Chapter IV: Part 4

Now on his way home from the station to his house he had to pass by part of the wall that surrounded the Great Park where the Great Beast lived in his Great Castle; and as he passed by a corner of the wall what should he see hanging just over the top, and just within his reach if he stood on his toes, but a lovely red rose.

"At any rate I can take my Beauty what she asked for," he said to himself, and, without so much as giving a thought to the wrong he was doing, he stood on his toes and plucked the rose.

He was sorry he did it.

Of a sudden there was a roar, such a roar that the very ground shook, and as to the poor merchant he quivered like a leaf.

Enough to make him quiver indeed, for a gate in the wall suddenly opened, and out rushed the _Beast_.

Yes, the Beast, if you please, and he seized the merchant by the scruff of his neck, and dragged him into the Park, and shut the gate after him.

"Don't you know it's a sin to steal?" roared the Beast. "How dare you steal my roses? I am going to kill you."

"Oh, mercy, Mr. Beast," cried the unhappy man, flinging himself on his knees before the monster.

"I'm going to kill you," roared the Beast still more loudly. "It's taken years to cultivate this sort of rose, and--and I'm going to kill you. Unless," he added after a pause, "you send me one of your daughters here instead."

"All right," said the merchant and got on his feet again.

"She must be here to-morrow by breakfast time, and I breakfast early," said the Beast, as he let the merchant out of the gate. "If she is not here, I shall come for you, and don't you forget it."

It was by no means likely that he would forget it, in fact he could think of nothing else. He hurried home and told his dreadful news, and received a dreadful scolding from his two elder daughters, who were angry at not getting their presents.

"And it is Beauty's fault that you have got into this trouble," they said. "Beauty and her stupid rose. Beauty had better get you out of the trouble." Beauty said little, but smiled on, with sunshine in her heart, and trust in her loving nature, and cooked the dinner.

Early next morning when the dawn was breaking she left her father's house, leaving a little note behind her begging him not to be anxious but that she had gone to the Beast's castle.

When she came to the gate in the wall she knocked upon it three times and it opened as if by magic, for she could see no one. And she stepped into the garden of red roses, and in the distance across the Park she saw the Castle, and she thought she had never seen anything so beautiful. For it was built of mother-of-pearl, and the red and yellow gleams of the rising sun shone upon its glistening walls, and lit them up with a thousand radiant lights.

Beauty marvelled at the loveliness and walked on. And when she arrived at this beautiful Castle, the huge gates opened as if by magic, and the doors opened as if by magic, for never a soul did she see, nor living thing of any sort.

And in the great hall was the breakfast table laid for two. It was a nice breakfast with steaming hot dishes, and jams, honey, and hot rolls, and brightly polished silver, and sweet flowers.

Then the Beast appeared suddenly from behind a curtain; oh, he was an awful Beast, and Beauty's heart beat fast! But he seemed a polite Beast for all that.

He handed Beauty a chair, and when she had sat down said:

"I bid you welcome; which do you take, tea or coffee?"

"Tea please," answered Beauty.

"Then pour it out," he said, "and I'll take tea too, please. Eggs, do you like eggs hard or soft?"

"I always cook mine three minutes and a half," replied Beauty.

"Half a minute too much, I think. But you shall have just what you like."

And so she had; not only at the breakfast table but in everything. She had only to express a wish and it was immediately gratified. She had ponies to ride, and dogs and cats, and pet birds, and the most beautiful dresses ever worn by real princesses.

And if it had not been that she was away from her father she would really have been happy.

The Beast was most kind and attentive to her, and told her that he loved her, and three times a day he asked her to marry him, but Beauty shook her head and said, oh no, she couldn't.

Well, Beauty had been at the great Castle some time when she began to pine to go home and see her father, and she begged the Beast to let her go.

"Very good," he said with a great sigh, "you may go home to-day, but promise me that you will be back early to-morrow morning. If you do not come back early I am sure I shall die for I love you so dearly."

So Beauty promised and went home, and she took presents for her father and her sisters, and when the sisters heard of all the wonderful things at the great Castle, they were envious and jealous, and made up their minds to do Beauty and the Beast a great injury.

So they mixed something in Beauty's supper that made her sleep nearly all the next day, and so she did not keep her promise. It was evening when she arrived at the gate in the wall, instead of early morning.

But she knocked three times and the gate opened by magic, and she went through the garden and hurried to the Castle, that shone like fire in the light of the setting sun. And the huge gates opened by magic, and the doors opened by magic, and she stood in the great hall, but there was no Beast there. She searched in all the rooms but he was not there; with fear and anxiety in her heart she ran into the gardens, and there she found him at last. Found him lying stretched out on the grass, and she thought he was dead.

