 section number 32 of the Green Fairy Book. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Sherlockian. The Green Fairy Book by Andrew Lang, Allerlei Rao, or the many-furred creature. Part 32. There was once upon a time a king who had a wife with golden hair, and she was so beautiful that you couldn't find anyone like her in the world. It happened that she fell ill, and when she felt that she must soon die, she sent for the king and said, if you want to marry after my death, make no one queen unless she is just as beautiful as I am, and has just such golden hair as I have. Promise me this. After the king had promised her this, she closed her eyes and died. For a long time the king was not to be comforted, and he did not even think of taking a second wife. At last his counselor said, the king must marry again, so that we may have a queen. So messengers were sent far and wide to seek for a bride equal to the late queen in beauty. But there was no one in the wide world, and if there had been, she could not have had such golden hair. Then the messengers came home again, not having been able to find a queen. Now the king had a daughter who was just as beautiful as her dead mother, and had just such golden hair. One day when she had grown up, her father looked at her and saw that she was exactly like her mother. So he said to his counselors, I will marry my daughter to one of you, and she shall be queen, for she is exactly like her dead mother. And when I die, her husband shall be king. But when the princess heard of her father's decision, she was not at all pleased, and said to him, Before I do your bidding, I must have three dresses. One as golden as the sun, one as silver as the moon, and one as shining as the stars. Besides these, I want a cloak made of a thousand different kinds of skin. Every animal in your kingdom must give a bit of his skin to it. But she thought to herself, This will be quite impossible, and I shall not have to marry someone I do not care for. The king, however, was not to be turned from his purpose, and he commanded the most skilled maidens in his kingdom to weave the three dresses, one as golden as the sun, and one as silver as the moon, and one as shining as the stars. And he gave orders to all his huntsmen to catch one of every kind of beast in the kingdom, and to get a bit of its skin to make a cloak of a thousand pieces of fur. At last, when all was ready, the king commanded the cloak be brought to him, and he spread it out before the princess and said, Tomorrow shall be your wedding day. When the princess saw there was no more hope of changing her father's resolution, she determined to flee away. In the night when everyone else was sleeping, she got up and drew three things from her treasures, a gold ring, a little gold spinning wheel, and a gold reel. She put the sun, the moon, and star dresses in a nutshell, drew on the cloak of many skins, and made her face and hands black with soot. Then she commended herself to God, and went out and traveled the whole night till she came to a large forest. And as she was very much tired, she sat down inside a hollow tree and fell asleep. The sun rose and she still slept on and on, though it was nearly noon. Now it happened that the king to whom this wood belonged was hunting in it. When his dogs came to the tree, they sniffed and ran round and round it, barking. The king said to the huntsmen, See what sort of wild beast is in there? The huntsman went in and then came back and said, In the hollow tree, there lies a wonderful animal that we don't know. And we've never seen one like it. Its skin is made of a thousand pieces of fur, but it's lying down asleep. The king said, See if you can catch it alive and then fasten it to the cart and we will take it with us. When the huntsmen seized the maiden, she awoke and was frightened and cried out to them, I'm a poor child forsaken by father and mother. Take pity on me and let me go with you. Then they said to her, Manyford creature, you can work in the kitchen. Come with us and sweep the ashes together. So they put her in the cart and they went back to the palace. There they showed her a tiny room under the stairs where no daylight came and said to her, Manyford creature, you can live and sleep here. Then she was sent into the kitchen where she carried wood and water, poked the fire, washed vegetables, plucked fowls, swept up the ashes and did all the dirty work. So the Manyford creature lived for a long time in great poverty. Beautiful king's daughter, what is going to befall you now? It happened once when a great feast was being held in the palace that she said to the cook, Can I go upstairs for a little bit and look on? I will stand outside the doors. The cook replied, Yes, you can go up but in half an hour you must be back here to sweep up the ashes. Then she took her little oil lamp and went into her little room, drew off her fur cloak and washed off the sult from her face and hands so that her beauty shone forth. It was as if one sunbeam after another were coming out of a black cloud. Then she opened the nut and took out the dress as golden as the sun and when she had done this she went up to the feast and everyone stepped out of her way for nobody knew her and they thought she must be a king's daughter. But the king came towards her and gave her his hand and danced with her thinking to himself, My eyes have never beheld anyone so fair. When the dance was ended she curtsied to him and when the king looked round she had disappeared. No one knew with her. The guards who were standing before the palace were called and questioned but no one had seen her. She had run to her little room and had quickly taken off her dress, made her face and hands black, put on the fur cloak, and was once more the many furred creature. When she came into the kitchen and was sitting about her work of sweeping the ashes together the cook said to her let that wait till tomorrow and just cook the king's soup for me. I want to have a little peep at the company upstairs. But be sure you do not let a hair fall into it otherwise you will get nothing to eat in future. So the cook went away and the many furred creature cooked the soup for the king. She made a bread soup as well as she possibly could and when it was done she fetched her gold ring from her little room and laid it in the terrain in which the soup was to be served up. When the dance was ended the king had his soup brought to him and ate it and it was so good he thought he had never tasted such soup in his life. But when he came to the bottom of the dish he saw a gold ring lying there and he could not imagine how it got in. Then he commanded the cook to be brought before him. The cook was terrified when he heard the command and said to the many furred creature you must have let a hair fall into the soup and if you have you deserve a good beating. When he came before the king the king asked who had cooked the soup. The cook answered I cooked it. But the king said that's not true for it was quite different and much better soup than you have ever cooked. Then the cook said I must confess I did not cook the soup. The many furred creature did. Let her be brought before me said the king. When the many furred creature came the king asked her who she was. I'm a poor child without father or mother. Then he asked her what do you do in my palace. I am of no use except to have boots thrown at my head. How did you get the ring which was in the soup? He asked. I know nothing at all about the ring she answered. So the king could find out nothing and was obliged to send her away. For a time there was another feast and the many furred creature begged the cook as at the last one to let her go and look on. He answered yes but come back again in half an hour and cook the king the bread soup that he likes so much. So she ran away to her little room washed herself quickly took out of the nut the dress as silver as the moon and put it on. Then she went upstairs looking just like a king's daughter and the king came towards her delighted to see her again and as the dance had just begun they danced together. But when the dance was ended she disappeared again so quickly that the king could not see which way she went. She ran to her little room and changed herself once more into the many furred creature and went into the kitchen to cook the bread soup. When the cook was upstairs she fetched the golden spinning wheel and put it in the dish so that the soup was poured over it. It was brought to the king who ate it and liked it as much as the last time. He had the cook sent to him and again he had to confess that the many furred creature had cooked the soup. Then the many furred creature came before the king but she said again that she was of no use except to have boots thrown at her head and that she knew nothing at all of the golden spinning wheel. When the king had a feast for the third time things did not turn out quite the same as the other two. The cook said you must be a witch many furred creature for you always put something in the soup so that it is much better and tastes nicer to the king than any that I cook but because she begged hard he let her go up for the usual time. Now she put on the dress as shining as the stars and stepped into the hall in it. The king danced again with the beautiful maiden and thought she had never looked so beautiful and while he was dancing he put a gold ring on her finger without her seeing it and he commanded that the dance should last longer than usual. When it was finished he wanted to keep her hands in his but she broke from him and sprang so quickly away among the people that she vanished from his sight. She ran as fast as she could to her little room under the stairs but because she had stayed too long beyond the half hour she could not stop to take off the beautiful dress but only through the fur cloak over it and in her haste she did not make herself quite black with soot one finger remaining white. The many furred creature now ran into the kitchen cooked the king's bread soup and when the cook had gone she laid the golden reel in the dish. When the king found the reel at the bottom he had the many furred creature brought to him and then he saw the white finger and the ring which he had put on her hand in the dance. Then he took her hand and held her tightly and as she was trying to get away she undid the fur cloak a little bit and the star dress shown out. The king seized the cloak and tore it off her. Her golden hair came down and she stood there in her full splendor and could not hide herself away anymore and when the soot and ashes had been washed from her face she looked more beautiful than anyone in the world but the king said you are my dear bride and we will never be separated from one another. The wedding was celebrated and they lived happily ever after. End of Aller Lerau the many furred creature part 32 recording by Sherlockian section 33 of the Green Fairy Book this is a lipovox recording only provokes recordings in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit lipovox.org recording by Ellie the Green Fairy Book by Andrew Lange the twelve huntsman. Once upon a time there was a king's son who was engaged to a princess whom he dearly loved one day as he sat by his side feeling very happy he received news that his father was lying at the point of death and desired to see him before his end so he said to his love Alas I must go off and leave you but take this ring and wear it as a remembrance of me and when I am king I will return and fetch you home then he rode off and when he reached his father he found him mortally ill and were in near death the king said dearest son I've decided to see you again before my end promise me a bag of you that you will marry according to my wishes and he then named the daughter of a neighboring king who was anxious should be his son's wife the prince was so overwhelmed with grief that he could think of nothing but his father and exclaimed yes yes dear father whatever you desire shall be done there upon the king closed his eyes and died after the prince had been proclaimed king and usual time of mourning had elapsed he felt that he must keep the promise he had made to his father so he sent to ask for the hand of the king's daughter which was granted to him at once now his first love heard of this and the sword of her love as dissertation grieved her so sadly that she pined away and nearly died her father said to her a nearest child why are you so unhappy is there anything you wish for say so and you shall have it his daughter reflected for a moment and