Chapter IV: Part II: Stories to Tell (1)

I

FAIRY AND WONDER TALES

(_Adapted for Children, Three to Six Years._)

1. THE RUNAWAY PANCAKE

Once upon a time seven hungry children were standing around the fireside, watching their mother frying a pancake for supper. “Oh, give me a bit, mother dear, I’m so hungry,” each of the children said. “Yes,” said the mother, “only wait till it turns, and you shall have some.” Pancake trembled and tried to jump out of the pan, but its back was so weak that it fell flat again on the other side. When that side was cooked, and its back felt stronger, Pancake gave a spring, jumping right out of the pan upon the floor, and began rolling away like a wheel, out through the door and down the steep hill. “Stop! Stop! Pancake!” cried the mother, running after it with the frying-pan in one hand and the spoon in the other. “Stop! won’t you stop?” all the children screamed; but Pancake rolled on faster and faster down the hill. It was a funny sight to see a man, and a hen, and a rooster, and a duck, and a goose, and a gander, all joining in the chase, trying to catch Pancake, who slipped by them all and rolled on. At the bottom of the hill there was a deep river. Just as Pancake rolled near it a Pig came up and said, “Pancake, roll on my snout, and I’ll take you safely across.” “Thank you,” said Pancake, rolling right upon Piggy’s nose. He sat there till they reached the other side in safety. “Ouf! Ouf!” then grunted the Pig; “what will you pay me for carrying you across?” When Pancake said, “I haven’t anything to pay you,” the Pig threw back his head, opened his mouth wide, and down went Pancake, saying, “I wish I had been eaten by those poor, hungry children, rather than by this nasty Pig!” And that was the end of Runaway Pancake.

2. THE LITTLE RED HEN

Once there was a Little Red Hen that lived, so neat and tidy, all alone in her house in the wood. Over the hill and far away in a den in the rocks lived a bad young Fox. He wanted to eat the Little Red Hen, but every time he went to her home he could not get her. One morning he took a big bag and told his mother to have the pot boiling when he got home so they could cook the Hen for supper that night. Over the hill he crept, trot, trot, trot, and saw Little Red Hen picking up sticks in front of her house. The Fox quietly slipped in without being seen, and hid behind the door. The Little Red Hen came in with her apron full of sticks, but when she saw the Fox with his bushy tail spread out on the floor, she became so scared she flew with a great scream to a high beam under the roof. The tricky Fox began to whirl around and around after his tail so fast that the Hen got so dizzy she fell to the floor. Quickly the Fox picked her up, popped her into his bag, and trotted off for home. Coming to a hill he thought he would stop, to take a rest, and he put his bag on the ground. Quick as a wink the Hen pecked a hole in the bag, jumped out, rolled a stone into the bag in her place, flew away to her home, and locked the door. “The Little Red Hen is heavy,” said the Fox as he started off again. As soon as he saw his mother, he cried, “Here is the Hen for our supper. Lift the cover off the pot, while I pop her in.” When the mother lifted the cover, the young Fox untied the bag and gave it a shake. Pop! Splash! Splash! Into the boiling water dropped the heavy stone. Out flew the boiling water, splashing and scalding the young Fox and his mother to death. So the Little Red Hen lived happily and tidily in her house after that.

3. THE GOLDEN GOOSE

Once a mother lived with her three sons in a house in the woods. One day the mother said to the oldest son, “Go, and cut wood in the forest, and here is a good dinner for you.” At dinnertime a queer, little old man came up and said, “I’m so hungry. Give me some of your dinner.” “Be off,” said the selfish boy, and he ate all his dinner by himself. Then he began to chop down a tree, but his axe slipped and cut his leg, and he went hobbling home without any wood. Next day the mother said to the next boy, “Go, and cut wood in the forest, and here is a good dinner for you.” At dinnertime the same queer little old man came and said, “I’m so hungry. Give me some of your dinner.” “No,” said the selfish boy, who ate all his dinner by himself. Then he began to chop a tree, but his axe slipped and cut his foot, and he went hobbling home without any wood. The next morning the youngest boy, Dummling, said, “Mother, I’ll get you some wood.” His mother gave him only some dry crusts, and he went into the woods. The same little old man came, saying, “I’m so hungry. Give me some of your dinner.” “Yes, gladly, I will,” said Dummling. In a moment the little old man changed the dry bread into a rich feast, and they both ate as much as they wanted. Then the little old man said: “You have been kind to me. Now I will do something for you. Cut down this tree, and at the roots you will find a Golden Goose.” Dummling quickly chopped down the tree, and in a hollow at the roots found a Golden Goose. He picked it up and went to the nearest stopping-place for the night, where he found three sisters who wanted some of the golden feathers. So, when Dummling had gone to bed, the oldest girl went in where the goose was to pluck a feather, but she stuck fast. The second girl came in later to pluck a feather, and she stuck fast too. Then the third sister, greedy for a feather too, put in her hand to get one, and she stuck fast. So the three girls had to stay with the goose all night. The next morning Dummling came in, and, not noticing the girls were stuck fast to it, picked up the goose and started off with it under his arm. The three girls were obliged to follow as fast as their legs could carry them down the street. A minister seeing the strange sight called out, “Shame! following a man like that! Let go!” But as soon as he touched them he stuck fast and had to follow. Then a policeman ran up, saying to the minister, “For shame! following girls like that! Let go!” And as soon as he touched them he stuck fast and had to follow. It was a funny sight to see these five trudging behind one another. “Help! Help!” cried the policeman. Then two men going to work with picks and spades ran up, but as soon as they touched them they stuck fast and had to follow. So these seven, all in line, treading on one another’s heels, followed Dummling and his Golden Goose until they reached the gates of the city in which a King lived who had a daughter so very serious that no one could ever make her laugh. The King had promised that whoever could make her smile should have her for a wife, and should be the King’s son. When Dummling heard that he went at once near the palace window, and when the Princess looked out and saw such a comical sight she burst into a hearty laugh. So Dummling became the King’s son, and lived with the Princess and his Golden Goose, happy ever afterward.

