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LIBRARY OF THE 
 NEW YORK STATE COLLEGE 
 OF HOME ECONOMICS 
 CORNELL UNIVERSITY 
 ITHACA, NEW YORK 
 
Cornell University 
 Library 
 
 The original of this book is in 
 the Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924014518561 
 
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THE CHILDREN'S 
 BOOK 
 
 A COLLECTION OF THE BEST AND MOST FAMOUS 
 STORIES AND POEMS IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE 
 
 1 
 
 >1 
 
 CHOSEN BY 
 
 HORACE E. SCUDDER 
 
 Wittf manp S'liusftration^S 
 
 'h& 
 
 tJl^ 
 
 ,^^%^E^1^ 
 
 
 BOSTON AND NEW YORK 
 HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY 
 
 ^ 
 

 -Ajl^ "I'i 
 
 COPYRIGHT, iSSl AND 1907, BY HOUGHTON, MIFFLIN * COMPANY 
 COPYRIGHT, 1909, BY GRACE OWEN SCUDDER 
 
 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 
 
PUBLISHERS' NOTE 
 
 "The Children's Book" has already had a long life 
 of almost unprecedented popularity with young read- 
 ers, but the perennial interest of the stories and poems 
 it contains insures a continuance of this popularity for 
 an indefinite time to come. Besides the fifteen full-page 
 illustrations by George Cruikshank, Gustave Dore, and 
 others, and the many illustrations in the text, the Pub- 
 lishers have provided for this' new edition a colored 
 frontispiece by Arthur I. Keller and have bound the 
 book in a new cover with a picture by Maxfield Parrish 
 (copyrighted in 1908 by P. F. Collier & Son). 
 
 July, 1910, 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 TBE BOOK OF FABLES. 
 
 The Wolf and the Lamb .... 
 
 The Fox and the Grapes .... 
 The Tortoise and the Harb . . . . 
 
 The Cat and the Mice 
 
 The Farmer and his Sons 
 
 The Woman and heb Maids .... 
 
 The Two Packs 
 
 The Fro&s ask for a Kins .... 
 
 The Fox in the Well 
 
 The Wolf and the Crane 
 
 The Cat, the Weasel, and the Young Rabbit 
 
 The Lion and the Mouse 
 
 The Goose that laid Golden Eggs . 
 
 The Boys and the Frogs . 
 
 The Lion, the Ass, and the Fox 
 
 The Astrologer 
 
 The Shepherd-Boy and the Wolf 
 
 The Farmrr's Sons .... 
 
 The Stag and the Lion 
 
 Hercules and the Wagoner . 
 
 The Sun and the Wind .... 
 
 Belling the Cat .... 
 
 The Farmer and the' Stork 
 
 The Crab and his Mother 
 
 The Cat, the Monkey, and the Chestnuts 
 
 The Crow and the Pitcher . 
 
 The Lion and the Fox . ... 
 
 A Country Fellow and a River . 
 
 The Belly and the Members . 
 
 The Fox that lost his Tail 
 
 The Archer and the Eagle 
 
 The Ant and the Grasshopper . 
 
 The Crow and the Fox 
 
 The Jackdaw and the Doves 
 
 The Fox and the Lion 
 
 The Tortoise and the Eagle 
 
 The Boy and the Nettle . 
 
 The Dog and the Wolf 
 
 The Boy that stole Apples 
 
 The Fox and the Stork 
 
 The Wolf and the Goat . 
 
 The Lion in Love 
 
 Page 
 . 1 
 1 
 1 
 
 . 8 
 
 8 
 
 . 9 
 
 9 
 
 . 9 
 
 9 
 
 , 10 
 
 10 
 
 , 10 
 
 10 
 
 11 
 
 11 
 
 11 
 
 12 
 
 12 
 
 12 
 
 12 
 
 13 
 
 13 
 
 13 
 
 The Kite and the Pigeons 
 
 The Ass in the Lion's Skin . . . . 
 
 The Dog and his Shadow . 
 
 The Lark and her Young Ones . 
 
 The Traveler and the Viper 
 
 The Frog and the Ox . ... 
 
 The Dog in the Manger .... 
 
 The Flies and the Pot op Honey 
 
 The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing 
 
 The Country Maid and her Milk-Pail 
 
 The Country Mouse and the Town Mouse 
 
 The Lioness and the Fox 
 
 The Miller, his Son, and their Ass 
 
 The Wolves and the Sheep 
 
 The Spendthrift and the Swallow 
 
 The Arab and his Camel 
 
 The Old Man and Death 
 
 The Choice of Hercules 
 THE BOOK OF WONDERS. 
 
 The Story of Chicken Licken 
 
 The Three Bears . 
 
 The Elves and the Shoemaker 
 
 The Frog-Prince .... 
 
 The Jew in the Bush 
 
 The King of the Golden Mountain 
 
 The Fisherman and his Wife 
 
 jorinda and jorindel 
 
 The Six Swans 
 
 Rumpel-Stilts-Kin 
 
 The Fair One with Golden Locks 
 
 Little One Eye, Little Two Eyes, and Little 
 Three Eyes 
 
 The Traveling Musicians . 
 
 The White Cat .... 
 
 Prince Cherry .... 
 
 The Golden Bird .... 
 
 RiQUET with the Tuft . 
 
 The Nose . .... 
 
 Hopo'-my-Thumb .... 
 A FEW SONGS. 
 
 Little Biedie . . • , , 
 
 FACIE 
 
 . 13 
 14 
 
 . 14 
 14 
 15 
 15 
 15 
 15 
 15 
 16 
 16 
 16 
 17 
 17 
 17 
 18 
 18 
 
 18 
 
 21 
 22 
 23 
 24 
 25 
 27 
 30 
 32 
 34 
 37 
 38 
 
 43 
 47 
 49 
 56 
 60 
 64 
 66 
 69 
 
 75 
 
IV 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 PAQE 
 
 The Lamb ...... 75 
 
 The Child's Desike 75 
 
 The Little Doves ... ... 75 
 
 '''jaETTY Coiv ........ 76 
 
 Twinkle, Twinkle ... • . 76 
 
 Willie Winkie . . . . 76 
 
 The Same, with the Scotticisms changed . 77 
 
 Good-Night and Good-Mokning . . . .77 
 
 Gentle Jesds, Meek and Mild ... 78 
 
 Lullaby . . . ... 78 
 
 Cradle Song . .... 78 
 
 THE BOOK OF POPULAR TALES. 
 
 ^ Cinderella ; ok, the Glass Slipper . . .79 
 
 Hans in Luck ... 83 
 
 ^-The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood . . .85 
 
 Jack the Giant-Killer . .... 89 
 
 Tom Thumb . 96 
 
 Puss IN Boots .... 99 
 
 Little Red Riding-Hood • 103 - 
 
 Beauty and the Beast . . 104 
 
 The History of Sir Richard Whittington and 
 
 his Cat . ... 109 
 
 Blue Beard . . .114 
 
 The History oe Fortunatus .... 117 
 
 ^-'^Jack and the Bean-Stalk • . . . 122 
 
 The History of Valentine and Orson . . 127 
 
 Clever Alice . . . 132 
 
 THE BOOK OF STORIES IN VERSE. 
 
 The Children in the Wood . . . 1.34 
 
 Mary's Lamb . ... 136 
 
 The Spider and his Wife .... 136 
 
 The Notorious Glutton . . . 137 
 
 Dirty Jack . . .... 138 
 
 The Chatterbox 138 
 
 Meddlesome Matty 138 
 
 The Pin . ... 139 
 
 Never play with Fire . .... 139 
 
 The Pond . . . . . • 140 
 
 The Cow and the Ass 140 
 
 Nose and Eyes . . 141 
 
 The Wind in a Frolic . 142 
 
 The Diverting History of John Gilpin . 142 
 
 The Spider and the Fly . 146 
 
 A Visit from St. Nicholas 147 
 
 The Mountain and the Squirrel . 148 
 
 Holy Thursday 148 
 
 An Elegy on the Death of a Mad Dog . 149 
 
 The Pied Piper of Hamelin . . . 149 
 
 STORIES FROM HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN. 
 Thk Constant Tin Soldier . ... 154 
 
 The Emperor's New Clothes .... 157 
 
 The Daisy 
 
 The Ugly Duckling .... 
 
 The Fir-Tkee . . _ 
 
 The Flax 
 
 The Swineherd • . .... 
 
 The Lovers . . . . 
 
 Little Clais and Big Claus 
 The Darning-Needle 
 The Red Shoes . 
 The Nightingale 
 The Princess on the Pea . 
 HoLGER Danske 
 
 The Shepherdess and the Chimney-Sweep 
 ^^" What the Good-Man does is sure to be Right" 
 The Little Match Girl 
 The Bell 
 TALES FROM. THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' EN- 
 TERTAINMENTS. 
 
 I. Introduction 
 
 II. The History -of the Fisherman 
 
 III. The Story of the Enchanted Hdrse 
 
 IV. The Story of Aladdin ; or, the Wonderful 
 La MP 
 
 V. The Adventures of the Caliph Haroun Al- 
 
 R.tSCHID 
 
 VI. The History of Ali Baba, and of the Forty 
 Robbers killed by one Slave 
 
 VII. The Story of Sindbad the Sailor 
 
 VIII. The Story of the Little Hunchback 
 
 IX. The Story of the Barmecide Feast 
 THE BOOK OF BALLADS. 
 
 John Barleycorn 
 
 Robin Hood and Allix a Dale 
 
 Robin Hood ani. the Bishop of Hereford 
 
 The Hunting of the Cheviot 
 
 King John and the Abbot of Canterbury 
 
 Sweet William's Ghost 
 
 Sir Patrick Spens 
 
 The Heir of Linne 
 
 The Dragon of Wantley 
 THE BOOK OF FAMILIAR STORIES. 
 
 The Renowned History of Goody Two-Shoes . 
 
 The Renowned History of JIrs Margery Two- 
 Shoes 
 
 Eyes, and no Eyes ; or, the Art of Seeing 
 
 The Boy without a Genius 
 
 A Tale of Potted Sprats . 
 
 Waste not, Want not ; or, Two Strings to your 
 Bow ... , . 
 
 The Discontented Pendulum 
 A VOYAGE TO LILLIPUT 
 
 PAQt 
 
 1.59 
 162 
 167 
 172 
 175 
 178 
 179 
 186 
 188 
 191 
 197 
 198 
 201 
 203 
 206 
 208 
 
 211 
 219 
 222 
 
 230 
 
 284 
 296 
 304 
 307 
 
 310 
 310 
 312 
 313 
 318 
 32( 
 320 
 322 
 32fi 
 
 335 
 339 
 342 
 344 
 
 34 6 
 360 
 362 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 PASS 
 
 TRAVELS OF BARON MUNCHAUSEN . . 393 
 
 THE BOOK OF POETRY. 
 
 The Pet Lamb ........ 403 
 
 Poor Susan 404 
 
 Epitaph on a Hare 404 
 
 Llewellyn and his Dog .... 40.") 
 
 Paul Revere's Ride 406 
 
 lochinvak 409 
 
 Goody Blake and Harky Gill .... 410 
 
 How THEY brought THE GoOD NeWS FROM GhENT 
 
 TO Aix . . 412 
 
 Lucy Gray , . . 413 
 
 Old Ironsides . . . , 
 
 Horatius .... 
 
 The Skeleton in Armor 
 The Burial op Sir John Moore 
 Lord Ullin's Daughter 
 
 PAGE 
 
 414 
 . 415 
 
 420 
 . 423 
 
 424 
 
 The Wreck of the Hesperus 425 
 
 The Beggar Maid 427 
 
 THE BOOK OF ANCIENT STORIES. 
 
 The Horse of Wood . 428 
 
 The Cyclops . *3I 
 
 The Story op King Crjesus 436 
 
 The Expedition of the Argonauts . . .441 
 
THE BOOK OF FABLES. 
 
 THE WOLF AND THE LAMB. 
 
 As a Wolf was lapping at the head of a running 
 brook, he spied a stray Lamb paddling at some dis- 
 tance down the stream. Having made up his mind 
 to seize her, he bethought himself how he might 
 justify his violence. " Villain," said he, running 
 up to her, " how dare you muddle the water that 
 I am drinking ? " " Indeed," said the Lamb, 
 humbly, " I do not see how I can disturb the 
 water, since it runs from you to me, not from me 
 
 to you." " Be that as it may," replied the Wolf, 
 " it was but a year ago that you called me many 
 ill names." " Sir," said the Lamb, trembling, 
 " a year ago I was not born." " Well," replied 
 the Wolf, " if it was not you it was your father, 
 and that is all the same ; but it 's no use trying 
 to argue me out of my supper ; " and without an- 
 other word he fell upon the poor, helpless Lamb 
 and tore her to pieces. 
 
 THE FOX AND THE GRAPES. 
 A Fox who was hungry discovered some 
 bunches of grapes hanging from a vine high up a 
 1 
 
 tree, and, as he gazed, longed to get at them, and 
 could not ; so he left them hanging there and went 
 off muttering, "They 're sour grapes. ''v 
 
 THE TORTOISE AND THE HARE. 
 
 " What a dull, heavy creature," says the Hare, 
 "is this Tortoise." "And yet," says the Tortoise, 
 " I '11 run with you for a wager." " Done," says 
 
 the Hare, and then they ask the Fo\ to be the 
 judge. They started together, and the Tortoise 
 
THE BOOK OF FABLES. 
 
 kept jogging on still, till he came to the end of 
 the course. The Hare laid himself down midway 
 and took a nap ; " for," saj's he, " I can catch up 
 with the Tortoise when I please." But it seems 
 lie overslept himself, for when he came to wake, 
 though he scudded away as fast as possible, the 
 Tortoise had got to the post before him and won 
 the wager. 
 
 Slow and steady wins the race. 
 
 THE CAT AND THE MICE. 
 
 In a certain house there were many Mice. Now 
 a Cat, hearing of this, went there and began to 
 
 catch them and eat them up one hj one. When 
 "the jNlice were having this sorry time, they said 
 among themselves: "Let us take time by the 
 lovelock and make our way to the eaves, that we 
 may not be every one of us destroyed, for since 
 the Cat cannot get there we shall be saved." Now 
 when the Cat could not get at the Mice, he thought 
 something must be done, and began to plan to get 
 them out by some trick. Climbing up to a peg, 
 and throwing himself off, he hung from it and 
 pretended to be dead. One of the Mice peeping 
 out saw him there and said : " Ah, you fellow, if 
 you were a bag of meal itself we would n't come 
 out to you." 
 
 The fable teaches that prudent men, when they 
 have found out rascals, are not to be caught by 
 their make-believe. 
 
 THE FARMER AND HIS SONS. 
 
 A FAEMER who had come to the end of his life 
 wished his sons to make a trial of farming, and 
 calling them to him, said : " Children, I am now 
 finishing my life, but you will find {ill that be- 
 longs to me in the vineyard." So they, thinking 
 it must contain a treasure-pot, took spades and 
 plows, after the death of their father, and eagerly 
 dug up all the soil. The treasure-pot, to be sure, 
 they did not find, but the vineyard, being well 
 dug over and improved, yielded an abundant store 
 of grapes and made them rich. 
 
 The story teaches that hard work is man's 
 treasure-pot. 
 
 THE WOMAN AND HER MAIDS. 
 A Widow, who was a notable housekeeper, 
 was wont to wake her Maids and set them at 
 work by cock-crow. And they, taking this very 
 hard, thought it was only necessary to strangle 
 the house cock, for they thought he was the cause 
 of their ills, because he waked the mistress before 
 dawn. When they bad done this the lady of the 
 
 house waked them earlier still, in the very middle 
 of the night, for she could not tell when it was 
 cock-crow. 
 
 So it is that their own devices become the very 
 breeders of evil to many men. 
 
 THE TWO PACKS, 
 Every man carries two packs, one in front, the 
 
THE WOLF AND THE CRANE. 
 
 other behind, and each is full of faults. But the 
 one in front holds other people's faults, the one 
 behind holds his own. And so it is that men do 
 not see their own faults at all, but see very clearly 
 indeed the faults of others. 
 
 THE FROGS ASK FOR A KING. 
 
 The Frogs being concerned at the free and 
 easy way in which they were living, sent their 
 elders to Jove to beg him to send them a king. 
 Now he saw what simpletons they were and tossed 
 a Log into the middle of the lake. The Frogs, 
 frightened out of their senses, plunged at once 
 into the very deepest holes. But after some time 
 had passed, when they saw that the Log was stock 
 
 down to see what the matter was. " ^h," says 
 Reynard, " pray lend me yonr hand, friend, and 
 
 still, they forgot their fright, and felt such con- 
 tempt for it that they jumped up and sat on it. 
 Thinking such a king not worth having, they went 
 a second time to Jove, and asked him to change 
 him. Then he gave them an Eel, but when they 
 saw how stupid he was, they refused to receive 
 him. So they went a third time to Jove, and 
 wanted him to change this one too. And Jove, 
 who was now angry, at once sent a Stork to them, 
 who caught the Frogs and ate them up one by 
 one. 
 
 Tlie fable shows that it is well to trust God, 
 and so to avoid wicked and troublesome rulers. 
 
 THE FOX IN THE WELL. 
 An unlucky Fox dropped into a well, and cried 
 eut for help. A Wolf overheard him, and looked 
 
 get me out of this." " Poor creature," says the 
 Wolf, " how did this come about ? how long hast 
 thou been here ? thou must be mighty cold." 
 " Come, come," says the Fox, " this is no time for 
 pitying and asking questions ; get me out of the 
 well first, and I will tell you all about it after- 
 ward." 
 
 THE WOLF AND THE CRANE. 
 
 A Wolf once had a bone stuck in his throat, 
 and offered the Crane a large reward if she would 
 thrust her head down and draw the bone out. 
 
 Slie did so, and claimed the reward. At that, the 
 Wolf set up a laugh, and showed his teeth : " Isn't 
 it enough for you," he said, " to have this, and 
 
4 THE BOOK OF FABLES. 
 
 nothing else, that you have drawn your head safely THE CAT, THE WEASEL, AND THE YOUNG 
 
 out of the jaws of the Wolf ? " RABBIT. 
 
 The story points at crafty men, who, when they A YOUNG Rabbit was living contentedly at 
 
 are rid of danger, offer this to their benefactors home, respected by his neighbors, and not disposed 
 
 for thanks, that they did them no injury. to get into difficulty with any one, for he was 
 
THE GOOSE THAT LAID GOLDEN EGGS. 
 
 peaceful and temperate in his habits. He went 
 out one morning to the parsley market, to get his 
 dinner, when a Weasel, that was going slyly by, 
 slipped into the Rabbit's house, and made herself 
 at home. It was very comfortable, and quite to 
 her mind, so she decided to remain, and settle 
 down there at housekeeping, and enjoy the society 
 of the neighborhood. By and bj' the Rabbit re- 
 turned, and saw the Weasel sitting at the window, 
 poking her snout out. " Do you not know that 
 this is my house ? " he asked. " Tut, tut," said 
 the Weasel. " What makes it yours ? you only 
 scratched the ground a little and came in here 
 where the earth was gone. Do you pretend to 
 own the earth ? " " The law gives it to me," 
 said the Rabbit, " because I made it fit to live in. 
 If you do not leave, I shall send for the consta- 
 ble." " The law, indeed ! " said the Weasel. 
 " And pray what right has the law to give away 
 land? But we will have no more words. We 
 will lay the matter before Grimalkin, and leave 
 it to him." The Rabbit consented, and they went 
 together to Grimalkin, an ancient Cat, who was 
 old, wise, and learned. "■ Come nearer, my chil- 
 dren," said Grimalkin to them, as they both began 
 talking together ; " I am very deaf, and borne 
 down by the weight of years. Nearer still, that 
 I may hear every word." Both approached fear- 
 lessly, each loudly protesting that the other was 
 unjust. As soon, however, as the learned Gri- 
 malkin had them within reach, he darted his 
 claws out on either side at the same moment, and 
 had them both in his clutches, when he settled 
 their dispute by devouring them at his leisure. 
 The house then belonged to him. 
 
 THE LION AND THE MOUSE.' 
 
 A Mouse happened to run into- the mouth of a 
 sleeping Lion, who roused himself, caught him, 
 and was just about eating him, when the little 
 fellow begged him to let him go, saying, " If I am 
 saved, I shall be everlastingly grateful." So, with 
 a smile, he let him off. It befell him, not long 
 after, to be saved by the Mouse's gratitude, for 
 when he was caught by^some hunters and bound 
 
 by ropes to a tree, the Mouse, hearing his roaring 
 groans, came and gnawed the ropes, and set him 
 free, saying, "You laughed at me once, as if you 
 
 could receive no return from me, but now, you see, 
 it is you who have to be grateful to me." 
 
 The story shows that there come sudden changes 
 of affairs, when the most powerful owe everything 
 to the weakest. 
 
 THE GOOSE THAT LAID GOLDEN EGGS. 
 
 Theee was a Man who once had a very hand- 
 some Goose, that always laid golden eggs. Now, 
 he thought there must be gold inside of her, so he 
 
 wrung her neck straightway, and found she was 
 exactly like all other geese. He thought to find 
 riches, and lost the little he had. 
 
 The fable teaches that one who has anything 
 
6 
 
 THE BOOK OF FABLES. 
 
 should be content with it, and avoid covetousness, 
 lest he lose what he has. 
 
 THE BOYS AND THE FROGS. 
 
 A COMPANY of waggish Boys were watching 
 some Frogs at the side of a pond, and as fast as 
 any of them put up their heads they 'd pelt them 
 down again with stones. " Boys," says one of the 
 Frogs, " you never consider that though this may 
 be fun for you 't is death to us."' , 
 
 THE LION, THE ASS, AND THE FOX. 
 
 The Lion, the Ass, and the Fox, made a bar- 
 gain to go hunting together. Now when they had 
 caught a good supply of game, they came to eat 
 it ; and the Lion charged the Ass to divide the 
 spoil. So he divided it into three equal parts, and 
 
 called on them to choose their portion, at which 
 the Lion fell into a rage, and made his supper off 
 the Ass. Afterward, he bade the Fox make the 
 division ; but the Fox put all the game into one 
 great heap, saving only a little bit for himself. 
 Then the Lion said, " My good fellow, who taught 
 you to divide so well ? " and the Fox said, " That 
 dead Ass there." 
 
 The fable teaches that wise men learn their 
 wisdom from the misfortunes of their neighbors. 
 
 THE ASTROLOGER. 
 
 An Astrologer was wont to go out every even- 
 ing and gaze at the stars. Now it happened once 
 that his walk took him outside of the town, and 
 
 as he was looking up with all his eyes to the sky, 
 he did not notice where he was going, and fell 
 into a ditch. He was in a sorry plight and set up 
 a cry, whereupon some one passing by heard his 
 groans, and came up to him j when the stranger 
 heard what had happened, he said to him : " Sir, 
 you who are trying to make out things in the sky, 
 don't you see what is on the earth ? " 
 
 One might apply this word to those who pre- 
 tend to teach men extraordinary things, but are 
 quite unable to attend to the most common af- 
 fairs. 
 
 THE SHEPHERD-BOY AND THE WOLF. 
 
 A Shepherd-boy who kept his flock a little 
 way from a village, for some time amused himself 
 with this sport : he would call loudly on the vil- 
 lagers to come to his help, crying, " Wolf ! wolf ! 
 the wolves are among my lambs ! " Twice, three 
 
 times, the villagers were startled, and hurried out, 
 and went back laughed at, when finally the wolves 
 really did come. And as the wolves made way 
 with the flock, and he ran crying for help, they 
 supposed him only at his old joke, and paid no 
 attention. And so he lost all his flock. 
 
 It only shows that people who tell lies get this 
 for their pains, that nobody believes them when 
 they speak the truth. 
 
 THE FARMER'S SONS. 
 
 A Faemee's sons were very quarrelsome, and 
 the father, when he took counsel with them, could 
 
HERCULES AND THE WAGONER. 
 
 do nothing by his words. Then he thought he 
 would persuade them by an example. So while 
 they were sitting there, he bade them bring him 
 some fagots, and when these were fetched, he 
 
 he was caught by the Lion. When he was about 
 to be doomed, he exclaimed : " What a wretch am 
 I, who was saved and made happy by the very 
 things which I despised, but have come to my end 
 by what I especially gloried in." 
 
 took them and bound them into one bundle, and 
 ordered his sons in turn to take the bundle and 
 break it. They tried, but could not. But after- 
 ward, when he had loosed the fagots, be gave 
 them to be broken singly. This they did very 
 quickly. Then their father saith to them : " So 
 is it with you, my children ; if you are all of the 
 same mind you will be unconquerable, and un- 
 manageable by your enemies ; but if you continue 
 to rebel and be quarrelsome, yoH will quickly be 
 mastered by them." 
 
 THE STAG AND THE LION. 
 
 A THIESTY Stag came to a spring to drink ; as 
 he drank he saw his reflection in the water, and 
 was very proud of his antlers when he saw how 
 big and branching they were ; but he looked griev- 
 ously at his feet, and took it hard that they 
 should be so thin and weak. Now, while he was 
 pondering, a Lion suddenly appeared, and began 
 to chase him, and he, turning to run, had the ad- 
 vantage, for the Stag's virtue is in his feet, the 
 Lion's in his loins. As long as the chase was on 
 the plain the Stag was not to be caught, but out- 
 stripped the Lion ; but when they came to a 
 wooded tract the Stag's horns became tangled in 
 the branches of trees, and not being able to run. 
 
 The fable teaches this, that in like manner, men 
 often think they have something fine, and get 
 caught by it unawares ; or this, often when in 
 danger those of our friends whom we suspect are 
 reallv our saviors, while those we trust, turn out 
 to be traitors. 
 
 HERCULES AND THE WAGONER. 
 As a countryman was carelessly driving his 
 
 wagon along a miry lane, his wheels stuck so deep 
 in the clay that the horses came to a standstill. 
 Upon this, the man, without making the least 
 
8 
 
 THE BOOK OF FABLES. 
 
 effort of his own, began to call upon Hercules to 
 come'and help him out of his trouble. But Her- 
 cules bade him lay his shoulder to the wheel, as- 
 suring him that Heaven onlj- helped those who 
 helped themselves. 
 
 THE SUN AND THE WIND. 
 
 There happened a controversy betwixt the 
 Sun and the Wind, which was the stronger of the 
 two, and they put the point upon this issue : 
 
 There was a traveler upon the way, and which 
 of the two could make him throw off his cloak 
 should gain his case. The Wind fell presently a 
 storming, and threw hail shot over and above in 
 the very teeth of him. The man wrai:)ped himself 
 closer, and kept advancing still in spite of the 
 weather ; but this gust in a short time blew over, 
 and then the sun broke out, and fell to work upon 
 him with his beams, but still he pushed forward, 
 till in the end he was forced to quit his cloak, and 
 lay himself down upon the ground in a cool shade 
 for his relief, so that tlie Sun, in the conclusion, 
 carried the point. 
 
 BELLING THE CAT. 
 
 There was a sly Cat, it seems, in a certain 
 house, and the Mice were so plagued with her at 
 every turn that they called a court to advise upon 
 some ways to prevent being surprised. " If you'll 
 be ruled by me," says one of the Mice, " thert^ 's 
 nothing like hanging a bell about the Cat's neck, 
 
 to give warning beforehand when Puss is com- 
 ing." They all looked upon it as a capital con- 
 trivance. "Well," says another," and now we 
 are agreed upon the bell, say who shall put it 
 about the Cat's neck ? " But there was no one 
 ready to bell the Cat. 
 
 THE FARMER AND THE STORK. 
 
 A Farmer set a net in his field in order to 
 catch Cranes and Geese that were eating the 
 young growth there. Novr a Stork that was 
 caught with them, and had bruised his foot, too, 
 begged the Farmer to let him go free ; he urged 
 him piteously, thus : " Save me, good man, let me 
 go, have pity upon a poor weak thing that has got 
 caught here ; for I am not a Crane : come, quick,, 
 see, I 'm a stork, a most useful creature, who take 
 care of my father and mother, and have no need 
 at all of any of these things in the field."" But 
 
 the Farmer laughed heartily, and said . " Oh, I 
 know you, I 'm not ignorant ; I know exactly 
 what you are. But you have been caught with 
 the others and must die like them." 
 
 The fable teaches that it is wise to run awaj' 
 and not consort with wicked men, lest we fall into 
 the same troubles that entrap them. 
 
 THE CRAB AND HIS MOTHER. 
 
 Said his mother to a Crab: " Why do you walk 
 so crooked, child ? walk straight." " Mother," said 
 he, " show me the way and I will try to walk like 
 
A OOVNTRT FELLOW AND A RIVER. 
 
 9 
 
 you." But as long as she could not walk straight 
 her son laughed at her advice. 
 
 the' CAT, THE MONKEY, AND THE CHEST- 
 NUTS. 
 
 A Cat and a Monkey were sitting one day in 
 the chimney corner watching some chestnuts which 
 their master had laid down to roast in the ashes. 
 The chestnuts had begun to burst with the heat 
 and the Mbnkey said to the Cat, " It is plain that 
 your paws were made especially for pulling out 
 those chestnuts. Do you reach forth and draw 
 them out. Your paws are, indeed, exactly like 
 our master's hands." The Cat was greatly flat- 
 tered by this speech, and reached forward for the 
 tempting chestnuts, but scarcely had he touched 
 the hot ashes than he drew back with a cry, for 
 he had burnt his paw, but he tried again, and 
 managed to pull one chestnut out ; then he pulled 
 anotlier, and a third, though each time he singed 
 the hair on his paws. When he could pull no 
 more out he turned about and found that the 
 Monkey had taken the time to crack the chest- 
 nuts and eat them. 
 
 THE CROW AND THE PITCHER. 
 
 A Crow that was extremely thirsty found a 
 Pitcher with a little water in it, but it lay so low 
 
 thought himself, however, of a device at last that 
 did the basiness ; which was, by dropping a great 
 many little pebbles into the water and raising it, 
 that way, till he had it within reach. 
 
 THE LION AND THE FOX. 
 
 A Lion that had grown old, and no longer had 
 strength to forage for food, saw that he must get 
 it by cunning. Well, he went into his den, and, 
 creeping into a corner, pretended to be very sick, 
 and so all the animals about came in to take a 
 look at him, and as they came he snapped them 
 up. Now, when a good many beasts had been 
 
 he could not come at it. He tried first to break 
 the Pitcher and then to overturn it, but it was 
 both too strong and too heavy for him. He be- 
 
 cHught in this way, the Fox, who suspected what 
 his trick was, came along, and taking his stand 
 outside the den, and a little way off, asked the 
 Lion how he did. The Lion answered him, and 
 asked him why he would n't come down into the 
 den. " So I would," said the Fox, "but I notice 
 that all the foot-prints point into the den, and 
 there are none pointing out." 
 
 So prudent men, discovering danger by signs, 
 keep out of the way. 
 
 A COUNTRY FELLOW AND A RIVER. 
 
 A BLOCKHEADED boy who was sent to market 
 with butter and cheese by the good old woman, 
 his mother, made a stop at a swift river in the 
 way, and laid himself down on the bank there, till 
 it should run out. About midnight home he goes 
 to his mother, with all his market trade back 
 
10 
 
 THE BOOK OF FABLES. 
 
 f 
 
 .again. " Why, how now, my son," says she, 
 " what have we here ! " " Why, mother, yonder 's 
 a river that has been running all this day, and I 
 stayed till just now for the running of it out, and 
 there 't is, running still." " My son," says the 
 good woman, " thy head and mine will be laid 
 many a fair day before this river has all run by." 
 
 THE BELLY AND THE MEMBERS. 
 
 All the Members of the body conspired against 
 the Belly, as against the swallowing gulf of all 
 their labors ; for whereas the eyes beheld, the ears 
 heard, the hands labored, the feet traveled, the 
 tongue spake, and all parts performed their func- 
 tions ; only the Belly lay idle, and consumed all. 
 Hereupon, they jointly agreed, all to forbear their 
 labors, and to leave their lazy and public enemy 
 
 to take care of himself. One day passed over, the 
 second followed very slowly, but the third day was 
 so grievous to them all that they called a common 
 council. The eyes waxed dim, the feet could not 
 support the body, the arms waxed lazy, the tongue 
 faltered, and could not lay open the matter ; there- 
 fore they all, with one accord, desired the advice 
 of the Heart. Then the Heart told them : " It is 
 true that the Belly receives all the meats, but it 
 sends them out again for the nourishment of all 
 parts of the body, and all must work together for 
 the common good. The Belly cannot do without 
 the Members, nor the Members without the 
 Belly." 
 
 THE FOX THAT LOST HIS TAIL. 
 A Fox, that had got caught in a trap and lost 
 his tail when getting away, was so ashamed, that 
 he thought life not worth living. So he had a 
 mind to get the rest of the Foxes into the same 
 scrape, and thus hide his own maiming in the 
 common fortune. Well, he got them all together, 
 
 and urged them to cut off their tails, telling them 
 that the tail was not only a very ugly thing, but 
 so much dead weight hung on behind. But one 
 of them caught him up, saying, " ^ly good fellow, 
 this is all very well, but if it were not for your 
 benefit you never would be advising us to do it." 
 
 The story shows the way to answer those who 
 give advice to their neighbors, not out of good 
 will, but because they are looking out for them- 
 selves. 
 
 THE ARCHER AND THE EAGLE. 
 
 An Archer took aim at an Eagle, and, letting 
 fly his shaft, brought the bird down. The Eagle 
 gazed at the arrow and seeing that it was winged 
 with feathers fi'om his own breast, said : " How 
 often the wounds we get come from weapons which 
 we have supplied ! " 
 
 THE ANT AND THE GRASSHOPPER. 
 
 On a cold, frosty day, an Ant was dragging out 
 some of the corn which he had laid up in summer 
 time, to dry it. A Grasshopper, half perishing 
 with hunger, besought the Ant to give him a mor- 
 
THE FOX AND THE LION. 
 
 11 
 
 sel of it to preserve his life. " What were you 
 doing," asked the Ant, " this last summer ? " 
 
 " Oh," said the Grasshopper, " I was not idle. I 
 kept singing all summer long." Said the Ant, 
 laughing, and shutting up his granary. " Since 
 you could sing all summer, you may dance all 
 winter." 
 
 THE CROW AND THE FOX. 
 
 A Ceow had stolen a cheese and carried it away 
 to a high tree to eat it there in peace. A Fox 
 
 saw it and meant to get it by a device. " Good 
 Crow," said he, " what a lovely and shapely body 
 you have ! your color is more beautiful than that 
 of many of the birds, and had you but a charming 
 voice, surely you would hold the very first place." 
 Thereupon she opened her mouth to sing, to show 
 
 him he was wrong, when down fell the cheese. 
 He picked it up and ran off with it saying : " To 
 be sure you have a voice, Crow, but you have n't 
 any sense." 
 
 If you believe your enemy you will get punished 
 for it. 
 
 THE JACKDAW AND THE DOVES. 
 
 A Jackdaw seeing how well the Doves were 
 cared for in their dove-cote, whitened himself, so 
 that he might have a share in their good fortune. 
 As long as he kept quiet they let him be amongst 
 them, thinking he was a Dove, but when he forgot 
 himself and opened his mouth, they discovered 
 what he really was and flew upon him and drove 
 him out. He, poor fellow, losing that chance, 
 went back to the Jackdaws, but they did not know 
 him on account of his white coat, and would not 
 let him join them, and so for wanting to get into 
 two companies he missed both. 
 
 The fable teaches us that we ought to be con- 
 tent with our own, arguing that covetousness is 
 not only of no avail but often rids us of what we 
 already have. 
 
 THE FOX AND THE LION. 
 
 A Fox who had never seen a Lion met one by 
 chance, and upon first catching sight of him was 
 frightened almost to death ; the next time he hap- 
 
 pened on him he was frightened, to be sure, but 
 not so much as before ; when he saw him a third 
 
12 
 
 THE BOOK OF FABLES. 
 
 time, he plucked up courage enough to go up and look as if. you led an easy life of it." " That I 
 speak to him. do," quoth the Dog : " I have all I can eat and 
 
 The story teaches that familiarity makes terri- 
 ble things much less frightful. 
 
 THE TORTOISE AND THE EAGLE. 
 
 A Tortoise seeing an Eagle in flight wanted 
 much to fly like him. So she went to him when 
 he was by and asked him if he would not teach 
 her to fly, if she would pay him well for the lesson. 
 
 He told her it was impossible, but as she still 
 persisted and begged him, he seized her, bore her 
 aloft, and then let her drop upon a rock, but the 
 blow knocked the breath out of her body. 
 
 The fable teaches that men who are envious 
 and refuse to take the advice of those who know 
 more than themselves are apt to get into trouble. 
 
 THE BOY AND THE NETTLE. 
 
 A Boy playing in the fields was stung by a 
 Nettle. He ran home to his mother, telling her 
 he had but touched the weed and it had stung 
 him. " It was just touching it that stung you," 
 said she : " the next time you meddle with a Net- 
 tle grasp it boldly and it will not hurt you." 
 
 THE DOG AND THE WOLF. 
 
 A LEAN, hungry, half-starved Wolf happening 
 to meet one moonlight night with a plump, well- 
 fed dog, said : " Good morrow to you friend ; you 
 
 some left over." " That have not I," said the Wolf, 
 " you can count my ribs, I am so lean." " Well, 
 come with me," said the Dog, " and you shall 
 share my supper." As they jogged along the Wolf 
 spied a crease about the Dog's neck. " Now what 
 may that be?" he asked, curiously. "That? 
 that is where my master puts a collar on me when 
 he chains me to my kennel." " Chains you I then 
 vou can't run free when you will ! good-by, my 
 friend, I 'd rather have my liberty with hunger, 
 than good living with a chain," and the Wolf 
 went back to the woods. 
 
 THE BOY THAT STOLE APPLES. 
 
 An Old Man found a rude Boy upon one of his 
 trees, stealing apples, and told him to come down ; 
 but the young rogue told him plainly he would 
 not. " Won't you ! " said the Old Man, " then I 
 will fetch you down ; " so he pulled up some tufts 
 of grass and threw at him ; but this only made 
 the youngster laugh, to think the Old Man should 
 think to beat him down from the tree with grass 
 only. "Well, well," said the Old Man, "if nei- 
 ther words nor grass will do, I will try what vir- 
 tue there is in stones ; " with that he pelted him 
 heartily with stones, which soon made the Boy 
 clamber down from the tree and beg the Old 
 Man's pardon. 
 
THE KITE AND THE PIGEONS. 
 
 13 
 
 THE FOX AND. THE STORK. 
 
 The Fox invited the Stork to sup with him, 
 
 and placed a shallow dish on the table, out of 
 
 which it was impossible for the Stork, with her 
 
 long bill, to get anything, while the Fox could 
 
 father, in a great fright, finding himself in danger, 
 bethought hiin of a way, and said to the Lion : " I 
 cannot possibly give you my daughter. Lion, unless 
 you will first have your teeth and nails drawn, for 
 these would frighten her." He was so desperately 
 
 lap up the food with liis tongue, and so the Fox 
 had the laugh on the Stork. The Stork, in her 
 turn, invited the Fox to dine with her, and she 
 placed the food in a long-necked jar, from which 
 she could easily feed with her bill, while the Fox 
 could get nothing, and that was tit for tat. 
 
 Rudeness sometimes gets paid with a just retal- 
 iation. 
 
 THE WOLF AND THE GOAT. 
 
 A Wolf seeing a Goat feeding upon the edge 
 of a high precipice, where he could not get at her, 
 begged her to come down lower, where she would 
 be in no danger of falling over the precipice, add- 
 ing that the meadows and grass were much richer 
 where he was. But he answered, " Thank you, 
 good sir ; you are not inviting me to feed myself, 
 but to be food for you." 
 
 THE LION IN LOVE. 
 A Lion that had fallen in love with a Wood- 
 man's daughter, wanted to marry her, so he went 
 to the father and begged him to give him the 
 maid, but the Woodman said he could not think of 
 such a thing as marrying his daughter to a Lion. 
 At that the Lion began to roar furiously, and the 
 
 in love, that he readily consented, and when it 
 was all over, asked again for the girl, but the 
 Woodman had no longer any fear of him, and 
 drove him off with jeers. 
 
 THE KITE AND THE PIGEONS. 
 
 The Pigeons had long lived in fear of the Kite, 
 but by being always on the alert, and keeping 
 near the dove-cote, they contrived to escape his 
 attacks. Then the Kite, finding he could not 
 take them boldly, tried a trick. He went to the 
 
 dove-cote and said : " Why do you live in this con- 
 stant fear and anxiety ? I am strong, and could 
 
14 
 
 THE BOOK OF FABLES. 
 
 protect you against your enemies. Make me 
 king." At that, the Pigeons chose him for their 
 king, and when he was once securely within the 
 dove-cote he devoured his subjects at his leisure, 
 one each day, and one of them, when his turn 
 came, said truly, " It serves us right." 
 
 THE ASS IN THE LION'S SKIN. 
 
 The Ass once dressed himself in the Lion's skin 
 and went about frightening all the little beasts. 
 Now he happened on the Fox, and tried to 
 frighten him too ; but the Fox chanced to hear 
 him speak, and said : " Well, to be sure, I should 
 have been frightened too, if I had n't heard you 
 bray, and seen your ears sticking out." 
 
 So there are some men who make themselves 
 appear very fine outwardly, but are betrayed as 
 soon as thej^ begin to talk. 
 
 THE DOG AND HIS SHADOW. 
 
 As a Dog was crossing a river with a morsel of 
 good flesh in his mouth, he saw, as he thought, a 
 
 bigger piece in the water ; so he dropped what 
 he had, to catch at what was a shadow, and lost 
 both. 
 
 THE LARK AND HER YOUNG ONES. 
 
 There was a brood of young Larks in a field 
 of corn, which w^as just ripe, and the mother, 
 looking every day for the reapers, left word, when- 
 ever she went out in search of food, that her 
 
 young ones should report to her all the news they 
 heard. One day, while she was absent, the mas- 
 ter came to look at the state of the crops. " It 
 is full time," said he, " to call in all my neighbors 
 and get my corn reaped." When the old Lark 
 came home, the young ones told their mother what 
 they had heard, and begged her to remove them 
 forthwith. " Time enough," said she ; " if he 
 trusts to his neighbors, he will have to wait a while 
 yet for his harvest." Next day, however, the 
 owner came again, and finding the sun still hotter 
 
 and the corn more ripe, and nothing done, "' There 
 is not a moment to be lost," said he : " we cannot 
 depend upon our neighbors : we must call in our 
 relations," and turning to his son, " Go, call your 
 uncles and cousins, and see that they begin to- 
 morrow." In still gi-eater fear the young ones 
 repeated to their mother the farmer's words. " If 
 that be all," says she, " do not be frightened, for 
 the relations have got harvest work of their own ; 
 but take particular notice what you hear the next 
 time, and be sure you let me know." She went 
 abroad the next day, and the owner coming as be- 
 fore, and finding the grain falling to the ground 
 from over-ripeness, and still no one at work, called 
 to his son. " We must wait for our neighbors and 
 friends no longer ; do you go and hire some reap- 
 ers to-night, and we will set to work ourselves to- 
 morrow." When the young ones told their mother 
 this, — " Then," said she, "it is time to be ofE in- 
 deed ; for when a man takes up his business him- 
 
THE WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING. 
 
 16 
 
 self, instead of leaving it to others, you may be 
 sure that he means to set to work in earnest." 
 
 THE TRAVELER AND THE VIPER. 
 
 A Traveler, going along the road in winter, 
 saw a Viper stiff with cold, and taking pity on it, 
 took it up and placed it in his bosom to warm it 
 back into life. Now the Viper, as long as he was 
 still cold, lay quiet, but as soon as he was well 
 wanned he drove his fangs into the man's breast. 
 And as the man was dying, he said : " I suffer 
 justly, for why should I have taken care of the 
 dying Viper, when I ought to have killed him, 
 though he had been in the best of health ? " 
 
 So there are some men who show favors to oth- 
 ers, and fail to see that they will only get stings 
 in return. 
 
 THE FROG AND THE OX. 
 
 An Ox, grazing in a swampy meadow, chanced 
 to set his foot among a parcel of young Frogs, and 
 crushed nearl}' the whole brood to death. One 
 that escaped ran off to his mother with the dread- 
 ful news : " O mother," said he, " it was a beast 
 — such a big four-footed beast, that did it." 
 
 " Big ? " quoth the old Frog, '' How big ? was it 
 as big" — and she puffed herself out — " as big 
 as this? " " Oh, a gvent deal digger than that." 
 " Well, was it so big? " and she swelled herself 
 out yet more. " Indeed, mother, but it was ; and 
 if you were to burst yourself, you would never 
 
 reach half its size." The old Frog made one more * 
 trial, determined to be as big as the Ox, and burst 
 herself, indeed. 
 
 THE DOG IN THE MANGER. 
 A Dog made his bed in a manger, where he 
 
 neither ate the grain himself, nor let the Cow eat 
 it, who could. 
 
 THE FLIES AND THE POT OF HONEY. 
 
 A Pot of Honey having been overturned in the 
 pantry, the Flies clustered about to eat the honey, 
 but owing to the stickiness of the sweet stuff, they 
 could not get away ; their feet were so entangled 
 that they could not fly up, and, choking to death, 
 they cried out : " Wretches that we are, to die 
 just for a moment of pleasure I " 
 
 So it is that greediness is for many people the 
 cause of their ill-fortune. 
 
 THE WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING. 
 
 A Wolf, clothing himself in the skin of a 
 sheep, and getting in among the flock, had a 
 chance to make way with a good many of them. 
 At last the Shepherd discovered him, and, tying a 
 rope about his neck, hung him to a tree near by, 
 ;)s a warning to the other wolves. Some shep- 
 herds going by, thought, at a distance, that it was 
 a sheep hung thus, and wondered why the Shep- 
 herd should do this, but when they came near, 
 they saw that it was a Wolf, and the Shepherd 
 
16 
 
 THE BOOK OF FABLES. 
 
 said : " I hang a Wolf when I catch him, even 
 though he be dressed in a sheep's skin." 
 
 THE COUNTRY MAID AND HKR MILK-PAIL. 
 
 A Country Maid was walking slowlj' along 
 with a pail of milk upon her head, and thinking 
 thus : " The money for which I shall sell this 
 milk will enable me to increase my stock of eggs 
 to three hundred. These eggs, allowing for what 
 may prove addled, and what may be destroyed by 
 vermin, will produce, at least, two hundred and 
 fifty chickens. The chickens will be fit to carry 
 to market about Christmas, when poulti-j' always 
 brings a good price, so that by May Daj' I shall 
 have money enough to buy a new gown. Let me 
 see — green suits my complexion best; yes, it shall 
 be green. In this dress I will go to the fair, 
 where all the young fellows will want me for a 
 partner, but I shall, perhaps, refuse every one of 
 them," — and b}' this time she was so full of her 
 fancy that she tossed her head proudl}', when 
 over went the pail, which she had entirely forgot- 
 ten, and all the milk was spilled on the ground. 
 
 Don't count your chickens before they are 
 hatched. 
 
 THE COUNTRY 
 
 MOUSE AND THE TOWN 
 MOUSE. 
 
 A Country Mouse had a friend who lived in a 
 house in town. Now the Town Mouse was invited 
 by the Country Mouse to take dinner with him, 
 and out he went and sait down to a meal of barley 
 
 and wheat. " Do you know, my friend," said he, 
 " that you live a mere ant's life out here ? Now 
 I have abundance at home, come, and enjoy all 
 the good things." So ofE the two set for town, 
 and there the Town Mouse showed the other his 
 beans and meal, his dates, too, his cheese, and 
 fruit, and honey. And as the Country Mouse ate, 
 drank, and was merry, he praised his friend and 
 bewailed his own poor lot. But while they were 
 urging each other to eat heartily, a man suddenly 
 opened the door, and frightened by the noise they 
 crept into the cracks. Then when they wanted 
 to taste again of some dried figs, in came another 
 person to get something that was in the room, and 
 when they caught sight of him the}' ran and hid 
 
 in a hole. At that, the Country Monse forgot his 
 hunger, and fetching a sigh, said to the other : 
 " Please yourself, my good friend, eating all you 
 want, and having your fill of good things with jol- 
 lity — and danger and a constant panic; as for 
 me, poor wretch, who have only barley and wheat, 
 I will live on, without fear of any one overlooking 
 me." 
 
 The fable teaches that it is better worth while 
 to live plainly and undisturbed, than to have a 
 surfeit and be always in terror. 
 
 THE LIONESS AND THE FOX. 
 
 A Lioness was twitted by a Fox for only 
 giving birth to one at a time. " One," said she, 
 '• yes, one, but a Lion." 
 
THE SPENDTHRIFT AND THE SWALLOW. 
 
 17 
 
 The fable teaches that good resides not in num- 
 bers but in worth. 
 
 THE MILLER, HIS SON, AND THEIR ASS. 
 
 A Miller and his Son were driving their Ass 
 to a neighboring fair to sell him. They had not 
 gone far when they met with a troop of girls, re- 
 turning from the town, tialking and laughing. 
 " Look there ! " cried one of them, " did you ever 
 see such fools, to be trudging along on foot when 
 they might be riding ? " The old man, hearing 
 this, bade his Son get on the Ass, and walked 
 along merrily by the side of him. Presently they 
 came to a group of old men in earnest debate. 
 " There ! " said one of them, " that proves what I 
 was saying. What respect is shown to old age in 
 these days ? do yoa see that idle young rogue rid- 
 ing, while his old father has to walk ? get down, 
 you scape-grace, and let the old man get on ! " 
 Upon this, the Miller made his Son dismount, and 
 got up himself. They had not gone far, when 
 they met a company of women and children. 
 " Why, you lazy old fellow ! " cried several tongues 
 at once, " how can you ride upon the beast, while 
 that poor little lad there can hardly keep pace by 
 the side of you ? " The good-natured Miller there- 
 upon took up his Son behind him. They had now 
 almost reached the town. " Pray, honest friend," 
 said a townsman, " is that Ass your own ? " 
 " Yes," said the old man. " Oh ! one would not 
 have thought so," said the other, " by the way 
 you load him. Why, you two poor fellows are 
 
 better able to carry the poor beast, than he you ! " 
 " Anything to please you," said the old man. 
 " We can but try." So, alighting with his Son, 
 they tied the Ass's legs together, and by the help 
 of a pole endeavored to carry him on their shoul- 
 ders over a bridge that led to the town. This 
 was so entertaining a sight, that the people ran 
 out in crowds to laugh at it ; till the Ass, not lik- 
 ing the noise or his situation, kicked the cords 
 away, and tumbled off the pole into the river. 
 Upon this, the old man, vexed and ashamed, made 
 the best of his way home again, having learned 
 that by trying to please everybody he had pleased 
 nobody, and lost his Ass into the bargain. 
 
 THE WOLVES AND THE SHEEP. 
 
 Said the Wolves to the Sheep : " Why should 
 there always be war between us ? and how is it 
 no truce or flags go from us to you ? it is all along 
 of these wretched dogs who bark at us the moment 
 we come near you, and stir us up when we had no 
 
 thought of harming you. Only get rid of them, 
 and we can have peace." The Sheep believed the 
 Wolves, and sent the dogs off, but as soon as they 
 were left unprotected the Wolves ate them up. 
 
 If you listen to your enemy you will get your- 
 self into danger. 
 
 THE SPENDTHRIFT AND THE SWALLOW. 
 
 A DISSOLUTE young man who had spent all his 
 fortune, and had only his cloak left, when he spied 
 
18 
 
 THE BOOK OF FABLES. 
 
 a Swallow coming forth out of season, thought 
 that spring was at hand, and so went and sold his 
 cloak, as having no immediate use for it. But 
 afterward, when a storm arose, and the air was 
 yery keen, he saw the Swallow lying desolate and 
 
 dead, and said to her : "Ah, my friend, you have 
 ruined me, and are lost yourself." 
 
 The fable teaches that one swallow does not 
 make a summer. 
 
 THE ARAB AND HIS CAMEL. 
 
 One cold night, as an Arab sat in his tent, a 
 Camel gently thrust the flap of the tent aside and 
 looked in. 
 
 " I pray thee, master," he said, " suffer me but 
 to put my head within the tent, for it is cold with- 
 out." 
 
 " By all means, and welcome," said the Arab, 
 cheerfull3% and the Camel, moving forward, 
 stretched his head into the tent. 
 
 " If I might but warm my neck also," he said, 
 beseechingly. 
 
 " Put also j'our neck inside," said the Arab. 
 Presentljr the Camel, who had been turning his 
 head from side to side, said again. 
 
 " I will take but little more room if I place my 
 fore-legs within the tent. It is diflficult standing 
 without." 
 
 " You maj' also plant your fore-legs within," 
 said the Arab, moving a little to make room, for 
 the tent was very small. 
 
 " May I not stand wholly within ? " asked the 
 Camel, finally. " I keep the tent open by standing 
 as I do." 
 
 " Yes, yes," said the Arab, " I will have com- 
 passion on you as well as on myself. Come 
 wholly inside." So the Camel came forward, and 
 crowded into the tent. But the tent was too 
 small for both. 
 
 " I think," said the Camel, " that thei-e is not 
 room for both of us here. It will be best for you 
 to stand outside, as you are the smaller. There 
 will then be room enough for me," and with that 
 he pushed the Arab a little, who made haste to 
 get outside of the tent. 
 
 THE OLD MAN AND DEATH. 
 
 An Old Man, after cutting his wood and lifting 
 it upon his shoulders, set out on a long road. 
 And growing verj^ weary, he laid down his burden 
 and began calling on Death. But when Death 
 appeared and asked why he had called for him, 
 the Old ^l;u) said : '■ So that you maj" help me on 
 with ray load again." 
 
 The fable teaches that every man is a lover of 
 life, even though it go hard with him and he meet 
 a thousand dangers. 
 
 THE CHOICE OF HERCULES. 
 
 When Hercules was growing out of boyhood 
 into youth, and had come to the time when young 
 men become their own masters, and show plainly 
 whether they will take the path which leads by 
 virtue's way to the end of life, or wdll take that 
 which lies through sin, he sat down by the way- 
 side and considered w^hether of the two he would 
 choose. And as he sat there, t\yo queenly women 
 appeared and drew near ; the one was fair to look 
 upon and noble in form, of fine presence, with 
 downcast eyes and grave bearing, clad in white 
 garments ; and the other was tender and soft, and 
 so adorned as to seem fairer and ruddier than the 
 former, with a bearing that seemed more stately, 
 with eyes that were opened full and fair, and in 
 garments that shone as the day ; and oft she ad- 
 mired herself, and looked to see if any other were 
 
THE CHOICE OF HERCULES. 
 
 19 
 
 gazing upon her, and cast her eyes ever upon her 
 3wn shadow. 
 
 As they came near to Hercules, the one first 
 spoken of was keeping on her way, but the other 
 made haste to get before her, and running to Her- 
 cules, said : — 
 
 " O Hercules, I perceive that thou art consid- 
 ering by which of the two paths thou wilt travel 
 to thy life's end. If, now, thou wilt make me thy 
 friend I will lead thee by the pleasantest and 
 easiest path, and thou shalt not fail to taste of all 
 pleasures, and shalt go thy way unvexed by any 
 hardships. For, first of all, thou shalt have no 
 care for wars or the life of busy men, but shalt 
 only cast about, to see what pleasant thing thou 
 mayst have to eat or drink, or what delight there 
 may be for thine eye or thine ear, or what pleas- 
 antness to smell or touch, and how thou mayst 
 take thy joyance in the sports of the young, and 
 how thou mayst sleep softly, and enjoy all these 
 things with the least trouble. And should there 
 come any doubt into thy mind lest there should 
 be a lack of these things, have no fear that I will 
 call thee to toil, and weariness, and hardness of 
 life, that thou mayst obtain them, but know that 
 whatever others labor for that shalt thou have 
 without labor, wanting nothing which it may be 
 possible ever to gain ; for always do I give power 
 to those that follow me to have their heart's de- 
 sire." 
 
 When Hercules heard these words, he said : 
 " What is thy name, lady ? " and she answered : 
 " My friends call me Pleasure, but those who hate 
 me call me names, and say I am Vice." 
 
 Thereupon the other, coming near, said, " As 
 for me, I have come to thee, Hercules, because I 
 know those who gave thee birth, and taught thee 
 in thy childhood, and from this have hope that if 
 thou wilt take the path which I take thou wilt 
 become a good laborer in all that is pure and holy, 
 and I shall be held in even higher honor and be 
 yet more comely in the sight of good men. I will 
 not make thee deceitful promises of pleasure, but 
 I will show thee truthfully what the gods have ap- 
 pointed. For the gods give no good or fair thing 
 
 to men without labor and care ; wouldst thou have 
 the gods merciful to thee, thou must serve them : 
 dost thou wish to be beloved by thy friends, thou 
 must do thy friends good deeds ; art thou eager to 
 be honored by any city, thou must be of use to 
 that city ; dost thou long to be admired for thy 
 nobleness by all Greece, thou must make it thy 
 endeavor to do well to Greece ; desirest thou the 
 land to yield thee ripe fruit, thou must till the 
 land ; thinkest thou to be rich in herds, thou must 
 give thy care to the cattle ; art thou impatient to 
 grow mighty by war, and wouldst thou have 
 power to set thy friends free and worst thine ene- 
 mies, thou must study well the art of war with 
 those who understand it, and learn to practice it; 
 and then if thou wishest to have a strong body, 
 thou must make it obedient to thy mind, and thou 
 must exercise it with labor and the sweat of 
 toil." 
 
 Here Vice interrupted her, and said : " Dost 
 thou know, Hercules, by what a hard and long 
 path this woman would lead thee to pleasure ? 
 But I will take thee by an easier and shorter 
 way to happiness." Then Goodness said : — 
 
 " Thou bold woman, what good thing hast thou ? 
 or what real pleasure dost thou know, who art not 
 willing to do aught for the sake of these delights ? 
 for thou canst not even wait for the desire of these 
 pleasures, but before the desire comes thou hast 
 emptied them all, eating before thou art hungry, 
 drinking before thou thirstest, and that thou mayst 
 eat delicately, choosing skillful cooks ; that thou 
 mayst drink agreeably, getting costly wines, and 
 cooling them in summer with snow water ; that 
 thou mayst sleep softly, thou gettest not only 
 downy beds, but couches, and carpets beneath the 
 couches, for thou longest for sleep, not because 
 thou hast toiled, but because thou hast nothing to 
 do. Thou art immortal, but thou hast been cast 
 out by the gods, and art dishonored by good men ; 
 to the sweetest of all sounds, praise of thyself, 
 thou art deaf, and to the fairest of all sights thou 
 art blind, for thou never hast seen one good work 
 of thine. And who would trust thee, when thou 
 saidst aught ? and who would satisfy thee, asking 
 
20 
 
 THE BOOK OF FABLES. 
 
 aught "? or who in his right mind would dare to 
 be of thy company ? thy young men are weak, thy 
 old men are senseless ; when they pass their youth 
 without toil they drag through age with toil and 
 burden, ashamed of what they have done, weighed 
 down with what tliey now do, having run through 
 all pleasures in their youth, and waiting nothing 
 but hardness in their age. But I am companion 
 of the gods, and of all good men ; no beautiful 
 deed of gods or men is done without me. Gods 
 and m-in pay me honor, each in his own kind ; I 
 am a Jeloved fellow to the craftsman, a faithful 
 guard to the master of the house, a gracious aid 
 to the townsman, a good partner in the labors of 
 peace, a strong fellow soldier in war, and the best 
 comrade in the world, ^ly friends have a sweet 
 enjoyment at their ease, of meat and drink, for 
 
 they ask for nothing till they want it, and sleep to 
 them is more refreshing than to those who toil 
 not ; when they miss it the loss is no burden, and 
 when they have it they lose not thereby the doing 
 of any needful thing. The young rejoice in the 
 praises of the old, and the old men are glad at 
 honor from the young ; the memory of their for- 
 mer deeds is pleasant, and they are blessed in 
 their present work, for, by me, they have the gods 
 for their friends, men to love them, and their coun~ 
 try to honor them. And whensoever the end of 
 their journey comes, they lie not down in unhon- 
 ored forgetfulness, but with joy at the hymns of 
 praise, which are sung over them forever. 
 
 " Such things are possible to thee, O Hercules, 
 child of good parents ; to thee it is given by toi} 
 to win the most blessed happiness." 
 
THE BOOK OF WONDERS. 
 
 THE STORY OF CHICKEN-LICKEN. 
 
 As Chicken-licken went one day to the woods, an 
 acorn fell upon her poor bald pate, and she thought 
 the skj' had fallen. Then she said she would go 
 and tell the king that the sky had fallen. 
 
 So Chicken-licken turned back, and met Henny- 
 penny. " Well, Henny-penny, where are you go- 
 ing ? " and Henny-penny said, " I 'm going to the 
 wood for some meat," and Chicken-licken said, 
 " Oh, Henny-penny, don't go, for I was going, and 
 the sky fell upon my poor bald pate, and I 'm go- 
 ing to tell the king." 
 
 So Henny-penny turned back with Chicken- 
 licken, and met Cocky-locky. " Oh, Cocky-locky, 
 where are you going?" and Cocky-locky said, 
 "I'm going to the wood for some meat." Then 
 Henny-penny said, " Oh, Cocky-locky, don't go, 
 for I was going and met Chicken-licken, and 
 Chicken-licken had been at the wood, and the 
 sky had fallen ou her poor bald pate, and we are 
 going to tell the king." 
 
 So Cocky-locky turned back, and met Ducky- 
 lucky. " Well, Ducky-lucky, where are you 
 going ? " And Ducky-lucky said, " I 'm going to 
 the wood for some meat." Then Cocky-locky 
 said, " Oh, Ducky-lucky, don't go, for I was going, 
 and met Henny-penny, and Hennj'-penny met 
 Chicken-licken, and Chicken-licken had been at 
 the wood, and the sky had fallen on her poor bald 
 pate, and we are going to tell the king." 
 
 So Ducky-lucky turned back, and met Draky- 
 laky. " Well, Draky-laky, where are you go- 
 ing ? " and Draky-laky said, " I 'm going to the 
 wood for some meat." Then Ducky-lucky said, 
 " Oh, Draky-laky, don't go, for I was going, and 
 met Cocky-locky, and Cocky-locky met Henny- 
 
 penny, and Henny-penny met Chicken-licken, and 
 Chicken-licken had been at the wood, and the sky 
 had fallen on her poor bald pate, and we are go- 
 ing to tell the king." 
 
 So Draky-laky turned back, and met Goosey- 
 loosey. " Well, Goosey-loosey, where are you 
 going ? " and Goosey-loosey said, " I 'm going to 
 the wood for some meat." Then Draky-laky said, 
 " Oh, Goosey-loosey, don't go, for I was going, and 
 met Ducky-lucky, and Ducky-lucky met Cocky- 
 locky, and Cocky-locky met Henny-penny, and 
 Henny-penny met Chicken-licken, and Chicken- 
 licken had been at the wood, and the sky had 
 fallen on her poor bald pate, and we are going to 
 tell the king." 
 
 So Goosey-loosey turned back, and met Gander- 
 lander. " Well, Gander-lander, where are you 
 going?" and Gander-lander said, "I'm going to 
 the wood for some meat." Then Goosey-loosey 
 said, " Oh, Gander-lander, don't go, for I was 
 going, and met Draky-laky, and Draky-laky met 
 Ducky-lucky, and Ducky-lucky met Cocky-locky, 
 and Cocky-locky met Henny-penny, and Henny- 
 penny met Chicken-licken, and Chicken-licken had 
 been at the wood, and the sky had fallen on her 
 poor bald pate, and we are going to tell the king." 
 
 So Gander-lander turned back, and met Turkey- 
 lurkey. " Well, Turkej^-lurkey, where are you 
 going?" and Turkey-lurkey said, " I 'm going to 
 the wood for some meat." Then Gander-lander 
 said, " Oh, Turkey-lurkey, don't go, for I was 
 going, and I met Goosey-loosey, and Goosey-loosey 
 met Draky-laky, and Draky-laky met Ducky- 
 lucky, and Ducky-lucky met Cocky-locky, and 
 Cocky-locky met Henny-penny, and Henny-penny 
 
22 
 
 THE BOOK OF WONDERS. 
 
 met Chicken-licken, and Chicken-licken had been 
 at the wood, and the sky had fallen on her poor 
 bald pate, and we are going to tell the king." 
 
 So Turkey-lurkey turned back, and walked with 
 Gander-lander, Goosey-loosey, Draky-laky, Ducky- 
 lucky, Cocky-locky, Henny-penny, and Chicken, 
 licken. And as thej' were going along they 
 met Fox-lox. And Fox-lox said, "Where are 
 you going, my pretty maids ? " and they said, 
 " Chicken-licken went to the wood, and the sky 
 
 fell upon her poor bald pate, and we are going to 
 tell the king." 
 
 And Fox-lox said, " Come along with me, and 
 I will show you the way." But Fox-lox took 
 them into the fox's hole, and he and his young 
 ones soon ate up poor Chicken-licken, Henny- 
 penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-lucky, Draky-laky, 
 Goosey-loosey, Gander-lander, and Turkey-lurkey, 
 and they never saw the king to tell him that the 
 sky had fallen ! 
 
 THE THREE BEARS. 
 
 In a far-off country there was once a little girl 
 who was called Silver-hair, because her curly hair 
 shone brightly. She was a sad romp, and so rest- 
 less that she could not be kept quiet at home, but 
 must needs run out and away, without leave. 
 
 One day she started off into a wood to gather 
 wild flowers, and into the fields to chase butter- 
 flies. She ran here and she ran there, and went 
 so far, at last, that she found herself in a lonely 
 place, where she saw a snug little house, in which 
 three bears lived ; but they were not then at home. 
 
 The door was ajar, and Silver-hair pushed it 
 open and found the place to be quite empty, so 
 she made up her mind to go in boldly, and look 
 all about the place, little thinking what sort of 
 people lived there. 
 
 Now the three bears had gone out to walk a 
 little before this. They were the Big Bear, and 
 the Middle-sized Bear, and the Little Bear ; but 
 they had left their porridge on the table to cool. 
 So when Silver-hair came into the kitchen, she saw 
 the three bowls of porridge. She tasted the largest 
 bowl, which belonged to the Big Bear, and found 
 it too cold ; then she tasted the middle-sized bowl, 
 which belonged to the Middle-sized Bear, and 
 found it too hot ; then she tasted the smallest 
 bowl, which belonged to the Little Bear, and it 
 was just right, and she ate it all. 
 
 She went into the parlor, and there were three 
 chairs. She tried the biggest chair, which be- 
 longed to the Big Bear, and found it too high. 
 
 then she tried the middle-sized chair, which be- 
 longed to the Middle-sized Bear, and she found it 
 too broad ; then she tried the little chair, which 
 belonged to the Little Bear, and found it just 
 right, but she sat in it so hard that she broke it. 
 
 Now Silver-hair was by this time very tired, 
 and she went up-stairs to the chamber, and there 
 she found three beds. She tried the largest bed, 
 which belonged to the Big Bear, and found it too 
 soft ; then she tried the middle-sized bed, which 
 belonged to the Middle-sized Bear, and she found 
 it too hard ; then she tried the smallest bed, which 
 belonged to the Little Bear, and found it just 
 right, so she lay down upon it, and fell fast asleep. 
 
 While Silver-hair was lying fast asleep, the 
 three bears came home from their walk. They 
 came into the kitchen, to get their porridge, but 
 when the Big Bear went to his, he growled out, — 
 
 " SO:\IEBODY HAS BEEN TASTING MY 
 PORRIDGE!" 
 
 and the ]\liddle-sized Bear looked into his bowl, 
 and said, — 
 
 '• SOJIEBODY HAS BEEK TASTING MY POR- 
 RIDGE ! " 
 and the Little Bear piped, — 
 
 " Somebody has tasted my porridge and ate it 
 all up ! " 
 
 Then they went into the parlor, and the Big 
 Bear gi-owled, — 
 
 "SOMEBODY HAS BEEN SITTING IN 
 MY CHAIR ! " 
 
THE ELVES AND THE SHOEMAKER. 
 
 23 
 
 and the Middle-sized Bear said, — 
 
 " Somebody has been sitting in my chaie ! " 
 and the Little Bear piped, — 
 
 " Somebody has been sitting in my chair., and 
 has broken it all to pieces ! " 
 
 So they went up-stairs into the chamber, and 
 the Big Bear growled, — 
 
 « SOMEBODY HAS BEEN TUMBLING 
 MY BED ! " 
 
 and the Middle-sized Bear said, — 
 
 " Somebody has been tumbling my bed ! " 
 and the Little Bear piped, — 
 
 " Somebody has been tumbling my bed, and here 
 
 IS J 
 
 At that, Silver-hair woke in a fright, and jumped 
 out of the window and ran away as fast as her legs 
 could carry her, and never went near the Three 
 Bears' snug little house again. 
 
 THE ELVES AND THE SHOEMAKER. 
 
 Theke was once a shoemaker who worked very 
 hard and was very honest ; but still he could not 
 earn enough to live upon, and at last all he had 
 in the world was gone, except just leather enough 
 to make one pair of shoes. Then he cut them all 
 ready to make up the next day, meaning to get 
 up early in the moi'ning to woiIj. His conscience 
 was clear and his heart light, amidst all his troub- 
 les ; so he went peaceably to bed, left all his cares 
 to heaven, and fell asleep. In the morning, after 
 he had said his prayers, he sat himself down at 
 his work, when, to his great wonder, there stood 
 the shoes, all ready made, upon the table. The 
 good man knew not what to say or think of this 
 strange event. He looked at the workmanship ; 
 there was not one false stitch in the whole job ; 
 and all was so neat and true that it was a com- 
 plete masterpiece. 
 
 That same day a customer came in, and the 
 shoes pleased him so well that he willingly paid 
 a price higher than usual for them ; and the poor 
 shoemaker with the money bought leather enough 
 to make two pairs more. In the evening he cut 
 out the work, and went to bed early, that he 
 might get up and begin betimes next day : but he 
 was saved all the trouble, for when he got up in 
 the morning the work was finished ready to his 
 hand. Presently in came buyers, who paid him 
 handsomely for his goods, so that he bought 
 leather enough for four pairs more. He cut out 
 the work again over night, and found it finished 
 in the morning as before ; and so it went on for 
 
 some time : what was got ready in the evening 
 was always done by daybreak, and the good jUian 
 soon became thriving and prosperous again. 
 
 One evening, about Christmas time, as he and 
 his wife were sitting over the fire chatting to- 
 gether, he said to her, " I should like to sit up 
 and, watch to-night, that we may see who it is 
 
 that comes and does my work for me." The wife 
 liked the thought ; so they left a light burning, 
 and hid themselves in the corner of the room be- 
 hind a curtain that was hung up there, and 
 watched what should happen. 
 
 As soon as it was midnight there came two 
 little naked dwarfs : and they sat themselves upon 
 the shoemaker's bench, took up all the work that 
 
24 
 
 THE BOOK OF WONDERS. 
 
 was cut out, and began to ply with their little 
 fingers, stitching and rapping and tapping away 
 at such a rate that the shoemaker was all amaze- 
 ment, and could not take his eyes ofE them for 
 a moment. And on they went busily till the job 
 was quite finished, and the shoes stood, ready for 
 use, upon the table. This was long before day- 
 break ; and then they bustled away as quick as 
 lightning. 
 
 The next day, the wife said to the shoemaker, 
 " These little wights have made us rich, and we 
 ought to be thankful to them, and do them a good 
 ofKce in return. I am quite vexed to see them 
 run about as they do ; they have nothing upon 
 their backs to keep off the cold. I'll itell you 
 what, I will make each of them a shirt, and a coat 
 and waistcoat, and a pair of pantaloons into the 
 
 bargain ; do you make each of them a little pair 
 of shoes." 
 
 The thought pleased the good shoemaker very 
 much ; and one evening, when all the things were 
 ready, they laid them on the table, instead of the 
 work that they used to cut out, and then went 
 and hid themselves, to watch what the little elves 
 would do. About midnight they came in, and 
 were going to sit down to their work as usual ; 
 but when thej' saw the clothes Ij'ing for them, 
 they laughed and were greatly dehghted. Then 
 they dressed themselves in the twinkling of an 
 eye, and danced and capered and sprang about as 
 merry as could be, till at last they danced out of 
 the door, over the green ; and the shoemaker saw 
 them no more : but everything went well with 
 him from that time forward, as long as he lived. 
 
 THE Ji'ROG-PRINCE. 
 
 One fine evening a j'oung princess went into a 
 wood, and sat down by the side of a cool spring of 
 water. She had a golden ball in her hand, which 
 was her favorite plaything, and she amused her- 
 self with tossing it into the air and catching it 
 again as it fell. After a time she threw it up 
 so high that when she stretched out her hand 
 to catch it, the ball bounded away and rolled 
 along upon the ground, till at last it fell into 
 'the spring. 
 
 The princess looked into the spring after the 
 ball ; but it was very deep, so deep that she 
 could not see the bottom of it. Tlien she began 
 to lament her loss, and said, " Alas ! if I could 
 only get my ball again, I would give all my fine 
 clothes and jewels, and ever3rthing that I have in 
 the world." Whilst she was speaking a frog put 
 its head out of the water and said, " Princess, wliy 
 do you weep so bitterly?" "Alas!" said she, 
 " what can you do for me, you nasty frog ? My 
 golden ball has fallen into the spring." The frog 
 said, " I want not your pearls and jewels and fine 
 clothes ; but if you will love me and let me live 
 witli you, and eat from your little golden plate. 
 
 and sleep upon your little bed, I will bring you 
 your ball again." " What nonsense," thought 
 the princess, " this silly frog is talking I He can 
 never get out of the well : however, he may be 
 able to get my ball for me ; and therefore I will 
 promise him what he asks." So she said to the 
 frog, " Well, if you will bring me my ball, I 
 promise to do all you require." Then the frog 
 put his head down, and dived deep under the 
 water ; and after a little while he came up 
 again with the ball in his mouth, and tlirew it 
 on the ground. As soon as the young princess 
 saw her ball, she ran to pick it up, and was so 
 overjoyed to have- it in her hand again that 
 she never thought of the frog, but ran home 
 with it as fast as she could. The frog called 
 after her, " Stay, princess, and take me with you 
 as you promised ; " but she did not stop to hear 
 a word. 
 
 The next day, just as the princess sat down 
 to dinner, she heard a strange noise, tap-tap, as if 
 somebody were' coming up the marble staircase; 
 and soon afterwards something knocked gently at 
 the door, and said, — 
 
THE JEW IN THE BUSH. 
 
 25 
 
 " Open the door, my princess dear, 
 Open the door to thy true love here ! 
 And mind the words that thou and I said 
 By the fountain cool in the greenwood shade." 
 
 Then the princess ran to the door and opened it, 
 and there she saw the frog, whom she had quite 
 forgotten ; she was terribly frightened, and shut- 
 ting the door as fast as she could, came back to 
 her seat. The king, her father, asked her what 
 had frightened her. " There is a -nasty frog," 
 said she, " at the door, who lifted my ball out of 
 the spring this morning: I promised him that he 
 should live with me here, thinking that he could 
 never get out of the spring ; but there he is at the 
 door and wants to come in ! " While she was 
 speaking the frog knocked at the door, and said, — 
 
 " Open the door, my princess dear, 
 Open the door to thy true love hero ! 
 And mind the words that thou and I said 
 By the fountain cool in the greenwood shade." 
 
 The king said to the young princess, "As you 
 have made a promise, you must keep it ; so go and 
 let him in." She did so, and the frog liopped into 
 the room, and came up close to the table. " Pray 
 lift me upon a chair," said he to the princess, 
 " and let me sit next to you." As soon as she 
 had done this, the frog said, " Put your plate 
 closer to me that I may eat out of it.'" This she 
 did, and when he had eaten as much as he could 
 he said, " Now I am tired ; carry me up-stairs and 
 put me into your little bed." And the princess 
 took him up in her hand and put him upon the 
 pillow of her own little bed, where he slept all 
 night long. As soon as it was light he jumped 
 
 up, hopped down-stairs, and went out of the house. 
 '• Now," thought the princess, " he is gone and I 
 shall be troubled with him no more." 
 
 But she was mistaken ; for when night came 
 again, she heard the same tapping at the door, 
 and when she opened it, the frog came in and 
 slept upon her pillow as before till the morning 
 broke : and the third night he did the same ; but 
 when the princess awoke on the following morn- 
 ing, she was astonished to see, instead of the frog, 
 a handsome prince standing at the head of her 
 bed, and gazing on her with the most beautiful 
 eyes that ever were seen. 
 
 He told her that he had been enchanted by a 
 malicious fairy, who had changed him into the 
 form of a frog, in which he was fated to remain 
 till some princess should take him out of the 
 spring and let him sleep upon her bed for three 
 nights. " You," said the prince, " have broken 
 this cruel charm, and now I have nothing to wish 
 for but that you should go with me into my 
 father's kingdom, where I will marry you, and 
 love you as long as you live." 
 
 The young princess, you may be sure, was not 
 long in giving her consent ; and as they spoke a 
 splendid carriage drove up with eight beautiful 
 horses decked with plumes of feathers and golden 
 harness, and behind rode the prince's servant, 
 the faithful Henry, who had bewailed the mis- 
 fortune of his dear master so long and bitterly 
 that his heart had well nigh burst. Then all set 
 out full of joy for the prince's kingdom ; where 
 they arrived safely, and lived happily a great 
 many years. 
 
 THE JEW IN THE BUSH. 
 
 A FARMER had a faithful and diligent servant, 
 who had worked hard for him three years, without 
 having been paid any wages. At last it came into 
 the man's head that he would not go on thus with- 
 out pay any longer ; so he went to his master, and 
 said, " I have worked hard for you a long time, I 
 will trust to you to give me what I deserve to have 
 
 for my trouble." The farmer was a sad miser 
 and knew that his man was very simple-hearted , 
 so he took out threepence, and gave him for every 
 year's service a penny. The poor fellow thought 
 it was a great deal of money to have, and said to 
 himself, " Why should I work hard, and live here 
 on bad fare any longer ? I can now travel into 
 
26 
 
 THE BOOK OF WONDERS. 
 
 the wide world, and make myself merry." With 
 that he put his money into his purse, and set out 
 roaming over hill and valley. 
 
 As he jogged along over the fields, singing and 
 dancing, a little dwarf met him, and asked him 
 what made him so merry. " Why, what should 
 make me down-hearted ? "' said he ; "I am sound 
 in health and rich in purse, what should I care 
 for ? I have saved up my three years' earnings, and 
 have it all safe in my pocket." " How much may 
 it come to ? " said the little man. " Full three- 
 pence,"' replied the countryman. " I wish you 
 would give them tome," said the other; "I am 
 very poor." Then the man pitied him, and gave 
 him all he had ; and the little dwarf said in return, 
 •' As you have such a kind honest heart, I will 
 grant you three wishes — one for each penny; so 
 choose whatever you like." Then the countrviuan 
 rejoiced at his good luck, and said, '• 1 like many 
 things better than money : first I will have a bow 
 that will bring down everything I shoot at ; sec- 
 ondly, a fiddle that will set every one dancing 
 that hears me play upon it ; and thirdl}', I should 
 like that every one sliould grant what I ask." 
 The dwarf said he should have his three wishes , 
 so he gave him the bow and fiddle, and went his 
 way. 
 
 ( )ur honest friend journeyed on his way too ; 
 a::d if he was merry before he was now ten times 
 more so. He had not gone far before he met an 
 old Jew : close by them stood a tree, and on the 
 topmost twig sat a thrush singing away most ]oy- 
 fuljy. '■ * >h, what a pretty bird ! " said the Jew ; 
 " I would give a great deal of money to have such 
 a one.'' " If that's all," said the countryman, " 1 
 will soon bring it down." Then he took up his 
 bow, and down fell the thrush into the bushes at 
 the foot of the tree. The Jew crept into the bush 
 to find it ; but directly he had got into the middle, 
 his companion took up his fiddle and played away, 
 and the Jew began to dance and spring about, ca- 
 pering higher and higher in the air. The thorns 
 soon began to tear his clothes till they all hung in 
 rags about him, and he himself was all scratched 
 and wounded, so that the blood ran down. " Oh, 
 
 for heaven's sake! " cried the Jew, " master ! mas- 
 ter ! pray let the fiddle alone. What have I done 
 to deserve this ? " " Thou hast shaved many a 
 poor soul close enough," said the other ; " thou art 
 only meeting thy reward : " so he played another 
 tune. Then the Jew began to beg and promise, 
 and ofi^ered money for his liberty ; but he did not 
 come up to the musician's price for some time, 
 and he danced him along brisker and brisker, and 
 the Jew bid higher and higher, till at last he 
 offered a round hundred of florins that he had in 
 his purse, and had just gained by cheating some 
 poor fellow. When the countryman saw so much 
 money, he said, " I will agree to your proposal." 
 So he took the purse, put up his fiddle, and trav- 
 eled on very well pleased with his bargain. 
 
 ^Meanwhile the Jew crept out of the bush half 
 naked and in a piteous plight, aud began to pon- 
 der how he should take his revenge, and serve his 
 late companion some trick. At last he went to 
 the judge, and complained that a rascal had 
 robbed him of his money, and beaten him into the 
 bargain ; and that the fellow who did it curried a 
 bow at his back and a fiddle hung round his neck. 
 Then the judge sent out his officers to bring up 
 the accused wherever they should find him ; and 
 he was soon caught and brought up to be tried. 
 
 The Jew began to tell his tale, and said he had 
 been robbed of his money. '• No, you gave it to 
 me for playing a tune to you," said the country- 
 man ; but the judge told him that was not likely, 
 and cut the matter short by ordering him off to 
 the gallows. 
 
 So away he was taken ; but as he stood on the 
 steps he said, " My Lord Judge, grant me one last 
 request." " Anything but thy life." " No," said 
 he, " I do not ask my life ; only let me play upon 
 my fiddle for the last time." The Jew cried out, 
 " Oh, no ! no ! for heaven's sake don't listen to 
 him ! don't listen to him ! " But the judge said, 
 " It is only for this once, he will soon have done." 
 The fact was, he could not refuse the request, on 
 account of the dwarf's third gift. 
 
 Then the Jew said, " Bind me fast, bind me 
 fast, for pity's sake." But the countryman seized 
 
THE KING OF THE GOLDEN MOUNTAIN. 
 
 27 
 
 his fiddle, and struck up a tune, and at the first 
 
 note, judge, clerks, and jailer, were in motion ; all 
 began capering, and no one could hold the Jew. 
 At the second note the hangman let his prisoner 
 go, and danced also, and by the time he had 
 played the first bar of the tune, all were dancing 
 together — judge, court, and Jew, and all the 
 people who had followed to look on. At first the 
 thing was merry and pleasant enough ; but when 
 it had gone on a while, and there seemed to be no 
 end of playing or dancing, they began to cry out, 
 and beg him to leave off; but he stopped not a 
 whit the more for their entreaties, till the judge 
 not only gave him his life, but promised to return 
 to him the hundred florins. 
 
 Then he called to the Jew' and said, " Tell us 
 now, you vagabond, where you got that gold, or I 
 shall play on for your amusement only." " I stole 
 it," said the Jew in the presence of all the people : 
 " I acknowledge that I stole it, and that you earned 
 it fairly." Then the countryman stopped his fid- 
 dle, and left the Jew to take his place at the gal- 
 lows. 
 
 THE KING OF THE GOLDEN MOUNTAIN. 
 
 A CERTAIN merchant had two children, a son 
 and daughter, both very young, and scarcely able 
 to run alone. He had two richly laden ships then 
 making a voyage upon the seas, in which he had 
 embarked all his property, in the hope of making 
 great gains, when the news came that they were 
 lost. Thus from being a rich man he became very 
 poor, so that nothing was left him but one small 
 plot of land ; and, to relieve his mind a little of 
 his trouble, he often went out to walk there. 
 
 One day, as he was roving along, a little rough- 
 looking dwarf stood before him, and asked him 
 why he was so sorrowful, and what it was that he 
 took so deeply to heart. But the merchant re- 
 plied, " If you could do me any good, I would tell 
 you." '"Who knows but I may ?" said the lit- 
 tle man ; "tell me what is the matter, and per- 
 haps I can be of some service." Then the mer- 
 chant told him how all his wealth was gone to the 
 
 bottom of the sea, and how he had nothing left ex- 
 cept that little plot of land. " Oh ! trouble not 
 yourself about that," said the dwarf ; " only prom- 
 ise to bring me here, twelve years hence, what- 
 ever meets you first on your return home, and I 
 will give you as much gold as you please." The 
 merchant thoiight this was no great request , that 
 it would most likely be his dog, or something of 
 that sort, but forgot his little child : so he agreed 
 to the bargain, and signed and sealed the engag- 
 ment to do what was required. 
 
 But as he drew near home, his little boy was so 
 pleased to see him, that he crept behind him and 
 laid fast hold of his legs. Then the father started 
 with fear, and saw what it was that he had bound 
 himself to do : but as no gold was come, he con- 
 soled himseK by thinking that it was only a joke 
 that the dwarf was playing him. 
 
 About a month afterwards he went up-stairs 
 
28 
 
 THE BOOK OF WONDERS. 
 
 into an old lumber room to look for some old iron, 
 that he might sell it and raise a little money ; and 
 there he saw a large pile of gold lying on the floor. 
 At the sight of this he was greatly delighted, 
 went into trade again, and became a greater mer- 
 chant than before. 
 
 Meantime his son grew up, and as the end of 
 the twelve years drew near, the merchant became 
 very anxious and thoughtful ; so that care and 
 sorrow were written upon his face. The son one 
 day asked what was the matter : but his father 
 refused to tell for some time ; at last however he 
 said that he had, without knowing it, sold him to 
 a little ugly-looking dwarf for a great quantity of 
 gold ; and that the twelve years were coming 
 round when he must perform his agreement. Theu 
 the son said, " Father, give yourself very little 
 trouble about that ; depend upon it I shall be too 
 much for the little man." 
 
 When the time came, they went out together 
 to the appointed place ; and the son drew a circle 
 on the ground, and set himself and his father in 
 the middle. The little dwarf soon came, and 
 said to the merchant, " Have you brought me 
 what you promised ? " The old man was silent, 
 but his son answered, " What do you want here ? " 
 The dwarf said, " I come to talk with your father, 
 not with you." " You have deceived and betrayed 
 my father," said the son ; " give him up his bond." 
 " No," replied the other, " I will not yield up my 
 rights." Upon this a long dispute arose; and at 
 last it was agreed that the son should be put into 
 an open boat, that lay on the side of a piece of 
 water hard by, and that the father should push 
 him off with his own hand ; so that he should be 
 turned adrift. Then he took leave of his father, 
 and set himself in the boat ; and as it was pushed 
 off it heaved, and fell on one side into the water : 
 so the merchant thought that his son was lost, 
 and went home very sorrowful. 
 
 But the boat went safely on, and did not sink ; 
 and the young man sat securely within, till at 
 length it ran ashore upon an unknown land. As 
 he jumped upon the shore, he saw before him a 
 beautiful castle, but empty and desolate within. 
 
 for it was enchanted. At last, however, he found 
 a white snake in one of the chambers. 
 
 Now the white snake was an enchanted prin- 
 cess ; and she rejoiced greatly to see him, and 
 said, " Art thou at last come to be my deliverer ? 
 Twelve long years have I waited for thee, for 
 thou alone canst save me. This night twelve men 
 will come f their faces will be black, and they will 
 be hung round with chains. They will ask what 
 thou dost here ; but be silent, give no answer, 
 and let them do what they will — beat and tor- 
 ment thee. Suffer all, only speak not a word ; 
 and at twelve o'clock they must depart. The 
 second night twelve others will come ; and the 
 third night twenty-four, who will even cut ofE thy 
 head ; but at the twelfth hour of that night their 
 power is gone, and I shall be free, and will come 
 and bring thee the water of life, and will wash 
 thee with it, and restore thee to life and health." 
 And all came to pass as she had said; the mer- 
 chant's son spoke not a word, and the third night 
 the princess appeared, and fell on his neck and 
 kissed him ; joy and gladness burst forth through- 
 out the castle ; the wedding was celebrated, and 
 he was king of the Golden Mountain. 
 
 They lived together very happily, and the queen 
 had a son. Eight years had passed over theit 
 heads when the king thought of his father : and 
 his heart was moved, and he longed to see hini 
 once again. But the queen opposed his going, 
 and said, " I know well that misfortunes will 
 come." However, he gave her no rest till she 
 consented. At his departure she presented him 
 with a wishing-ring, and said, " Take this ring, 
 and put it on your finger ; whatever you wish it 
 will bring you : only promise that you will not 
 make use of it to bring me hence to your father's." 
 Then he promised what she asked, and put the 
 ring on his finger, and wished himself near the 
 town where his father lived. He found himself 
 at the gates in a moment ; but the guards would 
 not let him enter because he was so strangely clad. 
 So he went up to a neighboring mountain where 
 a shepherd dwelt, and borrowed his old frock, and 
 thus passed unobserved into the town. When he 
 
THE KING OF THE GOLDEN MOUNTAIN. 
 
 29 
 
 came to his father's house, he said he was his son ; 
 but the merchant would not believe him, and said 
 he had had but one son, who he knew was long 
 since dead : and as he was only dressed like a poor 
 shepherd, he would not even offer him anything 
 to eat. The king however persisted that he was 
 his son, and said, " Is there no mark by which 
 you would know if I am really your son ? " " Yes," 
 observed his mother, " our son has a mark like a 
 raspberry under the right arm." Then he showed 
 them the mark, and they were satisfied that what 
 he had said was true. He next told them how 
 he was king of the Golden Mountain, and was 
 married to a princess, and had a son seven years 
 old. But the merchant said, " That can never be 
 true ; he must be a fine king truly who travels 
 about in a shepherd's frock." At this the son was 
 very angry ; and, forgetting his promise, turned 
 his ring, and wished for his queen and son. In 
 an instant they stood before him ; but the queen 
 wept, and said he had broken his word, and mis- 
 fortune would follow. He did all he could to 
 soothe her, and she at last appeared to be ap- 
 peased ; but she was not so in reality, and only 
 meditated how she should take her revenge. 
 
 One day he took her to walk with him out of 
 the town, and showed her the spot where the boat 
 was turned adrift upon the wide waters. Then 
 he sat himself down, and said, " I am very tired; 
 sit by me, I will rest my head in your lap, and 
 sleep a while." As soon as he had fallen asleep, 
 however, she drew the ring from his finger, and 
 crept softly away, and wished herself and her 
 son at home in their kingdom. And when the 
 king awoke, he found himself alone, and saw that 
 the ring was gone from his finger. " I can never 
 return to my father's house," said he ; " they 
 would say I am a sorcerer : I will journey forth 
 into the world till I come again to my king- 
 dom." 
 
 So saying, he set out and traveled till he came 
 to a mountain, where three giants were sharing 
 their inheritance ; and as they saw him pass, they 
 cried out and said, " Little men have sharp wits ; 
 he shall divide the inheritance between us." Now 
 
 it consisted of a sword that cut off an enemy's 
 head whenever the wearer gave the words, " Heads 
 off ! " — a cloak that made the owner invisible, or 
 gave him any form he pleased ; and a pair of boots 
 that transported the person who put them on 
 wherever he wished. The king said they must 
 first let him try these wonderful things, that he 
 might know how to set a value upon them. Then 
 they gave him the cloak, and he wished himself a 
 fly, and in a moment he was a fly. " The cloak 
 is very well," said he ; " now give me the sword." 
 " No," said they, " not unless you promise not to 
 say ' Heads off ! ' for if you do, we are all dead 
 men." So they gave it him on condition that he 
 tried its virtue only on a tree. He next asked for 
 the boots also ; and the moment he had all three 
 in his possession he wished himself at the Golden 
 Mountain ; and there he was in an instant. So 
 the giants were left behind with no inheritance to 
 divide or quarrel about. 
 
 As he came near to the castle he heard the 
 sound of merry music ; and the people around told 
 him that his queen was about to celebrate her 
 marriage with another prince. Then he threw 
 his cloak around him, and passed through the cas- 
 tle, and placed himself by the side of his queen, 
 where no one saw him. But when anything to 
 eat was put upon her plate, he took it away and 
 ate it himself; and when a glass of wine was 
 handed to her, he took and drank it : and thus, 
 though they kept on serving her with meat and 
 drink, her plate continued always empty. 
 
 Upon this, fear and remorse came over her, and 
 she went into her chamber and wept , and he fol- 
 lowed her there. " Alas ! " said she to herself, 
 " did not my deliverer come ? why then doth en- 
 chantment still surround me ? " 
 
 " Thou traitress ! " said he, " thy deliverer in 
 deed came, and now is near thee : has he deserved 
 this of thee ? " And he went out and dismissed 
 the company, and said the wedding was at an end, 
 for that he was returned to his kingdom -, but the 
 princes and nobles and counselors mocked at him. 
 However, he would enter into no parley with them, 
 but only demanded whether they would depart in 
 
30 
 
 THE BOOK OF WONDERS. 
 
 peace, or not. Then they turned and tried to 
 seize him ; but he drew his sword, and, with a 
 
 word, the traitors' heads fell before him ; and he 
 was once more king of the Golden Mountain. 
 
 THE FISHERMAN AND HIS WIFE. 
 
 Theee was once a fisherman who lived with his 
 wife in a ditch, close bj' the sea-side. The fisher- 
 man used to go out all day long a-fishing ; and one 
 day, as he sat on the shore with his rod, looking at 
 the shining water and watching his line, all on a 
 sudden his float was dragged away deep under the 
 sea ; and in drawing it up he pulled a great fish 
 out of the water. The fish said to him, "Pray let 
 me live ; I am not a real fish ; I am an enchanted 
 prince, put me in the water again, and let me go." 
 "Oh!" said the man, "you need not make so 
 many words about the matter ; I wish to have 
 nothing to do with a fish that can talk ; so swim 
 away as soon as you please." Then he put him 
 back into the water, and the fish darted straight 
 down to the bottom, and left a long streak of blood 
 behind him. 
 
 When the fisherman went home to his wife in 
 the ditch, he told her how he had caught a great 
 fish, and how it had told him it was an enchanted 
 prince, and that on hearing it speak he had let it 
 go again. " Did you not ask it for anything ? " 
 said the wife. " No," said the man, " what should 
 I ask for ? " " Ah ! " said the wife, " we live very 
 wretchedly here in this nastj^ stinking ditch ; do 
 go back, and tell the fish we want a little cot- 
 tage." 
 
 The fisherman did not much like the business ; 
 however, he went to the sea, and when he came 
 there the water looked all yellow and green. And 
 he stood at the water's edge, and said, — 
 
 " O man of the sea ! 
 
 Come listen to me, 
 
 Por Alice my wife, 
 
 The plague of my life, 
 Hath sent me to beg a boon of thee ! " 
 
 Then the fish came swimming to him, and said, 
 " Well, what does she want ? " " Ah ! " answered 
 the fisherman, "my wife says that when I had 
 
 caught you, I ought to have asked you for some- 
 thing before I let you go again ; she does not like 
 living any longer in the ditch, and wants a little 
 cottage." " Go home, then," said the fish, " she 
 is in the cottage already." So the man went 
 home, and saw his wife standing at the door of a 
 cottage. " Come in, come in," said she ; " is not 
 this much better than the ditch ? " And thert 
 was a parlor, and a bed-chamber, and a kitchen • 
 and behind the cottage there was a little gardei; 
 with all sorts of flowers and fruits, and a courtyard 
 full of ducks and chickens. " Ah ! " said the fish- 
 erman, " how happily we shall live I " " We will 
 try to do so at least," said his wife. 
 
 Everything went right for a week or two, and 
 then Dame Alice said, " Husband, there is not 
 room enough in this cottage, the courtyard and 
 garden are a great deal too small ; I should like to 
 have a large stone castle to live in ; so go to the 
 fish again, and tell him to give us a castle." 
 "Wife," said the fisherman, "I don't like to go 
 to him again, for perhaps he will be angry , we 
 ought to be content with the cottage." " Non- 
 sense ! " said the wife ; " he will do it very will- 
 ingly ; go along and try." 
 
 The fisherman went ; but his heart was very 
 heavj' , and when he came to the sea it looked blue 
 and gloomjs though it was quite calm, and he went 
 close to it, and said, — 
 
 " man of the sea ! 
 
 Come listen to me, 
 
 For Alice my wife. 
 
 The plague of my life. 
 Hath sent me to beg a boon of thee ! " 
 
 " Well, what does she want now ? " said the 
 fish. " Ah I " said the man very sorrowfully, 
 " my wife wants to live in a stone castle." " Go 
 home then," said the fish, " she is standing at the 
 door of it already." So away went the fisherman. 
 
THE FISHERMAN AND HIS WIFE. 
 
 3! 
 
 and found his wife standing before a great castle. 
 " See," said she, " is not this grand ? " "With tliat 
 they went into the castle together, and found a 
 great many servants there, and the rooms all richly 
 furnished and full of golden chairs and tables ; 
 and behind the castle was a garden, and a wood 
 half a mile long, full of sheep, and goats, and 
 hares, and deer ; and in the courtyard were stables 
 and cow-houses. " Well ! " said the man, " now 
 will we live contented and happy in this beautiful 
 castle for the rest of our lives." " Perhaps we 
 may," said the wife ; " but let us consider and 
 sleep upon it before we make up our minds : " so 
 they went to bed. 
 
 The next morning, when Dame Alice awoke, it 
 was broad daylight, and she jogged the fisherman 
 with her elbow, and said, " Get up, husband, be- 
 stir yourself, for we must be king of all the land." 
 " Wife, wife," said the man, " why should we 
 wish to be king ? I will not be king." " Then 
 I will," said Alice. " But, wife," answered the 
 fisherman, "how can you be king ? the fish cannot 
 make you a king." " Husband," said she, " say 
 no more about it, but go and try; I will be king !" 
 So the man went away, quite sorrowful to think 
 that his wife should want to be king. The sea 
 looked a dark-gray color, and was covered with 
 foam, as he cried out, — 
 
 "O man of the sea ! 
 Come listen to me, 
 For Alice my wife. 
 The plague of my life. 
 Hath sent me to beg a boon of thee ! " 
 
 " Well, what would she have now ? " said the 
 fish. " Alas ! " said the man, " ray wife wants to 
 be king." " Go home," said the fish ; " she is 
 king already." 
 
 Then the fisherman went home ; and as he came 
 close to the palace, he saw a troop of soldiers, and 
 heard the sound of drums and trumpets ; and 
 when he entered, he saw his wife sitting on a 
 high throne of gold and diamonds, with a golden 
 crown upon her head ; and on each side of her, 
 stood six beautiful maidens, each a head taller 
 than the other. " Well, wife," said the fisherman, 
 
 " are you king ? " " Yes," said she, " I am king." 
 And when he had looked at her for a long time, 
 he said, " Ah, wife ! what a fine thing it, is to be 
 king ! now we shall never have anything more to 
 wish for." " I don't know how that may be," 
 said she ; " never is a long time. I am king, 't is 
 true, but I begin to be tired of it, and I think I 
 should like to be emperor." "Alas, wife! why 
 should you wish to be emperor? " said the fisher- 
 man. "Husband," said she, "go to the fish; I 
 say I will be emperor." " Ah, wife ! " replied the 
 fisherman, " the fish cannot make an emperor, and 
 I should not like to ask for such a thing." " I am 
 king," said Alice, " and you are my slave, so go 
 directly ! " So the fisherman was obliged to go ; 
 and he muttered as he went along, " This will 
 come to no good, it is too much to ask, the fish 
 will be tired at last, and then we shall repent of 
 what we have done." He soon arrived at the sea, 
 and the water was quite black and muddy, and a 
 mighty whirlwind blew over it; but he went to 
 the shore, and said, — 
 
 " man of the sea! 
 Come listen to me. 
 For Alice my wife. 
 The plague of my life, 
 Hath sent me to beg a boon of thee ! " 
 
 " What would she have now ? " said the fish. 
 " Ah ! " said he, " she wants to be emperor." " Go 
 home," said the fish ; " she is emperor already." 
 
 So he went home again ; and as he came near, 
 he saw his wife sitting on a verj' lofty throne, 
 made of solid gold, with a great crown on her 
 head, full two yards high, and on each side of her 
 stood her guards and attendants in a row, each 
 one smaller than the other, from the tallest giant 
 down to a little dwarf, no bigger than my finger. 
 And before her stood princes and dukes, and earls ; 
 and the fisherman went up to her and said, " Wife, 
 are you emperor? " " Yes," said she, " I am em- 
 peror." " Ah ! " said the man as he gazed upim 
 her, " what a fine thing it is to be emperor ! " 
 " Husband," said she, " why should we stay at 
 being emperor ? I will be pope next." " O wife, 
 wife ! " said he, " how can you be pope ? there is 
 
82 
 
 THE BOOK OF WONDERS. 
 
 but one pope at a time in Christendom." " Hus- 
 band," said she, " I will be pope this very day." 
 " But," replied the husband, " the fish cannot 
 make you pope." " What nonsense ! " said she, 
 " if he can make an emperor, he can make a pope, 
 go and try him." So the fisherman went. But 
 when he came to the shore, the wind was raging, 
 and the sea was tossed up and down like boiling 
 water, and the ships were in the greatest distress 
 and danced upon the waves most fearfully ; in the 
 middle of the sky there was a little blue, but to- 
 ward the south it was all red as if a dreadful storm 
 was rising. At this, the fisherman was terribly 
 frightened, and trembled, so that his knees knocked 
 together : but he went to the shore and said, — 
 
 " O man of the sea ! 
 
 Come listen to me, 
 
 For Alice my wife, 
 
 The plague of my life. 
 Hath sent me to beg a boon of thee ! " 
 
 " What does she want now ? " said the fish. 
 " Ah ! " said the fisherman, " mj' wife wants to 
 be pope." " Go home," said the fish, " she is 
 pope already." 
 
 Then the fisherman went home, and found his 
 wife sitting on a throne that was two miles high ; 
 and she had three great crowns on her head, and 
 around stood all the pomp and power of the 
 Church ; and on each side were two rows of burn- 
 ing lights, of all sizes, the greatest as large as the 
 highest and biggest tower in the world, and the 
 least no larger than a small rushlight. " Wife," 
 said the fisherman, as he looked at all this grand- 
 eur, " are you pope? " " Yes," said she, " I am 
 pope." " Well, wife," replied he, " it is a grand 
 
 thing to be pope ; and now you must be content, 
 for you can be nothing greater." " I will consider 
 of that," said the wife. Then they went to bed : 
 but Dame Alice could not sleep all night for 
 thinking what she should be next. At last morn- 
 ing came, and the sun rose. " Ha ! " thought she 
 as she looked at it through the window, " cannot 
 I prevent the sun rising? " At this, she was very 
 angry, and she wakened her husband, and said, 
 " Husband, go to the fish and tell him I want to 
 be lord of the sun and moon." The fisherman 
 was half asleep, but the thought frightened him 
 so much that he started and fell out of bed. 
 " Alas, wife ! " said he, " cannot you be content 
 to be pope?" "No," said she, "I am very un- 
 easy, and cannot bear to see the sun and moon 
 rise without my leave. Go to the fish directly." 
 
 Then the man went trembling for fear ; and as 
 he was going down to the shore, a dreadful storm 
 arose, so that the trees and the rocks shook ; and 
 the heavens became black, and the lightning 
 played, and the thunder rolled ; and you might 
 have seen in the sea great black waves, like mount- 
 ains, with a white crown of foam upon them ; and 
 the fisherman said, — 
 
 " man of the sea ! 
 
 Come listen to me. 
 
 For Alice my wife. 
 
 The plague of my life. 
 Hath sent me to beg a boon of thee ! " 
 
 "What does she want now?" said the fish. 
 " Ah ! " said he, " she wants to be lord of the sun 
 and moon." " Go home," said the fish, " to your 
 ditch again ! " And there they live to this very 
 day. 
 
 JORINDA AND JORINDEL. 
 
 There was once an old castle that stood in the 
 middle of a large thick wood, and in the castle 
 lived an old fairy. All the day long she flew 
 about in the form of an owl, or crept about the 
 country like a cat ; but at night she always became 
 an old woman again. When any youth came 
 
 within a hundred paces of her castle, he became 
 quite fixed, and could not move a step till she 
 came and set him free : but when any pretty 
 maiden came within that distance, she was 
 changed into a bird ; and the fairy put her into a 
 cage and hung her up in a chamber in the castle. 
 
JORINDA AND JORINDEL. 
 
 33 
 
 There were seven hundred of these cages hang- 
 ing in the castle, and all with beautiful birds in 
 them. 
 
 Now there was once a maiden whose name was 
 Jorinda : she was prettier than all the pretty girls 
 that ever were seen ; and a shepherd whose name 
 was Jorindel was very fond of her, and they were 
 soon to be married. One day they went to walk 
 in the wood, that they might be alone : and Jo- 
 rindel said, " We must take care that we don't go 
 too near to the castle." It was a beautiful even- 
 ing •, the last rays of the setting sun shone bright 
 through the long stems of the trees upon the green 
 underwood beneath, and the turtle-doves sang 
 plaintively from the tall birches. 
 
 Jorinda sat down to gaze upon the sun ; Jorin- 
 del sat by her side ; and both felt sad, they knew 
 not why ; but it seemed as if they were to be 
 parted from one another forever. They had wan- 
 dered a long way ; and when they looked to see 
 which way they should go home, they found them- 
 selves at a loss to know what path to take. 
 
 The sun was setting fast, and already half of his 
 circle had disappeared behind the hill : Jorindel 
 on a sudden looked behind him, and as he saw 
 through the bushes that they had, without know- 
 ing it, sat down close under the old walls of the 
 castle, he shrank for fear, turned pale, and trem- 
 bled. Jorinda was singing, — 
 
 " The ring-dove sang from the willow spray, 
 
 Well-a-day ! well-a-day ! 
 He mourn'd for the fate 
 Of his lovely mate, 
 
 Well-a-day ! " 
 
 The song ceased suddenly. Jorindel turned to 
 see the reason, and beheld his Jorinda changed 
 into a nightingale ; so that her song ended with a 
 mournful jug, jug. An owl with fiery eyes flew 
 three times round them, and three times screamed, 
 Tu whu ! Tu whu ! Tu whu ! Jorindel could not 
 move : he stood fixed as a stone, and could nei- 
 ther weep, nor speak, nor stir hand or foot. And 
 now the sun went quite down ; the gloomy night 
 came ; the owl flew into a bush ; and a moment 
 after the old fairy came forth pale and meagre, 
 
 with staring eyes, and a nose and chin that almost 
 met. 
 
 She mumbled something to herself, seized the 
 nightingale, and went away with it in her hand. 
 Poor Jorindel saw the nightinale was gone, — but 
 what could he do ? he could not speak, he could 
 not move from the spot where he stood. At last 
 the fairy came back, and sang with a hoarse voice, 
 
 " Till the prisoner 's fast. 
 
 And her doom is cast. 
 There stay ! Oh, stay 
 When the charm is around her, 
 
 And the spell has bound her. 
 Hie away ! away ! " 
 
 On a sudden Jorindel found himself free. Then 
 he fell on his knees before the fairy, and prayed 
 her to give him back his dear Jorinda : but she 
 said he should never see her again, and went her 
 way. 
 
 He prayed, he wept, he sorrowed, but all in 
 vain. "Alas!" he said, "what will become of 
 me?" 
 
 He could not return to his own home, so ht 
 went to a strange village, and employed himself in 
 keeping sheep. Many a time did he walk round 
 and round as near to the hated castle as he dared 
 go. At last he dreamt one night that he found a 
 beautiful purple flower, and in the middle of it lay 
 a costly pearl ; and he dreamt that he plucked the 
 flower, and went with it in his hand into the cas- 
 tle, and that everything he touched with it was 
 disenchanted, and that there he found his dear 
 Jorinda again. 
 
 In the morning when he awoke, he began to 
 search over hill and dale for this pretty flower ; 
 and eight long days he sought for it in vain : but 
 on the ninth day, early in the morning, he found 
 the beautiful purple flower ; and in the middle of 
 it was a large dew-drop as big as a costly pearl. 
 
 Then he plucked the flower, and set out and 
 traveled day and night till he came again to the 
 castle. He walked nearer than a hundred paces 
 to it, and yet he did not become fixed as be- 
 fore, but found that he could go close up to the 
 door. 
 
34 
 
 THE BOOK OF WONDERS. 
 
 Jorindel was very glad to see this : he touched 
 
 the door with the flower, and it sprang open, so 
 that he went in through the court, and listened 
 
 when he heard so many birds singing. At last he 
 came to the chamber where the fairy sat, with the 
 seven hundred birds singing in the seven hundred 
 cages. And when she saw Jorindel she was very 
 angry, and screamed with rage ; but she could not 
 come within two yards of him ; for the flower he 
 held in his hand protected him. He looked around 
 at the birds, but alas ! there were many, many 
 nightingales, and how then should he find his Jo- 
 rinda? While he was thinking what to do he ob- 
 served that the fairy had taken down one of the 
 cages, and was making her escape through the 
 door. He ran or flew to her, touched the cage 
 with the flower, — and his Jorinda stood before 
 him. She threw her arms round his neck and 
 looked as beautiful as ever, as beautiful as when 
 they walked together in the wood. 
 
 Then he touched all the other birds with the 
 flower, so that they resumed their old forms ; and 
 took his dear Jorinda home, where they lived hap- 
 pily together many years. 
 
 THE SIX SWANS. 
 
 Once upon a time, a king, hunting in a great 
 forest, chased a wild boar so eagerly, that none 
 of his people could follow him. When evening 
 came, he stopped to look about him, and saw that 
 he had lost himself. He sought everywhere for a 
 way out of the wood, but could find none. Then 
 he perceived coming towards him an old woman, 
 whose head kept constantly shaking. She was a 
 witch. 
 
 "My good woman," said he to her, "cannot 
 you show me the way through the wood? " 
 
 " Oh yes, your majesty," answered she, " that I 
 can, but only on one condition, and if you do not 
 agree to it, you will never get out, and must die 
 here of hunger." 
 
 " What is the condition ? " asked the king, 
 eagerly. 
 
 "T have an only daughter," said the old woman, 
 " she is as beautiful as any one you could find 
 in the wide world, and well deserves to be your 
 
 wdfe ; if you will make her your queen, I will 
 show you the way out of the wood." 
 
 The king, in the fear of his heart, consented, 
 and the old woman led him to her house, where 
 her daughter sat by the fire. She received the 
 king as if she had expected him, and he saw that 
 she was very beautiful ; but still she did not 
 please him, and he could not look at her without 
 a secret shudder. After he had lifted the maiden 
 beside him on his horse, the old woman showed 
 him the way, and the king arrived again at his 
 royal castle, where the wedding was celebrated. 
 
 He had been married once before, and had by 
 his first wife seven children, six boys and a girl, 
 whom he loved more than anything in the world. 
 But, because he was afraid that the stepmother 
 might not treat them well, or might even do them 
 some harm, he took them to a lonely castle which 
 stood in the middle of a wood. It was so hidden, 
 and the road was so difficult to find, that he him- 
 
THE SIX SWANS. 
 
 36 
 
 self would not have found it, if a wise woman had 
 not given him a wonderful skein of thread, which, 
 when he threw it down before him, unrolled of 
 itself and showed him the way. The king went 
 out so often to his dear children that the queen 
 noticed his absence, and was full of curiosity to 
 know what business took him thus alone to the 
 wood. So she gave his servants a sum of money, 
 and they told her the secret, and also told her of 
 the skein, which was the only thing that could 
 show the way. After that she never rested till 
 she had found out where the king kept the skein. 
 Then she made some little white silk shirts, and, 
 as she had learned witchcraft from her mother, 
 she sewed a spell into every one of them. And 
 one day, when the king was gone out to hunt, she 
 took the little shirts and went into the wood, and 
 the skein showed her the way. 
 
 The six brothers, who saw some one in the dis- 
 tance, thought their dear father was coming, and 
 van to meet him, full of joy. As they approached, 
 the queen threw one of the shirts over each of 
 them, and when the shirts touched their bodies 
 they were changed into swans, and flew away 
 over the wood. The witch's daughter went home 
 quite happy, and thought she had got rid of all 
 her step-children ; but the one little girl had not 
 run out with her brothers, and the queen knew 
 nothing about her. 
 
 Next day the king came joyfully to visit his 
 children, but he found nobody except the little 
 sister. 
 
 " Where are your brothers ? " asked he. 
 
 " Oh, dear father," she answered, " they are 
 gone and have left rae alone," and then she told 
 him all that she had seen out of her window ; 
 how her brothers were turned into swans, and 
 had flown away over the wood ; she also showed 
 him the feathers which they had dropped into the 
 courtyard, and which she had picked up. 
 
 The king was grieved, but he never thought 
 that the queen had done this wicked deed ; how- 
 ever, because he dreaded lest the little girl would 
 be stolen from him likewise, he wished to take 
 her away with him. But she was afraid of the 
 
 step-mother, and begged the king to let her stay 
 one night more in the castle in the wood. 
 
 The poor girl thought, " I cannot rest here any 
 longer ; I will go and look for my brothers." 
 
 And when the night came she ran away, and 
 went straight into the wood. She went on all 
 through the night, and the next day too, till she 
 was so tired that she could go no farther. Then 
 she saw a little house, and went in, and found a 
 room with six little beds ; she did not dare to lie 
 down in any, but crept under one of them, laid 
 herself on the hard floor, and meant to pass the 
 night there. But when the sun was just going to 
 set, she heard a rustling, and saw six swans come 
 flying in at the window. They sat down on the 
 floor, and blew at one another, and blew all their 
 feathers ofE, and took off their swan's-skins like 
 shirts. Then the little girl saw them and recog- 
 nized her brothers, and was very glad, and crept 
 out from under the bed. 
 
 The brothers were not less rejoiced when they 
 saw their little sister, but their joy did not last 
 long. 
 
 " You cannot stop here," said they to her, " this 
 is a house belonging to robbers ; if they come 
 home and find you they will kill you." 
 
 " Cannot you protect me ? " said the little sis- 
 ter. 
 
 " No," answered they, " we can only take off 
 our swan's-skins for a quarter of an hour every 
 evening, and have our natural shape for that time, 
 but afterwards we are turned into swans again." 
 
 The little sister cried, and said, " Cannot you be 
 released ? " 
 
 " Oh, no ! " " answered they, " the conditions 
 are too hard. You must not speak or laugh for 
 six years, and must make for us six shirts out of 
 stitchweed during that time. If while you are 
 making them a single word comes from your 
 mouth all your work will be of no use." When 
 her brothers had said this the quarter of an hour 
 was over, and they turned into swans again and 
 flew out of the window. 
 
 But the little girl made a firm resolution to re- 
 lease her brothers, even if it cost her her life. 
 
36 
 
 THE BOOK OF WONDERS. 
 
 She left the house, and went into the middle of 
 the wood, and climbed up in a tree and spent the 
 night there. Next morning she got down, col- 
 lected a quantity of stitch weed, and began to sew. 
 She could not speak to any one, and she did not 
 want to laugh ; so she sat and only looked at her 
 work. 
 
 When she had been there a long time it hap- 
 pened that the king of the country was hunting in 
 the wood, and his hunters came to the tree on 
 which the little girl sat. They called to her, and 
 said, " Who are you ? " 
 
 But she gave them no answer. 
 
 " Come down and see us," said they, " we will 
 not do you any harm." 
 
 But she only shook her head. As they kept 
 teasing her with their questions she threw them 
 down her gold necklace, and thought they would 
 be satisfied with that. But they did not leave off, 
 so she threw her sash down to them, and as that 
 was no good she threw down her garters, and at 
 last everything that she had on, and could spare ; 
 so that she had nothing left but her shift. But 
 the hunters would not be sent away, and climbed 
 up the tree and brought down the little girl and 
 took her to the king. 
 
 The king asked, " Who are you ? what were 
 you doing up in the tree ? " 
 
 But she did not answer. He asked it in all the 
 languages that he knew, but she remained as 
 dumb as a fish. But, because she was so beauti- 
 ful, the king's heart was moved, and he fell deeply 
 in love with her. He wrapped his cloak round 
 her, took her before him on his horse, and brought 
 her to his castle. Then he had her dressed in rich 
 clothes, and she shone in her beauty like bright 
 sunshine ; but they could not get a word out of 
 her. He set her by him at the table, and her 
 modest look and proper behavior pleased him so 
 much that he said, " I will marrj' her, and no one 
 else in the world," and after a few days he was 
 married to her. 
 
 But the king had a wicked mother, who was not 
 pleased with his marriage, and spoke ill of the 
 young queen. " Who knows where the girl comes 
 
 from?" said she, "she cannot speak; she is not 
 good enough for a king." 
 
 A year after, when the queen brought her first 
 child into the world, the old mother took it away, 
 and smeared her mouth with blood while she was 
 asleep. Then she went to the king, and accused 
 her of eating her child. The king would not be- 
 lieve it, and would not let any one do her any 
 harm. And she always sat and sewed the shirts, 
 and took no notice of anything else. Next time, 
 when she had another beautiful baby, the wicked 
 mother did the same as before ; but the king could 
 not resolve to believe what she said. 
 
 He said, " My wife is too pious and good to do 
 such a thing ; if she were not dumb, and if she 
 could defend herself, her innocence would be made 
 clear." 
 
 But when for the third time the old woman took 
 away the new-born child, and accused the queen, 
 who could not say a word in her own defense, the 
 king could not help himself ; he was forced to give 
 her up to the court of justice, and she was con- 
 demned to suffer death by fire. 
 
 When the day came upon which the sentence 
 was to be executed, it was exactly the last day of 
 the six years in which she might not speak or 
 laugh ; and she had freed her dear brothers from 
 the power of the spell. The six little shirts were 
 finished, except that on the last one a sleeve was 
 wanting. When she came to the place of execu- 
 tion, she laid the shirts on her arm, and when she 
 stood at the stake, and the fire was just going to 
 be lit, she looked round, and there came six swans 
 flying through the air. Then her heart leaped 
 with joy, for she saw that her deliverance was 
 near. 
 
 The swans flew to her, and crouched down, so 
 that she could throw the shirts over them ; as soon 
 as the shirts were touched by them, their swan's- 
 skins fell off, and her brothers stood before her. 
 They were all grown up, strong and handsome ; 
 only the youngest had no left arm, but instead of 
 it a swan's wing. 
 
 They hugged and kissed their sister many times, 
 and then the queen went to the king, and began 
 
B UMPEL-STIL TS-KIN. 
 
 37 
 
 to speak, and said, " Dearest husband, now I may 
 speak, and declare to you that I am innocent and 
 falsely accused ; " and she told him about the de- 
 ceit of the old mother, who had taken away her 
 three children, and hidden them. 
 
 However, they were soon fetched safely back, to 
 the great joy of the king ; and the wicked mother- 
 in-law was tied to the stake, and burnt to ashes. 
 But the king and queen, with their six brothers, 
 lived many years in peace and happiness. 
 
 RUMPEL-STILTS-KIN. 
 
 In a certain kingdom once lived a poor miller 
 who had a very beautiful daughter. She was? 
 moreover, exceedingly shrewd and clever ; and the 
 miller was so vain and proud of her that he one 
 day told the king of the land that his daughter 
 could spin gold out of straw. Now this king was 
 very fond of money ; and when he heard the mil- 
 ler's boast his avarice was excited, and he ordered 
 the girl to be brought before him. Then he led 
 her to a chamber where there was a great quantity 
 of straw, gave her a spinning-wheel, and said, "All 
 this must be spun into gold before morning, as you 
 value your life." It was in vain that the poor 
 maiden declared that she could do no such thing ; 
 the chamber was locked and she remained alone. 
 
 She sat down in one corner of the room and be- 
 gan to lament over her hard fate, when on a sud- 
 den the door opened, and a droll-looking little man 
 hobbled in, and said, " Good-morrow to you, my 
 good lass, what are you weeping for ? " "Alas ! " 
 answered she, " I must spin this straw into gold, 
 and I know not how." "What will you give me," 
 said the little man, "to do it for you?" "My 
 necklace," replied the maiden. He took her at 
 her word, and set himself down at the wheel; 
 round about it went merrily, and presently the 
 "work was done and the gold all spun. 
 
 When the king came and saw this he was 
 greatly astonished and pleased ; but his heart grew 
 still raore greedy of gain, and he shut up the poor 
 miller's daughter again with a fresh task. Then 
 she knew not what to do, and sat down once more 
 to weep ; but the little man presently opened the 
 door, and said, " What will you give me to do your 
 task?" "The ring on my finger," replied she. 
 So her little friend took the ring, and began to 
 
 work at the wheel, till by the morning all was fin- 
 ished again. 
 
 The king was vastly delighted to see all this 
 glittering treasure ; but still he was not satisfied, 
 and took the miller's daughter into a yet larger 
 room, and said, " All this must be spun to-night ; 
 and if you succeed you shall be my queen." As 
 soon as she was alone the dwarf came in, and said, 
 " What will you give me to spin gold for you this 
 third time ? " "I have nothing left," said she. 
 " Then promise me," said the little man, " j'our 
 first little child when you are queen." " That 
 may never be," thought the miller's daughter; and 
 as she knew no other way to get her task done, she 
 promised him what he asked, and he spun once 
 more the whole heap of gold. The king came in 
 the morning, and, finding all he wanted, married 
 her, and so the miller's daughter really became 
 queen. 
 
 At the' birth of her first little child the queen 
 rejoiced very much, and forgot the little man and 
 her promise ; but one day he came into her cham- 
 ber and reaiinded her of it. Then she grieved 
 sorely at her misfortune, and offered him all the 
 treasures of the kingdom in exchange ; but in vain, 
 till at last her tears softened him, and he said, " I 
 will give you three days' grace, and if during that 
 time you tell me my name you shall keep your 
 child." 
 
 Now the queen lay awake all night, thinking of 
 all the odd names that she had ever heard, and 
 dispatched messengers all over the land to inquire 
 after new ones. The next day the little man came, 
 and she began with, Timothy, Benjamin, Jere- 
 miah, and all the names she could remember ; but 
 to all of them he said, " That's not, my name." 
 
38 
 
 THE BOOK OF WONDERS. 
 
 The second day she began with all the comical 
 names she could hear of, Bandy-legs, Hunch-back, 
 
 Crook-shanks, and so on, but the little gentleman 
 still said to every one of them, '' That 's not my 
 name." 
 
 The third day came back one of the messen- 
 
 gers, and said, " I can hear of no one other name ■, 
 but yesterday, as I was climbing a high hill among 
 the trees of the forest where the fox and the hare 
 bid each other good-night, I saw a little hut, and 
 before the hut burnt a fire, and round about the 
 fire danced a funny little man upon one leg, and 
 sung, — 
 
 " Merrily the feast I'll make, 
 To-day I '11 brew, to-morrow bake ; 
 Merrily I'll dance and sing, 
 For next day will a stranger bring : 
 Little does my lady dream 
 Rumpel-Stilts-Kin is my name ! " 
 
 When the queen heard this, she jumped for joy, 
 and as soon as her little visitor came, and said, 
 "• Now, lady, what is my name ? " " Is it John ? " 
 asked she. "No!" "Is it Tom?" "No!" 
 '• Can your name be Rumpel-Stilts-Kin ? " " Some 
 witch told you that! Some witch told you that ! " 
 cried the little man, and dashed his right 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. 
 
 THE FAIR ONE WITH GOLDEN LOCKS. 
 
 There was once a king's daughter so beautiful 
 that they named her the Fair One with Golden 
 Locks. These golden locks were the most remark- 
 able in the world, soft and fine, and falling in long 
 waves down to her very feet. She wore them al- 
 ways thus, loose and flowing, surmounted with a 
 wreath of flowers ; and though such long hair was 
 sometimes rather inconvenient, it was so exceed- 
 ingly beautiful, shining in the sun like ripples of 
 molten gold, that everybody agreed she fully de- 
 served her name. 
 
 Now there was a young king of a neighboring 
 country, very handsome, very rich, and wanting 
 nothing but a wife to make him happy. He heard 
 so much of the various perfections of the Fair One 
 with Golden Locks, that at last, without even see- 
 
 ing her, he fell in love with her so desperately that 
 he could neither eat nor drink, and resolved to send 
 an ambassador at once to demand her in marriage. 
 So he ordered a magnificent equipage — more 
 than a hundred horses and a hundred footmen — 
 with instructions to bring back to him the Fair 
 One with Golden Locks, who, he never doubted, 
 would be only too happy to become his queen. 
 Indeed, he felt so sure of her that he refurnished 
 the whole palace, and had made, by all the dress- 
 makers of the city, dresses enough to last a lady 
 for a lifetime. But, alas ! when the ambassador 
 arrived and delivered his message, either the prin- 
 cess was in a bad humor, or the offer did not ap- 
 pear to be to her taste ; for she returned her best 
 thanks to his majesty, but said she had not the 
 
THE FAIR ONE WITH GOLDEN LOOKS. 
 
 39 
 
 slightest wish or intention to be married. She 
 also, being a prudent damsel, declined receiving 
 any of the presents which the king had sent her; 
 except that, not quite to offend his majesty, she 
 retained a box of English pins, which were in that 
 country of considerable value. 
 
 When the ambassador returned, alone and un- 
 successful, all the court was very much affected, 
 and the king himself began to weep with all his 
 might. Now there was in the palace household a 
 young gentleman named Avenant, beautiful as the 
 sun, besides being at once so amiable and so wise 
 that the king confided to him all his affairs ; and 
 every one loved him, except those people — to be 
 found in all courts — who were envious of his 
 good fortune. These malicious folk hearing him 
 say gayly, "If the king had sent me to fetch the 
 Fair One with Golden Locks, I know she would 
 have come back with me," repeated the saying in 
 such a manner, that it appeared as if Avenant 
 thought too much of himself and his beauty, and 
 felt sure the princess would have followed him all 
 over the world ; which when it came to the ears of 
 the king, as it was meant to do, irritated him so 
 greatly that he commanded Avenant to be impris- 
 oned in a high tower, and left to die there of hun- 
 ger. The guards accordingly carried off the young 
 man, who had quite forgotten his idle speech, and 
 had not the least idea what fault he had com- 
 mitted. They ill-treated him, and then left him, 
 with nothing to eat and only water to drink. 
 This, however, kept him alive for a few days, 
 during which he did not cease to complain aloud, 
 and to call upon the king, saying, " O king, what 
 harm have I done ? You have no subject more 
 faithful than I. Never have I had a thought which 
 could offend you." 
 
 And it so befell that the king, coming by chance, 
 or else with a sort of remorse, past the tower, was 
 touched by the voice of the young Avenant, whom 
 he had once so much regarded. In spite of all 
 the courtiers could do to prevent him he stopped 
 to listen, and overheard these words. The tears 
 rushed into his eyes ; he opened the door of the 
 tower, and called, " Avenant ! " Avenant came, 
 
 creeping feebly along, fell at the king's knees, and 
 kissed his feet : — 
 
 " O sire, what have I done that you should treat 
 me so cruelly ? " 
 
 " You have mocked me and my ambassador ; 
 for you said, if I had sent you to fetch the Fair 
 One with Golden Locks, you would have been suc- 
 cessful and brought her back." 
 
 "I did say it, and it was true," replied Avenant, 
 fearlessly ; " for I should have told her so-much 
 about your majesty and your various high qualities, 
 which no one knows so well as myself, that I am 
 persuaded she would have returned with me." 
 
 " I believe it," said the king, with an angry 
 look at those who had spoken ill of his favorite ; 
 he then gave Avenant a free pardon, and took him 
 back with him to the court. 
 
 After having supplied the famished youth with 
 as much supper as he could eat, the king admitted 
 him to a private audience, and said, " I am as 
 much in love as ever with the Fair One with 
 Golden Locks, so I will take you at your word, and 
 send you to try and win her for me." 
 
 " Very well, please your majesty," replied 
 Avenant, cheerfully ; " I will depart to-morrow." 
 
 The king, overjoyed with his willingness and 
 hopefulness, would have furnished him with a still 
 more magnificent equipage and suite than the first 
 ambassador ; but Avenant refused to take any- 
 thing except a good horse to ride, and letters of in- 
 troduction to the princess's father. The king em- 
 braced him, and eagerly saw him depart. 
 
 It was on a Monday morning when, without any 
 pomp or show, Avenant thus started on his mis- 
 sion. He rode slowly and meditatively, pondering 
 over every possible means of persuading the Fair 
 One with Golden Locks to marry the king ; but, 
 even after several days' journey towards her coun- 
 try, no clear project had entered into his mind. 
 
 One morning, when he had started at break of 
 day, he came to a great meadow with a stream 
 running through it, along which were planted wil- 
 lows and poplars. It was such a pleasant, rippling 
 stream that he dismounted and sat down on its 
 banks. There he perceived, gasping on the grass, 
 
40 
 
 THE BOOK OF WONDERS. 
 
 a large golden carp, which, in leaping too far after 
 gnats, had thrown itself quite out of the water, 
 and now lay dying on the greensward. Avenant 
 took pity on it, and though he was very hungry, 
 and the fish was very fat, and he would well 
 enough have liked it for his breakfast, still he 
 lifted it gently and put it back into the stream. 
 No sooner had the carp touched the fresh cool 
 water than it revived and swam away ; but shortlj^ 
 returning, it spoke to him from the water in this 
 wise : — 
 
 " Avenant, I thank you for your good deed. I 
 was dying, and you have saved me : I will recom- 
 pense you for this one day." 
 
 After this pretty little speech, the fish popped 
 down to the bottom of the stream, according to 
 the habit of carp, leaving Avenant very much as- 
 tonished, as was natural. 
 
 Another day he met with a raven that was in 
 great distress, being pursued by an eagle, which 
 would have swallowed him up in a trice. " See," 
 thought Avenant, " how the stronger oppress the 
 weaker ! What right has an eagle to eat up a 
 raven ? " So taking his bow and ai-row, which he 
 always carried, he shot the eagle dead, and the 
 raven, delighted, perched in safety on an opposite 
 tree. 
 
 " Avenant," screeched he, not in the sweetest 
 voice in the world ; "you have generously succored 
 me, a poor miserable raven. I am not ungrate- 
 ful, and I will recompense you one day." 
 
 " Thank you," said Avenant, and continued his 
 road. 
 
 Entering a thick wood, so dark with the shad- 
 ows of early morning that he could scarcely find 
 his way, he heard an owl hooting, as if in great 
 tribulation. She had been caught by the nets 
 spread by bird-catchers to entrap finches, larks, 
 and other small birds. " What a pity," thought 
 Avenant, " that men must always torment poor 
 birds and beasts who liave done them no harm ! " 
 So he took out his knife, cut the net, and set 
 the owl free. She went sailing up into the air, 
 but immediately returned, hovering over his head 
 on her brown wings. 
 
 "Avenant," said she, "at daylight the bird- 
 catchers would have been here, and I should have 
 been caught and killed. I have a grateful heart ; 
 I will recompense you one day." 
 
 These were the three principal adventures that 
 befell Avenant on his way to the kingdom of the 
 Fair One with Golden Locks. Arrived there, he 
 dressed himself with the greatest care, in a habit 
 of silver brocade, and a hat adorned with plumes 
 of scarlet and white. He threw over all a rich 
 mantle, and carried a basket, in which was a 
 lovely little dog, an offering of respect to the prin- 
 cess. With this he presented himself at the pal- 
 ace-gates, where, even though he came alone, his 
 mien was so dignified and graceful, so altogether 
 charming, that every one did him reverence, and 
 was eager to run and tell the Fair One with 
 Golden Locks that Avenant, another ambassador 
 from the king her suitor, awaited an audience. 
 
 " Avenant ! " repeated the princess, " that is a 
 pretty name ; perhaps the youth is prettj', too." 
 
 " So beautiful," said the ladies of honor, " that 
 while be stood under the palace-window, we could 
 do nothing but look at him." 
 
 " How silly of you ! " sharply said the princess. 
 But she desired them to bring her robe of blue 
 satin, to comb out her long hair, and adorn it with 
 the freshest garland of flowers ; to give her her 
 high-heeled shoes, and her fan. " Also," added 
 she, " take care that my audience-chamber is well 
 swept and my throne well dusted. I wish, in 
 everything, to appear as becomes the Fair One 
 with Golden Locks." 
 
 This done, she seated herself on her throne of 
 ivory and ebony, and gave orders for her musi- 
 cians to play, but softly, so as not to disturb con- 
 versation. Thus, shining in all her beauty, she 
 admitted Avenant to her presence. 
 
 He was so dazzled that at first he could not 
 speak : then he began and delivered his harangue 
 to perfection. 
 
 " Gentle Avenant," returned the princess, after 
 listening to all his reasons for her returning with 
 him, " your arguments are very strong, and I am 
 inclined to listen to them ; but you must first find 
 
THE FAIR ONE WITH GOLDEN LOOKS. 
 
 41 
 
 for me a ring, which I dropped into the river 
 about a month ago. Until I recover it, I can listen 
 to no propositions of marriage." 
 
 Avenant, surprised and disturbed, made her a 
 profound reverence and retired, taking with him 
 the basket and the little dog Cabriole, which she 
 refused to accept. All night long he sat sighing 
 to himself, " How can I ever find a ring which she 
 dropped into the river a month ago ? She has set 
 me an impossible task." 
 
 " My dear master," said Cabriole, " nothing is 
 an impossibility to one so young and charming as 
 you are : let us go at daybreak to the river-side." 
 
 Avenant patted him, but replied nothing : until, 
 worn out with grief, he slept. Before dawn Ca- 
 briole wakened him, saying, " Master, dress your- 
 self and let us go to the river." 
 
 Tliere Avenant walked up and down, with his 
 arms folded and his head bent, but saw nothing. 
 At last he heard a voice callhig from a distance, 
 *' Avenant, Avenant I " 
 
 The little dog ran to the water-side — " Never 
 believe me again, master, if it be not a golden carp 
 with a ring in its mouth ! " 
 
 " Yes, Avenant," said the carp, " this is the 
 ring which the princess had lost. You saved my 
 life in the willow meadow, and I have recompensed 
 you. Farewell ! " 
 
 Avenant took the ring gratefully, and returned 
 to the palace with Cabriole, who scampered about 
 in great glee. Craving an audience, he presented 
 the princess with her ring, and begged her to ac- 
 company him to his master's kingdom. She took 
 the ring, looked at it, and thought she was surely 
 dreaming. 
 
 " Some fairy must have assisted you, fortunate 
 Avenant," said she. 
 
 " Madam, I am only fortunate in my desire to 
 obey your wishes." 
 
 " Obey me still," she said, graciously. " There 
 is a prince named Galifron, whose suit I have re- 
 fused. He is a giant, as tall as a tower, who eats 
 a man as a monkey eats a nut : he puts cannons 
 into his pockets instead of pistols ; and when he 
 speaks his voice is so loud that every one near him 
 
 becomes deaf. Go and fight him, and bring me 
 his head." 
 
 Avenant was thunderstruck ; but after a time 
 he recovered himself — " Very well, madam. I 
 shall certainly perish, but I will perish like a 
 brave man. I will depart at once to fight the 
 Giant Galifron." 
 
 The princess, now in her turn surprised and 
 alarmed, tried every persuasion to induce him not 
 to go, but in vain. Avenant armed himself and 
 started, carrying his little dog in its basket. Ca- 
 briole was the only creature that gave him conso- 
 lation : " Courage, master ! While you attack 
 the giant, I will bite his legs : he will stoop down 
 to strike me, and then you can knock him on the 
 head." Avenant smiled at the little dog's spirit, 
 but he knew it was useless. 
 
 Arrived at the castle of Galifron, he found the 
 road all strewn with bones and carcasses of men. 
 Soon he saw the giant walking. His head was 
 level with the highest trees, and he sang in a ter- 
 rific voice, — 
 
 " Bring me babies to devour ; 
 More — more — more — more — 
 Men and women, tender and tough ; 
 All the world holds not enough." 
 
 To which Avenant replied, imitating the tune, — 
 
 " Avenant you here may see. 
 He is come to punish thee : 
 Be he tender, be he tough, 
 To kill thee, giant, he is enough." 
 
 Hearing these words, the giant took up his mas- 
 sive club, looked around for the singer, and, per- 
 ceiving him, would have slain him on the spot, 
 had not a raven, sitting on a tree close by, sud- 
 denly flown out upon him, and picked out both 
 his eyes. Then Avenant easily killed him, and 
 cut off his head, while the raven, watching him, 
 said, — 
 
 " You shot the eagle who was pursuing me : I 
 promised to recompense you, and to-day I have 
 done it. We are quits." 
 
 " No, it is I who am your debtor. Sir Raven," 
 replied Avenant, as, hanging the frightful head to 
 his saddle-bow, he mounted his horse and rode 
 
42 
 
 THE BOOK OF WONDERS. 
 
 back to the city of the Fair One with Golden 
 Locks. 
 
 There everybody followed him, shouting, "Here 
 is brave Avenant, who has killed the giant,'' until 
 the princess, hearing the noise, and fearing it was 
 Avenant himself who was killed, appeared, all 
 trembling ; and even when he appeared with Gali- 
 fron's head, she trembled still, although she had 
 nothing to fear. 
 
 " Madam," said Avenant, " your enemy is dead : 
 so I trust you will accept the hand of the king my 
 master." 
 
 "I cannot," replied she, thoughtfully, "unless 
 you first bring 'me a phial of the water in the 
 Grotto of Darkness. It is six leagues in length, 
 and guarded at the entrance by two fiery dragons. 
 Within it is a pit full of scorpions, lizards, and 
 serpents, and at the bottom of this place flows 
 the Fountain of Beauty and Health. All who 
 wasli in it become, if ugly, beautiful, and if beau- 
 tiful, beautiful forever ; if old, young ; and if 
 young, young forever. Judge then, Avenant, if 
 I can quit my kingdom without carrying with me 
 some of this remarkable water." 
 
 " Madam," replied Avenant, " you are already 
 so beautiful that you lequire it not ; but I am an 
 unfortunate ambassador whose death you desire : 
 I will obey you, though I know I shall never re- 
 turn." 
 
 So he departed with his only friends — his horse 
 and his faithful dog Cabriole ; while all who met 
 him looked at him compassionately, pitying so 
 pretty a youth bound on such a hopeless errand. 
 But, however kindly they addressed him, Avenant 
 rode on and answered nothing, for he was too sad 
 at heart. 
 
 He reached a mountain-side, where he sat down 
 to rest, leaving his horse to graze, and Cabriole to 
 run after the flies. He knew that the Grotto of 
 Darkness was not far off, yet he looked about him 
 like one who sees nothing. At last he perceived 
 a rock, as black as ink, whence came a thick 
 smoke ; and in a moment appeared one of the two 
 dragons, breathing out flames. It had a yellow 
 und green body, claws, and a long tail. When 
 
 Cabriole saw the monster, the poor httle dog hid 
 himself in terrible fright. But Avenant resolved 
 to die bravely ; so, taking a phial which the prin- 
 cess had given him, he prepared to descend into 
 the cave. 
 
 " Cabriole," said he, " I shall soon be dead : then 
 fill this phial with my blood, and carry it to the 
 Fair One with Golden Locks, and afterwards to 
 the king my master, to show him I have been 
 faithful to the last." 
 
 While he was thus speaking, a voice called, 
 " Avenant, Avenant ! " — and he saw an owl sit- 
 ting on a hollow tree near by. Said the owl : 
 " You cut the net in which I was caught, and I 
 vowed to recompense you. Now is the time. 
 Give me the phial : I know every corner of the 
 Grotto of Darkness — I will fetch you the water 
 of beauty." 
 
 Delighted beyond words, Avenant delivered up 
 his phial ; the owl flew with it into the grotto, and 
 in less than half-an-hour reappeared, bringing it 
 quite full and well corked. Avenant thanked her 
 with all his heart, and joyfully took once more the 
 road to the city. 
 
 The Fair One with Golden Locks had no more to 
 say. She consented to accompany him back, with 
 all her suite, to his master's court. On the way 
 thither she saw so much of him, and found him so 
 charming, that Avenant might have married her' 
 himself had he chosen ; but he would not have 
 been false to his master for all the beauties under 
 the sun. At length they arrived at the king's city, 
 and the Fair One with Golden Locks became his 
 spouse and queen. But she still loved Avenant in 
 her heart, and often said to the king her lord, — 
 " But for Avenant I should not be here ; he has 
 done all sorts of impossible deeds for my sake ; he 
 has fetched me the water of beauty, and I shall 
 never grow old — in short, I owe him ever}'- 
 thing." 
 
 And she praised him in this sort so much, that 
 at length the king became jealous ; and though 
 Avenant gave him not the slightest cause of of- 
 fense, he shut him up in the same high tower once 
 more — but with irons on his hands and feet, and 
 
LITTLE ONE EYE, LITTLE TWO EYES, AND LITTLE THREE EYES. 
 
 43 
 
 a cruel jailer besides, who fed him with bread and 
 water only. His sole companion was his little dog 
 Cabriole. 
 
 When the Fair One with Golden Locks heard of 
 this, she reproached her husband for his ingrati- 
 tude, and then, throwing herself at his knees, im- 
 plored that Avenant might be set free. But the 
 king only said, " She loves him ! " and refused her 
 prayer. The queen entreated, no more, but fell 
 into a deep melancholy. 
 
 When the king saw it, he thought she did not 
 care for him because he was not handsome enough ; 
 and that if he could wash his face with her water 
 of beauty, it would make her love him more. He 
 knew she kept it in a cabinet in her chamber, 
 where she could find it always. 
 
 Now it happened that a waiting-maid, in clean- 
 ing out this cabinet, had, the very day before, 
 knocked down the phial, which was broken in a 
 thousand pieces, and all the contents were lost. 
 Very much alarmed she then remembered seeing 
 in a cabinet belonging to the king a similar phial. 
 This she fetched, and put in the place of the other 
 one, in which was the water of beauty. But the 
 king's phial contained the water of death. It was 
 a poison, used, to destroy great criminals — that is, 
 noblemen, gentlemen, and. such like. Instead of 
 hanging them or cutting their heads off, like com- 
 
 mon people, they were compelled to wash their 
 faces with water ; upon which they fell asleep, 
 and woke no more. So it happened that the king, 
 taking up this phial, believing it to be the water 
 of beauty, washed, his face with it, fell asleep, and 
 
 — died. 
 
 Cabriole heard the news, and, gliding in and 
 out among the crowd which clustered round the 
 young and lovely widow, whispered softly to her, 
 
 — " Madam, do not forget poor Avenant." If she 
 had been disposed to do so, the sight of his little 
 dog would have been enough to remind her of 
 him — his many sufferings, and his great fidelity. 
 She rose without speaking to anybody, and went 
 straight to the tower where Avenant was con- 
 fined. There, with her own hands, she struck 
 off his chains, and putting a crown of gold on his 
 head, and a purple mantle on his shoulders, said 
 to him, " Be king — and my husband." 
 
 Avenant could not refuse ; for in his heart he 
 had loved her all the time. He threw himself at 
 her feet, and then took the crown and sceptre, and 
 ruled her kingdom like a king. All the people 
 were delighted to have him as their sovereign. 
 The marriage was celebrated with all imaginable 
 pomp, and Avenant and the Fair One with Golden 
 Locks lived and reigned happily together all their 
 days. 
 
 LITTLE ONE EYE, LITTLE TWO EYES, AND LITTLE THREE EYES. 
 
 Theke was a woman who had three daughters, 
 the eldest of whom was called Little One Eye, 
 because she had only one eye in the middle of her 
 forehead ; the second. Little Two Eyes, because 
 she had two eyes like other people ; and the 
 youngest. Little Three Eyes, because she had 
 three eyes, one of them being also in the middle 
 of the forehead. But because Little Two Eyes 
 looked no different from other people her sis- 
 ters and mother' could not bear her. They said, 
 " You with your two eyes are no better than 
 anybody else ; you do not belong to us." They 
 knocked her about, and gave her shabby clothes, 
 
 and food which was left over from their own 
 meals ; in short, they vexed her whenever they 
 could. 
 
 It happened that Little Two Eyes had to go 
 out into the fields to look- after the goat ; but she 
 was still quite hungry, because her sisters had 
 given her so little to eat. She sat down on a 
 hillock and began to cry, and cried so much that 
 a little stream ran down out of each eye. And 
 as she looked up once in her sorrow, a woman 
 stood near her, who asked, " Little Two Eyes, 
 why do you cry?" 
 
 Little Two Eyes answered, " Have I not need 
 
44 
 
 THE BOOK OF WONDERS. 
 
 to cry ? Because I have two eyes, like other 
 people, my sisters and my mother cannot bear 
 me ; they push me out of one comer into the 
 other, give me shabby clothes, and nothing to eat 
 but what they leave. To-day they have given 
 me so little that I am still quite hungry." 
 
 The wise woman said, " Little Two Eyes, dry 
 your eyes, and I will tell you something which 
 will keep you from ever being hungry more. Only 
 say to your goat, ' Little goat, bleat ; little table, 
 rise,' and a neatly-laid table will stand before you 
 with the most delicious food on it, so that you 
 can eat as much as you like. And when you are 
 satisfied and do not want the table any more, only 
 say, ' Little goat, bleat ; little table, away,' and 
 it will all disappear before your eyes." Then the 
 wise woman went out of sight. 
 
 Little Two Eyes thought, " I must try directly 
 if it be true what she has said, for I am much too 
 hungry to wait." So she said, " Little goat, bleat ; 
 little table, rise ; " and scarcely had she uttered 
 the words, when there stood before her a little 
 table, covered with a white cloth, on which were 
 laid a plate, knife and fork, and silver spoon. 
 The most delicious food was there also, and smok- 
 ing hot, as if just come from the kitchen. Then 
 Little Two Eyes said the shortest grace that she 
 knew, " Lord God, be our Guest at all times. — 
 Amen," began to eat, and found it very good. 
 And when she bad had enough, she said as the 
 wise woman had taught her, — " Little goat, bleat ; 
 little table, awajr." In an instant the little table, 
 and all that stood on it, had disappeared again. 
 " That is a beautiful, easy way of housekeeping," 
 thought Little Two Eyes, and was quite happy 
 and merry. 
 
 In the evening, when she came home with her 
 goat, she found a litftle earthen dish with food, 
 which her sisters had put aside for her, but she 
 did not touch anything — she had no need. On 
 the next day she went out again with her goat, 
 and let the few crusts that were given her remain 
 uneaten. The first time and the second time the 
 sisters took no notice ; but when the same thing 
 happened every day, they remarked it, and said. 
 
 " All is not right with Little Two Eyes ; she al- 
 ways leaves her food, and she used formerly to 
 eat everything that was given her ; she must have 
 found other ways of dining." 
 
 In order to discover the truth, they resolved 
 that Little One Eye should go with Little Two 
 Eyes when she drove the goat into the meadow, 
 and see what she did there, and if anybody brought 
 her anything to eat and drink. So when Little 
 Two Eyes set out again. Little One Eye came 
 to her and said, " I will go with you into the 
 field, and see that the goat is taken proper care 
 of, and driven to good pasture." 
 
 But Little Two Eyes saw what Little One Eye 
 had in her mind, and drove the goat into long 
 grass, saying, " Come, Little One Eye, we will 
 sit down ; I will sing you something." Little One 
 Eye sat down, being tired from the unusual walk 
 and from the heat of the sun, and Little Two Eyes 
 kept on singing, "Are you awake. Little One 
 Eye ? Are you asleep. Little One Eye ? " Then 
 Little One Eye shut her one eve, and fell asleep. 
 And when Little Two Eyes saw that Little One 
 Eye was fast asleep, and could not betray any- 
 thing, she said, " Little goat, bleat ; little table, 
 rise," and sat herself at her table, and ate and 
 drank till she was satisfied ; then she called out 
 again, " Little goat, bleat ; little table, away," and 
 instantly everything disappeared. 
 
 Little Two Eyes now woke Little One Eye, and 
 said, " Little One Eye, you pretend to watch, and 
 fall asleep over it, and in the mean time the goat 
 could have run all over the world ; come, we will 
 go home." Then they went home, and Little 
 Two Eyes let her little dish again stand un- 
 touched ; and Little One Eye, who could not tell 
 the mother why her sister would not eat, said, 
 as an excuse, " Oh, I fell asleep out there." 
 
 The next day the mother said to Little Three 
 Eyes, "This time you shall go and see if Little 
 Two Eyes eats out of doors, and if any one brings 
 her food and drink, for she must eat and drink 
 secretly." 
 
 Then Little Three Eyes went to Little Two 
 Eyes, and said, " I will go with you and see 
 
LITTLE ONE EYE, LITTLE TWO EYES, AND LITTLE THREE EYES. 
 
 45 
 
 if the goat be taken proper care of, and driven 
 to good pasture." But Little Two Eyes saw 
 what Little Three Eyes had in her mind, and 
 drove the goat into long grass, and said as before, 
 " "We will sit down here. Little Three Eyes ; I will 
 sing you something." Little Three Eyes seated 
 herself, being tired from the walk and the heat 
 of the sun, and Little Two Eyes began the same 
 song again, and sang, " Are you awake. Little 
 Three Eyes ? " But instead of singing then as 
 she should, " Are you asleep. Little Three Eyes ?" 
 she sang, through carelessness, " Are you asleep. 
 Little Two Eyes ? " and went on singing, " Are 
 you awake. Little Three Eyes ? Are you asleep. 
 Little Two Eyes ? " So the two eyes of Little 
 Thi-ee Eyes fell asleep, but the third did not go 
 to sleep, because it was not spoken to by the verse. 
 Little Three Eyes, to be sure, shut it, and made 
 believe to go to sleep, but only through slyness ; 
 for she winked with it, and could see everything 
 quite well. And when Little Two Eyes thought 
 that Little Three Eyes was fast asleep, she said 
 her little sentence, " Little goat, bleat ; little ta- 
 ble, rise," ate and drank heartily, and then told the 
 little table to go away again, " Little goat, bleat ; 
 little table, away." But Little Three Eyes had 
 seen everything. 
 
 Then Little Two Eyes came to her, woke her. 
 and said, " Ah ! Little Three Eyes, have you been 
 asleep ? you keep watch well ! come, we will go 
 home." And when they got home. Little Two 
 Eyes again did not eat, and Little Three Eyes 
 said to the mother, " I know why the proud 
 thing does not eat: when she says to the goat 
 out there, 'Little goat, bleat; little table, rise,' 
 there stands a table before her, which is covered 
 with the very best food, much better than we 
 have here; and when she is satisfied, she says, 
 ' Little goat, bleat ; little table, away,' and every- 
 thing is gone again ; I have seen it all exactly. 
 She put two of my eyes to sleep with her little 
 verse, but the one in my forehead luckily re- 
 mained awake." 
 
 Then the envious mother cried out, " Shall 
 she be better off than we are?" fetched a butcher's 
 
 knife, and stuck it into the goat's heart, so that it 
 fell down dead. 
 
 When Little Two Eyes saw that, she went out 
 full of grief, seated herself on a hillock, and wept 
 bitter tears. All at once the wise woman stood 
 near her again, and said, " Little Two Eyes, why 
 do you cry ? " 
 
 " Shall I not cry ? " answered she. " The goat 
 who every day, when I said your little verse, laid 
 the table so beautifully, has been killed by my 
 mother ; now I must suffer hunger and thirst 
 again." 
 
 The wise woman said, " Little Two Eyes, I will 
 give you some good advice ; beg your sisters to 
 give you the heart of the murdered goat, and bury 
 it in the ground before the house door, and it will 
 turn out lucky for you." Then she disappeared, 
 and Little Two Eyes went home and said to her 
 sisters, " Dear sisters, give me some part of my 
 goat ; I don't ask for anything good, only give me 
 the heart." 
 
 Then they laughed, and said, " You can have 
 that, if you do not want anything else." Little 
 Two Eyes took the heart, and buried it quietly in 
 the evening, before the house door, after the ad- 
 vice of the wise woman. 
 
 Next morning, when the sisters woke, and went 
 to the house door together, there stood a most 
 wonderfully splendid tree, with leaves of silver and 
 fruit of gold hanging between them. Nothing 
 more beautiful or charming could be seen in the 
 wide world. But they did not know how the tree 
 had come there in the night. Little Two Eyes 
 alone noticed that it had grown out of the heart 
 of the goat, for it stood just where she had buried 
 it in the ground. 
 
 Then the mother said to Little One Eye, 
 " Climb up, my child, and gather us some fruit 
 from the tree." 
 
 Little One Eye climbed up, but when she 
 wanted to seize a golden apple, the branch sprang 
 out of her hand : this happened every time, so 
 that she could not gather a single apple, though 
 she tried as hard as she could. 
 
 Then the mother said, " Little Three Eyes, do 
 
46 
 
 THE BOOK OF WONDERS. 
 
 you climb up ; you can see better about you with 
 your three eyes than Little One Eye can." 
 
 Little One Eye scrambled down, and Little 
 Three Eyes climbed up. But Little Three Eyes 
 was no cleverer, and might look about her as 
 much as she liked — the golden apples always 
 sprang back from her grasp. At last the mother 
 became impatient, and climbed up herself, but 
 could touch the fruit just as little as Little One 
 £3^6 or Little Three Eyes ; she always grasped 
 the empty air. 
 
 Then Little Two Eyes said, ''I will go up my- 
 self ; perhaps I shall prosper better.'' 
 
 "You!" cried the sisters. "With your two 
 eyes, what can you do? " 
 
 But Little Two Eyes climbed up, and the 
 golden apples did not spring awaj' from her, but 
 dropped of themselves into her hand, so that she 
 could gather one after the other, and brought 
 down a whole apron full. Her mother took them 
 from her, and instead of her sisters, Little One 
 Eye and Little Three Eyes, behaving better to 
 poor Little Two Eyes for it, they were only envi- 
 ous because she alone could get the fruit, and be- 
 haved still more cruelly to her. 
 
 It happened, as they stood together by the tree, 
 one day, that a young knight came riding by on a 
 fine horse. 
 
 " Quick, Little Two Eyes," cried the two sis- 
 ters, " creep under, so that we may not be ashamed 
 of you ; " and threw over poor Little Two Eyes, 
 in a great hurry, an empty cask that stood just by 
 the tree, and pushed also beside her the golden 
 apples which she had broken off. 
 
 Now, as the knight came nearer, he proved to 
 be a handsome prince, who stood still, admired 
 the beautiful tree of gold and silver, and said to 
 the two sisters, — 
 
 " To whom does this beautiful tree belong ? 
 She who gives me a branch of it shall have what- 
 ever she wishes." 
 
 Then Little One Eye and Little Three Eyes 
 answered that the tree was theirs, and they would 
 break off a branch for him. Both gave themselves 
 a great deal of trouble, but it was of no use, for 
 
 the branches and fruit sprang back from them 
 every time. Then the knight said, — 
 
 " It is very wonderful that the tree belongs to 
 you, and yet you have not the power of gathering 
 anything from it." 
 
 They insisted, however, that the tree was their 
 own property. But as they spoke. Little Two 
 Eyes rolled a few golden apples from under the 
 cask, so that they ran to the feet of the knight ; 
 for Little Two Eyes was angry that Little One 
 Eye and Little Three Eyes did not tell the truth. 
 
 When the knight saw the apples, he was aston- 
 ished, and asked where they came from. Little 
 One Eye and Little Three Eyes answered that 
 they had another sister, who might not, however, 
 show herself, because she had only two eyes, like 
 other common people. But the knight desired to 
 see her, and called out, " Little Two Eyes, come 
 out." Then Little Two Eyes came out of the 
 cask quite comforted, and the knight was aston- 
 ished at her great beauty, and said, — 
 
 " You, Little Two Eyes, can certainly gather 
 me a branch from the tree ? " 
 
 "Yes," answered Little Two Eyes, "I can do 
 that, for the tree belongs to me." And she climbed 
 up and easily broke off a branch, with its silver 
 leaves and golden fruit, and handed it to the 
 knight. 
 
 Then the knight said, " Little Two Ej'es, what 
 shall I give you for it ? " 
 
 " Oh," answered Little Two Eyes, " I suffer 
 hunger and thirst, sorrow and want, from early 
 morning till late evening ; if you would take me 
 with you and free me, I should be happy." 
 
 Then the knight lifted Little Two Eyes upon 
 his horse, and took her home to his father's cas- 
 tle ; there he gave her beautiful clothes, food, and 
 drink, as much as she wanted, and because he 
 loved her so much he married her, and the mar- 
 riage was celebrated with great joy. 
 
 Now, when Little Two Eyes was taken away 
 by the handsome knight, the two sisters envied 
 her very much her happiness. " The wonderful 
 tree remains for us, though," thought they ; " and 
 even though we cannot gather any fruit off it, 
 
THE TRAVELING MUSICIANS. 
 
 47 
 
 every one will stand still before it, come to us, 
 and praise it." But the next morning, the tree 
 had disappeared, and all their hopes with it. 
 
 Little Two Eyes lived happily a long time. Once 
 two poor women came to her at the castle, and 
 begged alms. Then Litths Two Eyes looked in 
 their faces, and recognized her sisters. Little One 
 
 Eye and Little Three Eyes, who had fallen into 
 such poverty that they had to wander about, and 
 seek their bread from door to door. Little Two 
 Eyes, however, bade them welcome, and was very 
 good to them, and took care of them ; for tliey 
 both repented from their hearts the evil they had 
 done to their sister in their youth. 
 
 THE TRAVELING MUSICIANS. 
 
 An honest farmer had once an ass that had been 
 a faithful servant to him a great many years, but 
 was now growing old and every day more and 
 more unfit for work. His master, therefore, was 
 tired of keeping him and began to think of pat- 
 ting an end to him ; but the ass, who saw that 
 some mischief was in the wind, took himself slyly 
 oft', and began his journey towards the great city, 
 " for there," thought he, " I may turn musician." 
 
 After he had traveled a little way he spied a 
 dog lying by the roadside and panting as if he 
 were very tired. " What makes you pant so, my 
 friend?" said the ass. "Alas!" said the dog, 
 " my master was going to knock me on the head, 
 because I am old and weak, and can no longer 
 make myself useful to him in hunting; so I ran 
 away : but what can I do to earn my livelihood ? " 
 " Hark ye ! " said the ass, " I am going to the 
 great city to turn musician ; suppose you go with 
 me, and try what you can do in the same way ? " 
 The dog said he was willing, and they jogged on 
 together. 
 
 They had not gone far before they saw a cat sit- 
 ting in the middle of the road and making a most 
 rueful face. " Pray, my good lady," said the ass, 
 " what 's the matter with you ? you look quite out 
 of spirits ! " " Ah me ! " said the cat, " how can 
 one be in good spirits when one's life is in danger ? 
 Because I am beginning to grow old, and had 
 rather lie at my ease by the fire than run about 
 the house after the mice, my mistress laid hold of 
 me, and was going to drown me ; and though I 
 have been lucky enough to get away from her, I 
 do not know what I am to live upon." " Oh ! " 
 
 said the ass, " by all means go with us to the great 
 city ; you are a good night singer, and may make 
 your fortune as a musician." The cat was pleased 
 with the thought, and joined the party. 
 
 Soon afterwards, as they were passing by a 
 farmyard, they saw a cock perched upon a gate, 
 and screaming out with all his might and main. 
 " Bravo ! " said the ass ; " upon my word you make 
 a famous noise ; pray, what is all this about ? " 
 " Why," said the cock, " I was just now saying 
 that we should have fine weather for our washing- 
 day, and yet ray mistress and the cook don't thank 
 me for my pains, but threaten to cut off my head 
 to-morrow, and make broth of me" for the guests 
 that are coming on Sunday ! " " Heaven forbid ! " 
 said the ass ; " come with us, Master Chanticleer ; 
 it will be better, at any rate, than staying here to 
 have your head cut off ! Besides, who knows ? 
 If we take care to sing in tune, we may get up 
 some kind of a concert: so come along with us." 
 " With all my heart," said the cock ; so they all 
 four went on jollily together. 
 
 They could not, however, reach the great city 
 the first day : so when night came on they went 
 into the wood to sleep. The ass and the dog laid 
 themselves down under a great tree, and the cat 
 climbed up into the branches; while the cock, 
 thinking that the higher he sat the safer he should 
 be, flew up to the very top of the tree, and then, 
 according to his custom, before he went to sleep, 
 looked out on all sides of him to see that every- 
 thing was well. In doing this he saw afar off 
 something bright and shining ; and calling to his 
 companions said, " There must be a house no great 
 
48 
 
 THE BOOK OF WONDERS. 
 
 way off, for I see a light." " If that be the case," 
 said the ass, " we had better change our quarters, 
 for our lodging is not the best in the world ! " 
 " Besides," added the dog, " I should not be the 
 worse, for a bone or two, or a bit of meat." So 
 they walked off together towards the spot where 
 Chanticleer had seen the light ; and as they drew 
 near it became larger and brighter, till at last 
 they came close to a house in which a gang of 
 robbers lived. 
 
 The ass, being the tallest of the company, 
 marched up to the window and peeped in. " Well, 
 
 Donkey," said Chanticleer, "What do you see?" 
 "What do I see?" replied the ass, "why I see a 
 table spread with all kinds of good things, and 
 robbers sitting round it making merry." " That 
 would be a noble lodging for us," said the cock. 
 "Yes," said the ass, "if we could only get in:" 
 so they consulted together how they should con- 
 trive to get the robbers out ; and at last they hit 
 upon a plan. The ass placed himself upright on 
 his hind-legs, with his fore-feet resting against the 
 window ; the dog got upon his back ; the cat 
 scrambled up to the dog's shoulders, and the cock 
 flew up and sat upon the cat's head. When all 
 
 was ready, a signal was given, and they began 
 their music. The ass brayed, the dog barked, the 
 cat mewed, and the cock screamed ; and then tliey 
 all broke through the window at once, and came 
 tumbling into the room, amongst the broken glass, 
 with a most hideous clatter! The robbers, who 
 had been not a little frightened by the opening 
 concert, had now no doubt that some frightful hob- 
 goblin had broken in upon them, and scampered 
 away as fast as they could. 
 
 Tlie coast once clear, our travelers soon sat down, 
 and dispatched what the robbers had left, with as 
 much eagerness as if they liad not expected to eat 
 again for a month. As soon as thej' had satisfied 
 themselves, thej' put out the lights, and eacSi once 
 more sought out a resting-place to his own liking. 
 The donkey laid himself down upon a heap of 
 straw in the yard ; the dog stretched himself upon 
 a mat behind the door ; the cat rolled lierself up 
 on the hearth before the warm ashes ; and the 
 cock perched upon a beam at the top of the house ; 
 and, as the)' were all rather tired with their jour- 
 ney, they soon fell Hsleep. 
 
 But about midnight the robbers, when they saw 
 from afar that the lights were out and that all 
 seemed quiet, began to think that they had been 
 in too great a hurry to run away ; and one of 
 them, who was bolder than the rest, went to see 
 what was going on. Finding everything still, he 
 marched into the kitchen, and groped about till 
 he found a match in order to light a candle ; and 
 then, espying the glittering fiery eyes of the cat, 
 he mistook them for live coals, and held the match 
 to them to light it. But the cat, not understand- 
 ing this joke, sprang at his face, and spit, and 
 scratched at him. This frightened him dread- 
 fully, and away he ran to the door : but there the 
 dog jumped up and bit him in the leg ; and as he 
 was crossing over the yard the ass kicked him : 
 and the cock, who had been awakened by the 
 noise, crowed with all his might. At this the 
 robber ran back as fast as he could to his com- 
 rades, and told the captain "how a horrid witch 
 had got into the house, and had spit at him and 
 scratched his face with her long bony fingers ; how 
 
THE WHITE CAT. 
 
 49 
 
 a man with a knife in his hand had hidden him- 
 self behind the door, and stabbed liim in the leg ; 
 how a black monster stood in the yard and struck 
 him with a club, and how the judge sat upon the 
 top of the house and cried out, ' Throw the rascal 
 
 up here ! ' " After this the robbers never dared 
 to go back to the house ; but the musicians were 
 so pleased with their quarters, that they took up 
 their abode there ; and there they are, I dare say, 
 at this very day. 
 
 THE WHITE CAT. 
 
 There was once a king who had three sons, all 
 handsome, brave, and noble of heart. Neverthe- 
 less, some wicked courtiers made their father be- 
 lieve they were eager to wear his crown, which, 
 though he was old, he had no mind to resign. He 
 therefore invented a plan to get them out of the 
 kingdom, and prevent their carrying out any un- 
 datiful projects. Sending for them to a private 
 audience, he conversed with them kindly, and 
 said : " You must be sensible, my dear children, 
 that my great age prevents me from attending so 
 closely as I have hitherto done to state affairs. I 
 fear this may be injurious to my subjects ; I 
 therefore desire to place my crown on the head of 
 one of you ; but it is no more than just that, in 
 return for such a present, you should procure me 
 some amusement in my retirement, before I leave 
 the capital forever. I cannot help thinking that 
 a little dog, handsome, faithful, and engaging, 
 would be the verj' thing to make me happy ; so 
 that, without bestowing a preference on either of 
 you, I declare that he who brings me the most 
 perfect little dog shall be my successor in the 
 kingdom." 
 
 The princes were much surprised at the fancy 
 of their father to have a little dog, yet they ac- 
 cepted the proposition with pleasure ; and accord- 
 ingly, after taking leave of the king, who pre- 
 sented them with an abundance of money and 
 jewels, and appointed that day twelvemonth for 
 their return, they set off on their travels. 
 
 Before separating, however, they took some re- 
 freshment together, in an old palace about three 
 miles out of town, where they mutually agreed to 
 meet on their return that day twelvemonth, and 
 go all together with their presents to court. They 
 
 also agreed to change their names, and to travel 
 incognito. 
 
 Each took a different road ; but it is intended 
 to relate the adventures of the youngest only, who 
 was the most beautiful, amiable, and accomplished 
 prince in the world. As he traveled from town to 
 town, he bought all the handsome dogs that fell 
 in his way ; and as soon as he saw one that was 
 handsomer than those he had, be made a present 
 of the rest ; for twenty servants would scarcely 
 have been sufficient to take care of all the dogs he 
 was continually purchasing. At leugth, wander- 
 ing he knew not whither, he found himself in a 
 forest ; night suddenly came on, and with it a vio- 
 lent storm of thunder, lightning, and rain : to add 
 to his perplexity, he lost his way. After he had 
 groped about for a long time, he perceived a light, 
 which made him suppose that he was not far from 
 some house: he accordingly pursued his way to- 
 wards it, and in a short time found himself at the 
 gates of the most magnificent palace he had ever 
 beheld. The entrance door was of gold, covered 
 with sapphires, which shone so that the strongest 
 eyesight scarcely could bear to look at it : this was 
 the light the prince had seen from the forest. 
 The walls were of transparent porcelain, variously 
 colored, and represented the history of all the 
 fairies that had existed from the beginning of the 
 world. The prince, coming back to the golden 
 door, observed a deer's foot fastened to a chain of 
 diamonds ; he could not help wondering at the 
 magnificence he beheld, and the security in which 
 the inhabitants seemed to live ; " For," said he to 
 himself, " nothing could be easier than for thieves 
 to steal this chain, and as many of the sapphire- 
 stones as would make their fortunes." He pulled 
 
50 
 
 THE BOOK OF WONDERS. 
 
 the chain, and heard a bell, the sound of which 
 was exquisite. In a few moments the door was 
 opened; yet he perceived nothing but twelve 
 hands in the air, each holding a torch. The 
 prince was so astonished that he durst not move a 
 step — when he felt himself gently' pushed on by 
 some other hands from behind him. He walked 
 on, in great perplexity, till he entered a vestibule 
 inlaid with porphyry and lapis-stone, where the 
 most melodious voice he had ever heard chanted 
 the following words : — 
 
 " Welcome, prince, do danger fear, 
 Mirth and love attend you here ; 
 You shall breali the magic spell. 
 That on a beauteous lady fell. 
 
 " Welcome, prince, no danger fear, 
 Mirth and love attend you here." 
 
 The prince now advanced with confidence, won- 
 dering what these words could mean ; the hands 
 moved him forward towards a large door of coral, 
 which opened of itself to give him admittance into 
 a splendid apartment built of mother-of-pearl, 
 through which he passed into others so richly 
 adorned with paintings and jewels, and so resplen- 
 dently lighted with thousands of lamps, girandoles, 
 and lustres, that he imagined he must be in an 
 enchanted palace. When he had passed through 
 sixty apartments, all equally splendid, he was 
 stopped by the hands, and a large easy chair ad- 
 vanced of itself towards the fire-place ; then the 
 hands, which he observed were extremelj^ white 
 and delicate, took off his wet clothes, and supplied 
 their place with the finest linen imaginable, add- 
 ing a comfortable wrapping-gown, embroidered 
 with gold and pearls. 
 
 The hands next brought him an elegant dress- 
 ing-table, and combed his hair so very gently that 
 he scarcely felt their touch. They held before 
 him a beautiful basin, filled with perfumes, for 
 him to wash his face and hands, and afterwards 
 took of? the wrapping-gown, and dressed him in 
 a suit of clothes of still greater splendor. When 
 his toilet was complete they conducted him to an 
 apartment he had not yet seen, and which also 
 was magnificently furnished. There was a table 
 
 spread for supper, and everything upon it was of 
 the purest gold, adorned with jewels. The prince 
 observed there were two covers set, and was won- 
 dering who was to be his companion, when his 
 attention was suddenly caught by a small figure 
 not a foot high, which just then entered the 
 room, and advanced towards him. It had on a 
 long black veil, and was supported by two cats 
 dressed in mourning, and with swords by their 
 sides : they were followed by a numerous retinue 
 of cats, some carrying cages full of rats, and 
 others mouse-traps full of mice. 
 
 The prince was at a loss to know what to think. 
 The little figure now approached, and throwing 
 aside her veil, he beheld a most beautiful white 
 cat : she seemed young and melancholy ; and, ad- 
 dressing herself to him, said, " My prince, you are 
 welcome ; your presence affords me the greatest 
 pleasure." 
 
 "Madam," replied he, "I would fain thank you 
 for your generosity, nor can I help observing that 
 you must be an extraordinary creature to possess, 
 with your present form, the gift of speech, and 
 the most magnificent palace I have ever seen." 
 
 " All this is verj' true," answered the beautiful 
 cat ; " but, prince, I am not fond of talking, and 
 least of all do I like compliments ; let us therefore 
 sit down to supper." 
 
 The trunkless hands then placed the dishes on 
 the table, and the prince and white cat seated 
 themselves at it. The first dish was a pie made 
 of young pigeons, and the next was a fricassee of 
 the fattest mice. The view of the one made the 
 prince almost afraid to taste the other, till the 
 white cat, who guessed his thoughts, assured him 
 that there were certain dishes at table which had 
 been dressed on purpose for him, in which there 
 was not a morsel of either rat or mouse : accord- 
 ingly he ate heartily of such as she recommended. 
 When supper was over he perceived that the 
 white cat had a portrait set in gold hanging to one 
 of her feet. He begged her permission to look at 
 it ; when, to his astonishment, he saw the portrait 
 of a handsome young man, who exactly resembled 
 himself ! He thought there was something most 
 
THE WHITE OAT. 
 
 51 
 
 extraordinary in all this : yet, as the white cat 
 sighed and looked very sorrowful, he did not vent- 
 ure to ask any questions. He conversed with her 
 on different subjects, and found her extremely 
 well versed in everything that was passing in 
 the world. When night was far advanced, his 
 hostess wished him a good-night, and he was con- 
 ducted by the hands to his chamber, which was 
 different still from anything he had seen in 
 the palace, being hung with the wings of butter- 
 flies mixed with the most curious feathers. His 
 bed was of gauze, festooned with bunches of the 
 gayest ribbons, and the looking-glasses reaching 
 from the floor to the ceiling. The prince was un- 
 dressed and put into bed by the hands, without 
 speaking a word. He, however, slept little, and 
 in the morning was awakened by a confused noise. 
 The hands took him out of bed, and put on him a 
 handsome hunting-jacket. He looked into the 
 courtyard, and perceived more than flve hundred 
 cats, busily employed in preparing for the field 
 — for this was a day of festival. Presently the 
 white cat came to his apartment; and having 
 politely inquired after his health, she invited him 
 to partake of their amusement. The prince will- 
 ingly acceded, and mounted a wooden horse, 
 richly caparisoned, which had been prepared for 
 him, and which he was assured would gallop to 
 admiration. The beautiful white cat mounted a 
 monkey ; she wore a dragoon's cap, which made 
 her look so fierce that all the rats and mice ran 
 away in the utmost terror. 
 
 Everything being ready, the horns sounded, 
 and away they went : no hunting was ever more 
 agreeable. The cats ran faster than the hares 
 and rabbits; and when they caught any, they 
 turned them out to be hunted in the presence of 
 the white cat, and a thousand cunning tricks were 
 played. Nor were the birds in -safety ; for the 
 monkey made nothing of cHmbing up the trees, 
 with the white cat on his back, to the nests of the 
 young eagles. When the chase was over, the 
 whole retinue returned to the palace ; the white 
 cat immediately exchanged her dragoon's cap for 
 the veil, and sat down to supper with the prince, 
 
 who, being very hungry, ate heartily, and after- 
 wards partook with her of the most delicious 
 wines. He then was conducted to his chamber as 
 before, and wakened in the morning to renew the 
 same sort of life, which day after day became so 
 pleasant to him that he no longer thought of any- 
 thing but of pleasing the sweet little creature who 
 received him so courteously : accordingly, every 
 day was spent in new amusements. The prince 
 had almost forgotten his country and relations, 
 and sometimes even regretted that he was not a 
 cat, so great was his affection for his mewing com- 
 panions. 
 
 " Alas ! " said he to the white cat, "how will it 
 afflict me to leave you, whom I love so much ! 
 Either make yourself a lady, or make me a cat." 
 She smiled at the prince's wish, but offered no 
 reply. 
 
 At length the twelvemonth was nearly expired : 
 the white cat, who knew the very day when the 
 prince was to reach his father's palace, reminded 
 him that he had but three days longer to look for 
 a perfect little dog. The prince, astonished at 
 his own forgetfulness, began to afflict himself ; 
 when the cat told him not to be so sorrowful, since 
 she would not only provide him with a little dog, 
 but . also with a wooden horse, which should con- 
 vey him safely home in less than twelve hours. 
 
 " Look here," said she, showing him an acorn ; 
 " this contains what you desire." 
 
 The prince put the acorn to his ear, and heard 
 the barking of a little dog. Transported with 
 joy, he thanked the cat a thousand tirties ; and 
 the next day, bidding her tenderly adieu, he set 
 out on his return. 
 
 The prince arrived first at the place of rendez- 
 vous, and was soon joined by his brothers : the}"^ 
 mutually embraced, and began to give an account 
 of their success ; when the youngest showed them 
 only a little mongrel cur, telling them that he 
 thought it could not fail to please the king, from 
 its extraordinary beauty. The brothers trod on 
 each other's toes under the table, as much as to 
 say, " We have little to fear from this sorry-look- 
 ing animal." The next day they went together 
 
52 
 
 THE BOOK OF WONDERS. 
 
 to the palace. The dogs of the two elder brothers 
 were lying on cushions, and so curiously wrapped 
 around with embroidered quilts that one would 
 scarcely venture to touch them. The youngest 
 produced his cur, and all wondered how the 
 prince could hope to receive a crown for such a 
 shabby present. The king examined the two 
 little dogs of the elder princes, and declared he 
 thought them so equally beautiful that he knew 
 not to which, with justice, he could give the pref- 
 erence. They accordingly began to dispute; when 
 the youngest prince, taking his acorn from his 
 pocket, soon ended their contention ; for a little 
 dog appeared, which could with ease go through 
 the smallest ring, and was, besides, a miracle of 
 beauty. 
 
 The king could not possibly hesitate in declar- 
 ing his satisfaction ; yet, as he was not more in- 
 clined than the year before to part with his crown, 
 he told his sons that he was extremely obliged to 
 them for the pains they had taken : and since they 
 had succeeded so well, he wished they would make 
 a second attempt; he therefore begged they would 
 take another year in order to procure a piece of 
 cambric, fine enough to be drawn through the eye 
 of a small needle. 
 
 The three princes thought this very hard ; yet 
 they set out, in obedience to the king's command. 
 The two eldest took different roads, and the 
 youngest remounted his wooden horse, and in a 
 short time arrived at the palace of his beloved 
 white cat, who received him with the greatest 
 joy, while the trunkless hands helped him to dis- 
 mount, and provided him with immediate refresh- 
 ment. Afterwards the prince gave the white cat 
 an account of the admiration which had been be- 
 stowed on the beautiful little dog, and informed 
 her of the further injunction of his father. 
 
 " Make yourself perfectly easy, dear prince," 
 said she ; " I have in my palace some cats who are 
 perfect adepts in making such cambric as the king 
 requires ; so you have nothing to do but to give 
 me the pleasure of your company while it is mak- 
 ing, and I will procure you all the amusement pos- 
 sible." 
 
 She accordingly ordered the most curious fire- 
 works to be played off in sight of the window of 
 the apartment in which they were sitting ; and 
 nothing but festivity and rejoicing was heard 
 throughout the palace for the prince's return. As 
 the white cat frequently gave proofs of an excellent 
 understanding, the prince was by no means tired 
 of her company ; she talked with him of state 
 affairs, of theatres, of fashions : in short, she was 
 at a loss on no subject whatever ; so that when 
 the prince was alone, he had plenty of amuse- 
 ment in thinking how it could possibly be, that 
 a small white cat could be endowed with all the 
 attractions of the very best and most charming of 
 women. 
 
 The twelvemonth in this manner again passed 
 insensibly away ; but the cat took care to remind 
 the prince of his duty in proper time. " For once, 
 my prince," said she, " I will have the pleasure of 
 equipping you as suits your high rank." And, 
 looking into the courtyard, he saw a superb car, 
 ornamented all over with gold, silver, pearls, and 
 diamonds, drawn by twelve horses as white as 
 snow, and harnessed in the most sumptuous trap- 
 pings ; and behind the car a thousand guards, 
 richly appareled, were waiting to attend on the 
 prince's person. She then presented him with a 
 nut : " You will find in it," said she, " the piece 
 of cambric I promised j'ou : do not break the shell 
 till you are in the presence of the king your fa- 
 ther." Then, to prevent the acknowledgments 
 which the prince was about to offer, she hastily 
 bade him adieu. 
 
 Nothing could exceed the speed with which the 
 snow-white horses conveyed this fortunate prince 
 to his father's palace, where his brothers had just 
 arrived before him. They embraced each other, 
 and demanded an immediate audience of the king, 
 who received them with the greatest kindness. 
 The princes hastened to place at the feet of his 
 majesty the curious present he had required them 
 to procure. The eldest produced a piece of cam- 
 bric so extremely fine, that his friends had no 
 doubt of its passing through the eye of the needle, 
 which was now delivered to the king, having been 
 
THE WHITE GAT. 
 
 53 
 
 kept locked up in the custody of his majesty's 
 treasurer all the time. But when the king tried 
 to draw the cambric through the eye of the needle 
 it would not pass, though it failed but very little. 
 Then came the second prince, who made as sure 
 of obtaining the crown as his brother had done, 
 but, alas ! with no better success ; for though his 
 piece of cambric was exquisitely fine, yet it could 
 not be drawn through the eye of the needle. It 
 was now the turn of the youngest prince, who ac- 
 cordingly advanced, and opening an elegant little 
 box inlaid with jewels, took out a walnut and 
 cracked the shell, imagining he should immedi- 
 ately perceive his piece of cambric ; but what was 
 his astonishment to see nothing but a filbert ! He 
 did not, however, lose his hopes ; he cracked the 
 filbert, and it presented him with a cherry-stone. 
 The lords of the court, who had assembled to wit- 
 ness this extraordinary trial, could not, any more 
 than the princes his brothers, refrain from laugh- 
 ing, to think he should be so silly as to claim the 
 crown on no better pretensions. The prince, how- 
 ever, cracked the cherry-stone, which was filled 
 with a kernel; he divided it and found in the mid- 
 dle a grain of wheat, and in that a grain of millet- 
 seed. He was now absolutely confounded, and 
 could not help muttering between his teeth, " O 
 white cat, white cat, thou hast deceived me ! " At 
 this instant he felt- his hand scratched by the claw 
 of a cat ; upon which he again took courage, and 
 opening the grain of millet-seed, to the astonish- 
 ment of all present, he drew forth a piece of cam- 
 bric four hundred yards long, and fine enough to 
 be threaded with perfect ease through the eye of 
 the needle. 
 
 When the king found he had no pretext left 
 for refusing the crown to his youngest son, he 
 sighed deeply, and it was easy to be seen that he 
 was sorry for the prince's success. 
 
 " My sons," said he, " it is so gratifying to the 
 heart of a father to receive proofs of his children's 
 love and obedience, that I cannot refuse myself 
 the satisfaction of requiring of you one thing more. 
 You must undertake another expedition. That 
 one of you who, by the end of a year, brings me 
 
 the most beautiful lady, shall marry her and ob- 
 tain my crown." 
 
 So they again took leave of the king and of 
 each other, and set out without delay ; and in less 
 than twelve hours our young prince arrived, in 
 his splendid car, at the palace of his dear white 
 cat. Everything went on as before till the end of 
 another year. At length only one day remained 
 of the year, when the white cat thus addressed 
 him : " To-morrow, my prince, you must present 
 yourself at the palace of your father, and give 
 him a proof of your obedience. It depends only 
 on yourself to conduct thither the most beautiful 
 princess ever yet beheld, for the time is come 
 when the enchantment by which I am bound may 
 be ended. You must cut off my head and tail," 
 continued she, "and throw them into the fire." 
 
 " I ! " said the prince hastily, — "I cut off your 
 head and tail ! You surely mean to try my af- 
 fection, which, believe me, beautiful cat, is truly 
 yours." 
 
 "■ You mistake me, generous prince," said she ; 
 " I do not doubt your regard ; but if you wish to 
 see me in any other form than that of a cat, you 
 must consent to do as I desire, then you will have 
 done me a service I shall never be able sufficiently 
 to repay." 
 
 The prince's eyes filled with tears as she spoke, 
 yet he considered himself obliged to undertake 
 the dreadful task ; and, the cat continuing to press 
 him with the greatest eagerness, with a trembling 
 hand he drew his sword, cut off her head and tail, 
 and threw them into the fire. No sooner was this 
 done than the most beautiful lady his eyes had 
 ever seen stood before him : and ere he had suffi- 
 ciently recovered from his surprise to speak to 
 her, a long train of attendants, who, at the same 
 moment as their mistress, were changed to their 
 natural shapes, came to offer their congratulations 
 to the queen, and inquire her commands. She 
 received them with the greatest kindness, and or- 
 dering them to withdraw, thus addressed the as- 
 tonished prince: — 
 
 " Do not imagine, dear prince, that I have al- 
 ways been a cat, or that I am of obscure birth. 
 
54 
 
 THE BOOK OF WONDERS. 
 
 My father was the monarch of six kingdoms ; he 
 tenderly loved my mother, and left her always at 
 liberty to follow her own inclinations. Her pre- 
 vailing passion was to travel ; and a short time 
 before my birth, having heard of some fairies who 
 were in possession of the largest gardens filled 
 with the most delicious fruits, she had so strong 
 a desire to eat some of them, that she set out for 
 the country where they lived. She arrived at 
 their abode, which she found to be a magnificent 
 palace, on all sides glittering with gold and pre- 
 cious stones. She knocked a long time at the 
 gates ; but no one came, nor could she perceive the 
 least sign that it had any inhabitant. The diffi- 
 culty, however, did but increase the violence of 
 my mother's longing ; for she saw the tops of the 
 trees above the garden walls, loaded with the most 
 luscious fruits. The queen, in despair, ordered her 
 attendants to place tents close to the door of the 
 palace ; but, having waited six weeks without 
 seeing any one pass the gates, she fell sick of vex- 
 ation, and her life was despaired of. 
 
 " One night, as .she lay half asleep, she turned 
 herself about, and, opening her eyes, perceived a 
 little old woman, very ugly and deformed, seated 
 in the easy-chair by her bedside. ' I and my sister 
 fairies,' said she, 'take it very ill that your maj- 
 esty should so obstinately persist in getting some 
 of our fruit ; but since so precious a life is at 
 stake, we consent to give you as much as you can 
 carry away, provided you will give us in return 
 what we shall ask.' ' Ah ! kind fairy,' cried the 
 queen, ' I will give you anything that I possess, 
 even my very kingdoms, on condition that I eat of 
 your fruit." The old fairy then informed the 
 queen that what they required was, that she should 
 give them the child she was going to have, as soon 
 as it should be born ; adding that every possible 
 care should be taken of it, and that it should be- 
 come the most accomplished princess. The queen 
 replied that, however cruel the conditions, she 
 must accept them, since nothing but the fruit 
 eould save her life. In short, dear prince," con- 
 tinued the lady, "my mother instantly got out of 
 bed, was dressed by her attendants, entered the 
 
 palace, and satisfied her longing. Having eaten 
 her fill, she ordered four thousand mules to be 
 procured and loaded with the fruit, which had the 
 virtue of continuing all the year round in a state 
 of perfection. Thus provided, she returned to the 
 king njy father, who, with the whole court, re- 
 ceived her with rejoicings, as it was before imag- 
 ined she would die of disappointment. All this 
 time the queen said nothing to my father of the 
 promise she had made to give her daughter to the 
 fairies ; so that when the time was come that she 
 expected my birth, she grew very melancholy ; 
 till at length, being pressed by the king, she de- 
 clared to him the truth. Nothing could exceed his 
 affliction when he heard that his only child, when 
 born, was to be given to the fairies. He bore it, 
 however, as well as he could, for fear of adding to 
 my mother's grief ; and also believing he should 
 find some means of keeping me in a place of safety, 
 which the fairies would not be able to approach. 
 As soon, therefore, as I was born, he had me con- 
 veyed to a tower in the palace, to which there were 
 twenty flights of stairs, and a door to each, of which 
 my father kept the key, so that none came near 
 me without his consent. When the fairies heard 
 of what had been done, they sent first to demand 
 me ; and on mj father's refusal, they let loose a 
 monstrous dragon, which devoured men, women, 
 and children, and which, by the breath of its nos- 
 trils, destroyed everything it came near, so that 
 evt^n the trees and plants began to die. The grief 
 of the king was excessive ; and, finding that his 
 whole kingdom would in a short time be reduced 
 to famine, he consented to give me into their 
 hands. I was accordingly laid in a cradle of moth- 
 er-of-pearl, ornamented with gold and jewels, and 
 carried to their palace, when the dragon immedi- 
 ately disappeared. The fairies placed me in a 
 tower, elegantly furnished, but to which there was 
 no door, so that whoever approached was obliged 
 to come by the windows, which were of great 
 height from the ground : from these I had the 
 liberty of getting out into a delightful garden, in 
 which were baths, and every sort of cooling fruit. 
 In this place was I educated by the fairies, who 
 
THE WHITE GAT. 
 
 65 
 
 behaved to me with the greatest kindness; my 
 clothes were splendid, and I was instructed in 
 every kind of accomplishment ; in short, prince, 
 if I had never seen any one but them I should have 
 remained very happy. One day, however, as I 
 was talking at the window with my parrot, I per- 
 ceived a young gentleman who was listening to 
 our conversation. As I had never seen a man 
 save in pictures, I was not sorry for the opportu- 
 nity of gratifying my curiosity. I thought him a 
 very pleasing object, and he at length bowed in 
 the most respectful manner, without daring to 
 speak, for he knew that I was in the palace of the 
 fairies. When it began to grow dark he went 
 away, and I vainly endeavored to see which road 
 he took. The next morning, as soon as it was 
 light, I again placed myself at the window, and 
 had the pleasure of seeing that the gentleman had 
 returned to the same place. He now spoke to me 
 through a speaking-trumpet, and declared that he 
 thought me a most charming lady, and that he 
 should be very unhappy if he did not pass his life 
 in my company. 
 
 " I resolved to find some way of escaping from 
 my tower, and was not long in devising the means 
 for the execution of my project : I begged the 
 fairies to bring me a netting-needle, a mesh, and 
 some coi'd, saying I wished to make some nets to 
 amuse myself with catching birds at my window. 
 This they readily complied with, and in a short 
 time I completed a ladder long enough to reach 
 to the ground. I now sent my parrot to the 
 prince, to beg he would come to the usual place, 
 as I wished to speak with him. He did not fail ; 
 and finding the ladder, mounted it, and quickly 
 entered my tower. This at first alarmed me, but 
 the charms of his conversation had restored me to 
 tranquillity, when all at once the window opened, 
 and the Fairy Violent, mounted on the dragon's 
 back, rushed into the tower. My beloved prince 
 thought of nothing but how to defend me from 
 her fury ; for I had had time to relate to him my 
 story, previous to this cruel interruption ; but her 
 attendants overpowered him, and the Fairy Vio- 
 lent had the barbarity to command the dragon to 
 
 devour my lover before my eyes. In my despair 
 I would have thrown myself also into the mouth 
 of the horrible monster ; but this they took cart 
 to prevent, saying my life should be preserved 
 for greater punishment. The fairy then touched 
 me with her wand, and I instantly became a white 
 cat. She next conducted me to this palace, which 
 belonged to my father, and gave me a train of cats 
 for my attendants, together with the twelve hands 
 that waited on your highness. She then informed 
 me of my birth and the death of my parents, and 
 pronounced upon me what she imagined the great- 
 est of maledictions : that I should not be restored 
 to my natural figure until a young prince, the per- 
 fect resemblance of him I had lost, should cut off 
 my head and tail. You are that perfect resem- 
 blance ; and accordingly you ended the enchant- 
 ment. I need not add that I already love you 
 more than my life ; let us therefore hasten to the 
 palace of the king your father, and obtain his ap- 
 probation to our marriage." 
 
 The prince and princess accordingly set out side 
 by side, in a car of still greater splendor than be- 
 fore, and reached the palace just as the two 
 brothers had arrived with two beautiful prin- 
 cesses. The king, hearing that each of his sons 
 had succeeded in finding what he had required, 
 again began to think of some new expedient to 
 delay the time of resigning the crown ; but when 
 the Avhole court were with the king assembled 
 to pass judgment, the princess who accompanied 
 the voungest, perceiving his thoughts by his coun- 
 tenance, stepped majestically forward and tlius ad- 
 dressed him : — 
 
 " It is a pity that your majestj% who is so ca- 
 pable of governing, should think of resigning the 
 crown ! I am fortunate enough to have six king- 
 doms in my possession ; permit me to bestow one 
 on each of the eldest princes, and to enjoy the re- 
 maining four in the society of the youngest. And 
 may it please your majesty to keep your own 
 kingdom, and make no decision- concerning the 
 beauty of three princesses, who, without such a 
 proof of your majesty's preference, will no doubt 
 live happily together ! " 
 
56 
 
 THE BOOK OF WONDERS. 
 
 The air resounded with the applauses of the as- 
 sembly : the young prince and princess embraced 
 the king, and next their brothers and sisters : 
 
 the three weddings immediately took place, and 
 the kingdoms were divided as the princess had pro- 
 posed. 
 
 PRINCE CHERRY. 
 
 Long ago there lived a monarch, who was such 
 a very honest man that his subjects entitled him 
 the Good King. One day, when he was out hunt- 
 ing, a little white rabbit, which had been half 
 killed by his hounds, leaped right into his maj- 
 esty's arms. Said he, caressing it : " This poor 
 creature has put itself under my protection, and I 
 will allow no one to injure it." So he carried it 
 to his palace, had prepared for it a neat little rab- 
 bit-hutch, with abundance of the daintiest food, 
 such as rabbits love, and there he left it. 
 
 The same night, when he was alone in his 
 chamber, there appeared to him a beautiful lady. 
 She was dressed neither in gold, nor silver, nor 
 brocade ; but her flowing robes were white as 
 snow, and she wore a garland of white roses on 
 her head. The Good King was greatly astonished 
 at the sight ; for his door was locked, and he won- 
 dered how so dazzling a lady could possibly enter ; 
 but she soon removed his doubts. 
 
 " I am the Faiiy Candide," said she, with a 
 smiling and gracious air. " Passing through the 
 wood, where you were hunting, I took a desire to 
 know if you were as good as men say you are. I 
 therefore changed myself into a white rabbit, and 
 took refuge in your arms. You saved me ; and 
 now I know that those who are merciful to dumb 
 beasts will be ten times more so to human beings. 
 You merit the name your subjects give you : you 
 ,are the Good King. I thank you for your protec- 
 tion, and shall be always one of your best friends. 
 You have but to say what you most desire, and 
 I promise you your wish shall be granted." 
 
