 Boots in the Troll by George Webb Dacinth This is a LibreBox recording. All LibreBox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibreBox.org Boots in the Troll by George Webb Dacinth Once upon a time there was a poor man who had three sons when he died Two elders set off into the world to try their luck, but the youngest they wouldn't have with him at any price As for you, they said, you're fit for nothing but to sit and poke about in the ashes So the two went off and got places at a palace, the one under the coachman and the other under the gardener But Boots, he set off too and took with him a great kneading truck, which was the only thing his parents left behind them But which the other two would not bother themselves with. It was heavy to carry But he did not like to leave behind and so after he had trudged a bit came to the palace and asked for a place So they told him they did not want him But he begged so prettily that at last he got leave to be in the kitchen and carry in wooden water for the kitchen maid He was quick and ready and in a little while everyone liked him But the two others were dull and so they got much more kicks than half-finced and grew quite envious of Boots when they saw How much better he got on Just opposite the palace Across the lake lived a troll who had seven silver ducks which swam on the lake so that they could be seen from the palace These the king had often longed for and so the two older brothers told the coachman If our brother only chose he has said he could easily get the king those seven silver ducks You may fancy it wasn't long before the coachman told this to the king and the king called Boots before him and said Your brothers say you can get me the silver ducks. So now go and fetch them I'm sure I never thought or said anything of the kind so the lad You did say so and you shall fetch them so the king who would hold his own Very well. So the lad needs must I suppose but give me a bushel of rye and a bushel of wheat and I'll try what I can do So he got the rye and the wheat and put them into the kneading trough He had brought with him from home got in and rode across the lake When he reached the other side he began to walk along the shore and to sprinkle and stir the grain And alas he cokes the ducks into his kneading trough and rode back as fast as he could when he got half over The troll came out of his house and said eyes on him Hello roared out the troll is that you that has gone off with my seven silver ducks II said the lad shall you be back soon as the troll Very likely said the lad So when he got back to the king with seven silver ducks He was more like than ever and even the king was pleased to say well done But if this his brothers grew more and more spiteful and envious and so they went and told the coachman that their brother had Said he chose he was man enough to get the king the troll's bed quilt Which had a gold patch and a silver patch and a silver patch and a gold patch And this time too the coachman was not slow in telling all this to the king So the king said to the lad how his brothers had said he was Good to steal the troll's bed quilt with gold and silver patches. So now he must go and get it or lose his life Boots answered he had never thought or said any such thing But when he found there was no help port he begged for three days to think over the matter So when the three days were gone he rode over in his kneading truck and went spying about At last he saw those in the troll's cave come out and hang the quilt out to air And as soon as ever they had gone back into the face of the rock boots pulled the quilt down and rode away with it As fast as he could and when he was halfway across out came the troll and said eyes on him and roared out Hello, is it you that took my seven silver ducks? Aye aye said the lad And now have you taken my bed quilt with silver patches and gold patches and gold patches and silver patches Aye aye said the lad shall you come back again? Very likely said the lad But when he got back with the golden silver patch for a quilt Everyone was fonder of him than ever and he was made the king's body servant At this the other two were still more vexed and to be revenge they went and told the coachman Now our brother has said he is man enough to get the king the gold harp which the troll has And that harp is of such a kind that all who listen when it is played grow glad however sad they may be Yes, the coachman went and told the king and he said to the lad if you have said this you shall do it You shall do it and you shall have the princess and half the kingdom if you don't you shall lose your life I am sure I never thought or said anything of the kind so the lad but if there's no help for it I may as well try but I must have six days to think about it Yes, he might have six days but when they were over he must set out Then he took a tin penny nail a birch pin and wax and taper and in his pocket And rode across and walked up and down before the troll's cave looking selfly about him So when the troll came out and saw him at once Ho ho roared the troll Is it you who took my seven silver ducks? I I said the lad And is it you who took my bed quilt with the golden silver patches as the troll I I said the lad so the troll caught hold of him at once and took him off into the cave in the face of the rock Now daughter dear so the troll caught the fellow who stole silver ducks in my bed quilt with golden silver patches Put him into the fat manku and when he's fat will kill him and make a feast for our friends She was willing enough and put him at once into the fat manku And there he stayed eight days fed on the best both in meat and drink and as much as he could cram So when the eight days were over the troll said to his daughter to go down and cut him in his little finger So that they might see if he were fat Down she came to the coop out with your little finger. She said But boot stuck out his tin penny nail and she cut at it Nay, nay, he's as hard as iron still so the troll's daughter when she got back to her father. We can't take him yet After another eight days the same thing happened and this time boot stuck out his bridge and pin Well, he's a little better. She said when she got back to the troll, but he's still as hard as wood to chew But when another eight days were gone the troll told his daughter to go down and see if he wasn't fat now Out with your little finger so the troll's daughter when she reached the coop and this time boot stuck out the taper end Now he'll do nicely. She said will he so the troll well, then I'll just set off and ask the guests Meantime you must kill him and roast half and boil half So when the troll had been gone a little while the daughter began to sharpen a great long knife Is that what you're going to kill me with asked the lad? Yes, it is she said But it isn't sharp so the lad just let me sharpen it for you. Then you'll find it easier work to kill me So she let him have the knife and he began to rub and sharpen it on the whetstone Just let me try it on one of your hair plates. I think it's about right now So he got leave to do that But at the same time that he grasped the plate of hair and he pulled back on her head and at one gash cut off The troll's daughter's head and half of her he roasted and half of her he boiled and served it all up After that he dressed himself in her clothes sat away in the corner So when the troll came home with his guests he called out to his daughter For he thought all the time it was his daughter to come and take a snack No, thank you so the lad. I don't care for food. I'm so sad and downcast Oh, so the troll if that's all you know the cure take the harp and play a tune on it Yes, so the lad But where has it got to I can't find it Why you know well enough so the troll you used it last and where should it be but over the door yonder The lad did not wait to be told so twice He took down the harp and went in and out playing tunes But all at once he shoved off the kneading trough jumped into it and rode off so that the foam flew around the trough After a while the troll thought his daughter was long while gone And when he went out to see what ailt her then he saw the lad in the trough far far out on the lake Halala, is it you you roared it took my seven silver ducks II said the lad Is it you that took my bed quilt with the golden silver patches Yes, so the lad And now you've taken off with my gold harp you scream the troll Yes, so the lad I've got it sure enough And haven't I eaten you up after all then No note was your own daughter you ate answered the lad But when the troll heard that he was so sorry he burst and the moots rode back And he took a whole heap of golden silver with him as much as the trough could carry And so when he came to the palace with the gold harp He got the princess and half the kingdom as the king had promised him and as for his brothers He treated them well for he thought they had only wished his good when they said what they had said End of boots in the troll recording by chelsea baker How the camel got his hump by rat-head keepling This is a lipovox recording only provokes recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit lipovox.org Recording by ellie how the camel got his hump by rat-head keepling Now this is the tale and it tells how the camel got his big hump In the beginning of years when the world was so new and all and the animals were just beginning to work for man There was a camel and he lived in the middle of a howling desert because he did not want to work and besides he was a howler himself He eats sticks and soons and tamarisks and milkweed and prickles most Scruciating idle and when anybody spoke to him he said humps just humps and no more Presently the horse came to him on Monday morning with a saddle on his back and a bit in his mouth and said Camelo camel come out and trot like the rest of us Humps said the camel and the horse went away and told the man Presently the dog came to him with a stick in his mouth and said camelo camel come and fetch and carry like the rest of us Humps said the camel and the dog went away and told the man Presently the ox came to him with a yolk on his neck and said camelo camel come and blow like the rest of us Humps said the camel and the ox went away and told the man At the end of the day the man called the horse and the dog and the ox together and said Sryu Sryu I'm very sorry for you with the word so new and all But that hump sing in the desert can't work or he would have been here by now And so i'm going to leave him alone and he must work double time to make up for it That made the Sryu very angry with the words so new and all and they held a palaver and the imbada and the pancayat And the powwow on the edge of the desert and the camel came chewing a milkweed Most scruciating idle and laughed at them then he said humps and went away again Presently there came along the chin in charge of all deserts hauling in the cloud of dust Chins always traveled that way because it is magic and he stopped to palaver and powwow with the Sryu Chin of all deserts said the horse is it right for anyone to be idle with the words so new and all Certainly not said the chin Well said the horse there's a thing in the middle of your hauling desert And he's a hauler himself with a long neck and long legs and he hasn't done a stroke of work since Monday morning He won't drop Phew said the chin whistling. That's my camera for all the gold in arabia. What does he say about it? He says hump said the dog and he won't fetch and carry Does he say anything else? Only hump and he won't blow said the ox Very good said the chin. I'll hump him if you will kindly wait a minute The chin rolled himself up in his dust cloak and took a bearing across the desert and found the camel most Scroogeatingly idle looking at his own reflection the pool of water My long bubbling friend said the chin. What is this? I hear if you're doing no work with the words on you and all Humps said the camera The chin sat down with his chin in his hand and began to think a great magic While the camera looked at his own reflection the pool of water You have given the three extra work since Monday morning All on account of your scroogeating idleness said the chin and he went on thinking magics with his chin in his hand Hump said the camel I shouldn't say that again. If ever you said the chin you might say it once too often bubbles I want you to work And the camel said hump again But no sooner had he said it then he saw his back that he was so proud of puffing up and puffing up Into a great big low-lopping hump Do you see that said the chin that's your very own hump that you've brought upon your very own self by not working Today is thursday and you have done the work since monday when work began now. You are going to work How can I set the camera with this hump from my back? That's made a purpose said the chin all because you missed those three days You will be able to work now for three days without eating because you can live on your hump And don't you ever say I never did anything for you come out of the desert and go to this three and behave hump yourself And the camel humped himself Hump went all and went away to join the three and from