[Illustration: _Adventures of Tom Thumb_It Shone Down Upon the White Pebbles]

FAVORITEFAIRY TALES

ARRANGED BY

LOGAN MARSHALL

[Illustration]

_ONE HUNDRED ILLUSTRATIONS_

THE JOHN C. WINSTON COMPANYCHICAGO PHILADELPHIA TORONTO

COPYRIGHT, 1917, BYL. T. MYERSPRINTED IN U. S. A. 

CONTENTS

 PAGE

LITTLE SNOW WHITE 5

THE UGLY DUCKLING 22

ALADDIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 43

THE SLEEPING BEAUTY 64

PUSS-IN-BOOTS 73

ADVENTURES OF TOM THUMB 81

THE THREE BEARS 95

THE LITTLE MATCH GIRL 103

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST 109

THE STORY OF CINDERELLA 122

JACK THE GIANT KILLER 135

JACK AND THE BEANSTALK 155

DICK WHITTINGTON AND HIS CAT 167

THE STORY OF BLUEBEARD 184

LITTLE RED RIDING-HOOD 195

SINDBAD THE SAILOR 202

HANSEL AND GRETEL 230

THE GOOSE GIRL 247

LITTLE SNOW-WHITE

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Once upon a time in the middle of winter, when the flakes of snow werefalling like feathers from the clouds, a Queen sat at her palace window, which had an ebony black frame, stitching her husband's shirts. Whileshe was thus engaged and looking out at the snow she pricked her finger, and three drops of blood fell upon the snow. Now the red looked so wellupon the white that she thought to herself, "Oh, that I had a child aswhite as this snow, as red as this blood, and as black as the wood ofthis frame!" Soon afterwards a little daughter came to her, who was aswhite as snow, and with cheeks as red as blood, and with hair as blackas ebony, and from this she was named "Snow-White. " And at the same timeher mother died. 

About a year afterwards the King married another wife, who was verybeautiful, but so proud and haughty that she could not bear anyone to bebetter-looking than herself. She owned a wonderful mirror, and when shestepped before it and said:

 "Mirror, mirror on the wall, Who is the fairest of us all?"

it replied:

 "The Queen is the fairest of the day. "

Then she was pleased, for she knew that the mirror spoke truly. 

Little Snow-White, however, grew up, and became prettier and prettier, and when she was seven years old she was as fair as the noonday, andmore beautiful than the Queen herself. When the Queen now asked hermirror:

 "Mirror, mirror on the wall, Who is the fairest of us all?"

it replied:

 "The Queen was fairest yesterday; Snow-White is the fairest, now, they say. "

This answer so angered the Queen that she became quite yellow with envy. From that hour, whenever she saw Snow-White, her heart was hardenedagainst her, and she hated the little girl. Her envy and jealousyincreased so that she had no rest day or night, and she said to aHuntsman, "Take the child away into the forest. I will never lookupon her again. You must kill her, and bring me her heart and tonguefor a token. "

The Huntsman listened and took the maiden away, but when he drew out hisknife to kill her, she began to cry, saying, "Ah, dear Huntsman, give memy life! I will run into the wild forest, and never come home again. "

This speech softened the Hunter's heart, and her beauty so touched himthat he had pity on her and said, "Well, run away then, poor child. " Buthe thought to himself, "The wild beasts will soon devour you. " Still hefelt as if a stone had been lifted from his heart, because her death wasnot by his hand. Just at that moment a young boar came roaring along tothe spot, and as soon as he clapped eyes upon it the Huntsman caught it, and, killing it, took its tongue and heart and carried them to theQueen, for a token of his deed. 

But now poor little Snow-White was left motherless and alone, andovercome with grief, she was bewildered at the sight of so many trees, and knew not which way to turn. She ran till her feet refused to gofarther, and as it was getting dark, and she saw a little house near, she entered in to rest. In this cottage everything was very small, butvery neat and elegant. In the middle stood a little table with a whitecloth over it, and seven little plates upon it, each plate having aspoon and a knife and a fork, and there were also seven little mugs. Against the wall were seven little beds arranged in a row, each coveredwith snow-white sheets. 

Little Snow-White, being both hungry and thirsty, ate a little morsel ofporridge out of each plate, and drank a drop or two of wine out of eachmug, for she did not wish to take away the whole share of anyone. Afterthat, because she was so tired, she laid herself down on one bed, but itdid not suit; she tried another, but that was too long; a fourth was tooshort, a fifth too hard. But the seventh was just the thing; andtucking herself up in it, she went to sleep, first saying her prayersas usual. 

When it became quite dark the owners of the cottage came home, sevenDwarfs, who dug for gold and silver in the mountains. They firstlighted seven little lamps, and saw at once--for they lit up the wholeroom--that somebody had been in, for everything was not in the order inwhich they had left it. 

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The first asked, "Who has been sitting on my chair?" The second, "Whohas been eating off my plate?" The third said, "Who has been nibblingat my bread?" The fourth, "Who has been at my porridge?" The fifth, "Who has been meddling with my fork?" The sixth grumbled out, "Who hasbeen cutting with my knife?" The seventh said, "Who has been drinkingout of my mug?"

Then the first, looking round, began again, "Who has been lying on mybed?" he asked, for he saw that the sheets were tumbled. At these wordsthe others came, and looking at their beds cried out too, "Some one hasbeen lying in our beds!" But the seventh little man, running up to his, saw Snow-White sleeping in it; so he called his companions, who shoutedwith wonder and held up their seven lamps, so that the light fell uponthe little girl. 

"Oh, heavens! oh, heavens!" said they; "what a beauty she is!" and theywere so much delighted that they would not awaken her, but left her tosleep, and the seventh Dwarf, in whose bed she was, slept with each ofhis fellows one hour, and so passed the night. 

As soon as morning dawned Snow-White awoke, and was quite frightenedwhen she saw the seven little men; but they were very friendly, andasked her what she was called. 

"My name is Snow-White, " was her reply. 

"Why have you come into our cottage?" they asked. 

Then she told them how her stepmother would have had her killed, but theHuntsman had spared her life, and how she had wandered about the Wholeday until at last she had found their house. 

When her tale was finished the Dwarfs said, "Will you look after ourhousehold--be our cook, make the beds, wash, sew, and knit for us, andkeep everything in neat order? If so, we will keep you here, and youshall want for nothing. "

And Snow-White answered, "Yes, with all my heart and will. " And so sheremained with them, and kept their house in order. 

In the morning the Dwarfs went into the mountains and searched forsilver and gold, and in the evening they came home and found their mealsready for them. During the day the maiden was left alone, and thereforethe good Dwarfs warned her and said, "Be careful of your stepmother, whowill soon know of your being here. So let nobody enter the cottage. "

The Queen meanwhile, supposing that she had eaten the heart and tongueof her stepdaughter, believed that she was now above all the mostbeautiful woman in the world. One day she stepped before her mirror, and said:

 "Mirror, mirror on the wall, Who is the fairest of us all?"

and it replied:

 "The Queen was fairest yesterday; Snow-White is fairest now, they say. The Dwarfs protect her from thy sway Amid the forest, far away. "

This reply surprised her, but she knew that the mirror spoke the truth. She knew, therefore, that the Huntsman had deceived her, and thatSnow-White was still alive. So she dyed her face and clothed herself asa pedler woman, so that no one could recognize her, and in this disguiseshe went over the seven hills to the house of the seven Dwarfs. Sheknocked at the door of the hut, and called out, "Fine goods for sale!beautiful goods for sale!"

Snow-White peeped out of the window and said, "Good day, my good woman;what have you to sell?"

"Fine goods, beautiful goods!" she replied. "Stays of all colors. " Andshe held up a pair which were made of many-colored silks. 

"I may let in this honest woman, " thought Snow-White; and she unboltedthe door and bargained for one pair of stays. 

"You can't think, my dear, how they become you!" exclaimed the oldwoman. "Come, let me lace them up for you. "

Snow-White suspected nothing, and let her do as she wished, but the oldwoman laced her up so quickly and so tightly that all her breath went, and she fell down like one dead. "Now, " thought the old woman toherself, hastening away, "now am I once more the most beautiful of all!"

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At eventide, not long after she had left, the seven Dwarfs came home, and were much frightened at seeing their dear little maid lying on theground, and neither moving nor breathing, as if she were dead. Theyraised her up, and when they saw that she was laced too tight they cutthe stays to pieces, and presently she began to breathe again, andlittle by little she revived. When the Dwarfs now heard what had takenplace, they said, "The old pedler woman was no other than your wickedstepmother. Take more care of yourself, and let no one enter when we arenot with you. "

Meanwhile, the Queen had reached home, and, going before her mirror, sherepeated her usual words:

 "Mirror, mirror on the wall, Who is the fairest of us all?"

and it replied as before:

 "The Queen was fairest yesterday; Snow-White is fairest now, they say. The Dwarfs protect her from thy sway Amid the forest, far away. "

As soon as it had finished, all her blood rushed to her heart, forshe was so angry to hear that Snow-White was yet living. "But now, "thought she to herself, "will I make something which shall destroy hercompletely. " Thus saying, she made a poisoned comb by arts which sheunderstood, and then, disguising herself, she took the form of an oldwidow. She went over the seven hills to the house of the seven Dwarfs, and knocking at the door, called out, "Good wares to sell to-day!"

Snow-White peeped out and said, "You must go farther, for I dare notlet you in. "

[Illustration]

"But still you may look, " said the old woman, drawing out her poisonedcomb and holding it up. The sight of this pleased the maiden so muchthat she allowed herself to be persuaded, and opened the door. As soonas she had bought something the old woman said, "Now let me for oncecomb your hair properly, " and Snow-White consented. But scarcely wasthe comb drawn through the hair when the poison began to work, and themaiden fell down senseless. 

"You pattern of beauty, " cried the wicked Queen, "it is now all overwith you. " And so saying, she departed. 

Fortunately, evening soon came, and the seven Dwarfs returned, and assoon as they saw Snow-White lying, like dead, upon the ground, theysuspected the Queen, and discovering the poisoned comb, they immediatelydrew it out. Then the maiden very soon revived and told them all thathad happened. So again they warned her against the wicked stepmother, and bade her open the door to nobody. 

Meanwhile the Queen, on her arrival home, had again consulted hermirror, and received the same answer as twice before. This made hertremble and foam with rage and jealousy, and she swore that Snow-Whiteshould die if it cost her her own life. Thereupon she went into an innersecret chamber where no one could enter, and made an apple of the mostdeep and subtle poison. Outwardly it looked nice enough, and had rosycheeks which would make the mouth of everyone who looked at it water;but whoever ate the smallest piece of it would surely die. As soon asthe apple was ready the Queen again dyed her face, and clothed herselflike a peasant's wife, and then over the seven mountains to the house ofthe seven Dwarfs she made her way. 

She knocked at the door, and Snow-White stretched out her head and said, "I dare not let anyone enter; the seven Dwarfs have forbidden me. "

"That is hard on me, " said the old woman, "for I must take back myapples; but there is one which I will give you. "

"No, " answered Snow-White; "no, I dare not take it. "

"What! are you afraid of it?" cried the old woman. "There, see--I willcut the apple in halves; do you eat the red cheeks, and I will eat thecore. " (The apple was so artfully made that the red cheeks alone werepoisoned. ) Snow-White very much wished for the beautiful apple, andwhen she saw the woman eating the core she could no longer resist, but, stretching out her hand, took the poisoned part. Scarcely had she placeda piece in her mouth when she fell down dead upon the ground. Then theQueen, looking at her with glittering eyes, and laughing bitterly, exclaimed, "White as snow, red as blood, black as ebony! This timethe Dwarfs cannot reawaken you. "

When she reached home and consulted her mirror--

 "Mirror, mirror on the wall, Who is the fairest of us all?"

it answered:

 "The Queen is fairest of the day. "

[Illustration]

Then her envious heart was at rest, as peacefully as an envious heartcan rest. 

When the little Dwarfs returned home in the evening they foundSnow-White lying on the ground, and there appeared to be no life inher body; she seemed to be quite dead. They raised her up, and triedif they could find anything poisonous. They unlaced her, and evenuncombed her hair, and washed her with water and with wine. Butnothing availed: the dear child was really and truly dead. 

Then they laid her upon a bier, and all seven placed themselves aroundit, and wept and wept for three days without ceasing. Then they preparedto bury her. But she looked still fresh and life-like, and even her redcheeks had not deserted her, so they said to one another, "We cannotbury her in the black ground. " Then they ordered a case to be made ofglass. In this they could see the body on all sides, and the Dwarfswrote her name with golden letters upon the glass, saying that she wasa King's daughter. Now they placed the glass case upon the ledge on arock, and one of them always remained by it watching. Even the birdsbewailed the loss of Snow-White; first came an owl, then a raven, andlast of all a dove. 

For a long time Snow-White lay peacefully in her case, and changed not, but looked as if she were only asleep, for she was still white as snow, red as blood, and black-haired as ebony. By and by it happened that aKing's son was traveling in the forest, and came to the Dwarfs' houseto pass the night. He soon saw the glass case upon the rock, and thebeautiful maiden lying within, and he read also the golden inscription. 

When he had examined it, he said to the Dwarfs, "Let me have this case, and I will pay what you like for it. "

But the Dwarfs replied, "We will not sell it for all the gold in theworld. "

"Then give it to me, " said the Prince; "for I cannot live withoutSnow-White. I will honor and protect her as long as I live. "

When the Dwarfs saw that he was so much in earnest, they pitied him, and at last gave him the case, and the Prince ordered it to be carriedaway on the shoulders of his attendants. Presently it happened thatthey stumbled over a rut, and with the shock the piece of poisonedapple which lay in Snow-White's mouth fell out. Very soon she openedher eyes, and raising the lid of the glass case, she rose up and asked, "Where am I?"

Full of joy, the Prince answered, "You are safe with me. " And he toldto her what she had suffered, and how he would rather have her than anyother for his wife, and he asked her to accompany him home to the castleof the King his father. Snow-White consented, and when they arrivedthere they were married with great splendor and magnificence. 

Snow-White's stepmother was also invited to the wedding, and when shewas dressed in all her finery to go, she first stepped in front of hermirror and asked:

 "Mirror, mirror on the wall, Who is the fairest of us all?"

and it replied:

 "The Queen was fairest yesterday; The Prince's bride is now, they say. "

At these words the Queen was in a fury, and was so terribly mortifiedthat she knew not what to do with herself. At first she resolved notto go to the wedding, but she could not resist the wish to see thePrincess. So she went; but as soon as she saw the bride she recognizedSnow-White, and was so terrified with rage and astonishment that sherushed out of the castle and was never heard of again. 

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THE UGLY DUCKLING

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It was beautiful in the country. It was summertime. The wheat wasyellow, the oats were green, the hay was stacked up in the greenmeadows, and the stork paraded about on his long red legs, talkingin Egyptian, which language he had learnt from his mother. 

The fields and meadows were skirted by thick woods, and a deep lake layin the midst of the woods. Yes; it was indeed beautiful in the country!The sunshine fell warmly on an old mansion, surrounded by deep canals, and from the walls down to the water's edge there grew large burdockleaves, so high that children could stand upright among them withoutbeing seen. 

This place was as wild as the thickest part of the wood, and on thataccount a Duck had chosen to make her nest there. She was sitting onher eggs; but the pleasure she had felt at first was now almost gone, because she had been there so long, and had so few visitors, for theother Ducks preferred swimming on the canals to sitting among theburdock leaves gossiping with her. 

At last the eggs cracked one after another, "Chick, chick!" All the eggswere alive, and one little head after another peered forth. "Quack, quack!" said the Duck, and all got up as well as they could. They peepedabout from under the green leaves; and as green is good for the eyes, their mother let them look as long as they pleased. 

"How large the world is!" said the little ones, for they found their newabode very different from their former narrow one in the egg-shells. 

"Do you imagine this to be the whole of the world?" said the mother. "It extends far beyond the other side of the garden in the pastor'sfield; but I have never been there. Are you all here?" And then she gotup. "No, not all, for the largest egg is still here. How long will thislast? I am so weary of it!" And then she sat down again. 

"Well, and how are you getting on?" asked an old Duck, who had come topay her a visit. 

"This one egg keeps me so long, " said the mother. "It will not break. But you should see the others! They are the prettiest little DucklingsI have seen in all my days. They are all like their father--thegood-for-nothing fellow, he has not been to visit me once!"

"Let me see the egg that will not break, " said the old Duck. "Dependupon it, it is a turkey's egg. I was cheated in the same way oncemyself, and I had such trouble with the young ones; for they were afraidof the water, and I could not get them there. I called and scolded, butit was all of no use. But let me see the egg--ah, yes! to be sure, thatis a turkey's egg. Leave it, and teach the other little ones to swim. "

[Illustration: _The Ugly Duckling_"What is the Matter?" asked the Old Woman]

"I will sit on it a little longer, " said the Duck. "I have been sittingso long, that I may as well spend the harvest here. "

"It is no business of mine, " said the old Duck, and away she waddled. 

The great egg burst at last. "Chick! chick!" said the little one, andout it tumbled--but, oh! how large and ugly it was! The Duck looked atit. "That is a great, strong creature, " said she. "None of the othersare at all like it. Can it be a young turkey-cock? Well, we shall soonfind out. It must go into the water, though I push it in myself. "

The next day there was delightful weather, and the sun shone warmly uponthe green leaves when Mother Duck with all her family went down to thecanal. Plump she went into the water. "Quack! quack!" cried she, and oneduckling after another jumped in. The water closed over their heads, butall came up again, and swam together quite easily. Their legs movedwithout effort. All were there, even the ugly grey one. 

"No; it is not a turkey, " said the old Duck; "only see how prettily itmoves its legs, how upright it holds itself! It is my own child. It isalso really very pretty, when you look more closely at it. Quack! quack!now come with me, I will take you into the world and introduce you inthe duck-yards. But keep close to me, or someone may tread on you; andbeware of the Cat. "

So they came into the duck-yard. There was a horrid noise; two familieswere quarreling about the head of an eel, which in the end was carriedoff by the Cat. 

"See, my children, such is the way of the world, " said the Mother Duck, wiping her beak, for she, too, was fond of eels. "Now use your legs, "said she, "keep together, and bow to the old Duck you see yonder. Sheis the most distinguished of all the fowls present, and is of Spanishblood, which accounts for her dignified appearance and manners. Andlook, she has a red rag on her leg! That is considered extremelyhandsome, and is the greatest honor a Duck can have. Don't turn yourfeet inwards; a well-educated Duckling always keeps his legs far apart, like his father and mother, just so--look! Now bow your necks, and say, 'Quack. '"

And they did as they were told. But the other Ducks, who were in theyard, looked at them and said aloud, "Just see! Now we have anotherbrood, as if there were not enough of us already. And fie! how uglythat one is. We will not endure it. " And immediately one of the Ducksflew at him, and bit him in the neck. 

[Illustration]

"Leave him alone, " said the mother. "He is doing no one any harm. "

"Yes, but he is so large and so strange-looking, and therefore he shallbe teased, " said the others. 

"Those are fine children that our good mother has, " said the old Duckwith the red rag on her leg. "All are pretty except one, and that hasnot turned out well; I almost wish it could be hatched over again. "

"That cannot be, please your Highness, " said the mother. "Certainly heis not handsome, but he is a very good child, and swims as well as theothers, indeed, rather better. I think he will grow like the others allin good time, and perhaps will look smaller. He stayed so long in theegg-shell, that is the cause of the difference. " And she scratched theDuckling's neck, and stroked his whole body. "Besides, " added she, "heis a Drake. I think he will be very strong, so it does not matter somuch. He will fight his way through. "

[Illustration]

"The other Ducks are very pretty, " said the old Duck. "Pray makeyourselves at home, and if you find an eel's head you can bring itto me. "

So they made themselves at home. 

But the poor little Duckling, who had come last out of its egg-shell, and who was so ugly, was bitten, pecked, and teased by both Ducks andHens. "It is so large!" said they all. And the Turkey-cock, who had comeinto the world with spurs on, and therefore fancied he was an emperor, puffed himself up like a ship in full sail, and marched up to theDuckling quite red with passion. The poor little thing scarcely knewwhat to do. He was quite distressed, because he was so ugly, andbecause he was the jest of the poultry-yard. 

So passed the first day, and afterwards matters grew worse andworse--the poor Duckling was scorned by all. Even his brothers andsisters behaved unkindly, and were constantly saying, "May the Cat takeyou, you nasty creature!" The mother said, "Ah, if you were only faraway!" The Ducks bit him, the Hens pecked him, and the girl who fed thepoultry kicked him. 

He ran through the hedge, and the little birds in the bushes wereterrified. "That is because I am so ugly, " thought the Duckling, shutting his eyes, but he ran on. At last he came to a wide moor, where lived some Wild Ducks; here he lay the whole night, very tiredand comfortless. In the morning the Wild Ducks flew up, and saw theirnew companion. "Pray who are you?" asked they; and our little Ducklingturned himself in all directions, and greeted them as politely aspossible. 

"You are really uncommonly ugly!" said the Wild Ducks. "However, thatdoes not matter to us, provided you do not marry into our families. "Poor thing! he had never thought of marrying; he only begged permissionto lie among the reeds, and drink the water of the moor. 

[Illustration]

There he lay for two whole days. On the third day there came two WildGeese, or rather Ganders, who had not been long out of their egg-shells, which accounts for their impertinence. 

"Hark ye, " said they; "you are so ugly that we like you very well. Willyou come with us and be a bird of passage? On another moor, not farfrom this, are some dear, sweet Wild Geese, as lovely creatures as haveever said 'Hiss, hiss. ' You are truly in the way to make your fortune, ugly as you are. "

Bang! a gun went off all at once, and both Wild Geese were stretcheddead among the reeds; the water became red with blood. Bang! a gun wentoff again. Whole flocks of Wild Geese flew up from among the reeds, andanother report followed. 

There was a grand hunting party. The hunters lay in ambush all around;some were even sitting in the trees, whose huge branches stretched farover the moor. The blue smoke rose through the thick trees like a mist, and was dispersed as it fell over the water. The hounds splashed aboutin the mud, the reeds and rushes bent in all directions. 

