fiacra and Conn in the other, he dragged the birds from the altar and down t

and the children of Lir were delivered from their doom. For was not Decca the bride of Largnen,

f Lir. Wrinkled were their once fair fa

ed from the church, and the good Kem

from thee, thou holy one, and that in loneliness must thy days on earth be spent. But such is the will of the high God. Here let our graves be digged, and here bury our four bo

of four lovely children with silvery wings, and faces radiant as the sun; and as he gazed they floated ever upwar

four worn bodies lay at the ch

, and there were the children of Lir buried, Conn standing at Finola's rig

stone bore their names, and across the grave floated

APS OF H

l of mischief to the eyes of every one save his admiring mother. But, to do him justice, he never meant harm in the course of his life, and he

eggars and great lazy dogs that were thrusting their heads into every iron pot that stood outside the kitchen door, until chance might give her "a sight of the squire afore he wint out, or afore he wint in"; and, after spending her entire day in this idle way, at last the squire made his appearance, an

ll this is, you want me to

, that's just it-if you

can

ng, you

ing, I suppose,"

ng, I mane, that you w

ances on his mother's part

ake care

care, sir," s

help in the stables, and

se rollicking "boys" of the old school, who let any one that chance threw in his way bring him his boots, or his hot water for shaving, or brush his coat, whenever it was brushed. The squire, you see,

id the squire, w

me,

ndy! C

sir," said Andy, bear

us tin can here? You might as

g. In two minutes more Andy came back, and, ta

BROUGHT H

R IN THE

your honor, say there's n

it a moment sin

s not nigh the full

thief, and get me so

he can

ng, so you

, and back he c

l I put

Andy a jug containing some cold water, mean

ing open, he very deliberately threw the jug out

you do t

ld me to throw

rowing his boots at Andy's head; whereupon Andy retreated, and,

NED WHEN A

F SODA AT

hat "he had never seen a silver spoon split that way before." When told to "cut the cord" of a soda-water bot

, knocking out two of the lights with the projected cork, which struck the squire himself in the eye at the foot of the table; while the hostess, at the head, had a cold bath down her back. Andy, when he sa

of satin and soda-water. The extinguished candles were relighted, the squire got his eyes open again, and the next time he pe

re he distinguished himself out of doors in such a way as to involve his master in a coil

E SENDS A

ICE FOR

said to h

n and see if there

ir," sa

ere to go?" inq

n, sir," wa

ow where to go

, s

you ask, you

'd find

u to ask what you're to

s,

hy don

e to be trou

y's excuse for remaining in ignorance. "Well, go to the post-office. You

here they se

on who had the privilege of dealing in the aforesaid combustible. "Go, then, to th

t astride of his hack, and tr

ried on a brisk trade in groceries, gimlets, broadcloth, and l

tther, sir,

on the sacredness of private life. So Andy, in his ignorance and pride, thought the coolest con

VERY FOOL

HE POS

tther, sir,

nt it for?" repeat

at to you?

, told him he could not tell what letter t

as to get a letther her

you those

mas

's your

arn is tha

you don't tell me his name,

t you're fond of axin' impident que

r must be as great a goose as you

" said Andy. "Is it Squire E

Egan's your

u anything to

I never saw

never see me agin if

uire unless I know you're his servant.

"It's not every one i

Y WOULD

ENCE FOR

red the house, who vouched to the postmaster that he mig

postmaster, produci

emembered, belongs to the earlier half of the last century, befor

," said the postmaster. "You've

pay eleven

pos

ence this minit, and a bigger letther than this? And now you want me

re of it," said

don't be delayin' me now. Here's fourp

in the humorous way we sometimes use the word "rascal") said the postmas

WENT BA

ITHOUT H

unged up and down the shop, every now and then putting

gi' me the

ought he deserved as well as another man; for, under this impression, Andy determined to give no more than the fourpence. The squ

, sir," s

ive it

en't i

do you

t give it t

n't give i

BACK TO THE

ANGRY

in the town-wanting to

etter. Why didn't you

t a double letther at all; not above half the size

y, you vagabond! Ride back for your life, and

as sellin' them before my

ip you; and if you're longer than an hou

e getting letters, and the postmaster was selecting the epistles for each from a large parcel th

r that letthe

nd to you

her's in

t till his h

r me if I'm n

ad to h

HIEF" IN JE

THIEVING

the counter. So, while certain weighing of soap and tobacco was going forward, he contrived to become possessed of two letters from the hea

s face beaming with delight, and an air of self-satisfied superiority in his manner, quite unaccountable to his master, until he pulled forth his hand, which had been grubbing up his prizes

venpence, I brought your honor t

on in the county. His old friend, Mr. Gustavus O'Grady, the master of Neck-or-Nothing Hall, was, it

E THAT CAM

ITS TO THE

tmark, Mr. Egan yielded to the temptation of making the letter gape at its extremities-this was before the days of the envelope-and so read its contents, which were highly uncomplimentary to the reader. As Mr. O'Grady was m

ent, Mr. Murphy, greatly doubted if it would be possible to serve its master

r, at the apothecary's, whence it was duly forwarded to Neck-or-Nothing Hall with certain medicines for Mr. O'Grady, who was then lying ill in bed. The law-agent's letter, in its turn, was brought to Squire Egan b

O'Grady as you insist on it; but I think y

dient and

ugh Mu

neither combatant was hurt. Then, after the firing, satisfactory explanations were made. On Mr. O'Grady's part, there was an almost simultaneous descent upon the unsuspecting a

AS FINALLY

ERVICE OF

o give Mr. Egan the advantage of double bullets, but the result was that, when the weapons were loaded, Andy's bullets lay between the powder and the touch-hole. Mr. O'Grady missed

y, when he was told, on taking the place of the driver of the vehicle in which Mr. Furlong was traveling, to drive this important personage to "the squire's," at once jumped to the conclusion that by "the squire's" was meant Mr. Egan's. Here, before the mistake was fo

ANDY'S BL

ULT FOR HIS

owner of Neck-or-Nothing Hall. But a clever rascal named Larry Hogan divined by accident and the help of his

pet on which the Honorable Mr. Scatterbrain's supporters relied to drown Mr. Egan's speeches and those of his men. He thus did a good turn to his old mast

the Scatterbrain title and estates, his claims to which were set forth in the second of the two l

OUT TO BE

COMES IN

education. Then, marrying his cousin, Onoah, who had shared his mother's cabin in the old days, and to save whom from a desperado Andy had, this

EEDY S

business it was to keep sheep. No one lived on that plain but shephe

osition. Clutch thought of nothing but how to make some profit for himself, while Kind would have shared his last morsel with a hungry dog. This covetous mind made Clutch

her's cottage, and kept their flock on the grassy plain

time nobody clipped so close as Clutch, and, in spite of all Kind could do or say, he left the poor sheep as bare as if they had been shaven. Kind didn't like these doings, but Clutch always tried to persuade him that close clipping was good for the sheep, and Kind always tried to

lambs, and then the ewes, began to stray away; and, search as the brothers would, none of them was ever found again. Th

s profits, were not sorry to see pride having a fall. Still the flock melted away as the months wore on, and when the spring came ba

is wool to be ha

"The east wind still blows sometimes." But Clut

up a cleft in one of the hills, as fleet as any deer; and when Kind turned he saw his brother coming with the bag and shears, but not a single ewe was to

time or harvest. If you like to come with me, we shall get service somewhere. I have heard my father say that ther

n and up the hills. All who saw them thought that they had lost their senses, for no shepherd had gone there for a hundr

hills as if a thousand shepherds had been playing on their pipes. Clutch and Kind had never heard such music before, and, getting up, they followed the sound up the cleft, and over a wi

ll us what land is this, and where we can find service; for my brother and I a

I am the ancient shepherd. My flocks never stray, but

t shearer in all the plain country; you would not find enoug

the old shepherd. "When the moon rises,

him. Then up the hills came a troop of shaggy wolves, with hair so long that their eyes could

flock of mine have to

rst of the wolves showed its teeth, and all the rest raised such a howl that

he, "I will shear s

back to the plains, and them after you; but whichev

. To his great surprise, the wild creature seemed to know him, and stood quietly to be shorn. Kind clipped neatly, but

or your wages, return with them to the plain, and

they had all changed into the very sheep which had strayed away,

ith his brother. They keep the sheep together till this day, b

ERS AND T

ere barren, and they had little trade. But the poorest of them all were two brothers called Scrub and Spare, who followed the cobbler's craft, and ha

their own trade, a small barley-field, and a cottage-garden, till one unlucky day when a new cobbler arrived in the village. He had lived in the capital city of the ki

had nothing to feast on but a barley loaf, a piece of musty bacon, and some small beer of their own brewing. But they made a great fire of logs, which crackled and blazed with red embers, and in high glee the cobblers sat down to th

d Spare. "I hope you will drink that toast, and may we

ed, for out of the blazing root they heard "Cuckoo! cuckoo!" as plai

ad," said Scrub, t

not," sa

large gray cuckoo, and lit on the table before them. Much as the cobblers

d slowly, "can you tell

tmas," answ

the heat of your fire made me think it was summer again; but now, since you have burned my lodging, let me stay in your hut till the spring com

welcome,"

u must be hungry after that long sleep. Here is a sli

oped for him in the thatch of the hut. So the snow melted, the heavy rains came, the cold grew less, the days lengthened, and o

here trees bud or flowers bloom that I will not cry in before the year goes round. Give me another slice of bar

d help such poor men as my brother and I to provide someth

by the well that lies at the world's end. One of them is called the golden tree, for its leaves are all of beaten gold. As for the other, it is always green, like a laurel. Some call it the wise, a

bring me a leaf off t

rub. "Think of the leaves of beaten gold!

could be spoken, t

corn, they should come to be his apprentices; and Scrub and Spare would have left the village but for their barley fie

e. Old neighbors forgot to invite them to wedding feasts or merry-makings; and they thought the cuckoo had forgotten

cuckoo! L

is bill a golden leaf, larger than that of any tree in the North Country; and

ng the gold to Scrub

cobbler's hands before, and he coul

eaf of gold. "As for yours, as good might be plucked from any

ourteous. If your brother be disappointed this time, I go on the same journey every year, and, for yo

cried Scrub, "brin

from the green leaf on

ng me one from

w the cuckoo

ectable man; and taking his lasts, his awls, and his golden

uld bring him one every spring. The new cobbler immediately took him into partnership; the greatest people sent him their shoes to mend; Fairfeather smiled graciou

ry wedding-day anniversary. Spare lived on in the old hut and worked in the cabbage garden. Every day his coat grew more ragged, and the hut more weather-beaten; but people remarked that he never looked sad or sour; and the wonder was

is castle was ancient and strong, with high towers and a deep moat. All the country, as far as one could see from the highest t

ully concerning the turning out of his Royal Highness's toes, whereon the North Country lord was turned out of office, and banished to his own estate. There he lived

rd cast away his melancholy, and went about with a noble train, making merry i

st their money, poor men who had lost their friends, beauties who had grown old, wits who had gone out of fashion-all came

g, who had lately fallen into ill humor because a neighboring princess, with seven islands for her dowry, woul

