 CHAPTER IX THE LITTLE GREEN FROG Cabinet des Filles In a part of the world whose name I forgot, lived once upon a time two kings, called Perador and Diamentino. They were cousins as well as neighbors, and both were under the protection of the fairies, though it is only fair to say that the fairies did not love them half so well as their wives did. Now it often happens that as princes can generally manage to get their own way, it is harder for them to be good than it is for common people. So it was with Perador and Diamentino. But of the two, the fairies declared that Diamentino was much the worst. Indeed, he behaved so badly to his wife Aglentino that the fairies would not allow him to live any longer, and he died, leaving behind him a little daughter. As she was an only child, of course this little girl was the heiress of the kingdom. But being still only a baby, her mother, the widow of Diamentino, was proclaimed regent. The queen dowager was wise and good, and tried her best to make her people happy. The only thing she had to vex her was the absence of her daughter, for the fairies, for reasons of their own, determined to bring up the little princess serpentine among themselves. As to the other king, he was really fond of his wife, Queen Constance, but he often grieved her by his thoughtless ways, and in order to punish him for his carelessness, the fairies caused her to die quite suddenly. When she was gone, the king felt how much he had loved her, and his grief was so great, though he never neglected his duties, that his subjects called him Perador the sorrowful. It seems hardly possible that any man should live like Perador for fifteen years, plunged in such depth of grief, and most likely he would have died, too, if it had not been for the fairies. The one comfort the poor king had was his son, Prince Saffir, who was only three years old at the time of his mother's death, and great care was given to his education. By the time he was fifteen, Saffir had learnt everything that a prince should know, and he was, besides, charming and agreeable. It was about this time that the fairies suddenly took fright, lest his love for his father should interfere with the plans they had made for the young prince. So, to prevent this, they placed in a pretty little room of which Saffir was very fond, a little mirror in a black frame, such as were often brought from Venice. The prince did not notice for some days that there was anything new in the room, but at last he perceived it, and went up to look at it more closely. What was his surprise to see reflected in the mirror, not his own face, but that of a young girl, as lovely as the morning, and better still, every movement of the girl, just growing out of childhood, was also reflected in the wonderful glass. As might have been expected, the young prince lost his heart completely to the beautiful image, and it was impossible to get him out of the room, so busy was he in watching the lovely unknown. Certainly it was very delightful to be able to see her whom he loved at any moment he chose, but his spirits sometimes sank when he wondered what was to be the end of this adventure. The magic mirror had been for about a year in the prince's possession, when one day a new subject of disquiet seized upon him. As usual he was engaged in looking at the girl, when suddenly he thought he saw a second mirror reflected in the first, exactly like his own, and with the same power. And in this he was perfectly right. The young girl had only possessed it for a short time, and neglected all her duties for the sake of the mirror. Now it was not difficult for Saffer to guess the reason of the change in her, nor why the new mirror was consulted so often. But try as he would, he could never see the face of the person who was reflected in it, for the young girl's figure always came between. All he knew was that the face was that of a man, and this was quite enough to make him madly jealous. This was the doing of the fairies, and we must suppose that they had their reasons for acting as they did. When these things happened Saffer was about eighteen years old, and fifteen years had passed away since the death of his mother. King Peridor had grown more and more unhappy as time went on, and at last he felt so ill that it seemed as if his days were numbered. He was so much beloved by his subjects that this sad news was heard with despair by the nation, and more than all by the Prince. During his whole illness the King never spoke of anything but the Queen, his sorrow at having grieved her, and his hope of one day seeing her again. All the doctors and all the water-cures in the kingdom had been tried, and nothing would do him any good. At last he persuaded them to let him die quietly in his room, where no one came to trouble him. Perhaps the worst pain he had to bear was a sort of weight on his chest, which made it very hard for him to breathe. So he commanded his servants to leave the windows open in order that he might get more air. One day, when he had been left alone for a few minutes, a bird with brilliant plumage came and floated round the window, and finally rested on the seal. His feathers were sky-blue and gold, his feet and his beak of such glittering rubies that no one could bear to look at them. His eyes made the brightest diamonds look dull, and on his head he wore a crown. I cannot tell you what the crown was made of, but I am quite certain that it was still more splendid than all the rest. As to his voice I can say nothing about that, for the bird never sang at all. In fact he did nothing but gaze steadily at the King, and as he gazed the King felt his strength come back to him. In a little while the bird flew into the room, still with his eyes fixed on the King, and at every glance the strength of the sick man became greater, till he was once more as well as he used to be before the Queen died. Filled with joy at his cure he tried to seize the bird to whom he owed it all, but swifter than a swallow it managed to avoid him. In vain he described the bird to his attendants, who rushed at his first call. In vain they sought the wonderful creature both on horse and foot, and summoned the fowlers to their aid. The bird could nowhere be found. The love the people bore King Peridor was so strong, and the reward he promised was so large, that in the twinkling of an eye every man, woman, and child had fled into the fields, and towns were quite empty. All this bustle, however, ended in nothing but confusion, and what was worse the King soon fell back into the same condition as he was in before. Prince Saffir, who loved his father very dearly, was so unhappy at this that he persuaded himself that he might succeed where the others had failed, and at once prepared himself for a more distant search. In spite of the opposition he met with he rode away, followed by his household, trusting to chance to help him. He had formed no plan, and there was no reason that he should choose one path more than another. His only idea was to make straight for those spots which were the favorite haunts of birds. But in vain he examined all the hedges and all the thickets. In vain he questioned every one he met along the road. The more he sought, the less he found. At last he came to one of the largest forests in all the world, composed entirely of cedars. But in spite of the deep shadows cast by the wide-spreading branches of the trees, the grass underneath was soft and green, and covered with the rarest flowers. It seemed to Saffir that this was exactly the place where the birds would choose to live, and he determined not to quit the wood until he had examined it from end to end. And he did more. He ordered some nets to be prepared and painted of the same colors as the bird's plumage, thinking that we are all easily caught by what is like ourselves. In this he had to help him, not only the fowlers by profession, but also his attendants, who excelled in this art. For a man is not a courtier unless he can do everything. After searching as usual for nearly a whole day, Prince Saffir began to feel overcome with thirst. He was too tired to go any farther. When happily he discovered a little way off a bubbling fountain of the clearest water. Being an experienced traveler, he drew from his pocket a little cup, without which no one should ever take a journey, and was just about to dip it in the water. When a lovely little green frog, much prettier than frogs generally are, jumped into the cup. Far from admiring its beauty, Saffir shook it impatiently off, but it was no good, for quick as lightning the frog jumped back again. Saffir, who was raging with thirst, was just about to shake it off anew, when the little creature fixed upon him the most beautiful eyes in the world, and said, I am a friend of the bird you are seeking, and when you have quenched your thirst, listen to me. So the Prince drank his fill, and then by the command of the little green frog he lay down on the grass to rest himself. Now she began, Be sure you do exactly in every respect what I tell you. First you must call together your attendants, and order them to remain in a little hamlet close by until you want them. Then go, quite alone, down a road that you will find on your right hand, looking southwards. This road is planted all the way with cedars of Lebanon, and after going down it a long way you will come at last to a magnificent castle. And now, she went on, attend carefully to what I am going to say. Take this tiny grain of sand, and put it into the ground as close as you can to the gate of the castle. It has the virtue both of opening the gate and also of sending to sleep all the inhabitants. Then go at once to the stable, and pay no heed to anything except what I tell you. Choose the handsomest of all the horses, leap quickly on its back, and come to me as fast as you can. Farewell, Prince, I wish you good luck, and with these words the little frog plunged into the water and disappeared. Prince, who felt more hopeful than he had done since he left home, did precisely as he had been ordered. He left his attendance in the hamlet, found the road the frog had described to him, and followed it all alone, and at last he arrived at the gate of the castle, which was even more splendid than he had expected, for it was built of crystal, and all its ornaments were of massive gold. However he had no thoughts to spare for its beauty, and quickly buried his grain of sand in the earth. In one instant the gates flew open, and all the dwellers inside fell sound asleep. Saffir flew straight to the stable, and already had his hand on the finest horse it contained, when his eyes was caught by a suit of magnificent harness hanging up close by. It occurred to him directly that the harness belonged to the horse, but ever thinking of harm, for indeed he who stills a horse can hardly be blamed for taking his saddle, he hastily placed it on the animal's back. Suddenly the people in the castle became broad awake and rushed to the stable. They flung themselves on the prince, seized him, and dragged him before their lord, but luckily for the prince, who could only find very lame excuses for his conduct, the lord of the castle took a fancy to his face, and let him depart without further questions. Very sad and very much ashamed of himself, poor Saffir crept back to the fountain, where the frog was awaiting him with a good scolding. "'Whom do you take me for?' she exclaimed angrily. "'Do you really believe that it was just for the pleasure of talking that I gave you the advice you have neglected so abominably?' But the prince was so deeply grieved, and apologized so very humbly, that after some time the heart of the good little frog was softened, and she gave him another tiny little grain. But instead of being sand, it was now a grain