 THE PARADISE OF CHILDREN From myths that every child should know. Read by Micky Lee Rich. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Long, long ago, when this old world was in its tender infancy, there was a child named Epimetheus, who never had either father or mother, and that he might not be lonely, another child, fatherless and motherless like himself, was sent from a far country to live with him and be his playfellow and helpmate. Her name was Pandora. The first thing that Pandora saw when she entered the cottage where Epimetheus dwelled was a great box, and almost the first question which she put to him after crossing the threshold was this. Epimetheus, what have you in that box? My dear little Pandora, answered Epimetheus, that is a secret and you must be kind enough not to ask any questions about it. The box was left here to be kept safely, and I do not myself know what it contains. But who gave it to you, asked Pandora, and where did it come from? That is a secret, too, replied Epimetheus. How provoking exclaimed Pandora, pouting her lip. I wish the great ugly box were out of the way. Oh, come, don't think of it anymore, cried Epimetheus. Let us run out of doors and have some fun play with the other children. It is thousands of years since Epimetheus and Pandora were alive, and the world nowadays is very different sort of thing from what it was in their time. Then everybody was a child. There needed no fathers and mothers to take care of the children because there was no danger or trouble of any kind and no clothes to be mended, and there was always plenty to eat and drink. Whenever a child wanted his dinner, he found it growing on a tree. And if he looked at the tree in the morning, he could see the expanding blossom of the night supper, or, at eventide, he saw the tender bud of tomorrow's breakfast. It was a very pleasant life indeed. No labor to be done, no tasks to be studied, nothing but sports and dances, and sweet voices of children talking or caroling like birds or gushing out in merry laughter throughout the live long day. What was most wonderful of all, the children never quarreled among themselves, never had they any crying fits nor, since time first began, had a single one of those little mortals never gone apart into a corner and sulked. Oh, what a good time was that to be alive in. The truth is, those ugly little winged monsters called Troubles, which are now almost as numerous as mosquitoes, had never yet been seen on the earth. It is probable that the very greatest disquietude which a child had ever experienced was Pandora's vexation at not being ill to discover the secret of the mysterious box. This was at first only the faint shadow of a trouble, but every day it grew more and more substantial until before a great while the cottage of Epimetheus and Pandora was less sunshiny than those of the other children. Whence can the box have come? Pandora continually kept saying to herself and to Epimetheus, and what in the world can be inside of it? Always talking about this box, said Epimetheus at last, for he had grown extremely tired of the subject. I wish, dear Pandora, you would try to talk of something else. Come, let us go and gather some ripe figs and eat them under the tree for our supper. And I know a vine that has the sweetest and juiciest grapes you ever tasted. Always talking about grapes and figs, cried Pandora petishly. Well then, said Epimetheus, who was a very good tempered child, like a multitude of children in those days, let us run out and have a merry time with our playmates. I'm tired of merry times, and I don't care if I never have any more answered our petish little Pandora. And besides, I never do have any. The suckly box. I'm so taken up with thinking about it all the time. I insist upon you telling me what is inside of it. As I have already said fifty times over, I do not know, replied Epimetheus, getting a little vexed, how, then, can I tell you what is inside? You might open it, said Pandora, looking sideways at Epimetheus, and then we could see for ourselves. Pandora, what are you thinking of? exclaimed Epimetheus, and his face expressed so much horror at the idea of looking into a box which had been confided to him on the condition of his never opening it that Pandora thought it best not to suggest it anymore. Still, however, she could not help thinking and talking about the box. At least, she said, you can tell me how it came here. It was left at the door, replied Epimetheus, just before you came, by a person who looked very smiling and intelligent and who could hardly forbear laughing as he put it down. He was dressed in an odd kind of cloak and had a cap that seemed to be made, partly of feathers, so that it looked almost as if it had wings. What sort of staff had he, as Pandora? Oh, the most curious staff I ever saw, cried Epimetheus. It was like two serpents twisting around a stick and was carved so naturally that I, at first, thought the serpents were alive. I know him, said Pandora thoughtfully. Nobody else has such a staff. It was Quicksilver, and he brought me hither, as well as the box. No doubt he intended it for me, and most probably it contains pretty dresses for me to wear or toys for you and me to play with, or something very nice for both to eat. Perhaps so, answered Epimetheus, turning away, but until Quicksilver comes back and tells us so, we have neither us any right to lift the lid of the box. What a dull boy he is, muttered Pandora as Epimetheus left the cottage. I do wish he had a little more enterprise. For the first time since her arrival, Epimetheus had gone out without asking Pandora to accompany him. He went to gather figs and grapes by himself, or to seek whatever amusement he could find in other society than his little playfellows. He was tired to death of hearing about the box, and hardly wished that Quicksilver, or whatever was the messenger's name, had left it at some other child's door, where Pandora would never have set eyes on it. So perseveringly as did she babble about this one thing, the box, the box, and nothing but the box. As seen as if the box were bewitched, well, it was really hard that poor Epimetheus should have a box in his ears from morning till night, especially as the little people of the earth were so unaccustomed to vexations in those happy days, and they knew not how to deal with them. Thus a small vexation made as much disturbance than as a far bigger one would in our own times. After Epimetheus had gone, Pandora stood gazing at the box. She had called it ugly, above a hundred times, but in spite of all that she had set against it, it was positively a very handsome article of furniture and would have been quite an ornament to any room in which it should be placed. It was made of a beautiful kind of wood, with dark and rich veins spreading over its surface, which was so highly polished that little Pandora could see her face in it. As the child had no other looking glass, it's odd that she did not value the box merely on this account. The edges and corners of the box were carved with most wonderful skill. Around the margin there were figures of graceful men and women and the prettiest children ever seen, reclining or sporting amid a profusion of flowers and foliage, and these various objects were so exquisitely represented and were wrought together in such harmony that flowers, foliage, and human beings seemed to combine into a wreath of mingled beauty. But here and there, peeping forth from behind the carved foliage, Pandora once or twice fancied that she saw a face not so lovely or something other that was disagreeable and which stole the beauty out of the rest. Nevertheless, on looking more closely and touching the spot with her finger, she could discover nothing of the kind. Some face that was really beautiful had been made to look