 Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling This is a LibriVox recording, all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org Read by Tim Bulkley of BigBible.org Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling Chapter 13 The Butterfly That Stamped Dear, so my best beloved is a story, a new and a wonderful story. Quite different from the other stories. A story about the most wise, sovereign Suleiman Bindaud, Solomon's son of David. There are 355 stories about Suleiman Bindaud. But this is not one of them. It is not the story of the Lapwing who found the water or the Hoopoh who shaded Suleiman Bindaud from the heat. It is not the story of the glass pavement or the ruby with the crooked hole or the gold bars of Bulkis. It is the story of the butterfly that stamped. Now attend all over again and listen. Suleiman Bindaud was wise. He understood what the beast said, what the birds said, what the fishes said, and what the insects said. He understood what the rocks said deep under the earth when they bowed in towards each other and groaned. And he understood what the trees said when they rustled in the middle of the morning. He understood everything from the bishop on the bench to the isop on the wall. And Bulkis, his head queen, the most beautiful queen Bulkis, was nearly as wise as he was. Suleiman Bindaud was strong. Upon the third finger of the right hand he wore a ring. When he turned it once, aphids and jins came out of the earth to do whatever he told them. When he turned it twice, fairies came down from the sky to do whatever he told them. And when he turned it three times, the very great angel Azrael of the sword came dressed as a water carrier and told in the news of the three worlds, above, below, and here. And yet Suleiman Bindaud was not proud. He very seldom showed off, and when he did he was sorry for it. Once he tried to feed all the animals in all the world in one day, but when the food was ready an animal came out of the deep sea and ate it up in three mouthfuls. Suleiman Bindaud was very surprised and said, Oh, animal, who are you? And the animal said, Oh, king, live for ever. I am the smallest of thirty thousand brothers, and our home is at the bottom of the sea. We heard that you were going to feed all the animals in all the world, and my brothers sent me to ask when dinner would be ready. Suleiman Bindaud was more surprised than ever and said, Oh, animal, you've eaten all the dinner that I made ready for all the animals in the world. And the animal said, Oh, king, live for ever. But do you really call that a dinner? Where I come from we each eat twice as much as that between meals. Then Suleiman Bindaud fell flat on his face and said, Oh, animal, I gave that dinner to show what a great and rich king I was, but not because I really wanted to be kind to the animals. Now I am ashamed, and it serves me right. Suleiman Bindaud was a really, truly wise man, best beloved. After that he never forgot that it was silly to show off. And now the real story part of my story begins. He married ever so many wives. He married 999 wives. Besides the most beautiful bulkies. And they all lived in a great golden palace in the middle of a lovely garden with fountains. He didn't really want 999 wives, but in those days everybody married ever so many wives. And of course the king had to marry ever so many more just to show that he was the king. Some of the wives were nice, but some were simply horrid. And the horrid ones quarrelled with the nice ones and made them horrid too. And then they would all quarrel with Suleiman Bindaud and that was horrid for him. But bulkies the most beautiful never quarrelled with Suleiman Bindaud. She loved him too much. She sat in her rooms in the golden palace or walked in the palace garden and was truly sorry for him. Of course, if he had chosen to turn his ring on his finger and call up the gins and the aphrids they would have magicked all those 999 quarrelsome wives into white mules of the desert or greyhounds or pomegranate seeds. But Suleiman Bindaud thought that that would be showing off. So when they quarrelled too much he only walked by himself in one part of the beautiful palace gardens and wished he had never been born. One day when they had quarrelled for three weeks all 999 wives together Suleiman Bindaud went out for peace and quiet as usual and among the orange trees he met bulkies the most beautiful. Very sorrowful because Suleiman Bindaud was so worried and she said to him oh my lord and light of my eyes turn the ring upon your finger and show these queens of Egypt and Mesopotamia and Persia and China that you were the great and terrible king. But Suleiman Bindaud took his head and said oh my lady and light of my life remember the animal that came out of the sea and made me ashamed before all the animals in all the world because I showed off. Now if I showed off before these queens of Persia and Egypt and Abyssinia and China merely because they worry me I might be made even more ashamed than I have been. And bulkies the most beautiful said oh my lord and treasure