Boys and Girls Bookshelf (Vol 2 of 17)
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Title: Boys and Girls Bookshelf (Vol 2 of 17)
Author: Various
Editor: W. J. Baltzell
William Byron Forbush
Rossiter Johnson
Herbert T. Wade
Daniel Edwin Wheeler
Release date: July 12, 2009 [eBook #29386]
Language: English
Other information and formats: www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/29386
Credits: Produced by Marilynda Fraser-Cunliffe, Anne Storer and the
Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BOYS AND GIRLS BOOKSHELF (VOL 2 OF 17) ***
Produced by Marilynda Fraser-Cunliffe, Anne Storer and the
Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Transcriber's Note: [=o] = macron above letter
* * * * *
BOYS AND GIRLS BOOKSHELF
_A Practical Plan of Character Building_
COMPLETE IN SEVENTEEN VOLUMES
I Fun and Thought for Little Folk
II Folk-Lore, Fables, and Fairy Tales
III Famous Tales and Nature Stories
IV Things to Make and Things to Do
V True Stories from Every Land
VI Famous Songs and Picture Stories
VII Nature and Outdoor Life, Part I
VIII Nature and Outdoor Life, Part II
IX Earth, Sea, and Sky
X Games and Handicraft
XI Wonders of Invention
XII Marvels of Industry
XIII Every Land and its Story
XIV Famous Men and Women
XV Bookland--Story and Verse, Part I
XVI Bookland--Story and Verse, Part II
XVII Graded and Classified Index
THE UNIVERSITY SOCIETY
INCORPORATED
_New York_
[Illustration: THE SUNSET FAIRIES
FROM A DRAWING BY FLORENCE MARY ANDERSON]
BOYS AND GIRLS
BOOKSHELF
_A Practical Plan of Character Building_
Little Folks' Section
[Illustration: INSTRUCTIVE PLAY ... VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE
The Four Fold Life
MENTAL PHYSICAL SOCIAL MORAL]
Prepared Under the Supervision of
THE EDITORIAL BOARD _of the_ UNIVERSITY SOCIETY
Volume II
FOLK-LORE, FABLES, AND FAIRY TALES
THE UNIVERSITY SOCIETY
INCORPORATED
_New York_
Copyright, 1920, By
THE UNIVERSITY SOCIETY INC.
Copyright, 1912, 1915, By
THE UNIVERSITY SOCIETY INC.
_Manufactured in the U. S. A._
INTRODUCTION
This volume is devoted to a choice collection of the standard and
new fairy-tales, wonder stories, and fables. They speak so truly and
convincingly for themselves that we wish to use this introductory page
only to emphasize their value to young children. There are still those
who find no room in their own reading, and would give none in the
reading of the young, except for facts. They confuse facts and truth,
and forget that there is a world of truth that is larger than the mere
facts of life, being compact of imagination and vision and ideals. Dr.
Hamilton Wright Mabie convinced us of this in his cogent words.
"America," he said, "has at present greater facility in producing
'smart' men than in producing able men; the alert, quick-witted
money-maker abounds, but the men who live with ideas, who care for the
principles of things, and who make life rich in resource and interest,
are comparatively few. America needs poetry more than it needs
industrial training, though the two ought never to be separated. The
time to awaken the imagination, which is the creative faculty, is early
childhood, and the most accessible material for this education is the
literature which the race created in its childhood."
The value of the fairy-tale and the wonder-tale is that they tell about
the magic of living. Like the old woman in Mother Goose, they "brush
the cobwebs out of the sky." They enrich, not cheapen, life. Plenty of
things do cheapen life for children. Most movies do. Sunday comic
supplements do. Ragtime songs do. Mere gossip does. But fairy stories
enhance life.
They are called "folk-tales," that is, tales of the common folk. They
were largely the dreams of the poor. They consist of fancies that have
illumined the hard facts of life. They find animals, trees, flowers,
and the stars friendly. They speak of victory. In them the child is
master even of dragons. He can live like a prince, in disguise, or,
if he be uncomely, he may hope to win Beauty after he is free of his
masquerade.
Wonder-stories help make good children as well as happy children.
In these stories witches, wolves, and evil persons are defeated or
exposed. Fairy godmothers are ministers of justice. The side that the
child wishes to triumph always does triumph, and so goodness always is
made to seem worth-while.
Almost every fairy-tale contains a test of character or shrewdness or
courage. Sharp distinctions are made, that require a child of parts to
discern.
And the heroes of these nursery tales are much more convincing than
precepts or golden texts, for they impress upon the child not merely
what he ought to do, but what nobly has been done. And the small
hero-worshiper will follow where his admirations lead.
Fables do much the same, and by imagining that the animals have arrived
at human speech and wisdom, they help the child to think shrewdly and
in a friendly way, as if in comradeship with his pets and with our
brothers and sisters, the beasts of the field and forest.
* * * * *
CONTENTS
PAGE
INTRODUCTION vii
#THE OLD FAIRY TALES#
THE ROAD TO FAIRY LAND 2
By Cecil Cavendish
THE BEAUTIFUL PRINCESS GOLDENLOCKS 3
PRINCE HYACINTH AND THE DEAR LITTLE PRINCESS 7
By Madame Leprince De Beaumont
CINDERELLA 10
By Charles Perrault
THE SLEEPING BEAUTY 13
Adapted from the Brothers Grimm
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST 15
PRINCE DARLING 20
RUMPELSTILTSKIN 26
Adapted from the Grimm Brothers
RAPUNZELL, OR THE FAIR MAID WITH GOLDEN HAIR 28
By the Brothers Grimm
SNOW-WHITE AND ROSE-RED 30
By the Brothers Grimm
HANSEL AND GRETHEL 34
By the Brothers Grimm
#STORIES BY FAVORITE AMERICAN WRITERS#
THE FLAG-BEARER 39
By Carolyn Sherwin Bailey
JOHNNY CHUCK FINDS THE BEST THING IN THE WORLD 40
By Thornton W. Burgess
LITTLE WEE PUMPKIN'S THANKSGIVING 41
By Madge A. Bingham
THE COMING OF THE KING 42
By Laura E. Richards
THE LITTLE PIG 44
By Maud Lindsay
THE TRAVELS OF THE LITTLE TOY SOLDIER 44
By Carolyn Sherwin Bailey
WHAT HAPPENED TO DUMPS 45
By Carolyn Sherwin Bailey
THE WRECK OF THE HESPERUS 47
By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
BALLAD OF THE LITTLE PAGE 48
By Abbie Farwell Brown
THE SNOW-IMAGE 51
By Nathaniel Hawthorne
THE CASTLE OF GEMS 55
By Sophie May
THE HEN THAT HATCHED DUCKS 58
By Harriet Beecher Stowe
THE BALLAD OF PIPING WILL 63
By Anna Hempstead Branch
LITTLE ANNIE'S DREAM, OR THE FAIRY FLOWER 68
By Louisa M. Alcott
COMPANIONS 71
By Helen Hunt Jackson
PRINCE LITTLE BOY 73
By S. Weir Mitchell, M.D.
THE BEE-MAN OF ORN 77
By Frank R. Stockton
THE POT OF GOLD 82
By Mary E. Wilkins Freeman
#VERSES ABOUT FAIRIES#
THE FAIRY THORN 87
By Samuel Ferguson
FAIRY DAYS 88
By William Makepeace Thackeray
THE FAIRY QUEEN 89
THE SEA PRINCESS 89
LONG AGO 89
THISTLE-TASSEL 90
By Florence Harrison
SONG OF THE FAIRY 90
By William Shakespeare
THE FAIRIES 92
By William Allingham
OH, WHERE DO FAIRIES HIDE THEIR HEADS? 92
By Thomas Haynes Bayly
#MODERN FAIRY TALES#
THE ELF OF THE WOODLANDS 93
Retold from Richard Hengist Horne by
William Byron Forbush
PRINCESS FINOLA AND THE DWARF 95
By Edmund Leamy
THE STRAW OX 100
THE LITTLE PRINCESS OF THE FEARLESS HEART 103
By B. J. Daskam
MOPSA THE FAIRY 110
Retold from Jean Ingelow
THE LINE OF GOLDEN LIGHT, OR THE LITTLE BLIND
SISTER 114
By Elizabeth Harrison
A FAIRY STORY ABOUT A PHILOSOPHER'S STONE WHICH
WAS LOST 118
By M. Bowley
THE BAD TEMPER OF THE PRINCESS 124
By Marian Burton
THE FLYING SHIP 130
ROBIN OF THE LOVING HEART 133
By Emma Endicott Marean
IN SPRING 137
A FAMOUS CASE 138
By Theodore C. Williams
#OLD-FASHIONED STORIES#
THE TWELVE HUNTSMEN 139
THE TWELVE DANCING PRINCESSES 140
EDWY AND THE ECHO 143
THE LITTLE OLD WOMAN WHO LIVED IN A
VINEGAR-BOTTLE 146
THE SNOW QUEEN 148
THE MASTER-MAID 158
CAP O' RUSHES 163
FULFILLED 165
KING GRISLY-BEARD 166
Retold from the Brothers Grimm
#FABLES#
THE FOX AND THE GOAT 172
THE TWO FROGS 172
THE DOG IN THE MANGER 172
THE STAG AT THE POOL 172
THE WAR-HORSE AND THE ASS 172
THE FROGS WHO WANTED A KING 172
THE OX AND THE FROG 173
THE HERON WHO WAS HARD TO PLEASE 174
THE SHEPHERD BOY AND THE WOLF 175
THE ASS, THE COCK, AND THE LION 175
THE LION, THE BEAR, AND THE FOX 175
THE HORSE AND THE STAG 175
THE LION AND THE BOAR 175
THE HUNTSMAN AND THE FISHERMAN 175
THE ASS IN THE LION'S SKIN 176
THE HARE AND THE TORTOISE 177
THE FOX AND THE WOOD-CUTTER 178
THE LION AND OTHER BEASTS ON A HUNT 178
THE EAGLE AND THE ARROW 178
THE MOUSE AND THE FROG 178
THE WOLF AND THE GOAT 178
THE BAD DOG 178
THE KID AND THE WOLF 178
THE FOX AND THE GRAPES 179
THE FOX AND THE RAVEN 180
THE BULL AND THE GOAT 181
THE RAVEN AND THE SWAN 181
THE THIEF AND THE DOG 181
THE HORSE AND THE LOADED ASS 181
THE ASS WITH THE SALT 181
THE COCK AND THE JEWEL 181
THE FOX WHO HAD LOST HIS TAIL 181
THE EAGLE AND THE JACKDAW 182
THE HEN AND THE GOLDEN EGGS 183
THE DOG AND THE ASS 184
THE NORTH WIND AND THE SUN 184
THE FOX AND THE LION 184
THE CROW AND THE PITCHER 184
THE ASS AND HIS SHADOW 184
THE WOLF AND THE CRANE 184
THE FOX AND THE CRANE 185
THE CAT AND THE MONKEY 186
THE DANCING MONKEYS 187
THE HARES AND THE FROGS 187
THE LION AND THE GNAT 187
THE FROGS AND THE BULLS 187
THE LARK AND HER YOUNG ONES 187
BELLING THE CAT 187
A MILLER, HIS SON, AND THEIR ASS 188
THE TORTOISE AND THE EAGLE 190
THE PEACOCK AND JUNO 190
THE LION, THE FOX, AND THE ASS 190
THE FATHER AND HIS SONS 190
THE DOVE AND THE ANT 191
THE FOX AND THE CAT 192
THE ANTS AND THE GRASSHOPPER 193
#FABLES FROM INDIA#
Adapted by Ramaswami Raju
THE GLOW-WORM AND THE DAW 194
THE FOX AND THE VILLAGERS 194
THE FROG AND THE SNAKE 194
THE ASSEMBLY OF ANIMALS 194
THE COCK AND HIS THREE HENS 194
THE BLACK DOG AND THE WHITE DOG 195
THE ELEPHANT AND THE APE 195
THE CROW AND THE DAWN 195
THE LION AND THE GOAT 195
THE SUNLING 196
THE MUSHROOM AND THE GOOSE 196
THE FABLES OF PILPAY THE HINDU 196
THE FOX AND THE HEN 196
THE THREE FISHES 196
THE FALCON AND THE HEN 197
THE KING WHO GREW KIND 197
#MODERN FABLES#
THE HORSES' COUNCIL 197
Adapted from John Gay
THE OAK AND THE REED 198
Adapted from the French of La Fontaine
THE ADVANTAGE OF KNOWLEDGE 198
Adapted from the French of La Fontaine
THE TORRENT AND THE RIVER 198
Adapted from the French of La Fontaine
THE TOMTIT AND THE BEAR 199
By the Brothers Grimm
WHY JIMMY SKUNK WEARS STRIPES 200
By Thornton W. Burgess
HOW CATS CAME TO PURR 202
By John Bennett
#STORIES FROM SCANDINAVIA#
THE GREEDY CAT 207
GUDBRAND ON THE HILLSIDE 210
PORK AND HONEY 212
HOW REYNARD OUTWITTED BRUIN 212
THE COCK AND THE CRESTED HEN 213
THE OLD WOMAN AND THE TRAMP 213
THE OLD WOMAN AND THE FISH 216
THE LAD AND THE FOX 217
ADVENTURES OF ASHPOT 217
NORWEGIAN BIRD-LEGENDS 219
THE UGLY DUCKLING 222
By Hans Christian Andersen
THE WILD SWANS 227
By Hans Christian Andersen
TAPER TOM 235
THE BOY WHO WENT TO THE NORTH WIND 236
THE WONDERFUL IRON POT 238
THE SHEEP AND PIG WHO SET UP HOUSEKEEPING 239
DOLL-IN-THE-GRASS 241
BOOTS AND HIS BROTHERS 242
VIGGO AND BEATE 244
Translated by Mrs. Gudrun Thorne-Thompson
#STORIES FROM IRELAND#
THE FOUR WHITE SWANS 251
THE MISHAPS OF HANDY ANDY 258
THE GREEDY SHEPHERD 263
THE COBBLERS AND THE CUCKOO 264
THE MERRY COBBLER AND HIS COAT 268
THE STORY OF CHILD CHARITY 270
By Frances Browne
THE SELFISH GIANT 272
By Oscar Wilde
#STORIES FROM GREAT BRITAIN#
THE BATTLE OF THE BIRDS, OR THE GRATEFUL
RAVEN AND THE PRINCE 275
JACK AND THE BEANSTALK 277
Retold by Mary Lena Wilson
TOM THUMB 280
Retold by Laura Clarke
WHITTINGTON AND HIS CAT 283
WILD ROBIN 287
Retold by Sophie May
THE STORY OF MERLIN 291
#JAPANESE AND OTHER ORIENTAL TALES#
THE CUB'S TRIUMPH 293
CHIN-CHIN KOBAKAMA 294
THE WONDERFUL MALLET 296
THE SELFISH SPARROW AND THE HOUSELESS CROWS 298
THE STORY OF ZIRAC 298
MY LORD BAG OF RICE 302
THE LITTLE HARE OF OKI 305
Retold by B. M. Burrell
THE LITTLE BROTHER OF LOO-LEE LOO 309
By Margaret Johnson
THE CURIOUS CASE OF AH-TOP 314
THE JACKAL AND THE CAMEL 316
HASHNU THE STONECUTTER 316
THE TIGER, THE BRAHMAN, AND THE JACKAL 318
THE STORY OF THE WILLOW PATTERN PLATE 319
Retold by M. Alston Buckley
#BR'ER RABBIT AND HIS NEIGHBORS#
BROTHER FOX'S TAR BABY 321
Translated by Joel Chandler Harris
THE RABBIT AND THE PEAS 322
By Mrs. M. R. Allen
BR'ER RABBIT'S FISHING 325
BR'ER POSSUM LOVES PEACE 326
BR'ER FOX TACKLES OLD BR'ER TARRYPIN 327
HOW COUSIN WILDCAT SERVED BR'ER FOX 329
PLANTATION STORIES 332
By Grace MacGowan Cooke
#AMERICAN INDIAN STORIES#
ROBIN REDBREAST 337
THE THREE WISHES 338
THE JOKER 340
LITTLE MOCCASIN'S RIDE ON THE THUNDER-HORSE 342
By Colonel Guido Ilges
WAUKEWA'S EAGLE 348
By James Buckham
A HURON CINDERELLA 352
By Howard Angus Kennedy
THE FIRE BRINGER 356
By Mary Austin
SCAR FACE 358
WHY THE BABY SAYS "GOO" 359
Retold by Ehrma G. Filer
* * * * *
[Illustration: THE OLD FAIRY TALES]
THE ROAD TO FAIRY LAND
The day is dull and dreary,
And chilly winds and eerie
Are sweeping through the tall oak trees that fringe the orchard lane.
They send the dead leaves flying,
And with a mournful crying
They dash the western window-panes with slanting lines of rain.
My little 'Trude and Teddy,
Come quickly and make ready,
Take down from off the highest shelf the book you think so grand.
We'll travel off together,
To lands of golden weather,
For well we know the winding road that leads to Fairy Land.
A long, long road, no byway,
The fairy kings' broad highway,
Sometimes we'll see a castled hill stand up against the blue,
And every brook that passes,
A-whispering through the grasses,
Is just a magic fountain filled with youth and health for you;
And we'll meet fair princesses
With shining golden tresses,
Some pacing by on palfreys white, some humbly tending sheep;
And merchants homeward faring,
With goods beyond comparing,
And in the hills are robber bands, who dwell in caverns deep.
Sometimes the road ascending,
Around a mountain bending,
Will lead us to the forests dark, and there among the pines
Live woodmen, to whose dwelling
Come wicked witches, telling
Of wondrous gifts of golden wealth. There, too, are lonely mines.
But busy gnomes have found them,
And all night work around them,
And sometimes leave a bag of gold at some poor cottage door.
There waterfalls are splashing,
And down the rocks are dashing,
But we can hear the sprites' clear call above the torrent's roar.
Where quiet rivers glisten
We'll sometimes stop and listen
To tales a gray old hermit tells, or wandering minstrel's song.
We'll loiter by the ferries,
And pluck the wayside berries,
And watch the gallant knights spur by in haste to right a wrong.
Oh, little 'Trude and Teddy,
For wonders, then, make ready,
You'll see a shining gateway, and, within, a palace grand,
Of elfin realm the center;
But pause before you enter
To pity all good folk who've missed the road to Fairy Land.
_Cecil Cavendish_
THE BEAUTIFUL PRINCESS GOLDENLOCKS
There was once a lovely Princess who had such beautiful golden hair
that everyone called her Goldenlocks. She possessed everything that she
wanted: she was lovely to look at, she had beautiful clothes, and great
wealth, and besides all these, she was the Princess in a large kingdom.
In the country next to that of Goldenlocks there ruled a rich and
handsome young King. When he heard about the charming Princess he
decided that he wanted her for his Queen. The question was, of course,
how to make her feel that she wanted him for her husband!
This young King did not go about his wooing after the manner of people
that you and I know. He called one of the chief men of his court, and
said: "You have heard of the lovely Princess Goldenlocks. I have
determined that she shall be my bride. I want you to go and see her;
tell her about me, and beg her to become my Queen."
Then the King ordered a great number of horses brought for the
ambassador, and he directed his men to send more than a hundred
servants also. You see, in that way he hoped to be able to impress
the Princess with his wealth and importance.
The King was conceited, and did not think for a moment that any
Princess, no matter how beautiful, would refuse to become his wife. So
he ordered his servants to make great preparations for her coming, and
to refurnish the palace. He told his ambassador to be sure to bring the
Princess back with him.
The King waited with great impatience for the return of the ambassador,
who had quite a long journey to make before he could get to the court
of the Princess Goldenlocks. Then one day he appeared in the King's
court.
"Where is my lovely bride?" the King asked eagerly, expecting the
ambassador to say that she was in the next room, and would come in
at once.
"Your Majesty," replied the ambassador, very sadly, "I could not bring
the Princess to you. She sent you her thanks for your offer, but she
could not accept the gifts which you sent her, and she will not marry
you."
"What!" the King exclaimed indignantly, as he fingered the pearls and
diamonds which he had sent Goldenlocks, and which she had sent back. "I
and my jewels are not good enough for the Princess Goldenlocks!" And
the King cried and cried, just as if he had not been grown up.
All the people in the court were greatly disturbed because the
ambassador had failed in his mission. They felt themselves injured
to think that Goldenlocks would not marry their King. There was one
courtier, named Charming, who felt especially bad, for he was very fond
of the King. He even said one day that he was certain that if the King
had only let him go to Goldenlocks, she would have consented to a royal
marriage.
Now, there were in that court some very jealous men, who thought that
Charming was altogether too great a favorite with the King. When they
heard him say that he could have won Goldenlocks for his master, they
got together and agreed to tell the King that Charming was making silly
boasts.
