mim
 
 Fairy Tales from the Far North
 
 Fairy Tales from the 
 Far North 
 
 by 
 
 P. C. Asbjornsen 
 
 Translated from the Norwegian by 
 H. L. Brækstad 
 
 With Ninety-Five Illustrations by 
 E. WERENSKIOLD, T. KITTELSEN and O. SINDING 
 
 AUTHORISED EDITION 
 
 LONDON 
 
 DAVID NUTT, 270-271, STRAND 
 
 1897
 
 Punted by Bai.lantvne, Hanson <&-• Co. 
 At the Ballantyne Press
 
 
 TRANSLATOR'S NOTE 
 
 Slowly but surely the name of Asbjornsen has been gaining 
 ground in popularity as one of the most fascinating and delightful 
 writers of Fairy Tales, not only among the young folks in this 
 country, but also among adult readers and students of Folk Lore. 
 Asbjornsen was first introduced to the English public through the 
 late Sir George Dasent's translations, published in 1858 and 1874. 
 In 1 88 1 appeared my translation of a selection of his Norske 
 Folke-Eventyr (Norwegian Folk and Fairy Tales), and his Hiildre- 
 Eventyr (Tales and Legends about the wood-fairy and other 
 supernatural beings), with the original illustrations, which a 
 number of Norwegian artists, all friends and admirers of the 
 genial author, had for some time been preparing for the first 
 illustrated edition of his Tales. The English edition was 
 published under the title of " Round the Yule Log," and met 
 with a most favourable reception both in this country and in 
 America. 
 
 A second volume, containing a further selection of his most 
 popular Tales, with illustrations by the well-known Norwegian 
 artists, E. Werenskiold, T. Kiitelsen and O. Sinding was in course 
 
 545025
 
 vi Translator's Note 
 
 of publication when, in 1885, death overtook the author, and 
 Norway lost one of her most celebrated sons. But the arrange- 
 ments for the publication of this new volume of the illustrated 
 edition were so far advanced, that the final part was able to 
 appear about two years after Asbjornsen's death. It is these 
 illustrations which appear in the pages of the present English 
 edition of the new selection of his Tales. With regard to the 
 translation, I have in this, as in my former volume, " Round the 
 Yule Log," attempted to retain as far as possible the racy, 
 colloquial flavour of the original. 
 
 H. L. B. 
 
 London, September, 1897.
 
 ^^^^^WihHf 
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 Page 
 
 I 
 
 The Ram and the Pig who went into the Woods to live by Themselves 
 
 The Golden Bird 8 
 
 The Fox as Herdsboy 20 
 
 Ashiepattle, who ate with the Troll for a Wager 22 
 
 The Quern at the Bottom of the Sea 27 
 
 Little Butterkin 34 
 
 The Contrary -minded Woman 3g 
 
 The Woodpecker 45 
 
 The Man's Daughter and the Woman's Daughter 47 
 
 The Hare who had been Married 58 
 
 \/^he Squire's Bride 61 
 
 All Women are alike 6g 
 
 ^^^ne's own Children are always the Prettiest 77 
 
 Old Father Bruin in the Wolfpit 79 
 
 The Doll in the Grass 82 
 
 The Hen who went to Dovrefjeld to save the World .... 87 
 
 Squire Peter gi 
 
 Bird Dauntless 100 
 
 ^ The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse 116 
 
 4f Soria Maria's Castle 122 
 
 Well Done, III Paid 138 
 
 Ashiepattle and his Goodly Crew ........ 142 
 
 Gudbrand on the Hill-side 155 
 
 The Twelve Wild Ducks 162
 
 viii Contents 
 
 The Bear and the Fox : 
 
 1. Slip Pine-Root, Grip Fox-Foot 174 
 
 2. The Bear and the Fox wake a Wagey 175 
 
 3. The Bear and the Fox go into Partnership 176 
 
 4. Reynard wants to taste Horseflesh . . . . . .180 
 
 The Cock who fell into the Brewing Vat 182 
 
 The Cock and the Fox i8g , 
 
 The Three Princesses in the Blue Mountain 192 y 
 
 The World's Reward 220 
 
 The Companion 226 
 
 Nanny who wouldn't go Home to Supper 246 
 
 The Lad with the Beer Keg 253 
 
 Little Fred and his Fiddle 259 
 
 The Storehouse Key in the Distaff 269 
 
 The Lad who went wooing the Daughter of old Mother Corner . . 272 
 
 The Princess whom nobody could silence 283 
 
 Farmer Weatherbeard 289
 
 THE RAM 
 
 AND THE PIG 
 
 WHO WENT 
 
 INTO THE WOODS 
 
 TO LIVE 
 BY THEMSELVES 
 
 There was once upon a time a 
 ram, who was being fattened up 
 for killing. He had therefore 
 plenty to eat, and he soon be- 
 came round and fat with all the ^T. 
 good things he got. One day -n^ '{^^ ^, ^^0^ 
 
 the dairy-maid came, and gave ^^///^^ Éfm 
 
 71'" ■■ 
 
 him some more food 
 
 " You must eat, ram," she
 
 2 The Ram axd the Pig 
 
 said ; " you'll not be long here now, for to-morrow we are going to 
 kill you." 
 
 " There's an old saying, that no one should sneer at old 
 women's advice, and that advice and physic can be had for every- 
 thing except death," thought the ram to himself; " but perhaps 
 I might manage to escape it this time." 
 
 And so he went on eating till he was full, and when he was 
 quite satisfied he ran his horns against the door, burst it open, 
 and set off to the neighbouring farm. There he made straight for 
 the pig-sty, to look for a pig with whom he had struck up an 
 acquaintance on the common, since when they had always been 
 good friends and got on well together. 
 
 " Good day, and thanks for your kindness last time we met," 
 said the ram to the pig. 
 
 " Good da}', and thanks to you," said the pig. 
 
 " Do you know why they make you so comfortable, and why 
 they feed you and look after you so well ? " said the ram. 
 
 " No," said the pig. 
 
 " There are many mouths to feed on this farm, you must know," 
 said the ram ; " they are going to kill you and eat 3'ou." 
 
 "Are they?" said the pig. "Well, much good may it do 
 them ! " 
 
 " If you are of the same mind as I, we will go into the woods 
 and build a house and live by ourselves ; there is nothing like 
 having a home of your own, you know," said the ram. 
 
 Yes, the pig was quite willing. " It's nice to be in fine 
 company," said he, and off they started. 
 
 When they had got a bit on the way they met a goose. 
 
 " Good day, my good people, and thanks for your kindness last 
 time we met," said the goose. " Where are you off to ? " 
 
 "Good day, and thanks to you," said the ram. "We had it 
 altogether too comfortable at our place, so we are off to the woods 
 to live by ourselves. In your own house you are your own 
 master, you know," said he. 
 
 "Well, I'm very comfortable where I am," said the goose;
 
 The Ram axd the Pig 3 
 
 ■** but why shouldn't I join you ? Good company makes the day 
 shorter," said she. 
 
 " But neither hut nor house can be built by gabbling and 
 quacking," said the pig. " What do you think you can do ? " 
 
 " Good counsel and skill may do as much as a giant's will," 
 said the goose. " I can pluck moss and stuff it into the crevices, 
 so that the house will be warm and comfortable." 
 
 Well, she might come with them, thought the pig, for he liked 
 the place to be warm and cosy. 
 
 When they had gone a bit on the way — the goose was not 
 getting along very fast — they met a hare, who came scampering 
 out of the wood. 
 
 " Good day, my good people, and thanks for your kindness the 
 last time we met," said the hare. *' How far are you going to-day ? " 
 said he. 
 
 " Good day, and thanks to you," said the ram ; " we had it alto- 
 gether too comfortable at our place, so we are off to the woods to 
 build a house and live by ourselves. When you have tried both 
 East and West, you'll find that a home of your own is after all 
 the best," said he, 
 
 " Well, I have, of course, a home in every bush," said the hare ; 
 " but I have often said to myself in the winter, that if I lived till 
 the summer I would build a house, so I have a good mind to go 
 with you and build one after all," said he. 
 
 "Well, if the worst comes to the worst, we might take you 
 with us to frighten the dogs away," said the pig, " for you couldn't 
 help us to build the house, I should say." 
 
 "There is always something for willing hands to do in this 
 world," said the hare. " I have teeth to gnaw pegs with, and I 
 have paws to knock them into the walls, so I'll do very well for a 
 carpenter; for 'good tools make good work,' as the man said, 
 when he skinned his mare with an auger," said the hare. 
 
 Well, he might come with them and help to build the house ; 
 there could be no harm in that. 
 
 When they had got a bit further on the way, they met a cock.
 
 4 The Ram and the Pig 
 
 " Good day, my good people, and thanks for your kindness 
 last time we met," said the cock; "where are you all going to- 
 day ? " he said. 
 
 " Good day and thanks to you," said the ram ; " we had it 
 altogether too comfortable at our place, so we are off to the woods 
 to build a house and live by ourselves. * For unless at home you 
 bake, you'll lose both fuel and cake,' " said he. 
 
 "Well, I am comfortable enough, where I am," said the cock, 
 " but it's better to have your own roost than to sit on a stranger's 
 perch and crow ; and that cock is best off who has a home of his 
 own," said he. " If I could join such fine company as yours, I too 
 would like to go to the woods and build a house." 
 
 " Well, flapping and crowing is all very well for noise, but it 
 won't cut joists," said the pig. " You can't help us to build a 
 house," he said. 
 
 " It is not well to live in a house where there is neither dog 
 nor cock," said the cock ; "I am early to rise and early to crow." 
 
 *' Yes, ' early to rise, makes one wealthy and wise,' so let him 
 come with us ! " said the pig. He was always the heaviest sleeper. 
 " Sleep is a big thief, and steals half one's life," he said. 
 
 So they all set off to the woods and built the house. The pig 
 felled the trees and the ram dragged them home ; the hare was 
 the carpenter, and gnawed pegs and hammered them into walls 
 and roof; the goose plucked moss and stuffed it into the crevices 
 between the logs ; the cock crew and took care that they did not 
 oversleep themselves in the mornings, and when the house was 
 ready and the roof covered with birch-bark and thatched with turf, 
 they could at least live by themselves, and they were all both 
 happy and contented. 
 
 " It's pleasant to travel both East and West, but home is, after 
 all, the best," said the ram. 
 
 But a bit further into the wood two wolves had their lair, and 
 when they saw that a new house had been built hard by they 
 wanted to know what sort of folks they had got for neighbours. 
 For they thought, " a good neighbour is better than a brother in a
 
 The Ram and the Pig 7 
 
 foreign land, and it is better to live among good neighbours than 
 to be known far and wide." 
 
 So one of them made it his business to call there and ask for a 
 light for his pipe. The moment he came inside the door the ram 
 rushed at him, and gave him such a butt with his horns that the 
 wolf fell on his head into the hearth ; the pig snapped and bit, the 
 goose nipped and pecked, the cock flew up on a rafter and began 
 to crow and cackle, and the hare became so frightened that he 
 scampered and jumped about, both high and low, and knocked and 
 scrambled about from one corner of the room to the other. 
 
 At last the wolf managed to get out of the house. 
 
 "Well, to know one's neighbours is to add to one's wisdom," 
 said the wolf, who was waiting outside ; "I suppose you had a 
 grand reception, since you stayed so long. But what about the 
 light ? I don't see either pipe or smoke," said he. 
 
 " Yes, that was a nice light I got, and a nice lot of people they 
 were," said he who had been inside. " Such treatment I never 
 met with before, but ' as you make your bed so you must lie,' 
 and *an unexpected guest must put up with what he gets,'" said 
 the wolf. " No sooner had I got inside the door, than the shoe- 
 maker threw his last at me, and I fell on my head in the middle 
 of the forge ; there sat two smiths, blowing bellows and pinching 
 and snipping bits of flesh off me with red-hot tongs and pincers ; 
 the hunter rushed about the room looking for his gun, but as luck 
 would have it, he couldn't find it. And up on the rafters sat 
 some one beating his arms about and shouting : ' Let's hook him ! 
 let's hook him ! Sling him up ! sling him up ! ' and if he had only 
 got hold of me I should never have got out alive."
 
 THE GOLDEN BIRD 
 
 Ti-iERh was once upon a 
 
 time a king who had a 
 
 :: 'ii!( n ; in that garden there was an 
 
 apple-tree, and on that apple-tree there 
 
 grew a golden apple every year ; but 
 
 when the time came to pluck the apple, it 
 
 was gone, and no one knew who took it or 
 
 what became of it ; but gone it was. 
 
 The king had three sons, and one day he 
 told them that he who could bring him the 
 apple, or get hold of the thief, should have the 
 kingdom after him, no matter whether he was 
 the eldest, the second or the younger son. 
 
 The eldest set out first and sat down under the tree to keep 
 watch for the thief. Soon after dark a golden bird came flying. 
 
 \Jk^
 
 The Golden Bird 9 
 
 and the light from it was so strong and dazzhng, that it could be 
 seen a long way oflf. When the prince saw the bird and the 
 dazzling light, he became so frightened, that he dared not stay 
 any longer, but rushed indoors as fast as he could. 
 
 Next morning the apple was gone ; the prince had then, how- 
 ever, recovered his courage and began to get ready for his journey 
 and wanted to set off to find the bird. The king fitted him out in 
 grand style and spared neither money nor fine raiment. When 
 the prince had gone a bit on the way he became hungry, opened 
 his scrip and sat down to his breakfast by the road side. A fox 
 then came out of the wood and sat down and looked at him. 
 
 " Do give me a little to eat," said the fox. 
 
 ** I'll give you some powder and shot," said the prince ; " my 
 food I shall want myself ; nobody can tell how far and how long I 
 may have to travel," said he. 
 
 "Just so," said the fox, and so he went back into the wood 
 again. 
 
 When the prince had finished his meal and rested awhile he 
 set out on his way again. After a long time he came to a big city, 
 and in that city there was an inn, where there was always joy and 
 never any sorrow ; he thought that would be a nice place to stop 
 at, and so he remained. And there was such dancing and drinking 
 and joy and merry-making, that he forgot the bird and his father 
 and his journey and the whole kingdom. 
 
 Away he was and away he stopped. 
 
 The next year the second prince was to watch for the thief in 
 the garden ; he also sat down under the tree when the apple began 
 to ripen. But one night, all of a sudden, the golden bird came 
 flying, shining like the sun ; the prince became so afraid that he 
 took to his heels and ran indoors as fast as he could. 
 
 In the morning the apple was gone, but the prince had then 
 recovered his courage and wanted to set out and find the bird. 
 He began to get ready and the king fitted him out in grand style 
 and spared neither money nor fine raiment. But the same thing 
 happened to him as to his brother ; when he had got a bit on the
 
 lo The Golden Bird 
 
 way he became hungry, opened his scrip and sat down to his 
 breakfast by the roadside. A fox then came out from the pine 
 wood and sat down and looked at him. 
 
 " Do give me a Httle to eat," said the fox. 
 
 ** I'll give you some powder and shot," said the prince ; " my 
 food I shall want myself; nobody can tell how far and how long I 
 may have to travel," said he. 
 
 " Just so," said the fox, and so he went back into the wood 
 again. 
 
 When the prince had finished his meal and rested awhile, he 
 set out on his way again. After a long time he came to the 
 same city and the same inn, where there was always joy and 
 never any sorrow ; and there he also thought it would be nice 
 to stop, and the first he met was his brother, and so he remained. 
 The brother had been leading a gay and reckless life and had 
 scarcely any clothes left on his back ; but now he began afresh, 
 and there was such dancing and drinking and joy and merriment 
 that the second prince also forgot the bird and his father and 
 his journey and the whole kingdom. Away he was and away he 
 stopped. 
 
 When the time came for the apple to ripen again the youngest 
 prince was to go into the garden and watch for the thief. He 
 took a companion with him who was to help him up into the tree, 
 and he also took with him a keg of beer and a pack of cards to 
 pass away the time with so that he should not fall asleep. All 
 of a sudden they saw a bright light, as if from the sun ; every 
 feather of the bird could be seen long before it came to the tree. 
 The prince climbed up into the tree and at the same time the 
 golden bird swooped down and took the apple ; the prince tried to 
 seize the bird, but he only caught a feather out of its tail. 
 
 So he went to the king's bedroom, and as he came in with the 
 feather, it became as light as day. 
 
 He also wanted to try if he could find his brothers and catch 
 the bird, for he had been so near to it that he had got a feather 
 from its tail and would know it again anywhere, he said.
 
 The Golden Bird i i 
 
 Well, the king went and pondered long whether he should let 
 him go, for he thought the youngest would not fare any better than 
 the two eldest, who ought to have more knowledge of the world, 
 and he was afraid he should lose him also. But the prince begged 
 so earnestly that at last he got permission to go. 
 
 He then began to get ready and the king fitted him out in 
 grand style, both with clothes and money, and so he set off. 
 
 When he had travelled for some time he became hungry and 
 took his scrip and sat down to have his breakfast, but just as he 
 was in the midst of it, a fox came out of the wood and sat down 
 close by his side and looked at him. 
 
 " Do give me a little to eat," said the fox. 
 
 " I shall want the food myself," said the prince, " for I cannot 
 tell how far I shall have to travel, but I have enough to give you a 
 little." 
 
 When the fox had got the piece of meat he asked the prince 
 where he was going. 
 
 Yes, that he would tell him. 
 
 " If you will listen to me, I will help you, and you will have 
 good luck," said the fox. 
 
 The prince promised he would, and so they set off together. 
 They travelled a while till they came to the same city and the 
 same inn, where there was always joy, but no sorrow. 
 
 "I must keep outside here; the dogs are rather a nuisance," 
 said the fox, and so he told the prince where his brothers were 
 to be found and what they were doing; "and if you go in there 
 you will not get any further either," said he. 
 
 The prince promised he would not go in there, and gave 
 him his hand on it, and so each went his way. But when the 
 prince came to the inn and heard the noise and merriment 
 going on he felt he must go in ; there was no help for it, 
 and when he met his brothers there was such rejoicing that 
 he forgot both the fox and the journey and the bird, and his 
 father. But when he had been there a while the fox came — 
 he had ventured into the city after all — and opened the door a
 
 12 The Golden Bird 
 
 little and made a sign to the prince, saying that now they must be 
 off. So the prince bethought himself, and they went their way. 
 
 When they had travelled a while they saw a big mountain far 
 away. The fox said : 
 
 ''Three hundred miles at the back of that mountain there is 
 a gilded linden-tree with golden leaves, and in that tree sits the 
 golden bird from which you took the feather." 
 
 Thither they travelled together. When the prince was going 
 to catch the bird the fox gave him some bright feathers which he 
 was to wave in his hands, and so attract the bird, which would 
 then fly down and sit on his hand. 
 
 But the fox said he must not touch the linden-tree, for inside 
 it was a big troll, who owned it, and if the prince only touched 
 the smallest twig the troll would come out and kill him on the 
 spot. 
 
 No, he would not touch it, said the prince ; but when he 
 had got the bird on his hand, he thought he must have a 
 twig of the tree ; there was no help for it, it was so bright 
 and beautiful. So he took a tiny little sprig, but the same 
 moment the troll came out. 
 
 "Who is that stealing my tree and my bird?" roared the 
 troll, and he was so angry that he spurted sparks of fire. 
 
 "Thieves believe that all men steal," said the prince; "but 
 only those get hanged who do not steal properly," said he. 
 
 The troll said that made no difference, and was going to kill 
 him, but the prince begged him to spare his life. 
 
 "Well," said the troll, "if you can bring me back the horse 
 which my nearest neighbour has taken from me, you will get off 
 with your life." 
 
 " Where shall I find it, then ? " said the prince. 
 
 " Oh, he lives three hundred miles at the back of that big blue 
 mountain against the horizon yonder," said the troll. 
 
 The prince promised he would do his best. But when he came 
 back to the fox he found him in rather a bad temper. 
 
 " Now you have got yourself into trouble," said the fox ; " if
 
 The Golden Bird 13 
 
 you had listened to me we could have been on our way home by 
 this," said he. 
 
 So they had to make a fresh start, for the prince had pledged 
 his word, and his life depended on his finding the horse. 
 
 At last they got there, but as the prince was going to take the 
 horse the fox said : 
 
 "When 3'ou come into the stable you will find all sorts of 
 bridles hanging on the wall, both of gold and silver ; you must 
 not touch them, for then the troll will come and kill you right 
 away ; you must take the ugliest and shabbiest you see." 
 
 Yes, the prince promised he would ; but when he came into 
 the stable he thought it was quite unreasonable not to take a fine 
 bridle, for there were plenty of them, and so he took the brightest 
 he could find. It was as bright as gold, but just then the troll 
 came and was so angry that sparks flew from him. 
 
 " Who is that stealing my horse and my bridle ? " he 
 shrieked. 
 
 "Thieves believe that allmen steal," said the prince; "but 
 only those get hanged who do not steal properly," said he. 
 
 " Well, that makes no difference. I'll kill 3^ou on the spot," 
 shouted the troll. 
 
 But the prince begged him to spare his life. 
 
 "Well," said the troll, "if you can bring me back the fair 
 damsel which my nearest neighbour has taken from me I will spare 
 
 you." 
 
 "Whereabouts does he live, then ?" asked the prince. 
 
 " Oh, he lives three hundred miles at the back of that big blue 
 mountain against the horizon yonder," said the troll. 
 
 The prince promised he would fetch the damsel, and was 
 allowed to go, and so he escaped with his life. 
 
 But when he came out 3'ou may imagine how angry the fox 
 was. 
 
 " Now you've got yourself into trouble again," said he ; " if^-ou 
 had listened to me we could have been on our way home long ago. 
 I alm.ost think I will not go with you any further."
 
 14 The Golden Bird 
 
 But the prince begged and prayed and promised he would 
 never do anything else but what the fox told him, if he would 
 only remain with him. At last the fox gave in, and they 
 became firm friends again ; so they set off once more and came at 
 last to where the fair damsel was. 
 
 " Well," said the fox, " I have 3'our promise, but I dare not let 
 you in to the troll, after all ; this time I must go myself." So he 
 went in, and after a while he came out with the damsel, and so 
 they went back the same way the}' had come. 
 
 When they got to the troll, who had the horse, they took both 
 the horse and the brightest bridle ; and when they got to the troll, 
 who had the linden tree and the bird, they took both the tree and 
 the bird and started off with them. 
 
 When they had got a bit on the way, they came to a field of 
 rye, and the fox then said : 
 
 " I hear a thundering noise ; you had better go on ahead ; I 
 will remain here a while," he said. He then plaited himself a 
 gown of rye-straw, in which he looked like a preacher. All at 
 once the three trolls came rushing along, hoping to overtake the 
 prince. 
 
 " Have you seen any one passing here with a fair damsel, a 
 horse with a golden bridle, a golden bird, and a gilded linden- 
 tree ? " they shouted to the fox, as he stood there preaching. 
 
 " Well, I've heard from my grandmother's grandmother, that 
 something of the kind passed this way, but that was in the good 
 old times, when my grandmother's grandmother baked halfpenny 
 cakes and gave back the halfpenny." 
 
 Then all the trolls burst out laughing: "Ha, ha, ha!" they 
 laughed and held on to one another. 
 
 " If we have slept so long, we may as well turn our noses home- 
 wards, and go to sleep again," they said, and so they went back 
 the way they came. 
 
 The fox then set off after the prince, but when they came to 
 the city, where the inn and his brothers were, he said : 
 
 " I dare not go through the town on account of the dogs ; I must
 
 "HA, HA, ha!" the trolls LAUGHED, AND HELD ON TO ONE ANOTHER
 
 The Golden Bird 17 
 
 go my own way just above here, but you must take good care your 
 brothers do not get hold of you." 
 
 But when the prince came into the city, he thought it would 
 be too bad if he did not look in upon his brothers and have a word 
 with them, and so he tarried there for a while. 
 
 When the brothers saw him, they came out and took both the 
 damsel, and the horse, and the bird, and the linden-tree, and every- 
 thing from him, and they put him in a barrel, and threw him into 
 the sea ; and so they set off home to the king's palace, with the 
 damsel, and the horse, and the bird, and the linden-tree, and every- 
 thing. But the damsel would not speak, and she became- pale and 
 wretched to look upon ; the horse got so thin and miserable that 
 it could hardly hang together ; the bird became silent and shone 
 no more, and the linden-tree withered. 
 
 In the meantime the fox was sneaking about outside the 
 city, where the inn and the merriment were, and was waiting 
 for the prince and the damsel, and wondered why they did not 
 return. 
 
 He went hither and thither, waiting and watching for them, 
 and at last he came down to the shore, and when he saw the 
 barrel, which was lying out at sea drifting, he shouted : "Why are 
 you drifting about there, you empty barrel ? " 
 
 " Oh, it is I," said the prince in the barrel. 
 
 The fox them swam out to sea as fast as he could, got hold of 
 the barrel, and towed it to land ; then he began to gnaw the hoops, 
 and when he had got some oft" the barrel, he said to the prince : 
 " Stamp and kick." 
 
 The prince stamped and kicked till all the staves flew about, 
 and out he jumped from the barrel. 
 
 So they went together to the king's palace, and when they got 
 there the damsel regained her beauty and began to talk, the horse 
 became so fat and sleek that every hair glistened ; the light shone 
 from the bird and it began to sing; the linden-tree began to blossom 
 and its leaves to sparkle, and the damsel said, " He is the one who 
 has saved us." 
 
 B
 
 i8 
 
 The Golden Bird 
 
 They planted the linden-tree in the garden, and the youngest 
 prince was to marr}^ the princess, for such the damsel really was ; 
 but the two eldest brothers were put each in a spiked barrel and 
 rolled down a high mountain. 
 
 Then they began to prepare for the wedding, but the fox first 
 
 THE TWO ELDEST BROTHERS WERE PUT EACH IN A SPIKED BARREL 
 AND ROLLED DOWN A MOUNTAIN 
 
 asked the prince to put him on the block and cut his head off, and 
 although the prince both prayed and cried, there was no help for 
 it ; he would have to do it. But as he cut the head off, the fox
 
 The Golden Bird 19 
 
 turned into a handsome prince, and he was the brother of the 
 princess, whom they had rescued from the troll. 
 
 So the wedding came off and everything was so grand and 
 splendid, that the news of the festivities reached all the way 
 here.
 
 THE FOX AS HERDSBOY 
 
 There was once upon a time a woman, who went out to look for 
 a herdsboy, and so she met a bear. 
 
 *' Where are you going ? " said the bear. 
 
 " Oh, I'm looking for a herdsboy," answered the woman. 
 
 " Won't you take me ? " asked the bear. 
 
 " Well, if you only knew how to call the flock," said the 
 wife. " Ho-y ! " shouted the bear. 
 
 ** No, I won't have you ! " said the woman, when she heard 
 this, and went on her way. 
 
 When she had gone on a while, she met a wolf. 
 
 " Where are you going ? " said the wolf. 
 
 *' I am looking for a herdsboy," said the woman. 
 
 " Won't you take me ? " said the wolf.
 
 The Fox as Herdsboy 
 
 21 
 
 "Well, if you only knew how to call the flock," said the 
 woman, " U-g-h ! " howled the wolf. 
 
 " No, 1 won't have you," said the woman. 
 
 When she had gone a bit further, she met a fox. 
 
 " Where are you going ? " said the fox. 
 
 " Oh, I'm looking for a herdsboy," said the woman. 
 
 " Won't you take me ? " asked the fox. 
 
 " Well, if you only knew how to call the flock," said the woman. 
 
 " Dil-dal-holom ! " called the fox in a thin, squeaky voice. 
 
 ** Yes, I'll take you for a herdsboy," said the woman ; and so she 
 put the fox to look after her flocks. On the first day he ate up all 
 the goats belonging to the woman ; the second day he finished all 
 her sheep, and the third day he ate all the cows. When he came 
 home in the evening, the woman asked what he had done with all 
 the flocks. 
 
 " The skulls are in the brook and the bones in the wood," 
 said the fox. 
 
 The woman was busy churning, but she thought she might as 
 well go and look for her flocks. While she was away, the fox 
 slipped into the churn and ate all the cream. When the woman 
 came back and saw this, she became so angry, that she took a 
 small clot of cream, which was left, and threw it after the fox, 
 splashing the end of his tail with it, and that's the reason why 
 the fox has a white tip to his tail 1
 
 ASHIEPATTLE* WHO ATE WITH 
 THE TROLL FOR A WAGER 
 
 There was once upon a time a peasant who had three sons. He 
 was badly off, and old and feeble, and the sons would not do any 
 work. 
 
 To the farm belonged a large pine forest, and the father 
 wanted his sons to cut timber in it, and try to get some of his 
 debts paid off. At last he got them to listen to him, and the 
 eldest one was to go out first and fell trees. When he got into 
 the forest and began felling an old bearded pine, a great big troll 
 came up to him. 
 
 " If you cut down my trees, I'll kill you ! " said the troll. 
 
 When the lad heard this, he threw down the axe and set off 
 home as fast as he could. He got there quite out of breath, and 
 told what had happened to him, but the father said he was chicken- 
 hearted ; the trolls had never frightened him from felling trees 
 when he was young, he said. 
 
 The next day the second son was to go, and the same thing 
 happened to him. He had no sooner struck some blows at the 
 pine than the troll came and said : 
 
 " If you cut down my trees, I'll kill you ! " 
 
 The lad hardly dared to look at him ; he threw down the axe 
 And took to his heels, just like his brother, only rather quicker. 
 
 * The favourite hero of most Norwegian fairy tales is called Askeladen, a sort 
 of male Cinderella, and is always the youngest son of the family.
 
 " IK vor don't be quiet," shouted the lad to the troll, " I'll squeeze you 
 
 JUST AS I SQUEEZE THE WATER OUT OK THIS STONE "
 
 ASHIEPATTLE WHO ATE WITH THE TROLL 25 
 
 When he came home the father became angry, and said that 
 the trolls had never frightened him when he was young. 
 
 On the third day Ashiepattle wanted to set out. 
 
 " You indeed ! " said the two eldest ; " you'll never be able to 
 do anything, you who have never been outside the door ! " 
 
 Ashiepattle did not answer, but only asked for plenty of food 
 to take with him. His mother had nothing ready, and so she put 
 on the pot and made a cheese for him, which he placed in his 
 scrip, and then set out from home. When he had been felling 
 trees awhile, the troll came to him and said : 
 
 " If you cut down my trees, I'll kill you ! " 
 
 But the lad was not slow ; he ran into the forest for the cheese 
 and squeezed it, so that the whey spurted from it. 
 
 " If you don't be quiet," he shouted to the troll, " I'll squeeze 
 you just as I squeeze the water out of this white stone." 
 
 " Oh dear, oh dear ! do spare me ! " said the troll, ** and I'll 
 help you." 
 
 Well, on that condition the lad would spare him, and as the 
 troll was clever at felling trees, they cut them down by the dozen 
 during the day. Towards evening the troll said : 
 
 " You had better come home with me ; it is nearer than to 
 your place." 
 
 Well, the boy went home with him, and when they got there 
 the troll was to light the fire on the hearth, while the boy fetched 
 the water for the porridge. But the two iron buckets that were 
 there were so big and heavy he was not even able to move them. 
 So the boy said : 
 
 " It is hardly worth while to take these thimbles with me ; I'll 
 go and fetch the whole well." 
 
 " Oh dear, no ! " said the troll, " I cannot lose my well ; you 
 make the fire, and I'll fetch the water." 
 
 When he came back with the water, they boiled a great big 
 cauldron of porridge. 
 
 " If it's all the same to you," said the lad, '* I'll lay a wager I'll 
 eat more than you." 
 
 Jlyyx^
 
 26 ASHIEPATTLE WHO AtE WITH THE TROLL 
 
 "All right," said the troll, for he thought he could easily 
 manage that ; but the boy took his scrip without the troll seeing 
 it, and tied it in front of him, and managed to put more porridge 
 in the scrip than he ate himself. When the scrip was full he took 
 his knife and cut a slit in it. 
 
 The troll looked at him, but didn't say anything. When they 
 had been eating a good while the troll put away his spoon, and 
 said : 
 
 " I can't eat any more." 
 
 "You must eat," answered the lad. "I'm scarcely half-way 
 through. Do as I did, and cut a hole in your stomach, and then 
 you can eat as much as you like." 
 
 " But I suppose it hurts one dreadfully ? " asked the troll. 
 
 " Oh, nothing worth talking about," answered the lad. 
 
 So the troll did as the lad told him, and as you will easily 
 understand, that was the end of him. But the lad took all the 
 silver and gold which was in the mountain, and went home. With 
 that he would be able to pa}^ off something of his father's debt.
 
 THE QUERN AT THE BOTTOM 
 OF THE SEA 
 
 Once upon a time in the old, old days 
 there were two brothers, one of whom 
 was rich and the other poor. When 
 Christmas Eve came the poor brother 
 had not a morsel in the house, neither 
 of meat nor bread ; and so he went to 
 his rich brother, and asked for a trifle 
 for Christmas, in heaven's name. It 
 was not the first time the brother had 
 helped him, but he was always very 
 close-fisted, and was not particularly 
 glad to see him this time. 
 
 " If you'll do what I tell you, you 
 shall have a whole ham," he said. The
 
 28 The Quern at the Bottom of the Sea 
 
 poor brother promised he would, and was very grateful into the 
 bargain. 
 
 "There it is, and now go to the devil ! " said the rich brother, 
 and threw the ham across to him. 
 
 " Well, what I have promised I must keep," said the other one. 
 He took the ham, and set out. He walked and walked the whole 
 day, and as it was getting dark he came to a place where the 
 lights were shining brightly. " This is most likely the place," 
 thought the man with the ham. 
 
 In the wood-shed stood an old man with a long white beard, 
 cutting firewood for Christmas. 
 
 " Good evening," said he with the ham. 
 
 " Good evening to you," said the man. " Where are you 
 going so late ? " 
 
 " I am going to the devil — that is to say, if I am on the right 
 way," answered the poor man. 
 
 "Yes, you are quite right; this is his place," said the old man, 
 " When you get in, they will all want to buy your ham, for ham 
 is scarce food here ; but you must not sell it unless you get the 
 hand-quern, which stands just behind ihe door. When you come 
 out again, I'll teach you how to use it. You will find it useful 
 in many ways." 
 
 The man with the ham thanked him for all the information, 
 and knocked at the door. 
 
 When he got in, it happened just as the old man had said. All 
 the imps, both big and small, flocked around him like ants in a 
 field, and the one outbid the other for the ham. 
 
 "Well," said the man, " mv good woman and I were to have 
 it for Christmas Eve, but since you want it so badly I will let you 
 have it. But if I am going to part with it, I want that hand-quern 
 which stands behind the door." 
 
 The devil did not like to part with it, and higgled and 
 haggled with the man, but he stuck to what he had said, and in 
 the end the devil had to part with the quern. 
 
 When the man came out, he asked the old wood-cutter how
 
 The Querx at the Bottom of the Sea 29 
 
 he was to use the quern, and when he had learned this, he thanked 
 the old man and set out homewards as quickly as he could ; but 
 after all he did not get home till the clock struck twelve on Christ- 
 mas Eve. 
 
 " Where in all the world have you been ? " said his wife. 
 " Here have I been sitting, hour after hour, waiting and watching 
 for you, and have not had as much as two chips to lay under the 
 porridge pot." 
 
 " Well, I couldn't get back before ;" said the man. " I have had 
 a good many things to look after, and I've had a long way to walk 
 as well ; but now I'll show you something," said he and put the quern 
 on the table. He asked it first to grind candles, then a cloth, and 
 then food and beer, and everything else that was good for Christmas 
 cheer ; and as he spoke the quern brought them forth. The woman 
 crossed herself time after time and wanted to know where her 
 husband had got the quern from ; but this he would not tell her. 
 
 " It does not matter where I got it from ; you see the quern is 
 good and the mill stream is not likely to freeze," said the man. So he 
 ground food and drink and all good things during Christmas; and the 
 third day he invited his friends, as he wanted to give them a feast. 
 When the rich brother saw all that was in the house, he became 
 both angry and furious, for he begrudged his brother everything. 
 
 " On Christmas Eve he was so needy that he came to me 
 and asked for a trifle in heaven's name ; and now he gives a 
 feast, as if he were both a count and a king," said the brother. 
 "Where did you get all your riches from?" he said to his brother. 
 
 " From just behind the door," he answered, for he did not care 
 to tell his brother much about it. But later in the evening, when 
 he had drank a little freely, he could no longer resist, but brought 
 out the quern. 
 
 " There you see that which has brought me all my riches," he 
 said, and so he let the quern grind first one thing and then another. 
 
 When the brother saw this, he was determined to have the 
 quern at all cost, and at last it was settled he should have it, but 
 three hundred dollars was to be the price of it. The brother was
 
 30 The Quern at the Bottom of the Sea 
 
 however, to keep it till the harvest began ; " for if I keep it so 
 long, 1 can grind out food for many years to come," he thought. 
 
 During that time you may be sure the quern did not rust, and 
 when the harvest began the rich brother got it ; but the other had 
 taken great care not to show him how to use it. 
 
 It was evening when the rich brother got the quern home, and 
 in the morning he asked his wife to go out and help the hay- 
 makers ; he would get the breakfast ready himself to-day, he said. 
 
 When it was near breakfast time he put the quern on the 
 breakfast table. 
 
 ** Grind herrings and broth, and do it quickly and well," said 
 the man, and the quern began to bring forth herrings and broth, 
 and filled first all the dishes and tubs, and afterwards began flood- 
 ing the whole kitchen. 
 
 The man fiddled and fumbled and tried to stop the quern, but 
 however much he twisted and fingered it, the quern went on 
 grinding, and in a little while the broth reached so high that the 
 man was very near drowning. He then pulled open the parlour 
 door, but it was not long before the quern had filled the parlour 
 also, and it was just in the very nick of time that the man put his 
 hand down into the broth and got hold of the latch, and when he 
 had got the door open, he was soon out of the parlour, you may be 
 sure. He rushed out, and the herrings and the broth came pouring 
 out after him, like a stream, down the fields and meadows. 
 
 The wife, who was out haymaking, now thought it took too 
 long a time to get the breakfast ready. 
 
 "If my husband doesn't call us soon, we must go home whether 
 or no : I don't suppose he knows much about making broth, so I 
 must go and help him," said the wife to the haymakers. 
 
 They began walking homewards, but when they had got a bit 
 up the hill they met the stream of broth with the herrings tossing 
 about in it and the man himself running in front of it ail. 
 
 " I wish all of you had a hundred stomachs each ! " shouted 
 the man ; " but take care you don't get drowned." And he rushed 
 past them as if the Evil One was at his heels, down to where his
 
 
 
 OS 
 
 
 0! 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 * 
 
 K 
 
 W 
 
 
 
 W 
 

 
 The Querx at the Bottom of the Sea 33 
 
 brother lived. He asked him for heaven's sake to take back the 
 quern, and that at once ; " If it goes on grinding another hour the 
 whole parish will perish in broth and herrings," he said. But the 
 brother would not take it back on any account before his brother 
 had paid him three hundred dollars more, and this he had to do. 
 The poor brother now had plenty of money, and before long he 
 bought a farm much grander than the one on which his rich 
 brother lived, and with the quern he ground so much gold that he 
 covered the farmstead with gold plates and, as it lay close to the 
 shore, it glittered and shone far out at sea. All those who sailed 
 past wanted to call and visit the rich man in the golden house, and 
 everybody wanted to see the wonderful quern, for its fame had 
 spread both far and wide, and there was no one who had not 
 heard it spoken of. 
 
 After a long while there came a skipper who wanted to see the 
 quern ; he asked if it could grind salt. Yes, that it could, said he who 
 owned it ; and when the skipper heard this he wanted the quern 
 by hook or by crook, cost what it might, for if he had it he thought 
 he need not sail far away across dangerous seas for cargoes of salt. 
 
 At first the man did not want to part with it, but the skipper 
 both begged and prayed, and at last he sold it and got man}^, 
 many thousand dollars for it. 
 
 As soon as the skipper had got the quern on his back he did 
 not stop long, for he was afraid the man would change his mind, 
 and as for asking how to use it he had no time to do that ; he made 
 for his ship as quickly as he could, and when he had got out to sea 
 a bit he had the quern brought up on deck. 
 
 " Grind salt, and that both quickly and well," said the skipper, 
 and the quern began to grind out salt so that it spurted to all sides. 
 
 When the skipper had got the ship tilled he wanted to stop the 
 quern, but however much he tried and whatever he did the quern 
 went on grinding, and the mound of salt grew higher and higher, 
 and at last the ship sank. 
 
 There at the bottom of the sea stands the quern grinding till 
 this very day, and that is the reason why the sea is salt. 
 
 c
 
 ///y 
 
 LITTLE BUTTERKIN 
 
 Once upon a time there was a woman who was sitting baking. 
 She had a little boy who was so fat and plump and who was so 
 fond of good food that she called him Butterkin. She also had a 
 dog called Goldtooth. 
 
 One da}', all of a sudden, the dog began to bark. 
 
 " Run out, Butterkin ! " said the woman, " and see what 
 Goldtooth is barking at." 
 
 So the boy ran out and came back, saying : 
 
 " Oh, mother, mother ! There's a great big troll-wife coming 
 here, with her head under her arm and a bag on her back."
 
 Little Butterkin 35 
 
 " Run under the table and hide yourself," said his mother. 
 
 The big troll-wife then came in. 
 
 " Good day I " she said. 
 
 " Good day to you ! " said Butterkin's mother. 
 
 "Is Butterkin at home to-day?" asked the troll-wife. 
 
 " No, he is in the forest with his father, after the ptarmigan," 
 answered the woman, 
 
 " That's a pity," said the troll ; " for I have such a nice little 
 silver knife I wanted to give him." 
 
 " Peep, peep, here I am," said Butterkin under the table, and 
 crept out. 
 
 " I am so old and stiff in my back," said the troll, "you must 
 get into the bag and find it yourself." 
 
 No sooner was Butterkin in the bag than the troll threw it across 
 her back and walked off with him. When they had gone a bit on 
 the way the troll got tired and asked : 
 
 " How far have I to go before I can lie down and sleep ? " 
 
 "About a mile," answered Butterkin. The troll then put 
 down the bag by the roadside and went in among the bushes by 
 herself and lay down to sleep. In the meantime Butterkin took 
 the opportunity, pulled out his knife, cut a hole in the bag and 
 jumped out ; he then put a big root of a fir-tree in his place 
 and ran home to his moJ;her. When the troll-wife reached 
 home and saw what she had in the bag she flew into a great 
 rage. 
 