of my soul what will you do? And Suleiman Bindaud said oh my lady and content of my heart I shall continue to endure my fate at the hands of these 999 queens who vex me with their continual quarrelling. So he went on between the lilies and the locuts and the roses and the cunners and the heavy scented ginger plants that grew in the garden till he came to the great camphor tree that was called the camphor tree of Suleiman Bindaud. But bulkies hid among the tall irises and the spotted bamboos and the red lilies behind the camphor tree so as to be near her own true love Suleiman Bindaud. Presently two butterflies flew under the tree quarrelling. Suleiman Bindaud heard one say to the other I wonder at your presumption in talking like this to me don't you know that if I stamped with my foot all Suleiman Bindaud's palace and this garden here would immediately vanish in a clap of thunder? Then Suleiman Bindaud forgot his 999 bothersome wives and laughed till the camphor tree shook at the butterfly's boast and he held out his finger and said little man come here the butterfly was dreadfully frightened but he managed to fly up to the hand of Suleiman Bindaud and clung there fanning himself Suleiman Bindaud bent his head and whispered very softly little man you know that all your stamping wouldn't bend one blade of grass what made you tell that awful fib to your wife for doubtless she is your wife the butterfly looked at Suleiman Bindaud and saw the most wise king's eyes twinkle like the stars on a frosty night and he picked up his courage with both wings and he put his head on one side and said oh king live forever she is my wife and you know what wives are like Suleiman Bindaud smiled in his beard and said yes I know little brother I must keep them in order somehow said the butterfly and she has been quarrelling with me all morning I said that to quiet her and Suleiman Bindaud said it may quiet her go back to your wife little brother and let me hear what you say back flew the butterfly to his wife who was all of a twitter behind the leaf and she said he heard you Suleiman Bindaud himself heard you heard me said the butterfly of course he did I meant him to hear me and what did he say what did he say well said the butterfly fanning himself most importantly between you and me my dear of course I don't blame him because his palace must have cost a great deal and the oranges are just ripening he asked me not to stamp and I promised I wouldn't gracious said his wife and sat quite quiet but Suleiman Bindaud laughed till the tears ran down his face at the impudence of the bad little butterfly Bulkis the most beautiful stood up behind the tree among the red lilies and smiled to herself for she had heard all this talk she thought if I am wise I can yet save my lord from the persecutions of these quarrelsome queens and she held out her finger and whispered softly to the butterfly's wife little woman come here up flew the butterfly's wife very frightened and clung to Bulkis's white hand Bulkis bent her beautiful head down and whispered little woman do you believe what your husband has just said the butterfly's wife looked at Bulkis and saw the most beautiful queen's eyes shining like deep pools with starlight on them and she picked up her courage with both wings and said oh queen be lovely forever you know what men folk are like and the queen Bulkis the wise queen of Sheba put her hand to her lips to hide a smile and said little sister I know they get angry said the butterfly's wife fanning herself quickly over nothing at all but we must humour them oh queen they never mean half they say it pleases my husband to believe that I believe that he can make Solomon Bendoad's palace disappear by stamping his foot I'm sure I don't care he'll forget about it tomorrow little sister said Bulkis you are quite right but the next time he begins to boast take him at his word ask him to stamp and see what will happen we know what men folk are like don't we he'll be very much ashamed away flew the butterfly's wife to her husband and in five minutes they were quarrelling worse than ever remember said the butterfly remember what I can do if I stamp my foot I don't believe you one little bit said the butterfly's wife I should very much like to see it done suppose you stamp now I promised Solomon Bendoad that I wouldn't said the butterfly and I don't want to break my promise it wouldn't matter if you did his wife you couldn't bend a blade of grass with your stamping I dare you to do it she said stamp stamp stamp Solomon Bendoad sitting under the camphor tree heard every word of this and he laughed as he had never laughed in his life before he forgot all about his queens he forgot all about the animal that came out of the sea he forgot about showing off he just laughed with joy and Bulkis on the other side of the tree smiled because her own true love was so joyful presently the butterfly very hot and puffy came whirling back under the shadow of the camphor tree and said to Solomon she wants me to stamp she wants to see what will happen oh Solomon Bendoad, you know I can't