"Oh, dear darling Beast," she cried, as she threw herself on her knees beside him, and raised his ugly head, "dear Beast, do not die, for I love you with all my heart, and will marry you to-morrow." And she kissed him. Then of a sudden he sprang to his feet, but no longer the Beast, no longer a hideous monster, but a beautiful prince most beautifully dressed. "Dearest," he said, "a wicked fairy turned me into this brute form until a day should come when a good girl like you should tell me that she loved me. And you will marry me to-morrow."

"Oh, yes," answered Beauty, "but the wicked fairy could not change your nature. I would have married you if you had remained just as you were."

And so they married and lived happy ever afterwards, and they took care of Beauty's father until the end of his days; so he was happy, and they forgave the two sisters and gave them fine dresses and jewels, and the two sisters turned over a new leaf and were less selfish, and they were happy, so this is a very happy ending to the story.

What a pity all stories can't end the same way!

TUFTY RIQUET

There was once upon a time a Queen who had the ugliest little baby imaginable, so ugly, indeed, that it was almost impossible to believe he was a little boy at all.

A fairy, however, assured his mother that the little baby would be very good and clever, saying that she was also giving him a gift which would enable him to make that person whom he loved the best as clever as himself.

This somewhat consoled the Queen, but still she was very unhappy because her son was so ugly, though no sooner had he begun to speak than he could talk about all sorts of things, and he had such pretty ways that people were charmed with him.

I forgot to say, that, when he was quite a baby, he had a funny little tuft of hair on his head, so he was called Tufty Riquet, for Riquet was the family name.

When Riquet was about seven years old, the Queen of a kingdom near by was given two baby daughters, twins, of which one was so exquisitely beautiful that the Queen nearly died of joy when she saw her, and so the fairy, the same one who had given Riquet his gift of cleverness, to keep the Queen from making herself ill with excitement, told her that this little Princess would not be at all clever, indeed she would be as stupid as she was beautiful.

The Queen was very much grieved at this, and felt still more troubled when she beheld her other daughter, for the second Princess was extremely ugly.

"Do not take it too much to heart, madam," remarked the fairy, "for this second daughter will be so clever that it will scarcely be noticed that she is not beautiful."

"Well, if it must be so, it must," remarked the Queen, "but I should certainly have liked the elder one, who is beautiful, to be just a little bit clever too."

"I can do nothing as to her mind, madam," replied the fairy, "but for her beauty I can, and as there is nothing I would not do to please you, I will give her a gift so that she can make the one who wins her heart beautiful too."

As the Princesses grew up, their gifts likewise grew with them, so that everybody spoke about the beauty of the one and the cleverness of the other; but also their defects grew, so that it could not but be noticed that the younger was daily uglier, and the elder day by day became more stupid, until she either said nothing in reply to a question, or something quite silly, and so clumsy was she that she could not arrange four china ornaments on the chimney piece without breaking one, or drink a glass of water without spilling half of it on her frock.

Although it is a great thing to have beauty, yet the younger generally received more attention in company than her elder sister.

At first, everybody would gather around the beautiful one admiringly, but before long they would leave her for the clever Princess, to listen to her pleasant conversation; and by the end of a quarter of an hour the elder would be left alone, while the other would be the centre of a group.

This the elder sister noticed, in spite of her stupidity, and she would gladly have given all her beauty for half the cleverness of her sister, and sometimes the Queen, although full of kindness, would reproach her daughter for her foolishness, which caused the Princess almost to die of grief.

One day when she had retreated to a wood to brood over her unhappiness, she saw a little man coming towards her. He was uncommonly ugly and unpleasing in appearance, but was very richly dressed.

It was the young Prince Tufty Riquet, who had fallen in love with the pictures he had seen of her, and had left his father's kingdom for the sake of making her acquaintance.

Delighted to meet her alone in this manner, he accosted her as courteously as possible, but soon, noticing that she was melancholy, he said:

"I cannot understand how it is that anyone as beautiful as you are, can be as sad as you appear to be; for I must own, that although I can boast of having seen many beauties, not one have I ever met whose beauty equalled yours."

"It pleases you to say so, sir," replied the Princess, and relapsed into silence.

"Beauty," went on Riquet, "is so delightful that one would give everything for it, and if anyone is beautiful I can't understand anything troubling greatly."