 The next day the woman sat baking again. All at once the 
 dog began to bark. 
 
 " Run out, Butterkin," said she, " and see what Goldtooth is 
 barking at." 
 
 " Oh, mother, mother ! It's that terrible old troll ! " said 
 Butterkin. " Here she is again, with her head under her arm and 
 a big bag on her back." 
 
 " Run under the table and hide yourself," said his mother. 
 
 " Good-day ! " said the troll-wife. " Is Butterkin at home 
 to-day ? "
 
 36 Little Butterkix 
 
 " No, indeed he is not," said his mother ; " he is out in the 
 forest with his father, after the ptarmigan." 
 
 " That's a pity ! " said the troll ; " for I have such a nice little 
 silver fork I v^anted to give him." 
 
 " Peep, peep ! Here I am ! " said Butterkin, and crept out. 
 
 " I am so stiff in my back," said the troll, " you must get into 
 the bag and find it yourself." 
 
 No sooner v^as Butterkin in the bag than the troll threw it 
 across her back and walked off with him. When they had gone 
 a good bit on the way the troll got tired and asked : 
 
 " How far have I to go before I can lie down and sleep ? " 
 
 " About two miles," answered Butterkin. The troll then put 
 down the bag by the roadside and went into the wood and lay 
 down to sleep. While the troll-wife took her nap, Butterkin cut 
 a hole in the bag, and when he had got out he put a big stone in 
 his place. As soon as the troll-wife reached home she lighted a 
 great fire in the hearth and put on a large cauldron in which to 
 boil Butterkin, but when she took the bag to empty Butterkin into 
 the cauldron, the stone fell out, and knocked a hole in the bottom 
 of the cauldron, so the water rushed out and put out the fire. The 
 troll then became very angry and said : 
 
 " Let him make himself ever so heavy, I'll be even with him 
 yet." 
 
 The third time it happened just as before ; Goldtooth began to 
 bark and so the mother said to Butterkin : 
 
 " Run out, Butterkin, and see what Goldtooth is barking 
 at." 
 
 Butterkin then ran out and came back saying : 
 
 ** Oh, mother, mother ! It's that troll again, with her head 
 under her arm and a bag on her back." 
 
 ** Run under the table and hide yourself," said the mother. 
 
 " Good day 1 " said the troll, as she came in through the door. 
 " Is Butterkin home to-day ? " 
 
 "No, indeed he is not," said his mother; " he is in the forest 
 with his father, after the ptarmigan."
 
 Little Butterkin 37 
 
 " That's a pity ! '' said the troll-wife, "fori have such a nice 
 little silver spoon I wanted to give him." 
 
 " Peep, peep ! Here I am ! " said Butterkin and crept out from 
 under the table. 
 
 " I am so stiff in my back," said the troll, "you must get into 
 the bag and find it yourself." 
 
 No sooner had Butterkin got into the bag than the troll threw 
 it across her back and walked away with it. 
 
 This time the troll-wife did not lie down and sleep, but went 
 straight home with Butterkin in the bag. It was a Sunday when 
 they got home, and so the troll said to her daughter : 
 
 " Now you must take Butterkin and kill him and make broth of 
 him, till I come back again, for I am going to church, and shall ask 
 some friends for dinner." 
 
 When she was gone, the daughter went to take Butterkin to 
 kill him, but she did not quite know how to set about it. 
 
 " Wait a bit ! I'll show you how to do it ! " said Butterkin ; 
 "just put your head on the block and see how it's done." 
 
 She did so, poor silly thing, and Butterkin took the axe and 
 cut off her head, just as if it had been that of a chicken ; he then 
 put the head in the bed and the body in the cauldron, and made 
 broth of the daughter, and when he had done this he climbed up 
 on the rcof, just over the door, taking with him the fir-root and 
 the stone, and put the first over the door and the other across the 
 top of the chimney. 
 
 When the people came home from church and saw the head in 
 the bed, they thought that the daughter had lain down and was 
 asleep, so they thought they would taste the broth. 
 
 " This Butterkin-broth tastes nice ! " said the troll-wife. 
 
 " This daughter-broth tastes nice ! " said Butterkin, but they 
 took no heed. 
 
 The troll-wife then took the spoon to taste the broth. 
 
 " This Butterkin-broth tastes nice," she said. 
 
 " This daughter-broth tastes nice," said Butterkin down the 
 chimney.
 
 38 Little Butterkin 
 
 They then began to wonder who it could be, and went out to 
 see. But when they came outside the door, Butterkin threw the 
 fir-root and stone at their heads and killed them all on the spot. 
 He then took all the gold and silver that was in the house, and 
 you may imagine how rich he became ; and so he went home to 
 his mother.
 
 THE CONTRARY WOxMAN 
 
 There was once upon a time a man who had a wife, and she was 
 so contrary and cross-grained that it was not an easy thing at all 
 to get on with her. The husband fared worst of all ; whatever he 
 was for, she was always against. 
 
 So it happened one Sunday in summer that the man and the 
 woman went out to see how the crops looked. 
 
 When they came to a corn-field on the other side of the river 
 the man said : 
 
 " It's ready for reaping ; to-morrow we must begin." 
 
 " Yes, to-morrow we can begin and clip it," said the 
 woman. 
 
 " What is it you say ? Are we going to clip it ? Are we 
 supposed not to reap corn any longer ? " said the man. 
 
 ** No, it must be clipped," said the woman. 
 
 "There is nothing so dangerous as a little knowledge," said 
 the man ; " one would think 3^ou had lost what little sense you had ! 
 Have you ever seen anybody clipping corn ? " said he.
 
 40 The Contrary Woman 
 
 " Little I know, and less I want to know," said the woman ; 
 " but this I do know, that the corn shall be clipped and not 
 reaped." There was no use talking any more about that; clipped 
 it should be. 
 
 So they walked on wrangling and quarrelling, till they came to. 
 the bridge across the river, close to a deep pool. 
 
 "There's an old saying," said the man, ** that good tools make 
 good work ; 1 fancy that'll be a queer harvest which is cut with a 
 pair of shears," said he. " Shall we not settle to reap the corn, 
 after all ? " 
 
 " No, no ! it must be clipped, clipped, clipped ! " shouted the 
 woman jumping up and clipping her fingers under the man's 
 nose. 
 
 In her passion she forgot to look where she was going, and 
 all at once she stumbled over one of the beams on the bridge and 
 fell into the river. 
 
 " Old habits are hard to change," thought the man, " but it 
 would be a wonder if I, for once, got my way." 
 
 He waded out into the pool and got hold of her by the hair, 
 till her head was just out of the water. 
 
 " Shall we reap the corn then ? " he said. 
 
 " Clip, clip, clip ! " screamed the woman. 
 
 " I'll teach you to clip," thought the man, and ducked her 
 under the water. But that wasn't of much use ; " they must clip 
 it," she said, as he brought her to the surface again. 
 
 " I do believe the woman is crazy," said the man to himself ; 
 "many are mad and don't know it, and many have sense 
 and don't use it ; but I must try once more, anyhow," said 
 he. But no sooner had he ducked her under again than she 
 held her hand above the water and began to clip with her 
 fingers, like a pair of shears. Then the man got furious and 
 kept her under so long that her hand all of a sudden fell under 
 water, and the woman became so heavy that he had to let go 
 his hold.
 
 " xo, no! it must be clipped, clipped, clipped!" shouted the 
 
 WOMAN, clipping HER FINGERS UNDER THE MAN'S NOSE
 
 The Contrary Woman 
 
 43 
 
 "If you want to drag me down into the pool with you, you 
 may He there, you wretch ! " said the man. And so the woman 
 was drowned. 
 
 But after a while he thought it wasn't right that she should lie 
 there and not be buried in Christian soil, so he went along the 
 river and searched and dragged for her ; but for all his searching 
 
 SHE HELD HER HAND ABOVE THE WATER AND BEGAN TO CLIP WITH HER 
 FINGERS, LIKE A PAIR OF SHEARS 
 
 and all his dragging he could not find her. He took the people on 
 the farm and others in the neighbourhood with him, and they 
 began dragging the river all the way down ; but for all the search- 
 ing they could not find the woman. 
 
 "Well," said the man, "this is not much use! This woman 
 was a sort by herself; while she was alive she was altogether a 
 contrary one, and it is not likely she'll be different now," he said.
 
 44 
 
 The Contrary Woman 
 
 " we must search up the river for her, and try above the fall ; 
 perhaps she has floated upwards." 
 
 So they went up the river and searched and dragged for her 
 above the fall, and there, sure enough, she lay. That shows what 
 a contrary woman she was !
 
 THE WOODPECKER 
 
 In those days when the saints used to wander 
 about on earth, St. Peter once came to a woman 
 who was sitting baking oatcakes. Her name 
 was Gertrude, and she had a red cap on her 
 head. 
 
 As St. Peter had been walking a long dis- 
 tance and was hungry, he asked her for a bit of 
 
 her cake. Yes, he might have some, and she took a tiny lump of 
 
 dough and began to roll it out ; but it became so big that it filled 
 
 the whole of the board. No, that cake was too big, he shouldn't 
 
 have that one. 
 
 She then took a still smaller lump of dough, but when she had 
 
 rolled it out and put it on the slab to bake, that one also became 
 
 too big. He shouldn't have that one either. 
 
 The third time she took a still smaller lump, a tiny little one ; 
 
 but this time also the cake became too big.
 
 46 The Woodpecker 
 
 " I have nothing to give you," said the woman ; ** you may as 
 well go without your bit, for all the cakes are too big." 
 
 Then St. Peter became angry and said : " Because you be- 
 grudge me such a trifle you shall be punished, and you shall 
 become a bird and seek your food between the bark and the wood 
 and have nothing to drink except when it rains." 
 
 He had no sooner said the last word than she became a wood- 
 pecker and flew from the hearth up the chimney. To this day 
 you can see her flying about with her red cap on and her body all 
 over black from the chimney. She is always tapping and pecking 
 at the trees for food, and piping when it is going to rain, for she is 
 always thirsty and is then waiting for water.
 
 THE MAN'S DAUGHTER AND THE 
 WOMAN'S DAUGHTER 
 
 Once upon a time there were a man and a woman who got married ; 
 they had each a daughter. The woman's daughter was lazy and 
 idle and would never do any work, and the man's daughter was 
 active and willing, but for all that, she could never please the step- 
 mother, and both the woman and her daughter would have liked 
 to get rid of her. 
 
 One day they were sitting by the well spinning ; the woman's 
 daughter had flax to spin, but the man's daughter had nothing else 
 but bristles. 
 
 " You are always so clever and smart," said the woman's 
 daughter, " but still I'm not afraid to try and see who can spin the 
 most." 
 
 They agreed, that the one whose thread first broke, should be 
 put into the well. 
 
 All at once the man's daughter's thread broke, so she was put 
 into the well. But when she came to the bottom she found she 
 was not hurt ; and far and wide around she saw nothing but a 
 beautiful green meadow. 
 
 She walked for some time in the meadow, till she came to a 
 hedge which she had to climb over. 
 
 " Do not step heavily on me," said the hedge, " and I'll help you
 
 48 The Max's Daughter axd the Woman's Daughter 
 
 another time." She made herself as h'ght as a feather and stepped 
 over so carefully that she scarcel}' touched it. 
 
 So she went on a bit farther, till she came to a brindled cow, 
 which had a milk pail on her horns ; it was a fine large cow, and 
 her udder was round and full of milk. 
 
 " Please do milk me," said the cow, " for I am so full of milk ; 
 drink as much as you like and pour the rest over my hoofs, and I'll 
 help you some other time." 
 
 The man's daughter did as the cow had asked her ; the moment 
 she took hold of the teats the milk squirted into the pail, then she 
 drank as much as she could and the rest she poured over the cow's 
 hoofs, and the pail she hung on the horns again. 
 
 When she had gone a bit further she met a large ram, which 
 had such long thick wool that it trailed along the ground, and on 
 one of his horns hung a large pair of shears. 
 
 *' Please do shear me," said the ram, ** for here I have to go 
 about panting with all this wool, and it is so warm I am almost 
 stifled. Take as much wool as you like and twist the rest round 
 my neck, and I'll help you another time." 
 
 She was quite willing, and the ram lay down in her lap ; he was 
 so quiet and she sheared him so neatly, that she did not make a 
 single scratch in his skin. She then took as much as she wanted 
 of the wool, and the rest she twisted round the ram's neck. 
 
 A little further on she came to an apple-tree, which was so 
 laden with apples that all the branches were bent to the ground. 
 Close to the trunk stood a small pole. 
 
 "Please do pluck some of my apples." said the tree, "so that 
 my branches can straighten themselves, for it is quite painful to 
 stand so crooked, but be sure and strike me gently and lightl}^, so 
 that you do not injure me. Eat as many as you like and place the 
 rest around my root, and I'll help you some other time." 
 
 So she plucked all she could reach, and then she took the pole 
 and carefully knocked down all the other apples ; she ate till she 
 was satisfied, and the rest she placed neatly round the root. 
 
 Then she walked on a long, long way, till she came to a large
 
 SHE WENT IN TO THE TKOLL-NVIFE AND ASKED IF THEY WANTED 
 A SERVANT MAID
 
 The Man's Daughter axd the Woman's Daughter 51 
 
 farm, where a troll-wife and her daughter lived. She went in and 
 asked if they wanted a serving maid. 
 
 " Oh, it's no use," said the troll-wife, " we have tried many, 
 but none of them were good for anything." But she begged so 
 hard, that at last they took her into service ; and the troll-wife 
 gave her a sieve and told her to fetch some water in it. She 
 thought it was rather unreasonable that they should ask her to 
 fetch water in a sieve, but she went all the same, and when she 
 came to the well the little birds were singing : 
 
 " Rub in clay ! 
 Put in hay ! 
 Rub in clay ! 
 Put in hay ! " 
 
 She did so and was then able to carry the water in the sieve 
 easily enough, but when she came home with the water and the 
 troll-wife saw the sieve, she said : 
 
 " You have not done that by yourself" 
 
 The troll-wife then told her to go into the cow-house and clean 
 it out and then milk the cows ; but when she came there she found 
 that the shovel was so big and heavy she could not use it, she 
 could not even lift it. She did not know what to do, but the birds 
 sang to her that she should take the handle of the besom and 
 throw a little out with it and then all the rest would follow. 
 
 She did this and no sooner had she done it than the cow- 
 house was as clean as if it had been cleaned and swept. She had 
 next to milk the cows, but they were so restless and kicked and 
 plunged so that she could not get any milking done at all. Then 
 she heard the birds singing outside : 
 
 " A little squirt ! 
 A little sip ! 
 To little birds!" 
 
 She squirted a little milk out to the birds and then all the cows 
 stood still and let her milk them ; they neither kicked nor plunged, 
 they did not even lift a leg.
 
 52 The Man's Daughter and the Woman's Daughter 
 
 When the troll-wife saw her coming in with the milk she 
 said : 
 
 "You have not done this by yourself. Now you must take 
 this black wool and wash it white." 
 
 The girl did not know how she should get this done, for she 
 had never seen any one who could wash black wool white. But 
 she said nothing, she took the wool and went to the well with it. 
 The little birds sang to her that she should take the wool and put 
 it in the big bucket that was standing near the well, and it would 
 become white. 
 
 '' Oh dear, oh dear ! " said the troll-wife, when the girl came in 
 with the wool. " It's no use keeping you, you can do everything ; 
 you will worry the life out of me in the end, it is better you should 
 go your way." 
 
 The troll-wife then brought out three caskets, a red, a green, 
 and a blue one, and the girl might take whichever she liked, and 
 that was to be her wages. She did not know which one to take^ 
 but the little birds sang : 
 
 " Take not the green ! 
 Take not the red ! 
 But take the blue ! 
 On which we've put 
 Three little crosses ! " 
 
 She then took the blue one, as the birds had told her. 
 
 "A curse upon you," said the troll-wife, "you will be sure to 
 suffer for this." 
 
 When the man's daughter was going the troll-wife threw a 
 red-hot iron bar after her, but the girl ran behind the door and 
 hid herself, so the bar missed her, for the little birds had told her 
 what to do. 
 
 She set off as quickly as she could ; but when she came to the 
 apple tree she heard a rumbling noise behind her on the road ; it 
 was the troll-wife and her daughter, who were after her. The 
 girl got so frightened she did not know what to do with herself. 
 
 "Come here to me," said the apple-tree, "and I'll help you.
 
 The Man's Daughter axd the Woman's Daughter 53 
 
 Hide yourself under my branches, for if they get hold of you, 
 they will take the casket from you and tear you to pieces." The 
 girl did so, and just then up came the troll-wife and her daughter. 
 
 ** Have you seen any girl go past here ? " said the troll-wife. 
 
 '* Oh, yes," said the tree, "one ran past awhile ago; but she 
 is now so far away you'll never overtake her." 
 
 The troll-wife then turned about and set off home. 
 
 The girl walked on a bit ; but when she came to the ram, she 
 heard the rumbling noise again on the road, and she became so 
 frightened and terrified, that she did not know what to do with 
 herself; for she knew it was the troll-wife who had changed her 
 mind. 
 
 " Come here and I'll help you," said the ram. " Hide yourself 
 under my wool and they won't see you ; or else they'll take the 
 casket from you and tear you to pieces." 
 
 All at once the troll-wife came rushing up. 
 
 " Have you seen a girl go past here ? " she asked the ram. 
 
 " Oh, yes," said the ram, " I saw one a while ago, but she ran 
 so fast that you will never overtake her." So the troll-wife turned 
 round and went home. 
 
 When the girl had got as far as the cov/, she heard the 
 rumbling noise again on the road. 
 
 "Come here," said the cow, "and I'll help you; hide yourself 
 under my udder, or else the troll-wife will take the casket from 
 you, and tear you to pieces." Before long she came. 
 
 " Have you seen any girl go past here ? " said the troll-wife to 
 the cow. 
 
 " Yes, I saw one a while ago, but she is far away now, for she 
 was running so fast that you will never overtake her," said the 
 cow. The troll-wife then turned round and went home again. 
 
 When the girl had got a long long bit on the way and was not 
 far from the hedge, she heard the noise again on the road ; she 
 became terribly frightened, for she knew it was the troll-wife who 
 had come back again. 
 
 " Come here and I'll help you," said the hedge, " creep in
 
 54 The Max's Daughter axd the Woman's Daughter 
 
 among my twigs, and they won't see you ; or else they will take 
 the casket from you and tear you to pieces." She made haste to 
 hide herself among the twigs of the hedge. 
 
 " Have you seen any girl go past here ? " said the troll-wife to 
 the hedge. 
 
 "No, I have not seen any girl," said the hedge, and it became 
 so angry 3^ou could hear it crackle. Then it made itself so big, it 
 was no use trying to get over it. There was no help for it ; the 
 troll-wife had to turn round and go home again. 
 
 When the man's daughter got home both the woman and her 
 daughter were still more spiteful than they had been before ; for 
 now she was still more beautiful, and so grand, that it was a 
 pleasure to look at her. She was not allowed to stop with them, 
 but they sent her to the pig-sty, where she was to live. She 
 then began to wash and clean out the place, and then she opened 
 her casket to see what she had got for wages ; when she opened 
 it she found there was so much gold and silver, and so many 
 beautiful things in it, that both the walls and roof were covered, 
 and the pig-sty became more magnificent than the finest palace. 
 
 When the step-mother and the daughter saw this they were 
 quite beside themselves, and began to ask her what sort of service 
 she had been in. 
 
 " Oh," she said, " you can easily guess since I have had such 
 wages. Such a mistress to work for, and such people you will 
 not easily find ! " 
 
 The woman's daughter then wanted to set out and go into 
 service, so that she also might get such a golden casket. 
 
 They then sat down to spin again ; but this time the woman's 
 daughter was to spin bristles, and the man's daughter flax, and 
 the one who first broke the thread would be put into the well. 
 
 Before long the woman's daughter broke her thread, as you 
 may guess, and so they threw her into the well. 
 
 Everything happened as before ; she fell to the bottom, but 
 did not hurt herself, and then she came to a beautiful green 
 meadow. When she had walked a bit she came to the hedge.
 
 The Man's Daughter and the Woman's Daughter 55 
 
 " Do not step heavily on me, and I will help 3^ou another time," 
 said the hedge. 
 
 " Oh, what do I care about a lot of twigs," she said, and trod 
 heavily on the hedge, so that it groaned. 
 
 In a little while she came to the cow, which wanted milking 
 again. 
 
 "Please do milk me," said the cow, "and I will help you 
 another time ; drink as much as you like, and pour the rest over 
 my hoofs." 
 
 This she did ; she milked the cow, and drank as long as she 
 was able, till there was nothing left to pour over the hoofs. She 
 then threw the pail down the hill and went her way. When she 
 had gone a bit further she came to the ram, which was going 
 about trailing his wool along the ground. 
 
 " Do shear me, and I'll help you another time," said the ram ; 
 " take as much of the wool as you like, but twist the rest around 
 my neck." She did this, but sheared the ram so roughly that she 
 made big gashes in his skin ; and then she took all the wool away 
 with her. 
 
 In a little while she came to the apple-tree, which was quite 
 bent down under the weight of its apples. 
 
 " Please do pluck my apples, so that my branches can straighten 
 themselves, for it is painful to stand so crooked," said the apple- 
 tree, " but be careful not to injure me ; eat as many as you like, 
 but place the rest at my root, and I'll help you another time." 
 
 She plucked some of the nearest, and those she could not 
 reach she knocked down with the pole ; but she did not care how 
 she did it. She tore down large branches, and ate till she was 
 unable to eat any more ; and then she threw the rest under the 
 tree. 
 
 When she had walked a little way she came to the farm, where 
 the troll-wife lived, and asked to be taken into service. The troll- 
 wife said she would not have any servant girl, for either they 
 were good for nothing or else they were far too clever, and cheated 
 her of what she had. The woman's daughter did not give in, but
 
 56 The Man's Daughter and the Woman's Daughter 
 
 said she must have a place ; and then the troll-wife said she would 
 
 take her, if she was good for anything. 
 
 The first thing she got to do was to fetch water in the sieve. 
 
 She went to the well and poured water into the sieve, but as fast 
 
 as she poured it in it ran out. The birds then sang : 
 
 " Rub in clay ! 
 Put in hay I 
 Rub in clay ! 
 Put in hay ! " 
 
 But she didn't take any notice of what the bird's sang ; she 
 threw the clay at them, so that they flew away, and she had to go 
 back with an empty sieve, and got scolded by the troll-wife. She 
 was then to clean out the cow-house and milk the cows, but she 
 thought she w^as too good for that. She went into the cow-house, 
 however ; and when she got there she found she could not use the 
 shovel ; it was so big. The birds said the same to her as to the 
 man's daughter — that she should take the besom and sweep out 
 the litter, and all the rest would follow ; but she took the besom 
 and threw it at the birds. When she was going to milk the 
 cows they were so restless that they kicked and plunged, and 
 every time she had got a little in the pail they kicked it over. 
 The birds sang : 
 
 " A little squirt ! 
 
 A little sip ! 
 
 For little birds ! " 
 
 But she struck and beat the cows, flung and threw everything 
 she could get hold of at the birds, and carried on in a way that 
 was never heard of. She had not, of course, cleaned the cow- 
 house or milked the cows, so when she came in she got both blows 
 and scolding from the troll-wife. She was then to wash the 
 black wool white, but she did not fare any better with that. 
 The troll-wife thought this was too bad, and so she brought out 
 three caskets — one red, one green, and one blue — and told her 
 she had no use for her, as she was fit for nothing ; but she 
 should have a casket all the same for her wages, and could 
 choose which she liked best. Then the birds sang :
 
 The Max's Daughter and the Woman's Daughter 57 
 
 " Take not the green! 
 Take not the red ! 
 But take the blue ! 
 Which we have put 
 Three crosses on ! " 
 
 She did not take any notice of what the birds sang, but took 
 the red one, which was the gaudiest. So she set out on her 
 way home, and got there without any trouble, for there was no 
 one in pursuit of her. 
 
 When she got home the mother was greatly rejoiced to see 
 her, and they went at once into the parlour and placed the 
 casket there, for they thought there was nothing but gold and 
 silver in it, and they believed that both the walls and the roof 
 would be covered with gold. But as soon as they opened the 
 casket there swarmed out of it vipers and toads, and when the 
 daughter opened her mouth it was just the same ; vipers and 
 toads and all sorts of vermin fell out, till at last it was impos- 
 sible to live in the same house with her. And that was all she 
 got for serving the troll-wife !
 
 THE HARE WHO HAD BEEN 
 MARRIED 
 
 Once upon a time a hare was running and irisking about in a 
 cornfield. 
 
 " Hurray ! hurrah ! hurray ! " he shouted, as he jumped and 
 skipped along. 
 
 All of a sudden he turned a somersault, and found himself 
 standing on his hind legs in a new-sown cornfield. 
 
 Just then a fox came slinking b}'. 
 
 " Good day, good day to you ! " said the hare. " I feel so jolly 
 to-day, for I have been married, you must know ! " 
 
 " That's a good thing for you," said the fox. 
 
 " Oh, I don't know so much about that," said the hare, " for 
 she was rather a cross-grained creature, and she turned out a 
 regular scold of a wife, she did." 
 
 "That was a bad thing for you," said the fox. 
 
 " Oh, it wasn't so bad," said the hare, " for I got a lot of mone}' 
 with her, and she had a house of her own besides." 
 
 "That was a very good thing indeed," said the fox. 
 
 " Oh, I don't know so much about that," said the hare, " for 
 the house got burnt down, and everything we had along with it." 
 
 "That was really too bad," said the fox. 
 
 " Oh, not so ver}' bad after all," said the hare, " for that cross- 
 grained wife of mine was burnt as well."
 
 THE SQUIRE'S BRIDE 
 
 Once upon a time there was a rich squire who owned a large 
 farm, and had plenty of silver at the bottom of his chest and 
 money in the bank besides ; but he felt there was something 
 wanting, for he was a widower. 
 
 One day the daughter of a neighbouring farmer was working 
 for him in the hayfield. The squire saw her and liked her very 
 much, and as she was the child of poor parents he thought, if 
 he only hinted that he wanted her, she would be ready to marry 
 him at once. 
 
 So he told her he had been thinking of getting married again.
 
 62 The Squire's Bride 
 
 "Ay! one may think of many things," said the girl, laughing 
 slyly. In her opinion the old fellow ought to be thinking of 
 something that behoved him better than getting married. 
 
 " Well, you see, I thought that you should be my wife ! " 
 
 " No, thank 3fou all the same," said she, " that's not at all 
 likely." 
 
 The squire was not accustomed to be gainsaid, and the more 
 she refused him the more determined he was to get her. 
 
 But as he made no progress in her favour, he sent for her 
 father and told him that if he could arrange the matter with his 
 daughter he would forgive him the money he had lent him, and 
 he would also give him the piece of land which lay close to his 
 meadow into the bargain. 
 
 " Yes, 3'ou ma}' be sure I'll bring my daughter to her senses," 
 said the father. " She is only a child, and she doesn't know 
 what's best for her." But all his coaxing and talking did not 
 help matters. She would not have the squire, she said, if he 
 sat buried in gold up to his ears. 
 
 The squire waited day after day, but at last he became so 
 angry and impatient that he told the father, if he expected him to 
 stand by his promise, he would have to put his foot down and 
 settle the matter now, for he would not wait any longer. 
 
 The man knew no other way out of it, but to let the squire get 
 everything ready for the wedding ; and when the parson and the 
 wedding guests had arrived the squire should send for the girl as if 
 she were wanted for some work on the farm. When she arrived 
 she would have to be married right away, so that she would have 
 no time to think it over. 
 
 The squire thought this was well and good and so he began 
 brewing and baking and getting ready for the wedding in grand 
 style. When the guests had arrived the squire called one of his 
 farm lads and told him to run down to his neighbour and ask him 
 to send him what he had promised. 
 
 "But if you are not back in a twinkling," he said shaking his 
 fist at him, " I'll "
 
 The Squire's Bride 63 
 
 He did not say more, for the lad ran off as if he had been 
 shot at. 
 
 ** My master has sent me to ask for that you promised him," 
 said the lad, when he got to the neighbour, " but there is no time 
 to be lost, for he is terribly busy to-day." 
 
 THE BOY RODE HOME ON THE BAY M.^RE AT FULL GALLOP 
 
 " Yes, yes ! Run down into the meadow and take her with you. 
 
 There she goes ! " answered the neighbour. 
 
 The lad ran off and when he came to the meadow he found 
 the daughter there raking the hay. 
 
 " I am to fetch what your father has promised my master," said 
 the lad.
 
 64 The Squire's Bride 
 
 " Ah, ha ! " thought she. " Is that what they are up to ? " 
 " Ah, indeed ! " she said. " I suppose it's that Httle bay mare 
 
 SOME PULLED AT THE HEAD AND THE FOKE LKGS OF THE MARE AND 
 OTHERS PUSHED BEHIND 
 
 of ours. You had better go and take her. She stands there tethered 
 on the other side of the pease-field," said the girl.
 
 The Squire's Bride 65 
 
 The boy jumped on the back of the bay mare and rode home at 
 full gallop. 
 
 " Have you got her with you ? " asked the squire. 
 
 " She is down at the door," said the lad. 
 
 " Take her up to the room my mother had," said the 
 squire. 
 
 " But, master, how can that be managed ? " said the lad. 
 
 "You must just do as I tell you," said the squire. " If you 
 cannot manage her alone you must get the men to help you," for 
 he thought the girl might turn obstreperous. 
 
 When the lad saw his master's face he knew it would be no 
 use to gainsay him. So he went and got all the farm-tenants who 
 were there to help him. Some pulled at the head and the fore legs 
 of the mare and others pushed from behind, and at last they got 
 her up the stairs and into the room. There lay all the wedding 
 finery ready. 
 
 " Now, that's done, master ! " said the lad ; " but it was a 
 terrible job. It was the worst I have ever had here on the 
 farm." 
 
 " Never mind, you shall not have done it for nothing," said 
 his master. " Now send the women up to dress her." 
 
 " But I say, master ! " said the lad. 
 
 " None of your talk ! " said the squire. ** Tell them they must 
 dress her and mind and not forget either wreath or crown." 
 
 The lad ran into the kitchen. 
 
 ** Look here, lasses," he said ; " you must go upstairs and 
 dress up the bay mare as bride. I expect the master wants to 
 give the guests a laugh." 
 
 The women dressed the bay mare in everything that was there, 
 and then the lad went and told his master that now she was ready 
 dressed, with wreath and crown and all. 
 
 ** Very well, bring her down ! " said the squire. " I will 
 receive her myself at the door," said he. 
 
 There was a terrible clatter on the stairs ; for that bride, you 
 know, had no silken shoes on. 
 
 E
 
 66 The Squire's Bkide 
 
 When the door was opened and the squire's bride entered the 
 parlour you can imagine there was a good deal of tittering and 
 grinning. 
 
 And as for the squire you may be sure he had had enough of 
 that bride, ami they say he never went courting again.
 
 ALL WOMEN ARE ALIKE 
 
 Once upon a time a man and a woman were going to sow, but they 
 had no seed-corn and no money to buy any with either. They 
 had only one cow and this the man was to go to town with and sell 
 to get money for the seed-corn. 
 
 But when the time came the wife would not let the man go, for 
 she was afraid he would spend the money on drink. So she set 
 off herself with the cow and took with her a hen as well. 
 
 Close to the town she met a butcher. 
 
 "Are you going to sell that cow, mother ? " he asked. 
 
 " Yes, that I am," she said. 
 
 " How much do you want for it then ? " 
 
 ** I suppose I must have a shilling for the cow, but the hen you 
 can have for two pounds," she said. 
 
 " Well," said the butcher, ** I haven't any use for the hen, and 
 you can easily get rid of that when you get to the town, but I'll 
 give you a shilling for the cow." 
 
 She sold the cow and got her shilling, but nobody in the town 
 would give two pounds for a tough, old hen. So she went back to 
 the butcher and said : 
 
 " I can't get rid of this hen, father. You'll have to take that 
 as well since you took the cow."
 
 JO All Women are Alike 
 
 " We'll soon settle that," said the butcher, and asked her to sit 
 down. He gave her something to eat and so much brandy to 
 drink that she became tipsy and lost her wits. While she slept it 
 off the butcher dipped her into a barrel of tar and then put her in 
 a heap of feathers. 
 
 When she woke up she found that she was feathered all over 
 and she began to wonder : " Is it me ? or is it not me ? It must be 
 a strange bird ! But what shall I do to find out whether it is me, 
 or whether it is'nt me ? Now I know — if the calves will lick me 
 and the dog doesn't bark at me, when I get home, then it is me." 
 
 The dog no sooner saw such a monster than it began barking 
 with all its might as if there were thieves and vagabonds about 
 the place. 
 
 " No, surel}', it cannot be me," she said. 
 
 When she came to the cowhouse the calves would not lick her, 
 because they smelt the tar. 
 
 " No, it cannot be me ; it must be a strange bird," she said ; and 
 then she climbed up on top of the storehouse and began to flap 
 with her arms as if she had wings and wanted to fly. When the 
 man saw this he came out with his rifle and took aim at her. 
 
 " Don't shoot, don't shoot," cried his wife ; " it is me." 
 
 " Is it you ? " said the man. " Then don't stand there like a 
 goat, but come down and tell me what you have been about." 
 
 She climbed down again, but found she had not a single penny 
 left, for the shilling she got from the butcher she had lost while 
 she was tipsy. 
 
 When the man heard this he said : " You are more mad than 
 ever you w^ere," and he became so angry that he said he would 
 go away from everything and never come back if he did not find 
 three women who were just as mad. 
 
 He set out and when he had got a bit on the way he saw a 
 woman running in and out of a newly-built hut with an empty 
 sieve. Every time she ran in she threw her apron over the sieve, 
 as if she had something it, and then she turned it over on the 
 floor.
 
 ll'l, '' 
 
 ^ .tVLWWWs^tW. 
 
 WHEN THE MAN SAW THE STRANGE FIGURE ON THE ROOF HE CAME OUT 
 WITH HIS RIFLE AND TOOK AIM AT IT
 
 All Women are Alike 73 
 
 " What are you doing that for, mother ? " asked he. 
 
 " Oh, I only want to carry in a Httle sun," she answered ; " but 
 I don't know how it is — when I am outside I have the sun in the 
 sieve, but when I get inside I have lost it. When I was in my old 
 hut I had plenty of sun, although I never carried in any. If any 
 one could get me some sun I'd willingly give him three hundred 
 dollars." 
 
 " Have you an axe ? " said the man, " and I'll soon get you 
 some sun." 
 
 He got an axe and cut out the openings for the windows which 
 the carpenters had forgotten to do. The sun shone into the room 
 at once and he got his three hundred dollars. 
 
 " That was one of them ! " thought the man, and set out again. 
 
 In a while he came to a house where there was aj:errible 
 screaming and shouting going on. He went in and saw a woman, 
 who was beating her husband on the head with a bat ; and over 
 his head she had pulled a shirt in which there was no hole for the 
 neck. 
 
 " Do you want to kill your husband, mother? " he asked. 
 
 " No," she said, " I only want to make a hole for the neck in 
 his shirt." 
 
 The man moaned and groaned and said : " Oh dear, oh dear ! 
 I pity those who have to try on new shirts. If any one could 
 teach my wife how to make the hole for the neck in a different way, 
 I'd willingly give him three hundred dollars." 
 
 " I'll soon do that," said the man; "only let me have a pair of 
 scissors." 
 
 He got a pair and cut the hole, and then he took his money 
 and went his way. 
 
 "That was the second of them ! " he said to himself. 
 
 After a long while he came to a farm, where he thought he 
 would rest awhile, so he went in. 
 
 "Where do you come from ? " asked the woman. 
 
 " I come from Ringerige," * answered the man. 
 * A district in the south of Norway.
 
 74 All Women are Alike 
 
 " Oh dear, oh dear ! are you from Himmerige ? * Then you 
 must know Peter, my second husband, poor soul ! " said the 
 woman. She had been married three times ; the first and the 
 last husbands were bad men, so she thought that the second, who 
 had been a good husband, was the only one likely to go to heaven. 
 
 " Yes, I know him well," said the man. 
 
 " How is it with him there ? " asked the woman. 
 
 " Oh, things are rather bad with him," said the man. " He 
 knocks about from place to place, and has neither food nor clothes 
 to his back, and as for money " 
 
 '* Goodness gracious ! " cried the woman," there's no need that 
 he should go about in such a plight — he that left so much behind 
 him. Here is a large loft full of clothes, which belonged to him, as 
 well as a big chest of money. If you'll take it all with you you 
 shall have the horse and trap to take it in ; and he can keep both 
 horse and trap, so that he can drive about from place to place ; for 
 he has no need to walk, I'm sure." 
 
 The man got a whole cartload of clothes and a chest full of 
 bright silver dollars, and as much food and drink as he wanted. 
 When he had finished he got into the trap and drove off. 
 
 ** That's the third of them ! " he said to himself. 
 
 But the woman's third husband was over in a field ploughing, 
 and when he saw a stranger driving off with the horse and trap, 
 he went home and asked his wife who it was who drove away with 
 the horse. 
 
 "Oh," she said, "that was a man from heaven; he said that 
 Peter, my second, poor dear soul, is so badly off that he walks 
 about there from place to place, and has neither clothes nor money; 
 so I sent him all his old clothes, which have been hanging here 
 ever since, and the old money chest with the silver dollars." 
 
 The man understood at once what all this meant, and saddled 
 a horse and set off at full gallop. 
 
 * " Himmerige," the Norwegian word for " heaven." The similarity between 
 the two words " Himmerige " and " Ringerige " will easily explain the mistake 
 made by the woman.
 
 All Women are Alike 75 
 
 Before long he was close behind the man in the trap ; who 
 when he discovered he was pursued, drove the horse and trap 
 into a thick part of the wood, pulled a handful of hair out of the 
 horse's tail, and sprang up a hill, where he tied the horse's hair to 
 a birch-tree, and lay down on his back under it, gaping and staring 
 up into the clouds. 
 
 " Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear ! " he said, as if talking to himself, 
 when the woman's third husband came riding up; "well, I've 
 never seen anything so wonderful ! I've never seen the like 
 of it!" 
 
 The husband stopped and looked at him for a while and 
 wondered if the man was crazy, or what he was up to. At last 
 he asked him : 
 
 " What are you staring at ? " 
 
 " Well, I never saw the like ! " exclaimed the man. " I've just 
 seen some one driving straight into heaven, horse and all ! There, 
 you see part of the horse's tail hanging on the birch tree, and up 
 among the clouds you can see the horse." 
 
 The husband looked up at the clouds and then at him and said : 
 
 " I don't see anything but the horse-hair on the birch-tree." 
 
 " No, of course you can't see it, where you stand," said the 
 man, "but come and lie down here and look straight up ; you 
 must not take your eyes away from the clouds." 
 
 While the husband lay staring into the sky till the water ran 
 from his eyes, the man jumped on the horse and set off, both with 
 that and the horse and trap. 
 
 When the husband heard the rumbling noise on the road, he 
 jumped up, but was so bewildered because the man had gone off 
 with his horses that he did not think of setting after him till it was 
 too late. He did not feel very proud, as you can imagine, when he 
 came home to his wife, and when she asked him what he had done 
 with the horse he said : 
 
 " Oh, I told the man he could take that with him as well to 
 Peter, for I did not think it was right that he should jolt about 
 in a trap up there ; now he can sell the trap and buy a carriage."
 
 76 All Women are Alike 
 
 " Oh, thank you for that ! never did I think you were such a 
 kind husband," said the woman. 
 
 When the man who had got the six hundred dollars and the 
 cartload of clothes and money, came home, he saw that all the 
 fields were ploughed and sown. The first thing he asked his wife 
 was, where she had got the seed-corn from. 
 
 "Oh," said she, "I have always heard, that he who sows 
 something gets something. So I sowed the salt which the carrier 
 left here the other day, and if we only get rain soon, I think it 
 will grow up nicely." 
 
 " Mad you are, and mad you'll be as long as you live," said the 
 man; "but it doesn't much matter, for the others are no better 
 than you."
 
 ONE'S OWN CHILDREN ARE ALWAYS 
 THE PRETTIEST 
 
 'tisit^ 
 
 Once upon a time a 
 man went out shoot- 
 ing in a forest, and 
 there he met a wood- 
 cock. 
 
 " Pray, don't shoot 
 my children," said 
 the woodcock. 
 
 "What are your 
 children like?" asked 
 the man. 
 
 "Mine are the 
 prettiest children in 
 the forest," answered 
 the woodcock.
 
 78 One's own Children are always the Prettiest 
 
 " I suppose I mustn't shoot them then," said the man. 
 
 When he came back he carried in his hand a whole string of 
 young woodcocks which he had shot. 
 
 " Oh dear, oh dear ! Why, j^ou have shot my children after 
 all I " said the woodcock. 
 
 "Are these yours?" said the man. "Why, I shot the 
 ugliest I could find." 
 
 " Yes, yes," answered the woodcock ; " but don't you know 
 that every one thinks one's own children the prettiest ? "
 
 OLD FATHER BRUIN IN THE 
 WOLF-PIT 
 
 There was once upon a time a man who lived far away in the 
 wood. He had many sheep and goats, but he could never keep 
 the wolf away from them. 
 
 " I'll be even with you yet, Master Greylegs," he said at last, 
 and began to dig a pit for the wolf. When he had dug it deep 
 enough he placed a pole in the middle of the pit and on the top of 
 the pole he fixed a board, and on the board he put a little dog. 
 He then placed some twigs and branches across the pit, and on 
 top of all he sprinkled some snow, so that the wolf should not see 
 there was a trap underneath. When the night came the little dog 
 got tired of being there. 
 
 " Bow-wow-wow !" it barked at the moon. 
 
 A fox just then came slinking along, and thought here was a 
 fine chance. He made a spring and fell plump into the pit. 
 
 As the night wore on the little dog became so weary and 
 hungry that it began to whine and bark.
 
 8o Old Father Bruin in the Wolf-Pit 
 
 " Bow-wow-wow," it barked. 
 
 All at once a wolf came slouching along. He thought here is 
 a fat little morsel, and sprang plump into the pit. 
 
 Early in the grey morning the North wind began to blow and 
 it became so cold that the little dog shivered and trembled, and 
 was so weary and hungry. 
 
 " Bow-wow- wow- wow," it went on barking all the time. 
 
