THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES J \/ ' ^ J p / -5jy- > / ,/^ ^* n"" ^i^ THE MODERN REVOLUTION. IDistotical JnDuctions. NEW FOLKLORE RESEARCHES-GREEK FOLK-PROSE. ' TIlUg e doibh sgciii air Rig/i na Greige, agus mar a blia Aig/iean an R'ig/i air a gleidJieadh 'sati Dim, 's nach robh aon air bitJi gii AlLLIDH, Nigheaii R)g/i na Greige,f/iaotai/i/i ri p/iosad/i, ac/i aon a bJicircadh a i/iac/i i Ic sdr g/iaisge.^ Sgeul Chonuil Ghuilbnich. NEW FOLKLORE RESEARCHES. GREEK FOLK POESY: ANNOTATED TRANSLATIONS, FROM THE WHOLE CYCLE OF ROMAIC FOLK-VERSE AND FOLK-PROSE. r.Y LUCY M. J. GARNETT. EDITED WITH ESSAYS ON THE SCIENCE OF FOLKLORE, GREEK FOLKSPEECH, and THE SURVIVAL OF PAGANISM, BY J. S. STUART-GLENNIE, M.A. And he told them the Tale of the King of Greece, and how his Daughter was kept in the Dun, and that no one at all was to get Beauty, Daughter of the Knig of Greece, to marry, but one who could bring her out by great valour.' — Ca.mpuell: West H i^hland I'alcs, Vol. iii., p. 25S. VOL. 11.— FOLR-PROSE. GUILDFORD : PRINTED FOR THE AUTHORS BY BILLING AND SONS ; AND SOLD EY DAVID NUTT, 270, STRAND, LONDON. 1896. \_AU Rights Reserved.] CORRESPONDING CONTENTS OF AND VOLUME II. PA Qrl VOLUME I. PREFACES. INTRODUCTION. THE SCIENCE OF FOLK LORE. Preamble. Section I.— The New Generalisa- tions of Historical Theory. Note. —The Ethnology of the White 1-laces. Section- II. —The New Principles of Method. >» III- — The New Sugges- tions of Historical Deduction. Summary. TRANSLATIONS- VERSE. -FOLK- CLASS I. -MYTHOLOGICAL IDYLLS. Section I.— Zoonist. ,, II.— Magical. ,, III. — -Supernalist. CLASS II.— SOCIAL SONGS. Section I.— Antenuptial. ,, II. — Family. ,, HI. — Communal. CLASS III.-HTSTORICAL BALLADS. Section I.— Byzantine. ,, II. — Ottoman. ,, III.— Ilellenic. ANNOTATIONS. EXCURSUS. GREEK FOLK-SPEECH. TRANSLATIONS — FOLK PROSE. CLASS I.— MYTHOLOGICAL TALES. Section I. — Zoonist. ,, II.— Magical. ,, III. — Supernalist. CLASS II.— SOCIAL STORIES. Section I.— Antenuptial. ,, II. — Family. ,, HI. — Communal. CLASS HI.— HISTORICAL LEGENDS. Section I. — Byzantine. ,, II. — Ottoman. ,, I II. -Hellenic. ANNOTATIONS. CONCLUSION. THE SURVIVAL OF PAGAN- ISM. Preamble. Section I. — The Characteristic Conceptions of Pagan- ism. „ II.— The Conflict of Folk- and Culture-conceptions. ,, HI. — The Conceptions of Paganism Justified. Summary. ANALYTICAL CONTENTS. TABLE OF BIBLIOGRAPHY OF GREEK FOLK-LORE. INDICES. GENERAL TABLE OF CONTENTS. VOLUME IL TRANSLATIONS.— FOLK-PROSE. CLASS L MYTHOLOGICAL FOLK-TALES. TALES ILLUSTRATIVE OF KOSMICAL IDEAS. Section L — Tales Illustrative of Zoonist Ideas ,, II.— Tales Illustrative of Magical Ideas ,, III. — Tales Illustrative of Supernalist Ideas - - - - . I'AGE 3 46 171 CLASS II. SOCIAL FOLK-STORIES. STORIES ILLUSTRATIVE OF VILLAGE LIFE. Section I. — Stories Illustrative of Antenuptial Life - . . . . II. — -Stories Illustrative of Family Life HI. — Stories Illustrative of CoiMmunal Life 301 320 374 viii Contents. CLASS III. HISTORICAL FOLK-LEGENDS. IvEGENDvS ILLUvSTRATlVK OF HIvSTORICAl. MEMORIES. I'AGE Section I. — Legends Illustrative of Byzantine Memories . . . . 41-5 ,, II. — Legends Illustrative of Ottoman Memories - - . . 420 „ III. — Legends Illustrative of Hellenic Memories . . . . ^^25 ANNOTATIONS. Historical, Comi'arative, and Explanatory - 437 CONCLUSION. THE SURVIVAL OF PA(L\NISM. Preamble - - - - - - 467 Section I. — The Characteristic Conceptions of Paganism - - - - 472 „ II. — The Conflict of Folk- and Culture- conceptions - - - - 513 ,, III. — The Conceptions OF Paganism Justified 513 Summary - - - - - ■ 513 '> ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS - - 521 BIBLIOGRAPHY OF GREEK FOLK-POESY - 529 INDICES --.-.. ^ ^ -* 5jo TRANSLATIONS. Mdrchen sind iviinaerliche Erzdhiungen, wie sie sich Miiiier unci Wdrierifinen erdenken, um dajnit ate Kinder zu uttierhalteft, und iti denen Feen taid Hexen, Riesen utid Zwerge, Utigeheuer und sprechende Thiere ihren Spuk treiben. — VON Hahn. La Thessalie possede encore ses enchanteresses si renomme'es dans Vaniiquite. Uapres nos pay sans, elles peuvent a Paide d'une baguette bdiir et detruire des palais^faire descendre et remonter les astres. . . . Ces nouvelles Cassandres pronoticent quelques mots inintelligibles, jettent du set, de la farine, des feuilles dessechees de laurier sur les charbons ardents, et ainsi que la fameuse magi- cienne de Theocrite, a la cla*-te lunaire . . . operent leurs enchante- vients. — SOUTZO. FOLK - PROSE, VOL. II. CLASS I. MYTHOLOGICAL FOLK-TALES: TALES ILLUSTRATIVE OF KOSMICAL IDEAS ; ZOONIST, MAGICAL, AND SUPERNALIST. SECTION (I.) TALES ILLUSTRATIVE OF ZOONIST IDEAS. THE KING OF THE BIRDS. A thens. {Ae\Tiov, I., p. 337.) This is the beginning of the story. Good-evening to your Honours l^ There was once upon a time a King, and he had three daughters. They were all three very beautiful. Word came to him to go on a campaign, and he did not know how he could leave his daughters alone. ' Never mind, my father,' said the three daughters ; ' go, and may you return successful.' ' I must go, for I cannot do otherwise ; but what do you wish me to bring for you ?' ^ TTJs dtpevTias ( — avdevreias) aas, literally 'your authority.' Greek Folk-Prose. Said the eldest, ' I want you to bring me a pair of diamond earrings.' Said the next, ' I want you to bring me a diamond necklace for my neck.' Said he to the youngest daughter, ' And thou, what dost thou wish me to bring thee ?' * Let me think, papatsi, and I will tell you later.' She goes to her chamber, and says to her grandmother, ' Laid mine, my father is going away ; what shall I charge him to bring me ?' ' Tell him, my child, to bring you the Melodious Napkin, and say that, if he forgets it, may his ship move neither backwards nor forwards.' The Princess went to her father and said to him, ' Papa ! bring me the Melodious Napkin — if you don't bring it, may your ship move neither backwards nor forwards !' The father arose, embraced them, and kissed them, and went away. He came to the place, and fought and conquered. He bought the earrings for the eldest, the necklace for the second, and for the youngest a spray to wear in her hair. He went on board the ship to return to his kingdom, but neither forward, nor backward, would it move. ' Bvc aman F^ They cast off, and set the sails, but the ship remained in the same spot. There was a merchant on board, and he said to the King, ' My longlived King, perhaps someone has given you a commission, and you have forgotten it.' ' I don't remember, how do I know ? I don't re- member being told anything.' Said he, ' But try and recollect, my King, if someone in your house did not happen to give you a charge, and you have not fulfilled it ?' " M7rp^=I say. Amdn, a Turkish expression of dismay. /. Mythological — (/.) Zolmist. ' Bre, r said he, ' now I remember ! My youngest daughter asked me to bring her the Melodious Napkin, and said that if I didn't bring it, might my ship move neither backwards nor forwards.' Then said the merchant, ' If you Hke, my King, I will go and buy it for you.' The King gave him money ; the merchant got into a boat, and went and bought it, and brought it. As soon as the Melodious Napkin was on board — pi-i-i — the ship flew like a bird. The King came to his own country. His eldest daughter went up to him, and he gave her the diamond earrings ; the second one went and kissed his hand, and he gave her the diamond necklace ; the youngest went and kissed his hand, and he gave her a diamond spray and the Melodious Napkin. She embraced her father, kissed him, and thanked him, and took it to her chamber. Then she called her grandmother and said to her, ' My father has brought me the Melodious Napkin, what shall I do with it ?' In the Princess's chamber there was a high window. The grandmother placed a table, and on the table a chair, and she climbed up and broke with a key all the glass of the window and took out the pieces one by one ; then she fastened red velvet all round the window, and in the middle she set a golden basin. Afterwards she put rose-water in the basin, and said to the Princess, ' When you wish him to come who is Prince of the Birds, the Snakes, the Insects, and the rest — and he is an Eagle, this Prince — dip the Melodious Napkin in the basin and hang it to dry; and afterwards when he is come into your room and flaps his wings, he will become a Prince ; but don't be frightened, for he will be your husband.'^ And her grandmother left her. Greek Folk-Prose. The Princess changed her dress, and tidied herself, and then dipped the Napkin in the basin, and spread it out to dry. She heard a noise, and then saw an Eagle come in at the window, and he flapped his wings and became a handsome Prince. He said, ' What do you want, as 3^ou called me ?'* And the Princess answered, ' I did not know that you would come, it was my grandmother who told me to spread out the Napkin.' Then the Prince looked at her, and liked her very much, and he said to her, ' I am the Prince of all the Birds and the Creeping Things, and if you will, take me for your husband.' Then said the Princess, ' I love thee and desire thee, but I have two sisters, and I must wait till they are married, and then we will wed.'^" Then every day she dipped the Napkin in the rose- water in the basin, and spread it out, and the Prince came, and they amused themselves. So much love was there between them that they could not do without each other. The Princess finally forgot that she had any sisters, and was always hanging out the Napkin for the Prince to come. The sisters began to wonder greatly. One said to the other, ' KaU ! can you tell me what has become of our sister ? Since our father brought her the Melodious Napkin she has disappeared from the sight of the world.' ' I wonder,' said the eldest. ' I will go and pay her a visit.' ' ril come too,' said the other. ' I will engage her in a The Napkin seems to have emitted a sound audible to the Eagle. ^ According to Greek custom an elder sister must be married before a younger. /. MytJiological — (/.) Zoonist. talk, and do you go into her chamber and see what is going on, why we don't see her.' So they went to see their sister. The one began to speak to her, and talked of one thing and another ; the other went into the chamber, as if to look at her- self in the mirror. She looks on this side and on that, but sees nothing. Only she did — so / and lifted her head high and saw the window with the velvet and with the golden basin. And then she understood that someone came in that way. She said nothing, but went out again to where the others were, and both reproached their youngest sister because she did not love them, as she never went to see them. Said the youngest, 'Ail I have some work, I am embroidering something ; you must excuse me, and I will come another time.' Then said her middle sister, ' We have come to invite you to go with us to-morrow on an excursion ; if you like, come with us, and we will enjoy ourselves.' ' I will come,' said the youngest, for she could not do otherwise. They rose in the morning and all got ready. Then said the eldest sister to the second, ' Won't you tell me what you saw there ? What does our sister do that she doesn't come here ?' ' What shall I tell you ? I saw her high window, the glass was taken out, and in front was placed a golden basin. Who comes in there and washes I know not. But now as we are going into the country, I will say that I have forgotten my keys in my cupboard, and I will turn back and go into my sister's room, and put glass all round the high window.' They sent word to their sister that all was ready, and to come and set off on their excursion. When they S Greek Folk-Prose. were arrived in the country, and were sitting down, the second sister said, ' Po ! Po ! what have I done ! I have left the keys of the cupboard in the lock, and now what shall I do, for I have a lot of things of my father's in it ? Do you stay here, and I will soon be back.' She mounted her horse, and galloped back to the palace. She went straight to her sister's chamber, she broke up the glass which she had carried in her snuff- box,* and nailed it all round the window, where the velvet was. She came down and returned to her sisters. They sat and ate, and drank, and sang ; then they arose and came back to the palace, and went each one to her chamber. The youngest Princess went to her room. She wetted her Napkin, and hung it out for the Eagle to come. The Eagle came, tried to enter, drew back, again rushed forward, drew back once more, and the third time he flew away. The Princess could not think what was the matter. She placed the table, and climbed up to the window. What did she see ? The basin full of blood ! She put her hand on the velvet, and touched only glass. Then she understood. ' Ach ! what have my sisters done to me ?' she cried. She called her grandmother, and said to her, ' Laid mine, what has befallen me ? This and that, and they have wounded the Prince !' Then said her grandmother, ' Thou must arise, if thou canst, and go and find out where his palace is.' She begged her grandmother to get her a Nun's dress, and she would become a Nun. She put on the Nun's dress, tied up her hair, and covered it with a •■' Snuff-boxes in the East are elegant nicknacks, rather than receptacles for snuff. /. Mythological — (/.) Zoonist. 9 cowl, so that it might not be seen that she was young and beautiful. She tied a rope round her waist, took a crutched stick in her hand, took to the road, and went, and went, and went. She grew weary. As she felt sad and pensive, she sat down in a hollow tree. From thence she saw at a distance a maimed snake coming towards her. She hid herself in the hollow, where there was a nest. Said her children, the little snakes, * Where have you been, mother, for we are dying of hunger to-day ?' * Where have I been, my children ? I have been on the tiles of the palace, and I heard the lamentation and the wailing which is going on in the palace, because our King loved a wicked skyla, and she has wounded him.' ' Ach I little mother !' said one of the children, ' if they knew, they would kill one of us, and take out our fat, and anoint him with it in the bath, and he would become like a wounded snake.' ' Hush, my child, or someone will hear, and kill thee,' said his mother. * But now, stay in the nest, and I will go on the tiles, and see what is happening in the palace.' When the snake -mother had gone away, the Nun lost no time, but at once killed a little snake with her crutch, skinned it, took out its fat, put it in her snuff- box, covered it up with some cotton-wool, and arose and left. She went further, and saw a pigeon come flying along and hide in a tree. ' Tsioii, tsiou /' said her little ones. ' Where have you been, little mother, so long, and we dying of hunger ?' ' Where have I been, my children ? I have been over at our King's palace, and heard the lamentation and wailing which rent my heart in pieces, because our lo Gi^eek Folk-Prose. King is dying ; he loved an accursed one, and she loves him not, but has set people to stab him.' ' Ach ! little mother, if they knew, and killed one of us, and anointed him with our fat in the bath, he would become a pigeon, and spread his wings.' 'Hush! never you mind,' said his mother; *go inside, or someone will hear and kill thee, my child.' And the pigeon flew away. When the pigeon was gone, she [the Nun] took her crutch, killed a pigeon and took out its fat. She put it in cotton-wool, and placed it in her snuff-box, and went on her way. She went on, and on, and on, and there she saw an eagle coming at a distance and she disap- peared into a leafy little tree. ' Where have you been, little mother mine ?' said the young eagles, ' to leave us to die of hunger ?' ' A'i ! are you hungry when our King is dying?' ' What ails our King ?' ' He loved a faithless one, and she has wounded him.' ' Ach, little mother ! if they knew, and would kill one of us and take our fat, and anoint him with our fat in the bath, he would become an eagle and fly !' ' Hush, my child, for fear someone might hear and kill thee,' said the mother ; and she flew off hastily to see how the King was. When the eagle was gone, the Nun lost no time, but killed one of the young eagles with her crutch, skinned it, took out its fat, put it in cotton, put it too in her snuff-box, and took the road which led to the palace. When she came near, she began to call out, ' A physician and physic for the wounded, for sores, and every other pain !' Up in the palace they were all weeping, because they /. Mythological — (/.) Zoonist. ii [the physicians] had given the King up. Then a servant heard her calhng, * A physician ! Physic !' and said to the King's mother, ' My Queen ! shall v^e call in that Nun, and see if she knows of anything for the King ?' ^ Ach, dear thing, the royal physicians have given him up, and what should she know ?' ^ Ai I who knows, my Queen? sometimes one finds one's health from small things.' They called her, and she came upstairs. When she saw the King lying speechless and insensible on his bed, she nearly lost her wits ; but she restrained herself. Said she, ' What do the doctors say about the King ?* ' They say there is no hope.' ' Put your trust in me, and I will make him well,' said the Nun. ' Since the doctors have given him up, we leave him with thee ; do as God shall enlighten thee.' Then she bade them heat the bath, and when it was warm to put the Prince in it ; and when she had bathed him well, she rubbed him with a delicious soap-jelly, and then took the snake's fat and anointed the King's hands and all his body with it, wrapped him carefully in a thick sheet, told them to carry him up to his bed, and sat by his side, and watched him all night. Sleep took him who for so many days and nights had not slept. Then said the King's mother, ' Ach ! doctress dear, if my son gets well, I will be thy slave.' The Prince slept all night, and in the morning he awoke and opened his eyes and saw his mother and the Nun by his side. ' How art thou, my son ?' said his mother. ' Well, little mother, I feel like a maimed serpent— I want to get up and crawl.' 12 Greek Folk-Prose. Again the Nun told them to heat the bath. They heated the bath, the Nun took him and put him in, and again she washed him well with much soap and rubbed over him the pigeon's fat. She wrapped him in a linen sheet, and put him to bed again. He slept all night, and when he awoke in the morning his mother said to him : ' How art thou, my son ?' ' Like a pigeon, mother mine. I want to fly !' They gave him food, and once more the Nun told them to heat the bath. They took him again, and put him in the bath. She washed him well and rubbed him with the eagle's fat. She then wrapped him in a linen sheet, put him to bed, and he slept. In the morning, when he awoke, the Queen again said to him, * How art thou, my son ?' ' How am I ? An Eagle ! I want to fly too ! Thou ' — he turned and said to the Nun — ' thou art my saviour who has cured me ; what favour shall I do thee ?' ' I want nothing. I heal people for pleasure, for I have blessing and curse from my mother.^ One favour only thou mayest do me. If thou hast anyone to hang or to slay, and he says to thee, " Long life to the doctress who healed thee and to the bloody shirt, and harm me not !" then thou must give him his life.' The Prince hesitated a little, for he had intended when he got up to go and kill the Princess. But then he thought to himself, ' How should she ever know of my oath and say this to me ?' So he swore to her that he would do as she had said. * And yet another [favour] ,' said she. ' Give me the bloody shirt and thy ring.' The Prince gave them to her. The Queen embraced /. Mythological — (/.) Zoonist. 13 her, and kissed her, and thanked her, and she arose and went away. When she came home to the palace, she cleared the window, took out the glass, fastened velvet all round, put rose-water in the basin, dressed herself very beauti- fully, put the Prince's ring on her finger, dipped the Melodious Napkin in the rose-water and spread it out. But she saw the Eagle coming in great anger with his sword in his hand, and he said, ' Art thou not yet satisfied, but callest me to kill me?' As he raised his sword to slay her she said, ' Long life to the doctress who healed thee, and to the bloody shirt, and don't harm me !' ' Ach, skyla !' he cried, 'and hast thou learnt that too?' Then she told him that she had been the Nun who had healed him ; she showed him also the ring, and said that it was her sisters who had caused him that mis- fortune, and that she could never have done it. So he took her and went to her father, and asked if he might have her for his wife. And her father rejoiced at his daughter's good fortune, and they had music, and drums, and great rejoicings. The wedding was held, and every- one rejoiced, and her sisters burst.'^ And he became a golden Eagle, and he took hold of her with his claws and carried her away to his mother, and there were more amusements and rejoicings and feastings. And they lived happily. And we more happily still ! ^ A common Greek invective is ' No, o-Kafi?? — May'st thou burst !' This expression occurs frequently in folk-song and story. THRICE-NOBLE, OR THE THREE CITRONS. Athens. {AeXriov, L, p. 158.) This is the beginning of the story. Good-evening to your Honours ! Once upon a time there was a Queen and a King, and they had no son. They prayed to God to give them a child, and vowed that, if a child should be born to them, a fountain should run three days with oil, three days with honey, and three days with butter, that everybody might go and take. It was a lucky hour, and God heard their wish, and the Queen became with child. Joy or grief, you may imagine which ! and at the end of nine months the Queen was delivered, and bore a male child. The boy grew up, and became a delight ; but they forgot to fulfil their vow. And one night the Queen saw in her sleep a Woman who came and said to her, ' I gave thee the child, but thou hast forgotten to keep thy vow. Knowest thou not that I can take again the child I gave thee ?' The Queen arose in terror and said to her husband, ' Po-po ! what a risk we have run ! We forgot to perform that which we vowed to God — that a fountain should run three days with oil, three days with honey, and three days with butter !' The King immediately gave orders for the fountain to be made in the courtyard of the palace, and told his people to carry to it honey, oil, and butter to put in the fountain that it might run, and everybody come and take and bless the Prince. When three days had /. MytJiological — (/.) Zoonist. 15 passed, and all the people had helped themselves, and the fountain had ceased to flow, an Old Woman, very old, heard of it, and she went, too, to get what butter she could. She gathered it up with her fingers and put it in her pot. The Prince up at the window saw her, and laughed. When she had filled her pot, he threw a stone and broke it, and spilt it all. Then she looked up and saw the Prince. ^ Ach, my Prince, what hast thou done to me? My heart fails me to curse thee,' she said to him, ' I will only say — may'st thou not escape from the hands of Thrice- NobU: When she had thus said, the Old Woman went away, and was seen no more. Then the Prince pondered as to who Thrice-Noble could be. One day he said to his mother, ' I am going, mother, to inquire and learn who is this Thrice-Noble.' ' Brc ! my boy ! my good boy ! my bad boy !' So his mother strove to dissuade him, but in vain. When his parents saw how determined their son was, they let him go. He dressed himself, took money with him, his sword and his cloak, and set out, and went, and went, into the wilderness, asking here, and asking there where Thrice-Noble lived, but could learn nothing. As he journeyed in the wilderness, he saw a wide, high gateway and went through it in hopes of learning some- thing. He saw a Lamia swinging among the almond leaves. He said to her, * Good-day, mistress !' ' Welcome, my boy ! Hadst thou not said " Good- day " to me, I would have eaten thee !' 'And ii you had not said "Welcome, my boy!" I would have killed you with my sword !' 1 6 Greek Folk-Prose. ' What wantest thou here, and what seekest thou in this wild spot ?' asked the Lamia. ' What shall I tell you ? — An Old Woman laid me under a curse, and said — "May yon not escape from the hands of Thrice-Noble," and since then I have been very uneasy and could not stay in the palace. So I beg you to tell me, if you know, what is this Thrice-Noble, and where does she live ?' ' What shall I tell thee, my boy ? I know nothing about it. Take that road to the right, and thou wilt come to another big gateway like mine, which thou wilt enter. My sister lives there, and thou must say to her, " Good-day," and ask if perchance she knows ; and if she does, she will tell thee, for she is good-natured. Take, too, this silver comb, and tell her, with greetings, that I sent thee.' He thanked her, and arose, and left, and took the road she showed him. He goes, and goes, and sees from afar a door. He pushes it and goes in, and sees a Lamia swinging among the walnut leaves. He says to her, 'Good-day, mother!' ' Welcome, my boy ! Hadst thou not said " Good- day !" I should have eaten thee !' 'And I, ii you had not said "Welcome, my boy!" should have killed you with my sword !' ' What dost thou want, and who sent thee, and whence comest thou ?' ' Your sister sent me, and here is the comb, with her compliments. And tell me, I beg you, if you know, where Thrice-Noble lives, that I may go and find her.' ' What shall I say, my boy ? — Thou seekest a hard thing. I know nothing about it. But arise and go to my other sister who lives among those rocks over /. Mythological — (/.) Zoonist. ly yonder. Thou wilt see a hill smoking, and an old tumbledown gate ; push it open and go in ; she will be wiping out the oven with her breasts. Say no word to her, but cut off a piece from thy clothes, wipe out the oven, put in her loaves, and afterwards, when they are baked, take them out. She will say, " What return shall I make for the service thou hast done me ?" Then thou must say, " [I bring] greetings from thy sisters," and give her this iron comb and ask, " Where is the house of Thrice-Noble ?" ' The Prince thanked her too, and arose, and went away. He took the road, and saw a hill smoking ; he approached, and saw an iron door. Then he went in and saw a tall wild-looking Lamia, with hair standing on end, and she was wiping out the oven with her breasts. When the youth saw her, he was afraid, but kept silence. He lost no time, cut off a piece of his cloak, dipped it in water and wiped out the oven for her with a stick. He took the loaves and quickly put them in ; they were baked ; he took them out, and placed them in a row. Then said the Lamia to him, ' What return shall I make thee for the favour thou hast done me ?' ' Your sisters have sent me. Here is this iron comb. Their compliments, and will you tell me where is the house of Thrice-Noble ?' ' O, my boy, I pity thy youth ! At the house of Thrice-Noble there are Nereids. It is a great palace, and in the middle of the courtyard is a Citron-tree ; on it are three Citrons, and in the Citrons are the Queens of the Nereids, three sisters. For the outer door of the palace I give thee some water which thou must sprinkle on it and it will open. But at the root of the Citron- tree are fastened two exceedingly fierce lions."* Thou VOL. II. 2 1 8 Greek Folk-Prose. must take care to have four carcasses. Before thou cHmbest the Citron-tree throw two of them as far away as thy hands can throw, that the Hons may run and eat them and let thee alone ; then climb up the tree and pluck the Citrons. When thou hast plucked them, hold them safely in thy robe,^ and then throw the other two carcasses for the lions to eat while you get down, that they may not meddle with thee, and I will see to the Nereids and bind them. But be careful when thou hast plucked the Citrons to cut them open in plenty of water, or they [the Queens] will come out dead.' So he did all that the Lamia told him ; he took four carcasses and followed the road she pointed out. He went on ; he threw the water on the door ; the door opened ; he went in, and saw the Citron-tree. But when he was within, and the lions saw him, they began to roar. He threw one carcass as far as he could, and the other the same, and the lions rushed to eat them ; and so he climbed up the tree. He drew his sword, cut the three Citrons, tied them up securely in his robe, threw the other two carcasses to the lions, came down, and made off. On the road as he went, he said, ' Perhaps there is nothing in the Citrons, and she has cheated me.' He broke open one of the Citrons and saw inside a beautiful maiden, and she cried 'Water! Water!' and died, because he had no water to throw her into. Then he began to weep. He wept and wept, and then buried her, took up the other two Citrons, and went on. As he went and went, he saw a little stream of water. ' Shall I cut the other and see if there is anything inside?' he said. ^ Literally ' apron '—the front of the long loose garment formerly worn by all nationalities in the East. /. MytJiological — (/,) Zoonist. 