 CHAPTER 17 Why the Sea Moans Once upon a time there was a little princess who lived in a magnificent royal palace. All around the palace there was a beautiful garden full of lovely flowers and rare shrubs and trees. The part of the garden which the princess liked most of all was a corner of it which ran down to the sea. She was a very lonely little princess, and she loved to sit and watch the changing beauty of the sea. The name of the little princess was Dionysia, and it often seemed to her that the sea said, as it rushed against the shore, Dionysia, Dionysia. One day when the little princess was sitting all alone by the sea, she said to herself, Oh, I am so lonely, I do so wish that I had somebody to play with. When I ride out in the royal chariot I see little girls who have other little boys and girls to play with them. As I am the royal princess, I never have anybody to play with me. If I have to be the royal princess and not play with other children, I do think I might have some sort of live thing to play with me. Then a most remarkable thing happened. The sea said very slowly and distinctly, and over and over again, so there couldn't be any mistake about it. Dionysia, Dionysia. The little princess walked up close to the sea, just as close as she dared to go without danger of getting her royal shoes and stockings wet. Straight out of the biggest wave of all there came a sea serpent to meet her. She knew that it was a sea serpent from the pictures in her royal story books, even though she had never seen a sea serpent before. But somehow this sea serpent looked different than the pictures. Instead of being a fierce monster, it looked kind and gentle and good. She held out her arms to it right away. Come play with me, said Dionysia. I am Labismena, and I have come to play with you, replied the sea serpent. After that the little princess was very much happier. The sea serpent came out of the sea to play with her every day when she was alone. If anyone else came near, Labismena would disappear into the sea, so no one but Dionysia ever saw her. The years passed rapidly, and each year the little princess grew to be a larger and larger princess. At last she was sixteen years old, and a very grown up princess indeed. She still enjoyed her old playmate, Labismena, and they were often together on the seashore. One day, when they were walking up and down together beside the sea, the sea serpent looked at Dionysia with sad eyes and said, I too have been growing older all these years, dear Dionysia. Now the time has come that we can no longer play together. I shall never come out of the sea to play with you any more, but I shall never forget you and I shall always be your friend. I hope that you will never have any trouble, but if you ever should, call my name, and I will come to help you. Then the sea serpent disappeared into the sea. About this time, the wife of a neighboring king died, and as she lay upon her deathbed, she gave the king a jeweled ring. When the time comes when you wish to wed again, she said, I ask you to marry a princess upon whose finger this ring shall be neither too tight nor too loose. After a while, the king began to look about for a princess to be his bride. He visited many royal palaces and tried the ring upon the finger of many royal princesses. Upon some the ring was too tight, and upon others it was too loose. There was no princess whose finger it fitted perfectly. At last in his search the king came to the royal palace where the princess Dionysia lived. The princess had dreams of her own of a young and charming prince who would someday come to wed her, so she was not pleased at all. The king was old and no longer handsome, and when he tried the ring upon Dionysia's finger, she hoped with all her heart that it would not fit. It fitted perfectly. The princess Dionysia was frightened nearly to death. Will I really have to marry him? She asked her royal father. Her father told her when a very wealthy king he was, with a great kingdom and a wonderful royal palace, ever so much more wonderful and grand than the palace the princess Dionysia had always had for her home. Her father had no patience at all with her for not being happy about it. You ought to consider yourself the most fortunate princess in all the world, he said. Dionysia spent her days and nights weeping. Her father was afraid that she would grow so thin that the ring would no longer fit her finger, so he hastened the plans for the wedding. One day Dionysia walked up and down beside the sea, crying as if her heart would break. All at once she stopped crying. How stupid I've been, she said. My old playmate, Labismena, told me that if ever I was in trouble she would come back and help me. With all my silly crying I had forgotten about it. Dionysia walked up close to the sea and called softly, Labismena, Labismena! Out of the sea came the sea serpent, just as she used to come. The princess told the sea serpent all about the dreadful trouble which was threatening to spoil her life. Have no fear, said Labismena, tell your father that you will marry the king when the king presents you with a dress, the color of the fields and all their flowers, and that you will not marry him until he gives it to you. Then the sea serpent disappeared again into the sea. Dionysia sent word