 A bear then came trudging along, and thought here was a nice 
 tit-bit early in the morning ; so he stepped out on the branches 
 and fell plump into the pit. 
 
 As the morning wore on there came an old beggarwoman who 
 was tramping about from place to place with a bag on her back. 
 When she saw the little dog standing there barking she thought 
 she would go and see if any animals had been caught in the trap 
 during the night. She went down on her knees and peered into 
 the pit. 
 
 " So you have been caught, Master Reynard, have you ? " she 
 said to the fox, for she saw him first; " serve you right, you old 
 hen-thief. And you are there too, are you. Master Greylegs ? " said 
 she to the wolf. " Well, you have killed goats and sheep enough in 
 your time, and now you'll suffer for it and get what you deserve. 
 Hulloa, Father Bruin, are you in this nice little parlour too, you 
 old horse-thief? We will cut you up and flay you, we will, and 
 your skull we will nail up on the cow-house," shouted the woman 
 excitedly, and shook her fists at the bear ; but just then her 
 bag slipped forward over her head, and the woman tumbled 
 plump into the pit. There they sat staring at one another, all 
 four of them, each in their corner — the fox in one, the wolf 
 in the other, the bear in the third, and the old woman in the 
 fourth. 
 
 When it became full daylight Reynard began to shake himself 
 and whisk about, for he thought he might as well try to get out ; 
 but the old woman said : 
 
 " Can't you sit quiet, you old roost-robber, and not go frisking 
 and trailing about in this way ? Look at old Father Bruin ; he
 
 Old Father Bruin in the Wolf-Pit 8i 
 
 sits as quiet as a parson in his study ; " for she thought she had 
 better make friends with the bear. 
 
 Then came the man who had set the trap for the wolf. First 
 of all he dragged up the old woman, and then he killed all the 
 animals ; he spared neither old Father Bruin, nor Greylegs, nor 
 Reynard, the hen-thief. The man thought he had made a good 
 haul that nisfht.
 
 THE DOLL IN THE GRASS 
 
 Once upon a time there was a king who had twelve sons. When 
 they were grown up he told them they must go out into the 
 world and find themselves wives, who must all be able to spin 
 and weave and make a shirt in one day, else he would not have 
 them for daughters-in-law. He gave each of his sons a horse 
 and a new suit of armour, and so they set out in the world to 
 look for wives. 
 
 When they had travelled a bit on the way they said they 
 would not take Ashiepattle with them, for he was good for 
 nothing. Ashiepattle must stop behind ; there was no help for 
 it. He did not know what he should do or which wa}' he should 
 turn ; he became so sad that he got off the horse and sat down on 
 the grass and began to oxy. 
 
 When he had sat awhile, one of the tussocks among the grass 
 began to move, and out of it came a small white figure ; as it came 
 nearer, Ashiepattle saw that it was a beautiful little girl, but she 
 was so tiny, so very, very tiny. 
 
 She went up to him and asked him if he would come below 
 and pay a visit to the doll in the grass. 
 
 Yes, that he would ; and so he did. When he came down 
 below, the doll in the grass was sitting in a chair dressed very 
 finely and looking still more beautiful. She asked Ashiepattle 
 where he was going and what v.'as his errand.
 
 A SMALL WHITE FIGURE CAME OL'T OF OXE OF THE TUSSOCKS AMONG THE GRASS
 
 The Doll ix the Grass 85 
 
 He told her they were twelve brothers, and that the king had 
 given them each a horse and a suit of armour, and told them to go 
 out in the world and find themselves wives, but that they must all 
 be able to spin and weave and make a shirt in a day. 
 
 " If you can do that and will become my wife, I will not travel 
 an}^ further," said Ashiepattle to the doll in the grass. 
 
 Yes, that she would, and she set to work at once to get the 
 shirt spun, woven and made ; but it was so tiny, so ver}', ver}' 
 tiny, no bigger than — so ! 
 
 Ashiepattle then returned home, taking the shirt with him ; 
 but when he brought it out, he felt very shy because it was so 
 small. But the king said he could have her for all that, and you 
 can imagine how happy and joyful Ashiepattle became. 
 
 The road did not seem long to him, as he set out to fetch his 
 little sweetheart. When he came to the doll in the grass, he 
 wanted her to sit with him on his horse, but no, that she wouldn't ; 
 she said she would sit and drive in a silver spoon, and she had two 
 small white horses which would draw her. So they set out, he 
 on his horse and she in the silver spoon ; and the horses which 
 drew her were two small white mice. 
 
 Ashiepattle always kept to one side of the road, for he was so 
 afraid he should ride over her ; she was so very, very tiny. 
 
 When they had travelled a bit on the way, they came to a large 
 lake ; there Ashiepattle's horse took fright and shied over to the 
 other side of the road, and upset the spoon, so that the doll in the 
 grass fell into the water. Ashiepattle became very sad, for he did 
 not know how he should get her out again ; but after a while a 
 merman brought her up. But now she had become just as big as 
 any other grown up being and was much more beautiful than she 
 was before. So he placed her in front of him on the horse and 
 rode home. 
 
 When Ashiepattle got there, all his brothers had also returned, 
 each with a sweetheart ; but they were so ugly and ill-favoured 
 and bad-tempered, that they had come to blows with their sweet- 
 hearts on their way home. On their heads they had hats which
 
 86 
 
 The Doll in the Grass 
 
 were painted with tar and soot, and this had run from their hats 
 down their faces, so that they were still uglier and more ill- 
 favoured to behold. 
 
 When the brothers saw Ashiepattle's sweetheart, they all 
 became envious of him, but the king was 
 so pleased with Ashiepattle and his 
 sweetheart, that he drove all the others 
 away, and so Ashiepattle was married 
 to the doll in the grass ; and afterwards 
 they lived happy and comfortable for a 
 long, long while ; and if they are not 
 dead, they must be still alive. 
 
 .. <A.-
 
 THE HEN WHO WENT TO DOVRE- 
 FJELD TO SAVE THE WORLD 
 
 There was once upon a time 
 a hen, which flew up in an 
 oak-tree and perched there for 
 the night. Before long she 
 dreamt, that if she did not go 
 to Dovreljeld, the world would 
 come to an end. All of a 
 sudden she jumped down and 
 set out on the road. 
 
 When she had gone a bit 
 she met a cock. 
 
 " Good-day, Cocky Locky ! " 
 said the hen.
 
 88 The Hex which went to Doyrefjeld 
 
 "Good-day, Henny Penny! where are you going so early?" 
 said the cock. 
 
 " Oh, I am going to Dovrefjeld, so that the world shan't come 
 to an end," said the hen. 
 
 " Who told you that, Henny Penny ? " said the cock. 
 
 " I sat in the oak and dreamt it last night," said the hen. 
 
 " I'll go with you," said the cock. So they went a long way, 
 till they met a duck. 
 
 " Good-day, Ducky Lucky ! " said the cock. 
 
 "Good-day, Cocky Locky ! where are you going so early?" 
 said the duck. 
 
 " I am going to Dovrefjeld, so that the world shan't come to 
 an end," said the cock. 
 
 " Who told you that. Cocky Locky ? " 
 
 " Henny Penny 1 " said the cock. 
 
 "Who told you that, Henny Penny ? " said the duck. 
 
 " I sat in the oak and dreamt it last night," said the hen. 
 
 " I'll go with you ! " said the duck. So they set off and walked 
 a bit, till they met a gander. 
 
 " Good-day, Gandy Pandy ! " said the duck. 
 
 "Good-day, Ducky Lucky!" said the gander. "Where are 
 you going so early ? " 
 
 " I am going to Dovrefjeld, so that the world shan't come to 
 an end," said the duck, 
 
 " Who told you that, Ducky Lucky ? " said the gander. 
 
 " Cocky Locky ! " 
 
 "Who told you that. Cocky Locky? " 
 
 " Henny Penny ! " 
 
 " How do you know that, Henny Penny ? " said the gander. 
 
 " I sat in the oak and dreamt it last night, Gandy Pandy," 
 said the hen. 
 
 " I'll go with you I " said the gander. When they had gone 
 on a bit, they met a fox. 
 
 " Good-day, Foxy Woxy ! " said the gander. 
 
 " Good-day, Gandy Pandy ! "
 
 The Hen which went to Dovrefjeld 89 
 
 " Where are you going, Foxy Woxy ? " 
 
 " Where are you going, Gandy Pandy ? " 
 
 " I'm going to Dovrefjeld, so that the world shan't come to an 
 end," said the gander. 
 
 "Who told you that, Gandy Pandy ?" said the fox. 
 
 " Ducky Lucky ! " 
 
 " Who told you that, Ducky Lucky ? " 
 
 "Cocky Locky!" 
 
 " Who told you that. Cocky Locky ? " 
 
 " Henny Penny ! " 
 
 "How do you know that, Henny Penny?" 
 
 " I sat in the oak and dreamt last night that if we don't 
 go to Dovrefjeld the world will come to an end," said the 
 hen. 
 
 "Oh, nonsense!" said the fox, "the world won't come to an 
 end if you don't get there. No, come home with me to my den ; 
 that's much better, for there it is cosy and comfortable." 
 
 So they followed the fox home to his den, and when they came 
 there, the fox put so much wood on the fire that they all became 
 sleepy ; the duck and the gander settled in a corner, but the cock 
 and the hen perched on a pole. As soon as the gander and the 
 duck were asleep the fox seized the gander and put it on the fire 
 and roasted it. The hen thought she smelt something burning, 
 she jumped up to a higher perch and said half asleep : 
 
 " Faugh ! How it stinks here ! " 
 
 " Oh, nonsense," said the fox, " it is only the smoke coming 
 down the chimney ; go to sleep and shut your mouth." So the 
 hen went to sleep. No sooner had the fox eaten the gander than 
 he seized the duck ; he took it and put it on the fire and roasted 
 it and then set about to eat it. The hen then woke up again and 
 flew up to a still higher perch. 
 
 " Faugh ! How it stinks here," she said, and when she opened 
 her eyes and saw that the fox had eaten both the gander and the 
 duck, she flew up to the highest perch and settled there and 
 looked up through the chimney.
 
 90 The Hex which went to Dovrefjeld 
 
 " Just look at all the fine geese flying over there ! " she said to 
 the fox. 
 
 Reynard ran out, thinking to find another fat roast. In the 
 meantime the hen woke up the cock and told him what had 
 happened to Gandy Pandy and Ducky Lucky. 
 
 So Cocky Locky and Henny Penny flew up through the 
 chimney, and if they hadn't got to Dovrefjeld the world would 
 surely have come to an end !
 
 SOUIRE PETER 
 
 V3s\.1 
 
 There was once upon a 
 time a poor couple who 
 had nothing in the world 
 but three sons. What 
 the two eldest were called 
 I don't know, but the 
 youngest was called 
 Peter. 
 
 When the parents 
 died the children were 
 to have all they left 
 behind ; but there was 
 nothing but a porridge 
 pot, a gridiron and a 
 cat. The eldest, who 
 was to have the best, 
 took the pot. 
 
 " Every time I lend the 
 pot I shall get the scrap- 
 ings," he said. 
 
 The second took the 
 gridiron.
 
 92 Squire Peter 
 
 " For when 1 lend it I shall get a bit to taste," said he. 
 
 But there was no choice for the youngest ; if he wanted any- 
 thing he would have to take the cat. 
 
 " If I lend the cat to any one I shall get nothing for it," he 
 said ; " if the cat gets a little milk she'll want it herself, but I'll take 
 her with me any how; it's a pity she should be left behind to pine." 
 So the brothers set out into the world to try their fortune, and 
 each went his own way. When the youngest had gone awhile 
 the cat said : 
 
 " You'll not be sorry you didn't leave me behind. I'll now go 
 into the forest and fetch some fine animal which you must take to 
 the king's palace you see yonder, and say to the king you have 
 come with a small present for him. When he asks who it is from 
 you must say it is from Squire Peter." 
 
 Peter had not long to wait before the cat came back with a 
 reindeer from the forest ; she had jumped upon its head and when 
 she had settled herself between its horns she said : " If you don't 
 go straight to the king's palace I shall scratch your eyes out." 
 The reindeer dared not do otherwise. 
 
 When Peter came to the palace he went into the kitchen with 
 the reindeer and said : 
 
 " I have come with a small present for the king, which I hope 
 he will accept." 
 
 The king came out into the kitchen and when he saw the fine 
 big reindeer he was much pleased. 
 
 " But, dear friend ! who is it that sends me such a fine 
 present ? " said the king. 
 
 " Oh, it's Squire Peter ! " said the lad. 
 
 *' Squire Peter ! " said the king. " Ah, let me see, where is it 
 he lives ? " for he thought it was a shame he should not know 
 such a worth}^ man. 
 
 But the lad would not tell him. He dared not for his master, 
 he said. 
 
 So the king gave Peter some money and asked him to give 
 his master his greetings and many thanks for the present.
 
 Squire Peter 95 
 
 The next day the cat went into the forest again and jumped up 
 on the head of a stag, settled herself between its eyes and com- 
 pelled it to go to the palace. Peter again went into the kitchen 
 with it and said he came with a small present for the king if he 
 would accept it. The king was still more pleased with the stag 
 than with the reindeer, and asked again who it was that had sent 
 him such a fine present. 
 
 " Oh, it's Squire Peter," said the lad ; but when the king 
 wanted to know where Squire Peter lived he got the same answer 
 as the day before. This time he gave Peter still more money. 
 
 The third day the cat brought an elk. When Peter came into 
 the kitchen at the palace, he said that he had a small present for 
 the king if he would accept it. The king came out at once into 
 the kitchen, and when he saw the fine, big elk he became so 
 pleased he did not know which leg to stand upon. That time 
 he gave Peter much more money ; it must have been a hundred 
 dollars. 
 
 The king was now most anxious to know where Squire Peter 
 lived and began questioning him backwards and forwards, but the 
 lad said he dared not tell him, for his master had given him strict 
 orders not to disclose it. 
 
 " Well, ask Squire Peter to pay me a visit then," said the 
 king. 
 
 Yes, he would do that, said the lad, but when he came out 
 of the palace and met the cat, Peter said : 
 
 "You have got me into a fine scrape; the king now says I 
 must visit him and I have nothing but the rags I walk in." 
 
 " Oh, don't trouble about that," said the cat. " In three days 
 you shall have coach and horses, and fine clothes with gold 
 trimmings and hangings, and then you can surely visit the king. 
 But whatever you see at the palace you must say you have grander 
 and finer things at home ; 3'ou must not forget that." 
 
 No, he would be sure to remember, said Peter. 
 
 When the three days were over the cat came with the coach 
 and horses and clothes and everything that Peter wanted ; all was
 
 <)6 Squire Peter 
 
 so grand that no one had seen anything hke it before. So Peter 
 set out for the palace and the cat ran alongside him. 
 
 The king received him well, but whatever he offered him and 
 whatever he showed him Peter said it was all very well, but he 
 had everything finer and grander at home. The king was not 
 over pleased at this ; but Peter went on just the same and at last 
 the king became so angry that he could no longer contain himself. 
 
 " Pll go home with you," said the king, " and see if it is true 
 that you have everything so much grander and finer ; but if you 
 have not told the truth it will be the worse for you. I'll say no 
 
 more 
 
 I " 
 
 *' You have got me into a fine scrape this time," said Peter to 
 the cat ; " the king now wants to go home with me, but it will not 
 be an easy thing to find my home." 
 
 ** Oh, don't trouble about that," said the cat, " I will run on in 
 front, and you need only follow me." 
 
 So they set off. Peter followed the cat, who ran on in front, 
 and then came the king with all his suite. When they had driven 
 a good bit on the way, they came to a large flock of fine sheep ; 
 the wool was so long it almost reached to the ground. 
 
 " If you will say that the sheep belong to Squire Peter when 
 the king asks, you shall have this silver spoon," said the cat to the 
 herdsboy. She had taken the spoon with her from the palace. 
 Yes, he would willingly do that, said the herdsboy. 
 
 When the king came by, he said : 
 
 " I've never seen such a fine flock of sheep ! To whom do 
 they belong, my little boy ? " 
 
 ** Oh, they belong to Squire Peter," said the boy. 
 
 In a little while they came to a great big herd of fine brindled 
 •cows ; they were so fat that their hides glistened. 
 
 " If you will say the cattle belong to Squire Peter when the 
 king asks, you shall have this silver ladle," said the cat to the 
 cow-girl. The silver ladle she had also taken with her from the 
 palace. 
 
 " Yes, that I will," said the girl. When the king came up, he
 
 Squire Peter 
 
 97 
 
 was quite surprised at the fine big cattle, for such a herd he 
 thought he had never seen before ; and so he asked the girl to 
 whom those brindled cows belonged. 
 
 " Oh, they are Squire Peter's ! " said the girl. 
 
 So they travelled on again, and then they came to a great big 
 drove of horses. They were the finest one could see, big and 
 sleek, and six of each colour, both brown and red, and cream- 
 coloured. 
 
 "If you will say those horses belong to Squire Peter when 
 the king asks, I'll give you this silver goblet," said the cat to 
 the boy. The goblet she had also taken from the palace. 
 
 THEY THEN CAME TO A GREAT BIG DROVE OF HORSES 
 
 " Yes, that I will," said the boy. When the king came by, 
 he became quite dazed at the fine drove of horses, for he had 
 never seen the like of such horses, he said. He then asked 
 the boy to whom those brown, red, and cream-coloured horses 
 belonged. 
 
 " Oh, they are Squire Peter's 1 " said the boy. 
 
 When they had travelled a long, long way, they came to a 
 castle. First there was a gateway of brass, then one of silver,
 
 98 Squire Peter 
 
 and then one of gold. The castle itself was of silver, and 
 glistened so brightly that it made one's eyes smart, for the sun 
 was shining full upon it when they arrived. 
 
 They entered, and the cat told Peter to say he lived there. 
 Inside the castle was still more splendid than outside ; every- 
 thing was of gold, both chairs and tables and benches. When 
 the king had been round and seen it all from top to bottom, 
 he became quite confounded. 
 
 " Yes, Squire Peter is much grander than I ; there is no use 
 denying that," he said ; and then he wanted to return home. 
 But Peter asked him to stop and sup with him, which the king 
 agreed to ; but he was cross and peevish the whole time. While 
 they sat at table the troll, who owned the castle, came and 
 knocked at the gate. 
 
 "Who eats my food and drinks my mead in there ?" he cried. 
 As soon as the cat heard him, she ran to the gate. 
 
 " Wait a little, and I'll tell you how the farmer gets his winter 
 rye," said the cat. " First he ploughs his field, and then he 
 manures it, and then he ploughs it again " ; and so the cat went 
 on till the sun rose. 
 
 "Just look behind at that beautiful damsel!" said the cat 
 to the troll. The troll then turned round, and when he saw the 
 sun he burst. 
 
 "All this is now yours," said the cat to Squire Peter. "And 
 now you must cut my head off; it is the only thing I ask for all I 
 have done for you." 
 
 "No," said Squire Peter, "that I will not do." 
 
 " You must," said the cat, " or Pll scratch your eyes 
 out." 
 
 Squire Peter was then obliged to do it, although he was very 
 loath. He cut the cat's head off, and the same moment she became 
 the most beautiful princess any one could set eyes on, and Squire 
 Peter fell in love with her then and there. 
 
 "All this splendour has formerly been mine," said the princess, 
 " but the troll got me into his power and turned me into a cat, and
 
 Squire Peter 99 
 
 ever since I have been at your parents'. You must now do as 
 you like about making me your queen, for you are king over the 
 whole realm," said the princess. 
 
 Squire Peter was, of course, only too glad to make her his 
 queen. So the wedding took place, and the feasting lasted for 
 eight days. And as I did not stay any longer with the squire and 
 his queen I cannot tell 3'ou any more about them.
 
 BIRD DAUNTLESS 
 
 "'^■giiii-- tiiMiiiifrr ''^%*-' 
 
 Once upon a time there was a 
 king who had twelve daughters, 
 ^■v N-W.-V-,, ^^^ j^^ loved them so much that 
 
 he never allowed them out of his sight ; but every day after 
 dinner, while the king slept, the princesses went out for a walk. 
 Once, when the king was having his afternoon nap, the princesses 
 went out as usual ; but they never returned. 
 
 The whole country mourned, but the king was the one who 
 sorrowed most. Messengers were sent out to search for them, 
 both in his own and in foreign countries ; proclamations were
 
 Bird Dauntless ioi 
 
 read out in all the churches, and the bells were rung all over 
 the country. But they had disappeared and left no trace behind, 
 so the people at last guessed that they had been spirited away 
 into the mountains. 
 
 It did not take long before this was known far and wide, in 
 town and country ; yea, even in the very depth of the country 
 and in foreign lands. And so the report reached the ears of a 
 king in a far away country, who had twelve sons. 
 
 When they heard about the twelve princesses, they asked for 
 leave to set out and find them. The king did not much like 
 them to go ; he was afraid he should never see them again. But 
 they went on their knees before him, and prayed so long that the 
 king at last gave his consent. 
 
 He fitted out a ship for them and gave them a knight called 
 Redbeard as steersman, for he was a good seaman. They sailed 
 about for a very long time and visited all the countries they came 
 near, and asked and searched for the princesses, but they got no 
 tidings whatever. 
 
 But a few more days and they would have been gone seven 
 years. Then one day there blew such a gale and the weather 
 was so bad that they believed they would never reach land any 
 more. While the stormy weather lasted they were all obliged to 
 work, so they got no rest. On the third day the wind went down 
 and there came a calm. 
 
 Now they were all so tired after the hard work and rough 
 weather that they fell asleep at once, but the youngest prince felt 
 uneasy and could get no sleep. 
 
 While he paced backwards and forwards on deck the ship 
 neared a small island, and on the shore was a little dog running 
 about, barking and whining at the ship, just as if it wanted to be 
 taken on board. The prince walked up and down on the deck, 
 whistling and calling the dog, but the little creature only barked 
 and whined the more. 
 
 The prince thought it was a great pity to leave it there to 
 starve ; he fancied it must have belonged to a ship which had
 
 I02 Bird Dauntless 
 
 been wrecked during the storm, but he did not think he could 
 help it either, for he thought he would not be able to put the boat 
 out without help, and all the crew slept so soundly he would not 
 awake them for the sake of a dog. 
 
 But the weather was bright and calm, so he said to himself : 
 " I had better go ashore and save the dog," and tried to lower 
 the boat and found it w^as easily managed. 
 
 He rowed ashore and went up to the dog, but every time he 
 tried to seize it the dog ran away from him, and this went on 
 until before he knew a word about it he found himself in a large 
 gilded castle. There the dog changed into a beautiful princess, and 
 on the bench sat a man so big and ugly that the prince became quite 
 terrified. 
 
 "You need not be frightened," said the man, but the prince 
 became still more frightened w^hen he heard his voice ; "for I 
 know very well what you want ; 3'ou are the twelve princes 
 who are looking for the twelve princesses that were lost. I know 
 where they are ; they are in my master's castle ; there they sit 
 on golden stools, each scratching a head, for he has twelve of 
 them. Now you have been sailing about for seven years, but 
 you will have to sail for seven more 3'ears before you find them. 
 You might as well stay here," he said, "and wed my daughter; 
 but first of all you must kill my master, for he is very hard 
 on us. We are tired of him, and when he is dead I shall be 
 king in his place. Try first if you can lift this sword," said the 
 troll. 
 
 The prince took hold of an old rust}' sword which hung on the 
 wall, but he could scarcely stir it. 
 
 "Well then, you will have to take a drink from this bottle," 
 said the troll. 
 
 When he had taken one sip he was just able to move the 
 sword, and when he had taken another he could lift it, and when 
 he had taken still another he could flourish the sword as easily as 
 a rolling-pin. 
 
 "When you return on board," said the troll, "you must hide
 
 Bird Dauntless 103 
 
 the sword well in 3^our berth, so that Knight Redbeard does not 
 see it ; he would not be able to use it, of course, but he hates you, 
 and will try to take your life." 
 
 " Three days before the seven years are up," he said further, 
 " all that has happened now will happen again ; you will have bad 
 and stormy weather, and when it is over you will all become 
 sleepy ; then you must take the sword and go ashore. You will 
 then come to a castle where there are all sorts of sentinels — wolves, 
 bears, and lions ; but you must not be afraid of them, for they will 
 all fall down before your feet. When you get into the castle you 
 will see the troll-king sitting in a gorgeous chamber, magnificently 
 dressed ; he has twelve heads, and the princesses will be sitting 
 on their golden stools, each of them scratching one of his heads. 
 This kind of work, you know, they don't like, so you must make 
 haste and cut off one head after the other ; if the troll wakes up 
 and sees you he will swallow you alive." 
 
 The prince went on board with the sword, and he remembered 
 well what he had been told. All on board were still asleep, and 
 he hid the sword in his berth, so that Knight Redbeard and the 
 other could not see it. It then began to blow again, so the prince 
 called the others and said he thought it would not do to sleep any 
 longer since they had such a fair wind. Nobody guessed he had 
 been away from the ship. 
 
 Now when the seven years all but three days had passed it 
 happened just as the troll had said. There came bad and stormy 
 weather which lasted for three days, and when it was over they 
 all became sleepy after their hard work and lay down ; but the 
 youngest prince rowed ashore and the sentinels fell down before 
 him, and so he came to the castle. When he entered the 
 chamber the king-troll sat and slept just as the other troll had 
 foretold, and the twelve princesses sat on their stools, each 
 scratching one of his heads. The prince made signs to the 
 princesses to move awa^^, but they pointed at the troll and 
 motioned to the prince to go. 
 
 He continued to make signs to them, and then they under-
 
 104 Bird Dauntless 
 
 stood that he wanted to save them. The}' moved quietly away, 
 one after the other, and immediately he cut off the heads of the 
 troll-king, till the blood flowed like a great brook. 
 
 When the troll was killed, the prince rowed out to the ship 
 again and hid the sword ; he thought he had done his share, and 
 as he could not get the body away by himself, he thought the 
 others ought to help him a little. He therefore called them, 
 and said it was a shame they should be lying asleep while he 
 had been finding the princesses and had saved them from the 
 troll-king. 
 
 The others laughed at him and said that, no doubt, he had 
 been sleeping as well, if not better, than the}', and had dreamt that 
 he was such a clever fellow. If any one had saved the princesses, 
 it was far more likely to be one of them. 
 
 But the youngest prince told them how it had all happened, 
 and when they went ashore with him and saw the brook of blood, 
 the castle, the troll, the twelve heads and the princesses, they saw 
 he had told the truth ; and so they helped him to throw the heads 
 and the body into the sea. 
 
 They were now all quite happy, but none more so than the 
 princesses, who after this, had no longer to sit all day and scratch 
 the troll-king's heads. They took with them of all the gold and 
 silver and valuable things which were there, as much as they could 
 carry ; and so they went on board, both the princes and the 
 princesses. 
 
 When they had got a good way out to sea, the princesses said 
 that in their joy they had forgotten their golden crowns ; they lay 
 in a chest, and they would so much like to take them with them. 
 As none of the others offered to go for them, the youngest prince 
 said : 
 
 " I have ventured as much before, so now I may as well fetch 
 the crowns, if you will let down the sails and wait till I come 
 back again." 
 
 Yes, that they would ; but when he had got so far away that 
 they could not see anything more of him, Knight Redbeard, who
 
 THEN SUDDENLY SOMETHING CAME I-LOPI'ING DOWN BY THE SIDE Ol-' 
 THE prince's bed
 
 Bird Dauntless 107 
 
 himself wanted to be foremost and have the youngest princess, 
 said that it was of no use to He and wait for him, for they must 
 surely know he would never come back. 
 
 They knew, he said, that the king had given him, Knight Red- 
 beard, power and authority to do just as he thought right ; and 
 they could say that he had saved the princesses, and if any one 
 dared to say otherwise he should lose his life. 
 
 The princes therefore dared not do anything else but what 
 Knight Redbeard told them, and so they set sail. 
 
 In the meantime, the youngest prince rowed ashore and 
 went into the castle, found the chest, in which were the golden 
 crowns, and tugged and dragged till he got it down to the boat ; 
 but when he came to the place where he expected to find the 
 ship, it was gone. As he could not see it in any direction, 
 he soon guessed what had happened, and there was therefore 
 nothing else for him to do but to turn round and row to land 
 again. 
 
 He was, of course, afraid to be alone the whole night in 
 the castle, but there was no other shelter, so he took courage, 
 locked all the doors and gates, and lay himself down in a room 
 where there was a ready made bed. But he felt afraid, and 
 became still more so, when, after he had been in bed awhile, the 
 walls and roof began to creak and groan as if the whole castle 
 was falling to pieces. Then, all of a sudden, something, which 
 sounded like a load of hay, came flopping down by the side of his 
 bed, and all became quiet again ; but he heard a voice, which told 
 him not to be afraid, and said : 
 
 " I am bird Dauntless, 
 All that I do is faultless ; 
 Be not afraid of me, 
 For I will help you o'er the sea ! " 
 
 '* The first thing you must do in the morning, when you 
 awake, is to go to the storehouse and fetch four barrels of
 
 io8 Bird Dauntless 
 
 rye for me ; I must have that for breakfast, otherwise I can do 
 nothing." 
 
 When the prince awoke in the morning, he saw an enormous 
 bird with a feather at the back of its neck as thick as a small 
 pine-tree. The prince went to the storehouse for the four barrels 
 of rye, and when the bird had eaten it, he told the prince to hang 
 the chest with the golden crowns on one side of his neck and 
 to take as much gold and silver as would balance it and hang it 
 on the other ; then he asked the prince to get on his back and 
 to hold on to the big feather on his neck. Off they started, 
 whisking through the air at such a speed that it did not take 
 long before they overtook the ship. The prince wanted to 
 go on board and fetch the sword, because he was afraid some- 
 body might see it, for the troll had told him it must not be 
 seen by anybody ; but bird Dauntless said they could not trouble 
 about it now. 
 
 " Knight Redbeard is not likely to see it," said the bird ; " but if 
 you go on board he will try and take j^our life, as he wants to have 
 the youngest princess ; but you may rest easy about her for she 
 puts a naked sw^ord by her side every night, when she goes to 
 bed." 
 
 After some time they reached the island, where the troll, whom 
 the prince had first met, lived. There the prince was so well 
 received that there was no end of festivities. The troll did not 
 know how to treat him well enough, for he had killed his master 
 and made him the king ; he would gladly give him his daughter 
 and half of his kingdom. But the prince had taken such a fancy 
 to the 3^oungest princess, that he could not rest and wanted every 
 moment to set out again. 
 
 The troll asked him to take a rest and remain with him for a 
 time, and told him the princesses had seven years to sail 3et 
 before they would get home. He also told him the same about the 
 princess as bird Dauntless had done. 
 
 "You can rest easy about her; she places a naked sword by
 
 WHEN HE SAW THE SHIP RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM, HE LIFTED THE CLUB
 
 Bird Dauntless hi 
 
 her side in bed. If you don't believe me," said the troll, "3-ou 
 can go on board, when the ship passes here, and see for 
 yourself, and fetch the sword, I must have that back in any 
 case." 
 
 When the ship came sailing past the weather had been 
 bad again, and when the prince went on board he found everybody 
 asleep, the princesses each with a prince by her side ; but the 
 youngest lay alone with a naked sword beside her, and on the 
 floor, in front of the bed, lay Knight Redbeard. 
 
 The prince found his sword and went ashore, without any one 
 having discovered he had been on board ; but still he was uneasy 
 and wanted to be off, and when at last the seven years were nearly 
 over, all but about three weeks, the troll said : 
 
 " Now you had better get ready to sail, since you will not remain 
 with us. I will lend you my iron-boat, which goes of itself, if onl}^ 
 you say * Boat, sail on.' In the boat you will find an iron club, 
 and that club you must lift, when you see the ship right in front of 
 you ; they will then have such a gale of wind, they will not think 
 of looking for you. When you come alongside the ship, you must 
 lift the club again, and they will then have such a hurricane, that 
 they will have something else to do than be spying after you ; when 
 you haye passed them, you must lift the club for the third time, 
 taking care always to lay it down carefully, otherwise you will 
 get such weather that both you and they will perish. When you 
 reach land you need not trouble yourself about the boat ; 3^ou need 
 onl}' give it a push, turn it round and say, * Boat, go home the same 
 way you came.' " 
 
 When the prince started he had much gold and silver and lots 
 of fine things, and clothes and linen, which the troll-princess had 
 made for him during his long stay there, so he was much richer 
 than any of his brothers. 
 
 He had no sooner sat himself down in the boat and said : 
 "Boat, sail on," than the boat set off, and when he saw the ship 
 right in front of him he lifted the club ; they then got such a gale
 
 112 Bird Dauntless 
 
 of wind that they could not look his way. When he got alongside 
 the ship he lifted the iron club again, and the weather became so 
 bad and stormy that the white foam splashed up on all sides, and 
 the waves washed over the deck, so that the people on board had 
 something else to do than be spying after him ; and when he was 
 passing them he lifted the club for the third time, and then they 
 had so much to look after that they had no time to find out who he 
 could be. He reached land long before the ship, and when he 
 had taken all his things out of the boat he shoved it out again, 
 turned it round and said : " Boat, go home the same way you 
 came ! " and off the boat started. 
 
 He disguised himself as a sailor, and went to an old woman 
 who lived in a wretched hut hard by ; he told her he was a poor 
 sailor and belonged to a big ship, which had been wrecked, and 
 that he was the only one who had been saved. He then asked 
 her if she would give him shelter for himself and the things he 
 had saved. 
 
 " Bless me ! " said the woman, " I don't think I can give any one 
 lodgings ; you see how it is here, I have nothing to lie upon 
 myself, still less anything for others to lie upon." 
 
 The sailor said that did not matter ; if he could only get a roof 
 over his head he did not mind how he lay. She could not deny 
 him that, if he would take things as he found them ; so in the 
 evening he brought his things to the hut. 
 
 No sooner were they in, than the woman, who was very fond 
 of some new gossip to run about with, began to ask him who he 
 was, where he came from, where he had been, where he was 
 going, what he had with him, on what errand he was travelling, 
 and if he had heard an3'thing about the twelve princesses, who 
 had disappeared so many years ago, and about many other things 
 which she wanted to know and talk about. 
 
 But he said he felt poorly, and his head ached so much after 
 the terrible weather, he could not give an account of anything ; 
 she would have to leave him in peace for some days, till
 
 Bird Dauntless 113 
 
 he had taken a rest after all the work he had had to do ; then she 
 should know everything, and more besides. 
 
 The following day the old woman began again to question him, 
 but the sailor had still such pains in his head he could not give an 
 account of anything. But all at once he dropped a hint that perhaps 
 he knew something about the princesses after all. The old woman 
 ran at once with what she had heard to all the gossips in the 
 neighbourhood, and one after the other came running and asking 
 for news of the princesses, if he had seen them, if they were soon 
 coming home, if they were on the way, and more of that kind. 
 But he still complained that his head ached, so he could not answer 
 them ; but he could tell them this much, that if they had not been 
 drowned in the storm they would arrive in a fortnight's time, or 
 perhaps before ; but he could not tell for certain if they were alive. 
 He had seen them, but they might easily have gone to the bottom 
 since then. 
 
 One of the old women ran to the palace with this news, and 
 said there was a sailor in the hut of a certain old woman, that he 
 had seen the princesses, and that they might be expected in a 
 fortnight's time, or perhaps in a week. 
 
 When the king heard this he sent a messenger to fetch the 
 sailor that he might come and tell the news himself. 
 
 " I am not in a fit state to go," said the sailor, " for I have no 
 clothes good enough in which to appear before the King." But 
 the King's messenger said he must come ; the King would and 
 must speak with him, no matter how he was dressed, for no 
 one had as j^et been able to tell the King anything about the 
 princesses. 
 
 " Yes, I can," said the sailor. " But I cannot tell if they are 
 still alive. When I saw them the weather was so bad that we were 
 wrecked ; but if they are still alive they will be here in a fort- 
 night's time, or perhaps before." 
 
 When the King heard this he almost went out of his mind 
 with joy ; and as the time when the sailor had said they would 
 
 H
 
 114 Bird Dauntless 
 
 return drew near, the King proceeded to the shore in great pomp 
 to meet them. 
 
 There was great joy all over the country when the ship arrived 
 with the princesses, the princes and Knight Redbeard ; but no 
 one was more glad than the old King, who now had got his 
 daughters back again. The eleven elder princesses were very 
 happy and merry, but the youngest, who was to have Knight 
 Redbeard, was always weeping and sorrowful. 
 
 The King did not like this, and asked her why she was not 
 merry and happy like her sisters ; there was no reason why she 
 should be so sad, now that she had escaped from the troll and was 
 going to marry such a brave man as Knight Redbeard. But she 
 dared not say anything, for Knight Redbeard had vowed he would 
 take the life of any one who told how all had happened. One day 
 when the princesses were busy making fine clothes for the 
 weddings, a person dressed like a sailor, with a pack on his back, 
 came into the palace, and asked if they would buy some pretty 
 things from him for their wedding ; he had many rare and costly 
 articles both in gold and silver. Yes, they would look at his 
 wares. Then they glanced at him and thought they recognised both 
 him and many of the things he had. 
 
 ** You, who have so many fine things," said the youngest 
 princess, "must surely have many things which are still finer, 
 and which would suit us still better." 
 
 " That may be," said the pedlar ; but her sisters told her to be 
 quiet, and reminded her what Knight Redbeard had threatened 
 them with. 
 
 Some time afterwards the princesses were sitting one day by 
 the window, when the youngest prince came by with the chest 
 containing the golden crowns on his back. 
 
 When he came into the great hall of the palace he opened the 
 chest for the princesses, and they all recognised their crowns. 
 The youngest then said : 
 
 " I think it is only right that the one who saved us should 
 have the reward he deserves. It is not Knight Redbeard, but he
 
 Bird Dauntless 
 
 "5 
 
 who has brought us our crowns — that has saved us." And then 
 the prince threw off his sailor attire and stood before them more 
 finely dressed than all the other princes, and the old King then 
 ordered that Knight Redbeard should be put to death. 
 
 Now there was great joy in the palace. Each prince took his 
 bride, and they kept such a wedding that it was heard of and 
 talked about throughout twelve kingdoms.
 
 THE TOWN MOUSE AND THE 
 COUNTRY MOUSE 
 
 .'''^ 1^ Once upon a time a town mouse met a country 
 mouse on the outskirts of a wood. The country 
 mouse was sitting under a hazel thicket pluck- 
 ^^^1^ ing nuts. 
 
 " Busy harvesting, I see/' said the town 
 mouse. " Who would think of our meeting in this out-of-the-way 
 part of the world ? " 
 
 "Just so," said the country mouse. 
 
 " You are gathering nuts for your winter store ? " said the 
 town mouse. 
 
 " I am obliged to do so if we intend having anything to live 
 upon during the winter," said the country mouse. 
 
 "The husk is big and the nut full this year, enough to satisfy 
 any hungry body," said the town mouse. 
 
 " Yes, you are right there," said the country mouse ; and then 
 she related how well she lived and how comfortable she was at 
 home.
 
 The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse 117 
 
 The town mouse maintained that she was the better off, but 
 the country mouse said that nowhere could one be so well off as 
 in the woods and hills. The town mouse, however, declared she 
 was best off; and as they could not agree on this point they 
 promised to visit one another at Christmas, then they could see 
 for themselves which was really the most comfortable. 
 
 The first visit was to be paid by the town mouse. 
 
 Now, although the country mouse had moved down from the 
 mountains for the winter, the road was long and tiring and one 
 had to travel up hill and down dale ; the snow lay thick and deep, 
 so the town mouse found it hard work to get on and she became 
 both tired and hungry before she reached the end of her journey. 
 
 How nice it will be to get some food, she thought. 
 
 The country mouse had scraped together the best she had. 
 There were nut kernels, polypoly and other sorts of roots, and 
 many other good things which grow in woods and fields. She 
 kept it all in a hole far under the ground, so the frost could not 
 reach it, and close by was a running spring," open all the winter, 
 so she could drink as much water as she liked. There was an 
 abundance of all she had, and they ate both well and heartily ; but 
 the town mouse thought it was very poor fare indeed. 
 
 "One can, of course, keep body and soul together on this," 
 said she ; " but I don't think much of it. Now you must be good 
 enough to visit me and taste what we have." 
 
 Yes, that she would, and before long she set out. The town 
 mouse had gathered together all the scraps from the Christmas 
 fare which the woman of the house had dropped on the floor 
 during the holidays — bits of cheese, butter and tallow ends, cake- 
 crumbs, pastry and many other good things. In the dish under 
 the ale-tap she had drink enough ; in fact, the place was full of all 
 kinds of dainties. 
 
 They ate and fared well ; the country mouse seemed never to 
 have had enough ; she had never tasted such delicacies. But then 
 she became thirsty, for she found the food both strong and rich, 
 and now she wanted something to drink.
 
 ii8 The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse 
 
 "We haven't far to go for the beer we shall drink," said the 
 town mouse, and jumped upon the edge of the dish and drank till 
 she was no longer thirsty ; she did not drink too much, for she 
 knew the Christmas beer was strong. The country mouse, how- 
 ever, thought the beer a splendid drink ; she had never tasted 
 anything but water, so she took one sip after another, but as she 
 could not stand strong drink she became tipsy before she left the 
 dish. 
 
 The drink got into her head and down into her toes and she 
 began running and jumping about from one beer barrel to the 
 other, and to dance and tumble about on the shelves amongst the 
 cups and mugs ; she squeaked and screeched as if she were both 
 drunk and mad. About her being drunk there was very little 
 doubt. 
 
 ** You must not carry on as if you had just come from the 
 backwoods and make such a row and noise," said the town mouse ; 
 " the master of the house is a bailiff and he is very strict indeed," 
 she added. 
 
 The country mouse said she didn't care either for bailiffs or 
 beggars. But the cat sat at the top of the cellar steps, lying in 
 wait, and heard all the chatter and noise. When the woman of 
 the house went down to draw some beer and lifted the trap door 
 the cat slipped by into the cellar and struck its claws into the 
 country mouse. Then there was quite another sort of dance. 
 
 The town mouse slid back into her hole and sat in safety looking 
 on, while the country mouse suddenly became sober when she 
 felt the claws of the cat in her back. 
 
 " Oh, my dear bailiff, oh, dearest bailiff, be merciful and spare 
 my life and I will tell you a fairy tale," she said. 
 
 •' Well, go on," said the cat. 
 