then said dear father a wish for eleven girls is nearly as possible of the same height age and appearance as myself said the king if the thing is possible your wish shall be fulfilled and he had his kingdom searched she found eleven maidens of the same height size and appearance as his daughter then the princess desired twelve complete handsmen suits to be made all exactly alike and the eleven maidens had to dress themselves in eleven of the suits while she herself put on the twelfths after this she took leave of her father and rode off with the twelve girls to the court of a former lover here she inquired whether the king did not want some handsmen and if he would not take them all into his service the king saw her but did not recognize her and as she saw them very good looking young people he said yes you clearly engaged them all now the king had the most remarkable lion thought you ever hid no secret thing when evening the lion said to the king so you think you've got twelve handsmen do you yes certainly said the king they are twelve handsmen they are your mistaken said the lion they are twelve maidens that cannot possibly be replied the king how do you mean to prove that just have a number of peas through the floor of your enter chamber set the lion and you will soon see men have a strong firm thread so if they happen to walk over peas not one will stir but girls trip and slip and slide so that the peas roll all about the king was pleased as the lion said wise and ordered the peas to be thrown in his enter room fortunately one of the king's servants had become very partial to the young handsmen and hearing of the trial they were to be put to he went to them and said the lion wants to persuade the king that you are only girls and then told him all the blood the king's daughter sent him for the hint and after he was gone she said to her maidens now make every effort to tread firmly on the peas next morning when the king sent first twelve handsmen and they passed through the enter room which was plenty fully strewn with peas the droughts of firmly and worked with such a steady strong step that not a single pea rolled away the even so much as stirred after they had gone the king said to the lion there now you have been telling lies you see yourself to walk like men because they knew they were being put to the test and that the lion and so they made an effort but just if it doesn't spinning wheels placed in the enter room when they pass through you'll see how pleased they will be quite unlike any man the king was pleased with this advice and decided to help spinning wheels to be placed in his enter chamber but the good natured servant went to the huntsman and told him all about this fresh blood then as soon as the king's daughter was alone with her maidens she exclaimed now pray make a great effort and don't even look at those spinning wheels when the king sent first twelve handsmen the next morning they walked through the enter room without even casting a glance at the spinning wheels then the king said once more to the lion you have deceived me again the are men for they never once looked at the spinning wheels the lion replied they knew they were being tried and did it violence to their feelings but the king declined to believe in the lion any longer so the twelve huntsmen continued to follow the king and he grew the elephant off them one day whilst they were all at hunting it so happened that news was brought that the king's intended pride was in her way and by soon they expected when the true pride heard of this she felt the stolen knife appears to her heart and she fell faint into the ground the king fearing something had happened to his dear huntsman ran up to help and began drawing off his gloves then he saw the ring which had given his first laugh and as he gazed into her face he knew her again and his heart was so touched that he kissed her and as she opened her eyes he cried I'm tiny and tired mine no power on earth can alter that to the other princess he dispatched a messenger to beg to return to her own kingdom with all speed for a city I've got the wife and he who finds an old key again doesn't require a new one the upon the wedding was celebrated with great pomp and the lion was restored to his royal favor for after all he had told the truth grim end of the twelve huntsmen recording by ellie july 2010 section 34 of the green fairy book this is a liver vox recording all liver vox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit liver vox.org recording by maria terese the green fairy book by andrew lang spindle shuttle and needle once upon a time they lived a girl who lost her father and mother when she was quite a tiny child her godmother lived all known in the little cottage at the far end of the village and there she earned her living by spinning weaving and sewing the old woman took the little orphan home with her and brought her up in good pious industrious habits when the girl was 15 years old her godmother fell ill and calling the child to her bedside she said my dear daughter I feel that my end is near I leave you my cottage which will at least shelter you and also my spindle my weaver shuttle and my needle with which to earn your bread then she laid her hands on the girl's head blessed her and added mind and be good and then all will go well with you with that she closed her eyes for the last time and when she was carried to her grave the girl walked behind her coffin weeping bitterly and paid her all the last honors after this the girl lived all alone in the little cottage she worked hard spinning weaving and sewing and her old godmother's blessing seemed to prosper all she did a flag seemed to spread an increase and when she lovable carpet or piece of linen or made a shirt she was sure to find a customer who paid her well so that not only did she feel no want herself but she was able to help those who did now it happened that about this time the king son was making a tour through the entire country to look out for a bride he could not marry a poor woman and he did not wish for a rich one she shall be my wife said he who is at once the poorest and the richest when he reached the village where the girl lived he inquired who was the richest and who was the poorest woman in it the richest was named first the poorest he was told was a young girl who lived alone in a little cottage at the far end of the village the rich girl sat at her door dressed out in all her best clothes and when the king's son came near she got up went to meet him and made him a low curtsy he looked well at her said nothing but wrote on further when he reached the poor girl's house he did not find her at her door for she was at work in her room the prince rained in his horse looked in at the window through which the sun was shining brightly and saw the girl sitting at her wheel busily spinning away she looked up and when she saw the king's son gazing in at her she blushed red all over cast down her eyes and span on whether the thread was quite as even as usual I really cannot say but she went on spinning till the king's son had ridden off then she stepped to the window and opened the lattice saying the room is so hot but she looked after him as long as she could see the white plumes in his hat then she sat down to her work once more and span on and as she did so an old saying which she had often heard her godmother repeat lost at work came into her head and began to sing spendle spendle go and see if my love will come to me lo and behold the spindle let from her hand and rushed out of the room and when she is sufficiently recovered from her surprise to look after it she saw it dancing merrily through the fields dragging a long golden thread after it and soon it was lost to sight the girl having lost her spindle took up the shuttle and seating herself at her loom began to weave meantime the spindle danced on and on and just as it had come to the end of the golden thread it reached the king's son what do I see he cried the spindle seems to wish to point out the way to me so he turned his horse's head and read back beside the golden thread meantime the girl sat weaving and sang shuttle weave both web and bring my love beneath my roof the shuttle instantly escaped from her hand and with one bound was out of the door on the threshold it began weaving the loveliest carpet that was ever seen roses and lilies bloomed on both sides and in the center a thicket seemed to grow with rabbits and hairs running through it stags and fawns peeping through the branches whilst on the top most brow sat birds of brilliant plumage and so lifelike when almost expected to hear them sing the shuttle flew from side to side and the carpet seemed almost to grove itself as the shuttle had run away the girl sat down to sew she took up her needle and sang needle needles stitch away make my chamber bright and gay and the needle promptly slipped from her fingers and flew about the room like lightning you would have thought invisible spirits were at work for next to no time the table and benches covered with green cloth the chairs with velvet and elegant silk curtains hung before the windows the needle had barely put in its last ditch when the girl glancing at the window spied the white-bloomed hat of the king's son who was being led back by the spindle with the golden thread he dismounted and walked over the carpet into the house and when he entered the room there stood the girl blushing like any rose you are the poorest and yet the richest he said come with me you shall be my bride she said nothing but she held at her hand then he kissed her and let her out lifted her on his horse and took her to his royal palace where the wedding was celebrated with great rejoicings the spindle the shuttle and the needle were very carefully placed in the treasury and were always held in the very highest honor grim end of spindle shuttle and needle recording by Maria Therese section 35 of the green fairy book this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org the green fairy book by Andrew Lang the crystal coffin now let no one say that a poor tailor can't get on in the world and indeed even attain to very high honor nothing is required but to set the right way to work but of course the really important thing is to succeed a very bright active young tailor once set off on his travels which led him into a wood and as he did not know the way he soon lost himself night came on and there seemed to be nothing for it but to seek out the best resting place he could find he could have made himself quite comfortable with a bed of soft moss but the fear of wild beasts disturbed his mind and at last he determined to spend the night in a tree he sought out a tall oak tree climbed up to the top and felt devoutly thankful that his big smoothing iron was in his pocket for the wind in the treetops was so high that he might easily have been blown away altogether after passing some hours of the night not without considerable fear and trembling he noticed a light shining at a little distance and hoping it might proceed from some house where he could find a better shelter than in the top of the tree he cautiously descended and went towards the light it led him to a little hut all woven together of reeds and rushes he knocked bravely at the door which opened and by the light which shone from within he saw an old gray haired man dressed in a coat made of bright colored patches who are you and what do you want asked the old man roughly i am a poor tailor replied the youth i have been benighted in the forest and i entreat you to let me take shelter in your hut till morning go your way said the old man in a sulky tone i'll have nothing to do with tramps you must just go elsewhere with these words he tried to slip back into his house but the tailor laid hold of his coat tails and begged so hard to be allowed to stay that the old fellow who was by no means as cross as he appeared was at length touched by his entreaties let him come in and after giving him some food showed him quite a nice bed in one corner of the room the weary tailor required no rocking to rest but slept sound till early morning when he was roused from his slumbers by a tremendous noise loud screams and shouts pierced the thin walls of the little hut the tailor with newborn courage sprang up through on his clothes with all speed and hurried out there he saw a huge black bull engaged in a terrible fight with a fine large stag they rushed at each other with such fury that the ground seemed to tremble under them and the whole air to be filled with their cries for