 Introduction to 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 Aubrey Kirkham. The green fairy book by Andrew Lang. Introduction to the friendly reader. This is the third and probably the last of the fairy books of many colors. First there was the blue fairy book. Then children you asked for more and we made up the red fairy book. And when you wanted more still the green fairy book was put together. The stories in all the books are borrowed from many countries. Some are French, some German, some Russian, some Italian, some Scottish, some English, one Chinese. However, met these nations differ about trifles. They all agree in liking fairy tales. The reason no doubt is that men were much like children in their minds long ago, long, long ago, and so before they took to writing newspapers and sermons and novels and long poems they told each other stories such as you read in the fairy books. They believed that witches could turn people into beasts, that beasts could speak, that magic rings could make their owners invisible, and all the other wonders in the stories. Then as the world became grown up the fairy tales which were not written down would have been quite forgotten but that the old grannies remembered them and told them to the little grandchildren. And when they in their turn became grannies they remembered them and told them also. In this way these tales are older than reading and writing, far older than printing. The oldest fairy tales ever written down were written down in Egypt about Joseph's time nearly 3,500 years ago. Other fairy stories Homer knew in Greece nearly 3,000 years ago and he made them all up into a poem the Odyssey which I hope you will read someday. Here you will find the witch who turns men into swine and the man who bores out the big foolish giant's eye and the cap of darkness and the shoes of swiftness that were worn later by Jack the Giant Killer. These fairy stories are the oldest stories in the world and as they were first made by men who were childlike for their own amusement so they amused children still and also grown up people who have not forgotten how they once were children. Some of the stories were made no doubt not only to amuse but to teach goodness. You see in the tales how the boy who is kind to beasts and polite and generous and brave always comes best through his trials and no doubt these tales were meant to make their heroes kind, unselfish, courteous, and courageous. This is the moral of them. But after all we think more as we read them of the diversion than of the lesson. There are grown up people now who say that the stories are not good for children because they are not true because there are no witches nor talking beasts and because people are killed in them especially wicked giants. But perhaps you who read the tales know very well how much is true and how much is only make believe and I never yet heard of a child who killed a very tall man merely because Jack killed the giants or who was unkind to a stepmother if he had one because in fairy tales the stepmother is often disagreeable. If there are frightful monsters in fairy tales they do not frighten you now because that kind of monster is no longer going about the world whatever he may have done long long ago. He has been turned into stone and you may seize remains in museums. Therefore I am not afraid that you will be afraid of the magicians and dragons. Besides you see that a really brave boy or girl was always their master even in the height of their power. Some of the tales here like the half chick are for very little children. Others are for older ones. The longest tales like Heart of Ice were not invented when the others were but were written in French by clever men and women such as Madame de Algnoi and the Count de Calis about 200 years ago. There are not many people now perhaps there are none who can write really good fairy tales because they do not believe enough in their own stories and because they want to be wittier than it has pleased heaven to make them. So here we give you the last of the old stories for the present and hope you will like them and feel grateful to the brothers Grimm who took them down from the telling of old women and to Monsieur Silvio and Monsieur Charles Morel who have lent us some tales from their own French people and to Mr. Ford who drew the pictures and to the ladies Miss Blakely, Miss Alma Alain, Miss Eleanor Sellar, Miss May Sellar, Miss Wright and Mrs. Lang who translated many of the tales out of French, German and other languages. If we have a book for you next year it shall not be a fairy book. What it is to be is a secret but we hope that it will not be dull. So goodbye and when you have read a fairy book lend it to other children who have none or tell them the stories in your own way which is a very pleasant mode of passing time. End of introduction. Section one the green fairy books. 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 Bluebird. Part one. Once upon a time there lived a king who was immensely rich. He had broad lands and sacks overflowing with gold and silver but he did not care a bit for all his riches because the queen, his wife, was dead. He shut himself up in a little room and knocked his head against the walls for grief until his courtiers were really afraid that he would hurt himself. So they hung feather beds between the tapestry and the walls and then he could go on knocking his head as long as it was any consolation to him without coming to much harm. All his subjects came to see him and said whatever they thought would comfort him. Some were grave even gloomy with him and some agreeable even gay but not one could make the least impression upon him. Indeed, he hardly seemed to hear what they said. At last came a lady who was wrapped in a black mantle and seemed to be in the deepest grief. She wept and sobbed until even the king's attention was attracted and when she said that, far from coming to try and diminish his grief, she who had just lost a good husband was coming to add her tears to him since she knew what he must be feeling, the king redoubled his lamentations. Then he told the sorrowful lady long stories about the good qualities of his departed queen and she in her turn recounted all the virtues of her departed husband and this passed the time so agreeably that the king quite forgot to thump his head against the feather beds and the lady did not need to wipe the tears from her great blue eyes as often as before. By degrees they came to talking about other things in which the king took an interest and in a wonderfully short time the whole kingdom was astonished by the news that the king was married again to the sorrowful lady. Now the king had one daughter who was just 15 years old. Her name was Fiora de Lyssa and she was the prettiest and most charming princess imaginable, always gay and merry. The new queen who also had a daughter very soon sent for her to come to the palace. Turretella, for that was her name, had been brought up by her godmother, the fairy Mozilla, but in spite of all the care bestowed upon her she was neither beautiful nor gracious. Indeed when the queen saw how ill- tempered and ugly she appeared bestowed Fiora de Lyssa she was in despair and did everything in her power to turn the king against his own daughter in the hope that he might take a fancy to Turretella. One day the king said it was time for Fiora de Lyssa and Turretella were married so he would give one of them to the first suitable prince who visited his court. The queen answered, my daughter certainly ought to be the first to be married, she is older than yours and a thousand times more charming. The king, who hated disputes, said very well it's a no affair of mine settle it your own way. Very soon after came the news that King Charming who was the most handsome and magnificent prince in the country around was on his way to visit the king. As soon as the queen heard this she sent all of her jewelers, tailors, weavers, and embroiderers to work upon splendid dresses and ornaments for Turretella. But she told the king that Fiora de Lyssa had no need of anything new and the night before the king was to arrive she bribed her waiting women to steal away all of the princess' own dresses and jewels. So when the day came and Fiora de Lyssa wished to adorn herself as became her high rank not even a ribbon could she find. However as she easily guessed who had played such a trick she paid no complaint but sent to the merchants for some rich stuffs. But they said that the queen had expressly forbidden them to supply her with any and they dared not disobey. So the princess had nothing left to put on but the little white frock she had been wearing the day before and dressed in that she went down when the time of the king's arrival came and sat in the corner hoping to escape notice. The queen received her guest with great ceremony and presented him to her daughter who was gorgeously attired but so much splendor only made her ugliness more noticeable and the king after one glance at her looked the other way. The queen however only thought that he was bashful and took pains to keep Turretella in full view. King Charming then asked if there was not another princess called Fiora de Lyssa. Yes said Turretella pointing with her finger there she is trying to keep out of sight because she is not smart. At this Fiora de Lyssa blushed and she looked so shy and so lovely that the king was fairly astonished. He rose and bowing low before her said Madam your incomparable beauty needs no adornment. Sire answered the princess I assure you that I am not in the habit of wearing dresses as crumpled and untidy as this one so I should have been better pleased if you would not seen me at all. Impossible cried King Charming. Wherever such a marvelously beautiful princess appeared I can look at nothing else. Here the queen broke in saying sharply I assure you Sire that Fiora de Lyssa is vain enough already pray make her no more flattering speeches. The king quite understood that she was not pleased and that did not matter to him so he admired Fiora de Lyssa to his heart's content and talked to her for three hours without stopping. The queen was in despair and so was Turretella when they saw how much the king preferred Fiora de Lyssa. They complained bitterly to the king and begged and teased him until at last he consented to have the princess shut up somewhere out of sight while King Charming's visit lasted. So that night as she went to a room she was seized by four masked figures and carried up to the topmost room of a high tower where they left her in the deepest dejection. She easily guessed that she was to be kept out of sight for fear the king should fall in love with her but then how disappointing that was for she already liked him very much and would have quite been willing to be chosen for his bride. As King Charming did not know what had happened to the princess he looked forward impatiently to meeting her again and tried to talk about her with the courtiers who were placed in attendance on him. But by the queen's orders they would say nothing good of her but declared that she was vain, capricious, and bad-tempered, that she tormented her waiting-maids and that in spite of all the money that the king gave her she was so mean that she preferred to go about dressed like a poor shepherdess rather than spend any of it. All these things vexed the king very much and he was silent. It is true thought he that she was very poorly dressed but then she was so ashamed that it proved that she was not accustomed to be so. I cannot believe that with that lovely face that she can be ill-tempered and contemptible as they say. No, no, the queen must be jealous of her for the sake of that ugly daughter of hers and so these ill reports are spread. The courtiers could not help seeing that what they had told the king did not please him and one of them cunningly began to praise Fyrdalisa when he could talk to the king without being heard by the others. King Charming thereupon became so cheerful and interested in all that he said that it was easily to guess how much he admired the princess. So when the queen sent for the courtiers and questioned them about all they had found out, their report confirmed her worst fears. As to the poor princess Fyrdalisa, she cried all night without stopping. It would have been quite bad enough to have been shut up in this gloomy tower before I had ever seen King Charming, she said, but now when he is here and they are all enjoying