 "Madam," replied the king, "if you are a 
 fairy, you must know, without ray telling you, 
 the wish of my heart. I have one well-beloved 
 son. Prince Cherry : whatever kindly feeling you 
 have towards me, extend it to him." 
 
 " Willingly," said Candide. " I will make him 
 the handsomest, richest, or most powerful prince in 
 the world : choose whichever you desire for him." 
 
 " None of the three," returned the father. " I 
 only wish him to be good — the best prince in the 
 whole world. Of what use would riches, power, 
 or beauty be to him if he were a bad man ? " 
 
 " You are right," said the fairy ; "but I cannot 
 make him good : he must do that himself. I can 
 only change his external fortunes ; for his per- 
 sonal character, the utmost I can promise is to 
 give him good counsel, reprove him for his faults, 
 and even punish him if he will not punish him- 
 self. You mortals can but do the same with your 
 children." 
 
 " Ah, yes ! " said the king, sighing. Still, he 
 felt that the kindness of a fairy was something 
 gained for his son, and died, not long after, con- 
 tent and at peace. 
 
 Prince Cherry mourned deeply, for he dearly 
 loved his father, and would have gladly given all 
 his kingdoms and treasures to keep him in life a 
 little longer. Two days after the Good King was 
 no more, Prince Cherry was sleeping in his cham- 
 ber, when he saw the same dazzling vision of the 
 Fairy Candide. 
 
 "I promised your father," said she, "to be 
 your best friend, and in pledge of this take what 
 I now give you ; " and she placed a small gold 
 ring upon his finger. " Poor as it looks, it is 
 more precious than diamonds ; for whenever you 
 do ill it will prick your finger. If, after that 
 warning, you still continue in evil, you will lose 
 my friendship, and I shall become your direst 
 enemy." 
 
 So saying, she disappeared, leaving Cherry in 
 such amazement, that he would have believed it 
 all a dream, save for the ring on his finger. 
 
PRINCE CHERRY. 
 
 57 
 
 He was for a long time so good that the ring 
 never pricked him at all ; and this made him so 
 cheerful and pleasant in his humor that everybody 
 called him " Happy Prince Cherry." 
 
 But one unlucky day he was out hunting and 
 found no sport, which vexed him so much that he 
 showed his ill temper by his looks and ways. He 
 fancied his ring felt very tight and uncomfortable, 
 but as it did not prick him he took no heed of 
 this : until, reentering his palace, his little pet 
 dog, Bibi, jumped up upon him, and was sharply 
 told to get away. The creature, accustomed to 
 nothing but caresses, tried to attract his attention 
 by pulling at his garments, when Prince Cherry 
 turned and gave it a severe kick. At this mo- 
 ment he felt in his finger a prick like a pin. 
 
 " What nonsense ! " said he to himself. " The 
 fairy must be making game of me. Wliy, what 
 great evil have I done ! I, the master of a great 
 empire, cannot I kick my own dog? " 
 
 A voice replied, or else Prince Cherry imagined 
 it, " No, sire ; the master of a great empire has a 
 right to do good, but not evil. I — a fair}' — am 
 as much above you as j'ou are above your dog. I 
 might punish you, kill you, if I chose ; but I pre- 
 fer leaving you to amend your ways. You have 
 been guilty of three faults to-day — bad temper, 
 passion, cruelty : do better to-morrow." 
 
 Tiie prince promised and kept his word a while ; 
 but he had been brought up by a foolish nurse, 
 who indulged him in every way, and was always 
 telling him that he would be a king one day, 
 when he might do as he liked in all things. He 
 found out now that even a king cannot always do 
 that ; it vexed him, and made him angry. His 
 ring began to prick liim so often that his little 
 finger was continually bleeding. He disliked 
 this, as was natural, and soon began to consider 
 whether it would not be easier to throw the ring 
 awav altogether than to be constantlj' annoyed by 
 it. It was such a queer thing for a king to have 
 always a spot of blood on his finger ! At last, un- 
 able to put up with it any more, he took his ring 
 off and hid it where he would never see it ; and 
 believed himself the happiest of men, for he could 
 
 8 
 
 now do exactly what he liked. He did it and be- 
 came every day more and more miserable. 
 
 One day he saw a young girl, so beautiful that, 
 being always accustomed to have his own way, he 
 immediately determined to espouse her. He never 
 doubted that she would be •^nly too glad to be 
 made a queen, for she was very poor. But Zelia 
 — that was her name — answered, to his great 
 astonishment, that she would rather not marry 
 him. 
 
 " Do I displease, you ? " asked the prince, into 
 whose inind it had never entered that he could 
 displease anybody. 
 
 " Not at all, my prince," said the honest peas- 
 ant maiden. " You are very handsome, very 
 charming ; but you are not like your father, the 
 Good King. I will not be your queen, for you 
 would make me miserable." 
 
 At these words the prince's love seemed to 
 turn to hatred : he gave orders to his guards to 
 convey Zelia to a prison near the palace ; and 
 then took counsel with his foster-brothei', the one 
 of all his ill companions who most incited him to 
 do wrong. 
 
 " Sire," said this man, "if I were in your majes- 
 ty's place, I would never vex myself about a poor 
 silly girl. Feed her on bread and water till she 
 comes to her senses ; and if she still refuses you, 
 let her die in torment, as a warning to your other 
 subjects should they venture to dispute your will. 
 You will be disgraced should you suffer yourself 
 to be conquered by a simple girl." 
 
 " But," said Prince Cherry, " shall I not be 
 disgraced if I harm a creature so perfectly inno- 
 cent ? " 
 
 " No one is innocent who disputes your majes- 
 ty's authority," said the courtier, bowing ; " and 
 it is better to commit an injustice than allow it to 
 be supposed you can ever be contradicted with 
 impunity." 
 
 This touched Cherry on his weak point — hit. 
 good impulses faded : he resolved once more tc 
 ask Zelia if she would marry him, and, if she 
 again refused, to sell her as a slave. Arrived at 
 the cell in which she was confined, what was hia 
 
58 
 
 THE BOOK OF WONDERS. 
 
 astonishment to find her gone I He knew not 
 whom to accuse, for he had kept the key in his 
 pocket the whole time. At last, the foster-brother 
 suggested that the escape of Zelia might have 
 been contrived by an old man, Suliman by name, 
 the prince's former tutor, who was the only one 
 who now ventured to blame him for anything that 
 he did. Cherry sent immediately, and ordered 
 his old friend to be brought to him, loaded heav- 
 ily with irons. Then, full of fury, he went and 
 shut himself up in his own chamber, where he 
 went raging to and fro, till startled by a noise 
 like a clap of thunder. The Fairy Candide stood 
 before him. 
 
 " Prince,"' said she, in a severe voice, '• I prom- 
 ised your father to give you good counsels, and to 
 punish you if you refused to follow them. ~My 
 counsels were forgotten, my punishments despised. 
 Under the figure of a man you have been no bet- 
 ter than the beasts you chase : like a lion in furj', 
 a wolf in gluttony, a serpent in revenge, and a 
 bull in brutality. Take, therefore, in your new 
 form the likeness of all these animals." 
 
 Scarcely had Prince Cherry heard these words 
 than to his horror he found himself transformed 
 into what the fairy had named. He was a creat- 
 ure with the head of a lion, the horns of a bull, 
 the feet of a wolf, the tail of a serpent. At the 
 same time he felt himself transported to a distant 
 forest, where, standing on the bank of a stream, 
 he saw reflected in the water his own frightful 
 shape, and heard a voice saying : — 
 
 " Look at thyself, and know thy soul has be- 
 come a thousand times uglier even than thy body." 
 
 Cherry recognized the voice of Candide, imd in 
 his rage would have sprung upon her and de- 
 voured her ; but he saw nothing, and the same 
 voice said behind him : — 
 
 " Cease thy feeble fury, and learn to conquer 
 thy pride by being in submission to thine own 
 subjects." 
 
 Hearing no more he soon quitted the stream, 
 hoping, at least, to get rid of the sight of himself ; 
 but he had scarcely gone twenty paces when he 
 tumbled into a pitfall that was laid to catch 
 
 bears ; the bear-hunters, descending from some 
 trees hard by, caught him, chained him, and, only 
 too delighted to get hold of such a curious-looking 
 animal, led him along with them to the capital of 
 his own kingdom. 
 
 There great rejoicings were taking place, and 
 the bear-hunters, asking what it was all about, 
 were told that it was because Prince Cherry, the 
 torment of his subjects, had been struck dead by a 
 thunderbolt — just punishment of all his crimes. 
 Four courtiers, his wicked companions, had wished 
 to divide his throne between them ; but the peo- 
 ple had risen up against them, and offered the 
 crown to Suliman, the old tutor whom Cherry had 
 ordered to be arrested. 
 
 All this the poor monster heard. He even saw 
 Suliman sitting upon his own throne, and trying 
 to calm the populace by representing to them 
 that it was not certain Prince Cherry was dead ; 
 that he might return one day to reassurae with 
 honor the crown which Suliman only consented 
 to wear as a sort of viceroy. 
 
 "I know his heart," said the honest and faith- 
 ful old man ; " it is tainted but not corrupt. If 
 alive, he may reform yet, and be his father over 
 again to you, his people, whom he has caused to 
 suffer so much." 
 
 Tliese words touched the poor beast so deeply 
 tliat he ceased to beat himself against the iron 
 bars of the cage in which the hunters carried him 
 about, became gentle as a lamb, and suffered him- 
 self to be taken quietly to a raeniigerie, where 
 were kept all sorts of strange and ferocious ani- 
 mals — a place which he had himself often visited 
 as a boy, but never thought he should be shut up 
 in. 
 
 However, he owned he had deserved it all, and 
 began to make amends by showing himself very 
 obedient to his keeper. This man was almost as 
 great a brute as the animals he had charge of, and 
 when he was in ill humor he used to beat them 
 without rhyme or reason. One day, while he was 
 sleeping, a tiger broke loose, and leaped upon 
 him, eager to devour him. Cherry at first felt a 
 thriU of pleasure at the thought of being re- 
 
PRINCE GHERRT. 
 
 59 
 
 venged ; then, seeing how helpless the man was, 
 he wished himself free, that he might defend him. 
 Immediately the doors of his cage opened. The 
 keeper, waking up, saw the strange beast leap 
 out, and imagined, of course, that he was going to 
 be slain at once. Instead, he saw the tiger lying 
 dead and the strange beast creeping up, and lay- 
 ing itself at his feet to be caressed. But as he 
 lifted up his hand to stroke it, a voice was heard 
 saying, " Good actions never go unrewarded ; " 
 and, instead of the frightful monster, there 
 crouched on the ground nothing but a pretty little 
 dog. 
 
 Cherry, delighted to find himself thus metamor- 
 phosed, caressed the keeper in every possible way, 
 till at last the man took him up into his arms and 
 carried him to the king, to whom he related this 
 wonderful story, from beginning to end. The 
 queen wished to have the charming little dog : and 
 Cherry would have been exceedingly happy, could 
 he have forgotten that he was originally a man 
 and a king. He was lodged most elegantly, had 
 the richest of collars to adorn his neck, and heard 
 himself praised continually. But his beauty rather 
 brought him into trouble, for the queen, afraid 
 lest he might grow too large for a pet, took advice 
 of dog-doctors, who ordered that he should be 
 fed entirely upon bread, and that very sparingly ; 
 so poor Cherry was sometimes nearly starved. 
 
 One day, when they gave him his crust for 
 breakfast, a fancy seized him to go and eat it in 
 the palace-garden ; so he took the bread in his 
 mouth, and trotted away towards a stream which 
 he knew, and where he sometimes stopped to 
 drink. But instead of the stream he saw a splen- 
 did palace, glittering with gold and precious stones. 
 Entering the doors was a crowd of men and 
 women, magnificently dressed; and within there 
 were singing and dancing, and good cheer of all 
 sorts. Yet, however grandly and gayly the people 
 went in. Cherry noticed that those who came out 
 were pale, thin, ragged, half-naked, covered with 
 wounds and sores. Some of them dropped dead 
 at once ; others dragged themselves on a little 
 way and then lay down, dying of hunger, and 
 
 vainly begged a morsel of bread from others who 
 were entering in — who never took the least no- 
 tice of them. 
 
 Cherry perceived one woman, who was trying 
 feebly to gather and eat some green herbs. 
 " Poor thing ! " said he to himself, " I know 
 what it is to be hungry, and I want my breakfast 
 badly enough ; but still it will not kill me to wait 
 till dinner-time, and my crust may save the life of 
 this poor woman." 
 
 So the little dog ran up to her, and dropped his 
 bread at her feet ; she picked it up, and ate it 
 with avidity. Soon she looked quite recovered, 
 and Cherry, delighted, was trotting back again to 
 his kennel, when he heard loud cries, and saw a 
 young girl dragged by four men to the door of the 
 palace, which they were trying to compel her to 
 enter. Oh, how he wished himself a monster 
 again, as when he slew the tiger ! — for the 
 young girl was no other than his beloved Zelia. 
 Alas ! what could a poor little dog do to defend 
 her ? But he ran forward and barked at the men, 
 and bit their heels, until at last they chased him 
 away with heavy blows. And then he lay down 
 outside the palace-door, determined to watch and 
 see what had become of Zelia. 
 
 Conscience pricked him now. " What ! '" 
 thought he, "I am furious against these wicked 
 men who are carrying her away ; and did I not do 
 the same myself ? Did I not cast her into prison, 
 and intend to sell her as a slave ? Who knows 
 how much more wickedness I might not have 
 done to her and others if heaven's justice had not 
 stopped me in time ? " 
 
 While he lay thinking and repenting, he heard 
 a window open, and saw Zelia throw out a bit of 
 dainty meat. Cherry, who felt hungry enough 
 by this time, was just about to eat it, when the 
 woman to whom he had given his crust snatched 
 him up in her arms. 
 
 "Poor little beast!" cried she, patting him, 
 " every bit of food in that palace is poisoned : you 
 shall not touch a morsel." 
 
 And at the same time the voice in the air re- 
 peated again, " Good actions never go unre- 
 
60 
 
 THE BOOK OF WONDERS. 
 
 warded ; " and Cherry found himself changed into 
 a beautiful little white pigeon. He remembered 
 with joy that white was the color of the Fairy 
 Candide, and began to hope that she was taking 
 him into favor again. 
 
 So he stretched his wings, delighted that he 
 might now have a chance of approaching his fair 
 Zelia. He flew up to the palace-windows, and, 
 finding one of them open, entered and sought 
 everywhere, but he could not find Zelia. Then, 
 in despair, he flew out again, resolved to go over 
 the world until he beheld her once more. 
 
 He took flight at once, and traversed many 
 countries, swiftly as a bird can, but found no trace 
 of his beloved. At length in a desert, sitting be- 
 side an old hermit in his cave, and partaking with 
 him his frugal repast. Cherry saw a poor peasant- 
 girl, and recognized Zelia. Transported with jo}^, 
 he flew in, perched on her slioulder, and expressed 
 his delight and afliection by a thousand caresses. 
 
 She, charmed with the pretty little pigeon, 
 caressed it in her turn, and promised it that, if it 
 would stay with her, she would love it always. 
 
 " What have you done, Zelia? " said the hermit, 
 smiling ; and while he spoke the white pigeon 
 vanished, and there stood Prince Cherry in his 
 own natural form. " Your enchantment ended. 
 
 prince, when Zelia promised to love you. Indeed, 
 she has loved you always, but your many faults 
 constrained her to hide her love. These are now 
 amended, and you may both live happy if you 
 will, because your union is founded upon mutual 
 esteem." 
 
 Cherry and Zelia threw themselves at the feet 
 of the hermit, whose form also began to change. 
 His soiled garments became of dazzling whiteness, 
 and his long beard and withered face grew into 
 the flowing hair and lovely countenance of the 
 Fairy Candide. 
 
 " Rise up, my children," said she; " I must now 
 transport you to your palace and restore to Prince 
 Cherry his father's crown, of which he is at length 
 worthy." 
 
 She had scarcely ceased speaking when they 
 found themselves in the chamber of Suliman, 
 who, delighted to find again his beloved pupil and 
 master, willingly resigned the throne, and became 
 the most faithful of his subjects. 
 
 King Cherrj' and Queen Zelia reigned together 
 for many years, and it is said that the former was 
 so blameless and strict in all his duties, that 
 though he constantly wore the ring which Candide 
 had restored to him, it never once pricked his 
 finger enough to make it bleed. 
 
 THE GOLDEN BIRD. 
 
 A CEKTAIN king had a beautiful garden, and in 
 the garden stood a tree which bore golden apples. 
 These apples were always counted, and about the 
 time when they began to grow ripe it was found 
 that every night one of them was gone. The 
 king became very angry at this, and ordered the 
 gardener to keep watch all night under the tree. 
 The gardener set his eldest son to watch ; but 
 about twelve o'clock he fell asleep, and in the 
 morning another of the apples was missing. Then 
 the second son was ordered to watch the tree ; 
 and at midnight he too fell asleep, and in the 
 morning another apple was gone. Then the third 
 son offered to keep watch; but the gardener at 
 
 first would not let him, for fear some harm should 
 come to bim : however, at last he consented, and 
 the young man laid himself under the tree to 
 watch. As the clock struck twelve he heard a 
 rustling noise in the air, and a bird came flying 
 that was of pure gold ; and as it was snapping at 
 one of the apples with its beak the gardener's son 
 jumped up and shot an arrow at it. But the 
 arrow did the bird no harm ; only it dropped a 
 golden feather from its tail, and then flew away. 
 The golden feather was brought to the king in the 
 morning, and all the council was called together. 
 Every one agreed that it was worth more than all 
 the wealth of the kingdom : but the king said, 
 
THE GOLDEN BIRD. 
 
 61 
 
 " One fe:\rlie'i' is of no use to me, I must have the 
 whole bivd." 
 
 Then the gardener's eldest son set out and 
 thought to find the golden bird very easily ; and 
 when he had gone but a little way, he came to a 
 wood, and by the side of the wood he saw a fox 
 sitting ; so he took his bow and made ready to 
 shoot at it. Then the fox said, " Do not shoot me, 
 for I will give you good counsel; I know what 
 your business is, and that you want to find the 
 golden bird. You will reach a village in the even- 
 ing ; and when you get there you will see two 
 inns opposite to each other, one of which is very 
 pleasant and beautiful to look at : go not in there, 
 but rest for the night in the other, though it may 
 appear to you to be very poor and mean." But 
 the son thought to himself, " What can such a 
 beast as this know about the matter ? " So he 
 shot his arrow at the fox ; but he missed it, and 
 it set up its tail above its back and ran into the 
 wood. Then he went his way, and in the even- 
 ing came to the village where the two inns were ; 
 and in one of these were people singing and danc- 
 ing and feasting ; but the other looked very dirty 
 and poor. " I should be very silly," said he, " if 
 I went to that shabby house, and left this charm- 
 ing place ; " so he went into the smart house, and 
 ate and drank at his ease, and forgot the bird and 
 his country too. 
 
 Time passed on ; and as the eldest son did not 
 come back, and no tidings were heard of him, the 
 second son set out, and the same thing happened 
 to him. He met the fox, who gave him the same 
 good advice : but when he came to the two inns, 
 his eldest brother was standing at the window 
 where the merrymaking was, and called to him 
 to come in ; and he could not withstand the temp- 
 tation, but went in, and forgot the golden bird and 
 his country in the same manner. 
 
 Time passed on again, and the youngest son, 
 too, wished to set out into the wide world to seek 
 for the golden bird ; but his father would not 
 hear of it for a long while, for he was very fond 
 of his son, and was afraid that some ill luck 
 might happen to him also, and prevent his com- 
 
 ing back. However, at last it was agreed he 
 should go, for he would not rest at home ; and 
 as he came to the wood, he met the fox, and heard 
 the same good counsel. But he was thankful to 
 the fox, and did not attempt his life as his broth- 
 ers had done ; so the fox said, " Sit upon my tail, 
 and you will travel faster." So he sat down, and 
 the fox began to run, and away they went over 
 stock and stone so quick that their hair whistled 
 in the wind. 
 
 When they came to the village, the son fol- 
 lowed the fox's counsel, and without looking 
 
 •about him went to the shabby inn and rested 
 there all night at his ease. In the morning came 
 the fox again and met him as he was beginning 
 his journe}^ and said, "Go straight forward, till 
 you come to a castle, before which lie a whole 
 troop of soldiers fast asleep and snoring : take 
 no notice of them, but go into the castle and pass 
 on and on till you come to a room, where the 
 golden bird sits in a wooden cage ; close by it 
 stands a beautiful golden cage; but do not try to 
 take the bird out of the shabby cage and put it 
 into the handsome one, otherwise you will repent 
 it." Then the fox stretched out his tail again, 
 and the young man sat himself down, and away 
 
62 
 
 THE BOOK OF WONDERS. 
 
 they went over stock and stone till their hair 
 whistled in the wind. 
 
 Before the castle gate all was as the fox had 
 said : so the son went in and found the chamber 
 where the golden bird hung in a wooden cage, and 
 below stood a golden cage, and the three golden 
 apples that had been lost were lying close by it. 
 Then thought he to himself, " It will be a very 
 droll thing to bring away such a fine bird in this 
 shabby cage ; " so he opened the door and took 
 hold of it and put it into the golden cage. But 
 the bird set up such a loud scream that all the 
 soldiers awoke, and they took him prisoner and 
 carried him before the king. The next morning 
 the court sat to judge him ; and when all was 
 heard, it sentenced him to die, unless he should 
 bring the king the golden horse which could run 
 as swiftly as the wind ; and if he did this, he 
 was to have the golden bird given him for his 
 own. 
 
 So he set out once more on his journey, sigh- 
 ing, and in great despair, when on a sudden his 
 good friend the fox met him, and said, " You see 
 now what has happened on account of your not 
 listening to my counsel. I will still, however, tell 
 you how to find the golden horse, if you will do as 
 I bid you. You must go straight on till you come 
 to the castle where the horse stands in his stall : 
 by his side will lie the groom fast asleep and snor- 
 ing : take away the horse quietly, but be sure to 
 put the old leathern saddle upon him, and not 
 the golden one that is close by." Then the son 
 sat down on the fox's tail, and away they went 
 over stock and stone till their hair whistled in 
 the wind. 
 
 All went right, and the groom lay snoring with 
 his hand upon the golden saddle. But when the 
 son looked at the horse, he thought it a great 
 pity to put the leathern saddle upon him. " I will 
 give him the good one," said he ; " I am sure he 
 deserves it." As he took up the golden saddle, 
 however, the groom awoke and cried out so loud 
 that all the guards ran in and took him prisoner, 
 and in the morning he was again brought be- 
 fore the court to be judged, and was sentenced 
 
 to die. But it was agreed, that, if he could bring 
 hither the beautiful princess, he should live, and 
 have the bird and the horse given him for his 
 own. 
 
 Then he went his way again very sorrowful; 
 but the old fox came and said, " Why did not 
 you listen to me ? If you had, you would have 
 carried away both the bird and the horse ; yet will 
 I once more give you counsel. Go straight on, and 
 in the evening you will arrive at a castle. At 
 twelve o'clock at night the princess goes to the 
 bathing-house : go up to her and give her a kiss, 
 and she will let you lead her away ; but take care 
 you do not suffer her to go and take leave of her 
 father and mother." Then the fox stretched out 
 his tail, and so away they went over stock and 
 stone till their hair whistled again. 
 
 As they came to the castle all was as the fox 
 had said, and at twelve o'clock the young man met 
 the princess going to the bath and gave her a kiss, 
 and she agreed to run away with him, but begged 
 with many tears that he would let her take leave 
 of her father. At first he refused, but she wept 
 still more and more, and fell at his feet, till at 
 last he consented ; but the moment she came to 
 her father's house the guards awoke and he was 
 taken prisoner again. 
 
 Then he was brought before the king, and the 
 king said, " You shall never have my daughter 
 unless in eight days you dig away the hill that 
 stops the view from my window." Now this hill 
 was so big that the whole world could not take it 
 away : and when he had worked for seven days, 
 and had done very little, the fox came and said, 
 " Lie down and go to sleep ; I will work for you." 
 And in the morning he awoke and the hill was 
 gone ; so he went merrily to the king, and told 
 him that now it was removed he must give him 
 the princess. 
 
 Then the king was obliged to keep his word, 
 and away went the young man and the princess ; 
 and the fox came and said to him, " We will have 
 all three, the princess, the horse, and the bird." 
 " Ah ! " said the young man, " that would be a 
 great thing, but how can you contrive it ? " 
 
THE GOLDEN BIRD. 
 
 33 
 
 " If you will only listen," said the fox, " it can 
 soon be done. When you come to the king, and 
 he asks for the beautiful princess, you must say, 
 ' Here she is ! ' Then he will be very joyful ; 
 and you will mount the golden horse that they 
 are to give you, and put out your hand to take 
 reave of them ; but shake hands with the princess 
 last. Then lift her quickly on to the horse behind 
 you ; clap your spurs to his side, and gallop away 
 as fast as you can." 
 
 All went right : then the fox said, " When you 
 come to the castle where the bird is, I will stay 
 with the princess at the door, and you will ride in 
 and speak to the king ; and when he sees that 
 it is the right horse, he will bring out the bird : 
 but you must sit still, and. say that you want to 
 look at it, to see whether it is the true golden 
 bird; and when you get it into your hand, ride 
 away." 
 
 This, too, happened as the fox said ; they car- 
 ried off the bird, the princess mounted again, and 
 they rode on to a great wood. Then the fox 
 came, and said, " Pray kill me, and cut off my 
 head and my feet." But the young man refused 
 to do it : so the fox said, " I will at any rate 
 give you good counsel : beware of two things ; 
 ransom no one from the gallows, and sit down 
 by the side of no river." Then away he went. 
 " Well," thought the young man, " it is no hard 
 matter to keep that advice." 
 
 He "rode on with the princess, till at last he 
 came to the village where he had left his two 
 brothers. And there he heard a great noise and 
 uproar ; and when he asked what was the mat- 
 ter, the people said, " Two men are going to be 
 hanged." As he came nearer, he saw that the 
 two men were his brothers, who had turned rob- 
 bers ; so he said, "Cannot they in any way be 
 saved?" But the people said "No," unless he 
 would .bestow all his money upon the rascals and 
 buy their liberty. Then he did not stay to think 
 about the matter, but paid what was asked, and 
 
 his brothers were given up, and went on with him 
 towards their home. 
 
 As they came to the wood where the fox first 
 met them, it was so cool and pleasant that the 
 two brothers said, " Let us sit down by the side of 
 the river, and rest a while, to eat and drink." So 
 he said, " Yes," and forgot the fox's counsel, and 
 sat down by the side of the river ; and while he 
 suspected nothing they came behind, and threw 
 him down the bank, and took the princess, the 
 horse, and the bird, and went home to the king 
 their master, and said, " All this have we won by 
 our labor." Then there was great rejoicing made ; 
 but the horse would not eat, the bird would not 
 sing, and the princess wept. 
 
 The youngest son fell to the bottom of the riv- 
 er's bed ; luckily it was nearly dry, but his bones 
 were almost broken, and the bank was so steep 
 that he could find no way to get out. Then the 
 old fox came once more, and scolded him for not 
 following his advice ; otherwise no evil would have 
 befallen him : " Yet," said he, " I cannot leave 
 you here, so lay hold of my tail and hold fast." 
 Then he pulled him out of the river, and said to 
 him, as he got upon the bank, " Your brothers 
 have set watch to kill you, if they find you in the 
 kingdom." So he dressed himself as a poor man, 
 and came secretly to the king's court, and was 
 scarcely within the doors when the horse began to 
 eat, and the bird to sing, and the princess left off 
 weeping. Then he went to the king, and told him 
 all his brothers' roguery ; and they were seized 
 and punished, and he had the princess given to 
 him again ; and after the king's death he was heir 
 to his kingdom. 
 
 A long while after he went to walk one day in 
 the wood, and the old fox met him, and besought 
 him with tears in his eyes to kill him, and cut off 
 his head and feet. At last he did so, and in a 
 moment the fox was changed into a man, and 
 turned out to be the brother of the princess, who 
 had been lost a great many years. 
 
64 
 
 THE BOOK OF WONDERS. 
 
 RIQUET WITH. THE TUFT. 
 
 Once upon a time there lived a queen who had 
 the misfortune to have a child extremely ill-formed 
 and ill-looking, though a fairy assured her that the 
 child would have great good sense, and would be 
 very amiable ; besides, this good fairy then and 
 there gave the little thing a great gift : he should 
 have the power to give equally good sense to 
 whomever he loved best. But all this hardly 
 comforted the queen, who was distressed at having 
 such a very homely child, and was scarcely pleased 
 when he began, as soon as he could speak, to say 
 the most charming things and to act with the most 
 admirable cleverness. I had forgotten to say that 
 he was born with a little tuft of hair on his head, 
 which got him the name of Riquet with the Tuft, 
 for Riquet was the family name. 
 
 About seven or eight years after Riquet with the 
 Tuft was born, the queen of a neighboring king- 
 dom had twin daughters. When the first of the 
 twins came into the world she was so exceedingly 
 fair that the mother was in the greatest excite- 
 ment of joy, and the good fairy who stood by, and 
 who was the one present when Riquet with the 
 Tuft was born, was forced to tell her that the 
 child, for all she was so fair, would be very, very 
 dull, yes, as stupid as she was beautiful. Then 
 came the second of the twins, and she was just as 
 ugly as the first was lovely, and the fairy again 
 tried to help the queen by the assurance that this 
 child would be so sensible that no one would no- 
 tice her lack of beauty. 
 
 " Heaven send it may be so ! " said the poor 
 queen, " but is there no way of giving sense to the 
 other, who is so beautiful? " 
 
 " I can do nothing of that sort with her," re- 
 plied the fairy, "but she shall have the gift of 
 making beautiful the person who shall please her. 
 That is all I can do." 
 
 As the two princesses grew up, their perfections 
 grew with them, and nothing was talked of but 
 the beauty of the elder and the good sense of the 
 younger. To be sure their defects grew too. 'The 
 
 younger grew uglier, and the elder more stupid. 
 She either made no answer when she was spoken 
 to, or she said something foolish. Then she was 
 so awkward that she could not place four dishes 
 on the shelf without breaking one, nor drink a 
 glass of water without spilling some on her dress, 
 and in spite of her beauty she saw that people be- 
 gan to desert her for her sister. At first they 
 flocked about her because she was so lovely to look 
 upon, but little by little they left her and gathered 
 about her sister, because she was so witty and en- 
 tertaining. The elder would have given all she 
 possessed for half her sister's good sense. Even 
 the queen could not help reproaching the poor girl 
 for her stupidity, and this made her exceedingly 
 melancholy. 
 
 One day the beautiful and stupid princess was 
 walking alone in a wood, bewailing her fate, when 
 she met a little man, dressed very finely, but with 
 a most disagreeable face. It was Riquet with the 
 Tuft, who had seen the princess's portrait, and was 
 so fascinated by it that he had left his father's 
 kingdom to see if he could find this marvelously 
 beautiful girl. He knew her at once and addressed 
 her with the greatest respect and courtesy. He 
 noticed how melancholy she was, and presently 
 said : — 
 
 " I cannot imagine how one so beautiful as you 
 are can be sad. In all my life, and I have trav- 
 eled far and wide, I never have seen so beautiful 
 a woman."' 
 
 "You are very good to say so," said the prin- 
 cess, and then stopped. 
 
 " Beauty," continued Riquet, seriously, " is so 
 great a gift that nothing can be compared with it, 
 and one who has it can surely be distressed by 
 nothing." 
 
 "Very fine," said the princess, "but I would 
 rather be as ugly — as ugly as you are, and have 
 good sense, than be as beautiful as I am and be 
 stupid." 
 
 " There is no greater proof of good sense," said 
 
RIQUET WITH THE TUFT. 
 
 65 
 
 Riquet with the Tuft, bowing low, " than the be- 
 lief that we are without it. It is the nature of 
 that gift that the more we have the more sensible 
 we are of what we lack." 
 
 " I do not know how that may be," cried the 
 princess, " I only know that I am very stupid, and 
 that is what is killing me." 
 
 " If that is all that troubles you," said Riquet, 
 " I can easily put an end to your sorrow." 
 
 "And how?" 
 
 " I have the power to give as much wit as any 
 one can possess to the person I love the most. 
 You are the one I love, princess, and if you will 
 only promise to marry me you shall have the 
 greatest good sense and wit." 
 
 The princess stood stock still with astonish- 
 ment. 
 
 "I see," said Riquet, "that my offer pains you. 
 I am not surprised, but do not hurry. I will give 
 you a year to think of it." The princess had so 
 little sense and wanted so much, and a year seemed 
 so very long to wait, that she said in a moment 
 that she would accept him. No sooner had she 
 promised to marry Riquet in a twelvemonth than 
 she felt herself to be quite another person. She 
 heard herself talking with the utmost sprigbtli- 
 ness, and saying the most sensible things with the 
 greatest ease. Indeed, she talked with so much 
 brilliancy and good nature, that Riquet began to 
 think he had given her more wit than he had kept 
 for himself. 
 
 She returned alone to the palace, and the whole 
 court speedily discovered that she had been singu- 
 larly changed. Everybody was puzzled to account 
 for her. She said as many bright and sensible 
 things now as before she had said stupid and ri- 
 diculous ones. But whatever had caused the 
 change, every one was charmed, — every one, 
 that is, except her younger sister, who had now 
 lost the only advantage she had. People all 
 flocked about the princess who was both witty and 
 handsome. Even the king consulted her judg- 
 ment, and used to hold his councils of state in her 
 chamber. Her fame spread abroad and the 
 princes in the neighborhood all wished to marry 
 
 her, but now not one of them seemed to her half 
 wise enough. 
 
 At length there came a prince who was rich, 
 witty, and handsome, and she looked upon him 
 with more favor than on any of the others. Her 
 father, seeing this, called her to himself and told 
 her that he had perfect confidence in her judgment, 
 and he should leave her to choose entirely for her- 
 self. As the more sense we have the more diffi- 
 cult we find it to make up our minds definitely in 
 such cases, she requested, after thanking her 
 father, that he would give her some time to think 
 it over, and then, wishing to be by herself, she 
 went to walk in the wood. It was the same wood 
 where she had met Riquet with ther Tuft, and as 
 she walked, thinking hard, she heard a dull sound 
 beneath her feet as of many people running about 
 busily under ground. She stopped to listen, and 
 heard some one say, "Bring me that saucepan," 
 and again, " Give me that kettle," and "Put some 
 wood on the fire." At that the ground opened, 
 and she saw beneath her what appeared to be a 
 large kitchen, full of cooks, scullions, and all kinds 
 of servants, making ready a great banquet. A 
 band of twenty or thirty cooks came forward and 
 placed themselves at a table, v^here they set to 
 work preparing dainties, and singing over their 
 work. The princess, very much astonished, in- 
 quired of them for whom they were working so 
 merrily. 
 
 "Madam," replied one, " for Prince Riquet with 
 the Tuft, who is to be married to-morrow." All at 
 once the princess remembered that to-morrow was 
 the very end of the year when she had promised 
 to marry Riquet. The reason why she had for- 
 gotten this before was that when she made the 
 promise she was a fool, and as soon as she became 
 wise she forgot all her follies. She was lost in 
 amazement and was moving forward when Riquet 
 with the Tuft suddenly appeared, gayly dressed, 
 and with all the air of a man about to be mar- 
 ried. 
 
 " I have kept my word, princess, as you see," 
 he said, " and I doubt not that you have kept 
 yours and will marry me to-morrow." 
 
66 
 
 THE BOOK OF WONDERS. 
 
 " Prince," said the princess frankly," I must 
 confess that I had not intended to marry you, and 
 fear I cannot." 
 
 " You surprise me very much." 
 
 " No doubt, and I should be disturbed about it 
 if I were dealing with a dull person instead of 
 one with your excellent good sense. You must 
 yourself see that I cannot do what I promised to 
 do when I was a fool. You should not have given 
 me so much sense." 
 
 " If I were a fool I might be persuaded by you, 
 princess, but being a man of sense I see that you 
 are taking away all the happiness of my life. Tell 
 me frankly, is there anything in me that you 
 complain of besides ray ugliness ? I know I am 
 ugly, but do you object to my birth, my temper, 
 my manners or any — my good sense ? " 
 
 " No, truly,' replied the princess, " I like every- 
 thing about you, except — except your looks." 
 
 " Then I need not lose my happiness ; for if I 
 have the gift of making clever whomever I love 
 best, you are able to make the person you pre- 
 fer as handsome as ever you please. Could you 
 not love me enough to do that ? " 
 
 " Oh, I did not know that before ! " cried the 
 princess. " With all my heart ! " and she wished 
 eagerly that he might become the handsomest 
 man in the world. No sooner had she uttered this 
 wish than Riquet stood before her eyes the finest, 
 most charming man she had ever seen. And so 
 they were married, and Riquet thought the prin- 
 cess the most sensible and agreeable companion 
 in the world, while the princess looked upon 
 Riquet as the noblest and most commanding" man. 
 
 THE NOSE. 
 
 Did you ever hear the story of the three poor 
 soldiers, who, after having fought hard in the 
 wars, set out on their road home, begging their 
 way as they went ? 
 
 They had journeyed on a long way, sick at 
 heart with their bad luck at thus being turned 
 loose on the world in their old days, when one 
 evening they reached a deep gloomy wood through 
 which they must pass ; night came fast upon them, 
 and they found that they must, however unwill- 
 ingly, sleep in the wood ; so to make all as safe 
 as they could, it was agreed that two should lie 
 down and sleep, while a third sat up and watched 
 lest wild beasts should break in and tear them to 
 pieces ; when he was tired he was to wake one of 
 the others and sleep in his turn, and so on with 
 the tliird, that they might share the work fairly 
 among them. 
 
 The two who were to rest first soon lay down 
 and fell fast asleep, and the other made himself a 
 good fire under the trees and sat down by the 
 side to keep watch. He had not sat long before 
 all on a sudden up came a little man in a red 
 jacket. " Who 's there? " said he. " A friend," 
 
 said the soldier. " What sort of a friend ? " " An 
 old broken soldier," said the other, " with his two 
 comrades who have nothing left to live on ; come, 
 sit down and warm yourself." " Well, my worthy 
 fellow," said the little man, " I will do what I can 
 for you ; take this and show it to your comrades 
 in the morning." So he took out an old cloak 
 and gave it to the soldier, telling him that when- 
 ever he put it over his shoulders anything that he 
 wished for would be fulfilled ; then the little man 
 made him a bow and walked away. 
 
 The second soldier's turn to watch soon came, 
 and the first laid himself down to sleep ; but the 
 second man had not sat by himself long before up 
 came the little man in the red jacket again. The 
 soldier treated him in a friendly way as his com- 
 rade had done, and the little man gave him for 
 his part a purse, which lie told him was always 
 full of gold, let him draw as much as he would 
 from it. 
 
 Then the third soldier's turn to watch came, 
 and he also had the little man for his guest, who 
 gave him a wonderful horn that drew crowds 
 around it whenever it was played ; and made 
 
THE- NOSE. 
 
 67 
 
 every one forget his business to come and dance 
 to its beautiful music. 
 
 In the morning each told his story and showed 
 his treasure ; and as they all liked each other very 
 much and were old friends, they agreed to travel 
 together to see the world, and for a while only to 
 make use of the wonderful purse. And thus they 
 spent their time very joyously, till at last they 
 began to be tired of this roving life, and thought 
 they should like to have a home of their own. So 
 the first soldier put his old cloak on, and wished 
 for a fine castle. In a moment it stood before 
 their eyes ; fine gardens and green lawns spread 
 round it, and flocks of sheep and goats and herds 
 of oxen were grazing about, and out of the gate 
 came a fine coach with three dapple gray horses 
 to meet them and bring them home. 
 
 All this was very well for a time ; but it would 
 not do to stay at home always, so they got to- 
 gether all their rich clothes and trappings and serv- 
 ants, and ordered their coach with three horses, 
 and set out on a journey to see a neighboring 
 king. Now this king had an only daughter, and 
 as he took the three soldiers for kings' sons, he 
 gave them a kind welcome. One day, as the 
 second soldier was walking with the princess, she 
 saw him with the wonderful purse in his hand ; 
 and having asked him what it was, he was foolish 
 enough to tell her; — though, indeed, it did not 
 not much signify, for she was a witch and knew 
 all the wonderful things that the three soldiers 
 brought. Now this princess was very cunning 
 and artful ; so she set to work and made a purse 
 so like the soldier's that no one would know one 
 from the other, and then asked him to come and 
 see her, and made him drink some wine that she 
 had got ready for him, till he fell fast asleep. 
 Then she felt in his pocket, and took away the 
 wonderful purse and left the one she had made in 
 its place. 
 
 The next morning the soldiers set out for home, 
 and soon after they reached their castle, happen- 
 ing to want some money, they went to their purse 
 for it, and found something indeed in it, but to 
 their great sorrow when they had emptied it 
 
 none came in the place of what they took. Then 
 the cheat was soon found out : for the second 
 soldier knew where he had been, and how he 
 had told the story to the princess, and he guessed 
 that she had betrayed him. " Alas ! " cried he, 
 " poor wretches that we are, what shall we do ? " 
 " Oh ! " said the first soldier, " let no gray hairs 
 grow for this mishap ; I will soon get the purse 
 back." So he threw his cloak across his shoulders 
 and wished himself in the princess's chamber. 
 There he found her sitting alone, telling her gold 
 that fell around her in a shower from the purse. 
 But the soldier stood looking at her too long, for 
 the moment she saw him she started up and cried 
 out with all her force, " Thieves ! Thieves ! " so 
 that the whole court came running in and tried to 
 seize him. The poor soldier now began to be 
 dreadfully frightened in his turn, and thought it 
 was high time to make the best of his way ofE ; 
 so, without thinking of the ready way of traveling 
 that his cloak gave him, he ran to the window, 
 opened it, and jumped out ; and unluckily in his 
 haste his cloalc caught and was left hanging, to 
 the great joy of the princess, who knew its worth. 
 
 The poor soldier made the best of his way home 
 to his comrades, on foot and in a very downcast 
 mood ; but the third soldier told him to keep up 
 his heart, and took his horn and blew a merry 
 tune. At the first blast a countless troop of foot 
 and horse came rushing to their aid, and they set 
 out to make war against their enemy. Then the 
 king's palace was besieged, and he was told that 
 he must give up the purse and cloak, or that 
 not one stone should be left upon another. And 
 the king went into his daughter's chamber and 
 talked with her ; but she said, " Let me try first 
 if I cannot beat them some other way." So she 
 thought of a cunning scheme to overreach them, 
 and dressing herself as a poor girl with a basket 
 on her arm set out by night with her maid, and 
 went into the enemy's camp as if she wanted to 
 sell trinkets. 
 
 In the morning she began to ramble about, 
 singing ballads so beautifully that all the tents 
 were left empty, and the soldiers ran round in 
 
68 
 
 THE BOOK OF WONDEBS. 
 
 crowds and thought of nothing but hearing her 
 sing. Amongst the rest came the soldier to whom 
 the horn belonged, and as soon as she saw him she 
 winked to her maid, who slipped slily through 
 the crowd and went into his tent where the horn 
 hung, and stole it away. This done, they both got 
 safely back to the palace ; the besieging army 
 went away, the three wonderful gifts were all 
 left in the hands of the princess, and the three 
 soldiers were as penniless and forlorn as when the 
 little man with the red jacket found them in the 
 wood. 
 
 Poor fellows ! they began to think what was now 
 to be done. " Comrades," at last said the second 
 soldier, who had had the purse, " we had better 
 part, we cannot live together, let each seek his 
 bread as well as he can." So he turned to the 
 right, and the other two to the left ; for they said 
 they would rather travel together. Then on he 
 strayed till he came to a wood (now this was the 
 same wood where they had met with so much 
 good luck before) ; and he walked on a long time 
 till evening began to fall, when he sat down tired 
 beneath a tree, and soon fell asleep. 
 
 Morning dawned, and he was greatly delighted, 
 at opening his eyes, to see that the tree was 
 laden with the most beautiful apples. He was 
 hungry enough, so he soon plucked and ate first 
 one, then a second, then a third apple. A strange 
 feeling came over his nose : when he put the ap- 
 ple to his mouth something was in the way; he 
 felt it ; it was his nose, that grew and grew till 
 it hung down to his breast. It did not stop there, 
 still it grew and grew ; " Heavens ! " thought he, 
 " when will it have done growing ? " And well 
 might he ask, for by this time it reached the 
 ground as he sat on the grass, and thus it kept 
 creeping on till he could not bear its weight, or 
 raise himself up ; and it seemed as if it would 
 never end, for already it stretched its enormous 
 length all through the wood. 
 
 ^leantime his comrades were journeying on, till 
 on a sudden one of them stumbled against some- 
 thing. "What can that be?" said the other. 
 They looked, and could think of nothing that it 
 was like but a nose. " We will follow it and find 
 its owner, however," said they ; so they traced it 
 till at last they found their poor comrade lying 
 stretched along under the apple-tree. What was 
 to be done ' They tried to carry him, but in vain. 
 They caught an ass that was passing by, and 
 raised him upon its back ; but it was soon tired of 
 carrying such a load. So they sat down in de- 
 spair, when up came the little man in the red 
 jacket. " Why, how now, friend? " said he, laugh- 
 ing ; " well, I must find a cure for you, I see." 
 S'l he told them to gather a pear from a tree that 
 grew close by, and the nose would come right 
 again. Xo time was lost, and the nose was soon 
 brought to its proper size, to the poor soldier's joy. 
 
 " I will do something more for you yet," said 
 the little man ; " take some of those pears and 
 apples with you ; whoever eats one of the ap- 
 ples will have his nose grow like yours just now; 
 but if you give him a pear, all will come right 
 again. Go to the princess and get her to eat some 
 of your apples ; her nose will grow twenty times 
 as long as yours did ; then look sharp, and you 
 will get what you want of her." 
 
HOP- O'-MY-THUMB. 
 
 69 
 
 Then they thanked their old friend very heartily 
 for all his kindness, and it was agreed that the 
 poor soldier who had already tried the power of 
 of the apple should undertake the task. So he 
 dressed himself up as a gardener's boy, and went 
 to the king's palace, and said he had apples to sell, 
 such as were never seen there before. Every one 
 that saw them was delighted and wanted to taste, 
 but he said they were only for the princess ; and 
 she soon sent her maid to buy his stock. They 
 were so ripe and rosy that she soon began eating, 
 and had already eaten three, when she, too, began 
 to wonder what was the matter with her nose, 
 for it grew and grew, down to the ground, out at 
 the window, and over the garden, nobody knows 
 where. 
 
 Then the king made known to all his kingdom, 
 that whoever would heal her of this dreadful dis- 
 ease should be richly rewarded. Many tried, but 
 the princess got no relief. And now the old sol- 
 dier dressed himself very sprucely as a doctor, 
 who said he could cure her ; so he chopped up 
 some of the apple, and to punish her a little more 
 gave her a dose, saying he would call to-morrow 
 and see her again. The morrow came, and of 
 course, instead of being better, the nose had been 
 growing fast all night, and the poor princess was 
 in a dreadful fright. So the doctor chopped up 
 a very little of the pear and gave her, and said 
 he was sure that would do good, and he would 
 call again the next day. Next day came, and the 
 nose was, to be sure, a little smaller, but yet it 
 
 was bigger than it was when the doctor first be- 
 gan to meddle with it. 
 
 Then he thought to himself, " I must frighten 
 this cunning princess a little more before I shall 
 get what I want of her ; " so he gave her another 
 dose of the apple, and said he would call on the 
 morrow. The morrow came, and the nose was ten 
 times as bad as before. "My good lady," said the 
 doctor, "something works against my medicine, 
 and is too strong for it ; but I know by the force 
 of my art what it is ; you have stolen goods about 
 you, I am sure, and if you do not give them back, 
 I can do nothing for you." But the princess de- 
 nied very stoutly that she had anything of the 
 kind. "Very well," said the doctor, "you may 
 do as you please, but I am sure I am right, and 
 you will die if you do not own it." Then he went 
 to the king, and told him how the matter stood. 
 "Daughter," said he, "send back the cloak, the 
 purse, and tbe horn, that you stole from the right 
 owners." 
 
 Then she ordered her maid to fetch all three, 
 and gave them to the doctor, and begged him to 
 give them back to the soldiers ; and the moment 
 he had them safe he gave her a whole pear to eat, 
 and the nose came right. And as for the doctor, 
 he put on the cloak, wished the king and all his 
 court a good day, and was in a short time with 
 his two friends, who lived from that time happily 
 at home in their palace, except when they took 
 airings in their coach with the three dapple gray 
 horses. 
 
 HOP-O'-MY-THUMB. 
 
 Theke was once a wood-cutter and his wife who 
 had seven children, all boys. The eldest was only 
 ten years old, the youngest but seven, and they 
 were thus a burden to their poor parents, for they 
 could as yet do nothing to earn their living. The 
 youngest of all was very delicate, and spoke so 
 seldom that his parents thought him dull, when 
 really he had very good sense. He was so very 
 little when he was born, scarcely bigger than one's 
 
 thumb, that he got the name, " Hop-o'-my- 
 Thumb." The little fellow had to take the blame 
 of everything that went wrong. Yet he was the 
 most sensible of all the children, for he was listen- 
 ing when the rest were speaking. There came a 
 very bad harvest, and there was great scarcity of 
 food, so that these poor people determined that 
 they must get rid of their children. One evening, 
 when they were all .in bed, the wood-cutter was 
 
70 
 
 THE BOOK OF WONDERS. 
 
 sitting close to the fire with his wife, and said to 
 her with an aching heart : — 
 
 " Thon seest plainly that we can no longer find 
 food for our chil- 
 dren. I cannot 
 see them die of 
 hunger, and I 
 am resolved to 
 lose them to- 
 morrow in the 
 wood, which can 
 easily be done, 
 for while they 
 are busy tying 
 up the fagots we 
 can slip away 
 and leave them." 
 
 " Ah ! " ex- 
 claimed his wife, 
 " hast thou the 
 heart to lose thy 
 own children ? "' 
 Her husband 
 begged her to 
 remember how 
 very poor they 
 were ; she would 
 not consent ; she 
 was jjoor, but she 
 was their moth- 
 er. Then he 
 bade her think 
 how she must 
 see them die of 
 hunger, and so 
 at length she aa- 
 senterl and went 
 weeping to bed. 
 Now Hop-o'-my- 
 Thumb had 
 heard every- 
 thing that was said; for being in bed and hearing 
 them talk, he had stolen quietly to his father's 
 stool and sat under it where he could listen with- 
 out being seen. He vrent to bed again, but he 
 
 could not sleep a wink all night, so busy was he 
 thinking what he should do. He rose early and 
 went to the banks of a brook near by, where 
 
 he filled his 
 pockets with 
 small white peb- 
 bles, and then 
 returned home. 
 The family all 
 set out together 
 as usual, but 
 Hop-o'-my- 
 Thumb said 
 nothing to his 
 brothers of what 
 be had heard. 
 They entered a 
 very thick for- 
 est, so dense that 
 one need go but 
 a few steps to 
 be lost. The 
 wood-cutter be- 
 gan to cut wood 
 and the chil- 
 dren to gather 
 the sticks into 
 bundles of fag- 
 ots. The father 
 and m o t h e r, 
 when they saw 
 them busily en- 
 gaged, stole 
 away gradually 
 and then tied 
 suddenly by ;i 
 small, winding 
 path. Presently 
 the children 
 found them- 
 selves alone and 
 began to cry with fear. Hop-o'-my-Thumb alone 
 had no tears, for he knew the way home. As they 
 came, he had dropped all along the road the little 
 white pebbles which he had brought in his pocket. 
 
HOP- O'-MY- THUMB. 
 
 71 
 
 "Fear not, brothers," he said, "our father and 
 mother have left us here, but I will lead you safely 
 home. Only follow me." Thereupon he led them 
 back to the house by the same road that they had 
 taken into the forest. They feared to enter im- 
 mediately, but placed themselves close by the door 
 to hear what their father and mother might be 
 saying. 
 
 Now, just as the wood-cutter and his wife 
 reached home, the lord of the manor sent them 
 ten crowns, vrhich he had been owing them a long 
 time, and they had given up all hopes of ever get- 
 ting. They vrere ready to starve but for this, and 
 the wood-cutter sent his wife quickly to the butch- 
 er's to buy some meat. As it was many a day 
 since they had tasted meat, she bought three times 
 as much as two persons could need. When they 
 had eaten and were satisfied, the thought of her 
 poor children rushed back upon her, and the wood- 
 cutter's wife cried, — ■ 
 
 " Alas ! where now are our poor children ? 
 There is enough here and to spare. It was thoii, 
 husband, that wouldst lose them. Did I not say 
 we should repent it ? What are they now doing 
 in the forest? Alas! perhaps the wolves have 
 already devoured them ! Thou hast destroyed my 
 children ! " 
 
 She said this twenty times over, until the wood- 
 cutter became exceedingly impatient, and threat- 
 ened to beat her if she did not hold her tongue. 
 But the more angry he was the more she re- 
 proached him. She wept bitterly and cried out 
 loudly, — 
 
 " Alas ! where are now my children, my poor 
 children?" The children who were close by the 
 door heard this, and began to call out eagerly, — 
 
 " Here we are ! here we are ! " 
 
 She ran quickly to open the doo^, and threw her 
 arms about them, exclaiming, — 
 
 " O my dear children, how happy I am to see 
 you again. How tired and hungry you must be ! 
 and Peter, how dirty you are. Come and let me 
 wash you." Peter was the eldest of the children, 
 and the one she loved most. They sat down to 
 supper, and ate eagerly with an appetite that de- 
 
 lighted their father and mother. They began all 
 to speak at once, and to tell how frightened they 
 were in the forest, and how glad to find their way 
 home again. The good people were overjoyed at 
 getting their dear children back, and so long as the 
 ten crowns lasted they were all happy together; 
 but at length the money was spent and they were 
 once more in despair ; and now the wood-cutter 
 and his wife determined to lead their children far- 
 ther still from home, so as to lose them alto- 
 gether. 
 
 They could not talk of this so privately but that 
 Hop-o'-my- Thumb overheard them, and trusted to 
 do as he had done before. But though he got up 
 very early to collect the little pebbles, he could 
 not get out of the house, for the door was double- 
 locked. He knew not what to do when the wood- 
 cutter's wife gave them each their last piece of 
 bread for breakfast, when he suddenly thought of 
 using crumbs of his bread instead of pebbles, and 
 so he put his piece in his pocket. His father and 
 mother, led them into the thickest and darkest part 
 of the wood, and then finding a by-path, slipped 
 away from them unnoticed, as before. Hop-o'- 
 my-Thumb was not much troubled by this, for he 
 thought he should easily lead his brothers back by 
 means of the crumbs which he had dropped along 
 the way. But when he came to look not a crumb 
 was to be seen. The birds had eaten it all ! 
 Then were the children in distress. The more 
 they wandered the deeper they plunged into the 
 forest. Night came on and the wind began to 
 howl, so that they fancied wolves were all about 
 them. Thej' huddled close together, scarcely dar- 
 ing to speak. Then it began to rain heavily and 
 they were drenched to the skin. They slipped 
 about in the mud and scrambled out of pits, tired 
 and dirty. Hop-o'-my-Thumb climbed a tree to 
 see if he could make out anything from the top of 
 it, and looking all about he saw a little light like 
 that of a candle, but it was far away on the other 
 side of the forest. He came down again and then 
 could not see the light from the ground ; but he 
 knew the direction in which it was, and they all 
 walked toward where they supposed it to be, and 
 
72 
 
 THE BOOK OF WONDERS. 
 
 at length, coming out of the woods, they saw the 
 light and presently came to the house where it was. 
 They knocked at the door, and a good woman 
 came to open it. She asked them what they 
 wanted. Hop-o'-my-Thumb told her they were 
 poor children who had lost their way in the forest, 
 and begged a night's lodging for charity. The 
 woman, seeing they were all so pretty, began to 
 weep and said, — 
 
 " Alas ! my poor children, do you know to what 
 you have come ? This is the house of an ogre 
 who eats little boys I " 
 
 "Alas! Madam," answered Hop-o'-my-Thumb, 
 trembling from head to foot as his brothers did, 
 " what shall we do ? If we stay in the forest the 
 wolves will devour us before the morning. We 
 had rather be eaten by the gentleman ; perhaps 
 he may have pity upon us if you but ask him." 
 The ogre's wife, for so she was, was a kind- 
 hearted woman, and fancied she could hide them 
 from her husband till the next morning, so she 
 brought them into the house, and led them to a 
 fine fire where a whole sheep was on the spit, roast- 
 ing for the ogre's supper. Just as they were be- 
 ginning to get warm, they heard two or three loud 
 knocks at the door. It was the ogre, who had 
 •come home. His wife immediately made the chil- 
 dren hide under the bed, dnd went to open the 
 door. The ogre asked at once if his supper was 
 ready, and if she had drawn the wine, and with 
 that he sat down to his meal. The mutton was 
 all but raw, but he liked it the better for that. 
 He began to sniff right and left and said that he 
 smelt fresh meat. 
 
 "It must be the calf I have just skinned that 
 you smell," said his wife. 
 
 " I smell fresh meat, I tell you again," replied 
 the ogre looking sharply at his wife. " There is 
 something here that I don't understand." Saying 
 this he rose from the table and went straight to 
 the bed. " Ah ! " he exclaimed," " thou art de- 
 ceiving me, wretched woman ! I know not what 
 hinders me from eating thee also, except that 
 thou art old and tough. Here is some game which 
 comes in good time for me to entertain three ogres 
 
 of my acquaintance, who are coming to see me 
 in a day or two." He dragged the children from 
 under the bed one after the other. They fell 
 on their knees begging for mercy, but he was 
 the most cruel of ogres, who felt no pity for them 
 but devoured them already with his eyes, and 
 said to his wife that they would be dainty bits 
 when she had made a good sauce for them. He 
 went to fetch a great knife, and as he returned to 
 the poor children, he whetted it on a long stone 
 which he held in his left hand. He had already 
 seized one, when his wife said to him, — 
 
 " Why do you do it at this hour of the night ? 
 Will it not be time enough to-morrow ? " 
 
 " Hold thy peace," replied the ogre, " they will 
 be all the more tender." 
 
 "But you have already so much on hand," she 
 
 persisted. " Here is a calf, two sheep, and half a 
 
 „* " 
 pig- 
 
 " Thou art right," said the Ogre. " Give them 
 a good supper, that they may not fall away, and 
 put them to bed." The good woman was greatly 
 rejoiced and brought the children plenty for sup- 
 per, but they could eat nothing, so terrified were 
 they. As for the ogre, he seated himself to drink 
 again, much pleased to think that he had such a 
 feast in store for his friends, and drained a dozen 
 goblets more than usual, so that his head began to 
 ache, and he went to bed. 
 
 The ogre had seven daughters, who were still 
 very young. They had the most beautiful com- 
 plexions, in consequence of their eating raw flesh 
 like their father, but they had very small round 
 gray eyes, hooked noses, and very large mouths 
 with long teeth, exceedingly sharp and wide apart. 
 They were not very vicious, as yet, but they 
 showed that they would be, for they had already 
 begun to bite little boys. Thej^ had been sent to 
 bed early, and were all seven in a large bed, eacli 
 wearing a crown of gold on her head. In the 
 same room was another bed just as large. Into 
 this the ogre's wife put the seven little boys to 
 sleep, while she went off to her husband. 
 
 Hop-o-my-Thumb had noticed that the ogre's 
 daughters all wore golden crowns on their heads. 
 

HOP- a -MY- THUMB. 
 
 73 
 
 and in the middle of the night, fearing that the 
 ogre might come up in the dark and dispatch 
 them, he got up, took off the night-caps from his 
 and his brothers' heads and went very softly to 
 the bed where the little ogresses were sleeping ; 
 then he removed 
 
 their golden 
 crowns and put 
 on their heads the 
 night-caps, after 
 which he put the 
 <5 r o w n s on his 
 brothers' heads 
 and his own, and 
 ■crept into bed 
 again. Matters 
 turned out just as 
 Tie had expected. 
 The ogre grew 
 impatient and 
 •could not wait for 
 morning to come. 
 He jumped out of 
 bed, and seizing 
 his great knife, 
 said, — 
 
 "Let us go and 
 see how our young 
 rogues are now ; 
 we won't make 
 two bites at a 
 cheri'y." So he 
 •stole on tiptoe up 
 to the chamber, 
 and came to the 
 bed where the 
 little boys 1 a y, 
 who were all 
 asleep except Hop-o'-my-Thumb. He was dread- 
 fully frightened when the ogre placed his hand 
 upon his head to feel it, as he had in turn felt 
 those of all his brothers. The ogre, who felt the 
 golden crowns, was puzzled. 
 
 " Truly," said he," I was about to do a pretty 
 job. I must have drank too much last night. 
 
 10 
 
 Tke Giditt O^re m liis Severv LeA-bueBoots, 
 pursuLufi. Hop o'lMyTkiiitils &..liis BrotkrSiWliohidelH-itCttve;. 
 
 He then went to the bed where his daughters 
 slept, and passing his hand over their heads, felfc 
 the little night-caps. "Aha!" he cried, "Here 
 are our young w&gs. Let us to work at once." 
 So saying, he immediately cut the throats of his 
 
 seven daughters, 
 and then wiping 
 his knife with 
 satisfaction, went 
 back to bed again. 
 As soon as Hop- 
 o'-m y-Th u mb 
 heard the ogre 
 snoring, he woke 
 his brothers, and 
 bade them dress 
 themselves quick- 
 ly and follow 
 him. They went 
 down softly into 
 the garden and 
 jumped over the 
 wall. They ran 
 all . the rest of 
 the night in fear 
 and trembling, 
 not knowing 
 whither they 
 should flee. 
 
 The ogre, on 
 awaking in the 
 morning, said to 
 his wife, " Get 
 up-stairs and 
 dress the little 
 rogues 3'ou took 
 in last night." 
 She was much 
 astonished at the kindness of her husband, not 
 suspecting the sort of dressing he meant, and 
 supposing he had ordered her to go and put their 
 clothes on them. She went up-stairs quickly, 
 and there she saw their seven daughters all dead 
 in their beds. She fainted away at the sight, and 
 the ogre, waiting and wondering why his wife 
 
74 
 
 THE BOOK OF WONDERS. 
 
 did not come, went up-stairs to see what was the 
 matter. 
 
 " Ha ! what have I done ! " he exclaimed. 
 " But these wretches shall pay for it speedily." 
 He threw a basin of water in his wife's face to 
 revive her and said, " Quick I get me my seven- 
 league boots that I may go and catch them ! " 
 He set out, and after running in every direction 
 came at last upon the track of the poor children, 
 who were not above a hundred yards from their 
 father's house. They saw the ogee striding from 
 hill to hill, and stepping over rivers as easily as 
 if they were brooks. Hop-o'-my-Thumb discover- 
 ing a hollow ]-ock clos", by where they were, bade 
 his brothers hide in it, while he crept in after- 
 ward and kept watch at the entrance. The ogre 
 by this time was very tired, for seven-league boots 
 are fatiguing to the wearer, and sat down to rest 
 upon the very rock in which the little boys had 
 hidden themselves. There he fell sound asleep, 
 and began to snore so dreadfully that the children 
 were quite as frightened as when they were in his 
 house. 
 
 Hop-o'-ray-Thumb whispered to his brothers to 
 run quickly into their house and not be uneasy 
 about him. They did as he told them, and were 
 soon in the wood-cutter's home. Then Hop-o'-my- 
 Thumb, when he saw them safely housed, stole up 
 to the ogre, pulled off his boots, and got into them 
 
 himself. The boots, to fit the Ogre, were very 
 large and very long, but being fairy boots they 
 had the knack of exactly fitting every leg they 
 were put on, so they were just the right size for 
 Hop-o'-my-Thumb. He went straight to the 
 ogre's house, where he found the ogre's wife 
 weeping bitterly over her daughters. 
 
 " Your husband," said he, " is in great danger, 
 for he has been seized by a band of robbers who 
 threaten to kill him if he does not give them all 
 his gold and silver. At the moment they had 
 their daggers at his throat, he discovered me, and 
 begged me to come and tell you the plight he was 
 in, and to give me all the money he had, else they 
 would kill him without mercy. He bade me wear 
 his seven-league boots, which you see I have on, 
 that I might make haste, and that you might 
 know I VFas not imposing on you." 
 • The good woman, very much alarmed, imme- 
 diately gave him all the money there was in the 
 house, for the ogre was a good husband to her in 
 spite of his temper and his fondness for little boys. 
 So Hop-o'-my-Thumb, laden with treasures, hast- 
 ened back to his father's house, where thej' lived 
 ever after happily together. As for the ogre, he 
 had grown so heavy that he could not get about 
 without his seven-league boots, so there he lay in 
 the sun and the crows came after he died and 
 picked all the skin off his bones. 
 
Jd/:.. 
 
 Wl- 
 
 
 .';'.>v£r!,- Led.quf'. .Boots wh-ilst 1iu. Br-otli 
 
A FEW SONGS. 
 
 LITTLE BIRDIE. 
 
 What does little birdie say 
 
 In her nest at p'eep of day ? 
 " Let me fly,'' says little birdie, 
 " Mother, let me fly away." — 
 " Birdie, rest a little longer, 
 
 Till the little wings are stronger." 
 
 So she rests a little longer, 
 
 Then she flies away. 
 
 What does little baby say 
 
 In her bed at peep of day ? 
 
 Baby says, like little birdie, 
 " Let me rise, and fly away." — 
 " Baby, sleep a little longer, 
 
 Till the little limbs are stronger. 
 
 If she sleeps a little longer, 
 
 Baby too shall fly away." 
 
 Alfred Tennyson. 
 
 THE LAMB. 
 
 Little lamb, who made thee ? 
 
 Dost thou know who made thee. 
 Gave thee life, and made thee feed 
 By the stream and o'er the mead ? 
 Gave mee clothing of delight, — 
 Softest clothing, woolly, bright ? 
 Gave thee such a tender voice. 
 Making all the vales rejoice ? 
 
 Little lamb, who made thee ? 
 
 Dost thou know who made thee ? 
 
 Little lamb, I '11 tell thee ; 
 
 Little lamb, I 'II tell thee : 
 He is called by thy name. 
 For He calls Himself a lamb. 
 
 He is meek, and He is mild ; 
 He became a little child : 
 I a child, and thou a lamb, 
 We are called by His name. 
 
 Little lamb, God bless thee ! 
 
 Little lamb, God bless thee ! 
 
 William Blake. 
 
 THE CHILD'S DESIRE. 
 
 I THINK, as I read that sweet story of old, 
 
 When Jesus was here among men, 
 How He called little children as lambs to His fold, 
 
 I should like to have been with them then. 
 I wish that His hands had been placed on my head, 
 
 That His arms had been thrown around me, 
 And that I might have seen His kind look when He 
 said, 
 
 " Let the little ones come unto me." 
 
 But still to His footstool in prayer I may go. 
 
 And ask for a share in His love ; 
 And if I thus earnestly seek Him below, 
 
 I shall see Him and hear Him above. 
 In that beautiful place He has gone to prepare 
 
 For all that are washed and forgiven ; 
 And many dear children are gathering there, 
 
 " For of such is the kingdom of heaven." 
 
 Jemima Luke. 
 
 THE LITTLE DOVES. 
 
 High on the top of an old pine-tree 
 Broods a mother-dove with her young ones three. 
 Warm over them is her soft, downy breast, 
 And they sing so sweetly in their nest. 
 " Coo," say the little ones, " Coo,'' says she, 
 All in their nest on the old pine-tree. 
 
76 
 
 A FEW SONGS. 
 
 Soundly they sleep through the moonshiny night, 
 Each young one covered and tucked in tight ; 
 Morn wakes them up with the first blush of light, 
 And they sing to each other with all their might. 
 " Coo," say the little ones, " Coo,'' says she, 
 All in their nest on the old pine-tree 
 
 Where the purple violet grows, 
 Where the bubbling water flows, 
 Where the grass is fresh and fine. 
 Pretty cow, go there and dine. 
 
 Jane Taylob 
 
 When in the nest they are all left alone, 
 
 While their mother far for their dinner has flown. 
 
 Quiet and gentle they all remain, 
 
 Till their mother they see come home again. 
 
 Then " Coo," say the little ones, " Coo," says she, 
 
 All in their nest on the old pine-tree, 
 
 When they are fed by their tender mother, 
 
 One never will push nor crowd another : 
 
 Each opens widely his own little bill. 
 
 And he patiently waits, and gets his fill. 
 
 Then, " Coo," say the little ones, " Coo," says she, 
 
 All in their nest on the old pine-tree. 
 
 Wisely the mother begins by and by 
 
 To make her young ones learn to fly ; 
 
 Just for a little way over the brink. 
 
 Then back to the nest as quick as a wink. 
 
 And •' Coo," say the little ones, '• Coo," says she, 
 
 All in their nest on the old pine-tree. 
 
 Fast grow the young ones, day and night, 
 
 Till their wings are plumed for a longer flight ; 
 
 Till unto them at the last draws nigh 
 
 The time when they all must say " Good-by." 
 
 Then " Coo," say the little ones, " Coo," says she. 
 
 And away they fly from the old pine-tree. 
 
 Carols, Hymns, and Songs. 
 
 PRETTY COW. 
 
 Thank you, pretty cow, that made 
 Pleasant milk to soak my bread, 
 Every day and every night, 
 Warm, aud fresh, and sweet, and white. 
 
 TWINKLE, TWINKLE. 
 
 Twinkle, twinkle, little star 
 How I wonder what you are 
 Up above the world so high. 
 Like a diamond in the sky. 
 
 the glorious sun is set. 
 When the grass with dew is wet. 
 Then you show your little light. 
 Twinkle, twinkle, all the night. 
 
 In the dark-blue sky you keep. 
 And often through my curtains peep ; 
 For you never shut your eye 
 Till the sun is in the sky. 
 
 As your bright and tiny spark 
 Lights the traveler in tlie dark. 
 Though I know not what you are. 
 Twinkle, twinkle, little star ! 
 
 WILLIE WINKIE. 
 
 Do not chew the hemlock rank. 
 Growing on the weedy bank ; 
 But the yellow cowslips eat. 
 That will make it very sweet. 
 
 Wee Willie Winkle rins through the town. 
 
 Up stairs and doon stairs, in his nicht gown, 
 
 Tirlin' at the window, cryin' at the lock. 
 
 Are the weans in their bed ? — for it 's now ten o'clock. 
 
GOOD-NIGHT AND GOOD-MORNING. 
 
 77 
 
 Hey, Willie Winkie ! are ye comin' ben ? 
 
 The cat 's singin' gay thrums to the sleepin' hen, 
 
 The doug's speldered on the floor, and disna gie a 
 
 cheep ; 
 But here 's a waukrife laddie that winna fa' asleep. 
 
 Onything but sleep, ye rogue ! — glowerin' like the 
 
 moon, 
 Rattlin' in an airn jug wi' an aim spoon, 
 Rumblin', tumblin' roun' about, crawin' like a cock, 
 Skirlin' like a kenna what — waukerin' sleepin' folk. 
 
 Hey, Willie Winkie ! the wean's in a creel ! 
 Waumblin' aff a bodie's knee, like a vera eel, 
 Ruggin' at the cat's lug, and ravellin' a' her thrums : 
 Hey, Willie Winkie ! — See, there he comes ! 
 
 Weary is the mither that has a storie wean, 
 A wee stumpie stonesie, that canna rin his lane. 
 That has a battle aye wi' sleep before he '11 close an ee ; 
 But a kiss frae aff his rosy lips gies strength anew to 
 me. 
 
 William Miller. 
 
 Rattling in an iron jug 
 
 With an iron spoon. 
 
 Rumbling, tumbling all about, 
 
 Crowing like a cock. 
 
 Screaming like I don't know what, 
 
 Waking sleeping folk. 
 
 « Hey ! Willie Winkie, 
 Can't you keep him still ? 
 Wriggling off a body's knee 
 Like a very eel, 
 Pulling at the cat's ear, 
 As she drowsy hums, — 
 Heigh, Willie Winkie, 
 See ! there he comes ! " 
 
 Wearied is the mother 
 That has a restless wean, 
 A wee, stumpie bairnie 
 Heard whene'er he 's seen — 
 That has a battle aye with sleep 
 Before he '11 close an e'e ; 
 But a kiss from off his rosy lips 
 Gives strength anew to me. 
 
 THE «AME, WITH THE SCOTTICISMS 
 CHANGED. 
 
 Wee Willie Winkie 
 Runs through the town, 
 Up stairs and down stairs 
 In his night gown. 
 Tapping at the window, 
 Crying at the lock, 
 ■" Are the weans in their bed. 
 For it's now ten o'clock?" 
 
 " Hey ! Willie Winkie, 
 Are you coming then ? 
 The cat's singing Purrie 
 To the sleeping hen. 
 The dog is lying on the floor, 
 And does not even peep ; 
 But here 's a wakeful laddie 
 That will not fall asleep." 
 
 Anything but sleep, you rogue ! 
 Glowring like the moon ! 
 
 GOOD-NIGHT AND GOOD-MORNING. 
 
 A FAIR little girl sat under a tree. 
 
 Sewing as long as her eyes could see ; 
 
 Then smoothed her work, and folded it right. 
 
 And said, " Dear work, good-night ! good-night ! " 
 
 Such a number of rooks came over her head, 
 
 Crying, " Caw ! caw ! " on their way to bed ; 
 
 She said, as she watched their curious flight, 
 
 " Little black things, good-night ! good-night ! '' 
 
 The horses neighed, and the oxen lowed. 
 The sheep's " Bleat ! bleat ! " came over the road, 
 All seeming to say, with a quiet delight, 
 " Good little girl, good-night ! good-night ! " 
 
 She did not say to the sun " Good-night ! " 
 Though she saw him there, like a ball of light ; 
 For she knew he had God's time to keep 
 All over the world, and never could sleep. 
 
78 
 
 A FEW SONGS. 
 
 The tall pink foxglove bowed his head, 
 The violets curtsied, and went to bed ; 
 And good little Lucy tied up her hair, 
 And said, on her linees, her favorite prayer. 
 
 And, while on her pillow she softly lay. 
 She knew nothing more till again it was day, 
 And all things said to the beautiful sun, 
 " Good-morning ! good-morning ! our work is begun ! " 
 Richard Monkton Milnes. 
 
 And I will sing a lullaby, 
 Rock them, rock them, lullaby. 
 
 Thomas Dekkh^ 
 
 CRADLE SONG. 
 
 Hush, my babe, lie still and slumber : 
 
 Holy angels guard thy bed ; 
 Heavenly blessings without number. 
 
 Gently falling on thy head. 
 
 GENTLE JESUS, MEEK AND MILD. 
 
 Gentle Jesus, meek and mild. 
 Look upon a little child ; 
 Pity my simplicity. 
 Suffer me to come to Thee. 
 
 Fain I would to Thee be brought ; 
 Gracious God, forbid it not : 
 In the kingdom of Thy grace 
 Give a little child a place. 
 
 Oh, supply my every want. 
 Feed the young and tender plant ; 
 Day and night my keeper be. 
 Every moment watch o'er me. 
 
 LULLABY. 
 
 Golden slumbers kiss your eyes, 
 Smiles awake when you do rise ; 
 Sleep, pretty wantons ; do not cry. 
 And I will sing a lullaby, 
 Rock them, rock them, lullaby. 
 
 Care is heavy, therefore sleep you ; 
 You are care, and care must keep you ; 
 Sleep, pretty wantons ; do not cry, 
 
 Sleep, my babe, thy food and raiment. 
 House and home, thy friends provide: 
 
 All without thy care or payment, 
 All thy wants are well supplied. 
 
 See the lovely babe a-dressing ; 
 
 Lovely infant, how He smiled ! 
 When He wept, the mother's blessing 
 
 Soothed and hushed the Holy Child. 
 
 Lo, He slumbers in the manger. 
 
 Where the horned oxen fed ! 
 Peace, my darling ; here 's no danger ; 
 
 There 's no oxen near thy bed. 
 
 'T was to save thee, child, from dying. 
 Save my dear from sin and shame, 
 
 'T was to lead thee home to heaven. 
 That thy blest Redeemer came. 
 
 Mayst thou live to know and fear Him, 
 Trust and love Him all thy days ; 
 
 Then go dwell forever near Him, 
 See His face, and sing His praise. 
 
 I could give thee thousand kisses. 
 
 Hoping what 1 most desire ; 
 Not a mother's fondest wishes 
 
 Can to greater joys aspire. 
 
 Isaac Watts. 
 
■ ■>,<: 
 
 
 
 U..,., > 1 
 
 5 v-k^*i^ 
 
 
 i.:-^- -^^i^^ 
 
 f^uig ^c}:t^ASii SiLrr'ir^igv 
 
THE BOOK OF POPULAR TALES. 
 
 CINDERELLA; OR, THE GLASS SLIPPER. 
 
 There was once an honest gentleman who was 
 left a widower with one little daughter, the image 
 of her mother, beautiful .in face and lovely in 
 temper. He thought it well to marry again, for 
 he was lonely and he wished for some one who 
 should take care of his child. But though his 
 second wife was a handsome woman she was very 
 haughty, and she had two daughters by a farmer 
 marriage, who were as proud and disagreeable as 
 herself. The lady appeared very well before the 
 -wedding, but no sooner was that over than she 
 began to show her evil temper. She could not 
 bear her step-daughter, who was so amiable that 
 her own ill-natured children seemed more dis- 
 agreeable than before, and she compelled the poor 
 girl to do all the drudger}' of the household. It 
 was she who washed the dishes, and scrubbed 
 down the stairs, and polished the floors in my 
 lady's chamber, and in those of the two pert 
 misses, her daughters ; and while the latter slept 
 on good feather-beds in elegant rooms furnished 
 with full-length looking-glasses in which they 
 could admire themselves all day long, their sister 
 lay in a wretched garret on an old straw mattress. 
 Yet the poor thing bore this ill treatment very 
 meekly, and did not dare complain to her father, 
 for he was so blind to his wife's faults that he 
 would only have scolded the child. 
 
 When her work was done, she used to sit in the 
 chimney-corner amongst the cinders, so that the 
 two sisters gave her the nickname of Cinderella, 
 or, the cinder- wench ; yet, for all her shabby 
 clothes, Cinderella was a hundred times prettier 
 than they, let them be dressed ever so magnifi- 
 cently. 
 
 It happened that the king's son gave a ball to 
 which he invited all the rich and the grand ; and 
 as our two young ladies made a great figure in 
 the world, they were to be at the ball, and per- 
 haps would dance with the prince. So they were 
 at once very busj' choosing what head-dress and 
 which gown would be the most becoming. Here 
 was fresh work for poor Cinderella ; for it was 
 she, forsooth, who was to starch and get up their 
 ruffles, and iron all their fine linen ; and they 
 talked of nothing but their fine clothes all day 
 long. " I," said the elder, " shall put on my 
 red velvet dress, with my point-lace trimmings." 
 " And I," said the younger sister, " shall wear 
 my ordinary petticoat, but shall set it o£E with my 
 gold brocaded train and my circlet of diamonds, 
 and what can be finer than that ? " They sent 
 for a clever tire-woman, for they were to have 
 double rows of quilling on their caps, and they 
 bought a quantity of elegant ribbons and bows. 
 They called in Cinderella, to take her advice, as 
 she had such good taste ; and Cinderella not only 
 advised them well, but offered to dress their hair, 
 which they were pleased to accept. While she 
 was thus busied, the sisters said to her, "And 
 pray, Cinderella, would you like to go to the 
 ball ? " " Nay, you are mocking me," replied 
 the poor girl; "it is not for such as I to go to 
 balls." "True enough," rejoined they; "folks 
 would laugh to see a cinder- wench at a court 
 ball." 
 
 Any other but Cinderella would have dressed 
 their hair awry to spite them for their rudeness ; 
 but she was so good-natured that sht3 went on and 
 dressed them more becomingly than ever they had 
 
80 
 
 THE BOOK OF POPULAR TALES. 
 
 been in their lives before. The two sisters were 
 so delighted that they scarcely ate a morsel for a 
 couple of days. And besides, it was not easy to 
 eat much, for they were laced tight, to make their 
 waists as slender as possible ; indeed, more than 
 a dozen stay-laces were broken in the attempt. 
 But they were perfectly contented to spend 
 their whole time before a looknig glass, 
 where they nodded their plumes, and 
 turned and turned to see how they 
 looked behind. 
 
 The long - wished - for evening 
 came at last, and off they set 
 Cinderella's eyes follow* 
 them as long as she coul 
 and then she sat down and 
 began to weep. Her god- 
 mother now appeared, 
 and seeing her in tears ^^ 
 inquired _ /f^-^" 
 
 what was 
 the mat- 
 ter. "I 
 
 rL, 
 
 I wish," 
 began 
 the poor girl, but her voice 
 was choked with tears. " You 
 wish that you could go to 
 the ball," interrupted her 
 godmother, who was a fairy. 
 " Indeed I do ! " said Cin- 
 derella, with a sigh. " Well, 
 then, if you will be a good 
 girl, you shall go," said her godmother. " Run 
 quick and fetch me a pumpkin from the garden." 
 Cinderella flew to gather the finest pumpkin she 
 could find, though she could not understand how it 
 could possibly help her to go to the ball. But her 
 godmother, scooping it quite hollow, touched it 
 with her wand, when it was immediately changed 
 
 into a gilt coach. She then went to the mouse-trap, 
 where she found six live mice, and bidding Cinder- 
 ella let them out one by one, she changed each 
 mouse into a fine dapple gray horse by a stroke 
 of her wand. But what was she to do for a coach- 
 man ? Cinderella proposed to look for a rat in the 
 rat-trap. " That 's a good thought," 
 quoth her godmother ; " so go and 
 see." Back came Cinderella with the 
 rat-trap, in which were three large 
 rats. The fairy chose one that had 
 a tremendous pair of whiskers, and 
 forthwith changed him into a coach- 
 man with the finest mustachios ever 
 seen. 
 
 " Now," said she, " go into the 
 garden, and bring me six lizards, 
 which you will find behind the water- 
 ing-pot.'' These were no sooner 
 brought, than, lo ! with a touch of 
 the wand they were turned into six 
 footmen, with laced liveries, who got 
 up behind the coach just as natur- 
 ally as if they had done nothing else 
 all their lives. The Fairy then said 
 to Cinderella : " Now here is your 
 coach and six, your coachman and 
 your footmen, all to take you to the ball ; are 
 you not pleased?" "But must I go in these 
 dirty clothes ? " said Cinderella, timidly. Her 
 godmother smiled and just touched her with her 
 wand, when her shabby clothes were changed to a 
 dress of gold and silver tissue, all decked with 
 precious stones. Then she put upon her feet the 
 prettiest pair of glass slippers ever seen. Cin- 
 derella now got into the carriage, after having 
 been warned by her godmother upon no account 
 to prolong her stay beyond midnight, for if she 
 should remain a moment longer at the ball her 
 coach would again become a pumpkin, her horses 
 mice, her footmen lizards, while her beautiful 
 clothes would become the shabby gown of the 
 poor girl that sat among the cinders. Cinderella 
 promised she would not fail to leave the ball be- 
 fore midnight, and set off in an ecstasy of delight. 
 
*.'^^: . , ' , v^/^j*'M<.wf, ,jf)/i ,h'f. «?»^ ^'1%"% 
 
 % I (I 
 
 \ .A- Ji 
 
 
 
 
 
CINDERELLA; OR, THE GLASS SLIPPER. 
 
 81 
 
 When she arrived it was in such state that the 
 king's son, hearing that some great princess, un- 
 known at court, had just appeared, went to hand 
 her out of her carriage, and brought her into the 
 hall where the company was assembled. The mo- 
 ment she appeared all voices we>re hushed, the 
 violins ceased playing, and the dancing stopped 
 short, so great was the sensation produced by the 
 stranger's beauty. A confused murmur of ad- 
 miration fluttered through the crowd, and each 
 was fain to exclaim, " How surpassingly lovely 
 she is ! " Even the king, old as he was, could not 
 forbear admiring her like the rest, and whispered 
 to the queen that she was certainly the fairest 
 and comeliest woman he had seen for many a 
 long day. As for the ladies, they were all busy 
 examining her head-dress and her clothes, in order 
 to get similar ones the very next day, if, indeed, 
 they could meet with stuffs of such rich patterns, 
 and find work-women clever enough to make them 
 up. 
 
 After leading her to the place to which her 
 rank seemed to entitle her, the king's son re- 
 quested her hand for the next dance, when she 
 displayed so much grace that her beauty was 
 heightened, and people said they had not praised 
 her half enough before. An elegant supper was 
 brought in, but the young prince was so taken up 
 with gazing at the fair stranger, that he did not 
 touch a morsel. Cinderella went and sat by her 
 sisters, sharing with them the oranges and citrons 
 the prince had offered her, much to their surprise 
 and delight, for they felt highly flattered, never 
 dreaming who it really was. 
 
 When Cinderella heard the clock strike three 
 quarters past eleven, she made a low courtesy to 
 the whole assembly, and retired in haste. On 
 reaching home, she found her godmother, and 
 after thanking her for the delight she had enjoyed 
 she ventured to express a wish to return to the 
 ball on the following evening, as the prince had 
 requested her to do. She was still eagerly telling 
 her godmother all that had happened at court, 
 when her two sisters knocked at the door. Cin- 
 derella went and let them in, pretending to yawn 
 11 
 
 and stretch herself, and rub her eyes and saying, 
 " How late you are ! " just as if she had been, 
 waked up out of a nap, though, one may readily 
 believe, she had never felt less disposed to sleep 
 in her life. " If you had been to the ball," said 
 one of the sisters, " you would not have thought 
 it late. There came the most beautiful princess 
 that ever was seen, who loaded us with polite at- 
 tentions, and gave us oranges and citrons." 
 
 Cinderella inquired the name of the princess. 
 But they replied that nobody knew her name, and 
 that the king's son was in great trouble about her, 
 and would give the world to know who she could 
 be. " Is she, then, so very beautiful ? " said Cin- 
 derella, smiling. " Ah ! liow I should like to see 
 her ! Oh, do, my Lady Javotte, lend me the yel- 
 low dress you wear every day, that I may go to. 
 the ball and have a peep at this wonderful prin- 
 cess." " A likely story, indeed ! " cried Javotte, 
 tossing her head disdainfully, " that I should lend 
 my clothes to a dirty cinder-wench like you ! " 
 Cinderella expected to be refused, and was not 
 sorry for it, as she would have been very much 
 puzzled what to do had her sister really lent her 
 the dress she begged to have. 
 
 On the following evening the sisters again went 
 to the court ball, and so did Cinderella, dressed 
 even more magnificently than before. The king's- 
 son never once left her side, and spent his whole 
 time in waiting upon her. He talked so charm- 
 ingly, and whispered so many delicate speeches^ 
 that the young lady was nothing loath to listen to- 
 him ; she forgot all else, she forgot her godmoth- 
 er's warning. Eleven o'clock came, but she did 
 not notice the striking ; the half-hour struck, but. 
 the prince grew more delightful, and Cinderella, 
 could hear nothing else ; the last quarter — but 
 still Cinderella sat by the prince. Then the great 
 clock sounded the midnight stroke ; up sprang 
 Cinderella and like a startled fawn fled from the 
 palace. The prince started to follow her, but she 
 was too swift for him ; only, as she flew she 
 dropped one of her glass slippers, which he picked 
 up very eagerly. The last stroke died away as 
 Cinderella reached the great staircase that led 
 
82 
 
 THE BOOK OF POPULAR TALES. 
 
 from the palace. In a twinkling the 
 gay lady was gone, and only a shab- 
 by cinder-wench went running down 
 the steps. The splendid coach and 
 six, driver and footmen, had van- 
 ished ; only a pumpkin lay on the 
 ground, and a rat, six mice, and six 
 lizards scampered off. Cinderella 
 reached home, quite out of breath ; 
 but of all her magnilicence nothing 
 remained save a little glass slipper, 
 the fellow to the one she had lost. 
 The sentinels at the palace-gate were 
 closely questioned as to whether they 
 had not seen a princess coming out; 
 but they answered they had seen no 
 one except a shabbily-dressed girl, 
 who appeared to be a peasant rather than a young 
 lady. 
 
 When the two sisters returned from the ball, 
 Cinderella asked them whether they had been 
 well entertained, and whether the beautiful lady 
 was there ? They replied that she was ; but that 
 she had run away as soon as midnight had struck, 
 and so quickly as to drop one of her dainty glass 
 slippers, which the king's son had picked up, and 
 was looking at most fondly during the remainder 
 of the ball ; indeed, it seemed beyond a doubt that 
 he was deeply in love with the beautiful creature 
 to whom it belonged. 
 
 They spoke truly enough ; for, a few days aft- 
 erwards, the king's son caused a proclamation to 
 be made, by sound of trumpet, all over the king- 
 dom, that he would marry her whose foot should 
 be found to fit the slipper exactly. So the slipper 
 was first tried on by all the princesses ; then by 
 all the duchesses ; and next by all the persons be- 
 longing to the court ; but in vain. Then it was 
 carried to all the fine houses, and it came at last 
 to the two sisters, who tried with all their might 
 to force their feet into the fairy-like slipper, but 
 with no better success. Cinderella, who was 
 present, now laughed, and said, " Suppose I were 
 to try ? " Her sisters ridiculed such an idea ; 
 but the gentleman who was appointed to try the 
 
 slipper looked atten- 
 tively at Cinderella, 
 and perceiving how 
 beautiful she was, said 
 that it was but fair 
 she should do so, as he 
 had orders to try it on 
 every young maiden in 
 the kingdom. So Cin- 
 derella sat down, and 
 put her foot on a stool 
 to have the slipper mff3;^^^^^^^P 
 tried on, while her ^^iSilJ^^- ?S-^^- ^^' 
 sisters looked on con- — ~'~"-«5;?:.,.__ 
 temptuously ; but no 
 
 sooner did she put her little foot to the slipper, 
 than she drew it on, and it fitted like wax. The 
 sisters stood amazed ; but their astonishment in- 
 creased tenfold when Cinderella drew the fellow- 
 slipper out of her pocket, and put that on. Her 
 godmother then made her appearance, and touch- 
 ing Cinderella's clothes with her wand, made then: 
 once more the robes of a princess, but even more 
 splendid than those which she had worn at the 
 ball. 
 
 Her two sisters now recognized her for the beau- 
 tiful stranger they had seen, and, falling at her 
 feet, implored her forgiveness for their unworthf 
 
HANS IN LUGK. 
 
 83 
 
 treatment, and all the insults they had heaped 
 upon her head. Cin- 
 derella raised them, 
 saying, as she em- 
 braced them, that 
 she not only forgave 
 them with all her 
 heart, but vvi shed 
 that they might al- 
 ways love her. The 
 gentleman in vrait- 
 ing led her to the 
 palace of the young ^ 
 prince, who was 
 overjoyed at discov- 
 
 ering the beautiful maiden, and thought her more 
 
 lovely than ever. 
 
 So they were mar- 
 ried, and Cinderella, 
 who was as good as 
 she was beautiful, 
 and wished every 
 one about her to be 
 happy, allowed her 
 sisters to lodge in 
 the palace, and gave 
 them in marriage, 
 that same day, to 
 two lords belonging 
 to the court. 
 
 HANS IN LUCK. 
 
 Hans had served his master seven years, and 
 at last said to him, " Master, my time is up, I 
 should like to go home and see my mother; so 
 give me my wages." And the master said, " You 
 have been a faithful and good servant, so your pay 
 shall be handsome." Then he gave him a piece of 
 silver that was as big as his head. 
 
 Hans took out his pocket-handkerchief, put the 
 piece of silver into it, threw it over his shoulder, 
 and jogged off homewards. As he went lazily on, 
 dragging one foot after another, a man came in 
 sight, trotting along gayly on a capital horse. 
 " Ah ! " said Hans aloud, " what a fine thing it is 
 to ride on horseback ! there he sits as if he was at 
 home in his chair ; he trips against no stones, 
 spares his shoes, and yet gets on he liardlj^ knows 
 how." The horseman heard this, and said, "Well, 
 Hans, why do you go on foot then?" "Ah!" 
 said he, " I have this load to carry ; to be sure it 
 is silver, but it is so heavy that I can't hold up my 
 head, and it hurts my shoulder sadly." " What 
 do you say to changing ? " said the horseman : " I 
 will give you my horse, and you shall give me the 
 silver." " With all my heart," said Hans : " but 
 I tell you one thing, — you '11 have a weary task 
 to drag it along." The horseman got off, took the 
 silver, helped Hans up, put the bridle into his 
 
 hand, and said, " When you want to go very fast, 
 you must smack your lips loud, and cry ' Jip.' " 
 
 Hans was delighted as he sat on the horse, and 
 rode merrily on. After a time he thought he 
 should like to go a little faster, so he smacked his 
 lips and cried " Jip." Away went the horse full 
 gallop ; and before Hans knew what he was about 
 be was thrown off, and lay in a ditch by the road- 
 side; and his horse would have run away, if a 
 shepherd who was coming by, driving a cow, had 
 not stopped it. Hans soon came to himself, and 
 got upon his legs again. He was sadly vexed, and 
 said to the shepherd, " This riding is no joke when 
 a man gets on a beast like this, that stumbles and 
 flings him off as if he would break his neck. How- 
 ever, I am off now once for all : I like your cow a 
 great deal better ; one can walk along at one's 
 leisure behind her, and have milk, butter, and 
 cheese every day into the bargain. What woul^ 
 I give to have such a cow!" "Well," said the 
 shepherd, " if you are so fond of her, I will change 
 my cow for your horse." " Done ! " said Hans, 
 merrily. The shepherd jumped upon the horse 
 and away he rode. 
 
 Hans drove off his cow quietly, and thought his 
 bargain a very lucky one. " If I have only a piece 
 of bread (and I certainly shall be able to get that), 
 
84 
 
 THE BOOK OF POPULAR TALES. 
 
 I can, whenever I like, eat my butter and cheese 
 with it; and when I am thirsty I can milk my 
 cow and drink the milk : what can I wish for 
 more ? " When he came to an inn, he halted, ate 
 all his bread, and gave away his last penny for a 
 glass of beer ; then he drove his cow towards his 
 mother's village ; and the heat grew greater as 
 noon came on, till at last he found himself on a 
 wide heath that would take him more than an 
 hour to cross, and he began to be so hot and 
 parched that his tongue clave to the roof of his 
 mouth. " I can find a cure for this," thought he, 
 " now will I milk my cow and quench my thirst; " 
 so he tied her to the stump of a tree, and held his 
 leathern cap to milk into ; but not a drop was to 
 be had. 
 
 While he was trying his luck and managing the 
 matter very clumsily, the uneasy beast gave him 
 a kick on the head that knocked him down, and 
 there he lay a long while senseless. Luckily a 
 butcher soon came by driving a pig in a wheel- 
 barrow. " What is the matter with you ? " said 
 the butcher, as he helped him up. Hans told him 
 what had happened, and the butcher gave him a 
 flask, saying, " There, drink and refresh yourself ; 
 your cow will give you no milk ; she is an old beast, 
 good for nothing but the slaughter-house." " Alas, 
 alas!" said Hans, "who would have thought it? 
 If I kill her, what would she be good for ? I hate 
 cow-beef, it is not tender enough for me. If it 
 were a pig now, one could do something with it ; it 
 would at any rate make some sausages." " Well," 
 said the butcher, "to please you I '11 change, and 
 give you the pig for the cow." " Heaven reward 
 you for your kindness ! " said Hans, as he gave the 
 butcher the cow, and took the pig off the wheel- 
 barrow, and drove it along, holding it by the 
 string that was tied to its leg. 
 
 So on he jogged, and all seemed now to go right 
 with him ; he had met with some misfortunes, to 
 be sure, but he was now well repaid for all. The 
 next person he met was a countryman carrying a 
 fine white goose under his arm. The countryman 
 stopped to ask what o'clock it was ; and Hans told 
 him all his luck, and how he had made so many 
 
 good bargains. The countryman said he was go- 
 ing to take the goose to a christening. " Feel," 
 said he, " how heavy it is, and yet it is only eight 
 weeks old. Whoever roasts and eats it may cut 
 plenty of fat off it, it has lived so well ! " 
 " You 're right," said Hans as he weighed it in his 
 hand ; " but my pig is no trifle." Meantime the 
 countryman began to look grave, and shook his 
 'head. "Hark ye," said he, "my good friend; 
 your pig may get you into a scrape ; in the village 
 I just came from the squire has had a pig stolen 
 out of his stye. I was dreadfully afraid, when I 
 saw you, that you had got the squire's pig ; it will 
 be a bad job if they catch you ; the least they '11 
 do will be to throw you into the horse pond." 
 
 Poor Hans was sadly frightened. " Good man," 
 cried he, " pray get me out of this scrape ; you 
 know this country better than I, take my pig and 
 give me the goose." "I ought to have something 
 into the bargain," said the countryman; "how- 
 ever, I will not bear hard upon you, as you are in 
 trouble." Then he took the string in his hand, 
 and drove off the pig by a side path ; while Hans 
 went on the way homewards free from care. 
 "After all," thought he, "I have the best of the 
 bargain : first there will be a capital roast ; then 
 the fat will find me in goose-grease for six months ; 
 and there are all the beautiful white feathers ; I 
 will put them into my pillow, and then I am 
 sure I shall sleep soundly without rocking. How 
 happy my mother will be ! " 
 
 As he came to the last village, he saw a scissors- 
 grinder, with his wheel, working away, and sing- 
 ing : — 
 
 " O'er hill and o'er dale so happy I roam, 
 Work light and live well, all the world is my home ; 
 Who so Wythe, so merry as I? " 
 
 Hans stood looking for a while, and at last said, 
 " You must be well off, master grinder, you seem 
 so happy at your work." " Yes," said the other, 
 " mine is a golden trade ; a good grinder never 
 puts his hand in his pocket without finding money 
 in it ; — but where did you get that beautiful 
 goose ? " " I did not buy it, but changed a pig for 
 it." "And where did you get the pig?" "I 
 
THE SLEEPING BEAUTT IN THE WOOD. 
 
 85 
 
 gave a cow for it." " And the cow ? " "I gave a 
 horse for it." "And the horse?" "I gave a 
 piece of silver as big as my head for that." '* And 
 the silver ? " " Oh ! I worked hard for that seven 
 long years." " You have thriven well in the world 
 hitherto," said the grinder ; "now if you could find 
 money in your pocket whenever you put your hand 
 into it, your fortune would be made." "Very 
 true : but how is that to be managed ? " " You 
 must turn grinder like me," said the other, " you 
 only want a grindstone ; the rest will come of it- 
 self. Here is one that is a little the worse for 
 wear ; I would not ask more than the value of your 
 goose for it ; — will you buy ? " " How can you 
 ask such a question ? " replied Hans ; " I should 
 be the happiest man in the world if I could have 
 money whenever I put my hand in my pocket; 
 what could I want more ; there 's the goose ! " 
 "Now," said the grinder, as he gave him a com- 
 mon rough stone that lay by his side, " this is a 
 most capital stone ; do but manage it cleverly, 
 and you can make an old nail cut with it." 
 
 Hans took the stone and went off with a light 
 
 heart : his eyes sparkled for joy, and he said to 
 himself, " I must have been born in a lucky hour ; 
 everything that I want or wish for comes to me 
 of itself." 
 
 Meantime he began to be tired, for he had been 
 traveling ever since daybreak ; he was hungry, 
 too, for he had given away his last penny in his 
 joy at getting the cow. At last he could go no 
 farther, and the stone tired him terribly ; he 
 dragged himself to the side of a pond, that he 
 might drink some water and rest a while ; so he 
 laid the stone carefully by his side on the bank : 
 but as he stooped down to drink, he forgot it, 
 pushed it a little, and down it went plump into 
 the pond. For a while he watched it sinking in 
 the deep clear water, then sprang up for joy, and 
 again fell upon his knees, and thanked heaven 
 with tears in his eyes for its kindness in taking 
 away his only plague, the ugly heavy stone. 
 " How happy am I ! " cried he : " no mortal was 
 ever so lucky as I am." Then up he got with a 
 light and merry heart, and walked on free from 
 all his troubles, till he reached his mother's house. 
 
 THE SLEEPING BEAUTY IN THE WOOD. 
 
 Once upon a time there was a king and a queen 
 who grieved sorely that they had no children. 
 When at last the queen gave birth to a daughter 
 the king was so overjoyed that he gave a great 
 christening feast, the like of which had never be- 
 fore been known. He asked all the fairies in the 
 land — there were seven all told — to stand god- 
 mothers to the little princess, hoping that each 
 might give her a gift, and so she should have all 
 imaginable perfections. 
 
 After the christening, all the company returned 
 to the palace where a great feast had been spread 
 for the fairy godmothers. Before each was set a 
 magnificent plate, with a gold knife and a gold 
 fork studded with diamonds and rubies. Just as 
 they were seating themselves, however, there en- 
 tered an old fairy who had not been invited be- 
 cause more than fifty years ago she had shut her- 
 
 self up in a tower and it was supposed that she 
 was either dead or enchanted. 
 
 The king ordered a cover to be laid for her, but 
 it could not be a massive gold one like the others, 
 for only seven had been ordered made. The old 
 fairy thought herself ill-used and muttered be- 
 tween her teeth. One of the young fairies, over- 
 hearing her, and fancying she might work some 
 mischief to the little baby, went and hid herself 
 behind the hangings in the hall, so as to be able 
 to have the last word and undo any harm the old 
 fairy might wish to work. The fairies now be- 
 gan to endow the princess. The youngest, for her 
 gift, decreed that she should be the most beauti- 
 ful person in the world ; the next that she should 
 have the mind of an angel ; the third that she 
 should be perfectly graceful ; the fourth that she 
 should dance admirably well ; the fifth, that she 
 
86 
 
 THE BOOK OF POPULAR TALES. 
 
 should sing like a nightingale ; the sixth, that she 
 should play charmingly upon every musical instru- 
 ment. The tarn of the old fairy had now come, 
 and she declared, while her head shook with mal- 
 ice, that the princess should pierce her hand with 
 a spindle and die of the wound. This dreadful 
 fate threw all the company into tears of dismay, 
 when the young fairy who had hidden herself 
 came forward and said : — 
 
 " Be of good cheer, king and queen ; your daugh- 
 ter shall not so die. It is true I cannot entirely 
 undo what my elder has done. The princess will 
 pierce her hand with a spindle, but, instead of 
 dying, she will only fall into a deep sleep. The 
 sleep will last a hundred years, and at the end of 
 that time a king's son will come to wake her." 
 
 The king, in hopes of preventing what the old 
 fairy had foretold, immediately issued an edict by 
 
 which he forbade all persons in his dominion from 
 spinning or even having spindles in their houses 
 under pain of instant death. 
 
 Now fifteen years after the princess was born 
 she was with the king and queen at one of their 
 castles, and as she was running about by herself 
 she came to a little chamber at the top of a tower, 
 and there sat an honest old woman spinning, for 
 she had never heard of the king's edict. 
 
 " What are you doing ? " asked the princess. 
 
 " I am spinning, my fair child," said the old 
 woman, who did not know her. 
 
 " How pretty it is ! " exclaimed the princess. 
 " How do you do it ? Give it to me that I may 
 see if I can do it." She had no sooner taken up 
 the spindle, than, being hasty and careless, she 
 pierced her hand with the point of it, and fainted 
 away. The old woman, in great alarm, called for 
 help. People came running in from all sides ; they 
 threw water in the princess's face and did all they 
 could to restore her, but nothing would bring her 
 to. The king, who had heard the noise and con- 
 fusion, came up also, and remembering what the 
 fairy had said, he had the princess carried to the 
 finest apartment and laid upon a richly embroid- 
 ered bed. She lay there in all her loveliness, for 
 the swoon had not made her pale : her lips were 
 cherry-ripe and her cheeks ruddy and fair; her 
 eyes were closed, but they could hear her breath- 
 ing quietly ; she could not be dead. The king 
 looked sorrowfnlly upon her. He knew that she 
 would not awake for a hundred years. 
 
 The good fairy who had saved her life and 
 turned her death into sleep was in the kingdom 
 of Mataquin, twelve thousand leagues away, when 
 this happened, but she learned of it from a dwarf 
 who had a pair of seven-league boots, and instantly 
 set out for the castle, where she arrived in an hour, 
 drawn by dragons in a fiery chariot. The king 
 came forward to receive her and showed his grief. 
 The good fairy was very wise and saw that the 
 princess when she woke would find herself all 
 alone in that great castle and everything about 
 her would be strange. So this is what she did. 
 She touched with her wand everybody that was 
 
THE SLEEPING BEAUTY IN THE WOOD. 
 
 87 
 
 in the castle, except the king and 
 queen. She touched the govern- 
 esses, maids of honor, women of 
 the bed-chamber, gentlemen, offi- 
 cers, stewards, cooks, scullions, 
 boys, guards, porters, pages, foot- 
 men ; she touched the horses in the 
 stable with their grooms, the great 
 mastiffs in the court-yard, and even 
 little Pouste, the tiny lap-dog of 
 the princess that was on the bed 
 beside her. As soon as she had 
 touched them they all fell asleep, 
 not to wake again until the time 
 arrived for their mistress to do 
 so, when they would be ready to wait upon her. 
 Even the spits before the fire, laden with par- 
 tridges and pheasants, went to sleep, and the fire 
 itself went to sleep also. 
 
 It was the work of a moment. The king and 
 queen kissed their daughter farewell and left the 
 castle, issuing a proclamation that no person what- 
 soever was to approach it. That was needless, 
 for in a quarter of an hour there had grown up 
 about it a wood so thick and filled with thorns 
 that nothing could get at the castle, and the castle 
 top itself could only be seen fronr a great dis- 
 tance. 
 
 A hundred years went by, and the kingdom 
 was in the hands of another royal family. The 
 son of the king was hunting one day when he 
 discovered the towers of the castle above the tops 
 of the trees, and asked what castle that was. All 
 manner of answers were given to him. One said 
 it was an enchanted castle, another that witches 
 lived there, but most believed that it was occupied 
 by a great ogre which carried thither all the chil- 
 dren he could catch and ate them up one at a 
 time, for nobody could get at him through the 
 wood. The prince did not know what to believe, 
 when finally an old peasant said, — 
 
 "Prince, it is more than fifty years since I 
 heard my father say that there was in that castle 
 the most beautiful princess that ever was seen ; 
 that she was to sleep for a hundred years, and to 
 
 be awakened at last by the 
 king's son, who was to tnarrjj 
 her." 
 
 The young prince at these 
 words felt himself on fire. He 
 had not a moment's doubt that 
 he was destined to this great 
 adventure, and full of ardor he 
 determined at once to set out 
 for the castle. Scarcely had 
 he come to the wood when all 
 the trees and thorns which had 
 made such an impenetrable 
 thicket opened on one side and 
 the other to offer him a path. 
 He walked toward the castle, 
 which appeared now at the end 
 of a long avenue, but when he 
 turned to look for his followers 
 not one was to be seen ; the 
 woods had closed instantly 
 upon him as he had passed 
 through. He was entirely alone, and utter silence 
 was about him. He entered a large fore-court 
 and stood still with amazement and awe. On 
 every side were stretched the bodies of men and 
 animals apparently lifeless. But the faces of the 
 men were rosy, and the goblets by them had a few 
 drops of wine left. The men nad plainly fallen 
 asleep. His steps resounded as he passed over 
 
88 
 
 THE BOOK OF POPULAR TALES. 
 
 the marble pavement and up the marble staircase. 
 He entered the guard-room ; there the guards 
 stood drawn up in line with carbines at their 
 shoulders, but they were sound asleep. He passed 
 through one apartment after another, where were 
 ladies and gentlemen asleep in their chairs or 
 standing. He entered a chamber covered with 
 gold, and saw on a bed, the curtains of which were 
 drawn, the most lovely sight he had ever looked 
 upon, — a princess, who appeared to be about fif- 
 teen or sixteen, and so fair that she seemed to 
 belong to another world. He drew near, trem- 
 bling and wondering, and knelt beside her. Her 
 hand lay upon her breast, and he touched his lips 
 to it. At that moment, the enchantment being 
 
 ended, the princess awoke, and, looking drowsily 
 
 and tenderly at the young man, said : — 
 
 " Have you come, my prince ? I have- waited 
 
 long for you." The prince was overjoyed at the 
 words, and at the tender voice and look, and 
 
 scarcely knew how to speak. But he managed to 
 
 assure her of his love, and they soon forgot all 
 
 else as they talked and talked. 
 
 They talked for four hours, and 
 
 had not then said half that was 
 
 in their heads to say. 
 
 Meanwhile all the rest of the 
 
 people in the castle had been 
 
 wakened at the same moment as 
 
 the princess, and they were now ex- 
 tremely hungry. The lady-in-wait- 
 ing became very impatient, and at 
 length announced to the princess 
 that they all waited for her. Then 
 the prince took the princess by 
 the hand ; she was dressed in 
 great splendor, but he did not hint 
 that she looked as he bad seen 
 pictures of his great-grandmother 
 look ; he thought her all the more 
 charming for that. They passed 
 into a hall of mirrors, where they 
 supped, attended by the officers of 
 the princess. The violins and haut- 
 boys played old but excellent pieces of music, and 
 after supper, to lose no time, the grand almoner 
 married the royal lovers in the chapel of the cas- 
 tle. 
 
 When they left the castle the next day to re- 
 turn to the prince's home, 
 they were followed by all the 
 retinue of the princess. They 
 marched down the long ave- 
 nue, and the wood opened 
 again to let them pass. Out- 
 side they met the prince's fol- 
 lowers, who were overjoyed to 
 see their master. He turned 
 to show them the castle, but 
 behold ! there was no castle to 
 be seen, and no wood ; castle 
 and wood had vanished, but 
 the prince and princess went 
 gayly away, and when the old 
 king and queen died they 
 reigned in their stead. 
 
JACK THE GIANT-KILLER. 
 
 JACK THE GIANT-KILLER. 
 
 N the reign of King Ar- 
 thur, and in the county 
 of Cornwall, near to the 
 Land's End of England, 
 there lived a wealthy- 
 fanner, who had an only 
 son, named Jack. He 
 was brisk, and of a ready 
 wit, so that whatever he 
 could not perform by force and strength he ac- 
 complished by ingenious wit and policy. Never 
 was any person heard of that could worst him, and 
 he very often baffled even the learned by his sharp 
 and ready inventions. 
 
 In those days the Mount of Cornwall was kept 
 by a huge and monstrous giant, eighteen feet in 
 height, about three yards in compass, and of a 
 fierce and grim countenance, the terror of all the 
 neighboring towns and villages. He inhabited a 
 cave in the middle of the Mount, and he was such 
 a selfish monster that he would not suffer any one 
 to live near him. He fed on other men's cattle, 
 which often became his prey, for whensoever he 
 wanted food he would wade over to the main-land, 
 where he would furnish himself with whatever 
 came in his way. The people, at his coming, for- 
 sook their homes. Then would he seize on their 
 cattle, making nothing of carrying half-a-dozen 
 oxen on his back at a time ; and as for their sheep 
 and hogs, he would tie them round his waist like 
 a bunch of bandoleers. This course he had fol- 
 lowed for many years, so that a great part of the 
 country was made poor by his robberies. 
 
 This was the state of affairs when Jack, happen- 
 ing one day to be present at the town-hall, where 
 the governors were consulting about the giant, 
 had the curiosity to ask what reward would be 
 given to the person who should destroy him. The 
 giant's treasure was declared as the recompense, 
 and Jack at once undertook the task. 
 
 In order to effect his purpose, he furnished him- 
 
 self with a horn, shovel, and pickaxe, and went 
 over to the Mount in the beginning of a dark win- 
 ter's evening, when he fell to work, and before 
 morning had dug a pit twenty-two feet deep, and 
 nearly as broad, covering it over with long sticks 
 and straw. Then strewing a little mould upon it, 
 it appeared like plain ground. This done. Jack 
 placed himself on the side of the pit which was 
 farthest from the giant's lodging, and, just at 
 break of day, he put the horn to his mouth and 
 blew with all his might. Although Jack was a 
 little fellow, he managed to make noise enough to 
 awake the giant, who rushed roaring from his cave, 
 crying out, " You incorrigible villain ! are you 
 come here to disturb my rest ? you shall pay 
 dearly for this. I will take you whole and broil 
 you for my breakfast." He had no sooner uttered 
 this cruel threat than he tumbled into the pit, and 
 his heavy fall made the foundation of the Mount 
 shake. 
 
 " O Giant ! " said Jack, " where are you now ? 
 Oh, faith, you are gotten now into Lob's Pound,^ 
 where I will surely plague you for your threaten- 
 ing words. What do you think now of broiling 
 me for your breakfast ? Will no other diet serve 
 you but poor Jack ? " 
 
 Thus did little Jack tantalize the big giant, as 
 a cat does a mouse, when she knows it cannot es- 
 cape, and when he had tired of that amusement he 
 gave him a heavy blow with his pickaxe on the 
 very crown of his head, which tumbled him down 
 and killed him on the spot. When Jack saw he 
 was dead, he filled up the pit with earth, and went 
 to search the cave, where he found much treas- 
 ure. 
 
 Now when the magistrates who employed Jack 
 heard that the work was done, they sent for him, 
 declaring that he should henceforth be termed 
 Jack the Giant-killer, and gave him a sword and 
 embroidered belt, on the latter of which these 
 words were inscribed in letters of gold : — 
 
 12 
 
 1 An old jocular term for a prison, or any place of confinement. 
 
90 
 
 THE BOOK OF POPULAR TALES. 
 
 " Here's the right valiant Cornish man 
 Who slew the giant Cormoran." 
 
 The news of Jack's Yictory soon spread oYer 
 all the West of England, so that another giant, 
 named Blunderbove, hearing of it, vowed to be re- 
 venged on the little hero, if ever it was his fortune 
 to light on him. This giant was lord of an en- 
 chanted castle, situated in the midst of a lonesome 
 wood. Now Jack, about four months after his 
 last exploit, walking near this castle, in his jour- 
 ney towards Wales, being weary, seated himself 
 near a pleasant fountain in the wood, and pres- 
 ently fell asleep. The giant, coming there for 
 water, found him, and by the lines upon his belt 
 knew him to be Jack ; so, without any words, he 
 took him upon his shoulder and carried him to- 
 wards his enchanted castle. 
 
 Now, as they passed through a thicket, the rust- 
 ling of the boughs awakened Jack, who was uncom- 
 fortably surprised to find himself in the clutches 
 of the giant. His terror was not lessened when, 
 on entering the castle, he saw the courtyard 
 strewed with human bones, the giant telling him 
 his own bones would erelong be added to the pile. 
 This said, the giant locked poor Jack in an upper 
 chamber, leaving him there while he went to fetch 
 another giant, living in the same wood, to keep 
 him company in the destruction of their enemy. 
 While he was gone, dreadful shrieks and lamen- 
 tations affrighted Jack, especially a voice which 
 continually cried : — 
 
 " Do what you can to get away, 
 Or you'll become the giant's prey; 
 He '^ gone to fetch his brother, who 
 Will likewise liill and torture you." 
 
 This dreadful warning almost distracted poor 
 Jack, who, going to the window and opening a 
 casement, saw afar off the two giants coming to- 
 wards the castle. 
 
 " Now," quoth Jack to himself, " my death or 
 my deliverance is at hand." 
 
 Now the giants of those days, although very pow- 
 erful, were really very stupid fellows, and readily 
 conquered by stratagem, even of the humblest kind. 
 There happened to be in the room where Jack was 
 
 confined two strong cords, at the ends of which he 
 made strong nooses, and as the giants were uVi- 
 locking the iron gate of the castle he threw the 
 ropes over each of their heads, and then, before the 
 giants knew what he was about, drew the other 
 ends across a beam, and, pulling with all his might, 
 throttled them. Then sliding down the rope, he 
 came to the heads of the giants, and, as they could 
 not defend themselves, he easily dispatched them 
 with his sword. Jack next took a great bunch of 
 keys from the pocket of Blunderbore, and went 
 into the castle again. He made a strict search 
 through all the rooms and in them he found three 
 ladies tied up by the hair of their heads and al- 
 most starved to death. It was they who had 
 warned him. He set them free, gave them the 
 keys of the castle, and proceeded on his journey to 
 Wales. 
 
 Jack would take no money, and having but lit- 
 tle of his own left, was obliged to make the best 
 of his way by traveling as hard as he could. At 
 length, losing his road, he was belated, and could 
 not get to any place of entertainment until, com- 
 ing to a lonesome valley, he found a large house, 
 and by reason of his present necessity took cour- 
 age to knock at the gate. But what was his as- 
 tonishment when there came forth a monstrous 
 giant, with two heads ! yet he did not appear so 
 tier}' as the others were, for he was a Welsh giant, 
 and what he did was by private and secret malice 
 under the false show of friendship. 
 
 Jack, having unfolded his condition to the giant, 
 was shown into a bedroom, where in the dead of 
 night he heard the giant in another room saying 
 to himself these words : — 
 
 " Though here you lodge with me this night, 
 You shall not see the morning light ; 
 My club shall dash your brains out quite." 
 
 " Say'st thou so ? " quoth Jack ; " that is like 
 one of your Welsh tricks, yet I hope to be cun- 
 ning enough for you." He immediately got out 
 of bed, and, feeling about in the dark, found a 
 thick billet of wood, which he laid in the bed in 
 his stead, and hid himself in a dark corner of the 
 room. Shortly after in came the Welsh giant, 
 
JACK THE GIANT-KILLER. 
 
 91 
 
 who thoroughly pummeled the billet with his 
 club, thinking, naturally enough, he had broken 
 every bone in Jack's skin. The next morning, 
 however, to the inexpressible surprise of the giant, 
 Jack came down-stairs as if nothing bad happened, 
 and gave him thanks for his night's lodging. 
 
 " How have you rested ? " quoth the giant ; 
 " did you not feel anything in the night ?" 
 
 " No," said Jack ; " nothing but a rat that gave 
 me two or three flaps with her tail." 
 
 Concealing his amazement as well as he could, 
 the giant took Jack in to breakfast, and placed 
 upon the table for himself and his guest two 
 bowls, each containing four gallons of hasty-pud- 
 ding. 
 
 Jack was unwilling that the giant should sup- 
 pose him unable to eat it all, and accordingly 
 placed a large leather bag under his loose coat, 
 in such a position that, without being perceived, 
 he could put in it all the pudding which he could 
 not eat. 
 
 Breakfast over. Jack excited the giant's curi- 
 osity by offering to show him an extraordinary 
 sleight of hand ; so, taking a knife, he ripped the 
 leather bag and out came all the hasty-pudding 
 upon the ground. 
 
 The giant, unwilling to be beaten, cried out in 
 true Welsh, " Odds splutters ! hur can do that 
 trick hurself ! " He took the knife, and ripping 
 himself open, immediately fell down dead. 
 
 Thus Jack outwitted the Welsh giant and pro- 
 ceeded on his journey. 
 
 A few days after, he met with King Arthur's 
 only son, who had got his father's leave to travel 
 into Wales to deliver a beautiful lady from the 
 power of a wicked magician, by whom she was 
 held in enchantment. When Jack found that the 
 young prince had no servants with him he begged 
 leave to attend him ; and the prince at once agreed 
 to this, and gave Jack many thanks for his kind- 
 ness. 
 
 King Arthur's son was a handsome, polite, and 
 brave knight, and so good-natured that he gave 
 money to everybody he met. At length he gave 
 his last penny to an old woman, and then, turn- 
 
 ing to Jack, said, " How shall we be able to get 
 food for ourselves the rest of our journey ? " 
 
 " Leave that to me," said Jack. " I warrant 
 you we shall never want." 
 
 Night now came on, and the prince began to 
 grow uneasy at thinking where they should lodge. 
 
 " Master," said Jack, " we shall do well enough, 
 for I have an uncle who lives within two miles of 
 this place ; he is a huge and monstrous giant, with 
 three heads ; he will fight five hundred men in 
 armor, and make them flee before him." 
 
 " Alas ! " quoth the prince, " what shall we do 
 then ? He '11 certainly chop us up at one mouth- 
 ful ; nay, we are scarce enough to fill his hollow 
 tooth." 
 
 " It is no matter for that," quoth Jack ; " I 
 myself will go before and prepare the way for 
 you. Tarry here and wait till I return." 
 
 Jack now rode off at full speed, and coming to 
 the gate of the castle he knocked so loud that the 
 hills resounded like thunder. The giant, terribly 
 vexed, roared out, " Who 's there ? " 
 
 He was answered, " No one but your poor 
 Cousin Jack." 
 
 Quoth he, " What news. Cousin Jack ? " 
 
 "Dear uncle," said Jack, "I have heavy 
 news." 
 
 " Pooh i " said the giant, " what heavy news 
 can come to me ? I am a giant with three heads, 
 and besides thou knowest I can fight five hundred 
 men in armor, and make them fly like chaff be- 
 fore the wind." 
 
 "Oh, but," quoth Jack, "here's the prince 
 coming with a thousand men in armor to kill you, 
 and to destroy all that you have." 
 
 " O Cousin Jack," said the giant, " this is heavy 
 news indeed ! But I have a large cellar under- 
 ground, where I will immediately run and hide 
 myself, and you shall lock, bolt, and bar me in, 
 and keep the keys till the prince is gone." 
 
 Now Jack barred the giant fast, and fetching his 
 master to the castle, they feasted and made them- 
 selves merry whilst the poor giant lay trembling 
 in the vault. Early in the morning Jack gave the 
 king's son gold and silver out of the giant's treas- 
 
92 
 
 THE BOOK OF POPULAR TALES. 
 
 ure, and sent him three miles forward on his jour- 
 ney. Then Jack returned to let his uncle out of 
 the hole, who asked what he should give him for 
 saving his castle. 
 
 " Why," quoth Jack, " I desire nothing but the 
 old coat and cap, together with the old rusty 
 swoi'd and shoes which you keep at your bed's 
 head." 
 
 Quoth the giant, " Thou shalt have them, and 
 pray keep them for my sake, for they are things 
 of excellent use. The coat will keep you invisible, 
 the cap will give you knowledge, the sword will 
 cut through anything, and the shoes are of ex- 
 traordinary swiftness ; so take them with all my 
 heart." 
 
 Jack was delighted with these useful presents, 
 and coming up with the king's son they soon ar- 
 rived at the 
 dwelling of the 
 beautiful lady 
 who was under 
 the power of a 
 wicked magician 
 She, finding the 
 prince to be a 
 suitor, made a 
 noble feast for him. When it was ended she rose, 
 and, wiping her mouth with a fine handkerchief, 
 said, " My lord, you must show me this handker- 
 chief to-morrow morning, or lose your head." She 
 then put the handkerchief in her bosom and left 
 the room. 
 
 The prince went to bed in great sorrow, but 
 Jack put on his cap of knowledge, which told him 
 that the lady was forced to meet the wicked ma- 
 gician every night in the middle of the forest. 
 Jack immediately put on his coat of darkness 
 and his shoes of swiftness, and was there before 
 her. 
 
 When the lady came she gave the handkerchief 
 to the magician, who laid it upon a shelf, vphence 
 Jack took it, and brought it to his master, who 
 showed it to the lady the next day, and so saved 
 his life. The next evening at supper she saluted 
 the prince, telling him he must show her the lips 
 
 to-morrow morning that she kissed las( this nighty 
 or lose his head. He replied, — 
 
 " If you kiss none but mine, I will." 
 "That is neither here nor there," sa'l she, "if 
 you do not, death is your portion ! " At midnight 
 she went as before, and was angry with the ma- 
 gician for letting the handkerchief go. 
 
 " But now," quoth she, " I will be too hard for 
 the prince, for I will kiss thee, and he is to sliow 
 me thy lips." She did so, and Jack, who was 
 standing by, cut off the magician's head and 
 brought it under his invisible coat to his master, 
 who showed it to the ladj^ which broke the en- 
 chantment, and restored her to her former eood- 
 uess. She was mai'ried to the prince on Mie next 
 da}', and they soon after went back witl' joy to 
 the court of King Arthur, where Jack, for his 
 
 good services, 
 was created one 
 of the Knights 
 of the R o u n d 
 Table. 
 
 As Jack had 
 been so luckj' in 
 all his advent- 
 ures he resolved 
 not to be idle for the future, but still to do what 
 sei-vices he could for the honor of the king and 
 the nation. He therefore humbly besought the 
 king to furnish him with a horse and money, that 
 he might travel in search of new adventures. 
 " For," said he to the king, " there are many 
 giants yet living in the remote part of Wales, to 
 the unspeakable damage of your majesty's sub- 
 jects ; wherefore, may it please you to favor me, 
 I do not doubt but speedily to rid your realm of 
 these giants and monsters in human shape." 
 
 Now, when the king heard this offer, and began 
 to think of the cruel deeds of these bloodthirsty 
 giants and savage monsters, he gave Jack every- 
 thing proper for such a journey. After this. Jack 
 took leave of the king, the prince, and all the 
 knights, and set off, taking with him his magical 
 cap, sword, shoes, and coat, the better to perform 
 the dangerous enterprises which lay before him. 
 
JACK THE GIANT-KILLER. 
 
 93 
 
 He went along over hills and mountains ; and on 
 the third day he came to a wide forest, when, on a 
 sudden, he heard dreadful shrieks and cries ; and, 
 forcing his way through the trees, saw a monstrous 
 giant dragging along, by the hair of their heads, a 
 vorthy knight and his beautiful lady, with as 
 much ease as if they had been a pair of gloves. 
 Their tears and cries melted the heart of honest 
 Jack ; he alighted from his horse, and, tying him 
 to an oak-tree, put on his invisible coat, under 
 which he carried his sword of sharpness. 
 
 When he came up to the giant he made several 
 strokes at him, and succeeded, after considerable 
 trouble, in dispatching the monster, whose dying 
 groans were so terrible that they made the whole 
 wood ring again. The courteous knight and his fair 
 lady were overpowered with gratitude, and, after 
 returning Jack their best thanks, invited him to 
 their house, there to recruit his strength and to 
 receive a further reward. Jack, however, declared 
 that he would not rest until he had found out the 
 giant's abode. 
 
 The knight, on hearing this, grew very sorrow- 
 ful, and replied : " Noble stranger, it is too much 
 to run a second hazard ; this monster lived in a 
 den under yonder mountain with a brother of his, 
 more fierce and cruel than himself ; therefore, if 
 you should go thither and perish in the attempt, it 
 would be a heart-breaking thing to me and my 
 lady ; so let me persuade you to go back with us, 
 and desist from any farther pursuit." 
 
 " Nay," answered Jack ; " if there be another, 
 even if there were twentj', I would shed the last 
 drop of blood in my body before one of them 
 should escape. When I have finished this task, I 
 will come and pay my respects to you." 
 
 So when they had told him where to find them 
 again, he got on his horse and went after the dead 
 giant's brother. 
 
 Jack had not ridden a mile and a half before he 
 came in sight of the mouth of the cave : and, near 
 the entrance of it, he saw the other giant, sitting 
 on a huge block of timber, with a knotted iron 
 club by his side, waiting for his brother's return 
 with his prey. His eyes looked like flames of fire. 
 
 his face was grim and ugly, and his cheeks were 
 like two flitches of bacon ; the bristles of his beard 
 seemed to be thick rods of iron wire ; and his long 
 locks of hair hung down upon his broad shoulders 
 like curling snakes or hissing adders. Jack alighted 
 from his horse, and putting on the invisible coat 
 drew near the giant and said, softly, " Oh ! are you 
 there? It will not be long ere I shall take you 
 fast by the beard." 
 
 The giant all this while could not see him, by 
 reason of his invisible coat ; so Jack came quite 
 close to him, and struck a blow at his head with 
 his sword ; but missing his aim, he cut off the nose 
 of the giant instead. The giant rolled his glaring 
 eyes round on every side, but could not see who 
 had given him the blow ; so he took up his iron 
 club and began to lay about him so desperately, 
 that even Jack was frightened, but soon dispatched 
 him. After this Jack cut off the giant's head, and 
 sent it, with the head of his brother, to King Ar- 
 thur, by a wagoner whom he had hired for that 
 purpose, who gave an account of all Jack's won- 
 derful proceedings. 
 
 The redoubtable Jack next proceeded to search 
 the giants' cave for their treasure. He passed 
 through many turnings and windings, which led 
 him to a great room paved with freestone ; at the 
 other end of this was a boiling caldron, and on 
 the right hand stood a large table, at which the 
 giants usually dined. He then came to a window 
 secured with iron bars, through which he saw 
 many wretched captives, who cried out, when they 
 saw Jack : " Alas ! alas ! young man, are you 
 come to be one among us poor wretches in this 
 horrid den ? " 
 
 " I hope," said Jack, " you will not tarry here 
 long ; but pray tell me what is the meaning of 
 your being here at all ? " 
 
 "Alas! "said one poor old man, " I will tell 
 you, sir. We are persons that have been taken 
 by the giants who hold this cave, and are kept till 
 they choose to have a feast ; then the fattest of us 
 is to be killed, and cooked to please their taste. It 
 is not long since they took three for the same pur- 
 pose." 
 
94 
 
 THE BOOK OF POPULAR TALES. 
 
 "Well," said Jack, "T have given them such a 
 dinner that it will be long enough before they 
 have any more." 
 
 The captives vrere amazed at his vrords. 
 
 "You may believe me," said Jack, "for I have 
 killed them both with the edge of this sword, and 
 have sent their heads in a wagon to the court of 
 King Arthur, as marks of my glorious victory." 
 
 To show that what he said was true, he un- 
 locked the gate and set the captives all free. Then 
 he led them to the great room, placed them round 
 the table, and put before them two quarters of 
 beef, with bread and wine, upon which they 
 feasted their fill. When supper was over, they 
 searched the giants' coffers, and Jack divided 
 among them all the treasures. The next morning 
 they set off to their homes, and Jack to the house 
 of the knight, whom he had left with his lady not 
 long before. 
 
 It was about sunrise when Jack mounted his 
 horse to go on his way, and he came about noon 
 to the knight's house, where he was received with 
 the greatest joy by the thankful knight and his 
 lady, who, in honor of Jack, gave a grand feast, 
 which lasted many days, all the nobles and gentry 
 in the neighborhood being invited to it. When the 
 company were assembled the knight related Jack's 
 adventures, and gave him a fine ring, on which 
 was engraved the picture of the giant dragging 
 the distressed knight and his lady, with this motto 
 round it : — 
 
 *' Wl- \verL- iu .^ad distress you see, 
 
 Under the giant's fierce i-ommand ; 
 But gained our lives and liherty 
 By valiant Jack's victorious hand." 
 
 In the midst of the festivities arrived a messen- 
 ger with the dismal news that Thunderdell, a sav- 
 age giant with two heads, having heard of the 
 death of his two kinsmen, was come from the 
 north to take his revenge on Jack ; and was al- 
 ready within a mile of the house, the country peo- 
 ple flying before him in all directions. At this 
 news the very boldest of the guests trembled ; but 
 Jack drew his sword, and said, " Let him come ; 
 I have a tooth-pick for him. Pray, ladies and gen- 
 
 tlemen, walk into th'e garden, and you sb«ll soon 
 behold the giant's defeat and death." 
 
 To this they all agreed, and heartily wished 
 him success in his dangerous attempt. 
 
 The knight's house or castle stood on an island 
 surrounded b}^ a moat, thirty feet deep and twenty 
 feet wide, passable by a drawbridge. Jack set 
 men to work to cut the bridge on both sides, al- 
 most to the middle, and then dressed himself in 
 his invisible coat, and went against the giant with 
 his well-tried sword. As he came close to him. 
 though the giant could not see him for his invisi- 
 ble coat, yet he found some danger was near 
 which made him cry out : — 
 
 " Fi, fee, fo, fum, 
 I smell the blood of an Englisliman ; 
 Be he alive, or be he dead, 
 I '11 grind his bones to make me bread." 
 
 "Say you so?" said Jack; "then you are 3- 
 monstrous miller, indeed \ "' 
 
 " Art thou," cried the giant, "the villain who 
 killed my kinsmen ? Then I will tear thee with 
 my teeth, and grind thy bones to powder." 
 
 " You must catch me first," said Jack ; so 
 putting aside his invisible coat that the giant 
 might see him, and putting on his wonderful shoes 
 he began to run, the giant following him like a 
 walking castle, till the earth shook at every step. 
 
 Jack led him round and round the walls of the 
 house, that the company might see the monster; 
 but at last, to end the matter, he ran over the 
 drawbridge, the giant going after him with his 
 club ; but when he came to the middle, where the 
 bridge had been cut on both sides, the giant's 
 great weight made it break, and he tumbled into 
 the water, where he rolled about like a vast whale. 
 Jack now stood bj? the side of the moat and 
 laughed at him, saying, " I think you told me you 
 would grind my bones to powder ; when will you 
 begin ? " 
 
 After he had teased him sufficientl}% Jack got 
 a cart-rope, cast it over the giant, and by the help 
 of a team of horses dragged him out of the moat, 
 cut off his heads; and sent them both to King 
 Arthur. 
 
JAGK THE GIANT-KILLER. 
 
 96 
 
 After staying with the knight for some time 
 Jack grew weary of such an idle life, and set out 
 again in search of another giant, the last whose 
 
 head he was to chop off. He went over hills and 
 dales without meeting any, till he came to the foot 
 of a very high mountain. Here he knocked at the 
 door of a small and lonely house, and an old man, 
 with a head as white as snow, let him in. 
 
 " Good father," said Jack, " can you lodge a 
 traveler who has lost his way ? " 
 
 " Yes," said the hermit, " I can, if you will ac- 
 cept such fare as my poor house affords." 
 
 Jack entered, and the old man set before him 
 some bread and fruit for his supper. When Jack 
 had eaten as much as he chose the old man, who 
 knew more than Jack suspected, said : "My son, I 
 know you are a famous conqueror of giants; now, 
 at the top of this mountain is an enchanted castle, 
 kept by a giant named Galligantus, who, by the 
 help of a conjuror, gets many knights into his 
 castle, where he changes them into sundry shnpes 
 and forms. Above all, I lament a duke's daughter < 
 whom they took from her father's garden, and 
 brought hither through the air in a chariot drawn 
 by fiery dragons, and turned her into the shape 
 of a deer. Many knights have tried to break 
 the enchantment and deliver her, yet none have 
 been able to do it, by reason of two fiery griffins 
 
 who guard the gate of the castle, and destroy all 
 who come nigh ; but, as you, my son, have an in- 
 visible coat, you may pass by them without being 
 seen ; and on the gates of the castle you will find 
 engraven in large characters by what means the 
 enchantment may be broken." 
 
 In the morning as soon as it was daylight he 
 put on his invisible coat, and got ready for the en- 
 terprise. When he had reached the top of the 
 mountain he saw the fiery griffins ; but being in- 
 visible he passed them without the slightest dan- 
 ger. When he had reached the castle-gate he 
 found a golden trumpet, under which were writ- 
 ten in large characters these lines : — 
 
 " Whoever doth this trumpet blow 
 Shall soon the giant overthrow ; 
 And break the black enchantment straight. 
 So all shall be in happy state." 
 
 As soon as Jack had read this he seized the 
 trumpet, and blew a shrill blast, which made the 
 gates fly open, and the very castle itself tremble. 
 The giant and the conjuror now knew that their 
 wicked course was at an end, and they stood biting 
 their thumbs and shaking with fear. Jack, stand- 
 ing at the giant's elbow, with his wonderful sword 
 cut off his head, and the conjuror, seeing this, 
 mounted into the air and was carried away in a 
 whirlwind and never heard of more. All the knights 
 and beautiful ladies, who had been changed into 
 birds and beasts, returned to their proper shapes. 
 The castle vanished away like smoke, and the head 
 of the giant Galligantus was sent to King Arthur. 
 The knights and ladies rested that night at the old 
 man's hermitage, and next day they set out for 
 the court. Jack then went up to the king, and 
 gave his majesty an account of all his fierce bat- 
 tles. Jack's fame had spread through the whole 
 country ; and at the king's desire the duke gave 
 him his daughter in marriage, to the joy of all 
 the kingdom. After this, the king gave him a 
 large estate, on which he and his lady lived the 
 rest of their days in joy and content. 
 
96 
 
 THE BOOK OF POPULAR TALES. 
 
 TOM THUMB. 
 
 There was once a poor woodman sitting by 
 the fire in his cottage, and his wife sat by his side 
 spinning. " How lonely it is," said he, " for you 
 and me to sit here by ourselves without any chil- 
 dren to play about and amuse us, while other peo- 
 ple seem so happy and merry with their chil- 
 dren ! " " What yoa say is very true," said the 
 wife, sighing and turning round her wheel ; " how 
 happy should I be if I had but one child ! and 
 if it were ever so small, nay, if it were no bigger 
 than ni)'^ thumb, I should be very happy, and love 
 it dearly." Now it came to pass that Uiis good 
 woman's wish was fulfilled just as she desired ; 
 for, some time afterwards, she had a little boy 
 who was quite healthy and strong, but not much 
 bigger than her thumb. So they said, " Well, we 
 cannot say we have not got what we wished for, 
 and, little as he is, we will love him dearly;" 
 and they called him Tom Thumb. 
 
 They gave him plenty of food, yet he never 
 grew bigger, but remained just the same size as 
 when he was born ; still his eyes were sharp and 
 sparkling, and he soon showed himself to be a 
 clever little fellow, who always knew well what 
 he was about. One day, as the woodman was 
 getting ready to go into the wood to cut fuel, he 
 said, " I wish I had some one to bring the cart 
 after me, for I want to make haste." " O fa- 
 ther ! " cried Tom, " I will take care of that ; the 
 cart shall be in the wood by the time you want 
 it." Then the woodman laughed, and said, " How 
 can that be? you cannot reach up to the horse's 
 bridle." '• Never mind that, father," said Tom : 
 "if my mother will only harness the horse, I will 
 get into his ear, and tell him which way to go." 
 " Well," said the father, " we will try for once." 
 
 When the time came, the mother harnessed the 
 horse to the cart, and put Tom into his ear ; and 
 as he sat there, the little man told the beast how 
 to go, crying out, "Go on," and "Stop,'' as he 
 wanted ; so the horse went on just as if the wood- 
 man had driven it himself into the wood. It hap- 
 
 pened that, as the horse was going a little too tast, 
 and Tom was calling out " Gently ! gently ! " two 
 strangers came up. " What an odd thing that 
 is ! " said one, " there is a cart going along, and 
 I hear a carter talking to the horse, but can see 
 no one. " That is strange," said the other ; " let 
 us follow the cart and see where it goes." So 
 they went on into the wood, till at last they came 
 to the place where the woodman was. Then Tom 
 Thumb, seeing his father, cried out, " See, father, 
 here I am, with the cart, all right and safe ; now 
 take me down." So his father took hold of the 
 horse with one hand, and with the other took his 
 son out of the ear ; then he put him down upon 
 a straw, where he sat as merry as you please. 
 The two strangers were all this time looking on, 
 and did not know what to say for wonder. At 
 last one took the other aside and said, " That lit- 
 tle urchin will make our fortune if we can get 
 him, and cai'ry him about from town to town as a 
 show: we must buy him." So they went to the 
 woodman and asked him what he would take for 
 the little man : " He will be better off," said they, 
 " with us than with you." " I won't sell him at 
 all," said the father, " my own flesh and blood is 
 dearer to me than all the silver and gold in the 
 world." But Tom, hearing of the bargain they 
 wanted to make, crept up his father's coat to his 
 shoulder, and whispered in his ear, " Take the 
 money, father, and let them have me ; I '11 soon 
 come back to you." 
 
 So the woodman at last agreed to sell Tom to 
 the strangers for a large piece of gold. " Where 
 do you like to sit ? " said one of them. " Oh, 
 put me on the rim of your hat, that will be a nice 
 gallery for me ; I can walk about there, and see 
 the country as we go along." So they did as he 
 wished ; and when Tom had taken leave of his 
 father, they took him away with them. They 
 journeyed on till it began to be dusky, and then 
 the little man said, "Let me get down, I'm 
 tired." So the man took off his hat and set him 
 
TOM THUMB. 
 
 97 
 
 down on a clod of earth in a plowed field by the 
 side of the road. But Tom ran about amongst 
 the furrowi), and at last slipped into an old mouse- 
 hole. " Good night, masters," said he, "I 'm off ! 
 mind and look sharp after me the next time." 
 They ran directly to the place, and poked the ends 
 of their sticks into the mouse-hole, but all in 
 vain ; Tom only crawled farther and farther in, 
 and at last it became quite dark, so that they were 
 obliged to go their way without their prize, as 
 sulky as you please. 
 
 When Tom found they were gone, he came out 
 of his hiding-place. " What dangerous walking 
 it is," said he, " in this ploughed field ! If I were 
 to fall from one of these great clods I should 
 certainly break my neck." At last, hy good luck, 
 he found a large empty snail-shell. " This is 
 lucky," said he, " I can sleep here very well," and 
 in he crept. Just as he was falling asleep he 
 heard two men passing, and one said to the other, 
 " How shall we manage to steal that rich parson's 
 silver and gold ? " "I '11 tell you," cried Tom. 
 " What noise was that ? " said the thief, fright- 
 ened, " I am sure I heard some one speak." 
 They stood still listening, and Tom said, " Take 
 me with you, and I '11 soon show you how to get 
 the parson's money." "But where are you?" 
 said they. "Look about on the ground," an- 
 swered he, " and listen where the sound comes 
 from." At last the thieves found him out, and 
 lifted him up in their hands. " You little ur- 
 chin ! " said they, " what can you do for us ? " 
 " Why I can get between the iron window-bars of 
 the parson's house, and throw you out whatever 
 you want." "That's a good thought," said the 
 thieves ; " come along, we shall see what you can 
 do." 
 
 When they came to the parson's house, Tom 
 slipped through the window-bars into the room, 
 and then called out as loud as he could bawl, 
 " Will you have all that is here ? " At this the 
 thieves were frightened, and said, " Softly, softly ! 
 Speak low, that you may not awaken anybody." 
 But Tom pretended not to understand them, and 
 bawled out again, " How much will you have ? 
 
 13 
 
 Shall I throw it all out?" Now the cook lay in 
 the next room, and hearing a noise she raised 
 herself in her bed and listened. Meantime the 
 thieves were frightened, and ran off to a little dis- 
 tance ; but at last they plucked up courage, and 
 said, " The little urchin is only trying to make 
 fools of us." So they came back and whispered 
 softly to him, saying, " Now let us have no more 
 of your jokes, but throw out some of the money." 
 Then Tom called out as loud as he could, " Very 
 well: hold your hands, here it comes." The cook 
 heard this quite plain, so she sprang out of bed 
 and ran to open the door. The thieves ran off as 
 if a wolf was at their tails ; and the maid, having 
 groped about and found nothing, went away for 
 a light. By the time she returned Tom had 
 slipped off into the barn ; and when the cook had 
 looked about and searched every hole and corner, 
 and found nobody, she went to bed, thinking she 
 must have been dreaming with her eyes open. 
 The little man crawled about in the hay-loft, and 
 at last found a glorious place to finish his night's 
 rest in ; so he laid himself down, meaning to sleep 
 till daylight, and then find his way home to his 
 father and mother. But, alas! how cruelly was 
 he disappointed ! what crosses and sorrows happen 
 in this world ! The cook got up early before day- 
 break to feed the cows : she went straight to the 
 hay-loft, and carried away a large bundle of hay 
 with the little man in the middle of it fast asleep. 
 He still, however, slept on, and did not awake till 
 he found himself in the mouth of the cow, who 
 had taken him up with a mouthful of hay : " Good 
 lack-a-day ! " said he, " how did I manage to tum- 
 ble into the mill ? " But he soon found out where 
 he really was, and was obliged to have all his wits 
 about him in order that he might not get between 
 the cow's teeth, and so be crushed to death. At 
 last down he went into her stomach. " It is rather 
 dark here," said he; "they forgot to build win- 
 dows in this room to let the sun in ; a candle would 
 be no bad thing." 
 
 Though he made the best of his bad luck, he did 
 not like his quarters at all ; and the worst of it 
 was, that more and more hay was always coming 
 
98 
 
 THE BOOK OF POPULAR TALES. 
 
 down, and the space in which he was became 
 smaller and smaller. At last he cried out as loud 
 as he could, " Don't bring me any more hay ! 
 Don't bring me any more hay ! " The maid hap- 
 pened to be just then milking the cow, and hear- 
 ing some one speak and seeing nobody, and yet 
 being quite sure it was the same voice that she 
 had heard in the night, she was so frightened that 
 she fell off her stool and overset the milk-pail. 
 She ran off as fast as she could to her master the 
 parson, and said, " Sir, sir, the cow is talking ! " 
 But the parson said, " Woman, thou art surely 
 mad!" However, he went with her into the 
 cow-house to see what was the matter. Scarcely 
 had they set their foot on the threshold when 
 Tom called out. " Don't bring me any more 
 hay ! " Then the parson himself was frightened ; 
 and thinking the cow was surely bewitched, or- 
 dered that she should be killed directly. So the 
 cow was killed, and the stomach, in which Tom 
 lay, was thrown out upon a dunghill. 
 
 Tom soon set himself to work to get out, which 
 was not a very easy task; but at last, just as he 
 had made room to get his head out, a new mis- 
 fortune befell him : a hungry wolf sprang out, 
 and swallowed the whole stomach, with Tom in it, 
 at a single gulp, and ran awaj'. Tom, however, 
 was not disheartened ; and thinking the wolf would 
 not dislike having some chat with him as he was 
 going along, he called out, " My good friend, I 
 can show you a famous treat." " Where 's that ? " 
 said the wolf. "In such and such a house," said 
 Tom, describing his father's house, " you can crawl 
 through the drain into the kitchen, and there you 
 will find cakes, ham, beef, and everything your 
 heart can desire." The wolf did not want to be 
 asked twice ; so that verj' night he went to the 
 house and crawled through the drain into the 
 kitchen, and ate and drank there to his heart's 
 content. As soon as he was satisfied he wanted 
 
 to get away ; but he had eaten so much that he 
 could not get out the same way that he came in. 
 This was just what Tom had reckoned upon ; and 
 he now began to set up a great shout, making all 
 the noise he could. " Will you be quiet? " said the 
 wolf : " you '11 awaken everybody in the house." 
 " What 's that to me ? " said the little man : " you 
 have had your frolic, now I 've a mind to be merry 
 myself ; " and he began again singing and shout- 
 ing as loud as he could. 
 
 The woodman and his wife, being awakened 
 by the noise, peeped through a crack in the door ; 
 but when thej' saw that the wolf was there, you 
 may well suppose that they were terribly fright- 
 ened ; and the woodman ran for his axe, and gave 
 his wife a scj^the. " Now do you stay behind," 
 said the woodman ; " and when I have knocked 
 him on the head, do you rip up his belly for him 
 with the scythe." Tom heard all this, and said, 
 " Father, father ! I am here, the wolf has swal- 
 lowed me : " and his father said, " Heaven be 
 praised ! we have found our dear child again ; " 
 and he told his wife not to use the scythe, for fear 
 she should hurt him. Then he aimed a great 
 blow, and struck the wolf on the head, and killed 
 him on the spot ; and when he was dead they cut 
 open his body and set Tommy free. " Ah ! " said 
 the father, " what fears we have had for you ! " 
 " Yes, father," answered he, " I have traveled all 
 over the world, since we parted, in one way or 
 other ; and now I am very glad to get fresh air 
 again." " Why, where have you been? " said his 
 father. " I have been in a mouse-hole, in a snail- 
 shell, down a cow's throat, and in the wolf's belly ; 
 and yet here I am again safe and sound." " Well,"' 
 said they, " we will not sell you again for all the 
 riches in the world." So they hugged and kissed 
 their dear little son, and gave him plenty to eat 
 and drink, and fetched new clothes for him, for 
 his old ones were quite spoiled on his journey. 
 

 -X^j-j 
 
 r-r'^J, c •^t-_^'hi^ln< Vn; ixi uj.k i^hriFiirjjliociutl^Mti^.'f 
 
PUSS IN BOOTS. 
 
 99 
 
 PUSS IN BOOTS. 
 
 There was once a millei-, who, at his death, had 
 nothing to leave to his three children but his mill, his 
 ass, and his cat ; so he called in no lawyer, and made 
 no will. The eldes'. son took the mill ; the second the 
 ass ; while the youngest had nothing but the cat, who 
 seemed more likely to prove a burden than a boon to 
 his new master. The poor fellow was quite downcast 
 and said to himself : " My brothers, by putting their 
 goods together, will be able to earn an honest liveli- 
 hood ; but as for myself, when I shall have eaten 
 my cat, and sold his skin, what is there left? thea 
 I shall die of hunger." 
 
 The cat, who was sitting on 
 the window-seat, overheard these 
 words, without seeming to do so, 
 and, looking up, said to him 
 with a very serious, sober air, — 
 " Naj', dear master, do not be 
 downcast at your future pros- 
 pects. Only give me a bag, and 
 get me a pair of boots made, such 
 as other folks wear, so that I 
 may stride through the bram- 
 bles, and you will soon see that 
 you have a better bargain than you think for." 
 
 Although the cat's new master did not put 
 much faith in these promises, yet he had seen him 
 perform so many clever tricks in catching rats and 
 mice, — such as hanging stiff by his hind legs, to 
 make believe he were dead, and concealing him- 
 self in the meal-tub, as if he were nowhere about, 
 — that he did not quite despair of his helping him 
 to better his fortunes. Besides, he knew not what 
 else to do, and there was no harm in trying this. 
 
 As soon as the cat was provided with what he 
 asked for, he drew on his boots, and, slinging the 
 bag round his neck, took liold of the two strings 
 with his fore-paws, and set off for a warren that 
 he knew of, plentifully stocked with rabbits. He 
 filled his bag with bran and sow-thistles, and then 
 stretched himself out as stiff as though he had 
 been dead, waiting patiently till some simple 
 
 young rabbit, unused to 
 worldly snares and wiles, 
 should see the dainty 
 feast and never think of 
 the cat. He had scarcely 
 lain a few moments in am- 
 bush before a thoughtless 
 young rabbit caught at 
 the bait, and went head- 
 long into the bag, where- 
 upon the cat drew the strings, and immediately 
 strangled the foolish creature. The cat was vastly 
 proud of his victory, and immediately went to the 
 palace and asked to speak to the king. He was 
 shown into the king's cabinet, when he bowed re- 
 spectfully to his majesty, and said, " Sire, this is a 
 rabbit from the warren of the Marquis of Carabas 
 (such was the title the cat took it into his head to 
 bestow on his master), which he desired me to 
 present to your majesty." 
 
 " Tell your master that I am obliged by his 
 courtesy, and that I accept his present with much 
 pleasure," replied the king, looking graciously at 
 him. 
 
 Another time the cat went and concealed him- 
 self in a cornfield, and held his bag open as before, 
 and, very shortly after, two partridges were lured 
 into the trap, when he drew the strings and made 
 
100 
 
 THE BOOK OF POPULAR TALES. 
 
 them both prisoners. He then 
 went and presented them to the 
 king, as he had done the rabbit. 
 The king received the partridges 
 very graciously, and ordered the 
 messenger to be rewarded for liis 
 trouble. 
 
 For two or three months, Puss 
 continued to carry game every 
 now and then to the king, al- 
 ways presenting it in the name 
 of his master, the i\Iarquis of 
 Carabas, who he said was a fa- 
 mous sportsman. At last he happened to hear 
 that the king was going to take a drive on the 
 banks of the river, in company with his daugh- 
 ter, who was the most beautiful princess in the 
 world ; and he said to his master, " If you will 
 but follow my advice, your fortune is as good as 
 made. You need only go and bathe in the river 
 at the spot that I shall point out, and leave the 
 rest to me."' 
 
 The JMarquis of Carabas did as his cat advised 
 him, though it was too much for him to say what 
 it was all coming to. Just as he was bathing, the 
 king came driving past, when Puss began to bawl 
 out as loud as he could, " Help ! help ! the Mar- 
 quis of Carabas is drowning! Save him ! " 
 
 On hearing this, the king looked out of the car- 
 riage-window, and, recognizing the cat who had so 
 frequently brought him game, ordered his body- 
 guards to fly to the assistance of my Lord Marquis 
 of Carabas. 
 
 While the poor marquis was being fished out of 
 the river. Puss stepped up to the royal carriage, 
 and informed his majesty, that, during the time 
 his master was bathing, some robbers had stolen 
 his clothes, although he had cried out " Stop 
 thief ! " with all his might. The rogue had really 
 only hidden them under a large stone. The king 
 immediately ordered the gentlemen of his ward- 
 robe to go and fetch one of his most sumptuous 
 dresses for the Marquis of Carabas. 
 
 When the marquis, who was a well-grown, hand- 
 some young fellow, came forth gayly dressed, he 
 
 looked so ele- 
 gant that the 
 king took him 
 
 for a very fine gentleman, and 
 said the politest things in the 
 world to him, while the prin- 
 cess was so struck with his ap- 
 pearance, that my Lord Mar- 
 quis of Carabas had scarcely 
 made his obeisance to her, 
 and looked at her once or 
 twice with a very tender air, 
 before she fell over head and 
 ears in love with him. 
 
 The king insisted on his 
 getting into the carriage and 
 taking a drive with them. 
 Puss, highly delighted at the 
 turn things were taking, and 
 
 determined that all should turn out in the very 
 best way, now ran on before, and having reached 
 a meadow where some peasants were mowing the 
 grass, he thus accosted them : " I say, good folks, 
 if you do not tell the king, when he comes this 
 way, that the field you are mowing belongs to the 
 Marquis of Carabas, you shall all be chopped as 
 fine as mince-meat." 
 
PUSS IN BOOTS. 
 
 101 
 
 "When the carriage came by, the king put his 
 head out, and asked the mowers whose good grass- 
 land that was. " It belongs to the Marquis of Ca- 
 rabas, please your majesty," said they in a breath, 
 for the cat's threats had frightened them mightily. 
 
 " Upon my word, marquis," observed the king, 
 " that is a fine estate of yours." 
 
 " Yes, sire," replied the marquis, with an easy 
 air, " it yields me a tolerable income every year." 
 
 Puss, who continued to run on before the car- 
 riage, presently came up to some reapers. " I say, 
 you reapers," cried he, " mind you tell the king 
 that all this corn belongs to the Marquis of Cara- 
 bas or else you shall, every one of you, be chopped 
 into mince-meat." 
 
 The king passed by a moment after, and in- 
 quired to whom those cornfields belonged. 
 
 " To the Marquis of Carabas, please your maj- 
 esty," replied the reapers. 
 
 " Faith, it pleases our majesty right well to see 
 our beloved marquis is so wealthy ! " quoth the 
 king. 
 
 Puss kept still running on before the carriage, 
 and repeating the same instructions to all the la- 
 borers he met, and the king was astounded at the 
 vast possessions of the Marquis of Carabas, and 
 kept congratulating him, while the new-made no- 
 bleman received each fresh compliment more 
 lightly than the last, so that one could see he was 
 really a marquis, and a very grand one too. 
 
 At length Puss reached a magnificent castle be- 
 longing to an ogre, who was immensely rich, since 
 all the lands the king had been riding through 
 were a portion of his estate. Puss having inquired 
 what sort of a person the ogre might be, and what 
 he was able to do, sent in a message asking leave 
 to speak with him, adding that he was unwilling 
 to pass so near his castle without paying his re- 
 spects to him. 
 
 The ogre received him as civilly as it is in the 
 nature of an ogre to do, and bade him rest him- 
 . self. " I have been told," said Puss, " that you have 
 the power of transforming yourself into all sorts 
 of animals, such, for instance, as a lion, or an ele- 
 phant." " So I have," rephed the ogre, sharply ; 
 
 " do you disbelieve it ? then look, and you shall 
 see me become a lion at once." 
 
 When Puss saw a lion before him, he was seized 
 with such a fright that he scrambled up to the 
 roof, although it was no easy job, owing to his 
 boots, which were not intended for walking in a 
 gutter and over tiles. 
 
 At last perceiving that the ogre had returned to 
 his natural shape. Puss came down again, and con- 
 fessed he had been exceedingly frightened. 
 
 " But I have also been told," said Puss, " only I 
 really cannot believe it, that you likewise possess 
 the power of taking the shape of the smallest ani- 
 mals, and that, for instance, you could change 
 yourself into a rat or a mouse ; but that is really 
 too much to believe ; it is quite impossible." 
 
 " Impossible, indeed ! " quoth the ogre, now put 
 upon his mettle ; " you shall see ! " 
 
102 
 
 THE BOOK OF POPULAR TALES. 
 
 So saying, he immediately took on the shape of 
 a mouse, and began frisking about the floor, when 
 Puss pounced 
 upon him, gave 
 him one shake, 
 and that was the 
 end of the ogre. 
 
 By this time 
 the king had 
 reached the gates 
 of the ogre's 
 magniScent cas- 
 1 1 e, and e x- 
 pressed a wish to 
 enter so splen- 
 did a building. 
 Puss bearing the rumbling of the carriage across 
 the drawbridge, now ran out to meet the king, 
 saying, "• Your majesty is welcome to the Mar- 
 quis of Carabas's castle." 
 
 " What I my lord marquis," exclaimed the 
 king, "does this castle likewise belong to you? 
 Really, I never saw anything more splendid than 
 the courtyard and the surrounding buildings; pray 
 let us see if the inside be equal to the outside." 
 
 The marquis gracefully handed out the princess, 
 and, following the king, they mounted a flight of 
 steps, and were ushered by Puss, who danced be- 
 fore them, into a vast hall, where they found an 
 
 elegant feast spread. Some of the ogre's friends 
 were to have visited him that day, but the news 
 
 went about that 
 the king had 
 come, and so 
 they dared not 
 go. The king 
 was positively 
 delighted, the 
 castle was so 
 magnificent and 
 the Marquis of 
 Carabas such an 
 excellent young 
 man ; the prin- 
 cess, too, was ev- 
 idently already in love with him so ; after drink- 
 ing five or six glasses of wine, his majesty hemmed 
 and said, — 
 
 " You have only to say the word, my lord mar- 
 quis, to become the son-in-law of your sover- 
 eign." 
 
 The marquis bowed and looked at the princess, 
 and that very same day they were married, and 
 the old king gave them his blessing. Puss, who 
 had brought it all about, looked on mightily 
 pleased, and ever after lived there a great lord, 
 and hunted mice for mere sport, just when he 
 pleased. 
 
LITTLE RED RIDING-HOOD. 
 
 103 
 
 LITTLE RED RIDING-HOOD. 
 
 
 Once 
 upon a 
 
 time there 
 lived in a 
 certain vil- 
 lage a little 
 country- 
 girl, the 
 prettiest 
 creature ever seen. Her mother 
 vs'as very fond of her and her 
 grandmother doted on her even 
 more. This good old woman had 
 made for her a little red riding- 
 hood, which became the girl so extremely well that 
 everybody called her Little Red Riding-Hood. 
 
 One day her mother, having made some cus- 
 tards, said to her, " Go, my dear, and see how 
 thy grandmamma does, for I hear she has been 
 very ill ; carry her a custard and a little pot of 
 butter." Little Red Riding-Hood set out at once 
 to go to her grandmother, who lived in another 
 village. As she was going through the wood she 
 met Gaffer Wolf, who had a very great mind to 
 eat her up, but durst not because of some fagot- 
 makers hard by in the forest. 
 
 He asked her whither she was going. The poor 
 child, who did not know it was dangerous to stay 
 
 and hear a wolf talk, said to him, 
 " I am going to see my grand- 
 mamma, and carry her a custard 
 and a little pot of butter from my 
 mother." 
 
 " Does she live far off ?" asked 
 the wolf. 
 
 "Oh, yes," said Little Red Rid- 
 ing-Hood ; " it is beyond that mill 
 you see there, at the first house in 
 the village." 
 
 " Well," said the wolf ; " and I 
 will go and see her too. I will go 
 this way, and go you that, and we 
 shall see who will be there soonest." 
 
 The wolf began to run as fast as he could, tak~ 
 ing the nearest way ; and the little girl went by 
 that farthest about, diverting herself in gathering 
 nuts, running after butterflies, and making nose- 
 gays of such little flowers as she met with. The 
 wolf was not long before he got to the old woman's 
 house. He knocked at the door — tap, tap. 
 " Who is there ? " 
 
 " Your grandchild. Little Red Riding- Hood," 
 replied the wolf, counterfeiting her voice ; '' who 
 has brought you a custard and a little pot of but^ 
 ter sent you by my mamma." 
 
 The good grandmother, who was in bed because 
 she was ill, cried out : — 
 
 "Pull the bobbin, and the latch will go up." 
 The wolf pulled the bobbin, and the door opened, 
 and in jumped the wolf, who fell upon the good 
 woman and ate her up in a moment, as he had 
 not tasted food for three days. He then shut the 
 door, and got into the grandmother's bed, expect- 
 ing Little Red Riding-Hood, who came some time 
 after, and knocked at the door — tap, tap. 
 " Who is there ? " 
 
 Little Red Riding-Hood, hearing the big voice 
 of the wolf, was at first afraid, but, believing her 
 grandmother had a cold, and was hoarse, an- 
 swered : — 
 
104 
 
 THE BOOK OF POPULAR TALES. 
 
 " It is your grandchild, Little Red Rid- 
 ing-Hood, who has brought you a custard 
 and a little pot of butter which mamma 
 sends you." 
 
 The wolf cried out to her, softeni 
 voice as much as he could, " Pull th 
 bin, and the latch will go up." Little 
 Riding-Hood 
 pulled the bob- 
 bin, and the door 
 opened. 
 
 The wolf, see- 
 ing her come in, 
 said to her, hid- 
 ing himself under 
 the bedclothes, 
 " Put the custard 
 and the little pot 
 of butter upon 
 the stool, and 
 come and lie 
 down by me." 
 
 Little Red Rid- 
 ing-Hood undressed herself and oi,t into bed, 
 where being greatly amazed to see how her grand- 
 mother looked in her night-clothes, said to her : — 
 
 " Grandmamma, what great arms you have 
 got!" 
 
 " That is the 
 better to hug 
 thee, my dear." 
 
 " Grandmam- 
 ma, what great 
 legs you have 
 got ! " 
 
 " That is to 
 run the better, 
 my child." 
 
 " Grandmam- 
 ma, what great 
 ears you have 
 got!" 
 
 " That is to 
 hear the better, 
 my child." 
 
 '• Grandmam- 
 ma, what great 
 eyes you have 
 
 got^: " 
 
 " It is to see the better, my child." 
 
 " Grandmamma, what great teeth you have 
 
 got r 
 
 " That is to eat thee up." 
 
 And, saying these words, this wicked wolf fell 
 upon poor Little Red Riding-Hood, and ate her 
 all up. 
 
 BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. 
 
 Theee was once a rich merchant who had six 
 children, three sons and three daughters; and he 
 loved them more than he loved all his riches, so 
 that he was always seeking to make them happy 
 and wise. The daughters were extremely pretty, 
 but the youngest was more than pretty, she was 
 beautiful ; and as every one called her Little 
 Beauty when she was a child, and she became 
 more lovely each year, the name grew up with 
 her, so that she had no other but just — Beauty. 
 Now Beauty was as good as she was beautiful, 
 but her elder sisters were ill-natured and jealous 
 of her, and could not bear to hear her called 
 
 Beauty. They were very proud, too, of their 
 father's riches, and put on great airs and would 
 not condescend to visit other merchants' daugh- 
 ters, but were alwaj's dangling after persons of 
 quality, and going to plays and grand balls ; 
 they laughed at Beautjr, who lived quietly at 
 home with her father. The father was so rich 
 that many great merchants wished to marr}' 
 his daughters, but the two eldest always said 
 that they could never think of marrying any- 
 body below a duke or at the least an earl ; as 
 for Beauty, she thanked her lovers for think- 
 ing so well of her, but as she was still very 
 
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. 
 
 105 
 
 young she wished to live a few years longer with 
 her father. 
 
 But suddenly it fell that the merchant lost all 
 his great wealth ; nothing remained save one small 
 house in the country, and there the poor man told 
 his children they must all now go and earn their 
 daily living. The two eldest daughters said that 
 they were not going, for they had plenty of lovers 
 in town who would be glad enough to marry them, 
 though they had lost their fortune. But they 
 were greatly mistaken in this, for their lovers 
 would not even look at them now, and jeered at 
 them in their trouble because they had been so odi- 
 ously proud. Yet everybody pitied poor Beauty, 
 and several gentlemen who loved her, begged her 
 still to let them marry her, though she had not a 
 penny ; Beauty refused, and said she could not 
 leave her father now that trouble had come upon 
 him. 
 
 So the family went to live in the small house in 
 the country, where the merchant and his three 
 sons plowed and sowed the fields, and worked 
 all day in the garden ; and Beauty rose at four 
 o'clock every morning, put the house in order, and 
 got breakfast for the whole family. It was very 
 hard at first, and no one helped her ; but every 
 day it grew easier to work, and Beauty waxed 
 healthier and rosier. When her work was done, 
 she would read, or play on the harpsichord, or sit 
 at her spinning-wheel, singing as she spun. As 
 for her two sisters, they were idle and miserable, 
 and perfectly helpless ; they never got up till ten 
 o'clock, and then they spent the day moping and 
 fretting because they no longer had fine clothes to 
 wear, and could not go to fine parties to be ad- 
 mired. They sneered at Beauty, and said she was 
 nothing but a servant-girl after all, to like that 
 way of living ; but Beauty lived on cheerfully. 
 
 They had been in the country about a year, 
 when the merchant received a letter which brought 
 the news that a ship laden with rich goods belong- 
 ing to him, and which was thought to be lost, had 
 just come into port. At this the two eldest sisters 
 were half wild with joy, for now they could soon 
 leave the farm-house and go back to the gay city ; 
 
 14 
 
 and when their father was about leaving for the 
 port, to settle his business there, they begged for 
 all manner of fine clothes and trinkets, which he 
 was to bring with him. Then the merchant asked 
 Beauty, — 
 
 "And what shall I bring you. Beauty?" for 
 Beauty had yet asked for nothing. 
 
 " Why, since you ask me, dear father," said she, 
 " I should like you to bring me a rose, for none 
 grow in these parts." Now it was not that Beauty 
 wished so very much for a rose, but she did not 
 like to seem to blame her sisters, or to appear bet- 
 ter than they, by saying that she did not wish for 
 anything. 
 
 The good man set off, but when he reached the 
 port he was obliged to go to law about the cargo, 
 and it ended in his turning back poorer than when 
 he left his home. He set out to return to the 
 farm-bouse ; when he was within thirty miles of 
 home, he came to a large forest through which he 
 must pass. The snow began to fall and covered 
 the path ; the night closed in, and it grew so dark 
 and so cold that the poor man gave himself up as 
 lost. He could not see the way, and he was faint 
 with cold and hunger; when, all of a sudden, he 
 saw a light, at the end of a long avenue of trees. 
 He turned into the avenue and rode until he came 
 to the end of it ; and there was a splendid palace, 
 yet not a soul could he see at the windows which 
 were blazing with light, or by the doors or in the 
 courtyard. His horse, seeing a stable door open, 
 walked in, and finding a crib full of liiiy and t)nts, 
 the poor jaded beast fell to eating heartily. The 
 merchant left him in the stall and entered the pal- 
 ace ; but, though he found nobody, and nobody 
 came out to him, there was a fire blazing, and a 
 table spread with the richest viands and set for 
 one person. Being wet to the skin, he went to- 
 ward the fire to dry himself, saying, — 
 
 " I hope the master of the house or his servants 
 will excuse the liberty I am taking, for no doubt 
 they will soon make their appearance." 
 
 He waited, but no one came. The clock struck 
 eleven; and then, faint for want of food, he went 
 to the table and ate a chicken, yet all the while 
 
106 
 
 THE BOOK OF POPULAR TALES. 
 
 in a great fright ; he took several glasses of wine 
 also ; and being now satisfied, he felt more cour- 
 age and looked about him. The clock struck 
 twelve, and he left the hall through au open door 
 and passed through several splendid rooms till he 
 came to one with a comfortable bed : and now, 
 being excessively tired, he took off his clothes and 
 got into it. 
 
 Tlie merchant did not wake till ten o'clock on 
 the following morning, when he was surprised to 
 find a new suit of clothes instead of his own, wliich 
 had been quite ruined. He now began to believe 
 that the palace belonged to some good fairy, and 
 was sure of it when he looked out of the window 
 and saw that the snow had given place to lovely 
 gardens with flowery arbors. Returning to the 
 great hall, where he had supped, he found the ta- 
 ble prepared for his breakfast. He sat down with- 
 out hesitation to this meal, and when he had fin- 
 ished he went to look after his horse. The way 
 led under a bower of roses : and remembering 
 Beauty's request, he plucked a bunch to take 
 home. No sooner had he done this than he heard 
 a frightful roar, and saw such a horrible Beast 
 stalking up to him that he was ready to faint with 
 fear. 
 
 " Ungrateful wretch ! " cried the Beast in a ter- 
 rific voice; "I saved your life by admitting you 
 into my palace, and you reward me by stealing 
 mv roses, which I love beyond everything ! You 
 shall pay the forfeit with your life's blood ! " The 
 poor merchant threw himself on his knees before 
 the Beast, saying, — 
 
 "Forgive me, my lord. I did not know I was 
 offending you ; I only wanted to pluck a rose for 
 one of my daughters, who had asked me to bring 
 one home to her. I pray you, do not kill me, my 
 lord." 
 
 " I am not a lord, but a Beast,'' answered the 
 monster. " I hate flattery, and you will not whee- 
 dle me with any fine speeches ; but as you say you 
 have daughters, I will forgive you, provided one of 
 them comes willingly to die in your stead; but 
 swear that, should they refuse, you will return in 
 three months." The merchant had not the most 
 
 distant intention of suffering any of his daughters 
 to die for him ; but wishing to see his children 
 once more before he died, he swore to return ; and 
 the Beast dismissed him, telling him he need not 
 go empty-handed, but that he might go back to 
 the room where he had slept, and there he would 
 find a large chest which he was at liberty to fill 
 with whatever he fancied in the palace, and that it 
 would be sent after him to his home. The mer- 
 chant, comforting himself with the thought that at 
 least he should leave his children provided for, re- 
 turned to his room and found the chest as Beast 
 had said, with heaps of gold pieces about the floor. 
 He filled the chest with the gold, and left sadly for 
 his home. He held the roses in his hand, and as 
 the children came to meet him, he gave them to 
 his youngest daughter, saying, — 
 
 " Take them. Beauty ; you little think how dear 
 they have cost your poor father ; " and then he 
 told all that had befallen him since he left his 
 home. 
 
 The two eldest sisters then began to lament 
 loudly, and to rail at Beauty because she had 
 been the cause of their father's death. She so 
 wise, indeed ! if she had been content to ask for 
 dresses, as they had, all would have been well ; 
 and now the hard-hearted thing had not even a 
 tear for the mischief she had done ! But Beauty 
 replied quietly that it were of little use to weep, 
 for she had resolved within herself to go and die 
 in her father's stead. 
 
 "No, no!" cried the three brothers at once; 
 " we will go and seek this monster, and either he 
 or we shall perish." 
 
 But the merchant told them they did not know 
 this Beast. He was more mighty than they could 
 imagine, and it would be vain attempting to resist 
 his will. Their duty it was to live and protect 
 their sisters, for, as for himself, he would go back 
 to the Beast, as he had promised, and sacrifice the 
 few remaining years which he could expect to en- 
 joy ; and saying this, he left his children and went 
 to his room for the night. There, to his surprise, 
 for he had quite forgotten the Beast's promise, he 
 found the chest with the gold in it, which he had 
 
BEAUTT AND THE BEAST. 
 
 107 
 
 packed in the Beast's palace ; but he determined 
 to say nothing about this at present to his eldest 
 daughters, for he knew they would at once pester 
 him to return to town. 
 
 Beauty was firm in her resolve, and when the 
 three months were over, she made ready to go 
 with her father. As they set out on the journey, 
 the family gathered about and wept over her, — 
 her father and brothers shedding real tears, but 
 the two heartless sisters pretended ones ; for they 
 rubbed their eyes beforehand with an onion, to 
 make it seem as if they had cried a great deal. 
 The horse took the right road of his own accord, 
 and, on reaching the palace, which was illumi- 
 nated as before, he went at once into the stable, 
 while the father and daughter entered the great 
 hall, and found the table spread for two persons 
 with most dainty fare. After supper there was a 
 tremendous noise, and the Beast entered. Beauty 
 shuddered, and when he asked her whether she 
 had come of her own will, she could not help 
 trembling as she faltered out " Yes." 
 
 " Then I am obliged to you for your kindness," 
 growled the Beast ; and turning to the father, he 
 added, " As for you, get you gone to-morrow, and 
 never let me see you here again. Good-night, 
 Beauty." 
 
 " Good-night, Beast," said she ; and Beast walked 
 off. The merchant again fell to entreating his 
 daughter to leave him there, while she should re- 
 turn to her home ; but when the morrow came 
 she prevailed on him to set out, he thinking, the 
 Beast will after all relent ; surely he will not harm 
 Beauty. 
 
 When her father was gone. Beauty could not 
 help shedding a few tears ; but soon she dried 
 her eyes and began walking about the various 
 rooms of the palace, and came to her surprise to a 
 door upon which was written, " Beauty's Room." 
 Opening it hastily, she found herself in a splen- 
 didly furnished chamber, where were a multitude 
 of books, a harpsichord, and much music. "It 
 cannot be," she thought, " that I have only a day 
 to live, else such pleasure would not have been 
 provided for me." Her surprise increased on open- 
 
 ing one of the books and seeing written in goldea 
 letters, — Your wishes and commands shall be 
 obeyed! you are here the queen over everything I 
 " Alas ! " she thought, " my wish would be to see 
 what my poor father is now about." No sooner 
 had she spoken this wish to herself, than, casting 
 her eyes upon a large looking-glass, she saw in it 
 her father's arrival at home. Her sisters came 
 out to meet him ; they tried to look sorrowful, 
 but it was plain enough they were highly de- 
 lighted that he should return without Beauty. 
 The vision lasted but a moment ; then it disap- 
 peared, and Beauty turned away, grateful to the 
 Beast for fulfilling her wish. 
 
 At noon she found dinner ready for her, and 
 all the while beautiful music was played ; but 
 though she heard the music she saw nobody. At 
 night the Beast came and asked leave to sup with 
 her, which of course she could not refuse, though 
 she trembled from head to foot. Presently he in- 
 quired whether she did not think him very ugly ? 
 " Yes," said Beauty, "for I cannot tell a lie; 
 but I think you very good." Then the supper 
 went on, pleasantly enough, and Beauty bad half 
 recovered from her alarm, when he suddenly asked 
 her, — 
 
 " Beauty, will you marry me ? " 
 Though in great alarm, she faltered out, — 
 " No, Beast ; " when he sighed so as to shake 
 the whole house ; and, saying in a sorrowful tone, 
 " Good-night, Beauty," left the room, to her great 
 relief, though she could not help pitying him 
 from her soul. 
 
 Beauty lived in this manner for three months. 
 The Beast came to supper every night, and by 
 degrees, as she grew accustomed to his ugliness, 
 she learned to mind it less, and to think more of 
 his many amiable qualities. The only thing that 
 pained her was, that he never failed to ask her 
 each night if she would marry him, and when, at 
 last, she answered that she had the greatest friend- 
 ship though no love for him, he begged her at 
 least to promise never to leave him. Now that 
 very morning Beauty had seen in her glass that 
 her father lay sick with grief, supposing her to be 
 
108 
 
 THE BOOK OF POPULAR TALES. 
 
 dead ; her sisters were married, her brothers were 
 gone for soldiers, and so she told the Beast, and 
 weeping said she should die if he refused her leave 
 to go once more 
 and see her fa- 
 ther. 
 
 "No," said 
 the Beast, "I 
 will not refuse 
 you, for I would 
 much rather 
 your^oor Beast 
 should die of 
 grief for your 
 absence ; so you 
 may go." But 
 Beauty prom- 
 ised to return 
 in a week ; and 
 the Beast tell- 
 ing her that she 
 need only lav 
 her ring on her 
 toilet-table be- 
 fore she went to 
 bed, when she 
 meant to return, 
 bade her good- 
 night as usual, 
 and left her. 
 
 The next 
 morning Beau- 
 ty awoke to find 
 herself in her 
 father's cottage, 
 and so rejoiced 
 was he to see 
 her alive that 
 his sickness left 
 him quickly. 
 He sent for her 
 sisters, who came and brought their husbands ; but 
 they were not living very happily with them, for 
 one was so vain of his pei'son that he thought noth- 
 ing of his wife, and the other so sharp-tongued 
 
 that he was playing off his wit all day long on 
 everybody around him, and most of all on his own 
 wife. The sisters were so jealous on finding Beauty 
 
 grandly dressed 
 and hearing how 
 kind the Beast 
 had been to her, 
 that they laid a 
 plan for delay- 
 ing her return 
 beyond the time 
 which she had 
 promised, in 
 hopes that the 
 Beast would be 
 so angry as to 
 devour her. Ac- 
 cordingly, when 
 the week was 
 over the}' made 
 such an ado 
 about her leav- 
 ing, and pro- 
 fessed to be so 
 grieved, that 
 Beauty agreed 
 to stay another 
 week, though 
 she felt some 
 misgivings. 
 
 On the night 
 of the tenth day, 
 when her sisters 
 bad been feast- 
 ing her and pre- 
 tending great 
 affection, she 
 dreamt that she 
 saw poor Beast 
 lying half dead 
 on the grass in 
 the palace garden ; and waking all in tears, she 
 got out of bed, laid her ring on the table, and 
 then went to bed again where she soon fell asleep. 
 When she awoke, she was relieved to find her- 
 
WHITTINGTON AND HIS CAT. 
 
 109 
 
 self once more in the palace, and she waited im- 
 patiently till supper time, when she should see the 
 Beast. But the clock struck nine, and no Beast 
 appeared. 
 
 " Oh, if I have killed him ! " she cried, and ran 
 into the gardea toward the spot she had dreamed 
 of, and there she saw the poor Beast lying sense- 
 less on the grass. She threw herself upon his 
 body in despair ; she felt his heart beat, and run- 
 ning to a neighboring fountain for water, she threw 
 it into his face. The Beast opened his eyes and 
 said in a faint voice, — 
 
 " You forgot your promise, and I resolved to 
 starve myself to death ; but since you are come, 
 I shall at least die happy." 
 
 " No ! you shall not die, dear Beast," cried 
 Beauty ; " you shall live to be my husband, for 
 now I feel I really love you." At these words the 
 
 whole palace was suddenly ablaze with light, fire- 
 works flew in the air, and a band of music sounded. 
 There was no Beast, but in his place a very hand- 
 some prince was at her feet, thanking her for hav- 
 ing broken his enchantment. 
 
 "But where is my poor Beast ? " asked Beauty 
 anxiously ; " I want my dear Beast." 
 
 " I was the Beast," said the prince. " A wicked 
 fairy condemned me to live in that ugly form until 
 some good and beautiful maid should be found, 
 so good as to love me in spite of my ugliness." 
 Beauty, filled with surprise, took the prin£e by 
 the hand and they passed into the palace. There 
 stood Beauty's father ; and the young pair were 
 at once married, to the joy of the prince's subjects, 
 who had long mourned his mysterious absence, 
 and over whom the prince and his beautiful bride 
 reigned wisely for many a long and happy year. 
 
 THE HISTORY OF SIR RICHARD WHITTINGTON AND HIS CAT. 
 
 RiCHAED Whittingtok was supposed to have 
 been an outcast, for he did not know his parents, 
 who either died, or had left him to the parish of 
 Taunton Dean, in Somersetshire. As he grew up, 
 being displeased with the cruel usage of his nurse, 
 he ran away from her at seven years of age, and 
 traveled about the country, living upon the char- 
 \ty of well-disposed persons, till he came to be a 
 fine sturdy youth ; when at last, being threatened 
 with a whipping if he continued in that idle course 
 of life, he resolved to go to London, having heard 
 that the streets were paved with gold. 
 
 Not knowing the way, he followed the carrier ; 
 and at night, for the little services he did him in 
 rubbing his horses, he got from him a supper. 
 When he arrived in this famous city, the carrier, 
 supposing he would be a troublesome hanger-on, 
 told him plainly he must leave the inn, and imme- 
 diately seek for employment, giving him a groat. 
 With this poor Whittington wandered about, but 
 not knowing any one, and being in a tattered 
 garb, some pitied him as a forlorn, destitute wretch, 
 but few gave him anything. 
 
 What he had got being soon spent, his stomach 
 craved supply ; but not having anything to satisfy 
 it, he resolved rather to starve than steal. 
 
 After two hungry days, and lying on the bulk- 
 heads at night, weary and faint, he came to a 
 merchant's house in Leadenhall Street, where he 
 showed many signs of his distressed condition. 
 The ill-natured cook was ready to kick him from 
 the door, saying, " If you tarry here, I will kick 
 you into the kennel." This put him almost into 
 despair, so he laid himself down on the ground, 
 being unable to go any farther. 
 
 In the mean time, Mr. Fitzwarren, whose house 
 it was, came from the Royal Exchange, and, seeing 
 him there in that condition, demanded what he 
 wanted, and sharply told him, if he did not imme- 
 diately depart, he would cause him to be sent to 
 the house of correction, calling him a lazy, idle 
 fellow. 
 
 On this he got up, and after falling two or three 
 times, through faintness and want of food, he 
 made a bow, telling him he was a poor country 
 fellow, in a starving condition, and that, if he 
 
110 
 
 THE BOOK OF POPULAR TALES. 
 
 might be put in a way, lie would refuse rio labor, 
 if it was only for his victuals. This raised a 
 
 Chvistian compassion in the merchant towards 
 him, and wanting a scullion then, he immediately 
 ordered one of bis servants to take him in, and 
 give him some food until orders were given how 
 he should be employed. And so he was feasted, 
 to his great refreshment. 
 
 This was the first step of Providence to raise him 
 to what in time made him the citj^'s glory and the 
 nation's wonder. But he met with many difficul- 
 ties, for the servants made sport of him, and the 
 ill-natured cook told him, " You are to come un- 
 der me ; so look sharp, clean the spits and the 
 dripping-pan, make the fires, wind up the jack, 
 and nimbly do all other scullery work that I may 
 set you about, or else I will break your head with 
 my ladle, and kick you about like a foot-ball." 
 
 This was cold comfort, but better than starv- 
 ing ; and what gave him a beam of hope was that 
 Mistress Alice, his master's daughter, hearing her 
 father had entertained another servant, came to 
 see him, and ordered that he should be kindly 
 used. After she had discoursed with him about 
 his kindred and method of life, and found his an- 
 swers ingenuous, she ordered him some cast-off 
 garments, and that he should be cleaned, and ap 
 pear like a servant in the house. 
 
 Then she went to her parents, and gave them 
 her opinion of this stranger, which pleased them 
 well, saying, " He looks like a serviceable fellow 
 to do kitchen drudgery, run on errands, clean 
 shoes, and do such other things as the rest of the 
 servants think beneath them." 
 
 By this he was confirmed in his place, and a 
 flock bed prepared in the garret for him. These 
 circumstances pleased him, and he showed great 
 diligence in his work, rising early and sitting up 
 late, leaving nothing undone that he could do. 
 But being mostly under the cook-maid, he had but 
 sour sauce to these little sweets : for as she was of 
 a morose temper-, she used her authority beyond 
 reason; so that, to keep in the family, he went 
 with many a broken head, bearing it patiently, 
 and the more he tried with good words to dissuade 
 her from her cruelty, the more she insulted him. 
 and not only abused him, but frequently com- 
 plained against him, endeavoring to get him 
 turned out of his service. But Mistress Alice, 
 hearing of her usage, interposed in his favor, so 
 that she could not prevail against him. 
 
 This was not the only misery he suffered, for, 
 lying in a place for a long time unfrequented, 
 such abundance of rats and mice had bred there, 
 that they were almost as troublesome by night as 
 the cook was by day. They ran over his face, 
 and disturbed him with their squeaking, so that 
 he knew not what to think of his condition or how 
 to mend it. 
 
 After many disquieting thoughts, he at last 
 comforted himself with the hope that the cook 
 might soon marry, or die, or quit her service, and 
 as for the rats and mice, a cat would be an effect- 
 
WHITTINGTON AND HIS GAT. 
 
 Ill 
 
 ual remedy against them. Soon after, a merchant 
 came to dinner, and, as it rained hard, he stayed 
 all night. Whittington having cleaned his shoes, 
 and brought them to his chamber-door, received 
 from him a penny. 
 
 This stock he improved, for, going along the 
 street of an errand, he saw a vroman with a cat un- 
 der her arm ; so he desired to know the price of it. 
 The woman praised it for a. good mouser, and told 
 him, sixpence. But he declaring that a penny 
 was all his stock, she let him have it. He brought 
 the cat home, and kept her in a box all day, lest 
 the cook should kill her if she came into the 
 kitchen, and at night he set her to work for her 
 living. Puss delivered him from one plague ; but 
 the other remained, though not for many years. 
 
 It was the custom with the worthy merchant, 
 Mr. Hugh Fitzwarren, that God might give a 
 greater blessing to his endeavors, to call his serv- 
 ants together when he sent out a ship, and cause 
 every one to venture something in it, to try their 
 fortunes, for which they were to pay nothing for 
 freight or custom. 
 
 Now all but Whittington appeared, and brought 
 things according to their abilities. But Mistress 
 Alice being by, and supposing that poverty made 
 him decline coming, ordered him to be called, on 
 which he made several excuses ; however, being 
 constrained to come, he fell on his knees, desiring 
 them not to jeer at a poor simple boy in expecta- 
 tion that he was going to turn merchant,, since all 
 that he could claim as his own was but a poor cat, 
 which he had bought for a penny that had been 
 given him for cleaning shoes, and which had much 
 befriended him in keeping off the rats and mice. 
 
 Upon this Mistress Alice offered to lay some- 
 thing down for him ; but her father told her the 
 custom was, it must be his own which he ventured, 
 and ordered him to fetch his cat. This he did, 
 but with great reluctance, fancying nothing would 
 come of it, and with some tears delivered her to 
 the master of the ship, which was called the Uni- 
 corn, and which fell down to Blackwall in order 
 to proceed on her voyage. 
 
 The cook-maid, who little thought how advan- 
 
 tageous Whittington's cat would prove, when she 
 did not scold at him would jeer at him about his 
 grand adventure, and led him such a life that he 
 grew weary of enduring it. Little expecting what 
 ensued, he resolved, rather to try Dame Fortune 
 than live in such great torment. So, having 
 packed up his bundle over night, he got out early 
 on All-hallows Day, intending to ramble about the 
 country. 
 
 But as he went through Moorfields, he began to 
 have pensive thoughts, and his resolutions began 
 to fail. However, he went on to Holloway, and 
 sat down to consider the matter, when on a sud- 
 den Bow bells began to ring a merry peal. He 
 listened, fancied they called him back from his in- 
 tended journey, and promised him the good fort- 
 une that afterwards befell him. He thought they 
 
 sang, — 
 
 " Turn again, AVhittington, 
 Lord Mayor of Loudon." 
 
 This was a happy thought for him, and it made so 
 great an impression on him, that finding it early, 
 and that he might be at home before the family 
 were stirring, he delayed not. All things an- 
 swered his expectation, for, having left the door 
 ajar, he crept softly in, and got to liis usual drudg- 
 ery. 
 
 During this time the ship in which the cat was 
 was driven by contrary winds on to the coast of 
 Barbary, a place unknown to the English. Finding 
 the people courteous, the master and factor traded 
 with them. Bringing their wares of sundry sorts 
 upon the decks, and opening them, they suited 
 them so well that the news was carried to the 
 king, who sent for patterns, with which he was so 
 pleased that he sent for the factor to his palace. 
 
 Their entertainment, according to custom, was 
 on the floor, which was covered with carpets inter- 
 woven with gold and silver, and on which they sat 
 cross-legged. This kind of table was no sooner 
 laid with various dishes but the scent drew to- 
 gether a great number of rats and mice, which de- 
 voured all that came in their way ; this much sur- 
 prised the factor, who asked the nobles if these 
 vermin were not offensive. 
 
112 
 
 THE BOOK OF POPULAR TALES. 
 
 " Oh," said they, " very much so. His majesty 
 would give half his revenue to be freed from them ; 
 for they are not only offensive at his table, but liis 
 chamber and bed 
 are so troubled 
 with them that 
 he is always 
 watched, for fear 
 of mischief." 
 The factor then 
 remembering 
 Whittington's 
 cat, and rejoic- 
 ing at the occa- 
 sion, told them 
 that he had an 
 English beast in 
 the ship which 
 would rid all i\w 
 court of them 
 quickly. 
 
 The king was 
 o V e r j o J'' e d at 
 hearing the good 
 news, and being 
 a n X io u s to b 
 freed from those 
 vermin, which ^n 
 much spoiled his 
 pleasure, di-~- 
 turbed his mind, 
 and made all Ins 
 enjoyments bui- 
 densome, desired 
 to see this sin- 
 prising creatuie. 
 saying, '• t i 
 such a thing. I 
 will load youi 
 
 ship with gold, ~ 
 
 diamonds, a n d 
 
 pearls."' This large offer made the master en- 
 deavor to enhance the cat's merits. " She is the 
 most admirable creature in the world," he said ; 
 "and I cannot spare her, for she keeps my ship 
 
 
 clear of them, otherwise they would destroy all 
 my goods." But his majesty would take no de- 
 nial, saying, " No price shall part us." 
 
 The cat being 
 sent for, and the 
 tables being 
 spread, the ver- 
 min came as be- 
 ^B fore ; then put- 
 ting her on the 
 table, she fell to 
 work at once, 
 and killed them 
 m a trice. Then 
 she came purring 
 tind curling up 
 jer tail to t h e 
 king and queen, 
 as if she asked a 
 leward for her 
 service ; whilst 
 the)' admired 
 her, protesting it 
 was the finest di- 
 =S -^ ersion they had 
 ^ ever seen. 
 
 The Moorish 
 king was so 
 ^ pleased with the 
 cat that he gave 
 ten times more 
 for her than all 
 the freight be- 
 sides. The ship 
 then sailed with 
 a fair wind, and 
 arrived safe at 
 ^— Blackwall, being 
 — the richest ship 
 
 _ that ever arrived 
 
 ^ ^^^^^ ^^^" " in England. 
 
 The master taking the cabinet of jewels with him 
 on shore, for they were too rich a prize to be left on 
 board, presented his bill of lading to Mr. Fitzwar- 
 ren who praised God for such a prosperous voyage. 
 
WHITTINGTON AND HIS CAT. 
 
 iia 
 
 But when he called all of his servants to give 
 each his due, the master showed him the cabinet 
 of pearls and jewels, and on being told it was all 
 for Whittiugton's cat, Mr. Fitzwarren said, " God 
 forbid that I should deprive him of one farthing 
 of it," and so he sent for him by the title of Mr, 
 Whittington, who was then in the kitchen clean- 
 ing pots and spits. . Being told he must come to 
 his master, he made several excuses; but, being 
 urged to go, he at length came to the door, and 
 there stood bowing and scraping, scrupling to en- 
 ter until the merchant commanded him in, and or- 
 dered a chair to be immediately set for him ; on 
 which he, thinking they intended to make sport of 
 him, fell on his knees, and with tears in his eyes 
 besought them not to mock a simple fellow, who 
 meant none of them any harm. 
 
 Mr. Fitzwarren, raising him up, said, " In- 
 deed, Mr. Whittington, we are serious with you, 
 for in estate at this instant you are an abler 
 man than myself," and then he gave him the vast 
 riches, which amounted to three hundred thousand 
 pounds. 
 
 At length, being persuaded to believe, he fell 
 upon his knees, and praised God, who had vouch- 
 safed to behold so poor a creature in the midst of 
 his misery. Then turning to his master, he laid 
 his riches at his feet ; but he said, " No, Mr. 
 Whittington ; God forbid that I should take so 
 much as a ducat from you ; it may be a comfort 
 to you." 
 