some time it appeared quite uncertain which would be the victor but at length the stag drove his antlers with such force into his opponent's body that the bull fell to the ground with a terrific roar and a few more strokes finished him the tailor who had been watching the fight with amazement was still standing motionless when the stag bounded up to him and before he had time to escape forked him up with its great antlers and set off at full gallop over hedges and ditches hill and dale through wood and water the tailor could do nothing but hold on tight with both hands to the stag's horns and resign himself to his fate he felt as if he were flying along at length the stag paused before a steep rock and gently let the tailor down to the ground feeling more dead than alive he paused for a while to collect his scattered senses but when he seemed somewhat restored the stag struck such a blow on a door in the rock that it flew open flames of fire rushed forth and such clouds of steam followed that the stag had to avert its eyes the tailor could not think what to do or which way to turn to get away from this awful wilderness and to find his way back amongst human beings once more as he stood hesitating a voice from the rock cried to him step in without fear no harm shall befall you he still lingered but some mysterious power seemed to impel him and passing through the door he found himself in a spacious hall whose ceiling walls and floor were covered with polished tiles carved all over with unknown figures he gazed about full of wonder and was just preparing to walk out again when the same boy sped him tread on the stone in the middle of the hall and good luck will attend you by this time he had grown so courageous that he did not hesitate to obey the order and hardly had he stepped on the stone then it began to sink gently with him into the depths below on reaching firm ground he found himself in a hall of much the same size as the upper one but with much more in it to wonder at and admire round the walls were several niches in each of which stood glass vessels filled with some bright colored spirit or bluish smoke on the floor stood two large crystal boxes opposite each other and these attracted his curiosity at once stepping up to one of them he saw within it what looked like a model in miniature of a fine castle surrounded by farms barns stables and a number of other buildings everything was quite tiny but so beautifully and carefully finished that it might have been the work of an accomplished artist he would have continued gazing much longer at this remarkable curiosity had not the voice desired him to turn round and look at the crystal coffin which stood opposite what was his amazement at seeing a girl of surpassing loveliness lying in it she lay as though sleeping and her long fair hair seemed to wrap her round like some costly mantle her eyes were closed but the bright color in her face and the movement of a ribbon which rose and fell with her breath left no doubt as to her being alive as the tailor stood gazing at her with a beating heart the maiden suddenly opened her eyes and started with delighted surprise great heavens she cried my deliverance approaches quick quick help me out of my prison only push back the bolt of this coffin and i am free the tailor promptly obeyed when she quickly pushed back the crystal lid stepped out of the coffin and hurried to a corner of the hall when she proceeded to wrap herself in a large cloak then she sat down on a stone desired the young man to come near and giving him an affection at kiss she said my long hoped for deliverer kind heaven has led you to me and has at length put an end to all my sufferings you are my destined husband and beloved by me and endowed with every kind of riches and power you shall spend the remainder of your life in peace and happiness now sit down and hear my story i am the daughter of a wealthy nobleman my parents died when i was very young and they left me to the care of my eldest brother by whom i was carefully educated we loved each other so tenderly and our tastes and interests were so much alike that we determined never to marry but to spend our entire lives together there was no lack of society at our home friends and neighbors paid us frequent visits and we kept open house for all thus it happened that one evening a stranger rode up to the castle and asked for hospitality as he could not reach the nearest town that night we granted his request with ready courtesy and during supper he entertained us with most agreeable conversation mingled with amusing anecdotes my brother took such a fancy to him that he pressed him to spend a couple of days with us which after a little hesitation the stranger consented to do we rose late from table and whilst my brother was showing our guests to his room i hurried to mine for i was very tired and longed to get to bed i had hardly dropped off to sleep when i was roused by the sound of some soft and charming music wondering whence it could come i was about to call to my maid who slept in the room next mine when to my surprise i felt as if some heavy weight on my chest had taken all power from me and i lay there unable to utter the slightest sound mean time by the light of the night lamp i saw the stranger enter my room though the double doors had been securely locked he drew near and told me that through the power of his magic arts he had caused the soft music to awaken me and had made his way through bolts and bars to offer me his hand and heart my repugnant stay as magic was so great that i would not condescend to give any answer he waited motionless for some time hoping no doubt for a favorable reply but as i continued silent he angrily declared that he would find means to punish my pride and therewith he left the room in a rage i spent the night in the greatest agitation and only fell into a dose towards morning as soon as i awoke i jumped up and hurried to tell my brother all that had happened but he had left his room and his servant told me that he had gone out at daybreak to hunt with the stranger my mind misgave me i dressed in all haste had my palfery saddled and rode off at full gallop towards the forest attended by one servant only i pushed on without pausing and earlong i saw the stranger coming towards me and leading a fine stag i asked him where he had left my brother and how he had got the stag whose great eyes were overflowing with tears instead of answering he began to laugh and i flew into such a rage that i drew a pistol and fired at him but the bullet rebounded from his breast and struck my horse in the forehead i fell to the ground and the stranger muttered some words which robbed me of my senses when i came to myself i was lying in a crystal coffin in this subterranean vault the magician appeared again and told me that he had transformed my brother into a stag had reduced our castle and all its defenses to miniature and locked them up in a glass box and after turning all our household into different vapours had banished them into glass files if i would only yield to his wishes he could easily open these vessels and all would then resume their former shapes i would not say a word more than i had done previously and he vanished leaving me in my prison where a deep sleep soon fell on me amongst the many dreams which floated through my brain was a cheering one of a young man who was to come and release me and today when i opened my eyes i recognized you and saw that my dream was fulfilled now help me to carry out the rest of my vision the first thing is to place the glass box which contains my castle on this large stone as soon as this was done the stone gently rose through the air and transported them into the upper hall whence they easily carried the box into the outer air the lady then removed the lid and it was marvellous to watch the castle houses and farmyards begin to grow and spread themselves till they had regained their proper size then the young couple returned by means of the movable stone and brought up all the glass vessels filled with smoke no sooner were they uncorked than the blue vapours poured out and became transformed to living people in whom the lady joyfully recognized her many servants and attendants her delight was complete when her brother who had killed the magician under the form of a bull was seen coming from the forest in his proper shape and that very day according to her promise she gave her hand in marriage to the happy young tailor grim end of the crystal coffin recording by mikaela okona section 36 of the green fairy book this is a liberbox recording all liberbox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit liberbox.org reading by bologna times the green fairy book by andrew lang the three snake leaves there was once a poor man who could no longer afford to keep his only son at home so the son said to him dear father you are so poor that i am only a burden to you i would rather go out into the world and see if i can earn my own living the father gave him his blessing and took leave of him with much sorrow about this time the king of a very powerful kingdom was carrying on a war the youth therefore took service under him and went on the campaign when they came before the enemy a battle took place there was some hot fighting and it rained bullets so thickly that his comrades fell around him on all sides and when their leader fell too the rest wished to take to flight but the youth stepped forward and encouraged them and called out we must not let our country be ruined then others followed him and he pressed on and defeated the enemy when the king heard that he had to thank him alone for the victory he raised him higher than anyone else in rank gave him great treasures and made him the first in the kingdom the king had a daughter who was very beautiful but she was also very capricious she had made a vow to marry no one who would not promise her that if she died first he would allow himself to be buried alive with her if he loves me truly she used to say what use would life be to him then at the same time she was willing to do the same and if he died first to be buried with him this curious vow had up to this time frightened away all suitors but the young man was so captivated by her beauty that he hesitated at nothing and asked her hand of her father do you know as the king what you have to promise I shall have to go into her grave with her he answered if I outlive her but my love is so great that I do not think of the risk so the king consented and the wedding was celebrated with great splendor now they lived for a long time very happily with one another but then it came to pass that the young queen fell seriously ill and no doctor could save her and when she laid dead the young king remembered what he had promised and it made him shudder to think of lying in her grave alive but there was no escape the king had set guards before all the gates and it was not possible to avoid his fate when the day arrived on which the corpse was to be laid in the royal vault he was led thither then the entrance was bolted and closed up near the coffin stood a table on which were placed four candles four loaves of bread and four bottles of wine as soon as this provision came to an end he would have to die so he sat there full of grief and misery eating every day only a tiny bit of bread and drinking only a mouthful of wine and he watched death creeping nearer and nearer to him one day as he was sitting staring moodily in front of him he saw a snake creep out of the corner towards the corpse thinking it was going to touch it he drew his sword and saying as long as I am alive you shall not harm her he cut it in three pieces after a little time a second snake crept out of the corner but when it saw the first one lying dead and in pieces it went back and came again soon holding three green leaves in its mouth then it took the three bits of the snake and laid them in order and put one of the leaves on each wound immediately the pieces joined together the snake moved itself and became alive and then both hurried away the leaves remained lying on the ground and it suddenly occurred to the unfortunate man who had seen everything that the wonderful power of the leaves might also be exercised upon a human being so he picked up the leaves and laid one of them on the mouth and the other two on the eyes of the dead woman and scarcely had he done this before the blood began to circulate in her veins then it mounted and brought color back to her white face then she drew her breath opened her eyes and said ah where am I you are