How frightened the poor little Duck was! He turned his head, thinkingto hide it under his wings, and in a moment a most formidable-lookingDog stood close to him, his tongue hanging out of his mouth, his eyessparkling fearfully. He opened wide his jaws at the sight of ourDuckling, showing him his sharp white teeth, and, splash, splash!he was gone--gone without hurting him. 

"Well! let me be thankful, " sighed he. "I am so ugly that even the Dogwill not eat me. "

And now he lay still, though the shooting continued among the reeds, shot following shot. 

The noise did not cease till late in the day, and even then the poorlittle thing dared not stir. He waited several hours before he lookedaround him, and then hurried away from the moor as fast as he could. He ran over fields and meadows, though the wind was so high that hehad some difficulty in moving. 

Towards evening he reached a wretched little hut, so wretched that itknew not on which side to fall, and therefore remained standing. Thewind blew violently, so that our poor little Duckling was obliged tosupport himself on his tail, in order to stand against it; but itbecame worse and worse. He then noticed that the door had lost oneof its hinges, and hung so much awry that he could creep through thecrack into the room. So he went in. 

In this room lived an old woman, with her Tom-cat and her Hen. The Cat, whom she called her little son, knew how to set up his back and purr;indeed, he could even throw out sparks when stroked the wrong way. TheHen had very short legs, and was therefore called "Chickie Short-legs. "She laid very good eggs, and the old woman loved her as her own child. 

The next morning the new guest was discovered, and the Cat began to mewand the Hen to cackle. 

[Illustration]

"What is the matter?" asked the old woman, looking round. But her eyeswere not good, so she took the young Duckling to be a fat Duck who hadlost her way. "This is a capital catch, " said she, "I shall now haveDuck's eggs, if it be not a Drake. We shall see. "

And so the Duckling was kept on trial for three weeks, but no eggs madetheir appearance. Now the Cat was the master of the house, and the Henwas the mistress, and always used to say, "We and the world, " for theyimagined themselves to be not only the half of the world, but also byfar the better half. The Duckling thought it was possible to be of adifferent opinion, but that the Hen would not allow. 

"Can you lay eggs?" asked she. 

"No. "

"Well, then, hold your tongue. "

And the Cat said, "Can you set up your back? Can you purr?"

"No. "

"Well, then, you should have no opinion when reasonable people arespeaking. "

So the Duckling sat alone in a corner, and felt very miserable. However, he happened to think of the fresh air and bright sunshine, and thesethoughts gave him such a strong desire to swim again, that he could nothelp telling it to the Hen. 

"What ails you?" said the Hen. "You have nothing to do, and thereforebrood over these fancies. Either lay eggs or purr, then you will forgetthem. "

"But it is so delicious to swim!" said the Duckling. "So delicious whenthe waters close over your head, and you plunge to the bottom!"

"Well, that is a queer sort of pleasure, " said the Hen. "I think youmust be crazy. Not to speak of myself, ask the Cat--he is the mostsensible animal I know--whether he would like to swim, or to plunge tothe bottom of the water. Ask our mistress, the old woman--there is noone in the world wiser than she. Do you think she would take pleasurein swimming and in the waters closing over her head?"

"You do not understand me, " said the Duckling. 

"What! we do not understand you? So you think yourself wiser than theCat and the old woman, not to speak of myself? Do not fancy any suchthing, child; but be thankful for all the kindness that has been shownyou. Are you not lodged in a warm room, and have you not the advantageof society from which you can learn something? But you are a simpleton, and it is wearisome to have anything to do with you. Believe me, I wishyou well. I tell you unpleasant truths, but it is thus that realfriendship is shown. Come, for once give yourself the trouble tolearn to purr, or to lay eggs. "

"I think I will go out into the wide world again, " said the Duckling. 

"Well, go, " answered the Hen. 

So the Duckling went. He swam on the surface of the water, he plungedbeneath, but all animals passed him by, on account of his ugliness. Andthe autumn came, the leaves turned yellow and brown, the wind caughtthem and danced them about, the air was very cold, the clouds were heavywith hail or snow, and the Raven sat on the hedge and croaked. The poorDuckling was certainly not very comfortable. 

One evening, just as the sun was setting with unusual brilliancy, aflock of large, beautiful birds rose from out of the brushwood. TheDuckling had never seen anything so beautiful before; their plumage wasof a dazzling white, and they had long, slender necks. They were Swans. They uttered a singular cry, spread out their long splendid wings, andflew away from these cold regions to warmer countries, across the opensea. They flew so high, so very high! And the little Ugly Duckling'sfeelings were so strange. He turned round and round in the water like amill-wheel, strained his neck to look after them, and sent forth such aloud and strange cry that it almost frightened himself. Ah! he could notforget them, those noble birds, those happy birds! When he could seethem no longer he plunged to the bottom of the water, and when he roseagain was almost beside himself. The Duckling knew not what the birdswere called, knew not whither they were flying; yet he loved them as hehad never before loved anything. He envied them not; it would never haveoccurred to him to wish such beauty for himself. He would have beenquite contented if the Ducks in the duck-yard had but endured hiscompany--the poor, ugly creature. 

[Illustration]

And the winter was so cold, so cold, the Duckling was obliged to swimround and round in the water to keep it from freezing. But every nightthe opening in which he swam became smaller and smaller. It froze sothat the crust of ice crackled and the Duckling was obliged to make gooduse of his legs to prevent the water from freezing entirely. At last, wearied out, he lay stiff and cold in the ice. 

Early in the morning there passed by a peasant who saw him, broke theice in pieces with his wooden shoe, and brought him home to his wife. 

The poor Duckling soon revived. The children would have played with him, but he thought they wished to tease him, and in his terror jumped intothe milk-pail, so that the milk was spilled about the room. The goodwoman screamed and clapped her hands. He flew from there into the panwhere the butter was kept, and thence into the meal-barrel, and outagain, and then how strange he looked!

The woman screamed, and struck at him with the tongs, the children ranraces with each other trying to catch him, and laughed and screamedlikewise. It was well for him that the door stood open. He jumped outamong the bushes into the new-fallen snow, and there he lay as in adream. 

But it would be too sad to tell all the trouble and misery that he hadto suffer from the frost, and snow and storms of the winter. He waslying on a moor among the reeds, when the sun began to shine warmlyagain; the larks sang, and beautiful spring had returned. 

Once more he shook his wings. They were stronger than formerly and borehim forward quickly, and before he was well aware of it he was in alarge garden where the apple-trees stood in full bloom, where thesyringas sent forth their fragrance and hung their long green branchesdown into the winding canal. Oh! everything was so lovely, so full ofthe freshness of spring! And out of the thicket came three beautifulwhite Swans. They displayed their feathers so proudly and swam solightly, so lightly! The Duckling knew the glorious creatures, and wasseized with a strange sadness. 

"I will fly to them, those kingly birds!" said he. "They will kill me, because I, ugly as I am, have dared to approach them. But it mattersnot. Better to be killed by them than to be bitten by the Ducks, peckedby the Hens, kicked by the girl who feeds the poultry, and to have somuch to suffer during the winter!"

[Illustration]

He flew into the water and swam towards the beautiful creatures. Theysaw him and shot forward to meet him. "Only kill me, " said the poorcreature, and he bowed his head low, expecting death. But what did hesee in the water? He saw beneath him his own form, no longer that of aplump, ugly grey bird--it was that of a Swan. 

It matters not to have been born in a duck-yard, if one has been hatchedfrom a Swan's egg. And now the Swan began to see the good of all thetrouble he had been through. He would never have known how happy he wasif he had not first had all his sorrow and unhappiness to bear. 

The larger Swans swam round him, and stroked him with their beaks. Somelittle children were running about in the garden; they threw grain andbread into the water, and the youngest exclaimed: "There is a new one!"The others also cried out: "Yes, a new Swan has come!" and they clappedtheir hands, and danced around. 

They ran to their father and mother, bread and cake were thrown intothe water, and every one said: "The new one is best, so young and sobeautiful!" And the old Swans bowed before him. The young Swan feltquite ashamed, and hid his head under his wings. He scarcely knew whatto do. He was too happy, but still not proud, for a good heart is neverproud. 

He remembered how he had been persecuted and laughed at, and he nowheard everyone say that he was the most beautiful of all beautifulbirds. The syringas bent down their branches toward him low into thewater, and the sun shone warmly and brightly. He shook his feathers, stretched his slender neck, and in the joy of his heart said: "Howlittle did I dream of so much happiness when I was the despised UglyDuckling!"

[Illustration]

ALADDIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP

[Illustration]

Aladdin was the only son of a poor widow who lived in China; but insteadof helping his mother to earn their living, he let her do all the hardwork, while he himself only thought of idling and amusement. 

One day, as he was playing in the streets, a stranger came up to him, saying that he was his father's brother, and claiming him as hislong-lost nephew. Aladdin had never heard that his father had had abrother; but as the stranger gave him money and promised to buy himfine clothes and set him up in business, he was quite ready to believeall that he told him. The man was a magician, who wanted to use Aladdinfor his own purposes. 

[Illustration]

The next day the stranger came again, brought Aladdin a beautiful suitof clothes, gave him many good things to eat, and took him for a longwalk, telling him stories all the while to amuse him. After they hadwalked a long way, they came to a narrow valley, bounded on either sideby tall, gloomy-looking mountains. Aladdin was beginning to feel tired, and he did not like the look of this place at all. He wanted to turnback; but the stranger would not let him. He made Aladdin follow himstill farther, until at length they reached the place where he intendedto carry out his evil design. Then he made Aladdin gather sticks to makea fire, and when they were in a blaze he threw into them some powder, at the same time saying some mystical words, which Aladdin could notunderstand. 

Immediately they were surrounded with a thick cloud of smoke. The earthtrembled, and burst open at their feet--disclosing a large flat stonewith a brass ring fixed in it. Aladdin was so terribly frightened thathe was about to run away; but the Magician gave him such a blow on theear that he fell to the ground. 

Poor Aladdin rose to his feet with eyes full of tears, and said, reproachfully--

"Uncle, what have I done that you should treat me so?"

"You should not have tried to run away from me, " said the Magician, "when I have brought you here only for your own advantage. Under thisstone there is hidden a treasure which will make you richer than therichest monarch in the world. You alone may touch it. If I assist youin any way the spell will be broken, but if you obey me faithfully, weshall both be rich for the rest of our lives. Come, take hold of thebrass ring and lift the stone. "

Aladdin forgot his fears in the hope of gaining this wonderful treasure, and took hold of the brass ring. It yielded at once to his touch, and hewas able to lift the great stone quite easily and move it away, whichdisclosed a flight of steps, leading down into the ground. 

"Go down these steps, " commanded the Magician, "and at the bottom youwill find a great cavern, divided into three halls, full of vessels ofgold and silver; but take care you do not meddle with these. If youtouch anything in the halls you will meet with instant death. The thirdhall will bring you into a garden, planted with fine fruit trees. Whenyou have crossed the garden, you will come to a terrace, where you willfind a niche, and in the niche a lighted lamp. Take the lamp down, andwhen you have put out the light and poured away the oil, bring it to me. If you would like to gather any of the fruit of the garden you may doso, provided you do not linger. "

Then the Magician put a ring on Aladdin's finger, which he told him wasto preserve him from evil, and sent him down into the cavern. 

[Illustration]

Aladdin found everything just as the Magician had said. He passedthrough the three halls, crossed the garden, took down the lamp fromthe niche, poured out the oil, put the lamp into his bosom, and turnedto go back. 

As he came down from the terrace, he stopped to look at the trees of thegarden, which were laden with wonderful fruits. To Aladdin's eyes itappeared as if these fruits were only bits of colored glass, but inreality they were jewels of the rarest quality. Aladdin filled hispockets full of the dazzling things, for though he had no idea of theirreal value, yet he was attracted by their dazzling brilliance. He hadso loaded himself with these treasures that when at last he came to thesteps he was unable to climb them without assistance. 

"Pray, Uncle, " he said, "give me your hand to help me out. "

"Give me the lamp first, " replied the Magician. 

"Really, Uncle, I cannot do so until I am out of this place, " answeredAladdin, whose hands were, indeed, so full that he could not get at thelamp. 

But the Magician refused to help Aladdin up the steps until he hadhanded over the lamp. Aladdin was equally determined not to give it upuntil he was out of the cavern, and, at last, the Magician fell into afurious rage. Throwing some more of the powder into the fire, he againsaid the magic words. No sooner had he done so than there was atremendous thunder-clap, the stone rolled back into its place, andAladdin was a prisoner in the cavern. The poor boy cried aloud to hissupposed uncle to help him; but it was all in vain, his cries could notbe heard. The doors in the garden were closed by the same enchantment, and Aladdin sat down on the steps in despair, knowing that there waslittle hope of his ever seeing his Mother again. 

For two terrible days he lay in the cavern waiting for death. On thethird day, realizing that it could not now be far off, he clasped hishands in anguish, thinking of his Mother's sorrow; and in so doing heaccidently rubbed the ring which the Magician had put upon his finger. 

Immediately a genie of enormous size rose out of the earth, and, asAladdin started back in fright and horror, said to him:

[Illustration]

"What wouldst thou have of me?"

"Who are you?" gasped Aladdin. 

"I am the slave of the ring. I am ready to obey thy commands, " came theanswer. 

Aladdin was still trembling; but the danger he was in already made himanswer without hesitation:

"Then, if you are able, deliver me, I beseech you, from this place. "

Scarcely had he spoken, when he found himself lying on the ground at theplace to which the Magician had first brought him. 

He hastened home to his Mother, who had mourned him as dead. As soon ashe had told her all his adventures, he begged her to get him some food, for he had now been three days without eating. 

"Alas, child!" replied his Mother, "I have not a bit of bread to giveyou. "

"Never mind, Mother, " said Aladdin, "I will go and sell the old lampwhich I brought home with me. Doubtless I shall get a little money forit. "

His Mother reached down the lamp; but seeing how dirty it was, shethought it would sell better if she cleaned it. But no sooner had shebegun to rub it than a hideous genie appeared before her, and said ina voice like thunder:

"What wouldst thou have of me? I am ready to obey thy commands, I andall the other slaves of the lamp. "

[Illustration]

Aladdin's Mother fainted away at the sight of this creature; butAladdin, having seen the genie of the ring, was not so frightened, and said boldly:

"I am hungry, bring me something to eat. "

The genie disappeared, but returned in an instant with twelve silverdishes, filled with different kinds of savory meats, six large whiteloaves, two bottles of wine, and two silver drinking cups. He placedthese things on the table and then vanished. 

Aladdin fetched water, and sprinkling some on his Mother's face soonbrought her back to life again. 

When she opened her eyes and saw all the good things the genie hadprovided, she was overcome with astonishment. 

"To whom are we indebted for this feast?" she cried. "Has the Sultanheard of our poverty and sent us these fine things from his own table?"

"Never mind now how they came here, " said Aladdin. "Let us first eat, then I will tell you. "

Mother and son made a hearty meal, and then Aladdin told his Mother thatit was the genie of the lamp who had brought them the food. His Motherwas greatly alarmed, and begged him to have nothing further to do withgenies, advising him to sell the lamp at once. But Aladdin would notpart with such a wonderful possession, and resolved to keep both thering and the lamp safely, in case he should ever need them again. Heshowed his Mother the fruits which he had gathered in the garden, andhis Mother admired their bright colors and dazzling radiance, thoughshe had no idea of their real value. 

Not many days after this, Aladdin was walking in the streets of thecity, when he heard a fanfare of trumpets announcing the passing of thePrincess Badroulboudour, the Sultan's only daughter. Aladdin stopped tosee her go by, and was so struck by her great beauty that he fell inlove with her on the spot and made up his mind to win her for his bride. 

"Mother, " he said, "I cannot live without the Princess Badroulboudour. You must go to the Sultan and demand her hand in marriage for me. "

[Illustration]

Aladdin's Mother burst out laughing at the idea of her son wishing to bethe son-in-law of the Sultan, and told him to put such thoughts out ofhis head at once. But Aladdin was not to be laughed out of his fancy. Heknew by this time that the fruits which he had gathered from the magicgarden were jewels of great value, and he insisted upon his Mothertaking them to the Sultan for a present, and asking the hand of thePrincess in marriage for her son. 

The poor woman was terribly frightened, fearing lest the Sultan shouldpunish her for her impudence; but Aladdin would hear of no excuses, andat last she set forth in fear and trembling, bearing the jewels on achina dish covered with a napkin. 

[Illustration]

When she came before the Sultan, she told him, with many apologies andpleas for forgiveness, of her son's mad love for the PrincessBadroulboudour. The Sultan smiled at the idea of the son of a poor oldwoman asking for the hand of his daughter, and asked her what she hadunder the napkin. But when the woman uncovered the jewels, he started upfrom his throne in amazement, for he had never before seen so many largeand magnificent jewels collected together. He thought Aladdin must be avery unusual and extraordinary person to be able to make him such avaluable present, and he began to wonder whether it might not be worthwhile to bestow the Princess's hand upon him. However, he thought hewould ask for some further proof of his wealth and power; so, turningto the woman, he said:

"Good Mother, tell your son he shall have the Princess Badroulboudourfor his wife as soon as he sends me forty basins of gold, filled withjewels as valuable as these, and borne by forty black and forty whiteslaves. Hasten now and carry him my message. I will await your return. "

Aladdin's Mother was dismayed at this request. 

"Where can Aladdin get such basins and jewels and slaves?" she thought, as she hurried home to him. But Aladdin only smiled when his Mother gavehim the Sultan's message. He rubbed the lamp, and at once the geniestood before him, asking him what was his pleasure. 

"Go, " said Aladdin, "fetch me forty basins all of massive gold, full ofjewels, borne by forty black and forty white slaves. "

The genie brought these things at once, and Aladdin then sent his Motherwith them to the Sultan. 

[Illustration]

The Sultan was amazed at this wonderful show of wealth and at thequickness with which it had been brought, and he sent for Aladdin tocome to the Court. 

Aladdin first summoned the genie to bring him fine clothes and asplendid horse, and a retinue fit for the future son-in-law of theSultan; and then, with a train of slaves bearing magnificent presentsfor the Princess, he set out for the Palace. 

The Sultan would have married him to his daughter at once; but Aladdinasked him to wait until the next morning, when he hoped to have a Palaceworthy to receive his wife. 

Once again he summoned the genie to his aid, and commanded him to builda Palace that in beauty and magnificence should surpass any that hadever been built on the earth before. 

The next morning when the Sultan awoke and looked out of his window, hesaw, opposite to his own, the most wonderful Palace he had ever seen. The walls were built of gold and silver, and encrusted with diamonds, rubies and emeralds, and other rare and precious stones. The stableswere filled with the finest horses; beautiful gardens surrounded thebuilding, and everywhere were hundreds of slaves and servants to waiton the Princess. 

The Sultan was so overcome with all this magnificence, that he insistedupon marrying his daughter to Aladdin that very day, and the youngcouple took up their residence in the Palace the genie had built. 

For a time they lived very happily, but the Magician, who had gone toAfrica after he had left Aladdin to perish in the cavern, at lengthhappened to hear of Aladdin's fame and riches; and guessing at once thesource of all this wealth, he returned once more to China, determined togain possession of the magic lamp. 

[Illustration]

He bought a number of new and beautiful lamps, disguised himself as anold beggar-man, and then, waiting until Aladdin was out hunting, he cameto the windows of the Palace, crying out:

"New lamps for old; new lamps for old. "

When the Princess heard this strange cry she was very much amused. 

"Let us see, " she said to her ladies, "whether this foolish fellow meanswhat he says; there is an ugly old lamp in Aladdin's room, " and takingthe precious lamp, which Aladdin always kept by his bedside, she sent itout to the old man by one of the slaves, saying--

"Give me a new lamp for this!"

[Illustration]

The Magician was overjoyed. He saw at once that it was the very lamp hewanted, and giving the Princess the best of the new ones in exchange, hehurried away with his treasure. As soon as he found himself alone, hesummoned the slave of the lamp, and told him to carry himself, thePalace, and the Princess Badroulboudour to the farthest corner ofAfrica. This order the genie at once obeyed. 

When Aladdin returned from hunting and found that his wife and hisPalace had vanished, he was overcome with anguish, guessing that hisenemy, the Magician, had by some means got possession of the lamp. TheSultan, whose grief and anger at the loss of his daughter were terrible, ordered him to leave the Court at once, and told him that unless hereturned in forty days with the Princess safe and well, he would havehim beheaded. 

Aladdin went out from the Sultan's presence, not knowing what to do orwhere to turn. But after he had wandered about for some time in despair, he remembered the ring which he still wore on his finger. He rubbed it, and in a moment the genie stood before him. But when Aladdin commandedhim to bring back the Palace and the Princess, the genie answered--

"What you command is not in my power. You must ask the slave of thelamp. I am only the slave of the ring. "

"Then, " said Aladdin, "if you cannot bring my Palace to me, I commandyou to take me to my Palace. " No sooner were the words out of his mouththan he found himself standing in Africa, close to the missing Palace. 

The Princess Badroulboudour, who, since the moment when the Magician hadhad her in his power, had not ceased to weep and lament for herfoolishness in exchanging the lamp, happened to be looking out of thewindow; and when she saw Aladdin she nearly fainted with joy, and senta slave to bring him secretly into the Palace. 

Then she and Aladdin made a plan to get the better of the Magician andto recover the lost lamp. Aladdin summoned the genie of the ring, whoprocured for him a very powerful sleeping-powder, which he gave to thePrincess. Then Aladdin hid himself behind some curtains in the room, and the Princess sent a message to the Magician asking him to takesupper with her. 

[Illustration]

The Magician was delighted at the Princess's invitation, and acceptedit joyfully, never dreaming that Aladdin had found his way to Africa. 

As they were eating and drinking together, the Princess put thesleeping-powder into the Magician's cup of wine--and no sooner had hetasted it than he fell down in a deep sleep as if dead. 

This was Aladdin's chance. Hastily coming out from behind the curtains, he snatched the lamp from the Magician's bosom, and called the genie tocome to his assistance. 

