THE LIBRARY OF THE 
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 ENDOWED BY THE 
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 1876 
 
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 https://archive.org/details/grimmsgoblinsgriOOgrim 
 
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6ERWAN POPUbAR ItORII S 
 
GRIMM'S GOBLINS. 
 
 GRIMM'S HOUSEHOLD STORIES 
 
 1:ranslated feom the 
 
 inkr.mttr ^mn llferr^m ^^^^^ 
 
 E. TATLOE. ^ 
 
 GEOEGE CEUIKSHAM. 
 
 LOISTDON: 
 
 E. MEEK & CO., 15, WINE OFFICE COUET, FLEET STREET. 
 
 1876. 
 
X.ONDON; 
 
 CLAYTOy AND CO., TEMPLE PRINTING WORKS, 
 BOrVERIE STREET, WHITEFETARS. 
 
PREFACE 
 
 TO THE PRESENT EDITION OF "GRIMM'S GOBLINS." 
 
 No class of wi'iting can enthral the imagination, enchain the heart, 
 or influence the fancy of a child like Fairy lore. The unbounded 
 popularity of Fairy Tales in all countries is proverbial. This is 
 especially noticeable in the North of Europe and throughout Germany. 
 Hans Christian Andersen, with his immortal " Eventyr " (a word by 
 the way that translated by our English equivalent " Fairy Tales " 
 falls far short of the latitude allowed to the subject), and MM. Grimm 
 with their v^endrous Goblin Legends, have flooded the whole of 
 Europe with their marvellous whimsicalities and exquisite subtleties 
 of fancy. They have been translated into most modern languages 
 with increasing success for the advancement of their popularity. And 
 this edition, collated with scrupulous fidelity, and translated with 
 reverent fealty for the purity of the text, will, we trust, advance 
 the fame of the Brothers Grimm in England and place within the 
 reach of every English lover of these bewitching legends the com 
 pletest copy, at the lowest price, ever yet produced in England. 
 
 Child-teaching should be to instruct, as well as to amuse. It should 
 tend to educate the character, while pleasing the fancy, so that the 
 result shall not be ephemeral pleasure, but lasting good. We venture 
 with great diffidence to dissent from the dictum of a great modern 
 writer, who, writing on the influence of Fairy Tales, asserts that " such 
 tales are not a necessary element in the education of the young." 
 Such Fairy tales as these of Grimm's, and those of Andersen's ; ever 
 
 a 
 
iv 
 
 PREFACE, 
 
 fresh, always pure, never harmful in teaching, have been, and ever 
 will be, a source of undefiied instruction for our little ones, second 
 only in wholesomeness to Religious teaching itself The works of MM. 
 Grimm are admirable specimens of this class of teaching, without 
 doubt the best exemplification in Fairy lore of what we assert is its 
 influence on tender minds. Inimitably quaint and grotesque, with a ' 
 wealth of playful fancy, and possessing an inexhaustible fertility of 
 invention, they are, of all Fairy Tales, the ones that will win the heart 
 of a child ; and, whilst enlisting his attention by enveloping him as it 
 were spellbound in their charms, will teach him pure and wholesome 
 lessons that may remain deeply rooted in his heart, and bear precious 
 fruit long after his memory has wellnigh forgotten the sources. If such 
 a result be attained by the publication of this Edition of " Grimm's 
 Goblins," we shall not regret the trouble and pains spent over a task 
 that will make young lives happier, or old ones wiser. To render this 
 Edition attractive, not merely to the young, but to enlist the interest 
 alike of the more matured, we have introduced at considerable length 
 an exhaustive treatise on the derivation and etymology of the word 
 Fairy, et hoc genus omne, chiefly compiled from that profound 
 antiquarian Warton, together with a most interesting extract from 
 Keightley's " Fairy Mythology." We have also added some remarks of 
 a more modern writer in the Quarterly Review, bearing on the same 
 fascinating subject, to whom we express our acknowledgments for the 
 learned and able manner in which he has exhausted this interesting 
 topic; and we hope with these welcome additions, the present Edition 
 will be found to contain matters of instruction and delight to old and 
 young alike. 
 
 E. M. 
 
AN INTRODUCTION 
 
 TO THE PRESENT EDITION OF "GRIMM'S GOBLINS." 
 
 An implicit belief, and unwavering faith, in beings endowed with 
 supernatural gifts, and possessing unlimited powers, are ever pre- 
 vailing traits in a child's credulity. This belief is long before it 
 vanishes away under the disenchantments of prosaic realities, or 
 melts into thin air under the stern actualities of after life. 
 
 Thank Heaven, we have a vast opulence of Fairy lore, admirably 
 adaptei to gratify this intuition, and amply sufficient to satisfy 
 every small believer in the kingdom of Fairyland. Drawing from 
 this abundant source many a delightful theme, children can refresh 
 and charm their minds to the full as much as they can invigorate 
 their bodies by copious drafts of fresh air ; so pure is it of its kind. 
 To them, with their first yearnings after food for the mind, no purer 
 literature exists than the literature of Fairy Tales. Ever presenting 
 in an alluring style, fictitious forms and quaint strange figures, such 
 literature opens to them flights of fancy perfectly adapted to their 
 infantine tastes, which they eagerly seize upon and enjoy. Here is a 
 pure seminary of learning wherein fresh hearts, receiving their first 
 impressions, are trained to appease the hunger of their earliest^ 
 longings with wholesome food, that will satisfy them until they grow 
 old enough to seek other and richer pabulum. Such a collective body 
 of writings will never be other than a, great power, fascinating by its 
 weird influences the instincts of childish nature, and fostering in them, 
 an education of mind, rich in after harvests. 
 
 How welcome then are the Authors who weave these spells of 
 grotesque fancies, and weird witchcrafts. They flood upon us a 
 
 a 2 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 boundless wealtli of golden sunlight and silver moonlight, fairy bowers 
 and marble palaces, flowery balconies and orange groves, beauteous 
 princesses and handsome princes, enchanters and magicians, giants and 
 dwarfs, elves and sprites, et hoc genus omne. They encircle us with 
 an unfading aureola of rich humorous fantasy. 
 
 Have any one of our readers ever watched the countenance of a 
 child listening to his first Fairy Tale, noticed the starting tear, the 
 ecstasy of delight, or the tremble of distress playing o'er the mobile 
 face ? No astute physiognomist is needed there to tell us what is 
 passing in the tiny mind. The child is in a world of actual living 
 reality. He hears not merely — he sees it all ; with parted lip, with 
 flashing eye and heaving breast, he devours every word with an 
 implicit faith that is well-nigh inspired. It is no Fairy world to him 
 now. Every character lives and breathes before him with a startling 
 embodiment — one would not dare dispel the illusion. "What more 
 beautiful picture ? Painter, where is thy pencil ? Canst thou paint 
 me a better picture than this ? That little child, emblem of all purity 
 and innocence, with hushed awe and rapt attention, spellbound under 
 the fascinations of a magician like an Andersen or a Grimm, is 
 receiving in its spotless mind its first enthralling lesson ; whilst, full of 
 wonderment and reverence, it lives in an atmosphere of Fairy entrance- 
 ment. Look at the attitude of that lovely girl laughing with delight^ 
 every feature lighted up in a bath of sunshine ; look at her dimpled 
 rounded arms as she clasps her hands in ecstasy, eager to catch every 
 syllable, and fearing lest a word should escape — every pose, every 
 gesture full of grace and beauty 1 Surely this is a picture more 
 beautiful than ever met the gaze of Praxiteles, or arrested the 
 eye of Phidias ? And this is what we have seen when a mother 
 has been reading , out the exquisite tales of Grimm or Andersen 
 to a delighted group of lovely children. Would we could paint such 
 a picture ! And then, when the spell is loosed and the little tongues 
 set free, how they prattle for hours together over every incident with 
 
INTROmCTION. 
 
 vii 
 
 a pure faith in what they have heard that nought can upset, shouting* 
 forth their various heroes' praises with eager boundless joy. Fairy 
 lore is rich with the magic names of these championed heroes and 
 heroines, who dwell in that vast land, discovered by our authors, that lies 
 between truth and fiction ; and these all touch the heart and imagina- 
 tion with a nameless indescribable spell — a spell enhanced to infant 
 minds by the, to them, absolute and literal reality of the romance. It 
 is the normal phenomena of these tales that the tiny listener actually 
 sees — these spirits and beings of a brighter world. One has only to 
 teach some little urchin to read " Grimm's Goblins," feed his mind upon 
 it, excite a-nd stimulate his hunger by it ; and, fed upon such nutriment, 
 his tastes will expand, his soul will grow larger; and you have in 
 embryo already made a man of him. Would that we could live again 
 in those halcyon days when we too revelled in Fairyland! Lavater 
 says, " Keep him at least three paces distant who hates music and the 
 laugh of a child." Keep him out of sight altogether, say we, who hates 
 the sound of a Fairy Tale. 
 
 We have already alluded to the purity of this class of literature. All 
 literature ministers to some form of taste — some specially to one 
 taste, another to other tastes ; but all supply a demand and represent 
 respectively the intellectual status of particular bias in mind. Fairy 
 Tales are the earliest cultivators of the yjurest bias in the youngest 
 and freshest of soils : they are the especial prerogative and boon of 
 children's libraries. Their world-wide popularity, their boundless 
 influence, form a striking contrast to that immense flood of writing 
 distinguished by bad taste and low aims, which, if not positively per- 
 nicious, is at best vulo^ar trash. With no hio-her standard than the 
 reading of Fairy Stories, children would ever, from these sources, learn 
 how good and holy is virtue and benevolence — how bad and wicked is 
 craft and cunning. Nay, moral lessons may be learned from these 
 sources, not only by the little world of wondering, believing minds, 
 but by many minds that have long since passed the age of wondering. 
 
viii 
 
 INTROBXJCTION. 
 
 The Brothers Grimm, with an imagination as rich and fanciful as 
 any writers of Fairy Tales, leave most kindred writers far behind in the 
 especial adaptability of their tales to the tastes of children. In many, 
 animals represent the leading characters, and with inimitable drollery 
 retain their animal traits with a fidelity that teaches as much Natural 
 History as a study of Buffon would to some minds. In the finer ideal 
 embodiments of men and things, birds and butterflies, beasts and 
 fishes ; they rival Hans Andersen, that prince of fairy writers : wonder- 
 ful word pictures have they revealed to the fresh pure minds of millions 
 of little ones, in the magic mirror of Fairyland — creations in words, that 
 ail artists in colour fall short of Their intrinsic merit to be caviled 
 the princes of Fairy Tale writers, i^s pre-eminent in the bewitchery of the 
 style and the grace of these stories. "Blessed is the man who invented 
 sleep !" said honest old Sancho Panza. " Thrice blessed is the man," say 
 we, " who invented Fairy Tales!" And if not the inventors, at any rate 
 the Brothers Grimm, are entitled to the augmented blessings of every 
 fresh reader, who, we trust, will be added to the innumerable company 
 that have gone before the publication of this Edition. May this present 
 Edition increase their number by fresh thousands; and may every 
 reader (big or little) sv.^ell the pseanof praise and blessing we now raise 
 to the immortal Brothers Grimm for this work of theirs, which is the 
 paradise of our nurseries and the heaven of our infancy ! 
 
 KM. 
 
PREFACE 
 
 TO THE ORIGINAL EDITION. 
 ^ 
 
 The Translators were first induced to compile this little work by 
 the eager relish with which a few of the tales were received by the 
 3^oung friends to whom they were narrated. In this feeling, however, 
 the Translators do not hesitate to avow their own participation. 
 Popular fictions and traditions are somewhat gone out of fashion ; yet 
 most will own them to be associated with the brightest recollections of 
 their youth. They are, like the Christmas Pantomime, ostensibly 
 brought forth to tickle the palate of the young, but are often received 
 with as keen an appetite by those of graver years. 
 
 There is, at least, a debt of gratitude due to these ancient friends and 
 comforters. To follow the words of the author, from whom the motto in 
 the title-page is selected, " They have been the revivers of drowzy age 
 at midnight ; old and young have with such tales chimed mattins till 
 the cock crew in the morning ; batchelors and maides have compassed 
 the Christmas fire-block till the curfew bell rang candle out ; the old 
 shepheard and the young plow-boy after theii^ daye's labor, have 
 carold out thS same to make them merrye with ; and who but they 
 have made long nightes seem short, and heavy toyles easie ?" 
 
 But the amusement of the hour was not the translators' only 
 object. The rich coHection from which the following tales are selected, 
 is very interesting in a literary point of view, as affording a new proof 
 of the wide and early diffusion of these gay creations of the imagina- 
 tion, apparently flowing from some great and mysterious fountain 
 head, whence Calmuck, Russian, Celt, Scandinavian, and German, in 
 
PREFACE, 
 
 their various ramifications, have imbibed their earliest lessons of moral 
 instruction. 
 
 The popular tales of England have been too much neglected. 
 They are nearly discarded from the libraries of childhood. Philosophy 
 is made the companion of the nursery : we have lisping chemists and ' 
 leading-string mathem.aticians : this is the age of reason, not of 
 imagination; and the loveliest dreams of fairy innocence are considered ' 
 as vain and frivolous. Much might be urged against this rigid and 
 philosophic (or rather unphilosophic) exclusion of works of fancy and 
 fiction. Our imagination is surely as susceptible of improvement by 
 exercise, as our judgment or our memory; and so long as such fictions 
 only are presented to the young mind as do not interfere with the 
 important department of moral education, a beneficial effect must be 
 produced by the pleasurable employment of a faculty in which so 
 much of our happiness in every period of life consists. 
 
 It is, however, probably owing merely to accidental causes that 
 some countries have carefully preserved their ancient stores of fiction, 
 while here they have been suffered to pass to oblivion or corruption, 
 notwithstanding the patriotic example of a few such nam-es as Heame, 
 Spelman, and Le Neve, who did not disdain to turn towards them • 
 the light of their carefully trimmed lamp, scanty and ill-furnished as 
 it often was. A very interesting and ingenious article in the Quarterly 
 Revievj (No. XLI.), to Avhich the Translators readily acknowledge their 
 particular obligations, recently attracted attention to the subject, and 
 has shown how wide a field is open, interesting to the antiquarian as . 
 well as to the reader who only seeks amusement. 
 
 The collection from which the following Tales are taken is one of 
 great extent, obtained for the most part from the mouths of German 
 peasants by the indefatigable exertions of John and William Grimm, 
 brothers in kindred and taste. — The result of their labours ought to be 
 peculiarly interesting to English readers, inasmuch as many of their 
 Bationai tales are proved to be of the highest Northern antiquity, and 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 xi 
 
 common to the parallel classes of society in countries whose populations 
 have been long and widely disjointed. Strange to say, " Jack, 
 commonly called the Giant-Killer, and Thomas Thumb," as the 
 reviewer observes, "landed in England from the same hulls and war 
 ships which conveyed Hengist and Horsa, and Ebba the Saxon." 
 Who would have expected that Whittington and his Cat, whose 
 identity and London citizenship appeared so certain ; — Tom Thumb, 
 whose parentage Hearne had traced, and whose monumental honours 
 ware the boast of Lincoln ; — or the Giant-destroyer of Tylney, whose 
 bones were supposed to moulder in his native village in Norfolk, 
 should be equally renowned amongst the humblest inhabitants of 
 Munster and Paderborn ? 
 
 A careful comparison would probably establish many other coin- 
 cidences. The sports and songs of children, to which MM. Grimm have 
 directed considerable attention, often excite surprise at their striking 
 resemblance to the usages of our own country. "We wish, with 
 Leucadia Doblado, speaking of Spanish popular sports, "that anti- 
 quarians were a more jovial and volatile race, aud that some one 
 would trace up these amusements to their common source," if such a 
 thing were possible, or at any rate would point out their affinities. A 
 remarkable coincidence occurs in the German song to the Lady-bird, 
 or " Alarien-wlirmchen." The second verse alone has been preserved 
 in England ; but it is singular that the burthen of the song should 
 have been so long preserved in countries whose inhabitants have been 
 so completely separated. The whole song, which is to be found in 
 Yfunderhorn, i. 235, may be thus translated : 
 
 Ladj-bird ! Lady-bird ! pretty one ! stay : 
 Corae sit on my finger, so happy and gay ; 
 
 With me shall no mischief betide thee ; 
 No liarm would I do thee, no foeraan is near ; 
 I only would gaze on thy beauties so dear, 
 
 Those beautiful winglets beside thee. 
 
xii PREFACE. 
 
 Lady-bird ! Lady-bird ! fly away home, 
 Thy house is a-fire, thy children will roam ; 
 ' List ! list ! to their cry and bewailing : 
 
 The pitiless spider is weaving their doom, 
 Then, Lady-bird ! Lady-bird ! fly away home ; 
 Hark ! hark ! to thy children's bewailing. 
 
 Ely back again, back again, Lady-bird dear ! 
 Thy neighbours will merrily welcome thee here, 
 ; With them shall no perils attend thee ; 
 
 They'll guard thee so safely from danger or care, 
 They'll gaze on thy beautiful winglets so fair, 
 And comfort, and love, and befriend thee. 
 
 The valuable notes and dissertations added by MM. Grimm to tlieir 
 work, have principally for their object to establish the connection 
 between many of these traditions and the ancient mythological fables 
 of the Scandinavian and Teutonic nations. " In these pupular stories," 
 they are sanguine enough to believe, " is concealed the pure and 
 primitive mythology of the Teutons, which has been considered as lost 
 for ever; and they are convinced, that if such researches are continued 
 in the different districts of Germany, the traditions of this nature 
 which are now neglected, will change into treasures of incredible 
 worth, and assist in affording a new basis for the study of the origin of 
 their ancient poetical fictions." On these points their illustrations, 
 though sometimes over-strained, are often highly interesting and 
 satisfactory. Perhaps more attention might have been directed to 
 illustrate the singular admixture of Oriental incidents of fairy and 
 romance, with the ruder features of Northern fable ; and particularly 
 to inform us how far the well-known vehicles of the lighter Southern 
 fictions were current at an early period in Germany. It often seems 
 difficult to account for the currency, among the peasantry on the 
 shores of the Baltic and the forests of the Hartz, of fictions which would 
 seem to belong to the Entertainments of the Arabians, yet involved 
 in legends referable to the highest Teutonic origin. 
 
 But it is curious to observe that this connection between the 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 xiii 
 
 popular tales of remote and unconnected regions, is equally re- 
 markable in the richest collection of traditionary narrative which 
 any country can boast ; we mean the " Pentamerone, overo Tratten- 
 er/iiento cle li FiccerillV ("Fun for the Little Ones"), published 
 by Giov. Battista Basile, very early in the 17th century, from the 
 old stories current among the Neapolitans. It is singular that the 
 German and Neapolitan tales (though the latter were till lately quite 
 unknown to foreigners, and never translated out of the Italian 
 tongues), bear the strongest and most minute resemblances. The 
 French fairy tales that have become popular, were chiefly taken from 
 " Tlie Nights (Notii piacevoli) of Straparola,'' published first in 1550 ; 
 but in his collection such fictions occupy no prominent and appa- 
 rently an only accidental station, the bulk of the tales being of what 
 may be called the Classical Italian School. The Fentamerone was 
 drawn from original sources, and probably compiled without any 
 knowledge of Straparola, although the latter is precedent in date. 
 The two works have only four pieces in common. Mr. Dunlop would 
 add greatly to the value of his excellent work on fiction, if he would 
 include in his inquiries this most interesting branch of popular , 
 entertainment, to which Sir Walter Scott has already pointed in his 
 notes to " The Lady of the LoJce" 
 
 Among the most pleasing of the German tales are those in which 
 animals support the leading characters. They are perhaps more 
 venerable in their origin than the heroic and fairy tales. They are 
 ' not only amusing by their playful and dramatic character, but instruc- [ 
 tive by the purity of their morality. None bear more strongly the ? 
 impress of a remote Eastern original, both in their principles and their ^ 
 form of conveying instruction. Justice always prevails, active talent 
 is everywhere successful, the amiable and generous qualities are 
 brought forward to excite the sympathies of the reader, and in the 
 end are constantly rewarded by triumph over lawless power. It 
 will be observed a,s a peculiarity of the German fables, that they 
 
siv 
 
 PREFACE, 
 
 introduce even inanimate objects among their actors, a circum- 
 stance sometimes attended with considerable effect. Even the sun, 
 the moon, and the winds form part of the dramatis personce. 
 
 The Translators can do little more than direct the attention of the 
 curious reader to the source whence they have selected their materials. 
 The nature and immediate design of the present publication exclude 
 the introduction of some of those stories which would, in a literary- 
 point of view, be most curious. With a view to variety, they 
 have wished rather to avoid than to select those, the leading 
 incidents of which are already familiar to the English reader, and 
 have therefore often deprived themselves of the interest which com- 
 parison would afford. There were also many stories of great merit and 
 tending highly to the elucidation of ancient mythology, customs, and 
 opinions, which the scrupulous fastidiousness of modern taste, especially 
 in works likely to attract the attention of youth, warned them to pass 
 by. If they should ever be encouraged to resume their task, they 
 might undertake it with different and more serious objects. In those 
 tales which they have selected they had proposed to make no alteration 
 whatever ; but in a few instances they have been compelled to depart 
 in some degree from their purpose. They have, however, endeavoured 
 to notice these variations in the notes, and in most cases the alteration 
 consists merely in the curtailment of adventures or circumstances not 
 affecting the main plot or character of the story. 
 
 A few brief notes are added ; but the Translators , trust it v/ill 
 always be borne in mind, that their little work makes no literary 
 pretensions ; that its immediate design precludes the subjects most 
 attractive as matters of research ; and that professedly critical disser- 
 tations would therefore be out of place. Their object in what they 
 have done in this department, has been merely to attract attention to 
 a subject little noticed, and to point, however imperfectly, at a source 
 of interesting and amusing in(].uiry. 
 
 London, 1823. 
 
EXTRACTS. 
 
 ^ 
 
 KEIGHTLEY'S "FAIKY MYTHOLOGY." 
 
 Origin of the word "Fairy." 
 
 Like every other word in extensive use, whose derivation is not historically certain, 
 the yfordi fairy has obtained various and opposite etymons. Meyric Casaubon, aud 
 those who like him deduce everything from a classic source, however unlikely, 
 derive fairy from the Greek ^hp^s (pheres), which Hesychius interprets Centaurs 
 [^P, as has been .justly observed (preface to Warton) is the Ionic form of ^^p, has is 
 nearly related to the German thier, beasts, animals. The Scandinavian dyr and the 
 same signification ; and it is curious to observe the restricted sense the word has 
 gotten in the English deer'] ; or think thut/ee, whence fairy, is the last syllable of 
 nympha. Sir W. Ouseley derives it from the Hebrew is'D (pheer), beauty ; Skinner 
 from the Anglo-Saxon jzapan, to fare, to go ; others from freres, companions ; or 
 think that Fairy-folk is quasi Fair-folk. Finally, it has been queried if it be not 
 Celtic [preface to Warton, p. 44 ; and Breton, philologiBt, furnishes us with an 
 etvmon, not, indeed, of fairy, but of fada. Fada, fata, &c., says M. de Cambry 
 (Mou.umens Celtiques), come from the Breton mat or mad, in construction fat, good ; 
 whence the English, maid]. 
 
 Bub no theory is so plausible, or is supported by such names, as that which 
 deduces the English Fairy from the Persian Peri. It is said that the Pay m in foe, 
 whom the warriors of the Cross encountered in Palestine, spoke only Arabic, the 
 alphabet of which language, it is well-known, possesses no p, and therefore organically 
 substitutes an / in such foreign words as contain the former letter ; consequently, 
 Peri became in the month of an Arab Feri, whence the crusaders and pilgrims, who 
 carried back to Europe the marvellous tales of Asia, introduced into ihe West the 
 Arabo-Persian word fairy. It is farther added, that the Morgain or Morgana, 
 80 celebrated in old romance, is Merjan Feri, equally celebrated all over the East. 
 
 All that is wanting to this so very plausible theory is something like proof, and 
 some slight agreement with the ordinary rules of etymology. Had Feerie, or 
 Fairy, originally signified the individual in the French and English, the only 
 languages in which the word occurs, we might feel disposed to acquiesce in it. But 
 they do not : and even if they did, how should we deduce from them the Italian Fata 
 and the Spanish Fada or Hada (words which unquestionably stand for the same 
 imaginary beings), unless on the principle by which Menage deduces Lutin from Lemur 
 — the first letter being the same in both ? As to the fair Merjan Peri (D'Herbelot 
 calls her Merjan Banou [D'Herbelot titre Mergian, says, "Cest du'nom de cette Fee 
 que nos anciens romans ont forme celui de Morgante la Deconnue. He here confounds 
 Morgana with Urgauda, and he has been followed in his mistake. D'Herbelot also 
 thinks it possible that Feerie may come from Peri ; but he regards the common 
 derivation from Fata as much more probable. Cambrian etymologists say that 
 Morgain is Mor Gwynn, the White Maid]), we fancy a little too much importance 
 has been attached to her. Her name, as far as we can learn, only occurs in the 
 Caherraan Nameh, a Turkish romance, translated perhaps from the Persian. 
 
 All the foregoing etymologies, be it observed, are the conjectures of English 
 
svi 
 
 EXTRACTS. 
 
 scholars ; for the English is the only language in v/hich the name of the individual, 
 Fairy, has the canine letter to afford any foundation for them. 
 
 The simplest solution of the problem in the present case, as in most others, seems 
 to be the true one. The Parcse of antiquity were also called Fatse — (we meet 
 on a coin of Dioclesian, Fatis victj^icibus) — and the connection between the Parcse 
 and the Fairies of romance will be evident to anyone who recollects how frequently 
 the latter were attendant at the birth of heroes and princesses, foretelling their - 
 fortunes, or bestowing their good or evils gifts upon them. Or, if this should not 
 please, the wife of Faunus, a rural deity, was named Fatua, as we are informed by • 
 iMacrobius and Lactantius ; and the Nymphs, Donatus says, were from her called 
 Fatuee ; and Ariosto tells us that 
 
 Queste ch'or Fate e dagli Antichi foro 
 Gia dette Ninfe e Dee con piti bel nome. 
 
 Canto I. de Cinqtte A ggiunti al Furioso. 
 
 Which of these is the true etymon we do not undertake to decide. The first connects 
 itself with the Fairy-ladies of romance ; the other, with the popular Elves, the 
 tenants of the forests and groves. As it was to the former the word Fee or Fairy was 
 originally applied, we prefer the first. 
 
 It is curious how this derivation of the word expressive of the act, from that 
 indicative of the agent, runs through most of the European languages. We have in 
 French, from Diable, diablerie ; in English, from Witch, witchery, from Droll, 
 drollery ; in German, from Hexe (a witch), hexerei ; in Danish, from Troll, trylleri. 
 So that all analogy will lead us to illusion, enchantment, as the primary sense of 
 Faerie, which corresponds to the Latin Prsestigium, and perhaps to the Sanskrit 
 Maya, which, however, is used in a much higher sense. We find the word 
 Faerie to be employed in four different senses, which we shall now arrange and 
 exemplify. 
 
 1. Illusion, enchantment. 
 
 " Plusiers parlent de Guenart, 
 Du Loup, de I'Asne, de Kenart, 
 De faeries et de songes, 
 De phantosmes et de meusongea." 
 
 Gul. Giar. ap Ducange, 
 
 Where we must observe that the four last substantives bear the same relation to each 
 other as those in the two first verses do. 
 
 " Mains that sit with so benigne a chere, 
 Hire to behold it seemed faerie^ 
 
 Chaucer, Marchante's Tale. 
 
 ** It {the horse of brass) was of faerie, as the peple semed, 
 Diverse folk diversely ban demed." 
 
 Squier^s Tale, 
 
 ** The Emperor said on high, 
 Certes it is & faerie, 
 Or elles a vanitd." 
 
 Emare. 
 
 ') ** With phantasme and/aene, 
 
 Thus she blerede his eye." 
 
 Libeau's Disconus. 
 
EXTRACTS. 
 
 The God of her has made an end, 
 And fro this world es/tr^rie 
 Hath taken her into companie." 
 
 Gower^ Constance, 
 
 Mr. Eitson professes not to understand the meaning of faerie in this last passage. 
 Mr. Eitson should, as Sir Hugh Evans says, have " prayed his pible petter ;" where, 
 among other things that might have been of service to him, he would have learned 
 that " man walketh in a vain show," that " all is vanity," and that " the fashion of 
 this world passeth away," and then he would have found no difficulty in compre- 
 hending the pions language of "moral Gower" in his allusion to the transitory and 
 deceptive vanities of the world. 
 
 2. From the sense of illusion simply, the ti*ansition was easy to that of the land 
 of illusions, the abode of the Fa6s, who produced them ; and Faerie next came, to 
 signify the country of the Fays. Analogy also was here aiding ; for as a Nonnerie 
 was a place inhabited by Nonnes, a Jewerie a place inhabited by Jews, so a Faerie 
 was naturally a place inhabited by Fays. Its termination, too, corresponded with a 
 usual one in the names of countries : Tartarie, for instance, and " the regne 
 of Eeminie." 
 
 " Here beside an elfish knight 
 Hath taken my lo i d in fight, 
 And hath him led with him away 
 Into the FaeriCj sir, parmafay." 
 
 Sir Guy. 
 
 " La puissance qu'il avoit sur toures faeries du monde." 
 
 Huon de Bordeaux, 
 
 " En efi*ect, s'il me falloit retourner en faerie je ne s9auroye ou prendre mou 
 chemin." — Ogier le Dannoys. 
 
 " That Gawain with his olde curtesie, 
 Though he were come agen out oifaerie^ 
 
 Squier's Tale, 
 He (Authur) is a king y-crowned in Faerie 
 With sceptre and pail, and his regally 
 Shall resort, as lord and sovereigne, 
 Out of Faerie, and reign in Bretaine, 
 • And repair again that ould round table." 
 
 Lydgate, Fall of Princes, B. viii., c. 24. 
 
 3. From the country the appellation passed to the inhabitants in their ool- 
 lective capacity, and the Faerie now signified the people of Fairy-land. [Here, 
 too, there is perhaps an analogy with cavalry, nfantry, squierie, and similar 
 collective terms.] 
 
 " Of the fourth kind of spirits called the Phairie." 
 
 K. James, Demonologie, 1. 3. 
 " Full often time he, Pluto, and his auene 
 Proserpina, and alle h.ev faerie, 
 Disporten hem, and maken melodie 
 About that well." 
 
 Marckante^s Tale, 
 
 This is, perhaps, the proper sense of the word in all the remaining places in Chancer 
 
xviii 
 
 EXTRACTS. 
 
 where it occurs. [Mr. Tyrwliitfc recognises its employment only in the two first 
 senses. It has lately been asserted that Chaucer always employs the word/«em in 
 the sense of illusion. Let the reader try if this third sense will not best suit most 
 passages where it occurs in his works.] 
 
 4. Lastly, the word came to signify the individual denizens of Fairy-land, 
 and was equally applied to the full-sized fairy knights and ladies of romance, and 
 to the pigmy Elves who haunt the woods and dells. At what period it got this, its 
 last and subsequently its most usual, sense, we are unable to say positively ; but it 
 was probably posterior to Chaucer, in whom it never occurs, and certainly anterior 
 to Spenser, to whom, however, it seems chiefly indebted for its future general 
 currency. , [The " Faerie Queen " was published some years before " Midsummer 
 Night's Dream." Warton (Observations on the " Faerie Queene") observes : "It 
 appears from Marston's 'Satires,' printed 1598, that the 'Faerie Queene' occasioned 
 many publications in which Fairies were the principal actors. 
 
 " ' Go buy some ballad of the Faery KingJ — Ad Lectorem. 
 * Out steps some Fairy with quick motion. 
 And tells him wonders of some flowerie vale — 
 Awakes, straight rubs his eyes, and prints his tale.' 
 
 B. iii., Sat. 6."] 
 
 It was employed during the 16th century for the Fays of romance, and also, 
 especially by translators, for the Elves, as corresponding with the Latin Nymphse. 
 
 Thus we have endeavoured to trace out the origin and mark the progress of the 
 word Fairy through its varying significations, and trust that the subject will now 
 appear placed in a clear acd intelligibl« light. 
 
 Dwarfs. — These beings are called Zwerge (dwarfs), Berg and Erdmanlein (hill 
 and ground manuikins), the Stille Voik (still people), and the Kleine Volk (little 
 people). The following account of the Still People at Plesse will give the popular idea 
 respecting them. At Pless&, a castle in the mountains of Hesse, are various springs, 
 wells, clef ts, and holes in the rocks, in which, -according to popular tradition, the Dwarfs 
 called the Still People dwell. They are silent and beneficent, and willingly serve those 
 who have the good fortune to please them. If injured they vent their anger, not on 
 mankind, but on the cattle, whom they plague and torment. This subterranean 
 race has no proper communication with mankind, but pass their lives within the 
 earth, where their apartments and chambers are filled with gold and precious stones. 
 Should occasion require their visits to the surface of the earth, they accomplish the 
 business in the night, and not by day. This Hill People are of flesh and bone like 
 mankind, they bear children and die ; but, in addition to the ordinary faculties of 
 humanity, they have the gift of making themselves invisible, and of passing 
 through rocks and walls with the same facility as through the air. They sometimes 
 appear to men, lead them with them into the clefts, and, if the strangers prove 
 agreeable to them, present them with valuable gifts. Wild-Women. — The Wilde 
 Frauen or Wild-Women of Germany bear a very strong resemblance to the EUe- 
 Maids of Scandinavia. Like them, they are beautiful, have fine flowing hair, live 
 within hills, and only appear singly or in the society of each other. They partake 
 of the piety of character we find among the German Dwarfs. The celebrated 
 Wunderberg, or Underberg, on the great moor near Salzburg, is the chief haunt 
 of the Wild- Women. The Wunderberg is said to be quite hollow, and supplied 
 with stately palaces, churches, monasteries, gardens, and springs of gold and silver. 
 Its inhabitants, besides the Wild-Women, are little men, who have charge of the 
 treasures it contains, and who at midnight repair to Salzburg to perform 
 their devotions in the Cathedral ; giants, who used to come to the churcli of Grodiek 
 
EXTRACTS. 
 
 xix 
 
 and exhort tlie people to lead a godly and pious life ; and the great Enmperor, 
 Charles V., with golden crown and sceptre, attended by knights and lords. His 
 grey beard has twice encompassed the table at which he sits ; and when it has the 
 third time grown round it, the end of the world and the appearance of Antichrist 
 ■will take place. Kobolds. — The Kobold is exactly the same being as the Danish 
 jSTis, Scottish Br<|wnie, and English Hobgoblin. He performs the very same services 
 for the family to whom he attaches himself. When the Kobold is about coming 
 into any place, l|fe first, in this way, makes trial of the disposition of the family. 
 He brings chips and sawdust into the house, and throws dirt into the milk vessels. 
 If the master of the house takes care that the chips are not scattered about, and 
 that the dirt is left in the vessels, and the milk drunk out of them, the Kobold, 
 comes and stays in the house as long as there is one of the family alive. The 
 change of servants does not affect the Kobold, who still remains. The maid who 
 is going away must commend him to her successor to take care of him and treat 
 him well. If she does not so, things go ill with her till she is also obliged to 
 leave the place. The history of the celebrated Hinzlemann will give a most fall 
 and satisfactory information respecting the nature and properties of Kobolds. 
 Nixes. — The Nixes inhabit lakes and rivers. The man is like any other man, 
 only he hiis green teeth ; he also wears a green hat. The female Nixes appear like 
 beautiful maidens. On fine sunny days they may be seen sitting on the banks, or on 
 the branches of the trees, combing their long golden locks. When any person is 
 shortly to be drowned, the Nixes may be previously seen dancing on the surface of 
 the water. They inhabit a magnificent region below the water, whither they some- 
 times convey mortals A girl from a village near Leipsig was one time at service 
 in the house of a Nix. She said that everything there was very good ; all she had 
 to complain of was that she was obliged to eat her food without salt. The female 
 Nixes frequently go to the market to buy meat : they are always dressed with 
 extreme neatness, ouly a corner of their apron or some other part of their clothes 
 is wet. 
 
 WAETON'S " HISTOEY OF POETEY." 
 
 How far back the origin of dwarfish agents, who are to be met with in the 
 popular creed of every Jj^uropean nation, cannot now be precisely ascertained, 
 xh-e earliest memorials of them in the fiction of Germany and Scandinavia 
 present . us with the same divinities who, in the mythology of Hellas, were known 
 by the various names of Cabiri, Hephaesti, Telchines, and Idsean Dactyli. 
 
 In other countries of Europe the traces of their existence are not so clearly 
 defined ; and if a few scattered traditions seem to favour a contrary opinion, it is 
 equally certain that they have been more frequently confounded with a kindred race, 
 tlie (Brownies or Fairies). The former, as is well known, are the same diminitive 
 beings with the Lares of Latium, an order of beneficent spirits whom Cicero % 
 has taught us to consider as nearly identical with the Grecian Dajmon. In Germany - 
 they have received a long catalogue of appellations, all descriptive of their form, \ 
 their disposition, or their dress ; but whether marked by the title of Gutichen, (' 
 Brownie, Lar, or Dcemon, we observe in all the same points of general resemblance : 
 ail have been regarded alike as the guardians of the domestic hearth, the awarders of 
 prosperity, and the averters of evil. The English Puck, the Scottish Bogle, the 
 French Esprit FoUet, or Goblin— the Gobelinus of monkish kitinity,— and the 
 German Kobold are ouly varied names for the Grecian Kobalus ; whose sole delight 
 consisted in perplexing the human race, and calling up those harmless terrors that 
 constantly hover round the minds of the timid. To excite the wrath, indeed, of this 
 ■mischievous spirit, was attended with fatal consequences to the luckless objects 
 
XX 
 
 EXTRACTS, 
 
 who rashly courted it ; and Pisatorins (i., p. 140) has preserved a notice of his 
 cruelty to some miners of St. Amreberi^, to whom be appeared under the guise of 
 the Scottish Kejpie, with a horse's head, and whom he destroyed by his pestiferous 
 breath. That the progress of popular fiction has followed a regular course, a slight 
 consideration of the subject will tend to assure us. It is on this principle that every 
 
 i country in Europe has invested its popular fictions with the same c^mon marvels ; 
 that all acknowledge the agency of the lifeless productions of na'ure ; the inter- 
 vention of the same supernatural machinery ; the existence of el veg(| fairies, dv/arfs, 
 giants, w^itches, and enchanters ; the use of spells, charms, and amulets, and ail 
 those highly-gifted objects of whatever form or name, whose attribuies refute every 
 
 ' principle of human experience which are to conceal the possessor's person, annihilate 
 the bounds of space, or command a gratification of all our wishes. These are the 
 constantly-recurring types which embellish these popular tales. In accordance with 
 these laws, we find in every country a popular belief in different classes of beings 
 distinct from men and from the higher order of divinities. 
 
 WARTON'S "DISSERTATION ON THE ORIGIN OF ROMANTIC FICTION 
 
 IN EUROPE." 
 
 The books of the Persians and Arabians abound with extravagant traditions about 
 the giants Gog and Magog. These they call Jagionge and Magionge ; and the 
 Caucasian wall, said to be built by Alexander the Great from the Caspian to the 
 Black Sea, in order to cover the frontiers of his dominion, and to prevent the 
 incursions of the Scythians, is called b}'' the Orientals the Wall of Gog and Magog. 
 One of the most formidable giants, according to our Armorican romance, which 
 opposed the landing of Brutus in Britain, was Goemagot. He was tv/elve cubits 
 high, and would unroot an oak as easily as an hazel wand : but after a most obstinate 
 encounter with Corineus, he was tumbled into the sea from the summit of a steep 
 cliff on the rocky shores of Cornwall, and dashed in pieces against the high crags of 
 the declivity. The place where he fell, adds our historian, taking its name from the 
 giant's fall, is called Lam-Goemagot or Goemagot'' s Leap to this day. 
 
 The old fictions about Stonehenge were derived from the inexliaustible 
 source of extravagant imagination. We are told in this romance, that the 
 giants conveyed the stones which compose this miraculous monument from the 
 farthest coasts of Africa. Ever}'' one of these stones is supposed to be mythical, and 
 to contain a medicinal virtue — an idea drawn from the medical skill of the Arabians, 
 and more particularly from the Arabian doctrine of attributing healing qualities, 
 and other occult properties, to stones. Merlin's transformation of IJther into 
 Gorlois, c nd of Ulfin into Bricel, by the power of some medical preparation, is a 
 species of Arabian magic, which jjrofessed to work the most wonderful deceptions 
 of this kind. The attribution of prophetical language to birds was common 
 among the Orientals ; and an eagle is supposed to speak at building the walls of 
 the city of Paladur, now Shaftesbury. The Arabians cultivated the study of 
 
 ) philosophy, particularly astronomy, w^ith amazing ardour. Hence arose the 
 tradition, reported by our historian, that, in King Arthur's reign, there subsisted 
 
 ■ at CaerleoD, in Glamorganshire, a college of 200 philosophers, who studied astronomy 
 and other sciences ; and who were particularly employed in watching the courses 
 of the stnrs, and predicting events to the king from their observations. 
 Edwin's Spanish magician, by his knowledge of the flight of birds and 
 the courses of the stars, is said to fortell future disasters. In the same strain 
 Merlin prognosticates TJther's success in battle by the appearance of a comet.. 
 The same enchanter's wonderful sldll in mechariical powers, by which he removes the 
 Giants' .Dance, or Stonehenge, from Ireland into England, and the notion that this 
 
EXTRACTS. 
 
 xxi 
 
 stupendous structure was raised by a 'profound philosophical hioivledge of the 
 mechanical arts, are founded on the Arabic liteiciture. 
 
 The Spaniards beheved the existence of giants and dwarfs; they had some notion 
 of fairies ; they were stongly possessed with the belief of spells and enchantment, and 
 %vei'e fond of inventiug combats wiih dragons and monsters. . . . Even to the 
 present age the people are still infatuated with a belief of the power of magicians, 
 witches, spirits, and genii, concealed under the earth or in the waters 1 Do we not 
 diiicover, in these religious opinions, tliat source of the marvellous with which our 
 ancestors filled their romances, and in which we see dwarfs and giants, fairies and 
 demons, &c. ? 
 
 And here it will be much to our present argument to observe, that some of the 
 old Gothic and Scandinavian superstitions are to this day retained in the English 
 language. Mara, from whence our night-mare is deriv^ed, was in the Ilunic theology 
 a spirit or spectre of the night, which seized men in their sleep and suddenly 
 deprived them of speech and motion. Niclca was the Gothic demon who inhabited the 
 elements of water, and who strangled persons that were drowning. Boh was one of 
 the most fierce and formidable of the Gothic generalSj and the son of Odin : the 
 mention of whose name was sufficient to spread an immediate panic among his 
 enemies. 
 
 The fictions of Odin and of his Scandinavians, must have taken still deeper root 
 in the British Islands, at least in England, from the Saxon and Danish invasions. . 
 . . . The songs of the Irish bards arc by some conceived to be sLrongly marked 
 with the traces of Scaldic imagination ; and these traces, which will be reconsidered, 
 are believed still to survive among a species of poetical hisiorians, whom they call 
 talc-tellers^ supposed to be the descendants of the original Irish bards, A writer of 
 equal elegance and veracity relates, that a gentleman of the north of Ireland has 
 toid me of his own experience, that in his wolf-huntings there, when he used to be 
 abroad in the mountains tliree or four days together, and laid very ill a-nigliis, so as 
 he could not well sleep, they would bring him one of these tale-iellers, that when he 
 lay down would begin a story of a King or a Gyant, a Dwarf, and -o. JJaraossV . . 
 And that this Fairy hypothesis is partly true, may be concluded from the subjects 
 of some of the old Scanfcic romances, manuscripts of Nvhicii now remain in the ruyal 
 library at Stockholm. The titles of a few shall serve for a specimen ; which I will 
 make no apology for giving at large : — "Sagan af Hialmter oc Olwbii.'' — The 
 History of Hialmter King of Siceden, son of a Syrian Princess, and of Olver Jarl, 
 containing their Expeditions into Hunland, aud Arabia, with their numerous 
 encounters with the Vikings aud the Giants. Also their Leagues with Alsola, 
 daughter of Einger King of Arabia, afterwards married to Hervor King of Hunland, 
 &c.*' " Sagan af Siod.'^— " The History of Siod, son of Ridgare King of England, 
 who first was made King of England, afterwards of Babylon and Nineveh. C^jnipre- 
 hending various occurrences in Saxland, Babvlon, Greece, Africa, and especially in 
 ir'jrice (or Irish Laud) the region of the Gianxs." " Sagan af alefleck.'^ — The 
 History of Alefleclc, a King of England, and of his Expeditious into India and Tar- 
 tary'' " Sagan af Erik Widforla."—" The History of Eric, the Traveller, who, 
 with his companioij, Eric, a Danish Prince, undertook a wonderful journey tct Odin's 
 Hall, or Oden's Aker, near the river Pison in PndiaP Here we see the circle of 
 Icelandic poetry enlarged; and the naaies of countries and cities belonging to 
 Jinother quarter of the globe — Arabia, India, Tartary, Syria, Greece, B;ibylou, and 
 Nineveh — intermixed with those of Hunland, Sweden, and England, and adopted 
 into the Northern romantic narratives. Even Charlemagne and Arthur, whose his- 
 tories, as we have already seen, had been so lavishly decorated by tlie Arabian fablers, 
 
xxii 
 
 EXTRACTS. 
 
 did not escape the Scandinavian Scalds. Accordingly we find these subjects among 
 their Sagas. " Sagan af Erik Einglands Kapps." — " The History of Eiric^ son of 
 King Hiac, King Arthur s chief Wrestler.^' {HistoiHcal Rhymes of King Arthur, con- 
 taining his League with Charlemagne). " Sagan af Ivent." — " The History of 
 Ivent, King Arthur's principal Champion, containing his battles with the Giants." 
 " Sagan af Karlamagnuse of Hoppum Hans." — " The History of Charlemayne, of 
 his Champions and Captains, containing all his actions in several parts. 1st, of his 
 birth and coronation, and the combat of Carvetus King of Babylon, with Oddegir, 
 the Dane ; 2nd, of Aglandus King of Africa, and of his son Jatmund, and their 
 wars in Spain with Charlemagne ; 3rd, of Eoland, and his corabat with Villaline 
 King of Spain ; 4th, of Otteul's conversion to Christianity, and his marriage with 
 Charlemague's daughter ; 5th, of Hugh King of Constantinople, and the memorable 
 exploits of his champions ; 6th, of the wars of Ferracute King of Spain ; 7th, of 
 Charlemagne's achievements in Eoncevalles, and of his death." In another of the Sagas, 
 Jarl, a magician of Saxland, exhibits his feats of necromancy before Charlemagne. We 
 learn from Glaus Magnus that Eoland's magical horn, of which Archbishop Turpia 
 relates such wonders, and among others, that it might be heard a distance of twenty 
 miles, was frequently celebrated in the songs of the Icelandic bards ; it is not likely 
 that these pieces, to say no more, were not composed until the Scandinavian tribes 
 had been converted to Christian it}^, that is, as I have before observed, about the close 
 of the lOlh century, these barbarians had an infinite and a national contempt for the 
 Christians, whose religion inculcated a spirit of peace, gentleness, and civility- — 
 qualities so dissimilar to those of their own ferocious and warlike disposition, and 
 which they naturally interpreted to be the marks of cowardice and pusillanimity ; it 
 has, however, been urged that as the irruption of the Normans into France, under 
 their leader Eolio, did not take place till towards the beginning of the 10th century, 
 at which period the Scaldic art was arrived to the highest perfection in Eollo's 
 native (X)untry ; we can easily trace the descent of the French and Ej)glish romances 
 of chivalry from the Northern Sagas. It is supposed that Eollo carried with him many 
 Scalds from the North, who transmitted their skill to their children and successors, 
 and that these, adopting the religious opinions and language of the new country, 
 substituted the heroes of Christendom instead of those of their Pagan ancestors, and 
 began to cel'ebrate the feats of Charlemagne, Eoland, and Oliver, whose true history 
 they set off and embellished with the Scaldic figments of Dwarfs, Giants, Dragons, 
 and Enchantments ; there is, however, some reason to believe that these fictions were 
 current among the French long before ; and if the principles advanced on the former 
 part of tbi« dissertation be true, the fables adhering to Charlemagne's real history 
 must be referred to another source. 
 
 Let me add, that the enchantments of Eunic poetry are very different from those 
 in our Eomances of Oiiivalry — the former chiefly deal in spells and charms, such as 
 would preserve from poison, blunt the weapons of an enemy, procure victory, allay 
 a tempest, cure bodily diseases, or call the dead from their tombs, in uttering a 
 form of mysterious words or inscribing Eunic characters. The magicians of roraanes 
 are chiefly employed in forming and conducting a train of deceptions : there is an air 
 of Barbaric horror in the incantations of the Scaldic fablers. The magicians of 
 romance often present visions of pleasure and delight, and, although not without these 
 alarming terrors, sometimes lead us through flowery forests, and raise up palaces 
 glittering with gold and precious stones. The Eunic magic is more like that of 
 Canidiy in Horace, the romantic resembles that of Armida in Tasso. The operations 
 of the one a.re frequently biot mere tricks in comparison of that suhliine solemnity of 
 necromnntie machinery which the others so aiofidly display. 
 
EXTRACTS, 
 
 xxiii 
 
 ■ Quarterly Revieiv, Vol. XXI. No. XLL, Art. 5. 
 The most importuiit addition to nursery literature has been effected in Germany, 
 by the diligence of John and William Grimra, two antiquarian brethren of the 
 highest reputation. Under the title of "Kiuder und Hausmarchen" they have 
 published a collection of German popular stories, singular in its kind, both for 
 extent and variety, and from which we have acquired much information. In this 
 collection we recognise a host of English and French and Italian stories of the same 
 genus and species, and extant in printed books ; but the greater part of the German 
 popular or nursery stories are stated by the editors to be traditionary, some local, 
 others more widely known, and MM. Grimm say that they are confident that all 
 those which they have so gathered from oral tradition, with the exception, indeed, 
 of " Puss in Boots," are pure German, and not borrowed from the stranger. In their 
 annotation, MM. Grimm have taken considerably pains, and often with considerable 
 success, to show the relationship between these Kinder Marchen, or Children's Tales, 
 and the venerable Sagas of the North, which, in good sooth, were only intended 
 for children of larger growth. " The real worth of these tales," continue MM. 
 Grimm, " is indeed to be highly estimated, as they give a new and more complete 
 elucidation of our ancient German heroic fictions than could be obtained from any 
 other source. Thornrosa, who is set a-sleeping in consequence of the v^^ouuds 
 inflicted by her spindle, is Brynliilda cast into slumber by the sleep-thorn of Odin. 
 The manner in which Loke hangs to the Giant-Eagle is better understood after a 
 perusal of the story of the Golden Goose, to which the lads and lasses who touch it, 
 adhere inseparably. In the stories of the Wicked Goldsmith, the SpeaJcing Bird, and 
 the Eating of the Bird's Heart, who does not recognise the fable of Sigurd (see note). 
 In these popular stories is concealed the pure and primitive mythology of the Teutons, 
 which has been considered as lost for ever, and we are convinced that if such 
 researches are contiipued in the different districts of Germany, the traditions of this 
 nature, which are now neglected, will change into treasuries of incredible worth, 
 and assist in affording a new basis for the study of the origin of our ancient poetical 
 fictions." 
 
 Quarterly Review. The Statement of a Singular Hypothesis of Fairies, in 
 
 Yol. XIV., pp. 280-1. 
 Mrs. Bray thinks that the Pixies are certainly a distinct race from the Fairies, 
 because the elders among the more knowing peasantry will invariably tell you, if 
 you ask them what Pixies really may be, that they are the souls of infants who 
 were so unhappy as to die uubaptised. Everything, however, which is attributed to 
 Fairies in other parts of England is attributed to Pixies in Devonshire. They steal 
 children, they lead travellers astray, they delude miners, they reward good house- 
 wives and punish idle ones, and make rings on the turf where they dance. The 
 good people afiarm that of late years the Pixies are conjured away to their own 
 domains and held tolerably fast there ; and the reason they give for this is, that 
 the burial service is much enlarged to what it was in former days, and the 
 clergy much more learned. A more extraordinary hypothesis concerning them, 
 which was advanced some thirty years ago by Dr. Guthrie, seems not to have been 
 heard of in the West. 
 
 " Most of the traditional stories respecting Fairies," says the Doctor, " especially 
 such as represented them as embodied spirits, might perhaps be accounted fur upon 
 supposing that the Druids, or rather some conquered Aborigines, had fled from 
 their enemies and taken up their residence in those subterraneous dwellings so 
 frequently discovered in digging in various parts of Scotland and in some places 
 
EXTRACTS. 
 
 called Picts' houses. Covered with artificial mounds, they were generally green 
 bills. When the country caiioe to be inhabited around them a regard for their own 
 safety wouid induce them to be hid by day, and to come abroad only in the night. 
 It would be of consequeiice if at any time iheir occa^'ions should force them abroad 
 in daylight that their clothing should be as like the ground as possible ; hence they 
 were always dressed in green. Their narrow dwellings kept them much confined by 
 day ; but the exercise of dancing by moonlight must have been to them most 
 vielightful, and frequently repeated in remote glens and sequestered places. Hence, 
 ;'iso, their music by night in the open air ; by day in their dwellings It must have 
 Letrayed them. Hence, also, in dark nights those gleams or light which were 
 necessary to find their way to water, or anything else they might need. Their stock 
 of provisions might at times run thort ; hence their females appearing in green 
 gowns, borrowing oatmeal, and repaying it. Their families in that confined state of 
 life, from putrid or infectious dieases, might become thin or wear away ; and hence 
 their carrying off women and children to recruit their stock ; hence, also, the 
 return of those carried off being permitted to depart after several years of absence 
 from their own families under a promise of keeping their secret. Difficulties may 
 be started ; but such a supposition seems to account for stories that passed current 
 with people who, though superstitions and apt to be imposed upon by their own 
 imaginations, were not indifferent with regard to what they thought to be truth, 
 more than people of the present age." 
 
 " But," Dr. Guthrie adds, " it may be proper to remark that the fairy tales in 
 Scotland are widely different from those we generally find in books." 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 
 
 Page 
 
 Hans in Luck 
 
 
 1 
 
 The Travelling Musicians ; or, The Waits of 
 
 
 Bremen 
 
 ... ... 
 
 6 
 
 The Golden Bird 
 
 ... ... 
 
 10 
 
 The Fisberoian and his Wife 
 
 ... 
 
 17 
 
 The Tom-Tit and the Bear 
 
 
 
 23 
 
 The Twelve Dancing Princesses 
 
 ... 
 
 2o 
 
 Rosebud 
 
 .•• *.. 
 
 31 
 
 Tom Thumb 
 
 ..» ... 
 
 35 
 
 The Grateful Beasts ... ,„ 
 
 •<* ».. 
 
 42 
 
 Jorinda and Jorindel 
 
 
 47 
 
 The Waggish Musician 
 
 «•* *•. 
 
 51 
 
 The Queen Bee „ 
 
 .•• ■•• 
 
 54 
 
 The Dog and the Sparrow 
 
 
 57 
 
 Frederick and Catherine 
 
 
 61 
 
 The Three Children of Fortune 
 
 
 67 
 
 King Grisly -Beard 
 
 
 70 
 
 The Adventures of Chanticleer and 
 
 Pa'rtlet 
 
 75 
 
 Snowdrop 
 
 
 81 
 
 The Elves and the Shoemaker ... 
 
 
 89 
 
 The Turnip 
 
 »»• 
 
 92 
 
 Old Sultan ... 
 
 ••• 
 
 96 
 
 The Lady and the Lion 
 
 
 99 
 
 The Jew in the Bush 
 
 
 105 
 
 The Ring of the Golden Mountain 
 
 
 109 
 
 The Golden Goose 
 
 
 115 
 
 Mrs. Fox 
 
 
 119 
 
 Hansel and Grettel 
 
 
 123 
 
 The Giant with the Three Golden Hairs 
 
 128 
 
 The Frog-Prinee ... 134 
 
 The Fox and the Horse 137 
 
 Rumpel-Stilts-Kin ... 139 
 
 The Goose-Girl 1 il 
 
 FaithfulJohn „ 149 
 
 The Bine Light 15-; 
 
 Ashputtel ..<. 1(13 
 
 The Young Giant and tlie Tailor ,,s ... 171 
 
 The Crows and the Soldier ,., .,e „. IS-"-! 
 
 Peewit 187 
 
 Hans and his Wife G'-ettei 192 
 
 Cherry, or the Frog- Bride 2\)1 
 
 Mother Holle 207 
 
 The Water of Life ... ... 211 
 
 Peter the Goatherd 218 
 
 The Four Clever Brothers ... ... ... 222 
 
 The Elfin Grove 227 
 
 The Salad 234 
 
 The Nose 240 
 
 The Five Servants ... 247 
 
 Cat-Skin ... ... ... 25.". 
 
 The Robber-Bridegroom 20] 
 
 "J he Three Sluggards ... 26(i 
 
 The Seven Ravens , , 267 
 
 Roland and Maybird 27U 
 
 The Mouse, the Bird, and the Sausage ... 278 
 
 The Juniper Tree 280 
 
 Notes 289 
 
 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 Titlepage. The Droll Story 
 
 Hans in Luck ... , 
 
 The Travelling Musicians ... 
 
