 This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to find out how you can volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Joy Chan English fairytales, collected by Joseph Jacobs. How to get into this book? Knock at the knocker on the door. Pull the bell at the side. Then, if you are very quiet, you'll hear a teeny, tiny voice say through the grating, take down the key. This you'll find at the back. You cannot mistake it, for it has JJ in the wards. Put the key in the keyhole, which it fits exactly. Unlock the door and walk in. To my dear little May, preface. Who says that English folk have no fairytales of their own? The present volume contains only a selection out of some 140, of which I have found traces in this country. It is probable that many more exist. A quarter of the tales in this volume have been collected during the last ten years or so, and some of them have not been hitherto published. Up to 1870, it was equally said of France and of Italy that they possessed no folk tales. Yet within 15 years from that date, over 1000 tales had been collected in each country. I am hoping that the present volume may lead to equal activity in this country and would earnestly beg any reader of this book who knows of similar tales to communicate them, written down as they are told, to me, care of Mr. Nut. The only reason I imagine why such tales have not hitherto been brought to light is the lamentable gap between the governing and recording classes and the dumb working classes of this country, dumb to others but eloquent among themselves. It would be no unpatriotic task to help to bridge over this gulf by giving a common fund of nursery literature to all classes of the English people and, in any case, it can do no harm to add to the innocent gaiety of the nation. A word or two as to our title seems necessary. We have called our stories fairy tales, though few of them speak of fairies. The same remark applies to the collection of the Brothers Grimm and to all the other European collections which contain exactly the same classes of tales as ours. Yet our stories are what the little ones mean when they clamor for fairy tales and this is the only name which they give to them. One cannot imagine a child saying, tell us a folktale nurse or another nursery tale, please, Grandma. As our book is intended for the little ones, we have indicated its contents by the name they use. The words fairy tales must accordingly be taken to include tales in which occurs something fairy, something extraordinary, fairies, giants, dwarfs, speaking animals. It must be taken also to cover tales in which what is extraordinary is the stupidity of some of the actors. Many of the tales in this volume, as in similar collections for other European countries, are what the folklorists call drolls. They serve to justify the title of Mary England, which used to be given to this country of ours and indicate unsuspected capacity for fun and humour among the unlettered classes. The story of Tom Tit Tot, which opens our collection, is unequalled among all other folktales I am acquainted with for its combined sense of humour and dramatic power. The first adjective of our title also needs a similar extension of its meaning. I have acted on Mollier's principle and have taken what was good wherever I could find it. Thus, a couple of these stories have been found among descendants of English immigrants in America. A couple of others I tell as I heard them myself in my youth in Australia. One of the best was taken down from the mouth of an English gypsy. I have also included some stories that have only been found in Lowland Scotch. I have felt justified in doing this as of the 21 folktales contained in chambers popular rhymes of Scotland. No less than 16 are also to be found in an English form. With the folktale as with the ballad, Lowland Scotch may be regarded as simply a dialect of English and it is a mere chance whether a tale is extant in one or other or both. I have also rescued and retold a few fairy tales that only exist nowadays in the form of ballads. There are certain indications that the common form of the English fairy tale was the cantes fables, a mixture of narrative and verse of which the most illustrious example in literature is Au Cassin and L'Écolette. In one case I have endeavoured to retain this form as the tale in which it occurs, Child Rowland, is mentioned by Shakespeare and King Lear and is probably, as I have shown, the source of Milton's comas. Late, as they have been collected, some dozen of the tales can be traced back to the 16th century, two of them being quoted by Shakespeare himself. In the majority of instances I have had largely to rewrite these fairy tales, especially those in dialect, including the Lowland Scotch. Children and sometimes those of larger growth will not read dialect. I have also had to reduce the flatulent phraseology of the 18th century chapbooks and to rewrite in simpler style the stories only extant in literary English. I have, however, left a few vulgarisms in the mouths of vulgar people. Children appreciate the dramatic propriety of this as much as their elders. Generally speaking, it has been my ambition to write as a good old nurse will speak when she tells fairy tales. I am doubtful as to my success in catching the colloquial romantic tone appropriate for such narratives, but the thing had to be done or else my main object, to give a book of English fairy tales which English children will listen to, would have been unachieved. This book is meant to be read aloud and not merely taken in by the eye. In a few instances I have introduced or changed an incident. I have never done so, however, without mentioning the fact in the notes. These have been relegated to the obscurity of small print and a back place, while the little ones have been, perhaps unnecessarily, warned off them. They indicate my sources and give a few references to parallels and variants which may be of interest to fellow students of folklore. It is perhaps not necessary to inform readers who are not fellow students that the study of folk tales has pretensions to be a science. It has its special terminology and its own methods of investigation by which it is hoped, one of these days, to gain fuller knowledge of the workings of the popular mind as well as traces of archaic modes of thought and custom. I hope on some future occasion to treat the subject of the English folk tale on a larger scale and with all the necessary paraphernalia of prologomina and excursus. I shall then, of course, reproduce my originals with literary accuracy and have therefore felt the more at liberty on the present occasion to make the necessary deviations from this in order to make the tales readable for children. Finally, I have to thank those by whose kindness in waving their rights to some of these stories I have been enabled to compile this book. My friends, Mr. E. Claude, Mr. F. Heinz Groom and Mr. Andrew Lang have thus yielded up to me some of the most attractive stories in the following pages. The councils of the English and of the American Folklore Societies and Mr. Longmans have also been equally generous. Nor can I close these remarks without a word of thanks and praise to the artistic skill with which my friend, Mr. J. D. Batten, has made the romance and humour of these stories live again in the brilliant designs with which he has adorned these pages. It should be added that the dainty headpieces to Henny Penny and Mr. Fox are due to my old friend, Mr. Henry Rylund. Joseph Jacobs End of the preface. Recording by Joy Chan English fairytales Collected by Joseph Jacobs Chapter 1 Tom Tit Tot Once upon a time there was a woman and she baked five pies and when they came out of the oven they were that over baked the crusts were too hard to eat. So she says to a daughter Daughter says she Put you them their pies on the shelf and leave them there a little and they'll come again. She meant you know the crust would get soft but the girl she says to herself Well if they'll come again I'll eat them now and she said to work and ate them all first and last. Well come supper time the woman said Go you and get one of them their pies and say they've come again now The girl went and she looked and there was nothing but the dishes So back she came and says she No they ain't come again Not one of them says the mother Not one of them says she Well come again or not come again said the woman I'll have one for supper But you can't if they ain't come said the girl But I can says she Go you and bring the best of them Best or worst says the girl I've ate them all and you can't have one till that's come again Well the woman she was done and she took a spinning to the door to spin and as she span she sang My daughter ate five five pies today My daughter ate five five pies today The king was coming down the street and he heard her sing But what she sang he couldn't hear So he stopped and said What was that you were singing my good woman The woman was ashamed to let him hear what her daughter had been doing So she sang instead of that My daughter has spun five five skeins today My daughter has spun five five skeins today Stars of mine said the king I never heard tell of anyone that could do that Then he said Look you here I want a wife And I'll marry your daughter But look you here says he Eleven months out of the year She shall have all she likes to eat And all the gowns she likes to get And all the company she likes to keep But the last month of the year She'll have to spin five skeins every day And if she don't I shall kill her Alright says the woman For she thought what a grand marriage that was And as for the five skeins When the time came There'd be plenty of ways of getting out of it And likely as he'd have forgotten all about it Well so they were married And for eleven months The girl had all she liked to eat And all the gowns she liked to get And all the company she liked to keep But when the time was getting over She began to think about the skeins And to wonder if he had them in mind But not one word did he say about them And she thought he'd wholly forgotten them However, the last day of the last month He takes her to a room she'd never set eyes on before There was nothing in it but a spinning wheel And a stool And says he Now my dear Here you'll be shut in tomorrow With some victuals and some flax And if you haven't spun five skeins by the night Your head'll go off And away he went about his business Well, she was that frightened She'd always been such a gatless girl That she didn't so much as know how to spin And what was she to do tomorrow With no one to come nigh her to help her She sat down on a stool in the kitchen And law how she did cry However, all of a sudden She heard a sort of a knocking Low down on the door She upped and hoped it What should she see but a small little black thing With a long tail That looked up at her right curious And that said What are you crying for? What's that to you? says she Never you mind that said But tell me what you're crying for That won't do me no good if I do Says she You don't know that, that said And twirled that's tail round Well, says she That won't do no harm if that don't do no good And she upped and told about the pies And the skeins and everything This is what I'll do Says the little black thing I'll come to your window every morning And take the flax And bring it spun at night What's your pay? says she That looked out of the corner of that's eyes And that said I'll give you three guesses every night To guess my name I haven't guessed it before the month's up You shall be mine Well, she thought she'd be sure To guess that's name before the month was up All right, says she I agree All right, that says And know how that twirled that's tail Well, the next day Her husband took her into the room And there was the flax and the day's food Now there's the flax, says he And if that ain't spun up this night Off goes your head And then he went out and locked the door He'd hardly gone When there was a knocking against the window She upped and she upped it And there sure enough Was the little old thing sitting on the ledge Where's the flax, says he Here it be, says she And she gave it to him Well, come the evening And knocking came again to the window She upped and she upped it And there was the little old thing With five skeins of flax on his arm Here it be, says he And he gave it to her Now what's my name, says he What is that bill, says she No, that ain't, says he And he twirled his tail Is that Ned, says she No, that ain't, says he And he twirled his tail Well, is that Mark, says she No, that ain't, says he And he twirled his tail harder And away he flew Well, when her husband came in There were the five skeins ready for him I see I shan't have to kill you tonight, my dear, says he You'll have your food and your flax in the morning, says he And away he goes Well, every day the flax and the food were brought And every day that their little black input Used to come mornings and evenings And all the day the girl sat trying to think of names To say to it when it came at night But she never hit on the right one And as it got towards the end of the month The input began to look so maliceful And that twirled that's tail faster and faster Each time she gave a guess At last it came to the last day but one The input came at night Along with the five skeins And that said, what, ain't you got my name yet? Is that Nicodemus, says she No, Taint, that says Is that Samuel, says she No, Taint, that says Oh well, is that Methuselum, says she No, Taint, that neither, that says Then that looks at her with that's eyes like a coal of fire And that says, woman, there's only tomorrow night And then you'll be mine, and away it flew Well, she felt that horrid However, she heard the king coming along the passage In he came, and when he sees the five skeins He says, says he Well my dear, says he I don't see but what you'll have Your skeins ready tomorrow night as well And as I reckon I shan't have to kill you I'll have supper in here tonight So they brought supper and another stool for him And down the two sat Well, he had an eaton but a mouthful or so When he stops and begins to laugh What is it, says she A why, says he I was out hunting today And I got away to a place in the wood I'd never seen before And there was an old chalk pit And I heard a kind of a sort of a humming So I got off my hobby And I went right quiet to the pit And I looked down Well what should there be But the funniest little black thing you ever set eyes on And what was that doing But that had a little spinning wheel And that was spinning wonderful fast And twirling that tail And as that spanned that sang Nimme, nimme not My name's Tom Tit Tot Well, when the girl heard this She felt as if she could have jumped out of a skin for joy But she didn't say a word Next day That there little thing looked so maliceful When he came for the flax And when night came She heard that knocking against the window panes She opened the window And that come right in on the ledge That was grinning from ear to ear And ooh, that tail was twirling round so fast What's my name, that says As that gave her the skeins Is that Solomon, she says Pretending to be a feared No Taint, that says And that came further into the room Well, is that Zebedee, says she again No Taint, says the input And then that laughed and twirled that tail So you couldn't hardly see it Take Time Woman, that says Next guess and you're mine And that stretched out that's black hands at her Well, she backed a step or two And she looked at it And then she laughed out and says she Pointing her finger at it Nimmie, nimmie not, your name's Tom Tit Tot Well, when that heard her That gave an awful shriek And away that flew into the dark And she never saw it anymore End Chapter One Tom Tit Tot This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information Or to find out how you can volunteer Please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Joy Chan English Fairy Tales Collected by Joseph Jacobs Chapter Two The Three Sillies Once upon a time There was a farmer and his wife Who had one daughter And she was courted by a gentleman Every evening he used to come and see her And stop to supper at the farmhouse And the daughter used to be sent down into the cellar To draw the beer for supper So one evening she had gone down to draw the beer And she happened to look up at the ceiling While she was drawing And she saw a mallet stuck in one of the beans It must have been there a long, long time But somehow or other she had never noticed it before And she began a thinking And she thought it was very dangerous To have that mallet there For she said to herself Suppose him and me was to be married And we was to have a son And he was to grow up to be a man And come down into the cellar to draw the beer Like as I'm doing now And the mallet was to fall on his head And kill him What a dreadful thing it would be And she put down the candle and the jug And sat herself down and began a crying Well, they began to wonder upstairs how it was That she was so long drawing the beer And her mother went down to see after her And she found her sitting on the set all crying And the beer running over the floor Why, whatever is the matter, said her mother Oh mother, says she Look at that horrid mallet Suppose me was to be married And was to have a son And he was to grow up And was to come down to the cellar to draw the beer And the mallet was to fall on his head And kill him What a dreadful thing it would be Dear, dear, what a dreadful thing it would be Said the mother And she sat her down the side of the daughter And started a crying too Then after a bit the father began to wonder That they didn't come back And he went down into the cellar to look after them himself And there they too sat crying And the beer running all over the floor Whatever is the matter, says he Why, says the mother Look at that horrid mallet Just suppose if our daughter and her sweetheart Was to be married and was to have a son And he was to grow up And was to come down into the cellar to draw the beer And the mallet was to fall on his head and kill him What a dreadful thing it would be Dear, dear, dear, so it would Said the father And he sat himself down the side of the other two And started a crying Now the gentleman got tired of stopping up in the kitchen by himself And at last he went down into the cellar too To see what they were after And there they three sat crying side by side And the beer running all over the floor And he ran straight and turned the tap Then he said Whatever are you three doing sitting there crying And letting the beer run all over the floor Oh, says the father Look at that horrid mallet Suppose you and our daughter was to be married And was to have a son And he was to grow up And was to come down into the cellar to draw the beer And the mallet was to fall on his head and kill him And then they all started a crying worse than before But the gentleman burst out a laughing And reached up and pulled out the mallet And then he said I've travelled many miles And I never met three such big sillies as you three before And now I shall start out on my travels again And when I can find three bigger sillies than you three Then I'll come back and marry your daughter So he wished them goodbye And started off on his travels And left them all crying because the girl had lost her sweetheart Well, he set out and he travelled a long way And at last he came to a woman's cottage That had some grass growing on the roof The woman was trying to get her cow to go up a ladder to the grass And the poor thing does not go So the gentleman asked the woman what she was doing Why, look ye, she said Look at all that beautiful grass I'm going to get the cow onto the roof to eat it She'll be quite safe For I shall tie a string round her neck And pass it down the chimney And tie it to my wrist as I go about the house I can't fall off without my knowing it Oh, you poor silly said the gentleman You should cut the grass and throw it down to the cow But the woman thought it was easier to get the cow up the ladder Than to get the grass down So she pushed her and coaxed her and got her up And tied a string round her neck And passed it down the chimney And fastened it to her own wrist And the gentleman went on his way But he hadn't gone far when the cow tumbled off the roof And hung by the string tied round her neck And it strangled her And the weight of the cow tied to her wrist Pulled the woman up the chimney And she stuck fast half way And was smothered in soot Well, that was one big silly And the gentleman went on and on And he went to an inn to stop the night And they were so full at the inn They had to put him in a double bedded room And another traveller was to sleep in the other bed The other man was a very pleasant fellow And they got very friendly together But in the morning, when they were both getting up The gentleman was surprised to see the other Hang his trousers on the knobs of the chest of drawers And run across the room And try to jump into them And he tried over and over again And couldn't manage it And the gentleman wondered whatever he was doing it for At last he stopped and wiped his face with his handkerchief Oh dear, he says I do think trousers are the most awkwardest kind of clothes that ever were I can't think who could have invented such things It takes me the best part of an hour To get into mine every morning And I get so hot How do you manage yours? So the gentleman burst out to laugh him And showed him how to put them on And he was very much obliged to him And said he never should have thought of doing it that way So that was another big silly Then the gentleman went on his travels again And he came to a village And outside the village There was a pond And round the pond was a crowd of people And they had got rakes And brooms and pitchforks And the gentleman asked what was the matter Why they said matter enough Moons tumbled into the pond And we can't rake her out anyhow So the gentleman burst out laughing And told them to look up into the sky And that it was only the shadow in the water But they wouldn't listen to him And abused him shamefully And he got away as quick as he could So there was a whole lot of sillies Bigger than them three sillies at home So the gentleman turned back home again And married the farmer's daughter And if they didn't live happy forever after That's nothing to do with you or me End of chapter 2 The Three Sillies This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information Or to find out how you can volunteer Please visit LibriVox.org English Fairy Tales Collected by Joseph Jacobs Chapter 3 The Rose Tree There was once upon a time A good man who had two children A girl by a first wife And a boy by the second The girl was as white as milk And her lips were like cherries Her hair was like golden silk And it hung to the ground Her brother loved her dearly But her wicked stepmother hated her Child said the stepmother one day Go to the grocer's shop And buy me a pound of candles She gave her the money And the little girl went Bought the candles And started on her return There was a stout across She put down the candles While she got over the stile Up came a dog And ran off with the candles She went back to the grocer's And she got a second bunch She came to the stile Set down the candles And proceeded to climb over Up came the dog And ran off with the candles She went again to the grocer's And she got a third bunch And just the same happened Then she came to her stepmother crying For she had spent all the money And had lost three bunches of candles The stepmother was angry But she pretended not to mind the loss She said to the child Come, lay your head on my lap That I may comb your hair So the little one laid her head In the woman's lap Who proceeded to comb the yellow Silken hair Fell over her knees And rolled right down to the ground Then the stepmother hated her More for the beauty of her hair So she said to her I cannot part your hair on my knee Fetch a billet of wood So she fetched it Then said the stepmother I cannot part your hair with a comb Fetch me an axe So she fetched it Now said the wicked woman Lay your head down on the billet What's I part your hair Well, she laid down Her little golden head without fear And whisked down came the axe And it was off So the mother wiped the axe And laughed Then she took the heart and liver Of the little girl And she stewed them And brought them into the house For supper The husband tasted them And took his head He said they tasted very strangely She gave some to the little boy But he would not eat She tried to force him But he refused And ran out into the garden And took up his little sister And put her in a box And buried the box under a rose-tree And every day He went to the tree and wept Till his tears ran down on the box One day the rose-tree flowered It was spring And there among the flowers was a white bird And it sang And sang And sang like an angel out of heaven Away it flew And it went to a cobbler's shop And perched itself on a tree hard by And thus it sang My wicked mother slew me My dear father ate me My little brother whom I love Sits below and I sing above Stick, stock, stone, dead Sing again that beautiful song Said the shoemaker If you will first give me those little red shoes You are making The cobbler gave the shoes And the bird sang the song Then flew to a tree in front of a watchmaker's And sang My wicked mother slew me My dear father ate me My little brother whom I love Sits below and I sing above Stick, stock, stone, dead Oh, the beautiful song Sing it again, sweet bird Ask the watchmaker If you will give me first That gold watch and chain in your hand The jeweler gave the watch and chain The bird took it in one foot The shoes in the other And, after having repeated the song Flew away to where three millers Were picking a millstone The bird perched on a tree and sang My wicked mother slew me My dear father ate me My little brother whom I love Sits below and I sing above Stick Then one of the men Put down his tool and looked up From his work Stock Then the second miller's man Layed aside his tool and looked up Stone Then the third miller Then the third miller's man Layed down his tool and looked up Dead Then all three cried out with one voice Oh, what a beautiful song Sing it, sweet bird, again If you will put the millstone Round my neck, said the bird The men did what the bird wanted And away to the tree it flew With the millstone round its neck The red shoes in one foot And the gold watch and chain In the other It sang the song And then flew home It rattled the millstone Against the eaves of the house And the stepmother said It thunders Then the little boy ran out To see the thunder And down dropped the red shoes at his feet It rattled the millstone Against the eaves of the house once more And the stepmother said again It thunders Then the father ran out And down fell the chain about his neck In ran father and son Laughing and saying See what fine things the thunder has brought us Then the bird rattled The millstone against the eaves of the house A third time And the stepmother said It thunders again Perhaps the thunder has brought something for me And she ran out But the moment she stepped outside the door Down fell the millstone on her head And so she died End of Chapter 3 The Rose Tree This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information Or to find out how you can volunteer Please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Joy Chan English fairy tales Collected by Joseph Jacobs Chapter 4 The Old Woman and Her Pig An old woman was sweeping her house And she found a little crooked sixpence What Said she Shall I do with this little sixpence I will go to market And buy a little pig As she was coming home She came to her style But the piggy wouldn't go over the style She went a little further And she met a dog So she said to the dog Dog Bite pig Piggy won't go over the style And I shan't get home tonight But the dog wouldn't She went a little further And she met a stick So she said stick stick Beat dog Dog won't bite pig Piggy won't get over the style And I shan't get home tonight But the stick wouldn't She went a little further And she met a fire And she met a fire So she said fire fire Burn stick Stick won't beat dog Dog won't bite pig Piggy won't get over the style And I shan't get home tonight But the fire wouldn't She went a little further And she met some water So she said water water Quench fire Fire won't burn stick Stick won't beat dog Dog won't bite pig Piggy won't get over the style And I shan't get home tonight But the water wouldn't She went a little further And she met an ox So she said ox ox Drink water Water won't quench fire Fire won't burn stick Stick won't beat dog Dog won't bite pig Piggy won't get over the style And I shan't get home tonight But the ox wouldn't She went a little further And she met a butcher So she said butcher butcher Kill ox Ox won't drink water Water won't quench fire Fire won't burn stick Stick won't beat dog Dog won't