with me dear lady he answered and told her all that had happened and how he had brought her to life again he then gave her some wine and bread and when all her strength had returned she got up and they went to the door and knocked and called so loudly that the guards heard them and told the king the king came himself to open the door and there he found both happy and well and he rejoiced with them that now all trouble was over but the young king gave the three snake leaves to a servant saying to him keep them carefully for me and always carry them with you who knows but that they may help us in a time of need it seemed however as if a change had come over the young queen after she had been restored to life and as if all her love for her husband had faded from her heart sometime afterwards when he wanted to take a journey over the sea to see his old father and they were on board the ship she forgot the great love and faithfulness he had shown her and how he had saved her from death and fell in love with the captain and one day when the young king was lying asleep she called the captain to her and seized the head of the sleeping king and made him take his feet and together they threw him into the sea when they had done this wicked deed she said to him now let us go home and say that he died on the journey I will praise you so much to my father that he will marry me to you and make you the heir to the throne but the faithful servant who had seen everything let down a little boat into the sea unobserved by them and rode after his master while the traitors sailed on he took the drowned man out of the water and with the help of the three snake leaves which he carried with him placing them on his mouth and eyes he brought him to life again they both rode as hard as they could night and day and their little boat went so quickly that they reached the old king before the other two dead he was much astonished to see them come back alone and asked what had happened to them when he heard the wickedness of his daughter he said I cannot believe that she has acted so wrongly but the truth will soon come to light he made them both go into a secret chamber and let no one see them soon after this the large ship came in and the wicked lady appeared before her father with a very sad face he said to her why have you come back alone where is your husband ah dear father she replied I have come home in a great grief my husband fell ill on the voyage quite suddenly and died and if the good captain had not given me help I should have died too he was at his deathbed and can tell you everything the king said I will bring the dead to life again and he opened the door of the room and called them both out the lady was as if thunder struck when she caught sight of her husband she fell on her knees and begged for mercy but the king said you shall have no mercy he was ready to die with you and restored you to life again but you killed him when he was sleeping and shall receive your desserts so she and her accomplice were put in a ship which was bored through with holes and were drawn out into the sea where they soon perished in the waves end of the three snake leaves section 37 of the green ferry book this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by James O'Connor the green ferry book by Andrew Lang The Riddle a king's son once had a great desire to travel through the world so he started off taking no one with him but one trusty servant one day he came to a great forest and as evening drew on he could find no shelter and could not think where to spend the night all of a sudden he saw a girl going towards a little house and as he drew nearer he remarked that she was both young and pretty he spoke to her and said dear child could I and my servant spend the night in your house oh yes said the girl in a sad tone you can if you like but I should not advise you to do so better not go in why not ask the king's son the girl sighed and answered my stepmother deals in black arts and she is not very friendly to strangers the prince guessed easily that he had fallen on a witch's house but as by this time it was quite dark and he could go no further and as moreover he was not at all afraid he stepped in an old woman sat in an armchair near the fire and as the strangers ended she turned her red eyes on them good evening she muttered and pretending to be quite friendly won't you sit down she blew up the fire on which she was cooking something in a little pot and her daughter secretly warned the travelers to be very careful not to eat or drink anything as the old woman's bruise were apt to be dangerous they went to bed and slept soundly till morning when they were ready to start and the king's son had already mounted his horse the old woman said wait a minute I must give you a stirrup cup while she went to fetch it the king's son rode off and the servant who had waited to tighten his saddle girth was alone when the witch returned take that to your master she said but as she spoke the glass cracked and the poison spurred it over the horse and it was so powerful that the poor creature sank down dead the servant ran after his master and told him what had happened and then not wishing to lose the saddle as well as the horse he went back to fetch it when he got to the spot he saw that a raven had perched on the carcass and was pecking at it who knows whether we shall get anything better to eat today said the servant and he shot the raven and carried it off then they rode on all day through the forest without coming to the end at nightfall they reached an inn which they entered and the servant gave the landlord the raven to dress for their supper now as it happened this inn was a regular resort of a band of murderers and the old witch too was in the habit of frequenting it as soon as it was dark twelve murderers arrived with the full intention of killing and robbing the strangers before they set to work however they sat down to table and the landlord and the old witch joined them and they all ate some broth in which the flesh of the raven had been stewed down they had hardly taken a couple of spoonfuls when they all fell down did for the poison had passed from the horse to the raven and so into the broth so there was no one left belonging to the house but the landlord's daughter who was a good well meaning girl and had taken no part in all the evil doings she opened all the doors and showed the strangers the treasures the robbers had gathered together but the prince made her keep them all for herself as he wanted none of them and so he rode further with his servant after traveling about for some length of time they reached a town where lived a lovely but most arrogant princess she had given out that anyone who asked her a riddle which she found herself unable to guess should be her husband but should she guess it he must forfeit his head she claimed three days in which to think over the riddles but she was so very clever that she invariably guessed them in a much shorter time nine suitors had already lost their lives when the king's son arrived and dazzled by her beauty determined to risk his life in hopes of winning her so he came before her and propounded his riddle what is this he asked one slew none and yet killed twelve she could not think what it was she thought and thought and looked through all her books of riddles and puzzles but she found nothing to help her and could not guess in fact she was at her wits end as she could think of no way to guess the riddle she audited her maid to steal at night into the prince's bedroom and to listen while she thought that he might perhaps talk aloud in his dreams and so betray the secret but the clever servant had taken his master's place and when the maid came he tore off the cloak she had wrapped herself in and hunted her off with a whip on the second night the princess sent her lady in waiting hoping that she might succeed better but the servant took away her mantle and chased her away also on the third night the king's son thought he really might feel safe so he went to bed but in the middle of the night the princess came herself all huddled up in a misty gray mantle and sat down near him when she thought he was fast asleep she spoke to him hoping he would answer in the midst of his dreams as many people do but he was wide awake all the time and heard and understood everything very well then she asked one slew none what is that and he answered a raven which fed on the carcass of a poisoned horse she went on and yet killed twelve what is that those are twelve murderers who ate the raven and died of it as soon as she knew the riddle she tried to slip away but he held her mantle so tightly that she was obliged to leave it behind next morning the princess announced that she had guessed the riddle and sent for the twelve judges before whom she declared it but the young man begged to be heard too and said she came by night to question me otherwise she never could have guessed it the judges said bring us some proof so the servant brought out the three cloaks and when the judges saw the gray one which the princess was in the habit of wearing they said let it be embroidered with gold and silver it shall be your wedding mantle trim end of the riddle recording by James O'Connor Randolph Massachusetts October 2010 section 38 of the green fairy book this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Michael Dang the green fairy book by Andrew Lang Jack my hedgehog there was once a farmer who lived in great comfort he had both lands and money but though he was so well off one thing was wanting to complete his happiness he had no children many in many a time when he met other farmers at the nearest market town they would tease him asking how it came about that he was childless at length he grew so angry that he exclaimed I must in will have a child of some sort or kind even should it only be a hedgehog not long after his wife gave birth to a child but though the lower half of the little creature was a fine boy from the waist upwards it was a hedgehog so that when his mother first saw him she was quite frightened and said to her husband there now you have cursed the child yourself the farmer said what's the use of making a fuss I suppose the creature must be christened but I don't see how we were to ask anyone to be sponsored to him and what are we to call him there is nothing we can possibly call him but jack my hedgehog replied their wife so they took him to be christened and the parson said you will never be able to put that child in a decent bed on account of his prickles which was true but they shook down some straw for him behind the stove and there he lay for eight years his father grew very tired of him and often wished him dead but he did not die and lay on their year after year now one day there was a big fair at the market town to which the farmer meant to go so he asked his wife what he should bring her from it some meat and a couple of big loaves for the house said she then he asked the maid what she wanted and she said a pair of slippers and some stockings lastly he said well jack my hedgehog and what shall I bring you daddy said he do bring me a bagpipe when the farmer came home he gave his wife and the maid the things he had asked for and then he went behind the stove and gave jack my hedgehog the bagpipes when jack had got his bagpipes he said daddy do you go to the smithy and have the house cock shot for me then I'll write off and trouble you no more his father who was delighted at the prospect of getting rid of him had the cock shot and when it was ready jack my hedgehog mounted on its back and rode off to the forest followed by all the pigs and asses which he had promised to look after having reached the forest he made the cock fly up to the top of every tall tree with him and there he sat looking after his pigs and donkeys and he sat on and on for several years till he had quite a big herd but all this time his father knew nothing about him as he sat up in his tree he played away on his pipes and drew the loveliest music from them as he was playing one day a king who had lost his way happened to pass close by and hearing the music he was much surprised and sent one of his servants to find out where it came from the man peered about but he could see nothing but a little creature which looked like a cock with a hedgehog sitting on it perched up in a tree the king desired the servant to ask the strange creature why it sat there and if he knew the shortest way to his kingdom on this jack my hedgehog stepped down from his tree and said he would undertake