themselves with him it is to one kind. The next day the queen sent King Charming's splendid presence of jewels and rich stuffs and among other things an ornament made expressly in honor of the approaching wedding. It was a heart cut out of one huge ruby and was surrounded by several diamond arrows and pierced by one. A golden true lover's knot above the heart bore the motto, but one can wound me and the whole jewel was hung upon a chain of immense pearls. Never since the world has been a world has such thing been made and the king was quite amazed when it was presented to him. The page who brought it begged him to accept it from the princess who chose him to be her knight. What! cried he. Does the lovely Fyrdalisa deign to think of me in an amiable and encouraging way? Oh, you confused the name sire, said the page hastily. I come on behalf of the princess Turretella. Oh, it is Turretella who wishes me to be her knight? said the king coldly. I'm sorry, I cannot accept the honor. And he sent the splendid gifts back to the queen and Turretella who were furiously angry at the contempt with which they retreated. As soon as he possibly could Queen Charming went to see the king and queen and as he entered the hall looking for Fyrdalisa and every time anyone came in he started round to see who it was and was altogether so uneasy and dissatisfied that the queen saw it plainly. But she could not take any notice and talked of nothing but the entertainment she was planning. The prince answered at random and presently asked if he was not to have the pleasure of seeing princess Fyrdalisa. Sire answered the queen haughtily. Her father has ordered that she is not to leave her apartments until my daughter is married. What can be the reason for keeping that lovely princess a prisoner? cried the king a great indignation. That I do not know answered the queen and even if I did I might not feel bound to tell you. The king was terribly angry at being thwarted like this. He felt certain that Turretella was to blame for it so casting a furious glance at her he abruptly took leave of the queen and returned to his own apartments. There he said to a young squire who had brought with him I would give all I have in the world to gain the good will of one of the princess's waiting women and obtain a moment's speech with Fyrdalisa. Nothing could be easier said the young squire and he very soon made friends with one of the ladies who told him that in the evening Fyrdalisa would be at the little window which looked into the garden where he could come and talk to her. Only she said must take very great care not to be seen as it would be as much as her place was worth to be caught helping King Charming to see the princess. Squire was delighted and promised all she'd asked but the moment she had run off to announce a success to the king the false waiting woman went and told the queen all that had passed. She at once determined that her own daughter would be at the little window and she taught her so well all that she was to say and do that even stupid Turretella could make no mistake. The night was so dark that the king had not a chance of finding out the trick that was being played upon him so he approached the window with the greatest delight and said everything he had been longing to say to Fyrdalisa to persuade her of his love for her. Turretella answered as she had been taught that she was very unhappy and there was no chance of her being better treated by the queen until her daughter was married and then the king treated her to marry him and thereupon drew his ring from his finger and put it on Turretella's and she answered him as well as she could. The king could not help thinking that she did not say exactly what he would expect it from his darling Fyrdalisa but he persuaded himself for the fear of being surprised by the queen was making her awkward and unnatural. He would not leave her until she had promised to see him again the next night which Turretella did willingly enough. The queen was overjoyed at the success of her strategy and promised herself that all would now be as she wished and sure enough as soon as it was dark the following night the king came bringing with him a chariot which had been given to him by the enchanter who was his friend. This chariot was drawn by flying frogs and the king easily persuaded Turretella to come out and let him put her into it then mounting beside her he cried triumphantly now my princess you are free where will it please you that we shall hold our wedding and Turretella with her head muffled in her mantle answered that the fairy Mozilla was her godmother and that she would like it to be at her castle so the king told the frogs who had the map of the whole world in their head and very soon he and Turretella was sat down at the castle of the fairy Mozilla the king would certainly have found out his mistake the moment they stepped into the brilliantly lighted castle but Turretella held her mantle more closely round her and asked to see the fairy by herself and quickly told her all that it happened and how she had succeeded in deceiving King Charming. A home my daughter said the fairy I see we have no easy task before us he loves Fiora DeLisa so much that he will not easily be pacified I feel sure he will defy us meanwhile the king was waiting in a splendid room with diamond walls so clear that he's he could see the fairy and Turretella as they stood whispering together and he was very much puzzled who can have betrayed us he said to himself how comes our our enemy here she must be plotting to prevent our marriage why doesn't my lovely Fiora DeLisa make haste and come back to me but it was worse than anything he could have imagined when the fairy Mozilla entered leading Turretella by the hand and said to him King Charming here is the princess Turretella to whom you have plated your faith let us have our wedding at once I cried the king I marry that little creature what do you take me for I have promised her nothing say no more have you no respect for a fairy she cried angrily yes madam answered the king I am prepared to respect you as much as a fairy can be respected if you will give me back my princess am I not here interrupted Turretella here is the ring you gave me with whom did you talk at the little window as if it were not me what cried the king angrily have I been altogether deceived and deluded where is my chariot not another moment will I stay here oh ho said the fairy not so fast and she touched his feet which instantly became as firmly fixed to the floor as if they had been nailed there oh ho do whatever you like to me said the king you may turn me to stone but I will marry no one but Fiora DeLisa and not another word what he say though the fairy scolding threatened and Turretella wept and raged for 20 days and 20 nights at last the fairy Mozilla said furiously before she was quite tired out by his obscenity choose whether you will marry my god daughter or do penance seven years for breaking your word for her and then the king cried gaily pray do whatever you like with me as long as you deliver me from this ugly scold scold cried Turretella angrily who are you I should like to know that you dare call me a scold a miserable king who breaks his word and goes about a chariot drawn by croaking frogs out of a marsh let us have no more of these insults cried the fairy fly from that window ungrateful king and for seven years be a bluebird as she spoke the king's face altered his arms turned to wings his feet to little crooked black claws in a moment he had a slender body like a bird covered with shining blue feathers his beak was like ivory his eyes were bright as stars and a crown of white feathers adorned his head as soon as the transformation was complete the king uttered a delirious cry and fled through the open window pursued by the mocking laughter of Turretella and the fairy Mozilla he flew on until he reached the thickest part of the woods and there perched upon a cypress tree he bewailed his miserable fate alas in seven years who knows what may happen to my darling Fira de Lisa he said her cruel stepmother may have married her to someone else before I am myself again and then what good will life be to me in the meantime fairy Mozilla had sent Turretella back to the queen who was all anxiety to know how the wedding had gone off but when her daughter arrived and told her what had happened she was terribly angry and of course all her wrath fell upon Fira de Lisa she shall have caused her repent that the king admired her said the queen nodding her head meaningly and then she and Turretella went up to the little room in the tower where the princess was imprisoned Fira de Lisa was immensely surprised to see that Turretella was wearing a royal mantle and a diamond crown and her heart sank when the queen said my daughter is coming to show you some of her wedding presents for she is King Charming's bride and they are the happiest pair in the world he loves her to distraction all this time Turretella was spreading out lace and jewels and rich briquettes and ribbons before Fira de Lisa's unwilling eyes and taking good care to display King Charming's rings which she wore upon her thumb the princess recognized it as soon as her eyes fell upon it and after that she could no longer doubt that he had indeed married Turretella and despair she cried take away these miserable gods what pleasure has a wretched captive inside of them and then she fell insensible upon the floor and the cruel queen laughed maliciously and went away with Turretella leaving her there without comfort or aid that night the queen said to the king that his daughter was so infatuated with King Charming in spite of his never having shown any preference for her that it was just as well she should stay in the tower until she came to her senses to which he answered that it was her affair and she could give whatever order she pleased about the princess when the unhappy Fira de Lisa recovered and remember all she had heard she began to cry bitterly believing that King Charming was lost to her forever and all night long she sat upon her open window sighing and lamenting and when it was dawn she crept away to the darkest corner of a little room it sat there too unhappy to care about anything as soon as night came again she once more leaned out into the darkness and bewailed her miserable lot now it happened that King Charming or rather the bluebird had been flying around the palace in hope of seeing his beloved princess but had not dared to go and tune near the windows for Fira being seen and recognized by Turretella when night fell he had not succeeded in discovering where Fira de Lisa was imprisoned and weary and sad he parched upon the branch of a tall fir tree which grew close to the tower and began to sing himself to sleep assume the sound of a soft voice lamenting attracted his attention and listening intently he heard it say ah cruel queen what have I ever done to be imprisoned like this and was I not unhappy enough before that you must needs come and taunt me with the happiness your daughter is enjoying now that she is King Charming's bride the bluebird greatly surprised waited impatiently for the dawn and the moment it was light flew off to see who it could have been who spoke such but he found the window shut and could see no one the next night however he was on the watch and by the clear moonlight he saw that the sorrowful lady at the window was Fira de Lisa herself my princess have I found you at last said he alighting close to her who is speaking to me cried the princess in great surprise only a moment since you mentioned my name and now you do not know me Fira de Lisa he said sadly but no wonder since I am nothing but a bluebird I must remain one for seven years what little bluebird are you really the powerful King Charming said the princess caressing him it is true he answered for being faithful to you I am thus punished but believe me if it were for twice as long I would bear it joyfully than rather give up you ah what are you telling me said the princess has not your bride Turretella just visited me raring the royal mantle and the diamond crown you gave her I cannot be mistaken for I saw your ring upon her thumb then the bluebird was furiously angry and told the princess all that had happened how he had been deceived into carrying off Turretella and how for refusing to marry her the fairy Mozilla had condemned him to be a bluebird for seven years the princess was very happy when he heard how faithful her