Katharine Pyle

“ The girl hurried along the road, for she was in haste to reach Mother Hulda’s house and get a reward, and presently she came to the oven.
“Take us out! Take us out!” cried the loaves inside. “We will burn if we are left in here any longer.”
“Why should I blacken my hands for you?” cried the girl. “Stay where you are, and if you burn no one will be the worse for it but yourselves.” And so saying she went on her way.
A little farther she came to the apple-tree, and its boughs were bent with the weight of the fruit it bore.
“Shake me! Shake me!” cried the apple-tree. ”

“ To-night you will reach a village. In this village there are two inns that stand opposite to each other. One is a fine place. It will be lighted up, and there will be music and dancing inside. But do not enter there. The other inn is poor and miserable looking, but that is where you must stay if you hope to find the Golden Bird.”
“That is foolish talk, and I would be even more foolish to heed it,” cried the Prince, and again drawing his bow he shot a bolt at the fox. The bolt missed the mark, and the fox ran away unharmed. ”

“ A grand feast and entertainment were arranged. The Prince sat upon a high seat with the false bride upon one hand and the true bride upon the other. But the false bride was so dazzled by all the splendor, and by her own pride that she did not even see the Princess.
Everyone ate and drank to his heart’s content, and then the King began asking riddles. After the riddles he said he would tell the guests a story, and the story he told was that of the Princess and the waiting-maid, and still the false bride was too dazzled by her own splendor to understand the story. ”

“ The rope began to hang the butcher, the butcher began to kill the ox, the ox began to drink the water, the water began to quench the fire, the fire began to burn the stick, the stick began to beat the dog, the dog began to bite the pig, and the pig squealed at the top of its lungs and scrambled over the stile and ran for home so fast that the little old woman could hardly keep up with it. ”

“ They were made welcome by the King and Queen, and after some talk they were led to the hall where the feast had [2] been set out. Everything there was very magnificent. There were delicious fruits and meats and pastries and game and everything that could be thought of. The dishes were all of gold, and for each fairy there was a goblet cut from a single precious stone. One was a diamond, one a sapphire, one a ruby, one an emerald, one an amethyst, and one a topaz. The fairies were delighted with the beauty of everything. ”

“ The giant strode along without stop or stay until at last he came to a great gloomy castle and, this was where he lived. He carried Jack in through the door into the castle and up a flight of stone steps to a room that was directly over the outer doorway. Here he came to a halt and threw Jack down upon a heap of straw in the corner.
“Lie there for awhile, my little giant-killer,” cried he. “I have a brother who is not only bigger and stronger than I am, but has more wits as well. ”

“ They rode along and rode along and after awhile they came to the forest, and then it did not take the merchant long to find the castle. He knocked at the door, and it opened as before, and he and Beauty went in through one room after another, and everything was so magnificent that she could not but admire it. At last they came to the supper-room, and here a delicious feast was set out for them. They sat down and ate while soft music sounded around them. Beauty began to think the master of all this could not be such a terrible creature after all. ”

“ Then the Prince, a Beast no longer, told Beauty that a wicked fairy had changed him into the shape of a Beast, and not until a fair young maiden would [45] love him enough to be his bride would the enchantment be broken. But Beauty had loved him for his kindness and goodness in spite of his ugly form, and now never again could the wicked fairy have any power over him.
And now all through the castle was heard a sound of life and of voices and of running to and fro. ”

“ At last the King’s treasure-house was empty, and he sent out all over the kingdom for more gold, and still there was not enough.
“Oh, well!” cried the strong man at last, “I see you have done your best; we will have to be content with what we have.” Then he swung the sack up over his shoulder and marched off with it, and the soldier and the other comrades went along with him.
But the King was in a terrible state of mind. Here all his treasure had been carried off by a common soldier and his followers. He would almost rather have given up the Princess than that. ”

“ Cinderella promised to obey, and then she stepped into the coach and rolled away to the ball. [334]
When she reached the palace the music was sounding and the Prince was about to choose a partner for the dance. All the ladies waited anxiously, each hoping she would be the one to be chosen. Many beauties were there, and it was hard to say which was the loveliest. But when Cinderella entered the room no one had eyes for anyone but her. She was far fairer than the fairest, as the crescent moon is lovelier than the stars. ”