 The Golden Bird 
 
 Jorinda and Jorindel 
 
 The Waggish Musician • 
 The Elves and the Shoemaker ... 
 
 The Turnip 
 
 The Jew in the Bush ... ... 
 
 The King of the Golden Mountain 
 
 The Golden Goose 
 
 Rumpel-Stilts-Kin „. ... 
 
 Vignette to Second S cries At* ^(tcst). 
 
 Face p. 1 The Goose-Girl 
 
 8 FaithfulJohn 
 
 12 The Blue Light 
 
 50 The Young Giant and the Tailor {1st design) 
 .52 ,, {2nd de.-ii'jn) 
 
 91 {^rd design) 
 
 94 Peewit 
 
 107 Cherrv, or the Frog-Bride 
 
 114 The Water of Life 
 
 117 { The El&u Grove 
 
 140 The Nose 
 
Now you must imagine me to sit by a good fire, amongst a companye of good fellowes, over a 
 •we'il-spiced wassel bowle of Christmas aie, tei!in,<? of these merrie tales which hereafter foUowe,"— Pre/. 
 *o Eist. ^f" Tom Tltumhe the JJtih:'—Wiu 
 
POPULAR STOEIES. 
 
 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 
 l«K:ily on, dragging one foot after another, a man came in sight, trotting 
 along gaily 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 hardly 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 carr}'- ; to be sure it is silver, but it is so heavy that I can't 
 hold up my hoad, 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'll have a weary task to drag it along." The 
 horseman got off, took the silver, helped Hans up, gave him the bridle 
 into his hand, and said, " When you want to go very fast, you must 
 smack your lips loud, and cry ' Jip.' " 
 
 B 
 
2 
 
 HANS IN LUCK, 
 
 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, he was thrown off, and lay 
 in a ditch by the roadside ; and his horse would have run off* 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. However, I'm 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 would 
 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), 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 V When he came to an inn, he halted, ate 
 up 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. 
 
HANS IN LUCK. 
 
 3 
 
 While he was trying his luck and managing the matter very 
 clumsil}^ 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 wheelbarrow. " 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 will 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'll change, 
 and give you the pig for the cow." " Heaven reward you for youT 
 kindness !" said Hans as he gave the butcher the cow, and took the pig 
 off the wheelbarrow, and drove it off, 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 was 
 o'clock ; and Hans told him all his luck, and how he had made so many 
 good bargains. The countryman said he was going 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 
 come from, the squire has had a pig stolen out of his sty. I was 
 dreadfully afraid, when I saw you, that you had got the squire's pig ; 
 
 B 2 
 
4 
 
 HANS IN LVCK. 
 
 il will be a bad job if they catch you ; the least they'll do, will be to 
 throw you into the horsepond." 
 
 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 ; " however I will not bear hard upon 
 you, as you are in trouble." Then he took the string in his hand, and 
 drove oiF the pig by a side path ; while Hans went on the way home- 
 wards 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 then 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 scissor-grinder, with his 
 wheel, working away, and singing 
 
 O'er liill and o'er dale so happy I roam, 
 Work light and live well, all the world is my home ; 
 Who so blythe, so merry as 1 1 
 
 Hans stood looking for a while, and at last said, "You must be 
 well ofi", 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 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 
 
EAUrS IN LUCK, 
 
 5 
 
 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 itself. 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 common 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 bom 
 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 travelling 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 further, 
 and the stone tired him terribly ; he dragged himself to the side of a 
 pond, that he might drink some water, and rest awhile ; 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. ^ , 
 
e 
 
 THE TRAVELLING MUSICIANS; 
 
 OE, THE WAITS OF BKEMEN. 
 
 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 putting an end to him ; but the 
 ass, who saw that some mischief was in the wind, took himself slyly 
 off, and began his journey towards Bremen, "for there," thought he, 
 " I may chance to be chosen town musician.'* 
 
 After he had travelled a little way, he spied a dog lying by the 
 roadside and panting as if he was 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 ?om 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 Bremen 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 sitting in the middle 
 of the road and making a most rueful face. " Pray, my good lady," 
 said the ass, " what's the matter with yon ? you look quite out of 
 spirits 1" "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 
 
THE TRAVELLim MUSICIANS, 
 
 7 
 
 after the mice, my mistress laid hold of me, and was going to drown 
 tne ; 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 Bremen; you are a good night singer, and may make 
 your fortune as one of the waits." 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 my 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 town the first day ; so, when 
 night came on, they went into a wood to sleep. The ass and the dog 
 laid themselves down under a great tree, and the cat climbed 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 everything 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 way off, for I see a light." " If that be the case," 
 »^aid the ass, "we had better change our quarters, for our lodging 
 is not the best in the world!" "Besides/' added the dog, "I 
 
6 
 
 THE TRAVELLING MUSICIANS; 
 
 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 they at last 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 meriy." 
 "That would he 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 contrive to get the robbers out; and at last they hit upon apian. 
 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 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 they 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 
 hobgoblin had broken in upon them, and scampered away as fast as 
 they could. 
 
 The coast once clear, our travellers soon sat down, and dispatched 
 what the robbers had left, with as much eagerness as if they had not 
 expected to eat again for a month. As soon as they had satisfied 
 themselves, they put out the lights, and each 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 herself up on the hearth before the warm 
 
OR, THE WAITS OF BREMEN. 
 
 9 
 
 ashes; and the cock perched upon a beam on the top of the house; and, 
 as they were all rather tired with their journey, they soon fell asleep. 
 
 But about midnight, when the robbers saw from afar that the liglits 
 were out and that all seemed quiet, they 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 understanding this joke, sprang at 
 his face, and spit, and scratched at him. This frightened him dreadfully/, 
 and away he ran to the back 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 
 comrades, 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 a man with a knife in his hand had hidden himself 
 behind the door, and stabbed him in the leg ; how a black monster 
 stood in the yard and struck him with a club, and how the devil 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. 
 
10 
 
 THE GOLDEN BIHD. 
 
 A CERTAIN king had a beautiful garden, and in fhe 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 ; 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 him : 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 gardeners 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, "One feather is of no 
 use to me, I must have the whole bird." 
 
 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 
 
mE GOLDEN BtRt>, 
 
 tl 
 
 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 evening; 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 evening came to the village where the two inns 
 were ; and in one of these were people singing, and dancing, 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 charming 
 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 temptation? 
 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^o set-out 
 inlo^ the wide . world to seek for the golden bird ; but his father would 
 not listen to 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 coming 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, 
 
12 
 
 THE GOLDEN BIRD, 
 
 and heard the same good counsel. But he was thankful to the fox, and 
 did not attempt his life as his brothers 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 followed 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 journey, 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 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 the 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 aU 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 
 
THE GOLDEN BIRD, 
 
 as the wind; and if he did this, he was to have tl^e golden bird 
 given him for his own. 
 
 So he set out once more on his journey, sighing, 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 snoring : 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 it." 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 it. " I will give him 
 the good one," said he ; "I am sure he deserves it." As he took up 
 the golden saddle 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 before the court to be judged, and was sentenced to die. But 
 it was agreed, that, if he could bring thither the beautiful princess, he 
 should live, and have the bird and 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> 
 
TSm GOLDEM BIRD, 
 
 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 hath, and 
 gave her the 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 kino^, and the kin^ 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 hiU was so big 
 that the whole world could not take it away ; and when he had 
 worked for seven days, and had done verj'- little, the fox came and said, 
 " Lie down and go to sleep ; I will work for you." And in the 
 morning he awoke and t4ie hill was gone ; so he Vf ent merrily to the 
 king, and told him that now that it was removed he must give liim 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 ?" 
 
 " 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 leave of them; but shake hands with the 
 princess last. Then lift her quickly on to the horse behind you ; clap 
 youi^ spurs to his side, and gallop away as last as you can." 
 
THE GOLDEN BIRD, 
 
 15 
 
 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 ; the}^ carried 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 matter, 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 robbers ; 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. 
 
 And 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 awhile, to eat and drink." Tery well," 
 said he, and forgot the fox's counsel, and sat down on 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 
 
16 
 
 THE GOLDEN BIRD. 
 
 the bird, and went home to the king their master, and said, " All this 
 have we won by our exertions." 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 river'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 
 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. He went 
 straight 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. And 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 many years. 
 
17 
 
 THE FISHERMAN AND HIS WIFE. 
 
 THERE was once a fisherman who lived with his wife in a ditch, 
 close by the sea-side. The fisherman 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 that 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 nasty stinking ditch ; do go back> 
 and tell the fish we want a little cottacre." - 
 
 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, 
 
 " 0 luan of the sea ! 
 Come listen to me, 
 For Alice my wife, 
 The plague of my life, 
 Eath sent me to beg a boon of thee ! " 
 
 c 
 
118 
 
 THE FISHERMAN AND HIS WIFE. 
 
 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 something 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 there was a parlour, a-nd a bed- 
 chamber, and a kitchen ; and behind the cottage there w^as a little 
 garden with all sorts of flowers and fruits, and a courtyard full of ducks 
 and chickens. " Ah !" said the fisherman, how happily we shall live !" 
 " 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 court- 
 yard 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." "Nonsense!" said the wife; "he will do it very 
 willingly ; go along and try." 
 
 The fisherman went ; but his heart was very heavy : and when he 
 came to the sea it looked blue and gloomy, though it was quite calm, 
 and he went close to it, 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 ! " 
 
 ''Well, what does she want mow ?" said the fish. "Ah !" said the 
 man very sorrowfully, " my wife wants to live in a stone castle." " Go 
 
IBE FISHERMAN AND HIS WIFE. 
 
 19 
 
 home then," said the fish, " she is standing at the door of it already." 
 So away went the fisherman, and found his wife standing before a 
 great castle. "See," said she, "is not this grand ?" With that 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 court- 
 yard were stables and cowhouses. " 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, and bestir 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-grey colour, and was 
 covered with foam as he cried out, 
 
 " O man of the sea ! . 
 
 Come listen to me, 
 
 For Alice my wffe. 
 
 The plague of my life, 
 Hatli sent me to beg a boon of thee ! ^ 
 
 " Well, what would she have now ? " said the fish. " Alas !" said the 
 man, " my 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 
 
 c 2 
 
20 
 
 THE FISHERMAN AND HIS WIFE, 
 
 palace, he saw a troop of soldiers, and heard the sounds of drums and 
 trumpets ; and when he entered in, 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, 'tis 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 fisherman. " Hus- 
 band," 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, 
 
 " 0 niMU or 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 the 
 fisherman, " 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 very lofty throne made of solid gold, Avith a great crown 
 
THE FISHERMAN AND HIS WIFE. 
 
 21 
 
 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 
 emperor." "Ah!" said the man as he gazed upon 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 but one pope at a time in 
 Christendom." " Husband," 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 Avhen 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 towards 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 fisher- 
 man, " my 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 ; 
 
22 
 
 THE FISHERMAN AND HIS WIFE, 
 
 and on each side were two rows of bTirning- 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 grandeur, "are you pope?" "Yes," said she, "1 
 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 morning came, and the sun rose. "Ah !" thought she as 
 she looked at it through the window, " cannot I prevent the sun rising ?" 
 At this she was very angry, and 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 
 uneasy, 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 roUed ; and you might have seen in the sea great black 
 waves like mountains with a white crown of foam upon them ; and the 
 fisherman 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 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. 
 
THE TOM-TIT AND THE BEAK 
 
 ONE summer day, as the wolf and tlie bear were walking together 
 in a wood, they heard a bird singing most delightfully. 
 " Brother," said the bear, " what can that bird be that is singing so 
 sweetly ?" " Oh !" said the wolf, " that is his majesty the king of the 
 birds, we must take care to show him all possible respect. (Now I 
 should tell you that this bird was after all no other than the tom-tit.) 
 
 If that is the case," said the bear, " I should like to see the royal 
 palace ; so pray come along and show it to me." " Gently, my friend," 
 said the wolf, " we cannot see it just yet, we must wait till the queen 
 comes home." 
 
 . Soon afterwards the queen came with food in her beak, and she and 
 the king began to feed their young ones. " Now for it !" said the bear ; 
 and was about to follow them, to see what was to be seen. " Stop a 
 little, master Bruin," said the wolf, " we must wait now till their 
 majesties are gone again." So they marked the hole where they had 
 seen the nest, and went away. But the bear, being very eager to see 
 the royal palace, soon came back again, and peeping into the nest, saw 
 five or six young birds lying at the bottom of it. " What nonsense !" 
 said Bruin, " this is not a royal palace : I never saw such a filthy place 
 in my life; and jom are no royal children, you little base-born brats !" 
 As soon as the young tom-tits heard this they were very angry, and 
 screamed out " We are not base-born, you stupid bear I our father and 
 mother are honest good sort of people : and depend upon it you shall 
 suffer for your insolence !" At this the wolf and the bear grew 
 frightened, and ran away to their dens. But the young tom-tits kept 
 crying and screaming ; and when their father and mother came home 
 
24 
 
 THE TOM-TIT AND THE BEAR. 
 
 md offered them food, they all said, " We will not touch a bit ; no, not 
 the leg of a fly, though we should die of hunger, till that rascal Bruin 
 has been punished for calling us base-born brats." " Make yourselves 
 easy, my darlings," said the old king, " you may be sure he shall meet 
 with his deserts." 
 
 So he went out and stood before the bear's den, and cried out with 
 a loud voice, " Bruin the bear ! thou has shamefully insulted our lawful* 
 children : we therefore hereby declare bloody and cruel war against 
 thee and thine, which shall never cease until thou hast been punished 
 as thou so richly deservest." Now when the bear heard this, he called 
 together the ox, the ass, the stag, and all the beasts of the earth, in 
 order to consult about the means of his defence. And the tom-tit also 
 enlisted on his side all the birds of the air, both great and small, and a 
 very large army of hornets, gnats, bees, and flies, and other insects. 
 
 As the time approached when the war was to begin, the tom-tit 
 sent out spies to see who was the commander-in-chief of the enemy's 
 forces; and the gnat, who was by far the cleverest spy of them ail, 
 flew backwards and forwards in the wood where the enemy's troops 
 were, and at last hid himself under a leaf on a tree, close by which the 
 orders of the day were given out. And the bear, who was standing so 
 near the tree that the gnat could hear all he said, called to the fox and 
 said, " Reynard, you are the cleverest of all the beasts ; therefore you 
 shall be our general and lead us to battle : but we must first agree 
 upon some signal, by which we may know what you want us to do." 
 " Behold," said the fox, " I have a fine, long, bushy tail, which is very 
 like a plume of red feathers, and gives me a very warlike air ; now 
 remember, when you see me raise up my tail, you may be sure that the 
 battle is won, and you have then nothing to do but to rush down upon 
 the enemy with all your force. On the other hand, if I drop my tail, 
 the day is lost, and you must run away as fast as you can." Now 
 
THE TOM-TIT AND THE BEAR, 
 
 25 
 
 when the gnat had heard all this, she flew back to the tom-tit and told 
 him everything that had passed. 
 
 At length the day came when the battle was to be fought ; and as 
 soon as it was light, behold I the army of beasts came rushing forward 
 with such a fearful sound that the earth shook. And his majest}^ the 
 tom-tit, with his troops, came flying along in warlike array, flapping 
 and fluttering, and beating the air, so that it was quite frightful to 
 hear ; and both armies set themselves in order of battle upon the field. 
 Now the tom-tit gave orders to a troop of hornets that at the first onset 
 they should march stmight towards Captain Eeynard, and fixing 
 themselves about his tail, should stincr him with all their mio^ht and 
 main. The hornets did as they were told : and when Reynard felt the 
 first sting, he started aside and shook one of his legs, but still held up 
 his tail with wonderful bravery ; at the second sting he was forced to 
 drop his tail for a moment ; but when the third hornet had fixed itself, 
 he could bear it no longer, but clapped his tail between his legs and 
 scampered away as fast as he could. As soon as the beasts saw this, 
 they thought of course all was lost, and scoured across the country in 
 the greatest dismay, leaving the birds masters of the field. 
 
 And now the king and queen flew back in triumph to their 
 children, and said, " Now, children, eat, drink, and be merry, for the 
 victory is ours !" But the young birds said, " No : not till Bruin lias 
 humbly begged our pardon for calling us base-born." So the king flev/ 
 back to the bear's den, and cried out, " Thou villain bear ! come 
 forthwith to my abode, and humbly beseech my children to forgive the 
 insult thou hast oflered them; for, if thou wilt not do this, every bone 
 in thy wretched body shall be broken to pieces." Then the bear was 
 forced to crawl out of his den very sulkily, and do what the king bade 
 him : and after that the young birds sat down together, and ate and 
 drank and made merry till midnight. 
 
THE TWELVE DANCING PRINCESSES. 
 
 THERE was a king who had twelve beautiful daughters. They 
 slept in twelve beds all in one room ; and when they went to 
 bed, the doors were shut and locked up; but every morning their shoes 
 were found to be quite worn through, as if they had been danced in all 
 night ; and yet nobod}^ could find out how it happened, or where they 
 had been. 
 
 Then the king made it known to all the land, that if any person 
 could discover the secret, and find out where it was that the princesses 
 danced in the night, he should have the one he liked best for his wife, 
 and should be king after his death ; but whoever tried and did not 
 succeed, after three days and nights, should be put to death. 
 
 A king's son soon came. He was well entertained, and in the 
 evening was taken to the chamber next to the one where the princesses 
 lay in their twelve beds. There he was to sit and watch where they 
 went to dance ; and, in order that nothing might pass without his 
 hearing it, the door of his chamber was left open. But the king's son 
 soon fell asleep; and when he awoke in the morning he found that the 
 princesses had all been dancing, for the soles of their shoes were full of 
 holes. The same thing happened the second and third night; so 
 the king ordered his head to be cut off. After him came several 
 others ; but they had all the same luck, and all lost their lives in the 
 same manner. 
 
 Now it chanced that an old soldier, who had been wounded in battle, 
 and could fight no longer, passed through the country where this king 
 
THE TWELVE BANCING PRINCESSES. 
 
 27 
 
 reigned : and as he was travelling through a wood, he met an old 
 woman, who asked him where he was going. I hardly know where 
 I am going, or what I had better do," said the soldier; " but I think I 
 should like very well to find out where it is that the princesses dance, 
 and then in time I might be a king." " Well," said the old dame, 
 " that is no very hard task ; only take care not to drink any of the 
 wine which one of the princesses will bring to you in the evening ; and 
 as soon as she leaves you pretend to be fast asleep." 
 
 Then she gave him a cloak, and said, " As soon as you put that on 
 you will become invisible, and you will then be able to folio the 
 princesses wherever they go." "When the soldier heard all this good 
 counsel, he determined to try his luck : so he went to the king, and 
 said he was willing to undertake the task. 
 
 He was as well received as the others had been, and the king ordered 
 fine royal robes to be given him ; and when the evening came he v/as 
 led to the outer chamber. Just as he was going to lie down, the eldest 
 of the princesses brought him a cup of wine ; but the soldier threw it 
 all away secretly, taking care not to drink a drop. Then he laid 
 himself down on his bed, and in a little while began to snore very loud 
 as if he was fast asleep. When the twelve princesses heard this they 
 laughed heartily; and the eldest said, "This fellow too migiit have 
 done a wiser thing than lose his life in this way !" Then they rose up 
 and opened their drawers and boxes, and took out all their fine clothes, 
 and dressed themselves at the glass, and skipped about as if they were 
 eager to begin dancing. But the youngest said, " I don't know hov/ it 
 is, while you are so happy I feel ver}^ uneasy ; I am sure some mis- 
 chance will befall us." " You simpleton," said the eldest, " you are 
 always afraid ; have you forgotten how many kings' sons have already 
 watched us in vain ? And as for this soldier, even if I had not given 
 him his sleeping draught, he would have slept soundly enough. 
 
28 THE TWELVE DANCING PRINCESSES. 
 
 When they were all ready, they went and looked at the soldier ; 
 but he snored on, and did not stir hand or foot : so they thought they 
 were quite safe ; and the eldest went up to her own bed and clapped 
 her hands, and the bed sunk into the floor and a trap-door flew open. 
 The soldier saw them going down through the trap-door one after 
 another, the eldest leading the way ; and thinking he had no time to 
 lose, he jumped up, put on the cloak which the old woman had given 
 him, and followed them ; but in the middle of the stairs he trod on the 
 gown of the youngest princess, and she cried out to her sisters, " All 
 is not right ; some one took hold of my gown." " You silly creature !" 
 said the eldest, " it is nothing but a nail in the wall." Then down 
 they all went, and at the bottom they found themselves in a most 
 delightful grove of trees ; and the leaves were all of silver, and glittered 
 and sparkled beautifully. The soldier wished to take away some token 
 of the place ; so he broke off a little branch, and there came a loud noise 
 from the tree. Then the youngest daughter said again, "I am sure 
 all is not right — did not you hear that noise ? That never happened 
 before." But the eldest said, " It is only our princes, who are shouting 
 for joy at our approach." 
 
 Then they came to another grove of trees, where all the leaves were 
 of gold ; and afterwards to a third, where the leaves were all glittering 
 diamonds. And the soldier broke a branch from each ; and every time 
 there was a loud noise, which made the youngest sister tremble with 
 fear, but the eldest still said, it was only the princes, who were crying 
 for joy. So they went on till they came to a great lake ; and 
 at the side of the lake there lay twelve little boats with twelve 
 handsome princes in them, who seemed to be waiting there for the 
 princesses. 
 
 One of the princesses went into each boat, and the soldier stepped 
 into the same boat with the youngest. As they were rowing over the 
 
THE TWELVE DANCING PRINCESSES, 
 
 29 
 
 lake, the prince who was in the boat with the youngest princess and 
 the soldier said, " I do not know why it is, but though I am rowing 
 with all my might we do not get on so fast as usual, and I am quite 
 tired : the boat seems very heavy to-day." " It is only the heat of the 
 weather," said the princess ; " I feel it very warm too." 
 
 On the other side of the lake stood a fine illuminated castle, from 
 which came the merry music of horns and trumpets. There they all 
 landed, and went into the castle, and each prince danced with his 
 princess ; and the soldier, who was all the time invisible, danced with 
 them too ; and when any of the princesses had a cup of wine set by 
 Iier, he drank it all up, so that when she put the cup to her mouth it 
 was empty. At this, too, the youngest sister was terribly frightened, 
 but the eldest always silenced her. They danced on till three o'clock 
 in the morning, and then all their shoes were worn out, so that they 
 were obliged to leave off. The princes rowed them back again over 
 the lake ; (but this time the soldier placed himself in the boat 
 with the eldest princess ;) and on the opposite shore they took leave 
 of each other, the princesses promising to come again the next 
 niofht. 
 
 o 
 
 When they came to the stairs, the soldier ran on before the 
 princesses, and laid himself down ; and as the twelve sisters slowly 
 came up very much tired, they heard him snoring in his bed ; so they 
 said, " Now all is quite safe ;" then they undressed themselves, put 
 away their fine clothes, pulled off their shoes, and went to bed. In 
 the morning the soldier said nothing about what had happened, but 
 determined to see more of this strange adventure, and went again the 
 second and third night ; and everything happened just as before ; 
 the princesses danced each time till their shoes were worn to pieces, 
 and then returned home. However, on the third night the soldier 
 carried away one of the golden cups as a token of where he had been. 
 
30 
 
 THE TWELVE DANCING PRINCESSES. 
 
 As soon as the time came when he was to declare the secret, he was 
 taken before the king with the three branches and the golden cup ; 
 and the twelve princesses stood listening behind the door to hear what 
 he would say. And when the king asked him " Where do my twelve 
 daughters dance at night ?" he answered, " With tvsrelve princes in a 
 castle under ground." And then he told the king all that had hap- 
 pened, and showed him the three branches and the golden cup which 
 he had brought vfith him. Then the king called for the princesses, 
 and asked them whether what the soldier said was true : and when 
 they saw that they were discovered, and that it was of no use to deny 
 what had happened, they confessed it all. And the king asked the 
 soldier which of them he would choose for his wife ; and he answered, 
 "I am not very young, so I vfill have the eldest." — And they were 
 married that very day, and the soldier was chosen to be the king's 
 heir. 
 
81 
 
 ROSE-BUD. 
 
 ONCE upon a time there lived a king and queen who liad no 
 children ; and this they lamented very much. But one day as 
 the queen was walking by the side of the river, a little fish lifted its 
 bead out of the water, and said, " Your wish shall be fulfilled, and you 
 shall soon have a daughter." What the little fish had foretold soon 
 came to pass; and the queen had a little girl that was so very beautiful 
 that the king could not cease looking on it for joy, and determined to 
 hold a great feast. So he invited not only his relations, friends, 
 and neighbours, but also all the fairies, that they might be kind and 
 good to his little daughter. Now there were thirteen fairies in his 
 kingdom, and he had only twelve golden dishes for them to eat out of, 
 so that he was obliged to leave one of the fairies without an invitation. 
 The rest came, and after the feast was over they gave all their 
 best gifts to the little princess : one gave her virtue, another beauty, 
 another riches, and so on till she had all that was excellent in the 
 world. When eleven had done blessing her, the thirteenth, who had 
 not been invited, and was very angry on that account, came in, 
 and determined to take her revenge. So she cried out, " The king's 
 daughter shall in her fifteenth year be wounded by a spindle, and fall 
 down dead." Then the twelfth, who had not yet given her gift, came 
 forward and said that the bad wish must be fulfilled, but that 
 she could soften it, and that the king's daughter should not die, but 
 fail asleep for a hundred years. 
 
 But the king hoped to save his dear child from the threatened evil, 
 
32 
 
 ROSE-BUD. 
 
 and ordered that all the spindles in the kingdom should be bought up 
 and destroyed. All the fairies' gifts were in the mean time fulfilled ; 
 for the princess was so beautiful, and A^ell-behaved, and amiable, and 
 wise, that everyone who knew her loved her. Now it happened that 
 on the very day she was fifteen years old the king and queen were not 
 at home, and she was left alone in the palace. So she roved about by 
 herself, and looked at all the rooms and chambers, till at last she came 
 to an old tower, to which there was a narrow staircase ending with a 
 little door. In the door there was a golden key, and when she turned 
 it the door sprang open, and there sat an old lady spinning away very 
 busily. " Why, how now, good mother," said the princess, " what are 
 you doing there?" "Spinning," said the old lady, and nodded her head. 
 "How prettily that little thing turns round!" said the princess, 
 and took the spindle and began to spin. But scarcely had she touched 
 it before the prophecy was fulfilled, and she fell down lifeless on 
 the ground. 
 
 However, she was not dead, but had only fallen into a deep sleep ; 
 and the king and the queen, who just then came home, and all their 
 court, fell asleep too ; and the horses slept in the stables, and the dogs 
 in the court, the pigeons on the housetop, and the flies on the 
 walls. Even the fire on the hearth left off* blazing, and went to sleep ; 
 and the meat that was roasting stood still ; and the cook, who was at 
 that moment pulling the kitchen-boy by the hair to give him a box on 
 the ear for something he had done amiss, let him go, and both fell 
 asleep ; and so everything stood still, and slept soundly. 
 
 A large hedge of thorns, soon grew round the palace, and every 
 year it became higher and thicker, till at last the whole palace was 
 surrounded and hid, so that not even the roof or the chimneys could 
 be seen. But there went a report through all the land of the beautiful 
 sleeping Rose-Bud (for so was the king's daughter called) ; so that 
 
rose-bud. 
 
 33 
 
 from time to time several king's sons came, and tried to break through 
 the thicket into the palace. This they could never do ; for the thorns 
 and bushes laid hold of them as it were with hands, and there they 
 stuck fast and died miserably. 
 
 After many many years there came a king's son into that land, and 
 an old man told him the story of the thicket of thorns, and how a 
 beautiful palace stood behind it, in which was a wondrous princess, 
 called Rose-Bud, asleep with all her court. He told, too, how he had 
 heard from his grandfather that many many princes had come, and 
 had tried to break through the thicket, but had stuck fast and died. 
 Then the young prince said, " All this shall not frighten me, I will go 
 and see Rose-Bud." The old man tried to dissuade him, but he per- 
 sisted in going. 
 
 Now that very day were the hundred years completed ; and as the 
 prince came to the thicket he saw nothing but beautiful flowering 
 shrubs, through which he passed with ease, and they closed after him 
 as firm as ever. Then he came at lasi to the palace, and there in the 
 court lay the dogs asleep, and the horses in the stables, and on the roof 
 sat the pigeons fast asleep with their heads under their wings; and 
 when he came into the palace, the flies slept on the walls, and the cook 
 in the kitchen was still holding up her hand as if she would beat the 
 boy, and the maid sat with a black fowl in her hand ready to be 
 plucked. 
 
 Then he went on stiU further, and all was so still that he could 
 hear every breath he drew ; tiU at last he came to the old tower and 
 opened the door of the little room in which Rose-Bud was, and there 
 she lay fast asleep, and looked so beautiful that he could not take his 
 eyes ofi*, and he stooped down and gave her a kiss. But the moment 
 he kissed her she opened her eyes and awoke, and smiled upon him. 
 Then they went out together, and presently the king and queen also 
 
34 
 
 ROSE-BUD. 
 
 awoke, and all the court, and tliey gazed on each other with great 
 wonder. And the horses got up and shook themselves, and the dogs 
 jumped about and barked; the pigeons took their heads from under 
 their wings, and looked about and flew into the fields ; the flies on the 
 walls buzzed away; the fire in the kitchen blazed up and cooked 
 the dinner, and the roast meat turned round again ; the cook gave 
 the boy the box on his ear so that he cried out, and the maid went ' 
 on plucking the fowl. And then was the wedding of the prince and 
 Rose-Bud celebrated, and they lived happily together all their lives 
 long. 
 
35 
 
 TOM THUMB. 
 
 THERE was once a poor woodman sitting by the lire 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 children to 
 play about and amuse us, while other people seem so happy and merry 
 with their children !" " What you 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 my thumb, I should be very happy, and love it dearly." Now it 
 came to pass that this 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 my 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." ''0 father!" 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." " Kever mind that, father," said Tom : " if my mother 
 
 D 2 
 
36 
 
 TOM THUMB. 
 
 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 woodman had driven it himself into the 
 wood. It happened that, as the horse was going a little too fast, 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 little urchin will make our fortune 
 if we can get him, and carry 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'll soon come back to you." 
 
 So the woodman at last ao-reed to seU Tom to the strangers for a 
 large piece of gold. "Where do you like to sit?" said one of them. 
 " Oh I put me on the rim of your hat, that wEl be a nice gallery for 
 
TOM THUMB. 37 
 
 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 down on a clod of earth in a 
 ploughed field by the side of the road. But Tom ran about amongst 
 the furrows, and at last slipt 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 further 
 and further 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, by 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'll tell you," cried Tom. " What noise was that?" said 
 the thief, frightened, " I am sure I heard some one speak." They stood 
 still listening, and Tom said, " Take me with you, and I'll soon show 
 you how to get the parson's money." " But where are you ?" said 
 they. " Look about on the ground," answered he, " and listen where- 
 the sound comes from." At last the thieves found him out, and lifted 
 him up in their hands. " You little urchin ! " 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." 
 
38 
 
 TOM THUMB. 
 
 When tliey 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 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 ? 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 distance ; 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 bam ; 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 
 doAvn, meaning to sleep till daylight, and then find his way home 
 to his father and mother. But, alas ! how cruelly was he dis- 
 appointed ! Avhat crosses and sorrows happen in this world ! The 
 eook 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 
 oa, 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- 
 
TOM THUMB. 
 
 day !" said he, " how did I manage to tumble 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 windows 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 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 happened to be just then milking the cow, and hearing 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 a-nd 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 cowhouse to see what 
 w-as 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, ordered 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 misfortune befell him : a hungry wolf sprang out, 
 and swallowed the whole stomach, with Tom in it, at a single 
 gulp, and ran away. Tom, however, was not disheartened; and 
 
40 
 
 TOM THUMB, 
 
 thinking the wolf would not dislike having some chat with him as 
 he was going along, he called out, "My good friend, I can sho^v 
 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 very 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 as 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'll 
 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 shouting as loud 
 as he could. 
 
 The woodman and his wife, being awakened by the noise, peeped 
 through a crack in the door; but when they saw that the wolf 
 was there, you may well suppose that they were terribly frightened ; 
 and the woodman ran for his axe, and gave his wife a scythe. — " 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 swallowed 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 
 
TOM THUMB, 
 
 41 
 
 you r* " Yes, father," answered he, " I have travelled all over the 
 •world, since we parted, in one way or other; and now I am Ye,rj 
 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 wolfs 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. 
 
42 
 
 THE GRATEFUL BEASTS. 
 
 A CERTAIN man, wlio had lost almost all his money, resolved 
 to set off with the little that was left him, and travel into 
 the wide world. Then the first place he came to was a village, 
 v/here the young people v/ere running about crying and shouting. 
 " V*/^hat is the matter ?" asked he. " See here," ansv/ered they, " we 
 have got a mouse that we make dance to please us. Do look at 
 him : what a droll sight it is ! how he jumps about !" But the man 
 pitied the poor little thing, and said, " Let the m^ouse go, aaid I will 
 give you money." So he gave them some, and took the mouse and 
 let him run ; and he soon jumped into a hole that was close by, and 
 was out of their reach. 
 
 Then he travelled on and came to another village, and there 
 the children had got an ass that they made stand on its hind legs 
 and tumble, and cut capers, at which they laughed and shouted, and 
 gave the poor beast no rest. So the good man gave them some of 
 his money to let the poor creature go away in peace. 
 
 At the next village he came to, the young people had found a 
 bear that had been taught to dance, and they were plaguing the 
 poor thing sadly. Then he gave them, too, some money to let the 
 beast go, and the bear was very glad to get on his four feet, and 
 seemed quite at his ease and happy again. 
 
 But he found that he had given away all the money he had in the 
 world, and had not a shilling in his pocket. Then said he to himself, 
 " The king has heaps of gold in his treasury that he never uses ; I 
 
TBE GRATEFUL BEASTS. 
 
 43 
 
 cannot die of hunger ; I hope I shall be forgiyen if I borrow a little, 
 and when I get rich again I will repaj it all." 
 
 So he managed to get into the treasury, and took a very little 
 money ; but as he came out the king's guards saw him, and said 
 he was a thief, and took him to the judge, and he was sentenced 
 to be thrown into the water in a box. The Kd of the box was 
 full of holes to let in air, and a jug of water and a loaf of bread were 
 given him. 
 
 Whilst he was swimming along in the water very sorrowfully, he 
 heard something nibbling and biting at the lock; and all of a sudden 
 it fell off, the lid flew open, and there stood his old friend the little 
 mouse, who had done him this service. And then came the ass and 
 the bear, and pulled the box ashore ; and all helped him, because he 
 had been kind to them. 
 
 But now they did not know what to do next, and began to consult 
 together ; when on a sudden a wave threw on the shore a beautiful 
 white stone that looked like an egg. Then the bear said, " That's a 
 lucky thing; this is the wonderful stone, and whoever has it may 
 have everything else that he wishes." So the man went and picked up 
 the stone, and wished for a palace and a garden, and a stud of horses ; 
 and his wish was fulfilled as soon as he had made it. And there he 
 lived in his castle and garden, with fine stables and horses; and 
 all was so grand and beautiful, that he never could wonder and 
 gaze at it enough. 
 
 After some time, some merchants passed by that way. " See," 
 said they, " what a princely palace ! The last time we were here, 
 it was nothing but a desert waste." They were very curious to know 
 how all this had happened ; so they went in and asked the master of 
 the palace how it had been so quickly raised. " I have done nothing 
 myself," answered he, " it is a wonderful stone that did all." — "What a 
 
44 
 
 TBE GRATEFUL BEASTS. 
 
 strange stone that must be !" said they : then he invited them in and 
 showed it to them. They asked him whether he would sell it, and 
 offered him all their goods for it; and the goods seemed so fine and 
 costly, that he quite forgot that the stone would bring him in a 
 moment a thousand better and richer things, and he agreed to make 
 the bargain. 
 
 Scarcely was the stone, however, out of his hands before all his 
 riches were gone, and he found himself sitting in his box in the water, 
 with his jug of water and a loaf of bread by his side. The grateful 
 beasts, the mouse, the ass, and the bear, came directly to help him ; 
 but the mouse found she could not nibble off the lock this time 
 for it was a great deal stronger than before. Then the bear said, 
 "We must find the wonderful stone again, or all we can do will 
 be fruitless." 
 
 The merchants, meantime, had taken up their abode in the palace ; 
 so away went the three friends, and when they came near, the bear 
 said, " Mouse, go in and look through the keyhole and see where the 
 stone is kept : you are small, nobody will see you." The mouse did 
 as she was told, but soon came back and said, " Bad news ! I have 
 looked in, and the stone hangs under the looking-glass by a red 
 silk string, and on each side of it sits a great cat with fiery eyes to 
 watch it." 
 
 Then the others took council together and said, " Go back again, 
 and wait till the master of the palace is in bed asleep, then nip 
 his nose and pull his hair." Away went the mouse, and did as 
 they directed her; and the master jumped up very angry, and rubbed 
 his nose, and cried, " Those rascally cats are good for nothing at all, 
 they let the mice eat my very nose and pull the hair off my head." 
 Then he hunted them out of the room ; and so the mouse had the best 
 of the game. 
 
THE GRATEFUL BEASTS. 45 
 
 Next night as soon as the master was asleep, the mouse crept in 
 again, and nibbled at the red silken string to which the stone hung, 
 till down it dropped, and she rolled it along to the door ; but when it 
 got there, the poor little mouse was quite tired : and said to the ass, 
 " Put in your foot, and lift it over the threshold." This was soon done : 
 and they took up the stone, and set off for the water-side. Then the 
 ass said, " How shall we reach the box ?" That is easily managed," 
 answered the bear; "I can swim very well, and do you, donkey, 
 put your fore feet over my shoulders; — mind and hold fast, and 
 take the stone in your mouth : as for you, mouse, you can sit in 
 my ear." 
 
 It was all settled thus, and away they swam. After a time, the 
 bear began to brag and boast : " We are brave fellows, are not we, 
 ass ?" said he ; " what do you think ?" But the ass held his tongue, 
 and said not a word. " Why don't you answer me ?" said the bear, 
 <'you must be an ill-mannered brute not to speak when you're spoken 
 to." When the ass heard this, he could hold no longer ; so he 
 opened his mouth, and dropped the wonderful stone. "I could not 
 speak," said he ; " did not you know I had the stone in my 
 mouth ? now 'tis lost, and that's your fault." " Do but hold your 
 tongue and be quiet," said the bear ; " and let us think what's 
 to be done." 
 
 Then a council was held : and at last they called together all 
 the frogs, their wives and families, relations and friends, and said : " A 
 great enemy is coming to eat you all up ; but never mind, bring 
 us up plenty of stones, and we'll build a strong wall to guard you." 
 The frogs hearing this were dreadfully frightened, and set to work, 
 bringing up all the stones they could find. At last came a large 
 fat frog pulling along the wonderful stone by the silken string : 
 and when the bear saw it, he jumped for joy, and said, " Now we have 
 
46 
 
 TEE GRATEFUL BEASTS. 
 
 found what we wanted." So lie released the old frog from his 
 load, and told him to tell his friends they might go about their 
 business as soon as they pleased. 
 
 Then the three friends swam off again for the box ; and the 
 lid flew open, and they found that they were but just in time, 
 for the bread was all eaten, and the jug almost empty. But as 
 soon as the good man had the stone in his hand, he wished himself 
 safe and sound in his palace again; and in a moment there he 
 was, with his garden and his stables and his horses ; and his three 
 faithful, friends dwelt with him, and they all spent their time happily 
 and merrily as long as they lived. ,u : : i 
 
47 
 
 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 faiiy. 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. There were seven hundred 
 of these cages hanging in the castle, and all v/ith 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 J orindel said, " We must take care that we don't 
 go too near to the castle." It was a beautiful evening ; the last rays 
 of the setting sun shone bright through the long stems of the trees 
 upon the green underwood beneath, and the turtledoves sang plain- 
 tively from the tall birches. 
 
 Jorinda sat dov/n to gaze upon the sun; Jorindel 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 for ever. They had 
 wandered a long way ; and when they looked to see which way 
 
48 
 
 JORINDA AND JORINDEL. 
 
 they should go home, they found themselves 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 
 knowing it, sat down close under the old walls of the castle, he shrank 
 for fear, turned pale, and trembled. Jorinda was singing, 
 
 The ringdove 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 
 neither 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 one another. 
 
 She mumbled something to herself, seized the nightingale, and 
 went away with it in her hand. Poor Jorindel saw the nightingale 
 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 ! 
 
JORINDA AND JORINDEL. 
 
 49 
 
 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 he 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 Vv^ent with it in his hand into the castle, and that every 
 thing he touched with it was disenchanted, and that there he found 
 his dear Jorinda again. 
 
 In the mornin^r when he awoke, he besjan 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 travelled day and 
 niojlit till he came aojain to the castle. He walked nearer than a 
 hundred paces to it, and yet he did not become fixed as before, but 
 found that he could go close up to the door. 
 
 J orindel 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 f^iiry sat, with the seven hundred birds singing in 
 the seven hundred cages. And when she saw J orindel she was very 
 angry, and screamed with rage ; but she could not come within two 
 yards of him ; for tli'^. flower he held in his hand protected him. He 
 
 E 
 
50 
 
 JORINDA AND JORINDEL. 
 
 looked around at the birds ; but, alas ! there were many many nightin- 
 gales, and how then should he find his Jorinda ? While he was 
 thinking what to do, he observed 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 happily together many years. 
 
 1 
 
51 
 
 THE WAGGISH MUSICIAN. 
 
 0. 
 
 NE day a waggish musician, who played delightfully on the 
 
 fiddle, went rambling in a forest in a merry mood. Then 
 he said to himself, " Time goes rather heavily on, I must find a com - 
 panion." So he took up his fiddle, and fiddled away till the wood 
 resounded with his music. 
 
 Presently up came a wolf " Dear me ! there's a wolf coming 
 to see me," said the musician. But the wolf came up to him, and 
 said, " How very prettily you play ? I wish you would teach me.'* 
 " That is easily done," said the musician, " if you will only do what 
 I bid you." " Yes," replied the wolf, " I shall be a very apt scholar." 
 So they went on a little way together, and came at last to an old oak 
 t.ree that was hollow within, and had a large crack in the middle of 
 the trunk. " Look there," said the musician, " if you wish to learn 
 to fiddle, put your forefeet into that crack." The wolf did as 
 he was bid : but the musician picked up a large stone and wedged 
 both his fore feet fast into the crack, so as to make him a prisoner. 
 "Now be so good as to wait there till I come back," said he, and 
 j gged on. 
 
 After a while, he said again to himself, " Time goes very heavily, 
 I must find another companion." So he took his fiddle and fiddlqd 
 away again in the wood. Presently up came 'a fox that was 
 wandering close by. "Ah! there is a fox," said he. The fox came 
 up and said, " You delightful musician, how prettily you play I I 
 must and will learn to play as you do." " That you may soon do," 
 
 E 2 
 
52 
 
 TEE WAGGISH MUSICIAN. 
 
 said the musician, " if you do as I tell you." " That I will," said the 
 fox. So they travelled on together till they came to a narrow 
 footpath with high bushes on each side. Then the musician bent 
 a stout hazel stem down to the ground from one side of the path, 
 and set his foot on the top, and held it fast ; and bent another from 
 the other side, and said to the fox, "Now, pretty fox, if you want 
 to fiddle, give me hold, of your left paw." So the fox gave him his 
 paw ; and he tied it fast to the top of one of the hazel stems. " Now 
 give me your right," said he ; and the fox did as he was told ; then 
 the musician tied that paw to the other hazel ; and took off his foot, 
 and away up flew the bushes, and the fox too, and hung sprawling and 
 swinging in the air. " Now be so kind as to stay there till I come 
 back," said the musician, and jogged on. 
 
 But he soon said to himself, " Time begins to hang heavy, I must 
 find a companion." So he took" up his fiddle, and fiddled away 
 divinely. Then up came a hare running along. " Ah ! there is a hare," 
 said the musician. And the hare said to him, " You fine fiddler, how 
 beautifully you play! will you teach me?" "Yes," said the musician, 
 " I will soon do that, if you will follow my orders." " Yes," said the 
 hare, " I shall make a good scholar." Then they went on together 
 very well for a long while, till they came to"*an open space^ in the wood. 
 The musician tied a string round the hare's neck, and fastened the 
 other end to the tree. "Now," said he, "pretty hare, quick, jump 
 about, run round the tree twenty times." So the silly hare did as she 
 was bid : and when she had run twenty times round the tree, she had 
 twisted the string twenty times round the trunk, and was fast 
 prisoner ; and she might pull and pull away as long as she pleased, 
 and only pulled the string faster around her neck. " Now wait till I 
 come back," said the musician. 
 
 But the wolf had pulled and bitten and scratched at the stone 
 
THE WAGGISH MUSICIAN. 
 
 53 
 
 a long while, till at last he had got his feet out and was at liberty. 
 Then he said in a great passion, " I will run after that rascally 
 musician and tear him in pieces." As the fox saw him run by, he said, 
 Ah, brother wolf, pray let me down, the musician has played tricks 
 with me P So the wolf set to work at the bottom of the hazel stem, 
 and bit it in two ; and away went both together to find the musician : 
 and as they came to the hare, she cried out too for help. So they went 
 and set her free, and all followed the enemy together. 
 
 Meantime the musician had been fiddling away, and found another 
 companion ; for a poor woodcutter had been pleased with the music, 
 and could not help following him with his axe under his arm. The 
 musician was pleased to get a man for his companion, and behaved 
 very civilly to him, and played him no tricks, but stopped and played 
 his prettiest tunes till his heart overflowed for joy. While the 
 woodcutter was standing listening, he saw the wolf, the fox, and the 
 hare coming, and knew by their faces that they were in a great rage, 
 and coming to do some mischief So he stood before the musician 
 with his great axe, as much as to say, No one shall hurt him as long 
 as I have this axe. And when the beasts saw this, they were 
 so fi ightened that they ran back into the wood. Then the musician 
 played the woodcutter one of his best tunes for bis pains, and went on 
 with his journey. 
 
54 
 
 THE QUEEN BEE. 
 
 TWO king's sons once upon a time went out into the world to seek 
 their fortunes ; but they soon fell into a wasteful foolish way of 
 living, so that they could not return home again. Then their young 
 lorother, wlio was a little insignificant dwarf, went out to seek for his 
 brothers : but when he had found them they only laughed at him, to 
 think that he, who was so young and simple, should try to travel 
 through the world, when they, who were so much wiser, had been 
 unable to get on. However, they all set out on their journey together, 
 and came at last to an ant-hill. The two elder brothers would 
 have pulled it down, in order to see how the poor ants in their fright 
 would run about and carry off their eggs. But the little dwarf said, 
 " Let the poor things enjoy themselves, I will not suffer you to trouble 
 them." 
 
 So on they went, and came to a lake where many m^ny ducks 
 were swimming about. The two brothers wanted to catch two, and 
 roast them. But the dwarf said, "Let the poor things enjoy them- 
 selves, you shall not kill them." Next they came to a bees'-nest in a 
 hollow tree, and there was so much honey that it ran down the trunk ; 
 and the two brothers wanted to light a fire under the tree and kill the 
 bees, so as to get their honey. But the dwarf held them back, and 
 said, " Let the pretty insects enjoy themselves, I cannot let you burn 
 them." 
 
 At length the three brothers came to a castle ; and as they passed 
 by the stables thoy saw fine horses standing there, but all were 
 
TEE QUEEN BEE. 
 
 55 
 
 of marble, and no man was to be seen. Then they v^ent throisgh 
 all the rooms, till they came to a door on which were three locks : 
 but in the middle of the door was a wicket, so that they could 
 look into the next room. There the}^ saw a little gre}^ old man sitting 
 at a table ; and they called to him once or twice, but he did not hear : 
 however, they called a third time, and then he rose and came out 
 to them. 
 
 He said nothing, but took hold of them and led them to a beautiful 
 table covered with all sorts of good things : and when they had eaten 
 and drunk, he showed each of them to a bedchamber. 
 
 The next morning he came to the eldest and took him to a 
 marble table, where were three tablets, containing an account of 
 the means by which the castle might be disenchanted. The first 
 tablet said — " In the wood, under the moss, lie the thousand pearls 
 belonging to the king's daughter ; they must all be found : and if 
 one be missing by set of sun, he who seeks them will be turned 
 into marble." 
 
 The eldest brother set out, and sought for the pearls the whole 
 day ; but the evening came, and he had not found the first hundred : 
 so he was turned into stone as the tablet had foretold. 
 
 The next day the second brother undertook the task ; but he 
 succeeded no better than the first ; for he could only find the 
 second hundred of the pearls; and therefore he too was turned into 
 stone. 
 
 At last came the little dwarf 's turn; and he looked in the moss ; but 
 H v»ras so ha](d to find the pearls, and the job was so tiresome ! — so he 
 sat down upon a stone and cried. And as he sat there, the king of 
 the ants (whose life he had saved) came to help him, with five 
 thousand ants ; and it was not long before they had found aU the 
 pearls and laid them in a heap. 
 
56 
 
 THE QVEEN BEE. 
 
 The second tablet said — "The key of the princess's bedchamber 
 must be fished up out of the lake," And as the dwarf came to the 
 brink of it, he saw the two ducks whose lives he had saved swimming 
 about ; and they dived down and soon brought up the key from the 
 bottom. 
 
 The third task was the hardest. It was to choose out the youngest 
 and the best of the king's three daughters. Now they were all 
 beautiful, and all exactly alike : but he was told that the eldest had 
 eaten a piece of sugar, the next some sweet syrup, and the youngest a 
 spoonful of honey ; so he was to guess which it was that had eaten the 
 honey. 
 
 Then came the queen of the bees, who had been saved by the little 
 dwarf from the fire, and she tried the lips of all three ; but at last she 
 sat upon the lips of the one that had eaten the honey ; and so the 
 dwarf knew which was the youngest. Thus the spell was broken, and 
 all who had been turned into stones awoke, and took their proper 
 forms. And the dwarf married the youngest and the best of the 
 princesses, and was king after her father's death ; but his two brothers 
 married the other two sisters. 
 
57 
 
 THE DOG AND THE SPARROW. 
 
 4 SHEPHERD'S dog had a master who took no care of him, but 
 JTjl. often let him suffer the greatest hunger. At last he could bear 
 it no longer ; so he took to his heels, and off he ran in a very sad and 
 sorrowful mood. On the road he met a sparrow, that said to him, 
 " Why are you so sad, my friend ?" " Because," said the dog, " I am 
 very very hungry, and have nothing to eat." "If that be all" 
 answered the sparrow, " come with me into the next town, and I will 
 soon find you plenty of food." So on they went together into the 
 town : and as they passed by a butcher's shop, the sparrow said to the 
 dog, " Stand there a little while, till I peck you down a piece of meat." 
 So the sparrow perched upon the shelf: and having first looked 
 carefully about her to see if any one was watching her, she pecked 
 and scratched at a steak that lay upon the edge of the shelf, till at last 
 down it fell. Then the dog snapped it up, and scrambled away with 
 it into a corner, where he soon ate it all up. Well," said the sparrow, 
 " you shall have some more if you will ; so come with me to the next 
 shop, and I will peck you down another steak." When the dog had 
 eaten this too, the sparrow said to him, " Well, my good friend, have 
 you had enough now ?" " I have had plenty of meat," answered he, 
 " but I should like to have a piece of bread to eat after it." " Come 
 with me then," said the sparrow, " and you shall soon have that too." 
 So she took him to a baker's shop, and pecked at two rolls that lay in 
 the window, till they fell down : and as the dog still wished for more, 
 she took him to another shop and pecked down some more for him. 
 
68 
 
 THE DOG AND THE SPARROW, 
 
 When that was eaten, the sparrow asked him whether he had had 
 enough now. " Yes/' said he ; " and now let us take a walk a little 
 way out of the town." So they both went out upon the high road : 
 but as the weather was warm, they had not gone far before the dog 
 said, " I am very much tired, — I should like to take a nap." " Very 
 w^ell," answered the sparrow, " do so, and in the mean time I will perch 
 upon that bush." So the dog stretched himself out on the road, and 
 fell fast asleep. Whilst he slept, there came by a carter with a cart 
 drav/n by three- horses, and loaded with two casks of wine. The 
 sparrow, seeing that the carter did not turn out of the way, but would 
 go on in the track in which the dog lay, so as to drive over him, called 
 out, " Stop ! stop ! Mr. Carter, or it shall be the worse for you." But 
 the carter, grumbling to himself, " You make it the woi for me, 
 indeed ! what can you do ?" cracked his Avhip, and drove his cart over 
 the poor dog, so that the wheels cruslied him to death. " There," cried 
 the sparrow, " thou cruel villain, thou hast killed my friend the 
 dog. Now mind what I say. This deed of thine shall cost thee 
 all thou art worth." " Do your worst, and welcome," said the brute, 
 " what harm can you do me ?" and passed on. But the sparrow 
 crept under the tilt of the cart, and pecked at the bung of one of the 
 casks till she loosened it ; and then all the wine ran out, without 
 the carter seeing it. At last he looked round, and saw that the 
 cart was dripping, and the cask quite empty. " Wha;t an unlucky 
 wretch I am !" cried he. " Not wretch enough yet !" said the sparrow, 
 as she alighted upon the head of one of the horses, and peeked at 
 him till he reared up and kicked. When the carter saw (iLis, he 
 drew out his hatchet and aimed a blow at the sparrow, meaning to 
 kill her ; but she flew av>^ay, and the blow fell upon the poor horse's 
 head with such force, that he fell down dead. " Unlucky wretch that 
 I am !" cried he. " Not wretch enough yet !" said the sparrow. And 
 
THE DOG AND THE SPARROW. 
 
 59 
 
 as the carter went on with the other two horses, she again crept under 
 the tilt of the cart, and pecked out the bung of the second cask, so 
 that all the wine ran out. When the carter saw this, he again cried 
 out, " Miserable wretch that I am !" But the sparrow answered, 
 " Not wretch enough yet !" and perched on the head of the second 
 horse, and pecked at him too. The carter ran up and struck at her 
 again with his hatchet ; but away she flew, and the blow felt upon the 
 second horse and killed him on the spot. " Unlucky wretch that I 
 am !" said he. " Not wretch enough yet !" said the sparrow : and 
 perching upon the third horse, she began to peck him too. The 
 carrier was mad with fury ; and without looking about him, or caring 
 what he was about, struck again at the sparrow ; but killed his third 
 horse as he had done the other two. " Alas ! miserable wretch that I 
 am !" cried he. " Not wretch enough yet !" answered the sparrow as 
 she flew away; "now will I plague and punish thee at thy own 
 house." The carter was forced at last to leave his cart behind him, and 
 to go home overflowing with rage and vexation. " Alas !" said he to 
 his wife, "what ill luck has befallen me! — my wine is all spilt, and my 
 horses all three dead." " Alas ! husband," replied she, " and a wicked 
 bird has come into the house, and has brought vsrith her all the birds 
 in the world, I am sure, and they have fallen upon our corn in the loft, 
 and are eating it up at such a rate !" Away ran the husband up 
 stairs, and saw thousands of birds sitting upon the floor eating up his 
 corn, Avith the sparrow in the midst of them. " Unlucky wretch that 
 I am !" cried the carter ; for he saw that the corn was almost all gone. 
 " Not wretch enough yet !" said the sparrow ; " thy cruelty sliall cost 
 thee thy life yet !" and away she flew. 
 
 The carter seeing that he had thus lost all that he had, went down 
 into his kitchen ; and was still not sorry for what he had done, but sat 
 himself angrily and sulkily in the chimney corner. But the sparrow 
 
60 
 
 THE BOO AND THE SPARROW. 
 
 sat on the outside of the window, and cried " Carter ! thy cruelty shall 
 cost thee thy life !" With that he jumped up in a rage, seized his 
 hatchet, and threw it at the sparrow ; but it missed her, and only 
 broke the window. The sparrow now hopped in, perched upon the 
 window-seat, and cried, " Carter ! it shall cost thee thy life !" Then 
 he became mad and blind with rage, and struck the window-seat with 
 such force that he cleft it in two : and as the sparrow flew from place 
 to place, the carter and his wife were so furious, that they broke all 
 their furniture, glasses, chairs, benches, the table, and at last the walls, 
 without touching the bird at all. In the end, however, they caught 
 her : and the wife said. " Shall I kill her at once ?" " No," cried he, 
 " that is letting her off too easily : she shall die a much more cruel 
 death ; I will eat her." But the sparrow began to flutter about, and 
 stretched out her neck and cried, " Carter ! it shall cost thee thy life 
 yet f With that he could wait no longer ; so he gave his wife the 
 hatchet, and cried, " Wife, strike at the bird and kill her in my hand." 
 And the wife struck : but she missed her aim, and hit her husband 
 on the head so that he fell down dead, and the sparrow flew quietly 
 home to her nest. 
 
61 
 
 FREDERICK AND CATHERINE. 
 