to sow the king his way home if the king on his part would give him his written promise to let him have whatever first met him on his return the king thought to himself that's easy enough to promise the creature won't understand a word about it so i can just write what i choose so we took pan and ink and wrote something and when he had done jack my hedgehog pointed out the way and the king got safely home now when the king's daughter saw her father returning in the distance she was so delighted that she ran to meet him and threw herself into his arms then the king remembered jack my hedgehog and he told his daughter how he had been obliged to give a written promise to bestow whatever he first met when he got home on an extraordinary creature which had shown him the way the creature said he rode on a cock as though it had been a horse and it made lovely music but as it certainly could not read he had just written that he would not give it anything at all at this the princess was quite pleased and said how cleverly her father had managed for that of course nothing would induce her to have gone off with jack my hedgehog meantime jack minded his asses and pigs sat aloft in his tree played his bagpipes and was always merry and cheery after a time it so happened that another king having lost his way passed by with his servants and escort wondering how he could find his way home where the forest was very vast he too heard the music and told one of his men to find out when it came the man came under the tree and looking up to the top there he saw jack my hedgehog astride on the cock the servant asked jack what he was doing up there i'm minding my pigs and donkeys but what do you want was the reply then the servant told him they had lost their way and wanted someone to show it them down came jack my hedgehog with his cock and he told the old king he would show him the right way if he would solemnly promise to give him the first thing he met in front of his royal castle the king said yes and gave jack a written promise to that effect then jack rode on in front pointing out the way and the king reached his own country in safety now he had an only doctor who was extremely beautiful and who delighted at her father's return ran to meet him threw her arms around his neck and kissed him heartily then she asked where he had been wandering so long and he told her how he had lost his way and might never have reached home at all but for a strange creature half man half hedgehog which wrote a cock and sat up in a tree making lovely music and which has shown him the right way he also told her how he had been obliged to pledge his word to give the creature the first thing which met him outside his castle gate and he felt very sad at the thought that she had been the first thing to meet him but the princess comforted him and said she should be quite willing to go with jack my hedgehog whenever he came to fetch her because of the great love she bore to a dear old father jack my hedgehog continued to hurt his pigs and they increased the number to there were so many that the forest seemed full of them so he made up his mind to live there no longer and sent a message to his father telling him to have all the stables and outhouses in the village cleared as he was going to bring such an enormous herd that all who would might kill what they chose his father was much vexed at this news for he thought jack had died long ago jack my hedgehog mounted his cock and driving his pigs before him into the village he let everyone kill as many as they chose and such a hacking and hewing of pork went on as you might have heard from miles off then said jack daddy let the blacksmith shoe my cock once then I'll write off and I promise you I'll never come back again as long as I live so the father had the cock shot and rejoiced at the idea of getting rid of his son then jack the hedgehog set off for the first kingdom and there the king had given strict orders that if anyone should be seen riding a cock and carrying a bagpipe he was to be chased away and shot at and on no account to be allowed to enter the palace so when jack my hedgehog wrote up the guards charged him with their bayonets but he put spurs to his cock flew up over the gate right to the king's windows let himself down on the sill and called out that if he was not given what had been promised him both the king and his daughter should pay for it with their lives then the king coaxed and and treated his daughter to go with jack and so save both their lives the princess stressed herself all in white and her father gave her a coach with six horses and servants and gorgeous liveries and quantities of money she stepped on to the coach and jack my hedgehog with his cock and pipes took his place beside her they both took leave and the king fully expected never to set eyes on them again but matters turned out very differently from what he had expected for when they had got a certain distance from the town jack tore all the princess's smart clothes off her and pricked her all over with his bristles saying that's what you get for treachery now go back i'll have no more to say to you and with that he hunted her home and she felt she had been disgraced and put to shame till her life's end then jack my hedgehog wrote on with his cock and bag pipes to the country of the second king to whom he had shown the way now this king had given orders that in the event of jack's coming the guards were to present arms the people to cheer and he was to be conducted in triumph to the royal palace when the king's daughter saw jack my hedgehog she was a good deal startled for he certainly was very peculiar looking but after all she considered that she had given her word and it couldn't be helped so she made jack welcome and they were betrothed to each other and at dinner he sat next to her at the royal table and they ate and drank together when they retired to rest the princess feared less jack should kiss her because of his prickles but he told her not to be alarmed as no harm should befall her then he begged the old king to place a watch of four men just outside his bedroom door and to desire them to make a big fire when he was about to lie down in bed he would creep out of his hedgehog skin and leave it lying at the bedside then the man must rush in throw the skin into the fire and stand by till it was entirely burnt up and so it was for when it struck 11 jack my hedgehog went to his room took off his skin and left it at the foot of the bed the men rushed in quickly seized the skin and threw it on the fire and directly it was all burnt jack was released from his enchantment and lay in his bed a man from head to foot but quite black as though he had been severely scorched the king sent off for his physician in ordinary who washed jack all over with various essences and solves so that he became white and was a remarkably handsome young man when the king's daughter saw him she was greatly pleased and next day the marriage ceremony was performed and the old king bestowed his kingdom on jack my hedgehog after some years jack and his wife went to visit his father but the farmer did not recognize him and declared he had no son he had had one but that one was born with bristles like a hedgehog and had gone off into the wide world then jack told his story and his old father rejoiced and returned to live with him in his kingdom grim end of jack my hedgehog recording by michael dang damenbar section 39 of the green fairy book this is a libervox recording all libervox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit libervox.org recording by bologna times the green fairy book by andrew lang the golden lads a poor man and his wife lived in a little cottage where they supported themselves by catching fish in the nearest river and got on as best they could living from hand to mouth one day it happened that when the fisherman drew in his net he found in it a remarkable fish for it was entirely of gold as he was inspecting it with some surprise the fish opened its mouth and said listen to me fisher if you will just throw me back into the water i'll turn your poor little cottage into a splendid castle the fisher replied what good prey will a castle be to me if i have nothing to eat in it oh said the goldfish i'll take care of that there will be a cupboard in the castle in which you will find dishes of every kind of food you can wish for most if that's the case said the man i've no objection to oblige you yes observe the fish but there is one condition attached to my offer and that is that you are not to reveal to a soul where your good fortune comes from if you say a word about it it will all vanish the man threw the fish back into the water and went home but on the spot where his cottage used to stand he found a spacious castle he opened his eyes wide went in and found his wife dressed out in smart clothes sitting in a splendidly furnished drawing room she was in high spirits and cried out oh husband how can this all have happened i am so pleased yes said her husband so am i pleased but i'm uncommonly hungry and i want something to eat at once said his wife i've got nothing and i don't know where anything is in this new house never mind replied the man i see a big cupboard there suppose you unlock it when the cupboard was opened they found meat cakes fruit and wine all spread out in the most tempting fashions the wife clapped her hands with joy and cried dear heart what more can one wish for and they sat down and ate and drank when they had finished the wife asked but husband where do all these riches come from ah said he don't ask me i dare not tell you if i reveal the secret to anyone it will be all up with us very well she replied if i'm not to be told of course i don't want to know anything about it but she was not really in earnest for her curiosity never left her in a moment's peace by day or night and she teased and worried her husband to such a pitch that at length he quite lost patience and blurted out that it all came from a wonderful golden fish which he had caught and set free again hardly were the words well out of his mouth when castle cupboard and all vanished and there they were sitting in their poor little fishing hut once more the man had to be take himself to his former trade and set the fishing again as luck would have it he caught the golden fish a second time now listen said the fish if you'll throw me back into the water i'll give you back the castle and the cupboard with all its good things but now take care and don't for your life betray where you got them or you'll just lose them again i'll be very careful promised the fisher and threw the fish back into the water when he went home he found all their former splendor restored and his wife overjoyed at their good fortune but her curiosity still continued to torment her and after restraining it with a great effort for a couple of days she began questioning her husband again as to what had happened and how he had managed the man kept silence for some time but at last she irritated him so much that he burst out with the secret and in one moment the castle was gone and they sat once more in their wretched old hut there exclaimed the man you would have it now we may just go on short commons ah said his wife after all i'd rather not have all the riches in the world if i can't know where they come from i shall not have a moment's peace the man took to his fishing again and one day fate brought the goldfish into his net for the third time well said the fish i see that i am evidently destined to fall into your hands now take me home and cut me into six pieces give two bits to your wife to eat two to your horse and plant the remaining two in your garden and they will bring you a blessing the man carried the fish home and did exactly as he had been told after a time it came to pass that from the two pieces he had planted in the garden two golden lilies grew up and that his horse had two golden foals whilst his wife gave birth to twin boys who were all golden the children grew up both tall and handsome and the foals and the lilies grew with them one day the children came to their father and said father we want to mount on golden steeds and ride forth to see the world their father answered sadly how can i bear it if when you are far away i know nothing about you and they said the golden lilies will tell you all about us if you look at them if they seem to droop you will know we are ill and if they fall down and fade away it will be a sign we are dead so off they rode and came to an end where were a number of people who as