19 Then he put it in the stream and cut it too, and there leaped out a lovely maiden. She cried ' Water ! Water!' and died, because there was not enough water to throw her in. Again he wept much, and then dug a grave and buried her too ; and he arose and went towards the palace, and said, ' Unless I find a great deal of water, I will not cut open the other Citron.' Then he came to a great cistern full of water. ' Here,' said he, ' I will cut the other Citron, and see if there is anything inside or not.' Then he put it into the water and broke it. Im- mediately there leaped out a beautiful maiden, more lovely than the others, and she swam about in the water, and cried, ' How came I here ? Where are my sisters ?' ' I brought no other Citron,' he said. ' I brought one only, the others I left on the tree. I am a Prince, and my Fate destined me to marry you, and you shall be a Queen.' He wrapped her in his cloak, took her up, and carried her towards the city. There was a well there, and close to the well grew a great cypress with large branches. He placed her on the cypress, hid her among the branches, and said, ' Stay here ; don't feel at all dull ; and I will go to the palace and bring you beautiful royal robes to wear, and a coach to ride in, as befits a Oueen.' So he climbed with her up into the tree, put her among the branches to sit, and told her not to be the least bit uneasy, for he would soon return. He set off and came to the palace. When his parents saw him the}- made great rejoicings, for they thought they had lost him. He told them that he had brought Thrice- 20 Gi^eek Folk-Prose. Noble, and bade them get ready dresses and carriages to bring her to the palace. While these were being got ready, Thrice-Noble sat lip in the tree. To the well below went a Negress to fill her pitcher with a bucket. When she saw Thrice- Noble's face reflected in the water, she drew up the bucket and said, ' Bd I Am I so beautiful ? I shall do no more work now I know that I am so beautiful !' She began to dance round and round the well, cry- ing, ' So fair am I, and I knew it not ! So fair am I, and I knew it not !'^ But Thrice-Noble saw all this, and burst out laugh- ing up in the cypress. The Negress looked up, and saw Thrice-Noble. 'Ah! it is thou up there, who mockest me!' she said. ' Come down at once !' Said she, ' Let me alone, I cannot come down, because the Prince has put me up here, and is coming to take me to the palace.' Then said the Negress, ' I don't care about that ; whether you will or not, I will pull you down !' So she climbs up into the cypress, seizes her, and throws her into the well ; and the Negress undresses and wraps herself in the cloak like Thrice-Noble, and sits up in the cypress. In a little while there came the King, the Queen, the Prince, and all the relations. The Prince climbs up, and what does he see ? — a black Crow. ' How did you become like this ?' he asks. ' Nd ! from my grief,' she said, ' that thou wert so long in coming, and I thought thou hadst abandoned me here ! But what matter ? — I shall grow white again.' ' Certainly, it is enough that thou love me and desire me.' /. Mytholo(^ical — (/.) Zoonist. 21 Then the Prince was ashamed to show her to his parents, and he covered her up and put her in a carriage and went to the palace, and hid her in a chamber, and ordered his food to be brought upstairs to him to eat with her, and paid her great attentions in order that she might grow white. But how could she grow white ? And the Prince fell into great melancholy, and said, ' Have I hazarded my life and run such risks for a Negress ? What shall I do if she does not grow white?' To the well into which Thrice- Noble had been thrown went a maiden for water, and into her bucket leaped a golden Eel. ' Bd ! what a pretty Eel ! I will take it to the King who is sad, and perhaps his sadness will pass away when he amuses himself with this, for the Prince since he came back with his wife is very low-spirited.' So she took the Eel as it was in the bucket, and carried it to the King, and left her pitcher at the well. When she came to the palace, she asked to see the Prince wherever he was. She had covered over the bucket and the Eel was not visible. They told the Prince that a maiden wanted to see him. Said the Prince, ' Very well, let her come in.' When the girl came in, she said, ' My longlived King, I found this Eel in the well there ; and I have brought it to you because it is so beautiful that it may amuse you.' Then the Eel, when it saw the Prince, began to leap and dance. It played many tricks, and began to nibble his hand. The Prince thanked the girl very much, and took a handful of sequins out of his pocket and gave 2 2 Greek Folk-Prose. them to her, and she went away. When she had taken them, the Prince remained all day shut up in his room ; he petted the Eel, threw it sugar, and gave orders for his meals to be brought to him there, so that he might look at the Eel, so much did he love it. The Negress did not see him at all, and she sent word to him to go and see her. The Prince went upstairs to see what she wanted ; she threw herself on his neck and embraced him, and wept, and said that he was very unkind, and now just as she was beginning to grow white, she had become black again, because she had heard that he was in love with an Eel. Then the Prince said, ' I did not come because I did not wish to disturb 3'ou. Do you become white, and you will see what love I shall have for you. How should I love an Eel, as if it were a human being ? I am only waiting for you to become white to hold our wedding.' With such words he quieted her ; but every day there were fresh grumblings : ' Kill the Eel for me to eat, and then I shall become white ; if you will not, take me back to where you found me.' What could the Prince do, with the depths before him and the torrents behind ? He decided to kill the Eel for her to eat, but he did it with the heart-ache. He ordered it to be killed, and cooked, and served for them to eat. As they ate it, all the bones that fell to her share she threw into the fire ; but he threw his into the garden. They ate well, and the next day the Prince felt sad, and went into his chamber and wept. As he sat and wept, the gardener went to him and said, * My King, my longlived one, will you come down /. Mythological — (/.) Zoonist. 2 into the garden and see a marvel ? A Lemon-tree has grown up during the night, covered with lemons and yet covered with blossoms. Will you come and see it, and tell me what wonder is this ?' The Prince went down to see the Lemon-tree. It immediately raised its branches and threw its blossoms all over him. Then the Prince called for a seat, and sat down under the tree, and did not move thence, so delighted with it was he. The Negress asked where the Prince was. They told her thus and thus — ' There is a Lemon-tree covered with lemons and blossoms, and the King is fond of it, and sits beneath it.' Our good Negress loses no time ; she goes down into the garden ; but, as she approached the Prince, the Lemon-tree threw itself upon her with its thorns and scratched her face and her hands, and made her a pitiable sight. Cries and I don't know what from the Negress. * Root up the Lemon-tree, and then I shall become white ! — for I was nearly white when this happened to me from the Lemon-tree, and now I have blackened and become like a Negress — or I will go away and bring the Nereids and they will turn your palace upside down.' ' Bre ! my good woman,' said the Prince, 'what harm has the Lemon-tree done thee ? It is good ; don't go near it, that is all.' [He spoke] in vain. Said she, ' I will either root it up, or something dreadful shall happen.' Then the Prince went out of the garden and said to her, ' Do what you will, I shall not meddle.' When the Prince was gone, she lost no time, but set the gardener to root up the Lemon-tree, cut the branches in small pieces, and throw them out on the 24 Greek Folk-Prose. road so that people might take and burn them. The stump remained ; that they threw in front of the fountain. An old man came to draw water. Said he : ' Won't you give me this stump that I may light a fire in my house ?' She flies to the window. 'Take it !' she said, 'take it and go !' The old man took it and went home. He took up his axe to chop it. Hardly had he struck it when he heard a voice from inside the wood : ' Strike above, and strike below, In the middle strike no blow ; It can feel, for 'tis a maid, And thy blows make sore her head.' When the old man heard this, he gave a jump, and went into his house in a fright. His son comes to him and says, * Good day, Father !' He made no reply, but trembled. ' What ails you, Father, that you tremble ?' 'What ails me?' he replied. 'I went to the palace — where I wish I had not gone — for water, and found a stump and begged it ; and it is alive and talks !' ' Bd ! How can it talk ? Can wood talk ? You are not going crazy, Father?' ' A''^', go near it, and take the axe and strike it gently, gently, and you will see that it will talk.' Then his son went and took the axe, and struck the stump gently, and he heard it say, ' Strike above, and strike below, In the middle strike no blow ; It can feel, for 'tis a maid, ; And thy blows make sore her head.' Then the youth struck as she told him, and saw a beautiful maiden leap out from within, who said to him. /. MytJiological — (/.) Zoonist. 25 ' Don't be frightened, you are making your fortune with me ; only give me clothes to cover me, for I am naked, and buy a white kerchief and silk and gold [thread] that I may embroider a kerchief for you to take to the King, and he will give you many sequins.' The youth went and bought a beautiful white ker- chief, and gold and silk thread, and brought them to her. She sat and embroidered on the kerchief all her history, how she had become an Eel, how she had become a Lemon-tree, and now that she was to be found in that house, and that he must come and fetch her. She folded the kerchief neatly and gave it to the youth to take and give it into the hand of the Prince, and come back and give her his answer. Then he went with the gold [embroidered] kerchief to the palace and asked, ' Where is the Prince ? I want to see him.' They showed him, and he went. He said to him, ' My Prince, my longlived one, I have a kerchief to give you.' The Prince took it ; he opened it. What did he see ? Letters ! He read all the story of Thrice- Noble ! * And where is now she who gave thee this kerchief?' * At my house.' He arose, lost no time, gave the youth a handful of sequins, and said to him, ' Come with me, and let us go !' Then the Prince took the youth, and went to his house, and saw Thrice-Noble. Rejoicings and tears ; now they laughed, and now they wept. Said she, ' Let us have no more of this, but bring me clothes and a carriage, and let us go to the palace.' Said he, ' I will send you dresses and a carriage, but 26 Greek Folk-Prose. remain here until I drive out that Negress, and then I will come and fetch you.' The Prince returned immediately to the palace and went up straight to the Negress and began to pace up and down the room. Said the Negress to him, ' Are you again offended ? What ails you again ? Alas ! No sooner do I begin to whiten a little than again you get angry ! Now offended, now one thing, now another ; and I see you, and become blacker than ever !' ' Never mind, for I shall now leave you in peace. But I have still justice to do, and I came to consider and see what punishment I shall give to that man.' ' Tell me about it, and I will tell you, for my papa was a King over the Nereids, and I shall know what you should do.' ' There was a couple of lovers,' said the Prince, ' and he planned with another to separate them. What punishment, therefore, shall I now give that man ? — what ought he to suffer ?' ' And my papa had once such a case. And we had four wild mules, and we tied his two hands to two of the mules and his two feet to the other two, and whipped the four mules, and each mule took his own road, taking a piece with him.' ' Then prepare,' said he, ' to receive thy punish- ment !' ' What sayest thou ? Am I for ever to be frightened ? You will make me blacken again, and I shall die of grief!' ' As to that, the game is played out ; only I shall not bind thee to the mules, but strangle thee.' And so he came out of the palace, and gave orders that they should strangle her and throw her in the river. /. MytJiological — (/.) Zoonist. 27 And then he took a splendid gilt coach, and went to the \ poor man's house, and took away Thrice-Noble when he had given them much money and made them rich. And her he took to the palace, and the next day he ordered the ceremonies to begin because he was going to celebrate his wedding. And then, music and drums and great rejoicings. He took her for his wife, and they lived happily. And we more happily still ! "^, THE STORY OF THE BEARDLESS.^ Peloponnesus. {NeoeWrjviKa ' AvuXeKra, A. lO.) Once upon a time and in olden days, there was a King. This king wished to see the world, and he travelled through many towns and countries. In course of time he came to a village, and went and lodged in the house of a widow woman. The widow of whom I speak was young and very beautiful, so beautiful that the King could not contain his love for her, and she had a son. When he left, he gave one of his silver pistols to the widow and said to her, ' When our child is born and is grown up, send him to me to such and such a city, where I am King.' And when he had thus said, he went away. Not long afterwards a male child was born. The child grew up, but knew not his father. On a certain day, however, he went to his mother, and asked her who his father w^as. His mother, seeing that she could not do otherwise, said to him, ' My son, thy father is to be found in such and such a city, where he is the King. Hie thee thither and take with thee this pistol ; when thou showest it to him he will know that thou art his child. Shouldst thou, how- ever, meet on the road a Beardless One, turn thee again at once.' The boy received his mother's blessing, and off he set for the city. Going along the road he met a Beard- less One. Remembering what his mother had said to him, he turned back again. Again he set out, and again he met another Beardless One, and turned back. The /. Mythological — (/.) Zoonist. 29 third time when he was only some three or four hour? [journey] distant from the city, he met with a third Beardless One, who was going in the same direction, ' Eh well !' says he, ' I turned back the first and the second times, I won't turn back a third time.' The Beardless One, hearing these words, went up to the boy and asked him where he was going. ' Oh, I am going straight on to the city,' said he. Then the Beardless One began in a wheedling tone to inquire what he was going to do there, and why he had said such words when he first saw him. The boy, thinking that the Beardless One was a well-intentioned man — like a simpleton as he was — sat down and told him all his story, and that his father was the King of that city, and that he was going to him. 'And has your father never seen you?' asked the Beardless. ' How should he have seen me when he returned to his city before I was born ?' replied the boy. The Beardless One, who was an evil-minded man, took it into his head to kill the boy, and go himself to the King and say that he was his son. Well, as they went along the road, they were thirsty ; and a little way off they saw a well. 'Now,' said the Beardless, 'we have found the well, we have next to discover how to get at the water.' ' Don't worry thyself,' replied the boy, ' I will go down and get some.' When he had reached the bottom of the well, the Beardless One took a great slab and covered the mouth of the well with it. The unlucky boy, when he saw that he could not get out, remembered how that his mother had told him if he saw a beardless man to turn back, and he began to cry, 30 Greek Folk-Prose. ' Byc, aman !^ Bre, have mercy ! Bre, let me out!' The Beardless One took no notice of his cries, but prepared to set out on his way. The boy's cries and tears, however, finally melted his heart, and he leaned over the well and told him that he would take him out if he would swear that only if he died and came to life again would he declare himself to be the King's son. They would then go together to the city, and he should pass as the adopted son of the Beardless, and whatever he might do the boy must hold his tongue. The youth, seeing no alternative, swore that only if lie died and came to life again would he reveal it. Then the Beardless One took off the slab, and the boy came out, pale and trembling. They went on, and on, and at last they came to the city. The Beardless One presented himself to the King as his own son, and the boy he had brought with him as his adopted child. I forgot to tell you, however, that he had not given the pistol to the Beardless, but had kept it hidden in his fustanella. The King had forgotten, too, all about the pistol which he had left as a token to his child, and he received the Beardless with joy and embraces, and gave him a golden chamber to sleep in. When he woke up in the morning, the King asked him how he was, and how he liked the palace. The Beardless One, who wished to destroy the boy lest he should say something to the King, replied with evil design, ' My father and King, you have [almost] every treasure in your palace ; three only are lacking.' ' And what are those three ?' asked the King. ' They are,' replied the Beardless, * the Ivory " See p. 4, note *. /. Mythological — (/.) Zoonist. 31 Chamber ; the Birdie Birdie Nightingale and Stone- swallow; and the Five-Times Beautiful.' ' But then,' asked the King, ' how am I to obtain those treasures ?' ' Take no thought about that, my King ; I have an adopted son who can go and bring them.' He goes at once to the boy and says to him, ' The King commands thee to go and bring him twenty loads of ivory to build the ivory chamber ; and if thou bring them not, he will cut off thy head.' The boy replied with tears in his eyes, ' But w^here shall I go to get the ivory ? I know neither where it is to be found, nor how to take it !' The Beardless [cared] nothing, ^ [he thought only of gaining] his end. So, at last, when the youth saw, and understood that he could not do otherwise, he arose and set off whither his fate would lead him. When he had walked along the road for about half an hour or so, his courage failed him, and he sat down by the wa\-side and began to weep for his sad and unhappy fate. As he thus wept despairfully, lo ! there appears an Old Woman dressed in black, and she comes up and says to him, ' What is the matter with you, poor boy, why do you weep thus ?' ' Eh ! matter enough, mother,' said he, ' matter enough ; for the King has ordered me to go and bring twenty loads of ivory, or, if I don't, he will cut off my head. And I, foolish boy that I am, shall lose myself in some strange place and become the prey of the wild birds and beasts.' * Hush thee, my boy,' replied the Old Woman, who was his Fate, ' I will see that thou art not lost, and that thou fulfil the command of the King.' ^ Tiirora, to CKhiro rov. 32 Greek Folk-Prose. ' Ah, if that could come to pass, dame,' he cried, ' I would become your slave !' ' Eh,' said then his Fate, ' go and ask the King to give thee ten loads of bread and ten of wine ; then go to the plain which is behind this mountain which thou seest here, and thou must be mounted on a swift horse ; and come to the plain about dinner-time. [In the plain] there is a lake, throw all the loads of wine into it, and place the bread all around, and hide thyself in some place and remain there waiting. Then there will come an innumerable troop of elephants which will eat the bread and drink of the water of the lake. When they have drunk of this water, they will fall down tipsy, and will not be able to move. Then go thou and kill them all with a sword, and take their tusks to the King.' The youth set off joyfully to go to the King's palace and ask for the ten loads of bread and ten of wine, and a good horse and sword for himself. He took them, and — not to make a long story of it — he set out and came to the place of which his Fate had told him, and did as she had bade him. But instead of hiding him- self, he was so frightened that he climbed up a very high tree, and looked around him. Soon there came such a troop of elephants as made the earth quake ; they ate the loaves and drank the water of the lake, and then fell to the earth drunk with wine, as if they were dead. The youth lost no time, but came down from the tree and slew all the elephants; they trumpeted, but could not move. He then skinned them, took out their bones and their tusks, loaded the horses with them, and went to the King. When the Beardless One saw the boy return again — what would you ? — he became like a mad dog ; he hurried to the King and said to him, /. MytJiological — (/.) Zoonist. ' Eh, my King, you see what a task my adopted son has accompHshed for you ! He is clever enough to bring you the Birdie Birdie Nightingale and Stone- swallow !' When the King saw the valour of the youth, he told the Beardless to beg him to try to get also the Birdie. That was just what the Beardless wanted, so he goes to the youth and says to him, ' Thus and thus says the King — thou art to go and bring him the Birdie Birdie Nightingale and Stone-swallow, or he will cut off thy head.' What could the boy do ? He set out, and went to the same place and wept, and wept. Again his Fate appeared and asked why he cried. ' For this and for that,' he replied. Then said she, ' Ask the King to give thee a swift horse which goes like the wind ; go to such and such a forest where there is a tree on which is the Birdie Birdie Nightingale and Stone-swallow, and forty Dhra- kontas watch around it. Thou must go at night when the Dhrakontas are asleep, dismount thy horse, climb up the tree, but take care not to shake the branches for fear of waking the Dhrakontas, for then thou wert lost. Then seize the Birdie, mount thy horse, and flee like the lightning!' The youth did as his Fate bade him. He took the horse, mounted it, and went to the forest. He climbed the tree, seized the Birdie, and so that it might not escape, he held its claws between his teeth. Wlien he was about to mount his horse, the Dhrakontas scented him and rushed upon him with such violence that the mountains trembled and the trees were torn up. The youth could hardly move for fright ; but with one bound he bestrides his horse with the Birdie between his teeth, VOL. II. 3 Greek Folk Prose. digs the spurs in, and disappears from the Dhrakontas' sight. So he goes with the Birdie and presents it to the King ; and he made great rejoicings and gave the youth gifts a thousand and two. How was the Beardless to get rid of this boy ? He goes to the King and says, ' My father ' — for he cahed him father — ' you see how clever is my adopted son ! Now let us send him to bring the Five-times Beautiful, so that the palace may lack nothing ; and if he again returns we will load him with gifts and favours.' The King commanded that this should be done. So the Beardless goes and tells the boy. He goes to the same place where he went on the first two occasions and sits down and cries. Again his Fate appears, and not to make a long story of it, she says, ' This is what thou must do : Ask the King for ten loads of meat, ten of barley, and another ten of honey. Take them and go along such and such a road. On this road as thou goest thou wilt come to a forest, and in the forest are many Lions which will rush upon thee to devour thee. Then lose no time ; before they fall upon thee, throw them the ten loads of meat. If they ask thee, "What do you want from us?" say, "Nothing!" but take what they give thee. Further on thou wilt meet multitudes of Ants which, if they swarm over thee, will eat thee up before thou canst say, Kyrie elcison ! Then throw to them the ten loads of corn. And the same with the Ants ; if they ask thee dost thou want anything say " I do not," but whatever they give thee, leave it not behind. Afterwards thou wilt see a cloud of Bees. Lose no time with them too, but empty the ten loads of honey, and do the same if they tell thee to ask what thou wilt. When thou art gone a little further, thou wilt enter the castle where lives the Five- /. Mythological — (/.) Zoonist. 35 times Beautiful. There they will set thee tasks which thou wilt be able to perform with the help of the Beasts, the Ants, and the Bees. Afterwards they will set thee to pick the Beauty from among forty veiled women. Thou must tell the Queen-Bee to go and settle on the head of the Beauty, and she on whom the Bee settles must thou seize and carry off.' The youth did as his Fate counselled him. He took the ten loads of meat, the other ten of corn, and the ten of honey, and took the road his Fate pointed out. When he got to the wood, before the Lions rushed upon him, he threw to them the ten loads of meat. The Lions fell upon the meat, and instantly devoured it. Then they said to the boy, ' Ach / In return for the service you have rendered us, what shall we do for you?' ' Don't mention it ; nothing,' replied the youth. ' No !' said the King of the Lions, and he takes and pulls out a hair from his mane. ' Here, take this hair, and when you have need of us, let it touch the fire, and we will be with thee instantl3\' He goes a little further, and finds a multitude of Ants. He throws to them the ten loads of corn, and they carry it off before you could say your Creed. Then they say to him like the Lions, ' What shall we do for you in return for the service you have rendered us?' Says he, ' Nothing.' 'That must not be,' says they. ' Here is one of our wings, and if you have need of us, let it touch the fire, and we will immediately appear.' The youth left them, and went on his way, and came presently to the Bees, to whom he threw the ten loads of honey. Not to make a long story of it, the Bees 36 Greek Folk-Prose. said the same thing to the boy ; he gave the same reply ; and they gave him also one of their wings, saying that they would come when it touched the fire. He went, and went, and went, and [at last] he came to the castle which held the Five-times Beautiful, As he was about to enter the gateway, those who guarded it said to him, ' Eh, I say ; where goest thou ?' ' I have come to take the Five-times Beautiful,' he replied without flinching. 'Eh, my boy?' said they, 'if Beauties were to be taken like that, the world would be full of them. Turn back, we tell thee, for thy good, or thou must fulfil all the tasks that we set thee before thou canst take her, or we shall cut off thy head ; and thou wilt not be able to fulfil them, so turn thee back !' But not he ! ' Unless you give me the Five-times Beautiful, I will not budge hence !' When they saw that he was determined, they told him that he must perform three tasks before he could take her. When he had promised to perform them, they shut him up in a room, gave him forty cauldrons full of boiled meat to eat before morning, and left him. He sat down and began on them, but not even one spoonful from all of them could he eat. What was to be done ? He thought, and thought, and at last bethought him of calling the Lions, who might perchance eat up all the meat. He puts the Lion's hair to the fire, and lo ! they all appear at once, and so quietly that no one was aware of their coming, and the chamber and the castle were full of them. ' What dost thou want, master ?' they ask. 'See! ever so much!' he replies. 'All those forty /. Mythological— {^I.) Zoonist. 