4. DIAMONDS AND TOADS

Once there was a mother who lived with her two daughters in a house in the woods. The elder daughter was very proud and disagreeable; the younger one was kind, sweet-tempered, and beautiful. The mother was very fond of the elder daughter because she was more like herself, and she disliked the younger one and made her work hard all the time in the kitchen and go twice a day to carry water in a pitcher from the spring in the woods two miles from home.

One day, when this younger daughter was at the spring, a poor old woman came to her and asked her for a drink. “Yes,” said the kind, obliging girl, and she gave her a cool, refreshing drink from her pitcher. The woman said: “As you have been kind to me, I will give you this gift. At every word you speak a jewel or a flower shall come from your mouth.” When she reached home her mother scolded her for being gone so long. “I beg your pardon, mother dear,” she said, “for not being quicker.” And as she spoke, out of her mouth dropped two diamonds, two pearls, and six roses. “What do I see?” exclaimed her mother. When the girl told her all, the mother said: “I must send my dearest daughter to receive this gift too. Come, Fanny, see what comes out of your sister’s mouth when she speaks. All you have to do to get the same gift is to go and give the poor old woman a drink from the pitcher.” “I won’t go,” said the ugly-tempered girl; “let sister give me some of her jewels. She does not need them all.” At last her mother persuaded her to go, and she went grumbling all the way. When she reached the spring she saw, not the poor old woman her sister had met, but a beautiful lady, who asked her for a drink. It was the fairy changed from the old woman into a princess. “I did not come out to give _you_ a drink,” said the selfish girl; “you can get water from the spring as well as I.” “You are not very polite,” said the fairy; “since you are so rude and unkind I give you this gift: At every word you speak, toads and snakes shall come out of your mouth.” The girl ran home, and as soon as she spoke to her mother two snakes and two frogs fell from her mouth. “What is this I see?” cried her mother. The girl tried to tell, but at every word toads and snakes dropped from her lips. And so it was forever after--jewels and flowers fell from the kind girl’s mouth, but only toads and snakes fell from the mouth of the girl who was rude and unkind.--_Charles Perrault._

5. THE FROG KING

Once there was a king who had a little daughter so beautiful that the sun had never seen any one so beautiful. Close by the palace there was a dark wood, and underneath a large tree was a well. One day the little Princess sat by this well, tossing her golden ball into the air until at last it fell into the water. She began to cry bitterly. A Frog peeped out of the water and said, “What will you give me, King’s Little Daughter, if I get your ball for you?” “I will give you anything,” she said, “my pearls, my jewels, my golden crown.” “If you will let me be your playmate and sit by your side at table, and eat out of your golden plate, and sleep in your little snow-white bed, I will bring your ball to you again.” “I promise all,” she said, thinking that a Frog could not live with people. In a moment the Frog plunged into the water head foremost, caught the ball, and swam back with it in his mouth and threw it on the grass to her. She picked up her pretty plaything and ran away with it, heedless of the Frog’s cry, “Wait! Wait!” She did not listen, but ran home as fast as she could and forgot all about her promise to the Frog.

The next day as the royal family was seated at dinner, something came creeping, splish, splash, splish, splash, up the marble staircase. Then a knock was heard at the door, and a voice said, “King’s Little Daughter, open the door for me.” When she opened the door she saw the Frog. She screamed with fright, and slammed the door in his face. When she told her father of her promise to let the Frog be her playmate, the King said, “What you have promised you must keep. Go, and let him in!” She opened the door and the Frog hopped in and followed her step by step to the chair. “Lift me up!” he cried. She did not like to do this, but the King said, “What you have promised you must keep.” When the Frog was on the chair, he wanted to be on the table and eat out of the golden plate, and when she started to go upstairs he asked her to let him rest on her snow-white bed. She was afraid of the cold, clammy Frog, and she began to cry again. But the King said, “What you have promised you must keep. Ugly though he is, did he not help you when you were in distress, and will you despise him now?” So the Princess took hold of him with her fingers, carried him upstairs, and put him in a corner. When he pleaded again to rest on her snow-white bed, she became angry and took hold of him and threw him with all her might against the wall. “Now will you be quiet, hateful Frog?” she said. But when he fell to the floor suddenly he changed from a frog into a beautiful Prince with kind and shining eyes looking at her. He told her how he had been changed into a Frog by a very wicked fairy, and how no one but she could get him out of the well and change him into a King’s son again, and that when they grew older they would be married and live together in his kingdom. The next morning when the sun was up, a carriage appeared drawn by eight white horses, and when the King and Queen gave their consent for the Princess to go, she was glad to be the Queen and live in the Prince’s beautiful kingdom. But she never forgot what her father had told her, “What you have promised you must keep.”

