 section 29 of popular tales from the Norse this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org this reading by John Newman popular tales from the Norse by Sir George Webb de Saint section 29 the blue belt once on a time there was an old beggar woman who had gone out to beg she had a little lad with her and when she had got her bag full she struck across the hills toward her own home so when they had gone a bit up the hillside they came upon a little blue belt which lay where two paths met and the lad asked his mother's leave to pick it up no said she maybe there's witchcraft in it and so with threats she forced him to follow her but when they had gone a bit further the lad said he must turn aside a moment out of the road and meanwhile his mother sat down on a tree stump but the lad was a long time gone for as soon as he got so far into the wood that the old dame could not see him he ran off to where the belt lay took it up tied it around his waist and low he felt as strong as if he could lift the whole hill when he got back the old dame was in a great rage and wanted to know what he had been doing all that while you don't care how much time you waste and yet you know the night is drawing on and we must cross the hill before it gets dark so on they trapped but when they had gone about halfway the old dame grew weary and said she must rest under a bush dear mother said the lad may and I just go up to the top of this high crag while you rest and try if I can't see some sign of folk hereabouts yes he might do that so when he had got to the top he saw a light shining from the north so he ran down and told his mother we must get on mother we are near a house for I see a bright light shining quite close to us in the north then she rose and shouldered her bag and set off to see but they hadn't gone far before there stood a steep spur of the hill right across their path just as I thought said the old dame now we can't go a step further a pretty bed we shall have here but the lad took the bag under one arm and his mother under the other and ran straight up the steep crag with them now don't you see don't you see that we are close to a house don't you see the bright light but the old dame said those were no Christian folk but trolls for she was at home in all that forest far and near and knew there was not a living soul in it until you were well over the ridge and had come down on the other side but they went on and in a little while they came to a great house which was all painted red what's the good said the old dame we didn't go in for here the trolls live don't say so we must go in there must be men where the lights shine so said the lad so in he went and his mother after him but he had scarce opened the door before she swooned away for there she saw a great stout man at least 20 feet high sitting on the bench good evening grandfather said the lad well I have sat here 300 years said the man who sat on the bench and no one has ever come and called me grandfather before then the lad sat down by the man's side and began to talk to him as if they had been old friends but what's come over your mother said the man after they had chatted a while I think she's wound away you would better look after her so the lad went and took hold of the old dame and dragged her up the hall along the floor that brought her to herself and she kicked and scratched and flung herself about and at last sat down upon a heap of firewood in the corner but she was so frightened that she scarce dared to look one in the face after a while the lad asked if they could spend the night there yes to be sure said the man so they went on talking again but the lad soon got hungry and wanted to know if they could get food as well as lodging of course said the man that might be got two and after he had sat a while longer he rose up and threw six loads of dry pitch pine on the fire this made the old hag still more afraid oh now he's going to roast us alive she said in the corner where she sat and when the wood had burned down to glowing embers up got the man and strode out of his house heaven bless and help us what a stout heart you have got said the old dame don't you see we have got amongst trolls stuff and nonsense said the lad no harm if we have in a little while back came the man with an ox so fat and big the lad had never seen its like and he gave it one blow with his fist under the ear and down it fell dead on the floor when that was done he took it up by all the four legs and laid it on the glowing embers and turned it and twisted it about till it was burnt brown outside after that he went to a cupboard and took out a great silver dish and laid the ox on it and the dish was so big that none of the ox hung over on any side this he put on the table and then he went down into the cellar and fetched a cask of wine knocked out the head and put the cask on the table together with two knives which were each six feet long when this was done he bade them go and sit down to supper and eat so they went the lad first in the old dame after but she began to whimper and wail and to wonder how she should ever use such knives but her son seized one and began to cut slices out of the thigh of the ox which he placed before his mother and when they had eaten a bit he took up the cask with both hands and lifted it down to the floor then he told his mother to come and drink but it was still so high she couldn't reach up to it so he caught her up and held her up to the edge of the cask while she drank as for himself he clamored up and hung down like a cat inside the cask while he drank so when he had quenched his thirst he took up the cask and put it back on the table and thanked the man for the good meal and told his mother to come and thank him too and feared though she was she dared do nothing else but thank the man then the lad sat down again alongside the man and began to gossip and after they had sat a while the man said well I must just go and get a bit of supper too and so he went to the table and ate up the whole ox hooves and horns and all and drained the cask to the last drop and then went back and sat down on the bench as for beds he said I don't know what's to be done I've only got one bed and a cradle but we could get on pretty well if you would sleep in the cradle and then your mother might lie in the bed yonder thank you kindly that'll do nicely said the lad and with that he pulled off his clothes and lay down in the cradle but to tell you the truth it was quite as big as a four poster as for the old dame she had to follow the man who showed her to bed though she was out of her wits for fear well thought the lad to himself till never do to go to sleep yet I best lie awake and listen how things go as the night wears on so after a while the man began to talk to the old dame and at last he said we too might live here so happily together could we only be rid of this son of yours but do you know how to settle him is that what you're thinking of said she nothing easier said he at any rate he would try he would just say he wished the old dame would stay and keep house for him a day or two and then he would take the lad out with him up to the hill to quarry cornerstones and roll down a great rock on him all this the lad lay and listened to next day the troll for it was a troll is clear as day asked if the old dame would stay and keep house for him a few days and as the day went on he took a great iron crowbar and asked the lad if he had a mind to go with him up the hill and quarry a few cornerstones with all his heart he said and went with him and so after they had split a few stones the troll wanted him to go down below and look after cracks in the rock and while he was doing this the troll worked away and weird himself with his crowbar till he moved a whole crack out of its bed which came rolling right down on the place where the lad was but he held it up till he could get on one side and then let it roll down oh said the lad to the troll now I see what you mean to do with me you want to crush me to death so just go down yourself and look after the cracks and refs in the rock and I'll stand up above the troll did not dare to do otherwise than the lad bade him and the end of it was that the lad rolled down a great rock which fell upon the troll and broke one of his thighs while you're in a sad plight said the lad as he strode down lifted up the rock and set the man free after that he had to put him on his back and carry him home so he ran with him as fast as a horse and shook him so that the troll screamed and screeched as if a knife were run into him and when he got home he had to put the troll to bed and there he lay in a sad pickle well said the old dame if you can't hit on a plan to get rid of him I'm sure I can't let me see said the troll I've got 12 lions in a garden if they could only get hold of the lad they'd soon tear him to pieces so the old dame said it would be easy enough to get him there she would sham sick and say she felt so poorly nothing would do her any good but lions milk all that the lad lay and listened to and when he got up in the morning his mother said she was worse than she looked and she thought she should never be right again unless she could get some lions milk then I'm afraid you'll be poorly a long time mother said the lad for I'm sure I don't know where any is to be got oh if that be all said the troll there is no lack of lions milk if we only had the man to fetch it and then he went on to say how his brother had a garden with 12 lions in it and how the lad might have the key if he had a mind to milk the lions so the lad took the key and milking pale and strode off and when he unlocked the gate and got into the garden there stood all the 12 lions on their hind paws rampant and roaring at him but the lad laid hold of the biggest and led him about by the four paws and dashed him against stocks and stones till there wasn't a bit of him left but the two paws so when the rest saw that they were so afraid that they crept up and lay at his feet like so many after that they followed him about wherever he went and when he got home they lay down outside the house with their four paws on the door sill now mother you'll soon be well said the lad when he went in for here's the lions milk he had just milked a drop in the pale but the troll as he lay in bed swore it was all a lie he was sure the lad was not the man to milk lions when the lad heard that he forced the troll to get out of bed through open the door and all the lions rose up and seized the troll and at last the lad had to make them leave their hold that night the troll began to talk to the old dame again I'm sure I can't tell you how to put this lad out of the way he is so awfully strong can't you think of some way no said the old dame if you can't tell I'm sure I can't well said the troll I have two brothers in a castle they are 12 times as strong as I am and that's why I was turned out and had to put up with this farm they hold that castle and round it there's an orchard with apples in it and whoever eats those apples sleeps for three days and three nights if we could only get the lad to go for the fruit he wouldn't be able to keep from tasting the apples and as soon as ever he fell asleep my brothers would tear him in pieces the old dame said she would sham sick and say she could never be herself again unless she tasted those apples for she had set her heart on them all this the lad lay and listened to when the morning came the old dame was so poorly that she couldn't utter a word but groans and sighs she was sure she should never be well again unless she had some of those apples that grew in the orchard near the castle where the man's brothers lived only she had no one to send for them oh the lad was ready to go that instant but the 11 lions went with him so when he came to the orchard he climbed up into the apple tree and ate as many apples as he could and he had scarce got down before he fell into a deep sleep but the lions all lay round him in a ring the third day came the