"Your majesty," one of them said, "Charming told us that if you had let
him go to Goldenlocks she would never have refused to marry you. He
thinks that he is so attractive that the Princess would have fallen in
love with him immediately, and would have consented to go anywhere he
wished with him."
"Villain!" the King exclaimed. "And I thought he was my friend."
Of course, you and I know that if the King himself had been any sort of
a friend he would never have doubted the good faith of Charming just
because someone else spoke evil of him. But what did the King do but
order Charming put into a dungeon and given no food or water, so that
the poor fellow should die of hunger!
Poor Charming was bewildered when the King's guards came to carry him
off to prison. He could not imagine why the King had turned against him
in this unfair way. It made him miserable enough to be in a cold, damp
cell, with no food to eat, and no water to drink except that from a
little stream which flowed through the cell. He had no bed--just a
dirty pile of straw. But all these discomforts were as nothing to the
worry he had as to why the King, whom he had always liked, had treated
him so unjustly. He used to talk to himself about it. One day he said,
as he had thought dozens of times before:
"What have I done that my kindest friend, to whom I have always been
faithful, should have turned against me and left me to die in this
prison cell?"
As luck would have it, the King himself was passing by the dungeon
where Charming was confined when he spoke these words, and the King
heard them. Perhaps the King's better self had been telling him that he
ought at least to have given Charming a chance to tell his side of the
story before condemning him to die. I do not know. At any rate when he
heard this voice coming out of the dungeon he insisted on going in at
once to see Charming.
"Your Gracious Majesty," said Charming, "I could not believe that it
was really your wish that I be confined in this cell. All my life I
have had no wish but to serve you faithfully."
"Charming!" the King exclaimed, "can this be true! They told me that
you have made fun of me because the Princess Goldenlocks had refused
to marry me."
"I, Your Majesty, mocked you?" Charming was astonished. "That is not
true. It is true, however, that I said that if you would send me to
Goldenlocks I believed I could persuade her to become your wife,
because I know so many good things about you which I would tell her. I
could paint such a lovely picture of you that she could not possibly
help falling in love with your Majesty."
Then the King knew that he had been deceived by his courtiers, and he
felt that he had been very silly to believe them. He took Charming with
him to the palace right away, and, after having the best supper which
the cooks could prepare served for Charming, the King asked him to go
and see whether it was not yet possible to persuade Goldenlocks to
marry him.
Charming did not set off with any such retinue of servants as had
the other ambassador. The King gave him letters to the Princess, and
Charming picked out one present for her--a lovely scarf embroidered
with pearls.
The next morning Charming started out. He had armed himself with a
notebook and pencil. As he rode along he thought much about what he
might say to the Princess that would make her want to marry his King.
One day as he rode along he saw a deer stretching out its neck to reach
the leaves of the tree above it. "What a graceful creature!" thought
Charming. "I will tell Goldenlocks that the King is as graceful as a
deer." Then on the road ahead he saw a great shadow, cast by an eagle
in its flight. "How swift and strong that eagle is," he mused. "I will
tell the Princess that the King is like the eagle in strength and
swiftness and majesty."
Charming got off his horse and sat down by a brook to jot down his
thoughts in his notebook. As he opened his book to write he saw,
struggling in the grass by his side, a golden carp. The fish had jumped
too high when it tried to catch a fly, and had landed on the ground.
The poor creature was helpless to get back into the water, and was
gasping for breath; fish, you know, cannot live long out of water.
Charming felt so sorry for the carp that he could not write until he
had put it carefully back into the brook.
"Thank you, Charming," said a voice from the water. Charming had never
heard a fish speak before, and you can imagine that he was mightily
surprised. "Some day I will repay this kindness."
For several days after this adventure Charming journeyed on. Then, one
morning, he heard a great crying in the air, above him. A huge vulture
was pursuing a raven. The vulture was drawing closer and closer to its
prey--was almost upon it. Charming could not stand idly by and watch
the helpless little raven fight against its enormous enemy. He drew his
bow, and shot an arrow straight into the vulture's heart. The raven
flew down, and as it passed Charming it said gratefully: "I have you to
thank that I am not now in that great vulture's beak. I will remember
your great kindness."
Not long afterward, Charming came upon a great net which men had
stretched in the woods in order to catch birds. A poor owl was caught
in it. "Men are cruel creatures," thought Charming. "I don't think it
is very kind or praiseworthy to set a trap for these creatures who do
no one any harm." And Charming proceeded to cut the net and set the owl
free.
The owl flapped its wings noisily as it flew out of the net. "Thank
you, Charming," it said. "You know I can't see well in the daylight,
and I did not notice this trap. I shall never forget that I have you
to thank for my being alive."
Charming found Goldenlocks surrounded by a splendor greater than any
he had ever seen before. Pearls and diamonds were so plentiful that he
began to think they must grow on trees in this kingdom! It worried him
a little, for he thought he would have to be very clever to persuade
Goldenlocks to leave so much luxury.
With fear and trembling Charming presented himself at the door of
Princess Goldenlocks' palace on the morning after his arrival. He had
dressed himself with the greatest care in a handsome suit of crimson
velvet. On his head was a hat of the same brocaded material, trimmed
with waving ostrich plumes, which were fastened to his hat with a clasp
set with flashing diamonds. A messenger was sent at once to the
Princess to announce his arrival.
"Your Majesty," the messenger said. "There is the most handsome
gentleman sent from a King awaiting you below. He is dressed like a
Prince, and he is the most charming person I have ever seen. In fact,
his very name is Charming."
"His name sounds as if I would like him," said the Princess, musingly.
"I will see him presently. Honora, bring me my best blue satin
gown--the one embroidered with pearls."
Then the Princess had a fresh wreath of pink roses made to wind in her
lovely golden hair; Honora pushed tiny blue satin slippers on the feet
of her mistress, and handed her an exquisite silver lace fan. Then
Goldenlocks was all ready. She assumed her most princess-like manner,
and entered the great throne room. You may be sure, however, that she
stopped on the way, in the hall of mirrors, to see that she really
deserved all the compliments which her handmaids gave her.
When Goldenlocks was seated on the throne of gold and ivory, and her
handmaids were posed gracefully about her, playing idly on guitars,
Charming was brought in. He was as though struck dumb by the beauty
which greeted his eyes. He forgot for the moment all that he had
intended to say--all the long harangue prepared so carefully on the
way. Then he took a deep breath, and began, just as he had intended,
with:
"Most lovely Princess Goldenlocks, I have come to ask your hand in
marriage for the most noble King in the world."
I think his speech must have been very interesting, for Goldenlocks did
not take her eyes from Charming's face during the hour in which
Charming described the glories of his King.
"What, O most gracious Princess, may I take to the King as an answer
to his plea?" Charming finally inquired.
"Tell him," said Goldenlocks kindly, "I believe that no King who was
not worthy and charming himself could have an ambassador like you."
"But," she added after a pause, "tell him also that Goldenlocks may not
marry. I have taken a solemn vow that I will not marry until a ring
which I lost in the brook a month ago is found. I valued that ring more
than my whole kingdom, but it cannot be found."
Charming went away disheartened, because he did not have the slightest
idea how to go about finding the Princess's ring. Luckily for him, he
had brought with him a cunning little dog named Frisk. Frisk was a
light-hearted creature. He always was hopeful. So he said to Charming:
"Why, master, let us not give up hope without even trying. Let's go
down to the brook to-morrow morning and see if we can't find the
Princess's bothersome ring."
So, bright and early the next day, Charming and Frisk walked slowly
along the edge of the brook which flowed near the palace, hunting for
the ring. They walked for about half an hour, when a voice spoke to
them out of nowhere:
"Well, Charming, I have kept my promise. You once saved my life, you
know. Now I have brought you the Princess Goldenlocks' ring."
Charming looked up and down and all around in great amazement. Then, at
his very feet, he saw the golden carp which he had rescued a few days
before; and, best of all, in the carp's mouth was the Princess's gold
ring.
With joy in his heart Charming rushed to the palace, with Frisk dancing
along at his heels. Goldenlocks was disappointed to hear that he had
come back so soon. "He must have given up already," she told her
handmaids, as she made ready to receive Charming.
When Charming entered the Princess's throne room he did not say a word;
he simply handed her the ring.
"My ring!" the Princess called out in amazement. "You have found it!"
And she seemed delighted that Charming had succeeded.
"Now," said Charming, with something of assurance, "you will make ready
to return to my King with me, will you not?"
"Oh, no!" the Princess cried, as if she had never thought of such a
thing. "I can never marry until an awful enemy of mine is killed. There
is a fierce giant who lives near here. He once asked me to marry him,
and I, of course, refused. It made him very angry. He swore vengeance
upon me, and I am afraid to leave my kingdom while he is alive. I think
the creature--his name is Galifron--can really have no human heart at
all, for he can kill two or three or four persons a day without feeling
anything but joy in his crimes."
Charming shuddered at this appalling picture of his enemy-to-be.
"If it be in my power so to do, Princess Goldenlocks, I will slay your
enemy." With these words Charming turned on his heels and left the
palace.
Frisk realized that Charming was worried about the difficult new task
which Goldenlocks had given him. "Never you worry, Master," he said
cheerfully. "If you will but attack the monster I will bark and bite at
his heels until he won't know what he is doing. He will be so confused
that I know you will be able to conquer him."
Charming rode up to the giant's castle boldly enough. He knew the
monster was coming toward him, because he could hear the crash of
trees which broke under the huge feet. Then he heard a voice roaring
like thunder:
"Poof, woof, clear the way!
Bing, bang, 'tis to-day!
Zip, zook, I must slay!
Whizz, fizz, the King's pet, Charming!
Pish, tush, isn't it alarming!"
Charming trembled, and he could feel the cold perspiration stand out on
his brow. But he took a deep breath, and shouted as loud as he could
(which was not nearly as loud as the giant could):
"Galifron, take warning,
For your day is ending.
Prepare to find that Charming
Is really quite alarming!"
Galifron was so high above Charming that he had to hunt quite hard
before he could discover who was saying these words. When he saw the
little fellow standing ready to fight him he laughed, and yet he was
angry. He lifted his great club and would have knocked the life out
of Charming in a trice, but suddenly he could not see. He roared with
pain, for a raven had plucked out his eyes. Galifron beat wildly in
the air, trying to protect himself from the bird; meanwhile Charming
seized his opportunity, and it was only a moment until Galifron lay at
Charming's feet. Only Galifron was so big that Charming had to stand on
top of him in order to make sure that he was really dead.
To the Princess, Charming rode back as fast as his horse could carry
him. In front of him, on his saddle, he carried the giant's head. The
Princess was taking her afternoon nap, when she was awakened by loud
shouts of "Hail, Charming! Hail, conqueror of hideous Galifron!"
Goldenlocks could scarcely believe her ears. She rushed to the front of
the palace, and sure enough, there she was greeted by Charming, bearing
her enemy's head.
It seemed as if such a feat of daring should have been enough to
satisfy even Goldenlocks.
"Now, fair Princess, will you not return with me to my King?"
"Charming, I cannot," said the Princess; and to Charming her words
sounded like the stroke of doom. "Before I marry I must have some
water from the spring of eternal youth. This spring is at the bottom
of Gloomy Cavern--a great cave not far from here, which is guarded by
two fierce dragons. If I have a flask from that spring I shall always
remain young and beautiful. I should never dare to marry without its
protection."
"Beautiful Goldenlocks, you could never be anything but young and
beautiful; but I will none the less try to fulfill your mission."
Even though Charming had just conquered a giant he did not feel very
comfortable at the idea of having to find his way past two dragons
into a dark and gloomy cavern. He approached the cavern with much
determination, but with many misgivings. When Frisk saw the black smoke
belching out of the rocks at the entrance of the cavern the dog shook
all over with fear; and I have been told that when Charming saw Frisk
run off and try to hide, he himself would have been very glad if he
could have run away, too. But being a man, he, of course, had to be
brave; so he set his teeth and approached the cave.
Then he saw the first dragon--a huge, slimy creature, all yellow and
green, with great red claws, and a tail which seemed to Charming to be
nearly a mile long.
Charming turned back and called to Frisk. "Dear Frisk," he said sadly,
"I know I shall never see the light of day again if I enter this
cavern. Wait here for me until nightfall; then, if I have not come
back, go and tell the Princess that I have lost my life trying to win
for her eternal youth and beauty. Then tell the King that I did my best
for him, but failed."
Charming turned again to attack the dragon.
"Wait a minute, Charming!"
Charming looked around to see who spoke these words. "It's I, Charming,
the owl you rescued from the net the fowlers set for us poor birds. Let
me take Goldenlocks' flask, and I will fetch the water for you. I know
every turn of that dark cavern, and the dragons will not notice whether
I pass them or not." And the owl took the flask out of Charming's hand,
fluttered into the cavern, and disappeared.
"Here you are, Charming. You see I did not forget your kindness to me."
With these words the owl handed to Charming the flask full of water
from the magic spring. Charming was so happy that he could hardly find
words to thank the owl. He rode straight to Goldenlocks with the
wonderful liquid.
"Beautiful Goldenlocks, here is the water you asked me to get for
you. My mind cannot conceive of anything, however, which would add
to your beauty. I do know, however, something which would add to your
happiness. I have found your ring, slain your enemy, brought you the
secret of youth and health; now will you not come with me to my King,
who loves you so much that he will make you the happiest woman on
earth?"
"Yes," said Goldenlocks, softly. Her answer really surprised Charming
very much, because he had come to think that she would never cease to
find new tasks for him to perform. She gave orders at once for the
necessary preparations for the journey, and in a few days she and
Charming and little Frisk set out for home, with a great retinue of
servants, of course.
The King greeted them with the greatest enthusiasm. He proclaimed a
holiday throughout his kingdom, and every one feasted and danced.
But, strange to say, the Princess Goldenlocks found herself daily
thinking more and more, not of the King, but of Charming.
One day Charming found himself once more in prison, bound hand and
foot. The King thought this would be a good way to rid himself of his
rival.
Goldenlocks used to beg the King to set Charming free, but that only
made things worse. Little Frisk was Charming's only comfort; he used
to take him all the court news.
"Maybe," said the King to himself one day, "the reason Goldenlocks
prefers Charming to me is that I am not beautiful enough to suit her. I
believe I will try some of that water of eternal beauty and health that
she is always talking about."
Without a word to anyone the King stole into the Queen's room and
hunted about until he found the flask of water. He bathed his face in
the water and stood in front of a mirror to watch the change. A few
hours later the Queen found him sound asleep. She could not awaken him,
and they sent for the court physician; he could not rouse the King.
"The King," the physician told the Queen, "is dead."
Now this is what had happened. One day when the Princess's maid Honora
was cleaning her room she knocked over the flask which contained the
precious water, and broke it in a thousand pieces. Honora was terribly
frightened. She would not have let the Princess know what had occurred
for anything. She remembered seeing a flask in the King's room just
like the one she had broken, and she put it in the very spot from which
she had knocked the other.
Unluckily for the King, the maid took a flask which contained a deadly
water which was used to "do away" with criminals.
"Woof, woof!" said Frisk in the Queen's ear. "Please have pity on my
poor master, good Queen! Remember all he did for you, and how he is
suffering for your sake now!"
Goldenlocks at once left the room where the King's body lay in state
and went to the tower where Charming was confined. She opened his cell
and set him free. She put a golden crown on his head, and removed the
chains from his wrists and ankles.
"King Charming!" said the Queen, "now you and I shall be married,
and--live happily ever after!"
PRINCE HYACINTH AND THE DEAR LITTLE PRINCESS
BY MADAME LEPRINCE DE BEAUMONT
Once upon a time there lived a King who was deeply in love with a
Princess, but she could not marry anyone, because she was under an
enchantment. So the King set out to seek a fairy, and asked what he
could do to win the Princess's love. The Fairy said to him:
"You know that the Princess has a great cat which she is very fond of.
Whoever is clever enough to tread on that cat's tail is the man she is
destined to marry."
The King said to himself that this would not be very difficult; and he
left the Fairy, determined to grind the cat's tail to powder rather
than not tread on it at all.
You may imagine that it was not long before he went to see the
Princess; and puss, as usual, marched in before him, arching its back.
The King took a long step, and quite thought he had the tail under his
foot, but the cat turned round so sharply that he trod only on air. And
so it went on for eight days, till the King began to think that this
fatal tail must be full of quick-silver--it was never still for a
moment.
At last, however, he was lucky enough to come upon puss fast asleep and
with its tail conveniently spread out. So the King, without losing a
moment, set his foot upon it heavily.
With one terrific yell the cat sprang up and instantly changed into a
tall man, who, fixing his angry eyes upon the King, said:
"You shall marry the Princess because you have been able to break the
enchantment, but I will have my revenge. You shall have a son, who
will never be happy until he finds out that his nose is too long, and
if you ever tell anyone what I have just said to you, you shall vanish
away instantly, and no one shall ever see you or hear of you again."
Though the King was horribly afraid of the enchanter, he could not help
laughing at this threat.
"If my son has such a long nose as that," he said to himself, "he must
always see it or feel it; at least, if he is not blind or without
hands."
But, as the enchanter had vanished, he did not waste any more time in
thinking, but went to seek the Princess, who very soon consented to
marry him. But after all, they had not been married very long when the
King died, and the Queen had nothing left to care for but her little
son, who was called Hyacinth. The little Prince had large blue eyes,
the prettiest eyes in the world, and a sweet little mouth, but, alas!
his nose was so enormous that it covered half his face. The Queen was
inconsolable when she saw this great nose, but her ladies assured her
that it was not really as large as it looked; that it was a Roman nose,
and you had only to open any history book to see that every hero has a
large nose. The Queen, who was devoted to her baby, was pleased with
what they told her, and when she looked at Hyacinth again, his nose
certainly did not seem to her _quite_ so large.
The Prince was brought up with great care; and, as soon as he could
speak, they told him all sorts of dreadful stories about people who had
short noses. No one was allowed to come near him whose nose did not
more or less resemble his own, and the courtiers, to get into favor
with the Queen, took to pulling their babies' noses several times every
day to make them grow long. But, do what they would, they were nothing
by comparison with the Prince's.
When he grew older he learned history; and whenever any great prince or
beautiful princess was spoken of, his teachers took care to tell him
that they had long noses.
His room was hung with pictures, all of people with very large noses;
and the Prince grew up so convinced that a long nose was a great beauty
that he would not on any account have had his own a single inch
shorter!
When his twentieth birthday was past, the Queen thought it was time
that he should be married, so she commanded that the portraits of
several princesses should be brought for him to see, and among the
others was a picture of the Dear Little Princess!
Now, she was the daughter of a great King, and would some day possess
several kingdoms herself; but Prince Hyacinth had not a thought to
spare for anything of that sort, he was so much struck with her beauty.
The Princess, whom he thought quite charming, had, however, a little
saucy nose, which, in her face, was the prettiest thing possible, but
it was a cause of great embarrassment to the courtiers, who had got
into such a habit of laughing at little noses that they sometimes found
themselves laughing at hers before they had time to think; but this did
not do at all before the Prince, who quite failed to see the joke, and
actually banished two of his courtiers who had dared to mention
disrespectfully the Dear Little Princess's tiny nose!
The others, taking warning from this, learned to think twice before
they spoke, and one even went so far as to tell the Prince that, though
it was quite true that no man could be worth anything unless he had a
long nose, still, a woman's beauty was a different thing, and he knew a
learned man who understood Greek and had read in some old manuscripts
that the beautiful Cleopatra herself had a "tip-tilted" nose!
The Prince made him a splendid present as a reward for this good news,
and at once sent ambassadors to ask the Dear Little Princess in
marriage. The King, her father, gave his consent; and Prince Hyacinth,
who, in his anxiety to see the Princess, had gone three leagues to meet
her, was just advancing to kiss her hand when, to the horror of all who
stood by, the enchanter appeared as suddenly as a flash of lightning,
and, snatching up the Dear Little Princess, whirled her away out of
their sight!
The Prince was left quite inconsolable, and declared that nothing
should induce him to go back to his kingdom until he had found her
again, and refusing to allow any of his courtiers to follow him, he
mounted his horse and rode sadly away, letting the animal choose its
own path.
So it happened that he came presently to a great plain, across which he
rode all day long without seeing a single house, and horse and rider
were terribly hungry, when, as the night fell, the Prince caught sight
of a light.
He rode up to it, and saw a little old woman, who appeared to be at
least a hundred years old.
She put on her spectacles to look at Prince Hyacinth, but it was quite
a long time before she could fix them securely, because her nose was so
very short.
The Prince and the Fairy (for that was who she was) had no sooner
looked at one another than they went into fits of laughter, and cried
at the same moment, "Oh, what a funny nose!"
