The Popular Story of 
 
 BLUE BEARD 
 
 
 OR, 
 
 FEMALE CURIOSITY. 
 
 Embellished with Beautiful Cuts. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 PUBLISHED BY RYLE AND Co., 
 
 MONMOUTH COURT, SEVEN DIALS. 
 
 Sold by J. Guest, 51, Bull Street, Birmingham. 
 
THE HISTORY OF 
 
 JLUE BEARD 
 
 THERE was a man who had fine houses, both in town and 
 country, a deal of silver and gold plate, embroidered 
 furniture, and coaches gilded all over with gold. But this man 
 had the misfortune to have a blue beard, which made him so 
 frightfully ugly, that all the women and girls ran away from 
 him. 
 
 One of his neighbours, a lady of quality, had two daugh- 
 ters, who were perfect beauties. He desired of her one of 
 them in marriage, leaving to her the choice which of the two 
 
BLUE BEARD. 
 
 
 she would bestow on him. They would neither of them have 
 him, and sent him backwards and forwards from one to ano- 
 ther, not being able to bear the thoughts of marrying a man 
 who had a blue beard. And what, besides, gave them disgust 
 and aversion was, his having already been married to several 
 wives, and nobody ever knew what became of them. 
 
 Blue Beard, to engage their affections, took them, with the 
 lady their mother, and three or four ladies of their acquaint- 
 ance, with other young people of the neighbourhood, to one 
 of his country seats, where they continued a whole week. There 
 was nothing then to be seen but parties of pleasure, fishing", 
 mirth, and feasting ; and all passing the night in rallying and 
 joking with each other. In short, every thing so well suc- 
 ceeded, that the youngest daughter began to think the mas- 
 ter of the house not to have a beard so very blue, and that 
 he was a mighty civil gentleman. 
 
 So soon as they returned home, the marriage was con- 
 cluded. About a month afterwards, Blue Beard told his wife 
 that he was obliged to take a country journey for six weeks, 
 at least, about affairs of very great consequence, desiring her 
 to divert herself in his absence, sending for her friends and ac- 
 quaintance, carry them into the country, if she pleased, and 
 make good cheer wherever she was. " Here," said he, " are 
 the keys of the two great wardrobes, wherein I have my best 
 furniture; these are my silver and gold plate; these open 
 my strong boxes, which hold my money, both gold and 
 silver ; these my casket of jewels ; and this is the master-key 
 to all my apartments ; but as for this little one here, it is the 
 key of the closet at the endjOf the great gallery on the ground 
 floor. Open them all, go into all and every Orte, except that 
 little closet, which I forbid you, and forbid it in such a man- 
 ner, that if you happen to open it, there is nothing but what 
 you may expect from my just anger and resentment." She 
 promised to observe exactly whatever he had ordered ; when, 
 after having embraced her, he got into his coach, and pro- 
 ceeded on his journey. 
 
 Her neighbours and good friends did not stay to be sent 
 for by the new-married lady, so great was their impatience to 
 see all the rich furniture of her house, not daring to come 
 while her husband was there, because of his blue beard, which 
 frightened them. They ran through all the rooms, closets, 
 and wardrobes, which were all so rich and fine, that they 
 
BLUE BEARD. 
 
 seemed to pass one another. After that, they went into the 
 two great rooms, which were the best and richest furniture;., 
 they could not sufficiently admire the number and beauty of 
 the tapestry, beds, couches, cabinets, stands, tables, and 
 looking-glasses, in which you might see yourselves from head 
 to foot : some of them were framed with glass ; others with 
 silver, plain and gilded, the finest and most magnificent ever 
 seen. They ceased not to extol and envy their happiness of 
 their friend, who, in the mean-time, no way diverted herself 
 in looking upon all these rich things, because of the impa- 
 tience she had to go and open the closet on the ground-floor. 
 She was so much pressed by her curiosity, that, without con- 
 sidering that it was very uncivil to leave her company, she 
 went down a little back staircase, with such excessive haste r 
 that she had twice or thrice like to have broken her neck. 
 
 Being come to the closet door, she made a stop for some 
 time, thinking upon her husband's orders, and considering what 
 unhappiness might attend her if she was disobedient, but the 
 temptation was so strong, she could not overcome it ; she 
 took then the little key, and opened it, trembling, but could 
 not at first see any thing plainly, because the windows were shut. 
 After some moments, she began to perecive that the floor was 
 all covered over with clotted blood, on which lay the bodies 
 
BLUE BEARD, 
 
 Blue Beard introducing his wife to his Mansion. 
 
 of several dead women, ranged against the walls ; thes.-', 
 were all ihe wives which Blue Beard had married and mur- 
 dered, one after another. She thought she would have died 
 for fear, and the key, which she pulled out of the lock, fell out of 
 rier hand. 
 
 After having somewhat recovered her surprise, she took up 
 the key, locked the door, and went up stairs into her chamber, 
 to recover herself; but could not, so much was she frighten*, 
 cd. Having observed that the key of the closet was stained 
 "with blood, she tried two or three times to wipe it off, but the 
 blood would not come out; in vain did she wash it, and even 
 rub it with soap and sand; the blood still remained, for the 
 key was a fairy, and she could never make it quite clean ; 
 "when the blood was gone off from one side, it came again on 
 the other. 
 
