 It is late afternoon in my Brazilian garden. The dazzling blue of sea and sky which characterizes a tropical noonday has become subdued and all rosy tints are beginning to prepare the glory of the sunset hour. A lizard crawls lazily up the whitewashed wall. The song of the sabiá, that wonderful Brazilian thrush, sounds from the royal palm tree. The air is heavy with the perfume of the orange blossom. There is no long twilight in the tropics. Night will leap down suddenly upon my Brazilian garden from out of the glory of the sunset sky. Theriza, the ama, stands before us on the terrace under the mango trees, and we, her iaiazinhas and yoiozinhos, know that the story hour has come. Theriza, daughter of the mud huts under the palm trees, ama, in the sobrado of the foreign senhora, is a royal queen of storyland. For her, the beasts break silence and talk like humans. For her, all the magic wonders of her tales stand forth as living truth. Her life body sways backwards and forwards to the rhythm of her words as she unfolds her tales to us. She is a picture to remember as she stands under the mango trees on our terrace. Her spotless white camisa is decorated with beautiful pillow lace, her own handiwork. Her skirt of stiffly starched cotton is red and purple in color. A crimson flowered folded shawl hangs over her right shoulder and great strings of beads ornament the ebony of her neck and arms. To sit at the feet of Theriza, the ama, is to enter the gate of storyland. At the very beginning of time, when the world had just been made, there was no night. It was day all the time. No one had ever heard of sunrise or sunset, starlight or moonbeams. There were no nightbirds, nor nightbeasts, nor nightflowers. There were no lengthening shadows, nor soft night air heavy with perfume. In those days, the daughter of the great sea serpent, who dwelt in the depths of the seas, married one of the sons of the great earth race known as men. She left her home among the shades of the deep seas and came to dwell with her husband in the land of daylight. Her eyes grew weary of the bright sunlight and her beauty faded. Her husband watched her with sad eyes, but he did not know what to do to help her. Oh, if night would only come, she moaned as she tossed about, wearily, on her couch. Here it is always day, but in my father's kingdom there are many shadows. Oh, for a little of the darkness of night! Her husband listened to her moanings. What is night? he asked her. Tell me about it, and perhaps I can get a little of it for you. Night, said the daughter of the great sea serpent, is the name we give to the heavy shadows which darken my father's kingdom in the depths of the seas. I love the sunlight of your earthland, but I grow very weary of it. If we could have only a little of the darkness of my father's kingdom to rest our eyes part of the time. Her husband at once called his three most faithful slaves. I am about to send you on a journey, he told them. You are to go to the kingdom of the great sea serpent who dwells in the depths of the seas and ask him to give you some of the darkness of night that his daughter may not die here amid the sunlight of our earthland. The three slaves set forth for the kingdom of the great sea serpent. After a long dangerous journey they arrived at his home in the depths of the sea and asked him to give them some of the shadows of night to carry back to the earthland. The great sea serpent gave them a big bag full at once. It was securely fastened and the great sea serpent warned them not to open it until they were once more in the presence of his daughter, their mistress. The three slaves started out, bearing the big bag full of night upon their heads. Soon they heard strange sounds within the bag. It was the sound of the voices of all the night beasts, all the night birds and all the night insects. If you have ever heard the night chorus from the jungles on the banks of the rivers, you will know how it sounded. The three slaves had never heard sounds like those in all their lives. They were terribly frightened. Let us drop the bag full of night right here where we are and run away as fast as we can, said the first slave. We shall perish, we shall perish. Anyway, whatever we do, cried the second slave. Whether we perish or not, I am going to open the bag and see what makes all those terrible sounds, said the third slave. Accordingly, they laid the bag on the ground and opened it, outrushed all the night beasts and all the night birds and all the night insects and outrushed the great black cloud of night. The slaves were more frightened than ever at the darkness and escaped to the jungle. The daughter of the great sea serpent was waiting anxiously for the return of the slaves with the bag full of night. Ever since they had started out on their journey, she had looked for their return, shading her eyes with her hand and gazing away off at the horizon, hoping with all her heart that they would hasten to bring the night. In that position she was standing under a royal palm tree when the three slaves opened the bag and let night escape. Night comes, night comes at last, she cried as she saw the clouds of night upon the horizon. Then she closed her eyes and went to sleep, there under the royal palm tree. When she awoke she felt greatly refreshed. She was once more the happy princess who had left her father's kingdom in the depths of the great seas to come to the earthland. She was now ready to see the day again. She looked up at the bright star shining above the royal palm tree and said, oh bright beautiful star, henceforth you shall be called the morning star and you shall herald the approach of day. You shall reign queen of the sky at this hour. Then she called all the birds about her and said to them, oh wonderful sweet singing birds, henceforth I commend you to sing your sweetest songs at this hour to herald the approach of day. The cock was standing by her side. You, she said to him, shall be appointed the watchman of the night. Your voice shall mark the watches of the night and shall warn the others that the madrugada comes. To this very day in Brazil we call the early morning madrugada. The cock announces its approach to the waiting birds. The birds sing their sweetest songs at that hour and the morning star rains in the sky as queen of the madrugada. When it was daylight again the three slaves crapped home through the forests and jungles with their empty bag. Oh faithless slaves said their master, why did you not obey the voice of the great sea serpent and open the bag only in the presence of his daughter, your mistress. Because of your disobedience I shall change you into monkeys. Henceforth you shall live in the trees. Your lips shall always bear the mark of the sealing walks which seal the bag full of night. To this very day one sees the mark upon the monkey's lips where they bit off the walks which seal the bag. And in Brazil night leaps out quickly upon the earth just as it leapt quickly out of the bag those days at the beginning of time. And all the night beasts and night birds and night insects give a sunset chorus in the jungles at nightfall. Once upon a time ages and ages ago the rabbit had a long tail but the cat had none. She looked with envious eyes at the one which the rabbit had. It was exactly the sort of a tail she longed to have. The rabbit was always a thoughtless, careless little beast. One day he went to sleep with his beautiful long tail hanging straight out behind him. Along came Mistress Puss carrying a sharp knife and with one blow she cut off Mr. Rabbit's tail. Mistress Puss was very spry and she had the tail nearly sued onto her own body before Mr. Rabbit saw what she was doing. Don't you think it looks better on me than it did on you? Ask Mistress Puss. Surely it's very becoming to you replied the generous unselfish rabbit. It was a little too long for me anyway and I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll let you keep it if you will give me that sharp knife in exchange for it. The cat gave Mr. Rabbit the knife and he started out into the deep forest with it. I've lost my tail but I've gained the knife said he. I'll get a new tail or something else just as good. Mr. Rabbit hopped along through the forest for a long time and at last he came to a little old man who was busily engaged in making baskets. He was making the baskets out of rushes and he was biting them off with his teeth. He looked up and spied Mr. Rabbit with the knife in his mouth. Oh please Mr. Rabbit said he. Will you not be so kind as to let me borrow that sharp knife you are carrying? It is very hard work to bite the rushes off with my teeth. Mr. Rabbit let him take the knife. He started to cut off the rushes with it. When snap went the knife. It broke into halves. Oh dear oh dear cried Mr. Rabbit. What shall I do? What shall I do? You have broken my nice new knife. The little old man said that he was very sorry and that he did not mean to do it. Then Mr. Rabbit said a broken knife is of no use to me but perhaps you can use it even if it's broken. I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll let you keep the knife if you will give me one of your baskets in exchange for it. The little old man gave Mr. Rabbit a basket and he started on through the deep forest with it. I lost my tail but I gained a knife. I've lost my knife but I've gained a basket. Said he. I'll get a new tail or something else just as good. Mr. Rabbit hopped along through the deep forest for a long time until at last he came to a clearing. Here there was an old woman, thisly engaged in picking lettuce. When she had gathered it she put it into her apron. She looked up and spied Mr. Rabbit hopping along with his basket. Oh please Mr. Rabbit said she. Will you not be so kind as to let me borrow that nice basket you are carrying? Mr. Rabbit let her take the basket. She began to put her lettuce into it when out fell the bottom of the basket. Oh dear. Oh dear cried Mr. Rabbit. What shall I do? What shall I do? You have broken the bottom out of my nice new basket. The old woman said she was very sorry and that should not mean to do it. Then said Mr. Rabbit. I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll let you keep that broken basket if you will give me some of your lettuce. The old woman gave Mr. Rabbit some lettuce and he hopped along with it saying I lost my tail but I gained a knife. I lost my knife but I gained a basket. I lost my basket but I gained some lettuce. The rabbit was getting very hungry and how nice the lettuce smelled. It took a bite. It was just the very best thing he had ever tasted in all his life. I don't care if I didn't lose my tail. Said he. I found something I like very much better. From that day to this no rabbit has ever had a tail. Neither has there ever been a rabbit who cared because he had no tail. From that time to this there has never been a rabbit who did not like lettuce to eat and who was not perfectly happy and contented if there was plenty of it. End of Chapter 2. Chapter 3 of Fairy Tales from Brazil. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Fairy Tales from Brazil by Elsie Spicer-Els. Chapter 3. How the Toad got his bruises. Once upon a time, ages and ages ago, the Toad had a smooth skin. In those days he was a great gad about. He never could be found in his own house. If anyone had a party he was sure to go, no matter how far away from home it was held or how long it took to get there. One day the Toad received an invitation to attend a party in the sky. You never can get to this party. Said his friend, the armadillo. You know how slowly you travel here upon earth. Wait and see whether or not I go to the party. Said the Toad. Not far from the Toad's house there lived a big black buzzard. No one liked the buzzard. He was very unpopular with all the birds and beasts. The Toad hopped over to the buzzard's house. The buzzard was outside the door making music on his violin. Good morning, friend buzzard, said the Toad. Are you going to attend the party in the sky? The buzzard replied that he was planning to go. That is good, said the Toad. May I have the pleasure of your company for the trip? The buzzard was delighted to have the Toad seek his company. It was a new experience. I'll be charming to go to the party with you, replied the buzzard. What time shall we start? We'll start at four o'clock, said the Toad. Come to my house and we'll go on from there. Be sure to bring your violin with you. Promptly at four o'clock the buzzard arrived at the Toad's house. He had his violin with him, of course, because the Toad had asked him to bring it. I'm not quite ready to go, the Toad called out. Just leave your violin there by the door and step inside. It will take me only a minute to finish my toilet. The buzzard laid his violin carefully outside the door and went inside the Toad's house. The Toad jumped through the window and hid himself inside the violin. The buzzard waited and waited for the Toad to get ready, but he did not hear a word from the Toad. Finally he got tired of waiting. He picked up his violin and started. When he arrived at the party he was a trifle late, but he explained how he had waited for the Toad. How foolish to wait a minute for the Toad, said his hosts. How could the Toad ever get to a party in the sky? We just asked him as a joke, because he's such a great gadabout. Lay down your violin and come to the feast. The buzzard laid down his violin. As soon as there was no one looking, out hopped the Toad. He was laughing from ear to ear. So they thought I would not come to the party. What a joke. How surprised they will be to see me here, he said. There was nobody at the feast who was as gay as the Toad. When the buzzard asked how he had arrived, he said, I'll tell you some other day. Then he went on, eating and dancing. The buzzard did not have a very good time at the party. He decided that he would go home early. He went away without saying goodbye to his hosts, and without taking his violin with him. At the end of the party the Toad hopped inside the violin, and waited and waited for the buzzard to take him home. Nobody picked up the violin, and the Toad began to be very much worried. He almost wished he had not come. After a while the Falcon noticed the violin. That violin belongs to the buzzard. He must have forgotten to take it home. I'll carry it back for him, he said. The Falcon flew towards Earth with the violin. The Toad shook about terribly inside of the violin. He got very tired. The Falcon got tired too. I'm not going to carry this heavy old violin of the buzzards another minute, said the Falcon. I was foolish to offer to carry it in the first place. The buzzard is no friend of mine. He let the violin fall. Down, down toward Earth it fell. Oh little stones, oh little stones, get out of my way! Called the Toad as he fell. The little stones had deaf ears. They did not get out of the way. When the Toad crawled out of the wracked violin, he was so covered with bruises that he could hardly hop home. The buzzard never knew what became of his violin, or why the Toad had lost his good looks. To this very day the Toad chose his bruises and his entirely cured of being a getabout. End of Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Of Fairy Tales from Brazil This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Fairy Tales from Brazil by Elsie Spicer-Else Chapter 4 How the Tiger Got His Stripes Once upon a time, ages and ages ago, so long ago, that the tiger had no stripes upon his back, and the rabbit still had his tail, there was a tiger who had a farm. The farm was very much overgrown with underbrush, and the owner sought a workman to clear the ground for him to plant. The tiger called all the beasts together and sat to them when they had assembled. I need a good workman at once to clear my farm of the underbrush. To the one of you who will do this work, I offer an ox in payment. The monkey was the first one to step forward and apply for the position. The tiger tried him for a little while, but he was not a good workman at all. He did not work steadily enough to accomplish anything. The tiger discharged him very soon, and he did not pay him. Then the tiger hired the goat to do the work. The goat worked faithfully enough, but he did not have the brains to do the work well. He would clear a little of the farm in one place, and then he would go away and work on another part of it. He never finished anything neatly. The tiger discharged him very soon, without paying him. Next, the tiger tried the armadillo. The armadillo was very strong, and he did the work well. The trouble with him was that he had such an appetite. There were a great many ends about the place, and the armadillo could never pass by a sweet tender juicy end without stopping to eat it. It was lunchtime all day long with him. The tiger discharged him and sent him away without paying him anything. At last, the rabbit applied for the position. The tiger left at him and said, Why, little rabbit, you are too small to do the work. The monkey, the goat, and the armadillo have all failed to give satisfaction. Of course, a little beast like you will fail too. However, there were no other beasts who applied for the position, so the tiger sent for the rabbit, and told him that he would try him for a little while. The rabbit worked faithfully and well, and soon he had cleared a large portion of the ground. The next day he worked just as well. The tiger thought that he had been very lucky to hire the rabbit. He got tired staying around to watch the rabbit work. The rabbit seemed to know just how to do the work anyway without orders, so the tiger decided to go away on a hunting trip. He left his son to watch the rabbit. After the tiger had gone away, the rabbit said to the tiger's son, The ox, which her father is going to give me, is marked with a white spot on his left ear and another on his right side, isn't he? Oh no, replied the tiger's son. He is red all over, with just a tiny white spot on his right ear. The rabbit worked for a while longer, and then he said, The ox, which her father is going to give me, is kept by the river, isn't he? Yes, replied the tiger's son. The rabbit had made a plan to go and get the ox without waiting to finish his work. Just as he started off, he saw the tiger returning. The tiger noticed that the rabbit had not worked so well when he was away. After that, he stayed and watched the rabbit until the whole farm was cleared. Then the tiger gave the rabbit the ox, as he had promised. You must kill this ox, he said to the rabbit, in a place where there are neither flies nor mosquitoes. The rabbit went away with the ox. After he had gone for some distance, he thought he would kill him. He heard a cock, however, crowing in the distance, and he knew that there must be a farmyard near. There would be flies, of course. He went on farther, and again he thought that he would kill the ox. The ground looked moist and damp, and so did the leaves on the bushes. Since the rabbit thought there would be mosquitoes there, he decided not to kill the ox. He went on and on, and finally he came to a high place, where there was a strong breeze blowing. There are no mosquitoes here, he said to himself. The place is so far removed from any habitation that there are no flies either. He decided to kill the ox. Just as he was ready to eat the ox, along came the tiger. Oh, rabbit, you have been such a good friend of mine, said the tiger. And now I am so very, very hungry that all my ribs show as you yourself can see. Will you not be a good, kind rabbit, and give me a piece of your ox? The rabbit gave the tiger a piece of the ox. The tiger devoured it in the twinkling of an eye. Then he leaned back and said, Is that all you are going to give me to eat? The tiger looked so big and savage, that the rabbit did not there refuse to give him any more of the ox. The tiger ate, and ate, and ate, until he had devoured the entire ox. The rabbit had been able to get only a tiny more saliva. He was very, very angry at the tiger. One day, not long after, the rabbit went to a place not far from the tiger's house, and began cutting down big stabs of wood. The tiger soon happened along and asked him what he was doing. I'm getting ready to build a stockade around myself, replied the rabbit. Haven't you heard the orders? The tiger said that he hadn't heard any orders. That is very strange, said the rabbit. The order has gone forth that every beast shall fortify himself by building a stockade around himself. All the beasts are doing it. The tiger became very much alarmed. Oh dear, oh dear, what shall I do? he cried. I don't know how to build a stockade. I never could do it in the world. Oh good rabbit, oh kind rabbit, you are such a very good friend of mine. Couldn't you, as a great favour, because of our long friendship, build a stockade about me before you build one around yourself? The rabbit replied that he could not think of risking his own life by building the tiger's fortifications first. Finally, however, he consented to do it. The rabbit cut down great quantities of long, sharp sticks. He sat them firmly in the ground about the tiger. He fastened others securely over the top, until the tiger was completely shut in by strong bars. Then he went away and left the tiger. The tiger waited and waited for something to happen to show him the need of the fortifications. Nothing at all happened. He got very hungry and thirsty. After a while, the monkey passed that way. The tiger called out, Oh monkey, has the danger passed? The monkey did not know what danger the tiger meant, but he replied, Yes. Then the tiger said, Oh monkey, Oh good, kind monkey, will you not please be so kind as to help me out of my stockade? Let the one who got you in there help you out, replied the monkey, and he went on his way. Along came the goat, and the tiger called out, Oh goat, has the danger passed? The goat did not know anything about any danger, he replied, Yes. Then the tiger said, Oh goat, Oh good, kind goat, please be so kind as to help