," said Spare, "and I will go wi

t the castle, and the cuckoo cam

but I cannot go there-they would lay snares and catch me. So be careful of

ice, and, having sewed up the leaves in the lining of his leather d

orders given that a feast for all comers should be spread in the banquet-hall. The princes of the blood, the great lords and ladies, ministers of state,

els; but in the midst of all his grandeur he still wore the leathern doublet, which the palace servants thought remarkably mean. One day

t came-I find it easier to wear than the court cut; moreover, it serves

ault with the leathern doublet. So things went, and Spare prospered at court

lemen, can

ason th

COBBLER AN

at the King's court; and the news of his good fortune reached his brother Scrub in the

place, and Spare making his fortune at court with two or three paltry green leaves!

and Scrub his drinking-horn, which happened to have a very thin rim of silver, and, each carrying a golden leaf

say, but when the sun was high and warm at noon th

said Fairfeather, "and look at our gold

airfeather did not perceive that a very thin old woman had slipped from be

l me where I may find some water to mix a bottle of mead wh

as shepherds used in the ancient times, corked with leaves rolle

the best honey. I have also cream cheese and a wheaten loaf here, if suc

them; besides, they were very hungry, and, having hastily wrapped up the golden leaves, they assured the old woman they were not at all p

and spells, had the power of making all who drank it fall asleep and dream with their eyes open. She had two dwarfs of sons; one was named Sp

n his hand; his wife held fast a hunch of bread. Their eyes and mouths were both open, but

Come here, and carr

the two little dwarfs darted o

ther. "What have ye done

that cobbler came. But here is a leathern doublet which his page threw out of the window; it's of no use, but I brought it to let you see I

worthy man without a servant. His Majesty therefore appointed one of his own pages to wait upon him. The name of this youth was Tinseltoes, and nobody in all the court had grander notions. Nothing could please him that had not gold or silver

green. Yet one thing grieved the heart of Tinseltoes, and that was his master's leathern doublet, and at last, finding nothing better would do

id the old woman. "Whe

band's scarlet coat, the wife's gay mantle, and, above all, the golden leaves, which so rejoiced old Buttertongue and her sons

th the King in his palace hall. It was a great disappointment to find their golden leaves and all their best things gone. Scrub tore his hair, and vowed to take

hut of boughs, in which Scrub kindled a fire with a flint of steel, which, together with his pipe, he had brought unknown to Fairfeather, who had told him the like was never heard of at court. Then they found a p

ings came back to their old fashion. Quarrels began among the lords, and jealousies among the ladies. The King said his subjects did not pay him half enough taxes, the Queen wanted more jewels, the servants took to their old bickerings and got up some new ones. Spare foun

ch chamber, his costly garments, and all the presents the courtiers had given him; while

Tinseltoes had tossed the doublet, and as the cobbler came down late in the twilig

pare. "Did you never see a man comi

sed here a leathern doublet came out of that win

er with great eagerness. "Can you t

d, "a dwarf called Spy, bundled i

eaming through a thicket, led him to the door of a low hut. It stood half open, as if there was nothing to fear, and within he saw his brother Scrub snoring loudly o

g, mistress!

-law with his court life that Fairfeather did not know hi

low, for my good man has sorely tired himself cleaving

was not known. "I come from the court for a da

aid Fairfeather; "I will put some more eggs

he cobbler. "So fair a dame as y

th fair words and strong drink at the entrance of this forest, where we fell asleep and dreamt of great things; but when we woke everything had been robbed from us, and,

in its lining. "It would be good for hunting in, however. Your husband would be glad to part with it, I dare say, in exchange for this ha

se and see what a goo

es, gazed up at his

ow did you like the court, an

eat eggs, and rest ourselves here this night. In the morning we will return to our own old hut

as astonished to find the three poorer than ever, but somehow they liked to be back to the hut. Spare brought out the lasts and awls he had hidden in a corner; Scrub and he began their old trade, and the whole North Country found out t

satisfied. Their custom increased from day to day, and all that were disappointed, d

its door. Moreover, the Christmas cuckoo always came on the first of April, bringing three leaves of the merry tree-for

Y OF CHI

ANCES

ft their daughter to the care of her uncle, who was the richest farmer in all that country. He had houses and lands, flocks

creature was, the more ready was she to befriend it; on which account the people of the West Country called her Child Charity. Her uncle would not own her for his niece, her cousins would not keep her company, and her aunt sent

d; her hair was scanty and gray; her back was bent; her teeth were gone. In short she was the poorest and ugliest old woman that ever came begging. The first who saw her was the kitchen-maid, and she ordered her off; but Child Charity, hearing the noise, came out from her seat at the foot of the lowest table, and asked the old woman to take her share of

ose from her seat and kindly asked her to take her supper, and sleep in her bed. Again the old woman sat down without a word. Child Charity scraped the pots for her supper, and slept

But she never gave her a word of thanks nor a civil good-morning. At last, on the ninth night from her first c

ht-I am going on a long journey to see a friend; but here is a dog of mine, whom nobody in all the West Country will keep

It was with great trouble that Child Charity got leave to keep him in an old ruined cow-house. The little girl gave him part of all her meals; and when the hard frost came, took him to her own

fine talking was tha

ty, and she thought they must have been dreaming. But night after night, when any of them awoke in the dark, they saw a

quietly in the corner, Child Charity sleeping soundly in her bed, and the moon shining through the shutterless window; but an hour before daybreak the window opened, and in ma

the banquet hall. What will your

ee that all things are in the best style, for the Princess and I

y passed out of the window. By-and-by there came in a company of little ladies clad in rose-colored velvet, and

the tapestry. What will your H

et all things be in the first fashion, for the Princess and I wil

sed quietly behind them. The dog stretched himself out upon the straw, the little girl turned in her sleep, and the moon shone in on the back garret. Th

knowing; so next night, when all the house was asleep she crept out of bed, and

ak; but when he heard it he laughed at her for a foolish woman. But that night the master thought he would like to see what went on in the back garr

ed having heard his grandfather say that somewhere near his meadows there lay a path, which led to the fairies' country, a

for the ugly dog, and carry it to him in the old cow-house; but not a morsel would the dog taste. On t

ugly dog began to bark, and the old woman's knock was heard at

r my travels. I see you have taken good care of my dog, and now, if you will come w

n by snow-white horses. The first and finest of the chariots was empty. The old woman led Child Charity to it by the hand, and the ugly dog jumped in before her. No sooner were the old woman and her dog within the chariot t

and there was a wager between us whether or not there were good people still to be found in these false and greedy time

h heaps of gold and jewels that she could not carry them, but they gave her a chariot to go home in, drawn by six white horses, and on the seventh night, when the farmer's family had settled in their own minds that she would never come back, and were sitting down to supper, they heard the sound of her coachman's bugle, and saw he

ELFIS

SCAR

g from school, the children used to

ach-trees that in the Springtime broke out into delicate blossoms of pink and pearl, and in the Autumn bore rich fruit. The birds sat on the tr

him for seven years. After the seven years were over he had said all that he had to say, and he d

he cried in a gruff voice,

erstand that, and I will allow nobody to play in it but myself."

spa

ll

sec

very self

full of hard stones, and they did not like it. They used to wander round the high wall when their lessons

ipped back into the ground again, and went off to sleep. The only people who were pleased were the Snow and the Frost. "Spring has forgotten this garden," they cried "so we will live here all the year round." The Snow covered up the grass with her great white cloak, and the Frost painted all the trees silver. Then they invited the North Wind to stay with them, and he came. He was w

he Selfish Giant, as he sat at the window and looked out at his c

the Giant's garden she gave none. "He is too selfish," she said. So it was always Winter there

net singing outside his window, but it was so long since he had heard a bird sing in his garden that it seemed to him to be the most beautiful music in the world. Then the Hail stopped dancing over his

did h

ms gently above the children's heads. The birds were flying about and twittering with delight, and the flowers were looking up through the green grass and laughing. It was a lovely scene, only in one corner it was still Winter. It was the farthest corner of the garden, and in it was standing a little boy. He was so small that

ld not come here. I will put that poor little boy on the top of the tree, and then I will knock down the wall, an

n his hand, and put him up into the tree. And the tree broke at once into blossom, and the birds came and sang on it, and the little boy stretched out his two arms and flung them round the Giant's neck, and kissed him. And the other children, when they saw that the Giant was not wicked any longer, came

in the evening they came to

d, "the boy I put into the tree." The Giant

swered the children

Giant. But the children said that they did not know where he li

y whom the Giant loved was never seen again. The Giant was very kind to all the children, yet he long

o he sat in a huge, armchair, and watched the children at their games, and admired his garde

ng. He did not hate the Winter now, for he knew that it was mer

he farthest corner of the garden was a tree quite covered with lovely white blossoms. Its branches wer

child. And when he came quite close his face grew red with anger, and he said: "Who hath dared to wound thee?" For

ied the Giant; "tell me, that I ma

child; "but these ar

nd a strange awe fell on him, and

led on the Giant,

den, to-day you shall come with m

on they found the Giant lying dead under

LE OF TH

EFUL RAVEN A

otch

but he arrived late, and saw only one fight. This was between a huge Raven and a Snake. The King's son ran to aid the Raven, and wi

ept in the house of one of the Raven's sisters. He was to meet the Raven next morning for another trip; and for thr

the power of the King's son. In return, he gave him the bundle which he carried, a

n the glen opposite his father's palace. Just then a Giant appeared and offered to put the castle back in the bundle on condition that the Prince give him his first son when he was seven years old

n years old the Giant came to claim him. The Queen said she would save her child. She dressed the cook's son in fine clothes, and g

f they went near the King

ant found he had been fooled a second time, he stalked back to the castle, and made a terrible scene. The castle shook under the soles of his feet as he

p the stairs he saw a beautiful little maiden. She beckoned to him to come to her, then said: "To-morrow you may choose between m

ou may go home to-morrow, and take with you e

en the Prince said: "I want

en years. Secondly, he was to thatch the byre with bird's down; and lastly, he must climb a tall fir-tree and bring five eggs, unbroken, f

aughter came and talked to him. In utter dejection he showed her the impossibility of completing the task by nightfall. With words of sy

at the byre, and then he rubbed his eyes; and then he looked at the byre again, for, lo! it was clean. Some one had come to his aid while

ce would try very hard to do the work alone, and when he was just a

, because she felt her father's breath on the back of her neck. In her haste she left

shed, the Giant ordered them

ed alike, and brought before him, and he was to choose which one was his promised bride. B

their chamber. The Giant's daughter said: "Quick!