2)7 cauldrons of boiled meat, can you eat them before mornincf ?' ' Is that all ?' say they. ' Yes, even if they were a thousand !' And they sit down, and in a moment they clear them out and off they go ! When they who had set him the task saw that he had eaten the forty cauldrons full of meat, their blood ran cold, and they told him he must perform the second task. And they took him into a great storehouse full of corn — wheat, and barley, and maize, and said to him, ' Thou seest this barn ? Thou must clear it out and put in separate heaps the wheat, and the barley, and the maize, that not a grain of one remains with the other.' How was this to be done ? The boy again stands and thinks. ' Brc /' said he, ' I will invite the Ants and see if they will help me.' As soon as the wing touched the fire, lo ! there came innumerable armies of Ants. ' What do you want, master ?' they ask. ' You see this storehouse ? They have set me to clear it out, and I cannot ; and I have invited you in the hope that you will be able to separate it.' ' Bd /' say they, 'in a moment!' And they set to work, and, grain by grain, they separated the corn into three heaps in the storehouse and went off, saying, ' If you need us again, master, burn the wing and we will come.' In the morning the guards saw again that all had been well done, and that they could find no fault. What was to be done ? They say to the youth, * Eh ! Now we will see about the third task ; if thou canst do that, thou shalt have the Five-times Beautiful.' 38 Gi^eek Folk-Prose. They take him to where there were forty jars of honey and say to him, ' We gave thee first fatiguing tasks ; but now we set thee a pleasant one — sit down now and eat the forty jarsful of honey, or we will cut thy head off.' And they take and shut the doors of the storehouse, and lock him in to eat the forty jars of honey. He thought at once of the Bees, and opened a little window of the storehouse, and touched his cigar- ette with the bee's wing. Then — huz-z-z ! — a cloud of Bees which turned day into night and covered the sun ! Not to make a long story of it, the Bees sat down, too, and ate and cleaned out the honey jars so well that if anyone had licked them he would not have known that they had held honey. Then the Bees went away, but the boy kept their Queen to show him the Five-times Beautiful the next morning. So in the morning the guards came, and when they saw that task performed too, ' Bravo F they said, ' come and take the Beauty.' They took him, and placed him in a courtyard where there were forty maidens, all of the same height, and dressed alike, so that you could not tell one from another. ' Come,' said they, ' choose and take the Beauty from among these !' Then the boy let go the Bee, and watched to see on which she would alight, without the guards noticing anything. When he saw her alight on the middle one, he ran towards her and took hold of her. ' See !' he cried, ' this is the one I want !' ' Well done !' cried the guards, ' thou hast chosen the Beauty!' Then he mounts his horse, puts the Beauty behind him on the saddle, and hastens to the city. The /. Mythological — (/.) Zooiiist. 39 Beardless — who was on the terrace of the palace, look- ing out with a spyglass — when he saw him coming, hastened downstairs, and at the moment he reached the door and was dismounting, he said to him, angrily, ' Brc ! give me the Beauty !' The youth was about to give her up to him ; but she, when she saw the Beardless, flew into a rage, and told him to get out of her sight, for he who had brought her was her husband. Then the Beardless One seized the youth by his feet, and threw him from the breastwork of the castle, and killed him. The Beauty hastened, took up his body, and, by means of Water of Life,^ and some magical words, she endeavoured to revive him again. ' AchP she cried, ' I have brought him to life again ! Now let come what come may !' ' But what ?'— asked the boy. ' Was I dead ?' ' Yes,' she replied. ' The Beardless One killed thee, and I brought thee to life again !' Then at last the boy realized that he was freed from his oath, for he had died and come to life again. And he went to the King, and related everything to him, and showed him the pistol. Then the King commanded that they should bind the Beardless to four horses and thus kill him. He [the King] afterwards married the Five-tmies Beautiful to his son, and sent for his mother. And they were all happ}-. And we happier ! THE SLEEPING PRINCE, OR THE KNIFE, THE CORD, AND THE STONE.^" A thens. {AeXriov, I., p. 345.) This is the beginning of the story. Good evening to your Honours ! There was once a King, and he had a very beautiful daughter. He loved her very dearly, because when she was born her mother had died, and so he had no one in the world but this girl. Word came to him to go to the wars, and he was much troubled and worried about leaving her alone. ' Go safely, my father, and come back safely. I will stay with my grandmother, and wait for you. Only return soon, for I have nobody else to see in the house.' The father set out, and went to the wars, and she put on her frame a kerchief to embroider in gold to give to her father when he should come home from the war. As she was working, there passed by the window a Golden Eagle, and said to her, ' Thou broiderest, thou broiderest, thou shalt wed a dead husband !' The Princess said nothing, she only gazed at him. The next day the Eagle passed again, and said the same to her. Then the Princess said to her grand- mother, ' As I sat here and worked, there passed by an Eagle and said to me, " Thou broiderest, and broiderest, thou shalt wed a dead husband !" ' ' If he tells thee that again,' said her grandmother, ' say to him, " Then take me to sec him !" ' /. Mythological — (/.) Zoomst. 41 The Eagle again passed and said tliis to her, and she answered him, ' Then take me to see him !' Then the Eagle lowered his wings and said to her, ' Mount upon my wings, and I will take thee to see him.' She got upon the Eagle's wings, and he took her, and flew away. When they had gone some distance, they came to where there was a well with a wide mouth, and the Eagle swooped down [to the bottom of the well], and left her there in the courtyard and then flew off. In it there was a splendid palace. The dogs were sleeping in the courtyard. She went further and saw horses, and they were asleep. She went upstairs into the palace and saw that all the servants, too, were asleep. She entered a golden chamber, and saw a handsome Prince, sleeping like the dead. On the other side of the bed was a table and on the table a paper, and the paper said, ' Whoever comes in here and pities the Prince's youth, let her sit and watch him for three months, three weeks, three days, three hours, and three half hours without sleeping — for it is necessary to say to him when he sneezes, " To thy health,^ my longlived Prince ! I am she who has watched thee three months, three weeks, three days, three hours, and half-hours!" — then the Prince will awake ; and whoever has had the patience to do this, he will take her for his wife ; and together with the Prince will awake all those who are asleep in his palace.' The Princess was in a dilemma. Said she, ' What shall I do ? I ought to stay and watch him now, and if he sneezes say to him, " To thy health, my longlived King ! I am she who has watched thee three months, three weeks, three da3's, three hours, and three half- hours." ' a 7et^ aov — vyka. aov^ the Greek salutation to anyone sneezing. 42 Greek Folk-Prose. At night, when it grew dark, all the house was lighted up without her seeing who lighted it. She saw a table before her with various dishes, and ate, without seeing who brought them. And so her life passed. She tried not to sleep, so as to say to him, ' To thy health, my longlived King !' The three months, three weeks, and three days had passed, and as she sat there one day she heard a cry, ' Buy any slaves ?' ' Stop !' she called out, ' stop ! I will buy a slave. Let them all lean over the well that I may see their faces, and buy one for company." She saw one she liked, a young and pretty girl, and said, ' Let down that little slave !' They let her down, and to the same rope she tied a handkerchief with the money in it, and they drew it up and went away. She dressed the slave in handsome clothes, and told her she was to keep her company. Then she said to her — the poor Princess was sleepy — ' I will sleep here on thy knees, and thou must wake me in half an hour, for I must say to the King when he sneezes, " To thy health," ' etc. Said the slave, ' Lie down, my lady, on my knees, and in half an hour I will awaken you.' But as soon as the Princess had gone to sleep, the Prince sneezed. Said the little slave to him, ' To thy health, my longlived King,' etc. Then the King awoke immediately, and embraced her and said to her, ' Thou shalt be my Queen, and thou wilt be the richest Queen in the world !' Then he hastened and took water and sprinkled all his people, his horses and his dogs, all he had. After- wards he came back to his wife and saw a maiden l3'ing asleep on the floor. Said he. /. Mythological — (/.) Zoonist. 43 'But who is this?' ' What shall I say, m\- King ? some slaves were pass- ing by yesterday, and I told them to let me one down the well. Now I will awaken her.' ' No, leave the poor thing to sleep, and afterwards we will send her to keep the geese,' When the Princess awoke, she looked around, but saw nothing, neither the Prince nor anything. Said she, * What has become of the Prince ? Where is he ?' ' What shall I tell thee ? The Prince sneezed and awoke, and saw both of us here, and he said that he wanted me, and thou might go and tend the geese.' When the King came back to the palace, he, too, wanted to go to the war. Then he said to his wife, ' What dost thou wish me to bring thee from the journey on which I am going?' ' Bring me a crown of diamonds,' said she. Then he went down to the Princess, to her who kept the geese, and said, ' W^hat shall I bring thee ?' * Bring me, my King, the Stone of Patience, the Cord of Hanging, and the Knife of Slaughter. If thou bring not these which I ask thee, my King, may thy ship mo\e neither forward nor backward.' The King set off, he arrived, finished his business, bought the crown for the Queen, and went on board his ship to go to his own country. When they unmoored the ship, neither forwards nor backwards would she move. Then they were all puzzled, and pulled the anchors this way and that, and wondered what was the matter. Said one who was on board to him, an old man, ' My longlived King, perhaps they asked you to buy something, and you have forgotten it ?' 44 Greek Folk-Prose. ' Bre ! — that is true !' said the King. 'A girl I have who tends my geese asked me to bring her the Stone of Patience, the Cord of Hanging, and the Knife of Slaughter.' ' I will go, my King, and buy them for you,' said the old man. ' But take care of that girl, for she has some great sorrow, so pay attention, and see what she will do.' The old man bought them, and took them to the King, and immediately the ship flew as if she had wings. The King came at last to his palace, gave the crown to his wife, and then went down and gave the other things to the girl. In the evening the King went down to the door of the room where she slept, and heard her say, ' I was a Princess, an only daughter ; my father went to the wars. I was embroidering for him a golden handkerchief, and an Eagle passed by my window and said to me, '* Thou broiderest, thou broiderest, a dead husband thou shalt wed !" I said, " Take me to see him !" The Eagle took me on his wings and brought me down the well, and to the palace. I watched with- out sleeping three months and three weeks, and there passed above slaves, and I bought a little slave for com- pany. When it was time for the King to wake and sneeze, the slave said — for I was asleep — " To thy health, my longlived King," etc. Then, since I have no one to whom to tell my woes, I have sent for you to see what you will say. From a Princess to tend geese ! Knife of Slaughter, what dost thou bid me do ?' 'Slay thyself!' ' Cord of Hanging, what dost thou bid me do ?' 'Hang thyself!' ' Stone of Patience, what dost thou bid me do ?' /. Mythological — (/.) Zoonist. 45 ' Be patient !' ' How should I be patient ? Cord of Hanging, what dost thou bid me do ?' ' Hang thyself!' The Prince looked through the keyhole to see what was going on within. When he saw her get up to tie the cord to hang herself, the King gave a kick to the door, and went in and embraced her, and said, ' Thou art my deliverer, and didst not say it, and I cast thee to the geese ! Thou art my Queen, thou art my wife, and I will hang her with the rope which thou hast tied to hang thyself!' Then said she, ' I do not wish our wedding to begin with slaughter ; set her free only, and let her go her way, for she has sorely wronged me, and I would not mine eyes saw her again. We will go to my father at our palace, and kiss his hand, and hold our wedding.' They went to the palace. Five or six days afterwards her father came back from the wars, and he (the Prince) told him that he wished to make him his father. And they had music and drums and great rejoicings. The wedding took place, and they li\ed happily. And we more happily still ! SECTION (II.) TALES ILLUSTRATIVE OF MAGICAL IDEAS. THE ENCHANTED LAKE, PRINCESS. A thens. OR THE FROG [AeXriov, I., p. 330.) This is the beginning of the story. Good-evening to your Honours ! Once upon a time there was a King, and he had three sons. They grew up, and came to a marriageable age. The old King had three bows and three arrows. He gave to each one of his sons a bow and an arrow, and told them to go up to the highest point of the palace, and shoot each one his arrow, and wherever, and in the courtyard of whomsoever it might fall, the maiden [who lived there] he must take to wife. The eldest went up to the highest point of the palace, let fly his arrow, and it fell into the courtyard of a grand palace in which was a lovely maiden, and he took her to wife. The second went up too, and let fly his arrow into a handsome house in which also lived a beautiful girl, and he married her. There remained now the youngest. For the King, before giving them the bows, had built three palaces separate from his own /. Mythological— {II.) Magical. 47 and said to them, ' My sons, you must marry and live in your palaces with your wives, and when I die which- ever of you succeeds me on the throne must live in my palace.' The Princes thanked him ; the eldest got married ; the second got married ; and now we come to the youngest. The youngest kept putting it off — to-day he would shoot his arrow, to-morrow he would shoot his arrow, and so time went on. The Princes gave feasts, they invited their father, their mother, and amused them- selves. One day as they were feasting at the eldest brother's house, the King says to his youngest son, ' My boy, if thou wouldst have my blessing, do thou too shoot thine arrow now, and marry, that I may see thy wife and die content.' Then said the Prince, ' I do not wish, my father, to break your heart. To-morrow I, too, will shoot my arrow, and wherever it falls I will take a wife.' God dawned the day, and the Prince went up to the highest point of the palace, shot his arrow, and saw it fly far, far away, -and fall somewhere. He goes down, looks on this side and that, but there was neither house nor anything else where his arrow had fallen. He searches to find out where his arrow is, and what does he see ? A great lake, and in the ver}' middle of the lake a Frog holding his arrow in her mouth, and swim- ming to her nest. He loses no time, jumps into the lake and seizes the Frog with his arrow. He takes it and goes home. He puts the Frog in a room, with grief and horror — what shall he say to his father ? He sends away all his servants so that his sisters-in-law may not hear of it, and laugh at him, and abandons himself to hunting. One day he brought home some very fine game, and hung it behind the door, and said. 48 Greek Folk-Prose. ' I will go and confess all to my father, but he must not tell my brothers ; for this was my fate,' He went to his father, and told him all that had happened. His father pitied him very much, for he considered the youngest his best child, and loved him more than his two other sons. He said to him, ' A'i ! my son! it was the will of God that thou shouldst remain unmarried !' While the Prince was with his father, the Frog was setting the house in order. She came — my eyes ! out of her skin, and was a beautiful Princess with such a fine silk shift, and splendid clothes. She tucked up her sleeves, lighted the fire, cooked the game, placed the sofra,^ laid the dinner on it, and then went into her skin again and sat in the corner. The Prince came back, entered the house, and what did he see ? The dinner laid, and cooked, and served ! ' Bd,' said he, ' who has done this ?' He looks this way and that, but sees no one. He sat down, and ate, put on a plate some of the best food, and placed it on the sofa. The Frog climbed up on the sofa and ate. Whenever he came home he found the house tidied, all the plates washed, but no human being did he see. 'Ah, but,' he said, 'it isn't in here. To-morrow I will go hunting, bring back game, hang it behind the door again, and hide myself.' The next day he arose, went a-hunting, killed a few birds, hung them on the door, dressed, went down- stairs, locked the palace door, and afterwards came in by a little garden door and entered the palace. When she saw the Prince go out and heard him lock the door " The Turkish tray-stand, much used also by the lower orders of Christians. /. Mythological — (//.) Magical. 49 outside, she came out of her skin and became a beautiful Princess who might ' Command the Sun, and he'd stand still, The Morning Star, he'd twmkle.' The Prince saw her, and lost his wits at her beauty. She went to the window and clapped her hands. The Prince saw a little Frog coming upstairs — pouf, pouf ! When she came up to the [big] Frog, she threw off her skin and began the work, for she too had become a maiden. She set to and plucked the birds, cooked them, lighted the fire, and the Princess helped her. When the work was finished, the little Frog got into her skin and went away ! Then the big Frog, too, got into her skin, and sat in her corner. Then the Prince went away softly, softly, as he had come, by the little door, and came again to the great gate, unlocked it, and came upstairs. He went into the room, saw the table ready, sat down, and ate. Afterwards he walked up and down the room, and then went to the Frog, fondled her and said to her, 'At! thou wert my fate. Whatever thou art, I will remain unmarried ; since thou didst take my arrow in thy teeth, I shall not think of seeking a woman to marry. Thou wilt at least speak to me to beguile the time for me, and tell me who came and cooked me those dishes.' The Frog gazed long at him, but said nothing. One way or another, I know not how, it was known that his arrow had fallen into a lake, and that he had a Frog in his house. One day his sisters-in-law say to him, ' Wilt not bring thy wife to us, that we may see her?' ' I have not married,' said the Prince to them, ' how VOL. II. 4 50 Greek Folk- Prose. can I bring my wife for you to see ?' And grief took hold upon him, and he went away. He went home, found again the dinner ready, sat down, and ate. One day he hid again, and as she was about to clap her hands for the little Frog to come, the Prince ran and caught up her frog's skin, and threw it into the fire. The Frog ran and cried out, ' I am burning ! I am burning !' and the Prince snatched the skin from the fire and threw it into a golden basin full of water. Then he fell at her feet, and besought her not to go into the skin again, but to pity him, and he said to her, ' Seest thou not what I suffer, not to be able to go out into the world, to be mocked by my brothers, while thou art far more beautiful than my two sisters-in- a-^" ?' Then she said to him, ' I am of royal lineage, and our God cursed us and flooded our kingdom.^^ But in order that we might not die, he gave us these skins to live in the lake ; and our goods are in the lake, and all our wealth, all we have ; and a magician foretold to us that if there should be found one to love me and not curse the hour in which he found me, I, too, should become human. I remained a Frog in order to prove thee. Since I see that thou art so good a man, I will bring thee good fortune, and we will let thy sisters-in-law mock if they will.' Then he rejoiced greatly at his good fortune. She told him to throw her skin into the well so that it might be always cool and fresh. He threw it in, and said to her, ' We will stay here together as long as you like, and say nothing to anyone.' One day it was the birthday of the old King ; the eldest brother made a feast, and invited them all to go. Then they mocked the youngest, and said to him. /. MytJiological — (//.) Magical. 51 ' Won't you bring your wife, too, that we may see her, and talk together and amuse ourselves ?' He left and went home, rather sad. His wife said to him, ' What ails thee, that thou art sad ?' ' What should ail me ? They have made a feast at my eldest brother's because it is my father's birthday, and to make fun of me they tell me to go too with my wife.' ' Well,' said she, ' if you like, we will go ; and instead of their laughing at us, we will laugh at them. Go down to the lake where you found me, and call ' Kdi- nd-nd ! Kdt-nd-nd /" and then you will hear " Pi-ki-ki ! Pi-ki-ki I" You must say, " Your daughter, Anthoula, has sent me to ask you for the Golden Wand which is in the corner, and the Silver Wand, the Goose's Egg and two Hen's Eggs, that I may take them back with me." ' All that she told him the poor fellow did. He went to the lake, and called as his wife had directed him. They gave him the two Wands, and the three Eggs, and he came home. Then she asked her husband when the feast was, and he said, ' To-morrow morning.' Then the next day she struck once with the Golden Wand, and three slaves came out ; she struck twice, and there came a slave with a chest full of clothes, women's and men's, diamonds and jewels. She adorned herself, and her husband adorned himself with a gold poniard, a watch, with furs and gold embroidered clothes. Then she gave the Silver Wand to the servants and they took the Wand down to the pebbled pavement,^ and it became a beautiful coach, all golden, with four horses, a Qalderimi (a Turkish word), the tessellated pavement com- posed of black and white pebbles set endwise in cement, so common in the country. 52 Greek Folk-Prose. all white, and they waited in the courtyard. They pawed with their hoofs on the pavement, and sparks flew out. The sisters-in-law went in and out and laughed, ' Ha I ha ! ha ! when will the croaker come ? When will the croaker come ?' As they Ha ! ha ! ha'd, and laughed, they saw a splendid coach with servants dressed in gold, a coach with four horses, and it stopped at their door. They looked with amazement to see who would come out of it. They saw a servant get down and take a beautiful lady by the hand and help her out of the carriage. They looked at one another ! And the Prince got out after her ! The two brothers hasten, and bring the bride upstairs. She goes to kiss the hand of her father-in-law, the father-in-law em- braces her and kisses her. She gives the Goose's Egg to her father-in-law, kisses the hand of one of her husband's brothers, gives him one of the Hen's Eggs, kisses the hand of the second and gives him the other Egg.* Then they began to laugh. ' Fz,^ here's a present ! she brings us eggs !' She said nothing, but only smiled. Then she told her father-in-law to break his Egg, and what did they see ? A beautiful diadem, all of diamonds. She took it up and placed it herself on her father-in-law's head. They broke the other two Eggs and found in each of them a watch with a diamond chain. Then said the couple, ' Let this day be our wedding-day !' They kept it with great ceremonies, and music and drums and great rejoicings. The marriage took place on the same day, and they brought from the lake all Anthoula's dowry. And they lived happy. And we happier ! '^ A Greek bride at the betrothal ceremony kisses the hands of all the bridegroom's relatives. 1' Bs^HjSor^ hallo ! DULCETTA, OR THE KIDNAPPED PRINCE. ^'^ A thcns. {AeXriov, I., p. 138.) This is the beginning of the story. Good-evening to your Honours ! There was once upon a time a King, a good and just man, and everyone loved him very much, but he had one defect — far be it from the ears which hear it ! — he was a leper. Of all the physicians who saw him, not one could do anything to cure him. One day his malady distressed him very much, and he called the palace Physician and said to him, ' Either thou must cure me, or I shall hang thee ; for I can no longer support this life !' The Physician begged him to give him forty days' grace to read his prescriptions and see if he could not find something to cure him. Night and day the Physician sat and pondered what he should do — for the disease which the King had cannot be cured. At the end of the forty days he arose, and went to the King. * My King, my longlived King, I have found the remedy, but we must still wait for a year.' ' Let me but be cured, and I will wait two,' said the King. ' You must,' said the Physician, ' send to find a Prince, of royal blood, and this youth you must feed on honey and pine-kernels in a chamber of the palace, and at the end of a year we must kill him in such a way as will make him bleed very much. We will put him in a barrel covered inside with nails, and roll the barrel ; 54 Greek Folk-Prose. and the blood which runs out }ou must take to the bath and anoint yourself with it.' The King then called all his trusty men, and asked which of them was valiant enough to kidnap a Prince and bring him to him. The Vizier, who was a travelled man, said, ' Set your mind at rest, my King, for I will go and do your errand ; only give me the command of a ship, and money.' Then the King ordered them to give him whatever he wanted. The Vizier took the ship, and his most trusty servants, and went from place to place. He anchored the ship, and went on shore. One day he went on shore at a place where he saw many people, and they were all hastening to one spot. He asked why all the crowd was going that way, and they told him that it was the Prince's birthday, and they were all going to pray God that he might live long. He went forward with the people and came to the place where the service was to be held. He stood there, saw an immense crowd, horses caparisoned with gold, and he saw the King. He asked, ' But where is the Prince ?' They said, ' The Prince is young, to-day he com- pletes his twelfth year, and he is in the palace with his mother.' He loses no time ; he observes what clothes the King's people wear, goes on board the ship and dresses him- self in the same livery ; sees that the sails are ready ; remembers to ask what the Prince's name is, and learns that it is Fiorentino ; goes to the palace and says, ' The King — may God grant him many years ! — has sent me to fetch Fiorentino to pray to God with him.' When he saw a handsome boy come out dressed all /. Mythological — (//.) Magical. 55 in gold, he embraced him, went down the steps of the palace, mounted a horse, and took him on his knees. Instead, however, of taking the road to the mosque, a- he took that to the sea. The boy began to call out. Then the Vizier said to him, ' Hush, my boy, for it is here that your father told me to bring you.' The ship was ready, with the sails set, and they left immediately. The King came home from the service, and asked to see his son ; but they told him he had been sent to the mosque, as he had sent a man to ask for him. They searched, and ran here and there, but could find him nowhere. Then they painted the palace black,^^ and the great rejoicings became great mourning. But let us leave them to weep, and beat their breasts, and let us follow the ship. The King had told his Vizier before he left, to put a white flag on the top-mast if he had found a boy. But his joy and the cries of the Prince made him forget to put up the white flag, as the King had commanded him. When the Vizier left, the King stationed a man to watch if the ship came with the white flag. As soon as the watchman saw the ship, he ran to the King, and said, ' My King, my longlived King, the ship is coming, but it has not a white flag !' Then the King, in his despair, sank down to die. He had a very beautiful daughter, called Dulcetta, but he had no wife ; she had died when this maiden was born. When the maiden heard that her father was ill, she went to comfort him, when suddenly there arrives a Tatar,^ and tells the King that the Vizier has come -' The customs described in this story are characteristically Turkish. '' The couriers in Turkey are chiefly Tatars. 