“ When at last they reached the palace of their father there was the greatest rejoicing. Not only had the princes brought home with them the Golden Bird, but they had brought the Golden Horse, and the beautiful Princess as well, and now the kingdom was to be divided between them. As for the youngest Prince no one knew what had become of him except his brothers and the Princess.
But the Princess took no part in any of the rejoicings. She sat and grieved and grieved. The horse would not eat and the bird would not sing. ”

“ He had not gone far when he met a lovely lady, and she was a fairy, though Jack did not know it.
“Where are you going, Jack?” she asked.
“I’m going to yonder castle to have a look at it,” said Jack.
“That is well,” said the lady, “only you must be careful how you poke about there, for that castle belongs to a very fierce and rich and terrible giant: and now I will tell you something: all the riches he has used to belong to your father; the giant stole them from him, so if you can fetch anything away with you it will be a right and fair thing.” ”

“ Now it so happened the old wolf was on the watch that day. He saw the mother goat trotting away toward the forest, and as soon as she was out of sight, he crept down to the house and knocked at the door—rap-tap-tap!
“Who is there?” called the little kids within.
“It is I, your mother, my dears,” answered [175] the wolf in his great rough voice. “Open the door and let me in.”
But the kids were very clever little kids. “No, no,” they cried. “You are not our mother. Our mother has a soft, sweet voice, and your voice is harsh and rough. You must be the wolf.” ”

“ Why are you so thoughtful and silent.”
“My mother,” answered Aladdin, “I have seen the Princess Buddir al Baddoor, and unless I can marry her I no longer wish to live.”
When the widow heard these words she thought her son must be crazy.
“How can you think of such a thing?” she cried. “Have you forgotten that your father was nothing but a tailor? How can a tailor’s son hope to marry a princess?”
“Nevertheless that is what I intend to do,” said [306] Aladdin. He then urged and entreated his mother to go to the palace and ask the Sultan to give the Princess to him. ”

“ While the workmen were still busy over their task, the giant appeared, striding along toward the castle. At once Jack slipped on his cap of darkness and hurried out to meet him.
The giant could not see Jack because of his cap of darkness, but his sense of smell was very keen. He stopped short, and began to snuff about him like a hound.
“Fee, fi, fo, fum!
I smell the blood of an Englishman;
Be he alive or be he dead,
I’ll grind his bones to make my bread!” cried the giant.
“That is all very well,” said Jack, “but first [66] you will have to catch him.” ”

“ When Jack learned who the Prince was, and the adventure he was bent on, he begged to be allowed to go along as an attendant.
“That is all very well,” said the Prince, “but if you travel with me you will fare hard indeed. I have given away all my money, and I do not know where to find food or even a place to sleep.”
“Do not let that trouble you,” said Jack. “Not far from here lives a three-headed giant. He has a fine castle and a well-stocked larder. Only leave the matter to me and I will arrange it so that you can spend the night there and have a fine feast beside.” ”

“ Aladdin was more delighted than ever when he heard this. He made haste to open the door and lead the magician to his mother, and to repeat to her the story he had been told.
The widow was even more surprised than her son over the magician’s story, but she was quite as eager to believe it as he. It would indeed be a fine thing if the stranger would lift them out of their poverty. ”

“ Perhaps you did not know that fairy tales were ever truths, but they are—the best and oldest of them. That does not mean they are facts like the things you see around you or learn from history books. Facts and truths are as different as the body and the spirit. Facts are like the body that we can see and touch and measure; we cannot see or measure the Spirit, but it is there. ”

“ Immediately her beautiful clothes fell into rags; her jewels melted away, and the guard who was on watch saw no one but a little kitchen-wench who ran past him, weeping bitterly, and wringing her hands.
Cinderella ran all the way home, and she scarcely had time to take her place beside the fire before her sisters swept into the room.
“What! crying?” they said. “Why are you not content? You have a warm corner to sit in, and no need to bother your head about anything. But you should have seen the ball to-night. ”