bed; one piece was placed by the door, and the other outside. After that was do

the head of the bed answered: "No, we are not asleep." He called out the same thing three more times, and the three other pieces of apple answered him th

hind us, because his breath is burning my neck. Put thy hand i

nce a thick forest of black

ck." So the Prince reached into the filly's ear and took a piece of stone, w

adder of water, and threw it behind him. A fresh-water lake then stretched twenty miles behind them. By this

for him by the well. "Go thou and greet thy father, then come back for

As misfortune would have it, however, an old grayhound jumped upon him

her to the palace, that she might see the newly returned Prince. The Shoemaker, greatly awed by her unusual beauty, sa

e her a glass of cordial. Just as she was going to drink, a flame appeared in the glass, and a golden pigeo

ains of barley fell to the ground, and the golden pigeon again spoke: "Do you remember how I thatched the byre?" Still three more grains fell to

nd he sprang and claimed the Gian

D THE B

Y MARY L

loved him so much that she could never say no to anything he asked. So whenever he wanted money she gave it to him, until at la

ere is no money to buy food. You will have to take the

uickly got the cow and started off to town. As he was wal

away from home for?" And Jack replied sa

hand some colored beans. They were so beaut

than the beans, but he did not believe Jack knew it, so he said: "You

ardly wait to get the bag in his hand

, as he reached the house; "see

ns she was so disappointed to think he had sold her cow "for nothing" that she flung the be

mother had to go to bed

ome of the beans there were great beanstalks. They were twisted together so that they made a ladder. When Jack ran out to the g

quickly! My beans have grown into a beautiful beanstalk ladder that r

any more. At last he came to the end, and peered eagerly over the top to

. "This is a horrid place.

rinkled, ragged old woman. When she r

, where did y

he ladder,"

very sharply. "Do you reme

plied: "No, I do not. Whenever I ask my mothe

lose to Jack's and snapped her bright eyes. "

I am a good, good Fairy. But before I tell you a

and the Fairy b

se, with plenty of money and servants and everything nice. They were very happy, because everyone

e decided to do something very terrible. He went to your house and killed him. He would have killed you and your mother, too, but

omise that you will never tell your little boy who his father was, or anything ab

day long she hurried over the rough roads with you in her arms. At last, when she

hing wrong. When a fairy does something wrong she loses her power. My power did not come back to me until the day when you went to sell

wicked Giant lives. I had you come here so

rd this he wa

the Giant's house. And do not forget that some day you

e woman. Jack went up to her and said very piteously: "Oh, please, good, kind lady,

usband, the terrible Giant, lives? No one dares to come near here. Every one my husband finds he has loc

But he remembered what the Fairy had told him,

oven," he said. "The Giant

t the woman couldn't say no, a

ozy kitchen. Jack was just beginning to enjoy himself, wh

d the Giant's wife;

idden than he heard the Gia

fi, fo

blood of an

ely the Giant knew that he was in t

s probably the peo

by peeping through a hole, Jack could easily see him. He was enormous! And how

!" And the woman broug

se when the hen laid a golden egg. Every time the Gian

ep. But Jack did not dare to sleep. He sat all c

oftly. For a minute he hardly dared breathe for fear of waking the Giant. Then quick as

he beanstalk. All out of breath, he climbe

mother thought her son was surel

you go off and le

at I have brought you this time: a hen that lays golden eggs. No

for many months. Whenever they wanted anythin

is promise to the Fairy to punish t

go back and get some more of

h, please do not go, Jack," she begged. "This time the

me paint to color his skin brown and had a queer suit of clothes made so that no one could disco

house. There at the front door was the Giant's wi

politely. "Will you let me in for a ni

or boy like yourself, and he stole my husband's favorite treasure. My husband

to-night. If you don't I shall hav

shall have to hide you in the lumber-closet,

ly hidden away he heard a tremendous noise, and knew that the Giant had c

fi, f

d of an Englishm

d. "It is an old piece of meat

with that he tried to strike his poor wife. Jack could see from

e my hen," he kept saying to her. And wh

he Giant said in a

g me my bags of

nd poured out a great heap of silver and gold. For a long while he sat counting the money. But at

. But when the Giant had been snoring some time, the boy carefully opened the door of the closet and tip-toed over to the t

d up from a corner by the fire, barking furiously. Jack had never been s

ten so much that he couldn't! So Jack snat

om, he ran at once to the cottag

her. But all this time Jack could not forget his promise to

ther queer suit, so that he would not look like himself at all. Early one morning, when it

had before. He met the Giant's wife, just as he had the two other times;

felt the whole house shake, and

fi, f

blood of an

ack was not at all scared. He remembered what ha

ped up and began stumping around the room, shouting: "There is fresh meat

Giant was going to lift off the lid and find him, he heard him say: "Well, never m

an ever. But suddenly he stopped and

husband, and he commanded: "Play!" And the most surprising thing happened: The harp began to play the loveliest t

mother. I shall get it away fr

and up toward the table. He stretched out his hand to seize the harp; bu

once that the harp was the Giant's

gh the dark hall he went. He felt the floor tremble as the Giant came roaring after him. He was panting for breath when he rea

supper that he could hardly run at all. Even so, he was close behind him all the wa

d out: "Someone quick! get me a hatchet!" Then

ed to come down. "Oh, now," thought poor Jack, "he wil

grabbed it and cut down the beanstalk! With a terrible

ends rushed up t

d! He is dead!

e came running out of the house

s trouble to you. But I promise I shall never be an

od boy. He did all this only becaus

o the poor and unhappy people, just as your father was. If you are, I am sure that you will both be very ha

and he and his mother lived together v

TH

BY LAUR

he was sometimes called? Such a queer little fellow, and

n and his wife who had no children. They wanted a child more than an

e were no bigger than my thumb, I s

was not many days before the woman had a child given her. He was so tiny that his father burst out laughi

se by standing in the horse's ear and calling out "Gee up!" and "Gee, whoa!" just like his father. When people saw ho

try fairs, and make him do funny things to amuse the crowds. They offered Little Thumb's father a sum

ar father, take the money and let them have

he little fellow he never would have consented; but it so

might escape. Finally he saw a field-mouse's nest over a hedge, and he said:

e hedge. Calling to him to come back, the master with difficulty climbed over the bushes and started searching for his small

When he came forth it was dark, and he did not know which way to go. He was still try

gold and silver in the rector's house, but

"and if we break in we sh

e: "I can help you. I am so small I can get between the bars on the window. Then I'll

soon as they got the money in their own hands they would make off and not divide

d Tom up, and he crawled between the

you have everything I can get?" The servants came running calling, "Thief!

uld do if they caught anyone in the house, that Little Thumb was very much

ir morning fodder. As bad luck would have it, she took the very truss of hay in which Tom lay; and he awoke with a start to find himself in the cow's great mouth, in danger of bein

ay came down with every swallow; so Tom called out wi

house, telling everyone that the cow h

cow-shed. No sooner had he stepped inside the door than the cow lifted her h

w is bewitched! It is best to kill her bef

and the stomach, with Little

ture first. He had just gotten his head free, when a hungry wolf, attracted by the smell

ape. He decided on a bold scheme. In his loudest voice he called:

asked t

hrough which you can crawl into the kitchen. Once t

mention of these good things to eat made him very hungry, a

en so much that he could not get out through the hole he came in. Then he cal

he father to finish the wo

iches of the world," said the mother and father

m had escaped so often from such dangers that he was not much afraid. After a time the fish saw a dainty worm, and, little thinking that i

for broiling, out stepped Little Thumb, much to the astonishment and delight of everyone. The King said he had never seen so tiny

GTON AN

, and was left a ragged little fellow, running about a country village. As poor Dick was not old enough to work, he was very badly off; he got but little for his dinner, and sometimes nothing

talking on the tombstones in the churchyard, before the parson was come; and once a week you might see little Dick leaning against the sign-post of the village inn, w

foolish country people at that time thought that folks in London were all fine gentlemen and ladies;

st be going to the fine town of London; so he took courage, and asked the wagoner to let him walk with him by the side of the wagon. As soon as the wagoner heard that p

at night for a place to lie down and sleep. Perhaps some good-natured people in the towns that he passed through, when they saw he was a poor little ragged bo

the streets, thinking every moment to come to those that were paved with gold; for Dick had seen a guinea three times in his own little village, and remembered what a dea

rk, and that every way he turned he saw nothing but dirt instead

asked everybody he met to give him a halfpenny to keep him from starving; but nobody stayed to answer him, and

Dick. "That I would, but I do not know how to get any," answered Dick. "If you are willing, come along with me," s

aid, who was an ill-tempered creature, and happened just then to be very busy dressing dinner for her master and mistress; so she called out to poor Dick: "What business have you there, yo

a dirty ragged boy lying at the door, he said to him: "Why do you lie there,

rk with all my heart, but I do not know anybody, and I believe I am very s

ee days, and was no longer able to run about and beg a halfpenny of people in the street. So the kind merchant ordered hi

d besides, she was so fond of basting, that when she had no meat to baste, she would baste poor Dick's head and shoulders with a broom, or anything else that happened to

or and the walls that every night he was tormented with rats and mice. A gentleman having given Dick a penny for cleaning his shoes, he thought he would buy a cat with it. The

part of his dinner to her; and in a short time he had no more tr

t that all his servants should have some chance for good fortune as well as him

o venture except poor Dick, who had neither mon

e matter, and ordered him to be called in. She then said she would lay down some money for him, f

d nothing but a cat which he bought for

good boy," said Mr. Fit

s in his eyes brought down poor p

e; and Miss Alice, who felt pity for the poo

r Dick, and she began to use him more cruelly than ever, and always made game of him for sending his cat

nd started very early in the morning, on All-hallows Day, which is the first of November. He walked as far as Holloway; and there sat down

Bow Church, which at that time had only six, began to

ain, Whi

yor of

to be Lord Mayor of London, and ride in a fine coach, when I grow to be a man! Well, I will go back, an

get into the house, and set about his wo

last driven by the winds on a part of the coast of Barbary, where th

olor to themselves, and treated them very civilly; and, when they became better a

re placed, as it is the custom of the country, on rich carpets marked with gold and silver flowers. The King and Queen were seated at the upper end of the room; and a number of dishes were brought in fo

of them, for they not only destroy his dinner, as you see, but they assault him in his chambe

hese vermin immediately. The King's heart heaved so high at the joy which this news gave him that his turban dropped off his head. "Bring this creature

t it would be inconvenient to part with her, as, when she was gone, the rats and mice might destroy the goods in the sh

was got ready. He put puss under his arm, and arrived

captain's arms, and in a few minutes laid almost all the rats and mice dead

sy, pussy!" and she came to him. He then presented her to the Queen, who started back, and was afraid to touch a creature who had made such a havoc among the rats and mice. However, when the captain stroked the cat and called:

e kitties, which in turn would have other little kitties, and thus stock the whole country, bargained with the

, and set sail with a fair wind for England, a

A friend," answered the other; "I come to bring you good news of your ship 'Unicorn.'" The merchant, bustling up instantly, opened the door, and who should be seen waiting but

nt that the King and Queen had sent for her to poor Dick. As s

we will tell h

Mr. Whitting

his servants said so great a treasure was too much for him, he answer

that time was scouring pots fo

were making game of him, at the same time begging them not to play tricks with

e in the news these gentlemen have brought you; for the captain has sold your cat to the King of Barbary, and b

re they had brought with them; and said: "Mr. Whittington

at part of it he pleased, since he owed it all to his kindness. "No, no," answered M

time told him they felt great joy at his good success. But this poor fellow was too kind-hearted to keep it all to himself; s