ugly by her catching a sideways glimpse of it. The most beautiful face of all was done in what is called high relief in the center of the lid. There was nothing else, save the dark smooth richness of the polished wood and this one face in the center with the garland of flowers about its brow. Pandora had looked at this face a great many times and imagined that the mouth could smile if it liked or be grave when it chose, the same as any living mouth. The features, indeed, all wore a very lively and rather mischievous expression which looked almost as if it needs must burst out of the car of lips and utter itself in words. Had the mouth spoken, it would probably have been something like this. Do not be afraid, Pandora. What harm can there be in opening the box? Never mind that poor simple epimetheus. You are wiser than he and have ten times as much spirit. Open the box and see if you do not find something very pretty. The box, I had almost forgotten to say, was fastened not by a lock nor by any other such contrivance but by a very intricate knot of gold cord. There appeared to be no end to this knot and no beginning. Never was a knot so cunningly twisted nor with so many ends and outs so gishly defied the skillful as fingers to disentangle them and yet by the very difficulty that there was in it Pandora was the more tempted to examine the knot just to see how it was made. Two or three times already she had stooped over the box and taken the knot between her thumbs and forefinger but without positively trying to undo it. I really believe she said to herself I began to see how it was done. Nay, perhaps I could tie it up again after undoing it. There would be no harm in that surely. Even epimetheus would not blame me for that. I need not open the box and should not of course without the foolish boy's consent even if the knot were untie. It might have been better for Pandora if she had a little work to do than to employ her mind upon so as not to be so constantly thinking of this one subject but children led so easy a life before any troubles came into the world that they had really a great deal too much leisure. They could not be forever playing hide and seek among the flower shrubs or at blind man's bluff with garlands over their eyes or at whatever other games had been found out while Mother Earth was in her babyhood when life is all sport toil is the real play. There was absolutely nothing to do a little sweeping and dusting about the cottage I suppose and the gathering of fresh flowers which were only too abundant everywhere and arranging them in vases and poor little Pandora's day's work was over and then for the rest of the day there was the box. After all, I'm not quite sure that the box was not a blessing to her in its way it supplied her with such a variety of ideas to think of and to talk about whenever she had anybody to listen. When she was in good humor she could admire the bright polish of its sides and the rich border of beautiful faces and foliage that ran all around it or if she chanced to be ill-tempered she could give it a push and a naughty little foot and Minia Kick did the box but it was a mischievous box as we shall see and deserved all it got Minia Kick did it receive but certain it is if it had not been for the box our active-minded little Pandora would not have known half so well how to spend her time as she now did for it was really an endless employment to guess what was inside what could it be indeed just imagine my little hearers how busy your wits would be if there were a great box in the house which as you might have no reason to suppose contained something new and pretty for your Christmas or New Year's gifts do you think that you should be less curious than Pandora? if you were left alone with the box might you not feel a little tempted to lift the lid? but you wouldn't do it oh no no only if you thought there were toys in it it would be so very hard to let slip an opportunity of taking just one peep I know not whether Pandora expected any toys for none had yet began to be made probably in those days when the world itself was one great plaything for the children that dwelt upon it but Pandora was convinced that there was something very beautiful and valuable in the box and therefore she felt just as anxious to take a peep as any of these little girls here around me would have felt and possibly a little more so but of that I'm not quite so certain on this particular day however which we have so long been talking about her curiosity grew so much greater than it had usually been that at last she approached the box she was more than half determined to open it if she could ah ah naughty Pandora first however she tried to lift it it was heavy quite too heavy for the cylinder strength of a child like Pandora she raised one end of the box a few inches from the floor and let it fall again with a pretty loud thump a moment afterward she almost fancied that she heard something stir inside of the box she applied her ear as closely as possible and listened positively there did seem to be a kind of stifled murmur within or was it merely the singing in Pandora's ears or could it be the beating of her heart the child could not quite satisfy herself whether she had heard anything or no but at all events her curiosity was stronger than ever as she drew back her head her eyes fell upon the knot of gold cord it must have been a very ingenious person who tied this knot said Pandora to herself but I think I could untie it nevertheless I'm resolved at least to find the two ends of the cord so she took the golden knot with her fingers and pried into it intricacies as sharply as she could almost without intending it or quite knowing what she was about she was soon busily engaged in attempting to undo it meanwhile the bright sunshine came through the open window as did likewise the merry voices of the children playing at a distance and perhaps the voice of Ephemethias among them Pandora stopped to listen to the beautiful day it was would it not be wiser if she were to let the troublesome knot alone and think no more about the box but run and join her little playfellow and be happy all this time however her fingers were half unconsciously busy with the knot and happening to glance at the flower wreath's face on the lid of the enchanted box she seemed to perceive its slyly grinning at her very mischievous thought Pandora I wonder whether it smiles because I'm doing wrong I have the greatest mind in the world to run away but just then by the nearest accident she gave the knot a kind of twist which produced a wonderful result the gold cord unwind itself as if by magic and left the box without this strangest thing I ever knew said Pandora what will Ephemethias say and how can I possibly tie it up again she made one or two attempts to restore the knot but soon found it quite beyond her skill it had disentangled itself so suddenly that she could not in the least remember how the strings happened doubled into one another and when she tried to recollect the shape and appearance of the knot it seemed to have gone entirely out of her mind nothing was to be done therefore but to let the box remain as it was until Ephemethias should come in but said Pandora when he finds the knot untied he will know that I have done it how shall I make him believe that the knot looked into the box and then the thought came into her naughty little heart that since she would be suspected of having looked into the box she might just as well do so at once oh very naughty and very foolish Pandora you should have thought only of doing what was right and of leaving undone what was wrong and so perhaps she might if the enchanted face on the lid of the box had not looked so bewitchingly persuasive at her and if she had not seemed to hear more distinctly than before the murmur