trolls brothers but they did not come in man's shape they came snorting like man eating steeds and wondered who it was that dared to be there and said they would tear him to pieces so small that there should not be a bit of him left but up rose the lions and tore the trolls into small pieces so that the place looked as if a dung heap had been tossed about it and when they had finished the trolls they lay down again the lad did not wake till late in the afternoon and when he got on his knees and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes he began to wonder what had been going on when he saw the marks of the hooves but when he went towards the castle a maiden looked out of a window who had seen all that had happened and she said you may thank your stars you weren't in that tussle else you must have lost your life what I lose my life no fear of that I think said the lad so she begged him to come in that she might talk with him for she hadn't seen a christian soul ever since she came there but when she opened the door the lions wanted to go into but she got so frightened that she began to scream and so the lad let them lie outside then the two walked and talked and the lad asked how it came that she who was so lovely could put up with those ugly trolls she never wished it she said it was quite against her will they had seized her by force and she was the king of arabia's daughter so they talked on and at last she asked him what he would do whether she should go back home or whether he would have her to wife of course he would have her and she shouldn't go home after that they went round the castle and at last they came to a great hall where the trolls two great swords hung high up on the wall I wonder if you are man enough to wield one of these said the princess who I said the lad it would be a pretty thing if I couldn't wield one of these with that he put two or three chairs one atop of the other jumped up and touched the biggest sword with his fingertips tossed it up in the air and caught it again by the hilt leapt down and at the same time dealt such a blow with it on the floor that the whole hall shook after he had thus got down he thrust the sword under his arm and carried it about with him so when they had lived a little while in the castle the princess thought she ought to go home to her parents and let them know what had become of her so they loaded a ship and she set sail from the castle after she had gone and the lad had wandered about a little he called to mind that he had been sent on an errand thither and had come to fetch something for his mother's health and though he said to himself after all the old dame was not so bad but she's all right by this time still he thought he ought to go and just see how she was so he went and found both the man and his mother quite fresh and hearty what wretches you are to live in this beggarly hut said the lad come with me up to my castle and you shall see what a fine fellow I am well they were both ready to go and on the way his mother talked to him and asked how it was he had got so strong if you must know it came of that blue belt which lay on the hillside that time when you and I were out begging said the lad have you got it still asked she yes he had it was tied round his waist might she see it yes she might and with that he pulled open his waistcoat and shirt to show it to her then she seized it with both hands tore it off and twisted it round her fist now she cried what shall I do with such a wretch as you I'll just give you one blow and dash your brains out far too good a death for such a scamp said the troll no let's first burn out his eyes and then turn him adrift in a little boat so they burned out his eyes and turned him adrift in spite of his prayers and tears but as the boat drifted the lions swam after and at last they laid hold of it and dragged it ashore on an island and placed the lad under a fir tree they caught game for him and they plucked the birds and made him a bed of down but he was forced to eat his meat raw and he was blind at last one day the biggest lion was chasing a hair which was blind for it ran straight over stock and stone and the end was it ran right up against a fir stump and tumbled head over heels across the field right into a spring but low when it came out of the spring it saw its way quite plain and so saved its life so so thought the lion and went and dragged the lad to the spring and dipped him overhead and years into it so when he had got his sight again he went down to the shore and made signs to the lions that they should all lie close together like a raft then he stood upon their backs while they swam with him to the mainland when he had reached the shore he went up into a birch and copes and made the lions lie quiet then he stole up to the castle like a thief to see if he couldn't lay hands on his belt and when he got to the door he peeped through the keyhole and there he saw his belt hanging up over a door in the kitchen so he crept softly in across the floor but there was no one there but as soon as he had got hold of the belt he began to kick and stamp about as though he were mad just then his mother came rushing out dear heart my darling little boy do give me the belt again she said thank you kindly said he now you shall have the doom you passed on me and he fulfilled it on the spot when the troll heard that he came in and begged and prayed so prettily that he might not be smitten to death well you may live said the lad but you shall undergo the same punishment you gave me and so he burned out the troll's eyes and turned him adrift on the sea in a little boat but he had no lions to follow him now the lad was all alone and he went about longing and longing for the princess at last he could bear it no longer he must set out to seek her his heart was so bent on having her so he loaded four ships and set sail for Arabia for some time they had fair wind and fine weather but after that they lay windbound under a rocky island so the sailors went ashore and strolled about to spend the time and there they found a huge egg almost as big as a little house so they began to knock it about with large stones but after all they couldn't crack the shell then the lad came up with his sword to see what all the noise was about and when he saw the egg he thought it a trifle to crack it so he gave it one blow and the egg split and out came a chicken as big as an elephant now we have done wrong said the lad this can cost us all our lives and then he asked his sailors if they were men enough to sail to Arabia in four and twenty hours if they got a fine breeze yes they were good to do that they said so they set sail with a fine breeze and got to Arabia in three and twenty hours as soon as they landed the lad ordered all the sailors to go and bury themselves up to the eyes in a sand hill so that they could barely see the ships the lad and the captains climbed a high crag and sat down under a fir in a little while came a great bird flying with an island in its claws and let it fall down on the fleet and sunk every ship after it had done that it flew up to the sand hill and flapped its wings so that the wind nearly took off the heads of the sailors and it flew past the fir with such force that it turned the lad right about but he was ready with his sword and gave the bird one blow and brought it down dead after that he went to the town where everyone was glad because the king had got his daughter back but now the king had hidden her away somewhere himself and promised her hand as a reward to anyone who could find her and this though she was betrothed before now as the lad went along he met a man who had white bear skins for sale so he bought one of the hides and put it on and one of the captains was to take an iron chain and lead him about and so he went into the town and began to play pranks at last the news came to the king's ears that there never had been such fun in the town before for here was a white bear that danced and cut capers just as it was bid so a messenger came to say the bear must come to the castle at once for the king wanted to see its tricks so when it got to the castle everyone was afraid for such a beast they had never seen before but the captain said there was no danger unless they laughed at it they mustn't do that else it would tear them to pieces when the king heard that he warned all the court not to laugh but while the fun was going on in came one of the king's maids and began to laugh and make game of the bear and the bear flew at her and tore her so that there was scarce a rag of her left then all the court began to be wail and the captain most of all stuff and nonsense said the king she's only a maid besides it's more my affair than yours when the show was over it was late at night it's no good you're going away when it's so late said the king the bear had best sleep here perhaps it might sleep in the angle by the kitchen fire said the captain no said the king it shall sleep up here and it shall have pillows and cushions to sleep on so a whole heap of pillows and cushions was brought and the captain had a bed in a side room but at midnight the king came with a lamp in his hand and a big bunch of keys and carried off the white bear he passed along gallery after gallery through doors and rooms upstairs and downstairs till at last he came to appear which ran out into the sea then the king began to pull and haul at posts and pins this one up and that one down till at last a little house floated up to the water's edge there he kept his daughter for she was so dear to him that he had hid her so that no one could find her out he left the white bear outside while he went in and told her how it had danced and played its pranks she said she was afraid and dared not look at it but he talked her over saying there was no danger if she only wouldn't laugh so they brought the bear in and locked the door and it danced and played its tricks but just when the fun was at its height the princess's maid began to laugh then the lad flew at her and tore her to bits and the princess began to cry and sob stuff and nonsense cried the king all this fuss about a maid i'll get you just as good a one again but now i think the bear had best stay here till morning for i don't care to have to go and lead it along all those galleries and stairs at this time of night well said the princess if it sleeps here i'm sure i won't but just then the bear curled himself up and lay down by the stove and it was settled at last that the princess should sleep there too with a light burning but as soon as the king was well gone the white bear came and begged her to undo his collar the princess was so scared she almost swooned away but she felt about till she found the collar and she had scarce undone it before the bear pulled his head off then she knew him again and was so glad there was no end to her joy and she wanted to tell her father at once that her deliverer was come but the lad would not hear of it he would earn her once more he said so in the morning when they heard the king rattling at the posts outside the lad drew on the hide and lay down by the stove well has it lain still the king asked i should think so said the princess it hasn't so much as turned or stretched itself once when they got up to the castle again the captain took the bear and led it away and then the lad threw off the hide and went to a tailor and ordered clothes fit for a prince and when they were fitted on he went to the king and said he wanted to find the princess you're not the first who has wished the same thing said the king but they have all lost their lives for if anyone who tries can't find her in four and twenty hours his life is forfeited yes the lad knew all that still he wished to try and if he couldn't find her it was his look out now in the castle there was a band that played sweet tunes and there were fair maids to dance with and so the lad danced away when twelve hours were gone the king said i pitted you with all my heart you're so poor hand it's seeking