 Whittington then turned to Mistress Alice, but 
 she also refused it ; upon which, bowing low, he 
 said to her, " Madam, whenever you please to make 
 choice of a husband, I will make you the greatest 
 fortune in the world." Upon this he began to 
 distribute his bounty to his fellow-servants, giv- 
 ing even his mortal enemy the cook one hundred 
 pounds for her portion ; she saying she was in a 
 passion, he freely forgave her. 
 
 Upon this change the haberdashers, drapers, 
 tailors, and sempstresses were set to work to make 
 Mr. Whittington fine clothes, and all things an- 
 swerable to his fortune. Being dressed, he ap- 
 peared a very comely person, insomuch that Mis- 
 
 15 
 
 tress Alice began to lay her eyes about him. Now, 
 her father, seeing this, intended a match between 
 them, looking upon him to be a fortunate man. 
 He also took him to the Royal Exchange to see 
 the customs of the merchants, where he was no 
 sooner known than they came to welcome him 
 into their society. 
 
 Soon after this a match was proposed between 
 him and his master's daughter, when he excused 
 himself on account of the meanness of his birth ; 
 but that objection being removed by his present 
 worth, it was soon agreed on, and the lord mayor 
 and aldermen were invited to the wedding. After 
 the honeymoon was over, his father-in-law asked 
 him what employment he would follow, where 
 upon he replied, he should like that of a mer- 
 chant. So they joined together in partnership,, 
 and both grew immensely rich. 
 
 Though fortune had thus bountifully smiled on 
 the subject of our history, he was far from being 
 proud. He was, on the contrary, very merry,, 
 which made his company and acquaintance courted 
 by all. In a short time he was nominated Sheriff 
 of London, in the year 1393, Sir John Hadley 
 then being lord mayor.. 
 
 Thus he grew in riches and fame, being greatly 
 beloved by all, especially the poor, whose hunger 
 he always supplied. In live years' time he wa& 
 chosen lord mayor, in which office he behaved 
 with such justice and prudence that he was chosen 
 to the same office twice afterwards. 
 
 In the last year he entertained King Henry V.» 
 after his conquest of France, and his queen at 
 Guildhall, in such a very grand manner, that the 
 king was pleased to say, " Never prince had such 
 a subject," and conferred upon him the honor of 
 knighthood. At this entertainment the king par- 
 ticularly praised the fire, which was made of 
 choice wood, mixed with mace, cinnamon, and all 
 other spices. On which Sir Richard said he would 
 endeavor to make one still more agreeable to his 
 majesty, and immediately tore and threw into the 
 fire the king's bond for ten thousand marks due to 
 the company of mercers ; two thousand five hun- 
 dred to the Chambers of London ; two thousand. 
 
114 
 
 THE BOOK OF POPULAR TALES. 
 
 to the grocers ; and to the staplers, goldsmiths, 
 haberdashers, vintners, brewers, and bakers, three 
 thousand marks each. 
 
 '' AH these," said Sir Richard, "with divers 
 others, lent for the payment of your soldiers in 
 France, I have taken in and discharged, to the 
 amount of sixty thousand pounds sterling ; can 
 your majesty wish to see such another sight ? " 
 The king and nobles were struck dumb with sur- 
 prise at his wealth and liberality. 
 
 Sir Richard spent the rest of his days honored 
 by the rich and beloved by the poor. He had by 
 his wife two sons and two daughters, some of 
 whose posterity are -worthy citizens. He built 
 many charitable houses, also a church in Vintry 
 Ward, dedicated to St. JNIichael, adding to it a col- 
 lege, dedicated to St. JMary, with a yearly allow- 
 ance for poor scholars, near which he erected a 
 liospital, called God's house, and well endowed it. 
 There he caused his father-in-law and mother-in- 
 
 law to be buried, and left room for himself and 
 wife when death should call them. He built New- 
 gate, a place for criminals. He gave large sums 
 to Bartholomew's Hospital, and to many other 
 charitable uses. 
 
 Dame Alice, his wife, died in the sixty-third 
 year of her age, after which he would not marry, 
 though he outlived her near twenty j^eai-s. In the 
 conclusion, he died, and was buried in the place 
 aforesaid, leaving a good name to posterity ; and 
 the following epitaph was written on their tomb, 
 and continued jjerfect till destroyed by the fire in 
 London : — 
 
 " Here lies Sii' Richard Whittington, tiirice mayor, 
 Aud his dear wile, a virtuous, loving pair ; 
 Him fortune raised to be beloved and great. 
 By the adventure only of a cat. 
 Let none that read it of (iod's love despair, 
 AVho trust iu Him, He will of them take care ; 
 But groiviuji rich, choose humbleness, not pride, 
 Let these dead virtuous persons be \'our guide." 
 
 BLUE BEARD. 
 
 Once upon a time there was a man who was 
 ver^' rich. He had a fine house in town and an- 
 other in the country ; in the houses were costly 
 furniture and gold and silver jalate ; when he 
 drove out it was in a coach covered with eikl- 
 ing. But for all that not a woman or girl would 
 look at him, he was so ugly and terrible. Yes, 
 this man had a blue beard. Now there \v;is in 
 the neighborhood a lady of quality who had two 
 daughters, who wei'e perfectly beautiful. Blue 
 Beard wished to marry one of these and left it tn 
 the mother to say which she would give him, but 
 neither of them would have him, for they could 
 not bear to marry a man with a blue beard, and, 
 besides, he had been married several times already, 
 and no one knew what had become of his wives. 
 
 Blue Beard, in order to become well acquainted 
 with these young ladies, invited them, their mother, 
 and a few of their particular friends to visit his 
 country seat, where they passed an entire week. 
 Nothing was thought of but jaunts, hunting and 
 
 fishing, parties, balls, and dinners. Nobody went 
 to bed ; the whole night was spent in merry-mak- 
 ing. In short, all went off so well that by the 
 end of the week the j'ounger daughter began to 
 think the master of th-e house an agreeable man, 
 and that his beard was not so very blue, after all. 
 So it was that shortly after the return to town she 
 was married to him. 
 
 About a month afterward Blue Beard told his 
 wife that he was forced to take a journey, and 
 should be gone six weeks ; he had business of im- 
 portance to attend to ; but she was to amuse her- 
 self in his absence, to have all her young friends 
 about her, and to fare as sumptuously as if he 
 were present. " Here," he said, " are the keys 
 of my two large store-rooms ; these are for the 
 chests in which the best gold and silver plate are 
 kept; these are for the strong boxes in which I 
 keep my money ; these open the caskets that con- 
 tain my jewels ; this is the pass-key to all the 
 apartments. And this," he ended, looking at her 
 
BLUE BEARD. 
 
 115 
 
 fixedly, " is the key to the closet at the end of the 
 long gallery on the ground floor. Open every- 
 thing and go everywhere except into that closet, 
 which I forbid 
 you to enter, 
 and I forbid you 
 so strictly that 
 if you dare to 
 open the door 
 you will have 
 everything to 
 dread from my 
 anger." She 
 promised faith- 
 fully to obey 
 him, and when 
 he had e m- 
 braced his obe- 
 dient wife he 
 got into his 
 coach and drove 
 away. 
 
 The neigh- 
 bors and friends 
 of the young 
 bride scarcely 
 waited for an 
 invitation, so 
 eager were they 
 to see all the 
 treasures which 
 the house con- 
 tained, for 
 never before 
 had they dared 
 to enter it, being 
 much afraid of 
 the blue beard 
 of the owner. 
 Now they made 
 haste to run 
 through all the apartments and ,to peep into all 
 the closets to which they had entrance. They 
 went into the store-rooms and chambers and ad- 
 mired the elegance of the tapestries, the beds. 
 
 the sofas, the cabinets, the tables, the lightstands ; 
 there were mirrors so large that in them they 
 could see themselves from top to toe, and the mir- 
 rors had frames, 
 glass, 
 silver 
 of 
 
 some of 
 some of 
 and some 
 gold, all more 
 beautiful and 
 magnificent 
 than any they 
 had ever before 
 seen. They 
 never ceased ex- 
 claiming upon 
 the wonderful 
 riches of this 
 wonderful man, 
 and they looked 
 with envy upon 
 the fortunate 
 bride. But she 
 heard and saw 
 all with impa- 
 tience, for she 
 could think of 
 nothing but the 
 closet at the end 
 of the gallery 
 on the ground 
 floor. At length 
 her curiosity be- 
 came so great to 
 see what it con- 
 tained that she 
 slipped away 
 from her 
 
 iriends, though 
 that was very 
 rude, and has- 
 tened down a 
 secret staircase, nearly falling from the top to the 
 bottom in her excitement. She came to the door 
 of the closet and stopped, remembering what her 
 husband had solemnly said to her, but the tempta- 
 
116 
 
 THE BOOK OF POPULAR TALES. 
 
 tion was so strong that she could not overcome 
 it. She therefore took the key and opened with 
 trembling hand the door of the closet. 
 
 At first she could make out nothing, for the 
 windows were closed there and it was dark ; after 
 a short time she began to see that there was blood 
 on the floor, and then that there were dead bodies 
 hung upon the walls. They were the wives of 
 Blue Beard. She was ready to die with fright, 
 and the key of the closet, which she had with- 
 drawn from the lock, fell from her hand. She 
 picked it up, locked the door again, and went up 
 to her chamber to compose herself, but she was 
 too agitated. She looked at the key of the closet, 
 and it was stained with blood. She wiped it and 
 wiped it but the blood would not come off. In 
 vain she washed it, and scrubbed it with sand and 
 freestone, the blood was still there, for the key 
 was enchanted, and there was no means of clean- 
 ing it completely ; when the blood was washed off 
 one side it came back on the other. 
 
 Blue Beard came home that evening. He said 
 that he had received letters on his way telling 
 him that the business on which he was going was 
 already settled. His wife did her best to persuade 
 him that she was delighted at his early return. 
 When morning came he called for his keys. She 
 gave them to him, but her hand trembled. Then 
 he said : — 
 
 " Where is the key of the closet at the end of 
 the long gallery ? it is not with the rest." 
 
 '• I must have left it," she replied, " up-stairs 
 on my table." 
 
 " Then go at once and bring it to me." She 
 made excuses but they would not serve, and she 
 went and brought the key. Blue Beard looked 
 at it and asked his wife : — 
 
 "Why is there blood on this key? " 
 
 " I do not know," said the poor woman, paler 
 than death. 
 
 " You do not know ? " replied Blue Beard. " I 
 know. You wished to enter the closet. Very 
 well, madam, you shall enter it and take your 
 place among the ladies whom you saw there." 
 She flung herself at her husband's feet, weeping 
 
 and begging pardon for having disobeyed him. 
 Her beauty and grief would have melted a rock, 
 but Blue Beard's heart was harder than rock. 
 
 " You must die, madam ; you must die at once." 
 
 " If I must die," she replied, looking up at him 
 with streaming eyes, " give me a little time to 
 say my prayers." 
 
 " I will give you half a quarter of an hour," an- 
 swered Blue Beard, " but not a minute more.." 
 As soon as he had left her she called her sister 
 and said, — 
 
 "Sister Anne" (for that was her name) "go 
 up, I pray thee, to the top of the tower and see if 
 my brothers be not coming. They have promised 
 to come to me to-day ; if you see them, sign to 
 them to make haste." Sister Anne mounted to 
 the top of the tower and the poor distressed creat- 
 ure called to her every few moments, — 
 
 " Anne ! Sister Anne ! dost thou not see anything 
 coming ? " and Sister Anne would answer, — 
 
 " I see nothing but the sun making dust, and 
 the grass growing green." In the mean time Blue 
 Beard, with a great cutlass in his hand, called out 
 from below to his wife, — 
 
 " Come down quickly, or I will come up to 
 thee ! " 
 
 " One minute more," replied his wife, and then 
 in a low voice, — 
 
 " Anne ! Sister Anne 1 dost thou not see anj 
 thing coming? " and Sister Anne replied, — 
 
 " I see nothing but the sun making dust and 
 the grass growing green." 
 
 "Come down quickly," , shouted Blue Beard, 
 " or I will come up to thee." 
 
 " I come," answered his wife, and then cried, 
 " Anne I Sister Anne ! dost thou not see anything 
 coming ? " 
 
 "I see," said Sister Anne, "a great cloud of 
 dust moving this way." 
 
 " Is it my brothers ? " 
 
 " Alas, no, sister ! it is a flock of sheep." 
 
 "Wilt thou not come down?" roared Blue 
 Beard. 
 
 " I am coming now. Anne ! Sister Anne ! dost 
 thou not see anything coming? " 
 
THE HISTORY OF FORTUNATUS. 
 
 117 
 
 " Yes. I see two horsemen coming this way, 
 but they are a great way off. God be praised ! " 
 she added in a moment. " They are my brothers. 
 I am beckoning to them to hasten." 
 
 " Come down ! " and Blue Beard roared so 
 loudly that the house shook. The poor wife 
 went slowly down-stairs, and when sh6 came to 
 her husband she threw herself, all weeping and 
 with disheveled hair, at his feet. 
 
 "It is in vain," said Blue Beard, "thou must 
 die," and seizing her hair with one hand, he held 
 his cutlass with the other to strike off her head. 
 The poor wife lifted her weeping eyes up to him 
 and implored him to give her one moment in 
 which to collect her thoughts. 
 
 " No, no," said he, " commend thyself to God." 
 He raised his arm — at this moment there was a 
 loud knocking at the gate and Blue Beard stopped 
 
 short. The gate flew open and two horsemen 
 sprang in and ran with drawn swords upon Blue 
 Beard. He knew them at once, they were the 
 brothers of his wife, one was a dragoon, the other 
 a musketeer, and Blue Beard ran to the house 
 to save himself. But they were upon him in a 
 moment and before he could reach the door they 
 had slain him with their swords. The poor wife 
 was almost dead herself with fear, and could 
 scarcely rise to embrace her brothers. 
 
 It was found that Blue Beard had no heirs, and 
 so his young wife became mistress of all his riches. 
 She spent part of it in marrying her sister Anne 
 to a young gentleman whom she had long loved, 
 another part in buying captains' commissions for 
 her two brothers, and with the rest she married 
 herself a very worthy man, who made her forget 
 her wretchedness with Blue Beard. 
 
 THE HISTORY OF FORTUNATUS. 
 
 In the famous Island of Cyprus there is a stately 
 city called Famagosta, in which lived a wealthy 
 citizen named Theodorus. He being left young 
 by his parents addicted himself to all pleasure, re- 
 sorting to the courts of princes and spending all 
 his wealth in riotous living, to the grief of his 
 friends, who, thinking to make him leave his idle 
 courses, got him married to a rich citizen's daugh- 
 ter named Gratiana. 
 
 In one year after their marriage Gratiana gave 
 birth to a son, who was named Fortunatus. The- 
 odorus, in a short time, began again to follow his 
 old, bad courses, insomuch that he sold and mort- 
 gaged his land, until he had wasted all his estate, 
 so that he fell into extreme poverty. Gratiana 
 was forced to dress her meat and wash her clothes 
 herself, not being able to keep one servant, or hire 
 the meanest assistance. 
 
 Theodorus and his wife sitting one day at a 
 poor dinner, he could hardly refrain from weeping, 
 which his son, who was now about eighteen years 
 of age, and skilled in hunting, hawking, and play- 
 ing on the lute, perceiving, said, " Father, what 
 
 aileth you? for I observe, when you look upon 
 me, you seem sad. Sir, I have in some way of- 
 fended you." 
 
 Theodorus answered, " My dear son, thou art; 
 not the cause of my grief, but I myself have been 
 the sole cause of the pinching poverty we all feel. 
 When I call to mind the wealth and honor so 
 lately enjoyed, and when I consider how unable I 
 am now to help my child, it is that which vexes 
 me." 
 
 To this his son replied, " Beloved father, do not 
 take immoderate care for me, for I am young and 
 strong. I have not been so brought up but that I 
 can shift for myself. I will go abroad and try 
 my fortune. I fear not but I shall find work and 
 preferment." 
 
 Soon after, without the least ceremony, Fortu- 
 natus set out, with a hawk on his hand, and trav- 
 eled towards the seaside, where he espied a galley 
 of Venice lying at anchor. He inquired what ship 
 she was, and where bound, hoping he might here 
 find employment. He was told the Earl of Flan- 
 ders was on board, and had lost two of his men. 
 
118 
 
 THE BOOK OF POPULAR TALES. 
 
 Foitunatus, wishing that he could be entertained 
 as one of the servants, and so get away from his 
 native place, where his poverty was so well known, 
 steps up to the earl, and says, " I understand, no- 
 ble lord, you have lost two of your men ; if so you 
 please, I desire to be received into your service." 
 "What wages do you ask? " says the earl. "No 
 wages,"' says Fortunatus, "but to be rewarded ac- 
 cording to my deserts."' This answer pleased the 
 earl, so they agreed, and sailed to Venice. 
 
 The earl now turned back and was joyfully re- 
 ceived by his subjects, and welcomed by his neigh- 
 bors, for he was a very affable and just prince. 
 Soon after his return he married the Duke of 
 Cleve's daughter, who was a very beautiful lady. 
 At the wedding, to which came several lords, 
 tournaments were held before the ladies, and 
 though there were so many gentlemen, yet none 
 behaved so well as Fortunatus. 
 
 After the nobles had finished their triumphs 
 and delightful games, the duke and the bride and 
 bridegroom agreed to let their servants try their 
 manhood at several pastimes for two jewels, each 
 worth a hundred crowns. This made all the serv- 
 ants glad, every one striving to do his best. 
 
 The Duke of Burgundy's servant won one, and 
 Fortunatus the other, which displeased the other 
 servants. Upon which they desired the duke's 
 servant to challenge Fortunatus to fight him be- 
 fore the ladies, the winner to have both jewels. 
 This challenge he accepted. Coming to the tilt- 
 yard, they encountered each other very brisklj% 
 and at last Fortunatus hoisted the duke's servant 
 quite oft' his horse, at spear's length. Whereupon 
 he obtained the victory, and got the jewels, which 
 increased the envy of all the other servants, but 
 much rejoiced the earl. 
 
 Among the earl's servants was a crafty old fel- 
 low, who consulted with the rest of the servants, 
 and agreed, for ten crowns, to make Fortunatus 
 quit his master s service of his own accord. To 
 accompUsh the affair he pretended great friend- 
 ship to Fortunatus, treating him, and praising him 
 much for his great courage. 
 
 At last he told him he had a secret to reveal to 
 
 him, which was, that his lord having conceived a 
 jealousy of his two chamberlains, of whom Fortu- 
 natus was one, he had a design privately to have 
 them whipped. This much amazed Fortunatus, 
 who desired his fellow-servant to inform him how 
 to convey himself away; "for," said he, "I had 
 rather wander as a vagabond, than be so served." 
 Says Robert, " I am sorry I told thee anything, 
 since I shall now lose thy company." Being re- 
 solved to go off, however, he desired Robert to 
 conceal his departure, and mounting his horse rode 
 away. 
 
 When Fortunatus had ridden ten miles he 
 bought another horse, and returned the earl's, 
 that he might not pursue him ; but when the earl 
 found he was gone without his leave, not knowing 
 the cause, he was offended, and demanded of the 
 servants if they knew the occasion ; which they 
 all denied. Then he went to the ladies and gen- 
 tlewomen, and inquired of them if they knew any- 
 thing of his departure. And they answered. No. 
 
 Then said the earl, " Though the cause of his 
 departure is hidden from me, yet I am persuaded 
 he is not gone without some cause, which I will 
 find out, if it be possible." When Robert found 
 his lord was so vexed for the loss of Fortunatus, 
 he went and hanged himself, for fear of being dis- 
 covered. 
 
 Fortunatus, having sent home his master's 
 horse, traveled with all speed to Calais, where he 
 took shipping, and arrived safe in England. Com- 
 ing to London, he met with some young Cyprus 
 merchants, his countrymen, who riotously spent 
 their money in gaming ; so that in about half a 
 year's time their cash was quite spent. Fortuna- 
 tus, having least, was soon exhausted. 
 
 Being moneyless, he went to some of his land- 
 ladies to borrow three crowns, telling them he 
 wanted to go to Flanders to fetch four hundred 
 crowns that were in his uncle's hands ; but he was 
 denied, and none would they lend him. He then 
 desired to be trusted for a quart of wine ; but they 
 refused, and bid the servants fetch him a pint of 
 small beer. He then took shipping, and soon ar- 
 rived in Picardy in France. 
 
THE HISTORY OF FORTUNATUS. 
 
 119 
 
 Traveling througli a wood, and being benighted, 
 he approached an old house, where he hoped to 
 find some relief ; but there was no creature in it. 
 Then, hearing a 
 noise among the 
 bears, he got up 
 into a tree, 
 where one of 
 them had climb- 
 ed. Fortuna- 
 tus, being sur- 
 prised, drew his 
 sword, and 
 struck the bear, 
 so that he fell 
 from the tree. 
 The rest of the 
 beasts being 
 gone, Fortuna- 
 tus came down 
 from the tree, 
 and, laying his 
 mouth to the 
 wound, sucked 
 out some of the 
 blood, with 
 which he was 
 refreshed, and 
 then slept until 
 morning. 
 
 As soon as 
 Fortunatus 
 awoke, he saw 
 standing before 
 him a fair lady, 
 with her eyes 
 muffled. "T be- 
 seech thee, "said 
 he, "sweet vir- 
 gin, to assist me, 
 that I may get 
 out of this wood, for I have traveled a great way 
 without food." She asked what country he was 
 of. He replied, " Of Cyprus, and am constrained 
 by poverty to seek my fortune." " Fciu- not. For- 
 
 tunatus," said she ; " I am the Goddess Fortune, 
 and by the permission of Heaven have the power 
 of six gifts, one of which I will bestow on thee. 
 
 So choose for ■ 
 yourself. They 
 are, Wisdom, 
 Strength, Rich- 
 es, Health, 
 Beauty, and 
 Long Life." 
 
 Said Fortuna- 
 tus, " I desire 
 to have Riches 
 as long as I 
 live." With 
 that she gave 
 him a purse, 
 saying, " As 
 often as you 
 put your hand 
 into this purse, 
 you shall find 
 ten pounds of 
 the coin of any 
 nation you shall 
 happen to be 
 in." Fortuna- 
 tus returned 
 many thanks to 
 the g oddess. 
 Then she bid 
 him follow her 
 out of the wood, 
 and so vanished. 
 He then put 
 his hand into 
 the purse, and 
 drew out the 
 first - fruits of 
 the goddess's 
 bounty, with 
 which he went to an inn, and refreshed himself. 
 After which he paid his host, and instantly de- 
 parted, as doubting the reality of his money, not- 
 withstanding the evidence of his hands and eyes. 
 
120 
 
 THE BOOK OF POPULAR TALES. 
 
 Two miles from this wood was a little town and 
 castle, where dwelt an earl who owned the wood. 
 Fortimatus here took up his lodging at the best 
 inn, and asked the host if he could help him to 
 some good horses. The host him told there was 
 a dealer who had several very fine ones, of which 
 the earl had chosen three ; but was refused, 
 though he offered three hundred crowns for them. 
 Fortunatus went to his chamber, and took out of 
 his purse six hundred crowns, and bid the host to 
 send for the dealer with his horses. 
 
 The host at first supposed he had been in jest, 
 seeing him so meanly appareled ; but on being 
 convinced by the sight of the monej', the dealer 
 and horses were sent for, and Fortumitus, with a 
 few words, bargained for two of those the earl had 
 wanted, and gave three hundred crowns for them. 
 He bought also costlj' saddles and furniture, and 
 desired his host to get him two servants. 
 
 The earl, hearing that the two horses had been 
 bought out of his hands, grew angry, and sent to 
 the innkeeper, to be informed who he was. The 
 earl, being told that he was a stranger, com- 
 manded him to be apprehended, imagining he had 
 committed some robbery. Fortunatus, on being 
 questioned who he was, answered he was born in 
 Cj'prus, and was the son of a decayed gentleman. 
 The earl asked him how he got so much money. 
 Hh told him he came b}^ it honestly. 
 
 Tlien the earl swore in a violent passion, that if 
 he would not discover, he would put him to the 
 rack. Fortunatus proposed to die rather than re- 
 veal it. Upon this he was put on the rack ; and 
 being again asked how he got so many crowns, he 
 said that he found them in a wood adjoining. 
 '• Thou villain," said the eari, " the money you 
 found is mine, and thy body and goods are for- 
 feited." "O my gracious lord," said he, "I knew 
 not it was in your dominion." " But," said the 
 earl, "this shall not excuse you, for to-day I will 
 take thy goods, and to-morrow thy life." 
 
 Then did Fortunatus wish he had chosen Wis- 
 dom before Riches. He earnestly begged his life 
 of the earl, who, at the entreaty of some of the 
 nobles, spared his life, and restored him the 
 
 crowns and his purse, and charged him never to 
 come into his dominion. Fortunatus rejoiced that 
 he had so well escaped, and had not lost his purse. 
 
 After that he had traveled towards his own coun- 
 try, having got horses and servants to attend him, 
 he arrived at Famagosta, where it was told him that 
 his father and mother were dead. He then pur- 
 chased his father's house, pulled it down, and 
 built a stately palace. He also built a fine church, 
 and had three tombs made : one for his father and 
 mother, the other for the wife he intended to 
 marry, and the last for his heirs and himself. 
 
 Not far from Famagosta lived a lord who had 
 three daughters, one of whom tlie King of Cyprus 
 intended to bestow on Fortunatus, but gave him 
 leave to take his choice. When Fortunatus had 
 asked them the question, he chose the youngest, to 
 the great grief of the other two sisters; but the 
 countess and earl approved of the match. Fortu- 
 natus presented the countess, his wife's mother, 
 and her t^vo sisters with several rich jewels. 
 
 Then did the king offer to keep the wedding at 
 his court ; but Fortunatus wished to keep it at his 
 own palace, desiring the king and queen's com- 
 pany. " Then," said the king, " I will come with 
 my queen and all my relations." After four days 
 the king and all his company went to Fortunatus' 
 house, where the}' were entertained in a grand 
 manner. His house was adorned with costly fur- 
 niture, glorious to behold. This feasting lasted 
 forty days. Then the king returned to his court, 
 vastly well satisfied with the entertainment. 
 After this, Fortunatus made another feast for the 
 citizens, their wives and daughters. 
 
 Fortunatus and his wife Cassandra lived long 
 in a happy state, and found no want of anything 
 but children. Fortunatus knew the virtue of his 
 purse would fail at his death if he had no heirs. 
 Therefore he made it constantly his prayer to God 
 that he would be pleased to send him a child, and 
 at length in due time a son was born to him, and 
 he named him Ampadu. Shortly after, he had 
 another son : and he provided for them the best of 
 tutors, to take care they had an education suitable 
 to their fortunes. 
 
THE HISTORY OF FORTUNATUS, 
 
 121 
 
 Fortunatns, having been married twelve years, 
 took it into his head to travel once more ; which 
 his wife much opposed, desiring him, by all the 
 love he bore to her and her dear children, not to 
 leave them. But he was resolved, and soon after 
 took leave of his wife and children, promising 
 them to return again in a short space. A few 
 days after, he took shipping for Alexandria, where 
 he stayed some time, and got acquainted with the 
 sultan, whose favor he gained so as to receive let- 
 ters to carry him safe through his dominions. 
 
 Fortunatns, after supper, opened his purse, and 
 gave to all the sultan's servants very liberally. 
 The sultan, being highly pleased, told Fortunatns 
 he would show him such curiosities as he had 
 never seen. Then he took him to a strong marble 
 tower. In the first room were several very rich 
 vessels and jewels ; in the second he showed sev- 
 eral vessels of gold coin, with a fine wardrobe of 
 garments, and golden candlesticks, which shone 
 all over the room, and mightily pleased Fortu- 
 natns. 
 
 Then the sultan showed him his bed-chamber, 
 which V7as finely adorned ; and likewise a small 
 felt hat, simple to behold ; saying, " I set more 
 value on this hat tlian on all my jewels, as such 
 another is not to be had, for it lets a person be 
 wherever he doth wish." 
 
 Fortunatns imagined this hat would agree very 
 well with his purse, and he thereupon put it on 
 his head, saying he should be very glad of a hat 
 that had such virtue. So the sultan immediately 
 gave it to him. With that he suddenly wished 
 himself in his ship, it being then under sail, that 
 
 16 
 
 he might return to his own country. The sultan, 
 looking out of the window and seeing the ship un- 
 der sail, was very angry, and commanded his men 
 to fetch him back, declaring, if they took him, he 
 should be immediately put to death. But all in 
 vain. Fortunatus was too quick for them, and ar- 
 riving safe at Famngosta, richly laden, was joy- 
 fully received by his wife, two sons, and the citi- 
 zens. 
 
 He now began to care for the advancement of 
 his children, maintained a princely court, and pro- 
 vided masters to instruct his children in all man- 
 ner of chivalry. The youngest was most inclined 
 to behave manfully, which caused Fortunatus to 
 bestow many jewels upon him for his exploits. 
 When he had many years enjoyed all earthly pleas- 
 ures, Cassandra died, which so grieved him that he 
 prepared himself for death also. 
 
 Fortunatus, perceiving his death to approach, 
 said to his two sons : " God has taken away your 
 mother, who so tenderly nourished you ; and I, 
 perceiving death at hand, will show you how you 
 may continue in honor to your dying days." Then 
 he declared to them the virtue of his purse, and 
 that it would last no longer than their lives. He 
 also told them the virtue of his wishing-hat, and 
 commanded them not to part with those jewels, 
 but to keep them in common, and live friendly to- 
 gether, and not to make any person privy to their 
 virtues ; " For," said he, " I have concealed them 
 forty years, and never revealed them to any but 
 you." Having said this, he ceased to speak and 
 immediately gave up the ghost. His sons buried 
 him in the magnificent church before mentioned. 
 
122 
 
 THE BOOK OF POPULAR TALES. 
 
 JACK AND THE BEAN-STALK. 
 
 N the days of King Al- 
 fred, there lived a poor 
 woman, whose cottage 
 was in a remote country 
 village, many miles from 
 London. She had been 
 a widow some years, and 
 had an only child named 
 Jack, whom she indulged 
 so much that he never paid the least attention to 
 anything she said, but was idle, careless, and 
 wasteful. His follies were not owing to a bad 
 disposition, but to his mother's foolish partiality. 
 By degrees, he spent all that she had — scarcely 
 anything remained but a cow. One day, for the 
 first time in her life, she reproached him: " Cruel, 
 cruel boy I you have at last brought me to beg- 
 gary. I have not money enough to purchase even 
 a bit of bread ; nothing now remains to sell but 
 my poor cow ! I am sorry to part with her ; it 
 grieves me sadly, but we cannot starve." For a 
 few minutes Jack felt remorse, but it was soon 
 over ; and he began asking his mother to let him 
 sell the cow at the next village, and teased her so 
 much that she at last consented. As he was go- 
 ing along he met a butcher, who inquired why he 
 was driving the cow from home ? Jack replied, 
 he was going to sell it. The butcher held some 
 curious beans in his hat ; they were of various col- 
 ors, and attracted Jack's attention : this did not 
 pass unnoticed by the man, who, knowing Jack's 
 easy temper, thought now was the time to take 
 advantage of it ; and, determined not to let slip so 
 good a chance, asked what was the price of the cow, 
 offering at the same time all the beans in his hat 
 for her. The silly boy could not hide the pleasure 
 he felt at what he fancied so great an offer : the 
 bargain was struck instantly, and the cow ex- 
 changed for a few paltry beans. Jack made the 
 best of his way home, calling aloud to his mother 
 before he reached the door, thinking to surprise 
 lier. 
 
 When she saw the beans, and heard Jack's ac- 
 count, her patience quite forsook her : she tossed 
 the beans out of the window, where they fell on 
 the garden-bed below. Then she threw her apron 
 over her head, and cried bitterly. Jack tried to 
 console her, but in vain, and, not having anything 
 to eat, they both went supperless to bed. Jack 
 awoke early in the morning, and seeing something 
 uncommon darkening the window of his bed-cham- 
 ber, ran down-stairs into the garden, where he found 
 some of the beans had taken root, and sprung up 
 surprisingly : the stalks wei'e of an immense thick- 
 ness, and had twined together until they formed a 
 ladder like a chain, and so high that the top ap- 
 peared to be lost in the clouds. Jack was an ad- 
 venturous lad ; he determined to climb up to the 
 top, and ran to tell his mother, not doubting but 
 that she would be equally pleased. She declared 
 he should not go ; said it would break her heart if 
 he did — entreated and threatened, but all in 
 vain. Jack set out, and after climbing for some 
 hours reached the top of the bean-stalk, quite ex- 
 hausted. Looking around, he found himself in a 
 strange country ; it appeared to be a barren desert 
 — not a tree, shrub, house, or living creature was 
 to be seen ; here and there were scattered frag- 
 ments of stone ; and at unequal distances small 
 heaps of earth were loosely thrown together. 
 
 Jack seated himself upon a block of stone, and 
 thought of his mother ; he thought with sorrow 
 upon his disobedience in climbing the bean-stalk 
 against her will, and feared that he must die of hun- 
 ger. However, he walked on, hoping to see a house, 
 where he might beg something to eat and drink. 
 He did not find it ; but he saw at a distance a 
 beautiful lady, walking alone. She was elegantly 
 clad, and carried a white wand, at the top of 
 which sat a peacock of pure gold. 
 
 Jack, who was a gallant fellow, went straight 
 up to her ; when, with a bewitching smile, she 
 asked him how he came there. He told her all 
 about the bean-stalk. The lady answered him by 
 
JACK AND THE BEAN-STALK. 
 
 123 
 
 a question, "Do you remember your father, young 
 man ? " 
 
 " No, madam ; but I am sure there is some 
 mystery about him, for when I name him to my 
 mother she always begins to weep, and will tell 
 me nothing." 
 
 " She dare not," replied the lady, " but I can 
 and will. For know, young man, that I am a 
 fairy, and was your father's guardian. But fairies 
 are bound by laws as well as mortals ; and by an 
 error of mine I lost my power for a term of years, 
 so that I was unable to succor your father when 
 he most needed it, and he died." Here the fairy 
 looked so sorrowful that Jack's heart warmed to 
 her, and he begged her earnestly to tell him more. 
 
 "I will; only you must promise to obey me in 
 everything, or you will perish yourself." 
 
 Jack was brave, and, besides, his fortunes were 
 so bad they could not well be worse — so he prom- 
 ised. 
 
 The fairy continued : " Your father. Jack, was 
 a most excellent, amiable, generous man. He had 
 a good wife, faithful servants, plenty of money ; 
 but he had one misfortune — a false friend. This 
 was a giant, whom he had succored in misfort- 
 une, and who returned his kindness by murdering 
 him, and seizing on all his property ; also making 
 your mother take a solemn oath that she would 
 never tell you anything about your father, or he 
 would murder both her and you. Then he turned 
 her off with you in her arms, to wander about the 
 wide world as she might. I could not help her, as 
 my power only returned on the day you went to 
 sell your cow." 
 
 " It was I," added the fairy, " who impelled you 
 to take the beans, who made the bean-stalk grow, 
 and inspired you with the desire to climb up it to 
 this strange country ; for it is here the wicked 
 giant lives who was your father's destroyer. It is 
 you who must avenge him, and rid the world of a 
 monster who never will do anything but evil. I 
 will help you. You may lawfully take possession 
 of his house and all his riches, for everything he 
 has belonged to your father, and" is therefore 
 yours. Now farewell! Do not let your mother 
 
 know you are acquainted with your father's his- 
 tory ; this is my command, and if you disobey me 
 you will suffer for it. Now go." 
 
 Jack asked where he was to go. 
 
 "Along the direct road, till you see the house 
 where the giant lives. You must then act accord- 
 ing to your own judgment, and I will guide you if 
 any difficulty arises. Farewell ! " 
 
 She bestowed on the youth a benignant smile, 
 and vanished. 
 
 Jack pursued his journej?. He walked on till 
 after sunset, when, to his great joy, he espied a 
 large mansion. A plain-looking woman was at 
 the door : he accosted her, begging she would give 
 him a morsel of bread and a night's lodging. She 
 expressed the greatest surprise, and said it was 
 quite uncommon to see a human being near their 
 house ; for it was well known that her husband 
 was a powerful giant, who would never eat any- 
 thing but human flesh, if he could possibly get it ; 
 that he would walk fifty miles to procure it, usu- 
 ally being out the whole day for that purpose. 
 
 This account greatly terrified Jack, but still he 
 hoped to elude the giant, and therefore he again 
 entreated the woman to take him in for one night 
 only, and hide him where she thought proper. 
 She at last suffered herself to be persuaded, for 
 she was of a compassionate and generous nature, 
 and took him into the house. First, they entered 
 a fine large hall, magnificently furnished; then 
 they passed through several spacious rooms, in the 
 same style of grandeur ; but all appeared forsaken 
 and desolate. A long gallery came next , it was 
 very dark — just light enough to show that, in- 
 stead of a wall on one side, there was a grating of 
 iron which parted off a dismal dungeon, from 
 whence issued the groans of those victims whom 
 the cruel giant kept in confinement for his own 
 voracious appetite. Poor Jack was half dead with 
 fear, and would have given the world to have 
 been vdth his mother again, for he now began to 
 doubt if he should ever see her more ; he even 
 mistrusted the good woman, and thought she had 
 let him into the house for no other purpose than 
 to lock him up among the unfortunate people in 
 
124 
 
 THE BOOK OF POPULAR TALES. 
 
 the dungeon. However, he sat down to the abun- 
 dant table when she bade him, and, not seeing any- 
 thing to make him uncomfortable, soon forgot his 
 fear, and was just beginning to enjoy himself, 
 when he was startled bj^ a loud knocking at the 
 outer door, which made the whole house shake. 
 
 " Ah ! that 's the giaiit ; and if he sees you he 
 will kill you and me too," cried the poor woman, 
 trembling all over. " What shall I do ? " 
 
 " Hide me in the oven," cried Jack, now as 
 bold as a lion at the thought of being face to face 
 with his father's cruel murderer. So he crept 
 into the oven — for there was no fire near it — 
 and listened to the giant's loud voice and heavy 
 step as he went up and down the kitchen scolding 
 his wife. At last he seated himself at table, and 
 Jack, peeping through a crevice in the oven, was 
 amazed to see what a quantity of food he devoured. 
 It seemed as if he never would have done eating 
 and drinking ; but he did at last, and, leaning 
 back, called to his wife in a voice like thunder : — 
 
 " Bring me my hen ! " 
 
 She obeyed, and placed upon the table a very 
 beautiful live hen. 
 
 " Lay ! " roared the giant, and the hen laid im- 
 mediately an egg of solid gold. 
 
 " Lay another ! " and every time the giant said 
 this the hen laid a larger egg than before. 
 
 He amused himself a long time with his hen, 
 and then sent his wife to bed, while he fell asleep 
 by the fireside, and snored like the roaring of can- 
 non. 
 
 As soon as he was asleep Jack crept out of the 
 oven, seized the hen, and ran off with her. He 
 got safely out of the house, and finding his way 
 along the road by which he had come, reached 
 the top of the bean-stalk, which he descended in 
 safety. 
 
 His mother was overjoyed to see him. She 
 thought he had come to some ill end. 
 
 " Not a bit of it, mother. Look here ! " and he 
 showed her the hen. "Now lay!" and the hen 
 obeyed him as readily as she did the giant, and 
 laid as many golden eggs as he desired. • 
 
 These eggs being sold. Jack and his mother got 
 
 plenty of money, and for some months lived very 
 happily together ; till Jack had another great long- 
 ing to climb the bean-stalk, and carry away some 
 more of the giant's riches. He had told his 
 mother of his adventure, but had been very care- 
 ful not to say a word about his father. He 
 thought of his journey again and again, but still 
 he could not summon resolution enough to break 
 it to his mother, being well assured that she would 
 endeavor to pi-event his going. However, one 
 day he told her boldly that he must take another 
 journey up the bean-stalk ; she begged and prayed 
 him not to think of it, and tried all in her power 
 to dissuade him. She told him that the giant's 
 wife would certainly know him again, and that 
 the giant would desire nothing better than to get 
 him into his power, that he might put him to a 
 cruel death, in order to be revenged for the loss of 
 his hen. Jack, finding that all his arguments 
 were useless, ceased speaking, though resolved to 
 go at all events. He had a dress prepared which 
 would disguise him, and something to color his 
 skin ; he thought it impossible for any one to rec- 
 ollect him in this dress. 
 
 A few mornings after, he rose very early and, 
 unperceived by any one, climbed the bean-stalk a 
 second time. He was greatly fatigued when he 
 reached the top, and very hungry. Having rested 
 some time on one of the stones, he pursued his 
 journey to the giant's mansion, which he reached 
 late in the evening : the woman was at the door 
 as before. Jack addressed her, at the same time 
 telling her a pitiful tale, and requesting that she 
 would give him some victuals and drink, and also 
 a night's lodging. 
 
 She told him (what he knew before vexy well) 
 about her husband's being a powerful and cruel 
 giant, and also that she had one night admitted a 
 poor, hungry, friendless boj' ; that the little un- 
 grateful fellow had stolen one of the giant's treas 
 ures ; and ever since that her husband had been 
 worse than before, using her very cruelly, and con- 
 tinually upbraiding her with being the cause of 
 his misfortune. Jack felt sorry for her, but con- 
 fessed nothing, and did his best to persuade her to 
 
'' «^ "-a s ^»f -> 
 
 JA-rk. oeKo •3ic»., C olcleT)-)K,f?f'u^<"''.^AY '' rc' rr, 3Jt/f ^\ 
 
JACK AND THE BEAN-STALK. 
 
 125 
 
 admit him, but found it a very hard task. At 
 last she consented, and as she led the way, Jack 
 observed that everything was just as he had found 
 it before : she took him into the kitchen, and 
 after he had done eating and drinking, she hid 
 him in an old lumber-closet. The giant returned 
 
 walked in so 
 was shaken to 
 seated himself 
 after exclaim- 
 fresh meat ! '" 
 was the 
 brought a 
 and left it 
 
 at the usual time, and 
 heavily that the house 
 its foundation. He 
 by the fire, and soon 
 ed: "Wife, I smell 
 
 The wife replied it 
 crows, which had 
 piece of raw meat, 
 at the top of the 
 house. "While 
 supper was pre- 
 paring, the 
 giant was very 
 ill-tempered 
 and impatient, 
 frequently lift- 
 ing up his hand 
 to strike his 
 wife for not 
 being quick 
 enough. He 
 was also con- 
 tin u ally up- 
 braiding her 
 with the loss of his wonderful hen. 
 
 At last, having ended his supper, he 
 " Give me something to amuse me 
 my money-bags." 
 
 " Which will you have, my dear ? " said 
 wife, humbly. 
 
 " My money-bags, because they are the heaviest 
 to carry," thundered he. 
 
 She brought them, staggering under the weight; 
 two bags — one filled with new guineas, and the 
 other with new shillings ; she emptied them out 
 on the table, and the giant began counting them 
 in great glee. " Now you may go to bed, you 
 old fool." So the wife crept away. 
 
 Jack, from his hiding-place, watched the count- 
 
 cried, 
 ■ my harp or 
 
 the 
 
 ing of the money, which he knew was his poor 
 father's, and wished it was his own ; it would give 
 him much less trouble than going about selling 
 the golden eggs. The giant, little thinking he 
 was so narrowly observed, reckoned it all up, and 
 then replaced it in the two bags, which he tied up 
 very carefully and put beside his chair, with his 
 little dog to guard them. At last he fell asleep 
 as before, and snored so loud, that Jack compared 
 his noise to the roaring of the sea in a high wind, 
 when the tide is coming in. At last Jack, con- 
 cluding all secure, stole out, in order to carry of£ 
 the two bags of money ; but just as he laid his 
 hand upon one of them the little dog, which 
 he had not perceived before, started from 
 under the giant's chair and barked most furi- 
 ously. Instead of endeavoring to 
 escape. Jack stood still, though ex- 
 pecting his enemy to awake every 
 instant. Con- 
 trary, however, 
 to his expecta- 
 tion, the giant 
 continued in a 
 sound sleep, and 
 Jack, seeing a 
 piece of meat, 
 threw it to the 
 dog, who at once 
 ceased barking, 
 and began to 
 devour it. So 
 Jack carried off the bags, one on each shoulder, 
 but they were so heavy that it took him two 
 whole days to descend the bean-stalk and get back 
 to his mother's door. 
 
 When he came he found the cottage deserted. 
 He ran from one room to another, without being 
 able to find any one ; he then hastened into the 
 village, hoping to see some of the neighbors, who 
 could inform him where he could find his mother. 
 An old woman at last directed him to a neighbor- 
 ing house, where she was ill of a fever. He was 
 greatly shocked at finding her apparently dying, 
 and blamed himself bitterly as the cause of it all. 
 
126 
 
 THE BOOK OF POPULAR TALES. 
 
 However, at sight of her dear 
 son the poor woman revived,' and 
 slowly recovered health. Jack 
 gave her his two monej'-bags : 
 they had the cottage rebuilt and 
 well furnished, and lived happier 
 than they had ever done before. 
 
 For three years Jack talked nn 
 more of the bean-stalk, but lie 
 could not forget it, though he 
 feared making his mother un- 
 happy. It was in vain endeav- 
 oring to amuse himself ; he be- 
 came thoughtful, and would arise 
 at the first dawn of day, and sit 
 looking at the bean-stalk for 
 hours together. His mother saw 
 that something preyed upon his 
 mind, and endeavored to discover 
 the cause ; but Jack knew too 
 well what the consequence would 
 be should she succeed. He did 
 his utmost, therefore, to conquer 
 the great desire he had for another journey up the 
 bean-stalk. Finding, however, that his inclination 
 grew too powerful for him, he began to make secret 
 preparations for his journey. He got ready a 
 new disguise, better and more complete than the 
 former ; and when summer came, on the longest 
 day he woke as soon as it was light, and,, without 
 telling his mother, ascended the bean-stalk. He 
 found the road and journey much as on the two 
 former times. He arrived at the giant's mansion 
 in the evening, and found the wife standing, as 
 usual, at the door. Jack had disguised himself so 
 completely that she did not ajjpear to have the least 
 recollection of him ; however, when he pleaded 
 hunger and poverty, in order to gain admittance, 
 he found it very difficult indeed to persuade her. 
 At last he prevailed, and was concealed in the 
 copper. When the giant returned, he said, furi- 
 ously, " I smell fresh meat ! " But Jack felt quite 
 composed, as he had said so before, and had been 
 soon satisfied. However, the giant started up sud- 
 denly, and, notwithstanding all his wife could say. 
 
 he searched all round the room. 
 Whilst this was going forward 
 Jack was exceedingly terrified, 
 wishing himself at home a thou- 
 sand times ; but when the giant 
 approached the copper, and put 
 his hand upon the lid. Jack 
 thought his death was certain. 
 However, nothing happened ; for tlie giant did 
 not take the trouble to lift up the lid, but sat 
 down shortly by the fireside, and began to eat his 
 enormous supper. When he had finished, he 
 commanded his wife to fetch his harp. Jack 
 peeped under the copper-lid, and saw a most 
 beautiful harp. The giant placed it on the table, 
 said " Play ! " and it played of its own accord, 
 without anybody touching it, the most exquisite 
 music imaginable. Jack, who was a very good 
 
THE HISTORY OF VALENTINE AND ORSON. 
 
 127 
 
 musician, was delighted, and more anxious to get 
 this than any other of his enemy's treasures. But 
 the giant not being particularly fond of music, 
 the harp h»d only the effect of lulling him to sleep 
 earlier than usual. As for the wife, she had gone 
 to bed as soon as ever she could. 
 
 As soon as he thought all was safe, Jack got 
 out of the copper, and seizing the harp, was 
 eagerly running off with it. But the harp was 
 enchanted by a fairy, and as soon as it found itself 
 in strange hands it called out loudly, just as if it 
 had been alive, " Master ! Master ! " 
 
 The giant awoke, started up, and saw Jack 
 scampering away as fast as his legs could carry 
 him. 
 
 " O you villain ! it is you who have robbed me 
 of my hen and my money-bags, and now you are 
 stealing my harp also. Wait till I catch you, and 
 I '11 eat you up alive ! " 
 
 " Very well ; try ! " shouted Jack, who was not 
 a bit afraid, for he saw the giant was so tipsy he 
 could hardly stand, much less run ; and he him- 
 self had young legs and a clear conscience, which 
 
 carry a man a long way. So, after leading the 
 giant a considerable race, he contrived to be first 
 at the top of the bean-stalk, and then scrambled 
 down it as fast as he could, the harp playing all 
 the while the most melancholy music, till he said, 
 " Stop," and it stopped. 
 
 Arrived at the bottom, he found his mother sit- 
 ting at her cottage-door, weeping silently. 
 
 " Here, mother, don't crj^ ; just give me a 
 hatchet ; make haste." For he knew there was 
 not a moment to spare ; he saw the giant begin- 
 ning to descend the bean-stalk. 
 
 The giant was midway when Jack with his 
 hatchet cut the bean-stalk close off at the root ; 
 the monster fell headlong into the garden, and was 
 killed on the spot. 
 
 Instantly the fairy appeared, and explained 
 everything to Jack's mother, begging her to for- 
 give Jack, who was his father's own son for 
 bravery and generosity, and who would be sure to 
 make her happy for the rest of her days. 
 
 So all ended well, and nothing was ever more 
 heard or seen of the wonderful Bean-stalk. 
 
 THE HISTORY OF VALENTINE AND ORSON. 
 
 It stands upon record that Pepin, king of 
 France, had a fair sister named Bellisant, who 
 was married to Alexander, the Emperor of Greece, 
 and by him carried to his capital at Constantino- 
 ple ; from whence, after having lived with great 
 virtue, she was banished through the means of a 
 false accuser, whom she had severely checked for 
 his imprudence. Although she was ill, yet was 
 she compelled to leave her husband's empire, to 
 the great regret of the people, and went away at- 
 tended by a squire named Blandiman. 
 
 After a long and fatiguing journey, she arrived 
 in the forest of Orleans, where, being very faint, 
 she dismissed her attendant for a nurse, but before 
 bis return gave birth to two lovely children, one 
 of which was carried off by a she-bear ; but she, 
 wishing to save it, pursued on her hands and 
 knees, leaving the other behind. Before her re- 
 
 turn. King Pepin, being a-hunting in the forest, 
 came to the tree where she had left the other babe, 
 and causing it to be taken up, sent it to a nurse, 
 and when it grew up he called his name Valen- 
 tine. Blandiman at length came back and instead 
 of finding his mistress, found her brother Pepin at 
 the tree, to whom he declared all that had hap- 
 pened, and how his sister was banished through 
 the false suggestions of the arch-priest. But King 
 Pepin, hearing this, believed the charge, and was 
 greatly enraged against the Lady Bellisant, saying 
 the emperor ought to have put her to death. So 
 leaving Blandiman, he returned with his nobles to 
 Paris. 
 
 The Lady Bellisant, having followed the bear to 
 no purpose, returned to the place where she had 
 left the other babe ; but great was her sorrow 
 when Blandiman said he had seen her brother Pe- 
 
128 
 
 THE BOOK OF POPULAR TALES. 
 
 pin, but could tell uothing of the child ; and hav- 
 ing comforted her for the loss of it, they went to 
 the seaside, took shipping, and arrived at the cas- 
 tle of the great Feragus, in Portugal. 
 
 All this while the bear nourished the infant 
 among her young ones, until at length it grew up 
 a wild, hairy man, doing great mischief to all that 
 passed through the forest; in which we will leave 
 him and return to the arch-priest, who continued 
 his ill-doing until he was impeached by a mer- 
 chant of having wrongfully accused the empress ; 
 upon which they fought, and the merchant con- 
 quering, made the priest confess all his treasons. 
 The emperor wrote about it to the King of France 
 and the arch-priest was lianged. 
 
 Now was Valentine grown a lusty young man, 
 and by the king was greatly beloved, as if he had 
 been his own child ; he commanded him to be 
 taught the use of arms, in which he soon became 
 so expert that few in the court dared to encounter 
 him, which made Hufray and Henx-y, the king's 
 sons, exceedingly envy him. At this juncture 
 great complaints were made against the Wild Man, 
 from wliom no knight who had encountered him 
 had escaped with his life, which made the king- 
 promise a tliousand marks to anj' one who should 
 bring him dead or alive, which offer none dared 
 to accept. Hafray and Henry desired King Pepin 
 to send Valentine, with a view of getting rid of so 
 powerful a rival in the king's favor; but his maj- 
 esty, seeing their malice, was very angrj', telling 
 them he had rather lose the best baron in the land. 
 
 How^ever, Valentine desired leave of his majesty 
 to go to the forest, resolving either to conquer the 
 Wild ]\Ian or die in the attempt. Accordingly, 
 having furnished himself with a good horse and 
 arms, he set forward on his journey, and after hard 
 traveling he arrived in the forest. In the evening 
 he tied his horsp to a large spreading oak, and got 
 up into a tree himself for security, where he rested 
 that night. 
 
 Next morning he beheld the Wild iMan travers- 
 ing the forest in search of his prey ; at length he 
 came to the tree where Valentine's horse stood, 
 from whom he pulled many hairs, upon which the 
 
 horse kicked him. The Wild Man feeling the 
 pain, was going to tear him to pieces, which Val- 
 entine seeing, made signs as if he would fight him, 
 and accordingly he leaped down and gave him a 
 blow, but the Wild Man caught him by the arm 
 and threw him to the ground ; then taking up 
 Valentine's shield, he beheld it with amaze, in re- 
 spect to thecolors thereon emblazoned. Valentine 
 being much bruised, got up and came to his brother 
 in much anger, but Orson ran to a tree, and then 
 they engaged, but both being terribly wounded, 
 gave out by consent ; after which Valentine sig- 
 nified to Orson that if he would yield to him he 
 would order matters so as he sliould become a ra- 
 tional creature. 
 
 Orson, thinking that he meant no harm^ 
 stretched forth his hands to him ; upon which he 
 bound him and then led him to Paris, where he 
 presented him to King Pepin, who had the Wild 
 JMan baptized by the name of Orson, from his be- 
 ing taken in a wood. Orson's actions, during their 
 stay there, very much amused the whole court, so 
 that at length the Duke of Acquitain sent letters 
 importing that whoever should overcome the Green 
 Ivnight, a fierce Pagan champion, should have his 
 daughter Fazon in marriage. Upon which Valen- 
 tine set out for that province, attended by his 
 brother Orson, by which means he came to the 
 knowledge of his parents, as we shall find here- 
 after. 
 
 After a long "journe)', Valentine and Orson ar- 
 rived at Duke Savary's palace in Acquitain, and 
 making known the reasons that brought them 
 there, were presented to Fazon, to whom Valen- 
 tine thus addressed himself: "Sweet creature!' 
 King Pepin has sent me hither to fight the Green 
 Knight, and with me the bravest knight in all his 
 realm, who, though he is dumb and naked, is en- 
 dued with such valor that no knight under the sun 
 is able to cope with him." 
 
 During this speech she viewed Orson narrowly 
 and he her ; but supper coming in, interrupted 
 them, and they sat down to eat. Whilst they 
 were in the midst of their feasting, the Greens 
 Knight entered, saying, — 
 
THE HIS TORT OF VALENTINE AND ORSON. 
 
 129 
 
 " Noble Duke of Acquitain, hast thou any more 
 knights to cope with me for thy daughter ? " 
 
 "Yea," replied the duke, "I have seventeen," 
 and so he showed them to him. The Green 
 Knight then said to them : — 
 
 " Eat your fill, for to-morrow will be your 
 last." 
 
 Orson, hearing what he had said, was much in- 
 censed against him, and suddenly rising from the 
 table, threw the Green Knight with such force 
 against the wall as laid him dead for some time, 
 which very much pleased the whole company. 
 Next day, many knights went to fight the Green 
 Knight, but he overcame and slew them all, until 
 at last Orson, being armed in Valentine's armor, 
 came to the Green Knight's pavilion, and defying 
 him, they began the most desperate combat that 
 ever was heard of, and the Green Knight made 
 so great a stroke at him, as cut off the top* of his 
 helmet, and half his shield, wounding hira much. 
 But this served only to enrage the valiant Orson, 
 who, coming to him on foot, took hold of hiin, 
 and pulling him from liis horse, got astride him, 
 and was just going to kill him, when he was pre- 
 vented by Valentine, who interceded with Orson 
 to spare his life, on condition of his turning 
 Christian, and he acquainted King Pepin how he 
 was conquered. 
 
 The Green Knight having promised to perform 
 all that was desired, they led him a prisoner to 
 the city of Acquitain, and the duke received them 
 with great joy, and offered the Lady Fazon to 
 Orson; but he would not marry her till his brother 
 had won the Green Knight's sister. Lady Cleri- 
 mond, nor till they had talked with the fenchanted 
 Head of Brass, to know his parents, and get the 
 proper use of his tongue. When the lady knew 
 this she was very sorrowful, because she loved 
 Orson, and was resolved to marry none but him 
 who had nobly conquered the Green Knight. 
 
 Valentine and Orson having taken leave of the 
 Duke of Acquitain and his daughter Fazon, pro- 
 ceeded on their journey in search of the Lady 
 Clerimond, and at last came to a tower of bur- 
 nished brass ; which upon inquiry they discovered 
 
 17 
 
 to be kept by Clerimond, sister to Feragus and 
 the Green Knight ; and having demanded entrance 
 were refused it by the sentinel, which provoked 
 Valentine to that degree that he di-ew sword 
 against him with such fury as to make the sentinel 
 fall dead at his feet. 
 
 The Lady Clerimond beheld all this dispute, 
 and, seeing them brave knights, received them 
 courteously. Valentine having presented tokens 
 from the Green Knight, told her he came there 
 for the love of her, and to discourse with the all- 
 knowing Head of Brass concerning their parents. 
 After dinner the Lady Clerimond took them by 
 the hand, and led them to the Chamber of Varie- 
 ties, where the Head was placed between four 
 pillars of pure jasper. When they entered the 
 chamber the Head made the following speech to 
 Valentine : — 
 
 " Thou famous knight of royal extract art called 
 Valentine the Valiant, who of right ought to marry 
 the Lady Clerimond. Thou art son to the Em- 
 peror of Greece and the Empress Bellisant who is 
 now in the castle of Feragus in Portugal, where 
 she has resided for twenty yeai's. King Pepin is 
 thy uncle, and the Wild Man tliy brother. The 
 Empress Bellisant brought ye two forth in the 
 forest of Orleans ; he was taken away by a raven- 
 ous bear; and thou wast taken up by thy uncle 
 Pepin, who brought thee up to man's estate. 
 Moreover, I likewise tell thee that thy brother 
 shall never speak until thou cuttest the thread 
 that groweth under his tongue." 
 
 The Brazen Head having ended his speech, 
 Valentine embraced Orson, and cut the thread 
 which grew under his tongue, when he directly 
 related many surprising things. After which Val- 
 entine married the Lady Clerimond, but not be- 
 fore she had turned a Christian. 
 
 In this castle there lived a dwarf, named Paco- 
 let, who was an enchanter, and by his art had 
 contrived a horse of wood, and in the forehead a 
 fixed pin, by turning of which one could convey 
 one's self to the farthest part of the world. This 
 enchanter flew to Portugal and informed Feragus 
 of his sister's nuptials, and of her turning Chris- 
 
130 
 
 THE BOOK OF POPULAR TALES. 
 
 tian, which so enraged him that he swore by Ma- 
 homet he would make her rue it, and therefore 
 got ready his fleet and sailed toward the castle of 
 Clerimond, where, when he arrived, he concealed 
 his malice from his sister, and also the two knights, 
 telling them that he came to fetch them into 
 Portugal, the better to solemnize their marriage, 
 and he would turn Christian on their arrival at 
 his castle, all which they believed, and soon after 
 embarked with him. When he had got them on 
 board he ordered them to be put in irons, which 
 so much grieved his sister Clerimond that she 
 would have thrown herself into the sea, had she 
 not been stopped. 
 
 When they were come to Portugal he put Val- 
 entine and Orson into a dungeon, and fed them 
 with bread and water, but allowed his sister Cleri- 
 mond the liberty of the castle, where she met the 
 Empress Bellisant, who had been confined twenty 
 years in the castle of Feragus. She seeing her so 
 full of grief, consoled her, inquiring the reason, 
 which she told her. 
 
 The empress was mightily grieved, but Pacolet 
 comforted them, saying that he would release 
 them all that evening, which he accordingly did 
 in the following manner. In the dead of the night 
 he went to the dungeon where lay Valentine and 
 Orson bound in chains, and touching the doors 
 with his magic wand, they flew open, and coming 
 to the knights he released them and conducted 
 them to the apartment where Bellisant and Cleri- 
 mond were, who were exceedingly transported ; 
 but Pacolet hindered them from discoursing long 
 by telling them that they must depart before the 
 guards of Feragus awaked, which would put a 
 stop to his proceedings. So Pacolet led them out 
 of the castle and having prepared a ship, he con- 
 veyed them to Lady Fazon, at the city of Acqui- 
 tain. The next morning when Feragus heard of 
 their escape he was enraged to the highest de- 
 gree. 
 
 The knights and ladies being out of danger 
 soon arrived at Acquitain, to the great joy of 
 Lady Fazon, who was soon after married to Orson 
 with great solemnity, upon which occasion tilts 
 
 and tournaments were performed for many days, 
 but Valentine carried off tlie prize, overthrowing 
 at least a hundred brave knights. 
 
 Feragus, to be revenged on them, assembled an 
 army, marched against the city of Acquitain, and 
 laid close siege to it, with a vast army of Saracens. 
 When Duke Savary perceived it, he resolved to 
 give them battle the very next morning, and ac- 
 cordinglj' he sallied forth with all his forces, but 
 venturing too far, he was taken by the Saracens, 
 and carried to Feragus's tent. 
 
 Now Orson was resolved to set him free or lose 
 his life ; so putting on the armor of a dead Sara- 
 cen, he called Pacolet, and went through the enemy 
 without being molested, until they arrived at the 
 tent where the duke was confined ; which done, 
 they gave him a horse and a road to the Christian 
 army; on their return, a general shout was made 
 by all the army, " Long live the Duke of Acqui- 
 tain," which so dismayed the Saracens that they 
 fled away in confusion, and the Christians pur- 
 sued them, till the night obliged them to give 
 over. 
 
 Soon after the victory, Valentine, Orson, the 
 Ladies Bellisant, Clerimond, and Fazon, after they 
 had taken leave of Duke Savary and his nobles, 
 set out for Constantinople to see the emperor, 
 and were received with great joy. 
 
 At length the emperor set out from Constan- 
 tinople, after taking leave of his family, to visit 
 a strong castle he had in Spain. While he was 
 absent Bi'andifer, brother to Ferngus, invaded the 
 empire with a very great army, and finally be- 
 sieged Constantinople, where lay Valentine and 
 Orson, the Green Knight, and all the ladies. Val- 
 entine, seeing the condition thej^ all were in, re- 
 solved to give Brandifer battle, and thereupon di- 
 vided his armj' into ten battalions commanded by 
 ten knights, and sallying out of the city began the 
 fight with the Saracens, who drew up in readiness 
 to receive them. 
 
 In the mean time the emperor, who was at sea, 
 returned homeward, and in his way he met a fleet 
 going to the assistance of Brandifer, which bore 
 upon him with full sail ; whereupon, exhorting his 
 
THE BISTORT OF VALENTINE AND ORSON. 
 
 121 
 
 companions to behave like men, they made ready 
 to receive them, and after a most bloody and ob- 
 stinate battle the emperor got the victory, having 
 slain many of the Pagans and dispersed their 
 ships. 
 
 After this victory the emperor commanded his 
 men to put on the arms of the vanquished, as he 
 did himself, thinking thereby the better to fall on 
 the besiegers his enemies, but the stratagem proved 
 most fatal to him, as we shall hereafter find. 
 
 All this while the Christians and Valentine 
 bravel}'' encountered Brandifer and his men be- 
 fore the walls of Constantinople, sometimes gain- 
 ing, and sometimes losing, ground ; but at length 
 Valentine came to the standard of Brandifer, 
 where an Indian king ran upon him with great 
 force, but Valentine, avoiding him, struck him 
 with such fury as cleft him down the middle. On 
 the other hand Orson and the Green Knight were 
 not idle, but with their brandished swords cut 
 themselves a passage quite through the Pagan 
 army, destroying all that opposed them. 
 
 Soon after, news came that a mighty fleet of 
 Saracens was entering the harbor; whereupon 
 Valentine judged it was necessary to go thither 
 and oppose their landing, but it proved fatal; for 
 in this fleet was the emperor, his father, whom, 
 being clad in Saracen armor, Valentine by mis- 
 take ran quite through the body with his spear ; 
 which when he knew, he would have killed him- 
 self, had not his brother and the Green Knight 
 prevented him ; but getting a horse, with an in- 
 tent to lose his life, he rushed into the midst of the 
 enemy, till he came to the giant Brandifer, who 
 when he saw Valentine encountered him so 
 fiercely that both fell to the ground ; but Valen- 
 tine? recovering gave him a stab, which sent him 
 after his false prophet Mahomet. 
 
 The Pagans, seeing their king dead, threw down 
 their arms and ran, and the Christians pursued 
 them with a mighty slaughter. At last, the pur- 
 suit being over, they returned to Constantinople, 
 and Orson acquainted the empress with the death 
 of his father, but concealed by whom it was done, 
 
 upon which it was concluded that Valentine and 
 Orson should govern the empire by turns, with 
 their wives, the Ladies Fazon and Clerimond, 
 whose brother, the Green Knight, was crowned 
 King of the Green Mountain, the people of which 
 were much delighted to have so brave a warrior 
 for their king. 
 
 Now Valentine being greatly vexed in mind for 
 the death of his father, whom he had killed out of 
 a mistake, resolved to make a pilgrimage to the 
 Holy Sepulchre ; and thereupon taking leave of 
 his wife Clerimond, and giving the government of 
 the empire unto his brother, he departed, to the 
 great sorrow of all, particularly his brother Orson, 
 and the fair Clerimond. After seven years' ab- 
 sence he returned, dressed like a poor palmer, beg- 
 ging victuals at the gate of his own palace ; and 
 at length being sick and about to die, he called 
 for Clerimond and made himself known to her, at 
 which she was ready to give up the ghost. 
 
 At last, having recommended her to his broth- 
 er's care, and the empress, his dear mother, and 
 asking a blessing of them, he turned on one side 
 and breathed out his noble soul from his illustri- 
 ous body, to the great grief of all the valiant 
 knights of Christendom, to whom he had been a 
 most noble example and a generous reliever. 
 Clerimond never would espouse any one, but be- 
 took her to a single life, always lamenting the loss 
 of her beloved husband. 
 
 After his death, Orson governed the empire 
 with great wisdom and justice for seven years, till 
 at length, seeing the fragile state of human affairs, 
 he gave the charge of his empire, wife, and chil- 
 dren to the Green Knight, and then, turning her- 
 mit, he became once more a voluntary dweller in 
 the forests and woods, where, after living to a 
 great age, this magnanimous and invincibhi hero 
 surrendered up his body unto never-sparing death, 
 and his soul to the immortal God, of whose attri- 
 bute it had a true resemblance. 
 
 Thus, reader, you may see that none withstand. 
 Though great in valor, or in vast command. 
 The mighty force of death's all conquering hand. 
 
132 
 
 THE BOOK OF POPULAR TALES. 
 
 CLEVER ALICE. 
 
 Once upon a time there was a man who had a 
 daughter, who was called " Clever Alice ; " and 
 when she was grown up her father said, " We 
 must see about her marrying." 
 
 "Yes," replied her mother, " whenever a 3'oung 
 man shall appear who is worthy of her." 
 
 At last a certain youth, by name Hans, came 
 from a distance to make a proposal of marriage ; 
 but he required one condition, that the Clever 
 Alice should be very prudent. 
 
 " Oh," said her father, " no fear of that ! she 
 has got a head full of brains ; " and the mother 
 added, " Ah, she can see the wind blow up the 
 street, and hear the flies cough I " 
 
 " Very well," replied Hans ; " but remember, if 
 she is not very prudent I will not take her." 
 Soon afterwards they sat down to dinner, and her 
 mother said, " Alice, go down into the cellar and 
 draw some beer." 
 
 So Clever Alice took the jug down from the 
 wall, and went into the cellar, jerking the lid up 
 and down on her way, to pass away the time. As 
 soon as she got down-stairs, she drew a stool and 
 placed it before the cask, in order that she might 
 not have to stoop, for she thought stooping might 
 in some way injure her back, and give it an un- 
 desirable bend. Then she placed the can before 
 her and turned the tap, and while the beer was 
 running, as she did not wish her eyes to be idle, 
 she looked about upon the wall above and be- 
 low. 
 
 Presently she perceived, after much peeping 
 into this corner and that corner, a hatchet, which 
 the bricklayers had left behind, sticking out of 
 the ceiling right above her head. At the sight of 
 this Clever Alice began to cry, saying, " Oli ! if I 
 marry Hans, and we have a child, and he grows 
 up, and we send him into tlie cellar to draw beer, 
 the hatchet will fall upon his head and kill him ; " 
 and so she sat there weeping with all her might 
 over the impending misfortune. 
 Meanwhile the good folks up-stairs were waiting 
 
 for the beer, but as Clever Alice did not come, nei 
 mother told the maid to go and see what she was 
 stopping for. The maid went down into the cel- 
 lar, and found Alice sitting before the cask crying 
 heartily, and she asked, " Alice, what are you 
 weeping about ? " 
 
 "Ah," she replied, "have I not cause? If I 
 marry Hans, and we have a child, and he grows 
 up, and we send him here to draw beer, that 
 hatchet will fall upon his head and kill him." 
 
 " Oh," said the maid, " what a clever Alice we 
 have ! " And, sitting down, she began to weep, 
 too, for the misfortune that was to happen. 
 
 After a while, when the servant did not return, 
 the good folks above began to feel very thirsty ; so 
 the husband told the boy to go down into the cel- 
 lar, and see what had become of Alice and the 
 maid. The boy went down, and there sat Clever 
 Alice and the maid both crying, so he asked the 
 reason ; and Alice told him the same tale, of the 
 hatchet that was to fall on her child, if she mar- 
 ried Hans, and if they had a child. When she 
 had finished, the boy exclaimed, " What a clever 
 Alice we have ! " and fell weeping and howling 
 with the others. 
 
 Up-stairs they were still waiting, and the hus- 
 band said, when the boy did not return, " Do you 
 go down, wife, into the cellar and see why Alice 
 stays so long." So she went down, and finding all 
 three sitting there crying, asked the reason, and 
 Alice told her about the hatchet which must inevi- 
 tably fall upon the head of her son. Then the 
 mother likewise exclaimed, " Oh, what a clever 
 Alice we have ! " and, sitting down, began to weep 
 as mucli as any of the rest. 
 
 Meanwhile the husband waited for his wife's re- 
 turn ; but at last he felt so very thirsty that he 
 said, "I must go myself down into the cellar and 
 see what is keeping our Alice." As soon as he 
 entered the cellar, there he found the four sitting 
 and crying together, and wJien he heard the rea- 
 son, he also exclaimed, " Oh, what a clever Alice 
 
CLEVER ALICE. 
 
 133 
 
 we have ! " and sat down to cry with the whole 
 strength of his lungs. 
 
 All this time the bridegroom above sat waiting, 
 but when nobody returned, he thought they must 
 be waiting for him, and so he went down to see 
 what was the matter. When he entered, there 
 sat the five crying and groaning, each one in a 
 louder key than his neighbor. 
 
 " What misfortune has happened ? " he asked. 
 
 " Ah, dear Hans ! " cried Alice, " if you and I 
 should marry one another, and have a child, and 
 he should grow up, and we, perhaps, send him 
 down to this cellar to tap the beer, the hatchet 
 which has been left sticking up there may fall on 
 his head, and so kill him ; and do you not think 
 this is enough to weep about ? " 
 
 " Now," said Hans, " more prudence than this 
 is not necessary for my housekeeping ; because you 
 are such a clever Alice, I will have you for my 
 wife." And, taking her hand, he led her home, 
 and celebrated the wedding directly. 
 
 After they had been married a little while, 
 Hans said one morning, " Wife, I will go oat to 
 work and earn some money ; do you go into the 
 field and gather some corn wherewith to make 
 bread." 
 
 " Yes," she answered, " I will do so, dear HanS." 
 And when he was gone, she cooked herself a nice 
 mess of pottage to take with her. As she came 
 to the field she said to herself, " What shall I do ? 
 Shall I cut first, or eat first ? Ay, I will eat first ! " 
 Then she ate up the contents of her pot, and when 
 it was finished she thought to herself, "Now, 
 shall I reap first or sleep first ? Well, I think I 
 will have a nap ! " and so she laid herself down 
 amongst the corn, and went to sleep. 
 
 Meanwhile Hans returned home, but Alice did 
 not come, and so he said, " Oh, what a prudent 
 Alice I have ! She is so industrious that she does 
 not even come home to eat anything." By and 
 by, however, evening came on, and still she did 
 not return ; so Hans went out to see how much 
 she had reaped ; but, behold, nothing at all, and 
 there lay Alice fast asleep among the corn ! So 
 home he ran very fast, and brought a net with 
 little bells hanging on it, which he threw over her 
 head while she still slept on. When he had done 
 this, he went back again and shut the house-door, 
 and, seating himself on his stool, began working 
 very industriously. 
 
 At last, when it was nearly dark, the Clever 
 Alice awoke, and as soon as she stood up, the net 
 fell all over her hair, and the bells jingled at every 
 step she took. This quite frightened her, and 
 she began to doubt whether she were really Clever 
 Alice, and said to herself, " Am I she, or am I 
 not ? " This was a question she could not answer, 
 and she stood still a long while considering about 
 it. At last she thought she would go home and 
 ask whether she were really herself — supposing 
 somebody would be able to tell her. When she 
 came to the house-door it was shut ; so she tapped 
 at the window, and asked, " Hans, is Alice with- 
 in ? " " Yes," he replied, " she is." At which an- 
 swer she became really terrified, and exclaiming, 
 " Ah, heaven, then I am not Alice ! " she ran up 
 to another house, intending to ask the same ques- 
 tion. But as soon as the folks within heard the 
 jingling of the bells in her net, they refused to 
 open their doors, and nobody would receive her. 
 So she ran straight away from the village, and no 
 one has ever seen her since. 
 
THE BOOK OF STORIES IN VERSE. 
 
 THE CHILDREN IN THE WOOD. 
 
 Now ponder well, you parents dear, 
 These words which I shall write ; 
 
 A doleful story you shall hear, 
 In time brought forth to light. 
 
 A gentleman of good account 
 In Norfolk dwelt of late, 
 
 Who did in honor far surmount 
 Most men of his estate. 
 
 Sore sick he was, and like to die. 
 No help his life could save ; 
 
 His wife by him as sick did lie. 
 And both possessed one grave 
 
 No love between these two was lost. 
 
 Each was to other kind ; 
 In love they lived, in love they died. 
 
 And left two babes behind. 
 
 The one, a fine and pretty boy, 
 Not passing three years old ; 
 
 The other, a girl more young than he. 
 And framed in beauty's mold. 
 
 The father left his little son. 
 As plainly doth appear. 
 
 When he to perfect age should come, 
 Three huudred pounds a year. 
 
 And to his little daughter Jane, 
 
 Five hundred pounds in gold. 
 To be paid down on her marriage-day, 
 
 Which might not be controlled : 
 But if the children chanced to die 
 
 Ere they to age should come, 
 Their uncle should possess their wealth ; 
 
 For so the will did run. 
 
 " Now, brother," said the dying man, 
 
 '' Look to my children dear ; 
 Be good unto my boy and girl. 
 
 No friends else have they here : 
 To God and you I recommend 
 
 My children dear this day ; 
 But little while be sure we have 
 
 Within this world to stay. 
 
 " You must be father and mother both, 
 And uncle all in one ; 
 God knows what will become of them, 
 
 When I am dead and gone." 
 With that bespake their mother dear, 
 "0 brother kind," quoth she, 
 " You are the man must bring our babes 
 To wealth or misery. 
 
 " And if you keep them carefully, 
 Then God will you reward ; 
 
 But if you otherwise should deal, 
 God will your deeds regard." 
 
 With lips as cold as any stone. 
 They kissed their children small : 
 
THE CHILDREN IN THE WOOD. 
 
 136 
 
 "God bless you both, my children 
 dear ; " 
 With that their tears did fall. 
 
 These speeches then their brother 
 spake 
 To this sick couple there : 
 " The keeping of your little ones, 
 Sweet sister, do not fear. 
 God never prosper me nor mine, 
 
 Nor aught else that I have, 
 If I do wrong your children dear 
 When you are laid in grave." 
 
 The parents being dead and gone, 
 
 The children home he takes, 
 And brings them straight unto his house, 
 
 Where much of them he makes. 
 He had not kept these pretty babes 
 
 A twelvemonth and a day, 
 But, for their wealth, he did devise 
 
 To make them both away. 
 
 He bargained with two riifBans strong 
 
 Which were of furious mood. 
 That they should take these children young 
 
 And slay them in a wood. 
 
 He told his wife an artful tale : 
 
 He would the children send 
 To be brought up in fair London, 
 
 With one that was his friend. 
 
 Away then went those pretty babes. 
 
 Rejoicing at that tide, 
 Rejoicing with a merry mind. 
 
 Tliey should on cock-liorbfc ride. 
 They prate and piattle pleasantly. 
 
 As they rode on the way, 
 To those that should their butchers bej 
 
 And work their lives' decay. 
 
 So that the pretty speech they had. 
 
 Made murder's heart relent : 
 And they that undertook the deed 
 
 Full sore did now repent. 
 Yet one of them, more hard of heart. 
 
 Did vow to do his charge. 
 Because the wretch that hired him 
 
 Had paid him very large. 
 
 The other won't agree thereto. 
 
 So here they fall to strife ; 
 With one another they did fight 
 
 About the children's life : 
 And he that was of mildest mood. 
 
 Did slay the other there. 
 Within an unfrequented wood : 
 
 The babes did quake for fear ! 
 
 He took the children by the hand, 
 
 Tears standing in their eye, 
 And bade them straightway follow him, 
 
 And look they did not cry ; 
 And two long miles he led them on, 
 
 While they for food complain : 
 " Stay here," quoth he, " I '11 bring you bread. 
 
 When I come back again." 
 
 These pretty babes, with hand in hand, 
 Went wandering up and down ; 
 
 But never more could see the man 
 Approaching from the town : 
 
 Their pretty lips with blackberries 
 Were all besmeared and dyed. 
 
136 
 
 THE BOOK OF STORIES IN VERSE. 
 
 And when they saw the darksome night, 
 They sat them down and cried. 
 
 Thus wandered these poor innocents 
 
 Till death did end their grief, 
 In one another's arms they died. 
 
 As wanting due relief: 
 No burial this pretty pair 
 
 Of any man receives. 
 Till Robin Redbreast piously 
 
 Did cover them with leaves. 
 
 MARY'S LAMB. 
 
 Marv had a little lamb, 
 
 Its fleece was white as snow ; 
 
 And everywhere that Mary went. 
 The lamb was sure to go. 
 
 He followed her to school one day, — ■ 
 That was against the rule ; 
 
 It made the children laugh and play. 
 To see a lamb at school. 
 
 And now the heavy wrath of God 
 
 Upon their uncle fell ; 
 Yea, fearful fiends did haunt his house. 
 
 His conscience felt an hell : 
 His barns were fired, his goods consumed. 
 
 His lands were barren made, 
 His cattle died within the field, 
 
 And nothing with him stayed. 
 
 And in the voyage to Portugal 
 
 Two of his sons did die ; 
 And, to conclude, himself was brought 
 
 To want and misery. 
 He pawned and mortgaged all his land 
 
 Ere seven years came about. 
 And now at length this wicked act 
 
 Did by this means come out : 
 
 The fellow that did take in hand 
 
 These children for to kill. 
 Was for a robbery judged to die. 
 
 Such was God's blessed will. 
 Who did confess the very truth. 
 
 As here hath been displayed : 
 Their uncle having died in gaol, 
 
 Where he for debt was laid. 
 
 You that executors be made, 
 
 And overseers eke 
 Of children that be fatherless. 
 
 And ii)fanta mild and meek ; 
 Take you example by this thing, 
 
 And yield to each his right, 
 Lest God with such like misery 
 
 Your wicked minds requite. 
 
 Old Ballad. 
 
 So the teacher turned him out. 
 
 But still he lingered near. 
 And waited patiently about, 
 
 Till Mary did appear. 
 
 Then he ran to her, and laid 
 
 His head upon her arm. 
 As if he said, " I 'm not afraid, — 
 
 You '11 keep me from all harm." 
 
 " What makes the lamb love Mary so ? " 
 
 The eager children cry. 
 "Oh, Mary loves the lamb, 5'ou know," 
 
 The teacher did reply. 
 
 Mrs. Hale. 
 
 THE SPIDER AND HIS WIFE. 
 
 In a little dark crack, half a yard from the ground. 
 
 An honest old spider resided: 
 So pleasant and snug, and convenient 'twas found. 
 That his friends came to see it for many miles round 
 
 It seemed for his pleasure provided. 
 
 Of the cares, and fatigues, and distresses of life, > 
 
 This spider was thoroughly tired : 
 So leavinn those scenes of contention and strife, 
 (His children all settled) he came with his wife. 
 
 To live in this cranny retired. 
 
 He thought that the little his wife would consume, 
 
 'T would be easy for him to provide her, 
 Forgetting he lived in a gentleman's room. 
 Where came every morning a maid and a broom. 
 Those pitiless foes to a spider. 
 
THE CHILDREN IN THE WOOD 
 
THE NOTORIOUS GLUTTON. 
 
 137 
 
 For when (as sometimes it would chance to befall) 
 
 Just when his neat web was completed, 
 Brush — came the great broom do.wn the side of the 
 
 wall, 
 And perhaps carried with it, web, spider, and all. 
 
 He thought himself cruelly treated. 
 
 One day, when their cupboard was empty and dry. 
 
 His wife (Mrs. Hairy-leg Spinner) 
 Said to him, " Dear, go to the cobweb and try. 
 If you can't find the leg or the wing of a fly, 
 
 As a bit of a relish for dinner.'' 
 
 Directly he went, his long search to resume, 
 
 (For nothing he ever denied her) 
 Alas ! little guessing his terrible doom ; 
 Just then came the gentleman into his room, 
 
 And saw the unfortunate spider. 
 
 So, while the poor fellow, in search of his pelf. 
 
 In the cobwebs continued to linger. 
 The gentleman reached a long cane from the shelf 
 i^For certain good reasons best known to himself 
 
 Preferring his stick to his finger) — 
 
 Then presently poking him down to the floor, 
 
 (Not stopping at all to considei') 
 With one horrid crush the whole business was o'er. 
 The poor little spider was heard of no more, 
 
 To the lasting distress of his widow ! 
 
 Jane Taylor. 
 
 THE NOTORIOUS GLUTTON. 
 
 A DUCK, who had got such a habit of stuffing, 
 That all the day long she was panting and puffing; 
 And by every creature, who did her great crop see, 
 Was thought to be galloping fast for a dropsy ; 
 
 One day, after eating a plentiful dinner. 
 
 With full twice as much as there should have been in 
 
 her. 
 While up to her eyes in the gutter a roking. 
 Was greatly alarmed by the symptoms of choking. 
 
 Now there was an old fellow, much famed for discerning 
 (A drake, who had taken a liking for learning), 
 
 18 
 
 And, high in repute with his feathery friends, 
 
 Was called Doctor Drake ; — for this doctor she sends 
 
 In a hole of the dunghill was Doctor Drake's shop. 
 Where he kept a few simples for curing the crop ; 
 Some gravel and pebbles, to help the digestion. 
 And certain famed plants of the doctor's selection. 
 
 So, taking a handful of comical things. 
 And brushing his topple and pluming his wings, 
 And putting his feathers in apple-pie order. 
 Set out, to prescribe for the lady's disorder. 
 
 " Dear sir,'' said the duck, with a delicate quack, 
 Just turning a little way round -on her back. 
 And leaning her head on a stone in the yard, 
 
 " My case. Doctor Drake, is exceedingly hard. 
 
 "■ I feel so distended with wind, and opprest. 
 So squeamish and faint — ^such a load at my chest ; 
 And, day after day, I assure you it is hard 
 To suffer with patience these pains in my gizzard." 
 
 " Give me leave," said the doctor, with medical look. 
 As her flabby cold paw in his fingers he took ; 
 
 " By the feel of your pulse — your complaint, I 've been 
 thinking 
 Is caused by your habit of eating and drinking." 
 
 " Oh no, sir, believe me," the lady replied 
 (Alarmed for her stomach as well as her pride), 
 
 " I am sure it arises from nothing I eat. 
 For I rather suspect I got wet in my feet. 
 
 "I've only been raking a bit in the gutter, 
 Where the cook had been pouring some cold meited 
 
 butter ; 
 And a slice of green cabbage, and scraps of cold 
 
 meat. 
 Just a trifle or two, that I thought I could eat." 
 
 The doctor was just to his business proceeding, 
 By gentle emetics, a blister, and bleeding, 
 When all on a sudden she rolled on her side, 
 Gave a horrible quackle, a struggle, and died ! 
 
 Her remains were interred in a neighboring swamp 
 By her friends, with a great deal of funeral pomp ; 
 
138 
 
 THE BOOK OF STORIES IN VERSE. 
 
 But I 've heard this inscription her tombstone was put 
 on, 
 "Here lies Mrs. Ddck, the notorious glutton:" 
 And all the young ducklings are brought by their 
 
 friends, 
 To learn the disgrace in which gluttony ends. 
 
 Jane Taylor. 
 
 Nor once did she lack to continue her clack. 
 Till again she laid down on her pillow. 
 
 You '11 think now, perhaps, there would have been gaps, 
 
 If she had n't been wonderful clever ; 
 That her sense was so great, and so witty her pate 
 
 That it would be forthcoming forever. 
 
 DIRTY JACK. 
 
 There was one little Jack, not very long back. 
 
 And 'tis said to his lasting disgrace, 
 That he never was seen with his bands at all clean, 
 
 Nor yet ever clean was his face. 
 
 His friends were much hurt to see so much dirt, 
 
 And often and well did they scour : 
 But all was in vain, he was dirty again 
 
 Before thev had done it an hour. 
 
 But that 's quite absurd, for have you not heard, 
 Much tongue and few brains are connected. 
 
 That they are supposed to think least who talk most, 
 .And their wisdom is always suspected? 
 
 While Lucy was young, had she bridled her tongue 
 
 With a little good sense and exertion. 
 Who knows but she might have been our delight. 
 
 Instead of our jest and aversion ? 
 
 Jane Taylor. 
 
 When to wash he was sent, he reluctantly went, 
 
 With water to splash himself o'er, 
 But he left the black streaks all over his cheeks, 
 
 And made them look worse than before. 
 
 The pigs in the dirt couldn't be more expert 
 
 Than he was, at grubbing about ; 
 And the people have thought, this gentleman ought 
 
 To be made with four legs and a snout. 
 
 The idle and bad may, like to this lad, 
 
 Be dirty and black, to be sure. 
 But good boys are seen to be decent and clean, 
 
 Although they are ever so poor. 
 
 Jane Taylor. 
 
 THE CHATTERBOX. 
 
 From morning to night 'twas Lucy's delight 
 To chatter and talk without stopping ; 
 
 There was not a day but she rattled away. 
 Like water forever a dropping ! 
 
 As soon as she rose, while she put on her clothes, 
 'T was vain to endeavor to still her ; 
 
 MEDDLESOME MATTY. 
 
 Oh, how one ugly trick has spoiled 
 
 The sweetest and the best ! 
 Matilda, though a pleasant child. 
 
 One ugly trick possest. 
 Which, like a cloud before the skies, 
 Hid all her better qualities. 
 
 Sometimes she'd lift the tea-pot lid, 
 
 To peep at what was in it ; 
 Or tilt the kettle, if you did 
 
 But turn your back a minute. 
 In vain you told her not to touch, 
 Her trick of meddling grew so much. 
 
 Her grandmamma went out one day. 
 
 And by mistake she laid 
 Her spectacles and suufF-box gay 
 
 Too near the little maid : 
 Ah, well I thought she. I '11 try them on. 
 As soon as grandmamma is gone. 
 
 Forthwith she placed upon her nose 
 
 The glasses large and wide ; 
 And looking round, as I suppose. 
 
 The snuff-box too she spied. 
 
NEVER PLAT WITH FIRE. 
 
 139 
 
 Oh, what a pretty box is this ! 
 I '11 open it, said little miss. 
 
 I know that grandmamma would say, 
 
 Don't meddle with it, dear ! 
 But then, she 's far enough away, 
 
 And no one else is near ; 
 Besides, what can there be amiss 
 In opening such a box as this ? 
 
 So thumb and finger went to work 
 
 To move the stubborn lid ; 
 And presently a mighty jerk 
 
 The mighty mischief did ; 
 For, all at once, ah woeful case ! 
 The snufF came puffing in her face. 
 
 Poor eyes, and nose, and mouth, and chilli 
 
 A dismal sight presented ; 
 And, as the suu£E got farther in. 
 
 Sincerely she repented. 
 In vain she ran about for ease. 
 She could do nothing else but sneeze ! 
 
 She dashed the spectacles away 
 
 To wipe her tingling eyes ; 
 And as in twenty bits they lay. 
 
 Her grandmamma she spies. 
 Heyday ! and what 's the matter now ? 
 Cried grandmamma, with lifted brow. 
 
 Matilda, smarting with the pain. 
 
 And tingling still, and sore. 
 Made many a promise to refrain 
 
 From meddling evermore ; 
 And 't is a fact, as I have heard, 
 She ever since has kept her word. 
 
 Jane Tatlob. 
 
 THE PIN. 
 
 Deak me ! what signifies a pin. 
 Wedged in a rotten board ? 
 
 I 'm certain that I won't begin. 
 At ten years old, to hoard ! 
 
 I never will be called a miser. 
 
 That I'm determined, said Eliza. 
 
 So onward tript the little maid, 
 
 And left the pin behind, 
 Which very snug and quiet laid, 
 
 To its hard fate resigned ; 
 Nor did she think (a careless chit) 
 'T was worth her while to stoop for it. 
 
 Next day a party was to ride 
 
 To see an air balloon ; 
 And all the company beside 
 
 Were dressed and ready soon ; 
 But she a woeful case was in. 
 For want of just a single pin ! 
 
 In vain her eager eye she brings 
 
 To every darksome crack. 
 There was not one ! and all her things 
 
 Were dropping off her back. 
 She cut her pincushion in two. 
 But no ! not one had slidden through. 
 
 At last, as hunting on the floor 
 
 Over a crack she lay, 
 The carriage rattled to the door, 
 
 Then rattled fast away ; 
 But poor Eliza was not in. 
 For want of just — a single pin. 
 
 There's hardly anything so small, 
 
 So trifling, or so mean. 
 That we may never want at all. 
 
 For service unforeseen ; 
 And willful waste, depend upon 't. 
 Is, almost always, willful want ! 
 
 Jane TatloKc 
 
 NEVEE PLAY WITH FIRE. 
 
 Mt prayers I said, I went to bed. 
 
 And soon I fell asleep : 
 But soon I woke, my sleep was broke, 
 
 I through my curtain peep. 
 
 I heard a noise of men and boys. 
 
 The watchman's rattle too ; 
 And FIRE they cried — and then cried I, 
 
 Oh dear ! what shall I do ? 
 
140 
 
 THE BOOK OF STORIES IN VERSE. 
 
 A shout so loud came from the crowd 
 
 Around, above, below ; 
 And in the street the neighbors meet. 
 
 Who would the matter know. 
 
 Now down the stairs run threes and pairs 
 
 Enough to break their bones ; 
 The firemen swear, the engines tear 
 
 And thunder o'er the stones. 
 
 The roof and wall, and stair and all, 
 
 And rafteis tumble in ; 
 Red flames and blaze now all amaze, 
 
 And make a dreadful din ! 
 
 And horrid screams, when bricks and beams 
 
 Come tumbling on their heads ; 
 And some are smashed, and some are crashed ; 
 
 Some leap on feather beds. 
 
 Some burn, some choke with fire and smoke ! 
 
 And oh, what \v;is the cause ? 
 My heart 's dismayed, last night I played 
 
 With Tommy, lightiug straws ! 
 
 Adelaide Taylor. 
 
 THE POND. 
 
 Now standing tail upwards, now diving below ; 
 She thought of all things she should like to do so 
 
 So this foolish chicken began to declare, 
 " I 've really a great mind to venture in there ; 
 My mother 's oft told me I must not go nigh, 
 But really, for my part, I cannot tell why. 
 
 " Ducks have feathers and wings, and so have I too- 
 And my feet — what's the reason that they will not do? 
 Though my beak is pointed, and their beaks are round, 
 Is that any reason that I should be drowned ? 
 
 " So why should not I swim as well as a duck ? 
 
 Suppose that I venture and e'en try my luck ? 
 
 •For," said she, spite of all that her mother had taught 
 her, 
 " I 'm I'eally remarkably fond of the water." 
 
 So in this poor ignorant animal flew. 
 
 And found that her dear mother's cautions were true ; 
 
 She splashed, and she dashed, and she turned herself 
 
 round. 
 And heartily wished herself safe on the ground. 
 
 But now 't was too late to begin to repent. 
 The harder she struugled the deeper she went ; 
 And when every effort she vainly had tried. 
 She slowly sank down to the bottom and died ! 
 
 There was a round pond, and a pretty pond too. 
 About it white daisies and buttercups grew, 
 And dark weeping willows, that stooped to the ground, 
 Dipped in their long branches and shaded it round. 
 
 A party of ducks to this pond would repair, 
 
 To feast on the green water-weeds that grew there ; 
 
 Indeed the assemldy would frequently meet 
 
 To talk o'er aflfairs in this pleasant retreat. 
 
 Now the subjects, on which they were wont to con- 
 verse, 
 I 'm sorry I cannot include in my verse ; 
 For though I 've oft listened in hopes of discerning, 
 I own 't is a matter that baffles my learning. 
 
 One day a young chicken, who lived thereabout, 
 Stood watching to see the ducks pass in and out ; 
 
 The ducks, I perceived, began loudly to quack. 
 When tliey saw the poor fowl floating dead on its bac- 
 And by their grave looks, it was very apparent. 
 They discoursed on the sin of not mindiiii; a parent. 
 
 Jane Tayloe. 
 
 THE COW AND THE ASS. 
 
 Hard by a green meadow a stream used to flow. 
 So clear, one might see the white pebbles below ; 
 To this cooling stream the warm cattle would stray, 
 To stand in the shade on a hot summer's day. 
 
 A cow, quite oppressed with the heat of the sun. 
 Came here to refresh, as she often had done ; 
 And standing stock still, leaning over the stream, 
 Was musing, perhaps, or perhaps she might dream. 
 
NOSE AND EYES. 
 
 141 
 
 But soon a brown ass, of respectable look, 
 Came trotting up also to taste of the brook. 
 And to nibble a few of the daisies and grass ; 
 " How d' ye do ? " said the cow ; " How d' ye do ? " 
 said the ass. 
 
 " Take a seat," cried the cow, gently waving her hand ; 
 " By no means, dear madam,'' said he, " while you 
 stand ; " 
 Then stooping to di-ink, with a complaisant bow, 
 " Ma'am, your health," said the ass ; " thank you, sir," 
 said the cow. 
 
 When a few of these compliments more had been past. 
 They laid themselves down on the herbage at last ; 
 And, waiting politely, as gentlemen must, 
 The ass held his tongue, that the cow might speak first. 
 
 Then with a deep sigh, she directly began, 
 " Don't you think, Mr. Ass, we 're injured by man ? 
 'T is a subject that lays with a weight ou my mind : 
 "We certainly are much oppressed by mankind. 
 
 " Now what is the reason (I see none at all) 
 That I always must go when Suke chooses to call ; 
 Whatever I 'm doing ('t is certainly hard) 
 At once I must go to be milked in the yard. 
 
 " I 've no will of my own, but must do as they please. 
 And give them my milk to make butter and cheese : 
 I 've often a vast mind to knock down the pail. 
 Or give Sake a box on the ear with my tail." 
 
 " But, ma'am," said the ass, " not presuming to teach — 
 Oh dear, I beg pardon — pray finish your speech ; 
 I thought you had done, ma'am, indeed," said the 
 swain, 
 
 " Go on, and I '11 not interrupt you again." 
 
 " Why, sir, I was only a going to observe, 
 I 'm resolved that these tyrants no longer I '11 serve : 
 But leave them forever to do as they please, 
 And look somewhere else for their butter and cheese." 
 
 Ass waited a moment, to see if she 'd done, 
 And then, " not presuming to teach," he began ; 
 " With submission, dear madam, to your better wit, 
 I own I am not quite convinced of it yet. 
 
 ' That you 're of great service to them is quite true, 
 But surely they are of some service to you ; 
 'T is their nice green pasture in which you regale, 
 They feed you in winter when grass and weeds fail. 
 
 'T is under their shelter you snugly repose, 
 
 When without it, dear ma'am, you perhaps might be 
 
 froze. 
 For my part, I know, I receive much from man. 
 And for him, in return, I do all that I can." 
 
 The cow upon this cast her eye on the grass. 
 Not pleased at thus being reproved by an ass ; 
 Yet, thought she, " I 'm determined I '11 benefit by 't, 
 For I really believe the fellow is right." 
 
 Jane Tatlok. 
 
 NOSE AND EYES. 
 
 Between Nose and Eyes a strange contest arose ; 
 
 The spectacles set them unhappily wrong ; 
 The point in dispute was, as all the world knows. 
 
 To which the said spectacles ought to belong. 
 
 So the Tongue was the lawyer, and argued the cause 
 With a great deal of skill, and a wig full of learn- 
 ing ; 
 
 While Chief-justice Ear sat to balance the laws. 
 So famed for his talent in nicely discerning. 
 
 " In behalf of the Nose, it will quickly appear. 
 
 And your lordship," he said, " will undoubtedly 
 find. 
 That the Nose has had spectacles always in wear, — 
 Which amounts to possession time out of mind." 
 
 Then holding the spectacles up to the court, — 
 
 " Your lordship observes they are made with a 
 straddle 
 
 As wide as the ridge of the Nose is ; in short. 
 Designed to sit close to it, just like a saddle. 
 
 " Again, would your lordship a moment suppose 
 
 ('T is a case that has happened, and maj' be again) 
 That the visage or countenance had not a Nose, 
 Pray who would or who could wear spectacles 
 then? 
 
142 
 
 THE BOOK OF STORIES IN VERSE. 
 
 '■ On the whole it appears, and my argument shows, 
 With a reasoning the court will never condemn, 
 That the spectacles plainly were made for the Nose, 
 And the Nose was as plainly intended for them." 
 
 Then, shifting his side, as a lawyer knows how. 
 He pleaded again in behalf of the Eyes ; 
 
 But what were his arguments few people know. 
 For the court did not think they were equally wise. 
 
 So his lordship decreed, with a grave, solemn tone. 
 Decisive and clear, without one if or hut, — 
 
 That whenever the Nose put his spectacles on. 
 By daylight or candle-light. Eyes should be shut. 
 
 William Cowper. 
 
 THE WIND IN A FROLIC. 
 
 The wind one morning sprang up from sleep. 
 
 Saying, " Now for a frolic ! now for a leap ! 
 
 Now for a madcap galloping chase ! 
 
 I '11 make a commotion in every place ! " 
 
 So it swept with a bustle right through a great town. 
 
 Creaking the signs, and scattering down 
 
 Shutters, and whisking, with merciless squalls. 
 
 Old women's bonnets and gingerbread stalls. 
 
 There never was heard a much lustier shout, 
 
 As the apples and oranges tumbled about ; 
 
 And the urchins, that stand with their thievish eyes 
 
 Forever on watch, ran off each with a prize. 
 
 Then away to the fields it went blustering and hum- 
 ming. 
 And the cattle all wondered whatever was coming. 
 It plucked by their tails the grave, matronly cows. 
 And tossed the colts' manes all about their brows, 
 Till, offended at such a familiar salute, 
 They all turned their backs and stood silently mute. 
 So on it went, capering and playing its pranks ; 
 Whistling with reeds on the broad river banks ; 
 Puffing the birds, ;is they sat on the spray. 
 Or the traveler grave on the king's highway. 
 It was not too nice to bustle the bags 
 Of the beggar, and flutter his dirty rags. 
 'T was so bold that it feared not to play its joke 
 With the doctor's wig, and the gentleman's cloak. 
 Through the forest it roared, and cried gayly, " Now, 
 You sturdy old oaks, I '11 make you bow ! " 
 
 And it made them bow without more ado. 
 
 Or it cracked their great branches through and thron^h. 
 
 Then it rushed like a monster o'er cottage' and farm, 
 Striking their inmates with sudden alarm ; 
 And they ran out like bees in a midsummer swarm. 
 There were dames with their kerchiefs tied over their 
 
 caps, 
 To see if their poultry were free from mishaps ; 
 The turkeys they gobbled, the geese screamed aloud. 
 And the hens crept to roost in a terrified crowd ; 
 There was rearing of ladders, and logs laying on. 
 Where the thatch from the roof threatened soon to be 
 gone. 
 But the wind had passed on, and had met in a lane 
 With a school-boy, who panted and struggled in vain, 
 For it tossed him, and twirled him, then passed, and ha 
 
 stood 
 With his hat in a pool, and his shoe in the mud. 
 
 William Howitt. 
 
 THE DIVERTING HISTORY OF JOHN 
 GILPIN. 
 
 John Gilpin was a citizen 
 
 Of credit and renown, 
 A train-hand captain eke was he 
 
 Of famous London Town. 
 
 John Gilpin's spouse said to her dear, 
 " Though wedded we have been 
 
 These twice ten tedious years, yet we 
 No holiday have seen. 
 
 " To-morrow is our wedding-day. 
 
 And we will then repair 
 
 Unto the Bell at Edmonton, 
 
 All in a chaise and pair. 
 
 " My sister and my sister's child, 
 Myself, and children three. 
 Will fill the chaise ; so you must ride 
 On horseback after we." 
 
 He soon replied, " I do admire 
 
 Of womankind but one. 
 And you are she, my dearest dear, 
 
 Therefore it shall be done. 
 
THE DIVERTING HISTORY OF JOHN GILPIN. 
 
 143 
 
 " I am a lineu-draper bold, 
 
 As all the world doth know, 
 And my good friend, the Calender, 
 Will lend his horse to go." 
 
 Quoth Mrs. Gilpin, " That 's well said ; 
 
 And for that wine is dear, 
 We' will be furnished with our own. 
 
 Which is both bright and clear." 
 
 John Gilpin kissed his lov- 
 ing wife ; 
 O'erjoyed was he to find 
 That, though on pleasure 
 she was bent. 
 She had a frugal miud. 
 
 The morning came, the 
 chaise was brought. 
 But yet was not al- 
 lowed 
 To drive up to the door, 
 lest all 
 Should say that she was 
 proud. 
 
 po three doors off the 
 chaise was stayed. 
 Where they did all get 
 in. 
 Six precious souls, and all 
 agog 
 To dash through thick and thin. 
 
 Smack went the whip, round went the wheels, 
 
 Were never folk so glad ; 
 The stones did rattle underneath, 
 
 As if Cheapside were mad. 
 
 John Gilpin, at his horse's side. 
 
 Seized fast the flowing mane. 
 And up he got, in haste to ride, 
 
 But soon came down again. 
 
 For saddle-tree scarce reached had he, 
 
 His journey to begin. 
 When, turning round his head, he saw 
 
 Three customers come in. 
 
 So down he came ; for loss of time. 
 
 Although it grieved him sore. 
 Yet loss of pence, full well he knew, 
 
 Would trouble him much more. 
 
 'T was long before the customers 
 
 Were suited to their mind, 
 When Betty, screaming, came down-stairs, 
 
 " The wine is left behind ! " 
 
 " Good lack ! " quoth he, '• yet bring it me, 
 My leathern belt likewise. 
 In wliich I bear my trusty sword 
 When I do exercise." 
 
 Now Mistress Gilpin (careful soul) ! 
 
 Had two stone-bottles found. 
 To hold the liquor that she loved, 
 
 And keep it safe and sound. 
 
 Each bottle had a curling ear. 
 
 Through which the belt he 
 drew. 
 And hung a bottle on each 
 side. 
 To make his balance true. 
 
 Then over all, that he might 
 be 
 Equipped from top to toe, 
 His long red clbak, well 
 brushed and neat. 
 He manfully did throw. 
 
 Now see him mounted once again 
 
 Upon his nimble steed, 
 Full slowly pacing o'er the stones. 
 
 With caution and good heed. 
 
 But finding soon a smoother road 
 
 Beneath his well-shod feet. 
 The snorting beast began to trot. 
 
 Which galled him in his seat. 
 
 So, " Fair and softly," John he cried, 
 
 But John he cried in vain ; 
 That trot became a gallop soon, 
 
 In spite of curb and rein. 
 
144 
 
 THE BOOK OF STORIES IN VERSE. 
 
 So stooping down, as needs he must 
 
 Who cannot sit upright, 
 He grasped the mane with both his hands. 
 
 And eke with all his might. 
 
 His horse, who never in that sort 
 Had handled been before, 
 
 What thing upon his back had got 
 Did wonder more and more. 
 
 Away went Gilpin, neck or 7i0ught ; 
 
 Away went hat and wig ; 
 He little dreamt, when he set out, 
 
 Of running such a rig. 
 
 The wind did blow, the cloak did fly, 
 Like streamer long and gay. 
 
 Till loop and button failing both. 
 At last it flew away. 
 
 Then might all people well discern 
 The bottles he had slung ; 
 
 A bottle swinging at each side. 
 As hath been said or sung. 
 
 The dogs did hark, the children screamed. 
 
 Up flew the windows all ; 
 And every soul cried out, " Well done ! " 
 
 As loud as he could bawl. 
 
THE DIVERTING BISTORT OF JOHN GILPIN. 
 
 146 
 
 Away went (jtilpin — who but he ? 
 
 His fame soon spread around, 
 
 " He carries weight ! he rides a race ! 
 
 'T is for a thousand pound ! " 
 
 And still as fast as he drew near, 
 
 'T was wonderful to view 
 How in a trice the turnpike men 
 
 Their gates wide open threw. 
 
 And now, as he went bowing down 
 
 His reeking head full low, 
 The bottles twain behind his back 
 
 Were shattered at a blow. 
 
 Down ran the wine into the road. 
 
 Most piteous to be seen. 
 Which made his horse's flanks to smoke 
 
 As they had basted been. 
 
 But still he seemed to carry weight, 
 
 With leathern girdle braced ; 
 For all might see the bottle necks 
 
 Still dangling at his waist. 
 
 Thus all through merry Islington 
 
 These gambols he did play, 
 Until he came uuto the Wash 
 
 Of Edmonton so gay ; 
 
 And there he threw the wash about 
 
 On both sides of the way. 
 Just like unto a trundling mop, 
 
 Or a wild goose at play. 
 
 At Edmonton his loving wife 
 
 From the balcony spied 
 Her tender husband, wondering much 
 
 To see how he did ride. 
 
 " Stop, stop, John Gilpin ! — Here 's the house " ■ 
 
 They all aloud did cry ; 
 " The dinner waits, and we are tired ; " 
 
 Said Gilpin, " So am I ! " 
 
 But yet his horse was not a whit 
 Inclined to tarry there ; 
 19 
 
 For why ? his owner had a house 
 Full ten miles off, at Ware. 
 
 So like an arrow swift he flew, 
 
 Shot by an archer strong ; 
 So did he fly — which brings me to 
 The middle of my song. 
 
 Away went Gilpin, out of breath, 
 
 And sore against his will. 
 Till, at his friend the Calender's, 
 
 His horse at last stood still. 
 
 The Calender, amazed to see 
 
 His neighbor in such trim. 
 Laid down his pipe, flew to the gate, 
 
 And thus accosted him. 
 
 "What news? what news ? your tidings teJll; 
 Tell me you must and shall — 
 Say, why bare-headed you are come, 
 Or why you come at all ? " 
 
 Now Gilpin had a pleasant wit, 
 
 And loved a timely joke ; 
 And thus unto the Calender, 
 
 In merry guise, he spoke : 
 
 " I came because your horse would come , 
 And, if I well forebode. 
 My hat and wig will soon be here, 
 They are upon the road." 
 
 The Calender, right glad to find 
 
 His friend in merry pin. 
 Returned him not a single word. 
 
 But to the house went in ; 
 
 Whence straight he came, with hat and wig, 
 
 A wig that flowed behind ; 
 A hat not much the worse for wear. 
 
 Each comely in its kind. 
 
 He held them up, and in his turn 
 Thus showed his ready wit ; 
 " My head is twice as big as yours, 
 They tnerefore needs must fit. 
 
146 
 
 THE BOOK OF STORIES IN VERSE. 
 
 " But let me scrape the dust away, 
 
 That hangs upon your face ; 
 And stop and eat, for well you may 
 Be in a hungry case." 
 
 Said John, " It is my wedding-day, 
 
 And all the world would stare. 
 If wife should dine at Edmonton, 
 And I should dine at Ware." 
 
 So, turning to his horse, he said, 
 
 " I am in haste to dine ; 
 'T was for your pleasure you came here. 
 
 You shall go back for mine." 
 
 Ah, luckless speech, and bootless boast ! 
 
 For which he paid full dear ; 
 For, while he spake, a braying ass 
 
 Did sing most loud and clear ; 
 
 Whereat his horse did snort, as he 
 
 Had heard a lion roar. 
 And galloped off with all his might, 
 
 As he had done before. 
 
 Away went Gilpin, and away 
 
 Went Gilpin's hat and wig ; 
 He lost them sooner than at first. 
 
 For why ? — they were too big. 
 
 Now Mrs. Gilpin, when she saw 
 
 Her husband posting down 
 Into the country far away. 
 
 She pulled out half-a-crown ; 
 
 The frighted steed he frighted mora, 
 And made him faster run. 
 
 Away went Gilpin, and away 
 
 Went postboy at his heels. 
 The postboy's horse right glad to miss 
 
 The rumbling of the wheels. 
 
 Six gentlemen upon the road 
 
 Thus seeing Gilpin fly, 
 With postboy scampering in the rear, 
 
 They raised a hue and cry : — 
 
 " Stop thief ! — stop thief ! — a highwayman ! 
 Not one of them was mute ; 
 And all and each that passed that way 
 Did join in the pursuit. 
 
 And now the turnpike gates again 
 
 Flew open in short space: 
 The toll-men thinking, as before, 
 
 That Gilpin rode a race. 
 
 And so he did, and won it too, 
 
 For he got first to town ; 
 Nor stopped till where he had got up 
 
 He did again get down. 
 
 Now let us sing, long live the king. 
 
 And Gilpin, long live he ; 
 And, when he next doth ride abroad, 
 
 May I be there to see. 
 
 William Cowper. 
 
 And thus unto the youth she said. 
 
 That drove them to the Bell, 
 " This shall be yours, when you bring back 
 
 My husband safe and well." 
 
 The youth did ride, and soon did meet 
 
 John coming back amain ; 
 Whom in a trice he tried to stop. 
 
 By catching at his rein ; 
 
 But not performing what he meant. 
 And gladly would have done, 
 
 THE SPIDER AND THE FLY. 
 
 " Will you walk into my parlor ? " said the spider to 
 
 the fly ; 
 " 'T is the prettiest little parlor that ever you did spy. 
 The way into my parlor is up a winding stair. 
 And I have many curious things to show when you 
 
 are there." 
 ' Oh no, no," said the little fly ; " to ask me is in vain, 
 For who goes up your winding stair can ne'er come 
 down again." 
 
A VISIT FROM ST. NICHOLAS. 
 
 147 
 
 " I 'm sure you roust be weary, dear, with soaring up so Alas, alas ! how very soon this silly little fly, 
 
 high , Hearing his wily, flattering words, came slowly flitting 
 Will you rest upon my little hed ? " said the spider to by ; 
 
 the fly. With buzzing wings she hung aloft, then near and 
 " There are pretty curtains drawn around ; the sheets nearer drew, 
 
 are fine and thin. Thinking only of her brilliant eyes and green and pur- 
 A nd if you like to rest a while, I '11 snugly tuck you in ! " pie hue, 
 
 " Oh no, no," said the little fly, " for I 've often heard Thinking only of her crested head. Poor, foolish thing ! 
 it said, at last 
 
 They never, never wake again who sleep upon your Up jumped the cunning spider, and fiercely held her 
 bed ! " fast ; 
 
 Said the cunning spider to the fly : " Dear friend, what 
 
 can I do 
 To prove the warm affection I 've always felt for you ? 
 I have within my pantry good store of all that 's nice ; 
 I 'm sure you 're very welcome — . will you please to 
 
 take a slice ? " 
 " Oh no, no," said the little fly ; " kind sir, that cannot 
 
 be: 
 I've heard what's va your pantry, and I do not wish to 
 
 see ! " 
 
 '' Sweet creature ! " said the spider, " you 're witty and 
 
 you 're wise ; 
 How handsome are your gauzy wings ! how brilliant 
 
 are your eyes ! 
 I have a little looking-glass upon my parlor shelf ; 
 If you '11 step in one moment, dear, you shall behold 
 
 yourself." 
 " I thank you, gentle sir,'' she said, for what you 're 
 
 pleased to say, 
 And, bidding you good-morning now, I '11 call another 
 
 day." 
 
 The spider turned him round about, and went into his 
 
 den, 
 For well he knew the silly fly would soon come back 
 
 again : 
 So he wove a subtle web in a little corner sly. 
 And set his table ready to dine upon the fly ; 
 Then came out to his door again, and merrily did sing : 
 " Come hither, hither, pretty fly, with the pearl and 
 
 silver wing ; 
 Your robes are green and purple ; there 's a crest upon 
 
 your head ; 
 Your eyes are like the diamond bright, but mine are 
 
 dull as lead ! " 
 
 He dragged her up his winding stair, into his dismal 
 
 den — 
 Within his little parlor — but she ne'er came out again ! 
 
 And now, dear little children, who may this story read, 
 To idle, silly, flattering words I pray you ne'er give 
 
 heed ; 
 Unto an evil counselor close heart and ear and eye. 
 And take a lesson from this tale of the spider and the 
 
 fly- 
 
 Mart Howitt. 
 
 A VISIT FROM ST. NICHOLAS. 
 
 'T WAS the night before Christmas, when all through 
 
 the house 
 Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse ; 
 The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, 
 In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there ; 
 The children were nestled all snug in their beds. 
 While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads ; 
 And mamma in her kerchief, and I in my cap. 
 Had just settled our brains for a long winter nap, — 
 When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, 
 I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter. 
 Away to the window I flew like a flash. 
 Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash. 
 The moon, on the breast of the new-fallen snow, 
 Gave a lustre of midday to objects below ; 
 When what to my wondering eyes should appear 
 But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer, 
 With a little old driver, so lively and quick, 
 I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick. 
 More rapid than eagles his coursers they came. 
 And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name s 
 
148 
 
 THE BOOK OF STORIES IN VERSE. 
 
 '' Now, Dasher ! now, Dancer ! now, Prancer and 
 Vixen ! 
 On! Comet, on ! Cupid, on ! Dunder and Blixen ! — 
 To the top of the porch, to the top of the wall ! 
 Now, dash away, dash away, dash away all ! " 
 As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, 
 When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky, 
 So up to the house-top the coursers they flew. 
 With the sleigh full of toys — and St. Nicholas too. 
 And then in a twinkling I heard on the roof 
 The prancing and pawing of each little hoof. 
 As I drew in my head, and was turning around, 
 Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound. 
 He was dressed all in fur from his head to his foot. 
 And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and 
 
 soot, 
 A bundle of toys he had flung on his back. 
 And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack. 
 Plis eyes, how they twinkle ! his dimples, how merry ! 
 His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry ; 
 His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow. 
 And the beard ou his chin was as white as the snow. 
 The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth. 
 And the smoke, it encircled his head like a wreath. 
 He had a broad face and a little round belly 
 That shook, when he laughed, l-.kd a bow! full of jelly. 
 He was chubby and jilump — a right jolly old elf ; 
 And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself. 
 A wink of his eye, and a twist of his head, 
 Soon gave me to know 1 had nothing to dread. 
 He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, 
 And filled all the stockings ; then turned with a jerk. 
 And laying his finger aside of his nose. 
 And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose. 
 He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, 
 And away they all flew like the down of a thistle ; 
 But I heard l]im exclaim, ere he drove out of sight, 
 
 ' Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night ! " 
 
 Clement C. Moore. 
 
 THE MOUNTAIN AND THE SQUIEREL. 
 
 The mountain and the squirrel 
 
 Had a quarrel. 
 And the former called the latter " Little prig; " 
 Bun replied, 
 
 " You are doubtless very bi,^, 
 But all sorts of things and weatner 
 Must be taken in together 
 To make up a year, 
 And a sphere. 
 And I think it no disgrace 
 To occupy my place. 
 If I 'm not so large as you. 
 You are not so small as I, 
 And not half so spry : 
 I '11 not deny you make 
 A very pretty squirrel track. 
 Talents differ ; all is well and wisely put ; 
 If I cannot carry forests on my back, 
 Neither can you crack a nut." 
 
 Ralph Waldo Emerson. 
 
 HOLY THURSDAY. 
 
 'TwAS on a Holy Thursday, their innocent faces clean. 
 Came children walking two and two, in red, and blue, 
 
 and green : 
 Gray-headed beadles walked before, with wands as white 
 
 as snow. 
 Till into the high dome of Paul's, they like Thames' 
 
 waters flow. 
 
 Oh what a multitude they seemed, these flowers of Lon- 
 don town. 
 
 Seated in companies they were, with radiance all their 
 own : 
 
 The hum of multitudes was there, but multitudes of 
 lambs. 
 
 Thousands of little boys and girls raising their innocent 
 hands. 
 
 Now like a mighty wind they raise to heaven the voice 
 
 of song, 
 Or like harmonious thunderings the seats of heaven 
 
 among : 
 Beneath them sit the aged men, wise guardians of the 
 
 poor. 
 Then cherish pity, lest you drive an angel from your 
 
 door. 
 
 William Blake, 
 
" . FROM ALL THE NEIGHBORING STREETS 
 THE WONDERING NEIGHBORS RAN " 
 
THE PIED PIPER OF HAMELIK 
 
 149 
 
 ^ ELEGY ON 
 
 THE DEATH 
 DOG. 
 
 OF A MAD 
 
 Good people all, of every sort, 
 
 Give ear unto my song ; 
 And if you find it wondrous short, 
 
 It cannot hold you long. 
 
 In Islington there was a man, 
 Of whom the world might say. 
 
 That still a godly race he ran 
 Whene'er he went to pray. 
 
 A kind and gentle heart he had, 
 
 To comfort friends and foes ; 
 The naked every day he clad, 
 
 When he put on his clothes. 
 
 And in that town a dog was found. 
 
 As many dogs there be, 
 Both mongrel, puppy, whelp, and hound, 
 
 And curs of low degree. 
 
 This dog and man at first were friends ; 
 
 But when a pique began, 
 The dog, to gain his private ends, 
 
 Went mad, and bit the man. 
 
 Around from all the neighboring streets 
 The wondering neighbors ran. 
 
 And swore the dog had lost his wits, 
 To bite so good a man. 
 
 The wound it seemed both sore and sad 
 
 To every Christian eye : 
 And while they swore the dog was mad. 
 
 They swore the man would die. 
 
 But soon a wonder came to light, 
 That showed the rogues they lied. 
 
 The man recovered of the bite, 
 The dog it was that died. 
 
 Oliver Goldsmith. 
 
 THE PIED PIPER OF HAMELIN. 
 
 Hamelin Town 's in Brunswick, 
 By famous Hanover city ; 
 
 The river Weser deep and wide 
 
 Washes its walls on the southern side ; 
 
 A pleasanter spot you never spied ; 
 But, when begins my ditty. 
 
 Almost five hundred years ago. 
 
 To see the townsfolk suffer so 
 From vermin, was a pity. 
 
 Rats! 
 
 They fought the dogs and killed the cats, 
 
 And bit the babies in their cradles. 
 And ate the cheeses out of the vats. 
 
 And licked the soup from the cook's own ladleSj 
 Split open the kegs of salted sprats. 
 Made nests inside men's Sunday hats, 
 And even spoiled the women's chats. 
 By drowning their speaking 
 With shrieking and squeaking 
 
 In fifty different sharps and flats. 
 
 At last the people in a body 
 
 To the Town-hall came flocking : 
 "'Tis clear," cried they, "our Mayor's a noddy s 
 And as for our Corporation — shocking 
 To think we buy gowns lined with ermine 
 For dolts that can't or won't determine 
 What 's best to rid us of our vermin ! 
 You hope, because you 're old and obese, 
 To find in the furry civic robe ease ! 
 
 Rouse up, sirs ! Give your brains a racking 
 
 To find the remedy we 're lacking, 
 
 Or, sure as fate, we '11 send you packing ! " 
 
 At this the Mayor and Corporation 
 
 Quaked with a mighty consternation. 
 
 An hour they sat in council, 
 
 At length the Mayor broke silence : 
 " For a guilder I 'd my ermine gown sell ; 
 I wish I were a mile hence ! 
 
 It 's easy to bid one rack one's brain — 
 
 I 'm sure my poor head aches again, 
 
 I 've scratched it so, and all in vain. 
 
 Oh for a trap, a trap, a trap ! " 
 
 Just as he said this, what should hap 
 
 At the chamber door, but a gentle tap ? 
 " Bless us," cried the Mayor, " what 's that ? 
 
 Anything like the sound of a rat 
 
 Makes my heart go pit-a-pat ! 
 
150 
 
 THE BOOK OF STORIES IN VERSE. 
 
 " Come in ! " the Mayor cried, loolsing bigger : 
 And in did come the strangest figure ! 
 His queer long coat from heel to head 
 Was half of yellow, and half of red ; 
 And he himself was tall and thin, 
 With sharp blue eyes each like a pin, 
 And light loose hair, yet swarthy skin, 
 No tuft on cheek, nor beard on chin, 
 But lips where smiles went out and in — 
 There was no guessing his kith and kin ! 
 And nobody could enough admire 
 The tall man and his quaint attire : 
 Quoth one, " It 's as if my great-grandsire. 
 Starting up at the trump of Doom's tone, 
 Had walked this way from his painted tombstone ! " 
 
 He advanced to the council table : 
 
 And, " Please your honors," said he, " I 'm able, 
 
 By means of a secret charm, to draw 
 
 All creatures living beneath the sun, 
 
 That creep, or swim, or fly, or run. 
 
 After me so as you never saw ! 
 
 And I chiefly use my charm 
 
 On creatures that do people harm. 
 
 The moie, the toad, the newt, the viper ; 
 
 And people call me the Pied Piper. 
 
 Yet," said he, " poor piper as I am. 
 
 In Tartary I freed the Cham, 
 
 Last June, from his huge swarm of gnats ; 
 
 I eased in Asia the Nizam 
 
 Of a monstrous brood of vampyre bats : 
 
 And as for what your brain bewilders, 
 
 If I can rid your town of rats 
 
 Will you give a thousand guilders ? " 
 
 " One ? fifty thousand ! " was the exclamation 
 
 Of the astonished Mayor and Corporation. 
 
 Into the street the Piper stept. 
 
 Smiling first a little smile, 
 As if he knew what magic slept 
 
 In his quiet pipe the while ; 
 Then like a musical adept. 
 To blow the pipe hi.s lips he wrinkled, 
 And green and blue his sharp eyes twinkled, 
 Like a candle flame where salt is sprinkled ; 
 And ere three shrill notes the pipe had uttered, 
 You heard as if an army muttered ; 
 And the muttering grew to a grumbling ; 
 
 And the grumbling grew to a mighty rumbling ; 
 And out of the houses the rats came tumbling — 
 Great rats, small rats, lean rats, brawny rats, 
 Brown rats, black rats, gray rats, tawny rats, 
 Grave old plodders, gay young friskers, 
 
 Fathers, mothers, uncles, cousins. 
 Cocking tails, and pricking whiskers. 
 
 Families by tens and dozens. 
 Brothers, sisters, husbands, wives — 
 Followed the Piper for their lives. 
 From street to street he piped, advancing, 
 And step for step they followed dancing, 
 Until they came to the river Weser 
 Wherein all plunged and perished, 
 Save one, who stout as Julius Caesar, 
 Swam across, and lived to carry 
 (As he the manuscript he cherished) 
 To Rat-land home his commentary, 
 Which was, " At the first shrill notes of the pipe, 
 I heard a sound as of scraping tripe, 
 And putting apples wondrous ripe 
 Into a cider press's gripe ; 
 And a moving away of pickle-tub boards. 
 And a leaving ajar of conserve cupboards. 
 And a drawing the corks of train-oil flasks, 
 And a breaking the hoops of butter casks ; 
 And it seemed as if a voice 
 (Sweeter far than by harp or by psaltery 
 Is breathed) called out, O rats, rejoice ! 
 The world is grown to one vast drysaltery ! 
 So munch on, crunch on, take your nuncheon. 
 Breakfast, dinner, supper, luncheon ! 
 And just as a bulky sugar puncheon, 
 All ready staved, like a great sun shone 
 Glorious, scarce an inch before me. 
 Just as methought it said, ' Come, bore me ! ' 
 — I found the Weser rolling o'er me." 
 
 You should have heard the Hamelin people 
 Ringing the bells till they rocked the steeple ; 
 ' Go," cried the Mayor, " and get long poles ! 
 Poke out the nests, and block up the holes ! 
 Consult with carpenters and builders, 
 And leave in our town not even a trace 
 Of the rats ! " When suddenly up the face 
 Of the Piper perked in the market-place. 
 With a " First, if you please, my thousand guild- 
 
THE PIED PIPER OF HAMELIN. 
 
 151 
 
 A thousand guilders ! The Mayor looked blue, 
 So did the Corporation too. 
 For council dinners made rare havock 
 With Claret, Moselle, Vin-de-Grave, Hock ; 
 And half the money would replenish 
 Their cellar's biggest butt with Ehenish. 
 To pay this sum to a wandering fellow 
 With a gypsy coat of red and yellow ! 
 " Besides," quoth the Mayor, with a knowing wink, 
 " Our business was done at the river's brink ; 
 We saw with our eyes the vermin sink, 
 And what 's dead can't come to life, I think. 
 So, friend, we 're not the folks to shrink 
 From the duty of giving you something for drink, 
 And a matter of money to put in your poke ; 
 But, as for the guildei-s, what we spoke 
 Of them, as you very well know, was in joke — 
 Beside, our losses have made us thrifty : 
 A thousand guilders ! come, take fifty ! " 
 
 The Piper's face fell, and he cried, 
 " No trifling ! I can't wait beside ! 
 I 've promised to visit by dinner-time 
 Bagdat, and accept the prime 
 Of the head-cook's pottage, all he 's rich in, 
 For having left in the caliph's kitchen, 
 Of a nest of scorpions no survivor. 
 With him I proved no bargain-driver, 
 With you, don't think I '11 bate a stiver ! 
 And folks who put me in a passion 
 May find me pipe to another fashion." 
 
 " How ? " cried the Mayor, " d' ye think I '11 brook 
 Being worse treated than a cook ? 
 Insulted by a lazy ribald 
 With idle pipe and vesture piebaldJ 
 You threaten us, fellow ? Do your worst, 
 Blow your pipe there till you burst.'' 
 
 Once more he stept into the street. 
 
 And to his lips again 
 Laid his long pipe of smooth, straight cane ; 
 
 And ere lie blew three notes (such sweet 
 Soft notes as yet musician's cunning 
 
 Never gave the enraptured air), 
 There was a rustling that seemed like a bustling. 
 Of merry crowds justling at pitching and hustling. 
 Small feet were pattering, wooden shoes clattering, 
 
 Little hands clapping and little tongues chattering, 
 And like fowls in a farmyard when barley is scatter- 
 ing 
 Out came the children running : 
 All the little boys and girls, 
 With rosy cheeks and flaxen curls. 
 And sparkling eyes and teeth like pearls. 
 Tripping and skipping ran merrily after 
 The wonderful music with shouting and laughter. 
 
 The Mayor was dumb, and the Council stood 
 
 As if they were changed into blocks of wood. 
 
 Unable to move a step, or cry 
 
 To the children merrily skipping by — 
 
 And could only follow with the eye 
 
 That joyous crowd at the Piper's back. 
 
 And now the Mayor was^ on the rack. 
 
 And the wretched Council's bosoms beat. 
 
 As the Piper turned from the High Street 
 
 To where the Weser rolled its waters 
 
 Right in the way of their sons and daughters ! 
 
 However he turned from south to west, 
 
 And to Koppelberg Hill his steps addressed. 
 
 And after him the children pressed; 
 
 Great was the joy in every breast. 
 " He never can cross that mighty top ; 
 
 He 's forced to let the piping drop, 
 
 And we shall see our children stop ! " 
 
 When, lo ! as they reached the mountain's side, 
 
 A wondrous portal opened wide. 
 
 As if a cavern was suddenly hollowed ; 
 
 And the Piper advanced, and the children followed, 
 
 And when all were in to the very last, 
 
 The door in the mountain side shut fast. 
 
 Did I say, all ? No ! One was lame. 
 
 And could not dance the whole of the way ; 
 
 And in after years, if you would blame 
 
 His sadness, he was used to say, — 
 " It 's dull in our town since my playmates left ! 
 
 I can't forget that I 'm bereft 
 
 Of all the pleasant sights they see, 
 
 Which the Piper also promised me : 
 
 For he led us, he said, to a joyous land. 
 
 Joining the town and just at hand. 
 
 Where waters gushed and fruit-trees grew, 
 
 And flowers put forth a fairer hue. 
 
 And everything was strange and new ; 
 
 The sparrows were brighter than peacocks here, 
 
152 
 
 THE BOOK OF STORIES IN VERSE. 
 
 And their dogs outran our fallow-deer, 
 And lioney-bees had lost their stings, 
 And horses were born with eagles' wings ; 
 And just as I became assured 
 My lame foot would be speedily cured, 
 The music stopped and T stood still, 
 And found nivself outside the hill. 
 
 Left alone against my will, 
 
 To go now limping as before. 
 
 And never hear of that country more ! " 
 
 The Mayor sent east, west, north, and south 
 To offer the Piper by word of mouth. 
 Wherever it was man's lot to find him, 
 
THE PIED PIPER OF HAMELIN. 
 
 153 
 
 Silvei and gold to his heart's content, 
 If he J only return the way he went, 
 
 And bring the children behind him. 
 But when they saw 't was a lost endeavor. 
 And Piper and dancers were gone forever, 
 They made a decree that lawyers never 
 
 Should think their records dated duly. 
 If after the day of the month and year 
 These words did not as well appear, 
 
 " And so long after what happened here 
 
 On the twenty-second of July, 
 Thirteen hundred and seventy-six ; " 
 And the better in memory to fix 
 The place of the children's last retreat. 
 They called it the Pied Piper's Street — 
 Where any one playing on pipe or tabor, 
 Was sure for the future to lose his labor. 
 Nor suffered they hostelry or tavern 
 
 To shock with mirth a street so solemn ; 
 But opposite the place of the cavern 
 
 They wrote the story on a column, 
 And on the great church window painted 
 -.0 
 
 The same, to make the world acquainted 
 How their childrer. were stolen away ; 
 And there it stands to this very day. 
 
 And I must not omit to say 
 
 That in Transylvania there 's a tribe 
 
 Of alien people, that ascribe 
 
 The outlandish ways and dress 
 
 On which their neighbors lay such stress, 
 
 To their fathers and mothers having risen 
 
 Out of some subterraneous prison 
 
 Into which they were trepanned 
 
 Long ago in a mighty band. 
 
 Out of Hamelin town in Brunswick land, 
 
 But how or why, they don't understand. 
 
 So, Willy, let you and me be wipers 
 
 Of scores out with all men, — especially pipers. 
 
 And whether they pipe us free from rats or from 
 
 mice 
 If we 've promised them aught, let us keep our prom- 
 ise. 
 
 Robert Browning- 
 
STORIES FKOM HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN. 
 
 THE CONSTANT TIN SOLDIER. 
 
 There were once five-and-twenty tin soldiers ; 
 they were all brothers, for they had all been born 
 of one old tin spoon. They shouldered their 
 muskets, and looked straight before them ; their 
 uniform was red and blue, and very splendid. 
 The first thing they had heard in the world, when 
 the lid was taken off their box, had been the 
 words " Tin soldiers! " These words were uttered 
 by a little boy, clapping his hands ; the soldiers 
 had been given to him, for it was his birthday ; 
 and now he put them upon the table. Each sol- 
 dier was exactlj' like the rest; but one of them 
 had been cast last of all, and there had not been 
 enough tin to finisli him ; but he stood as firmly 
 upon his one leg as the others on their two ; 
 and it was just this soldier who became remark- 
 able. 
 
 On the table on which they had been placed 
 stood many other playthings, but the toy that 
 attracted most attention was a neat castle of card- 
 board. Through the little windows one could see 
 straight into the hall. Before the castle some 
 little trees were placed round a little looking- 
 glass, which was to represent a clear lake. Waxen 
 swans swam on this lake, and were mirrored in it. 
 This was all very pretty ; but the prettiest of all 
 was a little lady, who stood at the open door of 
 the castle ; she was also cut out in paper, but she 
 had a dress of the clearest gauze, and a little nar- 
 row blue ribbon over her shoulders, that looked 
 like a scarf ; and in the middle of this ribbon was 
 a shining tinsel rose, as big as her whole face. 
 The little lady stretched out both her arms, for 
 she was a dancer, and then slie lifted one leg so 
 high that the Tin Soldier could not see it at all, 
 
 and thought that, like himself, she had but one 
 leg. 
 
 " That would be the wife for me," thought he ; 
 but she is very grand. She lives in a castle, and 
 I have only a box, and there are five-and-twenty 
 of us in that. It is no place for her. But I must 
 try to make acquaintance with her." 
 
 And then he lay down at full length behind a 
 snuff-box which was on the table; there he could 
 easily watch the little dainty ladv. who con- 
 tinued to stand on one leg witliout losing her bal- 
 ance. 
 
 When the evening came, all the other tin sol- 
 diers were put into their box, and the people in 
 the house went to bed. Now the toys began to 
 play at " visiting," and at " war," and " giving 
 balls." The tin soldiers rattled in their box, for 
 they wanted to join, but could not lift the lid. 
 The Nut-cracker threw somersaults, and the Pen- 
 cil amused itself on the table ; there was so much 
 noise that the Canary woke up, and began to 
 speak too, and even in verse. The only two who 
 did not stir from their places were the Tin Soldier 
 and the Davioing Lady ; she stood straight up on 
 the point of one of her toes, and stretched out 
 both her arms : and he was just as enduring on 
 his one leg ; and he never turned his eyes away 
 from her. 
 
 Now the clock struck twelve — and, bounce ! 
 — the lid flew off the snuff-box ; but there was 
 not snuff in it, but a little black goblin ; you see, 
 it was a trick. 
 
 " Tin Soldier," said the Goblin, " don't stare at 
 things that don't concern you." 
 
 But the Tin Soldier pretended not to hear him- 
 
THE CONSTANT TIN SOLDIER. 
 
 155 
 
 lin. 
 
 Just you wait til] to-morrow.! " said the Gob- 
 
 But when the morning came, and the children 
 got up, the Tin Soldier was placed in the win- 
 dow ; and whether it was the Goblin or the 
 draught that did it, all at once the window flew 
 open, and the Soldier fell, head over heels, out of 
 the third story. That was a terrible passage ! 
 He put his leg straight up, and struck with his 
 helmet downward, and his bayonet between the 
 paving-stones. 
 
 The servant-maid and the little boy came down 
 directly to look for him, but though they almost 
 trod upon him they could not see him. If the 
 Soldier had cried 
 out, "Here I am ! " 
 they would have 
 found him ; but he 
 did not think it 
 fitting to call out 
 loudly, because he 
 was in uniform. 
 
 Now it began 
 to rain ; the drops 
 soon fell thicker, 
 and at last it came 
 down in a complete 
 stream. When 
 the rain was past, 
 two street boys came by. 
 
 " Just look ! " said one of them, " there lies a 
 tin soldier. He must come out and ride in the 
 boat." 
 
 And they made a boat out of a newspaper, and 
 put the Tin Soldier in the middle of it ; and so 
 he sailed down the gutter, and the two boys ran 
 beside him and clapped their hands. Goodness 
 preserve us ! how the waves rose in that gutter, 
 and how fast the stream ran ! But then it had 
 been a heavy rain. The paper boat rocked up 
 and down, and sometimes turned round so rapidly 
 that the Tin Soldier trembled ; but he remained 
 firm, and never changed countenance, and looked 
 straight before him, and shouldered his musket. 
 
 All at once the boat went into a long drain, 
 
 and it became as dark as if he had been in his 
 box. 
 
 " Where am I going now ? " he thought. " Yes, 
 yes, that 's the Goblin's fault. Ah ! if the little 
 lady only sat here with me in the boat, it might 
 be twice as dark for what I should care." 
 
 Suddenly there came a great water-rat, which 
 lived under the drain. 
 
 " Have you a passport ? " said the Rat. " Give 
 me your passport." 
 
 But the Tin Soldier kept silence, and only held 
 his musket tighter than ever. 
 
 The boat went on, but the Rat came after it. 
 Hu ! how he gnashed his teeth, and called out to 
 
 the bits of straw 
 and wood, — 
 
 "Hold him! 
 hold him! he 
 has n't paid toll — 
 he hasn't shown 
 his passport ! " 
 
 But the stream 
 became stronger 
 and stronger. The 
 Tin Soldier could 
 see the bright day- 
 light where the 
 arch ended ; but 
 he heard a roaring 
 noise, which might well frighten a bolder man. 
 Only think, — just where the tunnel ended, the 
 drain ran into a great canal ; and for him that 
 would have been as dangerous as for us to be car- 
 ried down a great waterfall. 
 
 Now he was already so near it that he could not 
 stop. The boat was carried out, the poor Tin Sol- 
 dier stiffening himself as much as he could, and no 
 one could say that he moved an eyelid. The boat 
 whirled round three or four times, and was full of 
 water to the very edge — it must sink. The Tin 
 Soldier stood up to his neck in water, and the 
 boat sank deeper and deeper, and the paper was 
 loosened more and more ; and now the water closed 
 over the soldier's head. Then he thought of the 
 pretty little Dancer, and how he should nevei 
 
156 
 
 STORIES FROM HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN. 
 
 see her again ; and it sounded in the soldier's 
 
 ears : — 
 
 " Farewell, farewell, thou warrior brave, 
 Die shalt thou this day." 
 
 And now the paper parted, and the Tin Soldier 
 fell out ; but at that moment he was snapped up 
 by a great fish. 
 
 Oh, how dark it was in that fish's body ! It 
 was darker yet than in the drain tunnel ; and then 
 it was very narrow, too. But the Tin Soldier re- 
 mained unmoved, and lay at full length, shoulder- 
 ing his musket. 
 
 The fish swam to and fro ; he made the most 
 wonderful movements, and then became quite still. 
 At last something flashed through him like light- 
 ning. The daylight shone quite clear, and a 
 voice said aloud, " The Tin Soldier ! " The fish 
 had been caught, carried to market, bought, and 
 taken into the kitchen, where the cook cut him 
 open with a large knife. She seized the soldier 
 round the body with both her hands, and carried 
 him into the room, where all were anxious to see 
 the remarkable man who had traveled about in the 
 inside of a fish ; but the Tin Soldier was not at all 
 proud. They placed him on the table, and there 
 — no! What curious things may happen in the 
 world ! The Tin Soldier was in the very room in 
 which he had been before ! he saw the same chil- 
 dren, and the same toys stood upon the table ; and 
 there was the pretty castle with the graceful little 
 Dancer. She was still balancing herself on one 
 leg, and held the other extended in the air. She 
 was faithful too. That moved the Tin Soldier : he 
 was very near weeping tin tears, but that would 
 not have been proper. He looked at her, but they 
 said nothing to each other. 
 
 Then one of the little boys took the Tin Soldier 
 and flung him into the stove. He gave no reason 
 for doing this. It must have been the fault of the 
 Goblin in the snuff-box. 
 
 The Tin Soldier stood there quite illuminated, 
 and felt a heat that was terriible ; but whether 
 this heat proceeded from the real fire or from love 
 he did not know. The colors had quite gone off 
 from him ; but whether that had happened on the 
 journey, or had been caused by grief, no one could 
 say. He looked at the little lady, she looked at 
 him, and he felt that he was melting ; but he stood 
 firm, shouldering his musket. Then suddenly the 
 door flew open, and the draught of air caught the 
 Dancer, and she flew like a sylph just into the 
 
 stove to the Tin Soldier, and flashed up in a flame, 
 and then was gone ! Then the Tin Soldier melted 
 down into a lump, and when the servant-maid 
 took the ashes out next day, she found him in the 
 shape of a little tin heart. But of the Dancer 
 nothing remained but the tinsel rose, and that was 
 burned as black as a coal. 
 
THE EMPERORS NEW CLOTHES. 
 
 167 
 
 THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES. 
 
 Many years ago there lived an emperor, who 
 ■was so excessively fond of grand new clothes that 
 he spent all his money upon them, that he might 
 be very fine. He did not care about his soldiers, 
 nor about the theatre, and only liked to drive out 
 and show his new clothes. He had a coat for 
 every hour of the day ; and just as they say of a 
 king, " He is in council," so they always said of 
 him, " The emperor is in the wardrobe." 
 
 In the great city in which he lived it was al- 
 ways very merry; every day came many stran- 
 gers ; one day two rogues came : they gave them- 
 selves out as weavers, and declared they could 
 weave the finest stuff any one could imagine. Not 
 only were their colors and patterns, they said, un- 
 commonly beautiful, but the clothes made of the 
 stuff possessed the wonderful quality that they be- 
 came invisible to any one who was unfit for the of- 
 fice he held, or was incorrigibly stupid. 
 
 " Those would be capital clothes ! " thought the 
 emperor. " If I wore those, I should be able to 
 find out what men in my empire are not fit for the 
 places they have ; I could tell the clever from the 
 dunces. Yes, the stuff must be woven for me di- 
 rectly ! " 
 
 And he gave the two rogues a great deal of 
 cash in hand, that they might begin their work at 
 once. 
 
 As for them, they put up two looms, and pre- 
 tended to be working ; but they had nothing at 
 all on their looms. They at once demanded the 
 finest silk and the costliest gold ; this they put 
 into their own pockets, and worked at the empty 
 looms till late into the night. 
 
 " I should like to know how far they have got 
 on with the stuff," thought the emperor. But he 
 felt quite uncomfortable when he thought that 
 those who were not fit for their offices could not 
 see it. He believed, indeed, that he had nothing 
 to fear for himself, but yet he preferred first to 
 send some one else to see how matters stood. All 
 the people in the city knew what peculiar power 
 
 the stuff possessed, and all were anxious to see 
 how bad or how stupid their neighbors were. 
 
 "I will send my honest old minister to the 
 weavers," thought the emperor. " He can judge 
 best how the stuff looks, for he has sense, and no 
 one understands his office better than he." 
 
 Now the good old minister went out into the 
 hall where the two rogues sat working at the 
 empty looms. 
 
 " Mercy on us ! " thought the old minister, and 
 he opened his eyes wide. " I cannot see anything 
 at all ' " But he did not say this. 
 
 Both the rogues begged him to be so good as to 
 come nearer, and asked if he did not approve of 
 the colors and the pattern. Then they pointed 
 to the empty loom, and the poor old minister 
 went on opening his eyes ; but he could see noth- 
 ing for there was nothing to see. 
 
 "Mercy!" thought he, "can I indeed be so ^ 
 stupid? I never thought that, and not a soul 
 must know it. Am I not fit for my office ? No, 
 it will never do for me to tell that I could not 
 see the stuff." 
 
 " Don't you say anything to it? " asked one, 
 as he went on weaving. 
 
 " Oh, it is charming — quite enchanting !" an- 
 swered the old minister, as he peered through 
 his spectacles. " What a fine pattern, and what 
 colors ! Yes, I shall tell the emperor that I am 
 very much pleased with it." 
 
 " Well, we are glad of that," said both the 
 weavers ; and then they named the colors, and 
 explained the strange pattern. The old minister 
 listened attentively, that he might be able to re- 
 peat it when the emperor came. And he did so. 
 
 Now the rogues asked for more money, and silk 
 and gold, which they declared they wanted for 
 weaving. They put all into their own pockets, 
 and not a thread was put upon the loom ; they 
 continued to work at the empty frames as before. 
 
 The emperor soon sent again, dispatching an- 
 other honest officer of the court, to see how the 
 
158 
 
 STORIES FROM HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN. 
 
 weaving was going on, and if the stuff would soon 
 be ready. He fared j ust like the first : he looked 
 and looked, but, as there was nothing to be seen 
 but the empty looms, he could see nothing. 
 
 '' Is not that a pretty piece of stuff ? " asked 
 the two rogues ; and they displayed and explained 
 the handsome pattern which was not there at all. 
 
 "I am not stupid!" thought the man: "it 
 must be my good office, for which I am not fit. 
 It is funny enough, but I must not let it be no- 
 ticed." And so he praised the stuff which he did 
 not see, and expressed his pleasure at the beauti- 
 ful colors and charming pattern. "Yes, it is en- 
 chanting," he told the emperor. 
 
 All the people in 
 the town were talk- 
 ing of the gorgeous 
 stui?. The emperor 
 wished to see it him- 
 self while it was 
 still upon the loom. 
 "With :i whole crowd 
 of chosen men, 
 among whom were 
 also the two honest 
 wlio had 
 
 statesmen 
 
 already been there, 
 
 he went to the t\v<i 
 
 cunning rogues, who 
 
 were now weaving with might and main without 
 
 fibre or thread. 
 
 " Is not that splendid '! " said the two states- 
 men, who had already been there once. " Does 
 not your majestj' remark the pattern and the 
 colors ? " And they pointed to the empty loom, 
 for they thought that the others could see the 
 stuff. 
 
 "What's this?" thought the emperor. "I 
 can see nothing at all ! That is terrible. Am I 
 stupid ? Am I not fit to be emperor ? That 
 would be the most dreadful thing that could hap- 
 pen to me. Oh, it is very pietty • ' he said aloud. 
 " It has our highest appi'obation." And he nod- 
 ded in a contented way, and gazed at the empty 
 loom, for he would not say that he saw nothing. 
 
 The whole suite whom he had with him looked 
 and looked, and saw nothing, any more than the 
 rest ; but, like the emperor they said, " That ii 
 pretty! " and counseled him to wear the splendid 
 new clothes for the first time at the great proces- 
 sion that was presently to take place. " It is 
 splendid, excellent ! " went from mouth to mouth. 
 On all sides there seemed to be general rejoicing 
 and the emperor gave the rogues the title of Im- 
 perial Court Weavers. 
 
 The whole night before the morning on which 
 the procession was to take place, the rogues were 
 up, and kept more than sixteen candles burning. 
 The people could see that they were hard at work, 
 
 completing the em- 
 peror's new clothes. 
 They pretended to 
 take the stuff down 
 from the loom ; they 
 made cuts in the air 
 with great scissors ; 
 tliey sewed with nee- 
 dles without thread; 
 and at last they said, 
 '• Now tlie clothes are 
 ready 1 " 
 
 The emperor came 
 himself with his no- 
 blest cavaliers ; and 
 the two rogues lifted up one arm as if they were 
 holding something, and said, " See, here are the 
 trousers! here is the. coat! here is the cloak!" 
 and so on. " It is as light as a spider's web : one 
 would think one had nothing on ; but that is just 
 the beauty of it." 
 
 " Yes," said all the cavaliers ; but tliey could 
 not see anything, for nothing was there. 
 
 " Will your imperial majesty please to conde- 
 scend to take off your clothes? " said the rogues ; 
 " then we will put on you the new clothes here in 
 front of the great mirror." 
 
 The emperor took off his clothes, and the 
 rogues pretended to put on him each new garment 
 as it was ready ; and the emperor turned round 
 and round before the mirror. 
 
TtiE DAISY. 
 
 159 
 
 " Oh, how -well they look ! how capitally they 
 fit ! " said all. " What a pattern ! what colors ! 
 That is a splendid dress ! " 
 
 "They are standing outside with the canopy 
 which is to be borne above your majesty in the 
 procession ! " announced the head master of cere- 
 monies. 
 
 " Well, I am ready," replied the emperor. 
 " Does it not suit me well ? '* And he turned again 
 to the mirror, for he wanted it to appear as if he 
 contemplated his adornment with great interest. 
 
 The two chamberlains who were to carry the 
 train stooped down with their hands toward the 
 floor, just as if they were picking up the mantle ; 
 then they pretended to be holding something in 
 the air. They did not dare to let it be noticed 
 that they saw nothing. 
 
 So the emperor went in procession under the 
 rich canopy, and every one in the streets said, 
 " How incomparable are the emperor's new 
 clothes ! what a train he has to his mantle ! how 
 it fits him ! " No one would let it be perceived 
 that he could see nothing, for that would hiive 
 shown that he was not fit for his office, or was 
 very stupid. No clothes of the emperor's had 
 ever had such a success as these. 
 
 " But he has nothing on ! " a little child cried 
 out at last. 
 
 " Just hear what that innocent says ! " said the 
 father : and one whispered to another what the 
 child had said. 
 
 " But he has nothing on I " said the whole 
 people at length. That touched tlie emperor, for 
 it seemed to him that they were right ; but he 
 thought within himself, " I must go through with 
 the procession." And so he held liiinself a little 
 higlier, and the chamberlains held on tighter than 
 ever, and carried the train that did not exist at 
 all. 
 
 THE DAISY. 
 
 Now you shall hear . 
 
 Out in the country, close by the road-side, there 
 was a country house : you yourself have certainly 
 once seen it. Before it is a little garden with 
 flowers, and a paling which is painted. Close by 
 it, by the ditch, in the midst of the most beautiful 
 green grass, grew a little Daisy. The sun shone 
 as warmly and as brightly upon it as on the great 
 splendid garden flowers, and so it grew from hour 
 to hour. One morning it stood in full bloom, with 
 its little shining white leaves spreading like rays 
 round the little yellow sun in the centre. It never 
 
 thought that no man would notice it down in the 
 grass, and that it was a poor despised floweret ; 
 no, it was very merry, and turned to the warm 
 sun, looked up at it, and listened to the Lark carol- 
 ing high in the air. 
 
 The little Daisy was as happy as if it were a 
 great holiday, and yet it was only a Monday. All 
 the children were at school ; and while they sat on 
 their benches learning, it sat on its little green 
 stalk, and learned also from the warm sun, and 
 from all around, how good God is. And the 
 Daisy was very glad that everything that it si- 
 
160 
 
 STORIES FROM HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN. 
 
 lently felt was sung so loudly and charmingly by 
 the Lark. And the Daisy looked up with a kind 
 of respect to the happy bird who could sing and 
 fly ; but it was not at all sorrowful because it 
 could not fly and sing also. 
 
 " I can see and hear," it thought : " the sun 
 shines on me, and the forest kisses me. Oh, how 
 richly have I been gifted ! " 
 
 Within the palings stood many stiff, aristocratic 
 . flowers — the less scent they had the more they 
 flaunted. The peonies blew themselves out to be 
 greater than the roses, but size will not do it ; the 
 tulips had the most splendid colors, and they 
 knew that, and held themselves bolt upright, that 
 they might be seen more plainly. They did not 
 notice the little Daisy 
 outside there, but the 
 Daisy looked at them 
 the more, and 
 thought, " How rich 
 and beautiful they 
 are I Yes, the pretty 
 bird flies across to 
 them and visits them. 
 I am glad that I stand 
 so near them, for at 
 any rate I can enjoy 
 the sight of their 
 splendor!" And 
 just as she thought that — "keevit! " — down 
 came flying the Lark, but not down to the peonies 
 and tulips — no, down into the grass to the lowly 
 Daisy, which started so with joy that it did not 
 know what to think. 
 
 The little bird danced round about it, and 
 sang, — 
 
 " Oh, how soft the grass is ! and see what a 
 lovely little flower, with gold in its heart and sil- 
 ver on its dress I " 
 
 For the yellow point in the Daisy looked like 
 gold, and the little leaves around it shone silvery 
 white. 
 
 How happy was the little Daisy — no one can 
 conceive how happy ! The bird kissed it with his 
 beak, sang to it, and then flew up again into the 
 
 blue air. A quarter of an hour passed, at least, 
 before the Daisy could recover itself. Half 
 ashamed, yet inwardly rejoiced, it looked at the 
 other flowers in the garden, for they had seen the 
 honor and happiness it had gained, and must un- 
 derstand what a joy it was. But the tulips stood 
 up twice as stiff as before, and they looked quite 
 peaky in the face and quite red, for they had been 
 vexed. The peonies were quite wrong-headed : it 
 was well they could not speak, or the Daisy would 
 have received a good scolding. The poor little 
 flower could see very well that they were not in a 
 good humor, and that hurt it sensibly. At this 
 moment there came into the garden a girl with a 
 great sharp, shining knife ; she went straight up 
 
 to the tulips, and cut 
 off one after another 
 of them. 
 
 " Oh ! " sighed the 
 little Daisy, " that is 
 dreadful ! Now it 
 is all over with 
 them." 
 
 Then the girl went 
 away with the tulips. 
 The Daisy was glad 
 to stand out in the 
 grass, and to be only 
 a poor little flower ; 
 it felt very grateful ; and when the sun went 
 down it folded its leaves and went to sleep, and 
 dreamed all night long about the sun and the 
 pretty little bird. 
 
 The next morning, when the flower again hap- 
 pily stretched out all its white leaves, like little 
 arms, toward the air and the light, it recognized 
 the voice of the bird, but the song he was singing 
 sounded mournfully. Yes, the poor Lark had 
 good reason to be sad : he was caught, and now 
 sat in a cage close by the open window. He sang 
 of free and happy roaming, sang of the young 
 green corn in the fields, and of the glorious jour- 
 ney he might make on his wings high through the 
 air. The poor Lark was not in good spirits, for 
 there he sat a prisoner in a cage. 
 
THE DAISY. 
 
 lol 
 
 The little Daisy wished very much to help him. 
 But what was it to do ? Yes, that was difficult to 
 make out. It quite forgot how everything was so 
 beautiful around, how warm the sun shone, and 
 how splendidly white its own leaves were, Ah ! 
 it could think only of the imprisoned bird, and 
 how it was powerless to do anything for him. 
 
 Just then two little boys came out of the gar- 
 den. One of them carried in his hand the knife 
 which the girl had used to cut off the tulips. 
 They went straight up to the little Daisy, which 
 could not at all make out what they wanted. 
 
 " Here we may cut a capital piece of turf for 
 the Lark," said one of the boys ; and he began to 
 cut ofE a square patch round about the Daisy, so 
 that the flower remained standing in its piece of 
 grass. 
 
 " Tear off the flower ! " said the other boy. 
 
 And the Daisy trembled with fear, for to be 
 torn off would be to lose its life; and now it 
 wanted particularly to live, as it was to be given 
 with the piece of turf to the captive Lark. 
 
 "No, let it stay," said the other boy; "it 
 makes such a nice ornament." 
 
 And so it remained, and was put into the Lark's 
 cage. But the poor bird complained aloud of his 
 lost liberty, and beat his wings against the wires 
 of his prison ; and the little Daisy could not speak 
 — could say no consoling word to him, gladly as 
 it would have done so. And thus the whole morn- 
 ing passed. 
 
 " Here is no water," said the captive Lark. 
 " They are all gone out, and have forgotten to 
 give me anything to drink. My throat is dry and 
 burning. It is like fire and ice within me, and 
 the air is so close. Oh, I must die ! I must leave 
 the warm sunshine, the fresh green, and all the 
 splendor that God has created ! " 
 
 And then he thrust his beak into the cool turf 
 to refresh himself a little with it. Then the bird's 
 eye fell upon the Daisy, and he nodded to it, and 
 kissed it with his beak, and said, — 
 
 " You also must wither in here, poor little 
 flower. They have given you to me with the little 
 patch of green grass on which you grow, instead of 
 
 21 
 
 the whole world which was mine out there ! Every 
 little blade of grass shall be a great tree for me, and 
 every one of your fragrant leaves a great flower. 
 Ah, you only tell me how much I have lost ! " 
 
 " If I could only comfort him ! " thought the 
 Daisy. 
 
 It could not stir a leaf ; but the scent which 
 streamed forth from its delicate leaves was far 
 stronger than is generally found in these flowers ; 
 the bird also noticed that, and though he was 
 fainting with thirst, and in his pain plucked up the 
 green blades of grass, he did not touch the flower. 
 
 The evening came on, and yet nobody appeared 
 to bring the poor bird a drop of water. Then he 
 stretched out his pretty wings and beat the air 
 frantically with them ; his song changed to a 
 mournful piping, his little head sank down toward 
 the flower, and the bird's heart broke with want 
 and yearning. Then the flower could not fold its 
 lea,ves, as it had done on the previous evening, and 
 sleep ; it drooped, sorrowful and sick, toward the 
 earth. 
 
 Not till the next morn did the boys come ; and 
 when they found the bird dead they wept — wept 
 many tears — and dug him a neat grave, which 
 they adorned with leaves of flowers. The bird's 
 corpse was put into a pretty red box, for he was to 
 be royally buried — the poor bird ! While he was 
 alive and sang they forgot him, and let him sit in 
 his cage and suffer want ; but now that he was 
 dead he had adornment and many tears. 
 
 But the patch of turf with the Daisy on it was 
 thrown out into the high-road : no one thought of 
 the flower that had felt the most for the little 
 bird, an^ would have been so glad to console him. 
 
162 
 
 STORIES FROM HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN. 
 
 THE UGLY DUCKLING. 
 
 
 [t was 80 glorious out in the country ; it was 
 summer; the cornfields were yellow, the oats 
 were green, the hay had been put up in stacks in 
 the green meadows, and the stork went about on 
 his long red legs, and chattered Egyptian, for this 
 was the language he had learned from his good 
 mother. All around the fields and meadows were 
 great forests, and in the midst of these forests lay 
 deep lakes. Yes, it was right glorious out in the 
 country. In the midst of the sunshine there lay 
 an old farm, with deep canals about it, and from 
 the wall down to 
 the water grew 
 great burdocks, so 
 high that little chil- 
 dren could stand 
 upright under the 
 loftiest of them. It 
 was just as wild 
 there as in the 
 deepest wood, and 
 here sat a Duck 
 upon her nest ; she 
 had to hatch her 
 ducklings ; but she 
 was almost tired 
 out before the little 
 ones came and then she so seldom had visitors. 
 The other ducks liked better to swim about in the 
 canals than to run up to sit down under a burdock, 
 and cackle with her. 
 
 At last one egg-shell after another burst ojien. 
 " Piep ! piep ! " it cried, and in all the eggs there 
 were little creatures that stuck out their heads. 
 
 " Quack ! quack ! " they said ; and they all 
 came quacking out as fast as they could, looking 
 all nnmd them under the green leaves ; and the 
 mother let them look as much as they chose, for 
 green is good for the eye. 
 
 "How wide the world is! " said all the young 
 ones, for they certainly had much more room now 
 than when they were in the eggs. 
 
 "D'ye think this is all the world?" said the 
 mother. " That stretches far across the other side 
 of the garden, quite into the parson's field; but I 
 have never been there yet. I hope you are all to- 
 gether," and she stood up. "No, I have not all. 
 The largest egg still lies there. How long is that 
 to last? I am really tired of it." And she sat 
 down again. 
 
 "Well, how goes it?" asked an old Duck who 
 had come to pay her a visit. 
 
 " It lasts a long time with that one egg," said 
 
 the Duck who sat 
 there. "It will not 
 burst. Now, only 
 look at the others ; 
 are they not the 
 prettiest little 
 ducks one could 
 possibly see? They 
 are all like their 
 father: tlie rogue, 
 he never comes to 
 see me." 
 
 " Let me see the 
 egg which will not 
 burst," said the old 
 "' ' visitor. "You may 
 
 be sure it is a turkey's egg. I was once cheated 
 in that way, and had much anxiety and trouble 
 with the young ones, for they are afraid of the 
 water. Must I say it to you, I could not get them 
 to venture in. I quacked and I clacked, but it 
 was no use. Let me see the egg. Yes, that 's a 
 turkey's egg. Let it lie there, and teach the other 
 children to swim."' 
 
 " I think I will sit on it a little longer," said 
 the Duck. " I "ve sat so long now that I can sit a 
 few days more." 
 
 "Just as yi>u please," said the old Duck; and 
 she went away. 
 
 At last the great egg burst. 
 
 ,! 
 
 "ss — J^^iep! piep; 
 said the little one, and crept forth. It was 
 
THE UGLY DUCKLING. 
 
 168 
 
 very large and very ugly. The Duck looked 
 at it. 
 
 " It 's a very large duckling," said slie ; " none 
 of the others look like that : can it really be a tur- 
 key chick? "Well, we shall soon find out. It 
 must go into the water, even if I have to thrust it 
 in myself." 
 
 The next day it was bright, beautiful weather ; 
 the sun shone on all the green trees. The Mother- 
 Duck went down to the canal with all her family. 
 Splash ! she jumped into the water. " Quack ! 
 quack ! " she said, and one duckling after another 
 plunged in. The water closed over their heads, 
 but they came up in an instant, and swam cap- 
 itall}'^ ; their legs went of themselves, and they 
 were all in the water. The ugly graj' Duckling 
 swam with them. 
 
 "No, it's not a turkey," said she; "look how 
 well it can use its legs, and how straight it holds 
 itself. It is my own child ! On the whole it *s 
 quite pretty, if one looks at it rightly. Quack ! 
 quack ! come with me, and I '11 lead you out into 
 the great world, and present you in the duck-j^ard ; 
 but keep close to me, so that no one may tread on 
 you, and take care of the cats ! " 
 
 And so they came into the duck-yard. There 
 was a terrible riot going on in there, for two fam- 
 ilies were quarreling about an eel's head, and the 
 cat got it after all. 
 
 " See, that 's how it goes in the world ! " said 
 the Mother-Duck ; and she whetted her beak, for 
 she too wanted the eel's head. " Only use your 
 legs," she said. " See that you can bustle about, 
 and bow your heads before the old Duck yonder. 
 She 's the grandest of all here; she's of Spanish 
 blood — that 's why she 's so fat ; and d' ye see ? 
 she has a red rag round her leg ; that "s something 
 particularly fine, and the greatest distinction a 
 duck can enjoy ; it signifies that one does not 
 want to lose her, and that she 's to be known by 
 the animals and by men too. Shake yourselves 
 — don't turn in your toes; a well brought-up 
 duck turns its toes quite out, just like father and 
 mother, — so! Now bend your necks and say 
 Quack ! ' " 
 
 And they did so : but the other ducks round 
 about looked at them, and said quite boldly, — 
 
 " Look there ! now we 're to have these hang, 
 ing on, as if there were not enough of us already ! 
 And — fie ! — how that duckling yonder looks ; 
 we won't stand that ! " And one duck flew up at 
 it, and bit it in the neck. 
 
 "Let it alone," said the mother; "it does no 
 harm to any one." 
 
 "Yes, but it's too large and peculiar," said the 
 Duck who had bitten it ; " and therefore it must 
 be put down." 
 
 " Those are pretty children that the mother has 
 there," said the old Duck with the rag round her 
 leg. " They 're all pretty but that one ; that was 
 rather unlucky. I wish she could bear it over 
 again." 
 
 " That cannot be done, mj- lady," replied the 
 Mother-Duck. " It is not pretty, but it has a 
 really good disposition, and swims as well as any 
 other ; yes, I may even say it, swims better. I 
 think it will grow up pretty, and become smaller 
 in time ; it has lain too long in the egg; and there- 
 fore is not properly shaped." And then she 
 pinched it in the neck, and smoothed its feathers. 
 " Moreover, it is a drake," she said, " and therefore 
 it is not of so much consequence. I think he will 
 be very strong : he makes his way already." 
 
 "The other ducklings are graceful enough," 
 said the old Duck. " Make yourself at home ; and 
 if you find an eel's head, you may bring it me." 
 
 And now they were at home. But the poor 
 Duckling which had crept last out of the egg, and 
 looked so ugly, was bitten and pushed and jeered, 
 as much by the ducks as by the chickens. 
 
 " It is too big I " they all said. And the turkey- 
 cock, who had been born with spurs, and therefore 
 thought himself an emperor, blew himself up like 
 a ship in full sail, and bore straight down upon it; 
 then he gobbled and grew quite red in the face. 
 The poor Duckling did not know where it should 
 stand or walk ; it was quite melancholy because it 
 looked uglj', and was the butt of the whole duck- 
 yard. 
 
 So it went on the first day ; and afterwards it 
 
164 
 
 STORIES FROM HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN. 
 
 became worse and worse. The poor Duckling was 
 hunted about by every one ; even its brothers and 
 sisters were quite angry with it, and said, " If the 
 cat would only catch you, you ugly creature ! " 
 And the mother said, " If you were only far 
 away ! " And the ducks bit it, and the chickens 
 beat it, and the girl who had to feed the poultry 
 kicked at it with her foot. 
 
 Then it ran and flew over the fence, and the lit- 
 tle birds in the bushes flew up in fear. 
 
 " That is because I am so ugly ! " thought the 
 Duckling ; and it shut its eyes, but flew on far- 
 ther, and so it came out into the great moor, where 
 the wild ducks lived. Here it lay the whole night 
 long ; and it was weary and downcast. 
 
 Towards morning the wild ducks flew up, and 
 looked at their new companion. 
 
 " What sort of a one are you ? " they asked ; 
 and the Duckling turned in every direction, and 
 bowed as well as it could. " You are remai-kably 
 ugly ! "' said the Wild Ducks. " But that is noth- 
 ing to us, so long as you do not marry into our 
 family." 
 
 Poor thing I it certainly did not think of marry- 
 ing, and only hoped to obtain leave to lie among 
 the reeds and drink some of the swamp water. 
 
 Thus it lay two whole days; then came thither 
 two wild geese, or, properly speaking, two wild 
 ganders. It was not long since each had crept 
 out of an egg, and that 's why they were so saucy. 
 
 " Listen, comrade, " said one of them. " You 're 
 so ugly that I like you. Will you go with us, and 
 become a bird of passage ? Near here, in another 
 moor, there are a few sweet lovely wild geese, all 
 unmarried, and all able to say ' Rap ? ' You 've a 
 chance of making your fortune, ugly as you are." 
 
 "Pift'! paff I " resounded through the air; and 
 the two ganders fell down dead in the swamp, and 
 the water became blood red. " Pifl: ! paff!" it 
 sounded again, and the whole flock of wild geese 
 rose up from the reeds. And then there was an- 
 other report. A great hunt was going on. The 
 sportsmen were lying in wait all round the moor, 
 and some were even sitting up in the branches of 
 the trees, which spread far over the reeds. The 
 
 blue smoke rose up like clouds among the dark 
 trees, and was wafted far away across the water ; 
 and the hunting dogs came — splash, splash ! — 
 into the swamp, and the rushes and the reeds bent 
 down on every side. That was a fright for the 
 poor Duckling ! It turned its head, and put it un- 
 der its wing; but at that moment a frightful great 
 dog stood close by the Duckling. His tongue 
 hung far out of his mouth, and his eyes gleamed 
 horrible and ugly ; he thrust out his nose close 
 against the Duckling, showed his sharp teeth, 
 and — splash, splash ! — on he went, without seiz- 
 ing it. 
 
 " Oh, Heaven be thanked ! " sighed the Duck- 
 ling. " I am so ugly that even the dog does not 
 like to bite me I " 
 
 And so it lay quite quiet, while the shots rattled 
 through the reeds and gun after gun was fired. 
 At last, late in the day, all was still ; but the poor 
 Duckling did not dare to rise up ; it waited several 
 hours before it looked round, and then hastened 
 away out of the moor as fast as it could. It ran 
 on over field and meadow ; there was such a storm 
 raging that it was difiicult to get from one place to 
 another. 
 
 Towards evening the Duck came to a little mis- 
 erable peasant's hut. This hut was so dilapidated 
 that it did not itself know on which side it should 
 fall ; and that's why it reraaiued standing. The 
 storm whistled round the Duckling in such a way 
 that the poor creature Avas obliged to sit down, to 
 stand against it ; and the wind blew worse and 
 worse. Then the Duckling noticed that one of 
 the hinges of the door had given way, and the 
 door hung so slanting that the Duckling could slip 
 through the crack into the room ; and that is what 
 it did. 
 
 Here lived a woman, with her Cat and her Hen. 
 And the Cat, whom she call Sonnie, could arch 
 his back and purr, he could even give out sparks ; 
 but for that one had to stroke his fur the wrong 
 way. The Hen had quite little, short legs, and 
 therefore she was called Chickabiddy Shortshanks ; 
 she laid good eggs, and the woman loved her as 
 her own child. 
 
THE UGLY DUCKLING. 
 
 165 
 
 In the morning the strange Duckling was at 
 once noticed, and the Cat began to purr and the 
 Hen to cluck. 
 
 " What 's this ? " said the woman, and looked 
 all round ; but she could not see well, and there- 
 fore she thought the Duckling was a fat duck that 
 had strayed. "This is a rare prize!" she said. 
 " Now I shall have 
 duck's eggs. I hope 
 it is not a drake. We 
 must try that." 
 
 And so the Duck- 
 ling was admitted on 
 trial for three weeks ; 
 but no eggs came. 
 A nd the Cat was mas- 
 ter of the house, and 
 the Hen was the lady, 
 and always said " We 
 and the world I " for 
 she thought they were 
 half the world, and by 
 far the better half. 
 
 The Duckling 
 thought one might 
 have a different opin- 
 ion, but the Hen 
 would not allow it. 
 
 "Can you lay 
 eggs ? " she asked. 
 
 " No." 
 
 "Then will you 
 Aold your tongue ! " 
 
 And the Cat said, 
 " Can you curve j'our back, and purr, and give 
 out sparks ? " 
 
 " No." 
 
 " Then you will please have no opinion of your 
 own when sensible folks are speaking." 
 
 And the Duckling sat in a corner and was mel- 
 ancholy; then the fresh air and the sunshine 
 streamed in ; and it was seized with such a strange 
 longing to swim on the water, that it could not 
 help telling the Hen of it. 
 
 "What are you thinking of?" cried the Hen. 
 
 " You have nothing to do, that 's why you have 
 these fancies. Lay eggs, or purr, and they will 
 pass over." 
 
 " But it is so charming to swim on the water ! " 
 said the Duckling, " so refreshing to let it close 
 above one's head, and to dive down to the bot- 
 tom." 
 
 "Yes, that must be 
 a mighty pleasure, 
 truly," quoth the Hen, 
 " I fancy you must 
 have gone crazy. Ask 
 the Cat about it, — 
 he 's the cleverest an- 
 imal I know, — ask 
 him if he likes to swim 
 :^1l^s on the water, or to 
 dive down : I won't 
 speak about myself. 
 Ask our mistress, the 
 old woman ; no one in 
 the word is cleverer 
 than she. Do you 
 think she has any 
 desire to swim, and 
 to let the water close 
 above her head ? " 
 
 " You don't under- 
 stand me," said the 
 Duckling. 
 
 "We don't under- 
 stand you? Then 
 pray who is to un- 
 derstand you ? You 
 surely don't pretend to be cleverer than the Cat 
 and the woman — I won't say anything of my- 
 self. Don't be conceited, child, and thank your 
 Maker for all the kindness you have received. 
 Did you not get into a warm room, and have you 
 not fallen into company from which you may learn 
 something? But you are a chatterer, and it is 
 not pleasant to associate with you. You may 
 believe me, I speak for your good. I tell you 
 disagreeable things, and by that one may always 
 know one's true friends ! Only take care that 
 
166 
 
 STORIES FROM HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN. 
 
 you learn to lay eggs, or to purr, and give out 
 sparks ! " 
 
 " I think I will go out into the wide world," 
 said the Duckling. 
 
 " Yes, do go,'' replied the Hen. 
 
 And so the Duckling went away. It swam on 
 the water, and dived, but it was slighted by every 
 creature because of its ugliness. 
 
 Now came the autumn. The leaves in the for- 
 est turned yellow and brown ; the wind caught 
 them so that they danced about, and up in the air 
 it was very cold. The clouds hung low, heavy 
 with hail and snow-flakes, and on the fence stood 
 the raven, crying, " Croak ! croak ! " for mere 
 cold ; yes, it was enough to make one feel cold to 
 think of this. The poor little Duckling certainly 
 had not a good time. One evening — the sun was 
 just setting in his beauty — there came a whole 
 flock of great, handsome birds out of the bushes ; 
 they were dazzlingly white, with long, flexible 
 necks ; they were swans. They uttered a very pe- 
 culiar cry, spread forth their glorious great wings, 
 and flew away from that cold region to warmer 
 lands, to fair open lakes. Thej' mounted so 
 high, so high I and the ugly Duckling felt quite 
 strangely as it watched them. It turned round 
 and round in the water like a wheel, stretched out 
 its neck towards them, and uttered such a strange, 
 loud cry as frightened itself. Oh ! it could not 
 forget those beautiful, happy birds ; and so soon 
 Hs it could see them no longer, it dived down to 
 the very bottom, and when it came up again it 
 was quite beside itself. It knew not the name of 
 those birds, and knew not whither they were fly- 
 ing ; but it loved them more than it had ever 
 loved any one. It was not at all envious of them. 
 How could it think of wishing to possess such 
 loveliness as they had ? It would have been glad 
 if only the ducks would have endured its company 
 — the poor, ugly creature ! 
 
 And the winter grew cold, very cold ! The 
 Duckling was forced to swim about in the water, 
 to prevent the surface from freezing entirely ; but 
 every night the hole in which it swam ;ibout be- 
 came smaller and smaller. It froze so hard that 
 
 the icy covering crackled again ; and the Duck- 
 ling was obhged to use its legs continually to pre- 
 vent the hole from freezing up. At last it became 
 exhausted, and lay quite still, and thus froze fast 
 into the ice. 
 
 Early in the morning a peasant came by, and 
 when he saw what had happened, he took his 
 wooden shoe, broke the ice crust to pieces, and 
 carried the Duckling home to his wife. Then it 
 came to itself again. The children wanted to 
 play with it ; but the Duckling thought they 
 wanted to hurt it, and in its terror fluttered up 
 into the milk-pan, so that the milk spurted down 
 into the room. The woman clasped her hands, at 
 which the Duckling flew down into the butter-tub, 
 and then into the meal-barrel and out again. How 
 it looked then I The woman screamed, and struck 
 at it with the fire-tongs ; the children tumbled 
 over one another in their efforts to catch the 
 Duckling ; and they laughed and they screamed ! 
 — well it was that the door stood open, and the 
 poor creature was able to slip out between the 
 shrubs into the newly-fallen snow — there it lay 
 quite exhausted. 
 
 But it would be too melancholy if I were to tell 
 all the misery and care which the Duckling had 
 to endure in the hard winter. It lay out on the 
 moor among the reeds, when the sun began to 
 shine again and the larks to sing : it was a beauti- 
 ful spring. 
 
 Then all at once the Duckling could flap its 
 wings : they beat the air more strongly than be- 
 fore, and bore it strongly away ; and before it 
 well knew how all this happened, it found itself in 
 a great garden, where the elder-trees smelt sweet, 
 and bent their long green branches down to the 
 canal that wound through the region. Oh, here it 
 was so beautiful, such a gladness of spring ! and 
 from the thicket came three glorious white swans ; 
 they rustled tlieir wings, and swam lightly on the 
 water. The Duckling knew the splendid creat- 
 ures, and felt oppressed by a peculiar sadness. 
 
 " I will fly away to them, to the royal birds ! 
 and they will beat me, because I, that am so uglj\ 
 dare to come near them. But it is all the same. 
 
THE FIR-TREE. 
 
 16T 
 
 Better to be killed by them than to be pursued by 
 
 ducks, and beaten by fowls, and pushed about by 
 
 the girl who takes care of the poultry yard, and to 
 
 suffer hunger in winter ! " And it flew out into 
 
 the water, and swam towards the beautiful swans : 
 
 these looked at it, and came sailing down upon it 
 
 with outspread wings. 
 
 " Kill me ! " said the 
 
 poor creature, and bent 
 
 its head down upon 
 
 the water, expecting 
 
 nothing but death. 
 
 But what was this 
 
 that it saw in the clear 
 
 water ? It beheld its 
 
 own image ; and, lo ! 
 
 it was no longer a 
 
 clumsy dark-gray bird, 
 
 ugly and hateful to 
 
 look at, but a — swan ! 
 
 It matters nothing if one is born in a duck-yard 
 if one has only lain in a swan's egg. 
 
 It felt quite glad at all tlie need and misfortune 
 it had suffered, now it realized its happiness in all 
 the splendor that surrounded it. And the great 
 swans swam round it, and stroked it with their 
 beaks. 
 
 Into the garden came little children, who threw 
 bread and corn into the water ; and the youngest 
 
 cried, " There is a new one ! " and the other chil- 
 dren shouted joyously, " Yes, a new one has ar- 
 rived ! " And they clapped their hands and danced 
 about, and ran to their father and mother ; and 
 bread and cake were thrown into the water ; and 
 they all said, " The new one is the most beauti- 
 ful of all ! so young 
 and handsome ! " and 
 the old swans bowed 
 their heads before 
 him. Then he felt 
 quite ashamed, and 
 hid his head undei' 
 his wings, for he did 
 not know what to do j 
 he was so happy, and 
 yet not at all proud .^ 
 He thought how he- 
 had been persecuted 
 and despised ; and 
 now he heard them saying that he was the- 
 most beautiful of all birds. . Even the elder-tree- 
 bent its branches straight down into the water- 
 before him, and the sun shone warm and mild. 
 Then his wings rustled, he lifted his slender neck^ 
 and cried rejoicingly from the depths of his 
 heart, — 
 
 " I never dreamed of so much happiness when I 
 was the Ugly Duckling ! " 
 
 THE FIR-TREE. 
 
 Out in (he woods stood a nice little Fir-tree. 
 The place he had was a very good one ; the sun 
 shone on him ; as to fresh air, there was enough 
 of that, and round him grew many large-sized 
 comrades, pines as well as firs. But the little Fir 
 wanted so very much to be a grown-up tree. 
 
 He did not think of the warm sun and of the 
 fresh air; he did not care for the little cottage- 
 children that ran about and prattled when they 
 were in the woods looking for wild strawberries. 
 The children often came with a whole pitcher full 
 of strawberries, or a long row of them threaded 
 
 on a straw, and sat down near the young tree 
 and said, " Oh, how pretty he is ! what a nice little 
 fir ! " But this was what the tree could not bear 
 to hear. 
 
 At the end of a year he had shot up a good deal, 
 and after another year he was another long bit 
 taller ; for with fir-trees one can always tell by 
 the shoots how many years old they are. 
 
 " Oh, were I but such a. high tree as the others, 
 are," sighed he. " Then I should be able to spread 
 out my branches, and with the tops to look into 
 the wide world ! Then would the birds build 
 
168 
 
 STORIES FROM HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN. 
 
 aests among my branches ; and when there was 
 a breeze, I could bend with as much stateliness as 
 the others ! " 
 
 Neither the sunbeams, nor the birds, nor the 
 red clouds which morning and evening sailed above 
 him, gave the little tree any pleasure. 
 
 In winter, when the snow lay glittering on the 
 ground, a hare would often come leaping along, and 
 jump right over the little tree. Oh, that made 
 him so angry ! But two winters were past, and 
 in the third the tree was so large that the hare 
 was obliged to go round it. " To grow and grow, 
 to get older and be tall," thought the tree, — 
 " that, after all, is the most delightful thing in 
 the world I "' I L 
 
 In a ut u m n t li e ^ ' 
 
 wood-cutters always 
 came and felled some 
 of the largest trees. 
 This happened every 
 year ; and the young 
 Fir-tree, that had 
 now grown to a very 
 comely size, trembled 
 at the sight ; for the 
 magnificent great 
 trees fell to the earth 
 with noise and cracking, the branches were lopped 
 off, and the trees looked long and bare : they 
 were hardly to be recognized ; and then they were 
 laid in carts, and the horses dragged them out 
 of the wood. 
 
 Where did they go to ? What became of 
 them ? 
 
 In spring, when the Swallows and the Storks 
 came, the tree asked them, " Don't you know 
 where they have been taken ? Have you not 
 met them anywhere ? " 
 
 The Swallows did not know anything about it: 
 but the Stork looked musing, nodded his head, 
 and said, " Yes ; I think I know ; I met many 
 ships as I was flying hither from Egypt ; on the 
 ships were magnificent masts, and I venture to as- 
 sert that it was they that smelt so of fir. I may 
 
 congratulate you, for they lifted themselves on. 
 high most majestically ! " 
 
 " Oh, were I but old enough to fly across the 
 sea ! But how does the sea look in reality ? What 
 it is like?" 
 
 " That would take a long time to explain," 
 said the Stork, and with these words off he went. 
 " Rejoice in thy growth ! " said the Sunbeams, 
 " rejoice in thy vigorous growth, and in the fresh 
 life that moveth within thee ! " 
 
 And the Wind kissed the tree, and the Dew 
 wept tears over him ; but the Fir understood it 
 not. 
 
 When Christmas came, quite young trees were 
 
 cut down ; trees which 
 often were not even 
 as large or of the 
 same age as this Fir- 
 tree, who could never 
 rest, but always 
 wanted to be off. 
 These young trees, 
 and they were always 
 the finest looking, re- 
 __-«^-,vJ ,,^1^^,10^^ tained their branches ; 
 ~^ " they were laid on 
 
 "^ "~^ ~ ~i\. carts, and the horses 
 
 drew them out of the wood. 
 
 '• Where are they going to ? " asked the Fir. 
 " They are not taller than I ; there was one in- 
 deed that was considerably shorter ; — and why 
 do they retain all their branches ? Whither are 
 they taken ? " 
 
 " We know ! we know I " chirped the Spar- 
 rows. " We have peeped in at the windows in 
 the town below ! We know whither they are 
 taken ! The greatest splendor and the greatest 
 magnificence one can imagine await them. We 
 peeped through the windows, and saw them 
 planted in the middle of the warm room, and or- 
 namented with the most splendid things, — with 
 gilded apples, with gingerbread, with toys, and 
 many hundred lights ! " 
 
 "And then?" asked the Fir-tree, trembling 
 
THE FIR-TREE. 
 
 169 
 
 ha every bough. "And then? What happens 
 then ? " 
 
 " We did not see anything more : it was in- 
 comparably beautiful." 
 
 " I would fain know if I am destined for so 
 glorious a career," cried the tree, rejoicing. " That 
 is still better than to cross the sea ! What a long- 
 ing do I suffer ! Were Christmas but come ! I 
 am now tall, and my branches spread like the 
 others that were carried off last year ! Oh, were 
 I but already on the cart ! Were I in the warm 
 room with all the splendor and magnificence ! 
 Yes ; then something better, something still 
 grander, will surely follow, or wherefore should 
 they thus ornament me ? Something better, some- 
 thing still grander, must follow — but what ? Oh, 
 how I long, how I suffer ! I do not know myself 
 what is the matter with me ! " 
 
 "Rejoice in our presence!" said the Air and 
 the Sunlight; "rejoice in thy own fresh youth !" 
 
 But the tree did not rejoice at all ; he grew 
 and grew, and was green both winter and sum- 
 mer. People that saw him said, " What a fine 
 tree ! " and towards Christmas he was one of the 
 first that was cut down. The axe struck deep 
 into the very pith ; the tree fell to the earth with 
 a sigh : he felt a pang — it was like a swoon ; he 
 could not think of happiness, for he was sorrowful 
 at being separated from his home, from the place 
 where he had sprung up. He well knew that he 
 should never see his dear old comrades, the little 
 bushes and flowers around him, any more ; per- 
 haps not even the birds ! The departure was not 
 at all agreeable. 
 
 The tree only came to himself when he was 
 unloaded in a courtyard with the other trees, and 
 heard a man say, " That one is splendid ! we don't 
 want the others." Then two servants came in 
 rich livery and carried the Fir-tree into a large 
 and splendid drawing-room. Portraits were hang- 
 ing on the walls, and near the white porcelain 
 stove stood two large Chinese vases with lions on 
 the covers. There, too, were large easy-chairs, 
 silken sofas, large tables full of picture-books, 
 and full of toys wo'-th hundreds and hundreds of 
 
 crowns — at least the children said so. And the 
 Fir-tree was stuck upright in a cask that was 
 filled with sand : but no one could see that it was 
 a cask, for green cloth was hung all round it, and 
 it stood on a large gayly-colored carpet. Oh, how 
 the tree quivered ! What was to happen ? The 
 servants, as well as the young ladies, decorated it. 
 On one branch there hung little nets cut out of 
 colored paper, and each net was filled with sugar- 
 plums ; and among the other boughs gilded apples 
 and walnuts were suspended, looking as though 
 they had grown there, and little blue and white 
 tapers were placed among the leaves. Dolls that 
 looked for all the world like men — the tree had 
 never beheld such before — were seen among the 
 foliage, and at the very top a large star of gold 
 tinsel was fixed. It was really splendid — beyond 
 description splendid. 
 
 " This evening ! " said they all ; " how it will 
 shine this evening ! " 
 
 " Oh," thought the tree, " if the evening were 
 but come ! If the tapers were but lighted ! And 
 then I wonder what will happen ! Perhaps the 
 other trees from the forest will 'come to look at 
 me ! Perhaps the sparrows will beat against the 
 window-panes ! I wonder if I shall take root here, 
 and winter and summer stand covered with orna- 
 ments ! " 
 
 He knew very much about the matter ! but he 
 was so impatient that for sheer longing he got a 
 pain in his back, and this with trees is the same 
 thing as a headache with us. 
 
 The candles were now lighted. What bright- 
 ness ! What splendor ! The tree trembled so in 
 every bough that one of the tapers set fire to the 
 foliage. It blazed up splendidly. 
 
 " Help ! help ! " cried the young ladies, and 
 they quickly put out the fire. 
 
 Now the tree did not even dare tremble. What 
 a state he was in ! He was so uneasy lest he should 
 lose something of his splendor, that he was quite 
 bewildered amidst the glare and brightness ; when 
 suddenly both folding-doors opened, and a troop 
 of children rushed in as if they would upset the 
 tree. The older persons followed quietly ; tot 
 
170 
 
 STORIES FROM HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN. 
 
 (ittle ones Stood quite still. But it was only fdi- a 
 moment ; then they shouted so that the -whole 
 place reechoed witli their rejoicing ; they danced 
 round the tree, and one present after the other 
 ■was pulled off. 
 
 "What are they about?" thought the tree. 
 " What is to happen now ! " And the lights 
 burned down to the very branches, and as they 
 burned down they were put out one after the 
 other, and then the children had permission to 
 plunder the tree. So they fell upon it with such 
 violence that all its branches cracked ; if it had 
 not been fixed firmly in the cask, it would certainly 
 have tumbled down. 
 
 The children danced about with their beautiful 
 playthings : no one looked at the tree except the 
 old nurse, who peeped between the branches ; but 
 it was only to see if there was a fig or an apple 
 left that had been forgotten. 
 
 " A story ! a story I " cried the children, draw- 
 incf a little fat man towards the tree. He seated 
 himself under it, and said, " Now we are in the 
 shade, and the tree can listen too. But I shall 
 tell only one story. Now which will vou have ; 
 that about Ivedy-Avedy, or about Klumpy-Dumpy 
 who tumbled down-stairs, and yet after all came 
 to the tlirone and married the princess ? " 
 
 " Iverly-Aveilv,"' cried some; " Klumpy-Dnmpy," 
 cried tlie others. There was such a bawling and 
 screaming ! — the Fir-tree alone was silent, and 
 he thought to himself, " Am I not to bawl with 
 the rest ? — am I to do nothing whatever ? " for 
 he was one of the company, and had done what 
 he had to do. 
 
 And the man told about Klumpy-Dumjiy that 
 tumbled down, who notwithstanding came to the 
 throne, and at last married the princess. And 
 the children clapped their hands, and cried out, 
 " Oh, go on I Do go on ! " They wanted to hear 
 about Ivedy-Avedy too, but the little man only told 
 them about Klumpy-Dumpy. The Fir-tree stood 
 quite still and absorbed in thought : the birds 
 in the wood had never related the like of this, 
 " Klumpy-Dumpj' fell down-stairs, and yet he 
 married the princess ! Yes, yes ! that's the way 
 
 of the world ! " thought the Fir-tree, and believetl 
 it all, because the man who told the story was so 
 good-looking. " Well, well ! who knows, perhaps 
 I may fall down-stairs too, and get a princess as 
 wife ! " And he looked forward with joy to the 
 morrow, when he hoped to be decked out again 
 with lights, playthings, fruits, and tinsel. 
 
 " I won't tremble to-morrow ! " thought the Fir- 
 tree. " I will enjoy to the full all my splendor ! 
 To-morrow I shall hear again the story of Klumpy- 
 Dumpy, and perhaps that of Ivedy-Avedy too."' 
 And the whole night the tree stood still and in 
 deep thought. 
 
 In the morning the servant and the housemaid 
 came in. 
 
 " Now then the splendor will begin again," 
 thought the Fir. -But they dragged him out of 
 the room, and up the stairs into the loft ; and here 
 in a dai'k corner, where no daylight could enter, 
 they left him. "What's the meaning of this?" 
 thought the tree. "What am I to do here? 
 What shall I hear now, I wonder ? " And he 
 leaned Sgainst the wall lost in reverie. Time 
 enough had he too for his reflections : for days 
 and nights passed on, and nobod}' came up ; and 
 when at last somebody did come, it was only to 
 put some great trunks in a corner out of the way. 
 There stood the tree quite hidden ; it seemed as 
 if he had been entirely forgotten. 
 
 " 'T is now winter out-of-doors ! "' thought the 
 tree. " The earth is hard and covered with snow; 
 men cannot plant me now, and therefore I have 
 been put up here under shelter till the spring- 
 time comes I How thoughtful that is ! How kind 
 man is, after all ! If it only were not so dark 
 here, and so terribly lonely ! Not even a hare. 
 And out in the woods it was so pleasant, when 
 the snow was on the ground, and the hare leaped 
 by ; yes — even when he jumped over me ; but I 
 did not like it then. It is reallj' terribly lonely 
 here ! " 
 
 " Squeak ! squeak ! " said a little ]\Iouse at the 
 same moment, peeping out of his hole. And then 
 another little one came. They snuffed about the 
 Fir-tree, and rustled among the branches. 
 
THE FIR-TREE. 
 
 171 
 
 ■ It is dreadfully cold," said the Mouse. " But 
 for that, it would be delightful here, old Fir, 
 would n't it ? " 
 
 " I am by no means old," said the Fir-tree. 
 " There 's many a one considerably older than I 
 am." 
 
 " Where do you come from," asked the Mice ; 
 " and what can you do ? " They were so extremely 
 curious. " Tell us about the most beautiful spot 
 on the earth. Have you never been there ? Were 
 you never in the larder, where cheeses lie on the 
 shelves, and hams hang from above ; where one 
 dances about on tallow candles ; that place where 
 one enters lean, and comes out again fat and 
 portly? " 
 
 " I know no such place," said the tree. " But 
 I know the wood, where the sun shines, and where 
 the little birds sing." And then he told all about 
 his youth ; and the little Mice had never heard 
 the like before ; and they listened and said, — 
 
 " Well, to be sure ! How much you have seen ! 
 How happy you must have been ! " 
 
 " I ! " said the Fir-tree, thinking over what he 
 had himself related. "Yes, in reality those were 
 happy times." And then he told about Christmas 
 Eve, when he was decked out with cakes and can- 
 dles. 
 
 " Oh," said the little Mice, " how fortunate you 
 have been, old Fir-tree ! " 
 
 " I am by no means old," said he. " I came 
 from the wood this winter ; I am in my prime, 
 and am only rather short for my age." 
 
 " What delightful stories you know ! " said the 
 Mice : and the next night they came with four 
 other little Mice, who were to hear what the tree 
 recounted ; and the more he related, the more 
 plainly he remembered all himself; and it ap- 
 peared as if those times had really been happy 
 times. "But they may still come — they may 
 still come. Klumpy-Dumpy fell down-stairs, and 
 yet he got a princess ! " and he thought at the 
 moment of a nice little Birch-tree growing out 
 in the woods: to the Fir, that would be a real 
 charming princess. 
 