6. RED RIDINGHOOD

Once a sweet little girl, named Red Ridinghood, lived with her mother in a house near a wood, and her loving Grandmother lived on the other side of the wood. One day her mother said, “Take Grandmother this basket of fresh eggs, butter, and cakes, for she is ill. Be sure and not leave the main path.” The little girl said, “Yes, mother, I will do just what you say.” Then she took the basket and went skipping and singing happily through the wood, until she saw some beautiful flowers a little distance from the path. “I will gather just a bunch of these lovely flowers for Grandmother,” she said to herself; but she had not gone far when she met a big, gray Wolf, who said, “Good morning, little girl, where are you going?” “To my Grandmother’s,” she said. Then the Wolf ran on before and knocked at Grandmother’s door with his paw, “Thump! Thump!” Grandmother was better and had gone out for a walk. So the Wolf walked in, put on Grandmother’s nightcap, and jumped into her bed. Soon Red Ridinghood came up and knocked at the door. “Who’s there?” said a voice, trying to speak like Grandmother. “It is your little girl,” she said. “Come in, dear,” said the voice. When she entered and looked in the bed, she cried out, “O Grandmother, what big ears you have!” “The better to hear you, dear.” “What big eyes you have!” “The better to see you, dear.” “What big arms you have!” “The better to hug you, dear.” “What big teeth you have, Grandmother!” “The better to eat you!” cried the Wolf, springing up. He was just about to eat her when the door burst open and in rushed some wood-choppers who soon killed the big, gray Wolf. Red Ridinghood ran home to her mother as fast as she could, and said, “Oh, mother dear! it happened because I disobeyed you, and went in that horrid path where I met the Wolf. But I will never, never disobey again!”

7. GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE BEARS

Three bears lived in a home of their own in the woods--one, a great, big Bear, the Father, with a great, big voice; a middle-sized Bear, the Mother, with a middle-sized voice; and Little Baby Bear, with a little, wee voice. One morning, when the three bears were taking a walk while waiting for their breakfast of milk and honey to cool, a naughty, disobedient, runaway girl, named Goldilocks, came along and peeped into their window. Seeing no one, she walked into the kitchen and began to taste the breakfast. Father Bear’s was too hot; Mother Bear’s was too cold; Baby Bear’s was just right, so she ate it all up. Then she went into the parlor to rest, and saw three chairs. Father Bear’s was too hard; Mother Bear’s was too soft; Baby Bear’s was just right, so she sat on it and broke it down. Then Goldilocks went up the narrow stairs to the bears’ bedroom. She climbed on Father Bear’s bed, but that was too high for her; the Mother’s was too low; but the Baby Bear’s bed was just right, so she fell fast asleep. Soon the three hungry bears came home. Father Bear roared, “SOME ONE HAS BEEN TASTING MY BREAKFAST AND SITTING ON MY CHAIR!” Mother Bear growled out: “_Some one has been tasting my breakfast and sitting on my chair!_” Baby Bear screamed, “Some one has been tasting my breakfast and eaten it all up, and sitting in my chair and broken it down!” The bears then rushed upstairs. “SOME ONE HAS BEEN ON MY BED!” roared Father Bear. “_Some one has been on my bed too!_” growled Mother Bear. “Some one has been in my bed, and here she is!” screamed Baby Bear. This awoke Goldilocks, who was so frightened she sprang out on the other side of the bed, jumped out of the window, and ran home as fast as she could.