of gold. She directed him to do just as he had done before, with only this difference, that instead of going to the stable, which had been the ruin of his hopes, he was to enter right into the castle itself, and to glide as fast as he could down the passage till he came to a room filled with perfume, where he would find a beautiful maiden asleep on a bed. He was to wake the maiden instantly, and carry her off, and to be sure not to pay any heed to whatever resistance she might make. The prince obeyed the frog's orders one by one, and all went well for this second time also. The gate opened, the inhabitants fell sound asleep, and he walked down the passage till he found the girl on her bed, exactly as he had been told he would. He woke her, and begged her firmly, but politely, to follow him quickly. After a little persuasion the maiden consented, but only on condition that she was allowed first to put on her dress. This sounded so reasonable and natural that it did not enter the prince's head to refuse her request. But the maiden's hand had hardly touched the dress and the palace suddenly awoke from its sleep, and the prince was seized and bound. He was so vexed with his own folly and so taken aback at the disaster that he did not attempt to explain his conduct, and things would have gone badly with him if his friends the fairies had not softened the hearts of his captors, so that they once more allowed him to leave quietly. However, what troubled him most was the idea of having to meet the frog who had been his benefactress. How was he ever to appear before her with this tale? Still, after a long struggle with himself, he made up his mind that there was nothing else to be done and that he deserved whatever she might say to him. And she said a great deal, for she had worked herself into a terrible passion. But the prince humbly implored her pardon and ventured to point out that it would have been very hard to refuse the young lady's reasonable request. You must learn to do as you were told, was all the frog would reply. But poor Saffir was so unhappy and begged so hard for forgiveness that at last the frog's anger gave way, and she held up to him a tiny diamond stone. Go back, she said, to the castle and bury this little diamond close to the door. But be careful not to return to the stable or the bedroom. They have proved too fatal to you. Walk straight to the garden and enter through a portico into a small green wood, in the midst of which is a tree with a trunk of gold and leaves of emeralds. Perched on this tree you will see the beautiful bird you have been seeking so long. You must cut the branch on which it is sitting and bring it back to me without delay. But I warn you solemnly that if you disobey my directions as you have done twice before, you have nothing more to expect either of me or anyone else. With these words she jumped into the water and the prince who had taken her threats much to heart took his departure, firmly resolved not to deserve them. He found it all just as he had been told. The portico, the wood, the magnificent tree and the beautiful bird which was sleeping soundly on one of the branches. He speedily lopped off the branch and though he noticed a splendid golden cage hanging close by, which would have been very useful for the bird to travel in, he left it alone and came back to the fountain holding his breath and walking on tiptoe all the way for fear lest he should awake his prize. But what was his surprise when instead of finding the fountain in the spot where he had left it he saw in its place a little rustic palace built in the best taste and standing in the doorway a charming maiden at whose sight his mind seemed to give way. What! Madam! he cried, hardly knowing what he said. What! is it you? The maiden blushed and answered, Ah, my lord, it is long since I first beheld your face, but I did not think you had ever seen mine. Oh, madam! replied he. You can never guess the days and the hours I have passed lost in admiration of you. And after these words they each related all the strange things that had happened. And the more they talked, the more they felt convinced of the truth of the images they had seen in their mirrors. After some time spent in the most tender conversation the prince could not restrain himself from asking the lovely unknown by what lucky chance she was wandering in the forest where the fountain had gone and if she knew anything of the frog to whom he owed all his happiness and to whom he must give up the bird which somehow or other was still sound asleep. Ah, my lord! she replied with rather an awkward air. As to the frog, she stands before you. Let me tell you my story. It is not a long one. I know neither my country nor my parents and the only thing I can say for certain is that I am called serpentine. The fairies who have taken care of me ever since I was born wished me to be in ignorance as to my family. But they have looked after my education and have bestowed on me endless kindness. I have always lived in seclusion and for the last two years I have wished for nothing better. I had a mirror. Here shyness and embarrassment choked her words. But regaining her self-control, she added, You know that fairies insist on being obeyed without questioning. It was they who changed the little house you saw before you into the fountain for which you are now asking and having turned me into a frog they ordered me to say to the first person who came to the fountain exactly what I repeated to you. But my lord, when you stood before me it was agony to my heart filled as it was with thoughts of you. To appear to your eyes under form. However, there was no help for it and painful as it was I had to submit. I desired your success with all my soul not only for your own sake but also for my own because I could not get back my proper shape till you have become master of the beautiful bird though I am quite ignorant as to your reason for seeking it. On this Saffir explained about the state of his father's health and told before. On hearing this story Serpentine grew very sad and her lovely eyes filled with tears. Ah, my lord, she said. You know nothing of me but what you have seen in the mirror and I, who cannot even name my parents learn that you are a king's son. In vain Saffir declared that love made them equal. Serpentine would only reply I love you too much to allow me beneath your rank. I shall be very unhappy, of course but I shall never alter my mind. If I do not find from the fairies that my birth is worthy of you then, whatever my feelings I will never accept your hand. The conversation was at this point and bid fair to last some time longer when one of the fairies appeared in her ivory car accompanied by a beautiful woman past her early youth. The moment the bird suddenly awakened and flying on to Saffir's shoulder which it never afterwards left began fondling him as well as a bird can do. The fairy told Serpentine that she was quite satisfied with her conduct and made herself very agreeable to Saffir whom she presented to the ladies she had brought with her explaining that the lady was no other than his aunt Aglentine widow of Diamantino. Then they all fell into each other's arms till the fairy mounted her chariot placed Aglentine by her side and Saffir and Serpentine on the front seat. She also sent a message to the Prince's attendants that they might travel slowly back to the court of King Peridor and that the beautiful bird had really been found. This matter being comfortably arranged she started off her chariot but in spite of the swiftness with which they flew through the air the time passed ever quicker for Saffir and Serpentine who had so much to think about. They were still quite confused with the pleasure of seeing each other when the chariot arrived at King Peridor's palace. He had himself carried to a room on the roof where his nurses thought that he would die at any moment. Directly the chariot drew within sight of the castle the beautiful bird took flight and making straight for the dying king at once cured him of his sickness. Then she resumed her natural shape and he found that the bird was no other than the queen Constance whom he had long believed to be dead. Peridor was rejoiced to embrace his wife and his son once more and with the help of the fairies began to make preparations for the marriage of Saffir and Serpentine who turned out to be the daughter of Aglentine and Diamentino and as much as a princess and a prince the people of the kingdom were delighted and everybody lived happy and continued to the end of their lives. End of chapter 9 The Yellow Fairy Book edited by Andrew Lang Chapter 10 The Seven-Headed Serpent The Siebenkopfweger Schlange from Schmitz-Rischichstermerschen Once upon a time there was a king who determined to take a long voyage. He assembled his fleet and all the seamen and set out. They went straight on night and day until they came to an island which was covered with large trees and under every tree lay a lion. As soon as the king had landed his men the lions all rose up together and tried to devour them. After a long battle they managed to overcome the wild beasts but the greater number of the men were killed. Those who remained alive now went on through the forest and found on the other side of it a beautiful garden in which all the plants of the world flourished together. There were also in the garden three springs. The first flowed with silver the second with gold and the third with pearls. The men unbuckled their knapsacks and filled them with those precious things. In the middle of the garden they found a large lake and when they reached the edge of it the lake began to speak and said to them What's men are you and what brings you here? Are you come to visit our king? But they were too much frightened to answer. Then the lake said You do well to be afraid for it is at your peril that you are come hither. Our king who has seven heads is now asleep but in a few minutes he will wake up and come to me to take his bath. Woe to anyone who meets him in the garden for it is impossible to escape from him. This is what you must do if you wish to save your lives. Take off your clothes and spread them on the path which leads from here to the castle. The king will then glide over something soft which he likes very much and we will be so pleased with that that he will not devour you. He will give you some punishment but then he will let you go. The men did as the lake advised them and waited for a time. At noon the earth began to quick and opened in many places and out of the openings appeared lions, tigers and other wild beasts which surrounded the castle and thousands and thousands of beasts came out of the castle following their king the seven headed serpent. The serpent glided over the clothes which was spread for him came to the lake and asked it who had strewed those soft things on the patch. The lake answered that it had been done by people who had come to do him homage. The king commanded that the men should be brought before him. They came humbly underneath and in a few words told him their story. Then he spoke to them with a mighty and terrible voice and said because you have dared to come here I lay upon you the punishment every year you must bring me from among your people twelve youths and twelve maidens that I may devour them if you do not do this I will destroy your whole nation Then he desired one of his beasts to show the men the way out of the garden and dismiss them. They then left the island and went back to their own country where they related what had happened to them Soon the time came when the king of the beasts would expect the youths and maidens to be brought to him. There was a proclamation inviting twelve youths and twelve maidens to offer themselves off to save