 " Who is Klumpy-Dumpy ? " asked the Mice. 
 
 So then the Fir-tree told the whole fairy tale, for 
 he could remember every single word of it ; and the 
 little Mice jumped for joy up to the very top of the 
 tree. Next night two more Mice came, and on 
 Sunday two Rats, even ; but they said the stories 
 were not interesting, which vexed the little Mice ; 
 and they, too, now began to think them not so 
 very amusing either. 
 
 " Do you know only one story ? " asked the 
 Rats. 
 
 " Only that one," answered the tree. " I heard 
 it on my happiest evening ; but I did not then 
 know how happy I was." 
 
 " It is a very stupid story ! Don't you know 
 one about bacon and tallow candles ? Can't you 
 tell any larder-stories ? " 
 
 " No," said the tree. 
 
 " Then good-by," said the Rats ; and they went 
 home. 
 
 At last the little Mice stayed away also ; and 
 the tree sighed : " After all, it was very pleasant 
 when the sleek little Mice sat round me and list- 
 ened to what I told them. Now that too is over. 
 But I will take good care to enjoy myself when 
 I am brought out again." 
 
 But when was that to be? Why, one morning 
 there came a quantity of people and set to work 
 in the loft. The trunks were moved, the tree was 
 pulled out and thrown — rather hard, it is true — 
 down on the floor, but a man drew him towards 
 the stairs, where the daylight shone. 
 
 " Now a merry life will begin again," thought 
 the tree. He felt the fresh air, the first sunbeam, 
 — and now he was out in the courtyard. All 
 passed so quickly, there was so much going on 
 around him, that the tree quite forgot to look to 
 himself. The court adjoined a garden, and all 
 was in flower ; the roses hung so fresh and odorous 
 over the balustrade, the lindens were in blossom, 
 the Swallows flew by, and said " Quirre-vit ! my 
 husband is come ! " but it was not the Fir-tree that 
 they meant. 
 
 " Now, then, I shall really enjoy life," said he, 
 pxultingly, and spread out his branches ; but, alas I 
 they were all withered and yellow. It was in a 
 
172 
 
 STORIES FROM HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN. 
 
 corner that he lay, among Aveeds and nettles. The 
 golden star of tinsel was still on the top of the 
 tree, and glittered in the sunshine. 
 
 In the courtyard some of the merry children 
 were playing who had danced at Christmas round 
 the Fir-tree, and were so glad at the sight of him. 
 One of the youngest ran and tore off the golden 
 star. 
 
 " Only look what is still on the ugly old Christ- 
 mas-tree ! " said he, trampling on the branches, so 
 that they all cracked beneath his feet. 
 
 And the tree beheld all the beauty of the 
 flowers, and the freshness in the garden ; he be- 
 held himself, and wished he had remained in his 
 dark corner in the loft : he thought of his first 
 youth in the wood, of the merry Christmas Eve, 
 and of the little Mice who had listened with so 
 much pleasure to the story of Klumpy-Dumpy. 
 
 " 'T is over — 'tis past!" said the poor tree. 
 " Had I but rejoiced when I had reason to do so ! 
 But now 't is past, 't is past ! " 
 
 And the gardener's boj' chopped the tree into 
 small pieces ; there was a whole heap lying there. 
 The wood flamed up splendidly under the large 
 
 brewing copper, and it sighed so deeply ! 
 sigh was like a shot. 
 
 Each 
 
 The boys played about in the court, and the 
 youngest wore the gold star on his breast which 
 the tree had had on the happiest evening of his 
 life. However, that was over now, — the tree 
 gone, the story at an end. All, all was over ; 
 every tale must end at last. 
 
 THE FLAX. 
 
 The Flax stood in blossom ; it had pretty little 
 blue flowers, delicate as a moth's wings and even 
 more delicate. The sun shone on the Flax, and 
 the rain clouds moistened it, and this was just as 
 good for it as it is for little children when they 
 are washed, and afterward get a kiss from their 
 mother ; they become much prettier, and so did 
 the Flax. 
 
 " The people say that I stand uncommonly 
 well," said the Flax, " and that I 'm fine and long, 
 and shall make a capital piece of linen. How 
 happy I am ! I 'm certainly the happiest of be- 
 ings. How well I am off ! And I may come to 
 something^. How the sunshine gladdens, and the 
 rain tastes good and refreshes me ! I 'm wonder- 
 fully happy ; I 'm the happiest of beings." 
 
 " Yee, yes, yes ! " said the Hedge-stake. " You 
 
 don't know the world, but we do, for we have 
 
 knots in us ; " and then it creaked out mourn- 
 
 fully, _ 
 
 " Snip-snap-snurre, 
 Bassellurre ! 
 The song is done." 
 
 ' No, it is not done," said the Flax. '• To-mor- 
 row the sun will shine, or the rain will refresh us. 
 I feel that I 'm growing, I feel that I 'm in blos- 
 som ! I 'm the happiest of beings." 
 
 But one day the people came and took the Flax 
 by the head and pulled it up by the root. That 
 hurt ; and it was laid in water as if they were 
 going to drown it, and then put on the fire 
 as if it was going to be roasted. It was quite 
 fearful ! 
 
 " One can't always have good times," said the 
 
THE FLAX. 
 
 173 
 
 Flax. " One must make one's experiences, and so 
 ' one gets to know something." 
 
 But bad times certainly came. The Flax was 
 moistened, and roasted, and broken, and hackled, 
 les, it did not even know what the operations 
 were called that they did with it. It was put on 
 the spinning-wheel — whirr! whirr! whirr! — it 
 was not possible to collect one's thoughts. 
 
 " I have been uncommonly happy," it thought 
 in all its pain. " One must be content with the 
 good one has enjoyed. Contented! contented! 
 Oh ! " And it continued to say that when it was 
 put into the loom, and till it became a large, beau- 
 tiful piece of linen. All the Flax, to the last 
 stalk, was used in making one piece. 
 
 " But this is quite remarkable ! I should never 
 have believed it ! 
 How favorable fort- 
 une is to me ! The 
 Hedge-stake is well 
 informed, truly, 
 with its — 
 
 " Snip-snap-snurre, 
 Bassellurre ! ' 
 
 The song is not done 
 by any means. Now 
 it 's beginning in 
 earnest. That s 
 quite remarkable ! 
 If I 've suffered something, I 've been made into 
 something ! I 'm the happiest of all ! How strong 
 and fine I am, how white and long ! That 's 
 something different from being a mere plant : 
 even if one bears flowers, one is not attended to, 
 and only gets watered when it rains. Now I 'm 
 attended to and cherished : the maid turns me 
 . over every morning, and I get a shower bath from 
 the watering-pot every evening. Yes, the clergy- 
 man's wife has even made a speech about me, and 
 Says I 'm the best piece in the whole parish. I 
 cannot possibly be happier ! " 
 
 Now the Linen was taken into the house, and 
 put under the scissors : how they cut and tore it, 
 and then pricked it with needles ! That was not 
 pleasant; but twelve pieces of body linen cf a 
 
 kind not often mentioned by name, but indispen- 
 sable to all people, were made of it — a whole 
 dozen ! 
 
 " Just look ! Now something has really been 
 made of me ! So ; that was my destiny. That 's 
 a real blessing. Now I shall be of some use in the 
 world, and that 's right, that 's a true pleasure ! 
 We 've been mad-d into twelve things, but yet 
 we 're all one and the same ; we 're just a dozen : 
 how charming th?,'- is ! " 
 
 Years rolled on, and now they would hold to- 
 gether no longer. 
 
 " It nmst be over one day," said each piece. 
 " I would gladly have held together a little longer, 
 but one must not expect impossibilities." 
 
 They were now torn into pieces and fragments. 
 
 They thought it 
 was all over now, 
 for they were hacked 
 to shreds, and soft- 
 ened, and boiled ; 
 yes, they themselves 
 did not know all 
 that was done to 
 them ; and then they 
 became beautiful 
 white paper. 
 
 " Now, that is a ■ 
 surprise, and a 
 glorious surprise ! " said the Paper. " Now I 'm 
 finer than before, and I shall be written on : that 
 is remarkable good fortune." 
 
 And really the most beautiful stories and verses 
 were written upon it, and only once there came a 
 blot ; that was certainly remarkable good fortune. 
 And the people heard what was upon it ; it was 
 sensible and good, and made people much more 
 sensible and better : there was a great blessing in 
 the words that were on this paper. 
 
 "That ie more than I ever imagined when I 
 was a little blue flower in the fields. How could 
 I fancy tha*-. I should ever spread joy and knowl- 
 edge among men ? I can't yet understand it my- 
 self, but it really is so. I have done nothing my- 
 seK but wii-dt I was obliged with my weak powers 
 
174 
 
 STORIES FROM HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN. 
 
 to do fcr my own preservation, and yet I have 
 been promoted from one joy and honor to another. 
 Each time when I think ' the song is done,' it be- 
 gins again in a higher and better way. Now I 
 shall certainly be sent about to journey through 
 the world, so that all people may read me. That 
 cannot be otherwise ; it 's the only probable thing. 
 I have splendid thoughts, as many as I had pretty 
 flowers in the old times. I 'm the happiest of be- 
 ings." 
 
 But the Paper was not sent on its travels, — it 
 was sent to the printer, and everything that was 
 written upon it was set up in type for a book, or 
 rather for many hundreds of books, for in this 
 way a very far greater number could derive pleas- 
 ure and profit from the book than if the one paper 
 on which it was written had run about the world, 
 to be worn out before it had got half way. 
 
 " Yes, that is certainly the wisest waj'," thought 
 the Written Paper. " I really did not think of 
 that. I shall stay at home, and be held in honor, 
 just like an old grandfather ; and I am really the 
 grandfather of all these books. Now something 
 can be effected ; I could not have wandered about 
 thus. He who wrote all this looked at me ; every 
 word flowed from his pen right into me. I am the 
 happiest of all." 
 
 Then the Paper was tied together in a bundle, 
 and thrown into a tub that stood in the wash- 
 house. 
 
 " It 's good resting after work," said the Paper. 
 " It 's very right that one should collect one's 
 thoughts. Now I 'm able for the first time to 
 think of what is in me, and to know one's self is 
 true progress. What will be done with me now ? 
 At any rate I shall go forward again : I 'm always 
 going forward ; I 've found that out." 
 
 Now, one day all the Paper was taken out and 
 laid by on the hearth ; it was to be burned, for it 
 might not be sold to hucksters to be used for cov- 
 ering for butter and sugar, they said. And all 
 the children in the house stood round about, for 
 they wanted to see the Paper burn, that flamed so 
 prettily, and afterwards one could see many red 
 sparks among the ashes, careering here and there. 
 
 One after another faded out as quick as the wind 
 and that they called " seeing the children come 
 out of school," and the last spark was the old 
 schoolmaster : one of them thought he had already 
 gone, but the next moment there came another 
 spark. " There goes the schoolmaster ! " they 
 said. Yes, they knew all about it ; they should 
 have known who it was who went there : we shall 
 get to know it, but they did not. All the old 
 Paper, the whole bundle, was laid upon the fire, 
 and it was soon alight. " Ugh ! " it said, and 
 burst out into bright flame. Ugh ! that was not 
 very agreeable, but when the whole was wrapped 
 in bright flames, these mounted up higher than 
 the Flax had ever been able to lift its little blue 
 flowers, and glittered as the white Linen had never 
 been able to glitter. All the written letters 
 turned for a moment quite red, and all the words 
 and thoughts turned to flame. 
 
 " Now I 'm mounting straight up to the sun," 
 said a voice in the flame ; and it was as if a thou- 
 sand voices said this in unison ; and the flames 
 mounted up through the chimney and out at the 
 top, and more delicate than the flames, invisible 
 to human eyes, little tiny beings floated there, as 
 manj' as there had been blossoms on the Flax. 
 They were lighter even than the flame from 
 which they were born ; and when the flame was 
 extinguished, and nothing remained of the Paper 
 but black ashes, they danced over it once more, 
 and where they touched the black mass the little 
 red sparks appeared. The children came out of 
 school, and the schoolmaster was the last of all. 
 That was fun ! And the children sang over the 
 dead ashes, — 
 
 " Snip-snap-snurre, 
 Bassellurre ! 
 The song is done." 
 
 But the little invisible beings all said, — 
 
 " The song is never done, that is the best of all. 
 
 We know it, and therefore we 're the happiest of 
 
 all." 
 
 But the children could neither hear that nor 
 
 understand it ; nor ought they, for children must 
 
 not know everything. 
 
THE SWINEHERD. 
 
 175 
 
 THE SWINEHERD. 
 
 There was once a poor prince ; be had a king- 
 dom that was very small ; still it was quite large 
 enough to marry upon ; and he wished to marry. 
 
 It was certainly rather cool of him to say to the 
 Emperor's daughter, " Will you have me ? " But 
 so he did ; for his name was renowned far and 
 wide ; and there were a hundred princesses who 
 would have answered, " Thank you." But see 
 what she said. Now we will hear. 
 
 By the grave of the prince's father there grew 
 a rose-tree, — a most beautiful rose-tree ; it blos- 
 somed only once in every five years, and even then 
 bore only one flower, but that was a rose that 
 smelt so sweet as to make one forget all cares and 
 sorrows. 
 
 And furthermore, the prince had a nightingale, 
 who could sing in such a manner that it seemed 
 as though all sweet melodies dwelt in her little 
 throat. So the princess was to have the rose and 
 the nightingale ; and they were accordingly put 
 into large silver caskets, and sent to her. 
 
 The emperor had them brought into a large 
 hall, where the princess was playing at " making 
 calls," with the ladies of the court ; they never 
 did anything else, and when she saw the caskets 
 with the presents, she clapped her hands for 
 
 joy- 
 
 " Ah, if it were but a little pussy-cat ! " ex- 
 claimed she ; then out came the beautiful rose. 
 
 " Oh, how prettily it is made ! " said all the 
 court-ladies. 
 
 " It is more than pretty," said the emperor ; 
 " it is charming ! " 
 
 But the princess touched it, and was almost 
 ready to cry. 
 
 " Fie, papa ! " said she, " it is not made at all ; 
 it is natural ! " 
 
 " Fie ! " cried all the court-ladies ; " it is nat- 
 ural ! " 
 
 " Let us see what is in the other casket, before 
 we get into a bud humor, proposed the emperor. 
 So the nightingale came forth, and sang so de- 
 
 lightfully that at first no one could say anything 
 ill-humored of it. 
 
 " Superbe ! charment ! " exclaimed the ladies ; 
 for they all used to chatter French, each one 
 worse than her neighbor. 
 
 " How much the bird reminds me of the musical 
 box that belonged to our blessed empress ! " re- 
 marked an old knight. " Ah yes ! it is the very 
 same tone, the same execution." 
 
 " Yes ! yes ! " said the emperor, and he wept 
 like a little child. 
 
 " I will still hope that it is not a real bird," 
 said the princess. 
 
 " Yet it is a real bird," said those who had 
 brought it. 
 
 " Well, then let the bird fly," returned the 
 princess ; and she positively refused to see the 
 prince. 
 
 However, he was not to be discouraged ; he 
 daubed his face over brown and black, pulled his 
 cap over his ears, and knocked at the door. 
 
 " Good day, emperor ! " said he. " Can I have 
 employment at the palace ? " 
 
 " Oh, there are so many that want a place ! " 
 said the emperor ; " well let me see, I want some 
 one to take care of the pigs, for we have a great 
 many of them." 
 
 So the prince was appointed " Imperial Swine- 
 herd." He had a dirty little room close by the 
 pig-sty ; and there he sat the whole day, and 
 worked. By the evening he had made a pretty 
 little saucepan. Little bells were hung all around 
 it ; and when the pot was boiling, these bells tin- 
 kled in the most charming manner, and played the 
 old melody : — 
 
 " Ah ! thou dearest Augustine ! 
 All is gone, gone, gone ! " 
 
 But what was still more curious, whoever held 
 his finger in the smoke of this saucepan immedi- 
 ately smelt all the dishes that were cooking on 
 every hearth in the city : this, you see, was some- 
 thing quite different from the rose. 
 
176 
 
 STORIES FROM HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN. 
 
 asked 
 
 Now the princess happened to walk that way : 
 and when she heard the tune, she stood quite still, 
 and seemed pleased ; for she could play " Dearest 
 Augustine ; " it was the only piece she knew, and 
 she played it with one finger. 
 
 " Why, there is my piece ! " said the princess ; 
 " that swineherd must certainly have been well 
 educated ! Here ! Go in and ask him the price 
 of the instrument."' 
 
 And so one of the court-ladies must run in ; 
 however, she drew on wooden slippers first. 
 
 " What will you take for the saucepan ? " in- 
 quired the lady. 
 
 " I will have ten kisses from the princess," said 
 the swineherd. 
 
 " Mercy on us ! " said the lady. 
 
 " Yes, I cannot sell it for less," 
 said the swineherd. 
 
 " Well, what does he say ? 
 the princess. 
 
 "I cannot tell you, 
 really," replied the lady; 
 " it is too bad I " 
 
 " Then you can 
 whisper it I " So the 
 lady whispered it. 
 
 " He is an impu- 
 dent fellow I " said the 
 princess, and she 
 walked on ; but when 
 she had gone a little way, the bells tinkled so 
 prettily, — 
 
 " Ah ! thou dearest Augustine ! 
 All is gone, gone, gone ! " 
 
 " Stay," said the princess. " Ask him if he will 
 have ten kisses from the ladies of my court." 
 
 " No, thank you I " answered the swineherd : 
 " ten kisses from the princess, or I keep the sauce- 
 pan myself." 
 
 "That must not be, either ! " said the princess ; 
 " But do you all stand before me, that no one may 
 see us." 
 
 And the court-ladies placed themselves in front 
 of her, and spread out their dresses ; and so the 
 swineherd got ten kisses, and she got the saucepan. 
 
 It was delightful ! the saucepan was kept boil- 
 ing all the evening, and the whole of the following 
 day. They knew perfectly well what was cook- 
 ing at every fire throughout the city, from the 
 chamberlain's to the cobbler's ; the court-ladies 
 danced, and clapped their hands. 
 
 " We know who has soup and who has pancakes 
 for dinner to-day, who has cutlets, and who .has 
 eggs. How interesting ! " 
 
 And " How interesting ! " said the lord stew- 
 ard's wife. 
 
 " Yes, but keep my secret, for I am an emper- 
 or's daughter." 
 
 " Mercy on us," said they all. 
 
 The swineherd — 
 that is to say the 
 prince, for no one 
 knew that he was 
 other than an ill- 
 favored swineherd — 
 let not a day pass 
 without working at 
 something; he at last 
 constructed a rattle, 
 which, when it was 
 swung round, played 
 all the waltzes and 
 jig-tunes which have 
 ever been heard since 
 the creation of the 
 world. 
 
 " Ah, that is superbe f" said the princess when 
 she passed by ; " I have never heard prettier com- 
 positions ! Go in and ask him the price of the 
 instrument ; but I won't kiss him ! " 
 
 " He will have a hundred kisses from the prin- 
 cess ! " said the court-lady who had been in to 
 ask. 
 
 " I think he is crazy I " said the princess, and 
 walked on ; but when she had gone a little way, 
 she stopped again. "One must encourage art," 
 said she ; " I am the emperor's daughter. Tell 
 him, he shall, as on yesterday, have ten kisses from 
 me, and may take the rest from the ladies of the 
 court." 
 
THE SWINEHERD. 
 
 177 
 
 " Oh ! but we should not like that at all ! " said 
 the court-ladies. 
 
 " What are you muttering ? " asked the prin- 
 cess ; " if I can kiss him, surely you can ! Re- 
 member, I give you your food and wages." So the 
 court-ladies were obliged to go to him again. 
 
 " A hundred kisses from the princess ! " said he, 
 "or else let every one keep his own." 
 
 "Stand round!" 
 said she ; and all the 
 ladies stood round 
 her v^hilst the kiss- 
 ing was going on. 
 
 " What can be 
 the reason for such 
 a crowd close by the 
 pig-sty ? " said the 
 emperor, who hap- 
 pened just then to 
 step out on the bal- 
 cony. He rubbed 
 bis eyes and put on 
 his spectacles. 
 " They are the la- 
 dies of the court ; 
 there is some play 
 going on. I must 
 go down and see 
 what they are 
 about ! " So he 
 pulled up his slip- 
 pers at the heel, for 
 he had trodden them 
 down. 
 
 Heh there ! what 
 a hurry he is in. 
 
 As soon as he had got into the courtyard, he 
 moved very softly, and the ladies were so much 
 engrossed with counting the kisses, that all might 
 go on fairly, that they did not perceive the em- 
 peror. He rose on his tiptoes. 
 
 " What is all this ? " said he, when he saw what 
 was going on, and he boxed the princess's ears 
 
 33 
 
 with his slipper, just as the swineherd was taking 
 the eighty-sixth kiss. 
 
 " Off with you ! " cried the emperor, for he was 
 very angry ; and both princess and swineherd 
 were thrust out of the city. 
 
 The princess now stood and wept, the swine- 
 herd scolded, and the rain poured down. 
 
 " Ob, how miserable I am ! " said the princess. 
 
 " If I had but mar- 
 
 ried the handsome 
 
 young prince ! 
 
 Ah ! how unfortu- 
 
 nate I am ! " 
 
 And the swine- 
 
 herd went behind 
 
 a tree, washed 
 
 the black-and-brown 
 color from his face, 
 threw off his dirty 
 clothes, and stepped 
 forth in his princely 
 robes; he looked 
 so noble that the 
 princess could not 
 help bowing before 
 him. 
 
 "lam come to de- 
 spise thee," said he. 
 " Thou wouldst not 
 have an honorable 
 prince ! thou couldst 
 not prize the rose 
 and the nightin- 
 gale, but thou wast 
 ready to kiss the 
 swineherd for the 
 
 sake of a trumpery plaything. Now thou hast 
 
 thy deserts ! " 
 
 He then went back to his own little kingdom, 
 
 and shut the door of his palace in her face. Now 
 
 she might well sing, — 
 
 "Ah ! thou dearest Augustine! 
 All is gone, gone, gone ! " 
 
178 
 
 STORIES FROM HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN 
 
 THE LOVERS. 
 
 A Top and a little Ball were together in a 
 drawer among some other toys ; and the Top said 
 to the Ball, — 
 
 " Shall we not be lovers, as we live together in 
 the same box ? " 
 
 But the Ball, which had a coat of morocco 
 leather, and was just as conceited as any fine lady, 
 would make no answer to such a proposal. The 
 next day came the little boy to whom the toys be- 
 longed : he painted the Top red and yellow, and 
 hammered a brass nail into it ; and it looked splen- 
 did when the Top turned round. 
 
 " Look at me ! " 
 he cried to the little 
 Ball. " What do you 
 say now? Shall we 
 not be engaged to 
 each other ? We suit 
 one another so well ! 
 You jump and I 
 dance ! No one could 
 be happier than we H 
 two should be." ^~ 
 
 " Indeed ! Do j'ou 
 think so ? " replied Si 
 the little Ball. "Per- 
 haps you do not 
 know that my papa and my mamma were morocco 
 slippers, and that I have a Spanish cork inside 
 me?" 
 
 " Yes, but I am made of mahogany," said the 
 Top; "and the mayor himself turned me. He 
 has a turning lathe of his own, and it amuses him 
 greatly." 
 
 " Can I depend on that ? " asked the little Ball. 
 
 " May I never be whipped again if it is not 
 true ! " replied the Top. 
 
 " You can speak well for yourself," observed the 
 Ball, "■ but I cannot grant your request. I am as 
 good as engaged to a swallow : every time I leap 
 up into the air he puts his head out of the nest 
 and says, ' Will you ? ' And now I have silently 
 
 said ' Yes,' and that is as good as half engaged 
 but I promise I will never forget you." 
 
 " Yes, that will be much good ! " said the Top. 
 And they spoke no more to each other. 
 Next day the Ball was taken out by the boy. 
 The Top saw how she flew high into the air, like 
 a bird ; at last one could no longer see her. 
 Each time she came back again, but gave a high 
 leap when she touched the earth, and that was 
 done either from her longing to mount up again, 
 or because she had a Spanish cork in her body. 
 But the ninth time the little Ball remained ab- 
 sent, and did not 
 come back again ; 
 and the boy sought 
 and sought, but she 
 was gone. 
 
 " I know very well 
 where she is ! " sighed 
 the Top. " She is in 
 the Swallow's nest, 
 and has married the 
 Swallow ! " 
 
 The more the Top 
 thought of this, the 
 more it longed for 
 the Ball. Just be- 
 cause it could not get the Ball, its love increased ; 
 and the fact that the Ball had chosen another 
 formed a peculiar feature in the case. So the 
 Top danced round and hummed, but always 
 thought of the little Ball, which became more 
 and more beautiful in his fancy. Thus several 
 years went by, and now it was an old love. 
 
 And the Top was no longer young ! But one 
 day he was gilt all over ; never had he looked so 
 handsome ; he was now a golden Top, and sprang 
 till he hummed again. Yes, that was something 
 worth seeing ! But all at once he sprang too high, 
 and — he was gone ! 
 
 They looked and looked, even in the cellar, but 
 he was not to be found. Where could he be ? 
 
LITTLE OLAUS AND BIG GLAUS. 
 
 179 
 
 He had jumped into the dust-box, where all 
 kinds of things were lying : cabbage stalks, sweep- 
 ings, and dust that had fallen down from the 
 roof. 
 
 " Here 's a nice place to lie in ! The gilding 
 will soon leave me here. Among what a rabble 
 have I alighted ! " 
 
 And then he looked sideways at a long leafless 
 cabbage stump, and at a curious round thing like 
 an old apple ; but it was not an apple — it was an 
 old Ball, which had lain for years in the roof-gut- 
 ter and was quite saturated with water. 
 
 " Thank goodness, here comes one of us, with 
 whom one can talk ! " said the little Ball, and 
 looked at the gilt Top. " I am really morocco, 
 worked by maidens' hands, and have a Spanish 
 cork within me ; but no one would think it, to look 
 at me. I was very near marrying a swallow, but I 
 fell into the gutter on the roof, and have lain there 
 full five years, and become quite wet through. 
 You may believe me, that 's a long time for a 
 young girl." 
 
 But the Top said nothing. He thought of his 
 old love ; and the more he heard, the clearer it be- 
 came to him that this was she. Then came the 
 
 servant-girl, and wanted to turn out the dust-box. 
 " Aha ! there 's a gilt top ! " she cried. And so 
 the Top was brought again to notice and honor, 
 but nothing was heard of the little Ball. And the 
 
 Top spoke no more of his old love ; for that dies 
 away when the beloved object has lain for five 
 years in a roof-gutter and got wet through ; yes, 
 one does not know her again when one meets her 
 in the dust-box. 
 
 LITTLE CLAUS AND BIG GLAUS. 
 
 There lived in a village two men who both 
 had the same name ; they were called Claus ; but 
 one of them had four horses, and the other had 
 only one horse ; so in order to tell one from the 
 other, people called the owner of the four horses, 
 " Big Claus," and him who had only one, " Little 
 Claus." Now we shall hear what happened to the 
 two, for this is a true story. 
 
 The whole week through Little Claus was 
 obliged to plow for Big Claus, and lend him his 
 one horse ; and, in return, Big Claus lent him all 
 his four horses, but only on one day of the week, 
 and that was Sunday. Then how proudly Little 
 Claus would smack his whip over all five horses ! 
 they were as good as his own on that one day. 
 
 The sun shone brightly, and all the bells in the 
 church tower were ringing merrily as the people 
 passed by, dressed in their best clothes, with their 
 prayer-books under their arms. They were going 
 to hear the clergyman preach, and they looked at 
 Little Claus plowing with his five horses, and he 
 was so proud that he smacked his whip, and said, 
 " G'up, all my horses ! " 
 
 " You must not say that," said Big Claus ; '• for 
 only one of them belongs to you." But when an- 
 other lot of people went by to church, Little Claus 
 forgot what he ought to say, and called out, 
 " G'up, all my horses ! " 
 
 " Now I tell you not to say that again," said 
 Big Claus; "for if you do, I shall hit your horse 
 
180 
 
 STORIES FROM HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN. 
 
 on the head, so that he will drop dead on the spot, 
 and that will be the end of him." 
 
 " I promise you I will not say it any more," 
 said the other ; but as soon as people came by, 
 nodding to him, and wishing him " Good day," 
 he became so pleased, and thought how grand 
 it looked to have five horses plowing in his 
 field, that he cried out again, " G'up, all my 
 horses ! " 
 
 " I '11 g'up your horses for you," said Big Glaus ; 
 and, seizing a carriage weight, he struck the one 
 horse of Little Glaus on the head, and he fell 
 dead instantly. 
 
 " Ah ! now I have no horse at all," said Little 
 Glaus, and he began to weep. But after a while 
 he took off the dead horse's skin, and hung the 
 hide to dry in the 
 wind. Then he put 
 the dry skin into a 
 bag, and placing it 
 over his shoulder, 
 went out into the next 
 town to sell the horse's 
 hicie. 
 
 He had a very long 
 way to go, and had to 
 pass through a dark, 
 gloomy forest. Presently a storm arose, and he 
 lost his way, and before he discovered the right 
 path, evening came on, and it was still a long way 
 to the town, and too far to return home before 
 night. 
 
 Near the road stood a large farm-house. The 
 shutters outside the windows were closed, but 
 lights shone through the crevices and at the top. 
 " I might get permission to stay here for the 
 night," thought Little Glaus ; so he went up to 
 the door and knocked. 
 
 The farmer's wife opened the door ; but when 
 she heard what he wanted, she told him to go 
 away, as her husband would not allow her to ad- 
 mit strangers. 
 
 " Then I shall be obliged to lie out here," said 
 Little Glaus to himself, and the farmer's wife 
 shut the door in his face. 
 
 Near to the farm-house stood a large hay-stack, 
 and between it and the house was a small shed, 
 with a thatched roof. 
 
 " I can lie up there," said Little Glaus, as he 
 saw the roof ; " it will make a famous bed, but I 
 hope the stork will not fly down and bite my 
 legs ; " for on it stood a living stork, whose nest 
 was in the roof. 
 
 So Little Glaus climbed to the roof of the shed, 
 and while he turned himself to get comfortable, he 
 discovered that the wooden shutters, which were 
 closed, did not reach to the tops of the windows 
 of the farm-house, so that he could see into a room 
 in which a large table was laid out, with wine, 
 roast meat, and a splendid fish. The farmer's wife 
 and the sexton were sitting at the table together ; 
 
 and she filled his glass, 
 and heljDcd him plen- 
 teously to fish, for 
 that was something 
 he was fond of. 
 
 " If I could only get 
 some, too," thought 
 Little Glaus ; and he 
 stretched his neck 
 toward the window. 
 Oh, what a lovely pie 
 he could see there ! Oh, but that was a feast ! 
 
 Now he heard some one riding down the road, 
 toward the farm-house. It was the woman's hus- 
 band coming home. He was a good man, but 
 still he had a very strange prejudice, — he could 
 not bear the sight of a sexton. If one appeared 
 before him, he would put himself in a terrible 
 rage. And so it was that the sexton had gone to 
 visit the farmer's wife during her husband's ab- 
 sence from home, and the good woman had placed 
 before him the best she had in the house to eat. 
 When she heard the farmer coming she was fright- 
 ened, and begged the sexton to hide himself in a 
 large empty chest that stood in the room. He did 
 so, for he knew her husband could not endure the 
 sight of a sexton. The woman then quickly put 
 away the wine, and hid all the rest of the nice 
 things in the oven ; for if her husband had seen 
 
LITTLE GLAUS AND BIG GLAUS. 
 
 181 
 
 them he would have asked what they were brought 
 out for. 
 
 " Oh dear ! " sighed Little Glaus from the top 
 of the shed, as he saw all the good things disap- 
 pear. 
 
 " Is any one up there ? " asked the farmer, 
 looking up and discovering Little Claus. " Why 
 are you lying up there ? Come down, and come 
 into the house with me." So Little Claus came 
 down and told the farmer how he had lost his 
 way, and begged for a night's lodging. 
 
 "All right," said the farmer; "but we must 
 have something to eat first." 
 
 The woman received them both very kindly, 
 laid the cloth on a large table, and placed before 
 them a dish of groats. The farmer was very 
 hungry, and ate his groats with a good appetite, 
 but Little Claus could not help thinking of the 
 nice roast meat, fish, and pies, which he knew 
 were in the oven. Under the table, at his feet, 
 lay the sack containing the horse's skin, which he 
 intended to sell at the next town. Now Little 
 Claus did not relish the groats at all, so be trod 
 with his foot on the sack under the table, and the 
 dry skin squeaked quite loud. " Hush ! " said 
 Little Claus to his sack, at the same time tread- 
 ing upon it again, till it squeaked louder than be- 
 fore. 
 
 "Hallo! what have you got in your sack?" 
 asked the farmer. 
 
 " Ob, it is a conjurer," said Little Claus ; "and 
 he says we need not eat groats, for he has conjured 
 the oven full of roast meat, fish, and pie." 
 
 " Wonderful ! " cried the farmer, and he opened 
 the oven door ; and there lay all the nice things 
 hidden by the farmer's wife, but which he sup- 
 posed had been conjured there by the wizard un- 
 der the table. The woman dared not say any- 
 thing ; so she placed the things before them, and 
 they both ate of the fish, the meat, and the 
 pastry. 
 
 Then Little Claus trod again upon his sack, 
 and it squeaked as before. 
 
 " What does he say now ? " asked the farmer. 
 
 "He says," replied Little Claus, "that there 
 
 are three bottles of wine for us, standing in the 
 corner, by the oven." 
 
 So the woman was obliged to bring out the wine 
 also, which she had hidden, and the farmer drank 
 it till he became quite merry. He would have 
 liked such a conjurer as Little Claus carried in 
 his sack. "Could he conjure up the devil?" 
 asked the farmer. " I should like to see him now, 
 while I am so merry." 
 
 " Oh, yes ! " replied Little Claus, " my conjurer 
 can do anything I ask him, — can you not ? " he 
 asked, treading at the same time on the sack till 
 it squeaked. " Do you hear ? he answers ' Yes,' 
 but he fears that we shall not like to look at 
 him." 
 
 " Oh, I am not afraid. What will he be like ? " 
 " Well, he is very much like a sexton." 
 " Ha ! " said the farmer ; " then he must be 
 ugly. Do you know I cannot endure the sight of 
 a sexton. However, that does n't matter, I shall 
 know who it is ; so I shall not mind. Now then, 
 I have got up my courage, but don't let him come 
 too near me." 
 
 " Stop, I must ask the conjurer," said Little 
 Claus ; so he trod on the bag, and stooped his ear 
 down to listen. 
 
 " What does he say ? " 
 
 " He s-A.ys that you must go and open that large 
 chest which stands in the corner, and you will see 
 the devil crouching down inside ; but you must 
 hold the lid firmly, that he may not slip out." 
 
 " Will you come and help me hold it ? " said 
 the farmer going toward the chest in which his 
 wife had hidden the sexton, who now lay inside, 
 very much frightened. The farmer lifted the lid 
 a very little way, and peeped in. 
 
 " Eh ! " cried he, springing backwards. " Ah, 
 I saw him, and he is exactly like our sexton. How 
 dreadful it is ! " So after that he was obliged to 
 drink again, and they sat and drank till far into 
 the night. 
 
 "You must sell your conjurer to me," said the 
 farmer ; " ask as much as you like, I will pay it ; 
 indeed, I would give you directly a whole bushel 
 of g9ld." 
 
182 
 
 STORIES FROM HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN. 
 
 "No, indeed, I cannot," said Little Claus ; 
 " only think how much profit I could make out of 
 this conjurer." 
 
 " But I should like to have him," said the 
 farmer, still continuing his entreaties. 
 
 " Well," said Little Claus at length, " you have 
 been so good as to give me a night's lodging, I 
 will not refuse you ; you shall have the conjurer 
 for a bushel of money, but I will have quite full 
 measure." 
 
 "So yo u shall," 
 said the farmer ; " but 
 you must take away 
 the chest as well. I 
 would not have it in 
 the house another 
 hour ; there is no 
 knowing if he may 
 not be still there." 
 
 So Little Claus gave 
 the farmer the sack 
 containing the dried 
 horse's skin, and re- 
 ceived in exchange a 
 bushel of money — 
 full measure. The 
 Farmer also gave him 
 a wheel -baviow on 
 which to carry away 
 the chest a n d the 
 gold. 
 
 '■ Farewell," said 
 Little Claus, as he 
 went off with his 
 money and the great 
 chest, in which the 
 
 sexton lay still concealed. On one side of the 
 forest was a broad, deep river ; the water flowed 
 so rapidly that very few vcere able to swim against 
 the stream. A new bridge had lately been built 
 across it, and in the middle of this bridge Little 
 Claus stopped, and said, loud enough to be heard 
 by the sexton, — 
 
 '• Novvr, what shall I do with this stupid chest? 
 it is as heavy as if it were full of stones : I shall 
 
 be tired if I roll it any farther, so I may as well 
 
 throw it into the river ; if it swims after me to my 
 
 house, well and good, and if not, it will not much 
 
 matter." 
 
 So he seized the chest in his hand, and lifted it 
 
 up a little, as if he were going to throw it into 
 
 the water. 
 
 " No, leave it alone," cried the sexton from 
 
 within the chest ; " let me out first." 
 
 " Oh," exclaimed 
 Little Claus, pretend- 
 ing to be frightened, 
 "he is in there still, 
 is he ? I must throw 
 him into the river, 
 that he may be 
 drowned." 
 
 " Oh no! Oh no!" 
 cried the sexton ; " I 
 will give you a whole 
 bushel full of money 
 if YOU will let me 
 
 go." 
 
 "Why, that is an- 
 other matter," said 
 Little Claus, opening 
 the chest. The sexton 
 crept out, pushed the 
 empty chest into the 
 water, and went to 
 his house ; then he 
 measured out a whole 
 bushel full of gold for 
 Little Claus, who had 
 already received one 
 from the farmer, so 
 that now he had a barrow full. 
 
 " I have been well paid for my horse," said he 
 to himself when he reached home, entered his own 
 room, and emptied all his money into a heap on 
 the floor. '' How vexed Big Claus will be when 
 he finds how rich I have become all through my 
 one horse; but I shall not tell him exactly how it 
 all happened." Then he sent a boy to Big Claus 
 to borrow a bushel measure. 
 
LITTLE CLAUS AND BIG GLAUS. 
 
 183 
 
 "What can he, want it for?" thought Big 
 Claus ; so he smeared the bottom of the measure 
 with tar, that some of whatever was put into it 
 might stick there and remain. And so it hap- 
 pened ; for when the measure returned three new 
 silver florins were sticking to it. 
 
 " What does this mean ? " said Big Claus ; so 
 he ran oflE directly to Little Claus, and asked, 
 " Where did you get so much mone)^ ? "' 
 
 " Oh, for my horse's hide ; I sold it yesterday." 
 
 " It was certainly well paid for then," said Big 
 Claus ; and he ran home to his house, seized a 
 hatchet, and knocked all his four horses on the 
 head, flayed off their skins, and took them to the 
 town to sell. " Hides, hides ! who '11 buy hides? " 
 lie cried, as he went through the streets. All the 
 shoemakers and tanners came running, and asked 
 how much he wanted for them. 
 
 " A bushel of money for each," replied Big 
 Claus. 
 
 " Are you mad ? " they all cried ; " do you think 
 we have money to spend by the bushel ? " 
 
 "Hides, hides!" he cried again, "who'll buy 
 hides? " but to all who inquired the price his an- 
 swer was, " A bushel of money." 
 
 " He is making fools of us," said they all ; then 
 the shoemakers took their straps, and the tanners 
 their leather aprons, and began to beat Big Claus. 
 
 "Hides, hides!" they cried, mocking him; 
 " yes, we '11 mark your hide for you, till it is black 
 and blue." 
 
 " Out of the town with him," said they. And 
 Big Claus was obliged to run as fast as he could ; 
 he had never before been so thoroughly beaten. 
 
 "Ah," said he, as he came to his house, "Little 
 Claus shall pay me for this ; I will beat him to 
 death." 
 
 Now it happened that the old grandmother of 
 Little Claus died. She had been cross, unkind, 
 and really spiteful to him ; but he was very sorry, 
 and took the dead woman and laid her in his 
 warm bed to see if he could bring her to life again. 
 There he determined that she should lie the whole 
 night, while he seated himself in a chair in a cor- 
 ner of the room, as he had often done before. 
 
 During the night, as he sat there, the door 
 opened, and in came Big Claus with a hatchet. 
 He knew well where Little Claus's bed stood ; sc 
 he went right up to it, and struck the old grand- 
 mother on the head, thinking it must be Little 
 Claus. 
 
 " There," cried he, " now you cannot make a 
 fool of me again ; " and then he went home. 
 
 " That is a very wicked man," thought Little 
 Claus ; " he meant to kill me. It is a good thing 
 for my old grandmother that she was already dead, 
 or he would have taken her life." 
 
 Then he dressed his old grandmother in her best 
 clothes, borrowed a horse of his neighbor, and 
 harnessed it to a cart. Then he placed the old 
 woman on the back seat, so that she might not fall 
 out as he drove, and rode away through the wood. 
 By sunrise they reached a large inn, where Little 
 Claus stopped and went to get something to eat. 
 
 The landlord was a rich man, and a good man, 
 too ; but as passionate as if he had been made of 
 pepper and snuff. 
 
 " Good-morning," said he to Little Claus ; " you 
 ai'e come betimes to-day." 
 
 " Yes," said Little Claus ; " I am going to the 
 town with my old grandmother ; she is sitting at 
 the back of the wagon, but I cannot bring her into 
 the room. Will you take her a glass of mead? 
 but you must speak very loud, for she cannot hear 
 well." 
 
 "Yes, certainly I will," replied the landlord; 
 and, pouring out a glass of mead, he carried it out 
 to the dead grandmother, who sat upright in the 
 cart. 
 
 " Here is a glass of mead from your grandson," 
 said the landlord. The dead woman did not an- 
 swer a word, but sat quite still. 
 
 "Do you not hear?" cried the landlord, as 
 loud as he could ; " here is a glass of mead from 
 your grandson." 
 
 Again and again he bawled it out, but as she did 
 not stir he flew into a passion, and threw the glass 
 of mead in her face ; it struck her on the nose, and 
 she fell backwards out of the cart, for she was only 
 seated there, not tied in. 
 
184 
 
 STORIES FROM HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN. 
 
 " Mercy ! " cried Little Claus, and sprang out 
 of the door, and seized hold of the landlord by 
 the throat ; " you have killed my grandmother ; 
 see, here is a great hole in her forehead." 
 
 " Oh, how unfortunate," said the landlord, 
 wringing his hands. " This all comes of my fiery 
 temper. Dear Little Claus, I will give you a 
 whole bushel of money, and will bury your grand- 
 mother as if she were mj' own ; only keep silent, 
 or else thej' will cut off my head, and that would 
 be disagreeable." 
 
 So it happened that Little Claus received an- 
 other bushel of money, and the landlord buried 
 his old grandmother as if she had been his own. 
 
 When now Little Claus reached home again, he 
 immediately sent a boy to Big Claus, requesting 
 him to lend him a bushel measure. " How is 
 this ? "' thought Big Claus ; " did I not kill him ? 
 I must go and see for myself." So he went to 
 Little Claus, and took the bushel measure with 
 him. " How did you get all this money?" asked 
 Big Claus, staring with wide open eyes at his 
 neighbor's treasures. 
 
 " You killed my grandmother instead of me," 
 said Little Claus, " so I have sold her for a bushel 
 of money." 
 
 " That is a good price, any way," said Big Claus. 
 So he went home, took a hatchet, and killed his old 
 grandmother with one blow. Then he placed her 
 on a cart, and drove into the town to the apoth- 
 ecary, and asked him if he would buy a dead 
 body. 
 
 " Whose is it, and where did you get it ? " asked 
 the apothecary. 
 
 " It is my grandmother," he replied ; " I struck 
 her dead for a bushel of money." 
 
 " Heaven preserve us ! " cried the apothecary, 
 " you are out of your mind. Don't say such 
 things, or you will lose your head." And then 
 he talked to him seriously about the wicked deed 
 he had done, and told him that such a wicked man 
 would surely be punished. Big Claus got so 
 frightened that he rushed out of the apothecary 
 shop, jumped into the cart, whipped up his horses, 
 and drove home quickly. The apothecary and 
 
 all the people thought him mad, and let him drive 
 where he liked. 
 
 " You shall pay for this," said Big Claus, as 
 soon as he got into the high-road, — "that j'ou 
 shall, Little Claus." So as soon as he reached 
 home he took the largest sack he could find, and 
 went over to Little Claus. " You have played me 
 another trick," said he. " First, I killed all my 
 horses, and then my old grandmother, and it is all 
 your fault ; but you shall not make a fool of me 
 any more." So he laid hold of Little Claus round 
 the bod}', and pushed him into the sack, which he 
 took on his shoulders, saying, " Now I 'm going to 
 drown you in the river." 
 
 He had a long way to go before he reached the 
 river, and Little Claus was not a very light weight 
 to carry. The road led by the church, and as they 
 passed he could hear the organ pla}'ing and the 
 people singing beautifully. Big Claus put down 
 the sack close to the church door, and thought he 
 might as well go in and hear a psalm before he 
 went any farther. Little Claus could not possibly 
 get out of the sack, and all the people were in 
 church ; so in he went. 
 
 " Oh dear, oh dear," sighed Little Claus in the 
 sack, as he turned and twisted about ; but he 
 found he could not loosen the string with which it 
 was tied. Presently an old cattle driver, with 
 snowy hair, passed by, carrying a large staff in his 
 hand, with which he drove a large herd of cows 
 and oxen before him. They stumbled against the 
 sack in which laj' Little Claus, and turned it over. 
 "Oh dear," sighed Little Claus, "I am so young, 
 and going so soon to heaven." 
 
 " And I, poor fellow," said the drover, — '■ L 
 who am so old already, cannot get there." 
 
 " Open the sack," cried Little Claus ; " creep 
 into it instead of me, and you will soon be 
 there." 
 
 " With all my heart," replied the drover, open- 
 ing the sack, from which sprang Little Claus as 
 quickly as possible. " Will you take care of my 
 cattle ? " said the old man, as he crept into the 
 bag. 
 
 " Yes," said Little Claus, and he tied up the 
 
LITTLE GLAUS AND BIG CLADS. 
 
 185 
 
 sack, and then walked off with all the cows and 
 oxen. 
 
 When Big Glaus came out of church, he took up 
 the sack, and placed it on his shoulders. It ap- 
 peared to have become lighter, for the old drover 
 was not half so heavy as Little Glaus. 
 
 " How light he seems now," said he. " Ah, it 
 is because I have been to a church." So he 
 walked on to the river, which was deep and broad, 
 and threw the sack containing the old drover into 
 the water, believing it to be Little Glaus. " There 
 you may lie ! " he exclaimed ; " you will play me 
 no more tricks now." Then he turned to go home, 
 but when he came to a place where two roads 
 crossed, there was Little Glaus driving the cattle. 
 " How is this ? " said 
 
 Big 
 
 Glaus. "Did I 
 not drown you just 
 now ? " 
 
 "Yes," said Little 
 Glaus ; " you threw 
 me into the river 
 about half an houv 
 ago." 
 
 " But wherever did 
 you get all these fine 
 beasts?" asked Big 
 Glaus. 
 
 " These beasts are 
 sea-cattle," replied Little Glaus. " I '11 tell you the 
 whole story, and thank you for drowning me ; I 
 am above you now ; I am really very rich. I was 
 frightened, to be sure, while I lay tied up in the 
 sack, and the wind whistled in my ears when you 
 threw me into the river from the bridge, and I 
 sank to the bottom immediately ; but I did not 
 hurt myself, for I fell upon beautifuUjr soft grass 
 which grows down tliere ; and, in a moment, the 
 sack opened, and the sweetest little maiden came 
 towards me. She had snow-white robes, and a 
 wreath of green leaves on her wet hair. She took 
 me by the hand, and said, ' So you are come. Lit- 
 tle Glaus, and here are some cattle for you to be- 
 gin witii. About a mile farther On the road, there 
 is another herd for you.' Then I saw that the 
 
 24 
 
 river formed a great highway for the people who 
 live in the sea. They were walking and driving 
 here and there from the sea to the land at the 
 spot where the river terminates. The bed of the 
 river was covered with the loveliest flowers and 
 sweet, fresh grass. The fish swam past me as 
 rapidly as the birds do here in the air. How 
 handsome all the people were, and what fine cat- 
 tle were grazing on the hills and in the valleys ! " 
 "But why did you come up again," said Big 
 Glaus, "if it was all so beautiful down there ? I 
 should not have done so." 
 
 " Well," said Little Glaus, " it was good policy 
 on my part ; you heard me say just now that I 
 was told by the sea-maiden to go a mile farther on 
 ,^-^.,. the road, and I should 
 
 ^^Mh'- find a whole herd of 
 
 cattle. By the road 
 she meant the river, 
 for she could not travel 
 any other way ; but I 
 knew the winding of 
 the river, and how it 
 bends, sometimes to 
 tlie right and some- 
 times to the left, and 
 it seemed a long way, 
 so I chose a shorter 
 one ; and, by coming 
 up to the land, and then driving across the fields 
 back again to the river, I shall save half a mile, 
 and get all my cattle more quickly." 
 
 " What a lucky fellow you are ! " exclaimed 
 Big Glaus. " Do you think I should get any sea- 
 cattle if I went down to the bottom of the river ? " 
 " Yes, I think so," said Little Glaus; "but I 
 cannot carry you there in a sack, you are too 
 heav}'. However, if you will go there first, and 
 then creep into a sack, I will throw you in with 
 the greatest pleasure." 
 
 '■ Thank you," said Big Glaus ; " but remeni 
 ber, if I do not get any sea-cattle down there, I 
 shall come up again and give you a good thrash- 
 ing." 
 
 "No, now, don't be too fierce about it! " said 
 
186 
 
 STORIES FROM HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN. 
 
 Little Claus, as they walked on towards the river. 
 When they approached it, the cattle, who were 
 very thirsty, saw the stream, and ran down to 
 drink. 
 
 " See what a hurry they are in," said Little 
 Claus, " they are longing to get down again." 
 
 " Come. Help me, make haste," said Big 
 Claus, " or you '11 get beaten." So he crept into 
 a large sack, which had been lying across the 
 back of one of the oxen. 
 
 " Put in a stone," said Big Claus, " or I may 
 not sink." 
 
 " Oh, there 's not much fear of that," he replied ; 
 still he put a large stone into the bag, and then 
 tied it tightly, and gave it a push. 
 
 " Plump ! " In went Big Claus, and immedi- 
 ately sank to the bottom of the river. 
 
 " I 'm afraid he will not find any cattle," said 
 Little Claus, and then he drove his own beasts 
 homeward. 
 
 THE DARNING-NEEDLE. 
 
 There was once a darning-needle, who thought 
 herself so fine, she imagined she was an embroider- 
 ing needle. 
 
 '■ Take care, and mind you hold me tight I " she 
 said to the Fingers that took her out. " Don't 
 let me fall ! If I fall on the ground I shall cer- 
 tainly never be found again, for I am so fine ! " 
 
 " That 's as it may be," said the Fingers ; and 
 they grasped her round the body. 
 
 " See, I 'm coming with a train I " said the 
 Darning-needle, and she drew a long thread after 
 her, but there was no knot in the thread. 
 
 The Fingers pointed the needle just at the 
 cook's slipper, in which the upper leather had 
 burst, and was to be sewn together. 
 
 " That 's vulgar work," said the Darning- 
 needle. " I shall never get through. I 'm break 
 ing ! I 'm breaking ! " And she really broke. 
 " Did I not say so ? " said the Darning-needle; 
 " I 'm too fine I " 
 
 " Now it s quite useless," said the Fingers ; but 
 they were obliged to hold her fast, all the same ; 
 for the cook dropped some sealing-wax upon the 
 needle, and pinned her handkerchief together with 
 it in front. 
 
 " So, now I 'm a breast-pin ! " said the Darning- 
 needle. " I knew very well that I should come to 
 honor : when one is something, one comes te some- 
 thing ! " 
 
 And she laughed quietly to herself — and one 
 can never see when a darning-needle laughs. 
 
 There she sat, as proud as if she was in a state 
 coach, and looked all about her. 
 
 " Maj' I be permited to ask if you are of gold ? " 
 she inquired of the pin, her neighbor. "You have 
 a very pretty appearance, and a peculiar head, but 
 it is only little. You must take pains to grow, for 
 it 's not every one that has sealing-wax dropped 
 upon him." 
 
 And the Darning-needle drew herself up so 
 proudly that she fell out of the handkerchief right 
 into the sink, which the cook was rinsing out, 
 
 "Now we're going on a journey," said the 
 Darning-needle. " If I only don't get lost ! " 
 
 But she really was lost. 
 
 "I 'm too fine for this world," she observed, as 
 she lay in the gutter. " But I know who I am, 
 and there 's always something in that ! " 
 
 So the Darning-needle kept her proud behavior, 
 and did not lose her good-humor. And things of 
 many kinds swam over her, chip and straws and 
 pieces of old newspapers. 
 
 " Only look how they sail ! " said the Darning- 
 needle. " They don't know what is under them ! 
 I 'm here, I remain firmly here. See, there goes a 
 chip thinking of nothing in the world but of him- 
 self — of a chip ! There 's a straw going by now. 
 How he turns I how he twirls about ! Don't think 
 only of yourself, you might easily run up against 
 a stone. There swims a bit of newspaper. 
 What 's written upon it has long been forgotten, 
 and yet it gives itself airs. I sit quietly and pa- 
 
THE DARNING-NEEDLE. 
 
 187 
 
 tiently here. I know who I am, and I shall re- 
 main what I am." 
 
 One day something lay close beside her that 
 
 glittered splendidly ; then the Darning-needle be- 
 lieved that it was a diamond ; but it was a bit of 
 broken bottle ; and because it shone, the Darning- 
 needle spoke to it, introducing herself as a breast- 
 pin. 
 
 " I suppose you are a diamond ?" she observed. 
 
 " Why, yes, something of that kind." 
 
 And then each believed the other to be a very 
 valuable thing ; and they began speaking about 
 the world, and how very conceited it was. 
 
 " I have been in a lady's box," said the Darn- 
 ing-needle, " and this lady was a cook. She had 
 five fingers on each hand, and I never saw any- 
 thing so conceited as those five fingers. And yet 
 they were only there that they might take me out 
 of the box and put me back into it." 
 
 " Were they of good birth ? " asked the Bit of 
 Bottle. 
 
 " No, indeed," replied the Darning-needle, " but 
 very haughty. There were five brothers, all of 
 the finger family. They kept very proudly to- 
 gether, though they were of different lengths : the 
 outermost, the thumbling, was short and fat ; he 
 walked out in front of the ranks, and only had 
 one joint in his back, and could only make a 
 single bow ; but he said that if he were hacked 
 
 off a man, that man was useless for service in war. 
 Daintymouth, the second finger, thrust himself 
 into sweet and sour, pointed to sun and moon, and 
 gave the impression when they wrote. Long- 
 man, the third, looked at all the others over his 
 shoulder. Goldborder, the fourth, went about 
 with a golden belt round his waist ; and little 
 Playman did nothing at all, and was proud of it. 
 There was nothing but bragging among them, 
 and therefore I went away." 
 
 " And now we sit here and glitter ! "" said the 
 Bit of Bottle. 
 
 At that moment more water came into the 
 gutter, so that it overflowed, and the Bit of Bot- 
 tle was carried away. 
 
 " So he is disposed of," observed the Darning- 
 needle. " I remain here, I am too fine. But 
 that's my pride, and my pride is honorable." 
 And proudly she sat there, and had many great 
 thoughts. " I could almost believe I had been 
 born of a sunbeam, I 'm so fine ! It really appears 
 as if the sunbeams were always seeking for me 
 under the water. Ah ! I 'm so fine that my mother 
 cannot find me. If I had my old eye, which broke 
 off, I think I should cry ; but, no, I should not do 
 that: it 's not genteel to cry." 
 
 One day a couple of street boys lay grubbing 
 in the gutter, where they sometimes found old 
 nails, farthings, and similar treasures. It was 
 dirty work, but they took great delight in it. 
 
 " Oh ! " cried one, who had pricked himself 
 with the Darning-needle, "there's a fellow for 
 you!" 
 
188 
 
 STORIES FROM HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN. 
 
 " I 'm not a fellow ; I "m a young lady ! " said 
 the Darning-needle. 
 
 But nobody listened to her. The sealing-wax 
 had come off, and she had turned black ; but black 
 makes one look slender, and she thought herself 
 finer even than before. 
 
 " Here comes an egg-shell sailing along ! " said 
 the boys ; and they stuck the Darning-needle fast 
 in the egg-shell. 
 
 " White walls, and black myself ! that looks 
 well," remarked the Darning-needle. " Now one 
 can see me. I only hope I shall not be sea- 
 sick I " But she was not seasick at all. " It 
 
 is good against seasickness, if one has a steel 
 stomach, and does not forget that one is a little 
 more than an ordinary person ! Now my seasick- 
 ness is over. The finer one is, the more one can 
 bear." 
 
 " Crack ! " went the egg-shell, for a wagon went 
 over her. 
 
 " Good heavens, how it crushes one I " said the 
 Darning-needle. " I 'm getting seasick now, — 
 I 'm quite sick." 
 
 But she was not really sick, though the wagon 
 went over her : she lay there at full length, and 
 there she may lie. 
 
 THE RED SHOES. 
 
 There was once a little girl, — a very nice, 
 prettv little girl. But in summer she had to go 
 barefoot, because she was poor, and in winter she 
 wore thick wooden shoes, so that her little instep 
 became quite red, altogether red. 
 
 In the middle of the vilhige lived an old shoe- 
 maker's wife ; she sat and sewed, as well as she 
 could, a pair of little shoes, of old strips of red 
 cloth ; they were clumsy enough, but well meant, 
 and the little girl was to have them. The little 
 girl's name was Karen. 
 
 On the day when her mother was buried she 
 received the red shoes and wore them for the first 
 time. They were certainly not suited for mourn- 
 ing ; but she had no others, and therefore thrust 
 her little bare feet into them and walked behind 
 the plain deal coffin. 
 
 Suddenly a great carriage came by. and in the 
 carriage sat an old lady : she looked at the little 
 girl and felt pity for her, and said to the clergy- 
 man, — 
 
 " Give me the little girl, and I will provide for 
 her." 
 
 Karen thought thi.s was for the sake of the 
 shoes ; but the old lady declared they were hid- 
 eous ; and they were burned. But Karen her- 
 self was clothed neatly and properly : she was 
 taught to read and to sew, and the people saw 
 
 she was agreeable. But her mirror said, *■ You are 
 much more than agreeable ; you are beautiful." 
 
 Once the queen ti-aveled through the country, 
 and had her little daughter with her ; and the 
 daughter was a princess. And the people flocked 
 toward the castle, and Karen too was among 
 them ; and the little princess stood in a fine \'\hite 
 dress at a window, and let herself be gazed at. 
 She had neither train nor golden crown, but she 
 wore splendid red morocco shoes ; they were cer- 
 tainly far handsomer than those the shoemaker's 
 wife had made for little Karen. Nothing in the 
 world can compare with red shoes I 
 
 Now Karen was old enough to be confirmed : 
 new clothes were made for her, and she was to 
 have new shoes. The rich shoemaker in the town 
 took the measure of her little feet ; this was done 
 in his own house, in his little room, and there 
 stood great glass cases with neat shoes and shining 
 boots. It had quite a charming appearance, but 
 the old lady could not see well, and therefore took 
 no pleasure in it. Among the shoes stood a red 
 pair, just like those whicli the princess had worn. 
 How beautiful they M-ere I The shoemaker also 
 said they had been made for a count's child, but 
 they had not fitted. 
 
 " That must be patent leather," observed the 
 old lady, "the shoes shine so ! " 
 
THE RED SHOES. 
 
 189 
 
 " Yes, they sbine ! " replied Karen ; and they 
 fitted her, and were bought. But the old lady 
 did not know that they were red ; for she would 
 never have allowed Karen to go to her Confirma- 
 tion in red shoes ; and that is what Karen did. 
 
 Every one was looking at her shoes. And when 
 she went across the church porch, toward the door 
 of the choir, it seemed to her as if the old pictures 
 on the tombstones, the portraits of clergymen and 
 clergymen's wives, in their stiff collars and long 
 black garments, fixed their eyes upon her red 
 shoes. And she thought of her shoes only, when 
 the priest laid his hand upon her head and spoke 
 holy words. And the organ pealed solemnly, the 
 children sang with their fresh sweet voices, and 
 the old precentor sang too ; but Karen thought 
 only of her red shoes. 
 
 In the afternoon the old lady was informed by 
 every one that the shoes were red ; and she said 
 it was naughty and unsuitable, and that when 
 Karen went to church in future, she should always 
 go in black shoes, even if they were old. 
 
 Next Sunday was Sacrament Sunday. And 
 Karen looked at the black shoes, and looked at the 
 red ones — looked at them again — and put on the 
 red ones. 
 
 The sun shone gloriously; Karen and the old 
 lady went along the foot-path through the fields, 
 and it was rather dusty. 
 
 By the church door stood an old invalid soldier 
 with a crutch and a long beard ; the beard was 
 rather red than white, for it was red altogether ; 
 and he bowed down almost to the ground, and 
 asked the old lady if he might dust her shoes. 
 And Karen also stretched out her little foot. 
 
 " Look, what pretty dancing shoes ! " said the 
 old soldier. " Fit so tightly when you dance ! " 
 
 And he tapped the soles with his hand. And 
 the old lady gave the soldier an alms, and went 
 into the church with Karen. 
 
 And every one in the church looked at Karen's 
 red shoes, and all the pictures looked at them. 
 And while Karen knelt in the church she only 
 thought of her red shoes , and she forgot to sing 
 her psalm, and forgot to say her prayer. 
 
 Now all the people went out of church, and the 
 old lady stepped into her carriage. Karen lifted 
 up her foot to step in too ; then the old soldier 
 said, — 
 
 " Look, what beautiful dancing shoes ! " 
 
 And Karen could not resist : she was obliged to 
 dance a few steps ; and when she once began, her 
 legs went on dancing. It was just as though 
 the shoes had obtained power over her. She 
 danced round the corner of the church — she 
 could not help it ; the coachman was obliged to 
 run behind her and seize her : he lifted her into 
 the carriage, but her feet went on dancing, so 
 that she kicked the good old lady violently. At 
 last they took off her shoes and her legs became 
 quiet. 
 
 At home the shoes were put away in a cup- 
 board ; but Karen could not resist looking at 
 them. 
 
 Now the old lady became very ill, and it was 
 said she would not recover. She had to be nursed 
 and- waited on ; and this was no one's duty so 
 much as Karen's. But there was to be a great 
 ball in the town, and Karen was invited. She 
 looked at the old lady who could not recover ; 
 she looked at the red shoes, and thought there 
 would be no harm in it. She put on the shoes, 
 and that she might very well do ; but they went 
 to the ball and began to dance. 
 
 But when she wished to go to the right hand, 
 the shoes danced to the left, and when she wanted 
 to go up-stairs the shoes danced downward, down 
 into the street and out at the town gate. She 
 danced, and was obliged to dance, straight out into 
 the dark wood. 
 
 There was something glistening up among the 
 trees, and she thought it was the moon, for she 
 saw a face. But it was the old soldier with the 
 red beard : he sat and nodded, and said, — 
 
 " Look, what beautiful dancing shoes ! " 
 
 Then she was frightened, and wanted to throw 
 away the red shoes ; but they clung fast to her. 
 And she tore off her stockings : but the shoes had 
 grown fast to her feet. And she danced and was 
 compelled to go dancing over field and meadow, 
 
190 
 
 STORIES FROM HAN'S CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN. 
 
 in rain and suashine, by night and by day ; but 
 it was most dreadful at night. 
 
 She danced out into the open church-yard ; but 
 the dead there do not dance ; they have far better 
 things to do. She wished to sit down on the poor 
 man's grave, where the bitter fern grows ; but 
 there was no peace nor rest for her. And when 
 she danced toward the open church door, she saw 
 there an angel in long white garments, with 
 wings that reached from his shoulders to his feet ; 
 his countenance was serious and stern, and in his 
 hand he held a sword that was broad and gleam- 
 ing. 
 
 " Thou shalt dance ! " he said — "dance on thy 
 red shoes, till thou art pale and cold, and till thy 
 body shrivels to a skeleton. Thou shalt dance 
 from door to door; and where proud, haughty 
 children dwell, shalt thou knock, that they may 
 hear thee, and be afraid of thee ! Thou shalt 
 dance, dance ! " 
 
 " Mercy ! " cried Karen. 
 
 But she did not hear what the angel answered, 
 for the shoes carried her away — carried her 
 through the door on to the field, over stock and 
 stone, and she was always obliged to dance. 
 
 One morning she danced past a door which slie 
 knew well. There was a sound of psalm-singing 
 within, and a coffin was carried out, adorned with 
 flowers. Then she knew that the old lady was 
 dead, and she felt that she was deserted by all, 
 and condemned by the angel of heaven. 
 
 She danced, and was compelled to dance — to 
 dance in the dark night. The shoes carried her on 
 over thorn and brier ; she scratched herself till she 
 bled ; she danced away across the heath to a little 
 lonely house. Here she knew the executiorier 
 dwelt ; and she tapped with her fingers on the 
 panes, and called, — 
 
 '• Come out, come out ! I cannot come in, for 
 I must dance ! " 
 
 And the executioner said, — 
 
 " You probably don't know who I am? I cat 
 off the bad people's heads with my axe, and mark 
 how my axe rings ! " 
 
 " Do not strike off my head," said Karen, " for 
 
 if you do I cannot repent of my sin. But strike 
 off my feet with the red shoes ! " 
 
 And then she confessed all her sin, and the exe- 
 cutioner cut off her feet with the red shoes ; but 
 the shoes danced away with the little feet over the 
 fields and into the deep forest. 
 
 And he cut her a pair of wooden feet, with 
 crutches, and taught her a psalm, which the crimi- 
 nals always sing ; and she kissed the hand that 
 had held the axe, and went away across the heath. 
 
 " Now I have suffered pain enough for the red 
 shoes," said she. " Now I will go into the church, 
 that they may see me." 
 
 And she went quickly toward the church door ; 
 but when she came there the red shoes danced be- 
 fore her, so that she was frightened and turned 
 back. 
 
 The whole week through she was sorrowful, 
 and wept many bitter tears ; but when Sunday- 
 came, she said, — 
 
 " Now I have suffered and striven enough ! I 
 think that I am just as good as many of those who 
 sit in the church and carrj^ their heads high." 
 
 And then she went boldlj' on ; but she did not 
 get farther than the church-yard gate before she 
 saw the red shoes dancing along before her : then 
 she was seized with terror, and turned back, and 
 repented of her sin right heartily. 
 
 And she went to the parsonage, and begged to 
 be taken there as a servant. She promised to be 
 industrious, and to do all she could : she did not 
 care for wages, and only wished to be under a roof 
 and with good people. The clergyman's wife pit- 
 ied her, and took her into her service. And she 
 was industrious and thoughtful. Silently she sat 
 and listened when in the evening the pastor read 
 the Bible aloud. All the little ones were very 
 fond of her ; but when they spoke of dress and 
 splendor and beauty she would shake her head. 
 
 Next Sunday they all went to church, and she 
 was asked if she wished to go too ; but she looked 
 sadly, with tears in her eyes, at her crutches. 
 And then the others went to hear God's word ; but 
 she went alone into her little room, which was only 
 large enough to contain her bed and a chair. And 
 
' IT WAS THE OLD SOLDIER ' 
 
THE NIGHTINGALE. 
 
 191 
 
 here she sat with her hymn-book ; and as she read 
 it with a pious mind, the wind bore the notes of 
 the organ over to her from the church ; and she 
 lifted up her face, wet with tears, d,nd said, — 
 
 " O Lord, help me ! " 
 
 Then the sun shone so brightly ; and before her 
 stood the angel in the white garments, the same 
 she had seen that night at the church door. But 
 he no longer grasped the sharp sword : he held a 
 green branch covered with roses ; and he touched 
 the ceiling, and it rose up high and wherever he 
 touched it a golden star gleamed forth ; and he 
 touched the walls, and they spread forth widely, 
 and she saw the organ which was pealing its rich 
 sounds ; and she saw the old pictures of clergymen 
 and their wives ; and the congregation sat in the 
 decorated seats, and sang from their hymn-books. 
 The church had come to the poor girl in her nar- 
 row room, or her chamber had become a church. 
 She sat in the chair with the rest of the clergy- 
 man's people ; and when they had finished the 
 psalm, and looked up, they nodded and said, — 
 
 " That was right, that you came here, Karen." 
 
 " It was mercy ! " said she. 
 
 And the organ sounded its glorious notes ; and 
 the children's voices singing in chorus sounded 
 sweet and lovely ; the clear sunshine streamed so 
 
 warm through the window upon the chair in which 
 Karen sat ; and her heart became so filled with 
 sunshine, peace, and joy that it broke. Her soul 
 flew on the sunbeams to heaven ; and there was 
 nobody who asked after the Red Shoes ! 
 
 THE NIGHTINGALE. 
 
 In China, you must know, the emperor is a 
 Chinaman, and all whom he has about him are 
 Chinamen too. It happened a good many years 
 ago, but that's just why it's worth while to hear 
 the story, before it is forgotten. The emperor's 
 palace was the most splendid in the world ; it was 
 made entii-ely of porcelain, very costly, but so del- 
 icate and brittle that one had to take care how one 
 touched it. In the garden were to be seen the 
 most wonderful flowers, and to the costliest of 
 them silver bells were tied, which sounded, so that 
 nobody should pass by without noticing the flow- 
 ers. Yes, everything in the emperor's garden 
 was admirably arranged. And it extended so far, 
 that the gardener himself did not know where the 
 end was. If a man went on and on, he came into 
 a glorious forest with high trees and deep lakes. 
 The wood extended straight down to the sea, 
 
 which was blue and deep ; great ships could sail 
 to and fro beneath the branches of the trees ; and 
 in the trees lived a Nightingale, which sang so 
 splendidly that even the poor fisherman, who had 
 many other things to do, stopped still and listened, 
 when he had gone out at night to throw out his 
 nets, and heard the Nightingale. 
 
 " How beautiful that is ! " he said ; but he was 
 obliged to attend to his property, and thus forgot 
 the bird. But when in the next night the bird 
 sang again, and the fisherman heard it, he ex- 
 claimed again, " How beautiful that is ! " 
 
 From all the countries of the world travelers 
 came to the city of the emperor and admired it, 
 and the palace, and the garden, but when they 
 heard the Nightingale, they said, " That is the 
 best of all ! " 
 
 And the travelers told of it when they came 
 
192 
 
 STORIES FROM HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN. 
 
 home ; and the learned men wrote many books 
 about the town, the palace, and the garden. But 
 they did not forget the Nightingale ; that was 
 placed highest of all ; and those who were poets 
 wrote most magnificent poems about the Nightin- 
 gale in the wood by the deep lake. 
 
 The books went through all the world, and a 
 few of them once came to the emperor. He sat 
 in his golden chair, and read, and read : every 
 moment he nodded his head, for it pleased him to 
 peruse the masterly descriptions of the citj', the 
 palace, and the garden. " But the Nightingale is 
 the best of all I " — it stood written there. 
 
 " What 's that ? '" exclaimed the emperor. "I 
 don't know the 
 Nightingale at all ! 
 Ts there such a bird 
 in my empire, and 
 even in my garden ? 
 I 've never heard of 
 that. To think that 
 I should have to 
 learn such a thins 
 for the first time 
 from books I "' 
 
 And hereupon 
 he called his cava- 
 lier. This cavalier 
 was so grand that 
 if any one lower in rank than himself dared to 
 speak to him, or to ask him any question, he an- 
 swered nothing but "P!" — and that meant 
 nothing. 
 
 " There is said to be a wonderful bird here 
 called a Nightingale I " said tlie emperor. " They 
 say it IS the best thing in all my great empire. 
 Why have I never heard anything about it?" 
 
 " I have never heard him named," replied the 
 cavalier. " He has never been introduced at 
 court." 
 
 " I command that he shall appear this evening, 
 and sing before me," said the emperor. "All the 
 world knows what I possess, and I do not know it 
 myself I " 
 
 ■' I have never heard him mentioned," said the 
 
 cavalier. " I will seek for him. I will find 
 him." 
 
 But where was he to be found ? The cavalier 
 ran up and down all the staircases, through halls 
 and passages, but no one among all those whom 
 he met had heard talk of the Nightingale. And the 
 cavalier ran back to the emperor, and said that it 
 must be a fable invented by the writers of books. 
 ■•' Your imperial majesty cannot believe how 
 much is written that is fiction, besides something 
 that they call the black art." 
 
 " But the book in which I read this," said the 
 emperor, " was sent to me bj' the high and mighty 
 Emperor of Japan, and therefore it cannot be a 
 
 falsehood. I will 
 hear the Nightin- 
 gale ! It must be 
 here this evening ? 
 It has my imperial 
 favor ; and if it 
 does not come, all 
 the court shall be 
 trampled upon 
 after the court has 
 supped ! " 
 
 " Tsing-pe ! " said 
 the cavalier ; and 
 again he ran up and 
 '-^'•iiSr*5»^:r"— down all the stair- 
 cases, and through all the halls and corridors ; and 
 half the court ran with him, for the courtiers did 
 not like being trampled upon. 
 
 " Then there was a great inquiry after the won- 
 derful Nightingale, which all the world knew ex- 
 cepting the people at court. 
 
 At last they met with a poor little girl in the 
 kitchen, who said, — 
 
 " The Nightingale ? I know it well ; yes, it 
 can sing gloriously. Every evening I get leave to 
 carry my poor sick mother the scraps from the ta- 
 ble. She lives down by the strand, and when I 
 get back and am tired, and i-est in the wood, then 
 I hear the Nightingale sing. And then the water 
 comes into my eyes, and it is just as if my mother 
 kissed me ! " 
 
 
THE NIGHTINGALE. 
 
 193 
 
 " Little kitchen girl," said the cavalier, " I will 
 get you a place in the kitchen, with permission 
 to see the emperor dine, if you will lead us to 
 the Nightingale, for it is announced for this even- 
 
 ins. 
 
 So they all went out into the wood where the 
 Nightingale was accustomed to sing; half the 
 court went forth. When they were in the midst of 
 their journey a cow began to low. 
 
 " Oh ! " cried the court pages, " now we have it ! 
 That shows a wonderful power in so small a 
 creature ! I have certainly heard it before." 
 
 " No, those are cows lowing ! " said the little 
 kitchen girl. " We are a long way from the 
 place yet." 
 
 Now the frogs began to croak in the marsh. 
 
 " Glorious ! " said the Chinese court preacher. 
 " Now I hear it — it sounds just like little church 
 bells." 
 
 " No, those are frogs ! " said the little kitchen- 
 maid. " But now I think we shall soon hear it." 
 
 And then the Nightingale began to sing. 
 
 " That is it ! " exclaimed the little girl. " List- 
 en, listen ! and yonder it sits." 
 
 And she pointed to a little gray bird up in the 
 boughs. 
 
 " Is it possible ? " cried the cavalier. " I should 
 never have thought it looked like that ! How 
 simple it looks ! It must certainly have lost its 
 color at seeing such grand people around." 
 
 " Little Nightingale ! " called the little kitchen- 
 maid, quite loudly, " our gracious emperor wishes 
 you to sing before him." 
 
 " With the greatest pleasure ! " replied the 
 Nightingale, and began to sing most delightfully. 
 
 " It sounds just like glass bells ! " said the cav- 
 alier. " And look at its little throat, how it 's 
 working ! It 's wonderful that we should never 
 have heard it before. That bird will be a great 
 success at court." 
 
 " Shall I sing once more before the emperor ? " 
 asked the Nightingale, for it thought the emperor 
 was present. 
 
 " My excellent little Nightingale," said the cav- 
 alier, " I have great pleasure in inviting you to a 
 
 25 
 
 court festival this evening, when you shall charm 
 his imperial majesty with your beautiful singing.'' 
 
 " My song sounds best in the greenwood I " 
 replied the Nightingale; still it came willingly 
 when it heard what the emperor wished. 
 
 The palace was festively adorned. The walls 
 and the floorfng, which were of porcelain, gleamed 
 in the rays of thousands of golden lamps. Tlie 
 most glorious flowers, which could ring clear!)', 
 had been placed in the passages. There was a 
 running to and fro, and a thorough draught, and 
 all the bells rang so loudly that one could not hear 
 one's self speak. 
 
 In the midst of the great hall, where the em- 
 peror sat, a golden perch had been placed, on 
 which the Nightingale was to sit. The whole 
 court was there, and the little cook-maid had got 
 leave to stand behind the door, as she had now re- 
 ceived the title of a real court cook. All were in 
 full dress, and all looked at the little gray bird, to 
 which the emperor nodded. 
 
 And the Nightingale sang so gloriously that 
 the tears came into the emperor's eyes, and the 
 tears ran down over his cheeks ; and then the 
 Nightingale sang still more sweetly, that went 
 straight to the heart. The emperor was so much 
 pleased that he said the Nightingale should have 
 his golden slipper to wear round its neck. But 
 the Nightingale declined this with thanks, saying 
 it had already received sufficient rewai'd. 
 
 " I have seen tears in the emperor's eyes — 
 that is the real treasure to me. An emperor's 
 tears have a peculiar power. I am rewarded 
 enough ! " And then it sang again with a sweet, 
 glorious voice. 
 
 " That 's the most amiable coquetry I ever saw ! " 
 said the ladies who stood round about, and then 
 they took water in their mouths to gurgle when 
 any one spoke to them. They thought they 
 should be nightingales too. And the lackeys 
 and chambermaids reported that they were sat- 
 isfied too ; and that was saying a good deal, for 
 they are the most difficult to please. In short, 
 the Nightingale achieved a real success. 
 
 It was now to remain at court, to have ite own 
 
194 
 
 STORIES FROM HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN. 
 
 cage, with liberty to go out twice every day and 
 once at night. Twelve servants were appointed 
 when the Nightingale went out, each of whom had 
 a silken string fastened to the bird's leg, which 
 they held very tight. There was really no pleas- 
 ure in an excursion of that kind. 
 
 The whole city spoke of the wonderful bird, 
 and when two people met, one said nothing but 
 " Nightin," and the other said " gale ; '" and then 
 they sighed, and understood one another. Eleven 
 peddlers' children were named after the bird, but 
 not one of them could sing a note. 
 
 One day the emperor received a large parcel, 
 on which was written " The Nightingale." 
 
 " There we have a new book about this cele- 
 brated bird," said the emperor. 
 
 But it was not a book, but a little work of art 
 contained in a box, an artificial nightingale, which 
 was to sing like a natural one, and was brilliantly 
 ornamented with diamonds, rubies, and sapphires. 
 So soon as the artificial bird was wound up, he 
 could sing one of the pieces that he really sang, 
 and then his tail moved up and down, and shone 
 with silver and gold. Round his neck hung a 
 little ribbon, and on that was written, " The 
 Emperor of China's Nightingale is poor compared 
 to tliat of the Emperor of Japan." 
 
 " That is capital ! " said they all, and he 
 who had brought the artificial bird immediately 
 received the title. Imperial Head-Nightingale- 
 Bfinger. 
 
 " Now they must sing together ; what a duet 
 that will be ! " 
 
 And so they had to sing together ; but it did 
 not sound very well, for the real Nightingale sang 
 in its own way, and the artificial bird sang waltzes. 
 
 " That 's not his fault," said the play-master ; 
 " he 's quite perfect, and very much in my style." 
 
 Now the artificial bird was to sing alone. He 
 had just as much success as the real one, and then 
 it was much handsomer to look at — it shone like 
 bracelets and breastpins. 
 
 Three-and-thirty times over did it sing the same 
 piece, and yet was not tired. The people would 
 gladly have heard it again, but the emperor said 
 
 that the living Nightingale ought to sing some 
 thing now. But where was it ? No one had 
 noticed that it had flown away out of the open 
 window, back to the greenwood. 
 
 " But what is become of that?" said the em- 
 peror. 
 
 And all the courtiers abused the Nightingale, 
 and declared that it was a very ungrateful creature. 
 
 " We have the best bird, after all," said they. 
 
 And so the artificial bird had to sing again, 
 and that was the thirty-fourth time that they list- 
 ened to the same piece. For all that they did not 
 know it quite by heart, for it was so very difficult. 
 And the play-master praised the bird particularly ; 
 yes, he declared that it was better than a nightin- 
 gale, not only with regard to its plumage and the 
 many beautiful diamonds, but inside as well. 
 
 " For you see, ladies and gentlemen, and above 
 all, your imperial majesty, with a real nightingale 
 one can never calculate what is coming, but in 
 this artificial bird everything is settled. One can 
 explain it ; one can open it, and make people un- 
 derstand where the waltzes come from, how they 
 go, and how one follows up another." 
 
 " Those are quite our own ideas," they all said. 
 
 And the speaker received permission to show 
 the bird to the people on the next Sunday. The 
 people were to hear it sing too, the emperor com- 
 manded ; and thej' did hear it, and were as much 
 pleased as if they had all got tipsy upon tea, for 
 that "s quite the Chinese fashion ; and they all said, 
 " Oh ! " and held up their forefingers and nodded. 
 But the poor fisherman, who had heard the real 
 Nightingale, said, — 
 
 " It sounds pretty enough, and the melodies re- 
 semble each other, but there 's something wanting, 
 though I know not what ! " 
 
 The real Nightingale was banished from the 
 country and empire. The artificial bird had its 
 place on a silken cushion close to the emperor's 
 bed ; all the presents it had received, gold and 
 precious stones, were ranged about it ; in title it 
 had advanced to be the High Imperial After-Din- 
 ner-Singer, and 'in rank, to number one on the leff 
 hand ; for the emperor considered that side the 
 
THE NIGHTINGALE. 
 
 195 
 
 most important on wliich the heart is placed, and 
 even in an emperor the heart is on the left side ; 
 and the play-master wrote a work of five-and- 
 twenty volumes about the artificial bird ; it was 
 very learned and very long, full of the most diffi- 
 cult Chinese words ; but yet all the people de- 
 clared that they had read it, and understood 
 it, for fear of being 
 considered stupid, and 
 having their bodies 
 trampled on. 
 
 So a whole year 
 went \>j. The em- 
 peror, the court, and 
 all the other Chinese 
 knew every little twit- 
 ter in the artificial 
 bird's song by heart. 
 But just for that rea- 
 son it pleased them 
 best — they could sing 
 with it themselves, 
 and they did so. The 
 street boys sang, 
 "Tsi-tsi-tsi-glug- 
 glug ! " and the em- 
 peror himself sang it 
 too. Yes, that was 
 certainly famous. 
 
 But one evening, 
 when the artificial 
 bird was singing its 
 best, and the em- 
 peror laj' in bed list- 
 ening to it, something 
 inside the bird said, 
 " Whizz ! " something cracked. " Whii-r-r ! " All 
 the wheels ran round, and then the music stopped. 
 
 The emperor immediately sprang out of bed, 
 and caused his body physician to be called ; but 
 what could he do ? Then they sent for a watch- 
 maker, and after a good deal of talking and inves- 
 tigation, the bird was put into something like 
 order; but the watchmaker said that the bird 
 must be carefully treated, for the barrels were 
 
 worn, and it would be impossible to put new ones 
 in in such a manner that the music would go. 
 There was a great lamentation ; only once in a 
 year was it permitted to let the bird sing, and 
 that was almost too much. But then the play- 
 master made a little speech, full of heavy words, 
 and said this was just as good as before — and 
 
 so of course it was as 
 good as before. 
 
 Now five years had 
 gone by, and a real 
 grief came upon the 
 whole nation. The 
 Chinese were really 
 fond of their em- 
 peror, and now he 
 was ill, and could not, 
 it was said, live much 
 longer. Already a 
 new emperor had 
 been chosen, and the 
 people stood out in 
 the street and asked 
 the cavalier how their 
 old emperor did. 
 
 " P ! " said he, and 
 shook his head. 
 
 Cold and pale lay 
 the emperor in his 
 great gorgeous bed ; 
 the whole court 
 thought him dead, 
 and each one ran 
 to pay homage to 
 the new ruler. The 
 chamberlains ran out 
 to talk it over, and the ladies'-maids had a great 
 coffee party. All about in all the halls and pas- 
 sages cloth had been laid down so that no footstep 
 could be heard, and therefore it was quiet there, 
 quite quiet. But the emperor was not dead yet; 
 stiff and pale he lay on the gorgeous bed with the 
 long velvet curtains and the heavy gold tassels; 
 high up, a window stood open, and the moon 
 shone in upon the emperor and the artificial bird. 
 
196 
 
 STORIES FROM HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN. 
 
 The poor emperor could scarcely breathe ; it 
 was just as if something lay upon his chest: he 
 opened his eyes, and then he saw that it was Death 
 who sat upon his chest, and had put on his golden 
 crown, and held in one hand the emperor's sword, 
 and in the other his beautiful banner. And all 
 around, from among the folds of the splendid vel- 
 vet curtains, strange heads peered forth ; a few 
 very ugly, the rest quite lovely and mild. These 
 were all the emperor's bad and good deeds, that 
 stood before him now that Death sat upon his 
 heart. 
 
 " Do you remember this? " whispered one to 
 the other. "Do you remember that?" and then 
 they told him so much that the perspiration ran 
 from his forehead. 
 
 " I did not know that ! " said the emperor. 
 •^ Music ! music I the great Chinese drum ! " he 
 cried, " so that I need not hear all they say ! " 
 
 And they continued speaking, and Death nod- 
 ded like a Chinaman to all they said. 
 
 " Music ! music ! " cried the emperor. " You 
 little precious golden bird, sing, sing ! I have 
 given you gold and costly presents ; I have even 
 hung my golden slipper around your neck — sing 
 now, sing ! " 
 
 But the bird stood still ; no one was there to 
 wind him up, and he could not sing without that ; 
 but Death continued to stare at the emperor with 
 his great. hollow eyes, and it was quiet, fearfully 
 quiet. 
 
 Then there sounded from the window, suddenly, 
 the most lovely song. It was the little live Night- 
 ingale, that sat outside on a spray. It had heard 
 of the emperor's sad plight, and had come to sing 
 to him of comfort and hope. And as it sang the 
 spectres grew paler and paler ; the blood ran 
 quicker and more quickly through the emperor's 
 weak limbs ; and even Death listened, and said, — 
 
 " Go on, little Nightingale, go on ! " 
 
 " But will you give me that splendid golden 
 sword ? Will you give me that rich banner ? 
 Will you give me the emperor's crown ? " 
 
 And Death gave up each of these treasures for 
 a song. And the Nightingale sang on and on ; 
 
 and it sang of the quiet church-yard where the 
 white roses grow, where the elder-blossom smells 
 sweet, and where the fresh grass is moistened by 
 the tears of survivors. Then Death felt a longing 
 to see his garden, and floated out at the window 
 in the form of a cold, white mist. 
 
 " Thanks ! thanks ! " said the emj)eror. " You 
 heavenly little bird ! I know you well. I ban- 
 ished you from my country and empire, and yet 
 you have charmed away the evil faces from my 
 couch, and banished Death from my heart ! How 
 can I reward you? " 
 
 " You have rewarded me ! " replied the Night- 
 ingale. " I have drawn tears from your eyes, 
 when I sang the first time — I shall never forget 
 that. Those are the jewels that rejoice a singer's 
 heart. But now sleep and grow fresh and strong 
 again. I will sing you something." 
 
 And it sang, and the emperor fell into a sweet 
 slumber. Ah ! how mild and refreshing that 
 sleep was ! The sun shone upon him through the 
 windows, when he awoke refreshed and restored ; 
 not one of his servants had yet retu:ned, for they 
 all thought he was dead ; only the Nightingale 
 still sat beside him and sang. 
 
 " You must always stay with me," said the em- 
 peror. " You shall sing as you please ; and I'll 
 break the artificial bird into a thousand pieces." 
 
 " Not so,"" replied the Nightingale. " It did 
 well as long as it could ; keep it as you have done 
 till now. I cannot build my nest in the palace to 
 dwell in it, but let me come when I feel the wish ; 
 then I will sit in the evening on the spray yonder 
 by the window, and sing you something, so that 
 you may be glad and thoughtful at once. I will 
 sing of those who are happy and of those who 
 suffer. I will sing of good and of evil that remain 
 hidden round about you. The little singing bird 
 flies far around, to the poor fisherman, to the 
 peasant's roof, to every one who dwells far away 
 from you and from your court. I love your heart 
 more than your crown, and yet the crown has an 
 air of sanctity about it. I will come and sing to 
 you — but one thing you must promise me." 
 
 " Everything ! " said the emperor ; and he 
 
THE PEINOESS ON THE PEA. 
 
 stood there in his imperial robes, which he had 
 put on himself, and pressed the sword which was 
 heavy with gold to his heart. 
 
 " One thing I beg of you : tell no one that you 
 have a little bird who tells you everything. Then 
 
 197 
 And the Nightingale 
 
 it will go all the better." 
 flew away. 
 
 The servants came in to look to their dead em- 
 peror, and — yes, there he stood, and the emperor 
 said " Good-morning ! " 
 
 THE PRINCESS ON THE PEA. 
 
 There was once a prince who wanted to marry 
 a princess ; but she was to be a real princess. So 
 
 he traveled about, all through the world, to find 
 a real one, but everywhere there was something 
 in the way. There were princesses enough, but 
 whether they were real princesses he could not 
 quite make out: there was always something that 
 did not seem quite right. So he came home again, 
 and was quite sad : for he wished so niv.ch to have 
 a real princess. 
 
 One evening a terrible stoviu came on. It light- 
 ened and thundered, the tavl streamed down ; it was 
 quite fearful ! Then there was a knocking at the 
 town gate, and the old king went out to open it. 
 
 It was a princess who stood outside the gate. 
 But, mercy ! how she looked, from the rain and 
 the rough weather ! The water ran down from 
 her hair and her clothes ; it ran in at the points 
 of her shoes, and out at the heels ; and yet she 
 declared that she was a real princess. 
 
 " Yes, we will soon find that out," thought the 
 old queen. But she said nothing, only went into 
 
 the bedchamber, took all the bedding off, and put 
 a pea on the flooring of the bedstead ; then she 
 took twenty mattresses and laid them upon 
 the pea, and then twenty eider-down beds 
 upon the mattresses. On this the princess 
 had to lie all night. In the morning she was 
 asked how she had slept. 
 
 "• Oh, miserably ! " said the princess. " I 
 scarcely closed my eyes all night long. Good- 
 ness knows what was in my bed. I lay upon 
 something hard, so that I am black and blue 
 all over. It is quite dreadful ! " 
 
 Now they saw that she was a real prin- 
 cess, for through the twenty mattresses and 
 the twenty eider-down beds she had felt the 
 pea. No one but a real princess could be so 
 delicate. 
 
 So the prince took her for his wife, for now he 
 knew that he had a true princess ; and the pea 
 was put in the museum, and it is there now, un- 
 less somebody has carried it off. 
 Look you, this is a true story. 
 
198 
 
 STORIES FROM HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN. 
 
 HOLGER DANSKE. 
 
 In Denmark there lies a castle named Kron- 
 borg. It lies close by the Ore Sound, where the 
 ships pass through by hundreds every day — 
 English, Russian, and likewise Prussian ships. 
 And they salute the old castle with cannons — 
 " Boom ! " And the castle answers with a 
 "Boom ! " for that 's what the cannons say in- 
 stead of " Good-day " and " Thank you ! " In 
 winter no ships sail there, for the whole sea is 
 covered with ice quite across to the Swedish coast; 
 but it has quite the look of a high-road. There 
 wave the Danish flag and the Swedish flag, and 
 Danes and Swedes say 
 "Good-day" and 
 "Thank y ou ! ' to 
 each other, not with 
 cannons, but with a 
 friendly grasp of the 
 hand ; and one gets 
 white bread and bis- 
 cuits from the other 
 — for strange fare 
 tastes best. But the 
 most beautiful of all 
 is the old Kronborg ; 
 and here it is that 
 Holger Dauske sits in the deep dark cellar, where 
 nobody goes. He is clad in iron and steel, and leans 
 his head on his strong arm ; his long beard hangs 
 down over the marble table, and has grown into 
 it. He sleeps and dreams, but in his dreams he 
 sees everything that happens up here in Den- 
 mark. Every Christmas Eve comes an angel, and 
 tells him that what he has dreamed is right, and 
 that he may go to sleep in quiet, for that Den- 
 mark is not yet in any real danger ; but when onee 
 such a danger comes, then old Holger Danske will 
 rouse himself, so that the table shall burst when 
 he draws out his beard ! Then he will come forth 
 and strike, so that it shall be heard in all the 
 countries in the world." 
 
 An old grandfather sat and told his little grand- 
 
 son all this about Holger Danske ; and the little 
 boy knew that what his grandfather told him was 
 true. And while the old man sat and told his 
 story, he carved an image which was to represent 
 Holger Danske, and to be fastened to the prow 
 of a ship ; for the old grandfather veas a carver 
 of figure-heads, that is, one who cuts out the 
 figures fastened to the front of ships, and from 
 which every ship is named. And here he had cut 
 out Holger Danske, who stood there proudly with 
 his long beard, and held the broad battle-sword 
 in one hand, while with the other he leaned upon 
 
 the Danish arms. 
 
 And the old grand- 
 father told so much 
 about distinguished 
 men and women, that 
 it appeared at last to 
 the little grandson as 
 if he knew as much 
 as Holger Danske him- 
 self, who, after all, 
 could only dream ; and 
 \vhen the little fellow 
 was in his bed, he 
 thought so much of it,, 
 that he actually pressed his chin against the cover- 
 let, and fancied he had a long beard that had 
 grown fast to it. 
 
 But the old grandfather remained sitting at 
 his work, and carved away at the last part of it ; 
 and this was the Danish coat of arms. When he 
 had done, he looked at the whole, and thought of 
 all he had read and heard, and that he had told 
 this evening to the little boy ; and he nodded, and 
 wiped his spectacles, and put them on again, and 
 said, — 
 
 " Yes, in my time Holger Danske will probably 
 not come ; but the boy in the bed yonder may 
 get to see him, and be there when the push really 
 comes." 
 
 And the old grandfather nodded again ; and 
 
HOLGER DANSKE. 
 
 199 
 
 the more he looked at Holger Danske the more 
 plain did it become to him that it was a good 
 image he had carved. It seemed really to gain 
 color, and the armor appeared to gleam like iron 
 and steel ; the hearts in the Danish arms became 
 redder and redder, and the lions with the golden 
 crowns on their heads leaped up.^ 
 
 " That's the most beautiful coat of arms there 
 is in the world ! " said the old man. " The lions 
 are strength, and the heart is gentleness and 
 love ! " 
 
 And he looked at the uppermost lion, and 
 thought of King Canute, who bound great Eng- 
 land to the throne of Denmark ; and he looked 
 at the second lion, and thought of Waldemar, 
 who united Denmark and conquered the Wendish 
 lands ; and he glanced at the third lion, and 
 remembered Margaret, who united Denmark, 
 Sweden, and Norway. But while he looked at the 
 red hearts, they gleamed more brightly than be- 
 fore ; they became flames, and his heart followed 
 each of them. 
 
 The first heart led him into a dark, narrow 
 prison ; there sat a prisoner, a beautiful woman, 
 the daughter of King Christian IV., Eleanor Ul- 
 feld ; ^ and the flame, which was shaped like a 
 rose, attached itself to her bosom and blossomed, 
 so that it became one with the heart of her, the 
 noblest and best of all Danish women. 
 
 And his spirit followed the second flame, which 
 led him out upon the sea, where the cannons thun- 
 dered and the ships lay shrouded in smoke ; and 
 the flame fastened itself in the shape of a ribbon 
 of honor on the breast of Hvitfeld, as he blew 
 
 himself and his ship into the air, that he might 
 save the fleet.^ 
 
 And the third flame led him to the wretched 
 huts of Greenland, where preacher Hans Egede* 
 wrought, with love in every word and deed : the 
 flame was a star on his breast, another heart in 
 the Danish arms. 
 
 And the spirit of the old grandfather flew on 
 before the waving flames, for his spirit knew 
 whither the flames desired to go. In the humble 
 room of the peasant woman stood Frederick VI., 
 writing his name with chalk on the beam.* The 
 flame trembled on his breast, and trembled in his 
 heart ; in the peasant's lowly room his heart, too, 
 became a heart in the Danish arms. And the old 
 grandfather dried his eyes, for he had known 
 King Frederick with the silvery locks and the 
 honest blue eyes, and had lived for him : he folded 
 his hands, and looked in silence straight before 
 him. Then came the daughter-in-law of the old 
 grandfather, and said it was late, he ought now to 
 rest ; and the supper table was spread. 
 
 " But it is beautiful, what you have done, 
 grandfather ! " said she. " Holger Danske, and all 
 our old coat of arms ! It seems to me just as if I 
 had seen that face before ! " 
 
 " No, that can scarcely be," replied the old 
 grandfather ; " but I have seen it, and I have 
 tried to carve it in wood as I have kept it in my 
 memory. It was when the English lay in front of 
 the wharf, on the Danish second of April,^ when 
 we showed that we were old Danes. In the Den- 
 mark on board which I was, in Steen Bille's 
 squadron, I had a man at my side — it seemed as 
 
 1 The Danish avms consist of three lions between nine hearts. 
 
 2 This highly gifted princess was the wife of Corfitz Ulfeld, 
 who was accused of high treason. Her only crime was the most 
 faithful love to her unhappy consort ; but she was compelled to 
 pass twenty-two years in a horrible dungeon, until her persecutor, 
 Queen Sophia Amelia, was dead. 
 
 ^ In the naval battle in Kjoge Bay between the Danes and 
 the Swedes, in 1710, Hvitf eld's ship, the Dannebrog, took fire. To 
 save the town of Kjoge, and the Danish fleet which was being 
 driven by the wind toward his vessel, he blew himself and his 
 whole crew into the air. 
 
 * Hans Egede went to Greenland in 1721 and toiled there dur- 
 ing fifteen years among incredible hardships and privations. 
 
 Not only did he spread Christianity, but exhibited in himself a 
 remai-kable example of a Christian man. 
 
 ^ On a journey on the west coast of Jutland, the king visited 
 an old woman. When he had already quitted her house, the 
 woman ran after him and begged him, as a remembrance, to 
 write his name upon a beam ; the king turned back, and com- 
 plied. During his whole life-time he felt and worked for the 
 peasant class ; therefore the Danish peasants Begged to be al- 
 lowed to carry his coffin to the royal vault at Roeskilde, four 
 Danish miles from Copenhagen. 
 
 * On the 2d of April, 1801, occurred the sanguinary naval bat- 
 tle between the Danes and the English under Sir Hyde Parker 
 and Nelson. 
 
200 
 
 STOSmS FROM HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN. 
 
 if the bullets were afraid of him I Merrily he 
 sang old songs, and shot and fought as if he were 
 something more than a man. I remember his 
 tace yet; but whence he came, and whither he 
 went, I know not — nobody knows. I have often 
 thought he might have been old Holger Danske 
 himself, who had swum down from the Kronborg, 
 and aided us in the honr of danger : that was my 
 idea, and there stands his picture." 
 
 And the statue threw its great show up against 
 the wall, and even over part of the ceiling ; it looked 
 as though the real Holger Danske were standing 
 behind it, for the shadow moved ; but this might 
 have been because the flame of the candle did not 
 burn steadily'. And the daughter-in-law kissed 
 the old grandfather, and led him to the great arm- 
 chair by the table ; and she and her husband, who 
 was the son of the old man, and father of the little 
 boy in the bed, sat and ate their supper ; and the 
 grandfather spoke of the Danish lions and of the 
 Danish hearts, of strength and of gentleness ; and 
 quite clearW did he explain that there was another 
 strength besides the power that lies in the sword ; 
 and he pointed to the shelf on which were the old 
 books, where stood the plays of Holberg, which 
 had been read so often, for they were very amus- 
 ing ; one could almost fancy one recognized the 
 people of by-gone days in them. 
 
 " Si'e, he knew how to strike, too," said the grand- 
 father : ''he scourged the foolisliness and pi-eju- 
 dice of the people so long as he could " — and 
 the grandfather nodded at the mirror, above which 
 stood the calendar, with the " Round Tower " ^ 
 on it, and said, " Tycho Brahe was also one who 
 used the sword, not to cut into flesh and bone, 
 but to build up a jjlainer wa,y among all the stars 
 of heaven. And then Iw whose father belonnpd to 
 my calling, the son of the old figure-head carver, 
 he whom we have ourselves seen with his silver 
 hairs and his broad shoulders, he whose name is 
 
 1 The astronomical observatory at Cu^iouhagcn. 
 
 spoken of in all lands ! Yes, he was a sculptor ; 1 
 am only a carver. Yes, Holger Danske may come 
 in many forms, so that one hears in every country 
 in the world of Denmark's strength. Shall we 
 now drink the health of Bertel ? " ^ 
 
 But the little lad in the bed saw plainly the old 
 Kronborg with the Ore Sound, the real Holger 
 Danske, who sat deep below, with his beard grown 
 through the marble table, dreaming of all that 
 happens up here. Holger Danske also dreamed of 
 the little humble room where the carver sat ; he 
 heard all that passed, and nodded in his sleep, and 
 said, — 
 
 "■ Yes, remember me, ye Danish folk ; remem- 
 ber me. I shall come in the hour of need." 
 
 And without by the Kronborg shone the bright 
 day, and the wind carried the notes of the hunt- 
 ing-horn over from the neighboring land ; the 
 ships sailed past, and saluted — " Boom ! boom ! " 
 and from the Kronborg came the reply, " Boom I 
 boom ! " But Holger Danske did not awake, 
 however loudly they shot, for it was only " Good- 
 day " and " Thank you I " There must be another 
 kind of shooting before he awakes ; but he will 
 awake, for there is faith in Holger Danske. 
 2 BiTtel Thorwaidsen. 
 
THE SHEPHERDESS AND THE GHIMNET-SWEEP. 
 
 201 
 
 THE SHEPHERDESS AND THE CHIMNEY-SWEEP. 
 
 Have you ever seen a very, very old clothes- 
 press, quite black with age, on which all sorts of 
 flourishes and foliage were carved ? Just such a 
 one stood in a certain room. It was a legacy from 
 a grandmother, and it was carved from top to 
 bottom with roses and tulips ; the most curious 
 flourishes were to be seen on it, and between 
 them little stags popped out their heads with zig- 
 zag antlers. But on the top a whole man was 
 carved. True, he was laughable to look at ; for 
 he showed his teeth, — laughing one could not call 
 it, — had goat's legs, little horns on his head, and 
 a long beard. The 
 children in the room 
 always called him 
 Oeneral-clothes-press- 
 inspeetor- head-super- 
 intendent Goatslegs, 
 for this was a name 
 difficult to pronounce, 
 and tliere are very few 
 who get the title ; but 
 to cut him out in wood 
 — that was no trifle. 
 However, there he 
 was. He looked down 
 upon tlie table and 
 toward the mirror, for there a charming little por- 
 celain shepherdess was standing. Her shoes were 
 gilded, her gown was tastefully looped up with a 
 red rose, and she had a golden hat and cloak ; in 
 short, she was most exquisite. Close by stood a 
 little chimney-sweep, as black as a coal, but of 
 porcelain too. He was just as clean and pretty as 
 another ; as to his being a sweep, that was only 
 what he represented ; and the porcelain manu- 
 facturer could just as well have made a prince of 
 him as a chimney-sweep, if he had chosen ; one 
 was as easy as the other. 
 
 There he stood so prettily with his ladder, and 
 with a little round face as fair and as rosy as that 
 of the shepherdess. In reality this was a fault ; 
 
 26 
 
 for a little black he certainly ought to have been^ 
 He was quite close to the shepherdess ; both stood 
 where they had been placed ; and as soon as they 
 were put there, they had mutually promised each 
 other eternal fidelity ; for they suited each other 
 exactly — they were young, they were of the same 
 porcelain, and both equally fragile. 
 
 Close to them stood another figure three times 
 as large as they were. It was an old Chinese, 
 that could nod his head. He was of porcelain too, 
 and said that he was grandfather of the little 
 shepherdess ; but this he could not prove. He as- 
 serted, moreover, that 
 he had authority over 
 her, and that was the 
 reason he had nodd- 
 ed his assent to the 
 General-clothes - press- 
 inspector-head -super- 
 intendent Goatslegs, 
 who paid his ad- 
 di-esses to the shep- 
 herdess. 
 
 " III him," said the 
 old Chinese, " you will 
 have a husband who, 
 I verily believe, is of 
 mahogany. You will be Mrs. Goatslegs, the wife 
 of a General-clothes-press-inspector-head-superin- 
 tendent, who has his shelves full of plate, be- 
 sides what is hidden in secret drawers and re- 
 cesses." 
 
 " I will not go into the dark cupboard," said 
 the little shepherdess ; " I have heard say that he 
 has eleven wives of porcelain in there already." 
 
 " Then you may be the twelfth," said the Chi- 
 nese. " To-night, as soon as the old clothes-press 
 cracks, as sure as I am a Chinese, we will keep 
 the wedding." And then he nodded his head, and 
 fell asleep. 
 
 But the little shepherdess wept, and looked at 
 her beloved — at the porcelain chimney-sweep. 
 
202 
 
 STORIES FROM HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN. 
 
 "I implore you," said she, "fly hence with me ; 
 for here it is impossible for us to remain." 
 
 " I will do all you ask," said the little chim- 
 ney-sweep. " Let us leave this place. I think 
 my trade will enable me to support you." 
 
 " If we were only down from the table," said 
 she. " I shall not be happy till we are far from 
 here, and free." 
 
 He consoled her, and showed her how she was 
 to set her little foot on the carved border and on 
 the gilded foliage which twined around the leg of 
 the table, brought his ladder to her assistance, and 
 at last both were on the floor ; but when they 
 looked toward the old clothes-press, they observed 
 a gi-eat stir. All the carved stags stretched their 
 heads out farther, raised their antlers, and turned 
 round their heads. The General-clothes-press-in- 
 spector-head-superintendent gave a jump, and 
 called to the old Chinese, " They are eloping, they 
 are eloping ! " 
 
 At this she grew a little frightened, and jumped 
 quickly over the ridge into the drawer. 
 
 Here lay three or four packs of cards, which 
 were not complete, and a little puppet-show, which 
 was set up as well as it was possible to do. A 
 play was being performed, and all the ladies, Di- 
 amonds as well as Hearts, Clubs, and Spades, sat 
 in the front row, and fanned themselves with 
 the tulips they held in their hands, while behind 
 them stood the varlets. The play was about 
 two persons who cnuld not have each other, at 
 which the shepherdess wept, for it was her own 
 history. 
 
 " I cannot bear it longer," said she ; " I must 
 get out of the drawer." 
 
 But when she had got down on the floor, and 
 looked up to the table, she saw that tlie old Chi- 
 nese was awake, and that his whole body was rock- 
 ing. 
 
 " The old Chinese is coming ! " cried the little 
 shepherdess ; and down she fell on her porcelain 
 knee, so frightened was she. 
 
 " A thought has struck me," said the chimney- 
 sweep ; " let us creep into the great pot-pourri 
 jar that stands in the corner ; there we can lie on 
 
 roses and lavender, and if he comes after us, throw 
 dust in his eyes." 
 
 " 'Tis of no use," said she. "Besides, I know 
 that the old Chinese and the Pot-pourri Jar were 
 once betrothed ; and when one has been once on 
 such terms, a little regard always lingers behind. 
 No ; for us there is nothing left but to wander 
 forth into the wide world." 
 
 " Have you really courage to go forth with me 
 into the wide world ? " asked the chimney-sweep 
 tenderlj'. " Have you considered how large it is, 
 and that we can never come back here again ! " 
 
 " I have," said she. 
 
 And the sweep gazed fixedly upon her, and then 
 said, " My way lies up the chimney. Have you 
 really courage to go with me through the stove, 
 and to creep through all the flues ? We shall then 
 get into the main fltte, after which I am not at a 
 loss what to do. Up we mount, then, so high, 
 that they can never reach us ; and at the top is an 
 opening that leads out into the world." 
 
 And he led her toward the door of the stove. 
 
 " It looks quite black," said she ; but still she 
 went with him, and on through all the intricacies 
 of the interior, and through the flues, where a 
 pitchy darkness reigned. 
 
 " We are now in the chimney," said she ; " and 
 behold, behold, above us is shinning the loveliest 
 star!" 
 
 It was a real star in the sky that shone straight 
 down upon them, as if to show them the way. 
 They climbed and they crept higher and higher. 
 It was a frightful way ; but he lifted her up, he 
 held her, and showed her the best places on which 
 to put her little porcelain feet ; and thus they 
 reached the top of the chimney, and seated them- 
 selves on the edge of it ; for they were tired, which 
 is not to be wondered at. 
 
 The heaven and all its stars were above them, 
 and all the roofs of the town below them ; they 
 could see far around, far away ihto the world. 
 The poor shepherdess had never pictured it to 
 herself thus ; she leaned her little head on her 
 sweep, and wept so bitterly that all the gilding of 
 her girdle came off. 
 
"WHAT THE GOOD^MAN DOES IS SURE TO BE RIGHT!" 
 
 203 
 
 " Oh, this is too much ! " said she ; " I cannot 
 bear it. The world is too large. Oh, were I but 
 again on the little table under the looking-glass ! 
 I shall never be happy till I am there again. I 
 have followed you into the wide world ; now, if 
 you really love me, you may follow me home 
 again." 
 
 And the chimney-sweep spoke sensibly to her, 
 spoke to her about the old Chinese and the Gen- 
 eral-clothes-press-inspector - head - superintendent ; 
 but she sobbed so violently, and kissed her little 
 sweep so passionately, that he was obliged to give 
 way, although it was 
 not right to do so. 
 
 So now down they 
 climbed again with 
 great difficulty, crept 
 through the flue, and 
 into the stove, where 
 they listened behind 
 tlie door, to discover 
 if anybody was in the 
 room. It was quite 
 still; they peeped, and 
 there, on the floor, in 
 the middle of the room, 
 lay the old Chinese. He had fallen from the table 
 in trying to follow the fugitives, and was broken 
 in three pieces ; his whole back was but a stump, 
 and his head had rolled into a corner, while Gen- 
 eral - clothes - press - inspector - head - superintendent 
 Goatslegs was standing where he had ever stood, 
 absorbed in thought. 
 
 " How dreadful ! " said the little shepherdess. 
 " My old grandfather is dashed to pieces, and we 
 are the cause. I never can survive the accident." 
 And she wrung her little hands in agony. 
 
 " He can be mended," said the chimney-sweep ; 
 "he can easily be mended. Only do not be so 
 hasty. If we glue his back together, and rivet his 
 neck well, he will be as good as new, and will 
 be able to say enough disagreeable things to us 
 yet." 
 
 " Do you think so ? " said she ; and then they 
 clambered up again to the table on which they 
 had stood before. 
 
 "You see," said the sweep, "we might have 
 spared ourselves these disagreeables, after all." 
 " If we bad but mended my old grandfather ! " 
 
 said the shepherdess. 
 " Does it cost much ? " 
 And mended he 
 was. The family had 
 his back glued, and his 
 neck riveted, so that 
 he was as good as nevr, 
 except that he could 
 not nod. 
 
 " Meseem s, you 
 have grown haughty 
 since you were dashed 
 to pieces," said Gen- 
 eral - clothes - press-in- 
 spector-head-superintendent Goatslegs. " How- 
 ever, I think there is not so very much to be proud 
 of. Am I to have her, or am I not? " 
 
 The chimney-sweep and the little shepherdess 
 looked so touchingly at the old Chinese ; they 
 feared he would nod, but he could not, and it was 
 disagreeable to him to tell a stranger that he had 
 constantly a rivet in his neck. So the little porce- 
 lain personages remained together. They blessed 
 the old grandfather's rivet, and loved each other 
 till they fell to pieces. 
 
 "WHAT THE GOOD-MAN DOES IS SURE TO BE RIGHT! 
 
 I AM going to tell you a story that was told to 
 me when I was a little one, and which I like bet- 
 ter and better the oftener I think of it. For it is 
 with stories as with some men and women, the 
 
 older they grow the pleasanter they grow, and 
 that is delightful ! 
 
 Of course you have been into the country? 
 Well, then, you must have seen a regularly poor 
 
204 
 
 STORIES FROM HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN. 
 
 old cottage. Moss and weeds spring up amid the 
 thatcli of the roof, a stork's nest decorates the chim- 
 ney (the stork can never be dispensed with), the 
 walls are aslant, the windows low (in fact, only one 
 of them can be shut), the baking-oven projects 
 forward, and an elder-bush leans over the gate, 
 where you will see a tiny pond with a duck and 
 ducklings in it, close under a knotted old willow- 
 tree. Yes, and then there is a watch-dog that 
 barks at every passer-by. 
 
 Just such a poor little cottage as this was the 
 one in my story, and in it dwelt a husband and 
 wife. Few as their possessions were, one of them 
 they could do without, and that was a horse, that 
 used to graze in the ditch beside the high-road. 
 The good-man rode on it to town, he lent it to 
 his neighbors, and received slight services from 
 them in return, but still it would be more profita- 
 ble to sell the horse, or else exchange it for some- 
 thing they could make of more frequent use. But 
 which should they do ? sell, or exchange? 
 
 " Why, you will find out what is best, good- 
 man," said the wife. "Isn't this market-day? 
 Come, ride off to the town — get money, or what 
 you can for the horse — whatever you do is sure 
 to be right. Make haste for the market ! " 
 
 So she tied on liis neckerchief — for that was a 
 matter she understood better than he — she tied it 
 with a doable knot, and made him look quite 
 spruce ; she dusted his hat vpith the palm of her 
 hand ; and she kissed him and sent him off, rid- 
 ing the horse that was to be either sold or bar- 
 tered. Of course, he would know what to do. 
 
 The sun was hot, and not a cloud in the sky. 
 The road was dusty, and such a crowd of folk 
 passed on their way to market. Some in wagons, 
 some on horseback, some on their own legs. A 
 fierce sun and no shade all the way. 
 
 A man came driving a cow — as pretty a cow 
 as could be. " That creature must give beautiful 
 milk," thought the peasant; "it would not be a 
 bad bargain if I got that. I say, you fellow with 
 the cow ! " he began aloud ; " let 's have some talk 
 together. Look you, a horse, I believe, costs more 
 than a cow, but it is all the same to me, as I 
 
 have more use for a cow — shall we make an ex- 
 change ? " 
 
 " To be sure ! " was the answer, and the bar- 
 gain was made. 
 
 The good-man might just as well now turn back 
 homeward — he had finished his business. But 
 he had made up his mind to go to market, so to 
 market he must go, if only to look on. so, with 
 his cow, he continued on his way. He trudged 
 fast, so did the cow, and soon they overtook a 
 man who was leading a sheep — a sheep in good 
 condition, well clothed with wool. 
 
 " I should very much like to have that I 
 thought the peasant. " It would find pasture 
 enough by our road-side, and in winter we might 
 take it into our own room. And really it would 
 be more reasonable for us to be keeping a sheep 
 than a cow. Shall we exchange ? " 
 
 Yes, the man who owned the sheep was quite 
 willing : so the exchange was made, and the good- 
 man now went on with his sheep. Presently there 
 passed him a man with a big goose under his 
 arm. 
 
 " AVell, you have got a heavy fellow there ! " 
 quoth the peasant. " Feathers and fat in plenty! 
 How nicely we could tie her up near our little 
 pond, and it would be something for the good- 
 wife to gather up the scraps for. She has often 
 said : ' If we had but a goose ! ' Now she can 
 have one — and she sliall, too ! Will you ex- 
 change '! I will give you my sheep for your goose, 
 and say ' thank you ' besides." 
 
 The other had no objection, so the peasant had 
 his will and his goose. He was now close to the 
 town ; he was wearied with the heat and the 
 crowd, folk and cnttle pushing past him, throng- 
 ing on tiie road, in the ditch, and close up to the 
 turnpike-man's cabbage-garden, where his one hen 
 was tied up, lest in her fright she should lose her 
 way and be carried off. It was a short-backed 
 hen : she winked with one eye, crying, " Cluck, 
 cluck ! " What she was thinking of I can't say, 
 but what the peasant thought on seeing her, was 
 this : " That is the prettiest hen I have ever seen 
 — much prettier than any of our parson's chickens. 
 
'WHAT THE GOOD-MAN DOES IS SURE TO BE RIGHT!" 
 
 205 
 
 I should very much like to have her. A hen can 
 always pick up a grain here and there — can pro- 
 vide for herself. I almost think it would be a 
 good plan to take her instead of the goose. Shall 
 we exchange ? " he asked. " Exchange ? " re- 
 peated the owner ; " not a bad idea ! " So it was 
 done ; the turnpike-man got the goose, the peas- 
 ant the hen. 
 
 He had transacted a deal of business since first 
 starting on his way to the town ; hot was he, and 
 wearied too : he must have a dram and a bit of 
 bread. He was on the point of entering an inn, 
 when the innkeeper met him in the doorway 
 swinging a sack chock-full of something. 
 
 " What have you there ? " asked the peas- 
 ant. 
 
 " Mellow apples," was the answer, " a whole 
 sackful for swine." 
 
 " What a quantity ! would n't my wife like to 
 see so many ! Why, the last year we had only 
 one single apple on the whole tree at home. Ah ! 
 I wish my wife could see them ! " 
 
 " Well, what will you give me for them ? " 
 
 " Give for them ? why, I will give you my hen." 
 So he gave the hen, took the apples, and entered 
 the inn, and going straight up to the bar, set his 
 sack upright against the stove without consider- 
 ing that there was a fire lighted inside. A good 
 many strangers were present, among them two 
 Englishmen, both with their pockets full of gold 
 and fond of laying wagers, as Englishmen in 
 stories are wont to do. 
 
 Presently there came a sound from the stove, 
 "Suss — suss — suss!" the apples were roasting. 
 " What is that ? " folk asked, and soon heard the 
 whole history of the horse that had been ex- 
 changed, first for a cow, and lastly for a sack of 
 rotten apples. 
 
 " Well ! won't you get a good sound cuff from 
 your wife, when you go home ? '* said one of the 
 Englishmen. " Something heavy enough to fell 
 an ox, I warn you ! " 
 
 " I shall get kisses, not cuffs," replied the peas- 
 ant. " My wife will say, ' Whatever the good- 
 man does is right.' " 
 
 " A wager ! " cried the Englishmen, " for a 
 hundred pounds ? " 
 
 " Say rather a bushelful," quoth the peasant, 
 and I can only lay my bushel of apples with my- 
 self and the good-wife, but that will be more than 
 full measure, I trow." 
 
 " Done ! " cried they. And the innkeeper's 
 cart was brought out forthwith, the Englishmen 
 got into it, the peasant got into it, the rotten ap- 
 ples got into it, and away they sped to the peas- 
 ant's cottage. 
 
 " Good evening, wife." 
 
 " Same to you, good-man." 
 
 " Well, I have exchanged the horse, not sold it." 
 
 " Of course," said the wife, taking his hand, 
 and in her eagerness to listen noticing neither the 
 sack nor the strangers. 
 
 " I exchanged the horse for a cow." 
 
 " Oh ! how delightful ! now we can have milk, 
 butter, and cheese on our table. What a capital 
 idea ! " 
 
 " Yes, but I exchanged the cow for a sheep." 
 
 " Better and better ! " cried the wife. " You 
 are always so thoughtful ; we have only just grass 
 enough for a sheep. But now we shall have ewe's 
 milk, and ewe's cheese, and woolen stockings, nay, 
 woolen jackets too ; and a cow would not give us 
 that ; she loses all her hairs. But you are always 
 such a clever fellow." 
 
 " But the ewe I exchanged again for a goose." 
 
 "What! shall we really keep Michaelmas this 
 year, good-man? You are always thinking of what 
 will please me, and that was a beautiful thought. 
 The goose can be tethered to the willow-tree and 
 grow fat for Michaelmas Day." 
 
 " But I gave the goose away for a hen," said the 
 peasant. 
 
 "A hen? well, that was a good exchange," said 
 his wife. " A hen will lay eggs, sit upon them, 
 and we shall have chickens. Fancy ! a hen-yard ! 
 that is just the thing I have always wished for 
 most." 
 
 " Ah, but I exchanged the hen for a sack of 
 mellow apples." 
 
 " Then I must give thee a kiss," cried the wife. 
 
206 
 
 STORIES FROM HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN. 
 
 " Thanks, my own husband. And now I have 
 something to tell. When you were gone I thought 
 how I could get a right good dinner ready for 
 you : omelets with parsley. Now I had the eggs, 
 but not the parsley. So I went over to the school- 
 master's ; they have parsley, I know, but the 
 woman is so crabbed, she wanted something for it. 
 Now what could I give her ? nothing grows in our 
 garden, not even a rotten apple, not even that had 
 I for her ; but now I can give her ten, nay, a 
 whole sackful. That is famous, good-man ! " and 
 she kissed him again. 
 
 " Well done I " cried the Englishmen. " Al- 
 ways down hill, and always happy ! Such a sight 
 is worth the money ! " And so quite contentedly 
 they paid the bushelful of gold pieces to the peas- 
 ant, who had got kisses, not cuffs, by his bar- 
 gains. 
 
 Certainly virtue is her own reward, when the 
 wife is sure that her husband is the wisest man in 
 the world, and that whatever he does is right. 
 So now you have heard this old story that was 
 once told to me, and I hope have learnt the 
 moral. 
 
 THE LITTLE MATCH GIRL. 
 
 It was terribly cold ; it snowed and was al- 
 ready almost dark, and evening came on, the last 
 evening of the year. In the cold and gloom a poor 
 little girl, bare-headed 
 and barefoot, was walk- 
 i n g through the 
 streets. When she 
 left her own house she 
 certainly had bad slip- 
 pers on ; but of what 
 use were they? They 
 were very big slippers, 
 and her mother had 
 used them till then, so 
 big wei-e thej-. The 
 little maid lost them as 
 she slipped across the road, where two carriages 
 were rattling by terribly fast. One slipper was 
 not to be found again, and a boy had seized the 
 other, and run away with it. He thought he 
 could use it very well as a cradle, some day when 
 he had children of his own. So now the little 
 girl went with her little naked feet, which were 
 quite red and blue with the cold. In an old apron 
 she carried a number of matches, and a bundle 
 of them in her hand. No one had bought any- 
 thing of her all day, and no one had given her a 
 farthing. 
 
 Shivering with cold and hunger she crept 
 
 along, a picture of misery, poor little girl I The 
 snow-flakes covered her long fair hair, which fell 
 in pretty curls over her neck ; but she did not 
 
 think of that now. In 
 all the windows lights 
 were shining and there 
 was a glorious smell of 
 roast goose, for it was 
 New Year's Eve. Yes, 
 she thought of that ! 
 
 In a corner formed 
 by two houses, one of 
 which projected be- 
 yond tiie other, she sat 
 down, cowering. She 
 had drawn up her lit- 
 tle feet, but she was still colder, and she did not 
 dare to go home, for she had sold no matches, and 
 did not bring a farthing of mone}'. From her 
 father she would certainly receive a beating, and 
 besides, it was cold at home, for they had nothing 
 over them but a roof through which the wind 
 whistled, though the largest rents had been stopped 
 with straw and rags. 
 
 Her little hands were almost benumbed with 
 the cold. Ah ! a match might do her good, if she 
 could only draw one from a bundle, and rub it 
 against the wall, and warm her hands at it. She 
 drew one out. R-r-atch ! how it sputtered and 
 
THE LITTLE MATCH GIRL. 
 
 207 
 
 burned ! It was a warm bright flame, like a little 
 candle, when she held her hands over it ; it was a 
 wonderful little light! It really seemed to the 
 little girl as if she sat before a great polished 
 stove, with bright brass feet and a brass cover. 
 How the fire burned ! how comfortable it was ! 
 but the little flame went out, the stove vanished, 
 and she had only the remains of the burned match 
 in her hand. 
 
 A second was rubbed against the wall. It 
 burned up, and when the light fell upon the wall 
 it became transparent like a thin veil, and she 
 could see through it into the rooth. On the table 
 a snow-white cloth was spread ; upon it stood a 
 shining dinner service ; the roast goose smoked 
 gloriously, stuffed with apples and dried plums. 
 And what was still more splendid to behold, the 
 goose hopped down from the dish, and waddled 
 along the floor, with a knife and fork in its breast, 
 to the little girl. Then the match went out, and 
 only the thick, damp, cold wall was before her. 
 She lighted another match. Then she was sitting 
 under a beautiful Christmas-tree ; it was greater 
 and more ornamented than the one she had seen 
 through the glass door at the rich merchant's. 
 Thousands of candles burned upon the green 
 branches, and colored pictures like those in the 
 print shops looked down upon them. The little 
 girl stretched forth her hand toward them ; then 
 the match went out. The Christmas lights 
 mounted higher. She saw them now as stars in 
 the sky : one of them fell down, forming a long 
 line of fire. 
 
 " Now some one is dying," thought the little 
 girl, for her old grandmother, the only person, who 
 had loved her, and who was now dead, had told 
 her that when a star fell down a soul mounted up 
 to God. 
 
 She rubbed another match against the wall ; it 
 
 became bright again, and in the brightness the old 
 grandmother stood clear and shining,' mild and 
 lovely. 
 
 " Grandmother ! " cried the child, " Oh ! take 
 me with you ! I know you will go when the 
 match is burned out. You will vanish like the 
 warm fire, the warm food, and the great, glorious 
 Christmas-tree ! " 
 
 And she hastily rubbed the whole bundle of 
 matches, for she wished to hold her grandmother 
 fast. And the matches burned with such a glow 
 that it became brighter than in the middle of the 
 day ; grandmother had never been so large or so 
 beautiful. She took the little girl in her arms, and 
 both flew in brightness and joy. above the earth, 
 very, very high, and up there was neither cold, 
 nor hunger, nor care, — they were with God. 
 
 But in the corner, leaning against the wall, sat 
 the poor girl with red cheeks and smiling mouth, 
 frozen to death on the last evenilig of the Old 
 Year. The New Year's sun rose upon a little 
 corpse ! The child sat there, stiff and cold, with 
 the matches, of which one bundle was burned. 
 " She wanted to warm herself," the people said. 
 No one imagined what a beautiful thing she bad 
 seen, and in what glory she had gone in with her 
 grandmother to the New Year's Day. 
 
208 
 
 STORIES FROM HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN. 
 
 THE BELL. 
 
 People said, " The evening-bell is sounding, 
 the sun is setting." A strange Avondrous tone was 
 heard in the narrow streets of a large town. It 
 was like the sound of a church-bell : but it was 
 only heard for a moment, for the rolling of the car- 
 riages, and the voices of the multitude made too 
 great a noise. 
 
 Those persons who were walteng without the 
 town, where the houses were farther apart, with 
 gardens or little fields between them, could see the 
 evening sky still better, and heard the sound of the 
 bell much more distinctly. It was as if the tones 
 came from a church ^ c^s 
 
 in tlie still forest ; 
 people looked thitli- 
 e r \-\- a r d, and felt 
 their minds attuned 
 most solemnly. 
 
 A long time 
 passed, and people 
 said to i.Mcli cjther, 
 — "I won d e r if 
 there is a church out 
 in the wood ? The 
 bell has a tone that 
 is wondrous sweet ; 
 let us stroll thither, and examine the matter 
 nearer." And the rich people drove out, Mnd 
 the poor walked, but the way seemed strangely 
 long to them ; and when they came to a clump of 
 willows which grew on the skirts of the forest, 
 they sat down, and looked up at the long branches, 
 and fancied they were now in the depth of the 
 green wood. The confectioner of the town came 
 out, and set up his booth there ; and soon after 
 came another confectioner, who hung a bell over 
 his stand, as a sign or ornament, but it had no 
 clapper, and it was tarred over to preserve it from 
 the rain. When all the people returned home, 
 they said it had been very romantic, and that it 
 was quite a different sort of thing to a picnic or 
 tea-party. There were three persons who asserted 
 
 they had penetrated to the end of the forest, and 
 that they had always heard the wonderful sounds 
 of the bell, but it had seemed to them as if it had 
 come from the town. One wrote a whole poem 
 about it, and said the bell sounded like the voice 
 of a mother to a good dear child, and that no 
 melody was sweeter than the tones of the belL 
 The king of the countiy was also observant of it, 
 and vowed thnt he who could discover wlience the 
 sounds proceeded should have the title of " Uni- 
 versal Bell-ringer," even if it were not really a 
 bell. 
 
 Many persons 
 now went to the 
 wood, for the sake 
 of getting the place, 
 but one only re- 
 turned with a sort 
 of explanation ; for 
 nobody went far 
 enough, that one 
 not farther than the 
 others. However, 
 he said that the 
 sound proceeded 
 ^1 from a very large 
 a sort of learned owl, that 
 continually knocked its head against the branches. 
 But whether the sound came from his head or from 
 the hollow tree, that no one could say with cer- 
 tainty. Su now he got the place of " Universal 
 Bell-ringer," and wrote yearly a short treatise 
 " On the Owl ; " but everybody was just as wise 
 as before. 
 
 It was the day of Confirmation. The clergyman 
 had spoken so touchinglj', the children who were 
 confirmed had been greatly moved ; it was an 
 eventful day for them ; from children they be- 
 came all at once grown-up persons ; it was as if 
 their infant souls were now to fly all at once into 
 persons with more understanding. The sun was 
 shining gloriously ; the children that had been 
 
 owl, in a hollow tree ; 
 
THE BELL. 
 
 209 
 
 confirmed went out of the town, and from the 
 wood was borne toward them the sounds of the 
 unknown bell with wonderful distinctness. They 
 all immediately felt a wish to go thither ; all ex- 
 cept three. One of them had to go home to try 
 on a ball-dress, for it was just the dress and the 
 ball which had caused her to be confirmed this 
 time, for otherwise she would not have come ; the 
 other was a poor boy, who had borrowed his coat 
 and boots to be confirmed in from the innkeeper's 
 son, and he was to give them back by a certain 
 hour ; the third said that he never went to a 
 strange place if his parents were not with him ; 
 that he had always been a good boy hitherto, and 
 would still be so now that he was confirmed, and 
 that one ought not to laugh at him for it: the' 
 others, however, did make fun of him, after all. 
 
 There were three, therefore, that did not go ; 
 the others hastened on. The sun shone, the birds 
 sang, and the children sang too, and each held the 
 other by the hand ; for as yet they had none of 
 tliem any high oSice, and were all of equal rank 
 in the eye of God. 
 
 But two of the youngest soon grew tired, and 
 both returned to town ; two little girls sat down, 
 and twined garlands, so tkey did not go either ; 
 and when the others reached the willow-tree, where 
 the confectioner was, they said, " Now we are 
 there ! In reality the bell does not exist ; it is only 
 a fancy that people have taken into their heads ! " 
 
 At the same moment the bell sounded deep in 
 the wood, so clear and solemnly that five or six 
 determined to penetrate somewhat farther. It 
 was so thick, and the foliage so dense that it was 
 quite fatiguing to proceed. Woodroof and anem- 
 ones grew almost too high ; blooming convolvu- 
 luses and blackberry-bushes hung in long garlands 
 from tree to tree, where the nightingale sang and 
 the sunbeams were playing : it was very beautiful, 
 but it was no place for girls to go ; their clothes 
 would get so torn. Large blocks of stone lay 
 there, overgrown with moss of every color; the 
 fresh spring bubbled forth, and made a strange 
 gurgling sound. 
 
 " That surely cannot be the bell," said one of 
 
 27 
 
 the children, lying down and listening ; " this 
 must be looked to." So he remained, and let the 
 . others go on without him. 
 
 They afterwards came to a little house, made 
 of branches and the bark of trees ; a large wild 
 apple-tree bent over it, as if it would shower down 
 all its blessings on the roof, where roses were 
 blooming. The long stems twined round the ga- 
 ble, on which there hung a small bell. 
 
 Was it that which people had heard ? Yes r 
 everybody was un-animous on the subject, except, 
 one, who said that the bell was too small and too 
 fine to be heard at so great a distance, and besides,, 
 it had very different tones from those that could 
 move a human heart in such a manner. It was- 
 a king's son who spoke ; whereon the others said^ 
 " Such people always want to be wiser than every- 
 body else." 
 
 They now let him go on alone ; and as he went,, 
 his breast was filled more and more with the for- 
 est solitude ; but he still heard the little bell with 
 which the others were so satisfied, and now and 
 then, when the wind blew, he could also hear the 
 people singing who were sitting at tea where the 
 confectioner had his tent ; but the deep sound of 
 the bell rose louder ; it was almost as if an organ 
 were accompanying it, and the tones came from- 
 the left hand, the side where the heart is placed. 
 A rustling was heard in the bushes, and a little 
 boy stood before the king's son ; a boy in wooden. 
 shoes, and with so short a jacket that one could 
 see what long wrists he had. Both knew each, 
 other ; the boy was that one among the children; 
 who could not come because he had to go home 
 and return his jacket and boots to the innkeeper's 
 son. This he had done, and was now going on in 
 wooden shoes and in his humbler dress, for tlie 
 bell sounded with so deep a tone, and with such 
 strange power, that proceed he must. 
 
 " Why, then, we can go together," said the 
 king's son. But the poor child that had been, 
 confirmed was quite ashamed ; he looked at his 
 wooden shoes,- pulled at the short sleeves of his. 
 jacket, and said, " He was afraid he could not 
 walk so fast ; besides, he thought that the bell 
 
210 
 
 STORIES FROM HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN. 
 
 must be looked for to the right ; for that was the 
 place where all sorts of beautiful things were to 
 be found." 
 
 " But there we shall not meet," said the king's 
 son, nodding at the same time to the poor boy, who 
 went into the darkest, thickest part of the wood, 
 where thorns tore his humble dress, and scratched 
 his face, and hands, and feet, till they bled. The 
 king's son got some scratches, too ; but the sun 
 shone on his path, and it is him that we will fol- 
 low, for he was an excellent and resolute youth. 
 
 " I must and will find the bell," said he, " even 
 if I am obliged to go to the end of the world." 
 
 The ugly apes sat upon the trees, and grinned. 
 " Shall we thrash him ? " said thej' ; " shall Ave 
 thrash him ? He is the son of a king ! " 
 
 But on he went, without being disheartened, 
 deeper and deeper into the wood, where the most 
 wonderful flowers were growing. There stood 
 white lilies with blood-red stamens ; skj^-blue tu- 
 lips, which shone as they waved in the winds ; 
 and apple-trees, the apples of which looked exactly 
 like large soap-bubbles : so only think how the 
 trees must have sparkled in the sunshine ! Around 
 the nicest green meads, where the deer were play- 
 ing in the grass, grew magnificent oaks and 
 beeches ; and if the bark of one of the trees was 
 cracked, there grass and long creeping plants 
 grew in the crevices. And there were large, calm 
 lakes there too, in which white swans Avere swim- 
 ming, and beat the air with tlieir wings. The 
 king's son often stood still and listened. He 
 thought the bell sounded from the depths of these 
 still lakes ; but then he remarked again that the 
 tone proceeded not from tliere, but farther off, 
 from out the depths of the forest. 
 
 The sun now set ; the atmosphere glowed like 
 fire. It was still in the woods, so A'ery still ; and 
 he fell on his knees, sung his evening hymn, and 
 said : " I cannot find what I seek ; the sun is go- 
 ing down, and night is coming — the dark, dark 
 night. Yet perhaps I may be able once more to 
 see the round, red sun befi)re he entirely disap- 
 pears. I will climb up yonder rock." 
 
 And he seized hold of the creeping-plants, and 
 the ronts of trees, — climbed up the moist stones 
 
 where the water-snakes were writhing and the 
 toads were croaking — and he gained the summit 
 before the sun had quite gone down. How mag- 
 nificent was the sight from this height ! The sea 
 — the great, the glorious sea, that dashed its long 
 waves against the coast — was stretched out be- 
 fore him. And yonder, where sea and sky meet, 
 stood the sun, like a large, shining altar, all 
 melted together in the most glowing colors. And 
 the wood and the sea sang a song of rejoicing, 
 and his heart sang with the rest : all nature was a 
 vast, holy church, in which the trees and the 
 buoyant clouds were the pillars, flowers and grass 
 the velvet carpeting, and heaven itself the large 
 cupola. Tlie red colors above faded awaj^ as the 
 sun vanished, but a million stars were lighted, a 
 million lamps shone ; and the king's son spread 
 out his arms toward heaven, and wood, and sea ; 
 when at the same moment, coming by a path to 
 the right, appeared, in his wooden shoes and 
 jacket, the poor boy who had been confirmed 
 with him. He had followed his own path, and 
 
 had reached the spot just as soon as the son of 
 the king had done. They ran toward each other, 
 and stood together, hand in hand, in the vast 
 church of nature and of poetry, while over them 
 sounded the invisible, holy bell ; blessed spirits 
 floated around them, and lifted up their voices in 
 a rejoicing hallelujah ! 
 
TALES 
 
 PROM THE 
 
 ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS^ 
 
 I. INTRODUCTION. 
 
 It is written in the chronicles of the Sassauian 
 monarchs, that there once lived an illustrious 
 prince, beloved by his own subjects for his wisdom 
 and prudence, and feared by his enemies for his 
 courage, and for the hardy and well-disciplined 
 army of which he was the leader. This prince 
 had two sons, the elder called Schah-riar, and the 
 younger Schah-zenan, both equally good and de- 
 serving of praise. 
 
 The old king died at the end of a long and glo- 
 rious reign, and Schah-riar, his eldest son, as- 
 cended the throne and reigned in his stead. A 
 friendly contest quickly arose between the two 
 brothers as to which could best promote the happi- 
 ness of the other. The younger, Schah-zenan, did 
 all he could to show his loyalty and affection, 
 while the new sultan loaded his brother with all 
 possible honors, and, in order that he might in 
 some degree share his own power and wealth, be- 
 stowed on him the kingdom of Great Tartary. 
 Schah-zenan went immediately and took possession 
 of the empire allotted him, and fixed his residence 
 at Samarcand, the chief city. 
 
 After a separation of ten years, Schah-riar ar- 
 dently desired to see his brother, and sent his first 
 vizier, with a splendid embassy, to invite him to 
 revisit his court. Schah-zenan, being informed of 
 the approach of the vizier, went out to meet him, 
 with all his ministers, most magnificently dressed 
 for the occasion, and urgently inquired after the 
 health of the sultan, his brother. Having replied 
 
 to these affectionate inquiries, the vizier unfolded 
 the more especial purpose of his coming. Schah- 
 zenan, who was much affected at the kindness and 
 recollection of his brother, then addressed the viz- 
 ier in these words : " Sage vizier, the sultan, my 
 brother, does me too much honor. It is impossible 
 that his wish to see me can exceed my anxious de- 
 sire of again beholding him. You have come at 
 an opportune moment. My kingdom is tranquil, 
 and in ten days' time I will be ready to depart 
 with you. In the mean while pitch your tents on 
 this spot ; I will take care and order everj' refresh- 
 ment and accommodation for you and your whole 
 train." 
 
 At the end of ten days everything was ready. 
 Schah-zenan took a tender leave of the queen, his 
 consort, and, accompanied by such officers as he 
 had appointed to attend him, left Samarcand in 
 the evening, to be near the tents of his brother's 
 ambassador, with the intention of proceeding on 
 his journey early on the following morning. 
 Wishing, however, once more to see his queen, 
 whom he tenderly loved, and whom he believed to 
 return his love with an equal affection, he re- 
 turned privately to the palace, and went directly 
 to her apartment, when, to his extreme grief, he 
 found that she loved another man, and he a slave, 
 better than himself. The unfortunate monarch, 
 yielding to the first outburst of his indignation, 
 drew his scimitar, and with one rapid stroke 
 changed their sleep into death. After that he 
 
212 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 threw their dead bodies into the fosse or great 
 ditch that surrounded the palace. 
 
 Having thus satisfied his revenge, he went from 
 the c^ty as privately as he entered it, and returned 
 to his pavilion. On his arrival, he did not men- 
 tion to any one what had happened, but ordered 
 the tents to be struck, and began his journey. It 
 was scarcely daylight when they commenced their 
 march to the sound of drums and other instru- 
 ments. The whole train was filled with joy, ex- 
 cept the king, who could think of nothing but his 
 queen's misconduct, and he became a prey to the 
 deepest grief and melancholy during the whole 
 journey. 
 
 When he approached the capital of Persia, he 
 perceived the Sultan Schah-riar and all his court 
 coming out to greet him. What joyful sensations 
 arose in their breasts at this fraternal meeting ! 
 They alighted and embraced each other ; and after 
 a thousand expressions of regard, they remounted, 
 and entered the city amidst the acclamations of 
 the multitude. The sultan conducted the king, 
 his brother, to a palace which had been prepared 
 for him. It communicated by a garden with his 
 own ; and was even more magnificent, as it was 
 the spot wheie all the /efts and splendid enter- 
 tainments of the court were given. 
 
 Schah-riar immediately left the King of Tar- 
 tary, in order that he might have time to bathe 
 and change his dress ; on his return from the bath 
 he went immediately to him again. They seated 
 themselves on a sofa, and conversed with each 
 other at their ease, after so long an absence ; and 
 seemed even more united by affection than blood. 
 They ate together at supper, and after their re- 
 past they again conversed, till Schah-riar, per- 
 ceiving the night far advanced, left his brother to 
 repose. 
 
 The unfortunate Schah-zenan retired to his 
 couch ; but if the presence of the saltan had for a 
 while suspended his grief, it now returned with re- 
 doubled force. Every circumstance of the queen's 
 misconduct arose to his mind and kept him awake, 
 and impressed such a look of sorrow on his coun- 
 tenance that the sultan could not fail to remark 
 
 it. Conscious that he had done all in his power 
 to testify the sincerity of his continued love and 
 affection, he sought diligently to amuse his 
 brother ; but the most splendid entertainments 
 and tne gayest /etes only served to increase his 
 melancholy. 
 
 Schah-riar having one morning given orders for 
 a grand hunting party, at the distance of two 
 days' journey from the city, Schah-zenan requested 
 permission to remain in his palace, excusing him- 
 self on account of a slight indisposition. The sul- 
 tan wishing to please him, gave him his choice, 
 and went with all his court to partake of the 
 sport. 
 
 The King of Tartary was no sooner alone than 
 he shut himself up in his apartment, and gave way 
 to a sorrowful recollection on the calamity which 
 had befallen him. As, however, he sat thus griev- 
 ing at the open window, looking out upon the 
 beautiful garden of the palace, he suddenly saw 
 the sultana, the loved wife of his brother, meet in 
 the garden and hold secret conversation with an- 
 other man beside her husband. Upon witnessing 
 this interview, Schah-zenan determined within 
 himself that he would no longer give way to such 
 inconsolable grief for a misfortune which came to 
 other husbands as well as to himself. He ordered 
 supper to be brought, and ate with a better appe- 
 tite than he had before done since his departure 
 from Saraarcand, and even enjoyed the fine con- 
 cert performed while he sat at table. 
 
 Schah-riar, on his return from hunting at the 
 close of the second day, was delighted at the 
 change which he soon found had taken place in 
 his brother, and urgently pressed him to explain 
 both the cause of his former deep depression, and 
 of its sudden change to his present joy. The 
 King of Tartary being thus pressed, and feeling it 
 his duty to obey his suzerain lord, related to his 
 brother the whole narrative of his wife's miscon- 
 duct, and of the severe punishment with which he 
 had visited it on the offenders. Schah-riar ex- 
 pressed his full approval of his conduct. " I own," 
 he said, " had I been in your place, I should, per- 
 haps, have been less easily satisfied. I should not 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 213 
 
 have been contented witli taking away the life of 
 one woman, but should have sacrificed a thousand 
 to my resentment. Your fate, surely, is most sin- 
 gular, nor can have happened to any one besides. 
 Since, however, it has pleased God to afford you 
 consolation, and as I am sure it is equally well 
 founded as the cause of your grief, inform me, I 
 beg, of that also, and make me acquainted with 
 the whole." 
 
 The reluctance of Schah-zenan to relate what 
 he had seen yielded at last to the urgent com- 
 mands and entreaties of his brother, and he re- 
 vealed to him the secret of his disgrace in the 
 faithlessness of his own queen. On hearing these 
 dreadful and unexpected tidings, the rage and 
 grief of Schah-riar knew no bounds. He far ex- 
 ceeded his brother in his invectives and indigna- 
 tion. He immediately sentenced to death his un- 
 happy sultana and the unworthy accomplice of 
 her guilt ; and not content with this, in all the 
 power of an Eastern despot, he bound himself by a 
 solemn vow that, to prevent the possibility of such 
 misconduct in future, he would marry a new wife 
 every night, and command her to be strangled in 
 the morning. Having imposed this cruel law 
 upon himself, he swore to observe it imraediatel3r 
 on the departure of the king his brother, who 
 soon after had a solemn audience of leave, and re- 
 turned to his own kingdom, laden with the moat 
 magnificent presents. 
 
 When Schah-zenan was gone, the sultan began 
 to put into execution his unhappy oath. He mar- 
 ried every night the daughter of some one of his 
 subjects, who, the next morning, was ordered out 
 to execution, and thus every day was a maiden 
 married, and every day a wife sacrificed. How- 
 ever repugnant these commands were to the be- 
 nevolent grand vizier, he was obliged to submit at 
 the peril of the loss of his own head. The report 
 of this unexampled inhumanity spread a panic of 
 universal consternation through the city. In one 
 place a wretched father was in tears for the loss of 
 his daughter ; in another, the air resounded with 
 the groans of tender mothers, who dreaded lest the 
 same fate should attend their offspring. In this 
 
 manner, instead of the praises and blessings with 
 which, till now, they loaded their monarch, all 
 his subjects poured out imprecations on his head. 
 
 The grand vizier, who, as has been mentioned, 
 was the unwilling agent of this horrid injustice, 
 had two daughters ; the elder was called Schehera- 
 zade, and the youngest Dinar-zaae. Schehera- 
 zade was possessed of a degree of courage beyond 
 her sex. She had read much, and was possessed 
 of so great a memory, that she never forgot any- 
 thing once learned ; her beauty was only equaled 
 by her virtuous disposition. 
 
 The vizier was passionately fond of so deserving 
 a daughter. 
 
 As they were conversing together one day, she 
 made a request to her father, to his very great 
 astonishment, that she might have the honor of 
 becoming the sultan's bride. The grand vizier 
 endeavored to dissuade his daughter from her in- 
 tention by pointing out the fearful penalty of an 
 immediate death attached to the favor which she 
 sought. Schehera-zade, however, persisted in her 
 request, intimating to her father that she had in 
 her mind a plan which she thought might be suc- 
 cessful in making a change in the intention of the 
 sultan, and in putting a stop to the dreadful cru- 
 elty exercised towards the inhabitants of the city. 
 "Yes, my father," replied this heroic woman, "I 
 am aware of the danger I run, but it does not de- 
 ter me from my purpose. If I die, my death will 
 be glorious; and if I succeed, I shall render my 
 country an important service." The vizier was 
 most reluctant to allow his beloved child to enter 
 on so dangerous an enterprise, and endeavored to 
 dissuade her from her purpose, but at length, 
 overcome by his daughter's firmness, yielded to 
 her entreaties ; and although he was very sorry at 
 not being able to conquer her resolution, he imme- 
 diately went to Schah-riai', and announced to him 
 that Schehera-zade herself would be his bride on 
 the following night. 
 
 The sultan was much astonished at the sacrifice 
 of the grand vizier. " Is it possible," said he, " that 
 you can give up your own child ? " " Sire," re- 
 plied the vizier, " she has herself made the offer. 
 
214 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIA]^ NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 The dreadful fate that hangs over her does not 
 
 alarm her ; and she resigns her life for the honor 
 
 of being the consort of your majesty, though it be 
 
 but for one night." ''Vizier," said the sultan, 
 
 •' do not deceive yourself with any hopes ; for be 
 
 assured that, in delivering Schehera-zade into your 
 
 charge to-morrow, it 
 
 will be with an order 
 
 for her death; and if 
 
 you disobev, your 
 
 own head will be 
 
 the forfeit." " Al- 
 
 though," answered 
 
 the vizier, " I am her 
 
 father, I will answer 
 
 for the fidelity of this 
 
 arm in fulhlling yOLir 
 
 commands." 
 
 When the grand 
 vizier returned to 
 Schehera-zade, she 
 thanked her father : 
 and observing him to 
 be much afflicted, con- 
 soled him by saying 
 that she hoped he 
 would be so far from 
 repenting her mar- 
 riage with the sultan, 
 that it would become 
 a subject of joy to him 
 for the remainder of 
 his life. 
 
 Before Schehera- 
 zade went to the pal- 
 ace, she called her sis- 
 ter, Dinar-zade, aside, 
 and said, "As soon as 
 I shall have presented myself before the sultan, I 
 shall entreat him to suffer you to sleep in the 
 bridal chamber, that I may enjov for the last time 
 your company. If I obtain this favor, as I expect, 
 remember to awaken me to-morrow morning an 
 hour before daybreak, and say, ' If you are not 
 asleep, my sister, I beg of you, till the morning 
 
 appears, to recount to me one of those delightful 
 stories you know.' I will immediately begin to 
 tell one ; and I flatter myself that by these means 
 I shall free the kingdom from the consternation 
 in which it is." Dinar-zade promised to do with 
 pleasure what she required. 
 
 Within a short 
 time Schehera-zade 
 was conducted by 
 her father to the 
 palace, and was ad- 
 mitted to the pres- 
 ence of the sultan. 
 They were no sooner 
 alone than the sultan 
 ordered her to take off 
 li e r veil. He was 
 charmed with her 
 beauty ; but perceiv- 
 ing her tears, he de- 
 manded the cause of 
 them. " Sire," an- 
 s w e r e d Schehera- 
 zade, " I have a sister 
 whom I tenderly love ; 
 I earnestly wish that 
 she might be per- 
 mitted to pass the 
 night in this apart- 
 ment, that we may 
 again see each other, 
 and once more take 
 a tender farewell. 
 Will you allow me 
 the consolation of giv- 
 ing her this last proof 
 of my affection ? " 
 Schah-riar having 
 agreed to it, they sent for Dinar-zade, who came 
 directly. The sultan passed the night with Sche- 
 hera-zade on an elevated couch, as was the custom 
 among the Eastern monarchs, and Dinar-zade 
 slept at the foot of it on a mattress, prepared for 
 the purpose. 
 
 Dinar-zade, having awoke about an hour before 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 215 
 
 day,- did what her sister had ordered her. " My 
 dear sister," she said, " if you are not asleep, I en- 
 treat you, as it will soon be light, to relate to me 
 one of those delightful tales you know. It will, 
 alas ! be the last time I shall receive that pleas- 
 ure." 
 
 Instead of returning any answer to her sister, 
 Schehera-zade addressed these words to the sul- 
 tan : " Will your majesty permit me to indulge 
 my sister in her request? " " Freely," replied he. 
 Schehera-zade then desired her sister to attend, 
 and, addressing herself to the sultan, began as fol- 
 lows : — 
 
 THE STORY OF THE MEECHAi^T AND THE 
 GENIE. 
 
 There was formerly, sire, a merchant, who was 
 possessed of great wealth, in land, merchandise, 
 and ready money. Having one day an affair of 
 great importance to settle at a considerable dis- 
 tance from home, he mounted his horse, and with 
 only a sort of cloak-bag behind him, in which he 
 had put a few biscuits and dates, he began his 
 journey. He arrived without any accident at the 
 place of his destination; and having finished his 
 business, set out on his return. 
 
 On the fourth day of his journey, he felt him- 
 self so incommoded by the heat of the sun, that he 
 turned out of his road, in order to rest under some 
 trees, by which there was a fountain. He alighted, 
 and tying his horse to a branch of the tree, sat 
 down on its bank to eat some biscuits and dates 
 from his little store. When he had satisfied his 
 hunger, he amused himself with throwing about 
 the stones of the fruit with considerable velocity. 
 When he had finished his frugal repast, he washed 
 his hands, his face, and his feet, and repeated a 
 prayer^ like a good Mussulman. 
 
 He was still on his knees, when he saw a genie, 
 white with age, and of an enormous stature, ad- 
 vancing towards him, with a scimitar in his hand. 
 As soon as he was close to him, he said in a most 
 terrible tone, " Get up, that I may kill thee with 
 this scimitar, as thou hast caused the death of my 
 son." He accompanied these words with a dread- 
 
 ful yell. The merchant, alarmed by the horrible 
 figure of this giant, as well as the words he heard, 
 replied in terrible accents, " How can I have slain 
 him ? I do not know him, nor have I ever seen 
 him." " Didst thou not," replied the giant, "on 
 thine arrival here, sit down, and take some dates 
 from thy wallet; and after eating them, didst thou 
 not throw the stones about on all sides ? " " This 
 is all true," replied the merchant ; " I do not deny 
 it." " Well, then," said the other, " I tell thee 
 thou hast killed my son; for while thou wast 
 throwing about the stones, my son passed by ; one 
 of them struck him in the eye, and caused his 
 death, and thus hast thou slain my son." " Ah, 
 sire, forgive me," cried the merchant. " I have 
 neither forgiveness nor mercy," added the giant ; 
 "and is it not just that he who has inflicted death 
 should suffer it ? " "I grant this ; yet surely I 
 have not done so; and even if I have, I have done 
 so innocently, and therefore I entreat you to pur- 
 don me, and suffer me to live." "No, no," cried 
 the genie, still persisting in his resolution, " I must 
 destroy thee, as thou hast done my son." At these 
 words, he took the merchant in his arms, and hav- 
 ing thrown him with his face on the ground, he 
 lifted up his sabre, in order to strike off his head. 
 
 Schehera-zade, at this instant, perceiving it was 
 day, and knowing that the sultan rose early to his 
 prayers, and then to hold a council, broke off. 
 " What a wonderful story," said Dinar-zade, " have 
 you chosen ! " " The conclusion," answered Sche- 
 hera-zade, " is still more surprising, as you would 
 confess, if the sultan would suffer me to live an- 
 other day, and in the morning permit me to con- 
 tinue the relation." Schah-riar, who had listened 
 with much pleasure to the narration, determined 
 to wait till to-morrow, intending to order her ex- 
 ecution after she had finished her story. He arose, 
 and having prayed, went to the council. 
 
 The grand vizier, in the mean time, was in a 
 state of cruel suspense. Unable to sleep, he passed 
 the night in lamenting the approaching fate of his 
 daughter, whose executioner he was compelled to 
 be. Dreading, therefore, in this melancholy situ- 
 ation, to meet the sultan, how great was his sur- 
 
^16 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 prise in seeing him enter the council-chamber 
 without giving him the horrible order he expected ! 
 
 The sultan spent the day, as usual, in regulating 
 the affairs of his kingdom, and on the approach of 
 night retired with Schehera-zade to his apartment. 
 
 On the next morning the sultan did not wait for 
 Schehera-zade to ask permission to continue her 
 storjr, but said, " Finish the tale of the genie and 
 the merchant; I am curious to hear the end of it." 
 Schehera-zade immediately went on as follows : — 
 
 When the merchant, sire, perceived that the 
 genie was about to execute his purpose, he cried 
 iiloud, " One word more, I entreat you ; have the 
 goodness to grant me a little delay ; give me only 
 one year to go and take leave of my dear wife 
 and children, and I promise to return to this spot, 
 iind submit myself entirely to your pleasure." 
 " Take Allah to witness of the promise thou hast 
 made me," said the other. " Again I swear," 
 replied he, "and you may rely on my oath." On 
 this the genie left him near the fountain, and im- 
 mediately disappeared. 
 
 The merchant, on his reaching home, related 
 faithfully all that had happened to him. On 
 hearing the sad news, his wife uttered the most 
 lamentable groans, tearing her hair, and beating 
 her breast ; and his children made the house re- 
 sound with their grief ; wliile the father, overcome 
 by affection, mingled his tears with theirs. The 
 year quickly passed away. The good merchant, 
 having settled his a.ffairs, paid his just debts, given 
 alms to the poor, and made provision to the best of 
 his ability for his wife and family, tore himself away 
 amidst the most frantic expressions of grief, and, 
 mindful of his oath, arrived at the destined spot 
 on the very day he had promised. While he was 
 waiting for the arrival of the genie, there suddenly 
 appeared an old man leading a hind, who, after a 
 respectful salutation, inquired what brought him 
 to that desert place. The merchant satisfied the 
 old man's curiosity, and related his adventure, on 
 which he expressed a wish to witness his interview 
 with the genie. He had scarcely finished his 
 speech when another old man, accompanied with 
 two black dugs, came in sight, and having heard 
 
 the tale of the merchant, determined also to re- 
 main to see the event. 
 
 Soon they perceived, towards the plain, a thick 
 vapor or smoke, like a column of dust raised by 
 the wind. This vapor approached them, and then 
 suddenly disappearing, they saw the genie, who, 
 without noticing them, went towards the mer- 
 chant, with his scimitar in his hand ; and taking 
 him by the arm, " Get up," said he, " that I may 
 kill thee, as thou hast slain my son." Both the 
 merchant and the two old men, struck with terror, 
 began to weep and fill the air with their lamenta- 
 tions. When the old man who conducted the hind 
 saw the genie lay hold of the merchant, and about 
 to murder him without mercy, he threw himself 
 at the monster's feet, and, kissing them, said, 
 " Lord genie, I humbly entreat you to suspend 
 your rage, and hear my history, and that of the 
 hind which you see ; and if you find it more won- 
 derful and surprising than the adventure of this 
 merchant, whose life you wish to take, may I not 
 hope that you will at least grant me one half part 
 of the blood of this unfortunate man ? " After 
 meditating some time, the genie answered, '■ Well 
 then, I agree to it." 
 
 THE HISTORY OF THE FIRST OLD MAN AXD 
 THE HIND. 
 
 The hind, whom you, lord genie, see here, is 
 my wife. I married her when she was twelve 
 years old, and we lived together thirty years with- 
 out having any children. At the end of that time 
 I adopted into my family a son whom a slave had 
 borne. This act of mine excited against the 
 mother and her child the hatred and jealousy of 
 my wife. Sin- availed herself, during my absence 
 on a journe}', of her knowledge of magic, to change 
 the slave and my adopted son into a cow and a 
 calf, and sent them to my farm to be fed and 
 taken care of by the steward. 
 
 Immediately on my return, I inquired after my 
 child and his mother. - Your slave is dead," said 
 she, " and it is now more than two months since 
 I have beheld your son ; nor do I know what is 
 become of him." I was sensibly affected at the 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 217 
 
 death of the slave ; but as my son had only disap- 
 peared, I flattered myself that he would soon be 
 found. Eight months, however, passed, and he 
 did not return ; nor could I learn any tidings of 
 him. In order to celebrate the festival of the 
 great Bairam, which was approaching, I ordered 
 my bailiff to bring me the fattest cow I possessed 
 for a sacrifice. He obeyed my commands. Having 
 bound the cow, I was about to make the sacrifice, 
 wlien, at the very instant, she lowed most sorrow- 
 fully, and the tears even fell from her eyes. This 
 seemed to me so extraordinary that I could not 
 but feel compassion for her, and was unable to 
 give the fatal blow. I therefore ordered her to 
 be taken away and another brought. 
 
 My wife, who was present, seemed verj^ angry at 
 my compassion, and opposed my order. 
 
 I then said to my steward, " Make the sacrifice 
 yourself ; the lamentations and tears of the animal 
 have overcome me." 
 
 The steward was less compassionate, and sacri- 
 ficed her. On taking off the skin we fomid hardly 
 anything but bones, though she appeared verj- fat. 
 " Take her away," said I to the steward, truly 
 chagrined ; " and if you have another very fat calf, 
 bring it in her place." He returned with a re- 
 markably fine calf, who, as soon as he perceived 
 me, made so great an effort to come to me, that he 
 bi'oke his cord. He lay down at my feet, with his 
 head on the ground, as if he endeavored to excite 
 my compassion, and to entreat me not to have the 
 cruelty to take away his life. 
 
 " Wife," answered I, " I will not sacrifice this 
 calf ; I wish to favor him ; do not j'ou, therefore, 
 oppose it." She, however, did not agree to my 
 proposal ; and continued to demand his sacrifice 
 so obstinately that I was compelled to yield. I 
 bound the calf, and took the fatal knife to bury it 
 in liis throat, when he turned his eyes, filled with 
 tears, so persuasively upon me, that I had no 
 power to execute my intention. The knife fell 
 from my hand, and I told my wife I was deter- 
 mined to have another calf. She tried every 
 means to induce me to alter my mind ; I contin- 
 ued firm, however, in my resolution, in spite of 
 
 28 
 
 all she could say ; promising, for the sake of ap- 
 peasing her, to sacrifice this calf at the feast of 
 Bail-am on the following year. 
 
 The next morning my steward desired to speak 
 with me in jDrivate. He informed me that his 
 daughter, who had some knowledge of magic, 
 wished to speak with me. On being admitted 
 to my presence, she informed me that, during my 
 absence, my wife had turned the slave and my son 
 into a cow and a calf ; that I had already sacrificed 
 the cow, but that she could restore my son to life, 
 if I would give him to her for her husband, and 
 allow her to visit my wife with the punishment her 
 cruelty had deserved. To these proposals I gave 
 my consent. 
 
 The damsel then took a vessel full of water, 
 and pronouncing over it some words I did not un- 
 derstand, she threw the water over the calf, and 
 he instantly regained his own foi'm. 
 
 " My son ! my son ! " J exclaimed, and em- 
 braced him with transport; "this damsel has de 
 stroyed the horrible charm with which you were 
 surrounded. I am sure your gratitude will induce 
 you to marry her, as I have already promised 
 for you." He joyfully consented ; but before they 
 were united, the damsel changed my wife into this 
 hind, which you see here. 
 
 Since this, my son has become a widower, and 
 is now traveling. Many years have passed since 
 I have heard anything of him ; I have, therefore, 
 now set out with a view to gain some informa- 
 tion ; and as I did not like to trust my wife to the 
 care of anj^ one during my search, I thought 
 proper to carry her along with me. This is the 
 history of myself and this hind ; can anything be 
 more wonderful ? "I agree with you," said the 
 genie, " and in consequence, I grant to you a half 
 of the blood of this merchant." 
 
 As soon as the first old man had finished, the 
 second, who led the two black dogs, made the 
 same request to the genie for a half of the mer- 
 chant's blood, on the condition that his tale ex- 
 ceeded in interest the one that had been just re- 
 lated. On the genie signifying his assent, the 
 old man began. 
 
218 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 THE HISTOKY OF THE SECOND OLD MAN AND THE 
 TWO BLACK DOGS. 
 
 Great prince of the genies, you must know that 
 these two black dogs, which you see here, and my- 
 self are three brothers. Our father, when he 
 died, left us one thousand sequins each. With 
 this sum we all embarked in business as mer- 
 chants. J\Iy two brothers determined to travel, 
 that they might trade in foreign parts. They 
 were both unfortunate, and returned at the end of 
 two years in a state of abject poverty, having lost 
 their all. I had in the mean while prospered, and 
 I gladly received them, and gave them one thou- 
 sand sequins each, and again set them up as mer- 
 chants. My brothers frequently proposed to me 
 that I should make a voyage with them for the 
 purpose of traffic. Knowing their former want of 
 success, I refused to join them, until at the end of 
 five years I at length yielded to their repeated so- 
 licitations. On consulting on the merchandise to 
 be bought for the voyage, I discovered that noth- 
 ing remained of the thousand sequins I had given 
 to each. I did not reproach them ; on the con- 
 tra^3^ as my capital "was increased to six thousand 
 sequins, I gave them each one thousand sequins, 
 and kept a like sum myself, and concealed the 
 other three thousand in a corner of my house, in 
 order that if our voyage proved unsuccessful, we 
 might be able to console ourselves, and begin our 
 former profession. We purchased our goods, em- 
 barked in a vessel, which we ourselves freighted, 
 and set sail with a favorable wind. After sailing 
 about a month, we arrived, without any accident, 
 at a port, where we landed, and had a most advan- 
 tageous sale for our merchandise. I, in particu- 
 lar, sold mine so well that I gained ten for one. 
 
 About the time that we were ready to embark 
 on our return, I accidentally met on the sea-shore 
 a female of great beauty, but very poorly dressed. 
 She accosted me by kissing my hand, and en- 
 treated me most earnestly to permit her to be my 
 wife. I started many difficulties to such apian; 
 but at length she said so much to persuade me 
 that I ought not to regard her poverty, and that I 
 
 should be well satisfied with her conduct, I was 
 quite overcome. I directly procured proper 
 dresses for her, and after marrying her in due 
 form, she embarked with me, and we set sail. 
 
 During our voyage, I found my wife possessed 
 of so many good qualities that I loved her every 
 day more and more. In the mean time my two 
 brothers, who had not traded so advantageously as 
 myself, and who were jealous of my prosperity, 
 began to feel exceedingh^ envious. They even 
 went so far as to conspire against my life ; for 
 one night, while my wife and I were asleep, they 
 threw us into the sea. I had hardly, however, 
 fallen into the water, before my wife took me up 
 and transported me into an island. As soon as it 
 was day, she thus addressed me: " You must know 
 that I am a fairy, and being upon the shore when 
 you were about to sail, I wished to try the good- 
 ness of your heart, and for this purpose I pre- 
 sented myself before you in the disguise you saw- 
 You acted most generously, and I am therefore 
 delighted in finding an occasion of showing my 
 gratitude ; and I trust, my husband, that in sav- 
 ing your life, I have not ill rewarded the good you 
 have done me ; but I am enraged against your 
 brothers, nor shall I be satisfied till I have taken 
 their lives."' 
 
 I listened with astonishment to the discourse of 
 the fairy, and thanked her, as well as I was able, 
 for the great obligation she had conferred on me. 
 " But, madam," said I to her, " I must entreat you 
 to pardon my brothers." I related to her what I 
 had done for each of them, but my account only 
 increased her anger. " I must instantly fly after 
 these ungrateful wretches," cried she, " and bring 
 them to a just punishment ; I will sink their ves- 
 sel, and precipitate them to the bottom of the 
 sea." " No, beautiful lady," replied I ; " for Heav- 
 en's sake, moderate your indignation, and do not 
 execute so dreadful an intention ; remember they 
 are still my brothers, and that we are bound to re- 
 turn good for evil." 
 
 No sooner had I pronounced these words, than 
 I was transported in an instant from the island 
 where we were to the top of my own house. I de- 
 
THE HISTORY OF THE FISHERMAN. 
 
 219 
 
 scended, opened the doors, and dug up the three 
 thousand sequins which I had hidden. I after- 
 wards repaired to my shop, opened it, and re- 
 ceived the congratulations of the merchants in the 
 neighborhood on ray arrival. When I returned 
 home, I perceived these two black dogs, which 
 came towards me with a submissive air. I could 
 not imagine what this meant, but the fairy, who 
 soon appeared, satisfied my curiosity. " My dear 
 husband," said she, "be not surprised at seeing 
 these two dogs in your house ; they are your broth- 
 ers." My blood ran cold on hearing this, and I 
 inquired by what power they had been trans- 
 formed into that state. " It is I," replied the 
 fairy, " who have done it, and I have sunk their 
 ship ; for the loss of the merchandise it contained 
 I shall recompense you. As to your brothers, I 
 have condemned them to remain under this form 
 
 for ten years, as a punishment for their perfidy." 
 Then informing me where I might hear of her, 
 she disappeared. 
 
 The ten years are now completed, and I am 
 traveling in search of her. " This, O lord genie, 
 is my history ; does it not appear to you of a most 
 extraordinary nature? " " Yes," replied the genie, 
 " I confess it is most wonderful, and therefore 
 I grant you the other half of this merchant's 
 blood ; " and having said this, the genie disap- 
 peared, to the great joy of the merchant and of the 
 two old men. 
 
 The merchant did not omit to bestow many 
 thanks upon his liberators, who, bidding him 
 adieu, proceeded on their travels. He remounted 
 his horse, and returned home to his wife and 
 children, and spent the remainder of his days 
 with them in tranquillity. 
 
 II. THE HISTORY OF THE FISHERMAN. 
 
 Theke was formerly an aged fisherman, so poor 
 that he could barely obtain food for himself, his 
 wife, and his three children. He went out early 
 every morning to his employment ; and he had 
 imposed a rule upon himself never to cast his nets 
 above four times a day. 
 
 On one occasion he set out before the morn had 
 disappeared. When he reached the sea-shore, he 
 undressed himself, and cast his nets. In drawing 
 them to land three times in succession, he felt 
 sure, from their resistance and weight, that he 
 had secured an excellent draught of fish. Instead 
 of which he only found on the first haul the car- 
 cass of an ass ; on the second, a large pannier 
 filled with sand and mud ; and on the third, a 
 large quantity of heavy stones, shells, and filth. 
 It is impossible to describe his disappointment 
 and despair. The day now began to break, and 
 having, like a good Mussulman, finished his 
 prayer, he threw his nets for the fourth time. 
 Again he supposed he had caught a great quantity 
 of fish, as he drew them with as much difficulty as 
 before. He nevertheless found none ; but discov- 
 
 ered a heavy vase of yellow copper, shut up and 
 fastened with lead, on which there was the im- 
 pression of a seal. " I will sell this to a founder," 
 said he, with joy, " and with the money I shall 
 get for it I will purchase a measure of corn." 
 
 He examined the vase on all sides ; he shook 
 it, but could hear nothing ; and this, together with 
 the impression of the seal on the lead, made him 
 think it was filled with something valuable. In 
 order to find this out, he took his knife, and got it 
 open. He directly turned the top downwai'ds, and 
 was much surprised to find nothing come out ; he 
 then set it down before him, and while he was at- 
 tentively observing it, there issued from it so thick 
 a smoke that he was obliged to step back a few 
 paces. This smoke, by degrees, rose almost to the 
 clouds, and spread itself over both the water and 
 the shore, appearing like a thick fog. The fisher- 
 man, as may easily be imagined, was a good deal 
 surprised at this sight. When the smoke had all 
 come out from the vase, it again collected itself, 
 and became a solid body, and then took the shape 
 of a genie of a gigantic size. The genie, looking 
 
220 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 at the fisherman, exclaimed, " Humble thyself be- well," returned he ; " but that shall not prevent 
 
 fore me, or I will kill thee." " An-d for what my destroying thee ; and I will only grant thee 
 
 reason, pray, will you kill me?" answered the one favor." "And pray what is that?" said the 
 
 fisherman; "have you already forgotten that I fisherman. " It is," replied the genie, " to permit 
 
 have set you at liberty ? " "I remember it very thee to choose the manner of thy death. I can 
 
THE HISTORY OF THE FISHERMAN. 
 
 221 
 
 treat thee no otherwise ; and to convince thee of 
 it, hear my history : — 
 
 " I am one of those spirits who rebelled against 
 the sovereignty of God. Solomon, the son of 
 David, the prophet of God, commanded me to ac- 
 knowledge his authority, and submit to his laws. 
 I haughtily refused. In order, therefore, to pun- 
 ish me, he inclosed me in this copper vase ; and 
 to prevent me forcing my way out, he put upon 
 the leaden cover the impression of his seal, on 
 which the great name of God is engraven. This 
 done, he gave the vase to one of those genies who 
 obeyed him, and ordered him to cast me into the sea. 
 
 "During the first century of my captivity, I 
 swore that if any one delivered me before the first 
 hundred years were passed, I would make him 
 rich. During the second century, I swore that if 
 any released me, I would discover to him all the 
 treasures of the earth. During the third, I prom- 
 ised to make my deliverer a most powerful mon- 
 arch, and to grant him every day any three re- 
 quests he chose. These centuries passed away 
 without any deliverance. Enraged, at last, to be 
 so long a prisoner, I swore that I would, without 
 mercy, kill whoever should in future release me, 
 and that the only favor I would grant him should 
 be to choose what manner of death he pleased. 
 Since, therefore, thou hast come here to-day, and 
 hast delivered me, fix upon whatever kind of death 
 thou wilt." 
 
 The fisherman was in great distress at finding 
 him thus resolved on his death, not so much on 
 his own account as for his three children, whose 
 means of subsistence would be greatly reduced by 
 his death. " Alas ! " he cried, " have pity on me ; 
 remember what I have done for thee." 
 
 " Let us lose no time," cried the genie ; " your 
 arguments avail not. Make haste, tell me how 
 you wish to die." 
 
 Necessity is the mother of invention , and the 
 fisherman thought of a stratagem. " Since, then," 
 said he, " I cannot escape death, I submit to the 
 will of God ; but before I choose the sort of death, 
 I conjure you, by the great name of God, which 
 is graven upon the seal of the prophet Solomon, 
 the son of David, answer me truly to a question I 
 am going to put to you." The genie trembled at 
 this adjuration, and said to the fisherman, " Ask 
 what thou wilt, and make haste." 
 
 "Dare you, then, to swear by the great name 
 of God that you really were in that vase ? This 
 vase cannot contain one of your feet ; how, then, 
 can it hold your whole body ? " "I swear to thee, 
 notwithstanding," replied he, "that I was there 
 just as thou seest me. Wilt thou not believe me 
 after the solemn oath I have taken ? " " No, truly," 
 added the fisherman ; " I shall not believe you, 
 unless I were to see it." 
 
 Immediately the form of the genie began to 
 change into smoke, and extended itself, as before, 
 over both the shore and the sea ; and then, collect- 
 ing itself, began to enter the vase, and continued 
 to do so, in a slow and equal manner, till nothing 
 remained without. The fisherman immediately 
 took the leaden cover, and put it on the vase. 
 " Genie," he cried, " it is now your turn to ask 
 pardon. I shall throw you again into the sea, 
 and I will build, opposite the very spot where you 
 are cast, a house upon the shore, in which I will 
 live, to warn all fishermen that shall come and 
 throw their nets, not to fish up so evil a genie as 
 thou art, who makest an oath to kill the man who 
 shall set thee at liberty." 
 
 The genie tried every argument to move the 
 fisherman's pity but in vain. " You are too 
 treacherous for me to trust you," returned the 
 fisherman ; " I should deserve to lose my life, if I 
 put myself in your power a second time." 
 
222 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 III. THE STORY OF THE ENCHANTED HORSE. 
 
 The Nooroze, or the new day, which is the 
 first of the year and spring, is observed as a solemn 
 festival throughout all Persia. 
 
 On one of these festival days, just as the Sul- 
 tan of Shiraz was concluding his public audience, 
 which had been conducted with unusual splendor, 
 a Hindu appeared at the foot of the throne, with 
 an artificial horse richly caparisoned, and so spirit- 
 edly modeled, that at first sight he was taken for 
 a living animal. 
 
 The Hindu prostrated himself before the throne, 
 and pointing to the horse, said to the sultan, 
 " This horse is a great wonder ; whenever I mount 
 him, be it where it ma}% if I wish to transport 
 myself through the air to the most distant part of 
 the world, I can do it in a very short time. This 
 is a wonder which nobody ever heard speak of, 
 and which I offer to show your majesty if you 
 command me." 
 
 The Emperor of Persia, who was fond uf every- 
 thing that was curious, and who, notwithstanding 
 the many prodigies of art he had seen, had never 
 beheld or heard of anything that came up to this, 
 told the Hindu that he was ready to see him per- 
 form what he had promised. 
 
 The Hindu instantly put his foot into the stir- 
 rup, mounted his horse with admirable agility, 
 and when he had fixed himself in the saddle, 
 asked the emperor whither he pleased to com- 
 mand him. 
 
 " Do you see that mountain ? " said the em- 
 peror, pointing to it; " ride j^our horse there, and 
 bring me a branch of a palm-tree that grows at 
 the bottom of the hill." 
 
 The Emperor of Persia had no sooner declared 
 his will than the Hindu turned a peg, which was 
 in the hollow of the horse's neck, just by the pom- 
 mel of the saddle ; and in an instant the horse 
 rose off the ground and carried his rider into the 
 air with the rapidity of lightning to a great height, 
 to the admiration of the emperor and all the spec- 
 tators. Within less than a quarter of an hour 
 
 they saw him returning with the palm branch in 
 his hand ; but before he descended, he took two 
 or three turns in the air over the spot, amid the 
 acclamations of all the people, then alighted on 
 the spot whence he had set off. He dismounted, 
 and going up to the throne, prostrated himself, 
 and laid the branch of the palm-tree at the feet of 
 the emperor. 
 
 The emperor, who had viewed with no less ad- 
 miration than astonishment this unheard-of sight 
 which the Hindu had exhibited, conceived a great 
 desire to have the horse, and said to the Hindu, 
 " I will purchase him of you, if he is to be sold." 
 
 " Sire," replied the Hindu, " there is only one 
 condition on which I can part with my horse, and 
 that is the gift of the hand of the princess your 
 daughter as my wife ; this is the only bargain I 
 can make." 
 
 The courtiers about the Emperor of Persia could 
 not forbear laughing aloud at this extravagant 
 proposal of the Hindu ; but the Prince Feroze- 
 shah, the eldest son of the emperor and presump- 
 tive-heir to the crown, could not hear it without 
 indignation. " Sire," he said, " I hope you will 
 not hesitate to refuse so insolent a demand, or al- 
 low this insignificant juggler to flatter himself 
 for a moment with the idea of being allied to one 
 of the most powerful monarchs in the world. 1 
 beg of you to consider what you owe to yourself, 
 to your own blood, and the high rank of your an- 
 cestors." 
 
 " Son," replied the Emperor of Persia, " I will 
 not grant him what he asked — and perhaps he 
 does not seriously make the proposal ; and put- 
 ting my daughter the princess out of the question, 
 I may make another agreement with him. But 
 before I bargain with him, I should be glad that 
 you would examine the horse, trv him yourself, 
 and give me your opinion." On hearing this, the 
 Hindu expressed much joy, and ran before the 
 prince, to help him to mount, and showed him 
 how to guide and manage the horse. 
 
THE STOUT OF THE ENCHANTED HORSE. 
 
 223 
 
 The prince mounted without the Hindu's assist- 
 ing him : and, as soon as he had got his feet in the 
 stirrups, without staying for the artist's advice, he 
 turned the peg he had seen him use, when in- 
 stantly the horse darted into the air, quick as an 
 arrow shot out of a bow by the most adroit archer ; 
 and in a few moments neither horse nor prince 
 were to be seen. The Hindu, alarmed at what had 
 happened, prostrated himself before the throne, 
 and deprecated the anger of the sultan. The sul- 
 tan replied to him, and asked, in a passion, why 
 he did not call him the moment he ascended. 
 
 " Sire," answered the Hindu, " your majesty 
 saw as well as I with what rapidity the horse flew 
 away. The surprise I was then and still am in 
 deprived me of the use of my speech ; but if 
 I could have spoken, he was got too far to hear 
 me. If he had heard me, he knew not the secret 
 to bring him back, which through his impatience 
 he would not stay to learn. But, sire," added he, 
 " there is room to hope that the prince, when he 
 finds himself at a loss, will perceive another peg, 
 and as soon as he turns that the horse will cease 
 to rise, and descend to the ground, when he may 
 turn him to what place he pleases by guiding him 
 with the bridle." 
 
 Notwithstanding all these arguments of the 
 Hindu, which carried great appearance of proba- 
 bility, the Emperor of Persia was much alarmed 
 at the evident danger of his son. " I suppose," 
 replied he, " it is very uncertain whether my son 
 may perceive the other peg, and make a right use 
 of it. May not the horse, instead of lighting on 
 the ground, fall upon some rock, or tumble into 
 the sea with him ? " 
 
 "Sire," replied the Hindu, "I can deliver you 
 from this apprehension, by assuring you that the 
 horse crosses seas without ever falling into them, 
 and always carries his rider wherever he may wish 
 to go. And your majesty may assure yourself 
 that if the prince does but find out the other peg 
 I mentioned, the horse will carry him where he 
 pleases. It Is not to be supposed that he will stop 
 anywhere but where he can find assistance, and 
 make himself known " 
 
 " Your head shall answer for my son's life, if he 
 does not return safe in three days' time, or I should 
 hear that he is alive." He then ordered his of- 
 ficers to secure the Hindu, and keep him close 
 prisoner ; after which he retired to his palace, in 
 affliction that the festival of Nooroze should have 
 proved so inauspicious. 
 
 In the mean time the prince was carried through 
 the air with prodigious velocity. In less than an 
 hour's time he ascended so high that he could not 
 distinguish anything on the earth, but mountains 
 and plains seemed confounded together. It was 
 then he began to think of returning, and conceived 
 he might do this by turning the same peg the con- 
 trary way, and pulling the bridle at the same time. 
 But when he found that the horse still continued 
 to ascend, his alarm was great. He turned the 
 peg several times in different ways, but all in vain. 
 It was then he saw his fault, and apprehended the 
 great danger he was in, from not having learnt the 
 necessary precautions to guide the horse before he 
 mounted. He examined the horse's head and neck 
 with attention, and perceived behind the right ear 
 another peg, smaller than the other. He turned 
 that peg, and presently perceived that he de- 
 scended in the same oblique manner as he had 
 mounted, but not so swiftly. 
 
 Night had overshadowed that part of the earth 
 over which the prince was when he found out and 
 turned the small peg ; and as the horse descended, 
 he by degrees lost sight of the sun, till it grew 
 quite dark ; insomuch that, instead of choosing 
 what place he would go to, he was forced to let 
 the bridle lie upon the horse's neck, and wait 
 patiently till he alighted, though not without the 
 dread lest it should be in the desert, a river, or 
 the sea. 
 
 At last the horse stopped upon some solid sub- 
 stance about midnight, and the pi'ince dismounted 
 very faint and hungry, having eaten nothing since 
 the morning, when he came out of the palace with 
 his father to assist at the festival. He found him- 
 self to be on the terrace of a magnificent palace, 
 surrounded with a balustrade of white niaible, 
 breast-high ; and groping about reached a stair- 
 
224 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 case, which led down into an apartment, the door 
 of which was half open. 
 
 The prince stopped at the door, and, listening, 
 heard no other noise than the breathing of some 
 people who were fast asleep. He advanced a lit- 
 tle into the room, and by the light of a lamp saw 
 that those persons were black mutes, with naked 
 sabres laid by them ; which was enough to inform 
 him that this was the guard-chamber of some sul- 
 tan or princess. Prince Feroze-shah advanced on 
 tiptoe, without waking tlie attendants. He drew 
 aside the curtain, went in, and saw a magnificent 
 chamber containing many beds, one alone being 
 on a raised dais, and the others on the floor. The 
 princess slept in the first and her women in the 
 others. He crept softly towards the dais without 
 waking either the princess or her women, and 
 beheld a beauty so extraordinary that he was 
 charmed at the first sight. He fell on his knees, 
 and twitching gently the princess's sleeve, kneeling 
 beside her, pulled it towards him. The princess 
 opened her eyes, and seeing a handsome young 
 man, was in great surprise, yet showed no sign of 
 fear. 
 
 The prince availed himself of this favorable mo- 
 ment, bowed his head to the ground, and rising, 
 said, " Beautiful princess, by the most extraordi- 
 nary and wonderful adventure, you see at your 
 feet a suppliant prince, son of the Emperor of 
 Persia ; pray afford him youT assistance and pro- 
 tection."' 
 
 The personage to whom Prince Feroze-shah so 
 liappily addressed himself was the Princess of 
 Bengal, eldest daughter of the rajah of that king- 
 dom, who had built this palace at a small distance 
 from his capital, for the sake of the country air. 
 She thus replied : " Prince, you are not in a bar- 
 barous country — take courage; hospitality, hu- 
 manity, and politeness are to be met with in the 
 kingdom of Bengal, as well as in that of Persia. 
 I grant you the protection you ask — you may de- 
 pend on what I say." 
 
 The Prince of Persia would have thanked the 
 princess, but she would not give him leave to 
 speak. " Notwithstanding, I desire," said she, 
 
 " to know by what miracle 30U have come hither 
 from the capital of Persia in so short a time, and 
 by what enchantment you have evaded the vigi- 
 lance of my guards ; yet as you must want some 
 refreshment, I will postpone my curiosity, and give 
 orders to my attendants to show you an apartment, 
 that you may rest yourself after your fatigue, and 
 be better able to answer my inquiries." The 
 princess's attendants were much surprised to see 
 the prince in the princess's chamber, but they at 
 once prepared to obey her commands. They each 
 took a wax candle, of which there were great num- 
 bers lighted up in the room ; and after the prince 
 had respectfully taken leave of the princess, went 
 before and conducted him into a handsome hall ; 
 where, while some were preparing the bed, others 
 went into the kitchen and prepared a supper; and 
 when he had eaten as much as he chose, they re- 
 moved the trays, and left him to taste the sweets 
 of repose. 
 
 The next day the princess prepared to give the 
 prince another interview, and in expectation of 
 seeing him, she took more pains in dressing and 
 adjusting herself at the glass than she had ever 
 done before. She tired her women's patience, and 
 made them do and undo the same thing several 
 times. She adorned her head, neck, arms, and 
 waist with the finest and largest diamonds she pos- 
 sessed. The habit she piit on was one of the 
 richest stuffs of the Indies, of a most beautiful 
 color, and made only for kings, princes, and prin- 
 cesses. After she had consulted her glass, and 
 asked her women, one after another, if anything 
 was wanting to complete her attire, she sent to 
 tell the Piiuce of Persia that she would make 
 him a visit. 
 
 Tlie Prince of Persia, who by the night's rest 
 had recovered the fatigue he had undergone the 
 day before, had just dressed himself when he re- 
 ceived notice of the intention of the princess, and 
 expressed himself to be fully sensible of the honor 
 conferred on him. As soon as the princess under- 
 stood that the Prince of Persia waited for her, she 
 immediately went to pay him a visit. After mut- 
 ual compliments, the prince related to her the 
 
THE STORT OF THE ENCHANTED HORSE. 
 
 225 
 
 wonders of the magic horse, of his journey thi'ough 
 the air, and of the means by which he had found 
 an entrance into her chamber ; and then having 
 thanked her for her kind reception, expressed a 
 wish to return and relieve the anxiety of the sul- 
 tan his father. When the prince had finished, 
 the princess replied, "I cannot approve, prince, of 
 your going so soon ; grant me at least the favor I 
 ask of a little longer acquaintance ; and since I 
 have had the happiness to have you alight in the 
 kingdom of Bengal, I desire you will stay long 
 enough to enable you to give a better account of 
 what you may see here at the court of Persia." 
 The Prince of Persia could not well refuse the 
 princess this favor, after the kindness she had 
 shown him, and' therefore politely complied with 
 her request ; and the princess's thoughts were di- 
 rected to render his stay agreeable by all the 
 amusements she could devise. 
 
 Nothing went forward for several days but con- 
 certs of music, accompanied with magnificent 
 feasts and collations in the gardens, or hunting 
 parties in the vicinity of the palace, which 
 abounded with all sorts of game, — stags, hinds, 
 and fallow-deer, and other beasts peculiar to the 
 kingdom of Bengal, which the princess could pur- 
 sue without danger. After the chase, the prince 
 and princess met in some beautiful spot, where 
 a carpet was spread, and cushions laid for their ac- 
 commodation. There resting themselves, they 
 conversed on various subjects. 
 
 Two whole months the Prince of Persia aban- 
 doned himself entirely to the will of the Princess 
 of Bengal, yielding to all the amusements she con- 
 trived for him, for she neglected nothing to divert 
 him, as if she thought he had nothing else to do 
 but to pass his whole life with her in this manner. 
 But he now declared seriously he could not stay 
 longer, and begged of her to give him leave to re- 
 turn to his father. 
 
 " And, princess," observed the Prince of Persia, 
 " that you may not doubt the truth of my affection, 
 I would presume, were I not afraid you would be 
 offended at my request, to ask the favor of taking 
 you along with me." 
 
 The princess returned no answer to this address 
 of the Prince of Persia ; but her silence, and eyes 
 cast down, were sufficient to inform him that she 
 had no reluctance to accompany him into Persia. 
 The only difficulty she felt was, that the prince 
 knew not well enough how to govern the horse, 
 and she was apprehensive of being involved with 
 him in the same difficulty as when he first made 
 the experiment. But the prince soon removed her 
 fear, by assuring her she might trust herself with 
 him, for that after the experience he had acquired 
 he defied the Hindu himself to manage him better. 
 She thought, therefore, only of concerting meas- 
 ures to get off with him so secretly that nobody 
 belonging to the palace should have the least sus- 
 picion of their design. 
 
 The next morning, a little before daybreak, 
 when all the attendants were asleep, they went 
 upon the terrace of the palace. The prince turned 
 the horse towards Persia, and placed him where 
 the princess could easily get up behind him, which 
 she had no sooner done, and was well settled with 
 her arms about his waist, for her better security, 
 than he turned the peg, when the horse mounted 
 into the air, and making his usual haste, under 
 the guidance of the prince, in two hours' time the 
 prince discovered the capital of Persia. 
 
 The prince would not alight in the palace of 
 his father, but directed his course towards a kiosk 
 at a little distance from the capital. He led the 
 princess into a handsome apartment, where he 
 told her, that, to do her all the honor that was due 
 to her, he would go and inform his father of their 
 arrival, and return to her immediately. He or- 
 dered the attendants of the palace, whom he sum- 
 moned, to provide the princess with whatever she 
 had occasion for. 
 
 After the prince had taken his leave of the 
 princess, he ordered a horse to be brought, which 
 he mounted, and set out for the palace. As he 
 passed through the streets he was received with 
 acclamations by the people, who were overjoyed to 
 see him again. The emperor his father was hold- 
 ing his divan when he appeared before him in the 
 midst of his council. He received him with tears 
 
 29 
 
226 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 of joy and tenderness, and asked liim what was 
 become of the Hindu's horse. 
 
 This question gave the prince an opportunity of 
 describing the embarrassment and danger he was 
 'n when the horse ascended into the air, and how 
 !ie had arrived at last at the Princess of Bengal's 
 palace, the kind reception he had met with there, 
 and that the motive which had induced him to 
 stay so long with her was the mutual affection 
 thej entertained for each other ; also, that after 
 promising to marry her, he had persuaded her to 
 accompany him into Persia. " But, sire," added 
 the prince, " I felt assured that you would not re- 
 fuse your consent, and have brought her with me 
 on the enchanted horse to your summer-palace ; 
 and have left her there, till I could return and as- 
 sure her that my promise was not in vain." 
 
 After these words, the prince prostrated himself 
 before the emperor to obtain his consent, when his 
 father raised him up, embraced him a second time, 
 and said to him, " Son, I not only consent to your 
 marriage with the Princess of Bengal, but will go 
 myself and bring her to my palace, and celebrate 
 joiir nuptials this day." 
 
 The emperor now ordered that the Hind a 
 should be fetched out of prison and brought be- 
 fore him. When the Hindu was admitted to his 
 presence, he said to him, " I secured thy person, 
 that thy life might answer for that of the prince 
 my son. Thanks be to God, he is returned again : 
 go, take your horse, and never let me see your 
 face more." 
 
 As the Hindu had learned of those who brought 
 him out of prison that Prince Feroze-shah was re- 
 turned with a princess, and was also informed of 
 the place where he had alighted and left her, and 
 that the emperor was making preparations to go 
 and bring her to his palace, as soon as he got out 
 of the presence, he bethought himself of being re- 
 venged upon the emperor and the prince. He 
 mounted his horse, and without losing any time, 
 went directly to the palace, and addressing him- 
 self to the captain of the guard, told him he came 
 from the Prince of Persia for the Princess of Ben- 
 gal, and to conduct her behind him through the 
 
 air to the emperor, who waited in the great square 
 of his palace to gratify the whole court and city 
 of Shiraz with that wonderful sight. 
 
 The captain of the guard, who knew the Hindu, 
 and that the emperor had imprisoned him, gave 
 the more credit to what he said, because he saw 
 that he was at liberty. He presented him to the 
 Princess of Bengal, who no sooner understood 
 that he came from the Prince of Persia than she 
 consented to what the prince, as she thought, had 
 desired of her. 
 
 The Hindu, overjoyed at his success and the 
 ease with vrhich he had accomplished his villainy, 
 mounted his horse, took the princess behind him, 
 with the assistance of the captain of the guard, 
 turned the peg, and instantly the horse mounted 
 into the air. 
 