do it and now she'll never believe a word I say she'll laugh at me to the end of my days no little brother said Solomon Bendoad she will never laugh at you again and he turned the ring on his finger just for the little butterfly's sake not for the sake of showing off and lo and behold four huge gins came out of the earth slaves said to Solomon Bendoad when this gentleman on my finger that was where the impudent butterfly was sitting stamps his left front forefoot you will make my palace and these gardens disappear in a club of thunder when he stamps again you will bring them back carefully now little brother he said go back to your wife and stamp all you were mine to away flew the butterfly to his wife who was crying I dare you to do it, I dare you to do it stamp stamp now stamp bulkies saw the four vast gins stoop down to the four corners of the gardens with the palace in the middle and she clapped her hands softly and said at last Solomon Bendoad will do for the sake of a butterfly what he ought to have done long ago for his own sake and the quarrelsome queens will be frightened the butterfly stamped the gins jerked the palace and the gardens a thousand miles into the air and there was a most awful thunderclap and everything grew inky black the butterfly's wife fluttered about in the dark crying oh I'll be good I'm so sorry I spoke only bring the gardens back my dear darling husband I'll never contradict again the butterfly was nearly as frightened as his wife and Solomon Bendoad laughed so much that it was several minutes before he found breath enough to whisper to the butterfly stamp again little brother give me back my palace most great magician yes give him back his palace said the butterfly's wife still flying about in the dark like a moth give him back his palace and don't let's have any more horrid magic well my dear you see what your nagging has led to of course it doesn't make any difference to me I'm used to this kind of thing but as a favor to you and to Solomon Bendoad I don't mind putting things right so he stamped once more and that instant the gins let down the palace and the gardens without even a bump the sun shone in the dark green orange leaves the fountains played among the pink egyptian lilies the birds went on singing and the butterfly's wife lay on her side of the camphor tree waggling her wings and panting oh I'll be good I'll be good Solomon Bendoad could hardly speak for laughing he leaned back all weak and hiccuppy and shook his finger at the butterfly and said oh great wizard what is the sense of returning to me my palace if at the same time you slay me with mirth then came a terrible noise for all the 999 queens ran out of the palace shrieking and shouting and calling for their babies they hurried down the great marble steps below the fountain 100 abreast and the most wise bulkess went stately forward to meet them and said what is your trouble oh queens they stood on the marble steps 100 abreast and shouted what is our trouble we are living peacefully in our golden palace as is our custom when upon a sudden palace disappeared and we were left sitting in a thick and noisome darkness and it thundered and gins and aphids moved about in the darkness that is our trouble oh head queen and we are most extremely troubled on account of that trouble for it was a troublesome trouble unlike any trouble we have known then bulk is the most beautiful queen Solomon Bendoad's very best beloved queen that was of Sheba and Sable and the rivers of the gold of the south from the desert of Zinn to the towers of Zimbabwe bulkess almost as wise as the most wise Solomon Bendoad himself said it is nothing oh queens a butterfly has made a complaint against his wife because she quarreled with him and it has pleased our lord Solomon Bendoad to teach her a lesson in low speaking and humbleness for that is counted a virtue among the wives of the butterflies then up and spoke an Egyptian queen the daughter of a pharaoh and she said ah palace cannot be plucked up by the roots like a leak for the sake of a little insect now Solomon Bendoad must be dead and what we heard and saw was the earth thundering and darkening at the news then bulk is beckoned that bold queen without looking at her and said to her and to the others come and see they came down the marble steps one hundred abreast and beneath this campfire tree still weak with laughing they saw the most wise king Solomon Bendoad rocking back and forth with a butterfly on either hand and they heard him say oh wife of my brother in the air remember after this to please your husband in all things lest he be provoked to stamp his foot yet again for he has said that he is used to this magic and he is most eminently a great magician one who steals away the very palace of Bendoad himself go in peace little folk and he kissed them on the wings and they flew away then all the queens except bulk is the most beautiful and splendid bulk is who stood apart smiling fell flat on their faces for they said if these things are done when a butterflies displeased with his wife what shall be done to