you will surely lose your life stuff said the lad while there's life there's hope so as long as there's breath in the body there's no fear we have lots of time and so he went on dancing till there was only one hour left then he said he would begin to search it's no use now said the king times up light your lamp out with your bunch of keys said the lad and follow me with her i wish to go there's still a whole hour left so the lad went the same way which the king had led him the night before and he bade the king unlock door after door till they came down to the pier which ran out into the sea it's all in our years i tell you said the king times up and this will only lead you right out into the sea still five minutes more said the lad as he pulled and pushed at the posts and pins and the house floated up now the time is up bawled the king come hither headsman and take off his head nay nay said the lad stop a bit there are still three minutes out with the key and let me get into this house but there stood the king and fumbled with his keys to draw out the time at last he said he hadn't any key well if you haven't i have said the lad and he gave the door such a kick that it flew to splinters inwards on the floor at the door the princess met him and told her father this was her deliverer on whom her heart was set so she had him and this was how the beggar boy came to marry the king's daughter of arabia end of section 29 section 30 of popular tales from the north this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org read by Selvin popular tales from the north by Sir George Webb Bassent section 30 why the bear is tumpy-tailed one day the bear met the fox who came slinking along with a string of fish he had stolen when did you get those from ask the bear oh my lord twin i've been out fishing and caught him said the fox so the bear had a mind to learn to fish too and there is the fox to tell him how he was to set about it oh it's an easy craft for you answered the fox and soon learned you've only got to go upon the ice and cut a hole and stick your tail down into it and so you must go on holding it there as long as you can you're not to mind if your tail smarts a little that's when the fish bite the longer you hold it there the more fish you'll get and then all at once out with it with the crossbow sideways and with the strong pull too yes the bear did as the fox had said and had held his tail a long long time down in the hole till it was fast frozen in then he pulled it out with the crossbow and it snapped shut off that's why going goes about with a stumpy tail this very day end of section 30 section 31 of popular tales from the Norse this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org this reading by John Newman popular tales from the Norse by Sir George Webb Dessant section 31 not a pin to choose between them once on a time there was a man and he had a wife now this couple wanted to sew their fields but they had neither seed corn nor money to buy it with but they had a cow and the man was to drive it into town and sell it to get money to buy corn for seed but when it came to the pinch the wife dared not let her husband start for fear he should spend the money in drink so she set off herself with the cow and took besides a hen with her close by the town she met a butcher who asked will you sell that cow goody yes i will she answered well what do you want for her oh i must have five shillings for the cow but you shall have the hen for ten pounds very good said the man i don't want the hen and you'll soon get it off your hands in the town but i'll give you five shillings for the cow well she sold her cow for five shillings but there was no one in the town who would give ten pounds for a lean tough old hen so she went back to the butcher and said do all i can i can't get rid of this hen master you must take it too as you took the cow well said the butcher come along and we'll see about it then he treated her both with meat and drink and gave her so much brandy that she lost her head and didn't know what she was about and fell fast asleep but while she slept the butcher took and dipped her into a tar barrel and then laid her down on a heap of feathers and when she woke up she was feathered all over and began to wonder what had befallen her is it me or is it not me no it can never be me it must be some great strange bird but what shall i do to find out whether it is me or not oh i know how i shall be able to tell whether it is me if the calves come and lick me and our dog trey doesn't bark at me when i get home then it must be me and no one else now trey her dog had scarce set his eyes on the strange monster which came through the gate then he set up such a barking one would have thought all the rogues and robbers in the world were in the yard ah dearie me said she i thought so it can't be me surely so she went to the straw yard and the calves wouldn't lick her when they snuffed in the strong smell of tar no no she said it can't be me it must be some strange outlandish bird so she crept up on the roof of the safe and began to flap her arms as if they had been wings and was just going to fly off when her husband saw all this out he came with his rifle and began to take aim at her oh cried the wife don't shoot don't shoot it is only me if it's you said her husband don't stand up there like a goat on a house top but come down and let me hear what you have to say for yourself so she crawled down again but she hadn't a shilling to shoe for the crown she had got from the butcher she had thrown away in her drunkenness when her husband heard her story he said you're only twice as silly as you were before and he got so angry that he made up his mind to go away from her altogether and never come back till he had found three other goodies as silly as his own so he totalled off and when he had walked a little way he saw a goodie who was running in and out of a newly built wooden cottage with an empty sieve and every time she ran in she threw her apron over the sieve just as if she had something in it and when she got in she turned it upside down on the floor why goodie he asked what are you doing oh she answered i'm only carrying in a little sun but i don't know how it is when i'm outside i have the sun in my sieve but when i get inside somehow or other i've thrown it away but in my old cottage i had plenty of sun though i never carried in the least bit i only wish i knew someone who would bring the sun inside i'd give him three hundred dollars and welcome have you got an axe ask the man if you have i'll soon bring the sun inside so he got an axe and cut windows in the cottage for the carpenters had forgotten them then the sun shone in and he got his three hundred dollars that was one of them said the man to himself as he went on his way after a while he passed by a house out of which came an awful screaming and bellowing so he turned in and saw a goodie who was hard at work banging her husband across the head with a beetle and over his head she had drawn a shirt without any slit for the neck why goodie he asked will you beat your husband to death no she said i only must have a hole in this shirt for his neck to come through all the while the husband kept on screaming and calling out heaven help and comfort all who try on new shirts if anyone would teach my goodie another way of making a slit for the neck in my new shirts i'd give him three hundred dollars down and welcome i'll do it in the twinkling of an eye said the man if you'll only give me a pair of scissors so he got a pair of scissors and snipped a hole in the neck and went off with his three hundred dollars that was another of them he said to himself as he walked along last of all he came to a farm where he made up his mind to rest a bit so when he went in the mistress asked him when's do you come master oh said he i come from paradise place for that was the name of his farm from paradise place she cried you don't say so why then you must know my second husband peter who is dead and gone god rest his soul for you must know this goodie had been married three times and as her first and last husbands had been bad she had made up her mind that the second only was gone to heaven oh yes said the man i know him very well well asked the goodie how do things go with him poor dear soul only middling was the answer he goes about begging from house to house and has neither food nor rag to his back as for money he has into six pence to bless himself with mercy on me cried out the goodie he never ought to go about such a figure when he left so much behind him why there's a whole cupboard full of old clothes upstairs which belong to him besides a great chest full of money yonder now if you will take them with you you shall have a horse and cart to carry them as for the horse he can keep it and sit on the cart and drive about from house to house and then he needn't trudge on foot so the man got a whole cart load of clothes and a chest full of shining dollars and as much meat and drink as he would and when he had got all he wanted he jumped into the cart and drove off that was the third he said to himself as he went along now this goodie's third husband was a little way off in the field plowing and when he saw a strange man driving off from the farm with his horse and cart he went home and asked his wife who that was that had just started with the black horse oh do you mean him said the goodie why that was a man from Paradise who said that Peter my dear second husband who is dead and gone is in a sad plight and that he goes from house to house begging and has neither clothes nor money so I just sent him all those old clothes he left behind him and the old money box with the dollars in it the man saw how the land lay in a trice so he saddled his horse and rode off from the farm at full gallop it wasn't long before he was close behind the man who sat and drove the cart but when the latter saw this he drove the cart into a thicket by the side of the road pulled out a handful of hair from the horse's tail jumped up on a little rise in the wood where he tied the hair fast to a birch and then lay down under it and began to peer and stare up at the sky well well if I ever he said as Peter the third came riding up no I never saw the like of this in all my born days then Peter stood and looked at him for some time wondering what had come over him but at last he asked what do you lie there staring at no kept on the man I never did see anything like it here's a man going straight up to heaven on a black horse and here you see his horse's tail still hanging in this birch and yonder up in the sky you see the black horse Peter looked first at the man and then at the sky and said I see nothing but the horse hair in the birch that's all I see of course you can't wear you stand said the man but just come and lie down here and stare straight up and mind you don't take your eyes off the sky and then you shall see what you shall see but while Peter the third lay and stared up at the sky till his eyes filled with tears the man from paradise place took his horse and jumped on its back and rode off both with it and the cart and horse when the hooves thundered along the road Peter the third jumped up but he was so taken aback when he found the man had gone off with his horse that he hadn't the sense to run after him till it was too late he was rather down in the mouth when he got home to his goody but when she asked him what he had done with the horse he said I gave it to the man too for Peter the second for I thought it wasn't right he should sit in a cart and scramble about from house to house so now he can sell the cart and buy himself a coach to drive about in thank you heartily said his wife I never thought you could be so kind well when the man reached home who had got the six hundred dollars and the cartload of clothes and money he saw that all his fields were plowed and sown and the first thing he asked his wife was where she had got the seed corn from oh she said I have always heard that when