me out of my stockade. Let the one who got you in there help you out, replied the goat, as he went on his way. Along came the armadillo, and the tiger called out, Oh armadillo, has the danger passed? The armadillo had not heard of any danger, the armadillo had not heard of any danger, but he replied that it had passed. Then the tiger said, Oh armadillo, Oh good, kind armadillo, who have always been such a good friend and neighbor, please help me now to get out of my stockade. Let the one who got you in there help you out, replied the armadillo, as he went on his way. The tiger jumped and jumped with all his force at the top of the stockade, but he could not break through. He jumped and jumped with all his might at the front side of the stockade, but he could not break through. He thought that never in the world would he be able to break out. He rested for a little while, and as he rested he thought. He thought how bright the sun was shining outside. He thought what good hunting there was in the jungle. He thought how cool the water was at the spring. Once more he jumped and jumped with all his might at the back side of the stockade. At last he broke through. He did not get through, however, without getting bad cuts on both his sides from the sharp edges of the staves. Until this day the tiger has stripes on both his sides. End of Chapter 4 Chapter 5 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 Eric Sidlitz Fairy Tales from Brazil by Elsie Spicer Eels Chapter 5 Why the Lamb is Meek Once upon a time there was a little lamb frisking gaily about the pasture. The bright sunshine and the soft breezes made him very happy. He had just finished a hearty meal and that made him happy too. He was the very happiest little lamb in all the world, and he thought that he was the most wonderful little lamb. A big toad sat on the ground and watched him. After a while the toad said, Oh little lamb, how are you feeling today? The lamb replied that he had never felt better in all his life. Even though you are feeling very strong, I can pull you into the sea, said the toad. The little lamb laughed and laughed until he rolled over on the ground. Just take hold of this rope and I'll show you how easy it is to pull you into the sea, said the toad. The lamb took hold of the rope. Then the toad said, Please wait a minute while I get a good long distance away from you. I can pull better when I'm not too near you. The lamb waited and the toad hopped down to the sea. He hopped up into a tree which hung over the water's edge, and from there he hopped on to the whale's back. He fastened the end of the rope around the whale, and then he called out to the lamb, Already, now we'll see how hard you can pull. When the whale felt the lamb pulling at the rope, he swam away from the shore. No matter how hard the lamb pulled, or how much force he exerted, it did not do one bit of good. He was dragged down to the water's edge as easily as could be. I give up, said the lamb as he reached the water's edge. After that, although the sunshine was just as bright as ever, anyone who watched that little lamb could see that he was a little more meek. One day, not long afterwards, the sunshine was again very bright, and the little lamb was again feeling frisky. He was so happy and gay that he had forgotten all about how the toad had pulled him down to the water, until the toad spoke to him. Then he remembered. Oh, little lamb, how are you feeling today? asked the toad. The little lamb replied that he was very well. Let us run a race, said the toad. I think I can beat you. You may be strong enough to pull me into the sea, said the lamb, but surely I can run faster than you. I've watched you hopping about my pasture. You can't run fast at all. However, I'll gladly run a race with you to prove what I say. The toad set a goal and told the lamb to call out every little while during the race, so he could see how much farther ahead the lamb was. Then the toad and the lamb started. The toad had assembled all his brothers and his sisters and his cousins and his uncles and his aunts before the race, and had stationed them at various points along the path of the race. He had told them that whenever any of them should hear the lamb calling out, la-kule, la-kule, la-kule, the toad which was nearest should answer, gu-lu-gu-bang-go-bang-go-lay. The lamb ran and ran as fast as he could. Then he remembered his promise and called out, la-kule, la-kule, la-kule. He expected to hear the toad answer from a long, long distance behind him. He was much surprised to hear someone near him answer, gu-lu-gu-bang-go-bang-go-lay. After that he ran faster than ever. After running on for some distance farther, the lamb again called out, la-kule, la-kule, la-kule. Again he heard the answer at only a short distance away, gu-lu-gu-bang-go-bang-go-lay. He ran and ran until his little heart was beating so fast that it seemed as if it would burst. At last he arrived at the goal of the race which the toad had set, and there sat the toad's brother, who looked so much like him that the lamb couldn't tell them apart. The lamb went back to his pasture very meekly and quietly. He acknowledged that he had been beaten in the race. The next morning the toad said to him, Even though you did not run fast enough to win the race, still you are a very fast runner. I have told the daughter of the king about you, and I have said to her that someday she shall see me riding on your back with a bridle in your mouth as if you were my horse. The lamb was very angry. Perhaps you are strong enough to pull me into the sea, and perhaps you can beat me when we run a race, said the lamb, but never, never in the world will I be your horse. Time passed, and the sunshine was very bright, and the soft gentle breezes were very sweet. The lamb was so happy again that he forgot all about how the toad had pulled him into the sea, and how the toad had beaten him at running the race. He was very sorry for the toad when he saw him all humped up in a disconsolate little heap one day. Oh poor toad, are you sick? he asked. Isn't there something I can do to help you? The toad told him how very sick he was. There is something you could do to help me, he said, but I don't believe that you are quite strong enough or can travel quite fast enough. The lamb took a deep breath and blew out his chest. I'll show you, he said. Just tell me what it is. The toad replied that he had promised to be at a party that afternoon at the house of the king's daughter, and he did not see how he could possibly get there unless someone would carry him. Jump onto my back, said the lamb. I'll carry you. The toad shook about on the lamb's back after they had started, so that it seemed as if he would surely fall off. After a little, he said, I cannot possibly stand riding like this. It jars all my sore spots. I'll have to get off. He tried it a little while longer and shook about worse than ever. Then he said, Do you know? I think I could endure this painful ride a little better if only I had something to hold myself by. Do you mind if I take a piece of grass and put it in your mouth? I can hold on to that when I shake about, and my sore spots will not hurt so much. The lamb let the toad put a piece of grass in his mouth. After a while the toad asked for a little stick. The flies and mosquitoes annoy me terribly, he said. If only I had a little stick I could wave it about over my head and frighten them away. It is very bad for anyone in my weak nervous condition to be bothered by flies and mosquitoes. The lamb let the toad have a little stick to wave over his head. At last the lamb and the toad drew near to the palace of the king. The king's daughter was leaning out of the window watching for them. The toad dug his feet into the lamb's sides, pulled hard on the piece of grass in the lamb's mouth, and waved a little stick about over the lamb's head. Go on horse, he said, and the king's daughter heard him. She laughed and laughed, and when all the rest of the people in the palace saw the toad arriving mounted on the lamb's back and driving him like a horse, they laughed too. The lamb went meekly home to his pasture, and from that day to this, when one wishes to speak of meekness, one says, as meek as a lamb. End of Chapter 5. Chapter 6 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 Karen. Fairy Tales from Brazil by Elsie Spencer Elles Chapter 6 Why the Tiger and the Stag Fear Each Other Once upon a time there was a large handsome stag with great branching horns. One day he said to himself, I am tired of having no home of my own, and of just living anywhere. I shall build me a house. He searched on every hill, in every valley, by every stream, and under all the trees, for a suitable place. At last he found one that was just right. It was not too high, nor too low, nor too near a stream, and not too far away from one. Not under too thick trees, and not away from the trees, out under the hot sun. I am going to build my house here, he said, and he began to clear a place for it at once. He worked all day, and did not go away until night. Now in that same country there lived a large, handsome tiger, with sharp, sharp teeth, and bright, cruel eyes. One day the tiger said to himself, I am tired of having no home of my own, of just living around anywhere. I shall build me a house. Accordingly the tiger searched for a place to build his house. He searched on every hill, in every valley, by every stream, and under all the trees. At last he found a place which was just right. It was not too high, nor too low, not too near a stream, and not too far away from one. Not under too thick trees, and yet not away from the trees, out in the hot sun. The tiger said to himself, I am going to build my house here. The place is all ready for me, for there isn't very much underbrush here. He began at once, and finished clearing the place. Then it became daylight, and he went away. At daylight the stag came back to do more work on his new house. He said, when he looked at the clearing, somebody is helping me. The place is cleared and ready for me to build the foundation. He began to work at once, and worked all day. At night when the foundation was laid, he went away. At night the tiger came to work at his new house. He said, when he looked at it, somebody is helping me. The foundations of my house are all laid. He began to work at once, and built the sides of the house. He worked all night, and went away at daybreak, leaving the house with the sides completed. There was a big door, and a funny little window in the side. At daybreak the stag came back to work on his house. When he saw it, he rubbed his eyes, for he thought that he must be dreaming. The sides of the house were completed, with a big door and a funny little window. Somebody must surely be helping me, he said to himself, as he began to work to put on the roof. He worked hard all day, and when the sun went down there was a roof of dried grass on the house. I can sleep in my own house tonight, he said. He made his bed in