lover was and how never having tired of hearing his loving speeches and explanations but soon the sun rose and they had to part lest the bluebird be discovered after promising to come again to the princess's window as soon as it was dark he flew away and hid himself in a little hole in the fir tree while Fira de Lisa remained devoured by anxiety lest he should be caught by a trap or eaten up by an eagle but the bluebird did not long stay in his hiding place he flew away and away until he came to his own palace and got into it through a broken window and there he found a cabinet where his jewels were kept and chose out a splendid diamond ring as a present for the princess by the time he got back Fira de Lisa was sitting waiting for him by the open window and he gave her the ring she scolded him gently for having run such a risk to get it for her promise me that you'll wear it always said the bluebird and the princess promised on the condition that he should come and see her in the day as well as by night they talked all night long and by the next morning the bluebird flew off to his kingdom and crept into his palace through the broken window and chose from his treasures two bracelets each cut out of a single emerald when he presented them to the princess she shook her head approachably at him saying do you think I love you so little that I need all these gifts to remind me of you and he answered no my princess but I love you so much that I feel I can not express it try as I may I only bring you these worthless rifles to show you that I have not ceased to think of you though I cannot have been obliged to leave you for a time the following night he gave Fira de Lisa a watch set in a single pearl the princess laughed a little when she saw it and said you may as well give me a watch since I have known you I have lost the power of measuring time the hours you spend with me past like minutes and the hours that I drag through without you seem like years to me a princess they cannot seem so long to you as they do to me he answered day by day he brought more beautiful things for the princess diamonds and rubies and opals and at night she decked herself with them to please him but by day she hid them in her straw mattress when the sun shown the bluebird hidden by the tall fir tree sang to her so sweetly that all the pastors by wondered and said that the wood was inhabited by a spirit and so two years slipped away and still the princess was a prisoner and Turretella was not married the queen had offered her hand to all the neighboring princess but they always answered that they would marry Fira de Lisa with pleasure but not Turretella on any account this displeased the queen terribly Fira de Lisa must be in league with them to annoy me she said let us go and accuse her of it and so Turretella and she went up to the tower and now it happened that it was nearly midnight and Fira de Lisa all decked in jewels was sitting at the window with the bluebird as the queen paused outside to listen she heard the princess and her lovers singing together a little song that he had just taught her these were the words oh what a luckless pair are we one in a prison and one in a tree all of our trouble and anguish came from our faithfulness spoiling our enemies game and vainly they practice their cruel arts for not conceiver our two fond hearts they sound melancholy perhaps but the two voices sang them gangly enough and the queen burst opened the door crying ah my Turretella there is some treachery going on here as soon as they saw her Fira de Lisa with great presence of mind hastily shutter little window and the bluebird might have time to escape and then turn to the queen who overwhelmed her with a torrent of reproaches your intrigues are discovered madam she said furiously and you need not hope that your high rank will save you from the punishment you deserve and with whom do you accuse me of intriguing madam said the princess have I not been your prisoner these two years and who have I seen except the gaolers sent by you well she spoke the queen and Turretella were looking at her in the greatest surprise perfectly dazzled by her beauty in the splendor of her jewels and the queen said if one may ask madam where did you get all these diamonds perhaps you mean to tell me that you have discovered a mine of them in the tower I certainly did find them here answered the princess and pray said the queen her wrath increasing every moment for whose admiration are you decked out like this since I have often seen you not half as fine on the most important occasions at the court for my own said Fira de Lisa you must admit that I have had plenty of time on my hands so you cannot be surprised at my spending some of it in making myself smart that's all very fine said the queen suspiciously I think I will look about and see for myself end of section one section two 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 bluebird part two so she and Turretella began to search every corner of the little room and when they came to the straw mattress out fell such a quantity of pearls diamonds rubies opals emeralds and sapphires that they were amazed and could not tell what to think but the queen resolved to hide somewhere a packet of false letters to prove that the princess had been conspiring with the king's enemies and she chose the Timney as a good place fortunately for Fira de Lisa this was exactly where the bluebird had perched himself to keep an eye upon her proceedings and to try and avert danger from his beloved princess and now he cried but where Fira de Lisa your false enemy is plotting against you the strange voice so frightened the queen that she took the letter and went away peacefully with Turretella and they held a council to try and devise some means of finding out what fairy or enchanter was favoring the princess at last they sent one of the queen's maids to wait upon Fira de Lisa and told her to pretend to be quite stupid and to see and hear nothing while she was really to watch the princess day and night and keep the queen informed of all her doing poor Fira de Lisa who guessed she was sent to the spy was in despair and cried bitterly that she dared not to see her dear bluebird for fear that some evil might happen to him if you were discovered the days were so long and the night so dull but for a whole month she never went near her little window lest she should fly to her as he used to however at last the spy who had never taken her eyes off the princess day or night was so overcome with weariness that she fell into a deep sleep and as soon as the princess saw that she flew to her open window and cried softly bluebird blue is the sky fly to me now there's nobody by and the bluebird who had never ceased to flood around with insight and hearing of her prison came in an instant they had so much to say and was so overjoyed to meet once more that it scarcely seemed to them five minutes before the sun rose and the bluebird had to fly away but the next night the spy slept as soundly as before so that the bluebird came and he and the princess began to think they were perfectly safe and to make all sorts of plans for being as happy as they were before the queen's visit but alas the third night the spy was not quite so sleepy and when the princess opened her window and cried as usual bluebird blue is the sky fly to me now there's nobody nigh she was wide awake in a moment though she would fly enough to keep her eyes shut at first but presently she heard voices and keeping cautiously she saw by the moonlight the most lovely bluebird in the world who was talking to the princess while she stroked and corrected fondly the spy did not lose a single word of the conversation and as soon as the day dawned and the bluebird had reluctantly said goodbye to the princess she rushed off to the queen and told her all she had seen and heard then the queen sent for turritella and they talked it over and very soon came to the conclusion that this bluebird was no other than king charming himself ah that insolent princess cried the queen to think that when we supposed her to be so miserable she was all the while as happy as possible with that false king but i know now how we can avenge ourselves so the spy was ordered to go back and pretend to sleep as soundly as ever and indeed she went to bed earlier than usual and snored as naturally as possible and the poor princess ran to the window and cried bluebird blue is the sky fly to me now there's nobody by but no bird came all night long she called and waited and listened but still there was no answer so the cruel queen had caused the fir tree to be hung all over with knives swords razors shears bill hooks and sickles so when the bluebird heard the princess call and flew to her his wings were cut and his little back feet flipped off and all pierced and stabbed in 20 places he fell back leading into his hiding place in the tree and he lay there groaning and despairing for he thought the princess must have been persuaded to betray him to regain her liberty ah furo delisa can you indeed be so lovely and so faithless besides that i may as well die at once and he turned over on his side and began to die but it happened that his friend the enchanter had been very much alarmed at seeing the frog chariot come back to him without the king charming and had been around the world eight times seeking him but without success at the very moment when the king gave himself up to despair he was passing through the wood for the eighth time and called as he had done all over the world charming king charming are you here the king at once recognized his friend's voice and answered very faintly i am here the enchanter looked all round for him but could see nothing and then the king said again i am a bluebird then the enchanter found him in an instant and seeing his pitiable condition ran hither and thither without a word until he collected a handful of magic herbs with which and a few incantations he speedily made the king whole and sound again now said he let me hear all about it there must be a princess at the bottom of this there are two answered king charming with a writhe smile and then he told the whole story accusing furo delisa of having betrayed the secret of his business to make her peace with the queen and indeed saying a great many hard things about her fickleness and her deceitful beauty and so on the enchanter quite agreed with him and even went further declaring that all princesses were alike except perhaps in the matter of beauty and advised him to have done with furo delisa and forget all about her but somehow or another this advice did not quite please the king what is to be done next said the enchanter since you still have five years to remain a bluebird take me to your palace answered the king there you can at least keep me in a cage safe from cats and swords well that will be the best thing to do for the presence that his friend but i am not an enchanter for nothing i'm sure to have a brilliant idea for you for long in the meantime furo delisa quite into spare sat at her window day and night calling for her dear bluebird in vain and imagining over and over again all the terrible things that could have happened to him until she grew quite pale and thin as for the queen and turretella they were triumphant but their triumph was short for the king furo delisa's father fell ill and died and all the people rebelled against the queen and turretella and came in a body to the palace demanding furo delisa the queen came out upon the balcony with threats and haughty words so that at last they lost their patience and broke upon the doors of the palace one of which fell back upon the queen and killed her turretella fled for the fairy mozilla and all the nobles of the kingdom fetched the princess furo delisa from her prison in the tower and made her the queen very soon with all the care and attention they bestowed upon her she recovered from the effects of her long captivity and looked more beautiful than ever and was able to take counsel with her courteous and arranged for the governing of her kingdom during her absence and then taking a bag full of jewels she set out all alone to look for the blue bird without telling anyone where she was going meanwhile the enchanter was taking care of king charming but as his power was not great enough to counteract the fairy mozilla's he at last resolved to go and see if he could make any kinds of terms with her for his friend for you see fairies and enchanters are cousins in a sort