 Blue Beard returned from his journey the same evening, 
 and said he had received letters upon the road, informing 
 him that the affair he went about was ended to his advan- 
 tage. His wife did all she could to convince him that she 
 was extremely glad of his speedy return. Next morning he 
 
BLUE BEARD. 
 
 Blue Beard's Wife i?i the Blue Chamber. 
 
 asked her for the keys, which she gave him, but with such a 
 tumbling- hand, that he easily guessed what had happened. 
 " What !" said he, " is not the key of my closet among the 
 rest r" ft I must certainly," answered she, " have left it 
 above upon the table." " Fail not," said Blue Beard, " to 
 bring it to me presently." 
 
 After several going backwards and forwards she was forced 
 to bring him the key. Blue Beard, having attentively consi- 
 dered it, said to his wife, " How comes this blood upon the 
 key V " I do not know," cried the poor woman, paler than 
 death. " You do not know," replied Blue Beard 5 " I very well 
 know, you were resolved to go into the closet, were you not? 
 Mighty well, madam! you shall go in, and take your place 
 among the ladies you saw there !" 
 
 Upon this she threw herself at her husband's feet, and 
 begged his pardon, declaring she would never more be disobe- 
 dient. She would have melted a rock, so beautiful and sor- 
 rowful was she ; but Blue Beard had a heart harder than any 
 rock. " You must die, madam," said he, " and that presently." 
 " Since I must die," answered she, looking upon him with her 
 
BLUE BEARD. 
 
 
 Blue Beard's Wife returning the Key. 
 
 eyes all bathed in tears, " give me some little time to say my 
 prayers." " I give you," replied Blue Beard, " half a quarter 
 of an hour, but not one moment more." 
 
 When she was alone, she called out to her sister, and said 
 to her, " Sister Anne, " for that was her name, " go up, I beg 
 you, upon the top of the tower, and look if my brothers are 
 not coming; they promised me that they would come to-day; 
 and if you see them, give them a sign to make haste." Her 
 sister went upon the top of the tower, and the poor afflicted wife 
 cried out from time to time, " Anne, sister Anne, do you see 
 anyone coming?" And sister Anne said, "I see nothing but 
 the sun, which makes a dust, and the grass, which looks green." 
 
 In the mean while Blue Beard, holding a great cimeter in 
 his hand, cried out, as loud as he could bawl, to his wife, 
 " Come down instantly, or I shall come up to you." " One 
 moment longer, if you please," said his wife ; and then she 
 cried out very softly, "Anne, sister Anne, dost thou see any 
 body coming ?" and sister Anne answered, « I see nothing 
 but the sun, which makes a dust, and the grass looking green." 
 ' Come down quickly,'' cried Blue Beard, " or I will come, 
 
BLUE BEAR D. 
 
 Ann waving her Handkerchief to her Brothers. 
 
 up to you." " I am coming," answered his wife; and then 
 she cried, "Anne, sister Anne, dost thou not see any one com- 
 ing ?" " I see," replied sister Anne, a great dust which comes on 
 this side here." " Are these my brothers ?" " Alas ! no, my 
 dear sister, I see a flock of sheep." " Will you not come 
 down V cried Blue Beard. " One moment longer," said his 
 wife; and then she cried out, « Anne, sister Anne, dost thou 
 see any one coming V " I see," said she, « two horsemen com- 
 ing, but they are a great way off." « God be praised !" 
 replied the poor wife joyfully, " they are my brothers." " I 
 am making them a sign," said sister Anne, " as well as I can, 
 for them to make haste." Then Blue Beard bawled out so 
 loud, that he made the whole house tremble. 
 
 The distressed wife came down, and threw herself at his feet, 
 all in tears, with her hair about her shoulders. " This signifies 
 nothing," says Blue Beard, « you must die j" then, taking hold 
 of her hair with one hand, and lifting up his cimeter with 
 the other, he was going to take off her head. The poor gen- 
 tlewoman, turning about to him and looking at him with dying 
 eyes, desired him to afford her one little moment to recollect 
 
3 
 
 BLUE BEARD. 
 
 The Brothers killing Blue Beard, to save their Sister's Life. 
 
 — '■■■■■»■ II I » II — — — ■■»■■■ ■■■■ !!■■-. - I. I ... ■■■ ■—■■ — ■!■ i . -- ..■■!.. 1 * 
 
 herself. " No, no," said he, " recommend thyself to God ;" and 
 was just ready to strike. At this very instant, there was such. 
 a loud knocking at the gate, that Blue Beard made a sudden 
 stop. The gate was opened, and presently entered two horse- 
 men, who, drawing their swords, ran directly, to Blue Beard. 
 
 He knew them to he his wife's brothers, one a dragoon, the 
 other a musketeer; so he ran immediately to save himself; but 
 the two brothers pursued so closely, that they overtook him 
 before he could get to the steps of the porch, when they ran 
 their swords through his body, and left him dead. 
 
 The poor wife was almost as dead as her husband, and had 
 not strength enough to rise and welcome her brothers* 
 Blue Beard had no heirs, and so his wife bscame mistress of 
 all his estate. She made use of one part of it to marry her 
 sister Anne to a young gentleman, who had loved her a loug 
 while ; another part, to buy captains' commissions for her 
 brothers ; and the rest, to marry herself to a very worthy 
 gentleman, who made her forget the ill time she had passed 
 Avith Blue Beard. 
 
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