"Not so funny as your own," said Prince Hyacinth to the Fairy; "but,
madam, I beg you to leave the consideration of our noses--such as they
are--and to be good enough to give me something to eat, for I am
starving, and so is my poor horse."
"With all my heart!" said the Fairy. "Though your nose is so
ridiculous, you are, nevertheless, the son of my best friend. I loved
your father as if he had been my brother. Now _he_ had a very handsome
nose!"
"And pray, what does mine lack?" said the Prince.
"Oh! it doesn't _lack anything_," replied the Fairy. "On the contrary
quite, there is only too much of it. But never mind, one may be a very
worthy man though his nose is too long. I was telling you that I was
your father's friend; he often came to see me in the old times, and you
must know that I was very pretty in those days; at least, he used to
say so. I should like to tell you of a conversation we had the last
time I ever saw him."
"Indeed," said the Prince, "when I have supped it will give me the
greatest pleasure to hear it; but consider, madam, I beg of you, that I
have had nothing to eat to-day."
"The poor boy is right," said the Fairy; "I was forgetting. Come in,
then, and I will give you some supper, and while you are eating I can
tell you my story in a very few words--for I don't like endless tales
myself. Too long a tongue is worse than too long a nose, and I remember
when I was young that I was so much admired for not being a great
chatterer. They used to tell the Queen, my mother, that it was so. For
though you see what I am now, I was the daughter of a great king. My
father--"
"Your father, I dare say, got something to eat when he was hungry!"
interrupted the Prince.
"Oh! certainly," answered the Fairy, "and you also shall have supper
directly. I only just wanted to tell you--"
"But I really cannot listen to anything until I have had something
to eat," cried the Prince, who was getting quite angry; but then,
remembering that he had better be polite as he much needed the Fairy's
help, he added:
"I know that in the pleasure of listening to you I should quite forget
my own hunger; but my horse, who cannot hear you, must really be fed!"
The Fairy was very much flattered by this compliment, and said, calling
to her servants:
"You shall not wait another minute, you are so polite, and in spite of
the enormous size of your nose you are really very agreeable."
"Plague take the old lady! How she does go on about my nose!" said the
Prince to himself. "One would almost think that mine had taken all the
extra length that hers lacks! If I were not so hungry I would soon have
done with this chatterpie who thinks she talks very little! How stupid
people are not to see their own faults! That comes of being a princess;
she has been spoilt by flatterers, who have made her believe that she
is quite a moderate talker!"
Meanwhile the servants were putting the supper on the table, and the
Prince was much amused to hear the Fairy, who asked them a thousand
questions simply for the pleasure of hearing herself speak; especially
he noticed one maid who, no matter what was being said, always
contrived to praise her mistress's wisdom.
"Well!" he thought, as he ate his supper. "I'm very glad I came here.
This just shows me how sensible I have been in never listening to
flatterers. People of that sort praise us to our faces without shame,
and hide our faults or change them into virtues. For my part I never
will be taken in by them. I know my own defects, I hope."
Poor Prince Hyacinth! He really believed what he said, and hadn't an
idea that the people who had praised his nose were laughing at him,
just as the Fairy's maid was laughing at her; for the Prince had seen
her laugh slyly when she could do so without the Fairy's noticing her.
However, he said nothing, and presently, when his hunger began to be
appeased, the Fairy said:
"My dear Prince, might I beg you to move a little more that way, for
your nose casts such a shadow that I really cannot see what I have on
my plate. Ah! thanks. Now let us speak of your father. When I went to
his Court he was only a little boy, but that is forty years ago, and
I have been in this desolate place ever since. Tell me what goes on
nowadays; are the ladies as fond of amusement as ever? In my time one
saw them at parties, theaters, balls, and promenades every day. Dear
me! _What_ a long nose you have! I cannot get used to it!"
"Really, madam," said the Prince, "I wish you would leave off
mentioning my nose. It cannot matter to you what it is like. I am quite
satisfied with it, and have no wish to have it shorter. One must take
what is given one."
"Now you are angry with me, my poor Hyacinth," said the Fairy, "and I
assure you that I didn't mean to vex you; on the contrary, I wished to
do you a service. However, though I really cannot help your nose being
a shock to me, I will try not to say anything about it. I will even try
to think that you have an ordinary nose. To tell the truth, it would
make three reasonable ones."
The Prince, who was no longer hungry, grew so impatient at the Fairy's
continual remarks about his nose that at last he threw himself upon his
horse and rode hastily away. But wherever he came in his journey he
thought the people were mad, for they all talked of his nose, and yet
he could not bring himself to admit that it was too long, he had been
so used all his life to hear it called handsome.
The old Fairy, who wished to make him happy, at last hit upon a plan.
She shut the Dear Little Princess up in a palace of crystal, and put
this palace down where the Prince could not fail to find it. His joy at
seeing the Princess again was extreme, and he set to work with all his
might to try to break her prison, but in spite of all his efforts he
failed utterly. In despair he thought at least that he would try to get
near enough to speak to the Dear Little Princess, who, on her part,
stretched out her hand that he might kiss it; but turn which way he
might, he never could raise it to his lips, for his long nose always
prevented it. For the first time he realized how long it really was,
and exclaimed:
"Well, it must be admitted that my nose _is_ too long!"
In an instant the crystal prison flew into a thousand splinters, and
the old Fairy, taking the Dear Little Princess by the hand, said to the
Prince:
"Now, say if you are not very much obliged to me. Much good it was for
me to talk to you about your nose! You would never have found out how
extraordinary it was if it hadn't hindered you from doing what you
wanted to. You see how self-love keeps us from knowing our own defects
of mind and body. Our reason tries in vain to show them to us; we
refuse to see them till we find them in our way."
Prince Hyacinth, whose nose was now just like anyone else's, did not
fail to profit by the lesson he had received. He married the Dear
Little Princess, and they lived happily ever after.
CINDERELLA
BY CHARLES PERRAULT
Once there was a gentleman who married, for his second wife, the
proudest and most haughty woman that was ever seen. She had, by a
former husband, two daughters of her own humor, who were, indeed,
exactly like her in all things. He had likewise, by his first wife, a
young daughter, but of unparalleled goodness and sweetness of temper,
which she took from her mother, who was the best creature in the world.
No sooner were the ceremonies of the wedding over but the step-mother
began to show herself in her true colors. She could not bear the good
qualities of this pretty girl, and the less because they made her own
daughters appear the more odious. She employed her in the meanest work
of the house: the young girl scoured the dishes, tables, etc., and
scrubbed madam's chamber, and those of misses, her daughters; she lay
up in a sorry garret, upon a wretched straw bed, while her sisters lay
in fine rooms, with floors all inlaid, upon beds of the very newest
fashion, and where they had looking glasses so large that they might
see themselves at their full length from head to foot.
The poor girl bore all patiently, and dared not tell her father, who
would have rattled her off; for his wife governed him entirely. When
she had done her work, she used to go into the chimney-corner, and
sit down among cinders and ashes, which made her commonly be called
_Cinderwench_; but the youngest, who was not so rude and uncivil as the
eldest, called her Cinderella. However, Cinderella, notwithstanding her
mean apparel, was a hundred times handsomer than her sisters, though
they were always dressed very richly.
It happened that the King's son gave a ball, and invited all persons
of fashion to it. Our young misses were also invited, for they cut a
very grand figure among the quality. They were mightily delighted at
this invitation, and wonderfully busy in choosing out such gowns,
petticoats, and head-clothes as might become them. This was a new
trouble to Cinderella; for it was she who ironed her sister's linen,
and plaited their ruffles; they talked all day long of nothing but how
they should be dressed.
"For my part," said the eldest, "I will wear my red velvet suit with
French trimming."
"And I," said the youngest, "shall have my usual petticoat; but then,
to make amends for that, I will put on my gold-flowered manteau, and my
diamond stomacher, which is far from being the most ordinary one in the
world."
They sent for the best tire-woman they could get to dress their hair
and to adjust their double pinners.
Cinderella was likewise called up to them to be consulted in all these
matters, for she had excellent notions, and advised them always for the
best, nay, and offered her services to dress their heads, which they
were very willing she should do. As she was doing this, they said to
her:
"Cinderella, would you not be glad to go to the ball?"
"Alas!" said she, "you only jeer at me; it is not for such as I am to
go thither."
"Thou art in the right of it," replied they; "it would make the people
laugh to see a Cinderwench at a ball."
Anyone but Cinderella would have dressed their heads awry, but she was
very good, and did them perfectly well. They were almost two days
without eating, so much they were transported with joy. They broke
above a dozen of laces in trying to be laced up close, that they
might have a fine slender shape, and they were continually at their
looking-glasses. At last the happy day came; they went to Court, and
Cinderella followed them with her eyes as long as she could, and when
she had lost sight of them, she fell a-crying.
Her godmother, who saw her all in tears, asked her what was the matter.
"I wish I could--I wish I could--" she was not able to speak the rest,
being interrupted by her tears and sobbing.
This godmother of hers, who was a fairy, said to her, "Thou wishest
thou couldst go to the ball; is it not so?"
"Y--es," cried Cinderella, with a great sigh.
"Well," said her godmother, "be but a good girl, and I will contrive
that thou shalt go." Then she took her into her chamber, and said to
her, "Run into the garden, and bring me a pumpkin."
Cinderella went immediately to gather the finest she could get, and
brought it to her godmother, not being able to imagine how this pumpkin
could make her go to the ball. Her godmother scooped out all the inside
of it, having left nothing but the rind; which done, she struck it with
her wand, and the pumpkin was instantly turned into a fine coach,
gilded all over with gold.
She then went to look into the mouse-trap, where she found six mice,
all alive, and ordered Cinderella to lift up a little the trap-door,
when, giving each mouse, as it went out, a little tap with her wand,
the mouse was that moment turned into a fine horse, which altogether
made a very fine set of six horses of a beautiful mouse-colored
dapple-gray. Being at a loss for a coachman,
"I will go and see," says Cinderella, "if there should be a rat in the
rat-trap--we may make a coachman of him."
"Thou art in the right," replied her godmother; "go and look."
Cinderella brought the trap to her and in it there were three huge
rats. The fairy made choice of one of the three which had the largest
beard, and, having touched him with her wand, he was turned into a fat,
jolly coachman, who had the smartest whiskers eyes ever beheld. After
that, she said to her:
"Go again into the garden, and you will find six lizards behind the
watering-pot, bring them to me."
She had no sooner done so than her godmother turned them into six
footmen, who skipped up immediately behind the coach, with their
liveries all bedaubed with gold and silver, and clung as close behind
each other as if they had done nothing else their whole lives. The
Fairy then said to Cinderella:
"Well, you see here an equipage fit to go to the ball with; are you not
pleased with it?"
"Oh! yes," cried she; "but must I go thither as I am, in these nasty
rags?"
Her godmother only just touched her with her wand, and, at the same
instant, her clothes were turned into cloth of gold and silver, all
beset with jewels. This done, she gave her a pair of glass slippers,
the prettiest in the whole world. Being thus decked out, she got up
into her coach; but her godmother, above all things, commanded her not
to stay till after midnight, telling her, at the same time, that if
she stayed one moment longer, the coach would be a pumpkin again, her
horses mice, her coachman a rat, her footmen lizards, and her clothes
become just as they were before.
She promised her godmother she would not fail of leaving the ball
before midnight; and then away she drove, scarce able to contain
herself for joy. The King's son, who was told that a great princess,
whom nobody knew, was come, ran out to receive her; he gave her his
hand as she alighted out of the coach, and led her into the hall, among
all the company. There was immediately a profound silence, they left
off dancing and the violins ceased to play, so attentive was everyone
to contemplate the singular beauties of the unknown new-comer. Nothing
was then heard but a confused noise of:
"Ah! how handsome she is! Ah! how handsome she is!"
The King himself, old as he was, could not help watching her, and
telling the Queen softly that it was a long time since he had seen so
beautiful and lovely a creature.
All the ladies were busied in considering her clothes and head-dress,
that they might have some made next day after the same pattern,
provided they could meet with such fine materials and as able hands
to make them.
The King's son conducted her to the most honorable seat, and afterward
took her out to dance with him; she danced so very gracefully that they
all more and more admired her. A fine collation was served up, whereof
the young Prince ate not a morsel, so intently was he busied in gazing
on her.
She went and sat down by her sisters, showing them a thousand
civilities, giving them part of the oranges and citrons which the
Prince had presented her with, which very much surprised them, for
they did not know her. While Cinderella was thus amusing her sisters,
she heard the clock strike eleven and three-quarters, whereupon she
immediately made a courtesy to the company and hastened away as fast
as she could.
Arrived at home, she ran to seek out her godmother, and, after having
thanked her, she said she could not but heartily wish she might go next
day to the ball, because the King's son had desired her.
As she was eagerly telling her godmother whatever had passed at the
ball, her two sisters knocked at the door, which Cinderella ran and
opened.
"How long you have stayed!" cried she, gaping, rubbing her eyes and
stretching herself as if she had been just waked out of her sleep; she
had not, however, any manner of inclination to sleep since they went
from home.
"If thou hadst been at the ball," says one of her sisters, "thou
wouldst not have been tired with it. There came thither the finest
princess, the most beautiful ever seen with mortal eyes; she showed us
a thousand civilities, and gave us oranges and citrons."
Cinderella seemed very indifferent in the matter. She did ask them the
name of that princess; but they told her they did not know it, and that
the King's son was very uneasy on her account and would give all the
world to know who she was. At this Cinderella, smiling, replied:
"She must, then, be very beautiful indeed; how happy you have been!
Could not I see her? Ah! dear Miss Charlotte, do lend me your yellow
suit of clothes which you wear every day."
"Ay, to be sure!" cried Miss Charlotte; "lend my clothes to such a
dirty Cinderwench as thou art! I should be a fool."
Cinderella, indeed, expected well such an answer, and was very glad of
the refusal; for she would have been sadly put to it if her sister had
lent her what she asked for jestingly.
The next day the two sisters were at the ball, and so was Cinderella,
but dressed more magnificently than before. The King's son was always
by her, and never ceased his compliments and kind speeches to her. All
this was so far from being tiresome that she quite forgot what her
godmother had recommended to her; so that she, at last, counted the
clock striking twelve when she took it to be no more than eleven. She
then rose up and fled, as nimble as a deer. The Prince followed, but
could not overtake her. She left behind one of her glass slippers,
which the Prince took up most carefully. She got home, but quite out of
breath, and in her nasty old clothes, having nothing left her of all
her finery but one of the little slippers, fellow to that she dropped.
The guards at the palace gate were asked if they had not seen a
princess go out. To this they replied that they had seen nobody go out
but a young girl, very meanly dressed, and who had more the air of a
poor country wench than a gentlewoman.
When the two sisters returned from the ball Cinderella asked them
whether they had had a good time, and if the fine lady had been there.
[Illustration]
They told her: "Yes, but she hurried away immediately when it struck
twelve, and with so much haste that she dropped one of her little glass
slippers, the prettiest in the world, which the King's son picked up;
he did nothing but look at her all the time at the ball, and most
certainly he is very much in love with the beautiful person who owned
the glass slipper."
What they said was very true; for a few days after the King's son
caused it to be proclaimed, by sound of trumpet, that he would marry
her whose foot this slipper would just fit. They whom he employed began
to try it upon the princesses, then the duchesses and all the Court,
but in vain; it was brought to the two sisters, who did all they
possibly could to thrust their foot into the slipper, but they could
not effect it. Cinderella, who saw all this, and knew her slipper, said
to them, laughing:
"Let me see if it will not fit me."
Her sisters burst out a-laughing, and began to banter her. The
gentleman who was sent to try the slipper looked earnestly at
Cinderella, and, finding her very handsome, said:
"It is but just that she should try, and I have orders to let everyone
make trial."
He obliged Cinderella to sit down, and, putting the slipper to her
foot, he found it went on very easily, and fitted her as if it had been
made of wax. The astonishment her two sisters were in was excessively
great, but still abundantly greater when Cinderella pulled out of her
pocket the other slipper, and put it on her foot. Thereupon, in came
her godmother, who, having touched with her wand Cinderella's clothes,
made them richer and more magnificent than any of those she had before.
And now her two sisters found her to be that fine, beautiful lady whom
they had seen at the ball. They threw themselves at her feet to beg
pardon for all the ill-treatment they had made her undergo. Cinderella
took them up, and, as she embraced them, cried:
"I forgive you with all my heart, and I want you to love me always."
She was conducted to the young Prince, dressed as she was; he thought
her more charming than ever, and, a few days after, married her.
Cinderella, who was no less good than beautiful, gave her two sisters
lodgings in the palace, and that very same day matched them with two
great lords of the Court.
THE SLEEPING BEAUTY
ADAPTED FROM THE BROTHERS GRIMM
The King and Queen of a faraway country once had a little daughter, who
was more beautiful than any child that had ever before been seen. Her
father and mother were so delighted that they proclaimed a public
holiday on her christening, and invited to act as godmothers the seven
good fairies who lived in the kingdom. Unfortunately, they forgot to
ask one ugly old fairy, who had remained shut up in her tower so many
years that people really had forgotten about her.
When the night of the christening arrived the castle was beautiful to
behold. Lights shone even to the highest tower; beautiful music sounded
from behind masses of fragrant flowers; splendidly dressed knights and
ladies were there to honor the little Princess; and the seven good
fairies smilingly gave her their gifts.
So excited and happy were all that no one noticed an old creature who
had slipped in and stood in the shadow looking on. This was the fairy
who had not been invited; and, in anger at the slight, she was waiting
her chance to make trouble.
"For my gift," said the first fairy, "I grant that the Princess shall
be the most beautiful person in the world."
"I give her the mind of an angel," said the second.
"She shall be grace itself," said the third.
"She shall dance like a goddess," said the fourth.
"Her voice shall equal the nightingale's," said the fifth.
"The art of playing on all musical instruments shall be hers," said
the sixth.
Now the wicked old enchantress thought that all seven good fairies had
spoken, so she stepped forth, her face distorted with hatred and envy,
and said: "So I am not thought good enough to be a guest here: you
despise me because I am old and ugly. I shall make a gift, and it shall
be a curse. When your fine young lady becomes sixteen she shall fall
asleep, and nothing you can do will be able to waken her."
Then with a horrid laugh the hag disappeared.
Horror seized the guests, and the party, which had been so gay, became
solemn indeed.
Then the seventh good fairy sprang up and said in silvery tones: "My
gift is yet to be laid before the Princess. I am young, and I can not
undo the evil that has befallen. But be not unhappy, for I grant that
on the day when the curse falls, every living thing in the castle shall
also fall asleep. Moreover, I grant that whenever there is a Prince who
is brave enough to be worthy of this lovely Princess, he shall find a
way to break the spell."
As the little girl grew older the words of the good fairies came true.
Not only was she beautiful and gifted, but she was so kind and
thoughtful that everyone loved her dearly.
At first they were very careful to tell her nothing of the wicked
fairy's curse, and then there were so many other things to think about
that people forgot all about the old fairy and her gift.
The sixteenth birthday arrived, and there was a very special
celebration to please the Princess. The castle was decorated more
beautifully, if possible, than on the night of the christening, and
everyone was dancing or laughing and as happy as could be. Suddenly the
old fairy stepped out from a shadow, as she had done years before, and
looking at the beautiful girl said, "Sleep." Immediately not one sound
or stir was in that gorgeous castle.
Now, you must forget for a bit all about the Sleeping Beauty, and hear
about a noble Prince who was born many years later in a kingdom not far
from this one. Not only was this Prince handsome and brave, but he was
so kind and good that people called him "Prince Winsome."
All his life he had heard terrible stories about an enchanted castle,
whose towers could be seen on a clear day far off above a dense forest.
It was said that the trees grew so close together in this forest that
when a knight attempted to force his way through, he always became
entangled in the branches and perished. Many young men were said to
have met this fate; so little by little people stopped trying to reach
the castle.
But the little Prince was courageous. "When I am sixteen, I shall start
out for the magic forest and rescue the beautiful maiden, whom, I am
sure, I shall find in the castle," he said.
[Illustration: JAKOB AND WILHELM GRIMM]
True to his word, on his sixteenth birthday our Prince set off
eagerly on his adventure. His courtiers urged him not to go, and his
subjects pleaded with him, for they did not wish to lose their Prince.
They were afraid he would die in the forest they so dreaded. They did
not realize how difficulties and dangers give way before a brave,
true-hearted youth.