of way after all and after knowing one another for five or six hundred years and falling out and making it up again pretty often they understand each other well enough so the fairy mozilla received him graciously and what may you be wanting gossip said she you can do a good turn for me if you will he answered a king who was a friend of mine was unlucky enough to offend you aha i know the one you mean interrupted the fairy i am sorry not to oblige you gossip but he need expect no mercy from me unless he will marry my god daughter whom you see yonder looking so pretty and charming let him think it over what i say the enchanter had no words to say for he thought turretellic really frightful but he could not go away without making one more effort for his friend the king who was really in danger as long as he lived in a cage indeed already he had met with several alarming accidents once the nail on which his cage with hung had given way and his feathered majesty had suffered much from the fall while madame puth who happened to be in the room at the time had given him a scratch in the eye which came very near blinding him another time they'd forgotten to give him any water strength so that he was nearly dead with thirst and the worst thing of all was that he was in danger of losing his kingdom where he had been absent so long that all his subjects believed him to be dead so considering all these things the enchanter agreed with the fairy mozilla that she should restore the king to his natural form and should take turretella to stay in his palace for several months and if after the time was over he still could not make his mind to marry her he should once more be changed into a bluebird then the fairy dressed turretella in the magnificent gold and silver robe and they mounted together upon a flying dragon and very soon reached king charming palace where he too had just been brought by his faithful friendly enchanter three strokes of the fairy's wand restored his natural form and he was as handsome and delightful as ever but he considered that he paid dearly for his restoration when he caught sight of turretella and the mere idea of marrying her made him shudder meanwhile queen fiora delisa disguised as a poor peasant girl wearing a straw hat that concealed her face and carrying an old stack over her shoulder had set out upon her weary journey and had traveled far sometimes by sea and sometimes by land sometimes on foot and sometimes on horseback but not knowing which way to go she feared all the time that every step she took was leading her father from her lover one day she sat quite tired and quite sad on the bank of a little brook cooling her white feet in the clear running water and combing her long hair that glittered like gold in the sunshine a little bent old woman passed by leaning on a stick she stopped and said to fiora delisa what my pretty child are you doing all alone indeed good mother i am too sad to care for company she answered and the tears rolled down her cheeks don't cry said the old woman but tell me truly what is the matter perhaps i can help you the queen told her willingly all that had happened and how she was seeking the blue bird there upon the little old woman suddenly stood straight up and grew tall and young and beautiful and said with a smile to the astonished fiora delisa lovely queen the king whom you seek is no longer a bird my sister mozilla has given his own form back to him and he is in his own kingdom do not be afraid you will reach him and will prosper take these four eggs if you break one when you are in any great difficulty you will find a so saying she disappeared and fiora delisa feeling much encouraged put the eggs into her bag and turned her steps to a charming kingdom after walking on and on for eight days and eight nights she came at last to a tremendously high hill of polished ivory so steep that it was impossible to get a foothold upon fiora delisa tried a thousand times and scrambled and slipped but always in the end she found herself exactly where she started from at last she sat down at the foot of it in despair and then suddenly befought herself with the eggs breaking one quickly she found it in some little gold hook and with these fastened to her feet in her hand she mounted the ivory hill without further trouble so the little hook saved her from slipping as soon as she reached the top a new difficulty presented itself for all the other side and indeed the whole valley with one polished mirror in which thousands and thousands of people were admiring their reflections so this was a magic mirror in which people saw themselves just as they wished to appear and pilgrims came to it from the four corners of the world but nobody had ever been able to reach the top of the hill and when they saw fiora delisa standing there they raised a terrible outcry declaring if she set foot upon their glass she would break it to pieces the queen not knowing what to do where she saw it would be dangerous to try and go down broke the second egg and out came a chariot drawn by two white doves and fiora delisa got into it and was floated softly away after a night and a day the doves alighted outside the gates of the king charming kingdom here the queen got out of the chariot and kissed the doves and thanked them and then with a beating heart she walked into the town asking the people she met where she could see the king but they only laughed at her crying see the king and pray why do you want to see the king my little kitchen maid you would better go and wash your face first your eyes are not clear enough to see him for the queen had disguised herself and pulled her hair down around her eyes that no one might know her as they would not tell her she went on father and presently asked again and this time the people answered that tomorrow she might see the king driving through the streets with the princess to retella as it was said that at last he had consented to marry her this was indeed terrible news to fiora delisa had she come all this weary way only to find her retella had succeeded in making king charming forget her she was too tired and miserable to walk another step but she sat down in a doorway and cried bitterly all night long as soon as it was light she hastened to the palace and after being sent away 50 times by the guards she got in at last and saw the throne set in a great hall for the king and to retella who was already looked upon as the queen fiora delisa hid herself behind a marble pillar and very soon thought to retella make her appearance richly dressed but as ugly as ever and with her came the king more handsome and splendid than even fiora delisa had remembered him when to retella had seated herself upon the throne the queen approached her who are you and how dare you come near my high mightiness upon my golden throne said to retella frowning fiercely at her they called me the little kitchen maid she replied and i come to offer some precious things for sale and with that she searched in her old sack and drew out the emerald blurry flip king charming had given her oh ho said to retella those are pretty bits of glass i suppose you would like five silver pieces for them show them to someone who understands such things madam answers the queen after that we can decide upon a price to retella who really loved king charming as much as anyone could love anybody and was always delighted to get a chance of talking to him now showed in the bracelet asking him how much he considered them were as soon as he saw them he remembered those he had given to fiora delisa and turned very pale inside deeply and fell into such sad thought that he quite forgot to answer her presently she asked him again and then he said with a great effort i believe these bracelets are worth as much as my kingdom i thought there was only one such pair in the world but here it seems is another then to retella went back to the queen and asked her what was the lowest price she would take for them more than you would find it easy to pay madam answered she but if you will manage for me to sleep one night in the chamber of echoes i will give you the emerald by all means my little kitchen maid said to retella highly delighted the king did not try and find out where the bracelets had come from not because he did not want to know but because the only way would have been to ask to retella and he disliked her so much that he never spoke to her if he could possibly avoid it it was he who would told fiora delisa about the chamber of echoes when he was a bluebird it was a little room below the king's own bed chamber and was so ingeniously built with the softest whisper and it was plainly heard in the king's room fiora delisa wanted to reproach him for his faithlessness but could not imagine a better way than this so when by turretella's order she was left there she began to weep and lament and never cease until daybreak the king's pages told turretella when she asked them what a sobbing and sighing they had heard and she asked fiora delisa what it was all about the queen answered that she often dreamed and talked aloud but by an unlucky chance the king heard nothing of all this for he took a sleeping draught every night before he lay down and did not wake up until the sun was high the queen passed the day in great disquietude if he did hear me she said could he remain so cruelly indifferent but if he did not hear me what can i do to get another chance i have plenty of jewels it is true but nothing remarkable enough to catch turretella's fancy just then she thought of the eggs and broke one out of which came a little carriage of polished steel ornamented with gold drawn by six green mice the coachman was a rose colored rat the pistilion a gray one and the carriage was occupied by the tiniest and most charming figures who could dance and do wonderful tricks fiora delisa clapped her hands and danced for joy when she saw this triumph with magic art and as soon as it was evening went to the shady garden path down which she knew turretella would pass and then she made the mice gallop and the tiny people show off their tricks and sure enough turretella came and the moment she saw it all cried little kitchen maid little kitchen maid what will you take for your mouse carriage and the queen answered let me sleep once more in the chamber of echoes i won't refuse your request poor creature said turretella condescendingly and then she turned to her ladies and whispered the silly creature does not know how to profit by her chances so much the better for me when night came fiora delisa said all the loving words she could think of but alas with no better success than before where the king slept heavily after his throat one of the pages said this peasant girl must be crazy but another answered yet what she says sounds very sad and touching as for fiora delisa she thought the king must have a very hard heart if he could hear how she grieved and yet pay her no attention she had but one more chance and on breaking the last egg she found to her great delight that it contained a more marvelous thing than ever it was a pie made of six birds cooked to perfection and yet they were all alive and singing and talking and they told fortunes in the most amusing way taking this treasure fiora delisa once more set herself to wait in the great hall through which turretella was short of pass and as she sat there one of the king's pages came by and said to her well little kitchen maid it is a good thing that the king always takes a sleeping drought for if not he would be kept awake all night by your sighing and lamenting then fiora delisa knew why the king had not heated her and taking a handful of pearls and diamonds out of her sack she said if you can promise that tonight the king will not have his sleeping drought i will give you all these pearls oh i promised that willingly said the page at that moment turretella appeared and at the first sight of the savory pie with the pretty little birds all singing and chattering she cried that is an admiral pie little kitchen maid pray what will you take for it the usual price she answered to sleep once more in the chamber of echoes by all means only give me the pie for the greedy turretella and when night was come king fiora delisa waited until she thought everybody in the palace would be asleep and then began to lament as before ah charming she said what have i ever done that you would forsake me and marry turretella if you could only know all that i have suffered and what a weary way i have