“ Cinderella looked at her with wonder. “I am weeping,” she said, “because my sisters have gone to the ball without me, and because I wished to go too.”
“Then dry your tears,” said the little old woman, “I am your fairy godmother, and if you are a good girl and do exactly as I say, there is nothing you can wish for that you shall not have. Run to the garden and fetch me a pumpkin; and let me see the mousetrap; if there are six fine fat mice in it they will be of use.” ”

“ When he heard she was going out into the world [270] to follow an unknown youth, he sent out and had the Prince brought into the palace. There the King said to him, “You have come here to steal the Princess from me, and for this you deserve to die. But I will give you one chance for your life. Outside my windows is a mountain so high and dark that not a ray of sunlight ever comes into the castle. If in three days you can level down this mountain, then I will grant you your life, and give you my daughter for a bride.” ”

“ Jack thanked him with tears in his eyes. He gave him the pig and took the goose and went on his way rejoicing. “After all,” thought he, “I would rather have a goose than a pig. Not only is it good to eat, but it may lay me a fine big egg, and its feathers will do to make a soft pillow for mother to lay her head on.” ”

“ Magic fruit, for one could eat and eat, and still the fruit was there as perfect as ever to be handed down through generations, until at last it comes to you, as beautiful as in those days of long ago. ”

“ But there is one great truth that flows through them all, and you know very well what it is:—evil in the end must always defeat itself, and in the end good always triumphs. The bad magician is tripped up by his own tricks, and the true prince marries the princess and inherits the kingdom. ”

“ A cat was sitting on a gate-post. “Puss, puss, catch rat,” called the old woman. “Rat won’t gnaw rope, rope won’t hang butcher, butcher won’t [97] kill ox, ox won’t drink water, water won’t quench fire, fire won’t burn stick, stick won’t beat dog, dog won’t bite pig, and I shan’t get home till midnight with my pail of fine ripe blackberries.”
“No,” answered puss, “I am very comfortable sitting here. Why should I disturb myself just to please you. But if you will get the red cow to give you a saucerful of milk for me then I will catch the rat.” ”

“ The Princess chose one that pleased her well, and the magician took the old lamp and hurried away with it. [317]
No sooner had he reached home than he shut himself up alone in his room and rubbed the lamp. At once the genie appeared.
“What do you wish?” cried he. “I and the other slaves of the lamp stand ready to serve you.”
“I wish,” cried the magician in a terrible voice, “that the palace of Aladdin and all that are in it shall be carried away to Africa.”
“To hear is to obey,” answered the genie, and immediately disappeared.
That evening the Sultan and Aladdin came home from their hunt. ”

“ Aladdin now began to go about among the merchants of the city and talk with them, and before long he learned to his surprise that the fruits he had brought with him from the garden were not glass at all, but jewels, and jewels so rare and magnificent that they were not to be equaled anywhere.
Now the Sultan of that country had one daughter, the Princess Buddir al Baddoor, and she was the most beautiful princess in the world.
No man was ever allowed to see her face. ”

“ A mother pig and her three little pigs lived together in a wood very happily all through the long summertime, but towards autumn the mother pig called her little ones to her and said, “My dear little pigs, the time has come for you to go out into the world and seek your own fortunes. You will each want to build a little house to live in, but do not build them of straw or leaves; straws are brittle and leaves are frail. ”

“ The Prince seated himself upon the fox’s tail and away they went, over bush and brake, over rock and brier, so fast the wind whistled by the Prince’s ears.
Presently they came within sight of another castle, and there the fox stopped. “Light down,” said he, “for I can carry you no farther. In the stable of that castle is the Golden Horse you are in search of. Go on boldly and open the stable door. No one will stop you, for the stableman is asleep. Only when you find the Golden Horse do not take the golden saddle that hangs beside the stall. ”

“ They are old fairy-tales gathered together, some from one country, and some from another. They are old, old, old. As old as the hills or the human race,—as old as truth itself. Long ago, even so long ago as when your grandmother’s grandmother’s grandmother was a little rosy-cheeked girl, and your grandfather’s grandfather’s grandfather was a noisy shouting little boy, these stories were old. ”

“ Perhaps they just grew upon the Tree of Wisdom when the world was young, like shining fruit, and our wise and simple first parents plucked them, and gave them to their children to play with, and to taste. ”