[Illustration: THE SLEEPING BEAUTY
FROM A DRAWING BY EDITH W. YAFFEE]
When Prince Winsome reached the edge of the dense forest it looked as
if no man could ever enter. Great trees grew close together with their
branches intertwined. So thick were they that the place looked as dark
as night. When Winsome came near, a marvelous thing happened. The
branches slowly untwined and the trees seemed to bend apart and make a
narrow pathway for his entrance. They closed immediately after him, so
that his followers were closed out and he went on alone. After a long
time he found himself in the courtyard of a great castle. There was not
a sound or a stir; the watchman stood sleeping at the gate, and the
guards were standing as if playing a game of dice, but all were sound
asleep.
Prince Winsome entered the castle hall and found it full of noble
ladies and knights, servants, waiting maids, flower girls, all
motionless and yet the flush of life on their cheeks. The dancers
seemed about to whirl away in the waltz; the musicians bent over
their violins; and a servant was in the act of passing cakes to the
guests--yet they all held the same fixed position, and had since that
day years before when sleep overcame them.
Advancing from room to room the same sight everywhere met our hero's
eyes, but his heart began to beat faster and faster, and he knew that
the object of his search was near. At last he entered the throne room
and there on an ivory throne, her head resting against a satin pillow,
was his longed-for Princess. She was so much more beautiful than he had
even imagined that he paused in rapture; then, crossing to her, he
knelt by her side and kissed her tenderly on the brow.
Then what do you think happened? The Princess smiled, drew a long
breath, opened her eyes slowly, and said: "Oh, my Prince! I knew you
would come." At the same moment the musicians went on just where they
had stopped playing so many years before; the dancers finished their
waltz; the servant offered the cakes; and no one but the Prince seemed
to think the proceeding strange at all.
The Sleeping Beauty and Prince Winsome were married at once, and lived
long and happily.
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
There was once a merchant who was extremely rich. He had six
children--three boys and three girls; and as he was a very sensible
man, he spared nothing on their education, but gave them all kinds of
masters. His daughters were beautiful, but the youngest had such a
peculiar charm about her that even from her birth she had been called
Beauty; and this name caused her sisters to feel jealous and envious of
her. The reason she was so much more admired than they were, was that
she was much more amiable. Her sweet face beamed with good temper and
cheerfulness. No frown ever spoiled her fair brow, or bowed the corners
of her mouth. She possessed the charm of good temper, which is in
itself beauty.
The merchant's elder daughters were idle, ill-tempered, and proud;
therefore people soon forgot that they were beautiful, and only
remembered them as very disagreeable.
The pride of these young ladies was so great that they did not care to
visit the daughters of men in their father's own rank of life, but
wished to be the friends of great ladies and princesses.
They were always busy trying to get great acquaintances, and met with
many mortifications in the effort; however, it pleased them to go out
and endeavor to be people of fashion. Every day they drove in the
parks, and went in the evening to balls, operas, and plays.
Meantime, Beauty spent almost all her days in studying. Her recreation
was to do good. She was to be found in every poor cottage where there
was trouble or sickness, and the poor loved her as much as the rich
admired her. As it was known that their father was very rich, many
merchants asked the girls in marriage; but all these offers were
refused, because the two eldest thought they ought at least to be
wives of a rich nobleman or a prince.
As for Beauty, she thanked those who asked her to share their fortunes,
but told them that she was too young; that she wished to be her
father's companion, and cheer his old age by her loving care.
One unhappy day the merchant returned home in the evening, and told
them that he was ruined; that his ships had gone down at sea, and that
the firms with which he had been dealing were bankrupt.
Beauty wept for grief, because her father was unhappy and unfortunate,
and asked him what was to be done.
"Alas! my child," he replied, "we must give up our house, and go into
the country. There I can get a cottage to shelter us; and we must live
by the work of our own hands."
"Ah!" said Beauty eagerly, "I can spin and knit, and sew very well. I
dare say I shall be able to help you, my dear father."
But the elder daughters did not speak. They had made up their minds to
marry one or the other of their rejected lovers, and did not intend to
share their father's fallen fortunes.
They found themselves, however, greatly mistaken. The merchants who had
wished to marry them when rich cared nothing for them when poor, and
never came to see them again. But those who had loved Beauty crowded to
the house, and begged and besought her to marry them and share their
fortunes. Beauty was grateful, but she told them that she could not
leave her father in his sorrow; she must go with him to console him and
work for him. The poor girl was very sorry to lose her fortune, because
she could not do so much good without it; but she knew that her place
was ordered for her, and that she might be quite as happy poor as rich.
Very soon the merchant's family had to leave their noble mansion, to
sell off all their costly furniture, and to go into the country, where
the father and his sons got work; the former as a bailiff, the latter
as farm laborers. And now Beauty had to think and work for all.
She rose at four o'clock every morning. She cleaned the house; prepared
the breakfast; spread it neatly, and decked the board with the sweetest
flowers. Then she cooked the dinner, and when evening came and brought
the laborers home, Beauty had always a cheerful welcome for them, a
clean home, and a savory supper. During the hours of the afternoon she
used to read and keep up her knowledge of languages; and all the time
she worked she sang like a bird. Her taste made their poor home look
nice, even elegant.
She was happy in doing her duty. Her early rising revealed to her a
thousand beauties in nature of which she had never before dreamed.
Beauty acknowledged to herself that sunrise was finer than any picture
she had ever seen; that no perfumes equalled those of the flowers; that
no opera gave her so much enjoyment as the song of the lark and the
serenade of the nightingale.
Her sleep was as happy and peaceful as that of a child; her awakening,
cheerful, contented, and blest by heaven.
Meantime her sisters grew peevish, cross, and miserable. They would not
work, and as they had nothing else to amuse them, the days dragged
along, and seemed as if they would never end. They did nothing but
regret the past and bewail the present. As they had no one to admire
them, they did not care how they looked, and were as dirty and
neglected in appearance as Beauty was neat and fresh and charming.
Perhaps they had some consciousness of the contrast between her and
themselves, for they disliked the poor girl more than ever, and were
always mocking her, and jesting about her wonderful fitness for being
a servant.
"It is quite plain," they would say, "that you are just where you ought
to be: We are ladies; but you are a low-minded girl, who have found
your right place in the world."
Beauty only answered her sisters' unkind words with soft and tender
ones, so there was no quarrelling, and by-and-by they became ashamed
to speak to her harshly.
At the expiration of a year the merchant received intelligence of the
arrival of one of his richest ships, which had escaped the storm. He
prepared to set off to a distant port to claim his property; but before
he went he asked each daughter what gift he should bring back for her.
The eldest wished for pearls; the second for diamonds; but the third
said, "Dear father, bring me a white rose."
Now it is no easy task to find a white rose in that country, yet, as
Beauty was his kindest daughter, and was very fond of flowers, her
father said he would try what he could do. So he kissed all three,
and bade them good-by. And when the time came for him to go home, he
had bought pearls and jewels for the two eldest, but he had sought
everywhere in vain for the white rose; and when he went into any garden
and asked for such a thing, the people laughed at him, and asked him
who had ever heard of a white rose. This grieved him very much, for his
third daughter was his dearest child; and as he was journeying home,
thinking what he should bring her, he lost his way in a wood. The night
was closing in, and as the merchant was aware that there were many
bears in that country, he became very anxious to find a shelter for
the night.
By-and-by he perceived afar off a light, which appeared to come from a
human dwelling, and he urged on his tired horse till he gained the
spot. Instead of the woodman's hut on a hill which he had expected to
see, he found himself in front of a magnificent castle, built of white
marble. Approaching the door, he blew a golden horn which hung from a
chain by the side of it, and as the blast echoed through the wood, the
door slowly unclosed, and revealed to him a wide and noble hall,
illuminated by myriads of golden lamps.
He looked to see who had admitted him, but perceiving no one, he said:
"Sir porter, a weary traveler craves shelter for the night."
To his amazement, two hands, without any body, moved from behind the
door, and taking hold of his arm drew him gently into the hall.
He perceived that he was in a fairy palace, and putting his own hands
in a friendly pressure on one of the ghostly hands, said:
"You are very kind, but I cannot leave my horse out in the cold."
The hand beckoned, and another pair of shadowy hands crossed the hall,
and went outside and led away the horse to the stable.
Then the merchant's first friends led him gently onwards till he stood
in a large and splendid dining-room, where a costly banquet was spread,
evidently intended for him, for the hands placed a chair for him and
handed him the dishes, and poured out a refreshing drink for him, and
waited on him while he supped.
When his repast was over, they touched him, and beckoned to him; and
following them, he found himself in a bedroom furnished with great
elegance; the curtains were made of butterflies' wings sewn together.
The hands undressed the stranger, prepared him a bath of rose-water,
lifted him into bed and put out the light.
Then the merchant fell asleep. He did not awake till late the
next morning. The sun was streaming in through the beautiful
window-curtains, and the birds were uttering their shrill cries in
the woods. In that country a singing bird is as rare as a white rose.
As he sprang out of bed some bells rang a silvery chime, and he
perceived that he had shaken them by his own movements, for they were
attached to the golden bed-rail, and tinkled as he shook it.
At the sound the bedroom door opened, and the hands entered bearing a
costly suit of clothes, all embroidered with gold and jewels. Again
they prepared a bath of rose-water, and attended on and dressed the
merchant. And when his toilette was completed, they led him out of his
room and downstairs to a pretty little room, where breakfast awaited
him.
When he had quite finished eating he thought that it was time to resume
his journey; therefore, laying a costly diamond ring on the table, he
said:
"Kind fairy, whoever you may be to whom I owe this hospitality, accept
my thanks and this small token of my gratitude."
The hands took the gift up, and the merchant therefore considered that
it was accepted. Then he left the castle and proceeded to the stables
to find and saddle his horse.
The path led through a most enchanting garden full of the fairest
flowers, and as the merchant proceeded, he paused occasionally to
glance at the wonderful plants and choice flowers around him. Suddenly
his eyes rested on a white rose-tree, which was quite weighed down by
its wealth of blossoms.
He remembered his promise to his youngest daughter.
"Ah!" he thought, "at last I have found a _white_ rose. The fairy who
has been so generous to me already will not grudge me a single flower
from amongst so many."
And bending down, he gathered a white rose.
At that moment he was startled by a loud and terrific roar, and a
fierce lion sprang on him and exclaimed in tones of thunder:
"Whoever dares to steal my roses shall be eaten up alive."
Then the merchant said: "I knew not that the garden belonged to you; I
plucked only a rose as a present for my daughter; can nothing save my
life?"
"No!" said the Lion, "nothing, unless you undertake to come back in a
month, and bring me whatever meets you first on your return home. If
you agree to this, I will give you your life; and the rose, too, for
your daughter."
But the man was unwilling to do so, and said, "It may be my youngest
daughter, who loves me most, and always runs to meet me when I go
home." But then he thought again, "It may, perhaps, be only a cat or a
dog." And at last he yielded with a heavy heart, and took the rose, and
said he would give the Lion whatever should meet him first on his
return.
As he came near home, it was his youngest and dearest daughter that met
him; she came running out and kissed him, and welcomed him home; and
when she saw that he had brought her the rose, she was still more glad.
But her father began to be very sorrowful, and to weep, saying, "Alas!
my dearest child! I have bought this flower at a high price, for I have
said I would give you to a wild lion, and when he has you, he will,
perhaps, tear you in pieces and eat you."
And he told her all that had happened, and said she should not go, let
what would come of it.
But she comforted him, and said, "Dear father, the word you have given
must be kept; I will go with you to the Lion and coax him; perhaps he
will let us both return safe home again."
The time now arrived for the merchant to return to the Lion's palace,
and he made preparations for his dreadful journey. Beauty had so fully
made up her mind to accompany him, that nothing could turn her from
her purpose. Her father, seeing this, determined to take her, and they
accordingly set out on their journey. The horses galloped swiftly
across the forest, and speedily reached the palace. As they entered
they were greeted with the most enchanting music; but no living
creature was to be seen. On entering the salon, the furniture of which
was of the most costly kind, they found a rich repast prepared for
them, consisting of every delicacy. Beauty's heart failed her, for she
feared something strange would soon happen. They, however, sat down,
and partook freely of the various delicacies. As soon as they had
finished, the table was cleared by the hands. Shortly afterward there
was a knock at the door.
"Enter," replied the merchant; and immediately the door flew open, and
the same monster that had seized the merchant entered the room.
The sight of his form terrified both the merchant and his daughter; as
for Beauty, she almost fainted with fright.
But the Lion, having a handsome mantle thrown over him, advanced toward
them, and seating himself opposite Beauty, said: "Well, merchant, I
admire your fidelity in keeping your promise; is this the daughter for
whom you gathered the rose?"
"Yes," replied the merchant; "so great is my daughter's love to me that
she met me first on my return home, and she is now come here in
fulfillment of my promise."
"She shall have no reason to repent it," said the Lion, "for everything
in this palace shall be at her command. As for yourself, you must
depart on the morrow, and leave Beauty with me. I will take care that
no harm shall happen to her. You will find an apartment prepared for
her." Having said this, he arose, wished them good-night, and departed.
Poor Beauty heard all that passed, and she trembled from head to
foot with fear. As the night was far advanced the merchant led Beauty
to the apartment prepared for her, and she retired to rest. This room
was furnished in the richest manner. The chairs and sofas were
magnificently adorned with jewels. The hangings were of the finest silk
and gold, and on all sides were mirrors reaching from the floor to the
ceiling; it contained, in fact, everything that was rich and splendid.
Beauty and her father slept soundly, notwithstanding their sorrow at
the thought of so soon parting. In the morning they met in the salon,
where a handsome breakfast was ready prepared, of which they partook.
When they had concluded, the merchant prepared for his departure; but
Beauty threw herself on his neck and wept. He also wept at the thought
of leaving her in this forlorn state, but he could not delay his return
forever, so at length he rushed into the courtyard, mounted his horse,
and soon disappeared.
Poor Beauty, now left to herself, resolved to be as happy as she could.
She amused herself by walking in the gardens and gathering the white
roses, and when tired of that she read and played on the harp which she
found in her room. On her dressing-table she found these lines, which
greatly comforted her:
"Welcome, Beauty! dry your tears,
Banish all your sighs and fears;
You are queen and mistress here,
Whate'er you ask for shall appear."
After amusing herself thus for some time she returned to the salon,
where she found dinner ready prepared. The most delightful music was
played during the whole of dinner. When Beauty had finished, the table
was cleared, and the most delicious fruits were produced. At the same
hour as on the preceding day the Lion rapped at the door, and asked
permission to enter. Beauty was terrified, and with a trembling voice
she said: "Come in." He then entered, and advancing toward Beauty, who
dared not look up, he said: "Will you permit me to sit with you?" "That
is as you please," replied she. "Not so," said the Lion, "for you are
mistress here; and if my company is disagreeable I will at once
retire."
Beauty, struck with the courtesy of the Lion, and with the friendly
tone of his voice, began to feel more courageous; and she desired him
to be seated. He then entered into the most agreeable conversation,
which so charmed Beauty that she ventured to look up; but when she saw
his terrible face she could scarcely avoid screaming aloud. The Lion,
seeing this, got up, and making a respectful bow, wished her
good-night. Soon after, Beauty herself retired to rest.
On the following day she amused herself as before, and began to
feel more reconciled to her condition; for she had everything at her
command which could promote her happiness. As evening approached she
anticipated the visit of the Lion; for, notwithstanding his terrible
looks, his conversation and manners were very pleasing. He continued to
visit her every day, till at length she began to think he was not so
terrible as she once thought him. One day when they were seated
together the Lion took hold of her hand, and said in a gentle voice:
"Beauty, will you marry me?" She hastily withdrew her hand, but made no
reply; at which the Lion sighed deeply and withdrew. On his next visit
he appeared sorrowful and dejected, but said nothing. Some weeks after
he repeated the question, when Beauty replied: "No, Lion, I cannot
marry you, but I will do all in my power to make you happy." "This you
cannot do," replied he, "for unless you marry me I shall die." "Oh, say
not so," said Beauty, "for it is impossible that I can ever marry you."
The Lion then departed, more unhappy than ever.
Amidst all this, Beauty did not forget her father. One day she felt
a strong desire to know how he was, and what he was doing; at that
instant she cast her eyes on a mirror and saw her father lying on a
sick-bed, in the greatest pain, whilst her sisters were trying on some
fine dresses in another room. At this sad sight poor Beauty wept
bitterly.
When the Lion came as usual he perceived her sorrow, and inquired the
cause. She told him what she had seen, and how much she wished to go
and nurse her father. He asked her if she would promise to return at
a certain time if she went. Beauty gave him her promise, and he
immediately presented her with a rose, like that which her father
had plucked, saying: "Take this rose, and you may be transported to
whatever place you choose; but, remember, I rely on your promise to
return." He then withdrew.
Beauty felt very grateful for his kindness. She wished herself in her
father's cottage, and immediately she was at the door.
[Illustration: Courtesy of Metropolitan Museum of Art
"LISTENING TO FAIRY TALES"
FROM A PAINTING BY J. J. SHANNON]
Full of joy, she entered the house, ran to her father's room, and fell
on her knees by his bedside and kissed him. His illness had been much
increased by fretting for poor Beauty, who he thought had long since
died, either from fear or by the cruel monster. He was overcome with
joy on finding her still alive. He now soon began to recover under the
affectionate nursing of Beauty. The two sisters were very much annoyed
at Beauty's return, for they had hoped that the Lion would have
destroyed her. They were greatly annoyed to see her so superbly
dressed, and felt extremely vexed to think that Beauty should have
clothes as splendid as a queen's, whilst they could not get anything
half so fine.
Beauty related all that had passed in the Beast's palace, and told them
of her promise to return on such a day. The two sisters were so very
jealous that they determined to ruin her prospects if possible. The
eldest said to the other: "Why should this minx be better off than we
are? Let us try to keep her here beyond the time; the monster will then
be so enraged with her for breaking her promise, that he will destroy
her at once when she returns." "That is well thought of," replied the
sister. "We will keep her."
In order to succeed, they treated Beauty with the greatest affection,
and the day before her intended departure they stole the rose which she
had told them was the means of conveying her in an instant wherever she
might wish. Beauty was so much affected by their kindness that she was
easily persuaded to remain a few days. In the meantime the envious
sisters thought of enriching themselves by means of the rose, and they
accordingly wished themselves in some grand place. Instead of being
carried away as they expected, the rose withered, and they heard a most
terrible noise, which so alarmed them that they threw down the flower
and hid themselves.
Beauty was greatly troubled at the loss of her rose, and sought
everywhere for it, but in vain. She happened, however, to enter her
sisters' room, and, to her great joy, saw it lying withered on the
floor; but as soon as she picked it up, it at once recovered all its
freshness and beauty. She then remembered her broken promise, and,
after taking leave of her father, she wished herself in the Beast's
palace, and in an instant she was transported thither. Everything was
just as she had left it; but the sweet sounds of music which used to
greet her were now hushed, and there was an air of apparent gloom
hanging over everything. She herself felt very melancholy, but she
knew not why.
At the usual time she expected a visit from the Lion, but no Lion
appeared. Beauty, wondering what all this could mean, now reproached
herself for her ingratitude in not having returned as she promised. She
feared the poor Beast had died of grief, and she thought that she could
have married him rather than suffer him to die. She resolved to seek
him in the morning in every part of the palace. After a miserable and
sleepless night, she arose early and ran through every apartment, but
no Lion could be seen. With a sorrowful heart she went into the garden,
saying, "Oh that I had married the poor Lion who has been so kind to
me; for, terrible though he is, I might have saved his life. I wish I
could once more see him."
At that moment she arrived at a plot of grass where the poor Lion lay
as if dead. Beauty ran toward him, and knelt by his side, and seized
his paw.
He opened his eyes and said: "Beauty, you forgot your promise, in
consequence of which I must die."
"No, dear Lion," exclaimed Beauty, weeping, "no, you shall not die.
What can I do to save you?"
"Will you marry me?" asked he.
"Yes," replied Beauty, "to save your life."
No sooner had these words passed her lips than the lion-form
disappeared, and she saw at her feet a handsome Prince, who thanked her
for having broken his enchantment. He told her that a wicked magician
had condemned him to wear the form of a lion until a beautiful lady
should consent to marry him; a kind fairy had, however, given him the
magic rose to help him.
At the same instant that the Prince was changed the whole palace became
full of courtiers, all of whom had been rendered invisible when the
Prince was enchanted.
The Prince now led Beauty into the palace, where she found her father.
The Prince related all to him, and asked him to allow Beauty to become
his wife, to which he cheerfully assented, and the nuptials were
solemnized with great rejoicing.
The good fairy appeared to congratulate the Prince on his deliverance
and on his marriage with Beauty. As for the two sisters, she punished
them severely for their jealous and unkind behavior. But the Prince and
his wife Beauty lived happily together in the royal palace for many,
many years.
PRINCE DARLING
Once upon a time there was a young Prince who was so well liked by
everyone in the kingdom where he lived that they named him Prince
Darling.