 "Once upon a time there were two little mice," said the 
 country mouse, squeaking slowly and pitifully, for she wanted to 
 make the story last as long as she could. 
 
 " Then they were not lonel}'," said the cat dr3dy and curtly. 
 
 " And they had a steak which they were going to fry."
 
 <; a
 
 The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse 121 
 
 " Then they could not starve," said the cat. 
 
 " And they put it out on the roof to cool," said the country 
 mouse. 
 
 " Then they did not burn themselves," said the cat. 
 
 " But there came a fox and a crow and ate it all up," said the 
 country mouse, 
 
 " Then I'll eat you," said the cat. But just at that moment the 
 vi^oman shut the trap door with a slam, which so startled the cat 
 that she let go her hold of the mouse. One bound, and the country 
 mouse found herself in the hole with the town mouse. 
 
 From there a passage led out into the snow, and you may be 
 sure the country mouse did not wait long before she set out 
 homewards. 
 
 "And this is what you call living well and being best off," she 
 said to the town mouse. " Heaven preserve me from having such 
 a fine place and such a master ! Why, I only just got away with 
 my life ! "
 
 SORIA MARIA'S CASTLE 
 
 There was once upon a time a couple who had a son, and his 
 name was Halvor. Since he was quite a small boy he never 
 cared to do any work ; he would onl}- sit in the hearth and rake 
 together the ashes. The parents had many times apprenticed
 
 Soria Maria's Castle 123 
 
 him to learn some trade, but Halvor never stopped long anywhere ; 
 — when he had been at a place for some days he always ran off 
 home again, sat himself down in the hearth, and began digging in 
 the ashes. 
 
 But one day a skipper came to the house and asked Halvor if 
 had a mind to go to sea with him and visit foreign countries. 
 Yes, Halvor had a mind for that, and this time he was not long in 
 getting ready. 
 
 How long they sailed I do not know, but after some time a 
 storm overtook them and when it was over and the sea became 
 calm they did not know where they were ; they had drifted to a 
 foreign coast which was quite unknown to them. 
 
 As there was no wind at all they had to remain there and 
 Halvor asked the skipper for permission to go ashore and look 
 about a bit, for he would rather do that than lie and sleep. 
 
 " Do you think you are fit to show yourself? " said the skipper. 
 " Why you have no other clothes but the rags you have on your 
 back." But Halvor would not give in, and at last he got 
 permission ; but he must come back on board when it began to 
 blow. 
 
 He started off and found the country most beautiful ; all 
 around he saw large plains v/ith cornfields and meadows, but he 
 did not see any people. Soon it began to blow, but Halvor did 
 not think he had seen enough yet, so he thought he would go on 
 a little further and see if he could find any people. 
 
 In a while he came to a big road, which was so even one could 
 roll an egg along it. Halvor followed the road, and towards even- 
 ing he saw a great castle far away all lighted up. 
 
 As he had been walking all day almost without any food, he 
 was very hungry ; but the nearer he came to the castle the more 
 afraid he felt. 
 
 In the castle the fires were still burning in the hearths. 
 Halvor went into the kitchen, which was the most splendid he had 
 ever seen ; there were pots and pans both of gold and silver, but 
 no people. When Halvor had stood there awhile and no one
 
 124 Soria Maria's Castle 
 
 came, he went to a door and opened it and inside sat a princess at 
 her spinning wheel. 
 
 " Oh dear ! Oh dear ! " she cried, " how dare any Christian 
 person come here ! You had better go away, if you don't want 
 the troll to swallow you alive, for here lives a troll with three 
 heads." 
 
 " It would be all one to me, even if he had four," said the lad. 
 " I should much like to see him ! I am not going away, for I have 
 done nothing wrong ; you must give me something to eat as I am 
 terribly hungry." 
 
 When Halvor had finished his meal, the princess told him he 
 had better try if he could swing the sword which hung on the 
 wall. No, he could not even lift it. 
 
 " You had better take a drink from that bottle, which hangs by 
 the side of it," said the princess, " for the troll does so, when he is 
 going to use the sword." 
 
 Halvor took a drink, and immediately he was able to swing 
 the sword as if it had been nothing. Now, thought he, the troll 
 might come any time. All at once they heard the troll coming, 
 and Halvor hid behind the door. 
 
 " Ugh ! I smell Christian blood here," said the troll, putting 
 one head in through the door. 
 
 "You'll soon find that is so," said Halvor, and cut off all his 
 heads. The princess was so glad at being saved that she both 
 sang and danced. Then she began to think about her sisters and 
 said : 
 
 " I wish my sisters were saved also." 
 
 "Where are they?" asked Halvor; and so she told him one 
 was shut up by a troll in a castle fifty miles away, and the other 
 was shut up in a castle another fifty miles away. 
 
 *' First you must help me to get this carcase away," said she. 
 Halvor was so strong he swept everything before him, and cleared 
 all away in no time ; he then ate and enjoyed himself for the rest 
 of the day. 
 
 Next morning he set out at daybreak, and so eager was he to
 
 WHEN THE TROLL WITH THE THREE HEADS CAME K\TO THE ROOM, HALVOR TOOK 
 THE SWORD AND CUT OFF ALL THE HEADS
 
 Soria Maria's Castle 127 
 
 reach the castle, that he ran the whole day. When at last he saw 
 it he became frightened again ; it was more gorgeous even than 
 the first one, but here also he could see no one. He went into the 
 kitchen and straight on into the room without stopping. 
 
 " Oh, dear ! how dare any Christian person come here ! " cried 
 the princess. " I don't know how long I have been here, but 
 during all that time I have not seen a Christian. You had better 
 go away, for here lives a troll who has six heads." 
 
 " No, I won't go," said Halvor, " even if he had twelve." 
 
 " He will swallow you alive," said the princess. But it was of 
 no use, Halvor would not go ; he was not afraid of the troll, but 
 he wanted meat and drink, for he was hungry after the journey. 
 He got as much as he wanted and then the princess again begged 
 him to go. 
 
 " No," said Halvor, ** I won't go, for I have done nothing wrong 
 and I have nothing to be afraid of." 
 
 "That makes no difference," said the princess, "for he will 
 take you, whether or no ; but since you will not go, try if you can 
 swing this sword, which the troll uses when he goes to war." 
 
 He could not swing the sword, so the princess told him to 
 take a drink from the bottle which hung by the side. When he had 
 done so, he found himself able to swing the sword. All of a 
 sudden the troll came home ; he was so fat and big he had to go 
 sideways to get through the door. When he had got one of his 
 heads inside he cried : 
 
 " Ugh ! what a smell of Christian blood ! " but at the same 
 moment Halvor cut off one head and then all the others. 
 
 The princess was very glad, but she soon began to think of 
 her sisters and wish that they also were saved. Halvor thought 
 that could be done, and wanted to set off at once ; but first he had 
 to help the princess to get rid of the body of the troll, and next 
 morning he set out. 
 
 It was a long way to the castle, and he walked and ran as fast 
 as he could to get there in good time. Towards evening he came 
 in sight of the castle, and found it even more splendid than the
 
 128 Soria Maria's Castle 
 
 others. He was not the least afraid this time, but went straight 
 through the kitchen and into the room. There sat the princess, 
 who was so pretty that no words can tell. She said just the same 
 as the other princesses, that no Christian person had been there 
 since she came, and asked him to go away, or else the troll would 
 swallow him alive. This troll had nine heads, she said. 
 
 " Well, even if he has twice nine and still another nine I shall 
 not go," said Halvor, going up to the fire. 
 
 The princess entreated him to go, so that the troll should not 
 eat him ; but Halvor said : " Let him come when he likes ; " then 
 she gave him the sword and asked him to take a sip from the 
 bottle, so that he could use the sword. 
 
 All of a sudden the troll came in with a great noise. He was 
 still fatter and bigger than the other two, and he had also to go 
 sideways to get through the door. 
 
 " Ugh ! what a smell of Christian blood ! " he said ; but at the 
 same moment Halvor cut off his first head and then all the others ; 
 but the last one was very tough and gave Halvor more work than 
 anything he had yet had to do, although he felt so very strong. 
 
 All the princesses were now together at this castle, and they 
 were happier than they had ever been in all their lives. They were 
 very fond of Halvor and he of them. He could choose the one he 
 liked best of them to wed, but the youngest was most fond of him 
 of all three. He, however, went about looking so sad, and he was 
 so sullen and quiet, that the princesses asked him what he was 
 longing for and whether he did not like staying with them. Yes, 
 that he liked well enough, for they had plenty to live on and he 
 was very comfortable ; but he longed so much for home, his 
 parents were still alive, and he had a great mind to see them again. 
 That could easily be arranged, they said : 
 
 " You can go there and back without any danger, if you follow 
 our advice." Yes, he would do everything they told him. Then 
 they dressed him up till he looked as fine as a prince, and they 
 put a magic ring on his finger, so that he had only to wish himself 
 anywhere and his wish would be fulfilled ; but they said he must
 
 Soria Maria's Castle 129 
 
 not lose the ring or mention their names, for then there would be 
 an end to all their happiness and he would never see them any 
 more. 
 
 " I wish I were home," said Halvor, and as he wished so it 
 happened. He stood outside his parents' house in less than 
 no time. It was just in the dusk of the evening, and when his 
 parents saw what a fine and noble stranger was coming they lost 
 their wits, and began to bow and curtsy. Halvor asked if he 
 could stop there and get lodgings for the night. 
 
 No, that he couldn't. " Our place is not good enough," they 
 said ; " we have nothing here that would do for so grand a tra- 
 veller." He had better go up to the farm, which was not far away ; 
 he could see the chimney-pots from where they stood, and there 
 he would find plenty oT everything. Halvor did not like that at 
 all ; he wanted to remain where he was, but the parents stuck 
 to what they had said, that he should go up to the farm, for there 
 he could get both meat and drink, while they had not even a 
 chair to offer him. 
 
 " No," said Halvor, " I won't go there till the morning ; let me 
 remain here to-night; I can sit in the hearth." They could not 
 refuse him that, so Halvor sat down in the hearth and began 
 digging in the ashes, just as he had done when he was at home 
 and idled away his time. 
 
 They spoke about a good many things, and told Halvor one 
 thing and another till at last he asked them if they ever had had 
 any children. Yes, they had a boy whose name was Halvor, but 
 they did not know whereabouts he was wandering, or whether he 
 was alive or dead. 
 
 " Could I be he ? " said Halvor. 
 
 " No, not likely," said the woman ; " Halvor was such a lazy, 
 idle boy, he would never do anything, and he was so ragged his 
 rags would hardly keep together; he could never become as grand 
 as you," 
 
 In a little, while the woman went over to the chimney to rake 
 the fire, and just then the light from the ashes shone upon Halvor 
 
 I
 
 130 Soria Maria's Castle 
 
 the same as when he used to sit at home raking in the ashes, and 
 then the woman knew him again. 
 
 " Of course it is you, Halvor ! " she said, and the old couple 
 became so glad they did not know what to do. He had then to 
 tell them all that had happened to him, and his mother was so 
 proud of him that she wanted to take him up with her to the farm 
 and show him off to the girls, who had always put on such airs. 
 She went first and Halvor came after. When she got up there she 
 told the people Halvor had come home again, and they should soon 
 see what a fine fellow he was ; he looked like a prince, she said. 
 
 " Oh, indeed ! " said the girls, turning up their noses ; "we 
 expect he is the same ragged fellow as ever." Just at that 
 moment Halvor came in, and so startled the girls, who were busy 
 dressing themselves, that they took to their heels with nothing on 
 but their petticoats. 
 
 When they came in again they were so shy they hardly dared 
 to look at Halvor, to whom they had formerly always been so 
 proud and short-spoken. 
 
 "Well, you have always thought yourselves so fine and hand- 
 some that there were none like you, but you should just see the 
 eldest of the princesses I have saved," said Halvor; "by her side 
 you would look like scullery-maids, and the second sister is still 
 prettier ; but the youngest, who is my sweetheart, is prettier than 
 both the sun and the moon. I wish they were here, and then you 
 would see," said Halvor. 
 
 He had no sooner spoken the words than the princesses stood 
 there. This vexed him very much, for now he remembered his 
 promise to them. Much rejoicing now began on the farm in 
 honour of the princesses, but they did not care to remain there. 
 
 " We want to visit your parents," they said to Halvor, " and 
 then we'll travel about and look around us." He said he would 
 go with them, and soon they came to a large lake some distance 
 from the farm. Close to the lake was a green hillside, where the 
 princesses wanted to rest a while, for they thought it would be so 
 nice to sit there and look out over the water.
 
 o w 
 
 3 K 
 
 Id W 
 
 o 2 
 
 d o 
 - a
 
 Soria Maria's Castle 133 
 
 They sat down, and after a while the youngest princess said 
 to Halvor : "Won't you lie down and rest your head in my lap?" 
 Yes, he would do so, and before long he fell asleep. Then she 
 took the ring from his finger and put another in its place, and said 
 to her sisters : 
 
 " Take hold of me as I take hold of you. I wish we were back 
 in Soria Maria's castle." 
 
 When Halvor awoke he soon guessed he had lost the prin- 
 cesses and began to cry and lament, and was so disconsolate no 
 one could get a word out of him. Though his parents begged and 
 prayed him to stop with them he would not, but bid them farewell, 
 and said he was not ever likely to see them again, for if he did not 
 find the princesses life would not be worth living. He had three 
 hundred dollars left which he put in his pocket, and then set 
 out. 
 
 When he had got a bit on the way he met a man with a horse, 
 which he wanted to buy, so he began bargaining. 
 
 ''Well, I have not exactly been thinking of selling it," said the 
 
 man, " but if we can come to some agreement, well " Halvor 
 
 asked how much he wanted for it. 
 
 " I did not pay much for it, and it isn't worth much," said the 
 man; "it is a good horse to ride on, but no good as a cart- 
 horse. In any case he could manage to get along with your scrip- 
 bag and you as well, if you will walk a bit now and then." 
 
 At last they agreed about the price, and Halvor put his bag on 
 the horse, and sometimes walked and sometimes rode, till towards 
 evening he came to a green field, and there stood a great tree, 
 under which he sat down. He let the horse loose, and then 
 opened his bag and had some food, but did not lie down to 
 sleep. 
 
 At daylight he set out, for he had no peace of mind till he was 
 on his way again ; so he rode and walked by turns all day through 
 a large forest with many beautiful green openings gleaming here 
 and there among the trees. He did not know where he was, nor 
 in which direction he was going ; he only gave himself time to
 
 134 Soria Maria's Castle 
 
 rest when he came to one of the green spots ; he then foddered 
 the horse and had some food himself. 
 
 On he walked and on he rode, and it seemed as if there never 
 would be an end to the forest. But towards evening on the 
 second day he saw a light shining between the trees. " I hope 
 the folks are not gone to bed, so that I can warm myself and get 
 something to eat," said Halvor to himself. When he came nearer 
 he found only a poor little hut, and through the window he saw an 
 old couple. They were very old and grey, and the woman had 
 such a long nose that she could use it to rake the ashes together 
 with when she sat by the fire. 
 
 " Good evening, good evening," said the woman. " But what 
 business can you have here, I wonder ? No Christian people 
 have been this way for over a hundred years." 
 
 Halvor told her he was going to Soria Maria's castle, and 
 asked her if she knew the way. 
 
 "No," said the old woman, "I don't know, but the moon will 
 be out soon, and I'll ask her ; she is sure to know, for she shines 
 over every place." 
 
 As soon as the moon appeared bright and clear above the tree- 
 tops, the woman went out. 
 
 "You moon ! you moon! " she shouted, "can you tell me the 
 way to Soria Maria's castle ? " 
 
 " No," said the moon, " I cannot, for when I passed that way 
 a cloud stood before me." 
 
 "Wait a while yet," said the woman to Halvor, "the west 
 wind will be here directly ; he is sure to know, for he whistles 
 and blows in every corner. Dear, dear, you have a horse, I see," 
 continued the old woman, as she came into the room. " Let the 
 poor creature into the meadow ; don't let it remain here at the 
 door to starve. Will you exchange it with me for something ? " 
 said she. " We have a pair of old boots here, and when you have 
 them on you can take twenty miles at every step. You can have 
 thein instead of the horse, and then you can get sooner to Soria 
 Maria's castle."
 
 Soria Maria's Castle 
 
 135 
 
 Halvor agreed at once, and the woman took such a fancy to 
 the horse she was ready to dance for joy, " For now I can ride to 
 church hke other people," she said. 
 
 Halvor became impatient to start, but the woman said there 
 was no hurry. 
 
 TS^SwSSSu 
 
 THE OLD WOMAN WENT OUT TO ASK THE MOON THE WAY TO 
 SORIA MARIA'S CASTLE 
 
 " Lie down on the bench and take a nap, for we have no bed," 
 said she, " and I will look out for the west wind when he comes." 
 
 All of a sudden the west wind came rushing along, making the 
 walls creak and groan. The woman ran out.
 
 136 Soria Maria's Castle 
 
 " You west wind ! you west wind ! can you tell me the way to 
 Soria Maria's castle ? There is somebody here who wants to go 
 that way." 
 
 "Yes, I know it well," said the west wind. " I am just going 
 there to dry clothes for a wedding which is to be. If he is quick 
 on his legs he can come with me." 
 
 Halvor just then came out. 
 
 " You will have to make haste if you want company," said the 
 west wind ; and away they went far over hills and dales and seas, 
 while Halvor had as much as he could do to keep up. 
 
 " I haven't time to go with you any further," said the west 
 wind, " for I have to tear up a pine forest first before I go to 
 the bleaching ground to dry the clothes ; but if you keep along 
 the ridge of the mountain you will come to some lasses who 
 are washing clothes, and then you have not far to go to Soria 
 Maria's castle." 
 
 Before long Halvor came to the lasses who were busy washing 
 clothes. They asked if he had seen anything of the west wind. 
 
 " He was coming here to dry clothes for the wedding," said 
 they. 
 
 "Yes," said Halvor, "he has only gone to tear up a pine 
 forest ; it will not be long before he is here." And then he 
 asked them the way to Soria Maria's castle. 
 
 They put him in the way, and when he came to the castle he 
 found quite a crowd of horses and people there. But Halvor was 
 so ragged and dirty from having followed the west wind through 
 bush and bog that he kept out of sight, and would not go to the 
 castle till the last day, when they were going to have a grand 
 dinner. And when the time came, as was the custom, for drinking 
 the health of the bride, and the servant was filling every one's 
 cup — that of the bride and bridegroom, the knights' and yeomen's 
 — he came at length to Halvor. 
 
 He drank the toast, and let the ring which the princess had 
 put on his finger at the lake fall into the cup. He then asked the 
 servant to carry the cup to the bride, with his compliments.
 
 Soria Maria's Castle 137 
 
 The princess at once got up from the table. 
 
 "Who has most right to wed one of us," she said ; '*he who 
 saved us or he who sits here as bridegroom ? " 
 
 All thought there could be but one opinion about that ; so 
 when Halvor heard it, he was not long in getting off his rags and 
 in dressing himself as a bridegroom. 
 
 " Yes, he is the right one ! " cried the youngest princess when 
 she saw him ; and so she threw the other one over, and was 
 married to Halvor.
 
 
 WELL DONE, ILL PAID 
 
 Once upon a time there was a man who was going to the forest 
 for firewood. On his way he met a bear. 
 
 ** Give me your horse, or I will kill all your sheep next 
 summer ! " said the bear. 
 
 " Oh dear ! oh dear 1 " said the man, " there is not a chip of 
 wood in the house. You must let me drive home a cartload of
 
 Well Done, III Paid 139 
 
 wood, or we shall be frozen to death ; but I will come back with 
 the horse to-morrow for you." 
 
 Well, that would do ; but it was understood that if he did not 
 return he would lose all his sheep during the summer. The man 
 loaded his sledge with wood, and drove homewards ; but he was 
 not very pleased with the arrangement he had made, you can 
 imagine. On the way he met a fox. 
 
 " Why do you look so sad ? " asked the fox. 
 
 " Oh, I met a bear up yonder," said the man, " and I had to 
 promise that at this time to-morrow he should have my horse. 
 If he does not get it, he said he would tear all my sheep to 
 pieces next summer." 
 
 "Oh, nothing worse than that?" said the fox. " If you will 
 give me your fattest ram I will soon get you out of your 
 difficulty." 
 
 The man promised this, and said he would be sure to keep 
 his word. 
 
 " When you come to the bear to-morrow with the horse," said 
 the fox, " I will be up in the mountain, and will shout out to you. 
 When the bear asks who it is, you must say it is Peter, the hunts- 
 man, who is the finest shot in the world. Afterwards you must 
 use your own wits." 
 
 The next day the man set out, and when he met the bear 
 some one up in the mountain began shouting. 
 
 " Whst ! what's that ? " said the bear. 
 
 " Oh, that's Peter, the huntsman. He is the fiinest shot in the 
 world," said the man. " I know him by his voice." 
 
 " Have you seen any bear about here, Erik ? " came from the 
 wood. 
 
 " Say no 1 " said the bear. 
 
 " No, I have not seen any bear,'' said Erik. 
 
 " What's that standing by your sledge then?" came from the 
 wood. 
 
 " Say it is the root of an old tree," whispered the bear. 
 
 ** Oh, it's only the root of an old tree," said Erik.
 
 140 Well Done, III Paid 
 
 " Such roots we generally load our sledges with," came from 
 the wood ; *' if you are not able to do so, I will come and help 
 you." 
 
 " Say you can do it 3'ourself, and put me on the sledge." 
 
 " No, thanks, I can manage by myself," said the man, and 
 rolled the bear on to the sledge. 
 
 " Such roots we generally tie down," came from the wood ; 
 " do you want any help ? " 
 
 " Sa}' you can do it 3'ourself, and tie me down," said the 
 bear. 
 
 " No, thanks, I can do it," said Erik, and began tying down the 
 bear with all the ropes he had, till the bear could not move a paw. 
 
 " Such roots we generally strike an axe into, when we have 
 tied it down," come from the wood, " for then one can steer the 
 sledge better down the big hills." 
 
 " Pretend to strike the axe into me," whispered the bear. 
 
 But the man took the axe and split the skull of the bear, who 
 was killed on the spot. So Erik and the fox became good friends 
 and got on well together, but when they came to the farm, the 
 fox said : 
 
 " I should like to go in with you, but I don't like your dogs. I 
 will wait here till you come with the ram. But remember to pick 
 me out one that is very fat." 
 
 Yes, the man would do so, and thanked the fox besides for his 
 help. When he had put the horse into the stable he went across 
 to the sheep-pen. 
 
 " Where are 3'ou going? " asked his wife. 
 
 " Oh, I am onl}^ going over to the sheep-pen to fetch a fat ram 
 for that good fox who saved our horse," said the man, " as I have 
 promised him one." 
 
 ** Why on earth give that thief of a fox an}^ ram ? " said the 
 woman. " We have got the horse quite safe and the bear besides, 
 and the fox has stolen more geese from us than the ram is wjorth ; 
 or, if he hasn't already taken them, he is sure to do so sometime. 
 No, take the most savage pair of those dogs of 3'ours and let loose
 
 Well Done, III Paid 
 
 141 
 
 on him, then perhaps we'll get rid of that thieving old rascal," 
 said the woman. 
 
 The man thought this was sensible advice and took two of his 
 savage red dogs, put them in a bag and set out with them. 
 
 " Have 3'ou got the ram ? " said the fox. 
 
 "Yes, come and fetch it," said the man, undoing the string 
 round the bag and setting the dogs at the fox. 
 
 " Ugh ! " said the fox bounding away, " the old saying, ' Well 
 done, ill paid ' is only too true ; and now I find it is also true that 
 one's relations are one's worst enemies," said he, as he saw the 
 red dogs at his heels.
 
 ASHIEPATTLE AND HIS GOODLY 
 CREW 
 
 Once upon a time there was a king, and this king had heard about 
 a ship which went just as fast by land as by water ; and as he 
 wished to have one Hke it, he promised any one who could build 
 one for him, his daughter and half the kingdom. And this was 
 given out at every church all over the country. There were many 
 who tried, as you can imagine ; for they thought it would be a nice 
 thing to have half the kingdom, and the princess wouldn't be a bad 
 thing into the bargain. But they all fared badly. 
 
 Now there were three brothers, who lived far away on the 
 borders of a forest ; the eldest was called Peter, the second Paul, 
 and the youngest Espen Ashiepattle, because he always sat in the 
 hearth, raking and digging in the ashes.
 
 ASHIEPATTLE AND HIS GOODLY CREW 143 
 
 It SO happened that Ashiepattle was at church on the Sunday 
 when the proclamation about the ship, which the king wanted, 
 was read. When he came home and told his family, Peter the 
 eldest asked his mother to get some food ready for him, for now 
 he was going away to try if he could build the ship and win the 
 princess and half the kingdom. When the bag was ready he set 
 out. On the way he met an old man who was very crooked and 
 decrepit. 
 
 "Where are you going? " said the man. 
 
 " I'm going into the forest to make a trough for my father. He 
 doesn't like to eat at table in our company," said Peter. 
 
 " Trough it shall be ! " said the man. ** What have you got in 
 that bag of yours ? " he added. 
 
 *' Dung," said Peter. 
 
 " Dung it shall be," said the man. Peter then went into the 
 forest and began to cut and chop away at the trees and work 
 away as hard as he could, but in spite of all his cutting and 
 chopping he could only turn out troughs. Towards dinner time 
 he wanted something to eat and opened his bag. But there was 
 not a crumb of food in it. As he had nothing to live upon and as 
 he did not turn out anything but troughs, he became tired of the 
 work, took his axe and bag on his shoulder and went home to his 
 mother. 
 
 Paul then wanted to set out to try his luck at building the ship 
 and winning the princess and half the kingdom. He asked his 
 mother for provisions, and when the bag was ready he threw it 
 over his shoulder and went on his way to the forest. On the road 
 he met the old man, who was very crooked and decrepit. 
 
 ** Where are you going? " said the man. 
 
 "Oh, I am going into the forest to make a trough for our 
 sucking pig," said Paul. 
 
 " Pig-trough it shall be," said the man. " What have you got 
 in that bag of yours ? " added the man. 
 
 ** Dung," said Paul. 
 
 " Dung it shall be," said the man.
 
 144 ASHIEPATTLE AND HiS GOODLY CREW 
 
 Paul then began felling trees and working away as hard as he 
 could, but no matter how he cut and how he worked he could only 
 turn out pig-troughs. He did not give in, however, but worked 
 away till far into the afternoon before he thought of taking any 
 food ; then all at once he became hungry and opened his bag, but 
 not a crumb could he find. Paul became so angry he turned the 
 bag inside out and struck it against the stump of a tree ; then he 
 took his axe, went out of the forest and set off homewards. 
 
 As soon as Paul returned, Ashiepattle wanted to set out and 
 asked his mother for a bag of food. 
 
 " Perhaps I can manage to build the ship and win the princess 
 and half the kingdom," said he. 
 
 "Well, I never heard the like," said his mother. "Are you 
 likely to win the princess, you, who never do anything but root 
 and dig in the ashes ? No, you shan't have any bag with food ! " 
 
 Ashiepattle did not give in, however, but he prayed and begged 
 till he got leave to go. He did not get any food, not he ; but he 
 stole a couple of oatmeal cakes and some flat beer and set out. 
 
 When he had walked awhile he met the same old man, who 
 was so crooked and tattered and decrepit. 
 
 " Where are you going ? " said the man. 
 
 ** Oh, I was going into the forest to tr}^ if it were possible to 
 build a ship which can go as fast by land as by water," said 
 Ashiepattle, " for the king has given out that any one who can 
 build such a ship shall have the princess and half the kingdom." 
 
 " What have you got in that bag of yours ? " said the man. 
 
 "Not much worth talking about; there ought to be a little 
 food in it," answered Ashiepattle. 
 
 " If you'll give me a little of it I'll help you," said the man. 
 
 " With all my heart," said Ashiepattle, " but there is nothing 
 but some oatmeal cakes and a drop of flat beer." 
 
 It didn't matter what it was, the man said ; if he only got 
 some of it he would be sure to help Ashiepattle. 
 
 When they came up to an old oak in the wood the man said 
 to the lad, "Now you must cut off a chip and then put it back
 
 THE SHIP WHICH VVEXT JUST AS FAST BY LAND AS BY WATER
 
 ASHIEPATTLE AND HiS GOODLY CREW I47 
 
 again in exactly the same place, and when you have done that you 
 can lie down and go to sleep." Ashiepattle did as he was told and 
 then lay down to sleep, and in his sleep he thought he heard some- 
 body cutting and hammering and sawing and carpentering, but he 
 could not wake up till the man called him ; then the ship stood 
 quite finished by the side of the oak. 
 
 ** Now you must go on board and every one you meet you must 
 take with you," said the man. Espen Ashiepattle thanked 
 him for the ship, said he would do so, and then sailed away. 
 
 When he had sailed some distance, he came to a long, thin 
 tramp, who was lying near some rocks, eating stones. 
 
 " What sort of a fellow are you, that you lie there eating 
 stones ? " asked Ashiepattle. The tramp said he was so fond of 
 meat he could never get enough, therefore he was obliged to eat 
 stones. And then he asked if he might go with him in the ship. 
 
 " If you want to go with us, you must make haste and get 
 on board," said Ashiepattle. 
 
 Yes, that he would, but he must take with him some large 
 stones for food. 
 
 When they had sailed some distance, they met one who was 
 lying on the side of a sunny hill, sucking at a bung. 
 
 "Who are you," said Ashiepattle, "and what is the good 
 of lying there sucking that bung ? " 
 
 " Oh, when one hasn't got the barrel, one must be satisfied with 
 the bung," said the man. ** I'm always so thirsty, I can never get 
 enough beer and wine." And then he asked for leave to go with him 
 in the ship. 
 
 " If you want to go with me you must make haste and get 
 on board," said Ashiepattle. 
 
 Yes, that he would. And so he went on board and took the bung 
 with him to allay his thirst. 
 
 When they had sailed awhile again, they met one who was 
 lying with his ear to the ground, listening. 
 
 *' Who are you, and what is the good of lying there on the 
 ground listening?" said Ashiepattle.
 
 148 ASHIEPATTLE AND HiS GOODLY CREW 
 
 " I'm listening to the grass, for I have such good ears that I 
 can hear the grass growing," said the man. And then he asked for 
 leave to go with him in the ship. Ashiepattle could not say nay 
 to that, so he said : 
 
 " If you want to go with me, 3^ou must make haste and get on 
 board." 
 
 Yes, that the man would. And he also went on board. 
 
 When they had sailed some distance, they came to one who was 
 standing taking aim with a gun. 
 
 "Who are you, and what is the good of standing there aiming 
 like that ? " asked Ashiepattle. 
 
 So the man said : 
 
 " I have such good eyes that I can hit anything, right to the 
 end of the world." And then he asked for leave to go with him 
 in the ship. 
 
 " If you want to go with me, 3'ou must make haste and get on 
 board," said Ashiepattle. 
 
 Yes, that he would. And he went on board. 
 
 When they had sailed some distance again, they came to one 
 who was hopping and limping about on one leg, and on the other 
 he had seven ton weights. 
 
 "Who are you," said Ashiepattle, "and what is the good 
 of hopping and limping about on one leg with seven ton weights 
 on the other ? " 
 
 " I am so light," said the man, " that if I walked on both my 
 legs I should get to the end of the world in less than five minutes." 
 And then he asked for leave to go with him in the ship. 
 
 " If you want to go with us, you must make haste and get on 
 board," said Ashiepattle. 
 
 Yes, that he would. And so he joined Ashiepattle and his 
 crew on the ship. 
 
 When they had sailed on some distance, they met one who 
 was standing holding his hand to his mouth. 
 
 " Who are you ? " said Ashiepattle, " and what is the good of 
 standing there, holding your mouth like that ? "
 
 TO THE END OF THE WORLD IN LESS THAN FIVE MINUTES
 
 ASHIEPATTLE AND HiS GOODLY CrEW 151 
 
 " Oh, I have seven summers and fifteen winters in my body," 
 said the man ; " so I think I ought to keep my mouth shut, for if 
 they get out all at the same time they would finish off the world 
 altogether." And then he asked for leave to go with him in the ship. 
 
 " If you want to go with us, you must make haste and get on 
 board," said Ashiepattle. 
 
 Yes, that he would, and then he joined the others on the ship. 
 
 When they had sailed a long time, they came to the king's 
 palace. 
 
 Ashiepattle went straight in to the king and said the ship 
 stood ready in the courtyard outside ; and now he wanted the 
 princess, as the king had promised. 
 
 The king did not like this very much, for Ashiepattle did not cut 
 a very fine figure ; he was black and sooty, and the king did not care 
 to give his daughter to such a tramp, so he told Ashiepattle that he 
 would have to wait a little. 
 
 " But you can have her all the same, if by this time to-morrow 
 you can empty my storehouse of three hundred barrels of meat," 
 said the king. 
 
 "I suppose I must try," said Ashiepattle ;" but perhaps you 
 don't mind my taking one of my crew with me ? " 
 
 " Yes, you can do that, and take all six if you like," said the 
 king, for he was quite sure that even if Ashiepattle took six 
 hundred with him, it would be impossible. So Ashiepattle took 
 with him the one who ate stones and always hungered after 
 meat. 
 
 When they came next morning and opened the storehouse, 
 they found he had eaten all the meat, except six small legs 
 of mutton, one for each of his companions. Ashiepattle then went 
 to the king and said the storehouse was empty, and he supposed 
 he could now have the princess. 
 
 The king went into the storehouse, and, sure enough, it was 
 quite empty ; but Ashiepattle was still black and sooty and the 
 king thought it was really too bad that such a tramp should have 
 his daughter. So he said he had a cellar full of beer and old wine,
 
 152 ASHIEPATTLE AND HiS GOODLY CREW 
 
 three hundred barrels of each kind, which he would have him 
 drink first. 
 
 " I don't mind your having my daughter if you can drink them 
 up by this time to-morrow," said the king. 
 
 "I suppose I must try," said Ashiepattle, "but perhaps you 
 don't mind my taking one of my crew with me ? " 
 
 "Yes, you may do that," said the king, for he was quite sure 
 there was too much beer and wine even for all seven of them. 
 Ashiepattle took with him the one who was always sucking the 
 bung, and was always thirsty ; and the king then shut them down 
 in the cellar. 
 
 There the thirsty one drank barrel after barrel, as long as there 
 was any left, but in the last barrel he left a couple of pints to 
 each of his companions. 
 
 In the morning the cellar was opened and Ashiepattle went at 
 once to the king and said he had finished the beer and wine, and now 
 he supposed he could have the princess as the king had promised. 
 
 "Well, I must first go down to the cellar and see," said 
 the king, for he could not believe it ; but when he got there 
 he found nothing but empty barrels. 
 
 But Ashiepattle was both black and sooty, and the king thought 
 it wouldn't do for him to have such a son-in-law. So he said, 
 that if Ashiepattle could get water from the end of the world in 
 ten minutes for the princess's tea, he could have both her and half 
 the kingdom ; for he thought that task would be quite impossible. 
 
 " I suppose I must try," said Ashiepattle, and sent for the one 
 of his crew who limped about on one leg, and had seven ton 
 weights on the other, and told him he must take off the weights 
 and use his legs as quickly as he could, for he must have water 
 from the end of the world for the princess's tea in ten minutes. 
 
 So he took off the weights, got a bucket and set off, and 
 the next moment he was out of sight. But they waited and 
 waited and still he did not return. At last it wanted but three 
 minutes to the time, and the king became as pleased as if he had 
 won a big wager. Then Ashiepattle called the one who could hear
 
 ASHIEPATTLE AND HiS GOODLY CREW 153 
 
 the grass grow and told him to listen and find out what had become 
 of their companion. 
 
 " He has fallen asleep at the well," said he who could hear the 
 grass grow ; " I can hear him snoring, and a troll is scratching his 
 head." Ashiepattle then called the one who could shoot to the end 
 of the world, and told him to send a bullet into the troll ; he did so 
 and hit the troll right in the eye. The troll gave such a yell that he 
 woke the man who had come to fetch the water for the tea, and when 
 he returned to the palace there was still one minute left out of the ten, 
 
 Ashiepattle went straight to the king and said : " Here is the 
 water"; and now he supposed he could have the princess, for surely 
 the king would not make any more fuss about it now. But the king 
 thought that Ashiepattle was just as black and sooty as ever, and 
 did not like to have him for a son-in-law ; so he said he had three 
 hundred fathoms of wood with which he was going to dry corn in 
 the bakehouse, and he wouldn't mind Ashiepattle having his 
 daughter if he would first sit in the bakehouse and burn all the 
 wood ; he should then have the princess, and that without fail. 
 " I suppose I must try," said Ashiepattle ; "but perhaps you don't 
 mind my taking one of my crew with me ? " 
 
 " Oh no, you can take all six," said the king, for he thought it 
 would be warm enough for all of them. 
 
 Ashiepattle took with him the one who had fifteen winters and 
 seven summers in his body, and in the evening he went across to 
 the bakehouse ; but the king had piled up so much wood on the 
 fire that you might almost have melted iron in the room. They 
 could not get out of it, for no sooner were they inside than the 
 king fastened the bolt and put a couple of padlocks on the door 
 besides. Ashiepattle then said to his companion : 
 
 "You had better let out six or seven winters, so that we may 
 get something like summer weather here." 
 
 They were then just able to exist, but during the night it got 
 cold again and Ashiepattle then told the man to let out a couple of 
 summers, and so they slept far into the next day. But when 
 they heard the king outside, Ashiepattle said :
 
 154 
 
 ASHIEPATTLE AND HiS GOODLY CREW 
 
 "You must let out a couple more winters, but you must manage 
 it so that the last winter you let out strikes the king right in the 
 face." 
 
 He did so, and when the king opened the door, expecting to 
 find Ashiepattle and his companion burnt to cinders, he saw them 
 huddling together and shivering with cold till their teeth chattered. 
 The same instant Ashiepattle's companion with the fifteen winters 
 in his body let loose the last one right in the king's face, which 
 swelled up into a big chilblain. 
 
 "Can I have the princess now?" asked Ashiepattle. 
 
 "Yes, take her and keep her and the kingdom into the bargain," 
 said the king, who dared not refuse any longer. And so the 
 wedding took place and they feasted and made merry and fired off 
 guns and powder. 
 
 While the people were running about searching for wadding for 
 their guns, they took me instead, gave me some porridge in a 
 bottle and some milk in a basket, and fired me right across here, 
 so that I could tell you how it all happened. 

 
 GUDBRAND O xN 
 THE HILL-SIDE 
 
 There was once upon a time a 
 man whose name was Gudbrand. 
 He had a farm which lay far 
 away up on the side of a hill, and 
 therefore they called him Gud- 
 brand on the hill-side. 
 
 He and his wife lived so 
 happily together, and agreed so 
 well, that whatever the man did 
 the wife thought it so well done 
 that no one could do it better. 
 No matter what he did, she 
 thought it was always the right 
 thing. 
 They lived on their own farm, and had a hundred dollars at 
 
 the bottom of their chest and two cows in their cowshed. One 
 
 day the woman said to Gudbrand : 
 
 " I think we ought to go to town with one of the cows and sell
 
 156 GUDBRAND ON THE H ILL-SIDE 
 
 it, so that we may have some ready money by us. We are pretty 
 well off, and ought to have a few shillings in our pocket like other 
 people ; the hundred dollars in the chest we mustn't touch, but I 
 can't see what we want with more than one cow, and it will be 
 much better for us, as I shall have only one to look after instead 
 of the two I have now to mind and feed." 
 
 Yes, Gudbrand thought, that was well and sensibly spoken. He 
 took the cow at once and went to town to sell it ; but when he got 
 there no one would buy the cow. 
 
 "Ah, well !" thought Gudbrand, "I may as well take the cow 
 home again. I know I have both stall and food for it, and the way 
 home is no longer than it was here." So he strolled homewards 
 again with the cow. 
 
 When he had got a bit on the way he met a man who had a 
 horse to sell, and Gudbrand thought it was better to have a horse 
 than a cow, and so he changed the cow for the horse. 
 
 When he had gone a bit further he met a man who was driving 
 a fat pig before him, and then he thought it would be better 
 to have a fat pig than a horse, and so he changed with the 
 man. 
 
 He now went a bit further, and then he met a man with a goat, 
 and so he thought it was surely better to have a goat than a pig, 
 and changed with the man who had the goat. 
 
 Then he went a long way, till he met a man who had a sheep ; 
 he changed with him, for he thought it was always better to have 
 a sheep than a goat. 
 
 When he had got a bit further he met a man with a goose, and 
 so he changed the sheep for the goose. And when he had gone a 
 long, long way he met a man with a cock ; he changed the goose 
 with him, for he thought this wise : " It is surely better to have a 
 cock than a goose." 
 
 He walked on till late in the day, when he began to feel hungry. 
 So he sold the cock for sixpence and bought some food for himself; 
 " for it is always better to keep body and soul together than to 
 have a cock," thought Gudbrand.
 
 GUDBRAND ON THE HiLL-SIDE 157 
 
 He then set ofif again homewards till he came to his neighbour's 
 farm and there he went in. 
 
 " How did you get on in town ? " asked the people. 
 
 " Oh, only so-so," said the man, " I can't boast of my luck, 
 nor can I grumble at it either," And then he told them how it had 
 gone with him from first to last. 
 
 " Well, you'll have a fine reception when you get home to your 
 wife," said the man. " Heaven help you ! I should not like to be 
 in your place." 
 
 "I think I might have fared much worse," said Gudbrand; " but 
 whether I have fared well or ill, I have such a kind wife that she 
 never says anything, no matter what I do." 
 
 "Aye, so you say; but you won't get me to believe it," said 
 the neighbour. 
 
 " Shall we have a wager on it ? " said Gudbrand. " I have a 
 hundred dollars in my chest at home ; wiU you lay the same ? " 
 
 So they made the wager and Gudbrand remained there till the 
 evening, when it began to get dark, and then they went together to 
 the farm. 
 
 The neighbour was to remain outside the door and listen, 
 while Gudbrand went in to his wife. 
 
 " Good evening ! " said Gudbrand when he came in. 
 
 " Good evening ! " said the wife. " Heaven be praised you 
 are back again." 
 
 *' Yes, here I am ! " said the man. And then the wife asked him 
 how he had got on in town. 
 
 " Oh, so-so," answered Gudbrand ; *' not much to brag of. 
 When I came to town no one would buy the cow, so I changed it 
 for a horse." 
 