the corner, and soon was sound asleep. At night the tiger came back to work on his new house. When he saw it, he rubbed his eyes, for he thought that he must be dreaming. There was a roof of dried grass on the house. Somebody must surely be helping me, he said to himself as he entered the door. The first thing he saw when he entered the door was a stag, sound asleep in his bed in the corner. Who are you, and what are you doing in my house? He said in his deepest voice. The stag woke up with a start. Who are you, and what are you doing in my house? Said the stag in his deepest voice. It is not your house, it is mine. I built it myself, said the tiger. It is my house, said the stag. I built it myself. I made the clearing for the house, said the tiger. I built the sides, and made the door and the window. I started the clearing, said the stag. I laid the foundations, and put on the roof of dried grass. The stag and the tiger quarreled all night about whose house it was. At daybreak they decided that they would live together there. The next night the tiger said to the stag. I'm going hunting. Get the water and have the wood ready for the fire. I shall be almost famished when I return. The stag got the wood and water ready. After a while the tiger came back. He brought home for dinner a great handsome stag. The stag had no appetite at all, and he didn't sleep a wink that night. The next day the stag said that he was going hunting. He told the tiger to have the wood and water ready when he got back. The tiger got the wood and water ready. By and by the stag came back, bringing with him the body of a great tiger. I am nearly famished, said the stag. Let's have dinner right away. The tiger hadn't any appetite at all, and he could not eat a mouthful. That night neither the tiger nor the stag could sleep a wink. The tiger was afraid the stag would kill him if he shut his eyes for a minute. And the stag was afraid the tiger would kill him if he slept or even pretended to be asleep. Accordingly he kept wide awake too. Toward morning the stag got very cramped from keeping in one position so long. He moved his head slightly. In doing this his horn struck against the roof of the house. He made a terrible noise. The tiger thought the stag was about to spring upon him and kill him. He made a leap for the door and ran out of it as fast as he could. He ran and ran until he was far, far away from the house with the roof of dried grass. The stag thought that the tiger was about to spring upon him and kill him. He too made a leap for the door and ran and ran until he was far, far away from the house with the roof of dried grass. The tiger and the stag are still running away from each other until this very day. The house with the roof of dried grass waited and waited there in the place which was neither too high nor too low, too near the river nor too far away, not under toothic trees nor out in the hot sun. It waited and waited until it got so tired it fell down in a heap. End of chapter six. Chapter seven 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 Karen. Fairy Tales from Brazil. By Elsie Spencer Elles. Chapter seven. How the Speckled Hen Got Her Speckles. Once upon a time, ages and ages ago, there was a little white hen. One day, she was busily engaged in scratching the soil to find worms and insects for her breakfast. As she worked, she sang over and over again her little crooning song. Suddenly, she noticed a tiny piece of paper lying on the ground. She said to herself, this must be a letter. One time when the king, the great ruler of our country, held his court in the meadow close by, many people brought him letters and laid them at his feet. Now I too, even I, the little white hen, have a letter. I'm going to carry my letter to the king. The next morning, the little white hen started bravely out on her long journey. She carried the letter very carefully in her little brown basket. It was a long distance to the royal palace where the king lived. The little white hen had never been so far from home in all her life. After a while, she met a friendly fox. Foxes and little white hens are not usually very good friends, you know, but this fox was a friend of the little white hen. Once upon a time, she had helped the fox to escape from a trap, and the fox had never forgotten her kindness to him. Oh, little white hen, where are you going? asked the fox. Kiri chi, kiri chi, replied the little white hen, I'm going to the royal palace to carry a letter to the king. Indeed, little white hen, said the fox, I should like to go with you. Give me your permission to accompany you on your journey. I should be glad to have you go with me. Said the little white hen. It is a very long journey to the royal palace where the king lives. Wouldn't you like me to carry you in my little brown basket? The fox climbed into the little brown basket. After the little white hen had gone on for some distance farther, she met a river. Once upon a time the little white hen had done the river a kindness. He had with great difficulty thrown some ugly worms upon the bank, and he was afraid they would crawl back in again. The little white hen had eaten them for him. Always after that the river had been her friend. Oh, little white hen, where are you going? The river called out as soon as he saw her. Kiri chi, kiri chi, I'm going to the royal palace to carry a letter to the king. Replied the little white hen. Oh, little white hen, may I go with you? Ask the river. The little white hen told the river that he might go with her, and asked him to ride in the little brown basket. So the river climbed into the little brown basket. After the little white hen had journeyed along for a time she came to a fire. Once upon a time when the fire had been dying, the little white hen had brought some dried grass. The grass had given the fire new life, and always after that he had been the friend of the little white hen. Little white hen, where are you going? The fire asked. Kiri chi, kiri chi, I'm going to the royal palace to carry a letter to the king. Replied the little white hen. Oh, little white hen, may I go with you? Asked the fire. I've never been to the royal palace, and I've never had even a peep at the king. The little white hen told the fire that he might go with her, and asked him to climb into the little brown basket. By this time the little brown basket was so full that try as they might they couldn't make room for the fire. At last they thought of a plan. The fire changed himself into ashes, and then there was room for him to get into the basket. The little white hen journeyed on and on, and finally she arrived to the royal palace. Who are you, and what are you carrying in your little brown basket? Asked the royal doorkeeper when he opened the door. I'm the little white hen, and I'm carrying a letter to the king. Replied the little white hen. She didn't say a word about the fox and the river and the fire, which she had in her little brown basket. She was so frightened before the great royal doorkeeper of the palace that she could hardly find her voice at all. The royal doorkeeper invited the little white hen to enter the palace, and he led her to the royal throne where the king was sitting. The little white hen bowed very low before the king, so low in fact that it must have all her feathers. Who are you, and what is your business? Asked the king in his big, deep, kingly voice. Kiri chi, kiri chi, I am the little white hen. Replied the little white hen in her low, frightened little voice. I have come to bring my letter to your royal majesty. Kiri chi. She handed the king the piece of paper which had remained all this time at the bottom of the little brown basket. There were marks of dirt upon it where the friendly fox's feet had rested. It was damp where the river had lain. It had tiny holes in it where the fire had sat after he had turned himself into hot ashes. What do you mean by bringing me this dirty piece of paper? shouted the king in his biggest, deepest gruff voice. I am highly offended. I always knew that hens were stupid little creatures, but you are quite the stupidest little hen I ever saw in all my life. Here, and he turned to one of the attendants standing by the throne. Take this stupid little white hen and throw her out into the royal poultry yard. I think we will have her for dinner tomorrow. The little white hen was roughly seized by the tallest royal attendant and carried down the back stairs through the back gate out into the royal poultry yard. She still clung to the little brown basket which she had brought with her on her long journey to the royal palace and through all the sad experiences she had met there. When the little white hen reached the royal poultry yard, all the royal fowls flew at her. Some plucked at her rumbled white feathers. Others tried to pick out her eyes. One pulled off the cover of the little brown basket. Out spraying the fox from the little brown basket, and in the twinkling of an eye he fell upon the fowls of the royal poultry yard. Not a single fowl was left alive. There was such a great commotion that the king, the queen, the royal attendants, and all the royal servants of the palace came rushing out to see what was the matter. The fox had already taken to his heels, and the little white hen lost no time in running away too. She did not, however, forget to take her little brown basket with her. The royal household all ran after her in swift pursuit. They had almost caught her when the river suddenly sprang out of the little brown basket and flowed between the little white hen and her royal pursuers. They couldn't get across without canoes. While they were getting the canoes and climbing into them, the little white hen had time to run a long way. She had almost reached a thick forest where she could easily hide herself when the royal pursuers again drew near. Then the fire, which had changed itself into hot ashes, jumped out of the little brown basket. It immediately became dark. So dark that the royal household could not even see each other's faces, and, of course, they could not see in which direction the little white hen was running. There was nothing for them to do but to return to the royal palace and live on beef and mutton. The fire, which had turned itself into ashes, sprang out of the little brown basket so suddenly that it scattered ashes all over the little white hen. From that day she was always speckled where the ashes fell upon her. The chickens of the little white hen, who is now a little speckled hen, were all speckled too. So were their chickens. And their chickens. And their chickens' chickens, even down to this very day. Whenever you see a speckled hen, you may know that she has descended from the little white hen who carried a letter to the king, and who, in her adventures, became the first speckled hen. Chapter 8 How the Monkey Became a Trickster Once upon a time there was a beautiful garden in which grew all sorts of fruits. Many beasts lived in the garden, and they were permitted to eat of the