 At the same time the Emperor of Persia, at- 
 tended by his court, was on the road to the palace 
 where the Princess of Bengal had been left, and 
 the Prince of Persia was advanced before, to pre- 
 pare the princess to receive his father ; when the 
 Hindu, to brave them both, and revenge himself 
 for the ill-treatment he had received, appeared 
 over their heads with his prize. 
 
 When the Emperor of Persia saw the Hindu, 
 he stopped. His surprise and affliction were the 
 more sensible, because it was not in his power to 
 punish so high an affront. He loaded him with a 
 thousand imprecations, as did also all the courtiers, 
 who were witnesses of so signal a piece of inso- 
 lence atid unparalleled artifice and treachery. 
 
 The Hindu, little moved with their impreca- 
 tions, which just reached his ears, continued his 
 way. while the emperor, extremely mortified at so 
 great an insult, but more so that he could not pun- 
 ish tlie author, returned to his palace in rage and 
 vexation. 
 
 But what w^as Prince Feroze-shah's grief at be- 
 holding the Hindu hurrying away with the Prin- 
 cess of Bengal, whom he loved so passionately^ I 
 He returned to the summer-palace, where he had 
 last seen the princess, melancholy and broken- 
 hearted. When he arrived, the captain of the 
 guard, who had learnt his fatal credulity in believ- 
 
THE STORY OF THE ENCHANTED HORSE. 
 
 227 
 
 ing the artful Hindu, threw himself at his feet 
 with tears in his eyes, accused himself of the 
 crime which unintentionally he had committed, and 
 condemned himself to die by his hand. " Rise," 
 said the prince to him ; " I do not impute the 
 loss of my princess to thee, but to my own want 
 of precaution. But not to lose time, fetch me a 
 dervis's habit, and take care you do not give the 
 least hint that it is for me." 
 
 Not far from this palace there stood a convent 
 of dervises, the superior of which was the captain 
 of the guard's particular friend. From him he 
 readily obtained a complete dervis's habit, and 
 carried it to Prince Feroze-shah. The prince im- 
 mediately pulled off his own dress, put it on, and 
 being so disguised, and provided with a box of jew- 
 els which he had brought as a present to the prin- 
 cess, left the palace, uncertain which way to go, 
 but resolved not to return till he had found out 
 his princess, and brought her back again, or per- 
 ished in the attempt. 
 
 In the mean while, the Hindu, mounted on his 
 enchanted horse, with the princess behind him, 
 arrived early next morning at the capital of the 
 kingdom of Cashmere. He did not enter the citj"^, 
 but alighted in a wood, and left the princess on a 
 grassy spot, close to a rivulet of fresh water, while 
 he went to seek for food. On his return, and 
 after he and the princess had partaken of refresh- 
 ment, he began to maltreat the princess, because 
 she refused to become his wife. As the princess 
 cried out for help, the Sultan of Cashmere and his 
 court passed through the wood on their return 
 from hunting, and hearing a woman's voice calling 
 for help, went to her rescue. 
 
 The sultan, addressing himself to the Hindu, 
 demanded who he was, and wherefore he ill- 
 treated the lady. The Hindu, with great impu- 
 dence, replied that she was his wife, and what had 
 any one to do with his quarrel with her ? 
 
 The princess, who neither knew the rank nor 
 quality of the person who came so seasonably to 
 her relief, exclaimed, " My lord, whoever you are 
 whom Heaven has sent to my assistance, have 
 compassion on me. I am a princess. This Hindu 
 
 is a wicked magician, who has forced me away 
 from the Prince of Persia, to whom I was going 
 to be married, and has brought me hither on the 
 enchanted horse you behold there." 
 
 The Princess of Bengal had no occasion to say 
 more. Her beauty, majestic air, and tears de- 
 clared that she spoke the truth. Justly enraged at 
 the insolence of the Hindu, the sultan ordered his 
 guards to surround him, and strike off his head, 
 which sentence was immediately executed. 
 
 The sultan then conducted the princess to his 
 palace, where he lodged her in the most magnifi- 
 cent apartment, next his own, and commanded a 
 great number of women slaves to attend her. 
 
 The Princess of Bengal's joy was inexpressible 
 at finding herself delivered from the Hindu, of 
 whom she could not think without horror. She 
 flattered herself that the Sultan of Cashmere 
 would complete his generosity by sending her 
 back to the Prince of Persia when she would have 
 told him her story, and asked that favor of him ; 
 but she was much deceived in these hopes ; for her 
 deliverer had resolved to marry her himself the 
 next day ; and for that end had issued a procla- 
 mation, commanding the general rejoicing of the 
 inhabitants of the capital. At the break of day 
 the drums were beaten, the trumpets sounded, 
 and sounds of joys echoed throughout the palace. 
 
 The Princess of Bengal was awakened by these 
 tumultuous concerts, but attributed them to a 
 very different cause from the true one. When the 
 Sultan of Cashmere came to wait upon her, after 
 he had inquired after her health, he acquainted 
 her that all those rejoicings were to render her 
 nuptials the more solemn, and at the same time 
 desired her assent to the union. This declaration 
 put her into such a state of agitation that she 
 fainted away. 
 
 The women slaves who were present ran to her 
 assistance, though it was a long time before they 
 succeeded in bringing her to herself. But when 
 she recovered, rather than break the promise she 
 had made to Prince Feroze-shah, by consenting to 
 marry the Sultan of Cashmere, who had pro- 
 claimed their nuptials before he had asked her 
 
228 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 consent, she resolved to feign madness. She be- 
 gan to utter the most extravagant expressions be- 
 fore the sultan, and even rose off her seat as if to 
 attack him, insomuch that he was greatly alarmed 
 and afflicted that he had made such a proposal so 
 unseasonably. 
 
 When he found that her frenzy rather increased 
 than abated, he left her v^ith her women, charging 
 them never to leave her alone, but to take great 
 care of her. He sent often that day to inquire 
 how she did, but received no other answer than 
 that she was rather worse than better. 
 
 The Princess of Bengal continued to talk 
 wildly, and showed other marks of a disordered 
 mind next day and the following, so that the sul- 
 tan was induced to send for all the physicians be- 
 longing to his court, to consult them upon her 
 disease, and to ask if they could cure her. 
 
 When the Sultan of Cashmere saw that his 
 court physicians could not cure her, he called in 
 the most celebrated and experienced of the city, 
 who had no better success. He then sent for the 
 most famous in the kingdom, who prescribed with- 
 out effect. Afterwards he dispatched to the courts 
 of neighboring sultans, with promises of munifi- 
 cent rewards to any who should devise a cure for 
 her malady. 
 
 Various physicians arrived from all parts, and 
 tried their skill ; but none could boast of suc- 
 cess. 
 
 During this interval, Feroze-shah, disguised in 
 the habit of a dervis, traveled through many prov- 
 inces and towns, involved in grief, and making 
 diligent inquiry after his lost princess at every 
 place he came to. At last, passing through a city 
 of Hindostan, he heard the people talk much of a 
 Princess of Bengal, who had become mad on the 
 day of the intended celebration of her nuptials 
 with the Sultan of Cashmere. At the name of the 
 Princess of Bengal, and supposing that there could 
 exist no other Princess of Bengal than her upon 
 whose account he had undertaken his travels, he 
 hastened towards the kingdom of Cashmere, and, 
 upon his arrival at the capital, took up his lodg- 
 ing at a khan, where, the same day, he was in- 
 
 formed of the story of the princess and the fate of 
 the Hindu magician. The prince was convinced 
 that he had at last found the beloved object he 
 had sought so long. 
 
 Being informed of all these particulars, he pro- 
 vided himself with a physician's habit, and his 
 beard having grown long during his travels, he 
 passed the more easily for the character he as- 
 sumed. He went boldly to the palace, and an- 
 nounced his wish to be allowed, to undertake the 
 cure of the princess to the chief of the officers. 
 
 Some time had elapsed since any physician had 
 offered himself ; and the Sultan of Cashmere with 
 great grief had begun to lose all hppe of ever see- 
 ing the princess restored to health, though he still 
 wished to marry her. He at once ordered the 
 officer to introduce the physician he had an- 
 nounced. The Prince of Persia being admitted 
 to an audience, the sultan told him the Princess 
 of Bengal could not bear the sight of a physi- 
 cian without falling into most violent transports, 
 which increased her malady ; and conducted him 
 into a closet, from whence, through a lattice, he 
 might see her without being observed. There 
 Feroze-shah beheld his lovely princess sitting mel- 
 ancholily, with tears in her eyes, and singing an 
 air in which she deplored her unhappy fate, which 
 had deprived her, perhaps forever, of the object 
 she loved so tenderly : and the sight made him 
 more resolute in his hope of effecting her cure. 
 On his leaving the closet, he told the sultan that 
 he had discovered the nature of the princess's 
 complaint, and that she was not incurable ; but 
 added withal, that he must speak with her in 
 private and alone, as, notwithstanding her violent 
 agitation at the sight of physicians, he hoped she 
 would hear and receive him favorably. 
 
 The sultan ordered the princess's chamber door 
 to be opened, and Feroze-shah went in. As soon 
 as the princess saw him (taking him by his habit 
 to be a physician), she resorted to her old prac- 
 tice of meeting her physicians, with threats and 
 indications of attacking them. He made directly 
 towards her, and when he was nigh enough for 
 her to hear him, and no one else, said to her, in 
 
THE STORY OF THE ENCHANTED HORSE. 
 
 229 
 
 a low voice, " Princess, I am not a phj^sician, but 
 the Prince of Persia, and am come to procure you 
 your liberty." 
 
 The princess, who knew the sound of the voice, 
 and recognized his face, notwithstanding he had 
 let his beard grow so long, grew calm at once, 
 and felt a secret joy in seeing so unexpectedly the 
 prince she loved. Feroze-shali told her as briefly 
 as possible his own travels and adventures, and his 
 determination to find her at all risks. He then 
 desired the princess to inform him of all that 
 happened to her, from the time she was taken 
 away till that happy moment, telling her that it 
 was of the greatest importance to know this, that 
 he might take the most proper measures to deliver 
 her from the tyranny of the Sultan of Cashmere. 
 The princess informed him of all that had hap- 
 pened, and that she had feigned to be mad that 
 she might so preserve herself for a prince to whom 
 she had given her heart and faith and not marry 
 the sultan, whom she neither loved nor could ever 
 love. 
 
 The Prince of Persia then asked her if she 
 knew what became of the horse, after the death 
 of the Hindu magician. To which she answered 
 that she knew not what orders the sultan had 
 given ; but supposed, after the account she had 
 given him of it, he would take care of it as a curi- 
 osit3\ As Feroze-shah never doubted but that 
 tlie sultan had the horse, he communicated to the 
 princess his design of making use of it to conve}' 
 them both into Persia : and after they had con- 
 sulted together on the measures they should take, 
 they agreed that the princess should next day re- 
 ceive the sultan. The Sultan of Cashmere was 
 overjoyed when the Prince of Persia stated to him 
 what effect his first visit had had towards the cure 
 of the princess. On the following day, when the 
 princess received him in such a manner as per- 
 suaded him her cure was far advanced, he regarded 
 the prince as the greatest physician in the world, 
 and exhorted the princess carefully to follow the 
 directions of so skillful a physician, and then re- 
 tired. The Prince of Persia, who attended the 
 Sultan of Cashmere on his visit to the princess. 
 
 inquired of him how the Princess of Bengal came 
 into the dominions of Cashmere thus alone, since 
 her own country was far distant. 
 
 The sultan at once informed him of what the 
 princess had related, when he had delivered her 
 from the Hindu magician ; adding, that he had 
 ordered the enchanted horse to be kept safe in 
 his treasury as a great curiosity, though he knew 
 not the use of it. 
 
 " Sire," replied the pretended physician, " the 
 information which your majesty has given your 
 devoted slave affords me a means of curing the 
 princess. As she was brought hither on this horse, 
 and the horse is enchanted, she hath contracted 
 something of the enchantment, which can be dis- 
 sipated only by a certain incense which I am ac^ 
 quainted with. If your majesty would entertain 
 yourself, your court, and the people of your cap- 
 ital, with the most surprising sight that ever was 
 beheld, let the horse be brought to-morrow into 
 the great square before the palace, and leave the 
 rest to me. I promise to show you, and all that 
 assembly, in a few moments' time, the Princess of 
 Bengal completely restored in body and mind. 
 But the better to effect what I propose, it will be 
 requisite that the princess should be dressed as 
 magnificently as possible, and adorned with the 
 most valuable jewels in your treasury." The sul- 
 tan would have undertaken much more difficult 
 things to have secured his marriage with the prin- 
 cess, which he expected soon to accomplish. 
 
 The next day the enchanted horse was, by his 
 order, taken out of the treasury', and placed early 
 in the great square before the palace. A report 
 was spread through, the town that there was some- 
 thing extraordinary to be seen, and crowds of 
 people flocked hither from all parts, insomuch 
 that the sultan's guards were placed to prevent 
 disorder, and to keep space enough round the 
 horse. 
 
 The Sultan of Cashmere, surrounded by all his 
 nobles and ministers of state, was placed in a 
 gallery erected on purpose. The Princess of Ben- 
 gal, attended by a number of ladies whom the 
 sultan had assigned her, went up to the enchanted 
 
230 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 horse, and the women helped her to mount. When 
 she was fixed in the saddle, and had the bridle in 
 her hand, the pretended physician placed round 
 the horse at a pniper distance many vessels full 
 of lighted charcoal, which he had ordered to be 
 brought, and going round them with a solemn 
 pace, cast in handfuls of incense, then, with down- 
 cast eyes, and his hands upon his breast, he ran 
 three times about the horse, making as if he pro- 
 nounced some mystical words. The moment the 
 pots sent forth a dark cloud of smoke, — accom- 
 panied with a pleasant smell, which so surrounded 
 the princess that neither she nor the horse could 
 be discerned, — watching his opportunity, the prince 
 jumped nimbly up behind her, and reaching his 
 hand to the peg, turned it; and just as the horse 
 rose with them into the air, he pronounced these 
 words, which the sultan heard distinctly : " Sul- 
 tan of Cashmere, when you would marry prin- 
 
 cesses who implore your protection, learn first to 
 obtain their consent." 
 
 Thus the prince delivered the Princess of Ben- 
 gal, and carried her the same day to the capital 
 of Persia, where he alighted in the square of the 
 palace, before the emperor his father's apartment, 
 who deferred the solemnization of the marriage no 
 longer than till he could make the preparations 
 necessary to render the ceremony pompous and 
 magnificent, and evince the interest he took in it. 
 
 After the days appointed for the rejoicings 
 were over, the Emperor of Persia's first care was 
 to name and appoint an ambassador to go to the 
 Rajah of Bengal with an account of what had 
 passed, and to demand his approbation and rati- 
 fication of the alliance contracted by this mar- 
 riage; which the Rajah of Bengal took as an 
 honor, and granted with great pleasure and satis- 
 faction. 
 
 IV. THE STORY OF ALADDIN; OR, THE WONDERFUL LAMP. 
 
 In one of the large and rich cities of China, 
 there once lived a tailor, named Mustapha. He 
 was very poor. He could hardly, by his daily la- 
 bor, maintain himself and his family, which con- 
 sisted only of his wife and a son. 
 
 His son, who was called Aladdin, was a very 
 <;areless and idle fellow. He was disobedient to 
 his father and mother, and would go out early in 
 the morning, and stay out all day, playing in the 
 streets and public places with idle children of his 
 own age. 
 
 When he was old enough to learn a trade, his 
 father took him into his own shop, and taught him 
 how to use his needle ; but all his father's endeav- 
 ors to keep him to his work were vain, for no 
 sooner was his back turned than he was gone for 
 that day. Mustapha chastised him, but Aladdin 
 was incorrigible, and his father, to his great grief, 
 was forced to abandon him to his idleness, and 
 was so much troubled about him that he fell sick 
 and died in a few months. 
 
 Aladdin, who was now no longer restrained by 
 
 the fear of a father, gave himself entirely over to 
 his idle habits, and was never out of the streets 
 from his companions. This course he followed till 
 he was fifteen years old, without giving his mind 
 to any useful pursuit, or the least reflection on 
 what would become of him. As he was one day 
 playing, according to custom, in the street, with 
 his evil associates, a stranger passing by stood to 
 observe him. 
 
 This stranger was a sorcerer, known as the Af- 
 rican magician, as he had been but two days ar- 
 rived from Africa, his native country. 
 
 The African magician, observing in Aladdin's 
 countenance something which assured him that he 
 was a fit boy for his purpose, inquired his name 
 and history of some of his companions, and when 
 he had learnt all he desired to know, went up to 
 him, and taking him aside from his comrades, 
 said, " Child, was not your father called Mustapha 
 the tailor ? " " Yes, sir," answered the boy ; " but 
 he has been dead a long time." 
 
 At these words the African magician threw his 
 
THE STORY OF ALADDIN; OR, THE WONDERFUL LAMP. 
 
 231 
 
 arms about Aladdin's 
 neck, and kissed him 
 several times, with tears 
 in his eyes, and said, 
 " I am your uncle. Your 
 worthy father was my 
 own brother. I knew 
 you at first sight you 
 are so like him." Then 
 he gave Aladdin a hand- 
 ful of small money, say- 
 ing, " Go, my son, to 
 your mother ; give my 
 love to her, and tell her 
 that I will visit her to- 
 morrow, that I may see 
 where my good brother lived so long and ended 
 his days." 
 
 Aladdin ran to his mother, overjoyed at the 
 money his uncle had given him. "Mother," said 
 he, " have I an uncle ? " " No, child," replied his 
 mother ; " you have no uncle by your father's 
 side or mine." " I am just now come," said Alad- 
 
 din, "from a man who says he 
 is my uncle and my father's 
 brother. He cried and kissed 
 me when I told him my father 
 was dead, and gave me money, 
 sending his love to you, and 
 promising to come and pay you 
 a visit, that he may see the 
 house my father lived and died 
 in." " Indeed, child," replied 
 the mother, " your father had no 
 brother, nor have you an uncle.' 
 The next day the magician 
 found Aladdin playing in an- 
 other part of the town, and em- 
 bracing him as before, put two 
 pieces of gold into his hand, and 
 said to him, " Carry this, child, 
 r ; tell her that I will come and see 
 and bid her get us something for 
 supper ; but first show me the house where you 
 live." 
 
 Aladdin showed the African magician the 
 house, and carried the two pieces of gold to his 
 mother, who went out and bought provisions ; and 
 considering she wanted various utensils, borrowed 
 them of her neighbors. She spent the whole day 
 in preparing the supper ; and at night, when it 
 was ready, said to her son, " Perhaps the stranger 
 knows not how to find our house ; go and bring 
 him, if you meet him." 
 
 Aladdin was just ready to go, when the magi- 
 cian knocked at the door, and came in loaded 
 with wine and all sorts of fruits, which he brought 
 for a dessert. After he had given what he brought 
 into Aladdin's hands, he saluted his mother, and 
 desired her to show him the place where his 
 brother Mustapha used to sit on the sofa ; and 
 Avhen she had so done, he fell down and kissed it 
 several times, crying out, with tears in his eyes, 
 " My poor brother ! how unhappy am I not to- 
 have come soon enough to give you one last em- 
 brace." Aladdin's mother desired him to sit down 
 in the same place, but he declined. " No," said 
 he, " I shall not do that ; but give me leave to sit 
 
O->0 
 
 TALES FR03I THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 opposite to it, that although I see not the master 
 of a family so dear to me, I may at least behold 
 the place where he used to sit.'" 
 
 When the magician had made choice of a place, 
 and sat down, he began to enter into discourse 
 with Aladdin's mother. " Aly good sister," said 
 he, " do not be surprised at your never having 
 seen me all the time you have been married to my 
 brother JNIustapha of happy memory. I have 
 been forty years absent from this country, which 
 is my native place, as well as my late brother's ; 
 and during that time have traveled into the In- 
 dies, Persia, Arabia, Syria, and Egypt, and after- 
 wards crossed over into Africa, where I took up 
 my abode. At last, as it is natural for a man, I 
 was desirous to see my native country again and 
 to embrace my dear brother ; and finding I had 
 strength enough to undertake so long a journey, 
 I made the necessary preparations, and set out. 
 Nothing ever afflicted me so much as hearing of 
 niv brother's death. But God be praised for all 
 things ! It is a comfort for me to find, as it were, 
 my brother in a son, who has his most remarkable 
 features." 
 
 The African magician, perceiving that the 
 widow wept at the remembrance of her husband, 
 changed the conversation, and turning towards 
 her son, asked him, " What business do you fol- 
 low ? Are you of any trade ? " 
 
 At this question the youth hung down his head, 
 and was not a little abashed when his mother an- 
 swered, '• Aladdin is an idle fellow. His father, 
 when alive, strove all he could to teach him his 
 trade, but could not succeed; and since his death, 
 notwithstanding all I can say to him, he does 
 nothing but idle away his time in the streets, as 
 you saw him, without considering he is no longer 
 a child ; and if you (l(j not make him ashamed of 
 it, I despair of his ever coming to anv good. For 
 my part, I am resolved, one of these days, to turn 
 him out of doors, and let him provide for himself." 
 
 After these words, Aladdin's mother burst into 
 tears ; and the magician said: " This is not well, 
 nephew; you must think of helping ynurself, and 
 getting your livelihood. There are many sorts of 
 
 trades ; perhaps you do not like your father's, and 
 would prefer another ; I will endeavor to help 
 you. If you have no mind to leai-n any handi- 
 craft, I will take a shop for you, furnish it with 
 all sorts of fine stuffs and linens ; and then with 
 the monej' you make of them you can lay in fresh 
 goods, and live in an honoralile way. Tell me 
 freely what you think of my proposal : you shall 
 always find me ready to keep my word." 
 
 This plan just suited Aladdin, who hated work. 
 He told the magician he had a greater inclination 
 to that business than to any other, and that he 
 should bo much obliged to him for his kindness. 
 " Well, then," said the African magician, " I will 
 carry you with me to morrow, clothe you as hand- 
 somely as the best merchants in the city, and aft- 
 erwards we will open a shop as I mentioned." 
 
 The widow, after his promises of kindness to 
 her son, no longer doubted that the magician was 
 her husband's brother. She thanked him for his 
 good intentions ; and after having exhorted Alad- 
 din to render himself worthy of his uncle's favor, 
 served up supper, at which they talked of several 
 indifferent matters ; and then the magician took 
 his leave and retired. 
 
 He came again the next day, as he had prom- 
 ised, and took Aladdin with him to a merchant, 
 who sold all sorts of clothes for different ages and 
 ranks, ready made, and a variety of fine stuffs, and 
 bade Aladdin choose those he preferred, which he 
 paid for. 
 
 When Aladdin found himself so handsomely 
 equipped, he returned his uncle thanks, who thus 
 addressed him : " As you are soon to he a mer- 
 chant, it is proper you should frequent these 
 shops, and lie acquainted with them." He then 
 showed him the largest and finest mosques, carried 
 him to the khans or inns where the meichaiits and 
 travelers loilged, and afterwards to the sultan's 
 palace, where he had free access ; and at last 
 brought him to his own khiin, where, meeting 
 with some merchants he had become acquainted 
 with since his arrival, he gave them a treat, to 
 bring them and his pretended nephew acquainted. 
 
 This entertainment lasted till night, when Alad- 
 
THE STORT OF ALADDIN; OR, THE WONDERFUL LAMP. 
 
 233 
 
 din would have taken leave of his uncle to go 
 home ; the magician would not let him go by him- 
 self, but conducted him to his mother, who, as 
 soon as she saw him so well dressed, was trans- 
 ported with joy, and bestowed a thousand blessings 
 upon the magician. 
 
 Early the next morning the magician called 
 again for Aladdin, and said he would take him 
 to spend that day in the country, and on the next 
 he would purchase the shop. He then led him 
 out at one of the gates of the city, to some mag- 
 nificent palaces, to each of which belonged beautiful 
 gai'dens, into which anybody might enter. At 
 every building he came to, he asked Aladdin if 
 he did not think it fine : and the youth was ready 
 to answer when any one presented itself, crying out, 
 " Here is a finer house, uncle, than any we have 
 yet seen." By this artifice the cunning magician 
 led Aladdin some way into the country ; and as he 
 meant to carry him farther, to execute his design, 
 he took an opportunity to sit down in one of the 
 gardens, on the brink of a fountain of clear water, 
 which discharged itself by a lion's mouth of bronze 
 into a basin, pretending to be tired. " Come, 
 nephew," said he, "you must be weary as well as 
 I ; let us rest ourselves, and we shall be better 
 able to pursue our walk." 
 
 The magician next palled from his girdle a 
 handkerchief with cakes and fruit, and during this 
 short repast he exhorted his nephew to leave off 
 bad company, and to seek that of wise and pru- 
 dent men, to improve by their conversation ; " for," 
 said he, " you will soon be at man's estate, and you 
 cannot too early begin to imitate their example." 
 When they had eaten as much as they liked, they 
 got up, and pursued their walk through gardens 
 separated from one another only by small ditches, 
 which marked out the limits without interrupting 
 the communication ; so great was the confidence ■ 
 the inhabitants reposed in each other. By this 
 means the African magician drew Aladdin insen- 
 sibly beyond the gardens, and crossed the coun- 
 try, till they nearly reached the mountains. 
 
 At last they arrived between two mountains of 
 moderate height, and equal size, divided by a nar- 
 
 row valley, which was the place where the magi- 
 cian intended to execute the design that had 
 brought him from Africa to China. " We will go 
 no farther now," said he to Aladdin ; " I will show 
 you here some extraordinary things, which, when 
 you have seen, you will thank me for ; but while 
 I strike a light, gather up all the loose dry sticks 
 you can see, to kindle a fire with." 
 
 Aladdin found so many dried sticks, that he 
 soon collected a great heap. The magician pres- 
 ently set them on fire ; and when they were in a 
 blaze, threw in some incense, pronouncing several 
 magical words which Aladdin did not understand. 
 
 He had scarcely done so when the earth opened 
 just before the magician, and discovered a stone 
 with a brass ring fixed in it. Aladdin was so fright- 
 ened that he would have run away, but the magi- 
 cian caught hold of him, and gave him such a box 
 on the ear that he knocked him down. Aladdin 
 got up trembling, and with tears in his eyes said 
 to the magician, " What have I done, uncle, to be 
 treated in this severe manner ? " "I am your 
 uncle," answei-ed the magician ; " I supply the 
 place of your father, and you ought to make no 
 reply. But, child," added he, softening, " do not 
 be afraid ; for I shall not ask anything of you but 
 that you obey me punctually, if you would reap 
 the advantages which I intend you. Know, then, 
 that under this stone there is hidden a treasure 
 destined to be yours, and which will make you 
 richer than the greatest monarch in the world. 
 No person but yourself is permitted to lift tins 
 stone or enter the cave ; so you must punctually 
 execute what I may command, for it is a matter 
 of great consequence both to you and me." 
 
 Aladdin, amazed at all he saw and heard, for- 
 got what was past, and rising, said, " Well, uncle, 
 what is to be done ? Command me ; I am ready 
 to obey." " I am overjoyed, child," said the Afri- 
 can magician, embracing him. " Take hold of 
 the ring, and lift up that stone." " Indeed, uncle," 
 replied Aladdin, '' I am not strong enough ; you 
 must help me." " You have no occasion for my 
 assistance," answered the magician; "if I hel() 
 you, we shall be able to do nothing. Take hold of 
 
 30 
 
234 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 the I'ing, and lift it up ; you will find it will come 
 easily." Aladdin did as the magician bade him, 
 raised the stone with ease, and laid it on one side. 
 
 When the stone was pulled up, there appeared 
 a staircase about three or four feet deep, leading 
 to a door. "Descend, my son," said the African 
 magician, " those steps, and open that door. It 
 will lead you into a palace, divided into three great 
 halls. Ill each of these yon will see four large 
 brass cisterns placed on each side, full of gold and 
 silver ; but take care you do not meddle with 
 them. Before you enter the first hall, be sure to 
 tuck up yoiu- robe, wrap it about you, and then 
 pass through the second into the third, without 
 stopping. Above all things, have a care that you 
 do not touch the walls, so much as with your 
 clothes; for if you do, you will die instantly. At 
 the end of the third hall you will find a door which 
 opens into a garden, planted with fine trees loaded 
 with fruit. Walk directly across the garden to a 
 terrace, where you will see a niche before you, 
 and in that niche a lighted lamp. Take the lamp 
 down, and put it out. When you have thrown 
 away the wick and poured out the liquor, put it 
 in your waistband and bring it to me. Do not be 
 afraid that the liquor will spoil your clothes, for 
 it is not oil, and the lamp will be dry as soon as it 
 is thrown out." 
 
 After these words the magician drew a ring off 
 his finger, and put it on one of Aladdin's, saying, 
 '• It is a talisman against all evil, so long as you 
 obey me. Go, therefore, boldly, and we shall both 
 be rich all our lives." 
 
 Aladdin descended the steps, and, opening the 
 door, found the three halls just as the African 
 magician had described. He went through them 
 with all the precaution the fear of death could in- 
 spire, crossed the garden without stopping, took 
 down the lamp from the niche, threw out the wick 
 and the liquor, and, as the magician had desired, 
 put it in his waistband. But as he came down 
 from the terrace, seeing it was perfectly dry, he 
 stopped in the garden to observe the trees, which 
 were loaded with extraordinary fruit, of different 
 rolors on each tree. Some bore fruit entirely 
 
 white, and some clear and transparent as crystal , 
 some pale red, and others deeper ; some green, 
 blue, and purple, and others yellow ; in short, 
 there was fruit of all colors. The white were 
 pearls ; the clear and transparent, diamonds ; the 
 deep red, rubies ; the paler, ballad rubies ; the 
 green, emeralds ; the blue, turquoises ; the purple, 
 amethysts ; and the yellow, sapphires. Aladdin, 
 ignorant of their value, would have preferred figs, 
 or grapes, or pomegranates ; but as he had his 
 uncle's permission, he resolved to gather some of 
 every sort. Having filled the two new purses his 
 uncle had bought for him with his clothes, he 
 wrapped some up in the skirts of his vest, and 
 crammed his bosom as full as it could hold. 
 
 Aladdin, having thus loaded himself with riches 
 of which he knew not the value, returned through 
 the three halls with the utmost precaution, and 
 soon arrived at the mouth of the cave, where the 
 African magician awaited him with the utmost 
 impatience. As soon as Aladdin saw him, he 
 cried out, " Pray, uncle, lend me your hand, to 
 help me out." " Give me the lamp first," replied 
 the magician ; " it will be troublesome to j'ou." 
 " Indeed, uncle," answeretl Aladdin, " I cannot 
 now, but I will as soon as I am up." The Afri- 
 can magician was determined that he would have 
 the lamp before he would help him up ; and Alad- 
 din, who had incumbered himself so much with 
 his fruit that he could not well set at it, refused 
 to give it to him till he was out of the cave. The 
 African magician, provoked at this obstinate re- 
 fusal, flew into a passion, threw a little of his in- 
 cense into the fire, and pronounced two magical 
 words, when the stone which had closed the 
 mouth of the staircase moved into its place, with 
 the earth over it in the same manner as it lay at 
 the arrival of the magician and Aladdin. 
 
 This action of the magician plainly revealed to 
 Aladdin that he was no uncle of his. but one who 
 designed him evil. The truth was that he had 
 learnt from his magic books the secret and the 
 value of this wonderful lamp, the owner of which 
 would be made richer than any earthly ruler, and 
 hence his journey to China. His art had also told 
 
THE STORY OF ALADDIN; OR, THE WONDERFUL LAMP 
 
 235 
 
 him that he was not permitted to take it himself, 
 but, must receive it as a voluntary gift from the 
 hands of another person. Hence he employed 
 young Aladdin, and hoped by a mixture of kind- 
 ness and authority to make him obedient to his 
 word and will. When he found that his attempt 
 had failed, he set out to return to Africa, but 
 avoided the town, lest any person who had seen 
 him leave in company with Aladdin should make 
 inquiries after the youth. Aladdin, being sud- 
 denly enveloped in darkness, cried, and called out 
 to his uncle to tell him he was ready to give him 
 the lamp ; but in vain, since his cries could not 
 be heard. He descended to the bottom of the 
 steps, with a design to get into the palace, but the 
 door, which was opened before by enchantment, 
 was now shut by the same means. He then re- 
 doubled his cries and tears, sat down on the steps 
 without any hopes of ever seeing light again, and 
 in an expectation of passing from the present 
 darkness to a speedy death. In this great emer- 
 gency he said, " There is no strength or power 
 but in the great and high God ; " and in joining 
 his hands to pray he rubbed the ring which the 
 magician had put on his finger. Immediately a 
 genie of frightful aspect appeared and said: 
 " What wouldst thou have? I am ready to obey 
 thee. I serve him who possesses the ring on thy 
 finger, — I and the other slaves of that ring." 
 
 At another time Aladdin would have been fright- 
 ened at the sight of so extraordinary a figure ; 
 but the danger he was in made him answer with- 
 out hesitation, " Whoever thou art, deliver me 
 from this place." He had no sooner spoken these 
 words, than he found himself on the very spot 
 where the magician had last left him, and no sign 
 of cave or opening, nor disturbance of the earth. 
 Returning God thanks to find himself once more 
 in the world, he made the best of his way home. 
 When he got within his mother's door, the joy to 
 see her and his weakness for want of sustenance 
 made him so faint that he remained for a long 
 time as dead. As soon as he recovered, he related 
 to his mother all that had happened to him, and 
 they were both very vehement in their complaints 
 
 of the cruel magician. Aladdin slept very soundly 
 till late the next morning, when the first thing he 
 said to his mother was that he wanted something 
 to eat, and wished she would give him his break- 
 fast. " Alas ! child," said she, " I have not a bit 
 of bread to give you ; you ate up all the provisions 
 I had in the house yesterday ; but I have a little 
 cotton, which I have spun i I will go and sell it, 
 and buy bread, and something for our dinner." 
 " Mother," replied Aladdin, " keep your cotton 
 for another time, and give me the lamp I brought 
 home with me yesterday ; I will go and sell it, and 
 the money I shall get for it will serve both for 
 breakfast and dinner, and perhaps supper too." 
 
 Aladdin's mother took the lamp, and said to 
 her son, " Here it is, but it is very dirty ; if it 
 was a little cleaner I believe it would bring some- 
 thing more." She took some fine sand and water 
 to clean it ; but had no sooner begun to rub it, 
 than in an instant a hideous genie of gigantic 
 size appeared before her, and said to her in a 
 voice of thunder : " What wouldst thou have ? 
 I am ready to obey thee as thy slave, and the 
 slave of all those who have that lamp in their 
 hands, — I and the other slaves of the lamp." 
 
 Aladdin's mother, terrified at the sight of the 
 genie, fainted; when Aladdin, who had seen such 
 a phantom in the cavern, snatched the lamp out 
 of his mother's hand, said to the genie boldly, 
 " I am hungry ; bring me something to eat." The 
 genie disappeared immediately, and in an instant 
 returned with a large silver tray, holding twelve 
 covered dishes of the same metal, which contained 
 the most delicious viands ; six large white bread 
 cakes on two plates, two flagons of wine, and two 
 silver cups. All these he placed upon a carpet, 
 and disappeared ; this was done before Aladdin's 
 mother recovered from her swoon. 
 
 Aladdin had fetched some water, and sprinkled 
 it in her face, to recover her. Whether that or 
 the smell of the meat effected her cure, it was not 
 long before she came to herself. " Mother," said 
 Aladdin, "be not afraid; get up and eat; here is 
 what will put you in heart, and at the same time 
 satisfy my extreme hunger." 
 
236 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 His mother was much surprised to see tlie great 
 tray, twelve dishes, six loaves, the two flagons 
 and cups, and to smell the savory odor which ex- 
 haled from the dishes. " Child," said she, " to 
 whom are we obliged for this great plenty and 
 liberality? Has the sultan been made acquainted 
 with our povert}', and had compassion on us ? " 
 "It is no matter, mother," said Aladdin ; " let us 
 sit down and eat ; ior you have almost as much 
 need of a good breakfast as myself ; when we have 
 done, I will tell you." Accordingly, both mother 
 and son sat down, and ate with the better relish 
 as the table was so well furnished. But all the 
 time Aladdin's mother could not forbear looking 
 at and admiring the tray and dishes, though she 
 could not judge whether they were silver or any 
 other metal, and the novelty more than the value 
 attracted her attention. 
 
 The mother and son sat at breakfast till it was 
 dinner-time, and then thej' thought it would be 
 best to put the two meals together ; yet after this 
 they found they should have enough left for sup- 
 per, and two meals for the next day. 
 
 When Aladdin's mother had taken away and 
 set by what was left, she went and sat down by 
 her son on the sofa, saying, " I expect now that 
 you should satisfy my impatience, and tell me ex- 
 actly what passed between the genie and you while 
 I was in a swoon ; " which he readily complied 
 with. 
 
 She was in as great amazement at what her son 
 told her, as at the appearance of the genie ; and 
 said to him, " But, son, what have we to do with 
 genies? I never heard that any of mv acquain- 
 tance had ever seen one. How came that vile 
 genie to address himself to me, and not to you, to 
 whom he had appeared before in the cave ? " 
 "Mother," answered Aladdin, "the genie you 
 saw is not the one who appeared to me. If you 
 i-emember, he that I first saw called himself the 
 slave of the ring on my finger ; and this you saw 
 called himself the slave of the lamp you had in 
 your hand ; but I believe you did not hear him, 
 for I think j^ou fainted as soon as he began to 
 speak." 
 
 " What ! " cried the mother, " was your lam^ 
 then the occasion of that cursed genie's address- 
 ing himself rather to me than to you ? Ah ! my 
 son, take it out of my sight, and put it where you 
 please. I had rather you would sell it than run 
 the hazard of being frightened to death again by 
 touching it : and if you would take my advice, 
 you would part also with the ring, and not have 
 anything to do with genies, who, as our prophet 
 has told us, are only devils." 
 
 " With your leave, mother," replied Aladdin, 
 " I shall now take care how I sell a lamp which 
 may be so serviceable both to you and me. That 
 false and wicked magician would not have under- 
 taken so long a journey to secure this wonderful 
 lamp if he had not known its value to exceed 
 that of gold and silver. And since we have 
 honestly come by it, let us make a profitable use 
 of it, without making any great show, and excit- 
 ing the envy and jealousy of our neighbors. How- 
 ever, since the genies frighten you so much, I will 
 take it out of your sight, and put it where I may 
 find it when I want it. The ring I cannot resolve 
 to part with ; for without that you had never seen 
 me again ; and though I am alive now, perhaps, if 
 it was gone, I might not be so some moments 
 hence ; therefore, I hope you will give me leave 
 to keep it, and to wear it always on my finger." 
 Aladdin's mother replied that he might do what 
 he pleased ; for her part, she would have nothing 
 to do with genies, and never say anything more 
 about them. 
 
 By the next night they had eaten all the pro- 
 visions the genie had brought ; and the next day 
 Aladdin, who could not bear the thoughts of hun- 
 ger, putting one of the silver dishes under his 
 vest, went out early to sell it, and addressing him- 
 self to a Jew whom he met in the streets, took 
 him aside, and pulling out the plate, asked him if 
 he would buy it. The cunning Jew took the dish, 
 examined it, and as soon as he found that it was 
 good silver, asked Aladdin at how much he valued 
 it. Aladdin, who had never been used to such 
 traffic, told him he would trust to his judgment 
 and honor. The Jew was somewhat confounded 
 
THE STORY OF ALADDIN; OR, THE WONDERFUL LAMP. 
 
 237 
 
 at this plain dealing ; and doubting whether Alad- 
 din understood the material or the full value of 
 what he offered to sell, took a piece of gold out of 
 his purse and gave it him, though it was but the 
 sixtieth part of the worth of the plate. Aladdin, 
 taking the money very eagerly, retired with so 
 much haste that the Jew, not content with the 
 exorbitancy of his profit, was vexed he had not 
 penetrated into his ignorance, and was going to 
 run after him, to endeavor to get some change out 
 of the piece of gold ; but he ran so fast, and had 
 got so far, that it would have been impossible for 
 him to overtake him. 
 
 Before Aladdin went home, he called at a 
 baker's, bought some cakes of bread, changed his 
 money, and on his return gave the rest to his 
 mother, who went and purchased provisions enough 
 to last them some time. After this manner they 
 lived, till Aladdin had sold the twelve dishes 
 singly, as necessity pressed, to the Jew, for the 
 same money ; who, after the first time, durst not 
 offer him less, for fear of losing so good a bargain. 
 When he had sold the last dish, he had recourse 
 to the tray, which weighed ten times as much as 
 the dishes, and would have carried it to his old 
 purchaser, but that it was too large and cumber- 
 some ; therefore he was obliged to bring him home 
 with him to his mother's, where, after the Jew 
 liad examined the weight of the tray, he laid down 
 ten pieces of gold, with which Aladdin was very 
 well satisfied. 
 
 When all the money was spent, Aladdin had 
 recourse again to the lamp. He took it in his 
 hand, looked for the part where his mother had 
 rubbed it with the sand, rubbed it also, when the 
 genie immediately appeared, and said : " What 
 wouldst thou have ? I am readjr to obey thee as 
 thy slave, and the slave of all those who have that 
 lamp in their hands, — I and the other slaves of 
 the lamp." "lam hungry," said Aladdin ; " bring 
 me something to eat." The genie disappeared, 
 and presently returned with a tray, the same 
 number of covered dishes as before, set them 
 down, and vanished. 
 
 As soon as Aladdin found that their provisions 
 
 were again expended, he took one of the dishes 
 and went to look for his Jew chapman ; but pass- 
 ing by a goldsmith's shop, the goldsmith perceiv- 
 ing him, called to him, and said: "My lad, I im- 
 agine that you have something to sell to the Jew, 
 whom I often see you visit ; but perhaps you do 
 not know that he is the greatest rogue even among 
 the Jews. I will give you the full worth of what 
 you have to sell, or I will direct you to other mer- 
 chants who will not cheat you." 
 
 This offer induced Aladdin to pull his plate 
 from under his vest and show it to the goldsmith, 
 who at first sight saw that it was made of the fin- 
 est silver, and asked him if he had sold such as 
 that to the Jew ; when Aladdin told him that he 
 had sold him twelve such, for a piece of gold 
 each. 
 
 " What a villain ! " cried the goldsmith. 
 " But," added he, " my son, what is past cannot 
 be recalled. By showing you the value of this 
 plate, which is of the finest silver we use in our 
 shops, I will let you see how much the Jew has 
 cheated you." 
 
 Th« goldsmith took a pair of scales, weighed 
 the dish, and assured him that his plate would 
 fetch by weight sixty pieces of gold, which he of- 
 ered to pay down immediately. 
 
 Aladdin thanked him for his fair dealing, and 
 never after went to any other person. 
 
 Though Aladdin and his mother had an inex- 
 haustible treasure in their lamp, and might have 
 had whatever they wished for, yet they lived with 
 the same frugality as before ; and it may easily be 
 supposed that the money for which Aladdin had 
 sold the dishes and tray was sufficient to maintain 
 them some time. 
 
 During this interval, Aladdin frequented the 
 shops of the principal merchants, where they sold 
 cloth of gold and silver, linens, silk stuffs, and 
 jewelry ;. and oftentimes joining in their conver- 
 sation, acquired a knowledge of the world, and a 
 desire to improve himself. By his acquaintance 
 among the jewelers, he came to know that the 
 fruits which he had gathered when he took the 
 lamp were, instead of colored glass, stones of ines- 
 
238 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 timable value; 
 but he had the 
 prudence not to 
 mention this to 
 any one, not even 
 to his mother. 
 
 One day as he 
 was walking aliout 
 the town, Aladdin 
 heard an order 
 proclaimed, com- 
 manding the peo- 
 ple to shut up their 
 shops and houses, 
 and keep) within 
 doors, while the 
 Princess Buddir al 
 Buddoor, the sul- 
 tan's daughter, 
 went to the bath 
 and returned. 
 Tills proclamation inspired Aladdin with eager 
 desire to see the princess's face, which lie dt-ter- 
 mined to gratify, by ]ilacing himself behind the 
 door of the bath, so that he could not fail to see 
 her face. 
 
 Aladdin had not long concealed himself before 
 the princess came. She was attended by a great 
 
 crowd of ladies, slaves, and mutes, 
 who walked on each side and be- 
 hind her. When she came within 
 three or four paces of the door of 
 the bath, she took off her veil, 
 and gave Aladdin an opportu- 
 nity of a full view of ber face. 
 
 The princess was a noted 
 beauty : her ej'es were large, 
 lively, and sparkling ; her smile 
 betwitching ; her nose faultless ; 
 her mouth small : her lips ver- 
 milion. It is not therefore sur- 
 prising that Aladdin, who had 
 never before seen such a blaze of 
 charms, was dazzled and en- 
 chanted. 
 After the princess had passed hy, and entered 
 the bath, Aladdin quitted his hiding-place and 
 went home. His mother perceived him to be 
 more thoughtful and melancholy than usual ; and 
 asked what had happened to make him so, or if he 
 was ill. He then told his mother all his advent- 
 ure, and concluded by declaring, " I love the prin- 
 cess more than I can express, and am resolved that 
 I will ask her in marriage of the sultan." 
 
 Aladdin's mother listened with surprise to what 
 her son told her ; but when he talked of asking the 
 jirineess in marriage, she laughed aloud. •' Alas ! 
 child," said she, "what are you thinking of? You 
 must be mad to talk thus." 
 
 " I assure you, mother," replied Aladdin, " that 
 I am not mad, but in my right senses. I foresaw 
 that you would reproach me with folly and ex- 
 travagance ; but I must tell you once more that 
 I am resolved to demand the princess of the sultan 
 in marriage : nor do I despair of success. I have 
 the slaves of the lamp and of the ring to help me, 
 and you know how powerful their aid is. And I 
 have another secret to tell you : those pieces of 
 glass, w! ich I got from the trees in the garden of 
 the subterranean palace, are jewels of inestimable 
 value, and fit for the greatest monarchs. All the 
 precious stones the jewelers liave in Bagdad are 
 not to be compared to mine for size or beauty ; 
 
THE SrORT OF ALADDIN; OR, THE WONDERFUL LAMP. 
 
 239 
 
 and I am sure that the offer of them will secure 
 the favor of the sultan. You have a large porce- 
 lain dish fit to hold them ; fetch it, and let us see 
 how they will look, when we have arranged them 
 according to their different colors." 
 
 Aladdin's mother brought the china dish, when 
 he took the jewels out of the two purses in which 
 he had kept them, and placed them in order, ac- 
 cording to his fancy. But the brightness and lus- 
 tre they emitted in the daytime, and the variety 
 of the colors, so dazzled the eyes both of mother 
 and son that they were astonished beyond meas- 
 ure. Aladdin's mother, emboldened by the sight 
 of these rich jewels, and fearful lest her son should 
 be guilty of greater extravagance, complied with 
 his request, and promised to go early in the next 
 morning to the palace of the sultan. Aladdiii rose 
 before daybreak, awakened his mother, pressing 
 her to go to the sultan's palace, and to get ad- 
 mittance, if possible, before the grand vizier, the 
 other viziers, and the great officers of state went 
 in to take their seats in the divan, where the sul- 
 tan always attended in person. 
 
 Aladdin's mother took the china dish, in which 
 they had put the jewels the day before, wrapped 
 it in two fine napkins, and set forward for the 
 sultan's palace. When she came to the gates, the 
 grand vizier, the other viziers, and most distin- 
 guished lords of the court were just gone in ; but 
 notwithstanding the crowd of people was great, 
 she got into the divan, — a spacious hall, the en- 
 trance into which was very magnificent. She 
 placed herself just before the sultan, grand vizier, 
 and the great lords, who sat in council, on his right 
 and left hand. Several causes were called, accord- 
 ing to their order, pleaded and adjudged, until 
 the time the divan generally broke up, when the 
 sultan, rising, returned to his apartment, attended 
 by the grand vizier ; the other viziers and minis- 
 ters of state then retired, as also did all those 
 whose business had called them thither. 
 
 Aladdin's mother, seeing the sultan retire, and 
 all the people depart, judged rightly that he would 
 not sit again that day, and resolved to go home ; 
 and on her arrival said, with much simplicity : 
 
 "Son, I have seen the sultan, and am very well 
 persuaded he has seen me too, for I placed myself 
 just before him; but he was so much taken up 
 with those who attended on all sides of him that 
 I pitied him, and wondered at his patience. At 
 last I believe he was heartily tired, for he rose up 
 suddenly, and would not hear a great many who 
 were ready prepared to speak to him, but went 
 away, at which I was well pleased ; for, indeed, I 
 began to lose all patience, and was extremely fa- 
 tigued with staying so long. But there is no 
 harm done : I will go again to-morrow ; perhaps 
 the sultan may not be so busy." 
 
 The next morning she repaired to the sultan's 
 palace with the present, as early as the day be- 
 fore ; but when she came there, she found the 
 gates of the divan shut. She went six times aft- 
 erwards on the days appointed, placed herself al- 
 ways directly before the sultan, but with as little 
 success as the first morning. 
 
 On the sixth day, however, after the divan was 
 broken up, when the sultan returned to his own 
 apartment, he said to his grand vizier : " I have for 
 some time observed a certain woman, who attends 
 constantl}' every day that I give audience, with 
 something wrapped up in a napkin ; she always 
 stands up from the beginning to the breaking up 
 of the audience, and effects to place herself just be- 
 fore me. If this woman comes to our next audi- 
 ence, do not fail to call her, that I may hear what 
 she has to say." The grand vizier made answer 
 by lowering his hand, and then lifting it up above 
 his head, signifying his willingness to lose it if he 
 failed. 
 
 On the next audience day, when Aladdin's 
 mother went to the divan, and placed herself in 
 front of the sultan as usual, the grand vizier im- 
 mediately called the chief of the mace-bearers, and 
 pointing to her, bade him bring her before the 
 sultan. The old woman at once followed the 
 mace-bearer, and when she reached the sultan, 
 bowed her head down to the carpet which covered 
 the. platform of the throne, and remained in that 
 posture till he bade her rise, which she had no 
 sooner done, than he said to her : " Good woman 
 
240 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 I have observed you to stand many days, from the 
 beginning to the rising of the divan ; what busi- 
 ness brings you here ? " 
 
 After these words, Aladdin's mother prostrat- 
 ed herself a second time, and when she arose, 
 said : " Monarch of monarchs, I beg of you to par- 
 don the boldness of my petition, and to assure 
 me of your pardon and forgiveness." " Well," 
 replied the sultan, "• I will forgive you, be it what 
 it may, and no hurt shall come to you ; speak 
 boldly." 
 
 When Aladdin's mother had taken all these 
 precautions, for fear of the sultan's anger, she 
 told him faithfully the errand on which her son 
 had sent her, and the event which led to his 
 making so bold a request in spite of all her re- 
 monstrances. 
 
 The sultan hearkened to this discourse without 
 showing the least anger ; but before he gave her 
 any answer, asked her what she had brought tied 
 up in the napkin. She took the china dish, which 
 she had set down at the foot of the throne, untied 
 it, and presented it to the sultan. 
 
 The sultan's amazement and surprise were in- 
 expressible, when he saw so many large, beautiful 
 and valuable jewels collected in the dish. He re- 
 mained for some time lost in admiration. At last, 
 when he had recovered himself, he received the presr 
 ent from Aladdin's mother's hand, saying, "How 
 rich ! how beautiful ! " After he had admired and 
 handled all the jewels, one after another, he turned 
 to his grand vizier, and showing him the dish, said, 
 " Behold, admire, wonder ! and confess that your 
 eyes never beheld jewels so rich and beautiful be- 
 fore." The vizier was charmed. " Well," con- 
 tinued the sultan, " what sayest thou to such a 
 present? Is it not worthy of the princess my 
 daughter ? And ought I not to bestow her on one 
 who values her at so great a price ? " "I cannot 
 but own," replied the grand vizier, " that the 
 present is worthy of the princess ; but I beg of 
 your majesty to grant me three months before you 
 come to a final resolution. I hope, before that 
 time, ray son, whom you have regarded with your 
 favor, will be able to make a nobler present than 
 
 this Aladdin, who is an entire stranger to your 
 majesty." 
 
 The sultan granted his request, and he said to 
 the old woman, " Good woman, go home, and tell 
 your son that I agree to the proposal you have 
 made me : but I cannot marry the princess my 
 daughter for three months ; at the expiration of 
 that time come again." 
 
 Aladdin's mother returned home much more 
 gratified than she had expected, and told her son 
 with much joy the condescending answer she had 
 received from the sultan's own mouth ; and that 
 she was to come to the divan again that day three 
 months. 
 
 Aladdin thought himself the most happy of all 
 men at hearing this news, and thanked his mother 
 for the pains she had taken in the affair, the good 
 success of which was of so great importance to his 
 peace, that he counted every day, week, and even 
 hour as it passed. When two of the three months 
 were passed, his mother one evening having no oil 
 in the house, went out to buy some, and found a 
 general rejoicing — the houses dressed with foli- 
 age, silks, and carpeting, and every one striving to 
 show their joy according to their ability. The 
 streets were crowded with officers in habits of cer- 
 emony, mounted on horses richly caparisoned, each 
 attended by a great many footmen. Aladdin's 
 mother asked the oil merchant what was the mean- 
 ing of all this preparation of public festivity. 
 " Whence came you, good woman," said he, " that 
 you don't know that the grand vizier's son is to 
 marry the princess Buddir al Buddoor, the sultan's 
 daughter, to-night? She will presently return 
 from the bath ; and these officers whom you see 
 are to assist at the cavalcade to the palace, where 
 the ceremony is to be solemnized." 
 
 Aladdin's mother, on hearing this news, ran 
 home very quickly. " Child," cried she, " you are 
 undone I the sultan's fine promises will come to 
 naught. This night the grand vizier's son is to 
 marry the Princess Buddir al Buddoor." 
 
 At this account Aladdin was thunderstruck, 
 and he bethought himself of the lamp, and of the 
 genie who had promised to obey him ; and without 
 
THE STORT OF ALADDIN; OR, THE WONDERFUL LAMP. 
 
 241 
 
 indulging in idle words against the sultan, the viz- 
 ier, or his son, he determined, if possible, to pre- 
 vent the marriage. 
 
 When Aladdin had got into his chamber, he 
 took the lamp, rubbed it in the same place as be- 
 fore, when immediately the genie appeared, and 
 said to him : " What wovddst thou have ? I am 
 ready to obey thee as thy slave, — I and the other 
 slaves of the lamp." " Hear me," said Aladdin ; 
 " thou hast hitherto obeyed me, but now I am 
 about to impose on thee a harder task. The sul- 
 tan's daughter, who was promised me as my bride, 
 is this night married to the son of the grand vizier. 
 Bring them both hither to me immediately they 
 retire to their bed-chamber." 
 
 " Master," replied the genie, " I obey you." 
 
 Aladdin supped with his mother, as was their 
 wont, and then went to his own apartment, and 
 sat up to await the return of the genie, according 
 to his commands. 
 
 In the mean time the festivities in honor of the 
 princess's marriage were conducted in the sultan's 
 palace with great magnificence. The ceremonies 
 were at last brought to a conclusion, and the prin- 
 cess and the son of the vizier retired to the bed- 
 chamber prepared for them. No sooner had they 
 entered it, and dismissed their attendants, than the 
 genie, the faithful slave of the lamp, to the great 
 amazement and alarm of the bride and bride- 
 groom, took up the bed, and by an agency invisi- 
 ble to them, transported it in an instant into Alad- 
 din's chamber, where he set it down. " Remove 
 the bridegroom," said Aladdin to the genie, "and 
 keep him a prisoner till to-morrow dawn, and then 
 return with him here." On Aladdin being left alone 
 with the princess, he endeavored to assuage her 
 fears, and explained to her the treachery practiced 
 upon him by the sultan her father. He then laid 
 himself down beside her, putting a drawn scimitar 
 between them, to show that he was determined to 
 secure her safety, and to treat her with the utmost 
 possible respect. At break of day the genie ap- 
 peared at the appointed hour, bringing back the 
 Ibridegroom, whom by breathing upon he had left 
 motionless and entranced at the door of Aladdin's 
 
 31 
 
 chamber during the night, and at Aladdin's com- 
 mand transported the couch with the bride and 
 bridegroom on it, by the same invisible agency, 
 into the palace of the sultan. 
 
 At the instant that the genie had set down the 
 couch with the bride and bridegroom in their own 
 chamber, the sultan came to the door, to offer his 
 good wishes to his daughter. The grand vizier's 
 son, who was almost perished with cold, by stand- 
 ing in his thin under-garment all night, no sooner 
 heard the knocking at the door than he got out of 
 bed, and ran into the robing-chamber, where he 
 had undressed himself the night before. 
 
 The sultan, having opened the door, went to the 
 bedside, kissed the princess on the forehead, but 
 was extremely surprised to see her look so melan- 
 choly. She only cast at him a sorrowful look, ex- 
 pressive of great affliction. He suspected there 
 was something extraordinary in this silence, and 
 thereupon went immediately to the sultaness's 
 apartment, told her in what a state he found the 
 princess, and how she had received him. " Sire," 
 said the sultaness, " I will go and see her ; she 
 will not receive me in the same manner." 
 
 The princess received her mother with sighs and 
 tears, and signs of deep dejection. At last, upon 
 her pressing on her the duty of telling her all her 
 thoughts, she gave to the sultaness a precise de- 
 scription of all that happened to her during the 
 night ; on which the sultaness enjoined on her the 
 necessity of silence and discretion, as no one would 
 give credence to so strange a tale. The grand 
 vizier's son, elated with the honor of being the sul- 
 tan's son-in-law, kept silence on his part ; and the 
 events of the night were not allowed to cast the 
 least gloom on the festivities on the following day, 
 in continued celebration of the royal marriage. 
 
 When night came, the bride and bridegroom 
 were again attended to their chamber with the 
 same ceremonies as on the preceding evening. 
 Aladdin, knowing that this would be so, had al- 
 ready given commands to the genie of the lamp ; 
 and no sooner were they alone than their bed was 
 removed in the same mysterious manner as on the 
 preceding evening; and having passed the night 
 
242 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 in the same unpleasant way, thej' were in the 
 morning conveyed to the palace of the sultan. 
 Scarcely had they been replaced in their apart- 
 ment, when the sultan came to make his compli- 
 ments to his daughter, when the princess could no 
 longer conceal from him the unhappy treatment 
 she had been subject to, and told him all that 
 had happened, as she had already related it to her 
 mother. The sultan, on hearing these strange tid- 
 ings, consulted with the grand vizier ; and finding 
 from him that his son had been subjected to even 
 worse treatment by an invisible agency, he deter- 
 mined to declare the marriage to be canceled, and 
 all the festivities, which were yet to last for sev- 
 eral days, to be countermanded and terminated. 
 
 This sudden change in the mind of the sultan 
 gave rise to various speculations and rejDorts. No- 
 body but Aladdin knew the secret, and he kept 
 it with the most scrupulous silence ; and neither 
 the sultan nor the grand vizier, who had forgotten 
 Aladdin and his request, had the least thought that 
 he had any hand in the strange adventures that 
 befell the bride and bridegroom. 
 
 On the very day that the three months con- 
 tained in the sultan's promise expired, the mother 
 of Aladdin again went to the palace, and stood in 
 the same place in the divan. The sultan knew 
 her again, and directed his vizier to have her 
 brought before him. 
 
 After having prostrated herself, she made an- 
 swer, in reply to the sultan : " Sire, I come at the 
 end of three months to ask of you the fulfillment 
 of the promise you made to my son." The sultan 
 little thought the request of Aladdin's mother was 
 made to him in earnest, or that he would hear any 
 more of the matter. He therefore took counsel 
 with his vizier, who suggested that the sultan 
 should attach such conditions to the marriage that 
 no one in the humble condition of Aladdin could 
 possibly fulfill. In accordance with this sugges- 
 tion of the vizier, the sultan replied to the mother 
 of Aladdin : " Good woman, it is true sultans 
 ought to abide bv their word ; and I am ready to 
 keep mine, by making your son happy in marriage 
 with the princess my daughter. But as I cannot 
 
 marry her without some further proof of your son 
 being able to support her in royal state, you may 
 tell him, 1 will fulfill mj^ promise as soon as he 
 shall send me fortj^. trays of massy gold, full of the 
 same sort of jewels you have already made me a 
 present of, and carried by the like number of 
 black slaves, who shall be led by as many young 
 and handsome white slaves, all dressed magnifi- 
 cently. On these conditions, I am ready to be- 
 stow the princess my daughter upon him ; there- 
 fore, good woman, go and tell him so, and I will 
 wait till you bring me his ansAver." 
 
 Aladdin's mother prostrated herself a second 
 time before the sultan's throne, and retired. On 
 her way home, she laughed within herself at her 
 son's foolish imagination. " Where," said she, 
 "can he get so many large gold trays, and such 
 precious stones to fill them ? It is altogether out 
 of his power, and I believe he will not be much 
 pleased with my embass}' this time." When she 
 came home, full of these thoughts, she told Alad- 
 din all the circumstances of her interview with the 
 sultan, and the conditions on which he consented 
 to the marriage. " The sultan expects your an- 
 swer immediately," said she; and then added, 
 laughing, "I believe he may wait long enough ! " 
 "Not so long, mother, as you imagine," replied 
 Aladdin. '• This demand is a mere trifle, and will 
 prove no bar to my marriage with the princess. 
 I will j^repare at once to satisfj' his request." 
 
 Aladdin retired to his own ajmrtment, and sum- 
 moned the genie of the lamp, and required him 
 to immediately ])repare and present the gift, be- 
 fore the sultan closed his morning audience, ac- 
 cording to the terms in which it had been pre- 
 scribed. The genie professed his obedience to the 
 owner of the lamp, and disappeared. Within a 
 verj' short time, a train of fort}' black slaves, led 
 by the same number of white slaves, appeared op- 
 posite the house in which Aladdin lived. Each 
 black slave carried on his head a basin of massy 
 gold, full of ]3earls, diamonds, rubies, and emeralds. 
 Aladdin then addressed his mother : " Madam, 
 pray lose no time ; before the sultan and the 
 divan rise, I would have you return to the palace 
 
THE STORT OF ALADDIN; OR, THE WONDERFUL LAMP- 
 
 243 
 
 with this present as the dowry demanded for the 
 princess, that he may judge by my diligence and 
 exactness of the ardent and sincere desire I have 
 to procure myself the honor of this alliance." 
 
 As soon as this magnificent procession, with 
 Aladdin's mother at its head, had begun to march 
 from Aladdin's house, the whole city was filled 
 with the crowds of people desirous to see so grand 
 a sight. The graceful bearing, elegant form, and 
 wonderful likeness of each slave ; their grave walk 
 at an equal distance from each other, the lustre of 
 their jeweled girdles, and the brilliancy of the 
 aigrettes of precious stones in their turbans, ex- 
 cited the greatest admiration in the. spectators. 
 As they had to pass through several streets to the 
 palace, the whole length of the way was lined 
 with files of spectators. Nothing, indeed, was ever 
 seen so beautiful and brilliant in the sultan's pal- 
 ace ; and the richest robes of the emirs of his 
 court were not to be compared to the costly dresses 
 of these slaves, whom they supposed to be kings. 
 
 As the sultan, who had been informed of their 
 approach, had given orders for them to be ad- 
 mitted, they met with no obstacle, but went into 
 the divan in regular order, one part turning to 
 the right, and the other to the left. After they 
 were all entered, and had formed a semicircle be- 
 fore the sultan's throne, the black slaves laid the 
 golden trays on the carpet, prostrated themselves, 
 touching the carpet with their foreheads, and at 
 the same time the white slaves did the same. 
 When they rose the black slaves uncovered the 
 trays, and then all stood with their arms crossed 
 over their breasts. 
 
 In the mean time Aladdin's mother advanced 
 to the foot of the throne, and having prostrated 
 herself, said to the sultan : "Sire, my son knows 
 this present is much below the notice of Princess 
 Buddir al Buddoor ; but hopes, nevertheless, that 
 your majesty will accept of it, and make it agree- 
 able to the princess, and with the greater confi- 
 dence since he has endeavored to conform to the 
 conditions you were pleased to impose." 
 
 The sultan, overpowered at the sight of such 
 more than royal magnificence, replied without 
 
 hesitation to the words of Aladdin's mother, — 
 " Go and tell your son that I wait with open arms 
 to embrace him ; and the more haste he makes to 
 come and receive the princess my daughter from 
 my hands, the greater pleasure he will do me." 
 As soon as Aladdin's mothei- had retired, the sul- 
 tan put an end to the audience ; and rising from 
 his throne, ordered that the princess's attendants 
 should come and carry the trays into their mis- 
 tress's apartment, whither he went himself to ex- 
 amine them with her at his leisure. The fourscore 
 slaves were conducted into the palace ; and the 
 sultan, telling the princess of their magnificent 
 apparel, ordered them to be brought before her 
 apartment, that she might see through the lattices 
 he had not exaggerated in his account of them. 
 
 In the mean time Aladdin's mother reached 
 home, and showed in her air and countenance the 
 good news she brought her son. " My son," said 
 she, " you may rejoice you are arrived at the 
 height of your desires. The sultan has declared 
 that you shall marry the Princess Buddir al Bud- 
 door. He waifs for you with impatience." 
 
 Aladdin, enraptured with this news, made his 
 mother very little reply, but retired to his cham- 
 ber. There he rubbed his lamp, and the obedi- 
 ent genie appeared. " Genie," said Aladdin, " con- 
 vey me at once to a bath, and supply me with the 
 richest and most magnificent robe ever worn by 
 a monarch." No sooner were the words out of 
 his mouth than the genie rendered him, as well 
 as himself, invisible, and transported him into a 
 hummum of the finest marble of all sorts of colors ; 
 where he was undressed, without seeing by whom, 
 in a magnificent and spacious hall. He was then 
 well rubbed and washed with various scented 
 waters. After he had passed through several de- 
 grees of heat, he came out quite a diilerent man 
 from what he was before. His skin was clear as 
 that of a child, his body lightsome and free ; and 
 when he returned into the hall, he found, instead 
 of his own poor raiment, a robe, the magnificence 
 of which astonished him. The genie helped him 
 to dress, and when he had done, transported him 
 back to his own chamber, where he asked him if 
 
244 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 he had any other commands. " Yes," answered 
 Aladdin ; ^ bring me a charger that surpasses in 
 beauty and goodness the best in the sultan's sta- 
 bles : with a saddle, bridle, and other caparisons 
 to correspond with his value. Furnish also twenty 
 slaves, as richly clothed as those who carried the 
 present to the sultan, to walk by my side and fol- 
 low me, and twenty more to go before me in two 
 ranks. Besides these, bring m}' mother six women 
 slaves to attend her, as richly dressed at least as 
 any of the Princess Buddir al Buddoor's, each 
 carrying a complete dress fit for any sultan ess. I 
 want also ten thousand pieces of gold in ten 
 purses; go, and make haste." 
 
 As soon as Aladdin had given these orders, the 
 genie disappeared, but presently returned with the 
 horse, the forty slaves, ten of whom carried each 
 a purse containing ten thousand pieces of gold, 
 and six women slaves, each carrying on her head 
 a different dress for Aladdin's mother, wrapped 
 up in a piece of silver tissue, and presented them 
 all to Aladdin. 
 
 He presented the six women slaves to his mother, 
 telling her tliey were her slaves, and that the 
 dresses they had brought were for her use. Of 
 the ten purses Aladdin took four, which he gave 
 to his mother, telling her those were to supply her 
 with necessaries ; the other six he left in the 
 hands of the slaves who brought them, with an 
 order to throw them by handfuls among the peo- 
 ple as they went to the sultan's palace. The six 
 slaves who carried the purses he ordered likewise 
 to march before him, three on the right hand and 
 three on the left. 
 
 When Aladdin had thus prepared himself for 
 his first interview with the sultan, he dismissed 
 the genie, and immediately mounting his charger, 
 began his march, and though he never was on 
 horseback before, appeared with a grace the most 
 experienced horseman might envy. The innu- 
 merable concourse of people through whom he 
 passed made the iiirtcho with their acclamations, 
 especially pvery time the six slaves who carried 
 the purses threw handfuls of gold among the pop- 
 ulace. 
 
 On Aladdin's arrival at the palace, the sultan 
 was surprised to find him more richly and magnif- 
 icently robed than he had ever been himself, and 
 was impressed with his good looks and dignity of 
 manner, which were so different from what he 
 expected in the son of one so humble as Aladdin's 
 mother. He embraced him with all the demon- 
 strations of joy, and when he would have fallen 
 at his feet, held him by the hand, and made him 
 sit near his throne. He shortly after led him, 
 amidst the sounds of trumpets, hautboys, and all 
 kinds of music, to a magnificent entertainment, at 
 which the sultan and Aladdin ate by themselves, 
 and the great lords of the court, according to their 
 rank and dignity, sat at different tables. After 
 the feast, the sultan sent for the chief cadi, and 
 commanded him to draw up a contract of marriage 
 between the Princess Buddir al Buddoor and Alad- 
 din. When the contract had been drawn, the 
 sultan asked Aladdin if he would stay in the pal- 
 ace and complete the ceremonies of the marriage 
 that day. "Sire," said Aladdin, "though great 
 is my impatience to enter on the honor granted 
 me by your majesty, yet I beg you to permit me 
 first to build a palace worthy to receive the prin- 
 cess your daughter. I pray you to grant me suf- 
 ficient ground near your palace, and I will have it 
 completed with the utmost expedition."' The sul- 
 tan granted Aladdin his request, and again em- 
 braced him. After which, he took his leave with 
 as much politeness as if he had been bred up and 
 had always lived at court. 
 
 Aladdin returned home in the order he had 
 come, amidst the acclamations of the people, who 
 wished him all happiness and prosperity. As soon 
 as he dismounted, he retired to his own chamber, 
 took the lamp, and summoned the genie as usual, 
 who professed his allegiance. " Genie," said Alad- 
 din, •' build me a palace fit to receive the Princess- 
 Buddir al Buddoor. Let its materials be made of 
 nothing less than porphyry, jasper, agate, lapis 
 lazuli, and the finest marble. Let its walls be 
 massive gold and silver bricks laid alternately. 
 Let each front contain six windows, and let the 
 lattices of these (except one, which must be left 
 
THE STORY OF ALADDIN; OR, THE WONDERFUL LAMP. 
 
 245 
 
 unfinished) be enriched with diamonds, rubies, 
 and emeralds, so that they shall exceed every- 
 thing of the kind ever seen in the world. Let 
 there be an inner and outer court in front of the 
 palace, and a spacious garden ; but above all 
 things, provide a safe treasure-house, and fill it 
 with gold and silver. Let there be also kitchens 
 and storehouses ; stables full of the finest horses, 
 with their equerries and grooms, and hunting 
 equipage ; ofiicers, attendants, and slaves, both 
 men and women, to form a retinue for the prin- 
 cess and myself. Go and execute my wishes." 
 
 When Aladdin gave these commands to the 
 genie, the sun was set. The next morning at day- 
 break the genie presenting himself, and having ob- 
 tained Aladdin's consent, transported him in a 
 moment to the palace he had made. The genie led 
 him through all the apartments, where he found 
 ofiicers and slaves, habited according to their rank 
 and the services to which they were appointed. 
 The genie then showed him the treasury, which 
 was opened by a treasurer, where Aladdin saw 
 large vases of difi^erent sizes, piled up to the top 
 with money, ranged all round the chamber. The 
 genie thence led him to the stables, where were 
 some of the finest horses in the world, and the 
 grooms busy in dressing them ; from thence they 
 went to the storehouses, which were filled with all 
 things necessai-y, both for food and ornament. 
 
 When Aladdin had examined every portion of 
 the palace, and particularly the hall with the four- 
 and-twenty windows, and found it far to exceed 
 his fondest expectations, he said, " Genie, there is 
 one thing wanting, — a fine carpet for the princess 
 to walk upon from the sultan's palace to mine. 
 Lay one down immediately." The genie disap- 
 peared, and Aladdin saw what he desired executed 
 in an instant. The genie then returned, and car- 
 ried him to his own home. 
 
 When the sultan's porters came to open the 
 gates, they were amazed to find what had been an 
 unoccupied garden filled up with a magnificent 
 palace, and a splendid carpet extending to it all 
 the way from the sultan's palace. They told the 
 strange tidings to the grand vizier, who informed 
 
 the sultan, who exclaimed, " It must be Aladdin's 
 palace, which I gave him leave to build for my 
 daughter. He has wished to surprise us, and let 
 us see what wonders can be done in only one 
 night." 
 
 Aladdin, on his being conveyed by the genie to 
 his own home, requested his mother to go to the 
 Princess Buddir al Buddoor, and tell her that the 
 palace would be ready for her reception in the 
 evening. She went, attended by her women 
 slaves, in the same order as on the preceding day. 
 Shortly after her arrival at the princess's apart- 
 ment, the sultan himself came in, and was sur- 
 prised to find her, whom he knew as his suppliant 
 at his divan in such humble guise, to be now more 
 richly and sumptuously attired than his own 
 daughter. This gave him a higher opinion of 
 Aladdin, who took such care of his mother, and 
 made her share his wealth and honors. Shortly 
 after her departure, Aladdin, mounting his horse, 
 and attended by his retinue of magnificent at- 
 tendants, left his paternal home forever, and went 
 to the palace in the same pomp as on the day 
 before. Nor did he forget to take with him the 
 wonderful lamp to which he owed all his good 
 fortune, nor to wear the ring which was given him 
 as a talisman. The sultan entertained Aladdin 
 with the utmost magnificence, and at night, on the 
 conclusion of the marriage ceremonies, the prin- 
 cess took leave of the sultan her father. Bands 
 of music led the procession, followed by a hun- 
 dred state ushers, and the like number of black 
 mutes, in two files, with their officers at their 
 head. Four hundred of the sultan's young pages 
 carried flambeaux on each side, which, together 
 with the illuminations of the sultan's and Alad- 
 din's palaces, made it as light as day. In this or- 
 der the princess, conveyed in her litter, and ac- 
 companied also by Aladdin's mother, carried in a 
 superb litter and attended bj' her women slaves, 
 proceeded on the carpet which was spread from 
 the sultan's palace to that of Aladdin. On her ar- 
 rival Aladdin was ready to receive her at the en- 
 trance, and led her into a large hall, illuminated 
 with an infinite number of wax candles, where a 
 
246 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 noble feast was sewed up. The dishes were of 
 massy gold, and contained the most delicate vi- 
 ands. The vases, basins, and goblets were gold 
 also, and of exquisite workmanship, and all the 
 other ornaments and embellishments of the hall 
 were answerable to this display. The princess, 
 dazzled to see so much 
 riches collected in one 
 place, said to Alad- 
 din, "I thought, 
 prince, that nothing 
 in the world was so 
 beautiful as the sul- 
 tan my father's pal- 
 ace, but the sight of 
 this hall alone is suf- 
 ficient to show I was 
 deceived."' 
 
 When the supper 
 was ended, there en- 
 tered a company of 
 female dancers, who 
 performed, according 
 to the custom of the 
 countrj% singing at 
 the same time verses 
 in praise of the bride 
 and bridegroom. 
 About midnight Alad- 
 dins mother con- 
 ducted the bride to 
 the nuptial apart- 
 ment and he soon 
 after retired. 
 
 The next morning 
 the attendants of 
 Aladdin presented 
 themselves to dress 
 him, and brought him another habit, as rich and 
 magnificent as that worn the day before. He then 
 ordered one of the horses to be got ready, mounted 
 him, and went in the midst of a large troop of 
 slaves to the sultan's palace, to entreat him to take 
 a repast in the princess's palace, attended by his 
 grand vizier and all the lords of his court. The 
 
 sultan consented with pleasure, rose up immedi. 
 ately, and, pi-eceded by the principal officers of his 
 palace, and followed by all the great lords of his 
 court, accompanied Aladdin. 
 
 The nearer the sultan approached Aladdin's 
 palace, the more he was struck with its beauty • 
 
 but when he entered 
 it, came into the hall, 
 and saw the windows, 
 enriched with dia- 
 monds, rubies, emer- 
 alds, all large perfect 
 stones, he was com- 
 pletely surprised, and 
 said to his son-in- 
 law ; " This palace is 
 one of the wonders of 
 the world : for where 
 in all the world be- 
 sides shall we find 
 walls built of massy 
 gold and silver, and 
 diamonds, rubies, and 
 emeralds composing 
 the windows ? But 
 what most surpi'ises 
 me is, that a hall of 
 this magnificence 
 should be left with one 
 of its windows incom- 
 plete and unfinished." 
 "Sire," answered 
 Aladdin, " the omis- 
 sion was by design, 
 since I wished that 
 you should have the 
 glory of finishing this 
 hall." " I take your 
 intention kindly," said the sultan, "and will give 
 orders about it immediately." 
 
 After the sultan had finished this magnificent 
 entertainment provided for him and for his court 
 by Aladdin, he was informed that the jewelers 
 and goldsmiths attended ; upon which he returned 
 to tiie hall, and showed them the window which 
 
THE STORY OF ALADDIN; OR, THE WONDERFUL LAMP. 
 
 247 
 
 was unfinished. " I sent for you," said he, " to 
 fit up this window in as great perfection as the 
 rest. Examine them well, and make all the dis- 
 patch you can." 
 
 The jewelers and goldsmiths examined the 
 three-and-twenty windows with great attention, 
 and after they had consulted together, to know 
 what each could furnish, they returned and pre- 
 sented themselves before the sultan, whose princi- 
 pal jeweler, undertaking to speak for the rest, 
 said: " Sire, we are all willing to exert our ut- 
 most care and industry to obey you ; but among 
 us all we cannot furnish jewels enough for so 
 great a work." " I have more than :ire necessary," 
 said the sultan ; " come to my palace, and you 
 shall choose what may answer your purpose." 
 
 When the sultan returned to his palace, he or- 
 dered his jewels to be brought out, and the jewel- 
 ers took a great quantity, particularly those Alad- 
 din had made him a present of, which they soon 
 used, without making any great advance in their 
 work. They came again several times for more, 
 and in a month's time had not finished half their 
 work. In short, they used all the jewels the sul- 
 tan had, and borrowed of the vizier, but yet the 
 work was not half done. 
 
 Aladdin, who knew that all the sultan's endeav- 
 ors to make this window like the rest were in vain, 
 sent for the jewelers and goldsmiths, and not only 
 commanded them to desist from their work, but 
 ordered them to undo what they had begun, and 
 to carry all their jewels back to the sultan and to 
 the vizier. They undid in a few hours what they 
 had been six weeks about, and retired, leaving 
 Aladdin alone in the hall. He took the lamp, 
 which he carried about him, rubbed it, and pres- 
 ently the genie appeared. " Genie," said Aladdin, 
 " I ordered thee to leave one of the four-and- 
 twenty windows of this hall imperfect, and thou 
 hast executed my commands punctually ; now I 
 would have thee make it like the rest." The genie 
 immediately disappeared. Aladdin went out of 
 the hall, and returning soon after, found the win- 
 dow, as he wished it to be, like the others. 
 
 In the mean time the jewelers and goldsmiths 
 
 repaired to the palace, and were introduced into 
 the sultan's presence, where the chief jeweler pre- 
 sented the precious stones which he had brought 
 back. The sultan asked them if Aladdin had 
 given them any reason for so doing, and they an- 
 swering that he had given them none, he ordered 
 a horse to be brought, which he mounted, and 
 rode to his son-in-law's palace, with some few at- 
 tendants on foot, to inquire why he had ordered 
 the completion of the window to be stopped. 
 Aladdin met him at the gate, and without giving 
 any reply to his inquiries conducted him to the 
 grand saloon, where the sultan, to his great sur- 
 prise, found the window which was left imperfect 
 to correspond exactly with the others. He fancied 
 at first that he was mistaken, and examined the 
 two windows on each side, and afterwards all the 
 four-and-twenty ; but when he was convinced that 
 the window which several workmen had been so 
 long about was finished in so short a time, he em- 
 braced Aladdin and kissed him between his eyes. 
 " My son," said he, " what a man you are, to do 
 such surprising things always in the twinkling of 
 an eye ! there is not your fellow in the world ; the 
 more I know, the more I admire you." 
 
 The sultan returned to the palace, and after this' 
 went frequently to the window to contemplate 
 and admire the wonderful palace of his son-in- 
 law. 
 
 Aladdin did not confine himself in his palace, 
 but went with much state, sometimes to one 
 mosque, and sometimes to another, to prayers, or 
 to visit the ^rand vizier, or the principal lords of 
 the court. Every time he went out, he caused 
 two slaves, who walked by the side of his horse, to 
 throw handfuls of money among the people as he 
 passed through the streets and squares. This gen- 
 erosity gained him the love and ble^ings of the 
 people, and it was common for them to swear by 
 his head. Thus Aladdin, while he paid all respect 
 to the sultan, won by his affable behavior and lib- 
 erality the affections of the people. 
 
 Aladdin had conducted himself in this manner 
 several years, when the African magician, who 
 had for some years dismissed him from his recol- 
 
248 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 lection, determined to inform himself with cer- 
 tainty %Yhether he perished, as he supposed, in the 
 subterranean cave or not. After he had resorted 
 to a long course of magic ceremonies, and had 
 formed a horoscope by which to ascertain Alad- 
 din's fate, what was his surprise to find tlie ap- 
 pearances to declare that Aladdin, instead of dying 
 in the cave, had made his escape, and was living 
 in royal splendor, by the aid of the genie of the 
 wonderful lamp ! 
 
 On tlie very next day the magician set out and 
 traveled with the utmost haste to the capital of 
 China, where, on his arrival, he took up his lodg- 
 ing in a khan. 
 
 He then quickly learnt about the wealth, chari- 
 ties, happiness, and splendid palace of Prince 
 Aladdin. Directly he saw the wonderful fabric, 
 he knew that none but the genies, the slaves of 
 the lamp, could have performed such wonders ; 
 and piqued to the quick at Aladdin's high estate, 
 he returned to the khan. 
 
 On his return he had recourse to an operation 
 of geomancy to find out where the lamp wiis, — 
 whether Aladdin carried it about with him, or 
 where he left it. The result of his consultation 
 informed him, to his great jo}% that the lamp was 
 in the palace. " Well," said he, rubbing his hands 
 in glee, " I shall have the lamp, and I shall make 
 Aladdin return to his original mean condition." 
 " The next day the magician learnt, from the 
 chief superintendent of the khan where he lodged, 
 that Aladdin had gone on a hunting expedition, 
 which was to last for eiglit days, of which only 
 three had expired. The magician wanted to Icnow 
 no more. He resolved at once on his plans. He 
 went to a coppersmith, and asked for a dozen 
 copper lamps ; the master of the shop told him 
 he had not so many by him, but if he would have 
 patience till tiie next day, he would have them 
 ready. The magician appointed his time, and de- 
 sired him to take care that they should be hand- 
 some and woll polished. 
 
 The next day the magician called for the twelve 
 lamps, paid the man his full price, put them into 
 a basket hanging on his arm, and went directly to 
 
 Aladdin's palace. As he approached, he began 
 crying, " Who will change old lamps for new 
 ones ? " As he went along, a crowd of, children 
 collected, who hooted, and thought him, as did 
 all who chanced to be passing by, a madman or a 
 fool, to offer to change new lamps for old ones. 
 
 The African magician regarded not their scoffs, 
 hootings, or all they could say to him, but still 
 continued crying, " Who will change old lamps for 
 new ones?" He repeated this so often, walking 
 backwards and forwards in front of the palace, 
 that the princess, who was then in the hall with 
 the four-and-twenty windows, hearing a man cry 
 something, and seeing a great mob crowding about . 
 him, sent one of her women slaves to know what 
 he cried. 
 
 The slave returned laughing so heartilj' that 
 the princess rebuked her. " Madam," answered 
 the slave, laughing still, " who can forbear laugh- 
 ing, to see an old man with a basket on his arm, 
 full of fine new lamps, asking to change them for 
 old ones ? the children and mob crowding about 
 him so that he can hurdly stir, make all the noise 
 they can in derision of him."' 
 
 Another female slave, hearing this, said, "Now 
 3'ou speak of lamps, I know not whether the prin- 
 cess maj- have observed it, but there is an old one 
 upon a shelf of the Prince Aladdin's robing-room, 
 and whoever owns it will not be sorry to find a 
 new one in its stead. If the princess chooses, she 
 may have the pleasure of trying if this old man 
 is so silly as to give a new lamp for an old one, 
 without taking anything for the exchange." 
 
 The princess, who knew not the value of this 
 lamp, and the interest that Aladdin had to keep 
 it safe, entered into the pleasantry, and com- 
 manded a slave to take it and make the ex- 
 change. The slave obeyed, went out of tlie hall, 
 and no sooner got to the palace gates than he saw 
 the African magician, called to him, and showing 
 him the old lamp, said, "• Give me a new lamp 
 for this." 
 
 The magician never doubted but this was the 
 lamp he wanted. There could be no other such 
 in this palace, where every utensil was gold or 
 
THE STORT OF ALADDIN; OR, THE WONDERFUL LAMP. 
 
 249 
 
 silver. He snatched it eagerly out of the slave's 
 hand, and thrusting it as far as he could into his 
 breast, offered him his basket, and bade him choose 
 which he liked best. The slave picked out one, 
 and carried it to the princess ; but the change was 
 no sooner made than the place rung with the 
 shouts of the children, deriding the magician's 
 folly. 
 
 The African magician stayed no longer near 
 the palace, nor cried any more, " New lamps for 
 old ones," but made the best of his way to his 
 khan. His end was answered, and by his silence 
 he got rid of the children and the mob. 
 
 As soon as he was out of sight of the two pal- 
 aces, he hastened down the least-frequented streets ; 
 and having no more occasion for his lamps or 
 basket, set all down in a spot where nobody saw 
 him ; then going down another street or two, he 
 walked till he came to one of the city gates, and 
 pursuing his way through the suburbs, which 
 were very extensive, at length reached a lonely 
 spot, where he stopped till the darkness of the 
 night, as tlie most suitable time for the design he 
 had in contemplation. When it became quite 
 dark, he pulled the lamp ouc of his breast, and 
 rubbed it. At that summons the genie appeared, 
 and said, " What wouldst thou have ? I am ready 
 to obej' thee as thy slave, and the slave of all 
 those who have that lamp in their hands, — both I 
 and the other slaves of the lamp." " I command 
 thee," replied the magician, " to transport me im- 
 mediately, and the palace which thou and the 
 other slaves of the lamp have built in this citj', 
 with all the people in it, to Africa." The genie 
 made no reply, but with the assistance of the 
 other genies, the slaves of the lamp, immediately 
 transported him and the palace entire, to the spot 
 whither he had been desired to convey it. 
 
 Early the next morning, when the sultan, ac- 
 cording to custom, went to contemplate and ad- 
 mire Aladdin's palace, his amazement was un- 
 bounded to find that it could nowhere be seen. 
 He could not comprehend how so large a palace, 
 which he had seen plainly every day for some 
 years, should vanish so soon, and not leave the 
 
 32 
 
 least remains behind. In his perplexity he or- 
 dered the grand vizier to be sent for with expedi- 
 tion. 
 
 The grand vizier, who, in secret, bore no good- 
 will to Aladdin, intimated his suspicion that the 
 palace was built by magic, and that Aladdin had 
 made his hunting excursion an excuse for the 
 removal of his palace with the same suddenness 
 with which it had been erected. He induced the 
 sultan to send a detachment of his guards, and to 
 have Aladdin seized as a prisoner of state. On 
 his son-in-law being brought before him, he would 
 not hear a word from him, but ordered him to be 
 put to death. The decree caused so much dis- 
 content among the people, whose affection Alad- 
 din had secured by his largesses and charities, 
 that the sultan, fearful of an insurrection, was 
 obliged to grant him his life. When Aladdin 
 found himself at libertj', he again addressed the 
 sultan : " Sire, I praj' you to let me know the 
 crime by which I have thus lost the favor of thy 
 countenance." " Yotir crime ! " answered the sul- 
 tan ; " wretched man ! do you not know it ? Fol- 
 low me, and I will show you." The sultan then 
 took Aladdin into the apartment from whence he 
 was wont to look at and admire his palace, and 
 said, " You ought to know where your palace 
 stood ; look, mind, and tell me what has become 
 of it." Aladdin did so, and, being utterly amazed 
 at the loss of his palace, was speechless. At last 
 recovering himself, he said : " It is true, I do not 
 see the palace. It is vanished ; but I had no con- 
 cern in its removal. I beg you to give me forty 
 days, and if in that time I cannot restore it, I will 
 offer my head to be disposed of at your pleasure." 
 " I give you the time you ask, but at the end of 
 the forty days, forget not to present yourself be- 
 fore me." 
 
 Aladdin went out of the sultan's palace in a 
 condition of exceeding humiliation. The lords 
 who had courted him in the days of his splendor, 
 now declined to have any communication with 
 him. For three days he wandered about the citj', 
 exciting the wonder and compassion of the multi- 
 tude by asking everybody he' met if they had seen 
 
250 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 his palace, or could tell him anything of it. On 
 the third day he wandered in the country, and as 
 he was approaching a river, he fell down the bank 
 with so much violence, that he rubbed the ring 
 which the magician had given him so hard, by 
 holding on the rock to save himself, that immedi- 
 ately the same genie appeared whom he had seen 
 in the cave where the magician had left him. 
 " What wouldst thou have ? " said the genie. " I 
 am read}' to obej'' thee as thy slave, and the slave 
 of all those that have that ring on their finger, — 
 both I and the other slaves of the ring." 
 
 Aladdin, agreeably siii'prised at an offer of help 
 so little expected, replied, " Genie, show me whei'e 
 the palace I caused to be built now stands, or 
 transport it back where it first stood." " Your com- 
 mand,"' answered the genie, " is not whollj^ in my 
 power ; I am only the slave of the ring, and not 
 of the lamp." " I command thee, then," replied 
 Aladdin, " by the power of the ring, to transport 
 me to the spot where my palace stands, in what 
 part of the world soever it may be." These words 
 were no sooner out of his mouth, than the genie 
 transported hiin into Africa, to the midst of a 
 large plain, where his palace stood, at no great 
 distance from a city, and placing him exactly un- 
 der the window of the princess's apartment, left 
 him. 
 
 Now it so happened that shortly after Aladdin 
 had been transported by the slave of the ring to 
 the neighborhood of his palace, that one of the 
 attendants of the Princess Biiddir al Buddoor, 
 looking through the window, perceived him, and 
 instantly told her mistress. The princess, who 
 'ould not believe the joyful tidings, hastened her- 
 self to the window, and seeing Aladdin, immedi- 
 ately opened it. The noise of opening the win- 
 dow made Aladdin turn his head that way, and 
 perceiving the princess, he saluted her with an air 
 that expressed his joy. " To lose no time," said 
 she to him, " I have sent to have the private door 
 opened for you ; enter and come up." 
 
 The private door, which was just under the 
 princess's apartment, was soon opened,, and Alad- 
 din conducted up into the chamber. It is impos- 
 
 sible to express the joy of both at seeing each 
 other, after so cruel a separation. After embrac- 
 ing and shedding tears of joy, they sat down, and 
 Aladdin said, " I beg of you, princess, to tell me 
 what is become of an old lamp which stood upon a 
 shelf in my robing-chamber." 
 
 " Alas ! " answered the princess, " I was afraid 
 our misfortune might be owing to that lamp : and 
 what grieves me most is, that I have been the 
 cause of it. I was foolish enough to change the 
 old lamp for a new one, and the next mopiing 
 I found mj'self in this unknown country, which I 
 am told is Africa." 
 
 " Princess," said Aladdin, interrupting her, 
 " you have explained all b}' telling me we are in 
 Africa. I desire you only to tell me if you know 
 where the old lamp now is." " The African magi- 
 cian carries it carefully wrapped up in his bosom," 
 said the princess ; " and this I can assure you, be- 
 cause he pulled it out before me, and showed it to 
 me in triumph." 
 
 "Princess," said Aladdin, "I think I have 
 found the means to deliver you, and to regain pos- 
 session of the lamp, on which all my prosperity 
 depends ; to execute this design, it is necessary 
 for me to go to the town. I shall return by noon, 
 and will then tell you what must be done by you 
 to insure success. In the mean time, I shall dis- 
 guise myself, and I beg that the private door may 
 be opened at the first knock." 
 
 When Aladdin was out of the palace, he looked 
 round him on all sides, and perceiving a peasant 
 going into the country, hastened after him ; and 
 when he had overtaken him, made a proposal to 
 him to change clothes, which the man agreed to. 
 When they had made the exchange, the coun- 
 tryman went about his business, and Aladdin 
 entered the neighboring city. After traversing 
 several streets, he came to that part of the town 
 where the merchants and artisans had their par- 
 ticular streets, according to their trades. He Avent 
 into that of the druggists ; and entering one of 
 the largest and best furnished shops, asked the 
 druggist if he had a certain powder which he 
 named. 
 
THE STORY OF ALADDIN; OR, THE WONDERFUL LAMP. 
 
 251 
 
 The druggist, judging Aladdin by his habit to 
 be very poor, told him he had it, but that it was 
 very dear ; upon which Aladdin, penetrating his 
 thoughts, pulled out his purse, and showing him 
 some gold, asked for half a dram of the powder ; 
 which the druggist weighed and gave him, telling 
 him the price was a piece of gold. Aladdin put 
 the money into his hand, and hastened to the pal- 
 ace, which he entered at once by the private door. 
 When he came into the princess's apartment, he 
 said to her : " Princess, you must take your part 
 in the scheme which I propose for our deliverance. 
 You must overcome your aversion to the magi- 
 cian, and assume a most friendly manner towards 
 him, and ask him to oblige you by partaking of 
 an entertainment in your apartments. Before he 
 leaves, ask him to exchange cups with you, which 
 he, gratified at the honor you do him, will gladly 
 do, when you must give him the cup containing 
 this powder. On drinking it he will instantly fall 
 asleep, and we will obtain the lamp, whose slaves 
 will do all our bidding, and restore us and the pal- 
 ace to the capital of China." 
 
 The princess obeyed to the utmost her hus- 
 band's instructions. She assumed a look of pleas- 
 ure on the next visit of the magician, and asked 
 him to an entertainment, which he most willingly 
 accepted. At the close of the evening, during 
 which the princess had tried all she could to please 
 him, she asked him to exchange cups with her, 
 and giving the signal, had the drugged cup brought 
 to her, which she gave to the magician. He 
 drank it out of compliment to the princess to the 
 very last drop, when he fell backwards lifeless on 
 the sofa. 
 
 The princess, in anticipation of the success of 
 her scheme, had so placed her women from the 
 great hall to the foot of the staircase, that the 
 word was no sooner given that the African magi- 
 cian was fallen backwards, than the dooi' was 
 opened, and Aladdin admitted to the hall. The 
 princess rose from her seat, and ran overjoyed to 
 embrace him ; but he stopped her, and said : 
 " Princess, retire to your apartment ; and let me 
 be left alone, while I endeavor to transport you 
 
 back to China as speedily as you were brought 
 from thence." 
 
 When the princess, her women, and slaves were 
 gone out of the hall, Aladdin shut the door, and 
 going directly to the dead body of the magician, 
 opened his vest, took out the lamp which was 
 carefully wrapped up, and rubbing it, the genie 
 immediately appeared. " Genie," said Aladdin, 
 " I command thee to transport this palace instantly 
 to the place. from whence it was brought hither." 
 The genie bowed his head in token of obedience, 
 and disappeared. Immediately the palace was 
 transported into China, and its removal was only 
 felt by two little shocks, the one when it was 
 lifted up, the other when it was set down, and 
 both in a very short interval of time. 
 
 On the morning after the restoration of Alad- 
 din's palace, the sultan was looking out of his 
 window, and mourning over the fate of his daugh- 
 ter, when he thought that he saw the vacancy 
 created by the disappearance of the palace to be 
 again filled up. On looking more attentively, he 
 was convinced beyond the power of doubt that it 
 was his son-in law's palace. Joy and gladness 
 succeeded to sorrow and grief. He at once or- 
 dered a horse to be saddled, which he mounted 
 that instant, thinking he could not make haste 
 enough to the place. 
 
 Aladdin rose that morning by daybreak, put on 
 one of the most magnificent habits his wardrobe 
 afforded, and went up into the hall of twenty-four 
 windows, from whence he perceived the sultan ap- 
 proaching, and received him at the foot of the 
 great staircase, helping him to dismount. 
 
 He led the sultan into the princess's apartment. 
 The happy father embraced her with tears of 
 joy ; and the princess, on her side, afforded simi- 
 lar testimonies of her extreme pleasure. After a 
 short interval, devoted to mutual explanations of 
 all that had happened, the sultan restored Aladdin 
 to his favor, and expressed his regret for the ap- 
 parent harshness with which he had treated him. 
 " My son," said he, " be not displeased at my pro- 
 ceedings against you ; they arose from my pater- 
 nal love, and therefore you ought to forgive the 
 
252 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS 
 
 excesses to which it hurried me." " Sire," replied 
 Aladdin, " I have not the least reason to complain 
 of your conduct, since you did nothing but what 
 your duty required. This infamous magician, the 
 basest of men, was the sole cause of my misfort- 
 une." 
 
 The African magician, who was thus twice foiled 
 in his endeavor to ruin Aladdin, had a younger 
 brother who was as skillful a magician as himself, 
 and exceeded him in wickedness and hatred of 
 mankind. By mutual agreement they communi- 
 cated with each other once a year, however widely 
 separated might be their place of residence from 
 each other. The younger brother, not having 
 received as usual his annual communication, pre- 
 pared to take a horoscope and ascertain his broth- 
 er's proceedings. He, as well as his brother, always 
 carried a geomantic square instrument about him ; 
 he prepared the sand, cast the points, and drew 
 the figures. On examining the planetary crystal, 
 he found that his brother was no longer living, but 
 had been poisoned , and bj' another observation, 
 that he was in the capital of the kingdom of 
 China ; also that the person who had poisoned 
 him was of mean birth, though married to a prin- 
 cess, a sultan's daughter! 
 
 When the magician had informed himself of 
 his brother's fate he resolved immediately to re- 
 venge his death, and at once departed for China ; 
 where, after crossing plains, rivers, mountains, 
 deserts, and a long tract of country without delay, 
 he arrived after incredible fatigues. When he 
 came to the capital of China, he took a lodging at 
 a khan. His magic art soon revealed to him that 
 Aladdin was the person who had been the cause of 
 the death of his brother. He had heard, too, all 
 the persons of repute in the city talking of a 
 woman called Fatima, who was retired from the 
 world, and of the miracles she wrought. As he 
 fancied that this woman might be serviceable to 
 him in the project he had conceived, he made 
 more minute inquiries, and requested to be in- 
 formed more particularly who that holy woman 
 was, and what sort of miracles she performed. 
 
 "What! " said the person whom he addressed. 
 
 " have you never seen or heard ot her ? She is 
 the admiration of the whole town, for her fasting, 
 her austerities, and her exemplary life. Except 
 Mondays and Fridays, she never stirs out of her 
 little cell ; and on those days on which she comes 
 into the town she does an infinite deal of good ; 
 for there is not a person who is diseased but she 
 puts her hand on them and cures them." 
 
 Having ascertained the place where the hermit- 
 age of this holy woman was, the magician went at 
 night, and plunged a poniard into her heart, — 
 killed this good woman. In the morning he dyed 
 his face of the same hue as hers, and arraying 
 himself in her garb, taking her veil, the large 
 necklace she wore round her waist, and her stick, 
 went straight to the palace of Aladdin. 
 
 As soon as the people saw the holy woman, as 
 they imagined him to be, thej^ presently gathered 
 about him in a great crowd. Some begged his 
 blessing, others kissed his hand, and others, more 
 reserved, onlj' the hem of his garment ; while oth- 
 ers, suiiering from disease, stooped for him to lay 
 his hands upon them which he did, muttering 
 some words in form of prayer, and, in short, coun- 
 terfeiting so well that everybody took him for the 
 lioljr woman. He came at last to the square before 
 Aladdin's palace. The crowd and the noise were 
 so great that the princess, who was in the hall of 
 four-and-twenty windows, heard it, and asked 
 what was the matter. One of her women told her 
 it was a great crowd of people, collected about the 
 holy woman to be cured of diseases by the imposi- 
 tion of her hands. 
 
 The princess, who had long heard of this holy 
 woman, but had never seen her, was very desirous 
 to have some conversation with her ; which the 
 chief officer perceiving, told her it was an easy 
 matter to bring her to her, if she desired and com- 
 manded it ; and the princess expressing her wishes, 
 he immediately sent four slaves for the pretended 
 holy woman. 
 
 As soon as the crowd saw the attendants from 
 the palace, they made way ; and the magician, 
 perceiving also that they were coming for him, 
 advanced to meet them, overjoyed to find his plot 
 
THE STORT OF ALADDIN; OR, THE WONDERFUL LAMP. 
 
 253 
 
 succeed so well. " Holy woman," said one of the 
 slaves, " the princess wants to see you, and has 
 sent us for you." " The princess does me too great 
 an honor," replied the false Fatima ; " I am ready 
 to obey her command," and at the same time fol- 
 lowed the slaves to the palace. 
 
 When the pretended Fatima had made her 
 obeisance, the princess said : " My good mother, 
 I have one thing to request, which you must not 
 refuse me ; it is, to stay with me, that you may 
 edify me with your way of living, and that I may 
 learn from your good example." " Princess," said 
 the counterfeit Fatima, " I beg of you not to ask 
 what I cannot consent to without neglecting my 
 prayers and devotion." " That shall be no hin- 
 drance to you," answered the princess ; " I have 
 a great many apartments unoccupied ; you shall 
 choose which you like best, and have as much 
 liberty to perform your devotions as if you were 
 in your own cell." 
 
 The magician, who really desired nothing more 
 than to introduce himself into the palace, where 
 it would be a much easier matter for him to 
 execute his designs, did not long excuse him- 
 self from accepting the obliging offer which the 
 princess made him. " Princess," said he, " what- 
 ever resolution a poor wretched woman as I am 
 may have made to renounce the pomp and gran- 
 deur of this world, I dare not presume to oppose 
 the will and commands of so pious and charitable 
 a princess." 
 
 Upon this the princess, rising up, said : " Come 
 with me ; I will show you what vacant apartments 
 I have, that you may make choice of that you hke 
 best." The magician followed the princess, and 
 of all the apartments she showed hirn, made 
 choice of that which was the worst, saying that it 
 was too good for him, and that he only accepted 
 it to please her. 
 
 Afterwards the princess would have brought him 
 back again into the great hall to make him dine 
 with her ; but he, considering that he should then 
 be obliged to show his face, which he had always 
 taken care to conceal with Fatima's veil, and fear- 
 ing that the princess should find out that he was 
 
 not Fatima, begged of her earnestly to excuse 
 him, telling her that he never ate anything but 
 bread and dried fruits, and desiring to eat that 
 slight repast in his own apartment. The princess 
 granted his request, saying, " You may be as free 
 here, good mother, as if you were in your own 
 cell: I will order you a dinner, but remember I 
 expect you as soon as you have finished your re- 
 past." 
 
 After the princess had dined, and the false 
 Fatima had been sent for by one of the attendants, 
 he again waited upon her. " My good mother," 
 said the princess, " I am overjoyed to see so holy 
 a woman as yourself, who will confer a blessing 
 upon this palace. But now I am speaking of the 
 palace, pray how do you like it ? And before I 
 show it all to you, tell me first what you think of 
 this hall." 
 
 Upon this question, the counterfeit Fatima sur- 
 veyed the hall from one end to the other. When 
 he had examined it well, he said to the princess : 
 " As far as such a solitaiy being as I am, who am 
 unacquainted with what the world calls beautiful, 
 can judge, this hall is truly admirable ; there wants 
 but one thing." " What is that, good mother ? " 
 demanded the princess; " tell me, I conjure you. 
 For my part, I always believed, and have heard 
 say, it wanted nothing ; but if it does, it shall be 
 supplied." 
 
 " Princess," said the false Fatima, with great 
 dissimulation, "forgive me the liberty I have 
 taken ; but my opinion is, if it can be of any im- 
 portance, that if a roc's egg were hung up in the 
 middle of the dome, this hall would have no par- 
 allel in the four quarters of the world, and your 
 palace would be the wonder of the universe." 
 
 " My good mother," said the princess, " what 
 is a roc, and where may one get an egg? " " Prin- 
 cess," replied the pretended Fatima, " it is a bird 
 of prodigious size, which inhabits the summit of 
 Mount Caucasus ; the architect who built your 
 palace can get you one. 
 
 After the princess had thanked the false Fatima 
 for what she believed her good advice, she con- 
 versed witti her upon other matters ; but could not 
 
254 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 forget the roc's egg, which she resolved to request 
 of Aladdin when next he should visit his apart- 
 ments. He did so in the course of that evening, 
 and shortly after he entered, the princess thus ad- 
 dressed him : " I always believed that our palace 
 was the most superb, magnificent, and complete 
 in the world : but I will tell you now what it 
 wants, and that is a roc's egg hung up in the 
 midst of the dome." " Princess," replied Aladdin, 
 " it is enough that you think it wants such an 
 ornament ; you shall see b}' the diligence which 
 I use in obtaining it, that there is nothing which 
 I could not do for your sake." 
 
 Aladdin left the Princess Buddir al Buddoor 
 that moment, and went up into the hall of four- 
 and-twenty windows, where, pulling out of his 
 bosom the lamp, which, after the danger he had 
 been exposed to, he always carried about him, he 
 rubbed it ; upon which the genie immediately ap- 
 peared. " Genie,'" said Aladdin, " I command thee 
 in the name of this lamp, bring a roc's egg to be 
 hung up in the middle of the dome of the hall of 
 the palace." Aladdin had no sooner pronounced 
 these words than the hall shook as if ready to 
 fall ; and the genie said in a loud and terrible 
 voice : " Is it not enough that I and the other 
 slaves of the lamp have done everything for you, 
 but you, by an unheavd-of ingratitude, must com- 
 mand me to bring my master, and hang him up 
 in the midst of this dome? This attempt deserves 
 that you, the princess, and the palace, should be 
 immediately reduced to ashes : but you are spared 
 because this request does not come from yourself. 
 Its true author is the brother of the African ma- 
 gician, your enemy, whom jj'ou have destroyed. 
 He is now in your palace, disguised in the habit 
 of the holy woman Fatima, whom he has mui'- 
 dered ; at his suggestion your wife makes this per- 
 nicious demand. His di-sign is to kill you, there- 
 fore take care of yourself." After these words 
 the genie disappeared. 
 
 Aladdin resolved at once what to do. He re- 
 
 turned to the princess's apartment, and without 
 mentioning a word of what had happened, sat 
 down, and complained of a great pain which had 
 suddenly seized his head. On hearing this, the 
 princess told him how she had invited the holy 
 Fatima to stay with her and that she was now in 
 the palace ; and at the request of the prince, or- 
 dered her to be summoned to her at once. 
 
 When the pretended Fatima came, Aladdin 
 said : " Come hither, good mother , I am glad to 
 see you here at so fortunate a time. I am tor- 
 mented with a violent pain in my head, and re- 
 quest your assistance, and hope you will not refuse 
 me that cure which you impart to afflicted per- 
 sons." So saying, he arose, but held down his 
 head. The counterfeit Fatima advanced towards 
 him, with his hand all the time on a dagger con- 
 cealed in his girdle under his gown ; which Alad 
 din observing, he snatched the weapon from his 
 hand, pierced him to the heart with his own dag- 
 ger, and then pushed him down on the floor. 
 
 " My dear prince, what have you done ? " cried 
 the princess, in surprise. " You have killed the 
 holy woman ! " " No, my princess," answered 
 Aladdin, with emotion, " I have not killed Fatima, 
 but a villain, who would have assassinated me, if 
 I had not prevented him. This wicked man," 
 added he, uncovering his face, " is the brother of 
 the magician who attempted our ruin. He has 
 strangled tlie true Fatima, and disguised himself 
 in her clothes with intent ti> murder me." Alad- 
 din then informed her how the genie had told him 
 these facts, and how narrowly she and the palace 
 had escaped destruction through his treacherous 
 suggestion wliidi had led to her request. 
 
 Thus was Aladdin delivered from the persecu- 
 tion of the two brothers, who were magicians. 
 Within a few years afterwards, the sultan died in 
 a good old age, and, as he left no male children, 
 the Princess Buddir al Buddoor succeeded him, 
 and she and Aladdin reigned together many yeai-s, 
 and left a numerous and illustrious posterity. 
 
THE ADVENTURES OF THE GALIPH HAROUN AL-RASGHID. 
 
 255 
 
 V. THE ADVENTURES OF THE CALIPH HAROUN AL-RASCHID. 
 
 The Caliph Haroun Al-Raschid, was accus- 
 tomed to visit the city of Bagdad in disguise, that 
 he might see, himself, into the condition of the 
 people, and hear their 
 
 reports of his court 
 and government. On 
 one occasion, he and 
 his grand vizier Giafar 
 disguised themselves 
 as foreign merchants, 
 and went their way 
 through the different 
 parts of the city. As 
 they entered on a 
 bridge which connect- 
 ed together the two 
 parts of the city of 
 Bagdad, divided by 
 the river Euphrates, 
 they met an old blind 
 man, who asked alms. 
 The caliph put a piece 
 of gold into his hand, 
 on which the blind 
 man caught hold of 
 his hand, and stopped 
 him, saying: "Sir, 
 pray forgive me ; I de- 
 sire you would either 
 give me a box on the 
 ear, or take your alms 
 back again, for I can- 
 not receive it but on 
 that condition, with- 
 out breaking a sol- 
 emn oath which I have sworn to God ; and if you 
 knew the reason, you would agree with me that 
 the punishment is verjr slight." 
 
 The caliph, unwilling to be detained any longer, 
 yielded to the importunity of the blind man, and 
 gave him a very slight blow : whereupon he im- 
 mediately let him go, thanked and blessed him. 
 
 When they came into the town, they found in a 
 square a great crowd of spectators, looking at a 
 young man who was mounted on a mare, which 
 
 he drove and urged 
 full speed round the 
 place, spurring and 
 whipping the poor 
 creature so barbai'- 
 ously that she was all 
 over sweat and blood. 
 The caliph, amazed 
 at the inhumanity of 
 the rider, stopped to 
 ask the people if they 
 knew why he used the 
 mare so ill, but could 
 learn nothing, except 
 that for some time 
 past he had every 
 day, at the same hour, 
 treated her in the 
 same manner. 
 
 The caliph, on his 
 way to his palace, ob- 
 served in a street, 
 which he had not 
 passed through for a 
 long time, an edifice 
 newly built, which 
 seemed to him to be 
 the palace of some one 
 of the great lords ot 
 the court. He asked 
 the grand vizier if he 
 °°' ^ knew to whom it be- 
 longed ; who answered he did not, but would in- 
 quire : and thereupon asked a neighbor, who told 
 him that the house belonged to one Cogia Hassan, 
 surnamed Alhabbal, on account of his original 
 trade of rope-making, which he had seen him work 
 at himself, when poor; that without knowing how 
 fortune had favored him, he supposed he must 
 
256 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 have acquired great wealth, as he defrayed hon- 
 orably and splendidly the expenses he had been at 
 in building. 
 
 The grand vizier rejoined the caliph, and gave 
 him a full account of what he had heard. "I must 
 see this fortunate rope-maker," said the caliph, 
 " and also this blind beggar, and the young man 
 who treated the mare so cruelly ; therefore go and 
 tell them to come to my palace." Accordingly 
 the vizier obeyed. 
 
 The next day, after afternoon prayers, the grand 
 vizier introduced the three persons we have been 
 speaking of, and preseiited them to the caliph. 
 
 They all three prostrated themselves before the 
 throne, and when they rose up, the caliph asked 
 the blind man his name, who answered, it was 
 Baba Abdalla. 
 
 " Baba Abdalla," replied the caliph, " I or- 
 dered you to come hither, to know from yourself 
 why you made the indiscreet oath you told me of. 
 Tell me freely, for I will know the truth." 
 
 Baba Abdalla cast himself a second time at the 
 foot of the caliph's throne, with his face to the 
 ground, and when he rose up, said: " Commander 
 of the Faithful, I most humbl)"^ ask your pardon 
 for my presumption in requiring you to box my 
 ear. As to the extravagance of my action, I own 
 that it must seem strange to mankind ; but in the 
 eye of God it is a slight penance for an enormous 
 crime of which I have been guilty, and for which, 
 if all the people in the world were each to give 
 me a box on the ear, it would not be a sufficient 
 atonement." 
 
 THE STORY OF BABA ABDALLA. 
 
 Commander of the Faithful, continued Baba 
 Abdalla, I was born at Bagdad. My father and 
 mother died while I was yet a youth, and I in- 
 herited from them an ample estate. Although so 
 young, I neglected no opportunity to increase it 
 by my industrj'. I soon became rich enough to 
 purchase fourscore camels, which I let out to mer- 
 chants, who hired them at a considerable profit to 
 me, to carry their merchandise from one country 
 to another. 
 
 As I was returning one day with my unloaded 
 camels from Bussorah, whither I had carried some 
 bales that were to be embarked for the Indies, I 
 met a dervis, who was walking to Bussorah. I 
 asked him whence he came, and where he was go- 
 ing : he put the same questions to me ; and when 
 we had satisfied each other's curiosity, we pro- 
 duced our provisions and ate together. 
 
 During our repast, the dervis told me of a spot 
 not far from where we sat, in which such im- 
 mense riches were collected that if all my four- 
 score camels were loaded with the gold and jewels 
 that might be taken from it, they would not be 
 missed. 
 
 I was overjoyed at this intelligence. 
 
 " You say," continued the dervis, " that you 
 have fourscore camels : I am ready to conduct 
 you to the place where the treasure lies, and we 
 will load them with as much jewels and gold as 
 they can carry, on condition that when they are 
 so loaded, you will let me have one half, and you 
 be contented with the other ; after which we will 
 separate, and take our camels wliere we may think 
 fit. You see there is nothing but what is strictly 
 equitable in this division ; for if you give me forty 
 camels, you will procure by my means where- 
 withal to purchase thousands." 
 
 I assented, though with some reluctance, to his 
 proposal. I at once collected all my camels, and 
 set out with the dervis. After we had traveled 
 some time, we came to a pass, which was so nar- 
 row that two camels could not go abreast. The 
 two mountains which bounded tliis valley were so 
 high and stpep that there was no fear of our be- 
 ing seen by anj'body. 
 
 When we came into the valley between these 
 two mountains, the dervis bade me stop the cam- 
 els. He proceeded to gather some sticks, and to 
 light a fire : he then cast some incense into it, 
 pronouncing certain words which I did not under- 
 stand, when presently a thick cloud arase. This 
 soon dispersed, when the rock forming the side of 
 the valley opened, and exposed to view a magnifi- 
 cent palace in the hollow of the mountain. 
 So eager was I for the treasures which displayed 
 
THE ADVENTURES OF THE CALIPH HAROUN AL-RASGHID. 
 
 267 
 
 themselves to my view, that, like an eagle seizing 
 her prey, I fell upon the first heap of golden coin 
 that was near me. My sacks were all large, and 
 I would have filled them all, but I was obliged to 
 proportion my burden to the strength of my cam- 
 els. The dervis paid more attention to the jewels 
 than the gold, and I soon followed his example, so 
 that we took away much more jewels than gold. 
 When we had filled our sacks, and loaded our 
 camels, the dervis used the same incantations to 
 shut the treasury as he had done to open it, when 
 the doors closed, and the rock seemed as solid and 
 entire as it was before. I observed, however, that 
 the dervis, before he went away, took a small ves- 
 sel out of the cave and put it into his breast, first 
 showing me that it contained only a glutinous sort 
 of ointment. 
 
 We now divided our camels. I put myself at 
 the head of the forty which I had reserved for 
 myself, and the dervis placed himself at the head 
 of those which I had given him. We came out 
 of the valley by the way we had entered, and 
 traveled together till we came to the great road, 
 where we were to part, — the dervis to go to Bus- 
 sorah, and I to Bagdad. To thank him for so 
 great a kindness, I made use of the most expres- 
 sive terms, testifying my gratitude for the pref- 
 erence he had given me before all other men in 
 letting me have a share of such riches. We em- 
 braced each other with great joy, and, taking our 
 leave, pursued our different routes. 
 
 I had not gone far, following my camels, which 
 paced quietly on in the track I had put them into, 
 before the demon of ingratitude and envy took 
 possession of my heart, and I deplored the loss of 
 my other forty, but much more the riches'where- 
 with they were loaded. " The dervis," said I to 
 myself, " has no occasion for all this wealth, since 
 he is master of the treasure, and may have as much 
 as he pleases ; " so I determined immediately to 
 take the camels with their loading from him. 
 
 To execute this design, I first stopped my own 
 camels, then ran after the dervis, and called to 
 him as loud as I could, and made a sign to him to 
 stop, which he accordingly did. 
 33 
 
 When I came up to him, I said : " Brother, I 
 had no sooner parted from you, but a thought 
 came into my head, which neither of us had re- 
 flected on before. You are a recluse devvis, used 
 to live in tranquillity, disengaged from all the 
 cares of the world, and intent only upon serving 
 God. You know not, perhaps, what trouble you 
 have taken upon yourself to take care of so many 
 camels. If you would take ray advice, you would 
 keep but thirty ; you will find them suflficiently 
 troublesome to manage. Take my word ; I have 
 had experience," 
 
 " I believe you are right," replied the dervis ; 
 " choose which ten you please, and take them, 
 and go on in God's keeping." 
 
 I set ten apart, and after I had driven them off, 
 I put them in the road to follow my others. I 
 could not have imagined that the dervis would be 
 so easily persuaded to part with his camels, which 
 increased my covetousness, and made me think 
 that it would be no hard matter to get ten more ; 
 wherefore, instead of thanking him, I said to him 
 again : " Brother, I cannot part from you without 
 desiring you to consider once more how difficult a 
 thing it is to govern thirty loaded camels, espe- 
 cially for you, who are not used to such woi-k ; 
 you will find it mucli better to return me as 
 many more back as you have done already." 
 
 The dervis gave me, without any hesitation, the 
 other ten camels ; so that he had but twenty left, 
 and I was master of sixty, and might boast of 
 greater riches than any sovereign prince. Any 
 one would have thought I should now have been 
 content ; but the more we have, the more we want ; 
 and I became, from my success, more greedy and 
 desirous of the other twenty camels. 
 
 I redoubled my solicitations and importunities 
 to make the dervis grant me ten of the twenty, 
 which he did with a good grace : and as to the 
 other ten he had left, I embraced him, kissed his 
 feet, caressed and entreated him, so that he gave 
 me these also. " Make a good use of them 
 brother," said the dervis; "and remember that 
 God can take away riches as well as give them, 
 if we do not assist the poor, whom He suffers to 
 
258 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 be in want on purpose that the rich may do them 
 good." 
 
 I was not yet content, though I had my forty 
 camels again, and knew they were loaded with an 
 inestimable treasure. A thought came into my 
 head, that the little box of ointment which the 
 dervis showed me contained some treasure o£ in- 
 ■estimable value, and I determined to obtain it. 
 I had just embraced him and bade him adieu, 
 when I again returned, and said : " That little 
 box of ointment seems such a trifle, it is not worth 
 your carrying away. I entreat you to make me 
 ■a present of it. What occasion has a dervis, who 
 has renounced the vanities of the world, for per- 
 fumes, or scented unguents ? " 
 
 The dervis pulled it out of his bosom, and pre- 
 senting it to me, said : " Here, take it, brother, 
 and be content ; if I could do more for you, you 
 needed but to have asked me — I should have 
 been ready to satisfy you." 
 
 When I had the box in my hand, I opened it, 
 and looking at the unguent, said : " Since you are 
 so good, I am sure you will not refuse to tell me 
 the use of this ointment." 
 
 " The use is very surprising and wonderful," 
 replied the dervis. " If you apply a little of it 
 upon the lid of the left eye, you will see all the 
 treasures contained in the bosom of the earth ; 
 bat if you apply it to the right eyelid, it will make 
 . you blind." 
 
 " Take the box," said I to the dervis, " and ap- 
 ply some to my left eyelid ; you understand how 
 to do it better than I." The dervis had no sooner 
 done so, than I saw immense treasures, and such 
 prodigious riches, that it is impossible for me to 
 give an account of them ; but as I was obliged to 
 keep my right eye shut with my hand, I desired 
 the dervis to apply some of the pomatum to that 
 eye. 
 
 "lam ready to do it," said the dervis; "but 
 you must remember what I told you, that if you 
 put any of it upon your right eye, you would im- 
 mediately be blind ; such is the virtue of the oint- 
 ment." 
 
 Far from being persuaded of the truth of what 
 
 the dervis said, I imagined, on the contrary, that 
 there was some new mystery, which he meant to 
 hide from me. " Brother," replied I, smiHng, " I 
 see plainly you wish to mislead me ; it is not nat- 
 ural that this ointment should have two such 
 contrary effects." 
 
 " The matter is as I tell you," replied the der- 
 vis. " You ought to believe me, for I cannot dis- 
 guise the truth." 
 
 The dervis made all the resistance possible ; 
 but seeing that I would take no refusal, he took 
 a little of the ointment, and applied it to my right 
 eyelid. But, alas I I ceased at once to distinguish 
 anything with either eye, and became blind, as 
 you see me now. 
 
 " Ah, dervis ! " I exclaimed, in agony, •• what 
 you foi'ewarned me of has proved but too true. 
 I am now sensible what a misfortune- I have 
 brought upon myself by my fatal curiosity and 
 insatiable desire of riches ; but you, dear brother," 
 cried I, addressing myself to the dervis, " who are 
 so charitable and good, among the many wonder- 
 ful secrets you are acquainted with, have you not 
 one to restore to me my sight again ? " 
 
 " jNIiserable man!" answered the dervis, "you 
 might have avoided this misfortune, but you have 
 your deserts. The blindness of your mind was the 
 cause of the loss of your eyes. I have no power 
 to restore to you your sight. Pray to God, there- 
 fore ; it is He alone that can restore it to you. 
 He gave you riches, of which you were unworthy; 
 and on that account He takes them from you 
 again, and will by ray hands give them to a man 
 not so ungrateful as yourself." 
 
 The dervis said no more, but left me to myself, 
 overwhelmed with confusion and grief. He then 
 collected my camels, and drove them away to Bus- 
 sorah. 
 
 I cried out loudly as he was departing, and en- 
 treated him not to leave me in that miserable 
 condition, but to conduct me at least to the first 
 caravanserai ; but he was deaf to my prayers and 
 entreaties. Thus deprived of sight, and of all I 
 had in the world, I should have died with afflic- 
 tion and hunger, if the next day a caravan return- 
 
THE ADVENTURES OF THE CALIPH HAROVN AL-RASGHID. 
 
 259 
 
 ing from Bussorali had not received me charita- 
 bly, and brought me back to Bagdad. 
 
 After this manner was I reduced, without rem- 
 edy, from a condition of great wealth to a state 
 of poverty. I had no other way to subsist but 
 by asking charity, which I have done till now. 
 But to expiate my offense against God, I enjoined 
 on myself, by way of penance, a box on the ear 
 from every charitable person who shall commis- 
 erate my condition and give me alms. 
 
 This, Commander of the Faithful, is the motive 
 which caused me to make so strange a request to 
 you. I ask your pardon once more as your slave, 
 and submit to receive the chastisement I deserve. 
 
 " Baba Abdalla," the caliph said, " your sin 
 has been great ; but, God be praised, your self- 
 inflicted penance proves your sorrow. But that 
 you may forego your daily asking of alms, I give 
 you henceforth four silver dirhems a day, which 
 my grand vizier shall give you daily with the pen- 
 ance you have imposed on yourself." 
 
 At these words, Baba Abdalla prostrated him- 
 self before the caliph's throne, returned him 
 thanks, and wished him all happiness and pros- 
 perity. 
 
 THE STOEY OF SIDI NOTJMAN. 
 
 The caliph next addressed himself to the young 
 man who used his mare so ill, and demanded of 
 him the reason of his cruel conduct. 
 
 Commander of the Faithful, he replied, my 
 name is Sidi Nouman, and I inherited a fair es- 
 tate from my parents. Having the means to sup- 
 port a wife, I married when quite young a woman 
 named Amine. The first time I saw my wife 
 without her veil was according to our custom, after 
 our marriage, and I was rejoiced to find that I 
 had not been deceived in the account which I had 
 heard of her beauty. I was, on the contrarj^ very 
 much pleased with her. The day after our mar- 
 riage we had a dinner of several dishes, but of none 
 would she partake, save of a little rice, which she 
 ate grain by grain, conveying them to her mouth 
 with a silver bodkin. The same thing happened 
 again at supper. The next day, and every time 
 
 we ate toget?/er, she behaved after the same fash- 
 ion. I saw clearly that no woman could live on 
 the little she ate, and that there must be some 
 mystery about her. One night, when my wife 
 thought me fast asleep, she got up very quietly, 
 and dressed herself, and left the chamber without 
 the least noise. The instant she closed the door 
 I dressed in the utmost haste, and followed her. 
 Favored by the light of the moon, I caught sight 
 of her, and traced her to a burial-ground near our 
 house, where I perceived that she was joined by a 
 female ghoul, and supposed that she would join 
 her in her dreadful orgies. I immediately re- 
 turned to my house without having attracted her 
 observation, and lay down again. After a short 
 interval she came back as noiselessly as she had 
 gone out. On the next day, as she still persisted 
 at dinner to eat her rice grain by grain, " Amine," 
 said I, " I have often complained to you of your 
 eating your rice grain by grain. Tell me, are 
 not the dishes served at my table as delicate as 
 the dreadful repast of a ghoul ? " I had scarcely 
 said these words, when Amine, who thoroughly 
 understood what I meant, fell into a fearful fit of 
 passion, and taking a glass of water, threw it in 
 my face, and said, " Foolish man ! take the form 
 of a dog." 
 
 I had not, previously to this, known that Amine 
 was a sorceress. But no sooner was her incan- 
 tation said than I lost the human form, and 
 found myself a dog. I was so surprised that I 
 did not bark, nor bite, nor run away. I did not 
 know what to do. She then took up a stick and 
 beat me, and half opened the door, with the in- 
 tention, I believe, of crushing me against the door- 
 post as I I'an out. I fortunately escaped without 
 further injury than the loss of a part of my tail. 
 The pain I felt made me cry and howl, as T ran 
 along the street. This occasioned other dogs to 
 run after and worry me. To avoid their pursuit, 
 I ran into the shop of a man who dressed and sold 
 sheeps' heads, tongues, and feet ; and there I 
 got shelter. I soon saw a great many dogs of the 
 neighborhood, drawn thither by the smell of the 
 meat, collected round the shop of my host, wait- 
 
260 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NI9HTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 ing till he threw them something ; these I joined, 
 and so got something to eat. The next day I found 
 shelter with a baker, who treated me kindly. 
 Here I stayed some months. One day, as a woman 
 was buying some bread, slie gave some bad money 
 to my master. He asked her to change it for an- 
 other piece. The woman refused, and maintained 
 it was good money. The baker asserted the con- 
 trary, and said, " The piece of money is so bad, 
 that I am sure my dog would distinguish it. Come 
 here," said he, calling me, and throwing down the 
 pieces of monej'. " See if there is a bad piece of 
 money among these." I looked over all the pieces, 
 and putting my foot upon the bad one, I sepa- 
 rated it from the rest, looking in my master's face, 
 as if to show it him. 
 
 The baker was extremely surprised, and when 
 the woman was gone told his neighbors what had 
 happened. They quickly came to test my talent, 
 and I never failed to pick out from the silver or 
 gold pieces those which were bad, and to separate 
 them with my foot. The report of me procured 
 my master so much custom, he could scarcely get 
 through it. One day a woman came to buy bread, 
 and to test my knowledge put down six pieces of 
 good and six pieces of bad money, and told me to 
 separate them ; I did so with my foot. On her 
 leaving the shop she made me a sign to follow her, 
 which I understood and obeyed. 
 
 I followed her at a distance, and reached her as 
 she stopped at her house. I entered with her, and 
 she presented me to her daughter. " Daughter," 
 she said, " I have brought you the baker's famous 
 dog, who so well knows how to distinguish false 
 money from good. On the first report that was 
 spread about him, you know I told you my idea of 
 iiis being a man, changed into a dog by some 
 wicked enchantment. What say you, — am I de- 
 ceived, in my conjecture ? " "You are not de- 
 ceived mother," replied the daughter, " as I shall 
 soon convince you." 
 
 The young lady rose from her seat, took a vessel 
 full of water, into which she dipped her hand, and 
 throwing some of the water on me, she said : " If 
 yon were born a dog, remain a dog ; but if you 
 
 were born a man, resume the figure of a man, by 
 virtue of this water." At that moment the en- 
 chantment was broken ; I lost the form of a dog, 
 and saw myself once more a man. I immediately 
 expressed my deep gratitude to this fair lady, and 
 told her by what means I lost my human shape. 
 " Sidi Nouman," said the young woman, " I try to 
 do all the good I can with the knowledge of 
 magic which I possess ; I will yet further help 
 you. Return to your home : and when you see 
 Amine, your wife, in the first moment of her as- 
 tonishment at the sight of you, throw over her 
 some of this water, which I now give you, pro- 
 nouncing these words, — - Receive the just reward 
 of thy cruelty.' "' I did exactly according to the 
 direction given me ; and on ray saying the ap- 
 pointed words, my wife was turned into the mare 
 on which I rode yesterday. I punish her very 
 often in the way you saw, to make her sensible of 
 the cruelty of which she was guilty. I have thus, 
 nccording to your command, related my history. 
 
 "• Your wife's conduct deserves punishment, but 
 I would have you henceforth forego the chastise- 
 ment which I have witnessed. The degradation 
 to her present state is a sufficient retribution. I 
 would even wish you to seek the disenchantment of 
 Amine, if you could be sure that she would forego 
 her ci'uelties, and cease to use magical arts." 
 
 The caliph then turned to Cogia Hassan, and 
 demanded of him a narrative of his good fortune. 
 
 HISTORY OF COGIA HASSAIST ALHABBAL. 
 
 Commander of the Faithful, my name is Has- 
 san, but from my trade I am commonlj'' known by 
 the name of Hassan Alhabbal. I owe the good 
 fortune I now enjoy to two dear friends, whose 
 names are Saad and Saadi. Saadi is very rich. 
 He ever maintained the opinion that wealth was 
 essential to happiness, as without it no one could 
 be independent. He declared further his belief 
 that poverty is 'in most cases owing to a want of 
 sufficient money to commence with ; and if a man 
 once had enough to start with, and made a right 
 use of it, he would, in time, infallibly grow rich. 
 Saad disputed the truth of these sentiments. He 
 
THE ADVENTURES OF THE CALIPH HAROUN AL-RASGHID. 
 
 261 
 
 maintained that a poor man may become rich by 
 other means as well as money, and that some have 
 become rich by mere chance, as others have done 
 by the possession of sufficient money to commence 
 with. 
 
 Saadi replied : " Well, we will not dispute any 
 more, but test our different theories by an experi- 
 ment. I will give a sufficient suUi of money to 
 some honest but poor artisan, and see if he does 
 not obtain with it wealth and ease. If I fail, then 
 you shall trj' if you can succeed better by the 
 means you may employ." 
 
 Some few days after this dispute, Saad and 
 Saadi passed by my house as I was engaged in mj^ 
 trade of rope-making. They expressed their sur- 
 prise that, with all my industry, I could not con- 
 trive to extend my trade and gradually to save 
 money. I told them that, work as hard as I 
 would, I could with difficulty keep my wife and 
 five children (none of whom could render me the 
 least help) with rice and pulse, and that I could 
 not find money for the first outlay of hemp and 
 materials. After some further conversation, Saadi 
 pulled a purse out of his bosom, and putting it 
 into mj' hands, said : " Here, take this purse ; it 
 contains two hundred pieces of gold : God bless 
 you and give you grace to make the good use of 
 them I desire ; and, believe me, my friend Saad 
 and I shall both have great pleasure if they con- 
 tribute towards making you more prosperous than 
 you now are." 
 
 Commander of the Faithful, continued Hassan, 
 when I had got the purse my joy was so great 
 that my speech failed me, and I could only thank 
 my benefactor by laying hold of the hem of his 
 garment and kissing it ; but he drew it from me 
 hastily, and he and his friend pursued their walk. 
 
 As soon as they were gone, I returned to my 
 work, and my first thought was, what I should do 
 with my purse to keep it safe. I had in my poor 
 house neither box nor cupboard to lock it up, noir 
 any other place where I could be sure it would 
 not be discovered if I concealed it. 
 
 In this perplexity, I laid aside ten pieces of 
 gold for present necessaries, and wrapped the rest 
 
 up in the folds of the linen which went about my 
 cap. Out of my ten pieces I bought a good stock 
 of hemp, and afterwards, as my family had eaten 
 no meat a long time, I purchased some for sup- 
 per. 
 
 As I was carrying the meat home, a famished 
 vulture flew upon me, and would" have taken it 
 away, if I had not held it very fast ; but the faster 
 I held my meat, the more the bird struggled to 
 get it, till unfortunately in my efforts my turban 
 fell on the ground. 
 
 The vulture immediately let go his hold of the 
 meat, but seizing my turban, flew away with it. 
 I cried out so loud that I alarmed all the men, 
 women, and children in the neighborhood, who 
 joined their shouts and cries to make the vulture 
 quit his hold ; but our cries did not avail, he car- 
 ried off my turban, and we soon lost sight of 
 him. 
 
 I went home very melancholy at the loss of my 
 money. I was obliged to buy a new turban, which 
 diminished the small remainder of the ten pieces. 
 The little that was left was not sufficient to give 
 rae any hope of improving my condition, but I 
 most regretted the disappointment I should occa- 
 sion my benefactor. 
 
 While the remainder of the ten pieces lasted, 
 my little family and I lived better than usual ; 
 but I soon relapsed into the same poverty, and the 
 same inability to extricate myself from wretched- 
 ness. However, I never murmured nor repined ; 
 "God," said I, "was pleased to give me riches 
 when I least expected them ; He has thought fit 
 to take them from me again almost at the same 
 time, because it so pleased Him, and they were at 
 his disposal ; yet I will praise his name for all the 
 benefits I have received, as it was his good pleas- 
 ure, and submit myself, as I have ever done hith- 
 erto, to his wiU." 
 
 These were my sentiments, while my wife, from 
 whom I could not keep secret the loss I had sus- 
 tained, was inconsolable. In my trouble I had 
 told my neighbors that when I lost my turban 
 I lost a hundred and ninety pieces of gold ; but 
 as they knew my poverty, and could not compre- 
 
262 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 hend how I should have got so great a sum by my 
 work, they only laughed at me. 
 
 About six months after this misfortune, the two 
 friends, walking through that part of the town 
 where I lived, called to inquire after me. " Well," 
 said Saad, " we do not ask you how affairs go since 
 we saw you last ; without doubt they are in a bet- 
 ter train." 
 
 " Gentlemen," replied I, " I deeply grieve to 
 tell you that your good wishes, and my hopes, 
 have not had the success you had reason to ex- 
 pect, and I had promised myself. You will 
 scarcely believe the extraordinary adventure that 
 has befallen me, when I tell you, on the word of 
 an honest man, that a vulture flew away with my 
 turban, in which for safety I had wrapped my 
 money." 
 
 Saadi rejected my assertion, and said : " Has- 
 san, you joke, and would deceive me. What have 
 vultures to do with turbans ; they only search for 
 something to satisfy their hunger ? " " Sir," I re- 
 plied, " the thing is so publicly known in this part 
 of the town, that there is nobody but can satisfy 
 you of the truth of my assertions." Saad took 
 my part, and told Saadi a great many as surpris- 
 ing stories of vultures, some of which he affirmed 
 he knew to be tirue ; who, after bidding me be 
 more careful, at last pulled his purse out of his 
 vestband, and counted oat two hundred pieces of 
 gold into my hand, which I put into my bosom 
 for want of a purse. I told him that the obliga- 
 tion of this his second kindness was much greater 
 than I deserved, after what had happened, and 
 that I should be sure to make good use of his ad- 
 vice. I would have said a great deal more, but he 
 did not give me time, for he went away, and con- 
 tinued his walk with his friend. 
 
 As soon as they were gone, I left off work, and 
 went home, but finding neither my wife nor chil- 
 dren within, I pulled out my money, put ten pieces 
 on one side for present use, and wrapped up the 
 rest in a clean linen cloth, tying it fast with a knot, 
 and placing it for safety in an earthen vessel full 
 of bran, which stood in a corner, which I imagined 
 neither my wife nor children would look into. My 
 
 wife came home soon after, and as I had but little 
 hemp in the house, I told her I should go out to 
 buy some, without saying anything to her about 
 the second present from Saadi. 
 
 While I was absent, a sandman, who sells wash- 
 ing-balls, which women use in the baths, passed 
 through our street. My wife, who had no money, 
 asked him if he would exchange his washing-balls 
 for some bran. The sandman consented to do so 
 and the bargain was made. 
 
 Not long after, I came home with as much 
 hemp as I could carry, and followed by five por- 
 ters loaded also with hemp. After I had satisfied 
 them for their trouble, I looked about me, and 
 could not see the pot of bran. I asked my wife, 
 in great trepidation, what was become of it ; when 
 she told me the bargain she had made with the 
 sandman. 
 
 " Ah, unfortunate woman ! " cried I, " you 
 know not what you have done. You thought you 
 only sold the bran, but with the bran you have 
 given the sandman a hundred and ninety pieces of 
 gold, which Saadi this day made me a second 
 present of." 
 
 My wife was like one distracted when she knew 
 what she had done. She cried, beat her breast, 
 and tore her hair and clothes. " Unhappy woman 
 that I am," cried she, " where shall I find this 
 sandman ? I know him not, — I never saw him 
 before. Oh, husband," added she, " you were much 
 to blame in not communicating the secret to me." 
 
 " Wife," said I, " moderate your grief ; by your 
 cries you will alarm the neighbors, and they will 
 only laugh at, instead of pitying us. We had 
 best bear our loss patiently, and submit ourselves 
 to the will of God. It is true we live but poorly ; 
 but what have the rich which we have not ? Do 
 not we breathe the same air, enjoy the same light, 
 and the same warmth of the sun ? Therefore 
 what conveniences have they more than we, that 
 we should envy their happiness ? They die as 
 well as we. In short, while we live in the fear of 
 God, as we should always do, the advantage they 
 have over us is so very inconsiderable that we 
 ought not to covet it." 
 
THE ADVENTURES OF THE CALIPH HAROUN AL-RASGHW. 
 
 263: 
 
 My wife and I comforted ourselves with these 
 reflections, and I pursued my trade with as much 
 alacrity as before these two mortifying losses 
 which followed one another so quickly. The only 
 thing that troubled me sometimes was, how I 
 should look Saadi in the face when he should 
 come and ask me how I had improved his two 
 hundred pieces of gold. 
 
 After some time, Saad and Saadi again called to 
 inquire of my progress. Each still entertained 
 their former differing opinons as to the result of 
 Saadi's repeated liberality. I saw them at a dis- 
 tance, but made as if I had not seen them. I ap- 
 plied very earnestly to my work, and never lifted 
 up my eyes till they were close to me, and had 
 saluted me. I told them at once my last misfort- 
 une, and that I was as poor as when they first saw 
 me. After that, I said : " Could I guess that a 
 sandman would come by that very day, and my 
 wife give him in exchange a pot of bran which had 
 stood there for many years ? " You may indeed 
 allege that I ought to have told my wife of it ; but 
 I will never believe that such prudent persons, as I 
 am persuaded you are, would have given me that 
 advice ; and if I had put my money anywhere else, 
 what certainty could I have had that it would be 
 more secure ? " 
 
 " I see, sir," said I, addressing myself to Saadi, 
 " that it has pleased God, whose ways are secret 
 and impenetrable, that I should not be enriched by 
 your liberality, but that I must remain poor ; 
 however, the obligation is the same as if it had 
 wrought the desired effect." 
 
 After these words I was silent ; and Saadi re- 
 plied : " I do not regret the four hundred pieces 
 of gold I gave you to raise you in the world. I 
 did it in duty to God, without expecting any rec- 
 ompense but the pleasure of doing good, and for 
 the sake of an experiment I wished to make." 
 Then turning about to his friend, " Saad," con- 
 tinued he, " you may now make your experiment, 
 and let me see that there are ways, besides giving 
 money, to make a poor man's fortune. Let Has- 
 san be the man. I dare say, whatever you may 
 give him he will not be richer than he was with 
 
 four hundred pieces of gold." Saad had a piece 
 of lead in his hand, which he showed Saadi. 
 " You saw me," said he, " take up this piece of 
 lead, which I found on the ground ; I will give it 
 Hassan, and you shall see what it comes to be 
 worth." 
 
 Saadi burst out a laughing at Saad. " What is 
 that bit of lead worth ? " said he ; " a farthing ! 
 What can Hassan do with that ? " Saad presented 
 it to me, and said : " Take it, Hassan ; let Saadi 
 laugh, you will tell us some news of the good 
 luck it has brought you one time or another." I 
 thought Saad was in jest, and had a mind to 
 divert himself; however, I took the lead, and 
 thanked him. The two friends pursued their 
 walk, and I fell to work again. 
 
 At night, when I pulled off my clothes to go io- 
 bed, the piece of lead, which I had never thought 
 of from the time he gave it me, tumbled out of my 
 pocket. I took it up, and laid it on the place that 
 was nearest me. The same night it happened that 
 a fisherman, a neighbor, mending his nets, found 
 a piece of lead wanting; and it being too late- 
 to buy any, as the shops were shut, and he must 
 either fish that night, or his family go without 
 bread the next day, he called to his wife and bade 
 her inquire among the neighbors for a piece. She 
 went from door to door on both sides of the street, 
 but could not get any, and returned to tell her 
 Imsband her ill success. He asked if she had 
 been to several of their neighbors, naming them, 
 and, among the rest, my house. " No, indeed," 
 said the wife, " I have not been there ; I know by 
 experience they never have anything when one- 
 wants it." "No matter," said the fisherman, 
 " you must go there ; for though you have been 
 there a hundred times before without getting any- 
 thing, you may chance to obtain what we want 
 now." 
 
 The fisherman's wife came and knocked at my 
 door. I asked her what she wanted ? " Hassan," 
 said she, " my husband wants a bit of lead to load 
 his nets with ; and if you have a piece, desires 
 you to give it him.'' 
 
 The piece of lead which Saad had given me wa& 
 
264 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTER TAINMEjstS. 
 
 so fresh in toj memorj^, that I could not forget it. 
 I told my neighbor I had some ; and if she would 
 stay a moment ray wife should give it to her. 
 Accordingly my wife, who was wakened by the 
 noise as well as myself, got up, and groping about 
 where I directed her, found the lead, opened the 
 door, and gave it to the fisherman's wife, who was 
 so overjoyed that she promised my wife, that, in 
 return for the kindness she did her and her hus- 
 band, she would answer for him we should have the 
 first cast of the nets. 
 
 The fisherman was so much rejoiced to see the 
 lead, which he so little expected, that he much 
 approved his wife's promise. He finished mend- 
 ing his nets, and went a-fishing two hours before 
 day, according to custom. At the first throw he 
 caught but one fish, about a yard long, and pro- 
 portionable in thickness ; but afterwards had a 
 great many successful casts. 
 
 When the fisherman had done fishing, he went 
 home, where his first care was to think of me. I 
 was extremely surprised, when at my work, to see 
 him come to me with a large fish in his hand. 
 " Neighbor," said he, " my wife promised you last 
 night, in return for your kindness, whatever fish 
 I should catch at my first throw ; and I approved 
 her promise. It pleased God to send me no 
 more than this one for you, which, such as it is, I 
 desire you to accept. Had He sent me my net 
 full, they should all have been yours." 
 
 " Neighbor," said I, " the bit of lead which I 
 sent you was such a trifle, that it ought not to be 
 valued at so high a rate ; neighbors should assist 
 each other in their little wants. I have done no 
 more for you than I should have expected from 
 you had I been in your situation ; therefore I would 
 refuse your present, if I were not persuaded you 
 gave it me freely, and that I should offend you ; 
 and since you will have it so, I take it, and return 
 you my hearty thanks." 
 
 After these civilities, I took the fish, and carried 
 it home to my wife. My wife was much startled 
 to see so large a fish. " What would you have me 
 do with it ? " said she. " Our gridiron is only fit 
 to broil small fish ; and we have not a pot big 
 
 enough to boil it." " That is your business," an- 
 swered I. " Dress it as you will, I shall like it 
 either way." I then went to my work again. 
 
 In gutting the fish, my wife found a hard, clear 
 substance which she took for a piece of glass. She 
 gave it to the youngest of our children for a play- 
 thing, and his brothers and sisters banded it about 
 from one to another, to admire its brightness and 
 beauty. 
 
 At night when the lamp was lighted, and the 
 children were still playing with the clear substance 
 taken from the fish, thej'' perceived that it gave a 
 light when my wife, who was getting them their 
 supper, stood between them and the lamp, upon 
 which thev snatched it from one another to try it; 
 and the younger children fell a-crying, that the 
 elder would not let them have it long enough in 
 the dark. 
 
 I then called to the eldest, to know what was the 
 matter, who told me it was about a piece of glass, 
 which gave a light. Upon hearing this, I bade 
 my wife put out the lamp, and we found that the 
 piece of glass gave so great a light, that we might 
 see to go to bed without the lamp. I placed 
 the bit of glass upon the chimney to light us. 
 " Look," said I, " this is a great advantage that 
 Saad's piece of lead procures us ; it will spare us 
 the expense of oil." 
 
 When the children saw the lamp was put out, 
 and the bit of glass supplied the place, they cried 
 out so loud, and made so great a noise from aston- 
 ishment, that it alarmed the neighborhood. 
 
 Now there was but a very slight partition-wall 
 between mv house and my next neighbor's, who 
 was a very rich Jew and a jeweler ; and the cham- 
 ber that he and his wife lay in joined to ours. 
 They were both in bed, and the noise my children 
 made awakened them. 
 
 The next morning the jeweler's wife came to 
 mine, to complain of being disturbed out of their 
 first sleep. " Good neighbor Rachel '" (which was 
 the Jew's wife's name), said ni}' wife, " I am very 
 sorry for what happened, and hope you will ex- 
 cuse it, you know the children will laugh and cry 
 for a trifle. See here ; it was this piece of glass 
 
THE ADVENTURES OF THE CALIPH HAROUN AL-RASGHID. 
 
 265 
 
 which I took out of the fisli that caused all the 
 noise." 
 
 " Indeed, Ayesha " (which was my wife's name), 
 said the jeweler's wife, "I believe as you do it 
 is a piece of glass ; but as it is move beautiful 
 than common glass, and I have just such another 
 piece at home, I will buy it, if you will sell it." 
 
 The children, who heard them talking of sell- 
 ing their plaything, presently interrupted their 
 conversation, crying and begging their mother not 
 to part with, it, who, to quiet them, promised she 
 would not. 
 
 The Jewess being thus prevented from obtain- 
 ing the supposed piece of glass by my children, 
 went away ; but first whispered to my wife, who 
 followed her to the dooi", if she had a mind to sell 
 it, not to show it to anybody without acquainting 
 her. Rachel could not rest satisfied till she had 
 made her husband acquainted with what she had 
 seen in my house, and immediately went to his 
 stall in the bezetzein to acquaint the Jew with her 
 discovery. On her return home, she came again 
 privately, and asked her if she would take twenty 
 pieces of gold for the piece of glass she liad shown 
 her. 
 
 My wife, thinking the sum too considerable for 
 a mere piece of glass as she had thought it, would 
 not make any bargain ; but told her she could not 
 part with it till she had spoken to me. In the 
 mean time I came from my work to dinner. As 
 they were talking at the door, my wife stopped 
 me, and asked if I would sell the piece of glass 
 she had found in the fish's belly for twenty pieces 
 of gold whicli our neighbor offered her. I re- 
 turned no answer; but called to mind the confi- 
 dence with which Saad, in giving me the piece of 
 lead, told me it would make my fortune. The 
 Jewess, fancying that the low price she liad offered 
 was the reason I made no reply, said, " I will give 
 you fifty, neighbor, if that will do." 
 
 As soon as I found that she rose so suddenly 
 from twenty to fifty, I told her that I expected a 
 great deal more. " Well, neighbor," said she, " I 
 will give you a hundred, and that is so much I 
 know not whether my husband will approve my 
 
 ■34 
 
 offering it." At this new advance, I told her I 
 would have a hundred thousand pieces of gold for 
 it ; that I saw plainly that the diamond, for such 
 I now guessed it must be, was worth a great deal 
 more ; but to oblige her and her husband, as they 
 were neighbors, I would limit myself to that price, 
 which I was determined to have ; tjd if they re- 
 fused to give it, other jewelers should have it, 
 who would give a great deal more. 
 
 The Jewess confirmed me in this resolution, by 
 her eagerness to conclude a bargain, and by com- 
 ing up at several biddings to fifty thousand pieces 
 of gold, which I refused. "I can offer you no 
 more," said she, " without my husband's consent. 
 He will be at home at night, and I would beg the 
 favor of you to let him see it ; " which I prom- 
 ised. 
 
 At night the Jew himself came home. " Neigh- 
 bor Hassan," said he, " I desire you would show 
 me the diamond your wife showed to mine." I 
 brought him in, and showed it to him. He looked 
 at and admired it a long time. "Well, neighbor," 
 said he, " my wife tells me she offered you fifty 
 thousand pieces of gold ; I will give you twenty 
 thousand more." 
 
 " Neighbor," said I, " your wife can tell you 
 that I value my diamond at a hundred thousand 
 pieces, and I will take nothing less." He haggled 
 a long time with me, in hopes that I would make 
 some abatement ; but finding that I was positive, 
 and for fear that I should show it to other jew- 
 elers, he at last concluded the bargain on my own 
 terms, and fetched two bags of a thousand pieces 
 each, as an earnest. The next day he brought me 
 the sum we had agreed for at the time appointed, 
 and I delivered to him the diamond. 
 
 Having thus sold my diamond, and being rich 
 infinitely beyond my hopes, I thanked God for his 
 bounty ; and would have gone and thrown myself 
 at Saad's feet to express my gratitude, if I had 
 known where he lived ; as also at Saadi's, to whom 
 I was first obliged, though his good intention had 
 not the same success. 
 
 Afterwards I thought of the use I ought to 
 make of so considerable a sum. My wife proposed 
 
266 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 immediately to buy rich clothes for herself and 
 children ; to purchase a house and furnish it hand- 
 somely. I told her we ought not to begin with 
 such expenses ; " for," said I, " money should only 
 be spent so that it may produce a fund from which 
 we may draw without its failing. This I intend, 
 and shall begin to-morrow." 
 
 I spent all that day and the next in going to 
 the people of my own trade, who worked as hard 
 every duy for their bread as I had done ; and 
 giving them money beforehand, engaged them to 
 work for me in different sorts of rope-making, ac- 
 cording to their skill and ability, with a promise 
 not to make them wait for their money, but to 
 pay them as soon as their work was done. 
 
 By this means I engrossed almost all the busi- 
 ness of Bagdad and everybody was pleased with 
 my exactness and punctual payment. 
 
 As so great a number of workmen produced a 
 large quantity of work, I hired warehouses in 
 several parts of the town to hold my goods, and 
 appointed over each a clerk, to sell both wholesale 
 and retail, and by this economy received consider- 
 able profit and income. Afterwards, to concen- 
 trate my business, I bought ground, and built the 
 house you saw yesterday, which, though it makes 
 so great an appearance, consists, for the most part, 
 of warehouses for my business, with apartments 
 for mj'self and family. 
 
 Some time after I had removed to this house, 
 Saad and Saadi, who had scarcely thought of me 
 from the last time they had been with me, called 
 on me in ray former habitation, and learnt, to their 
 great surprise, that I was become a great manu- 
 facturer, and was no longer called plain Hassan, 
 but Cogia Hassan Alhabbal. 
 
 They immediately set out to visit me in my new 
 abode. I saw my two friends as they approached 
 my gate. I rose from my seat, ran to them, and 
 would have kissed the hem of their garments ; 
 but they would not suffer it, and embraced me. 
 I assured them I had not forgotten that I was poor 
 Hassan the rope-maker, nor the obligations I had 
 to them ; but were this not the case, I knew the 
 respect due to them, and begged them to sit down 
 
 in the place of honor, and I seated myself opposite 
 to them. 
 
 Then Saadi, addressing himself to me, said : 
 " Cogia Hassan, I cannot express my joy to see 
 you. I am persuaded that those four hundred 
 pieces I gave you have made this wonderful change 
 in your fortune." 
 
 Saad did not at all agree with this speech of 
 Saadi's. When he had done, he said to him : 
 " Saadi, I am vexed that you still persist in not 
 believing the statements Hassan has already made 
 you. I believe those two accidents which befell 
 him are true ; but let him speak himself, and say 
 to which of us he most owes his present good fort- 
 une." 
 
 After this discourse of the two friends, I said, 
 addressing myself to them both, " Gentlemen, I 
 will declare to you the whole truth with the same 
 sincerity as before." I then told them every cir- 
 cumstance of the histoi-y which I have now related 
 to you. Commander of the Faithful. 
 
 All my protestations had no effect on Saadi, 
 " Cogia Hassan," replied he, " the adventure of 
 the fish and of the diamond found in his stomach 
 appeal's to me as incredible as the vultui'e's flying 
 away with your turban, and the exchange made 
 by your wife with the sandman. Be it as it may, 
 I am equallj' convinced that you are no longer 
 poor, but rich, as I intended you should be by my 
 means: and I rejoice sincerely." 
 
 As it grew late, they arose to depai-t : when I 
 stopped them, and said : " There is one favor I 
 have to ask. I beg of you to stay with me to- 
 night, and to-morrow I will carry you by water 
 to A small country-house, which I have bought, 
 and we will return in the evening. ' 
 
 " If Saad has no business that calls him else 
 where," said Saadi, " I consent." Saad told him 
 that nothing should prevent him enjoying his 
 company. 
 
 While supper was being prepared, I showed ray 
 benefactors ni}^ house and all my offices. I call 
 them both benefactors, without distinction ; be- 
 cause without Saadi, Saad would never have given 
 me the piece of lead ; and without Saad, Saadi 
 
THE ADVENTURES OF THE CALIPH HAROUN AL-RASGHID. 
 
 267 
 
 would not have given me the four hundred pieces 
 of gold. Then I brought them back again into 
 the hall, where they asked me several questions 
 about my concerns ; and I gave them such an- 
 swers as satisfied them. 
 
 During this conversation, my servants came to 
 tell me that supper was served up. I led them 
 into another hall, where they admired the manner 
 in which it was lighted, the furniture, and the 
 entertainment I had provided. I regaled them 
 also with a concert of vocal and instrumental 
 music during the repast, and afterwards with a 
 company of dancers, and other entertainments, 
 endeavoring as much as possible to show them 
 my gratitude. 
 
 The next morning, as we had agreed to set out 
 early to enjoy the fresh air, we repaired to the 
 river-side by sunrise, and went on board a pleas- 
 ure-boat, well carpeted, that waited for us ; and 
 in less than an hour and a half, with six good 
 rowers and the stream, we arrived at my country- 
 house. 
 
 Afterwards we walked in the gardens, where 
 was a grove of orange and lemon-trees, loaded 
 with fruit and flowers, which were planted at 
 equal distances, and watered by channels cut 
 from a neighboring stream. The pleasant shade, 
 the fragrant smell which perfumed the air, the 
 soft murmurings of the water, the harmonious 
 notes of an infinite number of birds, were so 
 delightful, that they frequently stopped to express 
 how much they were obliged to me for bringing 
 them to so exquisite a place, and to offer me their 
 congratulations. I led them to the end of the 
 grove, which was very long and broad, where I 
 showed them a wood of large trees, which termi- 
 nated my garden. 
 
 Two of my boys, whom I had sent into the coun- 
 try, with a tutor, for the air, had gone just then 
 into the wood ; and seeing a nest, which was built 
 in the branches of a lofty tree, they bade a slave 
 climb the tree for it. The slave, when he came to 
 to it, was much surprised to find it composed of a 
 turban. He took it, brought it down, and as he 
 thought that I might like to see a nest that was 
 
 so uncommon, he gave it to the eldest boy to 
 bring to me. 
 
 The two friends and I were very much surprised 
 at the novelty ; but I much more, when I recognized 
 the turban to be that which the vulture had flown 
 away with. After I had examined it well, and 
 turned it about, I said to my guests : " Gentle- 
 men, can you remember the turban I had on the 
 day you did me the honor first to speak to me ? " 
 " I do not think," said Saad, " that either my 
 friend or I gave any attention to it ; but if the 
 hundred and ninety pieces of gold are in it, we can- 
 not doubt of it." 
 
 " Sir," replied I, " there is no doubt but it is the 
 same turban ; for, besides that I know it perfectly 
 well, I feel by the weight it is too heavy to be any 
 other, and you will perceive this if you give your- 
 self the trouble to take it in your hand." Then 
 after taking out the young birds, I put it into his 
 hands, and he gave it to Saadi. 
 
 " Now, sir," added I, taking the turban again, 
 " observe well before I unwrap it, that it is of no 
 very fresh date in the tree ; and the state in which 
 you see it, and the nest so neatly made in it, are 
 sufficient proofs that the vulture dropped or laid it 
 in the tree upon the day it was seized." 
 
 While I was speaking, I pulled off the linen 
 cloth which was wrapped about the cap of the tur- 
 ban, and took out the purse, which Saadi knew to 
 be the same he had given me. I emptied it before 
 them, and said, " There, gentlemen, there is the 
 money; count it, and see if it be right ; " which 
 Saad did, and found it to be one hundred and 
 ninety pieces of gold. Then Saadi, who could not 
 deny so manifest a truth, addressing himself to 
 me, said : " I agree, Cogia Hassan, that this money 
 could not serve to enrich you, but the other hun- 
 dred and ninety pieces, which you would make be- 
 heve you hid in a pot of bran, might." " Sir," 
 answered I, " I have told you the truth in regard 
 to both sums, and I shall hope yet to prove it to 
 your satisfaction." 
 
 After this we returned, and entered the house, 
 just as dinner was being served. After dinner I 
 left my guests to take their siesta during the heat 
 
268 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 of the day, while I went to give orders to my 
 gardener. Afterwards I returned to them again, 
 and we talked of indifferent matters till it grew a 
 little cooler ; when we returned into the garden 
 for fresh air, and stayed till sunset. We then 
 mounted our horses, and after a ride of two hours 
 reached Bagdad by moonlight. 
 
 It happened, by some negligence of my grooms, 
 that we were then out of grain for the horses, and 
 the storehouses were all shut up ; when one of my 
 slaves, seeking about the neighborhood, met with 
 a pot of bran in a shop ; bought the bi-an, and 
 brought the. pot along with him, promising to 
 carry it back again the next day. The slave emp- 
 tied the bran, and dividing it among the horses, 
 felt a linen cloth tied up, and very heavy ; he 
 brought the cloth to me in the condition that he 
 found it, and presented it to me. I at once knew 
 what it was, and said to my two benefactors : 
 " Gentlemen, it has pleased God that you should 
 not part from me without being fully convinced of 
 the truth of what I have assured you. There are 
 the other hundred and ninety pieces of gold which 
 you gave me," continued I, addressing myself to 
 Saadi ; " I know it well by the cloth, which I tied 
 up with my own hands ; " and then I told out the 
 money before them. I ordered the pot to be 
 brought to me, knew it to be the same ; and sent 
 to my wife to ask if she recognized it. She sent 
 me word that it was the same pot she had ex- 
 changed full of bran for the scouring-earth. 
 
 Saadi readily submitted, renounced his incredu- 
 lity, and said to Saad, " I yield to you, and ac- 
 knowledge that money is not always the means of 
 becoming rich." 
 
 When Saadi had spoken, I said to him : " I dare 
 not propose to return you the three hundred and 
 eighty pieces of gold which it hath pleased God 
 should be found, to undeceive you as to the opin- 
 ion of my honesty. I am persuaded that you did 
 not c^ive them to me with an intention that I should 
 return them ; and if you approve of my proposal, 
 to-morrow I will give them to the poor, that God 
 may bless us both." 
 
 The two friends lay at my house that night 
 
 also ; and next day, after embracing me, returned 
 home. I thanked them both, and regarded the 
 permission they gave me to cultivate their friend- 
 ship, and to visit them, as a great honor. 
 
 The caliph, at the conclusion of this story, said ; 
 " Cogia Hassan, I have not for a long time heard 
 anything that has given me so much pleasure, as 
 having been informed of the wonderful ways by 
 which God gave thee thy riches. Thou oughtest 
 to continue to return Him thanks, and to use 
 well his blessings. That same diamond which 
 made thy fortune is now in my treasury ; and 1 
 am happy to learn how it came there ; but because 
 there may -remain in Saadi some doubts on the 
 singularity of this diamond, which I esteem the 
 most precious and valuable jewel I possess, I would 
 have you carry him and Saad to my treasurer, who 
 will show it them." 
 
 After these words, the caliph signified to Cogia 
 Hassan, Sidi Nouman, and Baba Abdalla, by a 
 bow of his head, that he was satisfied with them ; 
 they all prostrated themselves at the throne, and 
 retired. 
 
 THE STOEY OF ABOU HASSAN ; OR, THE SLEEPER 
 AWAKENED. 
 
 In the reign of the Caliph Haroun Al-Raschid, 
 there lived at Bagdad a very rich merchant. He 
 had one only child, a son, whom he named Abou 
 Hassan, and whom he educated with great strict- 
 ness. When his son was thirty years old, he be- 
 came his father's sole heir and the owner of im- 
 mense wealth, amassed together by the paternal 
 frugality and application. 
 
 Abou Hassan, whose views and inclinations were 
 very different from those of his father, determined 
 to make another use of his wealth. His father 
 had never allowed him anj'^ money but what was 
 just necessary for subsistence, and as he had al- 
 ways envied his rich companions, who wanted for 
 nothing, and who debarred themselves from none 
 of those pleasures to which their wealth entitled 
 them, he resolved to distinguish himself by ex- 
 travagances proportionable to his fortune. To 
 this end he divided his riches into two parts ; with 
 
THE ADVENTURES OF THE CALIPH HAROUN AL-RASCHID. 
 
 269 
 
 one half he bought houses in the city and farms 
 in the country, with a resolution never to touch 
 the income arising from them, which was very 
 large, but to lay it all by as he received it. With 
 the other half, which consisted of ready money, 
 he designed to make himself amends for the time 
 he had lost by the severe restraint in which his 
 father had always kept him. 
 
 With this intent, Abou Hassan made the ac- 
 quaintance of wealthy youths of his own age and 
 rank, who thought of nothing but how to make 
 their time pass agreeably. Every day he gave 
 them splendid entertainments, at which the most 
 delicate viands were served up, and the most ex- 
 quisite wines flowed in profusion, while concerts 
 of the best vocal and instrumental music by per- 
 formers of both sexes heightened their pleasures. 
 These entertainments, renewed every day, were 
 so expensive to Abou Hassan, that he could not 
 support the extravagance above one year. As 
 soon as he discontinued his feasts, and pleaded 
 poverty as the excuse, bis friends forsook him ; 
 whenever they saw him they avoided him, and if 
 by chance he met any of them, and tried to stop 
 them, they always excused themselves on some 
 pretense or other. 
 
 Abou Hassan was more affected by this be- 
 havior of his friends who had forsaken him so 
 basely and ungratefully, after all the protestations 
 they had made him of inviolable attachment, 
 than by the loss of the money he had so foolishly 
 squandered. He went melancholy and thought- 
 ful into his mother's apartment, and sat down on 
 the end of a sofa at a distance from her. " What 
 is the matter with you, son ? " said his mother, 
 seeing him thus depressed. '' Why are you so de- 
 jected ? You could not certainly be more con- 
 cerned, if you had lost all you had. You have 
 still, however, a good estate. I do not, therefore, 
 see why you should plunge yourself into this 
 deep melancholy." 
 
 At these words Abou Hassan melted into tears ; 
 and in the midst of his sighs exclaimed : " Ah ! 
 mother, how insupportable poverty must be ; it 
 deprives us of joy, as the setting of the sun does 
 
 of light. A poor man is looked upon, both by 
 friends and relations, as a stranger. You know, 
 mother, how I have treated my friends for this 
 year past, and now they have left me when they 
 suppose I can treat them no longer. Bismillah ! 
 praise be to God ! I have yet my lands and farms, 
 and I shall now know how to use what is left. 
 But I am resolved to try how far my friends, who 
 deserve not that I should call them so, will carry 
 their ingratitude. I will go to them one after an- 
 other, and when I have represented to them what 
 I have done on their account, ask them to make 
 up a sum of money to relieve me, merely to try 
 if I can find any sentiment of gratitude remaining 
 in them." Abou Hassan went immediately to his 
 friends, whom he found at home ; represented to 
 them the great need he was in, and begged of 
 them to assist him. He promised to give bonds 
 to pay them the money they might lend him ; 
 giving them to understand at the same time, that 
 it was in a great measure on their account that he 
 was so distressed. That he might the more power- 
 fully excite their generosity, he forgot not to al- 
 lure, them with the hopes of being once again en- 
 tertained in the same manner as before. 
 
 Not one of his companions was affected with 
 the arguments which the afflicted Abou Hassan 
 used to persuade them ; and he had the mortifica- 
 tion to find that many of them told him plainly 
 they did not know him. 
 
 He returned home full of indignation ; and 
 going into his mother's apartment, said : '• Ah ! 
 madam, I have found none of my late compan- 
 ions who deserve my friendship ; I renounce them, 
 and promise you I will never see them more." 
 He resolved to be as good as his word, taking an 
 oath never to give an inhabitant of Bagdad any 
 entertainment while he lived. He further vowed 
 that he would not put in his purse more money 
 than was suflicient to ask a single person to sup 
 with him, who, according to the oath he had 
 taken, was not of Bagdad, but a stranger arrived 
 in the city the same day, and who must take his 
 leave of him the following morning. 
 
 Conformably to this plan, Abou Hassan took 
 
270 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 care every morning to provide whatever was nec- 
 essary for a repast for two persons, and towards 
 the close of the evening went and sat at the end of 
 Bagdad bridge ; and as soon as he saw a stranger, 
 accosted him civilly, invited him to sup and lodge 
 with him that night ; and after having informed 
 him of the law he had imposed upon himself, con- 
 ducted him to his house. The supper to which 
 Abou Hassan invited his guests was not costly, 
 but well dressed, with plenty of good wine, and 
 generally lasted till -the night was pretty far ad- 
 vanced : instead of entertaining his guests with 
 the affairs of state, his family, or business, as is 
 too frequent, he conversed on general subjects. 
 He was naturally of a gay and pleasant temper, 
 and made the most melancholy persons merry. 
 When he sent away his guest the next morning, 
 he always said : " God preserve you from all sor- 
 row wherever you go ; when I invited you yester- 
 day to come and sup with me, I informed you of 
 the law I have imposed on myself ; therefore do 
 not take it ill if I tell you that we must never see 
 one another again, nor drink together, either at 
 home or anywhere else, for reasons best known to 
 myself ; so God conduct you." 
 
 Abou Hassan was very exact in the observance 
 of this oath, and never looked upon or spoke to the 
 strangers he had once entertained. If he met 
 them afterwards in the streets, the squares, or 
 any public assemblies, he turned away to avoid 
 them, that they might not speak to him, or he 
 have anj^ communication with them. He had 
 acted for a long time in this manner, when, one 
 afternoon, a little before sunset, as he sat upon 
 the bridge according to custom, the Caliph Ha- 
 roun Al-Raschid came by, but so disguised that 
 it was impossible to know him ; he was dressed 
 like a merchant of Moussul, and was followed by 
 a tall stout slave, 
 
 Abou Hassan, who was looking out for a guest, 
 rose up as he approached, and, after having saluted 
 him with a graceful air, said to him, " Sii', I con- 
 gratulate you on your happy arrival in Bagdad ; 
 I beg you to do me the honor to sup with me, and 
 repose yourself at my house for this night, after 
 
 the fatigue of your journey ; " he then told him 
 his custom of entertaining the first stranger he 
 met with. The caliph found something so odd 
 and singular in Abou Hassan's whim, that he was 
 very desirous to know the cause ; and told him 
 that he could not better merit a civility, which 
 he did not expect as a stranger, than b)' accept- 
 ing the obliging offer made him ; that he had only 
 to lead the way, and he was ready to follow him. 
 
 Abou Hassan treated the caliph as his equal, 
 conducted him home, and led him into a room 
 v6ry neatly furnished, where he set him on a sofa, 
 in the most honorable place. Supper was ready, 
 and the cloth laid. 
 
 Abou Hassan sat down opposite his guest, and 
 he and tlie caliph began to eat heartily of what 
 they liked best, without speaking or drinking, 
 according to the custom of the country. When 
 the}' had done eating, the caliph's slave brought 
 them water to wash their hands ; and in the mean 
 time Abou Hassan's mother cleared the table, and 
 brought up a dessert of all the various sorts of 
 fruits then in season, — as grapes, peaches, ap- 
 ples, pears, and various pastes of dried almonds, 
 etc. As soon as it grew dark, wax-candles were 
 lighted, and Abou Hassan, after requesting his 
 mother to take care of the caliph's slave, set down 
 bottles and glasses. 
 
 Abou Hassan filled a glass of wine, and holding 
 it in his hand, said to the caliph, "Now, taste this 
 wine, sir ; I will warrant you find it good." " I 
 am well persuaded of that," replied the caliph, 
 laughing ; " you know how to choose the best." 
 " Ob ! " replied Abou Hassan, " one need only 
 look in your face to be assured that you have 
 seen the world, and know what good living is. 
 If," added he in Arabic verse, " my house could 
 think and express its joy, how happy would it 
 be to possess you, and bowing before you, would 
 exclaim, ' How overjoyed am I to see myself hon- 
 ored with the company of so accomplished and 
 polite a personage, and for meeting with a man 
 of your merit ! ' " 
 
 The caliph and Abou Hassan remained together, 
 drinking and talking of indifferent subjects, till 
 
THE ADVENTURES OF THE CALIPH HAROUN AL-RASCHID. 
 
 271 
 
 the night was pretty far advanced, when the caUph 
 said, — "I beg of you to let me understand how I 
 may serve you, and you shall see I will not be 
 ungrateful. Speak freely and open your mind, 
 for though I am but a merchant, it may be in my 
 power to oblige you myself, or by some friend." 
 
 To these offers Abou Hassan replied: "lean 
 only thank you for your obliging offers, and the 
 honor you have done me in partaking of my frugal 
 fare. Yet I must tell you there is one thing gives 
 me uneasiness. The imaun of the mosque situated 
 in the district in which I live, is the greatest of 
 hypocrites. He and four of his friends try to 
 lord it over me and the whole neighborhood. I 
 should like to be caliph but for one day, in the 
 stead of our sovereign lord and master, Haroun 
 Al-Raschid, Commander of the Faithful. I would 
 punish the imaun and his four friends with a hun- 
 dred strokes each on the soles of their feet, to 
 teach them not to disturb and abuse their neigh- 
 bors in future." 
 
 The caliph was extremely pleased with this 
 thought of Abou Hassan's ; and while Abou Has- 
 san was talking, he took the bottle and two glasses, 
 and filling his own first, saying, " Here is a cup 
 of thanks to you," and then filling the other, put 
 into it artfully a little opiate powder which he had 
 about him, and giving it to Abou Hassan, said, — 
 " You have taken the pains to fill for me all night, 
 and it is the least I can do to save you the trouble 
 once ; I beg you to take this glass ; drink it off 
 for my sake." 
 
 Abou Hassan took the glass, and to show his 
 guest with how much pleasure he received the 
 honor, drank it off at once. Scarcely had he set 
 the glass upon the table, when the powder began 
 to operate, and he fell into a sound sleep. The 
 caliph commanded the slave who waited for him 
 to take Abou Hassan and carry him directly to 
 the palace, and to undress him and put him into 
 his own state bed. This was immediately per- 
 formed. 
 
 The caliph next sent for the grand vizier. " Gia- 
 far," said he, " I have sent for you to instruct you, 
 and to prevent your being surprised to-morrow 
 
 when you come to audience, at seeing this man 
 seated on my throne in the royal robes ; accost 
 him with the same reverence and respect as you 
 pay to myself ; observe and punctually execute 
 whatever he bids you do, the same as if I com- 
 manded you. He will exercise great liberality, 
 and commission you with the distribution of it. 
 Do all he commands, even if his liberality should 
 extend so far as to empty all the coffers in my 
 treasur}' ; and remember to acquaint all my emirs, 
 and officers within the palace, to pay him the 
 same honor at audience as to myself, and to carry 
 on the matter so well that he may not perceive 
 the least thing that may interrupt the diversion 
 which I design myself. Above all, fail not to 
 awaken me before Abou Hassan, because I wish 
 to be present when he awakes." 
 
 The vizier failed not to do as the caliph had 
 commanded, and as soon as the caliph had dressed, 
 he went into the room where Abou Hassan lay, 
 and placed himself in a little raised closet, from 
 whence he could see all that passed. All the 
 officers and ladies who were to attend Abou Has- 
 san's levee went in at the same time, and took 
 their posts according to their rank, ready to acquit 
 themselves of their respective duties, as if the 
 caliph himself had been going to rise. 
 
 As it was just daybreak, and time to prepare 
 for the morning prayer before sunrise, the officer 
 who stood nearest to the head of the bed put a 
 sponge steeped in vinegar to Abou Hassan's nose, 
 who immediately awoke. When Abou Hassan 
 opened his eyes, he saw by the dawning light a 
 large room, magnificently furnished, with a finely 
 painted ceiling, adorned with vases of gold and 
 silver, and the floor covered with a rich silk 
 tapestry, and many slaves richly clothed, all stand- 
 ing with great modesty and respect. After cast- 
 ing his eyes on the covering of the bed, he per- 
 ceived it was cloth of gold richly embossed with 
 pearl and diamonds ; and near the bed lay, on a 
 cushion, a habit of tissue embroidered with jewels, 
 with a caliph's turban. 
 
 At the sight of this splendor, Abou Hassan was 
 in the most inexpressible amazement. He looked 
 
272 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 upon all he saw as a dream ; yet a dream he 
 wished it not to he. "So," said he to himself, 
 " I am caliph ! Bat," added he, recollecting him- 
 self, " it is only a dream, the effect of the wish I 
 entertained my guest with last night ; " and then 
 he turned himself about and shut his eyes to sleep. 
 At the same time the 
 vizier said, with a 
 prostration to the 
 ground, — " Co m- 
 mander of the Faith- 
 ful, it is time for your 
 majesty to rise to 
 prayers ; the morning 
 begins to advance." 
 
 These words very 
 much surprised Abou 
 H;issan. He clapped 
 his hands before his 
 eyes, and lowering his 
 head, said to himself : 
 " What means all 
 this ? Where am I ? 
 and to whom does this 
 palace belong? What 
 can these viziers, 
 emirs, officers, and 
 musicians mean ? 
 How is it possible 
 for me to distinguish 
 whether I am in my 
 right senses or in a 
 dream ? "' 
 
 When he took his 
 hands from his eyes, 
 opened them, a n d 
 lifted up his head, 
 the sun shone full 
 in at the chamber window ; and at that instant 
 JVTesrour. the chief of the officers, came in, pros- 
 trated himself before Abou Hassan, and said : 
 " Commander of the Faithful, your majesty will 
 excuse me for representing to you, that you used 
 not to rise so late, and that the time of prayer is 
 over. It is time to ascend your throne and hold 
 
 a council as usual ; all the great officers of state 
 wait your presence in the council-hall." 
 
 At this discourse, Abou Hassan was persuaded 
 that he was neither asleep nor in a dream ; but at 
 the same time was not less embarrassed and con- 
 fused under his uncertainty what steps to take; 
 
 at last, looking ear- 
 nestly at Mesrour, he 
 said to him in a seri- 
 ous tone, — " Whom 
 is it you speak to, 
 and call the Com- 
 mander of the Faith- 
 ful ? I do not know 
 you, and you must 
 mistake me for some- 
 body else." 
 
 " Aly imperial lord 
 and master," said he, 
 " is not yL'ur majesty 
 the Comuumder of 
 the Faithful, Mon- 
 arch of the world 
 from east to west, 
 and Vicar on earth 
 to the Prophet sent 
 of God ? Mesrour 
 your poor slave has 
 not forgotten y o u, 
 after so many years 
 that he has had the 
 honor and happiness 
 to serve and pay his 
 respects to your maj. 
 esty." 
 
 Abou Hassan burst 
 out a-laughing at 
 these words, and fell 
 backwards upon the bolster, which pleased the 
 caliph so much that he would have laughed as 
 loud himself, if he had not been afraid of putting 
 a stop too soon to the pleasant scene he had prom- 
 ised himself. 
 
 Abou Hassan, when he had tired himself with 
 laughing, sat up again, and suddenly calling the 
 
THE ADVENTURES OF THE CALIPH HAROUN AL-RASOHID. 
 
 273 
 
 officer that stood nearest to him, — " Come hither," 
 said he, holding out his hand ; " bite the end of 
 my finger, that I may feel whether I am asleep or 
 awake." 
 
 The slave, who knew the caliph saw all that 
 passed, and being anxious to please him, went 
 with a grave countenance, and putting his finger 
 between his teeth, bit it so hard that he put him 
 to great pain. Snatching his hand quickly back 
 again, he said, " I find I am awake ; I feel, and 
 hear, and see, and thus know that I am not asleep. 
 But by what miracle am I become caliph in a 
 night's time ! " 
 
 Abou Hassan now beginning to rise, the chief 
 of the officers offered him his hand, and helped 
 him to get out of bed. No sooner were his feet 
 set on the floor, than the chamber rang with the re- 
 peated salutations of those present, who cried out 
 all together, " Commander of the Faithful, God 
 give your majesty a good day." " O Heaven ! " 
 cried Abou Hassan, " what a strange thing this 
 is ! Last night I was Abou Hassan, and this morn- 
 ing I am the Commander of the true Believers ! 
 I cannot comprehend this sudden and surprising 
 change." Presently some of the officers began to 
 dress him ; and when they had done, led him 
 through all the attendants, who were ranged on 
 both sides, quite to the council-chamber door, 
 which was opened by one of the officers. Mesrour 
 walked before him to the foot of the throne, where 
 he stopped, and putting one hand under one arm, 
 while another officer who followed did the same 
 by the other, they helped him to ascend the throne. 
 Abou Hassan sat down amidst the acclamations of 
 the officers, who wished him all happiness and 
 prosperity, and turning to the right and left, he 
 saw the royal guards ranged in order. 
 
 The caliph in the mean time came out of the 
 closet, and went into another, which looked into 
 the hall, from whence he could see and hear all 
 that passed in council, where his grand vizier pre- 
 sided in his place. What pleased him highly was 
 to see Abou Hassan fill his throne with almost as 
 much gravity as himself. 
 
 As soon as Abou Hassan had seated himself, 
 
 35 
 
 the grand vizier prostrated himself at the foot of 
 the throne, and rising, said : " Commander of the 
 Faithful, God shower down blessings on your maj- 
 esty in this life, receive you into His paradise in 
 the other world, and confound your enemies." 
 
 Abou Hassan, after all that had happened that 
 morning, at these words of the grand vizier, never 
 doubted but that he was caliph, as he wished to 
 be ; and without examining any farther, how or 
 by what adventure, or sudden change of fortune, 
 he had become so, immediately began to exercise 
 his power, and looking very gravely at the vizier, 
 asked him what he had to say. " Commander of 
 the Faithful," replied the grand vizier, "the emirs, 
 viziers, and other officers o£ your council wait 
 without till your majesty gives them leave to pay 
 their accustomed respects." Abou Hassan or- 
 dered the door to be opened, on which the viziers, 
 emirs, and principal officers of the court, all dressed 
 magnificently in their habits of ceremony, went 
 in their order to the foot of the throne, paid their 
 respects to Abou Hassan ; and bowing their heads 
 down to the carpet, saluted him with the title of 
 Commander of the Faithful, according to the in- 
 structions of the grand vizier, and afterwards took 
 their seats. 
 
 When this ceremony was over, there was a 
 profound silence. The grand vizier standing be- 
 fore the throne, began to make his report of af- 
 fairs. The caliph could not but admire how Abou 
 Hassan acquitted himself in his exalted station, 
 without the least hesitation and embarrassment, 
 and decided well in all matters, as his own good 
 sense suggested. But before the grand vizier had 
 finished his report, Abou Hassan perceived the 
 cadi, whom he knew by sight, sitting in his place : 
 " Stop," said he to the grand vizier, interrupting 
 him ; " I have an order of consequence to give to 
 the cadi." The cadi perceiving that Abou Hassan 
 looked at him, and hearing his name mentioned, 
 arose from his seat, and went gravely to the foot 
 of the throne, where he prostrated himself with 
 his face to the ground. " Go immediately," said 
 Abou Hassan, " to such a quarter, where you will 
 find a mosque ; seize the imaun and four old men, 
 
274 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS 
 
 his friends, and give each of them a hundred bas- 
 tinadoes. After that, mount them all five, clothed 
 in rags, on camels, with their faces to the tails, 
 and lead them through the whole city, with a 
 crier before them, who shall proclaim with a loud 
 voice, — ' This is the punishment of all those who 
 interfere in other people's affairs.' Make them 
 also leave that quarter, and never set foot on it 
 more. And while your lieutenant is conducting 
 them through the town, return and give me an ac- 
 count of the execution of my orders." The judge 
 of the police laid his hand upon his head, to show 
 his obedience, and prostrating himself a second 
 time, retired to execute the mandate. 
 
 Abou Hassan then, addressing himself to the 
 grand vizier, said : " Go to the high treasurei' for 
 a purse of a thousand pieces of gold, and carry it 
 to the mother of one Abou Hassan ; she lives in 
 tlie same quarter to which I sent the judge of the 
 /)filice. Go, and return immediately." 
 
 The grand vizier, after laying his hand upon 
 his head, and prostrating himself before the 
 throne, went to the high treasurer, who gave him 
 the money, which he ordered a slave to take, and 
 to follow him to Abou Hassan's mother, to whom 
 he gave it, saying only, " The caliph makes j'ou 
 this present." She received it with the greatest 
 surprise imaginable. 
 
 During the grand vizier's absence, the judge of 
 the police made the usual report of his office, 
 which lasted till the vizier returned. As soon as 
 he came into the council-chamber, and had assured 
 Abou Hassan that he had executed his orders, he 
 made a sign to the viziers, the emirs, and other 
 officers, that the council was over, and that they 
 might all retire ; which they did, by making the 
 same prostration at the foot of the throne as when 
 they entered. 
 
 Abou Hassan descended from the caliph's 
 throne, and was conducted with much ceremony 
 into a magnificent hall. In this hall was a table 
 covered with massy gold plates and dishes, which 
 scented the apartment with the spices and amber 
 wherewith the meat w;is seasoned ; and seven 
 young and most beautiful ladies, dressed in the 
 
 richest habits, stood round his table, each with a 
 fan in her hand, to fan Abou Hassan when at 
 dinner. 
 
 If ever mortal was charmed, Abou Hassan was 
 when he entered this stately hall. At every step 
 he took he could not help stopping to contemplate 
 at leisure all the wonders that regaled his eyes, 
 and turned first to one side and then to the other ; 
 which gave the caliph, who viewed him with at- 
 tention, very great pleasure. At last he sat down 
 at the table, and presently all the ladies began to 
 fan the new caliph. He looked first at one, then 
 at another, and admired the grace with which 
 they acquitted themselves. He told them with a 
 smile that he believed one of them was enough to 
 give him all the air he wanted, and would have 
 six of the ladies sit at table with him, three on 
 his right hand and three on his left. 
 
 The six ladies obeyed ; and Abou Hassan, taking 
 notice that out of respect they did not eat, hel23ed 
 them himself, and invited them to eat in the most 
 pressing and obliging terms. Afterwards he asked 
 their names, which thej' told him were Alabaster 
 Neck, Coral Lips, Moon Face, Sunshine, Ej^e's 
 Delight, Heart's Delight, and she who fanned him 
 was Sugar Cane. The many soft things he said 
 upon their names showed him to be a man of 
 sp)rightly wit, and it is not to be conceived how 
 much it increased the esteem which the caliph 
 (who saw everything) had already conceived for 
 him. 
 
 When the ladies observed that Abou Hassan 
 had done eating, one of them said to the slaves 
 who waited, " The Commander of the Faithful 
 will go into the hall where the dessert is laid ; 
 bring some water ; " upon which they all rose 
 from the table, and taking from the slaves, one a 
 gold basin, another a ewer of the same metal, and 
 a third a towel, knelt before Abou Hassan, and 
 presented them to him to wash his hands. As 
 soon as he had done, he got up and went, preceded 
 by the chief officer, who never left him, into an- 
 other hall, as large as the former, adorned with 
 paintings bj' the best artists, and furnished with 
 gold and silver vessels, carpets, and other rich fur- 
 
THE ADVENTURES OF THE CALIPH HAROUN AL-RASGHID. 
 
 275 
 
 niture. There the sultan's musicians began a sere- 
 nade as soon as Abou Hassan appeared. In this 
 hall there were seven large lustres, a 'table in 
 the middle covered with dried sweetmeats, the 
 choicest and most exquisite fruits of the season, 
 raised in pyramids, in seven gold basins ; and 
 seven other beautiful ladies standing round it, 
 each with a fan in her hand. 
 
 These new objects raised still greater admira- 
 tion in Abou Hassan, who, after he had made a 
 full stop, and given the most sensible marks of 
 surprise and astonishment, went directly to the 
 table, where, sitting down, he gazed a considera- 
 ble time at the seven ladies, with an embarrass- 
 ment that plainly showed he knew not to which 
 to give the preference. At last he ordered them 
 all to lay aside their fans, and sit down, and eat 
 with him, telling them that it was not so hot but 
 he could spare them that trouble. 
 
 When the ladies were all placed about him, the 
 first thing he did was to ask their names, which 
 were different from the other seven, and expressed 
 some perfection, of mind or body which distin- 
 guished them from one another ; upon which he 
 took an opportunity, when he presented them 
 with fruit, etc., to say something gallant. By 
 these sallies Abou Hassan more and more amused 
 the caliph, who was delighted with his words and 
 actions, and pleased to think he had found in him 
 a man who diverted him so agreeabl}^ 
 
 By this time, the day beginning to close, Abou 
 Hassan was conducted into a fourth hall, much 
 more superb and magnificently furnished, and 
 lighted with wax in seven gold lustres, which gave 
 a splendid light. Abou Hassan found there what 
 he had not observed in any of the other halls, a 
 beaufet, set out with seven large silver flagons, 
 full of the choicest wines, and by them seven crys- 
 tal glasses of the finest workmanship. 
 
 Hitherto, in the first three halls, Abou Hassan 
 had drunk nothing but water, according to the 
 custom observed at Bagdad, from the highest to 
 the lowest, at the caliph's court, never to drink 
 wine till the evening. 
 
 As soon as Abou Hassan entered the fourth 
 
 hall, he went to the table, sat down, and was a 
 long time in a kind of ecstasy at the sight which 
 surrounded him, and which was much more beau- 
 tiful than anything he had beheld in the other 
 halls. He was desirous to continue his conversa- 
 tion with the ladies, his fair attendants, and he 
 clapped his hands for the musicians to cease. A 
 profound silence ensued. Taking by the hand the 
 lady who stood on the right next to him, he made 
 her sit down by him; and presenting her with a 
 cake, asked her name. " Commander of the 
 Faithful," said the lady, " I am called Cluster of 
 Pearls." " No name," replied Abou Hassan, 
 " could have more properly expressed your worth ; 
 and indeed your teeth exceed the finest pearls. 
 Cluster of Pearls," added he, " since that is your 
 name, oblige me with a glass of wine from your 
 fair hand." The lady went to the beaufet, and 
 brought him a glass of wine, which she presented 
 to him with a pleasant air. Abou Hassan took 
 the glass with a smile, and said, " Cluster of 
 Pearls, I drink your health." 
 
 After Abou Hassan had drunk, he made an- 
 other lady sit down by him, and presenting her 
 with what she chose in the basins, asked her 
 name, which she told him was Morning Star. 
 " Your bright eyes," said he, " shine with greater 
 lustre than that star whose name you bear. Do 
 nie the pleasure to bring me some wine." Which 
 she did with the best grace in the world. Then 
 turning to the third lady, whose name was Day- 
 light, he ordered her to do the same, and so on to 
 the seventh, to the extreme satisfaction of the ca- 
 liph. 
 
 When they had all filled him a glass round. 
 Cluster of Pearls, whom he had first addressed, 
 went to the beaufet, poured out a glass of wine, 
 and putting in a pinch of the same powder the 
 caliph had used the night before, presented it to 
 Abou Hassan. " Commander of the Faithful," 
 said she, " I beg of your majesty to take this glass 
 of wine, and before you drink it, do me the favor 
 to hear a song I have composed to-day, and which, 
 I flatter myself, will not displease you." 
 
 When the lady had concluded, Abou Hassan 
 
276 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 drank off his glass, and turned his head towards 
 her, to give her those praises wliich he thought 
 she merited, but was prevented by the opiate : 
 for, in a moment, dropping his head on the cush- 
 ions, he slept as profoundly as the day before, 
 when the caliph had given him the powder. One 
 of the ladies stood ready to catch the glass, which 
 fell out of his hand ; and then the caliph, who en- 
 joyed greater satisfaction in this scene than lie had 
 promised himself, and was all along a spectator of 
 what had passed, came into the hall to them, 
 overjoyed at the success of his plan. He ordered 
 Abou Hassan to be dressed in his own clothes, 
 and carried back to his house, and to be replaced 
 in his usual bed. 
 
 Abou Hassan slept till very late the next morn- 
 ing. When the powder was worked off, he awoke, 
 opened his eyes, and finding himself at home, was 
 in the utmost surprise. " Cluster of Pearls, 
 Morning Star, Coral Lips, Moon Face," cried he, 
 calling the ladies of the palace by their names, as 
 he remembered them, "where are you? Come 
 hither." 
 
 Abou Hassan called so loud that his mother, 
 who was in her own apartment, heard him, and 
 running to him upon the noise he made, said, 
 " What ails you, son ? what has happened to 
 you ?" At these words Abou Hassan lifted up his 
 head, and looking haughtily at his mother, said, 
 '• Good woman, who is it you call son ? " " Why, 
 you," answered his mother, very mildly ; " are not 
 vou Abou Hassan, my son ? It is strange that 3'ou 
 have forgotten yourself so soon." " I your son ! " 
 replied Abou Hassan. "You know not what you 
 sa^■. I am not Abou Hassan, I tell you, but the 
 Commander of the Faithful ; and you shall never 
 persuade me to the contrary ! " " Pray, son," said 
 the mother, " let us leave off this discourse. Let 
 us talk of something else. I will tell you what 
 happened yesterday in our quarter to the imaun of 
 the mosque, and the four sheiks, our neighbors. 
 The cadi came and seized them, and gave each of 
 them I know not how many strokes with a basti- 
 nado, Avhile a criei- proclaimed that such was the 
 punishment of all those who troubled themselves 
 
 about other people's business. He afterwards led 
 them through all the streets, and ordered them 
 never to come into our quarter again." 
 
 Abou Hassan no sooner heard this relation, but 
 he cried out, " Know then that it was by my order 
 the imaun and the four sheiks were punished ; and 
 I tell you I am the Commander of the Faithful, 
 and all thy arguments shall not convince me of 
 the contrary." 
 
 The mother, who could not imagine why her 
 son so positively maintained himself to be caliph, 
 no longer doubted but that he had lost his senses, 
 and in this thought said : " I pray God, son, to have 
 mercy upon you, and to give you grace to talk 
 more reasonably. What would the world say to 
 hear you rave in this manner '.'' " 
 
 These remonstrances only enraged Abou Has- 
 san the more and he was so provoked that he lost 
 all the respect due from a son to his mother. 
 Getting up hastily, and laying hold of a cane, he 
 ran to his mother in great fury, and said, " Tell me 
 directly who I am." " I do not believe, son," re- 
 plied she, looking at him tenderly and without fear, 
 " that you are so abandoned by God as not to know 
 your mother, who brought you into the world, and 
 to mistake yourself. You are indeed my son Abou 
 Hassan, and are much in the wrong to arrogate to 
 yourself the title which belongs only to our sover- 
 eign lord the Caliph Haroun Al-Raschid, especially- 
 after the noble and generous present of a thousand 
 pieces of gold that he sent us yesterday ! " 
 
 At these words Abou Hassan grew quite mad. 
 " Well," cried he, " will you be convinced when I 
 tell vou that I sent you those thousand pieces of 
 gold, as I was Commander of the Faithful ? Why 
 then do you maintain with such obstinacy that I 
 am your son ? But you shall not go unpunished." 
 After these words, in the height of his frenzy he 
 beat her with his cane. 
 