that day to this the camel always wears a hump We call it no hump not to hurt his feelings But he has never yet caught up with the three days that he missed at the beginning of the world And he has never yet learned how to behave The camel's hump is an ugly lump which value may see at this too But uglier yet is the hump we get from having too little to do Kids in grown-ups, too If we haven't enough to do we get the hump camellia's hump the hump that is black and blue We climb out of bed with the frowsley head and snarly yally voice We shiver and scroll we can't and we crawl and our bars our boots our toys And there ought to be a corner for me and I know there's one for you When we get the hump the camellia's hump the hump that is black and blue The cure for this L is not to sit still our frows to see booked by the fire But to take a large hoe and a shovel also and dig till your gentle perspire And then you will find that the sun and the wind and the chin of the garden too have lifted the hump the horrible hump the hump that is black and blue I get it as well as you if I haven't enough to do we all get the hump camellia's hump kiddies and grown-ups, too End of how the camel got his hump recording by ellie september 2009 The iron stove by dinah maria mallock This is a lipovox recording only provokes recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer Please visit lipovox.org Recording by ellie the iron stove by dinah maria mallock In the days when magic was still of summer veil a king's son was enchanted by an old witch and compared to spend his life sitting inside a great iron stove in the wood There he passed many years and nobody could release him Once a king's daughter came into the wood She had gone astray and could not find her father's kingdom again and having wondered about for nine days She at last stood before the iron stove Then a voice came out of it and said when do you come? Where do you want to go? She answered I've wandered from my father's kingdom and lost myself and cannot get home again Then the voice spoke out of the iron stove I will help you home again and that too in a short time if you will promise to do what I desire I'm a greater prince than your eye princess. I wish to marry you She was very much frightened and thought oh, what shall I do? How can I marry an iron stove? However, as she wanted very much to go home to her father, she promised what was demanded of her Very well said the voice you must come again and bring a knife with you and scrape a hole in the iron And the iron stove gave a full companion something or somebody She was not quite sure what who walked by her side and did not speak but took a safe home within two hours Then there was great joy in her father's palace and the old king fell on her neck and kissed her many times But she was very sorrowful and sad. Dear father, you little know what has happened to me I should never have come home again out of the great wildwood if I had not passed by an iron stove But I had to promise facefully that they would return back to it and marry it The old king was so terrified that he nearly fell into his wound for he only had this one child They therefore consulted together and decided to send not the princess but the miller's daughter who was very beautiful Leading her out they gave her a knife and told her how she was to scrape the iron stove When she reached the wood she scraped away for four and 20 hours What could not make the slightest impression when they began to break the voice in the iron stove called out It seems to me that it stay out there. She answered it seems to me so too. I think I hear my father's mill turning Oh, then you are a miller's daughter. Go straight back and send the king's daughter here Then she returned and told the old king that the iron stove would not have her. He wanted the princess only The old king was greatly frightened and the princess wept But they still had a swineherd's daughter who was still more beautiful than the miller's girl So they gave her a piece of gold and ordered that she might be persuaded to go instead of the king's daughter to the iron stove She was taken to the wood as before and had also to scrape for four and 20 hours But she could make no impression Now when dawn broke the voice called out of the stove. It seems to me it is there out there Then she answered it seems so to me too. I think I hear my father's little horn sounding So you are the swineherd's daughter go away directly and bid the king's daughter come and tell her It shall happen to her as I forewarned her if she doesn't come everything in the kingdom Shall fall to pieces and tumble down and no stone remain upon another When the king started to hurt this she began to cry, but there was nothing else to be done She must keep her promise She took leave of her father put a knife in her pocket and went out to the iron stove in the wood When she arrived there she began to scrape and scrape the iron yielded and in two hours She'd already scraped a little hole. She looked in and saw a most beautiful use Oh, she shone so viscouled and precious stones that he pleased her to the very bottom of her heart She scraped every faster than ever till she made the hole so large that he was able to get out Then he said you are mine and I am yours. You have freed me and you are my pride He wished to take her home to his kingdom But she begged that she might go once more to see her father and the prince gave her leave On condition that she should speak no more than three words with him and come back again So she went home, but the last being a little chatterbox. She spoke more than three words The iron stove disappeared instantly and was removed five way over glass mountains and sharp swords But the king's sons being now freed was not shut up in it The princess took leave of her father and took some money with her but not much and went again into the great wood There she looked everywhere for the iron stove, but it was not to be found She saw it for nine days But her hunger was so great that she did not know what to do for she had eaten all the food She could find and had nothing left to keep her life At evening tide she climbed up into a little tree and purposed spending the night there for fear of wild beasts But when midnight came she saw a fire off a glimmering light and thinking oh, there should be safe climb down when towards it Then she came to a little old house overgrown with grass with a little heap of food before the door Wondering how it came there She looked in through the window and saw nothing inside but the number of fat little frogs the table beautifully spread There were only roast meats and wines and the plates and cups were of silver So she took heart and knocked immediately the fattest frog called out Made in sweet and small, hootsled by an acorn, hootsled by its little dog creep about in sea Who this can be Then a little frog came and opened the door for her and as soon as she came in the frog's beta welcome Persuaded her to sit down. They asked when do you come? Where do you want to go? Then she told them all that had happened to her and how because she had disobeyed the command not to speak to her father More than three words the stove had disappeared as well as the king's son Now she was determined to seek him and to wander over mountain and well until she found him The old fat frog said made in sweet and small, hootsled by an acorn, hootsled by its little dog creep about in sea Bring the great box to me Then the little frog went and brought the box Afterwards they gave the princess food and drink and took her to her beautifully made bed all of silk and velvet She laid herself in it and slept peacefully When the day came she arose and the old frog gave her three needles out of a great box and told her to take them with her They would be very necessary to her for she would have to go over a high glass mountain And three sharp swords and a great sea if she passed all those she would recover her dearest prince The frog also gave her besides the three needles other gifts which she was to take great care of namely a blue wheel and three nuts With these she set off and when she came to the slippery glass mountain She stuck the three needles into it as she walked some before her feet and some behind And so managed to get across And she was on the other side She hit the needles in a place which she had noticed particularly and went on her way Afterwards she came to the sharp cutting swords, but she set herself on the blue wheel and hold safely over them At last she came before a great lake which she had to sail across and when she had done so she saw a great castle She went in and said she was a poor maiden who wished very much to hire herself out If she might be taken in there as a servant for the frog she told her to the king's son And she had released out of the iron stove in the great wood twelter So she was content to be taken as a kitchen maid for very small pay Now the king's son had said the princess was dead And there was now with him another maiden who had been persuaded to auto marry Which grieved the poor kitchen maid very much In the evening when she washed up the dishes and had done all her work She felt in her pocket and found the three nuts which the old frog had given her She bit one up and was going to eat the kernel when behold inside was the most beautiful dress imaginable So beautiful that the bride's unheard of it and came and asked to see it and wanted to buy it Saying it was not dressed for a kitchen maid But the kitchen maid saw differently and refused to sell it But offered to give it as a present if the bride would grant her one favor Namely to sleep one night on the mat outside the bridegroom's door The bride gave her leave because the dress was so beautiful and she had none like it Now when it was evening she said to the bridegroom the foolish kitchen maid wants to sleep on the mat outside your door If you are content I am, said he But the bride gave him a glass of wine in which she had put the sleeping draught so that he slept so soundly Nothing could wake him while outside the door the princess wept the whole night saying I have released you out of the wildwood out of an iron stove in seeking you I have gone over a glass mountain over three sharp swords and over a great lake yet now that they find you you will not hear me Next evening when she washed up everything she bit the second nut open and inside it was a far more beautiful dress than the first Which when the bride saw it she wished to buy also But the girl again refused to take the money and again begged that she might spend the night outside the bridegroom's door Once more the bride gave him a sleeping draught and he slept so soundly that he could hear nothing But the kitchen maid wept the whole night long crying I have released you out of a wildwood out of an iron stove and have gone over a glass mountain over three sharp swords And over a great lake before I found you and yet when I find you you will not hear me The third evening she bit open the third nut and there was in it a still more beautiful dress Which shown stiff with pure gold And the bride saw it she wished more earnestly than ever to have it But the kitchen maid would only give it to her in one condition that she might sleep for the third time on the mat at the bridegroom's door But this time the prince was cautious and left the sleeping draught untouched Now when she began to weep and to call out Dearest treasure, I have released you out of the horrible wildwood and out of an iron stove The king's son sprang up and crying out. This is my right to laugh. She smiled and I'm hers Then he declared he would not merit the other bride whom he did not laugh And so still in the middle of the night he got into a carriage with the kitchen maid and drove away When they came to the great lake they sailed over and at these three sharp swords They seated themselves on the blowwheel and at the glass mountain they found these three needles and stuck them in step by step So they came at last to the little old house, but as they went in it changed to a great castle The frogs turned to princes and princesses all kings children and received them both with great joy There the wedding was celebrated and they remained in the castle Which was much larger than that which belonged to the princess's father But as the old man lamented very much his daughter's loss and his own loneliness The son went and fetched him home to themselves So they had two kingdoms instead of fun and lived happily together all their days End of the iron stove recording by Ellie September 2009 The apple of contentment by Howard Pyle from the collection pepper and salt 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 Amy Benton The apple of contentment by Howard Pyle There was a woman once and she had three daughters The first daughter squinted with both eyes Yet the woman loved her as she loved salt for she herself squinted with both eyes The second daughter had one shoulder higher than the other And eyebrows as black as soot in the chimney Yet the woman loved her as well as she loved the other For she herself had black eyebrows and one shoulder higher than the other The youngest daughter was as pretty as a