8. THE SLEEPING BEAUTY[5]

Once a good King and Queen were so happy to have a little baby girl that they gave a great feast in the palace, to which they invited seven beautiful Fairies, each of whom brought her a rich present. But one ugly Fairy, named Jealousy, who was angry because she was not invited, said, “I’ll make the Princess cut her hand with a spindle, and she shall die!” Everybody began to cry, but one good Fairy said: “No, she shall not die, but she shall sleep for a hundred years, and can be awakened only by a good Prince.” The King ordered all spindles to be put away; but when the Princess was sixteen years of age an old woman, who had not heard of the King’s command to put away all spindles, let the young Princess spin. In a moment she had cut her hand and fell to the ground in a deep sleep. The good Fairy flew at once to her side and said: “She is not dead, but, as I said, she shall sleep a hundred years, and can be awakened only by a good Prince.” They carried the sleeping Princess home, but when the Fairy thought how lonely she would be on awaking in a hundred years, she touched with her wand all the maids and servants, even Mopsy, her pet dog, and all fell asleep and were left in the great room in the palace with the Sleeping Princess, who lay there dressed in her most beautiful, royal garments. The King and Queen died of grief soon after, and great trees grew up around the palace, hiding it from the world, until a hundred years passed away. One day a Prince, rich, handsome, and good, was hunting in this thick forest, when suddenly he saw the palace towers, and asked an officer what the building was. When the officer told him how the good Fairy had said a Sleeping Princess in the palace could be awakened only by a good Prince, he determined to try and awaken her. Quickly entering the strange palace he found the beautiful Princess, fair as wax, sleeping on her couch, dressed in her royal garments, which were very beautiful though so strange and old in style. There too were the maids and servants in their queer clothes, and Mopsy, the pet dog, sleeping at the side of the Princess. The King’s son quickly touched one of the fair hands of the Sleeping Beauty and stooped to kiss it, and in an instant the Princess opened her eyes wide and smiled at him. At the same moment all the maids and servants, and even Mopsy, awoke and looked as fresh as though they had been asleep only a night. The servants at once, helped by the good Fairy, prepared a rich wedding-feast in the great dining-hall. Then the good Prince took the beautiful Princess to his own palace, where they were married in great joy. The palace in the woods disappeared. The ugly old Fairy, Jealousy, had died years before, but the good Fairy, whose name was Patience, came often to visit the good Prince and his Beautiful Princess, who had awaked from her sleep of one hundred years.

9. JACK AND THE BEAN-STALK

Once a poor widow lived alone with her boy, Jack, who was careless and paid no attention to what his mother said. One day Jack saw her in tears, for, she said, “We have nothing now in the world but a cow, which we must sell to get food.” So next morning, taking the cow to market, Jack met a butcher who showed him some wonderful beans, which he offered to give for the cow. Jack gave him the cow for the beans, and ran home very happy, thinking his mother would be happy too over his good fortune. But his mother was so grieved that she threw the beans out of the window, and both of them went supperless to bed that night. Next morning, lo! the beans had grown so tall that the stalks made a ladder reaching far up into the sky. Unseen by his mother, Jack began climbing up, up, up, until he reached the top, where he saw a strange country, and in the distance a great house. This was the castle of a great Giant who had gone on a journey. The Giant’s wife received Jack kindly, giving him something to eat, and when the Giant came home she hid him in the oven. Through a crack Jack peeped and saw the Giant eat his supper and then place a wonderful hen on the table, and every time he said “Lay,” she laid a golden egg. When the Giant fell asleep Jack jumped out of the oven, picked up the hen, ran off with it, and climbed down the bean-stalk. He found his mother crying, but when Jack put the wonderful hen on the table and said “Lay,” his mother’s eyes grew big with surprise, and her tears dried at once. Soon they had as many golden eggs as they wished to live on. But one day a fox ran off with the golden hen. Again, unseen by his mother, Jack climbed the bean-stalk. This time the wife hid him in the lumber closet when the Giant came roaring home. Through a crack Jack peeped and saw the Giant eat his supper and then place on the table big bags of gold and silver, and play with them. When the Giant fell asleep, Jack jumped from the closet, picked up the bags of money, ran off with them, climbed down the bean-stalk like lightning, and ran home. He found his mother again in tears, but when Jack showed her the bags of gold her surprise made her smile again. Not long after that, again unseen by his mother, Jack climbed up the bean-stalk. This time the wife hid him in a large kettle when the Giant came roaring home. Lifting up the lid a little way, Jack peeped out and saw the Giant eat his supper and then take out a magic harp and began to play wonderful music. When he fell asleep Jack jumped out of the kettle, picked up the magic harp, and started off with it. But the magic harp called out “Master! Master!” so loudly that the Giant awoke and began running after Jack. But Jack reached the top of the bean-stalk first. He climbed down it like lightning, picked up his axe, and chopped down the bean-stalk at its roots, making it fall over just as the Giant began to climb down. In a moment the wicked old Giant fell down into the garden, with a loud noise like a falling tree. And that was the end of the Giant and the Bean-stalk. But Jack never again caused his mother any sorrow.