a man sows he shall reap so I sowed the salt which our friends the north countrymen laid up here with us and if we only have rain I fancy it will come up nicely silly you are said her husband and silly you will be so long as you live but that is all one now for the rest are not a bit wiser than you there is not a pin to choose between you end of section 31 section 32 of popular tales from north this is LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org read by Varun Mial popular tales from north by Sir George Rept isn't section 32 once own children are always prettiest a sportsman went out wanting to work to shoot and he met a snipe dear friend said a snipe don't shoot my children how should I know your children as a sportsman what they like oh said the snipe mine are the prettiest children in all the board very well said the sportsman or not shoot them don't be afraid but for all that when he came back they hear a whole string of young snipes in his hand which he had shot oh oh said the snipe why did you shoot my children after all what these your children said the sportsman why I shot the ugliest I could find that I did well with me says snipe don't you know that each one thinks his own children is prettiest in the world end of section 32 section 33 of popular tales from the north this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Lenny popular tales from the north by George Desent section 33 the three princesses of whiteland once in a time there was a fisherman who lived close by a palace and fished for the king's table one day when he was out fishing he just caught nothing do what he would however he tried with bait and angle there was never a spread on his hook but when the day was far spent a head bobbed up out of the water and said if I may have what your wife bears under her girdle you shall catch fish enough so the man answered boldly yes for he did not know that his wife was going to have a child after that as was like enough he caught plenty of fish of all kinds but when he got home at night and told his story how he had got all that fish his wife fell weeping and moaning and was beside herself for the promise which her husband had made for she said I bear a babe under my girdle well the story soon spread and came up to the castle and when the king heard the woman's grief and its cause he sent down to say he would take care of the child and see if he couldn't save it so the months went on and on and when her time came the fisher's wife had a boy so the king took it at once and brought it up as his own son until the leg grew up then he begged leave one day to go out fishing with his father he had such a mind to go he said at first the king wouldn't hear of it but at last the lad had his way and went so he and his father were out the whole day and all went right and well till they landed at night then the lad remembered he had left his handkerchief and went to look for it but as soon as ever he got into the boat it began to move off with him at such speed that the water roared under the bow and all the lad could do in rowing against it with the oars was no use so he went and went the whole night and at last he came to a white strand far far away there he went ashore and when he had walked about a bit an old old man met him with a long white beard what's the name of this land asked the lad white land said the man who went on to ask the lad when he came and what he was going to do so the lad told him all hey hey said the man now when you have walked a little farther along the strand here you'll come to the three princesses whom you will see standing in the earth up to their necks with only their heads out then the first she's the eldest will call out and beg you so prettily to come and help her and the second will do the same to neither of these shall you go make haste past them as if you neither saw nor heard anything but the third you shall go to and do what she asks if you do this you'll have good luck that's all when the lad came to the first princess she called out to him and begged him so prettily to come to her but he passed on as though he saw her not in the same way he passed by the second but to the third he went straight up if you'll do what i bid you she said you may have which of us you please yes he was willing enough so she told him how three trolls had sat them down in the earth there but before they had lived in the castle up among the trees now she said you must go into that castle and let the trolls whip you each one night for each of us if you can bear that you'll set us free well the lad said he was ready to try when you go in the princess went on to say you'll see two lions standing at the gate but if you'll only go right in the middle between them they'll do you no harm then go straight on into a little dark room and make your bed then the troll will come to whip you but if you take the flask which hangs on the wall and rub yourself with the ointment that's in it wherever he slash falls you'll be as silent as ever then grasp the sword that hangs by the side of the flask and strike the troll dead yes he did as the princess told him he passed in the midst between the lions as if he hadn't seen them and went straight into the little room and there he lay down to sleep the first night there came a troll with three heads and three rods and whipped the lad soundly but he stood it till the troll was done then he took the flask and rubbed himself and grasped the sword and slew the troll so when he went out next morning the princesses stood out of the earth up to their wastes the next night was the same story over again only this time the troll had six heads and six rods and he whipped him far worse than the first but when he went out next morning the princesses stood out of the earth as far as the knee the third night there came a troll that had nine heads and nine rods and he whipped and flogged the lad so long that he fainted away then the troll took him up and dashed him against the wall but the shock brought down the flask which fell on the lad burst and spilled the ointment all over him and so he became as strong and sound as ever again then he wasn't slow he grasped the sword and slew the troll and next morning when he went out of the castle the princesses stood before him with all their bodies out of the earth so he took the youngest for his queen and lived well and happily with her for some time at last he began too long to go home for a little to see his parents his queen did not like this but at last his heart was so set on it and he longed and longed so much there was no holding him back so she said one thing you must promise me this only to do what your father begs you to do and not what your mother wishes and that he promised then she gave him a ring which was of that kind that anyone who wore it might wish two wishes so he wished himself home and when he got home his parents could not wonder enough what a grand man their son had become now when he had been at home some days his mother wished him to go up to the palace and show the king what a fine fellow he had come to be but his father said no don't let him do that if he does we shouldn't have any more joy of him this time but it was no good the mother bagged and prayed so long that at last he went so when he got up to the palace he was far braver both in clothes and array than the other king who didn't quite like this and at last he said all very fine but here you can see my queen what light she is but i can see yours that i can't do you know i scarce think she's so good looking as mine wood to heaven said the young king she was standing here then you'd see what she was like in that instant there she stood before them but she was very woeful and said to him why did you not mind what i told you and why did you not listen to what your father said now i must away home and as for you you have had both your wishes with that she knitted a ring among his hair with her name on it and wished herself home and was off then the young king was cut to the heart and went day out day in thinking and thinking how he should get back to his queen i'll just try he thought if i can't learn where white land lies and so he went out into the world to ask so when he had gone a good way he came to a high hill and there he met one who was lord over all the beasts of the wood for they all came home to him when he blew his horn so the king asked if he knew where white land was no i don't said he but i'll ask my beasts then he blew his horn and called them and asked if any of them knew where white land lay but there was no beast that knew so the man gave him a pair of snow shoes when you get on these he said you'll come to my brother who lives hundreds of miles off he is lord over all the birds of the year ask him when you reach his house just turn the shoes so that the toes point this way and he'll come home of themselves so when the king reached the house he turned the shoes as the lord of the beasts had said in a way they went home of themselves so he asked again after white land and the man called all the birds with a blast of his horn and asked if any of them knew where white land lay but none of the birds knew now long long after the rest of the birds came an old eagle which had been away 10 round years but he couldn't tell any more than the rest well well said the man i'll lend you a pair of snow shoes and when you get them on they'll carry you to my brother who lives hundreds of miles off his lord of all the fish in the sea you'd better ask him but don't forget to turn the toes of the shoes this way the king was full of thanks got on the shoes and when he came to the man who was lord over the fish of the sea he turned the toes round and so off they went home like the other pair after that he asked again after white land so the man called the fish with a blast but no fish could tell where it lay at last came an old pike which they had great work to call home he was such a way off so when they asked him he said no it i should think i did i've been cooked there 10 years and tomorrow i'm going there again for now the queen of white land whose king is away is going to add another husband well said the man as this is so i'll give you a bit of advice hear about on a more stand three brothers and here they have stood these hundred years fighting about a hat a cloak and a pair of boots if anyone has these three things he can make himself invisible and wish himself anywhere he pleases you can tell them you wish to try the things and after that he'll pass judgment between them who's they shall be yes the king thanked the man and went and did as he told him what's all this he said to the brothers why do you stand here fighting forever and a day just let me try these things and i'll give judgment who's they shall be they were very willing to do this but as soon as he had got the hat cloak and boots he said when we meet next time i'll tell you my judgment and with these words he wished himself away so as he went along up in the air he came up with the north wind with her way roared the north wind to white land said the king and then he told him all that had befallen him ah said the north wind you go faster than i you do for you can go straight while i have to puff and blow around every turn and corner but when you get there just place yourself on the stairs by the side of the door and then i'll come storming in as though i were going to blow down the whole castle and then when the prince who is to have your queen comes out to see what's the matter just you take him by the collar and pitch him out of doors then i'll look after him and see if i can carry him off well the king did as the north wind said he took his stand on the stairs and when the north wind came storming and roaring and took hold of the castle wall so that it shook again the prince came out to see what was the matter but as soon as ever he came the king caught him by the collar and pitched him out of doors and then the north wind caught him up and carried him off so when there