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, tibia 11 A A lost lus 1 tic I SAW (hrm"m Air I illy, v 37, Ell PAISLEY. SECOND DEPARTMENT. SESSION . Pri'3e Awardcedl to FOR MARY J. SMITH, Mistress. The Baldwin Library Univcsity RmBF10f THE PRINCESS ON THE GLASS HILL AND OTHER STORIES BASED ON THE TALES IN THE 'BLUE FAIRY BOOK' EDITED BY ANDREW LANG WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY 1I. J. FORD & G. P. JACOMB HOOD LONDON LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO. AND NEW YORK: 15 EAST 16th STREET 1890 All rights reserved CONTENTS PAGE THE PRINCESS ON THE GLASS HILL-PART I. 7 SII. 12 S,, III. .. 15 SIV 21 S, V. 25 THE TERRIBLE HEAD-PART I. 30 S II 35 ,, ,,ll. . 39 .IV ... 43 SV. 48 FELICIA AND THE POT OF PINKS-PART I. 54 II. 57 III 61 IV. . 65 SV. 68 THE _WATER-LILY. THE GOLD-SPINNERS-PART . 74 II. 77 ., I . 80 SIV. 83 S V. 87 BLUE BEARD-PART I. .. 93 II. 96 S III .. .. 99 THE STORY OF PRETTY GOLDILOCKS-PART I.. .106 II. .109 SIII. 113 S., ,, IV. 117 ., V. .120 SVI. 123 S VII. .129 SVIII. 132 THE TALE OF A YOUTH WHO SET OUT TO LEARN WHAT FEAR WAS PART I. 136 II. 139 .. ,. ,, III. 143 ,. IV. 146 V. 148 VI. 153 SVII. 157 THE PRINCESS ON THE GLASS BILL PART I ONCE upon a time there was a man who had a meadow which lay on the side of a mountain, and in the meadow there was a barn in which he stored hay. But there had not been much hay in the barn for the last two years, for every St. John's eve, when the grass was in the height of its vigour, it was all eaten clean up, just as if a whole flock of sheep had gnawed it down to the ground during the night. This happened once, and it happened twice, but then the man got tired of losing his crop, and said to his sons-he had three of them, and the third was called Cinderlad-that one of them must go and sleep in the barn on St. John's night. He said it was absurd to let the grass be eaten up again, blade and stalk, as it had been 8 THE PRINCESS ON THE GLASS HILL the last two years, and the one who went to watch must keep a sharp look-out. The eldest was quite willing to go to the meadow. He would watch the grass, he said, and he would do it so well that neither man, nor beast, nor even the fiend himself should have any of it. So when evening came he went to the barn, and lay down to sleep. But when night was drawing near, there was such a rumbling and such an earthquake, that the walls and roof shook again. So the lad jumped up and took to his heels as fast as he could, and never even looked back, and the barn remained empty that year just as it had been for the last two. Next St. John's eve the man again said that he could not go on in this way, losing all the grass in this field year after year, and that one of his sons must just go there and watch it, and watch well too. So the next oldest son was willing to show what he could do. He went to the barn and lay down to sleep, as his brother had done. But when night was drawing near there was THE PRINCESS ON THE GLASS HILL 9 a great rumbling, and then an earthquake, which was even worse than that on the former St. John's night, and when the youth heard it he was terrified, and went off, running as if for a wager. The year after, it was Cinderlad's turn, but when he made ready to go the others laughed at him, and mocked him. 'Well, you are just the right one to watch the hay, you who have never learnt anything but how to sit among the ashes and bake yourself !' said they. Cinderlad, however did not trouble himself about what they said, but when evening drew near rambled away to the field. When he got there he went into the barn and lay down, but in about an hour's time the rumbling and creaking began, and it was frightful to hear it. Well, if it gets no worse than that, I can manage to stand it,' thought Cinderlad. In a little time the creaking began again, and the earth quaked so that all the hay flew about the boy. 'Oh! if it gets no worse than that I can manage to stand it,' thought Cinderlad. 10 THE PRINCESS ON THE GLASS HILL But then came a third rumbling, and a third earthquake, so violent that the boy thought the walls and roof had fallen down. But when that was over, everything around him suddenly grew as still as death. 'I am pretty sure that it will come again,' thought Cinderlad; but no, it did not. Everything was quiet, and everything stayed quiet, and when he had lain still a short time, he heard something that sounded as if a horse were standing chewing just outside the barn door. 'HE PRINCESS ON THE GLASS HILL 11 He stole away to the door, which was ajar, to see what was there, and behold, there was a horse standing eating quite close to him. It was so big, and fat, and fine a horse that Cinderlad had never seen one like it before, and a saddle and bridle lay upon it, and a complete suit of armour for a knight, and every thing was of copper, and so bright that it shone again. Ha, ha! it is thou who eatest up our hay then,' thought the boy; but I will stop that.' So he made haste, and took out his steel for striking fire, and threw it over the horse, and then it had no power to stir from the spot, and became so tame that the boy could do what he liked with it. So he mounted it and rode away to a place which no one knew of but himself, and there he tied it up. When he went home again, his brothers laughed and asked how he had got on. 'You didn't lie long in the barn, if even you have been so far as the field !' said they. 'I lay in the barn till the sun rose, but I 12 THE PRINCESS ON THE GLASS HILL saw nothing and heard nothing, not I,' said the boy. 'I can't think what there was to make you two so frightened.' 'Well, we shall soon see whether you have watched the meadow or not,' answered the brothers. But when they got there the grass was all standing, just as long and as thick as it had been the night before. THE PRINCESS ON THE GLASS HILL PART II THE next St. John's eve it was the same thing once again. Neither of the two brothers dared to go to the outlying field to watch the crop, but Cin- derlad went, and everything happened exactly the same as on the previous St. John's eve. First there was a rumbling and an earth- quake, and then there was another, and then a third. But all three earthquakes were much, very much more violent than they had been the year before. THE PRINCESS ON THE GLASS HILL 13 Then everything became still as death again, and the boy heard something chewing outside the barn door. So he stole as softly as he could to the door, which was slightly ajar, and again there was a horse standing close by the wall of the house, eating and chewing. It was far larger and fatter than the first horse, and it had a saddle on its back, and a bridle was on it too, and a full suit of armour for a knight, all of bright silver, and as beautiful as anyone could wish to see. 'Ho, ho!' thought the boy, 'it is thou who eatest up our hay in the night; but I will put a stop to that.' So he took out his steel for striking fire, and threw it over the horse's mane, and the beast sto6d there as quiet as a lamb. Then the boy rode this horse, too, away to the place where he kept the other, and then went home again. 'I suppose you will tell us that you have watched well again this time,' said the brothers. 'Well, so I have,' aid Cinderlad. So they went here again, and there the grass was, staiing as high and as thick as it 14 THE PRINCESS ON THE GLASS HILL had been before, but that did not make them any kinder to Cinderlad. When the third St. John's night came, neither of the two elder brothers dared to lie in the outlying barn to watch the grass, for they had been so heartily frightened the night that they had slept there, that they could not get over it. But Cinderlad dared to go, and everything happened just the same as on the two former nights. There were three earthquakes, each worse than the other, and the last flung the boy from one wall of the barn to the other, but then everything suddenly became still as death. When he had lain quietly a short time, he heard something chewing outside the barn door. Then he once more stole to the door, which was slightly ajar, and behold, a horse was standing just outside it, which was much larger and fatter than the two others he had caught. Ho, ho it is thou, then, who art eating up our hay this time,' thought the boy; 'but I will put a stop to that.' So he pulled out his steel for striking fire, THE PRINCESS ON THE GLASS HILL 15 and threw it over the horse, and it stood as still as 'if it. had been nailed to the field, and the boy could do just what he liked with it. Then he mounted it, and rode away to the place where he had the two others, and then he went home again. Then the two brothers mocked him just as they had done before, and told him that they could see that he must have watched the grass very carefully that night, for he looked just as if he were walking in his sleep. But Cinderlad did not trouble himself about that, but just bade them go to the field and see. They did go, and this time too the grass was standing, looking as fine and as thick as ever. THE PRINCESS ON THE GLASS HILL PART III THE King of the country in which Cinder- lad's father dwelt had a daughter, whom he would give to no one who could not ride up to the top of the glass hill, for there was a 1(6 THE PRINCESS ON THE GLASS HILL high, high hill of glass, slippery as ice, and it was close to the King's palace. Upon the very top of this, the King's daughter was to sit with three gold apples in her lap, and the man who could ride up and take the three golden apples should marry her, and have half the kingdom. The King had this proclaimed in every church in the whole kingdom, and in many other king- doms too. The Princess was very beautiful, and all who saw her fell violently in love with her, even in spite of themselves. So it is needless to say that all the princes and knights were eager to win her, and half the kingdom besides, and that for this cause they came riding thither from the very end of the world, dressed so splendidly that their raiments gleamed in the sunshine. They rode on horses which seemed to dance as they went, and there was not one of these princes, who did not think that he was sure to win the Princess. When the day appointed by the King had come, there was such a host of knights and princes under the glass hill that they seemed to swarm, and everyone who could walk or THE PRINCESS ON THE GLASS HILL 17 even creep was there too, to see who should win the King's daughter. _I I '4;~ Cinderlad's two brothers were there too, but they would not hear of letting him go with W, 18 THE PRINCESS ON THE GLASS HILL them, for he was so dirty and black with sleeping and grubbing among the ashes, that they said everyone would laugh at them, if they were seen in the company of such an oaf. 