The genie, having first thrown out the Magician, then carried the Palacewith the Princess and Aladdin back to the spot from which it had beentaken. 

Great was the Sultan's joy at receiving back his daughter. The wholecity was given over to rejoicings, and for ten days nothing was heardbut the sound of drums and trumpets and cymbals, and nothing was seenbut illuminations and gorgeous entertainments in honor of Aladdin's safereturn. 

[Illustration]

Aladdin and the Princess ascended the throne after the Sultan died andthey lived long and happily and had many beautiful children. 

[Illustration]

THE SLEEPING BEAUTY

[Illustration]

Once upon a time there lived a King and Queen who had no children. Theylonged very much for a child; and when at last they had a littledaughter they were both delighted, and great rejoicings took place. 

When the time came for the little Princess to be christened, the Kingmade a grand feast and invited all but one of the fairies in his kingdomto be godmothers. There happened to be thirteen fairies in the kingdom;but as the King had only twelve gold plates, he had to leave one ofthem out. 

The twelve fairies that were invited came to the christening, andpresented the little Princess with the best gifts in their possession. One gave her beauty, one gave her wisdom, another grace, anothergoodness, until all but one had presented their offerings. Just as thelast fairy was about to step forward and offer her gift, there came atremendous knocking at the door, and before anybody could get there toopen it, it was burst open, and in came the thirteenth fairy, in afurious rage at not having been invited to the feast. 

When she saw all the gifts which the other fairies had presented thechild, she laughed and exclaimed:

"A lot of good all this beauty and virtue and wealth will do to you, mypretty Princess! You shall pay for the slight your Royal Father has putupon me!" Then, turning to the terrified King and Queen, she said, in aloud voice:

"When the Princess is fifteen years old she shall prick her finger witha spindle and die!" Having said this she flew away as noisily as shecame. 

The King and Queen were in despair, and the courtiers stood aghast atthe terrible disaster; while the little Princess began to cry piteously, as if she knew the fate in store for her. Then the twelfth fairy steppedforward. 

"Do not be afraid, " she said, "I have not yet given my gift. I cannotundo the wicked spell, but I can soften the evil. The Princess, on herfifteenth birthday, shall prick her finger with a spindle, but she shallnot die. Instead, she shall fall asleep for a hundred years. "

"Alas!" cried the Queen, "what comfort will that be to us? Long beforethe hundred years are past we shall be dead, and our darling child willbe as lost to us as if she were indeed to die!"

[Illustration]

"I can make that right, " said the fairy. "When the Princess fallsasleep, you shall sleep, too; and awaken with her when the hundredyears are passed. "

But the King still hoped to save his daughter from such a terriblemisfortune. So he ordered all the spinning-wheels in his kingdom to beburnt or destroyed, and made a law that no one was to use one on pain ofinstant death. But all his care was useless. On her fifteenth birthdaythe Princess slipped away from her attendants, and wandered all throughthe Palace. At last she came to a tower which she had never seen before, and, wondering what it contained, she climbed the stairs. From a room atthe top came a curious humming noise, and the Princess, wondering whatit could be, pushed open the door and stepped inside. 

There sat an old woman, bent with age, working at a strangely shapedwheel. The Princess was full of curiosity. 

[Illustration]

"What is that funny-looking thing?" she asked. 

"It is a spinning-wheel, Princess, " answered the old woman, who was noother than the wicked fairy in disguise. 

"A spinning-wheel--what is that? I have never heard of such a thing, "said the Princess. She stood watching for a few minutes, then she added:

"It looks quite easy. May I try to do it?"

"Certainly, gracious lady, " said the wicked fairy, and the Princess satdown and tried to turn the wheel. But no sooner did she lay her handupon it than the spindle, which was enchanted, pricked her finger, andthe Princess fell back against a silk-covered couch--fast asleep. 

In a moment a deep silence fell upon all who were in the castle. TheKing fell asleep in the midst of his councillors, the Queen with herladies-in-waiting. The horses in the stable, the pigeons on the roof, the flies upon the walls, even the very fire upon the hearth fellasleep, too. The meat which was cooking in the kitchen ceased tofrizzle; and the cook, who was just about to box the kitchen boy'sears, fell asleep with her hand outstretched, and began to snorealoud. The butler who was tasting the ale, fell asleep with thejug at his lips. 

A great hedge sprang up around the castle, which, as the years passedon, grew and grew until it formed an impenetrable barrier around thesleeping Palace. The old people of the country died, and their childrengrew up and died also, and their children, and their children, and thestory of the sleeping Princess became a legend, handed down from onegeneration to another; and a cloud of mystery, as thick and impenetrableas the hedge of thorns, lay over the old castle. Many brave and gallantPrinces tried to force their way through the magic hedge, in order tosolve the mystery and to see for themselves the beautiful maiden who layin an enchanted sleep behind that thorny barrier. But the thorns caughtthem, and held them from going forward or back, and the gallant youthsperished miserably in the thickets. 

[Illustration]

After many, many years there came a King's son into that country, whoheard the story of the Princess and the hedge of briers; and he made uphis mind to try and force his way to the castle to awake the sleepingPrincess. People told him of the fate of the other Princes, who had alsoattempted this difficult task; but the Prince would not be warned. 

"I have made up my mind to see this maiden of whose beauty I have heardso many wonderful tales, " he cried. "I will force a way through thehedge of thorns and awake this Sleeping Beauty, or die in the attempt!"

Now, it happened that this day was the last day of the hundred years;and when the Prince came to the thicket that surrounded the castle andbegan to push his way through, he found that the briers yielded readilyto his touch. The thorns had all blossomed into roses that scented theair with fragrance as he went by. Primroses sprang up before his feetand made a pathway to lead him straight to the castle gates; and thebirds suddenly broke forth into singing, as if to tell the world thatthe hundred years of enchantment were over, and the Princess about tobe awakened from her long sleep. 

The Prince passed through the council chamber, where the King and hiscouncillors were sleeping; through the room where the Queen and herladies slept. He passed on from hall to hall, climbed from stair tostair, until at last he reached the tower chamber where the sleepingPrincess lay. For a moment he stood and gazed in wonder at her lovelyface; then he sank on his knees beside her, and kissed her as she layasleep. 

Instantly the spell was broken. The King and Queen awoke, and all thecourtiers with them; the horses neighed in the stables, and shook theirglossy manes; the pigeons cooed upon the roof; the flies on the wallmoved again; the fire burnt up brightly; and the meat in the kitchenbegan to frizzle once more as the spit turned round. The cook gave thekitchen boy the tremendous box on the ear that she had started to givehim a hundred years ago, and everything and everybody went on just asusual, as if nothing at all out of the common had occurred. 

And up in the tower chamber the Princess opened her eyes to meet thegaze of the Prince, who had dared to risk his life for her sake. Whatthey said to each other nobody quite knows, for nobody was there tohear or see. But whatever it was, it must have been something verysatisfactory; for very soon after they were married, and lived happilyever afterwards. 

[Illustration]

PUSS-IN-BOOTS

[Illustration]

There was once a Miller, who, at his death, had nothing to leave to histhree sons except his mill, his ass, and his cat. The eldest son tookthe mill, the second took the ass--and as for the youngest, all thatremained for him was the cat. 

The youngest son grumbled at this. "My brothers, " said he, "will be ableto earn an honest living; but when I have eaten my cat and sold his skinI shall die of hunger. "

The Cat, who was sitting beside him, overheard this. 

[Illustration]

"Nay, Master, " he said, "don't take such a gloomy view of things. If youwill get me a pair of boots made so that I can walk through the brambleswithout hurting my feet, and give me a bag, you shall soon see what I amworth. "

The Cat's master was so surprised to hear his Cat talking, that he atonce got him what he wanted. The Cat drew on the boots and slung thebag round his neck and set off for a rabbit warren. When he got therehe filled his bag with bran and lettuces, and stretching himself outbeside it as if dead, waited until some young rabbit should be temptedinto the bag. This happened very soon. A fat, thoughtless rabbit wentin headlong, and the Cat at once jumped up, pulled the strings andkilled him. 

Puss was very proud of his success, and, going to the King's palace, heasked to speak to the King. When he was shown into the King's presencehe bowed respectfully, and, laying the rabbit down before the throne, he said--

"Sire, here is a rabbit, which my master, the Marquis of Carabas, desires me to present to your Majesty. "

"Tell your master, " said the King, "that I accept his present, and amvery much obliged to him. "

A few days later, the Cat went and hid himself in a cornfield and laidhis bag open as before. This time two splendid partridges were luredinto the trap, and these also he took to the Palace and presented to theKing from the Marquis of Carabas. The King was very pleased with thisgift, and ordered the messenger of the Marquis of Carabas to behandsomely rewarded. 

[Illustration]

For two or three months the Cat went on in this way, carrying game everyday to the Palace, and saying it was sent by the Marquis of Carabas. 

At last the Cat happened to hear that the King was going to take a driveon the banks of the river, with his daughter, the most beautifulPrincess in the world. He at once went to his master. 

"Master, " said he, "if you follow my advice, your fortune will be made. Go and bathe in the river at a place I shall show you, and I will do therest. "

"Very well, " said the Miller's son, and he did as the Cat told him. Whenhe was in the water, the Cat took away his clothes and hid them, andthen ran to the road, just as the King's coach went by, calling out asloudly as he could--

"Help, help! The Marquis of Carabas will be drowned. "

The King looked out of the carriage window, and when he saw the Cat whohad brought him so many fine rabbits and partridges, he ordered hisbodyguards to fly at once to the rescue of the Marquis of Carabas. 

Then the Cat came up to the carriage and told the King that while hismaster was bathing some robbers had stolen all his clothes. The Kingimmediately ordered one of his own magnificent suits of clothes to betaken to the Marquis; so when the Miller's son appeared before themonarch and his daughter, he looked so handsome, and was so splendidlyattired, that the Princess fell in love with him on the spot. 

The King was so struck with his appearance that he insisted upon hisgetting into the carriage to take a drive with them. 

The Cat, delighted with the way his plans were turning out, ran onbefore. He reached a meadow where some peasants were making hay. 

"Good people, " said he, "if you do not tell the King, when he comes thisway, that the meadow you are mowing belongs to the Marquis of Carabas, you shall all be chopped up into little pieces. "

When the King came by, he stopped to ask the haymakers to whom themeadow belonged. 

"To the Marquis of Carabas, if it please Your Majesty, " answered they, trembling, for the Cat's threat had frightened them terribly. 

The Cat, who continued to run before the carriage, now came to somereapers. 

"Good people, " said he, "if you do not tell the King that all this cornbelongs to the Marquis of Carabas, you shall all be chopped up intolittle pieces. "

[Illustration]

The King again stopped to ask to whom the land belonged, and thereapers, obedient to the Cat's command, answered--

"To the Marquis of Carabas, please Your Majesty. "

And all the way the Cat kept running on before the carriage, repeatingthe same instructions to all the laborers he came to; so that the Kingbecame very astonished at the vast possessions of the Marquis ofCarabas. 

At last the Cat arrived at a great castle, where an Ogre lived who wasvery rich, for all the lands through which the King had been riding werepart of his estate. The Cat knocked at the castle door, and asked to seethe Ogre. 

The Ogre received him very civilly, and asked him what he wanted. 

"If you please, sir, " said the Cat, "I have heard that you have thepower of changing yourself into any sort of animal you please--and Icame to see if it could possibly be true. "

"So I have, " replied the Ogre, and in a moment he turned himself into alion. This gave the Cat a great fright, and he scrambled up the curtainsto the ceiling. 

"Indeed, sir, " he said, "I am now quite convinced of your power to turnyourself into such a huge animal as a lion; but I do not suppose you canchange yourself into a small one--such as a mouse, for instance?"

"Indeed, I can, " cried the Ogre, indignantly; and in a moment the lionhad vanished, while a little brown mouse frisked about the floor. 

In less than half a second the Cat sprang down from the curtains and, pouncing upon the mouse, ate him all up before the Ogre had time toreturn to any other shape. 

And when the King arrived at the castle gates, there stood the Cat uponthe doorstep, bowing and saying--

"Welcome to the castle of the Marquis of Carabas!"

The Marquis helped the King and the Princess to alight, and the Cat ledthem into a great hall, where a feast had been spread for the Ogre. 

The King was so delighted with the good looks, the charming manners, andthe great wealth of the Marquis of Carabas, that he said the Marquismust marry his daughter. 

The Marquis, of course, replied that he should be only too happy; andthe very next day he and the Princess were married. 

As for the Cat, he was given the title of Puss-in-Boots, and ever afteronly caught mice for his own amusement. 

[Illustration]

ADVENTURES OF TOM THUMB

[Illustration]

A long time ago, a woodcutter lived with his wife in a small cottage notfar from a great forest. They had seven children--all boys; and theyoungest was the smallest little fellow ever seen. He was called TomThumb. But though he was so small, he was far cleverer than any of hisbrothers, and he heard a great deal more than anybody ever imagined. 

It happened that just at this time there was a famine in the land, andthe woodcutter and his wife became so poor that they could no longergive their boys enough to eat. 

One night--after the boys had gone to bed--the husband sighing deeply, said--

"We cannot feed our children any longer, and to see them starve beforeour eyes is more than I can bear. To-morrow morning, therefore, we willtake them into the forest and leave them in the thickest part of it, sothat they will not be able to find their way back. "

[Illustration]

His wife wept bitterly at the thought of leaving their children toperish in the forest; but she, too, thought it better than to see themdie before her eyes. So she consented to her husband's plan. 

But all this time Tom Thumb had been awake, and he had overheard allthe conversation. He lay awake a long while thinking what to do. Then, slipping quietly out of bed, he ran down to the river and filled hispocket with small white pebbles from the river's brink. 

In the morning the parents called the children, and, after giving them acrust of bread, they all set out for the wood. Tom Thumb did not say aword to his brothers of what he had overheard; but, lingering behind, hedropped the pebbles from his pocket one by one, as they walked, so thathe should be able to find his way home. When they reached a very thickpart of the forest, the father and mother told the children to waitwhile they went a little farther to cut wood, but as soon as they wereout of sight they turned and went home by another way. 

When darkness fell, the children began to realize that they weredeserted, and they began to cry loudly. Tom Thumb, however, did not cry. 

"Do not weep, my brothers, " he said encouragingly. "Only wait until themoon rises, and we shall soon be able to find our way home. "

When at length the moon rose, it shone down upon the white pebbleswhich Tom Thumb had scattered; and, following this path, the childrensoon reached their father's house. 

But at first they were afraid to go in, and waited outside the door tohear what their parents were talking about. 

[Illustration]

Now, it happened that when the father and mother reached home, theyfound a rich gentleman had sent them ten crowns, in payment for workwhich had been done long before. The wife went out at once and boughtbread and meat, and she and her husband sat down to make a hearty meal. But the mother could not forget her little ones; and at last she criedto her husband:

"Alas! where are our poor children? How they would have enjoyed thisgood feast!"

The children, listening at the door, heard this and cried out, "Here weare, mother; here we are!" and, overjoyed, the mother flew to let themin and kissed them all round. 

Their parents were delighted to have their little ones with them again;but soon the ten crowns were spent, and they found themselves as badlyoff as before. Once more they agreed to leave the children in theforest, and once again Tom Thumb overheard them. This time he did nottrouble himself very much; he thought it would be easy for him to do ashe had done before. He got up very early the next morning to go and getthe pebbles; but, to his dismay, he found the house door securelylocked. Then, indeed, he did not know what to do, and for a little whilehe was in great distress. However, at breakfast the mother gave each ofthe children a slice of bread, and Tom Thumb thought he would manage tomake his piece of bread do as well as the pebbles, by breaking it up anddropping the crumbs as he went. 

This time the father and mother took the children still deeper andfarther into the wood, and then, slipping away, left them alone. 

Tom Thumb consoled his brothers as before; but when he came to look forthe crumbs of bread, not one of them was left. The birds had eaten themall up, and the poor children were lost in the forest, with no possiblemeans of finding their way home. 

[Illustration]

Tom Thumb did not lose courage. He climbed to the top of a high tree andlooked round to see if there was any way of getting help. In thedistance he saw a light burning, and, coming down from the tree, he ledhis brothers toward the house from which it came. 

When they knocked at the door, it was opened by a pleasant-lookingwoman, and Tom Thumb told her they were poor children who had lost theirroad, and begged her to give them a night's shelter. 

"Alas, my poor children!" said the woman, "you do not know where youhave come to. This is the house of an ogre who eats up little boys andgirls. "

"But, madam, " replied Tom Thumb, "what shall we do? If we go back to theforest we are certain to be torn to pieces by the wolves. We had better, I think, stay and be eaten by the ogre. "

The ogre's wife had pity on the little things, and she thought she wouldbe able to hide them from her husband for one night. She took them in, gave them food, and let them warm themselves by the fire. 

Very soon there came a loud knocking at the door. It was the ogre comehome. His wife hid the children under the bed, and then hurried to lether husband in. 

No sooner had the ogre entered than he began to sniff this way andthat. "I smell flesh, " he said, looking round the room. 

"It must be the calf which has just been killed, " said his wife. 

"I smell child's flesh, I tell you!" cried the ogre, and he suddenlymade a dive under the bed, and drew out the children one by one. 

[Illustration]

"Oh, ho, madam!" said he; "so you thought to cheat me, did you? But, really, this is very lucky! I have invited three ogres to dinnerto-morrow; these brats will make a nice dish. "

He fetched a huge knife and began sharpening it, while the poor boysfell on their knees and begged for mercy. But their prayers andentreaties were useless. The ogre seized one of the children and wasjust about to kill him, when his wife said--

"What in the world makes you take the trouble of killing them to-night?Why don't you leave them till the morning? There will be plenty of time, and they will be much fresher. "

"That is very true, " said the ogre, throwing down the knife. "Give thema good supper, so that they may not get lean, and send them to bed. "

[Illustration]

Now, the ogre had seven young daughters, who were all about the same ageas Tom Thumb and his brothers. These young ogresses all slept togetherin one large bed, and every one of them had a crown of gold on her head. There was another bed of the same size in the room, and in this theogre's wife, having provided them all with nightcaps, put the sevenlittle boys. 

[Illustration]

But Tom Thumb was afraid that the ogre might change his mind in thenight, and kill him and his brothers while they were asleep. So he creptsoftly out of bed, took off his brothers' nightcaps and his own, andstole over to the bed where the young ogresses lay. He drew off theircrowns very gently, and put the nightcaps on their heads instead. Thenhe put the crowns on his brothers' heads and his own, and got into bedagain. 

[Illustration]

In the middle of the night the ogre woke up, and began to be sorry thathe had put off killing the boys until the morning. 

"Never put off till to-morrow what you can do to-day, " he said; and, jumping out of bed, he got his knife and walked stealthily to the roomwhere the boys were. He walked up to the bed, and they were all asleepexcept Tom Thumb, who, however, kept his eyes fast shut, and did notshow that he was awake. The ogre touched their heads, one after another, and feeling the crowns of gold, he said to himself:

"What a mistake I was going to make!" He then went to bed where his owndaughters were sleeping, and, feeling the nightcaps, he said:

"Oh, ho, here you are, my lads!" and in a moment he had killed them all. He then went back to his own room to sleep till morning. 

[Illustration]

As soon as Tom Thumb heard him snoring, he roused his brothers, and toldthem to dress quickly and follow him. He led them downstairs and out ofthe house; and then, stealing on tiptoe through the garden, they jumpeddown from the wall into the road and ran swiftly away. 

In the morning, when the ogre found what a dreadful thing he had done, he was terribly shocked. 

"Fetch me my seven-league boots, " he cried to his wife. "I will go andcatch those young vipers. They shall pay for this piece of work!" And, drawing on the magic boots, the ogre set out. 

[Illustration]

He went striding over the country, stepping from mountain to mountain, and crossing rivers as if they had been streams. The poor childrenwatched him coming in fear and trembling. They had found the way totheir father's home, and had very nearly reached it when they saw theogre racing after them. 

Tom Thumb thought for a moment what was to be done. Then he saw a hollowplace under a large rock. 

"Get in there, " he said to his brothers. 

When they were all in he crept in himself, but kept his eyes fixed onthe ogre, to see what he would do. 

[Illustration]

The ogre, seeing nothing of the children, sat down to rest himself onthe very rock under which the poor boys were hiding. He was tired withhis journey, and soon fell fast asleep, and began to snore so loudlythat the little fellows were terrified. Tom Thumb told his brothers tocreep out softly and run home; which they did. Then he crept up to theogre, pulled off the seven-league boots very gently and put them on hisown feet, for being fairy boots they could fit themselves to any foot, however small. 

As soon as Tom Thumb had put on the ogre's seven-league boots, he tookten steps to the Palace, which was seventy miles off, and asked to seethe King. He offered to carry news to the King's army, which was then along way off; and so useful was he with his magic boots, that in a shorttime he had made money enough to keep himself, his father, his motherand his six brothers without the trouble of working for the rest oftheir lives. 

And now let us see what has become of the wicked ogre, whom we leftsleeping on the rock. 

When he awoke he missed his seven-league boots, and set off for homevery angry. 

On his way he had to cross a bog; and, forgetting that he was no longerwearing his magic boots, he tried to cross it with one stride. But, instead, he put his foot down in the middle and began to sink. As fastas he tried to pull out one foot, the other sank deeper, until at lasthe was swallowed up in the black slime--and that was the end of him. 

THE THREE BEARS

[Illustration]

There were once three bears who lived together in a little house in themiddle of a wood. One of them was a Little, Small, Wee Bear; one was aMiddle-Sized Bear; and the other was a Great, Huge Bear. 

And they each had a pot to eat their porridge from: a little pot for theLittle, Small, Wee Bear; a middle-sized pot for the Middle-Sized Bear;and a great big pot for the Great, Huge Bear. 

And they each had a chair to sit on: a little chair for the Little, Small, Wee Bear; a middle-sized chair for the Middle-Sized Bear; and agreat big chair for the Great, Huge Bear. 