was an end of him the king went into the castle and at first his queen didn't know him he was so wan and thin the wandering so far and being so woofo but when he shoot her the ring she was as glad as glad could be and so the rightful wedding was held and the fame of it spread far and wide end of section 33 section 34 of popular tales from the north this is a liverwax recording all liverwax recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit liverwax.org recording by ndu popular tales from the north by George Descent section 34 the lassie and her godmother once on a time a poor couple lived far far away a great wood the wife was brought to bed and had a pretty girl but they were so poor they did not know how to get the babe christian for they had no money to pay the parson's fee so one day the father went out to see if he could find anyone who was willing to stand for the child and pay the fees but though he walked about the whole day from one house to another and though all said they were willing enough to stand no one thought himself bound to pay the fees now when he was going home again a lovely lady met him dressed so fine and who looked so thoroughly good and kind she offered to get the babe christened but after that she said she must keep it for her own the husband answered he must first ask his wife what she wished to do but when he got home and told his story the wife said write out no next day the man went out again but no one would stand if they had to pay the fees and though he backed and played he could get no help and again as he went home towards evening the same lovely lady met him who looked so sweet and good and she made him the same offer so he told his wife again how he had fared and this time she said if he couldn't get anyone to stand for his babe next day then they must just let the lady have her way since she seemed so kind and good the third day the man went about but he couldn't get anyone to stand so when towards evening he met the kind lady again he gave his word she should have the babe if she would only get it christened at the front so next morning she went to the place where the man lived followed by two men to stand godfathers took the babe and carried it to church and there it was christened after that she took it to her own house and there the little girl lived with her several years and her foster mother was always kind and friendly to her now when the lassie had grown to be big enough to know right and wrong her foster mother got ready to go on a journey you have my leave she said to go to go all over the house except those rooms which i showed you and when she had said that away she went but the lassie could not forbear just to open one of the doors a little bit when pop out through a star when her foster mother came back she was very vexed to find that the star had thrown out and she got very angry with her foster daughter and threatened to send her away but the child cried and begged so hard that she got leave to stay now after a while the foster mother had to go on another journey and before she went she forbade the lassie to go into those two rooms into which she had never been she promised to beware but when she was left alone she began to think and to wonder what there could be in the second room and alas she could not help settling the door allura jar just to peep in when pop out through the moon when a foster mother came home and found the moon let out she was very downcast and said to the lassie she must go away she could not stay with her any longer but the lassie wept so bitterly and prayed so heartily for forgiveness that this time too she got leave to stay sometime after the foster mother had to go away again and she charged the lassie who by this time was half grown up most earnestly that she mustn't try to go into or to peep into the third room but when her foster mother had been gone sometime and the lassie was weary of walking about alone all one she thought dear me what fun it would be just to peep a little into the third room then she thought she mustn't do it for a foster mother's sake but when the bad thought came the second time she could hold out no longer come what might she must and would look into the room so she just opened the door and a tiny bit when pop out through the sun but when her foster mother came back and saw that the sun had thrown away she was cut her heart and said now there was no help for it the lassie must and should go away she couldn't hear of her staying any longer now the lassie cried her eyes out and begged and prayed so prettily but it was all no good nay but i must punish you said her foster mother but you may have your choice either to be the loveliest woman in the world and not to be able to speak or to keep your speech and be the ugliest of all women but away from me you must go and the lassie said i would sooner be lovely so she became all at once wondrous fair but from that day forth she was dumb so when she went away from her foster mother she walked and wandered through a great great wood but the father she went the father off the end seemed to be so when the evening came on she she climbed up a tall tree which grew over a spring and there she made herself up to sleep that night close by lay a castle and from that castle came early every morning a maid to draw water to make the prince's tea from the spring over which the lassie was sitting so the maid looked down into the spring and saw the lovely face in the water and thought it was her own then she frung away the picture and ran home and when she got there she tossed up her head and said if i'm so pretty i'm far too good to go and fetch water so another maid had to go for the water but the same thing happened to her she went back and said she was far too pretty and too good to fetch water from the spring of the prince then the prince went himself for he had a mind to see what all this could mean so when he reached the spring he too saw the image in the water but he looked up at once and became aware of the lovely lassie who sat there up in the tree then he coursed her down and took her home and at last made up his mind to have her for his queen because she was so lovely but his mother who was still alive was against it she can speak she said and maybe she's a wicked witch but the prince could not be content till he got her so after they had lived together a while the lassie was to have a child and when the child came to be born the prince set a strong watch around her but at the birth one and all fell into a deep sleep and her foster mother came cut the babe on his little finger and smeared the queen's mouth with the blood and said now you shall be as grieved as i was when you let out the star and with these words she carried off the babe but when those who were on the watch woke they thought the queen had eaten her own child and the old queen was all for burning her alive but the prince was so fond of her that alas he backed her off but he had hard work to set her free so the next time the young queen was to have a child twice as strong a watch was set as the first time but the same thing happened over again only this time her foster mother said now you shall be as grieved as i was when you let the moon out and the queen begged and played and wept for when a foster mother was there she could speak but it was all no good and now the old queen said she must be burned but the prince found means to back her off when the third child was to be born a watch was set three times as strong as the first but just the same thing happened her foster mother came while the watch slept took the babe and cut his little finger and smeared the queen's mouth with the blood telling her now she should be as grieved as she had been when the lassie let out the sun and now the prince could not save her anymore she must and should be burned but just as they were leading her to the stake all at once they saw her foster mother who came with all three children two she held by the hand and the third one had on her arm and so she went up to the young queen and said here are your children now you shall have them again i am the virgin Mary and so grieved was i when you let out sun and moon and star now you have been punished for what you did and henceforth you shall have your speech how great queen and prince now were all may easily think but no one can tell after that they were always happy and from that day even the prince mother was very fond of the young queen and of section 34 recording by Andy Yu Mississauga Canada section 35 of popular tales from the Norse this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org read by Jessica Louise popular tales from the Norse by Sir George Webb Descent section 35 the three aunts once on a time there was a poor man who lived in a hut far away in the wood and got his living by shooting he had an only daughter who was very pretty and as she had lost her mother when she was a child and was now half grown up she said she would go out into the world and earn her bread well lassie said the father true enough you have learned nothing here but how to pluck birds and roast them but still you may as well try to earn your bread so the girl went off to seek a place and when she had gone a little while she came to a palace there she stayed and got a place and the queen liked her so well that all the other maids got envious of her so they made up their minds to tell the queen how the lassie said she was good to spin a pound of flax in four and twenty hours for you must know the queen was a great housewife and thought much of good work have you said this then you shall do it said the queen but you may have a little longer time if you choose now the poor lassie dared not say she'd never spun in all her life but she only begged for a room to herself that she got and the wheel and the flax were brought up to her there she sat sad and weeping and knew not how to help herself she pulled the wheel this way and that and twisted and turned it about but she made a poor hand of it for she had never even seen a spinning wheel in all her life but all at once as she sat there in came an old woman to her what ails you child she said ah said the lassie with a deep sigh it's no good to tell you for you'll never be able to help me who knows said the old wife maybe i know how to help you after all well thought the lassie to herself i may as well tell her and so she told her how her fellow servants had given out that she was good to spin a pound of flax in four and twenty hours and here i am rich that i am shut up to spin all that heap in a day and a night when i've never even seen a spinning wheel in all my born days well nevermind child said the old woman if you call me aunt on the happiest day of your life i'll spin this flax for you and so you may just go away and lie down to sleep yes the lassie was willing enough and off she went and lay down to sleep next morning when she awoke there lay all the flax spun on the table and that so clean and fine no one had ever seen such even and pretty yarn the queen was very glad to get such nice yarn and she set greater store by the lassie than ever but the rest were still more envious and agreed to tell the queen how the lassie had said she was good to weave the yarn she had spun in four and twenty hours so the queen said again as she had said it she must do it but if she couldn't quite finish in four and twenty hours she wouldn't be too hard upon her she might have a little more time this time too the lassie dared not say no but begged for a room to herself and then she would try there she sat again sobbing and crying and not knowing which way to turn when another old woman came in and asked what ale is you child at first the lassie wouldn't say but at last she told her the whole story of her grief well well said the old wife never mind if you'll call me aunt on the happiest day of your life i'll weave this yarn for you and so you may just be off and lie down to sleep yes the lassie was willing enough so she went away and lay down to