'Well, then, I will go all alone by myself,' said Cinderlad. When the two brothers got to the glass hill, all the princes and knights were trying to ride up it, and their horses were in a foam. But it was all in vain, for no sooner did the horses set foot upon the hill than down they slipped, and there was not one which could get even so much as a couple of yards up. Nor was that strange, for the hill was as smooth as a glass window-pane, and as steep as the side of a house. But they were all eager to win the King's daughter and half the kingdom, so they rode and they slipped, and thus it went on. At length all the horses were so tired that they could do no more, and so hot that the foam dropped from them, and the riders were forced to give up the attempt. The King was just thinking that he would cause it to be proclaimed, that the riding should begin afresh on the following day, when perhaps THE PRINCESS ON THE GLASS HILL 19 it might go better, when suddenly a knight came riding up on so fine a horse that no one had ever seen the like of it before. The knight had armour of copper, and his bridle was of copper too, and everything about both the knight and his horse were so bright that they shone again. The other knights all called out to him, that he might just as well spare himself the trouble of trying to ride up the glass hill, for it was of no use to try. But he did not heed them, and rode straight off to it, and went up as if it were nothing at all. Thus he rode for a long way-it may have been a third part of the way up-but when he had got so far, he turned his horse round and rode down again. But the Princess thought that she had never yet seen so handsome a knight, and while he was riding up she was sitting thinking: 'Oh! how I hope he may be able to come up to the top!' And when she saw that he was turning his horse back, she threw one of the golden apples down after him, and it rolled into his shoe. 20 THE PRINCESS ON THE GLASS HILL But when he had come down from off the hill he rode away, and that so fast that no one knew what had become of him. So all the princes and knights were bidden to present themselves before the King that night, so that he who had ridden so far up the glass hill, might show the golden apple which the King's daughter had thrown down. But no one had anything to show. One knight presented himself after the other, and none could show the apple. At night, too, Cinderlad's brothers came home again, and had a long story to tell about the riding up the glass hill. At first, they said, there was not one who was able to get even so much as one step up, but then came a knight who had armour of copper, and a bridle of copper, and his armour and trappings were so bright that they shone to a great distance, and it was something like a sight to see him riding. He rode one-third of the way up the glass hill, and he could easily have ridden the whole of it if he had liked. But he had turned back, for he had made up his mind that that was enough for once. THE PRINCESS ON THE GLASS HILL 21 'Oh!' I should have liked to see him too, that I should,' said Cinderlad, who was as usual sitting by the chimney among the cinders. 'You, indeed !' said the brothers. 'You look as if you were fit to be among such great lords, nasty beast that you are to sit there!' THE PRINCESS ON THE GLASS HILL PART IV NEXT day the brothers were for setting out again, and this time too Cinderlad begged them to let him go with them and see who rode. But no; they said he was not fit to do that, for he was much too ugly and dirty. 'Well, well, then I will go all alone by myself,' said Cinderlad. So the brothers went to the glass hill, and all the princes and knights began to ride again, and this time they had taken care to rough the shoes of their horses. But that did not help them. They rode and they slipped as they had done the day 22" THE PRINCESS ON THE GLASS HILL before, and not one of them could -even get so far as a yard up the hill. When they had tired out their horses, so that they could do no more, they again had to stop altogether. But just as the King was thinking, that it would be well to proclaim that the riding should take place next day for the last time, so that they might have one more chance, he suddenly bethought himself that it would be well to wait a little longer, to see if the knight in copper armour would come on this day too. But nothing was to be seen of him. Just as they were still looking for him, however, came a knight riding on a steed that was much, much finer than that which the knight in copper armour had ridden. And this knight had silver armour and a silver saddle and bridle, and all were so bright that they shone and glistened, when he was a long way off. Again the other knights called to him, and said that he might just as well give up the attempt to ride up the glass hill, for it was useless to try. But the knight paid no heed to them,, but THE PRINCESS ON THE GLASS HILL 23 rode straight away to the glass hill, and went still farther up than the knight in copper armour had gone. But when he had ridden two-thirds of the way up he turned his horse round, and rode down again. 24 THE PRINCESS ON THE GLASS IHLL The Princess liked this knight still better than she had liked the other, and sat longing that he might be able to get up above. When she saw him turning back she threw the second apple after him, and it rolled into his shoe, and as soon as he had got down the glass hill, he rode away so fast that no one could see what had become of him. In the evening, when everyone was to ap- pear before the King and Princess, in order that he who had the golden apple might show it, one knight went in after the other, but none of them had a golden apple to show. At -niight the two brothers went home as they had done the night before, and told how things had gone, and how everyone had ridden, but no one had been able to get up the hill. But last of all,' they said, 'came one in silver armour, and he had a silver bridle on his horse, and a silver saddle, and oh, but he could ride! He took his horse two-thirds of the way up the hill, but then he turned back. He was a fine fellow,' said the brothers, 'and the Princess threw the second golden apple to him!' THE PRINCESS ON THE GLASS HILL 25 'Oh, how I should have liked to have seen him too said Cinderlad. 'Oh, indeed! iHe was a little brighter than the ashes that you sit grubbing among, you dirty black creature!' said the brothers. THE PRINCESS ON THE GLASS HILL PART V ON the third day everything went just as on the former days. Cinderlad wanted to go with them to look at the riding, but the two brothers would not have him in their company, and when they got to the glass hill, there was no one who could ride even so far as a yard up it, and everyone waited for the knight in silver armour, but he was neither to be seen nor heard of. At last, after a long time, came a knight riding upon a horse that was such a fine one, its equal had never yet been seen. The knight had golden armour, and the horse a golden saddle and bridle, and these 26 THE PRINCESS ON THE GLASS HILL were all so bright that they shone and dazzled everyone, even while the knight was still at a great distance. The other princes and knights were not able even to call to tell him how useless it was to try to ascend the hill, so amazed were they at the sight of his magnificence. He rode straight away to the glass hill, and galloped up it as if it were no hill at all, so that the Princess had not even time to wish that he might get up the whole way. As soon as he had ridden to the top, he took the third golden apple from the lap of the Princess, and then turned his horse about and rode down again, and vanished from their sight before anyone was able to say a word to him. When the two brothers came home again at night, they had much to tell of how the riding had gone off that day, and at last they told about the knight in the golden armour too. He was a fine fellow, that he was I Such another splendid knight is not to be found on earth !' said the brothers. 'Oh, how I should have liked to have seen him too!' said Cinderlad. THE PRINCESS ON THE GLASS HILL 27 'Well, he shone nearly as brightly as the coal-heaps that thou art always lying raking amongst, dirty black creature that thou art!' said the brothers. Next day all the knights and princes were to appear before the King and the Princess- it had been too late for them to do it the night before-in order that he who had the golden apple might produce it. They all went in turn, first princes, and then knights, but none of them had a golden apple. 'But somebody must have it,' said the King, 'for with our own eyes we all saw a man ride up and take it.' So he commanded that everyone in the kingdom should come to the palace, and see if he could show the apple. And one after the other they all came, but no one had the golden apple, and after a long, long time Cinderlad's two brothers came likewise. They were the last of all, so the King asked them if there was no one else in the kingdom left to come. 'Oh, yes, we have a brother,' said the two; 28 THE PRINCESS ON THE GLASS HILL ' but he never got the golden apple 1 He never left the cinder-heap on any of the three days.' 