56 Greek Folk-Prose, and brought the boy he was expecting. From his joy the King, when he heard it, became well, and told the Ldla^ to take Dulcetta away to her room. Then they brought in Fiorentino, and he bade him (the Leila) take him to a room upstairs and give him nothing to eat but honey and pine-kernels. The days passed, and they gave him nothing but honey and pine-kernels, and he ate them. One day the Princess's Ldla saw her crying, and he was much distressed, for he had brought her up from a little child and loved her as his own. ' What is the matter, my Dulcetta, that you cry ?' ' I am crying because I think of that poor Prince whom they are going to kill, and who is so handsome, and of how sad his parents must be when they think of him.' ' Never mind, my Dulcetta, in a year's time he may be set at liberty,' said the Ldla. ' Ldla mine, couldn't you bring him here to play with me ?' ' Yes, yes, be patient, and I will bring him, and you shall eat together, such are the Physician's orders,' said Ordanis (for so Dulcetta's Ldla was called). And as Ordanis had the key of the Prince's chamber, he opened a hole in the ceiling under the Princess's bed, and put the Prince through it into the Princess's room, and they ate and played together. And thus the Princess became very fond of him ; and she took rose-water and washed him, and a silken shirt to change him, and the Prince forgot his parents. And so the time passed. But one day the Ldla came all in tears. As he saw the children playing, he was full of pity for them and said [to himself] that if Fiorentino were killed Dulcetta •■^ A Turkish name for a Tutor, or male attendant on children. /. Mythological— {II.) Magical. 57 would die of grief. Dulcetta noticed him, but said nothing before Fiorentino. In the evening when Fio- rentino went away to sleep, Dulcetta said, ' Ldla mine, what is the matter that you are so sad ? — won't you tell me T He did not wish to tell her anything about it, but her tears and caresses prevailed, and he said, ' Wait and I will tell you what is the matter with me. I saw them making a barrel with nails [inside] , and when I saw it I could not restrain my grief, for the time has come for Fiorentino to be killed.' * Ldla mine, if thou lov'st me, take us and let us flee away.' So two days before that on which they had settled to kill Fiorentino, the Negro took some money and took the children and wrapped them in cloaks and withdrew to a desert place to wait for a ship to pass and take them to Fiorentino's country. The King got up on the following day, and ordered them to put Fiorentino in the barrel in order to bleed him for his cure, and to get ready the bath for him to bathe. So they got all ready, and then went to fetch Fiorentino ; but not even Dulcetta or the Negro did they find. They made inquiries, and learnt that the Negro had taken a horse by night, and had fled. Then he told them to fetch the Magician, and ask him where the children and the Negro had gone. And the Magician said that they were sailing on the sea. Then the King said, ' Ach, Dulcetta, what hast thou done to me ! I would curse thee, but my heart will not let me. But one curse I will lay upon thee — there where Fiorentino is gone, when his mother kisses him, may he forget thee .'' When the vessel cast anchor, Dulcetta said to the 58 Greek Folk-Prose. Negro, her Ldla, ' Ldla mine, won't you look and see what my papa is doing ?' — for her Ldla was a Magician. ' How shall I tell you, my Dulcetta. Your father has laid on you the curse that when Fiorentino's mother kisses him, he will forget you.'' Then Fiorentino said, ' So thankless do you deem me as to let my mother kiss me and forget you who have saved my life at such sacrifices ? But wait here, and I will go to my parents, and we will come and fetch thee as befits a Princess.' So they remained in the ship, and Fiorentino went to the palace. He knocked at the door, but it was shut, and the palace was all draped in black. A slave looked out at a window. ' Who is knocking at the door ? That door does not open ; all the doors were nailed up, and we go out by a little door at the back there, since the Prince died.' ' Say that I will come in by this door ; say that I have news to give you of the Prince.' Then the Oueen asked, ' What is it, and who knocks at the door ?' Said she, ' It is a youth, and he wants the great door opened for him to come in at it, because he has news of Fiorentino to bring us.' Then the Queen said, ' Very well, as he comes, from our Fiorentino, open the door and let him in.' They opened the door and saw that it was Fiorentino. She threw herself on his neck to kiss him, but he said, ' Don't kiss me, mother mine, but send for music and drums, for I have brought the woman who saved mc, to make her my Queen.' ' Lie down a little while, my child, while we make ready, and take off the black and put golden [hangings] /. Mythological— {^11 .) Magical. 59 on the palace, and then we will go and fetch the bride,' All this was done, and his mother went to wake the boy. When she raised the gold [embroidered] kerchief to wake him and saw him so handsome and rosy, she bent and kissed him. Then he awoke and she said to him, ' Get up, my Fiorentino, and we will go and bring the bride of whom you told us.' 'What bride?' asked Fiorentino. ' Didn't you tell us that you had brought a Princess who had saved you, to make her your wife ?' ' No, mother mine, I have brought neither bride, nor anything else. I only said so from joy. Let the people rejoice at my return, I have brought no bride.' When some time had passed, and all the people were amusing themselves, but Fiorentino did not appear, Dulcetta said to her Ldla with tears in her e3^es, ' Look, Ldla mine, why Fiorentino does not come.' Then the Ldla looked in his magic, and cried, ' O misfortune ! his mother has kissed him, and he has forgotten us ! Stay here in the ship, and I will go out and see what we can do.' Ordanis went on shore, and opposite the King's palace was another beautiful little palace, quite small, and he sought to hire it. Said they, ' We want a very high rent for it, and that will not suit you.' ' You tell me, and never mind about that.' ' We want fifty sequins a day.' Said the Negro, ' Fifty ?' ' Fifty.' ' Here are two hundred sequins for four days.' 6o Greek Folk-Prose. So then he took Dulcetta and brought her to the Httle palace. The next day was a Friday, and they [the people] went to the mosque to give God thanks because the King's son had returned, and there was a great ceremony. Then Dulcetta seated herself on the little balcony with her sleeves tucked up, so that if the Prince should see her, he might recognise her.^ The Prince came out to go to the mosque to worship together with the Vizier's son, and the Kehaya's^ son, all three of them. Says the son of the Kehaya to the son of the Vizier, * Look what a beauty she is ! I shall send word to her that if she likes, I will come and spend an evening with her.' ' All right, find out if she is willing, and we will tell the Prince, so that he too may amuse himself after his journey.' After the ceremony, when they returned home, they called an old woman and told her to go and say, ' The Kehaya's son has seen thy beauty and has lost his wits, and he would like to come this evening to keep thee company.' ' Certainly, let him come and welcome,' said Dulcetta to the old woman, ' but I shall want a hundred sequins, and you must bring them to me now beforehand. And another condition — when they [the Gypsies] are playing on their instruments^* he must be at my door, neither sooner nor later will I receive him ; and if he does not arrive and come in before they have finished playing, he must forfeit the sequins and bear me no grudge.' So the old woman went and told this to the Kehaya's son. Then he tied up the sequins in a gold * Being a Moslem, she was, of course, veiled. '' The Lord High Steward. This office is now abolished. /. Mythological — (//•) Magical. 6i [embroidered] kerchief, and gave it to her and said that when they [the Gypsies] were playing he would be at her door. Then the Negro took ten gold pieces, and went to the Gypsies who played the instruments, and told them to play a quarter of an hour earlier, and he would give them five sequins now, and five after playing. The Kehaya's son went to the bath and bathed, and while his eyes were still full of soapsuds he heard the music. He looked at his watch, and what did he see ? He threw the watch down on the floor and broke it. He dressed as fast as he could and went to the Beauty's door. ' I am the Kehaya's son !' ' What dost thou want ?' ' I am he who sent thee the hundred sequins and the kerchief.' ' Go away to the place you came from, for it is ever so long since they finished playing, and my door does not open.' Then he went away, and went to sleep in his chamber, and all night he pondered how he might be revenged upon her. In the morning he was late in awaking. The Vizier's son came when he awoke to learn if he had gone to the Beauty, and how he had fared. He kept his own counsel, but said that he had gone and fared splendidly, that she was very beautiful and witty, and that if he liked he would send the old woman to announce to her that the Vizier's son was coming. So the old woman was set to work. The old woman went. ' Och, my lady !' said she, ' what luck you have ! The Vizier's son is coming this evening to pay you a visit, if it pleases you !' ' Certainly, but I want two hundred sequins and 62 Greek Folk- Prose. when they are playing on the instruments he must be at my door ; neither sooner nor later will I receive him ; and if he does not come I shall keep the sequins, and he must bear me no grudge.' The Vizier's son accepted, and sent her two hundred sequins in a gold [embroidered] kerchief. Then the Negro took twenty gold pieces, and went to the Gypsies ; he gave them the ten in advance and promised the other ten after, that they might play a quarter of an hour earlier. The Vizier's son consequently heard the music when he was still in the bath. He immediately washed and dressed as fast as he could, and rose and went to the Beauty's door. He knocks at the door, and she looks out at the window and asks who is there. ' I am the Vizier's son, and, if it please you, open the door and let me in.' ' Our agreement was that you were to be at my door while they were playing, and it is an hour since they finished, so go back whence you came.' The Vizier's son went away and came to the palace, where he finds his friend the Kehaya's son. ' Bd, what do I see ?' ' You don't know, my dear fellow,' said he, ' what has happened to me. I was late in arriving, and she locked the door against me, and there go the two hundred sequins !' ' And I, my dear fellow, fared the same ! But I spoke as I did so that you might not laugh at me, but might go and fare the same. Now we will send the Prince, and afterwards have her brought to justice.' So the pair of them went to the Prince, and said to him, 'Just opposite us lives a Beauty. If you would like to spend an evening with her, we will send an old woman.' /. Mythological— {II.) Magical. 6 o So they sent the old woman again on the part of the Prince. Said she, ' Certainly I will receive him, but with one thousand five hundred sequins ; and if he slips once on my stairs, he must not come up, but go away without a grudge.' The Prince accepted the conditions, and sent her one thousand five hundred sequins. The Negro imme- diately set to and washed the stairs with a great deal of soap, and afterwards cut up a quantity of soap into shavings and threw them on the staircase, and over all he scattered millet and lentils ; and she adorned her- self, and put on many diamonds, and stood at the top of the staircase. He (the Prince) was wearing a new pair of shoes. When he came in she said to him, ' You are welcome, Prince !' He, as she greeted him, was about to ascend, when he fell on the stairs. ' I hope you are not hurt anywhere ? As you are a Prince, I will excuse you the first time, but take care not to slip again, for then I shall not receive you.' He then tried again to ascend, and again he fell. So she wished him ' Good-night,' put out the hght, and went in. And thus the Prince, too, was sent off. Afterwards he went and found his friends, and told them his story with much anger and grief. His friends said to him, ' We have fared the same, but we did not think that you would be treated thus, as you are a Prince. To- morrow your father will sit in judgment, so we will seize her, and punish her for playing us this trick, and take back our sequins.' Then the Prince went to his father and said to him, ' To-morrow when you sit in judgment I, too, have a complaint to make to you.' 64 Greek Folk- Prose. The King promised him that his case should be heard before the others. Then they sent a writ-server, and he knocked at Dulcetta's door. The Negro came out to see who was there. ' To-day, Ordani, where art thou, for I have come to seek thee, Thy lady too, for I would know if she's a noble maiden. If she's a dainty Princess fair, a daughter of Venetia ?' Said the Negro, ' What do you want with my lady ?' and he replied as before. Then she [Dulcetta] asked, ' Who is it ?' Said the writ-server, ' Here, at your orders, lady mine, stands Stathino Daleras, He's but another grandfather is Ordanios Davelas !' Then said the Negro to her, ' Here's at your orders, lady mine, your watchman, tried and trusty ; And every day I pray to God that many years He grant you !' Said she, ' Go, and I will come to the Court.' She went into the inner room, the outer little chamber. And changed, and on her body small she put her queenly raiment. She took Ordani with her and went to the Court. And when she came before the King, all present turned towards her. /. Mythological—{II)\ Magical. 65 And rose before her, [as she stood like] lemon-tree in blossom. ' My King, on your commands I wait ; you called me, and I hastened.' Up sprang then the Kehaya's son, and to the King thus spake he : ' From me the hundred [coins] she took, from him she took two hundred, She took from your unlucky son [of sequins] fifteen hundred !' Dulcetta turns and says angrily to him, ' Now may misfortune and ill-luck [be whips to] lash thy body ! May racking pains beset thy head, as in a mill it ground were !' Says the Prince, ' Hold thou thy peace and say no more, few let thy words now be ; The youth whom thou before thee seest a ruler's son is he.' ' What ails thee, Fiorentino mine ? Thou feignest to forget The flasks of sweet rose-water which to wash thee with I brought ? What ails thee, Fiorentino mine ? Thou feignest to forget The shirts of silk I dressed thee in with finest broid'ry wrought ?' Then says the King to him, ' Think, Fiorentino, this may be the maid of whom didst speak ?' VOL. II. *; 66 Greek Folk-Prose. Says Dulcetta, ' Go kiss thy mother, so perchance thy wits may come again !' The Prince went, kissed his mother hurriedly, and remembered everything. He came running back to the Court, and cried, ' Dulcetta mine, thou art my Eyes ! my Light !^ I know thee now ! Thou my Dulcetta art, and she who saved my life art thou ! Give to this one his hundred [coins], that one two hundred send. Do thou upon thy wedding dress my fifteen hundred spend !' Then the old King took her and led her to the palace. The Queen came down to the door to receive her : ' Now welcome to my daughter dear, the fair, the jewel gay. Who enters in my palace here with honoured words to-day !' Then they sent out criers [to announce] that the Prince was going to be married. The wedding took place with much rejoicing, and they lived happily. And we more happily still ! ^ Mdrm ixov, 'I>a;s /xoi', two Common terms of endearment. THE TOWER OF THE FORTY DHRAKOS AND THE KING OF THE GOLDEN APPLE. Cyprus. (Sakellarios, II., p. 345.) There was once an old woman and she had a son. One day the old woman said to her son, ' Take this money, and go to the butcher's and buy a little meat for me to cook,' Her son took the money, and dawdled about as he went to the butcher's, and remained all day in town. At sunset he remembered what he had come out for, and went to the butcher and asked him if he had any meat, and he said that he had sold it ail. He went back to his mother and told her that he could not find any meat, but if she liked he would take the money she had given him and buy half an oka^ of caroub honey, and a couple of loaves from the baker, for supper. When his mother had scolded and abused him for a sluggard and a dolt, she sent him to buy. As he was hungry, he went to the chandler's and the baker's, and bought honey and bread, and came home as fast as he could. When they had eaten the bread and honey, there came a swarm of flies and bothered him. Then he twisted his hand round, and with one blow he killed fifty ; he twisted round the other and with one slap he killed a hundred. _ ' What a valiant fellow am I ! I didn't know how strong I was! I'll ask my mother, as she is weary of * About two pounds and three quarters. 68 Greek Folk-Prose. seeing me sit idle here, to buy me a horse, and make me a suit of soldier's clothes, a tent, and the other necessary arms, and I will go to the wars.' So he thought, and so he said to his mother. The old woman, in order to disburden herself of him, did all he asked her. In a few days she had everything ready, and then she said to her son, ' All is ready, and may God and my blessing be thy help.' The youth kissed his mother's hand, mounted, and bade her good-bye. At whatever place he stopped, when he dismounted he tied up his horse, and pitched his tent, and when he had supped or dined, he set off again. After about three months' journeying he came to a forest, on the borders of which was a castle. When he came near the castle, he found a stone water- course full of running water. The water in this channel emptied itself into a cistern, and this cistern watered a large garden. Close by was a great plane-tree. The youth dismounted, tied up his horse and pitched his tent. He dipped his biscuit in the running water and ate it, together with a piece of cheese which he had with him ; and when he had eaten, he lay down to sleep. The lords of the castle were forty Dhrakos, and they had a sister. At noon they, too, came to the castle, and when they saw the tent set up under the plane-tree, they sent their youngest brother to see what stranger had surprised them. In a little while the youngest brother came back and said it was a youth, and he was sleeping like one dead. ' That's lucky,' said one of the forty, ' we shall sup finely to-night !' * Never ! 'cried another, ' it is not honourable to kill /. Mythological — (//.) Magical. 69 him while he sleeps. We must first awaken him, and fight him one by one.' * No,' replied the eldest brother, 'that will not do either, for one to fight against forty ; but we will kill him if we beat him at feats.' 'Very well,' said all the brothers, and they agreed to their brother's counsel. When the youth awoke, he drank, saw to his horse, and prepared to set off again. Then he saw coming towards his tent a great number who, as they came nearer, he found to be Dhrakos. Immediately, without showing any fear, he girded on his sword and rolled up the mattress on which he had been sleeping. When the Dhrakos came up to the tent, they glanced at it and saw written all round it — ' Fifty with the left hand, and a hundred with the right, and woe if I arise !' The Dhrakos exchanged looks, and bit their lips. Then the eldest of them said to the youth, ' Hero, thou hast come without our leave, and taken up thy abode in our country, thou only knowest why. We have come to tell thee that if thou canst play at ball as we play, we will marry thee to our sister.' ' I agree,' said the youth. Then the youngest Dhrako threw the ball, and it crossed the river ; the others threw, and it fell still further away ; the eldest threw, and it went down five hundred steps. ' Now it is my turn !' cried the youth, and he threw it with such force that it flew as far as the moun- tains. ' Our word is our word,' said the eldest Dhrako, ' the wedding shall be held in three days ; but we must first go out hunting in order to have game for the wedding feast.' 70 Greek Folk-Prose. 'Just as you please,' replied the youth. The next day the Dhrakos invited the youth to go out hunting with them. The road they took brought them to a place at which forty-one roads met. The hunters had been on all the forty, but on the other nobody went ; for of those who had been bold enough to go along that road not one had ever come back. So the Dhrakos knew the place, and when they came to where the roads met, they said, ' Let us all put our rings under a stone, and let each take a different road. As we come back from the chase, let us go to the stone and take each his ring, and go to the castle.' They did so, and the Dhrakos took the accustomed roads, and let the youth take the evil road. Well, come along ! The youth went on till he came to the edge of a reedswamp. There he heard a great hissing which came from among the reeds, and as it came nearer he saw an enormous three-headed serpent coming towards him. The youth lixed an arrow in his bow, shot at the serpent, and wounded it in the stomach, and it began to writhe, and wriggle, and roar. The youth immediately drew his sword, and cut off one by one the three heads of the serpent. He then set fire to the reedswamp and burnt it, together with the serpent, and set off again back to the stone. The Dhrakos had not yet returned, and he sat down to wait for them. When they came back, he showed them the heads of the serpent, and told them all the story. When they had taken their rings from under the stone, they returned to the castle. The next morning, the Dhrakos told the bride- groom that they must ask their King to the wedding, for he would be offended if he heard from others /. Mythological — (//.) Magical. y i that they had married their sister without inviting him. ' Very well,' said the youth, ' do as you think proper.' The eldest Dhrako went to bear the invitation on the part of his brothers. The King received him well, and asked him about the bridegroom, what kind of man he was. ' He is a valiant hero,' replied the Dhrako. ' When he was in his own country he slew fifty with his left hand and a hundred with his right ; and us forty brothers he beat at throwing the ball ; and on the road on which the people of these parts go and never return, he went, and killed the three-headed serpent.' 'As you say he is such a hero,' said the King, 'he is able to kill also the wild boar, Kalathas, which ravages our country, and against which I have so often sent my most valiant Dhrakos, but they could not slay it.' ' He is able,' replied the Dhrako, ' but not one of my brothers is bold enough to accompany him for this purpose.' ' Never mind,' said the King, ' when the wedding is over, I will write to you, threatening to slay you if you do not my bidding ; and he will be obliged for the sake of your sister, if he loves her, to help you.' The King had heard that the Dhrakos' sister was very beautiful, and he was jealous that he had not got her in his own castle. So he gave the Dhrako some presents for his brother-in-law and for his sister ; and when the forty days of the wedding were passed, he wrote to the Dhrakos that they must go and bring him the wild boar, Kalathas, dead or alive. When the Dhrakos heard this, they were much put out, and 72 Greek Folk-Prose. they told their sister. She promised them that when her husband came home in the evening from the chase, she would beg him to help them. The Dhrakos were very pleased, and they went about their usual work in the garden, one to water, another to dig, another to prune, another to chop wood from the forest, another to carry it to the castle, and the rest to do other work. When evening came, and the youth returned from hunting, his wife made him promise that he would help her brothers to the best of his ability. The next day he invited his brothers-in-law, and asked them to get ready and go boar-hunting with him. So they took each one his horse, his bow, plenty of arrows, and their spears, and set out. It was near noon when our hunters arrived on the shore of a lake, and there they dismounted to stretch themselves and rest themselves a little in the shade. Presently they heard a crashing and a horrible noise coming from among the bulrushes — it was the wild boar. The youth fixed his arrow, shot it, and pierced the wild boar in the eye. Kalathas, mad with pain, roared at the hunters ; but as he came nearer, the youth struck him with his spear on the forehead with such force that Kalathas reeled and fell to the earth. Then the youth fell upon him and cut off his head, which he gave to his brothers-in-law that they might give it to their King. When the King of the Dhrakos received the head of Kalathas, and learnt from them that their sister's husband had killed it, he outwardly professed great love for him, and sent him presents ; but he sent secretly an old woman to inquire about his strength. The old woman came to the Dhrakos' castle, and passing her- self off as a nun, she found an opportunity to speak to /. Mythological — (//.) Magical. 73 the young wife. From her she learnt that her husband had boasted to her one night that if the earth had a ring fixed to it and he somewhere else to stand upon, he could lift the earth with all its weight. ' Thy husband need not boast so much,' said the old woman, ' for in our parts there is a great hero called Yiaso, and this hero will be stronger than your husband.' At night when the youth came home from hunting, his wife, as they talked together, repeated to him the words of the old woman. When he heard them, he thought to himself that it would be well to seek that hero and make his acquaintance. God dawned the day, and the youth, before going out to hunt, buckled on his shield, said good-bye to his wife, and told her that it would be a few days before he returned, but that she must not be at all anxious. When he had mounted, he set off. At whatever town or village -he passed through, he asked if they knew Yiaso the Hero. Not to make a long story of it, after a month's journey he came to a town, and on inquiring there he heard to his joy that Yiaso lived in that town. ' Good !' said he. ' Now I shall see him,' and he began at once to seek him. At last he found him in a cookshop. * Art thou Yiaso ?' said our hero to him. ' Certainly,' replied Yiaso, ' but who art thou ?' ' I am Phiaka,' said the youth, 'the brother-in-law of the Forty Dhrakos, who has killed the three-headed serpent.' ' And Kalathas the wild boar ?' asked Yiaso. ' Yes,' replied the youth. ' Then, my friend Phiaka, if thou art he, let us make trial of each other's prowess.' 74 Greek Folk-Prose. ' Whenever you like,' said he. 'My trials are these,' said Yiaso — 'if thou raise my strength-test higher than I, and if, with the first blow on the shoulder thou drive me the deeper in the earth, thou shalt be my master, otherwise I shall be thine.' ' Very well,' replied the youth. Then Yiaso took him to his house and took hold of the strength-test, and raised it as high as his knee. Afterwards he gave his friend a blow on the shoulder and drove him up to his knees in the earth. Then the youth took up the strength-test, which was a barrel as big as a hogshead, full of lead, and he raised it as high as his chest ; he gave Yiaso a blow on the shoulder, and he sank into the earth up to his armpits. 'Well done, my Phiaka!' cried Yiaso. 'From this time forward thou art my master ! Bid me do what thou wilt, and I will obey thee.' ' Then follow me,' said the youth. ' With pleasure,' replied Yiaso, and they rode together and came to the castle of the Forty Dhrakos. They were all together at home when he arrived ; and the Dhrakos, when they saw their brother-in-law, made great rejoicing. At night his wife told him that, five or six days previously, the King of the Dhrakos had sent word to her brothers to tell their brother-in-law to go and fetch for him a bottle of the W^ater of Life.*^ When the youth heard these words, he was much distressed ; and on the following morning he repeated them to Yiaso. Yiaso said that in his country there was a man called Ear of the Earth.^** ' And he will know how to advise us about what thou hast told me,' said he. * If thou wilt, give me a horse, I will go and bring him ; he is my friend, and I think he will do me the favour to come.' /. Mythological— {II.) Magical. 