sleep when she awoke there lay the piece of linen on the table woven so neat and close no wolf could be better so the lassie took the piece and ran down to the queen who was very glad to get such beautiful linen and set greater store than ever by the lassie but as for the others they grew still more bitter against her and thought of nothing but how to find out something to tell about her at last they told the queen the lassie had said she was good to make up the piece of linen into shirts in four and twenty hours well all happened as before the lassie dared not say she couldn't so so she was shut up again in a room by herself and there she sat in tears in grief but then another old wife came who said she would sew the shirts for her if she would call her aunt on the happiest day of her life the lassie was only too glad to do this and then she did as the old wife told her and went lay down to sleep next morning when she woke she found the piece of linen made up into shirts which lay on the table and such beautiful work no one had ever set eyes on and more than that the shirts were all marked and ready for wear so when the queen saw the work she was so glad at the way in which it was sewn that she clapped her hands and said such sewing i'd never had nor even son all my born days and after that she was as fond of the lassie as of her own children and she said to her now if you like to have the prince for your husband you shall have him for you'll never need to hire work women you can sew and spin and weave all yourself so as the lassie was pretty and the prince was glad to have her the wedding soon came on just as the prince was going to sit down with the bride to the bridal feast in came an ugly old hag with a long nose i'm sure it was three ls long so up got the bride and made a curtsy and said good day auntie that auntie to my bride said the prince yes she was well then she better sit down with us to the feast said the prince but to tell you the truth both he and the rest thought she was a loathsome woman to have next to you but just then in came another ugly old hag she had a back so humped and broad she had hard work to get through the door up jumped the bride in a trice and greeted her with good day auntie and the prince asked again if this were his brides aunt they both said yes so the prince said if that were so she too had better sit down with them to the feast but they had scarce taken their seats before another ugly old hag came in with eyes as large as saucers and so red and bleared to his gruesome to look at her but up jumped the bride again with her good day auntie and her too the prince asked to sit down but i can't say he was very glad for he thought to himself heaven shield me from such aunties as my bride has so when he had said a while he could not keep his thoughts to himself any longer but asked but how in all the world can my bride who is such a lovely lassie have such a loathsome misshapen aunts i'll soon tell you how it is said the first i was just as good looking when i was her age but the reason why i've got this long nose is because i was always kept sitting and poking and nodding over my spinning and so my nose got stretched and stretched until it got as long as you now see it and i said the second ever since i was young i have sat and scuttled backwards and forwards over my loom and that's how my back has got so broad and humped as you now see it and i said the third ever since i was little have sat and stared and sown and sown and stared night and day and that's why my eyes have got so ugly and red and now there's no help for them so so said the prince to as lucky i came to know this for if folk can get so ugly and loathsome by all this then my bride shall neither spin nor weave nor sew all her life long end of section 35 recording by jessica louise st paul minnesota section 36 of popular tales from the north this is the live of arch recording i'll live of arch recordings other than the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit the provax.org read by verin rio popular tales from the north by sir joch remtizant section 36 the cock the cuckoo and the black cock this is another of those tales in which the birds of notes must be mutated once on a time the cock the cuckoo and the black cock bought a car between them but when they came to share and couldn't agree which should buy the others out they settled that he who walked first in the morning should have to count so the cock walked first now the cow's mine now the cow's mine hooray hooray he crew and as he crew up awoke the cuckoo half cow half cow sang the cuckoo and looked up the black cock a light share a light share dear friends that's only fair saucy seesaw that's what the black cock said and now can you tell me which of them ought to have to count ends of section 36 section 37 of popular tales from the north's this is a libra vox recording all libra vox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit libravox.org read by Hollis Hanover popular tales from the north's by Sir George Webb Dacent section 37 rich peter the peddler once on a time there was a man whom they called rich peter the peddler because he used to travel about with a pack and got so much money that he became quite rich this rich peter had a daughter whom he held so dear that all who came to woo her were sent about their business for no one was good enough for her he thought well this went on and on and at last no one came to woo her and as years rolled on peter began to be afraid that she would die an old maid i wonder he said to his wife why suitors no longer come to woo our last who is so rich it would be odd if nobody cared to have her for money she has and more she shall have i think i'd better just go off to the star gazers and ask them whom she shall have for not a soul comes to us now but how asked the wife can the star gazers answer that can't they said peter why they read all things in the stars so he took with him a great bag of money and set off to the star gazers and asked them to be so good as to look at the stars and tell him the husband his daughter was to have well the star gazers looked and looked but they said they could see nothing about it but peter begged them to look better and to tell him the truth he would pay them well for it so the star gazers looked better and at last they said that his daughter's husband was to be the miller's son who was only just born down at the mill below rich peter's house then peter gave the star gazers a hundred dollars and went home with the answer he had got now he thought it too good a joke that his daughter should wed one so newly born and of such poor estate he said this to his wife and added i wonder now if they would sell me the boy then i'd soon put him out of the way hi dare say they would said his wife you know they're very poor so peter went down to the mill and asked the miller's wife whether she would sell him her son she should get a heap of money for him no that she wouldn't well said peter i'm sure i can't see why you shouldn't you work hard enough as it is to keep hunger out of the house and the boy won't make it easier i think but the mother was so proud of the boy she couldn't part with him so when the miller came home peter said the same thing to him and gave his word to pay six hundred dollars for the boy so that they might buy themselves a farm of their own and not have to grind other folks horn and to starve when they ran short of water the miller thought it was a good bargain and he talked over his wife and the end was that rich peter got the boy the mother cried and sobbed but peter comforted her by saying the boy should be well cared for only they had to promise never to ask after him for he said he meant to send him far away to other lands so that he might learn foreign tongues so when peter the peddler got home with the boy he sent for a carpenter and had a little chest made which was so tidy and neat it was a joy to see this he made watertight with pitch put the miller's boy into it locked it up and threw it into the river where the stream carried it away now i'm rid of him thought peter the peddler but when the chest had floated ever so far down the stream it came into the mill head of another mill and ran down and hampered the shaft of the wheel and stopped it out came the miller to see what stopped the mill found the chest and took it up so when he came home to dinner with his wife he said i wonder now whatever there can be inside this chest which came floating down the mill head and stopped our mill today that will soon know said the wife see there's a key in the lock just turn it so they turned the key and opened the chest and lo there lay the prettiest child you ever set eyes on so they were both glad and were ready to keep the child for they had no children of their own and were so old they could now hope for none now after a little while peter the peddler began to wonder how it was no one came to woo his daughter who was so rich in land and had so much ready money at last when no one came off he went again to the stargazers and offered them a heap of money if they could tell him whom his daughter was to have for a husband why we have told you already that she is to have the miller's son down yonder said the stargazers all very true i dare say said peter the peddler but it so happens he's dead but if you can tell me whom she's to have i'll give you two hundred dollars and welcome so the stargazers looked at the stars again but they got quite cross and said we told you before and we tell you now she is to have the miller's son whom you threw into the river and wished to make an end of for he is alive safe and sound in such a such a mill far down the stream so peter the peddler gave them two hundred dollars for this news and thought how he could best be rid of the miller's son the first thing peter did when he got home was to set off for the mill by that time the boy was so big that he had been confirmed and went about the mill and helped the miller such a pretty boy you never saw can't you spare me that lad yonder said peter the peddler to the miller know that i can't he answered i've brought him up as my own son and he has turned out so well that now he's a great help and aid to me in the mill for i'm getting old and past work it's just the same with me said peter the peddler that's why i'd like to have someone to learn my trade now if you'll give him up to me i'll give you six hundred dollars and then you could buy yourself a farm and live in peace and quiet the rest of your days yes when the miller heard that he let peter the peddler have the lad then the two traveled about far and wide with their packs and wares till they came to an end which lay by the edge of a great wood from this peter the peddler sent the lad home with a letter to his wife for the way was not so long if you took the shortcut across the wood and told him to tell her she was to be sure and do what was written in the letter as quickly as she could but it was written in the letter that she was to have a great pile made there and then fire it and cast the miller's son into it if she didn't do that he'd burn her alive himself when he came back so the lad set off with the letter across the wood and when evening came on he reached a house far or far away in the wood into which he went but inside he found no one in one of the rooms was a bed ready made so he threw himself across it and fell asleep the letter he had stuck into his hat band and the hat he pulled over his face so when the robbers came back for in that house twelve robbers had their abode and saw the lad lying on the bed they began to wonder who he could be and one of them took the letter and broke it open and read it ho ho said he this comes from peter the peddler does it now we'll play him a trick it would be a pity if the old niggered made an end of such a pretty lad so the robbers wrote another letter to peter the peddler's wife and fastened it under his hat band while he slept and in that they wrote that as soon as ever she got