 The poor mother, who could not understand her 
 son, called out for help so loud that the neighbors 
 ran in to her assistance. Abou Hassan continued to 
 beat her, at every stroke asking her if he was the 
 Commander of the Faithful ; to which she always 
 answered tenderly that he was her son. 
 
THE ADVENTURES OF THE CALIPH HAROUN AL-RASCHID. 
 
 277 
 
 On hearing her cries for help, the neighbors 
 came in and remonstrated with Abou Hassan on 
 his conduct, and claimed acquaintance with him. 
 He said to them: "Begone! I neither know her 
 nor you. I am not Abou Hassan ; I am the Com- 
 mander of the Faithful, and will make you feel it 
 to your cost." 
 
 At this speech, the neighbors, no longer doubt- 
 ing that he was mad, seized him, bound him hand 
 and foot, and conducted him to the hospital for 
 mad people, where he was lodged in a grated cell 
 and beaten with fifty strokes of the bastinado on 
 his shoulders. This punishment was repeated 
 every day, and each time the executioner bade 
 him remember that he was not the Commander of 
 the Faithful. 
 
 Abou Hassan's mother went every day to visit 
 her son, and could not forbear weeping at the 
 hardships he endured. These practical proofs 
 that he was not the caliph began to have their 
 effect on Abou Hassan. Sometimes he would say 
 to himself, " If I was caliph and Commander of 
 the Faithful, why should the grand vizier, and all . 
 those emirs and governors of provinces, who pros- 
 trated themselves at my feet, forsake me ? How 
 came I at home dressed in my own robes ? Cer- 
 tainly I ought to look upon all as a dream. But 
 yet there are so many things about it that I can- 
 not comprehend, that I will put mj' trust in God, 
 who knows all things." 
 
 Abou Hassan was taken up with these thoughts 
 and reflections when his mother came to see him. 
 " Well, my son," said she, wiping her tears, "how 
 do you do, and how do you find yourself ? " " In- 
 deed, mother," replied Abou Hassan, very ration- 
 ally and calmly, " I acknowledge my error. I have 
 been deceived by a dream ; but by so extraordi- 
 nary a one, and so like to truth, that while I am 
 speaking I can liardly persuade myself but that 
 what befell me was matter of fact. But whatever 
 it was, I am convinced that I am not the caliph 
 and Commander of the Faithful, but Abou Hassan 
 your son." " My son ! " cried she, transported 
 with pleasure, "to hear you talk so reasonably 
 gives me as much joy as if I had brought you into 
 
 the world a second time ; but I must tell you my 
 opinion of that adventure. I fear the stranger 
 whom you brought home the evening before your 
 illness to sup with you threw you into the horrible 
 illusion you have been in ; therefore, my son, you 
 ought to return God thanks for your deliverance, 
 and beseech Him to keep you from falling again 
 under the enchantments of magic." Upon this his 
 mother went immediately to the keeper, who came, 
 examined, and released him in her presence. 
 
 'When Abou Hassan came home, he recovered 
 his strength, and within a few days resumed the 
 same plan he had before pursued, of regaling a 
 stranger at night. On the first day on which Abou 
 Hassan renewed his former custom, he had not been 
 long arrived at the bridge, when he perceived the 
 Mussulman merchant, followed by the same slave. 
 Persuaded that all his misfortunes were owing to 
 the merchant, he shuddered at the sight of him. 
 " God preserve me ! " said he to himself ; " if I am 
 not deceived there is again the magician who en- 
 chanted me ! " He trembled with agitation, and 
 resolved not to see him till he was past. 
 
 The caliph had taken care to inform himself of 
 all that had happened to Abou Hassan, and was 
 glad to learn that he had returned to his usual 
 manner of living. He perceived Abou Hassan at 
 the same time that he saw him, and when he came 
 nigh him, he looked him in the face. " Ho, 
 brother Abou Hassan," said he, " is it you ? — I 
 greet you ! Give me leave to embrace you ? " 
 " Not I," replied Abou Hassan, " I do not greet 
 you ; I will have neither yOur greeting nor your 
 embraces. Go, I say, about your business." 
 
 The caliph was not to be diverted from his 
 purpose by this rude behavior. He knew well 
 the law Abou Hassan had imposed on himself, 
 never to have commerce again with a stranger he 
 had once entertained, but pretended to be igno- 
 rant of it. 
 
 " Ah ! brother Abou Hassan," replied the caliph, 
 embracing him, " I do not intend to part with you 
 thus, since I have had the good fortune to meet 
 with you a second time ; you must exercise the 
 same hospitality towards me again that you showed 
 
278 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 me a month ago, when I had the honor to drink 
 with you." 
 
 Abou Hassan, notwithstanding his resolution 
 never to admit the same stranger a second time, 
 could not resist the caresses of the caliph, whom 
 he still toolt for a merchant of Moussul. " I will 
 consent," said he, "on one condition, that you dis- 
 pense with your good wishes, and that you prom- 
 ise to form none for me. All the mischief that 
 has hitherto befallen me arose from those you 
 expressed for me." " Well," replied the caliph, 
 " since you will have it so, I promise you I will 
 form none." " You give me pleasure by speaking 
 so," said Abou Hassan ; " I desire no more ; I 
 shall be more than satisfied provided you keep 
 your word, and I shall forgive you all the rest." 
 
 As soon as Abou Hassan entered his house, he 
 called for his mother and for candles, desired his 
 guest to sit down upon a sofa, and then placed 
 himself by him. A little time after, supper was 
 brought up, and they both began to eat without 
 ceremony. When they had done, Abou Hassan's 
 . mother cleared the table, set on a small dessert of 
 fruit, wine, and glasses by her son, then withdrew, 
 and appeared no more. Abou Hassan first filled 
 out his own glass and then the caliph's ; and after 
 they had drunk some time, and talked of indiffer- 
 ent matters, " It is a great pity," said the caliph, 
 "that so gallant a man as you, who owns himself 
 not insensible of love, should lead so solitary a 
 life." " I prefer the easy quiet life I live," replied 
 Abou Hassan, "before the company of a wife, who 
 might not please me. I should require beauty, 
 accomplishments, the art of pleasing, and wit in 
 conversation ; but where is such a woman to be 
 found except in the caliph's palace ? " " Let me 
 alone," said the disguised merchant in reply ; 
 " since you have the same good taste as every 
 other honest man, I warrant you I will find you 
 a wife that shall please you." Then taking Abou 
 Hassan's glass, and putting a pinch of the same 
 powder into it, he filled him up a bumper, and 
 presenting it to him, said, " Come, let us drink be- 
 forehand the fair lady's health, who is to make 
 you happy. I am sure you will like her." 
 
 Abou Hassan took the glass laughing, and shak- 
 ing his head, said, " Be it so, since you desire it ; 
 I cannot be guilty of so great a piece of incivility, 
 nor disoblige a guest of so much merit in such a 
 trifling matter. I will drink the health of the 
 lady you promise me, though I am very well con- 
 tented as I am, and do not rely on your keeping 
 your word." No sooner had Abou Hassan drank 
 off his bumper than he fell into as deep a sleep as 
 before ; and the caliph ordered the same slave to 
 take him and carry him to the palace. 
 
 When they arrived at the palace, the caliph or- 
 dered Abou Hassan to be dressed in the same 
 robes in which he had acted as caliph, and to be 
 laid on a sofa in the fourth hall, from whence he 
 had been carried home fast asleep a month before. 
 He then chai'ged all the viziers, officers, ladies, 
 and musicians who were in the hall when he drank 
 the last glass of wine which had put him to sleep, 
 to be there by daybreak, and to take care to act 
 their parts well when he should awake. He then 
 retired to rest, charging Mesrour to awake him 
 first, that he might conceal himself in the closet 
 as before. 
 
 Things being thus disposed, and the caliph's 
 powder having had its effect, Abou Hassan began 
 to awake. At that instant the hautboys, fifes, 
 flutes, and other instruments commenced a very 
 agreeable concert. Abou Hassan was in great 
 surprise to hear the delightful hai'mony ; but 
 when he opened his eyes, and saw the ladies and 
 officers about him, and the gorgeous chamber 
 which he had visited in his first dream, his amaze- 
 ment increased. 
 
 When the concert ceased, and all the officers of 
 the chamber waited, in profound and respectful 
 silence, Abou Hassan bit his finger, and cried loud 
 enough for the caliph to hear him : " Alas ! I am 
 fallen again into the same dream that happened to 
 me a month ago, and must expect again the basti- 
 nado and grated cell at the mad-house. He was a 
 wicked man that I entertained at my house last 
 night, who has been the cause of this illusion, and 
 the hardships I must again undergo. Great God ! 
 I commit myself into thy hands ; preserve me from 
 
THE ADVENTURES OF THE CALIPH HAROUN AL-RASCHID. 
 
 279 
 
 the temptation of Satan." On saying this he re- 
 solved to go to sleep again, and to regard all he 
 saw as a dream. They did not give him time to 
 do this, for one of the officers taking him by one 
 arm, and a second by the other, they lifted him 
 up, and carried him into the middle of the hall, 
 where they seated him, and all taking hands, 
 danced and skipped round him while the music 
 played, and sounded loudly in his ears. 
 
 Abou Hassan, having commanded silence, fell 
 into a great perplexity, and inquired whether he 
 were indeed the caliph. On being informed that 
 he had never been out of that hall since the time 
 he fell asleep in it, he then uncovered his shoul- 
 ders, and showed the ladies the livid weals of the 
 blows he had received. "Look," said he, "and 
 judge whether these strokes could come to me in 
 a dream or when I was asleep. For my part, I 
 can affirm that they were real blows ; I feel the 
 smart of them yet, and that is a sure testimony. 
 Now, if I received these strokes in my sleep, in 
 this hall, it is the most extraordinary thing in the 
 world, and surpasses my comprehension." 
 
 In this uncertainty, Abou Hassan called to one 
 of the officers that stood near him. " Come 
 hither," said he, " and bite the tip of my ear, that 
 I may know whether I am asleep or awake." The 
 officer obeyed, and bit so hard that he made him 
 cr}' out loudly with the pain ; the music struck np 
 at the same time, and the officers and ladies all 
 began to sing, dance, and skip about Abou Has- 
 san, and made such a noise that he was the more 
 3onvinced that he was the subject of a pleasantry; 
 and joining in the joke, he threw off his caliph's 
 habit and his turban, jumped up in his shirt and 
 drawers, danced with the rest, jumping and cut- 
 ting capers, so that the caliph could not contain 
 himself, but burst into violent laughter ; and put- 
 ting his head into the room, cried, " Abou Hassan, 
 Abou Hassan, have you a mind to kill me with 
 laughing ? " 
 
 As soon as the caliph's voice was heard every- 
 body was silent, and Abou' Hassan, turning his 
 head to see from whence the voice came, recog- 
 nized the Moussul merchant, and knew him to be 
 
 the caliph. He was not in the least daunted. On 
 the contrary, he saw at once all that had hap- 
 pened to him, and entered into the caliph's hu- 
 mor. " Ha ! ha ! " said he, looking at him with 
 good assurance, "you pretend to be a merchant 
 of Moussul, and complain that I would kill you. 
 You have made me beat my mother, and to lose 
 my senses, and have been the occasion of all 
 my misfortunes. I beg of you to tell me what 
 you did to disturb my brain in this manner ; I 
 would know, that I may perfectly recover my 
 senses." 
 
 " You will I'emember," said the caliph, " the 
 evening that you invited me to supper, in our con- 
 versation you told me that the only thing you 
 wished for was to be caliph for four-and-twenty 
 hours. I saw in this, desire of yours a fruitful 
 source of diversion to me and to my court, and I 
 determined to procure for you the fulfillment of 
 your wish. By means of a strong opiate which I 
 put, without your knowledge, in the last glass I 
 presented to you, I had you conveyed to my pal- 
 ace. You know the rest. I am sorry that my 
 pastime should have caused you so much suffering, 
 but I will do all I can to make you amends. Thou 
 art my brother ; ask what thou wilt and tliou 
 shalt have it." 
 
 "Commander of the Faithful," replied Abou 
 Hassan, "how great soever my tortures may have 
 been, they are all blotted out of my remembrance, 
 since my sovereign lord and master had a share in 
 them. The only boon I would beg is that I may 
 have access to your person, to enjoy the happiness 
 of admiring, all my lifetime, your virtues." 
 
 Upon leaving, the caliph ordered a rich robe to 
 be brought, and assigned him an office in the pal- 
 ace, and directed the treasurer to give him a purse 
 of a thousand gold pieces, and to allow him at all 
 times access to his person. 
 
 Abou Hassan made a low prostration, and the 
 caliph left him to go to his divan. 
 
 Abou Hassan returned home, and informed his 
 mother of his good fortune, and that his story was 
 not all a dream ; for that he had actually been ca- 
 liph, had acted as such, and received all the hon^ 
 
280 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS 
 
 ors; and that this had been confirmed by the ca- 
 liph himself. 
 
 Abou Hassan was, as we have seen, a man of a 
 pleasant temper and ready wit, and the caliph 
 often had him at court, and took him to visit his 
 Queen Zobeide, to whom he had related his story. 
 Now Zobeide soon observed that every time he 
 came with the caliph, he had his eyes always fixed 
 upon one of her attendants, called Nouzhatoul- 
 aouadat. " Commander of the Faithful," said she 
 one day, " you do not observe that everj^ time 
 Abou Hassan attends you in your visits to me, he 
 never keeps his eyes off Nouzhatoul-aouadat, and 
 pays her great attention. If j'ou approve of it, we 
 will make a match between them." 
 
 " Madam," replied the caliph, " I have already 
 promised Abou Hassan a wife ; but it is better 
 that he should choose for himself." 
 
 Abou Hassan threw hiit)self at the caliph's and 
 Zobeide's feet, and rising^ up, said : " I cannot re- 
 ceive a wife from bette'" hands ; but dare not hope 
 that Nouzhatoul-aouadat will give her consent." 
 At these words he looked at the princess's slave, 
 who showed by her respectful silence, and the sud- 
 den blush that arose in her cheeks, that she was 
 disposed to obey the caliph and her mistress. 
 
 The nuptials were celebrated in the palace, with 
 great rejoicings, which lasted several days. Zo- 
 beide made her slave considerable presents, and 
 the caliph did the same to Abou Hassan. The 
 bride was conducted to the apartment the caliph 
 had assigned Abou Hassan, who received her with 
 the sound of all sorts of instruments, and musi- 
 cians of both sexes, who made the air echo with 
 their concert. 
 
 Abovi Hassan and his spouse were charmed with 
 each other. Indeed, Nouzhatoul-aouadat was just 
 such a wife as he had described to the caliph. 
 After their marriage, they gave costly entertain- 
 ments, and each vied with the otlier in sparing no 
 expense for the amusement of their friends, until, 
 at the end of the first year of their marriage, they 
 had expended all the presents given by the sultan 
 and Zobeide, as well as the patrimony inherited 
 OY Abou Hassan. 
 
 Being in great straits, and willing neither to 
 forego their manner of life nor to ask the sultan 
 or Zobeide for further presents, they took secret 
 counsel together, when Abou Hassan resolved 
 both to put a pleasant trick on the caliph and on 
 Zobeide, and to obtain from them the means of 
 carrying on his usual mode of living. " I will tell 
 you what I propose," said he to Nouzhatoul- 
 aouadat. " I will feign myself to be dead, and 
 you shall place me in the middle of my chamber, 
 with my turban upon my face, my feet towards 
 Mecca, as if ready to be carried out to burial. 
 When you have done this, you must weep, tear 
 your clothes and hair, and go all in tears, with 
 your locks dishevelled, to Zobeide. The princess 
 will of course inquire the cause of your grief ; and 
 when you have told her, she will pity you, give 
 you money to defray the expense of my funeral, 
 and a piece of good brocade, in the room of that 
 you will have torn. As soon as you return with 
 the money and the brocade, I will rise, lay you in 
 my place, and go and act the same part with the 
 caliph, who, I dare say, will be as generous to me 
 as Zobeide will have been to you." 
 
 Nouzhatoul-aouadat highly approved the proj- 
 ect, and having acted upon her husband's sug- 
 gestion and placed him as he desired, she pulled 
 off her head-dress, and with a dismal cry and lam- 
 entation, beating her face and breast with all the 
 marks of the most lively grief, ran across the court 
 to Zobeide's apartments. 
 
 The princess, amazed to see her slave in such 
 extraordinary affliction, asked what had hap- 
 pened ; but, instead of answering, she continued 
 her sobs ; and at last feigning to strive to check 
 them, said, with words interrupted with sighs : 
 " Alas ! my most honored mistress, what greater 
 misfortune could have befallen me. Abou Has- 
 san I poor Abou Hassan ! whom you honored with 
 your esteem, and gave me for a husband, is no 
 more ! " 
 
 Zobeide was extremely concerned at this news, 
 and after having expressed her sorrow, conmnanded 
 her women to fetch a hundred pieces of gold and 
 a rich cloth of gold, and to give them to Nouzha- 
 
THE ADVENTURES OF THE CALIPH HAROUN AL-RASGHW. 
 
 281 
 
 toul-aouadat, who threw herself again at the prin- 
 cess's feet, and thanked her with great self-satis- 
 faction at finding she had succeeded so well. 
 
 As soon as Nouzhatoul-aouadat got out of the 
 princess's presence, she dried up her tears, and re- 
 turned with joy to Abou Hassan. Unable to con- 
 tain herself at the success of her artifice, " Come, 
 husband," said she, laughing, "now do you hasten 
 and see if you can manage the caliph as well as I 
 have done Zobeide." 
 
 " That is the temper of all women," replied 
 Abou Hassan, " who, we may well say, have al- 
 waj^s the vanity to believe they can do things bet- 
 ter than men, though at the same time what good 
 they do is by their advice. It would be odd in- 
 deed, if i', who laid this plot myself, could not 
 carry it on as well as you. But let us lose no 
 time in idle discourse ; lie down in my place, and 
 witness if I do not come off with as much ap- 
 plause." 
 
 Abou Hassan wrapped up his wife as she had 
 done him, and with his turban unrolled, like a 
 man in the greatest affliction, ran to the caliph. 
 He presented himself at the door, and the officer, 
 knowing he had free access, opened it. He en- 
 tered holding with one hand his handkerchief be- 
 fore his eyes, to hide the feigned tears, and struck 
 his breast with the other, and uttered exclama- 
 tions expressing extraordinarj^ grief. 
 
 The caliph, always used to see Abou Hassan 
 with a merry countenance, inquired with much 
 concern the cause of his grief. " Commander of 
 the Faithful," answered Abou Hassan, with re- 
 peated siglis and sobs, " may you long reign ! A 
 greater calamity could not have befallen me than 
 what I now lament. Alas ! Nouzhatoul-aouadat ! 
 my wife, alas ! alas ! " 
 
 The caliph, who now understood that Abou 
 Hassan came to tell him of the death of his wife, 
 seemed much concerned, and said to him with an 
 air which showed how much he regretted her loss, 
 " God be merciful to her I She was a good slave, 
 and we save her to vou with an intention to make 
 vou happy ; she deserved a longer life." And 
 liaving said this, he ordered his treasurer, who 
 
 36 
 
 was present, to give Abou Hassan a purse of a 
 hundred pieces of gold and a piece of brocade. 
 Abou Hassan immediately cast himself at the ca- 
 liph's feet,- and thanked him for his present. As 
 soon as he had got the purse and piece of brocade, 
 he went home, well pleased with having found out 
 so quick and easy a way of supplying the neces- 
 sity which had given him so much uneasiness. 
 
 Nouzhatoul-aouadat, as soon as she heard the 
 door open, sprang up, ran to her husband, and 
 asked him if he had imposed on the caliph as clev- 
 erly as she had done on Zobeide. " You see ! " 
 said he, showing her the stuff, and shaking the 
 purse. 
 
 The caliph was so impatient to condole with 
 the princess on the death of her slave, that he rose 
 up as soon as Abou Hassan was gone. " Follow 
 me," said he to the vizier, " let us go and share 
 with the princess the grief which the death of her 
 slave Nouzhatoul-aouadat mnst have occasioned." 
 
 Accordingly they went to Zobeide's apartment, 
 whom the caliph found sitting on a sofa, much af- 
 flicted, and still in tears. " Madam," said the ca- 
 liph, " I wish to tell you how much I partake 
 with you in your affliction in your loss of Nouzha- 
 toul-aouadat, your faithful slave." " Commander 
 of the Faithful," replied Zobeide, " I do not la- 
 ment my slave's death, but that of Abou Hassan, 
 her husband." " Madam," said the caliph, " I 
 tell you that you are deceived ; Nouzhatoul-aoua- 
 dat is dead, and Abou Hassan is alive, and in jjer- 
 fect health." 
 
 Zobeide, much piqned at this answer of the ca- 
 liph, replied, " Permit me to repeat, once more, 
 that it is Abou Hassan who is dead, and that mv 
 slave Nouzhatoul-aouadat, his widow, is living. 
 It is not an hour since she went from hence, hav- 
 ing told me her affliction. All my women, who 
 wept with me, can bear me witness that I made 
 her a present of a hundred pieces of gold and a 
 piece of brocade ; the grief which you found me 
 in was on account of the death of her husband ; 
 and just at the instant you entered, I was going 
 to send you a compliment of condolence." 
 
 At these words of Zobeide, the caliph cried out 
 
282 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 in a fit of laughter, " This, madam, is a strange 
 piece of obstinacy ; hut," continued he, seriously 
 " you may depend upon Nouzhatoul-aouadat's be- 
 ing dead." " I tell you no, sir," replied Zobeide ; 
 " it is Abou Hassan that is dead, and you shall 
 never make me believe otherwise." 
 
 Upon this the caliph's anger rose in his counte- 
 nance, and he ordered the vizier to go at once and 
 ascertain the truth and bring him word. No 
 sooner was the vizier gone, than the caliph ad- 
 dressing himself to Zobeide, said, " You will see 
 in a moment which of us is right." " For my 
 part," replied Zobeide, " I know very well that I 
 am in the right, and you will find it to be Abou 
 Hassan." "And for myself," returned the caliph, 
 " I am so sure that it is Xonzhatoul-aouadat, that I 
 will stake my garden of pleasures against your 
 palace of paintings, thoui^di tlie one is worth much 
 more than the other." " I accept the wager," 
 said Zobeide, "• and will abide by it." The caliph 
 declared the same intention ; and both awaited 
 the vizier's return. 
 
 While the caliph and Zobeide were disputing 
 so earnestly, and with so much warmth, Abou 
 Hassan, who foresaw their difference, was very at- 
 tentive to whatever might happen. As soon as 
 lie perceived the vizier through a window, at 
 which he sat talking with his wife, and observed 
 that he was coming directly to their apartment, he 
 guessed his commission, and bade his wife make 
 haste to act the part they had agreed on, without 
 loss of time. They were so pressed that Abou 
 Hassan had much ado to wrap up his wife, and 
 lay the piece of brocade which the caliph had 
 given him upon her, before the vizier reached the 
 the house. 
 
 Having ascertained the truth, the vizier has- 
 tt^ned back to the caliph and Zobeide. 
 
 " Commander of the Faithful," said tlie vizier, 
 naving entered the apartment and made his salu- 
 tation, " it is Nouzhatoul-aouadat who is dead, 
 for the loss of whom Abou Hassan is as much af- 
 flicted as when he appeared before your majesty." 
 The caliph, not giving him time to pursue his 
 story, interrupted him, and addressing himself to 
 
 Zobeide, " Well, madam," said he, " have you 
 yet anything to say against so certain a truth ? 
 Will you still believe that Nouzhatoul-aouadat is 
 alive, and that Abou Hassan is dead ? And will 
 you not own that you have lost your wager ? " 
 
 " How, sir?" replied Zobeide; "I am not blind 
 or mad ! With these eyes I saw Nouzhatoul- 
 aouadat in the greatest affliction. I spoke to her 
 myself, and she told me that her Inisband was 
 dead. My women also heard her cries and saw 
 her affliction. Let me, 1 pray }i.iu, send my 
 nurse, in whom I can place confidence, to Abou 
 Hassan's, to know whether or not I am in error." 
 The caliph consented, and the nurse set out on 
 her inquiry. 
 
 In the mean time Abou Hassan, who watched 
 at the window, perceived the nurse at a distance, 
 and guessing that she was sent by Zobeide, called 
 his wife, and told her that the princess's nurse was 
 coming to know the truth. •' Therefore," said he, 
 " make haste, and do to me as we have agreed 
 on." Accordingly, Nouzhatoul-aouadat covered 
 him with the brocade Zobeitlc had given her, and 
 put his turban upon his face. The nurse, eager 
 to acquit herself of her commission, hobbled as fast 
 as age would allow her, and entering the room, 
 perceived Nouzhatoul-aouadat in tears, her hair 
 disheveled, and seated at the head of her hus- 
 band, beating her breast with all the expressions 
 of violent grief. 
 
 As soon as the nurse was gone, Nouzhatoul- 
 aouadat wiped her eyes, and released Abou Has- 
 san. They both went and sat down on a sofa 
 against the window, expecting what v/ould be the 
 end of this stratagem, and to be ready to act ac- 
 cording as circumstances might require. 
 
 The nurse, in the mean time, made all the 
 haste she could to Zobeide, and gave the caliph 
 and the princess a true account of what she saw, 
 affirming that it was Abou Hassan who was dead. 
 This perplexed the caliph more and moi'e ; and he 
 said : " It seems to me a strange series of marvels, 
 and that no one can be believed, more than an- 
 other. Therefore, I propose we go ourselves to ex- 
 amine the truth, for I see no other way to clear 
 
THE ADVENTURES OF THE GALIPH HAROUN AI^RASGHID. 
 
 283 
 
 these doubts." So saying, the caliph arose, and 
 the princess and her train followed. 
 
 Abou Hassan, who saw them coming, apprised 
 his wife of it. " What shall we do ? " cried she ; 
 "we are ruined." " Not at all ; don't be afraid," 
 returned Abou Hassan. " Let us do as we have 
 agreed ; and all, you shall see, will turn out well. 
 At the rate they are coming, we shall be ready 
 before they reach the door." 
 
 In fact, Abou Hassan and his wife covered 
 themselves as well as they could, and having 
 placed themselves, one beside the other, in the 
 middle of the chamber, each under the piece of 
 brocade, they waited quietly for the arrival of the 
 caliph and Zobeide. On entering the chamber, 
 followed by all their people, they were much sur- 
 prise and perplexed at the dismal spectacle which 
 presented itself to their view. Zobeide at last 
 broke silence. " Alas ! " said she to the caliph, 
 " it is too true my dear slave is dead, as indeed it 
 will appear, for grief at having lost her husband." 
 "Allow rather, madam," replied the caliph, " that 
 Nouzhatoul-aouadat died first, and that the poor 
 Abou Hassan fell under the affliction of seeing 
 his wife, your dear slave, die." " No," replied Zo- 
 beide, with a spirit excited by the contradiction 
 of the caliph, "Abou Hassan died first, because my 
 nurse saw his wife alive, and lamenting her hus- 
 band's death." 
 
 At last the caliph, reflecting upon all that had 
 passed, and vexed at not being able to come at 
 the truth, tried to devise some expedient which 
 should determine the wager in his own favor 
 and against Zobeide. " I will give," cried he, "a 
 thousand pieces to the person who shall ascer- 
 tain which of the two died first." 
 
 The caliph had scarcely spoken these words, 
 when he heard a voice, under the brocade which 
 covered Abou Hassan, say, " Commander of the 
 Faithful, I died first ; give me the thousand pieces • 
 of gold." And at the same time he saw Abou 
 
 Hassan free himself from the brocade which cov- 
 ered him, and throw himself at his feet. His wife 
 uncovered herself in the same manner, and ran to 
 throw herself at the feet of Zobeide. Zobeide set 
 up a loud cry of fright and alarm. At last re- 
 covering herself, she was overjoyed at seeing her 
 dear slave again, almost at the moment she felt 
 inconsolable at having seen her dead. 
 
 " So then, Abou Hassan," said the caliph, laugh- 
 ing, " how came it into your head thus to surprise 
 both Zobeide and me in a way we could not possi- 
 bly be upon our guard against ? " 
 
 " Commander of the Faithful," replied Abou 
 Hassan, " I will tell you the whole truth. I and 
 the wife you gave me have been too profuse in 
 our entertainments to our friends, and we have 
 expended all the treasures which your royal bounty 
 supplied us with. This morning we found our 
 chest quite empty ; and knowing your highnesses' 
 partiality to a pleasant joke, we invented this arti- 
 fice to supply our need, which we humbly entreat 
 you will have the goodness to forgive." 
 
 The caliph and Zobeide were very well satisfied 
 with the sincerity of Abou Hassan, and were dis- 
 posed to forgive him the deception practiced on 
 them. " Follow me, both of you," said the caliph ; 
 " I will give you the thousand pieces of gold that 
 I promised you, for the joy I feel that you are 
 neither of you dead." 
 
 " Commander of the Faithful," resumed Zo- 
 beide, " content yourself, I beseech you, with caus- 
 ing the thousand pieces of gold to be given to 
 Abou Hassan ; you owe them only to him. As 
 to his wife, that is my business." At the same 
 time she gave a thousand pieces of gold to Nouz- 
 hatoul-aouadat, in proof of the joy she felt that 
 she was still alive. 
 
 Thus did Abou Hassan and Nouzhatoul-aouad at 
 obtain the favor of the Calipli Haroun Al-Raschid 
 and of Zobeide, and gained from their bounty 
 enough to supply all their wants. 
 
284 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 VI. THE HISTORY OF ALI BABA, AND OF THE FORTY ROBBERS KILLED BY 
 
 ONE SLAVE. 
 
 He deteraiined to leave his asses 
 to save himself. He climbed up 
 a large tree, planted on a high 
 rock, whose branches were thick 
 enough to conceal him, and vet 
 enabled him to see all that passed 
 without being discovered. 
 
 The troop, who were to the 
 
 number of forty, all well mounted 
 
 and armed, cauie to the foot of 
 
 the rock on which the tree stood, 
 
 and there dismounted. Every 
 
 man unbridled bis horse, tied him to some shrub, 
 
 and hung about his neck a bag of corn which they 
 
 brought behind them. Then each of them took 
 
 off his saddle-bag, which seemed to Ali Baba to 
 
 There once lived 
 in a town of Persia 
 two brothers, one 
 named Cassim, and 
 the other Ali Baba. 
 Their father divided 
 a small inheritance 
 equally between them. 
 Cassim married a very 
 rich wife, and became 
 a wealthy merchant. 
 Ali Baba married a 
 woman as poor as him- 
 self, and lived by cut- 
 ting wood, and bring- 
 ing it upon three asses 
 into the town to sell. 
 One day, when Ali 
 Baba was in the for- 
 est, and had just cut 
 wood enough to load 
 his asses, he saw at a 
 distance a great cloud 
 of dust, which seemed 
 to approach him. He 
 observed it with at- 
 tention, and distinguished soon after a body of 
 horsemen whom he suspected might be robbers. 
 
 be full of gold and silver from its weight. One, 
 whom he took to be their captain, came under the 
 tree in which Ali Baba was concealed ; and mak- 
 ing his way through some shrubs, pronounced 
 these words, — " Open, Sesame ! " ' As soon as 
 the captain of the robbers had tlius spoken, a door 
 opened in the rock ; and after he had made all his 
 troop enter before him, he followed them, when 
 the door shut again of itself. 
 
 The robbers stayed some time within the rock, 
 during which Ali Baba, fearful of being caught, 
 remained in the tree. 
 
 At last the door opened again, and as the cap- 
 tain w^ent in last, so he came out first, and stood 
 to see them all pass by him : when Ali Baba 
 heard him make the door close by pronouncing 
 these words, — " Shut, vSesame ! '" Every man at 
 once went and bridled his horse, fastened his wal- 
 let, and mounted again. \\'hen the captain saw 
 them all ready, he put himself at their head, and 
 they returned the way they had come. 
 
 Ali Baba followed them with his eves as iar as 
 he could see them ; and afterwards stayed a con- 
 siderable time before he descended. Remeraber- 
 
 1 " Se^aiue,'' i.s u small i^raiu 
 
THE HISTORY OF ALT BABA, AND OF THE FORTY ROBBERS. 
 
 285 
 
 ing the words the captain of the robbers osed to 
 cause the door to open and shut, he had the curi- 
 osity to try if his pronouncing them would have 
 the sanae effect. Accordingly, he went among 
 the shrubs, and perceiving the door concealed be- 
 hind them, stood before it, and said, " Open, Ses- 
 ame ! " The door instantly flew" wide open. 
 
 All Baba, who expected a dark, dismal cavern, 
 was surprised to see a well-lighted and spacious 
 chamber, which received the light from an open- 
 ing at the top of the rock, and in which were all 
 sorts of provisions, rich bales of silk, stuff, brocade, 
 and valuable carpeting, piled upon one another, 
 gold and silver ingots in great heaps, and money 
 in bags. The sight of all these riches made him 
 suppose that this cave must have been occupied 
 for ages by robbers, who had succeeded one an- 
 other. 
 
 All Baba went boldly into the cave, and col- 
 lected as much of the gold coin, which was in 
 bags, as he thought his three asses could carry. 
 When he had loaded them with the bags, he laid 
 wood over them in such a manner that they could 
 not be seen. When he had passed in and out as 
 often as he wished, he stood before the door, and 
 pronouncing the words, " Shut, Sesame ! " the door 
 closed of itself. He then made the best of his 
 way to town. 
 
 When Ali Baba got home, he drove his asses 
 into a little yai-d, shut the gates very carefully, 
 threw off the wood that covered the panniers, 
 carried the bags into his house, and ranged them 
 in order before his wife. He then emptied the 
 bags, which raised such a great heap of gold as 
 dazzled his wife's eyes, and then he told her the 
 whole adventure from beginning to end, and, 
 above all, recommended her to keep it secret. 
 
 The wife rejoiced greatly at their good fortune, 
 and would count all the gold piece by piece. 
 " Wife," replied Ali Baba, "■ you do not know 
 what you undertake, when you pretend to count 
 the money ; you will never have done. I will dig 
 a hole and bury it. There is no time to be lost." 
 " You are in the right, husband," replied she ; 
 " but let us know, as nigh as possible, how much 
 
 we have. I will borrow a small measure, and 
 measure it, while you dig the hole." 
 
 Away the wife ran to her brother-in-law Cas- 
 sim, who lived just by, and addressing herself to 
 his wife, desired her to lend her a measure for a 
 little while. Her sister-in-law asked her whether 
 she. would have a great or a small one. The other 
 asked for a small one. She bade her stay a little, 
 and she would readily fetch one. 
 
 The sister-in-law did so, but as she knew Ali 
 Baba's poverty, she was curious to know what 
 sort of grain his wife wanted to measure, and art- 
 fully putting some suet at the bottom of the meas- 
 ure, brought it to her, with an excuse that she 
 was sorry that she had made her stay so long, but 
 that she could not find it sooner. 
 
 Ali Baba's wife went home, set the measure 
 upon the heap of gold, filled it, and emptied it 
 often upon the sofa, till she had done, when she 
 was very well satisfied to find the number of meas- 
 ures amounted to so many as they did, and went 
 to tell her husband, who had almost finished dig- 
 ging the hole. While Ali Baba was burying the 
 gold, his wife, to show her exactness and diligence 
 to her sister-in-law, carried the measure back 
 again, but without taking notice that a piece of 
 gold had stuck to the bottom. " Sister," said she, 
 giving it to her again, "you see that I have not 
 kept your measure long. I am obliged to you for 
 it, and return it with thanks." 
 
 As soon as Ali Baba's wife was gone, Cassim's 
 looked at the bottom of the measure, and was in 
 inexpressible surprise to find a piece of gold stick- 
 ing to it. Envy immediately possessed her breast. 
 " What ! " said she, " has Ali Baba gold so plenti- 
 ful as to measure it? Whence has he all this 
 wealth ? " 
 
 Cassim, her husband, was at his counting-house. 
 When he came home his wife said to him : " Cas- 
 sim, I know you think yourself rich, but Ali Baba 
 is infinitely richer than you. He does not count 
 his money, but measures it." Cassim desired her 
 to explain the riddle, which she did, by telling 
 him the stratagem she had used to make the disr 
 covery, and showed him the piece of money, which 
 
286 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 was so old that they could not tell in what prince's 
 reign it was coined. 
 
 Cassim, after he had married the rich widow, 
 had never treated Ali Baba as a brother, but 
 neglected him ; and now, instead of being pleased, 
 he conceived a base envy at his brother's prosper- 
 ity. He could not sleep all that night, and went 
 to him in the morning before sunrise. " Ali 
 Baba,"' said he, " I am surprised at j^ou ; you pre- 
 tend to be miserably poor, and yet you measure 
 gold. M}^ wife found this at the bottom of the 
 measure you borrowi-d yesterday." 
 
 By this discourse, Ali Baba perceived that Cas- 
 sim and his wife, through his own wife's follj-, 
 knew what thej' had so much reason to conceal ; 
 but what was done cuuld not be undone. There- 
 foi-e, without showing the least surprise or trouble, 
 he confessed all, and offered his brother part of his 
 treasure to keep the secret. 
 
 " I expect as much," replied Cassim, haughtily ; 
 " but I must know exactly where this treasure is, 
 and how I may visit it myself when I choose ; 
 otherwise, I will go and inform against you, and 
 then you will not onlj' get no more, but will lose 
 all you have, and I shall have a share for my in- 
 formation." 
 
 Ali Baba told him all he desired, even to the 
 very words he was to use to gain admission into 
 the cave. 
 
 Cassim rose the next morning long before the 
 sun, and set out for the forest with ten mules bear- 
 ing great chests, which lie designed to fill, and fol- 
 lowed the road which Ali iJaha had pointed out 
 to him. He was not long befoi-e he reached the 
 rock, and found out the phice, l)y the tree and 
 other marks which his brother had given him. 
 When he reached the entrance of the cavern, he 
 pronounced the words, " Open, Sesame ! '" Tlie 
 door immediately openeil, and when he was in, 
 closed upon him. In ex:imining the cave, he was 
 in great admiration to find much more riches than 
 he had expected from Ali Baba's relation. He 
 quickly laid as many bags of gold as he could 
 carry at the door of the cavern ; but his thoughts 
 were so full of the great riches he should possess, 
 
 that he could not think of the necessary word to 
 make it open, but instead of " Sesame," said, 
 " Open, Barley! " and was much amazed to find 
 that the door remained fast shut. He named sev- 
 eral sorts of grain, but still the door would not 
 open. 
 
 Cassim had never expected such an incident, 
 and was so alarmed at the danger he was in, that 
 the more he endeavored to remember the word 
 " .Sesame," the more his memory was confounded, 
 and he had as much forgotten it as if he had never 
 heard it mentioned. He threw down the bags he 
 had loaded himself with, and walked distractedly 
 up and down the cave, without having the least 
 regard to the riches that were round him. 
 
 About noon the robbers visited their cave. At 
 some distance they saw Cassim 's mules straggling 
 about the rock, with great chests on their backs. 
 Alarmed at this, they galloped full speed to the 
 cave. Thej' drove away the mules, who strayed 
 through the forest so far that they were soon out 
 of sight, and went directly, with their naked 
 sabres in their hands, to the door, which, on their 
 captain pronouncing the projJer words, immedi- 
 ately opened. 
 
 Cassim, who heard the noise of the horses' leet, 
 at once guessed the arrival of the robbers, and re- 
 solved to make one effort for his life. He rushed 
 to the door, and no sooner saw the door open, than 
 he ran out and threw the leader diiwn, but could 
 not escape the other robbers, who with their scim- 
 itars soon deprived him of life. 
 
 The first (.-are of the robbers after this was to 
 examine the cave. They found all the bags which 
 Cassim had brought to th(^ door, to be ready to 
 load his mules, and carried them again to their 
 places, but they did not miss what Ali Baba had 
 taken aw^ay before. Tlien holding a council, and 
 deliberating upon this occurrence, thej^ guessed 
 that Cassim, when he was in, could not get out 
 again, but could not imagine how he had learned 
 the secret words by which alone he could enter. 
 They could not deny the fact of jiis being there ; 
 and to terrify any person or accomplice who should 
 attempt the same thing, they agreed to cut Cas- 
 
THE HISTORY OF ALT BABA, AND OF THE FORTY ROBBERS. 
 
 287 
 
 sim's body into four quarters — to hang two on 
 one side, and two on the other, within the door of 
 tlie cave. They had no sooner taken this resolu- 
 tion than they put it in execution ; and when they 
 had notliing more to detain them, left the place 
 of their hoards well closed. They mounted their 
 horses, went to beat the roads again, and to attack 
 the caravans they might meet. 
 
 In the mean time Cassim's wife was very un- 
 easy when night came, and her husband was not 
 returned. She ran to Ali Baba in great alarm, 
 and said : " I believe, brother-in-law, that you 
 know Cassim is gone to the forest, and upon what 
 account ; it is now night, and he lias not returned ; 
 I am afraid some misfortune has happened to 
 him." Ali Baba told her that she need not 
 frighten herself, for that certainly Cassim would 
 not think it proper to come into the town till the 
 night should be pretty far advanced. 
 
 Cassim's wife, considering how much it con- 
 cerned her husband to keep the business secret, 
 was the more easily persuaded to believe her 
 brother-in-law. She went home again, and waited 
 patiently till midnight. Then her fear redoubled, 
 and her grief was the more sensible because she 
 was forced to keep it to herself. She repented of 
 her foolish curiosity, and cursed her desire of prj^- 
 ing into the affairs of her brother and sister-in- 
 law. She spent all the night in weeping ; and as 
 soon as it was day, went to them, telling them, by 
 her tears, the cause of her coming. 
 
 Ali Baba did not wait for his sister-in-law to 
 desire him to go to see what was become of Cas- 
 sim, but departed immediately with his three 
 asses, begging of her first to moderate her afflic- 
 tion. He went to the forest, and when he came 
 near the rock, having seen neither his brother nor 
 the mules in his wajs was seriously alarmed at 
 finding some blood spilt near the door, which he 
 took for an ill omen ; but when he had pronounced 
 the word, and the door had opened, he was struck 
 with horror at the dismal sight of his brother's 
 body. He was not long in determining how he 
 should pay the last dues to his brother i but with- 
 out adverting to the little fraternal affection he 
 
 had shown for him, went into the cave, to find 
 something to enshroud his remains; and having 
 loaded one of his asses with them, covered them 
 over with wood. The other two asses he loaded 
 with bags of gold, covering them with wood also 
 as before ; and then bidding the door shut, came 
 away ; but was so cautious as to stop some time at 
 the end of the forest, that he might not go into the 
 town before night. When he came home, he drove 
 the two asses loaded with gold into his little yard, 
 and left the care of unloading them to his wife, 
 while he led the other to his sister-in-law's house. 
 
 Ali Baba knocked at the door, which was opened 
 by Morgiana, a clever intelligent slave, who was 
 fruitful in inventions to meet the most difficult 
 circumstances. When he came into the court, he 
 unloaded the ass, and talking Morgiana aside, said 
 to her : " You must observe an inviolable secrecy. 
 Your master's body is contained in these two pan- 
 niers. We must bury him as if he had died a 
 natural death. Go now and tell your mistress. I 
 leave the matter to your wit and skillful devices." 
 
 Ali Baba helped to place the body in Cassim's 
 house, again recommended to Morgiana to act her 
 part well, and then returned with his ass. 
 
 Morgiana went out early the next morning to a 
 di'uggist, and asked for a sort of lozenge which 
 was considered efficacious in the most dangerous 
 disorders. The apothecary inquired who was ill? 
 She replied, with a sigh, " Her good master Cassim 
 himself ; and that he could neither eat nor speak." 
 In the evening Morgiana went to the same drug- 
 gist's again, and with tears in her eyes asked for 
 an essence which they used to give to sick people 
 only when at the last extremity. "Alas!" said 
 she, taking it from the apothecary, " I am afraid 
 this remedy will have no better effect than the 
 lozenges ; and that I shall lose my good master." 
 
 On the other hand, as Ali Baba and his wife 
 were often seen to go between Cassim's and their 
 own house all that day, and to seem melancholj', 
 nobody was surprised in the evening to hear the 
 lamentable shrieks and cries of Cassim's wife and 
 Morgiana, who gave out everywhere that her mas- 
 ter was dead. The next morning, at daybreak, 
 
288 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 Morgiana went to an old cobbler whom she knew 
 to be always early at his stall, and bidding him 
 good morrow, put a piece of gold into his hand, 
 saying, " Baba Mustapba, you must bring with 
 you your sewing tackle, and come with me ; but I 
 must tell you, I shall blindfold you when you 
 come to such a. place." 
 
 Baba Mustapha seemed to hesitate a little at 
 these words. " Oh ! oh ! " replied he, " you 
 ■would have me do something against my con- 
 science, or against my honor?" "God forbid," 
 said Morgiana, putting another piece of gold into 
 his hand, " that I should ask anything that is con- 
 trary' to your honor ! only come along with me, 
 and fear nothing." 
 
 Baba Mustapha went with Morgiana, who, after 
 she had bound his eyes with a handkerchief at the 
 place she had mentioned, conveyed him to her 
 deceased master's house, and never unloosed his 
 eyes till he had entered the room where she had 
 put the corpse together. " Baba Mustapba," said 
 she, '• yon must make haste and sew the parts of 
 this body together ; and when you have done, I 
 will give you another piece of gold." 
 
 After Baba ^lustapha had finished his task, she 
 blindfolded him again, gave him the third piece 
 of gold as she had promised, and recommending 
 secrecy to him, carried him back to the place 
 where she first bound his eyes, pulled off the band- 
 age, a7id let him go home, but watched him that 
 he returned towards his stall, till he was quite out 
 of sight, for fear he should have the cuiiosity to 
 return and dug her ; she then went home. Mor- 
 giana, on her return, warmed some water to wash 
 the body, and at the same time Ali Baba per- 
 fumed it with incense, and wrapped it in the bury- 
 ing clothes with the accustomed ceremonies. Not 
 long after, the propn- officer brought the bier, and 
 when the attendants of the mosque, whose busi- 
 ness it was to wash the dead, offered to perform 
 their duty, she told them that it was done al- 
 ready. Shortly after this the imaun and the other 
 ministers of the mosque arrived. Four neighbors 
 carried the corpse to the burying-grounil, follow- 
 ing the imaun, who recited some prayers. Ali 
 
 Baba came after with some neighbors, who often 
 relieved the others in carrying the bier to the bury- 
 ing-ground. Morgiana, a slave to the deceased, 
 followed in the procession, weeping, beating her 
 breast, and tearing her hair. Cassim's wife stayed 
 at home mourning, uttering lamentable cries with 
 the women of the neighborhood, who came, ac- 
 cording to custom, during the funeral, and joining 
 their lamentations witli Ijers, filled the quarter far 
 and near with sounds of sorrow. 
 
 In this manner Cassim's melancholy death was 
 concealed, and hushed up between Ali Baba, his 
 widow, and Morgiana his slave, with so much con- 
 trivance, that nobody in the city had the least 
 knowledge or suspicion of the cause of it. Three 
 or four days after the funeral, Ali Baba I'emoved 
 his few goods openly to his sister-in-law's house, 
 in which it was agreed that he should in future 
 live ; but the money he had taken from the robbers 
 he conveyed thither by night. As for Cassim's 
 warehouse, he intrusted it entirely to the manage- 
 ment of his eldest son. 
 
 While these things were being done, the forty 
 robbers again visited their retreat in the forest. 
 Great, then, was their surprise to find Cassim's 
 body taken away, with some of their bags of gold. 
 " We are certainly discovered," said the captain. 
 " The removal of the body, and the loss of some 
 of our money, plainly shows that the man whom 
 we killed had an accomplice ; and for our own 
 lives' sake we must try and find him. What say 
 you, my lads ? " 
 
 All the robbers unanimously approved of the 
 captain's proposal. 
 
 " Well," said the captain, " one of you, the 
 boldest and most skillful among you, must go into 
 the town, disguised as a traveler and a stranger, 
 to try if he can hear any talk of the man whom we 
 have killed, and endeavor to find out who he was 
 and where he lived. This is a matter of the first 
 importance, and for fear of any treachery, I pro- 
 pose that whoever undertakes this business with- 
 out success, even though the failure arises only 
 from an error of judgment, shall suffer death." 
 
 Without waiting for the sentiments of his com- 
 
THE HISTORY OF ALI BAB A, AND OF THE FORTY ROBBERS. 
 
 289 
 
 panions, one of the robbers started up, and said, 
 " I submit to this condition, and think it an honor 
 to expose my life to serve the troop." 
 
 After this robber had received great commenda- 
 tions from the captain and his comrades, he dis- 
 guised himself so that nobody would take him for 
 what he was ; and taking' his leave of the troop 
 that night, went into the town just at daybreak ; 
 and walked up and down, till accidentally he came 
 to Baba Mustapha's stall, which was always open 
 before any of the shops. 
 
 Baba Mustapha was seated with an awl in his 
 hand, just going to work. The robber saluted 
 him, bidding him good morrow; and perceiving 
 that he was old, said : " Honest man, you begin to 
 work very early ; is it possible that one of your 
 age can see so well ? I question, even if it were 
 somewhat lighter, whether you could see to 
 stitch." 
 
 " You do not know me," replied Baba Musta- 
 pha; " for old as I am, I have extraordinary good 
 eyes ; and you will not doubt it when I tell you 
 that I sewed the body of a dead man together in a 
 place where I had not so much light as I have 
 now." 
 
 " A dead body ! " exclaimed the robber, with 
 affected amazement. " Yes, yes," answered Baba 
 Mustapha, " I see you want to have me speak out, 
 but you shall know no more." 
 
 The robber felt sure that he had discovered 
 what he sought. He pulled out a piece of gold, 
 and putting it into Baba Mustapha's hand, said to 
 him : " I do not want to learn your secret, though 
 1 can assure you, you might safely trust me with 
 it. The only thing I desire of you is to show me 
 ihe house where you stitched up the dead body." 
 
 " If I were disposed to do you that favor," re- 
 plied Baba Mustapha, " I assure you I cannot. I 
 was taken to a certain place, whence I was led 
 blindfold to the house, and afterwards brought 
 back again in the same manner ; you see, there- 
 fore, the impossibility of ray doing what you de- 
 sire." 
 
 " Well," replied the robber, " you may, how- 
 ever, remember a little of the way that you were 
 
 37 
 
 led blindfold. Come, let me blind your eyes at 
 the same place. We will walk together ; perhaps 
 you may recognize some part ; and as everybody 
 ought to be paid for their trouble, there is another 
 piece, of gold for you ; gratify me in what I ask 
 you." So saying, he put another piece of gold 
 into his hand. 
 
 The two pieces of gold were great temptations 
 to Baba Mustapha. He looked at them a long 
 time in his hand, without saying a word, but at 
 last he pulled out his purse and put them in. " I 
 cannot promise," said he to the robber, " that I 
 can remember the way exactly ; but since you de- 
 sire, I will try what I can do." At these words 
 Baba Mustapha rose up, to the great joy of the 
 robber, and led him to the place where Morgiana 
 had bound his eyes. " It was here," said Baba 
 Mustapha, " I was blindfolded ; and I turned this 
 way." The robber tied his handkerchief over his 
 eyes, and walked by him till he stopped directly 
 at Cassim's house, where Ali Baba then lived. 
 The thief, before he pulled off the band, marked 
 the door with a piece of chalk, which he had 
 ready in his hand, and then asked him if he knew 
 whose house that was ; to which Baba Mustapha 
 replied, that, as he did not live in that neighbor- 
 hood, he could not tell. 
 
 The robber, finding he could discover no more 
 from Baba Mustapha, thanked him for the trouble 
 he had taken, and left him to go back to his stall, 
 while he returned to the forest, persuaded that he 
 should be very well received. 
 
 A little after the robber and Baba Mustapha 
 had parted, Morgiana went out of Ali Baba's 
 house upon some errand, and upon her return, 
 seeing the mark the robber had made, stopped to 
 observe it. " What can be the meaning of this 
 mark?" said she to herself; " somebody intends 
 my master no good ; however, with whatever in- 
 tention it was done, it is advisable to guard against 
 the worst." Accordingly, she fetched a piece of 
 chalk, and marked two or three doors on each 
 side, in the same manner, without saying a word 
 to her master or mistress. 
 
 In the mean time, the robber rejoined his troop 
 
290 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 in the forest, and recounted to them his success; 
 expatiating upon his good fortune in meeting so 
 soon -with the only person wlio could inform him 
 of what he wanted to know. All the robbers list- 
 ened to him with the utmost satisfaction ; when 
 the captain, after commending his diligence, ad- 
 dressing himself to them all, said : '■ Comrades, 
 we have no time to lose ; let us set off well armed, 
 without its appearing who we are ; but that we 
 may not excite any suspicion, let only one or two 
 go into the town together, and join at our rendez- 
 vous, which shall be the great square. In the 
 mean time, our comrade who brought us the good 
 news and I will go and find out the house, that we 
 may consult what had best be done." 
 
 This speech and plan was approved of by all, 
 and they were soon ready. They filed off in par- 
 ties of two each, after some interval of time, and 
 got into the town without being in the least sus" 
 pected. The captain and he who had visited the 
 town in the morning as spy came in the last. He 
 led the captain into the street where he had 
 marked Ali Baba's residence ; and when they 
 came to the first of the houses which ]\Ljrgiana 
 had marked, he pointed it out. But the captain 
 observed that the next door was chalked in the 
 same manner, and in the same place ; and showing 
 it to his guide, asked him which house it was, 
 that, or the first. The guide was so confounded 
 that he knew not what answer to make ; but still 
 more puzzled, when he and the captain saw five 
 or six houses similarl}' marked. He assured the 
 captain, with an oath, that he had marked but 
 one, and could not tell who had chalked the rest, 
 so that he could not distinguish the house which 
 the cobbler had stopped at. 
 
 The captain, finding that their design had 
 jjroved abortive, went directly to the place of ren- 
 dezvous, and told his troop that they had lost 
 their labor, and must return to their cave. He 
 himself set them the example, and they all re- 
 turned as they had come. 
 
 When the trooi^ was all got together, the cap- 
 tain told them the reason of their returning; and 
 presently the conductor was declared by all 
 
 worthy of death. He condemned himself, ac- 
 knowledging that he ought to have taken better 
 precaution, and prepared to receive the stroke 
 from him who was appointed to cut off his head. 
 
 But as the safety of the troop required the dis- 
 covery of the second intruder into the cave, an- 
 other of the gang, who promised himself that he 
 should succeed better, presented himself, and his 
 offer being accepted, he went and corrupted Baba 
 Mustapha, as the other had done ; and being shown 
 the house, marked it in a place more remote from 
 sight, with red chalk. 
 
 Not long after, iNIorgiana, whose eyes nothing 
 could escape, went out, and seeing the red chalk, 
 and arguing with herself as she had done before, 
 marked the other neighbors' houses in the same 
 place and manner. 
 
 The robber, at his return to his company, val- 
 ued himself much on the precaution he had taken, 
 which he looked upon as an infallible way of dis- 
 tinguishing Ali Baba's house from the others; 
 and the captain and all of them thought it must 
 succeed. They conveyed themselves into the 
 town with the same precaution as before ; but 
 when the robber and his captain came to the 
 street, they found the same difficult}- ; at which 
 the captain was enraged, and the robber in as 
 great confusion as his predecessor. 
 
 Thus the captain and his troop were forced to 
 retire a second time, and much more dissatisfied; 
 while the robber, who had been the author of the 
 mistake, underwent the same punishment, which 
 he willingly submitted to. 
 
 The captain, having lost two brave fellows of 
 his troo]), was afraid of diminishing it too much 
 by j^ui-suing this plan to get information of the 
 residence of their plunderer. He found by their 
 example that their heads were not so good as their 
 hands on such occasions : and therefore resolved 
 to take upon himself the important commission. 
 
 Accordingly, he went and addressed himself to 
 Baba Mustapha, who did him the same service he 
 had done to the other robbers. He did not set 
 anj' particular mark on the house, but examined 
 and observed it so carefully, by passing often 
 
THE HISTORY OF ALI BABA, AND OF THE FORTY ROBBERS. 
 
 291 
 
 before it, that it was impossible for him to mis- 
 take it. 
 
 The captain, well satisfied with his attempt, 
 and informed of what he wanted to know, returned 
 to the forest : and when he came into the cave, 
 where the troop waited for him, said : " Now, 
 comrades, nothing can prevent our full revenge, 
 as I am certain of the house ; and in my way 
 hither I have thought how to put it into execu- 
 tion, but if any one can form a better expedient, 
 let him communicate it." He then told them his 
 contrivance ; and as they approved of it, ordered 
 them to go into the villages about, and buy nine- 
 teen mules, with thirty eight large leather jars, 
 one full of oil, and the others empty. 
 
 In two or three days' time the robbers had pur- 
 chased the mules and jars, and as the mouth of 
 the jars were rather too narrow for his purpose, 
 the captain caused them to be widened ; and after 
 having put one of his men into each, with the 
 weapons which he thought fit, leaving open the 
 seam which had been undone to leave them room 
 to breathe, he rubbed the jars on the outside with 
 oil from the fall vessel. 
 
 Tilings being thus prepared, when the nineteen 
 mules were loaded with thirty-seven robbers in 
 jars, and the jar of oil, the captain, as their driver, 
 set out with them, and reached the town by the 
 dusk of the evening, as he had intended. He led 
 them through the streets till he came to Ali Baba's, 
 at whose door he designed to have knocked ; but 
 was prevented by his sitting there after supper to 
 take a little fresh air. He stopped his mules, ad- 
 dressed himself to him, and said : " I have brought 
 some oil a great way, to sell at to-morrow's mar- 
 ket; and it is now so late that I do not know 
 where to lodge. If I should not be troublesome to 
 you, do me the favor to let me pass the night with 
 you, and I shall be very much obliged by your 
 hospitality." 
 
 Though Ali Baba had seen the captain of the 
 robbei's in the forest, and had heard him speak, 
 it was impossible to know him in the disguise of 
 an oil-merchant. He told him he should be wel- 
 eome, and immediately opened his gates for the 
 
 mules to go into the yard. At the same time he 
 called to a slave, and ordered him, when the mules 
 were unloaded, to put them into the stable, and 
 to feed them ; and then went to Morgiana, to bid 
 her get a good supper for his guest. After they 
 had finished supper, Ali Baba charging Morgiana 
 afresh to take care of his guest, said to her : " To- 
 morrow morning I design to go to the bath before 
 day ; take care my bathing linen be ready ; give 
 them to Abdalla (which was the slave's name), 
 and make me some good broth against I return." 
 After this he went to bed. 
 
 In the mean time the captain of the robbers 
 went into the yard, and took off the lid of each 
 jar, and gave his people orders what to do. Be- 
 ginning at the first jai', and so on to the last, he 
 said to each man: "As soon as I throw some 
 stones out of the chamber window where I lie, do 
 not fail to come out, and I will immediately join 
 you." After this he returned into the house, 
 when Morgiana, taking up a light, conducted him 
 to his chamber, where she left him ; and he, to 
 avoid any suspicion, put the light out soon after, 
 and laid himself down in his clothes, that he 
 might be the move ready to rise. 
 
 Morgiana, remembering Ali Baba's orders, got 
 his bathing linen ready, and ordered Abdallu to 
 set on the pot for the broth ; but while she was 
 preparing it, the lamp went out, and there was 
 no more oil in the house, nor any candles. What 
 to do she did not know, for the broth must be 
 made. Abdalla, seeing her very uneasy, said, 
 " Do not fret and tease yourself, but go into the 
 yard, and take some oil out of one of the jars." 
 
 Morgiana thanked Abdalla for his advice, took 
 the oil-pot, and went into the yard ; when, as she 
 came nigh the first jar, the robber within said 
 softly, " Is it time ? " 
 
 Though naturally much surprised at finding a 
 man in the jar instead of the oil she wanted, she 
 immediately felt the importance of keeping si- 
 lence, as Ali Baba, his family, and herself were 
 in great danger; and collecting herself, without 
 showing the least emotion, she answered, " Not 
 yet, but presently." She went quietly in this 
 
292 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 manner to all the jars, giving the same answer, 
 till she came to the jar of oil. 
 
 By this means Morgiana found that her master 
 Ali Baba had admitted thirty-eight robbers into 
 his house, and that this pretended oil-merchant 
 
 was their captain. She made what haste she could 
 to fill her oil-pot, and returned into her kitchen, 
 where, as soon as she had lighted her lamp, she 
 took a great kettle, went again to the oil-jar, 
 filled the kettle, set it on a large wood fire, and 
 as soon as it boiled went and poured enough into 
 every jar to stifle and destroy the robber within. 
 
 When this action, worthy of the courage of 
 Morgiana, was executed without any noise, as 
 she had projected, she returned into the kitchen 
 with the empty kettle ; and having put out the 
 great fire she had made to boil the oil, and leaving 
 just enough to make the broth, put out the lamp 
 also, and remained silent: resolving not to go to rest 
 till she had observed what might follow through 
 a window of the kitchen, which opened into the 
 yard. 
 
 She had not waited long before the captain of 
 the robbers got up, opened the window, and find- 
 ing no light, and hearing no noise, or any one 
 stirring in the house, gave the appointed signal, 
 by throwing little stones, several of which hit the 
 jai"s, as he doubted not by the sound they gave. 
 He then listened, but not hearing or perceiving 
 anything whereby he could judge that his com- 
 panions stirred, he began to grow very uneasv, 
 threw stones again a second, and also a third 
 time, and could not comprehend the reason that 
 none of them should answer his signal. Much 
 alarmed, he went softly down into the yard, and 
 
 going to the first jar, whilst asking the robber, 
 whom he thought alive, if he was in readiness, 
 smelt the hot boiled' oil, which sent forth a steam 
 out of the jar. Hence he suspected that his plot 
 to murder Ali Baba, and plunder his house, was 
 discovered. Examining all the jars, one after an- 
 other, he found that all his gang were dead ; and, 
 enraged to despair at having failed in his design, 
 he forced the lock of a door that led from the yard 
 to the garden, and climbing over the walls made 
 his escape. 
 
 When Morgiana saw him depart, she went to 
 bed, satisfied and pleased to have succeeded so 
 well in saving her master and family. 
 
 Ali Baba rose before day, and followed by his 
 slave, went to the baths, entirely ignorant of the 
 important event which had happened at home. 
 
 When he returned from the baths, he was very 
 much surprised to see the oil-jars, and that the 
 merchant was not gone with the mules. He asked 
 ]\Ioigiana, who opened the door, the reason of it. 
 " My good master," answered she, " God preserve 
 you and all your family. You will be better in- 
 formed of what you wish to know when you have 
 seen what I have to show you, if you will follow 
 me." 
 
 As soon as Morgiana had shut the door, Ali 
 Baba followed her, when she requested him to 
 look into the first jar, and see if there was any oil. 
 Ali Baba did so, and seeing a man, started back 
 in alarm, and cried out. " Do not be afraid," said 
 Morgiana, " the man you see there can neither do 
 you nor anybody else any harm. He is dead." 
 " Ah, Morgiana," said Ali Baba, " what is it you 
 show me ? Explain yourself." " I will," replied 
 Morgiana. " Moderate your astonishment, and do 
 not excite the curiosity of your neighbors ; for it 
 is of great importance to keep this affair secret. 
 Look into all the other jars." 
 
 Ali Baba examined all the other jars, one after 
 another ; and when he came to that which had 
 the oil in it, found it prodigiously sunk, and stood 
 for some time motionless, sometimes looking at 
 the jars, and sometimes at Morgiana, without saj^- 
 iug a word, so great was his surprise. At last. 
 
THE HISTORY OF ALl BAB A, AND OF THE FORTY ROBBERS. 
 
 293 
 
 when he had recovei'ed himself, he said, "And 
 what is become of the merchant ? " 
 
 "Merchant!" answered she; "he is as much 
 one as I am. I will tell you who he is, and what 
 is become of him ; but you had better hear the 
 story in your own chamber ; for it is time for your 
 health that you had your broth after your bath- 
 ing." 
 
 Morgiana then told him all she had done, from 
 the first observing the mark upon the house, to 
 the destruction of the robbers and the flight of 
 their captain. 
 
 On hearing of these brave deeds from the lips 
 of Morgiana, Ali Baba said to her, — " God, by 
 your means, has delivered me from the snares 
 these robbers laid for my destruction. I owe, 
 therefore, my life to you ; and, for the first token 
 of my acknowledgment, give you your liberty 
 from this moment, till I can complete your recom- 
 pense as I intend." 
 
 Ali Baba's garden was very long, and shaded 
 at the farther end by a great number of large 
 trees. Near these he and the slave Abdalla dug 
 a trench, long and wide enough to hold the bodies 
 of the robbers ; and as the earth was light, they 
 were not long in doing it. When this was done, 
 Ali Baba hid the jars and weapons ; and as he 
 had no occasion for the mules, he sent them at 
 different times to be sold in the market by his 
 slave. 
 
 While Ali Baba took these measures, the cap- 
 tain of the forty robbers returned to the forest 
 with inconceivable mortification. He did not stay 
 long ; the loneliness of the gloomy cavern became 
 frightful to him. He determined, however, to 
 avenge the fate of his companions, and to accom- 
 plish the death of Ali Baba. For this purpose he 
 returned to the town, and took a lodging in a 
 khan, and disguised himself as a merchant in silks. 
 Under this assumed character, he gradually con- 
 veyed a great many sorts of rich stuffs and fine 
 linen to his lodging from the cavern, but with all 
 the necessary precautions to conceal the place 
 whence he brought them. In order to dispose of 
 the merchandise, when he had thus amassed them 
 
 together, he took a warehouse, which happened to 
 be opposite to Cassim's, which Ali Baba's son had 
 occupied since the death of his uncle. 
 
 He took the name of Cogia Houssain, and, as a 
 new-comer, was, according to custom, extremely 
 civil and complaisant to all the merchants his 
 neighbors. Ali Baba's son was, from his vicinity, 
 one of the first to converse with Cogia Houssain, 
 who strove to cultivate his friendship more partic- 
 ularly. Two or three days after he was settled, 
 Ali Baba came to see his son, and the captain of 
 the robbers recognized him at once, and soon 
 learned from his son who he was. After this he 
 increased his assiduities, caressed him in the most 
 engaging manner, made him some small presents, 
 and often asked him to dine and sup with him, 
 when he treated him very handsomely. 
 
 Ali Baba's son did not choose to lie under such 
 obligation to Cogia Houssain : but was so much 
 straitened for want of room in his house, that he 
 could not entertain him. He therefore acquainted 
 his father, Ali Baba, with his wish to invite him 
 in return. 
 
 Ali Baba with great pleasure took the treat 
 upon himself. " Son," said he, " to-morrow being 
 Friday, which is a day that the shops of such 
 great merchants as Cogia Houssain and yourself 
 are shut, get him to accompany you, and as you 
 pass by my door, call in. I will go and order 
 Morgiana to provide a supper." 
 
 The next day Ali Baba's son and Cogia Hous- 
 sain met by appointment, took their walk, and as 
 they returned, Ali Baba's son led Cogia Houssain 
 through the street where his father lived, and when 
 they came to the house, stoj^ped and knocked at 
 the door. " This, sir," said he, " is my father's 
 house, who, from the account I have given him of 
 your friendship, charged me to procure him the 
 hoiior of your acquaintance ; and I desire you to 
 add this pleasure to those for which I am already 
 indebted to you." 
 
 Though it was the sole aim of Cogia Houssain 
 to introduce himself into Ali Baba's house, that he 
 might kill him, without hazarding his own life or 
 making any noise, yet he excused himself, and 
 
294 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 offered to take his leave ; but a slave having 
 opened the door, Ali Baba's son took him oblig- 
 ingly by the hand, and, in a manner, forced him 
 in. 
 
 Ali Baba received Cogia Houssain with a smil- 
 ing comitenance, and in the most obliging manner 
 he could wish. He thanked him for all the favors 
 he had done his son ; adding withal the obhgation 
 was the greater as he was a young man, not much 
 acquainted with the world, and that he might con- 
 tribute to his information. 
 
 Cogia Houssain returned the compliment by as- 
 suring Ali Baba, that though his son might not 
 have acquired the experience of older men, he had 
 good sense equal to the experience of many others. 
 After a little more conversation on different sub- 
 jects, he offered again to take his leave, when Ali 
 Baba, stopping him, said : " Where are you going, 
 sir, in so much haste ? I beg you would do me 
 the honor to sup with me, though my entertain- 
 ment may not be worthy your acceptance : such 
 as it is I heartily oifer it." "• Sir," replied Cogia 
 Houssain, '• I am thoroughly persuaded of your 
 good-will ; but the truth is, I can eat no victuals 
 that have any salt in them ; therefore judge how 
 I should feel at your table." '• If that is the only 
 reason," said Ali Baba, '• it ought not to deprive 
 me of the honor of your company ; for, in the first 
 place, there is no salt ever put into my bread, and 
 as to the meat we shall have to-night, I promise 
 you there shall be none in that. Therefore you 
 must do me the favor to stay. I will return im- 
 mediately." 
 
 Ali Baba went into the kitchen, and ordered 
 Morgiana to put no salt to the meat that was to 
 be dressed that night ; and to make quickly two 
 or three ragouts besides what he had ordered, but 
 be sure to put no salt in them. 
 
 Morgiana, who was always ready to obey her 
 master, could not help being surprised at his 
 strange order. " Wlio is this strange man," said 
 she, •' who eats no salt with his meat ? Your 
 supper will be spoiled, if I keep it back so long." 
 " Do not be angry, ^lorgiana," replied Ali Baba ; 
 "he is an honest man, therefore do as I bid you." 
 
 Morgiana obeyed, though with no little reluct- 
 ance, and had a curiosity to see this man who ate 
 no salt. To this end, when she had finished what 
 she had to do in the kitcTien, she helped Abdalla 
 to carry up the dishes ; and looking at Cogia 
 Houssain, knew him at first sight, notwithstand- 
 ing his disguise, to be the captain of the rob- 
 bers, and examining him very carefully, perceived 
 that he had a dagger under his garment. " I 
 am not in the least amazed," said she to herself, 
 " that this wicked man, who is my master's great- 
 est enemy, would eat no salt with him, since he 
 intends to assassinate him ; but I will prevent 
 him." 
 
 jMorgiana, while they were at supper, deter- 
 mined in her own mind to execute one of the 
 boldest acts ever meditated. When Abdalla came 
 for the dessert of fruit, and had put it with the 
 wine and glasses before Ali Baba, Morgiana re- 
 tired, dressed herself neatly, with a suitable head- 
 dress like a dancer, girded her waist with a silver- 
 gilt girdle, to which there hung a poniard with a 
 hilt and guard of the same metal, and put a hand- 
 some mask on her face. When she had thus dis- 
 guised herself, she said to Abdalla, " Take your 
 tabor, and let us go and divert our master and 
 his son's friend, as we do sometimes when he is 
 alone." 
 
 Abdalla took his tabor and played all the way 
 into the hall before Morgiana, who, when she came 
 to the door, made a low obeisance by way of ask- 
 ing leave td exhibit her skill, while Abdalla left 
 off plaving. " Come in, Morgiana," said Ali 
 Baba, " and let Cogia Houssain see what you can 
 do, that he may tell us what he thinks of your 
 performance." 
 
 Cogia Houssain, who did not expect this diver- 
 sion after supper, began to fear he should not be 
 able to take advantage of the opportunity he 
 thought he had found, but hoped, if he now missed 
 his aim, to secure it another time, by keeping up a 
 friendly correspondence with the father and son -, 
 therefore, though he could have wished Ali Baba 
 would have declined the dance, he pretended to 
 be obliged eo him for it, and had the complaisance 
 
THE HISTORY OF ALI BAB A, AND OF THE FORTY ROBBERS. 
 
 295 
 
 to express his satisfaction at what he saw, which 
 pleased his host. 
 
 As soon as Abdalla saw that Ali Baba and Cogia 
 Iloussain had done talking, he began to play on 
 the tabor, and accompanied it with an air, to 
 which Morgiana, who was an excellent performer, 
 danced in such a 
 manner as would have 
 created admiration in 
 any company. 
 
 After she had 
 danced several dances 
 with much grace, she 
 drew the poniard, and 
 holding it in her hand, 
 began a dance, in 
 which she outdid her- 
 self, by the many dif- 
 ferent figures, light 
 movements, and the 
 surprising leaps and 
 wonderful exertions 
 with which she ac- 
 companied it. Some- 
 times she presented 
 the poniard to one 
 breast, sometimes to 
 another, and often- 
 times seemed to strike 
 her own. At last, shc^ 
 snatched the tabor 
 from Abdalla with 
 her left hand, and 
 holding the dagger in 
 her right, presented 
 the other side of the 
 tabor, after the man- 
 ner of those who get 
 a livelihood by dancing, and solicit the liberality 
 of the spectators. 
 
 Ali Baba put a piece of gold into the tabor, as 
 did also his son ; and Cogia Houssain, seeing that 
 she was coming to him, had pulled his purse out 
 of his bosom to make her a present ; but while he 
 was putting his hand into it, Morgiana, with a 
 
 courage and resolution- worthy of herself, plunged 
 the poniard into his heart. 
 
 Ali Baba and his son, shocked at this action, 
 cried out aloud. "Unhappy woman!" exclaimed 
 Ali Baba, " what have you done to ruin me and 
 my family ? " " It was to preserve, not to ruin 
 
 you," answered Mor- 
 giana ; " for see here," 
 continued she, open- 
 ing the pretended Co- 
 gia Honssain's gar- 
 ment, and showing 
 the dagger, " what an 
 enemy you had enter- 
 tained ! Look well 
 at him, and you will 
 find him to be both 
 the fictitious oil-mer- 
 chant and the captain 
 of the gang of forty 
 robbers. Remember, 
 too, that he would eat 
 no salt with you ; and 
 what would you have 
 more to persuade you 
 of his wicked design ? 
 Before I saw him, I 
 suspected him as soon 
 as you told me you had 
 such a guest. I knew 
 him, and you now find 
 that my suspicion was 
 not groundless." 
 
 Ali Baba, who im- 
 mediately felt the new 
 obligation he had to 
 Morgiana for saving 
 his life a second time, 
 embraced her ; " Morgiana," said he, " I gave you 
 your liberty, and then promised you that my 
 gratitude should not stop there, but that I would 
 soon give you higher proofs of its sincerity, which 
 I now do by making you my daughter-in-law." 
 Then addressing himself to his son, he said : " I 
 believe you, son, to be so dutiful a child, that you 
 
296 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 ■will not refuse Morgiaiia for your wife. You see 
 that Cogia Houssain sought your friendship with 
 a treacherous design to take away my life , and if 
 he had succeeded, there is no doubt but he would 
 have sacrificed you also to his revenge. Consider 
 that b)' marrying Morgiana you marry the pre- 
 server of my family and your own." 
 
 The son, far from showing any dislike, readilj^ 
 consented to the marriage ; not only because he 
 would not disobey his father, but also because it 
 was' agreeable to his inclination. After this they 
 thought of burying the captain of the robbers 
 with his comrades, and did it so privatelj' that no- 
 body discovered their bones till manj' years after, 
 when no one had any concern in the publication 
 of this remarkable historj'. A few days after- 
 wards Ali Baba celebrated the nuptials of his son 
 and Morgiana with great solemnity, a sumptuous 
 feast, and the usual dancing and spectacles ; and 
 had the satisfaction to see that his friends and 
 neighbors, whom he invited, had no knowledge 
 of the true motives of the marriage ; but that 
 those who were not unacquainted with Morgiana's 
 
 good qualities commended his generosity and good- 
 ness of heart. Ali Baba did not visit the robber's 
 cave for a year, as he supposed the other two, 
 whom he could get no account of, might be alive. 
 
 At the year's end, when he found they had not 
 made any attempt to disturb him, he had the curi- 
 osity to make another journe^^ He mounted his 
 horse, and when he came to the cave he alighted, 
 tied his horse to a tree ; then approaching the en- 
 trance and prononncing the words, " Open, Ses- 
 ame I " the door opened. He entered the cavern, 
 and by the condition he found things in, judged 
 that nobody had been there since the captain- had 
 fetched the goods for his shop. From this time he 
 believed he was the only person in the world who 
 had the secret of oj^ening the cave, and that all the 
 treasure was at his sole disposal. He put as much 
 gold into his saddle-bag as his horse would cany, 
 and returned to town. Some years later he car- 
 ried his son to the cave, and taught him the se- 
 cret, which he handed down to his posterity, who, 
 using their good fortune with moderation, lived in 
 great honor and splendor. 
 
 Vll. THE STORY OF SINDBAD THE SAILOR. 
 
 In the reign of the same caliph, Haroun Al- 
 Raschid, of whom we have already heard, there 
 lived at Bagdad a poor porter called Hindbad. 
 One day, when the weather was excessively hot, 
 he was employed to carrj^ a heavy burden from 
 one end of the town to the other. Being much 
 fatigued, he took off his load, and sat upon it, near 
 a lai'ge mansion. 
 
 He was much pleased that he stopped at this 
 place ; for the agreeable smell of wood of aloes 
 and of pastils that came from tlie house, mixing 
 with the scent of the rose-water, cnnipletely per- 
 fumed and embalmed the air. Besides, he heard 
 from within a concert of instrumental music, ac- 
 companied with the harmonious notes of nightin- 
 gales and other birds. This charming melody, 
 and the smell of several sorts of savory dishes. 
 
 made the porter conclude there was a feast, with 
 great rejoicings within. His business seldom 
 leading him that way, he knew not to whom the 
 mansion belonged : but he went to some of the 
 servants, whom he saw standing at the gate in 
 magniticent apparel, and asked the name of the 
 proprietor. '• How," replied one of them, " do you 
 live in Bagdad, and know not that this is the 
 house of Sindbad the Sailor, that famous voyagei', 
 who has sailed round the world ? " The porter 
 lifted up his eves to heaven, and said, loud enough 
 to be heard : '• .\lmighty Creator of all things, 
 consider the difference between Sindbad and me ! 
 I am every day expusi'd to fatigues and calamities, 
 and caTi scarcely get e('>arse barley-bread for my- 
 self and my family, whilst happy Sindbad pro- 
 fusely expends immense riches, and leads a life of 
 
THE STORY OF STNDBAD THE SAILOR. 
 
 297 
 
 •continual pleasure. What has hf^ done to obtain 
 from Thee a lot so agreeable ? And what have I 
 done to deserve one so wretched ? " 
 
 Whilst the porter was thus indulging his mel- 
 ancholy, a servant came out of the house, and 
 talking him by the arm, bade him follow him, for 
 Sindbad, his master, wanted to speak to him. 
 
 The servant brought him into a great hall, 
 where a number of people sat round a table, cov- 
 ered with all sorts of savory dishes. At the up- 
 per end sat a comely, venerable gentleman, with a 
 long white beard, and behind him stood a number 
 of officers and domestics, all ready to attend his 
 pleasure. This person was Sindbad. Hiiidbad, 
 whose fear was increased at the sight of so manjr 
 people, and of a banquet so sumptuous, saluted 
 the company trembling. Sindbad bade him draw 
 near, and seating him at his right hand, served 
 him himself, and gave him excellent wine, of 
 which there was an abundance upon the side- 
 bo ai'd. 
 
 Now, Sindbad had himself heard the porter 
 ■complain through the window, and this it was that 
 induced him to have him brought in. When the 
 repast was over, Sindbad addressed his conversa- 
 tion to Hindbad, and inquired his name and em- 
 ployment, and said, " I wish to hear from your 
 own mouth what it was you lately said in the 
 street." 
 
 At this request, Hindbad hung down his head 
 in confusion, and replied : " My lord, I confess 
 that my fatigue put me out of humor, and occa- 
 sioned me to utter some indiscreet words, which I 
 beg you to pardon." " Do not think I am so un- 
 just," resumed Sindbad, " as to I'esent such a com- 
 plaint. But I must rectifjr your error concerning 
 myself. You think, no doubt, that I have ac- 
 quired without labor and trouble the ease and in- 
 dulgence which I now enjoy. But do not mis- 
 take ; I did not attain to this happy condition 
 without enduring for several years more trouble 
 of body and mind than can well be imagined. 
 Yes, gentlemen," he added, speaking to the whole 
 -company, " I assure you that my sufferings have 
 fbeen of a nature so extraordinary, as would de- 
 
 38 
 
 prive the greatest miser of his love of riches ; and 
 as an opportunity now offei-s, I will, with your 
 leave, relate the dangers I have encountered, 
 which I think will not be uninteresting to you." 
 
 THE FIRST VOYAGE OF SINDBAD THE SAILOR. 
 
 My father was a wealthy merchant of much re- 
 pute. He bequeathed me a large estate, which I 
 wasted in riotous living. I quickly perceived my 
 error, and that I was misspending ray time, which 
 is of all things the most valuable. I rpmembered 
 the saying of the great Solomon, which I had fre- 
 quently heard from my father, "A good name is 
 better than precious ointment ; " and again, 
 "Wisdom is good with an inheritance." Struck 
 with these reflections, I resolved to walk in my 
 father's ways, and I entered into a contract with 
 some merchants, and embarked with them on 
 board a ship we had jointly fitted out. 
 
 We set sail, and steered our course towards the 
 Indies, through the Persian Gulf, which is formed 
 by the coasts of Arabia Felix on the right, and by 
 those of Persia on the left. At first I was 
 troubled with sea-sickness, but speedily recovered 
 my health, and was not afterwards subject to that 
 complaint. 
 
 In our voyage we touched at several islands, 
 where we sold or exchanged our goods. One day, 
 whilst under sail, we were becalmed near a small 
 island, but little elevated above the level of the 
 water, and resembling a green meadow. The cap- 
 tain ordered his sails to be furled, and permitted 
 such persons as were so inclined to land ; of this 
 number I was one. 
 
 But while we were enjoying ourselves in eating 
 and drinking, and recovering ourselves from the 
 fatigue of the sea, the island on a sudden trembled 
 and shook us terribly. 
 
 The trembling of the island was perceived on 
 board the ship, and we were called upon to reem- 
 bark speedily, or we should all be lost ; for what 
 we took for an island proved to be the back of a 
 sea-monster. The nimblest got into the sloop, 
 others betook themselves to swimming; but as for 
 myself, I was still upon the island when it disap- 
 
298 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 peared into the sea, and I had only time to catch 
 hold of a piece of wood that we had brought out 
 of the ship to make a fire. Meanwhile the cap- 
 tain, having received those on board who were in 
 the sloop, and taken np some of those that swam, 
 resolved to improve the favorable gale that had 
 just risen, and hoisting his sails, pursued his voy- 
 age, so that it was impossible for me to recover the 
 ship. 
 
 Thus was I exposed to the mercy of the waves 
 all the rest of the day and the following night. 
 By this time I found my strength gone, and de- 
 spaired of saving my life, when happily a wave 
 threw me against an island. The bank was high 
 and rugged ; so that I could scarcely have got up 
 had it not been for some roots of trees which I 
 found within reach. When the sun rose, though 
 I was very feeble, both from hard labor and want 
 of food, I crept along to find some herbs fit to eat, 
 and had the good luck not only to procure some, 
 but likewise to discover a spring of excellent 
 water, which contributed much to recover me. 
 After this I advanced farther into the island, and 
 at last reached a fine plain, where I perceived 
 some horses feeding. I went towards them, when 
 I heard the voice of a man, who immediately ap- 
 peared, and asked me who I was. I related to 
 him my adventure, after which, taking me by the 
 hand, he led me into a cave, where there were 
 several other people, no less amazed to see me 
 than I was to see them. 
 
 I partook of some provisions which they offered 
 me. I then asked them what they did in such a 
 desert place ; to which they answered, that they 
 were gi'ooms belonging to the Maha-raja, sov- 
 ereign of the island, and that every year they 
 brought thither the king's horses for pasturage. 
 Tliey added, that they were to return home on 
 the raoi-row, and had I been one day later, I must 
 have perished, because the inhabited part of the 
 island was a great distance off, and it would have 
 been impossible for me to have got thither witbout 
 a guide. 
 
 Next morning they returned to the capital of 
 the island, took me with them, and presented me 
 
 to the Maha-raja. He asked me who I was, and 
 by what adventure I had come into liis dominions. 
 After I had satisfied him, he told me he was much 
 concerned for my misfortune, and at the same 
 time ordered that I should want for nothings 
 which commands his officers were so generous and 
 careful as to see exactly fulfilled. 
 
 Being a merchant, I frequented men of my own 
 profession, and particularly inquired for those who 
 were strangers, that perchance I might hear news 
 from Bagdad, or find an opportunity to return. 
 For the Maha-raja's capital is situated on the sea- 
 coast, and has a fine harbor, where ships arrive 
 daily from the different quarters of the world. I 
 frequented also the society of the learned Indians, 
 and took delight to hear them converse ; but 
 withal, I took care to make my court regularly to 
 the Maha-raja, and conversed with the governors 
 and petty kings, his tributaries, that were about 
 him. They put a thousand questions respecting 
 my country ; and I being willing to inform myself 
 as to their laws and customs, asked them concei-n- 
 ing everything which I thought worth knowing. 
 
 There belongs to this king an island named 
 Cassel. They assured me that every night a noise 
 of drums was heard there, whence the mariners 
 fancied that it was the residence of Degial. I 
 determined to visit this wonderful place, and in 
 my way thither saw fishes of 100 and 200 cubits 
 long, that occasion more fear than hurt ; for they 
 are so timorous, that they will fly upon the rat- 
 tling of two sticks or boards. I saw likewise 
 other fish about a cubit in length that had heads 
 like owls. 
 
 As I was one day at the port after my return,, 
 the ship ai'rived in which I had embarked at Bus- 
 sorah. I at once knew the captain, and I went 
 and asked him for my bales. " I am Sindbad," 
 said I, "and those bales marked with his name 
 are mine." 
 
 When the captain heard me speak thus, " Heav- 
 ens ! " he exclaimed, " whom can we trust in these 
 times ! I saw Sindbad perish with my own eyes, 
 as did also the passengers on board, and yet you 
 tell me you are that Sindbad. What impudence 
 
THE STORY OF SINDBAD THE SAILOR. 
 
 299 
 
 is this ! and -what a false tale to tell, in order to 
 possess yourself of what does. not belong to you ! " 
 " Have patience," replied I ; "do me the favor to 
 hear what I have to say." The captain was at 
 length persuaded that I was no cheat ; for there 
 came people from his ship who knew me, paid me 
 great compliments, and expressed much joy at 
 seeing me alive. At last he recollected me him- 
 self, and embracing me, " Heaven be praised," 
 said he " for your happy escape ! I cannot ex- 
 press the joy it affords me. There are your 
 goods ; take and do with them as you please." 
 
 I took out what was most valuable in my bales, 
 and presented them to the Maha-raja, who, know- 
 ing my misfortune, asked me how I came by such 
 rarities. I acquainted him with the circumstance 
 of their recovery. He was pleased at my good 
 luck, accepted my present, and in return gave me 
 one much more considerable. Upon this I took 
 leave of him, and went aboard the same ship, after 
 I had exchanged my goods for the commodities of 
 that country. I carried with me wood of aloes, 
 sandals, camphire, nutmegs, cloves, pepper, and 
 ginger. We passed by several islands, and at last 
 arrived at Buasorah, from whence I came to this 
 city, with the value of 100,000 sequins. 
 
 Sindbad stopped here, and ordered the musi- 
 cians to proceed with their concert, which the 
 story had interrupted. When it was evening, 
 Sindbad sent for a purse of 100 sequins, and giv- 
 ing it to the porter, said, " Take this, Hindbad ; 
 return to your home, and come back to-morrow to 
 hear more of my adventures." The porter went 
 away, astonished at the honor done him, and the 
 present made him. The account of this adventure 
 proved very agreeable to his wife and children, 
 who did not fail to return thanks for what Provi- 
 dence had sent thepi by the hand of Sindbad. 
 
 Hindbad put on his best robe next day, and re- 
 turned to the bountiful traveler, who received 
 him with a pleasant air, and welcomed him heart- 
 ily. When all the guests had arrived, dinner was 
 served, and continued a long time. When it was 
 ended, Sindbad, addressing himself to the com- 
 pany, said : " Gentlemen, be pleased to listen to 
 
 the adventures ' of my second voyage. They de- 
 serve your attention even more than those of the 
 first." Upon which every one held his peace, and 
 Sindbad proceeded : — 
 
 THE SECOND VOYAGE OP SINDBAD THE SAILOR. 
 
 I designed, after my first voyage, to spend the 
 rest of my days at Bagdad, but it was not long ere 
 I grew weary of an indolent life, and I put to sea 
 a second time, with merchants of known probity. 
 We embarked on board a good ship, and after 
 recommending ourselves to God, set sail. We 
 traded from island to island, and exchanged com- 
 modities with great profit. One day we landed on 
 an island covered with several sorts of fruit-trees, 
 but we could see neither man nor animal. We 
 walked in the meadows, along the streams that 
 watered them. Whilst some diverted themselves 
 with gathering flowers and others fruits, I took 
 my wine and provisions, and sat down near a 
 stream betwixt two high trees, which formed a 
 thick shade. I made a good meal, and afterwards 
 fell asleep. I cannot tell how long I slept, but 
 when I awoke the ship was gone. 
 
 In this sad condition, I was ready to die with 
 grief. I cried out in agony, beat my head and 
 breast, and threw myself upon the ground, where 
 I lay some time in despair. I upbraided myself a 
 hundred times for not being content with the prod- 
 uce of my first voyage, that might have sufficed 
 me all my life. But all this was in vain, and my 
 repentance came too late. At last I resigned my- 
 self to the will of God. Not knowing what to do, 
 I climbed up to the top of a lofty tree, from 
 whence I looked about on all sides, to see if I 
 could discover anything that could give me hopes. 
 When I gazed towards the sea I could see noth- 
 ing but sky and water ; but looking over the land 
 I beheld something white ; and coming down, I 
 took what provision I had left, and went towards 
 it, the distance being so great that I could not dis- 
 tinguish what it was. 
 
 As I approached, I thought it to be a white 
 dome, of a prodigious height and extent ; and 
 when I came up to it, I touched it, and found it to 
 
300 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 be very smooth. 
 I went round to 
 if it Avas open on any 
 side, but saw it was not, and 
 that there was no climbing 
 up to tile toj), as it was so 
 smooth. It was at least fifty 
 paces round. 
 
 By this time the sun was 
 about to set, and all of a 
 sudden the sky became as 
 dark as if it had been covered 
 with a thick cloud. I was much 
 astonished at this sudden darkness, 
 but much more when I found it oc- 
 casioned by a bird of a monstrous 
 size, that came flying towards me. 
 I remeurbered that I had often 
 heard mariners speak of a miracu- 
 lous bird called the roc, and con- 
 ceived that the great dome which 
 I so much admired must be its 
 egg. In short, the bird alighted, 
 and sat over the egg. As I per- 
 ceived her coming, I crept close to 
 the egg, so that I had before ine one of the legs of 
 the bird, which was as big as the trunk of a tree. 
 I tied myself strongly to it with my turban, in 
 hojjes that the roc next morning would carry me 
 with her out of this desert island. After hav- 
 ing passed the night in this condition, the bird 
 flew away as soon as it was daylight, and carried 
 me so high, that I could not discern the earth ; having eaten a little more of my provisions. But 1 
 
 she afterwards descended with so 
 much rapidity that I lost my 
 senses. Bat when I found my- 
 self on the ground, I speedily un- 
 tied the knot, and had scarcely 
 done so, wlien the roc, having 
 taken up a serpent of a monstrous 
 length in her bill, flew away. 
 
 The spot where the bird left 
 
 me was encompassed on all sides 
 
 by mountains, that seemed to 
 
 reach above the clouds, and so 
 
 steep that there was no possibility of getting out 
 
 of the valley. This was a new perplexity : so that 
 
 when I compared this place with the desert inland 
 
 from which the roc had brought me, I found that 
 
 I had gained nothing by the change. 
 
 As I walked through this valley, I perceived it 
 was strewed with diamonds, some of which were 
 of a surprising bigness. I took pleasure in look- 
 ing upon them ; but shortly saw at a distance such 
 objects as greatly diminished my satisfaction, and 
 which I could not view without terror, namely, a 
 great number of serpents, so monstrous that the 
 least of them was capable of swallowing an ele- 
 phant. They retired in the daytime to their dens, 
 where they hid themselves from the roc, their 
 enemy, and came out only in the night. 
 
 I spent the day in walking about in the valley, 
 resting ravself at times in such places as I thought 
 most convenient. When night came on I went 
 into a cave, where I thought I might repose in 
 safety. I sequi'ed the entrance, which was low 
 and narrow, with a great stone, to preserve me 
 from the serpents : but not so far as to exclude the 
 light. I supped on part of my provisions, but the 
 serpents, which began hissing round me, put me 
 into such extreme fear that I did not sleep. 
 When day appeared the serpents retired, and I 
 came out of the cave trembling. I can justly say, 
 that I walked upon diamonds, without feeling any 
 inclination to touch them. At last I sat down, 
 and notwithstanding my apprehensions, not having 
 closed my eyes during the night, fell asleep, after 
 
SINDBAD IN THE VALLEY OF DIAMONDS 
 
THE STORY OF SINDBAD THE SAILOR. 
 
 301 
 
 had scarcely shut my eyes when something that fell 
 by me with a great noise awaked me. This was a 
 large piece of raw meat; and at the same time I 
 saw several others fall down from the rocks in dif- 
 ferent places. 
 
 I had always regarded as fabulous what I had 
 heard sailors and others relate of the valley of 
 diamonds, and of the stratagems employed by 
 merchants to obtain jewels from thence ; but now 
 I found that they had stated nothing but the 
 truth. For the fact is, that the merchants come 
 to the neighborhood of this valley, when the ea- 
 gles have young ones, and throwing great joints of 
 meat into the valley, the diamonds, upon whose 
 points they fall, stick to them ; the eagles, which 
 are stronger in this country than anywhere else, 
 pounce with great force upon those pieces of meat, 
 and carry them to their nests on the precipices of 
 the rocks to feed their young ; the merchants at 
 this time run to their nests, disturb and drive off 
 the eagles by their shouts, and take away the dia- 
 monds that stick to the meat. 
 
 I perceived in this device the means of my de- 
 liverance. 
 
 , Having collected together the largest diamonds 
 I could find, and put them into the leather bag in 
 which I used to carry my provisions, I took the 
 largest of the pieces of meat, tied it close round 
 me with the cloth of my turban, and then laid 
 myself upon the ground, with my face down- 
 wards, the bag of diamonds being made fast to 
 my girdle. 
 
 I had scarcely placed myself in this posture 
 when one of the eagles, having taken me up with 
 the piece of meat to which I was fastened, carried 
 me to his nest on the top of the mountain. The 
 merchants immediately began their shouting to 
 frighten the eagles ; and when they had obliged 
 them to quit their prey, one of them came to the 
 nest where I was. He was much alarmed when 
 he saw me ; but recovering himself, instead of in- 
 quiring how I came thither, began to quarrel with 
 me, and asked why I stole his goods ? " You will 
 treat me," replied I, " with more civility, when 
 you know me better. Do not be uneasy ; I have 
 
 diamonds enough for you and myself, more than 
 all the other merchants together. Whatever they 
 have they owe to chance ; but I selected for my- 
 self, in the bottom of the valley, those which you 
 see in this bag." 
 
 I had scarcely done speaking, when the other 
 merchants came crowding about us, much aston- 
 ished to see me ; but they were much more sur- 
 prised when I told them my story. 
 
 They conducted me to their encampment ; anil 
 there having opened my bag, they were surprised 
 at the largeness of my diamonds, and confessed 
 that they had never seen any of such size and per- 
 fection. I prayed the merchant who owned the 
 nest to which I had been carried (for every mer- 
 chant had his own), to take as many for his share 
 as he pleased. He contented himself with one, 
 and that, too, the least of them ; and when I 
 pressed him to take more, without fear of doing 
 me any injury, " No," said he, " I am very well 
 satisfied with this, which is valuable enough to 
 save me the trouble of making any more voyages, 
 and will raise as great a fortune as I desire." 
 
 I spent the night with the merchants, to whom 
 I related my story a second time, for the satisfac- 
 tion of those who had not heard it. I could not 
 moderate my joy when I found myself delivered 
 from the danger I have mentioned. I thought 
 myself in a dream, and could scarcely believe my- 
 self out of danger. 
 
 The merchants had thrown their pieces of meat 
 into the valley for several days ; and each of 
 them being satisfied with the diamonds that had 
 fallen to his lot, we left the place the next morn- 
 ing, and traveled near high mountains, where 
 there were- serpents of a prodigious length, which 
 we had the good fortune to escape. We took 
 shipping at the first port we reached, and touched 
 at the isle of Roha, where the trees grow that 
 yield camphire. This tree is so large, and its 
 branches so thick, that one hundred men may 
 easily sit under its shade. The juice, of which 
 the camphire is made, exudes from a hole bored 
 in the upper part of the tree, is received in a ves- 
 sel, where it thickens to a consistency, and be- 
 
302 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 comes what we call camphire. After the juice is 
 thus drawn out, the tree withers and dies. 
 
 In this island is also found the rhinoceros, an 
 animal less than the elephant, but larger than the 
 buffalo. It has a horn upon it nose, about a cubit 
 in length ; this horn is solid, and cleft through 
 the middle. The rhinoceros fights with the ele- 
 phant, runs his horns into his belly, and carries 
 him off upon his head ; but the blood and the fat 
 of the elephant running into his eyes and making 
 him blind, he falls to the ground ; and then, 
 strange to relate, the roc comes and carries them 
 both away in her claws, for food for her young 
 ones. 
 
 I pass over many other things peculiar to this 
 island, lest I should weary you. Here I ex- 
 changed some of mv diamonds for merchandise. 
 From hence we went to other islands, and at last, 
 having touched at several trading towns of the 
 continent, we landed at Bussorah, from whence I 
 proceeded to Bagdad. There I immediately gave 
 large presents to the poor, and lived lionorably 
 upon the vast riches I had brought and gained 
 with so much fatigue. 
 
 Thus Sindbad ended the relation of the second 
 voyage, gave Hindbad another hundred sequins, 
 and invited him to come the next day to hear the 
 account of the third. 
 
 THE FIFTH VOYAGE OF SINDBAD THE SAILOE. 
 
 All the troubles and calamities I had undergone 
 could not cure me of my inclination to make new 
 V03'ages. I therefore bought goods, departed with 
 them for the best seaport, and there, that I might 
 not be obliged to depend upon a captain, but have 
 a ship at my own command, I remained till one 
 was built on purpose, at my own charge. When 
 the ship was ready I went on board with my 
 goods ; but not having enough to loatl her, I 
 agreed to take with me several merchants of dif- 
 ferent nations, with their merchandise. 
 
 We sailed with the first fair wind, and after a 
 long navigation, the first place we touched at was 
 a desert island, where we found an egg of a roc, 
 equal in size to that I formerly mentioned. There 
 
 was a young roc in it, just ready to be hatched, 
 and its beak had begun to break the egg. 
 
 The merchants who landed with me broke the 
 egg with hatchets, and made a hole in it, pulled 
 out the young roc piecemeal, and roasted it. I 
 had in vain entreated them not to meddle with 
 the egg. 
 
 Scarcely had thej^ finished their repast, when 
 there appeared in the air, at a considerable dis- 
 tance, two great clouds. The captain of vay ship, 
 knowing by experience what they meant, said 
 they were the male and female parents of the roc, 
 and pressed us to reembark with all speed, to pre- 
 vent the misfortune which he saw would other- 
 wise befall us. 
 
 The two rocs approached with a frightful noise, 
 which thej' redoubled when thej^ saw the egg 
 broken and their young one gone. They flew 
 back in the direction they had come, and disap- 
 peared for some time, while we made all the sail 
 we could to endeavor to prevent that which un- 
 happily befell us. 
 
 They soon returned, and we observed that each 
 of them carried between its talons an enormous 
 rock. When they came directly over my ship, 
 they hovered, and one of them let go his rock ; 
 but by the dexterity' of the steersman it missed 
 us, and fell into the sea. The other so exactly hit 
 the middle of the ship as to split it into pieces. 
 The mariners and passengers were all crushed to 
 death, or fell into the sea. I myself was of the 
 number of the latter ; but, as I came up again, I 
 fortunately caught hold of a piece of the wreck, 
 and swimming, sometimes with one hand and 
 sometimes with the other, but always holding fast 
 the plank, the wind and the tide favoring me, I 
 came to an island, and got safely ashore. 
 
 I sat down upon the grass, to recover myself 
 from my fatigue, after which I went into the 
 island to explore it. It seemed to be a delicious 
 garden. I found trees everywhere, some of them 
 bearing green and others ripe fruits, and streams 
 of fresh pure water. I ate of the fruits, which I 
 found excellent ; and drank of the water, which 
 was very light and good. 
 
THE STORY OF SINDBAD THE SAILOR. 
 
 303 
 
 When I was a little advanced into the island I 
 saw an old man, who appeared very weak and in- 
 firm. He was sit- 
 ting on the ban^ of 
 a stream, and at 
 first I took him to 
 be one who had 
 been shipwrecked 
 like myself. I went 
 towards him and 
 saluted him, but he 
 
 only slightly bowed 
 his head. I asked 
 him why he sat so 
 still ; but instead of 
 answering me, he 
 made a sign for me 
 to take him upon 
 my back, and carry 
 him over the 
 brook. 
 
 believed him really 
 to stand in need of ray 
 assistance, took him 
 upon my back, and hav- 
 carried him over, bade him 
 down, and for that end 
 stooped, that he might get off 
 with e&,ae ; but instead of doing so (which I laugh 
 at every time I think of it), the old man, who to 
 me appeared quite decrepit, threw his legs nimbly 
 about my neck. He sat astride upon my shoul- 
 ders, anci held my throat so tight that I thought 
 he would have strangled me, and I fainted away. 
 
 Notwithstanding my fainting, the ill-natured old 
 fellow still kept his seat upon my neck. When I 
 had recovered my breath, he thrust one of his feet 
 against my side, and struck me so rudely with the 
 other, that he forced me to rise up against my 
 will. Having arisen, he made me carry him under 
 the trees, and forced me now and then to stop, that 
 he might gather and eat fruit. He never left his 
 seat all day ; and when I lay down to rest at night, 
 he laid himself down with me, holding still fast 
 about my neck. Every mcuming he pinched me 
 to make me awake, and after- 
 wards obliged me to get up and 
 walk, and spurred me with his 
 feet. 
 
 One day I found several dry 
 calabashes that had fallen from a 
 tree. I took a large one, and after 
 cleaning it, pressed into it some 
 juice of grapes, which abounded 
 in the island ; having filled the 
 cafebash, I put it by in a conven- 
 ient place, and going thither again some days 
 after, I tasted it, and found the wine so good, that 
 it gave me new vigor, and so exhilarated my spir- 
 its, that I began to sing and dance as I carried my 
 burden. 
 
 The old man, perceiving the effect which this 
 had upon me, and that I carried him Avith more 
 ease than before, made me a sign to give him some 
 of it. I handed him the calabash, and the liquor 
 pleasing his palate, he drank it off. There being 
 a considerable quantity of it, he soon began to sing, 
 and to move about from side to side in his seat 
 upon my shoulders, and by degrees to loosen his 
 legs from about me. Finding that he did not press 
 me as before, I threw him upon the ground, where 
 he lay without motion ; I then took up a great 
 stone and slew him. 
 
 I was extremely glad to be thus freed forever 
 from this troublesome fellow. I now walked to- 
 wards the beach, where I met the crew of a ship 
 that had cast anchor, to take in water ; they were 
 surprised to see me, but more so at hearing the 
 particulars of my adventures. " You fell," said 
 
304 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 they, " into the hands of the Old ^lan of the Sea, 
 and are the first who ever escaped strangling by 
 his malicious embraces. He never quitted those 
 he had once made himself master of, till he had 
 destroyed them, and he has made this island noto- 
 rious by the number of men he has slain." They 
 carried me with them to the captain, who received 
 me with great kindness. He put out again to sea, 
 and after some days' sail we arrived at the harbor of 
 a great city, the houses of wIul-Ii (jverhung the sea. 
 
 One of the merchants who had taken lue into 
 his friendship invited me to go along with him. 
 He gave me a large sack, and liaving recom- 
 mended me to some people of the town, who used 
 to gather cucoa-nuts, desired them to take me with 
 them, '•(to," said he, '• follow them, and act as 
 you see them do; but do not separate from them, 
 otherwise you may endanger your life." Having 
 thus spoken, he gave me provisions for the jour- 
 ney, and I went with them. 
 
 We came to a thick forest of cocoa-trees, very 
 lofty, with trunks so smooth that it was not possi- 
 ble tij climb to the branches that bore the fruit. 
 When we entered the forest we saw a great num- 
 ber of apes of several sizes, who fled as soon as 
 they perceived us, and climbed to the tops of the 
 trees with amazing swiftness. 
 
 The merchants with whom I was gathered 
 stones, and threw them at the apes on the trees. 
 I did the same ; and the apes, out of revenge, 
 threw cocoa-nuts at us so fast, and with such gest- 
 ures, as sufficiently testified their anger and re- 
 sentment. We gathered up the cocoa-nuts, and 
 from time to time threw stones to provoke the 
 apes; so that by this stratagem we filled our bags 
 with cocoa-nuts. I thus gradually collected as 
 many cocoa-nuts as produced me a considerable 
 sum. 
 
 Having laden our vessel with cocoa-nuts, we set 
 sail, and passed by the islands where pepper grows 
 in great plenty. From thence we went ti> the isle 
 of Comari, where the best species of wood of aloes 
 grows. I exchanged my coL-oa in those two isl- 
 ands for pepper and wood of aloes, and went with 
 other merchants a-pearl-fishing. I hired divers, 
 who brought me up some that were very large and 
 pure. 
 
 I embarked in a vessel that happily arrived at 
 Bussorah ; and from thence I returned to Bag- 
 dad, where I realized vast sums from my pepper, 
 wood of aloes, and pearls. I gave the tenth of 
 my gains in alms, as I had done upon my return 
 from my other voyages, and rested from my fa- 
 tigues. 
 
 VIH. THE STORY OF THE LITTLE HUNCHBACK. 
 
 Theee was in former times at Casgar, on the 
 extreme boundaries of Tartary, a tailor, who was 
 married to a wife to whom he was tenderly at- 
 tached. One day while he was at work, a little 
 hunchback seated himself at the shop door, and 
 began to sing and play upon a tabor. The tailor 
 was pleased with his performance, and resolved to 
 take him to his house to entertain his wife. Imme- 
 diately after their arrival, the tailor's wife placed 
 before them a dish of fish ; but as the little man 
 was eating, he unluckily swallowed a bone, which, 
 notwithstanding all that the tailor and his wife 
 could do, choked him. This accident greatly 
 alarmed them both, lest they should be punished 
 
 as murderers. Now, it so happened that a doctor, 
 a Jew, lived close by, and the tailor and his wife 
 devised a scheme for placing the body of the dwarf 
 in his house. On their knocking at the door, the 
 servant-maid came down without any light, and 
 asked what they wanted. " Go and tell your mas- 
 ter," said the tailor, putting a piece of money in 
 her hand, " we have brought him a man who is ill, 
 and want his advice." While the servant was 
 gone up to inform her master, the tailor and his 
 wife hastily conveyed the body of the hunchback, 
 supposed to be dead, to the head of the stairs, and 
 leaving it there, hurried away. 
 
 In the mean time the doctor, transported with 
 
THE STORY OF THE LITTLE HUNCHBACK. 
 
 305 
 
 joy at being paid beforehand,' hastily ran towards 
 
 the head of the stairs without waiting for a light, 
 
 and came against the body of the hunchback with 
 
 so much violence, that he precipitated it to the 
 
 bottom. " Bring me a light ! " cried he to the 
 
 maid : " quick, quick ' At last she biought a 
 
 light, and he went 
 
 down-stairs with hei , 
 
 but when he saw what 
 
 he had done, " Unhap 
 
 py man that I am ! 
 
 said he, " why did I 
 
 attempt to come with 
 
 out a light ? I have 
 
 killed the poor fellow 
 
 "who was brought to 
 
 me to be cured ; and 
 
 unless Esdra's ass 
 
 come to assist me, the 
 
 authorities will be 
 
 here, and drag me out 
 
 of my house for a 
 
 murderer." 
 
 The doctor then 
 called his wife, and 
 consulted with her 
 how to dispose of the 
 dead body during the 
 night. The doctor 
 racked his biain in 
 vain ; he could not 
 think of any strata- 
 gem to relieve his em- 
 barrassment ; but his 
 wife, who was more 
 fertile in invention, 
 said : " A thought has 
 just come into my 
 head ; carry the dead body to the terrace of our 
 house, and let it down the chimney of our Mus- 
 sulman neighbor." 
 
 This Mussulman was one of the sultan's pur- 
 veyors for furnishing oil, butter, and articles of a 
 similar nature, and had a magazine in his house, 
 where the rats and mice made prodigious havoc. 
 
 39 
 
 The Jewish doctor approving the proposed ex- 
 pedient, his wife and he took the little dwarf up to 
 the roof of the house, and placing ropes under his 
 armpits, let him down the chimney into the pur- 
 veyor's chamber so dexterously that he stood iip- 
 iight igiinst the wall, as if he had been alive. 
 
 They were scarcely 
 got back into their 
 own chamber, when 
 the purveyor, who 
 had returned late 
 from a wedding-feast, 
 went into his room, 
 with a lantern in his 
 hand. He was not a 
 little surprised to dis- 
 cover a human figure 
 standing in his chim- 
 ney ; but being a 
 stout fellow, and ap- 
 prehending him to be 
 a thief, he took up a 
 stick, and, "Ah," 
 said he, " I thought 
 the rats and mice ate 
 my butter and tallow ; 
 but it is you who 
 come down the chim- 
 ney to rob me ? How- 
 ever, I think you will 
 have no wish to come 
 here again." Upon 
 this he attacked the 
 hunchback, and 
 struck him several 
 times with his stick. 
 The body fell down 
 flat on the ground, 
 and the purveyor redoubled his blows. But observ- 
 ing that the body did not move, he stood a little 
 time to regard it ; and then, fear succeeding his an- 
 ger, " Wretched man that I am ! " said he ; " what 
 have I done ! I have killed a man ! alas, I have 
 carried my revenge too far." He stood pale and 
 thunderstruck, and could not tell what resolution 
 
306 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 to take, when on a sudden he took up the body 
 supposed to be dead, and carried it to the end of 
 the street, where he placed it in an upright pos- 
 ture against a shop ; he then returned without 
 once looking behind him. 
 
 A few minutes before daybreak, a wealthy 
 Christian merchant, coming home from a night's 
 festivity, passed by the spot where the sultan's 
 purveyor had put the dead body, which being 
 jostled by him, tumbled upon the merchant's back. 
 The merchant, thinking he was attacked by a rob- 
 ber, knocked it down, and after redoubling his 
 blows, cried out " Thieves ! " The outcry alarmed 
 the watch, who came up immediately, and finding 
 a Christian beating a Mussulman, •• What reason 
 have you," said he, " to abuse a JNIussulman in 
 this manner ? " " He would have robbed me," 
 replied the merchant, " and jumped upon my back 
 in order to take me b}' the throat." "If he did," 
 said the watch, "you have revenged yourself suf- 
 ficiently ; come, get off him." At the same time 
 perceiving the little man to be dead, he said, " Is 
 it thus that a Christian dares to assassinate a AIus- 
 sulman ? " So saying, he laid hold of the Chris- 
 tian, and carried him to the house of the cadi. 
 In the mean time the Christian merchant, reflect- 
 ing upon his adventure, could not conceive how 
 such slight blows of his fist could have killed the 
 man. 
 
 The judge having heard the report of the watch, 
 and viewed the body, which they had brought to 
 his house, interrogated the Christian merchant, 
 who could not deny the death, though he had not 
 caused it. But the judge considering that the lit- 
 tle dwarf belonged to the sultan, for he was one 
 of his buffoons, would not put the Christian to 
 death till he knew the sultan's pleasure. For this 
 end he went to the palace, and acquainted the 
 sultan with what had hajjpened ; and received this 
 answer, " I have no mercy to show to a Chris- 
 tian who kills a Mussulman." Upon this the 
 cadi ordered a stake to be prepared, and sent 
 criers all over the city to proclaim that they were 
 about to impale a Christian for killing a Mussul- 
 man. 
 
 At length the merchant was brought to the 
 place of execution ; and the executioner was about 
 to fasten him to the stake, when the sultan's pur- 
 veyor pushed through the crowd, calling to him to 
 stop, for that the Christian had not committed the 
 murder, but he himself had done it, and related 
 how he had attacked him, under the impression 
 that he was a thief. " Let the Christian go," said 
 the cadi to the executioner, " and impale this man 
 in his stead, since it appears by his own confession 
 that he is guilty." Thereupon the executioner 
 released the merchant, and seized the purveyor ; 
 but just as he was going to impale him, he heard 
 the voice of the Jewish doctor, earnestly entreat- 
 ing him to suspend the execution, and make room 
 for him to approach, as he was the real criminal, 
 and stating how he had bj' his hasty imprudence 
 caused his death. The chief justice being now 
 persuaded that the Jewish doctor was the mur- 
 derer, gave orders to the executioner to seize him 
 and release the jDurveyor. Accordingly the doc- 
 tor was just going to be impaled, when the tailor 
 appeared, crying, in his turn, to the executioner 
 to hold his hand, and make room for him, that he 
 might come and make his confession to the cadi, 
 as, after all, he was the person really answerable 
 for the death of the hunchback, and he could not 
 bear that an innocent man should suffer for his 
 crime. The cadi being now fairly perplexed to 
 decide who was the real culprit amongst so many 
 self-accusing criminals, determined to refer the 
 matter to the sultan himself, and proceeded to the 
 palace, accompanied by the tailor, the Jewish doc- 
 tor, and the Christian merchant, while four of his 
 men carried on a bier the body of the dwarf, sup- 
 posed to lie dead. 
 
 When they appeared in the sultan's presence, 
 the cadi prostrated himself at his feet ; and on ris- 
 ing, gave him a faithful relation of all he knew 
 of the story of the dwarf, and of the three men 
 who, one after the other, accused themselv(js of his 
 involuntarj' murder. The story appeared so ex- 
 traordinary to the sultan, that he ordered his 
 own historian to write it down with all its circum- 
 stances. 
 
THE STORY OF THE BARMECIDE FEAST. 
 
 307 
 
 IX. THE STORY OP THE BARMECIDE FEAST. 
 
 One day as Schacabac passed by a magnificent 
 house, whose high gate showed a very spacious 
 court, where there was a multitude of servants, he 
 went to one of them, and asked him to whom that 
 house belonged. " Good man," replied the serv- 
 ant, " whence do you come that you ask me such 
 a question ? Does not all that you behold point 
 out to you that it is the palace of a Barmecide ? " 
 Schacabac, who very well knew the liberality and 
 generosity of the Barmecides, addressed himself 
 to one of the gate-keepers (for he had more than 
 one), and prayed him to give him an alms. " Go 
 in," said he, " nobody hinders you, and address 
 yourself to the master of the house ; he will send 
 you back satisfied." 
 
 Schacabac, who expected no such civilit}% 
 thanked the porter, and entered the palace. He 
 went on till he came into a hall richly furnished 
 and adorned with painting of gold and azure foli- 
 age, where he saw a venerable man, with a long 
 white beard, sitting at the upper end on a sofa, 
 whence he concluded him to be the master of the 
 house ; and, in fact, it was the Barmecide himself, 
 who said to him, in a very civil manner, that he 
 was welcome, and asked him what he wanted. 
 " My lord," answered Schacabac, " I am a poor 
 man who stands in need of help. I swear to you 
 I have not eaten one bit to-day." " Is it true," 
 demanded the Barmecide, " that you are fasting 
 till now? Alas ! poor man, he is ready to die for 
 hunger ! Ho, boy ! " cried he, with a loud voice ; 
 " bring a basin and water presently, that we may 
 wash our hands." Though no boy appeared, and 
 Schacabac saw neither water nor basin, the Bar- 
 mecide fell to rubbing his hands as if one had 
 poured water upon them, and bade him come and 
 wash with him. Schacabac judged by this that 
 the Barmecide lord loved to be merry ; and he 
 himself understanding raillery, and knowing that 
 the poor must be complaisant to the rich, if they 
 would have anything from them, came forward 
 and did as he was required. 
 
 " Come on," said the Barmecide ; " bring us 
 something to eat, and do not let us wait." When 
 he had spoken, though nothing appeared, he be- 
 gan to cut, as if something had been brought him 
 upon'a plate, and putting his hand to his mouth, 
 began to eat ; and said to Schacabac : " Come, 
 friend, eat as freely as if you were at home ; you 
 said you were like to die of hunger, but you eat as 
 if you had no appetite ! " " Pardon me, my lord," 
 said Schacabac, who perfectly imitated what he 
 did ; " you see I lose no time, and that I play my 
 part well enough." " How like you this bread ?" 
 said the Barmecide ; " do not you find it very 
 good ? " " Oh, ray lord," replied Schacabac, who 
 saw neither bread nor meat, " I have never eaten 
 anything so white and so fine." " Eat your fill," 
 said the Barmecide. " T assure you the woman 
 who bakes me this good bread cost me five hundred 
 pieces of gold to purchase her." 
 
 The Barmecide, after having boasted so much 
 of his bread, which Schacabac ate only in idea, 
 cried, " Boy, bring us another dish ; " and though 
 no boy appeared, " Come, my good friend," con- 
 tinued he, " taste this new dish, and tell me if 
 ever you ate better mutton and barley broth than 
 this." "It is admirably good," replied Schacabac, 
 " and therefore you see I eat heartil}'." " You 
 oblige me highly," resumed the Barmecide. " I 
 conjure you, then, by the satisfaction I have to see 
 you eat so heartily, that you eat all up, since you 
 like it so well." A little while after he called for 
 a goose and sweet sauce. He then called for sev- 
 eral others, of which Schacabac, who was ready 
 to die of hunger, pretended to eat ; but what he 
 boasted of more than all the rest was a lamb, fed 
 with pistachio nuts, which he ordered to be 
 brought up in the same manner. " I knew you 
 would like it," said the Barmecide. " There is 
 nothing in the world finer," replied Schacabac ; 
 " your table is most delicious." " Come, bring 
 the ragout. I fancy you will like that as well as 
 you did the lamb. Well, how do you relish it ? '' 
 
308 
 
 TALES FROM THE ARABIAN XIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. 
 
 " Oh, it is wonderful," replied Sch;ifabae ; " for 
 here we taste all at once amber, cloves, nutmeg, 
 ginger, pepper, and the most odoriferous herbs, 
 and all these delicacies are so well mixed that one 
 does not prevent our tasting the other." *' How 
 pleasant I Honor this ragout,'" said the Barme- 
 cide, " by eating heartily of it. Ho, boy, bring us 
 another ragout.' '• No, my lord, if it please you," 
 replied Schacabac, " for indeed I can eat no 
 mor<\"" 
 
 " Come, take it away, then," said the Barme- 
 cide, " and bring the fruit." He stayed a moment, 
 as it were to give time for his servants to carry it 
 away ; after which he addressed Schacabac, 
 " Taste these almonds, thej^ are good and fresh 
 gathered." Both of them made as if they had 
 peeled the almonds and eaten them ; after this 
 the Barmecide invited him to eat something else. 
 " Look," said he, ■' there are all sorts of fruits, 
 cakes, drv sweetmeats, and conserves. Take what 
 you like." Then stretching out his hand, its if he 
 had reached Schacabac something, he still bade 
 him eat, and said to him : " Methinks you do not 
 eat as if you had been so hungry as you com- 
 plained you were when you came in." " My lord," 
 replied Schacabac, whose jaws ached with moving 
 and having nothing to eat, " I assure you I am so 
 full that I cannot eat one bit more." 
 
 " Well, then, friend," resumed the Barmecide, 
 " we must drink some wine now, after we have 
 eaten so well." " I will drink, then, out of com- 
 plaisance," said Schacabac, " for I see you will 
 have nothing wanting to make your treat com- 
 plete ; but since I am not accustomed to drink 
 wine, I am afraid I shall act contrary to the re- 
 spect that is due to you ; therefore I pray you to 
 excuse me from drinking any wine. I will be 
 content with water." " No, no," said the Barme- 
 cide, " you shall drink wine ; " and at the same 
 time he commanded some to be brought, in the 
 same manner as the meat and fruit had been 
 served before. He made as if he poured out wine, 
 and drank first himself, and then poui-ing out for 
 Schacabac, presented him the glass, saying, " Drink 
 my health, and let us know if you think this wine 
 
 good." He made as if he took the glass, and 
 looked to see if the color was good, and put it to 
 his nose, to try the flavor. He then made a low 
 salute to the Barmecide, to signify that he took 
 the liberty to drink his health ; and, lastly, he ap- 
 jDeared to drink with all the signs of a man that 
 drinks with pleasure. " My lord," said he, " this 
 is very excellent wine, but I think it is not strong 
 enough." " If you would have stronger," an- 
 swered the Barmecide, "you need only speak, for 
 I have sevei'al sorts in ray cellar. Try how you 
 like this." Upon which he made as if he poured 
 out another glass for himself and one for Schaca- 
 bac, antl did this so often that Schacabac, feign- 
 ing to be intoxicated with the wine, and acting the 
 part of a drunken man, lifted up his hand, and 
 gave the Barmecide such a box on the ear as 
 made him fall down. He Avas going to give him 
 another blow ; but the Barmecide, holding up his 
 hand to ward it off, cried, " Are you mad ? " 
 Then Schacabac, making as if he had come to 
 himself again, said : "My lord, you have been so 
 good as to admit your slave into your house, and 
 give him a treat. You should have been satisfied 
 with making me eat, and not have obliged me to 
 drink wine ; for I told you beforehand that it 
 might occasion me to fail in my respect for you. 
 I am very sorry for it, and beg you a thousand 
 pardons." 
 
 Scarcely had he finished these words, when the 
 Barmecide, instead of being angry, began to laugh 
 with all his might. " I have been long," said he, 
 " seeking a man of your charactei-. I not only 
 forgive the blow you have given me, but I desire 
 henceforward we should be friends, and that you 
 take my house for your home ; you have had the 
 complaisance to accommodate yourself to my 
 humor, and the patience to keep the jest up to 
 the last ; we will now eat in good earnest." When 
 he had finished these words, he clapped his bands, 
 and commanded his servants, who then ap- 
 peared, to cover the table, which was speedily 
 done, and Schacabac was treated with all those 
 dishes in reality which he ate of before in fancy. 
 As last they cleared the table and brought in the 
 
OONOLUSION. 
 
 309 
 
 wine ; and at the same time a number of hand- 
 some slaves, richly appareled, came and sung 
 some agreeable airs to their musical instruments. 
 In a word, Schacabac had all the reason in the 
 world to be satisfied with the Barmecide's bounty ; 
 for he treated him as his friend, and ordered him 
 a robe of honor from his wardrobe. 
 
 The Sultan of the Indies could not but admire 
 the prodigious and inexhaustible memory of the 
 sultaness, his wife, who had entertained him for a 
 thousand and one nights with such a variety of 
 interesting stories. 
 
 His temper was softened and his prejudices re- 
 moved. He was not only convinced of the merit 
 and great wisdom of the Sultaness Scheherazade, 
 but he remembered with what courage she had 
 offered to be his wife, without fearing the death 
 to which she knew she exposed herself, and which 
 
 so many sultanesses had suffered within her knowl- 
 edge. These considerations, and the many other 
 good qualities he knew her to possess, induced him 
 at last to forgive her. "I confess lovely Schehera- 
 zade," said he, " that you have appeased my anger. 
 I freely renounce the law I had imposed on my- 
 self, and I will have you to be regarded as the 
 deliverer of the many damsels I had resolved to 
 sacrifice to my unjust resentment." 
 
 The sultaness cast herself at his feet, and em- 
 braced them tenderly, with all the marks of the 
 most lively and perfect gratitude. 
 
 The grand vizier was the first who learned 
 this agreeable intelligence from the sultan's own 
 mouth. It was instantly carried to the city, towns, 
 and provinces ; and gained the sultan, and the 
 lovely Scheherazade his consort, universal ap- 
 plause, and the blessings of all the people of the 
 extensive empire of the Indies. 
 
THE BOOK OF BALLADS. 
 
 JOHN BAELEYCOEN. 
 
 There was three kings into the East, 
 Three kings both great and high, 
 
 And they hae sworn a solemn oath 
 John Barleycorn should die. 
 
 They took a plow and plowed him down, 
 
 Put clods upon his head. 
 And they hae sworn a solemn oath, 
 
 John Barleycorn was dead. 
 
 But the cheerful spring came kindly on, 
 
 And showers began to fall ; 
 John Barleycorn got up again, 
 
 And sore surprised them all. 
 
 The sultry suns of summer came, 
 And he grew thick and strong, 
 
 His head well armed wi' pointed spears, 
 That no one should him wrong. 
 
 The sober autumn entered mild, 
 When he grew wan and pale ; 
 
 His bending joints and drooping head 
 Showed he began to fail. 
 
 His color sickened more and more, 
 
 He faded into age ; 
 And then his enemies began 
 
 To show their deadly rage. 
 
 They 've ta'en a weapon long and sharp. 
 
 And cut him by the knee ; 
 And tied him fast upon the cart. 
 
 Like a rogue for forgerie. 
 
 They laid him down upon his back, 
 And cudgeled him full sore ; 
 
 They hung him up before the storm, 
 And turned him o'er and o'er. 
 
 They filled up a darksome pit 
 
 With water to the brim, 
 They heaved in John Barleycorn, 
 
 There let him sink or swim. 
 
 They laid him out upon the floor. 
 
 To work him further woe, 
 And still, as signs of life appeared. 
 
 They tossed him to and fro. 
 
 They wasted, o'er a scorching flame, 
 
 The marrow of his bones ; 
 But a miller used him worst of all. 
 
 For he crushed him between two stones^ 
 
 And they hae ta'en his very heart's blood, 
 And drank it round and round ; 
 And still the more and more they drank. 
 Their joy did more abound. 
 
 John Barleycorn was a hero bold. 
 
 Of noble enterprise ; 
 For if you do but taste his blood, 
 
 'T will make your courage rise. 
 
 Then let us toast John Barleycorn, 
 
 Each man a glass in hand ; 
 And may his great posterity 
 
 Ne'er fail in old Scotland ! 
 
 ROBIN HOOD AND ALLIN A DALE, 
 
 Come listen to me, you gallants so free. 
 All' you that love mirth for to hear. 
 
 And I will tell you of a bold outlaw 
 That lived in Nottinghamshire. 
 
ROBIN HOOD AND ALLIN A DALE. 
 
 311 
 
 As Robin Hood in the forest stood, 
 
 All under the greenwood tree, 
 There he was aware of a brave young man 
 
 As fine as fine might be. 
 
 The youngster was clothed in scarlet red, 
 
 In scarlet fine and gay ; 
 And he did frisk it over the plain, 
 
 And chanted a roundelay. 
 
 As Robin Hood next morning stood 
 
 Amongst the leaves so gay ; 
 There did he espy the same young man, 
 
 Come drooping along the way. 
 
 The scarlet he wore the day before 
 
 It was clean cast away ; 
 And at every step he fetched a sigh, 
 
 " Alack and a well-a-day ! " 
 
 Then stepped forth brave Little John, 
 
 And Midge, the miller's son, 
 Which made the young man bend his bow, 
 
 When as he saw them come. 
 
 " Stand off, stand ofE ! " the young man said, 
 
 " What is your will with me ? " 
 " You must come before our master straight, 
 
 Under yon greenwood tree." 
 
 And when he came bold Robin before, 
 Robin asked him courteously, 
 " Oh, hast thou any money to spare 
 For my merry men and me ? " 
 
 " I have no money," the young man said, 
 " But five shillings and a ring ; 
 And that I have kept this seven long years, 
 To have it at my wedding. 
 
 "Yesterday I should have married a maid, 
 But she soon from me was tane. 
 And chosen to be an old knight's delight. 
 Whereby my poor heart is slain." 
 
 " What is thy name ? " then said Robin Hood, 
 
 " Come tell me without any fail : " 
 " By the faith of my body," then said the young man, 
 
 " My name it is Allin a Dale." 
 
 " What wilt thou give me ? " said Robin Hood, 
 " In ready gold or fee, 
 To help thee to thy true love again. 
 And deliver her unto thee ? " 
 
 " I have no money," then quoth the young man, 
 " No ready gold nor fee, 
 But I will swear upon a book 
 Thy true servant for to be." 
 
 " How many miles is it to thy true love ? 
 
 Come tell me without guile : " 
 " By the faith of my body," then said the young man, 
 
 " It is but five little mile." 
 
 Then Robin he hasted over the plain. 
 
 He did neither stint nor lin. 
 Until he came unto the church. 
 
 Where Allin should keep his wedding. 
 
 " What hast thou here ? " the bishop then said, 
 
 " I prithee now tell unto me : " 
 " I am a bold harper," quoth Robin Hood, 
 
 " And the best in the north country." 
 
 " Oh welcome, Oh welcome," the bishop he said, 
 
 " That music best pleaseth me ; " 
 " You shall have no music," quoth Robin Hood, 
 
 " Till the bride and the bridegroom I see." 
 
 With that came in a wealthy knight, 
 
 Which was both grave and old. 
 And after him a finikin lass, 
 
 Did shine like the glistering gold. 
 
 " This is not a fit match," quoth bold Robin Hood, 
 " That you do seem to make here. 
 For since we are come into the church. 
 The bride shall choose her own dear." 
 
 Then Robin Hood put his horn to his mouth, 
 
 And blew blasts two or three ; 
 When four-and-twenty bowmen bold 
 
 Came leaping over the lea. 
 
 And when they came into the churchyard, 
 
 Marching all on a row. 
 The very first man was Allin a Dale, 
 
 To give bold Robin his bow. 
 
3li 
 
 THE BOOK OF BALLADS 
 
 " This is thy true love,'' Eobiii he said, 
 " Young Allin as I hear say ; 
 And you shall be married at this same time, 
 Befoi'e we depart away." 
 
 '■' That shall not be," the bishop he saiil, 
 ■ For thy word shall not stand ; 
 Tliey shall be three times asked in the church, 
 As the law is of our land." 
 
 Robin Hood pulled off the bishop's coat, 
 And put it upon Little John ; 
 " By the faith of my body," then Robin said, 
 " This cloth doth make thee a man." 
 
 Wlien Little John went into the quire ; 
 
 The people Ijegan to laugh ; 
 He askeil tliem seven times in the church, 
 
 Lc^t three time-, sliould not be enough. 
 
 " We '11 kill a fat ven'son," said bold Robin Hood, 
 " And dress it by the highway side ; 
 And we will watch the bishop narrowly. 
 Lest some other way he should ride." 
 
 Robin Hood dre.ssed himself in shepherd's attire, 
 
 With six of his men also ; 
 And, when the Bishop of Hereford came by, 
 
 They about the fire did go. 
 
 "Oh, what is the matter?" then said the bishop, 
 " Or tor whom do you make this ado ? 
 Or why do you kill the king's ven'son, 
 When your company is so few ? " 
 
 " We are shepherds," said bold Robin Hood, 
 " And we keep sheep all the year. 
 
 And we are disponed to be merrjf this day, 
 And to kill of the king's fat deer." 
 
 " "Willi gives me tiiis maid ? " said Little John ; 
 Quoth Robin Hood. " That do 1. 
 And he that takes her from Allin a Dale, 
 Full dearly he shall her buy." 
 
 And thu, having end of this merry wedding. 
 
 The bride looked like a queen ; 
 And so thev returned to the merry greenwood, 
 
 Amongst the leaves so ijieen. 
 
 ROBIN HOOD AND THE BISHOP OF HERE- 
 FORD. 
 
 Some will talk of bold Robin Hood, 
 
 And some of barons bold ; 
 But I '11 tell you how he served the Bishop of Here- 
 ford, 
 
 When he robbed him of his gold. 
 
 As it befell in merry Barnsdale, 
 
 All under the greenwood tree. 
 The Bishop of Hereford was to come by. 
 
 With all his company. 
 
 " Come kill me a ven'son," said bold Robin Hood, 
 " Come kill me a good fat deer ; 
 The Bishop of Hereford is to dine with me to-day. 
 And he shall pay well for his cheer. 
 
 " You are brave fellows," said the bishop, 
 " And the king your doings shall know : 
 Therefoi'e make haste and come along with me, 
 For before the king you shall go." 
 
 "Oh pardon, oh pardon," said bold Robin Hood, 
 " Oh pardon, I thee pray ! 
 For it becomes not your lordship's coat 
 To take so many lives away. 
 
 " No pardon, no pardon," said the bishop, 
 '• No pardon I thee owe ; 
 Therefore make haste and come along with me, 
 For before the king you shall go." 
 
 Then Robin set his back against a tree. 
 
 And his foot against a thorn, 
 And from underneath his shepherd's coat 
 
 He pulled out> a bugle horn. 
 
 He put the little end to his mouth. 
 
 And a loud blast did he blow. 
 Till threescore and ten of bold Robin's men 
 
 Came running all on a row. 
 
 All making obeisance to bold Robin Hood, 
 'T was a comely sight for to see. 
 " What is the matter, master? " said Little John, 
 " That ye blow so hastily ? " 
 
THE HUNTING OF THE CHEVIOT. 
 
 313 
 
 " Oh, here is the Bishop of Hereford, 
 
 And no pardon we shall have." 
 " Cut off his head, master,'' said Little John, 
 
 " And throw him into his grave.'' 
 
 " Oh pardon, oh pardon,'' said the bishop, 
 " Oh pardon, I thee pray ! 
 For if I had known it had beeu you, 
 • " I 'd have gone some other way." 
 
 " No pardon, no pardon," said bold Robia Hood, 
 " No pardon I thee owe ; 
 Therefore make haste and come along with me. 
 For to merry Barnsdale you shall go." 
 
 Then Eobin he took the bishop by the hand. 
 
 And led him to merry Barnsdale ; 
 He made him to stay and sup with him that night, 
 
 And to drink wine, beer, and ale. 
 
 " Call in a reckoning," said the bishop, 
 
 " For methinks it grows wondrous high." 
 
 " Lend me your purse, master," said Little John, 
 " And I '11 tell you by and by." 
 
 Then Little John took the bishop's cloak, 
 
 And spread it upon the ground. 
 And out of the bishop's portmantua 
 
 He told three hundred pound. 
 
 " Here 's money enough, master," said Little John, 
 " And a comely sight 't is to see ; 
 It makes me in charity with the bishop, 
 Though he heartily loveth not me." 
 
 Robin Hood took the bishop by the hand, 
 
 And he caused the music to play ; 
 And he made the bishop to dance in his boots, 
 
 And glad he could so get away. 
 
 THE HUNTING OF THE CHEVIOT. 
 
 I. 
 The Percy out of Northumberland 
 And a vow to God made he,. 
 40 
 
 That he would hunt in the mountains 
 Of Cheviot within days three. 
 
 In the maugre of doughty Douglas 
 And all that ever with him be. 
 
314 
 
 THE BOOK OF BALLADS. 
 
 The fattest harts in all Cheviot 
 
 He said he would kill and carry them away ; 
 ' By my faith," said the doughty Douglas again, 
 
 " I will let that hunting if I may." 
 
 Then the Percy out of Bamborough came 
 
 With him a mighty meany 
 With fifteen hundred archers bold of blood and bone, 
 
 They were chosen out of shires three. 
 
 This began on a Monday at morn 
 In Cheviot the hills so high ; 
 
 The child may rue that is unborn, 
 It was the more pity. 
 
 The drivers thorough the woodes went. 
 
 For to raise the deer ; 
 Bowmen bickered upon the bent 
 
 With their broad arrows clear. 
 
 Then the wild thorough the woodes went 
 
 On every side sheer, 
 Greyhounds thorough the greves glent 
 
 For to kill their deer. 
 
 They began m Cheviot the hills above, 
 
 Early on Monanday ; 
 By that it drew to the hour of noon, 
 
 A hundred fat harts dead there lay. 
 
 They blew a mort upon the bent. 
 They 'sembled on sides sheer ; 
 
 To the quarry then the Percy went 
 To the brittling of the deer. 
 
 He said : " It was the Douglas's promise 
 This day to meet me here. 
 
 But I wist he would fail, verament," — 
 A great oath the Percy sware. 
 
 At the last a squire of Northumberland 
 
 Looked at his hand full nigh ; 
 He was ware of the doughty Douglas coming, 
 
 With him a mighty meany. 
 
 Both with spear, bill, and brand: 
 
 It was a mighty sight to see ; 
 Hardier men, both of heart nor hand, 
 
 Were not in Christianicy. 
 
THE HUNTING OF THE CHEVIOT. 
 
 315 
 
 They were twenty hundred spearmen good, 
 
 Withouten any fail ; 
 They were born along by the water of Tweed, 
 
 r the bounds of Tivydale. 
 
 " Leave off the brittling the deer," he said, 
 " To your bows look ye take good heed ; 
 For never since ye were on your mothers born 
 Had ye never so mickle need." 
 
 The doughty Douglas on a steed 
 
 He rode at his men beforne ; 
 His armor glittered as a glede ; 
 
 A bolder bairn was never born. 
 
 But, an fortune be my chance, 
 
 I dare meet him, one man for one." 
 
 Then bespake a squire of Northumberland, 
 Richard Witherington was his name ; 
 " It shall never be told in South England," he 
 " To King Henry the Fourth for shame. 
 
 " I wot ye bin great lordes two 
 
 I am a poor squire of land ; 
 I will never see my captain fight on a field. 
 
 And stand myself and look on. 
 But while I may my weapon wield 
 
 I will not fail both heart and hand." 
 
 " Tell me who ye are," he says, 
 " Or whose men that ye be. 
 Who gave you leave to hunt in this Cheviot Chase, 
 In the spite of me ?" 
 
 The first man that ever him an answer made. 
 It was the good Lord Percy ; 
 " We will not tell thee whose men we are," he says, 
 " Nor whose men that we be ; 
 But we will hunt here in this chase 
 In the spite of thine and of thee. 
 
 " The fattest harts in all Cheviot 
 
 We have killed and cast to carry them away : " 
 " By my troth," said the doughty Douglas again, 
 
 " Therefore the one of us shall die this day." 
 
 Then said the doughty Douglas 
 Unto the Lord Percy : 
 " To kill all these guiltless men, 
 Alas, it were great pity. 
 
 That day, that day, that dreadful day ! 
 
 The first fytte here I find, 
 And you will hear any more o' the Hunting o' the 
 Cheviot, 
 
 Yet is there more behind. 
 
 The Englishmen had their bows ybent 
 
 Their hearts were good enow ; 
 The first of arrows that they shot off. 
 
 Seven score spearmen they slew. 
 
 Yet bides the Earl Douglas upon the bent. 
 
 A captain good enow. 
 And that was seen, verament 
 
 For he wrought them both woo and woe. 
 
 The Douglas parted his host in three, 
 Like a chief chieftain of pride, 
 
 With sure spears of mighty tree, 
 They came in on every side ; 
 
 " But Percy, thou art a lord of land, 
 
 I am an earl called within my country. 
 Let all our men upon a party stand 
 And do the battle of thee and of me.'' 
 
 " Now a curse on his crown," said the Lord Percy, 
 " Whoever thereto says nay ; 
 By my troth, doughty Douglas," he says, 
 " Thou shalt never see that day. 
 
 " Neither in England, Scotland nor France 
 Nor for no man of a woman born, 
 
 Through our English archery 
 Gave many a wound full wide ; 
 
 Many a doughty they gar'd to die 
 Which gained them no pride. 
 
 The Englishmen let their bows be 
 
 And pulled out brands that were bright ; 
 
 It was a heavy sight to see 
 
 Bright swords on basnets light. 
 
 Thorough rich mail and maniple 
 
 Many stern they stroke down straight ; 
 
316 
 
 THE BOOK OF BALLADS. 
 
 Many a freke that was full free 
 There under foot did light. 
 
 At last the Douglas and the Percy met, 
 Like to captains of might and of main ; 
 
 They swapt together till they both sweat, 
 "With swords that were of fine Milan. 
 
 These worthy frekes for to fight, 
 Thereto they were full fain. 
 
 Till the blood out of their basnets sprexit, 
 As ever did hail or rain. 
 
 " Hold thee, Percy," said the Douglas, 
 " And i' faith I shall thee bring, 
 Where thou shalt have an earl's wages 
 Of Jamie our Scottish king. 
 
 " Thou shalt have thy ransom free, 
 I hight thee here this thing, 
 
 For the manfullest man yet art thou 
 That ever I conquered iu field-fighting.' 
 
 " Nay,'' said the Lord Percy, 
 " I told it thee beforiie 
 That I would never yielded be 
 To no man of a woman born." 
 
 With that there came an arrow hastily 
 
 Forth of a mighty wane ; 
 It hath stricken the Earl Douglas 
 
 In at the breast bane. 
 
 Thorough liver and lungs baith 
 
 The sharp arrow is gone 
 That never after in all his live days 
 
 He spake no words but one : 
 That was, " Fight ye. my merry men, while ye 
 may. 
 
 For my life days be gone." 
 
 The Percy leaned on his brand 
 
 And saw the Douglas die. 
 He took the dead man by the hand 
 
 And said, " Woe is me for thee ! 
 
THE HUNTING OF THE CHEVIOT. 
 
 317 
 
 " To have saved thy life, I would have parted with 
 My lands for years three, 
 For a better man of heart nor of hand 
 Was not in all the north country." 
 
 Of all that saw a Scottish knight 
 Was called Sir Hugh Montgomery ; 
 
 He saw the Douglas to the death was dight, 
 He spended a spear, a trusty tree : 
 
 He rode upon a courser 
 
 Thorough a hundred archery ; 
 He never stinted, nor never blane. 
 
 Till he came to the good Lord Percy. 
 
 They took on either hand 
 
 By the light of the moon ; 
 Many had no strength for to stand 
 
 In Cheviot the hills aboon. 
 
 Of fifteen hundred archers of England 
 Went away but fifty and three ; 
 
 Of twenty hundred spearmen of Scotland 
 Bat even five and fiftie. 
 
 But all were slain Cheviot within ; 
 
 They had no strength to stand on high ; 
 The child may rue that is unborn 
 
 It was the more pitie. 
 
 He set upon the Lord Percy 
 
 A dint that was full sore ; 
 With a sure spear of a mighty tree 
 
 Clean through the body he the Percy bore, 
 
 There was slain with the Lord Percy, 
 
 Sir John of Agerstone, 
 Sir Roger, the hynd Hartley, 
 
 Sir William, the bold Heron. 
 
 At t' other side that a man might see 
 
 A large cloth-yard and mair ; 
 Two better captains were not in Christianity, 
 
 Than that day slain were there. 
 
 Sir George, the worthy Lovel, 
 A knight of great renown. 
 
 Sir Ralph, the rich Rugby, 
 With dints were beaten down. 
 
 An archer of Northumberland 
 Saw slain was the Lord Percy; 
 
 He bare a bend-bow in his hand 
 Was made of trusty tree. 
 
 An arrow that a cloth-yard was long 
 To the hard steel haled he ; 
 
 A dint that was both sad and sore 
 He set on Sir Hugh Montgomery. 
 
 For Witherington my heart was woe 
 
 That ever he slain should be ; 
 For when both his legs were hewn in two, 
 
 Yet he kneeled and fought on his knee. 
 
 There was slain with the doughty Douglas, 
 
 Sir Hugh Montgomery ; 
 Sir Davy Liddall, that worthy was. 
 
 His sister's son was he. 
 
 The dint it was both sad and sore 
 That he on Montgomery set ; 
 
 The swan feathers that his arrow bore 
 With his heart blood they were wet. 
 
 Sir Charles o' Murray in that place 
 That never a foot would flee ; 
 
 Sir Hugh Maxwell, a lord he was, 
 With the Douglas did he dee. 
 
 There was never a freke one foot would flee 
 
 But still in stour did stand. 
 Hewing on each other, while they might dree 
 
 With many a baleful brand. 
 
 This battle began in Cheviot 
 
 An hour before the noon, 
 And when even-song bell was rung 
 
 The battle was not half done. 
 
 So on the morrow they made them biers 
 
 Of birch and hazel so gray ; 
 Many widows with weeping tears 
 
 Came to fetch their mates away. 
 
 Tivydale may carp of care 
 
 Northumberland may make great moan. 
 For two such captains as slain were there. 
 
 On the March-party shall never be none. 
 
318 
 
 THE BOOK OF BALLADS. 
 
 Word has come to Edinborough 
 
 To Jamie the Scottish king, 
 That doughty Douglas, lieutenant of the Marches 
 
 He lay slain Cheviot within. 
 
 Thus was the Hunting of the Cheridt, 
 God send us all good ending. 
 
 His handes did he weal and wring. 
 
 He said, " Alas ! and wo is me ! 
 Such an other captain Scotland within," 
 
 He said, " i' faith should never be." 
 
 Word is come to lovely London 
 
 To the fourth Harry our king. 
 That Lord Percy, lieutenant of the Marches, 
 
 He lay slain, Cheviot within. 
 
 " God have mercy on his soul," said King Harry, 
 
 " Good Lord if thy will it be ! 
 I have a hundred captains in England," he said, 
 
 " As good as ever was he. 
 But Percy, as I brook my life. 
 
 Thy death well quit shall be." 
 
 As our noble king made his avow. 
 
 Like a noble prince of renown, 
 For the death of the Lord Percy 
 
 He did the battle of Homildown ; 
 
 Where six and thirty Scottish knights 
 
 On a day were beaten down ; 
 Glendale glittered on their armor bright, 
 
 Over castle, tower and town. 
 
 This was the Hunting of the Cheviot 
 
 That tear began this spurn : 
 Old men that know the ground weel enow 
 
 Call it the battle of Otterbourn. 
 
 At Otterbourn began this spurn 
 
 Upon a Monanday ; 
 There was the doughty Douglas slain, 
 
 The Percy never went away. 
 
 There was never a time on the March parties 
 Since the Douglas and Percy met. 
 
 But it was marvel, and the red blood ran not 
 As the rain does in the street. 
 
 And now may Heaven amend us all 
 And to the bliss us bring. 
 
 KING JOHN AND THE ABBOT OF CAN- 
 TERBURY. 
 
 An ancient story I 'II tell you anon 
 Of a notable prince, that was called King John ; 
 And he ruled England with main and with might. 
 For he did great wrong and maintained little right. 
 
 And I '11 tell you a story, a story so merry, 
 Concerning the Abbot of Canterbury ; 
 How for his housekeeping and high renown, 
 They rode post for him to fair London town. 
 
 An hundred men, the king did hear say, 
 The abbot kept in his house every dav ; 
 And fifty gold chains, without any doubt, 
 In velvet coats waited the abbot about. 
 
 " How now, father abbot, I hear it of thee, 
 Thou keepest a far better house than me ; 
 And for thy housekeeping and high renown, 
 I fear thou work'st treason against my crown." 
 
 " My liege," quoth the abbot, ' I would it were 
 known 
 I never spend nothing but what is my own ; 
 And I trust your grace will do me no deere 
 For spending of my own true gotten geere." 
 
 Yes, yes, father abbot, thy fault it is high. 
 And now for the same thou needest must die ; 
 For except thou canst answer me questions three, 
 Thy head shall be smitten from thy bodie. 
 
 " And first," quoth the king, " when I 'm in this 
 stead, 
 With my crown of gold so fair on my head, 
 Among all my liege-men so noble of birth. 
 Thou must tell me to one penny what I am worth. 
 
 " Secondly tell me, without any doubt, 
 How soon I may ride the whole world about ; 
 And at the third question thou must not shrink. 
 But tell me here truly what I do think." 
 
KING JOHN AND THE ABBOT OF CANTERBURY. 
 
 319 
 
 " Oh these are hard questions for my shallow wit, 
 Nor I cannot answer your Grace as yet ; 
 But if you will give me but three weeks space, 
 I '11 do my endeavor to answer your Grace." 
 
 *' Now three weeks space to thee will I give, 
 And that is the longest time thou hast to live ; 
 For if thou dost not answer my questions three, 
 Thy lands and thy livings are forfeit to me." 
 
 Away rode the abbot all sad at that word. 
 And he rode to Cambridge and Oxenford ; 
 But never a doctor there was so wise, 
 That could with his learning an answer devise. 
 
 Then home rode the abbot of comfort so cold, 
 And he met his shepherd a-going to fold : 
 *' How now, my lord abbot, you are welcome home ; 
 What news do you bring us from good King 
 John ? " 
 
 " Sad news, sad news, shepherd, I must give, 
 That I have but three days more to live ; 
 For if I do not answer him questions three, 
 My head will be smitten from my bodie. 
 
 " The first is to tell bim there in that stead. 
 With his crown of gold so fair on his head, 
 Among all his liege-men so noble of birth. 
 To within one penny of what he is worth. 
 
 "The second, to tell him without any doubt. 
 How soon he may ride this whole world about ; 
 And at the third question I must not shrink. 
 But tell him there truly what he does think." 
 
 " Now cheer up, sir abbot, did you never hear yet 
 That a fool he may learn a wise man wit ? 
 Lend me horse, and serving men, and your apparel. 
 And I'll ride to London to answer your quarrel. 
 
 " Nay, frown not, if it hath been told unto me, 
 I am like your lordship as ever may be ; 
 And if you will but lend me your gown 
 There is none shall know us in fair London town." 
 
 " Now horses and serving men thou shalt have. 
 With sumptuous array most gallant and brave, 
 
 With crozier, and mitre, and rochet, and cope, 
 Fit to appear 'fore our father the pope." 
 
 " Now welcome, sir abbot," the king he did say, 
 " 'T is well thou 'rt come back to keep thy day : 
 For and if thou canst answer my questions three, 
 Thy life and thy living both saved shall be. 
 
 " And first, when thou seest me here in' this stead, 
 With my crown of gold so fair on my head. 
 Among all my liege-men so noble of birth, 
 Tell me to one penny what I am worth." 
 
 " For thirty pence our Saviour was sold 
 Among the false Jews, as I have been told : 
 And twenty-nine is the worth of thee. 
 For I think thou art one penny worsei- than he." 
 
 The king he laughed, and swore by St. Bittel, 
 " I did not think I had been worth so little ! 
 Now secondly tell me, without any doubt, 
 How soon I may ride this whole world about." 
 
 " You must rise with the sun, and ride with the same, 
 Until the next morning he riseth again ; 
 And then your Grace need not make any doubt 
 But in twenty-four hours you '11 ride it about." 
 
 The king he laughed, and swore by St. Jone, 
 " I did not think it could be gone so soon. 
 Now from the third question thou must not shrink, 
 But tell me here truly what I do think." 
 
 " Yea, that I shall do and make your Grace merry ; 
 You think I 'm the Abbot of Canterbury ; 
 But I 'm his poor shepherd, as plain you may see. 
 That am come to beg pardon for him and for me.'' 
 
 The king he laughed, and swore by the mass, 
 " 1 '11 make thee lord abbot this day in his place ! " 
 " Nay, nay, my liege, be not in such speed, 
 
 For alack, I can neither write nor read." 
 
 " Four nobles a week, then, I will give thee, 
 For this merry jest thou hast shown unto me ; 
 And tell the old abbot, when thou com'st home. 
 Thou hast brought him a pardon from good King 
 John." 
 
320 
 
 THE BOOK OF BALLADS. 
 
 SWEET WILLIAM'S GHOST. 
 
 There came a ghost to Margaret's door, 
 With many a grievous groan, 
 
 And aye he tirled at the pin. 
 But answer made she none. 
 
 " Is that my father Philip, 
 Or is 't my brother John ? 
 Or is 't my true love Willy, 
 
 From Scotland new come- home?" 
 
 " 'T is not thy father Philip, 
 Nor yet thy brother .John ; 
 But 'tis thy true love Willy, 
 
 From Scotland new come home. 
 
 " O sweet Margaret, dear Margaret, 
 I pray thee speak to me : 
 Give me my faith and troth, Margaret, 
 As I gave it to thee." 
 
 " Thy faith and troth thou 'It never get, 
 Nor yet wilt thou me win, 
 Till that thou come within my bower 
 And kiss my cheek and chin." 
 
 She stretched out her lily-white hand. 
 And for to do her best : 
 " Have there your faith and troth, Willy, 
 God send your soul good rest." 
 
 Now she has kilted her robes of green 
 
 A piece below her knee ; 
 And all the live-long winter right 
 
 The dead corpse followed she. 
 
 "Is there any room at your head, Willy, 
 Or any room at your feet ; 
 Or any room at your side, Willy, 
 Wherein that I may creep ? " 
 
 " There 's no room at my head, Margaret, 
 Thei'e 's no room at my feet ; 
 There 's no room at my side, Margaret, 
 My coffin 's made so meet ; 
 
 Then up and crew the red red cock. 
 And up then crew the gray ; 
 " 'T is time, 't is time, my deai- Margaret, 
 That you were going away." 
 
 SIR PATRICK SPENS. 
 
 "If I should come within thy bower, 
 I am no eartiily man . 
 And should I kiss thy rosy lips 
 Thy days would not be lang. 
 
 The king sits in Dunfermline town, 
 Drinking the blude-red wine : 
 " Oh whei'e will I get a skeely skipper 
 To sail this new ship of mine ? " 
 
 " O sweet Margaret, dear Margaret, 
 I pray thee speak to me : 
 Give me my faith and troth, Margaret, 
 As I gave it to thee.'' 
 
 " Thy faith and troth thou 'It never get. 
 Nor yet wilt thou me win, 
 Till you take me to yon kirk-yard, 
 And wed me with a ring." 
 
 " My bones are buried in yon kirk-yard 
 Afar beyond the sea, 
 And it is but my spirit, Margaret, 
 That 's now speaking to thee." 
 
 Oh up and spake an eldern knight. 
 Sat at the king's right knee : 
 " Sir Patrick Spens is the best sailor 
 That ever sailed the sea." 
 
 Our king has written a braid letter. 
 And sealed it with his hand, 
 
 And sent it to Sir Patrick Spens, 
 Was walking on the strand. 
 
 ' To Noroway, to Noroway, 
 To Noroway o'er the faem ; 
 The king's daughter of Noroway, 
 
 " ' T is thop maun bring her hame ! " 
 
SIB PATRICK SPENS. 
 
 321 
 
 The first word that Sir Patrick read, 
 
 Sae loud, loud laughed he, 
 The neist word that Sir Patrick read, 
 
 The tear blindit his e'e. 
 
 " Oh wha is this has done this deed, 
 And tauld the king o' me. 
 To send us out at this time of the year, 
 To sail upon the sea ? 
 
 " Be it wind, be it weet, be it hail, be it sleet, 
 Our ship must sail the faem ; 
 The king's daughter of Noroway, 
 'T is we must fetch her hame." 
 
 They hoysed their sails on Monenday morn 
 
 Wi' a' the speed they may ; 
 They hae landed in Noroway 
 
 Upon a Wodeusday. 
 
 They hadna been a week, a week 
 
 In Noroway, but twae, 
 When that the lords o' Noroway 
 
 Began aloud to say : 
 
 " Ye Suottishmen spend a' our king's gowd 
 
 And a' our qUeene's fee." 
 " Ye lie,- ye lie, ye liars loud ! 
 
 Fu' loud I hear ye lie ! 
 
 " For I hae brought as much white monie 
 As gane my men and me. 
 And I brought a half-fou o' gude red gowd 
 Out oure the sea wi' me. 
 
 " Make ready, make ready, my merry men a' ! 
 
 Our gude ship sails the morn." 
 " Now, ever alake ! my master dear, 
 
 1 fear a deadly storm ! 
 
 " I saw the new moon, late yestreen, 
 Wi' the auld moon in her arm ; 
 And if we gang to sea, master, 
 I fear we '11 come to harm." 
 
 They hadna sailed a league, a league, 
 A league, but barely three, 
 41 
 
 When the lift grew dark, and the wind blew loud. 
 And gurly grew the sea. 
 
 The ankers brak, and the topmasts -ap, 
 
 It was sic a deadly storm ; 
 And the waves came o'er the broken ship 
 Till a' her sides were torn. 
 
 " Oh where will I get a gude sailor 
 To take my helm in hand, 
 Till I get up to the tall topmast, 
 To see if I can spy land ? " 
 
 " Oh here am I, a sailor gude. 
 To take the helm in hand, 
 Till you go up to the tall topmast, — 
 But I fear you '11 ne'er spy land." 
 
 He hadna gane a step, a step, 
 
 A step, but barely ane. 
 When a boult flew out of our goodly ship. 
 
 And the salt sea it came in. 
 
 " Gae fetch a web o' the silken claith, 
 Another o' the twine, 
 And wap them into our ship's side 
 And let na the sea come in." 
 
 They fetched a web o' the silken claith, 
 
 Another o' the twine. 
 And they wapped them roun' that gude ship's side. 
 
 But still the sea came in. 
 
 Oh laith, laith were our gude Scots lords 
 
 To weet their cork-heeled shoon ! 
 But lang or a' the play was plaj'ed. 
 
 They wat their hats aboon. 
 
 And mony was the feather-bed 
 
 That floated on the faem, 
 And mony was the gude 'lord's son 
 
 That never mair cam hame. 
 
 The ladyes wrange their fingers white, 
 
 The maidens tore their hair ; 
 A' for the sake of their true loves, 
 
 For them they '11 see na mair. 
 
322 
 
 THE BOOK OF BALLADS. 
 
 Oh lang. lang may the ladyes sit, 
 Wi' their fans into their hand, 
 
 Before they see Sir Patrick Spens 
 Come sailing to the strand ! 
 
 And lang, lang may the maidens sit, 
 Wi' their gowd kaims in their hair, 
 
 A' waiting for their ain dear loves, 
 For them they '11 see na mair. 
 
 Oh forty miles off Aberdeen 
 
 'T is fifty fathoms deep, 
 And there lies gude Sir Patrick Spens 
 
 Wi' the Scots lords at his feet. 
 
 THE HEIR OF LINNE. 
 
 Lithe and listen, gentlemen. 
 
 To sing a song I will began ; 
 It is of a lord of fair Scotland, 
 
 Which was the unthrifty heir of Linne. 
 
 His father was a right good lord, 
 His mother a lady of high degree ; 
 
 But they, alas ! were dead him frae. 
 And he loved keeping companie. 
 
 To spend the day with merry cheer, 
 To drink and revel every night, 
 
 To card and dice from eve to morn, 
 It was, I ween, his heart's delight. 
 
 To ride, to run, to rant, to roar. 
 To always spend and never spare; 
 
 I wot, an' it were the king himself 
 Of gold and fee he mote be bare. 
 
 So fares the unthrifty Lord of Linne 
 Till all his gold is gone and spent ; 
 
 And he maun sell his lands so broad, 
 His house, and lands, and all his rent. 
 
 His father had a keen steward, 
 
 And .John o' the Scales was called he ; 
 
 ^ Gods'pennie, earnest money, /. e. part of the price paid in 
 Vance to bind the contract. 
 
 But John is become a gentel-man. 
 And John has got both gold and fee. 
 
 Says, " Welcome, welcome, Lord of Linne. 
 
 Let nought disturb thy merry cheer ; 
 If thou wilt sell thy lands so broad. 
 
 Good store of gold I '11 give thee here." 
 
 " My gold is gone, my money is spent ; 
 My land now take it unto thee : 
 Give me thy gold, good John o' the Scales, 
 And thine for aye my land shall be." 
 
 Then John he did him to record draw, 
 And John he cast him a gods-pennie ; ^ 
 
 But for everj' pound that John agreed. 
 The land, I wis, was well worth three. 
 
 He told him the gold upon the board, 
 He was right glad his land to win ; 
 " The gold is thine, the land is mine. 
 And now I '11 be the Lord of Linne.'' 
 
 Thus he hath sold his land so broad. 
 
 Both hill and holt, and moor and fen. 
 All but a poor and lonesome lodge. 
 That stood far off in a lonely glen. 
 
 For so he to his father hight ; ^ 
 
 '■ My son, when 1 am gone," said he, 
 
 " Then thou wilt spend thy land so broad. 
 
 And thou wilt spend thy gold so free. 
 
 " But swear me now upon the rood," 
 
 That lonesome lodge thou 'It never spend ; 
 For when all the world doth frown on thee. 
 Thou there shalt find a faithful friend." 
 
 The heir of Linne is full of gold : 
 
 " And come with me, my friends," said he, 
 " Let 's drink, and rant, and merry make, 
 And he that spares, ne'er mote he thee."* 
 
 They ranted, drank, and merry made, 
 
 Till all his gold it waxed thin ; 
 And then his friends they slunk away ; 
 
 They left the unthrifty heir of Linne. 
 
 * Hight, promised. 
 
 ' Rood, cross. ' Thee, thrive. 
 
THE HEIR OF LINNE. 
 
 323 
 
 He had never a penny left in his purse, 
 Never a penny left but three, 
 
 And one was brass, another was lead. 
 And another it was white money. 
 
 " Now well-a-day," said the heir of Linne, 
 " Now well-a-day, and woe is me, 
 For when I was the Lord of Linne. 
 I never wanted gold nor fee. 
 
 " But many a trusty friend have I, 
 
 And why should I feel dole or care ? 
 
 I '11 borrow of them all by turns, 
 So need I not be never bare." 
 
 But one, I wis, was not at home ; 
 
 Another had paid his gold away ; 
 Another called him thriftless loon, 
 
 And bade him sharply wend his way. 
 
 " Now well-a-day, said the heir of Linne, 
 " Now well-a-day and woe is me ; 
 For when I had my lands so broad, 
 On me they lived right merrilee. 
 
 " To beg my bread from door to door, 
 I wis, it were a brenniug ^ shame ; 
 To rob and steal it were a sin ; 
 
 To work, my limbs I cannot frame. 
 
 " Now I '11 away to the lonesome lodge. 
 For there my father bade me wend : 
 When all the world should frown on me, 
 I there should find a trusty friend." 
 
 Away then hied the heir of Linne, 
 O'er hill and holt, and moor and fen, 
 
 Until he came to' the lonesome lodge 
 That stood so low in a lonely glen. 
 
 He looked up, he looked down. 
 
 In hope some comfort for to win ; 
 But bare and lothly were the walls : 
 
 " Here 's sorry cheer," quo' the heir of Linne. 
 
 The little window, dim and dark, 
 "Was hung with ivy, brere, and yew ; 
 
 No shimmering sun here ever shone, 
 No halesome breeze here ever blew. 
 
 1 Brenning, bumiag. 
 
324 
 
 THE BOOK OF BALLADS. 
 
 No chair, ne table, he mote spy. 
 
 No cheerful hearth, ne welcome bed ; 
 
 Nought save a rope with renning noose. 
 That dangling hung up o'er his head. 
 
 And over it in broad letters, 
 
 These words were written so plain to see : 
 " Ah ! graceless wretch, hast spent thine all. 
 And brought thyself to penurie ? 
 
 " All this my boding mind misgave, 
 I therefore left this trusty friend ; 
 
 Let it now shield thy foul disgrace, 
 And all thy shame and sorrows end." 
 
 Sorely sheut ^ wi' this rebuke. 
 
 Sorely shent was the heir of Linne ; 
 
 His heart, I wis, was near to-brast 
 
 With guilt and sorrow, shame and sin. 
 
 Never a word spake the heir of Linne, 
 
 Never a word spake he but three ; 
 ' This is a trusty friend indeed. 
 And is right welcome unto me." 
 
 Then round his neck the coid he drew, 
 And sprang aloft with his bodie, 
 
 When lo I the ceiling burst in twain. 
 And to the ground came tumbling he. 
 
 Astonyed lay the heir of Linne, 
 Ne knew if he were live or dead ; 
 
 At length he looked, and saw a bill, 
 And in it a key of gold so red. 
 
 He took the bill, and lookt it on. 
 Strait good comfort found he there : 
 
 1 Shent, shamed. 
 
 It told him of a hole in the wall. 
 
 In which there stood three chests in-fere.^ 
 
 Two were full of the beaten gold. 
 The third was full of white money ; 
 
 And over them in broad letters 
 
 These words were written so plain to see: 
 
 " Once more, my son, I set thee clear ; 
 Amend thy life and follies past ; 
 For but thou amend thee of thy life, 
 That rope must be thy end at last." 
 
 " In-fere, together. 
 
THE HEIR OF LINNE. 
 
 325 
 
 " And let it be," said the heir of Linne, 
 " And let it be, but if I amend : 
 For here I will make mine avow, 
 
 This reade ^ shall guide me to the end." 
 
 Away then went with a merry cheer, 
 Away then went the heir of Linne ; 
 
 I wis, he neither ceased ne blanne,^ 
 
 Till John o' the Scales' house he did win. 
 
 And when he came to John o' the Scales, 
 Up at the speer then looked he ; 
 
 There sat three lords upon a row. 
 Were drinking of the wine so free. 
 
 And John himself sat at the board-head. 
 Because now Lord of Linne was he ; 
 " I pray thee,'' he said, " good John o' the Scales, 
 One forty pence for to lend me." 
 
 " Away, away, thou thriftless loon ; 
 Away, away, this may not be ; 
 For a curse on my head," he said, 
 " If ever I trust thee one pennie." 
 
 Then bespake the heir of Linne, 
 
 To John o' the Scales' wife tlien spake he : 
 " Madame, some alms on me bestow, 
 I pray for sweet Saint Charitie." 
 
 " Away, away, thou thriftless loon ; 
 
 I swear thou gettest no alms of me ; . 
 For if we should hang any losel here, 
 The first we would begin with thee." 
 
 Then bespake a good fellow, 
 
 Which sat at John o' the Scales his board \ 
 
 1 Beade, advice. 
 
 Said, " Turn again, thou heir of Linne ; 
 Some time thou wast a well good lord. 
 
 " Some time a. good fellow thou hast been. 
 And sparedst not thy gold and fee ; 
 Therefore I '11 lend thee forty pence, 
 And other forty if need be. 
 
 " And ever I pray thee, John o' the Scales, 
 To let him sit in thy companie ; 
 For well I wot thou hadst his land. 
 And a good bargain it was to thee." 
 
 * Blanne, stopped. 
 
826 
 
 THE BOOK OF BALLADS. 
 
 Up then spake him John o' the Scales, 
 All wood ^ he answered him again : 
 " Now a curse on my head," he said, 
 " But I did lose by that bargain. 
 
 " And here I proffer thee, heir of Linne, 
 Before these lords so fair and free, 
 Thou shalt have it back again better cheap 
 By a hundred marks than I had it of 
 thee. 
 
 " I draw you to record, lords," he said ; 
 
 With that he cast him a gods-pennie : 
 " Now by my fay," said the heir of Liune, 
 
 " And here, good John, is thy money." 
 
 And he pulled forth three bags of gold. 
 And laid them down upon the board ; 
 
 All woe begone was John o' the Scales, 
 So shent he could say never a word. 
 
 He told him forth the good red gold. 
 He told it forth with mickle din ; 
 " The gold is thine, the land is mine, 
 
 And now I 'm again the Lord of Linne." 
 
 Says. "Have thou here, thou good fellow. 
 Forty pence thou didst lend me : 
 
 Now I am again the Lord of Linne, 
 And forty pounds I will give thee. 
 
 " I '11 make thee keeper of my forest. 
 Both of the wild deer and the tame ; 
 For but I reward thy bounteous heart, 
 I wis, good fellow, I were to blame." 
 
 ■' Now well-a-day ! " saith Joan o' the Scales ; 
 " Now well-a-day, and woe is my life ! 
 Yesterday I was Lady of Linne, 
 
 Now I 'm but John o' the Scales his wife." 
 
 " Now fare thee well," said the heir of Linne, 
 " Farewell now, John o' the Scales," said 
 he: 
 
 " A curse light on me, if ever again 
 I bring my lands in jeopardy.'' 
 
 1 Wood, frantic. 
 
 THE DEAGON OF WANTLEYc 
 
 Old stories tell how Hercules 
 
 A dragon slew at Lerna, 
 With seven heads and fourteen eyes, 
 
 To see and well discern-a : 
 But he had a club, this dragon to drub. 
 
 Or he ne'er had done it, I warrant ye : 
 But More of More-hall, with nothing at all, 
 
 He slew the dragon of Wantley. 
 
 This dragon had two furious wings. 
 
 Each one upon each shoulder ; 
 With a sting in his tail as long as a flail, 
 
 Which made him bolder and bolder. 
 He had long claws, and in his jaws 
 
 Four and 'forty teeth of iron ; 
 With a hide as tough as any buff. 
 
 Which did him round environ. 
 
 Have you not heard how the Trojan horse 
 
 Held seventy men in his belly ? 
 This dragon was not quite so big. 
 
 But very near, I '11 tell ye ; 
 Devoured he poor children three. 
 
 That could not with him grapple ; 
 And at one sup he ate them up. 
 
 As one would eat an apple. 
 
 All sorts of cattle this dragon would eat. 
 
 Some say. he ate up trees. 
 And that the forests sure he would 
 
 Devour up by degrees : 
 For houses and churches were to him geese and turn.eys} 
 
 He ate all and left none behind. 
 But Pome stones, dear Jack, that he could not crack, 
 
 Which on the hills you will find. 
 
 Hard by a furious knight there dwelt ; 
 
 Men, women, girls, and boys. 
 Sighing and sobbing, came to his lodging, 
 
 And made a hideous noise. 
 Oh save us all. More of More-hall, 
 
 Thou peerless knight of these woods ; 
 Do but slay this dragon, who won't leave us a rag on. 
 
 We 'II give thee all our goods. 
 
THE DRAGON OF WANTLET. 
 
 327 
 
 This being done, he did engage 
 
 To hew the dragon down ; 
 But first he went new armor to 
 
 Bespeak at Sheffield town ; 
 With spikes all about, not within but without, 
 
 Of steel so sharp and strong, 
 Both behind and before, arms, legs, and all o'er, 
 
 Some five or six inches long. 
 
 Had you but seen him in this dress, 
 
 How fierce he looked, and how big, 
 You would have thought him for to be 
 
 Some Egyptian porcupig : 
 He frighted all, cats, dogs, and all. 
 
 Each cow, each horse, and each hog : 
 For fear they did flee, for they took him to be 
 
 Some strange, outlandish hedge-hog. 
 
 To see this fight all people then 
 
 Got up on trees and houses. 
 On churches some, and chimneys too ; 
 
 But these put on their trousers. 
 Not to spoil their hose. As soon as he rose. 
 
 To make him strong and mighty. 
 He drank, by the tale, six pots of ale 
 
 And a quart of aqua-vitae. 
 
 It is not strength that always wins, 
 
 For wit doth strength excel ; 
 Which made our cunning champion 
 
 Creep down into a well. 
 Where he did think this dragon would drink, 
 
 And so he did in truth ; 
 And as he stooped low, he rose up and cried, boh ! 
 
 And kicked him in the mouth. 
 
 Oh, quoth the dragon with a deep sigh, 
 
 And turned six times together. 
 Sobbing and tearing, cursing and swearing 
 
 Out of his throat of leather : 
 More of More-hall, O thou rascal. 
 
 Would I had seen thee never ; 
 With the thing at thy foot thou hast pricked my throat. 
 
 And I 'm quite undone forever. 
 
 Murder, murder, the dragon cried. 
 
 Alack, alack, for grief ; 
 Had you but missed that place, you could 
 
 Have done me no mischief. 
 Then his head he shaked, trembled and quaked, 
 
 And down he laid and cried ; 
 First on one knee, then on back tumbled he ; 
 
 So groaned, and kicked, and died. 
 
THE BOOK OF FAMILIAE STORIES. 
 
 THE RENOWNED HISTORY OF LITTLE GOODY TWO-SHOES. 
 
 ASCRIBED TO OLIVER GOLDSMITH. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 All the world must allow that Two-Shoes was 
 not her real name. No ; her father's name was 
 Mean well ; and he was for many years a consid- 
 erable farmer in the parish where Margery was 
 born ; but by the misfortunes which he met with 
 in business, and the wicked persecutions of Sir 
 Timothy Gripe, and an overgrown farmer called 
 Graspall, he was effectually ruined. 
 
 The case was thus. The paiish of Mouldwell, 
 where they li^ed, had for many ages been let by 
 the Lord of the Manor in twelve different farms, 
 in which the tenants lived comfortably, brought 
 up large families, and carefully supported the poor 
 people who labored for them, until the estate by 
 marriage and by death came into the hands of Sir 
 Timothy. 
 
 Tliis gentleman, who loved himself bett* r than 
 all his neighbors, thought it was less trouble to 
 write one receipt for his rent than twelve, and Far- 
 mer Graspall offering to take all the farms as the 
 leases expired, Sir Timothy agreed with him, and 
 in process of time he was possessed of every farm 
 but that occupied by Little ]\Iavgery's father, 
 which he also wanted ; for as Mr. Meanwell was 
 a charitable good man, he stood up fur the poor at 
 the parish meetings, and was unwilling to have 
 them oppressed by Sir Timothy and this ava- 
 ricious farmer. — Judge, O kind, humane, and 
 courteous reader, whixt a terrible situation the 
 
 poor must be in, when this covetous man was per- 
 petual overseer, and everything for their mainte- 
 nance was drawn from his hard heart and cruel 
 hand. But he was not only perpetual overseer, 
 but perpetual ch urch- warden ; and judge, ye 
 Christians, what state the church must be in, 
 when supported by a man without religion or vir- 
 tue. He was also perpetual surveyor of the high- 
 ways, and what sort of roads he kept up for the 
 convenience of travelers, those best knew wliu 
 have had the misfortune to pass through that par- 
 ish. — Complaints indeed were made, but to what 
 purpose are complaints, when brought against a 
 man who can hunt, drink, and smoke without the 
 Lord of the Manor, who is also the Justice of 
 Peace '^ 
 
 The opposition which Little ^Margery's father 
 made to this man's tyranny gave offense to Sir 
 Timothy, who endeavored to force him out of his 
 farm ; and, to oblige him to throw up the lease, 
 ordered both a brick kiln and a dog kennel to be 
 erected in the farmer's orchard. This was con- 
 trary to law, and a suit was commenced, in which 
 jNIargery's father got the better. The same of- 
 fense was again committed three different times, 
 and as many actions brought, in all of which the 
 farmer had a verdict, and costs paid him; but 
 notwithstanding these advantages, the law was so 
 expensive, that he was ruined in the contest, and 
 obliged to give up all he had to his creditors ; 
 
THE RENOWNED HISTORY OF LITTLE GOODT TWO-SHOES. 
 
 329 
 
 which effectually answered the purpose of Sir 
 Timothy, who erected those nuisances in the far- 
 mer's orchard with that intention. Ah, my dear 
 reader, we brag of liberty, and boast of our laws ; 
 but the blessings of the one, and the protection of 
 the other, seldom fall to the lot of the poor ; and 
 especially when a rich man is their adversary. 
 How, in the name of goodness, can a poor wretch 
 obtain redress, when thirty pounds are insufficient 
 to try his cause? Where i3 he to fiiid money to 
 fee counsel, or how can he plead his cause himself 
 (even if he was permitted) when our laws are so 
 obscure and so multiplied, that an abridgment of 
 them cannot be contained in fifty volumes folio ? 
 
 As soon as Mr. Mean well had called together 
 his creditors, Sir Timothy seized for a year's rent, 
 and turned the farmer, his wife. Little Margery, 
 and her brother out of doors, without any of the 
 necessaries of life to support them. 
 
 This elated the heart of Mr. Graspall, this 
 crowned his hopes, and filled the measure of his 
 iniquity ; for, besides gratifying his revenge, this 
 man's overthrow gave him the sole dominion over 
 the poor, whom he depressed and abused in a man- 
 ner too horrible to mention. 
 
 Margerj''s father flew into another parish for 
 succor, and all those who were able to move left 
 their dwellings and sought employment elsewhere, 
 as they found it would be impossible to live un- 
 der the tyranny of two such people. The very 
 old, the very lame, and the blind, were obliged to 
 stay behind, and whether they were starved, or 
 what became of them, history does not say , but 
 the character of the great Sir Timothy, and ava- 
 ricious tenant, were so infamous, that nobody 
 would work for them by the day, and servants 
 were afraid to engage themselves by the year, lest 
 any unforeseen accident should leave them parish- 
 ioners in a place where they knew they must per- 
 ish miserably ; so that great part of the land laj^ 
 untilled for some years ; which was deemed a just 
 reward for such diabolical proceedings. 
 
 But what, says the reader, can occasion all this ? 
 do you intend this for children ? Pei-mit me to 
 inform you, that this is not the book, sir, men- 
 
 42 
 
 tioned in the "title, but an introduction to that 
 book ; and it is intended, sir, not for that sort of 
 children, but for children of six feet high, of 
 which, as my friend has justly observed, there are 
 many millions in the kingdom ; and these reflec- 
 tions, sir, have been rendered necessary by the un- 
 accountable and diabolical scheme which many 
 gentlemen now give into, of laying a number of 
 farms into one, and very often a whole parish into 
 one farm : which in the end must reduce the com- 
 mon people to a stage of vassalage, worse than 
 that under the barons of old, or of the clans in 
 Scotland, and will in time depopulate the king- 
 dom ? but as you are tired of the subject I shall 
 take myself away, and you may visit Little Mar- 
 gery. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 HOW AND ABOUT LITTLE MARGERY AND HKR BROTHER. 
 
 Caee and discontent shortened the days of Lit- 
 tle Margery's father. He was forced from his 
 family, and seized with a violent fever in a place 
 where Dr. James's powder was not to be had, and 
 where he died miserably. Margery's poor mother 
 survived the loss of her husband but a few days, 
 and died of a broken heart, leaving Margery and 
 her little brother to the wide world ; but, poor 
 woman, it would have melted your heart to have 
 seen how frequently she heaved her head, while 
 she lay speechless, to survey with languishing 
 looks her little orphans, as much as to say, " Do 
 Tommy, do Margery, come with me." They 
 cried, poor things, and she sighed away her soul ; 
 and I hope is happy. 
 
 It would both have excited your pity, and have 
 done your heart good, to have seen how these two 
 little ones were so fond of each other, and how 
 hand in hand they trotted about. 
 
 They were both very ragged, and Tommy had 
 no shoes, and Margery had but one. They had 
 nothing, poor things, to support them (not being 
 in their own parish) but what they picked from 
 the hedges, or got from the poor people, and they 
 lay every night in a barn. Their relations took 
 no notice of them ; no, they were rich, and 
 
330 
 
 THE BOOK OF FAMILIAR STORIES. 
 
 ashamed to own such a poor little ragged girl as 
 Margery, and such a dirty little curly pated boy 
 as Tommy. Our relations and friends seldom 
 take notice of us when we are poor ; but as we 
 grow rich they grow fond. And this will always 
 be the case, while people love money better than 
 they do God Almighty. But such wicked folks 
 who love nothing but money and are proud and 
 despise the poor, never come to any good in the 
 end, as we shall see by and by. 
 
 CHAPTER 11. 
 
 HOW AND ABOUT MR. SMITH. 
 
 MPw Smith was a very worthy clergyman, who 
 lived in the parish where Little ^Margery and 
 Tommy were born ; and having a relation come 
 to see him, who was a charitable good man, he 
 sent for these children to him. The gentleman 
 ordered Little ^Margery a new pair of shoes, gave 
 Mr. Smith some money to buy her clothes : and 
 said he would take Tommy and make him a little 
 sailor. 
 
 After some days the gentleman intended to go 
 to London, and take little Tommy with him, of 
 whom you will know more by and bj% for we shall 
 at a proper time present you with his history, his 
 travels, and adventures. 
 
 The parting between these little children was 
 very affecting. Tommy cried, and they kissed each 
 other an hundred times : at last Tommy thus 
 wiped off her tears with the end of his jacket, and 
 bid her cry no more, for that he would come to 
 her again when he returned from sea. 
 
 CHAPTER m. 
 
 HOW LITTLE MARGERY OBTAINED THE NAME OF GOODY 
 
 TWO-SHOES, AND WHAT HAPPENED IN THE PARISH. 
 
 As soon as Little Margery got up in the morn- 
 ing, which was very early, she ran all round the 
 village, crying for her brother ; and after some 
 time returned greatly distressed. 
 
 However, at this instant, the shoemaker very 
 opportunely came in with the new shoes, for 
 which she had been measured by the gentleman's 
 order. 
 
 Nothing could have supported Little Margeiy 
 under the affliction she was in for the loss of her 
 brother, but the pleasure she took in her Two- 
 shoes. She ran out to Mrs. Smith as soon as they 
 were put on, and stroking down her ragged apron 
 thus cried out, " Two-Shoes, Ma'am, see Two- 
 Shoes." And so she behaved to all the people 
 she met, and by that means obtained the name of 
 Goody Two-Shoes. 
 
 Little Margery was very happy in being with 
 Mr. and Mrs. Smith, who were very charitable 
 and good to her, and had agreed to bring her up 
 with their family ; but as soon as that tyrant of 
 the parish, that Graspall, heard of her being there, 
 he applied first to Mr. Smith, and threatened to 
 reduce his tithes if he kept her ; and after tliat he 
 spoke to Sir Timothy, who sent ]Mr. Smith a per- 
 emptory message by his servant, that he should 
 send back Meanwell's girl to be kept by her rela- 
 tions, and not harbor her in the parish. This so 
 distrtsseJ Mr. Smith, that he shed tears, and cried, 
 " Lord have mercy on the poor I " 
 
 The prayers of the righteous fly upwards, and 
 reach unto the throne of heaven, as will be seen 
 by the sequel. 
 
 Mrs. Smith was also greatly concerned at being 
 thus obliged to discard poor Little ^Margery. She 
 kissed her, and cried, as did also Mr. Smith, but 
 they were obliged to send her away, for the peo- 
 ple who had ruined her father could at any time 
 have ruined them. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 HOW LITTLE MARGERY LEARNED TO READ, AND BY DE- 
 GREES TAUGHT OTHERS. 
 
 Little Margery saw how good and how wise 
 Mr. Smith was, and concluded that this was ow- 
 ing to his great learning, therefore she wanted of 
 all things to learn to read. For this purpose she 
 used to meet the little boys as they came from 
 school, borrow their books, and sit down and read 
 till they returned. By this means she got more 
 learning than any of her playmates, and laid the 
 following scheme for instructing those who were 
 more ignorant than herself. She found that only 
 
THE RENOWNED HISTORY OF LITTLE GOODY TWO-SHOES. 
 
 331 
 
 the following letters were required to spell all the 
 words ; but as some of these letters are large, and 
 some small, she with her knife cut out of several 
 pieces of wood ten sets of each of these : — 
 
 abcdefghij klmnopqrstuvwxyz. 
 
 And having got an old spelling book, she made 
 her companions set up all the words they wanted 
 to spell, and after that she taught them to com- 
 pose sentences. " You know what a sentence is, 
 my dear ; ' I will be good,' is a sentence ; and is 
 made up, as you see, of several words." 
 
 I once went her rounds with her, and was 
 highly diverted, as you may see, if you please to 
 look into the next chapter. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 HOW LITTLE TWO-SHOES BECAME A TROTTING TCTOK- 
 ESS, AND HOW SHE TAUGHT HER YOUNG PUPILS. 
 
 It was about seven o'clock in the morning when 
 we set out on this important business, and the 
 first house we came to was Farmer Wilson's. 
 Here Margery stopped, and ran up to the door, 
 tap, tap, tap. " Who 's there ? " " Only Little 
 Goody Two-Shoes," answered Margery, " come to 
 teach Billy." "Oh! Little Goody," says Mrs. 
 Wilson, with pleasure in her face, " I am glad to 
 see you. Billy wants you sadly, for he has learned 
 his lesson." Then out came the little boy. " How 
 do, Doody Two-Shoes," says he, not able to speak 
 plain. Yet this little boy had learned all his let- 
 ters ; for she threw down this alphabet mixed to- 
 gether thus : — 
 
 bdfhkmoqsuwyxfacegilnprtvzj, 
 
 and he picked them up, called them by their right 
 names, and put them all in order thus : — 
 
 abcdefghij klmnopqrstuvwxyz. 
 
 The next place we came to was Farmer Simp- 
 son's. 
 
 " Bow, wow, wow," says the dog at the door. 
 " Sirrah," says his mistress, " what do you bark at 
 Little Two-Shoes; come in Madge; here, Sally 
 wants you sadly, she has learned all her lesson." 
 
 " Yes, that 's what I have," replied the little one, 
 in the country manner : and immediately taking 
 the letters she set up these syllables : — 
 
 ba be bi bo bu, 
 da de di do du. 
 
 ca ce ci CO cu, 
 fa fe fi fo fu. 
 
 and gave them their exact sounds as she composed 
 them. 
 
 After this, Little Two-Shoes taught her to spell 
 words of one syllable, and she soon set up pear, 
 plumb, top, ball, pin, puss, dog, hog, fawn, buck, 
 doe, lamb, sheep, ram, cow, bull, cock, hen, and 
 many more. 
 
 The next place we came to was Gaffer Cook's 
 cottage. Here a number of poor children were 
 met to learn, who all came round Little Margery 
 at once, and having pulled out her letters, asked 
 the little boy next her, what he had for dinner ? 
 Who answered, " Bread " (the poor children in 
 many places live very hard). " Well then," says 
 she, " set up the first letter." He put up the B, 
 to which the next added r, and the next e, the 
 next a, the next d, and it stood thus. Bread. 
 
 And what had you, Polly Comb, for your din- 
 ner ? " Apple Pie," answered the little girl : upon 
 which the next in turn set up a great A, the two 
 next a p each, and so on, till the two words Ap- 
 ple and Pie were united and stood thus, Apple 
 Pie. 
 
 The next had potatoes, the next beef and tur- 
 nips, which were spelled, with many others, till 
 the game of spelling was finished. She then set 
 them another task, and we proceeded. 
 
 The next place we came to was Farmer Thom- 
 son's, where there was a great many little ones 
 waiting for her. 
 
 "So, Little Mrs. Goody Two-Shoes," says one 
 of them, " where have you been so long ? " "I 
 have been teaching," says she, " longer than I in- 
 tended, and am, I am afraid, come too soon for you 
 now." " No, but indeed you are not," replied the 
 other : " for I have got my lesson, and so has Sally 
 Dawson, and so has Harry Wilson, and so have we 
 all ; " and they capered about as if they were over- 
 joyed to see her. " Why then," says she, " you 
 
332 
 
 THE BOOK OF FAMILIAR STORTES. 
 
 are all very good, and God Almighty will love 
 you ; so let us begin our lessons." They all hud- 
 dled round her, and though at the other place they 
 were employed about words and syllables, here 
 we had people of much greater understanding who 
 dealt only in sentences. 
 
 The letters being brought upon the table, one 
 of the little ones set up the following sentence. 
 
 " The Lord have mercy upon me, and grant that 
 I may be always good, and say my prayers, and 
 love the Lord my God with all my heart, with all 
 my soul, and with all m}^ strength ; and honor the 
 king and all good men in authority under him." 
 
 Then the next took the letters, and composed 
 this sentence. 
 
 " Lord have mercy upon me, and grant that I 
 may love my neighbor as myself, and do unto all 
 men as I would have them do unto me, and tell no 
 lies ! but be honest and just in all my dealings." 
 
 Lesson for the Conduct of Life. 
 
 He that would thrive, 
 Must rise by five. 
 
 He that hath thriven, 
 May lay till seven. 
 
 Truth may be blamed 
 But can't be shamed. 
 
 Tell me with whom you go, 
 And I '11 tell what you do. 
 
 A friend in your need. 
 Is a friend indeed. 
 
 They never can be wise, 
 Who good counsel despise. 
 
 As we were returning home, we saw a gentle- 
 man, who was very ill, sitting under a shady tree 
 at the corner of the rookery. Though ill, he be- 
 gan to joke with Little Margery, and said, laugh- 
 ing, " So, Goody Two-Slioes, they tell me you are 
 a cunning little baggage ; pray can you tell me 
 what I shall do to get well?" " Yes, sir," says 
 she, "go to bed when your rooks do, and get up 
 with them in the morning ; earn, as they do, every 
 day what you eat, and eat and drink no more than 
 you earn : and you '11 get health and keep it. 
 
 What should induce the rooks to frequent gentle- 
 men's houses, only but to tell them how to lead a 
 prudent life? they never build under cottages or 
 farm-houses, because they see that these people 
 know how to live without their admonition. 
 
 Thus wealth and wit you may improve, 
 Taught by tenants of the grove." 
 
 The gentleman, laughing, gave Margerj- six- 
 pence, and told her she was a sensible hussy. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 HOW THE WHOLE PARISH W-\S FRIGHTENED. 
 
 Who does not know Lady Ducklington, or who 
 does not know that she was buried at this parish 
 church ? Well, I never saw a grander funeral in 
 all my life : but the monej' they squandered away, 
 would have been better laid out in little books for 
 children, or in meat, drink, and clothes for the 
 poor. 
 
 All the country round came to see the bury- 
 ing, and it was late before the corpse was interred. 
 After which, in the night, or rather about two 
 o'clock in the morning, the bells were heard to 
 jingle in the steeple, which frightened the people 
 prodigiously, who all thought it was Lady Duck- 
 lington's ghost dancing among the bell ropes. The 
 people flocked to Will Dobbins, the clerk, and 
 wanted him to go to see what it was ; but William 
 said he was sure it was a ghost, and that he would 
 not offer to open the door. At length Mr. Long, 
 the rector, hearing such an uproar in the village, 
 went to the clerk, to know why he did not go into 
 the church, and see who was there. " I go, sir ? " 
 says William, " whj' the ghost would frighten me 
 out of my wits." Mrs. Dobbins too cried, and 
 laying hold of her husband, said, he should not be 
 eat up by the ghost. " A ghost, you blockhead," 
 says Mr. Long in a pet, " did either of you ever 
 see a ghost in a church, or know an3'body that 
 did?" "Yes," says the clerk, '■my father did 
 once in the shape of a windmill, and it walked all 
 around the church in a trice, with jack boots on, 
 and had a gun by its side, instead of a sword." 
 " A fine picture of a ghost, truly," says Mr. Long ; 
 
THE RENOWNED HISTORY OF LITTLE GOODY TWO-SHOES. 
 
 333 
 
 " give me the key of the church, you monkey ; for 
 I tell you there is no such thing now, whatever 
 may have been formerly." Then taking the key, 
 he went to the church, all the people following 
 him. As soon as he had opened the door, what 
 sort of a ghost do you think appeared ? Why, 
 Little Two-Shoes, who being weary had fallen 
 asleep in one of the pews during the funeral serv- 
 ice, and was shut in all night. She immediately 
 asked Mr. Long's pardon for the trouble she had 
 given him, told him she had been locked into the 
 church, and said she should not have rung the 
 bells, but that she was very cold, and hearing 
 Farmer Boult's man go whistling by with his 
 horses, she was in hopes he would have gone to 
 the clerk for the key to let her out. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 CONTAINING AN ACCOUNT OF ALL THE SPIRITS OR 
 THINGS SHE SAW IN THE CH0RCH. 
 
 The people were ashamed to ask Little Madge 
 any questions before Mr. Long, but as soon as he 
 was gone, they all got round her to satisfy their 
 curiosity, and desired she would give them a par- 
 ticular account of all that she had heard or seen. 
 
 Her Tale. 
 