75 The youth gave Yiaso permission to go, and they got ready for him a splendid horse, one of the swiftest ; and at break of day Yiaso set out. After forty days Yiaso returned to the Dhrakos' Castle with Ear of the Earth. He was a very outlandish man with donkey's ears, but he had the power of hearing what men were talking about in every part of the world, and whoever wanted to know anything, he could tell them. And he told the youth that the Well of the Water of Life was away in the farthest East, and that it was between two moun- tains which opened and shut, and that there was a Dhrako who guarded the place when the mountains were open, and that he must take a skin of Koumantar- kan wine'' to treat him with, so that he might not only leave them free entrance, but might also hold the mountains apart with his two hands until they came back from the Well. When the youth had listened to this man's words, he begged him to go with them for good or for evil. So they made ready for the journey, and in five days' time they took the road. The youth bade farewell to his wife and to the Dhrakos, whom he charged to take care of their sister, and keep her from all harm ; and then he went off with the others. Their horses were very swift. Well, as they went, they passed through many countries. One night Ear of the Earth said to his companions, ' I hear the Dhrako who guards the Well of the Water of Life snoring ; he must be asleep.' Some days passed, and Ear of the Earth again said to his companions, ' I hear the Dhrako complain that since the time ■' The choicest wine of Cyprus, made in the south of the island. 76 Greek Folk-Prose. when King Alexander came for the Water of Life, he has not tasted wine. I hope that in a few days more we shall arrive there, and present him with some.' The land through which they were passing had no inhabitants, but was a wilderness. Said Ear of the Earth to them, ' We are coming near ; the snoring of the Dhrako sounds in my ears ; and I believe the mountain in front of us is that which opens and shuts.' At last they arrived, and found the Dhrako sitting under a plane-tree. When he saw the strangers, he asked them what they wanted. ' A little water,' replied the youth, ' from the Well of Life.' ' But, my pallikar,'' said the Dhrako, ' this mountain where the Well of Life is opens and shuts. I don't believe thou wilt be able to fill thy bottle in time, and thou wilt be shut in. Thy companions are not, so far as I can see, able to hold open the mountain while thou fillest it.' ' But the great Dhrako, your Honour — if he is so disposed to do us the favour — can't he hold it open ?' asked the youth. ' I am strong when I drink,' replied the Dhrako. ' But I see you have plenty of water here ?' said the youth. ' But my thirst is not quenched with water,' replied the Dhrako, ' it is something else which gives me strength.' ' Perhaps you want wine ?" said the youth. ' Thou hast guessed it,' replied the Dhrako. ' Well, we have with us a skin of wine,' said the youth. The Dhrako's eyes sparkled with pleasure. When /. Mythological — (//.) Magical. yj he had drunk of the choice Cypriot, he said, ' Wait a Httle.' And when the mountain opened, the Dhrako placed his hands and kept the two sides apart until Phiaka had filled his bottle at the Well. The youth and his companions then thanked the Dhrako, told him that all the wine in the skin was his, bade him farewell, and set off. The Dhrako was so pleased at receiving the wine, that he took three horse-tail hairs, and said to him, ' Shouldst thou ever be in danger, strike these three hairs lightly, the black, the white, and the red, and immediately the three brothers — I who guard the Well of Life, my brother who guards the Red Apple Tree with the Golden Apples, and my third brother who keeps the Souls at the mouth of Hades, will come to thy aid.' The youth again thanked the Dhrako, took the three hairs, and hastened to return to the castle. One day Ear of the Earth said to Phiaka, ' Master, thy castle is surrounded by three hundred Dhrakos ; thy brothers-in-law are fighting against them from within the castle.' The youth changed colour at this news. When they were still two days' journey from the castle. Ear of the Earth said to Phiaka, ' Master, ten of thy brothers-in-law are killed and five wounded !' The youth sighed, and made still more haste to arrive. At last they saw the castle from afar. The youth prepared to strike the hairs which the Dhrako had given him to ask his aid, when they heard shouts from the castle and from those who were outside, who ran and fled. When they came to the castle, they learnt that the shouts they had heard from within were 78 Greek Folk-Prose. shouts of joy from his brothers-in-law because they saw him coming, and that when those who were besieging them learnt that the brother-in-law of the Dhrakos was coming, they fled. Then the youth sprinkled his dead and wounded brothers-in-law with the bottle of water from the Well of Life, and made them whole, and that day they remained together and feasted in the castle garden. After a few days Ear of the Earth said to the youth, ' Many soldiers are coming towards our castle. The King of the Dhrakos wants to take away your wife from you ; what shall we do ?' 'Are you quite sure of what you say?' asked the youth, ' Quite sure,' replied Ear of the Earth. ' Then I must strike the hairs,' said the youth, ' when the soldiers appear before the castle.' Three days afterwards the castle fields were full of soldiers. One body set up their tents in the direction of the garden, another towards the forest, and another out by the river in the corn-fields. The youth struck the horses' hairs and awaited succour. Twenty-four hours had not passed after he struck the hairs when a white cloud appeared in the East, and a warrior mounted on a Fish-horse^'' descended on the castle, holding in his hand a bottle. When he had dis- mounted, there appeared a red cloud from the West, and a warrior mounted on a red horse alighted on the tower, and he bore in a box a Golden Apple. It was the Dhrako-guardian of the Red Apple Tree. When he, too, had dismounted, there appeared a black cloud from the South, and a warrior mounted on a black steed descended on the castle, and he held a sword /. Mythological — (//.) Magical. 79 like a sickle — it was the Dhrako- guardian of Hades. When all three were arrived and had rested, they re- solved to begin the battle. The Dhrako of the Well of Life undertook to fight with the body by the river ; the Dhrako of the Red Apple Tree with the body in the forest ; and the Dhrako of Hades with the bod}' in the garden, where the King of the Dhrakos was. In the evening, then, when it grew dark, one Dhrako turned the river into the fields where the soldiers were, and some of them were drowned, and some he made to flee. The second Dhrako did the same ; he set the forest on fire near where the soldiers were, and some were burnt, and all the rest fled. The other Dhrako fell upon the soldiers who were in the garden, and before day broke he had killed most of them. With the dawn came other Dhrakos, and those who were in the castle cut them to pieces, and the King and his captains too were slain. Then the three Dhrakos made the youth King of the Dhrakos, they gave him the Golden Apple, and all the slain Dhrakos they raised to life by sprinkling them with the water in the bottle which the youth had brought from the Well of Life. Eight days they rejoiced and made merry. And I left them well, and came here and found you better ! THE FAMOUS DHRAKO, OR THE QUEST OF THE GOLDEN WAND. A thens. {AeXrlov, I., p. 147.) This is the beginning of the story. Good-evening to your Honours ! Once upon a time there was a King, and he had a very lovely daughter whose beauty had no equal. She was indeed so beautiful that, if ' She bade the Sun, he would stand still, The morning Star, he'd twinkle !' All the Princes were mad about her, and each one hastened to be the first to marry her. But she did not wish to marry, and found a thousand reasons for not taking any of them. Among all the Princes who sought her was one, very handsome, and he had touched her heart a little when she saw him, but still she could not make up her mind to take him. Besides, she wished first to prove if he were valiant, and if he loved her well enough to do her bidding. One day she said that she would take him for her husband who should bring her the Wand of the Famous Dhrako, which he leaned against doors and they opened. As many Princes as heard of it shook with terror, for they knew very well that if they were to do what was asked of them, they would perish, because the Famous Dhrako was the most savage and the strongest of all the Dhrakos. He had one eye in his forehead which always remained open, both when he was awake and when he was asleep, so /. Mythological— i^I I.) Magical. 8i that no one could approach him without being eaten by him. But the handsome Prince loved her so much that he made up his mind either to bring her the Golden Wand or to perish. So he took the long road without saying anything to anyone, to try his luck. Day and night he walked without knowing where he was going. He went through the valleys, up and down, through the wilder- nesses, and on, and on. There where he was walking he got tired and sat down under a tree, and sleep over- took him. When he woke up he saw at a distance an Old Woman sifting flour into a great baking-pan. But the flour did not fall into the pan, but on the ground. When he came nearer to the Old Woman, he saw that she was blind. Then the Prince said to her, ' Wait, mother, don't sift the flour, for it is falling on the ground.' ' But I can't see, my laddie,' said the Old Woman. ' Give it to me, mother, and I will sift for you,' said the Prince. So he set to and sifted the flour, and put it in a sack which lay near, and said to her, ' Where are you going to carry it ? Let me help you, mother.' The Old Woman was very much pleased with the Prince, and said to him, ' My boy [in return] for the favour thou hast done me, what shall I do for you ?' Said the Prince to her, * Mother, give me your bless- ing, for you cannot help me in what I am seeking.' * And what is it thou seekest ?' asked the Old Woman. * Wilt not tell me, that I may hear, and see if I cannot perhaps help thee ?' ' I, mother, am a Prince, an only son, and I heard them tell of a Princess who is very beautiful, and VOL. II. 6 82 Greek Folk-Prose. that many princes go to ask her [in marriage] ; but she finds no husband to her Hking, Then I took my mother's blessing, ^^ and went only to see her and return home again ; but what would you ? When I saw her I was driven crazy by her beauty and by the sweetness of her face. One day her father told her that she must really marry. Then she said that she would take for her husband the one who should bring her the Golden Wand of the Famous Dhrako which he leans against doors and they open.' ' Listen, my son,' said the Old Woman, ' thou hast undertaken a hard task, but thy parents' blessing and mine will give thee courage. Go straight along this road to a place where there is much grass, for no man has ever trodden upon it. Take this road ; then, be- yond the rising ground to which it leads thou wilt see mountains and ravines, and thence thou wilt see afar off a great cavern ; go near, and if thou hear sounds of snoring coming out, it will mean that the Dhrako is within and asleep. Then remain at a distance till the door of the cavern opens, for he has his flocks inside and puts in front a great rock which no one can move. Thou must wait till the Dhrako opens to drive out his flock, and then find means to hide thyself in the cavern ; and when he comes back to sleep, and folds his flocks, and closes the cavern again with the rock, then do thou listen, and from the snoring thou wilt know that he is asleep. Then come down from thy hiding-place, and go [near him] ; tied to his beard is a golden key, and with these scissors thou must cut the key together with his beard, and when he opens the cavern do thou go out too. When thou hast succeeded in getting out, my son, then take again the grass-grown road. There thou wilt see a great palace. When thou /. Alythological — (//.) Magical. 85 leanest the key against the door of the palace, it will open. Fear nothing, but take that road and go up to the palace. There thou wilt see upstairs in a great chamber a Horse and a Dog ; and before the Horse are bones for him to eat, and, before the Dog, is straw. Then do thou, without a word, change them, and give the bones to the Dog, and the rest thou wilt learn later from the Horse.' Then the Prince thanked the Old Woman, gave her some sequins, took the scissors which she gave him, and set off. He took the long road, and saw the great cavern. He went near, but heard no snoring. He peeped in, and there was no one in the cavern. There was a great cauldron full of milk, and a bannock as big as a millstone. Then the Prince bethought him that it was many days since he had eaten. He cut a piece of the bannock and dipped it in the milk, and he ate, and ate, until he was satisfied. Afterwards he looked about, and saw a hollow high up in the rock, and he climbed up and got in. After a little while he heard the sheep bells, and concluded that the flocks were returning and the Dhrako with them. Then he drew back in his hiding-place, and prayed God to help him. As soon as the Dhrako had entered the cave, he drew-to the rock and shut up the opening of the cave, and sat down to eat. When he had eaten, he found that he was not satisfied, and said, ' What an amazing appetite I have to-day — neither the milk nor the bannock satisfies me!' But I quite forgot to tell you that the Old Woman had given him a powder to throw into the raki^ jar, so that when the Dhrako had drunk it he might sleep " A kind of spirit made from grapes and flavoured with aniseed much used in the East. 84 Greek Folk- Prose. heavily. So when the Dhrako had eaten, he stirred the fire, and went to sleep. Then when he (the Prince) heard the snoring, and understood that the Dhrako was asleep, he came down softly, softly, cut the hairs, took the little key from his beard, and climbed up again into his hiding-place. But afterwards it occurred to him that when the Dhrako awoke, and saw that the key was missing from his beard, he would look about to find it. So he got down, and took a long pole, sharpened it, put it in the fire, and when it was red-hot he stuck it into the eye of the Dhrako and blinded him. Then he began to roar, and the noise brought everybody to their feet. The other Dhrakos, when they heard his roaring, ran to see what was the matter with their chief. But they could not enter, because the rock was in front and they could not remove it, and when they heard his cries they con- cluded that he was drunk, and they left him, and arose and went away. Then the Dhrako pushed away the stone, and opened the cave, and sat at the mouth and began to fondle and let out his sheep one by one. There was one big and woolly ram, and the Prince placed himself on his stomach under his wool, and managed while the Dhrako was fondling him to get out of the cave.^^ Let us leave the Dhrako to find out who blinded him, and come to the Prince. The Prince took the long road which the Old Woman had described to him, and when he had gone some way he saw the palace from afar. Then he came nearer, and placed the key in the lock and opened the door. He went up into the palace and saw a splendid Horse fastened with chains, and he had before him a heap of bones ; and a splendid big Dog, and he had before him a heap of /. Mythological — (//.) Magical. 85 straw. He tried to loosen the Horse, but could not. Then he put the straw before the Horse, and the bones before the Dog. When the Horse and the Dog had eaten they began to talk and said to him, ' How didst thou get here, my boy ? The Famous Dhrako will eat thee !' Then the youth told them how he had blinded the Dhrako, and that he had come here seeking a Golden ^^^and. Then said the Horse, ' Who advised thee to come hither ?' Then the youth told him about the Old Woman, and that what she had advised him to do, he had done. Said the Dog, ' She, my boy, was the Good Fate, and the other Fates have blinded her because she had never done evil to anyone, and they fated her never to recover her sight until she found somebody to love and pity her. And now, my boy, go this way ' (they pointed out where he was to go) ' and go into that chamber. There you will see two captive Princesses, and you must set them free.' So the youth took the way which led to the chamber, and saw there two beautiful Princesses who wondered at seeing him. They asked him how he came there. He told his story, and how he had come to seek the Golden Wand. Then they said, ' We will give it to thee if thou wilt set us free.' They gave him the Wand, and he went and leant it against the Horse, and the Horse was loosed ; he leant it on the Dog, and the Dog was loosed. Then he took the Princesses, led them downstairs, placed them on the Horse, and took the Dog too. But they said, ' Before we leave we have another good deed to do ; look out of the window and see. Those animals are S6 Greek Folk-Prose. all men, and Princes besides ; they were all out hunt- ing, and as they found the door open they came in, but — to their misfortune! — the Dhrako saw them and sprinkled them with a liquid and turned them into various animals. Now be quick and strike them lightly on their backs with the Wand, and they will become as they were before.' Then the Prince went down with the Wand, touched them one by one, and immediately they began to turn into men, handsome youths, and began to embrace and kiss the Prince. Then the Prince bethought him, and he locked up the palace with the key when they had all come out, and took away the key with him. Then they all set out, and the Princes took the road that led to their own palaces, and the Prince with the Horse and the Dog set out to restore the Princesses to their parents. When their parents saw them, you may imagine the rejoicings they made ; and they said to him that he might take for his wife whichever he pleased of the two, and they would make him heir to the throne. But the Prince replied that his troth was plighted, and that to please his betrothed he had come to seek the Golden Wand. The King marvelled when he saw the Horse and the Dog become men. Then the two Princes confessed and said, ' If you are willing, my longlived King, make us bridegrooms. For indeed the Dhrako stole the Prin- cesses we loved, and we went to deliver them, and he made a Horse of me,' said the one, ' and of my friend a Dog.' The King embraced them both, and said that he would make them his sons-in-law. Then our hand- some Prince set out to go to the beautiful Princess. But he did not go on foot, for the King gave him many /. Mythological— {II) Magical. 87 carriages and gifts, and accompanied him to the door of the beautiful Princess. And the Princesses wept for joy that they were free, and for grief at the going away of their dehverer. Let us leave them, and come to the Princess. When the Princess heard that the handsome Prince had gone away, and she saw him no more, she lay down to die of grief. Doctors and doctresses came to cure her, but could do nothing. Her father was in despair, for he had no other child. When the Prince arrived at the palace, all the doors were shut because there was great sorrowing for the Princess, who grew worse every day. The Prince lost no time. He took the Golden Wand in his hand, leant it against one door after another, and they all opened, and he found himself before the Princess. When the Princess saw him, she rose at once, and embraced him, and said, ' Thee will I take, and I have awaited thee so long that I was ready to die of grief because thou wert gone away.' The Prince related all the hardships that he had undergone, and gave her the Golden Wand. Then music, drums, and great rejoicings. They held the wedding, and he took her, and went home to his parents, and there they had double rejoicings. And they lived happy. And we happier ! THE DHRAKO^'' Athens. {AeXriov, I., p. 699.) There was once upon a time a King and a Queen, and they had a very beautiful daughter. Well, they wanted to marry their daughter, for they had no son, and to leave the throne to the bridegroom. But in that country there was a Dhrako, and he would allow no Prince to go and marry the Princess. They came from all the kingdoms where her beauty had been heard of ; but the Dhrako came out when they drew near, and some he ate, and others he drove away, so that none of them had married the Princess. For the Dhrako in- tended to get the Princess for himself, and at the King's death to rule over the kingdom. He did all kinds of injury to the King, burnt his vineyards before the grapes were gathered, and was near setting fire to the palace, and this Dhrako became at last a perfect tyrant to the King. Then the King sent out a crier [to pro- claim], * Whoever will destroy the Dhrako, I will give him my daughter to wife, and make him King thencefor- ward ! ' So all the Princes heard this, but how could the}^ attempt it, for they were afraid of the Dhrako who had destroyed so many Princes. There was one very hand- some Prince, a native of a far-distant country. Said he, ' I am resolved to go. What ! shall we allow a Dhrako to lord it over our kingdoms, and do us such wrong and such evil ?' /. Mythological— {II.) Magical 89 So he set out, and they told the King that ' Fiorentino, the son of such and such a King, has come to destroy the Dhrako and to dehver the King.' But the Dhrako, too, heard of it, and he determined to do all he could to prevent Fiorentino's passing and entering the kingdom. Fiorentino arrived ; but when he saw the Dhrako on guard, he could not come near. So he went to a shepherd and gave him money, and bought a suit of clothes from the shepherd and put them on ; and he took a crooked stick and a pot of yiaourti (sour curds), and passed in front of the Dhrako and came to the King. When he was come in, and saw the King, he said to him, ' My King, I am a Prince, and I have come that you may give me your daughter to wife.' He threw off his shepherd's dress, and stood in his fine clothes. Said the King to him, * Very good, my boy, but thou must go and bring me the Dhrako's Spectacles. For whoever wears these Spectacles can see from one kingdom to another when war is going to be declared.' ' Very good,' replied Fiorentino. He went out, and here and there he learnt that the Dhrako was awake for six months, and the other six he was asleep ; but no one could tell whether he were asleep or awake, because his eyes were always open. He had, some time before, seized a Princess, and had turned her into a Partridge, and she took care of the house, and if anyone went into the Dhrako's house, she spoke. When Fiorentino learnt that the Dhrako was asleep, he determined to go and take the Spectacles. He opened the door and went into the courtyard. The Partridge cried, 90 Greek Folk-Prose. ' Ba-ha-ka — he-has-o-pened-the-door /' * Speak, speak, my Partridge !' said the Dhrako [in his sleep]. ' Ba-ba-ka — he-is-coni-ing-iip-stairs /' ' Speak, speak, my Partridge !' ' Ba-ba-ka — he-is-tak-mg-thy-spec-ta-cles /' * Speak, speak, my Partridge !' * Ba-ba-ka — he-has-ta-ken-them-and-gone /' ' Speak, speak, my Partridge !' Fiorentino took the spectacles to the King. Said the King, 'You must go and bring me the Dhrako's Horse.' For the Dhrako had a Horse which went like the wind. So Fiorentino goes again. He entered the Dhrako's courtyard. When he opened the door, the Partridge began again, ' Ba-ba-ka — a-stran-ger-has-come-in-to-the-Jiouse /' 'Speak, speak, my Partridge!' ' Ba-ba-ka — he-has-gone-to-the-sta-ble /' 'Speak, speak, my Partridge !' ' Ba-ba-ka — hc-has-taken-your-horse-and-gone /' ' Speak, speak, my Partridge !' So he took the Horse and brought it to the King. ' My King,' he said, ' I have brought you the Horse.' ' Well, now,' he replied, ' you must go and bring me the Partridge.' So Fiorentino goes again, opens the door, and again the Partridge begins, ' Ba-ba-ka — he-has-o-pencd-the-door /' ' Speak, speak, my Partridge !' ' Ba-ba-ka — a-stran-ger-has-come-in P ' Speak, speak, my Partridge !' * Ba-ba-ka — he-is-com-ing-upstairs /' * Speak, speak, my Partridge !' /. MytJiological — (//.) Magical. 91 ■ Ba-ba-ka — he-has-ta-ken-me-and-gone /' ' Speak, speak, my Partridge !' So Fiorentino took her and came to the King, and said, * My longhved King, I have brought you the Partridge.' ' Well, my boy, in order that we may be at peace in the kingdom, you must go again and bring the Dhrako himself to the palace.' Then Fiorentino pondered what he should do. Then he bethought him of a trick by which he might get him into a barrel. Just then it was the Dhrako's time to awaken. He awoke, and what did he see ? His house deserted ! He looked about for his Spectacles to see what was going on in the world ; but where were his Spectacles? He waited for the Partridge to speak ; but where was the Partridge ? He went downstairs to the stable to see his Horse, and to mount him and find what was going on ; but Horse there was none ! Then he understood that it was Fiorentino's doing, and he cried, ' Ach, Fiorentino ! Thou hast taken my Spectacles — my eyes ; the Horse — my feet ; the Partridge — my tongue ! Ah, Fiorentino ! if I get hold of thee !' And the Dhrako came out and wandered about here and there on the mountains to refresh himself and find some means of outwitting Fiorentino. But Fiorentino had changed himself into an old man ; he put on a white beard and hair, a hump, and some old clothes, and he took some hoops, and wood and straps and an axe, and went to the mountain where the Dhrako was, and began to make a barrel. He made the barrel, and then began to beat it — turn, turn, turn ! and nailed the hoops ; and the staves he did not close, but left a little 92 Greek Folk-Prose. space between them. The Dhrako saw afar off a man at work, and he came nearer to look, and saw an old man making barrels. ' Good day, pappou !'^ said the Dhrako to the old man. * We-el-co-ome, my son,' replied Fiorentino. * What are you making here ?' * It's little I can make — a barrel to put a little must in to make some wine.' ' But how can this barrel hold wine, old man ? I could pass myself through the holes, and will your must stay in ?' ' But where arc the holes, I say ?' ' There, put thy hand in, and thou wilt see.' ' Po-po ! I will get some tow and caulk them.' ' Look now, there's a big hole at the bottom of the barrel!' ' But where ? I don't see it,' said Fiorentino. 'See! — down there!' replied the Dhrako; 'give me thy hand, and I will show thee.' Fiorentino pretended that he couldn't reach. ' I neither see it,' he said, ' nor yet do I feel it. Wilt not do me the favour to get inside and caulk it thyself ? Do — so mayest thou be happy, and may God give thee good luck.' And many other things he said to persuade him to get into the barrel. When he was in the barrel he gave him a wedge, and everything else he asked for, and he went in to caulk it. But once the Dhrako was well in, he lost no time, but — taka ! taka ! he nails him firmly in ; and, as Fiorentino hammered, the Dhrako cried, 'A'i! what art doing? Open, for I am inside! open, and let me out !' ■* Grandfather. /. MytJiological — (//.) Magical. 93 ' Indeed ! I have seen and suffered too much to get thee into the barrel, to let thee out now.' Then he threw off his wigs and orra-duddies^, and stood up as Fiorentino in his golden clothes. And he began to roll the barrel, and say, ' Roll, roll, little barrel, and let us go to the King's palace, that I ma}' marry his daughter.' Then the Dhrako understood that it was Fiorentino. ' Ah, Fiorentino !' said the Dhrako, 'thou hast taken from me the Spectacles — my eyes ; the Horse — my feet ; the Partridge — my tongue ; and Me thou hast put in the barrel ! Ach, Fiorentino, if I could lay hands on thee !' ' Roll, roll, little barrel,' said Fiorentino, ' and let us go to the King's palace, and marry his daughter.' He took the Dhrako to the palace, and the King said to him, ' Thou hast burnt my property, and I will burn thee.' So he burnt the Dhrako, and there was an end of him. Then he raised Fiorentino to the throne, and made him King as he had promised. And they had music and drums and great rejoicings ; he married the King's daughter, and instead of the Dhrako taking the King's lands and goods, the King took the lands and goods of the Dhrako. And Fiorentino lived with his wife happily and contentedly. 