[Illustration] THE SILLY JELLY-FISH. Told in English by B. H. Chamberlain Griffith Farran & Co. , London & Sydney, N. S. W. [Illustration] THE SILLY JELLY-FISH. Once upon a time the King of the Dragons, who had till then lived as abachelor, took it into his head to get married. His bride was a youngDragonette just sixteen years old, --lovely enough, in very sooth, tobecome the wife of a King. Great were the rejoicings on the occasion. The Fishes, both great and small, came to pay their respects, and tooffer gifts to the newly wedded pair; and for some days all was feastingand merriment. [Illustration] But alas! even Dragons have their trials. Before a month had passed, theyoung Dragon Queen fell ill. The doctors dosed her with every medicinethat was known to them, but all to no purpose. At last they shook theirheads, declaring that there was nothing more to be done. The illnessmust take its course, and she would probably die. But the sick Queensaid to her husband: [Illustration] "I know of something that will cure me. Only fetch me a live Monkey'sliver to eat, and I shall get well at once. "--"A live Monkey's liver!"exclaimed the King. "What are you thinking of, my dear? Why! you forgetthat we Dragons live in the sea, while Monkeys live far away from here, among the forest-trees on land. A Monkey's liver! Why! darling, youmust be mad. " Hereupon the young Dragon Queen burst into tears: "I onlyask you for one small thing, " whimpered she, "and you won't get it forme. I always thought you didn't really love me. Oh! I wish I had staidat home with my own m-m-m-mama and my own papa-a-a-a!" Here her voicechoked with sobs, and she could say no more. [Illustration] Well, of course the Dragon King did not like to have it thought thathe was unkind to his beautiful young wife. So he sent for his trustyservant the Jelly-Fish, and said: "It is rather a difficult job; butwhat I want you to try to do is to swim across to the land, andpersuade a live Monkey to come here with you. In order to make theMonkey willing to come, you can tell him how much nicer everythingis here in Dragon-Land than away where he lives. But what I reallywant him for is to cut out his liver, and use it as medicine for youryoung Mistress, who, as you know, is dangerously ill. " [Illustration] So the Jelly-Fish went off on his strange errand. In those days he wasjust like any other fish, with eyes, and fins, and a tail. He even hadlittle feet, which made him able to walk on the land as well as to swimin the water. It did not take him many hours to swim across to thecountry where the Monkeys lived; and fortunately there just happened tobe a fine Monkey skipping about among the branches of the trees nearthe place where the Jelly-Fish landed. So the Jelly-Fish said: "Mr. Monkey! I have come to tell you of a country far more beautiful thanthis. It lies beyond the waves, and is called Dragon-Land. There ispleasant weather there all the year round, there is always plenty ofripe fruit on the trees, and there are none of those mischievouscreatures called Men. If you will come with me, I will take you there. Just get on my back. " [Illustration] The Monkey thought it would be fun to see a new country. So he leapt onto the Jelly-Fish's back, and off they started across the water. Butwhen they had gone about half-way, he began to fear that perhaps theremight be some hidden danger. It seemed so odd to be fetched suddenly inthat way by a stranger. So he said to the Jelly-Fish: "What made youthink of coming for me?" The Jelly-Fish answered: "My Master, the Kingof the Dragons, wants you in order to cut out your liver, and give itas medicine to his wife, the Queen, who is sick. " [Illustration] "Oh! that's your little game, --is it?" thought the Monkey. But he kepthis thoughts to himself and only said: "Nothing could please me betterthan to be of service to Their Majesties. But it so happens that I leftmy liver hanging to a branch of that big chestnut-tree, which you foundme skipping about on. A liver is a thing that weighs a good deal. So Igenerally take it out, and play about without it during the day-time. Wemust go back for it. "--The Jelly-Fish agreed that there was nothingelse to be done under the circumstances. For, --silly creature that hewas, --he did not see that the Monkey was telling a story in order toavoid getting killed, and having his liver used as medicine for thefanciful young Dragon Queen. [Illustration] When they reached the shore of Monkey-Land again, the monkey boundedoff the Jelly-Fish's back, and up to the topmost branch of thechestnut-tree in less than no time. Then he said: "I do not see my liverhere. Perhaps somebody has taken it away. But I will look for it. You, meantime, had better go back and tell your Master what has happened. Hemight be anxious about you, if you did not get home before dark. " [Illustration] So the Jelly-Fish started off a second time; and when he got home, hetold the Dragon King everything just as it had happened. But the Kingflew into a passion with him for his stupidity, and hallooed to hisofficers, saying: "Away with this fellow! Take him, and beat him to ajelly! Don't let a single bone remain unbroken in his body!" So theofficers seized him, and beat him, as the King had commanded. That isthe reason why, to this very day, Jelly-Fishes have no bones, but arejust nothing more than a mass of pulp. [Illustration] As for the Dragon Queen, when she found she could not have the Monkey'sliver, --why! she made up her mind that the only thing to do was to getwell without it. * * * * * _Printed by the Kobunsha in Tokyo, Japan. _ THE KOBUNSHA'S JAPANESE FAIRY TALE SERIES. [Illustration] 1. Momotaro or Little Peachling. 2. The Tongue Cut Sparrow. 3. The Battle of the Monkey and the Crab. 4. The Old Man who made the Dead Trees Blossom. 5. Kachi-Kachi Mountain. 6. The Mouse's Wedding. 7. The Old Man and the Devils. 8. Urashima, the Fisher-Boy. 9. The Eight-Headed Serpent. 10. The Matsuyama Mirror. 11. The Hare of Inaba. 12. The Cub's Triumph. 13. The Silly Jelly-Fish. 14. The Princes, Fire-flash and Fire-fade. (_in the press_) [Illustration] _Copyright Reserved. _ [Illustration]