 "Oh, I'm so glad of that," said the woman ; "we are pretty 
 well off and we ought to drive to church like other people, and 
 when we can aflford to keep a horse I don't see why we should 
 not have one. Run out, children, and put the horse in the stable." 
 "Well, I haven't got the horse after all," said Gudbrand ; " for 
 when I had got a bit on the way I changed it for a pig."
 
 158 GUDBRAXD OX THE HiLL-SIDE 
 
 " Dear me ! " cried the woman, " that's the very thing I should 
 have done myself. I'm so glad of that, for now we can have some 
 bacon in the house and something to offer people when they come 
 to see us. What do we want with a horse ? People would only 
 say we had become so grand that we could no longer walk to 
 church. Run out, children, and let the pig in." 
 
 " But I haven't got the pig either," said Gudbrand, " for when 
 I had got a bit further on the road I changed it into a milch 
 goat." 
 
 " Dear ! dear ! how well you manage everything ! " cried the 
 wife. " When I really come to think of it, what do I want with the 
 pig ? People would only say, ' over 3'onder they eat up every- 
 thing they have.' No, now I have a goat I can have both milk 
 and cheese and keep the goat into the bargain. Let in the goat, 
 children." 
 
 " But I haven't got the goat either," said Gudbrand ; " when I 
 got a bit on the way I changed the goat and got a fine sheep 
 for it." 
 
 "Well!" shouted the woman, "you do everything just as I 
 should wish it — ^^just as if I had been there myself. What do we 
 want with a goat ? I should have to climb up hill and down dale 
 to get it home at night. No, when I have a sheep I can have wool 
 and clothes in the house, and food as well. Run out, children, and 
 let in the sheep." 
 
 " But I haven't got the sheep any longer," said Gudbrand, 
 " for when I had got a bit on the way I changed it for a goose." 
 
 "Well, thank you for that!" said the woman; "and many 
 thanks too ! What do I want with a sheep ? I have neither 
 wheel nor spindle, and I do not care either to toil and drudge 
 making clothes ; we can buy clothes now as before. Now I can 
 have goose-fat, which I have so long been wishing for, and some 
 feathers to stuff that little pillow of mine. Run, children, and let 
 in the goose." 
 
 " Well, I haven't got the goose either," said Gudbrand. " When 
 I had got a bit further on the way I changed it for a cock."
 
 'HAVE I WON THE IIUNUKED DOLLARS NOW?" ASKED GUDBRAND
 
 GUDBRAND ON THE HiLL-SIDE l6l 
 
 " Well, I don't know how you can think of it all ! " cried the 
 woman. " It's just as if I had done it all myself. — A cock ! Why, 
 it's just the same as if you'd bought an eight-day clock, for every 
 morning the cock will crow at four, so we can be up in good time. 
 What do we want with a goose ? I can't make goose-fat and I 
 can easily fill my pillow with some soft grass. Run, children, and 
 let in the cock." 
 
 " But I haven't got a cock either," said Gudbrand, " for when 
 I had got a bit further I became so terribly hungry I had to sell 
 the cock for sixpence and get some food to keep body and soul 
 together." 
 
 " Heaven be praised you did that ! " cried the woman. " What- 
 ever you do, you always do the very thing I could have wished. 
 Besides, what did we want with the cock ? We are our own 
 masters and can lie as long as we like in the mornings. Heaven 
 be praised ! As long as I have got you back again, who manage 
 everything so well, I shall neither want cock, nor goose, nor pig, 
 nor cows." 
 
 Gudbrand then opened the door. " Have I won the hundred 
 dollars now ? " he asked. And the neighbour was obliged to confess 
 that he had.
 
 THE TWELVE WILD DUCKS 
 
 There was once upon a time a queen 
 who was out driving one winter after a fresh 
 fall of snow. When she had been driving some 
 time her nose began to bleed and she got out of 
 the sledge. While she was standing by the fence looking at the 
 red blood on the white snow she began thinking that she had 
 twelve sons, but no daughters ; so she said to herself: "If I had 
 a daughter as white as snow and as red as blood I should not care 
 what became of my sons." The words were scarcely out of her 
 mouth when a witch came up to her. 
 
 " You shall have a daughter," said she, " and she shall be as 
 white as snow and as red as blood. Your sons shall then be
 
 The Twelve Wild Ducks 163 
 
 mine, but you can keep them with you until the child is 
 christened." 
 
 When the time came the queen had a daughter, and she 
 was as white as snow and as red as blood, just as the witch 
 had promised, and they therefore called her Snow-white-and- 
 rosy-red. 
 
 There was great joy in the king's palace and the queen was 
 happy be3'ond description, but when she remembered what she 
 had promised the witch she ordered a silversmith to make twelve 
 silver spoons, one for each prince ; she also let him make one 
 more, which she gave to Snow-white-and-rosy-red. As soon as 
 the princess was christened the princes were changed into twelve 
 wild ducks which flew away and no more was seen of them. 
 Away they were and away they remained. 
 
 The princess grew up tall and fair, but she was often strange 
 and sad and no one knew what ailed her. One evening 
 the queen also felt very sad, for she was no doubt troubled 
 whenever she thought of her sons, so she said to Snow-white-and- 
 rosy-red : 
 
 " Why are you so sad, my daughter ? If there is anything you 
 want you shall have it." 
 
 " Oh, I think it is so lonely here," said the princess. " Every 
 one has brothers and sisters, but I am all alone and have none. 
 It is that which makes me so sad." 
 
 "You have had some brothers, my daughter," said the queen. 
 " I had twelve sons, who were your brothers, but I gave them all 
 away to get you," she said, and then she told her the whole 
 story. 
 
 When the princess heard this she had no peace. She must 
 and would set out to find her brothers. The queen cried and 
 wept, but it was of no avail, for the princess thought she was the 
 cause of it all, and at last she left the palace and set out on her 
 search. 
 
 She walked and walked so far out in the wide world that no 
 one would believe such a frail maiden could walk so far.
 
 164 The Twelve Wild Ducks 
 
 One day when she had been walking a long, long while in a 
 great, big forest she became tired and sat down on a tussock and 
 there she fell asleep. She dreamt she went further into the 
 forest and came to a small log hut and there she found her 
 brothers. Just then she awoke and straight in front of her she 
 saw a path in the greensward leading further into the forest. 
 She followed this, and after a long while she came to just such a 
 little log hut as she had dreamt about. 
 
 When she got inside she found no one there, but there were 
 twelve beds, and twelve stools, and twelve spoons, and twelve 
 of everything that was in the place. When she saw this she 
 became so glad, she had not felt so glad for many years ; 
 for she knew at once that her brothers lived there and that 
 it was they who owned the beds, the stools, and the spoons. 
 She began to make the fire and the beds, and to sweep out 
 the room, and cook the food, and to tidy everything as best 
 she could. 
 
 After she had done the cooking she had some food herself, but 
 she forgot to take her spoon from the table. She then crept under 
 the youngest brother's bed and lay down there. 
 
 No sooner had she done this than she heard a whizzing sound 
 in the air and all the twelve wild ducks came flying in, but as soon 
 as they had passed the threshold they at once became princes 
 again. 
 
 " How nice and warm it is here ! " they said. " Heaven bless 
 the one who has made our fire and cooked such good food for us." 
 And so they each took their silver spoon and sat down to eat. 
 But when each had taken his own there was still one left lying 
 on the table and it was so like the others that they could not 
 tell the difference. They then looked at one another in great 
 wonder. 
 
 " It is our sister's spoon," they said, "and if the spoon is here, 
 she cannot be far away herself." 
 
 " If it is our sister's spoon and we find her here, she ought to 
 be killed ; for she is the cause of all our suflferings," said the eldest
 
 The Twelve Wild Ducks 165 
 
 of the princes, and this the sister heard as she lay under the 
 bed. 
 
 " No," said the youngest," it would be a shame to kill her for 
 it ; she cannot be blamed that we suffer. If any one is the cause 
 of it, it is our own mother." They then began to search for her, 
 high and low, and at last they searched under all the beds, and 
 when they came to that of the youngest prince they found her and 
 dragged her out. 
 
 The eldest prince again said she ought to be killed, but she 
 cried and prayed so pitifully for herself : 
 
 " Oh, pray do not kill me," she said ; " I have been wandering 
 about for many years searching for you. If I could save you, I 
 would willingly give my life! " 
 
 " If you'll set us free, you shall live ; for if you will, you can," 
 said they. 
 
 " Only tell me how it can be done, and I'll do it, whatever it 
 may be," said the princess. 
 
 "You must gather cotton-grass," said the princes, "and this 
 you must card and spin and weave ; when you have done that, 
 you must cut out and make twelve caps, twelve shirts, and twelve 
 handkerchiefs with the cloth, one for each of us ; and while you 
 do that, you must neither speak, nor laugh, nor weep. If you can 
 do all that, we are saved." 
 
 " But where shall I get the cotton-grass for so many handker- 
 chiefs and caps and shirts ? " said their sister. 
 
 " That we will show you," said the princes ; and so they took 
 her with them to a great, big moor, which was covered with cotton- 
 grass, waving in the wind and glistening in the sun, so that it 
 shone like snow a long way off. 
 
 The princess had never seen so much before. She set to work 
 at once to pluck and gather the best, as fast as she could, and in 
 the evening when she came home, she began carding and spinning 
 yarn from the down of the cotton-grass. 
 
 Thus all went well for a long time. She gathered the grass 
 and carded it, and in the meantime she looked after the house for
 
 i66 The Twelve Wild Ducks 
 
 her brothers. She cooked their food and made their beds for 
 them. In the evening they came fl3'ing home as wild ducks, and at 
 night they were princes ; but in the morning they flew away 
 again, and were wild ducks the whole of the da}'. 
 
 But then it happened while she was on the moor gathering 
 cotton-grass one da}^ — and if I don't make a mistake it was the 
 last time she had to go there — that a young king, w^io governed 
 that country, was out shooting and came riding across the moor. 
 When he saw her, he stopped and wondered who the beautiful 
 maiden could be who was wandering about gathering cotton-grass. 
 He asked her, but got no answer, and he then asked her again 
 and wondered still more who she could be. 
 
 He took such a fanc}^ to her that he wanted to take her home 
 with him to the palace and marry her. He told his servants to 
 take her and place her next him on his horse. 
 
 The princess wrung her hands, and made signs to them, point- 
 ing to the bags in which she had all her work ; and when the king 
 understood that she wanted these with her, he told his servants to 
 take the bags with them. 
 
 When the princess saw this, she became contented, for the 
 king was both good and handsome, and he was as kind and gentle 
 to her as a child to a doll. 
 
 When they came home to the palace, and the old queen, who 
 was the king's stepmother, saw Snow-white-and-rosy-red, she 
 became so angr}' and jealous because she was so beautiful, that 
 she said to the king : 
 
 " Can't you see that this woman whom you have taken with 
 you and want to marry is a witch ; she neither speaks, nor laughs, 
 nor weeps." 
 
 The king did not listen to what she said, but married Snow- 
 white-and-rosy-red, and they lived in great joy and splendour • 
 but for all that she did not forget she had to make the shirts and 
 caps for her brothers. 
 
 Before the year was over the young queen had a little prince, 
 and this made the old queen still more angry and jealous. In the
 
 SHE WAS ON THE MOOR GATHERING COTTON-GRASS
 
 The Twelve Wild Ducks 169 
 
 night she stole into the room where the queen slept, took the child 
 and threw it into the snake-pit ; she then cut the young queen's 
 finger and smeared the blood on her mouth and went to the 
 king. 
 
 "Come and see," she said, "whom you have taken for your 
 queen ; she has eaten her own child ! " 
 
 The king then became so distressed that he nearly wept, and 
 said : 
 
 " I suppose it must be true, since I have seen it with my own 
 eyes, but surely she will not do it again. This time I will spare 
 her life." 
 
 Before the next year was out she had another son, and the same 
 thing happened again. The king's stepmother became still more 
 jealous and angry ; she stole into the queen's bedroom while she 
 slept, took her child and threw it into the snake pit, cut the queen's 
 finger, smeared the blood round her mouth, and then told the king 
 that she had eaten this child also. 
 
 You can hardly imagine how distressed the king became, and 
 then he said: 
 
 " I suppose it must be true, since I have seen it with my own 
 eyes ; but surely she will not do it again, and I'll spare her life this 
 time also." 
 
 Before the following year was over the queen had a daughter, 
 whom the old queen also took and threw into the snake-pit. 
 While the young queen slept she cut her finger and smeared the 
 blood around her mouth, and then went to the king and said : 
 
 " Now come and see if it isn't true what I have said, that 
 she is a witch ; for now she has eaten her third child 
 also." 
 
 The king's sorrow was so great there was no end to it. He 
 could not spare her life any longer, but was obliged to give orders 
 that she should be burnt alive. 
 
 When the pile was lighted, and she was about to be placed on 
 it, she made signs to the people to take twelve boards and place 
 them round the pile. On these she laid all the handkerchiefs, and
 
 170 The Twelve Wild Ducks 
 
 caps, and shirts for her brothers ; but the left sleeve was wanting 
 in the youngest brother's shirt, for she had not been able to get it 
 ready. No sooner was this done, than they heard a whiz and a 
 whirr in the air, and the twelve wild ducks came flying across 
 from the forest. Each one took his clothes in his bill and 
 flew off. 
 
 ** You can see now," said the wicked queen to the king, " she 
 is really a witch ; make haste and burn her before the pile is 
 burnt out." 
 
 "Oh," said the king, "we have plenty of wood; the forest is 
 close at hand. I want to wait a bit, for I should like to see what 
 the end of all this will be." 
 
 Just then the twelve princes came riding along the road, all as 
 handsome and well-made as one could wish to see ; but the 
 youngest prince had a duck's wing instead of a left arm. 
 
 "What does all this mean? " asked the princes. 
 
 " My queen is to be burnt because she is a witch, and has 
 eaten her own children ; " answered the king. 
 
 " She has not eaten her children," said the prince. " Speak 
 sister ! Now that you have saved us, save yourself! " 
 
 Then Snow-white-and-rosy-red spoke and told them how all 
 had happened, that every time a child was born the old queen, 
 the king's stepmother, had stolen into her room in the night, 
 taken the child from her, and cut her finger, and smeared the 
 blood around her mouth. 
 
 The princes then took the king and led him to the snake-pit. 
 There lay the three children playing with snakes and toads, and 
 finer children you could not see anywhere. The king took them 
 with him, and carried them to his stepmother, and asked her what 
 punishment she thought ought to be given to any one who could 
 be wicked enough to betray an innocent queen and three innocent 
 children. 
 
 " He ought to be tied between twelve wild horses, and torn to 
 pieces," said the old queen. 
 
 " You have pronounced your own doom, and now you will
 
 THERE LAY THE THREE CHILDREN PLAYING WITH SNAKES AND TOADS
 
 The Twelve Wild Ducks 173 
 
 have to submit to it," said the king. And so the wicked old queen 
 was tied between twelve wild horses and torn to pieces. 
 
 But Snow-white-and-rosy-red took the king and her children 
 and the twelve princes to her parents, and told them all that had 
 happened. There was now great joy and gladness over the whole 
 kingdom, because the princess was saved, and because she had 
 also set free her twelve brothers.
 
 THE BEAR AND THE FOX 
 
 I. SLIP PINE-ROOT, GRIP FOX-FOOT 
 
 Once upon a time there was a bear, who sat on a sunny hill-side 
 taking a nap. Just then a fox came slinking by and saw him. 
 
 "Aha! Have I caught you napping, grandfather? See if I 
 don't play you a trick this time ! " said Reynard to himself 
 
 He then found three wood-mice and laid them on a stump of a 
 tree just under the bear's nose. 
 
 " Boo ! Bruin ! Peter the hunter is just behind that stump ! " 
 shouted the fox right into the bear's ear, and then took to his 
 heels and made off into the wood. 
 
 The bear woke at once, and when he saw the three mice he 
 became so angry that he lifted his paw and was just going to 
 strike them, for he thought it was they who had shouted in his ear.
 
 The Bear and the Fox 175 
 
 But just then he saw Reynard's tail between the bushes, and he 
 set off at such a speed that the branches crackled under him, 
 and Bruin was soon so close upon Reynard that he caught him 
 by the right hind leg just as he was running into a hole under a 
 pine-tree. 
 
 Reynard was now in a fix ; but he was not to be outwitted, and 
 he cried : 
 
 " Slip pine-root, grip fox-foot," and so the bear let go his hold ; 
 but the fox laughed far down in the hole, and said : 
 
 " I sold you that time, also, grandfather ! " 
 
 " Out of sight is not out of mind ! " said the bear, who was in 
 a fine fury. 
 
 2. THE BEAR AND THE FOX MAKE A WAGER 
 
 The other morning, when Bruin came trudging across the moor 
 with a fat pig, Master Reynard was lying on a stone b}^ the moor- 
 side. 
 
 " Good day, grandfather ! " said the fox. " What nice thing 
 have you got there ? " 
 
 " Pork," said the bear. 
 
 " I have got something tasty as well," said the fox. 
 
 " What's that ? " said the bear. 
 
 " It's the biggest bees' nest I ever found," said Reynard. 
 
 " Ah, indeed," said the bear grinning, and his mouth began to 
 water; he thought a little honey would be so nice. "Shall we 
 change victuals ? " he said. 
 
 " No, I won't do that," said Reynard. But they made a wager 
 about naming three kinds of trees. If the fox could say them 
 quicker than the bear, he was to have one bite at the pig ; but if 
 the bear could say them quicker, he was to have one suck at the 
 bees' nest. The bear thought he would be able to suck all the 
 honey up at one gulp.
 
 176 The Bear and the Fox 
 
 " Well," said the fox, " that's all well and good, but if I win 
 you must promise to tear off the bristles where I want to have a 
 bite," he said. 
 
 "Well I suppose I must, since 3'ou are too lazy yourself ;" 
 said the bear. 
 
 Then they began to name the trees : 
 
 " Spruce, fir, pine," growled the bear. His voice was very gruff. 
 But all these were only different names of one kind of tree. 
 
 " Ash, aspen, oak," screeched the fox, so that the forest 
 resounded. He had thus won the bet, and so he jumped down, 
 took the heart out of the pig at one bite and tried to run off But 
 the bear was angry, because he had taken the best bit of the whole 
 pig, and seized hold of him by his tail and held him fast. 
 
 ** Just wait a bit," said the bear, who was furious. 
 
 " Never mind, grandfather ; if you'll let me go, you shall have 
 a taste of my honey," said the fox. 
 
 When the bear heard this, he let go his hold and the fox 
 jumped up on the stone after the hone3^ 
 
 " Over this nest," said Reynard, " I'll put a leaf, and in the 
 leaf there is a hole, through which you can suck the honey." He 
 then put the nest right up under the bear's nose, pulled awa}'' the 
 leaf, jumped on to the stone, and began grinning and laughing ; for 
 there was neither honey nor honeycomb in the nest. It was a 
 wasps' nest, as big as a man's head, full of wasps, and out they 
 swarmed and stung the bear in his eyes and ears and on his mouth 
 and snout. He had so much to do with scratching them off him, 
 that he had no time to think of Reynard. 
 
 Ever since the bear has been afraid of wasps. 
 
 3. THE BEAR AND THE FOX GO INTO PARTNERSHIP 
 
 Once the fox and the bear made up their minds to have a field in 
 common. They found a small clearing far away in the forest, 
 where they sowed rye the first year.
 
 M
 
 The Bear and the Fox 
 
 179 
 
 "Now we must share and share ahke," said Reynard ; "if you 
 will have the roots, I will have the tops," he said. 
 
 Yes, Bruin was quite willing; but when they had thrashed the 
 crop, the fox got all the corn, while the bear got nothing but the 
 roots and tares. 
 
 Bruin didn't like this, but the fox said it was only as they had 
 agreed. 
 
 " This year I am the gainer," said the fox ; " another year it will 
 be your turn ; you can then have the tops and I will be satisfied 
 with the roots." 
 
 Next spring the fox asked the bear if he didn't think turnips 
 would be the right thing for that year. 
 
 "Yes, that's better food than corn," said the bear ; and the fox 
 thought the same. 
 
 When the autumn came the fox took the turnips, but the bear 
 only got the tops. 
 
 The bear then became so angry that he parted company then 
 and there with Reynard.
 
 i8o The Bear and the Fox 
 
 4. REYNARD WANTS TO TASTE HORSEFLESH 
 
 One day the bear was lying eating a horse, which he had killed. 
 Reynard was about again and came slinking along, his mouth 
 watering for a tasty bit of the horse-flesh. 
 
 He sneaked in and out and round about till he came up 
 behind the bear, when he made a spring to the other side of the 
 carcase, snatching a piece as he jumped across. 
 
 The bear was not slow either ; he made a dash after Reynard 
 and caught the tip of his red tail in his paw. Since that time the 
 fox has always had a white tip to his tail. 
 
 "Wait a bit, Reynard, and come here," said the bear, "and I'll 
 teach you how to catch horses." 
 
 Yes, Reynard was quite willing to learn that, but he didn't 
 trust himself too near the bear. 
 
 "When you see a horse lying asleep in a sunny place," said 
 the bear, " you must tie yourself fast with the hair of his tail to 
 your brush, and then fasten your teeth in his thigh," he said. 
 
 Before long the fox found a horse lying asleep on a sunny hill- 
 side ; and so he did as the bear had told him ; he knotted and tied 
 himself well to the horse with the hair of the tail and then fastened 
 his teeth into his thigh. 
 
 Up jumped the horse and began to kick and gallop, so that 
 Reynard was dashed against stock and stone, and was so bruised 
 and battered, that he nearly lost his senses. 
 
 All at once a hare rushed by. " Where are you off to in such 
 a hurry, Reynard ? " said the hare. 
 
 " I'm having a ride. Bunny ! " said the fox. 
 
 The hare sat up on his hind legs and laughed till the sides of
 
 The Bear and the Fox 
 
 I8l 
 
 his mouth spht right up to his ears, at the thought of Reynard 
 having such a grand ride ; but since then the fox has never 
 thought of catching horses again. 
 
 That time it was Bruin who for once had the better of Reynard ; 
 otherwise they say the bear is as simple-minded as the trolls.
 
 THE COCK WHO FELL INTO THE 
 BREWING- VAT 
 
 Once upon a time there was a cock and a hen, who were out in a 
 field scratching and scraping and pecking. 
 
 All at once the hen found a barleycorn, and the cock found a 
 bur of hops, and so they made up their minds they would make 
 some malt and brew beer for Christmas. 
 
 " I plucked the barley' and I malted the corn and brewed the 
 beer, and the beer is good," cackled the hen. 
 
 " Is the wort strong enough ? " said the cock, and flew up to 
 the edge of the vat to taste it ; but when he stooped down to take a 
 sip, he began flapping with his wings and fell on his head into the 
 vat and was drowned.
 
 The Cock who Fell into the Brewing Vat 183 
 
 When the hen saw this, she was quite beside herself; she 
 flew on to the hearth and began to scream and cry : 
 
 " Got, got, got, drowned ! got, got, got, drowned ! " and this 
 she went on crying all the time and would not stop. 
 
 " What is the matter with you, Mother Tup, since you are 
 crying and grieving so ? " asked the hand-quern. 
 
 " Oh, Father Tup has fallen into the brewing-vat and got 
 drowned and there he lies dead ! " said the hen ; " that's the reason 
 I cry and grieve." 
 
 "Well, if I can't do any thing else, I will grind and groan," 
 said the hand-quern, and began grinding as fast as it could. 
 
 When the stool heard this, it said : 
 
 " What's the matter with you, quern, since you groan and 
 grind so fast?" 
 
 " Oh, Father Tup has fallen into the brewing-vat and got 
 drowned ; Mother Tup is sitting on the hearth, crying and griev- 
 ing ; therefore I grind and groan," said the hand-quern. 
 
 " Well, if I can't do anything else I shall creak," said the stool, 
 and began creaking and cracking. 
 
 This the door heard, so it said : 
 
 " What's the matter with you ? Why are you creaking, 
 stool ? " 
 
 ** Oh, Father Tup has fallen into the brewing-vat and got 
 drowned ; Mother Tup is sitting on the hearth crying and griev- 
 ing, and the hand-quern is grinding and groaning ; therefore I 
 creak and crack and crackle," said the stool. 
 
 " Well, if I can't do anything else, FU bang and slam and 
 whine and whistle," said the door, and began opening and shutting 
 and slamming and banging till it went through one's bonos and 
 marrow to hear it. 
 
 This the dust-bin heard. 
 
 " Why are you slamming and banging like that, door ? " said 
 the bin. 
 
 " Oh, Father Tup fell into the brewing-vat and got drowned ;
 
 184 The Cock who Fell into the Brewing Vat 
 
 Mother Tup is sitting on the hearth crying and grieving ; the 
 hand-quern is grinding and groaning ; the stool is creaking and 
 cracking; therefore I keep slamming and banging," said the 
 door. 
 
 "Well, if I can't do anything else, I'll fume and smoke," said 
 the dust-bin, and began fuming and smoking, and sending the dust 
 up in clouds all over the room. 
 
 This the hay-rake saw, as it stood peeping in through the 
 window. 
 
 "Why are you raising the dust like that, dust-bin?" asked 
 the rake. 
 
 " Oh, Father Tup fell into the brewing-vat and got drowned ; 
 Mother Tup is sitting on the hearth crying and grieving, the hand- 
 quern is grinding and groaning, the stool is creaking and crack- 
 ing ; the door is slamming and banging ; therefore I keep fuming 
 and smoking," said the dust-bin. 
 
 " Well, if I can't do anything else, Fll rake and rend," said the 
 rake, and began rending and raking. 
 
 This the aspen-tree saw, as it looked on. 
 
 " Why do you rend and rake like that, rake ? " said the 
 tree. 
 
 " Oh, Father Tup fell mto the brewing-vat and got drowned ; 
 Mother Tup is sitting on the hearth crying and grieving ; the 
 hand-quern is grinding and groaning ; the stool is creaking and 
 cracking ; the door is slamming and banging ; the dust-bin is fuming 
 and smoking ; therefore I keep rending and raking," said the 
 rake. 
 
 " Well, if I can't do anything else," said the aspen, " I will 
 quiver and quake." 
 
 This the birds noticed. "Why do you quiver and quake like 
 that ? " said the birds to the tree. 
 
 "Oh, Father Tup fell into the brewing-vat and got drowned ; 
 Mother Tup is sitting on the hearth crying and grieving ; the 
 hand-quern is grinding and groaning; the stool is creaking and
 
 
 THE MAN BEGAN PULLING THE BESOM TO PIECES, AND HIS WIFE TOOK ONE 
 LADLEFUL OF PORRIDGE AFTER ANOTHER AND DAUBED IT ALL 
 OVER THE PLACE.
 
 The Cock who Fell into the Brewing Vat 187 
 
 cracking; the door is slamming and banging; the dust-bin is fuming 
 and smoking ; the rake is rending and raking ; therefore I quiver 
 and quake," said the aspen. 
 
 " Well, if we can't do anything else we will pluck off our 
 feathers," said the birds, and began pecking and plucking till 
 the feathers flew about the farm like snow. 
 
 The farmer stood looking on, and when he saw the feathers 
 flying about he asked the birds : 
 
 " Why are you plucking off your feathers like that, birds ? " 
 
 ** Oh, Father Tup fell into the brewing- vat and got drowned ; 
 Mother Tup is sitting on the hearth crying and grieving ; the 
 hand-quern is grinding and groaning ; the stool is creaking and 
 cracking ; the door is slamming and banging ; the dust-bin is 
 fuming and smoking ; the rake is rending and raking ; the aspen 
 is quivering and quaking : therefore we keep pecking and pluck- 
 ing," said the birds. 
 
 " Well, if I can't do anything else I will pull the besoms 
 to pieces," said the farmer, and began tugging and pulling the 
 besoms to pieces, so that the twigs flew about, both east and 
 west. 
 
 His wife was boiling the porridge for supper when she saw 
 this. 
 
 " Why are you pulling the besoms to pieces, husband ? " said 
 she. 
 
 " Oh, Father Tup fell into the brewing-vat and got drowned ; 
 Mother Tup is sitting on the hearth crying and grieving ; the 
 hand-quern is grinding and groaning ; the stool is creaking and 
 creaking ; the door is slamming and banging ; the dust-bin is 
 fuming and smoking ; the rake is rending and raking ; the aspen 
 is quivering and quaking ; the birds are pecking and plucking off 
 their feathers : therefore I am pulling the besom to pieces," said 
 the man. 
 
 " Well, then, I'll daub the walls all over with porridge," she 
 said. And she set about it there and then, and took one ladleful
 
 i88 The Cock who Fell into the Brewing Vat 
 
 after another and smeared the porridge all over the walls, so that 
 no one could see what they were made of. 
 
 Then they kept the burial feast of the cock who fell into the 
 brewing-vat. And if you don't believe it, you had better go there 
 and taste both the beer and the porridge.
 
 THE COCK 
 
 AND 
 THE FOX 
 
 There was once a cock who 
 stood on a dunghill, crowing and flapping 
 his wings. 
 
 A fox just then came strolling by. 
 
 "Good-day," said the fox; "that's 
 a very fine crow, but can you stand on 
 one leg and crow with your eyes shut, 
 as your father did? "
 
 190 The Cock and the Fox 
 
 " I can easily do that," said the cock, and stood on one 
 leg and crowed. But he only shut one eye, and then he 
 strutted about flapping his wings as if he had done something 
 grand. 
 
 "That was very nice," said the fox ; " almost as nice as when 
 the parson chants in church ; but can you stand on one leg and 
 crow with both your e3'es shut at the same time ? I scarcely " 
 think you can," said Reynard. " No ; that father of yours, he was 
 really wonderful." 
 
 " Oh, I can do that as well," said the cock, and began to crow 
 standing on one leg and closing both his eyes, when all of a 
 sudden the fox made a dash at him, caught him by the neck, and 
 slung him across his back, and before he had finished his crow 
 Reynard had set off with him for the forest as quickly as he 
 could. 
 
 When they got under an old pine-tree Reynard threw the 
 cock down, put his paw on his breast, and was going to help himself 
 to a tasty bit. 
 
 " You are not so pious as your father, Reynard," said the 
 cock; "he always crossed himself and said grace before his 
 meals." 
 
 Reynard thought he ought to show a little piety, so he let go 
 his hold and was just going to say grace when up flew the cock 
 and settled in the tree above. 
 
 " I'll be even with 3'ou 3^et," said the fox to himself and went 
 off. He soon returned with a couple of chippings which the 
 woodcutters had left behind. 
 
 The cock kept peeping and peering to see what it could 
 be. 
 
 " What have 3'ou got there ? " he said. 
 
 " Oh, some letters I have got from the Pope in Rome," said 
 the fox. " Won't 3-ou help me to read them, for I am getting rather 
 shortsighted myself?" 
 
 " I would with pleasure, but I dare not just now," said the
 
 The Cock .axd the Fox 
 
 191 
 
 cock ; " there is a man coming along with a gun ; I see him from 
 behind the tree — I see him ! " 
 
 When the fox heard the cock prating about a man with a gun 
 he took to his heels as fast as he could. 
 
 That time it was the cock who outwitted Reynard.
 
 THE THREE PRINCESSES IN THE 
 BLUE MOUNTAIN 
 
 There were once upon a time a king and queen who had no 
 children, and they took it so much to heart that they hardly ever 
 had a happy moment. One day the king stood in the portico and 
 looked out over the big meadows and all that was his. But he felt 
 he could have no enjoyment out of it all, since he did not know
 
 The Three Princesses ix the Blue Mountain 193 
 
 what would become of it after his time. As he stood there ponder- 
 ing, an old beggar woman came up to him and asked him for a trifle 
 in heaven's name. She greeted him and curtsied, and asked what 
 ailed the king, since he looked so sad. 
 
 " You can't do anything to help me, my good woman," said the 
 king; "it's no use telling you." 
 
 " I am not so sure about that," said the beggar woman. "Very 
 little is wanted when luck is in the way. The king is thinking 
 that he has no heir to his crown and kingdom, but he need not 
 mourn on that account," she said. " The queen shall have three 
 daughters, but great care must be taken that they do not come 
 out under the open heavens before they are all fifteen years old ; 
 otherwise a snowdrift will come and carry them away." 
 
 N
 
 194 The Three Princesses in the Blue Mountain 
 
 When the time came the queen had a beautiful bab}^ girl ; the 
 year after she had another, and the third year she also had a girl. 
 
 The king and queen were glad beyond all measure ; but 
 although the king was very happy, he did not forget to set a 
 watch at the palace door, so that the princesses should not get out. 
 
 As they grew up they became both fair and beautiful, and all 
 went well with them in every way. Their only sorrow was that 
 they were not allowed to go out and play like other children. 
 For all they begged and prayed their parents, and for all they 
 besought the sentinel, it was of no avail ; go out they must not 
 before they were fifteen years old, all of them. 
 
 So one day, not long before the fifteenth birthday of the 
 3'oungest princess, the king and the queen were out driving, and 
 the princesses were standing at the window and looking out. The
 
 The Three Pkinxesses in the Blue Mountain 195 
 
 sun was shining, and everything looked so green and beautiful that 
 they felt they must go out, happen what might. So they begged 
 and entreated and urged the sentinel, all three of them, that he 
 should let them down into the garden. " He could see for himself 
 how warm and pleasant it was ; no snowy weather could come on 
 such a day." Well, he didn't think it looked much Hke it either, 
 and if they must go they had better go, the soldier said ; but it 
 must only be for a minute, and he himself would go with them 
 and look after them. 
 
 When they got down into the garden the}^ ran up and 
 down, and filled their laps with flowers and green leaves, the 
 prettiest they could find. At last they could manage no more, 
 but just as they were going indoors they caught sight of a large 
 rose at the other end of the garden. It was many times prettier 
 than any they had gathered, so they must have that also. But 
 just as they bent down to take the rose a big dense snowdrift 
 came and carried them awa3^ 
 
 There was great mourning over the whole country, and the 
 king made known from all the churches that any one who could 
 save the princesses should have half the kingdom and his golden 
 crown and whichever princess he liked to choose. 
 
 You can well understand there were plenty who wanted to 
 gain half the kingdom, and a princess into the bargain ; so there 
 were people of both high and low degree who set out for all 
 parts of the country. But there was no one who could find the 
 princesses, or even get any tidings of them. 
 
 When all the grand and rich people in the country had had 
 their turn, a captain and a lieutenant came to the palace, and 
 wanted to try their luck. The king fitted them out both with 
 silver and gold, and wished them success on their journey. 
 
 Then came a soldier, who lived with his mother in a little 
 cottage some way from the palace. He had dreamt one night that 
 he also was trying to find the princesses. When the morning 
 came he still remembered what he had dreamt, and told his mother 
 about it.
 
 196 The Three Princesses in the Blue Mountain 
 
 ** Some witchery must have got hold of you," said the woman, 
 •" but you must dream the same thing three nights running, else 
 there is nothing in it." And the next two nights the same thing 
 happened ; he had the same dream, and he felt he must go. So 
 he washed himself and put on his uniform, and went into the 
 kitchen at the palace. It was the day after the captain and the 
 lieutenant had set out. 
 
 "You had better go home again," said the king, "the prin- 
 cesses are beyond your reach, I should say ; and besides I have 
 
 THE soldier's MOTHER LIVED IN A LITTLE COTTAGE. 
 
 spent so much money on outfits that I have nothing left to-day. 
 You had better come back another time." 
 
 " If I go, I must go to-day," said the soldier. " Money I do 
 not want ; I only need a drop in my flask and some food in my 
 wallet," he said; "but it must be a good walletful — as much 
 meat and bacon as I can carry." 
 
 Yes, that he might have if that was all he wanted. 
 
 So he set off, and he had not gone many miles before he over- 
 took the captain and the lieutenant. 
 
 " Where are you going ? " asked the captain, when he saw the 
 man in uniform.
 
 S*»^7 
 
 
 
 
 nmå 
 
 ■V::-- 
 
 
 ■s^^!^V-v.., >--4^ 
 
 .THE PRINCESSES BEGGED AND ENTREATED THE SENTINEL TO LET THEM 
 DOWN INTO THE GARDEN
 
 The Three Princesses in the Blue Mountain 199 
 
 " I am going to try if I can find the princesses," answered the 
 soldier, 
 
 "So are we," said the captain, " and since your errand is the 
 same you may keep company with us, for if we don't find them, 
 you are not likely to find them either, my lad," said he. 
 
 When they had gone awhile the soldier left the high road, and 
 took a path into the forest. 
 
 " Where are you going ? " said the captain ; "it is best to follow 
 the high road." 
 
 " That may be," said the soldier, "but this is my way." 
 
 He kept to the path, and when the others saw this they turned 
 round and followed him. Away they went further and further, 
 far across big moors and along narrow valleys. 
 
 At last it became lighter, and when they had got out of the 
 forest altogether they came to a long bridge, which they had to 
 cross. But on that bridge a bear stood on guard. He rose on 
 his hind legs and came towards them, as if he wanted to eat 
 them. 
 
 " What shall we do now ? " said the captain. 
 
 " They say that the bear is fond of meat," said the soldier, and 
 then he threw a fore quarter to him, and so they got past. But 
 when they reached the other end of the bridge, they saw a lion 
 which came roaring towards them with open jaws as if he wanted 
 to swallow them. 
 
 " I think we had better turn to right-about, we shall never be 
 able to get past him alive," said the captain. 
 
 " Oh, I don't think he is so very dangerous," said the soldier; 
 " I have heard that lions are very fond of bacon, and I have half a 
 pig in my wallet : " and then he threw a ham to the lion, who began 
 eating and gnawing, and thus they got past him also. 
 
 In the evening they came to a fine big house. Each room was more 
 gorgeous than the other ; all was glitter and splendour wherever 
 they looked ; but that did not satisfy their hunger. The captain 
 and the lieutenant went round rattling their money, and wanted to 
 buy some food ; but they saw no people nor could they find
 
 20O The Three Princesses in the Blue Mountain 
 
 a crumb of anything in the house, so the soldier offered them some 
 food from his wallet, which they were not too proud to accept, nor 
 did they want any pressing. They helped themselves of what he 
 had as if they had never tasted food before. 
 
 The next day the captain said they would have to go out 
 shooting and try to get something to live upon. Close to the 
 house was a large forest where there were plenty of hares and 
 birds. The lieutenant was to remain at home and cook the re- 
 mainder of the food in the soldier's wallet. In the meantime the 
 
 IN THE EVENING THEY CAME TO A BIG FINE HOUSE 
 
 captain and the soldier shot so much game that they were hardly 
 able to carry it home. When they came to the door they found 
 the lieutenant in such a terrible plight that he was scarcely able to 
 open the door to them. 
 
 " What is the matter with you ? " said the captain. The 
 lieutenant then told them that as soon as they were gone, a tiny, 
 little man with a long beard, who went on crutches, came in and 
 asked so plaintively for a penny ; but no sooner had he got 
 it than he let it fall on the floor, and for all he raked and scraped 
 with his crutch he was not able to get hold of it, so stiff and stark 
 was he. 
 
 " I pitied the poor, old body," said the lieutenant, " and so I bent 
 down to pick up the penn}^, but then he was neither stiff nor stark 
 any longer. He began to belabour me with his crutches till very 
 soon I was unable to move a limb." 
 
 "You ought to be ashamed of yourself ! 3^ou, one of the king's
 
 The Three Prixxesses in the Blue Mouxtaix 201 
 
 officers, to let an old cripple give you a thrashing, and then tell 
 people of it into the bargain ! " said the captain. " Pshaw ! to- 
 morrow ril stop at home and then you'll hear another story." 
 
 The next day the lieutenant and the soldier went out shooting 
 and the captain remained at home to do the cooking and look after 
 the house. But if he fared no worse, he certainly fared no better 
 than the lieutenant. In a little while the old man came in and 
 asked for a penny. He let it fall as soon as he got it ; gone 
 it was and could not be found. So he asked the captain to help 
 him to find it, and the captain, without giving a thought, bent 
 down to look for it. But no sooner was he on his knees than the 
 cripple began belabouring him with his crutches, and every time 
 the captain tried to rise, he got a blow which sent him reeling. 
 When the others came home in the evening, he still lay on 
 the same spot and could neither see nor speak. 
 
 The third day the soldier was to remain at home, while the other 
 two went out shooting. The captain said he must take care of 
 himself, " For the old fellow will soon put an end to you, my lad,'^ 
 said he. 
 
 " Oh, there can't be much life in one if such an old crook can 
 take it," said the soldier. 
 
 They were no sooner outside the door, than the old man 
 came in and asked for a penn}^ again. 
 
 " Money I have never owned," said the soldier, " but food I'll 
 give you, as soon as it is ready," said he, " but if we are to get it 
 cooked, you must go and cut the wood." 
 
 " That I can't," said the old man. 
 
 " If you can't, you must learn," said the soldier. " I will soon 
 show you. Come along with me down to the wood-shed." There 
 he dragged out a heavy log and cut a cleft in it, and drove 
 in a wedge till the cleft deepened. 
 
 " Now you must lie down and look right along the cleft, and 
 you'll soon learn how to cut wood," said the soldier. " In the mean- 
 time I'll show you how to use the axe." 
 
 The old man was not sufficientl}' cunning and did as he was
 
 202 The Three Princesses in the Blue Mountain 
 
 told ; he lay down and looked steadily along the log. When the 
 soldier saw that the old man's beard had got well into the cleft, he 
 struck out the wedge ; the cleft closed and the old man was caught 
 by the beard. The soldier began to beat him with the axe handle, 
 and then swung the axe round his head, and vowed that he would 
 split his skull if he did not tell him, there and then, where the 
 princesses were. 
 
 " Spare my life, spare my life, and I'll tell 3'ou ! " said the 
 old man. " To the east of the house there is a big mound ; on top 
 of the mound 3'ou must dig out a square piece of turf, and then you 
 will see a big stone slab. Under that there is a deep hole through 
 which you must let yourself down, and you'll then come to another 
 world where you will find the princesses. But the way is long and 
 dark and it goes both through fire and water." 
 
 When the soldier got to know this, he released the old man, 
 who was not long in making off. 
 