And they each had a bed to sleep in: a little bed for the Little, Small, Wee Bear; a middle-sized bed for the Middle-Sized Bear; and a great bigbed for the Great, Huge Bear. 

[Illustration]

One day they made the porridge for their breakfast, and poured it intotheir porridge-pots, and then went out in the wood for a walk while theporridge for their breakfast was cooling. And while they were outwalking, a little Old Woman came to the house in the wood and peepedinside. 

First she peeped through the keyhole; then she peeped through thewindow. Then she lifted the latch and peeped through the doorway; and, seeing nobody in the house, she walked in. And when she saw the porridgecooling on the table she was very pleased, for she had walked a longway, and was getting hungry. 

So first she tasted the porridge of the Great, Huge Bear, but that wastoo hot. Then she tasted the porridge of the Middle-Sized Bear, but thatwas too cold. And then she tasted the porridge of the Little, Small, WeeBear, and that was neither too hot nor too cold, but just right. Andshe liked it so much that she ate it all up!

Then the little Old Woman sat down in the chair of the Great, HugeBear, but that was too hard. Then she sat down in the chair of theMiddle-Sized Bear, but that was too soft. Then she sat down in thechair of the Little, Small, Wee Bear, and that was neither too hardnor too soft, but just right. And she liked it so much that she satin it until suddenly the bottom came out, and she fell down plumpupon the ground. 

Then the little Old Woman went upstairs into the bedroom, where thethree Bears slept. And first she lay down on the bed of the Great, HugeBear, but that was too high at the head for her. Then she lay down onthe bed of the Middle-Sized Bear, but that was too high at the foot forher. So then she lay down on the bed of the Little, Small, Wee Bear, andthat was neither too high at the head nor too high at the foot, but justright. And she liked it so much that she covered herself up and laythere till she fell fast asleep!

[Illustration]

By and by the three Bears came home to breakfast. Now, the little OldWoman had left the spoon of the Great, Huge Bear standing in hisporridge pot. 

 "=Somebody has been at my porridge!="

said the Great, Huge Bear, in his great, rough, gruff voice. 

And when the Middle-Sized Bear looked, she saw that the spoon wasstanding in her porridge-pot too. 

 "=Somebody has been at my porridge!="

said the Middle-Sized Bear in her middle-sized voice. 

Then the Little, Small, Wee Bear looked, and there was the spoon inhis porridge-pot; but the porridge was all gone. 

 "=Somebody has been at my porridge and has eaten it all up!="

said the Little, Small, Wee Bear, in his little, small, wee voice. 

[Illustration]

Then the three Bears began to look about them. Now, the little Old Womanhad not put the hard cushion straight after she had sat in the chair ofthe Great, Huge Bear. 

 "=Somebody has been sitting in my chair!="

said the Great, Huge Bear, in his great, rough, gruff voice. 

And the little Old Woman had squashed the soft cushion of theMiddle-Sized Bear. 

 "=Somebody has been sitting in my chair!="

said the Middle-Sized Bear, in her middle-sized voice. 

And you know what the little Old Woman had done to the third chair. 

 "=Somebody has been sitting in my chair and has sat the bottom out!="

said the Little, Small, Wee Bear, in his little, small, wee voice. 

Then the three Bears went upstairs into their bedroom. Now, the littleOld Woman had pulled the pillow of the Great, Huge Bear out of itsplace. 

 "=Somebody has been lying in my bed!="

said the Great, Huge Bear, in his great, rough, gruff voice. 

And the little Old Woman had pulled the bolster of the Middle-Sized Bearout of its place. 

 "=Somebody has been lying in my bed!="

said the Middle-Sized Bear, in her middle-sized voice. 

And when the Little, Small, Wee Bear came to look at his bed, there wasthe bolster in its place, and the pillow in its place upon the bolster;and upon the pillow was the little Old Woman's head, which was not inits place, for she had no business there at all. 

 "=Somebody has been lying in my bed--and here she is!="

cried the Little, Small, Wee Bear, in his little, small, wee voice. 

[Illustration]

The little Old Woman had heard in her sleep the great, rough, gruffvoice of the Great, Huge Bear, but she was so fast asleep that it seemedto her no more than the roaring of the wind, or the rumbling of thunder. And she had heard the middle-sized voice of the Middle-Sized Bear, butit was only as if she had heard some one speaking in a dream. But whenshe heard the little, small, wee voice of the Little, Small, Wee Bear, it was so sharp and shrill that it woke her up at once. Up she started, and when she saw the three Bears, on one side of the bed, she tumbledout at the other, jumped out of the window and ran away through the woodto her own home. And the three Bears never saw anything more of her. 

THE LITTLE MATCH GIRL

It was dreadfully cold, it was snowing fast, and almost dark; theevening--the last evening of the Old Year--was drawing in. But cold anddark as it was, a poor little girl, with bare head and feet, was stillwandering about the streets. When she left her home she had slippers on, but they were much too large for her--indeed, really, they belonged toher mother--and had dropped off her feet while she was running very fastacross the road, to get out of the way of two carriages. One of theslippers was not to be found; the other had been snatched up by a littleboy, who ran off with it thinking it might serve him as a doll's cradle. 

[Illustration]

So the little girl now walked on, her bare feet quite red and blue withthe cold. She carried a small bundle of matches in her hand, and a goodmany more in her tattered apron. No one had bought any of them thelivelong day--no one had given her a single penny. Trembling with coldand hunger she crept on, the picture of sorrow; poor little child!

The snowflakes fell on her long fair hair, which curled in such prettyringlets over her shoulders; but she thought not of her own beauty, norof the cold. Lights were glimmering through every window, and the savorof roast goose reached her from several houses. It was New Year's Eve, and it was of this that she thought. 

In a corner formed by two houses, one of which projected beyond theother, she sat down, drawing her little feet close under her, but invain--she could not warm them. She dared not go home, she had sold nomatches, earned not a single penny, and perhaps her father would beather. Besides her home was almost as cold as the street--it was an attic;and although the larger of the many chinks in the roof were stopped upwith straw and rags, the wind and snow often came through. 

[Illustration]

Her hands were nearly dead with cold; one little match from her bundlewould warm them, perhaps, if she dare light it. She drew one out, andstruck it against the wall. Bravo! it was a bright, warm flame, and sheheld her hands over it. It was quite an illumination for that poorlittle girl--nay, call it rather a magic taper--for it seemed to her asthough she were sitting before a large iron stove with brass ornaments, so beautifully blazed the fire within! The child stretched out her feetto warm them also. Alas! in an instant the flame had died away, thestove vanished, the little girl sat cold and comfortless, with theburnt match in her hand. 

A second match was struck against the wall. It kindled and blazed, andwherever its light fell the wall became transparent as a veil--thelittle girl could see into the room within. She saw the table spreadwith a snow-white damask cloth, whereon were ranged shining chinadishes; the roast goose, stuffed with apples and dried plums, stood atone end, smoking hot, and--which was pleasantest of all to see-thegoose, with knife and fork still in her breast, jumped down from thedish, and waddled along the floor right up to the poor child. Then thematch went out, and only the thick, hard wall was beside her. 

She kindled a third match. Again up shot the flame. And now she wassitting under a most beautiful Christmas tree, far larger, and far moreprettily decked out, than the one she had seen last Christmas Evethrough the glass doors of the rich merchant's house. Hundreds of waxtapers lighted up the green branches, and tiny painted figures, such asshe had seen in the shop windows, looked down from the tree upon her. The child stretched out her hands towards them in delight, and in thatmoment the light of the match was quenched. Still, however, theChristmas candles burned higher and higher--she beheld them beaminglike stars in heaven. One of them fell, the lights streaming behindit like a long, fiery tail. 

[Illustration]

"Now someone is dying, " said the little girl softly, for she had beentold by her old grandmother--the only person who had ever been kind toher, and who was now dead--that whenever a star falls an immortal spiritreturns to God who gave it. 

She struck yet another match against the wall. It flamed up, and, surrounded by its light, appeared before her that same dear grandmother, gentle and loving as always, but bright and happy as she had neverlooked during her lifetime. 

"Grandmother!" exclaimed the child, "Oh, take me with you! I know youwill leave me as soon as the match goes out. You will vanish like thewarm fire in the stove, like the splendid New Year's feast, like thebeautiful large Christmas tree!" And she hastily lighted all theremaining matches in the bundle, lest her grandmother should disappear. And the matches burned with such a blaze of splendor, that noonday couldscarcely have been brighter. Never had the good old grandmother lookedso tall and stately, so beautiful and kind. She took the little girl inher arms, and they both flew together--joyfully and gloriously theyflew--higher and higher, till they were in that place where neithercold, nor hunger, nor pain is ever known--they were in Paradise. 

But in the cold morning hour, crouching in the corner of the wall, thepoor little girl was found--her cheeks glowing, her lips smiling--frozento death on the last night of the Old Year. The New Year's sun shone onthe lifeless child. Motionless she sat there with the matches in herlap, one bundle of them quite burnt out. 

"She has been trying to warm herself, poor thing!" the people said; butno one knew of the sweet visions she had beheld, or how gloriously sheand her grandmother were celebrating their New Year's festival. 

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

[Illustration]

There was once a Merchant who had three daughters, the youngest of whomwas so beautiful that everybody called her Beauty. This made the twoeldest very jealous; and, as they were spiteful and bad-tempered bynature, instead of loving their younger sister they felt nothing butenvy and hatred towards her. 

[Illustration]

After some years there came a terrible storm at sea, and most of theMerchant's ships were sunk, and he became very poor. He and his familywere obliged to live in a very small house and do without the servantsand fine clothes to which they had been used. The two eldest sisters didnothing but weep and lament for their lost fortune, but Beauty did herbest to keep the house bright and cheerful, so that her father might notmiss too much all the comfort and luxury to which he was used. 

One day the Merchant told his daughters that he was going to take ajourney into foreign lands in the hope of recovering some of hisproperty. Then he asked them what they would like him to bring themhome in case he should be successful. The eldest daughter asked forfine gowns and beautiful clothing; the second for jewels and goldand silver trinkets. 

"And Beauty--what would Beauty like?" asked the father. 

Beauty was so happy and contented always that there was scarcelyanything for which she longed. She thought for a moment, then she said:

[Illustration]

"I should like best of all a red rose!" The other sisters burst outlaughing and scoffed at Beauty's simple request; but her father promisedto bring her what she wanted. Then he said good-bye to his children andset out on his travels. 

He was away for nearly a year, and was so fortunate as to win back agreat part of his lost wealth. When the time came for his return, hewas easily able to buy the things his eldest daughters wished for; butnowhere could he find a red rose to take home to Beauty, and at last hewas obliged to set off without one. 

When he was within a few miles journey of his home, he lost himself ina thick wood. Darkness came on, and he began to be afraid that he wouldhave to pass the night under a tree, when suddenly he saw a bright lightshining in the distance. He went towards it, and on his approach foundit came from a great castle that was set right in the heart of theforest. 

The Merchant made up his mind to ask if he might spend the night there;but to his surprise, when he reached the door he found it set wide open, and nobody about. After awhile, finding that no one came in answer tohis repeated knocking, he walked inside. There he found a table laidwith every delicacy, and, being very hungry, he sat down and made agood repast. After he had finished his supper he laid himself downon a luxurious couch, and in a few minutes was fast asleep. 

In the morning, after eating a hearty breakfast, which he found preparedfor him, he left the mysterious castle, without having set eyes on asingle person. As he was passing through the garden he found himself inan avenue of rose-trees, all covered with beautiful red roses. 

[Illustration]

"Here are such thousands of flowers, " he said to himself, "that, surely, one bud will not be missed;" and, thinking of Beauty, he broke off arose from one of the bushes. 

[Illustration]

Scarcely had he done so when he heard a terrible noise, and, turninground, he saw coming towards him a hideous Beast, who exclaimed in anawful tone:

"Ungrateful wretch! You have partaken of my hospitality, have eaten ofmy food, have slept in my house, and in return you try to rob me of myroses. For this theft you shall die!"

The Merchant fell on his knees and begged for pardon, but the Beastwould not listen to him. 

"Either you must die now, or else you must swear to send me in yourstead the first living thing that meets you on your return home, " hesaid; and the Merchant, overcome with terror, and thinking that one ofhis dogs would be sure to be the first creature to greet him, gave hispromise. 

But to his horror and dismay, it was his youngest daughter, Beauty, whofirst ran out to greet him on his return. She had seen him coming fromafar, and hastened to welcome him home. 

She did not at first understand her father's grief at seeing her; butwhen he told her the story of the Beast and his promise she did herbest to comfort him. 

"Do not fear, dear father, " she said, "perhaps the Beast will not proveso terrible as he looks. He spared your life; he may spare mine, since Ihave done him no harm. "

Her father shook his head mournfully; but there was no help for it. Hehad promised to send the Beast the first living creature that met himon his return, so he was obliged to send Beauty herself in his place. 

[Illustration]

When he left Beauty at the palace of the Beast she found everythingprepared for her comfort and convenience. A beautiful bedchamber wasready for her use; the rooms were filled with everything that she couldpossibly want, and in the great hall of the castle a table was set withevery delicacy. And everywhere there were bowls full of red roses. Noservants were visible; but there was no lack of service, for invisiblehands waited upon her and attended to her every want. She had but towish, and whatever she wanted was at once placed before her. 

Beauty was filled with astonishment at all this luxury and magnificence. 

"Surely the Beast does not wish to harm me, " she thought, "or he wouldnever have so ordered everything for my comfort. " And she waited with agood courage for the coming of the Lord of the Castle. 

In the evening the beast appeared. He was certainly very terrible tolook at, and Beauty trembled at the sight of the hideous monster. Butshe forced herself to appear brave, and, indeed, there was no cause forher alarm. The Beast was kindness itself, and so gentle and respectfulin his attentions to her that Beauty soon lost all fear. She soon becamevery fond of him, and would have been quite happy had it not been forthe thought of her father and sisters, and the grief which she knew herfather would be suffering on her account. The thought of his sorrow madeher sorrowful too; and one night, when the Beast came to visit her athis usual hour, she was so sad that he asked her what was the matter. 

Then Beauty begged him to let her go and visit her father. The Beast wasvery unwilling to grant her request. 

"If I let you go, I am afraid you will never come back to me, " he said, "and then I shall die of grief. "

Beauty promised most earnestly to come back to him if he would onlyallow her to spend a few days with her family; and at last the Beastyielded to her entreaties. 

[Illustration]

He gave her a ring, saying:

"Put this on your little finger when you go to bed to-night, and wish;and in the morning you will find yourself at home in your father'shouse. But if you do not return to me at the end of a week, I shalldie of sorrow. "

Beauty's father was almost overcome with joy at seeing his daughteragain, and he was delighted to hear of her happiness and good fortune. But her two sisters--who in the meantime had married--were more jealousthan ever of their beautiful sister. They were not very happy with theirhusbands, who were poor and not over-lovable; and they were very enviousof Beauty's clothes and of all the luxuries with which she told them shewas surrounded. They tried to think of a plan by which they couldprevent their sister from enjoying her good fortune. 

"Let us keep her beyond the week that the Beast has allowed her, " theysaid; "then, doubtless, he will be so angry that he will kill her. "

So they pretended to be very fond of Beauty, and when the time came forher return, they overwhelmed her with tears and caresses, begging hernot to leave them, and to stay at least one more day with them. Beautywas distressed at their grief, and at last she consented to stay justone more day; though her heart misgave her sorely when she thought ofthe poor Beast. 

That night, as she lay in bed, she had a dream. She dreamt that she sawthe Beast dying of sorrow at her forgetfulness; and so real did it seemthat she woke up in an agony of dismay. 

[Illustration]

"How could I have been so cruel and ungrateful, " she cried. "I promisedfaithfully that I would return at the end of the week. What will hethink of me for breaking my promise!"

Hastily rising from bed, she searched for the ring the Beast had givenher. Then putting it on her little finger she wished to be at the Palaceof the Beast again. In a moment she found herself there; and quicklyputting on her clothes she hurried out to look for the Beast. Shesearched through room after room; but nowhere could she find him. Atlast she ran out into the garden; and there, on a plot of grass, wherehe and she had often sat together, she found him lying as if dead uponthe ground. 

With a bitter cry she sank on her knees beside the poor Beast. 

"Oh, Beast; my dear, dear Beast!" she cried. "How could I have been socruel and wicked and unkind? He has died of sorrow as he said he would!"And the tears fell down from her eyes as she spoke. Overcome with griefand remorse, she stooped down and tenderly kissed the ugly Beast. 

In a moment there was a sudden noise, and Beauty was startled to findthat the ugly Beast had vanished. The Beast was a beast no longer, but ahandsome Prince, who knelt at her feet, thanking her for having brokenhis enchantment. 

"A wicked fairy, " he said, "condemned me to keep the form of a beastuntil a beautiful maiden should forget my ugliness and kiss me. You, byyour love and tenderness, have broken the spell and released me from myhorrible disguise. Now, thanks to you, I can take my proper form again. "And then he begged Beauty to become his bride. 

So Beauty married the Prince who had been a Beast, and they livedtogether in the castle and ruled over the Prince's country, and werehappy ever after. 

[Illustration]

THE STORY OF CINDERELLA

[Illustration]

There was once a rich man, whose wife died, leaving him with one littlegirl. After some years, hoping to give his child a mother's love andcare, he married again, this time a widow, with two grown-up daughters. But his second wife was haughty and proud, and her two daughters wereeven worse than their mother; and the poor little girl had a veryunhappy time with her new relations. Her stepsisters were jealous ofher, for she was very beautiful, and they themselves were plain andugly. They did all they could to make her miserable; and, at length, through their wicked spite and envy, her life became a burden to her. The poor child was sent to live in the kitchen, where she had to do allthe rough and dirty work; and because she was always dressed in rags, and sat beside the cinders in the grate, they called her Cinderella. 

It happened that the King of the country had an only son. He was veryanxious that the Prince should be married; so he gave a great ball, andinvited all the grand ladies in the country to come to it. It was to bea very splendid affair, lasting for three nights, and people were veryeager to be invited to it, for it was known that the Prince would choosehis bride from among the ladies present. 

Cinderella's sisters received invitations; and from the day they arrivedthey talked of nothing but of what they should wear, for each of themsecretly hoped that she would be chosen as the Prince's bride. 

When the great day came at last, they began to dress for the balldirectly after breakfast. Cinderella had to help them; and they kepther busy all day doing their hair, and running messages, and helpingthem to lace up their fine dresses. 

When Cinderella saw their beautiful clothes she wished that she couldgo to the ball as well; but when she timidly asked if she might, theylaughed in mocking scorn. 

"You go to the ball!" they cried. "What would you do at the ball, withyour rags and tatters and your dirty face? No, no, Cinderella, go backto your seat amongst the ashes--that is the place for a little kitchengirl like you!"

So the two sisters and their mother drove away in a carriage and pair tothe King's palace, and Cinderella was left behind. She sat down on thehearth before the kitchen fire and began to cry softly to herself, because she felt so very lonely and miserable. 

As she sat there in the dusk, with the firelight dancing over her, andher face buried in her hands, she heard a voice calling:

"Cinderella, Cinderella!" and with a start she looked up to see who itcould be. 

There on the hearth in front of her stood an old woman, leaning upon astick. She was dressed in a long red cloak, and she wore high-heeledshoes and a tall black hat. 

[Illustration]

Where she had come from Cinderella could not imagine. She certainly hadnot come in through the door, nor yet through the window for both wereshut. 

Cinderella was so surprised to see her that she stopped crying, andstared at her in astonishment. 

"What are you crying for?" asked the old woman. 

"Because my mother and sisters have gone to the ball, and I am left hereall alone, " said Cinderella. 

"Do you want to go to the ball, too!" said the old lady. 

"Yes, but it is no good; I have nothing but rags to wear, " sobbed poorCinderella. 

"Well, well, be a good child and don't cry any more, " said the oldwoman, briskly. "I am your Fairy Godmother, and if you do what I tellyou, perhaps you shall go after all. Run out into the garden and bringme in a pumpkin!"

Cinderella ran out into the garden and brought in the biggest pumpkinthat she could find. 

"Now go and fetch the mouse-trap out of the cellar, " said her Godmother, and Cinderella hurried to get it. There were six mice in the trap, andthe old woman harnessed them to the pumpkin, put a rat on the top todrive them, and two lizards behind, and then waved her wand over them. Immediately the pumpkin turned into a gorgeous coach, the mice into sixbeautiful horses, the rat into a stately coachman, and the lizards intotall footmen, with powdered hair and silk stockings. "There, " said theold woman; "there's a carriage to take you to the ball. "

[Illustration]

"Alas, " said Cinderella, "how can I go to the ball? I have nothing towear but this!" and she touched her ragged frock. 

"Is that all?" said the Fairy Godmother. Once more she waved her wand, and Cinderella's rags turned into the most beautiful dress in the world, all shining with gold and silver threads and covered with costly gems. In her hair was a circlet of pearls, and her feet were shod with theprettiest and daintiest pair of glass slippers that ever were seen. 

"Now, " said the Fairy Godmother, "now you can go to the ball. But mindyou come away before the clock strikes twelve, for should you lingerbeyond that hour, all your splendor will vanish, and your dress willturn into rags again. "

Cinderella promised to obey her Godmother's instructions. Then she gotinto the beautiful coach. The footman shut the door, the coachmanwhipped up the horses, and away she went to the ball. 

When she arrived there was a great stir in the Palace. So lovely a faceand so costly and rich a dress had never before been seen, and everybodythought it must be some great Princess arrived from foreign lands. 

[Illustration]

All the courtiers and other guests stood back to let her pass, and whenthe Prince caught sight of her he fell in love with her on the spot. Hedanced with her the whole of the evening, and people thought there wasno doubt as to whom he would choose for his bride. 

At a quarter to twelve, Cinderella, remembering her Godmother'sinstructions, said good-bye to the Prince and came away. 

She arrived home just as the clock struck twelve. At once the coachmanand footmen turned back into rats and mice, and the coach into apumpkin; and when the sisters came home a little later, there wasCinderella, dressed in her old shabby frock, sitting in her usual placeamongst the cinders. 