fruits whenever they wished, but they were asked to observe one rule. They must make a low, polite bow to the fruit tree, call it by its name, and say, Please give me a taste of your fruit. They had to be very careful to remember the tree's correct name, and not to forget to say please. It was also very important that they should remember not to be greedy. They must always leave plenty of fruit for the other beast, who might pass that way, and plant it to adorn the tree itself, and to furnish seed so that the other trees might grow. If they wished to eat figs, they had to say, Oh fig tree, oh fig tree, please give me a taste of your fruit. Or, if they wished to eat oranges, they had to say, Oh orange tree, oh orange tree, please give me a taste of your fruit. In one corner of the garden grew the most splendid tree of all. It was tall and beautiful, and the rosy-cheeked fruit upon its wide-spreading branches looked wonderfully tempting. No beast had ever tasted of that fruit, for no beast could ever remember its name. In a tiny house near the edge of the garden, dwelt a little old woman who knew the names of all the fruit trees which grew in the garden. The beasts often went to her and asked the name of the wonderful fruit tree, but the tree was so far distant from the tiny house of the old woman, that no beast could ever remember the long, hard name by the time he reached the fruit tree. At last the monkey thought of a trick. Perhaps you do not know it, but the monkey can play the guitar. He always played when the beasts gathered together in the garden to dance. The monkey went to the tiny house of the little old woman, carrying his guitar under his arm. When she told him the long, hard name of the wonderful fruit tree, he made up a little tune to it, all his own, and sang it over and over again, all the way from the tiny house of the little old woman to the corner of the garden where the wonderful fruit tree grew. When any of the other beasts met him and asked him what new song he was singing to his guitar, he said never a word. He marched straight on, playing his little tune over and over again on his guitar, and singing softly the long, hard name. At last he reached the corner of the garden where the wonderful fruit tree grew. He had never seen it look so beautiful. The rosy-cheeked fruit glowed in the bright sunlight. The monkey could hardly wait to make his bow, say the long, hard name over twice, and ask for the fruit with a please. What a beautiful color and what a delicious odour that fruit had. The monkey had never in all his life been so near to anything which smelled so good. He took a big bite. What a face he made. That beautiful, sweet-smelling fruit was bitter and stour, and it had a nasty taste. He threw it away from him as far as he could. The monkey never forgot the tree's long, hard name, and the little tune he had sung, nor did he forget how the fruit tasted. He never took a bite of it again. But after that his favorite trick was to treat the other beast to the wonderful fruit just to see them make faces when they tasted it. End of chapter 8 Chapter 9 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 Musical Heart One Fairy Tales from Brazil By Elsie Spicer Eales Chapter 9 How the Monkey and the Goat Earned Their Reputations Once upon a time, the tiger sent an invitation to the goat, asking the goat to accompany him on a visit. The goat promptly accepted the invitation, and at the appointed day, they started on their journey to the house of the tiger's friend. On the way there, they came to a dangerous marsh. The tiger was afraid to cross it, but he pretended to be very brave. He said to the goat, friend goat, how very pale you look when you think about crossing the marsh. Don't be afraid, just go ahead. The goat assured the tiger that he was no coward. He thrust out his chest and marched along toward the marsh like a brave soldier. As soon, however, as he stepped into the marsh, he fell into the mud and barely got through it alive. The tiger went around the marsh and walked on dry ground. After the tiger and the goat had come together again, they came to some banana trees. The tiger said to the goat, friend goat, aren't you hungry? Let us stop here and eat some bananas. You climb up and pluck the bananas. Give me the ripe ones and keep the green ones yourself. The goat climbed up and picked the bananas. He gave the ripe ones to the tiger and the tiger had a good meal. The goat went hungry. The tiger and the goat walked along and after going for some distance, they saw a cobra lying in the path. Friend goat said to the tiger, here you have the opportunity to procure a beautiful necklace for your daughter free of cost. Just pick it up and it is yours. The goat started forward to pick up the snake, but the tiger told him to let it alone if he did not want to be killed. When the tiger and the goat arrived at the house of the tiger's friend, it was very late. They soon went to bed and hammocks hung close together. At midnight, the tiger rose quietly, walked on tiptoe to the door, opened it and went out. He hurried to the place where the sheep were kept, killed the fattest lamb of the flock and had a feast. Then, he went back to the hammock, wiped the blood on the goat and went to sleep. Early the next morning, the host discovered that one of his lambs was missing. He hastened to the room where the tiger and the goat were sleeping and accused the tiger of having killed the lamb. The tiger looked up at him with an innocent expression and asked, do you see any blood on me? There was no blood on the goat. There was no blood on the tiger, but the host looked into the next hammock and saw the goat all covered with blood. I know now who killed my fattest lamb, he said, and he gave the goat such a beating that the poor goat barely escaped with his life. From that day to this, when one speaks of a person who has been easily opposed upon, he calls him the goat. Things happened very differently with the monkey. One day, not long afterward, the tiger invited the monkey to accompany him when he went to visit his friend. The monkey accepted and the tiger and the monkey set out on the journey. When they came to the marsh, the tiger said to the monkey, friend monkey, how very pale you look when you think about crossing the marsh. Don't be afraid, just go ahead. You go ahead yourself, replied the monkey. The tiger went through the marsh but he was barely able to get out again. The monkey went around the marsh and walked on dry ground. After a while, the tiger and the monkey came to the banana trees. Friend monkey, said the tiger, aren't you hungry? Let us stop here and eat some bananas. You climb up and pluck the bananas, give the ripe ones to me and you may keep the green ones for yourself. The monkey climbed up and picked the bananas, the ripe ones himself and threw the green ones down to the tiger. The tiger was forced to go hungry but the monkey had a good meal. Finally, the tiger and the monkey came to a cobra lying in the path. Friend monkey, said the tiger, here you have the opportunity to procure a beautiful necklace for your daughter free of cost. Pick it up and it is yours. Pick it up yourself, replied the monkey. At the house of the tiger's friend, it was very late. They went to bed and hammocks hung up close together. The monkey had seen enough of the tiger that day to make him decide that he had better sleep with one eye open. Accordingly, he pretended he was asleep but he was really awake. At midnight, he saw the tiger crawl quietly out of his hammock, walk on tiptoe to the door, open it gently and decided to watch and see what happened when the tiger came back. The tiger went to the place where the sheep were kept, killed the fattest lamb of the flock and had a feast. When he came back, he tried to wipe the lamb's blood on the monkey. The monkey saw him and gave him a push so that he spilled the blood all over himself and his own hammock. Not a single drop went on the monkey. Early the next morning, when the host missed one of his lambs, he came to the room where his guests were sleeping. He saw the tiger all covered with blood and he cried, Oh, I have at last caught the one who kills my lambs. Then he gave the tiger such a beating that he barely escaped with his life. It was all he could do to crawl home again. End of Chapter 9. Recording by Musical Heart One Chapter 10. How the Monkey Got a Drink When He Was Thirsty Once upon a time the monkey made the tiger very angry. This is how it happened. The monkey was seated high up above the mountain. The monkey was sitting on the mountain. The monkey was sitting on the mountain. The monkey was sitting on the mountain. The monkey was sitting on the mountain. The monkey was seated high up among the leafy branches of a mango tree playing upon his guitar. The tiger passed that way and lay down under the tree to rest. Just to tease him, the monkey played and sang this little song. Tango-tee-tar, Tango-tee-tar, the tiger's bones are in my guitar. Tee-hee-tee-hee. The tiger was very angry. Just waited until I catch you, Mr. Monkey. Tango-tee-tar, Tango-tee-tar, the tiger's bones are in my guitar. Tee-hee-tee-hee. The tiger put his paw in the hole and caught the monkey's leg. Oh-ho, tiger! said the monkey. You think that you have caught my leg? Tango-tee-tar, Tango-tee-tar, Tango-tee-tar, Tango-tee-tar, Tango-tee-tar, you think that you have caught my leg? But what you really have is just a stick. Oh-ho, oh-ho! Then the tiger let go of the monkey's leg. The monkey crawled farther back into the hole in the ground where the tiger's paw could not reach him. Then he said, Thank you so much, Mr. Tiger, for letting go of my leg. It really was my leg, you know. And again, he played and sang his little song. Tango-tee-tar, Tango-tee-tar, the tiger's bones are in my guitar. Tee-hee-tee-hee. than ever. He waited and waited for the monkey to come out of the hole in the ground, but the monkey did not come. He had discovered another way out, and once more, from the high treetops he sang down to the wagon-eating tiger. Tango-titar, the tiger's bones are in my guitar. Tee-hee, tee-hee. There had been a great drought in the land, and there was only one watering-place where the beasts could drink. The tiger knew that the monkey would have to go there when he was thirsty, so he decided to wait for him and catch him when he came to drink. When the monkey went to the watering-place to get a drink, he found the tiger there waiting for him. He ran away as fast as the wind, for he was really much afraid of the tiger. He waited and waited until he thought he should die of thirst, but the tiger did not go away from the watering-place for a single minute, at last the monkey thought of a trick by which he would be able to get a drink. He lay down by the side of the pathways if he were dead. After a while, an old woman came along the path, carrying a dish of honey in a basket upon her head. She saw the monkey lying there by the path and thinking he was dead. She picked him up and put him