"I would rather be as ugly as you," answered the Princess, "and be clever, than as beautiful as I am, and be stupid."

"To think you are stupid is a sure sign that you have a certain amount of cleverness, madam," replied Riquet.

"I don't think about that," said the Princess, "but I am quite sure that I am very silly, and the grief of that is killing me."

"If that is all that troubles you, I can soon put an end to your grief," said Riquet, "for I have the power of giving cleverness to the person whom I love the best, and if only you will marry me, you shall become as clever as you can wish."

The Princess was greatly astonished, but remained silent.

"I can see," continued Riquet, "that this proposal is not to your taste, and I am not astonished. I will give you a year to think about it."

So great was the longing of the Princess to be clever, that she at once promised Riquet to marry him in a year's time, and no sooner had she made the promise than a great change took place in her, and she found she could say all sorts of pleasant things, on all sorts of subjects, in quite an easy manner.

She at once began a conversation with Riquet, making such brilliant remarks, that he could almost think he had given her all his cleverness and had kept none for himself.

When the Princess returned to the Palace, everybody was astonished at the sudden and extraordinary change, for, instead of saying stupid things, or just nothing at all, she was now full of beautiful ideas which she expressed most charmingly.

The report of this transformation was soon spread abroad, and all the young Princes of the neighbouring kingdoms asked for her hand in marriage, but not one did she find altogether suitable.

However, at last one arrived, who was so powerful, rich, clever and handsome, that she could not help approving of him, and her father, noticing this, told her she was quite free to choose what husband she wished.

The Princess thanked him, and asked for time to consider the matter.

Then, to think it over, she went by chance, into the wood where she had met Tufty Riquet.

While she was walking, deep in thought, she noticed a loud noise beneath her feet, as of many persons hastening to and fro; then, listening attentively, she heard a voice say, "Bring me the saucepan," and another voice cry, "Put some wood on the fire."

At the same moment the earth opened and she saw a big kitchen full of cooks, and all sorts of things necessary for the making of a magnificent banquet, and everybody hard at work.

The Princess, astonished at this sight, asked the men for whom they were working.

"For the Prince Tufty Riquet," answered the head cook, "for to-morrow is his wedding day."

The Princess, more surprised than ever, all at once recollected that it was just a year ago that very day that she had promised to marry the ugly Tufty Riquet.

The reason that she had not remembered her promise before was that she was foolish when she made it, and in becoming clever she had forgotten all her former stupidities.

She had only walked on a few steps further, when Riquet appeared before her, magnificently clad, as a Prince about to marry.

"Here you see me, madam," said he, "keeping my word, and I have no doubt that you also came here to keep yours, and by giving me your hand to make me the happiest of men."

"I frankly confess," replied the Princess, "that I have not yet made up my mind, and I do not think I can ever do as you wish."

"You surprise me, madam," said Riquet.

"I can quite believe that," said the Princess, "and if you were not a good and clever man, I should not know how to act. But you are well aware that it was when I was stupid I promised to marry you, but now, as you may imagine, I am not so easily pleased."

"Except for my ugliness," said Riquet, "have you anything against me? Do you object to my birth, my character, or my manners?"

"Not at all," replied the Princess, "I love those things in you."

"If that is so," answered Riquet, "I shall indeed be made happy, because you can cause me to become the most delightful of men if only you will desire it. For know, madam, the same fairy who at my birth gave me the power to impart cleverness to whomsoever I should love, gave you a gift also, that of being able to render beautiful the one to whom you would grant this favour."

"If that is the case," exclaimed the Princess, "I desire with all my heart that you might be the most handsome and pleasing Prince in the world."

No sooner had the Princess uttered these words than her wish was fulfilled, though some say that no change really took place in Riquet, but that the Princess loved him now so much that all his ugliness was seen as beauty by her eyes.

However that may be, she straightway consented to be his bride, and, as the preparations had already been made, the wedding took place the very next day.

THUMBLING

There was once a poor woodman sitting by the fire in his cottage and his wife sat by his side spinning. "How lonely it is," said he, "for you and me to sit here by ourselves without any children to play about and amuse us, while other people seem so happy and merry with their children!" "What you say is very true," said the wife, sighing, and turning her wheel; "how happy should I be if I had but one child! and if it were ever so small, nay, if it were no bigger than my thumb, I should be very happy, and love it dearly." Now it came to pass that this good woman's wish was fulfilled just as she desired; for, some time afterwards, she had a little boy, who was quite healthy and strong, but not much bigger than my thumb. So they said, "Well, we cannot say we have not got what we wished for, and, little as he is, we will love him dearly;" and they called him Thumbling.