 THERE was once a man called Frederick: he had a wife whoso 
 name was Catherine, and they had not long been married. One 
 day Frederick said, " Kate ! I am going to work in the fields; 
 v/hen I come back I shall be hungry, so let me have something nice 
 cooked, and a good draught of ale." "Very well," said she, "it shall 
 all be ready." When dinner-time drew nigh, Catherine took a nice 
 steak, which was all the meat she had, and put it on the fire to fry. 
 The steak soon began to look brown, and to crackle in the pan ; and 
 Catherine stood by with a fork and turned it: then she said to herself, 
 " The steak is almost ready, I may as well go to the cellar for the ale." 
 So she left the pan on the fire, and took a large jug and went into the 
 cellar and tapped the ale cask. The beer ran into the jug, and 
 Catherine stood looking on. At last it popped into her head, " The 
 dog is not shut up — he ma,j be running away with the steak ; that's 
 well thought of." So up she ran from the cellar ; and sure enough 
 the rascally cur had got the steak in his mouth, and was making off 
 with it. 
 
 Away ran Catherine, and away ran the dog across the field ; but he 
 ran faster than she, and stuck close to the steak. " It's all gone, and 
 *what can't be cured must be endured,'" said Catherine. So she 
 turned round; and as she had run a good way and was tired, she 
 walked home leisurely to cool herself. 
 
 Now all this time the ale was running too, for Catherine had not 
 turned the cock ; and when the jug was full the liquor ran upon the 
 
C2 
 
 FREDERICK AND CATHERINE, 
 
 floor till the cask was empty. When she got to the cellar stairs she 
 saw what had happened. " My stars !" said she, " what shall I do to 
 keep Frederick from seeing all this slopping about ?" So she thought 
 a while ; and at last remembered that there was a sack of fine meal 
 bought at the last fair, and that if she sprinkled this over the floor 
 it would suck up the ale nicely. "What a lucky thing," said .she, 
 " that we kept that meal ! we have now a good use for it." So away 
 she Avent for it : but she managed to set it down just upon the great 
 jug full of beer, and upset it; and thus all the ale that had been saved 
 was set swimming on the floor also. "Ah! well," said she, "when one 
 goes, another may as well follow." Then she strewed the meal all 
 about the cellar, and was quite pleased with her cleverness, and said, 
 ' How very neat and clean it looks I" 
 
 At noon Frederick come home. " Now, wife," cried he, " what 
 have you for dinner V "0 Frederick !" answered she, " I was cooking 
 you a steak; but while I went to draw the ale, the dog ran away with 
 it; and while I ran after him, the ale all ran out; and when I went to 
 dry up the ale with the sack of meal that we got at the fair, I upset 
 the jug : but the cellar is now quite dry, and looks so clean I" " Kate, 
 Kate," said he, " how could you do all this ? Why did you leave the 
 steak to fry, and the ale to run, and then spoil all the meal?" 
 " Why, Frederick," said she, " I did not know I was doing wrong ; you 
 should have told me before." 
 
 The husband thought to himself, If my wife manages matters thus, 
 I must look sharp myself Now he had a good deal of gold in 
 the house : so he said to Catherine, "What pretty yellow buttons these 
 are ! I shall put them into a ' box and bury them in the garden ; 
 but take care that you never go near or meddle with them." "No, 
 Frederick," said she, "that I never will." As soon as he was gone, 
 there came by some pedlars with earthenware plates and dishes, and 
 
FREDERICK AND CATHERINE. 
 
 C3 
 
 they asked her whether she would buy. "Oh dear me, I should 
 like to buy very much, but I have no money : if you had any use for 
 yellow buttons, I might deal with you." "Yellow buttons!" said they : 
 " let us have a look at them." " Go into the garden and dig where I 
 tell you, and you will find the yellow buttons : I dare not go myself" 
 So the rogues went : and when they found what these yellow buttons 
 were, they took them all away, and left her plenty of plates and dishes. 
 Then she set them all about the house for a show: and when Frederick 
 came back, he cried out, "Kate, what have you been doing?" "See," 
 said she, " I have bought all these with your yellow buttons : but I did 
 not touch them myself; the pedlars went themselves and dug them 
 up." " Wife, wife," said Frederick, " what a pretty piece of work you 
 have made ! those yellow buttons were all my money : how ctime you 
 t® do such a thing ?" " Why," answered she, " I did not know there 
 was any harm in it ; you should have told me." 
 
 Catherine stood musins^ for a while, and at last said to her husband, 
 " Hark ye, Frederick, we will soon get the gold back : let us run after 
 the thieves!" "Well, we will' try," answered he; "but take some butter 
 and cheese v/ith you, that we may have something to eat by the 
 way." "Very well," said she; and they 'set out: and as Frederick 
 walked the fastest, he left his wife some way behind. "It does not 
 matter," though she: "when we turn back, I shall be so much nearer 
 home than he." 
 
 Presently she came to the top of a hill . down the side of which 
 here was a road so narrow that the cart-wheels always chafed 
 the trees on each side as they passed. " Ah, see now," said she " how 
 they have bruised and v*^ounded those poor trees ; they will never get 
 well." So she took pity on them, and made use of the butter to grease 
 them all, so that the wheels might not hurt them so much. While she 
 was doing this kind ofiice, one of her cheeses fell out of the basinet, and 
 
64 
 
 FREDERICK AND CATHERINE. 
 
 rolled down the hill. Catherine looked, but could not see where it was 
 gone; so she said, "Well, I suppose the other will go the same way 
 and find you; he has 3^ounger legs than I have." Then she 
 rolled the other cheese after it : and away it went, nobody knows 
 where, down the hill. But she said she supposed they knew the 
 road, and would follow her, and she could not stay there all day 
 waiting for them. 
 
 At last she overtook Frederick, who desired her to give him 
 something to eat. Then she gave him the dry bread. "Where are the 
 butter and cheese ?" said he. " Oh !" answered she, "I used the butter 
 to grease those poor trees that the wheels chafed so : and one of 
 the cheeses ran away, so I sent the other after it to find it, and 
 I suppose they are both on the road together somewhere." "What 
 a goose you are to do such silty things!" said the husband. 
 "How can you say so?" said she; "I am sure you never told 
 me not." 
 
 They ate the dry bread together ; and Frederick said, " Kate, I 
 hope you locked the door safe when you came away." " No," 
 answered she; "you did not tell me." "Then go home, and do it 
 now before ^e go any further," said Frederick, " and bring with you 
 something to eat." 
 
 Catherine did as he told her, and thought to herself by the 
 wa,y, " Frederick wants something to eat ; but I don't think he is very 
 fond of butter and cheese ; I'll bring him a bag of fine nuts, and the 
 vinegar, for I have often seen him take some." 
 
 When she reached home, she bolted the back door, but the front 
 door she took ofi* the hinges, and said, " Frederick told me to lock the 
 door, but surely it can nowhere be so safe as if I take it with me." 
 So she took her time by the way ; and when she overtook her husband 
 she cried out, " There, Frederick, there is the door itself, now you may 
 
FREDERICK AND CATHERINE. 
 
 65 
 
 watch it as carefully as you please." " Alas ! alas I" said he, " what a 
 clever wife I have ! I sent you to make the house fast, and you take 
 the door away, so that everybody may go in and out as they please : — 
 however, as you have brought the door, you shall carry it about with 
 you for your pains." " Yery well," answered she, " I'll carry the 
 door; but I'll not carry the nuts and vinegar bottle also, — that 
 would be too much of a load ; so, if you please, I'll fasten them to the 
 door." 
 
 Frederick of course made no objection to that plan, and they set off 
 into the wood to look for the thieves ; but they could not find them : 
 and when it grew dark, they climbed up into a tree to spend the night 
 there. Scarcely were they up, than who should come by but the very 
 rogues they were looking for. They were in truth great rascals, and 
 belonged to that class of people who find things before they are lost ; 
 they were tired ; so they sat down and made a fire under the very tree 
 where Frederick and Catherine were. Frederick slipped down on 
 the other side, and picked up some stones. Then he climbed up 
 again, and tried to hit the thieves on the head with them: but 
 they only said, " It must be near morning, for the wind shakes the 
 fir-apples down." 
 
 Catherine, who had the door on her shoulder, began to be very 
 tired ; but she thought it was the nuts upon it that were so heavy : so 
 she said softly, " Frederick, I must let the nuts go." " No," answered 
 he, " not now, they will discover us." " I can't help that, they must 
 go." "Well then, make haste and throw them down, if you will." 
 Then away rattled the nuts down among the boughs; and one of the 
 thieves cried, " Bless me, it is hailing." 
 
 A little while after, Catherine thought the door was still very 
 heavy; so she whispered to Frederick, "I must throw the vinegar 
 down." " Pray don't," answered he, " it will discover us." " I 
 
 -£ 
 
ea FREDERICK AND CATHERINE. 
 
 can't help that," said she, " go it must." So she poured all 
 the vinegar down ; and the thieves said, " What a heavy dew 
 there is!" 
 
 At last it popped into Catherine's head that it was the door 
 itself that was so heavy all the time : so she whispered, " Frederick, I 
 must throw the door down soon." But he begged and prayed her not 
 to do so, for he was sure it would Betray them. " Here goes, however," 
 said she : and down Avent the door with such a clatter upon the 
 thieves, that they cried out "Murder!" and not knowing what was 
 coming, ran away as fast as they could, and left all the gold. So 
 Catherine was right at last ! And when she and Frederick came doTvn 
 there they found all their money safe and sound. 
 
/ 
 
 67 
 
 THE THREE CHILDREN OF FORTUNE. 
 
 ONCE upon a time a father sent for his three sons, and gave to 
 the eldest a cock, to the second a scythe, and to the third 
 a cat. " I am now old," said he, " my end is approaching, and I 
 would fain provide for you before I die. Money I have none, and 
 what I now give you seems of but little worth ; 3^et it rests with 
 yourselves alone to turn my gifts to good account. Onl}^ seek out for 
 a land where what you have is as yet unknown, and your fortune is 
 made." 
 
 After the death of the father, the eldest set out with his cock : 
 but wherever he went, in every town he saw from afar off a cock 
 sitting upon the church steeple, and turning round with the wind. In 
 the villages he always heard plenty of them crowing, and his bird was 
 therefore nothmg new ; so there did not seem much chance of his 
 making his fortune. At length it happened that he came to an 
 island where the people who lived there had never heard of a cock, 
 and knew not even how to reckon the time. They knew, indeed, 
 if it were morning or evening; but at night, if they lay awake, 
 they had no means of knowing how time went. " Behold," said 
 he to them, " what a noble animal this is ! how like a knight he 
 
 - is ! he carries a bright red crest upon his head, and spurs upon his 
 heels; he crows three times every night, at stated hours, and at 
 
 • the third time the sun is about to rise. But this is not all; 
 sometimes he screams in broad daylight, and then you must take 
 warning for the weather is surely about to change." This pleased 
 
 F 2 
 
63 
 
 THE THREE CHILDREN OF FORTUNE. 
 
 the natives mightily ; they kept awake one whole night, and heard 
 to their great joy, how gloriously the cock called the hours, at two, 
 four, and six o'clock. Then they asked him whether the bird was 
 to be sold, and how much he would sell it for. " About as much gold 
 as an ass can carry," said he. " A very fair price for such an animal," 
 cried they with one voice ; and agreed to give him what he asked. 
 
 When he returned home with his wealth, his brothers wondered 
 greatly ; and the second said, "I will now set forth likewise, and see 
 if I can turn my scythe to as good an account. There did not seem, 
 however, much likelihood of this ; for go where he would, he was met 
 by peasants who had as good a scythe on their shoulder as he had. But 
 at last, as good luck would have it, he came to an island where the 
 people had never heard of a scythe, there, as soon as the corn was ripe, 
 they went into the fields and pulled it up ; but this was very hard 
 work, and a great deal of it was lost. The man then set to work 
 with his scythe ; and mowed down their whole crop so quickly, 
 that the people stood staring open-mouthed with wonder. They 
 were willing to give him what he asked for such a marvellous thing : 
 but he only took a horse laden with as much gold as it could carry. 
 
 Now the third brother had a great longing to go and see what he 
 could make of his cat. So he set out : and at first it happened to him 
 as it had to the others, so long as he kept upon the mainland, he 
 met with no success ; there were plenty of cats everywhere, indeed- 
 too many, so that the young ones were for the most part, as soon 
 as they came into the world, drowned in the water. At last 
 he passed over to an island, where, as it chanced most luckily for him 
 nobody had ever seen a cat ; and they were overrun with mice to such 
 a degree, that the little wretches danced upon the tables and chairs, . 
 whether the master of the house were at home or not. The people 
 complained loudly of this grievance ; the king himself knew not how 
 
THE THREE CHILDREN OF FORTUNE. 
 
 69 
 
 to rid himself of them in his palace ; in every corner mice were 
 squeaking, and they gnawed everything that their teeth could lay hold 
 of Here was a fine field for Puss — she soon began her chase, and 
 had cleared two rooms in the twinkling of an eye; when the people 
 besought their king to buy the wonderful animal, for the good of the 
 public, at any price. The king willingly gave what was asked, — a 
 mule laden with gold and jewels ; and thus the third brother returned 
 home with a richer prize than either of the others. 
 
 Meantime the cat feasted away upon the mice in the royal palace, 
 and devoured so many that they were no longer in any great numbers. 
 At length, quite spent and tired with her work, she became extremely 
 thirsty ; so she stood still, drew up her head, and cried, " Miau, Miau 1" 
 The king gathered together all his subjects when they heard this 
 strange cry, and many ran shrieking in a great fright out of the 
 palace. But the king held a council below as to what was best to be 
 done ; and it was at length fixed to send a herald to the cat, to warn 
 her to leave the castle forthwith, or that force would be used to 
 remove her. " For," said the counsellors, " we would far more 
 willingly put up v/ith the mice (since we are used to that evil), than 
 get rid of them at the risk of our lives." A pag«3 accordingly went, 
 and asked the cat, "whether she were willing to quit the castle?" 
 But Puss, whose thirst became every moment more and more pressing, 
 answered nothing but "Miau, Miau!" which the page interpreted to 
 mean " No ! No !" and therefore carried this answer to the king. 
 " Well," said the counsellors, " then we must try what force will do.' 
 So the guns were planted, and the palace was fired upon from all 
 sides. When the fire reached the room where the cat was, she 
 sprang out of the window and ran away ; but the besiegers did 
 not see her, and went on firing until the whole palace was burnt to tht 
 ground. 
 
70 
 
 KING GRISLY-BEARB. 
 
 4 
 
 AGEEAT king had a daughter who was very beautiful, but so 
 proud and haughty and conceited, that none of the princes 
 who came to ask her in marriage were good enough for her, and she 
 only made sport of them. 
 
 Once upon a time the king held a great feast, and invited all her 
 suitors; and they sat in a row according to their rank, kings and 
 princes and dukes and earls. Then the princess came in and passed 
 by them all, but she had something spiteful to say to every one. The 
 first was too fat : " He's as round as a tub," said she. The next was 
 too tall : " What a maypole !" said she. The next was too short : 
 " What a dumpling I" said she. The fourth was too pale, and she 
 called him "Wallface." The fifth was too red, so she called 
 him "Cockscomb." The sixth was not straight enough, so she 
 said he was like a green stick that had been laid to dry over a 
 baker's oven. And thus she had some joke to crack upon eve>ry 
 one ; but she laughed more than all at a good king who was there. 
 " Look at him," said she, " his beard is like an old mop, he shall 
 be called Grisly-beard." So the king got the nickname of Grisly- 
 beard. 
 
 But the old king was very angry when he saw how his daughter 
 behaved, and how she ill-treated all his guests; and he vowed 
 that, willing or unwilling, she should marry the first beggar that 
 came to the door. 
 
 Two days after there came by a travelling musician, who began 
 
KING GRISLY-BEARD. 
 
 71 
 
 to sing under tlie window, and beg alms : and when the king heard 
 him, he said, " Let him come in." , So they brought in a dirty-looking 
 fellow; and when he had sung before the king and the princess, he 
 begged a boon. Then the king said, " You have sung so well, that 
 I will give you my daughter for your wife." The princess begged 
 and prayed; but the king said, "I have sworn to give you to the 
 first beggar, and I will keep my word." So words and tears 
 were of no avail ; the parson was sent for, and she was married 
 to the musician. When this was over, che king said, " Now get 
 ready to go : you must not stay here : you must travel on with your 
 husband." 
 
 Then the beggar departed, and took her with him ; and the}^ soon 
 came to a great wood. " Pray," said she, " whose is this wood ?" " It 
 belongs to king Grisly-beard," answered he ; " hadst thou taken him, 
 all had been thine." " Ah ! unlucky wi^etch that I am !" sighed she, 
 would that I had married king Grisly-beard !" Next they came 
 to some fine meadows. " Whose are those beautiful green, 
 meadows ?" said she. " They belong to king Grisly-beard ; hadst 
 thou taken him, they had all been thine." " Ah ! unlucky wretch 
 that I am !" said she, " would that I had married king Grisly- 
 beard !" 
 
 Then they came to a great city. " Whose is this noble city T 
 said she. It belongs to king Grisly-beard : hadst thou taken 
 him, it had all been thine." "Ahl miserable wretch that I am!" 
 sighed she, "why did I not marry king Grisly-beard ?" " That is no 
 business of mine," said the musician ; " why should you wish for 
 another husband ? am not I good enough for you ?" 
 
 At last they came to a small cottage. " What a paltry place 1" 
 said she ; " to whom does that little dirty hole belong ?" The musician 
 answered, " That is your and my house, where we are to live.'* 
 
72 
 
 KING GRISLY-BEARD. 
 
 Where are your servants?" cried she. "What do we want with 
 servants ?" said he, *' you must do for yourself whatever is to be done. 
 Now make the fire, and put on water and cook my supper, for I am 
 very tired." But the princess knew nothing of making fires and 
 cooking, and the beggar was forced to help her. When they had eaten 
 a very scanty meal they went to bed ; but the musician called her up 
 very early in the morning to clean the house. Thus they lived for two 
 days : and when they had eaten up all there was in the cottage, the 
 man said, " Wife, we can't go on thus, spending money and earning 
 nothing. You must learn to weave baskets." Then he went out and 
 cut willows and brought them home, and she began to weave ; but it 
 made her fingers very sore. " I see this work won't do," said he, " try 
 and spin ; perhaps you will do that better." So she sat down and tried 
 to spin ; but the threads cut her tender fingers till the blood ran. " See 
 now," said the musician, "you are good for nothing, you can do no 
 work ; — what a bargain I have got ! However, I'll try and set up a 
 trade in pots and pans, and you shall stand in the market and sell 
 them." "Alas!" sighed she, "when I stand in the market and an}^ 
 of my father's court pass by and see me there, how they will laugh 
 at me !" 
 
 But the begger did not care for that ; and said she must work, if 
 she did not wish to die of hunger. At first the trade went well ; for 
 many people, seeing such a beautiful woman, went to buy her wares, 
 and paid their money without thinking of taking away the goods. 
 They lived on this as long as it lasted, and then her husband bought a 
 fresh lot of ware, and she sat herself down with it in the corner of the 
 market; but a drunken soldier soon came by, and rode his horse 
 against her stall and broke all her goods into a thousand pieces. Then 
 she began to weep, and knew not what to do. " Ah ! what will 
 become of me!" said she; "what will my husband say?" So she 
 
\ 
 
 KING GRISLY-BEARD. 73 
 
 ran home and told him all. " Who would have thought you would 
 have been so silly," said he, "as to put an earthenware stall in the 
 corner of the market, where everybody passes? — But let us have 
 no more crying ; 1 see you are not fit for this sort of work : so I have 
 been to the king's palace, and asked if they did not want a kitchen- 
 maid, and they have promised to take you, and there you will have 
 plenty to eat." 
 
 Thus the princess became a kitchen-maid, and helped the 
 cook to do all the dirtiest work : she was allowed to carry home 
 some of the meat that was left, and on this she and her husband 
 lived. 
 
 She had not been there long, before she heard that the king's 
 eldest son was passing by, going to be married; and she went to 
 one of the windows and looked out. Everything was ready, and 
 all the pomp and splendour of the court was there. Then she thought 
 with an aching heart of her own sad fate, and bitterly grieved for 
 the pride and folly which had brought her so low. And the servants 
 gave her some of the rich meats, which she put into her basket to take 
 home. 
 
 All on a sudden, as she was going out, in came the king's son in 
 golden clothes : and wdien he saw a beautiful woman at the door, he 
 took her by the hand, and said she should be his partner in the dance : 
 but she trembled for fear, for she saw that it was king Grisly-beard, 
 v/ho was making sport of her. However, he kept fast hold and led 
 her in ; and the cover of the basket came off, so that the meats in it 
 fell all about. Then everybody laughed and jeered at her ; and she 
 was so abashed that she wished herself a thousand feet deep in the 
 earth. She sprang to the door to run away ; but on the steps king 
 Grisly-beard overtook and brought her back, and said, " Fear me not ' 
 I am the musician who has lived with you in the hut : I brought you 
 
74 
 
 KING GRISLY-BEARD. 
 
 there because I loved you. I am also the soldier who overset your 
 stall. I have done all this only to cure you of pride, and to punish you 
 for the ill-treatment you bestowed on me. Now all is over; you have 
 learnt wisdom, your faults are gone, and it is time to celebrate our 
 maniage feast 1" 
 
 Then the chamberlains came and brought her the most beautiful 
 robes ; and her father and his whole court were there already, and 
 congratulated her on her marriage. Joy was in every face. The feast 
 was grand, and all were merry ; and I wish you and I had been of the 
 party. 
 
75 
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF CHANTICLEER AND PARTLET. 
 
 1. How they tuent to the Mountains to eat Nuts. 
 
 " r I THE nuts are quite ripe »ow," said Chanticleer to his wife 
 JL Partlet ; " suppose we go together to the mountains, and 
 eat as many as we can, before the squirrel takes them all away." 
 " With all my heart/' said Partlet ; " let us go and make a holiday of it 
 together." 
 
 So they went to the mountains ; and as it was h lovely day, they 
 stayed there till the evening. Now, whether it was that they had 
 eaten so many nuts that they could not walk, or whether they were 
 lazy and would not, I do not know : however, they took it into their 
 heads that it did not become them to go home on foot. So 
 Chanticleer began to build a little carriage of nut-shells : and when it 
 was finished, Partlet jumped into it and sat down, and bid Chanticleer 
 harness himself to it and draw her home. " That's a good joke !" said 
 Chanticleer ; " no, that Avill never do ; I had rather by half walk home ; 
 111 sit on the box and be coachman, if you like, but I'll not draw." 
 While this was passing, a duck came quacking up and cried out, " You 
 thieving vagabonds, what business have you in my ground ? I'll give 
 it you well for your insolence I" and upon that she fell upon 
 Chanticleer most lustily. But Chanticleer was no coward, and 
 returned the duck's blows with his sharp spurs so fiercely that she 
 soon began to cry out for mercy ; which was only granted her upon 
 condition that she would draw the carriage home for them. This she 
 
76 
 
 CHANTICLEER AND PART LET. 
 
 agreed to do ; and Chanticleer got upon the box, and drove, crying, 
 " Now, duek, get on as fast as you can." And away they went at a 
 pretty good pace. 
 
 After they had travelled along a little way, they met a needle and a 
 pin walking together along the road : and the needle cried out, " Stop ! 
 stop !" and said it was was so dark that they could hardly find their 
 way, and such dirty walking they could not get on at all : he told him 
 that he and his friend, the pin, had been at a public house a few miles 
 off, and had sat drinking till they had forgotten how late it was ; he 
 begged therefore that the travellers would be so kind as to give them 
 a lift in their carriage. Chanticleer observing that they were but thin 
 fellows, and not Kkely to take up much room, told them they might 
 ride, but made them promise not to dirty the wheels of the carriage in 
 getting in, nor to tread on Partlet's toes. 
 
 Late at night they arrived at an inn ; and as it was bad travelling 
 in the dark, and the duck seemed much tired, and waddled about a good 
 deal from one side to the other, they made up their minds to fix their 
 quarters there : but the landlord at first was unwilling, and said his 
 house was full, thinking they might not be very respectable company : 
 however, they spoke civilly to him, and gave him the egg which 
 Partlet had laid by the way, and said they would give him the duck, 
 who was in the habit of laying one every day : so at last he let them 
 come in, and they bespoke a handsome supper, and spent the evening 
 very jollily. 
 
 Early in the morning, before it was quite light, and when nobody 
 was stirring in the inn. Chanticleer awakened his wife, and, fetching 
 the egg, they pecked a hole in it, ate it up, and threw the shells into 
 the fire-place : they then went to the pin and needle, who were fast 
 asleep, and, seizing them by their heads, stuck one into the landlord's 
 easy chair, and the other into his handkerchief ; and having done this, 
 
CHANTICLEER AND TARTLET, 77 
 
 they crept away as softly as possible. However, the duck, who slept 
 in the open air in the yard, heard them coming, and jumping 
 into the brook which ran close by the inn, soon swam out of their 
 reach. 
 
 An hour or two afterwards the landlord got up, and took his 
 handkerchief to wipe his face, but the pin ran into him and pricked 
 him : then he walked into the kitchen to light his pipe at the fire, but 
 when he stirred it up the egg-shells flew into his eyes, and almost 
 blinded him. " Bless me !" said he, " all the world seems to have a 
 design against my head this morning and so saying, he threw 
 himself sulkily into his easy chair ; but, oh dear ! the needle ran into 
 him ; and this time the pain was not in his head. He now flew into 
 a very great passion, and, suspecting the company who had come in 
 the night before, he went to look after them, but they were all oflf ; so 
 he swore that he never again would take in such a troop of vagabonds, 
 v/ho ate a great deal, paid no reckoning, and gave him nothing for his 
 trouble but their apish tricks. 
 
 2. How Chanticleer and PaHlet went to visit Mr. Korhes. 
 
 Another day. Chanticleer and Partlet wished to ride out together ; 
 so Chanticleer built a handsome caniage with four red wheels, and 
 harnessed six mice to it ; and then he and Partlet got into the carriage, 
 and away they drove. Soon afterwards a cat met them, and said, 
 Where are you going ?" And Chanticleer replied, 
 
 ** All on our way 
 A visit to pay- 
 To Mr. Korbes, the fox, to-day.'* 
 
 Then the cat said, "Take me with you."' Chanticleer said, 
 
78 
 
 CHANTICLEER AND PARTLET, 
 
 " "With ail my heart : get up behind, and be sure you do not 
 faU o£" 
 
 "Take care of this handsome coach of mm^ 
 Nor dirty my pretty red wheels so fiu© 1 
 
 Now, mice, he ready, 
 
 And, wheels, run steady ! 
 For we are going a visit to pay 
 To Mr. Korbes, the fox, to-day." 
 
 Soon after came up a mill-stone, an egg, a duck, and a pin ; and 
 Chanticleer gave them all leave to get into the carriage and go with 
 them. 
 
 When they arrived at Mr. Korbes's house, he was not at home ; so 
 the mice drew the carriage into the coach-house, Chanticleer and 
 Partlet flew upon a beam, the cat sat down in the fire-place, the duck 
 got into the washing cistern, the pin stuck himself into the bed pillow, 
 the mill-stone laid himself over the house door, and the egg rolled 
 herself up in the towel. 
 
 When Mr. Korbes came home, he went to the fire-place to make a 
 fire ; but the cat threw all the ashes in his eyes : so he ran to the 
 kitchen to wash himself; but there the duck splashed all the water in 
 his face ; and when he tried to wipe himself, the egg broke to pieces in 
 the towel aU over his face and eyes. Then he was very angry, and 
 went without his supper to bed ; but when he laid his head on the 
 pillow, the pin ran into his cheek : at this he became quite furious, 
 and, jumping up, would have run out of the house ; but when he came 
 to the door, the miU-stone fell d(^n on his head, and killed him on the 
 spot. 
 
 3. How Partlet died and was hurled, and how Chanticleer died 
 
 of grief. 
 
 Another day Chanticleer and Partlet agreed to go again to the 
 
CHANTICLEER AND PARTLET, 
 
 mountains to eat nuts ; and it was settled that all the nuts which they 
 found should be shared equally between them. Now Partlet found a 
 very large nut ; but she said nothing about it to Chanticleer, and kept 
 it ail to herself : however, it was so big that she could not swallow it, 
 and it stuck in her throat. Then she was in a great fright, and cried 
 out to Chanticleer, " Pray run as fast as you can, and fetch me some 
 I water, or I shall be choked." Chanticleer ran as fast as he could to 
 the river, and said, " River, give me some water, for Partlet lies on the 
 mountain, and will be choked by a great nut." The river said, " Run 
 first to the bride, and ask her for a silken cord to draw up the water." 
 Chanticleer ran to the bride, and said, " Bride, you must give me a 
 silken cord, for then the river will give me Avater, and the water I will 
 carry to Partlet, who lies on the mountain, and will be choked b}^ a 
 great nut." But the bride said, " Run first, and bring me my garland 
 that is hanging on a willow in the garden." Then Chanticleer ran to 
 the garden, and took the garland from the bough where it hung, and 
 brought it to the bride ; and then the bride gave him the silken cord, 
 and he took the silken cord to the river, and the river gave him water, 
 and he carried the water to Partlet; but in the meantime she was choked 
 by the great nut, and lay quite dead, and never moved any more. 
 
 Then Chanticleer was very sorry, and cried bitterly; and all 
 the beasts came and wept with him over poor Partlet. And six mice 
 built a little hearse to carry her to her grave ; and when it was ready 
 they harnessed themselves before it, and Chanticleer drove them. On 
 the way they met the fox. " Where are you going. Chanticleer ?" said 
 he. " To bury my Partlet," said the other. " May I go with you 
 said the fox. " Yes ; but you must get up behind, or my horses will 
 not be able to draw you." Then the fox got up behind; and presently 
 the wolf, the bear, the goat, and all the beasts of the wood, came and 
 climbed upon the hearse. 
 
80 
 
 CHANTICLEER AND PARTLET. 
 
 So on they went till they came to a rapid stream. " How shall we 
 get over ?" said Chanticleer. Then said a straw, " I will 1^ myself across, 
 and you may pass over upon me." But as the mice were going over, 
 
 • the straw slipped away and fell into the water, and the six mice all 
 fell in and were drowned. What was to be done ? Then a large log 
 of wood came and said, "I am big enough ; I will lay myself across the 
 
 \ stream, and you shall pass over upon me." So he laid himself down; but 
 they managed so clumsily, that the log of wood fell in and was carried 
 away by the stream. Then a stone, who saw what had happened, 
 came up and kindly offered to help poor Chanticleer by laying himself 
 acrass the stream ; and this time he got safely to the other side with 
 the hearse, and managed to get Partlet out of it; but the fox 
 and the other mourners, who were sitting behind, were too heavy, and 
 fell back into the water and were all carried away by the stream and 
 droA\Tied. 
 
 Thus Chanticleer was left alone with his dead Partlet ; and having 
 dug a grave for her, he laid her in it, and made a little hillock over her. 
 Then he sat down by the grave, and wept and mourned, till at last he 
 died too ; and so all were dead. 
 
81 
 
 SNOW-DROP. 
 
 IT was in tlie middle of winter when the broad flakes of snow were 
 falling around, that a certain queen sat working at a window 
 the frame of which was made of fine black ebony ; and as she was 
 looking out upon the snow, she pricked her finger, and three drops of 
 blood fell upon it. Then she gazed thoughtfully upon the red drops 
 which sprinkled the white snow, and said, "Would that my little 
 daughter may be as white as that snow, as red as the blood, and 
 as black as the ebony window-frame !" And so the little girl 
 grew up : her skin was as white as snow, her cheeks as rosy 
 as the blood, and her hair as black as ebony ; and she was called 
 Snow-drop. 
 
 But this queen died ; and the king soon married another wife, 
 who was very beautiful, but so proud that she could not bear 
 to think that any one could surpass her. She had a magical 
 looking-glass, to which she used to go and gaze upon herself in it, 
 ' and say, . 
 
 " Tell me, glass, tell me true ! 
 Of all the ladies in the land, 
 Who is the fairest ? tell me who V* 
 
 And the glass answered, 
 
 " Thou queen, art fairest in the land." 
 
 But Snow-drop grew more and more beautiful ; and when she was 
 fceven years old, she was as bright as the day, and fairer than the queen 
 
 G 
 
82 mOW-DROP, 
 
 herself. Then the glass one day answered the queen when she went 
 to consult it as usual, 
 
 " Thou, queen, may'st fair and beauteous be, i 
 I But Snow-drop is lovelier far than thee 1" 
 
 i When she heard this she turned pale with rage and envy ; and called 
 ' to one of her servants and said, " Take Snow-drop away into the wide 
 wood, that I may never see her more." Then the servant led her 
 away; but his heart melted when she begged him to spare her life, 
 and he said, " I will not hurt thee, thou pretty child." So he left her 
 by herself; and though he thought it most likely that the wild beasts 
 woul*! tear her in pieces, he felt as if a great weight were taken off 
 his heart when he had made up his mind not to kill her, but leave her 
 to her fate. 
 
 Then poor Snow-drop wandered along through the wood in great 
 fear ; and the wild beasts roared about her, but none did her any harm. 
 In the evening she came to a little cottage, and went in there to rest 
 herself, for her little feet would carry her no further. Everything 
 was spruce and neat in the cottage: on the table was spread a white 
 cloth, and there were seven little plates with seven little loaves, 
 and seven little glasses with wine in them; and knives and forks laid 
 in order; and by the wall stood seven little beds. Then as she 
 was very hungry, she picked a little piece off each loaf, and drank a 
 very little \<^ine out of each glass; and after that she thought 
 she would lie down and rest. So she tried all the little beds; 
 and one was too long, and another was too shori:, till at last the 
 seventh suited her; and there she laid herself down and went 
 to sleep. Presently in came the masters of the cottage, who were 
 seven little dwarfs that lived amonoj the mountains, and duor and 
 searched about for gold. They lighted up their seven lamps, and saw 
 
SmW-DROP. 
 
 83 
 
 directly that all was not right. The first said, " Who has been sitting 
 on my stool?" The second, "Who has been eating off my plate?" 
 The third, "Who has been picking my bread?" The fourth, "Who 
 has been meddling with my spoon?" The fifth, "Who has been 
 handling my fork?" The sixth, "Who has been cutting with my 
 knife?" The seventh, "Who has been drinking my wine?" Then 
 the first looked round and said, " Who has been lying on my bed ? " 
 And the rest came running to him, and every one cried out that 
 somebody had been upon his bed. But the seventh saw Snow-drop, 
 and called all his brethren to come and see her; and they cried out 
 with wonder and astonishment, and brought their lamps to look at 
 her, and said, " Good heavens ! what a lovely child she is !" And they 
 were delighted to see her, and took care not to wake her ; and the 
 seventh dwarf slept an hour with each of the other dwarfs in turn, till 
 the night was gone. 
 
 In the morning Snow-drop told them all her story; and they 
 pitied her, and said if she would keep all things in order, and cook 
 and wash, and knit and spin for them, she might stay where she was, 
 and they would take good care of her. Then they went out all day 
 long to their work, seeking for gold and silver in the mountains ; and 
 Snow-drop remained at home : and they warned her, and said, " The 
 queen will soon find out where you are, so take care and let no 
 one in." 
 
 But the queen, now that she thought Snow-drop was dead, believed 
 that she was certainly the handsomest lady in the land ; and she went 
 to the glass and said, 
 
 " Tell me, glass, tell me true I 
 Of all the ladies in the land, 
 "Who is fairest ? tell me who 2" 
 
 G 2 
 
84 
 
 SNOW-nROP. 
 
 And the glass answered, 
 
 " Thou, queen, art the fairest in all this land ; 
 But over the hills, in the greenwood shade, 
 Where the seven dwarfs their dwelling have made, 
 There Snow-drop is hiding her head, and she 
 Is lovelier far, O queen ! than thee." 
 
 Then the queen was very much alarmed ; for she knew that the 
 glass always spoke the truth, and was sure that the servant had 
 betrayed her. And she could not bear to think that any one lived 
 who was more beautiful than she was ; so she disguised herself as an 
 old pedlar and went her way over the hills to the place where the 
 dwarfs dwelt. Then she knocked at the door, and cried, " Fine wares 
 to sell !" Snow-drop looked out at the window, and said, " Good-day, 
 good- woman; what have you to sell?" "Good wares, fine wares/^ 
 said she ; " laces and bobbins of all colours." " I will let the old lady 
 in ; she seems to be a very good sort of body," thought Snow-drop ; so 
 she ran down, and unbolted the door. "Bless me!" said the old 
 woman, " how badly your stays are laced ! Let me lace them up "vvith 
 one of my nice new laces." Snow-drop did not dream of any mischief ; 
 so she stood up before the old woman ; but she set to work so nimbly, 
 and pulled the lace so tight, that Snow-drop lost her breath, and fell 
 down as if she were dead. " There's an end of all thy beauty," said 
 the spiteful queen, and went away home. 
 
 In the evening the seven dwarfs returned; and I need not sa)- 
 how grieved they were to see their faithful Snow-drop stretched 
 upon the ground motionless, as if she were quite dead. However, 
 they lifted her up, and when they found what was the matter, they 
 cut the lace ; and in a little time she began to breathe, and soon came 
 to life again. Then they said, " The old woman was the queen 
 herself; take care another time, and let no one in wlien we are away." 
 
SNOW-DROP, 
 
 85 
 
 When the queen got home, she went straight to her glass, and 
 spoke to it as usual ; but to her great surprise it still said, 
 
 " Thou, queen, art the fairest in all this land ; 
 But over the hills, in the greenwood shade, 
 "Where the seven dwarfs their dwelling have made. 
 There Snow-drop is hiding her head ; and she 
 Is lovelier far, O queen ! than thee." 
 
 Then the blood ran cold in her heart with spite and malice to see 
 that Snow-drop still lived; and she dressed herself up again in a 
 disguise, but very different from the one she wore before, and took 
 with her a poisoned comb. When she reached the dwarfs' cottage, 
 she knocked at the door, and cried, "Fine wares to sell!" but 
 Snow-drop said, " I dare not let any one in." " Then the queen said, 
 " Only look at my beautiful combs and gave her the poisoned one. 
 And it looked so pretty that she took it up and put it into her hair 
 to try it; but the moment it touched her head the poison was so 
 powerful that she fell down senseless. " There you may lie," said the 
 queen, and went her way. But by good luck the dwarfs returned 
 very early that evening ; and when they saw Snow-drop lying on the 
 ground, they thought what had happened, and soon found the poisoned 
 comb. And when they took it away, she recovered, and told them all 
 that had passed ; and they warned her once more not to open the door 
 to any one. 
 
 Meantime the queen went home to her glass, and trembled with 
 rage when she received exactly the same answer as before ; and she 
 said, " Snow-drop shall die, if it costs me my life." So she went 
 secretly into a chamber, and prepared a poisoned apple : the outside 
 looked very rosy and tempting, but whoever tasted it was sure to die. 
 Then she dressed herself up as a peasant's wife, and travelled over the 
 hills to the dwarfs' cottage, and knocked at the door ; but Snow-drop 
 
86 
 
 SNOW-DROP, 
 
 put her head out of the window, and said, " I dare not let any one in, 
 for the dvf arfs have told me not." " Do as you please," said the old 
 woman, " but at any rate take this pretty apple ; I will make you a 
 present of it." " No," said Snow-drop, " I dare not take it." " You 
 silly girl !" answered the other, " what are yow. afraid of ? do you 
 think it is poisoned ? Come ! do you eat one part, and I will eat the 
 other." Now the apple was so prepared, that one side was good, 
 though the other side was poisoned. Then Snow-drop was very much 
 tempted to taste, for the apple looked exceedingly nice ; and v/hen she 
 saw the old woman eat, she could refrain no longer. But she had 
 scarcely put the piece into her mouth, when she fell down dead upon 
 the ground. " This time nothing will save thee," said the queen ; and 
 she went home to her glass, and at last it said. 
 
 Thou, queen, art the fairest of all the fair." 
 
 And then her envious heart was glad, and as happy as such a heart 
 could be. 
 
 When evening came, and the dwarfs returned home, they found 
 Snow-drop lying on the ground : no breath passed her lips, and they 
 were afraid that she was quite dead. They lifted her up, and combed 
 her hair, and washed her face with wine and water ; but all was in 
 vain, for the little girl seemed quite dead. So they laid her down upon 
 a bier, and all seven watched and bewailed her three whole days ; 
 and then they proposed to bury her : but her cheeks vf ere still rosy, 
 and her face looked just as it did while she was alive ; so they said, 
 " We will never bury her in the cold ground." And they made a coffin ^ 
 of glass so that they might still look at her, and wrote her name upon 
 it, in golden letters, and that she was a king's daughter. And the coffin 
 was placed upon the hill, and one of the dwarfs always sat by it and 
 watched. And the birds of the air came too, and bemoaned Snow- 
 
SNOW-DROP. 
 
 drop : first of all came an owl, and then a raven, but at last came a 
 dove. 
 
 And thus Snow-drop lay for a long long time, and still only looked 
 as though she were asleep ; for she was even now as white as snow, and 
 as red blood, and as black as ebony. At last a prince came and 
 called at the dwarfs' house ; and he saw Snow-drop, and read what was 
 written in golden letters. Then he offered the dwarfs money, and 
 earnestly prayed them to let him take her away, but they said, " We 
 will not part with her for all the gold in the world." At last, however, 
 they had pity on him, and gave him the coffin : but the moment he 
 lifted it up to carry it home with him, the piece of apple fell from 
 between her lips, and Snow-drop awoke, and said " Where am I ?" 
 And the prince answered, Thou art safe with me." Then he told 
 her all that had happened, and said, " I love you better than all the 
 world : come with me to my father's palace, and you shall be my wife." 
 And Snow-drop consented, and went home with the prince : and every- 
 thing was prepared with great pomp and splendour for their 
 wedding. 
 
 To the feast was invited, among the rest, Snow-drop's old enemy, 
 the queen ; and as she was dressing herself in fine rich clothes, she 
 looked in the glass and said, 
 
 "Tell me, glass, tell me true ! 
 Of all the ladies in the laud, 
 Who is fairest ? tell me who V 
 
 And the glass answered, 
 
 " Thou, lady, art loveliest here^ I ween ; 
 But lovlier far is the new-made queen." 
 
 When she heard this, she started with rage ; but her envy and 
 
88 
 
 SNOW-DROP. 
 
 curiosity were so great, that she could not help setting out to see the 
 bride. And when she arrived, and saw that it was no other than 
 Snow-drop, who, as she thought, had been dead a long while, she 
 chokftd with passion, and fell ill and died ; but Snow-drop and the 
 prince lived and reigned happily ever that land many many years. 
 
89 
 
 1 
 
 THE ELVES AND THE SHOEMAKER 
 
 THERE 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 morning to 
 work. His conscience was clear and his heart light amidst all his 
 troubles ; so he went peacably to bed, left all his cares to Heaven, 
 and fell asleep. In the morning, after he had said his prayers, he set 
 himself down to 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 complete 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 
 
90 
 
 THE ELVES AND THE SHOEMAKER. 
 
 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 man soon became thriving and prosperous again. 
 
 One evening about Christmas time, as he and his wife were sitting 
 over the fire chatting together, he said to her, " I should like to sit up 
 and watch to-night, that we ma}^ 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 comer of the room behind a cui-tain 
 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 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 amazement, and could not take his eyes ofiT 
 for a moment. And on they went till the job was quite finished, 
 ^nd the shoes stood ready for use upon the table. This was long 
 before daybreak ; and then they bustled away as quick as 
 lightning. 
 
 The next day the Avife said to the shoemaker, " These little wights 
 have made us rich, and we ought to be thankful to them, and do them 
 a good office 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 tell 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 goo<:l 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 they 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 
 
0 
 
TEE ELVES AND THE SHOEMAKER. 
 
 91 
 
 as usual ; but when they saw the clothes lyuig for them, they laughed 
 and were greatly delighted. 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 forv/ard, as long as he lived. 
 
92 
 
 THE TURNIP. 
 
 THERE were two brothers who were both soldiers ; the one was 
 rich and the other poor. The poor man thought he would 
 try to better himself ; so, pulling off his red coat, he became a 
 gardener, and dug his ground well, and sowed turnips. 
 
 When the seed came up, there was one plant bigger than all 
 the rest ; and it kept getting larger and larger, and seemed as if it 
 would never cease growing ; so that it might have been called the 
 prince of turnips ; for there never was such a one seen before, and 
 never will again. At last it was so big that it filled a cart, and two 
 oxen could hardly draw it ; and the gardener knew not what in the 
 v/orld to do with it, nor whether it would be a blessing or a curse to 
 him. One day he said to himself, " What shall I do with it ? if I sell 
 it, it will bring no more than another ; and for eating, the little turnips 
 are better than this ; the best thing perhaps is to carry it and give it to 
 the king as a mark of respect." 
 
 Then he yoked his oxen, and drew the turnip to the Court, and 
 gave it to the king. " What a wonderful thing !" said the king ; 
 " I have seen many strange things, but such a monster as this I never 
 saw. Where did you get the seed ? or is it only your good luck ? If 
 so, you are a true child of fortune." " Ah, no !" answered the gardener ; 
 " I am no child of fortune ; I am a poor soldier, who never could get 
 enough to live upon ; so I laid aside my red coat, and set to work, 
 tilling the ground. I have a brother, who is rich, and your Majesty 
 
THE TURNIP. 
 
 93 
 
 knows him well, and all the world knows him ; but because I am poor, 
 everybody forgets me." 
 
 The king then took pity on him, and said, " You shall be poor no 
 longer, I will give you so much that you shall be even richer than 
 your brother." Than he gave him gold and lands and flocks, and made 
 him so rich that his brother's fortune could not at all be compared 
 with his. 
 
 When the brother heard of all this, and how a turnip had made the 
 gardener so rich, he envied him sorely, and bethought himself how 
 he could contrive to get the same good fortune for himself However, 
 he determined to manage more cleverly than his brother, and got 
 together a rich present of gold and fine horses for the king; and 
 thought he must have a much larger gift in return ; for if his 
 brother had received so much for only a turnip, what must his present 
 be worth ? 
 
 The king took the gift very graciously, and said he knew not 
 what to give in return more valuable and wonderful than the great 
 turnip ; so the soldier was forced to put it into a cart, and drag it home 
 with him. When he reached home, he knew not upon whom to vent 
 his rage and spite ; and at length wicked thoughts came into his head 
 and he resolved to kill his brother. 
 
 So he hired some villians to murder him ; and having shown them 
 where to lie in ambush, he went to his brother and said, " Dear brother, 
 I have found a hidden treasure ; let us go and dig it up, and share it 
 between us." The other had no suspicion of his roguery : so they 
 went out together, and as they were travelling along, the murderers 
 rushed out upon him, bound him, and were going to hang him on 
 a tree. 
 
 But whilst they were getting all ready, they heard the trampling 
 of a horse at a distance, which so frightened them that they pushed 
 
94 
 
 THE TURNIP, 
 
 their prisoner neck and shoulders together into a sack, and swung Tiim 
 up by a cord to the tree, where they left him dangling, and ran away. 
 Meantime he worked and worked away, till he made a hole large 
 enough to put out his head. 
 
 When the horseman came up, he proved to be a student, a merry 
 fellow, who was journeying along on his nag, and singing as he 
 went. As soon as the man in the sack saw him passing under the 
 tree, he cried out, " Good morning ! good morning to thee, my 
 friend!" The student looked about everywhere; and seeing no 
 one, and not knowing where the voice came from, cried out, "Who 
 calls me?" 
 
 Then the man in the tree answered, "Lift up thine eyes, for 
 behold here I sit in the sack of wisdom ; here have I, in a short 
 time, learned great and wondrous things. Compared to this seat, 
 all the learning of the schools is as empty air. A little longer, 
 and I shall know all that man can know, and shall come forth wiser 
 than the wisest of mankind. Here I discern the signs and motions 
 of the heavens and the stars ; the laws that control the winds ; the 
 number of the sands on the sea-shore ; the healing of the sick ; 
 the virtue of all simples, of birds, and of precious stones. Wert 
 thou but once here, my friend, thou wouldest feel and own the power 
 of knowledge." 
 
 The student listened to all this and wondered jnuch ; at last he 
 said, " Blessed be the day and hour when I found you ; cannot you 
 contrive to let me into the sack for a little while?" Then the other 
 answered, as if very unwilling, " A little space I may allow thee to sit 
 here, if thou wilt reward me well and entreat me kindly ; but thou 
 must tarry yet an hour below, till I have learnt some little matters 
 that are yet unknown to me." 
 
 So the student sat himself down and waited awhile ; but the time 
 
TEE TURNIP. 
 
 95 
 
 hung heavy upon him, and he begged earnestly that he might ascend 
 forthwith, for his thirst of knowledge was great. Then the other 
 pretended to give way, and said, " Thou must let the sack of wisdom 
 descend, by untying yonder cord, and then thou shalt enter." So the 
 student let him down, opened the sack, and set him free. "Now 
 then," cried he, " let me ascend quickly." As he began to put himself 
 into the sack heels first, " Wait awhile," said the gardener, " that is 
 not the way." Then he pushed him in head first, tied up the sack, 
 and soon s^vung up the searcher after wisdom dangling in the air. 
 " How is it with thee, friend ?" said he ; " dost thou not feel that 
 wisdom comes unto thee ? Rest there in peace, till thou art a wiser 
 man than thou wert." 
 
 So saying, he trotted ofi" on the student's nag, and left the 
 poor fellow to gather wisdom till somebody should come and let him 
 down. 
 
96 
 
 OLD SULTAN. 
 ♦ 
 
 A SHEPHERD had a faithful dog, called Sultan, who was grown 
 very old, and had lost all his teeth. And one day when the 
 shepherd and his wife were standing together before the house the 
 shepherd said, " I will shoot old Sultan to-morrow morning, for he is 
 of no use now." But his wife said, " Pray let the poor faithful 
 creature live ; he has served us well a great many years, and we ought 
 to give him a livelihood for the rest of his days." " But what can we 
 do with him ?" said the shepherd, " he has not a tooth in his head, and 
 the thieves don't care for him at all ; to be sure he has served us, but 
 then he did it to earn his livelihood ; to-morrow shall be his last day, 
 depend upon it." 
 
 Poor Sultan, who was lying close by them, heard aU that the 
 shepherd and his wife said to one another, and was very much 
 frightened to think to-morrow would be his last day ; so in the 
 evening he went to his good friend the wolf, who lived in the wood, 
 and told him all his sorrows, and how his master meant to kill him in 
 the morning. " Make yourself easy," said the wolf, " I wiU give you 
 some good advice. Your master, you know, goes out every morning 
 very early with his wife into the field ; and they take their little child 
 with them, and lay it down behind the hedge in the shade while they 
 are at work. Now do you lie down close by the child, and pretend 
 to be watching it, and I will come out of the wood and run away with 
 it : you must run after me as fast as you can, and I will let it drop ; 
 than you may carry it back, and they will think you have saved their 
 
 / 
 
99 
 
 THE LADY AND THE LION. 
 
 MERCHANT, who had three daughters, was once setting out 
 
 JTjL. upon a journey; but before he went he asked each daughter 
 what gift he should bring back for her. The eldest wishedtfor pearls ; 
 the second for jewels ; but the third said, " Dear father, bring me a 
 rose." Now it was no easy task to find a rose, for it was the middle 
 of winter ; yet, as slie was the fairest daughter, and was very fond of 
 flowers, her father said he would try what he could do. So he kissed 
 all three, and bid them good bye. And when the time came for his 
 return, he had bought pearls and jewels for the two eldest, but he had 
 sought everywhere in vain for the rose; and when he went into any 
 garden and inquired for such a thing, the people laughed at him, and 
 asked him whether he thought roses grew in snow. This grieved him 
 very much, for his third daughter was his dearest child ; and as he 
 was journeying home, thinking what he should bring her, he came to 
 a fine castle ; and around the castle was a garden, in half of which it 
 appeared to be summer time, and in the other half winter. On one 
 side the finest flowers were in full bloom, and on the other everything 
 looked desolate and buried in snow. "A lucky hit!" said he as he 
 called to his servant, and told him to go to a beautiful bed of roses 
 that was there, and bring him away one of the flowers. This done, 
 they were riding away well pleased, when a fierce lion sprang up, and 
 roared out, " Whoever dares to steal my roses shall be eaten up alive." 
 Then the man said, " I knew not that the garden belonged to you ; 
 can nothing save my life?" "No!" said the lion, "nothing, unless 
 
 H 2 
 
100 
 
 THE LADY AND THE LION. 
 
 ' you promise to give me whatever meets you first on your return 
 home ; if you agree to this, I will give you your life, and tlie rose too 
 for your daughter." But the man was unwilling to do so, and said, 
 "It may be my youngest daughter, who loves me most, and always 
 runs to meet me when I go home." Then the servant was greatly 
 frightened, and said, " It may perhaps he only a cat or a dog." 
 And at last the man yielded with a heavy heart, and took the rose ; 
 and promised the lion whatever should meet him first on his return. 
 
 And a* he came near home, it was his youngest and dearest 
 daughter that met him ; she came running and kissed him, and 
 welcomed him home ; and when she saw that he had brought her the 
 rose, she rejoiced still more. But her father began to be very melan- 
 choly, and to weep, saying, " Alas 1 my dearest child ! I have bought 
 this flower dear, for I have promised to give you to a wild lion, and 
 when he has you, he will tear you in pieces, and eat j'ou." And he 
 told her all that had happened ; and said she should not go, let what 
 would happen. 
 
 But she comforted him, and said, " Dear father, what you have 
 promised must be fulfilled ; I will go to the lion, and soothe him, that 
 he may let me return again safe home." 
 
 The next morning she asked the way she was to go, and took leave 
 of her father, and went forth with a bold heart into the wood. But 
 the lion was an enchanted prince, and by day he and all his court 
 were lions, but in the evening they took their proper forms again. 
 And when the lady came to the castle, he welcomed her so courteously 
 that she consented to marry him. The wedding-feast was held, and 
 they lived happily together a long time. The prince was only to be 
 seen as soon as evening came, and then he held his court ; but every 
 morning he left his bride, and went away by himself, she knew not 
 whither, till night came again. 
 
THE LADY AND THE LION. 
 
 101 
 
 After some time he said to her, " To-morrow there v/ill be a great 
 feast in your father's house, for your eldest sister is to be married; and, 
 if you wish to go to visit her, m}^ lions shall lead you thither." Then 
 she rejoiced much at the thoughts of seeing her father once more, and 
 set out with the lions; and everyone was overjoyed to see her, for they 
 had thought her dead long since. But she told them how happy she 
 was ; and stayed till the feast was over, and then went back to the wood^ 
 
 Her second sister was soon after married; and when she was 
 invited to the wedding, she said to the prince, "I will not go alone this 
 time ; you must go with me," But he would not, and said that would 
 be a very hazardous thing, for if the least ray of the torch light should 
 fall upon him, his enchantment would become still worse, for he should 
 be changed into a dove, and be obliged to v/ander about the world for 
 seven long years. However, she gave him no rest, and said she would 
 take care no light should fall upon him. So at last they set out 
 together, and took with them their little child too ; and she chose 
 a large hall with thick walls, for him to sit in while the wedding 
 torches were lighted ; but unluckily no one observed that there was a 
 crack in the door. Then the wedding was held with great pomp ; but 
 as the train came from the church, and passed with the torches before 
 the hall, a very small ray of light fell upon the prince. In a moment 
 he disappeared; and when his wife came in, and sought him, she found 
 only a white dove. Then he* said to her, " Seven years must I fly up 
 and down over the face of the earth; but every now and then I will let 
 fall a white feather, that shall show you the way I am going ; follow 
 it, and at last you may overtake and set me free." 
 
 This said, he flew out at the door, and she followed; and every now 
 and then a white feather fell, and showed her the way she was 
 to journey. Thus she went roving on through the wide world^ 
 and looked neither to the right hand nor to the left, nor took any rest 
 
102 
 
 THE LADY AND THE LION. 
 
 for seven years. Then she be^an to rejoice, and thought to herself that 
 the time was fast coming when ail her troubles should cease; yet repose 
 was still far off: for one day as she was travelling on, she missed 
 the white feather, and when she lifted up her e3^e3 she could nowhere 
 see the dove. " Now," thought she to herself, " no human aid can 
 be of use to me ;" so she went to the sun, and said, " Thou shinest 
 everywhere, on the mountain's top, and the valley's depth : hast thou 
 anywhere seen a white dove ?" " No," said the sun, " I have not seen 
 it; but I will give thee a casket — open it vv^hen thy hour of need 
 comes." So she thanked the sun, and went on her way till eventide ; 
 and when the moon arose, she cried unto it, and said, "Thou shinest 
 through all the night, over field and grove : hast thou nowhere seen a 
 white dove ?" " No," said the moon, " I cannot help thee ; but 
 I will give thee an egg — break it when need comes." Then she 
 thanked the moon, and went on till the night wind blew ; and she 
 raised up her voice to it, and said, " Thou blowest through every tree 
 and under every leaf : hast thou not seen the white dove ?" " No," 
 said the night wind; "but I will ask three other winds ; perhaps they 
 have seen it." Then the east v/ind and the vv^est wind came, and said 
 they too had not seen it ; but the south wind said, " I have seen 
 the white dove ; he has fled to the Red Sea, and is changed once more 
 into a lion, for the seven years are passed away; and there he is 
 fighting with a dragon, and the dragon is an enchanted princess, who 
 seeks to separate him from you." Then the night wind said, "I 
 will give thee counsel : go to the Red Sea ; on the right shore stand 
 many rods ; number them, and when thou comest to the eleventh, 
 break it off and smite the dragon with it; and so the lion wiK 
 have the victory, and both of them will appear to you in their 
 human forms. Then instantly set out with thy beloved prince, and 
 journey home over sea and land." 
 
i 
 
 TEE LADY AND THE LION. 
 