of small voices within she could not tell whether it was fancy or no but there was quite a little tumult of whispering in her ears or else it was her curiosity that whispered let us out dear Pandora pray let us out we will be such nice pretty playfellows for you only let us out what can it be thought Pandora is there something alive in the box well yes I am resolved to take just one peep only one peep and then the lid shall be shut down as safely as ever there cannot possibly be any harm in just one little peep but it is now time for us to see what Epimetheus was doing this was the first time since his little playmate had come to dwell with him that he had attempted to enjoy any pleasure in which she did not partake nor was he nearly so happy as on other days he could not find a sweet grape or a ripe fig if Epimetheus had a fault it was a little too much fondness for figs or if ripe at all they were overripe and so sweet as to be cloying there was no mirth in his heart such as usually made his voice gush out of its own accord and swell the merriment of his companions in short he grew so uneasy and discontented that the other children could not imagine what was the matter with him neither did he himself know what ailed him any better than they did for you must recollect that at the time we are speaking of it was everybody's nature and constant habit to be happy the world had not yet learned to be otherwise not a single soul or body since these children were sent to enjoy themselves on the beautiful earth had ever been sick or out of sorts at length discovering that somehow or other he put a stop to all the play Epimetheus judged it best to go back to Pandora who was in a humor better suited to his own but with a hope of giving her pleasure he gathered some flowers and made them into a wreath which he meant to put upon her head the flowers were very lovely roses and lilies and orange blossoms and a great many more which left a trail of fragrance behind as Epimetheus carried them along and the wreath was put together with as much skill as could reasonably be expected of a boy the fingers of little girls are the fittest to twine flower wreaths but boys could do it in those days rather better than they can now and here I must mention that a great black cloud had been gathering in the sky for some time past although it had not yet overspread the sun but just as Epimetheus reached the cottage door this cloud began to intercept the sunshine thus to make a sudden and sad obscurity he entered softly for he meant if possible to steal behind Pandora and fling the wreath of flowers over her head before she should be aware of his approach but as it happened there was no need of his treading so very lately he might have drawed as heavily as he pleased as heavily as a grown man as heavily as an elephant without much probability of Pandora's hearing his footsteps she was too intent upon her purpose at the moment of his entering the cottage the naughty child had put her hand to the lid and was on the point of opening the mysterious box Epimetheus beheld her if he had cried out Pandora would probably have withdrawn her hand and the fatal mystery of the box might have never been known but Epimetheus himself although he said very little about it had his own curiosity to know what was inside perceiving that Pandora was resolved to find out the secret he determined that his play fellow should not be the only wise person in the cottage and if there were anything pretty or valuable in the box he meant to take half of it to himself thus after all his sage speeches to Pandora about her restraining her curiosity Epimetheus turned out to be quite as foolish and nearly as much as fault as she so whenever we blame Pandora for what happened we must not forget to shake our heads at Epimetheus likewise as Pandora raised the lid the cottage grew very dark and dismal for the black cloud had now swept quite over the sun and seemed to have buried it alive there had for a little while past been a low growling and muttering which all at once broke into a heavy peel of thunder but Pandora heeding nothing of all this lifted the lid nearly upright and looked inside it seemed as if a sudden swarm of winged creatures brushed past her taking flight out of the box while at the same instant she heard the voice of Epimetheus with a lamentable tone as if he were in pain oh I am stung cried he naughty Pandora why have you opened this wicked box Pandora let fall the lid and starting up looked about her to see what had befallen Epimetheus the thunder cloud had so dark in the room that she could not clearly discern what was in it but she heard a disagreeable buzzing as if a great many huge flies or gigantic mosquitoes or those insects which we call door bugs and pinching dogs were darting about and as her eyes grew more accustomed to the imperfect light she saw a crowd of ugly little shapes with bat swings looking abominably spiteful and armed with terribly long stings in their tails it was one of these that had stung Epimetheus nor was it a great while before Pandora herself began to scream in no less pain and a fright than her playfellow and making a vast deal about it an odious little monster had settled on her forehead and would have stung her I know not how deeply if Epimetheus had not run and brushed it away now if you wish to know what these ugly things might be which had made their escape out of the box I must tell you that they were the whole family of earthly troubles there were a great many species of cares there were more than 150 sorrows there were diseases in a vast number of miserable and painful shapes there were more kinds of naughtiness than it would be of any use to talk about in short everything that has since afflicted the souls and bodies of mankind had been shut up in the mysterious box and given to Epimetheus and Pandora to keep safely in order that the happy children of the world might never be molested by them had they been faithful to their trust all would have gone well no grown person would ever have been sad nor any child have had cause to shed a single tear from that hour until this moment but and you may see by this how a wrong act of any one mortal is a calamity to the whole world by Pandora's lifting the lid of that miserable box and by the fault of Epimetheus too and not preventing her these troubles have obtained a foothold among us and do not seem very likely to be driven away in a hurry for it was impossible as you will easily guess that the two children should keep the ugly swarms in their own little cottage on the contrary the first thing that they did was to fling open the doors and windows in hopes of getting rid of them and sure enough away flew the wing at troubles all abroad and so pestered and tormented the small people everywhere about that none of them for many days afterward and what was very singular all the flowers and dewy blossoms on earth not one of which had hitherto faded now began to droop and shed their leaves after a day or two the children moreover who before seemed immortal in their childhood now grew older day by day and came soon to be youths and maidens and men and women by and by and aged people before they dreamed of such a thing meanwhile the naughty pandora and hardly less naughty epimetheus remained in their cottage both of them had been grievously stung and were in a good deal of pain which seemed to be more intolerable to them because it was the very first pain that had ever been felt since the world began of course they were entirely unaccustomed to it and could have no idea what it meant besides all this they were an exceedingly bad humor both with themselves and with one another in order to indulge it to the utmost epimetheus sat down solemnly in a corner with his back towards pandora while pandora flung herself upon the floor