'Never mind that,' said the King; 'as everyone else has come to the palace, let him come too.' So Cinderlad was forced to go to the King's palace. THE PRINCESS ON THE GLASS HILL 29 Hast thou the golden apple ?' asked the King. 'Yes; here is the first, and here is the second, and here is the third, too,' said Cin- derlad. Saying this, he took all the three apples out of his pocket, and with that threw off his sooty rags, and appeared there before them in his bright golden armour, which gleamed as he stood. 'Thou shalt have my daughter, and the half of my kingdom, and thou hast well earned both !' said the King. So there was a wedding, and Cinderlad got the King's daughter, and everyone made merry at the wedding, for all of them could make merry, though they could not ride up the glass hill, and if they have not left off their merry- making they must be at it still. THE TERRIBLE HEAD THE TERRIBLE HEAD PART I ONCE upon a time there was a king whose only child was a girl. Now the King had been very anxious to have a son, or at least a grandson, to come after him, but he was told by a prophet whom he consulted, that his own daughter's son should kill him. This news terrified him so much, that he made up his mind never to let his daughter be married, for he thought it was better to have no grandson at all, than to be killed by his grandson. He therefore called his workmen together, and bade them dig a deep round hole in the earth, and then he had a prison of brass built in the hole, and then, when it was finished, he locked up his daughter in it. THE TERRIBLE HEAD No man ever saw her, and she never saw even the fields and the sea, but only the sky and the sun, for there was a wide open window in the roof of the house of brass. So the Princess would sit looking up at the sky, and watching the clouds float across, and wondering whether she should ever get out of her prison. Now, one day it seemed to her that the sky opened above her, and a great shower of shining gold fell through the window in the roof, and lay glittering in her room. Not very long after, the Princess had a baby, a little boy, but when the King her father heard of it he was very angry and afraid, for now the child was born that should be his death. Yet, cowardly as he was, he had not quite the heart to kill the Princess and her baby outright, but he had them put in a huge brass- bound chest and thrust out to sea, that they might either be drowned or starved, or per- haps come to a country where they would be. out of his way. So the Princess and the baby floated and THE TERRIBLE HEAD drifted in the chest on the sea all day and all night, but the baby was not afraid of the waves nor of the wind, for he did not know that they could hurt him, and he slept quite soundly. And the Princess sang a song over him, and this was her song: Child, my child, how sound you sleep! Though your mother's care is deep, You can lie with heart at rest In the narrow brass-bound chest; In the starless night and drear You can sleep, and never hear Billows breaking, and the cry Of the night-wind wandering by; In soft purple mantle sleeping With.your little face on mine, Hearing not your mother weeping And the breaking of the brine. Well, the daylight came at last, and the great chest was driven by the waves against the shore of an island. There the brass-bound chest lay, with the Princess and her baby in it, till a man of that country came past, and saw it, and dragged it on to the beach, and when he had broken it open, behold I there was a beautiful lady and THE TERRIBLE HEAD a little boy. So he took them home, and was very kind to them, and brought up the boy till he was a young man. Now, when the boy had come to his full strength the King of that country fell in love with his mother, and wanted to marry her, but he knew that she would never part from her boy. So he thought of a plan to get rid of the boy, and this was his plan. A great queen of a country not far off was going to be married, and this king said that all his subjects must bring him wedding pre- sents to give her. And he made a feast to which he invited them all, and they all brought their presents. Some brought gold cups, and some brought necklaces of gold and amber, and some brought beautiful horses. But the boy had nothing, though he was the son of a princess, for his mother had nothing to give him. Then the rest of the company began to laugh at him, and the King said: 'If you have nothing else to give, at least you might go and fetch the Terrible Head.' THE TERRIBLE HEAD The boy was proud, and spoke without thinking : Then I swear that I will bring the Ter- rible Head, if it may be brought by a living man. But of what head you speak I know not.' Then they told him that somewhere, a long way off, there dwelt three dreadful sisters, strange old women, with golden wings and claws of brass, and with serpents growing on their heads instead of hair. Now these women were so awful to look on, that whoever saw them was turned at once into stone. And two of them could not be put to death, but the youngest, whose face was very beautiful, could be killed, and it was her head that the boy had promised to bring. You will. see that it was no easy task. THE TERRIBLE HEAD THE TERRIBLE HEAD PART II WHEN he heard all this, he was perhaps sorry that he had sworn to bring. the Terrible Head, but he was determined to keep his oath. So he went out from the feast, where they all sat drinking and making merry, and he walked alone beside the sea in the dusk of the evening, at the place where the great chest, with himself and his mother in it, had been cast ashore. There he went and sat down on a rock, looking towards the sea, and wondering how he should begin to fulfil his vow. Then he felt some one touch him on the shoulder; and he turned, and saw a young man like a king's son, having with him a tall and beautiful lady, whose blue eyes shone like stars. They were taller than mortal men, and the young man had a staff in his hand with golden THE TERRIBLE HEAD wings on it, and two golden serpents twisted round it, and he had wings on his cap and on his shoes. He spoke to the boy, and asked him why he was so unhappy; and the boy told him -K4 e THE TERRIBLE HEAD how he had sworn to bring the Terrible Head, and knew not how to begin to set about the adventure. Then the beautiful lady also spoke, and said that 'it was a foolish oath and a hasty, but it might be kept if a brave man had sworn it.' Then the boy answered that he was not afraid, if only he knew the way. Then the lady said, that to kill the dreadful woman with the golden wings and the brass claws, and to cut off her head, he needed three things. First, a Cap of Darkness, which would make him invisible when he wore it. Next, a Sword of Sharpness, which would cleave iron at one blow. And last, the Shoes of Swift- ness, with which he might fly in the air. The boy answered that he knew not where such things were to be had, and that, wanting them, he could only try and fail. Then the young man, taking off his own shoes, said: 'First, you shall use these shoes till you have taken the Terrible Head, and then you must give them back to me. 'And with these shoes you will fly as fleet as a bird, or a thought, over the land or over THE TERRIBLE HEAD the waves of the sea, wherever the shoes know the way. 'But there are ways which they do not know-roads beyond the borders of the world. And these roads have you to travel.. 'Now, first you must go to the Three Grey Sisters, who live far off in the north, and are so very old that they have only one eye and one tooth among the three. 'You must creep up close to them, and as one 'of them passes the eye to the other you must seize it, and refuse to give it up till they have told you the way to the Three Fairies of the Garden, and they will give you the Cap of Darkness and the Sword of Sharp- ness, and show you how to wing beyond this world to the land of the Terrible Head.' Then the beautiful lady said: Go forth at once, and do not return to say good-bye to your mother, for these things must be done quickly, and the Shoes of Swiftness themselves will carry you to the land of the Three Grey Sisters-for they know the measure of that way.' THE TERRIBLE HEAD THE TERRIBLE HEAD PART III So the boy thanked her, and he fastened on the Shoes of Swiftness, and turned to say good- bye to the young man and the lady. But, behold! they had gone, he knew not how or where! Then he leaped in the air to try the Shoes of Swiftness, and they carried him more swiftly than the wind, over the warm blue sea, over the happy lands of the south, over the northern peoples who drank mare's milk and lived in great waggons, wandering after their flocks. Across the wide rivers, where the wild fowl rose and fled before him, and over the plains and the cold North Sea he went, over the fields of snow and the hills of ice, to a place where the world ends, and all water is frozen, and there are no men, nor beasts, nor any green grass. There in a blue cave of the ice he found the Three Grey Sisters, the oldest of living things. THE TERRIBLE HEAD Their hair was as white as the snow, and their flesh of an icy blue, and they mumbled and nodded in a kind of dream, and their frozen breath hung round them like a cloud. Now, the opening of the cave in the ice was narrow, and it was not easy to pass in without touching one of the Grey Sisters. But, floating on the Shoes of Swiftness, the boy just managed to steal in, and waited till one of the sisters said to another, who had their one eye: 'Sister, what do you see? do you see old times coming back?' 'No, sister.' 'Then give me the eye, for perhaps I can see farther than you.' Then the first sister passed the eye to the second, but as the second groped for it the boy caught it cleverly out of her hand. 'Where is the eye, sister ? said the second Grey Woman. 