10. JACK, THE GIANT-KILLER

Once a poor farmer had a good son named Jack, who was wide-awake and always ready to help. Far up on the mountain in a great cave lived a wicked Giant named Carmoran, who was so fierce and frightful that everybody was afraid of him. Every time he wanted food he came down the mountain to the valley and carried off oxen on his back, and pigs and sheep tied around his waist. The people were in despair. One day Jack heard the town officers say: “All the treasure the Giant has hidden in his cave shall be given to whoever rids the land of this evil Giant!” Jack laughed and said to them, “I will try!” So he took his horn and pick-axe and shovel and began digging a pit, deep and broad, covering it with sticks and straw. Then he sprinkled earth over it until the place looked like solid ground. Then he stood on the other side of the pit, and just at the peep of day he put his horn to his mouth and blew, “Tan-tivy! Tan-tivy!” The old Giant awoke, rubbed his eyes and rushed out of his cave, and seeing Jack running away, cried, “You villain, I’ll pay you for troubling my sleep! I’ll boil you for breakfast!” Just as he said that down he fell into the pit, and the very foundations of the mountains trembled at his fall. “O Giant,” laughed Jack, “will no other food suit you than sweet Jack?” Jack was not long in killing the wicked old Giant in the pit. Then he went to the cave and brought out all the treasure. When the town officers heard of this good deed Jack, the farmer’s son, had done, they called him

“JACK, THE GIANT-KILLER.”

They gave him a sword and belt, and in the belt they wrote:

Here’s to the right valiant Cornishman
Who slew the Giant, Carmoran.

11. ALADDIN AND HIS WONDERFUL LAMP

Once there was a Chinese boy named Aladdin, who was playing in the street, when a strange-looking man called to him, “My boy, I am your uncle! Come with me! I will give you great riches!” He took out of his pocket a beautiful gold ring, which he gave to the boy, who walked away with him. After a long time they came to a great stone which had a ring to lift it up. The man lifted up the stone and showed Aladdin a deep cave, saying to him: “At the other end of this cave there is a door leading to a palace and a garden of fruit trees where you will find a lamp hanging. Bring me this lamp and I will give you great riches.” This man was not Aladdin’s uncle, but a wicked magician, who wanted to use the boy to get this lamp for him, for it had power to make whoever possessed it greater than any prince. Aladdin went down into the cave and found the lamp and everything just as the man had said. When he came back to the mouth of the cave he said, “Uncle, help me up!” “Give me the lamp first,” said the man. “No,” said Aladdin, “I won’t give it to you until you help me out.” That made the magician very angry. So, uttering some magic words, he slammed the stone down over the mouth of the cave, and poor Aladdin was shut up alone in darkness. The disappointed boy sat a long time thinking what to do. But suddenly when he happened to rub the ring that the magician had put on his finger and forgotten, in an instant the Slave of the Ring, a queer, little old man, stood before him saying he was ready to do for him whatever he asked. “Then take me out of this cave,” said Aladdin, and instantly he was out. He ran home and showed his mother the lamp. “I will polish it, mother,” he said, “and then we can sell it for much money.” No sooner had he rubbed it than the Slave of the Lamp, a great strong Giant, stood before him, saying that he was ready to do for him whatever he asked. “Then, bring us plenty to eat,” said Aladdin, and instantly richest food on golden plates stood before him. Every time he rubbed the lamp the Slave of the Lamp came and gave him everything he asked. One day, when he became older, he fell in love with a beautiful Princess, and he asked his mother to take several golden vases full of rich jewels as a present to the King and beg him to let the Princess become his wife. The King laughed at such an idea, but said: “If your son will send me forty golden vases like these, full of the richest jewels, he shall have the Princess.” Aladdin quickly rubbed his lamp and asked the Slave of the Lamp to bring him forty golden vases filled with richer jewels than the former ones. The King was so delighted with them that he gave Aladdin the Princess to be his wife, and Aladdin asked the Slave of the Lamp for a grander palace to live in than the King’s. They lived very happily until one day, when Aladdin was away hunting, a strange-looking man came near the palace calling out, “Lamps! Lamps! Who will change old lamps for new ones?” A servant ran to her mistress and said, “Shall I exchange this ugly old lamp I found in the cupboard for a new one?” Without waiting for an answer she took it and sold it to the old pedler, who was really the wicked magician in disguise. So he got the lamp after all. Quickly he rubbed it, and when the Slave of the Lamp appeared, he said, “Transport Aladdin’s palace and all in it to Africa.” Instantly the palace was gone. When Aladdin returned from hunting, the King ordered the poor fellow’s head to be cut off at once, but Aladdin plead for forty days to find out where his palace and Princess had gone. Then he remembered his gold ring. This he quickly rubbed and asked the Slave of the Ring to transport him to his palace. Instantly Aladdin was transported to Africa, and stood in his palace before his Princess, who was in tears because of the wicked magician. Soon after that the Slave of the Ring helped him to get back his wonderful lamp by killing the wicked magician. Then the Slave of the Lamp transported him back to his home with his palace and the beautiful Princess. But Aladdin never again lost his wonderful lamp.