and rested her head on the fatal and abominable box she was crying bitterly and sobbing as if her heart would break suddenly there was a gentle little tap on the inside of the lid what can that be cried pandora lifting her head but either epimetheus had not heard the tap or was too much out of humor to notice it at any rate he made no answer you are very unkind said pandora sobbing anew not to speak to me again the tap it sounded like the tiny knuckles of a fairy's hand knocking lightly and playfully on the inside of the box who are you as pandora with a little of her former curiosity who are you inside of this naughty box a sweet little voice spoke from within only lift the lid and you shall see no no answered pandora again beginning to sob I have had enough of lifting the lid you are inside of this box naughty creature and there you shall stay there are plenty of your ugly brothers and sisters already flying about the world you need never think that I shall be so foolish as to let you out she looked towards epimetheus as she spoke perhaps expecting to commend her for her wisdom but the solemn boy only muttered that she was wise a little too late ah said the sweet voice again you had much better let me out I am not like those naughty creatures that have stings in their tails they are no brothers and sisters of mine as you would see at once if you were only to get a glimpse of me come my pretty pandora I am sure you will let me out and indeed there was a kind of a cheerful witchery in the tone that made it almost impossible to refuse anything which the little voice asked pandora's heart had insensibly grown lighter at every word that came from within the box epimetheus too though still in the corner had turned half round and seemed to be in rather spirits than before my dear epimetheus cried pandora have you heard this little voice yes to be sure I have answered he but in no good humor as yet and what of it shall I lift the lid again asked pandora just as you please said epimetheus you have done so much mischief today that perhaps you may as well do a little more one other trouble such a swarm as you have said a drift about the world can make no very great difference you might speak a little more kindly murmured pandora wiping her eyes ah naughty boy cried the little voice within the box in an arc and laughing tone he knows he's longing to see me come my dear pandora lift up the lid I'm in a great hurry to comfort you only let me have some fresh air and you shall soon see that matters are not quite so dismal as you think them epimetheus exclaimed pandora come what may I am resolved to open the box and as the lid seems very heavy cried epimetheus running across the room I will help you so with one consent the two children again lifted the lid out flew a sunny and smiling little personage and hovered about the room throwing a light wherever she went have you never made the sunshine dance in dark corners by reflecting it from a bit of a looking glass well so looked the winged cheerfulness of this little fairy like stranger amid the gloom of the cottage she flew to epimetheus and laid the least touch of her finger on the inflamed spot where the trouble had stung him and immediately the anguish of it was gone then she kissed pandora on the forehead and her hurt was cured likewise after performing these good offices the bright stranger fluttered sportively over the children's heads and looked so sweetly at them that they both began to think it not so very much they missed to have opened the box since otherwise their cheery guest might have been kept a prisoner among those naughty imps with stings in their tails pray who are you beautiful creature asked pandora I am to be called hope answered the sunshiney figure and because I am such a cheery little body I was packed into the box to make amends to the human race for that swarm of ugly troubles which was destined to be let loose among them never fear I we shall do pretty well in spite of them all your wings are colored like the rainbow exclaimed pandora how very beautiful yes they are like the rainbow said hope as glad as my nature is I am partly made of tears as well as smiles and will you stay with us as epimetheus forever and ever as long as you need me said hope with her pleasant smile and that will be as long as you live in the world I promise never to desert you there may comes times seasons now and then when you will think that I have utterly vanished but again and again when perhaps you least dream of it you shall see the glimmer of my wings on the ceiling of your cottage yes my dear children and I know something very good and beautiful that it is to be given you hereafter oh tell us they exclaimed tell us what it is do not ask me replied hope putting her fingers on her rosy mouth but do not despair even if it should never happen while you live on this earth trust in my promise for it is true we do trust you cried epimetheus and pandora both in one breath and so they did and not only they but so has everybody trusted hope that has since been alive and to tell you the truth I cannot help being glad though to be sure it was an uncommonly naughty thing for her to do but I cannot help being glad that our foolish pandora peeped into the box no doubt no doubt the troubles are still flying around the world and have increased in their multitude rather than lessened and are a very ugly set of imps carry most venomous stings in their tails I have felt them already and expect to feel more of them as I grow older but then that lovely and light some little figure of hope what in the world could we do without her hope spiritualizes the earth hope makes it new and even in the earth's best and brightest aspect hope shows it to be only the shadow of an infinite bliss hereafter this is the end of the paradise of children from myths that every child should know read by mickey lee rich the six swans from the yellow fairy book by various authors this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org a king was once hunting in a great wood and he hunted the game so eagerly that none of his courtiers could follow him when evening came on he stood still and looked around him and he had saw that he had quite lost himself he sawed a way out but could find none then he saw an old woman with a shaking head coming toward him but she was a witch good woman he said to her can you not show me the way out of the wood oh certainly dear king she replied I can quite well do that but on one condition which if you do not fulfill you will never get out of the wood and will die of hunger what is the condition asked the king I have a daughter said the old woman who is so beautiful that she has not her equal in the world and is well fitted to be your wife if you will make her lady queen I will show you the way out of the wood the king in his anguish of mind consented and the old woman led him to her little house where her daughter was sitting by the fire she would not have received the king if she were expecting him and he thought that she was certainly very beautiful but she did not please him and he could not look at her without a secret feeling of horror as soon as he had lifted the maiden onto the horse the old woman showed him the way and the king reached his palace where the wedding was celebrated the king had already been married once and had by his first wife and children six boys and one girl whom he loved more than anything in the world and now because he was afraid that their stepmother might not treat them well and might do them harm he put them in a lonely castle that stood in the middle of the wood it lay so hidden and the way to it was so hard to find that he himself could not have found out had not a wise woman given him a reel of thread which possessed a marvelous property when he threw it before him it unwound