The two ugly sisters were full of the strange Princess who had come tothe ball. They talked about her all the next day, little dreaming thatall the while the beautiful lady was their despised sister Cinderella. 

In the evening after they had gone again to the ball, the FairyGodmother made her appearance. Once more Cinderella drove to the Palacein her coach and six; this time arrayed in a still more gorgeous andbeautiful dress; and once more the Prince danced with her all theevening. 

[Illustration]

But when the third night came Cinderella was enjoying herself so muchthat she quite forgot what her Fairy Godmother had said, until suddenlyshe heard the clock begin to strike twelve. She remembered that as soonas it finished striking, all her fine clothes would turn to rags again;and, jumping up in alarm, she ran out of the room. The Prince ran afterher, trying to overtake her; and Cinderella in her fright ran so fastthat she left one of her little glass slippers on the floor behind her. 

The Prince stopped to pick it up, and this gave Cinderella time toescape; but she was only just in time. Just as she was crossing thePalace yard, the clock finished striking, and immediately all her fineryvanished; and there she was, dressed in her old ragged frock again. 

When the Prince came out upon the Palace steps, he could see no sign ofthe lovely Princess. The guards at the gate told him that nobody at allhad passed that way, except a little ragged kitchenmaid; and the Princehad to go back to the ball with only a little glass slipper to remindhim of the beautiful lady with whom he was so desperately in love. 

The next day the King sent out all his heralds and trumpeters with aProclamation, saying that the Prince would marry the lady whose footthe slipper fitted. But though all the ladies in the land tried on theslipper it would fit none of them--their feet were all too big!

At last the heralds came to the house where Cinderella lived. The eldeststepsister tried the slipper on first, but it was quite impossible forher to get her foot into it, for her great toe was too big. Then hermother, who was watching eagerly, fetched a carving-knife. 

[Illustration]

"Be quick, cut the toe off, " she said; "what does it matter if you arelame--if you are the Prince's bride you will always ride in a carriage!"

So the eldest sister cut off her big toe, but it was no use, the slipperwould not fit, and at last she was obliged to hand it to her sister. 

But the other sister had no better luck. She did, indeed, get her toesinside, but her foot was much too long, and her heel stuck out behind. The mother urged her to cut it off. 

"What does it matter?" she said. "If you are the Prince's bride you willnever need to walk any more. "

But although she cut her heel off, the slipper was still too small; andat length she, too, had to give up the attempt to force her foot intoit. 

Then Cinderella came shyly out from behind the door where she had beenstanding out of sight, and asked if she might try on the slipper. Herstepmother and sisters were very angry, and were about to drive her awaywith blows, but the herald stopped them. 

"The Prince wishes every woman in the land to try on this slipper, " hesaid; and asking Cinderella to sit on a chair, he knelt down and triedthe slipper on her foot. 

And it fitted her exactly!

While everyone stood and stared in astonishment, Cinderella drew fromher pocket the other slipper and put it on. No sooner had she done sothan her ragged frock changed into the beautiful ball dress again, andshe stood up before them all--the beautiful lady with whom the Princehad fallen in love at the ball. 

The Prince was overjoyed to find her again; and they were married atonce with much pomp amid great rejoicings. 

As for the wicked sisters they were so jealous that they both turnedgreen with envy. They grew uglier and uglier every day, until at lastthey grew so dreadfully ugly that nobody could bear to look at them anylonger. But Cinderella became more and more beautiful, and lived happilywith the Prince for ever afterwards. 

JACK THE GIANT KILLER

[Illustration]

In the reign of King Arthur there lived in the County of Cornwall aworthy farmer, who had an only son, named Jack. Jack was strong andbrave and very daring, and was never backward when danger was in theway. 

Now, in those days there lived a huge giant in a gloomy cavern on St. Michael's Mount, which rises out of the sea near the shores of Cornwall. The Cornish people had suffered greatly from his thefts and pillaging;for he used to wade through the sea to the mainland, and carry off halfa dozen or more of their oxen at a time. 

At last Jack made up his mind to destroy this monster. He took a horn, a shovel, a pickaxe, and a dark lantern, and one winter's evening swamover the sea to the Mount. Then he set to work, and before morning haddug a great pit. He covered it carefully over with sticks and straw, and strewed some earth on the top to make it look like solid ground. And then he blew his horn so loudly that the Giant awoke, and cameout roaring like thunder:

"You impudent villain--you shall pay dearly for disturbing my rest. Iwill broil you for my breakfast!"

But almost as he spoke, he tumbled headlong into the pit. 

"Oh, ho, Mr. Giant!" said Jack. "How is your appetite now! Will nothingserve you for breakfast but broiling poor Jack?" Then he struck thegiant such a blow on the head with a pickaxe that he killed him. 

When the Justices of Cornwall heard of this valiant deed, they sentfor Jack, and declared that he should always be called Jack the GiantKiller; and they gave him a sword, and a belt upon which was written, in letters of gold:

 "This is the valiant Cornishman Who slew the giant Cormoran. "

[Illustration]

There was another giant in England called Blunderbore, who vowed to takerevenge on Jack for this exploit. One day, as Jack was passing through awood on a journey to Wales, he fell asleep by the side of a fountain. The Giant, coming along, found him there; and, seeing by the writing onthe belt who Jack was, he lifted him on his shoulder and carried him offto his castle. 

When Jack awoke and found himself in the clutches of Blunderbore he wasterribly frightened. The giant carried him into a room and locked himup, while he went to fetch another giant who lived close by to help himeat Jack for dinner. While he was gone, Jack heard dreadful shrieks andgroans from different parts of the castle, and soon after he heard amournful voice saying:

 "Haste, valiant stranger, haste away, Lest you become the giant's prey. On his return he'll bring another, Still more savage than his brother; A horrid, cruel monster, who Before he kills will torture you!"

Poor Jack looked out of the window, which was just over the gate of thecastle, and saw two giants coming along arm in arm. 

[Illustration]

"Now, " thought he, "death or freedom is at hand. " There happened tobe two strong cords in the room, and Jack made a large noose with aslip-knot in each of them. Then, just as the giants were coming throughthe gate he threw the ropes over their heads, and, fastening the otherends to a beam in the ceiling, he pulled the ropes with all his mightuntil he had nearly strangled the giants. Then he drew his sword andslipped down the ropes and killed them both. 

Next Jack took the keys from Giant Blunderbore and searched through thecastle. In one of the rooms he found three ladies who told him thattheir husbands had been killed by the giant, who had afterwardscondemned them to be starved to death. 

[Illustration]

Jack gave them the castle and all the riches it contained to make someamends for the dreadful pains they had suffered, and then went on hisway. 

After traveling some days, he lost himself in a lonely valley; but, whenhe had wandered about some while, he at length succeeded in finding alarge house. He went up to it and knocked loudly at the gate, when, tohis great horror, a monstrous giant with two heads came forth. He spokevery civilly, however, and took Jack into the house, leading him to aroom where there was a good bed, in which he could pass the night. 

Jack took off his clothes; but, though he was very tired, he could notgo to sleep. Presently he heard the giant walking about in thebedchamber, which was the next room, saying to himself:

 "Though here you lodge with me this night; You shall not see the morning light; My club shall dash your brains out quite. "

When he heard this, Jack got out of bed, and, taking a large, thickpiece of wood, he laid it in his own place in the bed, and hid himselfin a dark corner of the room. 

In the middle of the night, the giant came with his great club, andstruck several heavy blows upon the bed. Then he went off, thinking hehad broken all Jack's bones. 

Early next morning Jack walked into the giant's room and thanked himfor the night's lodging. The giant was terribly startled to see him, and stammered out:

"Oh, dear me! Is it you? Pray, how did you sleep last night? Did youhear or see anything to disturb you?"

"Nothing worth speaking of, thank you, " answered Jack, carelessly. "Arat, I believe, gave me three or four slaps with his tail; but that wasall. "

The giant said nothing; but went and fetched two bowls of hasty puddingfor their breakfast. 

Jack did not wish the giant to think that he could not eat as much ashimself, so he contrived to fasten a leathern bag inside his coat. Hethen managed to slip the pudding into this bag, while pretending to eatit. When breakfast was done, he said to the giant:

"Now I will show you a fine trick. I can cure all wounds with a touch. You shall see an example. " He then took a knife, ripped up the leathernbag, and all the hasty pudding tumbled out upon the floor. 

"Ods splutter hur nails!" cried the giant, who was ashamed to be outdoneby such a little fellow. "Hur can do that hurself!" and, snatching upthe knife, he plunged it into his stomach and fell down dead. 

[Illustration]

After this, Jack went farther on his journey. In a few days he met KingArthur's only son, who was traveling into Wales to deliver a beautifullady from the power of a wicked magician. Jack attached himself to thePrince, and they traveled on together. 

The Prince was very generous, and soon gave away all the money hepossessed. 

After having parted with his last penny to an old beggar-woman, he wasvery uneasy as to where they were to pass the night. 

[Illustration]

"Sir, " said Jack, "two miles farther on there lives a giant with threeheads, who can fight five hundred men at once and make them fly. I willgo on and visit him--do you wait here until I return. "

Jack rode on to the gates of the castle, and gave a loud knock. Thegiant, with a voice like thunder, roared out:

"Who is there?"

"No one but your poor Cousin Jack. "

"Well, what news, Cousin Jack?"

"Dear Uncle, I have bad news for you. Here is the King's son comingwith two thousand men to kill you!"

"Cousin Jack, this is bad news indeed! But I have a large cellarunderground, where I shall hide myself, and you shall lock, boltand bar me in until the King's son is gone. "

So Jack locked, bolted and barred the giant in the cellar, and thenwent back and fetched the Prince, and they feasted and made merry, and spent the night very comfortably in the castle. 

[Illustration]

In the morning Jack gave the Prince gold and silver from the giant'streasury. Then the Prince set forth on his journey, while Jack letthe giant out of the cellar. 

The giant thanked Jack very much for saving him, and asked what heshould give him as a reward?

"Why, good Uncle, " said Jack, "I desire nothing but the coat and cap, with the rusty sword and the slippers which are hanging beside thebed. "

"Take them, " said the giant, "and keep them for my sake. They will bevery useful to you. The coat will make you invisible; the cap will giveyou knowledge; the sword will cut through anything, no matter what itmay be, and the shoes are of vast swiftness. "

Jack took the gifts, thanked the giant, and then quickly caught up withthe Prince. 

After a few day's further journey they reached the dwelling of thebeautiful lady whom the Prince had come to rescue. 

She received the Prince very graciously and made a feast for him. Whenit was ended she rose, and, taking her handkerchief, said:

"My lord; to-morrow morning I command you to tell me on whom I havebestowed this handkerchief--or else lose your head. "

[Illustration]

The Prince went to bed very mournfully; but Jack put on the cap ofknowledge, which told him that the lady was forced by the power ofenchantment to meet the wicked magician every night in the forest. 

He, therefore, put on his coat of darkness, and his shoes of swiftness, and was there before her. When the lady came, she gave the handkerchiefto the magician. Jack with his sword of sharpness cut off his head withone blow; and the enchantment was ended in a minute. 

The next day the lady was married to the Prince, and soon after wentwith her husband to the Court of King Arthur, where Jack was made oneof the Knights of the Round Table for his heroism. 

[Illustration]

Very soon Jack set off in search of new adventures. On the third day ofhis travel he came to a wide forest. Hardly had he entered it when heheard dreadful shrieks and cries, and soon he saw a monstrous giantdragging along by the hair of their heads a handsome knight and abeautiful lady. Their tears and cries melted Jack's heart. He alightedfrom his horse, and put on his invisible coat, and immediately attackedthe giant. He could not reach up to the giant's body; so, taking amighty blow, he cut off both the monster's legs just below the garter, so that he fell full length upon the ground. Then Jack set his foot uponhis neck and plunged his sword into the giant's body. 

[Illustration]

The knight and the lady, overjoyed, begged Jack to come to their houseto refresh himself after this fight; but Jack, hearing that the gianthad a brother who was more cruel and wicked even than himself, wouldnot rest until he had also destroyed him. 

Soon he came in sight of the cavern where the giants lived. There wasthe other giant sitting on a huge block of timber, with a knotted ironclub lying by his side. Jack, in his coat of darkness, was quiteinvisible. He drew close up to the giant and struck a blow at his headwith his sword of sharpness; but he missed his aim and only cut off hisnose. The giant roared with pain, and his roars were like claps ofthunder. He took up his iron club and began to lay about him, but notbeing able to see Jack, he could not hit him; for Jack slipped nimblybehind, and jumping upon the block of wood, stabbed the giant in theback; and after a few howls, the monster dropped down dead. 

Having thus killed the two monsters Jack entered the cave to search forthe treasure. One room contained a great boiling cauldron and a diningtable, where the giants feasted. Another part of the cave was barredwith iron and was full of miserable men and women whom the giants hadimprisoned. Jack set them all free and divided the treasure among them. 

Jack cut off the giant's head, and sent it with the head of his brotherto the Court of King Arthur; then he returned to the house of the knightand his lady. 

He was received with the greatest joy; and the knight gave a grand feastin his honor. When all the company was gathered together, the knightpresented Jack with a ring, on which was engraved the picture of thegiant dragging the knight and the lady by the hair, with this mottoround it--

 "Behold, in dire distress were we, Under a giant's fierce command, But gained our lives and liberty From valiant Jack's victorious hand. "

But while the merriment was at its height, a herald rushed into the roomand told the company that Thundel, a savage giant with two heads, hadheard of the death of his two kinsmen, and was come to take his revengeon Jack. The guests trembled with terror and fright; but Jack only drewhis sword and said, "Let him come!"

[Illustration]

The knight's house was surrounded by a moat over which there was adrawbridge. Jack set men to work to cut the bridge on both sides, nearlyto the middle, and then, dressed in his magic coat, went out to meet thegiant. As the giant came along, although he could not see Jack, yet hecould tell that someone was near for he cried out:

 "Fa, fe, fi, fo, fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman Be he alive, or be he dead, I'll grind his bones to make my bread. "

"Say you so, my friend, " cried Jack. "You are indeed a monstrousmiller!"

"Ah!" cried the giant; "you are the villain that killed my kinsmen! Iwill tear you with my teeth, and grind your bones to powder!"

[Illustration]

"You must catch me first!" said Jack. Then he threw off his coat and puton his shoes of swiftness, and began to run, the giant following himlike a walking castle. Jack led him round and round the house, and thenhe ran over the drawbridge, while the giant rushed after him with hisclub. But when he came to the middle of the bridge, where it had beencut on both sides, his great weight broke it, and he tumbled into thewater. 

Jack now got a cart rope and flung it over his two heads, and then, bythe help of a team of horses, drew him to the edge of the moat, wherehe cut off his heads. 

Once again, Jack set out in search of new adventures. He went overfields and dales without meeting with any, until he came to the foot ofa high mountain. Here was a little, lonely house; and when he knocked atthe door it was opened by an old man with a beard as white as snow. Thisold man was a good hermit, and when Jack had eaten well, he said:

[Illustration]

"My son, I know that you are the famous conqueror of giants. I know, atthe top of this mountain there is an enchanted castle, kept by a giantnamed Galligantes, who, by the help of a magician, gets many knightsinto his power--whom he changes into beasts. Above all, I lament thehard fate of a duke's daughter, whom they have changed into a deer. Manyknights have tried to destroy the enchantment, yet none have been ableto do so, because of two fiery griffins who guard the gates of thecastle. But as you, my son, have an invisible coat, you may pass them bywithout being seen. On the gates of the castle you will find engravedthe means by which the enchantment may be broken. "

Jack promised that in the morning he would risk his life in an endeavorto break the enchantment; and, after a sound sleep, he arose early andset out on his attempt. 

He passed by the fiery griffins without the least fear of danger; forthey could not see him, because of his invisible coat. 

On the castle gate he found a golden trumpet hanging, under which werewritten these words--

 "Whoever can this trumpet blow, Shall cause the giant's overthrow. "

Jack seized the golden trumpet and blew a mighty blast, which made thegates fly open and shook the castle to its foundations. The giant andthe magician, knowing that their end was now near, stood biting theirthumbs and shaking with terror. Jack, with his magic sword, soon killedthe giant, and the magician was carried off by a whirlwind. The castlevanished away like smoke, and the duke's daughter and all the knightsand lovely ladies who had been turned into birds and beasts returned totheir proper shape. 

Jack's fame rang through the whole country, and the King gave him alarge estate to reward him for all his brave and knightly deeds. AndJack married the duke's daughter, and lived in joy and contentment forthe rest of his days. 

JACK AND THE BEANSTALK

[Illustration]

Jack was an idle, lazy boy who would do no work to support his widowedmother; and at last they both came to such poverty that the poor womanhad to sell her cow to buy food to keep them from starving. She sentJack to market with the cow, telling him to be sure and sell it for agood price. 

[Illustration]

As Jack was going along the road to market he met a butcher. The butcheroffered to buy the cow in exchange for a hatful of colored beans. Jackthought the beans looked very pretty, and he was glad to be saved thelong hot walk to market; so he struck the bargain on the spot and wentback to his mother with the beans, while the butcher went off with thecow. 

But the poor widow was very disappointed. She scolded her son for anidle, lazy, good-for-nothing boy, and flung the beans out of the windowin a passion. 

[Illustration]

Now the beans were magic beans, and the next morning, when Jack awoke, he found some of them had taken root in the night and had grown so tall, that they reached right up into the sky. 

Jack was full of wonder and curiosity; and, being fond of adventure andexcitement, he set out at once to climb the beanstalk, to see what wasup at the top of it. 

And he climbed, and he climbed, and he climbed, and he climbed, and heclimbed, and he climbed, and he climbed--until at last he climbed rightup to the very tiptop of the beanstalk. 

Then he found himself standing in a strange country. In the distancehe could see a big castle; and, as he was hot and tired with his longclimb, he thought he would go and ask for something to eat and drink. 

He had not gone very far before he met a fairy, who told him that thecastle belonged to a wicked ogre, who had killed and eaten a greatnumber of people. 

[Illustration]

"It was he who killed your father, " she said. "And it is your duty to doyour utmost to destroy the wicked monster. Go now, and see what you cando. If you can carry off any of his treasures you are at liberty to doso--for none of them really belongs to him. He has taken them all byforce from the people whom he has robbed and killed. "

Jack was delighted at the idea of this adventure, and set off in highspirits towards the castle. 

The castle was farther off than he had thought, and by the time hereached the gates, it was so late that he made up his mind to askfor a night's lodging. There was a woman standing in the doorway;but when Jack made his request, she was very frightened, and said--

"Indeed, I dare not take you in and give you food and lodging. Myhusband is an ogre who lives on human flesh. If he were to find youhere, he would think nothing of eating you up in three mouthfuls. Iadvise you to go away at once, before he comes home. "

But when she saw how tired and hungry Jack really was, she took him intothe house and gave him plenty to eat and drink. While Jack was eatinghis food in the kitchen there came a loud knocking at the door. Theogre's wife, in a great flurry, hid Jack in the oven, and then hurriedto let her husband in. Jack peeped through the oven door, and saw aterrible-looking ogre, who came stamping into the kitchen, and said ina voice like thunder--

"Wife, I smell fresh meat!"

"It is only the people you are fattening in the dungeon, " said the wife. 

So the ogre sat down and ate his supper. After supper, he commanded hiswife to bring him his money-bags. He then began to count hismoney--thousands and thousands of pieces of gold and silver. 

[Illustration]

Jack wished he could take some of this money home to his mother; and, presently, when the ogre fell asleep, he crept out of his hiding-place, and hoisting the bags upon his shoulder, slipped quietly away with them. The ogre was snoring so loudly that it sounded like the wind in thechimney on a stormy night. So he never heard the little noise Jackmade, and Jack got safely away and escaped down the beanstalk. 

His mother was overjoyed to see him, for she had been very anxious abouthim when he did not come home the night before; and she was delightedwith the bags of money, which were enough to keep them in comfort andluxury for some time. 

For many months Jack and his mother lived happily together; but after awhile the money came to an end, and Jack made up his mind to climb thebeanstalk again, and carry off some more of the ogre's treasures. So onemorning he got up early, put on a different suit of clothes, so that theogre's wife should not recognize him, and set out to climb thebeanstalk. 

[Illustration: _Jack and the Beanstalk_Down Came the Beanstalk, Down Came the Ogre]

And he climbed, and he climbed, and he climbed, and he climbed, and heclimbed, and he climbed, and he climbed--until at last he climbed to thevery top and found himself in the ogre's country again. 

When he reached the castle the ogre's wife was again standing in thedoorway. But when Jack asked for a night's lodging, she said she darednot give him one, for only a few months before she had taken in a poorboy who seemed half dead with fatigue and hunger, and in return for herkindness, he had stolen some of her husband's money and run away in thenight. 

But Jack begged so hard that at last she relented. She gave him a goodsupper and hid him in a closet before her husband came home. 

Presently there was a great noise outside and heavy footsteps that shookthe castle to its foundations. It was the ogre come home. As soon as heentered the kitchen, he sniffed suspiciously, and said:

"I smell fresh meat!"

"It is only the crows on the housetops, " said his wife. "They havebrought home a piece of carrion for their young. "

After supper, the ogre told his wife to fetch his hen. This hen was avery wonderful bird. Whenever the ogre said "Lay" she laid an egg ofsolid gold. Jack thought that if he could only get this wonderful hento take home to his mother, they would never want any more. So whenthe ogre fell asleep--as he did after a little while--he came out ofthe closet, and, seizing the hen in his arms, made off with her. Thehen squawked, but the ogre's snoring was like the roaring of the seawhen the tide is coming in, and Jack got safely down the beanstalk. 

The hen laid so many golden eggs that Jack and his mother became quiterich and prosperous; and there was really no need for Jack to go againto the ogre's country. But he liked the danger and excitement, and heremembered that the fairy had told him to take as many of the ogre'streasures as he could; and at last, without saying a word to anybody, he started off once more to climb the magic beanstalk. 