, and get himself dressed like a gentleman; and told him he was welc

n who visited at Mr. Fitzwarren's; so that Miss Alice, who had once been so kind to him, and thought of him with pity, now looked upon him as fit to be her sweet

y agreed. A day for the wedding was soon fixed; and they were attended to church by the Lord Mayor, the court of alder

ndor, and were very happy. They had several children. He was Sheriff o

arved in stone, was to be seen till the year 1780 over the archwa

D R

ch Fai

BY SO

e-keep of Norham, dwelt an honest little family,

rossed he became as reckless as a reeling hurricane. Once, in a passion, he drove two of his father's "kye," or cattle, down a steep hill to their death. He seemed not to care for home or kindred, and often pierced the tender

Robin, who seemed to have

hed his mother, "wi' gr

he poor father. "Ah, weel! I could a'maist wish the fai

away to Elf-land. Whether the fairies were at that instant listening under the eaves, will neve

deed if ilka day a great lad like me must mind t

crowned with tall climbing grasses, till he came to a crystal sheet of water called St. Mary's Loch. Here he paused to take bre

circle with their light feet. He had heard all the Scottish lore of brownies, elves, will-o'-the-wisps and the strange water-kelpies, who shriek with eldritch laughter. He had been told that the Queen of the Fairies had

if he had been informed that any of the uncanny people were, e

htcap over his eyes, and dropping asleep. I believe I

hills, the moors, the yellow flowers. He heard, or

r supper?" he mutter

lk," answered th

Lang, lang may ye wait for Wild Robin:

voice fell

only the far-off village-bell, which sounded like the echo

ll. "I sit all day in my little wooden tem

lie!" cr

thers softer beds than yours? Is your ain father served with larger potatoes or creamier buttermilk? Whose mither s

and now could be heard the faint trampling of small hoofs, and the tinkling of tiny

s of the gras

o' the ve

ss of her h

silver bell

d ears heard nothing. The Queen of the fairies dismounted

itted brow, and the downward curve of his lips. Knights, lift him g

oan steed had been saddled with satin, and shod with velvet. It even may be that the faint tinkling

ling hither and thither in hot haste? What meant these pearl-bedecked caves, scarcely larger than swallow's nests? these green canopies, overgrown with moss? He pinched himself, a

he lad; "but can ye tell me what dell i

any rate, he deigned no reply, and went on with h

alley of Yarrow, and yet can

iving him a smart tap with her wand, "stir yersel

lmost have taken her between his thumb and finger, and twirled her above his head; yet she poised herself before him on a mullein-stalk and loo

o work, W

y glancing at a few kernels of rye which ha

e dare! Shell these dry beans; and if so be ye're st

e that the lad did not over-fill the acorn-cup, and that he did not so much as peck at a grain of rye. T

er escape from his beautiful but detested prison. He had no wings, poor laddie;

isoners happy. There were countless treasures to be had for the taking, and the very dust in the little streets was precious with specks of gold: but the poor children shivered for the want of a mother's love; they all pined for the dear home-peop

some parritch on his father's table, one glance at a roasted potato. He was homesick for the gentle sister he had neglected, the rou

f which clung a lump of gold ore, if he might have had his o

tle man after

queen of

are worn, and my feet bleed; but I'll soon creep

trength was put to the task of threshing rye, gri

off on a visit to the upper world, leaving Robin and his comp

ather had ne'e

other had ne'

radle had nev

ad died when

en threshed rye for the laddie's father, or churned butter in his good mother's dairy, unseen and unsuspected. If the litt

rly affection is a sentiment which never yet penetrated the heart of a brownie. The dull little sprite would gladly have helped the poor lad to his freedom, but told him

et's ear while she slept. By this means the lassie would not only learn that her

rough the streets with a cavalcade of fairies. But, alas! how should even a sister know him in the dim starlight, among the passing troops of e

w she should act were given

pass the bl

let pass

to the milk-

the rid

on the milk

nearest

was a chri

e me tha

d will be gl

hand wil

he tokens I

I will

e me in your

snake, a

fast, nor

do love

e me in your

bat, and

green mant

myself

ut hastened secretly to the Miles Cross, saw the strange cavalcade pricking through the greenwood, and pulled down the rider on the milk-white steed, holding him fast through

ke the Queen

a blush

en away the

my co

had the wit

ve learne

the siste

been wo

d lost their power over him forever. His forgiving parents and his

at he nevermore grumbled at his oatmeal parr

ies and brownies, his mind wandered off in a mizmaze. He

ORY OF

were his parents, or where he was born; but it is said that he was brought in

th the waves, and his subjects there were the mermaids. Here, too, everyone was happy, and the only want they ever felt was of the full light of the sun, which, coming to them through the water, was but faint and cast no shadow. Here was Merlin'

hts for cowardice. On one occasion, when the battle seemed to be lost, he rode in among the enemy on a great white horse, carrying a banner with a golden dragon, which poured fort

ow as a blind boy, again as an old witch, and once more as a dwarf.

lin, where a

he day, with

i! oi! oi! oi

! oi!

world's end." So he bade the King, who was the father of King Arthur, to send ships and men to Ireland. Here he showed him stones so great that no man could handle, but by his magic art he placed them upon the boats and th

ng Dionas. In order to make her acquaintance, Merlin changed himself into a young Squire, and when she asked him who was his master, he said: "It i

answered Vivian. "I would always love

ide her. Within a few hours the castle was before her in the wood, Knights a

hat I promised

he, "you have done so much f

many of the most wonderful things that any mortal heart could think

ut the older legend gives us better news. He showed her how to make a tower without walls so they might dwell there together alone in peace. This tower was "so strong that it may never

d only Vivian can come or go through the magic walls. It was toward this tower, so the legends say, that, after the passing of King Arthu

of A. L

llow p

America from England about 1875; it had at that time be

UB'S

in a forest a badger and a mo

wild boar, the hares, the weasels, and the stoats-even the bright little squirrels-had been shot, or had fallen into traps. At last, only th

o, or where to turn for foo

ou get for me, you must buy food and bring it into the forest. When I get a chance I will run away, and come back to you, and we will eat our dinn

so, as soon as the badger had lain down and pr

l I come back. Be very good and quiet, an

for a fair price, and with the money bought some fish, some tofu,[M] and some vegetables. She then ran back to the forest as fast as she could, changed herself into

ox. "Fair play's a jewel. W

d, quite out of breath

ou sold me to brought his wife to look at me, and boasted how cheap he had bought me. You should have

to dinner, and had a fine feast, the badger

finished, and they had begun to get h

changed himself into a hunter, shouldered the fox, and went off to the town

u think he did now? He wished to have all the money, and all the food it

ding to be dead; take ca

an, and he knocked the fox on the he

rried them off to the forest, and there ate them all up himself, without giving one bit t

on began to put two and two together, and at last felt quite sure

; and, as he was not big enough or strong enough to

e how angry he was with him,

t, you will have won the game; but, if I change myself so that you cannot find me out, then I shall have won the gam

imself behind a tree, and watched to see what would happen. Presently there came along the bridge leading

ust be the fox, so he ran up to the s

ou out! I've

Off with his head,"

d with one blow of his sharp sword, the little C

ade from w

ub's

HIN KO

ttle girl, and did everything for her which she ought to have been able to do for herself. Perhaps this was what made her so lazy. When she grew up into a beautiful wo

do several things for herself which other folks had always done for her, and it was a great deal of trouble to her to dress herself, and take care of her own clothes, and keep herself looking neat and pretty to please h

awakened by queer little noises in her room. By the light of a big

the same kind of dress her husband wore on holidays (Kamishimo, a long robe with square shoulders), and their hair was tied up in knots

chin K

fuké

are, Hi

on t

in Kobakama; the hour is late; s

w that the little men were only making cruel

quickly that she could not. Then she tried to drive them a

in Kobak

d became so frightened that she could not even cry out. They da

because, as she was the wife of a warrior, she did

e same hour, which the old Japanese used to call the "hour of the ox"; that is, about two o'clock in the morning by our t

afraid to tell him what had made her ill, for fear that he would laugh at her. But he was

all, but looked very seriou

time do t

s at the same hour-t

to-night I shall hide, and watch

closet in the sleeping-room, and kept watch

Then, all at once, the little men came up throug

chin K

uké sō

ng wife's frightened face; and then, remembering that nearly all Japanese ghosts and goblins are afraid of a sword, he drew

thp

riors-only a lot of old tooth

g used a new toothpick, she would stick it down between the mats on the floor, to get rid of it.

ow what to do. A servant was called, and the toothpicks were taken

NDERFU

e was very poor, while the younger, who was dishonest and stingy, had managed to pile

loan of some seed-rice and some silkworms' eggs, for las

not want to lend them. At the same time, he felt ashamed to refuse his brother's request, so

with the eggs, to be food for the silkworms when they should appear. Appear they did, and throve and gre

ook a knife and killed all the silkworms, cutting each poor little cr

nd tried to feed them with mulberry leaves as before. The silkworms came to life again, and doubled the number, for now each half

half, but, alas! they did not come to life again, so he los

rowed from his brother, and it sprang up, and gr

came and began to devour it. Kané was much astonished, and shouted and made as much noise as he could in order to drive the

was by this time so hot and tired that he sat down to rest. By little and litt

on the ground in a ring, and one who seemed the eldest, a boy of fourteen or fifteen, came close to the ba

dore." Out sprang a splendid battledore and a shower of shuttlecocks. Then a little girl shyly whispered, "A doll." The Mallet was shaken, and there stood a beautifully dressed doll. "I should like all the fairy-tale books that have ever been written in the whole world," said a bright-eyed intelligent maiden, and no sooner had she spoken than piles up

and there, close to where his head had lain, was the big stone he had seen in his dream. "How st

it, at the same time calling out, "Gold" or "Rice," "Silk" or "Saké." Whatever he called for flew imm

find a magic mallet which would do as much for him. He came, therefore, to Kané and borrowed s

y for the swallows to appear. And, to be sure, one day

here Kané had followed them before. There he lay down, intending to go to sleep as h

ll the time watched anxiously what the children would do. They sat down in a ring, as before, and the big boy c

rather long, and gave it a good pinch, and all the other children ran up and pinched and pulled his nose, and the nose itself g

and pummeled him to their hearts' content, then capered round him, s

ané's house. Here he related all that had happened to him from the very day when he had behaved so badly about the seed-rice and silkwo

an, and selfish and envious, and that is why you have got this punishment.

hape and size. But ever after, if at any time Ch? felt inclined to be selfish and dishonest, as he did now and then, his nose began to smart and burn, and he fa