soon as they saw the two golden lads began to laugh and cheer at them when one of them heard this his heart failed him and he thought he would go no further into the world so he turned back and rode home to his father but his brother rode on till he reached the outskirts of a huge forest here he was told it will never do for you to ride through the forest it is full of robbers and you're sure to come to grief especially when they see that you and your horse are golden they will certainly fall on you and kill you however he was not to be intimidated but said i must and will ride on so he procured some bears skins and covered himself and his horse with them so that not a particle of gold could be seen and then rode bravely on into the heart of the forest when he had got some way he heard a rustling through the bushes and presently a sound of voices someone whispered on one side of him there goes someone and was answered from the other side oh let him pass he's only a bear keeper and as poor as any church mouse so golden lad rode through the forest and no harm befell him one day he came to a village where he saw a girl who struck him as being the loveliest creature in the whole world and as he felt a great love for her he went up to her and said i love you with all my heart will you be my wife and the girl liked him so much that she put her hand in his and replied yes i will be your wife and will be true to you as long as i live so they were married and in the middle of all the festivities and rejoicings the bride's father came home and was not a little surprised at finding his daughter celebrating her wedding he inquired and who is the bridegroom then someone pointed out to him the golden lad who was still wrapped up in the bear's skin and the father explained angrily never shall a mere bear keeper have my daughter and tried to rush at him and kill him but the bride did all she could to pacify him and begged hard saying after all he is my husband and i love him with all my heart so that at length he gave in however he could not dismiss the thought from his mind and next morning he rose very early for he felt he must go and look at his daughter's husband and see whether he really was nothing better than a mere ragged beggar so he went to his son-in-law's room and who should he see lying in the bed but a splendid golden man and the rough bear skin thrown on the ground close by then he slipped quietly away and thought to himself how lucky that i managed to control my rage i should certainly have committed a great crime meantime the golden lad dreamt that he was out hunting and was giving chase to a noble stag and when he woke he said to his bride i must go off and hunt she felt very anxious and begged he would stay at home adding some mishap might so easily befall you but he answered i must and will go so he went off into the forest and before long a fine stag such as he had seen in his dream stopped just in front of him he took aim and was about to fire when the stag bounded away then he started off in pursuit making his way through bushes and briars and never stopped all day but in the evening the stag entirely disappeared and when golden lad came to look about him he found himself just opposite a hut in which lived a witch he knocked at the door which was opened by a little old woman who asked what do you want at this late hour in the midst of this great forest he said haven't you seen a stag about here yes said she i know the stag well and as she spoke a little dog ran out of the house and began barking and snapping at the stranger be quiet you little toad he cried or i'll shoot you dead then the witch flew into a great rage and screamed out what you killed my dog will you and the next moment he was turned to stone and lay there immovable whilst his bride waited for him in vain and thought to herself alas no doubt the evil i feared and which has made my heart so heavy has befallen him meantime the other brother was standing near the golden lilies at home when suddenly one of them bent over and fell to the ground good heavens cried he some great misfortune has befallen my brother i must set off at once perhaps i may still be in time to save him his father entreated him stay at home if i should lose you too what would become of me but his son replied i must and will go then he mounted his golden horse and rode off till he reached the forest where his brother lay transformed to stone the old witch came out of her house and called to him for she would gladly have cast her spells on him too but he took care not to go near her and called out restore my brother to life at once or i'll shoot you down on the spot reluctantly she touched the stone with her finger and in a moment it resumed its human shape the two golden lads fell into each other's arms and kissed each other with joy and then rode off together to the edge of the forest where they parted one to return to his old father and the other to his bride when the former got home his father said i knew you had delivered your brother for all of a sudden the golden lily reared itself up and burst into blossom then they all lived happily to their lives ends and all things went well with them end of the golden lads section 40 of the green fairy book this is a livery box recording all livery box recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit liverybox.org recording by james o'connor the green fairy book by andrew lang the white snake not very long ago there lived a king the fame of whose wisdom was spread far and wide nothing appeared to be unknown to him and it really seemed as if tidings of the most secret matters must be born to him by the winds he had one very peculiar habit every day after the dinner table had been cleared and everyone had retired a confidential servant brought in a dish it was covered and neither the servant nor anyone else had any idea what was on it for the king never removed the cover or took of the dish till he was quite alone this went on for some time till one day the servant who removed the dish was so overcome with curiosity that he could not resist carrying it off to his own room after carefully locking the door he lifted the cover and there he saw a white snake lying on the dish on seeing it he could not restrain his desire to taste it so he cut off a small piece and put it in his mouth hardly had it touched his tongue then he heard a strange sort of whispering of tiny voices outside his window he stepped to the casement to listen and found that the sound proceeded from the sparrows who were talking together and telling each other all they had seen in the fields and woods a piece of the white snake which he had eaten had enabled him to understand the language of animals now on this particular day it so happened that the queen lost her favorite ring and suspicion fell on the confidential servant who had access to all parts of the palace the king sent for him and threatened him angrily saying that if he had not found the thief by the next day he should himself be taken up and tried it was useless to assert his innocence he was dismissed without ceremony in his agitation and distress he went down to the yard to think over what he could do in this trouble here were a number of ducks resting near a little stream and pluming themselves with their builds whilst they kept up an animated conversation amongst themselves the servants stood still listening to them they were talking of where they had been waddling about all the morning and of the good food they had found but one of them remarked rather sadly there's something lying very heavy on my stomach for in my haste I've swallowed a ring which was lying just under the queen's window no sooner did the servant hear this than he seized the duck by the neck carried it off to the kitchen and said to the cook suppose you kill this duck you see she's nice and fat yes indeed said the cook weighing the duck in his hand she certainly has spared no pains to stuff herself well and must have been waiting for the spit for some time so he chopped off her head and when she was opened there was the queen's ring in her stomach it was easy enough now for the servant to prove his innocence and the king feeling he had done him an injustice and anxious to make some amends desired him to ask any favor he chose and promised to give him the highest post at court he could wish for the servant however declined everything and only begged for a horse and some money to enable him to travel as he was anxious to see something of the world when his request was granted he set off on his journey and in the course of it he one day came to a large pond on the edge of which he noticed three fishes which had got entangled in the reeds and were gasping for water though fish are generally supposed to be quite mute he heard them grieving aloud at the prospect of dying in this wretched manner having a very kind heart he dismounted and soon set the prisoners free and in the water once more they flapped with joy and stretching up their heads cried to him we will remember and reward you for saving us he wrote further and after a while he thought he heard a voice in the sand under his feet he paused to listen and heard the king of the ants complaining if only men with their awkward beasts would keep clear of us that stupid horse is crushing my people mercilessly to death with his great hoops the servant at once turned into a side path and the ant king called after him we'll remember and reward you the road next led through a wood where he saw a father and a mother raven standing by their nest and throwing out their young away with you you young rascals they cried we can't feed you any longer you are quite big enough to support yourselves now the poor little birds lay on the ground flapping and beating their wings and shrieked we poor helpless children feed ourselves indeed why we can't even fly yet what can we do but die of hunger then the kind youth dismounted drew his sword and killing his horse left it there as food for the young ravens they hopped up satisfied their hunger and piked we'll remember and reward you he was now obliged to trust to his own legs and after walking a long way he reached a big town here he found a great crowd and much commotion in the streets and a herald wrote about announcing the king's daughter seeks a husband but whoever would woo her must first execute a difficult task and if he does not succeed he must be content to forfeit his life many had risked their lives but in vain when the youth saw the king's daughter he was so dazzled by her beauty that he forgot all idea of danger and went to the king to announce himself a suitor on this he was let out to a large lake and a gold ring was thrown into it before his eyes the king desired him to dive after it adding if you return without it you will be thrown back into the lake time after time till you are drowned in its depths everyone felt sorry for the handsome young fellow and left him alone on the shore there he stood thinking and wondering what he could do when all of a sudden he saw three fishes swimming along and recognized them as the very same whose lives he had saved the middle fish held a muscle in its mouth which it laid at the young man's feet and when he picked it up and opened it there was the golden ring inside full of delight he brought it to the king's daughter expecting to receive his promised reward the haughty princess however on hearing that he was not her equal by birth despised him and exacted the fulfillment of a second task she went into the garden and with her own hands she strewed tin sacks full of millet all over the grass he must pick all that up tomorrow morning before sunrise she said not a grain must be lost the youth sat down in the garden and wondered how it would be possible for him to accomplish such a task but he could think of no expedient and sat there sadly expecting to meet his death at daybreak but when the first rays of the rising sun fell on the garden he saw the tin sacks all completely filled standing there in a row and not a single grain missing the ant king with his thousands and thousands of followers had come during the night and the grateful creatures had industriously gathered all the millet together and put it in the sacks the king's daughter came down to the garden herself and saw to her amazement that her suitor had accomplished the task she had given him but even now she could not bend her proud heart and she said though he has executed these two tasks yet he shall not be my husband till he brings me an apple from the tree of life the young man did