 103 
 
 So our poor wanderer went forth, and found all as the night- 
 wind had said ; and she plucked the eleventh rod, and smote the 
 dragon, and immediately the lion became a prince and the dragon a 
 princess again. But she forgot the counsel which the night-wind had 
 given ; and the false prilicess watched her opportunity, and took the 
 prince by the arm, and carried him away. 
 
 Thus the unfortunate traveller was again forsaken and forlorn; 
 but she took courage and said, As far as the wind blows, and so long 
 as the cock crows, I will journey on till I find kim once again." She 
 went on for a long long way, till at length she came to the castle 
 whither the princess had carried the prince ; and there was a feast 
 prepared, and she heard that the wedding was about to be held. 
 "Heaven aid me now!" said she; and she took the casket that the sun 
 had given her, and found that within it lay a dress as dazzling as the 
 sun itself So she put it on, and went into the palace ; and all the 
 people gazed upon her ; and the dress pleased the bride so much that 
 she asked whether it was to be sold : " Not for gold and silver," 
 answered she "but for flesh and blood." The princess asked what 
 she meant ; and she said, " Let me speak with the bridegroom this 
 night in his chamber, and I will give thee the dress." At last the 
 princess agreed; but she told her chamberlain to give the prince 
 a sleeping-draught, that he might not hear or see her. When evening 
 came, and the prince had fallen asleep, she was led into his chamber, 
 and she sat herself down at his feet and said, " I have followed thee 
 seven years ; I have been to the sun, the moon, and the night wind to 
 seek thee ; and at last I have helped thee to overcome the dragon. 
 Wilt thou then forget me quite ?" But the prince slept so soundly that 
 her voice only passed over him, and seemed like the murmuring of the 
 wind among the fir-trees. 
 
 Then she was led away, and forced to give up the golden dress ; 
 
104 
 
 THE LADY AND THE LION. 
 
 and when she saw that there was no help for her, she went out into a 
 meadow and sat herself down and wept. But as she sat she bethought 
 herself of the egg that the moon had given her; and when she broke it, 
 there ran out a hen and twelve chickens of pure gold, that played 
 about, and then nestled under the old one's wings, so as to form the 
 most beautiful sight in the world. And she rose up, and drove them 
 before her till the bride saw them from her window, and was so 
 pleased that she came forth, and asked her if she would sell the brood. 
 "Not for gold or silver; but for flesh and blood: let me again this 
 evening speak with the bridegroom in his chamber." 
 
 Then the princess thought to betray her as before, and agreed 
 to what she asked ; but when the prince went to his chamber, he 
 asked the chamberlain why the wind had murmured so in the night. 
 And the chamberlain told him all ; how he had given him a sleeping- 
 draught, and a poor maiden had come and spoken to him in his 
 chamber, and was to come again that night. Then the prince took 
 care to throw away the sleeping-draught ; and when she came and 
 began again to tell him what woes had befallen her, and how faithful 
 and true to him she had been, he knew his beloved wife's voice, and 
 sprang up, and said, " You have awakened me as from a dream ; for 
 the strange princess had thrown a spell around me, so that I had 
 altogether forgotten you : but heaven hath sent you to me in a lucky 
 hour."^ 
 
 And they stole away out of the palace by night secretly (for they 
 feai-ed the princess), and journeyed home ; and there they found their 
 child, now grown comely and fair, and lived happily together to the 
 end of their days. 
 
105 
 
 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 without 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 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 threepence," replied the 
 countryman. " I wish you would give them to me," 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 
 
106 
 
 THE JEW IN 'THE BUSH. 
 
 choose whatever you like." Then the countryman rejoiced at his good 
 luck, and said, " I like many things better than money : first, I will 
 have a bow that will bring down everything I shoot at ; secondly, 
 a fiddle that will set every one dancing that hears me play upon it ; 
 and thirdly, I should like that every one should 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. 
 
 Our honest friend journeyed on his way too ; and if he was merry 
 before, he was now ten times more so. He had not gone far before he 
 met an old J ew : close by them stood a tree, and on the topmost twig 
 sat a thrush singing away most joyfully. " Oh, 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, " I 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 Jev»^ began to dance 
 and spring about, capering 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! master! 
 pray le£ 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 up another tune. 
 Then the Jew began to beg and promise, and ofiered 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 
 
TRK JEW IN THE BUSH. 
 
 107 
 
 agree to your proposal." So he took the purse, put up his fiddle, and 
 travelled on very well pleased with his bargain. 
 
 Meanwhile the Jew crept out of the bus'h half-naked and in 
 a piteous plight, and began to ponder 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 carried 
 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 me for playing a tune to you," said the 
 countr^^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," 
 replied the other. " 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 dwarfs 
 third gift. 
 
 Then the Jew said, " Bind me fast, bind me fast, for pity's sake." 
 But the countryman seized 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 
 
108 THE JEW IN THE BUSH. 
 
 on. At first the thing was merry and pleasant enough ; but wlien 
 it had gone on awhile, and there seemed to be no end of playing 
 or dancing, they began to cry out, and beg him to leave off ; but 
 be stopped not a whit the more for their entreaties, till the judge 
 not only gave him his life, but promised to return him the hundred 
 fiorins. 
 
 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 countiyman stopped his fiddle, and left the Jew to take his place 
 at the gallows. 
 
109 
 
 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 replied, 
 " If you could do me any good, I would tell you." " Who knows 
 but I may ?" said the little man ; " tell me what is the matter, 
 and perhaps I can be of some service." Then the mercliant told him 
 how all his wealth was gone to the bottom of the sea, and how he had 
 nothing left except that little plot of land. "Oh! trouble not yourself 
 about that," said the dwarf; "only promise to bring me here, twelve 
 years hence, whatever meets you first on your return home, and I will 
 give you as much gold as you please." The merchant thought 
 this was no great request ; that it would most likely be his dog, 
 or something of that soi-t, but forgot his little child : so he agreed 
 to the bargain, and signed and sealed the engagement to do v/hat 
 was required. 
 
 But as he drew near home, his little boy was so pleased to see him. 
 
110 
 
 THE KING OF THE GOLDEN MOUNTAIN. 
 
 that he crept behind him and laid fast hold of his legs. Then the 
 falher started with fear, and saw what it was that he had bound 
 himself to do; but as no gold was come, he consoled himself by thinking 
 that it was only a joke that the dwarf was playing him. 
 
 About a month afterwards he went up stairs 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, v/ent into trade again, 
 and became a greater merchant 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. Then 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 
 
TEE KING OF THE GOLDEN MOUNTAIN, 
 
 111 
 
 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 princess ; and she rejoiced 
 greatly to see him, and said, "Art thou at last come to be my delivei-er? 
 Twelve long years have I waited for thee, for thou alone canst save me- 
 This night twelve men mil come: their faces will be Mack, 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 torment thee. Suffer all, only speak not a word; and 
 at twelve o'clock they must depa,rt. The second night twelve others 
 will come ; and the third night twenty-four, who will even cut off ih.j 
 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 merchant'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 throughout 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 their heads when the king thought of his father : 
 and his heart was moved, and he longed to see him once again. But 
 the queen opposed his going, and said, " I know well that misfortunes 
 
112 
 
 THE KING OF THE GOLDEN MOUNTAIN. 
 
 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 pnt 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 
 Jiis 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 
 neighbouring mountain where a shepherd dwelt, and borrowed his old 
 frock, and thus passed unobserved into the town. When he came to 
 his fa,ther's house, he said he was his son ; but the merchant would not 
 believe him, and said he 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 
 v/as his son, and said, ^ Is there no mark by which you would know if 
 I am really your son T " Yes," observed his mother, " our son has a 
 mark like a raspberry under the right arm." Tlien he showed them 
 tiie mark, and they were satisfied that what he said was true. He 
 next told them how he was king of the Golden Mountain, and Avas 
 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 
 vrho 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 
 J (.juecn and son. In an instant they stood before him ; but the queen 
 wept, and said he liaxl broken his word, and misfortune would 
 follow. He did all he could to soothe her, and she at last appeared to 
 be appeased : but she was not so in reality, and only meditated how she 
 should take iier revenge. 
 
 One day he took her to walk v^^ith him out of tlie town, and 
 showed lier the spot where th-e boat was turned adrift upon the wide 
 
116 
 
 THE GOLDEN GOOSK 
 ♦ 
 
 THERE was a man who had three sons. The youngest was called 
 Dummling, and was on all occasions despised and ill-treated by 
 the whole family. It happened that the eldest took it into his head 
 one day to go into the wood to cut fuel; and his mother gave him a 
 delicious pasty and a bottle of wine to take with him, that he might 
 refresh himself at his work. As he went into the wood, a little 
 old man bid him good day, and said, "Give me a little piece of 
 meat from your plate, and a little wine out of your bottle ; I 
 am very hungry and thirsty." But this clever young man said, 
 " Give you my meat and wine ! No, I thank you ; 1 should not 
 have enough left for myself:" and away he went. He soon began 
 to cut down a tree; but he had not worked long before he missed 
 his stroke, and cut himself, and was obliged to go home to have 
 the wound dressed. Now it was the little old man that caused him 
 this mischief. 
 
 Next went out the second son to work ; and his mother gave him 
 too a pasty and a bottle of wine. And the same little old man met 
 him also, and asked him for something to eat and drink. But he 
 too thought himself vastly clever, and said, "Whatever you get, 
 I shall lose; so go your way!" The little man took care that 
 he should have his reward; and the second stroke that he aimed 
 against a tree, hit him on tjie leg; so that he too was forced to go 
 home. . 
 
 I 2 
 
116 THE GOLDEN GOOSE. 
 
 Then Dummling said, " Father, I should like to go and cut wood 
 too." But his father answered, "Your brothers have both lamed 
 themselves; you had better stay at home, for you know nothing of 
 the business." But Dummling was very pressing; and at last his 
 father said, " Go your way ; you will be wiser when you have suffered 
 for your folly." And his mother gave him only some dry bread, and a 
 bottle of sour beer ; but when he went into the wood, he met the 
 little old man, who said, " Give me some meat and drink, for I am 
 very hungry and thirsty." Dummling said, " I have only dry bread 
 and sour beer; if that will suit you, we will sit down and eat it 
 together." So they sat down, and when the lad pulled out his bread 
 behold it was turned into a capital pasty, and his sour beer became 
 delightful wine. The}^ ate and drank heartily ; and when they had 
 done, the little man said, " As you have a kind heart, and have been 
 willing to share everything with me, I will send a blessing upon you. 
 There stands an old tree, cut it down and you will find something at 
 the root." Then he took his leave, and went his way. 
 
 Dummling set to work, and cut down the tree ; and when it fell, 
 he found in a hollow under the roots a goose with feathers of pure 
 gold. He took it up, and went on to an inn, where he proposed to 
 sleep for the night. The landlord had three daughters ; and when 
 they saw the goose, they were very curious to examine what this 
 wonderful bird could be, and wished very much to pluck one of the 
 feathers out of its tail. At last the eldest said, " I must and will have 
 a feather." So she waited till his back was turned, and then seized 
 the goose by the wing ; but to her great surprise there she stuck, for 
 neither hand nor finger could she get away again. Presently in came 
 the second sister, and thought to have a feather too ; but the moment 
 she touched her sister, there she too hung fast. At last came the 
 third, and wanted a feather; but the other two cried out, "Keep 
 
THE GOLDEN GOOSE. 
 
 117 
 
 away ! for heaven's sake, keep away 1" However, she did not under- 
 stand what they meant. " If they are there," thought she, " I may as 
 well be there too." So she went up to them; but the moment she 
 touched her sisters she stuck fast, and hung to the goose as they did. 
 And so they kept company with the goose all night. 
 
 The next morning Dummling carried off the goose under his arm, 
 and took no notice of the three girls, but went out with them sticking 
 fast behind ; and wherever he travelled, they too were obliged to 
 follow, whether they would or no, as fast as their legs could carry 
 them. 
 
 In the middle of a field the parson met them ; and when he saw 
 the train, he said, " Are you not ashamed of yourselves, you bold girls, 
 to run after the young man in that way over the fields ? is that 
 proper behaviour ?" Then he took the youngest by the hand to lead 
 her away; but the moment he touched her he too hung fast, and 
 followed in the train. Presently up came the clerk ; and when he saw 
 his master the parson running after the three girls, he wondered 
 greatly, and said, " Hollo ! hoUo ! your reverence ! whither so fast ? 
 there is a christening to-day." Then he ran up, and took him by the 
 gown, and in a moment he was fast too. As the five were thus 
 trudging along, one behind another, they met two labourers with their 
 mattocks coming from work ; and the parson cried out to them to set 
 him free. But scarcely had they touched him, when they too fell into 
 the ranks, and so made seven, all running after Dummling and his 
 goose. 
 
 At last they arrived at a city, where reigned a king who had an 
 only daughter. The princess was of so thoughtful and serious a turn 
 of mind that no one could make her laugh; and the king had 
 proclaimed to all the wprld, that whoever could make her laugh 
 should have her for his wife. When the young man heard this, he 
 
118 
 
 THB GOLDEN GOOSE. 
 
 went to her witli his goose and all its train ; and as soon as she saw 
 the seven aU hanging together, and running about, 'treading on each 
 other's heels, she could not help bursting into a long and loud laugh. 
 Then Dummling claimed her for his wife ; the wedding was celebrated, 
 and he was heir to the kingdom, and lived long and happily with his 
 wife. 
 
 \ 
 
123 
 
 HANSEL AND GBETTEL. 
 .. « . 
 
 HANSEL one day took his sister Grettel by the hand, and said, 
 " Since our poor mother died we have had no happy days ; for 
 our new mother beats us all day long, and when we go near her, she 
 pushes us away. We have nothing but hard crusts to eat ; and the 
 little dog that lies by the fire is better off than we ; for he sometimes 
 has a nice piece of meat thrown to him. Heaven have mercy upon 
 us ! Oh, if our poor mother knew how we are used ! Come, we will go 
 and travel over the wide world." They went the whole day walking 
 over the fields, till in the evening they came to a great wood ; and 
 then they were so tired and hungry that they sat down in a hollow 
 tme and went to sleep. 
 
 In the morning when they awoke, the sun had risen high above 
 the trees, and shone warm upon the hollow tree. Then Hansel said, 
 "Sister, 1 am very thirsty; if I could find a brook, I would go and 
 drink, and fetch you some water too. Listen, I think I hear the sound 
 of one." Then Hansel rose up and took Grettel by the hand and went 
 in search of the brook. But their cruel stepmother was a fairy, and 
 had followed them into the wood to work them mischief : and when 
 they had found a brook that ran sparkling over the pebbles. Hansel 
 wanted to drink ; but Grettel thought she heard the brook, as it 
 babbled along, say, " Whoever drinks here will be turned into a tiger." 
 Then she cried out, "Ah, brother ! do not drink, or you will be turned 
 into a wild beast and tear me to pieces." Then Hansel yielded, 
 
124 HANSEL AND GRETTEL. 
 
 although he was parched with thirst. " I will wait," said he, " for the 
 next brook." But when they came to the next, Grettel listened again, 
 and thought she heard, " Whoever drinks here will become a wolf.'* 
 Then she cried out, " Brother, brother, do not drink, or you will become 
 a wolf and eat me." So he did not drink, but said, "I will wait 
 for the next brook ; there I must drink, say what you will, I am 
 so thirsty." 
 
 As they came to the third brook, Grettel listened, and heard 
 " Whoever drinks here will become a fawn." ^ Ah, brother !" said she, 
 "do not drink, or you will be turned into a fawn and run away 
 from me." But Hansel had already stooped down upon his knees, 
 and the moment he put his lips into the water he was turned into a 
 fawn. 
 
 Grettel wept bitterly over the poor creature, and the tears too rolled 
 down his eyes as he laid himself beside her. Then she said, " Rest in 
 peace, dear fawn ; I will never never leave thee." So she took off her 
 golden necklace and put it round his neck, and plucked some rushes 
 and plaited them into a soft string to fasten to it ; and led the poor 
 little thing by her side further into the wood. 
 
 After they had travelled a long way, they came at last to a little 
 cottage; and Grettel, having looked in and seen that it was quite 
 empty, thought to herself, " We can stay and live here." Then she 
 went and gathered leaves and moss to make a soft bed for the fawn : 
 and every morning she went out and plucked nuts, roots, and berries 
 for herself, and sweet shrubs and tender grass for her companion ; and 
 it ate out of her hand, and was pleased, and played and frisked about 
 her. In the evening, when Grettel was tired, and had said her prayers, 
 she laid her head upon the fawn for her pillow, and slept ; and if poor 
 Hansel could but have his right form again, they thought they should 
 lead a very happy life. 
 
HANSEL AND GRETTEL, 
 
 125 
 
 They lived thus a long while in the wood by themselvres, till it 
 chanced that the king of that country came to hold a great hunt there. 
 And when the fawn heard all around the echoing of the horns, and 
 the baying of the dogs, and the merry shouts of the huntsmen, he 
 wished very much to go and see what was going on. " Ah, sister, 
 sister !" said he, " let me go out into the wood, I can stay no longer." 
 And he begged so long, that she at last agreed to let him go. " But," 
 said she, " be sure to come to me in the evening ; I shall shut up the 
 door to keep out those wild huntsmen ; and if you tap at it, and say, 
 ' Sister, let me in,' I shall know you ; but if you don't speak, I shall 
 keep the door fast." Then away sprang the fawn, and frisked and 
 bounded along in the open air. The king and his huntsmen saw the 
 beautiful creature, and followed but could not overtake him ; for when 
 they thought they were sure of their prize, he sprang over the bushes 
 and was out of sight in a moment. 
 
 As it grew dark he came running home to the hut, and tapped and 
 said, " Sister, sister let me in." Then she opened the little door, and in 
 he jumped and slept soundly all night on his soft bed. 
 
 Next morning the hunt began again ; and when he heard the 
 huntsmen's horns, he said, " Sister, open the door for me, I must go 
 again." Then she let him out and said, "Come back in the evening, and 
 remember what you are to say." When the king and the huntsmen 
 saw the fawn with the golden collar again, they gave him chase ; but 
 he was too quick for them. The chase lasted the whole day ; but at 
 last the huntsmen nearly surrounded him, and one of them wounded 
 him in the foot, so that he became sadly lame and could hardly crawl 
 home. The man who had wounded him followed close behind, and hid 
 himself, and heard the little fawn say, "Sister, sister, let me in " 
 upon which the door opened and soon shut again. The huntsman 
 marked all well, and went to the king and told him what he had 
 
126 HANSEL AND GRETTEL. 
 
 seen and heard ; then the king said, " To-morrow we will have another 
 chase." 
 
 Grettel was very much frightened when she saw that her dear 
 little fawn was wounded ; but she washed the blood away and put 
 some healing herbs on it, and said, " Now go to bed, dear fawn, and 
 you will soon be well again." The wound was so small, that in the 
 morning there was nothing to be seen of it; and when the horn blew, 
 the little creature said " I can't stay here, I must go and look on ; I 
 will take care that none of them shall catch me." But Grettel said, 
 " I am sure they will kill you this time, I will not let you go." " I 
 shall die of vexation," answered he, "if you keep me here: when I 
 hear the horns, I feel as if I could fly." Then Grettel was forced to 
 let him go ; so she opened the door with a heavy heart, and he 
 bounded out gaily into the wood. 
 
 When the king saw him he said to his huntsman, " Now chase him 
 all day long till you catch him ; but let none of you do him any harm.* 
 The sun set, however, without their being able to overtake him, and 
 the king called away the huntsmen, and said to the one who had 
 watched, " Now come and show me the little hut." So they went to 
 the door and tapped, and said, " Sister, sister, let me in." Then the 
 door opened and the king went in, and there stood a maiden more 
 lovely than any he had ever seen. Grettel was frightened to see that 
 it was not her fawn, but a king with a golden crown that was come 
 into her hut : however, he spoke kindly to her, and took her hand, 
 and said, " Will you come with me to my castle and be my wife?" 
 " Yes," said the maiden ; " but my fawn must go with me, I cannot 
 part with that," " Well,"" said the king, " he shall come and live with 
 you all your life, and want for nothing." Just at that moment in 
 sprang the little fawn ; and his sister tied the string to his neck, and 
 they left the hut in the wood together. 
 
THE GIANT WITH THE THREE GOLDEN HAIRS. 
 
 129 
 
 SO they treated it very kindly, and brought it up with such care that 
 everyone admired and loved it. 
 
 About thirteen years passed over their heads, when the king came 
 by accident to the mill, and asked the miller if that was his son. " No," 
 said he, " I found him when a babe in a box in the mill-dam." " How 
 long ago ?" asked the king. "Some thirteen years," replied the miller. 
 "He is a fine fellow," said the king, "can you spare him to carry 
 a letter to the queen? it will please me very much, and I will give him 
 two pieces of gold for his trouble." "As your Majesty pleases," 
 answered the miller. 
 
 Now the king had soon guessed that this was the child whom 
 he had tried to drown ; and he wrote a letter by him to the queen, 
 saying "As soon as the bearer of this arrives, let him be killed and 
 immediately buried, so that all may be over before I return." > 
 
 The young man set out with this letter, but missed his way, 
 and came in the evening to a dark wood. Through the gloom he 
 perceived a light at a distance, towards which he directed his course, 
 and found that it proceeded from a little cottage. There was no 
 one within except an old woman, who was frightened at seeing 
 him, and said, " Why do you come hither, and whither are you going?" 
 " I am going to the queen, to whom I was to have delivered a letter ; 
 but I have lost my way, and shall be glad if you will give me a night's 
 rest." "You are very unlucky," said she, "for this is a robbers' hut, 
 and if the band returns while you are here it may be worse for 
 you." "I am so tired, however," replied he, "that I must take 
 my chance, for I can go no further ;" so he laid the letter on the 
 table, stretched himself out upon a bench, and fell asleep. 
 
 When the robbers came home and saw him, they asked the old 
 woman who the strange lad was. " I have given him shelter for 
 charity," said she ; " he had a letter to carry to the queen, and lost Ms 
 
 K 
 
130 
 
 THE GIANT WITH THE THREE GOLDEN HAIRS. 
 
 way." The robbers took up the letter, broke it open and rea^ the 
 directions which it contained to murder the bearer. Then their 
 leader tore it, and wrote a fresh one desiring tthe ' queen, as sbo^n as 
 the young man arrived, to marry him to the king's daughter. Mean- 
 time they let him sleep on till morning broke, and. then showed him . 
 the right way to the queen's palace ; where, as soon as she had read , 
 the letter, she had all possible preparations made for the wedding ; 
 and as the young man was very beautiful, the princess took him 
 willingly for her husband. 
 
 After awhile the king returned ; and when he saw the prediction 
 fulfilled, and that this child of fortune was, notwithstanding all his 
 cunning, married to his daughter, he inquired eagerly how this had 
 happened, and what were th^ orders which he had given. "'^ Dear 
 husband," said the queen, " here is your letter, read it for j^ourself.'* 
 The king took it, and seeing that an exchange had been made, asked 
 his son-in-law what he had done with the letter which he had given 
 him to carry. " I know nothing of it," answered he ; " it must have 
 been taken away in the night while I slept." Then the king was very 
 wroth, and said, "No man shall have my daug-hter who does not 
 descend into the v/onderful cave and bring me three golden hairs from 
 the head of the giant king who reigns there ; do this and you shall 
 have my consent." " I will soon manage that," said the youth ; — so 
 \ he took leave of his wife and set out on his journey. 
 
 At the first city that he came to, the guard of the gate stopped 
 - him, and asked what trade he followed and what he knew. " I know 
 ^ everything," said he. " If that be so," replied th^, " you are just the 
 man we want ; be so good as to tell us why our fountain in the 
 market-place is dry and will give no water : find out the cause of that, 
 and we will give you two asses loaded with gold." "With all my 
 heart," said he, " when I come back." 
 
THE GIANT WITH THE THREE GOLDEN HAIRS. 
 
 131 
 
 Then he journeyed on and came to another city, and there tlie 
 guard asked him what trade he followed, and what he understood. " ^ 
 know everything," answered he. " Then pray do us a piece of service,! 
 said they ; " tell us why a tree which used to bear us golden apples, 
 now does not even produce a leaf." " Most willingly," answered he, 
 " as I come hack." 
 
 At last his way led him to the side of a great lake of water over 
 Vi^hieh he must pass. The ferryman soon began to ask, as the others 
 had done, what was his trade, and what he knew. " Everything," said 
 he. " Then," said the other, " pray inform me why I am bound for 
 ever to ferry over this water, and have never been able to get my 
 liberty ; I will reward you handsomely." " I will tell you all about 
 it," said the young man, " as I come home." 
 
 When he had passed the water, he came to the wonderful cave, 
 which looked terribly black and gloomy. But the wizard king was 
 not at home, and his grandmother sat at the door in her easy 
 chair. "What do you seek?" said she. "Three golden hairs from 
 the giant's head," answered he. " You run a great risk," said 
 she, " when he returns home ; yet I will try what I can do for you." 
 Then she changed him into an ant, and told him to hide himself in the 
 folds of her cloak. " Very well," said he : " but I want also to know 
 why the city fountain is dry, why the tree that bore golden apples is 
 now leafless, and what it is that binds the ferryman to his post." 
 " Those are three puzzling questions," said the old dame ; " but lie quiet 
 and listen to what the giant says when I pull the golden hairs." 
 
 Presently night set in and the old gentleman returned home. As 
 soon as he entered he began to snuff up the air, and cried, " All is not 
 right here : I smell man's flesh." Then he searched all round in vain, 
 and the old dame scolded, and said, " Why should you turn 
 everything topsy-iurvy ? I have just set all in order." Upon thi& 
 
 K 2 
 
132 
 
 THE GIANT WITH THE THREE GOLDEN HAIRS, 
 
 he laid his head in her lap and soon fell asleep. As soon as he 
 began to snore, she seized one of the golden hairs, and pulled it out. 
 "Mercy!" cried he, starting np, "what are you about?" "I had a 
 dream that disturbed me," said she ; " and in my trouble I seized your 
 hair : I dreamt that the fountain in the market-place of the city was 
 become dry and would give no water ; what can be the cause ?" "Ah ! 
 if they could find that out, they would be glad," said the giant: 
 " under a stone in the fountain sits a toad ; when they kiU him, it will 
 fiow again.'* , . 
 
 This said, he fell asleep, and the old lady pulled out another hair. 
 "What would you be at?" cried he in a rage. "Don't be angry," 
 said she, " I did it in my sleep ; I dreamt that in a great kingdom 
 there was a beautiful tree that used to bear golden apples, and now 
 has not even a leaf upon it; what is the reason of that?" "Ahal" 
 said the giant, "they would like very well to know that secret : at the 
 root of the tree a mouse is gnawing ; if they were to kill him, the tree 
 would bear golden apples again ; if not, it will soon die. Now let me 
 sleep in peace ; if you wake me again, yon shall rue it." 
 
 Then he fell once more asleep ; and when she heard him snore she 
 pulled out the third golden hair, and the giant jumped up and 
 threatened her sorely ; but she soothed him, and said, " It was a strange 
 dream ; methought I saw a ferryman who was fated to ply backwards 
 and forwards over a lake, and could never be set at liberty ; what is 
 the charm that binds him ?" "A silly fool !" said the giant ; " if he 
 were to give the rudder into the hand of any passenger, he would find 
 himself at liberty, and the other would be obliged to take his place. 
 Now let me sleep." 
 
 In the morning the giant arose and went out ; and the old woman 
 gave the young man the three golden hairs, reminded him of the 
 answers to his three questions, and sent him on his way. 
 
THE GIANT WITH THE THREE GOLDEN HAIRS. 133 
 
 He soon came to the ferryman, who knew him again, and asked 
 for the answer which he had promised him. " Ferry me over first," 
 said he, " and then I will tell you." When the boat arrived on the 
 other side, he told him to give the rudder to any of his passengers, and 
 then he might run away as soon as he pleased. The next place he 
 came to was the city where the barren tree stood : " Kill the mouse," 
 said he, that gnaws the root, and you will have golden apples again." 
 They gave him a rich present, and he journeyed on to the city where 
 the fountain had dried up, and the guard demanded his answer to 
 their question. So he told them how to cure the mischief, and they 
 thanked him and gave him the two asses laden with gold. 
 
 And now at last this child of fortune reached home, and his wife 
 rejoiced greatly to see him, and to hear how well everything had gone 
 with him. He gave the three golden hairs to the king, who could no 
 longer raise any objection to him, and when he saw all the treasure, 
 cried out in a transport of joy, " Dear son, where did you find all this 
 gold?" "By the side of a lake," said the youth, "where there is 
 plenty more to be had." " Pray, tell me," said the king, " that I may 
 go and get some too." " As much as you please," replied the other ; 
 " you will see the ferryman on the lake, let him carry you across, and 
 there you will see gold as plentiful as sand upon the shore." 
 
 Away went the gTeedy king ; and when he came to the lake, 
 he beckoned to the ferryman, who took him into his boat, and 
 and as soon as he was there gave the mdder into his hand, and 
 sprang ashore, leaving the old king to ferry away as a reward for 
 his sins. 
 
 " And is his Majesty plying there to this day ?" You may be 
 sure of that, for nobody will trouble himself to take the rudder out 
 of his hands. 
 
134 
 
 THE FEOG-PRINCK 
 
 ONE fine evening a young princess went into a wood, and sat 
 doYm by the side of a cool spring of water. She had a 
 golden ball in her hand, which was her favourite play-thing, and she 
 amused herself 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 her ball ; but it wa^ very deep, so deep that she could 
 not see the bottom of it. Then 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 everything that I have in the world." Whilst 
 she was speaking a frog put its head out of the water and said, 
 " Princess, why 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 with you, and eat from 
 vour 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 ! 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 baU, 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 threw 
 
TE£1 FROQ-PRIMGE. 
 
 135 
 
 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 had sat down to dinner, she 
 heard a strange noise, tap-tap, as if somebody was coming up the 
 marble staircase ; and soon afterwards something knocked gently at 
 the door, and said, 
 
 " 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 shutting 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 last 
 evening: 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 I" While she was speaking the frog knocked 
 again at the door, and said, 
 
 *' Open the door, my princess dear, 
 Open the door to thy true love here I 
 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 
 hopped 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." 
 
 I 
 
136 
 
 Tim FROG-PRINCE. 
 
 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 along. 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 morning, she was astonished to see, instead of the frog, a 
 handsome prince gazing on her with the most beautiful eyes that ever 
 were seen, and standing at the head of her bed. 
 
 He told he 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 
 v/ill 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 misfortune 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 happity a great 
 many years. 
 
137 
 
 THE FOX AND THE HORSE. 
 
 FARMER had a horse that had been an excellent faithful 
 
 JTjL servant to him : but he was now grown too old to work ; so 
 the farmer would give him nothing more to eat, and said, "I want you 
 no longer, so take yourself off out of my stable ; I shall not take you 
 back again until you are stronger than a lion." Then he opened the 
 door and turned him adrift. 
 
 The poor horse was very melancholy, and wandered up and down 
 in the wood, seeking some little shelter from the cold wind and rain. 
 Presently a fox met him : What's the matter, my friend ?" said he, 
 "why do you hang doAvn your head and look so lonely and woe- 
 begone ?" "Ah!" replied the horse, "justice and avarice never dwell 
 in one house ; my master has forgotten all that I have done for him so 
 many years, and because I can no longer work he has turned me 
 adrift, and says unless I become stronger than a lion he will not take 
 me back again ; what chance can I have of that ? he knows I have 
 none, or he would not talk so." 
 
 However, the fox bid him be of good cheer, and said, " I will help 
 you ; lie down there, stretch yourself out quite stiff, and pretend to be 
 dead." The horse did as he was told, and the fox went straight to the 
 lion who lived in a cave close by, and said to him, " A little way off 
 lies a dead horse ; come with me and you may make an excellent meal 
 of his carcase." The lion was greatly pleased, and set off immediately ; 
 and when they came to the horse, the fox said, " You will not be able 
 to eat him comfortably here ; I'll tell you what — I will tie you fast to 
 
138 
 
 THE FOX AND THE MORSE. 
 
 his tail, and then you can draw him to your den, and eat him at your 
 leisure." 
 
 This advice pleased the lion, so he laid himself down quietly for the 
 fox to make him fast to the horse. But the fox managed to tie his 
 legs together and bound all so hard and fast that with all his strength 
 he could not set himself free. When the work was done, the fox 
 clapped the hoi-se (sn the shoulder, and said " Jip ! Dobbin ! Jip I" 
 Then up he sprang, and moved ofi, dragging the lion behind him. The 
 beast began to roar and bellow, till all the birds of the wood flew away 
 for fright; but the horse let him sing on, and made his way quietly 
 over the fields to his master's house. 
 
 " Here he is, master," said he, " I have got the better of him :" and 
 when the farmer saw his old servant, his heart relented, and he said, 
 " Thou shalt stay in thy stable and be well taken care of." And so the 
 poor old horse had plenty to eat, and lived— till he died. 
 
1^ 
 
 RUMPEL-STILTS-KIK 
 
 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 miller's boast, his avarice wa^ 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 began to lament ever 
 her hard fate, when on a sudden 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 I" 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 to the wheel ; 
 round about it went merrily, and presently the work was done and the 
 gold all spim. 
 
 When the king came, and saw this, he was greatly astonished and 
 pleased : but his heart grew still more greedy of gain, and he shut up 
 the poor miller's daughter again with a fi'esh task. Then she knew 
 not what to do, and sat down once niore to weep; but the little man 
 
146 
 
 R UMPEL-STILTS'KIK 
 
 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 finished 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, "AU 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, " Whsii 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, "your first little child when you are queen." 
 " That may never be," thought the miller's daughter ; but as she knew 
 no other way to get her task done, she promised him what he asked, 
 and he spim once more the whole heap of gold. The king came in 
 the morning, and finding aU he wanted, married her, and so the 
 miller's daughter reaUy 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 chamber and reminded her of it. Then she giieved sorely at 
 her misfortune, and ofiered him aU 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 teU 
 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, Jeremiah, and aU the names she could 
 remember ; but to all of them he said, " That's not my name." 
 
 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 
 
R UMPEL-STIL TS-KIN. 
 
 141 
 
 little gentleman still said to every one of tliem, "That's not my 
 name." 
 
 The third day came back one of the messengers, and said, " I can 
 hear of no one other name ; but yesterday as I was climbing a high hill 
 amonof 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'll brew, to-morrow bake ; 
 Merrily I'll dance and sing, 
 For next day will a stranger bring : 
 Little does my lady dream 
 Eumpel- 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 r asked she. "No!" "Is it Tom?" "No!" 
 
 " Can your name be Eumpel-Stilta-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 puU it out. 
 Then he made the best of his way off, while everybody laughed at 
 him for having had all his trouble for nothing. 
 
 > 
 
U2 
 
 THE GOOSE-GIRL. 
 
 AN old queen, whose husband had been dead some years, had a 
 beautiful daughter. When she grew up, she was betrothed 
 to a prince who lived a great way oif ; and as. the time drew near for 
 her to be married, she got ready to set oif on her journey to his 
 country. Then the queen, her mother, packed up a great many costly 
 things ; jewels, and gold, and silver ; trinkets, fine dresses, and, in 
 short, everything that became a ro3^al bride ; for she loved her child 
 very dearly : and she gave her a waiting-maid to ride with her, 
 and give her into the bridegroom's hands ; and each had a horse for 
 the journey. Now the princess's horse was called Falada, and could 
 speak. 
 
 When the time came for them to set out, the old queen went into 
 her bed-€hamber, and took a little knife, and cut off a lock of her hair, 
 and gave it to her daughter, and said, " Take care of it, dear child ; 
 for it is a charm that may be of use to you on the road." Then they 
 took a sorrowful leave of each other, and the princess put the lock of 
 her mother's hair into her bosom, got upon her horse, and set off on 
 her journey to her bridegroom's kingdom. One day, as they were- 
 riding along by the side of a brook, the princess began to feel very 
 thirsty, and said to her maid, " Pray get down and fetch me some water 
 in my golden cup out of yonder brook, for I want to drink." " Nay," 
 said the maid, " if you are thirsty, get down yourself, and lie down 
 by the water and drink ; I shall not be your waiting-maid any , 
 longer." Then she was so thirsty that she got down, and knelt over 
 
TEE GOOSE- GIRL, 
 
 143 
 
 the little brook and drank, for slie was frightened, and dared not bring 
 out her golden cup; and then she wept, and said,, "Alas! what will 
 become of me ?" And the lock of hair answered her, and said^ 
 
 " Alas ! alas ! if thy mother knew it, 
 Sadly, sadly her heart would rue it" 
 
 But the princess was very humble and meek, so she said nothing to 
 her maid's ill behaAaour, but got upon her horse again. 
 
 Then all rode furtlier on their journey, till the day grev/ so warm, 
 and the sun so scorching, that the bride began to feel very thirsty 
 again ; and at last when they came to a river she forgot her maid's 
 rude speech, and said, " Pray get down and fetch me some water to 
 drink in my golden cup." But the maid answered her, and even 
 spoke more haughtily than before, " Drink if you will, but I shall 
 not be your waiting-maid." Then the princess was so thirsty that she 
 got off her horse and lay down, and held her head over the running 
 stream, and cried, and said, "What will become of me?" And the 
 lock of hair answered her again, 
 
 " Alas ! alas ! if thy mother knew it, 
 Sadly, sadly her heart would rue it." 
 
 And as she leaned down to drink, the lock of hair fell from her 
 bosom and floated away with the water, without her seeing it, she 
 was so [frightened. But her maid saw it, and was very glad, for 
 she knew the charm, <?.nd saw that the poor bride would be in her 
 power, now that she had lost the hair. So when the bride had done, 
 and would have got upon Falada again, the maid said, " I shall ride 
 upon Falada, and you may have my horse instead:" so she was 
 forced to give up her horse, and soon afterwards to take off her royal 
 clothes, and put on her maid's shabby ones. 
 
144 
 
 THE GOOSE-GIRL, 
 
 At last as they drew near tlie end of their journey, this treacherous 
 servant threatened to kill her mistress if she ever told anyone what 
 had happened. But Falada saw it all, and marked it well. Then the 
 waiting-maid got upon Falada, and the real bride was set upon the 
 other horse, and they went on in this way till at last they came to the 
 royal court. There was great joy at their coming, and the prince flew 
 to meet them, and lifted the maid from her horse, thinking she was 
 the one who was to be his wife ; and she was led up stairs to the royal 
 chamber, but the true princess was told to stay in the court below. 
 
 But the old king happened to be looking out of the window, and 
 saw her in the yard below ; and as she looked very pretty, and too 
 delicate for a waiting-maid, he went into the royal chamber to ask the 
 bride who it was she had brought with her, that was thus left 
 standing in the court below. " I brought her with me for the sake of 
 her company on the road," said she ; " pray give the girl some work to 
 do, that she may not be idle." The old king could not for some time 
 think of any work for her to do ; but at last he said, " I have a lad 
 who takes care of my geese ; she may go and help him." Now the 
 name of this lad, that the real bride was to help in watching the 
 king's geese, was Curdken. 
 
 Soon after, the false bride said to the prince, "Dear husband, 
 pray do me one piece of kindness." " That I will," said the prince. 
 
 Then tell one of your slaughterers to cut off the^head of the horse I 
 rode upon, for it was very unruly, and plagued me sadly on Nthe 
 road :" but the truth was, she was very much afraid lest Falada should 
 speak, and tell all she had done to the princess. She carried her point, 
 and the faithful Falada was killed : but when the true princess heard 
 of it, she wept, and begged the man to nail up Falada's head against a 
 large dark gate in the city through which she had to pass every 
 morning and evening, that there she might still see him sometimes. 
 
TEE GOOSE-OIRL. 
 
 145 
 
 Then the slaughterer said lie would do as she wished ; cut off the head, 
 and nailed it fast under t^ie dark gate. 
 
 Early the next morning, as she and Curdken went out through the 
 0 gate, she said sorrowfully, 
 
 " Falada, Falada, there thou art banging !" 
 
 and the head answered, 
 
 " Bride, bride, there thou art ganging ! 
 Alaa ! alas ! if thy mother knew it, 
 Sadly, sadly her heart would rue it." 
 
 Then they went out of the city, and drove the geese on. And 
 when she came to the meadow, she sat down upon a bank there, and 
 let down her waving locks of hair, which were all of pure silver; 
 and when Curdken saw it glitter in the sun, he ran up, and would 
 have pulled some of the locks out ; but she cried, ^ 
 
 " Blow, breezes, blow ! 
 Let Curdken's hat go ! 
 Blow, breezes, blow, 
 Let him after it go ! 
 O'er hills, dales, and rocks, 
 Away be it whirFd, 
 Till the silvery locks 
 Are all comb'd and curl'd ! " 
 
 Then there came a wind, so strong that it blew off Curdken's hat ; and 
 away it flew over the hills, and he after it ; till, by the time he came 
 back, she had done combing and curling her hair, and put it up again 
 safe. Then he was very angry and sulky, and would not speak to her 
 at all ; but they watched the ge'ese until it grew dark in the evening, 
 and then drove them homewards. 
 
146 
 
 THE OOOSE-QIRL. 
 
 The next morning, as they were g©ing through the dark gate, the 
 poor girl looked up at Falada's head, and cried, 
 
 Falada, Falada, there thou art hanging !" 
 
 and it answered, 
 
 " Bride, hride, there thou art ganging ! 
 Alas ! alas ! if thy mother knew it, 
 Sadly, sadly her heart would rue it." 
 
 Then she drove on the geese and sat down again in the meadow, and 
 began to comb out her hair as before ; and Curdken ran up to her, and 
 wanted to take hold of it ; but she cried out quickly, 
 
 " Blow, breezes, blow ! 
 Let Curdken's hat go ! 
 Blow, breezes, blow ! 
 Let him after it go I 
 O'er hills, dales, and rocks, 
 Away be it whirl'd, 
 
 Till the silvery locks • ■ 
 
 Are all comb'd and curl'd !" 
 
 Then the wind came and blew his hat, and off it flew a great way, over 
 the hills and far away, so that he had to run after it ; and vfhen he 
 came back, she had done up her hair again, and all was safe. So they 
 watched the geese till it grew dark. 
 
 In the evening, after they came home, Curdken went to the old 
 king, and said, " I cannot have that strange girl to help me to keep 
 the geese any longer." ''Why?" said the king. "Because she does 
 nothing but tease me all day long." Then the king made him tell all 
 that bad passed. And Curdken said, "When we go in the morning 
 
 \ 
 
TEE QOOSE-GIRL. 
 
 147 
 
 through the dark gate with our flock of geese, she weeps, and talks 
 with the head of a horse that hangs upon tlie wall, and says, 
 
 " ^ Falada, Fakda, there tbou art banging !' " 
 
 and- the head answers. 
 
 Bride, bride, there thou art ganging \ 
 Alas 1 alas ! if thy mother knew it, 
 Sadiy, sadly her heart would rue it.'" 
 
 And Curdken went on telling the king what had happened upon the 
 meadow where the geese fed ; and how his hat was blown away, and 
 he was forced to run after it, and leave his flock. But the old king 
 told him to go out again as usual the next day : and when morning 
 came, he placed himself behind the dark gate, and heard how she spoke 
 to Falada, and how Falada answered ; and then he went into the field 
 and hid himself in a bush by the meadow's side, and soon saw with his 
 own eyes how they drove the flock of geese, and how, after a little 
 time, she let down her hair that glittered in the sun; and theu he 
 heard her say, 
 
 " Blow, breezes, blow ! 
 Let Curdken's hat go ! 
 Blow, breezes, blow ! 
 Let him after it go ! 
 O'er hills, dales, and rocks, 
 Away be it whirl'd, 
 Till the silvery locks 
 Are all comb'd and curl'd !*• 
 
 And soon came a gale of wind, and carried away Curdken's hat, while 
 the girl went on combing and curling her hair. All this the old king 
 saw : so he went home without being seen ; and when the little gooSe- 
 girl came back in the evening, he called her aside, and asked her why 
 
 L 2 
 
THE GOOSE-GIRL. 
 
 slie did so : but she burst into tears, and said, " That I must not tell 
 you or an}^ man, or I sliall lose my life." 
 
 But the old king begged so hard, that she had no peace till she had 
 told him all, word for word : and it was very lucky for her that she 
 did so, for the king ordered royal clothes to be put upon her, and gazed 
 on her with wonder, she was so beautiful. Then he called his son, and 
 told him that he had only the false bride, for that she was merely a 
 waiting-maid, while the true one stood by. And the young king 
 rejoiced when he saw her beauty, and heard how meek and patient 
 she had been ; and without saying anything, ordered a great feast to 
 be got ready for all his court. The bridegroom sat at the top, with 
 the false princess on one side, and the true one on the other ; but 
 nobody knew her, for she was quite dazzling to their eyes, and was 
 not at all like the little goose-girl, now that she had her brilliant 
 dress. 
 
 When they had eaten and drank, and were very merry, the old 
 king told all the story, as one that he had once heard of, and asked 
 the true waiting-maid what she thought ought to be done to anyone 
 who would behave thus. " Nothing better," said this false bride, 
 " than that she should be thrown into a cask stuck round with sharp 
 nails, and that two white horses should be put to it, and should drag 
 it from street to street till she is dead." " Thou art she !" said the old 
 king; " and since thou hast judged thyself, it shall be so done to thee." 
 And the young king was married to his true wife, and they reigned 
 over the kingdom in peace and happiness all their lives. 
 
 SI. 
 
149 
 
 FAITHFUL JOHN. 
 
 AN old king fell sick; and when he found his end drawing near, he 
 said, " Let Faithful John come to me." Now Faithful John 
 was tlie servant that he was fondest of, and was so called because he 
 had been true to his master all his life long. Then when he came to 
 the bedside, the king said, " My faithful John, I feel that my end draws 
 nigh, and I have now no cares save for my son, who is still young, and 
 stands in need of good counsel. I have no friend to leave him but you, 
 if you do not pledge yourself to teach him all he should know, and to 
 be a father to him, I shall not shut my eyes in peace." Then John 
 said, " I will never leave him, but will serve him faithfully, even 
 though it should cost me my life." And the king said, " I shall now 
 die in peace: after my death, show him the vfhole palace; all the rooms 
 and vaults, and all the treasures and stores which lie there : but take 
 care how you show him one room, — I mean the one where hangs 
 the picture of the daughter of the king of the golden roof If he sees 
 it, he will fall deeply in love with her, and will then be plunged into 
 great dangers on her account ; guard him in this peril." And when 
 Faithful J ohn had once more pledged his word to the old king, he laid 
 his head on his pillow, and died in peace. 
 
 Now when the old king had been carried to his grave. Faithful" 
 John told the young king what had passed upon his death-bed, 
 and said, "I will keep my word truly, and be faithful to you as 
 I was always to your father, though it should cost me my life." And 
 
150 
 
 FAITHFUL JOHN. 
 
 the young king wept, and said, " Neither will I ever forget your 
 faithfulness." 
 
 The days of mourning passed away, and then Faithful John said 
 to his master, "It is now time that you should see your heritage; 
 I will show you your father's palace." Then he led him about 
 everywhere, up and down, and let him see all the riches and all the 
 costly rooms; only one room, where the picture stood, he did not 
 open. Now the picture was so placed, that the moment the door 
 opened, you could see it ; and it was so beautifully done, that one 
 would think it breathed and had life, and that there was nothing more 
 lovely in the whole world. When the young king saw that Faithful 
 John always went by this door, he s?oid, "Why do you not open 
 that room ?" " There is something inside," he answered, "which would 
 frighten you." But the king said, " I have seen the whole palace, and 
 I must also know what is in there ;" and he V7ent and began to force 
 open the door : but Faithful John held him back, and said, "I gave my 
 word to your father before his death, that I would take heed how 
 I showed you what stands in that room, lest it should lead you and me 
 into great trouble." " The greatest trouble to me," said the young- 
 king, "will be not to go in and see the room; I shall have no peace 
 by day or by night until I do; so I shall not go hence until you 
 open it." 
 
 Then Faithful John saw that with all he could do or say the 
 young king would have his way ; so, wdth a heavy heart and many 
 foreboding sighs, he sought for the key out of his great bunch; and 
 he opened the door of the room, and entered in first, so as to stand 
 • between the king and the picture, hoping he might not see it : but he 
 raised himself upon tiptoes, and looked over J ohn's shoulders ; and as 
 soon as he saw the likeness of the lady, so beautiful and shining with 
 gold, he fell down upon the floor senseless. Then Faithful John lifted 
 
FAITHFUL JOim, 151 
 
 him np in his arms, and carried him to his bed, and was full of care, and 
 thought to himself, "This trouble has come upon us; 0 Heaven! what 
 will come of it?" 
 
 At last the king came to himself again ; but the first thing that he 
 said was, " Whose is that beautiful picture ?" " It is the picture of the 
 daughter of the king of the golden roof," said Faithful John. But the 
 king went on, saying, " My love towards her is so great, that if all the 
 leaves on the trees , were tongTies, they could not speak it ; I care 
 not to risk my life to win her ; you are my faithful friend, you 
 must aid me." 
 
 Then John thought for a long time what was now to be done ; and 
 at length said to the king, " All that she has about her is of gold : the 
 tables, stools, cups, dishes, and all the things in her house are of gold ; 
 and she is always seeking new treasures. Now in your stores there is 
 much gold ; let it be worked up into every kind of vessel, and into all 
 sorts of birds, wild beasts, and wonderful animals; then we will take it 
 and try our fortune." So the king ordered all the goldsmiths to 
 be sought for ; and they worked day and night, until at last the most 
 beautiful things were made : and Faithful John had a ship loaded with 
 them, and put on a merchant's dress, and the king did the same, that 
 they might not be known. 
 
 When all was ready they put out to sea, and sailed till they came to 
 the coast of the land where the king of the golden roof reigned. 
 Faithful John told the king to stay in the ship, and wait for him; "for 
 perhaps," said he, " I may be able to bring away the king's daughter 
 with me: therefore take care that ever3rthing be in order ; let the golden 
 vessels and ornaments be brought forth, and the whole ship be decked 
 out with them." And he chose out something of each of the golden 
 things to put into his basket, and got ashore, and went towards 
 the king's palace. And when he came to the castle yard, there stood 
 
352 
 
 FAITHFUL JOHN. 
 
 the well side a beautiful maiden, who had two golden pails in her 
 hand, drawing water. And as she drew up the water, which was 
 jittering with gold, she turned herself round, and saw the stranger, 
 and asked him who he was. Then he drew near, and said, " I am 
 a merchant," and opened his basket, and let her look into it; and 
 she cried out, "Oh! what beautiful things!" and set do^vn licr pails, 
 and looked at one after the other. Then she said, " The king's 
 daughter must see all these; she is so fond of such things, that 
 she will buy all of you." So she took him by the hand, and 
 led him in ; for she was one of the waiting-maids of the daughter 
 of the king. 
 
 When the princess saw the wares, she was greatly pleased, and 
 said, " They are so beautiful that I will buy them all." But Faithful 
 John said, " I am only the servant of a rich merchant ; what I have 
 here is nothing to what he has l}^ng in yonder ship : there he has the 
 finest and most costly things that ever were made in gold." The 
 princess wanted to have them all brought ashore ; but he said, " Thafc 
 would take up many days, there are such a number ; and more i-ooms 
 would be wanted to place them in than there are in the greatest 
 house." But her wish to see them grew still grea^ter, and at last 
 she said, " Take me to the ship, I will go myself, and look at your 
 master's wares." 
 
 Then Faithful John led her joyfully to the ship, and the king, 
 when he saw her, thought that his heart would leap out of his breast ; 
 and it was with the greatest trouble that he kept himself still.- So 
 she got into the ship, and the king led her down ; but Faithful John 
 staid behind with the steersman, and ordered the ship to put off: 
 " Spread all your sail," cried he, " that she may fly over the waves like 
 a bird through the air." 
 
 And the king showed the princess the golden ware.'i, each one 
 
FAITHFUL JOHN. 
 
 153 
 
 singly : the dishes, cups, basons, and the wild and wonderful beasts ; 
 so that many hours fiew away, and she looked at everything with 
 delight, and was not aware that the ship Avas sailing away. And after 
 she had looked at the last, she thanked the merchant, and said she 
 would go home ; but when she came upon the deck, she saw that tlie 
 ship was sailing far away from land upon the deep sea, and that it 
 flew along at full sail. Alas I" she cried out in her fright, " I am 
 betrayed ; I am carried off, and have fallen into the power of a roving 
 trader ; I would sooner have died." But then the king took her by 
 the hand, and said, " I am not a merchant, I am a king, and of as 
 noble birth as you. I have taken you away by stealth, but I did so 
 because of the very great love I have for you ; for the first time that I 
 saw your face, I fell on the ground in a swoon." When the daughter 
 of the king of the golden roof heard all, she was comforted, and her 
 heart soon turned towards him, and she was willing to become his 
 wife. 
 
 But it so happened, that whilst they were sailing on the deep sea, 
 Faithful John, as he sat on the prow of the ship playing on his flute, 
 saw three ravens flying in the air towards him. Then he left ofi' 
 playing, and listened to what they said to each other, for he understood 
 their tongue. The first said, " There he goes ! he is bearing away the 
 daughter of the king of the golden roof; let him go!" Nay," said 
 the second, "there he goes, but he has not got her yet." And the 
 third said, " There he goes ; he surely has her, for she is sitting by his 
 side in the ship." Then the first began again, and cried out, " What 
 boots it to him ? See you not that when they come to land, a horse 
 of a foxy- red colour will spring towards him ; and then he will try to 
 gel upon it, and if he does, it will spring away with him into the air, 
 so that he will never see his love again." " True 1 true !" said the 
 second, but is there no help ?" " Oh ! yes, yes !" said the first; " if he 
 
1 
 
 154 FAITEFUL JOHN, 
 
 who sits upon the horse takes the dagger which is stuck in the saddle 
 and strikes him dead, the young king is saved : but who knows that ? 
 and who will tell him, that he who thus saves the king's life will turn 
 to stone from the toes of his feet to his knee ?" Then the second 
 said, "True! true! but I know more still; though the horse be dead, 
 the king loses his bride : when they go together into the palace, 
 there lies the bridal dress on the couch, and looks as if it were woven 
 of gold and silver, but it is all brimstone and pitch ; and if he puts 
 it on, it will burn him, marrow and bones." " Alas ! alas 1 is there 
 no help ?" said the third. " Oh ! yes, yes !" said the second, " If some 
 one draws near and throv/s it into the fire, the young king will be 
 saved. But what boots that ? who knows and will tell him, that if 
 he does, his body from the knee to the heart will be turned to stone ?" 
 " More ! more ! I know more,'" said the third : " were the dress burnt, 
 still the king loses his bride. After the wedding, when the dance 
 begins, and the young queen dances on, she will turn pale, and fall 
 as though she were dead : and if some one does not draw near and 
 lift her up, and take from her right breast three drops of blood, she 
 will surely die. But if any one knew this, he would tell him, that 
 if he does do so, his body will turn to stone, from the crown of his 
 head to the tip of his toe." 
 
 Then the ravens flapped their wings, and flew on ; but Faithful 
 J ohn, who had understood it all, from that time was sorrowful, and 
 did not tell his master what he had heard : for he saw that if he told 
 him, he must himself lay down his life to save him : at last he said to 
 himself, " I will be faithful to my word, and save my master, if it costs 
 me my life." 
 
 Now when they came to land, it happened just as the ravens had 
 foretold ; for there sprang out a fine foxy-red horse. " See," said the 
 king, " he shall bear me to my palace :" and he tried to mount, but 
 
FAITHFUL JOHN. 
 
 155 
 
 Faithful Jolm leaped before liim, and swung himself quickly upon it, 
 drew the dagger, and smote the horse dead. Then the other servants 
 of the king, who were jealous of Faithful John, cried out, "What a 
 shame to kill the fine beast that was to take the king to his palace !" 
 But the king said, " Let him alone, it is my Faithful John ; who knows 
 but he did it for some good end ?" 
 
 Then they went on to the castle, and there stood a couch in one 
 room, and a fine dress lay upon it, that shone with gold and silver ; 
 and the young king went up to it to take hold of it, but Faithful John 
 cast it on the fire, and burnt it. And the other servants began again 
 to grumble, and said, "See, now he is burning the wedding dress." 
 But the king; said, " Who knows what he does it for ? let him alone ! 
 he is my faithful servant John." 
 
 Then the wedding feast Avas held, and the dance began, and the 
 bride also came in ; but Faithful John took good heed, and looked 
 in her face ; and on a sudden she turned pale, and fell as though 
 she were dead upon the ground. But he sprang towards her quickly, 
 lifted her up, and took her and laid her upon a couch, and drew 
 three drops of blood from her right breast. And she breathed again, 
 and came to herself But the young king had seen all, and did 
 not know why Faithful John had done it ; so he was angry at his 
 boldness, and said, " Throw him into prison." 
 
 The next morning Faithful John was led forth, and stood upon the 
 gallows, and said, " May I speak out before I die ?" and when the king 
 answered, " It shall be granted thee/' he said, " I am wrongly judged, 
 for I have always been faithful and true :" and then he told what he 
 had heard the ravens say upon the sea, and how he meant to save his 
 master, and had therefore done all these things. 
 