ripe apple And had hair as fine as silk and the color of pure gold But the woman loved her not at all For as I have said she herself was neither pretty nor had she hair the color of pure gold Why all this was so even Hans Pfeifendrummel could not tell Though he has read many books and won over The first sister and the second sister dressed in their Sunday clothes every day And sat in the sun doing nothing just as though they had been born ladies both of them But as for Christine for that was the name of the youngest girl As for Christine she dressed in nothing but rags And had to drive the geese to the hills in the morning And then home again in the evening so they might feed on the young grass all day and grow fat The first sister and the second sister had white bread and buttered beside And as much fresh milk as they could drink But Christine had to eat cheese parings and bread crusts And had hardly enough of them to keep good man hunger from whispering in her ear This was how the churn clacked in that house While one morning Christine started off to the hills with her flock of geese And in her hands she carried her knitting at which she worked to save time So she went along the dusty road until by and by She came to a place where a bridge crossed the brook And what should she see there but a little red cap With the silver bell at the point of it Hanging from an alder branch And it was such a nice pretty little red cap That Christine thought she would take it home with her For she had never seen the like of it in all her life before So she had put it in her pocket Then off she went with her geese again But she had hardly gone two score of paces when she heard a voice calling Christine! Christine! Christine! She looked, and who should she see but a queer little gray man With a big head, great as a cabbage, and little legs as thin as young radishes What do you want, said Christine, when the little man had come to where she was Oh! the little man only wanted his cap again For without it he could not go back home into the hill And that was where he belonged But how did the cap come to be hanging from the bush Yes, Christine would like to know that before she gave it back to him again Well, the little hill man was fishing by the brook over yonder When a puff of wind blew his cap into the water And he just hung it up to dry That was all there was about it And now would Christine please give it to him Christine did not know how about that Perhaps she would and perhaps she would not It was a nice pretty little cap What would the little underground man give her for it? That was the question And oh! the little man would give her five tollers for it and gladly No, five tollers, that was not enough for such a pretty little cap See! there was a silver bell hanging to it too Well, the little man did not want to be hard at a bargain He would give her a hundred tollers for it No, Christine did not care for money What else would he give for this nice dear little cap? See, Christine said the little man I will give you this for the cap And he showed her something in his hand that looked just like a bean Only it was as black as a lump of coal Yes, good But what is that? said Christine That, said the little man, is a seed from the apple of contentment Plant it, and from it will grow a tree, and from the tree an apple Everybody in the world that sees the apple will long for it But nobody in the world can pluck it but you It will always be meat and drink to you when you are hungry And warm clothes to your back when you are cold Moreover, as soon as you pluck it from the tree, another as good will grow in its place Now, will you give me my hat? Oh, yes, Christine would give the little man his cap for such a seed as that, and gladly enough So the little man gave Christine the seed Christine gave the little man his cap again He put the cap on his head and poof! Away he was gone, as suddenly as the light of a candle when you blow it out So Christine took the seed home with her, and planted it before the window of her room The next morning when she looked out of the window, she beheld a beautiful tree And on the tree hung an apple that shone in the sun as though it were pure gold Then she went to the tree, and plucked the apple as easily as though it were a gooseberry And as soon as she had plucked it, another as good grew in its place Being hungry, she ate it, and thought that she had never eaten anything as good For it tasted like hand-cake with honey and milk By and by the oldest sister came out of the house and looked around And when she saw the beautiful tree with the gold and apple hanging from it, you can guess how she stared And presently she began to long and long for the apple, as she had never longed for anything in her life I would pluck it, said she, and no one would be the wiser for it But that was easier said than done She reached and reached, but she might as well have reached for the moon She climbed and climbed, but she might as well have climbed for the sun, for either one would have been as easy to get at as that which she wanted At last she had to give up trying for it, and her temper was none the sweeter for that, you may be sure After a while came the second sister, and when she saw the golden apple she wanted it just as much as the first had done But to want and to get are very different things as she soon found, for she was no more able to get it than the other had been Last of all came the mother, and she also strove to pluck the apple, but it was no use She had no more luck of her trying than her daughters All that the three could do was to stand under the tree and look at the apple and wish for it and wish for it They were not the only ones who have done like the like with the apple of contentment hanging just above them As for Christine, she had nothing to do but pluck an apple whenever she wanted it Was she hungry? There was an apple hanging in the tree for her Was she thirsty? There was the apple Cold? There was the apple So you see she was the happiest girl betwixt all the seven hills that stand at the ends of the earth for nobody in the world can have more than contentment And that was what the apple brought her One day a king came riding along the road and all of his people with him and he looked up and saw the apple hanging in the tree and a great desire came upon him to have a taste of it So he called one of the servants to him and told him to go and ask whether it could be bought for a pot full of gold So the servant went to the house and knocked on the door What do you want? said the mother of the three sisters coming to the door Oh nothing much only a king was out there in the road and wanted to know if she would sell an apple yonder for a pot full of gold Oh yes the woman would do that just pay her the pot of gold and she might go and pluck it and welcome So the servant gave her the pot of gold and then he tried to pluck the apple First he reached for it and then he climbed for it and then he shook the limb but it was no use for him to try he could no more get it well then I could if I had been in his place At last the servant had to go back to the king the apple was there he said and the woman had sold it but try and try as he would he could no more get it then he could get the little stars in the sky Then the king told the steward to go and get it for him but the steward though he was a tall man and a strong man could no more pluck the apple than the servant so he had to go back to the king with an empty fist no he could not gather it either well then the king himself went he knew that he could pluck it of course he could while he tried and he tried but nothing came of his trying and he had to ride away at last without having had so much as a smell of the apple after the king came home he talked and dreamed and thought of nothing but the apple for the more he could not get it the more he wanted it that is the way we are made in this world at last he grew melancholy and sick for want of that which he could not get then he sent for one who was so wise that he had more in his head than ten men together now this wise man told him the only one who could pluck the fruit of contentment for him was the one to whom the tree belonged this was one of the daughters of the woman who had sold the apple to him for the pot of gold when the king heard this he was very glad he had his horse saddled and he and his court rode away and so came at last to the cottage where Christine lived there they found the mother and the elder sisters for Christine was away on the hills with her geese the king took off his hat and made a fine bow the wise man at home had told him this and that now to which one of her daughters did the apple tree belong or so said the king oh it is my oldest daughter who owns the tree said the woman oh so good then at the oldest daughter would pluck the apple for him he would take her home and marry her and make a queen of her only let her get it for him without delay Pratt that would never do what was the girl to climb the apple tree before the king and all the cart no no let the king go home and she would bring the apple to him all in good time that was what the woman said well the king would do that only let her make haste for he wanted it very much indeed as soon as the king had gone the woman and her daughters sent for the goose girl to the hills then they told her that the king wanted the apple yonder and that she must pluck it for her sister to take to him if she did not do as they said they would throw her in the well so Christine had to pluck the fruit and as soon as she had done so the oldest sister wrapped it up in a napkin and set off with it to the king's house as pleased as pleased could be wrap tap tap she knocked at the door she had brought the apple for the king oh yes she had brought it and here it was all wrapped up in a fine napkin after that they did not let her stand outside the door till her toes were cold I can tell you as soon as she had come to the king she opened her napkin believe me or not as you please all the same I will tell you there was nothing in that napkin but a hard round stone and when the king saw only a stone he was so angry that he stamped like a rabbit and he told them to put the girl out of the house and so they did and she went home with a flea in her ear I can tell you then the king sent his steward to the house where Christine and her sisters lived he told the woman that he had come to find whether she had any other daughters yes the woman had another daughter and to tell the truth it was she who owned the tree just let the steward go home again and the girl would fetch the apple in a little while as soon as the steward had gone they sent to the hills for Christine again look she must pluck the apple for the second sister to take to the king and if she did not do that they would throw her into the well so Christine had to pluck it and gave it to the second sister who wrapped it up in a napkin and set off for the king's house but she fared no better than the other for when she opened the napkin there was nothing in it but a lump of mud so they packed her home again with her apron to her eyes after a while the king steward came to the house again had the woman no other daughters than these two well yes there was one but she was a poor ragged thing of no account and fit for nothing in the world but to tend the geese where was she oh she was up on the hills now tending her flock but could the steward see her yes he might see her but she was nothing but a poor simpleton that was all very good but the steward would like to see her for that was what the king had sent him there for so there was nothing to do but send to the hills for Christine after a while she came and the steward asked her if she could pluck the apple yonder for the king yes Christine could do that easily enough so she reached and picked it as though it had been nothing but a gooseberry on the bush then the steward took off his hat and made her a long bow in spite of her ragged dress for he saw that she was the one for whom they had been looking all this time so Christine slipped the golden apple into her pocket and then she and the steward set off to the king's house together when they had come there everybody began to titter and laugh by the palms of their hands to see that poor ragged goose girl the steward had brought home with him but for that the steward cared not a wrap have you brought the apple said the king as soon as Christine had come before him yes here it was and Christine thrust her hand into her pocket and brought it forth then the king took a great bite of it and as soon as he had done so he looked at Christine and thought he had never seen such a pretty girl as for her rags he minded them no more than one minds spots on a cherry and that was because he had eaten the apple of contentment and were they married of course they were and a grand wedding it was I can tell you it is a pity that you were not there but though you were not Christine's mother and sisters were and what's more they danced with the others though I believe they would rather have danced upon pins and needles never mind said they we still have the apple of contentment at home though we cannot taste of