12. BOOTS AND HIS BROTHERS

Once there were three brothers, Peter, Paul, and John. Their father was very poor. One day, being unable to keep them longer, he told them they must go out into the world to earn their own living. Not far from their home lived a King, in front of whose palace-windows a great oak grew, with branches and leaves so thick that the light was shut out of the palace. The King had promised a great fortune to any one who would cut the oak down. Many tried, but the strange thing was, for every chip cut off two new chips took its place, so that the tree grew larger, rather than smaller, and the palace grew darker. The King had promised also to give his daughter and half his kingdom to any one who would dig a well so that he could get pure water for his palace. Many had tried to do this, but the rocks only grew bigger for all their digging and shoveling. When the three brothers heard of this, each said, “I will help the King and get the fortune, the King’s daughter and half the kingdom.” They started off in great expectation, but they had not gone far into the fir woods on the side of a steep hill, until they heard some one hewing and hacking farther up the hill in the wood. “Now, I wonder what that is?” said Jack. “Why, it’s a woodchopper, of course,” the two brothers answered; “you are always wondering about something!” “Still, I’d like to see,” said Jack, and up the hill he went while his brothers sauntered on. Jack soon saw a strange sight--an axe hacking and hewing away all by itself at the root of a great fir tree. “Good morning,” said Jack. “So you stay here all alone and hew, do you?” “Yes,” said the axe, “and here I’ve hewed and hacked a long, long time waiting for you!” “Well, here I am at last,” said Jack, and he put the axe into his bag. When he climbed down the hill and joined his brothers they laughed at him and said, “Well, what did you see?” “The axe that we heard,” Jack answered, but he said nothing more. Farther on they came to a great ridge of rock which ran up the mountainside, and far off they heard something digging and shoveling. “Now, I wonder what that is?” said Jack. “Why, it’s a woodpecker, of course,” answered the brothers; “you are so clever with your wonderings!” “Still, I’d like to see,” said Jack, and up the rock he climbed while his brothers sauntered slowly on. At the top of the rock he saw a strange sight--a spade digging and digging away all by itself. “Good morning,” said Jack. “So you stay here all by yourself and dig, do you?” “Yes,” said the spade, “and here I’ve been digging a long, long time waiting for you.” “Well, here I am at last,” said Jack, and he placed the spade in his bag, and returned to join his brothers, who laughed and said, “Well, what did you see?” “The spade that we heard,” said Jack. So they went along until they came to a brook at which each drank, and then Jack said, “I wonder now, where this water comes from?” “Why, water rises from a spring in the earth,” laughed the brothers. “I’ve a great mind to see where this brook starts from,” said Jack, starting to climb up. At the tiny source of the brook Jack found a walnut, out of which the water trickled. The walnut said, “I have trickled and trickled here many a long day, waiting for you.” “Well, here I am at last,” said Jack, as he filled the little hole in the walnut with moss and placed it carefully in the bottom of his bag and ran down to meet his brothers again. “Well, have you found out where the water comes from?” they said. “Yes,” said Jack, “out of a hole up there.” So they kept making fun of him, until at last they reached the King’s palace. They found the oak bigger and the rock harder than ever, because so many had tried in vain. The King, in discouragement and despair, had said, “Whoever tries and fails now shall have both his ears cut off, and he shall be placed on a desert island.” The three brothers were not afraid. First Peter, and then Paul, tried to chop down the oak and fill the well with water, but instead of the fortune, they got both their ears cut off, and they were sent off to a desert island. Then Jack was ready to try. “If you want to look like a sheared sheep with your two ears cut off, we’re ready for you,” said the King’s servants, really feeling sorry for the young man. But Jack took out the axe and said, “Hew! Hew!” and soon the great oak fell with a crash and great light shone in the palace. Then he took out the spade and said, “Dig! Dig!” and soon the rock broke in two and the well was deeper. Then he pulled out the walnut, took away the moss from the hole, and put the walnut in the well, and the water trickled, trickled so fast that very soon pure water filled the well. So Jack had felled the oak which darkened the palace, removed the rock, and filled the well in the palace-garden with water. Then the King gave him the great fortune, his daughter’s hand in marriage and one-half his kingdom, as he had promised. And the axe, and the spade, and the walnut said: “Those who have ears and will not use them must not complain if they are removed; and are we to blame if we help only those who are ready to use us?”

II

FABLES

(_Adapted for Children, Three to Nine Years._)

1. THE BOY AND THE NUTS

One day a selfish Boy saw a jar of nuts. He put his hand into the jar and grasped as many as his hand could hold. As the mouth of the jar was small he could not pull his hand out, so he became frightened and began to cry. “I can’t get my hand out!” he whined. A boy standing near said, “Take only half as many, and you can easily get your hand out!”

2. THE GOOSE WITH THE GOLDEN EGGS

Once there was a man who had a wonderful Goose that laid for him every day a fine golden egg. But the man wanted to get all the golden eggs at once. So he killed the Goose and cut her open, but found she was like all other geese. So he lost the Goose he had because he was so greedy and impatient.

3. THE DOG IN THE MANGER

Once a hungry Cow came to a manger full of hay. But a Dog was lying there, snarling and barking, and would not let the Cow come near the hay. “Mr. Dog,” mooed the Cow, “How selfish you are; you cannot eat the hay yourself, and you will let no one else have any of it.”

4. THE TOADSTOOL AND THE ACORN

In a forest a Toadstool once sprang up in a night. Early the next morning, as soon as the first passer-by touched it with his foot, the Toadstool fell to the earth and its life was ended. A little Acorn grew and grew and grew during more than one hundred years, and it is still standing strong and tall in the forest.