through her father to her royal suitor that she would wed him only when he procured her, address the color of the fields and all their flowers. The king was very much in love with Dionysia, so he was secretly filled with joy at this request. He searched everywhere for address the color of the fields and all their flowers. It was a very difficult thing to find, but at last he procured one. He sent it to Dionysia at once. When Dionysia saw that the king had really found the dress for her, she was filled with grief. She thought that there was no escape and that she would have to marry the king after all. As soon as she could get away from the palace without being noticed, she ran down to the sea and again called Labismena, Labismena! The sea serpent at once came out of the sea. Do not fear, she said to Dionysia. Go back and say that you will not wed the king until he gives you address the color of the sea and all its fishes. When the king heard this new request of Dionysia's, he was rather discouraged. However, he searched for the dress, and, at last, after expending a great sum of money, he procured such a gown. When Dionysia saw that a dress the color of the sea and all its fishes had been found for her, she again went to seek counsel from her old playmate. Do not be afraid, Labismena again said to her. This time you must ask the king to get you address the color of the sky and all its stars. You may also tell him that this is the last present you will ask him to make you. When the king heard about the demand for a dress the color of the sky and all its stars, he was completely disheartened. But when he heard that Dionysia had promised that this would be the last present she would ask, he decided that it might be a good investment after all. He set out to procure the dress with all possible speed. At last he found one. When Dionysia saw the dress the color of the sky and all its stars, she thought that this time there was no escape from marrying the king. She called the sea serpent with an anxious heart, for she was afraid that now even Labismena could do nothing to help her. Labismena came out of the sea and answered to her call. Go home to the palace and get your dress the color of the field and all its flowers, said the sea serpent, and your dress the color of the sea and all its fishes, and your dress the color of the sky and all its stars. Then hurry back here to the sea, for I have been preparing a surprise for you. All the time the king had been procuring the wonderful gowns for Dionysia, the sea serpent had been building a ship for her. When Dionysia returned from the royal palace, with her lovely dresses all carefully packed in a box, there was a queer little boat awaiting her. It was not at all like any other boat she had ever seen, and she was almost afraid to get into it when Labismena asked her to try it. This little ship which I have built for you, said Labismena, will carry you far away over the sea to the kingdom of a prince who is the most charming prince in all the world. When you see him, you will want to marry him above all others. Oh, Labismena, how can I ever thank you for all you have done for me? cried Dionysia. You can do the greatest thing in the world for me, said Labismena. Though I have never told you, and I do not believe that you have ever suspected it, I am really an enchanted princess. I shall have to remain in the form of a sea serpent until the happiest maiden in all the world, at the hour of her greatest happiness, calls my name three times. You will be the very happiest girl in all the world on the day of your marriage, and if you will remember to call my name three times, then you will break my enchantment, and I shall once more be a lovely princess instead of a sea serpent. Dionysia promised her friend that she would remember to do this. The sea serpent asked her to promise three times to make sure. When Dionysia had promised three times and again embraced her old playmate and thanked her for all that she had done, she sailed away in the little ship. The sea serpent disappeared into the sea. Dionysia sailed and sailed in the little ship, and at last it bore her to a lovely island. She thought that she had reached her destination, so she stepped out of the boat, not forgetting to take her box of dresses with her. As soon as she was out of the boat, it sailed away. Now what shall I ever do? said Dionysia. The ship has gone away and left me, and how shall I ever earn my living? I have never done anything useful in all my life. Dionysia surely had to do something to earn her living immediately, so she at once set out to see what she could find to do. She went from house to house asking for food and work. At last she came to the royal palace. Here at the royal palace they told her that they had great need of a maid to take care of the hens. Dionysia thought that this was something which she could do, so she accepted the position at once. It was, of course, very different work from being a princess in a royal palace, but it provided her with food and shelter, and when Dionysia thought of having to marry the old king, she was never sorry that she had left home. Then passed, and at last there was a great feast day celebrated in the city. Everybody in the palace went, except the little maid who minded the hens. After