This boy's father, the King, was a very good man, and his subjects
loved and respected him for his justness and kindness. The King loved
his son greatly, and he loved his subjects, too. He was very anxious to
have his son grow up to be a splendid man, and a just ruler for his
people. The King was no longer young, and he knew that it would not be
many years before his son would be left without a father's advice. He
knew, too, that the boy would succeed to the throne, and would have to
see that everyone in the kingdom was treated justly and kindly.
One day a strange thing happened. The King was out hunting, when
suddenly a little white rabbit leaped into his arms. The rabbit seemed
to think that in the King's arms it would find protection from the dogs
that were chasing it, and had nearly run it down. And the rabbit was
right; for the King stroked the trembling creature gently, and said:
"The dogs shan't get you now, poor bunny!" Then the King took the
rabbit home, and saw that the best care was given it.
That night, after everyone else had gone to bed, the King sat alone
thinking about Prince Darling. Suddenly a beautiful lady seemed to come
into the room. She was dressed in pure white, and wore a wreath of
white roses on her golden hair.
"You don't recognize me, do you?" she asked in a lovely, clear
voice. "I am the rabbit you rescued from the dogs in the forest this
afternoon. The rabbit was really the Fairy Truth. I took the shape of a
rabbit to see whether you were really as good as everyone said. Now I
know you are, and I shall always be your friend. Isn't there something
you want, above everything else in the world, which I can give you to
repay you for your goodness to me?"
The King was amazed by the lovely Fairy and her wonderful offer. He
thought at once that if only he could win the friendship of the Fairy
Truth for Prince Darling, all would be well. So he said:
"Good Fairy, above all things I should like to know that you would be
my son's friend. Will you?"
"Gladly. I will make him the richest or the handsomest or the most
powerful Prince in the world. Which shall it be?" the Fairy inquired.
"I would not ask any of those things, good Fairy, but I would have him
good, the best instead of the richest of princes. If he is good and his
conscience does not trouble him, I am sure he will be happy. Riches and
power and good looks, without goodness, cannot make him happy."
"That is all true," said the Fairy, "and I will do all I can to make
Prince Darling good. He will have to do most of it himself, though. I
can only advise him, praise him when he is good, and scold him when he
is bad. But I will do all I can."
Not long after this strange happening the King died, and Prince Darling
became King in his father's place. The Fairy Truth remembered her
promise, and came to the palace with a present for Prince Darling.
"This little gold ring," she said, as she slipped it on his finger, "is
my gift to you. I promised your father that I would be your friend.
This ring will help you to keep my friendship. When it pricks you, you
will know you have done something mean or unkind. It will warn you to
stop doing such things. If you stop, I will be your friend; if you keep
on doing wicked things, I will become your enemy."
Before Prince Darling could say a word the Fairy vanished.
The Prince was curious to know whether the ring really would do as the
Fairy said. But he never felt a single prick from the ring. Then one
day he was badly pricked. He came home from hunting in a horrid temper,
and kicked his unoffending little dog, that was trying to be friendly,
until it howled with pain.
"Really, Prince Darling, that is too bad of you." The Fairy's voice
sounded quietly in his ear. "You lost your temper because things did
not go just to suit you. Even if you are a prince, the world cannot
always run just to suit your whims. What's worse, you hurt a poor
creature who loves you. I don't think that's being the sort of a prince
your father would be proud of, do you?"
The Prince was greatly embarrassed, and thrust his hands deep into his
pockets to make himself seem full-grown up--so he would not cry! He
promised to be good forever after.
But he wasn't, and the ring pricked him often. After a time he paid
hardly any attention to the ring at all. Finally he made up his mind
that a prince ought to be able to decide for himself what was right or
wrong. Besides, the ring pricked so hard and so often that it made his
finger bleed. So he threw it away entirely.
Just after this he met Celia, the loveliest girl he had ever seen. It
seemed to him he could never be happy until he had made her his wife;
and he lost no time in asking her to marry him.
"Sire, I cannot," said the girl.
The Prince was indignant, for he thought any girl should be proud to
have him offer to marry her and make her Queen.
"Sire," Celia went on, "you are handsome and rich and powerful, I know;
but the man I marry must be good."
This speech made the Prince so angry that he ordered his men to take
Celia off to the palace as a prisoner.
[Illustration: "THIS LITTLE GOLD RING IS MY GIFT TO YOU"]
Now, the Prince had a foster-brother who was a very wicked man. When
the Prince told him about Celia, he said:
"What! a peasant girl refuse to marry the Prince! How ridiculous! The
whole kingdom would laugh if they knew about it."
This speech hurt the Prince's pride, and he decided to make Celia
consent to marry him at any cost. He rushed off to find her. His men
had given him the key to the cell where they had imprisoned her. But
the cell was quite empty.
The Prince was terribly angry, and swore that he would put to death the
person who had helped Celia to escape. It happened that this threat
gave some of the Prince's wicked friends the very chance they wanted to
get rid of the Prince's tutor, an old nobleman whom they all hated
because he was good.
Soon these wicked men had everyone in the court whispering: "Yes, it
was Suliman who helped Celia escape." Some men even were found who
swore that Suliman himself had told them about it. When the Prince
heard it he was still more angry. To think that his old tutor could
treat him so! He ordered his men to arrest the supposed offender, put
him in chains, as if he were a murderer, and bring him to court.
No sooner was the order given than there was a tremendous roar of
thunder. The ground was still shaking when the Fairy Truth appeared.
"Until now, Prince Darling," the fairy said sternly, "I have been very
gentle with you. You have been very wicked, but I have done no more
than warn you that you were doing wrong and becoming the very sort of
man your father, the good King, wanted you NOT to be. Now I must take
stronger measures, for you have paid no attention to my warnings.
"Really you are more like the wild animals than a man and a prince. You
roar with anger like a lion. You are greedy for fine food and clothes
and a good time, as a wolf is greedy for its prey. You are untrue to
your friends, like a treacherous snake. You even turn upon the kind
tutor who was your father's firmest friend, and who would like to help
you, too, if you would let him. You are as disagreeable as an angry
bull, that keeps everyone out of its neighborhood, because everyone
knows it is not safe to go near."
The Fairy's voice now roared forth in terrible tones, which made Prince
Darling shake from head to heel:
"Therefore, I condemn you to have a hideous body like your ugly
character--part lion, part wolf, part snake, and part bull."
The Prince put his hand to his head, because he felt as if he should
weep at this awful sentence. He found his face covered with a lion's
shaggy beard; a bull's horns had grown out of his skull. He looked at
his feet: they were those of a wolf. His body was the long slimy body
of a snake.
The palace had disappeared, and he stood beside a clear lake in a deep
forest. He shuddered with horror when he saw his reflection in the
lake. His horror turned to rage when he heard the Fairy Truth say:
"Your punishment has just begun. Your pride will be hurt still more
when you fall into the hands of your own subjects. And that is what is
going to happen to you."
Just as the Fairy said the Prince fell into the hands of his subjects,
and in a most humiliating way, for he was caught in a trap which had
been set to catch bears. Thus he was captured alive and led into the
chief city of the kingdom.
There was no mourning in the town because of the Prince's death, by a
thunderbolt, as they supposed. Instead, there was great rejoicing, for
Suliman had been made King by the people, who were sick and tired of
the way Prince Darling had misruled them.
"Long live King Suliman!" they shouted. "His rule will bring us peace
and prosperity."
In the middle of the public park sat King Suliman. Just as the Prince,
in his ugly disguise came up, Suliman was saying:
"Prince Darling is not dead, as you suppose. I have accepted the crown
only until he comes back, for the Fairy Truth says he may still return,
a good and just man like his father. For myself, I want nothing more
than to see Prince Darling come back a worthy ruler for this mighty
kingdom."
This speech made the Prince feel very much ashamed of himself, for it
showed plainly that the Fairy was right, and that he himself had
misjudged Suliman.
Meantime the Prince was put in the menagerie, and people pointed him
out as a most strange beast, the only one of his sort ever found
anywhere. The Prince was beginning to feel like his old, gentle self.
He was even good to his keeper, although the keeper was anything but
good to him.
One day a tiger broke through his cage and attacked the keeper. At
first the Prince was pleased to see the keeper in danger of his life,
and mused: "When he's dead and out of the way I can easily escape."
But the Prince's punishment had not been in vain, for suddenly he began
to think, "Well, the poor old keeper; after all I'm sorry for him!"
Then as if by magic the bars of the Prince's cage seemed to melt away,
and he rushed out to rescue the keeper who had treated him so badly.
The man was more terrified than ever when he saw the huge monster
loose. But imagine his amazement when the beast fell upon the tiger,
instead of crushing his (the keeper's) life out, as he had feared.
Naturally the keeper was filled with gratitude. The strange beast's
kindness made him feel ashamed when he remembered how badly he had
treated the animal.
The keeper now tried to stroke the beast's head, by way of gratitude,
when to his amazement he found himself stroking, not a wild animal, but
a gentle little dog.
The keeper picked up the dog in his arms and took him to the King, to
whom he told the strange story of his rescue. The Queen liked the dog,
and decided to keep him for a pet. Unluckily for Prince Darling,
however, she took him to the court doctor, who decided that too much
food would be very bad for the dog, and ordered that he be fed nothing
but bread, and very little at that! So Prince Darling prized the small
amount of bread he got very highly indeed.
Once Prince Darling trotted off with his little loaf of bread--all he
would get to eat that day--to a brook some distance away. Strange to
tell, the brook was gone, and in its place was a huge house. Prince
Darling thought the persons who lived there must be fabulously rich,
because the house was made of precious stones and gold, and the people
were dressed in the most elegant and expensive clothes. He heard music,
and saw people feasting and dancing.
Yet the people who came out of the house presented the most forlorn
appearance--ragged, and sick, and half starved. Prince Darling saw a
poor young girl, and his heart was filled with pity. She was eating
grass and leaves, she was so hungry. Prince Darling was hungry himself,
but he thought:
"I can't be as hungry as that poor girl, and to-morrow I'll have
another loaf." So he gave the bread to her, and she ate it eagerly.
Suddenly there was a great outcry, and the Prince, running in the
direction whence the noise came, saw Celia being dragged against her
will into this mysterious house. The poor little dog could do nothing
to help her. Then he thought sadly: "I am very angry now with these
terrible people who treat Celia so badly; but not long ago I was myself
threatening to have her killed!"
And the little dog, feeling quite forlorn, put its tail between its
legs, as dogs often do, and went off to watch the house where Celia was
imprisoned.
An upper window was opened, and a girl threw out some food. The dog
thought this was because the girl had a kind heart. But when it started
to eat, the one to whom it had given the bread but a short time before
cried out: "Stop! If you touch that you will die! That food came from
the house of pleasure, and is deadly poison."
So once again the Prince found that his good action had been rewarded.
And the Fairy Truth, to show her approval, transformed the little dog
into a lovely white dove.
The dove flew straight into the house of pleasure, searching for Celia.
No sign of her could it find there, as she had escaped. Therefore it
decided to fly and fly all around the world until it did get her.
One day it came to a desert island, where no living person could be
seen, nor any green tree to light upon. It searched about, and after a
time found a cavern, and in it was Celia, sharing a simple meal with an
old hermit.
Prince Darling flew right up to Celia, lighted on her shoulder, and
tried in all the ways a dove knows to show its affection for her. Celia
in return stroked it gently, although she, of course, had no idea who
it was. Indeed, Celia seemed delighted to have found a new friend, and
said softly:
"I am glad you have come to me, and I will care for you and love you
always."
Celia did not expect the dove to understand what she said. The hermit
understood, however, and asked her whether she really meant it.
"Ah! Celia," Prince Darling exclaimed, "with my whole heart I hope you
do mean it!" And the astonished Celia turned and saw Prince Darling
himself standing before her.
"Celia will not stop loving you now, Prince Darling," said Fairy Truth,
who had been disguised as the hermit all this time. "She has loved you
from the beginning, and now that you have started on the road to
goodness I know she will gladly join her fate with yours."
Then Celia and Prince Darling threw themselves at the Fairy's feet, and
thanked her a thousand times over for bringing them together again
after all their trials.
"Come, my children," said the Fairy, "if you had not helped me I could
not have brought this to pass. And now, let's go back to Prince
Darling's kingdom, for I know King Suliman is waiting eagerly for a
chance to give back the throne."
The Fairy had scarcely stopped speaking when they found themselves in
the royal palace. King Suliman was overjoyed to see the Prince return,
and gladly yielded the throne to him again.
When the Prince was crowned King for the second time he also put on
again the little gold ring which he had thrown away so long before. He
and Celia gave their whole hearts to the effort to govern the kingdom
justly and kindly. You will know that they succeeded very well, when I
tell you that the magic ring never again pricked Prince Darling's
finger.
[Illustration: "PRINCE DARLING FLEW RIGHT UP TO CELIA"]
[Illustration: "ONCE UPON A TIME THERE LIVED"]
RUMPELSTILTSKIN
ADAPTED FROM THE GRIMM BROTHERS
Once upon a time, in a kingdom far away from here, there lived a miller
who was very proud, and a King who was exceedingly fond of money.
The miller had a lovely daughter, and he could not say enough about her
beauty and cleverness. He used to tell all the men who brought their
wheat to his mill, to be ground into flour, of the wonderful things
this daughter could do "to perfection."
One day, in a fit of boasting, the miller told the servant who had
brought flour from the King's household, that he had a daughter who
could actually turn straw into pure gold by spinning it.
The messenger was astonished, and could hardly wait to get back to the
palace and see the King. He knew how mad the King was about money, and
wanted to be the first to tell him of the miller's extraordinary
daughter, who could make him vastly rich so easily.
The King was tremendously excited by the story, just as his servant had
hoped. He sent at once for the miller.
"My man," the King said, "I hear you have a daughter who can spin straw
into gold. That's a fine story, but you can hardly expect me to believe
it without seeing it. Have your daughter come here this evening."
So the miller went home and told his daughter that the King wanted to
see her. He dared not tell her why. Naturally, the girl was pleased and
flattered. She put on her best dress and braided her hair very
carefully. Then she went to the palace.
"So you're the miller's daughter," said the King. "Now we'll see
whether you can really spin straw into gold."
The girl thought the King must be crazy. She felt even surer of it when
he took her into a great room full of straw with a spinning wheel in
one corner.
A spinning wheel, you know, is an old-fashioned machine for making flax
and cotton into yarn and thread.
"If you don't spin all this straw into gold before the night is over,
you will die," the King said, and closed the door.
The poor little miller's daughter sat down in front of the spinning
wheel and cried and cried. She didn't know how to spin straw into gold
any more than you or I do, and she didn't want to die a bit.
"Well, well, what's all this crying for?" said a tiny voice at her ear.
So many queer things had happened that night that it did not seem at
all strange to have a man appear out of nowhere. He was not exactly a
man, though. He was just a tiny little Dwarf. And the miller's daughter
told him all her troubles.
"Why, that's nothing," the little man said; "I can spin that straw into
gold myself. But I won't do it for nothing. What will you give me for
doing it?"
The girl had a necklace she was very proud of. She hated to part with
it, but she gave it to the little man. He sat promptly down at the
spinning wheel, and in a jiffy the golden straws were flying through
his hands, and turning into threads of pure gold. Long before daybreak
the room was full of gold instead of straw.
Early in the morning the King came. He could hardly wait to learn
whether the girl had done her difficult task. When he saw the room
heaped with gold he fairly danced with joy, although that was not very
dignified for a King. Having one room full of gold only made him want
another. So he took the miller's daughter to a larger room, where there
was even more straw. Once more he told her that if she wanted to live
she must turn the straw to gold.
The little Dwarf helped her out again. This time she had to pay him
with her ring.
In the morning, when the King saw all the gold, he was still not
satisfied. He was getting rich so easily that he hated to stop. So he
had the miller's daughter led to the largest room in the palace, and
had it filled with straw for her to spin into gold.
This time, however, he told the girl that if she succeeded for the
third time in her task she should become his wife. "She's only the poor
miller's daughter," he said to himself, "but look how rich she is."
The girl was not surprised to see the Dwarf come in. He was quite
disagreeable, though, when she said she had nothing to give him this
time for spinning the gold.
"What!" he said, "have you no reward for me? Then you must promise me
your first child after you become Queen."
There seemed nothing to do but to promise the little fellow what he
asked. "Lots of things may happen before the promise is fulfilled," she
thought.
So the straw was spun into gold, and the King was greatly pleased.
Soon after this the miller's daughter became Queen.
[Illustration: "THIS TIME SHE HAD TO PAY HIM WITH HER RING"]
A year passed, and the whole kingdom was celebrating the birth of a son
to the King and Queen. The Queen was so happy about her child that she
quite forgot the promise she had made to the manikin who had saved her
life. But _he_ had not forgotten.
"Give me that child," said he one day, appearing, as was his habit, out
of nowhere. The Queen was frightened, yet refused to give up her child.
She offered him anything else he would name, but the child he could
never have.
"The child," he answered, "is the only thing I want." Yet he was sorry
for the Queen.
"Well," he said finally, "I'll let you have the child for three days.
If you can tell me my name before this time is up, you can keep your
little one."
The Queen sent messengers to search the country and bring her all the
unusual names they could discover.
After one day the manikin came back to find out whether his name had
been discovered.
"Is your name Kasper, or Melchior, or Belshayzar?" the Queen asked in
a worried manner.
"Oh, no!" the little fellow said to each name she suggested.
The second day the Queen tried him with some names she had made up
herself. "Perhaps they call you Sheepshanks, or Cruickshanks, or
Spindleshanks?" she suggested eagerly. But each time the manikin shook
his head haughtily and answered, "No!"
The poor Queen was nearly crazy with worry on the third day, and the
messengers could find no more queer names. One of them, however, told
this story:
"I was drawing to the top of a high hill, and the road where I was
riding went through a thick wood. Not a new name had I learned all day.
But suddenly I came upon a hut, and before it was a big fire. A little
man was hopping madly about the fire, and singing at the top of his
voice:
"'Now a feast I must prepare,
Of the finest royal fare.
Soon the Queen must give her son
To me, for I'm the lucky one.
That Rumpelstiltskin is my name,
She will never guess--the silly dame.'"
The Queen was so delighted she did not even mind being called silly.
Soon the manikin came in.
"Well," he said defiantly, "I guess you don't know my name yet, do you?
Remember, this is your last chance."
"Oh, dear," said the Queen, pretending to be very anxious. "Is it
John?"
"No!" thundered the manikin. "Give me the child."
"Is it," the Queen asked softly, "by any chance Rumpelstiltskin?"
"Some witch has told you that! Some witch had told you that!" cried the
little man; and he dashed his left foot in a rage so deep into the
floor that he was forced to lay hold of it with both hands to pull it
out. Then he made the best of his way off, while everybody laughed at
him for having had all his trouble for nothing.
[Illustration: "SOME WITCH HAS TOLD YOU THAT!"]
RAPUNZEL, OR THE FAIR MAID WITH GOLDEN HAIR
BY THE BROTHERS GRIMM
There were once a man and a woman who wished very much to have a little
child. Now, these people had a small window in their cottage which
looked out into a beautiful garden full of the most lovely flowers and
vegetables. There was a high wall round it, but even had there not been
no one would have ventured to enter the garden, because it belonged to
a sorceress, whose power was so great that every one feared her.
One day the woman stood at the window looking into the garden, and she
saw a bed which was planted full of most beautiful lettuces. As she
looked at them she began to wish she had some to eat, but she could not
ask for them.
Day after day her wish for these lettuces grew stronger, and the
knowledge that she could not get them so worried her that at last
she became so pale and thin that her husband was quite alarmed.
"What is the matter with you, dear wife?" he asked one day.
"Ah!" she said, "if I do not have some of that nice lettuce which grows
in the garden behind our house, I feel that I shall die."
The husband, who loved his wife dearly, said to himself: "Rather than
my wife should die, I will get some of this lettuce for her, cost what
it may."
So in the evening twilight he climbed over the wall into the garden of
the Witch, hastily gathered a handful of the lettuces, and brought
them to his wife. She made a salad, and ate it with great eagerness.
[Illustration: THE FAIR MAIDEN WITH GOLDEN HAIR
FROM A DRAWING BY EDITH W. YAFFEE]
It pleased her so much and tasted so good that, after two or three days
had passed, she gave her husband no rest till he promised to get her
some more. So again in the evening twilight he climbed the wall, but as
he slid down into the garden on the other side he was terribly alarmed
at seeing the Witch standing near him.
"How came you here?" she said with a fierce look. "You have climbed
over the wall into my garden like a thief and stolen my lettuces; you
shall pay dearly for this!"