And he climbed, and he climbed, and he climbed, and he climbed, and heclimbed, and he climbed, and he climbed--until at last he reached thevery tiptop, and stood in the ogre's country. 

This time when he reached the castle he began to be afraid that theogre's wife really would not let him in. 

"Indeed and indeed, I dare not, " she said. "Twice lately have Igiven shelter to a wayfaring youth, and each time he stole some ofmy husband's treasures, and made off with them. Now my husband hasforbidden me, on pain of instant death, to give food or lodgingto any traveler. "

But Jack pleaded and pleaded, and at last the good-natured woman, movedto pity by his travel-stained appearance, gave way and let him into thecastle. 

[Illustration]

When the ogre came home, the wife hid Jack in the copper. As usual, theogre's first words were:

"Wife, wife, I smell fresh meat!" And, in spite of all his wife couldsay, he insisted upon searching all round the room. Jack was in aterrible fright whilst he was hunting: but fortunately, he forgot tolook in the copper, and after a time he sat down to his supper. 

When supper was over, the ogre told his wife to fetch his harp. Jackpeeped out of the copper and saw the harp brought in and set downbefore the ogre. It was marvelously made; and when the ogre said "Play!"it played the finest music without being touched. Jack was enchanted, for he had never before heard such wonderful music, and he felt that hemust have the harp for his own. 

The ogre was soon lulled to sleep by the sweet sound of the harp; andwhen he was snoring heavily, Jack crept out of the copper, and taking upthe harp was about to make off with it. But the harp was a fairy harp, and it called out loudly: "Master, master, master;" and, although theogre was snoring so noisily that it was like the sound of a hundreddragons roaring at once, yet to Jack's dismay and horror he heard thevoice of his harp, and, starting to his feet with a bellow of anger, rushed after the daring thief. 

Jack ran faster than he had ever run in his life before--still carryingthe precious harp--while the ogre ran after him, shouting and roaringand making such a noise that it sounded like a thousand thunder stormsall going at once. If he had not drunk so much wine for supper, the ogremust very soon have caught Jack; but as it was, the wine had got intohis head, and so he could not run nearly so fast as usual, and Jackreached the beanstalk just in front of him. 

It was a very close shave. Jack slid down the beanstalk at his topspeed, calling at the top of his voice for his mother to fetch him anaxe. The ogre came tumbling down the beanstalk after him; but Jackseized the axe and chopped the beanstalk off close to the root. Downcame the beanstalk, down came the ogre, and falling headlong into thegarden he was killed on the spot. 

After this, Jack quite gave up his lazy, idle ways, and he and hismother, with the magic hen and the wonderful harp, lived in happinessand prosperity the rest of their lives. 

[Illustration]

DICK WHITTINGTON AND HIS CAT

[Illustration]

In the reign of King Edward the Third there was a poor orphan boy, namedDick Whittington, living in a country village a long way from London. Hewas a sharp little lad, and the stories that he heard of London beingpaved with gold made him long to visit that city. 

One day, a large wagon and eight horses, with bells at their heads, drove through the village. Dick thought it must be going to London, sohe asked the driver to let him walk by the side of the wagon. As soon asthe driver heard that poor Dick had neither father nor mother, and sawby his ragged clothes that he could not be worse off than he was, hetold him he might go if he would; so they set off together. 

Dick got safely to London, and was in such a hurry to see the finestreets paved with gold, that he ran through many of them, thinkingevery moment to come to those that were paved with gold; for Dick hadseen a guinea three times in his own little village, and remembered whata lot of money it brought in change; so he thought he had nothing to dobut to take up some little bits of pavement, and he would then have asmuch money as he could wish for. Poor Dick ran till he was tired, andhad quite forgotten his friend the driver. At last, finding it growdark, and that every way he turned he saw nothing but dirt instead ofgold, he sat down in a dark corner, and cried himself to sleep. Nextmorning, being very hungry, he got up and walked about, and askedeverybody he met to give him a halfpenny to keep him from starving. At last, a good-natured-looking gentleman saw how hungry he looked. 

"Why don't you go to work, my lad?" said he. 

"I would, " answered Dick, "but I do not know how to get any. "

"If you are willing, " said the gentleman, "come with me;" and sosaying, he took him to a hayfield, where Dick worked briskly, and livedmerrily till the hay was all made. After this, he found himself as badlyoff as before; and being almost starved again, he laid himself down atthe door of Mr. Fitzwarren, a rich merchant. Here the cook, anill-tempered woman, called out to poor Dick:

"What business have you there, you lazy rogue? If you do not takeyourself away, we will see how you like a sousing of some dish-water Ihave here, that is hot enough to make you jump. "

[Illustration]

At this time Mr. Fitzwarren himself came home to dinner; and when he sawa dirty ragged boy lying at the door, he said, in a kind and gentlevoice:

"Why do you lie there, my lad? you seem old enough to work; I am afraidyou are lazy. "

"No, sir, " said Dick to him. "I would work with all my heart; but I donot know anybody, and I am sick for want of food. "

"Poor fellow!" answered Mr. Fitzwarren; "get up, and let me see whatails you. "

Dick tried to rise, but was too weak to stand, for he had not eatenanything for three days. So the kind merchant ordered him to be takeninto the house, and have a good dinner given to him; and to be kept todo what dirty work he could for the cook. 

Dick would have lived happily in this good family, if it had not beenfor the ill-natured cook, who was finding fault and scolding him frommorning till night; and, besides, she was so fond of basting, that, when she had no roast meat to baste, she would be basting poor Dick. 

But though the cook was so ill-tempered, the footman was quitedifferent. He had lived in the family many years, and was an elderlyman, and very kind-hearted. He had once a little son of his own, whodied when about the age of Dick; so he could not help feeling pity forthe poor boy, and sometimes gave him a halfpenny to buy gingerbread ora top. The footman was fond of reading, and used often in the evening toentertain the other servants with some amusing book. Little Dick tookpleasure in hearing this good man, which made him wish very much tolearn to read too; so the next time the footman gave him a halfpenny, he bought a little book with it; and with the footman's help, Dick soonlearnt his letters, and afterwards to read. 

[Illustration]

About this time, Miss Alice, Mr. Fitzwarren's daughter, was going outone morning for a walk, and Dick was told to put on a suit of goodclothes that Mr. Fitzwarren gave him, and walk behind her. As they went, Miss Alice saw a poor woman with one child in her arms and another onher back. She pulled out her purse and gave the woman some money; but asshe was putting it into her pocket again, she dropped it on the groundand walked on. It was lucky that Dick was behind, and saw what she haddone, for he picked up the purse and gave it to her again. Another time, when Miss Alice was sitting with the window open and amusing herselfwith a favorite parrot, it suddenly flew away to the branch of a hightree, where all the servants were afraid to venture after it. As soon asDick heard of this, he pulled off his coat, and climbed up the tree asnimbly as a squirrel; and, after a great deal of trouble, caught her andbrought her down safely to his mistress. Miss Alice thanked him, andliked him ever after for this. 

The ill-humored cook was now a little kinder; but, besides this, Dickhad another hardship to get over. His bed stood in a garret, where therewere so many holes in the floor and the walls, that every night he waswaked in his sleep by the rats and mice, which ran over his face, andmade such a noise that he sometimes thought the walls were tumbling downabout him. One day, a gentleman who came to see Mr. Fitzwarren wantedhis shoes polished; Dick took great pains to make them shine, and thegentleman gave him a penny. With this he thought he would buy a cat; sothe next day, seeing a little girl with a cat under her arm, he went upto her, and asked if she would let him have it for a penny. The girlsaid she would, and that it was a very good mouser. Dick hid the cat inthe garret, and always took care to carry a part of his dinner to her;and in a short time he had no more trouble from the rats and mice. 

[Illustration]

Soon after, his master had a ship ready to sail; and as he thought itright all his servants should have some chance for good fortune as wellas himself, he called them into the parlor, and asked them if theywanted to take a share in the trading trip. They all had some money thatthey were willing to venture, except poor Dick, who had neither moneynor goods. For this reason he did not come into the parlor with therest; but Miss Alice guessed what was the matter, and ordered him to becalled in. She then said she would put in money for him from her ownpurse; but her father told her this would not do, for Dick must sendsomething of his own. When poor Dick heard this, he said he had nothingbut a cat. 

"Fetch your cat then, my good boy, " said Mr. Fitzwarren, "and let hergo. "

Dick went upstairs and brought down poor puss, and gave her to thecaptain with tears in his eyes. All the company laughed at Dick's oddventure; and Miss Alice, who felt pity for the poor boy, gave him somehalfpence to buy another cat. 

This, and other marks of kindness shown him by Miss Alice, made theill-tempered cook jealous of poor Dick; and she began to use him morecruelly than ever, and always made fun of him for sending his cat tosea. She asked him if he thought his cat would sell for as much money aswould buy a stick to beat him. At last, poor Dick could not bear thisany longer, and thought he would run away from his place; so he packedup his few things, and set out very early in the morning on the firstof November. He walked as far as Highgate, and there sat down on astone, which to this day is called Whittington's stone, and began tothink which road he should take farther. While he was thinking what heshould do, the bells of Bow Church began to ring, and he fancied theirsounds seemed to say:

 "Turn again, Whittington, Lord Mayor of London. "

[Illustration]

"Lord Mayor of London!" said he to himself. "Why, to be sure I would putup with almost anything, now, to be Lord Mayor of London, and ride in afine coach, when I grow to be a man! I will go back and think nothing ofthe cuffing and scolding of the old cook, if I am to be Lord Mayor ofLondon at last. "

Dick went back, and was lucky enough to get into the house and set abouthis work before the cook came down. 

The ship, with the cat on board, was a long time at sea; and was at lastdriven by the winds on a part of the coast of Barbary. The people camein great numbers to see the sailors, and treated them very civilly; and, when they became better acquainted, were eager to buy the fine thingswith which the ship was laden. When the captain saw this, he sentpatterns of the best things he had to the King of the country; who wasso much pleased with them, that he sent for the captain and the chiefmate to the palace. Here they were placed, as is the custom of thecountry, on rich carpets, marked with gold and silver flowers. The Kingand Queen were seated at the upper end of the room; and a number ofdishes, of the greatest rarities, were brought in for dinner; but, before they had been on the table a minute, a vast number of rats andmice rushed in, and helped themselves from every dish. The captainwondered at this, and asked if these vermin were not very unpleasant. 

"Oh, yes!" they said, "and the King would give half of his riches to getrid of them; for they not only waste his dinner, as you see, but disturbhim in his bedroom, so that he is obliged to be watched while he isasleep. "

The captain was ready to jump for joy when he heard of this. He thoughtof poor Dick's cat, and told the King he had a creature on board hisship that would kill all the rats and mice. The King was still moreglad than the captain. 

"Bring this creature to me, " said he, "and if it can do what you say, Iwill give you your ship full of gold for her. "

The captain, to make quite sure of his good luck, answered, that she wassuch a clever cat for catching rats and mice, that he could hardly bearto part with her; but that to oblige His Majesty he would fetch her. 

"Run, run!" said the Queen, "for I long to see the creature that willdo such service. " Away went the captain to the ship while another dinnerwas got ready. He came back to the palace soon enough to see the tablefull of rats and mice again, and the second dinner likely to be lost inthe same way as the first. The cat did not wait for bidding, but jumpedout of the captain's arm, and in a few moments laid almost all the ratsand mice dead at her feet. The rest, in a fright, scampered away totheir holes. 

[Illustration]

The King and Queen were delighted to get rid of such a plague so easily. They desired that the creature might be brought for them to look at. Onthis, the captain called out: "Puss, puss!" and the cat ran and jumpedupon his knee. He then held her out to the Queen, who was afraid totouch an animal that was able to kill so many rats and mice; but whenshe saw how gentle the cat seemed, and how glad she was at being strokedby the captain, she ventured to touch her too, saying all the time:"Poot, poot, " for she could not speak English. At last the Queen tookpuss on her lap, and by degrees became quite free with her, till pusspurred herself to sleep. When the King had seen the actions of mistresspuss, and was told that she would soon have young ones, which might intime kill all the rats and mice in his country, he bought the captain'swhole ship's cargo; and afterwards gave him a great deal of goldbesides, which was worth still more, for the cat. The captain then tookleave, and set sail with a fair wind, and arrived safe at London. 

One morning, when Mr. Fitzwarren had come into the counting house, andseated himself at the desk, somebody came tap, tap, tap, at the door. 

"Who is there?" asked Mr. Fitzwarren. 

"A friend, " answered someone; and who should it be but the captain, followed by several men carrying vast lumps of gold, that had been paidhim by the King of Barbary for the ship's cargo. They then told thestory of the cat, and showed the rich present that the King had sent toDick for her; upon which the merchantman called out to his servants:

 "Go fetch him, we will tell him of the same; Pray call him Mr. Whittington by name. "

Mr. Fitzwarren now showed himself a really good man, for while some ofhis clerks said so great a treasure was too much for such a boy asDick, he answered:

"I will not keep the value of a single penny from him! It is all hisown, and he shall have every farthing's worth of it. "

He sent for Dick, who happened to be scouring the cook's kettles, andwas quite dirty; so that he wanted to excuse himself from going to hismaster. Mr. Fitzwarren, however, made him come in, and ordered a chairto be set for him, so that poor Dick thought they were making fun ofhim, and began to beg his master not to play tricks with a poor boy, but to let him go again to his work. 

"Indeed, Mr. Whittington, " said the merchant, "we are all in earnestwith you; and I heartily rejoice in the news these gentlemen havebrought you; for the captain has sold your cat to the King of Barbary, and brought you, in return for her, more riches than I possess; and Iwish you may long enjoy them!"

Mr. Fitzwarren then told the men to open the great treasure they hadbrought with them, and said, "Mr. Whittington has now nothing to dobut to put it in some place of safety. "

Poor Dick hardly knew how to behave himself for joy. He begged hismaster to take what part of it he pleased, since he owed it all tohis kindness. 

[Illustration]

"No, no, " answered Mr. Fitzwarren, "this is all your own; and I have nodoubt you will use it well. "

Dick next asked his mistress, and then Miss Alice, to accept a part ofhis good fortune; but they would not, and at the same time told him thathis success afforded them great pleasure. But the poor fellow was tookind-hearted to keep it all to himself; so he made a handsome present tothe captain, the mate, and every one of the sailors, and afterwards tohis good friend the footman, and the rest of Mr. Fitzwarren's servants;and even to the ill-natured cook. After this, Mr. Fitzwarren advisedhim to get himself dressed like a gentleman; and told him he was welcometo live in his house till he could provide himself with a better. 

When Whittington's face was washed, his hair curled, his hat cocked, and he was dressed in a nice suit of clothes, he was as handsome as anyyoung man who visited at Mr. Fitzwarren's; so that Miss Alice, who hadbeen so kind to him, and thought of him with pity, now looked upon himas fit to be her sweetheart; and the more so, no doubt, becauseWhittington was now always thinking what he could do to oblige her, and making her the prettiest presents that could be. Mr. Fitzwarrensoon saw their love for each other, and proposed to join them inmarriage; and to this they both readily agreed. A day for the weddingwas soon fixed; and they were attended to church by the Lord Mayor, the Court of Aldermen, the Sheriffs, and a great number of the richestmerchants in London, whom they afterwards treated with a fine feast. 

History tells us that Mr. Whittington and his lady lived in greatsplendor, and were very happy. They had several children. He was Sheriffof London in the year 1360, and several times afterwards Lord Mayor;the last time, he entertained King Henry the Fifth, on his Majesty'sreturn from the famous Battle of Agincourt. In this company, the King, on account of Whittington's gallantry, said:

"Never had prince such a subject;" and when Whittington was told this atthe table, he answered:

"Never had subject such a king. "

Going with an address from the city, on one of the King's victories, hereceived the honor of knighthood. Sir Richard Whittington supported manypoor; he built a church, and also a college, with a yearly allowance topoor scholars, and near it raised a hospital. The figure of Sir RichardWhittington, with his cat in his arms, carved in stone, was to be seentill the year 1780, over the archway of the old prison of Newgate, thatstood across Newgate Street. 

THE STORY OF BLUE BEARD

[Illustration]

Many years ago there was a rich man who had a singular blue beard, whichmade him very ugly. Being left a widower, he wished to marry one of thetwo beautiful daughters of a neighboring lady, and at last the youngerof these girls consented to be his wife. 

About a month after the marriage, Blue Beard told his bride that he mustleave her for a time, as he had some business to attend to at adistance. He gave her his keys, and told her to make free of everythingand entertain her friends while he was absent, but ending by drawingone key from the bunch and saying:

"This small key belongs to the room at the end of the long gallery--andthat, my dear, is the one room you must not enter, nor even put the keyinto the lock. Should you disobey, your punishment would be dreadful. "

[Illustration]

Blue Beard set out on his journey, and for a time his wife foundpleasure in showing her friends all her magnificence; but again andagain she wondered what could be the reason why she was not to visit theroom at the end of the long gallery. At last her curiosity became suchthat she could not resist the temptation to take just one peep withinthe forbidden door. When she reached the door she stopped for a fewmoments to think of her husband's warning, that he would not fail tokeep his word should she disobey him. But she was so very curious toknow what was inside, that she determined to venture in spite ofeverything. 

So, with a trembling hand, she put the key into the lock, and the doorimmediately opened. The window shutters being closed, she at first sawnothing; but in a short time she noticed that the floor was covered withclotted blood, on which the bodies of several dead women were lying. (These were all the wives whom Blue Beard had married, and murdered oneafter another!) She was ready to sink with fear, and the key of thedoor, which she held in her hand, fell on the floor. When she hadsomewhat recovered from her fright, she took it up, locked the doorand hurried to her own room, terrified by what she had seen. 

As she observed that the key had got stained with blood in falling onthe floor, she wiped it two or three times to clean it; but the bloodstill remained; she next washed it; but the blood did not go; she thenscoured it with brickdust, and afterwards with sand. But notwithstandingall she could do, the blood was still there, for the key was a fairy, who was Blue Beard's friend, so that as fast as she got the stain offone side it appeared again on the other. Early in the evening BlueBeard returned, saying he had not proceeded far before he was met by amessenger, who told him that the business was concluded without hispresence being necessary. His wife said everything she could think ofto make him believe that she was delighted at his unexpected return. 

[Illustration]

The next morning, he asked for the keys. She gave them, but, as shecould not help showing her fright, Blue Beard easily guessed what hadhappened. 

"How is it, " said he, "that the key of the closet upon the ground flooris not here. "

"Is it not?" said the wife. "I must have left it on my dressing table. "

"Be sure you give it me by and by, " replied Blue Beard. 

After going several times backwards and forwards, pretending to look forthe key, she was at last obliged to give it to Blue Beard. He looked atit attentively, and then said:

"How came this blood upon the key?"

"I am sure I do not know, " replied the lady, turning as pale as death. 

"You do not know?" said Blue Beard sternly. "But I know well enough. Youhave been in the closet on the ground floor. Very well, madam; since youare so mightily fond of this closet, you shall certainly take your placeamong the ladies you saw there. "

[Illustration]

His wife, almost dead with fear, fell upon her knees, asked his pardona thousand times for her disobedience, and begged him to forgive her, looking all the time so sorrowful and lovely that she would have meltedany heart that was not harder than a rock. 

But Blue Beard answered:

"No, no, madam; you shall die this very minute. "

"Alas, " said the poor creature, "if I must die, allow me, at least, alittle time to say my prayers!"

"I give you, " replied the cruel Blue Beard, "half a quarter of anhour--not one moment longer. "

When Bluebeard had left her to herself, she called her sister; and, after telling her that she had but half a quarter of an hour to live:

"Please, " said she, "Sister Ann" (this was her sister's name), "run upto the tower, and see if my brothers are in sight; they promised to comeand visit me to-day; and if you see them, make a sign for them to gallopon as fast as possible. "

Her sister instantly did as she was desired, and the terrified ladyevery minute called out:

"Sister Ann, do you see anyone coming?"

And her sister answered:

"I see nothing but the sun, which makes a dust, and the grass, whichlooks green. "

In the meanwhile, Blue Beard, with a great simitar in his hand, bawledas loud as he could:

"Come down instantly, or I will fetch you. "

"One moment longer, I beseech you, " replied she, and again called softlyto her sister:

"Sister Ann, do you see anyone coming?"

To which she answered:

"I see nothing but the sun, which makes a dust, and the grass, whichlooks green. "

Blue Beard again bawled out:

"Come down, I say, this very moment, or I shall come and fetch you. "

"I am coming; indeed I will come in one minute, " sobbed his unhappywife. Then she once more cried out:

"Sister Ann, do you see anyone coming?"

"I see, " said her sister, "a cloud of dust a little to the left. "

"Do you think it is my brothers?" continued the wife. 

"Alas, no, dear sister, " replied she, "it is only a flock of sheep!"

"Will you come down or not, madam?" said Blue Beard, in the greatestrage imaginable. 

[Illustration]

"Only one moment more, " answered she. And then she called out for thelast time:

"Sister Ann! do you see no one coming?"

"I see, " replied her sister, "two men on horseback coming to the house;but they are still at a great distance. "

"God be praised!" cried she; "it is my brothers. Give them a sign tomake what haste they can. "

At the same moment Blue Beard cried out so loud for her to come down, that his voice shook the whole house. The poor lady, with her hairloose and her eyes swimming in tears, came down, and fell on her kneesbefore Blue Beard, and was going to beg him to spare her life, but heinterrupted her, saying: "All this is of no use, for you shall die;"then, seizing her with one hand by the hair, and raising the simitar heheld in the other, he was going with one blow to strike off her head. 

The unfortunate woman, turning toward him, desired to have a singlemoment allowed her to compose herself. 

"No, no, " said Blue Beard; "I will give you no more time, I amdetermined. You have had too much already. "

Again he raised his arm. Just at this instant a loud knocking washeard at the gates, which made Blue Beard wait for a moment to seewho it was. The gates were opened, and two officers entered withtheir swords in their hands. Blue Beard, seeing they were his wife'sbrothers, endeavored to escape, but they pursued and seized himbefore he had got twenty steps, and, plunging their swords intohis body, laid him dead at their feet. 