everybody had gone away, Dionysia decided that she would go to the festa, too. She combed her hair and put on her gown which was the color of the fields and their flowers. In this wonderful gown she was sure nobody would ever guess that she was the little maid who had been left at home to mind the hens. She did want to go to the festa. She hurried there as fast as she could and arrived just in time for the dances. Everybody at the festa noticed the beautiful maiden in her gown the color of the fields and all their flowers. The prince fell madly in love with her. Nobody had ever seen her before, and nobody could find out who the beautiful stranger was or where she came from. Before the festa was over, Dionysia slipped away, and when the rest of the royal household returned home, there was the little maid minding the hens just as they had left her. The second day of the festa, everybody went early except the little maid who looked after the hens. When the others had gone, she put on her dress the color of the sea and all its fishes, and went to the festa. She attracted even more attention than she had the day before. When the festa was over and the royal household had returned to the royal palace, the prince remarked to his mother, Don't you think that the beautiful stranger at the festa looks like the little maid who minds our hens? What nonsense! replied his mother. How could the little maid who minds our hens ever get such wonderful gowns to wear? Just to make sure, however, the prince told the royal counselor to find out if the little maid who minds the royal hens had been to the festa. All the servants told about leaving her at home with the hens, and coming back and finding her just as they had left her. Whoever the beautiful stranger at the festa may be, said the prince, she is the one above all others whom I want for my wife. I shall find her some way. The third day of the festa, Dionysia went attired in her gown the color of the sky and all its stars. The prince fell more madly in love with her than ever. He could not get her to tell him who she was or where she lived, but he gave her a beautiful jewel. When the prince returned home, he would not eat any food. He grew thin and pale. Everyone around the palace tried his best to invent some dish which would tempt the prince's appetite. Finally, the little maid who took care of the hens said that she thought she could prepare a dish which the prince would eat. Accordingly, she made a dish of broth for the prince, and in the bottom of the dish she dropped the jewel which the prince had given her. When the broth was set before the prince, he was about to send it away untouched, just as he did everything else, but the sparkling jewel attracted his attention. Who made this dish of broth? He asked as soon as he could speak. It was made by the little maid who mined the hens, replied his mother. Send for the little maid to come to me at once, cried the prince. I knew that the beautiful stranger at the festa looked like our little maid who mined the hens. The prince married Dionysia the very next day, and Dionysia was the very happiest girl in all the world, for from the first moment that she had seen the prince, she had known that he was the one above all others whom she wished to marry. Alas, in Dionysia's excitement she forgot all about calling the name of her old playmate, Lobby Smenna, at the hour of her marriage as she had promised to do. She thought of nothing but the prince. There was no escape for Lobby Smenna. She had to remain in the form of a sea serpent because of Dionysia's neglect. She had lost her chance to come out of the sea and become a lovely princess herself and find a charming prince of her own. For this reason her sad moan is heard in the sea until this very day. Perhaps you have noticed it. You will often hear the call come from the sea as it breaks against the shore. Dionysia. Dionysia. No wonder that the sea moans. It is enough to make a sea serpent sad to be forgotten by the very person one has done most to help. End of Chapter 17. Chapter 18 of Fairy Tales from Brazil. 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 David Stryker. Fairy Tales from Brazil by Elsie Spicer Eales. Chapter 18. How the Brazilian beetles got their gorgeous coats. In Brazil the beetles have such beautifully colored hard-shelled coats upon their backs that they are often set in pins and necklaces like precious stones. Once upon a time, years and years ago, they had ordinary plain brown coats. This is how it happened that the Brazilian beetle earned a new coat. One day, a little brown beetle was crawling along a wall when a big gray rat ran out of a hole in the wall and looked down scornfully at the little beetle. Oh, he said to the beetle, how slowly you crawl along. You'll never get anywhere in the world. Just look at me and see how fast I can run. The big gray rat ran to the end of the wall, wheeled around, and came back to the place where the little beetle was slowly crawling along, at only a tiny distance from where that rat had left her. Don't you wish that you could run like that? Said the big gray rat to the little brown beetle. You're surely a fast runner, replied the little brown beetle politely. Her mother had taught her always to be polite, and had often said to her that a really