They gave him plenty of food, yet he never grew bigger, but remained just the same size as when he was born; still, his eyes were sharp and sparkling and he soon showed himself to be a clever little fellow, who always knew well what he was about. One day, as the woodman was getting ready to go into the wood to cut fuel, he said, "I wish I had some one to bring the cart after me, for I want to make haste." "Oh, father!" cried Thumbling, "I will take care of that; the cart shall be in the wood by the time you want it." Then the woodman laughed and said, "How can that be? You cannot reach up to the horse's bridle." "Never mind that, father," said Thumbling; "if my mother will only harness the horse, I will get into his ear, and tell him which way to go." "Well," said the father, "we will try for once."

When the time came, the mother harnessed the horse to the cart, and put Thumbling into its ear; and as he sat there, the little man told the beast how to go, crying out, "Go on," and "Stop," as he wanted; so the horse went on just as if the woodman had driven it himself into the wood. It happened that, as the horse was going a little too fast, and Thumbling was calling out "Gently, gently!" two strangers came up. "What an odd thing that is!" said one, "there is a cart going along, and I heard a carter talking to the horse but can see no one." "That is strange," said the other; "let us follow the cart and see where it goes." So they went on into the wood, till at last they came to the place where the woodman was. Then Thumbling, seeing his father, cried out, "See, father, here I am, with the cart, all right and safe; now take me down." So his father took hold of the horse with one hand, and with the other took his son out of the ear; then he put him down upon a straw, where he sat as merry as you please. The two strangers were all this time looking on, and did not know what to say for wonder. At last one took the other aside and said, "That little urchin will make our fortune if we can get him, and carry him about from town to town as a show; we must buy him." So they went to the woodman and asked him what he would take for the little man: "He will be better off," said they, "with us than with you." "I won't sell him at all," said the father, "my own flesh and blood is dearer to me than all the silver and gold in the world." But Thumbling, hearing of the bargain they wanted to make, crept up his father's coat to his shoulder, and whispered in his ear, "Take the money, father, and let them have me; I'll soon come back to you."

So the woodman at last agreed to sell Thumbling to the strangers for a large piece of gold. "Where do you like to sit?" said one of them. "Oh! put me on the rim of your hat, that will be a nice gallery for me; I can walk about there, and see the country as we go along." So they did as he wished; and when Thumbling had taken leave of his father, they carried him away with them. They journeyed on till it began to be dusky, and then the little man said, "Let me get down, I'm tired." So the man took off his hat and set him down on a clod of earth in a ploughed field by the side of the road, But Thumbling ran about amongst the furrows, and at last slipped into a mouse-hole. "Good-night, masters," said he, "I'm off! mind and look sharp after me the next time." They ran directly to the place, and poked the ends of their sticks into the mouse-hole, but all in vain; Thumbling only crawled further and further in, and at last it became quite dark, so they were obliged to go their way without their prize, as sulky as you please.

When Thumbling found they were gone, he came out of his hiding-place. "What dangerous walking it is," said he, "in this ploughed field! If I were to fall from one of these great clods, I should certainly break my neck." At last, by good chance, he found a large empty snail-shell. "This is lucky," said he, "I can sleep here very well," and in he crept. Just as he was falling asleep he heard two men passing, and one said to the other, "How shall we manage to steal that rich parson's silver and gold?" "I'll tell you," cried Thumbling. "What noise was that?" said the thief, frightened. "I am sure I heard some one speak." They stood still listening, and Thumbling said, "Take me with you, and I'll soon show you how to get the parson's money." "But where are you?" said they. "Look about on the ground," answered he, "and listen where the sound comes from." At last the thieves found him out, and lifted him up in their hands. "You little urchin!" said they, "what can you do for us?" "Why, I can get between the iron window-bars of the parson's house, and throw you out whatever you want." "That's a good thought," said the thieves: "come along, we shall see what you can do."