 " I went to the church, said she, as most of you 
 did last night, to see the burying, and, being very 
 weary, I sat me down in Mr. Johns's pew, and 
 fell fast. asleep. At eleven of the clock I awoke ; 
 which I believe was in some measure occasioned 
 by the clock's striking, for I heard it. I started 
 up, and could not at first tell where I was ; but 
 after some time I recollected the funeral, and soon 
 found that I was shut in the church. It was dis- 
 mal dark, and I could see nothing ; but while I 
 was standing in the pew, something jumped up 
 upon me behind, and laid, as I thought, its hands 
 over my shoulders. I own I was a little afraid at 
 first; however, I considered that I had always 
 been constant at prayers, and at church, and that 
 I had done nobody any harm, but had endeavored 
 to do what good I could ; and then thought I, 
 what have I to fear ? Yet I kneeied down to say 
 
 my prayers. As soon as I was on my knees, some- 
 thing very cold, as cold as marble, aye, as cold as 
 ice, touched my neck, which made me start ; how- 
 ever, I continued my prayers, and having begged 
 protection from Almighty God, I found my spirits 
 come, and I was sensible I had nothing to fear ; 
 for God Almighty protects not only all those that 
 are good, but also all those who endeavor to be 
 good, — nothing can withstand the power, and ex- 
 ceed the goodness of God Almighty. Armed with 
 the confidence of his protection, I walked down 
 the church aisle, when I heard something pit, pat, 
 pit, pat, pit, pat, come after me, and something 
 touched my hand, which seemed as cold as a mar- 
 ble monument. I could not think what this was, 
 yet I knew that it could not hurt me, and there- 
 fore I made myself easy ; but being very cold, and 
 the church being paved with stones, which were 
 VQvj damp, I felt my way, as well as I could, to 
 the pulpit ; in doing which something rushed by 
 me and almost threw me down. However, I was 
 not frightened, for I knew that God Almighty 
 would suffer nothing to hurt me. 
 
 " At last I found out the pulpit, and having 
 shut the door, I laid me down on the mat and 
 cushion to sleep ; when something thrust and 
 pulled the door, as I thought, for admittance, 
 which prevented my going to sleep. At last it 
 cries, " Bow, wow, wow ; " and I concluded it 
 must be Mr. Saunderson's dog, which had fol- 
 lowed me from their house to church ; so I opened 
 the door, and called Snip, Snip, and the dog 
 jumped upon me immediately. After this. Snip 
 and I lay down together, and had a comfortable 
 nap ; for when I awoke again it was almost light. 
 I then walked up and down all the aisles of the 
 church to keep myself warm ; and though I went 
 into the vaults, and trod on Lady Ducklington's 
 coffin, I saw nothing, and I believe it was owing 
 to the reason Mr. Long has given you, namely, 
 that there is no such thing to be seen. As to my 
 part, I would as soon lie all night in a church as 
 in any other place ; and I am sure that any little 
 boy or girl, who is good and loves God Almighty, 
 and keeps his commandments, may as safely lie in 
 
334 
 
 THE BOOK OF FAMILIAR STORIES. 
 
 the church, or the churchyard, as anywhere else, 
 if they take care not to get cold, for I am sure 
 there are no things either to hurt or to frighten 
 them ; though any one possessed of fear might 
 have taken Neighbor Saunderson's dog with his 
 cold nose for a ghost ; and if they had not been 
 undeceived, as I was, would never have thought 
 otherwise." All the company acknowledged the 
 justness of the observation, and thanked Little 
 Two-Shoes for her advice. 
 
 Reflection. 
 
 After this, my dear children, I hope you will 
 not believe any foolish stories that ignorant, weak, 
 or designing people may tell you about ghosts, 
 for the tales of ghosts, witches, and fairies are the 
 frolics of a distempered brain. No wise man ever 
 saw either of them. Little Margery was not 
 afraid ; no, she had good sense, and a good con- 
 science, which is a cure for all these imaginary 
 evils. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 OF SOMETHING WHICH HAPPENED TO LITTLE MARGERY 
 TWO-SHOES IN A BARX, MORE DREADFUL THAN THE 
 GHOST IN THE CHUKCH ; AND HOW SHE RETURNED 
 GOOD FOR EVIL TO HER ENEMY SIR TIMOTHY. 
 
 Some days after this, a more dreadful accident 
 befell Little Madge. She happened to be coming 
 late from teaching, when it rained, thundered, and 
 lightened, and therefore she took shelter in a 
 farmer's barn at a distance from the village. Soon 
 after, the tempest drove in four thieves, who not 
 seeing such a little creep-mouse girl as Two-Shoes, 
 lay down on the hay next to her, and began to 
 talk over their exploits, and to settle plans for 
 future robberies. Little Margery, on hearing 
 them, covered herself with straw. To be sure she 
 was frightened, but her good sense taught her 
 that the ovlIj security she had was in keeping her- 
 self concealed ; therefore she lay very still, and 
 breathed very softly. About four o'clock these 
 wicked people came to a resolution to break both 
 Sir William Dove's house and Sir Timothy Gripe's, 
 and by force of arms to carry off all their money, 
 plate, and jewels ; but as it was thought then too 
 
 late, they all agreed to defer it till the next night. 
 After laying this scheme, they all set out upon 
 their pranks, which greatly rejoiced Margery, as 
 it would any other little girl in her situation. 
 Early in the morning she went to Sir William, 
 and told him the whole of their conversation. 
 Upon which he asked her name, then gave her 
 something, and bid her call at his house the day 
 following. She also went to Sir Timothy, not- 
 withstanding he had used her so ill, for she knew 
 it was her duty to do good for evil. As soon as 
 he was informed who she was, he took no notice 
 of her ; upon which she desired to speak to Lady 
 Gripe, and having informed her ladyship of the 
 affair, she went away. This lady had more sense 
 than her husband, which indeed is not a singu- 
 lar case ; for instead of despising Little Margery 
 and her information, she privately set people to 
 guard the house. The robbers divided themselves, 
 and went about the time mentioned to both houses, 
 and were surprised by the guards and taken. 
 Upon examining these wretches ('one of which 
 turned evidence), both Sir William and Sir Tim- 
 othy found that they owed their lives to the dis- 
 covery made by Little Margerj- ; and the first 
 took great notice of her, and would no longer let 
 her lie in a barn ; but Sir Timothy only said, 
 that he was ashamed to owe his life to the daugh- 
 ter of one who was his enemy ; so true it is, " That 
 a proud man seldom forgives those he has in- 
 jured." 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 HOW LITTLE MARGERY WAS MADE PRINCIPAL OF A 
 COUNTRY COLLEGE. 
 
 Mrs. Williams, who kept a college for in- 
 structing little gentlemen and ladies in the science 
 of A, B, C, was at this time veiy old and infirm 
 and wanted to decline this important trust. This 
 being told to Sir Wiliam Dove, who lived in the 
 parish, he sent for Mrs. Williams, and desired 
 she would examine Little Two-Shoes, and see 
 whether she was qualified for the office. This was 
 done, and Mrs. Williams made the following re- 
 port in her favor, namely, that Little Margery 
 
THE RENOWNED HISTORY OF MRS. MARGERY TWO-SHOES. 
 
 335 
 
 was the best scholar, and had the best head and 
 the best heart of any one she had examined. All 
 the country had a great opinion of Mrs. Williams, 
 and this character gave them also a great opinion 
 of Mrs. Margery, for so we must now call her. 
 
 This Mrs. Margery thought the happiest period 
 of her life ; but more happiness was in store for 
 
 her. God Almighty heaps up blessings for all 
 those who love Him, and though for a time He 
 may suffer them to be poor, and distressed, and 
 hide his good purposes from human sight, yet in 
 the end they are generally crowned with happi- 
 ness here, and no one can doubt their being so 
 hereafter. 
 
 THE RENOWNED HISTORY OF MRS. MARGERY TWO-SHOES. 
 
 PART II. 
 
 In the first part of this work the young student 
 has read, and I hope with pleasure and improve- 
 ment, the history of this Lady, while she was 
 known and distinguished by the name of LiTTLB 
 Two-Shoes ; we are now come to a period of her 
 life when that name was discarded, and a more 
 eminent one bestowed upon her, I mean that of 
 Mrs. Margery Two-Shoes : for as she was now 
 president of the A, B, C college, it became neces- 
 sary to exalt her in title as in place. 
 
 No sooner was she settled in this office, but she 
 laid every possible scheme to promote the welfare 
 and happiness of all her neighbors, and especially 
 of her little ones, in whom she took great delight ; 
 and all those whose parents could not afford to 
 pay for their education, she taught for nothing 
 but the pleasure she had in their company ; for 
 you are to observe that they were very good, or 
 were soon made so by her good management. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 OF HEU SCHOOL, HER USHERS, OR ASSISTANTS, AND HER 
 MANNER OF TEACHING. 
 
 We have already informed the reader, that the 
 school where she taught was that which was before 
 kept by Mrs. Williams. The room was very large 
 and spacious, and as she knew that nature in- 
 tended children should be always in action, she 
 placed her different letters, or alphabets, all round 
 the school, so that every one was obliged to get 
 up and fetch a letter, or to spell a word when it 
 came to their turn ; which not only kept them in 
 
 health, but fixed the letters and points firmly in 
 their minds. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 A SCENE OF DISTRESS IN A SCHOOL. 
 
 It happened one day, when Mrs. Two-Shoes 
 was diverting the children after dinner, as she 
 usually did, with some innocent games, or enter- 
 taining and instructive stories, that a man arrived 
 with the melancholy news of Sally Jones's father 
 being thrown from his horse, and thought past all 
 recovery ; nay, the messenger said, that he was 
 seemingly dying when he came away. Poor Sally 
 was greatly distressed, as indeed were all in the 
 school, for she dearly loved her father and Mrs. 
 Two-Shoes, and all her children dearly loved her. 
 
 At this instant something was heard to flap at 
 the window, at which the children were surprised ; 
 but Mrs. Margery knowing what it was, opened 
 the casement, and drew in a pigeon with a letter. 
 
 As soon as he was placed upon the table, he 
 walked up to little Sally, and dropping the letter, 
 cried " Co, co, coo ; " as much as to say, " There, 
 read it." 
 
 " My dear Sally, — God Almighty has been very 
 merciful and restored your papa to us again, who 
 is now so well as to be able to sit up. I hear you 
 are a good girl, my dear, and I hope you will 
 never forget to praise the Lord for tliat his great 
 goodness and mercy to us. What a sad thing it 
 would have been it your father had died, and left 
 both you and me, and little Tommy in distress, 
 and without a friend. Your father sends his 
 blessing with mine. Be good, my dear child, and 
 
-336 
 
 THE BOOK OF FAMILIAR STORIES. 
 
 God Almighty will also bless j'ou, whose blessing 
 is above all things. 
 
 " I am, my dear Sally, 
 
 " Your affectionate mother, 
 
 "Martha Jones." 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 OF THE AMAZING SAGACITY AND INSTINCT OF A LITTLE 
 DOG. 
 
 Soon after this, a very dreadful accident hap- 
 pened in the school. It was on a Thursday morn- 
 ing, I very well remember, when the children hav- 
 ing learned their lessons soon, she had .given them 
 leave to play, and they were all running about 
 the school, and diverting themselves with the 
 birds and the lamb ; at this time the dog, all of 
 a sudden, laid hold of his mistress's apron, and 
 endeavored to pull her out of the school. She was 
 at first surprised ; however, she followed him, to 
 see what he intended. No sooner had he led her 
 back into the garden, but he ran back, and pulled 
 out one of the children in the same manner ; upon 
 which she ordered them all to leave the school im- 
 mediately, and they had not been out five minutes 
 before the top of the house fell in. What a mi- 
 raculous deliverance was here ! How gracious I 
 How good was God Almighty to save all these 
 children from destruction, and to make use of such 
 an instrument as a little sagacious animal to ac- 
 complish his divine will ! I should have observed 
 that, as soon as they were all in the garden, the 
 dog came leaping round them to express his joy, 
 and when the house was fallen, laid himself down 
 quietly by his mistress. 
 
 Some of the neighbors who saw the school fall, 
 and who were in great pain for Margery and her 
 little ones, soon spread the news through the vil- 
 lage, and all the parents, teriified for their chil- 
 dren, came crowding in abundance : they had, 
 however, the satisfaction to find them all safe, and 
 upon their knees with their mistress, giving God 
 thanks for their happy deliverance. 
 
 You are not to wonder, my dear reader, that 
 this little dog should have more sense than you, 
 or your father, or your grandfather. 
 
 Though God Almighty has made man the lord 
 of the creation, and endowed him with reason, 
 yet in many respects, He has been altogether as 
 bountiful to other creatures of his forming. 
 Some of the senses of other animals are more acute 
 than ours, as we find by daily experience. 
 
 The downfall of the school was a great misfort- 
 une to Mrs. Margery ; for she not only lost all 
 her books, but was destitute of a place to teach 
 in ; but Sir William Dove, being informed of this, 
 ordered it to be built at his own expense, and till 
 that could be done. Farmer Grove was so kind as 
 to let her have his large hall to teach in. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 WHAT HAPPENED AT FARMER GROVe's AND HOW SHE 
 GRATIFIED HIM FOR THE USE OF HIS ROOM. 
 
 While at Mr. Grove's, which was in the heart 
 of the village, she not only taught the children in 
 the daytime, but the farmer's servants and all the 
 neighbors to read and write in the evening ; and 
 it was a constant practice, before they went away, 
 to make them all go to prayers and sing psalms. 
 By this means the people grew extremely regular, 
 his servants were always at home instead of being 
 at the alehouse, and he had more work done than 
 ever. This gave not only Mr. Grove, but all the 
 neighbors, a high opinion of her good sense and 
 prudent behavior ; and she was so much esteemed, 
 that the most of the differences in the parish were 
 left to her decision ; and if a man and wife quar- 
 reled (which sometimes happened in that part of 
 the kingdom), both parties certainly came to her 
 for advice. Everybody knows that Martha Wil- 
 son was a passionate, scolding jade, and that John 
 her husband was a surly, ill-tempered fellow. 
 These were one day brought by the neighbors for 
 Margery to talk to them, when they talked be- 
 fore her, and were going to blows ; but she, step- 
 ping between them, thus addressed the husband : 
 " John," says she, " you are a man, and ought to 
 have more sense than to fly in a passion at every 
 word that is said amiss by your wife : and Mar- 
 tha," says she, •' you ought to know your duty 
 better than to say anything to aggravate your 
 
THE RENOWNED HISTORY OF MRS. MARGERY TWO-SHOES. 
 
 33T 
 
 husband's resentment. These frequent quarrels 
 arise from the indulgence of your violent passions ; 
 for I know you both love each other, notwith- 
 standing what has passed between you. Now, 
 pray tell me, John, and tell me, Martha, when you 
 have had a quarrel over night, are you not both 
 dorry for it the next day ? " They both declared 
 that they were. " Why, then," says she, " I '11 tell 
 you how to prevent this for the future, if you 
 promise to take ray advice." They both promised 
 her. " You know," says she, " that a small spark 
 will set fire to tinder, and that tinder properly 
 placed will set fire to a house : an angry word is 
 with you as that spark, for you are both as touchy 
 as tinder, and very often make your own house 
 too hot to hold you. To prevent this, therefore, 
 and to live happily for the future, you must sol- 
 emnly agree, that if one speaks an angry word, 
 the other will not answer, till he or she has dis- 
 tinctly called over the alphabet, and the other not 
 reply till he has told twenty ; by this means your 
 passions will be stifled, and reason will have time 
 to take the rule." 
 
 This is the best recipe that was ever given for 
 a married couple to live in peace. Though John 
 and his wife frequently attempted to quarrel aft- 
 erwards, they never could get their passions to a 
 considerable height, for there was something so 
 droll in thus carrying on the dispute, that, before 
 they got to the end of the argument, they saw the 
 absurdity of it, laughed, kissed, and were friends. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 THE CASE OF MBS. MARGERY. 
 
 Mks. Maegeky was always doing good, and 
 thought she could never sufficiently gratify those 
 who had done anything to serve her. These gen- 
 erous sentiments naturally led her to consult the 
 interest of Mr. Grove, and the rest of her neigh- 
 bors ; and as most of their lands were meadow, 
 and they depended much on their hay, which had 
 been for many years greatly damaged by the wet 
 weather, she contrived an instrument to direct them 
 when to mow their grass with safety, and prevent 
 their hay being spoiled. They all came to her for 
 
 advice, and by that means got in their hay without 
 damage, whilst most of tliat in the neighboring vil- 
 lage was spoiled. 
 
 This occasioned a very great noise in the coun- 
 try, and so greatly provoked were the people who 
 resided in the other parishes, that they absolutely 
 sent old Gaffer Goosecap (a busy fellow in other 
 people's concerns) to find out evidence against 
 her. The wiseacre happened to come to her to 
 school, when she was walking about with a raven 
 on one shoulder, a pigeon on the other, a lark on 
 her hand, and a lamb and a dog by her side ; 
 which indeed made a droll figure, and so surprised 
 the man that he cried out, " A witch ! a witch ! a 
 witch ! " 
 
 Upon this she, laughing, answered, " A con- 
 jurer ! a conjurer! a conjurer!" and so they 
 parted ; but it did not end thus, for a warrant was 
 issued out against Mrs. Margery, and she was car- 
 ried to a meeting of the justices. 
 
 At the meeting, one of the justices who knew 
 little of life, and less of the law, behaved very 
 idly ; and, though nobody was able to prove any- 
 thing against her, asked who she could bring to 
 her character. " Who can you bring against my 
 character, sir ? " says she. " There are people 
 enough who would appear in my defense, were it 
 necessary : but I never supposed that any one here 
 could be so weak as to believe there was any such 
 thing as a witch. If I am a witch, this is my 
 charm, and " (laying a barometer or weather glass 
 on the table) " it is with this," says she, " that I 
 have taught my neighbors to know the state of the 
 weather." All the company laughed ; and Sir 
 William Dove, who was on the bench, asked her 
 accusers how they could be such fools as to think 
 there was any such thing as a witch ? 
 
 After this. Sir William inveighed against the 
 absurd and foolish notions which the country peo- 
 ple had imbibed concerning witches and witch- 
 craft, and having proved that there was no such 
 thing, but that all were the effects of folly and ig- 
 norance, he gave the court such an account of 
 Mrs. Margery, and her virtue, good sense, and 
 prudent behavior, that the gentlemen present were 
 
mu^. 
 
 THE BOOK OF FAMILIAR STORIES. 
 
 fenaiiiored with her, and returned her public thanks 
 for the great service she had done the country. 
 One gentleman in particular, I mean Sir Charles 
 Jones, had conceived such a high opinion of her 
 that he offered her a considerable sum to take care 
 of his family, and the education of his daughter, 
 which, however, she refused ; but this gentleman 
 sending for her afterwards, when he had a danger- 
 ous fit of illness, she went, and behaved so pru- 
 dently in the family, and so tenderly to him and 
 his daughter, that he would not permit her to 
 leave his house, but soon after made her proposals 
 of marriage. She was truly sensible of the honor 
 he intended her, but, though poor, she would not 
 consent to be made a lady till he had effectually 
 provided for his daughter ; for she told him, that 
 power was a dangerous thing to be trusted with, 
 and that a good man or woman would never throw 
 themselves into the road of temptation. 
 
 All things being settled, and the day fixed, the 
 neighbors came in crowds to see the wedding ; for 
 the}' were all glad that one who had been such a 
 good little girl, and was become such a virtuous 
 and good woman, was going to be made a lady ; 
 but just as the clergyman had opened his book, a 
 gentleman richly dressed ran into the church and 
 cried, " Stop I stop ! " This greatly alarmed the 
 congregation, particularly the intended bride and 
 bridegroom, whom he first accosted and desired to 
 speak wdth them apart. After they had been 
 talking some little time, the people wei-e greatl}' 
 surprised to see Sir Charles stand motionless, and 
 his bride cry and faint away in the stranger's 
 arms. This seeming grief, however, was only a 
 prelude to a flood of joy which immediately suc- 
 ceeded ; for you must know, gentle reader, that 
 this gentleman, so richly dressed, was that identi- 
 cal little boy, whom you before saw in the sailor's 
 habit; in short, it was Mrs. Margery's brother. 
 
 who was just come from sea, where he had, after 
 a desperate engagement, taken a rich prize, and 
 hearing, as soon as he landed, of his sister's in- 
 tended wedding, had rode post to .see that a proper 
 settlement was made on her, which she was now 
 entitled to, as he himself was both able and will- 
 ing to give her an ample fortune. They soon re- 
 turned to the communion table, and were married 
 in tears, but they were tears of joy.. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 THE TRUE USE OP RICHES. 
 
 About this time she heard that Mr. Smith was 
 oppressed by Sir Timothy Gripe and his friend 
 Graspall ; upon which she, in conjunction with 
 her brother, defended him in Westminster Hall, 
 where Mr. Smith gained a verdict. As a justice 
 of the peace he was struck off the list, and no 
 longer permitted to act in that capacity. A rela- 
 tion of his who had a right to the Mouldwell es- 
 tate, finding that it was possible to get the better 
 at law of a rich man, laid claim to it, brought liis 
 action, and recovered the whole manor of Mould- 
 well : and being afterwards inclined to sell it, he 
 in consideration of the aid Lady Margery had lent 
 him during his distress, made her the first offer, 
 and she purchased the whole. This mortified Sir 
 Timoth}' and his friend Graspall, who experienced 
 nothing but misfortunes, and was in a few years 
 so dispossessed of his ill-gotten wealth, that his 
 family were reduced to seek subsistence from the 
 parish, at which those who had felt the weight 
 of his iron-hand .rejoiced ; but Lady Margery de- 
 sired that his children might be treated with care 
 and tenderness ; " for the}'" (says she) " are no 
 ways accountable for the actions of their father." 
 
 At her first coming into power, she took care to 
 gratify her old friends, especially Mr. and Mrs. 
 Smith, whose family she made happy. 
 
ETES, AND NO EYES; OR, THE ART OF SEEING. 
 
 339 
 
 EYES, AND NO EYES; OR, THE ART OF SEEING. 
 
 BY JOHN AIKIN. 
 
 Well, Robert, where have you been walking 
 this afternoon ? (said Mr. Andrews to one of his 
 pupils at the close of a holiday.) 
 
 R. I have been, sir, to Broom-heath, and so 
 round by the windmill upon Campmount, and 
 home thi'ough the meadows by the river side. 
 
 Mr. A. Well, that 's a pleasant round. 
 
 R. I thought it very dull, sir ; I scarcely met 
 with a single person. I had rather by half have 
 gone along the turnpike road. 
 
 Mr. A. Why, if seeing men and horses is your 
 object, you would, indeed, be better entertained 
 on the high-road. But did you see William ? 
 
 R. We set out together, but he lagged behind 
 in the lane ; so I walked on and left him. 
 
 Mr. A. That was a pity. He would have been 
 company for you. 
 
 R. Oh, he is so tedious, always stopping to look 
 at this thing and that ! I had rather walk alone. 
 I dare say he is not got home yet. 
 
 Mr. A. Here he comes. Well, William, where 
 have you been ? 
 
 W. Oh, sir, the pleasa*itest walk ! I went all 
 over Broom-heath, and so up to the mill at the 
 top of the hill, and then down among the green 
 meadows by the side of the river. 
 
 Mr. A. Why, that is just the round Robert has 
 been taking, and he complains of its dullness, and 
 prefers the high-road. 
 
 W. I wonder at that. I am sure I hardly took a 
 step that did not delight me ; and I have brought 
 my handkerchief full of curiosities home. 
 
 Mr. A. Suppose, then, you give us some ac- 
 count of what amused you so much. I fancy it 
 will be as new to Robert as to me. 
 
 W. I will, sir. The lane leading to the heath, 
 you know, is close and sandy, so I did not mind 
 it much, but made the best of my way. However, 
 I spied a curious thing enough in the hedge. It 
 was an old crab-tree, out of which grew a great 
 
 bunch of something green, quite different from 
 the tree itself. Here is a branch of it. 
 
 Mr. A. Ah ! this is mistletoe, a plant of great 
 fame for the use made of it by the Druids of old 
 in their religious rites and incantations. It bears 
 a very slimy white berrj', of which bird-lime may 
 be made, whence its Latin name of Viscus. It is 
 one of those plants which do not grow in the 
 ground by a root of their own, but fix themselves 
 upon other plants ; whence they have been hu- 
 morously styled parasitical, as being hangers-on 
 or dependents. It was the mistletoe of the oak 
 that the Druids particularly honored. 
 
 W. A little farther on I saw a green wood- 
 pecker fly to a tree, and run up the trunk like a 
 cat. 
 
 Mr. A. That was to seek for insects in the 
 bark, on which they live. They bore holes with 
 their strong bills for that purpose, and do much 
 damage to the trees by it. 
 
 W. What beautiful birds they are ! 
 
 Mr. A. Yes ; they have been called, from their 
 color and size, the English parrot. 
 
 W. When I got upon the open heath, how 
 charming it was ! The air seemed so fresh, and 
 the prospect on every side so free and unbounded ! 
 Then it was all covered with gay flowers, many 
 of which I had never observed before. There 
 were at least three kinds of heath (I have got 
 them in my handkerchief here), and gorse, and 
 broom, and bell-flower, and many others of all 
 colors, that I will beg you presently to tell me 
 the names of. 
 
 Mr. A. That I will, readily. 
 
 W. I saw, too, several birds that were new to 
 me. There was a pretty grayish one, of the size 
 of a lark, that was hopping about some great 
 stones ; and when he flew, he showed a great deal 
 of white above his tail. 
 
 Mr. A. That was a wheatear. They are reck- 
 
340 
 
 THE BOOK OF FAMILIAR STORIES. 
 
 oned very delicious birds to eat, and frequent the 
 open downs in Sussex, and some other counties, 
 in great numbers. 
 
 W. There was a flock of lapwings upon a 
 marshy part of the heath, that amused me much. 
 As I came near them, some of them kept flying 
 round and round just over my head, and crying 
 fewit so distinctly, one might almost fancy they 
 spoke. I thought I should have caught one of 
 them, for he flew as if one of his wings was broken, 
 and often tumbled close to the ground ; but as I 
 came near, he always made a shift to get away. 
 
 Mr. A. Ha, ha ! you were finely taken in then ! 
 This was all an artifice of the bird to entice you 
 away from its nest : for they build upon the bare 
 ground, and their nests would easily be observed, 
 did they not draw off the attention of intruders 
 by their loud cries and counterfeit lameness. 
 
 W. I wish I had known that, for he led me a 
 long chase, often over shoes in water. However, 
 it was the cause of my falling in with an old man 
 and a boy who were cutting and piling up turf for 
 fuel, and I had a good deal of talk with them 
 about the manner of preparing the turf, and the 
 price it sells at. They gave me, too, a creature I 
 never saw before — a young viper, which they had 
 just killed, together with its dam. I have seen 
 several common snakes, but this is thicker in pro- 
 portion, and of a darker color than they are. 
 
 Mr. A. True. Vipers frequent those turfy, 
 boggy grounds pretty much, and I have known 
 several turf-cutters bitten by them. 
 
 TT. They are very venomous, are they not ? 
 
 Mr. A. Enough so to make their wounds pain- 
 ful and dangerous, though they seldom prove 
 fatal. 
 
 W. Well — I then took my course up to the 
 wdndmill on the mount. I climbed up the steps 
 of the mill in order to get a better view of the 
 country round. What an extensive prospect ! I 
 counted fifteen church steeples ; and I saw several 
 gentlemen's houses peeping out from the midst of 
 green woods and plantations ; and I could trace 
 the windings of the river all along the low grounds, 
 till it was lost behind a ridge of hills. But I '11 
 
 tell you what I mean to do, ^r, if you will give 
 me leave. 
 
 Mr. A. What is that ? 
 
 W. I will go again, and take with me Carey's 
 county map, by which I shall probably be able to 
 make out most of the places. 
 
 Mr. A. You shall have it, and I will go with 
 you, and take my pocket spying-glass. 
 
 W. I shall be very glad of that. Well — a 
 thought struck me that as the hill is called Camp- 
 mount, there might probably be some remains of 
 ditches and mounds with which I have read that 
 camps were surrounded. And I really believe I 
 discovered something of that sort running round 
 •one side of the mount. 
 
 Mr. A. Very likely you might. I know anti- 
 quaries have described such remains as existing 
 there, which some suppose to be Roman, others 
 Danish. We will examine them further when we 
 go. 
 
 W. From the hill I went straight down to the 
 meadows below, and walked on the side of a brook 
 that runs into the river. It was all bordered with 
 reeds and flags, and tall flowering plants, quite 
 different from those I had seen on the heath. As 
 I was getting down the bank to reach one of them, 
 I heard something plunge into the water near me. 
 It was a large water rat, and I saw it swim over to 
 the other side, and go into its hole. There were 
 a great many large dragon flies all about the 
 stream. I caught one of the finest, and have got 
 him here in a leaf. But how I longed to catch a 
 bird that I saw hovering over the water, and every 
 now and then darting down into it I It was all 
 over a mixture of the most beautiful green and 
 blue, with some orange color. It was somewhat 
 less than a thrush, and had a large head and bill, 
 and a short tail. 
 
 Mr. A. I can tell you what that bird was, — a 
 kingfisher, the celebrated halcyon of the ancients, 
 about which so many tales are told. It lives on 
 fish, which it catches in the manner you saw. It 
 builds in holes in the banks, is a shy, retiring bird, 
 never to be seen far from the stream where it in- 
 habits. 
 
ETES, AND NO EYES; OR, THE ART OF SEEING. 
 
 341 
 
 W. I must try to get another sight of him, for I 
 never saw a bird that pleased me so much. Well 
 — I followed this little brook till it entered the 
 river, and then took the path that runs along the 
 bank. On the opposite side I observed several 
 little birds running along the shore, and making a 
 piping noise. They were brown and white, and 
 about as big as a snipe. 
 
 Mr. A. I suppose they were sandpipers, one of 
 the numerous family of birds that get their living 
 by wading among the shallows, and picking up 
 worms and insects. 
 
 W. There were a great many swallows, too, 
 sporting upon the surface of the water, that enter- 
 tained me with their motions. Sometimes they 
 dashed into the stream : sometimes they pursued 
 one another so quick, that the eye could scarcely 
 follow them. In one place, where a high, steep 
 sand bank rose directly above the river, I observed 
 many of them go in and out of holes with which 
 the bank was bored full. 
 
 Mr. A. Those were sandmartins, the smallest of 
 our four species of swallows. They are of a mouse 
 color above, and white beneath. They make their 
 nests and bring up their j'oung in these holes, 
 which run a great depth, and by their situation 
 are secure from all plunderers. 
 
 W. A little farther I saw a man in a boat, who 
 was catching eels in an odd way. He had a long 
 pole with broad iron prongs at the end, just like 
 Neptune's trident, only there were five instead of 
 three. This he pushed straight down among the 
 mud in the deepest, parts of the river, and fetched 
 up the eels sticking between the prongs. 
 
 Mr. A. I have seen this method. It is called 
 spearing of eels. 
 
 W. While I was looking at him, a heron came 
 flying over my head, with his large flagging wings. 
 He lit at the next turn of the river, and I crept 
 softly behind the bank to watch his motions. He 
 had waded into the water as far as his long legs 
 would carry him, and was standing with his neck 
 drawn in, looking intently on the stream. Pres- 
 ently he darted his long bill as quick as lightning 
 into the water, and drew out a fish, which he swal- 
 
 lowed. I saw him catch another in the same man- 
 ner. He then took alarm at some noise I made, 
 and flew away slowly to a wood at some distance, 
 where he settled. 
 
 Mr. A. Probably his nest was there, for herons 
 build upon the loftiest trees they can find, and 
 sometimes live in society together, like rooks. 
 Formerly, when these birds were valued for the 
 amusement of hawking, many gentlemen had their 
 heronries, and a few are still remaining. 
 
 W. I think they are the largest wild birds we 
 have. 
 
 Mr. A. They are of a great length and spread 
 of wing, but their bodies are comparatively small. 
 
 W. I then turned homeward across the mead- 
 ows, where I stopped a while to look at a large 
 flock of starlings, which kept flying about at no 
 great distance. I could not tell at first what to 
 make of them ; for they rose all together from the 
 ground as thick as a swarm of bees, and formed 
 themselves into a kind of black cloud, hovering 
 over the field. After taking a short round, they 
 settled again, and presently rose again in the 
 same manner. I dare say there were hundreds of 
 them. 
 
 Mr. A. Perhaps so ; for in the fenny countries 
 their flocks are so numerous as to break down 
 whole acres of reeds by settling on them. This 
 disposition of starlings to fly in close swarms 
 was remarked even by Homer, who compares the 
 foe flying from one of his heroes, to a cloud of 
 stares retiring dismayed at the approach of the 
 hawk. 
 
 W. After I had left the meadows, I crossed the 
 corn-fields in the way to our house, and passed by 
 a deep marie pit. Looking into it, I saw in one 
 of the sides a cluster of what I took to be shells ; 
 and upon going down, I picked up a clod of marie, 
 which was quite full of them ; but how sea shells 
 could get there, I cannot imagine. 
 
 Mr. A. I do not wonder at your surprise, since 
 many philosophers have been much perplexed to 
 account for the same appearance. It is not un- 
 common to find great quantities of shells and rel- 
 ics of marine animals even in the bowels of high 
 
342 
 
 THE BOOK OF FAMILIAR STORIES. 
 
 mountains, very remote from the sea. They are 
 certainly proofs that the earth was once in a very 
 different state from what it is at present ; but in 
 what manner, and how long ago these changes 
 took place, can only be guessed at. 
 
 W. I got to the high field next our house just 
 as the sun was setting, and I stood looking at it 
 till it was quite lost. What a glorious sight ! The 
 clouds were tinged purple and crimson and yel- 
 low, of all shades and hues, and the clear sky 
 varied from blue to a fine green at the horizon. 
 But how large the sun appears just as it sets ! I 
 think it seems twice as big as when it is over 
 head. 
 
 Mr. A. It does so ; and you may probably have 
 observed the same apparent enlargement of the 
 moon at its rising. 
 
 W. I have ; but pray what is the reason of 
 this? 
 
 Mr. A. It is an optical deception, depending 
 upon principles which I cannot well explain to 
 you till you know more of that branch of science. 
 But what a number of new ideas this afternoon's 
 walk has afforded you ! I do not wonder that 
 you found it amusing; it has been very instruct- 
 ive too. Did you see nothing of all these sights, 
 Robert f 
 
 R. I saw some of them, but I did not take par- 
 ticular notice of them. 
 
 Mr. A. Why not ? 
 
 R. I don't know. I did not care about them, 
 and I made the best of my way home. 
 
 Mr. A. That would have been right, if you had 
 been sent on a message ; but as you only walked 
 for amusement, it would have been wiser to have 
 sought out as many sources of it as possible. But 
 so it is — one man walks through the world with 
 his eyes open, and another with them shut ; and 
 upon this difference depends all the superiority of 
 knowledge the one acquii-es above the other. I 
 have known sailors who had been in all the quar- 
 ters of the world, and could tell you nothing but 
 the signs of the tippling-houses they frequented 
 in different parts, and the price and quality of the 
 licpor. On the other hand, a Franklin could 
 not cross the channel without making some obser- 
 vations useful to mankind. While many a vacant 
 thoughtless youth is whirled throughout Europe 
 without gaining a single idea worth crossing a 
 street for, the observing eye and inquiring mind 
 finds matter of improvement and delight in every 
 ramble in town or country. Do you then, Wil- 
 liam, continue to make use of your eyes ; and yov, 
 Robert, learn that eyes were given you to use. 
 
 THE BOY WITHOUT A GENIUS. 
 
 BY JOHN AIKIN. 
 
 Me. Wiseman, the school-master, at the end of 
 his summer vacation, received a new scholar with 
 the following letter. 
 
 Sir, — This will be delivered to you by my son 
 Samuel, whom I beg leave to commit to your care, 
 hoping that by your well-known skill and atten- 
 tion you will be able to make something of him ; 
 which, I am sorry to say, none of his masters 
 have hitherto done. He is now eleven, and yet 
 can do nothing but read his mother tongue, and 
 
 that indifferently. We sent him at seven to a 
 grammar school in our neighborhood ; but his 
 master soon found that his genius was not turned 
 to learning languages. He was then put to writ- 
 ing, but he set about it so awkwardly that he 
 made nothing of it. He was tried at accounts, 
 but it appeared that he had no genius for that 
 either. He could do nothing in geography for 
 want of memory. In short, if he has any genius 
 at all, it does not yet show itself. But I trust to 
 your experience in cases of this nature to discover 
 
THE BOT WITHOUT A GENIUS. 
 
 343 
 
 what he is fit for, and to instruct him accordingly. 
 I beg to be favored shortly with your opinion 
 about him, and remain, sir, 
 
 Your most obedient servant, 
 
 HUMPHEY ACEES. 
 
 When Mr. Wiseman had read this letter, he 
 shook his head, and said to his assistant, A pretty 
 subject they have sent us here ! a lad that has a 
 great genius for nothing at all. But perhaps my 
 friend Mr. Acres expects that a boy should show 
 a genius for a thing before he knows anything 
 about it — no uncommon error ! Let us see, how- 
 ever, what the youth looks like. I suppose he is 
 a human creature at least. 
 
 Master Samuel Acres was now called in. He 
 came hanging down his head, and looking as if he 
 was going to be flogged. 
 
 Come hither, my dear ! said Mr. Wiseman. 
 Stand by me, and do not be afraid. Nobody will 
 hurt you. How old are you ? 
 
 Eleven last May, sir. 
 
 A well-grown boy of your age, indeed. You 
 love play, I dare say. 
 
 Yes, sir. 
 
 What, are you a good hand at marbles ? 
 
 Pretty good, sir. 
 
 And can spin a top, and drive a hoop, I suppose ? 
 
 Yes, sir. 
 
 Then you have the full use of your hands and 
 fingers ? 
 
 Yes, sir. 
 
 Can you write, Samuel? 
 
 I learned a little, sir, but I left it off again. 
 
 And why so ? 
 
 Because I could not make the letters. 
 
 No ! Why how do you think other boys do ? — 
 have they more fingers than you ? 
 
 No, sir. 
 
 Are you not able to hold a pen as well as a mar- 
 ble ? 
 
 Samuel was silent. 
 
 Let me look at your hand. 
 
 Samuel held out both his paws, like a dancing 
 bear. 
 
 I see nothing here to hinder you from writing 
 as weir as any boy in the school. You can read, 
 I suppose. 
 
 Yes, sir. 
 
 Tell me, then, what is written over the school- 
 room door. 
 
 Samuel with some hesitation read, — 
 
 WHATEVER MAN HAS DONE, MAK MAY DO. 
 
 Pray, how did you learn to read ? — Was it not 
 with taking pains ? 
 
 Yes, sir. 
 
 Well — taking more pains will enable you to 
 read better. Do you know anything of the Latin 
 grammar ? 
 
 No, sir. 
 
 Have you never learned it ? 
 
 I tried, sir, but I could not get it by heart. 
 
 Why, you can say some things by heart. I 
 dare say you can tell me the names of the week in 
 their order. 
 
 Yes, sir, I know them. 
 
 And the months in the year, perhaps. 
 
 Yes, sir. 
 
 And you could probably repeat the names of 
 your brothers and sisters, and all your father's 
 servants, and half the people in the village be- 
 sides. 
 
 I believe I could, sir. 
 
 Well — and is hie, hcec, hoc, more difficult to re- 
 member than these ? 
 
 Samuel was silent. 
 
 Have you learned anything of accounts ? 
 
 I went into addition, sir, but I did not go on 
 with it. 
 
 Why so ? 
 
 I could not do it, sir. 
 
 How many marbles can you buy for a penny ? 
 
 Twelve new ones, sirl 
 
 And how many for a half-penny ? 
 
 Six. 
 
 And how many for two pence ? 
 
 Twenty-four. 
 
 Jf you were to have a penny a day, what would 
 that make in a week ? 
 
344 
 
 THE BOOK OF FAMILIAR STORIES. 
 
 Seven pence. 
 
 But if you paid two pence out of that, what 
 would you have left ? 
 
 Samuel studied awhile and then said, five pence. 
 
 Right. Why here you have been practicing the 
 four great rules of arithmetic, addition, substrac- 
 tion, multiplication, and division. Learning ac- 
 counts is no more than this. Well, Samuel, I see 
 what you are fit for. I shall set you about noth- 
 ing but what you are able to do ; but observe, 
 you must do it. We have no I can't here. Now 
 go among your school-fellows. 
 
 Samuel went away, glad that his examination 
 was over, and with more confidence in his powers 
 than he had felt before. 
 
 The next day he began business. A boy less 
 than himself was called out to set him a copy of 
 letters, and another was appointed to hear him 
 grammar. He read a few sentences in English 
 that he could perfectly understand, to the master 
 himself. Thus by going on steadily and slowly, 
 he made a sensible progress. He had already 
 joined his letters, got all the declensions perfectly, 
 and half the multiplication table, when Mr. Wise- 
 man thought it time to answer his father's letter ; 
 which he did as follows : — 
 
 Sir, — I now think it right to give you some in- 
 formation concerning your son. You perhaps ex- 
 pected it sooner, but I always wish to avoid hasty 
 judgments. You mentioned in your letter that 
 it had not yet been discovered which way his ge- 
 nius pointed. If by genius you meant such a de- 
 cided bent of mind to any one pursuit as will lead 
 to excel with little or no labor, or instruction, I 
 must say that I have not met with such a quality 
 
 in more than three or four boys in my life, and 
 your son is certainlj' not among the number. 
 But if you mean only the ability to do some of 
 those things which the greater part of mankind 
 can do when properly taught, I can affirm that I 
 find in him no peculiar deficiency ; and whether 
 you choose to bring him up to a trade or to some 
 practical profession, I see no reason to doubt that 
 he may in time become sufficiently qualified for it. 
 It is my favorite maxim, sir, that everything most 
 valuable in this life may generally be acquired by 
 taking pains for it. Your son has already lost 
 much time in the fruitless expectation of finding 
 out what he would take up of his own accord. 
 Believe me, sir, few boys will take up anything of 
 their own accord but a top or a marble. I will 
 take care while he is with me that he loses nc 
 more time this way, but is employed about things 
 that are fit for him, not doubting that we shall 
 find him fit for them. 
 
 I am, sir, yours, etc. 
 
 Solon Wiseman. 
 
 Though the doctrine of this letter did not per- 
 fectly agree with Mr. Acre's notions, yet being 
 convinced that Mr. Wiseman was more likely to 
 make something of his son than any of his former 
 preceptors, he continued him at this school for 
 some years, and had the satisfaction to find him 
 going on in a steady course of gradual improve- 
 ment. In due time a profession was chosen for 
 him, which seemed to suit his temper and talents, 
 but for which he had no particular turn, having 
 never thought at all about it. He made a re- 
 spectable figure in it, and went through the world 
 with credit and usefulness, though ivithout a genius. 
 
 A TALE OF POTTED SPRATS. 
 
 BY AMELIA OPIB. 
 
 Most mistresses of families have a family re- 
 ceipt-book ; and are apt to believe that no receipts 
 are so good as their own. 
 
 With one of these notable ladies a young house- 
 keeper went to pass a few days, both at her town 
 and country-house. The hostess was skilled, not 
 
A TALE OF POTTED SPRATS. 
 
 345 
 
 only in culinary lore, but in economy ; and was 
 in the habit of setting on her table, even when 
 not alone, whatever her taste or carefulness had 
 led her to pot, pickle, or preserve, for occasional 
 use. 
 
 Before a meagre family dinner was quite over, 
 a dish of potted spkats was set before the lady 
 of the house, who, expatiating on their excellence, 
 derived from a family receipt of a century old, 
 pressed her still unsatisfied guest to partake of 
 them. 
 
 The dish was as good as much salt and little 
 spice could make it ; but it had one peculiarity 
 — it had a strong flavor of garlic, and to garlic 
 the poor guest had a great dislike. 
 
 But she was a timid woman ; and good-breeding, 
 and what she called benvolence, said, " persevere 
 a swallow," though her palate said, " no." " Is 
 it not excellent?" said the hostess. "Very," 
 faltered out the half-suffocated guest ; — and this 
 was lie the first. "Did you ever eat anything 
 like it before ? " " Never," replied the other 
 more firmly ; for then she knew that she spoke 
 the truth, and longing to add, " and I hope I never 
 shall eat anything like it again." " I will give 
 you the receipt," said the lady, kindly ; " it will 
 be of use to you as a young housekeeper : for it 
 is economical, as well as good, and serves to make 
 out, when we have a scrap-dinner. My servants 
 often dine on it." "I wonder you can get any 
 servants to live with you," thought the guest ; 
 " but I dare say you do not get any one to stay 
 long ! " " You do not, however, eat as if you 
 liked it." " Oh, yes, indeed I do, very much," (lie 
 the second) she replied, "but you forget I have 
 already eaten a good dinner : " (lie the third. 
 Alas ! what had benevolence, so called, to answer 
 for this occasion !) 
 
 " Well, I am delighted to find that you like my 
 sprats," said the flattered hostess, while the cloth 
 was removing : adding, " John ! do not let those 
 sprats be eaten in the kitchen ! " an order which 
 the guest heard with indescribable alarm. 
 
 The next day they were to set off for the coun- 
 try-house, or cottage. When they were seated in 
 44 
 
 the carriage, a large box was put in, and the guest 
 
 fancied she smelt garlic ; but 
 
 " Where ignorance is bliss, 
 'T is folly to be wise." 
 
 She therefore asked no questions ; but tried to 
 enjoy the present, regardless of the future. At a 
 certain distance they stopped to bait the horses. 
 There the guest expected that they should get 
 out, and take some refreshment ; but her econom- 
 ical companion, with a shrewd wink of the eye, 
 observed, " I always sit in the carriage on these 
 occasions. If one gets out, the people at the inn 
 expect one to order a luncheon. I therefore take 
 mine with me." So saying, John was summoned 
 to drag the carriage out of sight of the inn win- 
 dows. He then unpacked the box, took out of 
 it knives and forks, plates, etc., and also a jar, 
 which, impregnating the air with its effluvia, even 
 before it was opened, disclosed to the alarmed 
 guest that its contents were the dreaded sprats ! 
 
 "Alas!" thought she, "Pandora's box was 
 nothing to this I for in that, Hope remained be- 
 hind ; but, at the bottom of this is Despair ! " In 
 vain did the unhappy lady declare (lie the fourth) 
 that "she had no appetite, and (lie the fifth) 
 that she never ate in the, morning." Her hostess 
 would take no denial. However, she contrived to 
 get a piece of sprat down, enveloped in bread ; 
 and the rest she threw out of the window, when 
 her companion was looking another way — who, 
 on turning round, exclaimed, " so, you have soon 
 dispatched the fish ! let me give you another ; do 
 not refuse, because you think they are nearly fin- 
 ished ; I assure you there are several left ; and 
 (delightful information !) we shall have a fresh 
 supply to-morrow ! " However, this time she was 
 allowed to know when she had eaten enough ; 
 and the travelers proceeded to their journey's end. 
 
 This day, the sprats did not appear at dinner ; 
 — but, there being only a few left, they were 
 kept for a bonne houche, and reserved for supper! 
 a meal of which, this evening, on account of indis- 
 position, the hostess did not partake, and was 
 therefore at liberty to attend entirely to the wants 
 of her guest, who would fain have declined eating 
 
346 
 
 THE BOOK OF FAMILIAR STOEIES. 
 
 also, but it was impossible ; she bad just declared 
 that she was quite well, and had often owned that 
 she enjoyed a piece of supper after an early din- 
 ner. There was therefore no retreat from the 
 maze in which her insincerity had involved her ; 
 and eat she must : but, when she again smelled on 
 her plate the nauseous composition, which being 
 
 near the bottom of the pot was more disagreeable 
 than ever, human patience and human infirmity 
 could bear no more ; the scarcely tasted morsel 
 fell from her lips, and she rushed precipitately 
 into the open air, almost disposed to execrate, in 
 her heart, potted sprats, the good breeding of her 
 officious hostess, and even Benevolence itself. 
 
 WASTE NOT, WANT NOT: OR, TWO STRINGS TO YOUR BOW. 
 
 BY MABIA EDGEWORTH. 
 
 Me. Gresham, a Bristol merchant, who had, 
 by honorable industry and economy, accumulated 
 a considerable fortune, retired from business to a 
 new house which he had built upon the Downs,, 
 near Clifton. Mr. Gresham, however, did not im- 
 agine that a new house alone could make him 
 happy. He did not propose to live in idleness and 
 extravagance ; for such a life would have been 
 equally incompatible with his habits and his prin- 
 ciples. He was fond of children ; and as he had 
 no sons, he determined to adopt one of his rela- 
 tions. He had two nephews, and he invited both 
 of them to his house, that he might have an op- 
 portunity of judging of their dispositions, and of 
 the habits which they had acquired. 
 
 Hal and Benjamin, Mr. Gresham's nephews, 
 were about ten j'ears old. They had been edu- 
 cated very differently. Hal was the son of the 
 elder branch of the family. His father was a gen- 
 tleman, who spent rather more than he could af- 
 ford ; and Hal, from the example of the servants 
 in his father's family, with whom he had passed 
 the first years of his childhood, learned to waste 
 more of everything than he used. He had been 
 told, that " gentlemen should be above being care- 
 ful and saving ; " and he had unfortunately im- 
 bibed a notion that extravagance was the sign of 
 a generous disposition, and economy of an avari- 
 cious one. 
 
 Benjamin, on the contrary, had been taught 
 habits of care and foresight. His father had but 
 a very small fortune, and was anxious that his 
 
 son should early learn that economy insures inde- 
 pendence, and sometimes puts in the power of 
 those who are not very rich to be very generous. 
 
 The morning after these two boys arrived at 
 their uncle's, they were eager to see all the rooms 
 in the house. Mr. Gresham accompanied them, 
 and attended to their remarks and exclamations. 
 
 " Oh ! what an excellent motto ! " exclaimed 
 Ben, when he read the following words, which 
 were written in large characters over the chim- 
 ney-piece, in his uncle's spacious kitchen, — 
 
 " WASTE NOT, WANT NOT." 
 
 " Waste not, want not ! " repeated bis cousin 
 Hal, in rather a contemptuous tone ; " I think it 
 looks stingy to servants ; and no gentleman's serv- 
 ants, cooks especially, would like to have such a 
 mean motto always staring them in the face." 
 Ben, who was not so conversant as his cousin in 
 the ways of cooks and gentlemen's servants, made 
 no reply to these observations. 
 
 Mr. Gresham was called away whilst his neph- 
 ews were looking at the other rooms in the house. 
 Some time afterwards he heard their voices in the 
 hall. 
 
 " Boys," said he, " what are you doing there ? " 
 " Nothing, sir," said Hal ; " you were called away 
 from us, and we did not know which way to go." 
 " And have you nothing to do ? " said Mr. Gres- 
 ham. " No, sir, nothing," answered Hal, in a care- 
 less tone, like one who was well content with the 
 state of habitual idleness. " No, sir, nothing I " 
 
WASTE NOT, WANT NOT. 
 
 347 
 
 replied Ben, in a voice of lamentation. " Come," 
 said Mr. Gresham, " if you have nothing to do 
 lads, will you unpack these two parcels for me ? " 
 
 The two parcels were exactly alike, both of them 
 well tied up with good whip-cord. Ben took his 
 parcel to a table, and, after breaking off the seal- 
 ing-wax, began carefully to examine the knot, and 
 then to untie it. Hal stood still, exactly in the 
 spot where the parcel was put into his hands, and 
 tried first at one corner, and then at another, to 
 pull the string off by force. 
 
 " I wish these people would n't tie up their par- 
 cels so tight, as if they were never to be undone," 
 cried he, as he tugged at the cord ; and he pulled 
 the knot closer instead of loosening it. 
 
 " Ben ! why, how did you get yours undone, 
 m an ? — what's in your parcel ? — I wonder what 
 is in mine. I wish I could get this string off — 
 I must cut it." 
 
 " Oh, no," said Ben, who now had undone the 
 last knot of his parcel, and who drew out the 
 length of string with exultation, "don't cut it, 
 Hal. Look what a nice cord this is, and yours is 
 the same : it 's a pity to cut it ; ' Waste not, want 
 not!^ you know." 
 
 " Pooh ! said Hal, " what signifies a bit of pack- 
 thread ? " " It is whip-cord," said Ben. " Well, 
 whip-cord ! what signifies a bit of whip-cord ! you 
 can get a bit of whip-cord twice as long as that for 
 two pence ; and who cares for two pence ! Not I, 
 for one ! so here it goes," cried Hal, drawing out 
 his knife ; and he cut the cord, precipitately, in 
 sundry places. 
 
 " Lads ! have you undone the parcels for me ? " 
 said Mr. Gresham, opening the parlor-door as he 
 spoke. " Yes, sir," cried Hal ; and he dragged 
 off his half-cut, half-entangled string, — " here 's 
 the parcel." " And here 's my parcel, uncle ; and 
 here 's the string," said Ben. " You may keep the 
 string for your pains," said Mr. Gresham. " Thank 
 you, sir," said Ben ; " what an excellent whip-cord 
 it is!" "And you, Hal," continued Mr. Gres- 
 ham, " you may keep your string too, if it will be 
 of any use to you." " It will be of no use to me, 
 thank you sir," said Hal. " No, I am afraid not, 
 
 if this be it," said his uncle, taking up the jagged, 
 knotted remains of Hal's cord. 
 
 A few days after this, Mr. Gresham gave to 
 each of his nephews a new top. 
 
 " But how 's this ? " said Hal ; " these tops have 
 no strings ; what shall we do for strings ? " "I 
 have a string that will do very well for mine," 
 said Ben ; and he pulled out of his pocket the fine, 
 long, smooth string which had tied up the parcel. 
 With this he soon set up his top, which spun ad- 
 mirably well. 
 
 " Oh how I wish I had but a string ! " said Hal ; 
 " what shall I do for a string ? I '11 tell you what ; 
 I can use the string that goes round my hat ! " 
 " But then," said Ben, " what will you do for a 
 hat-band ? " "I '11 manage to do without one," 
 said Hal ; and he took the string off his hat for 
 his top. It soon was worn through ; and he split 
 his top by driving the peg too tightly into it. 
 His cousin Ben let him set up his the next day ; 
 but Hal was not more fortunate or more careful 
 when he meddled with other people's things than 
 when he managed his own. He had scarcely 
 played half an hour before he split it, by driving 
 in the peg too violently. 
 
 Ben bore this misfortune with good humor. 
 " Come," said he, " it can't be helped : but give 
 me the string, because that may still be of use for 
 something else. 
 
 It happened some time afterwards that a lady, 
 who had been intimately acquainted with Hal's 
 mother at Bath, — that is to say, who had fre- 
 quently met her at the card-table during the win- 
 ter, — now arrived at Clifton. She was informed 
 by his mother that Hal was at Mr. Gresham's ; and 
 her sons who -were friends of his, came to see him, 
 and invited him to spend the next day with them. 
 Hal joyfully accepted the invitation. He was 
 always glad to go out to dine, because it gave him 
 something to do, something to think of, or at least 
 something to say. Besides this, he had been edu- 
 cated to think it was a fine thing to visit fine 
 people ; and I/ady Diana Sweepstakes (for that 
 was the name of his mother's acquaintance) was 
 a very fine lady, and her two sons intended to 
 
348 
 
 THE BOOK OF FAMILIAR STORIES. 
 
 be very great gentlemen. He was in a prodigious 
 hurry when these young gentlemen knocked at 
 his uncle's door the next day ; but just as he got 
 to the hall door, little Patty called to him from 
 the top of the stairs, and told him that he had 
 dropped his pocket-handkerchief. 
 
 " Pick it up, then, and bring it to me, quick, 
 can't you, child ? " cried Hal, " for Lady Di's sons 
 are waiting for me." 
 
 Little Patty did not know anything about Lady 
 Di's sons ; but as she was very good-natured, and 
 saw that her cousin Hal was, for some reason or 
 other, in a desperate hurry, she ran down-stairs as 
 fast as she possibly could, towards the landing- 
 place, where the handkerchief lay ; but, alas ! be- 
 fore she reached the handkerchief, she fell, rolling 
 down a whole flight of stairs, and when her fall 
 was at last stopped by the landing-place, she did 
 not cry, but she writhed as if she was in great 
 pain. 
 
 " Where are you hurt, my love ? " said Mr. 
 Gresham, who came instantly, on hearing the 
 noise of some one falling down-stairs. " Where 
 are you hurt, my dear ? " 
 
 " Here, papa," said the little girl, touching her 
 ankle, which she had decently covered with her 
 gown : " I believe I am hurt here, but not 
 much," added she, trying to rise ; " only it hurts 
 me when I move." "I '11 carry you ; don't move 
 then," said her father ; and he took her up in his 
 arms. " My shoe ; I 've lost one of my shoes," 
 said she. 
 
 Ben looked for it upon the stairs, and he found 
 it sticking in a loop of whip-cord, which was 
 entangled round one of the banisters. When this 
 cord was drawn forth, it appeared that it was the 
 very same jagged entangled piece which Hal had 
 pulled off his parcel. He had diverted himself 
 with running up and down stairs, whipping the 
 banisters with it, as he thought he could convert 
 it to no better use ; and, with his usual careless- 
 ness, he at last left it hanging just where he hap- 
 pened to throw it when the dinner-bell rang. 
 Poor little Patty's ankle was terribly sprained, 
 and Hal reproached himself for his folly, and 
 
 would have reproached himself longer, perhaps, if 
 Lady Di Sweepstakes' sons had not hurried him 
 away. 
 
 In the evening, Patty could not run about as 
 she used to do ; but she sat upon the sofa, and 
 she said that she did not feel the pain in her ankle 
 so much, whilst Ben was so good as to play at 
 Jack-straws with her. 
 
 " That 's right, Ben ; never be ashamed of being 
 good-natured to those who are younger and weaker 
 than yourself," said his uncle, smiling at seeing 
 him produce his whip-cord, to indulge his little 
 cousin with a game at her favorite cat's-cradle. 
 " I shall not think you one bit less manly, because 
 I see you playing at cat's-cradle with a little child 
 of six years old." 
 
 Hal, however, was not precisely of his uncle's 
 opinion ; for when he returned in the evening, and 
 saw Ben playing with his little cousin, he could 
 not help smiling contemptuously, and asked if he 
 had been playing at cat's-cradle all night. In a 
 heedless manner he made some inquiries after 
 Patty's sprained ankle, and then he ran on to tell 
 all the news he had heard at Lady Diana Sweep- 
 stakes', — news which he thought would make him 
 appear a person of vast importance. 
 
 " Do you know, uncle, — do you know, Ben," 
 said he, — " there 's to be the most famous doings 
 that ever were heard of upon the Downs here, the 
 first day of next month, which will be in a fort- 
 night, — thank niy stars ! I wish the fortnight 
 was over ; I shall think of nothing else, I know, 
 till that happy day comes ! " 
 
 Mr. Gresham inquired why the first of Septem- 
 ber was to be so much happier than any other day 
 in the year. " Why," replied Hal, " Lady Diana 
 Sweepstakes, you know, is a famous rider and 
 archer, and all that.'" " Very likely," said Mr. 
 Gresham, soberly ; " but what then ? '' 
 
 " Dear uncle ! " cried Hal, " but you shall hear. 
 There 's to be a race upon the Downs the first of 
 September, and after the race there 's to be an 
 archery meeting for the ladies, and Lady Diana 
 Sweepstakes is to be one of them. And after the 
 ladies have done shooting, — now, Ben, comes the 
 
WASTE NOT, WANT NOT. 
 
 349 
 
 best part of it ! — we boys are to have our turn, 
 and Lady Di is to give a prize to the best marks- 
 man amongst us, of a very handsome bow and ar- 
 row ! Do you know, I 've been practicing already, 
 and I '11 show you to-morrow, as soon as it comes 
 home, the famous bow and arrow that Lady Diana 
 has given me ; but, perhaps," added he, with a 
 scornful laugh, " you like a cat's-cradle better than 
 a bow and arrow." 
 
 Ben made no reply to this taunt at the moment ; 
 but the next day, when Hal's new bow and arrow 
 came home, he convinced him that he knew how 
 to use it very well. 
 
 " Ben," said his uncle, "you seem to be a good 
 marksman, though you have not boasted of your- 
 self. I '11 give you a bow and arrow, and, perhaps 
 if you practice, you may make yourself an archer 
 before the first of September; and, in the mean 
 time, you will not wish the fortnight to be over, 
 for you will have something to do." 
 
 "Oh, sir," interrupted Hal, "but if you mean 
 that Ben should put in for the prize, he must have 
 a uniform." " Why must he ? " said Mr. Gresham. 
 " Why, sir, because everybody has — I mean 
 everybody that 's anybody ; and Lady Diana was 
 talking about the uniform all dinner-time, and it 's 
 settled all about it, except the buttons ; the young 
 Sweepstakes are to get theirs made first for pat- 
 terns : they are to be white, faced with green ; and 
 they '11 look very handsome, I 'm sure ; and I shall 
 write to mamma to-night, as Lady Diana bid me, 
 about mine ; and I shall tell her to be sure to an- 
 swer my letter, without fail, by return of the post ; 
 and then if mamma makes no objection, which I 
 know she won't, because she never thinks much 
 about expense, and all that, — then I shall bespeak 
 my uniform, and get it made by the same tailor 
 that makes for Lady Diana and the young Sweep- 
 stakes." 
 
 " Mercy upon us ! " said Mr. Gresham, who was 
 almost stunned by the rapid vociferation with 
 which this long speech about a uniform was pro- 
 nounced. "I don't pretend to understand these 
 things," added he, with an air of simplicity ; " but 
 we will inquire, Ben, into the necessity of the 
 
 case ; and if it is necessary — or if you think it 
 necessary that you shall have a uniform, — why, 
 I '11 give you one." 
 
 " You, uncle ! Will you, indeed ? " exclaimed 
 Hal, with amazement painted in his countenance. 
 "Well, that's the last thing in the world I should 
 have expected ! You are not at all the sort of 
 person I should have thought would care about a 
 uniform ; and now I should have supposed you 'd 
 have thought it extravagant to have a coat on pur- 
 pose only for one day ; and I 'm sure Lady Diana 
 Sweepstakes thought as I do ; for when I told her 
 of that motto over your kitchen-chimney, ' "WASTE 
 NOT, "WANT NOT,' she laughed, and said that I had 
 better not talk to you about uniforms, and that 
 my mother was the proper person to write to about 
 my uniform : but I '11 tell Lady Diana, uncle, how 
 good you are, and how much she was mistaken." 
 
 " Take care how you do that," said Mr. Gres- 
 ham ; "for perhaps the lady was not mistaken." 
 " Nay, did not you say, just now, you would 
 give poor Ben a uniform ? " "I said I would, if 
 he thought it necessary to have one." " Oh, I '11 
 answer for it, he '11 think it necessary," said Hal, 
 laughing, "because it is necessary." "Allow him, 
 at least, to judge for himself," said Mr. Gres- 
 ham. " My dear uncle, but I assure you," said 
 Hal, earnestly, "there's no judging about the 
 matter, because really, upon my word. Lady Di- 
 ana said distinctly, that her sons were to have uni- 
 forms, white faced with green, and a green and 
 white cockade in their hats." " May be so," said 
 Mr. Gresham, still with the same look of calm 
 simplicity ; " put on your hats, boys, and come 
 with me. I know a gentleman whose sons are to 
 be at this archery meeting, and we will inquire 
 into all the particulars from him. Then, after we 
 have seen him (it is not eleven o'clock yet), we 
 shall have time enough to walk on to Bristol, and 
 choose the cloth for Ben's uniform, if it is neces- 
 sary." 
 
 " I cannot tell what to make of all he says," 
 whispered Hal as he reached down his hat ; " do 
 you think, Ben, he means to give you this uniform 
 or not?" "I think," said Ben, "that he means 
 
350 
 
 THE BOOK OF FAMILIAR STORIES. 
 
 to give me one, if it is necessary, or, as he said, if 
 I think it is necessary." 
 
 " And that to be sure you will ; won't you ? or 
 else you '11 be a great fool, I know, after all I 've 
 told you. How can any one in the world know so 
 much about the matter as I, who have dined with 
 Lady Diana Sweepstakes but yesterday, and heard 
 all about it from beginning to end ? And as for 
 this gentleman that we are going to, I 'm sure, if 
 he knows anything about the matter, he '11 say 
 exactly the same as I do." " We shall hear," said 
 Ben, with a degree of composure which Hal could 
 by no means comprehend when a uniform was in 
 question. 
 
 The gentleman upon whom Mr. Gresham called 
 had three sons, who were all to be at this archery 
 meeting ; and they unanimously assured him, in 
 the presence of Hal and Ben, that they had never 
 thought of buying uniforms for this grand occa- 
 sion, and that, amongst the number of their ac- 
 quaintance, they knew of but three boys whose 
 friends intended to be at such an unnecessary ex- 
 pense. Hal stood amazed. 
 
 " Such are the varieties of opinion upon all the 
 grand affairs of life," said Mr. Gresham, looking 
 at his nephews. " What amongst one set of peo- 
 ple you hear asserted to be absolutely necessary, 
 you will hear from another set of people is quite 
 unnecessary. All that can be done, my dear boys, 
 in these difficult cases, is to judge for yourselves, 
 which opinions, and which people, are the most 
 reasonable." 
 
 Hal, who had been more accustomed to think 
 of what was fashionable than of what was reason- 
 able, without at all considering the good sense of 
 what his uncle said to him, replied, with childish 
 petulance, " Indeed, sir, I don't know what other 
 people think ; but I only know what Lady Diana 
 Sweepstakes said. " The name of Lady Diana 
 Sweepstakes, Hal thought, must impress all pres- 
 ent with respect : he was highly astonished when, 
 as he looked round, he saw a smile of contempt 
 upon every one's countenance ; and he was yet 
 further bewildered when he heard her spoken of 
 as a very silly, extravagant, ridiculous woman. 
 
 whose opinion no prudent person would ask upon 
 any subject, and whose example was to be shunned, 
 instead of being imitated. " Aye, my dear Hal," 
 said his uncle, smiling at his look of amazement, 
 " these are some of the things that young people 
 must learn from experience. All the world do not 
 agree in opinion about characters : you will hear 
 the same person admired in one company, and 
 blamed in another ; so that we must still . come 
 round to the same point. Judge for yourself.'''' 
 
 Hal's thoughts were, however, at present, too 
 full of the uniform to allow his judgment to act 
 with perfect impartiality. As soon as their visit 
 was over, and all the time they walked down the 
 hill from Prince's Buildings towards Bristol, he 
 continued to repeat nearly the same arguments 
 which he had formerly used, respecting necessity, 
 the uniform, and Lady Diana Sweepstakes. To 
 all this Mr. Gresham made no reply ; and longer 
 had the young gentleman expatiated upon the 
 subject, which had so strongly seized upon his im- 
 agination, had not his senses been forcibly assailed 
 at this instant by the delicious odors and tempting 
 sight of certain cakes and jellies in a pastry-cook's 
 shop. " O uncle," said he, as his uncle was goins; 
 to turn the corner to pursue the road to Bristul, 
 "look at those jellies! " pointing to a confection- 
 er's shop. " I must buy some of those good things, 
 for I have got some half-pence in my pocket."' 
 " Your having half-pence in your pocket is an 
 excellent reason for eating," said Mr. Gresliam, 
 smiling. "But I really am hungry," said Hal; 
 " you know, uncle, it is a good \\ hile since break- 
 fast." 
 
 His uncle, who was desirous to see his nephews 
 act without restraint, that he might judge their 
 characters, bid them do as they pleased. 
 
 " Come, then, Ben, if you "ve any half-pence in 
 your pocket." '• I 'm not hungry,"" said Ben. " I 
 suppose tJiat means that j'ou "ve no half-pence, ' 
 said Hal, laughing, with the look of superiority 
 which he had been taught to think thf rii-h might 
 assume towards those who were convieteil either 
 of poverty or economy. " Waste not, want not," 
 said Ben to himself. Contrary to his cousin's sur- 
 
WASTE NOT, WANT NOT. 
 
 351 
 
 mise, he happened to have twopenny-worth of 
 half-pence actually in his pocket. 
 
 At the -very moment Hal stepped into the pas- 
 try-cook's shop, a poor, industrious man, with a 
 wooden leg, who usually sweeps the dirty corner 
 of the walk, which turns at this spot to the Wells, 
 held his hat to Ben, who, after glancing his eye at 
 the petitioner's well-worn broom, instantly pro- 
 duced his two-pence. " I wish I had more half- 
 pence for you, my good man," said he ; " but I 've 
 only two-pence." 
 
 Hal came out of Mr. Millar's, the confection- 
 er's shop, with a hatful of cakes in his hand. Mr. 
 Millar's dog was sitting on the flags before the 
 door ; and he looked up, with a wistful, begging 
 eye, at Hal, who was eating a queen-cake. Hal^ 
 who was wasteful even in his good-nature, threw 
 a whole queen-cake to the dog, who swallowed it 
 for a single mouthful. 
 
 " There goes two-pence in the form of a queen- 
 cake," said Mr. Gresham. 
 
 Hal next offered some of his cakes to his uncle 
 and cousin ; but they thanked him and refused to 
 eat any, because, they said, they were not hungry ; 
 so he ate and ate, as he walked along, till at last 
 he stopped, and said, " This bun tastes so bad 
 after the queen-cakes, I can't bear it ! " and he was 
 going to fling it from him into the river. " Oh, it 
 is a pity to waste that good bun ; we may be glad 
 of it yet," said Ben ; " give it to me, rather than 
 throw it away." " Why, I thought you said you 
 were not hungry," said Hal. " True, I am not 
 hungry now; but that is no reason why I should 
 never be hungry again." " Well, there is the cake 
 for you ; take it ; for it has made me sick ; and I 
 don't care what becomes of it." 
 
 Ben folded the refuse bit of his cousin's bun in 
 a piece of paper, and put it into his pocket. 
 
 " I 'm beginning to be exceedingly tired, or 
 sick, or something," said Hal ; "and as there is a 
 stand of coaches somewhere hereabouts, had not 
 we better take a coach, instead of walking all the 
 way to Bristol ? " 
 
 " For a stout archer," said Mr. Gresham, " you 
 
 are more easily tired than one might have ex- 
 pected. However, with all my heart; let us -take 
 a coach, for Ben asked me to show him the ca- 
 thedral yesterday ; and I believe I should find it 
 rather too much for me to walk so far, though I 
 am not sick with eating good things." 
 
 " The cathedral ! " said Hal, after he had been 
 seated in the coach about a quarter of an hour, 
 and had somewhat recovered from his sickness, — 
 " the cathedral ! Why, are we only going to Bris- 
 tol to see the cathedral ? I thought we came out 
 to see about a uniform." 
 
 There was a dullness and melancholy kind of 
 stupidity in Hal's countenance as he pronounced 
 these words, like one wakening from a dream, 
 which made both his uncle and cousin burst out 
 a-laughing. 
 
 " Why," said Hal, who was now piqued, " I 'm 
 sure you did say, uncle, you would go to Mr. Hall's 
 to choose the cloth for the uniform." " Very true, 
 and so I will," said Mr. Gresham ; " but we need 
 not make a whole morning's work, need we, of 
 looking at a piece of cloth ? Cannot we see a 
 uniform and a cathedral both in one morning ? " 
 
 They went first to the cathedral. Hal's head 
 was too full of the uniform to take any notice of 
 the painted window, which immediately caught 
 Ben's unembarrassed attention. He looked at the 
 large stained figures on the Gothic window, and 
 he observed their colored shadows on the floor and 
 walls. 
 
 Mr. Gresham, who perceived that he was eager 
 on all subjects to gain information, took this op- 
 portunity of telling him several things about the 
 lost art of painting on glass, Gothic arches, etc., 
 which Hal thought extremely tiresome. 
 
 " Come ! come ! we shall be late indeed," said 
 Hal ; "surely you've looked long enough, Ben, at 
 this blue and red window." " I 'm only thinking 
 about these colored shadows," said Ben. "I can 
 show you, when we go home, Ben," said his uncle, 
 " an entertaining paper upon such shadows." ^ 
 " Hark ! " cried Ben, " did you hear that noise ? " 
 They all listened ; and they heard a bird singing 
 
 Vide Priestley's History of Vision, chapter on Colored Shadows. 
 
352 
 
 THE BOOK OF FAMILIAR STORIES. 
 
 in the cathedral. " It s our old robin, sir," said 
 the lad who had opened the cathedral-door for 
 them. 
 
 " Yes," said Mr. Gresharn, " there he is, boys, 
 look, — perched upon the organ ; he often sits 
 there, and sings, whilst the organ is playing." 
 " And," continued the lad who showed the cathe- 
 dral, " he has lived here these many, many win- 
 ters. They say he is fifteen years old ; and he is 
 so tame, poor fellow, that if I had a bit of bread 
 he 'd come down and feed in my hand." " I 've a 
 bit of a bun here," cried Ben, joyfully, producing 
 the remains of the bun which Hal but an hour be- 
 fore would have thrown away. " Pray, let us see 
 the poor robin eat out of your hand." 
 
 The lad crumbled the bun, and called to the 
 robin, who fluttered and chirped, and seemed re- 
 joiced at the sight of the bread ; but yet he did 
 not come down from his pinnacle on the organ. 
 
 " He is afraid of ms," said Ben ; " he is not 
 used to eat before strangers, I suppose." 
 
 "Ah, no, sir," said the young man, with a deep 
 sigh, " that is not the thing. He is used enough 
 to eat afore company. Time was he 'd have come 
 down for me before ever so many fine folks, an d 
 have ate his crumbs out of my hand at my first 
 call ; but, poor fellow, it 's not his fault now. He 
 does not know me now, sir, since mj^ accident, be- 
 cause of this great black patch." The young man 
 put his hand to his right eye, which was covered 
 with a huge black patch. Ben asked what accident 
 he meant ; and the lad told him that, but a few 
 weeks ago, he had lost the sight of his eye by 
 the stroke of a stone, which reached him as he 
 was passing under the rocks at Clifton unluckily 
 when the workmen were blasting. " I don't mind 
 so much for myself, sir," said the lad ; " but I can't 
 work so well now, as I used to do before my ac- 
 cident for my old mother, who has had a stroke 
 of the palsy ; and I 've a many little brothers 
 and sisters not well able yet to get their own 
 livelihood, though they be as willing as willing 
 can be." 
 
 "Where does your mother live?" said Mr. 
 Gresharn. " Hard by, sir, just close to the church 
 
 here : it was her that always had the showing of 
 it to strangers, till she lost the use of her poor 
 limbs." 
 
 " Shall we, may we, uncle, go that way ? This 
 is the house; is not it?" said Ben, when they 
 went out of the cathedral. 
 
 They went into the house : it was rather a hovel 
 than a house ; but poor as it was, it was as neat 
 as misery could make it. The old woman was 
 sitting up in her wretched bed winding worsted ; 
 four meagre, ill-clothed, pale children were all 
 busy, some of them sticking pins in paper for the 
 pin-maker, and others sorting rags for the paper- 
 maker. 
 
 " What a horrid place it is ! " said Hal, sigh- 
 ing ; " I did not know there were such shocking 
 places in the world. I 've often seen terrible-look- 
 ing, tumble-down places, as we drove through the 
 town in mamma's carriage ; but then I did not 
 know who lived in them ; and I never saw the 
 inside of any of them. It is very dreadful, indeed, 
 to think that people are forced to live in this 
 way. I wish mamma would send me some more 
 pocket-money, that I might do something for them. 
 I had half-a-crown ; but," continued he, feeling in 
 his pockets, " I 'm afraid I spent the last shilling 
 of it this morning upon those cakes that made me 
 sick. I wish I had my shilling now, I 'd give it 
 to these poor people.'" 
 
 Ben, though he was all this time silent, was as 
 sorry as his talkative cousin for all these poor peo- 
 ple. But there was some difference between the 
 sorrow of these two bo3's. 
 
 Hal, after he was again seated in the hackney- 
 coach, and had rattled through the busy streets of 
 Bristol for a few minutes, quite forgot the specta- 
 cle of misery which he had seen ; and the gay 
 shops in Wine Street and the idea of his green 
 and white uniform wholly occupied his imagina- 
 tion. 
 
 " Now for our uniforms ! " cried he, as he 
 jumped eagerly out of the coach, when his uncle 
 stopped at the woolen-draper's door. 
 
 " Uncle," said Ben, stopping Mr. Gresham be- 
 fore he got out of the carriage, " I don't think a 
 
WASTE NOT, WANT NOT. 
 
 353 
 
 uniform is at all necessary for me. I 'm very 
 much obliged to you ; but I would rather not have 
 one. I have a very good coat; and I think it 
 would be waste." 
 
 " Well, let me get out of the carriage, and we 
 will see about it," said Mr. Gresham ; " perhaps 
 the sight of the beautiful green and white cloth, 
 and the epaulet (have you ever considered the 
 epaulets ?) may tempt you to change your mind." 
 " Oh no," said Ben, laughing : " I shall not change 
 my mind." 
 
 The green cloth, and the white cloth, and the 
 epaulets were produced, to Hal's infinite satisfac- 
 tion. His uncle took up a pen, and calculated for 
 a few minutes ; then, showing the back of the let- 
 ter, upon which he was writing, to his nephews, 
 " Cast up these sums, boys," said he, " and tell 
 me whether I am right." " Ben, do you do it," 
 said Hal, a little embarrassed ; " I am not quick 
 at figures." Ben was, and he went over his uncle's 
 calculation very expeditiously. 
 
 " It is right, is it ? " said Mr. Gresham. " Yes, 
 sir, quite right." " Then by this calculation, I 
 find I could, for less . than half the money your 
 uniforms would cost, purchase for each of you 
 boys a warm great-coat, which you will want, I 
 have a notion, this winter upon the Downs." 
 
 "Oh, sir," said Hal, with an alarmed look; 
 "• but it is not winter yet ; it is not cold weather 
 yet. We shan't want great-coats yet.'''' 
 
 " Don't you remember how cold we were, Hal, 
 the day before yesterday, in that sharp wind, 
 when we were flying our kite upon the Downs ? 
 and winter will come, though it is not come yet. 
 I am sure, I should like to have a good warm 
 great-coat very much." 
 
 Mr. Gresham took six guineas out of his purse ; 
 and he placed three of them before Hall and three 
 before Ben. " Young gentlemen," said he, " T be- 
 lieve your uniforms would come to about three 
 guineas apiece. Now I will lay out this money 
 for you just as you please. Hal, what say you ? " 
 Why, sir," said Hal, " a great-coat is a good 
 thing, to be sure ; and then, after the great-coat, 
 as you said it would only cost half as much as the 
 45 
 
 uniform, there would be some money to spare, 
 would not there?" "Yes, my dear, about five- 
 and-twenty shillings." " Five-and-twenty shil- 
 lings ? I could buy and do a great many things, 
 to be sure, with five-and-twenty shillings; but 
 then, the thing is, I must go without the uniform, 
 if I have the great-coat." " Certainly," said his 
 uncle. " Ah ! " said Hal, sighing, as he looked 
 at the epaulet, " uncle, if you would not be dis- 
 pleased if I choose the uniform " — " I shall not 
 be displeased at your choosing whatever you like 
 best," said Mr. Gresham. 
 
 " Well, then, thank you, sir," said Hal ; " I think 
 I had better have the uniform, because, if I have 
 not the uniform now directly, it will be of no use 
 to me, as the archery meeting is the week after 
 next, you know ; and as to the great-coat, per- 
 haps between this time and the very cold weather, 
 which, perhaps, won't be till Christmas, pupa will 
 buy a great-coat for me ; and I '11 ask mamma to 
 give me some pocket-money to give awaj', and slie 
 will, perhaps." To all this conclusive, conditional 
 reasoning, which depended upon perhaps, three 
 times repeated, Mr. Gresham made no reply ; but 
 he immediately bought the uniform for Hal, and 
 desired that it should be sent to Lady Diana 
 Sweepstakes' son's tailor, to be made up. The 
 measure of Hal's happiness was now complete. 
 
 " And how am I to lay out the three guineas 
 for you, Ben ? " said Mr. Gresham ; " speak, what 
 do you wish for first ? " "A great-coat, uncle, 
 if you please." Mr. Gresham bought the coat ; 
 and, after it was paid for, five-and-twenty shillings 
 of Ben's three guineas remained. " What next, 
 my boy ? " said his uncle. " Arrows, uncle, if 
 you please : three arrows." " My dear, I prom- 
 ised yon a bow and arrows." " No, uncle, you 
 only said a bow." " Well, I meant a bow and 
 arrows. I 'm glad you are so exact, however. 
 It is better to claim less than more of what is 
 promised. The three arrows you shall have. But, 
 go on ; how shall I dispose of these five-and-twenty 
 shillings for you ? " " In clothes, if you will be 
 so good, uncle, for that poor boy who has the 
 great black patch on his eye." 
 
354 
 
 THE BOOK OF FAMILIAR STORIES. 
 
 "I always believed," said Mr. Gresham, shak- 
 ing hands with Ben, " that economy and generos- 
 ity were the best friends, instead of being enemies, 
 as some silly, extravagant people would have us 
 think them. Choose the poor blind boy's coat, 
 my dear nephew, and pay for it. There 's no oc- 
 casion for my praising you about the matter. 
 Your best reward is in your own mind, child ; and 
 you want no other, or I 'm mistaken. Now jump 
 into the coach, boys, and let 's be off. We shall 
 be late, I 'm afraid," continued he, as the coach 
 drove on ; " but I must let you stop, Ben, with 
 your goods, at the poor boy's door." 
 
 When they came to the house, Mr. Gresham 
 opened the coach-door, and Ben jumped out with 
 his parcel under his arm. 
 
 " Stay, stay ! You must take me with you," 
 said his pleased uncle ; " I like to see people made 
 happy, as well as you do." " And so do I too ! " 
 said Hal ; " let me come with you. I almost wish 
 my uniform was not gone to the tailor's, so I do." 
 And when he saw the look of delight and grati- 
 tude with which the poor boy received the clothes 
 which Ben gave him, and when he heard the 
 mother and children thank him, Hal sighed, and 
 said, " Well, I hope mamma will give me some 
 more pocket-money soon." 
 
 Upon his return home, however, the sight of 
 tlie famous bow and arrow, which Lady Diana 
 Sweepstakes had sent him, recalled to his imagi- 
 nation all the joys of his green and white uni- 
 form ; and he no longer wished that it had not 
 been sent to the tailor's. " But I don't understand, 
 cousin Hal," said little Patty, " why you call this 
 bow n famous bow. You s,a,j famous very often ; 
 and I don't know exactly what it means ; & famous 
 uniform — famous doings. I remember you said 
 there are to he famonx doings, the first of.Septem- 
 bi-T, upon the Downs. What does famous mean ? " 
 " Oh, why, famous means. Now don't you know 
 what famous means? It means — it is a word 
 that people say — it is tlie fashion to sa^' it — it 
 means — it mea,ns fa^nous." Patty laughed, and 
 said, " This does not explaiA it to me." 
 
 "No," said Hal, "nor can it be explained: if 
 
 you don't understand it, that 's not my fault ; 
 everybody but little children, I suppose, under- 
 stands it ; but there 's no explaining those sort of 
 words, if you don't take them at once. There 's 
 to he famous doings upon the Downs, the first of 
 September ; that is, grand, fine. In short, what 
 does it signify talking any longer, Patty, about 
 the matter ? Give me my bow, for I must go out 
 upon the Downs and practice." 
 
 Ben accompanied him with the bow and the 
 three arrows which his uncle had now given to 
 him ; and every day these two boys went out 
 upon the Downs and practiced shooting with in- 
 defatigable perseverance. Where equal pains are 
 taken, success is usually found to be pretty nearly 
 equal. Our two archers, by constant practice, be- 
 came expert marksmen ; and before the day of 
 trial they were so exactly matched in point of 
 dexterity, that it was scarcely possible to decide 
 which was superior. 
 
 The long-expected first of September at length 
 arrived. " What sort of a day is it ? " was the 
 first question that was asked hj Hal and Ben 
 the moment that they wakened. The sun shone 
 bright ! but there was a sharp and high wind. 
 "Ha!" said Ben, "I shall be glad of mj^ good 
 great-coat to-day : for I 've a notion it will be 
 rather cold upon the Downs, especially when we 
 are standing still, as we must, whilst all the peo- 
 ple are shooting." " Oh, never mind ! I don't 
 think I shall feel it cold at all," said Hal, as he 
 dressed himself in his new green and white uni- 
 form ; and he viewed himself with much com- 
 placency. 
 
 " Good - morning to you, uncle; how do you 
 do?" said he, in a voice of exultation, when he 
 entered the breakfast-room. How do you do ? 
 seemed rather to mean : How do you like me in 
 my uniform ? And his uncle's cool, " Very well, 
 I thank you, Hal," disappointed him, as it seemed 
 only to say, " Your uniform makes no difference 
 in my opinion of you." 
 
 Even little Patty went on eating her breakfast 
 much as usual, and talked of the pleasure of walk- 
 ing with her father to the Downs, and of all the 
 
WASTE NOT, WANT NOT. 
 
 355 
 
 little things which interested her ; so that Hal's 
 epaulets were not the principal object in any one's 
 imagination but his own. 
 
 "Papa," said Patty, "as we go up the hill 
 where there is so much red mud, I must take care 
 to pick my way nicely ; and I must hold up my 
 frock, as you desired me; and perhaps you will 
 be so good, if I am not troublesome, to lift me 
 over the very bad places where there are no step- 
 ping-stones. My ankle is entirely well, and I 'm 
 glad of that, or else I should not be able to walk 
 so far as the Downs. How good you were to me, 
 Ben, when I was in pain, the day I sprained my 
 ankle ! you played at jack-straws, and at cat's- 
 cradle, with me. Oh, that puts me in mind — 
 here are your gloves, which I asked j'ou that night 
 to let me mend. I 've been a great while about 
 them ; but are not they very neatly mended, 
 papa ? — look at the sewing." 
 
 " I am not a very good judge of sewing, my 
 dear little girl," said Mr. Gresham, examining 
 the work with a close and scrupulous eye ; " but, 
 in my opinion, here is one stitch that is rather 
 too long. The white teeth are not quite even." 
 " Oh, papa, I '11 take out that long tooth in a 
 minute," said Patty, laughing : " I did not think 
 that you would have observed it so soon." 
 
 " I would not have you trust to my blindness," 
 said her father, stroking her head fondly ; " I ob- 
 serve everything. I observe, for instance, that 
 you are a grateful little girl, and that you are 
 glad to be of use to those who have been kind to 
 you ; and for this I forgive you the long stitch." 
 " But it 's out, it 's out, papa," said Patty ; " and 
 the next time your gloves want mending, Ben, 
 I '11 mend them better." 
 
 " They are very nice, I think," said Ben, draw- 
 ing them on ; " and I am much obliged to you. 
 I was just wishing I had a pair of gloves to keep 
 my fingers warm to-day, for I never can shoot 
 well when my hands are benumbed. Look, Hal, 
 you know how ragged these gloves were ; you 
 said they were good for nothing but to throw 
 away ; now look, there 's not a hole in them," said 
 he, spreading his fingers. 
 
 " Now, is it not very extraordinary," said Hal 
 to himself, " that they should go on so long talk- 
 ing about an old pair of gloves, without saying 
 scarcely a word about my new uniform ? Well, 
 the young Sweepstakes and Lady Diana will talk 
 enough about it ; that 's one comfort. Is not it 
 time to think of setting out, sir ? " said Hal to his 
 uncle. The company, you know, are to meet at 
 the Ostrich at twelve, and the race is to begin at 
 one, and Lady Diana's horses, I know, were or- 
 dered to be at the door at ten." 
 
 Mr. Stephen, the butler, here interrupted the 
 hurrying young gentleman in his calculations. 
 " There 's a poor lad, sir, below, with a great black 
 patch on his right eye, who is come from Bristol, 
 and wants to speak a word with the young gentle- 
 men, if you please. I told him they were just 
 going out with you ; but he says he won't detain 
 them more than half a minute." 
 
 " Show him up, show him up," said Mr. Gres- 
 ham. 
 
 "But, I suppose," said Hal, with a sigh, "that 
 Stephen mistook when he said the young gentle- 
 men ; he only wants to see Ben, I dare say ; I 'm 
 sure he has no reason to want to see me." 
 
 " Here he comes. O Ben, he is dressed in the 
 new coat you gave him," whispered Hal, who was 
 really a good-natured boy, though extravagant. 
 " How much better he looks than he did in the 
 ragged coat ! Ah ! he looked at you first, Ben — 
 and well he may ! " 
 
 The boy bowed, without any cringing civility, 
 but with an open, decent freedom in his manner, 
 which expressed that he had been obliged, but 
 that he knew his young benefactor was not think- 
 ing of the obligation. He made as little distinc- 
 tion as possible between his bows to the two cous- 
 ins. 
 
 " As I was sent with a message, by the clerk of 
 our parish, to Redland chapel out on the Downs, 
 to-day, sir," said he to Mr. Gresham, " knowing 
 your house lay in my way, my mother, sir, bid me 
 call and make bold to offer the young gentlemen 
 two little worsted balls that she has worked for 
 them," continued the lad, pulling out of his pocket 
 
356 
 
 THE BOOK OF FAMILIAR STORIES. 
 
 two worsted balls worked in green and orange-col- 
 ored stripes. " They are but poor things, sir, she 
 bid me say, to look at ; but, considering she has 
 but one hand to work with, and that her left hand, 
 you '11 not despise 'em, we hopes." He held the 
 balls to Ben and Hal. " They are both alike, 
 gentlemen," said he. " If you '11 be pleased to 
 take 'em, they 're better than they look, for they 
 bound higher than your head. I cut the cork 
 round for the inside myself, which was all I could 
 do." 
 
 " They are nice balls, indeed ; we are much 
 obliged to you," said the boys as they received 
 them ; and they proved them immediately. The 
 balls struck the floor with a delightful sound, and 
 rebounded higher than Mr. Gresham's head. Lit- 
 tle Patty clapped her hands joyfully. But now a 
 thundering double rap at the door was heard. 
 
 "The Master Sweepstakes, sir," said Stephen, 
 " are come for Master Hal. They say that all the 
 young gentlemen who have archery uniforms are 
 to walk together, in a body, I think they say, sir ; 
 and they are to parade along the Well Walk, they 
 desired me to say, sir, with a drum and fife, and 
 so up the hill by Prince's Place, and all to go upon 
 the Downs together, to the place of meeting. I 
 am not sure I 'm right, sir ; for both the young 
 gentlemen spoke at once, and the wind is very 
 high at the street-door, so that I could not well 
 make out all they said ; but I believe this is the 
 sense of it." 
 
 "Yes, yes," said Hal, eagerly, "it's all right. 
 I know that is jiist what was settled the day I 
 dined at Lady Diana's ; and Lady Diana and a 
 great party of gentlemen are to ride " — 
 
 " Well, that is nothing to the purpose," inter- 
 rupted Mr. Gresham. " Don't keep these Master 
 Sweepstakes waiting. Decide : do you choose to 
 go with them or with us?" "Sir — uncle — sir, 
 you know, since all the uniforms agreed to go to- 
 gether " — " Off with you, then, Mr. Uniform, 
 if you mean to go," said Mr. Gresham. 
 
 Hal ran down-stairs in such a hurrj^ that he 
 forgnt his bow and arrows. Ben discovered this 
 when he went to fetch his own ; and the lad from 
 
 Bristol, who had been ordered by Mr. Gresham to 
 eat his breakfast before he proceeded to Redland 
 chapel, heard Ben talking about his cousin's bow 
 and arrows. " I know," said Ben, " he will be 
 sorry not to have his bow with him, because here 
 are the green knots tied to it, to match his cock- 
 ade ; and he said that the boys were all to carry 
 their bows, as part of the show." 
 
 " If you '11 give me leave, sir," said the poor 
 Bristol lad, " I shall have plenty of time ; and I '11 
 run down to the Well Walk after the young gen- 
 tleman, and take him his bow and arrows." 
 
 " Will you ? I shall be much obliged to you," 
 said Ben ; and away went the boy with the bow 
 that was ornamented with green ribbons. 
 
 The public walk leading to the Wells was full 
 of company. The windows of all the houses in 
 St. Vincent's Parade were crowded with well- 
 dressed ladies, who were looking out in expecta- 
 tion of the archery procession. Parties of gentle- 
 men and ladies, and a motley crowd of spectators, 
 were seen moving backwards and forwards, under 
 the rocks, on the opposite side of the water. A 
 barge, with colored streamers flying, was waiting 
 to take up a party who were going upon the water. 
 The bargemen rested upon their oars, and gazed 
 with broad faces of curiosity upon the busy scene 
 that appeared upon the public walk. 
 
 The archers and archeresses were now drawn 
 up on the flags, under the semicircular piazza just 
 before Mrs. Yearsley's library. A little band of 
 children, who had been mustered by Lady Diana 
 Sweepstakes' spirited exertions, closed the proces- 
 sion. They were now all in readiness. The 
 drummer only waited for her ladyship's signal ; 
 and the archers' corps only waited for her lady- 
 ship's word of command to march. 
 
 "Where are your bow and arrows, my little 
 man ? " said her ladyship to Hal, as she reviewed 
 her Lilliputian regiment. " You can't march, man, 
 without your arms ! " 
 
 Hal had dispatched a messenger for his forgot- 
 ten bow, but the messenger returned not. He 
 looked from side to side in great distress. " Oh, 
 there 's my bow coming, I declare ! " cried he : 
 
WASTU NOT, WANT NOT. 
 
 357 
 
 " look, I see the bow and the ribbons. Look now, 
 between the trees, Charles Sweepstakes, on the 
 Hortwell Walk ; — it is coming ! " " But you 've 
 kept us all waiting a confounded time," said his 
 impatient friend. " It is that good-natured poor 
 fellow from Bristol, I protest, that has brought it 
 me ; I 'm sure I don't deserve it from him," said 
 Hal to himself, when he saw tbe lad with the 
 black patch on his eye running, quite out of 
 breath, towards him with his bow and arrows. 
 
 " Fall back, my good friend ; fall back," said 
 the military lady, as soon as he had delivered the 
 bow to Hal ; " I mean, stand out of the way, for 
 your great patch cuts nO figure amongst us. 
 Don't follow so close, now, as if you belonged to 
 us, pray." 
 
 The poor boy had no ambition to partake of the 
 triumph ; h.efell bach as soon as he understood the 
 meaning of the lady's words. The drum beat, the 
 fife played, the archers marched, the spectators 
 admired. Hal stepped proudly, and felt as if the 
 eyes of the whole universe were upon his epau- 
 lettes, or upon the facings of his uniform ; whilst 
 all the time he was considered only as part of a 
 show. 
 
 The walk appeared much shorter than usual, 
 and he was extremely sorry that Lady Diana, 
 when they were half-way up the hill leading to 
 Prince's Place, mounted her horse, because the 
 road was dirty, and all the gentlemen and ladies 
 who accompanied her followed her example. 
 
 " We can leave the children to walk, you 
 know," said she to the gentleman who helped her 
 to mount her horse. " I must call to some of them, 
 though, and leave orders where they are to join. 
 
 She beckoned ; and Hal, who was foremost, and 
 proud to show his alacrity, ran on to receive her 
 ladyship's orders. Now, as we have before ob- 
 served, it was a sharp and windy day ; and though 
 Lady Diana Sweepstakes was actually speaking to 
 him, and looking at him, he could not prevent his 
 nose from wanting to be blowed : he pulled out his 
 handkerchief, and out rolled the new ball which 
 had been given to him just before he left home, 
 and which, according to his usual careless habits. 
 
 he had stuffed into his pocket in his hurry. " Oh, 
 my new ball ! " cried he, as he ran after it. As 
 he stooped to pick it up, he let go his hat, which 
 he had hitherto held on with anxious care ; for 
 the hat, though it had a fine green and white 
 cockade, had no band or string round it. The 
 string, as we may recollect, our wasteful hero had 
 used in spinning his top. The hat was too large 
 for his head without this band ; a sudden gust of 
 wind blew it off. Lady Diana's horse started and 
 reared. She was a famous horsewoman, and sat 
 him to the admiration of all beholders ; but there 
 was a puddle of red clay and water in this spot, 
 and her ladyship's uniform-habit was a sufferer by 
 the accident. " Careless brat ! " said she, " why 
 can't he keep his hat upon his head ? " In the 
 mean time the wind blew the hat down the hill, 
 and Hal ran after it, amidst the laughter of his 
 kind friends, the young Sweepstakes, and the rest 
 of the little regiment. The hat was lodged, at 
 length, upon a bank. Hal pursued it ; he thought 
 this bank was hard, but, alas ! the moment he set 
 his foot upon it the foot sank. He tried to draw 
 it back ; his other foot slipped, and he fell pros- 
 trate, in his green and white uniform, into the 
 treacherous bed of red mud. His companions, 
 who had halted upon the top of the hill, stood 
 laughing spectators of his misfortune. 
 
 It happened that the poor boy with the black 
 patch upon his eye, who had been ordered by 
 Lady Diana to '■'■fall hack,''' and to " keep at a dis- 
 tance,^'' was now coming up the hill; and the mo- 
 ment he saw our fallen hero he hastened to his 
 assistance. He dragged poor Hal, who was a 
 deplorable spectacle, out of the red mud. The 
 obliging mistress of a lodging-house, as soon as she 
 understood that the young gentleman was nephew 
 to Mr. Gresham, to whom she had formerly let 
 her house, received Hal, covered as he was with 
 dirt. 
 
 The poor Bristol lad hastened to Mr. Gresham's 
 for clean stockings and shoes for Hal. He was 
 unwilling to give up his uniform ; it was rubbed 
 and rubbed, and a spot here and there was washed 
 out ; and he kept continually repeating, — " When 
 
358 
 
 THE BOOK OF FAMILIAR STORIES. 
 
 it 's dry it will all brush ofE — when it 's dry it 
 will all brush off, won't it? " But soon the fear 
 of being too late at the archery-meeting began to 
 balance the dread of appearing in his stained ha- 
 biliments ; and he now as anxiously repeated, 
 whilst the woman held the wet coat to the fire, 
 •' Oh, I shall be too late : indeed, I shall be too 
 late ; make haste ; it will never dry ; hold it 
 nearer — nearer to the fire. I shall lose my turn 
 to shoot ; oh, give me the coat ; I don't mind how 
 it is, if I can but get it on." 
 
 Holding it nearer and nearer to the fire dried it 
 quickly, to be sure ; but it shrunk it also, so that 
 it was no easy matter to get the coat on again. 
 However, Hal, who did not see the red splashes, 
 which, in spite of all these operations, were too 
 visible upon his shoulders and upon the skirts of 
 his white coat behind, was pretty well satisfied to 
 observe that there was not one spot upon the fac- 
 ings. " Nobody," said he, " will take notice of 
 my coat behind, I dare say. I think it looks as 
 smart almost as ever ! " — and under this persua- 
 sion our young archer resumed his bow, — his 
 bow with green ribbons, now no more ! — and he 
 pursued his way to the Downs. 
 
 All his companions were far out of sight. " I 
 suppose," said he to his friend with the black 
 patch, — "I suppose my uncle and Ben had left 
 home before you went for the shoes and stockings 
 for me?" "Oh yes, sir; the butler said they 
 had been gone to the Downs a matter of a good 
 half-hour or more." 
 
 Hal trudged on as fast as he possibly could. 
 When he got upon the Downs, he saw numbers of 
 carriages, and crowds of people, all going towards 
 the place of meeting at the Ostrich. He pressed 
 forward. He was at first so much afraid of being 
 late, that he did not take notice of the mirth his 
 motley appearance excited in all beholders. At 
 length he reached the appointed spot. There 
 was a great crowd of people. In the midst he 
 heard Lady Diana's loud voice betting upon some 
 one who was just going to shoot at the mark. 
 
 "So then the shooting is begun, is it?" said 
 Hal. " Oh, let me in ! pray let me into the circle ! 
 
 I 'm one of the archers — I am, indeed ; don't you 
 see my green and white uniform ? " 
 
 " Your red and white uniform, you mean," said 
 the man to whom he addressed himself; and the 
 people, as they opened a passage for him, could 
 not refrain from laughing at the mixture of dirt 
 and finery which it exhibited. In vain, when 
 he got into the midst of the formidable circle, 
 he looked to his friends, the young Sweepstakes, 
 for their countenance and support. They were 
 amongst the most unmerciful of the laughers. 
 Lady Diana also seemed more to enjoy than to 
 pity his confusion. 
 
 " Why could not you keep your hat upon your 
 head, man ? " said she, in her masciiline tone. 
 " You have been almost the ruin of my poor uni- 
 form-habit ; but I 've escaped rather better than 
 you have. Don't stand there, in the middle of the 
 circle, or you '11 have an arrow in your eyes just 
 now, I 've a notion." 
 
 Hal looked round in search of better friends. 
 " Oh, where 's my uncle ? — where 's Ben?" said 
 he. He was in such confusion that, amongst the 
 number of faces, he could scarcely distinguish one 
 from another ; but he felt somebody at this mo- 
 ment pull his elbow, and, to his great relief, he 
 heard the friendly voice, and saw the good-nat- 
 ured face of his cousin Ben. 
 
 " Come back ; come behind these people," said 
 Ben ; " and put on my great-coat ; here it is for 
 you." 
 
 Right glad was Hal to cover his disgraced uni- 
 form with the rough great-coat which he had for- 
 merly despised. He pulled the stained, drooping 
 cockade out of his unfortunate hat ; and he was 
 now sufficiently recovered from his vexation to 
 give an intelligible account of his accident to his 
 uncle and Patty, who anxiously inquired what had 
 detained him so long, and what had been the mat- 
 ter. In the midst of the historj' of his disaster, 
 he was just proving to Patty that his taking the 
 hat-band to spin his top had nothing to do wit)i his 
 misfortune, and he was at the same time endeavor- 
 oring to refute his uncle's opinion that the waste 
 of the whip-cord that tied the parcel was the orig- 
 
WASTE NOT, WANT NOT. 
 
 359 
 
 inal cause of all his evils, when he was summoned 
 to try his skill with his famous bow. 
 
 " My hands are benumbed ; I can scarcely feel," 
 said he, rubbing them, and blowing upon the ends 
 of his fingers. 
 
 " Come, come," cried young Sweepstakes, — 
 " I 'm within one inch of the mark ; who '11 go 
 nearer, I shall like to see. Shoot away, Hal ; but 
 first understand our laws ; we settled them before 
 you came upon the green. You are to have three 
 shots, with your own bow and your own arrows ; 
 and nobody 's to borrow or lend under pretence of 
 other bows being better or worse, or under any 
 pretence. Do you hear, Hal ? " 
 
 This young gentleman had good reasons for be- 
 ing so strict in these laws, as he had observed that 
 none of his companions had such an excellent bow 
 as he had provided for himself. Some of the boys 
 had forgotten to bring more than one arrow with 
 them, and by his cunning regulation that each per- 
 son should shoot with their own arrows, many had 
 lost one or two of their shots. 
 
 " You are a lucky fellow ; you have your three 
 arrows," said young Sweepstakes. " Come, we 
 can't wait whilst you rub your fingers, man ; — 
 shoot away." 
 
 Hal was rather surprised at the asperity with 
 which his friend spoke. He little knew how eas- 
 ily acquaintance, who call themselves friends, can 
 change, when their interest comes in the slightest 
 degree in competition with their friendship. Hur- 
 ried by his impatient rival, and with his hands so 
 much benumbed that he could scarcely feel how 
 to fix the arrow in the string, he drew the bow. 
 The arrow was within a quarter of an inch of 
 Master Sweepstakes' mark, which was the nearest 
 that had yet been hit. Hal seized his second ar- 
 row. " If I have any luck," said he — But just 
 as he pronounced the word luck, and as he bent 
 his bow, the string broke in two, and the bow 
 fell from his hands. 
 
 " There, it 's all over with you ! " cried Master 
 Sweepstakes, with a triumphant laugh. 
 
 " Here 's my bow for him, and welcome," said 
 Ben. "No, no, sir," said Master Sweepstakes, 
 " that is not fair ; that 's against the regulation. 
 You may shoot with your own bow, if you choose 
 it, or you may not, just as you think proper ; but 
 you must not lend it, sir." 
 
 It was now Ben's turn to make his trial. His 
 first arrow was not successful. His second was 
 exactly as near as Hal's first. " You have but one 
 more," said Master Sweepstakes ; " now for it ! " 
 Ben, before he ventured his last arrow, prudently 
 examined the string of his bow ; and, as he puUed 
 it to try its strength, it cracked. Master Sweep- 
 stakes clapped his hands with loud exultations and 
 insulting laughter. But his laughter ceased when 
 our provident hero calmly drew from his pocket 
 an excellent piece of whipcord. 
 
 " The everlasting whipcord, I declare ! " ex- 
 claimed Hal, when he saw that it was the very 
 same that had tied up the parcel. " Yes," said 
 Ben, as he fastened it to his bow, " I put it into 
 my pocket to-day on purpose, because I thought 
 I might happen to want it." He drew his bow 
 the third and last time. 
 
 "Oh, papa ! " cried little Patty, as his arrow 
 hit the mark, "it's the nearest; is it not the 
 nearest ? " 
 
 Master Sweepstakes, with anxiety, examined the 
 hit. There could be no doubt. Ben was victori- 
 ous ! The bow, the prize-bow, was now delivered 
 to him ; and Hal, as he looked at the whipcord, 
 exclaimed, — 
 
 " How lucky this whipcord has been to vou, 
 Ben ! " 
 
 " It is lucky, perhaps you mean, that he took 
 care of it," said Mr. Gresham. 
 
 " Aye," said Hal, " very true ; he might well 
 say, ' Waste not, want not.' It is a good thing to 
 have two strings to one's bow." 
 
360 
 
 THE BOOK OF FAMILIAR STORIES. 
 
 THE DISCONTENTED PENDULUM. 
 
 BY JANE TAYLOE. 
 
 An old Clock, that had stood for fifty years in 
 a farmer's kitchen without giving its owner any 
 cause of complaint, early one summer's morning, 
 before the family was stirring, suddenly stopped. 
 Upon this the Dial-plate (if we may credit the fa- 
 ble) changed countenance with alarm ; the Hands 
 made an ineffectual effort to continue their course ; 
 the Wheels remained motionless with surprise ; 
 the Weights hung speechless. Each member felt 
 disposed to lay the blame on the others. 
 
 At length the Dial instituted a formal inquiry 
 into the cause of the stop, when Hands, Wheels, 
 Weights, with one voice protested their innocence. 
 But now a faint tick was heard from the Pendu- 
 lum, who thus spoke : — 
 
 " I confess myself to be the sole cause of the 
 present stoppage, and am willing, for the general 
 satisfaction, to assign my reasons. The truth is, 
 that I am tired of ticking." Upon hearing this, 
 the old Clock became so enraged that it was on 
 the point of striking. 
 
 " Lazy Wire ! " exclaimed the Dial-plate. " As 
 to that," replied the Pendulum, " it is vastly 
 easy for you. Mistress Dial, who have always, as 
 everybody knows, set yourself up above me — it is 
 vastly easy for you, I say, to accuse other people 
 of laziness — you who have nothing to do all j'our 
 life but to stare people in the face, and to amuse 
 yourself with watching all that goes on in the 
 kitchen. Think, I beseech you, how you would 
 like to be shut up for life in this dark closet, and 
 wag backward and forward year after year, as I 
 do." " As to that," said the Dial, " is there not 
 a window in your house on purpose for you to 
 look through ? " 
 
 " But what of that ? " resumed the Pendulum. 
 " Although there is a window, I dare not stop, 
 even for an instant, to look out. Besides, I am 
 really weary of my way of life ; and, if you please, 
 
 I'll tell you how I took this disgust at my em- 
 ployment. 
 
 " This morning I happened to be calculating 
 how many times I should have to tick in the 
 course only of the next twenty-four hours — per- 
 haps some of you above there can tell me the ex- 
 act sum ? " The Minute-hand, being quick at 
 figures, instantly replied, " Eighty-six thousand 
 four hundred times." " Exactly so," replied the 
 Pendulum. 
 
 " Well, I appeal to you all if the thought of this 
 was not enough to fatigue one ? And when I be- 
 gan to multiply the strokes of one day by those of 
 months and years, really it is no wonder if I felt 
 discouraged at the prospect ; so, after a great deal 
 of reasoning and hesitation, thought I to myself, 
 ' I '11 stop ! ' " 
 
 The Dial could scarcely keep its countenance 
 during this harangue ; but, resuming its gravity, 
 thus replied : " Dear Mr. Pendulum, I am really 
 astonished that such a useful, industrious person 
 as yourself should have been overcome by this 
 suggestion. 
 
 " It is true, you have done a great deal of work 
 in your time; so have we all, and are likely to do; 
 and though this may fatigue us to think of, the 
 question is. Will it fatigue us to do ? Would you 
 now do me the favor to give about half a dozen 
 strokes, to illustrate my argument ? " The Pen- 
 dulum complied, and ticked six times at its usuiil 
 pace. 
 
 " Now," resumed the Dial, " was that exertion 
 fatiguing to you ? " " Not in the least," replied 
 the Pendulum ; " it is not of six strokes that I 
 complain, nor of sixty, but of millions." 
 
 " Very good," replied the Dial ; " but recollect 
 that, although you may think of a million strokes 
 in an instant, you are required to execute but one ; 
 and that, however often you may hereafter have 
 
THE DISCONTENTED PENDULUM. 
 
 361 
 
 to swing, a moment will always be given you to 
 swing in." 
 
 " That consideration staggers me, 1 confess," 
 said the Pendulum. " Then I hope," added the 
 Dial-plate, " we shall all immediately return to 
 our duty, for the people will lie in bed till noon 
 if we stand idling thus." 
 
 Upon this, the Weights, who had never been 
 accused of light conduct, used all their influence 
 in urging him to proceed ; when, as with one con- 
 
 46 
 
 sent, the Wheels began to turn, the Hands began 
 to move, the Pendulum began to swing, and, to its 
 credit, ticked as loud as ever ; while a beam of the 
 rising sun, that streamed through a hole in the 
 kitchen-shutter, shining fu''. upon the Dial-plate, 
 made it brighten up as if nothing had been the 
 matter. 
 
 When the farmer came down to breakfast, he 
 declared, upon looking at the Clock, that his 
 watch had gained half an hour in the night. 
 
A VOYAGE TO LILLIPUT, 
 
 BY JONATHAN SWIFT. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 THE AUTHOR GIVES SOME ACCOUNT OF HIMSELF AND 
 FAMILY. — HIS FIRST INDUCEMENTS TO TRAVEL. — HE 
 IS SHIPWRECKED, AND SWIMS FOR HIS LIFE. — GETS 
 SAFE ON SHORE IN THE COUNTRY OF LILLIPUT. — IS 
 MADE A PRISONER, AND CARRIED UP THE COUNTRY. 
 
 My father had a small estate in Nottingham- 
 shire : I was the third of five sons. He sent me 
 to Emanuel College in Cambridge, at fourteen 
 years old, where I resided three years, and ap- 
 plied myself close to my studies ; but the charge 
 of maintaining me, although I had a very scanty 
 allowance, being too great for a narrow fortune, I 
 was bound apprentice to Mr. .James Bates, an 
 eminent surgeon in London, with whom I con- 
 tinued four years ; my father now and then send- 
 ing me small sums of money, I laid them out in 
 learning navigation, and other parts of the mathe- 
 matics, useful to those who intend to travel, as I 
 always believed it would be, some time or other, 
 my fortune to do. When I left 3Ir. Bates, I went 
 down to my father ; where, by the assistance of 
 him and my uncle John, and some other relations, 
 I got forty pounds, and a promise of thirty pounds 
 a year to maintain me at Leyden ; there I studied 
 physic two years and seven months, knowing it 
 would be useful in long voyages. Soon after my 
 return from Leyden, I was recommended by my 
 good master, Mr. Bates, to be surgeon to the 
 Swallow, Captain Abraham Pannell, commander ; 
 with whom I continued three years and a half, 
 making a voyage or two into the Levant, and 
 some other parts. When I came back I resolved 
 to settle in London ; to which Mr. Bates, my 
 master, encouraged me, and by him I was recom- 
 
 mended to several patients. I took part oi a small 
 house in the Old Jewry ; and being advised to al- 
 ter my condition, I married Miss Mary Burton, 
 second daughter to Mr. Edmund Burton, hosier, in 
 Newgate Street, with whom I received four hun- 
 dred pounds for a poi'tion. 
 
 But my good master Bates dying in two j^ears 
 after, and I having few friends, my business be- 
 began to fail ; for my conscience would not suffer 
 me to imitate the bad practice of too many among 
 m}^ brethren. Having, therefore, consulted with 
 my wife and some of my acquaintance, I deter- 
 mined to go again to sea. I was surgeon succes- 
 sively in two ships, and made several voyages, for 
 six years, to the East and West Lidies, by which I 
 got some addition to my fortune. ~Mx hours of 
 leisure I spent in reading the best authors, ancient 
 and modern, being always provided with a good 
 number of books ; and when I was ashore, in ob- 
 serving tlif manners and dispositions of the people, 
 as well as learning their language ; wherein I had 
 a great facility, by the strength of my memory. 
 
 The last of these voyages not proving very fort- 
 unate, I grew weary of the sea, and intended to 
 stay at honip with ray wife and family. I re- 
 moved from thiJ Old Jewry to Fetter Lane, and 
 from thence to Wapping, hoping to get business 
 among the sailors, Imt it would not turn to ac- 
 count. After three years" expectation that things 
 would mend, I accepted an advantageous offer 
 from Captain William Prichard, master of the An- 
 telope, who was making a voyage to the South 
 Sea. We set sail from Bristol, May 4, 1699, and 
 our voyage at first was very prosperous. 
 
 It would not be proper, for some reasons, to 
 
A VOYAGE TO LILLIPVT. 
 
 363 
 
 trouble the reader with the particulars of our ad- 
 ventures in those seas ; let it suffice to inform 
 him, that in our passage from thence to the East 
 
 Indies, we were 
 
 driven by a vio- 
 lent storm to the 
 northwest of Van 
 Diemen's Land. 
 By an observa- 
 tion, we found 
 ourselves in the 
 latitude of thirty 
 degrees, two 
 minutes south. 
 Twelve of our 
 crew were dead 
 by immoderate 
 labor and ill 
 food ; the rest 
 were in a very 
 weak condition. 
 On the 5th of 
 November, which 
 was the begin- 
 ning of summer 
 in those parts, 
 the weather be- 
 ing very hazy, 
 the seamen spied 
 a rock within 
 half a cable's 
 length of the 
 ship, but the 
 wind was so 
 strong that w e 
 were driven di- 
 rectly upon It, 
 and immediately 
 split. Six of the 
 crew, of whom I 
 was one, having 
 let down the boat into the sea, made a shift to 
 get clear of the ship and the rock. We rowed, by 
 my computation, about three leagues, till we were 
 able to work no longer, being already spent with 
 
 Hogs 
 
 ^ Mmtnon 
 I. Good Foi^ne 
 
 INaffovr 
 SUNDA 
 
 BlefuTcu 
 
 iLIlliput. 
 Dircovered,AJ).i^g^ . 
 
 labor while we were in the ship. We therefore 
 trusted ourselves to the mercy of the waves, and 
 in about half an hour the boat was overset by a 
 
 s u d d e n flurry 
 from the north. 
 What became of 
 my companions 
 in the boat, as 
 well as of those 
 who escaped on 
 the rock, or were 
 left in the vessel, 
 I cannot tell, but 
 conclude they 
 were all lost. 
 For my own 
 part, I swam as 
 fortune di- 
 rected me, and 
 was pushed for- 
 ward by wind 
 and tide. I 
 often let my 
 legs drop, and 
 could feel n o 
 bottom; but 
 when I was al- 
 most gone, and 
 able to struggle 
 no longer, I 
 found myself 
 within my depth, 
 and by this time 
 the storm was 
 much abated. 
 The declivity 
 was so small 
 that I walked 
 near a mile be- 
 fore I got to the 
 shore, which I 
 conjectured was about eight o'clock in the evening. 
 I then advanced forward near half a mile, but 
 could not discover any sign of houses or inhab- 
 itants ; at least I was in so weak a condition that 
 
364 
 
 A VOYAGE TO LILLIPUT. 
 
 I did not observe them. I was extremely tired, 
 and with that, and the heat of the weather, and 
 about half a pint of brandy that I drank as I left 
 the ship, I found myself much inclined to sleep. 
 I lay down on the grass, which was very short 
 and soft, where I slept sounder than ever I re- 
 membered to have done in my life, and, as I reck- 
 oned, about nine hours ; for when I awaked it 
 was just daylight. I attempted to rise, but was 
 not able to stir ; for, as I happened to lie on my 
 back, I found my arms and legs were strongly 
 fastened on each side to the ground ; and my hair, 
 which was long and thick, tied down in the same 
 manner. I likewise felt several slender ligatures 
 across my body, from my arm-pits to my thighs. I 
 could only look upwards ; the sun began to grow 
 hot, and the light offended my eyes, I heard a 
 confused noise about me ; but in the posture I 
 lay could see nothing except the sky. In a little 
 time I felt something alive moving on my left leg, 
 which, advancing gently forward over my breast, 
 came almost up to my chin ; when bending my 
 eyes downward as much as I could, I perceived 
 it to be a human creature not six inches high, 
 with bow and arrow in his hands, and a quiver 
 at his back. In the mean time, I felt at least 
 forty more of the same kind (as I conjectured) 
 following the first. I was in the utmost astonish- 
 ment, and roared so loud that they all ran back in 
 fright ; and some of them, as I was afterwaids 
 told, were hurt by the falls they got by leaping 
 from my sides upon the ground. However, they 
 soon returned, and one of them, who ventured so 
 far as to get a full sight of my face, lifting up his 
 hands and eyes by way of admiration, cried out 
 in a. shrill but distinct voice, Hekinali degid ! 
 The others repeated the same words several times, 
 but then I knew not what they meant. 
 
 I lay all this while, as the reader may believe, 
 in great uneasiness ; at length, struggling to get 
 loose, I had the fortune to break the strings, and 
 wrench out the pegs that fastened my left arm to 
 the ground, for, by lifting it up to my face, I dis- 
 covered the methods they had taken to bind me, 
 and at the same time with a violent pull, which 
 
 gave me excessive pain, I a little loosened the 
 strings that tied down my hair on the left side, 
 so that I was just able to turn my head about two 
 inches. But the creatures ran off a second time, 
 before I could seize them ; whereupon there was 
 a great shout in a very shrill accent, and after it 
 had ceased I heard one of them cry aloud, Tolgo 
 phonac ; when in an instant I felt above a hun- 
 dred arrows discharged on my left hand, which 
 pricked me like so many needles ; and besides 
 they shot another flight into the air, as we do 
 bombs in Europe, whereof many, I suppose, fell 
 on my body (though I felt them not), and some 
 on my face, which I immediately covered with 
 mj' left hand. When this shower of arrows was 
 over, I fell a groaning with grief and pain, and 
 then striving again to get loose, they discharged 
 another volley larger than the first, and some of 
 them attempted with spears to stick me in the 
 sides ; but by good luck I had on me a buff jerkin, 
 which they could not pierce. I thought it the 
 most prudent method to lie still, and my design 
 was to continue so till night, when, my left hand 
 being already loose, I could easily free myself: 
 and as for the inhabitants, I had reason to believe 
 I might be a match for the greatest army they 
 could bring against me, if they were all of the 
 same size with him that I saw. But fortune dis- 
 posed otherwise of me. When the people observed 
 I was quiet, they discharged no more arrows ; 
 but, by the noise I heard, I knew their numbers 
 increased ; and about four yards from me, over 
 against my right ear, I heard a knocking for 
 above an hour, like that of people at work ; when 
 turning my head that way, as well as the pegs 
 and strings would permit me, I saw a stage erected 
 about a foot and a half from the ground, capable 
 of holding four of the inhabitants, with two or 
 three ladders to mount it : from whence one of 
 them, who seemed to be a person of quahty, made 
 me a long speech, whereof I understood not one 
 syllable. But I should have mentioned, that be- 
 fore the principal person began his oration, he 
 cried out three times, Langro deJiiil s,nt (these 
 words and the former were afterwards repeated 
 
A VOYAGE TO LILLIPUT. 
 
 365 
 
 and explained to me). Whereupon, immediately 
 about fifty of the inhabitants came and cut the 
 string that fastened the left side of my head, 
 which gave me the liberty of turning it to the 
 right, and of observing the person and gesture of 
 him that was to speak. He appeared to be of 
 middle age, and taller than any of the other three 
 who attended him, whereof one was a page that 
 held up his train, and seemed to be somewhat' 
 longer than my middle finger ; the other two stood 
 one on each side to support him. He acted every 
 part of an orator, and I could observe many pe- 
 riods of threatenings, and others of promises, pity, 
 and kindness. I answered in a few words, but in 
 the most submissive manner, lifting up my left 
 hand and both my eyes to the sun, as calling him 
 for a witness ; and being almost famished with 
 hunger, not having eaten a morsel for some hours 
 before I left the ship, I found the demands of 
 nature so strong upon me that I could not forbear 
 showing my impatience (perhaps against the strict 
 rules of decency) by putting my finger frequently 
 to my mouth, to signify that I wanted food. The 
 hurgo (for so they call a great lord, as I afterwards 
 learned) understood me very well. He descended 
 from the stage, and commanded that several lad- 
 ders should be applied to my sides, on which above 
 a hundred of the inhabitants mounted, and walked 
 towards my mouth, laden with baskets full of 
 meat, which had been provided and sent thither 
 by the king's orders, upon the first intelligence he 
 received of me. I observed there was the flesh 
 of several animals, but could not distinguish them 
 by the taste. There were shoulders, legs, and 
 loins, shaped like those of mutton, and very well 
 dressed, but smaller than the wings of a lark. I 
 ate them by two or three at a mouthful, and took 
 three loaves at a time about the bigness of musket- 
 bullets. They supplied me as fast as they could, 
 showing a thousand marks of wonder and aston- 
 ishment at my bulk and appetite. 
 
 I then made another sign that I wanted drink. 
 They found by my eating that a small quantity 
 would not sufBce me ; and being a most ingenious 
 people, they slung up, with great dexterity, one 
 
 of their largest hogsheads, then rolled it towards 
 my hand, and beat out the top ; I drank it off at 
 a draught, which I might well do, for it did not 
 hold half a pint, and tasted like a small wine 
 of Burgundy, but much more delicious. They 
 brought me a second hogshead, which I drank in 
 the same manner, and made signs for more : but 
 they had none to give me. When I had per- 
 formed these wonders they shouted for joy, and 
 danced upon my breast, repeating several times as 
 they did, at first, Hekinah degul. They made me 
 a sign that I should throw down the two hogs- 
 heads, but first warning the people below to stand 
 out of the way, crying aloud, Borach mevolah; 
 and when they saw the vessels in the air there 
 was a universal shout of Hekinah degul. I confess 
 I was often tempted, while they were passing 
 backwards and forwards on my body, to seize 
 forty or fifty of the first that came in ray reach 
 and dash them against the ground. But the re- 
 membrance of what I had felt, which probably 
 might not be the worst they could do, and the 
 promise of honor T made to them — for so I in- 
 terpreted my submissive behavior — soon drove 
 out these imaginations. Besides, I now consid- 
 ered myself as bound by the laws of hospitality 
 to a people who had treated me with so much ex- 
 pense and magnificence. However, in my thoughts 
 I could not sufficiently wonder at the intrepidity 
 of these diminutive mortals, who durst venture to 
 mount and walk upon my body while one of my 
 hands was at liberty, without trembling at the 
 very sight of so prodigious a creature as I must 
 appear to them. After some time, when they ob- 
 served that I made no more demands for meat, 
 there appeared before me a person of high rank 
 from his imperial majesty. His excellency, hav- 
 ing mounted on the small of my right leg, ad- 
 vanced forwards up to my face, with about a 
 dozen of his retinue, and producing his credentials 
 under the signet royal, which he applied close to 
 my eyes, spoke about ten minutes without any 
 signs of anger, but with a kind of determined 
 resolution ; often pointing forwards, which, as I 
 afterwards found, was towards the capital city, 
 
366 
 
 A VOYAGE TO LILLIPUT. 
 
 about half a mile distant, whither it was agreed 
 by his majesty in council that I must be conveyed. 
 I answered in few words, but to no purpose, and 
 made a sign with my hand that was loose, putting 
 it to the other (but over his excellency's head for 
 fear of hurting him or his train) and then to my 
 own head and body, to signify that I desired my 
 liberty. 
 
 \t appeared that he understood me well enough, 
 for he shook his head by way of disapprobation, 
 and held his hands in a postui-e to show that I 
 must be carried as a prisoner. However, he made 
 other signs, to let me understand that I should 
 have meat and drink enough, and very good treat- 
 ment. Whereupon I once more thought of at- 
 tempting to break my bonds ; but again, when I 
 felt the smart of their arrows upon my face and 
 hands, which were all in blisters, and many of the 
 darts still sticking in them, and observing likewise 
 that the number of my enemies increased, I gave 
 tokens to let them know that they might do with 
 me what they pleased. Upon this, the hurgo and 
 his train withdrew, with much civility and cheer- 
 ful countenances. Soon after I heard a general 
 shout, with frequent repetitions of the words, Pep- 
 lom selam ; and I felt great numbers of people on 
 my left side relaxing the cords to such a degree 
 that I was able to turn upon my right. But, be- 
 fore this, they had daubed my face and both my 
 hands \Yith a sort of ointment, very pleasant to 
 the smell, which, in a few minutes, removed all 
 the smart of their arrows. These circumstances, 
 added to the refreshment I had received by their 
 victuals and drink, which were very nourishing, 
 disposed me to sleep. I slept about eight hours, 
 as I was afterwards assured ; and it was no won- 
 der, for the physicians, by the emperor's order, 
 had mingled a sleepy potion in the hogsheads of 
 wine. 
 
 It seems that upon the first moment I was dis- 
 covered sleeping on the ground, after my landing, 
 the emperor had early notice of it by an express ; 
 and determined in council that I should be tied 
 in the manner I have related (which was done in 
 the night while I slept), that plenty of meat and 
 
 drink should be sent to me, and a machine prt, 
 pared to carry me to the capital city. This reso- 
 lution perhaps may appear very bold and danger- 
 ous, and I am confident would not be imitated by 
 any prince in Europe on the like occasion. How- 
 ever, in my opinion, it was extremely prudent, as 
 well as generous : for, supposing these people had 
 endeavored to kill me with their spears and ar- 
 rows, while I was asleep, I should certainly have 
 awaked with the first sense of smart, which might 
 have so far aroused my rage and strength as to 
 have enabled me to break the strings wherewith I 
 was tied ; after which, as they were not able to 
 make resistance, so they could expect no mercy. 
 
 These people are most excellent mathemati- 
 cians, and arrived to a great perfection in mechan- 
 ics by the countenance and encouragement of the 
 emperor, who is a renowned patron of learning. 
 This prince has several machines fixed on wheels, 
 for the carriage of trees and other great weights. 
 He often builds his largest raen-of-wai', whereof 
 some are nine feet long, in the woods where the 
 timber grows, and has them carried on these en- 
 gines three or four hundred yards to the sea. 
 Five hundred carpenters and engineers were im- 
 mediately set at work to prepare the gi-eatest en- 
 gine they had. It was a frame of wood raised 
 three inches from the ground, about seven feet long 
 and four wide, moving upon twenty-two wheels. 
 The shout I heard was upon the arrival of this en- 
 gine, which, it seems, set out in four hours aftei 
 my landing. It was brought parallel to me, as J 
 lay. But the principal difficultj^ was to raise ana 
 place me in this vehicle. Eighty poles, each of 
 one foot high, were erected for this purpose, and 
 very strong cords, of the bigness of packthread, 
 were fastened by hooks to many bandages, which 
 the workmen had girt round my neck, mv hands, 
 my body, and my legs. Nine hundred of the 
 strongest men were employed to draw up these 
 cords, by many pulleys fastened on the poles ; and 
 thus, in less than three hours, I was raised and 
 slung into the engine, and there tied fast. AH 
 this I was told ; for, while the operation was per- 
 forming, I lay in a profound sleep, by the force of 
 
A VOYAGE TO LILLIPUT. 
 
 367 
 
 that soporiferous medicine infused into my liq- 
 uor. Fifteen hundred of the emperor's largest 
 horses, each about four inches and a half high, 
 were employed to draw me towards the metrop- 
 olis, which, as I said, was half a mile distant. 
 
 About four hours after we began our journey, I 
 awaked by a very ridiculous accident ; for the car- 
 riage being stopped a while, to adjust something 
 that was out of order, two or three of the young 
 natives had the curiosity to see how I looked 
 
 when I was asleep ; they climbed up into the en- 
 gine, and advancing very softly to my face, one of 
 them, an officer in the guards, put ths sharp end 
 of his half-pike a good way up into my left nos- 
 tril, which tickled my nose like a straw, and made 
 
 me sneeze violently ; whereupon they stole off, un 
 perceived, and it was three weeks before I knew 
 the cause of my awaking so suddenly. We made 
 a long march the remaining part of the day, and 
 rested at night with five hundred guards on each 
 
368 
 
 A VOYAGE TO LILLIPUT. 
 
 side of me, half with torches, and half with bows 
 and arrows, ready to shoot me if I should offer to 
 stir. The next morning, at sunrise, we continued 
 our march, and arrived within two hundred yards 
 of the city gates about noon. The emperor, and 
 all his court, came out to meet us ; but his great 
 officers would by no means sufEer his majesty to 
 endanger his person by mounting on my body. 
 
 At the place where the carriage stopped there 
 stood an ancient temple, esteemed to be the larg- 
 est in the whole kingdom, which, having been pol- 
 luted some years before by an unnatural murder, 
 was, according to the zeal of those people, looked 
 upon as profane, and therefore had been applied 
 to common use, and all the ornaments and furni- 
 ture carried away. In this edifice it was deter- 
 mined I should lodge. The great gate, fi'onting 
 to the north, was about four feet high, and almost 
 two feet wide, through which I could easily creep. 
 On each side of the gate was a small window, not 
 above six inches from the ground ; into that on the 
 left side the king's smith conveyed fourscore and 
 eleven chains, like those that hang to a lady's 
 watch in Europe, and almost as large, which were 
 locked to my left leg with six-and-thirty padlocks. 
 Over against this temple, on the other side of the 
 great highway, at twenty feet distance, there was 
 a turret at least five feet high. Here the emperor 
 ascended, with many principal lords of his court, 
 to have an opportunity of viewing me, as I was 
 told, for I could not see them. It was reckoned 
 that above an hundred thousand inhabitants came 
 out of the town upon the same errand ; and, in 
 spite of my guards, I believe there could not be 
 fewer than ten thousand, at several times, who 
 mounted my body, by the help of ladders. But 
 a proclamation was soon issued, to forbid it, upon 
 pain of death. When the workmen found it was 
 impossible for me to break loose, they cut all the 
 strings that bound me ; whereupon I rose up, with 
 as melancholy a disposition as ever I had in my 
 life. But the noise and astonishment of the people, 
 at seeing me rise and walk, are not to be expressed. 
 The chains that held my left leg were about two 
 
 yards long, and gave me not only liberty of walk- 
 ing backwards and forwards in a semicircle, but, 
 being fixed within four inches of the gate, allowed 
 me to creep in, and lie at my full length in the 
 temple. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 THE EMPEROR OP LILLIPUT, ATTENDED BY SEVERAL OP 
 THE NOBILITY, COMES TO SEE THE AUTHOR IN HIS 
 CONFINEMENT. — THE EMPEROR'S PERSON AND HABITS 
 DESCRIBED. — LEARNED MEN APPOINTED TO TEACH THE 
 AUTHOR THEIR LANGUAGE. — HE GAINS PAVOR BY HIS 
 MILD DISPOSITION. — HIS POCKETS ARE SEARCHED, AND 
 HIS SWORD AND PISTOLS TAKEN PROM HIM. 
 
 Whex I found myself on my feet, I looked 
 about me, and must confess I never beheld a more 
 entertaining prospect. The country around ap- 
 peared like a continued garden, and the inclosed 
 fields, which were generally forty feet square, re- 
 sembled so many beds of flowers. These fields 
 were intermingled with woods of half a stang,^ and 
 the tallest trees, as I could judge, appeared to 
 be seven feet high. I viewed the town on my 
 left hand, which looked like the painted scene of a 
 city in a theatre 
 
 The emperor was already descending from the 
 tower, and advancing on horseback towards me, 
 which had like to have cost him dear ; for the 
 beast, though very well trained, yet wholly un- 
 used to such a sight, which appeared as if a mount- 
 ain moved before him, reared up on his hinder 
 feet : but that prince, who is an excellent horse- 
 man, kept his seat, till his attendants ran in, and 
 held the bridle, while his majesty had time to 
 dismount. When he alighted, he surveyed me 
 round with great admiration ; but kept beyond the 
 length of my chain. He ordered his cooks and but- 
 lers, who were already prepared, to give me victuals 
 and drink, which they pushed forward in a sort of 
 vehicles upon wheels, till I could reach them. I 
 took these vehicles, and soon emptied them all : 
 twenty of them were filled with meat, and ten 
 with liquor ; each of the former afforded me two 
 or three good mouthfuls ; and I emptied the liquor 
 of ten vessels, which was contained in earthen vials, 
 
 1 A stang is a pole or perch ; sixteen feet and a half. 
 
A VOYAGE TO LILLIPUT. 
 
 369 
 
 into one vehicle, drinking it off at a draught ; and 
 so I did with the rest. The empress and young 
 princes of the blood of both sexes, attended by 
 many ladies, sat at some distanee in their chairs : 
 but, upon the accident that happened to the em- 
 peror's horse, they alighted, and came near bis 
 person, which I am now going to describe. He 
 is taller, by almost the breath of my nail, than 
 any of his court ; which alone is enough to strike 
 an awe into the beholders. His features are strong 
 and masculine, with an Austrian lip, and arched 
 nose ; his complexion olive, his countenance erect, 
 his body and limbs well proportioned, all his 
 motions graceful, and his deportment majestic. 
 He was then past his prime, being twenty-eight 
 years and three quarters old, of which he had 
 reigned about seven in great felicity, and gener- 
 ally victorious. For the better convenience of 
 beholding him, I lay on my side, so that my face 
 was parallel to his, and he stood but three yards 
 off : however I have had him since many times in 
 my hand, and therefore cannot be deceived in the 
 description. His dress was very plain and simple, 
 and the fashion of it between the Asiatic and the 
 European ; but he had on his head a light helmet 
 of gold, adorned with jewels, and a plume on the 
 crest. He held his sword drawn in his hand to 
 defend himself, if I should happen to break loose : 
 it was almost three inches long ; the hilt and scab- 
 bard were gold enriched with diamonds. His voice 
 was shrill, but very clear and articulate ; and I 
 could distinctly hear it when I stood up. The 
 ladies and courtiers were all most magnificently 
 clad ; so that the spot they stood upon seemed to 
 resemble a petticoat spread on the ground, em- 
 broidijred with figures of gold and silver. His im- 
 perial majesty spoke often to me, and I returned 
 answers : but neither of us could understand a 
 syllable. There were several of his priests and 
 lawyers present (as I conjectured by their hab- 
 its), who were commanded to address themselves 
 to me ; and I spoke to them in as many languages 
 as I had the least smattering of, which were High 
 and Low Dutch, Latin, French, Spanish, Italian, 
 and Lingua Franca ; but all to no purpose. After 
 47 
 
 about two hours the court retired, and I was left 
 with a strong guard, to prevent the impertinence, 
 and probably the malice, of the rabble ; who were 
 very impatient to crowd about me as near as they 
 durst ; and some of them had the impudence to 
 shoot their arrows at me, as I sat on the ground 
 by the door of my house, whereof one very nar- 
 rowly missed my left eye. But the colonel ordered 
 six of the ringleaders to be seized, and thought 
 no punishment so proper as to deliver them bound 
 into my hands ; which some of his soldiers ac- 
 cordingly did, pushing them forwards with the 
 butt-ends of their pikes into my reach. I took 
 them all in my right hand, put five of them into 
 my coat-pocket, and as to the sixth, I made a 
 countenance as if I would eat him alive. The 
 poor man squalled terribly, and the colonel and 
 his officers were in much pain, especially when 
 they saw me take out my penknife ; but I soon 
 put them out of fear ; for, looking mildly, and im- 
 mediately cutting the strings he was bound with, 
 I set him gently on the ground and away he ran. 
 I treated the rest in the same manner, taking them 
 one by one out of my pocket ; and I observed 
 both the soldiers and people were highly dehghted 
 at this mark of my clemency, which was repre- 
 sented very much to my advantage at court. 
 
 Towards night I got with some difficulty into 
 my house, where I lay on the ground, and con- 
 tinued to do so about a fortnight ; during which 
 time, the emperor gave orders to have a bed pre- 
 pared for me. Six hundred beds of the common 
 measure were brought in carriages, and worked 
 up in my house ; a hundred and fifty of their beds, 
 sewn together, made up the breadth and length ; 
 and these were four double ; which, however, kept 
 me but very indifferently from the hardness of 
 the floor, that was of smooth stone. By the same 
 computation they provided me with sheets, blan- 
 kets, and coverlets; tolerable enough for one who 
 had been so long inured to hardships. 
 
 As the news of my arrival spread through the 
 kingdom, it brought prodigious numbers of rich, 
 idle, and curious people to see me ; so that the 
 villages were almost emptied ; and great neglect 
 
370 
 
 A VOTAGE TO LILLIPUT. 
 
 of tillage and household affairs must have ensued, 
 if his imperial majesty had not provided by sev- 
 eral proclamations and orders of state, against 
 this inconveniency. He directed that those who 
 had already beheld me should return home, and 
 not presume to come within fifty yards of my 
 house, without license from the court ; whereby 
 the secretaries of state got considerable fees. 
 
 In the mean time the emperor held frequent 
 councils, to debate what course should be taken 
 with me ; and I was afterwards assured by a par- 
 ticular friend, a person of great quality, who was 
 as much in the secret as any, that the court was 
 tinder man};^ difficulties concerning me. They ap- 
 prehended ray breaking loose ; that my diet would 
 be very expensive, and might cause a famine. 
 Sometimes they determined to starve me, or at 
 least to shoot me in the face and hands with poi- 
 soned arrows, whicli would soon dispatch me ; but 
 again they considered that the stench of so large a 
 carcass might produce a plague in the metropolis 
 and probably spread through the whole kingdom. 
 In the midst of these consultations, several officers 
 of the army went to the door of the great council- 
 chamber, and two of them being admitted, gave 
 an account of my beliavior to the six criminals 
 above mentioned ; which made so favorable an 
 impression in the breast of his majesty and the 
 wliole board, in my behalf, that an imperial com- 
 mission was issued out, obliging all the villages 
 nine hundred yards round the c\tj to deliver in 
 every morning six beeves, forty sheep, and other 
 victuals for my sustenance ; together with a pro- 
 portionable quantity of bread, and wine and other • 
 liquors ; for the due payment of which his majesty 
 gave assignments upon his treasury — for this 
 prince lives chiefly upon his own demesnes : sel- 
 dom, except upon great occasions, raising any sub- 
 sidies upon his subjects, who are bound to attend 
 him in his wars at their own expense. An estab- 
 lishment was also made of six hundred persons to 
 be my domestics, who had board-wages allowed 
 for their maintenance, and tents built for them 
 very conveniently on each side of my door. It 
 was likewise ordered that three hundred tailors 
 
 should make me a suit of clothes, after the fashion 
 of the country ; that six of his majesty's greatest 
 scholars should be employed to instruct me in 
 their language ; and lastly, that the emperor's 
 horses, and those of the nobility and troops of 
 guards, should be frequently exercised in my 
 sight, to accustom themselves to me. All these 
 orders were duly put in execution ; and in about 
 three weeks I made great progress in learning 
 their language : during which time the emperor 
 frequently honored me with his visits, and was 
 pleased to assist my masters in teaching me. We 
 began already to converse together in some sort ; 
 and the first words I learned, were to express my 
 desire " that he would be pleased to give me my lib- 
 erty ;"" which I every day repeated on my knees. 
 His answer, as I could apprehend it, was •• that 
 this must be a work of time, not to be thought on 
 without the advice of his council, and that first I 
 must lumos keJmin pesso desmar Ion envposo ;''' 
 that is, swear a peace with him and his kingdom : 
 however, that I should be used with all kindness : 
 and he advised me " to acquire by my patience and 
 discreet behavior the good opinion of himself and 
 his subjects." He desired " I would not take it 
 ill, if he gave orders to certain proper officers to 
 search me ; for probably I might carrjr about me 
 several weapons, which must needs be dangerous 
 things, if they answered the bulk of so prodigious 
 a person." I said, "His majesty should be satis- 
 fied ; for I was ready to strip myself, and turn up 
 my pockets before him." This I delivered, part 
 in words, and part in signs. He replied, '■ that, 
 by the laws of the kingdom, I must be searched 
 by two of his officers ; that he knew this could not 
 be done without my consent and assistance ; and 
 he had so good an opinion of my generosity and 
 justice as to trust their persons in my hands ; that 
 whatever they took from me should be returned 
 when I left the country, or paid for at the rate 
 which I would set upon them." I took up the two 
 officers in mj' hands, put them first into ni}" coat- 
 pockets, and then into every other pocket about 
 me, except my two fobs and another secret pocket, 
 which I had no mind should be searched, wherein 
 
A VOTAGE TO LILLIPUT. 
 
 371 
 
 I had some little necessaries that were of no con- 
 sequence to any but myself. In one of my fobs 
 there was a silver watch, and in the other a small 
 quantity of gold in a purse. These gentlemen, 
 having pen, ink, and paper about them, made an 
 exact inventory of everything they saw ; and 
 when they had done, desired I would set them 
 down, that they might deliver it to the em- 
 peror. This inventory I afterwards translated 
 into English, and is word for word as follows : — 
 " Imprimis, In the right coat-pocket of the great 
 Man-mountain ( for so I interpret the words quin- 
 lus flestrin), after the strictest search, we found 
 only one great piece of coarse cloth, large enough 
 to be a foot-cloth for your majesty's chief room of 
 state. In the left pocket we saw a huge silver 
 chest, with a cover of the same metal, which we, 
 the searchers, were not able to lift. We desired 
 it should be opened, and one of us stepping into 
 it, found himself up to the mid-leg in a sort of 
 dust, some part whereof flying up to our faces, set 
 us both a-sneezing for several times together. In 
 his right waistcoat pocket we found a prodigious 
 bundle of white thin substances, folded one over 
 another, about the bigness of three men, tied with 
 a strong cable, and marked with black figures ; 
 which we humbly conceive to be writings, every 
 letter almost half as large as the palm of our 
 hands. In the left there was a sort of engine, 
 from the back of which were extended twenty 
 long poles, resembling the palisadoes before your 
 majesty's court ; wherewith we conjecture the 
 Man-mountain combs his head, for we did not al- 
 ways trouble him with questions, because we 
 found it a great difficulty to make him understand 
 us. In the large pocket on the right side of his 
 middle cover (so I translate ranfu-lo, by which 
 they meant my breeches), we saw a hollow pillar 
 of iron, about the length of a man, fastened to a 
 strong piece of timber larger than the pillar ; and 
 upon one side of the pillar were huge pieces of 
 iron sticking out, cut into strange figures, which 
 we know not what to make of. In the left pocket 
 another engine of the same kind. In the smaller 
 pocket on the right side, were several round flat' 
 
 pieces of white and red metal, of different bulk; 
 some of the white, which seemed to be silver, 
 were so large and heavy that my comrade and I 
 could hardly lift them. In the left pocket were 
 two black pillars irregularly shaped : we could 
 not, without difficulty, reach the top of them as we 
 stood at the bottom of his pocket. One of them 
 was covered, and seemed all of a piece ; but at 
 the upper end of the other there appeared a white 
 round substance, about twice the bigness of our 
 heads. Within each of these was inclosed a pro- 
 digious plate of steel ; which, by our orders, we 
 obliged him to show us, because we apprehended 
 they might be dangerous engines. He took them 
 out of their cases, and told us, that in his own 
 country his practice was to shave his beard with 
 one of these, and cut his meat with the other. 
 There were two pockets which we could not enter : 
 these he called his fobs ; they were two large slits 
 cut into the top of his middle cover, but squeezed 
 close by the pressure of his belly. Out of the 
 right fob hung a great silver chain, with a wonder- 
 ful kind of engine at the bottom. We directed 
 him to draw out whatever was at the end of that 
 chain, which appeared to be a globe, half silver, 
 and half of some transparent metal ; for, on the 
 transpai-ent side we saw certain strange figures 
 circularly drawn, and thought we could touch 
 them, till we found our fingers stopped by that 
 lucid substance. He put this engine to our ears, 
 which made an incessant noise, like that of a wa- 
 ter-mill : and we conjecture it is either some un- 
 known animal, or the god that he worships ; but 
 we are more inclined to the latter ojjinion, because 
 he assured us (if we understood him right, for he 
 expressed himself very imperfectly) that he seldom 
 did anything without consulting it. He called it 
 his oracle, and said it pointed out the time for 
 every action of his life. From the left fob he 
 took out a net almost large enough for a fisher- 
 man, but contrived to open and shut like a purse, 
 and served him for the same use : we found therein 
 several massy pieces of yellow metal, which, if 
 they be real gold, must be of immense value. 
 " Having thus, in obedience to your majesty's 
 
372 
 
 A VOYAGE TO LILLIPUT. 
 
 commands, diligently searched all his pockets, we 
 observed a girdle about his waist, made of the 
 hide of some prodigious animal, from which, on 
 the left side, hung a sword of the length of five 
 men ; and on the right, a bag, or pouch, divided 
 into two cells, each cell capable of holding three 
 of your majesty's subjects. In one of these cells 
 were several globes, or balls, of a most ponderous 
 metal, about the bigness of our heads, and re- 
 quired a strong hand to lift them : the other cell 
 contained a heap of certain black grains, but of 
 no great bulk or weight, for we could hold above 
 fifty of them in the palms of our hands. 
 
 " This is an exact inventory of what we found 
 about the body of the Man-mountain, who used us 
 with great civility, and due respect to your maj- 
 esty's commission. Signed and sealed on the 
 fourth day of the eighty-ninth moon of your maj- 
 esty's auspicious reign : — 
 
 " Clbfkin Feelock. 
 
 " Marsi Fbelock." 
 
 When the inventory was read over to the em- 
 peror, he directed me, although in very gentle 
 terms, to deliver up the several particulars. He 
 first called for my scimitar, which I took out, 
 scabbard and all. In the mean time he ordered 
 three thousand of his choijest troops (who then 
 attended him) to surround me at a distance, vdtli 
 their bows and arrows just ready to discharge ; 
 but I did not observe it, for mine eyes were wholly 
 fixed upon his majesty. He then desired me to 
 draw my scimitar, which, although it had got 
 some rust by the sea-water, was in most parts, 
 exceeding bright. I did so, and immediately all 
 the troops gave a shout between terror and sur- 
 prise ; for the sun shone clear, and the reflection 
 dazzled their eyes as I waved the scimitar to and 
 fro in my hand. His majesty, who is a most 
 magnanimous prince, was less daunted than I 
 could expect : he ordered me to return it into the 
 scabbard, and cast it on the ground as gently as I 
 could, about six feet from the end of my chain. 
 The next thing he demanded was one of the hol- 
 low iron pillars ; by which he meant my pocket 
 
 pistols. I drew it out, and at his desire, as well as 
 I could, expressed to him the use of it ; and charg- 
 ing it only with powder, which, by the closeness 
 of my pouch happened to escape wetting in the sea 
 (an inconvenience against which all prudent mar- 
 iners take special care to provide) , I first cautioned 
 the emperor not to be afraid, and then I let it off 
 in the air. The astonishment here was much 
 greater than at the sight of the scimitar. Hun- 
 dreds fell down as if they had been struck dead ; 
 and even the emperor, although he stood his 
 ground, could not recover himself for some time. 
 
 I delivered up both my pistols in the same man- 
 ner as I had done my scimitar, and then my pouch 
 of powder and bullets ; begging him that the for- 
 mer might be kept from fire, for it would kindle 
 with the smallest spark, and blow up his imperial 
 palace into the air. I likewise delivered up my 
 watch, which the emperor was very curious to see, 
 and commanded two of his tallest yeomen of the 
 guards to bear it on a pole upon their shoulders, 
 as draymen in England do a barrel of ale. He 
 was amazed at the continual noise it made, and 
 the motion of the minute-hand, which he could 
 easily discern ; for their sight is much more acute 
 than ours : he asked the opinion of his learned 
 men about it, which were various and remote, as 
 the reader may well imagine without my repeat- 
 ing ; although, indeed, I could not very perfectly 
 understand them. I then gave up my silver and 
 copper money, my purse with nine large pieces of 
 gold, and some smaller ones ; my knife and razor, 
 my comb and silver snuff-box, my handkerchief 
 and journal-book. My scimitar, pistols, and pouch, 
 were conveyed in carriages to his majesty's stores ; 
 but the rest of my goods were returned me. 
 
 I had, as I before observed, one private pocket, 
 which escaped their search, wherein there was a 
 pair of spectacles (which I sometimes use for the 
 weakness of mine eyes), a pocket perspective, and 
 some other little conveniences ; which, being of no 
 consequence to the emperor, I did not think my- 
 self bound in honor to discover, and I apprehended 
 they might be lost or spoiled if I ventured them 
 out of my possession. 
 
A VOYAGE TO LILLIPUT. 
 
 373 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 THE AUTHOR DIVERTS THE EMPEROR, AND HIS NOBILITY 
 OF BOTH SEXES, IN A YERY UNCOMMON MANNER. — THE 
 DIVERSIONS OF THE COURT OF LILLIPUT DESCRIBED. — 
 THE AUTHOR HAS piS LIBERTY GRANTED HIM UPON 
 CERTAIN CONDITIONS. 
 
 My gentleness and good behavior had gained 
 so far on the emperor and his court, and indeed 
 upon the army and people in general, that I began 
 to conceive hopes of getting my liberty in a short 
 time. I took all possible methods to cultivsite 
 this favorable disposition. The natives came by 
 degrees to be less apprehensive of any danger 
 from me. I would sometimes lie down, and let 
 five or six of them dance on my hand ; and at 
 last the boys and girls would venture to come and 
 play at hide-and-seek in my hair. I had now 
 made a good progress in understanding and speak- 
 ing the language. The emperor had a mind one 
 day to entertain me with several of the country 
 shows, wherein they exceeded all nations I have 
 known, both for dexterity and magnificence. I 
 was diverted with none so much as that of the 
 roperdancers, performed upon a slender white 
 thread, extended about two feet, and twelve inches 
 from the ground. Upon which I shall desire lib- 
 erty, with the reader's patience, to enlarge a lit- 
 tle. 
 
 This diversion is only practiced by those persons 
 wh-o are candidates for great employments and 
 high favor at court. They are trained in this art 
 from their youth, and are not always of noble 
 birth, or liberal education. When a great office 
 is vacant, either by death or disgrace (which often 
 happens), five or six of these candidates petition 
 the emperor to entertain his majesty and the court 
 with a dance on the rope ; and whoever jumps 
 the highest without falling, succeeds in the office. 
 Very often the chief ministers themselves are com- 
 manded to show their skill, and to convince the 
 emperor that they have not lost their faculty. 
 Flimnap, the treasurer, is allowed to cut a caper 
 on the straight rope, at least an inch higher than 
 any other lord in the whole empire. I have seen 
 him do the summerset several times together upon 
 
 a trencher fixed on a rope which is no thicker than 
 a common packthread in England. My friend 
 Reldresal, principal secretary for private affairs, is 
 in my opinion, if I am not partial, the second after 
 the treasurer ; the rest of the great officers are 
 much upon a par. 
 
 These diversions are often attended with fatal 
 accidents, whereof great numbers are on record. 
 I myself have seen two or three candidates break 
 a limb. But the danger is much greater when 
 the ministers themselves are commanded to show 
 their dexterity ! for, by contending to excel them- 
 selves and their fellows, they strain so far that 
 there is hardly one of them who has not received 
 a fall, and some of them two or three. I was as- 
 sured that, a year or two before my arrival, Flim- 
 nap would infallibly have broke his neck, if one 
 of the king's cushions, that accidentally lay on 
 the ground, had not weakened the force of his 
 fall. 
 
 There is likewise another diversion, which is 
 only shown before the emperor and empress, and 
 the first minister, upon particular occasions. The 
 emperor lays on the table three fine silken threads 
 of six inches long ; one is blue, the other red, and 
 the third green. These threads are proposed as 
 prizes for those persons whom the emperor has a 
 mind to distinguish bj;- a peculiar mark of his fa- 
 vor. The ceremony is performed in his majesty's 
 great chamber of state, where the candidates are 
 to undergo a trial of dexterity, very different from 
 the former, and such as I have not observed the 
 least resemblance of in any other country of the 
 new or old world. The emperor holds a stick in 
 his hands, both ends parallel to the horizon, while 
 the candidates advancing, one by one, sometimes 
 leap over the stick, sometimes creep under it, back- 
 ward and forward, several times, according as the 
 stick is advanced or depressed. Sometimes the 
 emperor holds one end of the stick, and the first 
 minister the other; sometimes the minister has it 
 entirely to himself. Whoever performs his part 
 with the most agility, and holds out the longest in 
 leaping and creeping, is rewarded with the blue- 
 colored silk ; the red is given to the next, and the 
 
374 
 
 A VOYAGE TO LILLIPUT. 
 
 green to the third, which they all wear girt twice 
 round about the middle; and you see few great 
 persons about this court who are not adorned with 
 one of these girdles. 
 
 The horses of the army, and those of the royal 
 stables, having been daily led before me, were no 
 longer shy, but would come up to my very feet 
 without starting. The riders would leap them 
 over my hand, as I held it on the ground ; and one 
 of the emperor's huntsmen, upon a large courser, 
 took my foot, shoe and all ; which was indeed a 
 prodigious leap. I had the good fortune to divert 
 the emperor one day after a very extraordinary 
 manner. I desired he would order several sticks 
 of two feet high, and the thickness of an ordinary 
 cane, to be brought me ; whereupon his majesty 
 commanded the master of his woods to give direc- 
 tions accordingly ; and the next morning six wood- 
 men arrived with as many carriages, drawn by 
 eight horses to each. I took nine of these sticks, 
 and fixing them firmly in the ground in a quad- 
 rangular figure, two feet and a half square, I took 
 four other sticks and tied them parallel at each cor- 
 ner, about two feet from the ground ; then I fast- 
 ened my handkerchief to the nine sticks that stood 
 erect ; and extended it on all sides, till it was tight 
 as the top of a drum ; and the four parallel sticks, 
 rising about five inchf s higher than the handker- 
 chief, served as ledges on each side. When I had 
 finished my work, I desired the emperor to let a 
 troop of the best horse, twenty-four in number, 
 come and exercise uj^'^n this plain. His majesty 
 approved of the proposal, and I took them up one 
 by one, in my hands, ready mounted and armed, 
 with tlie proper ofBceis to exercise them. As soon 
 as they got into order, they divided into two par- 
 ties, performed mock skirmishes, discharged blunt 
 arrows, drew their swords, fled and pursued, at- 
 tacked and retired, and, in short, discovered the 
 best military discipline I ever beheld. The par- 
 allel sticks secured them and their horses from 
 falling over the stage : and the emperor was so 
 much delighted, that he ordered this entertainment 
 to be repeated several days, and once was pleased 
 to be lifted up, and give the word of command ; 
 
 and, with great diiBculty, persuaded even the em- 
 press herself to let me hold her in her close chair 
 within two yards of the stage, when she was able 
 to take a full view of the whole performance. It 
 was my good fortune, that no ill accident hap- 
 pened in these entertainments ; only once a fiery 
 horse, that belonged to one of the captains, paw- 
 ing with his hoof, struck a hole in my handker- 
 chief, and his foot slipping, he overthrew his rider 
 and himself ; but I immediately relieved them 
 both, and covering the hole with one hand, I set 
 down the troop with the other, in the same man- 
 ner as I took them up. The horse that fell was 
 strained in the left shoulder, but the rider got 
 no hurt ; and I repaired my handkerchief as well 
 as I could : however, I would not trust to the 
 strength of it any more, in such dangerous enter- 
 prises. 
 
 About two or three days before I was set at lib- 
 erty, as I was entertaining the court with this 
 kind of feats, there arrived an express to inform 
 his majesty that some of his subjects, riding near 
 the place where I was first taken up, had seen a 
 great black substance lying on the ground, very 
 oddly shaped, extending its edges round, as wide 
 as his majesty's bed-chamber, and rising up in the 
 middle as high as a man ; that it was no living 
 creature, as they at first apprehended, for it lay on 
 the grass without motion, and some of them had 
 walked round it several times ; that, by mounting 
 upon each other's shoulders, they had got to the 
 top, which was flat and even, and stamping upon 
 it, they found that it was hollow within ; that 
 they humbly conceived it might be something be- 
 longing to the Man-mountain ; and if his majesty 
 pleased, they would undertake to bring it with 
 only five horses. I presently knew what they 
 meant, and was glad at heart to receive this intel- 
 ligence. It seems, upon my first reaching the 
 shore after our shipwreck, I was in such confusion, 
 that before I came to the place where I went to 
 sleep, my hat, which I had fastened with a string 
 to my head while I was rowing, and had stuck on 
 all the time I was swimming, fell off after I came 
 to land ; the string, as I conjecture, breaking by 
 
A VOTAGE TO LILLIPUT. 
 
 375 
 
 some accident, which I had never observed, but 
 thought my hat had been lost at sea. I entreated 
 his imperial majesty to give orders it might be 
 brought to me as soon as possible, describing to 
 him the use and the nature of it ; and the next day 
 the wagoners arrived with it, but not in a very 
 good condition ; they had bored two holes in the 
 brim, within an inch and a half of the edge, and 
 f listened two hooks in the holes, these hooks were 
 tied by a long cord to the harness, and thus my 
 hat was dragged along for above half an English 
 mile ; but the ground in that country being ex- 
 tremely smooth and level, it received less damage 
 than I expected. 
 
 Two days after this adventure, the emperor, 
 having ordered that part of his army which quar- 
 ters in and about his metropolis, to be in readi- 
 ness, took a fancy of diverting himself in a singu- 
 lar manner. He desired that I would stand like a 
 colossus, with my legs as far asunder as I conven- 
 iently could. He then commanded his general 
 (who was an old experienced leader, and a great 
 patron of mine) to draw up the troops in close 
 order, and march them under me ; the foot by 
 twenty-four in a breast, and the horse by sixteen, 
 with drums beating, colors flying, and pikes ad- 
 vanced. This body consisted of three thousand 
 foot, and a thousand horse. 
 
 I had sent so many memorials and petitions for 
 my liberty that his majesty at length mentioned 
 the matter, first in the cabinet, and then in a full 
 council; where it was opposed . by none, except 
 Skyresh Bolgolam, who was pleased, without any 
 provocation, to be my mortal enemy. But it was 
 carried against him by the whole board, and con- 
 firmed by the emperor. That minister was galhet, 
 or admiral of the realm, very much in his master's 
 confidence, and a person well versed in affairs, but 
 of a morose and sour complexion. However, he 
 was at length persuaded to comply, but prevailed 
 that the articles and conditions upon which I 
 should be set free, and to which I must swear, 
 should be drawn up by himself. These articles 
 were brought to me by Skyresh Bolgolam in 
 person, attended by two under-secretaries and 
 
 several persons of distinction. After they were 
 read, I was demanded to swear to the performance 
 of them, first, in the manner of my own country, 
 and afterward in the method prescribed by their 
 laws, which was, to hold my right foot in my left 
 hand, and to place the middle finger of my right 
 hand on the crown of my head, and my thumb on 
 the tip of my right ear. But because the reader 
 may be curious to have some idea of the style and 
 manner of expression peculiar to that people, as 
 well as to know the articles upon which I recov- 
 ered my libertjr, I have made a translation of the 
 whole instrument, word for word, as near as I was 
 able, which I here offer to the public. 
 
 GOLBASTO MOMAREM EVLAMB GUEDILO 
 
 Shefin Mtjlly Ully Gue, most mighty em- 
 peror of Lilliput, delight and terror of the uni- 
 verse, whose dominions extend five thousand hlus- 
 trugs (about twelve miles in circumference) to the 
 extremities of the globe ; monarch of all mon- 
 archs, taller than the sons of men ; whose feet 
 press down to the centre, and whose head strikes 
 against the sun ; at whose nod the princes of the 
 earth shake their knees ; pleasant as the spring, 
 comfortable as the summer, fruitful as autumn, 
 dreadful as winter. His most sublime Majesty 
 proposes to the Man-mountain, lately arrived at 
 our celestial dominions, the following articles, 
 which, by a solemn oath, he shall be obliged to 
 perform : — 
 
 I. The Man-mountain shall not depart from our 
 dominions, without our license under our great 
 seal. 
 
 II. He shall not presume to come into our me- 
 tropolis without our express order ; at which time, 
 the inhabitants shall have two hours' warning to 
 keep within doors. 
 
 III. The said Man-mountain shall confine his 
 walks to our principal high-roads, and not offer 
 to walk or lie down in a meadow or field of 
 corn. 
 
 IV. As he walks the said roads, he shall take 
 the utmost care not to trample upon the bodies of 
 any of our loving subjects, their horses or carriages, 
 
376 
 
 A VOYAGE TO LILLIPUT. 
 
 nor take any of our subjects into his hands with- 
 out their own consent. 
 
 V. If an express requires extraordinary dis- 
 patch, the Man-mountain shall be obliged to carrj', 
 in his pocket, the messenger and horse a six days' 
 journey once in every moon, and return the said 
 messenger back (if so required) safe to our im- 
 perial presence. 
 
 VI. He shall be our allj' against our enemies in 
 the island of Blefuscu, and do his utmost to de- 
 stroy their fleet, which is now preparing to in- 
 vade us. 
 
 VII. That the same Man-mountain shall, at his 
 time of leisure, be aiding and assisting to our 
 workmen, in helping to raise certain great stones, 
 towards covering the wall of the principal park, 
 and other royal buildings. 
 
 VIII. That the said Man-mountain shall in two 
 moons' time, deliver in an exact survey of the 
 circumference of our dominions, by a computation 
 of his own paces round the coast. 
 
 Lastly, That, upon his solemn oath to observe 
 the above articles, the said Man-mountain shall 
 have a daily allowance of meat and drink sufficient 
 for the suppoi-t of 1724 of our subjects, with free 
 access to our royal person, and other marks of our 
 favor. Given at our palace at Belfaborac, the 
 twelfth day of the ninety-first moon of our reign. 
 
 I swore and subscribed to these articles with 
 great cheerfulness and content, although some of 
 them were not so honorable as I could have 
 wished ; which proceeded wholi}' from the malice 
 of Skyresh Bolgolam, the high-admiral; where- 
 upon my chains were immediately unlocked, and I 
 was at full liberty. The empei'or himself, in 
 person, did me the honor to be by at the whole 
 ceremony. I made my acknowledgments by 
 prostrating myself at his majesty's feet ; but he 
 cunnnanded me to rise ; and after many gracious 
 expressions, which to avoid the censure of vanity 
 I shall not repeat, he added, " that he hoped I 
 should prove a useful servant, and well deserve all 
 the favoi-s he had already conferi'ed upon me, or 
 might do for the future." 
 
 The reader may please to observe, that in the 
 last article of the recovery of my liberty, the em- 
 peror stipulates to allow me a quantity of meat 
 and drink sufficient for the support of 1724 Lilli- 
 putians. Some time after, asking a friend at 
 court how they came to fix on that determined 
 number, he told me that his Majesty's mathe- 
 maticians, having taken the height of my body 
 by the help of a quadrant, and finding it to ex- 
 ceed theirs in the proportion of twelve to one, 
 they concluded from the similarity of their bodies, 
 that mine must contain at least 1724 of theirs, 
 and consequently would require as much food as 
 was necessary to support that number of Lillipu- 
 tians. By which the reader may conceive an 
 idea of the ingenuity of that people, as well as 
 the prudent and exact economy of so great a 
 prince. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 MILDENDO, THE METROPOLIS OF LILLIPUT, DESCRIBED, 
 TOGETHER WITH THE EMPEROR'S PALACE. — A CONVER- 
 SATION BETWKKN THE AUTHOR AND A PRINCIPAL SEC- 
 RETARY. CONCERNING THE AFFAIRS OF THAT EMPIRE. 
 — THE AUTHOR OFFERS TO SERVE THE EMPEROR IN HIS 
 WARS. 
 
 The first request I made after I had obtained 
 my liberty was, that I might have license to see 
 Mildendo, the metropolis ; which the emperor 
 easily granted me, but with a special charge to do 
 no hurt either to the inhabitants or their houses. 
 The people had notice, by proclamation, of my 
 design to visit the town. The wall, which com- 
 passed it, is two feet and a half liigh, and at least 
 eleven inches broad, so that a coach and horses 
 ma}^ be driven very safely round it ; and it is 
 flanked with strong towers at ten feet distance. 
 I stepped over the great western gate, and passed 
 very gently and sidling through the two princi- 
 pal streets, only in my short waistcoat, for fear 
 of damaging the roofs and eaves of the houses with 
 the skirts of my coat. I walked with the utmost 
 circumspection, to avoid treading on anj' strag- 
 glei's who might remain on the streets ; although 
 the oi'ders were very strict, that all the people 
 should keep in their houses at their own peril. 
 
A VOTAGE TO LILLIPUT. 
 
 377 
 
 The garret windows and tops of houses were so 
 crowded with spectators, that I thought in all my 
 travels I had not seen a more populous place. 
 The city is an exact square, each side of the wall 
 being five hundred feet long. The two great 
 streets, which run across and divide it into four 
 quarters, are five feet wide. The lanes and alleys, 
 which I could not enter, but viewed them as I 
 passed, are from twelve to eighteen inches. The 
 town is capable of holding five hundred thousand 
 souls : the houses are from three to five stories : 
 the shops and markets well provided. 
 
 The emperor's palace is in the centre of the 
 city, where the two great streets meet. It is in- 
 closed by a wall of two feet high, and twenty feet 
 distance from the buildings. I had his majesty's 
 permission to step over this wall ; and the space 
 being so wide between that and the palace, I 
 could easily view it on everji- side. The outward 
 court is a square of fortj' feet, and includes two 
 other courts ; in the inmost are the royal apart- 
 ments, which I was very desirous to see, but found 
 it extremely difficult ; for the great gates, from 
 one square into another, were but eighteen inches 
 high and seven inches wide. Now the buildings 
 of the outer court were at least five feet high, and 
 it was impossible for me to stride over them with- 
 out infinite damage to the pile, though the walls 
 were strongly built of hewn stone, and four inches 
 thick. At the same time the emperor had a great 
 desire that I should see the magnificence of his pal- 
 ace ; but this I was not able to do till three days 
 after, which I spent in cutting down with my 
 knife some of the largest trees in the royal park, 
 about a hundred yards distance from the city. 
 Of these trees I made two stools, each about three 
 feet high, and strong enough to bear my weight. 
 Tlie people having received notice a second time, 
 I went again through the city to the palace with 
 my two stools in my hands. Wheri I came to the 
 side of the outer court, I stood upon one stool and 
 took the other in my hand ; this I lifted over the 
 roof, and gently set it down on the space between 
 the first and second court, which was eight feet 
 wide. I then stepped over the building very con- 
 
 48 
 
 veniently from one stool to the other, and drew 
 up the first after me with a hooked stick. By 
 this contrivance I got into the inmost court ; 
 and, lying down upon my side, I applied my face 
 to the windows of the middle stories, which were 
 left open on purpose, and discovered the most 
 splendid apartments that can be imagined. 
 
 There I saw the empress and the young princes, 
 in their several lodgings, with their chief attend- 
 ants about them. Her imperial majesty was 
 pleased to smile very graciously upon me, and gave 
 me out of the window her hand to kiss. 
 
 But I shall not anticipate the reader with further 
 descriptions of this kind, because I reserve them 
 for a greater work, which is now almost ready for 
 the press ; containing a general description of this 
 empire, from its first erection, through a long se- 
 ries of princes ; with a particular account of their 
 wars and politics, laws, learning and religion ; 
 their plants and animals : their peculiar manners 
 and customs, with other matters very curious and 
 useful ; my chief design at present being only to 
 relate such events and transactions as happened 
 to the public or to myself during a residence of 
 about nine months in that empire. 
 
 One morning, about a fortnight after I had ob- 
 tained my liberty, Reldresal, principal secretary 
 (^as they style him) for private afl^airs, came to 
 my house attended only by one servant. He or- 
 dered his coach to wait at a distance, and desired 
 I would give him an hour's audience ; which I 
 readily consented to, on account of his quality 
 and personal merits, as well as of the many good 
 offices he had done me during my solicitations at 
 court. I offered to lie down that he might the 
 more convenientlj^ reach my ear ; but he chose 
 rather to let me hold him in my hand during our 
 conversation. He began with compliments on my 
 liberty ; said " he might pretend to some merit 
 in it ; " but however added, " that if it had not 
 been for the present situation of things at court, 
 perhaps I might not have obtained it so soon. 
 For," said he, " as flourishing a condition as we 
 may appear to be in to foreigners, we labor under 
 two mighty evils ; a violent faction at home, and 
 
378 
 
 A VOYAGE TO LILLIPUT. 
 
 the danger of an invasion, by a most potent 
 enemy, from abroad. As to the first, you are to 
 understand, that for above seventy moons past 
 there have been two struggling parties in this em- 
 pire, under the names of Tramecksan and Slamech- 
 $an, from the high and low heels of their shoes, 
 by which they distinguish themselves. It is al- 
 leged, indeed, that the high-heels are most agree- 
 able to our ancient constitution ; but, however this 
 be, his majesty has determined to make use only 
 of low heels in the administration of the govern- 
 ment, and all offices in the gift of the crown, as 
 you cannot but observe : and particularly that his 
 majesty's imperial heels are lower at least by a 
 drurr than any of his court {drurr is a measure 
 about the fourteenth part of an inch). The ani- 
 mosities between these two parties run so high, 
 that they will neither eat nor drink nor talk with 
 each other. We compute the Tramecksan, or 
 high heels, to exceed us in number ; but the power 
 is wholly on our side. We apprehend his impe- 
 rial highness, the heir to the crown, to have some 
 tendency towards the high heels ; at least, we can 
 plainly discover that one of his heels is higher 
 than the other, which gives him a hobble in his 
 gait. Now, in the midst of these intestine dis- 
 quiets, we are threatened with an invasion from 
 the island of Blefuscu, which is the other great 
 empire of the universe, almost as large and power- 
 ful as this of his majesty. For as to what we have 
 heard you affirm, that there are other kingdoms 
 and states in the world inhabited by human creat- 
 ures as large as yourself, our philosophers are in 
 much doubt, and would rather conjecture that you 
 dropped from the moon, or one of the stars ; be- 
 cause it is certain that a hundred mortals of your 
 bulk would in a short time destroy all the fruits 
 and cattle of his majesty's dominions : besides, our 
 histories of six thousand moons make no mention 
 of any other regions than the two great empires 
 of Lilliput and Blefuscu. Which two mighty 
 powers have, as I was going to tell you, been en- 
 gaged in a most obstinate war for six-and-thirty 
 moons past. It began upon the following occa- 
 sion : it is allowed on all hands, that the primi- 
 
 tive way of breaking eggs, before we eat them, 
 was upon the larger end ; but his present maj- 
 esty's grandfather, while he was a boy, going to 
 eat an egg, and breaking it according to the an- 
 cient practice, happened to cut one of his fingers ; 
 whereupon the emperor, his father, published an 
 edict, commanding all his subjects, upon great 
 penalties, to break the smaller ends of their eggs. 
 The people so highly resented this law, that our 
 histories tell us there have been six rebellions 
 raised on that account ; wherein one emperor lost 
 his life, and another his crown. These civil com- 
 motions were constantly fomented by the mon- 
 archs of Blefuscu ; and when they were quelled, 
 the exiles always fled for refuge to that empire. 
 It is computed that eleven thousand persons have 
 at several times suffered death rather than sub- 
 mit to break their eggs at the smaller end. Many 
 hundred large volumes have been published upon 
 this controversy ; but the books of the Big-endians 
 have been long forbidden, and the whole party 
 rendered incapable by law of holding employ- 
 ments. During the course of these troubles, the 
 emperors of Blefuscu did frequently expostulate 
 by their ambassadors, accusing us of making a 
 schism in religion by offending against a funda- 
 mental doctrine of our great prophet Lustrog, in 
 the fifty-fourth chapter of the Blundecral, which 
 is their Alcoran. This, however, is thought to 
 be a mere strain upon the text ; for the words are 
 these : that all true believers break their eggs at 
 the convenient end ; and which is the convenient 
 end seems, in my humble opinion, to be left to 
 every man's conscience, or at least in the power 
 of the chief magistrate to determine. 
 
 " Now, the Big-endian exiles have found so 
 much credit in the emperor of Blefuscu's court, 
 and so much private assistance and encouragement 
 from their party here at home, that a bloody war 
 has been carried on between the two empires for 
 six-and-thirty moons, with various success ; dur- 
 ing which time we have lost forty capital ships, 
 and a much greater number of smaller vessels, 
 together with thirty thousand of our best seamen 
 and soldiers ; and the damage received by the 
 
A VOYAGE TO LILLIPUT. 
 
 379 
 
 enemy is reckoned to be somewhat greater than 
 ours. However, they have now equipped a nu- 
 merous fleet, and are just preparing to make a de- 
 scent upon us ; and his imperial majesty, placing 
 great confidence in your valor and strength, has 
 commanded me to lay this account of his affairs 
 before you." 
 
 I desired the secretary to present my humble 
 duty to the emperor ; and to let him know " that 
 I thought it would not become me, who was a 
 foreigner, to interfere with parties ; but I was 
 ready, with the hazard of my life, to defend his 
 person and state against all invaders." 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 THE AUTHOR, BY AN KXTRAORDIN.'VEY STRATAGEM, PRE- 
 VENTS AN INVASION. — A HIGH TITLE OF HONOR IS 
 CONFERRED OPON HIM. — AMBASSADORS ARRIVE FROM 
 THE EMPEROR OF BLEFUSCU, AND SUE FOR PEACE. 
 
 The empire of Blefuscu is an island situated to 
 the northeast of Lilliput, from which it is parted 
 only by a channel of eight hundred yards wide. 
 I had not yet seen it, and upon this notice of an 
 intended invasion, I avoided appearing on that 
 side of the coast, for fear of being discovered by 
 some of the enemy's ships, who had received no in- 
 telligence of me ; all intercourse between the two 
 empires having been strictly forbidden during the 
 war, upon pain of death, and an embargo laid by 
 our emperor upon all vessels whatsoever. I com- 
 municated to his majesty a project I had formed 
 of seizing the enemy's whole fleet ; which, as our 
 scouts assured us, lay at anchor in the harbor, 
 ready to sail with the first fair wind. I consulted 
 the most experienced seamen upon the depth of 
 the channel, which they had often plumbed ; who 
 told me, that in the middle, at high water, it was 
 seventy glumgluffs deep, which is about six feet of 
 European measure ; and the rest of it fifty glum- 
 gluffs at most. I walked towards the northeast 
 coast, over against Blefuscu ; where, lying down 
 behind a hillock, I took out my small perspective 
 glass, and viewed the enemy's fleet at anchor, con- 
 sisting of about fifty men-of-war, and a great num- 
 
 ber of transports : I then came back to my house, 
 and gave orders (for which I had a warrant) for 
 a great quantity of the strongest cable and bars of 
 iron. The cable was about as thick as packthread, 
 and the bars of the length and size of a knitting- 
 needle. I trebled the cable to make it stronger, 
 and for the same reason, I twisted three of the iron 
 bars together, bending the extremities into a hook. 
 Having thus fixed fifty hooks to as many cables, I 
 went back to the northeast coast, and putting off 
 my coat, shoes, and stockings, walked into the sea 
 in my leathern jerkin, about half an hour before 
 high water. I waded with what haste I could, 
 and swam in the middle about thirty yards, till I 
 felt ground. I arrived at the fleet in less than half 
 an hour. The enemy were so frighted when they 
 saw me, that they leaped out of their ships, and 
 swam to shore, where there could not be fewer 
 than thirty thousand souls : I then took my tack- 
 ling, and fastening a hook to the hole at the prow 
 of each, I tied all the cords together at the end. 
 While I was thus employed, the enemy discharged 
 several thousand arrows, many of which stuck in 
 my hands and face ; and, besides the excessive 
 smart, gave me much disturbance in my work. 
 My greatest apprehension was for mine eyes, 
 which I should have infallibly lost, if I had not 
 suddenly thought of an expedient. I kept, among 
 other little necessaries, a pair of spectacles in a 
 private pocket, which, as I observed before, had 
 escaped the emperor's searchers. These I took 
 out and fastened as strongly as I could upon my 
 nose, and thus armed, went on boldly with my 
 work, in spite of the enemy's arrows, many of 
 which struck against the glasses of my spectacles, 
 but without any other effect, farther than a little 
 to discompose them. I had now fastened all the 
 hooks, and taking the knot in my hand, began to 
 pull ; but not a ship would stir, for they were all 
 too fast held by their anchors, so that the boldest 
 part of my enterprise remained. I therefore let go 
 the cord, and leaving the hooks fixed to the ships, 
 I resolutely cut with my knife the cables that fast- 
 ened the anchors, receiving about two hundred 
 arrows in my face and hands ; then I took up the 
 
380 
 
 A VOYAGE TO LILLIPUT. 
 
 knotted end of the cables, to which ray hooks were 
 tied, and with great ease drew fifty of the enemy's 
 largest men-of-war after me. 
 
 The Blefascudians, who had not the least imag- 
 ination of what I intended, were at first con- 
 founded with aston- -_,_ 
 
 ishment. They had ^ 
 seen me cut the ca- 
 bles, and thought 
 my design was only 
 to let the ships run 
 adrift, or fall foul 
 on each other ; but 
 when they perceived 
 the whole fleet mov- 
 ing in order, and 
 saw me" pulling at 
 the end, they set up 
 such a scream of 
 grief and despair as 
 it is almost impos- 
 sible to describe or 
 conceive. When I 
 had got out of dan- 
 g e r, I stopped 
 a while to pick out 
 the arrows that 
 stuck in my hands 
 and face: and 
 rubbed on some of 
 the same ointment 
 that was given me 
 at my first arrival, 
 as I have formerly 
 mentioned. 1 then 
 took off my specta- 
 cles, and waiting 
 about an hour till 
 the tide was a little 
 fallen, I waded 
 through the middle with my cargo, and arrived 
 safe at the royal port of Lilliput. 
 
 The emperor and his whole court stood on the 
 shore, expecting the issue of this great adventure. 
 They saw the ships move forward in a large half- 
 
 moon, but could not discern me, who was up to 
 my breast in water. When I advanced to the 
 middle of the channel, they were yet more in pain, 
 because I was under water to my neck. The em- 
 peror concluded me to be drowned, and that the 
 
 enemy's fleet was 
 approaching in a 
 hostile manner: but 
 he was soon eased 
 of his fears ; for the 
 channel growing 
 shallower every step 
 I made, I came in 
 a short time within 
 hearing, and hold- 
 ing up the end of 
 the cable, by which 
 the fleet was fast- 
 ened, I cried in a 
 loud voice, " Long 
 live the most puis- 
 sant king of Lilli- 
 put ! " This great 
 prince received me 
 at my landing with 
 all possible encomi- 
 ums, and created me 
 a nardac upon the 
 spot, which is the 
 highest title of hon- 
 or among them. 
 
 His majest)' de- 
 sired I would take 
 some other oppor- 
 tunity of bringing 
 all the rest of his 
 enemy's ships into 
 his ports. And so 
 unmeasurable is the 
 ambition of princes, 
 that he seemed to think of nothing less than re- 
 ducing the whole empire of Blefuscu into a prov- 
 ince, and governing it by a viceroy ; of destroying 
 the Big-endian exiles, and compelling that people 
 to break the smaller end of their eggs, by which he 
 
A VOTAGE TO LILLIPUT. 
 
 381 
 
 would remain the sole monarch of the whole world. 
 But I endeavored to divert him from this design, 
 by many arguments drawn from the topics of 
 policy as well as. justice ; and I plainly protested 
 " that I would never be an instrument of bringing 
 a free and brave people into slavery ; " and when 
 the matter was debated in council, the wisest part 
 of the ministry were of my opinion. 
 
 This open, bold declaration of mine was so op- 
 posite to the schemes and politics of his imperial 
 majesty, that he could never forgive me. He 
 mentioned it in a very artful manner at council, 
 where I was told that some of the wisest appeared 
 at least, by their silence, to be of my opinion ; but 
 others, who were my secret enemies, could not 
 forbear some expressions which by a side wind re- 
 flected on me ; and from this time began an in- 
 trigue between his majesty, and a junto of minis- 
 ters, maliciously bent against me, which broke out 
 in less than two months, and had like to have 
 ended in my utter destruction. Of so little weight 
 are the greatest services to princes, when put into 
 the balance with a refusal to gratify their pas- 
 sions. 
 
 About three weeks after this exploit there ar- 
 rived a solemn embassy from Blefuscu, with hum- 
 ble offers of a peace ; which was soon concluded, 
 upon conditions very advantageous to our emperor, 
 wherewith I shall not trouble the reader. There 
 were six ambassadors with a train of about five 
 hundred persons ; and tbeir entry was very mag- 
 nificent, suitable to the grandeur of their master 
 and the importance of their business. When their 
 treaty was finished, wherein I did them several 
 good offices by the credit I now had, or at least 
 appeared to have, at court, their excellencies, who 
 were privately told how much I had been their 
 friend, made me a visit in form. They began 
 with many compliments upon my valor and gen- 
 erosity, invited me to that kingdom in the em- 
 peror their master's name, and desired me to show 
 them some proof of my prodigious strength, of 
 which they had heard so many wonders ; wherein 
 I readily obliged them, but shall not trouble the 
 reader with the particulars. 
 
 When I had for some time entertained their 
 excellencies, to their infinite satisfaction and sur- 
 prise, I desired they would do me the honor to 
 present my most humble respects to the emperor 
 their master, the renown of whose virtues had so 
 justly filled the whole world with admiration, 
 and whose royal person I resolved to attend before 
 I returned to my own country. Accordingly, the 
 next time I had the honor to see our emperor, I 
 desired his general license to wait on the Blefus- 
 cudian monarch, which he was pleased to grant 
 me, as I could perceive, in a very cold manner; 
 but could not guess the reason, till I hada whisper 
 from a certain person, " that Flimnap and Bolgo- 
 1am had represented my intercourse with those 
 ambassadors as a mark of disaffection ; " from 
 which I am sure my heart was wholly free. And 
 this was the first time I began to conceive some 
 imperfect idea of courts and ministers. 
 
 It is to be observed, that these ambassadors 
 spoke to me by an interpreter, the languages of 
 both empires differing as much from each other 
 as any two in Europe, and each nation priding 
 itself upon the antiquity, beauty, and energy of 
 their own tongues, with an avowed contempt for 
 that of their neighbor : yet our emperor, standing 
 upon the advantage he had got by the seizure of 
 their fleet, obliged them to deliver their creden- 
 tials, and make their speech, in the Lilliputian 
 tongue. And it must be confessed, that from the 
 great intercourse of trade and commerce between 
 both realms, from the continual reception of exiles 
 which is mutual among them, and from the cus- 
 tom, in each empire, to send their young nobility 
 and richer gentry to the other, in order to polish 
 themselves by seeing the world, and understand- 
 ing men and manners ; there are few persons of 
 distinction, or merchants, or seamen, who dwell 
 in the maritime parts, but what can hold conver- 
 sation in both tongues ; as I found some weeks 
 after, when I went to pay my respects to the em- 
 peror of Blefuscu, which, in the midst of great 
 misfortunes, through the malice of my enemies, 
 proved a very happy adventure to me, as I shall 
 relate in its proper place. 
 
882 
 
 A VOYAGE TO LILLIPUT. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 OF THE INHABITAiS'TS OF LILLIPUT ; THEIR LEARNING, 
 LAWS, AND CUSTOMS ; THE MANNER OF EDUCATING 
 THEIR CHILDREN. — THE AUTHOR'S WAY OF LIVING 
 IN THAT COUNTRY. 
 
 Although I intend to leave the description of 
 this empire to a particular treatise, yet, in the 
 mean time, I am content to gratify the curious 
 reader with some general ideas. As the common 
 size of the natives is somewhat under six inches 
 high, so there is an exact proportion in all other 
 animals, as well as plants and trees : for instance, 
 the tallest horses and oxen are between four and 
 five inches in height, the sheep an inch and a half, 
 more or less ; their geese about the bigness of a 
 sparrow, and so the several gradations downwards, 
 till you come to the smallest, which to my sight 
 were almost invisible ; but nature has adapted 
 the eyes of the Lilliputians to all objects proper 
 for their view; they see with great exactness, 
 but at no great distance. And to show the sharp- 
 ness of their sight towards objects that are near, 
 I have been much pleased with observing a cook 
 pulling a lark, which was not so large as a com- 
 mon fly ; and a young girl threading an invisible 
 needle with invisible silk. 
 
 Their tallest trees are about seven feet high : I 
 mean some of those in the great royal park, the 
 tops whereof I could but just reach with my fist 
 clinched. The other vegetables are in the same 
 proportion ; but this I leave to the reader's imag- 
 ination. 
 
 I shall sajr but little at present of their learning, 
 which for many ages has flourished in all its 
 branches among them ; but their manner of writ- 
 ing is very peculiar, being neither from the left to 
 the right, like the Europeans; nor from the right 
 to the left, like the Arabians ; nor from up to 
 down, like the Chinese ; but aslant, from one cor- 
 ner of the paper to the other, like ladies in Eng- 
 land. 
 
 They bury their dead with their heads directly 
 downward, because they hold an opinion that in 
 eleven thousand moons they are all to rise again ; 
 in which period the earth (which they conceive to 
 
 be flat) will turn upside down, and by this means 
 they shall, at their resurrection, be found ready 
 standing on their feet. The learned among them 
 confess the absurdity of this doctrine ; but the 
 practice still continues, in compliance to the vul- 
 gar. 
 
 There are some laws and customs in this empire 
 very peculiar ; and if they were not so directly 
 contrary to those of my own dear country, I should 
 be tempted to say a little in their justification. It 
 is only to be wished they were as well executed. 
 The first I shall mention, relates to informers. 
 All crimes against the state are punished here 
 with the utmost severity ; but if the person ac- 
 cused makes his innocence plainly to appear upon 
 his trial, the accuser is immediately put to an 
 ignominious death : and out of his goods or lands 
 the innocent person is quadruply recompensed for 
 the loss of his time, for the danger he underwent, 
 for the hardship of his imprisonment, and for all 
 the charges he has been at of making his defense ; 
 or, if that fund be deficient, it is largely supplied 
 bj' the crown. The emperor also confers on him 
 some public mark of his favor, and proclamation is 
 made of his innocence through the whole city. 
 
 They look upon fraud as a greater crime than 
 theft, and therefore seldom fail to punish it with 
 death ; for they allege that care and vigilance, 
 with a very common understanding, ma)^ preserve 
 a man's goods from thieves, but honestj^ has no 
 fence against superior cunning ; and since it is 
 necessary that there should be a perpetual inter- 
 course of buying and selling, and dealing upon 
 credit, where fraud is permitted and connived at, 
 or has no law to punish it, the honest dealer is al- 
 ways undone, and the knave gets the advantage. I 
 remember, when I was once interceding with the 
 king for a criminal who had wronged his master 
 of a great sum of money, which he had received 
 by order, and ran away with ; and happening to 
 tell his majesty by way of extenuation, that it was 
 only a breach of trust, the emperor thought it 
 monstrous in me to offer as a defense the greatest 
 aggravation of the crime ; and truly I had little 
 to say in return, further than the common answer, 
 
A VOYAGE TO LILLIPUT. 
 
 383 
 
 that different nations had different customs ; for, 
 I confess I was heartily ashamed. 
 
 Although we usually call reward and punish- 
 ment the two hinges upon which all government 
 turns, yet I could never observe this maxim to be 
 put in practice by any nation, except that of 
 Lilliput. Whoever can there bring sufficient proof 
 that he has strictly observed the laws of his coun- 
 try for seventy-three moons, has a claim to certain 
 privileges, according to his quality and condition 
 of life, with, a proportionable sum of money out of 
 a fund appropriated for that use : he likewise ac- 
 quires the title of snilpall, or legal, which is added 
 to his name, but does not descend to his posterity. 
 And these people thought it a prodigious defect of 
 policy among us, when I told them that our laws 
 were enforced onl}^ by penalties, without any men- 
 tion of reward. It is upon this account that the 
 image of Justice, in their courts of judicature, is 
 formed with six eyes, two before, as many behind, 
 and on each side one, to signify circumspection ; 
 with a bag of gold open in her right hand, and a 
 sword sheathed in her left, to show she is more 
 disposed to reward than to punish. 
 
 In choosing persons for all employments, they 
 have more regard to good morals than to great 
 abilities ; for, since government is necessary to 
 mankind, the}'' believe that the common size of 
 human understanding is fitted to some station or 
 other ; and that Providence never intended to make 
 the management of public affairs a mystery to be 
 comprehended only by a few persons of sublime 
 genius, of which there seldom are three born in an 
 age : but they suppose truth, justice, temperance, 
 and the like, to be in every man's power ; the 
 practice of which virtues, assisted by experience 
 and a good intention, would qualify anj' man for 
 the service of his country, except where a course 
 of study is required. But they thought the want 
 of moral virtues was so far from being supplied by 
 superior endowments of the mind, that employ- 
 ments could never be put into such dangerous 
 hands as those of persons so qualified ; and at 
 least, that the mistakes committed by ignorance, 
 in a virtuous disposition, would never be of such 
 
 fatal consequence to the public weal as the prac- 
 tice of a man whose inclinations led him to be cor- 
 rupt, and who had great abilities to manage, to 
 multiply, and defend his corruptions. 
 
 In like manner, the disbelief of a Divine Prov- 
 idence renders a man incapable of holding any 
 public station ; for since kings avow themselves 
 to be the deputies of Providence, the Lilliputians 
 think nothing can be more absurd than for a 
 prince to employ such men as disown the author- 
 ity under which he acts. 
 
 In relating these and the following laws, I would 
 only be understood to mean the original institu- 
 tions, and not the most scandalous corruptions 
 into which these people are fallen by the degen- 
 erate nature of man. For, as to that infamous 
 practice of acquiring great employments by danc- 
 ing on the ropes, or badges of favor and distinc- 
 tion by leaping over sticks and creeping under 
 them, the reader is to observe that they were first 
 introduced by the grandfather of the emperor now 
 reigning, and grew to the present height by the 
 gradual increase of party and faction. 
 
 Ingratitude is among them a capital crime, as 
 we read it to have been in some other countries ; 
 for they reason thus : that whoever makes ill re- 
 turns to his benefactor must needs be a common 
 enemy to the rest of mankind, from whom he has 
 received no obligation, and therefore such a man 
 is not fit to live. 
 
 Their notions relating to the duties of parents 
 and children differ extremely from ours. For since 
 the conjunction of male and female is founded 
 upon the great law of nature, in order to propa- 
 gate and continue the species, the Lilliputians will 
 needs have it, that men and women are joined 
 together like other animals, by the motives of 
 natural instincts ; and that their tenderness to- 
 wards their young proceeds from the like natural 
 principle : for which i-eason, they will never allow 
 that a child is under any obligation to his father 
 for begetting him, or to his mother for bringing 
 him into the world : which, considering the mis- 
 eries of human life, was neither a benefit in itself 
 nor intended so by his parents, whose thoughts. 
 
384 
 
 A VOYAGE TO LILLIPUT. 
 
 in their love encounters, were otherwise employed. 
 Upon these, and the like reasonings, their opinion 
 is, that parents are the last of all others to be 
 trusted with the education of their own children ; 
 and therefore they have in every town public nur- 
 series, where all pai-ents, except cottagers and la- 
 borers, are obliged to send their infants of both 
 sexes to be reared and educated, when they come 
 to the age of twenty moons, at which time they 
 are supposed to have some rudiments of docility. 
 These schools are of several kinds, suited to dif- 
 ferent qualities and to both sexes. They have 
 certain professors well skilled in preparing chil- 
 dren for such a condition of life as befits the rank 
 of their parents, and their own capacities as well 
 as inclinations. I shall first say something of the 
 male nurseries, and then of the female. 
 