their country and immediately many young people far more than enough hastened to do so a new ship was built and set with black sails and in it the youths and maidens who were appointed for the king of the beasts embarked and set out for his country when they arrived there they went at once to the lake and this time the lions did not stir nor did the springs blow neither did the lake speak so they waited then and it was not long before the earth quaked even more terribly than the first time the seven-headed serpent came without his train of beasts saw his prey waiting for him and devoured it at one mouthful then the ship's crew returned home and the same thing happened yearly until many years had passed now the king of this unhappy country was growing old and so was the queen and they had no children one day the queen was sitting at the windows weeping bitterly because she was childless and knew that the crown would therefore pass to strangers after the king's death suddenly a little old woman appeared before her holding an apple in her hand and said why do you weep my queen and what makes you so unhappy Allah's good mother I am unhappy because I have no children is that what makes you said the old woman listen to me I am a nun from the spinning convent convent Newsy and my mother when she died left me this apple whoever eats this apple shall have a child the queen gave money to the old woman and bought the apple from her then she peeled it ate it and threw the brunt out of the window and it so happened that the mayor that was running loose in the court below ate up the rind after a time the queen had a little boy and the mayor also had a male foal the boy and the foal grew up together and loved each other like brothers in course of time the king died and so did the queen and their son who was now 19 years old was left alone one day when he and his horse were talking together the horse said to him listen to me for I love you and wish for your good and that of the country if you go on every year sending 12 years and 12 maidens to the king of the beast your country will very soon be ruined mount upon my back I will take you to a woman who can direct you how to kill the seven headed serpent then the youth mounted his horse who carried him far away to a mountain which was hella for in its side was a great underground cavern in the cavern sat an old woman spinning this was the cloister of the nuns and the old woman was the abyss they all spent their time in spinning and that is why the convent has this name all round the walls of the cavern there were beds cut out of the solid rock upon which the nuns slept and in the middle a light was burning it was the duty of the nuns to watch the light in turns that it might never go out and if any one of them let it go out the others put her to death as soon as the king's son saw the old abyss spinning he threw himself at her feet and entreated her to tell him how he could kill the seven headed serpent she made the youth rise embraced him and said no my son that it is I who sent the nun to your mother and caused you to be born and with you the horse with whose help you will be able to free the world from the monster I will tell you what you have to do load your horse with cotton and go by a secret passage which I will show you which is hidden from the wild beast to the serpent's palace you will find the king asleep upon his bed which is all hung round with bells and over his bed you will see a sword hanging with this sword only it is possible to kill the serpent because even if its blade breaks a new one will grow again for every head the monster has thus you will be able to cut off all his seven heads and this you must also do in order to deceive the king you must lift into his bed chamber very softly and stop up all the bells which are round his bed with cotton then take down the sword gently and quickly give the monster a blow on his tail with it this will make him waken up and if he catches sight of you he will seize you but you must quickly cut out his first head and then wait till the next one comes up then strike it off also and so go on till you have cut off all his seven heads the old abbess then gave the prince her blessing and he set out upon his enterprise arrived at the serpent's castle by following the secret passage which he had showed him and by carefully attending to all her directions he happily succeeded in killing the monster as soon as the wild beasts heard of their king's death they all hastened to the castle but the youth had long since mounted his horse and was already far out of their reach they pursued him as fast as they could but they found it impossible to overtake him and he reached home in safety thus he freed his country from this terrible oppression End of Chapter 10 Chapter 11 of the Yellow Fairy Book This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org The Yellow Fairy Book was created by Andrew Lang Chapter 11 The Grateful Beasts From the Hungarian, Kletka There was once upon a time a man and a woman who had three fine-looking sons but they were so poor that they had hardly enough food for themselves let alone their children So the sons determined to set out into the world and to try their luck Before starting their mother gave them each a loaf of bread and her blessing and having taken a tender farewell of her and their father the three set forth on their travels The youngest of the three brothers whose name was Ferco was a beautiful youth with a splendid figure, blue eyes, fair hair and a complexion like milk and roses His two brothers were as jealous of him as they could be that with his good looks he would be sure to be more fortunate than they would ever be One day all three were sitting resting under a tree for the sun was hot and they were tired of walking Ferco fell fast asleep but the other two remained awake and the eldest said to the second brother What do you say to doing our brother Ferco some harm? He is so beautiful that everyone is fancy to him which is more than they do to us If we could only get him out of the way we might succeed better I quite agree with you answered the second brother and my advice is to eat up his loaf of bread and then to refuse to give him a bit of ours until he has promised to let us put out his eyes or break his legs His eldest brother was delighted with this proposal He had wretches seized Ferco's loaf and ate it all up while the poor boy was still asleep When he did awake he felt very hungry and turned to eat his bread but his brothers cried out You ate your loaf in your sleep you glutton and you may starve as long as you like but you won't get a scrap of ours Ferco was at a loss to understand how he could have eaten in his sleep He had nothing and fasted all that day and the next night But on the following morning he was so hungry that he burst into tears and implored his brothers to give him a little bit of their bread Then the cruel creatures laughed and repeated what they had said the day before but when Ferco continued to beg and beseech them the eldest said at last with your eyes and break one of your legs then we will give you a bit of our bread At these words poor Ferco wept more bitterly than before and bore the torments of hunger till the sun was high in the heavens then he could stand it no longer and he consented to allow his left eye to be put out and his left leg to be broken When this was done he stretched out his hand eagerly but his brothers gave him such a tiny scrap that the starving youth finished it in a moment and besought them for a second bit But the more Ferco wept and told his brothers that he was dying of hunger the more they laughed and scolded him for his greed so he endured the pangs of starvation all that day but when night came his endurance gave way and his right eye be put out and his right leg broken for a second piece of bread After his brothers had thus successfully maimed and disfigured him for life they left him groaning on the ground and continued their journey without him Poor Ferco ate up the scrap of bread they had left him and wept bitterly but no one heard him or came to his help Night came on and the poor blind youth had no eyes to close and could only crawl along the ground not knowing in the least where he was going But when the sun was once more high in the heavens Ferco felt the blazing heat scorch him and sought for some cool shady place to rest his aching limbs He climbed to the top of a hill and lay down in the grass under the shadow of a big tree But it was no tree he leaned against but a gallows on which two ravens were seated The one was saying to the other as the weary youth lay down Is there anything the least wonderful or remarkable about this neighborhood? I should just think there was, replied the other Many things that don't exist anywhere else in the world There is a lake down there below us and anyone who bathes in it though he were at death's door becomes sound and well on the spot and those who wash their eyes with the dew on this hill become as sharp-sighted as the eagle even if they have been blind from their youth Well, answered the first raven My eyes are in no want of this healing bath For, heaven be praised They are as good as ever they were But my wing has been very feeble and weak ever since it was shot by an arrow many years ago So let us fly at once to the lake that I may be restored to health and strength again And so they flew away Their words rejoiced Verco's heart and he waited impatiently till evening should come with a precious dew on his sightless eyes At last it began to grow dusk and the sun sank behind the mountains gradually it became cooler on the hill and the grass grew wet with dew Then Verco buried his face in the ground till his eyes were damp with dew drops and in a moment he saw clearer than he had ever done in his life before the moon was shining brightly and then lighted him to the lake where he could bathe his poor broken legs Then Verco crawled to the edge of the lake and dipped his limbs in the water No sooner had he done so than his legs felt sound and strong as they had been before and Verco thanked the kind fate that had led him to the hill where he had overheard the ravens conversation He filled a bottle with the healing water and then continued his journey in the best of spirits He had not gone far before he met a wolf who was limping disconsolately along on three legs and who on perceiving Verco began to howl dismal My good friend said the youth be of good cheer for I can soon heal your leg and with these words he poured some of the precious water over the wolf's paw and in a minute the animal was springing about sound and well on all fours The grateful creature thanked his benefactor warmly and promised Verco to do him a good turn if he should ever need it Verco continued his way till he came to a plowed field Here he noticed a little mouse creeping wearily along on its hind paws for its front paws broken in a trap Verco felt so sorry for the little beast that he spoke to it in the most friendly manner and washed its small paws with the healing water In a moment the mouse was sound and whole and after thanking the kind physician it scampered away over the plowed furrows Verco again proceeded on his journey but he hadn't gone far before a queen bee flew against him trailing one wing behind her which had been cruelly torn in two by a big bird Verco was no less willing to help her than he had been to help the wolf and the mouse so he poured some healing drops over the wounded wing On the spot the queen bee was cured and turning to Verco she said I am most grateful for your kindness and shall reward you someday and with these words she flew away humming gaily Then Verco wandered on for many a long day and at length reached a strange kingdom Here he