'You have taken it yourself, sister!' said the first Grey Woman. Have you lost the eye, sister? have you lost the eye?' said the third Grey Woman. THE TERRIBLE HEAD 'Shall we never find it again, and see old times coming back ?' Then the boy slipped from behind them out of the cold cave into the air, and he laughed aloud. When the Grey Women heard that laugh they began to weep, for now they knew that a stranger had robbed them, and that they could not help themselves, and their tears froze as they fell from the hollows where no eyes were, and rattled on the icy ground of the cave. THE TERRIBLE HEAD Then they began to beg of the boy to give them their eye back again, and he could not help being sorry for them, they were so pitiful. But he said he would never give them the eye, till they told him the way to the Fairies of the Garden. Then they wrung their hands, for they guessed why he had come, and how he was going to try to win the Terrible Head. Now the Dreadful Women were akin to the Three Grey Sisters, and it was hard for them to tell the boy the way. But at last they told him to keep always south, and with the land on his left and the sea on his right, till he reached the Island of the Fairies of the Garden. Then he gave them back the eye, and they began to look out once more for the old times coming back again. THE TERRIBLE HEAD THE TERRIBLE HEAD PART IV BUT the boy flew south between sea and land, keeping the land always on his left hand, till he saw a beautiful island crowned with flower- ing trees. There he alighted, and there he found the Three Fairies of the Garden. They were like three very beautiful young women, dressed one in green, one in white, and one in red, and they were dancing and singing round an apple tree with apples of gold, and this was their song: THE SONG OF THE WESTERN FAIRIES. Round and round the apples of gold, Round and round dance we; Thus do we dance from the days of old About the enchanted tree; Round, and round, and round we go, While the spring is green, or the stream shall flow, Or the wind shall stir the sea! THE TERRIBLE HEAD There is none may taste of the golden fruit Till the golden new times'come; Many a tree shall spring from shoot, Many a blossom be withered at root, Many a song be dumb ; Broken and still shall be many a lute Or ever the new times come! THE TERRIBLE HEAD Round and round the tree of gold, Round and round dance we, So doth the great world spin from of old, Summer and winter, and fire and cold, Song that is sung, and tale that is told, Even as we dance, that fold and unfold Round the stem of the fairy tree ! These grave dancing fairies were very un- like the Grey Women, and they were glad to see the boy, and treated him kindly. Then they asked him why he had come; and he told them how he was sent to find the Sword of Sharpness and the Cap of Darkness. And the fairies gave him these, and a wal- let, and a shield, and belted the sword, which had a diamond blade, round his waist, and the cap they set on his head, and told him that now even they could not see him though they were fairies. Then 'he took it off, and they each kissed him and wished him good fortune, and then they began again their- eternal dance round the golden tree, for it is their business to guard it till the new times come, or till the world is ending. So the boy put the cap on 'his head, and . 45 THE TERRIBLE HEAD hung the wallet round his waist, and the shin- ing shield on his shoulders, and flew beyond the great river that lies coiled like a serpent round the whole world. And by the banks of that river, there he found the three Terrible Women all asleep beneath a poplar tree, and the dead poplar leaves lay all about them. Their golden wings were folded and their brass claws were crossed, and two of them slept with their ugly heads beneath their wings like birds, and the serpents in their hair pushed out their heads from under the feathers of gold. But the youngest slept between her two sisters, and she lay on her back, with her beautiful, sad face turned to the sky; and though she slept her eyes were wide open. If the boy had seen her, he would have been changed into stone by the terror and the pity of it, she was so awful; but he had thought of a plan for killing her without looking on her face. As soon as he caught sight of the three from far off he took his shining shield from his shoulders, and held it up like a mirror, so THE TERRIBLE HEAD that he saw the Dreadful Women in it, and did not see the Terrible Head itself. Then he came nearer and nearer, till he reckoned that he was within a sword's stroke of the youngest, and he guessed where he should strike a back blow behind him. Then he drew the Sword of Sharpness and struck once, and the Terrible Head was cut from the shoulders of the creature, and the blood leaped out and struck him like a blow. But he thrust the Terrible Head into his wallet, and flew away without looking behind. Then the two Dreadful Sisters who were left wakened, and rose in the air like great birds; and though they could not see him because of his Cap of Darkness, they flew after him up the wind, following by the scent through the clouds, like hounds hunting in a wood. They came so close that he could hear the clatter of their golden wings, and their shrieks to each other: Here, here !' 'No, there; this way he went!' as they chased him. But the Shoes of Swiftness flew too fast for them, and at last their cries and the rattle of their wings died away, as he crossed the great river that runs round the world. THE TERRIBLE HEAD THE TERRIBLE HEAD PART V Now, when the horrible creatures were far in the distance, and the- boy found himself on the right side of the river, he flew straight eastward, trying to seek his own country. But as he looked down from the air he saw a very strange sight-a beautiful girl chained to a stake at the high-water mark of the sea. The girl was so frightened or so tired, that she was only prevented from falling by the iron chain about her waist, and there she hung, as if she were dead. The boy was very sorry for her, and flew down and stood beside her. When he spoke she raised her head and looked round, but his voice only seemed to frighten her. Then he remembered that he was wearing the Cap of Darkness, and that she could only hear him, not see him. THE TERRIBLE HEAD So he took it off, and there he stood be- fore her, the handsomest "young man- she had ever seen in all her life, with short, curly yellow hair, and blue eyes, and a laughing face. And he thought her the most beau- tiful girl in the world. So first, with one blow of the Sword of Sharpness, he cut the iron chain that bound her, and then he asked her what she did here, and why men treated her so cruelly. And she told him that she was the daughter of the King of that country, and that she was tied there to be eaten by a monstrous beast out of the sea; for the beast came and de- voured a girl every day. Now the lot had fallen on her; and as she was just saying this a long, fierce head of a cruel sea creature rose out of the waves and snapped at the girl. But the beast had been too greedy and too hurried, so he missed his aim the first time. Before he could rise and bite again, the boy had whipped the Terrible Head out of his wallet and held it up. And when the sea-beast leaped out once THE TERRIBLE HEAD more its eyes fell on the head, and instantly it was turned into a stone. And the stone beast is there on the sea-coast to this day. Then the boy and the girl went to the palace of the King, her father, where everyone was weeping for her death, and they could hardly believe their eyes when they saw her come back well. And the King and Queen made much of the boy, and could not contain themselves for delight, when they found he wanted to marry their daughter. So the two were married with the most splendid rejoicings, and when they had passed some time at court, they went home in a. ship to the boy's own country. 'For he could not carry his bride through the air, so he took the Shoes of Swiftness, and the Cap of Darkness, and the Sword of Sharpness up to a lonely place in the hills. There he left them, and there they were found by the man and woman who had met him at home beside the sea, and had helped him to start on his journey. When this had been done the boy and his THE TERRIBLE HEAD bride set forth for home, and landed at the harbour of his native land. But whom should he meet in the very street of the town but his own mother, flying for her life from the wicked King, who now wished to kill her because he found that she would never marry him! For if she had liked the King ill before, she liked him far worse now that he had caused her son to disappear so suddenly. She did not know, of course, where the boy had gone, but thought the King had slain him secretly. So now she was running for her very life, and the wicked King was following her with a sword in his hand. Then, behold! she ran into her son's very arms, but he had only time to kiss her and step in front of her, when the King struck at him with his sword. The boy caught the blow on his shield, and cried to the King: I swore to bring you the Terrible Head, and see how I keep my oath !' 'Then he drew forth the head from his wallet, and when the King's eyes fell on it, 52 THE TERRIBLE HEAD instantly he was turned into stone, just as he stood there with his sword lifted! Now all the people were glad, because the wicked King should rule them no longer. And they asked the boy to be their king, but he said no, he must take his mother home to her father's house. So the people chose for king the man who had been kind to his mother, when first she was cast on the island in the great chest. Presently the boy and his mother and his wife set sail for his mother's own country, from which she had been driven so unkindly. But on the way they stayed at the court of a king, and it happened that he was holding games, and giving prizes to the best runners, boxers, and quoit-throwers. Then the boy would try his strength with the rest, but he threw the quoit so far that it went beyond what had ever been thrown before, and fell in the crowd, striking a man so that he died. Now, this man was no other than the father of the boy's mother, who had fled away from his own kingdom for fear his grandson should find and kill him after all. THE TERRIBLE HEAD 53 Thus he was destroyed by his own cow- ardice and by chance, and thus the prophecy was fulfilled. But the boy and his wife and his mother went back to the kingdom that was theirs, and lived long and happily after all their troubles. 