us who have vexed our king with our loud speaking and open quarrelling through many days then they put their veils over their heads and they put their hands over their mouths and they tiptoed back to the palace most mousy quiet then bulk is the most beautiful and excellent bulk is when forward through the red lilies into the shade of the camper tree and later hand upon sulliman Bendoad's shoulder and said oh my lord and treasure of my soul rejoice for we have taught the queens of Egypt and Ethiopia and Abyssinia and India and China a great and a memorable teaching and sulliman Bendoad still looking after the butterflies where they played in the sunlight said oh my lady and jewel of my felicity when did this happen for I have been jesting with a butterfly ever since I came into the garden and he told bulk is what he had done bulk is the tender and most lovely bulk is said oh my lord and regent of my existence I hid behind the camper tree and I saw it all it was I who told the butterflies wife to ask the butterfly to stamp because I hope that for the sake of the jest my lord would make some great magic and that the queens would see it and be frightened and she told him what the queens had said and seen and thought then sulliman Bendoad rose up from his seat under the camper tree and stretched his arms and rejoiced and said oh my lady and sweetener of my days I know that if I had made a magic against my queens for the sake of pride or anger as I made that feast for all the animals I should certainly have been put to shame but by means of your wisdom I have made the magic for the sake of a jest and for the sake of a little butterfly and behold it has also delivered me from the vexations of my vexatious wives tell me therefore oh my lady and heart of my heart how did you come to be so wise and bulk is the queen beautiful and tall looked up into sulliman Bendoad's eyes and put her head a little on one side just like the butterfly and said first oh my lord because I loved you and secondly oh my lord because I know what women folk are then they went up to the palace and lived happily ever afterwards but wasn't it cleverer bulk is there was never a queen like bulk is from here to the wide world's end but bulk is talked to a butterfly as you would talk to a friend there was never a king like sulliman not since the world began but sulliman talked to a butterfly as a man would talk to a man she was the queen of sabbia and he was Asia's lord but they both of them talked to butterflies when they took their walks abroad pictures described by the author one this is the picture of the animal that came out of the sea and ate up all the food that sulliman Bendoad had made ready for all the animals in all the world he was really quite a nice animal and his mummy was very fond of him and of his 29,999 other brothers that lived at the bottom of the sea you know that he was the smallest of them all and so his name was small porgy's he ate up all those boxes and packets and bales and things that had been got ready for all the animals without ever once taking off the lids or untying the strings and it did not hurt him at all the sticky up masts behind the boxes of food belonged to sulliman Bendoad's ships they were busy bringing more food when small porgy's came ashore he did not eat the ships they stopped unloading the foods and instantly sailed away to sea small porgy's had quite finished eating you can see some of the ships beginning to sail away by small porgy's shoulder I've not drawn sulliman Bendoad but he is just outside the picture very much astonished the bundle hanging down from the mast of the ship in the corner is really a package of wet dates for parrots to eat I don't know the names of the ships that's all there is in that picture too this is the picture of the four gull-winged gins lifting up sulliman Bendoad's palace the very minute after the butterfly had stamped the palace and the gardens and everything came up in one piece like a board and they left a big hole in the ground all full of dust and smoke if you look in the corner close to the thing that looks like a lion you will see sulliman Bendoad with his magic stick and the two butterflies behind him the thing that looks like a lion is really a lion carved in stone and the thing that looks like a milk can is really a piece of a temple or a house or something sulliman Bendoad stood there so as to be out of the way of the dust and the smoke when the gins lifted up the palace I don't know the gins names they were servants of sulliman Bendoad's magic ring and they changed about every day they were just common gull-winged gins the thing at the bottom of the picture is a very friendly gin called a craig he used to feed the little fishes in the sea three times a day and his wings were made of pure copper I put him in to show you what a nice gin is like he did not help lift the palace he was busy feeding little fishes in the Arabian Sea when it happened recording by Tim Bulkley of bigbible.org end of the butterfly that stamped and end of the just so stories by Rajad Kipling Thanks for watching