 When he had told all, the king called out, " 0 my most faithful 
 John! pardon! pardon! take him down!" But Faithful John had 
 
156 
 
 FAITHFUL JOHN, 
 
 fallen down lifeless at the last word he spoke, and lay as a stone : and 
 the king and the queen mourned over him ; and the king said, " Oh, 
 how ill have I rewarded thy truth !" And he ordered the stone iig-ure 
 to be taken up, and placed in his own room near to his bed ; and as 
 often as he looked at it he wept, and said, " Oh, that I could bring thee 
 back to life again, my Faithful John !" 
 
 After a time, the queen had two little sons, who grew up, and were 
 her great joy. One day, when she was at church, the two children 
 staid with their father: and as they played about, he looked at the stone 
 %ure, and sighed, and cried out, " Oh, that I could bring thee back to 
 life, my Faithful John Then the stone began to speak, and said, " 0 
 king ! thou canst bring me back to life if thou wilt give up for m}^ sake 
 what is dearest to thee." But the king said, " All that I have in the 
 world Would I give up for thee." " Then," said the stone, " cut oft' the 
 heads of thy children, sprinkle their blood over me, and I shall live 
 again." Then the king "was greatly shocked ; but he thought how 
 Faithful John had died for his sake, and because of his ^reat truth 
 to^v^ards him ; and rose up and drew his sword to cut off liis children's 
 heads and sprinkle the stone with their blood ; but the moment he 
 drew his sword Faithful John was alive again, and stood before liis 
 i'ace, and said, " Your truth is rewarded." And the children si)rai3g 
 about and played as if nothing had happened. 
 
 Then the king was full of jo^' : and when he saw the queen coming, 
 to try her, he put Faithful John and the two children in a large closet ; 
 and when she came in he said to hei', " Have jow been at church ?" 
 " Yes," said slie, " but I could not help thinking of Faithful John, Avho 
 v\^as so true to us." " Dear wife," said the king, " we can bring him 
 back to life again, but it v/iil cobt us both our little sons, and we must 
 give them up for his sake." When the queen heard this, she turned 
 pale and was frightened in her heart ; but slie said, " Let it be so ; \\Q 
 
FAITHFUL JOHN-. 
 
 157 
 
 owe him all, for his great faith and truth." Then he rejoiced because 
 she thought as he had thought, and went in and opened the closet, and 
 brought out the cliildren and Faithful John, and said, " Heaven be 
 praised ! he is ours again, and we have our sons safe too." So he told 
 her the whole story ; and all lived happily together the rest of their 
 Uvea. 
 
158 
 
 THE BLUE LIGHT. 
 
 A SOLDIER had served a king his master many years, tiH at last 
 he was turned off without pay or reward. How he should get 
 his living he did not know : so he set out and journeyed homeward 
 ail the day in a very downcast mood, until in the evening he came to 
 the edge of a deep wood. The road leading that way, he pushed 
 forward, but he had not gone far before he saw a light glimmering 
 thi'ough the trees, towards which he bent his weary steps ; and soon 
 came to a hut where no one lived but an old witch. The poor fellow 
 begged for a night's lodging and something to eat and drink ; but she 
 would listen to nothing : however, he was not easily got rid of ; and 
 at last she said, " I think I wiU take pity on you this once : but if I 
 do you must dig over all my garden for me in the morning." The 
 soldier agreed very willingly to anything she asked, and he became 
 her guest. 
 
 The next day he kept his word and dug the garden very neatly. 
 The job lasted aH day : and in the evening, wheia. his mistress would 
 have sent him away, he said, " I am so tired of my work that I must 
 beg you to let me stay over the night." The old lady vowed at first 
 she would not do any such thing ; but after a great deal of talk he 
 carried his point, agreeing to chop up a whole cart-load of wood for 
 her the next day. 
 
 This task too was duly ended ; but not till towards night ; and 
 then he found himself so tired, that he begged a third night's rest : 
 and this too was given, but only on his pledging his word that he > 
 
THE BLUE LIGHT, 
 
 159 
 
 next day would fetch the witch the blue light that burnt at the bottom 
 of the well. 
 
 When morning' came she led him to the well's mouth, tied him 
 to a long rope, and let him down. At the bottom sure enough he 
 found the blue light as the witch had said, and at once made the 
 signal for her to draw him up again. But when she had pulled 
 him up so near to the top that she could reach him with her hands, she 
 said, " Give me the light, I will take care of it," — meaning to play him 
 a trick, by taking it for herself and letting him fall again to the 
 bottom of the well. But the soldier saw through her wicked thoughts, 
 and said, " No, I shall not give you the light till I find myself safe 
 and sound out of the well." At this she became very angry, and 
 dashed him, with the light she had longed for for many a year, down 
 to the bottom. And there lay the poor soldier for awhile in despair, 
 on the dam.p mud below, and feared that his end was nigh. But his 
 pipe happened to be in his pocket still half-full, and he thought to 
 himself, " I may as well make an end of smoking you out ; it is the 
 last pleasure I shall have in this world." So he lit it at the blue 
 light, and began to smoke. 
 
 Up rose a cloud of smoke, and on a sudden a little black dwarf 
 was seen making his way through the midst of it. " What do you 
 want with me, soldier ?" said he. " I have no business with you," 
 answered he. But the d^svarf said, " I am bound to serve you in 
 everything, as lord and master of the blue light." "Then, first of all, 
 be so good as to help me out of this well." No sooner said than done : 
 the dwarf took him by the hand and drew him up, and the blue light 
 of course with him. " Now do me another piece of kindness," said the 
 soldier : " pray let that old lady take my place in the well." When 
 the dwarf had done this, and lodged the witch safely at the bottom, 
 they began to ransack her treasures; and thfe soldier made bold ito 
 
160 
 
 THE BLUE LIGHT. 
 
 carry off as much of her gold and silver as he well could. Then the 
 dwarf said, " If you should chance at any time to want me, you have 
 nothing to do but to light your pipe at the blue light, and I will 
 soon be with you." 
 
 The soldier was not a little pleased at his good luck, and went into 
 the best inn in the first town he came to, and ordered some fine 
 clothes to be made and a handsome room to be got ready for him. 
 When all was ready, he called his little man to him, and said, " TPie 
 king sent me away penniless, and left me to hunger and want : I have 
 a mind to show him that it is my turn to be master now ; so bring mo 
 his daughter here this evening, that she may wait upon me, and do 
 what I bid her." " That is rather a dangerous task," said the dwarf. 
 But away he went, took the princess out of her bed, fast asleep as she 
 was, and brought her to the soldier. 
 
 Very early in the morning he carried her back : and as soon as she 
 saw her father, she said, " I had a strange dream last night : I thought 
 I was carried away through the air to a soldier's house, and there I 
 waited upon him as his servant." Then the king wondered greatly at 
 such a story; but told her to make a hole in her pocket and fill it 
 with peas, so that if it were really as she said, and the whole was not 
 a dream, the peas might fall out in the streets as she passed through, 
 and leave a clue to tell whither she had been taken. She did so : but 
 the dwarf had heard the king's plot : and when evening came, and the 
 soldier said he must bring him the princess again, he strewed peas 
 over several of the streets, so that the few that fell from her pocket 
 were not known from the others ; and the people amused themselves 
 all the next day picking up peas, and wondering where so many came 
 from. 
 
 When the princess told her father what had happened to her the 
 second time, he said, " Take one of your shoes with you, and hide it 
 
THE BLUE LIGHT. 
 
 ICl 
 
 in the room you are taken to." The dwarf heard this also ; and when 
 the soldier told him to bring the king's daughter again he said, " I 
 cannot save you this time ; it will be an unlucky thing for you if you 
 are found out — as I think you will." But the soldier would have his 
 own way. " Then you must take care and make the best of your way 
 out of the city gate very early in the morning," said the dwarf The 
 princess kept one shoe on as her father bid her, and hid it in the 
 soldier's room : and when she got back to her father, he ordered it to 
 be sought for all over the town ; and at last it was found where she 
 had hid it. The soldier had run away, it is true ! but he had been 
 too slow, and was soon caught and thrown into a strong prison, 
 and loaded with chains : — what was worse,- in the hurry of his flight, 
 he had left behind him his great treasure the blue light and all his 
 gold, and had nothing left in his pocket but one poor ducat. 
 
 As he was standing very sorrowful at the prison grating, he saw 
 one of his comrades, and calling out to him said, " If you will bring me 
 a little bundle I left in the inn, I will give you a ducat." His 
 comrade thought this very good pay for such a job : so he went away, 
 and soon came back bringing the blue light and the gold. Then the 
 prisoner soon lit his pipe : up rose the smoke, and with it came his old 
 friend the little dwarf " Do not fear, master," said he : " keep up 
 your heart at your trial and leave everything to take its course ; — 
 only mind to take the blue light with you." The trial soon came 
 on ; the matter was sifted to the bottom ; the prisoner found guilty, 
 and his doom passed : he was ordered to be hung forthwith on the 
 gallows tree. 
 
 But as he was led out, he said he had one favour to beg of the 
 king. " What is it ?" said his Majesty. " That you will deign to 
 let me smoke one pipe on the road." " Two, if you like," said the 
 king. Then he Kt his pipe at the blue light, and the black dwarf 
 
 M 
 
162 
 
 TEE BLUE LIGHT. 
 
 was before him in a moment. " Be so good as to kill, slay^ or put to 
 flight all these people," said the soldier : " and as for the king, you 
 may cut him into three pieces." Then the dwarf began to lay 
 about him, and soon got rid of the crowd around: but the king 
 begged hard for mercy ; and to save his life, agreed to let the soldier 
 have the princess for his wife, and to leave the kingdom to him when 
 he died. 
 
ASI-IPUTTEL. 
 
 iHE wife of a rich man fell sick : and when she felt that lier end 
 
 i drew nigh, she called her only daughter to her bed-side, and 
 said, " Always be a good girl, and I will look down from heaven and 
 Y/atch over you." Soon afterwards she shut her eyes and died, and 
 was buried in the garden ; and the little child went every day to her 
 grave and wept, and was always good and kind to all about her. And 
 the snow spread a beautiful white covering over the grave ; but by the 
 time the sun had melted it away again, her father had married another 
 Y^ife. This new wife had two daughters of her own, that she broup-ht 
 home with her : they were fair in face but foul at heart, and it was 
 now a sorry time for the poor little girl. " What does the good-for- 
 nothing thing v/ant in the parlour ?" said they ; " they who would eat 
 bread should first earn it; away with the kitchen maid 1" Then they 
 took away her fine clothes, and gave her an old grey frock to put on 
 and laughed at her and turned her into the kitchen. 
 
 There she was forced to do hard work ; to rise early before day- 
 light, to bring the water, to make the fire, to cook and to wash. 
 Bes-ides that, the sisters plagued her in all sorts of ways, and laughed 
 at her. In the evening when she was tired she had no bed to lie 
 down on, but was made to lie by the hearth among the ashes ; and 
 then, as she was of course always dusty and dirty, they called her 
 Ashputtel. 
 
 M 2 
 
164 
 
 ASHPUTTEL. 
 
 It happened once that the father was going to the fair, and asked 
 his wife's daughters what he should bring them. " Fine clothes/' said 
 the first : " Pearls and diamonds," cried the second. " Now, child," 
 said he to his own daughter, " what will you have ?" " The first sprig, 
 dear father, that rubs against your hat on your way home," said she. 
 Then he bought for the two first the fine clothes and pearls and 
 diamonds they had asked for : and on his way home as he rode through 
 a green copse, a sprig of hazel brushed against him, and almost 
 pushed ofiT his hat : so he broke it off" and brought it away ; and when 
 he got home he gave it to his daughter. Then she took it and went 
 to her mother's grave and planted it there, and cried so much that it 
 was watered with her tears; and there it grew and became a fine 
 tree. Three times every day she went to it and wept ; and soon a 
 little bird came and built its nest upon the tree, and talked with 
 her, and watched over her, and brought her whatever she wished 
 for. 
 
 Now it ha,ppened that the king of the land held a feast which was 
 to last three da^^s, and out of those who came to it his son was to 
 choose a bride for himself: and Ashputtel's tAVO sisters were asked to 
 come. So they called her up, and said, " Now, comb our hair, brush 
 our shoes, and tie our sashes for us, for we are going to dance at the 
 king's feast." Then she did as she was told; but v>dien all Avas done she 
 could not help crying, for she thought to herself, she should have liked 
 to go to the dance too ; and at last she begged her mother very hard to 
 let her go. " You ! Ashputtel ?" said she ; " you who have nothing to 
 weaT, no clothes at all, and who cannot even dance — 3'ou want to go 
 to the ball ?" And when she kept on begging, — to get rid of her, she 
 said at last, " I will throw this bason-full of peas into the ash heap, 
 and if you have picked them all out in two hours' time you shall go 
 to the feast too." Then she threw the peas into the ashes : but the 
 
ASHPUTTEL 
 
 165 
 
 little maiden ran out at the back door into the garden, and cried 
 out — 
 
 " Hither, hither, through the sky, 
 Turtle-doves and linnets fly ! 
 Blackbird, thrush, and chaffinch gay, 
 Hither, hither, haste away ! 
 One and all, come help me quick, 
 i Haste ye, haste ye,— pick, pick, pick ! 
 
 Then first came two white doves flying in at the kitchen window ; 
 
 and next came two turtle-doves ; and after them all the little birds 
 
 under heaven came chirping and fluttering in, and flew down into the 
 
 ashes : and the little doves stooped their heads down and set to work, 
 
 pick, pick, pick ; and then the others began to pick, pick, pick ; and 
 
 picked out all the good grain and put it in a dish, and left the ashes. 
 
 At the end of one hour the work was done, and all flew out again at 
 
 the windows. Then she brought the dish to her mother, overjoyed at 
 
 the thought that now she should go to the wedding. But she said, 
 
 ^' No, no ! you slut, you have no clothes and cannot dance, you shall 
 
 not go." And when Ashputtel begged very hard to go, she said, " If 
 
 you can in one hour's time pick two of those dishes of peas out of the 
 
 ashes, you shall go too." And thus she thought she should at last get 
 
 rid of her. So she shook two dishes of peas into the ashes ; but the 
 
 little maiden went out into the ga-rden at the back of the house, and 
 
 cried out as before — 
 
 *' Hither, hither, through the sky, 
 Turtle-doves and linnets fly ! 
 Blackbird, thrush, and chaffinch gay, 
 Hither, hither, haste away ! 
 One and all, come help me quick. 
 Haste ye, haste ye, — pick, pick, pick !" 
 
 Then first came two white doves in at the kitchen window ; and 
 
166 
 
 ASHPUTTEL. 
 
 next came the turtle-doves; and after them all the little birds under 
 heaven came chirping and hopping ahout, and flew down about the 
 ashes: and the little doves pu^ their heads down and set to work, 
 pick, pick, pick ; and then the others began pick, pick, pick ; and they 
 put all the good grain into the dishes, and left all the ashes. Before 
 half an hour's time all was done, and out they fiev/ again. And then 
 Ashputtel took the dishes to her mother, rejoicing to think that she 
 should now go to the ball. But her mother said, " It is all of no use, 
 you cannot go; you have no clothes, and cannot dance, and you would 
 only put us to shame and off she went with her two daughters to the 
 feast. 
 
 Now when all were gone, and nobody left at home, Ashputtel went 
 sorrowfully and sat down under the hazel-tree, and cried out — 
 
 " Shake, shake, hazel tree, 
 Gold and silver over me !" 
 
 Then her friend the bird flew out of the tree and brought a gold 
 and silver dress for her, and slippers of spangled silk : and she put 
 them on, and followed her sisters to the feast. But they did not knov»r 
 her, and thought it must be some strange princess, she looked so fine 
 and beautiful in her rich clothes : and they never once thought 
 of Ashputtel, but took for granted that she v/as safe at home in 
 the dirt. 
 
 The king's son soon came up to her, and took her by the hand and 
 danced her and no one else : and he never left her hand; but when 
 any one else came to ask her to dance, he said, " This lady is dancing 
 with me." Thus they danced till a late hour of the night ; and then 
 she wanted to go home : and the king's son said, "I shall go and take 
 care of you to 3-our home ;" for he wanted to see where the beautiful 
 maid lived. But she slipped away from him une^v^ares, and ran ofl 
 
ASHPUTTEL. ' 167 
 
 I 
 
 towards home, and the Prince followed her ; but she jumped into the 
 pigeon-house and shut the door. Then he waited till her father came 
 home, and told him that the unknown maiden who had been at 
 the feast had hid herself in the pigeon-house. But when they had 
 broken open the door they found no one within ; and as they came 
 I back into the house, Ashputtel la}^, as she always did, in her dirty 
 frock by the ashes, and her dim little lamp burnt in the chimney : for 
 she had run as quickly as she could through the pigeon-house and 
 on to the hazel-tree, and had there taken off her beautiful clothes, 
 and laid them beneath the tree, that the bird might carry them 
 away, and had seated herself amid the ashes again in her little 
 grey frock. 
 
 The next day, when the feast was again held, and her father, 
 mother, and sisters were gone, Ashputtel went to the hazel-tree 
 and said — 
 
 " Shake, shake, hazel-tree, 
 Gold and silver over me." 
 
 And the bird came and brought a still finer dress than the one she 
 had Y/orn the day before. And when she came in it to the ball, 
 every one wondered at her beauty : but the king's son, who was waiting 
 for her, took her by the hand, and danced with her; and when any one 
 asked her to dance, he said as before, " This lady is dancing with me." 
 When night came she wanted to go home ; and the king's son followed \ 
 her as before, that he might see into what house she went : but she ' 
 sprang away from him all at once into the garden behind her father's 
 house. In this garden stood a fine large pear-tree full of ripe fruit; 
 and Ashputtel not knowing where to hide herself jumped up into 
 it without being seen. Then the king's son could not find out where 
 she was gone, but waited till her father came hoine, and said to him. , 
 
168 ASH PUTT EL. 
 
 ''The unknown lady who danced with me has slipped away, and I think 
 she must have sprung into the pear-tree." The father thought to 
 himself, " Can it be Ashputtel V So he ordered an axe to be brought 
 and they cut down the tree, but found no one upon it. And when 
 they came back into the kitchen, there lay Ashputtel in the ashes 
 as usual ; for she had slipped down on the other side of the tree, and 
 carried her beautiful clothes back to the bird at the hazel-tree, and then 
 put on her little grey frock. 
 
 The third day, when her father and mother and sisters were gone, 
 she went again into the garden, and said — 
 
 " Shake, shake, hazel-tree, 
 Gold aud silver over me.' 
 
 Then her kind friend the bird brought a dress still finer than 
 the former one, and slippers which were all of gold : so that when 
 she came to the feast no one knew what to say for wonder at her 
 beauty : and the king's son danced with her alone ; and when 
 aiiy one else asked her to dance, he said, " This lady is my partner," 
 Now when night came she wanted to go home ; and the king's son 
 would go with her, and said to himself, "I will not lose her this 
 time but however she managed to slip away from him, though 
 in such a hurry that she dropped her left golden slipper upon 
 the stairs. 
 
 So the prince took the shoe, and went the next day to the king his 
 father, and said, " I will take for my ^vife the lady that this golden 
 slipper fits." Then both the sisters were overjoyed to hear this ; for 
 they had beautiful feet, and had no doubt that they could wear the 
 golden slipper. The eldest went first into the room where the slipper 
 was and wanted to try it on, and the mother stood by. But her great 
 toe could not go into it, and the shoe was altogether much too small 
 
ASHPUTTEL. 
 
 169 
 
 for her. Then the mother gave her a knife, and said, " Never mind, 
 cut it off; vs^hen you are queen you will not care about toes, you will 
 not want to go on foot." So the silly girl cut her great toe off, and 
 squeezed the shoe on, and went to the king's son. Then he took her 
 for his bride, and set her beside him on his horse, and rode away 
 with her. 
 
 But in their way home they had to pass by the hazel-tree that 
 Ashputtel had planted, and there sat a little dove on the branch 
 singing — ■ 
 
 Back again ! back again ! look to the shoe ! 
 The shoe is too small, and not made for you ! 
 Prince ! prince ! look again for thy bride. 
 For she's not the true one that sits by thy side.'* 
 
 Then the prince got down and looked at her foot, and saw by the 
 blood that streamed from it what a trick she had played him. So he 
 turned his horse round and brought the false bride back to her home, 
 and said, " This is not the right bride : let the other sister try and put 
 on the slipper." Then she went into the room and got her foot into 
 the shoe, all but the heel, which was too large. But her mother 
 squeezed it in till the blood came, and took her to the king's son ; and 
 he set her as his bride by his side on his horse, and rode away 
 with her. 
 
 But when they came to the hazel-tree the little dove sate there 
 still, and sang — 
 
 " Back again ! back again ! look to the shoe ! 
 The shoe is too snaall, and not made for you ! 
 Prince ! prince ! look again, for thy bride, 
 For she's not the true one that sits by thy side." 
 
 Then he looked down and saw that the blood streamed so from the 
 
170 
 
 ASBPVTTEL. 
 
 slioe that her white stockings were quite red. So he turned his horse 
 and brought her back again also. " This is not the true bride," said 
 he to the father; ''have you no other daughters?" "No/'" said he; 
 " there is only a little dirty Ashputtel here, the child #f my first wife ; 
 I am sure she cannot be the bride." However, the prince told him to 
 send her. But the mother said " No, no, she is much too dirty ; she 
 will not dare to show herself ;" however, the prince v/ould have her 
 come. And she first washed her face and hands, and then went in and 
 curtsied to him, and he reached her the golden slipper. Then he took 
 her clumsy shoe oft' her left foot, and put on the golden slipper ; and 
 it fitted her as if it had been niade for her. And when he drew near 
 and looked at her face he knew her, and said, " This is the right 
 bride." But the mother and both the sisters were frightened and 
 turned pale with anger as he took Ashputtel on his horse, and rode 
 away with her. And when they came to the hazel-tree, the white 
 dove sang — 
 
 "Home ! home ! look at the shoe ! 
 Princess ! the shoe was made for you ! 
 Prince ! prince ! tal^e home thy bride, 
 For she is the true one that sits by thy side !" 
 
 And v/hen the dove had done its song, it came flying and perched 
 upon her right shoulder, and so went home with her. 
 
17i 
 
 THE YOUNG GIANT AND THE TAILOR 
 
 A HUSBANDMAN had once a son, who was born no bigger than 
 my thumb, and for many years did not grow a hair's breadth 
 taller. One day as the father w^as going to plough in the field, the 
 little fellow said, "Father, let me go too." "No," said his father; 
 " stay wdiere you are, you can do no good out of doors, and if you go 
 perhaps I may lose you." Then little Thumbling fell a-crying : and 
 his father, to quiet him, at last said he might go. So he put him in 
 his pocket, and when he was in the field pulled him out and set him 
 upon a newly made furrow, that he might look about. While he was 
 sitting there, a great giant came striding over the hill. " Do you see 
 that tail steeple-man ?" said the father : " he wiU run away with you." 
 (Now he only said this to frighten the little boy if he should be 
 naughty.) - But the giant had long legs, and with two or three strides 
 he really came close to the furrow, and picked up little Thumbling to 
 look at him ; and taking a liking to the little chap went off with him. 
 The father stood , by all the time, but could not say a word for fright ; 
 for he thought his child was really lost, and that he should never see 
 him again. 
 
 But the giant took care of him a^t his house in the woods, and laid 
 him in his bosom and fed him with the same food that he lived on 
 himself So Thumbling, instead of being a little dwarf, became like 
 the giant — tall and stout and strong : so that at the end of two years 
 when the old giant took him into the wood to try him, and said, " Pull 
 up that birch-tree for. yourself to walk with ;" the lad v/as so strong 
 
I 
 
 172 THE YOUNG GIANT AND THE TAILOR. 
 
 that he tore it up by the root. The giant thought he should make hin 
 a still stronger man than this : so after taking care of him two 
 years more, he took him into the wood to try his strength again. 
 This time he took hold of one of the thickest oaks, and pulled it up as 
 if it were mere sport to him. Then the old giant said, " Well, done, 
 my man; you will do now !" So he carried him back to the field where 
 he first found him. 
 
 His father happened to be just then ploughing as the young giant 
 went up to him, saying, " Look here, father, see who I am ; — don't you 
 see I am your son ?" But the husbandman was frightened, and cried 
 out, " No, no, you are not my son ; begone about your business." 
 
 Indeed, I am your son ; let me plough a little, I can plough as well as 
 you." " No, go your ways," said the father ; but as he was afraid of 
 the taU man, he at last let go the plough and sat down on the ground 
 beside it. Then the youth laid hold of the ploughshare, and though he 
 only pushed with one hand, he drove it deep into the earth. The 
 ploughman cried out, " If you must plough, pray do not push so hard ; 
 you are doing more harm than good ;" but he took off the horses, and 
 said, "Father, go home and tell my mother to get ready a good 
 dinner ; I'll go round the field meanwhile." So he went on driving the 
 plough without any horses, till he had done two mornings' work by 
 himself; then he harrowed it, and when all was over, took up 
 plough, harrow, horses and all, and carried them home like a bundle 
 of straw. 
 
 When he reached the house, he sat himself down on the besich 
 saying, " Now, mother, is dinner ready ?" " Yes," said she, for she 
 dared not deny him ; so she brought two large dishes full, enough to 
 have lasted herself and her husband eight days ! however, he soon ate 
 it all up, and said that was but a taste. " I see very well, father, that 
 I sha'n't get enough to eat at your house ; so if you will give me an. 
 
TEE YOVNG GIANT AND THE TAILOR. 
 
 173 
 
 iron walking stick, so strong that I cannot break it against my knees, 
 I will go away again." The husbandman very gladly put his two 
 horses to the cart and drove them to the forge, and brought back a bar 
 of iron as long and as thick as his two horses could draw ; but the lad 
 laid it against his knee ; and snap ! it went like a broken beanstalk. 
 " I see, father," said he, " you can get no stick that will do for me, so 
 I'll go and try my luck by myself" 
 
 Then away he went, and turned blacksmith, and travelled till he 
 came to a village where lived a miserly smith, who earned a good deal 
 of money, but kept all he got to himself, and gave nothing away to 
 anybody. The first thing he did was to step into the smithy, and ask 
 if the smith did not want a journeyman. " Aye," said the cunning 
 fellow (as he looked at him and thought what a stout chap he was, and 
 how lustily he would work and earn his bread), " what wages do you 
 ask ?" " I want no pay," said he ; "but every fortnight when the other 
 workmen are paid, you shall let me give you two strokes over the 
 shoulders to amuse myself" The old smith thought to himself he could 
 bear this very well, and reckoned on saving a great deal of money ; so 
 the bargain was soon struck. 
 
 The next morning the new workman was about to begin to work ; 
 but at the first stroke that he hit, when his master brought him the 
 iron red hot, he shivered it in pieces, and the anvil sunk so deep into the 
 earth, that he could not get it out again. This made the old fellow very 
 angry ; " Halloo !" cried he, " I can't have you for a workman, you are 
 too clumsy ; we must put an end to our bargain." " Very well," said 
 the other, " but you must pay for what I have done, so let me give you 
 only one little stroke, and then the bargain is all over." So saying, he 
 gave him a thump that tossed him over a load of hay that stood near. 
 Then he took the thickest bar of iron on the forge for a walking-stick, 
 and went on his way. 
 
 \ 
 
174 
 
 TEE YOUNG GIANT AND THE TAILOR 
 
 When lie had journeyed some way, he came to a farm-house, and 
 asked the farmer if he wanted a foreman. The farmer said, " Yes," 
 and the same wages were agreed for us before with the blacksmith. 
 The next morning the workmen were all to go into the wood ; but 
 the giant was found to be fast asleep in his bed when the rest were all 
 up and ready to start. " Come, get up," said one of them to him, " It 
 is high time to be stirring ; you must go with us." " Go your way," 
 muttered he sulkily, " I shall have done my work and get home long 
 before you." So he lay in bed two hours longer, and at last got up 
 and cooked and ate his 'breakfast, and then at his leisure harnessed his 
 horses to go to the wood. Just before the wood was a hollow, through 
 which all must pass ; so he drove the cart on first, and built up behind 
 him such a mound of faggots and briars that no horse could pass. 
 This done, he drove on, and as he was going into the wood met the 
 others coming out on their road home ; Drive away," said he, I 
 shall be home before you still." However, he only went a very little 
 v/ay into the wood and tore up one of the largest timber trees, put it 
 into his cart, and turned about homewards. When he came to the pile 
 of faggots, he found all the others standing there, not being able to 
 pass by. "So," said he, "you see if you had staid with me, you 
 would have been home just as soon, and might have slept an hour or 
 two longer." Then he took his tree on one shoulder, and his cart on 
 the other, and pushed through as easily as though he were laden with 
 feathers, and when he reached the yard showed the tree to the farmer, 
 and asked if it was not a famous walking-stick, " Wife," said the 
 farmer, " this man is worth something ; if he sleeps longer, still he 
 works better than the rest." 
 
 Time rolled on, and he had served the farmer his whole year ; so 
 when his fellow-labourers were paid, he said he also had a right to 
 take his wages. But great dread came upon the farmer, at the thought 
 
THE YOUNG GIANT AND THE TAILOR. 
 
 175 
 
 of the blows lie was to iiave, so he begged him to give up 
 the old bargain, and take his whole farm and stock instead. 
 " Not I," said he, " I will be no farmer ; I am foreman, and so I mean 
 to keep, and be paid as we agreed." Finding he could do nothing 
 with him, the farmer only begged one fortnight's respite, and called 
 together all his friends, to ask their advice in the matter. They 
 bethought themselves for a long time, and at last agreed that the 
 shortest way was to kill this troublesome foreman. The next thing 
 was to settle how it was to be done ; and it was agreed that he 
 should be ordered to carry into the yard some great mill-stones, and to 
 put them on the edge of a well ; that then he should be sent down to 
 clean it out, and when he was at the bottom, the mill-stones should 
 be pushed dawn upon his head. Everything went right, and when 
 the foreman was safe in the well, the stones were rolled in. As they 
 struck the bottom, the water splashed to the very top. Of course 
 they thought his head must be crushed to pieces ; but he only cried 
 out, " Drive away the chickens from the well ; they are pecking about 
 in the sand above me, and throwing it into my eyes, so that X 
 cannot see." When his job was done, up he sprang from the well, 
 saying, " Look here ! see what a fine neck-cloth I have 1" as he pointed 
 to one of the mill-stones, that had fallen over his head, and hung 
 about his neck. 
 
 The farmer was again overcome with fear, and begged another 
 fortnight to think of it. So his friends were called together again, and 
 at last gave this advice ; that the foreman should be sent and made 
 to grind corn by night at the haunted mill, whence no man had ever 
 yet come out in the morning alive. That very evening he was told 
 to carry eight bushels of corn to the mill, and grind them in the night. 
 Away he went to the loft, put two bushels in his right pocket, two in his 
 left, and four in a lon^^ sack sluns: over his shoulders, and then set off 
 
176 
 
 TEE YOUNG GIANT AND THE TAILOR. 
 
 to the mill. The miller told him he might grind there in the day- 
 time, but not by night, for the mill was bewitched, and whoever went 
 in at night had been found dead in the morning : " Never mind 
 miller, I shall come out safe," said he ; " only make haste and get out 
 of the way, and look out for me in the morning." 
 
 So he went into the mill and put the corn into the hopper, and 
 about tv/elve o'clock sat himself down on the bench in the miller's 
 room. After a little time the door all at once opened of itself, and in 
 came a large table. On the table stood wine and meat, and many 
 good things besides : all seemed placed there by themselves ; at any rate 
 there was no one to be seen. The chairs next moved themselves round 
 it, but still neither guests nor servants came ; till all at once he saw, 
 fingers handling the knives and forks and putting food on the plates, 
 but still nothing else was to be seen. Now our friend felt somewhat 
 hungry as he looked at the dishes, so he safc himself down at the table 
 and ate whatever he liked best ; and when he had had enough, and 
 the plates were empty, on a sudden he heard something blow out the 
 lights. When it was pitch dark he felt a tremendous blow upon his 
 head ; " If I get such another box on the ear," said he, " I shall just 
 give it back again ;" and this he really did, when the next blow came. 
 Thus the game went on all night ; and he never let fear get the better 
 of him, but kept dealing his blows round, till at day -break all was 
 still. " Well, miller," said he in the morning, " I have had some little 
 slaps in the face, but IVe given as good, I'll warrant you ; and mean- 
 time I have eaten as much as I liked." The miller was glad to find 
 the charm was broken, and would have given him a great deal of 
 money ; " I want no money, I have quite enough," said he, as he 
 took the meal on his back, and went home to his master to claim his 
 wages. 
 
 But the farmer was in a rage, knowing there was no help for him, 
 
THE YOUNG 01 ANT AND THE TAILOR, 
 
 177 
 
 and paced the room up and down till the drops of sweat ran down 
 his forehead. Then he opened the window for a little fresh air, and 
 before he was aware, his foreman give him the first blow, and kicked 
 him out of the window over the hills and far away, and next sent his 
 wife after him; and there, for aught I know, they may be flying in 
 the air still: but the young giant took up his iron walking-stick 
 and walked off. 
 
 Perhaps this was the same giant that the Bold little Tailor met, 
 when he set out on his travels, as I will tell you next. 
 
 It was a fine summer morning when this little man bound his 
 girdle round his body, and looked about his house to see if there was 
 anything good to take with him on his journey into the wide world. 
 He could only find an odd cheese ; but that was better than nothing ; 
 so he took it up ; and, as he was going out, the old hen met him at the 
 door, and he packed her too into his wallet with the cheese. Then off 
 he set, and when he had climbed a high hill, he found the giant sitting 
 on the top. " Good day, comrade," said he, " there you sit at your 
 ease, and look the wide world over : I have a mind to go and try my 
 luck in that same world ; what do you say to going with me ?" Then 
 the giant looked at him, and said, " You are a poor trumpery little 
 knave." " That may be," said the tailor ; " but we shall see who is the 
 best man of the two." The giant finding the little man so bold, began 
 to be a little more respectful, and said they would soon try who was 
 master. So he took a large stone in his hand and squeezed it till 
 water dropped from it ; " Do that," said he, " if you have a mind to be 
 
TIB 
 
 TBE YOUNG GIANT AND THE TAILOR. 
 
 thought a strong man." " Is that all ?" said the tailor ; " I will soon 
 do as much so he put his hand in his wallet, pulled out the cheese 
 (which was quite new), and squeezed it till the whey ran out. " What 
 do you say now, Mr. Giant ? my squeeze was a better one than yours." 
 Then the giant, not seeing that it was only a cheese, did not know 
 what to sa}^ for himself, though he could hardly believe his eyes ; at 
 last he took up a stone, and tlirew it up so high that it went almost 
 out of sight ; " Now then, little pygmy, do that if you can I" " Very 
 good," said the other; "your throw was not a bad one; but after all 
 your stone fell to the ground ; I will throw something that shall not 
 fall at all." " That you can't do," said the giant : but the tailor took 
 his old hen out of the wallet, and threw her up in the air, and she, 
 pleased enough to be set free, flew away out of sight. ^*Now, 
 comrade," said he, " what do you say to that T " I say you are a 
 clever hand," said the giant; "but we will now try how you can 
 work." 
 
 Then he led him into the wood, where a fine oak tree lay felled. 
 " Now let us drag it out of the wood together.** " Yery well ; do you 
 take the thick end, and I will carry all the top and branches, which 
 are much the largest and heaviest." So the giant took the trunk and 
 laid it on his shoulder ; but the cunning little rogue, instead of 
 carrying anything, sat himself at his ease among the branches, and let 
 the giant carry stem, branches, and tailor into the bargain. All the 
 way they went he made merry, and whistled and sang his song as if 
 carrying the tree were mere sport ; while the giant after he had borne 
 it a good way could carry it no longer, and said, " I must let it fall." 
 Then the tailor sprang down and held the tree as if he were carrying 
 it, saying, " What a shame that such a big lout as you cannot carry a 
 tree like this !" Then on they went together till they came to a tall 
 cherry-tree ; and the giant took hold of the top stem, and bent it down 
 
THE YOUNG GIANT AND THE TAILOR. 
 
 179 
 
 to pluck the ripest fruit, and when he had done, gave it over to his 
 friend that he too might eat ; but the little man was so weak that he 
 could not hold the tree down, and up he went with it swinging in the 
 air. " Halloo 1" said the giant, " what now ? can't you hold that twig V 
 " To be sure I could," said the other ; " but don't you see there's a 
 huntsman, who is going to shoot into the bush where v/e stood ? so I 
 took a jump over the tree to be out of his way ; do you do the same.'' 
 The giant tried to follow, but the tree was far too high to jump over, 
 and he only stuck fast in the branches, for the tailor to laugh at him. 
 " Well ! you are a fine fellow after all," said the giant ; " so come 
 home and sleep with me and a friend of mine in the mountains 
 to-night." 
 
 The tailoi:* had no business upon his hands, so he did as he was bid, 
 and the giant gave him a good supper, and a bed to sleep upon ; but 
 the tailor was too cunning to lie down upon it, and crept slily into a 
 corner, and slept there soundly. When midnight came, the giant came 
 softly in with his iron walking-stick, and gave such a stroke upon the 
 bed where he thought his guest was lying, that he said to himself, 
 ^ " It's all up now with that grasshopper ; I shall have no more of his 
 tricks." In the morning the giants went off into the woods, and quite 
 forgot him, till all on a sudden they met him trudging along, whistling 
 a merry tune; and so frightened were they at the sight, that they 
 both ran away as fast as they could. 
 
 Then on went the little tailor following his spuddy nose, till at last 
 he reached the king's court, and began to brag very loud of his 
 , mighty deeds, saying he was come to serve the king. To try him, 
 they told him that the two giants who lived in a part of the kingdom 
 a long way off, were become the dread of the whole land ; for they 
 had begun to rob, plunder, and ravage all about them, and that if he 
 was so great a man as he s^id, he should have a hundred soldiers and 
 
180 
 
 THE YOUNG GIANT AND THE TAILOR, 
 
 should set out to fight these giants, and if he beat them he should 
 have half the kingdom. " With all my heart!" said he ; "but as for 
 your hundred soldiers, I believe I shall do as well without them." 
 However, they set off together till they came to a wood : " Wait here, 
 my friends," said he to the soldiers, " I will sooa give a good account 
 of these giants :" and on he went casting his sharp little eye here, 
 there, and everywhere around him. After awhile he spied them both 
 lying under a tree, and snoring away till the very boughs whistled 
 with the breeze. " The game's won, for a penny," said the little man, 
 as he filled his wallet with stones, and climbed the tree under which 
 they lay. 
 
 As soon as he was safely up, he threw one stone after another at 
 the nearest giant, till at last he woke up in a rage, and shook his 
 companion, crying out, " What did you strike me for ?" " Nonsense ! 
 you are dreaming," said the other ; " I did not strike you." Then both 
 lay down to sleep again, and the tailor threw stones at the second 
 giant, till he sprang up and cried, " What are you about ? you struck 
 me." " I did not," said the other ; and on they wrangled for awhile, 
 till as both were tired they made up the matter, and fell asleep again. 
 But then the tailor began his game once more, and flung the largest 
 stone he had in his wallet with all his force and hit the first giant on 
 the nose. " That is too bad," cried he, as if he was mad, " I will not 
 bear it." So he struck the other a mighty blow ; he of course was not 
 pleased at this, and gave him just such another box on the ear ; and 
 at last a bloody battle began ; up flew the trees by the roots, the rocks 
 and stones went bang at one another's heads, and in the end both lay 
 dead upon the spot. " It is a good thing," said the tailor, " that they 
 let my tree stand, or I must have made a fine jump." Then down he 
 an, and took his sword and gave each of them a very fine wound or 
 two on the breast and set off to look for the soldiers. " There lie the 
 
TEE YOUNG GIANT AND THE TAILOR, 
 
 181 
 
 giants," said he ; "I have killed them, but it has been no small job, for 
 they even tore trees up in their struggle." " Have you any wounds ?" 
 asked they. " That is a likely matter, truly," said he ; " they have 
 not touched a hair of my head." But the soldiers would not believe 
 him till they rode into the wood and found the giants weltering in 
 their blood, and the trees lying around torn up by the roots. 
 
 The king, after he had got rid of his enemies, was not much 
 pleased at the thoughts of giving up half his kingdom to a tailor ; so 
 he said, You have not yet done ; in the palace court lies a bear with 
 whom you must pass the night, and if when I rise in the morning I 
 find you still living, you shall then have your reward." ISfow he 
 thought he had got rid of him, for the bear had n-ever yet let any one 
 go away alive who had come within reach of his claws. " Very well," 
 said the tailor, " I am willing." 
 
 So when evening came our little tailor was led out and shut up in 
 the court with the bear, who rose at once to give him a friendly 
 welcome with his paw. " Softly, softly, my friend," said he : "I know 
 a way to please you ;" then at his ease and as if he cared nothing 
 about the matter, he pulled out of his pocket some fine walnuts, 
 cracked them, and ate the kernels. When the bear saw this, he took 
 a great fancy to having some nuts too ; so the tailor felt in his pocket 
 and gave him a handful, not of walnuts, but nice round pebbles. 
 The bear snapped them up, but could not crack one of them, do what 
 he would. " What a clumsy thick head thou art !" thought the beast 
 to itself; "thou canst not crack a nut to-day." Then said he to the= 
 tailor, " Friend, pray crack me the nuts." " Why, what a lout you 
 are," said the tailor, " to have such a jaw as that, and not to be able 
 to crack a little nut ! Well ! engage to be friends with me and I'll 
 help you." So he took the stones, and slily changed them for nuts,, 
 put them in his mouth, and crack 1 they went. "I must try for 
 
im THE YOUNG GIANT AND THE TAILOR. 
 
 myself, however/' said the bear; "now I see how you do it, I am 
 sure I can do it myself." Then the tailor gave him the cobble 
 stones again, and the bear lay down and worked away as hard as he 
 could, and bit and bit with all his force till he broke all his teeth, and 
 lay down quite tired. 
 
 But the tailor began to think this would not last long, and that 
 the bear might find him out and break the bargain ; so he pulled a ^ 
 fiddle out from under his coat and played him a tune. As soon as the 
 bear heard it, he could not help jumping up and beginning to dance ; 
 and when he had jigged away for awhile, the thing pleased him 
 so much that he said, "Hark ye, friend; is the fiddle hard to play 
 upon ?" " No ! not at all I" said the other ; " look ye, I lay my left 
 hand here, and then I take the bow with my right hand thus, "and 
 scrape it over the strings there, and away it goes merrily, hop, sa, sa ! 
 fal, lal, la !" " Will you teach me to fiddle," said the bear, " so that I 
 may have music whenever I want to dance ?" "With all my heart ; 
 but let me look at your claws; they are so very long that I must 
 first clip your nails a little bit." Then the bear lifted up his paws 
 one after another, and the tailor screwed them down tight, and said, 
 "Now wait till I come with my scissors." So he left the bear to 
 growl as loud as he liked, and laid himself down on a heap of 
 straw in the corner and slept soundly. In the morning when the 
 king came, he found the tailor sitting merrily eating his breakfast, 
 and could no longer help keeping his word ; and thus the little man 
 became a great one. 
 
183 
 
 THE CROWS AND THE SOLDIER 
 
 WOE-THY soldier had saved a good deal of money out of liis 
 
 Jr\. pay ; for he worked hard, and did not spend all he earned in 
 mating and. drinking, as many others do. Now he had two comrades 
 who were great rogues, and wanted to rob him of his money, hut 
 behaved outwardly towards him in a friendly way. " Comrade," said 
 they to him one day, " why should we stay here shut up in this town 
 like prisoners,^when you at any rate have earned enough to live upon 
 for the rest of your days in peace and plenty at home by your own 
 fireside ?" They talked so often to him in this manner, that he at last 
 said he would go and try his luck with them ; but they all the time 
 thought of nothing but how they should manage to steal his money 
 from him. 
 
 When they had gone a little way, the two rogues said, We must 
 go by the right-hand road, for that will take us quickest into another 
 country where we shall be safe." Now they knew all the while that 
 what they were saying was untrue ; and as soon as the soldier said^ 
 ^' No, that will take us straight back into the town we came from ; we 
 must keep on the left hand ;" they picked a quarrel with him, and 
 said, " What do you give yourself airs for ? you know nothing about 
 it " and then they fell upon him and knocked him down, and beat him 
 over the head till he was blind. Then they took all the money out of 
 his pockets and dragged him to a gallows-tree that stood hard by, 
 bound him fast down at the foot of it, and went back into the town 
 with the money ; but the poor blind man did not know where he was ; 
 
184 
 
 THE CROWS AND THE SOLDIER. 
 
 and he felt all around him, and finding that he was bound to a large 
 beam of wood, thought it was a cross, and said, " After all, they have 
 done kindly in leaving me under a cross : now Heaven will guard 
 me so he raised himself up and began to pray. 
 
 When night came on, he heard something fluttering over his head. 
 It turned out to be three crows, who flew round and round, and at last 
 perched upon the tree. By and by they began to talk together, and 
 he heard one of them say, " Sister, what is the best news with you to- 
 day ?" "Oh, if men knew what we know!" said the other; "the 
 princess is ill, and the king has vowed to marry her to any one who 
 will cure her: but this none can do, for she will not be well until 
 yonder flower is burnt to ashes and swallowed by her." " Oh, indeed," 
 said the other crow, " if men did but know what we know ! to-night 
 will fall from heaven a dew of such healing power, that even the blind 
 man who washes his eyes with it will see again ;" and the third spoke, 
 and said, " Oh, if men knew what we know ! the flower is wanted but 
 for one, the dew is wanted but for few ; but there is a great dearth of 
 water in the town ; all the wells are dried up ; and no one knows that 
 they must take away the large square stone out of the market- 
 place, and dig underneath it, and that then the finest water will 
 spring up." 
 
 When the three crows had done talking, he heard them fluttering 
 round again, and at last away they flew. Greatly wondering at wha 
 he had heard, and overjoyed at -the thoughts of getting his sight, he 
 tried with all his strength to break loose from his bonds ; at last he 
 found himself free, and plucked some of the grass that grew beneath him 
 and washed his eyes with the dew that had fallen upon it. At once 
 his eye-sight came to him again, and he saw by the light of the moon 
 and the stars that he was beneath the gallows-tree, and not the cross, 
 as he had thought. Then he gathered together in a bottle as much of 
 
THE CROWS AND TEE SOLDIER. 
 
 185 
 
 the dew as lie could to take away with him, and looked around till he 
 saw the flower that grew close by ; and when he had burned it he 
 gathered up the ashes, and set out on his way towards the king's 
 court. 
 
 When he reached the palace, he told the king he was come to cure 
 the princess ; and when she had taken of the ashes and been mad.e 
 well, he claimed her for his wife, as the reward that was to be given ; 
 but the king looking upon him and seeing that his clothes were 
 so shabby, would not keep his word, and thought to get rid of him by 
 saying, Whoever wants to have the princess for his wife, must find 
 enough water for the use of the town, where there is this summer 
 a great dearth." Then the soldier went out and told the people to take 
 up the square stone in the market-place and dig for water underneath; 
 and when they had done so there came up a fine spring, that 
 gave enough water for the whole town. So the king conld no longer 
 get off giving him his daughter, and they were married and lived 
 happily together. 
 
 Some time after, as he was walking one day through a field, he met 
 his two wicked comrades who had treated him so basely. Though 
 they did not know him, he knew them at once, and went up to them 
 and said, " Look upon me, I am your old comrade whom you beat and 
 robbed and left blind ; Heaven has defeated your wicked wishes, and 
 turned all the mischief which you brought upon me into good luck." 
 When they heard this they fell at his feet and begged for pardon, and 
 he had a kind and good heart, so he forgave them, and took them to 
 his palace and gave them food and clothes. And he told them all that 
 had happened to him, and how he had reached these honours. After 
 they had heard the whole story they said to themselves, " Why should 
 not we go and sit some night under the gallows ? we may hear 
 something that will bring us good luck too." 
 
188 
 
 TBE CROWS AND THE SOLDIER. 
 
 Next night tliey stole away; and, when they had sat under the tree 
 a little v/hile, they heard a fluttering noise over their heads ; and the 
 three crows came and perched upon it. "Sisters," said one of them, 
 "some one must have overheard us, for all the world is talking 
 of the wonderful things that Imve happened : the princess is well ; the 
 flower has been plucked and burnt; a blind man's sight has been given 
 liim again, and they have dug a fresh well that gives water to the 
 v/liole town: let us look about, perhaps we may find some one near; if 
 we do he shall rue the day." Then they began to flutter about, 
 and soon found out the tv^o men below, and flew at them in a rage, 
 beating and pecking them in the face with their wings and beaks till 
 they were quite blind, and lay nearly dead upon the ground under the 
 gallows. The next day passed over and they did not return to the 
 palace ; and their old comrade began to wonder where they had 
 been, and went out the following morning in search of them, and 
 at last found them where they lay, dreadfully repaid for all their folly 
 and baseness. 
 
187 
 
 P E E - W I T. 
 
 A POOR countryman whose name was Pee-wit lived with his wife 
 ' in a veiy quiet way in the parish where he was born. One 
 day, as he was ploughing with his two oxen in the field, he heard all 
 on a sudden some one calling out his name. Turning round, he saw 
 nothing but a bird that kept crying "Pee-wit! Pee-wit!" Now this poor 
 poor bird is called a Pee-wit, and like the cuckoo always keeps crying 
 out its own^name. But the countryman thought it was mocking him, 
 so he took up a huge stone and threw at it ; the bird flew off safe and 
 sound, but the stone fell upon the head of one of the oxen, and killed 
 him on the spot. " What is to be done with the odd one ?" thought 
 Pee-wit to himself as he looked at the ox that was left; so without 
 more ado he killed him too, skinned them both, and set out for the 
 neighbouring town, to sell the hides to the tanner for as much as he 
 could get. He soon found out where the tanner lived, and knocked at 
 the door. Before, however, the door was opened, he saw through the 
 window that the mistress of the house was hiding in an old chest a 
 friend of hers, whom she seemed to wish no one should see. By and 
 by the door was opened, " V/hat do jou want?" said the woman. 
 Then he told her that he wanted to sell his hides ; and it came out that 
 fche tanner was not at home, and that no one there ever made bar2:ains 
 but himself The countryman said he would sell cheap, and did not 
 mind giving his hides for the old chest in the corner; meaning the one he 
 had seen the good woman's friend get into. Of course the wife would 
 not agree to this; and they went on talking the matter over so long, that 
 
188 
 
 FEE-WIT, 
 
 at last in came the tanner and asked what it was all about. Pee-wit 
 told him the whole story, and asked him whether he would give the 
 old chest for the hides. " To be sure I will," said he ; and scolded his 
 wife for saying nay to such a bargain, which she ought to have been 
 glad to make if the countryman was willing. Then up he took the 
 chest on his shoulders, and all the good woman could say mattered 
 nothing ; away it went into the countryman's cart, and off he drove. 
 But when they had gone some way, the young man within began 
 to make himself heard, and to beg and pray to be let out. 
 Pee-wit, however, was not to be brought over; till at last after a 
 long parley a thousand dollars were bid and taken ; the money was 
 paid, and at that price the poor fellow was set free, and went about his 
 business. 
 
 Then Pee-wit went home very happy, and built a new house and 
 seemed so rich that his neighbours wondered, and said, " Pee-wit must 
 have been where the golden snow falls." So thej^ took him before the 
 next justice of the peace, to give an account of himself, and show that 
 he came honestly by his wealth ; and then he told them that he had 
 sold his hides for one thousand dollars. When they heard it they all 
 killed their oxen and would sell the hides to the same tanner; 
 but the justice said, " My maid shall have the first chance ;" so off 
 she went, and when she came to the tanner, he laughed at them 
 all, and said he had given their neighbour nothing but an old chest. 
 
 At this they were all very angry, and laid their heads together to 
 work him some mischief, which they thought they could do while he 
 was digging in his garden. All this, however, came to the ears of the 
 countryman, who was plagued with a sad scold for his wife ; and he 
 thought to himeelf, " If any one is to come into trouble, I don't see 
 why it should not be my wife, rather than me ;" so he said to her that 
 he wished she would humour him in a whim he had taken into his 
 
PEErWIT, 
 
 189 
 
 head, and would put on his clothes, and dig the garden in his stead. 
 The wife did what was asked, and next morning began digging ; but 
 soon came some of the neighbours, and, thinking it was Pee-wit, 
 threw a stone at her (harder perhaps than they meant), and killed her 
 at once. Poor Pee-wit was rather sorry at this, but still thought that 
 he had had a lucky escape for himself, and that perhaps he might 
 after all turn the death of his wife to some account ; so he dressed her 
 in her own clothes, put a basket with fine fruit (which was now scarce, 
 it being winter) into her hand, and sat her by the roadside on a bsoad 
 bench. 
 
 After awhile came by a fine coach with six horses, servants, and 
 outriders, and within sat a noble lord who lived not far off. When his 
 lordship saw the beautiful fruit, he sent one of the servants to the 
 woman to ask what was the price of her goods. The man went and 
 asked, " What is the price of this fruit ?" No answer. He asked 
 again. No answer; and when this had happened three times, he 
 became angry; and, thinking she was asleep, gave her a blow, and 
 down she fell backwards into the pond that was behind the seat. 
 Then up ran Pee-wit, and cried and sorrowed because they had 
 drowned his poor wife and threatened to have the lord and his 
 servants tried for what they had done. His lordship begged him to 
 be easy, and offered to give him the coach and horses, servants and all ; 
 so the countryman after a long time let himself be appeased a little, 
 took what they gave, got into the coach and set off" towards his own 
 home again. 
 
 As he came near, the neighbours wondered much at the beautiful 
 coach and horses, and still more when they stopped, and Pee-wit got 
 oufc at his own door. Then he told them the whole story, which only 
 vexed them still more ; so they took him and fastened him up in a tub 
 and were going to throw him into the lake that was hard by. Whilst 
 
ISO 
 
 FEE-WIT, 
 
 they were rolling the tub on before them towards the water, they 
 passed by an alehouse and stopped to refresh themselves a little before 
 they put an end to Pee- wit ; meantime they tied the tub to a tree and 
 there left it while they were enjoying themselves within doors. 
 
 Pee-wit no sooner found himself alone than he began to turn over 
 in his mind how he could get free. He listened, and soon heard 
 Ba, ba ! from a flock of sheep and lambs that were coming by. Then 
 he lifted up his voice, and shouted out, " I will not be burgomaster, I 
 say; I will not be made burgomaster!" The shepherd hearing this 
 went up, and said, " What is all this noise about ?" " Oh !" said Pee- 
 wit, " my neighbours will make me burgomaster against my will ; and 
 when I told them I would not agree, they put me into the cask and 
 are going to throw me into the Mce." " I should like very well to be 
 burgomaster if I were you," said the shepherd. " Open the cask then," 
 said the other, "and let me out, and get in yourself, and they will 
 make you burgomaster instead of me." No sooner said than done, the 
 shepherd was in, Pee-wit was out ; and as there was nobody to take 
 care of the shepherd's flock he drove it off merrily towards his own 
 house. 
 
 Yvlien the neighbours came out of the alehouse, they rolled the cask 
 on, and the shepherd began to cry out, " I will be burgomaster now ; I 
 will be burgomaster now!" "I dare say you will, but you shall take a 
 swim first," said a neighbour, as he gave the cask the last push over 
 into the lake. This done, away tliey went home merrily, leaving the 
 shepherd to get out as well as he could. 
 
 But as they came in at one side of the village, who should they 
 meet coming in the other way but Pee-wit driving a fine flock of sheep 
 and lambs before him. " How came you here T cried all with one 
 voice. " Oh ! the lake is enchanted," said he ; " when you threw 
 me in, I sunk deep and deep into the water, tiU at last I came to the 
 
FEE-WIT, 191 
 
 "bottom ; there I knocked out the bottom of the cask and found myself 
 in a beautiful meadow with fine flocks grazing upon it, so I chose a few 
 for myself, and here I am." " Cannot we have some too T said they. 
 
 Why not ? there are hundreds and thousands left ; you have nothing 
 to do but jump in and fetch them out." 
 
 So all agreed they would dive for sheep ; the justice first, then the 
 clerk, then the constables, and then the rest of the parish, one after the 
 other. When they came to the side of the lake, the blue sky was 
 covered with little white clouds like flocks of sheep, and all v/ere 
 reflected in the clear water : so they called out, " There they are, there 
 they are already !" and fearing lest the justice should get everything, 
 they jumped in all at once ; and Pee-wit jogged home, and made 
 himself happy with what he had got, leaving them to find their flocks 
 by themselves as well as they could. 
 
I HANS AND HIS WIFE GRETTEL. 
 
 I 4 . 
 
 i 
 
 I. Showing who Grettel was. 
 
 THEUE was once a little maid named Grettel; she wore shoes 
 with red heels, and when she went abroad, she turned out her 
 toes, and was very merry, and thought to herself, " What a pretty girl 
 I am I" And when she came home, to put herself in good spirits, 
 she would tipple down a drop or two of wine ; and as wine gives 
 a relish for eating, she would take a taste of everything when she was 
 cooking, saying, " A cook ought to know whether a thing tastes well." 
 It happened one day that her master said, "Grettel, this evening I have 
 a friend coming to sup with me; get two fine fowls ready." "Very 
 weU, sir," said Grettel. Then she killed the fowls, plucked, and 
 trussed them, put them on the spit, and when evening came put them 
 to the fire to roast. The fowls turned round and round, and soon 
 began to look nice and brown, but the guest did not come. Then 
 Grettel cried out, " Master, if the guest does not come I must take up 
 the fowls ; but it will be a shame and a pity if they are not eatea 
 while they are hot and good." "Well," said her master, "I'll run 
 and tell him to come." As soon as he had turned his back, Grettel 
 stopped the spit, and laid it with the fowls upon it on one side, and 
 thought to herself, " Standing by the fire makes one very tired and 
 thirsty; who knows how long they will be? meanwhile I will just step 
 into the cellar and take a drop." So off she ran, put down her pitcher, 
 and said, " Your health, Grettel," and took a good draught. " This 
 
HANS AND mS WIFE G RET TEL. 
 
