Hetty Sibyl Browne

“ King Lion had gone round and round with his young wife so many times that both were ready to drop. At last, as he passed Monkey, he roared, "Stop, ape! My whole kingdom is yours if you will only stop playing."
"I do not want it," said Monkey. "Make Wolf confess that he tried to steal my bow and arrow. Then I will stop playing."
"I confess! I confess!" panted Wolf, who was ready to fall to the ground.
"Good," cried King Lion, as the music stopped. "Monkey is innocent. Let him have his bow and arrow."
"Punish Wolf!" cried the animals. ”

“ One day the king thought of a way to help his people. He had a great bell hung in a tower in the market place. He had the rope made so long that a child could reach it.
Then the king sent heralds through the streets to tell the people why he had put the bell in the market place. The heralds blew their trumpets long and loud, and the people came from their homes to hear the message.
"Know ye," cried a herald, "that whenever a wrong is done to any man, he has but to ring the great bell in the square. A judge will go to the tower to hear the complaint, and he will see that justice is done." ”

“ The king and queen wept loudest of all.
Just then the wise young fairy came from behind the curtain and said: "Do not grieve, O King and Queen. Your daughter shall not die. I cannot undo what my elder sister has done; the princess shall indeed prick her finger with the spindle, but she shall not die. She shall fall into sleep that will last a hundred years. At the end of that time, a king's son will find her and awaken her."
Immediately all the fairies vanished. ”

“ Down the road Little Brother came running. Throwing himself into Pedro's arms, he cried, "Oh, Pedro, Pedro! The bells, the bells! I wish you could have heard them; and they rang when I laid your gift on the altar."
"I did hear them, Little Brother," said Pedro. "Their sound came to me over the snow,—the sweetest music I ever heard."
Long years after, when Pedro grew to be a man, he was a great musician. Many, many people came to hear him play.
Some one said to him one day, "How can you play so sweetly? I never heard such music before." ”

“ On the way he saw the whale and the elephant talking together.
Brother Rabbit said, "I'd like to know what they are talking about." So he crouched down behind some bushes and listened.
This is what Brother Rabbit heard the whale say:
"You are the biggest thing on the land, Brother Elephant, and I am the biggest thing in the sea. If we work together, we can rule all the animals in the world. We can have our own way about everything." ”

“ Just then a brave little white bantam rooster hopped down from his perch. He strutted over to the big rooster and caused quite a flutter in the henhouse by saying:
"We're lively enough when our crops are full, but when we are starving, it is a wonder that we can hold our heads up at all. If I ever see that farmer's boy again, I'll—I'll—I'll peck his foot!"
"You won't see him until he feeds us," said the white rooster, "and then I guess you will peck his corn."
"Oh, oh!" moaned the brown hen. "Don't speak of a peck of corn." ”

“ Once upon a time there lived a king and queen who were very unhappy because they had no children. But at last a little daughter was born, and their sorrow was turned to joy. All the bells in the land were rung to tell the glad tidings.
The king gave a christening feast so grand that the like of it had never been known. He invited all the fairies he could find in the kingdom—there were seven of them—to come to the christening as godmothers. He hoped that each would give the princess a good gift. ”

“ A well-brought-up duck turns its toes out, just like father and mother. Bow your heads before that old duck yonder. She is the grandest duck here. One can tell that by the red rag around her leg. That's a great honor, the greatest honor a duck can have. It shows that the mistress doesn't want to lose her. ”

“ Then Jackal said, "I believe that the bow and arrow belong to Wolf; he and Monkey were quarreling about them when I came along. They agreed to leave the question to you, King Lion. I know you will see that justice is done."
Wolf looked very innocent and said nothing.
King Lion rose and asked, "What say you? To whom do the bow and arrow belong?"
"To Wolf," they all cried.
"Stealing is a crime that must be punished," said King Lion. "What shall be done?"
"Let Monkey be hanged," they all cried.
Monkey still had his magic fiddle. ”