into the basket with the dish of honey. When the monkey saw that it was honey in the dish, he was very happy. He opened the dish and covered himself all over with the soft, sticky honey. Then, as the old woman walked under the trees, he lightly sprang out of the basket into the trees. The old woman did not miss him until she got home and found only part of her dish of honey in her basket. Why, I thought I had brought home a dead monkey in my basket, she said to her children. Now there is no monkey here and my dish is only half full of honey. The monkey must have been playing one of his tricks. The monkey had, in the meantime, stuck leaves from the tree into the honey all over his body so that he was completely disguised. His own mother would never have recognized him. He looked something like a porcupine, but instead of sharp quills, there were green leaves sticking out all over him. In this fashion, he went to the drinking place, and the tiger did not recognize him. He took a long, deep drink. He was so thirsty and the water tasted so good that he stated the drinking place too long. The leaves came out of the honey, which had held them, and the tiger saw that it was really the monkey. The monkey was barely able to escape. He was so badly frightened that he waited and waited a long, long time before he again went to the drinking place. At last he got so thirsty he couldn't wait any longer. He went to the resin tree and covered himself with resin. Then he stuck leaves into the resin and again went to the drinking place. The tiger saw him, but as the tiger expected to see the leaves come off just as soon as the monkey got into the water, he thought he would wait and catch him in his bare skin. This time the leaves did not come off, for the resin held fast and was not in the least affected by the water. The tiger thought that it was not the monkey and he must have made a mistake. The monkey drank all he wished and then strolled away leisurely without the tiger attacking him. He used the resin and leaves every time he wanted to drink after that. He kept up the trick until the rainy season arrived, and he could find plenty of water in other places than the big drinking place. End of Chapter 10 Chapter 11 of Fairy Tales from Brazil This is the LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Fairy Tales from Brazil by Elsie Spencer Elles Chapter 11 How the Monkey Got Food When He Was Hungry Once upon a time the monkey was hungry. He wanted to make some porridge, but he did not have any money to buy a meal to make the porridge, so he went to the house of the hen to borrow some meal. The hen gave him some meal. Come back tomorrow at one o'clock, he said to the hen, I'll pay back the meal then. Then the monkey went to the house of the fox and said, Oh, friend Fox, please lend me some meal. Come to my house tomorrow at two o'clock and I'll pay you then. The fox gave him some meal. Then the monkey went to the house of the dog and said, Oh, friend dog, please lend me some meal. Come to my house tomorrow at three o'clock and I'll pay you back then. The dog gave him some meal. Then the monkey went to the house of the tiger and said, Oh, friend Tiger, please lend me some meal. Come to my house tomorrow at four o'clock and I'll pay you back then. The tiger gave the monkey some porridge. The monkey went home and made a great pot of porridge. He feasted and feasted until he couldn't eat any more. But there was still plenty of porridge left in the pot. Then the monkey made his bed and took care to fix it high up from the floor. The next day, at midday, he ate some of the porridge. Then he bound a cloth about his head and went to bed pretending that he was sick. At one o'clock the hen came and knocked on the door. The monkey in a low weak voice asked her to enter. He told her how very sick he was and the hen was very sorry for him. At two o'clock the fox came and knocked on the door. The hen was frightened almost to death. Nevermind said the monkey, you can hide here under my bed. The hen hid under the monkey's bed and the monkey in a weak low voice invited the fox to enter. The monkey told the fox how very ill he was and the fox was very sorry for him. At three o'clock the dog came and knocked on the door. The fox was frightened almost to death. Nevermind said the monkey, hide here under my bed and everything will be all right. The fox hid under the monkey's bed and the monkey in a low weak voice invited the dog to enter. The monkey told the dog how very sick he was and the dog was very sorry for him. At four o'clock the tiger came and knocked on the door. The dog was frightened almost to death. Nevermind said the monkey, hide here under my bed and everything will be all right. The dog hid under the monkey's bed and the monkey invited the tiger to enter. He told the tiger how very sick he was, but the tiger was not at all sorry for him. He sprang at the bed demanding in a loud fierce voice that the monkey pay back the meal at once, as he had promised to do. The monkey escaped to the tree tops, but the bed broke down under the tiger's weight. Then the fox ate up the hen and the dog ate up the fox and the tiger ate up the dog. The tiger is still trying to catch the monkey. End of Chapter 11 Chapter 12 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. Fairy Tales from Brazil by Elsie Spicer Ealds Chapter 12 Why the Bananas Belong to the Monkey Perhaps you do not know it, but the monkeys think that all the bananas belong to them. When Brazilian children eat bananas, they say I am a monkey. I once knew a little boy in Brazil who was very, very fond of bananas. He always said I am very much of a monkey. If you are fond of bananas, the Brazilian children would tell you that you are a monkey too. This is the story they tell to show us how it all came about. Once upon a time, when the world had just been made, and there was only one kind of banana, but very many kinds of monkeys, there was a little old woman who had a big garden full of banana trees. It was very difficult for the old woman to gather the bananas herself, so she made a bargain with the largest monkey. She told him that if he would gather the bunches of bananas for her, she would give him half of them. The monkey gathered the bananas. When he took his half, he gave the little old woman the bananas which grow at the bottom of the bunch and are small and wrinkled. The nice big fat ones he kept for himself and carried them home to let them ripen in the dark. The little old woman was very angry. She lay awake all night, trying to think of some way by which she could get even with the monkey. At last, she thought of a trick. The next morning, she made an image of wax which looked just like a little black boy. Then she placed a large, flat basket on the top of the image's head, and in the basket, she placed the best ripe bananas she could find. They certainly looked very tempting. After a little while, the biggest monkey passed that way. He saw the image of wax and thought that it was a boy peddling bananas. He had often pushed over boy banana peddlers, upset their baskets, and then run away with the bananas. This morning he was feeling very good natured. So he thought he would first try asking politely for the bananas. Oh, peddler boy, peddler boy, he said to him, please give me a banana. The image of wax answered never a word. Again, the monkey said, this time, in a little louder voice. Oh, peddler boy, peddler boy, please give me a banana. Just one little ripe little sweet little banana. The image of wax answered never a word. Then the monkey called out in his loudest voice. Oh, peddler boy, peddler boy, if you don't give me a banana, I'll give you such a push that it will upset all of your bananas. The image of wax was silent. The monkey ran towards the image of wax and struck it hard with his hand. His hand remained firmly embedded in the wax. Oh, peddler boy, peddler boy, let go my hand. The monkey called out, let go my hand and give me a banana. Or else I'll give you a hard hard blow with my other hand. The image of wax did not let go. The monkey gave the image a hard hard blow with his other hand. The other hand remained firmly embedded in the wax. Then the monkey called out, oh, peddler boy, peddler boy, let go my two hands. Let go my two hands and give me a banana. Or else I will give you a kick with my foot. The image of wax did not let go. The monkey gave the image a kick with his foot and his foot remained stuck fast in the wax. Oh, peddler boy, peddler boy, the monkey cried, let go my foot, let go my two hands and my foot and give me a banana. Or else I'll give you a kick with my other foot. The image of wax did not let go. Then the monkey, who is now very angry, gave the image of wax a kick with his foot and his foot remained stuck fast in the wax. The monkey shouted, oh, peddler boy, peddler boy, let go my foot, let go my two feet and my two hands and give me a banana. Or else I'll give you a push with my body. The image of wax did not let go. The monkey gave the image of wax a push with his body. His body remained caught fast in the wax. Oh, peddler boy, peddler boy, the monkey shouted, let go my body, let go my body and my two feet and my two hands. Or I'll call all the other monkeys to help me. The image of wax did not let go. Then the monkey made such an uproar with his cries and shouts that very soon monkeys came running from all directions. They were big monkeys and little monkeys and middle sized monkeys. A whole army of monkeys had come to the aid of the biggest monkey. It was the very littlest monkey who thought of a plan to help the biggest monkey out of his plight. The monkeys were to climb up into the biggest tree and pile themselves one on top of another until they made a pyramid of monkeys. The monkey with the very loudest voice of all was to be on top and he was to shout his very loudest to the sun and ask the sun to come and help the biggest monkey out of his dreadful difficulty. This is what all the big sized, little sized, middle sized monkeys did. The monkey with the loudest voice on top of the pyramid made the sun here. The sun came at once. The sun poured his hottest rays down upon the wax. After a while the wax began to melt. The monkey was at last able to pull out one of his hands. The sun poured down more of his hottest rays and soon the monkey was able to pull out his two hands. Then he could pull out one foot, then another. And in a little while his body too. At last he was free. When the little old woman saw what had happened she was very much discouraged about raising bananas. She decided to move to another part of the world where she raised cabbages instead of bananas. The monkeys were left in possession of a big garden full of banana trees. From that day to this the monkeys have thought that they own all the bananas. End of Chapter 12 Chapter 13 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. Fairy Tales from Brazil by Elsie Spicer-Elves Chapter 13. How the monkey escaped being eaten. Once upon a time, ages and ages