it but no they had nothing of the kind the next morning it stood before the young queen Christine's window just as it had at her old home for it belonged to her and no one else in all of the world that was lucky for the king for he needed a taste of it now and then as much as anybody else and no one could pluck it for him but Christine now that's all there is of this story what does it mean can you not see Pratt rub your spectacles and look again the end end of the apple of contentment the star child by Oscar Wilde this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org the star child once upon a time two poor woodcutters were making their way home through a great pine forest it was winter and a night of bitter cold the snow lay thick upon the ground and upon the branches of the trees the frost kept snapping the little twigs on either side of them as they passed and when they came to the mountain torrent she was hanging motionless in air for the ice king had kissed her so cold was it that even the animals and the birds did not know what to make of it uh snarl the wolf as he limped through the brushwood with his tail between his legs this is perfectly monstrous weather why doesn't the government look to it we we we twitter the green linets the old earth is dead and they have laid her out in her white shroud the earth is going to be married and this is her bridal dress we spread the turtledoves to each other their little pink feet were quite frostbitten but they felt that it was their duty to take a romantic view of the situation nonsense growl the wolf i tell you that it is all the fault of the government and if you don't believe me i shall eat you the wolf had a thoroughly practical mind and was never at a loss for a good argument well for my own part said the woodpecker who was a born philosopher i don't care an atomic theory for explanations if a thing is so it is so and at present it is terribly cold terribly cold it certainly was the little squirrels who lived inside the tall fir tree kept rubbing each other's noses to keep themselves warm and the rabbits curled themselves up in their holes and did not venture even to look out of doors the only people who seemed to enjoy it were the great hornet owls their feathers were quite stiff with brine but they did not mind and they rolled their large yellow eyes and called to each other across the forest to it to who to it to who what a delightful weather we are having on and on went the two woodcutters blowing lustily upon their fingers and stamping with their huge iron shot boots upon the caked snow once they sank into a deep drift and came out as white as millers are when the stones are grinding and once they slipped on the hard smooth ice where the marsh water was frozen and their faggots fell out of their bundles and they had to pick them up and bind them together again and once they thought that they had lost their way and the great terror seized on them for they knew that the snow is cruel to those who sleep in their arms but they put their trust in the good saint martin who watches overall travelers and retrace their steps and went warily and at last they reached the outskirts of the forest and saw far down in the valley beneath them the lights of the village in which they dwelt so overjoyed were they at their deliverance that they laughed aloud and the earth seemed to them like a flower of silver and the moon like a flower of gold yet after that they had laughed they became sad for they remembered their poverty and one of them said to the other why did we make merry seeing that life is for the rich and not for such as we are better that we had died of cold in the forest or that some wild beast had fallen upon us in slainess truly answered his companion much is given to some and little is given to others injustice has parceled out the world nor is there equal division of odds saved for sorrow but as they were bewailing their misery to each other this strange thing happened there fell from heaven a very bright and beautiful star it slipped down the side of the sky passing by the other stars in its course and as they watched it wandering it seemed to them to sink behind a clump of willow trees that stood hard by a little sheet fold no more than a stone's throw away why there is a crock of gold for whoever finds it they cried and they said to and ran so eager were they for the gold and one of them ran faster than his mate and out stripped him and forced his way through the willows and came out on the other side and low there was indeed a thing of gold lying on the white snow so he hastened towards it and stooping down placed his hands upon it and it was a cloak of golden tissue curiously wrought with stars and wrapped in many folds and he cried out to his comrade that he had found the treasure that had fallen from the sky and when his comrade had come up they sat them down in the snow and loosened the folds of the cloak that they might divide the pieces of gold but alas no gold was in it nor silver nor indeed treasure of any kind but only a little child who was asleep and one of them said to the other this is a bitter ending to our hope nor have we any good fortune for what does the child profit to a man let us leave it here and go our way seeing that we are poor men and have children of our own whose bread we may not give to another but his companion answered him nay but it were an evil thing to leave the child to perish here in the snow and though I am as poor as thou art and have many mouths to feed and but little in the pot yet will I bring it home with me and my wife shall have care of it so very tenderly he took up the child and wrapped the cloak around it to shield it from the harsh cold and made his way down the hill to the village his comrade marveling much at his foolishness and softness of heart and when they came to the village his comrade said to him thou hast the child therefore give me the cloak for it is meat that we should share but he answered him nay for the cloak is neither mine nor thine but the child's only and he bade him godspeed and went to his own house and knocked and when his wife opened the door and saw that her husband had returned safe to her she put her arms round his neck and kissed him and took from his back the bundle of faggots and brushed the snow off his boots and bade him come in but he said to her I have found something in the forest and I have brought it to thee to have care of it and his third knot from the threshold what is it she cried show it to me for the house is bare and we have need of many things and he drew the cloak back and showed her the sleeping child a luck good man she murmured have we not children enough of our own that thou must need spring a changeling to sit by the hearth and who knows if it will not bring us bad fortune and how shall we tend it and she was wroth against him nay but it is a star child he answered and he told her the strange manner of the finding of it but she would not be appeased but mocked at him and spoke angrily and cried our children lack bread and shall we feed the child of another who is there who careeth for us and who give us this food nay but God careeth for the sparrows even and feedeth them he answered do not the sparrows die of hunger in the winter she asked and is it not winter now and the man answered nothing but stirred not from the threshold and a bitter wind from the forest came in through the open door and made her tremble and she shivered and said to him will thou not close the door there cometh a bitter wind into the house and i am cold into a house where a heart is hard cometh there not always a bitter wind he asked and the woman answered him nothing but crept closer to the fire and after a time she turned round and looked at him and her eyes were full of tears and he came in swiftly and placed the child in her arms and she kissed it and laid it in a little bed where the youngest of their own children was lying and on the morrow the woodcutter took the curious cloak of gold and placed it in a great chest and a chain of amber that was round the child's neck his wife took and set it in the chest also so the star child was brought up with the children of the woodcutter and sat at the same board with them and was their playmate and every year he became more beautiful to look at so that all those who dwelt in the village were filled with wonder for while they were swarthy and black haired he was white and delicate as sawn ivory and his curls were like the rings of the daffodil his lips also were like the petals of a red flower and his eyes were like violets by a river of pure water and his body like the narcissus of a field where the mower comes not yet did his beauty work him evil for he grew proud and cruel and selfish the children of the woodcutter and the other children of the village he despised saying that they were of mean parentage while he was noble being sprung from a star and he made himself master over them and called them his servants no pity had he for the poor or for those who were blind or mained or in any way afflicted but would cast stones at them and drive them forth on to the highway and bid them to beg their bread elsewhere so that none say the outlaws came twice to that village to ask for arms indeed he was as one enamored of beauty and would mock at the weekly and ill-favoured and make jest of them and himself he loved and in summer when the winds were still he would lie by the well in the priests orchard and look down at the marvel of his own face and laugh for the pleasure he had in his fairness often did the woodcutter and his wife chide him and say we did not deal with thee as thou dealest with those who are left desolate and have none to succour them wherefore art thou so cruel to all who need pity often did the old priest send for him and seek to teach him the love of living things saying to him the fly is thy brother do it no harm the wild birds that roam through the forest have their freedom snare them not for thy pleasure god made the blind worm and the mole and each has its place who are thou to bring pain into god's world even the cattle of the field praise him but the star child he did not their words but would frown and flout and go back to his companions and lead them and his companions followed him for he was fair and fleet of foot and could dance and pipe and make music and wherever the star child led them they followed and whatever the star child made them do that did they and when he pierced with a sharp read the dim eyes of the mole they laughed and when he cast stones at the leper they laughed also and in all things he ruled them and they became hard of heart even as he was now their past one day through the village a poor beggar woman her garments were torn and ragged and her feet were bleeding from the rough road on which she had traveled and she was in very evil plight and being weary she sat her down under a chestnut tree to rest but when the star child saw her he said to his companion see this is the foul beggar woman under the fair and green lead tree come let us drive her hence for she's ugly and ill-favoured so he came near and threw stones at her and mocked her and she looked at him with terror in her eyes nor did she move her gaze from him and when the woodcutter who was cleaving logs in a haggard hard buy saw what the star child was doing he ran up and rebuked him and said to him surely thou art heart of heart and knowest not mercy for what evil has this poor woman done to thee that thou should street her in this wise and the star child grew red with anger and stamped his foot upon the ground and said who art thou to question me what I do I am no son of thine to do thy bidding though speakers truly answered the woodcutter yet did I show thee pity when I found thee in the forest and when the woman had these words she gave a loud cry and fell into a swoon and the woodcutter carried her to his own house and his wife had care of her and when she rose up from the swoon into which she had fallen they set meat and drink before her and bade her have comfort but she would neither eat nor drink but said to the woodcutter does thou not say that the child was found in the forest and was it not ten years from this day and the woodcutter answered yeah it was in the forest that I found him and it is ten years from this day and what signs does thou find with him she cried there he not upon his neck a chain of amber was not round him a cloak of gold tissue broided with stars truly answered the woodcutter it was even as thou sayest and he took the cloak and the amber chain from the chest where they lay and show them to her and when she saw them she wept for joy and said he's my little son whom I lost in the forest I pray thee send for him quickly for in search of him have I wandered over the whole world so the woodcutter and his wife went out and called to the star child and said to him go into the house and there shall thou find thy mother who is waiting for thee so he ran in filled with wonder and great gladness but when he saw her who was waiting there he laughed scornfully and said why where is my mother for I see none here but this vile beggar woman and the woman answered him I am thy mother thou art mad to say so cried