thought to himself he might as well go straight to the palace and offer his services to the king of the country for he had heard that the king's daughter was as beautiful as the day so he went to the royal palace and as he entered the door the first people he saw were his two brothers who had so shamefully ill treated him they had managed to obtain places in the king's service and when they recognized Verco with his eyes and legs sound and well they were frightened to death for they feared he would tell the king of their conduct and that they would be hung No sooner had Verco entered the palace than all eyes were turned on the handsome youth and the king's daughter herself was lost in admiration for she had never seen anyone so handsome in her life before His brothers noticed this and envy and jealousy were added to their fear so much so that they determined once more to destroy him they went to the king and told him that Verco was a wicked magician who had come to the palace with the intention of carrying off the princess then the king had Verco brought before him and said you are accused of being a magician who wishes to rob me of my daughter and I condemn you to death but if you can fulfill three tasks which I shall set you to do your life shall be spared you leave the country but if you cannot perform what I demand you shall be hung on the nearest tree and turning to the two wicked brothers he said suggest something for him to do no matter how difficult he must succeed in it or die they did not think long but replied let him build your majesty in one day a more beautiful palace than this and if he fails in the attempt let him be hung the king was pleased with this proposal and commanded Verco to set to work on the following day the two brothers were delighted for they thought they had now got rid of Verco forever the poor youth himself was heartbroken and cursed the hour he had crossed the boundary of the king's domain as he was wandering disconsolently about the meadows of the palace wondering how he could escape being put to death a little bee flew past and settling on his shoulder whispered in his ear what is troubling you my kind benefactor can I be of any help to you I am the bee whose wing you healed and would like to show my gratitude in some way Verco recognized the queen bee and said alas how could you help me for I have been set to do a task which no one in the whole world could do let him be ever such a genius tomorrow I must build a palace more beautiful than the king's and it must be finished before evening is that all answered the bee then you may comfort yourself for before the sun goes down tomorrow night a palace shall be built unlike any the king has dwelt in before just stay here till I come again and tell you that it is finished having said this she flew merrily away and Verco reassured by her words lay down on the grass and slept peacefully till the next morning early on the following day the whole town was on its feet and everyone wondered how and where the stranger would build the palace the princess alone was silent and sorrowful and had cried all night till her pillow was wet so much did she take the fate of the beautiful youth to heart Verco spent the whole day in the meadows waiting the return of the bee and when evening was come the queen bee flew by and perching on his shoulder she said she could cheer and lead the king to the hill just outside the city walls and humming gaily she flew away again Verco went at once to the king and told him the palace was finished the whole court went out to see the wonder and their astonishment was great at the sight which met their eyes a splendid palace reared itself on the hill just outside the walls of the city exquisite flowers that ever grew in mortal garden the roof was all of crimson roses the windows of lilies the walls of white carnations the floors of glowing auriculas and violets the doors of gorgeous tulips and narcissi with sunflowers for knockers and all round hyacinths and other sweet smelling flowers bloomed in masses so that the air was perfumed far and near and enchanted all who were present this splendid palace had been built by the grateful queen bee who had summoned all the other bees in the kingdom to help her the king's amazement knew no bounds and the princess's eyes beamed with delight as she turned them from the wonderful building on the delighted Verco but the two brothers had grown quite green with envy and only declared the more that Verco was nothing but a wicked magician the king although he had been surprised and astonished at the way his commands had been carried out was very vexed that the stranger could escape with his life and turning to the two brothers he said he has certainly accomplished the first task with the aid no doubt of his diabolical magic but what shall we give him to do now let us make it as difficult as possible and if he fails he shall die then the eldest brother replied the corn has all been cut but it has not yet been put into barns let the nave collect all the grain in the kingdom into one big heap before tomorrow night and if as much as a stalk of corn is left let him be put to death the princess grew white with terror when she heard these words but Verco felt much more cheerful than he had done the first time and wandered out into the meadows again wondering how he was going to get out of the difficulty but he could think of no way of escape the sun sank to rest when a little mouse started out of the grass at Verco's feet and said to him I'm delighted to see you my kind benefactor but why are you looking so sad can I be of any help to you and thus repay your great kindness to me then Verco recognized the mouse whose front paws he had healed and replied alas how can you help me a matter that is beyond any human power before tomorrow night all the grain in the kingdom has to be gathered into one big heap and if as much as a stalk of corn is wanting I must pay for it with my life is that all answered the mouse that needing to stress you much just trust in me and before the sun sets again you shall hear that your task is done and with these words the little creature scampered away into the fields Verco who never doubted that the mouse would be as good as its word lay down comforted on the soft grass and slept soundly till next morning the day passed slowly and with the evening came the little mouse and said now there is not a single stalk of corn left in any field they are all collected in one big heap on the hill out there then Verco went joyfully to the king and told him all he had demanded had been done and the whole court went out to see the wonder and were no less astonished than when they had been the first time for in a heap higher than the king's palace lay all the grain of the country and not a single stalk of corn had been left behind in any of the fields and how had all this been done the little mouse had summoned every other mouse in the land to its help and together they had collected all the grain in the kingdom the king could not hide his amazement but at the same time his wrath increased and he was more ready than ever to believe the two brothers who kept on repeating that Verco was nothing more or less than a wicked magician only the beautiful princess rejoiced over Verco's success and looked on him with friendly glances which the youth returned the more the cruel king gazed on the wonder before him the more angry he became for he could not in the face of his promise put the stranger to death he turned once more to the two brothers and said his diabolical magic has helped him again but now what third task shall we set him to do no matter how impossible it is he must do it or die the eldest answered quickly let him drive all the wolves of the kingdom onto this hill before tomorrow night if he does this he may go free if not he shall be hung as you have said at these words the princess burst into tears and when the king saw this he ordered her to be shut up in a high tower and carefully guarded till the dangerous magician should either have left the kingdom or been hung on the nearest tree Verco wandered out into the fields again and sat down on the stump of a tree wondering what he should do next suddenly a big wolf ran up to him and standing still said glad to see you again my kind benefactor what are you thinking about all alone by yourself if I can help you in any way only say the word for I would like to give you a proof of my gratitude Verco at once recognized the wolf whose broken leg he had healed and told him what he had to do the following day if he wished to escape with his life but how in the world am I to collect all the wolves in the kingdom on to that hill over there if that's all you want done answered the wolf you needn't worry yourself I'll undertake the task and you'll hear from me again before sunset tomorrow keep your spirits up and with these words he trotted quickly away then the youth rejoiced greatly for now he felt that his life but he grew very sad when he thought of the beautiful princess and that he would never see her again if he left the country he laid down once more on the grass and soon fell fast asleep all the next day he spent wandering about the fields and towards evening the wolf came running to him in a great hurry and said I have collected together all the wolves in the kingdom and they are waiting for you in the wood go quickly to the king and tell him to go to the hill that he may see the wonder you have done with his own eyes then return at once to me and get on my back and I will help you to drive all the wolves together then Ferco went straight to the palace and told the king that he was ready to perform the third task if he would come to the hill and see it done Ferco himself returned to the fields searching on the wolf's back he rode to the wood close by quick as lightning the wolf flew round the wood and in a minute many hundred wolves rose up before him increasing in number every moment till they could be counted by thousands he drove them all before him on to the hill where the king and his whole court and Ferco's two brothers were standing only the lovely princess was not present for she was shut up in her tower weeping bitterly the wicked brothers stamped and foamed with rage when they saw the failure of their wicked designs but the king was overcome by a sudden terror when he saw the enormous pack of wolves approaching nearer and nearer and calling out to Ferco he said enough enough we don't want anymore but the wolf on whose back Ferco sat said to its rider go on, go on and at the same moment many more wolves ran up the hill howling horribly and showing their white teeth the king and his terror called out stop a moment I will give you half my kingdom if you will drive all the wolves away but Ferco pretended not to hear and drove some more thousands before him so that everyone quaked with horror then the king raised his voice again and called out stop you shall have my whole kingdom if you will only drive these wolves back to the places they came from but the wolf kept on encouraging Ferco and said go on, go on so he led the wolves on till at last they fell on the king and on the wicked brothers and ate them and the whole court up in a moment then Ferco went straight to the palace and set the princess free and on the same day he married her and was crowned king of the country and the wolves all went peacefully back to their own homes and Ferco and his bride lived for many years in peace and happiness together and were much beloved by great and small in the land End of Chapter 11 Recording by Elaine Hamby Chapter 12 of The Yellow Fairy Book 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 Katie Gibbany Arkansas December 2007 The Yellow Fairy Book Edited by Andrew Lang Chapter 12 The