When they came to the parson's house, Thumbling slipped through the window-bars into the room, and then called out as loudly as he could bawl, "Will you have all that is here?" At this the thieves were frightened, and said "Softly, softly, speak low that you may not awaken anybody." But Thumbling pretended not to understand them, and bawled out again, "How much will you have? Shall I throw it all out?" Now the cook lay in the next room, and hearing a noise she raised herself in her bed and listened. Meanwhile the thieves were frightened, and ran off to a little distance; but at last they plucked up courage, and said, "The little urchin is only trying to make fools of us." So they came back and whispered softly to him, saying, "Now, let us have no more of your jokes, but throw out some of the money." Then Thumbling called out as loudly as he could, "Very well; hold out your hands, here it comes." The cook heard this quite plainly, so she sprang out of bed and ran to open the door. The thieves rushed off as if a wolf were at their heels; and the maid, having groped about and found nothing, went away for a light. By the time she returned, Thumbling had slipped off into the barn; and when the cook had looked about and searched every hole and corner, and found nobody, she went to bed, thinking she must have been dreaming with her eyes open. The little man crawled about in the hay-loft, and at last found a glorious place to finish his night's rest in; so he laid himself down, meaning to sleep till daylight, and then find his way home to his father and mother. But, alas! how cruelly was he disappointed! what crosses and sorrows happen in this world! The cook got up early, before daybreak, to feed the cows: she went straight to the hay loft, and carried away a large bundle of hay with the little man in the middle of it fast asleep. He still, however, slept on, and did not wake till he found himself in the mouth of the cow, who had taken him up with a mouthful of hay: "Good lack-a-day!" said he, "how did I manage to tumble into the mill?" But he soon found out where he really was, and was obliged to have all his wits about him in order that he might not get between the cow's teeth, and so be crushed to death. At last she swallowed him down. "It is rather dark here," said he; "they forgot to build windows in this room to let the sun in; a candle would be no bad thing."

Though he made the best of his bad luck, he did not like his quarters at all; and the worst of it was, that more and more hay was always coming down, and the space in which he was became smaller and smaller. At last he cried out as loudly as he could, "Don't bring me any more hay! Don't bring me any more hay!" The maid happened to be just then milking the cow, and hearing someone speak and seeing nobody, and yet being quite sure it was the same voice that she had heard in the night, she was so much frightened that she fell off her stool and overset the milk-pail. She ran off as fast as she could to her master, the parson, and said, "Sir, sir, the cow is talking!" But the parson said, "Woman, thou art surely mad!" However, he went with her into the cow-house to see what was the matter. Scarcely had they set their feet on the threshold when Thumbling called out, "Don't bring me any more hay!" Then the parson himself was frightened; and thinking the cow was surely bewitched, ordered that she should be killed directly. So the cow was killed, and the part in which Thumbling lay was thrown away.

Thumbling soon set himself to work to get out, which was not a very easy task; but at last, just as he had made room to get his head through, a new misfortune befell him: a hungry wolf passed by and swallowed Thumbling and all, at a single gulp, and ran away. Thumbling, however, was not disheartened; and thinking the wolf would not dislike having some chat with him as he was going along, he called out, "My good friend, I can show you a famous treat." "Where's that?" said the wolf. "In such and such a house," said Thumbling, describing his father's house, "you can crawl through the drain into the kitchen, and there you will find cakes, ham, beef, and everything your heart can desire." The wolf did not want to be asked twice; so that very night he went to the house and crawled through the drain into the kitchen, and ate and drank there to his heart's content. As soon as he was satisfied, he wanted to get away; but he had eaten so much that he could not get out the same way that he came in. This was just what Thumbling had reckoned upon; and he now began to set up a great shout, making all the noise he could. "Will you be quiet?" said the wolf, "you'll awaken everybody in the house." "What's that to me?" said the little man, "you have had your frolic, now I've a mind to be merry myself;" and he began again singing and shouting as loudly as he could.

The woodman and his wife, being awakened by the noise, peeped through a crack in the door; but when they saw that the wolf was there, you may well suppose that they were terribly frightened; and the woodman ran for his axe, and gave his wife a scythe. "Now do you stay behind," said the woodman; "and when I have knocked him on the head, do you cut him open with the scythe." Thumbling heard all this, and said, "Father, father! I am here; the wolf has swallowed me;" and his father said, "Heaven be praised! we have found our dear child again;" and he told his wife not to use the scythe, for fear she should hurt him. Then he aimed a great blow, and struck the wolf on the head, and killed him on the spot; and when he was dead they cut open his body and set Thumbling free. "Ah!" said the father, "what fears we have had for you!" "Yes, father," answered he, "I have travelled all over the world, since we parted, in one way or other; and now I am very glad to get fresh air again." "Why, where have you been?" said the father. "I have been in a mouse-hole, in a snail-shell, down a cow's throat, and inside the wolf; and yet here I am again safe and sound." "Well," said they, "we will not sell you again for all the riches in the world." So they hugged and kissed their dear little son, and gave him plenty to eat and drink, and fetched new clothes for him, for his old ones were quite spoiled on his journey.