"Ah!" replied the poor man, "let me entreat for mercy; I have only
taken it in a case of extreme need. My wife has seen your lettuces from
her window, and she wished for them so much that she said she should
die if she could not have some of them to eat."
Then the Witch's anger cooled a little, and she replied: "If what you
tell me is true, then I will give you full permission to take as many
lettuces as you like, on one condition: you must give up to me the
child which your wife may bring into the world. I will be very kind to
it, and be as careful of it as a mother could be."
The husband in his alarm promised everything the Witch asked, and took
away with him as many lettuces as his wife wanted.
Not many weeks after this the wife became the mother of a beautiful
little girl, and in a short time the Witch appeared and claimed her
according to the husband's promise. Thus they were obliged to give up
their child, which she took away with her directly, and gave her the
name of Letitia, but she was always called Lettice, after the name of
the vegetable which grew in the garden.
Lettice was the most beautiful child under the sun, and as soon as
she reached the age of twelve years the Witch locked her up in a tower
that stood in a forest, and this tower had no steps, nor any entrance,
excepting a little window. When the Witch, wished to visit Lettice, she
would place herself under this window and sing:
"Lettice, Lettice, let down your hair,
That I may climb without a stair."
Lettice had the most long and beautiful hair like spun-gold; and when
she heard the voice of the Witch she would unbind her golden locks and
let them fall loose over the window sill, from which they hung down to
such a length that the Witch could draw herself up by them into the
tower.
Two years passed in this manner, when it happened one day that the
King's son rode through the forest. While passing near the tower he
heard such a lovely song that he could not help stopping to listen. It
was Lettice, who tried to lighten her solitude by the sound of her own
sweet voice.
The King's son was very eager to obtain a glimpse of the singer, but he
sought in vain for a door to the tower; there was not one to be found.
So he rode home, but the song had made such an impression on his heart
that he went daily into the forest to listen. Once, while he stood
behind a tree, he saw the Witch approach the tower, and heard her say:
"Lettice, Lettice, let down your hair,
That I may climb without a stair."
Presently he saw a quantity of long golden hair hanging down low over
the window sill, and the Witch climbing up by it.
"Oh!" said the young Prince, "if that is the ladder on which persons
can mount and enter, I will take the first opportunity of trying my
luck that way."
So on the following day, as it began to grow dark, he placed himself
under the window, and cried:
"Lettice, Lettice, let down your hair,
That I may climb without a stair."
Immediately the hair fell over the window, and the young Prince quickly
climbed up and entered the room where the young maiden lived.
Lettice was dreadfully frightened at seeing a strange man come into the
room through the window; but the King's son looked at her with such
friendly eyes, and began to converse with her so kindly, that she soon
lost all fear.
He told her that he had heard her singing, and that her song had
excited such a deep emotion in his heart that he could not rest till he
had seen her. On hearing this Lettice ceased to fear him, and they
talked together for some time, till at length the Prince asked her if
she would take him for a husband. For a time she hesitated, although
she saw that he was young and handsome, and he had told her he was a
prince.
At last she said to herself: "He will certainly love me better than old
Mother Grethel does." So she placed her hand in his, and said: "I would
willingly go with you and be your wife, but I do not know in the least
how to get away from this place. Unless," she added, after a pause,
"you will bring me every day some strong silk cord; then I will weave
a ladder of it, and when it is finished I will descend upon it, and you
shall take me away on your horse."
The Prince readily agreed to this, and promised to come and see her
every evening till the ladder was finished, for the old Witch always
came in the daytime.
The Witch had never seen the Prince; she knew nothing of his visits
till one day Lettice said innocently: "I shall not have such a heavy
weight as you to draw up much longer, Mother Grethel, for the King's
son is coming very soon to fetch me away."
"You wicked child!" cried the Witch; "what do I hear you say? I thought
I had hidden you from all the world, and now you have betrayed me!" In
her wrath she caught hold of Lettice's beautiful hair, and struck her
several times with her left hand. Then she seized a pair of scissors
and cut Lettice's hair, while the beautiful locks, glistening like
gold, fell to the ground. And she was so hard-hearted after this that
she dragged poor Lettice out into the forest, to a wild and desert
place, and left her there in sorrow and great distress.
On the same day on which the poor maiden had been exiled the Witch tied
the locks of hair which she had cut off poor Lettice's golden head into
a kind of tail, and hung it over the window sill.
In the evening the Prince came and cried:
"Lettice, Lettice, let down your hair,
That I may climb without a stair."
Then the Witch let the hair down, and the King's son climbed up; but at
the open window he found not his dear Lettice, but a wicked witch who
looked at him with cruel and malicious eyes.
"Ah!" she cried with a sneer, "you are come to fetch your loving bride,
I suppose; but the beautiful bird has flown from the nest, and will
never sing any more. The cat has fetched it away, and she intends also
to scratch your eyes out. To thee is Lettice lost; thou wilt never
behold her again!"
The Prince felt almost out of his mind with grief as he heard this, and
in his despair he sprang out of the tower window and fell among the
thorns and brambles beneath. He certainly escaped with his life, but
the thorns stuck into his eyes and blinded them. After this he wandered
about the wood for days, eating only wild roots and berries, and did
nothing but lament and weep for the loss of his beloved bride.
So wandered he for a whole year in misery, till at last he came upon
the desert place where Lettice had been banished and lived in her
sorrow.
As he drew near he heard a voice which he seemed to recognize, and
advancing toward the sound came within sight of Lettice, who recognized
him at once, with tears. Two of her tears fell on his eyes, and so
healed and cleared them of the injury done by the thorns that he could
soon see as well as ever. Then he traveled with her to his kingdom, and
she became his wife, and the remainder of their days were spent in
happiness and content.
SNOW-WHITE AND ROSE-RED
BY THE BROTHERS GRIMM
There was once a poor Widow, who lived alone in her hut with her two
children, who were called Snow-White and Rose-Red, because they were
like the flowers which bloomed on two rose-bushes which grew before the
cottage. But they were two as pious, good, industrious, and amiable
children as any that were in the world, only Snow-White was more quiet
and gentle than Rose-Red. For Rose-Red would run and jump about the
meadows, seeking flowers, and catching butterflies, while Snow-White
sat at home helping her Mother to keep house, or reading to her, if
there were nothing else to do.
The two children loved one another dearly, and always walked
hand-in-hand when they went out together; and ever when they talked of
it they agreed that they would never separate from each other, and that
whatever one had the other should share. Often they ran deep into the
forest and gathered wild berries; but no beast ever harmed them. For
the hare would eat cauliflowers out of their hands, the fawn would
graze at their side, the goats would frisk about them in play, and the
birds remained perched on the boughs singing as if nobody were near.
No accidents ever befell them; and if they stayed late in the forest,
and night came upon them, they used to lie down on the moss and sleep
till morning; and because their Mother knew they would do so, she felt
no concern about them. One time when they had thus passed the night in
the forest, and the dawn of morning awoke them, they saw a beautiful
Child dressed in shining white sitting near their couch. She got up
and looked at them kindly, but without saying anything went into the
forest; and when the children looked round they saw that where they
had slept was close to the edge of a pit, into which they would have
certainly fallen had they walked a couple of steps further in the dark.
Their Mother told them the figure they had seen was, doubtless, the
good angel who watches over children.
Snow-White and Rose-Red kept their Mother's cottage so clean that it
was a pleasure to enter it. Every morning in the summertime Rose-Red
would first put the house in order, and then gather a nosegay for her
Mother, in which she always placed a bud from each rose-tree. Every
winter's morning Snow-White would light the fire and put the kettle on
to boil, and, although the kettle was made of copper, it yet shone like
gold, because it was scoured so well. In the evenings, when the flakes
of snow were falling, the Mother would say, "Go, Snow-White, and bolt
the door;" and then they used to sit down on the hearth, and the Mother
would put on her spectacles and read out of a great book while her
children sat spinning. By their side, too, lay a little lamb, and on a
perch behind them a little white dove reposed with her head tucked
under her wing.
One evening when they were thus sitting comfortably together, there
came a knock at the door, as if somebody wished to come in. "Make
haste, Rose-Red," cried her Mother; "make haste and open the door;
perhaps there is some traveler outside who needs shelter."
So Rose-Red went and drew the bolt and opened the door, expecting to
see some poor man outside; but instead, a great fat bear poked his
black head in. Rose-Red shrieked out and ran back, the little lamb
bleated, the dove fluttered on her perch, and Snow-White hid herself
behind her Mother's bed. The Bear, however, began to speak, and said,
"Be not afraid, I will do you no harm; but I am half frozen, and wish
to come in and warm myself."
"Poor Bear!" cried the Mother; "come in and lie down before the fire;
but take care you do not burn your skin;" and then she continued, "Come
here, Rose-Red and Snow-White, the Bear will not harm you, he means
honorably." So they both came back, and by degrees the lamb too and the
dove overcame their fears and welcomed the rough visitor.
"You children!" said the Bear, before he entered, "come and knock the
snow off my coat." And they fetched their brooms and swept him clean.
Then he stretched himself before the fire and grumbled out his
satisfaction, and in a little while the children became familiar enough
to play tricks with the unwieldy animal. They pulled his long shaggy
skin, set their feet upon his back and rolled him to and fro, and even
ventured to beat him with a hazel-stick, laughing when he grumbled. The
Bear bore all their tricks good-temperedly, and if they hit too hard he
cried out,--
"Leave me my life, you children,
Snow-White and Rose-Red,
Or you'll never wed."
When bedtime came and the others were gone, the Mother said to the
Bear, "You may sleep here on the hearth if you like, and then you will
be safely protected from the cold and bad weather."
As soon as day broke the two children let the Bear out again, and he
trotted away over the snow, and ever afterward he came every evening at
a certain hour. He would lie down on the hearth and allow the children
to play with him as much as they liked, till by degrees they became so
accustomed to him that the door was left unbolted till their black
friend arrived.
But as soon as spring returned, and everything out of doors was green
again, the Bear one morning told Snow-White that he must leave her, and
could not return during the whole summer. "Where are you going, then,
dear Bear?" asked Snow-White. "I am obliged to go into the forest and
guard my treasures from the evil Dwarfs; for in winter, when the ground
is hard, they are obliged to keep in their holes and cannot work
through; but now, since the sun has thawed the earth and warmed it, the
Dwarfs pierce through and steal all they can find; and what has once
passed into their hands, and gets concealed by them in their caves, is
not easily brought to light."
Snow-White, however, was very sad at the departure of the Bear, and
opened the door so hesitatingly, that when he pressed through it he
left behind on the latch a piece of his hairy coat; and through the
hole which was made in his coat Snow-White fancied she saw the
glittering of gold, but she was not quite certain of it. The Bear,
however, ran hastily away, and was soon hidden behind the trees.
Some time afterward the Mother sent the children into the woods to
gather sticks, and while doing so they came to a tree which was lying
across the path, on the trunk of which something kept bobbing up and
down from the grass, and they could not imagine what it was. When
they came nearer they saw a Dwarf, with an old wrinkled face and a
snow-white beard a yard long. The end of this beard was fixed in a
split of the tree, and the little man kept jumping about like a dog
tied by a chain, for he did not know how to free himself. He glared at
the Maidens with his red, fiery eyes, and exclaimed, "Why do you stand
there? Are you going to pass without offering me any assistance?"
"What have you done, little man?" asked Rose-Red.
"You stupid, gazing goose!" exclaimed he, "I wanted to have split the
tree in order to get a little wood for my kitchen, for the little food
which we use is soon burnt up with great faggots, not like what you
rough greedy people devour! I had driven the wedge in properly, and
everything was going on well, when the smooth wood flew upward, and the
tree closed so suddenly together, that I could not draw my beautiful
beard out; and here it sticks, and I cannot get away. There, don't
laugh, you milk-faced things! Are you dumbfounded?"
The children took all the pains they could to pull the Dwarf's beard
out, but without success. "I will run and fetch some help," cried
Rose-Red at length.
"Crack-brained sheep's-head that you are!" snarled the Dwarf; "what are
you going to call other people for? You are two too many now for me;
can you think of nothing else?"
"Don't be impatient," replied Snow-White: "I have thought of
something;" and pulling her scissors out of her pocket, she cut off the
end of the beard. As soon as the Dwarf found himself at liberty he
snatched up his sack, which laid between the roots of the tree filled
with gold, and, throwing it over his shoulder, marched off, grumbling,
and groaning, and crying "Stupid people! to cut off a piece of my
beautiful beard. Plague take you!" And away he went without once
looking at the children.
Some time afterward Snow-White and Rose-Red went a-fishing and as they
neared the pond they saw something like a great locust hopping about
on the bank, as if going to jump into the water. They ran up and
recognized the Dwarf; "What are you after?" asked Rose-Red; "you will
fall into the water."
"I am not quite such a simpleton as that," replied the Dwarf; "but do
you not see this fish will pull me in?"
The little man had been sitting there angling, and, unfortunately, the
wind had entangled his beard with the fishing-line; and so when a great
fish bit at the bait, the strength of the weak little fellow was not
able to draw it out, and the fish had the best of the struggle. The
Dwarf held on by the reeds and rushes which grew near, but to no
purpose, for the fish pulled him where it liked, and he must soon have
been drawn into the pond. Luckily just then the two Maidens arrived,
and tried to release the beard of the Dwarf from the fishing-line, but
both were too closely entangled for it to be done. So the Maiden pulled
out her scissors again and cut off another piece of the beard.
When the Dwarf saw this done he was in a great rage, and exclaimed,
"You donkey! that is the way to disfigure my face. Was it not enough to
cut it once, but you must now take away the best part of my fine beard?
I dare not show myself again now to my own people. I wish you had run
the soles off your boots before you had come here!" So saying he took
up a bag of pearls, which lay among the rushes, and, without speaking
another word, slipped off and disappeared behind a stone.
Not many days after this adventure, it chanced that the Mother sent the
two Maidens to the next town to buy thread, needles and pins, laces,
and ribbons. Their road passed over a common, on which, here and there,
great pieces of rock were lying about. Just over their heads they saw a
great bird flying round and round, and every now and then dropping
lower and lower, till at last it flew down behind a rock. Immediately
afterward they heard a piercing shriek, and, running up, they saw with
affright that the eagle had caught their old acquaintance, the Dwarf,
and was trying to carry him off. The compassionate children thereupon
laid hold of the little man, and held him fast till the bird gave up
the struggle and flew off.
As soon, then, as the Dwarf had recovered from his fright, he exclaimed
in his squeaking voice:
"Could you not hold me more gently? You have seized my fine brown coat
in such a manner that it is all torn and full of holes, meddling and
interfering rubbish that you are!" With these words he shouldered a bag
filled with precious stones, and slipped away to his cave among the
rocks.
The Maidens were now accustomed to his ingratitude, and so they walked
on to the town and transacted their business there. Coming home they
returned over the same common, and unawares walked up to a certain
clean spot, on which the Dwarf had shaken out his bag of precious
stones, thinking nobody was near. The sun was shining and the bright
stones glittered in its beams, and displayed such a variety of colors
that the two Maidens stopped to admire them.
[Illustration: THE TWO MAIDENS ARRIVED AND TRIED TO RELEASE THE BEARD
OF THE DWARF]
"What are you standing there gaping for?" asked the Dwarf, while his
face grew as red as copper with rage: he was continuing to abuse the
poor Maidens, when a loud roaring noise was heard, and presently a
great black Bear came rolling out of the forest. The Dwarf jumped up
terrified, but he could not gain his retreat before the Bear overtook
him. Thereupon he cried out, "Spare me, my dear Lord Bear! I will give
you all my treasures. See these beautiful precious stones which lie
here; only give me my life; for what have you to fear from a little
fellow like me? You could not touch me with your big teeth. There are
two wicked girls, take them; they would make nice morsels; as fat as
young quails; eat them, for heaven's sake!"
The Bear, however, without troubling himself to speak, gave the
bad-hearted Dwarf a single blow with his paw, and he never stirred
after.
The Maidens were then going to run away, but the Bear called after
them, "Snow-White and Rose-Red, fear not! Wait a bit, and I will
accompany you." They recognized his voice and stopped; and when the
Bear came, his rough coat suddenly fell off, and he stood up a tall
man, dressed entirely in gold. "I am a King's son," he said, "and was
condemned by the wicked Dwarf, who stole all my treasures, to wander
about in this forest in the form of a bear till his death released me."
Then they went home, and Snow-White was married to the Prince, and
Rose-Red to his brother, with whom they shared the immense treasure
which the Dwarf had collected. The old Mother also lived for many years
happily with her two children; and the rose-trees which had stood
before the cottage were planted now before the palace, and produced
every year beautiful red and white roses.
HANSEL AND GRETHEL
BY THE BROTHERS GRIMM
Once upon a time there dwelt near a large wood a poor wood-cutter, with
his wife and two children by his former marriage, a little boy called
Hansel, and a girl named Grethel. He had little enough to break or
bite; and once, when there was a great famine in the land, he could not
procure even his daily bread; and as he lay thinking in his bed one
evening, rolling about for trouble, he sighed, and said to his wife,
"What will become of us? How can we feed our children, when we have no
more than we can eat ourselves?"
"Know, then, my husband," answered she, "we will lead them away, quite
early in the morning, into the thickest part of the wood, and there
make them a fire, and give them each a little piece of bread; then we
will go to our work, and leave them alone, so they will not find the
way home again, and we shall be freed from them." "No, wife," replied
he, "that I can never do;, how can you bring your heart to leave my
children all alone in the wood; for the wild beasts will soon come and
tear them to pieces?"
"Oh, you simpleton!" said she, "then we must all four die of hunger;
you had better plane the coffins for us." But she left him no peace
till he consented, saying, "Ah, but I shall regret the poor children."
The two children, however, had not gone to sleep for very hunger, and
so they overheard what the stepmother said to their father. Grethel
wept bitterly, and said to Hansel, "What will become of us?" "Be quiet,
Grethel," said he; "do not cry--I will soon help you." And as soon as
their parents had fallen asleep, he got up, put on his coat, and,
unbarring the back door, slipped out. The moon shone brightly, and the
white pebbles which lay before the door seemed like silver pieces, they
glittered so brightly. Hansel stooped down, and put as many into his
pocket as it would hold; and then going back he said to Grethel, "Be
comforted, dear sister, and sleep in peace; God will not forsake us."
And so saying, he went to bed again.
The next morning, before the sun arose, the wife went and awoke the two
children. "Get up, you lazy things; we are going into the forest to
chop wood." Then she gave them each a piece of bread, saying, "There is
something for your dinner; do not eat it before the time, for you will
get nothing else." Grethel took the bread in her apron, for Hansel's
pocket was full of pebbles; and so they all set out upon their way.
When they had gone a little distance, Hansel stood still, and peeped
back at the house; and this he repeated several times, till his father
said, "Hansel, what are you peeping at, and why do you lag behind? Take
care, and remember your legs."
"Ah, father," said Hansel, "I am looking at my white cat sitting upon
the roof of the house, and trying to say good-by." "You simpleton!"
said the wife, "that is not a cat; it is only the sun shining on the
white chimney." But in reality Hansel was not looking at a cat; but
every time he stopped, he dropped a pebble out of his pocket upon the
path.
[Illustration: GRETHEL AND THE WITCH
FROM A DRAWING BY MALCOLM PATTERSON]
When they came to the middle of the wood, the father told the children
to collect wood, and he would make them a fire, so that they should not
be cold. So Hansel and Grethel gathered together quite a little
mountain of twigs. Then they set fire to them; and as the flame burnt
up high, the wife said, "Now, you children, lie down near the fire, and
rest yourselves, whilst we go into the forest and chop wood; when we
are ready, I will come and call you."
Hansel and Grethel sat down by the fire, and when it was noon, each ate
the piece of bread; and because they could hear the blows of an axe
they thought their father was near; but it was not an axe, but a branch
which he had bound to a withered tree, so as to be blown to and fro by
the wind. They waited so long, that at last their eyes closed from
weariness, and they fell fast asleep. When they awoke, it was quite
dark, and Grethel began to cry, "How shall we get out of the wood?" But
Hansel tried to comfort her by saying, "Wait a little while till the
moon rises, and then we will quickly find the way." The moon soon shone
forth, and Hansel, taking his sister's hand, followed the pebbles,
which glittered like new-coined silver pieces, and showed them the
path. All night long they walked on, and as day broke they came to
their father's house. They knocked at the door, and when the wife
opened it, and saw Hansel and Grethel, she exclaimed, "You wicked
children! why did you sleep so long in the wood? We thought you were
never coming home again." But their father was very glad, for it had
grieved his heart to leave them all alone.
Not long afterward there was again great scarcity in every corner of
the land; and one night the children overheard their mother saying to
their father, "Everything is again consumed; we have only half a loaf
left, and then the song is ended: the children must be sent away. We
will take them deeper into the wood, so that they may not find the way
out again: it is the only means of escape for us."