the star child angrily I am no son of thine for thou art a beggar and ugly and in rags therefore get thee hence and let me see thy foul face no more nay but thou art indeed my little son whom I bear in the forest she cried and she fell on her knees and held out her arms to him the robber stole thee from me and left thee to die she murmured but I recognized thee when I saw thee and the signs also have I recognized the cloak of golden tissue and the amber chain therefore I pray thee come with me for over the whole world have I wandered in search of thee come with me my son for I have need of thy love but the star child stirred not from his place but shut the doors of his heart against her nor was there any sound heard save the sound of the woman weeping for pain and at last he spoke to her and his voice was hard and bitter if in very truth thou art my mother he said it had been better had thou stayed away and not come here to bring me to shame seeing that I thought I was the child of some star and not a beggar's child as thou tellest me that I am therefore get thee hence and let me see thee no more alas my son she cried will thou not kiss me before I go for I have suffered much to find thee nay said the star child but thou are too foul to look at and rather would I kiss the adder or the toad than thee so the woman rose up and went away into the forest weeping bitterly and when the star child saw that she had gone he was glad and ran back to his playmates that he might play with them but when they beheld in coming they mocked him and said why thou art as foul as the toad and as loathsome as the adder get thee hence for we will not suffer thee to play with us and they drave him out of the garden and the star child frowned and said to himself what is this that they say to me I will go to the well of water and look into it and it shall tell me of my beauty so he went to the well of water and looked into it and lo his face was as the face of a toad and his body was scaled like an adder and he flung himself down on the grass and wept and said to himself surely this has come upon me by reason of my sin for I have denied my mother and driven her away and been proud and cruel to her wherefore I will go and seek her through the whole world nor will I rest till I have found her and there came to him the little daughter of the woodcutter and she put her hand upon his shoulder and said what does it matter if thou hast lost thy comeliness stay with us and I will not mock at thee and he said to her nay but I have been cruel to my mother and as a punishment has this evil been sent to me wherefore I must go hence and wander through the world till I find her and she give me forgiveness so he ran away into the forest and called out his mother to come to him but there was no answer all day long he called to her and when the sun set he lay down to sleep on a bed of leaves and the birds and the animals fled from him for they remembered his cruelty and he was alone safe for the toad that watched him and the slow adder that crawled past and in the morning he rose up and plucked some bitter berries from the trees and ate them and took his way through the great wood weeping sorely and of everything that he met he made inquiry but chance they had seen his mother he said to the mole thou canst go beneath the earth tell me is my mother there and the mole answered thou has blinded my eyes how should I know he said to the linnet thou canst fly over the tops of the tall trees and can see the whole world tell me canst thou see my mother and the linnet answered thou has slipped my wings for thy pleasure how should I fly and to the little squirrel who lived in the fir tree and was lonely he said where is my mother and the squirrel answered thou has slayed mine does thou seek to slay thine also and the star child wept and bowed his head and prayed forgiveness of god's things and went on through the forest seeking for the beggar woman and on the third day he came to the other side of the forest and went down into the plain and when he passed through the villages the children mocked him and threw stones at him and the carless would not suffer him even to sleep in the buyers lest he might bring mildew on the stored corn so foul was he to look at and their hired men drove him away and there was none who had pity on him nor could he hear anywhere of the beggar woman who was his mother though for the space of three years he wandered over the world and often seemed to see her on the road in front of him and would call to her and run after her till the sharp flints made his feet to bleed but overtake her he could not and those who dwelt by the way did ever deny that they had seen her or any light to her and they made sport of his sorrow for the space of three years he wandered over the world and in the world there was neither love nor loving kindness nor charity for him but it was even such a world as he had made for himself in the days of his great pride and one evening he came to the gate of a strong walled city that stood by a river and weary and foot sore though he was he made to enter in but the soldiers who stood on guard dropped their halberts across the entrance and said roughly to him what is thy business in the city i am seeking for my mother he answered and i pray you to suffer me to pass for it may be that she is in the city but they mocked at him and one of them wagged a black beard and sat down his shield and cried of a truth my mother will not be merry when she sees thee for thou art more ill-favoured than the toad of the marsh or the adder that crawls in fen get be gone get be gone thy mother dwells not in the city and another who held a yellow banner in his hand said to him who is thy mother and wherefore out though seeking for her and he answered my mother is a beggar even as i am and i have treated her evilly and i pray you to suffer me to pass that she may give me her forgiveness if it be that she tarried in the city but they would not and pricked him with their spears and as he turned away weeping one whose armor was inlaid with gilt flowers and on whose helmet crouched a lion that had wings came up and made inquiry of the soldiers who it was who had sought entrance and they said to him it is a beggar and the child of a beggar and we have driven him away nay he cried laughing but we will sell the foul thing for a slave and his price shall be the price of a bowl of sweet wine and an old and evil visage man who was passing by called out and said i will buy him for that price and when he had paid the prince he took the star child by one hand and led him into the city and after that they had gone through many streets they came to a little door that was set in a wall that was covered with a pomegranate tree and the old man touched the door with a ring of grave jasper and it opened and they went down five steps of brass into a garden filled with black poppies and green jars of burnt clay the old man took then from his turban a scarf of figured silk and bound with it the eyes of the star child and drove him in front of him and when the scarf was taken off his eyes the star child found himself in a dungeon that was lit by a lantern of horn and the old man said before him some moldy bread on a trencher and said eat and some brackish water in a cup and said drink and when he had eaten and drunk the old man went out locking the door behind him and fastening it with an iron chain and on the morrow the old man who was indeed the subtlest of the magicians of libya and had learned his art from one who dwelt in the tombs of the Nile came into him and frowned at him and said in a wood that is nighty the gate of the city of there are three pieces of gold one is of white gold and another is of yellow gold and the gold of the third one is red today thou shall bring me the piece of white gold and if thou bring us it not back i will beat thee with a hundred stripes get thee away quickly and at sunset i will be waiting for thee at the door of the garden see that thou bring us the white gold or it shall go ill with thee for thou art my slave and i have bought thee for the price of a bowl of sweet wine and he bound the eyes of the star child with a scarf of figured silk and led him through the house and through the garden of poppies and up the five steps of brass and having opened the little door with this ring he set him in the street and the star child went out of the gate of the city and came to the wood of which the magician had spoken to him now this wood was very fair to look at from without and seemed full of singing birds and of sweet scented flowers and the star child entered it gladly yet did its beauty profit him little for wherever he went harsh briars and thorns shot up from the ground and encompassed him and evil nettles stung him and the sizzle pierced him with her daggers so that he was in sore distress nor could he anywhere find the piece of white gold of which the magician had spoken though he sought for it from morn to noon and from noon to sunset and at sunset he set his face towards home weeping bitterly for he knew what fate was in store for him but when he had reached the outskirts of the wood he heard from a thicket a cry as of someone in pain and forgetting his own sorrow he ran back to the place and saw there a little hair caught in a trap that some hunter had said for it and the star child had pity on it and released it and said to it I am myself but a slave yet may I give thee thy freedom and the hair answered him and said surely thou has given me freedom and what shall I give thee in return and the star child said to it I am seeking for a piece of white gold nor can I anywhere find it and if I bring it not to my master he will beat me come thou with me said the hair and I will lead thee to it for I know where it is hidden and for what purpose so the star child went with the hair and lo in the cleft of a great oak tree he saw the piece of white gold that he was seeking and he was filled with joy and seized it and said to the hair the service that I did to thee thou has rendered back again many times over and the kindness that I showed thee thou has repaid a hundred fold nay answered the hair but as thou dealt with me so I did deal with thee and it ran away swiftly and the star child went towards the city now at the gate of the city there was seated one who was a leper over his face hung a cowl of gray linen and through the eye let his eyes gleamed like red coals and when he saw the star child coming his truck upon a wooden bowl and clattered his bell and called out to him and said give me a piece of money or I must die of hunger for they have thrust me out of the city and there is no one who has pity on me alas cried the star child I have put one piece of money in my wallet and if I bring it not to my master he will beat me for I am his slave but the leperine treated him and prayed of him till the star child had pity and gave him the piece of white gold and when he came to the magician's house the magician opened to him and brought him in and said to him has thou the piece of white gold and the star child answered I have it not so the magician fell upon him and beat him and set him before an empty trencher and said eat and an empty cup and said drink and flung him again into the dungeon and on the morrow the magician came to him and said if today thou bringest me not the piece of yellow gold I will surely keep thee as my slave and give thee three hundred stripes so the star child went to the wood and all day long he searched for the piece of yellow gold but nowhere could he find it and at sunset he sat him down and began to weep and as he was weeping there came to him that little hair that he had rescued from the trap and the hair said to him why are thou weeping and what does thou seek in the wood and the star child answered I am seeking for a piece of yellow gold that is hidden here and if I find it not my master will beat me and keep me as a slave follow me cried the hair and it ran through the wood till it came to a pool of water and at the bottom of the pool the piece of yellow gold was lying how shall I thank thee said the star child fellow this is the second time that you have secured me nay but thou had pity on me first said the hair and it ran away swiftly and the star child took the piece of yellow gold and put it in his wallet and hurried to the city but the leper saw him coming and ran to meet him and knelt down and cried give me a piece of money or I shall die of hunger and the star child said to him I have in my wallet but one piece of yellow gold and if I bring it not to my master he will beat me and keep me as a slave but the leper entreated him so that the star child had pity on him and gave him the piece of yellow gold and when he came to the magician's house the magician opened to him and brought him in and said to him has thou the piece of yellow gold and the star child said to him I have not so the magician fell upon him and beat him and loaded him with chains and cast him again into the dungeon and on the morrow the magician came to him and said if today thou bringest me the piece of red gold I will set thee free but if thou bringest it not I will surely slay thee so the star child went to the wood and