itself and showed him the way but the king went so often to his dear children that the queen was offended at his absence she grew curious and wanted to know what he had to do quite alone in the wood she gave his servants a great deal of money and they betrayed the secret to her and also told her of the reel which alone could point out the way she had no rest now till she had found out where the king guarded the reel and then she made some little white shirts and as she had learned from her witch mother sowed an enchantment in each of them and when the king had ridden off she took the little shirts and went into the wood and the reel showed her the way the children who saw someone coming in the distance thought it was their dear father coming to them to meet him very joyfully then she threw over each one a little shirt which when it touched their bodies changed them into swans and they flew away over the forest the queen went home quite satisfied and thought she had got rid of her step-children but the girl had not run to meet her with her brothers and she knew nothing of her the next day the king came to visit his children no one but the girl where are your brothers asked the king alas, dear father she answered they have gone away and left me all alone and she told him that looking out of her little window she had seen her brothers flying over the wood in the shape of swans and she showed him the feathers which they had left fall in the yard and which she had collected the king mourned but he did not think that the queen had done the wicked deed and as he was afraid the maiden would also be taken from him he wanted to take her with him but she was afraid of the step-mother and begged the king to let her stay just one more night in the castle in the wood the poor maiden thought my home is no longer here I will go and seek my brothers and when night came she ran away into the forest she ran all the night and the next day till she could go no further from weariness then she saw a little hut went in and found a room with six little beds she was afraid to lie down on one so she crept under one of them lay on the hard floor and was going to spend the night there but when the sun had set she heard a noise and saw six swans flying in at the window they stood on the floor and blew at one another and blew all their feathers off and their swan skin came off like a shirt then the maiden recognized her brothers and overjoyed she crept out from under the bed her brothers were not less delighted than she to see their little sister again but their joy did not last long you cannot stay here they said to her my brothers if they were to come and find you they would kill you could you not protect me asked the little sister no they answered for we can only lay aside our swan skins for a quarter of an hour every evening for this time we regain our human forms but then we are changed into swans again then the little sister cried and said can you not be freed they said the conditions are too hard you must not speak or laugh for six years and must make in that time six shirts for us out of star flowers if a single word comes out of your mouth all your labor is in vain and when the brothers had said this the quarter of an hour came to an end and they flew away out of the window as swans but the maiden had determined to free her brothers even it should cost her her life she left the hut went into the forest climbed a tree and spent the night there the next morning she went out collecting star flowers and began to sow she could speak to no one and she had no wish to laugh so she sat there looking only at her work when she had lived there some time it happened that the king of the country was hunting in the forest and his hunters came to the tree on which the maiden sat they called to her and said who are you but she gave no answer come down to us they said we will do you no harm but she shook her head silently as they pressed her for further questions she threw them the golden chain from her neck but they did not leave off and she threw them her girdle and when this was of no use her garters and then her dress the huntsman would not leave her alone but climbed the tree lifted the maiden down and led her to the king the king said who are you what are you doing up that tree but she answered nothing he asked her in all the languages he knew but she remained as dumb as a fish because she was so beautiful however the king's heart was touched and he was seized with a great love for her he wrapped her up in his cloak placed her before him on his horse and brought her to his castle there he dressed her in rich clothes and her beauty shone out as bright as day but not a word could be drawn from her he set her at table by his side and her modest ways and behavior pleased him so much that he said I will marry this maiden to none other in the world after some days he married her but the king had a wicked mother who was displeased with the marriage and said wicked things of the young queen who knows who this girl is she said she cannot speak and is not worthy of a king after a year when the queen had her first child the old mother took it away from her and said that the queen had killed it the king would not believe it and would not allow any harm be done her but she sat quietly sewing at the shirts and troubling herself about nothing the next time she had a child the wicked mother did the same thing but the king could not make up his mind to believe her he said she is too sweet and good to do such a thing as that if she were not dumb she would not understand herself her innocence would be proved but when the third child was taken away and the queen was again accused and could not utter a word in her own defense the king was obliged to give her over to the law which decreed that she must be burnt to death when the day came on which the sentence was to be executed it was the last day to speak or laugh and now she had freed her dear brothers from the power of the enchantment the six shirts were done there was only the left sleeve wanting to the last when she was led to the stake she laid the shirts on her arm and she stood on the pile and the fire was about to be lighted she looked around her and saw six swans flying through the air then she knew that her release was at hand and her heart danced for joy the swans fluttered around her and hovered low so that she could throw the shirts over them when they had touched them the swan skins fell off and her brother stood before her living well and beautiful only the youngest had a swan's wing instead of his left arm and kissed each other and the queen went to the king who was standing by in great astonishment and began to speak to him saying dearest husband now that I can speak and tell you openly that I am innocent and have been falsely accused she told him of the old woman's deceit and how she had taken the three children away and hidden them then they were fetched to the great joy of the king and the wicked mother came to no good end but the king and queen and their six brothers lived many years in happiness and peace end of the six swans from the yellow fairy book read by Mickey Lee Rich the tiger, the brahmin and the jacal from the Indian fairy tales from Joseph Jacobs this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org once upon a time a tiger was caught in a trap he tried in vain to get out through the bars and rolled and bit with rage and grief when he failed by chance a poor brahmin came by let me out of this cage oh pious one cried the tiger nay my friend replied the brahmin mildly you would probably eat me if I did not at all swore the tiger with many oaths on the contrary I should be forever grateful and serve you as a slave now when the tiger sobbed and wept and swore the pious brahmin's heart softened and at last he