LFISH

HOUSEL

er rains. A Crow who lived close by had also built a house, but it was not such a good one, being only made of a few sticks laid one above another on the top of a pric

and give us shelter, for the wind blows and the rain beats, and the prickly-pear hedge-thorns stick into o

elter, for the wind blows and the rain beats, and the prickly-pear hedge-thorns stick into our e

us and give us shelter, for the wind blows and the rain beats, and the prickly-pear hedge-thorns stick i

wind blows and the rain beats, and the prickly-pear hedge-thorns stick into our eyes." But the Sparrow would

, for the wind blows and the rain beats, and the prickly-pear hedge-thorns stick into our

"You may come in now and take shelter for the night." The Crows came in, but they were much vexed at having been kept out so long in the wind and the rain, and when the Sparrow and all her family were asleep, the one said to the other: "This selfish Sparrow had no pit

arrow and the

ORY OF

once without ceremony separated, every one to take care of himself. The tortoise slipped into the water, the rat crept into a hole, which he fortunately found near at hand, and the raven hid himself among the boughs of a very high tree. In the meantime the goat stopped quite sudden

se continued: "Pray tell me what is th

just made my escape out of the hands of a

like our company, stay here and be one of our friends; you will find our hearts honest

r time pleasantly together. But one day, as the tortoise, the rat, and the raven were met, as they used to do, by the side of the fountain, the goat was missing. This gave great trouble to them, as they knew not what had happened. They very soon came to a resolution, however, to seek for and assist the goat, so the raven at once mou

l we do?"

would be shameful to break the bond and not act up to all we said. We cannot leave our innocent and good-natured compan

ac, there is none but thyself able to set our friend at liberty; and the busin

hat I will do my best, so let us g

was confined in the net. No sooner had he arrived than he at once commenced to gnaw the meshes

ied out with a loud voice: "Oh, why have yo

nger bear your absence

o run will prevent me from falling into his hands again; our friend the raven can find safety in flight, and Zirac can run into any hole. Only you, who are so slow of foot, will become the hunter's prey." No sooner had the goat thus spok

This was no small vexation to him, and caused him to look closely around, to see if he could d

after all; here is a plump tortoise, and that is worth something, I'm sure." Thus saying, he too

ength the raven broke the silence, and said: "Dear friends, our moans and sorrow do not help the tortoise. We must, if it be at all possible, devise some means of saving his life. Our sages have often told us that there are three persons that are n

t can be done. Let our friend the goat go and show herself to the hu

le distance before him, which will encourage him to follow me, and thus draw him

n his clutches again, and so, laying down his sack, ran after the goat with all his might. That cunning creature suffered him now and again almost to come up to her, and then led him another wild-goose cha

e you ventur

ing after his prey, gave up the cha

gs any use to thee." So saying, he went to the bag, but not finding the tortoise he was amazed, and thought himself in a region of hobgoblins and spirits, since he had by som

her on their escapes, made afresh their vows of friendship, and

D BAG

ra Toda, or "My Lord Bag of Rice." His true name was Fujiwara Hidesato,

t gone far when he came to the bridge of Seta-no-Karashi spanning one end of the beautiful Lake Biwa. No sooner had he set foot on the bridge than he saw lying right across his path a huge serpent-dragon. Its body was so big that it looked like the trunk of a large

urn back or walk right over its body. He was a brave man, however, and putting aside all fear went forward dauntlessly. Crunch

ground. His red hair streamed over his shoulders and was surmounted by a crown in the shape of a dragon's head, and his sea-green dress was patterned with shells. Hidesato knew at once that this was no ordinary mortal and he wondered much at the strange

that called

have an earnest request to make to you

I will," answered Hidesato, "

ake, and my home is in these w

u have to ask of m

lives on the mountain beyond," and the Dragon King po

ly shall I lose all my children, but I myself must fall a victim to the monster. I am, therefore, very unhappy, and in my extremity I determined to ask the help of a human being. For many days with this intention I have waited on the bridge in the shape of the horrible serpent-dragon that you saw, in the hope that some strong brave

ace of the lake, it would be better to wait till then. So Hidesato was conducted to the palace of the Dragon King, under the bridge. Strange to say, as he followed his host downward the waters parted to let them pass, and his clothes did not even feel damp as he passed through the flood. Never had Hidesato seen anything so beautiful as

ed and ten lovely goldfish dancers came out, and behind them followed ten red-carp musicians with the koto and the samisen. Thus the hours flew by till midnight, and the beautiful music and dancing had banished

warrior saw on the opposite mountain two great balls of glowing fire coming nea

balls of fire are its eyes. It is coming

two balls of fire he saw the long body of an enormous centipede winding round the mountains, and

east sign of fear. He tri

rely kill the centipede. Jus

he had only three arrows left in his quiver. He took the bow,

le of its head, but instead of penetrating, i

centipede right in the middle of its head, only to glance off and fall to the ground. The centipede was invulnerable to weapons! When the

ross the waters. The huge reptile had wound its horrid body seven times round the mountain and would soon come down to the lake. Nearer

his was so monstrous that even to think of such a creature made one creep with horror. Hidesato determined to try his last chance. So ta

hundred feet darkened to a dull glare like the sunset of a stormy day, and then went out in blackness. A great darkness now overspread the heavens, the thunder rolled and the lightning flashed, and the wind roared in fury, and it seemed as if the world were coming to an en

me out with him on the balcony, for the centi

idesato pointed to the lake. There lay the body of the dead cen

e family came and bowed down before the warrior, calling

d on coral trays and crystal dishes, were put before him, and the wine was the best that Hidesato had ever tasted in his life. To add to the beauty of

to do, and must return. The Dragon King and his family were all very sorry to have him leave so soon, but since he would go they begged him to ac

a retinue of men, all wearing ceremonial robes and dragon's crowns on their heads to show th

large bro

a bag

a roll

a cook

h, a

these presents, but as the Dragon Ki

d then took leave of him with many bows and good wishes, leaving the pro

een kept by the violent storm and had taken shelter somewhere. When the servants on the watch for his return caught sight of him they called to every one that he w

put down the presents they vanished, and

er. The bell only was ordinary, and as Hidesato had no use for it he presented it to the templ

after day for the meals of the knight and his whole famil

after time long pieces were cut off to make the warrior

put into it, it cooked deliciously whatever was wante

o need for him to spend money on rice or silk or firing, he became ver

TLE HAR

ese Fai

BY B. M

the picturesque kimono and obi of her native land, and looked so different from other people that friends often wondered how Alice cou

he library all to themselves till bedtime, the little girl w

y!" And Nurse would smile her

he great Japanese gods

, for it meant that a fairy tale would

ished to get to the mainland. He did not know how to manage this; but one day he thought of a plan. Hopping

se, many crocodiles

!' the croco

re are hares on the island of

i as the drops in the sea outnumber the trees of the

e myself to differ with your lordship,' said the hare, poli

ve it?' the croc

ainland, each with his nose on the tail of the neighbor before hi

, thinking it a good one. 'But how

r I have numbered the croc

to the same place next morning to do the counting. Of

n line of crocodiles, a flo

ched the last crocodile and prepared to jump to shore, his heart was so ful

wished for a bridge to the mainland, and

hare was too quick to be caught, but the monster's teeth touched him and tore

n you trifle with creature

o heart to explore the beauties of the mainland now, but crawled under a bush

hat was coming, and beheld a crowd of young men, carrying burdens as if they were on

e hare and cried: 'Well, fri

loudly, and one of them said: 'Since you are so clever, it is strange that you do not know the best way to cure your wounds

cess and

y-one princes, all wishing to marry the princess of that country. She was very rich, and the responsibility of managing her wealth and kin

not always bring conten

s to laugh at and impose upon him. To-day they had given him most of the luggage to carry, so he could not walk as fast as they.) As they started on the way,

to the shore and let the waves roll over him, but instead of maki

he Wind Goddess,' t

tiff grass pricked his wounds, and the biting wind caused them to throb more painfully. At last he realized that t

im. 'Who has wounded you

red prince an

e stranger; but the young man's kind glance conquered his fear, and he answered: 'I left the island of Oki to see the wonders of the mainland, and I

now you see how wicked it is to torment those weaker. My brother princes should have told you to bathe in the fresh water of the river and to lie

such pain that he decided to go to the river, which flowed like a silver ribbon through the fields toward the ocean. Into the cool water he

ice. He sat up, feeling quite strong again, and tried to think of a way in which he could repay his benefactor. In the distance he saw th

arden wall. He crept in under the high gate, and there stood the princess under a ch

u advice, if you will accept it fr

r she knew that the best things are often found in unexpec

ces are gay and smiling; but all that is only to hide the cruelty of their hearts. Following them is a young man who is

all this?' the p

ame a few minutes later, resplendent in the magnificent clothes they had put on in the princess's honor. Indeed, they all looked so handsome that she found it hard to believe the story of their cruelty. While they were talking of their journey to her kingdom, howe

ll a creature as a little hare is fit to rule over a kingdom. But with you,' she added, tur

hat, for, after once seeing the beautiful princess, the

ent into the garden to thank the little hare. They could not find him, however, search as they would; for as soo

all?" Ali

wered. "And now it is ti

garet

ry, fai

ngdom f

't is always night whe

of the great

y of proud

den days of old whe

ved a no

s the Princ

e Chinaman wore his be

d prince

s a princ

a grand gateway, and a

was brigh

ing peach

whose like has not bee

mid delic

little t

as if you might go i

fountai

l of car

n a crystal pond the

a flower

en of Princ

is daughter there, th

-le

she cam

er little

d a doll or two, but I

d the foun

zed the br

embroidery fine with a

ee lo

e fin

ed her we

of her pr

little Chinese tune w

l that sh

r from fee

d dull sometimes was p

r had kit

the free

ith this elegant sport

th his drum

erous loud

in a princely way, a

r, the fa

sy as she

, except, perhaps, to a n

ung hersel

utes that s

ing up the rules o

cess nibble

her dear l

wistful ear to the be

one Ap

, as they

ight that straight took

-s

es, soft

n little

hat met her own in a r

hand thru

ings of

ped, it seemed, straight

e, a frie

little

n her lonely state, the

as her feet

were a Chin

almost turned his dear

t," she b

urteous C

e garden, dear, your il

he nodded

at he would

t are proud your hono

but the

er and joy-

pier spot that day in

ng-

t it waned

lden af

ayed with her Ray of

of th

the sha

folded lil

all at once the prin

gnified a

on his fea

s gown of silk embroide

his princ

ved with a

s walking-stick it was c

r of girdl

r of gold a

his side came he, the

cess ben

ly celes

h filial grace, and ma

child tha

the rule th

on the ground nine times

, what hav

ge kind t

"It looks to me like

s what it i

ss cried.

s Prince-Papa, a dear

e cho

d the Princ

y he said

ke a Chinese word, and ex

ir Su-See

f the Ros

son should be, your h

ncess's eye

r little he

l she quite forgot he

do I care!

may stay,"

of my bowl of rice and a

said the Pri

is a how

smine-Flower, instead?