bite pig Piggy won't get over the style And I shan't get home tonight But the butcher wouldn't She went a little further And she met a rat So she said rat rat Nor rope So she said rope rope Hang butcher Butcher won't kill ox Ox won't drink water Water won't quench fire Fire won't burn stick Stick won't beat dog Dog won't bite pig Piggy won't get over the style And I shan't get home tonight But the rope wouldn't Rat rat Nor rope Rope won't hang butcher Butcher won't kill ox Ox won't drink water Water won't quench fire Fire won't burn stick Stick won't beat dog Dog won't bite pig Piggy won't get over the style And I shan't get home tonight But the rat wouldn't She went a little further And she met a cat Cat cat Kill rat Rat won't nor rope Rope won't hang butcher Butcher won't kill ox Ox won't drink water Water won't quench fire Fire won't burn stick Stick won't beat dog Dog won't bite pig Piggy won't get over the style And I shan't get home tonight But the cat said to her If you will go to yonder cow I will kill the rat So away went the old woman to the cow But the cow said to her If you will go to yonder haystack And fetch me a handful of hay I'll give you the milk So away went the old woman to the haystack And she brought the hay to the cow As soon as the cow had eaten the hay She gave the old woman the milk And away she went with it In a saucer to the cat As soon as the cat had lapped up the milk The cat began to kill the rat The rat began to gnaw the rope The rope began to hang the butcher The butcher began to kill the ox The ox began to drink the water The water began to quench the fire The fire began to burn the stick The stick began to beat the dog The dog began to bite the pig The little pig in a fright Jumped over the style The little pig in a fright Jumped over the style And so the old woman got home that night End of chapter 4 The old woman and her pig This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information Or to find out how you can volunteer Please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Joy Chan English fairy tales Collected by Joseph Jacobs Chapter 5 How Jack went to seek his fortune Once on a time There was a boy named Jack And one morning He started to go and seek his fortune He hadn't gone very far Before he met a cat Where are you going Jack Said the cat I am going to seek my fortune May I go with you Yes Said Jack The more the merrier So on they went Jiggly-jot Jiggly-jot They went a little further And they met a dog Where are you going Jack Said the dog I am going to seek my fortune May I go with you Yes Said Jack So on they went Jiggly-jot Jiggly-jot They went a little further And they met a goat Where are you going Jack Said the goat I am going to seek my fortune May I go with you Yes Said Jack The more the merrier So on they went Jiggly-jot Jiggly-jot They went a little further And they met a ball Where are you going Jack Said the rooster I am going to seek my fortune May I go with you Yes Said Jack The more the merrier So on they went Jiggly-jot Jiggly-jot They went a little further And they met a rooster Where are you going Jack Said the rooster Yes, Said Jack The more the merrier So on they went Jiggly-jot Well They went on till it was about dark And they began to think of some place Where they could spend the night About this time They came in sight of a house And Jack told them to keep still While he went up and looked in through the window And there were some Robbers counting over the money Then Jack went back And told them to wait till he gave the word And then to make all the noise they could So when they were all ready Jack gave the word And the cat mewed And the dog barked And the goat leeded And the bull bellowed And the rooster crowed And all together they made such a dreadful noise That it frightened the robbers all away And then they went in Jack was afraid the robbers Would come back in the night And so when it came time to go to bed He put the cat in the rocking chair And he put the dog Under the table And he put the goat upstairs And he put the bull down cellar And the rooster flew up onto the roof And Jack went to bed By and by The robbers saw it was all dark And they sent one man back to the house To look after their money Before long he came back in a great fright And told them his story I went back to the house Said he And went in and tried to sit down in the rocking chair And there was an old woman knitting And she stuck her knitting needles into me That was the cat you know I went to the table to look after the money And there was a shoemaker under the table And he stuck his all into me That was the dog you know I started to go upstairs And there was a man up there threshing And he knocked me down with his flail That was the goat you know I started to go down cellar And there was a man down there Chopping wood and he knocked me up with his axe That was the bull you know But I shouldn't have minded all that If it hadn't been for that little fellow On top of the house Who kept the hollering Chuck him up to me Chuck him up to me Of course that was the cockadoodle do End of chapter 5 How Jack went to seek his fortune This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information Or to find out how you can volunteer Please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Joy Chan English fairy tales Collected by Joseph Jacobs Chapter 6 Mr. Vinegar Mr. and Mrs. Vinegar lived in a vinegar bottle Now one day When Mr. Vinegar was from home Mrs. Vinegar Who was a very good housewife Was busily sweeping her house When an unlucky thump of the broom Brought the whole house Clutter, clitter-clutter About her ears In an agony of grief She rushed forth to meet her husband On seeing him she exclaimed Oh Mr. Vinegar Mr. Vinegar We are ruined I have knocked the house down And it is all to pieces Mr. Vinegar then said My dear Let us see what can be done Here is the door And we will go forth to seek our fortune They walked all that day And at nightfall entered a thick forest They were both very, very tired And Mr. Vinegar said My love I will climb up into a tree Drag up the door And you shall follow He accordingly did so And they both stretched their weary limbs On the door And fell fast asleep In the middle of the night Mr. Vinegar was disturbed By the sound of voices underneath And to his horror and dismay Found that it was a band of thieves Met to divide their booty Here Jack said one Here's five pounds for you Here Bill Here's ten pounds for you Here Bob Here's three pounds for you Mr. Vinegar could listen no longer His terror was so great That he trembled and trembled And shook down the door on their heads Away scampered the thieves But Mr. Vinegar Dead not quit his retreat Till broad daylight He then scrambled out of the tree And went to lift up the door What did he see But a number of golden guineas Come down Mrs. Vinegar He cried Come down I say Our fortunes made Come down I say Mrs. Vinegar got down as fast as she could And when she saw the money She jumped for joy Now my dear said she I'll tell you what you shall do There is a fair at the neighbouring town You shall take these forty guineas And buy a cow I can make butter and cheese Which you shall sell at market And we shall then be able to live Very comfortably Mr. Vinegar joyfully agrees He takes the money And off he goes to the fair When he arrived He walked up and down And at length saw a beautiful red cow It was an excellent milker And perfect in every way Oh! thought Mr. Vinegar If I had but that cow I should be the happiest man alive So he offers the forty guineas for the cow And the owner said that As he was a friend He would fly Jim So the bargain was made And he got the cow And he drove it backwards and forwards To show it By and by he saw a man playing the bagpipes Tweedledum tweedledee The children followed him about And he appeared to be pocketing money On all sides Well thought Mr. Vinegar If I had but that beautiful instrument I should be the happiest man alive My fortune would be made So he went up to the man Friend says he What a beautiful instrument that is And what a deal of money you must make Why yes said the man I make a great deal of money to be sure And it is a wonderful instrument Oh! cried Mr. Vinegar How I should like to possess it Well said the man As you are a friend With it you shall have it For that red cow Done said the delighted Mr. Vinegar So the beautiful red cow Was given for the bagpipes He walked up and down With his purchase But it was in vain he tried to play a tune And instead of pocketing pence The boys followed him Hooting, laughing and pelting Poor Mr. Vinegar His fingers grew very cold Just as he was leaving the town He met a man With a fine thick pair of gloves Oh! my fingers are so very cold Said Mr. Vinegar to himself Now if I had but those beautiful gloves I should be the happiest man alive He went up to the man And said to him Friend, you seem to have a capital pair of gloves there Yes, truly cried the man As warm as possible this cold November day Well said Mr. Vinegar I should like to have them What will you give said the man As you are a friend I don't much mind netting you have them For those bagpipes Done cried Mr. Vinegar He put on the gloves And felt perfectly happy as he trudged Homewards At last he grew very tired When he saw a man coming towards him With a good stout stick in his hand Oh! said Mr. Vinegar That I had but that stick I should then be the happiest man alive He said to the man Friend, what a rare good stick you have got Yes said the man I have used it for many a long mile And a good friend it has been But if you have a fancy for it As you are a friend I don't mind giving it to you For that pair of gloves Mr. Vinegar's hands were so warm And his legs so tired That he gladly made the exchange As he drew near to the wood Where he had left his wife He heard a parrot on a tree Calling out his name Mr. Vinegar You foolish man You blockhead You simpleton You went to the fair Not content with that You changed it for bagpipes on which you could not play And which were not worth One tenth of the money You fool You had no sooner got the bagpipes Than you changed them for the gloves Which were not worth one quarter of the money And when you had got the gloves You changed them for a poor miserable stick And now for your 40 guineas Cow, bagpipes and gloves You have nothing to show but that poor miserable stick Which you might have cut in any hedge On this the bird laughed and laughed And Mr. Vinegar Falling into a violent rage Through the stick at its head The stick lodged in the tree And he returned to his wife without money Cow, bagpipes Gloves or stick And she instantly gave him such a sound cuddling That she almost broke every bone in his skin Like every bone in his skin End of chapter 6 Mr. Vinegar This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information Or to find out how you can volunteer Please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Joy Chan English fairy tales Collected by Joseph Jacobs Chapter 7 Nix, Nought, Nothing They once lived a king and a queen As many a one has been They were long married And had no children But at last a baby boy came to the queen When the king was away in the far countries The queen would not christen the boy Till the king came back And she said We will just call him Nix, Nought, Nothing Until his father comes home But it was long before he came home And the boy had grown a nice little laddie At length the king was on his way back But he had a big river to cross And there was a whirlpool But he could not get over the water But a giant came up to him And said I'll carry you over But the king said What's your pay? Oh, give me Nix, Nought, Nothing And I will carry you Over the water on my back The king had never heard That his son was called Nix, Nought, Nothing And so he said Oh, I'll give you that and my thanks into the bargain When the king got home again He was very happy to see his wife again And his young son She told him that she had not given The child any name But just Nix, Nought, Nothing Until he should come home again himself The poor king was in a terrible case He said What have I done? I promised to give the giant Who carried me over the river on his back Nix, Nought, Nothing The king and the queen were sad and sorry But they said When the giant comes We will give him the henwife's boy He will never know the difference The next day The giant came to claim the king's promise And he sent for the henwife's boy And the giant went away With the boy on his back He travelled Till he came to a big stone And there he sat down to rest He said Hedge, hodge on my back What time of day is that? The poor little boy said It is the time that my mother The henwife takes up the eggs For the queen's breakfast The giant was very angry And dashed the boy's head On the stone and killed him So he went back in a tower Of temper And this time they gave him the gardener's boy He went off with him On his back Till they got to the stone again When the giant sat down to rest And he said Hedge, hodge on my back What time of day do you make that? The gardener's boy said Sure it is the time that my mother Takes up the vegetables for the queen's dinner Then the giant was right wild And dashed his brains out on the stone Then the giant went back To the king's house in a terrible temper And said he would destroy them all If they did not give him Nick's nought nothing this time They had to do it And when he came to the big stone The giant said What time of day is that? Nick's nought nothing said It is the time that my father The king will be sitting down to supper The giant said I've got the right one now And took Nick's nought nothing to his own house And brought him up till he was a man The giant had a bonny daughter And she and the land Grew very fond of each other The giant said one day To Nick's nought nothing I've worked for you tomorrow There is a stable seven miles long And seven miles broad And it has not been cleaned for seven years And you must clean it tomorrow Or I will have you for my supper The giant's daughter went out next morning With the lads breakfast And found him in a terrible state For always as he cleaned out a bit It just fell in again The giant's daughter said She would help him And she cried all the beasts in the field And all the files of the air And in a minute they all came And carried away everything that was in the stable And made it all clean Before the giant came home He said Shame on the wit that helped you But I have a worse job for you tomorrow Then he said to Nick's nought nothing There's a lake seven miles long And seven miles deep And seven miles broad And you must drain it tomorrow by nightfall Or else I'll have you for my supper Nick's nought nothing began early next morning And tried to lave the water with his pail But the giant came home He said He'd drained the water with his pail But the lake was never getting any less And he didn't know what to do But the giant's daughter Caught on all the fish in the sea To come and drink the water And very soon they drank it dry When the giant saw the work done He was in a rage and said I have a worse job for you tomorrow There is a tree Seven miles high And no branch on it Till you get to the top There are eggs in it And you must bring down all the eggs Without breaking one Or else I'll have you for my supper At first the giant's daughter did not know How to help Nick's nought nothing She cut off first her fingers And then her toes And made steps of them And he cloned the tree And got all the eggs safe Till he came just to the bottom And then one was broken So they determined to run away together But the giant's daughter had tidied up her hair a bit And got her magic flask They set out together as fast as they could run And they hadn't got But three fields away When they looked back and saw the giant Walking along at top speed after them Quick, quick Called out the giant's daughter Take my comb from my hair And throw it down Nick's nought nothing Took her comb from her hair And threw it down They sprung up a fine thick briar In the way of the giant You may be sure It took him a long time to work his way Through the briar bush And by the time he was well through Nick's nought nothing and his sweetheart Had run on a tidy step away from him But he soon came along After them And was just like to catch him up When the giant's daughter called out to Nick's nought nothing Take my hair dagger And throw it down Quick, quick So Nick's nought nothing Threw down the hair dagger And out of it grew as quick as lightning A thick hedge of sharp razors Placed crisscross The giant had to tread Very cautiously to get through all this And meanwhile the young lovers ran on And on and on Till they were nearly out of sight But at last the giant was through And it wasn't long before he was Like to catch them up But just as he was stretching out his hand To catch Nick's nought nothing His daughter took out her magic flask And dashed it on the ground And as it broke Out of it welled a big, big wave That grew and that grew Till it reached the giant's waist And then his neck And when it got to his head He was drowned dead and dead And dead indeed So he goes out of the story But Nick's nought nothing Led on till where do you think they came to? Why, to near the castle Of Nick's nought nothing's father and mother But the giant's daughter Was so weary That she couldn't move a step further So Nick's nought nothing Told her to wait there While he went and found out a lodging for the night And he went On towards the lights of the castle And on the way He came to the cottage of the henwife Whose boy had had his brains Washed out by the giant Now she knew Nick's nought nothing In a moment and hated him Because he was the cause of her son's death So when he asked his way to the castle She put a spell upon him And when he got to the castle No sooner was he let in Then he fell down dead asleep Upon a bench in the hall The king and queen tried all They couldn't do to wake him up But all in vain So the king promised that If any lady could wake him up She should marry him Meanwhile The giant's daughter was waiting And waiting for him to come back And she went up into a tree to watch for him The gardener's daughter Going to draw water in the well Saw the shadow of the lady in the water And thought it was herself and said If I'm so bonny If I'm so brave Send me to draw water So she threw down her pail And went to see if she could wed the sleeping stranger And she went to the hen-wife Who taught her an unspelling catch Which would keep Nick's nought nothing awake As long as the gardener's daughter liked So she went up to the castle And sang her catch And Nick's nought nothing was wakened for a bit And they promised to wed him to the gardener's daughter Meanwhile The gardener went down to draw water from the well And saw the shadow of the lady in the water So he looks up and finds her And he brought the lady from the tree And led her into his house And he told her that a stranger Was to marry his daughter And took her up to the castle And showed her the man And it was Nick's nought nothing Asleep in a chair And she saw him And cried to him Waken, waken and speak to me But he would not waken And soon she cried I cleaned the stable I laid the lake And I cloned the tree And all for the love of thee And thou wilt not waken and speak to me The king and the queen heard this And came to the Bonnie young lady And she said I cannot get Nick's nought nothing to speak to me For all that I can do Then were they greatly astonished When she spoke of Nick's nought nothing And asked where he was And she said He that sits there in the chair Then they ran to him And kissed him And called him their own dear son So they called for the gardener's daughter And made her sing her charm And he wakened and told them All that the giant's daughter had done for him And of all her kindness Then they took her in their arms And kissed her And said she should now be their daughter For their son should marry her But they sent for the henwife And put her to death And they lived happy all their days End of chapter 7 Nick's nought nothing Recording by Joy Chan English fairy tales Collected by Joseph Jacobs Chapter 8 Jack Hannaford There was an old soldier who had been long in the wars So long that he was quite out at elbows And he did not know where to go To find a living So he walked up moors Down glens Till at last he came to a farm From which the good man had gone away to market The wife of the farmer was a very foolish woman Who had been a widow when he married her The farmer was foolish enough too And it is hard to say which of the two Was the more foolish When you've heard my tale You may decide Now before the farmer goes to market Says he to his wife Here is ten pounds all in gold Take care of it till I come home If the man had not been a fool He would never have given the money To his wife to keep Well, off he went in his cart to market And the wife said to herself I will keep the ten pounds Quite safe from thieves So she tidied up in a rag And she put the rag up the parlour chimney There said she No thieves will ever find it now That is quite sure Jack Hannaford, the old soldier Came and wrapped at the door Who was there? Asked the wife Jack Hannaford Where do you come from? Paradise Lord of mercy And maybe you've seen my old man there Alluding to her former husband Yes I have And how was he a-doing Asked the goodie But middling He cobbles old shoes And he has nothing but cabbage for victuals Jewelry me exclaimed the woman Didn't he send a message to me Yes he did reply Jack Hannaford He said that he was out of leather And his pockets were empty So you were to send him a few shinnings To buy a fresh stock of leather He shall have them bless his poor soul And away went the wife to the parlour chimney And she pulled the rag with the ten pounds In it from the chimney And she gave the whole sum to the soldier Telling him that her old man Was to use as much as he wanted And to send back the rest It was not long that Jack waited After receiving the money He went off as fast as he could Presently the farmer came home And asked his wife for his money The wife told him that she had sent it By a soldier to her former husband In paradise To buy him leather for cobbling The shoes of the saints and angels of heaven The farmer was very angry And he saw that he had never met With such a fool as his wife But the wife said that her husband Was a greater fool for letting her have the money There was no time to waste words So the farmer mounted his horse And rode off after Jack Haniford The old soldier heard the horse's hooves Clattering on the road behind him So he knew it must be the farmer pursuing him He lay down on the ground And shading his eyes with one hand Looked up into the sky And pointed heavenwards with the other hand What are you about there? Asked the farmer Lord, save you, exclaimed Jack I've seen a rear sight What was that? A man going straight up into the sky As if he were walking on a road Can you see him still? Yes, I can Where? Get off your horse and lie down If you will hold the horse I will hold the horse I will hold the horse I will hold the horse I will hold the horse If you will hold the horse Jack did so readily I cannot see him Said the farmer Shade your eyes with your hand And you'll soon see a man flying away from you Sure enough he did so For Jack leapt on the horse and rode away with it The farmer walked home without his horse You are bigger fool than I am Said the wife For I did only one foolish thing And you End of Chapter 8 Jack Hannaford This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information Or to find out how you can volunteer Please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Joy Chan English fairy tales Collected by Joseph Jacobs Chapter 9 Benore On a time there were two king's daughters Lived in a bower Near the Bonnie mill dams of Benore And Sir William came wooing the eldest And won her love And plighted droid with glove And with ring But after a time He looked upon the youngest With her cherry cheeks and golden hair And his love grew to water Till he cared no longer for the eldest one So she hated her sister For taking away Sir William's love And day by day Her hate grew upon her And she plotted and she planned How to get rid of her So one fine morning fair and clear She said to her sister Let us go and see our father's boats Come in at the Bonnie mill stream Of Benore So they went there hand in hand And when they got to the river's bank The youngest got upon a stone To watch for the coming of the boats And her sister's boat And her sister coming behind her Caught her round the waist And dashed her into the rushing Meal stream of Benore Oh sister, sister Reach me your hand, she cried As she floated away And you shall have half Of all I've got or shall get No, sister, I'll reach you No hand of mine For I am the heir to all your land Shame on me if I touch the hand on me if I touch the hand that has come, twixed me, and my own heart's love. Oh, sister! Oh, sister! Then reach me your glove!" she cried, as she floated further away, and you shall have your William again. "'Sink on!' cried the cruel princess. No hand or glove of mine you'll touch, so William will be all mine when you are sunk beneath the Bonnie millstream of Benore.' As she turned and went home to the king's castle, and the princess floated down the millstream, sometimes swimming and sometimes sinking, till she came near the mill. Now the miller's daughter was cooking that day, and needed water for her cooking. And as she went to draw it from the stream, she saw something floating towards the mill dam, and she cried out, "'Father, Father, draw your dam! There's something white, a merry-maid, or a milk-white swan, coming down the stream.' So the miller hastened to the dam, and stopped the heavy, cruel mill-wheels. And then they took out the princess and laid her on the bank. Fair and beautiful she looked as she lay there. In her golden hair were pearls and precious stones. You could not see her waist for her golden girdle. And the golden fringe of a white dress came down over her lily feet. But she was drowned, drowned. As she lay there in her beauty, a famous harper passed by the mill dam of Benore, and saw her sweet pale face. And though he travelled on far way, he never forgot that face, and after many days he came back to the Bonnie millstream of Benore. But then all he could find of her, where they had put her to rest, were her bones and her golden hair. So he made a harp out of her breastbone and her hair, and travelled on up the hill from the mill dam of Benore, till he came to the castle of the king, her father. That night they were all gathered in the castle hall to hear the great harper, king and queen, their daughter and son Sir William, and all their court. And first the harper sang to his old harp, making them joy and be glad or sorrow and weep just as he liked. And while he sang he put the harp he had made that day on a stone in the hall. And presently it began to sing by itself, low and clear. And the harper stopped, and all were hushed. And this was what the harp sung. O Yonder sits my father, the king, Benore, O Benore. And Yonder sits my mother, the queen, by the Bonnie mill dams of Benore. And Yonder stands my brother Hugh, Benore, O Benore. And by him my William, false and true, by the Bonnie mill dams of Benore. Then they all wondered, and the harper told them how he had seen the princess lying drowned on the bank near the Bonnie mill dams of Benore, and how he had afterwards made this harp out of her hair and breastbone. Just then the harp began singing again, and this was what it sang, out loud and clear. And there sits my sister, who drowned me, by the Bonnie mill dams of Benore. Then the harp snapped and broke, and never sang more. End of Chapter 9, Benore. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to find out how you can volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Joy Chan. English fairy tales, collected by Joseph Jacobs. Chapter 10, Mouse and Mouser. The mouse went to visit the cat, and found her sitting behind the hall door spinning. Mouse, what are you doing, my lady, my lady? What are you doing, my lady? Cat, sharply. I'm spinning old breeches, good body, good body. I'm spinning old breeches, good body. Mouse, long may you wear them, my lady, my lady. Long may you wear them, my lady. Cat, roughly. I'll wear them and tear them, good body, good body. I'll wear them and tear them, good body. Mouse, I was sweeping my room, my lady, my lady. I was sweeping my room, my lady. Cat, the cleaner you'd be, good body, good body. The cleaner you'd be, good body. Mouse, I found a silver sixpence, my lady, my lady. I found a silver sixpence, my lady. Cat, the richer you were, good body, good body. The richer you were, good body. Mouse, I went to the market, my lady, my lady. I went to the market, my lady. Cat, the further you went, good body, good body. The further you went, good body. Mouse, I bought me a pudding, my lady, my lady. I bought me a pudding, my lady. Cat, starling. The more meat you had, good body, good body. The more meat you had, good body. Mouse, I put it in the window to cool, my lady. I put it in the window to cool. Cat, sharply. The faster you'd eat it, good body, good body. The faster you'd eat it, good body. Mouse, timidly. The cat came and ate it, my lady, my lady. The cat came and ate it, my lady. Cat, pouncingly. An arly you, good body, good body. An arly you, good body. Springs upon the mouse and kills it. End of chapter 10, Mouse and Mouser. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to find out how you can volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Joy Chan. English fairytales, collected by Joseph Jacobs. Chapter 11, Kappa Rushes. Well, there was once a very rich gentleman and he'd three daughters. And he thought he'd see how fond they were of him. So he says to the first, how much do you love me, my dear? Why, says she, as I love my life. That's good, says he. So he says to the second, how much do you love me, my dear? Why, says she, better know all the world. That's good, says he. So he says to the third, how much do you love me, my dear? Why, I love you as fresh meat loves salt, says she. Well, he was that angry. You don't love me at all, says he. And in my house you stay no more. So he drove her out there and then and shut the door on her face. Well, she went away on and on till she came to a fin and there she gathered a lot of rushes and made them into a kind of a sort of a cloak with a hood to cover her from head to foot and to hide her fine clothes. And then she went on and on till she came to a great house. Do you want a maid, says she. No, we don't, said they. I haven't nowhere to go, says she. And I ask no wages and do any sort of work, says she. Well, says they. If you like to wash the pots and scrape the saucepans, you may stay, said they. So she stayed there and washed the pots and scrapped the saucepans and did all the dirty work. And because she gave no name, they called her Kappa rushes. Well, one day there was to be a great dance, a little way off. And the servants were allowed to go and look on at the grand people. Kappa rushes said she was too tired to go, so she stayed at home. But when they were gone, she offed with her Kappa rushes and cleaned herself and went to the dance. And no one there was so finely dressed as her. Well, who should be there but her master's son? And what should he do but fall in love with her the minute he set eyes on her? He wouldn't dance with anyone else. But before the dance was done, Kappa rushes slipped off and away she went home. And when the other maids came back, she was pretending to be asleep with her Kappa rushes on. Well, next morning they said to her, you did miss a sight, Kappa rushes? What was that, says she. Why, the beautifuless lady you ever see dressed right gay and gar. The young master, he never took his eyes off her. Well, I should have liked to have seen her, says Kappa rushes. Well, there's to be another dance this evening and perhaps she'll be there. But come the evening, Kappa rushes said she was too tired to go with them. How so ever when they were gone, she off with her Kappa rushes and cleaned herself and away she went to the dance. The master's son had been reckoning on seeing her and he danced with no one else and never took his eyes off her. But before the dance was over, she slipped off and home she went. And when the maids came back, she pretended to be asleep with her Kappa rushes on. Next day they said to her again, well, Kappa rushes, you should have been there to see the lady. There she was again gay and gar and the young master, he never took his eyes off her. Well, there, says she, I should have liked to have seen her. Well, says they, there's a dance again this evening and you must go with us for she's sure to be there. Well, come this evening. Kappa rushes said she was too tired to go and do what they would, she stayed at home. But when they were gone, she off with her Kappa rushes and cleaned herself and away she went to the dance. The master's son was really glad when he saw her. He danced with none but her and never took his eyes off her. When she wouldn't tell him her name nor where she came from, he gave her a ring and told her if he didn't see her again, he should die. Well, before the dance was over, off she slipped and home she went and when the maids came home, she was pretending to sleep with her Kappa rushes on. Well, next day they says to her, there Kappa rushes, you didn't come last night and now you won't see the lady for there's no more dancers. Well, I should have rarely liked to have seen her, says she. The master's son, he tried every way to find out where the lady was gone. But go where he might and ask whom he might. He never heard anything about her and he got worse and worse for the love of her till he had to keep his bed. Make some gruel for the young master, they said to the cook. He's dying for the love of the lady. The cook she set about making it when Kappa rushes came in. What are you doing off, says she. I'm going to make some gruel for the young master, says the cook, for he's dying for love of the lady. Let me make it, says Kappa rushes. Well, the cook wouldn't at first, but at last she said yes and Kappa rushes made the gruel. And when she had made it, she slipped the ring into it on the sly before the cook took it upstairs. The young man he drank it and then he saw the ring at the bottom. Send for the cook, says he. So up she comes. Who made this gruel here, says he. I did, says the cook, for she was frightened. And he looked at her. No, you didn't, says he. Say who did it and you shan't be harmed. Well then, to us Kappa rushes, says she. Send Kappa rushes here, says he. Said Kappa rushes came. Did you make my gruel, says he. Yes, I did, says she. Where did you get this ring, says he. From him that gave it me, says she. Who are you then, says the young man. I'll show you, says she. And she offed with her Kappa rushes and there she was in her beautiful clothes. Well, the master son he got well very soon and they were to be married in a little time. It was to be a very grand wedding and everyone was asked far and near. And Kappa rushes' father was asked, but she never told anybody who she was. But before the wedding, she went to the cook and says she. I want you to dress every dish without a mite of salt. That'll be rare nasty, says the cook. That doesn't signify, says she. Very well, says the cook. Well, the wedding day came and they were married. And after they were married, all the company sat down to the dinner. When they began to eat the meat, that was so tasteless they couldn't eat it. But Kappa rushes' father, he tried first one dish and then another and then he burst out crying. What is the matter, said the master son to him. Oh, says he, I had a daughter and I asked her how much she loved me and she said as much as fresh meat love salt and I turned her from my door for I thought she didn't love me and now I see she loved me best of all and she may be dead for all I know. No father, here she is, says Kappa rushes as she goes up to him and puts her arms round him and so they were happy ever after. End of chapter 11, Kappa rushes. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information on to find out how you can volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Joy Chan. English fairy tales collected by Joseph Jacobs. Chapter 12, Teeny Tiny. Once upon a time, there was a teeny tiny woman lived in a teeny tiny house in a teeny tiny village. Now one day, this teeny tiny woman put on her teeny tiny bonnet and went out of her teeny tiny house to take a teeny tiny walk and when this teeny tiny woman had gone a teeny tiny way, she came to a teeny tiny gate. So the teeny tiny woman opened the teeny tiny gate and went into a teeny tiny churchyard and when this teeny tiny woman had got into the teeny tiny churchyard, She saw a teeny tiny bone on a teeny tiny grave, and the teeny tiny woman said to her teeny tiny self, this teeny tiny bone will make me some teeny tiny soup for my teeny tiny supper. So the teeny tiny woman put the teeny tiny bone into her teeny tiny pocket and went home to her teeny tiny house. Now when the teeny tiny woman got home to her teeny tiny house, she was a teeny tiny bit tired. So she went up her teeny tiny stairs to her teeny tiny bed and put the teeny tiny bone into a teeny tiny cupboard. And when this teeny tiny woman had been to sleep a teeny tiny time, she was awakened by a teeny tiny voice from the teeny tiny cupboard which said, give me my bone. And this teeny tiny woman was a teeny tiny frightened. So she hid her teeny tiny head under the teeny tiny clothes and went to sleep again. And when she'd been to sleep again a teeny tiny time, the teeny tiny voice again cried out from the teeny tiny cupboard, a teeny tiny louder, give me my bone. This made the teeny tiny woman a teeny tiny more frightened. So she hid her teeny tiny head a teeny tiny further under the teeny tiny clothes and when the teeny tiny woman had been to sleep again a teeny tiny time, the teeny tiny voice from the teeny tiny cupboard said again a teeny tiny louder, give me my bone. And this teeny tiny woman was a teeny tiny bit more frightened. But she put her teeny tiny head out of the teeny tiny clothes and said in her loudest teeny tiny voice, take it. End of chapter 12, teeny tiny. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to find out how you can volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Joy Chan. English fairy tales collected by Joseph Jacobs. Chapter 13, Jack and the Beanstalk. There was once upon a time a poor widow who had an only son named Jack and a cow named Milky White. And all they had to live on was the milk the cow gave every morning which they carried to the market and sold. But one morning, Milky White gave no milk and they didn't know what to do. What shall we do? What shall we do? said the widow, ringing her hands. Cheer up, mother. I'll go and get work somewhere, said Jack. We've tried that before and nobody would take you, said his mother. We must sell Milky White and with the money do something, start shop or something. All right, mother, says Jack. It's market day today and I'll soon sell Milky White and then we'll see what we can do. So he took the cow's halter in his hand and off he starts. He hadn't gone far when he met a funny-looking old man who said to him, Good morning, Jack. Good morning to you, said Jack and wondered how he knew his name. Well, Jack, and where are you off to, said the man. I'm going to market to sell our cow here. Oh, you look the proper sort of chap to sell cows, said the man. I wonder if you know how many beans make five. Two in each hand and one in your mouth, says Jack, as sharp as a needle. Right you are, said the man, and here they are, the very beans themselves. He went on pulling out of his pocket a number of strange-looking beans. As you are so sharp, says he, I don't mind doing a swap with you, your cow for these beans. Walker, says Jack, wouldn't you like it? Ah, you don't know what these beans are, said the man. If you plant them overnight, by morning they grow right up to the sky. Really, says Jack, you don't say so. Yes, that is so, and if it doesn't turn out to be true, you can have your cow back. Right, says Jack, and hands him over milky white halter and pockets the beans. Back goes Jack home, and as he hadn't gone very far, it wasn't dusk by the time he got to his door. What, back Jack, said his mother. I see you haven't got milky white, so you've sold her. How much did you get for her? You'll never guess, mother, says Jack. No, you don't say so. Good boy, five pounds, 10? 15. No, it can't be 20. I told you you couldn't guess. What do you say to these beans? They're magical. Plant them overnight and... What, says Jack's mother. Have you been such a fool, such a dull, such an idiot, as to give away my milky white, the best milker in the parish, and prime beef to boot, for a set of poultry beans? Take that! Take that! Take that! And as for your precious beans, here they go out of the window, now off with you to bed, not a such shall you drink, and not a bitch shall you swallow this very night. So Jack went upstairs to his little room in the attic, and sad and sorry he was to be sure, as much for his mother's sake is for the loss of his supper. At last he dropped off to sleep. When he woke up, the room looked so funny. The sun was shining into part of it, and yet all the rest was quite dark and shady. So Jack jumped up and dressed himself and went to the window. And what do you think he saw? Why, the beans his mother had thrown out of the window into the garden, had sprung up into a big beanstalk which went up and up and up till it reached the sky. So the man spoke truth after all. The beanstalk grew up quite close past Jack's window. So all he had to do was to open it and give a jump onto the beanstalk, which was made like a big plaited ladder. So Jack climbed and he climbed and he climbed and he climbed and he climbed and he climbed and he climbed till at last he reached the sky. And when he got there he found a long broad road going as straight as a dart. So he walked along and he walked along and he walked along till he came to a great big tall house. And on the doorstep there was a great big tall woman. Good morning mum, says Jack, quite polite like. Should you be so kind as to give me some breakfast? For he hadn't had anything to eat you know the night before and was as hungry as a hunter. It's breakfast you want is it? Says the great big tall woman. It's breakfast you'll be if you don't move off from here. My man is an ogre and there's nothing he likes better than boys broiled on toast. You'd better be moving on or he'll soon be coming. Oh please mum do give me something to eat mum. I've had nothing to eat since yesterday morning really and truly mum says Jack. I may as well be broiled as die of hunger. Well the ogre's wife wasn't such a bad sort after all. So she took Jack into the kitchen and gave him a junk of bread and cheese and a jug of milk. But Jack hadn't half finished these when thump, thump, thump. The whole house began to tremble with the noise of someone coming. Goodness gracious me it's my old man said the ogre's wife. What on earth shall I do? Here come quick and jump in here. And she bundled Jack into the oven just as the ogre came in. He was a big one to be sure. At his belt he had three calves strung up by the heels and he unhooked them and threw them down on the table and said here wife broil me a couple of these for breakfast. Ah what's this I smell? Fee five foe thump. I smell the blood of an Englishman. Be here in your lie or be he dead I'll have his bones to grind my bread. Nonsense dear said his wife you're dreaming or perhaps you smell the scraps of that little boy you liked so much for yesterday's dinner. Here go you and have a wash and tidy up and by the time you come back your breakfast will be ready for you. So the ogre went off and Jack was just going to jump out of the oven and run off when the woman told him not. Wait till he's asleep says she. He always has a snooze after breakfast. Well the ogre had his breakfast and after that he goes to a big chest and takes out of it a couple of bags of gold and sits down counting them to that last his head began to nod and he began to snore till the whole house shook again. Then Jack crept out on tiptoe from his oven and as he was passing the ogre he took one of the bags of gold under his arm and off he pelters till he came to the beanstalk and then he threw down the bag of gold which of course fell into his mother's garden and then he climbed down and climbed down till at last he got home and told his mother and showed her the gold and said well mother wasn't I right about the beans they are really magical you see so they lived on the bag of gold for some time but at last they came to the end of that so Jack made up his mind to try his luck once more up at the top of the beanstalk so one fine morning he got up early and got onto the beanstalk and he climbed and he climbed and he climbed and he climbed and he climbed and he climbed till at last he had got on the road again and came to the great big tall house he had been to before there sure enough was the great big tall woman standing on the doorstep good morning mom says jack as bold as brass could you be so good as to give me something to eat go away my boy said the big tall woman or else my man will eat you up for breakfast but aren't you the youngster who came here once before do you know that very day my man missed one of his bags of gold that's strange mom says jack I dare say I could tell you something about that but I'm so hungry I can't speak till I've had something to eat well the big tall woman was that curious that she took him in and gave him something to eat but he had scarcely began munching it as slowly as he could when thump thump thump they heard the giant's footstep and his wife he'd jack away in the oven all happened as it did before in came the ogre as he did before said three five four thumb and had his breakfast of three broiled oxen then he said wife bring me the hen that lays the golden eggs so she brought it and the ogre said lay and it laid an egg all of gold and then the ogre began to nod his head and to snore till the house shook then jack crept out of the oven on tiptoe and caught hold of the golden hen and was off before you could say jack Robinson but this time the hen gave a cackle which woke the ogre and just as jack got out of the house he heard him calling wife wife what have you done with my golden hen and the wife said why my dear but that was all jack heard for he rushed off to the beanstalk and climbed down like a house on fire and when he got home he showed his mother the wonderful hen and said lay to it and it laid a golden egg every time he said lay well jack was not content and it wasn't very long before he determined to have another try at his luck up there at the top of the beanstalk so one fine morning he got up early and went on to the beanstalk and he climbed and he climbed and he climbed and he climbed till he got to the top but this time he knew better than to go straight to the ogre's house and when he got near it he waited behind a bush till he saw the ogre's wife come out with a pail to get some water and then he crept into the house and got into the copper he hadn't been there long when he heard thump thump thump as before and then come the ogre his wife fee five four thumb i smell the blood of an englishman cried out the ogre i smell him wife i smell him do you my dearie says the ogre's wife then if it's that little rogue that stole your gold and the hen that laid the golden eggs he's sure to have gotten to the oven and they both rushed to the oven but jack wasn't there luckily and the ogre's wife said there you are again with your fee five four thumb well of course it's the laddie you caught last night that i've broiled for your breakfast how forgetful i am and how careless you are not to tell the difference between a liven and a deadone so the ogre sat down to the breakfast and ate it but every now and then he would mutter well i could have sawn and he'd get up and search the ladder and the cupboards and everything only luckily he didn't think of the copper after breakfast was over the ogre called out wife wife bring me my golden harp so she brought it and put it on the table before him then he said sing and the golden harp sang most beautifully and it went on singing to the ogre fell asleep and commenced to snore like thunder then jack lifted up the copper lid very quietly and got down like a mouse and crept on hands and knees till he got to the table when he got up and caught hold of the golden harp and dashed with it towards the door but the harp called out quite loud master master and the ogre woke up just in time to see jack running off with his harp jack ran as fast as he could and the ogre came rushing after and would soon have caught him only jack had a start and dodged him a bit and knew where he was going when he got to the beanstalk the ogre was not more than 20 yards away when suddenly he saw jack disappear like and when he got up to the end of the road he saw jack underneath climbing down for dear life well the ogre didn't like trusting himself to such a ladder and he stood and waited so jack got another start but just then the harp cried out master master and the ogre swung himself down to the beanstalk which shook with his weight down climbs jack and after him climbed the ogre by this time jack had climbed down and climbed down and climbed down till he was very nearly home so he called out mother mother bring me an axe bring me an axe and his mother came rushing out with the axe in her hand but when she came to the beanstalk she stood stock still with fright for there she saw the ogre just coming down below the clouds but jack jumped down and got hold of the axe and gave a chop at the beanstalk which cut it half in two the ogre felt the beanstalk shake and quiver so he stopped to see what was the matter then jack gave another chop with the axe and the beanstalk was cut in two and began to topple over then the ogre fell down and broke his crown and the beanstalk came toppling after then jack showed his mother his golden harp and what was showing that in selling the golden eggs jack and his mother became very rich and he married a great princess and they lived happy ever after end of chapter 13 jack and the beanstalk this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Joy Chan English fairy tales collected by Joseph Jacobs chapter 14 the story of the three little pigs once upon a time when pigs spoke lion and monkeys chewed tobacco and hens took snuff to make them tough and ducks went quack quack quack there was an old sow with three little pigs and as she had not enough to keep them she sent them out to seek their fortune the first that went off met a man with a bundle of straw and said to him please man give me that straw to build me a house which the man did and the little pig built a house with it presently came along a wolf and knocked at the door and said little pig little pig let me come in to which the pig answered no no by the hair of my chinny chin chin the wolf then answered to that then I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house in so he huffed and he puffed and he blew his house in and ate up the little pig the second little pig met a man with a bundle of furs and said please man give me that furs to build a house which the man did and the pig built his house then along came the wolf and said little pig little pig let me come in no no by the hair of my chinny chin chin then I'll puff and I'll huff and I'll blow your house in so he huffed and he puffed and he puffed and he huffed and at last he blew the house down and he ate up the little pig the third little pig met a man with a load of bricks and said please man give me those bricks to build a house with so the man gave him the bricks and he built his house with them so the wolf came as he did to the other little pigs and said little pig little pig let me come in no no by the hair of my chinny chin chin then I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house in well he huffed and he puffed and he huffed and he puffed and he puffed and he huffed but he could not get the house down when he found that he could not with all his huffing and puffing blow the house down he said little pig I know where there is a nice field of termites where said the little pig oh and mr smith's home field and if you will be ready tomorrow morning I will call for you and we will go together and get some for dinner very well said the little pig I will be ready what time do you mean to go oh at six o'clock well the little pig got up at five and got the termites before the wolf came which he did about six and he said little pig are you ready the little pig said ready I have been and come back again and got a nice potful for dinner the wolf thought very angry at this but thought that he would be up to the little pig somehow or other so he said little pig I know where there is a nice apple tree where said the pig down at Mary Garden replied the wolf and if you will not deceive me I will come for you at five o'clock tomorrow and get some apples well the little pig bustles up the next morning at four o'clock and went off for the apples and took it back before the wolf came but he had further to go and had to climb the tree so that just as he was coming down from it he saw the wolf coming which as you may suppose frightened him very much when the wolf came up he said little pig what are you here before me are they nice apples yes very said the little pig I will throw you down one and he threw it so far that while the wolf was gone to pick it up the little pig jumped down and ran home the next day the wolf came again and said to the little pig little pig there is a fair shanklin this afternoon will you go oh yes said the pig I will go what time shall you be ready at three said the wolf so the little pig went off before the time as usual and got to the fair and bought a butter churn which he was going home with and he saw the wolf coming then he could not tell what to do so he got into the churn to hide and by so doing turn it round and it rolled down the hill with the pig in it which frightened the wolf so much that he ran home without going to the fair he went to the little pig's house and told him how frightened he had been by a great round thing which came down the hill past him then the little pig said huh I frightened you then I had been to the fair and bought a butter churn and when I saw you I got into it and rolled down the hill then the wolf was very angry indeed and declared he would eat up the little pig and that he would get down the chimney after him when the little pig saw what he was about he hung on the pot full of water and made up a blazing fire and just as the wolf was coming down took off the cover and in fell the wolf so the little pig put on the cover again in an instant bought him up and ate him for supper and lived happy ever afterwards end of chapter 14 the story of the three little pigs this is the LibriBox recording all LibriBox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Joy Chan English fairytales collected by Joseph Jacobs chapter 15 the master and his pupil there was once a very learned man in the north country he knew all the languages under the sun and he was acquainted with all the mysteries of creation he had one big book bound in black calf and clasped with iron and with iron corners and chained to a table which was made fast to the floor and when he read out of this book he unlocked it with an iron key and none but he read from it for it contained all the secrets of the spiritual world it told how many angels they were in heaven and how they marched in their ranks and sang in their choirs and what were their several functions and what was the name of each great angel of might and it told of the demons how many of them there were and what were their several powers and their labors and their names and how they might be summoned and how tasks might be imposed on them and how they might be chained to be a slaves to man now the master had a pupil who was but a foolish lad and he acted as servant to the great master but never was he suffered to look into the black book hardly to enter the private room one day the master was out and then the lad as curious as could be hurried to the chamber where his master kept his wondrous apparatus for changing copper into gold and led into silver and where was his mirror in which he could see all that was passing in the world and where was the shell which when held to the ear whispered all the words that were being spoken by anyone that the master desired to know the lad tried in vain with the cruciples to turn copper and led into gold and silver he looked long and vainly into the mirror smoke and clouds passed over it but he saw nothing plain and the shell to his ear produced only indistinct memories like the breaking of distant seas on an unknown shore i can do nothing he said as i don't know the right words to utter and they are locked up in young book he looked round and see the book was unfastened the master had forgotten to lock it before he went out the boy rushed to it and unclosed the volume it was written with red and black ink and much of it he could not understand but he put his finger on a line and spelled it through at once the room was darkened and the house trembled a clap of thunder rolled through the passage in the old room and there stood before him a horrible horrible form breathing fire and with eyes like burning lamps it was the demon beelzebub whom he had called up to serve him set me a task said he with a voice like the roaring of an iron furnace the boy only trembled and his hair stood up set me a task or i shall strangle thee but the land could not speak then the evil spirit stepped towards him and putting forth his hand touched his throat the fingers burned his flesh