 193 
 
 v/ine is a good fiiend," said she to herself, "it breaks one's heart 
 to leave it." Then np she trotted, put the fowls down to the 
 fire, spread some butter over them, and turned the spit merrily 
 round again. 
 
 The fowls soon smelt so good, that she thought to herself, " They 
 arc very good, but they may want something more still ; I had better 
 taste them and see." So she licked her fingers, and said, " Oh ! how 
 good ! what a shame and a pity that they are not eaten !" Away she 
 ran to the window to see if her master and his friend were coming ; 
 but nobody was in sight : so she turned to the fowls again, and thought 
 it would be better for her to eat a wing than that it should be burnt. 
 So she cut one wing off, and ate it, and it tasted very well ; and as the 
 other was quite done enough, she thought it had bett-er be cut off too, 
 or else her master would see one was wanting. When the two wings 
 were gone, she went again to look out for her master, but could not 
 see him. "Ah!" thought she to herself, " who knows 'whether they 
 will come at all ? very likely they have turned into some tavern : 0 
 Grettel ! Grettel ! make yourself happy, take another draught, and 
 eat the rest of the fowl ; it looks so oddly as it is ; when you have 
 eaten ail, you will be easy : why should such good things be wasted ?" 
 So she ran once more to the cellar, took another drink, and ate up the 
 rest of the fowl with the greatest trlee. 
 
 Still her master did not come, and she cast a lingering eye upon 
 the other fowl, and said, " Where the other went, this had better go 
 too ; they belong to each other ; they who have a right to one must 
 have a right to the other ; but if I were to take another draught first, 
 it would not hurt me." So she tippled down another drop of wine, 
 and sent the second fowl to look after the first. While she was 
 making an end of this famous meal, her master came home and called 
 out, " Now quick, Grettel, my friend is just at hand !" " Yes, master, 
 
 o 
 
m 
 
 HANS AND HIS WIFE GRETTEL. 
 
 I will dish up this minute," said she. In the meantime he looked to 
 see if the cloth was laid, and took up the carving-knife to sharpen it. 
 Whilst this was going on, the guest came and knocked softly and 
 gently at the house door ; then Grettel ran to see who was there, and 
 when she saw him she put her finger upon her lips, and said, " Hush ! 
 hush ! run away as fast as you can, for if my master catches you, 
 it will be worse for you ; he owes you a grudge, and asked you to 
 supper only that he might cut off your ears ; only listen how he is 
 sharpening his knife." The guest listened, and when he heard the 
 knife, he made as much haste as he could down the steps and ran off. 
 Grettel was not idle in the meantime, but ran screaming, " Ma,ster ! 
 master ! what a line guest you have asked to supper !" " Why 
 Grettel, what's the matter ?" " Oh !" said she, " he has taken both the 
 fowls that I was going to bring up, and has run away with them." 
 " That is a rascally trick to play," said the master, sorry to lose the fine 
 chickens ; " at least he might have left me one, that I might have had 
 something to eat ; call out to him to stay." But the guest would not 
 hear : so he ran after him with his knife in his hand, crying out, 
 " Only one, only one, I want only one ;" meaning that the guest shou]d 
 leave him one of the fowls, and not take both ; but he thought that 
 his host meant nothing less than that he would cut off at least one of 
 his ears ; so he ran away to save them both, as if he had hot coals 
 under his feet. 
 
 • II. Hans in love. 
 
 Kans's mother says to him, " Whither so fast ?" " To see Grettel," 
 says Hans. "Behave well." "Yery well: Good-bye, mother Hans 
 comes to Grettel; "Good day, Grettel!" "Good day, Hans! do you 
 bring me anything good ?" " Nothing at all : have you anything for 
 
EAJSS AND HIS WIFE GRETTEL. 
 
 195 
 
 me ?" Grettel gives Hans a needle. Hans says, " Good-bye, Grettel I" 
 " Good-bye, Hans !" Hans takes the needle, sticks it in a truss of hay, 
 and takes both off home. " Good evening, mother !" " Good evening, 
 Hans! where have you been?" "To see Grettel." "What did you 
 take her?" "Nothing at all.'' "What did she give you?" "She 
 gave me a needle." "Where is it, Hans?" "Stuck in the truss." 
 
 How silly you are ! you should have stuck it in your sleeve." " Let 
 me alone ! I'll do better next time." 
 
 "Where now, Hans?" "To see Grettel, mother." "Behave 
 yourself well." " Yery well : Good-bye, mother ! " Hans comes ta 
 Grettel ; " Good day, Grettel !" " Good day, Hans ! what have you 
 brought me ? " " Nothing at all : have you anything for me ?" Grettel 
 givej} Hans a knife. " Good-bye, Grettel !" " Good-bye, Hans I" Hans 
 takes the knife, sticks it in his sleeve, and goes home. "Good 
 evening, mother!" "Good evening, Hans: where have you been?" 
 "To see Grettel." "What did you carry her?" "Nothing at all." 
 "What has she given you?" "A knife." "Where is the knife, 
 Hans ?" " Stuck in my sleeve, mother." " You silly goose ! you should 
 have put it in your pocket." " Let me alone ! I'll do better next 
 time." 
 
 " Where now, Hans ? " " To see Grettel." " Behave yourself well." 
 ^'Yery well: Good-bye, mother!" Hans comes to Grettel; "Good 
 day, Grettel ! " " Good day, Hans I have you anything good ?" " No : 
 have you anything for me ?" Grettel gives Hans a kid. " Good-bye, 
 Grettel !" " Good-bye, Hans !" Hans takes the kid, ties it up with a 
 cord, stuffs it into his pocket, and chokes it to death. " Good evening, 
 mother!" " Good evening, Hans ! where have you been?" *'To see 
 Grettel, mother!" "What did you take her?** "Nothing at all." 
 "What did she give you ?" "She gave me a kid." "Where is the 
 kid, Hans ? ", " Safe in my pocket." " You silly goose ! you should 
 
196 
 
 HANS AND HIS WIFE GRETTEL. 
 
 have led it with a string." " Never mind, mother ! I'll do better next 
 time." 
 
 "Where now, Hans?" "To Grettel's mother." "Behave well." 
 "Quite well, mother ; Good-bye 1" Hans comes to Grettel; "Good 
 day, Grettel!" "Good day, Hans! what have you brought m.e ?" 
 " Nothing at all ; have you anything for me ?" Grettel gives Hans a 
 piece of bacon ; Hans ties the bacon to a string and drags it behind 
 him ; the dog comes after and eats it all up as he walks home. " Good 
 evening, mother!" "Good evening, Hans! where have you been?" 
 "To Grettel's." "What did you take her?" "Nothing at all.'' 
 "What did she give you?" "A piece of bacon." "Where is the 
 bacon, Hans ?" " Tied to the string, and dragged home, but somehow 
 or other all gone." " Wliat a silly trick, Hans ! you should have 
 brought it on your head." "Never mind, mother! I'll do better 
 another time." 
 
 "Where now, Hans?" "Going to Grettel." "Take care of 
 yourself." "Very well, mother : Good-bye." Hans comes to Grettel; — 
 " Gk)od day, Grettel ! " " Good day, Hans ! what have you brought 
 me ?" " Nothing : have you anything for me ?" Grettel gives Hans 
 ' a calf. Hans sets it upon his head, and it kicks him in the face. 
 " Good evening, mother !" " Good evening, Hans ! where have you 
 been?" "To see Grettel." "What did you take her." "Nothing." 
 I " What did she give you ?" " She gave me a calf" " Where is the 
 ' calf, Hans ?" "I put it on my head, and it scratched my face." "You 
 I silly goose! you should have led it home and put it in the stall." 
 Very well ; I'll do better another time." 
 " Where now, Hans ?" " To see Grettel." "Mind and behave well." 
 " Good-bye, mother !" Hans comes to Grettel ; " Good da}^, Grettel !" 
 " Good day, Hans ! what have you brought ?" " Nothing at all : have 
 you anything for me ?" " I'll go home with you." Hans ties a string 
 
MASS AND BIS WIFE GRETTEL, 
 
 197 
 
 round her neck, leads her along, and ties her up in the stall. " Good 
 evening, mother 1" " Good evening, Hans ! where have you been ?" 
 At Grettel's." " What has she given you ?" " She has come herself/' 
 Where have you put her ?" " Fast in the stall with plenty of hay.'* 
 " How silly you are ; you should have taken good care of her, and 
 brousfht her home." Then Hans went back to the stall ; but Grettel 
 was in a great rage, and had got loose and run away ; yet, after all 
 she was Hans's bride. 
 
 III. Hans married. ] 
 
 Hans and Grettel lived in the village together, but Grettel did as she 
 pleased, and was so lazy that she would never work ; and when her 
 husband gave her any yarn to spin she did it in a slovenly way ; and 
 when it was spun she did not wind it on the reel, but left it to lie all 
 tangled about. Hans sometimes scolded, but she was always before-hand 
 with her tongue, and said, " Why how should I wind it when I have 
 no reel ? go into the wood and make one." " If that's all," said he, " I 
 will go into the wood and cut reel-sticks." Then Grettel was 
 frightened lest when he had cut the sticks he should make a reel, and 
 thus she would be forced to wind the yarn and spin again. So she 
 pondered awhile, till at last a bright thought came into her head, 
 and she ran slily after her husband into the wood. As soon as 
 he had got into a tree and began to bend down a bough to cut it, she 
 £rept into the bush below, where he could not see her, and sang : 
 
 "Bend not the bough ; 
 He who bends it shall die ! ' 
 Eeel not the reel ; , . ... 
 
 He who reels it shall die T* 
 
198 
 
 BANS AND HIS WIF£l GRETTEL. 
 
 Hans listened awhile, laid down his axe, and thought to himself, 
 " What can that be ^ " What indeed can it be ?" said he at last ; 
 
 it \b only a singing in your ears, Hans ! pluck up your heart, man !" 
 So he raised up his axe again, and took hold of the bough, but once 
 more the voice sang ; 
 
 " Bend not the bougli ; 
 He who bends it shall die ! 
 Reel not the reel ; 
 He who reels it shall die !" 
 
 Once more he stopped his hand ; fear came over him, and he began 
 pondering what it could mean. After awhile, however, he plucked up 
 his courage again, and took up his axe and began for the third time to 
 cut the wood ; again the third time began the song — 
 
 " Bend not the bough ; 
 " He who bends it shall die ! 
 
 j Reel not the reel; 
 
 i| " He who reels it shall die ! '* 
 
 At this he could hold no longer, down he dropped from the tree 
 and set off homewards as fast as he could. Away too ran Grettel by 
 a shorter cut, so as to reach home first, and when he opened the door 
 met him quite innocently, as if nothing had happened, and said^ 
 " Well ! have you brought a good piece of wood for the reel ? " " No," 
 said he, " I see plainly that no luck comes of that reel ;" and then he 
 told her all that had happened, and left her for that time in peace. 
 
 But soon afterwards Hans began again to reproach her with the 
 untidiness of her house. " Wife," said he ; " is it not a sin and a 
 shame that the spun yarn should lie all about in that way ?" " It 
 may be so," said she ; " but you know very well that we have no reel ; 
 if it must be done, lie down there and hold up your hands and legs. 
 
EANS AND HIS WIFE G RET TEL. 
 
 209 
 
 and so I'll make a reel of you, and wind off the yam into skeins." 
 *' Very well," said Hans (who did not much like the job, but saw no 
 help for it if his wife was to be set to work) ; so he did as she said, 
 and when all was wound, " The yarn is all in skeins," said he ; " now 
 take care and get up early and heat the w^ater and boil it well, so that 
 it may be ready for sale." Grettel disliked this part of the work very 
 much, but said to him, " Very well, I'll be sure to do it very early to- 
 morrow morning." But aU the time she was thinking to herself what 
 plan she should take for getting off such work for the future. 
 
 Betimes in the morning she got up, made the fire and put on the 
 boiler ; but instead of the yarn she laid a large ball of tow in it and 
 let it boil. Then she went up to her husband, who was still in bed, 
 and said to him, "I must go out, pray look meantime to the yarn in 
 the boiler over the fire ; but do it soon and take good care, for if tho 
 cock crows and you are not looking to it, they say it will turn to 
 tow." Hans soon after got up that he might run no risk, and went 
 (but not perhaps as quickly as he might have done) into the kitchen, 
 and when he lifted up the boiler lid and looked in, to his great terror 
 nothing was there but a ball of tow. Then off he slunk as dumb as a 
 mouse, for he thought to himself that he was to blame for his laziness ; 
 and left Grettel to get on with her yarn and her spinning as fast as 
 she pleased and no faster. 
 
 One day, however, he said to her, " Wife, I must go a little way 
 this morning ; do you go into the field and cut the corn." " Yes, to be 
 sure, dear Hans !" said she ; so when he was gone she cooked herself a 
 fine mess and took it with her into the field. When she came into the 
 field, she sat down for a while and said to herself, " What shall I do ? 
 shaU I sleep first or eat first ? Heigho ! I'll first eat a bit." Then she 
 ate her dinner heartily, and when she had had enough she said again 
 to herself, " What shall I do ? shall I reap first or sleep first ? Heigho !. 
 
200 
 
 HANS AND HIS WIFE GRETTEL. 
 
 I'll first sleep a bit." So she laid herself down among the corn and 
 went fast asleep. By and by Hans" came home, but no Grettel was to 
 be seen, and he said to himself, " What a clever wife I have ! she 
 works so hard that she does not even come home to her dinner 1" 
 Evening came and still she did not come ; then Hans set off to see 
 how much of the corn was reaped, but there it all stood untouched, 
 and Grettel lay fast asleep in the middle. So he ran home and got a 
 string of little bells and tied them quietly round her waist, and went 
 back and set himself down on his stool and locked the house door. 
 
 At last Grettel woke when it was quite dark, and as she rose up 
 the bells jingled around her every step she took. At this she was 
 greatly frightened, and puzzled to tell whether she was really Grettel 
 or not. " Is it I, or is it not ?" said she as she stood doubting what 
 she ought to think. At last, after she had pondered awhile, she 
 thought to herself, " I will go home and ask if it is I or not ; Hans will 
 know." So she ran to the house door, and when she found it locked 
 she knocked at the window and cried out, " Hans ! is Grettel within ?" 
 "She is where she ought to be, to be sure," said Hans; "Oh, dear then!" 
 said she, frightened, " this is not I!" Then away she went and knocked 
 at the neighbours' doors ; but when they heard her beUs rattling no 
 •one would let her in, and so at last off she ran back to the field again. 
 
201 
 
 CEERRY, OR THE FROG-BRIDE. 
 
 THERE was once a king who had three sons. Not far from his 
 kingdom lived an old woman who had an only daughter called 
 Cherry. The king sent his sons out to see the world, that they might 
 learn the ways of foreign lands, and get wisdom and skill in ruling the 
 kingdom that they were one day to have for their own. But the old 
 woman lived at peace at home with her daughter, who was called 
 Cherry, because she liked cherries better than any other kind of food, 
 and would eat scarcely anything else. Now her poor old mother had 
 no garden, and no money to buy cherries every day for her daughter ; 
 and at last there was no other plan left but to go to a neighbouring 
 nunnery-garden and beg the finest she could get of the nuns ; for she 
 dared not let her daughter go out by herself, as she was very pretty, 
 and she feared some mischance might befall her. Cherry 's taste was, 
 however, very well known ; and, as it happened that the abbess was as 
 fond of cherries as she was, iu was soon found out where all the best 
 fruit went ; and the holy mother was not a little angry at missing 
 some of her stock and finding whither it had gone. ; 
 
 The princes while wandering on came one day to the town where ; 
 Cherry and her mother lived ; and as they passed along the street saw i 
 the fair maiden standing at the Avindow, coinbing her long and . 
 beautiful locks of hair. Then each of the three fell deeply in lovo 
 with her, and began to say how much he longed to have her for his 
 wife 1 Scarcely had the wish been spoken, when all drew their swords, 
 and a dreadful battle began ; the fight lasted long, and their rage grew 
 
202 
 
 CBERRT, OR THE FROG- BRIDE, 
 
 hotter and hotter, when at last the abbess hearing the uproar came to 
 the gate. Finding that her neighbour was the cause, her old spite 
 against her broke forth at once, and in her rage she v/ished Cheny 
 turned into an ugly frog, and sitting in the water under the bridge at 
 the world's end. No sooner said than done ; and poor Cherry became 
 a frog, and vanished out of their sight. The princes had now nothing 
 to fight for ; so sheathing their swords again, they shook hands as 
 brothers, and went on towards their father's home. 
 
 The old king meanwhile found that he grew weak and ill-fitted for 
 the business of reigning : so he thought of giving up his kingdom ; but 
 to whom should it be ? This was a point that his fatherly heart couM 
 not settle ; for he loved all his sons alike. " My dear children," said 
 he, " I grow old and weak, and should like to give up my kingdom ; 
 but I cannot make up my mind which of you to choose lor my heir, 
 for I love you all three ; and besides, I should wish to give my people 
 the cleverest and best of you for their king. Hovrever, I will give 
 you three trials, and the one who wins the prize shall have the 
 kingdom. The first is to seek me out one hundred ells of cloth, so 
 fine that I can draw it through my golden ring." The sons said they 
 would do their best, and set out on the search. 
 
 The two eldest brothei's took with them many followers, and 
 coaches and horses of all sorts, to bring home all the beautiful cloths 
 which they could find; but the youngest went alone by himself They 
 soon came to where the roads branched off into several ways ; two ran 
 thi'ough smiling meadows, with smooth paths and shady groves, but 
 the third looked dreary and dirty, and went over barren wastes. The 
 two eldest chose the pleasant ways ; and the youngest took his leave 
 and whistled along over the dreary road. Whenever fine linen was to 
 be seen, the two elder brothers bouo;ht it, and boucfht so much tha-t their 
 coaches and horses bent under their burthen. The youngest, on the 
 
CHERRY, OR THE FROG-BRIDE, 
 
 209 
 
 otlier hand, journeyed on many a weary day, and found not a place 
 where he could buy even one piece of cloth that was at all fine and 
 good. His heart sank beneath him, and every mile he grew more and 
 more heavy and sorrowful At last he came to a bridge over a stream, 
 and there he sat himself down to rest and sigh over hi« bad luck, when 
 an ugly-looking frog popped its head out of the water, and asked, with 
 a voice that had not at all a harsh sound to his ears, what was the 
 matter. The prince said in a pet, Silly frog ! thou canst not help 
 me." Wlio told you so ?" said the frog ; " tell me what ails you." 
 After awhile the prince opened the whole story, and told why his 
 father had sent him out. "I will help 3^ou," said the frog; so it 
 jumped back into the stream and soon came back dragging a small piece 
 of linen not bigger than one's hand, and by no means the cleanest in 
 the world in its look. However, there it was, and the prince was told 
 to take it away with him. He had no great liking for such a dirty 
 rag ; but still there was something in the frog's speech that pleased 
 him much, and he thought to himself, " It can do no harm, it is better 
 than nothing ;" so he picked it up, put it into his pocket and thanked 
 the frog, who dived down again, panting and quite tired, as it seemed, 
 with its work. The further he went the heavier he found to his great 
 joy the pocket grow, and so he turned him.self homewards, trusting 
 gTeatly in his good luck. 
 
 He reached home nearly about the same time that his brothers \ 
 came up, with their hoi"ses and coaclies all heavily laden. Then the 
 old king was very glad to see his children again, and pulled the ring 
 olf his finger to try who had done the best ; but in all the stock 
 which the two eldest had brought there was not one piece a tenth 
 part of which would go through the ring. At this they were greatly 
 abashed ; for they had made a laugh of tlieir brother, v^ho came home, 
 as they thought, empty-handed. But how great was their anger, 
 
204 
 
 CHERRY, OR THE FROG-BRIDE. 
 
 when they saw him pull from his pocket a piece that for soitness 
 beauty, and whiteness, was a thousand times better than anything 
 that was ever before seen ! It was so fine that it passed with ease 
 through the ring ; indeed, two such pieces would readily have gone in 
 together. The father embraced the lucky youth, told his servants to 
 throw the coarse linen into the sea, and said to his children, " Now 
 you must set about the second task which I am to set you ; — bring me • 
 home a little dog, so small that it will lie in a nut-shell." 
 
 His sons were not a little frightened at such a task ; but they all 
 longed for the crown, and made up their minds to go and try their 
 hands, and so after a few days they set out once more on their travels. 
 At the cross-ways they parted as before, and the youngest chose his 
 old drear}^ rugged road with all the bright hopes that his former good 
 luck gave him. Scarcely had he sat himself down again at the bridge 
 foot, when his old friend the frog jumped out, set itself beside him, 
 and as before opened its big wide mouth, and ci'oaked out, " What is 
 the matter ?" The prince had this time no doubt of the frog's power, 
 and therefore told what he wanted. " It shall be done for you," said 
 the frog ; and springing into the stream it soon brought up a hazel-nut, 
 laid it at his feet, and told him to take it home to his father, and 
 crack it gently, and then see what would happen. The prince went 
 his way very well pleased, and the frog, tired with its task, jumped, 
 back into the water. 
 
 His brothers had reached home first, and brought with them a 
 great many very pretty little dogs. The old king willing to help them j 
 all he could, sent for a large walnut-sheU and tried it with every one 
 of the little dogs ; but one stuck fast with the hind-foot out, and 
 another with the head, and a third with the fore-foot, and a fourth 
 with its tail, — in short, some one way and some another ; but none 
 were at all likely to sit easily in this new kind of kennel When all 
 
CHERRY, OR THE FROG- BRIDE. 
 
 205 
 
 had been tried, the youngest made his father a duti^'iil how. and gave 
 him the hazel-nut, begging him to crack it very carefully : the moment 
 this was done out ran a beautiful little white dog upon the king's 
 hand, wagged its tail, fondled his new master, and soon turned about 
 and barked at the other little beasts in the most graceful manner, to 
 the delight of the wh^le court. The joy of every one was great ; the 
 old king again embraced his lucky son, told his people to drown all 
 the other dogs in the sea, and said to his children, " Dear sons ! your 
 weightiest tasks are now over ; listen to my last wish ; whoever brings 
 home the fairest lady shall be at once the heir to my crown." 
 
 The prize was so tempting and the chance so fair for all, that none 
 made any doubts about setting to work, each in his own way, to try 
 and be the wdnner. The youngest was not in such good spirits as he 
 was the last time ; he thought to himself, " The old frog has been 
 able to do a great deal for me ; but all its power must be nothing 
 to me now, for where should it find me a fair maiden, still less 
 a fairer maiden than w^as ever seen at my father's court? The 
 swamps where it lives have no living things in them, but toads, 
 snakes, and such vermin." Meantime he went on, and sighed as he sat 
 down again with a heavy heart b}^ the bridge. " Ah, frog !" said he, 
 " this time thou canst do me no good." " Never mind," croaked the 
 frog ; " only tell me what is the matter now." Then the prince told 
 his old friend what trouble had now come upon him. " Go thy ways 
 home," said the frog ; " the fair maiden will follow hai"d after ; but 
 take care and do not laugh at whatever may happen !" This said, it 
 sprang as before into the water and was soon out of sight. The prince 
 still sighed on, for he trusted very little this time to the frog's word ; 
 but he had not set many steps towards home before he l^eard a noise 
 behind liim, and looking round saw six large water rats dragging along 
 a large pumpkin like a coach, full trot. On the box sat an old fat toad 
 
 / 
 
206 
 
 CHERRY, OR THE FROG-BRIDE. 
 
 as coacliman, and behind stood two little frogs as footmen, and two 
 fine mice with stately whiskers ran before as outriders ; within sat hi« 
 old friend tJie frog, rather misshapen and unseemly to be sure, but 
 still with somewliat of a graceful air as it bowed to him in passing. 
 Much too deeply wrapt in thought as to his chance of finding the 
 fair lady whom he was seeking, to take any heed of the strange scene 
 before him, the prince scarcely looked at it, and had still less mind to 
 laugh. The coach passed on a little way, and soon turned a corner 
 that hid it from his sight ; but how astonished was he, on turning the 
 corner himself, to find a handsome coach and six black horses standing 
 there, with a coachman in gay livery, and within, the most beautiful 
 lady he had ever seen, whom he soon knew to be the fair Cherry, for 
 \\diom his heart had so long ago panted ! As he came up, the servants 
 opened the coach door, and he was allowed to seat himself by the 
 beautiful lady. 
 
 They soon came to his father's city, where his brothers also came 
 with trains of fair ladies ; but . as soon as Cherry was seen, aU the 
 court gave her with one voice the crown of beauty. The delighted 
 father embraced his son, and named him the heir to his crown, 
 and ordered all the other ladies to be thrown like the little dogs 
 into the sea and drowned. Then the prince married Cherry, and 
 lived long and happily with her, and indeed lives with her still — if he 
 be not dead. 
 
 I 
 
207 
 
 MOTHER HOLLE. 
 
 A WIDOW had two daughters ; one of them was very pretty and 
 thrifty, but the other was ugly and idle. 
 Odd as you may think it, she loved the ugly and idle one much the 
 best, and the other was made to do all the work, and was in short quite 
 thQ drudge of the whole house. Every day she had to sit on a bench 
 "by a well on the side of the high-road before the house, and spin so 
 much that her fingers were quite sore, and at length the blood would 
 come. Now it happened that once when her fingers had bled and the 
 spindle was all bloody, she dipped it into the well, and meant to wash it, 
 but unluckily it fell from her hand and dropped in. Then she ran crying 
 tt) her mother, and told lier what had happened ; but she scolded her 
 r-iharply, and said, " If you have been so silly as to let the spindle fall 
 i-n, you must get it out again as well as you can." So the poor little 
 ghA went back to the well, and knew not how to begin, but in her 
 sorrow threw hei-self into the water and sank down to the bottom 
 senseless. In a short time, she seemed to wake as from a trance, and 
 came to herself again ; and when she opened her eyes and looked 
 around, she saw she was in a beautiful meadow, where the sun shone 
 brightly, the birds sang sweetly on the bowghs, and thousands of 
 :90wers sprang beneath her feet. 
 
 Then she rose up, and walked along this delightful meadow, and 
 came to a pretty cottage by the side of a wood ; and when she went in 
 she saw an oven full of new bread baking, and the bread said, " Pull 
 me out ! pull me out ! or I shaU be burnt, for I am quite done enough." 
 
208 
 
 MOTHER BOLLE, 
 
 So she stepped up quickly and took it all out. Then she went on 
 further, and came to a tree that was full of fine rosy-cheeked apples, 
 and it said to her, " Shake me ! shake me ! we are all quite ripe !" So 
 she shook the tree, and the apples fell down like a shower, until there 
 were no more upon the tree. Then she went on again, and at 
 length came to a small cottage where an old woman was sitting at the 
 door : the little girl would have run away, but the old woman called 
 out after her, " Don't be frightened my dear child ! stay with me, I 
 should like to have you for my little maid, and if you do all the work 
 in the house neatly you shall fare well ; but take care to make my bed 
 nicely, and shake it every morning out at the door, so that the feathers 
 may fly, for then the good people below say it snows. — I am Mother 
 HoUe." 
 
 As the old woman spoke so kindly to her, the girl was willing to 
 do as she said; so she went into her employ, and took care to do 
 everything to please her, and always shook the bed well, so that she 
 led a ver}^ quiet life with her, and every day had good meat both boiled 
 and roast to eat for her dinner. 
 
 But when she had been some time with the old lady, she became 
 sorrowful, and although she was much better oft here than at home, 
 still she had a longing towards it, and at length, said to her mistress, 
 I used to grieve at my troubles at home, but if they were all to come 
 again, and I were sure of faring ever so well here, I could not stay any 
 longer." "You are right," said her mistress; "you shall do as you 
 like ; and as you have worked for me so faithfully, I will myself show 
 you the way back again." Then she took her by the hand and led her 
 behind her cottage, and opened a door, and as the girl stood underneath 
 there fell a heavy shower of gold, so that she held out her apron and 
 caught a great deal of it. And the fairy put a sliining golden dress 
 over her, and said, "All this you shall have' because you have behaved 
 
MOTHER IIOLLE. 
 
 209 
 
 30 well ;" and she gave her back the spindle too which had fallen into 
 the well, and led her out by another door. When it shut behind her, 
 she found herself not far from her mother's house ; and as she went 
 into the court-yard the cock sat upon the well-head and clapped his 
 wings and cried out, 
 
 " Cock a-doodle-doo ! 
 Our goldea lady's come again." 
 
 Th^n she went into the house, and as she was so rich she was 
 welcomed home. When her mother heard how she got these riches, 
 she wanted to have the same luck for her ugly and idle daughter, so 
 she too was told to sifc by the well and spin. That her spindle might be 
 bloody, she pricked her fingers with it, and when that would not do 
 she thrust her hand into a thorn-bush. Then she threw it into the 
 well and sprang in herself after it. Like her sister, she came to a 
 beautiful meadow, and followed the same path. When she came 
 to the oven in the cottage, the bread called out as before, "Take 
 me out ! take mc out ! or I shall burn, I am quite done enough." But 
 the lazy girl said A pretty story, indeed I just as if I should dirty 
 myself for you and went on her way. She soon came to the apple- 
 tree that cried, " Shake me ! shake me ! for my apples are"quite ripe !" 
 but she answered, " I will take care how I do that, for one of you 
 might fall upon my head ;" so she went on. At length she came to 
 * Mother Holle's house, and readily agreed to be her maid. The first 
 day she behaved herself very well, and did what her mistress told her ; 
 for she thought of the gold she would give her ; but the second day 
 she began to be lazy, and, the third still more so, for she wctild not get 
 up in the morning early enough, and when she did she made the bed 
 very badly, and did not shake it so that the feathers would fly out. 
 Mother Holle was soon tired of her, and turned her ofi" ; but the lazy 
 
 P 
 
210 MOTHER HOLLE. 
 
 \ 
 
 girl was quite pleased at that, and thought to herself, " Now the 
 golden rain will come." Then the fairy took her to the same door; but 
 when she stood under it, instead of gold a great kettle fall of dirty pitch 
 came showering upon her. " That is your wages," said Mother HoUe 
 as she shut the door upon her. So she went home quite black with 
 the pitch, and as she came near her mother's how^f^ the cock sat upon 
 the well, and clap])ed his wings, and cried out — 
 
 " Cock a-doodle-doo ? 
 Our dirty slut's come home again V* 
 
211 
 
 THE WATER OF LIFE. 
 ♦ 
 
 LONG before you and I were born there reigned, in a country a 
 great way off, a king who had three sons. This king once fell 
 very ill, so ill that nobody thought he could live. His sons were very 
 much grit-ved at their father's sickness ; and as they walked weeping 
 in the g>ii den of the palace, an old man met them and asked what 
 they aih-i. They told him their father was so ill that they were 
 afraid n cjkhing could save him. " I know what would," said the old 
 man ; " xl is the Water of Life. If he could have a draught of it he 
 would be well again, but it is very hard to get." Then the eldest son 
 said, " I will soon find it," and went to the sick king, and begged that 
 he might go in search of the Water of Life, as it v/as the only thing 
 that could save him. " No," said the king ; " I had rather die than 
 place you in such great danger as you must meet with in your journey." 
 But he begged so hard that the king let him go ; and the prince 
 thought to himself, " If I bring my father this water, I shall be his 
 dearest son, and he will make me heir to his kingdom." 
 
 Then he set out, and when he had gone on his way so.aie time he 
 came to a deep valley overhung with rocks and woods ; and as he 
 looked around there stood above him on one of the rocks a little 
 dwarf, who called out to him and said, " Prince, whither hastest thou 
 s® fast?" "What is that to you, little ugly one?" said the prince 
 sneeringly, and rode on his way. But the little , dwarf feU into a 
 great rage at his behaviour, and laid a spell of ill luck upon him, so that, 
 
 p 2 
 
212 
 
 THE WATER OF LIFE. 
 
 as he rode on, the mountain pass seemed to become narrower and 
 narrower, and at last the way was so straitened that he conld not go 
 a step forward, and Avhen he thought to have turned his horse round 
 and gone back the way he came, the passage he found had elosed 
 behind also, and shut him quite up ; he next tried to get off his horse 
 and make his way on foot, but this he was unable to do, and so there 
 he was forced to abide spell-bound. 
 
 Meantime the king his father was lingering on in daily hope of his 
 return, till at last the second son said, " Father, I will go in search of 
 this Water;" for he thought to himself, " My brother is surely dead, 
 and the kingdom will fall to me if I have good luck in my journey." 
 The king was at first very unwilling to let him go, but at last yielded 
 to his wish. So he set out and followed the same road which liis 
 brother had taken, and met the same dwarf, who stopped him at the 
 same spot, and said as before, " Prinze, whither hastest thou so fast ?" 
 " Mind your own affairs, busy-body !" answered the prince scornfully, 
 and rode off. But the dwarf put the same enchantment upon him, 
 and when he came like the other to the narrow pass in the mountains 
 he could neither move forward nor backward. Thus it is with proud 
 ^iVxj people, who think themselves too wise to take advice. 
 
 When the second prince had thus staid away a long while, the 
 3'oungest said he would go and search for the Water of Life, and 
 trusted he should soon be able to make his father well again. The 
 dwarf met him too at the same spot, and said, "Prince, whither hastest 
 thou so fast ?" and the prince said, " 1 go in search of the Water of 
 Life, because my father is ill and like to die : — can you help me ? " 
 ''Do you know where it is to be found ?" asked the dwarf "No," said the 
 prince. "Then as you have spoken to me kindly and sought for 
 advice, I will tell you how and where to go. The Water you seek 
 springs from a well in an enchanted castle, and that you may be able 
 
THE WATER OP LIFE, 
 
 213 
 
 to go in safety I will give you an iron wand and two little loaves of 
 bread ; strike the iron door of the castle three times with the wand, 
 and it will open : two hungry lions will be lying down inside gaping 
 for their prey ; but if you throw them the bread they will let you 
 pass ; then hasten on to the well and take some of the Water of Life 
 before the clock strikes twelve, for if you tarry longer the door will 
 shut upon you for ever." 
 
 Then the prince thanked the dwarf for his friendly aid, and took 
 the wand and the bread and went travelling on and on over sea and 
 land till he came to his journey's end, and found everything to be as 
 the dwarf had told him. The door flew open at the third stroke of the 
 wand, and when the lions were quieted he went on through the castle, 
 and came at length to a beautiful hall; around it he saw several 
 knights sitting in a trance; then he pulled off their rings and put 
 them on his own fingers. In another room he saw on a table a sword 
 and a loaf of bread, which he also took. Further on he came to a 
 room where a beautiful young lady sat upon a couch, who welcomed 
 him joyfully, and said, if he would set her free from the spell that 
 bound her, the kingdom should be his if he would come back in a year 
 and marry her ; then she told him that the well that held the Water 
 of Life was in the palace gardens, and bade him make haste and draw 
 what he wanted before the clock struck twelve. Then he went on, 
 and as he walked through beautiful gardens he came to a delightful 
 shad}^ spot in which stood a couch ; and he thought to himself, as he 
 felt tired, that he would rest himself for awhile and gaze on the lovely 
 scenes around him. So he laid himself down, and sleep fell upon him 
 unawares and he did not wake up till the clock was striking a quarter 
 to twelve ; then he sprang from the couch dreadfully frightened, ran 
 to the well, -filled a cup that was standing by him full of Water, and 
 hastened to get away in time. Just as he was going out of the iron 
 
214 
 
 TEE WATER OF LIFE. 
 
 door it struck twelve, and the door fell so quickly upon liim tliat it 
 tore away a piece of his heel. 
 
 When he found himself safe he was overjoyed to think that he had 
 got the Wa)ter of Life ; and as he was going on his way homewards, he 
 passed by the little dwarf, who when he saw the sword and the loaf 
 said, " You have made a noble prize ; with the sword you can at a 
 blow slay whole armies, and the bread will never fail." Then the 
 prince thought to himself, " I cannot go home to my father without 
 my brothers so he said, " Dear dwarf, cannot you tell me where my 
 two brothers are, who set out in search of the Water of Life before me 
 and never came back ?" " I have shut them up by a charm between 
 two mountains," said the dwarf, "because they were proud and ill- 
 behaved, and scorned to ask advice." The prince begged so hard for 
 his brothers that the dwarf at last set them free, though unwilling, 
 saying, " Beware of them, for they have bad hearts." Their brother, 
 however, was greatly rejoiced to see them, and told them all that had 
 happened to him, how he had found the Water of Life, and had taken 
 a cup full of it, and how he had set a beautiful princess free from a 
 speU that bound her ; and how she had engaged to wait a whole year, 
 and then to marry him and give him the kingdom. Then they all 
 three rode on together, and on their way home came to a country that 
 was laid waste by war and a dreadful famine, so that it was feared 
 aU must die for want. But the prince gave the king of the land the 
 bread, and all his kingdom ate of it. And he slew the enemy's army 
 with the wonderful sword, and left the kingdom in peace and plenty. 
 In the same manner he befriended two other countries that they 
 passed through on their way. 
 
 When they came to the sea, they got into a ship, and during their 
 voyage the two eldest said to themselves, " Our brother has got the 
 Water which we could not find, therefore our father will forsake us 
 
THE WATER OF LIFE. 
 
 215 
 
 and give him tlie kingdom which is our right ;" so they were full of 
 envy and revenge, and agreed together how they could ruin him. 
 They waited till he was fast asleep, and then poured the Water of 
 Life out of the cup and took it for themselves, giving him bitter sea- 
 water instead. And when they came to their journey's end, the 
 youngest brought his cup to the sick king, that he might drink 
 and be healed. Scarcely, however, had he tasted the bitter sea- 
 water than he became worse even than he was before, and then both 
 the elder sons came in and blamed the youngest for what he had 
 done, and said that he wanted to poison their father, but that they 
 had found the Water of Life and had brought it with them. He 
 no sooner began to drink of what they brought him, than he felt 
 his sickness leave him, and was as strong and well as in his young 
 days ; then they went to their brother and laughed at him, and said, 
 " Well, brother, you found the Water of Life, did you ? you have had 
 the trouble and we shall have the reward ; pray, with all your 
 cleverness why did not you manage to keep your eyes open ? Next 
 year one of us will take away your beautiful princess, if you do 
 not take care ; you had better say nothing about this to our father, 
 for he does not believe a word you say, and if you tell tales, you 
 shall lose your life into the bargain, but be quiet and we will let 
 you off." 
 
 The old king was still very angry with his youngest son, and 
 thought that he really meant to have taken away his life; so he 
 called his court together and asked what should be done, and it was 
 settled that he should be put to death. The prince knew nothing of 
 what was going on, till one day when the king's chief huntsman went 
 a-hunting with him, and they were alone in the wood together, the 
 huntsman looked so sorrowful that the prince said, " My friend, what 
 is the matter with you T " I cannot and dare not tell you/' said he. 
 
216 
 
 THE WATER OF LIFE. 
 
 But the prince begged hard and said, " Only say what it is, a,nd do not 
 think I shall be angry, for I will forgive yoii." " Alas !" said the 
 huntsman, "the king has ordered me to shoot you." The prince 
 started at this, and said, " Let me live, and I will change dresses with 
 you ; you shall take my royal coat to show to my father, and do you 
 give me your shabby one." " With all my heart," said the huntsman : 
 " I am sure I shall be glad to save you, for I could not have shot you." 
 Then he took the prince's coat, and gave him the shabby one, and went 
 away through the wood. 
 
 Some time after, three grand embassies came to the old king's 
 court, with rich gifts of gold and precious stones for his youngest son, 
 which were sent from the three kings to whom he had lent his sword 
 and loaf of bread to rid them of their enemy and feed their people. 
 This touched the old king's heart, and he thought his son might still 
 be guiltless, and said to his court, " Oh ! that my son were still alive I 
 how it grieves me that I had him killed !" " He still lives," said the 
 huntsman; "and I rejoice that I had pity on him, and saved him, for 
 when the time came, I could not shoot him, but let liim go in peace 
 and brought home his royal coat." At this the king was overwhelmed 
 with joy, and made it known throughout all his kingdom that, if his 
 son would come back to his court, he would forgive him. 
 
 Meanwhile the princess was eagerly waiting the return of her 
 deliverer, and had a road made leading up to her palace all of 
 shining gold; and told her courtiers that whoever came on horseback 
 and rode straight up to the gate upon it, was her true lover, and 
 that they must let him in ; but whoever rode on one sicie of 
 it, they must be sure was not the right one, and must send him away 
 at once. 
 
 The time soon came, when the eldest thought he would make Iiaste 
 to go to the princess, and say that he was the one who had set her f%^e. 
 
THE WATER OF LIFE. 
 
 217 
 
 and that he should have her for his wife, and the kingdom with 
 her. As he came before the palace and saw the golden road, he stopped 
 to look at it, and thought to himself, " It is a pity to ride upon this 
 beautiful road so he turned aside and rode on the right of it. But 
 when he came to the gate the gTiards said to him, he was not what he 
 said he was, and must go about his business. The second prince 
 set out soon afterwards on the same errand; and when he came 
 to the golden road, and his horse had set one foot upon it, he 
 stopped to look at it, and thought it very beautiful, and said to 
 himself, " "What a pity it is that anything should tread here !" then he 
 too turned aside and rode on the left of it. But when he came to 
 the gate the guards said he was not the true prince, and that he 
 too must go away. 
 
 Now when the full year was come, the third brother left the wood, 
 where he had laid for fear of his father's anger, and set out in search of 
 his betrothed bride. So he journeyed on, thinking of her all the way, 
 and rode so quickly that he did not even see the golden road, but went 
 with his horse straight over it ; and as he came to the gate, it flew 
 open, and the princess welcomed him with joy, and said he was her 
 deliverer and should now be her husband and lord of 'the kingdom, 
 and the marriage was soon kept with great feasting. When it was 
 over, the princess told him she had heard of his father having 
 forgiven him, and of his wish to have him home again : so he went to 
 visit him, and told him everything, how his brothers had ^^^leated 
 and robbed him, and yet that he had borne all these wro. .&'S for 
 the love of his father. Then the old king was very angr}/^ and 
 wanted to punish his wicked sons ; but they made their escape, and 
 got into a ship and sailed away over the wide sea, and were never 
 heard of any more. 
 
218 
 
 PETER THE GOATHERD. 
 
 IN the wilds of the Hartz Forest there is a high mountain, where the 
 fairies and gobiins dance by night, and where they say the great 
 Emperor Frederic Barbarossa still holds his court among the caverns. 
 Now and then he shows himself and punishes those whom he 
 dislikes, or gives some rich gift to the lucky wight whom he takes it 
 into his head to befriend. He sits on a throne of marble with his red 
 beard sweeping on the ground, and once or twice in a long course of 
 years rouses himself for awhile from the trance in which he is buried, 
 but soon falls again into his former forgetfulness. Strange chances 
 have befallen many who have strayed within the range of his court : — 
 you shall hear one of them. 
 
 A great many years ago there lived in the village at the foot of the 
 mountain, one Peter, a goatherd. Every morning he drove his flock to 
 feed upon the green spots that are here and there found on the 
 mountain's side, and in the evening he sometimes thought it too far to 
 drive his charge home, so he used in such cases to shut it up in a spot 
 amongst the woods, where an old ruined wall was left standing, high 
 enough to form a fold, in which he could count his goats and rest 
 in peace for the night. One evenimg he found that the prettiest goat 
 of his flock had vanished soon after they were driven into this fold, but 
 was there again in the morning. Again and again he watched, and the 
 same strange thing happened. He thought he would look still more 
 narrowly, and soon found a cleft in the old wall, through which 
 it seomed that his favourite made her way. Peter followed, scrambling 
 
PETER THE GOATHERD. 
 
 219 
 
 as well as he could down the side of the roc-k, and wondered not 
 a little, on overtaking his goat, to find it employing itself very much 
 at its ease in a cavern, eating corn, which kept dropping from some 
 place above. He went into the cavern and looked about him to 
 see where all this corn, that rattled about his ears like a hail-storm, 
 could come from: but all was dark, and he could find no clue to 
 this strange business. At last, as he stood listening, he thought he 
 heard the neighing and stamping of horses. He listened again ; it was 
 plainly so ; and after awhile he was sure that horses were feeding- 
 above him, and that the corn fell from their mangers. What could 
 these horses be, which were thus kept in a mountain where none but 
 the goat's foot ever trod ? Peter pondered awhile ; but his wonder 
 only grew greater and greater, when on a sudden a little page came 
 forth and beckoned him to follow ; he did so, and came at last to 
 a courtyard surrounded by an old wall. The spot seemed the bosom 
 of the valley ; above rose on every hand high masses of rock ; wide 
 branching trees threw their arms overhead, so that nothing but a 
 glimmering twilight made its way through ; and here, on the cool 
 smooth shaven turf, were twelve old knights, who looked very grave 
 and sober, but were amusing themselves with a game of nine-pins. 
 
 Not a word fell from their lips ; but they ordered Peter by di^fb 
 signs to busy himself in setting up the pins, as they knocked thvT> i 
 down. At first his knees trembled, as he dared to snatch a stolen 
 sidelong glance at the long beards and old-fashioned dresses of the 
 worthy knights. Little by little, however, he grew bolder ; and. at 
 last he plucked up his heart so far as to take his turn in the draught 
 at the can, which stood beside him and sent up the smell of the richest 
 old wine. This gave him new strength for his work ; and as often as 
 he flagged at all, he turned to the same kind friend for help in 
 his need. 
 
220 
 
 PETER THE GOATHERD. 
 
 Sleep at last overpowered him ; and when he awoke he found 
 himself stretched out upon the old spot where he had folded his flock. 
 The same green turf was spread beneath, and the same tottering walls 
 surrounded him ; he rubbed his eyes, but neither dog nor goat was to 
 be seen, and when he had looked about him again the grass seemed to be 
 longer under his feet, and trees hung over his head which he had either 
 never seen before or had forgotten. Shaking his head, and hardly 
 knowing whether he were in his right mind, he wound his way among 
 the mountain steeps, through paths where his flocks were wont to 
 wander ; but still not a goat was to be seen. Below him in the plain 
 lay the village where his home was, and at length he took the 
 downward path, and set out with a heavy heart in search of his flock. 
 The people who met him as he drew near to the village were all 
 unknown to him ; they were not even dressed as his neighbours were, 
 and they seemed as if they hardly spoke the same tongue ; and when 
 he eagerly asked after his goats, they only stared at him and stroked 
 their chins. At last he did the same too, and what was his wonder to 
 find that his beard was grown at least a foot long! The world, 
 thought he now to himself, is turned over, or at any rate bewitched ; 
 t^d yet he knew the mountain (as he turned round to gaze upon its 
 v'-^dy heights) ; and he knew the houses and cottages also, with their 
 "uyXiQ gardens, all of which were in the same places as he had always 
 known them ; he heard some children, too, call the village by its old 
 name, as a traveller that passed by was asking his way. 
 
 Again he shook his head and went straight through the village to 
 his own cottage. Alas! it looked sadly out of repair; and in the 
 courtyard lay an unknown child, in a ragged dress, by the side of a 
 rough, toothless dog, whom he thought he ought to know, but who 
 snarled and barked in his face when he called to him. He went in at, 
 an opening in the wall where a door had once stood, but fo>ind all so 
 
PETER THE GOATHERD. 
 
 221 
 
 dreary and empty that he staggered out again like a drunken man, and 
 called his wife and children loudly by their names ; but no one heard, 
 at least no one answered him. 
 
 A crowd of women and children soon flocked around the long grey- 
 bearded man, and all broke upon him at once with the questions, 
 " Who are you T " Whom do you want ?" It seemed to him so odd 
 to ask other people at his own door after his wife and children, that in 
 order to get rid of the crowd he named the first man that came into his 
 head ; — " Hans, the blacksmith !" said he. Most held their tongues and 
 stared, but at last an old woman said, " He went these seven years to a 
 place that you will not reach to-day." " Frank, the tailor, then !" 
 " Heaven rest his soul !" said an old beldame upon crutches ; " he has 
 laid these ten years in a house that he'll never leave." 
 
 Peter looked at the old woman, and shuddered as he saw her to be 
 one of his old friends, only with a strangely altered face. All wish to 
 ask further questions was gone ! but at last a young woman made her 
 way through the gaping throng with a baby in her arms, and a little 
 girl about three years old clinging to her other hand; all three looked 
 the very image of his wife. " What is thy name ?" asked he wildly. 
 " Mary." " And your father's ?" " Heaven bless him ! Peter ! It is now 
 twenty years since we sought him day and night on the mountain ; his 
 flock came back, but he never was heard of any more. I was then 
 seven years old." The goatherd could hold no longer. " I am Peter," 
 cried he : " I am Peter, and no other ;" as he took the child from his 
 daughter's arms and kissed it. All stood gaping, and not knowing 
 what to say or think, till at length one voice was heard, " Why it is 
 Peter I" and then several others cried, " Y©s, it is; it is Peter! 
 Welcome neighbour, welcome home, after twenty long years 1" 
 
222 
 
 THE FOUR CLEVER BROTHERS. 
 
 EAR cliildren," said a poor man to his four sons, " I have 
 
 nothing to give you ; yoii must go out into the world and 
 try your luck. Begin by learning some trade, and see how you can get 
 on." So the four brothers took their walking sticks in their hands, 
 and their little bundles on their shoulders, and, after bidding their 
 father good-bye, went all out at the gate together. When they Iiad 
 got on some way they came to four cross- ways, each leading to a 
 different country. Then the eldest said, " Here we must part ; but 
 this day four years we will come back to this spot ; and in the mean 
 time each must try what he can do for himself" So each brother went 
 his way ; and as the oldest was hastening on, a man met him, and 
 asked him where he was going and what he wanted. " I am going to 
 try my luck in the world, and should like to begin by learning some 
 trade," answered he. " Then," said the man, " go with me, and I will 
 teach you how to become the cunningest thief that ever was." " No," 
 said the other, " that is not an honest calling, and what can one look 
 to earn by it in the end but the gallows?" "Oh!" said the man, 
 " you need not fear the gallows ; for I will only teach you to steal what 
 will be fair game ; I meddle with nothing but what no one else can get 
 or care anything about, and where no one can find you out." So the 
 young man agreed to follow his trade, and he soon showed himself so 
 clever that nothing could escape him that he had once set his mind 
 
 The second brother also met a man, who, when he found out what 
 
 upon. 
 
TEE FOUR CLEVER BROTHERS, 
 
 223 
 
 he was setting out upon, asked him what trade he meant to learn. " I 
 do not know yet/' said he. " Then come with me, and be a star-gazer. 
 It is a noble trade, for nothing can be hidden from you when you 
 understand the stars." The plan" pleased him much, and he soon 
 became such a skilful star-gazer, that when he had served out his time, 
 and wanted to leave his master, he gave him a glass, and said, " With 
 this you can see all that is passing in tiie sky and on earth, and 
 nothing can be hidden from you." 
 
 The third brother met a huntsman, who took him with him, and 
 taught him so well all that belonged to hunting, that he became very 
 clever in that trade ; and when he left his master he gave him a 
 bow, and said, " Whatever you shoot at with this bow you will be 
 sure to hit." 
 
 The youngest brother likewise met a man who asked him what he 
 wished to do. " Would not you like," said he, " to be a tailor ?" " Oh 
 no !" said the young man ; " sitting cross-legged from morning to 
 night, working backwards and forwards with a needle and goose 
 will never suit me." " Oh ! " answered the man, " that is not my sort 
 of tailoring ; come with me, and you will learn quite another kind 
 of trade from that." Not knowing what better to do, he came into the 
 plan, and learnt the trade from the beginning ; and when he left his 
 master, he gave him a needle, and said, " You can sew anything with 
 this, be is as soft as an egg, or as hard as steel, and the joint will be so 
 fine that no seam will be seen." 
 
 After the space of four years, at the time agreed upon, the four 
 brothers met at the four cross-roads, and having welcomed each other, 
 set off towards their father's home, where they told him all that had 
 happened to them, and how each had learned some trade. Then one 
 day, as they were sitting before the house under a very high tree, the 
 father said, "I should like to try what each of you can do in his trade." 
 
224 
 
 THE FOUR CLEVER BROTHERS. 
 
 So he looked up, and said to the second son, " At the top of this tree 
 there is a chaffinch's nest ; tell me how many eggs there are in it." 
 The star-gazer took his glass, looked up, and said, " Five." " Now," 
 said the father to the eldest son, " take away the eggs without the bird 
 that is sitting upon them and hatching them knowing anything of 
 what you are doing." So the cunning thief climbed up the tree, and 
 brought away to his father the five eggs from under the bird, who 
 never saw or felt what he was doing, but kept sitting on at her ease. 
 Then the father took the eggs, and put one on each corner of the table 
 and the fifth in the middle, and said to the huntsman, " Cut all the 
 eggs in two pieces at one shot." The huntsman took up his bow, and 
 at one shot struck all the five eggs as his father wished. " Now comes 
 your turn," said he to the young tailor ; " sew the eggs and the young 
 birds in them together again, so neatly that the shot shall have done 
 them no harm." Then the tailor took his needle and sewed the eggs 
 as he was told ; and when he had done, the thief was sent to take them 
 back to the nest, and put them under the bird, without its knowing it. 
 Then she went on sitting, and hatched them ; and in a few days they 
 crawled out, and had only a little red streak across their necks where 
 the tailor had sewed them together. 
 
 " Well done, sons ! " said the old man, " you have made good use of 
 your time, and learnt something worth the knowing; but I am suj:e I do 
 not know which ought to have the prize. Oh ! that the time might 
 soon come for you to turn your skill to some account !" 
 
 Not long after this there was a great bustle in the country ; for the 
 king's daughter had been carried off" by a mighty dragon, and the king 
 mourned over his loss day and night, and made it known that whoever 
 brought her back to him should have her for a wife. Then the four 
 brothers said to each other, " Here is a chance for us ; let us try what 
 we can do." And they agreed to see whether they could not set the 
 
THE FOUR CLEVER BROTHERS, 
 
 225 
 
 princess free. " I will soon find out where she is, however/' said the 
 star-gazer as he looked through his glass, and soon cried out, " I see 
 her afar off, sitting upon a rock in the sea, and I can spy the dragon 
 close by, guarding her." Then he went to the king, and asked for a 
 ship for himself and his brothers, and went with them upon the sea 
 till they came to the right place. There they found the princess 
 sitting, as the star-gazer had said, on the rock, and the dragon was 
 lying asleep with his head upon her lap. " I dare not shoot at him," 
 said the huntsman, " for I should kill the beautiful young lady also." 
 "Then I will try my skill," said the thief ; and went and stole her away 
 from under the dragon so quickly and gently that the beast did not 
 know it, but went on snoring. 
 
 Then away they hastened with her full of joy in their boat towards 
 the ship ; but soon came the dragon roaring behind them through the 
 air, for he awoke and missed the princess ; but when he got over the 
 boat, and wanted to pounce upon them and carry off the princess, the 
 huntsman took up his bow and shot him straight at the heart, so that 
 he fell down dead. They were still not safe ; for he was such a great 
 beast, that in his fall he overset the boat, and they had to swim in the 
 open sea upon a few planks. So the tailor took his needle, and with 
 a few large stitches put some of the planks together, and sat down 
 upon them, and sailed about and gathered up all the pieces of the boat, 
 and tacked them together so quickly that the boat w^as soon ready, and 
 they then reached the ship and got home safe. 
 
 When they had brought home the princess to her father, there was 
 great rejoicing ; and he said to the four brothers, " One of you shall 
 marry her, but you must settle amongst yourselves which it is to be." 
 Then there arose a quarrel between them ; and the star-gazsr said, " If 
 I had not found the princess out, all your skill would have been of no 
 use : therefore she ought to be mine." " Your seeing her would have 
 
 Q 
 
226 
 
 THE FOUR CLEVER BROTHERS. 
 
 4* . 
 
 been of no use," said the thief, " if I had not taken her away trom the 
 dragon, therefore she ought to be mine." " No, she is mine," said the 
 huntsman ; " for if I had not killed the dragon, he would after all have 
 torn you and the princess into pieces." " And if I had not sewed the 
 boat together again," said the tailor, " you would all have been 
 dro^Tied ; therefore she is mine." Then the king put in a word, and 
 said, " Each of you is right ; and as all cannot have the young lady, 
 the best way is for neither of you to have her ; and to make up for the 
 loss, I will give each, as a reward for his skill, half a kingdom." So 
 the brothers agreed that would be much better than quarrelling ; and 
 the king then gave each half a kingdom, as he had said ; and they 
 lived very happily the rest of their days, and took good c^re of their 
 father. 
 
227 
 
 THE ELFIN-GROVE. 
 ♦ — 
 
 " T HOPE/* said a woodman one day to his wife, " that the 
 JL children will not run into that fir-grove by the side of 
 the river ; who they are that have come to live there I cannot tell, but 
 I am sure it looks more dark and gloom^y than ever, and some 
 queer-looking beings are to be seen lurking about it eveiy night, as I 
 am told." The woodman could not say that they brought any ill luck 
 as yet, whatever they were ; for all the village had thriven more than 
 ever since they came ; the fields looked gayer and greener, and even 
 the sky was a deeper blue. Not knowing what to say of them, the 
 farmer very wisely let his new friends alone, and in truth troubled his 
 head very little about them. 
 