all day long he searched for the piece of red gold but nowhere could he find it and at evening he sat him down and wept and as he was weeping there came to him the little hair and the hair said to him the piece of red gold that thou seekest is in the cavern that is behind thee therefore weep no more but be glad how shall I reward thee cried the star child for though this is the third time thou hast secured me nay but thou hast pity on me first said the hair and it ran away swiftly and the star child entered the cavern and in its farthest corner he found the piece of red gold so he put in his wallet and hurried to the city and the leper seeing him coming stood in the center of the road and cried out and said to him give me the piece of red money or I must die and the star child had pity on him again and gave him the piece of red gold saying thy need is greater than mine yet his heart was heavy for he knew what evil fate awaited him but lo as he passed through the gate of the city the guards bowed down and made a basins to him saying how beautiful is our lord and a crowd of citizens followed him and cried out surely there is none so beautiful in the whole world so that the star child wept and said to himself they are mocking me and making light of my misery and so large was the concourse of the people that he lost the threads of his way and found himself at last in a great square in which there was a palace of a king and the gate of the palace opened and the priests and the high officers of the city ran forth to meet him and they abased themselves before him and said thou art our lord for whom we have been waiting and the son of our king and the star child answered them and said I am no king's son but the child of a poor beggar woman and how say ye that I am beautiful for I know that I am evil to look at then he whose armor was inlaid with gilt flowers and on whose helmet crouched a line that had wings held up a shield and cried how saith my lord that he is not beautiful and the star child looked and lo his face was even as it had been and his comeliness had come back to him and he saw that in his eyes which he had not seen there before and the priests and the high officers knelt down and said to him it was prophesied of old that on this day should come he who was to rule over us therefore let our lord take this crown and this scepter and be in his justice and mercy our king over us but he said to them I am not worthy for I have denied the mother who bear me nor may I rest till I have found her and known her forgiveness therefore let me go for I must wander again over the world and may not tarry here though ye bring me the crown and the scepter and as he spake he turned his face from them towards the street that led to the gate of the city and lo amongst the crowd that pressed round the soldiers he saw the beggar woman who was his mother and at her side stood the leper who had sat by the road and a cry of joy broke from his lips and he ran over and kneeling down he kissed the wounds on his mother's feet and wet them with his tears he bowed his head in the dust and sobbing as one whose heart might break he said to her mother I denied thee in the hour of my pride accept me in the hour of my humility mother I gave thee hatred do thou give me love mother I rejected thee received thy child now but the beggar woman answered him not a word and he reached out his hands and clasped the wide feet of the leper and said to him thrice did I give thee of my mercy bid my mother speak to me once but the leper answered him not a word and he sobbed again and said mother my suffering is greater than I can bear give me thy forgiveness and let me go back to the forest and the beggar woman put her hand on his head and said to him rise and the leper put his hand on his head and said to him rise also and he rose up from his feet and looked at them and lo they were a king and a queen and the queen said to him this is thy father whom thou hast succoured and the king said this is thy mother whose feet thou hast washed with thy tears and they fell on his neck and kissed him and brought him into the palace and clothed him in fair raiment and set the crown upon his head and the scepter in his hand and over the city that stood by the river he ruled and was its lord much justice and mercy did he show to all and the evil magician he banished and to the wood cutter and his wife he sent many rich gifts and to their children he gave high honor nor would he suffer any to be cruel to bird or beast but taught love and loving kindness and charity and to the poor he gave bread and to the naked he gave raiment and there was peace and plenty in the land yet ruled he not long so great had been his suffering and so bitter the fire of his testing for after the space of three years he died and he who came after him ruled evilly here ends the star child by oscar wild the little red cat by jacob grimm and wilhelm grimm this is a livervox recording all livervox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit livervox.org little red cat many years ago there lived a dear little girl who was beloved by everyone who knew her but her grandmother was so very fond of her that she never felt she could think and do enough to please her dear granddaughter and she presented this little girl with a red silk cap which suited her so well that she would never wear anything else and was so called little red cap one day red cat's mother said to her come red cat here is a nice piece of meat and a bottle of wine take these to your grandmother she is weak and ailing and they will do her good be there before she gets up go quietly and carefully the grandmother lived far away in the wood a long walk from the village and as little red cat came among the trees she met a wolf but she did not know what a wicked animal it was and so she was not frightened at all good morning little red cat he said thank you mr. wolf she said where are you going so early little red cat to my grandmother she answered and what are you carrying in that basket some wine and meat she replied we baked them yesterday so that grandmother who is very weak might have a nice strengthening meal and where does your grandmother live asked the wolf oh 20 minutes walk further in the forest the cost stands under three great oak trees and close by are some nut berries bushes by which you will at once know it the wolf was thinking to himself she is a nice tender thing and will taste better than the old woman i must act cleverly that i may make a meal of both presently he came up again to little red cap and said just look at the beautiful flowers which grow around you why do you not look about you i believe you don't hear how sweetly the birds are singing you walk as if you are going to see how cheerful everything is about you in the forest and little red cap opened her eyes and when she saw how the sunbeams glanced and danced through the trees and what bright flowers were blooming in her path she thought if i take my grandmother at fresh nose gay she may be very much pleased and it is so very early that i can even then get there in good time running into the forest she looked about for flowers but when she had once begun she did not know how to leave off and kept going deeper and deeper amongst the trees looking for some still more beautiful flower the wolf however ran straight to the house of the old grandmother and knocked at the door who's there as the old lady only little red cap bringing you some meat and wine please open the door and so the wolf lift up the latch cried the grandmother i am much too ill to get up myself so the wolf lifted the latch and the door flew open and without a word he jumped on to the bed and gobbled up the poor old lady then he put on her clothes and tied her nightcap over his head got into bed and drew the blankets over him all this time red cap was gathering flowers and when she had picked so many as she could carry she thought of her grandmother and hurried to the cottage she wondered greatly to find the door open and when she got into the room she began to feel very ill and explain how sad i feel i wish i had not come today then she said good morning but received no reply so she went up to bed and drew back the curtains and there lay her grandmother as she imagined with the cap drawn half over her eyes and looking very fierce oh grandmother what great ears you have she said all the better to hear you with was the reply and what great eyes you have all the better to see you with and what great hands you have all the better to touch you with the grandmother what very great teeth you have all the better to eat you with and hardly were the words spoken when the wolf made a jump out of bed and swallowed up poor little red cap also as soon as the wolf had thus satisfied his hunger he laid himself down again on the bed and went to sleep and snored very loudly a husband passing by overheard him and said how loudly that old woman snores i must see if anything is the matter so he went into the cottage and when he came to the bed he saw the wolf sleeping in it what are you here you old rascal i have been looking for you he explained and taking up his gun he shot the old wolf through the head but it is also said the story ends in a different manner for that one day when red cap was taking some presents to her grandmother a wolf met her and wanted to mislead her but she went straight on and told her grandmother that she had met a wolf who had said good day and who looked so hungrily out of his great eyes as if he would have eaten her up had she not been on the high road so her grandmother said we will shut the door and then he cannot get in soon after up came the wolf who tapped and explained I am little red cap grandmother I have some roast meat for you but they kept quiet quiet and did not open the door so the wolf after looking several times around the house at last jumped on the roof thinking to wait till red cap went home in the evening and then to creep after her and eat her in the darkness the old woman however saw what the villain intended there stood before the door a large stone trough and she said to little red cap take this bucket dear yesterday I boiled some meat in this water and now pour it into the stone trough then the wolf sniffed the smell of the meat and his mouth watered he wished very much to taste at last he stretched his neck too far over so that he lost his balance and fell down the roof right into the great trough below and there he was drowned end of little red cap the first Puritan Christmas tree by Anonymous this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org the first Puritan Christmas tree Anonymous this is all caught called her boys and bade them go to the pine woods and get the finest hansomish young hemlock trees that they could find get one that is straight and tall with well-bowed branches on it and put it where you can draw it under the woodshed after dark she added the boys went to Pine Hill and there they picked out the finest young tree on all the hill and said we'll take this one so with their hatchets they hewed it down and bought it safely home the next night when all was dark and when Roger was quietly sleeping in the adjoining room they dragged the tree into the kitchen it was too tall so they took it out again and cut it off two or three feet at the base then they propped it up and the curtains being down over the windows and blankets being fastened over the curtains to prevent anyone looking in and the door being doubly barred to prevent anyone coming in they all went to bed very early the next morning while the stars shone on the snow-covered hills the same stars that shone 1600 years before on the hills where Christ was born in Bethlehem the little Puritan mother in New England arose very softly she went out and lit the kitchen fire anew from the ash-covered embers she fastened upon the twigs of the tree the gift she had bought in boston for her boys and girl then she took as many as 20 pieces of candle and fixed them upon the branches after that she softly called Rupert, Robert and Lucy and told them to get up and come into the kitchen hurrying back she began with a bit of burning stick to light the candles just as the last one was set aflame in Troop the three children before they had time to say a word they were silenced by their mother's warning I wish to fetch Roger in and wake him up before it she said keep still till I come back the little land fast asleep was lifted in a blanket and gently carried by his mother into the beautiful presence see Roger my boy see she said arousing him it is Christmas morning now in England they only have Christmas bells but here in New England we have a whole Christmas tree oh mother he cried oh Lucy is it really really true and no dream at all yes I see I see your mother it is so beautiful for all the trees on all the hills lighted up that way when Christ was born and mother he added clapping his little hands with joy at the thought why yes the stars did sing when Christ was born they must be glad then and keep Christmas too in heaven I know they must and there will be good times there yes it is mother there will be good times there Roger then said the boy I shan't mind going now I've seen the