5. THE BOYS AND THE FROGS

One day some boys at play were throwing stones into a pond at some frogs. At last one old Frog peeped up out of the water and said, “Boys, why are you so cruel?” “We are only playing!” shouted the boys. The old Frog croaked back: “It may be fun for you, but remember it is death to us. Do to us as you would like us to do to you.”

6. THE DOVE AND THE ANT

Once a little Ant went down to the river to drink. He fell into the water and began to drown. Just then a Dove, perched on a tree, saw him and quickly dropped down a leaf, which served as a little boat on which the Ant sailed safely to the shore. “Thank you,” said the Ant as he shook his wet feet, “I shall not forget this.” Next day a Hunter was aiming his bow and arrow straight at the Dove when the Ant bit his foot, making the man jump, and the Dove flew away.

7. THE FOX AND THE GRAPES

A Fox who was hungry saw some large, juicy grapes on a vine high up in a tree. “How good they will taste,” said he; “I am going to have some of them.” Then he gave a run and leaped as high as he could, but the grapes were still far above his head. He could not reach them no matter how high he jumped. At last he trotted off in a rage, muttering, “I know those are sour grapes and not worth eating.”

8. THE CROW AND THE PITCHER

Once a Crow who was very thirsty found a pitcher with a little water at the bottom which he was unable to reach. He tried to overturn the pitcher but it was too heavy. “Ah! Ah! I know what I’ll do,” he said. So he gathered up pebbles from the ground, and one after another dropped them into the pitcher until the water gradually reached the top. Then the wise Crow was able to drink all the water he wanted.

9. THE WIND AND THE SUN

One morning the Wind said to the Sun, “I am stronger than you are.” The Sun said, “I know I am stronger than you are.” As they were quarreling over the question a traveler came in sight. So they agreed to decide the matter by seeing which first could make him take off his coat. Then the Wind began blowing, blowing as fiercely as he could. He nearly tore off the traveler’s coat, but the man buttoned his coat up more closely about him, and the Wind had to give up, beaten. Then the Sun, clearing away the clouds, shot his hottest beams down on the traveler’s back, and the man soon threw off his coat. Then the Sun said, “Wind, you make more noise, but, you see, I am stronger.”

10. THE SHEPHERD BOY AND THE WOLF

Once there was a boy who took care of a flock of sheep near a town. One day, when some men were working in the town, they heard the boy call, “Wolf! Wolf! The wolves are among the lambs!” The men ran up to him in great haste, but found no wolf among the lambs at all. The boy had a good laugh, and said, “I only called you for a joke!” He did the same thing two or three times. At last the wolves really came and began carrying off the lambs. The boy cried, “Wolf! Wolf! The wolves are carrying away the lambs!” But the men said, “He can’t fool us again!” So they would not come, and the wolves carried off many of the lambs. The foolish boy lost his place and found out, when too late, that a boy who tells lies, even in fun, may not be believed when he tells the truth.

11. THE LION AND THE FOX

Once an old Lion was sitting at the door of his den when a Rabbit came near. “Good morning, Bunny,” said the Lion, “come in and see my nice den.” “Thank you,” said Bun, and went in, but he did not come out again. Soon a Dog came by. “Come in, friend Doggie,” said the Lion. “Thank you,” said the Dog, and he went in, but he did not come out again. By and by a Fox came along. “Good morning, Mr. Fox,” said the Lion, “come in and see me.” “No, thank you, sir,” said the Fox, “I see the footprints of a Rabbit and a Dog going in, but I see no footprints pointing out.”

12. THE HARE AND THE TORTOISE

One day a Hare stood laughing at the slow pace of the Tortoise, and boasting how swiftly he could run. The Tortoise laughed back cheerfully, “Let us race five miles, and let Mr. Fox be the judge, and decide who beats.” So they got ready, and when the Fox said “One, two, three, go!” off they started. The slow-going Tortoise, jogging along, was soon left far behind by the swift-speeding Hare, who laughed at the fun and said, “I might as well take a nap!” When the Hare awoke he looked up and saw the Tortoise almost at the goal. Running like the wind he reached the goal a few minutes too late. “Oh, oh, my friend,” laughed Judge Fox, “slow and steady wins the race.”

13. ONE GOOD TRICK

Once a Cat and a Fox met in the wood. The Fox said: “I know a hundred different tricks for getting away from hunters’ dogs. How many do you know, Puss?” “I know only one,” said Puss, “and if that fails me I am a dead cat!” “Poor, poor Pussy,” sighed the Fox, “I am sorry for you!” Just then the cries of hunters and barking of dogs were heard. The Fox ran off as fast as he could, trying this trick and that, but the hunters’ dogs soon caught him. The Cat simply sprang up to the top of a tree. That was her one trick, and she was safe. “I see,” said Puss, as she saw the Fox carried off, “one good trick is better than a thousand poor ones.”