ful big

t to the sa

Fing-Wee, papa, than a

nce he calle

d for the Bo

al literature that he

d till the

ry remark

from bottom to top, a

ortoi

er adopt

r the sam

s ago, it appears, the

for a pin

as sound, t

what plan you please, if

e thoughtf

e with rice

above my grave and

e the tor

toise of a

aight in as he goes, the

the gar

derful nigh

served the élite of th

ho passed

ad in le

"The Prince Choo-Choo

nocking of

rumpets and

it with millions of lamp

t the chop

ce of Princ

brought for the little

pter

ght for the little fing-wee w

never a s

ess cried

ot that they all

found

little he

in her breas

a happier child

he great C

ther, the

at the litt

some thousands of years be

at the ch

the dusk a

her eyes she kissed th

OUS CASE

nese L

d maidens, wh

Ah-Top, g

some ma

oys followed

that Ah-To

a consc

Ah-Top's hea

e said, "is

ll hang b

s may its b

naught its g

ing to r

he hit u

, "I'm a c

what I

y wheel my

e pigtail w

can see

mself upon

fell upo

red in t

Top could wh

he pigtail

to keep i

ried, "I tur

you see, I'

I stopped

ood one! Ah

myself the

d like a

hirled, his

d Ah-Top r

l momen

spinner cou

an had bec

the toy

AL AND T

ndu

oss the river where the crab

nly swim, how good those crabs would

, "if I can only get the Camel to take me across the river! I can

el. "Are you hungry? I know a place where the suga

e Camel. "Tell me, and I

said the Jackal, "but it is acr

t up on my back and I will take you across,

look along the bank of the river and see

Camel, "it makes me hungry j

he river, and the Jackal did not get the least bit wet, even the tip of

bs which lay out in the sun on the sand. It was not long until he had eaten as many crabs as he could, an

nished your crabs

at another one.

el, "I have hardly

will go out to the edge of the pa

he had eaten all the crabs he wanted. So he said: "I do not want to wait

d came running out with sticks to chase the Jackal. But the Jackal hid in the high cane, and the farmer could not find him

came out of the cane and found the Camel lying o

here have you been? I have bee

el. "Why did you sing that song that

come out and beat you? That is too bad.

not know that. Very well. Let us go h

r and began to swim across the river, the Jackal riding high on the

of the stream the Camel said: "I

ed the Jackal, "for I sha

Camel; "but you see I alw

Jackal got wet-first the tip of his ta

THE STO

anese

e highway cutting stone. It was hard

e to work all day. I would that I could sit an

ew nearer he noticed that one of them was the King. On his right side rode soldiers, all arrayed in armo

would be to be a King, and to have soldiers to do h

me,

only a Kin

a voice say: "B

side the highway with a heavy mallet in his hand, but the King, dressed in armo

avy, and the helmet pressed hard upon his brow, and his head throbbed with the weight of it.

ke me faint and weary. I had thought that to be a King was to be s

, and the sun still beat

me,

nly the sun

voice say: "Be

how to shine, he allowed his rays to fall too fiercely upon the world, and grass and grain were dried up and withered, and men lamented because of the cruelty of the heat. But H

lds and the cities, and all acknowledge my power. But the cloud i

t go, but became heavier and bla

me,

nly the clo

ers and the streams to overflowing. But he did not know how to let down the rain wisely, and it fell too heavily, and the rivers rose high and destroyed the fields and the cities, and the meadows were turned

and blowing. And he said: "For all I am strong, and can blow down trees and destroy cities, and can pour my waters upon th

nchanged, and Hash

me,

nly the roc

voice say: "Be

than all. But even as he rejoiced, he felt the sharp point of a stonecutter's chisel, and heard the sound of his heavy mallet striking upon its head. Then he knew that, though the water had fallen upon

me,

y the stonecu

voice say: "B

n the ground beside him, and the rock before him. And the King had gone by, and the rays of the sun

s stronger than the sun, the rock was stronger th

ow well content to do

E BRAHMAN, AN

tried in vain to get out through the bars, and r

by. "Let me out of this cage,

e Brahman, mildly; "you woul

n the contrary, I should be forever

he consented to open the door of the cage. Out popped the Tiger, and, seizing the poor man, cried: "What a fo

n was a promise to abide by the decision of the first three thi

coldly: "What have you to complain about? Don't I give shade and shelter to every one who passes

ed no better from it, for it answered: "You are a fool to expect gratitude! Look at me! Whilst I gave milk

e sad, asked the Road

, useful to everybody, yet all, rich and poor, great and small, trample on me as they

he met a Jackal, who called out: "Why, what's the matter,

ld him all tha

he recital was ended; "would you mind telling

e Jackal shook his head in a distracted so

ne ear and out of the other! I will go to the place where it all

h the Tiger was waiting for the Brahm

" growled the savage beast, "b

as his knees knocked together with fright; "

"in order that I may explain matters to the J

whole story over again, not missing a single

l, wringing its paws. "Let me see! How did it all begin

Tiger, "what a fool you

-dear! dear! where are my wits? Let me see-the Tiger was in the Brahman, and the cage came walking by

rage at the Jackal's stupidity; "I'll make

my l

t is the

my l

at is t

my l

the cage-do yo

Please,

d the Tiger,

lord!-how di

the usual way

o whirl again! Please don't be angry

jumping into the cage, cried: "This

ly shut the door, "and if you will permit me to

by Joseph Jacobs; used by permission o

THE WILLOW

M. ALSTO

man had one lovely daughter with soft black eyes, and raven hair that scarcely could be told in texture from the silken robes she wore. The m

mandarin trip lightly to her father's side to whisper in the ear of her indulgent parent, or flash across the hall, or through the garden where she fed her goldfish in the lake, and when her mother called her name, Ko

d to think of h

stood on the lake shore. From her windows she could see the lake, and she could see the willow tree that dipped its drooping branches in the smooth, still water and seemed to hang its head and weep for her. And when the Spring came on and she could hea

l help me." So she took a cocoanut, and cut the shell in two and made a little boat of half of it. Then she made a little sail of fine, carved ivory, on the sail she wrote a message asking Chang to help her and threw the boat out of the

nd taking a whip he hastened after them to beat them back again, for he had great fear of his friend's anger. But

ere, and secretly, at night, sailed down the lake and burned the house when they were sleeping. But t

running across the bridge followed by her father with his whip, the funny house-boat that carried them away to Chang's little house that almo

!" he said

ish broth

FOX'S TA

BY JOEL CHA

ed near each other in the woods. But they had to go

: "What's the use of taking a long walk ev

it. "From this time on I shall drink the dew from the g

Brother Fox talked that he wa

. "Then I will dig the well myself. An

g tree. He worked, and worked, and worked. Brother Rabbi

olish Brother Fox is! I guess I shall soo

Rabbit stole quietly down to the well by the big t

want," said Brother Rabbit. "Brother

x went to get some water, he

that's the way you drink the dew from the grass and the f

big as a baby. He covered the wooden doll with black, sticky tar. Then he put

this time," he said, as he went ho

t this way, then that. The least noise frightened him. When he saw

Who are you?" h

baby sai

say?" he asked i

baby sai

t went right up cl

ou answer me

baby sai

"Have you no tongue? S

baby sai

his right hand and-bif

e cried. "Let me go, o

baby sai

tar baby with the other h

ied Brother Rabbit. "If you do

baby sai

abbit's right

I kick you with my left foot, you'll

baby sai

eft foot s

. "Let me loose, or I'll butt you into t

baby sai

Rabbit's hea

with both hands, and both f

he tar baby was getting along. He saw Brother Rabb

you like my tar baby? I thought you drank dew from the grass a

Brother Rabbit. "Let me go! I

o wants a thief for a friend?" Then he ran quick

oose from the tar baby, threw him over

is good," sa

said Brother Rabbit, "Only don'

o the well," said Brother Fox

atch," said Brother Rabbit. "The briers will tear my flesh and scr

ou don't like briers? Then here you go!" and he t

ed the ground, he sat up and la

bit. "Thank you, dear Brother Fox, thank yo

reat glee, chuckling over the tr

c Ortoli; used by permission of the

BIT AND

. M. R

hich means "Brother") Rabbit came up to the house and called the little girl: "Mary, Mary, your father and mother told me to come up here and tell you to put me in the pea patch and let me ha

d: "Who has been in these peas?" "Why, didn't you send Br'er Rabbit to get as many as he wanted?" said Mary. "No, I didn't; no, I did

ther told me to tell you to put me in the pea patch, and let me have all the peas

ary, "when I put down my bread for supper." After a while he called again: "Little girl, little girl, come let me out!"

girl told me you said I might have some peas," said Br'er Rabbit. "Well," said Mr. Bear, "I'll put you in this box unti

re to-night and want me to play the fiddle for them, so they put me in here. I wouldn't disappoint them," said Br'er Rabbit. "But, Br'er Fox, you always could

willing to make money, and if you don

say?" he asked i

r put it there," said Br'er Rabbit. So Br'er Fox unlocked th

rl ran up to the box and looked in, and said: "Oh, m

how came you in there?" "Because Br'er Rabbit asked me to t

letting him out. I'll help you find Br'er Rabbit." "I'll hunt him till I die, to pay h

un, and all of them after him. And they got hi

at the tree to watch him to keep him from getting away. Aft

to go loo

frog at the

Br'er Rabbit, "look up here and open your eyes and mouth wide." So he filled the Frog's eyes full of trash. And w

wn the tree and didn't find him. Then they asked Mr. Frog again: "Whar's Mr. Rabbit?" "He's in dar," said Mr. Frog. So they split

ve let Mr. Rabbit get away, and we

praying ground, and say my prayers." So

g got on the log he bowed his head and said: "Ta-hoo! ta-hoo! ta-h-o-o

abbit's

BBIT'S F

r, and Br'er Coon, and all the rest of them were cl

s'd call him lazy, so he kept on clearing away the rubbish and piling it up, till by-and-by he holler ou

bit he see a well, with

cool I 'spects it is. I'll just about get in there a

Rabbit was then. He fairly shook with fright. He know where he come from, but he dunno where he going. Presently he feel the bucket hit the wat

fter him. He knew Br'er Rabbit was after something or other, and he took and crept off to watch him. Br'er Fox see Br'er Rabbit

t off there in the bushes, and he think and think, but he make no head

down there in that well Br'er Rabbit keeps his money hid, and if it ain't that, then he's been and g

nothing, and he kept on getting nigher, and yet he hear nothing. By-and

f his skin, and he 'fraid to move, 'cause the bucke

r'er Fox h

! Who you visiting d

d to myself that I'd sort of surprise you all with a lot of fishes for dinner; and so

down there, Br'er Ra

water is just alive with 'em. Come down, and help me

g to get down,

, Br'er Fox. It'll fetch yo

the bucket, he did, and as he went down, of course his weight pulled Br'er Ra

Fox, take care

the way th

p, and some

he bottom all s

ll belong to that Br'er Fox was down in there muddying up the drinking

man with a g

you up, you

as if they never heard of no well, 'cept that every now and then Br'er Rab

it," published by Stead's Publishing House, L

SSUM LOV

r'er Possum he ate his fill of fruit, and Br'er Coon he scooped up a lot of frogs and tadpoles. They ambled alon

r'er Possum, what you goin

f laugh round the c

ng to stand by you," says Br'er Possu

f he runs up on to me, I lay I

r Coon was cut out for that kind of business, and he fairly wiped up the face of the earth with Mr. Dog. When Mr. Dog got a chance to make himself scarce, he took it, and what was left of him went skaddling through the woods as if it was shot out of a gun. B

reply to his How-d'ye-do, and this made Br'er Possum feel mig

our head so high?" say

days," says Br'er Coon. "When I wa

t very angry. "Who's

iating with them what lies down on the ground and pla

grin and laugh f

afraid than you is this minute. What was there to be skeered at?" says he. "I knew you'd get away with Mr.