set me a task watering on flower cried the boy in despair pointing to a geranium which stood in a pot on the floor instantly the spirit left the room but in another instant he returned with a barrel on his back and poured its contents over the flower and again and again he went and came and poured more and more water till the floor of the room was ankle deep enough enough gasped the lad but the demon heeded him not the lad didn't know the words by which to send him away and still he fetched water it rose to the boys knees and still more water was poured it mounted to his waist and beelzebub still kept on bringing barrels full it rose to his armpits and he scrambled to the tabletop and now the water in the room stood up to the window and washed against the glass and swelled around his feet on the table it still rose it reached his breast in vain he cried the evil spirit would not be dismissed and to this day he would have been pouring water and would have drowned all yorkshire but the master remembered on his journey that he had not locked his book and therefore returned and at the moment when the water was bubbling about the pupil's chin rushed into the room and spoke the words which cast beelzebub back into his fiery home end of chapter 15 the master and his pupil this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Joy Chan English fairytales collected by Joseph Jacobs chapter 16 titty mouse and tatty mouse titty mouse and tatty mouse both lived in a house titty mouse went to leasing and tatty mouse went to leasing so they both went to leasing titty mouse leased an ear of corn and tatty mouse leased an ear of corn so they both leased an ear of corn titty mouse made a pudding and tatty mouse made a pudding so they both made a pudding and tatty mouse put her pudding into the pot to boil but when titty went to put hers in the pot tumbled over and scolded hers death Then Tattie sat down and wept. Then a three-legged stool said, Tattie, why do you weep? Titties dead, said Tattie, and so I weep. Then, said the stool, I'll hop. So the stool hopped. Then a broom in the corner of the room said, Stool, why do you hop? Oh, said the stool. Titties dead and Tattie weeps and so I hop. Then, said the broom, I'll sweep. So the broom began to sweep. Then, said the door. Broom, why do you sweep? Oh, said the broom. Titties dead and Tattie weeps, and the stool hops, and so I sweep. Then, said the door, I'll jar. So the door jarred. Then, said the window. Door, why do you jar? Oh, said the door. Titties dead and Tattie weeps, and the stool hops, and the broom sweeps, and so I jar. Then, said the window, I'll creak. So the window creaked. Now there was an old form outside the house, and when the window creaked the form said, Window, why do you creak? Oh, said the window. Titties dead and Tattie weeps, and the stool hops, and the broom sweeps, the door jars, and so I creak. Then, said the old form, I'll run round the house. Then the old form ran round the house. Now there was a fine large walnut tree growing by the cottage, and the tree said to the form, Form, why do you run round the house? Oh, said the form. Titties dead and Tattie weeps, and the stool hops, and the broom sweeps, the door jars, and the window creaks, and so I run round the house. Then, said the walnut tree, I'll shed my leaves. So the walnut tree shed all its beautiful green leaves. Now there was a little bird perched on one of the bows of the tree, and when all the leaves fell it said, Walnut tree, why do you shed your leaves? Oh, said the tree. Titties dead and Tattie weeps, the stool hops, and the broom sweeps, the door jars, and the window creaks, the old form runs round the house, and so I shed my leaves. Then, said the little bird, I'll molt all my feathers. So he molted all his pretty feathers. Now there was a little girl walking below, carrying a jug of milk for her brothers and sisters supper, and when she saw the poor little bird molt all its feathers, she said, Little bird, why do you molt all your feathers? Oh, said the little bird. Titties dead and Tattie weeps, the stool hops, and the broom sweeps, the door jars and the window creaks, the old form runs round the house, the walnut tree sheds its leaves, and so I molt all my feathers. Then, said the little girl, I'll spill the milk. So she dropped the pitcher and spilt the milk. Now there was an old man just by on the top of a ladder, thatching a rick, and when he saw the little girl spill the milk he said, Little girl, what do you mean by spilling the milk? Your little brothers and sisters must go without their supper. Then, said the little girl. Titties dead and Tattie weeps, the stool hops and the broom sweeps, the door jars and the window creaks, the old form runs round the house, the walnut tree sheds all its leaves, the little bird molts all its feathers, and so I spill the milk. Oh! said the old man, then I'll tumble off the ladder and break my neck. So he tumbled off the ladder and broke his neck, and when the old man broke his neck, the great walnut tree fell down with a crash, and upset the old form and house, and the house falling knocked the window out, and the window knocked the door down, and the door upset the broom, and the broom upset the stool, and poor little Tattie Mouse was buried beneath the ruins. End of Chapter 16. Tittie Mouse and Tattie Mouse. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to find out how you can volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Joy Chan. English fairy tales collected by Joseph Jacobs. Chapter 17. Jack and his Golden Snuff Box. Once upon a time, and a very good time it was, though it was neither in my time nor in your time, nor in anyone else's time, there was an old man and an old woman, and they had one son, and they lived in a great forest, and their son never saw any other people in his life. But he knew that there was some more in the world besides his own father and mother, because he had lots of books, and he used to read every day about them. And when he read about some pretty young women, he used to go mad to see some of them. Till one day, when his father was out cutting wood, he told his mother that he wished to go away, to look for his living in some other country, and to see some other people besides them too. And he said, I see nothing at all here but great trees around me, and if I stay here, maybe I shall go mad before I see anything. The young man's father was out all this time, when this talk was going on between him and his poor old mother. The old woman begins by saying to her son before leaving, well well my poor boy, if you want to go, it's better for you to go, and God be with you. The old woman thought for the best when she said that. But stop a bit before you go, which would you like best for me to make you, a little cake and bless you, or a big cake and curse you. Dear dear said he, make me a big cake, maybe I shall be hungry on the road. The old woman made the big cake, and she went on top of the house, and she cursed him as far as she could see him. Presently meets with his father, and the old man says to him, where are you going my poor boy? When the son told the father the same tale as he told his mother. Well, says his father, I'm sorry to see you going away, but if you've made your mind to go it's better for you to go. The poor lad had not gone far when his father called him back. Then the old man drew out of his pocket a golden snuff box and said to him, here take this little box and put it in your pocket, and be sure not to open it till you are near your death. And away went poor Jack upon his road, and walked till he was tired and hungry, for he had eaten all his cake upon the road, and by this time night was upon him, so he could hardly see his way before him. He could see some light a long way before him, and he made up to it, and found the back door and knocked at it, till one of the maid servants came and asked him what he wanted. He said that night was on him, and he wanted to get some place to sleep. The maid servant called him into the fire and gave him plenty to eat, good meat and bread and beer, and as he was eating his food by the fire, there came the young lady to look at him, and she loved him well, and he loved her. And the young lady ran to tell her father, and said there was a pretty young man in the back kitchen, and immediately the gentleman came to him, and questioned him, and asked what work he could do. Jack said, the silly fellow, that he could do anything. He meant that he could do any foolish bit of work that would be wanted about the house. Well, says the gentleman to him, if you can do anything, at eight o'clock in the morning, I must have a great lake and some of the largest man-of-war vessels sailing before my mansion, and one of the largest vessels must fire a royal salute, and the last round must break the leg of the bed where my young daughter is sleeping, and if you don't do that, you will have to forfeit your life. All right, said Jack, and away he went to his bed, and said his prayers quietly, and slept till it was near eight o'clock, and he had hardly any time to think what he was to do, till all of a sudden he remembered about the little golden box that his father gave him, and he said to himself, Well, well, I never was so near my death as I am now, and then he felt in his pocket, and drew the little box out, and when he opened it, out there hopped three little red men, and asked Jack, What is your will with us? Well, said Jack, I want a great lake and some of the largest man-of-war vessels in the world before this mansion, and one of the largest vessels to fire a royal salute, and the last round to break one of the legs of the bed where this young lady is sleeping. All right, said the little men, go to sleep. Jack had hardly time to bring the words out of his mouth to tell the little men what to do, but when it struck eight o'clock, when bang, bang, went one of the largest man-of-war vessels, and it made Jack jump out of bed to look through the window, and I can assure you it was a wonderful sight for him to see, after being so long with his father and mother living in a wood. By this time Jack dressed himself and said his prayers, and came down laughing, for he was proud he was because the thing was done so well. The gentleman comes to him and says to him, Well, my young man, I must say that you are very clever indeed. Come and have some breakfast. And the gentleman tells him, Now there are two more things you have to do, and then you shall have my daughter in marriage. Jack gets his breakfast and has a good squint at the young lady, and also she at him. The other thing that the gentleman told him to do was to fell all the great trees for miles around by eight o'clock in the morning, and, to make my long story short, it was done, and it pleased the gentleman well. The gentleman said to him, The other thing you have to do, and it was the last thing, you must get me a great castle standing on twelve golden pillars, and there must come regiments of soldiers, and go through their drill. At eight o'clock the commanding officer must say, Shoulder up. All right, said Jack. When the third and last morning came, the third great feat was finished, and he had the young daughter in marriage. But, oh dear, there is worse to come yet. The gentleman now makes a large hunting party, and invites all the gentlemen around the country to it, and to see the castle as well. And by this time Jack has a beautiful horse and a scarlet dress to go with them. On that morning his valet, when putting Jack's clothes by, after changing them to go hunting, put his hand in one of Jack's waistcoat pockets, and pulled out the little golden snuff box, as poor Jack left behind in a mistake. And that man opened the little box, and there hopped the three little red men out, and asked him what he wanted with them. Well, said the valet to them, I want this castle to be moved from this place far and far across the sea. All right, said the little red men to him, do you wish to go with it? Yes, said he. Well, get up, said they to him, and away they went, far and far over the great sea. Now the grand hunting party comes back, and the castle upon the twelve golden pillars had disappeared, to the great disappointment of those gentlemen as did not see it before. That poor silly Jack is threatened by taking his beautiful young wife from him, for taking them in in the way he did. But the gentleman at last made an agreement with him, and he is to have a twelve months and a day to look for it, and off he goes with a good horse and money in his pocket. Now poor Jack goes in search of his missing castle over hills, dales, valleys and mountains, through woolly woods and sheep walks, further than I can tell you or ever intend to tell you, until at last he comes up to the place where lives the king of all the little mice in the world. There was one of the little mice on sentry at the front gate going up to the palace, and did try to stop Jack from going in. He asked the little mouse, Where does the king live? I should like to see him. This one sent another with him to show him the place, and when the king saw him he called him in, and the king questioned him, and asked him where he was going that way. Well, Jack told him all the truth, that he had lost the great castle, and was going to look for it, and he had a whole twelve months and a day to find it out. And Jack asked him whether he knew anything about it, and the king said, No, but I am the king of all the little mice in the world, and I will call them all up in the morning, and maybe they have seen something of it. Then Jack got a good meal and bed, and in the morning he and the king went on to the fields, and the king called all the mice together, and asked them whether they had seen the great beautiful castle standing on golden pillars, and all the little mice said, No, there was none of them had seen it. The old king said to him that he had two other brothers, one is the king of all the frogs, and my other brother who was the oldest, he is the king of all the birds in the world, and if you go there, maybe they know something about the missing castle. The king said to him, Leave your horse here with me till you come back, and take one of my best horses under you, and give this cake to my brother. He will know then who you got it from. Mind and tell him I am well, and should like dearly to see him. And then the king and Jack shook hands together. And when Jack was going through the gates, the little mouse asked him, should he go with him? And Jack said to him, No, I shall get myself into trouble with the king. And the little thing told him, It will be better for you to let me go with you. Maybe I shall do some good to you some time without you knowing it. Jump up then. And the little mouse ran up the horse's leg and made it dance, and Jack put the mouse in his pocket. Now Jack, after wishing good morning to the king and pocketing the little mouse which was on sentry, trudged on his way, and such a long way he had to go, and this was his first day. At last he found the place, and there was one of the frogs on sentry, and gun upon his shoulder, and he tried to hinder Jack from going in. But when Jack said to him that he wanted to see the king, he allowed him to pass, and Jack made up to the door. The king came out and asked him his business, and Jack told him all from beginning to end. Well, well, come in. He gets good entertainment that night, and in the morning the king made such a funny sound, and collected all the frogs in the world. And he asked them, Did they know or see anything of a castle that stood upon 12 golden pillars? And they all made a curious sound. And said, No. Jack had to take another horse and a cake to this king's brother. He was the king of all the fowls of the air. And as Jack was going through the gates, the little frog that was on sentry asked John, Should he go with him? Jack refused him for a bit, but at last he told him to jump up, and Jack put him in his other waistcoat pocket, and away he went again on his great long journey. It was three times as long this time as it was the first day. However he found the place, and there was a fine bird on sentry, and Jack passed him, and he never said a word to him. And he talked with the king and told him everything, all about the castle. Well, said the king to him, You shall know in the morning from my birds whether they know anything or not. Jack put up his horse in the stable and then went to bed after having something to eat. And when he got up in the morning, the king and he went on to some field, and there the king made some funny noise, and there came all the fowls that were in all the world. And the king asked them, Did they see the fine castle? And all the birds answered, No. Well, said the king, Where is the great bird? They had to wait then for a long time for the eagle to make his appearance, when at last he came all in a perspiration, after sending two little birds high up in the sky to whistle on him, to make all the haste he possibly could. The king asked the great bird, Did he see the great castle? And the bird said, Yes, I came from there where it now is. Well, says the king to him, This young gentleman has lost it, and you must go with him back to it, but stop till you get a bit of something to eat first. They killed a thief and sent the best part of it to feed the eagle on his journey over the seas, and had to carry Jack on his back. Now, when they came in sight of the castle, they did not know what to do to get the little golden box. Well, the little mouse said to them, Leave me down, and I will get the little box for you. So the mouse stole into the castle, and got hold of the box, and when he was coming down the stairs it fell down, and he was very near being caught. He came running out with it, laughing his best. Have you got it? Jack said to him. He said, Yes, and off they went back again, and left the castle behind. As they were all of them, Jack, mouse, frog, and eagle, passing over the great sea, they felt a quarrelling about which it was that got the little box, till down it slipped into the water. It was by them looking at it and handing it from one hand to the other that they dropped the little box to the bottom of the sea. Well, well, said the frog. I knew that I would have to do something, so you had better let me go down in the water. And they let him go, and he was down for three days and three nights, and up he comes and shows his nose and little mouth out of the water. And all of them asked him, Did he get it? And he told them, No. Well, what are you doing there then? Nothing at all, he said. Only I want my full breath. And the poor little frog went down the second time, and he was downed for a day and a night, and up he brings it. And away they did go after being there four days and nights, and after a long tug over seas and mountains arrive at the palace of the old king, who is the master of all the birds in the world, and the king is very proud to see them, and has a hearty welcome and a long conversation. Jack opens the little box and told the little men to go back and to bring the castle here to them, and all of you make as much haste back again as you possibly can. The three little men went off, and when they came near the castle, they were afraid to go to it till the gentleman and lady, and all the servants were gone out to some dance. And there was no one left behind there, only the cook and another maid with her. And the little red men asked them which would they rather go or stop behind, and they both said, I will go with you. And the little men told them to run upstairs quick. There were no sooner up and in one of the drawing rooms than here comes just in sight the gentleman and lady and all the servants. But it was too late. Off the castle went at full speed, with the women laughing at them through the window, while they made motions for them to stop, but all to no purpose. They were nine days on their journey, in which they did try to keep the Sunday holy, when one of the little men turned to be the priest, the other the clerk, and third presided at the organ. And the women were the singers, for they had a grand chapel in the castle already. Very remarkable, there was a discord made in the music, and one of the little men ran up one of the organ pipes to see where the bad sound came from. When he found out it only happened to be that the two women were laughing at the little red man stretching his little legs full length on the base pipes, also his two arms the same time, with his little red nightcap, which he never forgot to wear, and what they never witnessed before could not help calling forth some good merriment while on the face of the deep. And poor thing, through them not going on with what they began with, they very near came to danger, as the castle was once very near sinking in the middle of the sea. At length, after a merry journey, they come again to Jack and the king. The king was quite struck with the sight of the castle, and going up the golden stairs, went to see the inside. The king was very much pleased with the castle, but poor Jack's time over twelve months and a day was drawing to a close, and he, wishing to go home to his young wife, gives orders to the three little men to get ready by the next morning at eight o'clock to be off to the next brother, and to stop there for one night, also to proceed from there to the last or the youngest brother, the master of all the mice in the world, in such place where the castle shall be left unto his care until it's sent for. Jack takes a farewell of the king, and thanks him very much for his hospitality. Away went Jack and his castle again, and stopped one night in that place, and away they went again to the third place, and there left the castle under his care. As Jack had to leave the castle behind, he had to take to his own horse which he had left there when he first started. Now poor Jack leaves his castle behind, and faces towards home, and after having so much merriment with the three brothers every night, Jack became sleepy on horseback, and would have lost the road if it was not for the little men are guiding him. At last he arrived weary and tired, and they did not seem to receive him with any kindness whatever, because he had not found the stolen castle. And to make it worse, he was disappointed in not seeing his young and beautiful wife to come and meet him, through being hindered by her parents. But that did not stop long. Jack put full power on, and dispatched the little men off to bring the castle from there, and they soon got there. Jack shook hands with the king, and returned many thanks for his kingly kindness in minding the castle for him, and then Jack instructed the little men to spur up and put speed on, and off they went, and were not long before they reached their journey's end, when out comes the young wife to meet him with a fine lump of a young son, and they all lived happily ever afterwards. End of Chapter 17, Jack and his golden snuff box. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to find out how you can volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Joy Chan. English Fairy Tales, collected by Joseph Jacobs. Chapter 18, The Story of the Three Bears Once upon a time there were three bears who lived together in a house of their own in a wood. One of them was a little, small wee bear, and one was a middle-sized bear, and the other was a great, huge bear. They had each a pot for their porridge, a little pot for the little, small wee bear, and a middle-sized pot for the middle bear, and a great pot for the great, huge bear. And they had each a chair to sit in, a little chair for the little, small wee bear, and a middle-sized chair for the middle bear, and a great chair for the great, huge bear. And they had each a bed to sleep in, a little bed for the little, small, wee bear, and a middle-sized bed for the middle bear, and a great bed for the great, huge bear. One day, after they had made the porridge for their breakfast and poured it into their porridge pots, they walked out into the wood while the porridge was cooling, that they might not burn their mouths by beginning too soon to eat it. And while they were walking, a little old woman came to the house. She could not have been a good, honest old woman. For first she looked in at the window, and then she peeped in at the keyhole, and seeing nobody in the house, she lifted the latch. The door was not fastened, because the bears were good bears, who did nobody any harm, and never suspected that anybody would harm them. So the little old woman opened the door and went in, and well pleased she was when she saw the porridge on the table. If she had been a good little old woman, she would have waited till the bears came home, and then perhaps they would have asked her to breakfast, for they were good bears, a little rough also as the manner of bears is, but for all that very good natured and hospitable. But she was an imputed, bad old woman, and set about helping herself. So first she tasted the porridge of the great huge bear, and that was too hot for her, and she said a bad word about that. And then she tasted the porridge of the middle bear, and that was too cold for her, and she said a bad word about that too. And then she went to the porridge of the little small wee bear, and tasted that, and that was neither too hot nor too cold, but just right. And she liked it so well that she ate it all up. But the naughty old woman said a bad word about the little porridge pot, because it did not hold enough for her. Then the little old woman sat down in the chair of the great huge bear, and that was too hard for her. And then she sat down in the chair of the middle bear, and that was too soft for her. And then she sat down in the chair of the little small wee bear, and that was neither too hard nor too soft, but just right. So she seated herself in it, and there she sat till the bottom of the chair came out, and down she came plump upon the ground. And the naughty old woman said a wicked word about that too. Then the little old woman went upstairs into the bed chamber in which the three bears slept. At first she lay down upon the bed of the great huge bear, but that was too high at the head for her. And next she lay down upon the bed of the middle bear, and that was too high at the foot for her. And then she lay down upon the bed of the little small wee bear, and that was neither too high at the head nor at the foot, but just right. So she covered herself up comfortably and lay there till she fell fast asleep. By this time the three bears thought their porridge would be cool enough, so they came home to breakfast. Now the little old woman had left the spoon of the great huge bear standing in his porridge. Somebody has been at my porridge, said the great huge bear in his great rough, rough voice. And when the middle bear looked at his, he saw that the spoon was standing in it too. They were wooden spoons. If they had been silver ones, the naughty old woman would have put them in her pocket. Somebody has been at my porridge, said the middle bear in his middle voice. Then the little small wee bear looked at his, and there was the spoon in the porridge pot, but the porridge was all gone. Somebody has been at my porridge and has eaten it all up, said the little small wee bear in his little small wee voice. Upon this the three bears, seeing that someone had entered their house and had eaten up the little small wee bear's breakfast, began to look about them. Now the little old woman had not put the hard cushion straight when she rose from the chair of the great huge bear. Somebody has been sitting in my chair, said the great huge bear in his great rough, rough voice. And the little old woman had squatted down the soft cushion of the middle bear. Somebody has been sitting in my chair, said the middle bear in his middle voice. And you know what the little old woman had done to the third chair. Somebody has been sitting in my chair and has set the bottom out of it, said the little small wee bear in his little small wee voice. Then the three bears thought it necessary that they should make father's search, so they went upstairs into their bed chamber. Now the little old woman had pulled the pillow of the great huge bear out of its place. Somebody has been lying in my bed, said the great huge bear in his great rough, rough voice. And the little old woman had pulled the bolster of the middle bear out of its place. Somebody has been lying in my bed, said the middle bear in his middle voice. And when the little small wee bear came to look at his bed, there was the bolster in its place and the pillow in its place upon the bolster. And upon the pillow was the little old woman's ugly, dirty head, which was not in its place, for she had no business there. Somebody has been lying in my bed, and here she is, said the little small wee bear in his little small wee voice. The little old woman had heard in her sleep the great, rough, rough voice of the great huge bear. But she was so fast asleep that it was no more to her than the roaring of wind or the rumbling of thunder. And she had heard the middle voice of the middle bear. But it was only as if she had heard someone speaking in a dream. But when she heard the little small wee voice of the little small wee bear, it was so sharp and so shrill that it awakened her at once. Up she started, and when she saw the three bears on one side of the bed, she tumbled herself out at the other and ran to the window. Now the window was open because the bears, like good, tidy bears as they were, always opened their bed chamber window when they got up in the morning. Out the little old woman jumped, and whether she broke her neck in the fall or ran into the wood and was lost there, or found her way out of the wood and was taken up by the constable and sent to the house of correction for a vagrant as she was, I cannot tell. But the three bears never saw anything more of her. End of chapter 18, the story of the three bears. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings in the public domain. For more information or to find out how you can volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Joy Chan. English fairy tales collected by Joseph Jacobs. Chapter 19, Jack the Giant Killer. When Good King Arthur reigned, they lived near the land's end of England in the county of Cornwall, a farmer who had one only son called Jack. He was brisk and of a ready, lively wit, so that nobody or nothing could worst him. In those days, the nut of Cornwall was kept by a huge giant named Cormoran. He was 18 feet in height and about three yards round the waist of a fierce and grim countenance, the terror of all the neighboring towns and villages. He lived in a cave in the midst of the melt, and whenever he wanted food, he would wade over to the mainland, where he would furnish himself with whatever came in his way. Everybody at his approach ran out of their houses while he seized on their cattle, making nothing of carrying half a dozen oxen on his back at a time. And as for their sheep and hogs, he would tie them round his waist like a bunch of tallow dips. He had done this for many years so that all Cornwall was in despair. One day Jack happened to be at the town hall when the magistrates were sitting in council about the giant. He asked, what reward will be given to the man who kills Cormoran? The giant's treasure, they said, will be the reward. Quoth Jack, then let me undertake it. So he got a horn, shovel, and pickaxe, and went over to the mount in the beginning of a dark winter's evening when he fell to work and before morning had dug a pit 22 feet deep and nearly as broad, covering it over with long sticks and straw. Then he screwed a little mould over it so that it appeared like plain ground. Jack then placed himself on the opposite side of the pit, farthest from the giant's lodging, and just at the break of day, he put the horn to his mouth and blew, Tantavi, Tantavi. This noise roused the giant who rushed from his cave crying, you incorrigible villain, are you come here to disturb my rest? You shall pay dearly for this, satisfaction I will have and this it shall be. I will take you whole and brawl you for breakfast. He had no sooner uttered this than he tumbled into the pit and made the very foundations of the mount to shake. Oh giant, Quoth Jack, where are you now? Oh faith, you are got a mountain lobs pound where I will surely plague you for threatening words. What do you think now of brolling me for your breakfast? Will no other diet serve you but poor Jack? Then having tantalised the giant for a while, he gave him a most weighty knock with his pickaxe on the very crown of his head and killed him on the spot. Jack then filled up the pit with earth and went to search the cave, which he found contained much treasure. When the magistrates heard of this, they made a declaration he should henceforth be turned, Jack the giant killer, and presented him with a sword and a belt, unriched with written these words embroidered in letters of gold. He is the right valiant Cornish man who slew the giant Cormoran. The news of Jack's victory soon spread over all the west of England, so that another giant named Blunderbore, hearing of it, vowed to be revenged on Jack if ever he should light on him. This giant was the lord of an enchanted castle situated in the midst of a lonesome wood. Now Jack, about four months afterwards, walking near this wood in his journey to Wales, being weary, seated himself near a pleasant fountain and fell fast asleep. While he was sleeping, the giant, coming there for water, discovered him and knew him to be the far-famed Jack the giant killer by the lines written on the belt. Without ado, he took Jack on his shoulders and carried him towards its castle. Now as they passed through a thicket, the rustling of the boughs awakened Jack, who was strangely surprised to fight himself in the clutches of the giant. His terror was only begun, for, on entering the castle, he saw the ground strewed with human bones and the giant told him his own would ear-long be among them. After this, the giant locked poor Jack in an immense chamber, leaving him there while he went to fetch another giant, his brother, living in the same wood. He might share in the meal on Jack. After waiting some time, Jack, on going to the window, beheld a far-off the two giants coming towards the castle. Now, quote Jack to himself, my death or my deliverance is at hand. Now there were strong cords in a corner of the room in which Jack was, and two of these he took and made a strong noose at the end. And while the giants were unlocking the iron gate of the castle, he threw the ropes over each of their heads. Then he drew the other ends across a beam and pulled with all his might so that he throttled them. Then when he saw they were black in the face, he slid down the rope and drawing his sword slew them both. Then taking the giant's keys and unlocking the rooms, he found three fair ladies tied by the hair of their heads, almost starved to death. Sweet ladies, quote Jack, I have destroyed this monster and his brutish brother and obtained your liberties. This said, he presented them with the keys and so proceeded on his journey to Wales. Jack made the best of his way by traveling as fast as he could but lost his road and was benighted and could find any habitation until, coming into a narrow valley, he found a large house and in order to get shelter, took courage to knock at the gate. But what was his surprise when they came forth a monstrous giant with two heads? Yet he did not appear so fiery as the others were for he was a wealth giant and what he did was by private and secret malice under the false show of friendship. Jack, having told his condition to the giant, was shown into a bedroom where, in the dead of night, he heard his host in another apartment muttering these words. Though here you lodge with me this night, you shall not see the morning light, my club shall dash your brains outright. Says thou so, quote Jack, that is like one of your wealth tricks, yet I hope to be cunning enough for you. Then, getting out of bed, he laid a billet in the bed in his stead and hid himself in a corner of the room. At the dead time of the night, in came the wealth giant who struck several heavy blows on the bed with his club, thinking he had broken every bone in Jack's skin. The next morning, Jack, laughing in his sleeve, gave him hearty thanks for his night's lodging. How have you rested, quote the giant? Did you not feel anything in the night? No, quote Jack, nothing but a rat which gave me two or three slats with a tail. With that, greatly wandering, the giant led Jack to breakfast, bringing him a bowl containing four gallons of hasty pudding. Being low to let the giant think it too much for him, Jack put a large leather bag under his loose coat in such a way that he could convey the pudding into it without it's being perceived. Then, telling the giant he would show him a trick, taking a knife Jack ripped open the bag and out came all the hasty pudding. We're upon saying, odd splutters her nails, her can do that trick herself. The monster took the knife and ripping open his belly fell down dead. Now it happened in these days that King Arthur's only son asked his father to give him a large sum of money in order that he might go and seek his fortune in the Principality of Wales where lived a beautiful lady possessed with seven evil spirits. The king did his best to persuade his son from it but in vain. So at last gave way and the prince set out with two horses, one loaded with money, the other for himself to ride upon. Now after several days travel, he came to a market town in Wales where he beheld a vast crowd of people gathered together. The prince asked the reason of it and was told that they had arrested a corpse for several large sums of money which the deceased owed when he died. The prince replied that it was a pity creditors should be so cruel and said, go bury the dead and let his creditors come to my lodging and there their debts shall be paid. They came in such great numbers that before night he had only two pence left for himself. Now Jack the giant killer coming that way was so taken with the generosity of the prince that he desired to be his servant. This being agreed upon, the next morning they set forward on their journey together when as they were riding out of the town an old woman called after the prince saying, he has owed me two pence these seven years, pray pay me as well as the rest. Putting his hand to his pocket, the prince gave the woman all he had left so that after their days food which cost what small spell Jack had by him, they were without a penny between them. When the sun got low, the king's son said, Jack, since we have no money, where can we launch this night? But Jack replied, master will do well enough for I have an uncle lives within two miles of this place. He is a huge and monstrous giant with three heads. He'll fight 500 men in armor and make them to fly before him. Alas, quote the prince, what shall we do there? He'll certainly chop us up at a mouthful. Nay, we are scarce enough to fill one of his hollow teeth. It is no matter for that, quote Jack, I myself will go before and prepare the way for you. Therefore stop here and wait till I return. Jack then rode away at full speed and coming to the gate of the castle, he knocked so loud that he made the neighboring hills resound. The giant roared out at this like thunder, who's there? Jack answered, none but your poor cousin Jack. Quoth he, what news with my poor cousin Jack? He replied, dear uncle, heavy news, good what? Really, quote the giant, what heavy news can come to me? I am a giant with three heads and besides, thou knowest I can fight 500 men in armor and make them fly like chaff before the wind. Oh, but, quote Jack, here's the king's son are coming with a thousand men in armor to kill you and destroy all that you have. Oh, cousin Jack, said the giant, this is heavy news indeed. I will immediately run and hide myself and thou shalt lock, bolt and bar me in and keep the keys until the prince is gone. Having secured the giant, Jack fetched his master when they made themselves heartily merry whilst the poor giant lay trembling in a vault under the ground. Early in the morning, Jack furnished his master with a fresh supply of gold and silver and then sent him three miles forward on his journey, at which time the prince was pretty well out of the smell of the giant. Jack then returned and let the giant out of the vault who asked what he should give him for keeping the castle from destruction. Why, quote Jack, I want nothing but the old coat and cap together with the old rusty sword and slippers which are at your bed's head. Quote the giant, you know not what you ask. They are the most precious things I have. The coat will keep you invisible. The cap will tell you all you want to know. The sword cuts asunder whatever you strike and the shoes are of extraordinary swiftness. But you have been very serviceable to me. Therefore take them with all my heart. Jack thanked his uncle and then went off with them. He soon overtook his master and they quickly arrived at the house of the lady the prince sought, who, finding the prince to be a suitor, prepared a splendid banquet for him. After the repast was concluded, she told him she had a task for him. She wiped his mouth with a handkerchief saying, you must show me that handkerchief tomorrow morning or else you will lose your head. With that she put it in her bosom. The prince went to bed in great sorrow but Jack's cap of knowledge informed him how it was to be obtained. In the middle of the night, she called upon her familiar spirit to carry her to Lucifer. But Jack put on his coat of darkness and his shoes of swiftness and was there as soon as she was. When she entered the place of the old one, she gave the handkerchief to old Lucifer who laid it upon a shelf, whence Jack took it and brought it to his master who showed it to the lady next day and so saved his life. On that day, she gave the prince a kiss and told him he must show her the lips tomorrow morning that she kissed last night or lose his head. Ah, he replied, if you kiss none but mine I will. That is neither he nor they said she, if you do not, death's your portion. At midnight she went as before and was angry with old Lucifer for letting the handkerchief go. But now, quoth she, I will be too hard for the king's son for I will kiss thee and he is to show me thy lips, which she did and Jack, when she was not standing by, cut off Lucifer's head and brought it under his invisible coat to his master who the next morning pulled it out by the horns before the lady. This broke the enchantment and the evil spirit left her and she appeared in all her beauty. They were married the next morning and soon after went to the court of King Arthur where Jack for his many great exploits was made one of the knights of the round table. Jack soon went searching for giants again but he had not ridden far when he saw a cave near the entrance of which he beheld a giant sitting upon a block of timber with a knotted iron club by his side. His goggle eyes were like flames of fire, his countenance grim and ugly and his cheeks like a couple of large flitches of bacon while the bristles of his beard resembled rods of iron wire and the locks that hung down upon his brawny shoulders were like curled snakes or hissing adders. Jack alighted from his horse and putting on the coat of darkness went up close to the giant and said softly, Oh, are you there? It will not be long before I take you fast by the beard. The giant all this while could not see him on account of his invisible coat so that Jack coming up close to the monster struck a blow with his sword at his head but missing his aim he cut off the nose instead. At this the giant roared like claps of thunder and began to lay about him with his iron club like one stark mad. But Jack running behind drove his sword up to the hilt and the giant's back so that he fell down dead. This done, Jack cut off the giant's head and sent it with his brothers also to King Arthur by wagoner he hired for that purpose. Jack now resolved to enter the giant's cave in search of his treasure and passing along through a great many windings and turnings he came at length to a large room paved with freestone at the upper end of which was a boiling cauldron and on the right hand a large table at which the giant used to dine. Then he came to a window barred with iron through which he looked and beheld a vast number of miserable captives who seeing him cried out, alas young man, art thou come to be one amongst us in this miserable den? I, quote Jack, but pray tell me what is the meaning of your captivity? We are kept here, said one till such time as the giants have a wish to feast and then the fattest among us is slaughtered and many other times they have dined upon murdered men. Say you so, quote Jack, and straight away unlocked the gate and let them free who all rejoiced like condemned men at sight of a pardon. Then searching the giant's coffers he shared the gold and silver equally amongst them and took them to a neighbouring castle where they all feasted and made merry over their deliverance. But in the midst of all this mirth a messenger brought news that one Thunderdale, a giant with two heads, having heard of the death of his kinsmen, had come from the northern dales to be revenged on Jack and was within a mile of the castle. The country people flying before him like chaff. But Jack was not a bit daunted and said, let him come, I have a tool to pick his teeth and you ladies and gentlemen walk out into the garden and you shall witness this great Thunderdale's death and destruction. The castle was situated in the midst of a small island surrounded by a moat 30 feet deep and 20 feet wide over which lay a drawbridge. So Jack employed men to cut through this bridge on both sides nearly to the middle and then dressing himself in his invisible coat he marched against the giant with a sword of sharpness. Although the giant could not see Jack he smelt his approach and cried out in these words. Fee fi fove fum I smell the blood of an Englishman be he alive or be he dead I'll grind his bones to make me bread. Says thou so said Jack then thou art a monstrous miller indeed. The giant cried out again art thou that villain who killed my kinsman then I will tear thee with my teeth suck thy blood and grind thy bones to powder. You'll have to catch me first, quote Jack and throwing off his invisible coat so that the giant might see him and putting on his shoes of swiftness he ran from the giant who followed like a walking castle so that the very foundations of the earth seemed to shake at every step. Jack led him a long dance in order that the gentlemen and ladies might see and at last to end the matter ran lightly over the drawbridge the giant in full speed pursuing him with his club. Then coming to the middle of the bridge the giant's great weight broke it down and he tumbled headlong into the water where he rolled and wallowed like a whale. Jack standing by the moat laughed at him all the while but though the giant firmed to hear him scoff and plunged from place to place in the moat yet he could not get out to be revenged. Jack at length got a cart rope and cast it over the two heads of the giant and drew him ashore by a team of horses and then cut off both his heads with his sword of sharpness and sent them to King Arthur. After some time spent in mirth and pastime Jack, taking leave of the knights and ladies set out for new adventures. Through many woods he passed and came at length to the foot of a high mountain. Here late at night he found a lonesome house and knocked at the door which was opened by an aged man with a head as white as snow. Father said Jack can you lodge a benighted traveler that has lost his way? Yes said the old man you are right welcome to my poor cottage. Whereupon Jack entered and down they sat together and the old man began to speak as follows. Son I see by your belt you are the great conqueror of giants and behold my son on the top of this mountain is an enchanted castle. This is kept by a giant named Gilagantua and he by the help of an old conjure betrays many knights and ladies into his castle whereby magic art they are transformed into sundry shapes and forms. But above all I agree for a duet's daughter whom they fetched from her father's garden carrying her through the air in a burning chariot drawn by fiery dragons when they secured her within the castle and transformed her into a white hind. And though many knights have tried to break the enchantment and work her deliverance yet no one could accomplish it on account of two dreadful griffons which are placed at the castle gate and which destroy everyone who comes near. But you my son may pass by them undiscovered where on the gates of the castle you will find engraving in large letters how the spell may be broken. Jack gave the old man his hand and promised that in the morning he would venture his life to free the lady. In the morning Jack arose and put on his invisible coat and magic cap and shoes and prepared himself for the fray. Now when he had reached the top of the mountain he soon discovered the two fiery griffons but passed them without fear because of his invisible coat. When he had got beyond them he found upon the gates of the castle a golden trumpet hung by a silver chain under which these lines were engraved. Whoever shall this trumpet blow shall soon the giant overthrow and break the black enchantment straight so all shall be in happy state. Jack had no sooner read this but he blew the trumpet at which the castle trembled to its vast foundations and the giant and Condra weren't horrid confusion biting their thumbs and tearing their hair knowing their wicked reign was at an end. Then the giant, stooping to take up his club Jack at one blow cut off his head where upon the Condra mounting up into the air was carried away in a whirlwind. Then the enchantment was broken and all the lords and ladies who had so long been transformed into birds and beasts returned to their proper shapes and the castle vanished away in a cloud of smoke. This being done the head of Gilagantua was likewise in the usual manner conveyed to the court of King Arthur where the very next day Jack followed with the knights and ladies who had been delivered. Whereupon as a reward for his good services the king prevailed upon the Duke to bestow his daughter in marriage on honest Jack. So married they were and the whole kingdom was filled with joy at the wedding. Furthermore the king bestowed on Jack a noble castle with a very beautiful estate there too belonging where he and his lady lived in great joy and happiness all the rest of their days. End of chapter 19, Jack the giant killer. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Joy Chan. English fairy tales collected by Joseph Jacobs. Chapter 20, Henny Penny. One day Henny Penny was picking up corn in the corn yard when, whack, something hit her upon the head. Goodness gracious me said Henny Penny. The skies are going to fall. I must go and tell the king. So she went along and she went along and she went along till she met cocky locky. Where are you going Henny Penny? says cocky locky. Oh I'm going to tell the king the skies are falling says Henny Penny. May I come with you says cocky locky. Certainly says Henny Penny. So Henny Penny and cocky locky went to tell the king the sky was falling. They went along and they went along and they went along till they met ducky daddles. Where are you going to Henny Penny and cocky locky? says ducky daddles. Oh we're going to tell the king the skies are falling said Henny Penny and cocky locky. May I come with you says ducky daddles. Certainly said Henny Penny and cocky locky. So Henny Penny, cocky locky and ducky daddles went to tell the king the sky was falling. So they went along and they went along and they went along till they met goosey poosy. Where are you going to Henny Penny, cocky locky and ducky daddles? said goosey poosy. Oh we're going to tell the king the skies are falling. Said Henny Penny and cocky locky and ducky daddles. May I come with you said goosey poosy. Certainly said Henny Penny, cocky locky and ducky daddles. So Henny Penny, cocky locky, ducky daddles and goosey poosy went to tell the king the sky was falling. So they went along and they went along and they went along till they met turkey lurky. Where are you going Henny Penny, cocky locky, ducky daddles and goosey poosy? says turkey lurky. Oh we're going to tell the king the skies are falling. Said Henny Penny, cocky locky, ducky daddles and goosey poosy. May I come with you, Hennie-Pennie, Cocky-Locky, Ducky-Daddles, and Goosey-Poocey?" said Turkey-Lurky. Why, certainly Turkey-Lurky, said Hennie-Pennie, Cocky-Locky, Ducky-Daddles, and Goosey-Poocey. So Hennie-Pennie, Cocky-Locky, Ducky-Daddles, Goosey-Poocey, and Turkey-Lurky all went to tell the king the sky was a-falling. So they went along, and they went along, and they went along. So they met Foxy-Woxy, and Foxy-Woxy said to Hennie-Pennie, Cocky-Locky, Ducky-Daddles, Goosey-Poocey, and Turkey-Lurky. Where are you going, Hennie-Pennie, Cocky-Locky, Ducky-Daddles, Goosey-Poocey, and Turkey-Lurky? And Hennie-Pennie, Cocky-Locky, Ducky-Daddles, Goosey-Poocey, and Turkey-Lurky said to Foxy-Woxy. We're going to tell the king the sky's a-falling. Oh! But this is not the way to the king, Hennie-Pennie, Cocky-Locky, Ducky-Daddles, Goosey-Poocey, and Turkey-Lurky, says Foxy-Woxy. I know the proper way, shall I show it you? Why, certainly, Foxy-Woxy said Hennie-Pennie, Cocky-Locky, Ducky-Daddles, Goosey-Poocey, and Turkey-Lurky. So Hennie-Pennie, Cocky-Locky, Ducky-Daddles, Goosey-Poocey, Turkey-Lurky, and Foxy-Woxy all went to tell the king the sky was a-falling. So they went along, and they went along, and they went along, till they came to a narrow and dark hole. Now this was the door of Foxy-Woxy's cave, but Foxy-Woxy said to Hennie-Pennie, Cocky-Locky, Ducky-Daddles, Goosey-Poocey, and Turkey-Lurky. This is the short way to the king's palace. You'll soon get there if you follow me. I'll go first, and you come after Hennie-Pennie, Cocky-Locky, Ducky-Daddles, Goosey-Poocey, and Turkey-Lurky. Why, of course, certainly, without doubt. Why not? said Hennie-Pennie, Cocky-Locky, Ducky-Daddles, Goosey-Poocey, and Turkey-Lurky. So Foxy-Woxy went into his cave, and he didn't go very far, but turned round to wait for Hennie-Pennie, Cocky-Locky, Ducky-Daddles, Goosey-Poocey, and Turkey-Lurky. So at last that first Turkey-Lurky went through the dark hole into the cave. He hadn't got far when HRIMPH Foxy-Woxy snapped off Turkey-Lurky's head and threw his body over his left shoulder. Then Goosey-Poocey went in, and HRIMPH off went her head, and Goosey-Poocey was thrown beside Turkey-Lurky. Then Ducky-Daddles waddled down, and HRIMPH snapped Foxy-Woxy, and Ducky-Daddles' head was off, and Ducky-Daddles was thrown alongside Turkey-Lurky and Goosey-Poocey. Then Cocky-Locky strutted down into the cave, and he hadn't gone far when SNAPHRIMPH went Foxy-Woxy, and Cocky-Locky was thrown alongside of Turkey-Lurky, Goosey-Poocey, and Ducky-Daddles. But Foxy-Woxy had made two bites at Cocky-Locky, and when the first snap only hurt Cocky-Locky but didn't kill him, he called out to Hennie-Pennie. So she turned tail and ran back home. So she never told the king the sky was a-falling. End of Chapter 20 Hennie-Pennie Child Rowland and his brother's twain were playing at the ball, and there was their sister Bird-Ellen in the midst among them all. Child Rowland kicked it with his foot and caught it with his knee, at last as he plunged among them all, or the church he made at Flea. Bird-Ellen round about the aisle to seek the ball is gone, but long they waited and longer still, and she came knock back again. They sought her east, they sought her west, they sought her up and down, and woe were the hearts of those brethren, for she was not to be found. So at last her eldest brother went to the Warlock Merlin and told him all the case, and asked him if he knew where Bird-Ellen was. The fair Bird-Ellen said Warlock Merlin must have been carried off by the fairies because she went round the church wider shins, the opposite way to the sun. She is now in the dark tower of the King of Elfland. It would take the boldest night in Christendom to bring her back. If it is possible to bring her back, said her brother, I'll do it, or perish in the attempt. Possible it is, said the Warlock Merlin, but woe to the man or mother's son that attempts it if he is not well taught beforehand what he is to do. The eldest brother of Bird-Ellen was not to be put off by any fear of danger from attempting to get her back, so he begged the Warlock Merlin to tell him what he should do and what he should not do in going to seek his sister. And after he had been taught and had repeated his lesson he set out for Elfland. But long they waited and longer still with doubt and muckle pain, but woe were the hearts of his brethren, for he came not back again. Then the second brother got tired and sick of waiting and went to the Warlock Merlin and asked him the same as his brother, so he set out to find Bird-Ellen. But long they waited and longer still with muckle doubt and pain, and woe were his mother's and brother's heart, for he came not back again. And when they had waited and waited a good long time, Child Rowland, the youngest of Bird-Ellen's brothers, wished to go and went to his mother the good queen to ask her to let him go. But she would not at first, for he was the last of her children she now had, and if he was lost all would be lost. But he begged and he begged to let last the good queen let him go, and gave him his father's good brand that never struck in vain, and as she girded round his waist she said the spell that would give it victory. So Child Rowland said goodbye to the good queen, his mother, and went to the cave of the Warlock Merlin. Once more and but once more he said to the Warlock, tell how man or mother's son may rescue Bird-Ellen and her brother's