consented to open the door of the cage out popped the tiger and seizing the poor man cried what a fool you are what is to prevent me from eating you now for after being cooped up so long I am just terribly hungry in vain the brahmin pleaded for his life the most he could gain was a promise to abide by the decision of the first three things he chose to question as to the justice of the tiger's action so the brahmin first asked a peepal tree what a thought of the matter but the peepal tree replied coldly what have you to complain about don't I give shade and shelter to everyone who passes by and only in return tear down my branches to feed their cattle don't whimper be a man then the brahmin saw that heart went further afield till he saw a buffalo turning a well wheel but he fared no better from it but it answered you are a fool to expect gratitude look at me whilst I gave milk they fed me on cotton seed and oil cake but now I am dry they yoked me here and gave me refuses fodder the brahmin still more sad asked the road to give him its opinion my dear sir said the road how foolish you are to expect anything else here I am useful to everybody yet all rich and poor and small trample on me as they go past giving me nothing but the ashes of their pipes and the husks of their grain on this the brahmin turned back sorrowfully and on the way he met a jackal who called out why what's matter mr brahmin you look as miserable as a fish out of water the brahmin told him all that had occurred how very confusing said the jackal when the recital was ended would you mind telling me over again but everything has got so mixed up the brahmin told it all over again but the jackal shook his head in a distracted sort of way and still could not understand it's very odd said he sadly but it all seems to go in at one air and out at the other I will go to the place where it all happened and then perhaps I shall be able to give a judgement so they returned to the cage by which the tiger was waiting for the brahmin and sharpening his teeth and claws you have been away a long time gravel the savage beast but now let us begin our dinner our dinner? thought the wretched brahmin as his knees knocked together with fright what a remarkably delicate way of putting it give me five minutes my lord pleaded in order that I may explain matters to the jackal here who is somewhat slow in his wits the tiger consented and the brahmin began the whole story over again not missing a single detail and spinning as long a yarn as possible oh my poor brain oh my poor brain cried the jackal ringing its paws let me see how did all begin you were in the cage and the tiger came walking by poo interrupted the tiger what a fool you are I was in the cage of course cried the jackal pretending to tremble with fright yes I was in the cage no I wasn't dear, dear where are my wits let me see the tiger was in the brahmin and the cage came walking by no that's not it either well don't mind me but begin your dinner for I shall never understand yes you shall return the tiger in a rage at the jackal's stupidity I'll make you understand look here I am the tiger yes my lord and that is the brahmin yes my lord and that is the cage yes my lord and I was in the cage do you understand yes no please my lord well cried the tiger impatiently please my lord how did you get in how? why in the usual way of course oh dear me my head is beginning to warl again please don't be angry my lord but what is the usual way at this the tiger lost patience and jumping into the cage cried this way now do you understand how it was perfectly grinned the jackal as he dexterously shut the door and if you will permit me to say so I think matters will remain as they were end of the tiger, the brahmin and the jackal from the Indian fairy tales by Joseph Jacobs read by Aparna Bhatt The Ugly Duckling from Hans Andersen's fairy tales first series by Hans Christian Andersen this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org it was so beautiful in the country it was the summer time the wheat fields were golden the oats were green and the hay stood in great stacks in the green meadows the stork paraded about among them on his long red legs chattering away in Egyptian the language he had learned from his lady mother all around the meadows and corn fields grew thick woods and in the midst of the forest was a deep lake yes, it was beautiful it was delightful in the country in the sunny spots to the pleasant old farmhouse circled all about with deep canals and from the walls down to the water's edge grew great bird oaks so high that under the tallest of them a little child might stand upright the spot was as wild as if it had been in the very centre of the thick wood in this snug retreat sat a duck upon her nest watching for her young brood to hatch but the pleasure she had felt at first was almost gone she had begun to think it would vary some task for the little ones were so long coming out of their shells and she seldom had visitors the other ducks liked much better to swim about in the canals than to climb the slippery banks and sit under the burdock leaves to have a gossip with her it was a long time to stay so much by herself at length however one shell cracked and soon another and from each came a living creature that lifted its head and cried beep crack said the mother and then they all tried to see it too as well as they could while they looked all about them on every side at the tall green leaves their mother allowed them to look about as much as they liked because green is good for the eye what a great world it is to be sure said the little ones when they found how much more room they had than when they were in the eggshell is this all the world do you imagine? said the mother wait till you have seen the garden far beyond that it stretches down to the pastor's field though I have never ventured to such a distance are you all out? she continued rising to look no, not at all the largest egg lies there yet I declare I wonder how long this business is to last I am really beginning to be tired of it but for all that she sat down again well and how are you today? who came to pay her a visit this one egg that takes a deal of hatching the shell is hard and will not break said the phone mother who sat still upon her nest but just look at the others have I not a pretty family? are they not the prettiest little ducklings you ever saw? they are the image of their father the good for naught he never comes to see me let me see the egg that will not break said the old duck I have no doubt it's a guinea fowl's egg the same thing happened to me once and a deal of trouble it gave me for the young ones are afraid of the water I quacked and clucked the all to no purpose let me take a look at it yes I am right it's a guinea fowl upon my word so take my advice and leave it where it is come to the water and teach the other children to swim I think I will sit a little while longer I have sat so long a day or two more won't matter very well please yourself said the old duck rising and she went away at last the great egg broke and the latest bird cried beep beep as he crept forth from the shell how big and ugly he was the mother duck stared at him I know what to think really she said this is an enormous duckling and it is not at all like any of the others I wonder if he will turn up to be a guinea fowl well we shall see when we get to the water or into the water he must go even if I have to push him in myself on the next day the weather was delightful the sun shone brightly and the green bird oak leaves and the mother duck took her whole family down to the water and jumped in with a splash quack quack cried she and one after another the little ducklings jumped in the water closed over their heads but they came up again in an instant and swam about quite prettily