But her husband felt heavy at heart, and thought, "It were better to
share the last crust with the children." His wife, however, would
listen to nothing that he said, and scolded and reproached him without
end.
He who says A must say B too; and he who consents the first time must
also the second.
The children, however, had heard the conversation as they lay awake,
and as soon as the old people went to sleep Hansel got up, intending to
pick up some pebbles as before; but the wife had locked the door, so
that he could not get out. Nevertheless he comforted Grethel, saying,
"Do not cry; sleep in quiet; the good God will not forsake us."
Early in the morning the stepmother came and pulled them out of bed,
and gave them each a slice of bread, which was still smaller than the
former piece. On the way, Hansel broke his in his pocket, and, stooping
every now and then, dropped a crumb upon the path. "Hansel, why do you
stop and look about?" said the father, "keep in the path." "I am
looking at my little dove," answered Hansel, "nodding a good-by to me."
"Simpleton!" said the wife, "that is no dove, but only the sun shining
on the chimney." But Hansel still kept dropping crumbs as he went
along.
The mother led the children deep into the wood, where they had never
been before, and there making an immense fire, she said to them, "Sit
down here and rest, and when you feel tired you can sleep for a little
while. We are going into the forest to hew wood, and in the evening,
when we are ready, we will come and fetch you."
When noon came Grethel shared her bread with Hansel, who had strewn his
on the path. Then they went to sleep; but the evening arrived and no
one came to visit the poor children, and in the dark night they awoke,
and Hansel comforted his sister by saying, "Only wait, Grethel, till
the moon comes out, then we shall see the crumbs of bread which I have
dropped, and they will show us the way home." The moon shone and they
got up, but they could not see any crumbs, for the thousands of birds
which had been flying about in the woods and fields had picked them all
up. Hansel kept saying to Grethel, "We will soon find the way;" but
they did not, and they walked the whole night long and the next day,
but still they did not come out of the wood; and they got so hungry,
for they had nothing to eat but the berries which they found upon the
bushes. Soon they got so tired that they could not drag themselves
along, so they lay down under a tree and went to sleep.
It was now the third morning since they had left their father's house,
and they still walked on; but they only got deeper and deeper into the
wood, and Hansel saw that if help did not come very soon they would die
of hunger. As soon as it was noon they saw a beautiful snow-white bird
sitting upon a bough, which sang so sweetly that they stood still and
listened to it. It soon left off, and spreading its wings flew off; and
they followed it until it arrived at a cottage, upon the roof of which
it perched; and when they went close up to it they saw that the cottage
was made of bread and cakes, and the window-panes were of clear sugar.
"We will go in here," said Hansel, "and have a glorious feast. I will
eat a piece of the roof, and you can eat the window. Will they not be
sweet?" So Hansel reached up and broke a piece off the roof, in order
to see how it tasted; while Grethel stepped up to the window and began
to bite it. Then a sweet voice called out in the room, "Tip-tap,
tip-tap, who raps at my door?" and the children answered, "The wind,
the wind, the child of heaven;" and they went on eating without
interruption. Hansel thought the roof tasted very nice, and so he tore
off a great piece; while Grethel broke a large round pane out of the
window, and sat down quite contentedly. Just then the door opened, and
a very old woman, walking upon crutches, came out. Hansel and Grethel
were so frightened that they let fall what they had in their hands; but
the old woman, nodding her head, said "Ah, you dear children, what has
brought you here? Come in and stop with me, and no harm shall befall
you;" and so saying she led them into her cottage. A good meal of milk
and pancakes, with sugar, apples, and nuts was spread on the table, and
in the back room were two nice little beds, covered with white, where
Hansel and Grethel laid themselves down, and thought themselves in
heaven. The old woman behaved very kindly to them, but in reality she
was a wicked witch who waylaid children and built the breadhouse in
order to entice them in; but as soon as they were in her power she
killed them, cooked and ate them, and made a great festival of the day.
Witches have red eyes, and cannot see very far; but they have a fine
sense of smelling, like wild beasts, so that they know when children
approach them. When Hansel and Grethel came near the witch's house she
laughed wickedly, saying, "Here come two who shall not escape me." And
early in the morning, before they awoke, she went up to them, and saw
how lovingly they lay sleeping, with their chubby red cheeks; and she
mumbled to herself, "That will be a good bite." Then she took up
Hansel with her rough hand, and shut him up in a little cage with a
lattice-door; and although he screamed loudly it was of no use. Grethel
came next, and, shaking her till she awoke, she said, "Get up, you lazy
thing, and fetch some water to cook something good for your brother,
who must remain in that stall and get fat; when he is fat enough I
shall eat him." Grethel began to cry, but it was all useless, for the
old witch made her do as she wished. So a nice meal was cooked for
Hansel, but Grethel got nothing else but a crab's claw.
Every morning the old witch came to the cage and said, "Hansel, stretch
out your finger that I may feel whether you are getting fat." But
Hansel used to stretch out a bone, and the old woman, having very bad
sight, thought it was his finger, and wondered very much that he did
not get more fat. When four weeks had passed, and Hansel still kept
quite lean, she lost all her patience, and would not wait any longer.
"Grethel," she called out in a passion, "get some water quickly; be
Hansel fat or lean, this morning I will kill and cook him." Oh, how the
poor little sister grieved, as she was forced to fetch the water, and
fast the tears ran down her cheeks! "Dear good God, help us now!" she
exclaimed. "Had we only been eaten by the wild beasts in the wood, then
we should have died together." But the old witch called out, "Leave off
that noise; it will not help you a bit."
So early in the morning Grethel was forced to go out and fill the
kettle, and make a fire. "First, we will bake, however," said the old
woman; "I have already heated the oven and kneaded the dough;" and so
saying, she pushed poor Grethel up to the oven, out of which the flames
were burning fiercely. "Creep in," said the witch, "and see if it is
hot enough, and then we will put in the bread;" but she intended when
Grethel got in to shut up the oven and let her bake, so that she might
eat her as well as Hansel. Grethel perceived what her thoughts were,
and said, "I do not know how to do it; how shall I get in?" "You stupid
goose," said she, "the opening is big enough. See, I could even get in
myself!" and she got up, and put her head into the oven. Then Grethel
gave her a push, so that she fell right in, and then shutting the iron
door she bolted it. Oh! how horribly she howled; but Grethel ran away,
and left the ungodly witch to burn to ashes.
[Illustration: "SHE LED THEM INTO HER COTTAGE"]
Now she ran to Hansel, and, opening his door, called out, "Hansel, we
are saved; the old witch is dead." So he sprang out, like a bird out of
his cage when the door is opened; and they were so glad that they fell
upon each other's neck, and kissed each other over and over again. And
now, as there was nothing to fear, they went into the witch's house,
where in every corner were caskets full of pearls and precious stones.
"These are better than pebbles," said Hansel, putting as many into his
pocket as it would hold; while Grethel thought, "I will take some home
too," and filled her apron full. "We must be off now," said Hansel,
"and get out of this enchanted forest;" but when they had walked for
two hours they came to a large piece of water. "We cannot get over,"
said Hansel; "I can see no bridge at all." "And there is no boat
either," said Grethel, "but there swims a white duck, I will ask her
to help us over;" and she sang:
"Little Duck, good little duck,
Grethel and Hansel, here we stand;
There is neither stile nor bridge,
Take us on your back to land."
So the Duck came to them, and Hansel sat himself on, and bade his
sister sit behind him. "No," answered Grethel, "that will be too much
for the Duck, she shall take us over one at a time." This the good
little bird did, and when both were happily arrived on the other side,
and had gone a little way, they came to a well-known wood, which they
knew the better every step they went, and at last they perceived their
father's house. Then they began to run, and, bursting into the house,
they fell on their father's neck. He had not had one happy hour since
he had left the children in the forest: and his wife was dead. Grethel
shook her apron, and the pearls and precious stones rolled out upon the
floor, and Hansel threw down one handful after the other out of his
pocket. Then all their sorrows were ended, and they lived in happiness.
My tale is done. There runs a mouse; whoever catches her may make a
great, great cap out of her fur.
[Illustration: Reproduced by special permission of the Artist
TWINS
FROM A PAINTING BY JOSEPH T. PEARSON, JR.]
[Illustration: STORIES BY FAVORITE AMERICAN WRITERS]
THE FLAG-BEARER
BY CAROLYN SHERWIN BAILEY
The primary class had a very beautiful American flag, and some child
was going to carry it from the schoolroom across the park and into the
Town Hall on the holiday. All the primary children would march after
the flag, and they were going to sing "America" and "The Star Spangled
Banner." It would be a wonderful day and each child wanted to carry the
flag.
No one was sure who would be chosen as flag-bearer, but their teacher
had said the week before: "It will be the child who loves his country
the most who will carry the Stars and Stripes. Try and do something for
your country during the week."
So the children had been very busy ever since doing all sorts of things
that would show how they loved their country.
Marjory had been knitting for soldiers. Her grandmother had given her
a pair of pretty yellow needles and a ball of soft gray yarn and had
started a scarf. But the stitches would drop, and there was still
enough snow for sliding on the hill back of Marjory's house. Her
knitting was not much further along on Saturday than on Monday.
"I will show how much I love my country," Hubert said, and he asked his
mother to take the gilt buttons from his great-grandfather's soldier
coat that hung in the attic and sew them on his reefer. Then he showed
the bright buttons to all the other children, and they thought that
Hubert looked very fine indeed.
"I shall wear them when I carry the flag next week," Hubert told them.
But the children thought that perhaps Roger would be chosen as
flag-bearer because he bought such a large flag with the money in his
bank, and put it up on the flagpole in his front yard. Roger's father
helped him raise the flag on a rope so that he could pull it down at
night, but once the Stars and Stripes were flying Roger forgot all
about them. His flag stayed out in the wind and sleet, and its bright
colors faded and the stripes were torn.
After all, the children decided, it would be Edward who would carry the
flag. Edward had a dog named Trusty, and he decided to train him to be
a Red Cross dog. He put a white band with a red cross on it around
Trusty and harnessed him to a little express wagon to carry bundles.
Trusty had never worn a harness in his life, or been fastened to
anything. He tried to get away from the wagon, but Edward strapped the
harness more tightly. The straps hurt Trusty, and it hurt his feelings
to be made to drag the cart; but Edward drove him to and from the
drug-store and the grocery and the butcher's, carrying the parcels that
Edward had always brought alone before.
The other children, too, all tried to do unusual things to win
themselves the place of flag-bearer. They played their drums in the
street and made soldier caps and wooden swords and drilled. The little
girls dressed up and played army nurse with their dolls. The boys
bought toy soldiers and horns at the toy shop. There was a great deal
of noise everywhere.
Then it was the holiday, and everyone was greatly excited over what
was going to happen. Whoever had a red ribbon, or a blue necktie, or a
red-white-and-blue badge felt very proud indeed to wear it. Every child
sat as still as a mouse as the teacher spoke to them.
"Marjory showed me five rows that she had knitted for a soldier when I
went to her house a few days ago," she said. "I wonder how many rows
she has finished now?"
"Only five," Marjory said softly.
Hubert touched the buttons on his reefer and sat up very straight in
his place.
"I am wearing my great-grandfather's soldier buttons," he said.
"That ought to make you feel as brave as he was, when he earned the
right to wear them in battle," the teacher said; and Hubert suddenly
thought that gilt buttons had not made him into a soldier at all.
The other children began to think, too, as they looked up at the Stars
and Stripes at the end of the room. Edward remembered how the harness
had hurt Trusty, and the boy with the drum remembered how he had
awakened the baby from her nap. Roger thought of his torn flag, flapping
in the wind on the top of the flagpole. No one said anything until the
teacher looked at the end of the class and smiled, and said:
"Well, Peter!"
Peter smiled back, and tried to cover up the holes in his jacket
sleeves, and tucked his old shoes under the seat. Peter's father had
gone to be a soldier, and there were his mother, and the two babies,
and his grandfather who was blind, at home.
"What have you been doing all the week, Peter?" the teacher asked.
"Tending the babies so that mother could go to the factory and sew the
soldiers' uniforms," Peter said. "And leading grandfather out for a
walk when it was a sunny day."
"Peter's got a little flag hanging out of the window," one of the
children said, "and he's so careful of it. He takes it in every night
and puts it out again in the morning."
"He saluted the flag and took off his hat to it when the parade went by
the other day," said another child. Everyone loved merry, ragged Peter,
who could play so gayly when he had time for a game.
Just then they heard the band outside. It was playing, "The Red, White
and Blue," the music to which the children were to march with the flag.
"Who shall be our flag-bearer?" the teacher asked.
The children knew now. They were quite sure.
"Peter!" they said.
So Peter carried the Stars and Stripes across the park and into the
Town Hall, with all the primary children marching like soldiers behind.
The wind blew it around him like a cloak to cover up the holes in his
jacket sleeves and his old shoes. Wherever he looked he could see the
colors; the sky was as blue as the field in the flag, a few snow stars
lay on the ground and the first robin redbreast sang on a branch over
his head. And the children following Peter knew what the colors told
them to do for their country--to be brave, and good, and true at home.
JOHNNY CHUCK FINDS THE BEST THING IN THE WORLD[A]
BY THORNTON W. BURGESS
Old Mother West Wind had stopped to talk with the Slender Fir Tree.
"I've just come across the Green Meadows," said Old Mother West Wind,
"and there I saw the Best Thing in the World."
Striped Chipmunk was sitting under the Slender Fir Tree, and he
couldn't help hearing what Old Mother West Wind said. "The Best Thing
in the World--now what can that be?" thought Striped Chipmunk. "Why, it
must be heaps and heaps of nuts and acorns! I'll go and find it."
So Striped Chipmunk started down the Lone Little Path through the wood
as fast as he could run. Pretty soon he met Peter Rabbit.
"Where are you going in such a hurry, Striped Chipmunk?" asked Peter
Rabbit.
"Down in the Green Meadows to find the Best Thing in the World,"
replied Striped Chipmunk, and ran faster.
"The Best Thing in the World," said Peter Rabbit, "why, that must be a
great pile of carrots and cabbage! I think I'll go and find it."
So Peter Rabbit started down the Lone Little Path through the wood as
fast as he could go after Striped Chipmunk.
As they passed the great hollow tree Bobby Coon put his head out.
"Where are you going in such a hurry?" asked Bobby Coon.
"Down in the Green Meadows to find the Best Thing in the World!"
shouted Striped Chipmunk and Peter Rabbit, and both began to run
faster.
"The Best Thing in the World," said Bobby Coon to himself; "why, that
must be a whole field of sweet milky corn. I think I'll go and find
it."
So Bobby Coon climbed down out of the great hollow tree and started
down the Lone Little Path through the wood as fast as he could go after
Striped Chipmunk and Peter Rabbit, for there is nothing that Bobby
Coon likes to eat so well as sweet milky corn.
At the edge of the wood they met Jimmy Skunk.
"Where are you going in such a hurry?" asked Jimmy Skunk.
"Down in the Green Meadows to find the Best Thing in the World!"
shouted Striped Chipmunk, and Peter Rabbit, and Bobby Coon. Then they
all tried to run faster.
"The Best Thing in the World," said Jimmy Skunk. "Why, that must be
packs and packs of beetles!" And for once in his life Jimmy Skunk began
to hurry down the Lone Little Path after Striped Chipmunk, and Peter
Rabbit, and Bobby Coon.
They were all running so fast that they didn't see Reddy Fox until he
jumped out of the long grass and asked:
"Where are you going in such a hurry?"
"To find the Best Thing in the World!" shouted Striped Chipmunk, and
Peter Rabbit, and Bobby Coon, and Jimmy Skunk, and each did his best to
run faster.
"The Best Thing in the World," said Reddy Fox to himself, "why, that
must be a whole pen full of tender young chickens, and I must have
them."
So away went Reddy Fox as fast as he could run down the Lone Little
Path after Striped Chipmunk, Peter Rabbit, Bobby Coon, and Jimmy Skunk.
By-and-by they all came to the house of Johnny Chuck.
"Where are you going in such a hurry?" asked Johnny Chuck.
"To find the Best Thing in the World," shouted Striped Chipmunk, and
Peter Rabbit, and Bobby Coon, and Jimmy Skunk, and Reddy Fox.
"The Best Thing in the World," said Johnny Chuck. "Why, I don't know of
anything better than my own little home, and the warm sunshine, and the
beautiful blue sky."
So Johnny Chuck stayed at home and played all day among the flowers
with the Merry Little Breezes of Old Mother West Wind, and was as happy
as could be.
But all day long Striped Chipmunk, and Peter Rabbit, and Reddy Fox, and
Bobby Coon, and Jimmy Skunk, ran this way and ran that way over the
Green Meadows trying to find the Best Thing in the World. The sun was
very, very warm, and they ran so far and ran so fast that they were
very, very hot and tired, and still they hadn't found the Best Thing in
the World.
When the long day was over they started up the Lone Little Path past
Johnny Chuck's house to their own homes. They didn't hurry now, for
they were so very, very tired! And they were cross--oh, so cross!
Striped Chipmunk hadn't found so much as the leaf of a cabbage. Bobby
Coon hadn't found the tiniest bit of sweet milky corn. Jimmy Skunk
hadn't seen a single beetle. Reddy Fox hadn't heard so much as the peep
of a chicken. And all were hungry as hungry could be.
Half way up the Lone Little Path they met Old Mother West Wind going to
her home behind the hill. "Did you find the Best Thing in the World?"
asked Old Mother West Wind.
"No!" shouted Striped Chipmunk, and Peter Rabbit, and Bobby Coon, and
Jimmy Skunk, and Reddy Fox, all together.
"Johnny Chuck has it," said Old Mother West Wind. "It is being happy
with the things you have, and not wanting things which some one else
has. And it is called Con-tent-ment."
[A] From "Old Mother West Wind," by Thornton W. Burgess; used
by permission of the author and the publishers, Little, Brown &
Company.
LITTLE WEE PUMPKIN'S THANKSGIVING[B]
BY MADGE A. BINGHAM
It was the night before Thanksgiving in Peter Pumpkin-eater's garden.
Great Big Pumpkin, Middle-Sized Pumpkin, and Little Wee Pumpkin were
speaking together.
"All here?" asked Great Big Pumpkin.
"I'm here," answered Middle-Sized Pumpkin.
"I'm here," answered Little Wee Pumpkin. "But I heard Peter say that he
would pull us to-morrow and send us away."
"That will be fine!" said Great Big Pumpkin. "I hope we shall make good
pies for some one's dinner. I wish we could go to the palace."
"So do I," said Middle-Sized Pumpkin. "Maybe we could see the King."
"I should like to see Cinderella," said Little Wee Pumpkin. "But I am
not large enough to go to the palace. Still, I wish I could make some
one glad on Thanksgiving Day."
Little Wee Pumpkin was the first to wake in the morning. Peter had
opened the garden gate, and Cinderella was walking into the garden.
Little Wee Pumpkin opened her eyes and listened.
Cinderella was beautiful, and Little Wee Pumpkin knew that she was
good and kind. She was carrying a basket full of yellow flowers.
"They are for you, Peter," she said, laughing. "I have brought them
from the palace garden. They are for your Thanksgiving.
"Now you must help me find the right pumpkin for a jack-o'-lantern. It
is to make a little girl glad. She has been ill a long time, and must
have a jack-o'-lantern for Thanksgiving."
"Yes, my lady," said Peter; and they went from vine to vine.
First, they stopped at Great Big Pumpkin, but that was too large. Then
they stopped at Middle-Sized Pumpkin, but that was too flat. Then they
stopped at Little Wee Pumpkin, and that was just right.
"This is the pumpkin for the jack-o'-lantern, Peter," she said,
pointing to Little Wee Pumpkin. "This will make the little girl glad."
"Yes, my lady," said Peter, as he pulled Little Wee Pumpkin from the
vine.
"The two large pumpkins shall go to the palace, to the King," said
Cinderella. "They will make fine pies for his Thanksgiving dinner."
"Yes, my lady," said Peter, as he pulled the two pumpkins from the
vines.
So Great Big, Middle-Sized, and Little Wee all had their wishes.
[B] From "Mother Goose Village," by Madge A. Bingham,
published by Rand, McNally & Company, and used by special arrangement.
THE COMING OF THE KING[C]
BY LAURA E. RICHARDS
Some children were at play in their playground one day when a herald
rode through the town, blowing a trumpet, and crying aloud: "The King!
The King passes by this road to-day!"
"Did you hear that?" they said. "The King is coming. He may look over
the wall and see our playground: who knows? We must put it in order."
The playground was sadly dirty, and in the corners were scraps of paper
and broken toys--for these were careless children! But now, one brought
a hoe, and another a rake, and a third ran to fetch the wheelbarrow
from behind the garden gate. They labored hard, till at length all was
clean and tidy.