 Wlien the captain and lieutenant came home they were sur- 
 prised to find the soldier alive. He told them what had happened 
 from first to last, where the princesses were and how they should 
 find them. They became as pleased as if the}^ had already found 
 them, and when they had had some food, they took with them a 
 basket and as much rope as they could find, and all three set off to 
 the mound. There they first dug out the turf just as the old man 
 had told them, and underneath they found a big stone slab, which it 
 took all their strength to turn over. They then began to measure 
 how deep it was ; the}^ joined on ropes both two and three times, 
 but they were no nearer the bottom the last time than the first. 
 At last they had to join all the ropes they had, both the coarse and 
 fine, and then the}- found it reached the bottom. 
 
 The captain was, of course, the first who wanted to descend ; 
 *' But when I tug at the rope you must make haste to drag me up 
 again," he said. He found the way both dark and unpleasant, but 
 he thought he would go on as long as it became no worse. But 
 all at once he felt ice cold water spouting about his ears ; he became 
 frightened to death and began tugging at the rope.
 
 < 2 
 
 z J 
 
 E- < 
 1^ 
 
 pa 3
 
 The Three Prixxesses in the Blue Mountain 205 
 
 The lieutenant was the next to try, but it fared no better with 
 him. No sooner had he got through the flood of water than 
 he saw a blazing fire yawning beneath him, which so frightened 
 him that he also turned back. 
 
 The soldier then got into the bucket, and down he went 
 through fire and water, right on till he came to the bottom, where 
 it was so pitch dark that he could not see his hand before 
 him. He dared not let go the basket, but went round in a circle, 
 feeling and fumbling about him. At last he discovered a gleam 
 of light far, far away like the dawn of day, and he went on in that 
 direction. 
 
 When he had gone a bit it began to grow light around him, 
 and before long he saw a golden sun rising in the sky and every- 
 thing around him became as bright and beautiful as if in a fairy 
 world. 
 
 First he came to some cattle, which were so fat that their hides 
 glistened a long way off, and when he had got past them he came 
 to a fine, big palace. He walked through many rooms without 
 meeting anybody. At last he heard the hum of a spinning wheel, 
 and when he entered the room he found the eldest princess sitting 
 there spinning copper yarn ; the room and everything in it was 
 of brightly polished copper. 
 
 ** Oh dear, oh dear ! what are Christian people doing here ? " 
 said the princess. " Heaven preserve you ! what do you want ? " 
 
 *' I want to set you free and get you out of the mountain," said 
 the soldier. 
 
 " Pray do not stay. If the troll comes home he will put an end 
 to you at once ; he has three heads," said she. 
 
 " I do not care if he has four," said the soldier. " I am here 
 and here I shall remain." 
 
 " Well, if you will be so headstrong, I must see if I can help 
 you," said the princess. 
 
 She then told him to creep behind the big brewing-vat which 
 stood in the front hall ; meanwhile she would receive the troll and 
 scratch his heads till he went to sleep.
 
 2o6 The Three Princesses in the Blue Mountain 
 
 "And when I go out and call the hens you must make haste 
 and come in," she said. " But you must first try if you can swing 
 the sword which is lying on the table." No, it was too heavy, he 
 could not even move it. He had then to take a strengthening 
 draught from the horn, which hung behind the door ; after that he 
 was just able to stir it, so he took another draught and then he 
 could lift it. At last he took a right, big draught and he could 
 swing the sword as easily as anything. 
 
 All at once the troll came home ; he walked so heavily that 
 the palace shook. 
 
 " Ugh, ugh ! I smell Christian flesh and blood in my house," 
 said he. 
 
 "Yes," answered the princess, "a raven flew past here just 
 now and in his beak he had a human bone, which he dropped down 
 the chimney ; I threw it out and swept and cleaned up after it, but 
 I suppose it still smells." 
 
 " So it does," said the troll. 
 
 " But come and lie down and I'll scratch your heads," said the 
 princess ; " the smell will be gone by the time you wake." 
 
 The troll was quite willing, and before long he fell asleep and 
 began snoring. When she saw he was sleeping soundly she 
 placed some stools and cushions under his heads and went to call 
 the hens. The soldier then stole into the room with the sword 
 and with one blow cut all the three heads off the troll. 
 
 The princess was as pleased as a fiddler, and went with the 
 soldier to her sisters, so that he could also set them free. First of 
 all they went across a courtyard and then through many long 
 rooms till they came to a big door. 
 
 " Here you must enter ; here she is," said the princess. 
 When he opened the door he found himself in a large hall, where 
 everything was of pure silver ; there sat the second sister at a 
 silver spinning-wheel. 
 
 "Oh, dear; oh, dear!" she said. "What do you want 
 here ? " 
 
 " I want to set you free from the troll," said the soldier.
 
 The Three Princesses in the Blue Mountain 207 
 
 ** Pray do not stay, but go," said the princess. " If he finds 
 you here he will take your life on the spot." 
 
 " That would be awkward — that is if I don't take his first," said 
 the soldier. 
 
 "Well, since you will stay," she said; "you will have to 
 creep behind the big brewing-vat in the front hall. But you 
 must make haste and come as soon as you hear me calling the 
 hens." 
 
 First of all he had to try if he was able to swing the troll's 
 sword, which lay on the table ; it was much larger and heavier 
 than the first one ; he was hardly able to move it. He then took 
 three draughts from the horn and he could then lift it, and when 
 he had taken three more he could handle it as if it were a rolling- 
 pin. 
 
 Shortly afterwards he heard a heavy, rumbling noise that was 
 quite terrible, and directly afterwards a troll with six heads 
 came in. 
 
 " Ugh, ugh ! " he said as soon as he got his noses inside the 
 door. *' I smell Christian blood and bone in my house." 
 
 " Yes, just think 1 A raven came flying past here with a thigh- 
 bone, which he dropped down the chimney," said the princess. 
 " I threw it out, but the raven brought it back again. At last I got 
 rid of it and made haste to clean the room, but I suppose the smell 
 is not quite gone," she said. 
 
 " No, I can smell it well," said the troll ; but he was tired and put 
 his heads in the princess's lap and she went on scratching them till 
 they all fell a-snoring. Then she called the hens, and the soldier 
 came and cut off all the six heads as if they were set on cabbage 
 stalks. 
 
 She was no less glad than her eldest sister, as 3'ou may 
 imagine, and danced and sang ; but in the midst of their joy they 
 remembered their youngest sister. They went with the soldier 
 across a large courtyard and after walking through many, many 
 rooms he came to the hall of gold, where the third sister was. 
 
 She sat at a golden spinning-wheel spinning gold yarn, and
 
 2o8 The Three Princesses in the Blue Mountain 
 
 the room from ceiling to floor glistened and glittered till it hurt 
 one's eyes. 
 
 " Heaven preserve both you and me, what do you want here ? " 
 said the princess. " Go, go, else the troll will kill us both." 
 
 "Just as well two as one," answered the soldier. The princess 
 ■cried and wept ; but it was all of no use, he must and would 
 remain. Since there was no help for it he would have to try if he 
 could use the troll's sword on the table in the front hall. But he 
 was only just able to move it ; it was still larger and heavier than 
 the other two swords. 
 
 He then had to take the horn down from the wall and take three 
 draughts from it, but was only just able to stir the sword. When 
 he had taken three more draughts he could lift it, and when he had 
 taken another three he swung it as easily as if it had been a 
 feather. 
 
 The princess then settled with the soldier to do the same as 
 her sisters had done. As soon as the troll was well asleep she 
 would call the hens, and he must then make haste and come in and 
 put an end to the troll. 
 
 All of a sudden they heard such at hundering, rambling noise, 
 as if the walls and roof were tumbling in. 
 
 " Ugh ! Ugh ! I smell Christian blood and bone in my 
 house," said the troll sniffing with all his nine noses. 
 
 "Yes, you never saw the like ! Just now a raven flew past 
 here and dropped a human bone down the chimney. I threw it 
 out, but the raven brought it back and this went on for some 
 time," said the princess ; but she got it buried at last, she said, 
 and she had both swept and cleaned the place, but she supposed 
 it still smelt. 
 
 " Yes, I can smell it well," said the troll. 
 
 "Come here and lie down in my lap and I will scratch your 
 heads," said the princess. " The smell will be all gone when you 
 awake." 
 
 He did so, and when he was snoring at his best she put stools 
 and cushions under the heads so that she could get away to call the
 
 The Three Princesses in the Blue Mountain 209 
 
 hens. The soldier then came in in his stockinged feet and struck 
 at the troll, so that eight of the heads fell off at one blow. But 
 the sword was too short and did not reach far enough ; the ninth 
 head woke up and began to roar. 
 
 " Ugh ! Ugh ! I smell a Christian." 
 
 "Yes, here he is," answered the soldier, and before the troll 
 could get up and seize hold of him the soldier struck him another 
 blow and the last head rolled along the floor. 
 
 You can well imagine how glad the princesses became now 
 that they no longer had to sit and scratch the trolls' heads ; they 
 did not know how they could do enough for him who had saved 
 them. The youngest princess took off her gold ring and knotted it in 
 his hair. They then took with them as much gold and silver as 
 they thought they could carry and set off on their way home. 
 
 As soon as they tugged at the rope the captain and the 
 lieutenant pulled up the princesses, the one after the other. But 
 when they were safely up the soldier thought it was foolish of 
 him not to have gone up before the princesses, for he had not very 
 much belief in his comrades. He thought he would first try them, 
 so he put a heavy lump of gold in the basket and got out of the 
 way. When the basket was half-way up they cut the rope and 
 the lump of gold fell to the bottom with such a crash that the 
 pieces flew about his ears. 
 
 " Now we are rid of him," they said, and threatened the 
 princesses with their life if they did not say that it was they who 
 had saved them from the trolls. They were forced to agree to 
 this, much against their will, and especially the youngest princess ; 
 but life was precious, and so the two who were strongest had their 
 way. 
 
 When the captain and lieutenant got home with the princesses 
 you may be sure there were great rejoicings at the palace. The 
 king was so glad he didn't know which leg to stand on ; he brought 
 out his best wine from his cupboard and wished the two officers 
 welcome. If they had never been honoured before they were 
 honoured now in full measure, and no mistake. They walked and 
 
 o
 
 210 The Three Princesses in the Blue Mountain 
 
 strutted about the whole of the day, as if they were the cocks of 
 the walk, since they were now going to have the king for father- 
 in-law. For it was understood they should each have whichever 
 of the princesses they liked and half the kingdom between them. 
 They both wanted the youngest princess, but for all they prayed 
 and threatened her it was of no use ; she would not hear or listen 
 to either. 
 
 They then asked the king if they might have twelve men to 
 watch over her ; she was so sad and melancholy since she had 
 been in the mountain that they were afraid she might do some- 
 thing to herself. 
 
 Yes, that they might have, and the king himself told the watch 
 they must look well after her and follow her wherever she went 
 and stood. 
 
 They then began to prepare for the wedding of the two eldest 
 sisters ; it should be such a wedding as never was heard or 
 spoken of before, and there was no end to the brewing and 
 the baking and the slaughtering. 
 
 In the meantime the soldier walked and strolled about down 
 in the other world. He thought it was hard that he should see 
 neither people nor daylight any more ; but he would have to do 
 something, he thought, and so for many days he went about 
 from room to room and opened all the drawers and cupboards 
 and searched about on the shelves and looked at all the fine things 
 that were there. At last he came to a drawer in a table, in 
 which there lay a golden key ; he tried this key to all the locks 
 he could find, but there was none it fitted till he came to a little 
 cupboard over the bed, and in that he found an old rusty whistle. 
 " I wonder if there is any sound in it," he thought, and put it to 
 his mouth. No sooner had he whistled than he heard a 
 whizzing and a whirring from all quarters, and such a large 
 flock of birds swept down, that they blackened all the field in 
 which they settled. 
 
 " What does our master want to-day ? " they asked. 
 
 If he were their master, the soldier said, he would like to know
 
 The Three Princesses in the Blue Mountain 211 
 
 if they could tell him how to get up to the earth again. No, none 
 of them knew anything about that ; " But our mother has not yet 
 arrived," they said ; ** if she can't help you, no one can." 
 
 So he whistled once more, and shortly heard something 
 flapping its wings far away, and then it began to blow so hard 
 that he was carried away between the houses like a wisp of hay 
 across the courtyard, and if he had not caught hold of the fence 
 he would no doubt have been blown away altogether. 
 
 A big eagle — bigger than you can imagine — then swooped 
 down in front of him. 
 
 " You come rather sharply," said the soldier. 
 
 " As you whistle so I come," answered the eagle. So he asked 
 her if she knew any means by which he could get away from the 
 world in which they were. 
 
 "You can't get away from here unless you can fly," said the 
 eagle, *' but if you will slaughter twelve oxen for me, so that I can 
 have a really good meal, I will try and help you. Have you got 
 a knife ? " 
 
 " No, but I have a sword," he said. When the eagle had 
 swallowed the twelve oxen she asked the soldier to kill one more 
 for victuals on the journey. " Every time I gape you must be 
 quick and fling a piece into my mouth," she said, " else I shall 
 not be able to carry you up to earth." 
 
 He did as she asked him and hung two large bags of meat 
 round her neck and seated himself among her feathers. The 
 eagle then began to flap her wings and off they went through the 
 air like the wind. It was as much as the soldier could do to hold 
 on, and it was with the greatest difficulty he managed to throw 
 the pieces of flesh into the eagle's mouth every time she 
 opened it. 
 
 At last the day began to dawn, and the eagle was then almost 
 exhausted and began flapping with her wings, but the soldier was 
 prepared and seized the last hind quarter and flung it to her. 
 Then she gained strength and brought him up to earth. When 
 she had sat and rested a while at the top of a large pine-tree she
 
 212 The Three Princesses in the Blue Mountain 
 
 set off with him again at such a pace that flashes of Hghtning 
 were seen both by sea and land wherever they went. 
 
 Close to the palace the soldier got off and the eagle flew home 
 again, but first she told him that if he at any time should want 
 her he need only blow the whistle and she would be there at 
 once. 
 
 In the meantime everything was ready at the palace, and the 
 time approached when the captain and lieutenant were to be 
 married with the two eldest princesses, who, however, were not 
 much happier than their youngest sister ; scarcely a day passed 
 without weeping and mourning, and the nearer the wedding-day 
 approached the more sorrowful did they become. 
 
 At last the king asked what was the matter with them ; he 
 thought it was very strange that they were not merry and happy 
 now that they were saved and had been set free and were going 
 to be married. They had to give some answer, and so the 
 eldest sister said they never would be happy any more unless 
 they could get such checkers as they had played with in the blue 
 mountain. 
 
 That, thought the king, could be easily managed, and so he 
 sent word to all the best and cleverest goldsmiths in the country 
 that they should make these checkers for the princesses. For all 
 they tried there was no one who could make them. At last all 
 the goldsmiths had been to the palace except one, and he was an 
 old, infirm man who had not done any work for many years 
 except odd jobs, by which he was just able to keep himself 
 alive. To him the soldier went and asked to be apprenticed. 
 The old man was so glad to get him, for he had not had an 
 apprentice for many a day, that he brought out a flask from his 
 chest and sat down to drink with the soldier. Before long the 
 drink got into his head, and when the soldier saw this he 
 persuaded him to go up to the palace and tell the king that he 
 would undertake to make the checkers for the princesses. 
 
 He was ready to do that on the spot ; he had made finer and 
 grander things in his day, he said. When the king heard there
 
 THE OLD GOLDSMITH WENT TO THE PALACE AND TOLD THE KING HE WOULD 
 UNDERTAKE TO MAKE THE CHECKERS FOR THE PRINCESSES
 
 The Three Princesses in the Blue Mountain 215 
 
 was some one outside who could make the checkers he was not 
 long in coming out. 
 
 " Is it true what you sa}-, that you can make such checkers as 
 my daughters want ? " he asked. 
 
 " Yes, it is no he," said the goldsmith ; that he would answer 
 for. 
 
 " That's well ! " said the king. "Here is the gold to make 
 them with ; but if you do not succeed you will lose your life, since 
 you have come and offered yourself, and they must be finished in 
 three days." 
 
 The next morning when the goldsmith had slept off the effects 
 of the drink, he was not quite so confident about the job. He 
 wailed and wept and blew up his apprentice, who had got him 
 into such a scrape while he was drunk. The best thing would be 
 to make short work of himself at once, he said, for there could be 
 no hope for his life ; when the best and grandest goldsmiths could 
 not make such checkers, was it likely that he could do it ? 
 
 " Don't fret on that account," said the soldier, " but let me 
 have the gold and I'll get the checkers ready in time ; but I must 
 have a room to myself to work in," he said. This he got, and 
 thanks into the bargain. 
 
 The time wore on, and the soldier did nothing but lounge 
 about, and the goldsmith began to grumble, because he would not 
 begin with the work. 
 
 ** Don't worry yourself about it," said the soldier, " there is 
 plenty of time ! If you are not satisfied with what I have promised 
 you had better make them yourself." The same thing went on 
 both that day and the next ; and when the smith heard neither 
 hammer nor file from the soldier's room the whole of the last da}', 
 he quite gave himself up for lost ; it was now no use to think any 
 longer about saving his life, he thought. 
 
 But when the night came on the soldier opened the window 
 and blew his whistle. The eagle then came and asked what he 
 wanted. 
 
 " Those gold checkers, which the princesses had in the blue
 
 2i6 The Three Princesses in the Blue Mouxtaix 
 
 mountain," said the soldier ; " but you'll want something to eat 
 first, I suppose ? I have two ox carcases l3'ing ready for 3'ou in 
 the hay-loft yonder ; you had better finish them," he said. When 
 the eagle had done she did not tarry, and long before the sun rose 
 she was back again with the checkers. The soldier then put them 
 under his bed and lay down to sleep. 
 
 Early next morning the goldsmith came and knocked at his 
 door. 
 
 " What are you after now again ? " asked the soldier. "You 
 rush about enough in the day, goodness knows ! If one can- 
 not have peace when one is in bed, whoever would be an 
 apprentice here ? " said he. 
 
 Neither praying nor begging helped that time ; the goldsmith 
 must and would come in, and at last he was let in. 
 
 And then you may be sure, there was soon an end to his 
 wailing. 
 
 But still more glad than the goldsmith were the princesses, 
 when he came up to the palace with the checkers, and gladdest of 
 all was the 3'oungest princess. 
 
 " Have }'ou made them yourself? " she asked. 
 " No, if I must speak the truth, it is not I," he said, " but my 
 apprentice, who has made them." 
 
 " I should like to see that apprentice," said the princess. In 
 fact all three wanted to see him, and if he valued his life, he 
 would have to come. 
 
 He was not afraid, either of women-folk or grand-folk, said the 
 soldier, and if it could be any amusement to them to look at his 
 rags, they should soon have that pleasure. 
 
 The youngest princess recognised him at once ; she pushed 
 the soldiers aside and ran up to him, gave him her hand, and said : 
 " Good day, and many thanks for all you have done for us. 
 It is he who freed us from the trolls in the mountain," she said 
 to the king. " He is the one I will have ! " and then she pulled 
 off his cap and showed them the ring she had tied in his hair. 
 It soon came out how the captain and lieutenant had behaved.
 
 2 u 
 o
 
 The Three Princesses in the Blue Mountain 219 
 
 and so they had to pay the penalty of their treachery with their 
 lives, and that was the end of their grandeur. But the soldier got 
 the golden crown and half the kingdom, and married the youngest 
 princess. 
 
 At the wedding they drank and feasted both well and long ; 
 for feast they all could, even if they could not find the princesses, 
 and if they have not yet done feasting and drinking they must be 
 at it still. 
 

 
 THE WORLD'S REWARD 
 
 There was once a man who went into the wood to cut trees for 
 hurdles. But he did not find any which were as long and straight 
 as he wanted them to be, till he got to a rocky place, where he 
 heard groans and moans, as of some one in the pangs of death. 
 So he went to see who it was that wanted help. He found that 
 the groans came from under a big slab among the boulders. It 
 was so heavy that it would take many men to lift it. But the man 
 went into the wood and cut down a tree, which he used as a lever 
 to lift the slab with. From under it there crawled a dragon, who 
 then wanted to eat the man. But the man said he had saved the 
 dragon's life, and it was base ingratitude to want to eat him. 
 
 " May be ! " said the dragon. " But you can easily understand 
 that I am hungry, having lain here a hundred years and tasted no 
 food ; besides, that is the reward one gets in the world." 
 
 The man begged and prayed for his life, and so they agreed 
 that the first being they met should decide between them. If he 
 was of a different opinion to the dragon the man should not lose 
 his life, but if he thought the same as the dragon, the dragon 
 should eat the man. 
 
 The first they met was an old dog, who was walking along the 
 road under the hillside. They spoke to him and asked him to be 
 their judge.
 
 The World's Reward 221 
 
 " Goodness only knows ! I have served my master faithfully 
 since I was a pup/' said the dog ; "I have watched many a night 
 and many a time while he has been sound asleep, and I have 
 saved the house and chattels from fire and thieves more than once ; 
 but now, when I can neither see nor hear any longer, he wants to 
 shoot me ; so I ran away, and I knock about from place to place, 
 sniffing and begging my way till one day I shall die of hunger. 
 No, that is the reward one gets in this world," said the dog. 
 
 "Then I'll eat you!" said the dragon, and was going to 
 swallow the man ; but the man spoke so well for himself, and 
 begged so hard for his life, that the dragon agreed that the next 
 being they met should decide between them ; and if he said the 
 same as the dragon and the dog, the dragon should eat him, and 
 have a good meal of human flesh, but if not, the man should get 
 off with his life. 
 
 An old horse then came dragging himself along the road just 
 under the hillside. They spoke to him, and asked him to judge 
 between them. Yes, that he would. 
 
 " Well, I have served my master as long as I was able to draw 
 and carry," said the horse. " I have slaved and worked for him 
 till the sweat streamed from every hair, and I have worked faith- 
 fully till I have become stiff and stark, and worn-out with work 
 and age ; now I am fit for nothing, and am not worth my keep, 
 and so I am to have a bullet, says my master. No, that is the 
 reward one gets in this world," said the horse. 
 
 " Then I'll eat you ! " said the dragon, and opened its jaws wide 
 to swallow the man. He again begged and prayed hard for his 
 life, but the dragon said he wanted a mouthful of human flesh 
 and was so hungry that he could not wait any longer. 
 
 " Look, there is some one coming, just as if he were sent to be 
 our judge," said the man, as Reynard came slinking towards them 
 between the boulders. " Good things come in threes," said the man ; 
 " let us ask him also, and if he judges like the others, you shall 
 eat me on the spot." 
 
 " Very well," said the dragon. He had also heard that all good
 
 222 The World's Reward 
 
 things came in threes, and so he would agree to that. The man 
 spoke to the fox as he had done to the others. 
 
 " Yes, yes," said the fox ; but he took the man aside. 
 
 ** What will you give me, if I free you from the dragon ? " he 
 whispered in the man's ear. 
 
 " You shall come home with me and be lord and master over 
 my fowls and geese every Thursday night," said the man. 
 
 "This is a case which can only be settled on the spot itself, 
 my dear dragon," said the fox. '* I cannot get into my head how 
 such a large and mighty animal as yourself could find room under 
 that slab " 
 
 " Well, I was lying up here sunning myself," said the dragon, 
 " when an avalanche came down the mountain and turned the slab 
 over me." 
 
 "That is very possible," said Reynard ; "but I cannot under- 
 stand it, nor will I believe it, till I see it," said he. 
 
 So the man said they had better try it, and the dragon slipped 
 into the hole again, and just at that moment the man pulled away 
 the lever, and the slab shut down the dragon again with a 
 bang. 
 
 "You may now lie there till doomsday," said the fox, "since 
 you had no pity on the man who saved you." The dragon yelled 
 and groaned and prayed for himself, but the other two went their 
 way. 
 
 The next Thursday evening the fox set out for the farm to help 
 himself from the hen-roost, and hid himself behind a heap of poles, 
 which were standing there. When the girl went to give the fowls 
 their food, Reynard sneaked in, so that she did not notice him ; 
 and no sooner was she gone than he killed enough for eight days, 
 and ate till he could not move. When the girl came back in the 
 morning, the fox lay sleeping and snoring in the morning sunshine, 
 with all his four legs stretched out ; he was as sleek and round as 
 a big sausage. 
 
 The girl ran to fetch her mistress, and she and all the others 
 came back with sticks and poles, and began thrashing Reynard till
 
 NN^ 
 
 ' THIS IS A CASE WHICH CAN ONLY BK SETTLED ON THE SPOT ITSELF, 
 MY DEAR DRAGON," SAID THE FOX
 
 The World's Reward 
 
 --5 
 
 they almost killed him ; but at last when they thought they had 
 done for him, Reynard found a hole in the floor, through which he 
 slipped out and set off limping towards the wood. 
 
 *' Oh dear, oh dear ! " said Reynard ; " but I suppose that is the 
 reward one gets in this world ! " 
 
 ^^r''- -%,
 
 THE COMPANION 
 
 There was once upon a time a peasant lad, who dreamt he was 
 going to marry a princess far away in a strange country, and she 
 was as red and white as milk and blood, and so rich that there 
 was no end to her riches. When he awoke, he thought she still 
 stood alive before him, and she was so sweet and beautiful that he 
 felt he could not exist if he did not get her ; so he sold what he 
 had and set out in the world to find her. 
 
 He went far and further than far, and in the winter he came to 
 a country where all the high roads were straight and had no turn- 
 ings. When he had walked straight on for a quarter of a year, he 
 came to a town, and outside the church door there lay a large 
 block of ice in which stood a dead body ; and all the people who 
 were on their way to church spat on it as they passed it. The 
 lad wondered at this, and when the parson came out of the church, 
 he asked him what it all meant. 
 
 " He was a great evil-doer," said the parson, " and was 
 punished for his ungodliness, and has been set up there to be 
 mocked and scoffed at." 
 
 " What did he do ? " asked the lad. 
 
 "When he was alive, he was a vintner," said the parson, 
 " and he mixed his wine with water." The lad did not think this 
 a very wicked deed ; " and when he has paid for it with his life,"
 
 m 
 
 WHEN THE PARSON CAME OUT OF THE CHURCH, THE LAD 
 ASKED HIM WHAT IT ALL MEANT
 
 The Companion 229 
 
 said he, " they might as well let him lie in Christian ground and 
 leave him in peace after death." But the parson said that could 
 not be permitted on any account, for they would have to get 
 people to break him out of the ice ; and money would be wanted 
 to buy burial ground from the church, the grave-digger would 
 want payment for the grave, the owner of the church for the bells, 
 the clerk for the singing, and the parson for casting earth on the 
 coffin. 
 
 " Do you think there is anybody who will pay all this for an 
 executed sinner ? " he asked. 
 
 " Yes," said the lad. If he could only get him underground, 
 he would pay all the funeral expenses out of the little he 
 had. 
 
 The parson was still unwilling to bury him ; but when the lad 
 came with two men, and asked him in their presence to perform 
 the ceremony, he answered that he dared not refuse. So they 
 broke the vintner out of his block of ice and put him in Christian 
 ground ; they tolled the bells, and sang over him, and the parson 
 cast the earth upon the coffin, and they drank of the funeral ale 
 till they both cried and laughed. When the lad had paid all the 
 expenses he had not many pennies left in his pocket. 
 
 He set out on the road again. But he had not gone far, before 
 a man came after him and asked him if he did not think it was 
 lonely to be travelling by himself. 
 
 No, the lad did not find it lonely for he had always something 
 to think about, he said. 
 
 The man then asked if he did not want a servant. 
 
 ** No," said the lad, " I am accustomed to be my own servant, 
 and therefore I do not want any ; but if I wanted one ever so 
 much, I could not afford to have one, for I have no money to pay 
 for his food or wages." 
 
 " You want a servant ; that I know better than you," said the 
 man, "and you will want one you can rely upon in life and death. 
 If you will not have me as your servant you can take me as a 
 companion. I promise you, that you will find me useful and it
 
 230 The Compaxiox 
 
 shall not cost you a penny. I'll pay my own way, and food and 
 clothing you need not trouble about." 
 
 Well, on those terms he would willingly have him for a com- 
 panion, and after that they travelled together, the man mostly 
 going on in front and showing him the way. When they had 
 travelled a long way over hills and dales through many countries 
 they came to a mountain that lay across the road. 
 
 There the companion knocked and asked them to open. The 
 rock opened for them, and when they came far into the mountain a 
 troll woman came and offered them a stool. 
 
 " Won't you take a seat ? You must be tired," she said. 
 
 " Take a seat yourself," said the man. So she had to sit 
 down ; but when she had done so, she stuck fast to the stool, for it 
 was such that it did not let go anything that came near it. In 
 the meantime they walked about inside the mountain and the 
 companion looked around him till he saw a sword which hung 
 over the door. 
 
 He wanted this very much, and if he could have it he promised 
 the troll woman that he would let her loose. 
 
 " No," she cried, *' ask me for anything else ! You can have 
 everything but that, for it is my Three-Sister-Sword ! " There 
 were three sisters who owned it together. 
 
 "Well, then you must sit there till the end of the world," said 
 the man ; but when she heard this she said that he could have it 
 if he would set her free. So he took the sword and went away 
 with it, but he left her sitting on the stool all the same. 
 
 When they had gone far across some bare mountains and 
 broad hills, they came to another mountain that lay across the 
 road. There the companion knocked and asked them to open. It 
 happened as before ; the rock opened for them and when they got 
 far into the mountain there came a troll woman with a stool and 
 asked them to sit down ; they might be tired, she said. 
 
 *' Sit down yourself," said the companion ; and she fared just as 
 her sister had fared. When she sat down on the stool, she stuck 
 fast to it. In the meantime the lad and the companion walked
 
 The Companion 231 
 
 about inside the mountain and the companion opened all the cup- 
 boards and drawers till he found what he searched for. It was a 
 ball of gold yarn. He wanted this very much, and he promised 
 the troll woman that if she would give it him he would let her 
 loose. She said he could have all she possessed, but she would 
 not part with that for it was her Three-Sister-Ball. But when she 
 heard that she would have to sit there till the day of judgment if 
 he did not get it, she said he might take it after all if only he 
 would set her free. The companion took the ball, but he let her 
 sit where she w^as. 
 
 So they went for many days over hills and through forests, till 
 they came to a mountain that lay across the road. The same 
 thing happened as before ; the companion knocked, the rock 
 opened, and inside the mountain a troll woman came with a 
 stool and asked them to sit down, for they might be tired. 
 
 But the companion said, "Sit down yourself! " and there she 
 sat. They had not gone through many rooms before the com- 
 panion saw an old hat, which hung on a peg behind the door. 
 He wanted that very much, but the troll woman did not want 
 to part with it, for it was her Three-Sister-Hat, and if she gave 
 it away she would be most unhappy. But when she heard that 
 she woul^ have to sit there till the end of the world if he did 
 not get it, she said he might take it if he only let her loose. 
 No sooner had the companion got the hat than he told her to 
 remain sitting where she was, just like her sisters. 
 
 After a long time they came to a fjord. Then the companion 
 took the ball of gold yarn, and threw it so hard against the 
 mountain on the other side of the fjord that it came back to 
 him again ; and when he had thrown it across a few times it 
 became a bridge. They went across the fjord on this bridge, 
 and when they got to the other side the man asked the lad to 
 wind up the yarn again as fast as he could. " For if we do not 
 wind it up quickly the troll women will be upon us and tear us 
 to pieces." The lad wound up the yarn as quickly as he could, 
 and just as he got to the end the troll women came rushing along.
 
 232 The Companion 
 
 They dashed into the water so that the foam surged round them, 
 and tried to snatch the end ; but they could not manage to get 
 hold of it, and so they were drowned in the fjord. 
 
 When they had walked on for some days, the companion said : 
 
 "We shall soon come to the castle where the princess lives 
 about whom you dreamt, and when we get there you must go 
 in and tell the king your dream, and whom it is you seek." 
 
 When they got there the lad did so, and he was well received 
 by the king. He got a room for himself and one for his com- 
 panion, and when the time for dinner came he was invited to the 
 king's own table. When he saw the princess he recognised her at 
 once, and saw that she was the one about whom he had dreamt, 
 and whom he should have. He told her his errand, and she 
 answered she liked him and would willingly have him, but first he 
 must go through three trials. So when they had dined she gave 
 him a pair of gold scissors, and said : 
 
 " The first trial is that you take these and keep them, and give 
 me them back to-morrow at dinner-time. It is not a difficult trial, 
 I should think," she said, with a grin, " but if you cannot do that 
 you will lose your life. That is the law here, and you will be 
 broken on the wheel and 3'our head stuck on a stake, just like the 
 suitors whose skulls you see outside the windows," for tKere hung 
 human skulls round about the palace, like crows on the fences in 
 the autumn. 
 
 " There's not much difficulty in that," thought the lad. But 
 the princess was so merry and boisterous and romped so much 
 with him that he forgot both the scissors and himself; and while 
 they were in the midst of the romping she stole the scissors from 
 him without his knowing it. When he got up to his room in the 
 evening and told his companion what had happened, and what the 
 princess had said about the scissors which she gave him to keep, 
 the companion said : 
 
 " Of course, you have the scissors she gave you ? " 
 He felt in all his pockets, but there were no scissors, and the 
 lad became greatly troubled when he found they were gone.
 
 
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 H Z 
 
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 E- X 
 
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 S t" 
 
 ^ o 
 
 o t^ 
 
 2 ° 
 
 w
 
 The Companion 235 
 
 " Well, well, you must be patient, and I'll try and get them 
 back for you," said the companion. He then went down to the 
 stable, where there was a big, fat goat which belonged to the 
 princess, and which could fly many times more quickly through 
 the air than it could run over the ground. 
 
 Then he took the Three-Sister-Sword, and gave the goat a blow 
 between the horns with it, and said : 
 
 " When does the princess ride to her sweetheart to-night ? " 
 
 The goat bleated and said he dared not tell, but when he got 
 another blow he said the princess would be there at eleven 
 o'clock. The companion put on the Three-Sister-Hat and became 
 invisible, and then waited till she came. The princess took some 
 salve which she had in a big horn, and rubbed the goat with 
 it, and said : 
 
 "Through air, through air, over roofs and spires, over land, 
 over water, over hills, over dales, to my sweetheart, who awaits 
 me in the mountain to-night ! " 
 
 Just as the goat set off the companion jumped up behind, and 
 away they went like the wind through the air. They were not 
 long on the way. All of a sudden they came to a mountain ; 
 there she knocked, and in they rushed to the troll, who was her 
 sweetheart. 
 
 " Another suitor has arrived and wants to marry me, my dear. 
 He is young and handsome, but I will have none other than 
 you," she said, making up to the troll. " So I put him on trial, 
 and here are the scissors he was to look after. Now you must 
 take care of them," she said. Then they laughed heartily, as 
 if they already had the lad on wheel and stake. 
 
 " Yes, I shall mind them and look after them, and I shall 
 sleep in the arms of my bride when the raven is picking the 
 bones of the lad," said the troll. 
 
 Then he placed the scissors in an iron chest with three locks 
 to it ; but just as he dropped the scissors into the chest, the com- 
 panion took them. No one could see him, for he had on the 
 Three-Sister-Hat ; and the troll thus locked the chest on nothing.
 
 236 The Compaxiox 
 
 The keys he hid in the hole of one of his back teeth, in which he 
 had the toothache. It would be a difficult job to find them there, 
 he thought. 
 
 Soon after midnight the princess set out for the palace again. 
 The companion sat behind her on the goat, and they were not 
 long in getting home. 
 
 Next day the lad was asked to dinner at the king's table, but 
 the princess gave herself such mincing airs, and was so stuck up 
 and proud, she would scarcel}' look at the lad. When they had 
 dined she put on her Sunday expression, and said with a simper : 
 
 " I suppose you have the scissors I gave 3'ou to keep yester- 
 day ? " 
 
 " Yes, I have ! Here they are ! " said the lad, taking them out 
 and banging them on the table, so that it bounded from the 
 floor. 
 
 The princess could not have been more angr}' had he struck 
 her in the face with them ; but, notwithstanding this, she made 
 herself pleasant and gentle, and said : 
 
 " Since you have looked after the scissors so well, it will not 
 be difficult for 3'ou to keep m}' ball of gold 3'arn. You can give it 
 me back to-morrow at dinner-time ; but if you haven't got it you 
 will lose your life. That is the law here." 
 
 " There's not much difficulty about that," thought the lad, and 
 took the ball and put it in his pocket. But she began again to 
 romp and play with him, so that he forgot both himself and the 
 ball ; and when they were in the midst of the romping, she stole 
 it from him and let him go. 
 
 When he got up to his room and told all they had said and 
 done, the companion said : 
 
 " Of course you have the ball she gave you ? " 
 
 " Yes, that I have," said the lad and felt in his pocket ; but no, 
 he had no ball, and he became so troubled again that he did not 
 know what to do with himself. 
 
 "Well, be patient! I must tr}' and get it for you," said the 
 companion. He then took the sword and the hat and set off to a
 
 The Companion 
 
 237 
 
 smith and got a hundredweight of iron welded on to the sword. 
 When he came to the stable he gave the goat such a blow between 
 the horns that it staggered, and then he asked it when the princess 
 would ride to her sweetheart that night. 
 
 "At twelve o'clock," bleated the goat. 
 
 The companion put on the Three-Sister-Hat again and waited 
 
 THEN THEY LAUGHED HEARTILY, AS IF THEY ALREADY 
 HAD THE LAD ON THE STAKE 
 
 till she came rushing in with the horn and rubbed the goat with 
 the salve. She then said the same as the first time. 
 
 "Through air, through air, over roofs and spires, over land, 
 over water, over hills, over dales, to my sweetheart, who awaits 
 me in the mountain to-night." 
 
 Just as they set oft the companion jumped up behind on the 
 goat and away they went like the wind through the air. 
 
 As soon as they came to the troll mountain she knocked
 
 238 The Compaxiox 
 
 three times and in the}' rushed to the troll, who was her sweet- 
 heart. 
 
 "Wherever did you put the scissors I gave you yesterday, my 
 dear ? " said the princess ; " my suitor had got them back and gave 
 them to me again." 
 
 "That can't be possible," said the troll, for he had locked the 
 chest with three locks and hidden the keys in the hole in his back 
 tooth. But when they unlocked the chest they saw the troll had 
 no scissors there. The princess then told him she had given the 
 suitor her ball of gold yarn. 
 
 " Here it is," she said, " for I took it from him again without 
 his knowing it. But what had we better think of since he can do 
 such tricks ? " 
 
 The troll did not quite know, but when they had thought it 
 over a bit they decided to make a big fire and burn the ball ; they 
 would then be sure he would not get it. Just as she threw the 
 ball into the fire the companion stood read}' and caught it. Neither 
 of them saw it, for he had the Three-Sister-Hat on. When the 
 princess had been with the troll awhile and the day began to 
 dawn she set off" to the palace again ; the companion sat behind 
 her on the goat and they got home both quickly and well. 
 
 When the lad was asked to dinner the ccmipanion gave him 
 the ball. The princess was still more stuck up and proud than on 
 the day before, and when they had finished she pouted and said : 
 
 *' I suppose I may have back my ball which I gave you to keep 
 yesterday ? " 
 
 "Yes," said the lad, "that 3-ou may. Here it is!" and he 
 threw it down with such force that the table gave a jump and the 
 king leapt into the air. 
 
 The princess turned as white as a ghost, but she soon recovered 
 herself and said that was well done ; and now there was only 
 one little trial left. 
 
 " If you are so clever that you can bring me to-morrow at 
 dinner-time what I am now thinking about you shall have me and 
 keep me," she said.
 
 The Companion 
 
 239 
 
 The lad felt as if he had been condemned to death, for he 
 thought it was impossible to know what she was thinking about 
 and still more impossible to get it. When he came to his room 
 he was so excited he could not keep still. The companion said if 
 he would be quiet he would find a way out of the difficulty as he 
 had done before, and at last the lad was pacified and lay down to 
 sleep. 
 
 In the meantime the companion rushed off" to the smith and 
 had two hundredweight of iron welded to the sword ; when that 
 was done he went to the stable and struck the goat between the 
 horns with it so that it staggered from wall to wall. 
 
 " When is the princess going to her sweetheart to-night ? " 
 said he. 
 
 " At one o'clock," bleated the goat. 
 
 When the time came the companion stood in the stable with 
 the Three-Sister-Hat on, and when the princess had rubbed the 
 goat with the salve and uttered the same words as before that they 
 should fly to her sweetheart, who was waiting for her in the 
 mountain, she set off through the air and wind with the companion 
 again behind her. But this time he was not so gentle with the 
 princess, for every now and then he thumped her so that he almost 
 maimed her. When they came to the mountain she knocked at 
 the gate, which opened and they rushed in to her sweetheart. 
 
 When she got there she began to moan and groan and said she 
 did not know if the weather could have been so bad, but both she 
 and the goat had been beaten by some one and she was sure she must 
 be black and blue all over, so badly had she fared on the way. She 
 then told him how her suitor had given her back the ball also, but 
 neither she nor the troll could make out how it had happened. 
 
 " But do you know what I have thought of now ? " she said. 
 
 No, that the troll could not tell. 
 
 *' Well, I have told him to bring me by dinner-time to-morrow 
 that which I was thinking of — and that was your head ! Do you 
 think he can get that, my dear ? " said the princess, and began 
 fondling the troll.
 
 240 The Companion 
 
 " I don't think he can," said the troll ; that he would take 
 his oath on ; so he laughed and roared worse than a bogie ; and 
 both the troll and the princess thought the lad was more likely to 
 adorn the wheel and stake, with the ravens to peck his eyes out, 
 than to get hold of the troll's head. 
 
 When it got towards morning she began to get ready to set 
 out for the palace ; but she was afraid, she said. She thought 
 there was some one after her and she dared not go home alone ; 
 the troll must go with her. Yes, he would, so he brought out his 
 goat, for he had one just like the princess's and he rubbed it well 
 between the horns with the salve. When he had seated himself 
 the companion got up behind him and off they went through the 
 air to the palace ; but on the way the companion struck the troll 
 and the goat time after time, and gave them blow after blow with 
 his sword, till at last they sank lower and lower and at last they 
 nearly sank into the ocean across which they were passing. 
 When the troll saw that things were going so badly he hastened 
 on to the palace with the princess, but stopped to see that she got 
 in well and safely. But just as she shut the door behind her the 
 companion cut off the troll's head and ran up to the lad's room 
 with it. 
 
 *' Here is that which the princess thought of," said he. 
 
 The lad was, as you can imagine, in high spirits, and when 
 he was asked down to dinner next day and they had finished 
 eating, the princess became as blithe as a lark. 
 
 " I suppose you have that which I thought of," said she. 
 