not even know where the tree of life grew but he set off determined to walk as far as his legs would carry him though he had no hope of ever finding it after journeying through three different kingdoms he reached a wood one night and lying down under a tree prepared to go to sleep there suddenly he heard a sound in the bows and a golden apple fell right into his hand at the same moment three ravens flew down to him perched on his knee and said we are the three young ravens whom you saved from starvation when we grew up and heard you were searching for the golden apple we flew far away over the seas to the end of the world where the tree of life grows and fetched the golden apple for you full of joy the young man started on his way back and brought the golden apple to the lovely princess whose objections were now entirely silenced they divided the apple of life and ate it together and her heart grew full of love for him so they lived together to a great age in undisturbed happiness grim end of the white snake recording by james o'connor randolph massachusetts october 2010 section 41 of the green fairy book this is a libra vox recording all libra vox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit libra vox.org recording by opry curcombe the green fairy book by andrew lang the story of a clever taylor once upon a time there lived an exceedingly proud princess if any suitor for her hand ventured to present himself she would give him some riddle or conundrum to guess and if he failed to do so he was hunted out of the town with scorn and derision she gave out publicly that all comers were welcome to try their skill and that whoever could solve her riddle should be her husband now it happened that three taylors had met together and the two elder thought that after having successfully put in so many fine and strong stitches with never a wrong one amongst them they were certain to do the right thing here too the third taylor was a lazy young scound who did not even know his own trade properly but who thought that surely luck would stand by him now just for once for if not what was to become of him the two others said to him you just stay at home you'll never get on much with your small allowance of brains but the little taylor was not to be daunted and he said he had set his mind on it and meant to shift for himself so off he started as though the whole world belonged to him the three taylors arrived at court where they had themselves duly presented to the princess and begged she would propound her riddles four said they here were the right men at last with wits so sharp and fine you might almost thread a needle with them then said the princess i have on my head two different kinds of hair of what colors are they if that's all said the first taylor they are most likely black and white like the kind of cloth we call pepper and salt wrong said the princess then said the second taylor if they are not black and white no doubt they are red and brown like my father sunday coat wrong again said the princess now let the third speak i see he thinks he knows all about it then the young taylor stepped boldly to the front and said the princess has one silver and one golden hair on her head and those are the two colors when the princess heard this she turned quite pale and almost fainted away with fear for the little taylor had hit the mark and she had firmly believed that not a soul could guess it when she had recovered herself she said don't fancy you have won me yet there's something else you must do first below in the stable is a bear with whom you must spend the night and if when i get up in the morning i find you still alive you shall marry me she quite expected to rid herself of the taylor in this way for the bear had never left anyone alive who would once come within reach of his claws the taylor however had no notion of being scared but said cheerily bravely dared is half one when evening came on he was taken to the stable the bear tried to get at him once and to give him a warm welcome with his great pause gently gently said the taylor i'll soon teach you to be quiet and he coolly drew a handful of walnuts from his pocket and began cracking and eating them as though he had not a care or anxiety in the world when the bear saw this he began to long for some nuts himself the taylor dived into his pocket and gave him a handful but they were pebbles not nuts the bear thrust them into his mouth but try as he might he could not manage to crack them dear me thought he what a stupid fool i must be can't even crack a nut and he said to the taylor i say crack my nuts for me will you you're a nice sort of fellow said the taylor the idea of having those great jaws and not being able even to crack a walnut so he took the stone quickly changed it for a nut and crack it split open in a moment let me try again said the bear when i see the thing done it looks so easy i fancy i must be able to manage it myself so the taylor gave him some more pebbles and the bear bit and not away as hard as he could but i need hardly say that he did not succeed in cracking one of them presently the taylor took out a little fiddle and began playing on it when the bear heard the music he could not help dancing and after he had danced some time he was so pleased that he said to the taylor i say is fiddling difficult mere child's play replied the taylor look here you press the strings with the fingers of the left hand and with the right you draw the bow across them so then it goes as easily as possible up and down tra la la la la oh cried the bear i do wish i could play like that then i could dance whenever the fancy took me what do you think would you give me some lessons with all my heart said the taylor if you were sharp about it but just let me look at your paws oh dear me your nails are terribly long i must really cut them first then he fetched a pair of stalks and the bear laid his paws on them and the taylor screwed them up tight now just wait while i fetch my scissors said he and left the bear growling away to his heart's content whilst he lay down in a corner and fell fast asleep when the princess heard the bear growling so loud that night she made sure he was roaring with delight as he worried the taylor next morning she rose feeling quite cheerful and free from care but when she looked across towards the stables there stood the taylor in front of the door looking as fresh and lively as a fish in the water after this it was impossible to break the promise she had made so publicly so the king ordered out the state coach to take her and the taylor to church to be married as they were starting the two bad-hearted other tailors who were envious of the younger one's happiness went to the stable and unscrewed the bear off he tore after the carriage foaming with rage the princess heard his puffing and roaring and growing frightened she cried oh dear the bear is after us and will certainly catch us up the taylor remained quite unmoved he quietly stood on his head stuck his legs out at the carriage window and called out to the bear do you see my stalks if you don't go home this minute i'll screw you tight into them when the bear saw and heard this he turned right around and ran off as fast as his legs would carry them the taylor drove on unmolested church where he and the princess were married and he lived with her many years as happy and married as a lark whoever does not believe this story must pay a dollar grim and of the story of a clever taylor by andrew lang recording by aubrey curcombe section 42 of the green fairy book this is a liver vox recording all liver vox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit liver vox dot org recording by elizabeth syrenka the green fairy book by andrew lang the golden mermaid a powerful king had among many other treasures a wonderful tree in his garden which bore every year beautiful golden apples but the king was never able to enjoy his treasure for he may watch and guard them as he liked as soon as they began to get ripe they were always stolen at last in despair he sent for his three sons and said to the two eldest get yourselves ready for a journey take gold and silver with you and a large retinue of servants as besiems two noble princes and go through the world till you find out who it is that steals my golden apples and if possible bring the thief to me that i may punish him as he deserves his sons were delighted at this proposal they had long wished to see something of the world so they got ready for their journey with all haste bade their father farewell and left the town the youngest prince was much disappointed that he too was not sent out on his travels but his father wouldn't hear of his going for he had always been looked upon as the stupid one of the family and the king was afraid of something happening to him but the prince begged and implored so long that at last his father consented to let him go and furnished him with gold and silver as he had done his brothers but he gave the most wretched horse in the stable because the foolish youth hadn't asked for a better so he too sat out on his journey to secure the thief amid the jeers and laughter of the whole court and town his path let him first through a wood and he hadn't gone very far when he met a lean looking wolf who stood still as he approached the prince asked him if he were hungry and when the wolf said he was he got down from his horse and said if you are really as you say and look you may take my horse and eat it the wolf didn't wait to have the offer repeated but set to work and soon made an end of the poor beast when the prince saw how different the wolf looked when he had his finished his meal he said to him now my friend since you have eaten up my horse and I have such a long way to go that with the best will in the world I couldn't manage it on foot the least you can do for me is to act as my horse and to take me on your back most certainly said the wolf and letting the prince mount him he treaded gaily through the woods after they had gone a little way he turned around and asked his rider where he wanted to go and the prince proceeded to tell him the whole story of the golden apples that have been stolen out of the king's garden and how his other two brothers had set forth with many followers to find the thief when he had finished the story the wolf who was in reality no wolf but a mighty magician said he thought he could tell him who the thief was and could help him to secure him there lives he said a neighboring country a mighty emperor who has a beautiful golden bird and a cage and this is the creature who steals the golden apples but it flies so fast that it is impossible to catch it at its theft you must slip into the emperor's palace by night and steal the bird with the cage but be very careful not to touch the walls as you go out the following night the prince stole into the emperor's palace and found the bird in its cage as the wolf had told him he would he took hold of it carefully but in spite of all his caution he touched the wall and trained to pass by some sleeping watchman they woke at once and seizing him beat him and put him into chains next day he was led before the emperor who had once condemned him to death and to be thrown into a dark dungeon till the day of his execution arrived the wolf who of course knew by his magic arts all that had happened to the prince turned himself at once into a mighty monarch with a large train of followers and proceeded to the court of the emperor where he was received with every show of honor the emperor and he conversed on many subjects and among other things the stranger asked his host if he had many slaves the emperor told him he had more than he knew what to do with and that a new one had been captured that very night for trying to steal his magic bird but that is he had already more than enough to feed and support he was going to have this last captive hanged next morning he must have been a most daring thief said the king to try to steal the magic bird for depend upon it the creature must have been well guarded i would really like to see this bold rascal by all means said the emperor and he himself led his guests down to the dungeon where the unfortunate prince was kept prisoner when the emperor stepped out of the cell with the king the latter turned to him and said most mighty emperor i have been much disappointed i had thought to find a powerful robber and instead of that i have seen the most miserable creature i can imagine hanging is far too good for him if i had to sentence him i should make him perform some very