54 FELICIA AND THE POT OF PINKS FELICIA AND THE POT OF PINKS PART I ONCE upon a time there was a poor labourer who, feeling that he had not much longer to live, wished to divide his possessions between his son and daughter, whom he loved dearly. So he called them to him, and said: Your mother brought me as her dowry two stools and a straw bed. I have, besides, a hen, a pot of pinks, and a silver ring, which were given me by a noble lady who once lodged in my poor cottage. When she went away she said to me: '" Be careful of my gifts, good man; see that you do not lose the ring or forget to water the pinks. As for your daughter, I promise you that she shall be more beautiful than anyone you ever saw in your life. '" Call her Felicia, and when she grows FELICIA AND THE POT OF PINKS 55 up give her the ring and the pot of pinks to console her for her poverty." 'Take them both, then, my dear child,' he added, and your brother shall have every- thing else.' The two children seemed quite contented, and when their father died they wept for him, and divided his possessions- as he had told them. Felicia believed that her brother loved her, but when she sat down upon one of the stools he said angrily: Keep your pot of pinks and your ring, but let my things alone. I like order in my house.' Felicia, who was very gentle, said nothing, but stood up crying quietly; while Bruno, for that was her brother's name, sat comfortably by the fire. Presently, when supper-time came, Bruno had a new-laid egg, and he threw the shell to Felicia, saying: 'There, that is all I can give you; if you don't like it, go out and catch frogs; there are plenty of them in the marsh close by.' Felicia did not answer, but she cried more 56 FELICIA AND THE POT OF PINKS bitterly than ever, and went away to her own little room. She found it filled with the sweet scent of the pinks, and, going up to them, she said sadly: Beautiful pinks, you are so sweet and so pretty, you are the only comfort I have Be very sure that I will take care of and water you well, and never allow cruel hand to tear you from your stems.' left. you, any FELICIA AND THE POT OF PINKS 57 As she leant over them she noticed that they were very dry. So, taking her pitcher, she ran off in the clear moonlight to the fountain, which was at some distance. FELICIA AND THE POT OF PINKS PART II WHEN she reached it she sat down upon the brink to rest, but she had hardly done so when she saw a stately lady coming towards her, surrounded by numbers of attendants. Six maids of honour. carried her train, and she leaned upon the arm of another. When they came near the fountain a canopy was spread for her, under which was placed a sofa of cloth-of-gold, and soon after a dainty supper was served, upon a table covered with dishes of gold, while the wind in the trees and the falling water of the fountain mur- mured the softest music. Felicia was hidden in the shade, too much astonished by all she saw to dare to move; but in a few moments the Queen said: 58 FELICIA AND TIE POT OF PINKS 'I fancy I see a shepherdess near that tree; bid her come hither.' So Felicia came forward and spoke to the Queen timidly, but with so much grace that all were surprised. What are you doing here, my pretty child ? asked the Queen. 'Are you not afraid of robbers ?' 'Ah! madam,' said Felicia, 'a poor shep- herdess who has nothing to lose does not fear robbers.' 'You are not very rich, then ?' said the Queen, smiling. I am so poor,' said Felicia, 'that a pot of pinks and a silver ring are all that I own in the world.' 'But you have a heart,' said the Queen. ' What should you say if anybody wanted to steal that ?' 'I do not know what it is like to lose one's heart, madam,' she said; 'but I have always heard that without a heart one can- not live, and if it is broken one must die; and in spite of my poverty I should be sorry not to live.' 'You are quite right to take care of your FELICIA AND THE POT OF PINKS 59 heart, pretty one,' said the Queen. 'But tell me, have you supped ? ' 'No, madam,' said Felicia; 'my brother ate all the supper there was.' Then the Queen ordered that a place should be made for her at the table, and herself loaded Felicia's plate with good things; but she was too much astonished to be hungry. 'I want to know what you were doing at the fountain so late?' said the Queen pre- sently. I came to fetch a pitcher of water for my pinks, madam,' she answered, stooping to pick up the pitcher which stood beside her. But when she showed it to the Queen she was amazed to see that it had turned to gold, all sparkling with great diamonds, and the water, of which it was full, was more fragrant than the sweetest roses. She was afraid to take it until the Queen said: 'It is yours, Felicia; go and water your pinks with it, and let it remind you that the Queen of the Woods is your friend.' The shepherdess threw herself at the Queen's feet, and thanked her humbly for her kind words. 60 FELICIA AND THE POT OF PINKS Ah! madam,' she cried, 'if I might beg you to stay here a moment I would run and fetch my pot of pinks for you-they could not fall into better hands.' 'Go, Felicia,' said the Queen, stroking her cheek softly; 'I will wait here until you come back.' So Felicia took up her pitcher and ran to her little room. But while she had been away Bruno had gone in and taken the pot of pinks, leaving a great cabbage in its place. When she saw the unlucky cabbage Felicia was much distressed, and did not know what to do. But at last she ran back to the fountain, and, kneeling before the Queen, said: 'Madam, Bruno has stolen my pot of pinks, so I have nothing but my silver ring; but I beg you to take it as a proof of my gratitude.' 'But if I take your ring, my pretty shep- herdess,' said the Queen, 'you will have no- thing left; and what will you do then ?' 'Ah! madam,' she answered simply, 'if I have your friendship I shall do very well.' FELICIA AND THE POT OF PINKS 61 FELICIA AND THE POT OF PINKS PART III So the Queen took the ring and put it on her finger, and mounted her chariot, which was made of coral studded with emeralds, and drawn by six milk-white horses. And Felicia looked after her until the winding of the forest path hid her from her sight, and then she went back to the cottage, thinking over all the wonderful things that had happened. The first thing she did when she reached her room, was to throw the cabbage out of the window. But she was very much surprised to hear an odd little voice cry out: 'Oh! I am half killed!' and could not tell where it came from, because cabbages do not generally speak. As soon as it was light, Felicia, who was very unhappy about her pot of pinks, went out to look for it, and the first thing she found was the unfortunate cabbage. She gave it a push with her foot, saying: 62 FELICIA AND THE POT OF PINKS 'What are you doing here, and how dared you put yourself in the place of my pot of pinks ?' If I hadn't been carried,' replied the cab- bage, 'you may be very sure that I shouldn't have thought of going the.re.' It made her shiver with fright to hear the cabbage talk, but he went on: If you will be good enough to plant me by my comrades again, I can tell you where your pinks are at this moment-hidden in Bruno's bed!' Felicia was in despair when she heard this, not knowing how she was to get them back. But she replanted the cabbage very kindly in his old place, and, as she finished doing it, she saw Bruno's hen, and said, catching hold of it: 'Come here, horrid little creature you shall suffer for all the unkind things my brother has done to me.' 'Ah! shepherdess,' said the hen, 'don't kill me; I am rather a gossip, and I can tell you some surprising things that you will like to hear. Don't think for a moment that you are the daughter of the poor labourer who FELICIA AND THE POT OF PINKS 63 brought you up. Your mother was a queen who had. six girls already, and the King swore that unless she had a son who could inherit his kingdom, she should have her head cut off. 'So when the Queen had another little daughter she was quite frightened, and agreed with her sister (who was a fairy) to exchange her for the fairy's little son. 'Now, the Queen had been shut up in a 64 FELICIA AND THE POT OF PINKS great tower by the King's orders, and when a great many days went by and still she heard nothing from the fairy, she made her escape from the window by means of a rope ladder, taking her little baby with her. 'After wandering about until she was half dead with cold and fatigue, she reached this cottage. I was the labourer's wife, and was a good nurse, and the Queen gave you into my charge, and told me all her misfortunes, and then died before she had time to say what was to become of you. 'As I never in all my life could keep a secret, I could not help telling this strange tale to my neighbours, and one day a beauti- ful lady came here, and I told it to her also. When I had finished, she touched me with a wand she held in her hand,- and instantly I became a hen, and there was an end of my talking ! I was very sad, and my husband, who was out when it happened, never knew what had become of me. After seeking me everywhere, he believed that I must have been drowned, or eaten up by wild beasts in the forest. That same lady came here once more, and FELICIA AND THE POT OF PINKS 65 commanded that you should be called Felicia, and left the ring and the pot of pinks to be given to you. While she was in the house twenty-five of the King's guards came to search for you, doubtless meaning to kill you; but she muttered a few words, and at once they all turned into cabbages. 'It was one of them whom you threw out of your window yesterday. 