"Now it is clean!" they said; "but we must make it pretty, too, for
kings are used to fine things; maybe he would not notice mere
cleanness, for he may have it all the time."
Then one brought sweet rushes and strewed them on the ground; and
others made garlands of oak leaves and pine tassels and hung them on
the walls; and the littlest one pulled marigold buds and threw them all
about the playground.
When all was done the playground was so beautiful that the children
stood and looked at it, and clapped their hands with pleasure.
"Let us keep it always like this!" said the littlest one; and the
others cried: "Yes! yes!"
They waited all day for the coming of the King, but he did not come;
only, toward sunset, a man with travel-worn clothes, and a kind, tired
face passed along the road, and stopped to look over the wall.
"What a pleasant place!" said the man. "May I come in and rest, dear
children?"
The children brought him in gladly, and set him on the seat that they
had made out of an old cask. They had covered it with an old red cloak,
to make it look like a throne; and it made a very good one.
"It is our playground!" they said. "We made it pretty for the King, but
he did not come, and now we mean to keep it so for ourselves."
"That is good!" said the man.
"Because we think pretty and clean is nicer than ugly and dirty!" said
another.
"That is better!" said the man.
"And for tired people to rest in!" said the littlest one.
"That is best of all!" said the man.
He sat and rested, and looked at the children with such kind eyes that
they came about him, and told him all they knew; about the five puppies
in the barn, and the thrush's nest with four blue eggs, and the shore
where the gold shells grew: and the man nodded, and understood all
about it.
By-and-by he asked for a cup of water, and they brought it to him in
the best cup, with the gold sprigs on it, then he thanked the children,
and rose and went on his way; but before he went he laid his hand on
their heads for a moment, and the touch went warm to their hearts.
The children stood by the wall and watched the man as he went slowly
along. The sun was setting, and the light fell in long slanting rays
across the road.
"He looks so tired!" said one of the children.
"But he was so kind!" said another.
"See!" said the littlest one. "How the sun shines on his hair! it looks
like a crown of gold."
[C] From "The Golden Windows," by Laura E. Richards; published
by Little, Brown & Company, Boston. Used by permission of the
publishers.
[Illustration: The Coming of the King]
THE LITTLE PIG[D]
BY MAUD LINDSAY
Once upon a time a little black-and-white pig with a curly tail went
out to take a morning walk. He intended to go to the Mud Puddle, but
before he got there he came to a garden gate that was stretched wide
open.
"Umph, umph," said the little pig, when he saw it; "isn't this fine? I
have wanted to get into this garden ever since I can remember." And in
he went as fast as his four short legs could carry him.
The garden was full of flowers. There were pansies, and daisies, and
violets, and honeysuckles, and all the bright flowers that you can
name. Everything was in the proper place. There were tulips on either
side of the garden walk, and hollyhocks stood in a straight row against
the fence. The pansies had a garden bed all to themselves, and the
young vines were just beginning to climb up on the frame that the
gardener had made for their special benefit.
"Umph, umph, nice place," said the little pig; and he put his nose down
in the pansy bed and began to root up the pansies, for he thought that
was the way to behave in a garden.
While he was enjoying himself there the brown hen came down the road
with her family. She had thirteen children, and she was looking for a
nice rich spot where they might scratch for their breakfast. When she
saw the open gate she was delighted.
"Cluck, cluck, come on," she said to her chicks.
"Peep, peep, peep," said the little chickens, "is it a worm?"
"It is a beautiful garden, and there is nothing that I like better than
to scratch in a garden," answered the hen, as she bustled through the
gate. The chickens followed her, and soon they were all busy scratching
among the violets.
They had not been there very long when the red cow walked by the
garden. She was on her way to the Pond, but when she saw the open
garden gate she decided at once to go in.
"Moo, moo," she said, "this is delightful. Tender flowers are such a
treat." And she swished her tail over her back as she nipped the
daisies from their stems.
"Cluck," said the hen, "Peep," said the chicks, "Umph," said the little
pig, for they were pleased to have company. While they were talking a
rabbit with very bright eyes peeped in at the gate.
"Oh, is it a party?" he said when he saw the red cow, and the pig with
a curly tail, and the hen and chickens.
"Come in," said the pig, "and help yourself. There is plenty of room."
So the rabbit hopped into the garden and nibbled the green leaves and
the young vines.
"How many of us are here?" asked the red cow, but before any of them
could count, the gardener came home.
When _he_ looked into the garden he began to cry: "Oh, my pretty
pansies! my dear daisies! my sweet violets! my tender young vines!"
"What is he talking about?" said the chickens.
"I suppose he wants us to go out," answered the hen; and she ruffled
her feathers and quarreled as the gardener came hurrying toward them.
Then the cow ran one way and the pig ran another. The little chickens
got lost in the bushes, and the rabbit hid in the vines. The hen
cackled, and the pig squealed, and the gardener scolded. By the time
he had driven them all out of the garden the sun was high in the sky.
"Umph, umph," cried the little pig, as he scampered down the road, "we
will all come back to-morrow."
But when they went back the next day the garden gate was fastened
close, and not even the smallest chicken could get inside.
[D] From "More Winter Stories," by Maud Lindsay; used by
permission of the publishers, Milton Bradley Company, Springfield,
Mass.
THE TRAVELS OF THE LITTLE TOY SOLDIER
BY CAROLYN SHERWIN BAILEY
He was the largest and the best dressed and the bravest looking of all
the toy soldiers in the toy shop. Some of the toy soldiers were made of
paper, and these tore easily if they even tried to drill. Some of the
toy soldiers were made of tin, and these bent if they had an encounter.
But this toy soldier, who stood head and shoulders above the others,
was made of wood. He had once been part of a great pine tree that stood
in the forest, and his heart was as brave and true as the heart of the
tree.
His trousers were painted green, with yellow stripes; and his jacket
was painted red, with gold buttons. He wore a painted blue cap upon the
side of his head, with a band that went under his chin, and he carried
a wooden gun in one arm. He could stand alone, for his wooden legs were
glued to a block of wood, and his eyes were black and shining, and his
mouth was painted in a smile.
When the Toy Soldier went from the toy shop to live in Gregory's house
the little boy thought that he had never seen such a fine soldier in
his life. He made him captain of all the soldier ninepins and guard of
the toy train, and he took him to bed with him at night. Then, one day,
James, who lived next door and was Gregory's neighbor, came over to
play with Gregory.
"What a nice Toy Soldier!" James said.
"Yes, he's mine," Gregory said.
"May I play with him?" James asked.
"No, I said he was my Toy Soldier," Gregory answered.
"Then I'll take him," James said.
"I won't let you," Gregory said.
Then the two little boys began pulling the Toy Soldier to see which
could get him away from the other, and the Toy Soldier did not like it
at all. He was fond of a good battle, but not of a quarrel. He decided
that he would not stay in a house where there was a quarrelsome boy,
and so he tumbled out of a window that was close by and fell, down,
down, to the street below.
The Toy Soldier had not lain long on the sidewalk when Harold passed by
and picked him up.
"I wanted a toy soldier and here is the finest one I ever saw," Harold
said; and he slipped the soldier inside his coat and started on, for he
was going to school. The Toy Soldier lay close to Harold's watch that
was tick, tick, ticking the time away, but Harold loitered, and at last
he stopped to play a game of marbles with another little boy whom he
met. "I don't care if I am late for school," he said.
"Oho!" thought the Toy Soldier, and as the two little boys played he
dropped out from under Harold's coat and into the gutter. When Harold
reached school, late, the Toy Soldier was gone.
Joe found the Toy Soldier in the gutter and ran home with him to his
mother.
"I have a Toy Soldier!" he said.
"How brave he looks," said Joe's mother.
All the rest of the day the Toy Soldier went about with Joe and
listened to what he said and watched what he did.
"I can't go to the grocer's; I'm afraid of his dog."
"I can't put in that nail. I am afraid that the hammer will slip and
hit my finger." This was what the Toy Soldier heard.
Then it was Joe's bedtime, and the Toy Soldier went upstairs with him
to bed, but Joe cried all the way.
"I'm afraid of the dark!" he said.
When Joe was asleep the Toy Soldier slipped out of his hand and fell
into a scrap basket. He knew very well that he couldn't stay with a
child who was a coward.
No one saw the Toy Soldier when the basket was emptied in the morning.
He went with the scraps into a huge bag, and then into a wagon, and
then into a factory where men sorted the cloth to make it into paper.
One of these men found the Toy Soldier and took him home to his little
boy, who was lame and had to stay alone all day.
"Has it been a good day, John?" his father asked.
"Oh, yes!" laughed John as he hugged the Toy Soldier.
"You have my supper ready just in time," his father said, watching the
soup bubbling in a shining pot on the stove.
"And I cleaned a little and set the table," John said.
"Has your back hurt you very much to-day?" asked his father.
"A little, but I don't mind that," John said. "See how fine the Toy
Soldier looks standing on the table!"
"Oho!" thought the Toy Soldier, "now I have found a place where I can
stay. Here is another soldier, cheerful and willing to work, and
brave!"
WHAT HAPPENED TO DUMPS
BY CAROLYN SHERWIN BAILEY
Once upon a time there was a queer little elf named Dumps, who lived
all by himself in a dark little house down in a valley. Ever since he
could remember, things had gone wrong with him.
He shivered in the cold and kicked the coal bucket when the fire
wouldn't burn. He howled when he stumbled over his own dinner pots that
he had left in the middle of the floor; and he stood in his front door
and scowled when other happy elves went by without speaking to him.
He and his family had lived like that for years. When any elf wanted to
describe something very sad he would say it was "Down in the Dumps."
And so Dumps went on without a single happy day.
But suddenly the elves decided to give a party. Oh, it was going to be
a very jolly party indeed, and Dumps heard about it. Almost every elf
who passed was whistling, or singing something cheerful. And some of
them carried their best green suits to the Wood Fairy's house to be
pressed. And when Dumps heard about the party, he cried so loud because
he knew he wouldn't be invited that the Wood Fairy heard him. The noise
disturbed her, and she went down to Dumps' house to see what was the
matter with him _now_.
"Tell me all about it, from the beginning, my dear," she said to poor
little Dumps.
"I can't see the sunshine!" Dumps howled.
"Of course, you can't," said the Wood Fairy. "Your windows are dirty.
Get some nice spring water in your little pail and wash them."
Dumps had never thought of doing that. When he washed the windows the
sunbeams streamed in like a golden ladder.
"Is there something else the matter?" the Wood Fairy asked.
"My fire won't burn, even though I kick the coal bucket every day,"
Dumps sobbed.
"Well, try blowing the fire," the Wood Fairy suggested.
Dumps had never thought of doing that. His bellows were stiff, but he
blew them very hard, and--crackle--there was a nice bright fire, and
his kettle began to sing!
"Is that all?" asked the Wood Fairy.
"Oh, no!" Dumps sighed, "The other elves are giving a party, and I'm
not invited."
"It is for all the elves, and you don't have to be invited," the Wood
Fairy said. "Stand up straight and let me brush your suit. Now run
along, my dear."
So Dumps started up the hill to the party, laughing all the way, for he
just couldn't help it. You see, he had so many years of being one of
the Dumps to make up for! He laughed until all his wrinkles were gone,
and he was puffed out with happiness. He started bees buzzing, and
grasshoppers fiddling, and crickets chirping.
"Who can this new, fat, cheerful elf be?" asked all the other elves,
as Dumps arrived at the party, turning a double-somersault into their
midst. "We are all here except Dumps, and of course this isn't he?"
Then Dumps showed them how he could turn back-somersaults, and make a
see-saw out of a rush leaf. He taught them how to play baseball with
white clover heads, and how to make a swing of braided grasses. He
surprised himself with all the good times he was able to think up.
"Of course, this isn't Dumps," the other elves decided. "His name must
be Delight." And Dumps never told them their mistake, for it wasn't
really a mistake at all. Now, was it?
[Illustration]
THE WRECK OF THE HESPERUS
BY HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW
It was the schooner Hesperus,
That sailed the wintry sea;
And the skipper had taken his little daughter,
To bear him company.
Blue were her eyes as the fairy-flax,
Her cheeks like the dawn of day,
And her bosom white as the hawthorn buds,
That ope in the month of May.
The skipper he stood beside the helm,
His pipe was in his mouth;
And he watched how the veering flaw did blow
The smoke now west, now south.
Then up and spake an old Sailor,
Had sailed to the Spanish Main:
"I pray thee, put into yonder port,
For I fear a hurricane.
"Last night, the moon had a golden ring,
And to-night no moon we see!"
The skipper, he blew a whiff from his pipe,
And a scornful laugh laughed he.
Colder and louder blew the wind,
A gale from the northeast,
The snow fell hissing in the brine,
And the billows frothed like yeast.
Down came the storm, and smote amain,
The vessel in its strength;
She shuddered and paused, like a frighted steed,
Then leaped her cable's length.
"Come hither! come hither! my little daughter,
And do not tremble so;
For I can weather the roughest gale,
That ever wind did blow."
He wrapped her warm in his seaman's coat
Against the stinging blast;
He cut a rope from a broken spar,
And bound her to the mast.
"O father! I hear the church-bells ring,
Oh say, what may it be?"
"'Tis a fog-bell on a rock-bound coast!"--
And he steered for the open sea.
"O father! I hear the sound of guns.
Oh say, what may it be?"
"Some ship in distress, that cannot live
In such an angry sea!"
"O father! I see a gleaming light.
Oh say, what may it be?"
But the father answered never a word,
A frozen corpse was he.
Lashed to the helm, all stiff and stark,
With his face turned to the skies,
The lantern gleamed through the gleaming snow
On his fixed and glassy eyes.
Then the maiden clasped her hands and prayed
That saved she might be;
And she thought of Christ, who stilled the wave,
On the Lake of Galilee.
And fast through the midnight dark and drear,
Through the whistling sleet and snow,
Like a sheeted ghost, the vessel swept
Toward the reef of Norman's Woe.
And ever the fitful gusts between
A sound came from the land;
It was the sound of the trampling surf,
On the rocks and the hard sea-sand.
The breakers were right beneath her bows,
She drifted a dreary wreck,
And a whooping billow swept the crew
Like icicles from her deck.
She struck where the white and fleecy waves
Looked soft as carded wool,
But the cruel rocks, they gored her side
Like the horns of an angry bull.
Her rattling shrouds, all sheathed in ice,
With the masts went by the board;
Like a vessel of glass, she stove and sank,
Ho! ho! the breakers roared!
At daybreak, on the bleak sea-beach,
A fisherman stood aghast,
To see the form of a maiden fair,
Lashed close to a drifting mast.
The salt sea was frozen on her breast,
The salt tears in her eyes;
And he saw her hair, like the brown seaweed,
On the billows fall and rise.
Such was the wreck of the Hesperus,
In the midnight and the snow!
Christ save us all from a death like this,
On the reef of Norman's Woe.
[Illustration: Ballad of the Little Page]
BY ABBIE FARWELL BROWN
It was a little, little page,
Was brought from far away,
To bear the great queen's velvet train
Upon her bridal day.
His yellow curls were long and bright,
His page's suit was blue,
With golden clasps at neck and knee,
And ruffles fair and new.
And faith, he was the smallest page
The court had ever known:
His head scarce reached the topmost step
That led up to the throne.
And oh, 't was but a little lad
Had never been before
So many leagues from kin and friends,
And from his father's door!
And oh!--'t was but a little child
Who never yet, I wis,
Had stolen lonely to his bed
Without his mother's kiss.
He had not seen the noble queen,
Of whom his heart had fear;
He knew no friend at court to give
A welcome and good cheer.
It was the busy night before
The great queen's wedding-day,
And all was bustle, haste, and noise,
And every one was gay;
And each one had his task to do,
And none had time to spare
To tend a weeping little page
Whose mother was not there.
Far in a big and gloomy room
Within the castle keep,
The little page lay all alone,
And wept, and could not sleep.
The little page lay all alone,
And hid his head and cried,
Until it seemed his aching heart
Would burst his little side.
The chamber door was set ajar,
And one was passing by
Who heard the little page's sobs
And then his piteous cry.
Then some one lifted up the latch
And pushed the heavy door,
And then a lady entered in
And crossed the chamber floor--
A lady tall and sweet and fair,
In bridal white who stepped;
She stood beside the page's bed,
And asked him why he wept.
[Illustration: "--AND NONE HAD TIME TO SPARE TO TEND A LITTLE WEEPING
PAGE"]
[Illustration: "HE TREMBLED AND LOOKED DOWN"]
And then he sobbed about a "kiss,"
His "mother," and his "home,"
And wished the queen had called no page,
And wished he had not come;
For she was "such a proud, great queen"
He was afraid, he said;
And he was "lost and lonely" there
In that huge, gloomy bed.
And then the lady bent her down
And kissed him on the lips,
And smoothed his yellow, silken curls
With tender finger-tips.
The tears stood in her gentle eyes;
"Poor little lad!" she said,
And cuddled him up in her arms
And knelt down by the bed.
And so she held him, close and warm,
And sang him off to sleep,
While at her nod her waiting-maids
A silent watch did keep.
And when the morning smiled again
The little page awoke.
They clad him in a suit of white,
With velvet cap and cloak,
And crystal buckles on his shoes,
And led him to the queen,
All lovely in her bridal gear,
The fairest ever seen.
And he was such a tiny page,
He trembled and looked down,
For he was sore afraid to see
The great queen sternly frown.
But lo! he heard a soft voice say,
"O little page, look here!
Am I, who sing to sleep so well,
A queen for child to fear?"
He raised his eyes, and lo! the bride
Looked on the page and smiled,
And then he knew the queen had played
At nurse-maid for a child.
And well he graced the wedding-feast
And bore her velvet train,
And at his dear queen's side thenceforth
Was never sad again.
[Illustration]
THE SNOW-IMAGE
BY NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE
One afternoon of a cold winter's day, when the sun shone forth with
chilly brightness, after a long storm, two children asked leave of
their mother to run out and play in the new-fallen snow.
The elder child was a little girl, whom, because she was of a tender
and modest disposition, and was thought to be very beautiful, her
parents and other people who were familiar with her used to call
Violet.
But her brother was known by the title of Peony, on account of the
ruddiness of his broad and round little phiz, which made everybody
think of sunshine and great scarlet flowers.
"Yes, Violet--yes, my little Peony," said their kind mother; "you may
go and play in the snow."
Forth sallied the two children, with a hop-skip-and-jump that carried
them at once into the very heart of a huge snowdrift, whence Violet
emerged like a snow bunting, while little Peony floundered out with his
round face in full bloom.
Then what a merry time had they! To look at them frolicking in the
wintry garden, you would have thought that the dark and pitiless storm
had been sent for no other purpose but to provide a new plaything for
Violet and Peony; and that they themselves had been created, as the
snowbirds were, to take delight only in the tempest and in the white
mantle which it spread over the earth.
At last, when they had frosted one another all over with handfuls of
snow, Violet, after laughing heartily at little Peony's figure, was
struck with a new idea.
"You look exactly like a snow-image, Peony," said she, "if your cheeks
were not so red. And that puts me in mind! Let us make an image out of
snow--an image of a little girl--and it shall be our sister, and shall
run about and play with us all winter long. Won't it be nice?"
"Oh, yes!" cried Peony, as plainly as he could speak, for he was but a
little boy. "That will be nice! And mamma shall see it!"
"Yes," answered Violet; "mamma shall see the new little girl. But she
must not make her come into the warm parlor, for, you know, our little
snow-sister will not love the warmth."
And forthwith the children began this great business of making a
snow-image that should run about; while their mother, who was sitting
at the window and overheard some of their talk, could not help smiling
at the gravity with which they set about it. They really seemed to
imagine that there would be no difficulty whatever in creating a live
little girl out of the snow.
Indeed, it was an exceedingly pleasant sight--those bright little souls
at their tasks. Moreover, it was really wonderful to observe how
knowingly and skillfully they managed the matter. Violet assumed the
chief direction and told Peony what to do, while, with her own delicate
fingers, she shaped out all the nicer parts of the snow-figure.
It seemed, in fact, not so much to be made by the children, as to grow
up under their hands, while they were playing and prattling about it.
Their mother was quite surprised at this; and the longer she looked,
the more and more surprised she grew.
Now, for a few moments there was a busy and earnest but indistinct hum
of the two children's voices, as Violet and Peony wrought together with
one happy consent. Violet still seemed to be the guiding spirit; while
Peony acted rather as a laborer and brought her the snow from far and
near. And yet the little urchin evidently had a proper understanding of
the matter.
"Peony, Peony!" cried Violet; for her brother was at the other side of
the garden. "Bring me those light wreaths of sn
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