 •* Indeed, I have," said the lad, and pulled out the head from 
 under the tail of his coat and struck the table with it, so that the 
 table and everything on it fell over. 
 
 The princess became as pale as a corpse, but she could not 
 deny that that was what she had thought of, and now he might 
 have her for his wife as she had promised. 
 
 The wedding was then kept and there was great rejoicing over 
 the whole kingdom. The companion took the lad aside and told 
 him that he must shut his eyes and pretend to sleep on the
 
 The Companion 241 
 
 wedding night, but if he valued his life, and would obey him, 
 he must not have a wink of sleep before he had rid the princess of 
 the troll-skin, with which she was covered. He would have to 
 flog it off her with a rod made of nine new birch besoms and strip 
 her of it in three tubs of milk. First he was to scrub her in a tub 
 of last year's whey, then he was to rub her in sour milk, and then 
 rinse her in a tub of new milk. The besoms lay under the bed, and 
 the tubs he had placed in the corner, so everything was ready for 
 him. 
 
 Yes, the lad promised that he would obey him, and do what he 
 had said. When they went to bed in the evening the lad pre- 
 tended to sleep. The princess raised herself on her elbow and 
 tickled him under the nose to see if he slept, but the lad seemed 
 to sleep soundly. She then pulled him by his hair and beard, but 
 he slept like a log, as she thought. Then she dragged out from 
 under her pillow a large butcher's knife, and was going to cut his 
 head off, when the lad sprang up, struck the knife out of her 
 hand, and seized hold of her by the hair. He flogged her with 
 the birch rods till they were worn out and there was not a twig 
 left of them. When this was done, he threw her into the tub 
 of whey, and then he saw what sort of a creature she was. 
 She was as black as a raven all over her body, but when he 
 had scrubbed her in the whey and rubbed her with the sour milk, 
 and rinsed her in the new milk, the troll-skin was gone and she 
 was as gentle and beautiful as she had never been before. 
 
 The next day the companion said they must set off home. 
 The lad was quite willing and the princess also, for her dowry had 
 been ready a long time. During the night the companion had 
 brought all the gold and silver and valuables, which had belonged 
 to the troll in the mountain, to the palace ; and when they were 
 ready to set out the next day, they found the courtyard so full of 
 things they could hardly move. That dowry was worth more 
 than the king's realm, and they could not tell how they were 
 to take it with them. But the companion knew a way out of 
 every difficulty ; there were six goats belonging to the troll, which 
 
 Q
 
 242 
 
 The Companion 
 
 could all fly through the air ; and these they loaded so heavily 
 with gold and silver, that they had to walk along the ground, 
 as they were unable to rise in the air and fly, and what the goats 
 could not carry they had to leave behind at the palace. 
 
 So they travelled far, and further than far, till the goats at last 
 became so tired and worn out that they were unable to go 
 any further. The lad and the princess did not know what to do, 
 but when the companion saw they could not get on, he took 
 the whole dowry on his back and the goats on the top, and carried 
 them all till there was only a mile left to the lad's home. Then 
 the companion said, " Now I must leave you, I cannot remain with 
 you any longer." But the lad would not part with him ; he would 
 not lose him for little or much. So he went with them another half 
 mile, but further he could not go, and when the lad begged and 
 prayed him to stop with him, or at least be present at the home- 
 coming at his father's, the companion said no, that he could not. 
 The lad then asked him what he owed him for all his help and 
 assistance. If it was to be anything, it must be the half of every- 
 thing he got during the next five years, said the companion. 
 
 Yes, that he should have. 
 
 When he was gone the lad left all his riches behind him 
 and went home empty handed. 
 
 They then had such a home-coming festival, that it was heard 
 and spoken of over seven kingdoms, and when it was at an end, 
 the winter had set in ; and then they began to cart home all the 
 gold and silver, both with the goats and the twelve horses which 
 his father had. 
 
 In five years the companion came back for his share. The man 
 had then everything divided into two equal parts. 
 
 " But there is one thing which you have not divided," said the 
 companion. 
 
 "What is that?" said the man. "I thought I had divided 
 everything." 
 
 "You have a child," said the companion; "you must divide 
 that also in two."
 
 NOW THEY MUST PART FOR EVER, SAID THE COMPANION
 
 The Companion 
 
 245 
 
 Yes, that was true enough. So he took the sword ; but just as 
 he lifted it to cleave the child in two, the companion seized 
 the point of the sword from behind, so that he could not strike. 
 
 "Are you not glad that I stopped .you from striking that 
 blow ? " he said. 
 
 "Yes, I have never been so glad," said the man. 
 
 "Well, I was just as glad when you lifted me out of the block 
 of ice. Keep everything you have ! I do not want anything, for I 
 am a floating spirit." He was the vintner who had stood in the 
 block of ice outside the church door, and whom all had spat upon ; 
 and he had been his companion and helped him because he had 
 given all he had to provide him peace and get him buried in 
 Christian soil. He had been allowed to follow him for a year, and 
 that was over when they parted the last time. But he had been 
 allowed to see him again, and now they must part for ever, for he 
 heard the bells of heaven ringing for him.
 
 w\ > 
 
 NANNY 
 
 WHO WOULDN^T GO 
 
 HOME TO SUPPER 
 
 There was once upon a time a 
 woman who had a son and a 
 goat. The son was called Espen 
 and the goat they called Nanny. 
 But they were not good friends, 
 and did not get on together, for 
 the goat was perverse and way- 
 ward, as goats will be, and she 
 would never go home at the right 
 time for her supper. So it hap- 
 pened one evening that Espen 
 went out to fetch her home, and 
 when he had been looking for her 
 
 a while he saw Nanny high, high up on a crag : 
 
 " My dear Nanny, you must not stay any longer up there ; 
 
 you must come home now, it is just supper time. I am so hungry 
 
 and want my supper."
 
 Nanny who wouldn't go Home to Supper 247 
 
 " No, I shan't," said Nanny, " not before I have finished the 
 grass on this tussock, and that tussock — and this and that 
 tussock." 
 
 "Then I'll go and tell mother," said the lad. 
 
 " That you may, and then I shall be left to eat in peace," said 
 Nanny. 
 
 So Espen went and told his mother. 
 
 " Go to the fox and ask him to bite Nanny," said his mother. 
 
 The lad went to the fox. "My dear fox, bite Nanny, for 
 Nanny won't come home in time. I am so hungry, and I want my 
 supper," said Espen. 
 
 " No, I don't want to spoil my snout on pig's bristles and 
 goat's beard," said the fox. 
 
 So the lad went and told his mother. 
 
 "Well, go to the wolf," said his mother. 
 
 The lad went to the wolf: "My dear wolf, tear the fox, for 
 the fox won't bite Nanny, and Nanny won't come home in time. I 
 am so hungry, and I want my supper." 
 
 " No," said the wolf, " I won't wear out my paws and teeth on 
 a skinny fox." 
 
 So the lad went and told his mother. 
 
 "Well, go to the bear and ask him to slay the wolf," said the 
 mother. 
 
 The lad went to the bear. " My dear bear, slay the woli', for 
 the wolf won't tear the fox, and the fox won't bite Nanny, and 
 Nanny won't come home in time. I am so hungry and want 
 my supper." 
 
 " No, that I won't," said the bear ; " 1 don't want to wear out 
 my claws for that." 
 
 So the lad went and told his mother. 
 
 " Well, go to the Finn and ask him to shoot the bear." 
 
 The lad went to the Finn. " My dear Finn, shoot the bear, 
 for the bear won't slay the wolf, the wolf won't tear the fox, 
 the fox won't bite Nanny, and Nanny won't come home in time. I 
 am so hungry and want my supper."
 
 248 Naxxy who wouldn't go Home to Supper 
 
 " No, I will not," said the Finn ; " I am not going to shoot away 
 m}' bullets for that." 
 
 So the lad went and told his mother. 
 
 "Well go to the fir," said his mother, ** and ask it to crush 
 the Finn." 
 
 The lad went to the fir-tree : " My dear fir, crush the Finn, 
 for the Finn won't shoot the bear, the bear won't slay the wolf, 
 the wolf won't tear the fox, the fox won't bite Nanny, and 
 Nanny won't come home in time. I am so hungry and want my 
 supper." 
 
 " No, I will not," said the fir, "I am not going to break my 
 boughs for that." 
 
 So the lad went and told his mother. 
 
 ** Well, go to the fire," said his mother, " and ask it to burn 
 the fir." 
 
 The lad went to the fire : " M}' dear fire, burn the fir, for the 
 fir won't crush the Finn, the Finn won't shoot the bear, the bear 
 won't slay the wolf, the wolf won't tear the fox, the fox won't bite 
 Nanny, and Nanny won't come home in time. I am so hungry and 
 want my supper." 
 
 "No, I will not," said the fire, " I am not going to burn myself 
 out for that." 
 
 So the lad went and told his mother. 
 
 "Well, go to the water, and ask it to quench the fire," she 
 said. 
 
 The lad went to the water. " My dear water, quench the fire, 
 for the fire won't burn the fir, the fir won't crush the Finn, the 
 Finn won't shoot the bear, the bear won't slay the wolf, the wolf 
 won't tear the fox, the fox won't bite Nanny, and Nanny won't 
 come home in time. I am so hungry and want my supper." 
 
 " No, I will not," said the water, " I am not going to waste my- 
 self for that." 
 
 So the lad went and told his mother. 
 
 ** Well, go to the ox," said she, " and ask him to drink up the 
 water."
 
 Nanny who wouldn't go Home to Supper 249 
 
 The lad went to the ox : " My dear ox, drink up the water, 
 for the water won't quench the fire, the fire won't burn the fir, the 
 fir won't crush the Finn, the Finn won't shoot the bear, the bear 
 won't slay the wolf, the wolf won't tear the fox, the fox won't bite 
 Nanny, and Nanny won't come home in time. I am so hungry and 
 want my supper." 
 
 " No, I will not," said the ox. *' I'm not going to burst myself 
 for that." 
 
 So the lad went and told his mother. 
 
 " Well, go to the yoke," said she, " and ask it to throttle the 
 ox." 
 
 The lad went to the yoke. " My dear yoke, throttle the ox, 
 for the ox won't drink the water, the water won't quench the fire, 
 the fire won't burn the fir, the fir won't crush the Finn, the Finn 
 won't shoot the bear, the bear won't slay the wolf, the wolf won't 
 tear the fox, the fox won't bite Nanny, and Nanny won't come 
 home in time. I am so hungry and want my supper." 
 
 " No, I will not," said the yoke. *' I'm not going to break 
 myself in two for that." 
 
 So the lad went and told his mother. 
 
 " Well, go to the axe," said she, " and tell it to split the 
 yoke." 
 
 The lad went to the axe. " My dear axe, split the yoke, for 
 the yoke won't throttle the ox, the ox won't drink the water, the 
 water won't quench the fire, the fire won't burn the fir, the fir 
 won't crush the Finn, the Finn won't shoot the bear, the bear 
 won't slay the wolf, the wolf won't tear the fox, the fox won't bite 
 Nanny, and Nanny won't come home in time. I am so hungry 
 and want my supper." 
 
 ** No, I will not," said the axe. '* I am not going to blunt my 
 edge for that." 
 
 So the lad went and told his mother. 
 
 "Well, go to the smith," said she, ** and ask him to hammer 
 the axe." 
 
 The lad went to the smith. " My dear smith ! hammer the
 
 250 Nanny who wouldn't go Home to Supper 
 
 axe, for the axe won't split the yoke, the yoke won't throttle the 
 ox, the ox won't drink the water, the water won't quench the fire, 
 the fire won't burn the fir, the fir won't crush the Finn, the Finn 
 won't shoot the bear, the bear won't slay the wolf, the wolf won't 
 tear the fox, the fox won't bite Nanny, and Nanny won't come 
 home in time. I am so hungry and want my supper." 
 
 " No, I will not," said the smith. " I'll not burn my coals and 
 wear out my sledge-hammers for that." 
 
 So the lad went and told his mother. 
 
 "Well, go to the rope," said she, "and ask it to hang the 
 smith." 
 
 The lad went to the rope. " My dear rope, hang the smith, 
 for the smith won't hammer the axe, the axe won't split the yoke, 
 the yoke won't throttle the ox, the ox won't drink the water, the 
 water won't quench the fire, the fire won't burn the fir, the fir won't 
 crush the Finn, the Finn won't shoot the bear, the bear won't slay 
 the wolf, the wolf won't tear the fox, the fox won't bite Nanny, 
 and Nanny won't come home in time. I am so hungry and want 
 my supper." 
 
 "No, I will not," said the rope. "I'm not going to break in 
 two for that." 
 
 So the lad went and told his mother. 
 
 " Well, go to the mouse," said she, "and ask her to gnaw the 
 rope." 
 
 The lad went to the mouse. " My dear mouse, gnaw the 
 rope, for the rope won't hang the smith, the smith won't hammer 
 the axe, the axe won't split the yoke, the yoke won't throttle the 
 ox, the ox won't drink the water, the water won't quench the fire, 
 the fire won't burn the fir, the fir wo-n't crush the Finn, the Finn 
 won't shoot the bear, the bear won't slay the wolf, the wolf won't 
 tear the fox, the fox won't bite Nanny, and Nanny won't come home 
 in time. I am so hungry and want my supper." 
 
 " No, I will not," said the mouse. " I'm not going to wear out 
 my teeth for that." 
 
 So the lad went and told his mother.
 
 Nanny who wouldn't go Home to Supper 251 
 
 " Well, go to the cat," said she, " and ask her to catch the 
 mouse." 
 
 The lad went to the cat. " My dear cat, catch the mouse, for 
 the mouse won't gnaw the rope, the rope won't hang the smith, the 
 smith won't hammer the axe, the axe won't split the yoke, the 
 
 yoke won't throttle the ox, the ox won't drink the water, the 
 water won't quench the fire, the fire won't burn the fir, the fir 
 won't crush the Finn, the Finn won't shoot the bear, the bear 
 won't slay the wolf, the wolf won't tear the fox, the fox won't bite 
 Nanny, and Nanny won't come home in time. I am so hungry 
 and want my supper."
 
 252 Nanny who wouldn't go Home to Supper 
 
 " Yes, but give me a drop of milk for my kittens, and then " 
 
 said the cat. 
 
 Yes, that she should have. So the cat caught the mouse, and 
 the mouse gnawed the rope, and the rope hanged the smith, and 
 the smith hammered the axe, and the axe split the yoke, and the 
 yoke throttled the ox, and the ox drank the water, and the water 
 quenched the fire, and the fire burned the fir, and the fir crushed 
 the Finn, and the Finn shot the bear, and the bear slew the wolf, 
 and the wolf tore the fox, and the fox bit Nanny, and Nanny took 
 to her heels, scampered home, and ran against the barn wall and 
 broke one of her legs. 
 
 ** M — a — h — a — h ! " bleated the goat. There she lay, and if 
 she isn't dead she is still limping about on three legs. But Espen 
 said it served her right, because she would not come home in time 
 for supper that day.
 
 THE LAD WITH THE BEER KEG 
 
 Once upon a time there was a lad who had served a long time 
 with a man north of Dovrefjeld. This man was a master at 
 brewing beer, and it was so wonderfully good that the like of it was 
 not to be found anywhere. When the lad was going to leave and 
 the man was to pay him the wages he had earned he would not 
 have anything but a keg of the Christmas beer. That he got and 
 off he went with it, and he carried it both far and long. But the 
 longer he carried the keg the heavier it got, and so he began to 
 look round to see if any one were coming with whom he could 
 drink, so that the beer might get less and the keg lighter. 
 
 After a long time he met an old man with a long beard. 
 
 " Good day ! " said the man. 
 
 " Good day ! " said the lad. 
 
 " Where are you going ? " said the man. 
 
 " I'm looking for some one to drink with me, so that I can get 
 my keg lightened," said the lad. 
 
 " Can't you drink with me just as well as with any one else ? " 
 said the man. " I have travelled far and wide, so I am both tired 
 and thirsty." 
 
 "Well, why not?" said the lad. " But where do you come 
 from, and who are you ? " said he.
 
 254 The Lad with the Beer Keg 
 
 " I am the Lord and I come from heaven," said the man. 
 
 " I will not drink with you," said the lad, " for you make such 
 a difference between people in this world, and divide everything 
 so unjustly, that some become rich and some poor. No, I will 
 not drink with you," said he, and trudged off again with his 
 keg. 
 
 When he had gone a bit on the way the keg again became so 
 heavy that he could not carry it any longer unless some one came 
 to drink with him and lessen the beer in the keg. He then met 
 an ugly, bony man, who came rushing along. 
 
 " Good day ! " said the man. 
 
 " Good day 1 " said the lad. 
 
 " Where are you going ? " said the man. 
 
 " Oh, I'm looking for some one to drink with me, so that I can 
 lighten my keg," said the boy. 
 
 " Can't you drink just as well with me as with any one else ? " 
 said the man. " I have travelled far and wide and a drop of beer 
 will do an old body good," said he. 
 
 " Yes, why not ? " said the lad ; " but who are you and where do 
 you come from ? " he asked. 
 
 " I ? Oh, I am well known. I am the Devil, and I come from 
 hell," said the man. 
 
 " No," said the lad, " you only torture and plague people, and 
 whenever there is a misfortune they always say it is your fault. No, 
 I will not drink with you," said the lad. So he went far and further 
 than far with his beer keg, till he felt it growing so heavy he 
 could not carry it any further. He began to look round again if 
 some one were not coming with whom he could drink and so lighten 
 his keg. 
 
 After a long time there came a man who was so thin and 
 shrivelled it was a wonder his bones could hang together. 
 
 " Good day ! " said the man. 
 
 " Good day ! " said the lad. 
 
 " Where are you going ? " said the man. 
 
 " I'm looking to see if I can find some one to drink with me," said
 
 The Lad with the Beer Keg 
 
 255 
 
 the lad, " so as to lighten my keg a little ; it is getting so heav}' to 
 carry," said he. 
 
 " Can't you just as well drink with me as with any one else ? " 
 said the man. 
 
 " Yes ; why not ? " said the lad ; " but who are you ? " 
 
 " They call me Death," said the man. 
 
 " I will drink with you," said the lad, and he put down the 
 
 
 "THEY CALL ME DEATH,'' SAID THE MAX 
 
 keg and began to pour out the beer into a bowl. " You are a 
 trustworthy man, for you treat all alike, both rich and poor." 
 
 So he drank his health, and Death thought it was a splendid 
 drink ; and as the lad did not begrudge him, they drank in 
 turn, so the beer got less and the keg lighter. At last Death 
 said :
 
 256 The Lad with the Beer Keg 
 
 '* I have never known drink which tasted better and did me 
 so much good as the beer you have given me. I feel as if I 
 had been born anew. I don't know what good I can do you 
 in return." When he had bethought himself a while he said 
 that the keg should never get empty, no matter how much they 
 drank of it ; and the beer that was in it should become a healing 
 draught, so that the lad should cure the sick better than any 
 doctor. Death also said that when the lad came into a sick 
 room he would always be there and show himself to him, and 
 it should be a sure sign to him that when Death sat at the 
 foot of the bed he would be able to cure the sick with a 
 draught from the keg, but if he sat at the head there was no 
 help or cure for the sick person. 
 
 The lad soon became renowned, and was sent for far and 
 wide, and he helped many to health again for whom there had 
 been no hope. 
 
 When he came into a room and saw Death beside the sick 
 he foretold either life or death, and he was always right in his 
 prediction. He became a rich and mighty man, and one day he 
 was fetched to a princess far away in another land. She was 
 so dangerously ill that the doctors thought they could do no 
 more for her, so the}^ promised him anything he might wish for 
 if he only saved her life. 
 
 When he came into the princess's room he found Death sitting 
 at the head of the bed, but he sat dozing and nodding, and while 
 he sat thus the princess felt better. 
 
 "This is a case of life or death," said the doctor, " and there 
 is no hope, if I see rightly,'' he said ; but they told him he must 
 save her if it should cost even the whole kingdom. He then 
 looked at Death, and while he was sitting dozing he made a 
 sign to the servants that they should make haste and turn the 
 bed. So Death was left sitting at the foot of it, and as soon as 
 that was done he gave the princess the healing draught, and she 
 was saved. 
 
 "Now you've cheated me," said Death, " and we are quits."
 
 The Lad with the Beer Keg 
 
 257 
 
 " I was obliged to do it if I were to win the kingdom," said the 
 doctor. 
 
 " That will not help you much," said Death ; " 3'our time is 
 up, and now you belong to me." 
 
 *' Let that be as it may," said the doctor ; " but I suppose 
 
 "NOW you've cheated me," said death 
 
 you'll first give me leave to read the Lord's Prayer to the end," 
 said he. 
 
 Yes, that he would ; but the doctor took great care not to 
 read the Lord's Prayer. He read everything else, but the Lord's 
 
 R
 
 258 The Lad with the Beer Keg 
 
 Prayer never crossed his lips. At last he thought he had 
 cheated Death for good ; but when Death thought this had gone 
 on too long, he went to the doctor's room one night and hung up 
 a large tablet opposite his bed with the Lord's Prayer on it. 
 
 When the doctor awoke he began reading it, and did not 
 oethink himself of what he was doing till he came to " Amen." 
 But then it was too late.
 
 LITTLE FRED AND HIS FIDDLE 
 
 Once upon a time there was a cottager who had an only son, and 
 this lad was rather weak and always ailing, so he was not able to 
 go out to work. His name was Fred, but being rather small for 
 his age he was generally called Little Fred. At home there 
 wasn't much to bite or to munch either, so his father went about 
 the parish to get a place for him as a cow-boy or an errand- 
 boy. 
 
 But nobody wanted a lad until he came to the bailiff of the 
 parish ; he would take him as he had just turned away his 
 errand-boy, and there was no one who cared to go to him, 
 because every one said he was a stingy old miser. " Something 
 is better than nothing," thought the father ; in any case he would 
 get his food, for that was all he was going to have from the 
 bailiff. There wasn't a word said about clothes or wages. 
 
 But when the lad had been there three years he wanted to 
 leave, and so the bailiff paid him his wages for the time he had 
 been with him. He was to have a penny a year. " It couldn't 
 very well be less," said the bailiff, so he paid the lad three pennies 
 altogether. Little Fred, however, thought it was a lot of money, 
 because he had never owned so much before ; but he asked if he 
 wasn't going to have some more, for all that.
 
 26o Little Fred and His Fiddle 
 
 " You have got more than you ought to have," said the 
 baihff. 
 
 " Shan't I have anything for clothes, then ? " said Little Fred. 
 "Those I had on when I came here are now all in rags, and I 
 haven't had any new ones from you. I have only rags and 
 tatters flapping and dangling about me," said he. 
 
 " When you have got what we agreed upon, and the three 
 pennies besides, I have nothing more to do with you," said the 
 bailiff. But he might go out into the kitchen and get a little food 
 in his knapsack, and then he started off along the road to town to 
 buy clothes. He was both merry and glad, because he had never 
 seen a penny before, and he couldn't help feeling in his pocket 
 now and then to see if they were all three there. 
 
 So when he had gone far, and further than far, he came to a 
 narrow valley with high mountains on all sides ; so he didn't 
 know which way to get on, and he began to wonder what there 
 could be on the other side of the mountains and how he should 
 get over them. But get over them he must, and so he started. 
 He wasn't very strong, and had to rest now and then, and he 
 would then count over his money to see how much he had. 
 
 When he got to the top of the mountain he found there was 
 nothing but a great big moor. There he sat down, and was just 
 going to see if he had his pennies all right when a beggar came 
 up to him before he knew a thing about it ; but the beggar was so 
 tall and big that the lad began to scream when he really saw what 
 a big and long fellow he was. 
 
 " Don't you be afraid of me," said the beggar ; " I shan't hurt 
 you. I only beg for a penny in heaven's name." 
 
 '' God help me," said the lad ; " I have only three pennies, and 
 I was just going to town to buy some clothes with them." 
 
 "It is worse with me than with you," said the beggar; "I 
 haven't got a penny, and I am still more ragged than you." 
 " Well, I suppose you must have it, then," said the lad. 
 When he had walked on a bit he became tired and sat down 
 to take another rest. When he looked up there was a beggar
 
 don't you be afraid of me," said the beggar
 
 Little Fred and His Fiddle 263 
 
 again, but this one was much bigger and ugUer than the first, and 
 when the lad saw how big and ugly he was he began to scream. 
 
 " Don't be afraid of me ; I shan't hurt you. I only beg for a 
 penny in heaven's name," said the beggar. 
 
 " Well, God help me ! " said the lad, " as true as I am here, I 
 have only got two pennies, and I was just going to town to buy 
 some clothes with them. If only I had met you sooner, I " 
 
 " It is worse with me than with you," said the beggar. " I 
 haven't got a penny, and I have a much bigger body and less 
 clothes." 
 
 " Well, I suppose you must have it then ! " said the lad. 
 
 When he got a bit further he became tired, and sat down to 
 rest ; but he had no sooner sat down than another beggar came to 
 him ; and he was so tall and big and ugly, that when the lad was 
 going to look up at him he had to look up to the sky, and then he 
 could really see what a very big, ugly, ragged fellow he was. And 
 the lad began screaming and shouting. 
 
 " Don't you be afraid of me, my lad ; " said the beggar ; " I 
 shan't hurt you, for I am only a poor beggar, who begs a penny in 
 heaven's name." 
 
 "Well, God help me !" said the lad, "as true as I am here, I 
 have only one penny left, and I was just going to town to buy 
 some clothes with it. If I had only met you sooner, I " 
 
 " Well, I haven't got a penny and I have a bigger body and less 
 clothes, so it is worse with me than with you," said the beggar. 
 
 " Well, I suppose you must have the penny, then," said Little 
 Fred. There was no help for it ; now they had all had one each 
 and he had none. 
 
 " Now since you have such a good heart, and have given away 
 all you had," said the beggar, " I will give you a wish for each 
 penny." It was the same beggar who had got all the three 
 pennies ; he had only changed each time, so that the lad should 
 not know him again. 
 
 " I have always been wishing to hear the fiddle playing, and see 
 people so merry and happy that they had to dance," said the lad ;
 
 264 Little Fred and His Fiddle 
 
 " so if I may wish what I like I wish I had such a fiddle as would 
 make everything that is alive dance to its tune." 
 
 "That you may have," said the beggar; "but it is a poor 
 wish. You must wish something better for the other pennies." 
 
 " I have always been fond of hunting and shooting/' said 
 Little Fred ; " so if I may wish what I like, I wish I had a gun 
 that would hit everything I aim at, if it were ever so far off." 
 
 "That you may have," said the beggar ; " but it is a poor wish. 
 You must wish something better for the last penny." 
 
 "I have always liked to be in company with kind and good 
 people," said Little Fred ; "so if I may wish what I like, I wish 
 that no one can refuse me the first thing I ask." 
 
 "That wasn't such a bad wish," said the beggar, and strolled 
 off among the hills till the lad couldn't see him any more. So the 
 lad lay down to sleep, and the next day he came down from the 
 mountains with his fiddle and his gun. 
 
 First he went to the storekeeper and asked for clothes, and at 
 one farm he asked for a horse, and at another for a sledge, and at 
 one place he asked for a fur coat, and no one could say " No " to 
 him ; even the most stingy people had to give him what he asked 
 for. At last he travelled through the parish like a fine gentleman 
 with his horse and sledge. When he had gone some distance he 
 met the bailiff he had served. 
 
 " Good-day, master ! " said Little Fred, as he stopped and 
 took off his cap. 
 
 " Good-day ! " said the bailiff; " have I been your master ? " 
 " Yes, don't you recollect that I served three years with you 
 for three pennies ? " said Little Fred. 
 
 " Dear me ! " said the bailiff, " how you have got on ! How is 
 it you have become such a grand fellow ? " 
 
 " Ah, you think so, do you ? " said the youngster. 
 " And you seem to be so merry that you must have a fiddle 
 with you as well," said the bailiff. 
 
 " Yes, I always liked to see people dance," said the lad, " but 
 the finest thing I have is this gun of mine. It hits everything I
 
 Little Fred axd His Fiddle 265 
 
 aim at, if it is ever so far off Do you see that magpie in the fir- 
 tree yonder ? What will you wager I don't hit it from where we 
 are now standing ? " 
 
 The bailiff would willingly have staked both his horse and 
 farm and a hundred dollars besides, that he couldn't hit it. But 
 as it was he would stake all the money he had in his pocket, and 
 wouldn't mind fetching the magpie when it fell down, because he 
 never believed it was possible a gun could reach so far. Off went 
 the gun and down fell the magpie right in the middle of a lot of 
 brambles. The bailiff ran right in among the brambles after the 
 magpie, picked it up and showed it to the lad. But just at that 
 moment Little Fred took his fiddle out and began playing, and the 
 bailiff began to dance, and danced away while the thorns were 
 tearing his clothes ; but the lad went on playing and the bailiff 
 danced and cried and begged for himself till the rags flew about 
 him and till he had scarcely a thread to his back. 
 
 "Well now, I think you are almost as ragged as 1 was when I 
 left your service," said the lad, " so now you may go." But first 
 the bailiff had to pay the wager he had lost, that the boy couldn't 
 hit the magpie. 
 
 When the lad came to town, he went into an inn, and began 
 playing, and all who came there had to dance. And he lived on 
 
 merrily and well, for he had no cares, since no one could say 
 
 " No " to him when he asked for anything. 
 
 But just as they were in the middle of the fun the watchman 
 
 came to take the lad up before the magistrate, for the bailiff had 
 
 complained about him and charged him with having waylaid and 
 
 robbed him and nearly taken his life ; and now the lad was going 
 
 to be hanged — there was no help for it. 
 
 But Little Fred had the means of getting out of all trouble, and 
 
 that was the fiddle. He began to play on it, and then you should 
 
 have seen how the watchmen danced awa}', till they fell down and 
 
 gasped for breath. 
 
 So they sent soldiers and the guard, but it fared no better with 
 
 them than the watchmen. When Little Fred took out his fiddle,
 
 266 Little Fred and His Fiddle 
 
 they had to dance as long as he was able to play on it, but they 
 were done for long before he was tired. At last they came 
 unawares upon him and took him while he was asleep at night, and 
 when he was brought up he was sentenced to be hanged at once, 
 and away they all went to the gallows. There was such a crowd 
 of people to see this wonderful lad, and the bailiff was there too ; 
 he was so pleased, because he was to get amends both for his 
 money and his skin and see the lad hanged into the bargain ; but it 
 took a long time before the}^ came to the gallows, because Little 
 Fred was always weak on his legs, and now he made himself still 
 worse. He had brought with him his fiddle and his gun, as they 
 could not get him to part with them, and when he came to the 
 gallows and was going to mount the ladder, he halted and rested 
 himself on each step. When he got to the top of the ladder he 
 sat down and asked, if they would not grant him one thing ; he 
 had such a wish to play a tune — just a little bit of a tune — on his 
 fiddle before he was hanged. "Well," they said, "it were 
 both sin and shame to deny him that ; " for you see they could not 
 say "No" to what he asked for. But the bailiff asked in heaven's 
 name that they would not let him touch a string, or else there 
 would not be much left of an}- of them. If the lad was to play 
 the bailiff wanted to be tied up to a birch tree that stood there. 
 But Little Fred was not long about getting out his fiddle and play- 
 ing on it, and then all that were there began dancing, both those 
 that went on two legs and those that went on four, both the 
 deacon and the parson, the judge and the sheriff, men and women, 
 dogs and swine ; they danced and screamed the one louder than 
 the other. Some danced till the}^ dropped down dead, some 
 danced till they fell down in fits. All had a terrible time of it, but 
 worst of all the poor bailiff who was tied up to the birch-tree, and 
 was dancing away till he scraped great bits of skin off his back. 
 There was no one who thought of doing anything to Little Fred 
 after that, and they let him go with his gun and his fiddle where 
 he liked. He lived happy all his da3's,'for there was no one who 
 could say " No" to the first thing he asked for.
 
 EVERY ONE THAT WAS THERE BEGAN DANCING ; THEY DANCED AND 
 SCREAMED THE ONE LOUDER THAN THE OTHER
 
 THE STOREHOUSE KEY IN THE 
 DISTAFF 
 
 There was once a rich farmer's son who went out to woo. He 
 had heard of a lass who was fair and gentle, and who was both 
 clever in the house and good at cooking.
 
 270 
 
 The Storehouse Key in the Distaff 
 
 Thither he went, for it was just such a wife he wanted. The 
 people on the farm knew, of course, on what errand he came, so 
 they asked him to take a seat near to them, and they talked and 
 chatted with him, as the custom is, and besides offered him a 
 drink and asked him to stop to dinner. They went in and out of 
 the room, so the lad had time to look about him, and over in a 
 corner he saw a spinning wheel with the distaff full of flax. 
 
 "Whose spinning wheel is that? " asked the lad. 
 
 *' Oh, that's our daughter's," said the woman of the house. 
 
 "There's a deal of flax on it," said the lad ; " I suppose she 
 takes more than a day to spin that," said he. 
 
 " No, not at all," said the woman ; " she does it easily in one 
 day and perhaps less than that." 
 
 That was more than he had ever heard of any one being able to 
 spin in such a short time.
 
 The Storehouse Key ix the Distaff 271 
 
 When they were going to carry in the dinner they all went 
 out of the room, and he was left alone. He then saw an old key 
 lying in the window, and this he took and stowed well away 
 among the flax on the distaff. So they ate and drank and got 
 on well together, and when the lad thought he had been there 
 long enough, he said good-bye, and went his way. They asked 
 him to come soon again, which he promised, but he did not speak 
 of the matter he had at heart, although he liked the lass very 
 well. 
 
 Some time after he came again to the farm, and they received 
 him still better than the first time. But just as they were chatting 
 at their best, the farmer's wife said : 
 
 " Last time you were here something very remarkable 
 happened ; our storehouse key disappeared all at once, and we 
 have never been able to find it since." 
 
 The lad went over to the spinning wheel, which stood in the 
 corner with just as much flax on it as when last he was there. 
 He put his hand in among the flax, and said : 
 
 " Here is the key ! much cannot be made by the spinning, 
 when the spinning day lasts from Michaelmas to Easter 1 " 
 
 So he said good-bye, and did not speak of the matter he had 
 at heart that time either.
 
 
 
 tli-:ri3 
 
 THE LAD WHO WENT WOOING 
 THE DAUGHTER OF OLD 
 MOTHER CORNER 
 
 Once upon a time there was a woman who had a son, 
 and he was so lazy and happy-go-lucky he would never 
 do anything that was useful. His mind was only bent on 
 singing and dancing ; and this he did all day long, and 
 even far into the night. The longer this went on the 
 harder it became for his mother ; the lad grew bigger 
 and bigger, and he wanted no end of food, and of 
 clothes he wanted more and more as he grew up ; and 
 they did not last long, I can assure 3'ou, for he danced 
 and ran about both in the woods and the fields. 
 
 At last the mother thought things 
 were getting too bad, so she told the 
 lad one day he must begin and go to 
 work and make himself useful, else 
 there was nothingbut star- 
 vation left for them both. 
 ^>y::^^y^'-^ ' But the lad had no mind 
 for that; he said he would
 
 The Lad who went wooing 273 
 
 rather go and woo the daughter of old Mother Corner, for if he got 
 her he could live happy and contented all his days, and sing and 
 dance, and never trouble himself about work. When the mother 
 heard this she thought that was not a bad thing after all ; he might 
 try in any case, and so she dressed up the lad as best she could, 
 that he might look a little tidy when he came to old Mother Corner, 
 and then he set out on his way. 
 
 When he came out of the house the sun was shining warm 
 and bright ; but it had rained during the night, so the ground 
 was soft, and the moors were filled with puddles. The lad took 
 the shortest way across the moors to old Mother Corner, and ran 
 and sang as he always did, but just as he was running and jump- 
 ing along he came to a bridge of logs, across a marshy bit of the 
 path, and from this bridge he was going to make a jump across a 
 puddle on to a tussock, so as not to dirty his boots, but just as he 
 put his foot on the tussock — plump ! down he went and did not 
 stop till he found himself in a nasty, dark hole. At first he could 
 not see anything, but when he had been there awhile he caught a 
 glimpse of a rat, widdling-waddling about with a bunch of keys on 
 her tail. 
 
 " Are you there, my dear ? " said the rat. " I am so glad you 
 have come to see me. I have been waiting a long time for you. I 
 expect you have come to woo me, and that you are in a great 
 hurry ; but you must be patient awhile yet, for I must have a big 
 dowry, and I am not ready for the wedding, but I'll do my best so 
 that it can come off soon." 
 
 When she had said this, she brought out some egg-shells with 
 all kinds of dainties, such as rats eat, and put before him, and 
 said : "You must make yourself at home and have something to 
 eat ; you must be both tired and hungry." 
 
 But the lad did not much fancy such food. " I wish I were 
 well out of this and above ground again," he thought ; but he said 
 nothing. 
 
 " I suppose you want to be off home," said the rat. " I know 
 you are longing for the wedding, so I'll make all the haste I can. 
 
 s
 
 74 
 
 The Lad who went wooing 
 
 You must take with you this linen thread, and when you get up 
 
 above ground you must not look back, but go straight home ; and 
 
 on the road you must not say anything but ' Short in front and 
 
 long behind,' " and so she put into his hand a linen thread. 
 
 " Heaven be praised ! " said the lad when he got above ground ; 
 
 ** I shall never go down there again." But he had the thread in 
 
 his hand, and he ran and sang as usual. But although he did not 
 
 think any more about the rat-hole, the tune had got into his head, 
 
 and he sang : 
 
 " Short in front and long behind ! 
 Short in front and long behind ! " 
 
 When he got home to the door he turned round, and there lay 
 many, many hundreds of yards of the whitest linen, so fine that 
 the cleverest weavers could not weave it finer. 
 
 "Mother, mother! come out, come out!" he shouted and 
 cried. 
 
 The woman came running out and asked what was the matter. 
 When she saw the linen, which reached as far as she could see 
 and a bit farther, she would not believe her own eyes until the lad 
 had told her how it had happened ; and when she had heard it all 
 and felt the linen wnth her fingers she became so glad that she too 
 began to dance and sing. 
 
 She then took the linen and cut it up, and made shirts both 
 for the son and herself. The rest she went to the town with and 
 sold, and got money for. Now they both lived happy and com- 
 fortable for awhile. But when it all came to an end the woman 
 had no more food in the house, and so she said to her son that 
 now he must really begin and go to work and make himself 
 useful, else there was nothing left but starvation for both of them. 
 
 But the lad had a greater mind to go to old Mother Corner's 
 and woo her daughter. Well, the woman thought that was a 
 good thing, for he was now better dressed and did not look so bad 
 after all. So she dressed and tidied him the best she could, 
 and he brought out his new shoes and polished them until they
 
 The Lad who went wooixg 275 
 
 were so bright that he could see himself in them. After that 
 he set out, and it all happened as before. 
 
 When he came outside the sun shone so warm and bright, 
 but it had rained during the night and the ground was soft and 
 muddy, and the moors were filled with puddles. 
 
 The lad took the shortest way across the moors to old Mother 
 Corner, and ran and sang as he always did. He went by a 
 different path this time ; but just as he was running and jumping 
 along he came to the bridge of logs across the marshy bit of 
 the path, and from this bridge he was going to jump across a 
 puddle on to a tussock, so as not to dirty his boots. But just 
 as he put his foot on the tussock — plump ! down he went, and 
 did not stop till he found himself in a nasty, dark hole. At first 
 he saw nothing, but when he had been there awhile he caught 
 sight of a rat, who widdled-waddled about with a bunch of keys 
 on her tail. 
 
 " Are you there, my dear ? " said the rat. " Welcome again ! 
 It was kind of you to come and see me so soon. I know you are 
 quite impatient, but you must really wait awhile ; for there is 
 something still wanting for my dowry. But when you come again 
 next time everything shall be ready." 
 
 When she had said this, she brought out many kinds of dainty 
 bits in egg-shells, such as rats like to eat ; but the lad thought 
 they looked like leavings, and he said he had no appetite. " I 
 only wish I were well out of this," he thought, but he said 
 nothing. 
 
 After a while the rat said : 
 
 " I suppose you want to be off home again ! I'll hurry on 
 with the wedding as quickly as I can, but this time you must 
 take this woollen yarn with you, and when you get above ground 
 you must not look back, but go straight home ; and on the way 
 you must not say anything but ' Short in front and long behind.' " 
 And then she gave the woollen yarn into his hand. 
 
 " Heaven be praised that I am out of it! " said the lad to him- 
 self; "I shall never go there again." And so he sang and leapt
 
 276 The Lad who went wooing 
 
 as usual. He did not think any more about the rat-hole, but the 
 tune had got into his head, and he went on singing : 
 
 " Short in front and long behind ! 
 Short in front and long behind ! " 
 
 And this he kept up all the way home. When he got outside the 
 door he happened to look round, and there lay the finest cloth, 
 many hundreds of yards long, nearly a mile in all, and so fine 
 that the smartest man in town did not have finer cloth in his 
 coat. 
 
 " Mother, mother ! come out, come out ! " cried the lad. 
 
 The woman came to the door, held up her hands in astonish- 
 ment, and nearly fainted with joy when she saw all the beautiful 
 cloth. He then had to tell her how he had got it, and how it had 
 happened from first to last. 
 
 They were then well off", as you may imagine. The boy got fine 
 new clothes and the woman went to town and sold the cloth, piece 
 by piece, and got a lot of money. So she smartened up the house 
 and became so grand in her old days that she might have been a 
 great dame. They were both happy and comfortable, but at last 
 that money also came to an end, and one day when the woman had no 
 more food in the house, she said to her son that he would now 
 really have to go to work to make himself useful, else it would 
 come to starvation with both of them. 
 
 But the lad thought it would be better to go to old Mother 
 Corner's and woo her daughter. The woman thought the same, 
 for the lad had now fine, new clothes and looked so well that she 
 thought it quite impossible such a fine lad should get "no." 
 
 So she dressed him and tidied him as well as she could and 
 he brought out his new boots and polished them till he could see 
 himself in them, and after that he set out. 
 