'I don't know how it was that he could speak-I have never heard either of them say a word before, nor have I been able to do it myself until now.' FELICIA AND TIE POT OF PINKS PART IV THE Princess was greatly astonished at the hen's story, and said kindly: 'I am truly sorry for you, my poor nurse, and wish it was in my* power to restore you to your real form. But we must not despair; it seems to me, after what you have told me, that something must be going to happen soon. 66 FELICIA AND THE POT OF PINKS Just now, however, I must go and look for my pinks, which I love better than anything in the world.' Bruno had gone out into the forest, never thinking that Felicia would search in his room for the pinks, and she was delighted by his unexpected absence, and thought to get them back without further trouble. But as soon as she entered the room she saw a terrible army of rats, who were guarding the straw bed; and when she moved to go near it they sprang at her, biting and scratch- ing furiously. Quite terrified, she drew back, crying out : 'Oh! my dear pinks, how can you stay here in such bad company ?' Then she suddenly bethought herself of the pitcher of water, and, hoping that it might have some magic power, she ran to fetch it, and sprinkled a few drops over the fierce- looking swarm of rats. In a moment not a tail or a whisker was to be seen. Each one had made for his hole as fast as his legs could carry him, so that the Princess could safely take her pot of pinks. She found them nearly dying for want of FELICIA AND THE POT OF PINKS 67 water, and hastily poured all that was left in the pitcher upon them. As she bent over them, enjoying their sweet scent, a soft voice, that seemed to rustle among the leaves, said: 'Lovely Felicia, the day has come at last when I may have the happiness of telling you, how even the flowers love you and rejoice in your beauty.' The Princess, quite overcome by the strange- ness of hearing a cabbage, a hen, and a pink speak, and by the terrible sight of an army of rats, suddenly became very pale, _and fainted away. At this moment in came Bruno. Working hard in the heat had not improved his temper, and when he saw that Felicia had found her pinks, he was so angry that he dragged her out into the garden, and shut the door upon her. The fresh air soon made her open her pretty eyes, and there before her stood the Queen of the Woods, looking as charming as ever. 'You have a bad brother,' she said; 'I saw how cruelly he turned you out. Shall I punish him for it ?' 'Ah! no, madam,' she said; 'I am not angry with him.' 68 FELICIA AND THE POT OF PINKS 'But supposing he was not your brother, after all, what would you say then ?' asked the Queen. 'Oh! but I think he must be,' said Felicia. What!' said the Queen, 'have you not heard that you are a princess ?' 'I was told so a little while ago, madam, but how could I believe it without a single proof ?' Ah! dear child,' said the Queen, 'the way you speak assures me that, in spite of your humble upbringing, you are indeed a real princess, and I can save you from being treated in such a way again.' FELICIA AND THE POT OF PINKS PART V SHE was interrupted at this moment by the arrival of a very handsome young man.. He wore a coat of green velvet fastened with emerald clasps, and had a crown of pinks on his head. He knelt upon one knee and kissed the Queen's hand. FELICIA AND THE POT OF PINKS 69 'Ah! she cried, my pink, my dear son, what a happiness to see you restored to your natural shape by Felicia's aid!' And she embraced him joyfully. Then, turning to Felicia, she said: 'Charming Princess, I know all the hen told you, but you cannot have heard that the zephyrs, to whom was entrusted the task of carrying my son to the tower where the Queen, your mother, so anxiously waited for him, left him instead in a garden of flowers, while they flew off to tell your mother. 'Whereupon a fairy with whom I had quarrelled changed him into a pink, and I could do nothing to prevent it. You may imagine how angry I was, and how I tried to find some means of undoing the mischief she had done; but there was no help for it. 'I could only bring Prince Pink to the place where you were being brought up, hoping that, when you grew up he might love you, and by your care be restored to his natural form. And you see everything has come right, as I hoped it would. 'Your giving me the silver ring was the 70 FELICIA AND THE POT OF PINKS sign, that the power of the charm was nearly over, and my enemy's last chance was to frighten you with her army of rats. That she did not succeed in doing; so now, my dear Fclicia, if you will be married to my son with this silver ring your future happiness is certain. Do you think him handsome and good enough to be willing to marry him ? ' 'Madam,' replied Felicia, blushing, 'you overwhelm me with your kindness. I know that you are my mother's sister, and that by your art you turned the soldiers who were sent to kill me into cabbages, and my nurse into a hen, and that you do me only too much honour in proposing that I shall marry your son. 'How can I explain to you the cause of my hesitation ? I feel, for the first time in my life, how happy it would make me to be beloved. Can you indeed give me the Prince's heart ?' It is yours already, lovely Princess!' he cried, taking her hand in his; 'but for the horrible enchantment which kept me silent, I .should have told you long ago how dearly I love you.' FELICIA AND THE POT OF PINKS 71 This made the Princess very happy, and the Queen, who could not bear to see her dressed like a poor shepherdess, touched her with her wand, saying: 'I wish you to be dressed as befits your rank and beauty.' And in an instant the Princess's cotton 72 FELICIA AND THE POT OF PINKS dress became a robe of the richest silk, trimmed with precious stones, and upon her soft dark hair was a crown of diamonds, from which floated a clear white veil. With her bright eyes, and the charming colour in her cheeks, she was altogether such a dazzling sight that the Prince could hardly bear it. 'How pretty you are, Felicia! he cried. 'Don't keep me in suspense, I entreat you; say that you will marry me.' Ah!' said the Queen, smiling, I think she will not refuse now.' Just then Bruno, who was going back to his work, came out of the cottage, and thought he must be dreaming when he saw Pelicia; but she called him very kindly, and begged the Queen to take pity on him. 'What!' she said, 'when he was so un- kind to you?' Ah! madam,' said the Princess, 'I am so happy that I should like everybody else to be happy too.' The Queen kissed her, and said: 'Well, to please you, let me see what I can do for .this cross Bruno.' FELICIA AND THE POT OF PINKS 73 And with a wave of her wand she turned the poor little cottage into a palace, full of treasures; only the two stools and the straw bed remained just as they were, to remind him of his former poverty. Then the Queen touched Bruno himself, and made him gentle and polite and grateful, and he thanked her and the Princess a thou- sand times. Lastly, the Queen restored the hen and the cabbages to their natural forms, and left them all very contented. The Prince and Princess were married as soon as possible with great splendour, and lived happily ever after. 74 THE WATER-LIL Y THE GOLD-SPINNERS THE WATER-LILY. THE GOLD-SPINNERS PART I ONCE upon a time, in a large forest, there lived an old woman and three maidens. They were all three beautiful, but the youngest was the fairest. Their hut was quite hidden by trees, and none saw their beauty but the sun by day, the moon by night, and the eyes of the stars. The old woman kept the girls hard at work, from morning till night, spinning gold flax into yarn, and when one distaff was empty another was given them, so they had no rest. The thread had to be fine and even, and when done was locked up in a secret chamber by the old woman, who twice or thrice every summer went a journey. Before she went she gave out work for each day of her absence, and always returned THE WA TER-LILY. THE GOLD-SPINNERS 75 in the night, so that the girls never saw what she brought back with her, neither would she tell them whence the gold flax came, nor what it was to be used for. Now, when the time came round for the old woman to set out on one of these journeys, she gave each maiden work for six days, with the usual warning: 'Children, don't let your eyes wander, and on no account speak to a man, for, if you do, your thread will lose its brightness, and mis- fortunes of all kinds will follow.' They laughed at this oft-repeated caution, saying to each other: How can our gold thread lose its bright- ness, and have we any chance of speaking to a man ?' On the third day after the old woman had gone a young prince, hunting in the forest, got away from his companions, and was com- pletely lost. Weary of seeking his way, he flung himself down under a tree, leaving his horse to browse at will, and fell asleep. The sun had set when he awoke and began once more to try and find his way out of the forest. At last he saw a narrow foot- 76 THE WATER-LILY. THE GOLD-SPINNERS path, which he followed, and found that it led him to a small hut. The maidens, who were sitting at the door of their hut for coolness, saw him coming, and the two elder were much alarmed, for they remembered the old woman's warning; but the youngest said: 'Never before have I seen anyone like him; let me have one look.' They begged her to come in, but, seeing that she would not, left her, and the Prince, coming up, spoke kindly to the maiden, and told her he had lost his way in the forest and was both hungry and weary. She set food before him, and was so de- THE WATER-LILY. THE GOLD-SPINNERS 77 lighted with his talk, that she forgot the old woman's caution, and lingered for hours. THE WATER-LILY. THE GOLD-SPINNERS PART II IN the meantime the Prince's companions sought him far and wide, but to no purpose, so they sent two messengers to tell the sad news to the King, who at once ordered a large number of men to go and look for him. After three days' search, they found the hut. The Prince was still sitting by the door, and had been so happy in the