it she was to make a wedding for her daughter and the miller's boy and give them horses and cattle and household stuff and set them up for themselves in the farm which he had under the hill and if he didn't find all this done by the time he came back she'd smart for it that was all next day the robbers let the lad go and when he came home and delivered the letter he said he was to greet her kindly from peter the peddler and to say that she was to carry out what was written in the letter as soon as ever she could you must have behaved very well then said peter the peddler's wife to the miller's boy if he can write so about you now for when you set off he was so mad against you he didn't know how to put you out of the way so she married them on the spot and set them up for themselves with horses and cattle and household stuff in the farm up under the hill no long time after peter the peddler came home and the first thing he asked was if she had done what he had written in his letter hi-hi she said i thought it rather odd but i dared not do anything else and so peter asked where his daughter was why you know well enough where she is said his wife where should she be but up at the farm under the hill as you wrote in the letter so when peter the peddler came to hear the whole story and came to see the letter he got so angry he was ready to burst with rage and off he ran up to the farm to the young couple it's all very well my son to say that you have got my daughter he said to the miller's lad but if you wish to keep her you must go to the dragon of deep ferry and get me three feathers out of his tail for he who has them may get anything he chooses but where shall i find him said his son-in-law i'm sure i can't tell said peter the peddler that's your lookout not mine so the lad set off with a stout heart and after he had walked some way he came to a king's palace here i'll just step in and ask he said to himself for such great folk know more about the world than others and perhaps i may hear learned the way to the dragon then the king asked him whence he came and whether he was going oh said the lad i'm going to the dragon of deep ferry to pluck three feathers out of his tail if i only know where to find him you must take luck with you then said the king for i never heard of anyone who came back from that search but if you can find him just to ask him from me why i can't get clear water in my well for i've dug it out time after time and still i can't get a drop of clear water yes i'll be sure to ask him said the lad so he lived on the fat of the land at the palace and got money and food when he left it at even he came to another king's palace and when he went into the kitchen the king came out of the parlor and asked whence he came and on what errand he was bound oh said the lad i'm going to the dragon of deep ferry to pluck three feathers out of his tail then you must take luck with you said the king for i never yet heard that anyone came back who went to look for him but if you find him be so good as to ask him from me where my daughter is who has been lost so many years i have hunted for her and had her name given out in every church in the country but no one can tell me anything about her yes i'll mind to do that said the lad and in that palace too he lived on the best and when he went away he got both money and food so when evening drew on again he came at last to another king's palace here who should come out into the kitchen but the queen and she asked him whence he came and on what errand he was bound i'm going to the dragon of deep ferry to pluck three feathers out of his tail said the lad then you'd better take a good piece of luck with you said the queen for i never heard of anyone that came back from him but if you find him just be good enough to ask him from me where i shall find my gold keys which i have lost yes i'll be sure to ask him said the lad well when he left the palace he came to a great rod river and while he stood there and wondered whether he should cross it or go down along the bank an old hunchback man came up and asked whether he was going oh i'm going to the dragon of deep ferry if i could only find anyone to tell me where i can find him i can tell you that said the man for here i go backwards and forwards and carry those over who are going to see him he lives just across and when you climb the hill you'll see his castle but mind if you come to talk to him to ask him for me how long i'm to stop here and carry folk over i'll be sure to ask him said the lad so the man took him on his back and carried him over the river and when he climbed the hill he saw the castle and went in he found there a princess who lived with the dragon all alone and she said but dear friend how can christian folk dare to come hither none have been here since i came and you'd best be off as fast as you can for as soon as the dragon comes home he'll smell you out and gobble you up in a trice and that'll make me so unhappy nay nay said the lad i can't go before i've got three feathers out of his tail you'll never get them said the princess you'd best be off but the lad wouldn't go he would wait for the dragon and get the feathers and an answer to all his questions well since you're so steadfast i'll see what i can do to help you said the princess just try to lift that sword that hangs on the wall of yonder no the lad could not even stir it i thought so said the princess but just take a drink out of this flask so when the lad had sat a while he was to try again and then he could just stir it well you must take another drink said the princess and then you may as well tell me you're erin hither so he took another drink and then he told her how one king had begged him to ask the dragon how was it he couldn't get clean water in his well how another had bitten him asked what had become of his daughter who had been lost many years since and how a queen had begged him to ask the dragon what had become of her gold keys and last of all how the ferryman had begged him to ask the dragon how long he was to stop there and carry folk over when he had done his story and took hold of the sword he could lift it and when he had taken another drink he could brandish it now said the princess if you don't want the dragon to make an end of you you'd best creep under the bed for night is drawing on and he'll soon be home and then you must lie as still as you can lest he should find you out and when we have gone to bed i'll ask him but you must keep your ears open and snap up all that he says and under the bed you must lie till all is still and the dragon falls asleep then creep out softly and seize the sword and as soon as he rises look out to hue off his head at one stroke and at the same time pluck out his three feathers for else he'll tear them out himself that no one may get any good by them so the lad crept under the bed and the dragon came home what a smell of christian flesh said the dragon oh yes said the princess a raven came flying with a man's bone in his bill and perched on the roof no doubt it's that you smell so it is i dare say said the dragon so the princess served supper and after they had eaten they went to bed but after they had lain a while the princess began to toss about and all at once she started up and said ah ah what's the matter said the dragon oh said the princess i can't rest at all and i've had such a strange dream what did you dream about let's hear said the dragon i thought a king came here and asked you what he must do to get clear water in his well oh said the dragon he might just as well have found out that for himself if he dug the well out and took out the old rotten stump which lies at the bottom he'd get clean water fast enough but be still now and don't preem anymore when the princess had lain a while she began to toss about and at last she started up with her ah ah what's the matter now said the dragon oh i can't get any rest at all and i've had such a strange dream said the princess why you seem full of dreams tonight said the dragon what was your dream now i thought a king came here and asked you what had become of his daughter who had been lost many years since said the princess why you are she said the dragon but he'll never set eyes on you again but now do pray be still and let me get some rest and don't let's have any more dreams else i'll break your ribs well the princess hadn't lain much longer before she began to toss about again at last she started up with her ah ah what are you at it again said the dragon what's the matter now where he was wild and sleep surly so that he was ready to fly to pieces oh don't be angry said the princess but i've had such a strange dream the deuce take your dreams roared the dragon what did you dream this time i thought a queen came here who asked you to tell her where she would find her gold keys which she has lost oh said the dragon she'll find them soon enough if she looks among the bushes where she lay that time she wants of but do now let me have no more dreams but sleep in peace so they slept a while but then the princess was just as restless as ever and at last she screamed out ah ah you'll never behave till i break your neck said the dragon who is now so wroth that sparks of fire flew out of his eyes what's the matter now oh don't be so angry said the princess i can't bear that but i've had such a strange dream bless me said the dragon if i ever heard the like of these dreams there's no end to them and pray what did you dream now i thought the ferryman down at the ferry came and asked how long he was to stop there and carry folk over said the princess the dull fool said their dragon he'd soon be free if he chose when anyone comes who wants to go across he has only to take him throw him into the river and say now carry folk over yourself till someone sets you free but now pray let's have an end of these dreams else i'll lead you a pretty dance so the princess let him sleep on but as soon as all was still and the miller's lad heard that the dragon snored he crept out before it was light the dragon rose but he had scarce set both his feet on the floor before the lad cut off his head and plucked three feathers out of his tail then came great joy and both the lad and the princess took as much gold and silver and money and precious things as they could carry and when they came down to the floor they so puzzled the ferryman with all they had to tell that he quite forgot to ask what the dragon had said about him till they had got across hello you sir he said as they were going off did you ask the dragon what i begged you to ask yes i did said the lad and he said when anyone comes and wants to go over you must throw him into the midst of the river and say now carry folk over yourself till someone comes to set you free and then you'll be free ah bad luck to you said the ferryman had you told me that before you might have set me free yourself so when they got to the first palace the queen asked if he had spoken to the dragon about her gold keys yes said the lad and whispered in the queen's ear he said you must look among the bushes where you lay the day you watered hush hush don't say a word said the queen and gave the lad a hundred dollars when they came to the second palace the king asked that he had spoken to the dragon of what he begged him yes said the lad i did and see here is your daughter at that the king was so glad he would gladly have given the princess to the miller's lad to wife and half the kingdom beside but as he was married already he gave him two hundred dollars and coaches and horses and as much gold and silver as he could carry away when he came to the third king's palace out came the king and asked him if he had asked the dragon of what he begged him yes said the lad and he said you must dig out the well and take out the rotten old stump which lies at the bottom and then you'll get plenty of clear water then the king gave him three hundred dollars and he sent out home but he was so loaded with gold and silver and so grandly clothed that it