 That very evening little Mary and her playfellow Martin were 
 playing at hide and seek in the valley. " Where can he be hid ?" said 
 she ; " he must have gone into the fir-grove," and down she ran to look. 
 Just then she spied a little dog that jumped round her and wagged his 
 tail, and led her on towards the wood. Then he ran into it, and she 
 soohl jumped up the bank to look after him, but was overjoyed to see, 
 instead of a gloomy grove of firs, a delightful garden, where fiowers 
 and shrubs of every kind grew upon turf of the softest green ; gay 
 butterflies flew about her, the birds sang sweetly, and, v/hat was 
 strangest, the prettiest little children sported about on all sides, some 
 twining the flowers, and others dancing in rings upon the shady spots 
 beneath the trees. In the midst, instead of the hovels of which 
 
 Q 2 
 
228 
 
 THE ELFIN-OROVE. 
 
 Mary had heard, there was a palace that dazzled her eyes with its 
 brightness. For awhile she gazed on the fairy scene around her, 
 till at last one of the little dancers ran up to her, and said, " And you 
 are come at last to see us ? we have often seen you play about, and 
 wished to have you with us/' Then she plucked some of the fi'uit that 
 grev,^ near ; and Mary at the first taste forgot her home, and wished 
 only to see and know more of her fairy friends. 
 
 Then they led her about Avith them and showed her all their 
 sjx)rts. One while they danced by moonlight on the primrose banka ; 
 at another time they skipped from bough to bough among the trees 
 that hung over the cooling streams; for they moved as lightly and 
 ea^ly through the air as on the ground : and Mary v/ent with them 
 everywhere, for they bore her in their arms wherever they wishc'l 
 to go. Sometimes they would throw seeds on the turf, and directly 
 little trees sprang up ; and then they would set their feet upo3i 
 the branches, while the trees grew under them, till they danced upon 
 the boughs in the air, wherever the breezes carried them ; and agaiii 
 the trees would sink down into the earth and land them safely at their 
 bidding. At other times they would go and visit the palace of 
 their queen ; and there the richest food was spread before them, and 
 the softest music was heard ; and there all around grew flowers which 
 were always changing their hues, from scarlet to purple and yellow 
 and emerald. Sometimes they went to look at the heaps of treasures 
 v/hich were piled up in the royal stores ; for little dwarfs were always 
 employed in searching the earth for gold. Small as this fairy land 
 looked from without, it seemed within to have no end ; a mist hung 
 around it to shield it from the eyes of men ; and some of the little elves 
 sat perched upon the outermost tree, to keep watch lest the step 
 of man should break in and spoil the charm. 
 
 " And who are you ?" said Mary one day. " We are what are called 
 
THE ELFIN-GROVE. 
 
 229 
 
 elves in your world," said one whose name was Gossamer, and who 
 had become her dearest friend : " we are told you talk a great deal 
 about us ; some of our tribes like to work you mischief, but we who 
 five here seek only to be happ^^ : we meddle little with mankind ; but 
 when we do come among them, it is to do them good." " And where 
 is your queen ?" said little Mary. " Hush ! hush ! you cannot see or 
 knoY/ her : you must leave us before she comes back, which will be now 
 very soon, for mortal step cannot come where she is. But you will 
 know that she is here when you see the meadows gayer, the rivers 
 more sparkling, and the sun brighter." 
 
 S ;on afterwards Gossamer told Mary the time was come to bid her 
 faro v.- oil, and gave her a ring in token of their friendship, and led her 
 i! 1 t-ie edge of the grove. " Think of me," said she ; " but beware how 
 you tell what you have seen, or try to visit any of us again, for if you 
 do, we shall quit this grove and come back no more." Turning back, 
 Mary saw nothing but the gloomy fir-grove she had known before. 
 " How frightened my father and mother will be !" thought she as she 
 looked at the sun, which had risen some time. " They will wonder 
 where I have been all night, and yet I must not tell them what I have 
 seen." She hastened homewards, wondering however, as she went, to 
 see that the leaves, which were yesterday so fresh and green, were now 
 falling dry and yellow around her. The cottage too seemed changed, 
 and, when she went in, there sat her father looking some years older 
 than when she saw him last ; and her mother, whom she hardly knew, 
 was by his side. Close by was a young man ; " Father," said Mary, 
 " who is this ?" " Who are you that call me father ?" said he ; " are 
 you — no you cannot be — our long-lost Mary ?" But they soon 
 saw that it was their Mary; and the young man, who was her old 
 friend and playfellow Martin, said, "No wonder you had forgotten 
 me in sevea years ; do you not remember how we parted seven years 
 
230 
 
 \ 
 
 THE ELFIN-GROVE. 
 
 ago wliiie playing iii tlie field ? We thought you were quite lost ; 
 but we are glad to see that some one has taken care of you and brought 
 you home at last." Mary said nothing, for she could not tell all ; but 
 she wondered at the strange tale, and felt gloomy at the change from 
 fairy land to her father's cottage. 
 
 Little by little she came to herself, thought of her story as a mere 
 dream, and soon became Martin's bride. Everything seemed to thrive 
 around them ; and Mary called her first little girl Elfie, in memory of 
 her friends. The little thing was loved by every one. It Vv^as pretty 
 and very good-tempered ; Mary thought that it was very like a little 
 elf; and all, without knowing why, called it the fairy child. 
 
 One day, while Mary was dressing her little Elfie, she found a piece 
 of gold hanging round her neck by a silken thread, and knew it to be 
 of the same sort as she had seen in the hands of the fairy dwarfs. 
 Elfie seemed sorry at its being seen, and said that she had found it in 
 the garden. But Mary watched her and soon found that she went 
 every afternoon to sit by herself in a shady place behind the house : 
 so one day she hid herself to see what the child did there ; and to 
 her great wonder Gossamer was sitting by her side. " Dear Elfie," 
 she was saying, " your mother and I used to sit thus when she was 
 young and lived among us. Oh ! if you could but come and do so 
 too ! but since our queen came to us it cannot be ; yet I will come and 
 see you and talk to you, whilst you are a child ; when you grow up 
 we must part fof ever." Then she plucked one of the roses that grew 
 around them and breathed gently upon it, and said, " Take this for 
 my sake. It will keep its freshness a whole year." 
 
 " Then Mary loved her little Elfie more than ever ; and when she 
 found that she spent some hours of almost every day with the elf, she 
 used to hide herself and watch them without being seen, till one day 
 when Gossamer was bearing her little friend through the air from tree 
 
THE ELFIN-GROVE. 231 
 
 to tree, her mother was so frightened lest her child should fall that she 
 could not help screaming out, and Gossamer set her gently on the 
 ground and seemed angry, and flew away. But still she used 
 sometimes to come and play with her little friend, and would soon 
 have done so perhaps the same as before, had not Mary one da}^ told 
 her husband the whole story, for she could not bear to hear him always 
 wondering and laughing at their little child's odd ways, and saying he 
 was sure there was something in the fir-grove that brought them no 
 good. So to show him that all she said was true, she took him to see 
 Elfie and the fairy ; but no sooner did Gossamer know that he was 
 there (which she did in an instant), than she changed herself into a 
 raven and flew off into the fir-grove. 
 
 Mary burst into tears, and so did Elfie, for she knew she should see 
 her dear friend no more : but Martin was restless and bent upon 
 following up his search after the fairies ; so when night came he stole 
 away towards the grove. When he came to it nothing was to be seen 
 but tlie gloomy firs and the old hovels ; and the thunder rolled, and 
 and the wind groaned and whistled through the trees. It seemed that 
 all about him was angry ; so he turned homewards frightened at what 
 he had done. 
 
 Ii\ the morning all the neighbours flocked around, asking one 
 another what the noise and bustle of the last night could mean ; and 
 when they looked about them, their trees looked blighted, and the 
 meadowti parched, the streams were dried up, and everything seemed 
 troubled ^nd sorrowful ; but they all thought that somehow or other 
 the fir-groTe had not near so forbidding a look as it used to have. 
 Strange stcries were told, how one had heard flutterings in the air, 
 another had seen the fir-grove as it were alive with little beings that 
 flew away fnm it. Each neighbour told his tale, and all wondered 
 what could hive happened ; but Mary and her husband knew what 
 
232 
 
 THE ELFIN-GROVE. 
 
 was the matter, and bewailed their folly; for they foresaw that 
 their kind neighbours, to whom they owed all their luck were gone for 
 ever. Among the bystanders none told a wilder story than the old 
 ferryman who plied across the river at the foot of the grove ; he told 
 liow at midnight his boat was carried away, and how hundreds of little 
 beings seemed to load it with treasures ; how a strange piece of gold 
 was left for him in the boat, as his fare ; how the air seemed full of 
 fairy forms fluttering around ; and how at last a great train passed 
 over that seemed to be guarding their loader to the meadows on the 
 other side ; and how he heard soft music floating around as they flew ; 
 and how sweet voices sang as they hovered over his head, 
 
 Fairy Queen ! 
 
 Fairy Queen ! 
 Mortal steps are on the green ; 
 
 Come away ! 
 
 Haste away ! 
 Fairies, guard your Queen ! 
 Hither, hither, fairy Queen ! 
 Lest thy silvery wing be seen ; 
 
 O'er the sky 
 
 FJy,fly,fly! 
 Fairies, guard your lady Qaeen ! 
 
 O'er the sky 
 
 Fly, fly, fly! 
 Fairies, guard your Qaeen ! 
 
 , Fairy Queen ! 
 
 Fairy Queen ! 
 Thou hast pass'd the treach'rous scene ; 
 Now we may 
 Down and play 
 O'er the daisied green. 
 Lightly, lightly, fairy Queen ! / 
 Trip it gently o'er the green : / . ^ 
 
THE ELFIN-GROVE, 
 
 233 
 
 Fairies gay, 
 Trip away 
 Round about your lady Queen \ 
 Fairies gay, 
 Trip away 
 E-ound about your Queen ! 
 
 Poor Elfie mourned their loss the most, and would spend whole 
 hours in looking upon the rose that her playfellow had given her, and 
 singing over it the pretty airs she had taught her ; till at length when 
 the year's Gharm had passed away and it began to fade, she planted 
 the stalk in her garden, and there it grew and grew till she could sit 
 under the shade of it and think of her friend Gossamer. 
 
234 
 
 THE SALAD. 
 
 AS a merry young huntsman was once going briskly along through 
 a wood, there came up a little old woman, and said to him, 
 " Good day, good day ; you seem merry enough, but I am hungry and 
 thirsty ; do pray give me something to eat." The huntsman took pity 
 on her and put his hand in his pocket and gave her what he had. 
 Then he wanted to go his way ; but she took hold of him, and said, 
 " Listen, my friend, to what I am going to tell you ; I will reward 
 you for your kindness ; go your w^ay, and after a little time you will 
 come to a tree where you will see nine birds sitting on a cloak. Shoot 
 into the midst of them, and one will fall down dead : the cloak will 
 fall too ; take it, it is a wishing cloak, and when you wear it you will 
 find yourself at any place where you may wish to be. Cut open the 
 dead bird, take out its heart and keep it, and you will find a piece of 
 gold under your pillow every morning when you rise. It is the bird's 
 heart that will bring you this good luck." 
 
 The huntsman thanked her and thought to himself, " If all this 
 does happen, it will be a fine thing for me." When he had gone a 
 hundred steps or so, he heard a screaming and chirping in the branches 
 over him, and looked up and saw a flock of birds pulling a cloak with 
 their biUs and feet ; screaming, fighting, and tugging at each other as 
 if each wished to have it himself " Well," said the huntsman, " this 
 is wonderful ; this happens just as the old woman said ;" then he shot 
 into the midst of them so that their feathers flew all about. Off 
 
THE SALAD. 
 
 235 
 
 went the flock chattering away; but one fell down dead, and the 
 cloak with it. Then the huntsman did as the old woman told him, 
 cut open the bird, took out the heart, and carried the cloak home, 
 with him. 
 
 The next morning when he awoke he lifted up his pillow, and 
 there lay the piece of gold glittering underneath ; the same happened 
 next day, and indeed every day when he arose. He heaped up a great 
 deal of gold, and at last thought to himself, " Of what use is this gold 
 to me whilst I am at home ? I will go out into the world and look 
 about me." 
 
 Then he took leave of his friends, and hung his bag and bow about 
 his neck, and went his way. It so happened that his road one day led 
 through a thick wood, at the end of which was a large castle in a 
 green meadow, and at one of the windovf s stood an old woman with a 
 very beautiful young lady by her side looking about them. Now the old 
 woman was a fairy and said to the young lady, " There is a young man 
 coming out of the wood who carries a wonderful prize ; we must get it 
 away from him, my dear child, for it is more fit for us than for him. 
 He has a bird's heart that brings a piece of gold under his pillow every 
 morning." Meantime the huntsman came nearer and looked at the 
 lady, and said to himself, " I have been travelling so long that I should 
 like to go into this castle and rest myself, for I have money enough to 
 pay for anything I want but the real reason was, that he wanted to 
 see more of the beautiful lady. Then he went into the house, and was 
 welcomed kindly ; and it was not long before he was so much in love 
 that he thought of nothing . else but looking at the lady's eyes, and 
 doing everything that she wished. Then the old woman said, 
 " Now is the time for getting the bird's heart." So the lady stole 
 it away, and he never found any more gold under his pillow, foi 
 it lay now under the young lady's, and the old woman took it away 
 
236 
 
 TEE SALAD, 
 
 every morning; but he was so much in love that he never missed 
 his prize. 
 
 Well/' said the old fairy, " we have got the bird's heart, but not 
 the wishing-cloak yet, and that we must also get." ''Let us leave him 
 that," said the young lady ; " he has already lost his wealth." Then 
 the fairy was very angry, and said, " Such a cloak is a very rare and 
 wonderful thing, and I must and will have it." So she did as the old 
 woman told her, and sat herself at the window, and looked about the 
 country and seemed very sorrowful ; then the huntsman said, " What 
 makes you so sad ?" " xilas ! dear sir," said she, " yonder lies the granite 
 rock where all the costly diamonds gTOw, and I want so much to go 
 there, that whenever I think of it I cannot help being sorrowful, for 
 who can reach it ? only the birds and the flies — man cannot." " If 
 that's all your grief," said the huntsman, " I'll take you there with all 
 my heart ;" so he drew her under his cloak, and the moment he wished 
 to be on the granite mountain they were both there. The diamonds 
 glittered so on all sides that they were delighted with the sight and 
 picked up the finest. But the old fairy made a deep sleep come upon 
 him, and he said to the young lady, "Let us sit down and rest 
 ourselves a little ; I am so tired that I cannot stand any longer." So 
 they sat down, and he laid his head in her lap and fell asleep ; and 
 whilst he was sleeping on she took the cloak from his shoulders, 
 hung it on her own, picked up the diamonds, and wished herself 
 home again. 
 
 When he awoke and found that his lady had tricked him, and left him 
 a.lone on the wild rock, he said, " Alas ! what roguery there is in the 
 world !" and there he sat in great grief and fear, not knowing what to 
 do. Now this rock belonged to fierce giants who lived upon it ; and 
 as he saw three of them striding about, he thought to himself, " I can 
 only save myself by feigning to be asleep ;" so he laid himself down as 
 
THE SALAD. 
 
 if lie were in a sound sleep. When the giants came up to him, the 
 first pushed him with his foot, and said, " What worm is this that lies 
 here curled up ?" " Tread upon him and kill him," said the second. 
 " It's not worth the trouble," said the third ; " let him live, he'll go 
 climbing higher up the mountain, and some cloud will come roMing 
 and carry him away," And they passed on. But the huntsman had 
 heard all they said ; and as soon as they were gone, he climbed to tlie 
 top of the mountain, and when he had sat there a short time a cloud 
 came rolling around him, and caught him in a whirlwind and bore him 
 along for some time, till it settled in a garden, and he fell quite gently 
 to the ground amongst the greens and cabbages. 
 
 Then he looked around him, and said, " I wish I had something t( > 
 eat, if not I shall be worse off than before ; for here I see neither apples 
 nor pears, nor any kind of fruit, nothing but vegetables." At last be 
 thought to himself, ''I can eat sal«,d, it will refresh and strengtlien 
 me." So he picked out a fine head and ate of it ; but scarcely had lie 
 swallowed two bites when he felt himself quite changed, and saw v/iDi 
 hoiTor that he was turned into an ass. However, he still felt very 
 hungry, and the salad tasted very nice ; so he ate on till he came to 
 another kind of salad, and scarcely liad he tasted it when he felt 
 another change came over him, and soon savv' that he was lucky enougli 
 to have found his old shape again. 
 
 Then he laid himself down and slept off a little of his weariness ; 
 and when he awoke the next morning he broke off a head both of the 
 good and the bad salad, and thought to himself, " This will help me to my 
 fortune again, and enable me to pay off some folks for their treachery. ' 
 So he went away to try and find the ^castle of his old friends ; and 
 after wandering about a few days he luckily found it. Then he stained 
 his face all over brown, so that even his mother would not have known 
 him, and went into the castle and asked for a lodging ; " I am so 
 
238 
 
 THE SALAD. 
 
 tired," said he, " that I can go no further." " Countryman," said 
 the fairy, " who are you ? and what is your business ?" " I am," 
 said he, " a messenger sent by the king to find the finest salad that 
 grows under the sun. I have been lucky enough to find it, and 
 have brought it with me ; but the heat of the sun scorches so that it 
 begins to wither, and I don't know that I can carry it further." 
 
 When the fairy and the young lady heard of this beautiful salad, 
 they longed to taste it and said, " Dear countryman, let us just taste it." 
 " To be sure," answered he ; "I have two heads of it with me, and will 
 give you one ;" so he opened his bag and gave them the bad. Then 
 the fairy herself took it into the kitchen to be dressed ; and when 
 it was ready she could not wait till it was carried up, but took a few 
 leaves immediately and put them in her mouth, and scarcely were they 
 swallowed when she lost her own form and ran braying down into the 
 court in the form of an ass. Now the servant-maid came into the 
 kitchen, and seeing the salad ready was going to carry it up ; but in the 
 way she too felt a wish to taste it as the old woman had done, and ate 
 some leaves ; so she also was turned into an ass and ran after the other, 
 letting the dish with the salad fall on the ground. The messenger sat 
 all this time with the beautiful young lady, and as nobody came with 
 the salad and she longed to taste it, she said, " I don't know where the 
 salad can be." Then he thought something must have happened, 
 and said, " I will go into the kitchen and see." And as he went he 
 saw two asses in the court running about, and the salad lying on the 
 ground. " All right I" said he ; " those two have had their share." 
 Then he took up the rest of the leaves, laid them on the dish and 
 brought them to the young lady, saying, " I bring you the dish myself 
 that you may not wait any longer." So she ate of it, and like the 
 others ran off into the court, braying away. 
 
 Then the huntsman washed his face and went into the court that 
 
THE SALAD. 
 
 239 
 
 they might know him. " Now you shall be paid for your roguery," 
 said he ; and tied them all three to a rope and took them along with 
 him till he came to a mill and knocked at the window. " Wha,t's the 
 matter?" said the miller. " I have three tiresome beasts here/' said the 
 other ; " if you will take them, give them food and room, and treat 
 them as I tell you, I will pay you whatever you ask." " With all my 
 heart/' said the miller; "but how shall I treat them?" Then the 
 huntsman said, " Give the old one stripes three times a day and hay 
 once ; give the next (who was the servant-maid) stripes once a day and 
 hay three times ; and gives the youngest (who was the beautiful lady) 
 hay three times a day and no stripes :" for he could not find it in his 
 heart to have her beaten. After this he went back to the castle, 
 where he found everything he wanted. 
 
 Some days after the miller came to him and told him that the old 
 ass was dead ; " The other two," said he, " are alive and eat, but are so 
 sorrowful that they cannot last long." Then the huntsman pitied 
 them, and told the miller to drive them back to him, and when 
 they came, he gave th^m some of the good salad to eat. And the 
 beautiful young lady fell upon her knees before him, and said, " Oh, 
 dearest huntsman I forgive me all the ill I have done you ; my 
 mother forced me to it, it was against my will, for I always loved 
 you very much. Your wishing-cloak hangs up in the closet, and 
 as for the bird's heart, I will give it you too." But he said, 
 "Keep it, it will be just the same thing, for I mean to make you 
 my wife." So they were married, and lived together very happily 
 till they died. 
 
240 
 
 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 turneddoose 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 unwillingly, 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 vratched lest wild bea.sts 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 third, so as to share the work fairly 
 among t'hem. 
 
 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, " w4th 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 Avhenever he put it 
 
TSE NOSE. 
 
 S41 
 
 over liis 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 comrade had done, and the 
 little man gave him a purse, which he told him was always full of gold, 
 let him draw as much as he would. 
 
 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 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 awhile 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 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 we^^e grazing about, 
 and out of the gate came a fine coach with three dapple-grey 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 together all their rich clothes and horses and 
 servants, and ordered their coach with three horses, and set out on a 
 journey to see a neighbouring 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 ; 
 
2m 
 
 THE NOSE. 
 
 and having asked him what it was, he was foolish enough to tell her 
 though indeed it did 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 sat 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 home, and soon after they- 
 reached their castle, happening 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 1" cried he, " poor 
 wretches that we are, what shall we do ?" "Oh said the first soldier, 
 " let no grey 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 w£jy off; so 
 without thinking of the ready way of travelling that his cloak gave 
 him, he ran to the window, opened it, and jumped out ; and unluckily 
 in his haste his cloak caught and was left hanging, to the great joy of 
 the princess, who knew its worth. 
 
THE NOSE. 
 
 243 
 
 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 dressed 
 herself out as a poor girl with a basket on her arm ; and 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 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 it huns:, 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 
 
 E 2 
 
244 
 
 THE NOSE. 
 
 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 apple 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. 
 
 Meantime his comrades were journeying on, till on a sudden one of 
 them stumbled against something. " 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 up 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 despaii', when up came the little 
 man in the red jacket. " Why, how now, friend ?" said he, laughing ; 
 
 well, I must find a cure for you, I see." So he told them to gather a 
 pear from a tree that grew close by, and the nose would come right 
 d^ain. No 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 
 
 i 
 
THE NOSE. 
 
 245 
 
 some of those pears and apples with you ; whoever eats one of the 
 apples 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." 
 
 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 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 ailed 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 disease should be richly rewarded. Many 
 tried, but the princess got no relief And now the old soldier dressed 
 himself up very sprucely as a doctor, who said he coul4 cure her; so he 
 chopped lip 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 
 began to meddle with it. 
 
TEE NOSE. 
 
 Then tie 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 
 raorrow. 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 denied 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 kincr, and told him how the matter stood. " Daue^hter," 
 said he, " send back the cloak, the purse, and the 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 soon with his two 
 brothers, who lived from that time happily at home in their 
 palace, except when they took airings in their coach with the three 
 dapple-grey horses. 
 
M7 
 
 THE FIVE SERVANTS. 
 
 SOME time ago there reigned in a country many thousands of miles 
 off an old queen who was very spiteful and delighted in nothing 
 so much as mischief She had one daughter, who was thought to be 
 the most beautiful princess in the world ; but her mother only made 
 use of her as a trap for the unwary ; and whenever any suitor who 
 had heard of her beauty came to seek her in marriage, the only answer 
 the old lady gave to each was, that he must undertake some very hard 
 task and forfeit his life if he failed. Many, led by the report of the 
 princess's charms, undertook these tasks, but failed in doing what the 
 queen set them to do. No mercy was ever shown them ; but the word 
 was given at once, and off their heads were cut. 
 
 Now it happened that a prince, who lived in a country far off, heard 
 of the great beauty of this young lady, and said to h^s father, " Dear 
 father, let me go and try my luck." " No," said the king ; " if you go, 
 you will surely lose your life." The prince, however, had set his heart •< 
 so much upon the scheme, that when he found his father was against 
 it he fell very ill, and took to his bed for seven years, and no art could 
 cure him, or recover his lost spirits : so when his father saw that if he i 
 went on thus he would die, he said to him, with a heart full of grief. 
 If it must be so, go and try your luck." At this he rose from his 
 bed, recovered his health and spirits, and went forward on his way 
 light of heart and full of joy. 
 
248 
 
 THE FIVE SERVANTS. 
 
 Then on he journeyed over hill and dale, through fair weather and 
 foul, till one day, as he was riding through a wood, he thought he saw 
 afar off some large animal upon the ground, and as he drew near he found 
 that it was a man lying along upon the grass under the trees ; but he 
 looked more like a mountain than a man, he was so fat and jolly. 
 When this big fellow saw the traveller, he arose, and said, " If you 
 want any one to wait upon you, you will do well to take me into your 
 service." " What should I do with such a fat fellow as you ?" said the 
 prince. " It would be nothing to you if I were three thousand times 
 as fat," said the man, " so that I do but behave myself well." " That's 
 true," answered the prince, " so come with me ; I can put you to some 
 use or another I dare say." Then the fat man rose up and followed 
 the prince, and by and by they saw another man lying on the ground 
 with his ear close to the turf The prince said, " What are you doing 
 there ?" " I am listening," answered the man. " To what ?" " To aU 
 that is going on in the world, for I can hear everything, I can even 
 hear the grass grow." " Tell me," said the prince, " what you hear is 
 going on at the court of the old queen, who has the beautiful daughter." 
 " I hear," said the listener, " the noise of the sword that is cutting off 
 the head of one of her suitors." " Well !" said the prince, " I see I 
 shall be able to make you of use ; — come along with me !" They had 
 not gone far before they saw a pair of feet, and then part of the legs of 
 a man stretched out ; but they were so long that they could not see 
 the rest of the body, till they had passed on a good deal further, and 
 at last they came to the body, and after going on a while further, to 
 the head ; " Bless me !" said the prince, " what a long rope you are !" 
 "Oh!" answered the tall man, "this is nothing; when I choose to 
 stretch myself to my full length, I am three times as high as any 
 mountain you have seen on your travels, I warrant you; I will 
 willingly do what I can to serve you if you will let me." " CJome 
 
THE FIVE SERVANTS, 249 
 «. ^ 
 
 along then." said the prince, " I can turn you to account in some 
 way." 
 
 The prince and his train went on further into the wood, and next 
 saw a man lying by the roadside basking in the heat of the sun, yet 
 shaking and shivering all over, so that not a limb lay still. " What 
 makes you shiver," said the king, " while the sun is shining so warm T 
 "Alas !" answered the man, ''the warmer it is, the colder I am ; the sun 
 only seems to me like a sharp frost that thrills through all my bones ; 
 and on the other hand, when others are what you call cold I begin to be 
 warm, so that I can neither bear the ice for its heat nor the fire for its 
 cold." " You are a queer fellow," said the prince ; " but if you have 
 nothing else to do, come along with me." The next thing they saw 
 was a man standing, stretching his neck and looking around him from 
 hill to hill. " What are you looking for so eagerly ?" said the prince. 
 *' I have such sharp eyes," said the man, " that I can see over woods 
 and fields and hills and dales ; — in short, all over the world." " Well," 
 said the prince, " come with me if you will, for I want one more to 
 make up my train." 
 
 Then they all journeyed on, and met v/ith no one else till they 
 came to the city where the beautiful princess lived. The prince went 
 straight to the old queen, and said, " Here I am, ready to do any task 
 you set me, if you will give me your daughter as a reweird when I 
 have done." " I will set you three tasks," said the queen ; " and if 
 you get through all, you shall be the husband of my daughter. Eirst, 
 you must bring me a ring which I dropped in the red sea." The 
 prince went home to his friends and said, "The first task is not 
 an easy one ; it is to fetch a ring out of the red sea, so lay your heads 
 together and say what is to be done." Then the sharp-sighted one 
 said, " I will see where it lies," and looked down into the sea, and 
 eried out, " There it lies upon a rock at the bottom," " I would fetch 
 
250 
 
 < 
 
 THE FIVE SERVANTS. 
 
 it out" said the tall man, "if I could but see it." "Well!" cried out 
 the fat one, " I will help you to do that," and laid himself down and 
 held his mouth to the water, and drank up the waves till the bottom 
 of the sea was as dry as a meadow. Then the tall man stooped a little 
 and pulled out the ring with his hand, and the prince took it to the 
 old queen, who looked at it, and wondering said, " It is indeed the 
 right ring ; you have gone through this task well : but now comes the 
 second ; look yonder at the meadow before my palace ; see ! there are 
 a hundred fat oxen feeding there ; you must eat them all up before 
 noon : and underneath in my cellar there are a hundred casks of wine, 
 which you must drink all up." ' "May I not invite some guests to 
 share the feast with me V said the prince. "Why, yes !" said the old 
 woman with a spiteful laugh ; " you may ask one of your friends to 
 breakfast wdth you, but no more." 
 
 Then the prince went home and said to the fat man, " You must be 
 my guest to-day, and for once you shall eat your fill." So the fat man 
 set to work and ate the hundred oxen without leaving a bit, and 
 asked if that was to be all he should have for his breakfast ? and he 
 drank the wine out of the casks without leaving a drop licking even 
 his fingers when he had done. When the meal was ended, the prince 
 went to the old women and told her the second task was done. 
 " Your work is not all over, however," muttered the old hag to herself ; 
 "I will catch you yet! you shall not keep your head upon your 
 shoulders if I can help it." " This evening," said she, " I will bring my 
 daughter into your house and leave her with you; you shall sit 
 together there, but take care that you do not fall asleep ; for I shall 
 come when the clock strikes twelve, and if she is not then with 
 you, you are undone." " Oh !" thought the prince, " it is an easy task to 
 keep such a watch as that ; I will take care to keep my eyes open." 
 So he called his servants and told them all that the old woman 
 
THE FIVE SERVANTS. 
 
 251 
 
 had said. " Who knows though," said he, " but there may be some 
 trick at the bottom of this ? it is as well to be upon our guard and 
 keep watch that the young lady does not get away." When it was 
 night the old woman brought her daughter to the prince's house ; then 
 the tall man twisted himself round about it, the listener put his ear to 
 the ground, the fat man placed himself before the door so that no 
 living soul could enter, and the sharp-eyed one looked out afar 
 and watched. Within sat the princess without saying a word, 
 but the moon shone bright through the window upon her face, 
 and the prince gazed upon her wonderful beauty. And while he 
 looked upon her with a heart full of joy and love, his eyelids did 
 not droop; but at eleven o'clock the old woman cast a charm over 
 them so that they all fell asleep, and the princess vanished in a 
 moment. 
 
 And thus they slept till a quarter to twelve, when the charm had 
 no longer any power over them, and they all awoke. " Alas I alas 1 
 woe is me," cried the prince ; now I am lost for ever." And his 
 faithful servants began to weep over their unhappy lot; but the 
 listener said, " Be still and I will listen ;" so he listened awhile, and 
 cried out, " I hear her bewailing her fate ;" and the sharp-sighted man 
 looked, and said, "I see her sitting on a rock three hundred miles 
 hence ; now help us, my tall friend ; if you stand up,/ you will reach 
 her in two steps." " Yery well," answered the tall man ; and in 
 an instant, before one could turn one's head round, he was at the foot 
 of the enchanted rock. Then the tall man took the young lady in his 
 arms and carried her back to the prince a moment before it struck 
 twelve ; and they all sat down again and made merry. And wlien the 
 clock struck twelve the old queen came sneaking by with a spiteful 
 look, as if she was going to say, " Now he is mine ;" nor could she 
 
252 
 
 THE FIVE SERVANTS. 
 
 think otherwise, for she knew that her daugliter was but the moment 
 before on the rock three hundred miles off; but when she came 
 and saw her daughter in the prince's room she started, and said, 
 There is somebody here who can do more than I can." However, 
 she now saw that she could no longer avoid giving the prince 
 her daughter for a wife, but said to her in a whisper, "It is a 
 shame that you should be won by servants, and not have a husband of 
 your own choice." 
 
 Now the young lady was of a yqvj proud haughty temper and 
 her anger was raised to such a pitch, that the next morning she 
 ordered three hundred loads of wood to be brought and piled up ; and 
 told the prince it was true he had by the help of his servants done the 
 three tasks, but that before she would marry him some one must 
 sit upon that pile of wood when it was set on fire and bear the 
 heat. She thought to herself that though his servants had done 
 everything else for him, none of them would go so far as to burn 
 themselves for him, and that then she should put his love to the 
 test by seeing whether he would sit upon it himself. But she was 
 mistaken ; for when the servants heard this, they said, " We have all 
 done something but the frosty man ; now his turn is come ;" and they 
 took him and put him on the wood and set it on fire. Then the 
 fire rose and burned for three long days, till all the wood was gone ; 
 and when it was out, the frosty man stood in the midst of the ashes 
 trembling like an aspen-leaf, and said, " I never shivered so much 
 in my life ; if it had lasted much longer, I should have lost the 
 use of my limbs." 
 
 When the princess had no longer any plea for delay, she saw that 
 she was bound to marry the prince ; but when they were going to 
 church, the old woman said, " I will never consent ;" and sent secret 
 
THE FIVE SERVANTS. 
 
 253 
 
 orders out to her horsem-en to kill and slay all before them and bring 
 back her daughter before she could be married. However, the listener 
 had pricked up his ears and heard all that the old woman said, and 
 told it to the prince. So they made haste and got to the church first, 
 and were married ; and then the five servants took their leave and 
 went away saying, " We will go and try our luck in the world on our 
 own account." 
 
 The prince set out with his wife, and at .he end of the first day's 
 journey came to a village, where a swineherd was feeding his swine : 
 and as they came near he said to his wife, *' Do you know who I am ? 
 I am not a prince, but a poor swineherd ; he whom you see yonder 
 with the swine is my father, and our business will be to help him to 
 tend them." Then he went into the swineherd's hut with her, and 
 ordered her royal clothes to be taken away in the night ; so that when 
 she awoke in the morning, she had nothing to put on, till the woman 
 who lived there made a great favour of giving her an old gown and a 
 pair of worsted stockings. " If it were not for your husband's sake," 
 said she, " I would not have given you anything." Then the })oor 
 princess gave herself up for lost, and believed that her husband must 
 indeed be a swineherd ; but she thought she would make the best of it, 
 and began to help him to feed them, and said, " It is a just reward for 
 my pride." When this had lasted eight days she could bear it no longer 
 for her feet were aU over wounds, and as she sat down and wept by 
 the wayside, some people came up to her and pitied her, and asked if 
 she knew what her husband really was. " Yes," said she ; " a 
 swineherd; he is just gone out to market with some of his stock." 
 But they said, " Come along and we will take you to him ;" and they 
 took her over the hill to the palace of the prince's father; and when 
 they came into the hall, there stood her husband so richly dressed in his 
 royal clothes that she did not know him till he fell upon her neck and 
 
254 
 
 THE FIVE SERVANTS, 
 
 kissed her, and said, " I have borne much for your sake, and you too 
 have also borne a great deal for me." Then the guests were sent for, 
 and the marriage feast was given, and all made merry and danced and 
 sang, and the best wish that I can wish is, that you and I had been 
 there too. 
 
255 
 
 CAT-SKIJT. 
 
 THERE was once a king, whose qneen had hair of the purest gold, 
 and was so "beautiful that her match was not to be met with on 
 the whole face of the earth. But this beautiful queen fell ill, and 
 when she felt that her end drew near, she called the king to her and 
 said, " Vow to me that you will never marry again, unless you meet 
 with a wife who is as beautiful as I am, and who has golden hair like 
 mine." Then when the king in his grief had vowed all she asked, she 
 shut her eyes and died. But the king was not to be comforted, and 
 for a long time never thought of taking another wife. At last, 
 however, his counsellors said, " This will not do ; the king must marry 
 again, that we may have a queen." So messengers were sent far and 
 wide, to seek for a bride who was a>s beautiful, as the late queen. But 
 there was no princess in the world so beautiful; and if there had 
 been, still there was not one to be found who had such golden hair. 
 So the messengers came home and had done all their work for 
 nothing. 
 
 Now the king had a daughter who was just as beautiful as her 
 mother, and had the same golden hair. And when she was grown up, 
 the king looked at her and saw that she was just like his late queen : 
 then he said to his courtiers, " May I not marry my daughter ? she is 
 the very image of my dead wife : unless I have her, I shall not find 
 any bride upon the whole earth, and you say there must be a queen." 
 When the courtiers heard this, they were shocked, and said, *' Heaven 
 forbid that a father should marry his daughter I out of so great a 
 
256 
 
 CAT- SKIN. 
 
 sin no good can come." And his daughter was also shocked, but 
 hoped the king would soon give up such thoughts : so she said to him, 
 " Before I marry any one I must have three dresses ; one must be of 
 gold like the sun, another must be of shining silver like the moon, and 
 a third must be dazzling as the stars : besides this, I want a mantle of 
 a thousand different kinds of fur put together, to which every beast 
 in the kingdom must give a part of his skin." And thus she thought 
 he would think of the matter no more. But the king made the most 
 skilful workmen in his kingdom weave the three dresses, one as 
 golden as the sun, another as silvery as the moon, and a third sinning 
 like the stars ; and his hunters were told to hunt out all the beasts in 
 his kingdom and take the finest fur out of their skins ; and so a 
 mantle of a thousand furs was made. 
 
 When all was ready, the king sent them to her ; but she got up in 
 the night when all were asleep, and took three of her trinkets, a 
 golden ring, a golden necklace, and a golden brooch ; and packed the 
 three dresses of the sun, moon, and stars, up in a nutshell, and 
 wrapped herself up in the mantle of all sorts of fur and besmeared 
 her face and hands with soot. Then she threw herself upon Heaven 
 for help in her need, and went away and journeyed on the whole 
 night, till at last she came to a large wood. As she was very tired, 
 she sat herself down in the hollow of a tree and soon fell asleep : and 
 there she slept on till it was mid-day : and it happened, that as the 
 king to whom the wood belonged was hunting in it, his dogs came to 
 the tree, and began to sniff about and run round and round, and then 
 to bark. " Look sharp," said the king to the huntsmen, " and see 
 what sort of game lies there." And the huntsmen went up to the 
 tree, and when they came back again said, " In the hollow tree there 
 lies a most wonderful beast, such as we never saw before ; its skin 
 seems of a thousand kinds of fur, but there it lies, fast asleep." 
 
CAT- SKIN. 
 
 257 
 
 See," said the king, " if you can catch it alive, and we will take it 
 with us." So the huntsmen took it up, and the maiden awoke and 
 was greatly frightened, and said, " I am a poor child that has neither 
 father nor mother left; have pity on me and take me with you." 
 Then they said, " Yes, Miss Cat-skin, you will do for the kitchen ; you 
 can sweep up the ashes and do things of that sort." So they put her 
 in the coach and took her home to the king's palace. Then they 
 showed her a little corner under the staircase where no light of day 
 ever peeped in, and said, "Cat-skin, you may lie and sleep there." 
 And she was sent into the kitchen, and made to fetch wood and water, 
 to blow the fire, pluck the poultry, pick the herbs, sift the ashes, and 
 do all the dirty work. 
 
 Thus Cat-skin lived for a long time very sorrowfully. " Ah ! 
 pretty princess !" thought she, " what will now become of thee ?" But 
 it happened one day that a feast was to be held in the king's castle ; 
 so she said to the cook, " May I go up a little while and see what is 
 going on ? I will take care and stand behind the door." And tlie cook 
 said, "Yes you may go, but be back again in half an hour's time to rake 
 out the ashes." Then she took her little lamp, and went into her 
 cabin, and took off the fur skin, and washed the soot from off her face 
 and hands, so that her beauty shone forth like the sun from behind the 
 clouds. She next opened her nutshell, and brought out of it the dress 
 that shone like the sun, and so went to the feast. livery one m.ade 
 w^ay for her, for nobody knew her, and they thought she could be no 
 less than a king's daughter. But the king came up to her and held out 
 his hand and danced with her, and he thought in his heart, " 1 never 
 saw any one half so beautiful." 
 
 When the dance was at an end, she curtsied ; and when the king 
 looked round for her, she was gone, no one knew whither. The guards 
 who stood at the castle gate were called in ; but they had seen no one. 
 
 S 
 
258 
 
 CATS Km. 
 
 The truth was, that she had run into her little cabin, pulled off her 
 dress, blacked her face and hands, put on the fur-skin cloak, and was 
 Cat-skin again. When she went into the kitchen to her work, and began 
 to rake the ashes, the cook said, " Let that alone till ^the morning, and 
 heat the king's soup ; I should like to run iip now and give a peep ; 
 but take care you don't let a hair fall into it, or yoM will run a chanco 
 of never eating again." 
 
 As soon as the cook went away, Cat-skin heated the king's soup 
 and toasted up a slice of bread as nicely as ever she could ; and when 
 it was ready, she went and looked in the cabin for her little golden 
 ring, and put it into the dish in which the soup was. When the dance 
 was over, the king ordered his soup to be brought in, and it pleased 
 him so well, that he thought he had never tasted any so good before. 
 At the bottom he saw a gold ring lying, and as he could not make 
 out how it had got there, he ordered the cook to be sent for. The 
 cook was frightened when he heard the order, and said to Cat-skin, 
 " You must have let a hair fall into the soup ; if it be so you will have 
 a good beating." Then he went before the king, and he asked him 
 who had cooked the soup. " I did," answered he. But the king said, 
 " That is not true ; it was better done than you could do it." Then he 
 answered, " To tell the truth, I did not cook it, but Cat-skin did." 
 " Then let Cat-skin come up," said the king : and when she came, he 
 said to her, " Who are you ?" " I am a poor child," said she, " who has 
 lost both father and mother." " How came you in my palace ?" asked 
 he. " I am good for nothing," said she, " but to be scullion girl, and to 
 have boots and -shoes thrown at my head." " But how did you get the 
 ring that was in the soup ?" asked the king. But she would not own 
 that she knew anything about the ring ; so the king sent her away 
 again about her business. 
 
 After a time there was another feast, and Cat-skin asked the cook 
 
CAT-SKIK 
 
 259 
 
 to let her go up and see it as before. " Yes," said he, " but come back . 
 again in half an hour, and cook the king the soup that he likes 
 so much." Then she ran to her little cabin, washed herself quickly, 
 and took the dress out which was silvery as the moon, and put it on ; 
 and when she went in looking like a king's daughter, the king went up * 
 to her and rejoiced at seeing her again, and when the dance began, he 
 danced with her. After the dance was at an end, she managed to slip 
 out so slily that the king did not see where she was gone ; but she 
 sprang into her little cabin and made herself into Cat-skin again, and 
 went into the kitchen to cook the soup. Whilst the cook was above, 
 she got the golden necklace, and dropped it into the soup ; then it was 
 brought to the king, who ate it, and it pleased him as well as before ; 
 so he sent for the cook, who was again forced to tell him that Cat-skin 
 had cooked it. Cat-skin was brought again before the king : but she 
 still told him that she was only fit to have the boots and shoes thrown 
 at her head. 
 
 But when the king had ordered a feast to be got ready for the 
 third time, it happened just the same as before. " You must be a 
 v/itch, Cat-skin," said the cook ; " for you always put something into 
 the soup, so that it pleases the king better than mine." However, he 
 let her go up as before. Then she put on the dress which sparkled 
 like the stars, and went into the ball-room in it ; and the king danced 
 with her again, and thought she had never looked so beautiful as she did 
 then : so whilst he was dancing with her, he put a gold ring on her 
 finger without her seeing it, and ordered that the dance should be 
 kept up a long time. When it was at an end, he would have held her 
 fast by the hand ; but she slipped away and sprang so quickly through 
 the crowd that he lost sight of her ; and she ran as fast as she could 
 into her little cabin under the stairs. But this time she kept away too 
 long, and stayed beyond the half-hour ; so she had not time to take olf 
 
260 CAT-SKIN. 
 
 her fine dress, but threw her fur mantle over it, and in her haste did 
 not soot herself all over, but left one finger white. 
 
 Then she ran into the kitchen, and cooked the king's soup ; and as 
 soon as the cook was gone she put the golden brooch into the dish. 
 "When the king got to the bottom, he ordered Cat-skin to be called 
 once more, and soon saw the white finger and the ring that he had put 
 on it whilst they were dancing ; so he seized her hand, and kept fast 
 hold of it, and when she wanted to loose herself and spring away, the 
 cloak fell off a little on one side, and the starry dress sparkled under- 
 neath it. Then he got hold of the fur and tore it off, and her golden 
 hair and beautiful form were seen, and she could no longer hide 
 herself: so she washed the soot and ashes from off her face, and 
 showed herself to be the most beautiful princess upon the face of the 
 earth. But the king said, " You are my beloved bride, and we will 
 never more be parted from each other."' And the wedding feast was 
 held, and a merry day it was. 
 
THE ROBBEE-BRIDEGROOM. 
 
 THEKE was once a miller who had a pretty daughter ; and when 
 she was grown up, he thought to himself, " If a seemly man 
 should come to ask her for his wife, I will give her to him that she 
 may be taken care of" Now it so happened that one did come, who 
 seemed to be very rich, and behaved very well ; and as the miller 
 saw no reason to find fault with him, he said he should have his 
 daughter. Yet the maiden did not love him quite so well as a 
 bride ought to love her bridegroom, but, on the other hand, soon 
 began to feel a kind of inward shuddering whenever she saw or 
 thought of him. 
 
 One day he said to her, " Why do you not come and see my home, 
 since you are to be my bride ?" "I do not know where your house is," 
 said the girl. " 'Tis out there," said her bridegroom, " yonder, in the 
 dark green wood." Then she began to try and avoid going, and said, 
 " But I cannot find the way thither." " Well, but yOu must come and . 
 see me next Sunday," said the bridegroom ; "I have asked some guests 
 to meet you, and that you may find your way through the wood, I will • 
 strew ashes for you along the path." 
 
 When Sunday came and the maiden was to go out, she felt very 
 much troubled, and took care to put on two pockets, and filled them 
 with peas and beans. She soon came to the wood, and found her path 
 strewed with ashes ; so she followed the track, and at every step threw 
 
262 
 
 TEE ROBBER-BRIDEGROOM. 
 
 a pea on the right and a bean on the left side of the road ; and thus she 
 journeyed on the whole day till she came to a house which stood in the 
 middle of the dark wood. She saw no one within, and all was quite 
 still, till on a sudden she heard a voice cry, 
 
 " Turn again, bonny bride ! 
 Turn again home ! 
 Haste from the robber's den, 
 Haste away home i" 
 
 She looked around, and saw a little bird sitting in a cage that 
 hung over the door ; and he flapped his wings, and again she heard 
 him cry, 
 
 " Turn again, bonny bride ! 
 Turn again home ! 
 ' ■ Haste from the robber's den, 
 
 Haste away home !" 
 
 However, the bride went in, and roamed along from one room to 
 another, and so over all the house ; but it was quite empty, and not a 
 Eoul could she see. At last she came to a room where a very very old 
 woman was sitting. " Pray, can you tell me, my good woman," said 
 she, " if my bridegroom lives here ?" " Ah ! my dear child !" said the 
 old woman, " you are come to fall into the trap laid for you : your 
 vredding can only be with Death, for the robber will surely take 
 away your life ! if I do not save you, you are lost !" so she hid 
 the bride behind a large cask, and then said to her, " Do not 
 stir or move yourself at all lest some harm should befall you ; and 
 when the robbers are asleep we will run off; I have long wished 
 to get away." 
 
 She had hardly done this when the robbers came in, and brought 
 
THE ROBBER-BRIDEGROOM. 
 
 263 
 
 another young maiden with them that had been ensnared like the 
 bride. Then they l^egan to feast and drink, and were deaf to her 
 shrieks and groans : and they gave her some wine to drink, three 
 glasses, one of white, one of red, and one of yellow ; upon which she 
 fainted and fell down dead. Now the bride began to grow very 
 nneasy behind the cask, and thought that she too must die in her turn. 
 Then the one that was to be her bridegToom saw that there was a gold 
 ring on the little finger of the maiden they had murdered ; and as he 
 tried to snatch it ofi", it flew up in the air and fell down again behind 
 the cask just in the bride's lap. So he took a light, and searched 
 about all round the room for it, but could not find anything; and 
 another of the robbers said, " Have you looked behind the large cask 
 yet ?" " Pshaw !" said the old woman, " Gome, sit still and eat your 
 supper now, and leave the ring alone till to-morrow; it wont run 
 away, I'll warrant." 
 
 So the robbers gave up the search, and went on with their eating 
 and drinking ; but the old woman dropped a sleeping-draught into 
 their wine, and they laid themselves down and slept, and snored 
 roundly. And when the bride heard this, she stepped out from behind 
 the cask ; and as she was forced to walk over the sleepers, who were 
 lying about on the floor, she trembled lest she should awaken some of 
 them. But Heaven aided her, so that she soon got through her danger ; 
 and the old woman went up stairs with her, and they both ran away 
 from this murderous den. The ashes that had been strewed were now 
 air't)^bwn away, but the peas and beans had taken root and were 
 springing up, and showed her the way by the light of the moon. 
 So they walked the whole night, and in the morning reached 
 the mill; when the bride told her father all that had happened 
 to her. 
 
264 
 
 THE ROBBER-BRIDEGROOM. 
 
 As soon as the day arrived when the wedding was to take place, 
 the bridegroom came ; aad the miller gave orders that all his friends 
 and relations should be asked to the feast. And as they were all 
 sitting at table, one of them proposed that each of the guests should 
 tell some tale. Then the bridegroom said to the bride, when it came 
 to her turn, " Well, my dear, do you know nothing ? come tell us some 
 story." " Yes," answered she, " I can tell you a dream that I dreamt. 
 I once thought I was going through a wood, and went on and on till 
 I came to a house where there was not a soul to be seen, but a bird in 
 a cage, that cried out twice, 
 
 " * Turn again, bonny bride ! 
 Turn again home ! 
 Haste from the robber's den, 
 Haste away home 
 
 — I only dreamt that, my love. Then I went through all the rooms, 
 which were quite empty, until I came to a room where there sat a 
 very old woman ! and I said to her, ' Does my bridegroom live here V 
 but she answered, ' Ah ! my dear child ! . you have fallen into a 
 murderer's snare ; your bridegroom will surely kill you — I only 
 dreamt tkat, my love. But she hid me behind a large cask ; and 
 hardly had she done this, when the robbers came in dragging a young 
 woman along with them ; then they gave her three kinds of wine to 
 drink, white, red, and yellow, till she fell dead upon the ground ; — I 
 only dreamt that, my love. After they had done this, one of the 
 robbers saw that there was a gold ring on her little linger, and 
 snatched at it ; but it flew up to the ceiling, and then fell behind the 
 great cask just where I was, and into, my lap ; and here is the ring !" 
 
TEE ROBBER'BRIDEQROOM, 
 
 265 
 
 At these words she brought out the ring and showed it to the 
 guests. 
 
 When the robber saw all this, and heard what she said, he grew as 
 pale as ashes with fright, and wanted to run off ; but the guests held 
 him fast and gave him up to justice, so that he and all his gang met 
 with the due reward of their wickedness. 
 
 1 
 
2G6 
 
 THE THREE SLUGGARDS. 
 
 THE king of a country a long way off had three sons. He liked 
 one as well as another, and did not know which to leave his 
 kingdom to after his death : so when he was dying he called them ail 
 to him, and said, " Dear children, the laziest sluggard of the three shall 
 be king after me." " Then," said the eldest, " the kingdom is mine ; for 
 I am so lazy that when I lie down to sleep, if anything were to fall 
 into my eyes so that I could not shut them, I should still go on 
 sleeping." The second said, " Father, the kingdom belongs to me ; for 
 I am so lazy that when I sit by the fire to warm mj^self, I would 
 sooner have my toes burnt than take the trouble to draw my legs 
 back." The third said, "Father, the kingdom is mine; for I am 
 so lazy that if I were going to be hanged, with the rope round 
 my neck, and somebody were to put a sharp knife into my hands 
 to cut it, I had rather be hanged than raise my hand to do it." "When 
 the father heard this, he said, " You shall be the king ; for you are the 
 fittest man." 
 
TEE SEYEN EAVENS. 
 
 THERE was once a man who had seven sons, and last of all one 
 daughter. Although the little girl was very pretty, she was so 
 weak and small that they thought she could not live; but they said 
 she should at once be christened. 
 
 So the father sent one of his sons in haste to the spring to get some 
 water, but the other six ran with him. Each wanted to be first at 
 drawing the water, and so they were in such a hurry that all let their 
 pitchers fall into the well, and they stood very foolishly looking at one 
 another, and did not know what to do, for none dared go home. 
 In the meantime the father was uneasy, and could not tell what made 
 the young men stay so long. " Surely," said he ; " the whole seven 
 must have forgotten themselves over some game of play ;" and when 
 he had waited still longer and they yet did not come, he flew into 
 a rage and wished them all turned into ravens. Scarcely had he 
 spoken these words when he heard a croaking over his head, and 
 looked up and saw seven ravens as black as coals flying round 
 and round. Sorry as he was to see his wish so fiilfilled, he did 
 not know how what was done could be undone, and comforted himself 
 as well as he could for the loss of his seven sons with his dear 
 little daughter, who soon became stronger and every day more 
 beautiful. 
 
 For a long time she did not know that she had ever had any 
 J^rotliers ; for her father and mother took care not to speak of them 
 before her : but one day by chance she heard the people about her 
 
268 
 
 THE SEVEN RAVENS. 
 
 speak of them. "Yes," said they, "she is beautiful indeed, but still 
 'tis a pity that her brothers should have been lost for her sake," Then 
 she ATas much grieved, and went to her father and mother, and asked 
 if she had any brothers, and what had become of them. So they dared 
 no longer hide the truth from her, but said it was the will of Heaven, 
 and that her birth was only the innocent cause of it ; but the little 
 girl mourned sadly about it every day, and thought herself bound to do 
 all she could to bring her brothers back ; and she had neither rest nor 
 ease, till at length one day she stole away, and set out into the wide 
 world to find her brothers, wherever they might be, and free them, 
 whatever it might cost her. 
 
 She took nothing with her but a little ring which her father and 
 mother had given her, a loaf of bread in case she should be hungry, a 
 little pitcher of water in case she should be thirsty, and a little stool to 
 rest upon when she should be weary. Thus she went on and on, and 
 journeyed till she came to tho worlds end; then she came to the sun, 
 but the sun looked much too hot and fiery ; so she ran away quickly 
 to the moon, but the moon was cold and chilly, and said, " I smell 
 flesh and blood this vf ay !" so she took herself away in a hurry and 
 came to the stars, and the stars were friendly and kind to her, and each 
 star sat upon his own little stool ; but the morning star rose up and 
 gave her a little piece of wood, and said, " If you have not this little 
 piece of wood, you cannot unlock the castle that stands on the glass- 
 mountain, and there your brothers live." The little girl took the piece 
 of wood, rolled it up in a little cloth, and went on again until she came 
 to the oflass-mountain, and found the door shut. Then she felt for the 
 little piece of wood : but when she unwrapped the cloth it was not 
 there, and she saw she had lost the gift of the good stars. What was 
 to be done ? she wanted to save her brothers, and had no key of the 
 castle of the glass-mountain ; so this faithful little sister took a knife 
 
THE SEVEN RAVENS. 
 
 269 
 
 out of her pocket and cut off her little finger, that was just the 
 size of the piece of wood she had lost, and put it in the door and 
 opened it. 
 
 As she went in, a little dwarf came up to her, and said, " What are 
 you seeking for ?" " I seek for my brothers, the seven ravens," 
 answered she. Then the dwarf said, " My masters are not at home ; 
 but if you will wait till they come, pray step in." Now the little dwarf 
 was getting their dinner ready, and he brought their food upon seven 
 little plates, and their drink in seven little glasses, and set them upon 
 the table, and out of each little plate their sister ate a small piece, and 
 out of each little glass she drank a small drop ; but she let the ring- 
 that she had brought with her fall into the last glass. 
 
 On a sudden she heard a fluttering and croaking^ in the air, and the 
 dwarf said, " Here come m}^ masters." When they came in, they 
 wanted to eat and drink, and looked for their little plates and glasses. 
 Then said one after the other, " Who has eaten from my little plate ? 
 and who has been drinking out of my little glass ? 
 
 " Caw ! Caw ! well I ween 
 Mortal lips have this way been." 
 
 When the seventh came to the bottom of his glass, and found there the 
 ring, he looked at it, and knew that it was his father's and mother's, 
 and said, " Oh, that our little sister would but come ! then we should 
 be free." When the little girl heard this (for she stood behind the door 
 all the time and listened), she ran forward, and in an instant all 
 the ravens took their right form again ; and all hugged and kissed each 
 other, and went merrily home. 
 
270 
 
 KOLAND AND MAY-BIUD. 
 
 THERE was once a poor man who went every day to cut wood in 
 the forest. One day as he went along he heard a cry like a 
 little child's ; so he followed the sound till at last he looked up a high 
 tree, and on one of the branches sat a very little girl. Its mother had 
 fallen asleep, and a vulture had taken it out of her lap and flown away 
 with it and left it on the tree. Then the wood-cutter climbed up, 
 took the little child down, and said to himself, " I will take this poor 
 child home and bring it up with my own son Eoland." So he brought 
 it to his cottage, and both grew up together ; and he called the little 
 girl May -bird, because he had found her on a tree in May ; and May- 
 bird and Roland were so very fond of each other that they were never 
 happy but when they were together. 
 