Giants and the Herd Boy From the Buchanour Von Leo Lockie There was once upon a time a poor boy who had neither father nor mother in order to gain a living he looked after the sheep of a great lord day and night he spent out in the open fields and only when it was very wet and stormy did he take refuge in a little hut on the edge of a big forest Now one night when he was sitting on the grass beside his flocks he heard not very far from him the sound as of someone crying he rose up and followed the direction of the noise to his dismay and astonishment he found a giant lying at the entrance of the wood he was about to run off as fast as his legs could carry him when the giant called out Don't be afraid I won't harm you contrary I will reward you handsomely if you will bind up my foot I heard it when I was trying to root up an oak tree the herd boy took off his shirt and bound up the giant's wounded foot with it then the giant rose up and said now come and I will reward you we are going to celebrate a marriage today and I promise you we shall have plenty of fun come and enjoy yourself but in order that my brothers may not see you hand round your waist and then you'll be invisible with these words he handed the herd boy a belt and walking on in front he led him to a fountain where hundreds of giants and giantesses were assembled preparing to hold a wedding they danced and played different games till midnight then one of the giants tore up a plant by its roots and all the giants and giantesses made themselves so thin that they disappeared into the earth made by the uprooting of the plant the wounded giant remained behind to the last and called out herd boy where are you here I am close to you was the reply touch me said the giant so that you too may come with us underground the herd boy did as he was told and before he could have believed it possible he found himself in a big hall where even the walls were made of pure gold then to his astonishment he saw that the hall was furnished with the tables and chairs that belonged to his master in a few minutes the company began to eat and drink the banquet was a very gorgeous one and the poor youth fell to and ate and drank lustily when he had eaten and drunk as much as he could he thought to himself why shouldn't I put a loaf of bread in my pocket I shall be glad of it tomorrow so he seized a loaf when no one was looking away under his tunic no sooner had he done so than the wounded giant limped up to him and whispered softly herd boy where are you here I am replied the youth then hold on to me said the giant so that I may lead you up above again so the herd boy held on to the giant and in a few moments he found himself on the earth once more but the giant had vanished the herd boy returned to his sheep the invisible belt which he hid carefully in his bag the next morning the lad felt hungry and thought he would cut off a piece of the loaf of bread he had carried away from the giant's wedding feast and eat it but although he tried with all his might he couldn't cut off the smallest piece then in despair he bit the loaf and what was his astonishment when a piece of gold fell out of his mouth and rolled at his feet he bit the bread a second time and each time a piece of gold fell out of his mouth but the bread remained untouched the herd boy was very much delighted over his stroke of good fortune and hiding the magic loaf in his bag he hurried off to the nearest village to buy himself something to eat and then return to his sheep now the lord whose sheep the herd boy looked after had a very lovely daughter who always smiled and nodded to the youth when she walked with her father in his fields for a long time the herd boy had made up his mind to prepare a surprise for this beautiful creature on her birthday so when the day approached he put on his invisible belt took a sack of gold pieces with him and slipping into her room in the middle of the night he placed the bag of gold beside her bed and returned to his sheep the girl's joy was great and so was her parents next day when they found the sack full of gold pieces the herd boy was so pleased to think what pleasure he had given that the next night he placed another bag of gold beside the girl's bed and this he continued to do for seven nights and the girl and her parents made up their minds that it must be a good fairy who brought the gold every night but one night they determined to watch and see from their hiding place who the bringer of the sack of gold really was on the eighth night a fearful storm of wind and rain came on while the herd boy was on his way to bring the beautiful girl another bag of gold then for the first time he noticed just as he reached his master's house that he had forgotten the belt which made him invisible he didn't like the idea of going back to his hut in the wind and wet so he just stepped as he was into the girl's room laid the sack of gold beside her and was turning to leave the room when his master confronted him and said you young rogue so you were going to steal the gold that a good fairy brings every night were you the herd boy was so taken aback by his words that he stood trembling before him and did not dare to explain his presence then his master spoke as you have hitherto always behaved well in my service I will not send you to prison but leave your place instantly and never let me see your face again so the herd boy went back to his hut and taking his loaf and belt with him he went to the nearest town there he bought himself some fine clothes and a beautiful coach with four horses hired two servants and drove back to his master you may imagine how astonished he was to see his herd boy returning to him in this manner then the youth told him of the peace of good luck that had befallen him and asked him for the hand of his beautiful daughter this was readily granted and the two lived in peace and happiness to the end of their lives End of Chapter 12 Chapter 13 of the Yellow Fairy Book This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recorded by Eliza Horn The Yellow Fairy Book Edited by Andrew Lang Chapter 13 The Invisible Prince Once upon a time there lived a fairy who had power over the earth, the sea, fire and the air and this fairy had four sons the eldest who was quick and lively with a vivid imagination she made lord of fire which was in her opinion the noblest of all elements to the second son whose wisdom and prudence made amends for his being rather dull she gave the government of the earth the third was wild and savage and a monster stature and a fairy his mother who was ashamed of his defects hoped to hide them by creating him the king of the seas the youngest who was a slave of his passions and of a very uncertain temperament became prince of the air being the youngest he was naturally his mother's favorite but this did not blind her to his weakness and she foresaw that some day he would suffer much pain through falling in love so she thought the best thing that she could do was to bring him up with a horror of women and to her great delight she saw this dislike only increased as he grew older from his earliest childhood he had heard nothing but stories of princes who had fallen into all sorts of trouble through love and she drew such terrible pictures of poor little cupid that the young man had no difficulty in believing the root of all evil all the time that this wise mother could spare from filling her son with hatred for all womankind was passed by giving him a love of the pleasures of the chase which henceforth became his chief joy for his amusement she made a new forest planted with the most splendid trees and turned loose in it every animal that can be found in any of the four quarters of the globe in the midst of the forest she built a palace not if equal for beauty in the whole world and then she considered that she had done enough to make any prince happy now it is very well to abuse the god of love but a man cannot struggle against his fate in his secret heart the prince got tired of his mother's constant talk on this subject and when one day she quitted the palace to attend to some business begging him never to go beyond the grounds he had once jumped at a chance to obey her left to himself the prince soon forgot the wise council of his mother and feeling very much bored with his own company he ordered some of the spirits of the air to carry him to the court of a neighboring sovereign this kingdom was situated in the island of the roses where the climate was so delicious but the grass was always green and the flowers always sweet the waves instead of beating on the rocks seemed to die gently at the shore clusters of golden bushes covered the land and the vines were bent low with great the king of this island had a daughter named Rosalie who was more lovely than any girl in the whole world no sooner have the eyes of the prince of the air rested on her than he forgot all the terrible woes which had been prophesied to him ever since he was born for in one single moment the plans of years are often upset he instantly began to think how best to make himself happy and the shortest way that occurred to him was to have Rosalie carried off by his attendant spirits it is easy to imagine the feelings of the king when he found that his daughter had vanished he wept her loss night and day and his only comfort was to talk over it with the young and unknown prince who had just arrived at court he did not know what a deep interest the stranger had in Rosalie for he too had seen her and had fallen a victim to her charms one day the king more sorrowful than usual was walking sadly along the sea shore when after a long silence the unknown prince who was his only companion suddenly spoke there is no evil without a remedy he said to the unhappy father and if you will promise me in marriage I will undertake to bring her back to you you are trying to soothe me with vain promises answered the king did I not see her caught up into the air in spite of cries which could have softened the heart of anyone but the barbarian who robbed me of her the unfortunate girl is pining away in some unknown land where perhaps no foot of man has ever trod I will see her no more but go generous stranger bring Rosalie if you can and live happily with her ever after in this country of which I now declare you heir although the stranger's name and rank were unknown to Rosalie's father he was really the son of the king of the golden isle which had for capital a city that extended from one sea to another the walls washed by the quiet waters were covered with gold which made one think of the yellow sands above them was a rampart of orange and lemon trees and all the streets were paved with gold the king of this beautiful island had one son for whom a life of adventure had been foretold at his birth this so frightened his father and mother that in order to comfort them a fairy who happened to be present at the time produced a little pebble which he told them to keep for the prince till he grew up as by putting it in his mouth he will become invisible as long as he did not try to speak for if he did the stone would lose all its virtue in this way the good fairy hopes that the prince would be protected against all dangers no sooner did the prince begin to grow out of his boyhood than he longed to see if the other countries of the world were as splendid as the one in which he lived so under pretense of visiting some small islands that belonged to his father he set out but a frightful storm drove his ship onto unknown shores where most of his fellows were put to death by savages and the prince himself only managed to escape by making use of his magic pebble by this means he passed through the midst of them unseen and wandered on till he reached the coast where he