2 IIaX576/)oi'xa. Compare ' Syne he took oot his Hule knife, Loot a' his duddies fa', And he was the brawest gentleman That was amang them a' 1' James V. : The Jolly Beggar. THE MAN OF THE MANY CHICKPEAS:-^ Naxos. {NeoeXXijvtKCL 'AvdXeKra, B., l6.) ' Now a tale I'll tell to you, Of a bean and chickpea too.' Once upon a time there was a lazy fellow, and when he was asked to go and do a day's work, he would work for an hour or so, and then leave it and go home, and so he never had enough bread to eat. Once again they said to him, ' Come, my good fellow, and dig in one of my gardens. There will be many others, and you will earn a piastre and buy your fill of bread.' Says he, ' Very well.' So he goes the next morning, and digs for an hour or so ; and as he was digging he finds a chickpea. In great joy he says to himself, ' If I plant this chickpea, I shall have next year a hundred chickpeas ; if I plant the hundred chickpeas, in another year I shall have ten thousand chickpeas ; if I plant the ten thousand, in the following year they will make a measure full ; in the next I shall have a hundred measures of chickpeas, the next ten thousand, and the next again a million measures ; and in some ten years or so I shall have no room for them — where shall I stow them ? I must go to the King and ask him to let them open for me the royal granaries, and stow them there.' The thrifty maiden grows wealthy awake ; the idle wench when she is asleep /"■ He never thought for a moment " A Greek j^roveib. /. Mythological — (//.) Magical. 95 that he had nowhere to plant thcni ! He at once puts the pea in his girdle and goes to the King, all ragged as he was, asking his way of no matter who, and finding it. The guards, when they saw his raggedness, were unwilling to let him go up into the palace. But when the King heard the dispute, and how the man insisted on coming up, he said, ' Let him come up !' So he goes in to the King and doffs his cap, ' My longlived King, I have many chickpeas, and have nowhere to bestow them. Only give the order that they open to me your storehouses, that I may stow them there.' (And he had them all in his girdle !) The King said to himself, ' This must be a rich man, he would do well for my daughter.' So he says grandly, ' I will do what thou askest, and thou shalt marry my daughter; but if thou hast not the chickpeas, I shall slay thee !' 'At your orders, my King!' he replies. He sees the Princess, and remains ten days or so at the palace, after which the King says to him, ' It is time for thee to go and bring the chickpeas.' Says he, ' Very good, but give me some ten thousand piastres.' He was the King's son already, so wh}' shouldn't they give him the money ? He takes it and sets off on horseback with a retinue, and the Princess followed him at a distance with cavalry. Wherever he passed the people paid him reverence, and said, 'The Prince is passing, the King's son is passing!' Our man goes on, and on, and seeing a beekeeper [he says to him], ' Here are a thousand piastres for thee, and when thou seest by-and-by the Princess pass with the royal escort, set out a hundred honeycombs 96 Greek Folk-Prose. for them to eat ; and when they ask thee to whom they belong, say, " To the Man of the many Chickpeas." ' ' At your orders.' He goes further and finds a baker, gives him a thou- sand piastres, and says, ' Presently there will pass by the Princess with her retinue. Set out bread for them that they may sit and eat ; and if they ask thee to whom it belongs, say, ' To the Man of the many Chickpeas." ' ' At your orders, Effendi /' He goes further and finds a shepherd, gives him a thousand piastres, and says, ' Presently there will pass the Princess with her cavalcade. You will roast a few sheep for them to eat ; and if they ask thee to whom they belong, say, "To the Man of the many Chickpeas." ' Then he went on, and on, till he found himself be- neath a tower where lived a Dhrako who gave twelve riddles to guess to everyone who passed by, and if he could not guess them, he devoured him. When the Dhrako saw our man, he called to him from the window, ' What does 07ie stand for ?' The newly-made Prince immediately replied, ' God is One.' ' What does Two stand for ?' ' God is One, two-horned is the Devil,'^^ replied the Prince. ' What does Three stand for ?' * God is one, two-horned is the Devil, three-legged is the table.' ' What does Foii,y stand for V ' God is one, two-horned is the Devil, three-legged is the table, four-teated is the cow.' /. Mythological — (//.) Magical. 97 ' What does Five stand for ?' ' God is one, two-horned is the Devil, three-legged is the table, four-teated is the cow, five-fingered is the hand.' ' What does Six stand for ?' ' God is one, etc., etc., six-starred (szc) is the Poiilia '-^ (the Pleiads). ' What does Seven stand for ?' ' God is one, etc., etc., seven maidens dance the /zom.' ' What does Eight stand for ?' ' God is one, etc., etc., eight windings has the Archipelago.'^ ' What does Nine stand for ?' ' God is one, etc., etc., a nine monthling is the child.' ' What does Ten stand for ?' ' God is one, etc., etc., a ten monthling is the calf.' ' What does Eleven stand for ?' ' God is one, etc., etc., an eleven monthling is the mare's foal.' ' What does Twelve stand for ?' * God is one, etc., etc., a twelve monthling is the mule's foal.' As he said this the Dhrako tumbled out of the window, and burst. The new-made Prince went upstairs, and found a palace and better, all of gold. There were silver trays and services, fine stuffs and carpets, and all around were fields of different grains — barley, and corn, and chickpeas, which he was so fond of, and all kinds of things. The Princess, meanwhile, as she passed along the road, had been accosted by the beekeeper, the baker, and the shepherd, who had given her to cat with all ^ The yEgean has, in fact, eight gulfs at least on its Asiatic and European shores. VOL. II. 7 98 Greek Folk-Prose. her people honeycombs, bread and mutton ; and when she asked, 'To whom do these belong ?' they all replied, 'To the Man of the many Chickpeas.' He comes down from the tower as if it were his palace, receives the Princess, and leads her upstairs. And they lived and grew old together with joy and laughter, for his was a lucky Kismet if they let him alone. THE THRICE-ACCURSED, OR THE SEVEN CHAMPIONS. A thens. {Aekriov, L, p. 296.) This is the beginning of the story. Good-evening to your Honours ! There was once upon a time a King and a Queen, and they had three daughters, so beautiful, that Princes came from everywhere to ask them in marriage ; but they did not wish to marry, so that they might not be separated. Then the Devil took it into his head to come and take the eldest to wife. So he bethought him, like the Devil he was, to become a handsome Prince ; and he fitted out a ship with different jewels and other gifts, and appeared at the palace. He pre- sented them to the King, and said to him, ' I am such and such a Prince, and I heard everyone praising your daughter. I want only to see her, and not to ask her for my wife, because so many others more handsome and more wealthy than I have come, and she would not have them.' Then the King bade his daughter to come that he [the Prince] might see her. When she heard her father's command, she was sorry, but what could she do ? She took her mother with her, and went to her father, who had called her. As soon as the Devil saw her, he kneeled down before the King, and said to him, ' I will never leave thy palace without thy daughter, and if she will not have me for her husband, she had better kill me !' loo Greek Folk-Prose. Then the King and the Queen told her to consent to take him for her husband, for they were tired of seeing the Princes coming and going. So, willy nilly, the Princess consented. Then music and drums and great rejoicings. The wedding took place ; he took her for his wife, and it was settled that she was to go to his parents. He did not, however, take her plenishings, only a few things, and said, ' I will go to my parents that they may see her, and we will come back to see her sisters, and then we will take the gear.' Then they went on board the ship ; he made a great feast for them ; and then they separated with much sorrow and many tears. They sailed, and sailed, and arrived at a lonely place, and there the ship struck on a rock ; and after it had struck it fell to pieces, and they came on shore, and immediately mounted on mules, and rode, and rode, and rode, and still they rode. There the Princess saw a great big cave, with a hole for doorway. Said she, ' Why are we going in here ?' ' Nd I since the ship is wrecked, we will go into the cave and sleep, and in the morning we will see if a ship will pass into which we may enter and go to my parents.' But as soon as she had entered the hole, she heard a noise, a dreadful uproar which was going on in the cave. There were all the devils, and they were awaiting their chief, Versevoulin," to tell him what they had done. Then she was frightened, and said, * What is it ? What is it ?' Then he shook himself once, and became a Thrice- Accursed, with such horns and such teeth ! His two /. Mythological — (//.) Magical. loi front teeth, indeed, were as long as his horns ! He said, ' Eh ! bide here now. I am the King of the Devils, and you are the Queen !' Then he clapped his hands, and all the devils came into the cave. Up jumped one, and said, * To-day, Versevoulin, I blinded a man because we were in a whirlwind, and he threw away the stone of an olive which he was eating, and it hit me on the nose, and I gave him a blow and blinded him.' Then the others were beginning to tell their doings, but Versevoulin stopped them, saying, ' To-day I have got married, and am merry ! Go all and amuse yourselves till to-morrow, and she whom you see is my Queen, so pay her homage.' Then all the devils saluted her, wished her joy, and went away. Then he, when he was left alone, took her into another cave, and showed her another wife whom he had hung up, and whose breast he had cut open, and said to her, ' She was a Princess ; but when I gave her a human heart to eat, and she did not eat it, I killed her and hung her up. Now, if thou wilt eat her heart, I will make thee my Queen and wife ; but if thou wilt not eat it either, I will do the same to thee.' Then she was afraid, and said, ' I will eat it, give it to me, and I will eat it.' Then he took out the woman's heart for her, and said, ' I am going out hunting, and you must eat it.' ' Very good,' said she. But when he was gone she dug with her nails a hole under a stone, and put it in. When he came back, he said to her, ' Hast thou eaten the heart ?' I02 Greek Folk-Prose. ' I have eaten it.' Then he took down his sword, laid it across his knees, and said, ' My httle heart ! my httle heart ! where art thou ?' * My lady has put me under a stone !' Then he lost no time, but tore her open, and hung her up where the other was. And he arose, and took a ship, and went again to his father-in-law. When they saw him, there were great rejoicings. | ' The bride- groom !' [they cried], and ran to embrace him. ' Where is she ? Why haven't you brought the Princess with you ?' ' Eh ! what shall I tell you ? She is so beloved there by my parents, that they wouldn't let her come ; but I have come to fetch one of her sisters to stay a short time, and later on, she shall return with her.' Then they looked at one another, and the youngest said, ' Let her go, and I will stay with you.' Then the other said, ' But what shall I do ? How can I leave you alone ?' ' Eh !' said the Queen, ' one of you must go ; do thou go who art the elder.' Then they got ready the elder sister, and she took her brother-in-law and went away. As they went, they again moored in the same place, came on land, mounted the mules, and rode, and rode, till they came to the rocks. Then said the Princess, ' Where are we going ? This is a desert. Is the palace here ?' ' Eh ! it is here ; thou wilt see how splendid it is. The road is rather bad, but thou wilt see how splendid is the palace !' /. Mythological — (//.) Magical. 103 But when they came close to the mountain, she saw a hole, and they went in at the hole, and she saw a great cave. Then she asked, ' What is this ?' He immediately shook himself, and became a Devil with horns. Then she began to utter screams and cries, but he said to her, 'Hush thee, for I shall do to thee as I did to thy sister!' ' And where is my sister ?' 'There!' She went in and saw her hanging up. She ran to embrace her, she kissed her, she wept, she fainted away. Said he to her, ' Hush thee, whatever thou mayest do now, thou art mine, and must obey me, or else I shall do to thee as I did to her.' Then he lost no time, but took out her sister's heart, and said, ' There ! eat it, and when thou hast eaten it, I will make thee Queen and bring thee birds' milk.'-* And he gave the heart into her hand, and rose and left, and went with his companions, the devils, a-hunting. Then she, poor thing, was left alone, and she wept, and cried, and looked this way and that, but nobody saw her, or heard her. Then she made up her mind, and took the heart and cut it up into little bits, and threw them on the roof. When he came back from hunting, he asked her, ' Hast thou eaten it ?' ' I have eaten it.' Then he at once took down his sword, laid it across his knees, and said, ' My little heart ! my little heart ! where art thou ?" I04 Greek Folk-Prose. * My lady has thrown me on the roof!' Then he lost no time, but immediately tore her open, and hung her up with the other. When he had hung her up, he arose, and took a ship, and went again to his father-in-law. When they saw him there were great rejoicings. ' Why have you come ?' ' Brc I how shall I tell you ? — the women have driven me ! — they give me no peace ! " Go and bring our other sister !" So, if it please you, let her come, and we will return all together.' The youngest daughter did not wish to go ; she screamed, ' I won't go anywhere!' and shut herself up in her room. Her mother went to her and said, ' My daughter, this is a shame ! The bridegroom has set out and made this journey, and thou wilt not go ?' ' I will go, but I must take my pigeon and my kitten with me !' ' Eh ! very well, but put them in thy pocket, for it would be a shame for the bridegroom to see them !' So she got ready, she dressed herself, put the pigeon and the kitten the one in one pocket and the other in another, and set out. There where the ship moored again, they went on shore, mounted the mules, and rode, and rode, and rode. When they were opposite the mountain, she asked him, ' What is that ? Are we going there ?' ' Yes, my palace is there.' They went into the cave, and she began to scream and cry. Then he shook himself, and became a great Devil, and he said, ' Hush thee ! for I shall do to thee as I have done to thy sisters !' ' And where are my sisters ?' /. Mythological — (//.) Magical. 105 ' There they are, hanging up !' Then she, too, uttered screams, but he said, * Hush thee ! thy cries are useless now ; thou must do as I bid thee !' and he took out her sister's heart and said, * Here, eat this heart, and when thou hast eaten it, I will make thee Queen, and bring thee birds' milk ; but if thou deceive me, I shall do to thee as I have done to them.' So said, he gave her the heart, and arose, and went away. Then she thought to herself. What should she do ? what should she do ? — and she thought of the kitten which she had in her pocket. She cut the heart up into little tiny bits, and gave it to the kitten, and she ate it. Then she sat down and wrote a letter to her parents that he whom they had made their son-in-law was a Devil ; that he had killed her two sisters, and many other things ; and she folded the paper tightly and tied it to the pigeon's neck, and told it to fly very high up so as not to be killed, kissed it, threw it up, and it flew away. Then the poor girl wept day and night, and waited for her deliverance. The Thrice- Accursed came and asked, ' Hast thou eaten the heart ?' ' I have eaten it,' said she. Then he took his sword and laid it across his knees, and said, * Now we shall see if thou hast eaten it or not,' and he called out, * My little heart ! my little heart ! where art thou ?' It replied, ' My lady has put me in a warm, warm, little stomach !' Then he said to her, 'Thou art my wife!' and he embraced her. ' Now all thy commands shall be obeyed !' io6 Greek Folk-Prose. Let us now leave them, and let us go to her parents. The pigeon flew swiftly, swiftly, and came to the palace. When they saw it, what rejoicings there were ! * Our lady's pigeon ! our lady's pigeon !' They caught it, and saw that it had a string round its neck ; they untied it — what did they see ? — a little letter. They read it, and what did they see ? They cried, and wept, and cudgelled their brains to think how they could rescue her. A neighbour heard the weeping and the cries in the palace, and went to see what had happened. Said she, ' What is the matter here ? Why are you weeping ? Why are you screaming?' Then the Queen said, ' Nd, so and so and so, but what shall we do to rescue her from the Devil's den ?' Then said the woman, ' My Queen, I have seven sons, and what trade they follow I don't know ; they have to do with "The Outside Ones.'"^^ Only give me some silk and gold thread, and a beautifully fine, rose coloured handkerchief, to embroider, and they will ask me, " What is that, mother ?" and I shall say to them, " I shall give it him who knows the best trade," and in that way I shall learn what trade each knows.' So she took the gold thread, and sat and embroidered on the threshold of the door. Then came the eldest, and said to her, * Good-evening, mother !' * Welcome, my son !' ' What wilt thou do with this kerchief thou art broidering?' ' I shall give it to my most worthy son.' /. Mythological— {II.) Magical. 107 ' And is any more worthy than I ?' ' But do I know what is thy calHng ?' ' I put my ear to the ground, and hear everything that happens in the habitable earth. '^^ * Oh, thine is a fine trade !" The second came. ' Good-evening, mother !' ' Welcome, my son ! ' ' What art thou broidering there ?' *A golden handkerchief.' ' And to whom wilt thou give it ?' ' To my most worthy son.' ' And is there another more worthy than I ?' ' Do I know ? What trade dost thou follow ?' ' I can make storms like the clouds, and run like a chariot.' * Oh, thine is a good trade !' Then came the third. * Good-evening, mother.' ' Welcome, my son.' ' What art thou broidering there ?' and so on, not to make a long story of it. ' What trade dost thou follow ?' * I can go to the Devil's den, and throw his one shoe to the West, and the other to the East !' The fourth— * I can take a child from its mother's breast without her knowledge.' The fifth — ' I can strike my staff on the ground, and mountains and cliffs arise which not even the Thrice-Accursed can pass over.' The sixth — ' I can strike with my staff and a glass tower will spring up with all of us on the top of it.' The seventh — ' I can shoot and strike the eagle and take the partridge out of its claws.' ' Well, my sons, take my blessing, and come with me io8 Greek Folk-Prose. to the King, for the Devil has taken all the Princesses, and the two he has killed, but the one he keeps alive ; but let us go and try to save her.' Then she went and told the King, and told him that each of her sons could do such and such business. Said the King, * Let them come here.' She took her sons and led them to the King. The King and Queen said to them, ' My sons, do you see and rescue the Princess, and all my goods are yours.' Then they took some money, and set off immediately, because there was no time to lose ; and they promised that they would either come back with the Princess, or not at all. Then they went out of the city, and went beyond it some way, and when they were come into the fields, they said, ' Where art thou, O brother, who puttest thine ear to the ground and hearest all that happens in the habitable world ?' ' Here I am,' said he. * Put down thine ear, and let us see where is the voice of the Devil.' He puts down his ear, and says, ' Towards the north I hear a sound, and there must be the Devil's cavern.' ' Where art thou, O brother, who blowest like a tempest, and fliest like a chariot ?' ' Here I am !' He threw himself down, and all the others fell upon him, and they flew to the place whence the sound came. When they were arrived near the spot, they said, ' Where art thou, O brother, who puttest thine ear to the ground, and hearest what is happening ?' /. Mythological — (//.) Magical. 109 ' Nd, here is the cave, but we must go softly, softly, to see if he is asleep.' Then said he who threw the shoes to the East and the West, ' Let me go and see if he is asleep, and I will throw his shoes away, and then he cannot walk.' He went into the cave and saw him sleeping ; he seized his shoes and threw them the one to the East and the other to the West. The Princess was sleep- ing by his side, and he had the nipple of her breast in his mouth, so that she might not run away. Then said he, ' Where art thou, O brother, who takest the child from its mother's breast, and she knows nothing of it ?' Said he, ' Here I am !' He had some cotton, and he made it like the nipple of a breast, and put it into the Devil's mouth, and seized the Princess, and said, ' Where art thou, O brother, who blowest like a tempest and fleest like a chariot ?' Said he, ' Here I am !' They all fell upon him, and he flew like a chariot. ' Where art thou, O brother, who puttest thine ear to the ground and hearest all that is going on ?' Said he, ' Here I am !' ' Put thine ear down, and listen if perchance thou hear a sound.' * The Devil has found it out, and is after us !' said he. ' Where art thou, O brother, who strikest with thy staff and mountains and cliffs and torrents come forth ?' ' Here I am !' said he. 'Strike with thy staff!' He struck with his staff, and there came out moun- tains and cliffs and torrents. And the Devil would have caught them, but while he went to fetch his shoes and returned they made some headway ; but again he 1 1 o Greek Folk-Prose. was overtaking them. When they looked and saw him, they said, ' Where art thou, O brother, who strikest with thy stick and a glass tower arises ?' ' Here I am !' said he. Tap, he strikes with his staff, and they find themselves high up, and the Devil below raged, and cried to the Princess, ' Come out to the little window, and let me see thee once more, and I will go away !' She leant out once to spit at him, but he became an eagle, and seized her, and flew off. ' Where art thou, O brother, who shootest and killest the eagle, and takest the partridge from his claws ?' ' Here I am,' says he, and without losing time he immediately lets fly his arrow, and kills the eagle and takes the Princess from him. When they had taken her, they led her to her parents. When they saw her they began at once to weep and to wail. When they were quieted a little, the King said to the youths, ' What do you wish me to give you in return for the favour which you have done me ?' Said one, ' I wish you to give me the Princess to wife, because I found out the place [where she was].' * But if I had not flown like a chariot, how would you have gone to the cave ?' said another. * But if I had not taken her out of the Devil's mouth, how should we have carried her off?' said another. ' But if I had not struck with my stick and brought up mountains and cliffs, the Devil would have caught us again !' 'And with all that, if I had not,' said another, ' struck with my staff, and brought up a glass tower, again the Devil would have caught us and killed us !' /. Mythological — (//.) Magical. iii The youngest jumps up and says, 'All that is done with, but if I had not killed the eagle which stole the partridge, how should we have the Princess here ?' Then up jumped the King, and said, ' The youngest is right.' Then they began to quarrel among themselves. Then said the King, ' But thus I lost her ! and having her I lose her ! Cut her then into seven pieces, and take each one a piece !' Then the youngest turned and said, ' No, my King, we will none of us wed her, but may you live long and be happy, and we will go about our business !' Then the Queen gave them each a ring in remem- brance ; the King gave them much money, so that they might live contentedly all their hves ; and the Princess kissed them all on their foreheads. So the King and the Queen and the Princess lived happily. And we more happily still ! THE STORY OF CINDERELLA. ^-'^ Cyprus. (Sakellarios, II., p. 309.) Once upon a time, my lady, there was an old woman who had three daughters. Well [the two eldest], be- cause the mother loved the youngest best, were jealous, and sought some pretext for killing their mother. They agreed to go up on a high terrace with their mother, and take their spindles, and that whoever should first let her thread break they would eat. Of course the mother being old and feeble, her thread would be sure to break. So they took their spindles and went up to the terrace. The poor old woman, her hands were weak, and she broke her thread once. ' Ah, dear mother mine,' said they, ' we will eat thee!' Then says she to them, 'At, my daughters, forgive me this time, and if it breaks again, eat me.' Then they began again, and let down their spindles, and again her thread broke. ' Ah, dear mother mine,' they cry, ' we will eat thee !' ' A'i, my^daughters, forgive me also this time, and if it breaks aUhird time, then eat me !' So they began again, and let down their spindles, and again hers broke. 'At, we can't let you off again, we shall eat you!' And they took their poor mother and began to make ready to kill her. When she saw that they were really going to kill^her, she called her youngest daughter, and said to her, * Come, my daughter, and let me counsel thee ! Take /, AIyiholoo^ical—[II.) Magical. i i my blessing,' she said, ' for they are about to kill and eat me ; all the bones that fall do thou gather and put them in a jar, and keep them with care. Watch them and smoke them [with incense]^ for forty days and nights and go not forth from the chamber where they are ; and on the fortieth day,' she said, ' open it [the jar], and see what they have become.' ' Gladly,' she replied, and began to weep for her mother. ' Don't weep, my daughter,' said she, ' for what can you do now that your sisters are determined ?' They seized and slew their mother, and set to and cooked her, and began to eat. ' Come, girl, and eat thou too ; thou wilt see what good food it is — our mother.' * No, my girl, God does not permit me to eat of my mother!' and she gathered up the bones wherever she found them, and placed them in a jar without being observed. When they had finished eating and were satisfied, they rose. What did she do now ? She took and lighted a great fire and sat day and night to watch them, and smoked them day and night. Then her sisters began to say to her, ' Get up, Cinderella, put on your clothes, and let us go out !' ' No — (O my mother !) — you have eaten our mother, and I have no wish to go out, do you go.' So they busked themselves, and went out ; but she did not go, but sat close to the fire to watch the bones. When the forty days and forty nights were fulfilled that she smoked them, she let them [her sisters] go out one day, and opened the jar. She looked in, and what did she see ? — the bones had become all gold and diamonds ! ^ Legrand translates this: ' Tu les fera secher a la fumee.' Comparison with the following story and with other Greek variants seems to show that fumigating with incense is meant. VOL. II. 8 114 Greek Folk- Prose. There was a wedding being held, and they invited her sisters to go, and they began [to call] ' Get up, you Cinderella, and let us goto a wedding!' ' No — (O mother dear !) — I will not go ; if you will go, go ; I will not go to the wedding.' So they went to the wedding. When they were gone, she opened the jar, and she made her choice, and took out the best of the silks and the gold and the diamonds, and adorned herself. Then she too went out to the wedding. When they saw her at the wedding, they were at a loss to know who she was or where to find a [fitting] seat for her. When she found that it was time to go home, she rose, took leave, and returned. A Prince seeing her so splendidly dressed, ran after her. So as not to be recognised, she began to run, and as she was running, one of the boots she wore came off, and she did not stop to look for it. The Prince stooped and picked it up. Then, my lady, he sent for a pedlar-woman^ and gave it to her so that she might go round about with it, and let the King know whom it fitted. She went round to all the houses but found no one whom it fitted. At last she comes to hers [Cinderalla's]. Her sisters try it on ; it does not fit them ; Cinderella tries it on, and it fits her — neither too large nor too small. Then she [the pedlar-woman] went and told the King, and he began to make prepara- tions for marrying her. Well, when he had married her, she took two or three persons from the palace and went [to her old] home, opened the jar and began to empty it. When her sisters saw that, they were struck dumb. Where could she have found such a lIoi'XdTpai' = 7roiiXT5rpa = 7rw\^Tpia, a woman who goes from house to house with small articles for sale on commission, a female broker. M. Legrand has, however, rendered this word servanie. /. Mythological — (//.) Magical. 