come to speak to you now the page had faithfully kept his word and given king charm in a glass of water instead of his usual sleeping drought so that he lay wide awake and heard every word fiora delisa said and even recognized her voice so he could not tell where it came from ah princess he said how could you betray me to our cruel enemies when i loved you so dearly fiora delisa heard him and answered quickly find the little kitchen maid and she will explain everything then the king in a great hurry sent for his pages and said if you can find the little kitchen maid bring her to me at once nothing could be easier sire they answered at once for she is in the chamber of echoes the king was very much puzzled when he heard this how could the lovely princess fiora delisa be a little kitchen maid or how could the little kitchen maid have fiora delisa's own voice so he dressed hastily and ran down a little secret staircase which led to the chamber of echoes here upon a heap of soft cushions that his lovely princess she laid aside all her ugly disguises and wore a white silken robe and her golden hair shown in the soft lamp light the king was overjoyed at the sight and rushed to throw himself at her feet and asked her a thousand questions without giving her time to answer fiora delisa was equally happy to be with him once more and nothing troubled them but the remembrance of the fairy missila but at this moment in came the enchanter and with him the famous fairy the same in fact who had given fiora delisa the eggs after greeting the king and queen they said that they were united in wishing to help the king charmant the fairy missila had no longer any power against him and that he might marry fiora delisa as soon as he pleased the king's joy may be imagined and as soon as it was day the news was spread through the palace and everybody who saw fiora delisa loved her directly when turretella heard what had happened she came running to the king and when she saw fiora delisa with him she was terribly angry but before she could say a word the enchanter and the fairy changed her into a big brown owl and she floated away out of the palace window pooting dismaly then the wedding was held with great splendor and king charming and queen fiora delisa lived happily ever after end of section two section three of the green fairy book this is a liberfox recording all liberfox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit liberfox.org recording by maria terese the green fairy book by andrew lang the half chick once upon a time there was a handsome black spanish hen who had a large brood of chickens they were all fine plump little birds except the youngest who was quite unlike his brothers and sisters indeed he was such a strange queer looking creature that when he first chipped his shell his mother could scarcely believe her eyes he was so different from the 12 other fluffy downy soft little chicks who nestled under her wings this one looked just as if he had been cut in two he had only one leg and one wing and one eye and he had half a head and half a beak his mother shook her head sadly as she looked at him and said my youngest is born only a half chick he can never grow up a tall handsome cock like his brothers they will go out into the world and roll over poultry yards of their own but this poor little fellow will always have to stay at home with his mother and she called him media polito which is Spanish for half chick now though media polito was such an odd helpless looking little thing his mother soon found that he was not at all willing to remain under her wing and protection indeed in character he was as unlike his brothers and sisters as he was in appearance they were good obedient chickens and when the old hen chicked after them they chirped and ran back to her side but media polito had a roving spirit in spite of his one leg and when his mother called him to return to the coop he pretended that he could not hear because he had only one ear when she took the whole family out for a walk in the fields media polito would hop away by himself and hide among the indian corn many an anxious minute his brothers and sisters had looking for him while his mother ran to and fro cackling in fear and dismay as he grew older he became more self-willed and disobedient and his manners to his mother was often very rude and his temper to the other chickens very disagreeable one day he had been out for a longer expedition than usual in the fields on his return he started up to his mother with a peculiar little hop and kick which was his way of walking and cocking his one eye at her in a very bold way he said mother i am tired of this life in a dull farmyard with nothing but a dreary maze field to look at i'm off to madrid to see the king to madrid media polito exclaimed his mother why you silly chick it will be a long journey for a grown-up cock and a poor little thing like you will be tired out before you had gone half the distance no no stay at home with your mother and someday when you are bigger we will go a little journey together but media polito had made up his mind and he would not listen to his mother's advice nor to the prayers and entreaties of his brothers and sisters what is the use of our all crowding each other up in this pokey little place he said when i have a fine courtyard of my own at the king's palace i shall perhaps ask some of you to come and pay me a short visit and scarcely waiting to say goodbye to his family a way he stomped down the high road that led to madrid be sure that you were kind and civil to everyone you meet called his mother running after him but he was in such a hurry to be off that he did not wait to answer her or even to look back a little later in the day as he was taking a shortcut through a field he passed the stream now the stream was all choked up and overgrown with weeds and water plants so that its waters could not flow freely oh media polito it cried as the half chick hopped along his banks do come and help me by clearing away these weeds help you indeed exclaimed media polito tossing his head and shaking the few feathers in his tail do you think i have nothing to do but to waste my time on such trifles help yourself and don't trouble busy travelers i'm off to madrid to see the king and hoppity kick hoppity kick away stump media polito a little later he came to a fire that had been left by some gypsies in the wood it was burning very low and would soon be out oh media polito cried the fire in a weak wavering voice as a half chick approached in a few minutes i shall go quite out unless you put some sticks and dry leaves upon me do help me or i shall die help you indeed answered media polito i have other things to do gather sticks for yourself and don't trouble me i'm off to madrid to see the king and hoppity kick hoppity kick away stump media polito the next morning as he was getting near madrid he passed the large chestnut tree in whose branches the wind was cotton and tangled oh media polito called the wind do hop up here and help me to get free of these branches i cannot come away and it is so uncomfortable it is your own fault for going there answer media polito i can't waste all my morning stopping here to help you just shake yourself off and don't hinder me for i'm off to madrid to see the king and hoppity kick hoppity kick away stump media polito in great glee for the towers and roofs of madrid were now in sight when he entered the town he saw before him a great splendid house with soldiers standing before the gates this he knew must be the king's palace and he determined to hop up to the front gate and wait there until the king came out but as he was hopping past one of the back windows the king's cook saw him here is the very thing i want he exclaimed for the king has just sent a message to say that he must have chicken broth for his dinner and opening the window he stretched out his arm caught media polito and popped him into the broth pot that was standing near the fire oh how wet and clammy the water felt as it went over media polito's head making his feathers cling to his side water water he cried in despair do have pity upon me and do not wet me like this ah media polito replied the water you would not help me when i was a little stream away on the fields now you must be punished then the fire began to burn and scald media polito and he danced and hopped from one side of the pot to the other trying to get away from the heat and crying out in pain fire fire do not scorch me like this you can't think how it hurts oh media polito into the fire he would not help me when i was dying away in the wood you are being punished at last just when the pain was so great that media polito thought he must die the cook lifted up the lid of the pot to see if the broth was ready for the king's dinner look here he cried in horror this chicken is quite useless it is burnt to a sender i can't send it up to the royal table and opening the window he threw media polito out into the street but the wind caught him up and whirled him through the air so quickly that media polito could scarcely breathe and his heart beat against his side till he thought it would break oh wind at last he gasped about if you hurry me along like this you will kill me do let me rest a moment or but he was so breathless that he could not finish his sentence ah media polito replied the wind when i was caught in the branches of the chestnut tree you would not help me now you are punished and he swirled media polito over the roofs of the houses till they reached the high church in the town and there he left him fastened to the top of the steeple and there stands media polito to this day and if you go to madrid and walk through the streets till you come to the highest church you will see media polito purchased on his one leg on the steeple with his one wing duping at his side and gazing sadly out of his one eye over the town spanish tradition end of the half chick recording by maria churris section four 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 matthew reese the green fairy book by andrew lang the story of califf stork one califf casid of bagdad was resting comfortably on his divan one fine afternoon he was smoking a long pipe and from time to time he sipped a little coffee which a slave handed to him and after each sip he stroked his long beard with an air of enjoyment in short anyone could see that the califf was in an excellent humor this was in fact the best time of day in which to approach him for just now he was pretty sure to be both affable and in good spirits and for this reason the grand vizier mansor always chose this hour in which to pay his daily visit he arrived as usual this afternoon but contrary to his usual custom with an anxious face the califf withdrew his pipe for a moment from his lips and asked why do you look so anxious grand vizier the grand vizier crossed his arms on his breast and bent low before his master as he answered oh my lord whether my countenance be anxious or not i know not but down below in the court of the palace is a peddler with such beautiful things that i cannot help feeling annoyed at having so little money to spare the califf who had wished for some time passed to give his grand vizier a present ordered his black slave to bring the peddler before him at once the slave soon returned followed by the peddler a short stout man with a swarthy face and dressed in very ragged clothes he carried a box containing all manners of wares strings of pearls rings richly mounted pistols goblets and combs the califf in his vizier inspected everything and the califf chose some handsome pistols for himself and mansor and a jeweled comb for the vizier's wife just as the peddler was about to close his box the califf noticed a small drawer and asked if there was anything else in it for sale the peddler opened the drawer and showed them a box containing a black powder and a scroll written in strange characters which neither the califf nor the mansor could read i got these two articles from a merchant who had picked them up in the street at mecca said the peddler i do not know what they may contain but as they are of no use to me you are welcome to have them for a trifle the califf who liked to have old manuscripts in his library even though he could not read them purchased the scroll in the box and dismissed the peddler then being anxious to know what might be the contents of the scroll he asked the vizier if he did not know of anyone who might be able to decipher it most