difficult task under pain of death if he did it so much the better for you and if he didn't matters would just be as they are now and he could still be hanged your counsel said the emperor is excellent and as it happens i've got the very thing for him to do my nearest neighbor was also a mighty emperor possesses a golden horse which he guards most carefully the prisoner shall be told to steal this horse and bring it to me the prince was then let out of his dungeon and told his life would be spared if he succeeded in bringing the golden horse to the emperor he did not feel very elated at this announcement for he did not know how in the world he was to set about the task and he started on his way weeping bitterly and wondering what had made him leave his father's house in kingdom but before he had gone far his friend the wolf stood before him and said dear prince why are you so cast down it is true you didn't succeed in catching the bird but don't let that discourage you for this time you will be all the more careful and will doubtless catch the horse with these and like words the wolf comforted the prince and warned him specially not to touch the wall or let the horse touch it as he was let out or he would fail in the same way as he had done with the bird after a somewhat lengthy journey the prince and the wolf came to the kingdom ruled over by the emperor who possessed the golden horse one evening late they reached the capital the wolf advised the prince to set to work at once before their presence in the city had aroused the watchfulness of the guards they slipped unnoticed into the emperor's stable and into the very place where there were the most guards for there the wolf rightly surmised they would find the horse when they came to a certain inner door the wolf told the prince to remain outside while he went in in a short time he returned and said my dear prince the horse is most securely watched but i have bewitched all the guards and if you will only be careful not to touch the wall yourself or let the horse touch it as you go out there is no danger and the game is yours the prince who had made up his mind to be more than cautious this time went cheerfully to work he found all the guards fast asleep and slipping into the horse's stall he seized it by the bridal and let it out but unfortunately before they've got quite clear of the stables a gadfly stung the horse and caused it to switch its tail whereby it touched the wall in a moment all the guards woke seized the prince and beat him mercilessly with their horse whips after which they bound him with chains and flung him into a dungeon next morning they brought him before the emperor who treated him exactly as the king with the golden bird had done and commanded him to be beheaded on the following day when the wolf magician saw that the prince had failed this time too he transformed himself again into a mighty king and proceeded with an even more gorgeous retinue than the first time to the court of the emperor he was courteously received and entertained and once more after dinner he led the conversation on to the subject of slaves and in the course of it again requested to be allowed to see the bold robber who had dared to break into the emperor's stables still his most valuable possession the emperor consented and all happened exactly as it had done at the court of the emperor with golden bird prisoner's life was to be spared only on condition that within three days he should obtain possession of the golden mermaid whom hitherto no mortal had ever approached very depressed by his dangerous and difficult task the prince left his gloomy prison but to his great joy he met his friend the wolf before he had gone many miles on his journey the cunning creature pretended he knew nothing of what had happened to the prince and asked him how he had fared with the horse the prince told them all about his misadventure and the condition on which the emperor had promised to spare his life then the wolf reminded him that he had twice got him out of prison and that if he would only trust in him and do exactly as he told him he would certainly succeed in this last undertaking thereupon they bent their steps towards the sea which stretched out before them as far as their eyes could see all the waves dancing and glittering in the bright sunshine now continued the wolf i am going to turn myself into a boat full of the most beautiful silken merchandise and you must jump boldly into the boat and steer with my tail in your hand right out into the open sea you will soon come upon the golden mermaid whatever you do don't follow her if she calls you but on the contrary say to her the buyer comes to the seller not the seller to the buyer after which you must steer towards land and she will follow you for she won't be able to resist the beautiful wares you have on board your ship the prince promised faithfully to do all he had been told where upon the wolf changed himself into a ship full of most exquisite silks of every shape and color imaginable the astonished prince stepped into the boat and holding the wolf's tail in his hand he steered boldly out into the open sea where the sun was gilding the blue waves with its golden rays soon he saw the golden mermaid swimming near the ship beckoning and calling him to follow her but mindful of the wolf's warning he told her in a loud voice that if she wished to buy anything she must come to him with these words he turned his magic ship round and steered back towards the land the mermaid called out to him to stand still but he refused to listen her and never positively reached the sand of the shore here he stopped and waited for the mermaid who had swum after him when she drew near the boat he saw that she was far more beautiful than any mortal he had ever beheld she swam around the ship for some time and then swung herself gracefully on board in order to examine the beautiful silken stuffs more closely then the prince sees turned his arms and kissing her tenderly on the cheeks and lips he told her she was his forever at the same time the boat turned into a wolf again which so terrified the mermaid that she clung to the prince for protection so the golden mermaid was successfully caught and she soon felt quite happy in her new life when she saw she had nothing to fear either from the prince or the wolf she rode on the back of the ladder and the prince rode behind her when they reached the country ruled over by the emperor with golden horse the prince jumped down and helping the mermaid to alight he led her to the emperor at the side of the beautiful mermaid and of the grim wolf who stuck close to the prince this time the guards all made respectful obeisance and soon the three stood before his imperial majesty when the emperor heard from the prince how he had gained possession of his fair prize he at once recognized that he had been helped by some magic art and on the spot gave a all claim to the beautiful mermaid dear youth he said forgive me for my shameful conduct to you and as a sign that you pardon me except the golden horse as a present i acknowledge your power to be greater even than i can understand for you have succeeded in gaining possession of the golden mermaid whom hitherto no mortal has ever been able to approach then they all sat down to a huge feast and the prince had to relate his adventure all over again to the wonder and astonishment of the whole company but the prince was wearing now to return to his own kingdom so as soon as the feast was over he took farewell of the emperor and set out on his homeward way he lifted the mermaid onto the golden horse and swung himself up behind her and so they rode on merrily with the wolf trotting behind till they came to the country of the emperor with the golden bird the renown of the prince and his adventures had gone before him and the emperor sat on his throne awaiting the arrival of the prince and his companions when the three rode into the courtyard of the palace they were surprised and delighted to find everything festively illuminated and decorated for the reception when the prince and the golden mermaid with the wolf behind them mounted the steps of the palace the emperor came forward to meet them and led them to the throne room at the same moment a servant appeared with the golden bird in its golden cage and the emperor begged the prince to accept it with his love and to forgive him the indignity he had suffered at his hands then the emperor bent low before the beautiful mermaid and offering her his arm he led her into dinner closely followed by the prince and her friend the wolf the latter seating himself at the table not the least embarrassed that no one had invited him to do so as soon as the sumptuous meal was over the prince and his mermaid took leave of the emperor and seating themselves on the golden horse continued their homeward journey on the way the wolf turned to the prince and said dear friends i must now bid you farewell but i leave you under such happy circumstances that i cannot feel our parting will be a sad one the prince was very unhappy when he heard these words and begged the wolf to stay with them always but this the good creature refused to do though he thanked the prince kindly for his invitation and called out as he disappeared into the thicket should any evil befall you dear prince at any time you may rely on my friendship and gratitude these were the wolf's parting words and the prince could not restrain his tears when he saw his friend vanishing in the distance but one glance at his beloved mermaid soon cheered him up again and they continued their journey merrily the news of his son's adventures had already reached his father's court and everyone was more astonished at the success of the ones despised prince his elder brothers who had in vain gone in pursuit of the thief of the golden apples were furious over their younger brothers good fortune and plotted and planned how they were to kill him they hid themselves in the wood through which the prince had to pass on his way to the palace and there fell on him and having beaten him to death they carried off the golden horse and the golden bird but nothing they could do would persuade the golden mermaid to go with them or move from the spot forever since she had left the sea she had so attached herself to the prince that she had nothing else than to live or die with him for many weeks the poor mermaid sat and watched over the dead body of her lover weeping salt tears over his loss when suddenly one day their old friend the wolf appeared and said cover the prince's body with all the leaves and flowers you can find in the wood the maiden did as he told her and then the wolf breathed over the flowery grave and lo and behold the prince lay there sleeping as peacefully as a child now you may wake him if you like said the wolf and the mermaid bent over him and gently kissed the wounds his brothers had made on his forehead and the prince awoke and you may imagine how delighted he was to find his beautiful mermaid beside him though he felt a little depressed when he thought of the loss of the golden burden the golden horse after a time the wolf would likewise fallen on the prince's net advise them to continue their journey and once more the prince and his lovely bride mounted on the faithful beast back the king's joy was great when he embraced his youngest son who had long since disparate of his return he received the wolf and the beautiful golden mermaid most cordially too and the prince was made to tell his ventures all over from the beginning the poor old father grew very sad when he heard of the shameful conduct of his elder sons and had them called before him they turned as white as death when they saw their brother whom they thought they had murdered standing beside them alive and well and so startled were they that when the king asked them why they'd behaved so wickedly to their brother they could think of no lie but confessed at once that they had slain the young prince in order to obtain possession of the golden horse and the golden bird their father's wrath knew no bounds and he ordered them both to be banished but he could not do enough to honor his youngest son and his marriage with the beautiful mermaid was celebrated with much pomp and magnificence when the festivities were over the wolf bade them all farewell and returned once more to his life in the woods much to the regret of the old king and the young prince and his bride so ended the adventures of the prince with his friend the wolf grim end of the golden mermaid recording by elizabeth saranka