m lay as if

n turn up

n Mr. Dog no more than touched you before yo

t eyes on, and no sooner did Mr. Dog put his nose down among my ribs than I got to laughing, and I laugh till I hadn't no more use of my limbs," says he; "and it's a mercy for Mr. Dog that I was ticklish, 'cause a little

hen you touch him in the short ribs, and he'll laug

KLES OLD BR'E

heard Br'er Fox coming, and he say to hisself that he'd sort of better keep one eye open; but Br'er F

e you been this long-come-sh

und," says B

like you did, Br'er Ta

suffering," says Br'

sort of run

rrypin? Your eye look mi

is. You ain't been lounging round and

ke you is mighty weak, Br'er Ta

no what trouble is," say

ou now?" say

and set the field on fire. Lor, Br'er Fox, you du

the fire, Br'er Tarr

he, "sat and took it; and the smoke got in my eye, and t

our tail off," says

d with that he uncurl his tail from under his shell, and no s

what lam me on the head the other day, is you? You's i

n't making no promise. Then he beg Br'er Fox to burn him, 'cause now he used to fire. Br'er Fox he say nothin

rypin he began

stump-root and

x he hol

no stump-root, and

-I'm a-drowning; turn loose that

Br'er Tarrypin's tail, and Br'er T

Not a bit of it. Is you drowned wh

it," published by Stead's Publishing House, L

r fox drag br'

wildcat ser

ILDCAT SERVE

ls one evening at the same house. They sat there, a

good-by. Cloud coming up yonder, and befo

be getting on, 'cause he doesn't want to get his

road, talking at one another, Br'er

yes don't deceive, here's the tracks where M

sidle up and l

What's more," says he, "I been acquainted with him

please, sir, te

as if he was making ligh

e poor creature what made that track i

s he, Br'e

Tut, tut, tut! To be sure, to be sure! Many and many's the times I see my old grand-

d axed how he's go

gh. Just go and tackle old Cous

nd say: "Eh, eh, Br'er Rabbit, I'm 'fr

hoo, Br'er Fox!" says he, "who'd ha' thought you so skeery? Just com

ign of claw. Br'er Rabbit say: "Well, then, if he ain'

at the track, and then he and Br'

with the creature. Br'er Rabbit he holler out

abbit say: "Oh, you needn't look so sulky! We'll make you tal

g. Br'er Rabbit holler: "What you come bothering us for when we ain't been bothering you? You thinks I don't know who you is,

saying nothing. Br'er Rabbit he say: "Go up, Br'er Fox, and if he refuse to speak, slap him d

lf, but he ain't saying nothing. Br'er Fox he went up a little nigher. Cousin Wildcat stop rubbing on the tree, and sat upon

hat's the way you fooled my old grand-daddy; but you can't fool me. All your sitting u

d just as he was making ready to slap him, old Cousin Wildca

for miles and miles. Little more and the creature would have torn Br'er Fox in two. Once the creature

t him again! I'm a-backing yo

Br'er Fox was squatting on the ground, hold

I'm ruined! Fetch the doc

ished that Br'er Fox is hurted. He took and examine the place, and he up and say: "It lo

ht he took and shook his hands, just like a cat when she gets the w

it," published by Stead's Publishing House, L

ell

TION S

E MacGO

AIRIE-DOG'

e mountains, and with these fortunes unmended. Daddy Laban, the half-breed, son of an Indian father and a negro mother, who sometimes visited Broadlands plantation, had been a wanderer; and his

er dan a ground-hog. But dey ain't come out for wood nor water; an' some folks thinks dey goes plumb down to de springs what fe

she had a big fambly to keep up. 'Oh, landy!' she say to dem dat com

er to git along was to keep boarders. 'You got a good home, an' you is

to crawl, an' tell each an' every dat she sot up a boardin'-house. She say she got ro

z. Prairie-Dog ain't find no fliers what wants to live un'neath de ground. But crawlers-bugs an' worms an' sich-like-dey mostly d

,' Mr. Rattlesnake say; 'an' I like to lo

'im. 'I bound you gwine like 'em. I got room

he ain't say no more-dest look at dem pr

-Dog got somethin' on her mind, an' 'fore de snake git away dat somethin' come out. 'I's shore an' certain dat you an' me can git

like dat-zip! Br-r-r! 'Tempted!' he hiss at de prairie-dog woman. He look at dem prairie-dog boys an' gals what been makin'

belongs to de quality. He feels hisself a heap too big

e to Miz. Prairie

sked Patric

de little brown owl say, as she swivel an' shake. 'An' I wanted to git me a home down on de ground, so dat I could be sure, an' double sure, dat I wouldn't fall. But dey is dem dat says ef I was down on de gr

nd, so dat i could be sure, an' double sur

rown owl dat dey ain't no place you could fall ef you go to de bottom eend o' her house. So, what wid a flier an' a crawler, an' de oldest prairie-dog boy workin' out, she manage to make tongue and buckle meet. I's went by a

addy Laban?" ask

herokee Res'vation. Sometime I gwine tell you 'bout de little fawn what her daddy ketched for her when she 's a lit

BUNNY RABB

-girl, told to the children of Broadlands plantati

ne tell you de best tale yit, 'bout de rabbit," she said, one lazy summ

meat; yit, at de same time, he 'fraid to buck up 'gainst

it' mammy want to send her a mess o' sallet. She put it in

in' out for? an

other side de hi

llet to yo' granny, an' don't stop to play

my,' say Sonn

ime o' day wid no fox

my,' say Sonn

ick chinkapin bushes, up hop a

im now. He 'bleege to stop an' make a miration at bein' noticed by sech a fi

o'ly am dat. An' whar you puttin' out for, ef

in't know nothin'-an ain't know dat right good. 'Stead o' sayin', 'I's gwine whar I's gwine-an' dat's whar I's gw

r, you rabbit t

trouble!'

ine see on t' other sid

nny Bunny Rabbit. 'I to

anny mighty pore? Is yo' granny tough?' An' he ain't been nigh so slick

x ef he granny tough, less'n he want to git he teef in her. By dat he recomember what his mammy done told him. He look all 'bout. He ain't see no he'p nowhars. Den h

hain't so mighty old, but she sleep all de time; an' I ain't know is she tough or not-y

run by de place whar de fox-trap done sot, an' all kivered wid leaves an' trash, an' dar he le'p high in t

k de fox. 'Come back hyer, you rabbit trash

granny, what I done told you 'bout. Ain't I say she so fat she cain't run? She dest

giggled, as she looked ab

d spends ch

br'er

REDB

and when his son grew up he said to him: "My s

flowers, and trees, and mosses, and hills, and valleys that he saw. When he saw a bird on a tree, he forgot that he had come to shoot it, and lay listening to its song; and when he saw a deer come down to drin

: "My son, you have had a long day's hunting. Have you killed so much t

l about the hunting. The woods, and the sky, and the flowers, and the birds, and

morning he sent him out again, with new bow and arrow

s the path he forgot all about what his father had said, and called to the bird in the bird's own language, and the bird came

shall I do? My father will kill me

, we shall give you feathers and paint, and y

s father's wigwam; but his father saw him coming, and ran to meet him,

ng, father; nothing a

d not a bite to eat, till I have taught you to be a hunter like any other good Indian." So he took his son into

igwam was laced up tight. "When you have lived and fasted in this

d every day the young man begged for food, till at l

"In two days more you

g through the hole, he saw the lad lying as if he was dead on the ground; but when he ca

ay more to wait. To-morrow you will hunt an

igwam he heard a curious chirping sound, and when he looked through the hole in the wi

eat! Here is meal and meat for you. Co

last, and now I am becoming a bird." And as he spoke he turned into the o-pe-che-the robin redbreast-a

he lay down in the forest and died; and soon afterward the redbreast found him, and buried him under a heap of dry leaves. Every year af

HREE

e wish, no more. The three brothers were seven years on the journey, climbing mountains that seemed to have no top, and scrambling through forests full of thorn-b

they went on for three months more, and the barking got a little louder every day, till at last they came to the e

cap feasted his visitors for three days and nights, with meats and fruits that they had never tast

to be always amusing, so that no on

plant and said: "When you have eaten this you will be the funniest man in the tribe, and peop

t to try his wish that on the sixth morning he ate the root. All of a sudden he felt so light-headed that he began to dance and shout with fun: and the ducks that he

ing so hard that they rolled over and over on the ground, and squeezed their sides, and cried with laughing, till they had to run away into their houses and shut their doors, or they would have been killed with laughing. He called to them to come out and give him something to eat, but as soon as they heard him they began to laugh ag

eatest of hunters without the trouble of hunting. Why shou

n a little flute, saying: "Be sure you do

ever he could-but as soon as his lips touched it the flute whistled so long and loud that all the beasts in the country heard it and came rushing from north and south and east and west to see what the matter was. The deer got there first, and when the

dom, so that I can marry the Mohawk chief's daughter without killing her father or getting killed

it, all that day and all the next night, till he had made a beautiful wampum bead of it. "Hang

seven days and seven nights till he came to the Mohawk town. He went strai

daughter if you bring me the head of the great

something like this: "Come and eat me, dragon, for I am fat and my flesh is sweet and there is plenty of marrow in my bones." The dragon was asleep, but the song gave him beautiful dreams, and

when he should have given away his daughter, he said to the Algonquin: "I will le

eldest brother dived, and turned into a frog, and stayed under water so long that they were sure he was drowned; but just as they were g

said the chief, "and th

and the chief said: "The Northern Lights would be angry if you got married witho

f the world, and he will be an old man before he can get back, so he won't trouble us any more." But just as the chief finished speaking, here came the Algonquin running up from

n with the wedding. The place where we have our weddings is down by the r

recipices, so nobody could toboggan down there without being broken to pieces. But th

"but as soon as you

raight up the whole time. When he got to the top of the mountain opposite he turned his toboggan round and coasted back as he had come. And when the chief saw him coming near and standing up on his toboggan, he lost his temper and let fly an arrow straight at the young man's heart; but the arrow stuck in Goose-cap's bead, and the Algonqui