maiden's com- pany, that the time had seemed like a single hour. Before leaving he promised to return and fetch her to his father's court, where he would make her his bride. When he had gone, she sat down to her wheel to make up for lost time, but was dis- mayed to find that her thread had lost all its brightness. Her heart beat fast and she wept 78 THE WATER-LZ Y THE GOLD-SPINNERS bitterly, for she remembered the old woman's warning, and knew not what misfortune might now befall her. The old woman returned in the night, and knew by the tarnished thread what had hap- pened in her absence. She was very angry, and told the maiden that she had brought down misery both on herself and on the Prince. The maiden could not rest for thinking of this. At last she could bear it no longer, and resolved to seek help from the Prince. As a child she had learnt to understand the speech of birds, and this was now of great use to her, for, seeing a raven pluming itself on a pine bough, she cried softly to it: Dear bird, cleverest of all birds, as well as swiftest of wing, wilt thou help me ?' How can I help thee ?' asked the raven. She answered : 'Fly away, until thou comest to a splendid town, where stands a king's palace; seek out the king's son, and tell him that a great mis- fortune has befallen me.' Then she told the raven how her thread had lost its brightness, how very angry the THE WATER-LIL Y THE GOLD-SPINNERS 79 old woman was, and how she feared some great trouble. The raven promised faithfully to do her bidding, and, spreading its wings, flew away. The maiden now went home, and worked hard all day at winding up the yarn her elder sisters had spun, for the old woman would let her spin no longer. Towards evening she heard the raven's 'craa, craa' from the pine tree, and eagerly hastened thither to hear the answer. By great good fortune the raven had found a wind wizard's son in the palace garden, who understood the speech of birds, and to him he had given the message. When the Prince heard it, he was very sorrowful, and took counsel with his friends how to free the maiden. Then he said to the wind wizard's son: 'Beg the raven to fly quickly back to the maiden, and tell her to be ready on the ninth night, for then will I come and fetch her away.' The wind wizard's son did this, and the raven flew so swiftly, that it reached the hut that same evening. The maiden thanked the bird heartily and went home, telling no one what she had heard. 80 THE WATER-LILY. THE GOLD-SPINNERS THE WATER-LILY. THE GOLD-SPINNERS PART III As the ninth night drew near she became very .unhappy, for she feared lest some ter- rible mischance should arise and ruin all. When the night came she crept quietly out of the house, and waited trembling at some little distance from the hut. Presently she heard the tramp of horses, and soon the armed troop appeared, led by the Prince, who had marked all the trees be- forehand, in order to know the way. When he saw the maiden he sprang from his horse, lifted her into the saddle, and then, mounting behind, rode homewards. The moon shone so brightly, that they had no difficulty in seeing the marked trees. By-and-by the coming dawn loosened the tongues of all the birds, and, had the Prince only known what they were saying, or the maiden been listening, they might have been spared much sorrow. But they were thinking only of each other, and when they came out of the forest the sun was high in the heavens. THE WTATER-LILY THE GOLD-SPINNERS 81 Next morning, when the youngest girl did not come to her work, the old woman asked where she was. The sisters pretended not to know, but the old woman easily guessed what had happened, and, as she was in reality a wicked witch, she determined to punish the poor girl. So she collected nine different kinds of en- chanters' nightshade, added some salt, which she first bewitched, and, doing all up in a cloth into the shape of a fluffy ball, sent it after them on the wings of the wind, saying: 'Whirlwind !-mother of the wind ! Lend thy aid againstt her who sinned! Carry with thee this magic ball. Cast her from his arms for ever, Bury her in the rippling river.' At midday the Prince and his men came to a deep river, spanned by so narrow a bridge, that only one rider could cross at a time. The horse on which the Prince and the maiden were riding had just reached the middle, when the magic ball flew by. The horse in its fright suddenly reared, and before anyone could stop it, flung the maiden into the swift current below. 82 THE WATER-LIL Y THE GOLD-SPINNERS The Prince tried to jump in after her, but his men held him back, and in spite of his struggles led him home, where for six weeks he shut himself up in a secret chamber, and would neither eat nor drink, so great was his grief. At last he became so ill his life was given up, and in great alarm the King caused all the wizards of his country to be called to- gether. But none could cure him. At last the wind wizard's son said to the King: Send for the old wizard from Finland, he knows more than all the wizards of your kingdom put together.' A messenger was at once sent to Finland, and a week later, the old wizard himself arrived on the wings of the wind. Honoured King,' said the wizard, 'the wind has blown this illness upon your son, and a magic ball has snatched away his be- loved. This it is which makes him grieve so constantly. Let the wind blow upon him that it may blow away his sorrow.' Then the King made his son go out into the wind, and he gradually got better and told his father all. THE WATER-LIL Y THE GOLD-SPINNERS 83 'Forget the maiden,' said the King, and take another bride;' but the Prince said he could never love another. THE WATER-LILY. THE GOLD-SPINNERS PART IV A YEAR afterwards, he came suddenly upon the bridge where his beloved had met her death. As he recalled the misfortune he wept bitterly, and would have given all he pos- sessed to have her once more alive. In the midst of his grief he thought he heard a voice singing, and looked round, but could see no one. Then he heard the voice again, and it said: Alas! bewitched and all forsaken, 'Tis I must lie for ever here ! My beloved no thought has taken To free his bride, that was so dear.' He was greatly astonished, sprang from his horse, and looked everywhere to see if any one were hidden under the bridge; but no one was there. 84 THE WATER-LILY. THE GOLD-SPINNERS Then he noticed a yellow water-lily floating on the surface of the water, half hidden by its broad leaves; but flowers do not sing, and in great surprise he waited, hoping to hear more. Then again the voice sang: 'Alas bewitched and all forsaken, 'Tis I must lie for ever here ! My beloved no thought has taken To free his bride, that was so dear.' The Prince suddenly remembered the gold- spinners, and said to himself: If I ride thither, who knows but that they could explain this to me ? ' He at once rode to the hut, and found the two maidens at the fountain. He told them what had befallen their sister the year before, and how he had twice heard a strange song, but yet could see no singer. They said that the yellow water-lily could be none other than their sister, who was not dead, but changed into a flower by the magic ball. Before he went to bed, the eldest made a cake of magic herbs, which she gave him to THE WATER-LILY THE GOLD-SPINNERS 85 N// k '/ ,- S v , 4T 0A I IF' 86 THE WATER-LILY THE GOLD-SPINNERS eat. In the night he dreamt that he was living in the forest, and could understand all that the birds said to each other. Next morning he told this to the maidens, and they said that the charmed cake had caused it, and advised him to listen well to the birds, and see what they could tell him, and when he had recovered his bride, they begged him to return and deliver them from their wretched bondage. Having promised this, he joyfully returned home, and as he was riding through the forest, he could perfectly understand all that the birds said. He heard a thrush say to a magpie: How stupid men are they cannot under- stand the simplest thing. It is now quite a year since the maiden was changed into a water-lily, and, though she sings so sadly that anyone going over the bridge must hear her, yet no one comes to her aid. Her former bridegroom rode over it a few days ago and heard her singing, but was no wiser than the rest.' 'And he is to blame for all her misfor- tunes,' added the magpie. 'If he heeds only the words of men she will remain a flower for THE WATER-IIY. THE GOLD-SPINNERS 87 ever. She were soon delivered were the matter only laid before the old wizard of Finland.' After hearing this, the Prince wondered how he could get a message carried to Finland. He heard one swallow cry to another: 'Come, let us fly to Finland: we can build better nests there.' 'Stop, kind friends cried the Prince. ' Will ye do something for me?' The birds consented, and he said: 'Take a thousand greetings from me to the wizard of Finland, and ask him how I may restore a maiden who is changed into a flower to her own form.' THE WATER-LILY, THE GOLI-SPINNERS PART V THE swallows flew away, and the Prince rode on to the bridge. There he waited, hoping to hear the song. But he heard nothing but the rushing of the water and the moaning of the wind, and, disappointed, rode home. Shortly after, he was sitting in the garden, 88 THE WATER-LILY THE GOLD-SPINNERS thinking that the swallows must have forgot- ten his message, when he saw an eagle flying above him. The bird gradually flew nearer, until it perched on a tree close to the Prince, and said: The wizard of Finland greets thee and bids me say, that thou may'st free the maiden thus : Go to the river and smear thyself all over with mud; then say: '" From a man into a crab," and thou wilt become a crab. Plunge boldly into the water, swim as close as thou canst to the water-lily's roots, and loosen them from the mud and reeds. This done, fasten thy claws into the roots and rise with them to the surface. 