ago, people ate fruits and nuts. Then there came a time when the fruits and nuts became scarce. People had to eat meat. So they began killing the various beasts to see which ones were the best to eat. They skinned them and cut them in pieces and cooked them over the fire. Some of the beasts were good to eat and others were not good at all. The ox was found to be very good. And so was the sheep and the armadillo. Then one day, a man thought he would try to eat the monkey. The monkey was playing his guitar. Lili li li li li li li li li li li li li li. The man came close to him and said, come here little monkey and let me hear your music. I enjoy it very much. All the time the man was coming closer and closer to the monkey. Just as he was about to stretch out his hand and seize the monkey, the monkey gave a sudden leap to the tree and hurried away to the treetop. After that, every time the man heard the monkey play the guitar, he would come near and try to catch him. The monkey grew afraid of the man. So afraid that he gave up playing his guitar at all. For a long time he did not play upon it. One day he felt that he just must have some music. He hid in a hole in the ground and there he played upon his guitar. He did not think that the man would hear him, but the man had very sharp ears. When he got through playing, he started to come out of the hole in the ground. There was the man waiting for him. He crawled quickly back. So far back the man could not catch him. The monkey waited and waited for the man to go away, but the man did not go away. After a while the man became thirsty and went to get a drink. He left his little boy in his place to watch for the monkey. After the man had gone away, the monkey called out to the little boy. Oh, little boy, oh, little boy, don't you wish that you could see the monkey dance? The little boy replied, that he wished he could. Just put your eyes down to the door of my little cave. And I'll let you see the monkey dance, little boy, said the monkey. The little boy put his eyes down close to the hole in the ground. No sooner had he done so than the monkey threw dirt in the little boy's eyes. When the little boy was rubbing his eyes to get the dirt out of them, the monkey made a sudden dash out of the cave and escaped to the treetops. When the man returned, the little boy did not dare to tell him that the monkey had escaped. The man waited and waited and waited there by the hole in the ground. At last, he became tired of waiting and went away. After that, the man tried harder than ever to catch the monkey. If he had not had the good luck to catch the monkey napping one day, there's no knowing when he would have caught his hands upon him. One day, however, he caught the monkey napping. He shut him up in a box and carried him home to the children for supper. The man put a big dish full of water over the fire ready to cook the monkey. Then he went to collect more fuel for the fire. The monkey and his guitar were shot up in the box and there inside the box, the monkey played on his guitar. Lili li li li li li li li li li li. The children came crowding close to the box. Oh, children. Oh, children, said the monkey. Don't you wish that you could see the monkey dance? The children replied that they wished they could. This box is so small that there is not enough room for me to dance here. I said the monkey. Just let me out and I'll show you how well I can dance. The children opened the box and let the monkey out into the room. The monkey played on his guitar. Lili li li li li li li li li li li li li li. And he danced around the room. Then he said, Oh, children. Oh, children, you have nothing at all cooking in that pot over the fire. Let us put something into the pot to cook. The children thought that it would not be polite to tell the monkey what the pot of water was waiting for. So they let the monkey fill the pot as he liked. He put into it some little dry sticks and an empty coconut shell. Then he said, Oh, children. Oh, children, I cannot dance anymore. It is so hot here in this room. The children begged him to dance some more. If you will open the door a little bit so that I can have more air to breathe, I'll show you a new dance, said the monkey. The children opened the door. The monkey danced over to the door and out of the door away to the treetop. That was the last they ever saw of him. He moved to another part of the country after that experience. When the man came home with fuel for the fire, the children did not dare to tell him that the monkey had escaped. They let him think that the sticks and the coconut shell in the pot was the monkey. He built a roaring fire under the pot, and soon it was boiling merely. After the pot had boiled a while, he called the children to come to supper with him. The children let him taste first. He fished a hard stick out of the pot and bit into it. This is not the monkey's leg, it is just a dry stick, he said, as he made a rye face. Then he fished the empty coconut shell out of the pot. That is not the monkey's head, he said, as he tasted it. That is just an empty coconut shell. He couldn't find a single trace of the monkey in that monkey's stew. He never wished to make a monkey stew again. For information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Karen. Fairy Tales from Brazil by Elsie Spencer Els, Chapter 14. Why the monkey still has a tail? Once upon a time, the monkey and the rabbit made a contract. The monkey was to kill all the butterflies, and the rabbit was to kill all the snakes. One day, the rabbit was taking a nap when the monkey passed that way. The monkey thought that he would play a trick on the rabbit. So he pulled the rabbit's ears pretending that he thought they were butterflies. The rabbit was very angry at the monkey, and he plotted how he might revenge himself on the monkey. The rabbit and the armadillo are very good friends. The armadillo is very, very strong, you know, so it was he whom the rabbit asked to help him. One day, the rabbit caught the monkey napping. He had watched and waited a long, long time to catch the monkey napping. But at last, he succeeded. Even the monkey sometimes takes a nap. The rabbit called the armadillo at once, and together they rolled a big stone upon the monkey's tail. The monkey pulled so hard to get his tail out from under the stone that it broke off. The cat, who at that time had no tail of her own, spied the tail and ran away with it. The monkey was very angry at the rabbit. Oh, we thought it was just a snake lying there, said the rabbit. When you pulled my ears, you know, you thought they were butterflies. That did not help the monkey to feel any better. How was he to live without his tail? How could he climb without it? He simply had to have it back. So he had once set out to find the cat. At last, he found the cat and said to her, Oh kind cat, please give me back my tail. I will give it to you, replied the cat, if you will get me some milk. Where shall I get the milk? Ask the monkey. Go ask the cow for some, replied the cat. The monkey went to the cow and said, Oh kind cow, please give me some milk that I may give the milk to the cat so that the cat will give back my tail to me. I will give you the milk, replied the cow, if you will get me some grass. Where shall I get the grass? Asked the monkey. Go ask the farmer. Responded the cow. The monkey went to the farmer and said, Oh kind farmer, please give me some grass that I may give the grass to the cow so that the cow will give me some milk so that I may give the milk to the cat so that the cat will give back my tail to me. The farmer said, I will give you some grass if you will give me some rain. Where shall I get the rain? Asked the monkey. Go ask the clouds. Responded the farmer. The monkey went to the clouds and said, Oh kind clouds, please send me down some rain that I may give the rain to the farmer so that the farmer will give me some grass so that I may give the grass to the cow so that the cow will give me some milk so that I may give the milk to the cat so that the cat will give me back my tail. I will give you some rain, replied the clouds, if you will get me some fog. Where shall I get the fog? Asked the monkey. Go ask the rivers, replied the clouds. The monkey went to the river and said, Oh kind river, please give me a fog that I may give the fog to the clouds so that the clouds will give some rain so that I may give the rain to the farmer so that the farmer will give me some grass so that I may give the grass to the cow so that the cow will give me some milk so that I may give the milk to the cat so that the cat will give me back my tail. I will give you a fog, replied the river, if you will find a new spring to feed me." "'Where shall I find a spring?' asked the monkey. "'Go search for one among the rocks upon the hillside,' replied the river. Then the monkey climbed up the steep hill, and searched and searched among the rocks. Until at last he found a little spring to feed the river. He brought the spring to the river, and the river gave him a fog. He took the fog to the clouds, and the clouds gave him rain. He took the rain to the farmer, and the farmer gave him grass. He took the grass to the cow, and the cow gave him milk. He took the milk to the cat, and the cat gave him back his tail. The monkey was so glad to have his tail again that he danced and danced with glee. Ever since that time the monkey has been very careful to guard his tail. He still has one, and he's still happy because of it. SPENCER ELVES CHAPTER XV HOW BLACK BECAME WHITE One often hears the saying that one cannot make black white or white black. I said something about it once upon a time to my Brazilian ama, and she stared at me in surprise. "'Oh, yes, one can,' she said. "'It happened once, and no one can ever tell but that it may happen again. Perhaps a senora has not heard the story?' I begged her to tell me the story, and this is the tale. Once upon a time there was a little old woman who lived all alone with her little black son, who was just as black as black can be. The little old woman had not always lived alone with a little black boy. She had once been the mother of three beautiful daughters, the very loveliest maidens in all the country round. They were so handsome that they attracted the attention of the wicked fairy, who lived in an enchanted castle nearby, and this fairy had been very jealous of them. By the aid of magic she tied them up in sacks, which could be opened only by burning the sacks over a fire built from magic wood. The little old woman and her little black son searched long and diligently for magic wood, but they were never able to find any. It was a terrible thing to have one's daughter shut up in magic sacks. The little old woman had grown bent and weak and cross in her search to find the magic wood. If it had not been for the little black boy she would have given up entirely. The little black boy was always gay and cheerful and always sure that someday they would succeed in finding the magic wood. One day the little old