gleamed and implicit from him and he was now far richer than peter the peddler when peter got the feathers he had no word more to say against the wedding but when he saw all that wealth he asked if there was still much left at the dragon's castle yes i should think so said the lad there was much more than i could carry with me so much that you might load many horses with it and if you chose to go you may be sure there'll be enough for you so his son-in-law told him the way so clearly that he hadn't to ask it of anyone but the horses said the lad you'd best leave this side of the river for the old ferriman he'll carry you over safe enough so peter sat off and took with him great store of food and many horses but these he left behind him on the river's brink as the lad had said and the old ferriman took him upon his back but when they had come a bit out into the stream he cast him into the midst of the river and said now you may go backwards and forwards here and carry folk over till you are set free and unless someone has set him free there goes rich peter the peddler backwards and forwards and carries folk across this very day end of section 37 section 38 of popular tales from the north this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org read by David Lawrence July 2008 in Brampton Ontario popular tales from the north Barser George Webb Descent section 38 Gertrude's Bird in those days when our Lord and St. Peter wandered upon earth they once came to an old wife's house who sat baking her name was Gertrude and she had a red much on her head they had walked a long way and were both hungry and our Lord begged hard for a bannock to stay their hunger yes they should have it so she took a little tiny piece of dough and rolled it out but as she rolled it it grew and grew till it covered the whole griddle nay that was too big they couldn't have that so she took a tinier bit still but when that was rolled out it covered the whole griddle just the same and that bannock was too big she said they couldn't have that either the third time she took a still tinier bit so tiny you could scare see it but it was the same story over again the bannock was too big well said Gertrude I can't give you anything you must just go without for all these bannocks are too big then our Lord waxed Roth and said since you love me so little as to grudge me a morsel of food you shall have this punishment you shall become a bird and seek your food between bark and bowl and never get a drop to drink save when it rains he had scarce said the last word before she was turned into a great black woodpecker or Gertrude's bird and flew from her kneading trough right up the chimney and till this very day you may see her flying about with her red much on her head and her body all black because of the soot in the chimney and so she hacks and taps away at the trees for her food and whistles when rain is coming for she is ever a thirst and then she looks for a drop to cool her tongue end of section 38 section 39 of popular tales from the Norse this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org read by George Yeager popular tales from the Norse by Sir George Webb Docent section 39 boots and the troll once upon a time there was a poor man who had three sons when he died the two elders set off into the world to try their luck but the youngest they wouldn't have with him at any price as for you they said you're fit for nothing but to sit and poke about in the ashes so the two went off and got places at a palace the one under the coachman and the other under the gardener but boots he set off too and he took with him a great kneading trough which was the only thing his parents left behind them but which the other two would not bother themselves with it was heavy to carry but he did not like to leave it behind and so after he had trudged a bit he too came to the palace and asked for a place so they told him they did not want him but he begged so prettily that at last he got leave to be in the kitchen and to carry in wood and water for the kitchen maid he was quick and ready and in a little while everyone liked him but the two others were dull and so they got more kicks than halfpence and grew quite envious of boots when they saw how much better he got on just opposite the palace across a lake lived a troll who had seven silver ducks which swam on the lake so that they could be seen from the palace these the king had often longed for and so the two elder brothers told the coachman if our brother only chose he has said he could easily get the king those seven silver ducks you may fancy it wasn't long before the coachman told this to the king and the king called boots before him and said your brothers say you can get me the silver ducks so now go and fetch them i'm sure i never thought or said anything of the kind said the lad you did say so and you shall fetch them said the king who would hold his own well well said the lad needs be i suppose but give me a bushel of rye and a bushel of wheat and i'll try what i can do so he got the rye and the wheat and put them into the kneading trough he had brought with him from home got in and rode across the lake when he reached the other side he began to walk along the shore and to sprinkle and strew the grain and at last he cokes the ducks into his kneading trough and rode back as fast as ever he could when he got half over the troll came out of his house and set eyes on him hello roared out the troll is it you that has gone off with my seven silver ducks i i said the lad shall you be back soon asked the troll very likely said the lad so when he got back to the king with the seven silver ducks he was more like than ever and even the king was pleased to say well done but at this his brothers grew more and more spiteful and envious and so they went and told the coachman that their brother had said if he chose he was man enough to get the king the troll's bed quilt which had a gold patch and a silver patch and a silver patch and a gold patch and this time too the coachman was not slow in telling all this to the king so the king said to the lad how his brothers had said he was good to steal the troll's bed quilt with gold and silver patches so now he must go and do it or lose his life boots answered he had never thought or said such a thing but when he found there was no help for it he begged for three days to think over the matter so when the three days were gone he rode over in his kneading trough and went spying about at last he saw those in the troll's cave come out and hang the quilt out to air and as soon as they had gone back into the face of the rock boots pulled the quilt down and rode away with it as fast as he could and when he was half across out came the troll and set eyes on him and roared out hello is it you who took my seven silver ducks aye aye said the lad and now have you taken my bed quilt with silver patches and gold patches and gold patches and silver patches aye aye said the lad shall you come back again very likely said the lad but when he got back with the gold and silver patchwork quilt everyone was fonder of him than ever and he was made the king's body servant at this the other two were still more vexed and to be revenged they went and told the coachman now our brother has said he is man enough to get the king the gold harp which the troll has and that harp is of such a kind that all who listen when it is played grow glad however sad they may be yes the coachman went and told the king and he said to the lad if you have said this you shall do it if you do it you shall have the princess and half the kingdom if you don't you shall lose your life i'm sure i never thought or said anything of the kind said the lad but if there is no help for it i may as well try but i must have six days to think about it yes he might have six days but when they were over he must set out then he took a ten penny nail a birch pin and a waxen taper end in his pocket and rode across and walked up and down before the trolls cave looking stealthily about him so when the troll came out he saw him at once oh oh roared the troll is it you who took my seven silver ducks aye aye said the lad and is it you who took my bed quilt with the gold and silver patches asked the troll aye aye said the lad so the troll caught hold of him at once and took him off into the cave in the face of the rock now daughter dear said the troll i've caught the fellow who stole the silver ducks and my bed quilt with gold and silver patches put him into the fattening coop and when he's fat we'll kill him and make a feast for our friends she was willing enough and put him at once into the fattening coop and there he stayed eight days fed on the best both in meat and drink and as much as he could cram so when the eight days were over the trolls said to his daughter to go down and cut him in his little finger that they might see if he were fat down she came to the coop out with your little finger she said but boots stuck out his ten penny nail and she cut had it nay nay he's as hard as iron still said the trolls daughter when she got back to her father we can't take him yet after another eight days the same thing happened and this time boots stuck out his birch and pin well he's a little better she said when she got back to the troll but still he'll be as hard as wood to chew but when another eight days were gone the troll told his daughter to go down and see if he wasn't fat now out with your little finger said the troll's daughter when she reached the coop and this time boots stuck out the taper end now he'll do nicely she said will he said the troll well then i'll just set off and ask the guests meantime you must kill him and roast half and boil half so when the troll had been gone a little while the daughter began to sharpen a great long knife is that what you're going to kill me with asked the lad yes it is said she but it isn't sharp said the lad just let me sharpen it for you and then you'll find it easier work to kill me so she let him have the knife and he began to rub and sharpen it on the whetstone just let me try it on one of your hair plates i think it's about right now so he got leave to do that but at the same time that he grasped the plate of hair he pulled back her head and at one gash cut off the troll daughter's head and half of her he roasted and half of her he boiled and served it all up after that he dressed himself in her clothes and sat away in the corner so when the troll came home with his guests he called out to his daughter for he thought all the time it was his daughter to come and take a snack no thank you said the lad i don't care for food i'm so sad and downcast oh said the troll if that's all you know the cure take the harp and play a tune on it yes said the lad but where has it got to i can't find it why you know well enough said the troll you used it last where should it be but over the door yonder the lad did not wait to be told twice he took down the harp and went in and out playing tunes but all at once he shoved off the kneading trough jumped into it and rode off so that the foam flew around the trough after a while the troll thought his daughter was a long while gone and went out to see what ailed her and then he saw the lad in the trough far far out on the lake hello uh is it you he roared that took my seven silver ducks i i said the lad is it you that took my bed quilt with the gold and silver patches yes said the lad and now you have taken off my gold harp screamed the troll yes said the lad i've got it sure enough and i haven't eaten you up after all then no no was your daughter you ate answered the lad but when the troll heard that he was so sorry he burst and then boots rode back and took a whole heap of gold and silver with him as much as the trough could carry and so when he came to the palace with the gold harp he got the princess and half the kingdom as the king had promised him and as for his brothers he treated them well for he thought they had only wished his good when they said what they had said