Christmas bell I what is that mother what was it that they heard the little alcohol had never before seemed to tremble so there were taps at the window there were knocks at the door and it was as yet scarcely the break of day there were voices also shouting something to somebody shall I put out the candles mother whispered Robert what will they do for us for having the tree I wish we hadn't had it regretted Rupert while Lucy clung through her mother's gown and shrieked with all her strength it's Indians pale and white and still ready to meet her fate stood Mrs. Olcott until out of the knocking at the tapping at the door her heart caught a sound it was a voice calling Rachel Rachel Rachel and bar the door she cried back to her boys that your father calling down came the blankets up went the curtain open through the door in in-walt the captain Olcott surrounded by every man and woman in Plymouth who had heard at the break of day the glorious news that the expected ship had arrived at Boston and with it the long-lost captain Olcott for an instant nothing was thought of except the joyous welcoming of the captain in his new home what's this what is it what does it mean was asked again and again when the first excitement was passed as the tall young pines through the loft its candles ablaze its gifts still hanging it's a welcome home to father said Lucy her only thought being to screen her mother no child no sternly spoke Mrs. Olcott tell the truth it's a Christmas tree faltered poor Lucy one and another and another pilgrims and Puritans all drew near with faces stern and forbidding and gazed and gazed until one and another and yet another softened slowly into a smile as little Rodgers piping voice sung out she made it for me mother did but you may have it now and all the pretty things that are on it too because you've bought my father back again if mother will let you he had it neither pilgrim or Puritan found at the gift one man the sternest there broke off a little twig and said I'll take it for the sake of the good old times at home end of story the story of the little old woman who lived in a shoe by Meg Loughlin Brosani this is a Libervox recording all Libervox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit Libervox.org the little old woman who lived in a shoe by Meg Loughlin Brosani once upon a time there was a little old woman who lived in a shoe this shoe stood near a great forest and was so large that it served as a house for the old lady and all her children of which she had so many that in the words of the old nursery ballad she did not know what to do with them but the little old woman was very fond of her children and they only thought of the best way to please her strong arm the eldest cut down trees for the firewood Peter made baskets of wicker work mark was chief gardener Lizzie milk the cow and Jenny taught the younger children to read now this little old woman had not always lived in a shoe she and her family had once dwelt in a nice house covered with ivy and her husband was a woodcutter like strong arm but there lived in a huge castle beyond the forest a fierce giant who one day when fortunately they were all away from home came and laid their house in ruins with his club after which he went into the forest and seeing the father at work he in a voice which sounded like thunder among the trees asked him what he did there the poor man was dumb with terror and his knees shook and trembled the giant said he wanted a man to cut wood for the trees in his castle and upon this he sees the wood color by the waist and carried him off to his castle beyond the forest when the little old woman came home her house was in ruins and her husband was nowhere to be seen night came on and as the father did not return the old lady and her family went to search for him when they came to that part of the wood where the giant had met their father they saw an immense shoe they spent a long time weeping and calling out for their father but met with no reply then the old lady thought that they had better take shelter in the shoe until they could build a new house so peter and strong arm put a roof to it and cut a door and turned it into a dwelling here they all lived happily for many years but the little old lady never forgot her husband and his sad fate strong arm who saw how wretched his mother often was about it proposed to the next eleven brothers that they should go with him and set their father free from the giant their mother knew the giant's strength and would not hear of the attempt as she feared they would be killed but strong arm was not afraid he bought a dozen sharp swords and peter made as many strong shields and helmets as well as crossbows and iron-headed arrows they were now quite ready strong arm gave the order to march and they started for the forest the next day they came in sight of the giant's castle strong arm leaving his brothers in a wood close by strode boldly up to the entrance and seize the knocker the door was opened by a funny little boy with a large head who kept grinning and laughing strong arm then walked boldly across the courtyard and presently met a page who took off his hat and asked him what he wanted strong arm said he had come to liberate his father who was kept a prisoner by the giant on this the little man said he was sorry for him because the part of the castle in which his father was kept and guarded by a large dragon strong arm nothing daunted soon found the monster who was fast asleep so he made short work of him by sending his sword right through his heart at which he jumped up uttering a loud scream and made as if he would spring forward and see strong arm but the good sword had done its work and the monster fell heavily on the ground dead now the giant who had been drinking much wine was fast asleep in a remote part of the castle strong arm had no sooner finished the dragon than ups started the funny little boy who had opened the door he let strong arm round to another part of the courtyard where he saw his poor father who at once sprung to his feet and embraced him then strong arm called up his brothers and when they had embraced their father they soon broke his chain and set him free we must now return to the little old woman after her son had started she gave way the most bitter grief while she was in the state an old witch came up to her and said she would help her as she hated the giant and wished to kill him the old witch then took the little old lady on her broom and they sailed off through the air straight to the giant's castle now this old witch had great power and at once afflicted the giant with corns and tender feet when he awoke from his sleep he was in such pain that he could bear it no longer so he thought it would go in search of his missing shoe which like the other one he had in his castle was easy and large for his foot when he came to the spot where the old lady and her children lived he saw his old shoe and with a laugh that shook the trees he thrust his foot into it breaking through the roof that strong arm and peter had put to it the children in great alarm rushed about it inside the shoe and frightened and trembling scrambled through the door and the slits which the giant had formerly made for his corners by the time the witch and the little old lady as also strong arm his eleven brothers and his father were come up to the spot strong arm and his brothers shot their arrows at him until at last he fell wounded when strong arm went up to him and cut off his head then the father and the little old woman and all their children built a new house and lived happily ever afterwards end of the little old woman who lived in a shoe recording by chris karan ham lake minnesota snow white by the brother's grin translated by lucy crane this is a leber vox recording all leber vox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit leber vox.org recording by savannah herald snow white by the brother's grin it was the middle of winter and the snowflakes were falling like feathers from the sky and a queen sat at her window working and her embroidery frame was of ebony and as she worked gazing at times out on the snow she pricked her finger and there fell from it three drops of blood on the snow and when she saw how bright and red it looked she said to herself oh that i had a child as white as snow as red as blood and as black as the wood of the embroidery frame not very long after she had a daughter with a skin as white as snow lips as red as blood and hair as black as ebony and she was named snow white and when she was born the queen died after a year had gone by the king took another wife a beautiful woman but proud and overbearing and she could not bear to be surpassed in beauty by anyone she had a magic looking glass and she used to stand before it and look in it and say looking glass upon the wall who is fairest of us all and the looking glass would answer you are fairest of them all and she was contented for she knew that the looking glass spoke the truth now snow white was growing prettier and prettier and when she was seven years old she was as beautiful as day far more so than the queen herself so one day when the queen went to her mirror and said looking glass upon the wall who is fairest of us all it answered queen you are full fair tis true but snow white fairer is than you this gave the queen a great shock and she became yellow and green with envy and from that hour her heart turned against snow white and she hated her and envy and pride like ill weeds grew in her heart higher every day till she had no peace day or night at last she sent for a huntsman and said take the child out into the woods so that i may set eyes on her no more you must put her to death and bring me her heart for a token the huntsman consented and led her away but when he drew his cutlass to pierce snow white's innocent heart she began to weep and to say oh dear huntsman do not take my life i will go away into the wild wood and never come home again and as she was so lovely the huntsman had pity on her and said away with you poor child for he thought the wild animals would be sure to devour her and it was if a stone had been rolled away from his heart when he spared to put her to death just at that moment a young wild boar came running by so he caught and killed it and taking out its heart he brought it to the queen for a token and it was salted and cooked and the wicked woman ate it up thinking that there was an end of snow white now when the poor child found herself quite alone in the wild woods she felt full of terror even of the very leaves on the trees and she did not know what to do for fright then she began to run over the sharp stones and through the thorn bushes and the wild beasts after her but they did her no harm she ran as long as her feet would carry her and when the evening drew near she came to a little house and she went inside to rest everything there was very small but as pretty and clean as possible there stood the little table ready laid and covered with a white cloth and seven little plates and seven knives and forks and drinking cups by the wall stood seven little beds side by side covered with clean white quilts snow white being very hungry and thirsty ate from each plate a little porridge and bread and drank out of each little cup a drop of wine so as not to finish up one portion alone after that she felt so tired that she lay down on one of the bed but it did not seem to suit her one was too long another too short but it last the seventh was quite right so she lay down upon it committed herself to heaven and fell asleep when it was quite dark the masters of the house came home they were seven dwarfs whose occupation was to dig underground among the mountains when they had lighted their seven candles and it was quite light in the little house they saw that someone must have been in as everything was not in the same order in which they left it the first said who has been sitting in my little chair the second said who has been eating from my little plate the third said who has been taking my little loaf the fourth said who has been tasting my porridge the fifth said who has been using my little fork the sixth said who has been cutting with my little knife the seventh said who has been drinking from my little cup then the first one looking round saw a hollow in his bed and cried he was been lying on my bed and the others came running and cried someone has been on our beds too but when the seventh looked at his bed he saw a little snow white lying there asleep then he told the others who came running up crying out in their astonishment and holding up their seven little candles to throw a light upon snow white oh goodness oh gracious they cried what beautiful child is this and were all so full of joy to see her that they did not wake her but let her sleep on and the seventh dwarf slept with his comrades an hour at a time with each until the night had passed when it was morning and snow white awoke and saw the seven dwarves she was very frightened but they seemed quite friendly and asked her what her name was and she told them and then they asked how she came to be in their house and she related to them how her stepmother had wished her to be put to death