re-embarked on board his ship the first land he sighted was the island of roses and he went at once to the court of the king Rosalie's father the moment his eyes beheld the princess he fell in love with her like everyone else he had already spent several months in this condition when the prince of the air whirled her away to the grief and despair of every man on the island but sad though everyone was the prince of the golden isle was perfectly inconsolable and he passed both days and nights in bemoaning his loss alas he cried shall I never see my lovely princess again? who knows where she may be and what fairy may have her in his keeping I am only a man but I am strong in my love and I will seek the whole world through till I find her so saying he left the court and made ready for his journey he traveled many weary days without hearing a single word of the lost princess till one morning as he was walking through a thick forest he suddenly perceived a magnificent palace standing at the end of a pine avenue and his heart bounded to think that he might be gazing on a Rosalie's prison he hastened his step and quickly arrived at the gates of the palace which was formed of a single gate a gate swung open and led him through the next pass successfully three courts surrounded by deep ditches filled with running water with birds of brilliant plumage flying about their banks everything around was rare and beautiful but the prince scarcely raised his eyes to all these wonders he thought only of the princess and where he should find her but in vain he opened every door and searched in every corner he neither saw Rosalie or anyone else at last there was no place left for him to search but a little wood which contained in the center a sort of hall built entirely of orange trees with four small rooms opening out of the corners three of these were empty except for statues of wonderful things but in the fourth the invisible prince caught sight of Rosalie his joy at beholding her again was, however some was lessened that the prince of the air was kneeling at her feet fleeting his own cause but it was in vain that he implored her to listen she only shook her head no, was all she would say you snatched me from my father whom I love and all this blender in the world can never console me go, I can never feel anything towards you but hate and contempt with this she turned away and entered her own apartments alone to herself the invisible prince had followed her but fearing to be discovered by the princess in the presence of others he made up his mind to wait quietly till dark and employed the long hours in writing a poem to the princess which he laid on the bed beside her this done he thought of nothing but how best to deliver Rosalie and he resolved to take advantage of a visit to the prince of the air paid every year by the prince's mother and brother in order to strike the blow one day Rosalie was sitting alone in her room thinking of her troubles when she suddenly saw a pen get up from off the desk and begin to write all by itself on a sheet of white paper as she did not know that it was guided by an invisible hand she was very much astonished and the moment the pen had ceased to move she instantly went over to the table where she found some of the lovely verses telling her that another shared her distresses whatever they might be and loved her with all his heart and that he would never rest until he had delivered her from the hands of the man she hated thus encouraged she told him all her story and the arrival of a young stranger in her father's palace whose looks had so charmed her that since that day she had thought of no one else at these words the prince could contain himself no longer and he took the pebble from his mouth and flung himself at Rosalie's feet when they had gotten over the first rapture of meeting they began to make plans to escape from the power of the prince of the air but this did not prove easy for the magic stone would only serve one person at a time and in order to save Rosalie the prince of the golden isle would have to expose himself to the fury of his enemy but Rosalie would not hear of this no prince she said since you are here this island no longer feels a prison besides you are under the protection of a fairy who always visits your father's court at this season go instantly and seek her and when she is found implore the gift of another stone with similar powers once you have that there will be no further difficulties in the way of escape the air returned a few days later from his mother's palace but the invisible prince had already set out he had however entirely forgotten the road by which he had come and lost himself so long in the forest that when at last he reached home the fairy had already left and in spite of all his grief there was nothing for it but to wait till the fairy's next visit and allow Rosalie to suffer three months longer the god drove him to despair and he had almost made up his mind to return to the palace of her captivity when one day as he was strolling along the alley in the woods he saw a huge oak open its trunk and out of it stepped two princes in earnest conversation as our hero had the magic stone in his mouth they imagined themselves alone and did not lower their voices what said one are you always going allow yourself to be tormented by a passion that can never end happily and in your whole kingdom can you find nothing else to satisfy you what is the use replied Heather of being prince of the gnomes and having a mother who is queen over all four elements if I cannot win the love of princess Argentine from the moment I first saw her sitting in the forest surrounded by the flowers I have never ceased to think of her night and day and although I love her I'm quite convinced that she will never care for me you know that I have in my palace the cabinets of the years in the first great mirrors reflect the past in the second we contemplate the present in the third the future can be read it was there that I fled after I gazed on princess Argentine but instead of love I only saw scorn and contempt think how great must be my devotion when in spite of my fate I still love on now the prince of the golden aisles was enchanted with this conversation for the princess Argentine was his sister and he hoped by means of her influence over the prince of the gnomes to obtain from his brother the release of Rosalie so he joyfully returned to his father's palace where he found his friend the fairy and the prince presented him with a magic pebble like his own as maybe imagined he lost no time in setting out to deliver Rosalie and traveled so fast that he soon arrived at the forest in the midst of which she lay a captive but though he found the palace he did not find Rosalie he hunted high and low but there was no sign of her and his despair was so great that he was ready to take his own life at last he remembered the conversation of the two princes about the cabinets of the years and that if he could manage to reach the oak tree he would be certain to discover what had become of Rosalie happily he soon found out the secret of the passage and enter the cabinet of the present where he saw reflected in the mirror the unfortunate Rosalie sitting on the floor weaving bitterly and surrounded with genie who never left her night or day this sight only increased the misery of the prince for he did not know where the castle was nor how to set about finding it however he resolved to seek the whole world around till he came to the right place he began by setting sail in a favorable wind but his bad luck followed him even on the sea he had scarcely lost sight of the land the violent storm rose and after several hours of beating about the vessel was driven onto some rocks on which it dashed itself to bits the prince was fortunate enough to be able to lay a hold of a floating spar and contrived to keep himself afloat and after a long struggle with the winds and waves he was cast upon a strange island but what was his surprise on reaching the shore was the sounds of the greatest heart-rending distress mingled with the sweetest songs which had ever charmed him his curiosity was instantly roused and he advanced cautiously till he saw two huge dragons guarding a gate of wood they were terrible indeed to look upon their bodies were covered with glistening scales their curved tails extended far over the land flames dotted from their mouths and noses and their eyes would have made the bravest shutter but as the prince was invisible and they did not see him he slipped past them into the wood he found himself at once in a labyrinth and wandered about for a long time without meeting anyone in fact the only sight he saw was a circle of human hands sticking out of the ground above the wrist each with a bracelet of gold on which a name was written the father he advanced in the labyrinth the more curious he became till he was stopped by two corpses lying in the midst of a cypress alley each with a scarlet cord around his neck and a bracelet on his arm on which was engraved their own names and those of two princesses the prince recognized these dead men as the kings of two islands near his own home but the names of the princesses were named after him he grieved for their unhappy fate and at once proceeded to bury them but no sooner had he laid them in their graves than their hand started up through the earth and remained sticking up like those of their fellows the prince went on his way thinking about this strange adventure then suddenly at the turn of the walk he perceived a tall man whose face was the picture of misery holding in his hands a stilkin cord of the exact color of those around the necks of the dead men a few steps further this man came up with another as miserable to the full as himself they silently embraced and then without a word passed the cords around their throats and fell dead side by side in vain the prince rushed to their assistance and strove to undo the cord he could not loosen it so he buried them with the others and continued his path he felt however that great prudence was necessary or he himself might become a victim of some enchantment and he was thankful to slip past the dragons and enter a beautiful park with clear streams and sweet flowers and a crowd of men and maidens but he could not forget the terrible things he had seen he hoped eagerly for a clue to the mystery noticing two young people talking together he drew near thinking that he might get some explanation for what puzzled him and so he did you swear said the prince that you will love me till you die but I fear your faithless heart and I feel that I shall soon have to seek the fairy despair ruler of half this island she carries away the lovers of those who have been cast away by their mistresses and wish to have done with life she places them in a labyrinth where they are condemned to walk forever with a bracelet on their arm and a cord around their necks unless they meet another as miserable as themselves then the cord is pulled and they lie where they fall till they are buried by the first passerby terrible as this death would be he said the prince it would be sweeter than life if I had lost your love the sight of all these happy lovers only made the prince grieve the more and he wandered along the seashore spending his days but one day he was sitting on a rock availing his fate and the impossibility of leaving the island when all in a moment the sea appeared to rise itself nearly to the skies and the caves echo with hideous screams as he looked a woman rose from the depths of the sea flying madly before a furious giant the cry she uttered soft in the heart of the prince he took the stone from his mouth and drew his sword and rushed after the giant so as to give the lady time to escape but