gracious lord and master replied the vizier near the great mosque lives an old man called sell him the learned who knows every language under the sun send for him it may be that he will be able to interpret these mysterious characters the learned selim was summoned immediately selim said the califf i hear you are a scholar look well at this scroll and see whether you can read it if you can i will give you a robe of honor but if you fail i will order you to receive 12 strokes on your cheeks and five and 20 on the soles of your feet because you have been falsely called selim the learned selim prostrated himself and said be it according to your will master then he gazed long at the scroll suddenly he exclaimed may i die oh my lord if this isn't latin well said the califf if it is latin let us hear what it means so selim began to translate thou who mayest find this praise Allah for his mercy whoever shall snuff the powder in this box and at the same time shall pronounce the word mutabaur shall transform himself into any creature he likes and will understand the language of all animals when he wishes to resume the human form he has only to bow three times toward the east and to repeat the same word be careful however when wearing the shape of some beast or bird not to laugh or thou wilt certainly forget the magic word and remain an animal forever when selim the learned had read this the califf was delighted he made the wise man swear not to tell the matter to anyone gave him a splendid robe and dismissed him then he said to his vizier that's what i call a good bargain mansor i am longing for the moment when i can become some animal tomorrow morning i shall expect you early we will go into the country take some snuff from my box and then hear what is being said in air earth and water two next morning califf casid had barely finished dressing and breakfasting when the grand vizier arrived according to orders to accompany him in his expedition the califf stuck the snuff box in his girdle and having desired his servants to remain at home started off with a grand vizier only in attendance first they walked through the palace gardens but they looked in vain for some creature which could tempt them to try their magic power at length the vizier suggested going further on to a pond which lay beyond the town and where he had often seen a variety of creatures especially storks whose grave dignified appearance and constant chatter had often attracted his attention the califf consented and they went straight to the pond as soon as they arrived they remarked a stork strutting up and down with a stately air hunting for frogs and now and then muttering something to itself at the same time they saw another stork far above in the sky flying towards the same spot i would wager my beard most gracious master said the grand vizier that these two long legs will have a good chat together how would it be if we turned ourselves into storks well said reply the califf but first let us remember carefully how we are to become men once more true bow three times towards the east and say mutabor and i shall be califf and you my grand vizier again but for heaven's sake don't laugh or we are lost as the califf spoke he saw the second stork circling round his head and gradually flying towards the earth quickly he drew the box from his girdle took a good pinch of the snuff and offered one to mansor who also took one and both cried together mutabor instantly their legs shriveled up and grew thin and red their smart illo slippers turned to clumsy storks feet their arms to wings their necks began to sprout from between their shoulders and grew a yard long their beards disappeared and their bodies were covered with feathers you've got a fine long bill sir vizier cried the califf after standing for some time lost in astonishment by the beard of the prophet i never saw such a thing in all my life my very humble thanks replied the grand vizier as he bent his long neck but if i may venture to say so your highness is even handsomer as a stork than as a califf but come if it so pleases you let us go near our comrades there and find out whether we really do understand the language of storks meantime the second stork had reached the ground it first scraped its bill with its claw stroked down its feathers and then advanced towards the first stork the two newly made storks lost no time in drawing near and to their amazement over her the following conversation good morning dame long legs you are out early this morning yes indeed dear chatter bill i am getting myself a morsel of breakfast may i offer you a joint of lizard or frogs thigh a thousand thanks but i really have no appetite this morning i am here for a very different purpose i am to dance today before my father's guests and i have come to the meadow for a little quiet practice thereupon the young stork began to move about with the most wonderful steps the califf and mansor looked on in surprise for some time but when at last she balanced herself in a picturesque attitude on one leg and flapped her wings gracefully up and down they could hold out no longer a prolonged peel burst forth from each of their bills and it was some time before they could recover their composure the califf was the first to collect himself that was the best jokes that he i've ever seen it's a pity the stupid creatures were scared away by our laughter or no doubt they would have sung next suddenly however the vizier remembered how strictly they had been warned not to laugh during their transformation he at once communicated his fears to the califf who exclaimed by mecca and medina it would indeed prove but a poor joke if i had to remain a stork for the remainder of my days do just try and remember that stupid word it has slipped my memory we must bow three times eastward and say mu mu mu they turned to the east and fell to bowing till their bills touched the ground but oh horror the magic word was quite forgotten and however often the califf bowed and however touchingly his vizier cried mu mu they could not recall it and the unhappy casid and mansor remained storks as they were three the two enchanted birds wandered sadly on through the meadows in their misery they could not think what to do next they could not rid themselves of their new forms there was no use in returning to the town and saying who they were for who would believe a stork who announced that he was a califf and even if they did believe him would the people of Baghdad consent to let a stork rule over them so they lounged about for several days supporting themselves on fruits which however they found some difficulty in eating with their long bills they did not much care to eat frogs or lizards their one comfort in their sad plight was the power of flying and accordingly they often flew over the roofs of Baghdad to see what was going on there during the first few days they noticed signs of much disturbance and distress in the streets but about the fourth day as they sat on the roof of the palace they perceived a splendid procession passing below them along the street drums and trumpets sounded a man in a scarlet mantle embroidered in gold sat on a splendidly capperized horse surrounded by richly dressed slaves half Baghdad crowded after him and they all shouted hail Mirza the lord of Baghdad the two storks on the palace roof looked at each other and Khalif Qasid said can you guess now Grand Vizier why I have been enchanted this Mirza is the son of my deadly enemy the mighty magician Qashnur who in an evil moment vowed vengeance on me still I will not despair come with me my faithful friend we will go to the grave of the prophet and perhaps at that sacred spot the spell may be loosed they rose from the palace roof and spread their wings toward Medina but flying was not quite an easy matter for the two storks had had but little practice as yet oh my lord gasped the Vizier after a couple of hours I can get on no longer you really fly too quick for me besides it is nearly evening and we should do well to find some place in which to spend the night Qasid listened with favor to his servant's suggestion and perceiving in the valley beneath them a ruin which seemed to promise shelter they flew towards it the building in which they proposed to pass the night had apparently been formally a castle some handsome pillars still stood amongst the heaps of ruins and several rooms which yet remained in fair preservation gave evidence of former splendor Qasid and his companion wandered along the passages seeking a dry spot when suddenly Mansour stood still my lord and master he whispered if it were not absurd for a Grand Vizier and still more for a stork to be afraid of ghosts I should feel quite nervous for someone or something close by me has sighed and moaned quite audibly the caliph stood still and distinctly heard a low weeping sound which seemed to proceed from a human being rather than from any animal full of curiosity he was about to rush towards the spot from whence the sounds of woe came when the Vizier caught him by the wing with his bill and implored him not to expose himself to fresh and unknown dangers the caliph however under whose storks breast a brave heart beat tore himself away with the loss of a few feathers and hurried down a dark passage he saw a door which stood a jar and through which he distinctly heard sighs mingled with sobs he pushed open the door with his bill but remained on the threshold astonished at the sight which met his eyes on the floor of the ruined chamber which was but scantily lighted by a small barred window sat a large screech owl big tears rolled from its large round eyes and in a hoarse voice it uttered its complaints through its crooked beak as soon as it saw the caliph in his Vizier who had crept up meanwhile it gave vent to a joyful cry it gently wiped the tears from its eyes with its spotted brown wings and to the great amazement of the two visitors addressed them in good human Arabic welcome ye storks you are a good sign of my deliverance for it was foretold me that a piece of good fortune should befall me through a stork when the caliph had recovered from his surprise he drove his feet into a graceful position bent his long neck and said oh screech owl from your words I am led to believe that we see in you a companion in misfortune but alas your hope that you may attain your deliverance through us is but a vain one you will know our helplessness when you have heard our story the screech owl begged him to relate it and the caliph accordingly told him what we already know for when the caliph had ended the owl thanked him and said you hear my story and own that I am no less unfortunate than yourselves my father is the king of the indies I his only daughter and named lusa that magician kashnor who enchanted you has been the cause of my misfortunes to he came one day to my father and demanded my hand for his son mirza my father who is rather hasty ordered him to be thrown downstairs the wretch not long after managed to approach me under another form and one day when I was in the garden and asked for some refreshment he brought me in the disguise of a slave a draft which changed me at once to this horrid shape whilst I was fainting with terror he transported me here and cried to me with his awful voice there you shall remain lonely and hideous despised even by the brutes till the end of your days or till someone of his own free will asks you to be his wife thus do I avenge myself on you and your proud father since then many months have passed away sad and lonely do I live like any hermit within these walls avoided by the world in a terror even to animals the beauties of nature are hidden from me for I am blind by day and it is only when the moon sheds her pale light on this spot that the veil falls from my eyes and I can see the owl paused and once more wiped her eyes with her wing for the recital of her woes had drawn fresh tears from her the caliph fell into deep thought on hearing this story of the princess if I am not much mistaken said he there is some mysterious connection between our misfortunes but how to find the key to the riddle is the question the owl answered oh my lord I too feel sure of this for in my earliest youth a wise woman foretold that a stork would bring me some great happiness and I think I could tell you how we might save ourselves the caliph was much surprised and asked her what she meant the magician who has made us both miserable said she comes once a month to these ruins not far from this room is a