and how the huntsman had spared her life and how she had run the whole day long until at last she had found their little house then the dwarves said if you will keep our house for us and cook and wash and make the beds and sew and knit and keep everything tidy and clean you may stay with us and you shall lack nothing with all my heart said snow white and so she stayed and kept the house in good order in the morning the dwarves went to the mountains to dig for gold in the evening they came home and their supper had to be ready for them all the day long the maiden was left alone and the good little dwarves warned her saying beware of your stepmother she will soon know you're here let no one into the house now the queen having eaten snow white's heart as she supposed felt quite sure that now she was the first and fairest and so she came to her mirror and said looking glass upon the wall who is fairest of us all and then the glass said queen thou art of beauty rare but snow white living in the glen with the southern little men is a thousand times more fair then she was very angry for the glass always spoke the truth and she knew that the huntsman must have deceived her and that snow white must still be living and she thought and thought how she could manage to make an end of her for as long as she was not the fairest in the land in the left her no rest at last she thought of a plan she painted her face and dressed herself like an old petler woman so that no one would have known her in this disguise she went across the seven mountains until she came to the house of the seven little men and knocked at the door and cried fine where's the cell fine where's the cell snow white peeped out of the window and cried good day good woman what have you to sell good where's fine where's answered she laces of all colors and then she held up a piece that was woven of variegated silk i need not be afraid of letting in this good woman thought snow white and she unbarned the door and bought the pretty lace what a figure you are child said the old woman come and let me lace you properly for once snow white suspecting nothing stood up before her and let her lace her with the new lace but the old woman laced so quick and tight that it took snow white's breath away and she fell down as dead now you have done with being the fairest said the old woman as she hastened away not long after that towards evening the seven dwarfs came home and were terrified to see their dear snow white lying on the ground without life or motion they raised her up and when they saw how tightly she was laced they cut the lace into and she began to draw breath and little by little she returned to life when the dwarfs heard what had happened they said the old peddler woman was no other than the wicked queen you must beware of letting anyone in when we are not here and when the wicked woman got home she went to her glass and said looking glass upon the wall who is fairest of us all and it answered as before queen thou art of beauty rare but snow white living in the glen with the seven little men is a thousand times more fair when she heard that she was so struck with surprise that all the blood left her heart for she knew that snow white must still be living but now said she i will think of something that will be her ruin and by witchcraft she made a poisoned comb then she dressed herself up to look like another different sort of old woman so she went across the seven mountains and came to the house of the seven dwarfs and knocked at the door and cried good where's to sell good where's to sell snow white looked out and said go away i must not let anybody in oh but you are not forbidden to look said the old woman taking out the poisoned comb and holding it up it pleased the poor child so much that she was tempted to open the door and when the bargain was made the old woman said and now for once your hair shall be properly combed poor snow white thinking no harm let the old woman do as she would but no sooner was the comb put in her hair than the poison began to work and the poor girl fell down senseless now you paragon of beauty said the wicked woman this is the end of you and went off by good luck it was now near evening and the seven little dwarfs came home when they saw snow white lying on the ground as dead they thought directly that it was the stepmother's doing and looked about found the poisoned comb and no sooner had they drawn it out of her hair then snow white came to herself and related all that had passed then they warned her once more to be on her guard and never again to let anyone in at the door and the queen went home and stood before the looking glass and said looking glass upon the wall who is fairest of us all and the looking glass answered as before queen thou art of beauty rare but snow white living in the glen with the seven little men is a thousand times more fair when she heard the looking glass speak thus she trembled and shook with anger snow white shall die cried she though it should cost me my own life and then she went to a secret lonely chamber where no one was likely to come and there she made a poisonous apple it was beautiful to look at being white with red cheeks so that anyone who should see it must long for it but whoever ate even a little bit of it must die when the apple was ready she painted her face and clothed herself like a peasant woman in winter cross the seven mountains to where the seven dwarfs lived and when she knocked at the door snow white put her head out of the window and said I dare not let anybody in the seven dwarfs told me not to all right answered the woman I can easily get rid of my apples elsewhere there I will give you one no answered snow white I dare not take anything are you afraid of poison said the woman look here I will cut the apple in two pieces you shall have the red side and I shall have the white side for the apple was so cunningly made that all the poison was in the rosy half of it snow white longed for the beautiful apple and as she saw the peasant woman eating a piece of it she could no longer refrain but stretched out her hand and took the poisoned apple but no sooner had she taken a morsel of it into her mouth than she fell to the earth as dead in the queen casting on her a terrible glance laughed her loud and cried as white as snow as red as blood as black as ebony this time the dwarfs will not be able to bring you to life again and then she went home and asked the looking glass looking glass upon the wall who was fairest of us all at last it answered you are the fairest now of all then her envious heart had peace as much as an envious heart can have the dwarfs when they came home in the evening found still white lying on the ground and there came no breath of her mouth and she was dead they lifted her up thought if anything poisonous was to be found cut her laces combed her hair washed her with water and wine but all was of no avail the poor child was dead and remained dead then they laid her on a beer and sat all seven of them rounded and wept and lamented three whole days and then they would have buried her and then they would have buried her but that she looked still as if she were living with her beautiful blooming cheeks so they said we cannot hide her away in the black ground and they made her coffin of clear glass so as to be looked into from all sides and they laid her in it and wrote in golden letters upon it her name and that she was a king's daughter and then they sat the coffin out upon the mountain and one of them always remained by it to watch and the birds came to and mourned for snow white first an owl then a raven and lastly a dove now for a long while snow white lay in the coffin and never changed but looked as if she were asleep for she was still as white as snow as red as blood and her hair was as black as ebony it happened however that one day a king's son rode through the wood and up to the dwarf's house which was near it he saw on the mountain the coffin and beautiful snow white within it and he read what was written in golden letters upon it then he said to the dwarfs let me have the coffin and i will give you whatever you like to ask for it but the dwarfs told him that they could not part with it for all the gold in the world but he said i beseech you to give it me for i cannot live without looking upon snow white if you consent i will bring you to great honor and care for you as if you were my brethren when he spoke so the good little dwarfs had pity upon him and gave him the coffin and the king's son called the servants and bid them carry it away on their shoulders now it happened that as they were going along they stumbled over a bush and with the shaking the bit of poisoned apple fell out of her throat it was not long before she opened her eyes threw up the cover of the coffin and sat up alive and well oh dear where am i cried she the king's son answered full of joy you are near me and relating all that had happened he said i would rather have you than anything in the world come with me to my father's castle and you shall be my bride and snow white was kind and went with him and their wedding was held with pomp and great splendor but snow white's wicked stepmother was also a bit into the feast and when she had dressed herself in beautiful clothes and went to her looking glass and said looking glass upon the wall who is fairest of us all the looking glass answered oh queen though you are of beauty rare the young bride is a thousand times more fair then she railed and cursed and was beside herself with disappointment and anger first she thought she would not go to the wedding but then she felt she should have no peace until she went and saw the bride and when she saw her she knew her for snow white and could not stir from the place for anger and terror for they had ready red hot iron shoes in which she had to dance until she fell down dead end of snow white Aladdin this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Aladdin was the son of a poor widow one day a wicked magician met him and said take this ring and come with me if you do as I say you will be well rewarded Aladdin followed him for a long distance at last the magician stopped and pointing to a stone said lift up that stone and you will see a ladder go down the ladder open the door and keep walking until you come to a beautiful garden there you will find a little lamp which I want you to bring to me Aladdin climbed down at last he came to the beautiful garden where he found rare precious jewels he picked up the lamp which was burning and taking as many jewels as he could carry went back to the ladder the magician saw him and cried hand me the lamp but Aladdin answered not until you help me get up out of here the magician angrily closed the great stone down and left Aladdin there to die poor Aladdin wept bitterly without knowing it he rubbed the ring which the magician had given him to his surprise a genie appeared I am the slave of the ring he cried what do you want Aladdin asked him to help him to escape in a second the stone flew open and Aladdin found himself before the door of his house later he sold the jewels and he and his mother became wealthy one day the emperor's daughter came to town Aladdin hiding behind Aladdin's door saw the princess and fell in love with her he told his mother that he wished to marry the princess his mother wanted him to be happy so she promised to help him one day while his mother was polishing the old lamp another genie appeared I am the slave of the lamp he said I must do as you bid me oh genie she said I wish to marry my son to the emperor's daughter I will help you said the genie I will bring you rare jewels from my garden when the emperor holds court cast them at his feet and he will be ready to give his consent to the marriage the mother did as she was bid and the emperor was so pleased with the gifts that he told her to bring Aladdin to the palace at once Aladdin went dressed in beautiful garments brought by the genie he married the princess and the genie built them a beautiful palace one day an old man passed the palace gate and cried new lamps for old ones the princess gave the old lamp in exchange for a new one as soon as she handed it to the wicked magician for it was he dressed as an old man she and her palace disappeared Aladdin was in despair when he returned and found his wife and home gone he called the slave of the ring to help him the slave said I will take you to them but more I cannot do one day the princess looking through the window was overjoyed to behold Aladdin standing at the gate together they planned to get the lamp from the magician the princess invited the magician to tea delighted he came but before handing him his cup the princess dropped a sleeping powder into it he fell asleep at once Aladdin who had been watching from behind a curtain now came forward and took the lamp from the magician and rubbed it the genie appeared Aladdin asked that he his wife and palace be transported back again from once they came it is said that the wicked magician is still asleep in Africa today and we hope that he will never wake up again Aladdin and his beautiful wife lived a long and happy life ever afterwards end of Aladdin recording by Sean Mock