115 treasures as there were in the jar ? When they asked her where she found them, she repHed, ' They are my mother's bones with her blessing !' Well, then she gave what they wanted to the one and to the other, and took the rest back with her to the palace, and lived happily. And we left them there, and came here. SADDLESLUT. Zagora. i'EXXvv- ^i^- Sv''^- Vol. XIV., p. 256.) There was once a mother with three daughters, and they went to spin on the terrace, and the mother's spindle fell twice, and they said, ' We will excuse her.' It fell again, and they made a cow of her and slew her. And when they were killing her, she said to Kalo, the youngest, * Don't you eat, but bury my bones in the barn, and burn incense over them every evening ; and at Easter uncover them.' The other two, Stamato and Maro, put her under the packsaddle, and called her ' Saddleslut.' When Easter came round, the two went to church, and Saddleslut unburied the bones and found a thousand and two treasures. Then she also adorned herself and went to church, and threw down coins, and fled, and went and sat on the packsaddle. The others came home, and said to her, ' A lady came and scattered gold, and you, to your loss, were not there.' They rang the bells again on Easter Monday, and the two others went. She, too, adorned herself, put on her gown, and threw money, and the people picked it up. As she was running away, she dropped her slipper, and the Prince found it and said, ' Whosoever it is, her will I take to wife.' So they all went, and for one it was too long, and for another too wide. Tiring the Saddleslut too,' said the Prince, /. Mythological — (//.) Magical. 117 They looked, and it was exactly the measure of her foot, and he took her for his wife. She swaddled her baby, and the Prince went away. The others became deaconesses, and they went to the house and said to her, ' Open, lady, and give us alms !' And she said to them, ' My mother-in-law is not at home, she has gone to the mill.' ' Open, noble lady !' So she opened to them. And as soon as they saw her they said ' Oui ! how lousy your head is !' And she said, ' My mother-in-law loused it for me.' ' Oui ! my child ! bend and let us louse it for you !' And they stuck a sacking-needle into her head, and buried her under the sweepings, and Maro sat in her place. Her mother-in-law came from the mill and called her. ' Come, my daughter, and let us unload ! Why are you thus ?' asked her mother-in-law. ' On account of my illness, and such a bad baby as it is!' A bird came out from the sweepings and perched in the stable, and sang, ' Kirliou, liou, liou ! Sweetly sleeps my lord, sweetly my mother-in-law, and my child more sweetly still, and the skyla, my sister, may she never have her fill of sleep.' ' Kill it — the horrid thing, kill the wretch !' ' What harm has it done thee then, my dear, hear you not how it sings ?' Presently the husband comes home with his gun, he fires at and kills it ; and it falls down in a corner of the stable. But three drops of blood fell in the courtyard, and there sprang up an apple-tree, and in a year's time it bore apples. The husband and the mother-in-law went near and it bent down to them. The child went. 1 1 8 Greek Folk-Prose. and it bent down to the ground. Her sister went, and it raised itself higher and higher. ' Cut down the wretched thing !' ' What has it done to thee, my girl ?' As the Prince cut it down there passed by an old woman and said to him, ' Give me an apple for myself.' And he gave her one, and inside it was his wife, the Saddleslut.-^ The old woman took it and put it in her box. She came out of it, and swept and did all the household work for the old woman. The old woman came home and wondered who had done her work. One day she finds the Prince and says to him, ' Come, and I will give you a sweetmeat, and a good apple from your apple-tree.' ' Have you still, mother, the apple which I gave you?' ' I have, my son.' The Prince went. The old woman went to open [the box], and was taken by surprise. ' How did you come here ?' she asked, and she [the girl] told her all the story. The old woman set filberts before the Prince. ' The apple,' she said, ' I found all rotten and worthless.' The old woman took Kalo's ring and showed it to him. ' Where did you get that betrothal ring, mother ?' asked the Prince. ' Come, and I will show you, my son.' * How did you come here, I say ?' asked the Prince. She told him all the story. ' So and so did that skyla, my sister.' The Prince took her by the hand, and they go to Maro, ' What is this, I say, then ?' The Prince seizes her and makes a thousand pieces of her and sends them to the mill. /. Mythological — (//.) Magical, 119 * Grind, grind for me, my mill, grind now this wicked woman's head. And make of it the tine flour black, make it the meal so red ; That come here may the scribes, and they it for their ink may take; That come here may the beauties all rouge for their cheeks to make.' THE SUGAR-MAN.^"* A thens. (AeXrlov, I., p. 289.) There was once a King and a Queen, and they had a very beautiful daughter ; but she did not wish to marry, she only wanted to make with her own hands a husband of sugar. So she bought sugar, and sat by herself, and pounded and sifted it, and would let no one else touch it. She kneaded it well, and fashioned a very hand- some man to suit her fancy, locked herself up in her room, and began to pray to God and burn tapers that He would give it speech and a soul, and make it a man. Forty days and nights she prayed to God, and at the end of the forty days it began to take the colour of a man and to speak. The maiden then ran to her parents and told them that the Sugar- Man was alive, and [asked them] to send out the invitations that the wedding might take place. As soon as people learnt that the Sugar-Man spoke and that the wedding was to be held, they all hastened to see him, because he was a very handsome and sweet man. Then music, and drums, and great rejoicings, the wedding took place, and they lived happily. Through all the kingdoms it was known that a Sugar Image had become human, and alive, and that he had taken such and such a Princess to wife. Another Princess heard all about it, and fell in love with him without having seen him, and was like to die. She said, ' Either I must have him for my husband, or I must die !' Her parents said to her, ' How can you have him /. Mythological — (//.) Magical. 121 now that he is married?' She would not listen to them, but shut herself up in her chamber without eating, or drinking, or sleeping ; they doubted if she would live to take a husband. The doctors gave her up. You may imagine the grief of her parents, for they were old, and had no other child. The King then resolved to call a Council, and he summoned all the grandees of his kingdom to see what could be done, as there was evidently no hope from the doctors. One of the councillors of the King advised him to take a ship and travel, and take with him rich gifts, and go to the Sugar- Man and invite him to a feast on board the ship, and as they were eating, to weigh the anchor and take him and sail away. They all approved of his advice. No time was lost ; the next day the ship was fitted out ; they took the presents and left, and went to seek the Sugar-Man. At last they arrived there, the ship was anchored, the messengers disembarked with the pre- sents, and went to the palace. They presented the gifts to the Sugar-Man, and they also invited both the royalties to a feast on the ship, so that they might suspect nothing. Then the old King replied and said, ' I am an old man, but let my son-in-law come.' The Sugar-Man went and asked his wife if she would allow him to go to the ship to dine. She did not wish him to go. She hung on his neck, and said, ' I will not let thee go !' But her parents said, ' This will not do ; as they have brought so many gifts he must go and dine, and come back again.' And so he was allowed to go, but not to stay long. So he went. But when he had gone on board the ship, and they were eating, they weighed anchor, and sailed swiftly away. At table they began to tell various stories, and the Sugar- Man hstened to 122 Greek Folk-Prose. them with great pleasure. Finally when the feast and the stories were ended, he rose to return to the palace, and was taking leave, when they said to him, ' It is impossible for you to go, my Prince ; we will take you to see our King, and bring you back again immediately,' He began to scream, and to weep, and wanted to throw himself into the sea. They said to him, * Have a little patience, and don't make yourself ill, and to-morrow we will bring you back.' At last the ship arrived, and anchored, and they came and announced to the King that they had brought the Sugar-Man. I leave you to imagine the joy of the Princess when she heard that they had brought the Sugar- Man ! But he fell ill with grief, and the Princess comforted him, ' Get well, and I myself will take you back to your wife!' One way and another she beguiled him, and pacified him, and he began to like her, and after a short time took her for his wife. Let us leave them now to enjoy themselves, and let us go to the Sugar-Man's wife. She, poor thing, stood at the window watching for his return, when all at once she saw the ship sail away. Then she began her cries and tears, and said to her parents, ' I will go and seek him, it is impossible for me to live without him !' Her parents tried to comfort her, and said, ' Bve, my good girl, stay here, and we will send people to find him.' But she would listen to no one. She took with her some money, and three suits of golden clothes ; one was the sky with the stars, the second the fields with their /. Mythological — (//. ) Magical. i 2 o flowers, the third the sea with its golden fishes. She dressed herself hke a Nun, gathered up her hair, and threw over her head a cowl ; took up her wallet with the dresses in it, her bundle, and her staff, and told her parents not to grieve, for she would in a very short time return with the Sugar-Man. One favour only she would ask of them — to give her a ship at her orders. Then they gave her a ship, she embraced her parents, kissed them, wept, and so went away. She began to sail from place to place, came on shore, and was asking here and there to learn about her husband, when all at once at a certain place, she saw a great many people gathered together, and asked, ' What is all this crowd about, what is happening ?' ' We have here,' they replied, ' the Sugar-Man for King, and it is a year to-day since he married our Princess, and they are going to the church to pray God that they may live happily.' Then she went and stood in a place where she could see him pass by with his other wife. Then without loss of time she hurried back to the ship, and took the dress with the sky and the stars, put it in her wallet, and bade them have everything in readiness to depart if necessary, and went on shore. She went to the palace, and begged them to take her in, as she had nowhere to stay, and she would do any work they gave her, because she was a stranger and knew no one in that place. They said, ' Wait till the Queen comes, we have no authority ; she may take you in, but we cannot.' While they spoke, they saw them all returning to the palace, because the ceremony was over. Then she stood in a corner in the palace and saw the Queen. When the Queen saw her, she said, 124 Greek Folk- Pilose. ' What do you want here ?' ' I came here, because I am a stranger, a Nun, that you might take me in, and any work you give me I will do.' Said she, ' We have no place for you, but since you are a stranger, I will take you in, and give you some work.' So she set her to tend the geese. Some time passed, and one evening she took out and put on a dress, the sky with the stars. A servant saw her. ' What dress is that ?— is it yours ?' ' Bd I mine it is.' ' What would you like the Queen to give you for it ?' ' I don't want anything ; but if the King is so hand- some, let her allow me to sleep one night [with him] and I will give it to her.' Then the servant went upstairs to the Queen, and said to her, ' Ach ! Queen! The Nun we took in has a lovely dress — the sky with the stars ! — and if she will give it to you to wear you will be so beautiful that the King will love you much more than he does now.' ' And what dress is that which will make me so beautiful ?' ' But it is one thing for me to speak of it, and another to see it ! You have no such gown as that !' ' Eh ! go and ask her if she will sell it, and I will buy it for what she wants.' ' I did ask her, but she doesn't want to sell it ; she said, " I am going to the convent and don't want money." ' ' Eh then, what does she want me to give her, if she doesn't want money ? What can she do with it, as she is a Nun ?' /. Mythological— {^IL) Magical. 125 ' Do you know what she wants ? She said " to sleep one night in the King's chamber, because he is so hand- some." ' ' Bd I how can that be ? I will go and ask my nurse and see what she will say, and whatever she tells me I will do.' She went to her nurse and said, ' It is this — there is a Nun and she has a costly dress, and will not let me have it. I offered her money, but she doesn't want it, but wants to sleep a night with the King who is so handsome.' ^Bdl what kind of Nun is she to want to sleep a night with the King! Nun, indeed!' Then her nurse said, * We will put a potion in the King's wine, and put him to bed, and when he is asleep we will tell her to go and watch him, and sit near him all night.' So it happened that at the end of supper she put in the potion, and he fell asleep immediately. Then she bade the slaves carry him to bed, and they called the Nun, and said to her, ' Go up to the King's chamber !' When she was left alone with the Sugar Alan, she began to tell him all her sorrows, she raised him up, and said again and again, * Don't you remember how I made thee a man, and gave thee life, and now I am like to die for thee, I who came here and am become a servant only to see thee ?' He said nothing, and made no reply, because they had given him the potion and he heard nothing, like a dead man. God brought the dawn of day, and she went down and gave the dress to the Queen. The next day she put on the golden dress, the field with its flowers. The same little slave saw her again, and said, ' Bd ! what dress is this, it is more beautiful than the 1 2 6 Greek Folk-Prose. first ; wilt thou give this too to the Queen ? What canst thou do with it ?' ' Bd I I will give it to her, if she will let me sleep again with the King, I will give it to her !' Then she went to the Queen and said to her, ' You have no idea, my Queen, what a magnificent dress that Nun is wearing again ! I told her to give it to you, and she said, " Let her allow me to sleep once more with the King, and I will give it to her." ' The Queen laughed. ' Let her come again in the evening and I will give him to her !' Then again at table, she threw a potion into his last cup ; he slept again ; the slaves carried him to bed ; they told her to go ; then she wept more bitterly and said, ' Wilt thou not arise whom I made a man from sugar, and wilt thou not arise when I tell thee my sorrows ?' And many things she said to him, and beat her breast until morning, but he made no answer. Then she in despair went downstairs to her chamber, and gave her second dress. There remained to her no other hope than [the dress with] the sea and the golden fishes in which the fishes' eyes were all of diamond-stones. The King was very fond of the Vizier's son, and he slept in a room which was near the King's, and heard all the cries which she uttered, and her weeping. In the morning when he got up, he said to the King, ' My King, my longlived one, I have something to tell you, but let us go out to a distance, for here we may be overheard.' So he took him, and they went out, and away to a distance, and he said, ' Two days ago there came a maiden — for her voice is very sweet — and said to you, " Wilt thou not awake, /. MytJwlogical — (//.) Magical. 127 my Sugar- Man ? hearest thou me not ? dost thou not pity me who have suffered so much for thy sake before I made thee a man, and now I beat the seas and the dr}^ land only to see thee ; and now that I have found thee thou wilt not speak to me — dost thou not pity me ?"' and a great deal more she said, and wept. So sad was her voice that I too wept in my chamber !' Then the King, astonished, said, ' How did I not hear it ? — was I dead ?' ' No, my King, only they throw into your wine a potion, and you sleep heavily, and don't hear. But do you know what you must do ? Don't drink wine at table, but place a sponge on your chest, and spill it, and don't drink it, and at the end of dinner pretend to sleep and don't move at all, and feign not to hear any- thing.' The King thanked him and said, ' Henceforward thou shalt be my brother, and not Vizier.' Then they went away each one to his chamber. The Nun put on her other dress, the sea with the fishes, and again the slave saw her. ' Bd r said she, ' what is this dress again ? Ah ! ah ! ah ! This is a beauty !' ' I have no more. If the Queen will give me the King to sleep with once more, I will give her this too.' Then the slave went to the Queen, and said, ' Ah ! ah ! ah ! you have no idea, my Queen, how beautiful a dress the Nun is wearing! that gown has the sea with the little golden fishes, and the fishes' eyes are all diamonds !' * Bd ! where in the world did she get them ?' ' They were her mother's, and she said that she has no more to give. If she sleeps to-night with the King, afterwards she will give it to you, and go away.' 128 Greek Folk- Prose. • Then said the Queen, ' Well, tell her to come in the evening ; she must be foolish, or she would understand that he sleeps.' Then she went to the Nun, and told her to get ready in the evening to sleep with the King, and give them the gown, and good luck go with her. Then, as his custom was, he went to dine, and they put a potion in the wine. He pretended to drink, but poured it into his bosom where the sponge was, and afterwards he feigned to want [to sleep] and fell down. Then said the Queen, ' Take him now and carry him up to his chamber, and tell the Nun to go and gaze upon him.' The King heard all, but said nothing. So in a little time she went upstairs, and began saying that it was the last evening that she would see him, and that she must lose sight of him and go, and how that her sorrowing parents awaited her, and that she would throw herself into the sea because she could not live without him. And much more she said, so that he began to weep and started up, and said to her, * Who canst thou be but my wife, my beloved one !' They began to tell their sorrows to each other, and agreed to flee away on the following day. The Princess said to him, ' I have a ship on the sea with a yellow sail ; I will go on board, and you must find means to come, and we will flee away.' Then she told him to pretend to be asleep, and she would go down to her chamber. She arose in the morning, went down to her chamber, put on her rags, gave the sea with the golden fishes, and arose and went on board the ship, and unfurled the yellow sail, and waited for him. The King got up in the morning and took care to see his friend, the Vizier's son, and said to him, /. Mythological — (//.) Magical. 129 ' She who beat herself and wept was my wife who formed me from sugar, and prayed to God and He made me a man, and gave me life and speech ; and I shall now find means to flee, and, if thou wilt, thou shalt come with me.' Said he, ' I cannot come now, for there is my father, and they would slay him ; but in time I may be able to come and join thee.' Then he bade him farewell, and told him where his kingdom was, and arose and went away. Before the Queen was up in the morning, he went and found his wife in the ship, which had the sails ready set, and the sailed away. Let us now leave the Princess to weep and to seek everywhere for him, and let us come to the Sugar- Man and his wife. The ship arrived at their country. They saw the palace draped with black, because the Princess had been six months away, and they thought she was lost. I leave you to imagine the joy which her return caused throughout all the kingdom ! There was again a great ceremony, and the old King arose and said to him, ' My son, thou shalt rule over the kingdom, for I am grown old, and I want to be quiet, I cannot rule any longer.' And so they made the Sugar-Man King ; and he sat on the throne and ruled the kingdom with great wisdom and justice. And they lived happily. And we more happily still ! VOL. II. THE STORY OF THE SOOTHSAYER; OR, THE CUP, THE KNIFE, AND THE FLUTE. Cyprus. (Sakellarios, II., p. 340.) Once upon a time there was an old woman, and she had a son who was a Soothsayer, and he could also play a little on the fiddle. One day he was asked to go to play at a wedding, but he was unwilling. His mother advised him to go, as he might earn some five or six rydlia to buy flour with. Still he did not want to go. But after a time he consented, and told his mother to make him seven cakes and put them in his wallet. His mother thought seven too many, and she said, ' Seven cakes must I make thee, my son ?' ' Yes, seven cakes,' he replied. The old woman made the cakes her son asked for. He saddled his donkey, hung the saddle-bags with the cakes inside over the saddle, mounted, took his fiddle, and set off to attend the wedding at the village where he had been asked to go. Well, as he was going, he felt hungry, and ate one of the cakes ; when he had gone a little further, he ate another ; and, one by one, he ate the six and only one was left. ' I'll see,' said he, * if the village is in sight, and, if it is, I'll eat the other.' He shaded his eyes with his hands, and fancied he saw a village. So he threw himself off his donkey, sat down cross-legged, and ate the other cake. Then he slowly mounted again, and took the road to the village. /. Mythological — (//.) Magical. 131 He came to a place where two roads met, and there, look you, he lost his own way and took another. Presently he came to a big cave and there dismounted. This cave was the den of a great Dhrako. Inside was a table, and a carpet spread on the table. ' We have found our ease,' said the Soothsayer as he sat down. ' If I had but some bread, how well off I should be,' he added, and he searched for some. God brought the night, and after a little while he hears a sound like a roaring. ' Holy Virgin mine, what mischief is this ?' said the Soothsayer, and hid himself quickly under the table. The Dhrako came into the cave, and he was dead-beat. He sat a little while, and then took hold of his Cup and said, ' My Cup, my silver Cup, bring me fifty kinds of food to eat, for I am hungry.' The Cup brought forth dishes, and its master ate. ' Bring me water besides,' and the Cup brought, and he drank who was thirsty. When the Dhrako had eaten, he put the Cup in a corner, and lay down, and went to sleep. In the morning the Dhrako got up, and was lost in the distance. The Soothsayer, who had not slept all night from fright, comes out from under the table and seizes the Cup. ' This is a good business,' says he, and orders the Cup to produce food to eat. When he had eaten and was satisfied, he asked for water. * I'll go back now,' then said the Soothsayer, ' for my fortune is made.' On the road he met a Dervish, and hailed him. ' Good day, Father Dervish !' The Dervish begged a bit of bread. ' Sit down, Father Dervish,' said the Soothsayer, ' and let us eat what God will let fall.' 132 Greek Folk- Prose. The Dervish sat down cross-legged, and the Sooth- sayer took out the Cup from his bosom and said, ' My Cup, my silver Cup, bring food that I may eat with my friend the Dervish !' The Cup brought forth food, and the Soothsayer and the Dervish ate. When they had eaten, he asked for water, and the Cup brought forth water, and they drank. * That's a fine thing,' said the Dervish to himself, and he proposed to the Soothsayer to swop it against his Jack-knife.^*^ ' And what good will your Jack-knife be to me ?' said the Soothsayer to the Dervish. 'Whenever you bid it, it goes and kills,' said the Dervish. * If you like, try it on that herd.' * Let us see,' said the Soothsayer. Then the Dervish said, ' Jack-knife mine, kill all that herd which I see.' The Jack-knife immediately, with one above and one below, killed all the herd. The Soothsayer took a fancy to the Knife, and swopped with the Dervish, and gave him his Cup. When he had gone some distance along the road with the Dervish, the Soothsayer got hungry. * Give us some food with your Cup,' said he to the Dervish. * What do I owe thee ?' asked the Dervish. * If thou wantest food, give me back my Jack-knife, and I will give thee to eat.' * Dost thou owe me nought ?' said the Soothsayer to him, and then he bids his Jack-knife kill the Dervish. The Jack-knife immediately kills the Dervish, and the Soothsayer seized his Cup, and went off. On the road as he was going, he met another Dervish. /. Mythological — (//.) Magical. 133 ' Good-day, Father Dervish !' said the Soothsayer to him. * Welcome, my friend,' replied the Dervish, ' have you a bit of bread to give me ?' ' Sit down, Father Dervish, for God has.' The Dervish sat down, and the Soothsayer got off his donkey, and took the Cup out of his bosom. * Cup, silver Cup of mine, bring forth fifty kinds of food, that I may eat with my friend the Dervish,' said the Soothsayer ; and the Cup brought forth food. When they had well eaten, they asked for water ; and the Cup brought forth water, and they drank. * That's a fine thing,' said the Dervish to himself, and he proposed to the Soothsayer to exchange it for his Turban. * And of what use is your Turban ?' asked the Sooth- sayer of the Dervish. ' Whoever wears it becomes invisible,' said the Dervish, and immediately he had put it on he became invisible. The Soothsayer took a fancy to the Turban, and he swopped with the Dervish ; he took the Turban, and gave the Cup. When they had gone some distance, the Soothsayer got hungry. ' Tell your Cup to bring forth food to eat,' said he to the Dervish. ' What do I owe thee ?' asked the Dervish. ' If thou wantest food, give me the Turban, and I will give thee to eat.' ' Owest thou me nothing ?' said the Soothsayer, and with that he took out the Jack-knife. 'Jack-knife mine. Jack-knife mine, kill the Dervish !' The Jack-knife immediately killed the Dervish, and the Soothsayer took his Cup and went on his way. I ^4. Greek Folk-Prose. o After going a little distance he met another Dervish. ' Good-day, Father Dervish,' said he. 'Welcome, my friend,' replied the Dervish, 'have you a bit of bread to give me ?' ' Sit down, Father Dervish,' said the Soothsayer, ' for God has !' The Dervish sat down cross-legged, and the Sooth- sayer took out his Cup from his bosom. ' Cup, my silver Cup,' said he, ' bring forth thirty- kinds of food for me to eat with my friend the Dervish !' The Cup brought forth food, and they ate. When they had eaten, the Soothsayer asked for water, and the Cup brought it forth and they drank. 'That's a fine thing!' said the Dervish to himself, and he proposed to the Soothsayer to exchange it against his Reed-flute. ' And of what use is your Reed-flute ?' asked the Soothsayer. ' When it is played the dead come to life,' said the Dervish, ' and, if you like, we will make proof of it on the donkey.' The Soothsayer slew the donkey, the Dervish played on the Flute, and the ass came to life again. The Soothsayer took a fancy to the Flute, and swopped with the Dervish. When he had gone some little way with the Dervish, the Soothsayer got hungry, and said to his friend, ' Tell your Cup to bring forth food that we may eat.' ' And what do I owe thee ?' asked the Dervish. ' Give me my Flute, and I will give thee to eat.' ' Owest thou me nought ?' replied the Soothsayer angrily, and takes out his Jack-knife. ' Jack-knife mine, Jack-knife mine, kill the Dervish!' said he, and the Dervish became immediately a headless body ; the /, Mythological— i^I I) Magical. 