 This time he did not take the shortest cut but went a long 
 way round, for he did not want to get down to the rat any more, 
 he was so tired of all the widdling-waddling and the eternal talk 
 about the wedding. The weather and the roads were just the
 
 r l'tllijCM^\\
 
 The Lad who went wooing 279 
 
 same as on the first and second occasion. The sun shone and 
 the water ghstened in the puddles and the lad ran and sang, as he 
 always did ; but as he was running and jumping along he found 
 himself all at once on the same bridge on the moor again. From 
 this he jumped across a puddle on to a tussock so as not to soil 
 his boots — plump ! and down the lad went and he did not stop till 
 he found himself in the same nasty, dark hole again. At first he 
 was glad, for he did not see anything, but when he had been 
 there awhile he caught a glimpse of the ugly rat — the nasty thing 
 — with a bunch of keys on her tail. 
 
 "Good-day, my dear ! " said the rat ; " welcome again ! I see 
 you cannot live long without me ! I'm glad of that ! But every- 
 thing is now ready for the wedding and we will set out for 
 church at once." 
 
 We'll see about that, thought the lad, but he said nothing. The 
 rat then gave a squeak and a swarm of rats and mice came rushing 
 in from all corners, and six big rats came harnessed to a frying- 
 pan ; two mice got up behind as footmen and two sat in front 
 driving. Some of them got into the pan, while the rat with the 
 bunch of keys took her place in the middle of them. She then 
 said to the lad : 
 
 "The road is a little narrow here, so you had better walk by 
 the side of the carriage, my dear, till the road becomes wider, and 
 then you can sit up beside me." 
 
 " How grand we want to be ! " thought the lad. " I only wish I 
 was well out of this, and I would run away from the whole crew," 
 he thought ; but he said nothing. He followed as best he could. 
 Sometimes he had to creep and sometimes he had to stoop, for the 
 passage was often very low and narrow ; but when it became 
 broader he went on in front and looked around to see how he 
 could best manage to give them the slip. 
 
 All at once he heard a clear and beautiful voice behind him : 
 
 " Now the road is good ! Come, my dear, and get into the 
 carriage ! " 
 
 The lad turned quickly round and nearly lost his wits, for
 
 28o The Lad who went wooing 
 
 there stood the most splendid carriage with six white horses ; 
 and in the carriage sat a maiden as fair and beautiful as the sun, 
 and around her sat other damsels as handsome and bright as the 
 stars. It was a princess and her playmates who had been 
 enchanted. But now the}^ were freed, because he had gone down 
 to them and never gainsaid them in anything. 
 
 " Come now," said the princess, and the lad then stepped into 
 the carriage and drove to church with her. On their way from 
 church the princess said : 
 
 "We will now drive to m^^ place first and then we will send 
 for your mother." 
 
 "That was all very well," thought the lad; he said nothing 
 this time either, but he thought it would be better to go home to 
 his mother than down in the nasty rat-hole. But all at once they 
 came to a grand castle, where they drove in ; and that was their 
 home. A splendid carriage with six horses was then sent to fetch 
 the lad's mother, and when it came back the wedding festivities 
 began. They lasted fourteen days, and perhaps they are still 
 going on. If we make haste we may also be in time to drink with 
 the bridegroom and to dance with the bride.

 
 THE PRINCESS WHOM NOBODY 
 COULD SILENCE 
 
 There was once upon a time a king, and he had a daughter 
 who would always have the last word ; she was so perverse and 
 contrary in her speech that no one could silence her. So the king 
 therefore promised that he who could outwit her should have the 
 princess in marriage and half the kingdom besides. There were 
 plenty of those who wanted to try, I can assure you ; for it isn't 
 every day that a princess and half a kingdom are to be had. 
 
 The gate to the palace hardly ever stood still. The suitors 
 came in swarms and flocks from east and west, both riding and 
 walking. But there was no one who could silence the princess. 
 At last the king announced that those who tried and did not 
 succeed should be branded on both ears with a large iron ; he 
 would not have all this running about the palace for nothing. 
 
 So there were three brothers who had also heard about the 
 princess, and as they were rather badly oft' at home, they thought 
 they would try their luck and see if they could win the princess 
 and half the kingdom. They were good friends and so they 
 agreed to set out together. 
 
 When they had got a bit on the way, Ashiepattle found a dead 
 magpie. 
 
 " I have found something ! I have found something!" cried he. 
 
 " What have you found ? " asked the brothers.
 
 284 The Princess whom Nobody could Silence 
 
 " I have found a dead magpie," said he. 
 
 " Faugh ! throw it away ; what can you do with that ? " said 
 the other two, who always beHeved they were the wisest. 
 
 " Oh, I've nothing else to do. I can easily carry it," said 
 Ashiepattle. 
 
 When they had gone on a bit further Ashiepattle found an old 
 willow-twig, which he picked up. 
 
 " I have found something ! I have found something ! " he cried. 
 
 " What have you found now ? " said the brothers. 
 
 " I have found a willow-twig," said he. 
 
 " Pooh ! what are you going to do with that ? Throw it away." 
 said the two. 
 
 ** I have nothing else to do, I can easily carry it with me," said 
 Ashiepattle. 
 
 When they had gone still further he found a broken saucer, 
 which he also picked up. 
 
 " Here lads, I have found something ! I have found something!" 
 said he. 
 
 " Well, what have you found now ? " asked the brothers. 
 
 "A broken saucer," said he. 
 
 " Pshaw ! Is it worth while dragging that along with you too ? 
 Throw it away ! " said the brothers. 
 
 " Oh, I've nothing else to do, I can easily carry it with me," 
 said Ashiepattle. 
 
 When they had gone a little bit further he found a crooked 
 goat-horn and soon after he found the fellow to it. 
 
 " I have found something ! I have found something, lads ! " 
 said he. 
 
 " What have you found now ? " said the others. 
 '* Two goat-horns," answered Ashiepattle. 
 " Ugh ! Throw them away ! What are you going to do with 
 them ? " said they. 
 
 " Oh, I have nothing else to do. I can easily carry them 
 with me," said Ashiepattle. 
 
 In a little while he found a wedge.
 
 The Princess whom Nobody could Silence 285 
 
 '* I say, lads, I have found something ! I have found some- 
 thing ! " he cried. 
 
 " You are everlastingly finding something ! What have you 
 found now ? " asked the two eldest. 
 
 " I have found a wedge," he answered. 
 
 " Oh, throw it away ! What are you going to do with it ? " 
 said they. 
 
 " Oh, I have nothing else to do. I can easily carry it with me," 
 said Ashiepattle. 
 
 As he went across the king's fields, which had been freshly 
 manured, he stooped down and took up an old boot-sole. 
 
 " Hullo, lads ! I have found something, I have found some- 
 thing !" said he. 
 
 ** Heaven grant you may find a little sense before you 
 get to the palace ! " said the two. " What is it you have found 
 now ? " 
 
 "An old boot-sole," said he. 
 " Is that anything worth picking up ? Throw it away ! What 
 are you going to do with it? " said the brothers. 
 
 "Oh, I have nothing else to do. I can easily carry it with 
 me, and — who knows ? — it may help me to win the princess and 
 half the kingdom," said Ashiepattle. 
 
 " Yes, you look a likely one, don't you ? " said the other two. 
 So they went in to the princess, the eldest first. 
 
 " Good day ! " said he. 
 
 " Good day to you ! " answered she, with a shrug. 
 
 " It's terribly hot here," said he. 
 
 ** It's hotter in the fire," said the princess. The branding iron 
 was lying waiting in the fire. 
 
 When he saw this he was struck speechless, and so it was 
 all over with him. 
 
 The second brother fared no better. 
 
 " Good day ! " said he. 
 
 " Good day to you," said she, with a wriggle. 
 
 " It's terribly hot here ! " said he.
 
 286 The Prinxess whom Nobody could Silence 
 
 " It's hotter in the fire," said she. With that he lost both 
 speech and wits, and so the iron had to be brought out. 
 
 Then came Ashiepattle's turn. 
 
 " Good day 1 " said he. 
 
 " Good day to you ! " said she, with a shrug and a wriggle. 
 
 " It is very nice and warm here ! " said Ashiepattle. 
 
 " It's warmer in the fire," she answered. She was in no better 
 humour now she saw the third suitor. 
 
 "Then there's a chance for me to roast my magpie on it," 
 said he, bringing it out. 
 
 ** I'm afraid it will sputter," said the princess. 
 
 " No fear of that ! I'll tie this willow-twig round it," said the 
 lad. 
 
 ** You can't tie it tight enough," said she. 
 
 "Then I'll drive in a wedge," said the lad, and brought out the 
 wedge. 
 
 " The fat will be running off" it," said the princess. 
 
 *' Then I'll hold this under it," said the lad, and showed her 
 the broken saucer. 
 
 " You are so crooked in your speech," said the princess. 
 
 " No, I am not crooked," answered the lad ; " but this is 
 crooked ; " and he brought out one of the goat-horns. 
 
 "Well, I've never seen the like ! " cried the princess. 
 
 " Here you see the like," said he, and brought out the other 
 horn. 
 
 " It seems you have come here to wear out my soul ! " she 
 said. 
 
 " No, I have not come here to wear out your soul, for I have 
 one here which is already worn-out," answered the lad, and 
 brought out the old boot-sole. 
 
 The princess was so dumbfounded at this, that she was com- 
 pletely silenced. 
 
 " Now you are mine ! " said Ashiepattle, and so he got her and 
 half the kingdom into the bargain.
 
 
 a o 
 
 o Q 
 
 ^ £ 
 
 s t-
 
 FARMER WEATHERBEARD 
 
 There were once upon a time a man and a woman, who had an 
 only son, and he was called Hans. The woman thought that he 
 ought to go out and look for work, and told her husband to go 
 with him. ** You must find him such a good place, that he can 
 become master of all masters," she said, and so she put some food 
 and a roll of tobacco in a bag for them. 
 
 Well, they went to many masters, but all replied that they 
 might make the lad as clever as they were themselves, but they 
 could not make him cleverer. When the man came home to his 
 wife with this answer, she said : "Well, I don't care what you do 
 with him, but this I tell you, that you will have to make him 
 master over all masters." So she put some food and a roll of 
 tobacco in a bag, and the man and the son had to set out again. 
 
 When they had gone a bit on the way, they came out upon 
 the ice, where they met a man who was driving a black horse. 
 
 " Where are you going? " said he. 
 
 " I'm going to get my son apprenticed to some one who can 
 teach him well ; for my wife comes of such good people, that she 
 wants him to become master of all masters." 
 
 " That's lucky," said the man who was driving; "I am the 
 
 T
 
 290 Farmer Weatherbeard 
 
 ver}^ man for that, and I am just looking for such an apprentice. 
 Get up behind," he said to the boy, and off they went through 
 the air. 
 
 " Wait a bit ! " shouted the lad's father. " I ought to know 
 what's your name and where you live ? " said he. 
 
 " Oh, I'm at home both North and South and East and West, 
 and I am called Farmer Weatherbeard," said the master. " In a 
 year you can come back again, and I will tell you if he's good for 
 anything." And off they went, and were lost to sight. 
 
 When the year was out, the man came to hear about his son. 
 " You can't finish him in a year, you know," said the master. 
 "As yet he has onl}^ found his legs, so to speak." They then 
 agreed that Farmer Weatherbeard should keep him another year, 
 and teach him everything, and then the man was to come back 
 for him. When the year was over they met again at the same 
 place. 
 
 " Have you finished with him now ? " asked the father. 
 
 " Yes, he's my master now, but you will never see him again," 
 said Farmer Weatherbeard ; and before the man knew what had 
 become of them, they were gone, both the farmer and the lad. 
 
 When the man came home, the woman asked if the son was 
 not with him, or what had become of him. ,) , 
 
 "Oh, goodness knows what became of him," said thejwaffT^ 
 *' he went off through the air." And so he told her what had 
 happened. When the woman heard that her husband did not 
 know where her son was, she sent him off again, 
 
 " You must find the lad, even if you have to go to Old Nick 
 for him ! " said she, and gave him a bag of food and a roll of 
 tobacco. 
 
 " When he had got a bit on the way, he came to a large 
 forest, and it took him the whole of the day to get through it ; and 
 as it grew dark he saw a bright light and went towards it. After 
 a long while he came to a little cottage under a cliff, and outside it 
 a woman was standing, drawing water from the well with her 
 nose, it was so long.
 
 THE WOMAN WAS RAKIXG THE FIRE WITH HER NOSE, IT WAS SO LONG
 
 Farmer Weatherbeard 293 
 
 " Good evening, mother ! " 
 
 " Good evening to you," said the woman ; " no one has called 
 me mother for a hundred years." 
 
 ** Can I get lodgings here to-night ? " said the man. 
 
 " No," said the woman. But then the man brought out the roll 
 of tobacco, dried a little of it and made some snuff, which he gave 
 the woman. She was so glad that she began to dance, and then 
 she said that he might stop the night. 
 
 All at once he asked after Farmer Weatherbeard. She knew 
 nothing about him, she said, but she ruled over all four-footed 
 animals, and perhaps some of them might know something about 
 him. She then called them together with a whistle, and questioned 
 them, but there was not one who knew anything about Farmer 
 Weatherbeard. 
 
 " Well, we are three sisters," said the woman ; '* perhaps one of 
 the other two knows where he is. I'll lend you my carriage so 
 that you can get there to-night, but it is three hundred miles to the 
 nearest of them." 
 
 The man set out and got there in the evening. When he 
 arrived, there also was a woman standing drawing water from the 
 well with her nose. 
 
 " Good evening, mother ! " said the man, 
 
 " Good evening to you," said the woman ; " no one has called 
 me mother for a hundred years," said she. 
 
 " Can I get lodgings here to-night ? " said the man. 
 
 " No," said the woman. 
 
 But then the man brought out the roll of tobacco, dried a 
 little of it and made some snuff, which he gave the woman on 
 the back of her hand. She was so pleased at this that she 
 began to dance, and then she said he might stop there the 
 night. 
 
 All at once he asked about Farmer Weatherbeard. She did not 
 know anything about him, but she ruled over all the fishes, she 
 said, and perhaps some of them might know something about him. 
 She then called them together with a whistle she had, and ques-
 
 294 Farmer Weatherbeard 
 
 tioned them all, but there was not one who knew anything about 
 Farmer Weatherbeard. 
 
 " Well, I have another sister ; perhaps she ma}' know something 
 about him ; she lives six hundred miles from here, but you can have 
 my carriage and get there before night sets in," 
 
 The man set out and got there in the evening, and found 
 a woman raking the fire with her nose, it was so long. 
 
 " Good evening, mother ! " 
 
 " Good evening to 3'ou," said the woman; " no one has called 
 me mother for a hundred years." 
 
 " Can I get lodgings here to-night ? " said the man. 
 
 " No," said the woman. 
 
 But then the man brought out the tobacco roll again and 
 began to make some snuff. He gave the woman so much that 
 it covered the whole of the back of her hand. She was so pleased 
 at this that she began to dance, and then she said he might stop 
 the night. 
 
 All at once he asked about Farmer Weatherbeard. She did not 
 know anything about him, she said ; but she ruled over all the birds 
 and called them all together with her whistle. When she had 
 questioned them all, she missed the eagle, but in a little while he 
 came ; and when she asked him, he said he had come straight 
 from Farmer Weatherbeard. The woman then told him that he 
 must show the man the way there. But first the eagle wanted 
 something to eat, and next he wanted to rest till the following day, 
 for he was so tired after the long way he had come, that he could 
 scarcely rise from the ground. 
 
 When the eagle had finished his meal and taken a rest, the 
 woman plucked a feather from his tail and put the man in its 
 place, and away flew the eagle with him ; but they did not get to 
 Farmer Weatherbeard before midnight. When the}' arrived there, 
 the eagle said : 
 
 " There are bones and carcases lying about outside the door, 
 but you must not mind them. All the people in the house sleep so 
 soundly that they are hard to wake ; you must go straight to the
 
 Farmer Weatherbeard 297 
 
 table drawer and take three bits of bread out of it, and if you hear 
 some one snoring you must pull three feathers out of his head ; 
 that won't wake him up." 
 
 The man did as he was told, and when he had got the bits of 
 bread, he pulled out first one feather. 
 
 " Oh ! " cried Farmer Weatherbeard. 
 
 Then the man pulled out one more and Farmer Weatherbeard 
 shouted " Oh " again ; but when he pulled out the third one, 
 Farmer Weatherbeard shrieked so loudly that the man thought 
 both the walls and the roof would have burst asunder, but the farmer 
 went on sleeping just the same. The eagle then told the man what 
 he was to do next ; so he went to the door of the cow-house, and 
 there he stumbled against a big stone, which he took with him, 
 and under the stone lay three chips of wood, which he also took 
 with him. He then knocked at the door of the cow-house and it 
 opened at once. He dropped the three bits of bread, and a hare 
 came running out and ate them. He then caught the hare and 
 took it with him. 
 
 The eagle asked him to pluck three feathers out of his tail and 
 place the hare, the stone, the chips of wood and himself instead, 
 and he would then fly home with them. When the eagle had 
 flown a long, long away, he settled down on a stone. 
 
 " Do you see an3'thing ? " said he. 
 
 " Yes, I see a flock of crows flying towards us," said the man. 
 
 " We had better get on a bit then," said the eagle, and on he 
 flew. In a while he asked again : 
 
 " Do you see anything now ? " 
 
 "Yes, the crows are close upon us again," said the man. 
 
 " Drop the three feathers you plucked from his head," said the 
 eagle. 
 
 The man did so, and the moment he dropped them the feathers 
 became a flock of ravens, which chased the crows home again. 
 The eagle then flew far av/ay with the man. At last it settled 
 down on a stone to rest. 
 
 " Do you see anything ? " he said.
 
 298 Farmer Weatherbeard 
 
 " I'm not sure," said the man, " but I think I see something 
 coming far away." 
 
 " We had better get on a bit then," said the eagle. 
 
 " Do you see anything now ? " he said in a while. 
 
 "Yes, now he is close upon us," said the man. 
 
 " You must drop the chips which you took from under the 
 stone near the cow-house door," said the eagle. 
 
 The man did so, and the same moment he dropped them 
 there grew up a great, thick forest ; so Farmer Weatherbeard had 
 to go home for axes to cut his way through. 
 
 The eagle then flew on again a long way, till he became 
 tired and settled down in a hr-tree. 
 
 " Do you see anything ? " said he. 
 
 "Well, I'm not sure about it," said the man, "but I think I 
 catch a glimpse of something far away." 
 
 " We had better get on a bit then," said the eagle ; and so he 
 flew on again. 
 
 " Do you see anything now ? " he said in a while. 
 
 " Yes, now he is close upon us." 
 
 " You must drop the stone 3^ou took from the cow-house door," 
 said the eagle. 
 
 The man did so, and it became a big, lofty mountain, which 
 Farmer Weatherbeard had to break his wa}^ through. But when 
 he had got half-way through the mountain he broke one of his 
 legs, so that he had to go home and get it healed. 
 
 In the meantime the eagle flew home with the man and the 
 hare, and when they got there the man went to the churchyard 
 and put some consecrated soil on the hare, and it changed into 
 Hans, his own son. 
 
 When the time came round for the fair, the lad turned 
 himself into a cream-coloured horse, and asked his father to take 
 him with him to the fair. 
 
 "If some one comes up to you and wants to buy me, you must 
 say you want a hundred dollars for me ; but you must not forget 
 to take off the halter, otherwise I shall never be able to get away
 
 YOU MUST DROP THE STONK YOU TOOK KROM THE COW-HOUSE 
 DOOR," SAID THE EAGLE
 
 Farmer Weatherbeard 301 
 
 from Farmer Weatherbeard ; for it is he who will come and want 
 to buy me," said the lad. 
 
 And so it turned out. A horse-dealer came up and wanted 
 to buy the horse, and the man got his hundred dollars for it. But 
 when the bargain was made, and Hans's father had got the money, 
 the horse-dealer wanted to keep the halter also. 
 
 " No, there was nothing about that in our agreement," said 
 the man. " You cannot have the halter, for I have more horses 
 to bring to town." 
 
 So they went each his way. But they had not got far 
 before Hans resumed his own shape, and when the man came 
 home he found the son sitting by the stove. 
 
 The second day he turned himself into a brown horse, and 
 told his father to take him with him to the fair. 
 
 "If some one comes up to you and wants to buy me, you 
 must say you want two hundred dollars for me ; for he will pay 
 you that and give you a drink besides ; but whatever you drink 
 or whatever you do, you must not forget to take the halter off 
 me, else you will not see me again," said Hans. 
 
 It turned out just as before. The man got two hundred 
 dollars for the horse, and a drink into the bargain ; and when 
 they parted, it was as much as the man could do to remember 
 to take off the halter. But they had not got far on the road 
 before the lad resumed his own shape, and when the man came 
 home Hans was already sitting by the stove. 
 
 The third day the same thing happened again. The lad turned 
 himself into a big, black horse and told his father that some one 
 would come up to him and offer him three hundred dollars and 
 treat him freely to drink ; but whatever he did or however much 
 he drank he must not forget to take off the halter, otherwise he 
 would never get away from Farmer Weatherbeard in his life. 
 
 No, he would not forget that, said the man. When he 
 came to the fair he got the three hundred dollars, but Farmer 
 Weatherbeard treated him to so much drink that he forgot to take 
 off" the halter and Farmer Weatherbeard set off" with the horse.
 
 302 Farmer Weatherbeard 
 
 When he had got a bit on the way he went into a place to get 
 some more drink, and so he put a barrel of red hot nails under the 
 horse's nose and a trough of oats under his tail, hung the halter 
 across a hurdle and went in to the innkeeper. The horse stood 
 there stamping and kicking and snorting and scenting the air. A 
 girl then came by, who took pit}^ on him. 
 
 " Poor creature ! What sort of a master have you got, who 
 can treat you in this way ? " said she, and pushed the halter off 
 the hurdle so that the horse could turn round and eat the oats. 
 
 " I am his master ! " shouted Farmer Weatherbeard, who came 
 rushing out through the door. But the horse had already shaken 
 off the halter and thrown himself into the horse pond, where he 
 changed himself into a little fish. 
 
 Farmer Weatherbeard rushed after him and changed himself 
 into a big pike. Hans then turned himself into a pigeon and 
 Farmer Weatherbeard changed into a hawk and set off after the 
 pigeon. At that moment a princess was standing at a window in 
 the palace and watched this struggle. 
 
 " If you knew as much as I do you would come in through the 
 window to me," said the princess to the pigeon. 
 
 The pigeon flew in through the window and then changed into 
 Hans, who told her what had happened. 
 
 " Change yourself into a gold ring and put yourself on my 
 finger," said she. 
 
 ** No, that is no use," said Hans, " for Farmer Weatherbeard 
 will then make the king ill ; and there is no one who can make 
 him well till Farmer Weatherbeard comes to cure him, and he will 
 ask for the gold ring as payment." 
 
 *' I will say it is my mother's and that I will not part with it 
 for anything," said the princess. 
 
 So Hans changed himself into a gold ring and placed himself 
 on the princess's finger and there Farmer Weatherbeard could not 
 get hold of him. 
 
 But it happened just as the lad had said. The king became ill 
 and there was no doctor who could cure him till Farmer Weather-
 
 Farmer Weatherbeard 303 
 
 beard came, and he wanted the ring on the princess's finger for 
 his fee. 
 
 The king then sent to the princess for the ring, but she would 
 not part with it, she said, for it had been left her by her mother. 
 When the king heard this he became angry and said he would 
 have the ring, no matter who had left it her. 
 
 " Well, it is no use getting angry," said the princess, " for I 
 cannot get it off my finger. If you want the ring 3^ou must take 
 the finger as well." 
 
 " I will help you and I shall soon get the ring off," said Farmer 
 Weatherbeard. 
 
 " No, thank you ! I will try myself," said the princess and 
 went to the hearth and put some ashes on it. The ring then 
 slipped off and was lost in the ashes. 
 
 Farmer Weatherbeard then turned himself into a cock, which 
 scratched and rooted about in the hearth after the ring so that the 
 ashes flew about their ears. But Hans changed into a fox and 
 bit the cock's head off, and if the evil one was in Farmer Weather- 
 beard, it was now all over with him ! 
 
 Printed by Ballantyne Hanson år' Co. 
 London &' Edinburgh.
 
 MR. DAVID NUTT'S LIST OF 
 
 GIFT-BOOKS FOR CHILDREN OF ALL 
 
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 artists in black and white^ sumptuously printed on 
 specially made paper ^ bound in attractive and original 
 covers^ and sold at the lowest price consistent with 
 equitable remuneration to authors and artists^ and 
 beauty and durability of get up. 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 FAIRY TALES OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE. 
 
 WORKS BY HIS HONOUR JUDGE E. A. PARRY. 
 
 WORKS BY MRS. RADFORD. 
 
 WORKS ILLUSTRATED BY MISS WINIFRED SMITH. 
 
 WORKS BY MRS. LEIGHTON, ASBJORNSEN, ETC. 
 
 All works in the present list may be had post free from the 
 Publisher at the annexed prices, and are kept on sale by the leading 
 booksellers of the United Kingdom. 
 
 1
 
 *'The Ideal Qift=Books of the Season.' 
 
 FAIRY TALES OF THE 
 
 BRITISH EMPIRE. 
 
 M 
 
 Collected and Edited by JOSEPH JACOBS. 
 Illustrated by J. D. BATTEN. 
 
 R. JACOBS' FAIRY TALES, which have been appear- 
 ing since 1890, have won immediate and widespread 
 acceptance. The choice of matter, the simpUcity and 
 suitable character of the language of the text, the beauty, humour, 
 and charm of Mr. Batten's illustrations, and the large and 
 legible type, have commended the series alike to children and to 
 lovers of art ; whilst the prefaces and elaborate notes, parallels, 
 and references added by the Editor, have made them indispens- 
 able to the increasingly large portion of the public interested in 
 the history and archæology of popular fiction. 
 
 " Fairy Tales of the British Empire " are to be had in two 
 forms, at 3s. 6d. and at 6s. a volume. 
 
 In so far as Tales and Illustrations are concerned, the 3s. 6d. 
 Edition will be the same as the original 6s. one. But the Editor's 
 Prefaces, Notes, Parallels, and References are omitted. 
 
 A full list of the Series, a specimen of Mr. Batten's beautiful 
 Illustrations, and a very small selection from the numberless kindly 
 notices which the Press has bestowed upon the Series, will be 
 found on the following pages.
 
 Fairy Tales of the British Empire. 
 
 English Fairy Tales. Complete Edition, xvi., 255 pages, 9 
 full-page Plates, and numerous Illustrations in the text. 
 Designed Cloth Cover, Uncut or Gilt Edges. 6s. 
 
 The same. Children's Edition, viii., 227 pages, 7 full- 
 page Plates, and numerous Illustrations in text. Cloth, Cut. 
 Zs. 6d. 
 
 More English Fairy Tales. Complete Edition, xvi., 243 pages, 
 8 full-page, and numerous Illustrations in text. Designed 
 Cloth Cover, Uncut or Gilt Edges. 6s. 
 
 The same. Children's Edition, viii., 214 pages, 7 full- 
 page Plates, and numerous Illustrations in text. Cloth, Cut. 
 3s. 6d. 
 
 Celtic Fairy Tales. Complete Edition, xvi., 274 pages, 8 full- 
 page Plates, numerous Illustrations in text. Designed Cloth 
 Cover, Uncut or Gilt Edges. 6s. 
 
 The same. Children's Edition, viii., 236 pages, 7 full-page 
 Plates and numerous Illustrations in text. Cloth, Cut. 3s. 6d. 
 
 More Celtic Fairy Tales. Complete Edition, xvi., 234 pages, 
 8 full-page Plates, numerous Illustrations in text. Designed 
 Cloth Cover, Uncut or Gilt Edges. 6s. 
 
 The same. Children's Edition, viii., 217 pages, 7 full- 
 page Plates, and numerous Illustrations in text. Cloth, Cut. 
 ZS' 6d. 
 
 Indian Fairy Tales. Complete Edition, xvi., 255 pages, 9 full- 
 page Plates, and numerous Illustrations in text. Designed 
 Cloth Cover, Uncut or Gilt Edges. 6s. 
 
 No Children's Edition of the " Indian Fairy Tales " 
 will be iss2/ed for the pi'esent. 
 
 JV.B. — A few copies of the Japanese Vellum Issues, printed in 
 large 8vo, with double state of the plates, are still to be had of 
 Indian, More Celtic, and More English Fairy Tales. Prices may- 
 be learnt on application to the Publisher. The special issues of 
 English and Celtic Fairy Tales, entirely out of print, command a 
 heavy premium.
 
 Specimen of Mr. Batten's full-page Illustrations to " Fairy Tales 
 
 of the British Empire." 
 
 4
 
 Some press IKlotices 
 
 OF 
 
 JACOBS' AND BATTEN'S FAIRY TALES. 
 
 English Fairy Tales. 
 
 Daily Graphic. — "As a collection of fairy tales to delight children of all 
 ages, ranks second to none." Globe. — "A delight alike to the young people 
 and their elders." England. — " A most delightful volume of fairytales." 
 Daily News. — "A more desirable child's book . , . has not been seen for 
 many a day." Athenæum. — " From first to last, almost without exception, 
 these stories are delightful." E. S. Hartland. — "The most delightful 
 book of fairy tales, taking form and contents together, ever presented to 
 children." Miss Thackeray. — " This delightful book." Review of Reviews. 
 — " Nothing could be more fascinating." 
 
 Celtic Fairy Tales. 
 
 Scotsman. — " One of the best books of stories ever put together." Free- 
 man's Journal. — "An admirable selection." Ariel. — "Delightful stories, 
 exquisite illustrations by John D. Batten, and learned notes." Daily 
 Telegraph.—" A stock of delightful little narratives." Daily Chronicle. — " A 
 charming volume skilfully illustrated." Pall Mall Budget. — "A perfectly 
 lovely book. And oh! the wonderful pictures inside." Liverpool Daily 
 Post. — " The best fairy book of the present season. " Oban Times. — " Many 
 a mother will bless Mr. Jacobs, and many a door will be open to him from 
 Land's End to John o' Groat's." 
 
 More English Fairy Tales. 
 
 Athenaum. — "Will become more popular with children than its prede- 
 cessor." Notes and Queries. — "Delightful and in every respect worthy of 
 its predecessor." Glasgow Herald. — " A more delightful collection of fairy 
 tales could hardly be wished for." Glasgow Evening News. — "The new 
 volume of ' English Fairy Tales ' is worthy of the one that went before, 
 and this is really saying a great deal." 
 
 More Celtic Fairy Tales. 
 
 Daily Chronicle. — "A bright exemplar of almost all a fairy-tale book 
 should be." Saturday Review. — "Delightful for reading and profitable for 
 comparison." Notes and Queries. — "A delightful companion into a land of 
 enchantment." Irish Daily Independent. — " Full of bold and beautiful illus- 
 trations." North British Daily Mail. — "The stories are admirable, and 
 nothing could be better in their way than the designs." News of the World. 
 — " Mr. Batten has a real genius for depicting fairy folk." 
 
 Indian Fairy Tales. 
 
 Dublin Daily Express. — " Unique and charming anthology." Daily News. 
 — "Good for the schoolroom and the study." Star. — " Illustrated with a 
 charming freshness of fancy." Gloucester Journal. — "A book which is some- 
 thing more than a valuable addition to folk-lore ; a book for the student as 
 well as for the child." Scotsman. — "Likely to prove a perfect success." 
 Literary World. — "Admirably grouped, and very enjoyable." 
 
 5
 
 WORKS BY HIS HONOUR 
 JUDGE EDWARD ABBOTT PARRY. 
 
 Illustrated by ARCHIE MACGREGOR. 
 
 THE issue of Katawampiis : its Treatment and Cure, in the 
 Christmas Season of 1895, revealed a writer for children 
 who, in originality, spontaneity, and fulness of humour 
 as well as in sympathy with and knowledge of childhood, may be 
 compared, and not to his disadvantage, with Lewis Carroll. And, 
 as is the case with " Alice in Wonderland," an illustrator was 
 found whose sympathy with his author and capacity for rendering 
 his conceptions have won immediate and widespread recognition, 
 A specimen of the illustrations and a small selection from the press 
 notices will be found overleaf. 
 
 KATAWAMPVS: its Treatment and Cure. Second Edition. 
 96 pages. Cloth. 3s. 6d. 
 
 BUTTER=SCOTIA, or, a Cheap Trip to Fairy Land. iSo pages. 
 Map of Butter-Scotia, many Full-page Plates and Illustrations 
 in the Text. Bound in specially designed Cloth Cover. 6s. 
 
 KATAWAMPUS KANTICLES. Music by Sir J. F. Bridge, 
 Mus. Doc, Organist of Westminster Abbey. Words by His 
 Honour Judge E. A. Parry, Illustrated Cover, representing 
 Kapellmeister Krab, by Archie Macgregor. Royal 8vo, 
 Is. 
 
 For Christmas 1897. 
 
 THE FIRST BOOK OF KRAB. Christmas Stories for 
 Children of all Ages. 132 pages, with many Full-page Plates 
 and Illustrations in the Text. Bound in specially designed 
 Cloth Cover. 3s. 6d. 
 
 6
 
 KÅTA WAMPUS: Its Treatment and Cure. 
 
 By His Honour Judge E. A. PARRY. 
 
 Illustrated by ARCHIE MACGREGOR. 
 Second Edition, Cloth, 3s. 6d. 
 
 press IRotices. 
 
 " One of the very best books of the season." — The World. 
 
 "A very dehghtful and original book." — Revieiv of Reviews. 
 
 " The book is one of rare drollery, and the verses and pictures 
 are capital of their kind." — Saturday Revieiv. 
 
 "We strongly advise both parents and children to read the 
 book." — -Guardian. 
 
 "A truly delightful little book. . . . " — Pall Mall Gazette. 
 
 " A tale full of jinks and merriment." — Daily Chronicle. 
 
 "The brightest, wittiest, and most logical fairy-tale we have 
 read for a long time." — Westminster Gazette. 
 
 " Its .fun is of the sort that children revel in and ' grown-ups 
 also relish, so spontaneous and irresistible is it." 
 
 Manchester Guardia?i. 
 
 " A delightful extravaganza of the ' Wonderland ' type, but by 
 no means a slavish imitation." — Glasgow Herald. 
 
 '* Since ' Alice in Wonderland ' there has not been a book more 
 calculated to become a favourite in the nursery." — Baby. 
 
 Got him this time 
 
 7
 
 THE BOOK OF WONDER VOYAGES. 
 
 Edited with Introduction and Notes by JOSEPH JACOBS. 
 Illustrated by J. D. BATTEN. 
 
 Square demy 8vo, sumptuously printed in large clear type on 
 specially manufactured paper, at the Ballantyne Press. With 
 Photogravure Frontispiece, and many Full-page Illustrations 
 and Designs in the Text. Specially designed Cloth Cover, 6s. 
 
 Contents. — The Argonauts — The Voyage of Maelduin — The 
 Journeyings of Hasan of Bassorah to the Islands of Wak-Wak — 
 How Thorkill went to the Under World and Eric the Far- 
 Travelled to Paradise. 
 
 This, the latest of the volumes in which Mr. Jacobs and Mr. 
 Batten have collaborated with such admirable results, will be 
 welcomed as heartily as its predecessors by the children of the 
 English-speaking world. A specimen of Mr. Battens illustration 
 is appended. 
 
 \
 
 WORKS ILLUSTRATED BT MISS WINIFRED 
 SMITH- Silver and Gold Medallist^ South Kensington^ 
 Winner of the Princess of Wales' Prize^ etc. etc. 
 
 CHILDREN'S SINGING GAMES, with the Tunes 
 
 to which they are Sung. Collected and Edited by Alice 
 Bertha Gomme. Pictured in Black and White by Winifred 
 Smith. Two Series, each 3s. 6d. 
 
 Charming albums in small oblong 
 4to, printed on antique paper and 
 bound in specially designed cloth 
 cover, and serving equally for the nur- 
 sery, the schoolroom, and the drawing- 
 room. Mrs. Gomme, the first living 
 authority on English games, has care- 
 fully chosen the finest and most inter- 
 esting of the old traditional singing 
 games, has provided accurate text and 
 music, has given precise directions for 
 playing, and added notes pointing out 
 the historical interests of these survivals 
 of old world practices. The humour, 
 spirit, and grace of Miss Winifred 
 Smith's drawings may be sufficiently 
 gauged from the annexed specimens 
 and from the following press notices. 
 
 Sonte ipress IRoticcs of '' CbllDren's 
 Singtng (Barnes." 
 
 Baby. — " A delightful gift for little boys 
 and girls. . . . Cannot fail to become quickly 
 popular." 
 
 Journal of Education. — " Most charmingly 
 illustrated." 
 
 Saturday Review. — "A truly fascinating 
 book. ... It is hopeless to make a choice 
 which is best. The traditional rhymes and 
 music, so quaintly and prettily illustrated, 
 with moreover so much humour and go in 
 all the designs, are charming." 
 
 Scotsman. — " The pictures must please any- 
 body who can appreciate delicate humour." 
 
 Bookman. — " The designs are witty, pretty, 
 and effective." 
 
 Sylvia's Journal. — "The illustrations are 
 charming."
 
 NURSERY SONGS AND RHYMES OF ENGLAND. 
 
 Pictured in Black and White by Winifred Smith. Small 
 4to. Printed on hand-made paper. In specially designed 
 cloth cover, ^s. 6d. 
 
 Some iptress IRotices of "IWurserig Songs anD IRbBtncs," 
 
 Literary World. — "Delightfully illustrated." 
 
 Athenaum. — "Very cleverly drawn and humorous designs." 
 
 Manchester Guardian. — "All the designs are very apt and suited to the 
 comprehension of a child." 
 
 Scotsman. — " The designs are full of grace and fun, and give the book an 
 artistic value not common in nursery literature." 
 
 Glohe. — "The drawings are distinctly amusing and sure to delight 
 children." 
 
 Star. — " Really a beautiful book. . . . Winifred Smith has revelled into 
 old rhymes, and young and old alike will in their turn revel in the results 
 of her artistic revelry." 
 
 Pall Mall Gazette. — "No book of nursery rhymes has charmed us so 
 much." 
 
 Magazine of Art. — " Quite a good book of its kind." 
 
 Woman. — "Miss Smith's drawings are now celebrated and are indeed 
 very beautiful, decorative, and full of naive humour." 
 
 ID
 
 WORKS BT MRS. ERNEST RADFORD. 
 SONGS FOR SOMEBODY. Verses by DoLLiE 
 
 Radford. Pictures by Gertrude Bradley. Square 
 crown 8vo. Six plates printed in colour by Edjmund 
 Evans, and 36 designs in monochrome. Coloured cover 
 by Louis Davis. 3s. 6d. 
 
 GOOD NIGHT. Verses by Dollie Radford. 
 
 Designs by Louis Davis. Forty pages entirely designed by 
 the artist and pulled on the finest and the thickest cartridge 
 paper. Boards and canvas back with label, 2s. 6d. 
 Some press IRotices. 
 
 Daily Chronicle. — " As far as we know no one else sings quite like Mrs. 
 Radford ; hers is a bird's note — thin, high, with a sweet thrill in it, and the 
 thrill is a home thrill, a nest thrill." 
 
 Commonwealth. — "We have read with pure enjoyment Mrs. Radford's 
 slight but charming cycle of rhymes." 
 
 Star. — "A tender spirit of motherhood inspires Mrs. Radford's simple 
 little songs." 
 
 Review of Reviews. — "Very charming poems for children not unworthy 
 even to be mentioned in the same breath with Stevenson's ' Child's Garden 
 of Verses.' " 
 
 Athenæum. — "'Good Night' is one of the daintiest little books we have 
 seen for years. The verses are graceful and pretty, and the illustrations 
 excellent. It will please both young and old." 
 
 Literary World. — " Charming little songs of childhood." 
 
 New Age. — "Mrs. Radford is closely in touch with a child's mind, and 
 her ideal child is a nice, soft, loving little creature whom we all want to 
 caress in our arms." 
 
 Artist. — " Since Blake died never has a book been produced which can 
 so truly be described as a labour of love to the artist as ' Good Night.' " 
 
 MEDIÆVAL LEGENDS. Being a Gift-Book to 
 
 the Children of England, of Five Old-World Tales from 
 France and Germany. Demy 8vo. Designed cloth cover, 
 3$. 6d. 
 
 Contents. — The Mysterious History of Melusina — The Story of 
 Æsop — The Rhyme of the Seven Swabians — The Sweet and 
 Touching Tale of Fleur and Blanchefleur — The Wanderings of 
 Duke Ernest. 
 
 Some ipress IRotices. 
 
 Saturday Review. — " A capital selection of famous legends " 
 Times. — " There can be no question as to the value of this gift." 
 Morning Post. — " Full of romantic incident, of perilous adventure by land 
 and sea." 
 Guardian. — " This delightful volume. . . . In all respects admirable. " 
 World. — "An elegant and tasteful volume."
 
 THE HAPPY PRINCE, and other Tales. By OSCAR 
 
 Wilde. ii6 pages, small 4to. Beautifully printed in old- 
 faced type, on cream-laid paper, with wide margins. Bound 
 in Japanese vellum cover, printed in red and black. With 
 three full-page Plates by Walter Crane, and eleven 
 Vignettes by Jacomb Hood. Second Edition. 3s. 6d. 
 
 Some press IRotices. 
 
 Christian Leader. — "Beautiful exceedingly; charmingly devised— exqui- 
 sitely told." 
 
 Universal Review. — "Heartily recommended." 
 
 Athenaim. — " Mr. Wilde possesses the gift of writing fairy tales in a rare 
 degree." 
 
 Dublin Evening Mail. — "A beautiful book in every sense." 
 
 Glasgow Herald. — " It is difficult to speak too highly of these tales." 
 
 For Christmas 1897. 
 
 FAIRY TALES FROM THE FAR NORTH. By 
 
 p. C. Asbjornsen. Translated by H. L. Brækstad. With 
 94 Illustrations by E. Werenskiold, T. Kittelsen, and H. 
 Sinding. Small 4to (" Wonder Voyages " size), beautifully 
 printed at the Ballantyne Press on specially manufactured 
 paper. Cloth, designed Cover. 6s. 
 
 *.jt* ^^^^ raciest and quaintest of stories., the most spirited 
 afid himorous of illustrations. 
 
 THE GIANT CRAB, and other Tales from Old India. 
 
 Retold by W. H. D. Rouse. Profusely Illustrated by W. 
 Robinson. Square crown Svo, beautifully printed at the 
 Ballantyne Press on special paper. Designed cloth cover. 
 3s, 6d. 
 
 *.j{.* Adaptation for English children of Tales from the Oldest 
 Story Book iti the ivorld, the Jatakas, or Birth-stories of 
 Buddha. 
 
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