twain. Well my son said the Warlock Merlin, there are but two things, simple they may seem, but hard they are to do. One thing to do and one thing not to do, and the thing to do is this, after you have entered the land of Fairy, whoever speaks to you till you meet the Bird-Ellen, you must out with your father's brand and off with their head, and what you've not to do is this, bite no bit and drink no drop, however hungry or thirsty you be, drink a drop or bite a bit while an elf land you be and never will you see Middle-Earth again. So Child Rowland said the two things over and over again till he knew them by heart, and he thanked the Warlock Merlin and went on his way, and he went along and along and along, and still further along till he came to the Horse-Head of the King of Elfland feeding his horses. These he knew by their fiery eyes and knew that he was at last in the land of Fairy. Canst thou tell me, said Child Rowland, to the Horse-Head, where the King of Elfland's dark tower is? I cannot tell thee, said the Horse-Head, but go on a little further and thou wilt come to the Cow-Head and he may be, can tell thee. Then without a word more, Child Rowland drew the Good-Brand that never struck in vain, and off went the Horse-Head's head, and Child Rowland went on further till he came to the Cow-Head and asked him the same question. I can't tell thee, said he, but go on a little farther and thou wilt come to the Hen-wife and she is sure to know. Then Child Rowland, out with his Good-Brand, that never struck in vain, and off went the Cow-Head's head, and he went on a little further till he came to an old woman in a grey cloak, and he asked her she knew where the dark tower of the King of Elfland was. Go on a little further, said the Hen-wife, till you come to a round green hill, surrounded with terraced rings, from the bottom to the top. Go round at three times wider shins, and each time say, open door, open door, and let me come in. And the third time the door will open and you may go in. And Child Rowland was just going on when he remembered what he had to do, so he out with the Good-Brand that never struck in vain, and off went the Hen-wife's head. Then he went on and on and on till he came to the round green hill with the terraced rings from top to bottom, and he went round at three times wider shins, saying each time, open door, open door, and let me come in. And the third time the door did open and he went in, and it closed with a click, and Child Rowland was left in the dark. It was not exactly dark, but a kind of twilight or gloaming. There were neither windows nor candles, and he could not make out where the twilight came from if not through the walls and roof. These were rough arches made of a transparent rock encrusted with sheep silver and rock spa and other bright stones. But though it was rock, the air was quite warm, as it always is in Elfland. So he went through this passage till at last he came to two wide and high folding doors which stood ajar. And when he opened them, there he saw a most wonderful and glorious sight, a large and spacious hall, so large that it seemed to be as long and as broad as the green hill itself. The roof was supported by fine pillars, so large and lofty that the pillars of a cathedral were as nothing to them. They were all of gold and silver with fretted work and between them and around them, reeds of flowers composed of what do you think? Why of diamonds and emeralds and all manner of precious stones? And the very keystones of the arches had for ornaments, clusters of diamonds and rubies and pearls and other precious stones. And all these arches met in the middle of the roof and just there, hung by a golden chain, an immense lab made out of one big pearl hollowed out and quite transparent. And in the middle of this was a big huge carbuncle which kept spinning round and round, and this was what gave light by its rays to the whole hall which seemed as if the setting sun was shining on it. The hall was furnished in a manner equally grand and at one end of it was a glorious couch of velvet, silver and gold and there stayed Third Ellen, combing her golden hair with a silver comb. And when she saw Child Rowland, she stood up and said, God pity ye poor luckless fool, what have you here to do? Hear ye this, my youngest brother, why didn't ye bide at home? Had you a hundred thousand lives you couldn't spare any a one? But sit ye down, but woe oh woe, that ever ye were born, for come the king of Elfland in, your fortune is forlorn. Then they sat down together and Child Rowland told her all that he had done and she told him how their two brothers had reached the dark tower but had been enchanted by the king of Elfland and lay there entombed as if dead. And then after they had talked a little longer, Child Rowland began to feel hungry from his long travels and told his sister Bird Ellen how hungry he was and asked for some food, forgetting all about the warlock Merlin's warning. Bird Ellen looked at Child Rowland sadly and shook her head, but she was under a spell and could not warn him. So she rose up and went out and soon brought back a golden basin full of bread and milk. Child Rowland was just going to raise it to his lips when he looked at his sister and remembered why he had come all that way. So he dashed the bowl to the ground and said, not a sup will I swallow nor a bit will I bite till Bird Ellen is set free. Just at that moment they heard the noise of someone approaching and a loud voice was heard saying, Fee, fie, foe, fum, I smell the blood of a Christian man, be he dead, be he living, with my brand I'll dash his brains from his brain pan. And then the folding doors of the hall were burst open and the king of Elfland rushed in. Strike then bogal if thou darest shouted out Child Rowland and rushed to meet him with his good brand that never yet did fail. They fought and they fought and they fought till Child Rowland beat the king of Elfland down onto his knees and caused him to yield and beg for mercy. I grant thee mercy said Child Rowland, release my sister from thy spells and raise my brothers to life and let us all go free and thou shalt be spared. I agree said the Elfin king and rising up he went to a chest from which he took a file filled with a blood red liquor. With this he anointed the ears, eyelids, nostrils, lips and fingertips of the two brothers and they sprang at once into life and declared that their souls had been away but had now returned. The Elfin king then said some words to bird Ellen and she was disenchanted and they all four passed out of the hall through the long passage and turned their back on the dark tower never to return again. And they returned home and the good queen their mother and bird Ellen never went round the church wider shins again. End of chapter 21 Child Rowland This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Joy Chan English fairy tales collected by Joseph Jacobs Chapter 22 Molly Wuppie Once upon a time there was a man and a wife had too many children and they could not get meat for them. So they took the three youngest and left them in a wood. They travelled and travelled and could see never a house. It began to be dark and they were hungry. At last they saw a light and made for it. It turned out to be a house. They knocked at the door and a woman came to it who said, What do you want? They said, Please let us in and give us something to eat. The woman said, I can't do that as my man is a giant and he would kill you if he comes home. They begged hard. Let us stop for a little while said they and we will go away before he comes. So she took them in and set them down before the fire and gave them milk and bread. But just as they had begun to eat a great knock came to the door and a dreadful voice said, Fee, fire, foe, thumb, I smell the blood of some earthly one. Who have you there, wife? Eh, said the wife. It's three poor lassies cold and hungry and they will go away. You won't touch the man. He said nothing but ate up a big supper and ordered them to stay all night. Now he had three lassies of his own and they were to sleep in the same bed with the three strangers. The youngest of the three strange lassies was called Molly Wappy and she was very clever. She noticed that before they went to bed the giant put straw ropes round her neck and her sisters and round his own lassies' necks he put gold chains. So Molly took care and did not fall asleep but waited till she was sure everyone was sleeping sound. Then she slipped out of the bed and took the straw ropes of her own and her sisters' necks and took the gold chains of the giant's lassies. She then put the straw ropes on the giant's lassies and the gold on herself and her sisters and lay down. And in the middle of the night up rose the giant armed with a great club and he felt for the necks with the straw. It was dark. He took his own lassies out of bed onto the floor and battered them until they were dead and then lay down again thinking he had managed fine. Molly thought at times she and her sisters were out of that so she awakened them and told them to be quiet and they slipped out of the house. They all got out safe and they ran and ran and never stopped until morning when they saw a grand house before them. It turned out to be a king's house so Molly went in and told her story to the king. He said, Well Molly, you are a clever girl and you have managed well but if you would manage better and go back and steal the giant sword that hangs on the back of his bed I would give your elder sister my eldest son to marry. Molly said she would try. So she went back and managed to slip it to the giant's house and crept in below the bed. The giant came home and ate up a great supper and went to bed. Molly waited until he was snoring and she crept out and she reached over the giant and got down the sword but just as she got it out over the bed it gave a rattle and up jumped the giant and Molly ran out at the door and the sword with her and she ran and he ran till they came to the bridge of one hair and she got over but he couldn't and he says Well worth you Molly Wuffy, never you come again and she says twice yet Carl quotes she I'll come to Spain so Molly took the sword to the king and her sister was married to his son. Well the king he says you've managed well Molly but if you would manage better and steal the purse that lies below the giant's pillow I would marry your second sister to my second son and Molly said she would try. So she set out for the giant's house and slipped in and hid again below the bed and waited till the giant had eaten his supper and with snoring sound asleep. She slipped out and slipped her hand below the pillow and got out the purse but just as she was going out the giant wakened and ran after her and she ran and he ran till they came to the bridge of one hair and she got over but he couldn't and he said Well worth you Molly Wuffy, never you come again once yet Carl quotes she I'll come to Spain so Molly took the purse to the king and her second sister was married to the king's second son. After that the king says to Molly Molly you are a clever girl but if you would do better yet and steal the giant's ring that he wears on his finger I will give you my younger son for yourself Molly said she would try so back she goes to the giant's house and hides herself below the bed the giant wasn't long yet he came home and after he had eaten a great big supper he went to his bed and shortly was snoring loud Molly crept out and reached over the bed and got hold of the giant's hand and she pulled and she pulled until she got off the ring and she got it off the giant got up and gripped her by the hand and he says now I have catch you Molly Wuffy and if I had done as much ill to you as you have done to me what would you do to me Molly says I would put you into a sack and I'd put the cat inside with you and the dog beside you and a needle and thread and a shears and I'd hang you up upon the wall and choose the thickest stick I could get and I would come home and take you down and bang you till you were dead well Molly says the giant I'll just do that to you so he gets a sack and puts Molly into it and the cat and the dog beside her and a needle and thread and shears and hangs her upon the wall and goes to the wood to choose a stick Molly she sings out you see what I see oh says the giant's wife what do you see Molly but Molly never said a word but oh you see what I see the giant's wife begged that Molly would take her up into the sack till she would see what Molly saw so Molly took the shears and cut a hole in the sack and took out the needle and thread with her and jumped down and helped the giant's wife up into the sack and sewed up the hole the giant's wife saw nothing and began to ask to get down again but Molly never minded and hid herself at the back of the door home came the giant and a great big tree in his hand and he took down the sack and began to batter it his wife cried it's me man but the dog barked and the cat mewed but Molly came out from the back of the door and the giant saw her and he after her and he ran and she ran till they came to the bridge of one hair and she got over but he couldn't and he said woe worth you Molly Wuppie never you come again never more Carl quote she will I come again to Spain so Molly took the ring to the king and she was married to his younger son end of chapter 22 Molly Wuppie this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Joy Chan English fairy tales collected by Joseph Jacobs chapter 23 The Red Ettin there was once a widow that lived on a small bit of ground which she rented from a farmer and she had two sons and by and by it was time for the wife to send them away to seek their fortune so she told her eldest son one day to take a can and bring her water from the well that she might bake a cake for him and however much or however little he might bring the cake would be great or small accordingly and that cake was to be all that she could give him when he went on his travels the lad went away with the can and filled it well and filled it with water and then came away home again but the can being broken the most part of the water had run out before he got back so his cake was very small yet small as it was his mother asked him if he was willing to take the half of it with her blessing telling him that if he chose rather to take the whole he would only get it with her curse the young man thinking he might have to travel a far way with all the provisions said he would like to have the whole cake come off his mother's mallison what like so she gave him the whole cake and her mallison along with it then he took his brother aside and gave him a knife to keep till he should come back desiring him to look at it every morning and as long as it continued to be clear then he might be sure that the owner of it was well but if it grew dim and rusty then for certain some ill had befallen him so the young man went to seek his fortune and he went all that day and all the next day and on the third day in the afternoon he came up to where shepherd was sitting with a flock of sheep and he went up to the shepherd and asked him who the sheep belonged to and he answered the red Ettin of Ireland once lived in Baligan and stole King Markham's daughter the king of fair Scotland he beat her, he bind her he lays her on a band and strikes her with a bright silver wand like Julian the Roman he's one that fears no man it's said there's one predestinate to be his mortal foe but that man is yet unborn and long may it be so this shepherd also told him to beware of the beasts he should next meet for they were of a very different kind from any he had yet seen so the young man went on and by and by he saw a multitude of very dreadful beasts with two heads and on every head four horns and he was so frightened and ran away from them as fast as he could and glad was he when he came to a castle that stood on a hillock with the door standing wide open to the wall and he went into the castle for shelter and there he saw an old wife sitting beside the kitchen fire he asked the wife if he might stay for the night as he was tired with a long journey and the wife said he might but it was not a good place for him to be in as it belonged to the red Ettin who was a very terrible beast with three heads that spared no living man it could get hold of the young man would have gone away but he was afraid of the beasts on the outside of the castle so he beseeched the old woman to hide him as best she could and not tell the Ettin he was there he thought if he could put over the night he might get away in the morning without meeting with the beasts but he had not been long in his hiding hole before the awful Ettin came in and no sooner was he in than he was heard crying Snock Butt and Snock Ben I find the smell of an earthly man be he living or be he dead his heart this night shall kitchen my bread the monster soon found the poor young man and pulled him from his hole and when he had got him out he told him that if he could answer him three questions his life should be spared so the first head asked a thing without an end what's that but the young man knew not then the second head said the smaller the more dangerous what's that but the young man knew it not and then the third head asked the dead carrying the living riddle me that but the young man had to give it up the lad not being able to answer one of these questions the red Ettin took a mallet and knocked him on the head and turned him into a pillar of stone on the morning after this happened the younger brother took out the knife to look at it and he was grieved to find it all brown with rust he told his mother that the time was now come for him to go away upon his travels also so she requested him to take the can to the well for water that she might make a cake for him and he went to the water a raven over his head cried to him to look and he would see that the water was running out and he was a young man of sense and seeing the water running out he took some clay and patched up the holes so that he brought home enough water to bake a large cake when his mother put it to him to take the half cake with her blessing he took it in preference to having the hole with her mallison and yet the half was bigger than what the other lad had got and after he had travelled a far way he met with an old woman that asked him if he would give her a bit of his Johnny cake and he said I will gladly do that and so he gave her a piece of the Johnny cake and for that she gave him a magical wand that she might yet be of service to him if he took care to use it rightly then the old woman who was a fairy told him a great deal that would happen to him and what he ought to do in all circumstances and after that he went out of his sight he went on a great way farther and then he came up to the old man herding the sheep and when he asked whose sheep these were the answer was the red Ettin of Ireland once lived in Balagon and stole King Malcolm's daughter the king of fair Scotland he beats her, he binds her he lays her on a band and every day he strikes her with a bright silver wand like Julian the Roman he's one that fears no man but now I fear his end is near and destiny at hand and your to be I plainly see the air of all his land when he came to the place where the monstrous beasts were standing he did not stop nor run away but went boldly through amongst them one came up roaring with open mouth to devour him when he struck it with his wand and laid it in an instant dead at his feet he soon came to the Ettin's castle where he knocked and was admitted the old woman who sat by the fire warned him of the terrible Ettin and what had been the fate of his brother but he was knocked to be daunted the monster soon came in saying snock butt and snock ben I find the smell of an earthly man be he living or be he dead his heart shall be kitchen to my bread he quickly aspired the young man and bade him come forth on the floor and then he put the three questions to him that the young man had been told everything by the good fairy so he was able to answer all the questions so when the first head asked what's the thing without an end he said a bowl and when the second head said the smaller the more dangerous what's that he said at once a bridge and last the third head said tell me that then the young man answered up at once and said when a ship sails on the sea with men inside her when the Ettin found this he knew that his power was gone the young man then took up an axe and hewed off the monsters three heads he next asked the old woman to show him where the king's daughter lay and the old woman took him upstairs and opened a great many doors and out of every door came a beautiful lady who had been imprisoned there by the Ettin and one of the ladies was the king's daughter she also took him down into a low room and there stood a stone pillar that he had only to touch with his wand when his brother started into life and the whole of the prisoners were overjoyed at their deliverance for which they thanked the young man next day they all set out for the king's court and a gallant company they made and the king married his daughter to the young man that had delivered her from the noble's daughter to his brother and so they all lived happily all the rest of their days end of chapter 23 the Red Ettin this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Joy Chan English fairy tales collected by Joseph Jacobs chapter 24 The Golden Arm he was once a man who travelled the land all over in search of a wife he saw young and old, rich and poor pretty and plain and could not meet with one to his mind at last he found a woman young, fair and rich he possessed a right arm of solid gold he married her at once and thought no man so fortunate as he was they lived happily together but though he wished people to think otherwise he was fonder of the golden arm than of all his wife's gifts besides at last she died the husband put on the blackest black and pulled the longest face at the funeral but for all that he got up in the middle of the night dug up the body and cut off the golden arm he hurried home to hide his treasure and thought no one would know the following night he put the golden arm under his pillow and was just falling asleep when the ghost of his dead wife glided into the room stalking out to the bedside it drew the curtain and looked at him reproachfully pretending not to be afraid he spoke to the ghost and said what has thou done with thy cheek so red all withered and wasted away replied the ghost in a hollow tone what has thou done with thy red rosy lips all withered and wasted away what has thou done with thy golden hair all withered and wasted away what has thou done with thy golden arm thou hast it end of chapter 24 the golden arm this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings in the public domain for more information or to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Joy Chan English fairy tales collected by Joseph Jacobs chapter 25 the history of Tom Thung in the days of the great Prince Arthur the lived a mighty magician called Merlin the most learned and skillful enchanter the world has ever seen this famous magician who could take any form he pleased was travelling about as a poor beggar and being very tired he stopped at the cottage of a plowman to rest himself and asked for some food the countrymen bade him welcome and his wife who was a very good hearted woman soon brought him some milk in a wooden bowl and some coarse brown bread on a platter Merlin was much pleased with the kindness of the plowman and his wife but he could not help noticing that though everything was neat and comfortable in the cottage they seemed both to be very unhappy he therefore asked them why they were so melancholy and learned that they were miserable because they had no children the poor woman said with tears in her eyes I should be the happiest creature in the world if I had a son although he was no bigger than my husband's thumb I would be satisfied Merlin was so much amused with the idea of a boy no bigger than a man's thumb that he determined to grout the poor woman's wish accordingly in a short time after the plowman's wife had a son who, wonderful to relate was not a bit bigger than his father's thumb the queen of the fairies wishing to see the little fellow came in at the window while the mother was sitting up in the bed admiring him the queen kissed the child and giving it the name of Tom Thumb sent for some of the fairies who dressed her little godson according to her orders an oak leaf hat he had for his crown his shirt of web by spider's spun with jacket-wove of thistles down his trousers were feathers done his stockings of apple rind they tie with eyelash from his mother's eye his shoes were made of mouse's skin tanned with the downy hair within Tom never grew any larger than his father's thumb which was only of ordinary size but as he got older he became very cunning and full of tricks when he was old enough to play with the boys and had lost all his own cherry stones he used to creep into the bags of his playfellows fill his pockets and getting out without their noticing him would again join in the game one day however as he was coming out of a bag of cherry stones where he had been stealing as usual the boy to whom it belonged chance to see him aha my little Tommy said the boy so I have caught you stealing my cherry stones at last and you shall be rewarded for your feverish tricks on saying this he drew the string tight around his neck and gave the bag such a hearty shake that poor little Tom's legs, thighs and body were sadly bruised he wrought out with pain and begged to be let out promising never to steal again a short time afterwards his mother was making a batter pudding and Tom being very anxious to see how it was made climbed up to the edge of the bowl but his foot slipped and he plumped overhead and ears into the batter without his mother noticing him who stirred him into the pudding bag and put him in the pot to boil the batter filled Tom's mouth and prevented him from crying but on feeling the hot water he kicked and struggled so much in the pot that his mother thought that the pudding was bewitched and pulling it out of the pot she threw it outside the door a poor tinker who was passing by lifted up the pudding and putting it into his budget he then walked off and had now got his mouth cleared of the batter he then began to cry aloud which so frightened the tinker that he flung down the pudding and ran away the pudding being broke to pieces by the fall Tom crept out covered all over with the batter and walked home his mother who was very sorry to see her darling in such a woeful state put him into a tea cup and soon washed off the batter after which she kissed him and laid him in bed Tom's mother went to milk her cow in the meadow and she took him along with her as the wind was very high for fear of being blown away she tied him to a thistle with a piece of fine thread the cow soon observed Tom's oak leaf hat and liking the appearance of it took poor Tom and the thistle at one mouthful while the cow was chewing the thistle Tom was afraid of her great teeth which threatened to crush him in pieces and he wrought out as loud as he could mother mother where are you Tommy my dear Tommy said his mother hear mother replied he in the red cow's mouth his mother began to cry and wring her hands but the cow surprised at the odd noise in her throat opened her mouth and let Tom drop out fortunately his mother caught him in her apron as he was falling to the ground or he would have been dreadfully hurt she then put Tom in her bosom and ran home with him Tom's father made him a whip of a barley straw to drive the cattle whip and having one day gone into the fields he slipped a foot and rolled into the furrow a raven which was flying over picked him up and flew with him over the sea and there dropped him a large fish swallowed Tom the moment he fell into the sea which was soon after caught and brought for the table of King Arthur when they opened the fish everyone was astonished at finding such a little boy and Tom was quite delighted at being free again they carried him to the king who made Tom his dwarf and he soon grew a great favourite at court for by his tricks and gambles he not only amused the king and queen but also all the nights of the round table it is said that when the king rode out on horseback he often took Tom along with him and if a shower came on he used to creep into his majesty's waistcoat pocket where he slept till the rain was over King Arthur one day asked Tom about his parents wishing to know if they were as small as he was and whether they were well off Tom told the king that his father and mother were as tall as anybody about the court but in rather poor circumstances on hearing this the king carried Tom to his treasury the place where he kept all his money and told him to take as much money as he could carry home to his parents which made the poor little fellow caper with joy Tom went immediately to procure a purse which was