“ Then proudly the old man replied, "When I walk through the forest, everything flees before me. The animals hide in their holes. The birds rise from the lakes and the marshes, and fly to distant regions."
Softly the maiden answered, "When I walk through the forest, all is bright and joyous. The animals come from their holes. The birds return to the lakes and marshes. The leaves come back to the trees. The plants lift up their heads to kiss the breezes. ”

“ One day when the princess was seventeen years of age, the king and queen left her alone in the castle. She wandered about the palace and at last came to a little room in the top of a tower. There an old woman—so old and deaf that she had never heard of the king's command—sat spinning. ”

“ Once upon a time a family of mice lived in the pantry wall. There was a father mouse, there was a mother mouse, and there were three little baby mice.
One little mouse had sharp bright eyes and could see everything, even in the darkest holes. He was called Sharpeyes. His brother could sniff and smell anything, wherever it might be hidden, and he was called Sniffy. The baby mouse had such a squeaky little voice that he was called Squeaky. He was always singing, "Ee-ee-ee!"
Mother mouse was very wise, and she had taught her babies to run and hide when they saw the old cat coming. ”

“ The next morning Hoangti and the empress walked under the trees again. They found some worms still winding thread. Others had already spun their cocoons and were fast asleep. In a few days all of the worms had spun cocoons.
"This is indeed a wonderful, wonderful thing!" said Si-ling. "Why, each worm has a thread on its body long enough to make a house for itself!"
Si-ling thought of this day after day. One morning as she and the emperor walked under the trees, she said, "I believe I could find a way to weave those long threads into cloth." ”

“ Brother Rabbit soon came back with a very long and a very strong rope and his big drum. He hid the drum in some bushes. Then taking one end of the rope, he walked up to the elephant.
"Oh, dear Mr. Elephant," he said, "you are big and strong; will you have the kindness to do me a favor?"
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The elephant was pleased, and he trumpeted, "Certainly, certainly. What is it?"
"My cow is stuck in the mud on the shore, and I can't pull her out," said Brother Rabbit. "If you will help me, you will do me a great service. You are so strong, I am sure you can get her out." ”

“ The sparrows were chirping, and hungry crows were calling loudly for food. The farmers of Killingworth were plowing the fields, and the broken clods, too, told of spring.
A farmer heard the cawing of the crows and the song of the birds.
He said, "Did one ever see so many birds? Why, when we plant our seeds, these birds will take them all. When the fruit ripens, they will destroy it. I, for one, wish there were no birds, and I say kill them all." ”

“ The old birds were kind to me, and I began to be happy.
Hard work did me good. I soon grew strong, and when the crows tried to drive us away, I led the blackbirds to victory. My sight was keen, and I was the first to find out that the scarecrow was not a man. I caught more worms, too, than any of the blackbirds.
By and by a strange thing happened. I saw one day that my white feathers were speckled with brown dots. They grew larger and larger until the dots covered me all over; I was no longer white but brown. ”

“ Whatever I might be, I was not a magpie—not even a Russian magpie.
I made up my mind not to rest until I found out what bird I was. So I flew off to a place where birds of all kinds met to talk and enjoy themselves. There were robins {197} and sparrows and crows and wrens and martins and every sort of bird. But I was not like any of them and whenever I began to sing, they all laughed.
"You are not one of us," they said; "you are a white blackbird. That is what you are." ”

“ Great Bear said. "If it does not, all the animals will have to go to a land where there is more water."
"I know where there is plenty of water," said Wild Goose.
"I do, too," said Wild Duck.
Most of the animals did not wish to go away. "It is well enough for the ducks and geese to go," said Wild Cat; "they like to move about. It is well enough for Great Bear to go; he can sleep through the winter in one hollow tree as soundly as in another. But we do not wish to leave our hunting grounds."
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"If we go to a new country," said Gray Wolf, "we shall have to make new trails." ”

“ Snow and sleet fell, and the ugly duckling had a very unhappy time.
One evening a whole flock of handsome white birds rose out of the bushes. They were swans. They gave a strange cry, and spreading their great wings, flew away to warmer lands and open lakes. ”