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BY NORA CHESSON

NEW EDITION

The most popular poems of Tennyson, "The Lily Maid," "Lady Clare," "The Lord of Burleigh," "The Story of King Arthur," etc., etc., retold in prose, and so introducing to the minds of young people the great poet's works, and familiarising them with his celebrated characters. This is a new edition, with additional beautiful illustrations in colour and black and white by John H. Bacon, A.R.A., Gordon Browne, R.I., Arthur Dixon and others. Printed on rough art paper. 10 full-page colour plates. 144 pp. letterpress, crown 4to.

CHILDREN'S STORIES FROM ITALIAN FAIRY TALES AND LEGENDS

BY LILIA ROMANO

ILLUSTRATED BY HOWARD DAVIE Their charm enhanced by the numerous characteristic illustrations, these stories, with their vivid local colouring, gathered from the fairy tales and folk-lore of lovely Italy, translated and retold, form a truly magnificent volume. Printed on rough art paper. 12 full-page colour plates. 144 pp. letterpress, crown 4to.

CHILDREN'S STORIES FROM JAPANESE FAIRY TALES AND LEGENDS

BY N. KATO

ILLUSTRATED BY HARRY G. THEAKER

The stories most sympathetic to the feelings of the English-reading juvenile public have been collected and translated, and the book, with its fascinating illustrations in colour and black and white, has proved a valuable addition to the series. Printed on rough art paper. 10 full-page colour plates. 144 pp. letterpress, crown 4to.

CHILDREN'S STORIES FROM RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES AND LEGENDS

ILLUSTRATED BY A.A. DIXON

Translated from the original, and adapted by Miss Seraphima Pulman, these stories are truly charming, while they are valuable as giving an insight into Russian life and habits. The illustrations possess all that delicacy and beauty which is characteristic of the artist. Printed on rough art paper. 12 full-page colour plates. 144 pp. letterpress, crown 4to.

CHILDREN'S STORIES FROM INDIAN LEGENDS

BY M. DOROTHY BELGRAVE AND HILDA HART

ILLUSTRATED BY HARRY G. THEAKER

Written with much feeling and charm, while the artist has delineated the episodes with strikingly beautiful drawings in colour and black and white, this book is also popular as furthering the knowledge of a land and people so closely bound in the heart of the British Empire. Printed on rough art paper. 12 full-page colour plates. 144 pp. letterpress, crown 4to.

CHILDREN'S STORIES FROM FRENCH FAIRY TALES

BY DORIS ASHLEY

ILLUSTRATED BY MABEL LUCIE ATTWELL

Tales to be read with breathless interest, so full of incident and romance are they, and in dealing with them the writer has shown consummate tact, both in her choice of stories and her manner of handling them, and this, combined with the wholly fascinating illustrations, in colour and black and white, has resulted in an altogether lovely volume. Printed on rough art paper. 12 full-page colour plates. 144 pp. letterpress, crown 4to.

CHILDREN'S STORIES FROM THE NORTHERN LEGENDS

BY M. DOROTHY BELGRAVE AND HILDA HART

ILLUSTRATED BY HARRY G. THEAKER

Those entrancing legends of the Icelandic and Scandinavian poets are here recounted in a cohesive and lucid style suitable for boys and girls, thus in an easy way introducing the famous and fantastic heroes and heroines of Norse Mythology. The beautiful colour pictures, with the black and white drawings, are full of poetry and interest. Printed on rough art paper. 12 full-page colour plates. 144 pp. letterpress, crown 4to.

CHILDREN'S STORIES FROM LONGFELLOW

BY DORIS ASHLEY

(NEW EDITION)

An admirable collection of the most famous poems, delightfully translated into prose, and profusely illustrated with exquisite pictures in colour and black and white by Harold Copping, A. Dixon, M. Bowley and others, rendering the readers anxious for, and appreciative of, such poems as "The Golden Legend," "Evangeline," and "Hiawatha," which, with other favourites, are placed before them in this attractive guise. To this new edition more pictures have been added. Printed on rough art paper. 10 full-page colour plates. 144 pp. letterpress, crown 4to.

CHILDREN'S STORIES FROM ENGLISH HISTORY

TOLD BY E. NESBIT AND DORIS ASHLEY

Some of the most noteworthy and interesting historical events woven into entertaining stories, and so of great value in indelibly impressing them upon the mind. The volume is charmingly illustrated throughout by the late John H. Bacon, A.R.A., Howard Davie, M. Bowley, and other popular artists. Printed on rough art paper. 9 full-page colour plates. 144 pp. letterpress, crown 4to.