'Let the water flow all over the flower, and drift with the current until thou comest to a mountain ash tree on the left bank. There is near it a large stone. Stop there and say : From a crab into a man, from a water- lily into a maiden," and ye will both be now restored to your forms.' Full of doubt and fear, the Prince let some time pass before he was bold enough to attempt to rescue the maiden. Then a crow said to him : THE WATER-LILY THE GOLD-SPINNERS 89 'Why dost thou hesitate ? The old wizard has not told thee wrong, neither have the birds deceived thee; hasten and dry the maiden's tears.' 'Nothing worse than death can befall thought the Prince, 'and death is better me,' than endless sorrow.' So he mounted his horse and went to the bridge. Again he heard the water-lily's lament, and, stopping no longer, smeared himself all over with mud, and saying : From a man into a crab,' plunged into the river. For one moment the water hissed in his 90 THE WATER-LILY. THE GOLD-SPINNERS ears, and then all was silent. He swam up to the plant and began to loosen its roots, but so firmly were they fixed in the mud and reeds that this took him a long time. He then grasped them and rose to the sur- face, letting the water flow over the flower. The current carried them down the stream, but nowhere could he see the mountain ash. At last he saw it, and close by the large stone. Here he stopped and said: From a crab into a man, from a water- lily into a maiden,' and to his delight found himself once more a prince, and the maiden was by his side. She was ten times more beautiful than before, and wore a pale yellow robe, sparkling with jewels. She thanked him for having freed her from the cruel witch's power, and willingly consented to marry him. But when they came to the bridge where he had left his horse, it was nowhere to be seen, for, though the Prince thought he had been a crab only a few hours, he had in reality been under the water for more than ten days. THE WATER-LILY THE GOLD-SPINNERS 91 While they were wondering how they should reach his father's court, they saw a splendid coach driven by six horses coming along the bank. In this they drove to the palace. The King and Queen were at church, weep- ing for their son, whom they had long mourned for dead. Great was their delight and astonishment when the Prince entered, leading the beautiful maiden by the hand. The wedding was at once celebrated, and there was feasting and merry-making through- out the kingdom for six weeks. Some time afterwards the Prince and his bride were sitting in the garden, when a crow said to them: Ungrateful creatures Have ye forgotten the two poor maidens who helped ye in your distress ? Must they spin gold flax for ever ? Have no pity on the old witch. The three maidens are princesses, whom she stole away when they were children, together with all the silver things which she turned into gold flax. Poison were her fittest punishment.' The Prince was ashamed of having forgot- ten his promise, and set out at once, and by 92 THE WATER-LILY THE GOLD-SPINNERS great good fortune reached the hut when the old woman was away. The maidens had dreamt that he was coming, and were ready to go with him, but first they made a cake in which they put poison, and left it on a table where the old woman was likely to see it, when she returned. She did see it, and thought it looked so tempting that she greedily ate it up and at once died. In the secret chamber were found fifty waggon-loads of gold flax, and as much more was discovered buried. The hut was razed to the ground, and the Prince and his bride and her two sisters lived happily ever after. BLUE BEARD BLUE BEARD PART I THERE was a man who had fine houses, both in town and country, a deal of silver and gold plate, fine furniture, and coaches gilded all over with gold. But this man was so unlucky as to have a blue beard, which made him so frightfully ugly, that all the women and girls ran away from him. One of his neighbours, a lady of quality, had two daughters who were perfect beauties. He desired of her one of them in marriage, leaving to her choice which of the two she would bestow on him. They would neither of them have him, and sent him backwards and forwards from one to another, not being able to bear the thoughts of marrying a man who had a blue beard. Another reason for their being shy of him, BLUE BEARD was his having already been married to several wives, and nobody ever knew what became of them. Blue Beard, to engage their affection, took them, with the lady their mother and three or four ladies of their acquaintance, with other young people of the neighbourhood, to one of his country seats, where they stayed a whole week. There was nothing then to be seen but parties of pleasure, hunting, fishing, dancing, mirth, and feasting. Nobody went to bed, but all passed the night in laughing and joking with each other. In short, everything succeeded so well, that the youngest daughter began to think the master of the house not to have a beard so very blue, and that he was a mighty civil gentleman. And so she agreed to marry him. As soon as they returned home, the mar- riage was concluded. About a month afterwards, Blue Beard told his wife that he was obliged to take a country journey for six weeks at least, about affairs of very great consequence. He said he wished her to amuse herself in his absence, to send BLUE BEARD for her friends and acquaintances, to carry them into the country, if she pleased, and to make good cheer wherever she was. Here,' said he, 'are the keys of the two great wardrobes, wherein I have my best furni- ture. These are of my silver and gold plate, which is not every day in use. These open my strong boxes, which hold my money, both gold and silver. These my caskets of jewels. And this is the master-key to all my apart- ments. But for this little one here, it is the key of the closet at the end of the great gallery on the ground floor. 'Open them all. Go into all and every one of them, except that little closet, which I forbid you, and forbid it in such a manner that, if you happen to open it, there's nothing but what you may expect from my just anger and resentment.' She promised to observe, very exactly, whatever he had ordered; and he, after having embraced her, got into his coach and pro- ceeded on his journey. BLUE BEARD BLUE BEARD PART II HER neighbours and good friends did not stay to be sent for by the new-married lady, so great was their impatience to see all the rich furniture of her house. They dare not come while her husband was there, because of his blue beard, which frightened them. They ran through all the rooms, closets, and wardrobes, which were all so fine and rich that they seemed to surpass one another. After that they went up into the two great rooms, where were the best and richest furniture. They could not sufficiently admire the number and beauty of the curtains, beds, couches, stands, tables, and looking-glasses, in which you might see yourself from head to foot. Some of them were framed with glass, others with silver, plain and gilded, the finest that ever were seen. They ceased not to envy the happiness of their friend, who in the meantime in no way BLUE BEA.D amused herself in looking upon all these rich things, because of the impatience she had to go and open the closet on the ground floor. She was so much pressed by her curiosity that, without considering that it was very un- civil to leave her company, she went down a little back staircase, and with such great haste, that she had twice or thrice like to have broken her neck. Being come to the closet-door, she made a stop for some time, thinking upon her hus- band's orders, and considering what unhappi- ness might attend her if she was disobedient. But the temptation was so strong she could not overcome it. She then took the little key, and opened the door, trembling, but could not at first see anything plainly, because the windows were shut. After some moments she saw that the floor was all covered over with clotted blood, on which lay the bodies of -several dead women, ranged against the walls. These were all the wives whom Blue Beard had married and murdered, one after another. BLUE BEARD She thought she should have died for fear, and the key, which she pulled out of the lock, fell, out of her hand. After having somewhat recovered her sur- BLUE BEARD prise, she took up the key, locked the door, and went upstairs into her chamber to recover herself. But she could not, so much was she frightened. Having observed that the key of the closet was stained with blood, she tried two or three times to wipe it off, but the blood would not come out. In vain did she wash it, and even rub it with soap and sand; the blood still remained, for the key was magical, and she could never make it quite clean. When the blood was gone off from one side, it came again on the other. BLUE BEARD PART III BLUE BEARD returned from his journey the same evening, and said he had received letters upon the road, informing him that the affair he went about was ended to his advantage. His wife did all she could to convince him that she was very glad of his speedy return. Next morning he asked her for the keys, BLUE BEARD which she gave him, but with such a trem- bling hand that he easily guessed what had happened. 'What!' said he, 'is not the key of my closet among the rest ?' 'I must certainly,' she said, 'have left it above upon the table.' 'Fail not,' said Blue Beard, 'to bring it me presently.' After several goings backwards and for- wards she was forced to bring him the key. Blue Beard, having looked at it very closely, said to his wife: 'How comes this blood upon the key?' 'I do not know,' cried the poor woman, paler than death. 'You do not know!' replied Blue Beard. 'I very well know. You were resolved to go into the closet, were you not? Mighty well, madam; you shall go in, and take your place among the ladies you saw there.' Upon this she threw herself at her hus- band's feet, and begged his pardon with all the signs of a true repentance, vowing that she would never disobey him again. She would have melted a rock, so beautiful 100 |