hardly had he come within reach of the enemy then the giant touched him with a ring that he held in his hand and the prince remained visible where he stood the giant then hastily rejoined his prey and seizing her in his arms he plunged into the sea then he sent some tritons to bind chains about the prince of the golden isle and he too felt himself born to the depths of the ocean and without the hope of ever again seeing the princess now the giant whom the invisible had so rationally attacked he and the third son of the queen of the elements and he had touched the youth with a magic ring which enabled a mortal to live under water so the prince of the golden isle found when bound in chains by the tritons he was carried through the homes of strange monsters and past immense seaweed forests till he reached a vast sandy space surrounded by huge rocks on the tallest of the rocks sat the giant as on a throne rash mortal said he when the prince was dragged before him you have deserved death but you shall live only to suffer more cruelly go and add to the number of those whom it is my pleasure to torture at these words the unhappy prince found himself tied to a rock but he was not alone in his misfortune for all around him were chained princes and princesses whom the giant had led captive indeed it was his chief light to create a storm in order to add to his list of prisoners as his hands were fastened it was impossible for the prince of the golden isles to make use of his magic stone and he passed his nights and days dreaming of rosy but at last the time came when the giant took it into his head to amuse him himself by arranging fights between some of his captives lots were drawn and one fell upon our prince whose chains were immediately loosened the moment he was set free he snatched up his stone and became invisible the astonishment of the giant at the sudden disappearance of the prince may well be imagined he ordered all the passages to be watched but it was too late where the prince had already glided between two rocks he wandered for a long while through the forests where he met nothing but fearful monsters who climbed rock after rock steering his way from tree to tree till a length he arrived at the edge of the sea as a foot of the mountain that he remembered to have seen in the cabinet of the present where rosalie was being held filled with joy he made his way to the top of the mountain which pierced the clouds and there he found a palace he entered and in the middle of a long galley he discovered a crystal room in the midst of which sat rosalie guarded night and day by genie there was no door anywhere nor any window at this site the prince became more puzzled than ever for he did not know how he was to warn rosalie of his return yet it broke his heart to see her weep from dawn till dusk one day rosalie was walking up and down her room she was surprised to see that the crystal which served for a wall had grown cloudy as if one had breathed on it and what was more wherever she moved the brightness of the crystal always became clouded this was enough to cause the princess to suspect that her lover had returned in order to set the prince of air's mind at rest she began being very gracious to him so that when she begged that her captivity might be a little lightened she should not be refused at first the only favor she asked was to be allowed to walk for one hour every day up and down the long galley this was granted and the invisible prince speedily took the opportunity to hand her the stone which she at once slipped into her mouth no words can print the fury of her captor at her disappearance he ordered his spirits of the air to fly through all space and to bring back rosalie wherever she might be they instantly flew off to obey his command and spread themselves over the whole earth meanwhile rosalie and the invisible prince had reached hand in hand the roar of the galley which led through the terrors into the gardens in silence they glided along and thought themselves already safe when a furious monster dashed itself accidentally against rosalie and the invisible prince and in her fright she let go his hand no one can speak as long as he is invisible and besides they knew that the spirits were all around them and at the slightest sound they recognized so all they could do was feel about in hopes that their hands might once again meet but alas the joy of liberty lasted but a short time the princess having wandered in vain up and down the forest stopped at the edge of a fountain as she walked she wrote on the trees if ever the prince my love comes this way let him know that this is where I dwell and that I sit daily on the edge of the fountain mingling my tears with its waters these words were read by one of the genie who repeated them to his master the prince of the air in his turn making himself invisible was led to the fountain and waited for rosalie when she drew near he held out his hand but she grasped equally taking it for that of her lover and seizing his opportunity the prince passed a cord around her arms and throwing off his visibility cried for his spirits to drag her into the lowest pit he was at this moment the invisible prince appeared and at the sight of the prince of the genie mounted into the air holding a silken cord he guessed instantly that he was carrying off rosalie he felt so overwhelmed by the stare that he thought for an instant of putting an end to his life can I survive this fortune he cried I fancied I had come to an end of my troubles and now they are worse than ever what will become of me never can I discover the place where this monster will hide rosalie the unhappy youth was determined to let himself die and indeed the sorrow alone was enough to kill him when the thought is that by means of the cabinet of the years he might find out where the princess was imprisoned gave him a little ray of comfort so he continued to walk through the forest and after some hours he arrived at the gate of the temple guarded by two huge lions being invisible he was able to enter unharmed and the middle of the temple was an altar on which lay a book and behind the altar hung a great curtain the prince approached the altar and opened the book which contained the name of all the lovers in the world and in it he read that rosalie had been carried off by the prince of the air to the abyss which had no entrance except one that lay by way of the fountain of gold now as the prince had not the smallest idea where this fountain was to be found it might be thought that he was not much nearer rosalie than before that was not however the view taken by the prince though every step I take may perhaps leave me further from her he said to himself I am still thankful to know that she's alive somewhere on leaving the temple the invisible prince saw six paths lying before him each of which led through the wood he was hesitating on which to choose when he suddenly beheld two people coming towards him down the track which lay most to the right they turned out to be the prince gnome and his friend and the sudden desire to get some news of his sister princess argentine caused the invisible prince to follow them and to listen to their conversation do you think the prince gnome was saying do you think that I would not break my chains if I could I know that the princess argentine will never love me yet each day I feel her dearer still and as if this were not enough I have the horror of feeling that she probably loves another so I have resolved to put myself out of my pain by means of the golden fountain a single drop of water falling on the sand around it will trace the name of my rival in her heart I dread the test and yet this very dread convinces me of my misfortune it may be imagined that after listening to the words the invisible prince followed prince gnome like his shadow and after walking sometime they arrived at the golden fountain the unhappy lover stooped down with a sigh and dipping his finger in the water let a drop fall on the sand it instantly wrote the name of prince flame his brother the shock at this discovery was so real that prince gnome sank faint into the arms of his friend meanwhile the invisible prince was turning over in his mind how he could best deliver Rosalie as since he had been touched by the giant's ring he had the power to live in the water as well as on land he had once dived into the fountain he perceived in one corner a door leading into the mountain at the foot of the mountain there was a thick rock on which was fixed an iron ring with a cord attached the prince prompting to guess that the cord was used to chain the princess he drew his sword and cut it in a moment he felt the princess's hand in his where she had always kept her magic pebble in her mouth in spite of the prayers and entreaties of the prince of the air to make herself visible so hand in hand the invisible prince and Rosalie crossed the mountain but as the princess had no power of living underwater she could not pass the golden fountain speechless and invisible they clung together on the brink trembling at the frightful tempest the prince of the air had raised in his fury the storm had already lasted many days when tremendous heat began to make itself out the lightning flash the thunder rattled fire bolts fell from heaven burning up the forest and even the fields of corn in one instant the very streams would dried up and the prince seizing his opportunity carried the princess over the golden fountain it took them a long time still to reach the golden isle but at last they got there and we can be quite sure that they never wanted to leave it anymore End of Chapter 13 Chapter 14 of the Yellow Fairy Book This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org The Yellow Fairy Book edited by Andrew Lang Chapter 14 The Crow from the Polish Kledka Once upon a time there were three princesses who were all three young and beautiful but the youngest although she was not fairer than the other two was the most lovable of them all About half a mile from the palace in which they lived there stood a castle which was uninhabited and almost a ruin but the garden which surrounded it was a mass of blooming flowers and in this garden the youngest princess used often to walk One day when she was pacing under the lime trees a black crow hopped out of a rose bush in front of her The poor beast was all torn and bleeding and the kind little princess was quite unhappy about it When the crow saw this it turned to her and said I am not really a black crow but an enchanted prince who has been doomed to spend his youth in misery If you only liked princess you could save me but you would have to say goodbye to all your own people and come and be my constant companion in this ruined castle There is one habitable room in it in which there is a golden bed there you will have to live all by yourself and don't forget that whatever you may see or hear at night you must not scream out for if you give as much as a single cry my sufferings will be doubled The good-natured princess at once left her home and her family and hurried to the ruined castle and took possession of the room with the golden bed When night approached she lay down but though she shut her eyes her sleep would not come At midnight she heard to her great horror someone coming along the passage and in a minute her door was flung wide open and a troop of strange beings entered the room They at once proceeded to light a fire in the huge fireplace then they placed a great cauldron of boiling water on it When they had done this they placed the bed on which the trembling girl lay and screaming and yelling all the time they dragged her towards the cauldron She nearly died with fright but she never uttered a sound Then of a sudden the cock crew and all the evil