made of a water bubble and then returned to the treasury where he received a silver three penny piece to put into it our little hero had some difficulty in lifting the burden upon his back but he at last succeeded in getting it placed to his mind and set forward on his journey however without meeting with any accident and after resting himself for a few times by the way in two days and two nights he reached his father's house in safety Tom had travelled 48 hours with a huge silver piece on his back and was almost tired to death when his mother ran out to meet him and carried him into the house but he soon returned to court as Tom's clothes had suffered much in the better pudding and the inside of the fish his majesty ordered him a new suit of clothes and to be mounted as a knight on a mouse of butterflies wings his shirt was made his boots of chickens hides and by a nimble fairy blade while learned in the tailing trade his clothing was supplied a needle dangled by his side a dapper mouse he used to ride thus strutted Tom in stately pride it was certainly very diverting to see Tom in this dress and mounted on the mouse as he rode out hunting with the king and nobility after at Tom and his fine prancing charger the king was so charmed with his address that he ordered a little chair to be made in order that Tom might sit upon his table and also a palace of gold a span high with a door inch wide to live in he also gave him a coach drawn by six small mice the queen was so enraged at the honors conferred on Sir Thomas that she resolved to ruin him and told the king that the little knight had been saucy to her the king sent for Tom in great haste but being fully aware of the danger of royal anger he crept into an empty snail shell where he lay for a long time until he was almost starved with hunger but at last he ventured to peep out and seeing a fine large butterfly on the ground near the place of his concealment he got close to it and jumping astride on it was carried up into the air the butterfly flew with him from tree to tree and at last returned to the court where the king and nobility all strove to catch him but at last poor Tom fell from his seat into a watering pot in which he was almost drowned when the queen saw him she was in a rage and said he should be beheaded and he was again put into a mousetrap until the time of his execution however a cat observing something alive in the trap patted it about to the wires broke and said Thomas at liberty the king received Tom again into favor which he did not live to enjoy for a large spider one day attacked him and although he drew his sword and fought well yet the spider's poisonous breath at last overcame him he fell dead on the ground where he stood and the spider sucked every drop of his blood King Arthur and his whole court was so sorry at the loss of their little favorite that they went into mourning and raised a fine white marble monument over his grave with the following epitaph here lies Tom Thumb King Arthur's night who died by a spider's cruel bite he was well known in Arthur's court where he afforded gallant sport he rode at tilt and tournament and on a mouse a hunting went alive he filled the court with mirth his death to sorrow soon gave birth wipe wipe your eyes and shake your head and cry unless Tom Thumb is dead Chapter 25 The History of Tom Thumb This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings in the public domain for more information or to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Joy Chan English fairy tales collected by Joseph Jacobs Chapter 26 Mr Fox Lady Mary was young and Lady Mary was fair she had two brothers and more lovers than she could count but of them all the bravest and most gallant was a Mr Fox whom she met when she was down at her father's country house no one knew who Mr Fox was but he was certainly brave and surely rich and of all her lovers Lady Mary cared for him alone at last it was agreed upon between them that they should be married Lady Mary asked Mr Fox where they should live and he described to her his castle and where it was but strange to say did not ask her or her brothers to come and see it so one day near the wedding day when her brothers were out and Mr Fox was away for a day or two on business as he said Lady Mary set out for Mr Fox's castle and after many searchings she came at last to it and a fine strong house it was with high walls and a deep moat and when she came up to the gateway she saw written on it be bold, be bold but as the gate was open she went through it and found no one there so she went up to the doorway and over it she found written be bold, be bold but not too bold still she went on till she came into the hall and went up the broad stairs till she came to a door in the gallery over which was written be bold, be bold lest that your heart's blood should run cold but Lady Mary was a brave one she was and she opened the door and what do you think she saw why, bodies and skeletons of beautiful young ladies all stained with blood so Lady Mary thought it was high time to get out of that horrid place and she closed the door went through the gallery and was just going down the stairs and out of the hall when who should she see through the window but Mr Fox dragging a beautiful young lady along from the gateway to the door Lady Mary rushed downstairs and hid herself behind a cask just in time as Mr Fox came in with the poor young lady who seemed to have fainted just as he got near Lady Mary Mr Fox saw a diamond ring glittering on the finger of the young lady who was dragging and he tried to pull it off but it was tightly fixed and would not come off so Mr Fox cursed and swore and drew his sword and raised it and brought it down upon the hand of the poor lady the sword cut off the hand which jumped up into the air and fell of all places in the world into Lady Mary's lap Mr Fox looked about a bit but did not think of looking behind the cask so at last he went on dragging the young lady up the stairs into the bloody chamber as soon as she heard him pass through the gallery Lady Mary crept out of the door down through the gateway and ran home as fast as she could now it happened that the very next day the marriage contract of Lady Mary and Mr Fox was to be signed and there was a splendid breakfast before that and when Mr Fox was seated at table opposite Lady Mary he looked at her how pale you are this morning my dear yes said she I had a bad night's rest last night I had horrible dreams dreams go by contraries said Mr Fox but tell us your dream and your sweet voice will make the time pass till the happy hour comes I dreamed said Lady Mary that I went yesterday morning to your castle and I found it in the woods with high walls and a deep moat and over the gateway was written be bold, be bold but it is not so nor it was not so said Mr Fox and when I came to the doorway over it was written be bold, be bold but not too bold it is not so nor it was not so said Mr Fox and then I went upstairs and came to a gallery at the end of which was a door on which was written be bold, be bold but not too bold should run cold it is not so nor it was not so said Mr Fox and then and then I opened the door and the room was filled with bodies and skeletons of poor dead women all stained with their blood it is not so nor it was not so and God forbid it should be so said Mr Fox I then dreamed that I rushed down the gallery and just as I was going down the stairs Mr Fox coming up to the whole door dragging after you a poor young lady rich and beautiful it is not so nor it was not so and God forbid it should be so said Mr Fox I rushed downstairs just in time to hide myself behind a cask when you Mr Fox came in dragging the young lady by the arm and as you passed me Mr Fox I thought I saw you try and get off her diamond ring and you could not Mr Fox it seemed to me in my dream that you out with your sword and hacked off the poor lady's hand to get the ring it is not so nor it was not so and God forbid it should be so said Mr Fox and was going to say something else as he rose from a seat when Lady Mary cried out but it is so and it was so here's hand and ring I have to show the lady's hand from her dress and pointed it straight at Mr Fox at once her brothers and her friends drew their swords and cut Mr Fox into a thousand pieces end of chapter 26 Mr Fox this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings in the public domain for more information or to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Joy Chan English fairytales collected by Joseph Jacobs chapter 27 Lazy Jack once upon a time there was a boy whose name was Jack and he lived with his mother on a common they were very poor and the old woman got her living by spinning but Jack was so lazy that he would do nothing but bask in the sun in the hot weather and sit by the corner of the hearth in the winter time so they called him Lazy Jack his mother could not get him to work for her and at last told him one Monday that if he did not begin to work for his porridge she would turn him out to get his living as he could this roused Jack and he went out and hired himself for the next day to a neighbouring farmer for a penny but as he was coming home never having had any money before he lost it in passing over a brook you stupid boy said his mother you should have put it in your pocket and replied Jack on Wednesday Jack went out again and hired himself to a cowkeeper who gave him a jar of milk for his day's work Jack took the jar and put it into the large pocket of his jacket spilling it all long before he got home dear me said the old woman you should have carried it on your head I'll do so another time said Jack so on Thursday the farmer who agreed to give him a cream cheese for his services in the evening Jack took the cheese and went home with it on his head by the time he got home the cheese was all spoilt part of it being lost and part matted with his hair you stupid lout said his mother you should have carried it very carefully in your hands I'll do so another time replied Jack so on Saturday Jack hired himself to a butcher who would give him nothing for his work but a large tomcat Jack took the cat and began carrying it very carefully in his hands but in a short time pussy scratched him so much that he was compelled to let it go when he got home his mother said to him you silly fellow you should have tied it with a string and dragged it along after you I'll do so another time said Jack so he would have supported him by the handsome present of a shoulder of mutton Jack took the mutton tied it to a string and trailed it along after him in the dirt so that by the time he had got home the meat was completely spoilt his mother was this time quite out of patience with him for the next day was Sunday and she was obliged to make do with cabbage for her dinner you niny hammer said she to her son you should have carried it on your shoulder I'll do so another time replied Jack on the next Monday lazy Jack went once more and hired himself to a cattle keeper who gave him a donkey for his trouble Jack found it hard to hoist the donkey on his shoulders but at last he did it and began walking slowly home with his prize now it happened that in the course of his journey they lived a rich man with his only daughter a beautiful girl who had a life and dung now she had never laughed in her life and the doctors said she would never speak till somebody made her laugh this young lady happened to be looking out of the window when Jack was passing with the donkey on his shoulders with the legs sticking up in the air and the sight was so comical and strange that she burst out into a great fit of laughter and immediately recovered her speech and hearing her father was overjoyed and fulfilled his promise to the lazy Jack who was thus made a rich gentleman they lived in a large house and Jack's mother lived with them in great happiness until she died end of chapter 27 lazy Jack this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Joy Chan English fairy tales collected by Joseph Jacobs Chapter 28 Johnny Cake once upon a time there was an old man and an old woman and a little boy one morning the old woman made a Johnny Cake and put it in the oven to bake you watched the Johnny Cake while your father and I go out to work in the garden so the old man and the old woman went out and began to hoe potatoes and left the little boy to tend the oven to watch it all the time and all of a sudden he heard a noise and he looked up and the oven door popped open and out of the oven jumped Johnny Cake and went rolling along end over end towards the open door of the house the little boy ran to shut the door but Johnny Cake was too quick for him and rolled through the door down the steps and out into the road long before the little boy could catch him the little boy ran after him clipped it crying out to his father and mother who heard the uproar and threw down their hoes and gave chase too but Johnny Cake outran all three a long way and was soon out of sight while they had to sit down all out of breath on a bank to rest on went Johnny Cake and by and by he came to two well diggers who looked up from their work and called out where you going Johnny Cake said they he said I've outrun an old man an old woman and a little boy and I can outrun you too you can can you we'll see about that said they and they threw down their pics and ran after him but couldn't catch up with him and soon they had to sit down by the roadside to rest on ran Johnny Cake and by and by he came to two old man and an old woman and a little boy and two well diggers and I can outrun you too you can can you we'll see about that said they and they threw down their spades and ran after him too but Johnny Cake soon outstripped them also and seeing they could never catch him they gave up the chase and sat down to rest on went Johnny Cake and by and by he came to a bear and Johnny Cake he said I've outrun an old man and an old woman and a little boy and two well diggers and two ditch diggers and I can outrun you too you can can you we'll see about that and trotted as fast as his legs would carry him after Johnny Cake who never stopped to look behind him before long the bear was left at first as last so he stretched himself out by the roadside to rest on went Johnny Cake and by and by he came to a wolf the wolf said where you going Johnny Cake he said I've outrun an old man and an old woman and a little boy and two well diggers and two ditch diggers and a bear and I can outrun you too and he sat in a gallop after Johnny Cake he went on and on so fast that the wolf too saw there was no hope of overtaking him and he too lay down to rest on went Johnny Cake and by and by he came to a fox that lay quietly in a corner of the fence the fox called out in a sharp voice but without getting up where you going Johnny Cake he said I've outrun an old man and an old woman and a little boy and two well diggers and two ditch diggers a bear and a wolf and I can outrun you too the fox said can't quite hear you Johnny Cake won't you come a little closer turning his head a little to one side Johnny Cake stopped his race for the first time and went a little closer and called out in a very loud voice I've outrun an old man and an old woman and a little boy and two well diggers and two ditch diggers and a bear and a wolf and I can outrun you too can't quite hear you won't you come a little closer said the fox in a feeble voice as he stretched out his neck towards Johnny Cake and put one paw behind his ear Johnny Cake came up close and the fox screamed out I've outrun an old man and an old woman and a little boy and two well diggers and two ditch diggers and a bear and a wolf and I can outrun you too you can't can you and he snapped up the Johnny Cake in his sharp teeth in the twinkling of an eye end of chapter 28 Johnny Cake this is a LibriVox recording if you have any information or to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Joy Chan English fairy tales collected by Joseph Jacobs Chapter 29 Earl Ma's Daughter One fine summer's day Earl Ma's daughter went into the castle garden dancing and tripping along and as she played and sported she would stop from time to time to listen to the music of the birds in the green oak tree she looked up and spied a sprightly dove sitting high up on one of its branches she looked up and said coo my dove, my dear come down to me and I will give you a golden cage I'll take you home and pit you well as well as any bird of them all scarcely had she said these words when the dove flew down from the branch and settled on her shoulder nestling up against her neck while she smoothed its feathers then she took it home to her own room the day was done and the night came on and Earl Ma's daughter was thinking of going to sleep when turning round she found at her side a handsome young man she was startled for the door had been locked for hours but she was a brave girl and said what are you doing here young man to come and startle me so the door was barred these hours ago however did you come here I was that cooing dove that you coaxed from off the tree but who are you then she said quite low and how came you to be changed into that dear little bird my name is Florentine and my mother is a queen and something more than a queen for she knows magic and spells and because I would not do as she wished she turned me into a dove by day but at night her spells lose their power and I become a man again today I crossed the sea at a time and I was glad to be a bird that I could come near you unless you love me I shall never be happy more but if I love you says she will you not fly away and leave me one of these fine days never never said the prince be my wife and I'll be yours forever by day a bird by night a prince I will always be by your side and everyone knew that every night kumay dove became Prince Florentine and every year a little son came to them as Bonnie as Bonnie could be but as each son was born Prince Florentine carried the little thing away on his back over the sea to where the queen his mother lived and left the little one with her seven years passed thus and then a great trouble came to them for the Earl Ma wished to marry his daughter to a noble of high degree who came wooing her and she said father dear I do not wish to marry I can be quite happy with kumay dove here then her father got into a mighty rage and saw a great big earth and said tomorrow so sure as I live and eat I'll twist that birdie's neck and out he stamped from her room oh oh said kumay dove it's time that I was away and so he jumped upon the windowsill and in a moment was flying away and he flew and he flew till he was over the deep deep sea and yet on he flew until he came to his mother's castle now the queen his mother was taking her walk abroad when she saw the pretty dove flying overhead and a lighting on the castle walls here dancers come and dance your jigs she called and pipers pipe you well for he is my own Florentine come back to me to stay for the time no mother said Florentine no dancers for me and no minstrels for my dear wife the mother of my seven boys is to be wed tomorrow and sad's the day for me what can I do my son said the queen tell me and it shall be done if my magic has the power to do it well then mother dear turn the 24 dancers and pipers into 24 gray herons and let my seven sons become their leader alas alas my son she said that may not be my magic reaches not so far but perhaps my teacher the spay wife of ostry may know better and away she hurries to the cave of ostry and after a while comes out as white as white can be and muttering over some burning herbs she brought out of the cave suddenly koo my dove changed into a gothawk and around him flew 24 gray herons and signets without a word or a goodbye off they flew over the deep blue sea which was tossing and moaning they flew and they flew till they swooped down on earl ma's castle just as the wedding party was setting off for the church first came the men at arms and then the bridegroom's friends and then earl ma's men and then the bridegroom and lastly pale and beautiful earl ma's daughter herself hurriedly to stately music till they came past the trees on which the birds were settling a word from Prince Florentine the gothawk and they all rose into the air herons beneath signets above and gothawk circling above all the wedding ears wandered at the site when swoop the herons were down among them scattering the men at arms the swanlets took charge of the bride while the gothawk dashed down and tied the bridegroom to a tree and the signets placed their mother upon them and suddenly they all rose in the air bearing the bride away with them in safety towards Prince Florentine's home surely a wedding party was never so disturbed in this world what could the wedding ears do they saw their pretty bride carried away and away till she and the herons and the swans and the gothawk disappeared and that very day Prince Florentine brought earl ma's daughter to the castle of the queen his mother and they lived happy ever afterwards end of chapter 29 earl ma's daughter this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Joy Chan English fairytales collected by Joseph Jacobs Chapter 30 Mr. Miyaka Tommy Grimes was sometimes a good boy and when he was a bad boy he was a very bad boy now his mother used to say to him Tommy Tommy be a good boy and don't go out of the street or else Mr. Miyaka will take you but still when he was a bad boy he would go out of the street and one day sure enough he had scarcely got round the corner when Mr. Miyaka did catch him and popped him into a bag upside down and took him off to his house when Mr. Miyaka got Tommy inside he pulled him out of the bag and set him down and felt his arms and legs you're rather tough says he but you all I've got for supper and you're not taste bad boiled but Boryomia forgot the herbs and it's bitter you'll taste without herbs Sally, here I say Sally and he called Mrs. Miyaka so Mrs. Miyaka came out of another room and said Mrs. Miyaka came out of another room and said what do you want my dear oh here's a little boy for supper said Mr. Miyaka and I forgot the herbs mind him will you while I go for them alright my love says Mrs. Miyaka and off he goes then Tommy Grimes said to Mrs. Miyaka does Mr. Miyaka always have little boys for supper mostly my dear said Mrs. Miyaka if little boys are bad enough and get in his way and don't you have anything else but boy meat no pudding asked Tommy I loves pudding says Mrs. Miyaka but it's not often the likes of me gets pudding why my mother is making a pudding this very day said Tommy Grimes and I'm sure she'd give you some if I ask her shall I run and get some now that's a thoughtful boy Mrs. Miyaka only don't be long and be sure to be back for supper so off Tommy Pelters and right glad he was to get off so cheap and for many a long day he was as good as good could be and never went round the corner of the street but he couldn't always be good and one day he went round the corner and as luck would have it he hadn't scarcely got round it when Mr. Miyaka grabbed him up popped him in his bag and took him home when he got in there and when he saw him he said ah you're the youngster what served me and my Mrs that shabby trick leaving us without any supper well you shan't do it again I'll watch over you myself here get under the sofa and I'll sit on it and watch the pot boil for you so poor Tommy Grimes had to creep under the sofa and Mr. Miyaka sat on it and waited for the pot to boil and they waited and they waited and the pot didn't boil to that last Mr. Miyaka got tired of waiting and he said here you under there I'm not going to wait any longer put out your leg and I'll stop you giving us the slip so Tommy put out a leg and Mr. Miyaka got a chopper and chopped it off and pops it in the pot suddenly he calls out Sally my dear Sally and nobody answered so he went into the next room for Mrs. Miyaka and while he was there Tommy crept out from under the sofa and ran out of the door for it was a leg of the sofa that he had put out so Tommy Grimes ran home and he never went round the corner again till he was old enough to go alone end of chapter 30 Mr. Miyaka this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information about how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Joy Chan English fairy tales collected by Joseph Jacobs chapter 31 Whittington and his cat in the reign of the famous King Edward III there was a little boy called Dick Whittington whose father and mother died when he was very young as poor Dick was not old enough to work he was very badly off he got that little for his dinner and sometimes nothing at all for his breakfast for the people who lived in the village were very poor indeed and could not spare him much more than the pairings of potatoes and now and then a hard crust of bread now Dick had heard a great many very strange things about the great city called London for the country people at that time thought that folks in London were all fine gentlemen and ladies and that they were singing and music there all day long with gold one day a large wagon and eight horses all with bells at their heads drove through the village while Dick was standing by the signpost he thought that this wagon must be going to the fine town of London so he took courage and asked the Wagoner to let him walk with him by the side of the wagon as soon as the Wagoner heard that poor Dick had no father or mother and saw by his ragged clothes that he could not be worse off so off they set together so Dick got safe to London and was in such a hurry to see the fine streets paved all over with gold that he did not even stay to thank the kind Wagoner but ran off as fast as his legs would carry him through many of the streets thinking every moment to come to those that were paved with gold for Dick had seen a guinea three times in his own little village and remembered what a deal of money it brought in change there was nothing to do but to take up some little bits of the pavement and should then have as much money as he could wish for poor Dick ran till he was tired and had quite forgot his friend the Wagoner but at last finding it grow dark and that every way he turned he saw nothing but dirt instead of gold he sat down in a dark corner and cried himself to sleep little Dick was all night in the streets and next morning being very hungry Dick walked about and asked everybody he met to give him a half penny to keep him from starving but nobody stayed to answer him and only two or three gave him a half penny so that the poor boy was soon quite weak and faint for the want of victuals in this distress he asked charity of several people and one of them said crossly go to work for an idle rogue that I will says Dick I will to go work for you if you will let me but the man only cursed at him and went on at last a good natured looking gentleman saw how hungry he looked why don't you go to work my lad said he to Dick that I would but I do not know how to get any answered Dick if you are willing come along with me said the gentleman and took him to a hay field where Dick worked briskly barely till the hay was made after this he found himself as badly off as before and being almost starved again he laid himself down at the door of Mr Fitzwarren a rich merchant here he was soon seen by the cook maid who was an ill-tempered creature and happened just then to be very busy dressing dinner for her master and mistress so she called out to poor Dick what business have you there you lazy rogue there is nothing else but beggars if you do not take yourself away we will see how you will like a sowsing of some dishwater I have some here hot enough to make you jump just at that time Mr Fitzwarren himself came home to dinner and when he saw a dirty ragged boy lying at the door he said to him why do you lie there my boy you seem old enough to work I'm afraid you are inclined to be lazy no indeed sir said Dick to him I work with all my heart but I do not know anybody and I believe I am very sick for the want of food poor fellow get up let me see what ails you Dick now tried to rise but was obliged to lie down again being too weak to stand for he had not eaten any food for three days and was no longer able to run about and beg a half penny of people in the street so the kind merchant ordered him to be taken into the house and kept to do what work he was able to do for the cook little Dick would have lived very happy in this good family if it had not been for the ill-natured cook she used to say you are under me so look sharp clean the spit and the dripping pan make the fires, wind up the jack and do all the scullery work nimbly or and she would shake the ladle at him besides she was so fond of basting that when she had no meat to bast she would baste poor Dick's head and to fall in her way at last her ill-usage of him was told to Alice Mr. Fitzwarren's daughter who told the cook she should be turned away if she did not treat him kinder the behaviour of the cook was now a little better but besides this Dick had another hardship