The poor wife, who was almost as dead as her husband, was unable atfirst to rise and embrace her brothers, but she soon recovered. 

As Blue Beard had no heirs, she found herself the possessor of his greatriches. She used part of her vast fortune in giving a marriage dowry toher sister Ann, who soon after was married. With another part she boughtcaptains' commissions for her two brothers; and the rest she presentedto a most worthy gentleman whom she married soon after, and whose kindtreatment soon made her forget Blue Beard's cruelty. 

LITTLE RED RIDING-HOOD

[Illustration]

Once upon a time there lived a little girl, who was so sweet and prettyand good that everybody loved her. Her old grandmother, who was veryfond of her, made her a little red cloak and hood, which suited her sowell that everyone called her "Little Red Riding-Hood. "

One day, Little Red Riding-Hood's mother told her to take a basket withsome butter and eggs and fresh-baked cake to her grandmother, who wasill. The little girl, who was always willing and obliging, ran at onceto fetch her red cloak, and, taking her basket, set out on her journey. 

On her way she met a wolf, who wished very much to eat her up; but whodared not do so because some wood-cutters were working close by. So heonly said:

"Good-morning, Little Red Riding-Hood; where are you off to so early?"

Little Red Riding-Hood, who did not know how dangerous it was to talk toa wolf, replied:

"I am going to see my grandmother, who is ill in bed, to take her somebutter and eggs and a fresh-baked cake that my mother has made for her!"

"Where does your grandmother live?" asked the wolf. 

"In the little white cottage at the other side of the wood, " answeredRed Riding-Hood. 

"Well, " said the wolf, "I am going that way, too. If you will let me, Iwill walk part of the way with you. " So Little Red Riding-Hood, whosuspected no harm, set off with the wolf for her companion. 

Presently Red Riding-Hood stopped to gather a nosegay of wild flowersfor her grandmother, and the wolf, who had thought of a plan to get thelittle girl for his dinner, said "Good morning, " and trotted away. 

[Illustration]

As soon as he was out of sight, he began to run as fast as he could. Ina short time he reached the grandmother's cottage and knocked at thedoor. 

"Who is there?" asked the old grandmother, as she lay in bed. 

"It is Little Red Riding-Hood, " answered the wolf. "I have brought yousome butter and eggs and a fresh-baked cake which mother has made foryou. "

"Pull the bobbin and the latch will go up, " said the old grandmother. Sothe wolf pulled the bobbin and opened the door, and sprang upon the poorold grandmother and ate her all up in a twinkling. 

Then he put on her night-cap and got into bed, and lay down to wait forRed Riding-Hood. 

Very soon there came a little soft tap at the door. 

"Who is there?" called out the wolf. 

"It is Little Red Riding-Hood, grandmother dear. I have brought you somebutter and eggs and a fresh-baked cake which mother has made for you. "

Then the wolf called out, disguising his voice as much as he could:

"Pull the bobbin and the latch will go up. " So Little Red Riding-Hoodpulled the bobbin and went inside. 

[Illustration]

"Good morning, dear grandmother, " she said. "How are you feeling today?"

"Very bad indeed, my dear, " answered the wolf, trying to hide himselfunder the bedclothes. 

"How strange and hoarse your voice sounds, grandmother, " said the littlegirl. 

"I have got a bad cold, my dear, " said the wicked wolf. 

"Grandmother, what very bright eyes you have!" went on Red Riding-Hood, surprised to see how strange her grandmother looked in her nightclothes. 

"The better to see you with, my dear, " said the wolf. 

"Grandmother, what very big ears you have!"

"The better to hear you with, my child. "

"Grandmother, what very long arms you have!"

"The better to hug you with, my dear. "

"But, grandmother, what great big teeth you have, " said Red Riding-Hood, who was beginning to get frightened. 

"The better to eat you with, " roared the wolf, suddenly jumping out ofbed. He seized hold of poor Little Red Riding-Hood, and was just aboutto eat her up, when there was a great noise outside, and the door burstopen and in rushed the wood-cutters, who had seen the wolf talking tothe little girl in the wood, and came to see what mischief he was up to. 

They killed the wicked wolf quite dead; and so Little Red Riding-Hoodwas saved, and ran home to tell her mother all about her terribleadventure. 

[Illustration]

SINDBAD THE SAILOR

[Illustration]

Sindbad the sailor, after all his adventures and wanderings, settleddown in happiness and prosperity in Bagdad. Here are the stories whichhe told to his friends of his seven marvelous voyages. 

THE FIRST VOYAGE

My father died while I was young and left me a fortune. Having no one torestrain me, I fell into bad ways, by which I not only wasted my time, but injured my health, and destroyed my property. 

When I recovered, I collected together what was left of my fortune, andbought merchandise, which I loaded on board a vessel for the port ofBalsora. 

[Illustration]

During the voyage we touched at several islands, where we sold orexchanged our goods. We were one day becalmed near a small island. Asits appearance was inviting, we determined to dine upon it. But while wewere laughing and preparing for dinner, the island began to move, and atthe same moment the people in the ship called out that we were on theback of a monstrous whale. Some jumped into the boat, and others swam tothe ship; but before I could get off the animal dived into the sea, andI had only time to catch hold of a piece of wood that had been broughtfrom the ship to serve as a table. Upon this piece of timber I wascarried away by the current. The others reached the vessel, but a galesprang up and the ship sailed without me. I floated during that and thenext night, but the following morning was thrown on a small island. 

I found fresh water and fruit. I looked about for some house, but foundnone. There were a number of colts grazing together, but no traces ofother animals. When evening approached I took some more fruit andclimbed in a tree to sleep. About midnight the sound of trumpets anddrums seemed to pass around the island, which continued until morning, when again it seemed to be uninhabited. On the next day I found that theisland was small, and that no other land was in sight. I therefore gavemyself up as lost. Nor were my fears lessened when I found that theshore abounded with enormous serpents and other sea monsters. I found, however, that they were timid, and that the rattling of sticks wouldmake them dive into the water. 

[Illustration: _Sindbad the Sailor_We Rowed as Fast as we Could]

I climbed the tree next night, and the drums and trumpets returned asbefore. On the third day, I had the satisfaction of seeing a body ofmen, who, on landing, were astonished to see me there. Having relatedto them how I came hither, they told me they were grooms of KingMihrage; that the island belonged to genii, who visited it every nightwith drums and trumpets; that the genii had allowed their sovereign totrain his colts upon the island; and that they, being sent every sixmonths to select some, had arrived for that purpose. 

The grooms carried me to King Mihrage, who allowed me apartments in hispalace. 

One day I saw men unloading a ship in the harbor, and saw that some ofthe bales were those which I had sent to Balsora. Going up to thecaptain, I said:

"Captain, I am Sindbad. "

"Surely, " said he, "I and the passengers saw Sindbad swallowed in thewaves many hundred miles away. "

Some others, however, coming up, I was recognized; and the captain thenrestored me the bales, with many congratulations. I made a valuablepresent to King Mihrage, who bestowed a rich gift on me in return; and, having made some advantageous purchases, I arrived at Balsora, where, after I had sold my goods, I found myself possessed of a hundredthousand sequins. 

THE SECOND VOYAGE

[Illustration]

Becoming weary of a quiet life in Balsora, and having bought tradinggoods, I again went to sea with some merchants. After touching atseveral places, we landed at an uninhabited island. We amused ourselvesin different ways, but I, having taken my wine and provisions, sat downand fell asleep. When I awoke, I found that my companions were gone, andthat the ship had sailed. I climbed to the top of a very high tree, andperceived at a distance an object that was very large and white. Idescended to the ground, and ran toward this strange-looking object. When I approached it I found it was about fifty paces in circumference, quite round, and as smooth as ivory, but had no sort of opening. It wasnow almost sunset, and suddenly the sky became darkened. I looked up andbeheld a bird of enormous size, moving like a prodigious cloud towardme. I recollected that I had heard of a bird called the roc, so largethat it could carry away young elephants, and I therefore conjecturedthat the large object I had been looking at was the egg of this bird. 

As the bird approached I crept close to the egg, so that I had one ofthe legs of this winged animal before me when it alighted. This limbbeing as large as the trunk of a tree, I tied myself firmly to it withmy turban. 

[Illustration]

The next morning the bird flew away, and carried me from this desertisland. I was borne so high that I could not see the earth, and thencarried downward so swiftly that I lost my senses. When I recovered, Iwas on the ground. I quickly untied the cloth that bound me, andscarcely was I free when the bird, having taken up a large serpent, again flew away. I found myself in a deep valley, the sides of whichwere too steep to be climbed. As I walked up and down in despair Inoticed that the valley was covered with diamonds of enormous size. ButI soon saw other objects of much less agreeable appearance. Immenseserpents were peeping out of holes on every side. When night came, Itook shelter in a cave, the entrance of which I guarded with the largeststones I could find, but the hissing of the serpents entirely deprivedme of sleep. When day returned, the serpents retired to their holes; andI came out of my cave, but with extreme fear. I walked heedless of theserpents until I became weary, and then sat down and fell asleep. I wasawakened by something which fell near me. It was a large piece of freshmeat, and presently I saw several other pieces. 

I was now convinced that I must be in the famous valley of diamonds, andthat the pieces of meat were thrown in by merchants, who expected eaglesto pounce upon the flesh, to which diamonds were almost sure toadhere. I hastened to pick up some of the largest diamonds I could find, which I put into a little bag, and fastened it to my girdle. I thenselected the largest piece of flesh in the valley, which I tied to mywaist with the cloth of my turban, and then lay down upon my face towait for the eagles. Very soon one of the strongest pounced upon themeat on my back, and flew with me to its nest on the top of themountain. The merchants began shouting to frighten the eagles, and whenthey had forced the birds to quit their prey, one of them came to thenest where I was. At first the man was frightened when he saw me there, but after recovering himself, asked me how I got there. I told him andthe rest of the merchants my story. I then opened my bag, and theydeclared that they had never seen diamonds of equal luster and size withmine. The merchants having gathered their diamonds together, we left theplace the next morning, and crossed the mountains until we reached aport. We there took ship and proceeded to the island of Roha. At thatplace I exchanged some of my diamonds for other merchandise, and we wenton to Balsora. From Balsora I reached my native city, Bagdad, in which Ilived easily upon the vast riches I had won. 

[Illustration]

THE THIRD VOYAGE

I soon resolved upon a third voyage, and once more took ship at Balsora. After we had been at sea a few weeks, we were overtaken by a dreadfulstorm, and were obliged to cast anchor near an island which the captainhad endeavored to avoid; for he assured us that it was inhabited bypigmy savages, covered with hair, who would speedily attack us in greatnumbers. Soon an innumerable multitude of frightful savages, about twofeet high, boarded the ship. Resistance was useless. They took down oursails, cut our cable, towed the ship to land, and made us all go onshore. We went towards the interior of the island and discovered a largebuilding. It was a lofty palace, having a gate of ebony, which we pushedopen, and soon discovered a room in which were human bones and roastingspits. Presently there appeared a hideous black man, who was as tall asa palm tree. He had but one eye, his teeth were long and sharp, and hisnails like the talons of a bird. He took me up as I would a kitten, butfinding I was little better than skin and bone, put me down withcontempt. The captain, being the fattest of the party, was sacrificedto his appetite. When the monster had finished his meal he stretchedhimself upon a great stone bench in the portico, and fell asleep, snoring louder than thunder. In this manner he slept till morning. Inthe morning he went out. I said to my companions:

"Do not waste time in useless sorrow; let us hurry to look for timberto make rafts. "

[Illustration]

We found some timber on the seashore, and labored hard; but having notools, it was evening before we had finished; and while we were on thepoint of pushing the raft off the beach, our hideous tyrant returnedand drove us to his palace, as if we had been a flock of sheep. We sawanother of our companions sacrificed, and the giant lay down to sleep asbefore. Our desperate condition gave us courage; nine of us got up verysoftly, and held the points of the roasting spits in the fire until wemade them red-hot; we then thrust them at once into the monster's eye. He uttered a frightful scream, and having tried in vain to find us, opened the ebony gate and left the palace. We did not stay long behindhim, but ran to the seashore, got our rafts ready, and waited fordaylight to embark. But at dawn we beheld our monstrous enemy, led bytwo giants of equal size, and followed by many others. We jumped uponour rafts, and pushed them from the shore, the tide helping us. Thegiants seeing us likely to escape, tore great pieces of rock, and wadingin the water up to their waists, hurled them at us with all their might. They sank every one of the rafts but that on which I was; thus all mycompanions, except two, were drowned. We rowed as fast as we could, andgot out of the reach of these monsters. We were at sea two days, but atlast found a pleasant island. After eating some fruit, we lay down tosleep, but were soon awakened by the hissing of an enormous serpent. Oneof my comrades was instantly devoured by this terrific creature. Iclimbed up a tree as fast as I could, and reached the topmost branches;my remaining companion was following me, but the dreadful reptileentwined itself round the tree and caught him. The serpent then wentdown and glided away. I waited until late the next day before I venturedto descend. Evening again approached, and I gathered together a greatquantity of small wood, brambles, and thorns. Having made them intofagots, I formed a circle round the tree, and fastened the uppermost tothe branches of the tree. I then climbed up to the highest branches. Atnight the serpent came again, but could not reach the tree; and crawlingvainly round and round my little fortification until daylight, he wentaway. The next day I spied a ship in full sail a long way off. With thelinen of my turban I made a signal, which was perceived. I was taken onboard the ship and there told my adventures. The captain was very kindto me. He said that he had some bales of goods which had belonged to amerchant who had unintentionally left him some time ago on anuninhabited island. As this man was undoubtedly dead, he intended tosell the goods for the benefit of his relatives, and I should have theprofit of selling them. I now recollected this was the captain with whomI sailed on my second voyage. I soon convinced him that I was reallySindbad, whom he supposed to have been lost. He was delighted at thediscovery, and eagerly acknowledged that the property was mine. Icontinued my voyage, sold my goods to great advantage, and returnedto Bagdad. 

MY FOURTH VOYAGE

[Illustration]

My desire of seeing foreign countries rendered my pleasures at homeunsatisfactory. I therefore arranged my affairs, commenced a voyage toPersia, and having bought a large stock of goods loaded a ship and againembarked. The ship struck upon a rock, and the cargo was lost. A fewothers and myself were borne by the current to an island, on which wewere surrounded by black savages, and carried to their huts. The savagesoffered us herbs; my companions eagerly took them, for they were hungry. Grief would not allow me to eat; and presently I saw that the herbs hadmade my comrades senseless. Rice, mixed with oil of cocoanuts, was thenoffered to us, which my companions ate greedily and grew fat. My unhappyfriends were then devoured one after another, having become appetizingto the cannibals. But I languished so much that they did not think mefit to eat. They left me to the care of an old man, from whom I managedto escape; and taking care to go a contrary way from that which thesavages had taken I never stopped till night. At the end of seven days, on the seashore I found a number of white persons gathering pepper. Theyasked me in Arabic who I was, and whence I came; and I gave them anaccount of the shipwreck, and of my escape. They treated me kindly andpresented me to their King, who treated me with great liberality. Duringmy stay with them, I observed that when the King and his nobles wenthunting, they rode their horses without bridle or saddle. With theassistance of some workmen I made a bridle and saddle, and having putthem upon one of the King's horses, presented the animal, thusequipped, to His Majesty. He was so delighted that he instantly mountedand rode about the grounds almost the whole day. All the ministers ofstate and the nobility induced me to make saddles and bridles for them, for which they made me such magnificent presents that I soon became veryrich. The King at last requested that I would marry, and become one ofhis nation. From a variety of circumstances I could not refuse, and hetherefore gave me one of the ladies of his Court, who was young, rich, beautiful, and virtuous. We lived in the greatest harmony in a palacebelonging to my wife. I had made a good friend of a very worthy man wholived in this place. Hearing one day that his wife had just died, I wentto condole with him on this unexpected calamity. We were alone together, and he appeared to be in the deepest grief. After I had talked with himsome time on the uselessness of so much sorrow, he told me that it wasan established law that the living husband should be buried with thedeceased wife, and that within an hour he must submit. I shuddered atthe dreadful custom. In a short time the woman was attired in her mostcostly dress and jewels, and placed in an open coffin. The processionthen began, the husband following the corpse. They ascended to the topof an exceedingly high mountain, and a great stone was removed, whichcovered the mouth of a deep pit. The corpse was let down, and thehusband, having taken leave of his friends, was put into another opencoffin, with a pot of water and seven small loaves, and he was let down. The stone was replaced and they all returned. The horror of this wasstill fresh upon my mind, when my wife fell sick and died. The King andthe whole Court, out of respect to me, instantly prepared to assist at asimilar ceremony with me. I restrained the feeling of despair until wearrived at the top of the mountain, when I fell at the feet of the Kingand begged him to spare my life. All I said was ineffectual, and aftermy wife was let down, I also was put into the deep pit, everyone beingtotally indifferent to my cries and lamentations. I made the cave echowith my vain complaints. I lived some days on the bread and water whichhad been put into my coffin, but this supply was at length exhausted. Ithen wandered to a remote part of this frightful cave and lay down toprepare for death. I was thus wishing only for a speedy termination ofmy misery, when I heard something walking and panting. I started up, upon which the thing panted still more, and then ran away. I pursued it, and sometimes it seemed to stop, but on my approach continued to go onbefore me. I pursued it, until at last I saw a glimmering light like astar. This redoubled my eagerness, until at last I discovered a holelarge enough to allow my escape. I crept through the aperture, and foundmyself on the seashore, and discovered that the creature was a seamonster which had been accustomed to enter at that hole to feed upon thedead bodies. Having eaten some shellfish, I returned to the cave, whereI collected all the jewels I could find in the dark. These I carried tothe seashore, and tied them up very neatly into bales with the cordsthat let down the coffins. I laid them on the beach, waiting till someship should pass. In two days a ship came out of the harbor, and passedby that part of the coast. I made a signal, and a boat took me on board. I was obliged to say that I had been wrecked; for, had they known myreal story, I should have been carried back, as the captain was anative of this country. We touched at several islands, and at the portof Kela, where I found a ship ready to sail for Balsora; and havingpresented some jewels to the captain who had brought me to Kela, Isailed, and at last arrived at Bagdad. 

[Illustration]

THE FIFTH VOYAGE

[Illustration]

Having forgotten my former perils, I built a ship at my own expense, loaded it with a rich cargo, and, taking with me other merchants, oncemore set sail. We were much driven about by a storm, and at lengthlanded upon a desert island to search for fresh water. There we found aroc's egg, equal in size to the one I had seen before. The merchants andsailors gathered round it, and though I advised them not to meddle withit, they nevertheless made a hole in it with their hatchets, and pickedout the young roc, piece after piece, and roasted it. They had scarcelyfinished when two of the old birds appeared in the air. We hurried onboard ship and set sail, but had not gone far before we saw the immensebirds approaching us, and soon after they hovered over the ship. One ofthem let fall an enormous fragment of stone, which fell into the seaclose beside the ship, but the other let fall a piece which split ourship. I caught hold of a bit of the wreck, on which I was borne by thewind and tide to an island, the shore of which was very steep. I reachedthe dry land, and found the most delicious fruits and excellent water, which refreshed me. Farther in the island I saw a feeble old man sittingnear a rivulet. When I enquired of him how he came there, he onlyanswered by signs for me to carry him over the rivulet, that he mighteat some fruit. I took him on my back, and crossed the brook, butinstead of getting down, he clasped his legs so firmly round my throatthat I thought he would strangle me. I soon fainted with pain andfright. When I recovered, the old fellow was still sitting on my neck, and he quickly made me rise up and walk under the trees, while hegathered the fruit at his ease. This lasted a long time. One day, whilecarrying him about, I picked up a large gourd called a calabash, and, having cleared out the inside, I pressed into it the juice of grapes. Having filled it, I left it for several days, and at length found thatit became excellent wine. I drank of this, and for a while forgot mysorrows, so that I began to sing with cheerfulness. The old man made megive him the calabash, and liking the flavor of the wine, he drank itoff, soon became intoxicated, fell from my shoulders, and, died inconvulsions. I hastened to the seaside, and presently found the crew ofa ship. They told me I had fallen into the hands of the Old Man of theSea, and was the first person that had ever escaped. I sailed with them, and the captain, when we landed, took me to some persons whoseemployment was to gather cocoanuts. We all took up stones and pelted themonkeys that were at the very top of the cocoanut trees, and theseanimals in return pelted us with cocoanuts. When we had obtained asmany as we could carry, we returned to the town. I soon obtained aconsiderable sum by the cocoanuts I thus gathered, and at length sailedfor my native land. 

THE SIXTH VOYAGE

[Illustration]

At the expiration of another year, I prepared for a sixth voyage. Thisproved very long and unfortunate, for the pilot lost his course and knewnot where to steer. At length he told us we must inevitably be dashed topieces against a rock, which we were fast approaching. In a few momentsthe vessel was a complete wreck. We saved our lives, our provisions, andour goods. 

The shore on which we were cast was at the foot of a mountain which itwas impossible to climb, so that I shortly beheld my companions die oneafter another. There was a frightful cavern in the rock, through whichflowed a river. To this, in a fit of desperation, I resolved to trustmyself. I went to work and made a long raft. I loaded it with bales ofrich stuffs, and large pieces of rock crystal, of which the mountain wasin a great measure formed. I went on board the raft, and the currentcarried me along. I was carried in darkness during many days, and atlast fell asleep. When I awoke, I found myself in a pleasant country. My raft was tied up and some blacks, who were near me, said that theyhad found me floating in the river which waters their land. They took meto their King, and carefully conducted my cargo with me. When we came tothe city of Serindib, I related my story to the monarch, who ordered itto be written in letters of gold. I presented the King with some of themost beautiful pieces of rock crystal, and entreated him to let mereturn to my own country, which he readily agreed to, and even gave mea letter and a present to my sovereign, the Caliph Haroun Alrashid. Thepresent consisted of a ruby made into a cup, and decorated with pearls;the skin of a serpent, which appeared like burnished gold, and whichcould repel disease; some aloe-wood, camphire, and a beautiful femaleslave. I returned to my native country, delivered the present to theCaliph, and received his thanks, with a reward. 