large hall where he is in the habit of feasting with his companions I have often watched them they tell each other all about their evil deeds and possibly the magic word which you have forgotten may be mentioned oh dearest princess exclaimed the caliph say when does he come and where is the hall the owl paused a moment and then said do not think me unkind but I can only grant your request on one condition speak speak cried casid command I will gladly do whatever you wish well replied the owl you see I should like to be free too but this can only be if one of you will offer me his hand in marriage the storks seem to rather taken aback by this suggestion and the caliph beckoned to his vizier to retire and consult with him when they were outside the door the caliph said grand vizier this is a tiresome business however you can take her indeed said the vizier so that when I go home my wife may scratch my eyes out besides I am an old man and your highness is still young and unmarried in a far more suitable match for a young and lovely princess that's just where it is side the caliph whose wings drooped in a dejected manner how do you know she is young and lovely I call it buying a pig in a poke they argued on for some time but at length when the caliph saw plainly that his vizier would rather remain a stork to the end of his days than marry the owl he determined to fulfill the condition himself the owl was delighted she owned they could not have arrived at a better time as most probably the magicians would meet that very night she then proceeded to lead the two storks to the chamber they passed through a long dark passage till at length a bright ray of light shown before them through the chinks of a half ruined wall when they reached at the owl advised them to keep very quiet through the gap near which they stood they could with ease survey the whole of the large hall it was adorned with splendid carved pillars a number of colored lamps replaced the light of day in the middle of the hall stood a round table covered with a variety of dishes and about the table was a divan on which eight men were seated in one of these bad men the two recognize the peddler who had sold the magic powder the man next to him begged him to relate all his latest doings and amongst them he told the story of the caliph and his vizier and what kind of word did you give them asked another old sorcerer a very difficult latin word it is mutobor five as soon as the storks heard this they were nearly beside themselves with joy they ran at such a pace to the door of the ruined castle that the owl could scarcely keep up with them when they reached it the caliph turned to the owl and said with much feeling deliver of my friend and myself as a proof of my eternal gratitude accept me as your husband then he turned towards the east three times the storks bow their long next to the sun which was just rising over the mountains mutobor they both cried and in an instant they were once more transformed in the rapture of their newly given lives master and servant fell laughing and weeping into each other's arms who shall describe their surprise when they at last turned round and be held standing before them a beautiful lady exquisitely dressed with a smile she held out her hand to the caliph and asked do you not recognize your screech owl it was she the caliph was so enchanted by her grace and beauty that he declared being turned into a stork had been the best piece of luck which had ever befallen him the three set out at once for Baghdad fortunately the caliph found not only the box with the magic powder but also his purse and his girdle he was therefore able to buy in the nearest village all they required for their journey and so at last they reached the gates of Baghdad here the caliph's arrival created the greatest sensation he had been quite given up for dead and the people were greatly rejoiced to see their beloved ruler again their rage with the usurper musa however was great in proportion they marched in force to the palace and took the old magician and his son prisoners the caliph sent the magician to the room where the princess had lived as an owl and there had him hanged as the son however knew nothing of his father's acts the caliph gave him his choice between death and a pinch of the magic snuff when he chose the latter the grand vizier handed him the box one good pinch and the magic word transformed him to a stork the caliph ordered him to be confined in an iron cage and placed in the palace gardens caliph kassid lived long and happily with his wife the princess his merriest time was when the grand vizier visited him in the afternoons and when the caliph was in particularly high spirits he would condescend to mimic the vizier's appearance when he was a stork he would strut gravely and with well stiffened legs up and down the room chattering and showing how he had vainly bowed to the east and cried mu mu the caliphess and her children were always much entertained by this performance but when the caliph went on nodding and bowing and calling mu mu too long the vizier would threaten laughingly to tell the caliphess a subject of the discussion carried on one night outside the door of princess screech owl. once upon a time there lived a rich man who had three sons when they grew up he sent the eldest to travel and see the world and three years passed before his family saw him again then he returned magnificently dressed and his father was so delighted with his behavior that he gave a great feast in his honor to which all the relations and friends were invited when the rejoicings were ended the second son beg leave of his father to go in his turn to travel and mix with the world the father was enchanted at the request and gave him plenty of money for his expenses saying if you behave as well as your brother i will do honor to you as i did to him the young man promised to do his best and his conduct during three years was all that it should be then he went home and his father was so pleased with him that his feast of welcome was even more splendid than the one before the third brother whose name was jenek or johnny was considered the most foolish of the three he never did anything at home except sit over the stove and dirty himself with the ashes but he also begged his father's leave to travel for three years go if you like you idiot but what good will it do you the youth paid no heed to his father's observations as long as he obtained permission to go the father saw him depart with joy glad to get rid of him and gave him a handsome sum of money for his needs once as he was making one of his journeys jenek chanced across a meadow where some shepherds were just about to kill a dog he entreated them to spare it and to give it to him instead which they willingly did and he went on his way followed by the dog a little further on he came upon a cat which someone was going to put to death he implored its life and the cat followed him finally in another place he saved a serpent which was also handed over to him and now they made a party of four the dog behind jenek the cat behind the dog and the serpent behind the cat then the serpent said to jenek go wherever you see me go for in the autumn when all the serpents hide themselves in their holes this serpent was going in search of his king who was king of all the snakes then he added my king will scold me for my long absence everyone else is housed for the winter and i am very late i shall have to tell him what danger i have been in and how without your help i should certainly have lost my life the king will ask what you would like in return and be sure you beg for the watch which hangs on the wall it has all sorts of wonderful properties you only need to rub it to get whatever you like no sooner said than done jenek became the master of the watch and the moment he got out he wished to put its virtues to the proof he was hungry and thought it would be delightful to eat in the meadow a loaf of new bread and a steak of good beef washed down by a flask of wine so he scratched the watch and in an instant it was all before him imagine his joy evening soon came and jenek rubbed his watch and thought it would be very pleasant to have a room with a comfortable bed and a good supper in an instant they were all before him after supper he went to bed and slept till morning as every honest man ought to do then he set forth for his father's house his mind dwelling on the feast that would be awaiting him but as he returned in the same old clothes in which he went away his father flew into a great rage and refused to do anything for him jenek went to his old place near the stove and dirtied himself in the ashes without anybody minding the third day feeling rather dull he thought it would be nice to see a three-story house filled with beautiful furniture and with vessels of silver and gold so he rubbed the watch and there it all was jenek went to look for his father and said to him you offered me no feast of welcome but permit me to give one to you and come and let me show you my plate the father was much astonished and longed to know where his son had got all this wealth jenek did not reply but begged him to invite all their relations and friends to a grand banquet so the father invited all the world and everyone was amazed to see such splendid things so much plate and so many fine dishes on the table after the first course jenek prayed his father to invite the king and his daughter the princess he rubbed his watch and wished for a carriage ornamented with gold and silver and drawn by six horses with harness glittering with precious stones the father did not dare to sit in this gorgeous coach but went to the palace on foot the king and his daughter were immensely surprised with the beauty of the carriage and mounted the steps at once to go to jenek's banquet then jenek rubbed his watch afresh and wished that for six miles the way to the house should be paved with marble whoever felt so astonished as the king never had he traveled over such a gorgeous road when jenek heard the wheels of the carriage he rubbed his watch and wished for a still more beautiful house four stories high and hung with gold silver and damask filled with wonderful tables covered with dishes such as no king had ever eaten before the king the queen and the princess were speechless with surprise never had they seen such a splendid palace nor such a high feast at dessert the king asked jenek's father to give him the young man for a son-in-law no sooner said than done the marriage took place at once and the king returned to his own palace and left jenek with his wife in the enchanted house now jenek was not a very clever man and at the end of a very short time he began to bore his wife she inquired how he managed to build palaces and to get so many precious things he told her all about the watch and she never rested till she had stolen the precious talisman one night she took the watch rubbed it and wished for a carriage drawn by four horses and in this carriage she had once set out for her father's palace there she called to her own attendance bade them follow her into the carriage and drove straight to the seaside then she rubbed her watch and wished that the sea might be crossed by a bridge and that a magnificent palace might arise in the middle of the sea no sooner said than done the princess entered the house rubbed her watch and in an instant the bridge was gone left alone jenek felt very miserable his father mother and brothers and indeed everybody else all laughed at him nothing remained to him but the cat and dog whose lives he had once saved he took them with him and went far away for he could no longer live with his family he reached at last a great desert and saw some crows flying towards a mountain one of them was a long way behind and when he arrived his brothers inquired what had made him so late winter is here they said and it is time to fly to other countries he told them that he had seen in the middle of the sea the most wonderful house that ever was built on hearing this jenek at once concluded that this must be the hiding place of his wife so he proceeded directly to the shore with his dog and his cat when he arrived on the beach he said to the dog you are an excellent swimmer and you little one are very light jump on the dog's back and he will take you to the palace once there he will hide himself near the door and you must steal secretly in and try to get hold of my watch no sooner said than done the two animals