“ The dearest wish of Donal's heart no one knew but himself. His soul was full of music, and he longed to have a violin.
One night Donal was going home through a dark forest when a storm came up. He found an old hollow tree and got inside of it to keep dry. Soon he fell asleep.
After a while Donal was awakened by a strange noise. He peeped out, and he saw a queer sight. The storm had passed, and the moon was shining. Many elves were dancing to strange music played by an old, old elf.
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Such queer dancing it was! ”

“ Then Conal said to himself, "I will go to the hollow tree and dance for the elves; but I shall not be so foolish as Donal. I will take their gold and silver, and their diamonds, too."
That night Conal went to the hollow tree {210} and waited until the elves appeared. Then he crept out and watched them dance. And he said, just as Donal had, "Well, that's the worst dancing I have ever seen!"
The fairies were astonished and angry again, and again they all began to talk at once.
"Another man among us!" cried one. ”

“ They looked to the north; far away they saw the snow coming. They looked to the south; there they saw green leaves.
All day they flew. All night they flew and flew, till they found a land where there was no winter. There it was summer all the time; flowers always blossomed and birds always sang. ”

“ In the fields and gardens hundreds of insects of every kind crawled, finding no foe to check them. At last the whole land was like a desert.
From the trees caterpillars dropped down upon the women's bonnets, and they screamed and ran. At every door, the women gathered and talked.
"What will become of us?" asked one. "The men were wrong,—something must be done."
"The teacher was right," said another.
At last, the farmers grew ashamed of having killed the birds. They met and did away with the wicked law, but it was too late.
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Harvest time came, but there was no harvest. ”

“ Although the people did not know what rang the bells, they loved to hear them. They would come from miles around to listen to the wonderful music. When they had heard the bells, they would go out of the church, silent but happy. Then all would go back to their homes feeling that Christmas had come, indeed.
One Christmas eve the people in the church waited and waited, but the bells did not ring. Silently and sadly they went home. Christmas after Christmas came and went. Nearly one hundred years passed by, and in all that time the bells did not ring. ”

“ How fast the spinning wheels turned, singing all the time.
Soon the spinners said, "The little girl wants a new dress. The sheep has given his wool. The shepherd has washed the wool. The shearers have cut it. The carders have carded it, and we have spun it into thread. Who else will help?"
"We will," said the dyers. "We will dye it with beautiful colors."
Then they dipped the woven threads into bright dye, red and blue and green and brown.
As they spread the wool out to dry, the dyers called: "The little girl wants a new dress. The sheep has given his wool. The shepherd has washed the wool. ”

“ I think he will grow to be pretty. Perhaps he stayed too long in the egg."
"Well, make yourselves at home," said the old duck. "If you find an eel's head, you may bring it to me."
And they did make themselves at home—all but the poor ugly duckling. His life was made quite miserable. The ducks bit him, and the hens pecked him. So it went on the first day, and each day it grew worse.
The poor duckling was very unhappy. At last he could stand it no longer, and he ran away. As he flew over the fence, he frightened the little birds on the bushes. ”

“ Footsore and weary, the two beggars at last climbed the hill to the hut of Philemon and Baucis. These good people had eaten very little, for they were saving their best food for Zeus.
When they saw the beggars, Philemon said, "Surely these men need food more than Zeus. They look almost starved."
"Indeed, they do!" said Baucis, and she ran quickly to prepare supper for the strangers. ”

“ You would put to death the birds that make sweet music for us in our dark hours: the {215} thrush, the oriole, the noisy jay, the bluebird, the meadow lark.
"You slay them all, and why? Because they scratch up a little handful of wheat or corn, while searching for worms or weevils.
"Do you never think who made them and who taught them their songs of love? Think of your woods and orchards without birds!
"And, friends, would you rather have insects in the hay? You call the birds thieves, but they guard your farms. They drive the enemy from your cornfields and from your harvests. ”