woman took her big water jar upon her head and carried it down to the stream to fill. It was so very heavy when she had filled it with water that she could not lift it to her head, even with the help of the little black boy. Three fine-looking cavalleros happened to be passing on horseback. She sent the little black boy to ask them if they would help her. They said they couldn't possibly stop. The little old woman was very angry. She did not know that they were on their way to the magic castle and couldn't stop. The same wicked fairy who had shut the little old woman's beautiful daughters up in the sacks was leading them on. If the little old woman had known all about the three cavalleros, she would not have been angry. She would have wanted to help them instead. The three cavalleros were very good and very wise, so they managed to get along very well. As soon as they reached the enchanted castle, the fairy showed them to their beds. She had marked each bed with a candle. No one before had ever been wise enough to blow out these candles. These cavalleros blew out the candles and that took away the fairy's power over them. They were able to escape from the palace. When the wicked fairy came to put them in her magic sacks, she found the beds empty. The three cavalleros took their horses and rode back by the same road by which they had come. They stopped at a little shop on a corner which was kept by a good fairy and brought one vintembe's worth of ashes, one vintembe's worth of salt, and one vintembe's worth of pins. After a while, the three cavalleros approached the house of a little old woman and the little black boy. The little old woman was still angry because they refused to stop and help her lift her water jar to her head. When she saw them coming, she threw stones at them. Of course, that was a very stupid thing to do. When the three cavalleros saw what was happening, they were greatly surprised. They had forgotten all about the little black boy and the little old woman whom he had asked them to help. When they saw her coming with the stones, they thought she must be a wicked fairy in the form of a little old woman. The cavallero who had one vintembe's worth of ashes in his pocket threw the ashes at her. It became night. The little old woman came on with her stones just the same. The cavallero who had one vintembe's worth of salt in his pocket threw the salt at her. Immediately, a sea of salt water appeared between the three cavalleros and the little old woman. The little old woman came on with her stones just the same. The cavallero who had one vintembe's worth of pins in his pocket threw the pins at her. Immediately, a high thorny hedge sprang out of the ground between the little old woman and the three cavalleros. The little old woman was too angry to think clearly. If she had not been so angry, she would have known at once that this must be magic wood. The little black boy, however, had his wits about him. He hastened to gather the branches, even though the thorns tore his hands. Soon he had brought together a great pile of wood, like the piles which they make in the streets to burn on a festinite. The little old woman saw what he was doing and ran to get the magic sacks in which her daughters were imprisoned. They laid the sacks on top of the pile of magic wood and lighted the fire. There was a great noise, like thunder. Out of the three magic sacks, there sprang three beautiful maidens who had been preserved alive in the sacks by a miracle of nosa senora. The little old woman and her three beautiful daughters turned to thank the little black boy for what he had done. The little black boy was no longer black. He had been turned white. The three cavalleros married the three beautiful maidens, and the little boy, who was now white, grew up to be the greatest cavallero of them all. End of chapter 15. Chapter 16 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 Karen. Fairy Tales from Brazil by Elsie Spencer Chapter 16. How the Pigeon Became a Tame Bird. Once upon a time there was a father with three sons who had reached the age when they must go out into the world to earn their own living. When the time for parting came, he gave to each of them a large melon, with the advice that they opened the melons only at a place where there was water nearby. The three brothers set out from their father's house, each taking a different path. As soon as the eldest son was out of sight of the house, he opened his melon. A beautiful maidens sprang out of the melon, saying, give me water or give me milk. There was no water nearby, and neither did the young man have any milk to give her. She fell down dead. The second son left his father's house by a path which led over a steep hill. The large melon was heavy to carry, and in a little while he became very tired and thirsty. He saw no water nearby, and feared that there was no possibility of finding any soon. So he thought he would open the melon and use it to quench his thirst. Accordingly, he opened his melon. To his great surprise, a beautiful maidens sprang forth, saying, give me water or give me milk. Of course, he had neither to give her, and she fell down dead. The third son also traveled by a path which led over steep hill. He too became very tired and thirsty, and he often thought how much he would like to open his melon. However, he remembered his father's advice to open it only when there was water nearby. So he traveled on and on, hoping to find a spring of water on the hillside. He did not have the good fortune to pass near a spring, either going up the hill or coming down on the opposite side. At the foot of the hill there was a town, and in the center of the town there was a fountain. The young man hurried straight to the fountain and took a long, refreshing drink. Then he opened his melon, a beautiful maidens sprang forth, saying, give me water or give me milk. The young man gave her a drink of water. Then he helped her to a hiding place among the thick branches of the tree which grew beside the fountain and went away in search of food. Soon a little black servant girl came to the fountain to fill a big water jar which she carried on her head. The maiden in the tree above the fountain peeped out through the branches. When the little black servant girl bent over the water to fill her jar, she saw the reflection of a charming face in the water. How beautiful I've become, she said to herself. How ridiculous that anyone as beautiful as I am should carry water on her head. She threw her water jar upon the ground into stain, and it broke into a thousand pieces. When the little maid reached home with neither water nor water jar, her mistress punished her severely and sent her again to the fountain with a new water jar to fill. This time the maiden in the tree gave a little silvery laugh when the black servant girl bent over the water. The little maid looked up and spied her in the tree. Oh, it is you, is it, who are responsible for my beating? She said. She pulled a pin out of her camisa and reaching up, she stuck it savagely into the beautiful maiden in the tree. Then a strange thing happened. There was no longer any beautiful maiden in the tree. There was just a pigeon there. At that moment the young man came back to the tree with the food he had procured. When the little black maid heard his footsteps she was frightened nearly to death. She hid herself quickly among the thick branches of the tree. The young man was very much surprised to find a little black maid in the tree in the place of the beautiful maiden he had left there. What has happened to you during my absence? He asked in horror as soon as he saw her. The sun has burned my complexion, that is all, it is nothing. I shall be myself again when I get away from this hot place. The little maid replied. The young man married the little black maid and took her away out of sunny places hoping that she would soon be again the beautiful maiden she was when he left her by the fountain in search of food. But she always remained black. Years passed and the young man became very rich. He lived in a beautiful mansion. All around the house there was a wonderful garden full of lovely flowers and splendid trees where birds loved to sing sweet songs and build their nests. In spite of his beautiful home, the young man was not very happy. It was a great trial to have a wife who was so black. He often walked up and down the paths in his garden at the close of the day and thought about how beautiful his wife had been the first time he ever saw her. As he walked in the garden there was always a pigeon which followed him about. It flew about his head in a way that annoyed him. So one day when his wife was sick and asked for a pigeon to be roasted for her dinner he commanded that this particular pigeon should be killed. When the cook was preparing the pigeon for her mistress to eat for dinner she noticed a black speck on the pigeon's breast. She thought that it was a speck of dirt and tried to brush it away. To her surprise she could not brush it off easily because it was a pin firmly embedded in the pigeon's breast. She pulled and pulled but could not pull it out so she sent for her master to come and see what he could do to remove it. He had once pulled out the pin and then a wonderful thing happened. The pigeon was transformed into a beautiful maiden. He had once recognized her as the same lovely maiden who had sprung forth from his melon by the fountain and whom he had left hidden in the tree. When the young man's black wife learned that her husband had found the beautiful maiden again after all these years she confessed her deceit and soon died. The young man married the beautiful maiden who was still just as beautiful as she was the first time he saw her. They were very happy together but the wife never forgot about the time she had been a pigeon. Up to that time pigeons had been wild birds who built their nests in the deep forest. The wife often wished that they would build their nests in her beautiful garden so she had little birdhouses built and set up there. One day a pigeon, bolder than the rest, flew through the garden and spied the little birdhouses. He moved his family there at once and told the other pigeons that there were other houses there for them too. The other pigeons were timid and so they waited to see what terrible calamity might happen to the bold pigeon and his family but not a single unpleasant thing occurred. They were just as happy as happy could be in their new home. After a while other pigeon family just moved into the garden and were happy too. Thus it came about that after years and years the pigeons no longer build their nests in the deep forest but they always make their homes in the homes of men. The pigeons themselves do not know how it all came about but the beautiful woman who was once a pigeon when she had children of her own told them about it and they told their children. Thus it happens that the mothers in Brazil tell their children this story about the pigeon. End of chapter 16.