crossed the sea the dog hid near the house and the cat stolen to the chamber the princess recognized him and guessed why he had come and she took the watch down to the cellar and locked it in a box but the cat wriggled its way into the cellar and the moment the princess turned her back he scratched and scratched till he had made a hole in the box then he took the watch between his teeth and waited quietly till the princess came back scarcely had she opened the door and the cat was outside and the watch into the bargain the cat was no sooner beyond the gates than she said to the dog we are going to cross the sea be very careful not to speak to me the dog laid this to heart and said nothing but when they approached the shore he could not help asking have you got the watch the cat did not answer she was afraid that she might let the talisman fall when they touched the shore the dog repeated his question yes said the cat and the watch fell into the sea then our two friends began each to accuse the other and both looked sorrowfully at the place where their treasure had fallen in suddenly a fish appeared near the edge of the sea the cat seized it and thought it would make them a good supper i have nine children cried the fish spare the father of a family granted replied the cat but on condition that you find our watch the fish executed his commission and they brought the treasure back to their master jenek rubbed the watch and wished that the palace with the princess and all its inhabitants should be swallowed up in the sea no sooner said than done jenek returned to his parents and he and his watch his cat and his dog lived together happily to the end of their days doulin end of the enchanted watch part five recording by jadapi www.publicdomainaudiobooks.blogspot.com section six 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 reading by Aubrey Kirkham The Green Fairy Book by Andrew Lang Rosanella everybody knows that though the fairies live hundreds of years they do sometimes die and especially as they are obliged to pass one day in every week under the form of some animal when of course they are liable to accident it was in this way that death once overtook the queen of the fairies and it became necessary to call a general assembly to elect a new sovereign after much discussion it appeared that the choice lay between two fairies one called circantine and the other Parademy and their claims were so equal that it was impossible without injustice to prefer one to the other under these circumstances it was unanimously decided that which ever of the two could show to the world the greatest wonder should be queen but it was to be a special kind of wonder no moving of mountains or any such common fairy tricks would do circantine therefore resolved that she would bring up a prince whom nothing could make constant while Parademy decided to display to admiring mortals a princess so charming that no one could see her without falling in love with her they were allowed to take their own time and meanwhile the four oldest fairies were to attend to the affairs of the kingdom now Parademy had for a long time been very friendly with king Bardondon who was a most accomplished prince and whose court was the model of what a court should be his queen Balinese was also charming indeed it is rare to find a husband and wife so perfectly of one mind about everything they had one little daughter whom they named Rosanella because she had a little pink rose printed upon her white throat from her earliest infancy she had shown the most astonishing intelligence and the courtiers knew her smart sayings by heart and repeated them on all occasions in the middle of the night following the assembly of fairies queen Balinese woke up with a shriek and when her maids of honor ran to see what was the matter they found she had had a frightful dream I thought said she that my little daughter had changed into a bouquet of roses and that as I held it in my hand a bird swooped down suddenly and snatched it from me and carried it away let us run and see that all is well with the princess she added so they ran but what was their dismay when they found that the cradle was empty and though they saw high and low not a trace of Rosanella could they discover the queen was inconsolable and so indeed was the king only being a man he did not say quite so much about his feelings he presently proposed to Balinese that they should spend a few days at one of their palaces in the country and to this she willingly agreed since her grief made the gaiety of the capital distasteful to her one lovely summer evening as they sat together on a shady lawn shaped like a star from which radiated 12 splendid avenues of trees the queen looked round and saw a charming peasant girl approaching by each path and what was still more singular was that everyone carried something in a basket which appeared to occupy her whole attention as each junior she laid her basket at Balinese's feet saying charming queen may this be some slight consolation to you when you're on happiness the queen hastily opened the baskets and found in each a lovely baby girl about the same age as the little princess for whom she sorrowed so deeply at first the side of them renewed her grief but presently their charms so gained upon her that she forgot her melancholy in providing them nursery maids cradle rockers and ladies and waiting and in sending hither and thither for swings and dolls and tops and bushels of the finest sweetmeats oddly enough every baby had upon its throat a tiny pink rose the queen found it so difficult to decide on suitable names for all of them that until she could settle the matter she chose a special color for everyone by which it was known so that when they were all together they looked like nothing so much as a nose gay of gay flowers as they grew older became evident that though they were all remarkably intelligent and profited equally by the education they received yet they differed one from another in disposition so much so that they gradually ceased to be known as pearl or primrose or whatever might have been their color and the queen instead would say where is my sweet or my beautiful or my gay of course with all these charms they had lovers by the dozen not only in their own court but princess from afar who were constantly arriving attracted by the reports which were spread abroad but these lovely girls the first maids of honor were as discreet as they were beautiful and favored no one but let us return to circontein she had fixed upon the son of a king who was cousin to bar don don to bring up as her physical prince she had before at his christening given him all the graces of mind and body that a prince could possibly require but now she redoubled her efforts and spared no pains in adding every imaginable charm and fascination so that whether he appeared to be cross or amiable splendidly or simply attired serious or frivolous he was always perfectly irresistible in truth he was a charming young fellow since the fairy had given him the best heart in the world as well as the best head and had left nothing to be desired but constancy for it cannot be denied that prince merle floor was a desperate flirt and as fickle as the wind so much so that by the time he arrived his 18th birthday there was not a heart left for him to conquer in his father's kingdom they were all his own and he was tired of everyone things were in this state when he was invited to visit the court of his father's cousin king bar don don imagine his feelings when he arrived and was presented at once to 12 of the loveliest creatures in the world and his embarrassment was heightened by the fact that they all liked him as much as he liked each one of them so that things came to such a pass that he was never happy a single instant without them for could he not whisper soft speeches to sweet and laugh with joy while he looked at beauty and in his more serious moments what could be pleasanter than to talk to grave upon some shady lawn while he hand the held the hand of loving in his own and all the others lingered near in sympathetic silence for the first time in his life he really loved though the object of his devotion was not one person but 12 to whom he was equally attached and even circantine was deceived into thinking that this was indeed the height of inconstancy but paraademy said not a word in vain did prince murli floor's father right commanding him to return and proposing for him one good match after another one day the queen gave a large garden to him from his and just as the guests were all assembled and prince murli floor was as usual dividing his attentions between the 12 beauties a humming of bees was heard the rose maidens fearing their stings uttered little shrieks and fled altogether to a distance from the rest of the company immediately to the horror of all who were looking on the bees pursued them and growing suddenly to an enormous size pounced each upon a maiden and carried her off into the air and in an instant they were all lost to view this amazing occurrence plunged the whole court into the deepest affliction and prince murli floor after giving way to the most violent grief at first fell gradually into a state of such deep dejection that it was feared if nothing could rouse him he would certainly die circantine came in all haste to see what she could do for her darling but he rejected with scorn all the portraits of lovely princesses which she offered him for his collection in short it was evident that he was in a bad way and the ferry was at her wit's end one day as he wandered about absorbed in melancholy reflections he heard sudden shouts and exclamations of amazement and if he had taken the trouble to look up he could not have helped being as astonished as everyone else for through the air a chariot of crystal was slowly approaching which glittered in the sunshine six lovely maidens with shining wings drew it by rose-colored ribbons while a whole flight of others equally beautiful were holding long garlands of roses crossed above it so as to conform a complete canopy in it sat the ferry peratomy and by her side a princess whose beauty positively dazzled all who saw her at the foot of the great staircase they descended and proceeded to the queen's apartments though everyone had run together to see this marvel till it was quite difficult to make a way through the crowd and exclamations of wonder rose on all sides at the loveliness of the strange princess great queen said peratomy permit me to restore to you your daughter rosanella whom i stole out of her cradle after the first transports of joy were over the queen said to peratomy but my twelve lovely ones are they lost to me forever shall i never see them again but peratomy only said very soon you will cease to miss them in a tone that evidently meant don't ask me any more questions and then mounting again into her chariot she swiftly disappeared the news of his beautiful cousin's arrival was soon carried to the prince but he had hardly the heart to go and see her however it became absolutely necessary that he should pay his respects and he had scarcely been five minutes in her presence before it seemed to him that she combined in her own charming person all the gifts and graces which had attracted him in the twelve rose maidens whose loss he had so truly mourned and after all it is really more satisfactory to make love to one person at a time so it came to pass that before he knew where he was he was in treating his lovely cousin to marry him then the moment the words had left his lips peratomy appeared smiling in triumphant in the chariot of the queen of the fairies for by that time they had all heard of her success and declared her to have earned the kingdom she had to give a full account of how she had stolen rosanella from her cradle and divided her character to twelve parts that each might charm prince merliflor and when once more united might cure him of his inconstancy once and forever and as one more proof of the fascination of the whole rosanella i may tell you that even the defeated circontein sent her a wedding gift and was present at the ceremony which took place as soon as the guests could arrive prince merliflor was constant for the rest of his life and indeed who would not have been in his place as for rosanella she left him as much as all the twelve beauties put together so they reigned in peace and happiness to the end of their long lives end of section six rosanella of the green fairy book by andrew lang