 The nurseries for males of noble or eminent 
 birth are provided with grave and learned pro- 
 fessors and their several deputies. The clothes 
 and food of the children are plain and simple. 
 They are bred up in the principles of honor, jus- 
 tice, courage, modesty, clemency, religion, and 
 love of their country ; they are always employed 
 in some business, except in the times of eating 
 and sleeping, which are very short, and two hours 
 for diversions, consisting of bodily exercises. They 
 are dressed by men till four years of age, and 
 then are obliged to dress themselves, although 
 their quality be ever so great; and the women 
 attendants, who are Hged proportionably to ours 
 at fifty, perform only the most menial offices. 
 They are never suffered to converse with servants, 
 but go together, in smaller or greater numbers, to 
 take their diversions, and always in the presence 
 of a professor or one of his deputies ; whereby 
 they avoid those early bad impressions of folly 
 and vice to which our children are subject. Their 
 parents are suffered to see them only twice a 
 year ; the visit is to last but an hour ; they are al- 
 lowed to kiss the child at meeting and parting ; 
 but a professor, who always stands by on those 
 occasions, will not suffer them to whisper, or use 
 any fondling expressions, or bring any presents 
 of toys, sweetmeats, and the like. 
 
 The pension from each family for the educatioi 
 and entertainment of a child, upon failure of due 
 payment, is levied by the emperor's officers. 
 
 The nurseries for children of ordinary gen- 
 tlemen, merchants, traders, and handicrafts are 
 managed propoctionably after the same manner ; 
 only those designed for trades are put out appren- 
 tices at eleven years old : whereas those of per- 
 sons of quality continue in their exercises till fif- 
 teen, which answers to twenty-one with us ; but 
 the confinement is gradually lessened for the last 
 three years. 
 
 In the female nurseries, the young girls of qual- 
 ity are educated much like the males, only they 
 are dressed by orderly servants of their own sex ; 
 but always in the presence of a professor or dep- 
 uty, till they come to dress themselves, which is 
 at five years old. And if it be found that these 
 nurses ever presume to entertain the girls with 
 frightful or foolish stories, or the common follies 
 practiced by chambermaids among us, they are 
 publicly whipped thrice about the city, imprisoned 
 for a year, and banished for a life to the most 
 desolate part of the countrjr. Thus the young 
 ladies there are as much ashamed of being cowards 
 and fools as the men, and despise all personal or- 
 naments, beyond decency and cleanliness : neither 
 did I perceive any difference in their education 
 made by their difference of sex, only that the ex- 
 ercises of the females were not altogether so ro- 
 bust ; and that some rules were given them relat- 
 ing to domestic life, and a smaller compass of 
 learning was enjoined them : for their maxim is, 
 that among people of quality a wife should be 
 always a reasonable and agreeable companion, 
 because she cannot always be young. When the 
 girls are twelve years old, which among them is 
 the marriageable age, their parents or guardians 
 take them home, with great expressions of grat- 
 itude to the professors, and seldom without the 
 tears of the young lady and her companions. 
 
 In the nurseries of the females of the meaner 
 sort, the children are instructed in all kinds of 
 work proper for their sex, and their several de- 
 grees ; those intended for apprentices are dis- 
 
A VOYAGE TO LILLIPUT. 
 
 385 
 
 missed at seven years old, the rest are kept till 
 eleven. 
 
 The meaner families who have children at these 
 nurseries are obliged, beside their annual pension, 
 which is as low as possible, to return to the stew- 
 ard of the nursery a small monthly share of their 
 gettings, to be a portion for the child ; and there- 
 fore all parents are limited in their expenses by 
 the law. For the Lilliputians think nothing can 
 be more unjust than for people, in subservience 
 to their own appetites, to bring children into the 
 world and leave the burden of supporting them 
 on the public. As to persons of quality, they 
 give security to appropriate a certain sum for each 
 child, suitable to their condition : and these funds 
 are always managed with good husbandry and the 
 most exact justice. 
 
 The cottagers and laborers keep their children 
 at home, their business being only to till and cul- 
 tivate the earth, and therefore their education is 
 of little consequence to the public : but the old 
 and diseased among them are supported by hospi- 
 tals ; for begging is a trade unknown in this em- 
 pire. 
 
 And here it may, perhaps, divert the curious 
 reader, to give some account of my domestics, 
 and my manner of living in this country, during 
 a residence of nine months and thirteen days. 
 Having a head mechanically turned, and being 
 likewise forced by necessity, I had made for my- 
 self a table and chair convenient enough, out of 
 the largest trees in the royal park. Two hundred 
 seamstresses were employed to make me shirts 
 and linen for my bed and table, all of the strong- 
 est and coarsest kind they could get, which, how- 
 ever, they were forced to quilt together in several 
 folds, for the thickest was some degrees finer than 
 lawn. Their linen is usually three inches wide, 
 and three feet make a piece. The seamstresses 
 took my measure as I lay on the ground, one 
 standing at my neck, and another at my midleg, 
 with a strong cord extended, that each held by 
 the end, while a third measured the length of the 
 cord with a rule an inch long. Then they meas- 
 ured my right thumb, and desired no more ; for by 
 49 
 
 a mathematical computation, that twice round the 
 thumb is once round the wrist, and m on to the 
 neck and the waist, and by the help of my old 
 shirt, which I displayed on the ground before them 
 for a pattern, they fitted me exactly. Three hun- 
 dred tailors were employed in the same manner 
 to make me clothes ; but they had another con- 
 trivance for taking my measure. I kneeled down, 
 and they raised a ladder from the ground to my 
 neck ; upon this ladder one of them mounted, and 
 let fall a plumb-line from my collar to the floor, 
 which just answered the length of my coat ; but 
 my waist and arms I measured myself. When 
 my clothes were finished, which was done in my 
 house (for the largest of theirs would not have 
 been able to hold them), they looked like the 
 patchwork made by the ladies in England, only 
 that mine were all of a color. 
 
 I had three hundred cooks to dress my victuals, 
 in little convenient huts built about my house, 
 where they and their families lived, and prepared 
 me two dishes apiece. I took up twenty waiters 
 in my hand, and placed them on the table ; a 
 hundred more attended below on the ground, some 
 with dishes of meat, and some with barrels of wine 
 and other liquors slung on their shoulders, all 
 which the waiters above drew up, as I wanted, in 
 a very ingenious manner by certain cords, as we 
 draw a bucket up a well in Europe. A dish of 
 their meat was a good mouthful, and a barrel of 
 their liquor a reasonable draught. Their mutton 
 yields to ours, but their beef is excellent. I have 
 had a sirloin so large, that I have been forced to 
 make three bites of it ; but this is rare. My serv- 
 ants were astonished to see me eat it, bones and 
 all, as in our country we do the leg of a lark. 
 Their geese and turkeys I usually ate at a mouth- 
 ful, and I confess they far exceed ours. Of their 
 smaller fowl, I could take up twenty or thirty at 
 the end of my knife. 
 
 One day his imperial majesty, being informed 
 of my way of living, desired " that himself and his 
 royal consort, with the young princes of the blood 
 of both sexes, might have the happiness," as he 
 was pleased to call it, " of dining with me." They 
 
386 
 
 A VOYAGE TO LILLIPUT. 
 
 came accordingly, and I placed them in chairs of 
 state, upon my table, just over against me, with 
 their guards about them. Flimnap, the lord high- 
 treasurer, attended there likewise, with his white 
 staff ; and I observed he often looked on me with 
 a sour countenance, which I would not seem to 
 regard, but ate more than usual, in honor to my 
 dear countr}', as well as to fill the court with ad- 
 miration. I have some private reasons to believe 
 that this visit from his majesty gave Flimnap an 
 opportunity of doing me ill offices to his master. 
 That minister had always been my secret enemy, 
 though he outwardly caressed me more than was 
 usual to the moroseness of his nature. He repre- 
 sented to the emperor "the low condition of his 
 treasury ; that lie was forced to take up money at 
 a great discount ; that exchequer bills would not 
 circulate under nine per cent, below par ; that I 
 had cost his majesty above a million and a half of 
 sprugs (their greatest gold coin, about the bigness 
 of a spangle) ; and, upon the whole, that it would 
 be advisable in the emperor to take the first fair 
 occasion of dismissing me." 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 THK AUTHOR, BEING IXFORMED OF A DESIGN TO ACCUSE 
 HIM OF HIGH TRKASOX, MAKES HIS ESCAPE TO BI-E- 
 FU8CU. — HIS RF.CEPTION THERE. 
 
 Before I proceed to give an account of my 
 leaving this kingdom it may be proper to inform 
 the reader of a private intrigue which had been 
 for two months forming against me. I had been 
 hitherto, all my life, a stranger to courts, for which 
 I was unqualified by the meanness of my condition. 
 I had indeed heard and read enough of the dispo- 
 sitions of great princes and ministers, but never 
 expected to have found such terrible effects of 
 them in so remote a country, governed, as I 
 thought, by very different maxims from those in 
 Europe. 
 
 When I was just preparing to pay my attend- 
 ance on the Emperor of Blefuscu, a considerable 
 pi'rson at court (to whom I had been very service- 
 able, at a time when he lay under the highest 
 
 displeasure of his imperial majesty) came to my 
 house very privately at night, in a close chair, and, 
 without sending his name, desired admittance. 
 The chairmen were dismissed : I put the chair, 
 with his lordship in it, into my coat pocket ; and 
 giving orders to a trusty servant to say I was in- 
 disposed and gone to sleep, I fastened the door of 
 my house, placed the chair on the table, according 
 to my usual custom, and sat down by it. After 
 the common salutations were over, observing his 
 lordship's countenance full of concern, and inquir- 
 ing into the reason, he desired " I would hear him 
 with patience, in a matter that highly concerned 
 my honor and life." His speech was to the fol- 
 lowing effect, for I took notes of it as soon as he 
 left me : — 
 
 " You are to know," said he, " that several com- 
 mittees of council have been lately called, in the 
 most private manner, on your account ; and it is 
 but two days since his majesty came to a full res- 
 olution. 
 
 " You are very sensible that Skyresh Bolgolam 
 (^galbe.t, or high-admiral) has been your mortal 
 enemy, almost ever since your arrival. His origi- 
 nal reasons I know not; but his hatred is increased 
 since your great success against Blefuscu, by which 
 his glory as admiral is much obscured. This lord, 
 in conjunction with Flimnap, the high-treasurer, 
 whose enmity against you is notorious on account 
 of his lady, Limtoc the general, Lalcon the cham- 
 berlain, and Balmuff the grand justiciary, have 
 prepared articles of impeachment against you, for 
 treason and other capital crimes." 
 
 This preface made me so impatient, being con- 
 scious of my own merits and innocence, that I was 
 going to interrupt him ; when he entreated me to 
 be silent, and thus proceeded : — 
 
 " Out of gratitude for the favoi's you have done 
 me, I procured information of the whole proceed- 
 ings, and a copy of the articles ; wherein I venture 
 my head for jour service." 
 
 [The articles recited various grounds of suspi- 
 cion, especially Quinbus Flestrin's humanity toward 
 Blefuscu after he had brought the imperial fleet 
 
A VOYAGE TO LILLIPUT. 
 
 387 
 
 into port, and his friendly intercourse with the 
 ambassadors from Blefuscu.J 
 
 " In the several debates upon this impeachment, 
 it must be confessed that his majesty gave many 
 marks of his great lenity ; often urging the serv- 
 ices you had done him, and endeavoring to ex- 
 tenuate your crimes. The treasurer and admiral 
 insisted that you should be put to the most pain- 
 ful and ignominious death, by setting fire to your 
 house at night ; and the general was to attend with 
 twenty tliousand men, armed with poisoned ar- 
 rows, to shoot you on the face and hands. Some 
 of your servants were to have private orders to 
 strew a poisonous juice on your shirts and sheets, 
 which would soon make you tear your own flesh, 
 and die in the utmost torture. The general came 
 into the same opinion, so that for a long time there 
 was a majority against you ; but his majesty, re- 
 solving, if possible, to spare your life, at last 
 brought o£E the chamberlain. 
 
 " Upon this incident, Reldresal, principal secre- 
 tary for private affairs, who always approved him- 
 self your true friend, was commanded by the em- 
 peror to deliver his opinion, which he accordingly 
 did, and therein justified the good thoughts you 
 have of him. He allowed your crimes to be great, 
 but that still there was room for mercy, the most 
 commendable virtue in a prince, and for which his 
 majesty was so justly celebrated. He said the 
 friendship between you and him was so well 
 known to tlie world that perhaps the most honor- 
 able board might think him partial ; however, in 
 obedience to the command he had received, he 
 would freely offer his sentiments. That if his 
 majesty, in consideration of your services, and 
 pursuant to his own merciful disposition, would 
 please to spare j^our life, and only give orders to 
 put out both your eyes, he humbly conceived that, 
 by this expedient, justice might in some measure 
 be satisfied, and all the world would applaud the 
 lenity of the emperor, as well as the fair and gen- 
 erous proceedings of those who have the honor to 
 be his counselors. That the loss of your eyes 
 would be no impediment to your bodily strength. 
 
 by which you might still be useful to his maj- 
 esty; that blindness is an addition to courage, 
 by concealing dangers from us ; that the fear you 
 had for your eyes was the greatest difficulty in 
 bringing over the enemy's fleet ; and it would be 
 sufficient for you to see by the eyes of the minis- 
 ters, since the greatest princes do no more. 
 
 " This proposal was received witli the utmost 
 disapprobation by the whole board. Bolgolam, 
 the admiral, could not preserve his temper ; but, 
 rising up in a fury, said he wondered how the sec- 
 retary durst presume to give his opinion for pre- 
 serving the life of a traitor : that the services you 
 had performed were, by all true reasons of state, 
 the great aggravation of your crimes ; that the 
 same strength which enabled you to bring over 
 the enemy's fleet might serve, upon the first dis- 
 content, to carry it back : that he had good rea- 
 sons to think you were a Big-endian in your heart ; 
 and, as treason begins in the heart before it ap- 
 pears in overt acts, so he accused you as a traitor 
 on that account, and therefore insisted you should 
 be put to death. 
 
 " The treasurer was of the same opinion : he 
 showed to what straits his majesty's revenue was 
 reduced by the charge of maintaining you, which 
 would soon grow insupportable : that the secre- 
 tary's expedient of putting out your eyes was so 
 far from being a remedy against this evil, that it 
 would probably increase it, as is manifest from the 
 common practice of blinding some kind of fowls, 
 after which they fed the faster and grew fat sooner ; 
 that his sacred majesty and the council, who are 
 your judges, were, in their own consciences, fully 
 convinced of your guilt, which was a sufficient 
 argument to condemn you to death, without the 
 formal proofs required by the strict letter of the 
 law. 
 
 "But his imperial majesty, fully determined 
 against capital punishment, was graciously pleased 
 to say that since the council thought the loss of 
 your eyes too easy a censure, some other may be 
 inflicted hereafter. And your friend the secre- 
 tary, humbly desiring to be heard again, in an- 
 swer to what the treasurer had objected, con- 
 
388 
 
 A VOYAGE TO LILLIPUT. 
 
 cerning the great charge his majesty was at in 
 maintaining you, said that his excellency, who 
 had the sole disposal of the emperor's revenue, 
 might easily pi'ovide against that evil by grad- 
 ually lessening your establishment; by which, for 
 want of sufficient food, you will grow weak and 
 faint, and lose your appetite, and consume in a 
 few months; neither would the stench of your 
 carcass be then so dangerous, when it should be- 
 come more than half diminished ; and immediately 
 upon your death five or six thousand of his maj- 
 esty's subjects might, in two or three days, cut 
 your flesh from your bones, take it away by cart- 
 loads, and bury it in distant parts to prevent in- 
 fection, leaving the skeleton as a monument of ad- 
 miration to posterit3\ 
 
 " Thus by the great friendship of the secretary 
 the whole affair was compromised. It was strictly 
 enjoined that the project of starving you by de- 
 grees should be kept a secret ; but the sentence of 
 putting out your eyes was entered on the books ; 
 none dissenting except Bolgolam, the admiral. 
 
 " In three days your friend the secretary will be 
 directed to come to your house and read before 
 you the articles of impeachment ; and then to sig- 
 nify the great lenity and favor of his majesty and 
 council, whereby you are only condemned to the 
 loss of your eyes, which his majesty does not ques- 
 tion you will gratefully and humbly submit to ; 
 and twenty of his majesty's surgeons will attend, 
 in order to see the operation well performed, by 
 discharging very sharp-pointed arrows into the 
 balls of your eyes, as you lie on the ground. 
 
 " I leave to your prudence what measures you 
 will take; and to avoid suspicion I must imme- 
 diately return in as private a manner as I came." 
 
 His lordship did so ; and I remained alone, un- 
 der many doubts and perplexities of mind. 
 
 It was a custom introduced by this prince and 
 liis ministry (very different, as I have been as- 
 sured, from the practice of former times), that 
 after the court had decreed any cruel execution, 
 either to gratify the monarch's resentment, or the 
 malice of a favorite, the emperor always made a 
 speech to his whole council, expressing his great 
 
 lenity and tenderness as qualities known and con- 
 fessed by all the world. This speech was imme- 
 diately published throughout the kingdom ; nor 
 did anything terrify the people so much as those 
 encomiums on his majesty's mercy ; because it 
 was observed that the more these praises were en- 
 larged and insisted on, the more inhuman was the 
 punishment, and the sufferer more innocent. Yet 
 as to myself, I must confess, having never been de- 
 signed for a courtier, either by my birth or educa- 
 tion, I was so ill a judge of things that I could not 
 discover the lenity and favor of this sentence, but 
 conceived it (pei'haps erroneouslv) rather to be rig- 
 orous than gentle. I sometimes thought of standing 
 my trial ; for, although I could not deny the facts 
 alleged in the several articles, yet I hoped they 
 would admit of some extenuation. But having in 
 my life perused many state trials, which I ever ob- 
 served to terminate as the judges thought fit to 
 direct, I durst not rely on so dangerous a decision, 
 in so critical a juncture, and against such powerful 
 enemies. Once I was strongly bent upon resist- 
 ance; for, while I had liberty, the whole strength 
 of that empire could hardly subdue me, and I 
 might easily with stones pelt the metropolis to 
 pieces ; but I soon rejected that project with 
 horror, by remembering the oath I had made to 
 the emperor, the favors I received from him, and 
 the high title of iianlac he conferred upon me. 
 Neither had I so soon learned the gratitude of cour- 
 tiers to persuade myself that his majesty's present 
 severities acquitted me of all past obligations. 
 
 At last I fixed upon a resolution for which it is 
 probable I may incur some censure, and not un- 
 justly, for I confess I owe the preserving of my 
 eyes, and consequently my liberty, to my own 
 great rashness and want of experience ; because, 
 if I had then known the nature of princes and 
 ministers, which I have since observed in many 
 other courts, and their methods of treating crim- 
 inals less obnoxious than myself, I should, with 
 great alacrity and readiness, have submitted to so 
 easy a punishment. But hurried on by the pre- 
 cipitancy of youth, and having his imperial maj- 
 esty's license to pay my attendance upon the 
 
A VOYAGE TO LILLIPUT. 
 
 389 
 
 emperor of Blefuscu, I tooK mis opportunity, be- 
 fore the three days were elapsed, to send a letter 
 to my friend, the secretary, signifying my resolu- 
 tion of setting out that morning for Blefuscu, pur- 
 suant to the leave I had got; and, without waiting 
 for an answer, I went to that side of the island 
 where our fleet lay. I seized a large man-of-war, 
 tied a cable to the prow, and lifting up the an- 
 chors, 1 stripped myself, put my clothes (together 
 with my coverlet which I carried under my arm) 
 into the vessel, and drawing it after me, between 
 wading and swimming, arrived at the royal port 
 of Blefuscu, where the people had long expected 
 me ; they lent me two guides to direct me to the 
 capital city, which is of the same name. I held 
 them in my hands till I came within two hundred 
 yards of the gate, and desired them " to signify 
 my arrival to one of the secretaries, and let him 
 know I there waited his majesty's command." I 
 had an answer in about an hour, "that his maj- 
 esty, attended by the 103'al family, and great offi- 
 cers of the court, was coming out to receive me." 
 I advanced a hundred yards. The emperor and 
 his train alighted from their horses, the empress 
 and ladies from their coaches, and I did not per- 
 ceive they were in any fright or concern. I lay 
 on the ground to kiss his majesty's and the em- 
 press's bands. I told his majesty " that I was 
 come accoi'ding to my promise, and with the license 
 of the emperor my master, to have the honor of 
 seeing so mighty a monarch, and to offer him any 
 service in my power, consistent with my duty to 
 my own prince ; " not mentioning a word of my 
 disgrace, because I had hitherto no regular infor- 
 mation of it, and might suppose myself wholly 
 ignorant of any such design ; neither could I rea- 
 sonably conceive that the emperor would discover 
 the seci-et, while I was out of his power ; wherein, 
 however, it soon appeared I was deceived. 
 
 I shall not trouble the reader with the particu- 
 lar account of va^ reception at this court, which was 
 suitable to the generosity of so great a prince ; nor 
 of the difficulties I was in for want of a house and 
 bed, being forced to lie on the ground, wrapped 
 up in my coverlet. 
 
 CHAPTER Vin. 
 
 THE AUTHOR, BY A LUCKY ACCIDENT, FINDS MEANS TO 
 LEAVE BLEFUSCU ; AND, AFTER SOME DIFFICULTIES, 
 RETURNS SAFE TO HIS NATIVE COUNTY. 
 
 Three days after my arrival, walking out of 
 curiosity to the northeast coast of the island, I ob- 
 served, about half a league off in the sea, some- 
 what that looked like a boat overturned. I pulled 
 off my shoes and stockings, and wading two or 
 three hundred yards, I found the object to ap- 
 proach nearer by force of the tide ; and then 
 plainly saw it to be a real boat, which I supposed 
 might by some tempest have been driven from a 
 ship : whereupon I returned immediately towards 
 the city, and desired his imperial majesty to lend 
 me twenty of the tallest vessels he had left, after 
 the loss of his fleet, and three thousand seamen, 
 under the command of his vice-admiral. This 
 fleet sailed round, while I went back the shortest 
 way to the coast, where I first discovered the boat. 
 I found the tide had driven it still nearer. The 
 seamen were all provided with cordage, which I 
 had beforehand twisted to a sufficient strength. 
 When the ships came up, I sti*ipped myself, and 
 waded till I came within a hundred yards of the 
 boat, after which I was forced to swim till I got 
 up to it. The seamen threw me the end of the 
 cord, which I fastened to a hole in the forepart of 
 the boat, and the other end to a man-of-war ; but 
 I found all my labor to little purpose ; for, being 
 out of my depth, I was not able to work. In this 
 necessity I was forced to swim behind, and push 
 the boat forward as often as I could with one of 
 my hands ; and the tide favoring me, I advanced 
 so far that I could just hold up my chin and feel 
 the ground. I rested two or three minutes, and 
 then gave the boat another shove, and so on, till 
 the sea was no higher than my armpits ; and now 
 the most laborious part being over, I took out my 
 other cables, which were stowed in one of the 
 ships, and fastened them first to the boat and then 
 to nine of the vessels which attended me ; the 
 wind being favorable, the seamen towed, and I 
 shoved, until we arrived within forty yards of the 
 shore, and waiting till the tide was out, I got dry 
 
390 
 
 A VOYAGE TO LILLIPUT. 
 
 to the boat, and by the assistance of two thousand 
 men with ropes and engines, I made a shift to turn 
 it on its bottom, and found it was but little dam- 
 aged. 
 
 I shall not trouble the reader with the difficul- 
 ties I was under, by the help of certain paddles, 
 which cost me ten days making, to get my boat to 
 the royal port of Blefuseu, where a mighty con- 
 course of people appeared apon my arrival, full of 
 wonder at the sight of so prodigious a vessel. I 
 told the emperor " that my good fortune had 
 thrown this boat in my way, to carry me to some 
 place whence I might return into my native 
 country ; and begged his majesty's orders for get- 
 ting materials to fit it up ; together with his 
 license to depart ; " which, after some kind expos- 
 tulations, he was pleased to grant. 
 
 I did very much wonder, in all this time, not to 
 have heard of any express relating to me from our 
 emperor to the court of Blefuseu. But I was aft- 
 erwards given privately to understand, that his 
 imperial majesty, never imagining I had the least 
 notice of his designs, believed I was only gone to 
 Blefuseu in performance of my promise, according 
 to the license he had given me, which was well 
 known at our court, and would return in a few 
 days, when the ceremony was ended. But he was 
 at last in pain at my long absence ; and after con- 
 sulting with the treasurer and the rest of that ca- 
 bal, a person of quality was dispatched with the 
 copy of the articles against me. This envoy had 
 instructions to represent to the monarch of. Ble- 
 fuseu " the great lenity of his master, who was 
 content to punish me no further than with the loss 
 of mine eyes ; that I had fled from justice ; and if 
 I did not return in two hours T should be deprived 
 of my title of nardae, and declared a traitor." 
 The envoy further added, " that in order to main- 
 tain the peace and amity between both empires, 
 his master expected that his brother of Blefuseu 
 would give orders to have me sent back to Lilli- 
 put, bound hand and foot, to be punished as a 
 traitor." 
 
 The emperor of Blefuseu, having taken three 
 days to consult, returned an answer consisting of 
 
 many civilities and excuses. He said, " that as 
 for sending me bound, his brother knew it was im- 
 possible ; that although I had deprived him of his 
 fleet, yet he owed great obligations to me for many 
 good offices I had done him in making the peace. 
 That, however, both their majesties would soon be 
 made easy ; for I had found a prodigious vessel on 
 the shore, able to carry me on the sea, which he 
 had given orders to fit up, with my own assistance 
 and direction ; and he hoped, in a few weeks, both 
 empires would be freed from so insupportable an 
 incumbrance." 
 
 With this answer the envoy returned to Lilli- 
 put, and the monarch of Blefuseu related to me all 
 that had passed ; offering me at the same time 
 (but under the strictest confidence) his gracious 
 protection if I would continue in his service ; 
 wherein although I believed him sincere, yet I re- 
 solved never more to put any confidence in princes 
 or ministers, where I could possibly avoid it ; and 
 therefore, with all due acknowledgments for his 
 favorable intentions, I humbly begged to be ex- 
 cused. I told him, that "■ since fortune, whether 
 good or evil, had thrown a vessel in my way, I 
 was resolved to venture myself on the ocean, 
 rather than be an occasion of difference between 
 two such mighty monarchs." Neither did I find 
 the emperor at all displeased ; and I discovered, 
 by a certain accident, that he was very glad 
 of my resolution, and so were most of his min- 
 isters. 
 
 These considerations moved me to hasten my 
 departure somewhat sooner than I intended ; to 
 which the court, impatient to have me gone, very 
 readily contributed. Five hundred workmen were 
 euiployed to make two sails to my boat, according 
 to my directions, by quilting thirteen folds of their 
 strongest linen together. I was at the pains of 
 making ropes and cables, by twisting ten, twenty, 
 or thirty of the thickest and strongest of theirs. 
 A great stone that I happened to find, after a long 
 search, by the seashore, served me for an anchor. 
 I had the tallow of three hundred cows, for arreas- 
 ing my boat, and other uses. I was at incredible 
 pains in cutting down some of the largest timber 
 
A VOTAGE TO LILLIPUT. 
 
 391 
 
 trees for oars and masts, wherein I was, however, 
 much assisted by his majesty's ship-carpenters, 
 who helped me in smoothing them, after I had 
 done the rough work. 
 
 In about a month, when all was prepared, I sent 
 to receive his majesty's commands, and to take 
 my leave. The emperor and royal family came 
 out of the palace ; I lay down on my face to kiss 
 his hand, which he very graciously gave me ; so 
 did the empress and young princes of the blood. 
 His majesty presented me with fifty purses of two 
 hundred sprugs apiece, together with bis picture 
 at full length, which I put immediately into one of 
 my gloves, to keep it from being hurt. The cere- 
 monies at my departure were too many to trouble 
 the reader with at this time. 
 
 I stored the boat with the carcasses of a hun- 
 dred oxen and three hundred sheep, with bread 
 and drink proportionable, and as much meat ready- 
 dressed as four hundred cooks could provide. 
 I took with me six cows and two bulls alive, with 
 as many ewes and rams, intending to carry them 
 into my own country and propagate the breed ; 
 and to feed them on board I had a good bundle of 
 hay, and a bag of corn. I would gladly have taken 
 a dozen of the natives, but this was a thing the 
 emperor would by no means permit ; and, besides 
 a diligent search into my pockets, his majesty 
 engaged my honor " not to carry away any of his 
 subjects, although with their own consent and de- 
 sire." 
 
 Having thus prepared all things as well as I was 
 able, I set sail, on the twenty-fourth day of Septem- 
 ber, 1701, at six in the morning ; and when I had 
 gone about four leagues to the northward, the wind 
 being at southeast, at six in the evening, I descried 
 a small island about half a league to the north- 
 west. I advanced forward, and cast anchor on the 
 lee side of the island, which seemed to be uninhab- 
 ited. I then took some refreshment and went to 
 my rest. I slept well, and as I conjecture, at least 
 six hours, for I found the day broke in two hours 
 after I awaked. It was a clear night. I ate my 
 breakfast before the sun was up ; and heaving 
 anchor, the wind being favorable, I steered the 
 
 same course that I had done the day before, wherein 
 I was directed by my pocket-compass. My inten- 
 tion was to reach, if possible, one of those islands 
 which I had reason to believe lay to the northeast 
 of Van Diemen's Land. I discovered nothing all 
 that day ; but upon the next, about three in the 
 afternoon, when I had, by my computation, made 
 twenty-four leagues from Blefuscu, I descried a 
 sail steering to the southeast ; my course was due 
 east. I hailed her, but could get no answer ; yet 
 I found I gained upon her, for the wind slack- 
 ened. I made all the sail I could, and in half an 
 hour she spied me, then hung out her ancient, and 
 discharged a gun. It is not easy to express the 
 joy I was in, upon the unexpected hope of once 
 more seeing my beloved country, and the dear 
 pledges I left in it. The ship slackened her sails, 
 and I came up with her between five and six in 
 the evening, September twenty-sixth ; but my 
 heart leaped within me to see her English colors. 
 I put my cows and sheep into my coat-pockets, 
 and got on board with all my little cargo of pro- 
 visions. The vessel was an English merchantman, 
 returning from Japan, by the North and South 
 seas; the captain, Mr. John Biddel, of Deptford, 
 a very civil man and an excellent sailor. We 
 were now in the latitude of 30 degrees south ; 
 there were about fifty men in the ship ; and here 
 I met an old comrade of mine, one Peter Williams* 
 who gave me a good character to the captain. 
 This gentleman treated me with kindness, and 
 desired I would let him know what place I came 
 from last, and whither I was bound ; which I did 
 in a few words, but he thought I was raving, and 
 that the dangers I had undergone had disturbed 
 my head; whereupon I took my black cattle and 
 sheep out of my pocket, which, after great aston- 
 ishment, clearly convinced him of my veracity. I 
 then showed him the gold given me by the em- 
 peror of Blefuscu, together with his majesty's 
 picture at full length, and some other rarities of 
 that country. I gave him two purses of two hun- 
 dred sprugs each, and promised when we arrived 
 in England, to make him a present of a cow, and 
 a sheep big with young. 
 
392 
 
 A VOYAGE TO LILLIPUT. 
 
 I shall not trouble the reader with a particular 
 account of this voyage, which was very prosper- 
 ous for the most part. We arrived in the Downs 
 on the 13th of April, 1702. I had only one mis- 
 fortune, that the rats on board carried away one 
 of my sheep : I found her bones in a hole, picked 
 clean from the flesh. The rest of my cattle I got 
 safe ashore, and set them a-grazing on a bowling- 
 green at Greenwich, where the fineness of the 
 grass made them feed very heartily, though I 
 had always feared the contrai-y : neither could I 
 possibly have preserved them in so long a voyage, 
 if the captain had not allowed me some of his best 
 biscuit, which, rubbed to powder, and mingled 
 with water, was their constant food. The short 
 time I continued in England I made a consider- 
 able profit by showing my cattle to many persons 
 of quality and others ; and before I began my sec- 
 ond voyage I sold them for six hundred pounds. 
 Since my last return I find the breed is consider- 
 ably increased, especially the sheep, which I hope 
 will prove much to the advantage of the woolen 
 manufacture, by the fineness of the fleeces. 
 
 I stayed but two months with my wife and 
 family, for my insatiable desire of seeing foreign 
 countries would suffer me to continue no longer. 
 I left fifteen hundred pounds with my wife, and 
 fixed her in a good house at Redriff. My remain- 
 ing stock I carried with me, part in money and 
 part in goods, in hopes to improve my fortunes. 
 My eldest uncle John had left me an estate in 
 laud near Epping of about thirty pounds a year, 
 and I had a long lease of the Black Bull in Fetter 
 Lane, which yielded me as much more ; so that I 
 was not in any danger of leaving my family upon 
 the parish. My son Johnny, named so after his 
 uncle, was at the grammar-school, and a towardly 
 child. My daughter Betty (who is now well 
 married, and has children) was then at her needle- 
 work. I took leave of my wife and boy and girl, 
 with tears on both sides, and went on board the 
 Adventure, a merchant ship of three hundred 
 tons, bound for Surat, Captain John Nicholas, of 
 Liverpool, commander. But my account of this 
 voyage must be referred to the Second Part of my 
 Travels. 
 
TRAVELS OF BARON MUNCHAUSElSr. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 [7%e Baron is supposed to relate these adventures to 
 his friends over a bottle.} 
 
 THE BARON RELATES AN ACCOUNT OF HIS FIRST TRAV- 
 ELS. — THE ASTONISHING EFFECTS OF A STORM. — AR- 
 RIVES AT CEYLON ; COMBATS AND CONQUERS TWO 
 EXTRAORDINARY OPPONENTS. — RETURNS TO HOLLAND. 
 
 Some years before ray beard announced ap- 
 proaching manhood, or, in other words, when I 
 was neither man nor boy, but between both, I 
 expressed in repeated conversations a strong de- 
 sire of seeing the world, from which I was dis- 
 couraged by my parents, though my father had 
 been no inconsiderable traveler himself, as will 
 appear before I have reached the end of my sin- 
 gular and, I may add, interesting adventures. A 
 cousin, by my mother's side, took a liking to me, 
 often said I was a fine forward youth, and was 
 much inclined to gratify my curiosity. His elo- 
 quence had more effect than mine, for my father 
 consented to my accompanying him in a voyage 
 to the island of Ceylon, where his uncle had re- 
 sided as governor many years. 
 
 We sailed from Amsterdam with dispatches 
 from their High Mightinesses the States of Hol- 
 land. The only circumstance which happened on 
 our voyage worth relating was the wonderful ef- 
 fects of a storm, which had torn up by the roots 
 a great number of trees of enormous bulk and 
 height, in an island where we lay at anchor to 
 take in wood and water ; some of these trees 
 weighed many tons, yet they were, carried by the 
 wind so amazingly high, that they appeared like 
 the feathers of small birds floating in the air, for 
 they were at least fi.ve miles above the earth : 
 however, as soon as the storm subsided they all 
 
 50 
 
 fell perpendicularly into their respective places, 
 and took root again, except the largest, which hap- 
 pened, when it was blown into the air, to have a 
 man and his wife, a very honest old couple, upon 
 its branches, gathering cucumbers (in this part of 
 the globe that useful vegetable grows upon trees) : 
 the weight of this couple, as the tree descended, 
 overbalanced the trunk, and brought it down in 
 a horizontal position : it fell upon the chief man 
 of the island, and killed him on the spot ; he had 
 quitted his house in the storm, under an appre- 
 hension of its falling upon him, and was returning 
 through his own garden when this fortunate acci- 
 dent happened. The word fortunate, here, re- 
 quires some explanation. This chief was a man 
 of a very avaricious and oppressive -disposition, 
 and though he had no family, the natives of the 
 island were half-starved by his oppressive and in- 
 famous impositions. 
 
 The very goods which he had thus taken from 
 them were spoiling in his stores, while the poor 
 wretches from whom they were plundered were 
 pining in poverty. Though the destruction of 
 this tyrant was accidental, the people chose the 
 cucumber-gatherers for their governors, as a mark 
 of their gratitude for destroying, though accident- 
 ally, their late tyrant. 
 
 After we had. repaired the damages we sustained 
 in this remarkable storm, and taken leave of the 
 new governor and his lady, we sailed with a fair 
 wind for the object of our voyage. 
 
 In about six weeks we arrived at Ceylon, where 
 we were received with great marks of friendship 
 and true politeness. The following singular ad- 
 ventures may not prove unentertalning. 
 
 After we had resided at Ceylon about a fort- 
 
394 
 
 TRAVELS OF BARON MUNCHAUSEN. 
 
 night I accompanied one of the governoi''s broth- 
 ers upon a shooting party. He was a strong, 
 athletic man, and being used to that climate 
 (for he had resided there some j'cars), he bore 
 the violent heat of the sun much better than I 
 could ; in our excursion he had made a consider- 
 able progress through a thick wood when I was 
 only at the entrance. 
 Near tlie banks 
 of a large piece of 
 water, which had 
 engaged my atten- 
 tion, I thought I 
 heard a rustling 
 noise behind ; on 
 turning about I was 
 almost petrified (as 
 who would not be ?) 
 at the sight of a lion, 
 which was evidently 
 approaching with the 
 intention of satisfy- 
 ing his appetite with 
 my poor carcass, aud 
 that without asking 
 my consent. What 
 was to be done in 
 this horrible dilem- 
 ma ■' I had not even 
 a moment for reflec- 
 tion ; my jjiecr was 
 only chargvd with 
 swan-shot, and I had 
 no other about me ; 
 however, though I 
 could have no idea of killing such an animal with 
 that weak kind of ammunition, yet I had some 
 hr)pes of frightening him by the report, and per- 
 h;i])s of wounding him also. I immediately let fly, 
 without waiting till he was within reach, and the 
 report did but enrage him, for he now quickened 
 his pace, aud seemed to approach me full speed : 
 I attempted to escape, but that only added (if 
 im addition could be made) to my distress; for 
 the moment I turned about I found a large croco- 
 
 dile, with his mouth extended almost ready to re- 
 ceive me. On my right hand was the piece of 
 water before mentioned, and on my left a deep 
 precipice, said to have, as I have since learned, a 
 receptacle at the bottom for venomous creatures ; 
 in short, I gave myself up as lost, for the lion was 
 now upon his hind legs, just in the act of seizing 
 me : I fell involuntarily to the ground with fear, 
 
 and, as it afterwards 
 appeared, he sprang 
 over me. I lay some 
 time in a situation 
 which no language 
 can describe, expect- 
 ing to feel his teeth 
 or talons in some 
 part of me every mo- 
 ment : after waiting 
 in this prostrate situ- 
 ation a few seconds 
 I heard a violent but 
 unusual noise, differ- 
 ent from any sound 
 that had ever before 
 assailed my ears ; 
 nor is it at all to be 
 wondered at, when 
 I inform you from 
 whence it proceed- 
 ed : after listening 
 for some time, I ven- 
 tured to raise my 
 head and look rounds 
 when, to my un- 
 speakable joy, I per- 
 ceived the lion had, by the eagerness with which 
 he sprung at me, jumped forward, as I fell, into 
 the crocodile's mouth ! which, as before observed, 
 was wide open ; the head of the one stuck in the 
 throat of the other ! and they were struggling to 
 extricate themselves ! I fortunately recollected 
 my couteau de chasse, which was by my side; 
 with this instrument I severed the lion's head at 
 one blow, and the body fell at my feet ! I then, 
 with the butt-end of my fowling piece, rammed the 
 
TRAVELS OF BARON MUNCHAUSEN. 
 
 395 
 
 head farther into the throat of the crocodile, and 
 destroyed him by suffocation, for he could neither 
 gorge nor eject it. 
 
 Soon after I had thus gained a complete victory 
 over my two powerful adversaries my companion 
 arrived in search of me ; for finding I did not fol- 
 low him into the wood, he returned, apprehending 
 I had lost my way, or met with some accident. 
 
 After mutual congratulations, we measured the 
 crocodile, which was just forty feet in length. 
 
 As soon as we had related this extraordinary 
 adventure to the governor, he sent a wagon and 
 servants, who brought home the two carcasses. 
 The lion's skin was properly preserved, with its 
 hair on, after which it was made into tobacco- 
 pouches, and presented by me, upon our return to 
 Holland, to the burgomasters, who, in return, re- 
 quested my acceptance of a thousand ducats. 
 
 The skin of the crocodile was stuffed in the 
 usual manner, and makes a capital article in their 
 public museum at Amsterdam, where the exhib- 
 itor relates the whole story to each spectator, with 
 such additions as he thinks propei'. Some of his 
 variations are rather extravagant ; one of them is, 
 that the lion jumped quite through the crocodile, 
 and was making his escape at the back door, when, 
 as soon as his head appeared, Monsieur the Great 
 Baron (as he is pleased to call me) cut it off, and 
 three feet of the crocodile's tail along with it ; nay, 
 so little attention has this fellow to the truth, that 
 he sometimes adds, as soon as the crocodile missed 
 his tail, he turned about, snatched the couteau de 
 chasse out of Monsieur's hand, and swallowed it 
 with such eagerness that it pierced his heart and 
 killed him immediately ! 
 
 The little regard which this impudent knave has 
 to veracity makes me sometimes apprehensive that 
 my real facts may fall under suspicion, by being 
 found in company with his confounded inven- 
 tions. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 IN WHICH THE BARON PROVKS HIMSELF A GOOD SHOT. 
 — HE LOSES HIS HORSE, AND FINDS A WOLF. — MAKES 
 HIM DRAW HIS SLEDGE. — PROMISES TO ENTERTAIN 
 
 HIS COMPANT WITH A RELATION OP STJCH FACTS AS 
 ARE WELL DESERVING THEIR NOTICE. 
 
 I SET off from Rome on a journey to Russia, in 
 the midst of winter, from a just notion that frost 
 and snow must of course mend the roads, which 
 every traveler had described as uncommonly bad 
 thi-ough the northern parts of Germany, Poland, 
 Courland, and Livonia. I went on horseback, as 
 the most convenient manner of traveling ; I was 
 but lightly clothed, and of this I felt the inconven- 
 ience the more I advanced northeast. What must 
 not a poor old man have suffered in that severe 
 weather and climate, whom I saw on a bleak com- 
 mon in Poland, lying on the road, helpless, shiver- 
 ing, and hardly having wherewithal to cover his 
 nakedness ? I pitied the poor soul : though I felt 
 the severity of the air myself, I threw my mantle 
 over him, and immediately I heard a voice from 
 the heavens, blessing me for that piece of charity, 
 saying, — 
 
 " You will be rewarded, my son, for this in 
 time." 
 
 I went on : night and darkness overtook me. 
 No village was to be seen. The country was cov- 
 ered with snow, and I was unacquainted witli the 
 road. 
 
 Tired, I alighted, and fastened my horse to 
 something like a pointed stump of a tree, which 
 appeared above the snow ; for the sake of safety 
 I placed my pistols under my arm, and laid down 
 on the snow, where I slept so soundly that I did 
 not open my eyes till full daylight. It is not easy 
 to conceive my astonishment to find myself in the 
 midst of a village, lying in a churchyard ; nor was 
 my horse to be seen, but I heard him soon after 
 neigh somewhere above me. On looking upwards 
 I beheld him hanging by his bridle to the weather- 
 cock of the steeple. Matters were not very plain 
 to me : the village had been covered with snow 
 overnight ; a sudden change of weather had taken 
 place ; I had sunk down to the churchyard whilst 
 asleep, gently, and in the same proportion as the 
 snow had melted away ; and what in the dark I 
 had taken to be a stump of a little tree appearing 
 above the snow, to which I had tied my horse, 
 
396 
 
 TRAVELS OF BARON MUNOHAUSEN. 
 
 proved to have been the cross or weather-cock of 
 the steeple ! 
 
 Without long consideration I took one of my 
 pistols, shot the bridle in two, brought down the 
 horse, and proceeded on my journey. [Here the 
 Baron seems to have forgotten his feelings ; he 
 should certainly have ordered his horse a feed of 
 corn, after fasting so long.] 
 
 He carried me well — advancing into the inte- 
 rior parts of Russiu. I found traveling on horse- 
 back rather unfashionable in wintei-, therefore I 
 submitted, as I always do, to the custom of the 
 country, took a single horse sledge, and drove 
 briskly towards St. Petersburg. I do not exactly 
 recollect whether it was in Eastland or Jugeman- 
 land, but I remember that in the midst of a dreary 
 forest I spied a terrible wolf making after me, with 
 all the speed of ravenous winter hunger. He soon 
 overtook me. There was no possibility of escape. 
 Mechanically I laid myself down flat in the sledge, 
 and let my horse run for our safety. What I 
 wished, but hardly hoped or expected, happened 
 immediately after. The wolf did not mind me in 
 the least, but took a leap over me, and falling fu- 
 riously on the horse, began instantly to tear and 
 devour the hind-part of the poor animal^ which 
 ran the faster for his pain and terror. Thus un- 
 noticed and safe myself, I lifted my head slyly up, 
 and with horror I beheld tliat the wolf had ate his 
 way into the horse's body ; it was not long before 
 he had fairly forci^d himself into it, when I took 
 my advantage, and fell upon him with the butt- 
 end of my whip. This unexpected attack in his 
 rear frightened him so much, that he leaped for- 
 ward with all his might : the horse's carcass 
 chopped on the ground, but in his place the wolf 
 Avas in the harness, and I on my part whipping 
 him continually: we both arrived in full career 
 safe at St. Petersburg, contrary to our respective 
 expectations, and very much to the astonishment 
 of the sf)ectators. 
 
 I shall not tire you, gentlemen, with the poli- 
 tics, arts, sciences, and history of this magnificent 
 metropolis of Russia, nor trouble you with the 
 various intrigues and pleasant adventures I had 
 
 in the politer circles of that country, where the 
 lady of the house always receives the visitor with 
 a dram and a salute. I shall confine myself rather 
 to the greater and nobler objects of your atten- 
 tion, horses and dogs, my favorites in the brute 
 creation ; also to foxes, wolves, and bears, with 
 which, and game in general, Russia abounds more 
 than any other part of the world ; and to such 
 sports, manly exercises, and feats of gallantry 
 and .activity, as show the gentleman better than 
 musty Greek or Latin, or all the perfume, finery, 
 and capers of French wits or petit-7naitres. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 AN EXCOUNTER BETWEEN' THE BARON'S NOSE AND A 
 DOOR-POST, WITH ITS WONDERFUL EFFECT. — FIFTY 
 BRACE OF DUCKS AND OTHER FOWL DESTROYED BY 
 ONE SHOT. — FLOGS A FOX OUT OF HIS SKIN. — LEADS 
 AN OLD SOW HOME IN A NEW WAY, AND VANQUISHES 
 A WILD BOAR. 
 
 For several months (as it was some time before 
 I could obtain a commission in the army} I was 
 perfectly at liberty to sport away my time and 
 money in the most gentleman-like manner. You 
 may easily imagine that I spent much of both 
 out of town with such gallant fellows as knew 
 how to make the most of an open forest country. 
 The very recollection of those amusements gives 
 me fresh spirits, and creates a warm wish for a 
 repetition of them. One morning I saw, through 
 the windows of my bedroom, that a large pond 
 not far off was covered with wild ducks. In an 
 instant I took my gun from the corner, ran down- 
 stairs and out of the house in such a hurrv that I 
 imprudently struck my face against the door-post. 
 Fire flew out of my eyes, but it did not prevent 
 my intention ; I soon came within shot, when, 
 leveling my piece, I observed to my sorrow that 
 even the flint had sprung from the cock by the 
 violence of the shock I had just received. There 
 was no time to be lost. I presently remembered 
 the effect it had on my eyes, therefore opened the 
 pan, leveled my piece against the wild fowls, and 
 my fist against one of my eyes. [The Baron's 
 eyes have retained fire ever since, and appear par- 
 
TRAVELS OF BARON MUNCHAUSEN. 
 
 397 
 
 ticularly illuminated when he relates this anec- 
 dote.] A hearty blow drew sparks again ; the 
 shot went off, and I killed fifty brace of ducks, 
 twenty widgeons, and three couple of teals. 
 
 Presence of mind is the soul of manly exercises. 
 If soldiers and sailors owe to it many of their 
 lucky escapes, hunters and sportsmen are not less 
 beholden to it for many of their successes. In a 
 noble forest in Russia I met a fine black fox, whose 
 valuable skin it would have been a pity to tear 
 by ball or shot. Reynard stood close to a tree. 
 In a twinkling I took out my ball, and placed a 
 good spike-nail in its room, fired, and hit him so 
 cleverly that I nailed his brush fast to the tree. 
 I now went up to him, took out my hanger, gave 
 him a cross-cut over the face, laid hold of my 
 whip, and fairly flogged him out of his fine skin. 
 
 Chance and good luck often correct our mis- 
 takes ; of this I had a singular instance soon after, 
 when, in the depth of a forest, I saw a wild pig 
 and sow running close behind each other. My 
 ball had missed them, yet the foremost pig only 
 ran away, and the sow stood motionless, as fixed 
 to the ground. On examining into the matter, I 
 found the latter one to be an old sow, blind with 
 age, which had taken hold of her pig's tail, in or- 
 der to be led along by filial duty. My ball, hav- 
 ing passed between the two, had cut his leading- 
 string, which the old sow continued to hold in her 
 mouth ; and as her former guide did not draw her 
 on any longer, she had stopped of course ; I there- 
 fore laid hold of the remaining end of the pig's 
 tail, and led the old beast home without any fur- 
 ther trouble on my part, and without any reluct- 
 ance or apprehension on the part of the helpless 
 old animal. 
 
 Terrible as these wild sows are, yet more fierce 
 and dangerous are the boars, one of which I had 
 once the misfortune to meet in the forest, unpre- 
 pared for attack or defense. I retired behind an 
 oak-tree just when the furious animal leveled a side- 
 blow at me, with such force that his tusks pierced 
 through the tree, by which means he could nei- 
 ther repeat the blow nor retire. Ho, ho ! thought 
 I, I shall soon have you now ! and immediately I 
 
 laid hold of a stone, wherewith I hammered and 
 bent his tusks in such a manner that he could not 
 retreat by any means, and must wait my return 
 from the next village, whither I went for ropes 
 and a cart, to secure him properly, and to carry 
 him off safe and alive, in which I perfectly suc- 
 ceeded. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 REFLECTIONS ON SAINT HUBERT'S STAG. SHOOTS A STAG 
 
 WITH CHERRY-STONES ; THE WONDERFUL EFFECTS OF 
 IT. — KILLS A BEAR BY EXTRAORDINARY DEXTERITY ; 
 HIS DANGER PATHETICALLY DESCRIBED. — ATTACKED 
 BY A WOLF, WHICH HE TURNS INSIDE OUT. — IS AS- 
 SAILED BY A MAD DOG, FROM WHICH HE ESCAPES. — 
 THE baron's CLOAK SEIZED WITH MADNESS, BY 
 WHICH HIS WHOLE WARDROBE IS THROWN INTO CON- 
 FUSION. 
 
 I DAEE say you have heard of the hunter and 
 sportsman's saint and protector, St. Hubert, and 
 of the noble stag which appeared to him in the 
 forest, with the holy cross between his antlers. I 
 have paid my homage to that saint every year in 
 good fellowship, and seen this stag a thousand 
 times either painted in churches, or embroidered in 
 the stars of his knights ; so that, upon the honor 
 and conscience of a good sportsman, I hardly know 
 whether there may not have been formerly, or 
 whether there are not such crossed stags even at 
 this present day. But let me rather tell what I 
 have seen myself. Having one day spent all my 
 shot, I found myself unexpectedly in presence of 
 a stately stag, looking at me as unconcernedly as 
 if he had known of my empty pouches. I charged 
 immediately with powder, and upon it a good 
 handful of cherry-stones, for I had sucked the fruit 
 as far as the hurry would permit. Thus I let fly at 
 him, and hit him just on the middle of the forehead 
 between his antlers ; it stunned him — he stag- 
 gered — yet he made off. A year or two after, 
 being with a party in the same forest, I beheld a 
 noble stag with a fine full-grown cherry-tree above 
 ten feet high between his antlers. I immediately 
 recollected my former adventure, looked upon him 
 as my property, and brought him to the ground 
 by one shot, which at once gave me the haunch 
 
398 
 
 TRAVELS OF BARON MUNCHAUSEN. 
 
 and cherry-sauce ; for the tree was coTered with 
 the richest fruit, the like I had never tasted be- 
 fore. Who knows but some passionate, holy 
 sportsman, or sporting abbot or bishop, may have 
 shot, planted, and fixed the cross between the ant- 
 lers of St. Hubert's stag, in a manner similar to 
 this ? They always have been, and still are, fa- 
 mous for plantations of crosses and antlers ; and 
 in a case of distress or dilemma, which too often 
 happens to keen sportsmen, one is apt to grasp at 
 anything for safety, and to try any expedient 
 rather than miss the favorable opportunity. I have 
 many times found myself in that trying situation. 
 
 What do you say of this, for example ? Day- 
 light and powder were spent one day in a Polish 
 forest. When I was going home a terrible bear 
 made up to me in great speed, with open mouth, 
 ready to fall upon me ; all my pockets were 
 searched in an instant for powder and ball, but in 
 vain ; I found nothing but two spare flints : one 
 I flung with all my might into the monster's open 
 jaws, down his throat. It gave him pain and 
 made him turn about, so that I could level the 
 second at his back-door, which, indeed, I did with 
 wonderful success ; for it flew in, met the first 
 flint in the stomach, struck fire, and blew up the 
 bear with a terrible explosion. Though I came 
 safe off that time, yet I should not wish to try it 
 again, or venture against bears with no other am- 
 munition. 
 
 There is a kind of fatality in it. The fiercest 
 and most dangerous animals generally came upon 
 me when defenseless, as if they had a notion or an 
 instinctive intimation of it. Thus a frightful wolf 
 rushed upon me so suddenly, and so close, that I 
 could do nothing but follow mechanical instinct, 
 and thrust my fist into his open mouth. For 
 safety's sake I pushed on and on, till my arm was 
 fairly in up to the shoulder. How should I dis- 
 engage myself ? I was not much pleased with my 
 awkward situation — with a wolf face to face ; our 
 ogling was not of the most pleasant kind. If I 
 withdrew my arm, then the animal would fly the 
 more furiously upon me ; that I saw in his flam- 
 ing eyes. In short, I laid hold of his tail, turned 
 
 him inside out like a glove, and flung him to the 
 ground, where I left him. 
 
 The same expedient would not have answered 
 against a mad dog, which soon after came running 
 against me in a narrow street at St. Petersburg. 
 Run who can, I thought ; and to do this the bet- 
 ter, I threw off my fur cloak, and was safe within 
 doors in an instant. I sent my servant for the 
 cloak, and he put it in the wardrobe with my 
 other clothes. The day after I was amazed and 
 frightened by Jack's bawling, " For God's sake, 
 sir, your fur cloak is mad ! " I hastened up to him, 
 and found almost all my clothes tossed about and 
 torn to pieces. The fellow was perfectly right in 
 his apprehensions about the fur cloak's madness. 
 I saw him myself just then falling upon a fine 
 full-dress suit, which he shook and tossed in an 
 unmerciful manner. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 THE EFFECTS OF GREAT ACTIVITY AND PRESENCE OF 
 MIND. — A FAVORITE HOUND DESCRIBED, WHICH PUPS 
 WHILK PURSUING A HARE ; THE HARE ALSO LITTERS 
 WHILE PURSUED BY THE HOUXD. — PRESENTED WITH 
 A FAMOUS HORSE BY COUNT PRZOBOSSKY, WITH WHICH 
 HE PERFORMS MANY EXTRAORDINARY FEATS. 
 
 All these narrow and lucky escapes, gentlemen, 
 were chances turned to advantage by presence of 
 mind and vigorous exertions, which, taken to- 
 gether, as everybody knows, make the fortunate 
 sportsman, sailor, and soldier ; but he would be 
 a very blamable and imprudent sportsman, ad- 
 miral, or general, who would always depend upon 
 chance and his stars, without troubling himself 
 about those arts which are their particular pur- 
 suits, and without providing the very best imple- 
 ments which insure success. I was not blamable 
 either way ; for I have always been as remarkable 
 for the excellency of my horses, dogs, guns, and 
 swords, as for the proper manner of using and 
 managing them, so that upon the whole I may 
 hope to be remembered in the forest, upon the 
 turf, and in the field. I shall not enter here into 
 any detail of my stables, kennel, or armory ; but 
 a favorite bitch of mine I cannot help mentioning 
 
TRAVELS OF BARON MUNCHAUSEN. 
 
 399 
 
 to you ; she was a, greyhound, and I never had or 
 saw a better. She grew old in my service, and 
 was not remarkable for her size, but rather for 
 her uncommon swiftness. I always coursed with 
 her. Had you seen her you must have admired 
 her, and would not have wondered at my predi- 
 lection, and at my coursing her so much. She 
 ran so fast, so much, and so long in my service, 
 that she actually ran off her legs ; so that, in the 
 latter part of her life, I was under the necessity 
 of working and using her only as a terrier, in 
 which quality she still served me many years. 
 
 Coursing one day a hare which appeared to me 
 uncommonly big, I pitied my poor bitch, being 
 big with pups, yet she would course as fast as 
 ever. I could follow her on horseback only at a 
 great distance. At once I heard a cry as it were 
 of a pack of hounds — but so weak and faint that 
 I hardly knew what to make of it. Coming up to 
 them, I was greatly surprised. The hare had lit- 
 tered in running ; the same had happened to my 
 bitch in coursing, and there were just as many 
 leverets as pups. By instinct the former ran, the 
 latter coursed : and thus I found myself in posses- 
 sion at once of six hares, and as many dogs, at 
 the end of a course which had only begun with 
 one. 
 
 I remember this, my wonderful bitch, with the 
 same pleasure and tenderness as a superb Lithu- 
 anian horse, which no money could have bought. 
 He became mine by an accident, which gave me 
 an opportunity of showing my horsemanship to 
 a great advantage. I was at Count Przobossky's 
 noble country-seat in Lithuania, and remained 
 with the ladies at tea in the drawing-room, while 
 the gentlemen were down in the yard to see a 
 young horse of blood which had just arrived from 
 the stud. We suddenly heard a noise of distress ; 
 I hastened down-stairs, and found the horse so un- 
 ruly that nobody durst approach or mount him. 
 Tli« most resolute horsemen stood dismayed and 
 aghast; despondency was expressed in every coun- 
 tenance, when, in one leap, I was on his back, took 
 him by surprise, and worked him quite into gen- 
 tleness and obedience, with the best display of 
 
 horsemanship I was master of. Fully to show this 
 to the ladies, and save them unnecessary trouble, 
 I forced him to leap in at one of the open windows 
 of the tea-room, walked round several times, pace, 
 trot, and gallop, and at last made him mount the 
 tea-table, there to repeat his lessons in a pretty 
 style of miniature which was exceedingly pleasing 
 to the ladies, for he performed them amazingly 
 well, and did not break either cup or saucer. It 
 placed me so high in their opinion, and so well 
 in that of the noble lord, that, with his usual po- 
 liteness, he begged I would accept of this young 
 horse, and ride hiin full career to conquest and 
 honor in the campaign against the Turks, which 
 was soon to be opened, under the command of 
 Count Munich. 
 
 I could not indeed have received a more agree- 
 able present, nor a more ominous one at the open- 
 ing of that campaign, in which I made my appren- 
 ticeship as a soldier. A horse so gentle, so spirited, 
 and so fierce — at once a lamb and a Bucepha- 
 lus — put me always in mind of the soldier's and 
 the gentleman's duty I of young Alexander, and 
 of the astonishing things he performed in the 
 field. 
 
 We took the field, among several other reasons, 
 it seems, with an intention to retrieve the char- 
 acter of the Russian arms, which had been blem- 
 ished a little by Czar Peter's last campaign on the 
 Pruth ; and this we fully accomplished by several 
 very fatiguing and glorious campaigns under the 
 command of that great general I mentioned be- 
 fore. 
 
 Modesty forbids individuals to arrogate to them- 
 selves great successes or victories, the glory of 
 which is generally engrossed by the commander 
 — nay, which is rather awkward, by kings and 
 queens who never smelled gunpowder but at the 
 field-days and reviews of their troops ; never saw 
 a field of battle, or an enemy in battle array. 
 
 Nor do I claim any particular share of glory in 
 the great engagements with the enemy. We all 
 did our duty, which, in the patriot's, soldier's, and 
 gentleman's language, is a very comprehensive 
 word, of great honor, meaning, and import, and of 
 
400 
 
 TRAVELS OF BARON MUNCHAUSEN: 
 
 which the generality of idle quidnuncs and coffee- 
 house politicians can hardly form any but a very 
 mean and contemptible idea. However, having 
 had the command of a body of hussars, I went 
 upon several expeditions, with discretionary pow- 
 ers ; and the success I then met with is, I think, 
 fairly and only to be placed to my account, and to 
 that of the brave fellows whom I led on to con- 
 quest and to victory. We had very hot work 
 once in the van of the army, when we drove the 
 Turks into Oczakow. My spirited Lithuanian had 
 almost brought me into a scrape : I had an ad- 
 vanced fore-post, and saw the enemy coming 
 against me in a cloud of dust, which left me 
 rather uncertain about their actual numbers and 
 real intentions : to wrap myself up in a similar 
 cloud was common prudence, but would not have 
 much advanced my knowledge, or answered the 
 end for which I had been sent out ; therefore I let 
 my flankers on both wings spread to the right and 
 left, and make what dust they could, and I myself 
 led on straight upon the enemy, to have a nearer 
 sight of them ; in this I was gratified, for they 
 stood and fought, till, for fear of my flankers, they 
 began to move off rather disorderl3^ This was 
 the moment to fall upon them with spirit ; we 
 broke them entirely — made a terrible havoc 
 ■amongst them, and drove them not only back to 
 a walled town in their rear, but even through it, 
 contrary to our most sanguine expectation. 
 
 The swiftness of my Lithuanian enabled me to 
 be foremost in the pursuit; and seeing the enemy 
 fairly flying through the opposite gate, I thought 
 it would be prudent to stop in the market-place? 
 to order the men to rendezvous. I stopped, gen- 
 tlemen ; but judge of my astonishment when in 
 this market-place I saw not one of my hussars 
 about me ! Are they scouring the other streets ? 
 or what is become of them ? They could not be 
 far off, and must, at all events, soon join me. In 
 that expectation I walked my panting Lithuanian 
 to a spring in this market-place and let him drink. 
 He drank uncommonly, with an eagerness not to 
 be satisfied, but natural enough ; for when T looked 
 round for my men, what should I see, gentlemen ! 
 
 the hind part of the poor creature — croup and 
 legs were missing, as if he had been cut in two, 
 and the water ran out as it came in, without re. 
 freshing or doing him any good ! How it could 
 have happened was quite a mystery to me, till I 
 returned with him to the town gate. There I saw 
 that when I rushed in pell-mell with the flying 
 enemy, they had dropped the portcullis (a heavy 
 falling door, with sharp spikes at the bottom, let 
 down suddenly to prevent the entrance of an 
 enemy into a fortified town) unperceived by me, 
 which had totally cut off his hind part, that still 
 lay quivering on the outside of the gate. It would 
 have been an irreparable loss, had not our farrier 
 contrived to bring both parts together while hot. 
 He sewed them up with sprigs and young shoots 
 of laurels that were at hand ; the wound healed, 
 and, what could not have happened but to so 
 glorious a horse, the sprigs took root in his body, 
 grew up and formed, a bower over me; so that 
 afterwards I could go upon many other expe- 
 ditions in the shade of my own and my horse's 
 laurels. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 THE BAROX IS MADE A PRISONER OP WAR, AND SOLD 
 FOR A SLAVE. — KEEPS THE SULTAN's BEES, WHICH 
 ARE ATTACKED BY TWO BEARS. — LOSES ONE OF HIS 
 BEES.; A SILVER HATCHET, WHICH HE THROWS AT 
 THE BEARS, REBOUNDS AND FLIES UP TO THE MOON ; 
 BRINGS IT BACK BY AN INGENIOUS INVENTION ; FALLS 
 TO THE EARTH ON HIS RETURN, AND HELPS HIMSELF 
 OUT OF A PIT. — EXTRICATES HIMSELF FROJI A CAR- 
 RIAGE WHICH MEETS HIS IN A NARROW ROAD, IN A 
 MANNER NEVER BEFORE ATTEMPTED NOR PRACTICED 
 SINCE. — THE WONDERFUL EFFECTS OF THE FROST 
 UPON HIS servant's FRENCH HORN. 
 
 Success was not always with me. I had the 
 misfortune to be overpowered by numbers, to be 
 made prisoner of war ; and, what is worse, but 
 always usual among the Turks, to be sold for a 
 slave. [The Baron was afterwards in great favor 
 with the Grand Seignior, as will appear hereafter.] 
 In that state of humiliation my daily task was not 
 very hard and laborious, but rather singular and 
 irksome. It was to drive the Sultan's bees every 
 morning to their pasture-grounds, to attend them 
 
\ 
 
 C-x 
 
 \ 
 
 
 
 .\-. 
 
 \ 
 
 ^l 
 
 
 
 \> 
 
 
 
 
 f'i 
 
 \ .\> 
 
 -\ 
 
 ' THE WATER RAN OUT ' 
 
TRAVELS OF BARON MUNCHAUSEK 
 
 401 
 
 all the day long, and against night to drive them 
 back to their hives. One evening I missed a bee, 
 and soon observed that two bears had fallen upon 
 her to tear her to pieces for the honey she carried. 
 I had nothing like an offensive weapon in my 
 hands but the silver hatchet, which is the badge 
 of the Sultan's gardeners and farmers. I threw it ' 
 at the robbers, with an intention to frighten them 
 away, and set the 
 poor bee at liberty ; 
 but by an unlucky 
 turn of my arm, it 
 flew upwards, and 
 continued rising till 
 it reached the moon. 
 How should I re- 
 cover it ? how fetch 
 it down again ? I 
 recollected that Tur- 
 key-beans grow very 
 quick, and run up 
 to an astonishing 
 height. I planted 
 one immediately ; it 
 grew, and actually 
 fastened itself to one 
 of the moon's horns. 
 I had no more to do 
 now but to climb up 
 by it into the moon, 
 where I safely ar- 
 rived, and had a 
 troublesome piece of 
 business before I 
 could find my silver 
 hatchet, in a place where everything has the 
 brightness of silver ; at last, however, I found it 
 in a heap of chaff and chopped straw. I was 
 now for returning : but, alas ! the heat of the 
 sun had dried up my bean; it was totally useless 
 for my descent ; so I fell to work, and twisted me 
 a rope of that chopped straw, as long and as well 
 as I could make it. This I fastened to one of the 
 moon's horns, and slid down to the end of it. 
 Here I held myself fast with the left hand, and 
 
 61 
 
 with the hatchet in my right, I cut the long, now 
 useless, end of the upper part, which, when tied t(? 
 the lower end, brought me a good deal lower : 
 this repeated splicing and tying of the rope did 
 not improve its quality, or bring me down to the 
 Sultan's farm. I was four or five miles from the 
 earth at least when it broke ; I fell to the ground 
 with such amazing violence that I found myself 
 
 stunned, and in a 
 hole nine fathoms 
 deep at least, made 
 by the weight of ray 
 body falling from so 
 great a height : I re- 
 covered, but knew 
 not how to get out 
 again ; however, I 
 dug slopes or steps 
 with my finger-nails 
 (the Baron's nails 
 were then of forty 
 years' growth), and 
 easily accomplished 
 it. 
 
 Peace was soon 
 after concluded with 
 the Turks, and gain- 
 ing my liberty, I left 
 St. Petersburg at 
 the time of that sin- 
 g u 1 a r revolution, 
 when the emperor in 
 his cradle, his moth- 
 er, the Duke of 
 Brunswick, her 
 father, Field-marshal Munich, and many others 
 were sent to Siberia. The winter was then so un- 
 commonly severe all over Europe, that ever since 
 the sun seems to be frost-bitten. At my return 
 to this place, I felt on the road greater inconven- 
 iences than those I had experienced on my setting 
 out. 
 
 I traveled post, and finding myself in a narrow 
 lane, bid the postilion give a signal with his horn, 
 that other travelers might not meet us in the nar- 
 
402 
 
 TRAVELS OF BARON MUNCHAUSEN. 
 
 row passage. He blew with all his might ; but 
 his endeavors were in vain, he could not make the 
 horn sound, which was unaccountable and rather 
 unfortunate, for soon after we found ourselves in 
 the presence of another coach coming the other 
 way: there was no proceeding; however, I got 
 out of my carriage, and being pretty strong, placed 
 it, wheels and all, upon my head : I then jumped 
 over a hedge about nine feet high (which, consid- 
 ering the weight of the coach, was rather difficult) 
 into a field, and came out again by another jump 
 into the road beyond the other carriage : I then 
 went back for the horses, and placing one upon 
 my head, and the other under my left arm, by the 
 same means brought them to ni}^ coach, put to, 
 and proceeded to an inn at the end of our stage. 
 I should have told you that the horse under my 
 arm was very spirited, and not above four years 
 old ; in malyng my second spring over the hedge 
 
 he expressed great dislike to that violent kind of 
 motion by kicking and snorting ; however, I con- 
 fined his hind legs by putting them into my coat- 
 pocket. After we arrived at the inn my postilion 
 and I refreshed ourselves : he hung his horn on a 
 peg near the kitchen fire ; I sat on the other side. 
 Suddenly we heard a tereng ! tereng ! teng ! 
 teng ! We looked round, and now found the rea- 
 son why the postilion had not been able to sound 
 his horn ; his tunes were frozen up in the horn, 
 and came out now by thawing, plain enough, and 
 much to the credit of the driver ; so that the hon- 
 est fellow entertained us for some time with a va- 
 riety of tunes, without putting his mouth to the 
 horn — The King of Prussia's March — Over the 
 Hill and over the Dale — with many other favor- 
 ite tunes; at length the thawing entertainment 
 concluded, as I shall this short account" of my Rus- 
 sian travels. 
 
THE BOOK OF POETRY. 
 
 THE PET LAMB. 
 
 The dew was falling fast, the stars began to blink ; 
 I heard a voice : it said, " Drink, pretty creature 
 
 drink ! " 
 And, looking o'er the hedge, before me I espied 
 A snow-white mountain lamb, with a maiden at its 
 
 side. 
 
 No other sheep were near, the lamb was all alone, 
 And by a slender cord was tethered to a stone ; 
 With one knee on the grass did the little maiden kneel, 
 "While, to that mountain lamb she gave its evening 
 meal. 
 
 The lamb, while from her hand he thus his supper 
 
 took, 
 Seemed to feast with head and ears ; and his tail with 
 
 pleasure shook, 
 " Drink, pretty creature, drink," she said in such a tone, 
 That I almost received her heart into my own. 
 
 'T was little Barbara Lewthwaite, a child of beauty 
 
 rare! 
 I watched them with delight : they were a lovely pair. 
 Now with her empty can the maiden turned away ; 
 But, ere ten yards were gone, her footsteps did she 
 
 stay. 
 
 Towards the lamb she looked ; and from that shady 
 
 place 
 I, unobserved, could see the workings of her face : 
 If Nature to her tongue could measured numbers 
 
 bring. 
 Thus, thought I, to her lamb that little maid might 
 
 smg : — 
 
 "What ails thee, young one? What? Why pull so 
 at thy cord ? 
 
 Is it not well with thee ? well both for bed and board ? 
 Thy plot of grass is soft, and green as grass can be ; 
 Rest, little young one, rest : what is 't that aileth 
 thee? 
 
 " Rest, little young one, rest ; thou hast forgot the day 
 When my father found thee first in places far away : 
 Many flocks were on the hUls, but thou wert owned 
 
 by none, 
 And thy mother from thy side for evermore was gone. 
 
 " He took thee in his arms, and in pity brought thee 
 
 home : 
 A blessed day for thee ! Then whither wouldst thou 
 
 roam? 
 A faithful nurse thou hast : the dam that did thee 
 
 yean 
 Upon the mountain-tops no kinder could have been. 
 
 " Thou knowest that twice a day I have brought thee in 
 
 this can 
 Fresh water from the brook, as clear as ever ran ; 
 And twice in the day, when the ground is wet with 
 
 dew, 
 I bring thee draughts of milk, — warm milk it is and 
 
 new. 
 
 " It will not, will not rest ! — poor creature, can it be 
 That 't is thy mother's heart which is working so in 
 
 thee? 
 Things that I know not of belike to thee are dear, 
 And dreams of things which thou canst neither see 
 
 nor hear." 
 
 As homeward through the lane I went with lazy feet, 
 This song to myself did I oftentimes repeat ; 
 And it seemed, as I retraced the ballad line by line, 
 That but half of it was hers, and one half of it was 
 mine. 
 
404 
 
 THE BOOK OF POETRY. 
 
 Again, and once again, did I repeat the song; 
 " Nay," said I, " more than half to the damsel must be- 
 long. 
 For she looked with such a look, and she spake with 
 
 such a tone, 
 That I almost received her heart mto mine own." 
 
 William Wordsworth. 
 
 POOR SUSAN. 
 
 At the corner of Wood Street, when daylight appears, 
 There 's a thrush that sings loud, — it has sung for three 
 
 years ;, 
 Poor Susan has passed by the spot, and has heard 
 In the silence of morning the song of the bird. 
 
 'T is a note of enchantment : what ails her ? She sees 
 A mountain ascending, a vision of trees ; 
 Bright volumes of vapor through Lothbury glide. 
 And a river flows on through the vale of Cheapside. 
 
 Green pastures she views in the midst of the dale, 
 Down which she so often has tripped with her pail ; 
 And a single small cottage, a nest like a dove's. 
 The one only dwelling on earth that she loves. 
 
 She looks, and her heart is in heaven ; but they fade, — 
 The mist and the river, the hill and the shade : 
 The stream will not flow, and the hill will not rise. 
 And the colors have all passed away from her eyes. 
 William Wordsworth. 
 
 EPITAPH ON A HARE. 
 
 Here lies, whom hound did ne'er pursue, 
 Nor swifter greyhound follow. 
 
 Whose foot ne'er tainted morning dew, 
 Nor ear heard huntsman's hallo ! 
 
 Old Tiney, surliest of his kind, 
 Who, nursed with tender care, 
 
 And to domestic bounds confined, 
 Was still a wild Jack-hare. 
 
 Though duly from my hand he took 
 
 His pittance every night. 
 He did it with a jealous look. 
 
 And, when he could, would bite. 
 
 His diet was of wheaten bread, 
 And milk, and oats, and straw ; 
 
 Thistles, or lettuces instead. 
 With sand to scour his maw. 
 
 On twigs of hawthorn he regaled, 
 
 On pippin's russet peel, 
 And when his juicy salads failed, 
 
 Sliced carrot pleased him well. 
 
 A Turkey carpet was his lawn. 
 
 Whereon he loved to bound. 
 To skip and gambol like a fawn 
 
 And swing himself around. 
 
 His frisking was at evening hours, 
 
 For then he lost his fear. 
 But most before approaching showers, 
 
 Or when a storm drew near. 
 
 Eight years and five round-rolling moons 
 
 He thus saw steal away, 
 Dozing out all his idle noons, 
 
 And every night at play. 
 
 I kept him for his humors' sake. 
 
 For he would oft beguile 
 My heart of thoughts that made it ache, 
 
 And force me to a smile. 
 
 But now, beneath this walnut shade, 
 
 He finds his long last home. 
 And waits, in snug concealment laid. 
 
 Till gentler Puss shall come. 
 
 He, still more aged, feels the shocks 
 
 From which no care can save. 
 And, partner once of Tiney 's box. 
 
 Must soon partake his grave. 
 
 William Cowpee. 
 
LLEWELLYN AND HIS DOG. 
 
 406 
 
 LLEWELLYN AND HIS DOG. 
 
 The spearmen heard the bugle sound, 
 And cheer'ly smiled the morn ; 
 
 And many a dog, and many a hound, 
 Attend Llewellyn's horn. 
 
 And still he blew a louder blast, 
 And gave a louder cheer ; 
 " Come, Gelert ! why art thou the last 
 Llewellyn's horn to hear ? 
 
 " Oh, where does faithful Gelert roam. 
 The flower of all his race? 
 So true, so brave — a lamb at home, 
 A lion in the chase." 
 
 That day Llewellyn little loved 
 
 The chase of hart or hare, 
 And scant and small the booty proved, 
 
 For Gelert was not there. 
 
 Unpleased, Llewellyn homeward hied, 
 
 When, near the portal seat. 
 His truant Gelert he espied, 
 
 Bounding his lord to greet. 
 
 But when he gained the castle door. 
 
 Aghast the chieftain stood ; 
 The hound was smeared with gouts of gore, 
 
 His lips and fangs ran blood ! 
 
 Llewellyn gazed with wild surprise ; 
 
 Unused such looks to meet, 
 His fav'rite checked his joyful guise, 
 
 And crouched, and licked his feet. 
 
 Onward in haste Llewellyn passed 
 
 (And on went Gelert too). 
 And still, where'er his eyes were cast. 
 
 Fresh blood-gouts shocked his view ! 
 
 O'erturned his infant's bed he found. 
 
 The blood-stained cover rent; 
 And all around the walls and ground 
 With recent blood besprent. 
 
 He called his child — no voice replied; 
 
 He searched with terror wild ; 
 Blood ! blood ! he found on every side. 
 
 But nowhere found his child ! 
 
 " Hell-hound ! by thee my child 's devoured! " 
 The frantic father cried ; 
 And to the hilt his vengeful sword 
 He plunged in Gelert's side. 
 
 His suppliant, as to earth he fell. 
 No pity could impart ; 
 But still his Gelert's dying yell 
 Passed heavy o'er his heart. 
 
 Aroused by Gelert's dying yell. 
 Some slumberer wakened nigh ; 
 
 What words the parent's joy can tell, 
 To hear his infant cry ! 
 
 Concealed beneath a mangled heap. 
 His hurried search had missed. 
 
 All glowing from his rosy sleep, 
 His cherub boy he kissed ! 
 
 Nor scratch had he, nor harm, nor dread, 
 But the same couch beneath 
 
406 
 
 THE BOOK OF POETRY. 
 
 Lay a great \Tolf, all torn and dead, — 
 Tremendous still in death ! 
 
 Ah, what was then Llewellyn's pain ! 
 
 For now the truth was clear ; 
 The gallant hound the wolf had slain, 
 
 To save Llewellyn's heir. 
 
 Vain, vain was all Llewellyn's woe; 
 
 " Best of thy kind, adieu ! 
 The frantic deed which laid thee low 
 
 This heart shall ever rue ! " 
 
 And now a gallant tomb they raised, 
 
 With costly sculpture decked ; 
 And marbles storied with his praise 
 
 Poor Gelert's bones protect. 
 
 Here never could the spearman pass, 
 
 Or forester, unmoved, 
 Here oft the tear-besprinkled grass 
 
 Llewellyn's sorrow proved. 
 
 And here he hung his horn and spear. 
 
 And oft, as evening fell, 
 In fancy's piercing sounds would hear 
 
 Poor Gelert's dying yell. 
 
 Robert Southet. 
 
 PAUL EEVERE'S RIDE. 
 
 Listen, my children, and you shall hear 
 
 Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere, 
 
 On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy-five ; 
 
 Hardly a man is now alive 
 
 Who remembo's that famous day and 3ear. 
 
 He said to his friend, " If the British march 
 By land or sea from the town to-night, 
 Hang a lantern aloft in the belfry arch 
 Of the North Church tower as a signal light. 
 One, if by land, and two, if by sea ; 
 And I on the opposite shore will be. 
 Ready to ride and spread the alarm 
 Through every Middlesex village and farm. 
 For the country-folk to be up and to arm." 
 
 Then he said, ■' Good-night ! " and with muffled oar 
 
 Silently rowed to the Charlestown shore, 
 
 Just as the moon rose over the bay. 
 
 Where swinging wide at her moorings lay 
 
 The Somerset, British man-of-war ; 
 
 A phantom ship, with each mast and spar 
 
 Across the moon like a prison bar. 
 
 And a huge black hulk, that was magnified 
 
 By its own reflection in the tide. 
 
 Meanwhile, his friend, through alley and street, 
 Wanders and watches with eager ears. 
 Till in the silence around him he hears 
 The muster of men at the barrack door. 
 The sound of arms, and the ti'arap of feet. 
 And the measured tread of the grenadiers. 
 Marching down to their boats on the shore. 
 
 Then he climbed the tower of the Old North Church, 
 
 By the wooden stairs, with stealthy tread. 
 
 To the belfry-chamber overhead. 
 
 And startled the pigeons from their perch 
 
PAUL REVERES RIDE. 
 
 407 
 
 On the sombre rafters, that round Mm made 
 Masses and moving shapes of shade, — 
 By the trembling ladder steep and tall. 
 To the highest window in the wall, 
 Where he paused to listen and look down 
 A moment on the roofs of the town, 
 And the moonlight flowing over all. 
 
 Beneath, in the church- 
 yard, lay the dead, 
 
 In their night encamp- 
 ment on the hill, 
 
 Wrapped in silence so 
 deep and still 
 
 That he could hear, like 
 a sentinel's tread. 
 
 The watchful night- 
 wind, as it went 
 
 Creeping along from 
 tent to tent, 
 
 And seeming to whis- 
 per, "All is well!" 
 
 A moment only he 
 feels the spell 
 
 Of the place and the 
 hour, and the 
 secret dread 
 
 Of the lonely belfry 
 and the dead ; 
 
 For suddenly all his 
 thoughts are bent 
 
 On a shadowy some- 
 thing far away, 
 
 Where the river widens 
 to meet the bay, — 
 
 A line of black that 
 bends and floats 
 
 On the rising tide, like 
 a bridge of boats. 
 
 Meanwhile, impatient to mount and ride, 
 Booted and spurred, with a heavy stride 
 On the opposite shore walked Paul Revere. 
 Now he patted his horse's side, 
 Now gazed at the landscape far and near. 
 Then, impetuous, stamped the earth. 
 And turned and tightened his saddle-girth ; 
 But mostly he watched with eager search 
 
 The belfry-tower of the Old North Church, 
 
 As it rose above the graves on the hill, 
 
 Lonely and spectral and sombre and still. 
 
 And lo ! as he looks, on the belfry's height . 
 
 A glimmer, and then a gleam of light ! 
 
 He springs to the saddle, the bridle he turns, 
 
 But lingers and gazes, till full on his sight 
 
 A second lamp in the 
 belfry burns ! 
 
 A hurry of hoofs in a 
 village street, 
 
 A shape in the moon- 
 light, a bulk in the 
 dark. 
 
 And beneath, from the 
 pebbles, in pass- 
 ing, a spark 
 
 Struck out by a steed 
 flying fearless and 
 fleet : 
 
 That was all ! And 
 yet, through the 
 gloom and the 
 light. 
 
 The fate of a nation 
 was riding' that 
 night : 
 
 And the spark struck 
 out by that steed, 
 in his flight, 
 
 Kindled the land into 
 flame with its heat. 
 
 He has left the village 
 and mounted the 
 steep, 
 And beneath him, 
 tranquil and broad 
 and deep. 
 
 Is the Mystic, meeting the ocean tides ; 
 And under the alders, that skirt its edge. 
 Now soft on the sand, now loud on the ledge, 
 Is heard the tramp of his steed as he rides. 
 
 It was twelve by the village clock 
 
 When he crossed the bridge into Medford town. 
 
 He heard the crowing of the cock, 
 
LOGHINVAR. 
 
 409 
 
 And the barking of the farmer's dog. 
 And felt the damp of the river fog, 
 That rises after the sun goes down. 
 
 It was one by the village clock 
 
 When he galloped into Lexington. 
 
 He saw the gilded weathercock 
 
 Swim in the moonlight as he passed, 
 
 And the meeting-house windows, blank and bare, 
 
 Gaze at him with a spectral glare. 
 
 As if they already stood aghast 
 
 At the bloody work they would look upon. 
 
 It was two by the village clock 
 
 When he came to the bridge in Concord town. 
 
 He heard the bleating of the flock. 
 
 And the twitter of birds among the trees, 
 
 And felt the breath of the morning breeze 
 
 Blowing over the meadows brown. 
 
 And one was safe and asleep in his bed 
 
 Who at the bridge would be first to fall, 
 
 Who that day would be lying dead, 
 
 Pierced by a British musket-ball. 
 
 You know the rest. In the books you have read, 
 How the British Regulars fired and fled, — 
 How the farmers gave them ball for ball, 
 From behind each fence and farm-yard wall, 
 Chasing the red-coats down the lane. 
 Then crossing the fields to emerge again 
 Under the trees at the turn of the road, 
 And only pausing to fire and load. 
 
 So through the night rode Paul Revere ; 
 
 And so through the night went his cry of alarm 
 
 To every Middlesex village and farm, — 
 
 A cry of defiance and not of fear, 
 
 A voice in the darkness, a knock at the door, 
 
 And a word that shall echo for evermore ! 
 
 For, borne on the night-wind of the Past, 
 
 Through all our history, to the last. 
 
 In the hour of darkness and peril and need, 
 
 The people will waken and listen to hear 
 
 The hurrying hoof-beats of that steed. 
 
 And the midnight message of Paul Revere. 
 
 Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 
 
 LOCHINVAR. 
 
 Oh, young Lochinvar is come out of the west ; 
 Through all the wide Border his steed was the best, 
 And save his good broadsword he weapons had none ; 
 He rode all unarmed, and he rode all alone. 
 So faithful in love, and so dauntless in war. 
 There never was knight like the young Lochinvar. 
 
 He stayed not for brake, and he stopped not for stone, 
 
 He swam the Eske river where ford there was none ; 
 
 But, ere he alighted at Netherby gate. 
 
 The bride had consented, the gallant came late : 
 
 For a laggard in love and a dastard in war 
 
 Was to wed the fair Ellen of brave Lochinvar. 
 
 So boldly he entered the Netherby hall, 
 Among bridesmen and kinsmen, and brothers and all. 
 Then spoke the bride's father, his hand on his sword 
 (For the poor craven bridegroom said never a word), 
 " Oh, come ye in peace here, or come ye in war, 
 Or to dance at our bridal, young Lord Lochinvar ? " 
 
 " I long wooed your daughter, my suit you denied ; — 
 Love swells like the Solway, but ebbs like its tide ; 
 
410 
 
 THE BOOK OF POETRY. 
 
 And DOW I am come, with this lost love of mine 
 To lead but one measure, drink one cup of wine. 
 There are maidens in Scotland more lovely by far 
 That would gladly be bride to the young Lochinvar." 
 
 The bride kissed the goblet ; the knight took it up : 
 He quaffed off the wine, and he threw down the cup. 
 She looked down to blush, and she looked up to sigh. 
 With a smile on her lips and a tear in her eye. 
 Pie took her soft hand ere her mother could bar, — 
 " Now tread we a measure ! " said young Lochinvar. 
 
 So stately his form, and so lovely her face, 
 That never a hall such a galliard did grace ; 
 While her mother did fret, and her father did fume. 
 And the bridegroom stood dangling his bonnet and 
 
 plume ; 
 And the bride-maidens whispered, " 'T were better by 
 
 far 
 To have matched our fair cousin with youilg Lochinvar." 
 
 One touch to her hand, and one word in her ear. 
 When they reached the hall door and the charger stood 
 
 near ; 
 So light to the croup the fair lady he swung. 
 So light to the saddle before her he sprung ! 
 " She is won ! we are gone, over bank, bush, and scaur ! 
 They '11 have fleet steeds that follow ! " quoth young 
 Lochinvar. 
 
 There was mounting 'mong Graemes of the Netherby 
 
 clan ; 
 Forsters, Fenwicks, and Musgraves, they rode and 
 
 they ran ; 
 There was racing and chasing on Cannobie Lee ; 
 But the lost bride of Netherby ne'er did they see. 
 So daring in love, and so dauntless in war. 
 Have ye e'er heard of gallant like young Lochinvar ? 
 
 Walter Scott. 
 
 GOODY BLAKE AND HAERY GILL. 
 
 A TKUE STORY. 
 
 Oh ! what 's the matter ? what 's the matter .'' 
 What is 't that ails young Harry Gill, 
 That evermore his teeth they chatter, 
 Chatter, chatter, chatter still ? 
 
 Of waistcoats Harry has no lack. 
 Good duffil gray, and flannel fine ; 
 He has a blanket on his back, 
 And coats enough to smother nine. 
 
 In March, December, and in July, 
 'T is all the same with Harry Gill ; 
 The neighbors tell, and tell you truly, 
 His teeth they chatter, chatter still. 
 At night, at morning, and at noon, 
 'T is all the same with Harry Gill ; 
 Beneath the sun, beneath the moon. 
 His teeth they chatter, chatter still. 
 
 Young Harry was a lusty drover, 
 And who so stout of limb as he? 
 His cheeks were red as ruddy clover ; 
 His voice was like the voice of three. 
 Old Goody Blake was old and poor ; 
 111 fed she was and thinly clad ; 
 And any man who passed her door 
 Might see how poor a hut she had. 
 
 All day she spun in her poor dwelling : 
 And then her three hours' work at night, 
 Alas ! 't was hai'dly worth the telling. 
 It would not pay for candle-light. 
 Remote from sheltered village green. 
 On a hill's northern side she dwelt, 
 Where from sea-blasts the hawthorns lean. 
 And hoary dews are slow to melt. 
 
 By the same fire to boil their pottage, 
 Two poor old dames, as I have known. 
 Will often live in one small cottage ; 
 But she, poor woman ! housed alone. 
 'T was well enough when summer came, 
 The long, warm, lightsome summer day, 
 Then at her door the scanty dame 
 Would sit, as any linnet gay. 
 
 But when the ice our streams did fetter, 
 Oh. then how her old bones would shake ! 
 You would have said, if you had met her, 
 'T was a hard time for Goody Blake. 
 Her evenings then were dull and dead: 
 Sad case it was, as you may think, 
 For very cold to go to bed. 
 And then for cold not sleep a wink. 
 
GOODY BLAKE AND HARRY GILL. 
 
 411 
 
 O joy for her ! whene'er in winter 
 The winds at night had made a rout ; 
 And scattered many a lusty splinter, 
 And many a rotten bough about. 
 
 Yet never had she, well or sick, 
 As every man who knew her says, 
 A pile beforehand, turf or stick, 
 Enough to warm her for three days. 
 
412 
 
 THE BOOK OF POETRY. 
 
 Now, when the frost was past enduring, 
 And made her poor old bones to aohe, 
 Could anything be more alluring 
 Than an old hedge to Goody Blake ? 
 And now and then, it must be said, 
 When her old boues were cold and chill, 
 She left her tire, or left her bed, 
 To seek the hedge of Harry Gill. 
 
 Now Harry he had long suspected 
 This trespass of old Goody Blake ; 
 And vowed that she should be detected — 
 That he on her would vengeance take ; 
 And oft from his warm fire he 'd go. 
 And to the fields his road would take ; 
 And there at night, in frost and snow, 
 He watched to seize old Good>' Blake. 
 
 And once behind a rick of barley, 
 Thus lookiiji;- out did Harry stand ; 
 The moon was full and shining clearly, 
 And crisp with frost the stubble land. 
 — He hears a noise — he 's all awake — 
 Again ? — on tiptoe down the hill 
 He softly creeps — 't is Goody Blake ; 
 She 's at the hedge of Harry Gill ! 
 
 Right glad was he when he beheld her ; 
 Stick after stick did Goody pull : 
 He stood behind a bush of elder, 
 Till she had fiU'd her apron full 
 When with her load she turned about 
 The by-way back again to take ; 
 He started forward with a shout. 
 And sprang upon poor Goody Blake. 
 
 " God, who art never out of hearing, 
 Oh may he never more be warm ! " 
 The cold, cold moon above her head, 
 Thus on her knees did Goody pray ; 
 Young Harry heard what she had said. 
 And icy cold he turned away. 
 
 He went complaining all the morrow 
 That he was cold and very chill : 
 His face was gloom, his heart was sorrow, 
 Alas ! that day for Harry Gill 1 
 That day he wore a riding-coat. 
 But not a whit the warmer he : 
 Another was on Tliursday bought ; 
 And ere the Sabbath he had three. 
 
 'T was all in vain, a useless matter, 
 And blankets were about him pinned ; 
 Yet still his jaws and teeth they chatter, 
 Like a loose casement in the wind. 
 And Harry's flesh it fell away ; 
 And all who see him say 't is plain, 
 That, live as long as live he may, 
 He never will be warm again. 
 
 No word to any man he utters, 
 A-bed or up, to young or old ; 
 But ever to himself he mutters, 
 " Poor Harry Gill is ^ery cold ! "' 
 A-bed or up, by night or day. 
 His teeth they chatter, chatter stilh 
 Now think, ye farmers all, I pray. 
 Of Goody Blake and Harry Gill'l 
 
 William Wordsworth. 
 
 And fiercely by the arm he took her. 
 And by the arm he held her fast. 
 And fiercely by the arm he shook her. 
 And cried, '^ I 've caught you then at last ! ' 
 Then Goody, who had nothing said, 
 Her bundle from her lap let fall, 
 And kneeling on the sticks she prayed 
 To God that is the judge of all. 
 
 She prayed, her withered hand uprearing, 
 While Harry held her by the arm — 
 
 HOW THEY BROUGHT THE GOOD NEWS 
 FROM GHENT TO AIX. 
 
 I SPRANG to the stirrup, and Joris, and he ; 
 
 I galloped, Dirck galloped, we galloped all three ; 
 " Good speed ! " cried the watch, as the gate-bolts un- 
 drew ; 
 " Speed ! " echoed the wall to us galloping through ; 
 
 Behind shut the postern, the lights saink to rest, 
 
 And into the midnight we galloped abreast. 
 

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LUGY GRAY. 
 
 413 
 
 Not a word to each other ; we kept the great pace 
 Neck by neck, stride by stride, never changing our 
 
 place ; 
 I turned in my saddle and made its girths tight. 
 Then shortened each stirrup, and set the pique right, 
 Rebuckled the check-strap, chained slacker the bit. 
 Nor galloped less steadily Roland a whit. 
 
 'T was moonset at starting ; but, while we drew near 
 Lokeren, the cocks crew and twilight dawned clear ; 
 At Boon, a great yellow star came out to see ; 
 At DiiffeM, 't was morning as plain as could be ; 
 And from Mecheln church-steeple we heard the half- 
 chime. 
 So Joris broke silence with, " Yet there is time ! " 
 
 At Aerschot, up leaped of a sudden the sun, 
 And against him the cattle stood black every one. 
 To stare through the mist at us galloping past, 
 And I saw my stout galloper, Roland, at last, 
 With resolute shoulders each butting away 
 The haze, as some bluff river headland its spray ; 
 
 And his low head and crest, just one sharp ear bent 
 
 back 
 For my voice, and the other pricked out on his track ; 
 And one eye's black intelligence, — ever that glance 
 O'er its white edge at me, his own master, askance ! 
 And the thick heavy spume-flakes which aye and anon 
 His fierce lips shook upwards in galloping on. 
 
 By Hasselt, Dirck groaned ; and cried Joris, " Stay 
 
 spur ! 
 Your Roos galloped bravely, the fault 's not in her, 
 "We '11 remember at Aix " — for one heard the quick 
 
 wheeze 
 Of her chest, saw the stretched neck, and staggering 
 
 knees. 
 And sunk tail, and horrible heave of the flank, 
 As down on her haunches she shuddered and sank. 
 
 So we were left galloping, Joris and I, 
 
 Past Loos and past Tongres, no cloud in the sky; 
 
 The broad sun above laughed a pitiless laugh, 
 
 'Neath our feet broke the brittle bright stubble-like 
 
 chaff; 
 Till over by Dalhem a dome-tower sprang white. 
 And " Gallop," cried Joris, " for Aix is in sight ! " 
 
 " How they '11 greet us ! " and all in a moment his roan 
 Rolled neck and croup over, lay dead as a stone ; 
 And there was my Roland to bear the whole weight 
 Of the news which alone could save Aix from her 
 
 fate, 
 With his nostrils like pits full of blood to the brim, 
 And with circles of red for his eye-sockets' rim. 
 
 Then I cast my loose buff-coat, each holster let fall. 
 Shook off both my jack-boots, let go belt and all. 
 Stood up in the stirrup, leaned, patted his ear. 
 Called my Roland his pet name, my horse without 
 
 peer ; 
 Clapped my hands, laughed and sang, any noise, bad 
 
 or good, 
 Till at length into Aix Roland galloped and stood. 
 
 And all I remember is friends flocking round 
 
 As I sat with his head 'twixt my knees on the 
 
 ground. 
 And no voice but was praising this Roland of mine, 
 As I poured down his throat our last measure of 
 
 wine. 
 Which (the burgesses voted by common consent) 
 Was no more than his due who brought good news 
 
 from Ghent. 
 
 Robert Browning. 
 
 LUCY GRAY. 
 
 OR SOLITTTDE. 
 
 Oft I had heard of Lucy Gray : 
 And, when I crossed the wild, 
 I chanced to see at break of day 
 The solitary child. 
 
 No mate, no comrade Lucy knew ; 
 She dwelt on a wide moor, — 
 The sweetest thing that ever grew 
 Beside a human door ! 
 
 You yet may spy the fawn at play, 
 The hare upon the green ; 
 But the sweet face of Lucy Gray 
 Will never more be seen. 
 
414 
 
 THE BOOK OF POETRY. 
 
 " To-night will be a stormy uight — 
 You to the town must go ; 
 And take a lantern, child, to light 
 Your mother through the snow." 
 
 At thiN the father raised his hook. 
 
 And snapped a fagot-band ; 
 
 He plied liis work ; — and Lucy 
 
 took 
 Tlie lantern in her hand. 
 
 Not blither is the mountain roe : 
 With many a wanton stroke 
 Her feet disperse the powdery snow, 
 That rises up like smoke. 
 
 The storm came on before its time : 
 She wandered up and down ; 
 And many a hill did Lucy climb ; 
 But never reached the town. 
 
 The wretched parents all that night 
 Went shouting far and wide ; 
 Bnt there was neither sound nor sight 
 To serve them for a "uide. 
 
 At daybreak on a hill they stood 
 That overlooked the moor ; 
 And thence they saw the bridge of wood, 
 A furlong from their door. 
 
 They wept, and, turning homeward, cried, 
 •' In heaven we all shall meet ! " — 
 When in the snow the mother spied 
 The print of Lucy's feet. 
 
 Then downward from the steep hill's edge 
 They tracked the footmarks small ; 
 And through the broken hawthorn hedge, 
 And by the long stone wall; 
 
 And then an open field tliey crossed ; 
 The marks were still the same ; 
 They tracked them on, nor ever lost ; 
 And to the bridge they came. 
 
 They followed from the snowy bank 
 Those footmarks, one by one, 
 Into the middle of the plank ; 
 And further there were none ! 
 
 Yet some maintain that to this day 
 She is a living child ; 
 That you may see sweet Lucy Gray 
 Upon the lonesome wild. 
 
 O'er rough and smooth she trips along, 
 And never looks behind; 
 And sings a solitary song 
 That whistles in the wind. 
 
 William Wordsworth. 
 
 OLD IRONSIDES. 
 
 At, tear her tattered ensign down ! 
 
 Long has it waved on high. 
 And many an eye has danced to see 
 
 That banner in the sky ; 
 Beneath it rung the battle shout. 
 
 And burst the cannon's roar ; 
 The meteor of the ocean air 
 
 Shall sweep the clouds no more ! 
 
HORATIUS. 
 
 415 
 
 Her deck, once red with heroes' blood, 
 
 Where knelt the vanquished foe. 
 When winds were hurrying o'er the flood, 
 
 And waves were white below, 
 No more shall feel the victor's tread, 
 
 Or know the conquered knee ; — 
 The harpies of the shore shall pluck 
 
 The eagle of the sea ! 
 
 Oh l)etter that lier shuttered hulk 
 Should sink beneath the wave ; 
 
 Her thunders shook the mighty 
 deep, 
 And theie should be lier giave , 
 
 Nail to the mast her holy flag. 
 
 Set every threadbare sail. 
 And give her to the god of storms. 
 
 The lightning and the gale ! 
 
 Oliver Wendell Holmes. 
 
 HORATIUS. 
 
 Lars Porsena of Clusium 
 By the Nine Gods he swore 
 
 That the great house of Tarquin 
 Should suffer wrong no- more. 
 
 By the Nine Gods he swore ii 
 And named a trysting day, 
 
 And bade his messenger ride forth. 
 
 East and west and south and north, 
 To summon his array. 
 
 East and west and south and north 
 
 The messengers ride fast. 
 And tower and town and cottage 
 
 Have heard the trumpet's blast. 
 Shame on the false Etruscan 
 
 Who lingers in hishome. 
 When Porsena of Clusium 
 
 Is on the march for Rome. 
 
 And now hath every city 
 Sent up her tale of men ; 
 
 The foot are fourscore thousand, 
 The horse are thousands ten. 
 
 Before the gates of Sutrium 
 Is met the great array. 
 
 A proud man was Lars Porsena 
 
 \ Upon the trysting day. 
 
 For all the Etruscan armies 
 
 Were ranged beneath his eye. 
 And many a banished Roman, 
 
 And many a stout allj' ; 
 And with a mighty following 
 
 To join the muster came 
 The Tusculan Mamilius, 
 
 Prince of the Latian name. 
 
 But by the yellow Tiber 
 
 Was tumult and affright : 
 From all the spacious champaign 
 
 To Rome nien took their flight. 
 A mile around the city 
 
 The throng stopped up the ways ; 
 A fearful sight it was to see 
 
 Through two long nights and days. 
 
 To eastward and to westward 
 Have spread the Tuscan band ; 
 
 Nor house, nor fence, nor dove-cote 
 In Crustumerium stands. 
 
416 
 
 THE BOOK OF POETRY. 
 
 Verbenna down to Ostia 
 Hath wasted all the plain ; 
 
 Astur hath stormed Janiculum, 
 And the stout guards are slain. 
 
 I wis, in all the Senate, 
 
 There was no heart so bold, 
 But sore it ached and fast it beat, 
 
 When that ill news was told. 
 Forthwith up rose the Consul, 
 
 Up rose the Fathers all ; 
 In haste the\' girded up their gowns, 
 
 And hied them to the wall. 
 
 By the right wheel rode Mamilius, 
 Prince of the Latian name ; 
 
 And by the left false Sextus, 
 
 That wrought the deed of shame. 
 
 But when the face of Sextus 
 
 Was seen among the foes, 
 A yell that rent the firmament 
 
 From all the town arose. 
 On the house-tops was no woman 
 
 But spat towards him and hissed, 
 No child but screamed out curses, 
 
 And shook its little fist. 
 
 Thejf held a council standing 
 
 Before the River-Gate; 
 Short time was there, ye well may guess, 
 
 For musing or debate. 
 Out spake the Consul roundly : 
 
 "The bridge must straight go down; 
 For, since Janiculum is lost. 
 
 Nought else can save the town." 
 
 Just then a scout came flying, 
 
 All wild with haste and fear : 
 ' To arms ! to arms ! Sir Consul : 
 
 Lars Porsena is here ! " 
 On the low hills to westward 
 
 The Consul fixed his eye. 
 And saw the swarthy storm of dust 
 
 Rise fast along the sky. 
 
 And nearer fast and nearer 
 
 Doth the red whirlwind come ; 
 And louder still and still more loud, 
 From underneath that rolling cloud, 
 Is heard the trumpet's war-note proud, 
 
 The trampling and the hum. 
 And plainly and more plainly 
 
 Now through the gloom appears, 
 Far to left and far to right. 
 In broken gleams of dark-blue light, 
 The long array of helmets bright, 
 
 The long array of spears. 
 
 Fast by the royal standard, 
 
 O'erlooking all the war, 
 Lars Porsena of Clusium 
 
 Sat in his ivory car. 
 
 But the Consul's brow was sad, 
 
 And the Consul's speech was low, 
 And darkly looked he at the wall, 
 
 And darkly at the foe. 
 " Their van will be upon us 
 
 Before the bridge goes down ; 
 And if they once may win the bridge, 
 
 What hope to save the town ? " 
 
 Then out spake brave Horatius, 
 
 The Captain of the Gate : 
 " To every man upon this earth 
 
 Death cometh soon or late. 
 And how can man die better 
 
 Than facing fearful odds. 
 For the ashes of his fathers, 
 
 And the temples of his Gods, 
 
 " And for the tender mother 
 
 Who dandled him to rest, 
 And for the wife who nurses 
 
 His baby at her breast. 
 And for the holy maidens 
 
 Who feed the eternal flame. 
 To save them from false Sextus 
 
 That wrought the deed of shame ? 
 
 " Hew down the bridge. Sir Consul, 
 
 With all the speed ye may ; 
 I, with two more to help me, 
 
 Will hold the foe in play. 
 In yon straight path a thousand 
 
 May well be stopped by three. 
 Now who will stand on either hand, 
 
 And keep the bridge with me ? " 
 
HORATIUS. 
 
 417 
 
 Then out spake Spurius Lartius ; 
 A Ramnian proud was he : 
 " Lo, I will stand at thy right hand, 
 And keep the bridge with thee." 
 And out spake strong Herminius ; 
 Ot Titian blood was he : 
 " I will abide on thy left side, 
 
 And keep the bridge with thee." 
 
 " Horatius, quoth the Consul," 
 
 "As thou sayest, so let it be." 
 And straight against that great array 
 
 Forth went the dauntless Three. 
 For Romans in Rome's quarrels 
 
 Spared neither land nor gold, 
 Nor son nor wife, nor limb nor life, 
 
 In the brave days of old. 
 
 Then none was for a party ; 
 
 Then all were for the state ; 
 Then the great man helped the poor, 
 
 And the poor man loved the great ; 
 Then lands were fairly portioned ; 
 
 Then spoils were fairly sold : 
 The Romans were like brothers 
 
 In the brave days of old. 
 
 Now Roman is to Roman 
 
 JMore hateful than a foe, 
 And the Tribunes beard the high, 
 
 And the Fathers grind the low. 
 As we wax hot in faction, 
 
 In battle we wax cold : 
 Wherefore men fight not as they fought 
 
 In the brave days of old. 
 
 Now while the Three were tightening 
 
 Their harness on their backs. 
 The Consul was the foremost man 
 
 To take in hand an axe : 
 And Fathers mixed with Commons 
 
 Seized hatchet, bar, and crow, 
 And smote upon the planks above, 
 
 And loosed the props below. 
 
 Meanwhile the Tuscan army. 
 Right glorious to behold, 
 53 
 
 Came flashing back the noonday light. 
 Rank behind rank, like surges bright 
 
 Of a broad sea of gold. 
 Four hundred trumpets sounded 
 
 A peal of warlike glee, 
 As that great host with measured tread. 
 And spears advanced, and ensigns spread. 
 Rolled slowly towaids the bridge's head, 
 
 Where stood the dauntless Three. 
 
 The Three stood calm and silent, 
 
 And looked upon the foes, 
 And a great shout of laughter 
 
 From all the vanguard rose : 
 And forth three chiefs came spurring 
 
 Before that deep array ; 
 To earth they sprang, their swords they drew, 
 And lifted high their shields, and flew 
 
 To win the narrow way ; 
 
 Annus from green Tifernura, 
 
 Lord of the Hill of Vines ; 
 And Seius, whose eight hundred slaves 
 
 Sicken in Ilva's mines; 
 And Picus, long to Clusium 
 
 Vassal in peace and war. 
 Who led to fight his Umbrian powers 
 From that gray crag where, girt with towers, 
 The fortress of Nequinum lowers 
 
 O'er the pale waves of Nar. 
 
 Stout Lartius hurled down Annus 
 
 Into the stream beneath ; 
 Herminius struck at Seius 
 
 And clove him to the teeth ; 
 At Picus brave Horatius 
 
 Darted one fiery thrust ; 
 And the proud Umbrian's gilded arms 
 
 Clashed in the bloody dust. 
 
 Then Ocnus of Falerii 
 
 Rushed on the Roman Three ; 
 And Lausulus of Urgo, 
 
 The rover of the sea ; 
 And Aruns of Volsinium, 
 
 Who slew the great wild boar, — 
 The great wild boar that had his den 
 
^18 
 
 THE BOOK OF POETRT. 
 
 Amidst the reeds of Cosa's fen, 
 And wasted fields, and slaughtered men. 
 Along Albinia's shore. 
 
 Herminius smote down Aruns ; 
 
 Lartius laid Ocnus low ; 
 Right to the heart of Lausulus 
 
 Horatius sent a blow. 
 ' Lie there," he cried, " fell pirate ! 
 
 No more, aghast and pale, 
 From Ostia's walls the crowd shall mark 
 The track of thy destroying bark. 
 No more Campania's hinds shall tl\ 
 To woods and caverns when they spy 
 
 Thy thrice accursed sail." 
 
 With shield and blade Horatius 
 
 Right deftly turned the blow. , 
 
 The blow, though turned, came yet too nigh; 
 
 It missed his helm, but gashed his thigh : 
 
 The Tuscans raised a joyful cry 
 To see the red blood flow. 
 
 He reeled, and on Herminius 
 
 He leaned one breathing-space ; 
 Then, like a wild-cat mad with wounds, 
 
 Sprang right at Astui's face. 
 Through teeth, and skull, and helmet. 
 
 So fierce a thrust he sped. 
 The good sword stood a hand-breath out 
 
 Behind the Tuscan's head. 
 
 But now no sound of laughter 
 
 Was heard among the foes, 
 A wild and wrathful clamor 
 
 From all the vangurird rose. 
 Si-\ spears' length from the entrance 
 
 Halted that deep array. 
 And for a space no man came forth 
 
 To win the narrow way. 
 
 And the great Lord of Luna 
 
 Fell at that deadly stroke. 
 As falls on Mount Alvernus 
 
 A thunder-smitten oak. 
 Far o'er the crashing forest 
 
 The giant arms lie spread ; 
 And the pale augurs, muttering low. 
 
 Gaze on the blasted head. 
 
 But hark ! the cry is Astur : 
 
 And lo! the ranks divide ; 
 And the great Lord of Luna 
 
 Comes with his stately stride. 
 Upon his ample shoulders 
 
 Clangs loud the foui'-fold shield. 
 And in his hand he shakes the brand 
 
 Which none but he can wield. 
 
 On Astur's throat Horatius 
 
 Right firmly pressed his heel. 
 And thrice and four times tugged amain, 
 
 Ere he wrenched out the steel. 
 ' And see,'' he cried. " the welcome. 
 
 Fair i;uests, that waits you here! 
 Wh.it noV)le Lucimio comes next 
 
 To taste our Roman cheer ? " 
 
 He smiled on those bold Romans 
 
 A smile serene and high ; 
 He e\('d the flinching Tuscans. 
 
 And scorn was in his eye. 
 Quoth he, " The she-wolf's litter 
 
 Staiiil savagely at bay : 
 But will ye dare to follow. 
 
 If Astur clears the way ? " 
 
 Then, whirling up his broadsword 
 With both hands to the height. 
 
 He rushed against Horatius, 
 And smote with all his might. 
 
 But at his hauii'lity challenge 
 
 A sullen murmur ran, 
 Mingled of wrath, and shame, and dread, 
 
 Along that glittering van. 
 There lacked not men of prowess, 
 
 Nor men of lordly race ; 
 For all Eti'uria's noblest 
 
 Were round tlie fatal place. 
 
 But all Etruria's noblest 
 
 Felt their hearts sink to see 
 On the earth the bloody corpses. 
 
 In the path the dauntless Three : 
 
HORATIUS. 
 
 419 
 
 And, from the ghostly entrance 
 
 Where those bold Romans stood, 
 All shrank, like boys who unaware. 
 Ranging the woods to start a hare, 
 Come to the mouth of the dark lair 
 "Where, growling low, a fierce old bear 
 Lies amidst bones and blood. 
 
 Was none who would be foremost 
 
 To lead such dire attack ; 
 But those behind cried " Forward ! " 
 
 And those before cried " Back ! " 
 And backward now and forward 
 
 Wavers the deep array ; 
 And on the tossing sea of steel, 
 To and fro the standards reel ; 
 And the victorious trumpet-peal 
 
 Dies fitfully away. 
 
 Yet one man for one moment 
 
 Strode out before the crowd ; 
 Well known was he to all the Three, 
 
 And they gave him .greeting loud. 
 " Now welcome, welcome, Sextus ! 
 
 Now welcome to thy home ! 
 Why dost thou stay, and turn away ? 
 
 Here lies the road to Rome!" 
 
 Thrice looked he at the city ; 
 
 Thrice looked he at the dead ; 
 And thrice came on in fury, 
 
 And thrice turned back in dread ; 
 And, white with fear and hatred, 
 
 Scowled at the narrow way 
 Where, wallowing in a pool of blood, 
 
 The bravest Tuscans lay. 
 
 But meanwhile axe and lever 
 Have manfully been plied ; 
 And now the bridge hangs tottering 
 Above the boiling tide. 
 " Come back, come back, Horatius ! " 
 
 Loud cried the Fathers all. 
 " Back, Lartius ! Back, Herminius ! 
 Back, ere the ruin fall ! " 
 
 Back darted Spurius Lartius ; 
 Herminius darted back : 
 
 And, as they passed, beneath their feet 
 They felt the timbers crack. 
 
 But when they turned their faces. 
 And on the farther shore 
 
 Saw brave Horatius stand alone. 
 
 They would have crossed once more. 
 
 But with a crash like thunder 
 
 Fell every loosened beam, 
 And, like a dam, the mighty wreck 
 
 Lay right athwart the stream ; 
 And a long shout of triumph 
 
 Rose from the walls of Rome, 
 As to the highest turret-tops 
 
 Was splashed the yellow foam. 
 
 And, like a horse unbroken 
 
 When first he feels the rein, 
 The furious river struggled hard, 
 
 And tossed his tawny mane. 
 And burst the curb, and bounded, 
 
 Rejoicing to be free. 
 And, whirling down, in fierce career, 
 Battlement, and plank, and pier. 
 
 Rushed headlong to the sea. 
 
 Alone stood brave Horatius, 
 But constant still in mind: 
 Thrice thirty thousand foes before. 
 And the broad fiood behind. 
 " Down with him ! " cried false Sextus, 
 
 With a smile on his pale face. 
 "Now yield thee," cried Lars Porsena, 
 " Now yield thee to our grace." 
 
 Round turned he, as not deigning 
 
 Those craven ranks to see ; 
 Nought spake he to Lars Porsena, 
 
 To Sextus nought spake he ; 
 But he saw on Palatinus 
 
 Tlie white porch of his home ; 
 And he spake to the noble river 
 
 That rolls by the towers of Rome. 
 
 « O Tiber ! father Tiber ! 
 
 To whom the Romans pray. 
 A Roman's life, a Roman's arms. 
 Take thou in charge this day ! " 
 
420 
 
 THE BOOK OF POETRY. 
 
 So he spake, and speaking sheathed 
 
 The good sword by his side, 
 And, with his harness on his back. 
 
 Plunged headlong in the tide. 
 
 No sound of joy or sorrow 
 
 AVas heard from either bank ; 
 But friends and foes in dumb surprise, 
 "With parted lips and straining eyes. 
 
 Stood gazing where he sank ; 
 And when above the surges 
 
 They saw bis crest appear, 
 All Rome sent forth a rapturous cry, 
 And even the ranks of Tuscany 
 
 Could scarce forbear to cheer. 
 
 But fiercely ran the current. 
 
 Swollen high by months of rain, 
 And fast his blood was flowing. 
 
 And he was sore in pain. 
 And heavy with his armor, 
 
 And spent with changing blows : 
 And oft they thought him sinking, 
 
 But still again he rose. 
 
 Never, I ween, did swimmer. 
 
 In such an evil case, 
 Struggle through such a raging flood 
 
 Safe to the landing place : 
 But his limbs were borne up bravely 
 
 By the brave heart within. 
 And our good father Tiber 
 
 Bare bravely up his chin. 
 
 " Curse on him ! " quoth false Sextus ; 
 •' Will not the villain drown ? 
 But for this stay, ere close of day 
 We should have sacked the town ! " 
 "Heaven help him!" quoth Lars Porsena, 
 "And bring him safe to shore; 
 For such a gallant feat of arms 
 Was never seen before." 
 
 And now he feels the bottom ; 
 
 Now on dry earth he stands ; 
 Now round him throng the Fathers, 
 
 To press his gory hands ; 
 And now, with shouts and clapping, 
 
 And noise of weeping loud. 
 He enters through the River-Gate, 
 Borne by the joyous crowd. 
 
 They gave him of the corn-land, 
 
 That was of public right. 
 As much as two strong oxen 
 
 Could plow from morn till night ; 
 And they made a molten image, 
 
 And set it up on hiiih, 
 And there it stands unto this day 
 
 To witness if I lie. 
 
 It stands in the Comitium, 
 
 Plain for all folk to see : 
 Horatius in his harness. 
 
 Halting upon one knee : 
 And underneath is written. 
 
 In letters all of gold. 
 How valiantly he kept the bridge 
 
 In the brave days of old. 
 
 And still his name sounds stirring 
 
 Unto the men of Rome, 
 As the trumpet-blast that cries to them 
 
 To charge the Volscian home ; 
 And wives still pray to Juno 
 
 For boys with hearts as bold 
 As his who kept the bridge so well 
 
 In the brave days of old. 
 
 Thomas Babington Macaulat, 
 
 THE SKELETON IN ARMOR. 
 
 " Speak ! speak ! thou fearful guest ! 
 Who, with thy hollow breast 
 Still in rude armor drest, 
 
 Comest to daunt me ! 
 Wrapt not in Eastern balms. 
 But with thy fleshless palms 
 Stretched, as if asking alms, 
 Why dost thou haunt me ? " 
 
 Then, from those cavernous eyes 
 Pale flashes seemed to rise. 
 As when the Northern skies 
 Gleam in December ; 
 
No sound of joy or sorrow- 
 Was heard from either bank ; 
 •!lf7^ », But friends and foes in dumb surprise, , 
 f J /S^ With parted lips and strammg eyes, 
 
 "■^^ Stood gazing where he sank ; \\\ WS ?' "^^ 
 
THE SKELETON IN ARMOR. 
 
 421 
 
 And, like the water's flow 
 Undei' December's snow, 
 Came a dull voice of woe 
 From the heart's chamber. 
 
 " I was a Viking old ! 
 Mj' deeds, though manifold, 
 No Skald in song 
 has told, 
 No Saga taught 
 thee ! 
 Take heed, that in 
 
 thy verse 
 Thou dost the tale 
 
 rehearse,' 
 Else dread a dead 
 man's curse ; 
 For this I sought 
 thee. 
 
 " Far inthe North- 
 ern Land, 
 By the wild Baltic's 
 
 strand, 
 I, with my childish 
 hand. 
 Tamed the ger- 
 falcon ; 
 And, with my skates 
 
 fast-bound. 
 Skimmed the half- 
 frozen Sound, 
 That the poor whim- 
 pering hound 
 Trembled to walk 
 on. 
 
 " Oft, to his frozen 
 
 lair 
 Tracked I the grisly 
 
 bear. 
 While from my path 
 the hare 
 
 Fled like a shadow ; 
 Oft through the forest dark 
 Followed the were-wolf's bark, 
 Until the soaring lark 
 Sang from the meadow. 
 
 " But when I older grew, 
 Joining a corsair's crew, 
 O'er the dark sea I flew 
 With the marauders. 
 Wild was the life we led ; 
 Many the souls that sped. 
 Many the hearts that bled. 
 
 By our stern or- 
 ders. 
 
 " Many a wassail- 
 bout 
 
 Wore the long win- 
 ter out ; 
 
 Often our midnight 
 shout 
 Set the cocks 
 crowing, 
 
 As we the Berserk's 
 tale 
 
 Measured in cups 
 of ale, 
 
 Draining the' oaken 
 pail. 
 Filled to o'er- 
 flowing. 
 
 " Once as I told in 
 glee 
 
 Tales of the stormy 
 sea, 
 
 Soft eyes did gaze 
 on me. 
 Burning yet ten- 
 der ; 
 
 And as the white 
 stars shine 
 
 On the dark Nor- 
 way pine, 
 
 On that dark heart 
 of mine 
 Fell their soft 
 splendor. 
 
 '• I wooed the blue-eyed maid, 
 Yielding, yet half afraid. 
 And in the forest's shade 
 Our vows were plighted. 
 
422 
 
 THE BOOK OF POETRY. 
 
 
 Under its loosened vest 
 Fluttered her little breast, 
 Like birds within their nest 
 By the hawk frightened. 
 
 " Bright in her father's hall 
 Shields gleamed upon the wall, 
 Loud sani;- the min- 
 strels all, 
 Chanting 
 glory ; 
 When of old Hilde- 
 
 brand 
 I asked his daugh- 
 ter's hand, 
 Mute did the min- 
 strels stand 
 To hear my story. 
 
 " While the brown 
 ale he quaffed 
 
 Loud then the cham- 
 pion laughed, 
 
 And as the wind- 
 gusts waft 
 The sea- foam 
 brightly, 
 
 So the loud laugh 
 of scorn. 
 
 Out of those lips 
 unshorn, 
 
 From the deep 
 drinking- horu 
 Blew the foam 
 lightly. 
 
 " She was a Prince's 
 
 child, 
 I but a Viking 
 
 wild. 
 And though she 
 blushed and 
 smiled, 
 
 I was discarded ! 
 Should not the dove so white 
 Follow the sea-mew's flight, 
 Why did they leave that night 
 Her nest unguarded ? 
 
 Scarce had 1 put to sea, 
 Bearing the maid with me, 
 Fairest of all was she 
 
 Among the Norsemen ! 
 When on the white sea-strand, 
 Waving his armed hand. 
 Saw we old Hildebrand, 
 
 With twenty horse. 
 
 " Then launched 
 they to the 
 blast. 
 
 Bent like a reed 
 each mast, 
 
 Yet we were gain- 
 ing fast, 
 When the wind 
 failed us ; 
 
 And with a sudden 
 flaw 
 
 Came round the 
 gusty Skaw, 
 
 So that our foe we 
 saw 
 Laugh as he 
 hailed us. 
 
 " And as to catch 
 
 the gale 
 Round veered the 
 
 flapping sail. 
 Death ! was the 
 helmsman's hail. 
 Death without 
 
 quarter ! 
 iMid-ships with iron 
 
 keel 
 Struck we her ribs 
 
 of steel ; 
 Down her black 
 
 hulk did reel 
 
 Through the black water ! 
 
 " As with his wings aslant. 
 Sails the fierce cormorant, 
 Seeking some rocky haunt, 
 With his prey laden. 
 
THE BURIAL OF SIR JOHN MOORE. 
 
 423 
 
 So toward the open 
 
 main, 
 Beating to sea 
 
 again, 
 Through the wild 
 
 hurricane, 
 Bore I the maid- 
 
 " Three weeks we 
 westward bore, 
 
 And wlien the storm 
 was o"er. 
 
 Cloudlike we saw 
 the shore 
 Stretching to lee- 
 ward ; 
 
 There for my lady's 
 bower 
 
 Built I the lofty 
 tower. 
 
 Which, to this very 
 hour. 
 
 Stands looking sea- 
 ward. 
 
 " There lived we 
 many years ; 
 
 Time dried the 
 maiden's tears ; 
 
 She had foi-got her 
 fears, 
 She was a moth- 
 
 Death closed her 
 mild blue eyes. 
 Under that tower she lies ; 
 
 Ne'er shall the sun 
 arise 
 On such another ! 
 
 " Still grew my 
 
 bosom then, 
 Still as a stagnant 
 
 fen! 
 Hateful to me were 
 
 men. 
 The sun - light 
 
 hateful ! 
 In the vast forest 
 
 here, 
 Clad in my warlike 
 
 gear, 
 Fell I upon my 
 
 spear. 
 Oh, death was 
 
 grateful ! 
 
 " Thus, seamed with 
 many scars, 
 
 Bursting these 
 prison bars, 
 
 Up to his native 
 stars 
 My soul ascend- 
 ed! 
 
 There from the 
 flowing bowl 
 
 Deep drinks the 
 warrior's soul, 
 
 Skoal! to the North- 
 land ! skoal ! " 
 
 Thus the tale ended. 
 Henry Wadswohth Longfellow. 
 
 THE BURIAL OF SIR JOHN MOORE. 
 
 Not a drum was heard, not a funeral note, 
 As his corse to the ramparts we hurried ; 
 
 Not a soldier discharged his farewell shot 
 O'er the grave where our hero we buried. 
 
 We buried him darkly at dead of night. 
 The sods with our bayonets turning, 
 
 By the struggling moonbeams' misty light, 
 And the lantern dimly burning. 
 
 No useless coffin inclosed his breast, 
 
 Nor in sheet or in shroud we wound him ; 
 
 But he lay like a warrior taking his rest, 
 With his martial cloak around him. 
 
 Few and short were the prayers we said, 
 And we spoke not a word of sorrow ; 
 
424 
 
 THE BOOK OF POETRY. 
 
 " Now who be ye, would cross Loohgyle, 
 This dark and stormy water ? " 
 
 " Oh, I 'm the chief of Ulva's isle, 
 And this Lord Ullin's daughter. 
 
 " And fast before her father's men 
 Three days we 've fled together, 
 For should he find us in the glen, 
 My blood would stain the heather. 
 
 '• His hoi'semeii hard behind us ride ; 
 Should they our steps discover, 
 Then who will cheer my bonny bride 
 AVlieu thej' have slain her lover ? " 
 
 Out spoke the hardy Highland wight, 
 ''I'll iro, niv chief, I'm readv; 
 
 But we steadfastly gazed on the face of the dead. 
 And we bitterly thought of the morrow. 
 
 We thought, as we hollowed his narrow bed. 
 
 And smoothed down his lonely pillow. 
 That the foe and the stranger would tread o'er his head 
 
 And we far away on the billow. 
 
 Lightly they 'II talk of the spirit that 's gone. 
 
 And o'er his cold ashes upbraid him ; 
 But little he '11 reck, if they let him sleep on 
 
 In the grave where a Briton has laid him. 
 
 But half of our heavy task was done, 
 
 When the clock struck the hour for retiring : 
 
 And we heard the distant and random uun 
 That the foe was sullenly firing. 
 
 Slowly and sadly we laid him down. 
 
 From the field of his fame fresh and gory ; 
 
 ^i* e carved not a line, and we raised not a stone, 
 But we left him alone with his ylory. 
 
 Charles Wolfe. 
 
 LORD ULLIN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 A CHIEFTAIN to the Highlands bound 
 Cries, " Boatman, do not tarry ! 
 
 And I '11 give thee a silver pound 
 To row us o'er the ferry." 
 
 It is not for your silver bright ; 
 But for your winsome lady : 
 
 And by my word ! the bonny bird 
 
 In danger shall not tarry ; 
 So though the waves are raging white, 
 I '11 row you o'er the ferry." 
 
 By this the stoi'm grew loud apace, 
 The water-wraith was shrieking; 
 
THE WRECK OF THE HESPERUS. 
 
 425 
 
 And in the scowl of Heaven each face 
 Grew dark as they were speaking. 
 
 But still as wilder blew the wind, 
 
 And as the night grew drearer, 
 Adown the glen rode armed men, 
 
 Their trampling sounded nearer. 
 
 " Oh haste thee, haste ! " the lady cries, 
 " Though tempests round us gather ; 
 I '11 meet the raging of the skies, 
 But not an angry father.'' 
 
 The boat has left the stormy land, 
 
 A stormy sea before her, — 
 When, oh ! too strong for human hand 
 
 The tempest gathered o'er her. 
 
 And still they rowed amidst the roar 
 
 Of waters fast prevailing : 
 Lord Ulliu reached that fatal shore ; 
 
 His Wrath was changed to wailing. 
 
 For, sore dismayed, through storm and shade 
 
 His child he did discover : 
 One lovely hand she stretched for aid. 
 
 And one was round her lover. 
 
 " Come back ! come back ! " he cried in grief, 
 " Across this stormy water : 
 And I '11 forgive your Highland chief. 
 My daughter ! oh, my daughter ! " 
 
 'T was vain ; the loud waves lashed the shore, 
 
 Return or aid preventing ; 
 The waters wild went o'er his child, 
 
 And he was left lamenting. 
 
 Thomas Campbell. 
 
 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 the Spanish Main, 
 " I pray thee put into yonder port. 
 For I fear the hurricane. 
 
 THE WRECK OF THE HESPERUS. 
 
 It was the schooner Hesperus, 
 
 That sailed the wintry sea ; 
 And the skipper had taken his little daughter. 
 
 To bear him company. 
 
 " 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 , 
 
4 rtr* 
 
 THE BOOK OF POETRY. 
 
 The snow fell hissing in the brine, 
 And the billows frothed like yeast. 
 
 Down canoe 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 I hear tlie church bells ring, 
 
 Oh say, what may it be ? " 
 " 'T is a fog-bell on a rock-bound coast! " 
 
 And he steered for the open sea. 
 
 " 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 waves 
 
 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 
 Towards 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. 
 
 " 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 ! " 
 
 She struck where the white and fleecy waves 
 
 Looked soft as carded wool, 
 But the cruel rocks they gored her sides 
 
 Like the horns of an angry bull. 
 
THE BEGGAR MAID. 
 
 427 
 
 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 day-break 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 iu her eyes ; 
 And he saw her hair, like the brown sea-weed. 
 
 On the ,billows fall and rise. 
 
 Such was the wreck of the Hesperus, 
 
 In the midnight and the snow ; 
 Heaven save us all from a death like this. 
 
 On the reef of Norman's Woe ! 
 
 Henrt Wadsworth Longfellow. 
 
 THE BEGGAR MAID. 
 
 Her arms across her breast she laid ; 
 
 She was more fair than words can say ; 
 Barefooted came the beggar iuaid 
 
 Before the King Cophetua. 
 In robe and crown the king stept down, 
 
 To meet and greet her on her way ; 
 " It is no wonder," said the lords, 
 
 " She is more beautiful than day." 
 
 As shines the moon in clouded skies, 
 She in her poor attire was seen : 
 
 One praised her ankles, one her eyes. 
 One her dark hair and lovesome mien. 
 
 So sweet a face, such angel grace, 
 
 In all that land had never been : 
 Cophetua swore a royal oath : 
 
 " This beggar maid shall be my queen." 
 
 Alfred Tennyson. 
 
THE BOOK OF ANCIENT STORIES. 
 
 THE HORSE OF WOOD. 
 
 FROM CHUECH S STORIES FROM VrRGIL. 
 
 For ten years King Agamemnon and the men 
 of Greece laid siege to Troy. But though sen- 
 tence had gone forth against the city, yet the day 
 of its fall tarried, because certain of the gods 
 loved it well and defended it, as Apollo, and 
 Mars, the god of war,, and Father Jupiter him- 
 self. Wherefore Minerva put it into the heart of 
 Epeius, Lord of the Isles, that he should make a 
 cunning device wherewith to take the city. Now 
 the device was this : he made a great horse of 
 wood, feigning it to be a peace-offering to Mi- 
 nerva, that the Greeks might have a safe return to 
 their homes. In the belly of this there hid them- 
 selves certain of the bravest of the chiefs, as Men- 
 elaus, and Ulysses, and Thoas the ^tolian and 
 Machaon, the great physician, and Pyrrhus, son of 
 Achilles (but Achilles himself was dead, slain by 
 Paris, Apollo helping, even as he was about to 
 take the city), and others also, and with them 
 Epeius himself. But the rest of the people made 
 as if they had departed to their homes ; only they 
 went not farther than Tenedos, which was an 
 island near to the coast. 
 
 Great joj^ was there in Troy when it was noised 
 abroad that the men of Greece had departed. 
 The gates were opened, and the people went forth 
 to see the plain and the camp. And one said to 
 another, as they went, " Here they set the battle 
 in array, and there were the tents of the fierce 
 Achilles, and there lay the ships." And some 
 stood and marveled at the great peace-offering to 
 Minerva, even the horse of wood. And Thy- 
 moetes, who was one of the elders of the city, was 
 
 the first who advised that it should be brought 
 within the walls and set in the citadel. But 
 whether he gave this counsel out of a false heart, 
 or because the gods would have it so, no man 
 knows. And Capys, and others with him, said 
 that it should be drowned in water, or burned 
 with fire, or that men should pierce it and see 
 whether there were aught within. And the people 
 were divided, some crying one thing and some 
 another. Then came forward the priest Laocoiin, 
 and a great company with him, crying, " What 
 madness is this ? Think ye that the men of Greece 
 are indeed departed, or that there is any profit in 
 their gifts? Surely, there are armed men in this 
 mighty horse ; or haply they have made it that 
 they may look down upon our walls. Touch it 
 not, for as for these men of Greece, I fear them, 
 even though they bring gifts in their hands." 
 
 And as he spake he cast his great spear at the 
 horse, so that it sounded again. But the gods 
 would not that Troy should be saved. 
 
 Meanwhile there came certain shepherds, drag- 
 ging with them one whose hands were bound be- 
 hind his back. He had come forth to them, they 
 said, of his own accord, when they were in the 
 field. And first the young men gathered about 
 him mocking him, but when he cried aloud, 
 " What place is left for me, for the Greeks suffer 
 me not to live, and the men of Troy cry for ven- 
 geance upon me?" they rather pitied him, and 
 bade him speak, and say whence he came and 
 what he had to tell. 
 
 Then the man spake, turning to King Priam s 
 
THE HORSE OF WOOD. 
 
 429 
 
 " I will speak the truth, whatever befall me. My 
 name is Sinon, and I deny not that I am a Greek. 
 Haply thou hast heard the name of Palamedes, 
 whom the Greeks slew, but now, being dead, 
 lament ; and the cause was that, because he coun- 
 seled peace, men falsely accused him of treason. 
 Now, of this Palamedes I was a poor kinsman, 
 and followed him to Troy. And when he was 
 dead, through the false witness of Ulysses, I lived 
 in great grief and trouble, nor could I hold my 
 peace, but sware that if ever I came back to Argos 
 I would avenge me of him that had done this 
 deed. Then did Ulysses seek occasion against 
 me, whispering evil things, nor rested till at the 
 last, Calchas the soothsayer helping him — but 
 what profit it that I should tell these things? For 
 doubtless ye hold one Greek to be even as another. 
 Wherefore slay me, and doubtless ye will do a 
 pleasure to Ulysses and the sons of Atreus." 
 Then they bade him tell on, and he said, — 
 " Often would the Greeks have fled to their 
 homes, being weary of the war, but still the stormy 
 sea hindered them. And when this horse that 
 ye see had been built, most of all did the dreadful 
 thunder roll from the one end of the heaven to 
 the other. Then the Greeks sent one who should 
 inquire of Apollo ; and Apollo answered them 
 thus : ' Men of Greece, even as ye appeased the 
 winds with blo'od when ye came to Troy, so must 
 ye appease them with blood now that ye would go 
 from thence.' Then did men tremble to think 
 on whom the doom should fall, and Ulysses, with 
 much clamor, drew forth Calchas the soothsayer 
 into the midst, and bade him say who it was that 
 the gods would have as a sacrifice. Then did 
 many forebode evil for me. Ten days did the 
 soothsayer keep silence, saying that he would not 
 give any one to death. But then, for in truth 
 the two had planned the matter beforehand, he 
 spake, appointing me to die. And to this thing 
 they all agreed, each being glad to turn to another 
 that which he feared for himself. But when the 
 day was come, and all things were ready, the salted 
 meal for the sacrifice and the garlands, lo ! I burst 
 my bonds and fled, and hid myself in the sedges 
 
 of a pool, waiting till they should have set sail, if 
 haply that might be. But never shall I see coun- 
 try, or father, or children again. For doubtless 
 on these will they take vengeance for my flight. 
 Only do thou, O king, have pity on me, who have 
 suffered many things, and yet have harmed no 
 
 man. 
 
 And King Priam had pity on him, and bade 
 them loose his bonds, saying, " Whoever thou art, 
 forget now thy country. Henceforth thou art one 
 of us. But tell me true : why made they this 
 huge horse ? Who contrived it ? What seek 
 they by it ? to please the gods or to further their 
 
 siege 
 
 ?" 
 
 Then said Sinon, and as he spake he stretched 
 his hands to the sky, " I call you to witness, ye 
 everlasting fires of heaven, that with good right I 
 now break my oath of fealty and reveal the se- 
 crets of my countrymen. Listen then, O king. 
 All our hope has ever been in the help of Mi- 
 nerva. But, from the day when Diomed and 
 Ulysses dared, having bloody hands, to snatch her 
 image from her holy place in Troy, her face was 
 turned from us. Well do I remember how the 
 eyes of the image, well-nigh before they had set it 
 in the camp, blazed with wrath, and how the salt 
 ■ sweat stood upon its limhs, aye, and how it thrice 
 leaped from the ground, shaking shield and spear. 
 Then Calchas told us that we must cross the 
 seas again, and seek at home fi'esh omens for our 
 war. And this, indeed, they are doing even now, 
 and will return anon. Also the soothsayer said, 
 ' Meanwhile ye must make the likeness of a horse, 
 to be a peace-offering to Minerva. And take heed 
 that ye make it huge of bulk, so that the men of 
 Troy may not receive it into their gates, nor bring 
 it within their walls, and get safety for themselves 
 thereby. For if,' he said, ' the men of Troy harm 
 this image at all, they shall surely perish ; but if 
 they bring it into their city, then shall Asia lay 
 siege hereafter to the city of Pelops, and our chil- 
 dren shall suffer the doom which we would fain 
 have brought on Troy.' " 
 
 These words wrought much on the men of Troy, 
 and as they pondered on them, lo ! the gods sent 
 
430 
 
 THE BOOK OF ANCIENT STORIES. 
 
 another marvel to deceive them. For while Lao- 
 coon, the priest of Neptune, was slaying a bull 
 at the altar of his god, there came two serpents 
 across the sea from Tenedos, whose heads and, 
 necks whereon were thick manes of hair, were 
 higl\ above the 
 waves, and 
 many scaly 
 coils trailed be- 
 h i n d in the 
 waters. And 
 when they 
 reached the 
 land they still 
 sped forward . 
 Their eyes were 
 red as blood and 
 blazed with fire, 
 and their forked 
 tongues hissed 
 loud for rage. 
 Then all the 
 men of Troy 
 grew pale with 
 fear and fled 
 away, but these 
 turned not aside 
 this way or that, 
 seeking Laoco- 
 on w b e 1- e he 
 stood. And first 
 they wrapped 
 themselves 
 about his little 
 sons, one ser- 
 pent about 
 each, and be- y- 
 gan to devour f" 
 them. And 
 when the father would have given help to his chil- 
 dren, having a sword in his hand, they seized upon 
 himself, and bound him fast with their folds. Twice 
 they compassed about his body, and twice his neck, 
 lifting their heads far above him. And all the 
 while he strove to tear them away with his hands. 
 
 his priest's garlands dripping with blood. Nor did 
 he cease to cry horribly aloud, even as a bull bel- 
 lows when after an ill stroke of the axe it flees 
 from the altar. But when their work was done, 
 the two glided to the citadel of Minerva, and hid 
 themselves beneath the feet and the shield of the 
 goddess. And men said one to another, '• Lo ! the 
 priest Laocoon has been judged according to his 
 deeds ; for he cast his spear against this holy 
 thing, and now the gods have slain him." Then 
 all cried out together that the horse of wood must 
 be drawn to the citadel. Whereupon they opened 
 the Scsean Gate, and pulled down the wall that 
 was thereby, and put rollers under 
 the feet of the horse, and joined 
 ropes thereto. So, in much joy, 
 they drew it into the citv, youths 
 and maidens 
 /^^a singing about it 
 the while, and 
 laying their 
 hands to the 
 ropes with great 
 gladness. And 
 j-et there want- 
 ed not signs and 
 tokens of evil to 
 come. Four 
 times it halted 
 on the thresh- 
 old of the 
 gate, and men 
 might have 
 heard the clash- 
 ing of arms 
 within. Cas- 
 sandra also 
 opened her 
 mouth, proph- 
 esying evil : but no man heeded her, for that was 
 ever the doom upon her, not to be believed speak- 
 ing truth. So the men of Troy drew the horse into 
 the city. And that night they kept a feast to all 
 the gods with great joy, not knowing that the last 
 day of the great city had come. 
 
THE GTGLOPS. 
 
 431 
 
 THE CYCLOPS. 
 
 PEOM CHURCH S STORIES FROM HOMEE. 
 
 When tke great city of Troy was' taken, all 
 uhe chiefs who had fought against it set sail for 
 their homes. But there was wrath in heaven 
 against them, for indeed they had borne them- 
 selves haughtily and cruelly in the day of their 
 victory. Few, therefore, found a safe and happy 
 return. For one was shipwrecked, and another 
 was shamefully slain by his false wife in his pal- 
 ace, and others found all things at home troubled 
 and changed, and were driven to seek new dwell- 
 ings elsewhere. And some, whose wives and 
 friends and people had been still true to them 
 through those ten long years of absence, were 
 driven far and wide about the world before they 
 saw their native land again. And of all, the wise 
 Ulysses was he who wandered farthest and suf- 
 fered most. 
 
 He was well-nigh the last to sail, for he had tar- 
 ried many days to do pleasure to Agamemnon, 
 lord of all the Greeks. Twelve ships he had with 
 him — twelve he had brought to Troy — and in 
 each there were some fifty men, being scarce half 
 of those that had sailed in them in the old days, 
 so many valiant heroes slept the last sleep by 
 Simoi's and Seamander, and in the plain and on 
 the sea-shore, slain in battle or by the shafts of 
 Apollo. 
 
 First they sailed, northwest to the Thracian 
 coast, where the Ciconians dwelt, who had helped 
 the men of Troy. Their city they took, and in it 
 much plunder, slaves and oxen, and jars of fra- 
 grant wine, and might have escaped unhurt, but 
 that they stayed to hold revel on the shore. For 
 the Ciconians gathered their neighbors, being men 
 of the same blood, and did battle with the invad- 
 ers, and drove them to their ship. And when 
 Ulysses numbered his men, he found that he had 
 lost six out of each ship. 
 
 Scarce had lie set out again when the wind be- 
 gan to blow fiercely; so, seeing a smooth sandy 
 
 beach, they drave the ships ashore and dragged 
 them out of reach of the waves, and waited till 
 the storm should abate. And the third morning 
 being fair, they sailed again, and journeyed pros- 
 perously till they came to the very end of the 
 great Peloponnesian land, where Cape Malea 
 looks out upon the southern sea. But contrary 
 currents bafHed them, so that they could not round 
 it, and the north wind blew so strongly that they 
 must fain drive before it. And on the tenth day 
 they came to the land where the lotus grows — a 
 wondrous fruit, of which whosoever eats cares not 
 to see country or wife or children again. Now the 
 lotus-eaters, for so they called the people of the 
 land, were a kindly folk, and gave of the fruit to 
 some of the sailors, not meaning them any harm, 
 but thinking it to be the best that they had to 
 give. These, when they had eaten, said that they 
 would not sail any more over the sea ; which, when 
 the wise Ulysses heard, he bade their comrades 
 bind them and carry them, sadly complaining, to 
 the ships. 
 
 Then, the wind having abated, they took to 
 their oars, and rowed for many days till they came 
 to the country where the Cyclopes dwell. Now, a 
 mile or so from the shore there was an island, very 
 fair and fertile, but no man dwells there or tills 
 the soil, and in tbe island a harbor where a ship 
 may be safe from all winds, and at the head of 
 the harbor a stream falling from a rock, and whis- 
 pering alders all about it. Into this the ships 
 passed safely, and were hauled up on the beach, 
 and the crews slept by them, waiting for the 
 morning. And the next day they hunted the 
 wild goats, of which there was great store on 
 the island, and feasted right merrily on what they 
 caught, with draughts of red wine which they had 
 carried off from the town of the Ciconians. 
 
 But on the morrow Ulysses, for he was ever 
 fond of adventure, and would know of every land 
 
432 
 
 THE BOOK OF ANCIENT STORIES. 
 
 to which he came what manner of men they were 
 that dwelt there, took one of his twelve ships and 
 bade row to the land. There was a great hill 
 sloping to the shore, and there rose up here and 
 there a smoke from the caves where the Cyclopes 
 dwelt apart, holding no converse with each other, 
 for they were a rude and savage folk, but ruled 
 each his own household, not caring for others. 
 Now very close to the shore was one of these 
 caves, very huge and deep, with laurels round 
 about the mouth, and in front a fold with walls 
 built of rough stone, and shaded by tall oaks and 
 pines. So Ulysses chose out of the crew the 
 twelve bravest, and bade the rest guard the ship, 
 and went to see what manner of dwelling this 
 was, and who abode there. He had his sword by 
 his side, and on his shoulder a mighty skin of 
 wine, sweet-smelling and strong, with which he 
 might win the heart of some fierce savage, should 
 he chance to meet with such, as indeed his pru- 
 dent heart forecasted that he might. 
 
 So they entered the cave, and judged that it 
 was the dwelling of some rich and skillful shep- 
 herd. For within there were pens for the young 
 of the sheep and of the goats, divided all accord- 
 ing to their age, and there were baskets full of 
 cheeses, and full milk pails ranged along the wall. 
 But the Cyclops himself was away in the past- 
 ures. Then the companions of Ulysses besought 
 him that he would depart, taking with him, if he 
 would, a store of cheeses and sundry of the lambs 
 and of the kids. But he would not, for he wished 
 to see, after his wont, what manner of host this 
 strange shepherd might be. And truly he saw it 
 to his cost ! 
 
 It was evening when the Cyclops came home, a 
 mighty giant, twenty feet in height, or more. On 
 bis shoulder he bore a vast bundle of pine logs 
 for his fire, and threw them down outside the cave 
 with a great crash, and drove the flocks within, 
 and closed the entrance with a huge rock, which 
 twenty wagons and more could not bear. Then 
 he milked the ewes and all the she-goats, and half 
 of the milk he curdled for cheese, and half he set 
 ready for himself, when he should sup. Next he 
 
 kindled a fire with the pine logs, and the flame 
 lighted up all the cave, showing him Ulysses and 
 his comrades. 
 
 " Who are ye ? " cried Polyphemus, for that was 
 the giant's name. " Are ye traders, or, haply, pi- 
 rates? " ' • 
 
 For in those days it was not counted shame to 
 be called a pirate. 
 
 Ulysses shuddered at the dreadful voice and 
 shape, but bore him bravely, and answered, " We 
 are no pirates, mighty sir, but Greeks, sailing back 
 from Troy, and subjects of the great King Aga- 
 memnon, whose fame is spread from one end of 
 heaven to the other. And we are come to beg 
 hospitalit)' of thee in the name of Zens, who re- 
 wards or punishes hosts and guests according as 
 they be faithful the one to the other, or no." 
 
 " Nay," said the giant, " it is but idle talk to 
 tell me of Zeus and the other gods. We Cyclopes 
 take no account of gods, holding ourselves to be 
 much better and stronger than they. But come, 
 tell me where have you left your ship ? " 
 
 But Ulysses saw his thought when he asked 
 about the ship, how he was minded to break it, 
 and take from them all hope of flight. Therefore 
 he answered him craftily, — 
 
 " Ship have we none, for that which was ours 
 King Poseidon brake, driving it on a jutting rock 
 on this coast, and we whom thou seest are all that 
 are escaped from the waves." 
 
 Polyphemus answered nothing, but without 
 more ado caught up two of the men, as a man 
 might catch up the whelps of a dog, and dashed 
 them on the ground and tore them, with huge 
 draughts of milk between, limb from limb, and 
 devoured them, leaving not a morsel, not even 
 the very bones. But the others, when they saw 
 the dreadful deed, could only weep and pray to 
 Zeus for help. And when the giant had ended 
 his foul meal, he lay down among his sheep and 
 slept. 
 
 Then Ulysses questioned much in his heart 
 whether he should slay the monster as he slept, 
 for he doubted not that his good sword would 
 pierce to the giant's heart, mighty as he was. 
 
THE arCLOPS. 
 
 433 
 
 But, being very wise, he remembered that, should 
 he slay him, he and his comrades would yet perish 
 miserably. For who should move away the great 
 rock that lay against the door of the cave ? So 
 they waited till the morning. And the monster 
 woke, and milked his flocks, and afterwards, seiz- 
 ing two men, devoured them for his meal. Then 
 he went to the pastures, but put the great rock 
 on the mouth of the cave, just as a man puts down 
 
 the lid upon his quiver. All that day the wise 
 Ulysses was thinking what he might do to save 
 himself and his companions, and the end of his 
 thinking was this : There was a mighty pole in the 
 cave, green wood of an olive tree, big as a ship's 
 mast, which Polyphemus purposed to use, when 
 the smoke should have dried it, as a walking staff. 
 Of this he cut off a fathom's length, and his com- 
 rades sharpened it and hardened it in the fire, and 
 
 then hid it away. At evening the giant came 
 back, and drove his sheep into the cave, nor left 
 the rams outside, as he had been wont to do be- 
 fore, but shut them in. And having duly done 
 his shepherd's work, he made his cruel feast as be- 
 fore. Then Ulysses came forward with the wine- 
 skin in his hand, and said, — 
 
 " Drink, Cyclops, now that thou hast feasted. 
 Drink, and see what precious things we had in 
 our ship. But no one hereafter will come to thee 
 
 55 
 
 with such like, if thou dealest with strangers as 
 cruelly as thou hast dealt with us." 
 
 Then the Cyclops drank, and was mightily 
 pleased, and said, " Give me again to drink, and 
 tell me thy name, stranger, and I will give thee a 
 gift such as a host should give. In good truth this 
 is a rare liquor. "We, too, have vines, but they 
 bear not wine like this, which indeed must be 
 such as the gods drink in heaven." 
 
 Then Ulysses gave him the cup again, and he 
 
4S4 
 
 THE BOOK OF ANCIENT STORIES. 
 
 drank. Thvice he gave it to him, and thrice he 
 drank, not knowing what it was, and how it 
 would work within liis brain. 
 
 Then Ulysses spake to hiin. " Thou didst ask 
 in y name, Cyclops. Lo ! my name is No Man. 
 And now that thou knowest my name, thou 
 shouldst give me thy gift." 
 
 And he said, " My gift shall be that I will eat 
 thee last of all thy company." 
 
 And as he spoke he fell back in a drunken 
 sleep. Then Ulysses bade his comrades be of 
 good courage, for the time was come when they 
 should be delivered. And they thrust the stake 
 of olive wood into the fire till it was ready, green 
 as it was, to burst into flame, and they thrust it 
 into the monster's eye ; for he had but one eye, 
 and that in the midst of his forehead, with the 
 eyebrow below it. And Ulysses leaned with all 
 his force upon the stake, and thrust it in with 
 might and main. And the burning wood hissed 
 in the eye, just as the red-hot iron hisses in the 
 water when a man seeks to temper steel for a 
 sword. 
 
 Then the giant leaped up, and tore away the 
 stake, and cried aloud, so that all the Cyclopes 
 who dwelt on the mountain side heard him and 
 came about his cave, asking him, " What aileth 
 thee, Polyphemus, that thou makest this uproar 
 ill the peaceful night, driving away sleep? Is any 
 one robbing thee of thy sheep, or seeking to slay 
 thee by craft or force ? " 
 
 And the giant answered, " No Ahui slays me by 
 «raft." 
 
 "Nay, but," they said, "if no man does thee 
 wrong, we cannot help thee. The sickness which 
 great Zeus may send, who can avoi<l ? Pray to 
 our father, Poseidon, for help." 
 
 Then they departed ; and Ulysses was glad at 
 heart for the good success of his device, when he 
 said that he was No Man. 
 
 But the Cyclops rolled away the great stone 
 from the door of the cave, and sat in the midst, 
 stretching out his hands, to feel whether perchance 
 the men within the cave would seek to go out 
 ■among the sheep. 
 
 Long did Ulysses think how he and his com- 
 rades should best escape. At last he lighted upon 
 a good device, and much he thanked Zeus for that 
 this once the giant had driven the rams with the 
 other sheep into the cave. For, these being great 
 and strong, he fastened his comrades under the 
 bellies of the beasts, tying them with osier twigs, 
 of which the giant made his bed. One ram he 
 took, and fastened a man beneath it, and two oth- 
 ers he set, one on either side. So he did with the 
 six, for but six were left out of the twelve who 
 had ventured with him from the ship. And there 
 was one mighty ram, far larger than all the others, 
 and to this Ulysses clung, grasping the fleece tight 
 with both his hands. So they waited for the 
 morning. And when the morning came, the rams 
 rushed forth to the pasture ; but the giant sat in 
 the door and felt the back of each as it went by, 
 nor thought to try what might be underneath. 
 Last of all went the great ram. And the Cyclops 
 knew him as he passed, and said, — 
 
 " How is this, thou, who art the leader of the 
 flock ? Thou art not wont thus to lag behind. 
 Thou hast always been the first to run to the past- 
 ures and streams in the morning, and the first to 
 come back to the fold when evening fell ; and now 
 thou art last of all. Perhaps thou art troubled 
 about thy master's eye, which some wretch — No 
 Man, they call him — has destroyed, having first 
 mastered me with wine. He has not escaped, I 
 ween. I would that thou couldst speak, and tell 
 me where he is lurking. Of a truth I would dash 
 out his brains upon the ground, and avenge me of 
 this No Man." 
 
 So speaking, he let him pass out of the cave. 
 But when they were out of reach of the giant, 
 Ulysses loosed his hold of the ram, and then un- 
 bound his comrades. And they hastened to their 
 ship, not forgetting to drive before them a good 
 store of the Cyclops' fat sheep. Right glad were 
 those that had abode by the ship to see them. 
 Nor did they lament for those that had died, 
 though they were fain to do so, for Ulysses for- 
 bade, fearing lest tlie noise of their weeping should 
 betray them to the giant, where they were. Then 
 
THE GTGLOPS. 
 
 435 
 
 they all climbed into tlie ship, and sitting well in 
 order on the benches, smote the sea with their oars, 
 laying to right lustily, that they might the sooner 
 get away from the accursed land. And when they 
 had rowed a hundred yards or so, so that a man's 
 Toice could yet be heard by one who stood upon 
 the shore, Ulysses stood up in the ship and 
 shouted : — 
 
 " He was no coward, O Cyclops, whose com- 
 rades thou didst so foully slay in thy den. Justly 
 art thou punished, monster, that devourest thy 
 guests in thy dwelling. May the gods make thee 
 suffer yet worse things than these ! " 
 
 Then the Cyclops, in his wrath, broke off the 
 top of a great hill a mighty rock, and hurled it 
 where he had heard the voice. Right in front of 
 the ship's bow it fell, and a great wave rose as it 
 sank, and washed the ship back to the shore. But 
 Ulysses seized a long pole with both hands and 
 pushed the ship from the land, and bade his com- 
 rades ply their oars, nodding with his head, for he 
 was too wise to speak, lest the Cyclops should 
 know where they were. Then they rowed with 
 all their might and main. 
 
 And when they had gotten twice as far as be- 
 fore, Ulysses made as if he would speak again ; 
 but his comrades sought to hinder him, saying, 
 " Nay, my lord, anger not the giant any more. 
 Surely we thought before we were lost, when he 
 threw the great rock, and washed our ship back to 
 the shore. And if he hear thee now, he may crush 
 our ship and us, for the man throws a mighty bolt 
 and throws it far." 
 
 But Ulysses would not be persuaded, but stood 
 up and said, " Hear, Cyclops ! If any man ask 
 who blinded thee, say that it was the warrior 
 Ulysses, son of Laertes, dwelling in Ithaca." 
 
 And the Cyclops answered with a groan, " Of 
 a truth, the old oracles are fulfilled, for long ago 
 
 there came to this land one Telemus, a prophet, 
 and dwelt among us even to old age. This man 
 foretold to me that one Ulysses would rob me of 
 my sight. But I looked for a great man and a 
 strong, who should subdue me hj force, and now 
 a weakling has done the deed, having cheated me 
 with wine. But come thou hither, Ulysses, and I 
 will be a host indeed to thee. Or, at least, may 
 Poseidon give thee such a voyage to thy home as 
 I would wish thee to have. For know that Posei- 
 don is my sire. May be that he may heal me of 
 my grievous wound." 
 
 And Ulysses said, " Would to God I could send 
 thee down to the abode of the dead, where thou 
 wouldst be past all healing, even from Poseidon's 
 self." 
 
 Then Cyclops lifted up his hands to Poseidon 
 and prayed : — 
 
 " Hear me, Poseidon, if I am indeed thy son and 
 thou my father. Maj' this Ulysses never reach 
 his home ! or, if the Fates have ordered that he 
 should reach it, may he come alone, all his com- 
 rades lost, and come to find sore trouble in his 
 house ! " 
 
 And as he ended he hurled another mighty 
 rock, which almost lighted on the rudder's end, 
 yet missed it, as by a hair's breadth. So Ulysses 
 and his comrades escaped, and came to the island 
 • of the wild goats, where they found their com- 
 rades, who indeed had waited long for them, in 
 sore fear lest they had perished. Then Ulysses 
 divided amongst his company all the sheep which 
 they had taken from the Cyclops. And all, with 
 one consent, gave him for his share the great ram 
 which had carried him out of the cave, and he sac- 
 rificed it to Zeus. And all that day they feasted 
 right merrily on the flesh of sheep and on sweet 
 wine, and when the night was come they lay down 
 upon the shore and slept. 
 
436 
 
 THE BOOK OF ANCIENT STORIES. 
 
 THE STORY OF KING CRCESUS. 
 
 FKOM CHURCH S STORIES OF THE EAST. 
 
 Crcesus, the son of Alyattes, began to reign 
 over Lydia, being thirty and five years old. This 
 Crcesus made war upon all the Greeks that dwelt 
 in the western parts of Asia, seeking some oc- 
 casion of quarrel with every city. And if he 
 could find some great matter, he used it gladly; 
 but if not, a little thing would serve his turn. 
 Now, the first of all the cities which he fought 
 against was Ephesus ; and when the Ephesians 
 were besieged by him they offered their city as 
 an offering to the goddess Artemis, fastening a 
 rope to the wall from her temple. (The space 
 between the temple and the wall was seven fur- 
 longs.) All the cities of the Greeks that are on 
 the main-land did Croesus subdue, so that they 
 paid tribute to him. And when he had ended 
 this business, he purposed in his heart to build 
 ships, and to make war on the Greeks that dwelt 
 in the islands. But when all things were now 
 ready for the building of the ships, there came to 
 Sardis a certain Greek, a man renowned for wis- 
 dom. Some say that this Greek was Bias, the wise 
 man of Priene, and some that he was Pittacus of 
 Mitylene. This Greek caused Croesus to cease 
 from his shipbuilding, for when the king would 
 know whether he had any news from Greece, he 
 said to him, "O king, the islanders are buying 
 ten thousand horses, that they may set riders 
 upon them, and so march against thee and thy 
 city of Sardis." When Croesus heard this he was 
 glad, hoping that the man spake truth, and said, 
 " Now may the gods put this into the hearts of 
 the islanders, that they should make war with 
 horses against the sons of the Lydians." Then 
 the Greek answered and said, " O king, I see that 
 thou prayest with all thy heart that thou mayest 
 find the islanders coming against thee here on the 
 main-land with horses, and verily thou doest well. 
 What then dost thou think that the islanders pray 
 for now that they know thee to be building ships ? 
 
 Surely that they may find the Lydians coming 
 against them on the sea, that so they may take 
 vengeance on thee for their brethren on the main- 
 land, whom thou hast brought into slavery." 
 This saying pleased King Croesus mightily; and 
 because the Greek seemed to him to speak truly, 
 he ceased straightway from his shipbuilding, and 
 made alliance with the Greeks that dwelt in the 
 islands. 
 
 Now after certain years, when all Asia that 
 lieth to the westward of the river Halys had been 
 subdued by Croesus (only Lydia and Cilicia were 
 not subdued), and his kingdom flourished with 
 great wealth and honor, there came to Sardis all 
 the wise men of the Greeks, as many as there 
 were in those days. But the greatest of all that 
 came was Solon of Athens. This Solon had made 
 laws for the Athenians, for they would have him 
 make them, and afterwards he dwelt abroad for 
 ten years. And he said that he did this that he 
 might see foreign countries ; but in truth he de- 
 parted that he might not be compelled to change 
 any of the laws that he had made. For the Athe- 
 nians themselves could not change any, having 
 bound themselves with great oaths to Solon, that 
 they would live for the space of ten years under 
 the laws which he had made for them. 
 
 Solon therefore came to Sardis, and Crcesus en- 
 tertained him in his palace. And on the third or 
 fourth day after his coming the King commanded 
 his servants that they should show Solon all the 
 royal treasures. So the servants showed him all 
 the things that the king possessed, a very great 
 store of riches. And when he had seen every- 
 thing and considered it, and a fitting time was 
 come, the king said to him, " Man of Athens, I 
 have heard much of thee in time past, of thy wis- 
 dom and of thy journeyings to and fro, for they 
 say that thou wanderest over many lands, seeking 
 foA- knowledge. I have therefore a desire to ask 
 
THE STORY OF KING OR(ESUS. 
 
 437 
 
 of thee one question : ' Whom thinkest thou to be 
 the happiest of all the men that thou hast seen ? ' " 
 And this he said hoping that Solon would answer, 
 " Thou, O king, art the happiest man that I have 
 seen." But Solon flattered him not a whit, but 
 spake the truth, saying, " O king, the happiest 
 man that I have seen was Tellus the Athenian." 
 Then Crcesns, marveling much at these words, 
 said, " And why thinkest thou that Tellus the 
 Athenian was the happiest of men ? " Then Solon 
 answered, " Tellus saw his country in great pros- 
 perity, and he had children born to him that were 
 fair and noble, and to each of these also he saw 
 children born, of whom there died not one. Thus 
 did all things prosper with him in life, as we 
 count prosperity, and the end of his days also was 
 great and glorious ; for when the Athenians fought 
 with certain neighbors of theirs in Eleusis, he 
 came to the help of his countrymen against their 
 enemies, and put these to flight, and so died with 
 great honor ; and the whole people of the Athe- 
 nians buried him in the same place wherein he 
 fell, and honored him greatly." 
 
 But when Solon had ended speaking to the 
 king of Tellus, how happy he was, the king asked 
 him again, " Whom, then, hast thou seen that 
 was next in happiness to this Tellus ? " For he 
 thought to himself, " Surely now he will give me 
 the second place." Then Solon said, " I judge 
 Cleobis and Biton to have been second in happi- 
 ness to Tellus." 
 
 Cleobis and Biton were youths of the city of 
 Argos. They had a livelihood such as sufliced 
 them ; and their strength was greater than that 
 of other men. For not only did they win prizes 
 of strength, but also they did this thing that shall 
 now be told. The men of Argos held a feast to 
 Her^, who hath a great and famous temple in 
 their city ; and it must needs be that the mother 
 of the two young men, being priestess of Her^, 
 should be drawn in a wagon from the city to the 
 temple ; but the oxen that should have drawn the 
 wagon were not yet come from the fields. Then, 
 as the time pressed and the matter was urgent, 
 the young men harnessed themselves to the wagon 
 
 and dragged it, and their mother the priestess sat 
 upon it. And the space for which they dragged 
 it was forty and five furlongs ; and so they came 
 to the temple. And when they had done this 
 in the eyes of all the assembly, there befell them 
 such a death that nothing could be more to be 
 desired ; the gods, indeed, making it manifest 
 that it is far better for a man to die than to live. 
 For indeed the thing fell out thus. When all the 
 people of Argos came about the woman and her 
 sons, and the men praised the youths for their 
 great strength, and the women praised the mother 
 that she had borne such noble sons, the mother 
 in the joy of her heart stood before the image and 
 prayed that the goddess would give to her sons, 
 even Cleobis and Biton, that which the gods 
 judge it best for a man to have. And when the 
 priestess had so prayed, and the young men had 
 offered sacrifice, and made merry with their com- 
 panions, they lay down to sleep in the temple, 
 and woke not again, but so ended their days. And 
 the men of Argos commanded the artificers that 
 they should make statues of the young men, and 
 these they offered to the god at Delphi. 
 
 But when Solon thus gave the second place of 
 happiness to these young men, King Crcesus was 
 very wroth, and said, " Man of Athens, thou 
 countest my happiness as nothing worth, not 
 deeming me fit to be compared even with com- 
 mon men." Then Solon made answer, " O Crce- 
 sus, thou askest me about mortal life to say 
 whether it be happy or no, but I know that the 
 gods are jealous and apt to bring trouble upon 
 men. I know also that if a man's years be pro- 
 longed he shall see many things that he would 
 fain not see, aye, and suffer many things also. 
 Now I reckon that the years of a man's life are 
 threescore and ten, and that in these years there 
 are twenty and five thousand days and two hun- 
 dred. For this is the number, if a man reckon 
 not the intercalated month. But if he reckon 
 this, seeing that in threescore and ten years are 
 thirty and five such months, and the days of these 
 months are one thousand and fifty, then the whole 
 sum of the days of a man's life is twenty and six 
 
438 
 
 THE BOOK OF ANCIENT STORIES. 
 
 thousand two hundred and fifty. Now of these 
 days, being so many, not one bringeth to a man 
 things like to those which another hath brought. 
 Wherefore, O king, the whole life of man is full 
 of chance. I see indeed that thou hast exceeding 
 great wealth and art king of many men. But as 
 to that which thou askest of me, I call thee not 
 happy, till I shall know that thou hast ended thy 
 days prosperously. For the man that hath ex- 
 ceeding great riches is in no wise happier than he 
 that hath sufficient only for the day, unless good 
 fortune also remain with him, and give him all 
 things that are to be desired, even unto the end of 
 his days. For many men that are wealthy beyond 
 measure are nevertheless unhappy, and many that 
 have neither poverty nor riches have yet great hap- 
 piness, and he that is exceeding rich and unhappj^ 
 withal, excelleth him that hath moderate posses- 
 sions with happiness in two things only, but the 
 other excelleth in many things. For the first hath 
 the more strength to satisfy the desires of his soul, 
 and also to bear up against any misfortune that 
 cometh upon him ; but the second hath not this 
 strength ; and indeed he needeth it not, for his 
 good fortune keepeth such things far from him. 
 Also he is whole in body, and of good health, nei- 
 ther doth misfortune trouble him, and he hath good 
 children, and is fair to look upon. And if, over 
 and above these things, he also end his life well, 
 then I judge him to be the happy man whom thou 
 seekest. But till he die, so long do I hold my 
 judgment, and call him not happy indeed, but 
 fortunate. It is impossible also that any man 
 should comprehend in his life all things that be 
 good. For even as a country sufficeth not for 
 itself nor produceth all things, but hath certain 
 things of its own and receiveth certain from others, 
 and as that country which produceth the most is 
 counted the best, even so is it with men, for no 
 man's body sufficeth for all things, but hath one 
 thing and lacketh another. Whosoever, O king, 
 keepeth ever the greatest store of things, and so 
 endeth his life in a seemly fashion, this man de- 
 serveth in my judgment to be called happy. But 
 we must needs regard the end of all things, how 
 
 they shall turn out ; for the gods give to many 
 men some earnest of happiness, but yet in the end 
 overthrow them utterly." 
 
 These were the words of Solon. But they 
 pleased not King Crcesus by any means. There- 
 fore the king made no account of him, and dis- 
 missed him as being a foolish and ignorant person, 
 seeing that he took no heed of the blessings that 
 men have in their hands, bidding them always 
 have regard unto their end. 
 
 Now it came to pass after Solon had departed 
 from Sardis that there came great wrath from the 
 gods upon King Crcesus, and this, doubtless, be- 
 cause he judged himself to be the happiest of all 
 men. And it happened in this wise : He saw a 
 vision in his sleep, that told him of the trouble 
 that should come upon him with respect to his 
 son. For the king had two sons ; but the one 
 was afflicted of the gods, being dumb from his 
 birth, but the other far surpassed his equals of age 
 in all things. And the name of his son was Atys. 
 Now the vision that he saw in his sleep showed 
 him that Atys should be smitten with a spear- 
 point of iron, and so die. Therefore when he 
 woke from, his sleep and considered the matter, 
 being much terrified by the dream, he sought how 
 he might best keep his son from this peril. First, 
 then, he married him to a wife ; and next, he 
 suffered him not to go forth any more to battle, 
 though he had been wont aforetime to be the 
 captain of the host ; and, besides all this, he took 
 away all javelins and spears, and such like things 
 that men are wont to use in battle, from the 
 chambers of the men, and stored them elsewhere, 
 lest perchance one of them should fall from its 
 place where it hung upon the wall and give the 
 youth a hurt. 
 
 Now it chanced that while the matter of the 
 young man's marriage was in hand, there came to 
 Sardis a certain stranger, upon whom there had 
 come the great trouble of blood-guiltiness. The 
 man was a Phrygian by birth, and of the royal 
 house : and he came into the palace of Crcesus, 
 after the custom of that country, and sought for 
 one that should cleanse him from his guilt ; and 
 
THE STORY OF KING GR(ESUS. 
 
 439 
 
 Croesus cleansed him. (Now the manner of cleans- 
 ing is the same, for the most part, among the 
 Lydians as it is among the Greeks.) And when 
 the king had done for him according to all that 
 was prescribed in the law, he would fain know 
 who he was, and whence he had come. Where- 
 fore he asked him, saying, "My friend, who art 
 thou ? and from what city of Phrygia — for that 
 thou art a Phrygian I know — art thou come, 
 taking sanctuary at my hearth ? And what man 
 or woman didst thou slay?" And the man an- 
 swered, " O king, I am the son of Gordias, the 
 son of Midas, and my name is Adrastus, and I slew 
 my own brother, not wittingly. For this cause am 
 I come to thee, for my father drave me out from 
 my home, and I am utterly bereft of all things." 
 To this King Croesus made reply, " Thou art the 
 son of friends, and to a friend art thou come. 
 Verily as long as thou abidest here thou shalt 
 lack for nothing that I can give thee. And as for 
 thy trouble, it will be best for thee to bear it as 
 easily as may be." So the man lived thenceforth 
 in the king's palace. 
 
 Now about this time there was a mighty wild 
 boar in Olympus, that is a mountain of Mysia. It 
 had its den in the mountain, and going out thence 
 did much damage to the possessions of the Mys- 
 ians ; and the Mysians had often sought to slay 
 him, but harmed him not at all, but rather re- 
 ceived harm themselves. At the last they sent 
 messengers to the king; who stood before him, 
 and said, " O king, a might}' monster of a wild 
 boar hath his abode in our country and destroy eth 
 our possessions, and though we would fain kill 
 him we cannot. Now, therefore, we pray thee that 
 thou wilt send thy son, and chosen youths with 
 him, and dogs for hunting, that they may go with 
 us, and that we may drive this great beast out of 
 our land." But when they made this request 
 Croesus remembered the dream which he had 
 dreamed, and said, " As to my son, talk no more 
 about him, for I will by no means let him go, see- 
 ing that the youth is newly married to a wife, and 
 careth now for other things. But chosen youths 
 of the Lydians shall go with you, and all the hunt- 
 
 56 
 
 ing dogs that I have ; and I will bid them do their 
 utmost to help you, that ye may drive this wild 
 beast out of your land." This was the king's 
 answer ; and the Mysians were fain to be content 
 with it. But in the meanwhile the youth came in, 
 for he had heard what the Mysians demanded of 
 his father ; and he spake to the king, saying, " O 
 my father, I was wont aforetime to win for myself 
 great credit and honor going forth to battle and to 
 hunting. But now thou forbiddest me both tlie 
 one and the other, not having seen any cowardice 
 in me or lack of spirit. Tell me, my father, what 
 countenance can I show to my fellows when I go 
 to the market, or when I come from thence ? 
 What manner of man do I seem to be to my 
 countrymen ? and what manner of man to the wife 
 that I have newly married ? What thinketh she 
 of her husband ? Let me therefore go to this hunt- 
 ing, or, if not, prove to me that it is better for me 
 to live as I am living this day." To this Croesus 
 made answer, " My son, I have seen no cowardice 
 or baseness or any such thing in thee ; but there 
 appeared to me a vision in my sleep, and it stood 
 over me and said that thy days should be few, for 
 that thou shouldest die being smitten by a spear- 
 point of iron. For this reason I made this mar- 
 riage for thee, and send thee not forth on such oc- 
 casions as I was wont to send thee on, keeping 
 thee under guard, if so be that I may shield thee 
 from thy fate at the least so long as I shall live. 
 For thou art now my only son, for of him whom 
 the gods have afflicted, making him dumb, I take 
 no count." To this the young man made answer, 
 " Thou hast good reason, my father, to keep guard 
 over me, seeing that thou hast had such a dream 
 concerning me ; yet I will tell thee a thing that 
 thou hast not understood nor comprehended in the 
 dream. Thou say est that the vision told thee that 
 I should perish by a spear-point of iron. Consider 
 now, therefore, yhat hands hath a wild boar and 
 what spear-point of iron, that thou shouldest fear 
 for me? For if indeed the vision had said that I 
 should perish by a tooth, or by any other thing 
 that is like to a tooth, then thou mightest well do 
 what thou doest ; but seeing that it spake of a 
 
440 
 
 THE BOOK OF ANCIENT STORIES. 
 
 spear-point, not so. Now, therefore, that we have 
 not to do. battle with men, but with beasts, I pray 
 thee that thou let me go." Then said King Croe- 
 sus, " It is well said, my son ; as to the dream, 
 thou hast persuaded me. Therefore I have changed 
 lay purpose, and suffer thee to go to this hunting." 
 When he had said this, he sent for Adrastus the 
 Phrygian ; and when the man was come into his 
 presence, he spake, saying, "' Adrastus, I took thee 
 when thou wast afflicted with a grievous trouble, 
 though indeed with this I upbraid thee not, and I 
 cleansed thee from thy guilt, and received thee 
 into my palace, and sustained thee without any 
 cost of thine. Now, therefore, it is well that thou 
 shouldest make me some return for all these bene- 
 fits. I would make thee keeper of my son now 
 that he goeth forth to this hunting, if it should 
 chance that any robbers or such folk should be 
 found on the way to do him hurt. Moreover, it 
 becometli thee, for thine own sake, to go on an er- 
 rand from which thou mayest win renown ; for 
 thou art of a royal house and art besides valiant 
 and strong." To this Adrastus made answer, " O 
 king, I had not indeed gone to this sport but for 
 thy words. For he to whom such trouble hath 
 come as hath come to me should not company with 
 happy men : nor indeed hath he the will to do it. 
 But now, as thou art earnest in this matter, I 
 must needs yield to thy request. Therefore I am 
 iciidy to do as thou wilt ; be sure, therefore, that 
 I will deliver thee thj^ son, whom thou biddest me 
 keep, safe and unhurt, so far as his keeper may so 
 do." So the young men departed, and chosen 
 youths with them, and dogs for hunting. And 
 when they were come to the mountain of Olympus 
 tliey seai-ched for the wild boar, and when they 
 had found it, they stood in a circle about it, and 
 threw their spears at it. And so it fell out that 
 this stranger, the same that had been cleansed 
 from the guilt of manslaying, whose name was 
 Adrastus, throwing his spear at the wild boar and 
 missing his aim, smote the son of Croesus. And 
 the youth died of the wound, so that the vision of 
 the king was fulfilled, that he should die by a 
 spear-point. And straightway there ran one to tell 
 
 the thing to Croesus. And when he had come to 
 Sardis, he told the king how they had fought with 
 the wild boar, and how his son had died. 
 
 Crcesus was very grievously troubled bj- the 
 death of his son ; and this the more because he 
 had been slain by the man whom he had himself 
 cleansed from the guilt of blood. And in his 
 great grief he cried out very vehemently against 
 the gods, and specially against Zeus, the god of 
 cleansing, seeing that he had cleansed this stranger, 
 and now suffered grievous wrong at his hands. 
 He reproached him also as the god of hospitality 
 and of friendship — of hospitality, because he had 
 entertained this man, and knew not that he was 
 entertaining the slayer of his own son ; and of 
 friendship, because he had sent him to be a keeper 
 and friend to his son, yet had found him to be an 
 enemy and destroyer. And when he had done 
 speaking there came Lydians bearing the dead 
 body of the young man, and the slayer followed 
 behind. So soon, therefore, as the man was come 
 into the presence of the king, he gave himself up, 
 stretching forth his hands, and bidding the king 
 shw him on the dead body. And he spake of the 
 dreadful deed that he had done before, and that 
 now he had added to it a worse thing, bringing 
 destruction on him that had cleansed him ; and he 
 cried out that he was not fit to live. But when 
 Crcesus heard him speak, he pitied him, for all 
 that he was in grievous trouble of his own, and 
 spake to him, " I have had from thee, O my 
 friend, all the vengeance that I need, seeing that 
 thou hast pronounced sentence of death against 
 thyself. But indeed thou art not the cause of this 
 trouble, save only that thou hast brought it to pass 
 unwittingly ; some god is the cause, the same that 
 long since foretold to me this very thing that hath 
 now befallen me." So Croesus buried his son with 
 all due rites. But Adrastus the son of Gordias the 
 son of Midas, that had been the slayer of his own 
 brother, and had now slain the son of him that had 
 cleansed him, waited behind till all men had left 
 the sepulchre, and then slew himself upon it ; for 
 he knew that of all the men in the world he was 
 the most unhappy. 
 
THE EXPEDITION OF THE ARGONAUTS. 
 
 441 
 
 THE EXPEDITION OF THE ARGONAUTS. 
 
 BY B. G. NIEBUHK. 
 
 There was a king in Greece whose name was 
 Athamas, and his wife's name was Nephela. They 
 had two children, a son and a daughter, who were 
 very good, and loved each other very much. The 
 son's name was Phrixus, and the daughter's Helle. 
 But the father was wicked and put away his wife, 
 the mother of the good children, and married an- 
 other wife whose name was Ino, and who was 
 very wicked. She treated the poor children very 
 badly, gave them bad things to eat, and bad 
 clothes, and beat them, although they were good, 
 because they wept after their mother. Ino was a 
 very bad stepmother. At last both Athamas and 
 Ino sought to kill Phrixus and to offer him as a 
 sacrifice. 
 
 But when he was brought to the altar, the god 
 Hermes brought a fine large ram who had wool of 
 gold and could walk on the clouds. On this ram 
 with the golden fleece, Hermes placed Phrixus 
 and also his sister Helle, and told them to go 
 through the air to the country of Colchis. 
 
 The ram knew his way. The children were 
 told to cling with one hand to one of the horns, 
 and they bent their other arm about each other's 
 waists : but Helle let go her hold, and fell down 
 into the sea. Phrixus wept very much because 
 his good sister was dead, but went on riding until 
 he came to Colchis. There he sacrificed his ram, 
 and nailed the fleece against an pak-tree. 
 
 Afterwards there was in Thessaly another king, 
 whose name was Pelias. He had a brother whose 
 name was ^son, and ^son a son whose name 
 was Jason. Jason was a young and brave war- 
 rior who dwelt with his father out of the town. 
 Now it had been said to King Pelias, that if a 
 man with only one shoe should come to him, he 
 would take away his kingdom. Then ft happened 
 that King Pelias gave a great dinner, to which he 
 invited also Jason. Jason was obliged to wade 
 through a brook in coming to the town, for there 
 56 
 
 was no bridge over the brook. There had been in 
 the night a heavy thunder-storm, and it had rained 
 very heavily ; the brook was full of water, and 
 flowed strongly when the heavy rain happened. 
 Then the ties of one of Jason's shoes were loosened 
 so that he lost it in the water, and he came with 
 only one shoe into the king's house. When King 
 Pelias saw this, he was greatly frightened, and 
 told Jason he should depart out of the country, 
 and not come back unless he brought him the 
 golden fleece at Colchis. 
 
 Jason was not at all afraid, and sent an invita- 
 tion to all brave warriors to go with him. In or- 
 der to get the fleece, it was necessary to fight 
 with evil beasts and with evil men. 
 
 Jason built a large ship for himself and for his 
 comrades. Then the goddess Minerva, who loved 
 him, lent him assistance, and made him a present 
 of a tree for his mast, which, if Jason questioned 
 it, told him what he was to do. 
 
 The ship's name was Argo, and they who went 
 in her were called Argonauts. Amongst the Ar- 
 gonauts there was one Hercules, and two brothers 
 who had wings and could fly through the air : and 
 another hero's name was Pollux : he knocked 
 every man down who boxed with him. 
 
 Then the Argonauts came with their ship to a 
 country where there was a king whose name was 
 Amycus ; and whenever strangers came to his 
 country they were compelled to fight hira, and he 
 was very strong and struck all dead. But Pollux 
 knocked him down and struck him dead; for 
 Amycus had been very wicked. 
 
 After that, the Argonauts came in their ship 
 to the tovm of Salmydessus, where there lived a 
 king whose name was Phineus. He had rendered 
 Jupiter angry, and Jupiter, to punish him, made 
 him blind. Whenever Phineus sat down to his 
 dinner, there came nasty great birds which they 
 called harpies. These harpies had a skin of iron 
 

 THE BOOK OF ANCIENT STORIES. 
 
 like a coat of mail, and if the attendants of the 
 blind king shot after them or struck at them, they 
 could not wound them. The harpies had also 
 long sharp iron claws, with which they tore the 
 people to pieces who wished to drive them away. 
 As soon as dinner was served, they would come 
 and carry it away, and if they could not carry 
 away all, they dirtied the dishes and the table, so 
 that it stank most detestably. Thus, as poor 
 Phineus could never dine comfortably, he was 
 very near starving. When the heroes came to 
 him, he related to them his misfortunes, and wept 
 sorely, and begged them to help him. The heroes 
 sat down with him at the table, and when the 
 meals were brought in, then the harpies came flj^- 
 ing in. Jason and his comrades drew their swords 
 and struck at them, but it availed not a bit. The 
 two sons of Boreas, Zetes and Calais, who had 
 wings, jumped into the air ; then the harpies lost 
 courage and flew away, and the two heroes flew 
 after them : the harpies at last became quite 
 weary and still more frightened, and fell into the 
 sea and were drowned. Then Zetes and Calais 
 came back, and now poor Phineus had rest and 
 could eat. 
 
 When the wind was favorable, the heroes went 
 back to their ship Argo, to sail towards Colchis, 
 and when they bade farewell to Phineus, he took 
 them into his arms and kissed them, and thanked 
 them a great many times that they had helped 
 him out of his disagreeable trouble; and as a 
 recompense for the service, he gave them good 
 advice. In the great sea over which they were to 
 sail there floated two great rocks, as icebergs float 
 in the sea where there is no summer, but alwa3's 
 winter. Those mountains were as high as Monte 
 Cavo, and whenever they struck against each 
 other they crushed everything to pieces that had 
 got between them : if fishes swam in the water 
 they crushed them to death ; and if birds flew 
 through the air, when the rocks dashed together 
 they crushed them to death ; and if a ship was 
 about to sail through, they rushed together when 
 the ship was in the middle, and crushed it into 
 small pieces, and all that were in it died. Jupiter 
 
 had placed these rocks in the sea, lest any ship 
 should come to Colchis. Phineus, however, knew 
 that the rocks alwaj's parted very widely from 
 each other after having crushed together, and 
 they always came together whenever a fish was 
 about to swim through, or a bird fly through, or a 
 ship sail between them. 
 
 Therefore he gave clever advice to the Argo- 
 nauts, and they did what he advised them and got 
 safely through, and I will tell you how they man- 
 aged it. 
 
 When they came near the place where the rocks 
 swam, the rocks were lying widely asunder (about 
 fifteen miles), but thej' immediatelj' prepared to 
 meet each other. The Argonauts sailed straight 
 towards the middle of them, and when they were 
 close to them, one of the heroes stood up on the 
 ship and held a dove in his hand, and he let it fly ; 
 whenever any living thing got between the rocks, 
 they were obliged to crush together, and then 
 again they parted widelj' asunder. The dove was 
 quick, and the goddess Minerva helped her, be- 
 cause she was a very good dove : she was quite 
 white. When the rocks had crushed together, 
 only her tail was left behind, which was torn out, 
 but the feathers soon grew again. Then the rocks 
 again parted widely asunder, and then the heroes 
 rowed with all their might and got happily 
 through : when the rocks crushed together again, 
 they could only catch a small bit of the ship's 
 stern, which they knocked off. The dove sat 
 again down on the ship, and was not angry at all 
 at the Argonauts ; and afterwards Minerva took 
 her and placed her in the firmament, where she is 
 now a beautiful constellation. 
 
 When the Argonauts had passed happily 
 thi'ough the Symplegades (as these rocks were 
 called), they entered at last the river Phasis, 
 which flows through Colchis. Some remained in 
 the ship ; but Jason and Pollux and manjr other 
 heroes went into the town where the king dwelt. 
 The king's name was iEetes, and he had a 
 daughter whose name was Medea. Jason told 
 King ^etes that Pelias had sent him to fetch the 
 golden fleece, and requested him that he would 
 
THE EXPEDITION OF THE ARGONAUTS. 
 
 443 
 
 give it to him. iEetes was unwilling to lose the 
 fleece, but could not refuse it to Jason, it having 
 been predestined that he must give it whenever 
 any one came from Greece and asked for it. He 
 therefore told Jason that he should have it, but 
 first, that he must yoke certain brazen bulls to 
 a plow, and plow up a great tract of land, and 
 then sow the teeth of a certain dragon. The 
 brazen bulls had been made by Vulcan ; they 
 walked and moved and were living like real bulls, 
 but they belched out fire from nose and mouth, 
 and were far more fierce and strong than real 
 bulls. Therefore there was built a stable of great 
 stones and iron for them, in which they were 
 bound with strong iron chains. 
 
 And when the dragon's teeth got under the 
 earth, as corn gets under the earth when it has 
 been sowed, there would grow out of the earth 
 iron men with lances and swords, who would kill 
 him who had sown them. Thus the king wished 
 that the bulls should kill Jason ; and if the bulls 
 should not kill him, then he thought that the iron 
 men would do it. 
 
 Medea, the daughter of the king, saw Jason at 
 her father's, and conceived a fondness for him ; 
 and she was sorry that Jason should perish. She 
 was able to brew magic liquors : and placed her- 
 self on a chariot drawn by flying serpents : and 
 thus she flew through the air and collected herbs 
 on many mountains and in many vales, on the 
 brinks of brooks, and from all these herbs she 
 pressed out the juice and prepared it; and then 
 she went to Jason without her father knowing it, 
 and brought him the juice, and told him to rub his 
 face and his hands, and arms and legs, and also his 
 armor, his sword and lance, with the juice, where- 
 by he would become for a whole day stronger 
 than all the other heroes together, and fire would 
 not burn him, and steel would not wound him, or 
 go through his shield or armor, but his sword and 
 his lance would pierce steel as if it were butter. 
 
 Then a day was appointed when Jason should 
 yoke the bulls and sow the teeth; and early in 
 the morning, before the sun rose, there came 
 King ^etes, with his daughter, and his ministers. 
 
 generals, chamberlains, and his courtiers, and sat 
 down on a throne near the place where Jason was 
 to plow, and the others sat down on benches as 
 they do on the Corso at the races, and all people 
 went out of the town to see how it would happen, 
 and the boys climbed up the trees in order to see 
 better. 
 
 Jason rubbed himself and his weapons with the 
 juice as Medea had told him, and came to the 
 place. The stall in which the bulls were shut up 
 stood on the place. Then the doors were opened 
 with a key, and Jason courageously stepped in and 
 was not at all afraid. He loosened the bulls from 
 the chain, and seized each with one hand by its 
 horn, and dragged them out. The bulls bellowed 
 most horribly, and all that time fire came out from 
 their noses and mouths ; and as much smoke as 
 when a house is burning, or when Mount Vesuvius 
 is spitting fire. Then the wicked King ^etes felt 
 quite glad : but when the good among the specta- 
 tors saw what a beautiful man and how courageous 
 Jason was, they were grieved and feared he would* 
 die ; for they did not know that Medea was helping 
 him. Jason, however, pi-essed the heads of both 
 the bulls down to the ground ; then they kicked 
 with their hind legs, but Jason pressed them down 
 so strongly that they fell on their knees. 
 
 The plow to which they were to be yoked was 
 all of iron ; Pollux brought it near and threw the 
 yoke over their necks and the chain around their 
 horns ; whilst Jason kept their mouths and noses 
 so close to the ground that they could not belch 
 out fire. When Pollux had done and the bulls 
 were yoked, he leaped quickly away, and Jason 
 then seized the chain in one hand and the handle 
 of the plow in the other, and let loose his grasp 
 of the horns ; the bulls jumped up meaning to run 
 away, but Jason held the chain so fast that they 
 were obliged to walk quite slowly, and to plow 
 quite orderly. It was sunrise when they were 
 yoked, and when it was noon Jason had plowed 
 up the whole field. Then he unyoked the bulls and 
 let them loose ; but the bulls were as shy as a cat 
 after a beating, and they ran without looking 
 behind them to the mountains. There they would 
 
444 
 
 THE BOOK OF ANCIENT STORIES. 
 
 have set all the woods on fire if Vulcan had not 
 appeared, and caught them and led them away. 
 
 When Jason had done plowing, he went to King 
 ^etes, telling him he must now give him the dra- 
 gon's teeth. Dragons and serpents have their 
 mouths full of small teeth, and ^etes gave to 
 Jason a helmet all filled with their teeth. Jason 
 took them out with his hand and went up and 
 down the field and threw them in all directions ; 
 and then he took his large spear and beat the 
 clods, the large lumps of earth, into small pieces, 
 and then he smoothed the soil as the gardener 
 does after having sowed. And then he went away 
 and lay down to rest until the evening, for he was 
 very weary. 
 
 Towards sunset he returned to the field, and 
 iron men were everj'where growing out of the 
 soil. Some had grown out to the feet, others to 
 the knees, others to the hips, others to the under 
 part of the shoulders, of some only the helmet or 
 forehead could be seen, whilst the remainder of 
 their bodies stuck in the ground. Those who had 
 their arms alreadj' out of the earth and could move 
 them, shook their lances, and brandished their 
 swords. Some were just freeing their feet and pre- 
 paring to come against Jason. 
 
 Then Jason did what his friend Medea had 
 told him, and taking a big stone, he threw it on 
 the field just in the midst of them. When the 
 iron men saw the stone, they sprang quick to take 
 it. I suppose that it must have been a fine great 
 marble stone. Then they began to bicker amongst 
 each other, because each wished to have it, and to 
 cut and thrust at each other, and as soon as one 
 got his feet out of the soil, he ran to join the 
 others, and all of them fought together, until every 
 one of them was killed. Jason meanwhile leis- 
 urely walked over the field and cut ofl: the heads 
 of those that were about to grow out. In this way 
 all the iron men perished, and the King ^etes 
 became furious like a madman : but Medea and 
 the heroes and the spectators were uncommonly 
 pleased. 
 
 The next morning, Jason went to King jEetes 
 and asked him now to give him the fleece ; but 
 the king did not give it to him, and said that he 
 should come again : he wished to have Jason 
 murdered. Medea told that to Jason, and told 
 him also that he must fetch the fleece himself, or 
 else he would never get it. The fleece was nailed 
 to an oak, and at the foot of the oak there lay a 
 dragon that never slept, and ate all men, excepting 
 King jEetes, ihat should touch the fleece. As the 
 dragon was immortal, IMedea could not help Jason 
 to kill him. But the dragon ate sweet cakes with 
 delight, and Medea gave to Jason honey-cakes, in 
 which she had mixed a juice which obliged the 
 dragon to go fast asleep. Jason came with his 
 cakes and threw them before him ; the stupid 
 dragon ate all of them, and fell asleep immedi- 
 ately. Then Jason stepped over him and drew 
 out with pincers the nails with which the fleece 
 was fastened to the oak, and then taking down the 
 fleece, he wrapped it in his cloak and carried it 
 ofi^ to the ship. Medea came also and became 
 Jason's wife, and went with him to Greece. 
 
 ^etes thinking the Argonauts would go back 
 in the Argo the same way they had come, sent a 
 great many vessels to attack them ; but they took 
 another way and went up the large river Ister, 
 and then the heroes carried the Argo into the 
 Ocean (which goes all around the earth), and 
 then they came again to lolcos : but the Colchians 
 always waited at the Svmplegades, which now 
 stood fastened, and the Argo never coming, they 
 returned at last home again ; and King jEetes 
 was terribly angry ; for he had lost the fleece, 
 and the brazen bulls, and the dragon s teeth ; and 
 his daughter was gone, and had also taken with 
 her all her jewels, and everybody laughed at him. 
 When Medea arrived with Jason in Thessaly, 
 she made old ^son young again, so that his white 
 hair became black again, and all his teeth came 
 again ; he grew as strong as any young man, and 
 lived a great many more years : but she killed 
 Pelias, and ^son beeame king in his stead. 
 
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- , DATE DUE — - 
 
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 Horace E. 
 
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 TITLE 
 
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