JO

oker, and he was very proud of his jokes; but no

. He picked out a burning stick, held it against their bare feet, and then ran out

you burn

et?" roared the other, a

ound nothing but a dead coon. They took off its skin, and put its body into the pot of soup that was boiling for dinner. As soon as they had sat dow

upon a camp where a party of women we

skin by this time.) "That's very slow work! Now, when I want to

see you do it!" sa

nd a handful of beads, and stuffed them in among the burning sticks. In two

all stuffed their pieces of buckskin

two minutes," said Lox. "I will go

ass. Then they were very angry, and ran after the joker; but he had turned himself into a coon again and hidden

side of a river. Outside one of the wigwams a woman

hat a pity that people don't make men of them at o

can a baby be turned

nder the water for a few minutes, saying magical words all the time; and then a full-grown Indian jumped

illage to tell her friends the secret. The last thing Lox saw as he hu

stepped on one side and broke a twig off another plum-tree and stuck it in his hair. The twig sprouted fast, and grew into a little plum-t

. "Do you think we cou

ittle twigs. "Stick these in your hair,

hed their heads like iron fingers. The girls sat down, for they couldn't carry all that weight standing. And still the trees grew, till the girls lay down on the ground and screamed for some one to come and rescue them. Presently their father cam

ce and began to run; and he rushed into the middle of the vi

r wigwams, crying: "Where is it co

on as I have spoken the words, every man must kiss the girl nearest him." Then he stretched up his hands toward the sun and said

men, and one old bachelor was so slow and clumsy that

erfully. "You go to the ne

ow they could avoid it, he said: "When I have spoken my charm, all the girls must set upon any stranger that comes to the village, and beat him." Then he flung his arms up and began talking his gibberish. Presently the old bachelor came

and when he spread his wings he made night come at noonday; and he built his nest of the biggest pine-trees he could find, instead of straws. The Kulloo was away, but his wife was at home trying to hatch her eggs. Lox was not hungry; but he turned himsel

the Kulloo

etting on, my

e said. "The eggs seem to get c

wings," said the Kulloo. But when he sat down on

nd the wretch who had eaten up the eggs, and

said the Kulloo; "it's

into the sky, and then let go. Of course, Lox was broken into pieces when he

one! B

y back

d legs and head began to wriggle together round the b

ooking himself over to see if every piece had joined in

him out again. The birds and the beasts got to know when he was coming, and kept so far out of his way that he couldn't get enough to eat, not even by his magic. Besides, he had wasted his magic so much that scarcely any was le

get home. When night comes, break seven twigs from a maple-tree and stand them up against each other, like the poles of a wigwam,

o him, for now he was warm and full. But soon the wind began to rise, and it b

iously for an hour. Then they died out suddenly. Lox groaned and went on his way. In the afternoon he stopped again, and lit another fire to warm himself by; but again th

h. At night he built another little wigwam; but the twigs wouldn't light, however often he jumped over them. On he tramped, g

E MOC

THE THUN

NEL GUI

e age, who had already killed buffaloes and stolen horses from the white men and the Crow Indians, with whom Moccasin's tribe, the Uncapapas, were at war, he preferred to lie under a

wstone Valley. In those days, before the white man had set foot upon these grounds, there was plenty of game, such as buffalo, elk, antelope, deer, and bear; and, as the Uncapapas were great hunters and good shots, the camp of Indians to which Little Moccasin belonged always had plenty of meat to eat and plenty of robes and hides to sell and trade for h

ood meat, they generally feel very happy and v

nd always inventing tricks to play upon the other boys. He was a precocious and ob

y for having played a trick, and I mus

ived in the next street of tents, smelled the feast, and concluded that he would have some of it. In the darkness of the night he slowly and carefully crawled toward the spot, where Mistress Antelope sat holding in one hand a long stick, at

is sometimes made of them by bad white boys. He had noticed, however, that some of the leaves of the larger va

was done, he slyly placed half-a-dozen of the cactus leaves upon the very

essly into the shade and waited for hi

sharp points of the cactus leaves, she uttered a scream, and dropped from her o

But Running Antelope caught him by his long hair, and gave him a severe whipping, decla

stress. Often afterward they called him "coffee-cooler"; which meant that he was cowardly and faint-hearted, and that he prefe

whipping and the name applied to him were too much for his vanity. He even lost his

ave-perform some great deed which no other Indian had ever

red a gun, and was afraid that the bear might eat him. Should he attack the Cr

n daylight came, he had reached no conclusion. He mu

is waist every hour, till, by evening, he had reached the last notch. This method of appeasing the

t as thin as a bean-pole, but no inspiration had

i, and beyond, entered the camp upon a friendly visit. Feasting and dancing were kept up day and

eat council-tepee, to listen to the pow-wow then going on. Perhaps he would there learn

nd brave deeds, "Strong Heart" spoke. Then there was silence for many minutes, during which the pipe of peace made the rounds, each warrior

" "Dog-Fox," and "Smooth Elkhorn" spoke o

peace was handed round,

ory, then told the Uncapapas, for the first time, of the approach of a great number of white men, who were measuring the ground with long chains, and who were being followed by "Thunderi

istened to this strange story and then retir

untains, all by himself, look at the thundering horses and the houses on wheels.

f arrows, without informing any one of his plan he stole out of camp,

of his travel he came upon what he believed to be a well-traveled road. But-how strange!-there were two endless iron rails lying side by side upon the ground. Su

ered that he hardly noticed the approach of a

great rate, emitting from its nostrils large streams of steaming vapor. Besides all this, the earth, in the neighborhood of where L

until, all at once, they entirely ceased. The train had come to a stand-

in close proximity to Little Moccasin,-who, in his bewilderment and fright

heart, which had sunk down to the region of his toes, began to rise

of one finger, and finally with both hands. If he could only detach a small piece from the house to take back to camp w

ch the now brave Little Moccasin ascended with the q

elieved) the full moon approaching him. He did not know that it wa

starting of his own car, until it was too late, for, while th

far-off, unknown country, over bridges, by the sides o

er tired nor grew thirsty ag

shrill whistle which had frightened him so much on the pre

d he was compelled to lie flat upon the roof of his car, in order to escape notice. He ha

mpelled to proceed on his involuntary journey, whic

kly, and without being detected by any of the trainmen, he dropped to the ground from h

-dozen Crow Indians, mounted on swift ponies, are by

emies of his tribe, and has been recognized by t

poor Little Moccasin so cruelly, they dism

to have a smoke and to deliberate

ittle Moccasin never uttered a groan. Indian-like, he had made up his mind to "die game," and not to g

tention to the youth and bravery of the captive, who had endured the lashing without any sign of fear. Then the two other Crows took the same view. This decided poor Mocc

iles from camp, they came upon a

pon his pony, Blind Owl himself getting up in front, and they rode at full

at was given to him. This, in his famished condition, he relished very much. An old squaw, one of the wives of Blind Owl, and a

ve enemy, designed to break his proud spirit. He was treated as a slave, made to haul wood and draw water, do the cooking, and clean game. Many of the Crow boys wanted to kill

ther would talk to him in his own language, and tell him to be of good cheer; but he was terribly homesick and longed to g

d to be soundly sleeping, approached his bed and gently touched his face. Looking up, he saw that she held a foref

her arm around his neck, she hastened out

upon a pretty little mouse-colored pony, which Old Looking-G

" and bade him fly toward the rising sun, where he would

an down her wrinkled face; she also folded her hands upon her breast and looking up to the heavens

odded his head approvingly), she bade Little Moccasin be off, and advised him not to rest this side of the whit

l save you! He can

arting words, as

y happy to be free again, although sorry to leave behind his kind-hearted foster-mother, Looking-Glass. He made up his mind that after

y the sun stood over his head; neither had he urged Blue Wing to run his swiftest; but that good

is head, and, to his horror, he beheld about fifty mounted Crows coming towar

ht arm he carried a long lance, with which he intended to s

he knew that this time they would surely kill him i

Iron Bull, shouting a

ted a few times, made several short jumps, to fully arouse Moccasin, who remained paralyzed with fear,

tted and encouraged Blue Wing; while, from time to time, he lo

ocks and hills, through gulches and valleys. Blue Wing

bout five hundred yards

g down his face. He had no fire-arm, or he

is young rider, as if the pony was making a last d

but in those moments, when a terrible death was so near to him, he did the next best thing: he thought of his m

e again looked back, gave one loud, defiant yell at Iron

ront, only about three hundred yards away. He sees w

ground. Fortunately, though, Little Moccasin has received no hurt. He jum

n of the boy, they all gave a shout of joy, thinking that in a few minutes they would capture and kill him. But th

lding at nearly the same moment; but the former had time enough t

underneath the table, the operator quickly took from the table-drawe

believed. All took pity upon his forlorn condit

casin was resting and awaiting the arrival of the ne

nately around Blue Wing's neck, vowing

xpress train, which look them to within a sh

and his escape, Running Antelope, the big warrior of the Uncapapas and the most noted orator of the tribe, proclaimed him a true hero, and then and there begged his pardon for having called him

ng ag

WA'S

MES B

the hunter was strong in him, and the eagle plunders many a fine fish from the Indian's drying-frame. But a gentler impulse came to him as he saw the young bird quivering with pain and fright at his feet, and he slowly unbent his bow, put the arrow in his quiver, and stooped over the panting eaglet. For fully a minute the wild eyes of the wounded bird and the eyes of the Indian boy, growing gentler and softer as he ga

He carried it so gently that the broken wing gave no twinge of pain, and the bird lay

made a nest of ferns and grass inside the lodge, and laid the bird in it. The boy's mother looked on with shining eyes. Her heart was very

it with his small hands, that the stern warrior laughed and called him his "little squaw-heart." "Keep it, then," he said, "and nurse it until it is well. But then you must let it go,

ed and the bird was old enough and strong enough to fly. And in the meantime Waukewa cared

toope

nting

eagle rose toward the sky in great circles, rejoicing in its freedom and its strange, new power of flight. But when Waukewa began to move away from the spot, it came swooping down again; and all day long it followed him through the woods as he hunted. At

ung eag

d the

old and young, braves and squaws, pushed their light canoes out from shore and with spear and hook waged pleasant war against the salmon and the red-spotted tro

ere else were such salmon to be speared as those which lay among the riffles at the head of the Apahoqui rapids. But only the most daring braves ventured to seek them there, fo

ted downward, spear in hand, among the salmon-riffles. He was the only one of the Indian lads who dared fish above the falls. But he had been there often, and never yet had his watchful e

hed and the canoe began to glide more swiftly among the rocks. But suddenly he looked up, caught his paddle, and dipped it wildly in the swirling water. The canoe swung sidewise, shivered, held its own against the torrent, and then slowly, inch by inch, began to creep upstream toward the shore. But suddenly there was a loud, cruel

ist of the falls, and folded his arms. His young face was stern and

ame like thunder in the boy's ears. But still he gazed calmly and sternly ahead, facing his fate as a brave Indian should. At last he began to chant the death-s

overing over, with dangling legs, and a spread of wings that blotted out the sun. Once m

g eagle were floating outward and downward through the cloud of mist. The cataract roared terribly, like a wild beast robbed of its prey. The spray beat and blinded, the air rushed upward as they fell. But the eagle struggled on with his burden. He fought his way out of the mist and the flying spray. His great wings threshed the air with a whistling sound. Down, down they sank, the boy and the eagle, but ever farther from the