CHILDREN'S STORIES FROM THE POETS

BY M. DOROTHY BELGRAVE AND HILDA HART

ILLUSTRATED BY FRANK ADAMS

Characters and incidents in the works of Chaucer, Pope, Keats, Milton, Browning, and other great poets, teeming with interest, and with which all minds should be conversant, are here presented in extremely fascinating prose narrative, beautifully illustrated in colour and black and white by Frank Adams. Printed on rough art paper. 12 full-page colour plates. 144 pp. letterpress, crown 4to.

ALICE IN WONDERLAND

ILLUSTRATED BY MABEL LUCIE ATTWELL

An exceptionally attractive edition of the popular Fairy Tale by Lewis Carroll, characteristically and charmingly illustrated with many black and white drawings and full-page colour plates. This story, which will hold its own as long as dreams are dreamed, is here presented in a worthy setting, and one which will meet with universal approbation. Printed on rough art paper. 12 full-page colour plates. 152 pp. letterpress, crown 4to.

CHILDREN'S STORIES FROM DICKENS

BY MARY ANGELA DICKENS

ILLUSTRATED BY HAROLD COPPING

The child interest from some of Dickens' masterpieces is here depicted afresh, and told in simple and charming language by his grand-daughter, Mary Angela Dickens, and other writers, with an introduction by Percy Fitzgerald, the friend of, and eminent authority on, Charles Dickens. The stories of Little David Copperfield, Little Nell, Tiny Tim, Little Paul Dombey, etc., etc., are here narrated, all being profusely illustrated. Printed on rough art paper 11 full-page coloured plates. 144 pp. letterpress, crown 4to.

CHILDREN'S STORIES FROM SCOTT

BY DORIS ASHLEY

ILLUSTRATED BY HAROLD C. EARNSHAW

The histories of Sir Walter Scott's most popular characters condensed into short stories, and thus adapted as an interesting introduction to the Scott classics, so worthily considered a part of the education of every up-to-date boy and girl. These tales are admirably illustrated with numerous drawings in colour and black and white. Printed on rough art paper. 12 full-page colour plates. 144 pp. letterpress, crown 4to.

CHILDREN'S STORIES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

BY ROSE YEATMAN WOOLF

ILLUSTRATED BY HARRY G. THEAKER

An admirable collection of the most popular tales, carefully compiled so as to form an entirely delightful and charming volume. The book is beautifully illustrated with pictures gorgeous in their Eastern colours, and innumerable black and white drawings. Printed on rough art paper. 12 full-page colour plates. 144 pp. letterpress, crown 4to.

THE RAPHAEL HOUSE LIBRARY OF GIFT BOOKS

Edited by CAPTAIN EDRIC VREDENBURG

Thirty beautiful Volumes, profusely illustrated in colour and black and white. Pictorial Boards, Cloth Back, or Cloth. Bevelled, Gilt Edges. Crown 4to.

TALES OF THE ALHAMBRA. By WASHINGTON IRVING. Illustrated by H.M. BROCK. 12 full-page colour plates. 144pp.

"ANIMAL LEGENDS FROM MANY LANDS." By ROSE YEATMAN WOOLF. Illustrated by EDWIN NOBLE. 12 full-page colour plates. 144 pp.

TALES OF KING ARTHUR AND THE KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE. By DORIS ASHLEY. Illustrated by A.A. DIXON. 12 full-page colour plates. 144 pp.

MY BOOK OF FAVOURITE FAIRY TALES. By CAPT. EDRIC VREDENBURG and others. Illustrated by JENNIE HARBOUR. 12 full-page colour plates. 144pp.

CHILDREN'S STORIES FROM OLD BRITISH LEGENDS. By M. DOROTHY BELGRAVE and HILDA HART. Illustrated by HARRY G. THEAKER. 10 full-page colour plates. 144 pp.

CHILDREN'S STORIES FROM FRENCH FAIRY TALES. By DORIS ASHLEY. Illustrated by MABEL LUCIE ATTWELL. 12 full-page colour plates. 144 pp.

CHILDREN'S STORIES FROM ITALIAN FAIRY TALES AND LEGENDS. By LILIA ROMANO. Illustrated by HOWARD DAVIE 12 full-page colour plates. 144pp.