135 Jack-knife had killed him. The Soothsayer seized the Cup and made off. Not to make a long story of it, the Soothsayer reached home. The sun had set. When the Soothsayer's mother saw him dismount, 'Welcome!' cried she. ' Hast thou taken a little money at the wedding ?' ' I did not go to the wedding,' replied the Sooth - sa3^er. 'Take my curse!' cried his mother. 'To-night we must go supperless to bed.' ' Have no anxiety about that,' says he, ' for our supper is ready.' His mother was astonished to hear him talk thus, and feared that her son's mind was giving way. When the Soothsayer was a little rested after his journey, he called his mother and placed her by his side, and then took out the Cup from his bosom, and said, ' Cup, silver Cup of mine, bring forth fifty kinds of food, that I may eat with my mother !' The Cup did as its master bade it, and he ate and drank with his mother. This happened every day, and the old woman found herself at ease. After a very little time, the fame of the Cup reached the ears of the King, and he commanded the Sooth- sayer to come to his palace. When his mother heard of it, she forbade him to take the Cup. ' They will take it from thee,' she said, ' and we shall lose our bread !' He paid no attention, but took the Cup with him. The King received the Soothsayer well, and asked him about the Cup. He did not deny that he had such a thing, and showed it to him. Then the King com- manded them to bring a table, and set the Soothsayer down to eat and drink. When he had eaten and drunk, 136 Greek Folk-Prose. the Soothsayer got tipsy, and felt sleepy. When the King saw that he was tipsy, he went and said to him, * Let us exchange thy Cup against my wooden mug ?' * I will not exchange,' replied the Soothsayer, though he was tipsy. Afterwards he went to sleep where he sat, and the King commanded his slaves, and they took the Soothsayer home on a horse, and kept his Cup and gave him another. In the morning the Soothsayer got up still a little the worse for liquor. He took a fancy to drink a glass of lemonade, and said to the Cup, * Cup, silver Cup of mine, give me a glass of lemonade to drink !' The Cup [did] nothing. ' Bring me a cup of coffee !' The Cup [did] nothing. Then his mother cries, * Did I not tell thee not to take the Cup to the King, or he would take it from thee ? — and thou would'st not heed me. Alas, he has taken it !' ' Never mind, mother,' said he, ' for I will go and bring it back 1' So the Soothsayer set out, and went to the King, to ask him for the Cup. The King's servants and the guards who kept the palace drove him away. Then he took out his Jack-knife and said to it, ' My Jack-knife, my Jack-knife, kill all these [men],' The Jack-knife, one up and the other down, slew the guards and the servants. Then he went before the King, and said, * Give me my Cup, or I will tell the Jack-knife to kill you too !' Then the King was frightened, and he showed the Soothsayer the cupboard where his Cup was, and the Soothsayer took it. Then he said to the King, ' What /. Mythological — (//.) Magical. 137 will you give me if I bring all these dead men to life again !' ' I will give thee a million ry cilia,' replied the King. Then the Soothsayer played the Flute in the ears of one of them, and he got up. ' Bring me the money,' said the Soothsayer, ' and I will raise them all !' ' What dost thou want with money,' asked the King, * when thou art so clever ? I will give thee my daughter, and thou shalt be my son-in-law.' The Soothsayer received the King's offer with joy ; and he married the King's daughter, and they made a wedding [feast] of forty days and nights. And I left them there, and arrived here safely ! "^ ^ An incident in which the Turban of Invisibility figures has evidently been omitted by the narrator. THE wand:^^ Syr a. (Von Hahn, NeoeX. Tlapafivdia, p. 230.) Long ago, in the olden time, each of the islands [of the Archipelago] formed a separate kingdom. The King of Naxos had an only daughter, the like of whom for beauty was not to be found anywhere. Well, all the Kings wanted to marry her, and so her father reflected and said, ' If I give her to the King of Paros, the Kings of Tinos, of los, of Mykonos, and all the other Kings will make war against me.' So he called the Twelve to give him their counsel. And the Twelve counselled that the Princess should pretend to be dumb, and that the pallikar who could make her speak in three days should have her to wife ; but, if he failed, he should lose his head at the end of the three days. Well, there went the sons of Kings, and the sons of Princes, and every three days the King took one of their heads, until at last he built three towers, and filled them with the heads oi pallikar s. Let us now leave these folks and come to Syra, where there lived an old woman who had an orphan grandson, and she tramped, and went out to work, and begged even, in order to bring him up. And when he was grown he came to her and said, ' Laid, I will go and make the Princess speak.' ' Bre I my dear child, knowest thou not that there have gone the sons of Kings and of Princes, and none of them has been able to make her speak ; and wilt /. Mythological — (//.) Magical. 139 thou go and lose thy Hfe ? — thou who I thought would soon begin to earn some bread for me ?' Still the boy wished to go all the same. Then the old woman said, ' Go and say good-bye to thy great-aunt, my sister, for she is a wise woman, and doubtless she will advise thee well.' Then he goes to his great-aunt, and says, ' Yiayia, give me thy hand that I may kiss it, for I am going [to try] to make the Princess speak, and perhaps she will not, and the King will take my head.' Then began the great-aunt to say, 'Bre, my dear child, why not stay at home where thou art my sister's only care!' But when she saw that her words had no weight with him, she said, ' Here, take this Switch, and when thou hast propped it up, speak to it, and it will answer thee.' Then he took ship and went to Naxos, and presented himself, as we say, to the police, and asked permission to make the Princess speak. Then said the chief man among them, or as we say, the police officer, ' Seest thou those towers ? Those towers are filled with the heads of Kings' sons and Princes' sons ; one only is lacking for them to be full.' 'Let mine be that head !' cried the youth in reply, and they gave him permission. When the sun had set, he entered the palace, and the guards watched outside. Then he began to say, 'Good evening, my Princess!' But this time she didn't even turn to look at him! ' Ach, my Princess, is it not a pity for me who have a widow for mother, and have abandoned her for your sake alone, and yet you will not even turn to look at me !' And with many words he passed the night, but without making her speak to him. Then the morning dawned, and they opened the doors, and he went away. 140 Greek Folk-Prose. On the following evening he goes, and begins, * Good evening, my Princess ! — 'Mi a deaf door knock as long as you will!" ' and then he began to pray, and to sigh — ' Ach, my Princess, will you not have pity on my comeli- ness ? Will you not pity my case ?' He went on in this way till midnight was past, and day dawned. They opened the doors and the youth went away. The third evening he went in great despair, and began to cry still louder, ' Achoti ! my Princess, I don't want you to speak to me, but only to turn and look at me. I have left my kindred, my life is ebbing away for your sake !' Then he suddenly recollected the advice of his great- aunt. So he took hold of the Switch that she had given him, and going to the door, propped it up, and said, ' Eh, door, the Princess won't speak to me, per- haps you will ?' ' What can I tell you ? I who was a tree on the mountain, and they cut me down and sawed me asunder and made me into planks ; they took me to the carpenter who planed me, and made me into a door — " Shut " ! *' Open " ! that they may see the Princess, and so they eat my life away !' * O Princess, even thy door speaks to me, and thou wilt not !' Then he goes towards the great candlestick, and leans the Switch against it. * Candlestick, the Princess will not speak to me. Wilt thou speak to me ?' * But what can I tell thee ? — I who was earth in the mountain, and they made me silver, and took me to the smith. Now it is rub, rub, to make me shine, and so my life wears away !' /. Mythological — (//.) Magical. 141 The early dawn was now come, and the youth began to be frightened. He went on tiptoe up to the Princess, and leaned the Switch against her head without her being aware of it. Then said he to the Princess, ' O my Princess, thy door and thy candlestick have spoken to me, and wilt thou not speak ?' Then the Princess turns towards him and says, ' Enough ! Art thou not weary of talking ?'* Then he said to the Princess, ' I will say that thou hast not spoken to me, for thy father is able to destroy both me and thee, for, seest thou, many Kings' sons and Princes' sons were destroyed unjustly because thou wouldst speak to none of them.' Then he left her, and the day broke. The guards went and questioned him, and he told them that she had not spoken, and immediately they laid hold of him and led him to the King. The King sent and called the Twelve, and the youth thus addressed them : ' Archontes ! In my native place there happened an incident. A Parson, a Tailor, and a Carpenter, set out on a journey together. In the desert where darkness overtook them was a dwelling. They went to pass the night in it, and said that they would keep watch in turn for four hours each. The first watch fell to the Carpenter. What does he do to frighten the Tailor ? He took and made a wooden man, put him opposite the house, woke the Tailor, and lay down himself. After a little time had passed, the Tailor saw the man, and going up to him, he understood that the Carpenter had done it to frighten him. So he took and put a fez on him, and breeches and a jacket ; and he left him * A passage is evidently here omitted. The Wand leant against the Princess's head speaks, and she thinks she has herself spoken unawares. {See A?iHo/aiions, No. 31.) 142 Greek Folk- Prose. and went in and wakened the Parson. The Fapa hghted his candle, and took his papers and began to read. As he was reading, he passed the door, saw the man, and was terribly frightened. He fell on his knees to the Deity and prayed fervently. Then God commanded the wooden image and made it speak, and it became a man like ourselves, and they took him and brought him to the town. Then they went to the Judge, and the Carpenter asked that he might have him because he had made him ; and the Tailor because he had dressed him ; and the Parson because he had made him speak. Then I left without hearing the decision. And so I pray you to tell me to whom should he belong ? — to the Carpenter who made him, or to the Tailor who clothed him, or to the Parson who made him speak ?' Then the Twelve with the King decided that the Carpenter should be paid for his trouble, and the Tailor for his clothes, and that the Parson should have the man. When the Twelve and the King had thus ruled, the youth said, ' Then the Princess belongs to me — (he was poor, but he was cheeky !) — who have made her speak !' Then there was an end to the King's decree, and they could not kill him. And they brought out the Princess and crowned'^ her. And then there were wedding feasts and carousals and great rejoicings ! And they fetched his grandmother ; and, instead of the beans she used to eat, she now ate partridges. ■' /.t'., married. THE NEGRO; OR, THE RED WATER. A thens. {AeXriov, I., p. 321.) There was once a poor woman, and she had a very idle son. She told him to go and do some work to help her, but not he. One day she was going to bake, and sweep the house, and she wanted wood to heat the oven. She said to him, ' Won't you go, my boy, and bring me a stick or two, instead of my going to the mountain who am ready to drop ?' * I won't go.' ' But how am I to heat the oven ?' ' Don't heat the oven.' ' But what shall we do with the loaves ?' * We will eat them unbaked.' The unfortunate woman saw that it was useless, so she took the rope and went to the mountain for wood. She got her wood on the mountain, threw it over her shoulder, and came back. As she was coming back, she was weary ; she saw a well with a high parapet round it. She rested her burden on the parapet, and said, ' Ach! AUr^ Then she saw a Negro jump out of the well. His one lip touched the earth, and his other the heavens. He said to her, ' What wantest thou, mother, that thou callest me ?' ' I did not call you, Affendi /' '' An expression of dismay or sorrow. See vol. i., Atinotations, No. 23, 144 Greek Folk-Prose. ' How, thou didst not call me ! Thou saidst " All !" and my name is All !' ' Ai ! may you live long ! I knew not that you were in the well.' ' Where art thou going now, mother?' ' Home, Affendi.' ' Dost live alone at home, mother ?' * No, Affendi, I have a son.' ' What work does thy son do ?' ' None, Affe7idi, he is a do-nothing. I did all I could to make him go for wood, and he wouldn't go.' ' Wilt bring him here, mother, and I will teach him trades, and give as much money as thou wilt ?' ' But I am afraid to bring him here for fear you might eat him !' ' I swear to thee, mother, that I don't eat men.' He goes down, takes a handful of sequins and gives them to her, and says to her, * Take these sequins, mother, and go home and bring me thy son here, and whenever thou wantest him come to the well and call " All !" and he will jump out and thou wilt see him. Go now home and bring him to me. Don't fail to bring him, for I can destroy both thee and thy son ; and when thou bringest him, I will give thee more money.' Then the poor woman took the sticks and went with a sad heart and weeping to her home. Her son saw her and said, ' What is the matter, mother, why art crying ?' ' What is the matter, my boy ? A misfortune befell me by the way. Let me now heat the oven, and bake the bread, and afterwards I will tell thee about it.' She heated the oven, baked the bread, and took it out. But before she had time to tell him anything. /. Mythological — (//.) Magical. 145 there came an earthquake and shook all the house. Then she remembered the words the Negro had spoken, that he could destroy both her and her son, if her son did not come. She said to her boy, * It is true ! Just now as I came back with the wood I saw a Negro, and he said that if I had a son, and I was willing, to take him there, and he need do no work, only sit and take care of the house. If you like, my boy, you can go there, and get money.' * I will go,' he said, ' why shouldn't I ?' She took her son and went hastily to the well, and called, 'Ali!' ' Houp /' The Negro jumped out. ' Is this your son, mother ?' * This is he, Affendi.'' He patted him, and said, ' Stay, and come with me to my house ; thou wilt be all alone, I shall be away all day.' He gave more money to his mother, and she rose and went away. The Negro took the lad, and they went below. There was a fine palace with a courtyard, very splendid. He said, 'At! here thou wilt sit all day, and eat and drink, and take care of the house.' Then the Negro said, ' Thou must remain in the courtyard, and not go into the garden, for the flowers will tell me of it, and I shall drive thee out.' 'Very well,' said the boy; but when the Negro was gone he began to walk about all over the palace. As he was passing through the garden there looked out a beautiful maiden. She called to him, * Gather thy clothes about thee that the Negro may VOL. II. 10 146 Greek Folk-Prose. not see [the traces of] them, and know of it ; and come here and I will speak to thee.' The boy came under the window. * How came you here, my boy ? The Negro does not eat men, but if he does not find food, and comes home hungry, he will sprinkle some Water over thee and tell thee to shake thyself and become a hare. Thou must pretend not to know how to shake thyself, sway thy hands and shoulders about, but do not shake thyself. He will give thee other Water, and say, " Shake thyself and become a lamb !" but don't shake thyself. He will give thee many kinds of Water ; but still do not shake thyself. Then the Negro will come to me, and I will tell him to give thee the best Water there is here. That Water has the power to make thee become what thou wilt — bird, or fly, or canary-bird, whatever thou takest into thy head. He will say, " Drink it, and become a kid!" But do thou say within thyself, " I shake myself and become a pigeon!" When thou hast become a pigeon, fly ; and when thou art come up out of the well, do as God may enlighten thee. Go now and mop, and sweep, and when he comes, don't tell him that thou hast been here. And if God grant that thou escape, think of me, and deliver me too, whom the Negro took away from my parents.' Some little time passed, and when he had finished his work, he lay down in the shade. Nd ! there comes the Negro, weary and fasting. ' What art thou doing ?' asked the Negro. ' What should I be doing ? I have swept the house and am sitting.' 'Get up!' said he. 'Drink this Water, and shake thyself and become a hare ; I will teach thee many tricks.' /. Mythological — (//.) Magical. 147 He swung himself about, and pretended that he couldn't shake himself. * Bve ! curse thee ! There, drink this, and become a lamb!' The same thing happened again. He gave him two other kinds of Water, but he did not shake himself. The Negro sweated with impatience. He rose and went to the Princess, who lived in the other house in the garden. * Ba ! Welcome !' said the Princess ; ' you are some- what put out, what is the matter ?' * What is the matter ? I have been a long way and am come back hungry, and I told him to become a hare, and he doesn't know how ; to shake himself, and he doesn't know how.' ' A'i! why don't you give him Water to become something else ?' * I gave him of all, but to no purpose !' * Give him some of the Water which we have here, the Red, which if he drinks and shakes himself, he will become something to eat.' ' But if he drinks of this Water, he will know more than I !' * Pooh ! How should he know anything ? He will become anything you tell him !' ' Ai' ! let me give it to him.' He takes a little glass and puts in it some of the Red Water, and goes and gives it to him. He says to him, * Here, drink this, and become a deer !' The lad drinks it, but says within himself, ' I will become a pigeon.' He shakes himself, and off he goes out of the well. The Negro loses no time, he shakes himself and becomes an eagle and pursues the pigeon. 148 Greek Folk-Prose. In front the pigeon, behind the eagle — he has nearly caught it. As he was about to seize it, it flies into a bath. It shakes itself, and from a pigeon becomes a fly, and hides in the key in the bosom of the bath- keeper. The eagle shakes himself and becomes a fine gentleman in his fur pelisse, and says, 'Will you sell this bath?' ' A'i ! if we get much money for it, we will sell it.' They struck a bargain, and he asked for the keys of the bath. As the bath-keeper took out the keys, the fly flew out — buzz ! and went here and there. The gentleman lost no time in becoming a flycatcher-bird and pursued the fly. In front, the fly; behind, the fly- catcher — he had nearly caught it. When it saw itself closely pressed, the fly looked this way and that, and saw a Princess sitting at a window. The fly shook itself, and became a beautiful carnation, and fell on the Princess's frame as she was embroidering. The Princess took the carnation and put it in her bosom. The Negro shook himself and became a venerable old Turk in his fur pehsse, and he went into the palace to find the King. Said he, * Your Mightiness, my mother gave me a carnation, and as I had it before me and was looking at it, a golden magpie passed by and took it and threw it on the Princess's embroidery frame. So I pray you to com- mand that it be given to me.' Then he among the carnation-leaves changed himself into a handsome youth, and said to the Princess, ' For God's sake, don't give me to him who will ask for me, for I am a Prince, and he is my enemy, and because we both are learned in magic he seeks to devour me so that he alone may be left.' And he shook himself and became a carnation again. Just as /. Mythological — (//.) Magical. 149 he had become a carnation, they began to knock at the Princess's door. ' Who is there ?' said she. 'It is I,' said one of the servants; 'your papa has sent me that you may give me the carnation which fell on your lap while you embroidered.' * Bd /' said she, ' there are carnations outside, give him a bunch.' The servant plucked a few and took them downstairs. The Agha took and smelt one, smelt another, and another. ' What shall I say, my long-lived King ? not one of these which you have brought me smells like my carna- tion. For it had with it my mother's blessing, and smelt different. '''I Then the King was angry, and said, ' Tell the Princess to give it at once, or I will come myself upstairs and give it to the stranger.' Then the nursemaid ran up to the Princess and said to her, ' Po-po ! my Princess, the King is angry ! Give me the carnation at once, for he says he will come him- self and take it !' Then the Princess tearfully took out the carnation and gave it to her maid. The Princess's maid took it and brought it to the King. As he was about to give it to the Agha, the carnation gave itself a shake and became millet spilt on the ground. The Agha lost no time, but became a hen and chickens, and began to eat the grain. The millet gave itself a shake, and became » Compare — ' And thou thereon didst only breathe, And sent'st it back to me ; Since when it grows and smells, I swear, Not of itself, but thee.' Ben Jonson, To Celia. 150 Greek Folk-Prose. a fox, and ate the hen and chickens. The King gave himself a shake, and jumped on his sofa, and shouted 'Allah! Allah! Allah! H ALLAH T The fox gave him- self a shake, and became a handsome Prince, and said, * My long-hved King, don't start, don't be frightened ! I am a Prince, and my mother was a Nereid, and taught me many magical tricks. The man you saw was my servant and stole my Book of Enchantment,^^ and sought to destroy me and take my possessions ; but you see how he who would harm another does himself harm !' Then said the King to him, ' I rejoice greatly, my boy, that thou hast slain thine enemy ; if thou art willing, I will make thee my son.' But he said, ' I have some business to finish ; if you will give me eight days' grace I will give you my answer.' Then he shook himself and became a pigeon, and as he flew he saw from afar his mother at the well. He gave himself a shake and became a man as he was at first, and said to her, ' Mother ! What are you doing here ?' ' Nd ! my son, I have brought back the sequins to the Negro to take thee again, my boy, for I cannot do without thee.' ' Now, mother, Negro there is none. We have become rich ! But go home now and have no anxiety about me, and I will come and tell you all about it presently.' The mother went away ; he became an eagle and descended the well, and went to the Princess and told her all he had gone through, and said that he would take her home to her parents, or marry her, as she pleased. /. MytJiological — (//.) Magical. 151 She begged him to take her home to her parents, as she was betrothed. He gave her some diamonds ; she also drank some of the Red Water and became a pigeon, and he conducted her to her parents. Afterwards he went to the King, and said that he would take his daughter to wife. The King was very glad to have such a son-in-law. And they had music, and drums, and great rejoicings; the palace was illuminated, and so was all the city. He took the Princess for his wife, and became the richest King there was in any country. And they lived happily. And we more happily still ! THE PRINCE WHO WAS CHANGED INTO A SNAKE. Cyprus. (Sakellarios, II., No. 7.) Scarlet thread, spun with the wheel, Wound on twirhng, giddy reel, Like the dancers turn and spin,* And let me my tale begin ; But first, my worthy Company, I wish you all good e'en ! This is the beginning of the story — good-evening to your Honours ! Once upon a time there was a merchant, and he traded all the way to Pagtatin, as the saying is. He had twelve ships in which he sailed about, and he had three daughters. When this merchant's wife died, and his daughters were left orphans, year by year he grew poorer and poorer ; he lost his ships, and the unfortu- nate man fell so low that he had hardly bread to eat, and was so needy that he was obliged to sell all his property, and nothing remained to him but his big farm. Then the poor merchant made up his mind to tell his daughters that they must live on the farm and look after it. Two of his daughters, the eldest and the second one, refused to go ; but the youngest, who was good-natured and would not displease him, said, ' Papa mine, I will go and live there !' So the youngest daughter bestirred herself, and dug A game played by children in Cyprus is here alluded to. /. Mythological— (11.) Magical. 153 and raked like a gardener, and got up early in the morning, and gathered the produce, and her father took it every morning to the market to sell it. (This is a story, so I will be brief.) Thus they continued every morning to gather the produce and sell it until twelve years had passed away. In the twelfth year there returned three of his ships. Then his daughters, the eldest and the middle one, begged their father to bring them a gown each. The father, pleased with the youngest, asked her what she would like. She answered her father, ' I want nothing, papa, but to see you released from your poverty.' When her father pressed her to say what she would like, she replied, ' I want nothing, papa, but a rose. They sell them now in sievesful, and I want you to bring me a choice rose.' Well, at last the merchant mounted his horse, and went and landed his goods. In twelve days, from the time his poverty had come to an end, he had finished ; but he had found no rose. Again he mounted his horse and set off to his farm. As he went, God com- manded such a rain to fall as had never been known before. What was the poor man to do ? He pulled his cape up over his head and crouched down on his horse's saddle ; and presently the beast came to a door- way and stood out of the rain. The man raised his cape, saw the doorway, and praised God that he had found a shelter from the downpour. Then he went and found a manger, to which he tied his beast, and afterwards he went in and found a chamber and sat down on the divan, and coffee came, and sweets, and a chibouk, without his seeing anyone. Then the 154 Greek Folk-Prose. rain stopped, and the merchant arose, and went from chamber to chamber to seek the host, and thank him. When he could find no one, he was going to fetch his beast to go home, when he saw a rose-bush which had three blossoms on one branch, and he stretched out his hand and plucked them. Immediately there appeared before him a Snake, who said to him, ' Ah ! thankless man, after the kindness I have shown thee in saving thee from death ! Canst thou not see a rose or two without desiring and plucking them ?' The merchant answered and said, ' I looked through the chambers to find the host, and say a " Thank you " to him, but could not find him.' * Listen to me,' said the Snake. ' Thou hast three daughters, thou must bring me the youngest. Think not to thyself that I am only a Snake, and shall not come and find thee.' The merchant asked how long he would wait — what could the poor man say ? — and he gave him forty days. The merchant mounted his horse and went about his business. When at last he got to his house, his daughters gathered around him and got their gowns, but his youngest daughter stood sadly by. Her father said to her, ' Come here, my girl, here are the roses thou didst ask of me,' and he began to weep. When his daughter saw him weep, she asked, * What is the matter, papa, that thou weepest ?' Then her father began and told her all about it. Her sisters began to reproach her and to point their fingers at her,^ * Wretch, thou must have a rose, thou wantedst no gowns, so that the Snake might come and eat us !' * The ancient gesture of contempt, still called, as in classic times, the