 But the wood-cutter became very poor, and had nothing in the 
 world he could call his own, and indeed he had scarcely bread enough 
 for his wife and the two children to eat. At last the time came when 
 even that was all gone, and he knew not where to seek for help in his 
 need. Then at night, as he lay on his bed and turned himself here 
 and there, restless and full of care, his wife said to him, " Husband, 
 listen to me, and take the two children out eaiiy to-morrow 
 morning; give each of them a piece of bread, and then lead them into 
 the midst of the wood where it is thickest, make a Are for them, and 
 go away and leave them alone to shift for themselves, for we can no 
 longer keep them here." "No, wife," said the husband, "I cannot 
 find it in my heart to leave the children to the wild beasts of the 
 forest, who v/ould soon tear them to pieces." " Well, if you will not 
 
ROLAND AND MAY- BIRD. 
 
 271 
 
 do as I say," answered the wife, " we must all starve together :" and 
 she let him have no peace until he came into her plan. 
 
 Meantime the poor children too were lying awake, restless and 
 weak from hunger, so that they heard all that their mother said 
 to her husband. " Now," thought May-bird to herself, " it is all up 
 with us : " and she began to weep. But Roland crept to her bed-side, 
 and said, " Do not be afraid. May-bird, I will find out some help for 
 us." Then he got up, put on his jacket, and opened the door and went 
 out. 
 
 The moon shone bright upon the little court before the cottage, 
 and the white pebbles glittered like daisies on the green meadows. 
 So he stooped down, and put as many as he could into his pocket, 
 and then went back to the honse. " Now, May-bird," said he, " rest in 
 peace ;" and he went to bed and fell fast asleep. 
 
 Early in the morning, before the sun had risen, the woodman's 
 wife came and awoke them. " Get up, children," said she ; " we are 
 going into the wood ; there is a piece of bread for each of you, but 
 take care of it and keep some for the afternoon." May-bird took the 
 bread, and carried it in her apron, because Roland had his pocket full 
 of stones, and they made their way into the wood. 
 
 After they had walked on for a time, Roland stood still and looked 
 towards home, and after awhile turned again, and so on several times. 
 Then his father said, " Roland, why do you keep turning and lagging 
 about so ? move you legs on a little faster." " Ah ! father," 
 answered Roland, " I am stopping to look at my white cat that sits on 
 the roof, and wants to say good-bye to me.". " You little fool !" said 
 his mother, " that is not your cat ; 'tis the morning sun shining on the 
 chimney top." Now Roland had not been looking at the cat, but had 
 all the while been staying behind to drop from his pocket one white 
 pebble after another along the road. 
 
ROLAND AND MAY-BIRT). 
 
 When they came into the midst of the wood, tKe woodman said, 
 " R.un about, children, and pick up some wood, and I will make a fire 
 i<y keep iis all warm." So they piled up a little heap of brushwood, 
 and set it a-fire ; and as the flame burnt bright, the mother said, " Now 
 set yourselves by the fire and go to sleep, while we go and cut wood 
 in the forest ; be sure you wait till we come again and fetch you." 
 Roland and May -bird sat by the fire-side till the afternoon, and then 
 each of them ate their piece of bread. They fancied the woodma^n Avas 
 still in the wood, because they thought they heard the blows of his 
 axe ; but it Avas a bough which he had cunning]}^ hung upon a tree, so 
 that the wind blew it backwards and forwards, a.nd it sounded like 
 the axe as it hit the other boughs. Thus they waited till evening ; 
 but the woodman and his wife kept away, and no one came to fetch them. 
 
 When it was quite d?vrk May -bird began to cry ; but Roland said, 
 " Wait awhile till the moon rises." And when the m.oon rose, he took 
 her by the hand, and there lay the pebbles along the ground, glittering 
 like new pieces of money, and marked the way out. Towards morning 
 they came again to the woodman's liouse, and he was glad in his heart 
 when he saw the children again ; for he had grieved at leaving them 
 alone. His wife also seemed to be glad; but in her heart she was 
 angry at it. 
 
 Not long after there was again no bread in the house, and May-bird 
 and Roland heard the wife say to her husband, " The children found 
 their way back once, and I took it in good part ; but there is only 
 half a loaf of bread left for them in the house ; tc-morrow you must 
 take them deevper into the wood, tliat they may not find their way out, 
 or we shall all l>e starved." It grieved the husband in his heart to do 
 as his wife wished, and he thought it would be better to share their 
 last morsel with the children ; but as he had done as she said once, he 
 did not dare to say no. Wlien the children had heard all their plan. 
 
ROLAND AND MAT-BIRD. 
 
 273 
 
 Roland got up and wanted to pick up pebbles as before ; but when he 
 came to the door he found his mother had locked it. Still he comforted 
 May-bird, and said, " Sleep in peace, dear May-bird ; God is very kind, 
 and will help us." Early in the morning a piece of bread was given 
 to each of them, but still smaller than the one they had before. Upon 
 the road Roland crumbled his in his pocket, and often stood still, and 
 threw a crumb upon the ground. " Why do you lag so behind, 
 Roland ?" said the woodman ; " go your ways on before." " I am 
 looking at my little dove that is sitting upon the roof and wants to 
 say good-bye to me." " You silly boy !" said the wife, " that is not 
 your little dove, it is the morning sun that shines on the chimney top." 
 But Roland went on crumbling his bread, and throv/ing it on the 
 ground. And thus they went on still further into the wood, where 
 they had never been before in all their life. There they were again 
 told to sit down by a large fire, and sleep ; and the woodman and his 
 vvdfe said they would come in the evening and fetch them away. In 
 the afternoon Roland shared May-bird's bread, because he had strevv ed 
 all his upon the road ; but the day passed away, and evening passed 
 away too, and no one came to the poor children. Still Roland 
 comforted May-bird, and said, " V*^ait till the moon rises ; then I shall 
 see the crumbs of bread v/hich I have strewed, and they will show us 
 the way home." ' 
 
 The moon rose; but when Roland looked for the crumbs, they 
 v/ere gone ; for thousands of little birds in the wood had found them 
 and picked them up. Roland, however, set out to try and find his 
 way home ; but they soon lost themselves in the wilderness, and went 
 on through the night and all the next day, till at last they lay down 
 and fell asleep for weariness : and another day they went on as before, 
 but still did not reach the end of the wood, and were as hungry as 
 could be, for they had nothing to eat. 
 
 T 
 
274 ^-^ ROLAND AND MAY-BIRD. 
 
 In the afternoon of the third day they came to a strange little 
 hut, made of bread, with a roof of cake, and windows of sparkling 
 sugar. " Isow we will sit down and eat till we have had enough," said 
 Roland ; " I will eat off the roof for my share ; do you eat the 
 windows, May-bird, they will be nice and sweet for you." Whilst 
 !May-bird, however, was picking at the sugar, a sweet pretty voice 
 called from within ; 
 
 " Tip, tap ! who goes there 2" 
 But the childi'en answered ; 
 
 " The wind, the wind, 
 That blows through the air f 
 
 and went on eating ; and May-biixl broke out a round pane of the 
 window for herself, and Roland tore off a large piece of cake from the 
 roof, when the door opened, and a little old fairy came gliding out. 
 At this May-bird and Roland were so frightened, that they let fall 
 what they had in their hands. But the old lady shook her head, and 
 said, " Dear childi'en, where have you been wandering about ? come in 
 with me; you shall have something good." So she took them both by 
 the hand, and led them into her little hut, and brought out plenty to 
 eat, — milk and pancakes, with sugar, apples, and nuts ; and then two 
 beautiful little beds were got ready, and May-bh'd and Roland laid them- 
 selves down, and thought they were in heaven : but the fairy was a 
 spiteful one, and had made her pretty sweetmeat house to entrap little 
 children. Early in the morning, before they were awake, she went to 
 their little bed, and when she saw the two sleeping and looking so 
 sweetly, she had no pity on them, but was glad they were in her 
 power. Then she took up Roland, and put him in a little coop by 
 himself; and when he awoke, he found himself behind a grating, shut , 
 
ROLAND AND MAY-BIRD, 
 
 up as little chickens are: but she shook May-bird, and called out^ 
 " Get up you lazy little thing, and fetch some water ; and go into the 
 kitchen and cook something good to eat : your brother is shut up 
 yonder ; I shall first fatten him, and when he is fat, I think I shall 
 eat him." 
 
 When the fairy was gone, the little girl watched her time and got 
 up and ran to Eoland, and told him what she had heard, and said, 
 " We must run away quickly, for the old woman is a bad fairy, and 
 will kill us." But Roland said, " You must first steal away her fairy 
 wand, that we may save ourselves, if she should follow." Then the 
 little maiden ran back and fetched the magic wand, and away they 
 went together ; so when the old fairy came back, she could see no one 
 at home, and sprang in a great rage to the window, and looked out 
 into the wide world (which she could do far and near), and a long way 
 ofi" she spied May-bird running away with her dear Roland ; " You 
 are already a great way ofi"," said she ; " but you will still fall into my 
 hands." Then she put on her boots, which walked several miles at a 
 step, and scarcely made two steps with them, before she overtook the 
 children : but May-bird saw that the fpary was coming after them, and 
 by the help of the wand turned her dear Roland into a lake, and 
 heraelf into a swan which swam about in the middle of it. So the 
 .fairy set herself down on the shore, and took a great deal of trouble to 
 decoy the swan, and threw crumbs of bread to it ; but it would not 
 come near her, and she was forced to go home in the evening, without 
 taking her revenge. And May-bird changed herself and her dear 
 Roland back into their own forms once more, and they went 
 journeying on the whole night until the dawn of day; and then 
 the maiden turned herself into a beautiful rose, which grew in the 
 midst of a quick-set hedge, and Roland sat by the side and played 
 upon his flute. 
 
 T 2 
 
276 
 
 ROLAND AND MAY-BIRD. 
 
 The fairy soon came striding along. " Good piper/' said she, " may 
 I pluck the beautiful rose for myself?" "0 yes/' answered he; " and 
 I will play to you meantime." So when she had crept into the 
 hedge in a great hurry to g^ather the flower (for she well knew what it 
 was), he began to play upon his flute ; and, whether she liked it or 
 not, such was the wonderful power of the music that she was forced to 
 dance a merry jig, on and on without any rest. And as he did not 
 cease playing a moment, the thorns at length tore the clothes from off 
 her body, and pricked her sorely, and there she stuck quite fast. 
 
 Then May-bird was free once more ; but she was veiy tired, and 
 Roland said, " Now I will hasten home for help, and by and by we 
 will be married." And May-bird said, " I will stay here in the mean 
 time and wait for you ; and, that no one may know me, I will turn 
 myself into a stone and lie in the corner of yonder field." Then 
 Koland went away, and May-bird was to wait for him. But Eoland 
 met with another maiden, who pleased him so much that he stopped 
 where she lived, and forgot his former friend ; and when May-bird 
 had stayed in the field a long time, and found he did not come back, 
 she became quite sorrowful, and turned herself into a little daisy, and 
 thought to herself, " Some one will come and tread me under foot, and 
 so my sorrows will end." But it so happened that as a shepherd was 
 keeping watch in the field he found the flower, and thinking it very 
 pretty, took it home, placed it in a box in his room, and said, " I have 
 never found so pretty a flower before." From that time everything 
 throve wonderfully at the shepherd's house : when he got up in the 
 morning, all the household work was ready done ; the room was 
 swept and cleaned ; the fire made, and the water fetched : and in 
 the afternoon, when he came home, the table-cloth was laid and a good 
 dinner ready set for him. He could not make out how all this 
 happened ; for he saw no one in his house : and althoLigh it pleased 
 
ROLAND AND MAY-BIRD, 
 
 277 
 
 him well enough, he was at length troubled to think how it could be, 
 and went to a cunning woman who lived hard by, and asked her what 
 he should do. She said, " There must be witchcraft in it ; look out to- 
 morrow morning early, and see if anything stirs about in the room ; if 
 it does, throw a white cloth at once over it, and then the witchcraft 
 will be stopped." The shepherd did as she said, and the next morning- 
 saw the box open and the daisy come out : then he sprang up quickly 
 and threw a white cloth over it : in an instant the spell was broken, 
 and May-bird stood before him ; for it was she who had taken care of 
 his house for him ; and as she was so beautiful he asked her if she 
 would marry him. She said " JSTo," because she wished to be faithful 
 to her dear Koland ; but she agreed to stay and keep house for him. 
 
 Time passed on, and Roland was to be married to the maiden that 
 he had found ; and according to an old custom in that land, all the 
 maidens were to com.e and sing songs in praise of the bride and 
 bridegroom. But May-bird was so grieved when she heard that her 
 dearest Roland had forgotten her, and was to be married to another, 
 that her heart seemed as if it would burst within her, and she would 
 not go for a long time. At length she was forced to go with the rest ; 
 but she kept hiding herself behind the others until she was left the 
 last. Then she could not any longer help coming forward ; and the 
 moment she began to sing, Roland sprang up, and cried out, " That is 
 the true bride ; I will have no other but her for he, knew her by the 
 sound of her voice ; and all that he had forgotten came back into his 
 mind, and his heart was opened towards her. So faithful May-bird 
 was married to her dear Roland, and there was an end of her sorrows ; 
 and from that time forward she lived happily till she died. 
 
278 
 
 THE MOUSE, THE BIED, AND THE SAUSAGE. 
 
 ONCE upon a time a mouse, a bird, and a sausage took it into their 
 heads to keep house together : and to be sure they managed to 
 live for a long time very comfortably and happily ; and beside that 
 added a great deal to their store, so as to become very rich. It was 
 the bird's business to fly every day into the forest and bring wood ; 
 the mouse had to carry the water, to make the fire, and lay the cloth 
 for dinner ; but the sausage was cook to the household. 
 
 He who is too well off often begins to be lazy and to long for 
 something fresh. Now it happened one day that our bird met with 
 one of his friends, to whom he boasted greatly of his good plight. But 
 the other bird laughed at him for a poor fool, who worked hard, whilst 
 the two at home had an easy job of it : for when the mouse had made 
 her fire and fetched the water, she went and laid down in her own 
 little room till she was called to lay the cloth ; and the sausage sat by 
 the pot, and had nothing to do but to see that the food was well 
 cooked ; and when it was meal time, had only to butter, salt, and get 
 it ready to eat, which it could do in a minute. The bird flew home, 
 and having laid his burden on the ground, they all sat down to table, 
 and after they had made their meal slept soundly until the next 
 morning. Could any life be more glorious than this ? 
 
 The next day the bird, who had been told what to do by his friend, 
 would not go into the forest, saying, he had waited on them, and been 
 made a fool of long enough; they should change about, and take 
 their turns at the work. Although the mouse and the sausage begged 
 
THE MOUSE, THE BIRD, AND THE SAUSAGE. 
 
 279 
 
 hard that things might go on as they were, the bird carried the 
 day. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon the sausage to fetch 
 wood, while the mouse was to be cook, and the bird was to bring 
 the water. 
 
 What happened by thus taking people from their proper work? 
 The sausage set out towards the wood, the little bird made a fire, 
 the mouse set on the pot, and only waited for the sausage to come 
 home and bring wood for the next day. But the sausage kept away 
 so long that they both thought something must have happened to him, 
 and the bird flew out a little way to look out for him ; but not far 
 off he found a dog on the road, who said he had met with a poor 
 little sausage, and taking him for fair prey, had laid hold of him and 
 knocked him down. The bird made a charge against the dog of open 
 robbery and murder ; but words were of no use, for the dog said, he 
 found the sausage out of its proper work, and under false colours ; and 
 so he was taken for a spy and lost his life. The little bird took up the 
 wood very sorrowfully, and went home and told what he had seen and 
 heard. The mouse and he were ver\^ much grieved, but agreed to do 
 their best and keej:) together. 
 
 The little bird undertook to spread the table, and the mouse 
 got ready the dinner; but when she went to dish it up, she fell 
 into the pot and was dromied. When tlie bird came into the kitchen 
 and wanted the dinner to put upon the table, no cook was to be 
 seen : so he threw the wood about here, there, and everywhere, and 
 called and sought on all sides, but still could not find the cook. 
 Meantime the fire fell upon the wood and set it on fire ; the bird 
 hastened away to get water, but his bucket fell into the well, and he 
 after it ; and so ends the story of this clever family. 
 
 V.' . 
 
280 
 
 THE JUNIPEE THEE. 
 
 ALONG while ago, perhaps as much as two thousand years, there 
 was a rich man who had a wife of whom he was very fond ; but 
 they had no children. Now in the garden before the house where they 
 lived, there stood a juniper tree ; and one winter's day as the lady v^as 
 standing under the juniper tree, paring an apple, she cut her finger, 
 and the drops of blood trickled down upon the snow. " Ah !" said she, 
 sighing deeply and looking down upon the blood, " how happy should 
 I be if I had a little child as white as snow and as red as blood !" 
 And as she was saying this, she grew quite cheerful, and was sure her 
 wish would be fulfilled. And after a little time the snow went away, 
 and soon afterwards the fields began to look green. Next the spring- 
 came, and the meadows were dressed with flowers; the trees put forth 
 their green leaves ; the young branches shed their blossoms upon the 
 ground ; and the little birds sang through the groves. And then came 
 summer, and the sweet-smelling flowers of the juniper tree began to 
 unfold; and the lady's heart leaped within her, and she fell on her 
 knees for joy. But when autumn drew near, the fruit was thick upon 
 the trees. Then the lady plucked the red berries from the juniper tree, 
 and looked sad and sorrowful ; and she called her husband to her, and 
 said, " If I die, bury me under the juniper tree." Not long after this a 
 pretty little child was born ; it was, as the lady wished, as red as 
 blood and as white as snow ; and as soon as she had looked upon it, 
 her joy overcame her, and she fainted away and died. 
 
 Then her husband buried her under the juniper tree, and wept and 
 
THE JUNIPER TREE. 
 
 281 
 
 mourned over her ; but after a little while he grew better, and at length 
 dried up his tears, and married another wife. 
 
 Time passed on and he had a daughter born ; but the child of his 
 first wife, that was as red as blood and as white as snow, was a little 
 boy. The mother loved her daughter very much, but hated the little 
 boy, and bethought herself how she might get all her husband's money 
 for her own child ; so she used the poor fellow very harshly, and was 
 always pushing him about from one corner of the house to another, 
 and thumping him one while and pinching him another, so that he was 
 for ever in fear of her, and when he came home from school could never 
 find a place in the house to play in. 
 
 Now it happened that once, when the mother was going into her 
 store-room, the little girl came up tQ her, and said, ''Mother, may I 
 have an apple ?" " Yes, my dear," said she, and gave her a nice rosy 
 apple out of the chest. Now you must know that this chest had a 
 very thick heavy lid, v/ith a great sharp iron lock upon it, " Mother/' 
 said the little girl, " pray give me one for my little brother too." 
 Her mother did not much like this ; however, she said, " Yes, 
 my child; when he comes from school, he shall have one too." As 
 she was speaking, she looked out of the window and saw the 
 little boy coming; so she took the apple from her daughter, and 
 threw it back into the chest and shut the lid, telling her that 
 she should have it ao-ain v/hen her brother came home. When the 
 little boy came to the door, this wicked woman said to him with a 
 kind voice, " Come in, my dear, and I will give you an apple." 
 
 How kind you are, mother 1" said the little boy ; " I should like to 
 ]mve an apple very much." " Well, come with me then," said she. So 
 she took him into the store-room and lifted up the cover of the chest, 
 and said, "There, take one out yourself;" and then, as the little boy 
 stooped down to reach one of the apples out of the chest, bang ! she let 
 
282 ^ THE JUNIPER TREE. 
 
 the lid fall, so hard that his head fell off amongst the apples. 
 When she found what she had done, she was very much frightened, 
 and did not know how she should get the blame off her shoulders. 
 However, she went into her bed-room, and took a white handkerchief 
 out of a drawer, and then fitted the little boy's head upon his neck, 
 and tied the handkerchief round it, so that no one could see what 
 had happened, and seated him on a stool before the door with the 
 apple in his hand. 
 
 Soon afterwards Margery came into the kitchen to her mother, 
 who was standing by the fire, and stirring about some hot water in a 
 pot. " Mother," said Margery, " my brother is sitting before the door 
 with an apple in his hand ; I asked him to give it me, but he did not 
 say a word, and looked so pale that I was quite frightened." 
 " Nonsense !" said her mother ; " go back again, and if he won't answer 
 you, give him a good box on the ear." Margery went back, and said, 
 " Brother, give me that apple." But he answered not a word ; so she 
 gave him a box on the ear ; and immediately his head fell ofi*. At 
 this, 3'ou may be sure she was sadly frightened, and ran screaming 
 out to her mother that she had knocked ofi" her brother's head, and 
 cried as if her heart would break. " Oh, Margery !" said her mother, 
 "what have you been doing? However, what is done cannot be 
 undone ; so we had better put him out of the way, and say nothing to 
 any one about it." 
 
 When the father came home to dinner, he said, " Where is my little 
 boy ?" And his wife said nothing, but put a large dish of black soup 
 upon the table ; and Margery wept bitterly all the time, and could not 
 hold up her head. And the father asked after his little boy again. 
 " Oh !" said his wife, " I should think he is gone to his uncle's." 
 " What business could he have to go away without bidding me 
 good-bye ?" said his father. " I know he wished very much to go," 
 
THE JUNIPER TREE, ^ 283 
 
 said the woman ; " and begged me to let him stay there some time ; he 
 will be well taken eare of there." " Ah," said the father, " I don't like 
 that ; he ought not to have gone away without wishing me good-bye." 
 And with that he began to eat ; but he seemed still sorrowful about 
 his son, and said, " Margery, what do you cry so for ? your brother will 
 come back again, I hope." But Margery by and by slipped out of the 
 room and went to her drawers and took her best silk handkerchief out 
 of them, and tying it round her little brother's bones, carried them out 
 of the house, weeping bitterly all the while, and laid them under 
 the juniper tree; and as soon as she had done this, her heart felt 
 lighter, and she left off crying. Then the juniper tree began to move 
 itself backwards and forwards, and to stretch its branches out, one 
 from another, and then bringing them together again, just like a person 
 clapping hands for joy : and after this, a kind of cloud came from 
 the tree, and in the middle of the cloud was a burning fire, and 
 out of the fire came a pretty bird, that flew away into the air, singing 
 merrily. And as soon as the bird was gone, the handkerchief and the 
 little boy were gone too, and the tree looked just as it had done before ; 
 but Margery felt quite happ}^ and joyful within herself, just as if she 
 had known that her brother had been alive again, and went into 
 the house and ate her dinner. 
 
 But the bird flew away, and perched upon the roof of a goldsmith's 
 house, and sang. ^ 
 " My mother slew her little son ; 
 
 My father thought me lost and gone ; 
 
 But pretty Margery pitied me, 
 
 And laid me under the juniper tree ; 
 
 And now I rove so merrily, 
 
 As over the hills and dales I fly : 
 Oh what a fine bird am 1 1" 
 
 The goldsmith was sitting in his shop finishing a gold chain ; and 
 
284 
 
 TEE JUNIPER TREE. 
 
 when he heai'd the Hrd singing on the house-top, he started up so 
 suddenly that one of his shoes slipped off ; however, without stopping 
 to put it on again, he ran out into the street ^vith his apron on, holding 
 his pincers in one hand, and the gold chain in the other. And when 
 he saw the bird sitting on the roof with the sun shining on its bright 
 feathers, he said, " Hoy/ sweetly you sing, my pretty bird ! pray sing 
 that song again." " ISTo," said the bird, "I can't sing twice for nothing ; 
 if you will give me that gold chain, I'll try what I can do." " There," 
 said the goldsmith, " take the chain, only pra}^ sing that song again." 
 So the bird flew down, and taking the chain in its right claw, perched a 
 little nearer to the goldsmith, and sang : 
 
 " My mother slew her little son ; 
 
 My father thought me lost and gone : 
 
 But pretty Margery pitied me, i 
 And laid me under the juniper tree j 
 And now I rove so merrily, 
 As over the hills and dales I fly ; 
 Oh what a fine bird am I !" 
 
 After that the bird flew away to a shoemaker's, and sitting upon 
 the roof of the house, sang the same song as it had done before. 
 
 When the shoemaker heard the song, he ran to the door without 
 his coat, and looked up to the top of the house ; but he vras obliged to 
 hold his hand before his eyes, because the sun shone so brightly. 
 " Bird," said he, " how sweetly you sing !" Then he called into the 
 house, " Wife ! wife ! come out here, and see what a pretty bird is 
 singing on the top of our house ! ' and he called out his children and 
 workmen ; and they all ran out and stood gazing at the bird, with its 
 beautiful red and green feathers, and the bright golden ring about its 
 neck, and eyes which glittered like the stars. " O bird !" said the 
 shoemaker, ''pray sing that song again." "No," said the bird, "I 
 
THE JUJ^IPER TREE. 285 
 
 cannot sing twice for nothing ; you must give me something if I do." 
 " Wife," said the shoemaker, " run upstairs into the workshop, and 
 bring me down the best pair of new red shoes you can find." So his 
 wife ran and fetched them. " Here, my pretty bird," said the shoe- 
 maker, " talve these shoes ; but pray sing that song again." The bird 
 cam^ down, and taking the shoes in his left claw, flew up again to the 
 house-top, and sang : 
 
 " My mother slew her little son ; 
 My father thought me lost and gone : 
 But pretty Margery pitied me, 
 And laid me under the juniper tree ; 
 And now I rove so merrily, 
 As over the hills and dales I fly ; 
 Oh what a fine bird am I 
 
 And when he had done singing, he flew away, holding the shoes 
 in one claw and the chain in the other. And he flew a long, long way 
 off, till at last he came to a mill. The mill was going " Clipper, 
 clapper ! clipper, clapper !" and in the mill v/ere twenty millers, who 
 were all hard at work hewing a millstone ; and the millers hewed, 
 " Hick, hack ! hick, hack !" and the mill went on, " Clipper, clapper \ 
 clipper, clapper !" 
 
 So the bird perched upon a linden tree close by the mill, and began 
 
 its song : 
 
 *• My mother slew her little son ; 
 My father thought me lost and gone 
 
 here tv/o of the millers left off their work and listened : 
 
 " But pretty Margery pitied me, 
 And hxid me under the juniper tree 
 
 now all the millers but one looked up and left their work; 
 
286 
 
 THE JUNIPER TREE, 
 
 " And now I rove so merrily, 
 As over the hills and dales I fly : 
 0 what a fine bird am I !" 
 
 Just as tlie the song was ended, the last miller heard it, and started 
 up, and said, " O bird ! how sweetly you sing ! do let me hear the 
 whole of that song; pray, sing it again!" "No," said the bird, " I 
 cannot sing twice for nothing ; give me that millstone, and I'll sing 
 again." " Why," said the man, " the millstone does not belong to me ; 
 if it was all mine, you should have it and welcome." " Come," said 
 the other millers, " if he will only sing that song again, he shall have 
 the millstone." Then the bird came down from the tree : and the 
 twenty millers fetched long poles and worked and worked, "Heave, ho! 
 heave, ho !" till at last they raised the millstone on its side ; and then 
 the bird put its head through the hole in the middle of it, and flew 
 away to the linden tree, and sang the same song as it had done before. 
 
 And when he had done, he spread his wings, and with the chain in 
 one claw, and the shoes in the other, and the millstone about his neck, 
 he flew away to his father's house. 
 
 NoAv it happened that his father and mother and Margery were 
 sitting together at dinner. His father was saying, " How light and 
 cheerful I am !" But his mother said, " Oh, I am so heavy and so sad, 
 I feel just as if a great storm was coming on." And Margery said 
 nothing, but sat and cried. Just then the bird came flying along, and 
 perched upon the top of the house ; " Bless me !" said the father, " how 
 cheerful I am ; I feel as if I was about to see an old friend again." 
 " Alas !" said the mother, " I am so sad, and my teeth chatter so, and 
 yet it seems as if my blood was all on fire in my veins !" and she tore 
 open her gown to cool herself. And Margery sat by herself in a 
 corner, with her plate on her lap before her, and wept so bitterly that 
 she cried her plate quite full of tears. 
 
TEE JUNIPER TREE. 287 
 
 And the bird flew to the top of the juniper tree and sang : 
 
 " My mother slew her little sou ; — " 
 
 Then the mother held her ears with her hands, and shut her eyes 
 close, that she might neither see nor hear ; but there was a sound in 
 her ears like a frightful storm, and her eyes burned and glared like 
 lightning. 
 
 My father thought me lost and gone : — " 
 
 " 0 wife !" said the father, " what a beautiful bird that is, and how 
 finely he sings ; and his feathers glitter in the sun like so many 
 spangles !" 
 
 " But pretty Margery pitied me, 
 And laid me under the juniper tree ; — 
 
 At this Margery lifted up her head and sobbed sadly, and her father 
 said, " I must go out, and look at that bird a little nearer." " Oh 1 
 don't leave me alone," said his wife ; " I feel just as if the house was 
 burning." However, he would go out to look at the bird; and it went 
 on singing : 
 
 " But now I rove so merrily, 
 As over the hills and dales I fly : 
 O what a fine bird am I ! " 
 
 As soon as the bird had done singing, he let fall the gold chain 
 upon his father's neck, and it fitted so nicely that he went back into 
 the house and said, " Look here, what a beautiful chain the bird has 
 given me ; only see how grand it is !" But his wife was so frightened 
 that she fell all along on the floor, so that her cap flew offj and she lay 
 as if she were dead. And when the bird began singing again, Margery 
 said, " I must go out and see whether the bird has not something to 
 give me," And just as she was going out of the door, the bird let fall 
 
288 
 
 THE JUAUPER TREE. 
 
 the red shoes before her ; and when she had put on the shoes, she all 
 at once became quite light and happy, and jumped into the house and 
 said, " I was so heavy and sad when I went out, and now I am so 
 happy 1 see what fine shoes the bird has given me !" Then the 
 mother said, " Well, if the world should fall to pieces, I must go out 
 and try whether I shall not be better in the air." And as she was 
 going out, the bird let fail the millstone upon her head and crushed 
 her to pieces. 
 
 The father and Margery heai-ing the noise ran out, and saw 
 nothing but smoke and fire and flame rising up from the place ; and 
 when this was passed and gone, there stood the little boy beside them ; 
 and he took his father and Margeiy by the hand, and they went into 
 the house, and ate their dinner together very happily. 
 
NOTES. 
 
 291 
 
 there is one (No, 8) to tho same effect. The inci- 1 
 dent of picking up the pearls will remind the reader 
 of tho task of Psyche, in Apuleius, lib. iv., in 
 which ^he is assisted by the ants. 
 
 The Bog and the Sparrow, p. 57.—" Der Hund 
 und der Spyrling ;" told with variations iu Zwehrn, 
 Hesse, and Gottiiiafen. 
 
 Frederick and Catherine, p. 61.— *'Der Frieder 
 und das Ca^herhe&chen j" from Z^vehrn and Hesse. 
 Some of the incidents in this story are to be found 
 in that of Bardiello, in the Pentamerone, i. 4. We 
 have frequently heard it told in our younger days 
 as a popular story in England. 
 
 Tlie Three Children of Fortune, p. 67.— '"'Die drei 
 Gliickskiuder ;" from Paderborn. It is not neces- 
 sary to point out the coincidence of one of the 
 adventures of this story with that of VVhittington, 
 once Lord Mayor of London. Bat it is not merely 
 i« Germany that tho same tale is traced, . We 
 learn from Mr, Morier's entertaining narrative that 
 Wbittington's cat realised its price in India." In 
 Italy, the merry priest Arlotto told the story in his 
 Facezie, before the Lprd Mayor was born or thought 
 of ; he describes the adventure as hafipening to a 
 Geneway merchant, and adds that another upon 
 hearing of the profitable adventure made a voyage 
 to Eat Island with a preciou.s cargo, for which the 
 king repaid him with one of the cats. — Quarterly 
 lleview, XiJ., p. 100. 
 
 King Grisly-heard, p. 70. — " K(>nig Drosselbart 
 from Hesse, the Main, and Paderborn. The story 
 of "La Soperbia castecata," Fentamerone, iv. 10, 
 has a similar turn. There are of course many other 
 tales in dilferent countries, having for their burthen 
 **The Taming of the Shiew," It hardly need be 
 observed that our title is not meant as a translation 
 of the German name. 
 
 Chanticleer and Partlet, p. 75. — This comprises 
 three stories, "Das Lumpengesindel." " Herr 
 Korbes," und " Von dem Tod dea Hiihnchens," 
 from Paderborn, the Main, and Hess, placed 
 togother as naturally forming one continuous 
 piece of biography. We .shall perhaps be told 
 that the whole is tolerably childish ; but we 
 wished to give a specimen of each variety of 
 these tales, and at the same time an instance 
 of tho mode in which inanimate objf>ct3 are 
 pressed into the service. The death of fcliihnchen 
 fortf s a balladised story published iu Wunderhorn, 
 vol. iii., among the Kinderlieder. Who " Herr 
 Korbes" is, or v/hat his name imports, we know 
 not ; and we should therefore observe that we have 
 of our own authority alone turned him into an 
 enemy, and named him " tho fox," in order to 
 give some sort of reason for the outrage committed 
 on his hospitality by uninvited guests. 
 
 Snowdrop, p. 81.— " Schneewitchen ;" told with 
 several muior variations in Hesse ; also at Vienna 
 with more important alterations. In one version, 
 Spiegel (the glass) is the name of a dog, who per- 
 forms the part of the queen's monitor. The wish of 
 the queen, which opens this story, has been illus- 
 trated in the Altdeusche Wdlder, vol. i., p. 1, in a 
 dissertation on a curious passings in Wolfram von 
 E.=5chenbaeh's romance of Parcifal, where the he"o 
 bursts forth into a pathetic allusion to his lady's 
 charms on seeing dvopn of biood fallen on sao;Vj 
 
 Trois gotes de fres sane 
 Qui enluminoieut le blanc, 
 a<3 Chretien de Troyes expresses it in the French 
 romance on the same subject : 
 
 . panse tant, qu'il s'ohlie ; 
 
 Ausins estoit en .son avis 
 Li vermauz sor le blauc asis, 
 Corae les gotes de sauc fureiit. 
 Qui desor le blanc oparuj ent ; 
 Au I'eBgarder, que il faisoit, 
 Li est avis, tant li plei^soit, 
 Qu'il veist la color novelle 
 De la face s'aiuie belle. 
 Several parallel wishes are selected from the 
 ancient traditionary stories of different countries, 
 from the Irish legend of Deirda and Nav{s, the son 
 of Visneach, in Keating's Ilidnry of Ireland, to tho 
 Neapolitan stories in Pentamerone, iv. 9, and v. 8. 
 
 " 0 cielo !" says the hero in the latter, " e noa 
 porria havere im mogliere acossi janco, e rossa, 
 comme e chella preta, e che havesse li capello 
 0 le ciglia acossi negro, comme fo le penne di chisto 
 Cuervo," &c. The unfading corpse placed in tho 
 glass coffin is to be found also in tho Pentamerone, 
 ii. 8 (la Schiavottella) : and in Haralds Saga, 
 Snafridr his beauteous wife dies, but her coun- 
 tenance changes not, its bloom continuing; and 
 the king sits by the body watching it three years. 
 
 The dwarfs who appear in this story are of genuine 
 Northern descent. They are Metallarii, live in 
 mountains, and are of the benevolent class ; for it 
 must be particularly observed that this, and the 
 mischievous race, are clearly distinguishable. Tho 
 Heldevhuch says, " God produced the dwarfs because 
 the mountains lay waste and useless, and valuable 
 stores of silver and gold with gems and pearls were 
 concealed in them. Therefore he made them right 
 wise, and crafty, that they could distinguish good 
 and bad, and to what use all things should be 
 applied. They knew the use of gems ; that some of 
 them gave strength to the wearer, others made him 
 invisible, which were called fog-caps ; therefore God 
 gave art and wisdom to them, that they builb them 
 hollow hills," &c. (Illustrations of Northern Anti- 
 quilies, p. 41.) The most beautiful example of tho 
 ancient Teutonic romance is that which contains the 
 adventures, and the description of the abode in tho 
 mountains, of Laurin the King of the Dwarfs. 
 Those who wish to obtain fulf and accurate informa- 
 tion on the various species, habits, and manners of 
 these sons of the mountains, may consult Olaus 
 Maenp.s, or at far greater length, the Anlhropodemus 
 PliUonicus of Prsetorius. 
 
 We ought to observe that this story has been 
 somewhat shortened by us, the stylo of telling it in 
 the original being rather diffuse ; and we have not 
 entered into the particulars of the queen's death, 
 viT^hich in the German is occasioned by the truly 
 Northern punishment of being obliged to dauce in 
 red-hot slippers or shoes. 
 
 The Elves and the SiwemaJcer, p. 89. — "Die 
 Wichtelniauner— von eineui Scluister dem sie die 
 Arbeit gemacht," a Hessian tale. We have no 
 nomenclature sufficiently accurato for the classitica- 
 tion of the gobelin tribes of the North. Tho 
 personages now before vis are of the benevolent and 
 working class ; they partake of the general character 
 given of such porionages by Olaus Magnus, and of 
 
 U2 
 
292 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 the particular qualities of the Housemen (Haus- 
 rnanner), for whose history we must refer to 
 Prcetcrious, cap. viii. These sprites were of a very- 
 domestic turn, attaching themselves to partieulai 
 housesholds, very pleasant inmates when favourably 
 disposed, very troublesome when of a mischievous 
 temperament, and generally expecting some share 
 of the good things of the family as a reward for 
 services which they were not accustomed to give 
 gratuitously. "The drudging goblin " works, but 
 does so 
 
 To earn his cream-bowl duly set, 
 When in one night, e'er glinipse of mom, 
 His shadowy flail had thresh'd the corn. 
 That ten day labourers could not end. 
 
 Milton, L' Allegro. 
 The Turnip, p. 92.— "Die Eiibe." The first part 
 of this story is well known. The latter part is the 
 subject of an old Latin poem of the 14th century, 
 entitled " Raparius " (who was probably the versi- 
 fier), existing in MS. at Strasburg, and also at 
 Vienna. MM. Grimm think the}* see, through the 
 comic dress of this story, various allusions to ancient 
 Northern traditions, and they particularly refer to 
 the wise man (Buna capituli) who imbibes knowledge 
 in his airy suspension. 
 
 Veit ek, at ek hiek vindga meidi a 
 I>'atur allar niu 
 
 Tha nam ek frevaz ok frodr vera. 
 "I know that I hung on the wind-agitated 
 tree nine full nights ; there began I to become — 
 wise." 
 
 Old SuHan, p. 96. — " Der alte Sultan from 
 Hesse and Paderborn ; in four versions, each varying 
 in some slight particulars. 
 
 The Lady and the Lion, p. 99. — "Das singende, 
 epringende Loweneckercben ;" from Hesse. Another 
 version with variations comes from the Schvvalm- 
 gegend, and from this latter we have taken the 
 opening incident of the summer and winter garden, 
 in preference to the parallel adventure in the story 
 which MM. Grimm have adopted in their test. We 
 have made two or three other alterations in the way 
 of curtailment of portions of the story. The common 
 tale of "Beauty and the Beast" has always some 
 affinity to the legend of Cupid and Psyche. In the 
 present version of the same fable the resemblance is 
 striking throughout. The poor heroine pays the 
 price of her imprudence in being compelled to 
 wander over the woi'ld in search of her husband ; 
 she goes to heavenly powers for assistance in her 
 misfortunes, and at last, when within reach of the 
 object of her hopes, is near being defeated by the 
 allurements of pleasure. Mrs. Tighe's beautiful 
 poem would seem purposely to describe some of the 
 immediate incidents of our tale, particularly that of 
 the dove. 
 
 The incidents in which the misfortune originates 
 are to be found in Pentamerone, ii. 9(Lo Catenaccio), 
 and still further in v. 4 (Lo Turzo d'Oro). The scene 
 in the bridegroom's chamber is in Pentam. v. 3 
 (Pintosmauto). PrjBtorius, ii., p. 266, gives a 
 Benuty and the Beast story from Sweden. 
 
 The Jew in the Bush, p. 105. — "Der Jude im 
 Dorn." The dance-inspiring instrument will be 
 recognised, in its most romantic and dignified form, 
 as Oberon's Horn in Huon de Bordeaux. The dance 
 in the bush forms the subject of two Old German 
 dramatic pieces of the 16th century. A disorderly 
 
 monk occupies the place of the Jew; the waggish 
 musician is called Dulla, whom MM. Grimm connect 
 with Tyll or Dyll Eulenspiegei (Ovvl-glas.s), and the 
 Swedish and Scandinavian word, Thulr (facetus, 
 nugator), the clown and minstrel of the populace. 
 In Herrauds oh Bosa Saga, the table, chairs, &c., 
 join the dance. Merlin in the old romance is en- 
 trapped into a bush by a charm given him by his 
 mistress Viviane. 
 
 In England we have A mery Geste of the Frere and 
 the Boye, first " emprynted at Loudon in Flete- 
 streete, at the sygne of the Sonne, by Wynkyn de 
 Worde," and edited by Ritson in his Pieces of ancient 
 popular Poetry. The boy receives 
 
 a bowe 
 
 Byrdes for to shete. 
 and a pipe of marvellous power : 
 
 All that may the pype here 
 
 Shall not themselfe stere, 
 
 But laugh and lepe aboute. 
 The third gift is a most special one for the annoy- 
 ance of his stepdame. The dancing trick is first 
 played on a "Frere," who loses 
 
 His cope and his scapelary 
 
 And all his other wede. 
 And the urchin's ultimate triumph is over the 
 " offycyall" before whom he is brought. 
 
 The King of the Golden Mountain, p. 109—" Der 
 Konig vom Goldenen Berg ;" from Zwehrn and other 
 quarters. There are many remarkable features in 
 this story, more especially its striking resenablanee 
 to the story of Sigurd or Siegfried, as it is to be 
 collected from the JEt/drt, the Volsunga Saga, Wilkina 
 Saga, the Niehelungen Lied, and the popular tale of TJie 
 Horny Siegfried. It is neatly abridged in Herbert's 
 Misc. Poetry, vol. ii,, part ii., p, 14. The placing upon 
 the waters ; the arrival at the castle of the dragon 
 or snake ; the treasures there ; the disenchantment 
 of Brynhilda (see our tale of Rosebud) ; the wishing 
 ring ; the gift of the ring or girdle ; the separation 
 from which jealousy and mischief are to flow ; the 
 disguise of the old cloak, which we can ea^^ily believe 
 to have been a geifnine tarn-cap ; the encountering 
 of the discordant guardians of the treasures, as in the 
 Niehelungen, Lied, the wonderful sword Bulmung or 
 Mimung ; 
 
 (Thro' hauberk as thro' harpelon 
 The smith's sou swerd shall hew ;*) 
 the boots " once worn by Loke when he escaped from 
 Valhalla ;" and the ultimate revenge ; are all points 
 more or less coincident with adventures well known 
 to those who have made the old fables of the North 
 the objects of their researches. It should be recol- 
 lected, however, that both the cap of invisibility and 
 the boots of swiftness are to be found in the Relations 
 of Ssidi Kur, The Hungarian tales published by 
 Georg von Gaal (Vienna, 1822), contain one very 
 similar to this in many particulars. Three dwarfs 
 are there the inheritors of the wonderful treasures, 
 which consist of a cloak, mile-shoes, and a purse 
 which is always full. 
 
 The Golden Goose, p. 115.— "Die Goldene Gans 
 from Hesse and Paderborn. " The manner in which 
 Loke, in the Edda, hangs to the eagle is," MM. 
 Grimm observe, " better understood after the 
 perusal of the story of the Golden Goose, to which 
 the lads and lasses who touch it adhere." — Quart. 
 
 * "Ettln Langshanks," translated from the Edrnpe 
 Visir in the Illustrations cf Northern Antiquities. 
 
NOTES. 
 
 293 
 
 Bev., XLI. Tbey add',that the Golden Goose, buried 
 at the root of an oak, and fated to be the reward of 
 virtue, and to bring blessing on its owner, seems 
 only .one of the various types by which, in these tales, 
 happiness, wealth, and power are conferred on the 
 favourites of fortune. The prize is here poetically 
 described as so attractive that whatever approaches 
 clings to it as to a magnet. 
 
 The Dummling is drawn with his usual charac- 
 teristics ; ho is sometimes inferior in stature, 
 sometimes in intellect, and at other times in both ; 
 his resemblance to the Daumling or Thumbling is 
 obvious ; and though his name has now an indepen- 
 dent meaning, perhaps we should suspect it to have 
 been originally the same ; unless the appearance of 
 the character in the Fentamerone, iii. 8, by the 
 unambiguous name of " Lo Gnorante," be against 
 our theory. We leave this singular personage 
 in the hands of MM. Grimm, referring also to the 
 AltdeuUche Wdlder, where our hero is pointed out 
 ai3 appearing under the appellation of "Dummek- 
 lare '' in the romance of ParcifaX. 
 
 Mrs. Fox, p. 119.—'* Von der Frau Fiichin." A 
 popular fable in several places, clearly belonging to 
 the class of which Reynard the Fox is the chief. 
 
 Hansel and Grcttel, p. 123. — The first part of 
 " Briiderchen und Schwesterchen ;" the remainder 
 we omitted as branching into a new series of distinct 
 adventures. The story is very common in Germany, 
 and is also known in Sweden. Prsetorius, vol. ii., p. 
 255, will give the curious the whole art, mystery, 
 andhistorj'^ of transformation of men into animals. 
 This story is one of a most numerous class, in which 
 a stepmother unsuccessfully exerts a malicious in- 
 fluence over her charge. 
 
 The Giant with the three Golden Hairs, p. 128. — 
 *' Der Teufel mit den drei Goldnen Haaren ;" from 
 Zwehrn, the Main, and Hesse, We have taken the 
 appellation " Giant " to avoid offence, and felt less 
 reluctance in the alteration when we found that 
 some other versions of the same story (as the Popanz 
 in Busching's Volhssagen) omit the diabolic agency. 
 For similar reasons we have not called the cave by 
 its proper name of " Holle," the Scandinavian Hell. 
 The old lady called in the German the "Eller- 
 rautter," we suspect has some connection with the 
 Scandinavian deity "Hela," or "Hella," whom 
 Odin (when he "saddled straight his coal-black 
 steed "), Hermod Huat, and Brynhilda, after cross- 
 ing the water as here, severally found in the same 
 position, at the entrance of the infernal regions. 
 
 The child is described in our translation as owing 
 its reputation to being born under a lucky star. )n 
 the original it is born with a Gliickshaut (caul). 
 The tradition in Iceland is that a good genius dwells 
 in this envelope, who accompanies and blesses the 
 child through life. The giant's powers of scent will 
 of course remind the curious reader of the 
 Snouk but, Snouk ben, 
 I find the smell of earthly men, 
 in J acle and the Bean-staUe. 
 
 So in Mad Tom's ballad in Shakespeare, 
 
 Child Rowland to the dark tower came— 
 His word was still— "Fie. Fob, Fum, 
 I smell the blood of a Eritish man," &c. 
 Is Child Rowland the,"Liebste Roland" of the 
 German popular story, No. 56 of MM. Grimm's 
 collection ? The similarity of the " Child's " adven- 
 tures with those of Danish ballads in the Kdmpe 
 
 Viser has been pointed out by Jamieson in his 
 Popular Ballads, and in the Illustrations of Northern 
 Antiquities, p. 397. 
 
 Th>', Frog-prince, p. 134. — " Der Froschkonig, oder 
 der Eiserne Heinrich." This story is from Hesse, 
 but is also told in other parts with variations. It is 
 one of the oldest German tales, as well as of exten- 
 sive currency elsewhere. Dr. Leyden gives a story 
 of the " Fi-og-lover " as popular in Scotland. A lady 
 is sent by her stepmother to draw water from the 
 Well of the World's End. She arrives at the well 
 after encounteriiig many dangers, but soon perceives 
 that her adventures have not reached a conclusion ; 
 a frog emerges from the well, and before it suffers 
 her to draw water obliges her to betroth herself to 
 him under penalty of being torn to pieces. The 
 lady returns safe ; but at midnight the frog-lover 
 appears at the door and demands entrance, according 
 to promise, to the great consternation of the lady 
 and her nurse. 
 
 Open the door my hinny, my heart, 
 Open the door, mine ain wee thing ; 
 And mind the words that you and I spak 
 Down in the meadow by the well-spring. 
 The frog is admitted, and addresses her. 
 Take me upon your knee, my dearie, 
 Take rae upon your knee, my dearie. 
 And mind the words that you and I spak 
 At the cauld well sae weary. 
 The frog is finally disenchanted, and appears as a 
 prince in his original form. (See Complaint of Scot- 
 land, Edin. 1801.) "These enchanted frogs," says 
 the Quarterly Reviewer, " have migrated from afar, 
 and we suspect that they were originally crocodiles : 
 we trace them in The Eelations of Ssidi Kur." The 
 name "Iron Henry" in the German title alludes to 
 an incident which we have omitted, though it is one 
 of considerable antiquity. The story proceeds to 
 tell how Henry, from grief at his masters mis- 
 forUme, had bound his heart with iron bands to 
 prevent its bursting; and a doggrel is added in 
 which the prince on his journey, hearing the 
 cracking of the bands which his servant is now 
 rending asunder as useless, inquires if the carriage 
 is breaking, and receives an explanation of the 
 cause of the disturbance. 
 
 " Heinrich, der Wagen bricht ! " 
 " Nein, Herr, der Wagen nicht : 
 Es ist ein Band von meinem Herzen, 
 Das da lag in grossen Schmerzen. 
 Als ihr in dem Brunnen sast 
 Als ihr eine Fretsche (Frosh) wast." 
 In several of the poets of the age of the Minne- 
 singers the suffering heart is described as confined 
 in bands ; " stahelhart," according to Heinrich von 
 Sax. 
 
 The Fox and ihe Horse, p. 137.— "Der Fuchs uud 
 das Pferd from Munster. See the story of "Old 
 Sultan." 
 
 Bumpel-stilts-lcin, -p. 139. — " Rumpelstilzchen." A 
 story of considerable currency, told with several 
 variations. We remember to have heard a similar 
 story from Ireland in which the song ran, 
 
 Little does my Lady wot 
 
 That my name is Trit-a-Trot. 
 In the " Tour tenebreuse et les jours lumineux, 
 Contes Anglois tirez d'une ancienne chronique com- 
 pos^e par Richard surnomm^ Coeur de Lion, Roy 
 d'Augleterie" (Amst. 1708), the story of " Ricdin- 
 Ricdon" contains the same incident. The song of 
 the dwarf is as follows : 
 
294 
 
 Si jeune et tendre femelle 
 
 N'aimant qii'enfantitis ebats, 
 
 Avoit mis dans sa cervelle 
 
 Qae Ricdin Ricdon, je m'appelle, 
 
 Point rie viendroit dans mes laqs: 
 
 Mais sera i)our mui la belle 
 
 Car un tel noni ne s^ait pas. 
 There is a good deal of learned and mythologic 
 speculation in MM. Griram, as to the spinnins; of 
 ^old, for which we mast refer the reader to their 
 work. The dwarf has here, as usual, his abode in 
 the almost inaccessible part of the mountains. In 
 the orii^inal he rends himself asunder in his effiT'^s 
 to exrricate the foot which in his rage he had struck 
 into the ground. 
 
 The Goose- Girly p. 142. — "Die Ganse-magd " of 
 MM. Grimm ; a story from Zwehra. In the Pen 
 tamerone, iv. 7, there is a story which remarkably 
 ae,rees with the present in some of its circumstance.-:. 
 The intended bride is thrown ov3rboard while sailin.i? 
 to her betrothed husband, and the false one takes 
 her place. The king is dissatisfied with the latter, 
 and in his passion sends the brother of the lost lady 
 (who had recommended his sister) to keep his gee.^e. 
 The true bride, who has been .«aved by a beautiful 
 mermaid, or sea-nymph, rises from the water, and 
 feeds the geese with princely food and rose-water. 
 The kingr watches, observes the fair lady combint>f 
 her beautiful locks, from which pearls and diamotids 
 fall ; and the fraud is discovei-ed. The story of the 
 Goose-Girl is certainly a very remarkable one, and 
 has several traits of very original and highly tradi- 
 tional character. Tacitus mentions the divination 
 of the ancient Germans by horses. Sax*) Gramma- 
 ticus also tells how the heads of horses offered in 
 sacrifices were cut off : and the same practice among 
 the Wendi is mentioned by Preetorius. The horse 
 without a head is mentioned by the Quarterly 
 Reviewer as appearing in a Spanish story, and he 
 vouches for its having also migrated into this 
 country. A friend," he adds, "has pointed out 
 a passage in Flaio de Legilnis, lib. vi., in which the 
 .sage alludes to a similar superstition amonu- the 
 Greeks." Where the horse got his name of Falada 
 MM. Grimm profess not to know, though the coin- 
 cidence of the first syllable inclines them to assign 
 to it some consanguinity with Roland's steed. The 
 golden and silvery hair is often met with in these 
 tales, and the speaking charm given by the mother 
 (which is in the original a drop of blood, not a lock 
 hair) is also not uncommon. 
 
 In the original, an oath is extorted by force from 
 the true bride, and it is that which prevents her 
 disclosure of the story to the kini^, who finds out a 
 plan for her evading the oath, by telling the tale 
 into the oven's mouth, whence of course it reaches 
 him, though in a sufiiciently secondhand v/ay to 
 sare the fair lady's conscience. 
 
 FuWifal John, p. 149. — " Der gotreue Johannes 
 from Zvvthrn. Another somewiiat similar story is 
 current in Pader'^orn. The tale is a siuf^nlar one, 
 and contains so much of Orientalism that the re^ider 
 would almost suppose himself in the Arabian Nhjhts' 
 Entertainments. 
 
 In the Pentamerone, iv, 9, is a story very much 
 resembling this : the birds who foretell and forewarn 
 jigainst the disasters aro two doves ; and the wh^la 
 happens by the contrivance, and is finally remedied 
 by the power of an enchanter, the lady's fitther, 
 
 who had sent the perils that menace the prince, 
 in revenge for the carrying away of his daughter. 
 
 It should be added, that in the origi'ial, the 
 father really cuts off the heads of his two children, 
 who are restored to life in reward for his faith. 
 
 The reader will observe the coincidence of one 
 portien of the story with the Greek fable of the 
 Garment of Dej mira. 
 
 The Blue Light, p. 158. — "Das bUue Licht ;" a 
 Mecklenburg story. In the collection of Hun- 
 .aarian Taies of Geora: von Gaal, it app<^ars that 
 there is one like this, called "The Wonderful 
 Tobacco Pipe." 
 
 Ashpuitd, p. 163.— " Aschen - puttel." Several 
 versions of this story are current in Hesse and 
 Zssrehrn, and it is one of the most universal currency. 
 We understand that it is popidar among the 
 Welsh, as it is also among the Poles ; and Scbottky 
 found it amonff the Servian fables. Eollenhagen 
 in his Froschmau^eler (a satire of the sixteenth 
 century) speaks of the tale of the despised Ascheji- 
 fio.-iS8l ; and Luther illustrates from it the subjection 
 of Abel to his brother Cain. MM. Grimm trace 
 out several other proverbial allusions even in the 
 Scandinavian traditions. And lasily, the story is in 
 the Neapoliran Pentamcrone, under the title of 
 " Cennerentola." An ancient Danish ballad has the 
 incident of the mother hearing from her grave the 
 sorrows of her child ill-used by the stepmother, 
 and mir.istering thence to its relief. "'J'he Slipper 
 of Cinderella finds a paralled, though s(^mewhat 
 sobered, in the history of the celebrated Rhodope ;" 
 — so says the Editor of the new edition of Warton, 
 vol. i. (86). 
 
 The Yoiong Giant and tlie Tailor, p. 171. — This is 
 compoui.ded of two of MM. Grimm's taies, Der 
 junge Riese" and "Das tapfere Schneiderlein," 
 with some curtailments, particularly in the latter. 
 The whole has an intimate connection with the 
 oldest Northern traditions, and will be recognised 
 as concurring in many of its incidents with the tales 
 of Ow'-(jlass, Biclcathrift, &c., so well known, and on 
 which a good deal was said in the notes to the earlier 
 portion of the volume. The service to the smith is 
 a remarkable coinc dence with Siegfried's adven- 
 tures ; and the mill-stone that fyils harmles.s, 
 reminds us of Thor's adventure with Skrymmer. The 
 giant, moreover, is in true keeping' with the Northern 
 personages of that description, for whom the shrewd 
 dwarf is generally more than a match ; and the 
 pranks played belong to the same class of per- 
 formances as those of the hero Grettir when he 
 kept geese upon the common. MM. Grimm quote 
 a Servian tale given by Schottky, which resembles 
 closely the couflict of the wits between the giant 
 and the young man. 
 
 See further on the subject of the smith, the 
 remarks of the Editor of the new Edition of Warten's 
 History of English Poetry, in his Preface (p 89). 
 
 The CroiVH and (he Soldier, p. 183.—" Die Kriihen ;" 
 a Mecklenburg story. MM. Grimm mention a 
 similar tale by the Persian poet Nisarai, recently- 
 noticed by Hammer ; and they also notice coinci- 
 dences in Bohemian and Hungarian tales. 
 
 Peewit, p. 187, is a translation of a story called 
 Kibitz, from the VoUcs Sagen, Marchen, wid Legenden, 
 of J. G. Biisehina ; but the tale in almost all ii\ 
 incidents coincides in substance with "Pas Biirle"