spirits vanished At the same moment the crow appeared and hopped all around the room heartily for her goodness and said that its sufferings had already been greatly lessened Now one of the princesses elder sisters who was very inquisitive had found out about everything and went to pay her youngest sister a visit in the ruined castle She implored her so urgently to let her spend the night with her in the golden bed that at last the good-natured little princess consented But at midnight when the odd folk appeared the elder sister screamed with terror and from this time on the youngest princess insisted always on keeping watch alone So she lived in solitude all the day time and at night she would have been frightened had she not been so brave But every day she came and thanked her for her endurance and assured her that his sufferings were far less than they had been And so two years passed away when one day the crow came to the princess and said In another year I shall be freed from the spell I am under at present because then the seven years will be over But before I can resume and take possession of the belongings of my forefathers you must go out into the world and take service as a maid-servant The young princess consented at once and for a whole year she served as a maid But in spite of her youth and beauty she was very badly treated and suffered many things One evening when she was spinning flax her little white hands weary she heard a rustling beside her and a cry of joy Then she saw a handsome youth standing beside her who knelt down at her feet and kissed the little weary white hands I am the prince he said Who you in your goodness when I was wandering about in the shape of a black crow freed from the most awful torments come now to my castle with me and let us live there happily together So they went to the castle where they had both endured so much but when they reached it it was difficult to believe that it was the same for it had all been rebuilt and done up again and there they lived for a hundred years a hundred years of joy and happiness End of Chapter 14 Chapter 15 of The Yellow Fairy Book 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 Sarah Jennings The Yellow Fairy Book Edited by Andrew Lang Chapter 15 How Six Men Traveled Through the Wide World There was once upon a time there stood all sorts of arts he served in the war and he bore himself bravely and well but when the war was over he got his discharge and set out on his travels with three farthings of pay in his pocket Wait! said he that does not please me only let me find the right people and the king shall yet give me all the treasures of his kingdom He strode angrily into the forest and there he saw a man standing in his house he said to him will you be my servant and travel with me Yes he answered but first of all I will take this little bundle of sticks home to my mother and he took one of the trees and wound it around the other five raised the bundle on his shoulders and bore it off then he came back and went with his master who said we too ought to be able to travel through the wide world and when they had gone a little way in his knees his gun on his shoulder aiming at something the master said to him Hunter what are you aiming at he answered two miles from this place sits a fly on a branch of an oak I want to shoot out its left eye oh go with me said the man if we three are together we shall easily travel through the wide world the hunter agreed and went with him and they came to seven windmills they round quite fast and yet there was not a breath of wind nor was a leaf moving the man said I don't know what is turning those windmills there is not the slightest breeze blowing so he walked on with his servants and when they had gone two miles they saw a man sitting on a tree holding one of his nostrils and a blowing out of the other fellow what are you puffing at up there asked the man he replied two miles from this place are standing seven windmills see I am blowing to drive them round oh go with me said the man if we four are together we shall easily travel through the wide world so the blower got down and went with him and after a time they saw a man who was standing on one leg and had unsdropped the other and laid it near him then said the master you have made yourself very comfortable to rest I am a runner so that I shall not go too quickly I have unsdropped one leg when I run with two legs I go faster than a bird flies oh go with me if we five are together we shall easily travel through the wide world so he went with him and not long afterwards they met a man who wore a little hat but he had it slouched over one ear manners manners said the master to him don't hang your hat over one ear the man I dare not said the other for if I were to put my hat on straight there would come such a frost that the very birds in the sky would freeze and fall dead on the earth oh go with me said the master if we six are together we shall easily travel through the wide world now the six came to a town in which the king had proclaimed that whoever should run with his daughter in a race and win should become her husband but if he lost he would lose his head this was reported to the man who declared he would compete but he said I shall let my servant run for me the king replied then both your heads must be staked and your head and his must be guaranteed for the winner when this was agreed upon and settled the man strapped on the runner's other leg saying to him now be nimble and see that we win it was arranged that whoever should first bring the runner off should be the victor then the runner got a picture and the king's daughter another and they began to run at the same time but in a moment when the king's daughter was only just a little way off no spectator could see the runner and it seemed as if the wind had whistled past in a short time he reached the stream filled his picture with water and turned round again but halfway home a great drowsiness came over him he put down his picture and went back to sleep he had, however, put a horse's skull which was lying on the ground for his pillow so that he should not be too comfortable and might soon wake up in the meantime the king's daughter who could also run well as well as an ordinary man could reached the stream and hastened back with her picture full of water when she saw the runner lying there asleep she was delighted and said my enemy is given into my hands she emptied his picture everything now would have been lost if by good luck the hunter had not been standing on the castle tower and had seen everything with his sharp eyes ah, said he the king's daughter shall not overreach us and loading his gun he shot so cleverly that he shot away the horse's skull from under the runner's head without its hurting him then the runner awoke jumped up and saw that his picture was empty and the king's daughter far ahead but he did not lose courage and ran back to the stream with his picture filled it once more with water and was home ten minutes before the king's daughter arrived look, said he I have only just exercised my legs that was nothing of a run but the king was angry and his daughter even more so that she should be carried away by a common discharged soldier they consulted together how they could destroy both him and his companions then said the king to her I have found a way don't be frightened they shall not come home again he said to them you must now make merry together and eat and drink and he led them into a room which had a floor of iron the doors were also of iron and the windows were barred with iron in the room was a table spread with delicious food the king said to them go in and enjoy yourselves and as soon as they were inside and bolted then he made the cook come and ordered him to keep up a large fire under the room until the iron was red hot the cook did so and the six sitting round the table felt it grow very warm and they thought this was because of their good fare but when the heat came still greater and they wanted to go out but found the doors and windows fastened then they knew that the king meant to harm them and was trying to suffocate them but he shall not succeed cried he of the little hat I will make a frost come which shall make the fire ashamed and die out he put on his hat straight and at once there came such a frost that all the heat disappeared and the food on the dishes began to freeze when a couple of hours had passed and the king thought that he must be quite dead from the heat he had the doors opened and went in himself to see but when the doors were open they are stood all six, alive and well saying they were glad they could come out to warm themselves for the great cold in the room had frozen all the food hard in the dishes then the king went angrily to the cook and scolded him and asked him why he had not done what he was told but the cook answered there is heat enough there, see for yourself then the king saw a huge fire burning under the iron room and understood that he could do no harm to the six in this way the king now began again to think how he could free himself from his unwelcome guests he commanded the master to come before him and said, if you will take gold and give up your right to my daughter you shall have as much as you like oh yes, your majesty, answered he give me as much as my servant can carry and I will give up your daughter the king was delighted and the man said, I will come and fetch it in fourteen days then he called all the tailors in the kingdom together and made them sit down for fourteen days sewing at a sack when it was finished he made the strong man who had uprooted the trees take the sack on his shoulder and go with him to the king then the king said, what a powerful fellow that is carrying that bale of linen as large as a house on his shoulder and he was much frightened and thought what a lot of gold he will make away with then he had a ton of gold brought which sixteen of the strongest men had to carry but the strong man seized it with one hand put it in the sack saying, why don't you bring me more that scarcely covers the bottom then the king had to send again and again to fetch his treasures which the strong man shoved into the sack and the sack was only half full bring more he cried these crumbs don't fill it so seven thousand wagons of gold of the whole kingdom were driven up these the strong man shoved into the sack oxen and all I will no longer be particular, he said and we'll take what comes so that the sack shall be full when everything was put in and there was not yet enough he said, I will make an end of this it is easy to fasten a sack when it is not full then he threw it on his back and went with his companions now when the king saw how a single man was carrying away the wealth of the whole country he was very angry and made his cavalry mount and pursue the six and bring back the strong man with the sack two regiments soon overtook them and called to them, you are prisoners lay down the sack of gold or you shall be cut down what do you say? said the blower we are prisoners before that you shall dance in the air and he held one nostril and blew with the other at the two regiments they were separated and blown away in the blue sky over the mountains one this way and the other that a sergeant major cried for mercy saying he had nine wounds and was a brave fellow and did not deserve this disgrace so the blower let him off and he came down without hurt then he said to him now go home to the king and say that if he sends any more cavalry I will blow them all into the air when the king received the message he said let the fellows go, they are bewitched then the six brought the treasure home shared it among themselves and lived contentedly till the end of their days End of Chapter 15