CHILDREN'S STORIES FROM INDIAN LEGENDS. By M. DOROTHY BELGRAVE and HILDA HART. Illustrated by H.G. THEAKER. 12 full-page colour plates. 144pp.

CHILDREN'S STORIES FROM JAPANESE FAIRY TALES AND LEGENDS. Translated and adapted by N. KATO. Illustrated by H.G. THEAKER. 10 full-page colour plates. 144 pp.

CHILDREN'S STORIES FROM ROUMANIAN FAIRY TALES AND LEGENDS By Dr. M. GASTER, Ph.D., late President of the English Folk-lore Society, &c. Illustrated by C.E. BROCK. 12 full-page colour plates. 144 pp.

CHILDREN'S STORIES FROM RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES AND LEGENDS. Translated and adapted by SERAPHIMA PULMAN. Illustrated by ARTHUR A. DIXON. 12 full-page colour plates. 144pp.

CHILDREN'S STORIES FROM THE NORTHERN LEGENDS. By M. DOROTHY BELGRAVE and HILDA HART. Illustrated by HARRY G. THEAKER. 12 full-page colour plates. 152 pp.

CHILDREN'S STORIES FROM SCOTT. By DORIS ASHLEY. Illustrated by HAROLD C. EARNSHAW. 12 full-page colour plates. 144 pp.

CHILDREN'S STORIES FROM THE POETS. By M. DOROTHY BELGRAVE and HILDA HART. Illustrated by FRANK ADAMS. 12 full-page colour plates. 152pp.

CHILDREN'S STORIES FROM ENGLISH HISTORY. By E. NESBIT and DORIS ASHLEY. Illustrated by JOHN H. BACON, A.R.A., HOWARD DAVIE, and others. 9 full-page colour plates. 144pp.

CHILDREN'S STORIES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS. By ROSE YEATMAN WOOLF. Illustrated by H.G. THEAKER 12 full-page colour plates. 144 pp.

CHILDREN'S STORIES FROM DICKENS. By MARY ANGELA DICKENS. Illustrated by HAROLD COPPING. 11 full-page colour plates. 144 pp.

CHILDREN'S STORIES FROM SHAKESPEARE. By E. NESBIT. Illustrated by J.H. BACON, A.R.A., HOWARD DAVIE, and H. COPPING. 10 full-page colour plates. 144 pp.

CHILDREN'S STORIES FROM TENNYSON. By NORA CHESSON. Illustrated by JOHN H. BACON, A.R.A., ARTHUR DIXON, HAROLD COPPING, and other artists. 10 full-page colour plates. 144pp.

CHILDREN'S STORIES FROM LONGFELLOW. By DORIS ASHLEY. Illustrated by A.A. DIXON, H. COPPING, and others. 10 full-page colour plates. 144 pp.

GLORIOUS BATTLES OF ENGLISH HISTORY. By Major C.H. WYLLY. With Foreword by Sir ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE. Illustrated by HARRY PAYNE. 12 full-page colour plates. 144 pp.

THE WATER BABIES. By CHARLES KINGSLEY. Abridged Edition. Illustrated by MABEL LUCIE ATTWELL. 12 full-page colour plates. 144pp.

HANS ANDERSEN'S FAIRY TALES. Illustrated by MABEL LUCIE ATTWELL. 12 full-page colour plates. 144 pp.

GRIMM'S FAIRY TALES. Illustrated by MABEL LUCIE ATTWELL. 12 full-page colour plates. 144 pp.

ALICE IN WONDERLAND. By LEWIS CARROLL. Illustrated by MABEL LUCIE ATTWELL. 12 full-page colour plates. 152pp.

MOTHER GOOSE. Illustrated by MABEL LUCIE ATTWELL. 12 full-page colour plates. 144 pp.

AESOP'S FABLES. Illustrated by EDWIN NOBLE. 12 full-page colour plates. 144pp.

CURLY HEADS AND LONG LEGS. Stories by the Editor, GRACE C. FLOYD, and others. Illustrated by HILDA COWHAM. 12 full-page colour plates. 144 pp.

GOLDEN LOCKS AND PRETTY FROCKS. Stories by NORMAN GALE, GRACE C. FLOYD, the Editor, and others. Illustrated by AGNES RICHARDSON. 12 full-page colour plates. 144pp.

TINKER, TAILOR. Stories by Captain EDRIC VREDENBURG. Illustrated by Louis WAIN. 12 full-page colour plates. 144pp.

_Raphael Tuck and Sons, Ltd., London, Paris, New York._ _Publishers by special appointment to Their Majesties the King and Queen_.