polite beetle never boasts about her own accomplishments. The little brown beetle never boasted a single boast about things she could do. She just went on slowly crawling along the wall. A bright green and gold parrot in the mango tree over the wall had heard the conversation. How would you like to race with the beetle? He asked the big gray rat. I lived next door to the tailor bird, he added. And just to make the race exciting, I'll offer a bright colored coat as a prize to the one who wins the race. You may choose it for any color you like, and I'll have it made to order. I'd like a yellow coat with stripes like the tigers, said the big gray rat, looking over his shoulder at the gaunt gray sides as if he were already admiring his new coat. I'd like a beautiful bright colored new coat too, said the little brown beetle. The big gray rat laughed long and loud until his gaunt gray sides were shaking. Why, you talk just as if you thought you had a chance to win the race, he said, when you could speak. The bright green and gold parrot set the royal palm tree at the top of the cliff as the goal of the race. He gave the signal to start, and then he flew away to the royal palm tree to watch for the end of the race. The big gray rat ran as fast as he could. Then he thought how very tired he was getting. What was the use of hurrying, he said to himself. The little brown beetle cannot possibly win. If I were racing with somebody who could really run, it'd be very different. Then he started to run more slowly, but every time his heart beat it said, hurry up, hurry up. The big gray rat decided that it was time best to obey the little voice in his heart, so he hurried just as fast as he could. When he reached the royal palm tree at the top of the cliff, he could hardly believe his eyes. He thought he must be having a bad dream. There was a little brown beetle sitting quietly beside the bright green and gold parrot. The big gray rat had never been so surprised in all of his life. How did you ever manage to run fast enough to get here so soon? He asked the little brown beetle as soon as he could catch his breath. The little brown beetle drew out tiny wings from her sides. Nobody said anything about having to run to win the race, she replied. So I flew and said, I did not know that you could fly, said the big gray rat and sub-dude little voice. After this, said the bright green and gold parrot, never judged anyone by his looks alone. You never can tell how often or where you might find concealed wings. You've lost the prize. Until this day, even in Brazil where the flowers and birds and bee-sind insects have such gorgeous coloring, the rat wears a plain, dull gray coat. When the parrot turned to the little brown beetle who was waiting quietly at his side, what color do you want your new coat to be? He asked. The little brown beetle looked up at the bright green and gold parrot at the green and gold palm trees above their heads and the green mangoes and with golden flushes on their cheeks laying on the ground under the mango trees, the golden sunshine upon the distant green hills. I choose a coat of green and gold, she said. From that day to this, the Brazilian beetle has worn a coat of green with golden lights upon it. For years and years, the Brazilian beetles were all very proud to wear green and gold coats like that of the beetle who raced with the rat. Then, once upon a time, it happened that there was a little beetle who grew discontented with her coat of green and gold. She looked up at the blue sky and out at the blue sea and wished she had a blue coat instead. She talked about it so much that finally her mother took her to the parrot who lived next to the tailor bird. You may change your coat for a blue one, said the parrot, but if you change, you'll have to give up something. Oh, I'll gladly give up anything if I only may have a blue coat instead of a green and gold one, said the discontented little beetle. When she received her new coat, she thought it was very beautiful. It was a lovely shade of blue and had silvery white lights upon it like the light of the stars. When she put it on, however, she discovered it's not hard like the green and gold one. From that day to this, the blue beetles coats have not been hard and firm. That is the reason why the jewelers have difficulty in using them in pins and necklaces like the other beetles. From the moment that the little beetle put on her new blue coat, she never grew again. From that day to this, the blue beetles have been much smaller than the green and gold ones. When the Brazilians made their flag, they took it for a square of green, the color of the green beetle's coat. Within the square, they placed a diamond of gold like the golden lights which play upon the green beetle's back. Then within the diamond, they drew a circle to represent the round earth and they colored it blue like the coat of blue beetle. Upon the blue circle, they placed stars of silvery white like the silvery white lights on the back of the blue beetle. About the blue circle of the earth, which they thus pictured, they drew a band of white and upon this band, they wrote the motto of their country. Ordem a progresso, order and progress. End of chapter 18, recording by David Stryker. End of Fairy Tales from Brazil by Elsie Spicer Eales.