with their legs paddling under them as easily as possible the legs went up off on their own accord and the ugly grey coat was also in the water swimming with them oh said the mother that is not a guinea fowl see how well he uses his legs and how erect he holds himself he is my own child and he is not so very ugly after all if you look at him properly quack quack now I will take you into grand society and introduce you to the farmyard but you must keep close to me or you may be trodden upon and above all beware of the cat when they reached the farmyard there was a wretched riot going on two families were fighting for an eels head which after all was carried off by the cat see children the way of the world said the mother duck for she would have liked the eels head herself come now use your legs and let me see how well you can behave you must bow your heads prettily to that old duck yonder she is the highest born of them all and has Spanish blood therefore she is well off don't you see she has a red rag tied to her leg it's something very grand and a great honour for a duck it shows that everyone is anxious not to lose her and that she is to be noticed by both man and beast come now don't turn in your toes well bred duckling spreads his wheat wide apart just like his father and mother this way now benjen eggs and say quack the ducklings did as they were bait but the other ducks stared and said look here comes another brood as if they were not enough of us already and bless me what a queer looking object one of them is we don't want him here and then one flew out and bit him in the neck let him alone said the mother he's not doing any harm yes but he's so big and ugly he's perfect fright and said this beautiful duck and therefore he must be turned out the little bite thing will do him good the others are very pretty children said the old duck with the rag on her leg oh but that one I wish his mother could smooth him up a bit he's really ill favoured that is impossible your grace replied the mother he's not very pretty but he has a very good disposition and swims as well as the others not even better I think he will grow up pretty and perhaps be smaller he has remained too long in the egg and therefore his figure is not properly formed and then she stroked his neck and smoothed the feather saying it's a drake and therefore not of so much consequence I think he will grow up strong and be able to take care of himself the other ducklings are graceful enough said the old duck now make yourself at home and if you find an eels head you can bring it to me and so they made themselves comfortable but the poor duckling who had crept out of his shell last of all and looked so ugly was bitten and pushed and made fun of not only by the ducks but by all the potray he's too big they all said and the turkey cock who had been born into the world with spurs and fancied himself really an emperor puffed himself out like a vessel and full sail and flew at the duckling became quite red in the head with passion so that the poor little thing did not know where to go and was quite miserable because he was so ugly as to be laughed at by the whole farmyard so it went on from day to day it got worse and worse the poor duckling was driven about by everyone even his brothers and sisters were unkind to him and would say ah you ugly creature I wish the cat would get you and his mother had been hurt to say she wished he had never been born the ducks pecked him chickens beat him and the girl who fed the poultry pushed him with her feet so at last he ran away frightening the little birds on the hedge as he flew over the pylings they're afraid because I'm so ugly he said still farther until he came out on a large moor inhabited by wild ducks here he remained the whole night feeling very sorrowful in the morning when the wild ducks rose in the air they stared at their new comrade what sort of a duck are you they all said coming round him he bowed to them and was as polite as he could be but he did not reply to their question you're exceedingly ugly said the wild ducks but that will not matter if you don't want to marry one of the family poor thing he had no thoughts of marriage all he wanted was permission to lie among the rushes and drink some of the water on the moor after he had been on the moor two days there came two wild geese or rather gosslings for they had not been out of the egg long which accounts for their impertence listen friend said one of them to the duckling you're so ugly that we like you very well will you go with us and become a bird of passage not far from here is another moor and which there are some wild geese all of them unmarried it is a chance for you to get a wife you may make your fortune ugly as you are bang bang sounded in the air and the two wild geese fell dead among the rushes and the water was tinged with blood bang bang echoed far and wide in the distance the whole flocks of wild geese rose up from the rushes the sound continued from every direction for the sportsmen surrounded the moor and some were even seated on branches of trees or looking the rushes the blue smoke from the guns rose like clouds over the dark trees and as it floated away across the water the number of sporting dogs bounded in among the rushes which bent beneath them wherever they went hath he terrified the poor duckling he turned away his head to hide it under his wing and at the same moment a large terrible dog passed quite near him his jaws were open his mouth and his eyes glared fairfully he thrust his nose close to the duckling showing his sharp teeth and then SPLASH SPLASH went into the water without touching him sighed the duckling how thankful I am for being so ugly even a dog will not bite me and so he lay quite still while the shot rattled through the rushes and gun after gun was fired over him it was late in the day before all became quiet but even then the poor young thing did not dare to move he waited quietly for several hours and then after looking carefully around him hastened away from the moor as fast as he could he ran over field and meadow till a storm arose and he could hardly struggle against it towards evening he reached a poor little cottage that seemed ready to fall and only seemed to remain standing because it could not decide on which side to fall first the storm continued so violent that the duckling could go no farther he sat down by the cottage and then he noticed that the door was not quite closed in consequence of one of the hinges having given away there was therefore a narrow opening near the bottom large enough for him to slip through which he did very quietly and got a shelter for the night here in this cottage lived a woman a cat and a hen the cat whom his mistress called my little son was a great favourite he could raise his bag and purr and could even throw out sparks from his fur if it were stroked the wrong way the hen had very short legs so she was called chicky short legs she laid good eggs and her mistress loved her as if she had been her own child and the morning the strange visitor was discovered the cat began to purr and hen to pluck what is that noise about said the old woman looking around the room but her sight was not very good therefore when she saw the duckling she thought it must be a fat duck oh what a prize she exclaimed I hope it is not a drake for then I shall have some duck's eggs I must wait and see so the duckling was allowed to remain on trial for three weeks but there were no eggs now the cat was the master of the house and the hen was a mistress and they always said we and the world for they believed themselves to be half the world so far the better half too the duckling thought that others might hold a different opinion on the subject but the hen would not listen to such doubts can you lay eggs she asked no then