THE SEVENTH AND LAST VOYAGE

[Illustration]

The Caliph Haroun Alrashid one day sent for me, and told me I must beara present to the King of Serindib. I ventured to protest on account ofmy age, but I could not persuade him to give up his plan. I arrived atSerindib, and prayed an audience with the King. I was conducted to thepalace with great respect, and delivered to the monarch the Caliph'sletter and present. The present consisted of the most ingenious andvaluable works of art, with which the King was exceedingly delighted, and he was also pleased to acknowledge how much he esteemed my services. When I departed, the monarch bestowed on me some rich gifts; but theship had not long been at sea, before it was attacked by pirates, whoseized the vessel, and carried us away as slaves. I was sold to amerchant. When my master found that I could use the bow and arrow withskill, he took me upon an elephant, and carried me to a vast forest inthe country. My master ordered me to climb a high tree, and wait thereuntil I saw a troop of elephants pass by. I was then to shoot at them, and if one of them fell, I was to go to the city and give the merchantnotice. Having given me these directions, and a bag of provisions, heleft me. On the morning of the second day, I saw a great number ofelephants. I succeeded in shooting one of them, upon which the otherswent away, and I returned to the city and told my employer, who praisedmy work. We went back to the forest and dug a hole, in which theelephant was to remain until it decayed and left the teeth free. Icontinued this trade nearly two months, and killed an elephant almostevery day. One morning all the elephants came up to the tree in which Iwas and trumpeted dreadfully. One of them fastened his trunk round thetree and tore it up by the roots. I fell with the tree; the animal tookme up with his trunk, and placed me on his back, and then, at the headof his troop, he brought me to a place where he gently laid me on theground, and they all went away. I discovered that I was upon a largebroad hill, covered all over with the bones and teeth of elephants, andwas soon convinced that this was their burying-place. I reached the cityonce more; my master thought I was lost, for he had seen the torn tree, and found my bow and arrows. I told him what had happened, and led himto the hill. We loaded the elephant on which we had come, and thuscollected more teeth than a man could have obtained in his whole life. The merchant told me that not only he himself, but the whole city, wasindebted to me, and that I should return to my own country withsufficient wealth to make me happy. My patron loaded a ship with ivory, and the other merchants made me valuable presents. I reached Balsoraand landed my ivory, which I found to be more valuable than I hadexpected. I set out with caravans to travel overland, and at lastreached Bagdad, where I presented myself to the Caliph, and gave anaccount of my embassy. He was so astonished at my adventure with theelephants that he ordered the narrative of it to be written in lettersof gold and to be deposited in his treasury. 

[Illustration]

HANSEL AND GRETEL

[Illustration]

Once upon a time there dwelt near a large wood a poor wood-cutter, withhis wife and two children by his former marriage, a little boy calledHansel and a girl named Gretel. He had little enough to eat; and once, when there was a great famine in the land, he could not get even hisdaily bread. As he lay thinking in his bed one evening, rolling aboutfor trouble, he sighed, and said to his wife, "What will become of us?How can we feed our children, when we have no more than we can eatourselves?"

"Well, then, my husband, " answered she, "we will lead them away, quiteearly in the morning, into the thickest part of the wood, and there makethem a fire, and give them each a little piece of bread. Then we will goto our work and leave them alone, so they will not find the way homeagain, and we shall be freed from them. "

"No, wife, " replied he; "that I can never do. How can you bring yourheart to leave my children all alone in the wood; for the wild beastswill soon come and tear them to pieces?"

"Oh, you simpleton!" said she. "Then we must all four die of hunger. "

But she gave him no peace until he consented, saying, "Ah, but I shallregret the poor children. "

The two children, however, had not gone to sleep for very hunger, and sothey overheard what the stepmother said to their father. Gretel weptbitterly, and said to Hansel, "What will become of us?"

[Illustration]

"Be quiet, Gretel, " said he. "Do not cry--I will soon help you. " And assoon as their parents had fallen asleep he got up, put on his coat, and, unbarring the back door, slipped out. The moon shone brightly, andthe white pebbles which lay before the door seemed like silver pieces, they glittered so brightly. Hansel stooped down, and put as many intohis pocket as it would hold; and then, going back, he said to Gretel, "Be comforted, dear sister, and sleep in peace; God will not forsakeus. " And so saying, he went to bed again. 

The next morning, before the sun arose, the wife went and awoke the twochildren. "Get up, you lazy things; we are going into the forest to chopwood. " Then she gave them each a piece of bread, saying, "There issomething for your dinner; do not eat it before the time, for you willget nothing else. "

Gretel took the bread in her apron, for Hansel's pocket was full ofpebbles; and so they all set out upon their way. When they had gone alittle distance, Hansel stood still, and peeped back at the house; andthis he repeated several times, till his father said, "Hansel, what areyou peeping at, and why do you lag behind? Take care, and rememberyour legs. "

[Illustration]

"Ah, father, " said Hansel, "I am looking at my white cat sitting uponthe roof of the house, and trying to say good-bye. "

"You simpleton!" said the wife, "that is not a cat; it is only the sunshining on the white chimney. "

But in reality Hansel was not looking at a cat; but every time hestopped he dropped a pebble out of his pocket upon the path. 

[Illustration]

When they came to the middle of the wood the father told the children tocollect wood, and he would make them a fire, so that they should not becold. So Hansel and Gretel gathered together quite a little mountain oftwigs. Then they set fire to them; and as the flame burnt up high, thewife said, "Now, you children, lie down near the fire, and restyourselves, while we go into the forest and chop wood. When we areready I will come and call you. "

Hansel and Gretel sat down by the fire, and when it was noon each atethe piece of bread; and because they could hear the blows of an axe, they thought their father was near; but it was not an axe, but a branchwhich he had bound to a withered tree, so as to be blown to and fro bythe wind. 

They waited so long, that at last their eyes closed from weariness, andthey fell fast asleep. When they awoke it was quite dark, and Gretelbegan to cry, "How shall we get out of the wood?" But Hansel tried tocomfort her, saying, "Wait a little while till the moon rises, and thenwe will quickly find the way. "

The moon soon shone forth, and Hansel, taking his sister's hand, followed the pebbles, which glittered like new-coined silver pieces, andshowed them the path. All night long they walked on, and as day brokethey came to their father's house. They knocked at the door, and whenthe wife opened it and saw Hansel and Gretel, she exclaimed, "You wickedchildren! why did you sleep so long in the wood? We thought you werenever coming home again. " But their father was very glad, for it hadgrieved his heart to leave them all alone. 

Not long afterwards there was again great scarcity in every corner ofthe land; and one night the children overheard their mother saying totheir father, "Everything is again eaten. We have only half a loaf left, and then we must starve. The children must be sent away. We will takethem deeper into the wood, so that they may not find the way out again;it is the only means of escape for us. "

But her husband felt heavy at heart, and thought. "It were better toshare the last crust with the children. " His wife, however, would listento nothing that he said, and scolded and reproached him without end. 

Now the children had heard what had been said as they lay awake, and assoon as the old people went to sleep Hansel got up, intending to pick upsome pebbles as before; but the wife had locked the door, so that hecould not get out. Nevertheless he comforted Gretel, saying, "Do notcry; sleep in peace; the good God will not forsake us. "

Early in the morning the stepmother came and pulled them out of bed, andgave them each a slice of bread, which was still smaller than the onethey had last time. On the way Hansel broke his in his pocket, and, stooping every now and then, dropped a crumb upon the path. 

"Hansel, why do you stop and look about?" said the father. "Keep in thepath. "

"I am looking at my little dove, " answered Hansel, "nodding a good-byeto me. "

"Simpleton!" said the wife, "that is no dove, but only the sun shiningon the chimney. "

But Hansel kept still dropping crumbs as he went along. 

The mother led the children deep into the wood, where they had neverbeen before, and there, making an immense fire, she said to them, "Sitdown here and rest, and when you feel tired you can sleep for a littlewhile. We are going into the forest to hew wood, and in the evening, when we are ready, we will come and fetch you. "

When noon came Gretel shared her bread with Hansel, who had strewn hison the path. They then went to sleep; but the evening arrived and no onecame to visit the poor children, and in the dark night they awoke, andHansel comforted his sister by saying, "Only wait, Gretel, till the mooncomes out, then we shall see the crumbs of bread which I have dropped, and they will show us the way home. "

When the moon shone they got up, but they could not see any crumbs, forthe thousands of birds which had been flying about in the woods andfields had picked them all up. Hansel kept saying to Gretel, "We willsoon find the way. " But they did not. They walked the whole night longand the next day, but still they did not come out of the wood; and theygot very hungry, for they had nothing to eat but the berries which theyfound upon the bushes. Soon they got so tired that they could not dragthemselves along, so they lay down under a tree and went to sleep. 

It was now the third morning since they had left their father's house, and they still walked on; but they only got deeper and deeper into thewood, and Hansel saw that if help did not come very soon they would dieof hunger. About the middle of the day they saw a beautiful snow-whitebird sitting on a bough, which sang so sweetly that they stood still andlistened to it. It soon left off and, spreading its wings, flew away. They followed it until it arrived at a cottage, upon the roof of whichit perched; and when they went close up to it they saw that the cottagewas made of bread and cakes, and the window-panes were of clear sugar. 

"We will go in there, " said Hansel, "and have a glorious feast. I willeat a piece of the roof, and you can eat the window. Will they not besweet?"

So Hansel reached up and broke a piece off the roof, in order to see howit tasted; while Gretel stepped up to the window and began to bite it. Then a sweet voice called out in the room, "Tip-tap, tip-tap, who rapsat my door?" and the children answered, "The wind, the wind, the childof heaven;" and they went on eating. 

Hansel thought the roof tasted very nice, and so he tore off a greatpiece; while Gretel broke a large round pane out of the window and satdown quite contentedly. Just then the door opened, and a very oldwoman, walking upon crutches, came out. Hansel and Gretel were sofrightened that they let fall what they had in their hands; but theold woman, nodding her head, said, "Ah, you dear children, what hasbrought you here? Come in and stay with me, and no harm shall befallyou. " And so saying, she took them both by the hand and led them intoher cottage. 

[Illustration]

A good meal of milk and pancakes, with sugar, apples and nuts, wasspread on the table, and in the back room were two nice little beds, covered with white, where Hansel and Gretel laid themselves down, andrested happily after all their hardships. The old woman was very kindto them, but in reality she was a wicked witch who waylaid children, and built the bread-house in order to entice them in; then as soon asthey were in her power she killed them, cooked and ate them, and madea great festival of the day. 

Witches have red eyes and cannot see very far; but they have a finesense of smell, like wild beasts, so that they know when childrenapproach them. When Hansel and Gretel came near the witch's house shelaughed wickedly, saying, "Here come two who shall not escape me. " Andearly in the morning, before they awoke, she went up to them, and sawhow lovingly they lay sleeping, with their chubby red cheeks; and shemumbled to herself, "That will be a good bite. " Then she took upHansel with her rough hand, and shut him up in a little cage with alattice-door; and although he screamed loudly it was of no use. Gretelcame next, and, shaking her till she awoke, she said, "Get up, you lazything, and fetch some water to cook something good for your brother, whomust remain in that stall and get fat; when he is fat enough I shall eathim. "

Gretel began to cry, but it was all useless, for the old witch made herdo as she wished. So a nice meal was cooked for Hansel, but Gretel gotnothing but a crab's claw. 

Every morning the old witch came to the cage and said, "Hansel, stretchout your finger that I may feel whether you are getting fat. " But Hanselused to stretch out a bone, and the old woman, having very bad sight, thought that it was his finger, and wondered very much that he did notget fatter. 

When four weeks had passed, and Hansel was still quite lean, she lostall her patience, and would not wait any longer. "Gretel, " she calledout in a passion, "get some water quickly; be Hansel fat or lean, thismorning I will kill and cook him. "

Oh, how the poor little sister grieved, as she was forced to fetch thewater, and fast the tears ran down her cheeks! "Dear good God, help usnow!" she exclaimed. "Had we only been eaten by the wild beasts in thewood, then we should have died together. "

[Illustration]

But the old witch called out, "Stop that noise; it will not help you abit. "

So, early in the morning, Gretel was forced to go out and fill thekettle, and make a fire. 

"First, we will bake, however, " said the old woman; "I have alreadyheated the oven and kneaded the dough;" and so saying, she pushed poorGretel up to the oven, out of which the flames were burning fiercely. "Creep in, " said the witch, "and see if it is hot enough, and then wewill put in the bread. " But she intended when Gretel got in to shut upthe oven and let her bake, so that she might eat her as well as Hansel. 

Gretel saw what her thoughts were and said, "I do not know how to do it;how shall I get in?"

"You stupid goose, " said she, "the opening is big enough. See, I couldeven get in myself!" And she got up, and put her head into the oven. 

Then Gretel gave her a push, so that she fell right in, and then, shutting the iron door, she bolted it. Oh! how horribly she howled; butGretel ran away, and left the wicked witch to burn to ashes. 

Now she ran to Hansel, and, opening his door, called out, "Hansel we aresaved; the old witch is dead!" So he sprang out, like a bird out of hiscage when the door is opened; and they were so glad that they fell uponeach other's neck, and kissed each other over and over again. 

And now, as there was nothing to fear, they went into the witch's house, where, in every corner, were caskets full of pearls and precious stones. "These are better than pebbles, " said Hansel, putting as many into hispocket as it would hold; while Gretel thought, "I will take some hometoo, " and filled her apron full. "We must be off now, " said Hansel, "andget out of this enchanted forest. "

When they had walked for two hours they came to a large piece of water. "We cannot get over, " said Hansel. "I can see no bridge at all. "

"And there is no boat, either, " said Gretel; "but there swims a whiteduck--I will ask her to help us over, " and she sang:

 "Little Duck so blithe and merry, Hansel, Gretel, here we stand; There is neither bridge nor ferry, Row us on your back to land. "

So the Duck came to them, and Hansel sat himself on her back, and badehis sister sit behind him. 

"No, " answered Gretel, "that will be too much for the Duck; she shalltake us over one at a time. "

This the good little bird did, and when both were happily arrived on theother side, and had gone a little way, they came to a wood, which theyknew the better every step they went, and at last they saw theirfather's house. Then they began to run, and, bursting into the house, they fell on their father's neck. 

He had not had one happy hour since he had left the children in theforest; and his wife was dead. Gretel shook her apron, and the pearlsand precious stones rolled out on the floor, and Hansel threw down onehandful after another out of his pocket. Then all their sorrows wereended, and they lived together in great happiness. 

THE GOOSE GIRL

Once upon a time there lived an old Queen, whose husband had been deadsome years, and left her with one child, a beautiful daughter. When thisdaughter grew up she was to be married to a King's son, who lived faraway. 

[Illustration]

Now when the time came for her to leave, the mother gave her daughter alock of hair, saying, "Dear child, preserve this well, and it will helpyou out of trouble. "

Afterwards the mother and daughter took a sorrowful leave of each other, and the princess placed the lock of hair in her bosom, mounted her horseFalada, and rode away to her intended bridegroom. Now this horse couldspeak. After she had ridden for about an hour she became very thirsty, and said to her servant, "Dismount, and bring me some water from yonderstream in the cup which you carry with you, for I am very thirsty. "

"If you are thirsty, " replied the servant, "dismount yourself, and stoopdown to drink the water, for I will not be your maid!"

The Princess, on account of her great thirst, did as she was bid, andbending over the brook she drank of its water without daring to use hergolden cup. While she did so the lock of hair said, "Ah! if thy motherknew this, her heart would break. "

As she leaned over the water, the lock of hair fell out of her bosom andfloated down the stream without her noticing it, because of her greatanguish. But her servant had seen what happened, and she was glad, fornow she had power over her mistress, because with the loss of the lockof hair, she became weak and helpless. When, then, the Princess wasgoing to mount her horse again, the maid said, "No, Falada belongs tome; you must get upon this horse:" and she was forced to yield. Thenthe servant bade her take off her royal clothes, and put on her commonones instead; and, lastly, she made the Princess promise and swear bythe open sky that she would say nought of what had passed at the King'spalace; for if she had not sworn she would have been murdered. ButFalada, the horse, observed all that passed with great attention. 

[Illustration]

Then the servant mounted upon Falada, and the rightful Princess upona sorry hack; and in that way they traveled on till they came to theKing's palace. On their arrival there were great rejoicings, and theyoung Prince, running towards them, lifted the servant off her horse, supposing that she was the true bride; and she was led up the steps instate, while the real Princess had to stop below. Just then the old Kingchanced to look out of his window and saw her standing in the court, and he remarked how delicate and beautiful she was; and, going to theroyal apartments, he inquired there of the bride who it was she hadbrought with her and left below in the courtyard. 

[Illustration]

"Only a girl whom I brought with me for company, " said the bride. "Givethe wench some work to do, that she may not grow idle. "

The old King, however, had no work for her, and knew of nothing; untilat last he said, "Ah! there is a boy who keeps the geese: she can helphim. " This youth was called Conrad, and the true bride was set to keepgeese with him. 

Soon after this, the false bride said to her betrothed, "Dearest, willyou grant me a favor?"

"Yes, " said he; "with the greatest pleasure. "

"Then let the butcher be summoned, that he may cut off the head of thehorse on which I rode hither, for it has angered me on the way. " Inreality she feared lest the horse might tell how she had used therightful Princess, and she was glad when it was decided that Faladashould die. 

This came to the ears of the Princess, and she promised secretly to thebutcher to give him a piece of gold if he would show her a kindness, which was, that he would nail the head of Falada over a certain largeand gloomy arch, through which she had to pass daily with the geese, sothat then she might still see her old steed as she had been accustomed. The butcher promised, and, after killing the horse, nailed the head inthe place which the Princess pointed out, over the door of the arch. 

Early in the morning, when she and Conrad drove the geese through thearch, she said in passing:

 "Ah, Falada, that you hang so high!"

and the head replied:

 "Ah Princess, that you go humbly by! Thy mother's heart would surely break Were she to know of your heart-ache!"

[Illustration]

Then she drove on through the town to a field. When they arrived in themeadow, she sat down and unloosened her hair, which was of pure gold. Its shining appearance so charmed Conrad that he tried to pull out acouple of locks. So she sang:

 "Blow, blow, thou wind, Blow Conrad's hat away. "

Immediately there came a strong wind, which snatched Conrad's hat offhis head, and led him a rare chase; and when he returned what withcombing and curling, the Princess had rearranged her hair, so that hecould not catch a loose lock. This made Conrad very angry, and he wouldnot speak to her; so all day long they tended their geese in silence. 

[Illustration]

After they returned home Conrad went to the old King and declared hewould no longer keep geese with the servant. 

"Why not?" asked the old King. 

"Oh! she vexes me the whole day long, " said Conrad; and then the Kingbade him tell all that had happened. So Conrad did, and told how, inthe morning, when they passed through a certain archway, she spoke toa horse's head, which was nailed up over the door, and said:

 "Ah, Falada, that you hang so high!"

and it replied:

 "Ah, Princess, that you go humbly by! Thy mother's heart would surely break Were she to know of your heart-ache!"

[Illustration]

And, further, he told how when they arrived in the meadow, she causedthe wind to blow his hat off, so that he had to run after it ever sofar. When he had finished his tale, the old King ordered him to drivethe geese out again the next morning; and he himself, when morning came, stationed himself behind the gloomy archway, and heard the servant talkto the head of Falada. Then he followed them also into the fields. Therehe saw with his own eyes the Goose Girl and boy drive in the geese; andafter a while she sat down and, unloosening her hair, which shone likegold, began to sing the old rhyme:

 "Blow, blow, thou wind, Blow Conrad's hat away. "

Then the King felt a breeze come, which took off Conrad's hat, so thathe had to run a long way after it; while the Goose Girl combed out herhair and put it back in proper trim before his return. All this the Kingobserved, and then went home unnoticed; and when the Goose Girl returnedat evening, he called her aside, and asked her what it all meant. 

"That I dare not tell you, nor any other man, " replied she; "for I havesworn by the free sky not to speak of my griefs, else lose my life. "

The King pressed her to say what it was, and left her no peace about it;but still she refused. So at last he said, "If you will not tell me, tell your griefs to this fireplace;" and he went away. 

Then she crept into the fireplace and began to weep and groan; and soonshe relieved her heart by telling her tale. "Here sit I, " she said"forsaken by all the world, and yet I am a King's daughter; and a falseservant has exercised some charm over me, whereby I was compelled to layaside my royal clothes; and she has also taken my place at thebridegroom's side, and I am forced to perform the common duties of aGoose Girl. Oh, if my mother knew this, her heart would break withgrief!"

The old King, meanwhile, stood outside by the chimney and listened towhat she said; and when she had finished he came in, and called her awayfrom the fireplace. Then her royal clothes were put on, and the oldKing, calling his son, showed him that he had taken a false bride, whowas only a servant-girl, and that the true bride stood there as a GooseGirl. 

The prince was glad indeed at heart when he saw her beauty and virtue. Then there was a great feast, at which the bridegroom sat, with thePrincess on one side and the servant-girl on the other. But the latterwas dazzled, and recognized her mistress no longer in her shining dress. 

When they had finished their feasting, and were beginning to be gay, theold King set a riddle to the real servant-girl: What such an one wereworthy of who had, in such and such a manner, deceived her masters; andhe related all that had happened to the true bride. The servant-girlreplied, "Such an one deserves nothing better than to be put into acask, lined with sharp nails, and then to be dragged by two horsesthrough the streets till the wretch be killed. "

"You are the woman then!" exclaimed the King; "You have proclaimed yourown punishment, and it shall be strictly fulfilled. "

The sentence was at once carried out, and afterwards the Prince marriedhis rightful bride, and they lived long in peace and happiness. 

FAVORITE FAIRY TALES

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+----------------------------------------------+|Transcriber's Notes: || ||Variations between stories in the spelling of ||today and to-day, woodcutter and wood-cutter, ||and toward and towards, have been retained. |+----------------------------------------------+