14. THE CONCEITED GRASSHOPPER

One day a very young Grasshopper and an old Rooster met out in a field. “I can jump higher than anybody,” chirped the Grasshopper. “All right; let me see you do it,” said the Rooster, at the same time opening his mouth wide as if he meant to yawn. “Here I go, then,” cried the Grasshopper. He jumped so high he landed right in the mouth of the Rooster, who gulped him down. That was the end of the boasting Grasshopper.

15. THE BLIND MEN AND THE ELEPHANT

Six blind beggars sitting by a roadside as an Elephant passed were told that they might touch it so that they would know what an Elephant was like. The first one touched only the Elephant’s side and said, “He is like a wall!” The second one felt only his tusk and said, “No, no, he is like a spear.” The third took hold of his trunk and said, “He is surely like a snake.” “No such thing,” cried the fourth, grasping one of his legs, “he is like a tree.” The fifth was a tall man and took hold of his ear, and said, “All of you are wrong, he is like a big fan.” The sixth man happened to catch hold of his tail, and cried, “O foolish fellows, he is not like a wall, nor a spear, nor a snake, nor a tree, nor a fan; he is exactly like a rope.” So the Elephant passed on while the six blind men stood there quarreling, each being sure he knew exactly how the Elephant looked, and each calling the others hard names because the rest did not agree with him.

16. THE ANT AND THE GRASSHOPPER

One warm summer day an Ant was busy gathering food and laying it up for winter. A foolish little Grasshopper who saw him said: “Oh, you poor slave, why do you work so hard? See how I play and enjoy myself! Play and sing with me.” “No, no,” replied the Ant; “if I play now, what shall I have ready for winter?” “Oh, it isn’t winter yet,” said the idle long-legs, as he hopped off again to play. At last the cold, bitter winter came. Then the Grasshopper went to the Ant to beg for some food to keep from starving, but the Ant said, “Those who play and dance all summer must expect to dance hungry to bed in winter.”

17. THE FOX WITHOUT A TAIL

Once a Fox went trot, trot, trot, toward a hen-roost to catch a hen. But the farmer had set a trap in which Mr. Fox caught his long, bushy tail, and it came right off. As he trotted back home, ashamed to be seen without his tail, he said: “I know what I will do; I will tell the foxes tails are ugly and useless. Let us cut them off.” So he called all the foxes in council, but he took good care to hold his back against a tree, so they could not see that he did not have a tail. While he was making his speech, urging them to cut off their tails, one little fox peeped behind the tree and cried, “Oh! Oh! he has lost his tail!” Then another fox gave him a push, and as he ran off in shame, all the foxes laughed, “That is why he wanted us to cut off our tails.”

18. THE BOY AND THE ECHO

“Hurrah! Hurrah!” shouted a boy in the woods one day. “Hurrah! Hurrah!” some one shouted back. He thought it must be another boy in the woods, and started off to find him, but no other boy was to be seen anywhere. “Where are you?” he called out. “Where are you?” came back at once. “You are mocking me!” he cried. “You are mocking me,” came again the voice. “You are a goose,” the boy cried, becoming angry. “You are a goose,” came back the same voice. The boy began to cry, and ran home to tell his mother that a bad boy hiding in the woods called him bad names. “Did he speak first or you?” his mother asked. When he explained it all, his mother said: “There was only one boy there, and you were that boy, and what you heard was your echo. If you had spoken kind words, only kind words would have come back to you.”

19. THE CAMEL IN THE TENT

One cold night an Arab sat in his tent, and his Camel asked if he might put his nose inside the tent to keep it warm. “Yes,” said the kind-hearted man. Soon the Camel said, “Please let me put my neck inside,” which his master permitted. “It will take no more room if I put my two front feet inside too, will it?” pleaded the Camel. The man moved a little to allow that. “May I please put my hump in too?” begged the Camel. Then, as soon as his hump was in, the Camel walked in altogether. The Arab began to complain, but the Camel said, “If you do not like this small space, you can go outside yourself.” Then he gave the Arab a push that landed him right out of his tent and stayed inside all by himself. That was the Arab’s reward for allowing the Camel to put his nose inside the tent.

20. THE MONKEY AND THE CATS

Two Cats who had stolen a large piece of cheese were quarreling over dividing it. At last they decided to refer the matter to a Monkey, who took a pair of scales and, breaking the cheese into two pieces, placed a piece in each scale. “Let me see,” he said, taking out the heavier piece, “this piece weighs more than the other.” Then he bit off quite a piece and put it back on the scale, and, of course, it was lighter than the other piece. So he took a mouthful from that side, and continued taking from first one side and then the other, until the Cats cried, “Hold! Hold! Give us the two pieces and we will be satisfied.” “Not so fast,” replied the Monkey, “justice must be given,” and he continued to nibble one piece after another. The Cats saw their cheese was almost gone and begged for what was left. “No, no, my friends,” said the Monkey, “what remains belongs to me for my pay!” So he crammed the rest into his mouth and munched it in hearty enjoyment as he solemnly dismissed the court.

21. THE LION AND THE MOUSE