have the goodness to seize talking can you raise your back or purr or throw out sparks said the cat no then you have no right to express an opinion when sensible people are speaking so the duckling sat in a corner feeling very low spirited but when the sunshine and the fresher came into the room through the open door he began to feel such a great longing for a swim that he could not help speaking of it what an absurd idea said the hen you have nothing else to do therefore you have foolish fancies if you could purr or lay eggs they would pass away delightful to swim about on the water said the duckling and so refreshing to feel it close over your head while you dive down to the bottom delightful indeed it must be a queer sort of pleasure said the hen why you must be crazy ask the cat he is the cleverest animal I know ask him how he would like to swim about on the water or to dive under it for I will not speak of my opinion ask our mistress the old woman there is no one in the world more clever than she do you think she would relish swimming and letting the water close over her head I see you don't understand me said the duckling we don't understand you who can understand you I wonder do you consider yourself more clever than the cat or the old woman I will say nothing of myself don't imagine such nonsense child and thank your good fortune you've been so well received here are you not in a warm room and in society from which you may learn something but you are a chatterer and your company is not very agreeable believe me I speak only for your good I may tell you unpleasant truths but that is a proof of my friendship I advise you therefore to lay eggs and learn to par as quickly as possible I believe I must go out into the world again said the duckling yes do so the duckling left the cottage and soon found water on which it could swim and dive but he was avoided by all other animals because of his ugly appearance autumn came and the leaves in the forest turned to orange and gold and as winter approached the wind caught them as they fell and whirled them into the cold air the clouds heavy with hail and snow flakes hung low in the sky and the ravens stood among the reeds crying croak croak he made one shiver with cold to look at him all this was very sad for the poor little duckling one evening just as the sun was setting amid radiant clouds there came a large flock of beautiful birds out of the bushes the duckling had never seen any like them before they were swans and they curved their graceful necks while their soft plumage shown with dazzling whiteness they uttered a singular cry as they spread their glorious wings and flew away from those cold regions to warmer countries across the sea they mounted higher and higher in the air and the ugly little duckling had a strange sensation as he watched them he whirled himself in the water like a wheel stretched out his neck towards them and uttered its cry so strange that it frightened even himself could he ever forget those beautiful happy birds and when at last they were out of his sight he dived under the water and rose again almost beside himself with excitement he knew not the names of these birds nor where they had flown but he fell towards them as he had never fell towards any other bird in the world he was not envious of these beautiful creatures it never occurred to him to wish to be as lovely as they poor ugly creature how gladly he would have lived he would with the ducks had they only treated him kindly and given him encouragement the winter grew colder and colder he was obliged to swim about on the water to keep it from freezing but every night space on which he swam became smaller and smaller at length it froze so hard that the ice and the water crackled as he moved and the duckling had to paddle with his wings as well as he could to keep the space from closing up he became exhausted at last and lay still and helpless frozen fast in the ice early in the morning a peasant who was passing by saw what had happened he broke the ice in pieces with his wooden shoe and carried the duckling home to his wife the warmth revived the poor little creature but when the children wanted to play with him the duckling thought they would do him some harm he started up in terror fluttered into the milk pan and splashed the milk about the room then the woman clapped her hands which frightened him still more he flew first into the butter cask then into the mealtub and out again what a condition he was in the woman screamed and struck at him with the tongs the children laughed and screamed and tumbled over each other in their efforts to catch him the door stood open the poor creature could just manage to slip out among the bushes and lie down quiet exhausted in the newly fallen snow it would be very sad were I to relate all the misery and privations which the poor little duckling endured during the hard winter but when it had passed he found himself lying one morning in a moor amongst the rushes he felt the warm sun shining and heard the lark singing and saw that all around was beautiful spring then the young bird felt that his wings were strong as he flapped them against his sides and rose high into the air they bore him onwards until before he well knew how it had happened he found himself in a large garden the apple trees were in full blossom and the fragrant elders bent their long green brooches down to the stream which wound round a smooth lawn everything looked beautiful in the freshness of early spring from a thicket close by came three beautiful white swans rustling their feathers and swimming lightly over the smooth water the duckling saw these lovely birds and felt more strangely unhappy than ever I will slide to these royal birds he exclaimed and they will kill me because, ugly as I am I dare to approach them but it does not matter better be killed by them then pecked by the ducks beaten by the hens pushed about by the maiden who feeds the poultry or start with hunger in the winter then he flew to the water and swam towards the beautiful swans the moment they spied the stranger they rushed to meet him without stretched wings he said to me, said the poor bird and he bent his head down to the surface of the water and awaited death but what did he see in the clear stream below his own image no longer a dark grey bird ugly and disagreeable to look at but a graceful beautiful swan to be born in a duck's nest in a farm yard is of no consequence to a bird if it is hatched from a swan's egg he now felt glad at having suffered sorrow and trouble because it enabled him to enjoy so much better all the pleasure and happiness around him for the great swans swam round the newcomer and stroked his neck with their beaks is a welcome into the garden presently came some little children and threw bread and cake into the water there is a new one and the rest were delighted and ran to their father and mother dancing and clapping their hands and shouting joyously there is another swan come, a new one has arrived then they threw more bread and cake into the water and said the new one is the most beautiful of all he is so young and pretty and the old swans bowed their heads before him he was quite ashamed and hit his head under his wing for he did not know what to do he was so happy yet he was not at all proud he had been persecuted and despised for his ugliness and now he heard them say he was the most beautiful of all the birds even the elder tree bent down its pose into the water before him and the sun shone warm and bright then he rushed his feathers curved his slender neck and cried joyfully from the depths of his heart I never dreamed of such happiness as this while I was the despised ugly duckling end of the ugly duckling from Hans Andersen's fairy tales first series author Hans Christian Andersen read by Hans Andersen