to get over his bed stood in a garret where there were so many holes in the floor and the walls that every night he was tormented with rats and mice a gentleman having given Dick a chance he thought he would buy a cat with it the next day he saw a girl with a cat and asked her will you let me have that cat for a penny the girl said yes that I will master though she is an excellent mouser Dick hid his cat in the garret and always took care to carry a part of his dinner to her and in a short time he had no more trouble with the rats and mice but slept quite sound every night and he was all ready to sleep ready to sail and as it was the custom that all his servants should have some chance for good fortune as well as himself he called them all into the parlour and asked them what they would send out they all had something that they were willing to venture except poor Dick who had neither money nor goods and therefore could send nothing for this reason he did not come into the parlour with the rest but Miss Alice guessed what was the matter I will lay down some money for him from my own purse but her father told her this will not do for it must be something of his own when poor Dick heard this he said I have nothing but a cat which I bought for a penny some time since of a little girl fetch your cat then my lad said Mr Fitzwarren and let her go Dick went upstairs and brought down poor Puss with tears in his eyes before he said I shall now be kept awake all night by the rats and mice all the company laughed at Dick's odd venture and Miss Alice who felt pity for him gave him some money to buy another cat this and many other marks of kindness shown him by Miss Alice made the ill tempered cook jealous a poor Dick and she began to use him more cruelly than ever and always made game of him for sending his cat to sea she asked him would buy a stick to beat you that last poor Dick could not bear this usage any longer and he thought he would run away from his place so he packed up his few things and started very early in the morning on all Hallows day the first of November he walked as far as Halloway and there sat down on a stone which to this day is called Whittington stone and began to think to himself which road he should take while he was thinking what he should do the bells of Bow Church which at that time were only six began to ring and their sound seemed to say to him turn again Whittington thrice Lord Mayor of London Lord Mayor of London said he to himself why to be sure I would put up with almost anything now to be Lord Mayor of London and ride in a fine coach when I grow to be a man well I will go back and think nothing of the coughing and scolding of the old cook if I am to be Lord Mayor of London Dick went back and was lucky enough to get into the house and set about his work before the old cook came downstairs we must now follow Miss Puss to the coast of Africa the ship with the cat on board was a long time at sea and was at last driven by the winds on a part of the coast of Barbary where the only people were the moors unknown to the English the people came in great numbers to see the sailors they were very colour to themselves and treated them civilly and when they became better acquainted were very eager to buy the fine things that the ship was loaded with when the captain saw this he sent patterns of the best things he had to the king of the country who was so much pleased with them that he sent for the captain to the palace here they were placed as it is the custom of the country on rich carpets flowered with gold and silver the king and queen at the end of the room and a number of dishes were brought in for dinner they had not sat long when a vast number of rats and mice rushed in and devoured all the meat in an instant the captain wandered at this and asked if these vermin were not unpleasant oh yes said they very offensive and the king would give half his treasure to be freed of them for they not only destroy his dinner as you see but they assault him in his chamber so that he is obliged to be watched while he is sleeping for fear of them the captain jumped for joy he remembered Paul Wittington and his cat and told the king he had a creature on board the ship that would dispatch all these vermin immediately the king jumped so high at the joy which the news gave him that his turban dropped off his head bring this creature to me says he vermin are dreadful in a court and if she will perform what you say he will be in a good mood he was very bold and drooled in exchange for her the captain who knew his business took this opportunity to set forth the merits of Miss Puss he told his majesty it is not very convenient to part with her when she is gone the rats and mice may destroy the goods in the ship but to oblige your majesty I will fetch her run run said the queen I am impatient to see the dear creature away went the captain to the ship while another dinner was got ready the ship pushed under his arm and arrived at the place just in time to see the table full of rats when the cat saw them she did not wait for bidding but jumped out of the captain's arms and in a few minutes laid almost all the rats and mice dead at her feet the rest of them in their fright scampered away to their holes the king was quite charmed to get rid so easily of such plagues and the queen desired that the creature who had done them so great a kindness upon which the captain called Pussy Pussy Pussy and she came to him he then presented her to the queen who started back and was afraid to touch a creature who had made such a havoc among the rats and mice however when the captain stroked the cat and called Pussy Pussy the queen also touched her and cried for she had not learned English he then put her down on the queen's lap where she purred and played with her hand and then purred herself to sleep the king having seen the exploits of Mrs. Pussy and being informed that her kittens would stock the whole country and keep it free from rats bargained with the captain for the whole ship's cargo and then gave him ten times as much for the cat as all the rest amounted to the captain then took leave of the royal party and set sail with a fair wind for England and after a happy voyage arrived safe in London one morning early Mr. Fitzwarren had just come to his counting house and seated himself at the desk to count over the cash and settle the business for the day when somebody came tap tap at the door who's there said Mr. Fitzwarren a friend answered the other I come to bring you good news of your ship Unicorn the merchant bustling up in such a hurry that he forgot his gout opened the door and who should he see waiting but the captain and factor with a cabinet of jewels and a bill of lading when he looked at this the merchant lifted up his eyes and thanked heaven for sending him such a prosperous voyage they then told the story of the cat and showed the rich present that the king and queen had sent for her to poor Dick as soon as the merchant heard this he called out to his servants go send him in Mr. Fitzwarren now showed himself to be a good man for when some of his servants said so great a treasure was too much for him he answered God forbid I should deprive him of the value of a single penny it is his own and he shall have it to a farthing he then sent for Dick who at that time was scouring pots for the cook and was quite dirty he would have excused himself from coming into the counting house but the merchant ordered him to come in Mr. Fitzwarren ordered a chair to be set for him and so he began to think they were making game of him at the same time said to them do not play tricks with a poor simple boy but let me go down again if you please to my work indeed Mr. Whittington said the merchant we are all quite in earnest with you and I most heartily rejoice in the news that these gentlemen have brought you Mr. Whittington has sold your cat to the king of Barbary and brought you in return for her more riches than I possess in the whole world and I wish you may long enjoy them Mr. Fitzwarren then told the men to open the great treasure they had brought with them and said Mr. Whittington has nothing to do but to put it in some place of safety poor Dick hardly knew how to behave himself for joy he begged his master to take what part of it he pleased and put it all to his kindness no no answered Mr. Fitzwarren this is all your own and I have no doubt but you will use it well Dick next asked his mistress and then Miss Alice to accept a part of his good fortune but they would not and at the same time told him they felt great joy at his good success but this poor fellow was too kind hearted to keep it all to himself so he made a present to the captain the mate of the Royal Servants and even to the ill-natured old cook after this Mr. Fitzwarren advised him to send for a proper tailor and get himself dressed like a gentleman and told him he was welcome to live in his house so he could provide himself with a better when Whittington's face was washed his hair curled his hat cocked and he was dressed in a nice suit of clothes he was as handsome and genteel as any young man who visited who had once been so kind to him and thought of him with pity now looked upon him as fit to be her sweetheart and the more so no doubt because Whittington was now always thinking what he could do to oblige her and making her the prettiest presence that could be Mr. Fitzwarren soon saw their love for each other and proposed to join them in marriage and to this they both readily agreed a day for the wedding was soon fixed and they were attended to church by the Lord Mayor the Court of Aldermen the Sheriffs and a great number of the richest merchants in London whom they afterwards treated with a very rich feast history tells us that Mr. Whittington and his lady lived in great splendour and were very happy they had several children he was sheriff of London thrice Lord Mayor and received the honour of knighthood by Henry V he entertained this king and his queen at dinner after his conquest of France he said grandly that the king said never had prince such a subject when Sir Richard heard this he said never had subject such a prince the figure of Sir Richard Whittington with his cat and his arms carved in stone was to be seen till the year 1780 over the archway of the old prison of Newgate which he built for criminals end of chapter 31 Whittington and his cat this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Joy Chan English fairytales collected by Joseph Jacobs chapter 32 The Strange Visitor a woman was sitting at her real one night and still she sat and still she reeled and still she wished for company in came a pair of broad broad soles and sat down at the fireside and still she sat and still she reeled and still she wished for company in came a pair of small small legs and sat down on the broad broad soles and still she sat and still she reeled and still she wished for company in came a pair of thick thick knees and sat down on the small small legs sat down on the small, small legs, and still she sat, and still she reeled, and still she wished for company. In came a pair of thin, thin thighs, and sat down on the thick, thick knees, and still she sat, and still she reeled, and still she wished for company. In came a pair of huge, huge hips, and sat down on the thin, thin thighs, and still Still she sat and still she reeled and still she wished for company. In came a wee, wee waist and sat down on the huge, huge hips. And still she sat and still she reeled and still she wished for company. In came a pair of broad, broad shoulders and sat down on the wee, wee waist. And still she sat and still she reeled and still she wished for company. In came a pair of small, small arms and sat down on the broad, broad shoulders. And still she sat and still she reeled and still she wished for company. In came a pair of huge, huge hands and sat down on the small, small arms. And still she sat and still she reeled and still she wished for company. In came a small, small neck and sat down on the broad, broad shoulders. And still she sat and still she reeled and still she wished for company. In came a huge, huge head and sat down on the small, small neck. How did you get such broad, broad feet? Both the woman. Much tramping, much tramping, gruffly. How did you get such small, small legs? I laid and weep all, whiningly. How did you get such thick, thick knees? Much praying, much praying, piously. How did you get such thin, thin thighs? I laid and weep all. Whiningly. How did you get such big, big hips? Much sitting, much sitting, gruffly. How did you get such a wee, wee waist? I laid and weep all. How did you get such broad, broad shoulders? With carrying broom, with carrying broom, gruffly. How did you get such small, small arms? I laid and weep all. Whiningly. How did you get such huge, huge hands? Threshing with an iron flail, threshing with an iron flail, gruffly. How did you get such a small, small neck? I laid and weep all. Pityfully. How did you get such a huge, huge head? Much knowledge, much knowledge, Keemley. What do you come for? For you! At the top of the voice, with a wave of the arm and a stamp of the feet. End of chapter 32, The Strange Visitor. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to find out how you can volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Joy Chan. English fairy tales, collected by Joseph Jacobs. Chapter 33, The Lately Worm of Spindleston Hugh. In Bambura Castle once lived a king who had a fair wife and two children, a son named Child Wind and a daughter named Margaret. Child Wind went forth to seek his fortune and soon after he had gone, the queen, his mother, died. The king mourned her long and faithfully, but one day while he was hunting, he came across a lady of great beauty and became so much in love with her that he determined to marry her. So he sent word home that he was going to bring a new queen to Bambura Castle. Princess Margaret was not very glad to hear of her mother's place being taken, but she did not repine, but did her father's bidding. And at the appointed day came down to the castle gate with the keys all ready to hand over to her stepmother. Soon the procession drew near and the new queen came towards Princess Margaret, who bowed low and handed her the keys of the castle. She stood there with blushing cheeks and eye on ground and said, Oh, welcome, Father dear, to your halls and bowers, and welcome to you, my new mother, for all that's here is yours. And again she offered the keys. One of the king's knights who had escorted the queen cried out in admiration. Surely this northern princess is the loveliest of her kind. At that the new queen flushed up and cried out, at least your courtesy might have accepted me. And then she muttered below her breath. I'll soon put an end to her beauty. That same night the queen, who was a noted witch, stole down to a lonely dungeon wherein she did her magic with spells three times three and with parsers nine times nine, she cast Princess Margaret under her spell. And this was her spell. I read ye to be a ladely worm and borrowed shall ye never be until child wind the king's own son come to the hue and thrice kiss thee until the world comes to an end, borrowed shall ye never be. So Lady Margaret went to bed a beautyous maiden and rose up a ladely worm. And when her maidens came in to dress her in the morning, they found coiled up on the bed a dreadful dragon which uncroiled itself and came towards them. But they ran away shrieking and the ladely worm crawled and crept and crept and quarreled to that reached the hue or rock of the spindle stone round which it coiled itself and lay there basking with its terrible snout in the air. Soon the country round about had reason to know of the ladely worm of spindle stone hue. For hunger drove the monster out from its cave and it used to devour everything it could come across. So at last they went to a mighty warlock and asked him what they should do. Then he consulted his works at his familiar and told them, the ladely worm is really the princess Margaret and it is hunger that drives her forth to do such deeds. Put aside for her seven kind and each days the sun goes down, carry every drop of milk they yield to the stone trough at the foot of the hue and the ladely worm will trouble the country no longer. But if you would that she be borrowed to her natural shape and that she who bespelled her be rightly punished send over the seas for her rather child wind. All was done as the warlock advised the ladely worm lived on the milk of the seven kind and the country was troubled no longer. But when child wind heard the news he swore a mighty earth to rescue his sister and revenge her on her cruel stepmother. And three and 30 of his men took the oath with him. Then they set to work and built a long ship and it's keel they made of the rowan tree. And when all was ready they out with their oars and pulled shear for Bambura Keep. But as they got near the Keep the stepmother felt by her magic power that something was being wrought against her. So she summoned her familiar imps and said, child wind is coming over the seas. He must never land, raise storms or bore the hull but know how must he touch shawl. Then the imps went forth to meet child winds ship but when they got near they found they had no power over the ship for its keel was made of the rowan tree. So back they came to the queen witch who knew not what to do. She ordered her men at arms to resist child wind if he should land near them and by her spells she caused the ladely worm to wait by the entrance of the harbour. As the ship came near the worm unfolded its coils and dipping into the sea caught hold of the ship of child wind and banged it off the shawl. Three times child wind urged his men on to row bravely and strong but each time the ladely worm kept it off the shawl. Then child wind ordered the ship to be put about and the witch queen thought he had given up the attempt. But instead of that he only rounded the next point and landed safe and sound in Beudel Creek and then with sword drawn and bow bent rushed up followed by his men to fight the terrible worm that had kept him from landing. But the moment child wind had landed the witch queen's power over the ladely worm had gone and she went back to her bow all alone not an imp nor a man at arms to help her for she knew her hour was come. So when child wind came rushing up to the ladely worm it made no attempt to stop him or hurt him but just as he was going to raise his sword to slay it the voice of his own sister Margaret came from its jaws saying Oh quit your sword and bend your bow and give me kisses three for though I am a poisonous worm no harm I'll do to thee. Child wind stayed his hand but he did not know what to think of some witchry were not in it. Then said the ladely worm again Oh quit your sword unbend your bow and give me kisses three if I'm not one he a set of son one never shall I be. Then child wind went up to the ladely worm and kissed it once but no change came over it then child wind kissed it once more but yet no change came over it for a third time he kissed the loathsome thing and with a hiss and a roar the ladely worm reared back and before child wind stood his sister Margaret he wrapped his cloak about her and then went up to the castle with her when he reached the keep he went off to the witch queen's bower and when he saw her he touched her with a twig of a rowan tree no sooner had he touched her than she shriveled up and shriveled up till she became a huge ugly toad with bold staring eyes and a horrible hiss she croaked and she hissed and then hopped away down the castle steps and child wind took his father's place as king and they all lived happy afterwards but to this day the loathsome toad is seen at times haunting the neighborhood of Bambura Keep and the wicked witch queen is a ladely toad end of chapter 33 the ladely worm of spindleston hue this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Joy Chan English fairy tales collected by Joseph Jacobs chapter 34 the cat and the mouse the cat and the mouse played in the malt house the cat bit the mouse's tail off pray puss give me my tail no says the cat I'll not give you your tail till you go to the cow and fetch me some milk first she leapt and then she ran till she came to the cow and thus began pray cow give me milk that I may give cat milk that cat may give me my own tail again no said the cow I will give you no milk till you go to the farmer and get me some hay first she leapt and then she ran till she came to the farmer and thus began pray farmer give me hay that I may give cow hay that cow may give me milk that I may give cat milk that cat may give me my own tail again no says the farmer I'll give you no hay till you go to the butcher and fetch me some meat first she leapt and then she ran till she came to the butcher and thus began pray butcher give me meat that I may give farmer meat that farmer may give me hay that I may give cow hay that cow may give me milk that I may give cat milk that cat may give me my own tail again no says the butcher I'll give you no meat till you go to the baker and fetch me some bread first she leapt and then she ran till she came to the baker and thus began pray baker give me bread that I may give butcher bread that butcher may give me meat that I may give farmer meat that farmer may give me hay that I may give cow hay that cow may give me milk that I may give cat milk that cat may give me my own tail again yes says the baker I'll give you some bread but if you eat my meal I'll cut off your head then the baker gave mouse bread and mouse gave butcher bread and butcher gave mouse meat and mouse gave farmer meat and farmer gave mouse hay and mouse gave cow hay and cow gave mouse milk and mouse gave cat milk and cat gave mouse her own tail again end of chapter 34 the cat and the mouse this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings in the public domain for more information or to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Joy Chan English fairy tales collected by Joseph Jacobs chapter 35 the fish and the ring once upon a time there was a mighty baron in the north country who was a great magician that knew everything that would come to pass so one day when his little boy was four years old he looked into the book of fate to see what would happen to him and to his dismay he found that his son would wed a lowly maid that had just been born in a house under the shadow of York Minster now the baron knew the father of the little girl was very very poor and he had five children already so he called for his horse and rode into York and passed by the father's house and sought him sitting by the door sad and dullful so he dismounted and went up to him and said what is the matter my good man and the man said well your honor the fact is I've five children already and now six come a little lass and where to get the bread from to fill their mouths that's more than I can say don't be downhearted my man said the baron if that's your trouble I can help you I'll take away the last little one and you won't have to bother about her thank you kindly sir said the man and he went in and brought out the lass and gave her to the baron who mounted his horse and rode away with her and when he got by the bank of the river else he threw the little thing into the river and rode off to his castle but the little lass didn't sink her clothes kept her up for a time and she floated and she floated till she was cast ashore just in front of a fisherman's hut there the fisherman found her and took pity on the poor little thing and took her into his house and she lived there till she was 15 years old and a fine handsome girl one day it happened that the baron rent out hunting with some companions along the banks of the river else and stopped at the fisherman's hut to get a drink and the girl came out to give it to them they all noticed her beauty and one of them said to the baron you can read fates baron whom will she marry do you think oh that's easy to guess said the baron some yokel or other but I'll cast her horoscope come here girl and tell me on what day you were born I don't know sir said the girl I was picked up just here after having been brought down by the river about 15 years ago then the baron knew who she was and when they went away he rode back and said to the girl Hark ye girl I will make your fortune take this letter to my brother and Scarborough and you'll be settled for life and the girl took the letter and said she would go now this was what he had written in the letter dear brother take the bearer and put her to death immediately yours affectionately albert so soon after the girl set out for Scarborough and slept for the night at a little inn now that very night a band of robbers broke into the inn and searched the girl who had no money and only the letter so they opened this and read it and thought it a shame the captain of the robbers took a pen and paper and wrote this letter dear brother take the bearer and marry her to my son immediately yours affectionately albert and then he gave it to the girl bidding her be gone so she went on to the baron's brother at Scarborough a noble night with whom the baron's son was staying when she gave the letter to his brother he gave orders for the wedding to be prepared at once and they were married that very day soon after the baron himself came to his brother's castle and what was his surprise to find that the very thing he had plotted against had come to pass but he was not to be put off that way and he took out the girl for a walk as he said along the cliffs and when he got her all alone he took her by the arms and was going to throw her over but she begged hard for her life I have not done anything she said if you will only spare me I will do whatever you wish I will never see you or your son again till you desire it then the baron took off his gold ring and threw it into the sea saying never let me see your face till you can show me that ring and he let her go the poor girl wandered on and on till at last she came to a great noble's castle and she asked to have some work given to her and they made her the scullion girl of the castle for she had been used to such work in the fisherman's hut now one day who should she see coming up to the noble's house but the baron and his brother and his son her husband she didn't know what to do but thought they would not see her in the castle kitchen so she went back to her work with a sigh and set to cleaning a huge big fish that was to be boiled for their dinner and as she was cleaning it she saw something shine inside it and what do you think she found why there was the baron's ring the very one he had thrown over the cliff at Scarborough she was right glad to see it he may be sure then she cooked the fish as nicely as she could and served it up well when the fish came on the table the guests liked it so well that they asked the noble who cooked it he said he didn't know but called to his servants oh there send up the cook that cooked that fine fish so they went down to the kitchen and told the girl she was wanted in the hall then she washed and tidied herself and put the baron's gold ring on her thumb and went up into the hall when the banqueters saw such a young and beautiful cook they were surprised but the baron was in a tower of a temper and started up as if he would do her some violence so the girl went up to him with her hand before her with the ring on it and she put it down before him on the table then at last the baron saw that no one could fight against fate and he handed her to a seat and announced to all the company that this was his son's true wife and he took her and his son home to his castle and they all lived as happy as could be ever afterwards end of chapter 35 the fish and the ring this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Joy Chan English fairy tales collected by Joseph Jacobs chapter 36 the magpie's nest once upon a time when pigs spelt rhyme and monkeys chewed tobacco and hens took snuff to make them tough and ducks went quack quack quack-o all the birds of the air came to the magpie and asked her to teach them how to build nests for the magpie is the cleverest bird of all at building nests so she put all the birds around her and began to show them how to do it first of all she took some mud and made a sort of round cake with it oh that's how it's done set the thrush and away it flew and so that's how thrushes build their nests then the magpie took some twigs and arranged them round in the mud now I know all about it says the black bird and off he flew and that's how the black birds make their nests to this very day then the magpie put another layer of mud over the twigs oh that's quite obvious said the wise owl and the way it flew and owls have never made better nests since after this the magpie took some twigs and twined them round the outside the very thing said the sparrow and off he went so sparrows make rather slowly nests to this day well then madge magpie took some feathers and stuff and lined the nest very comfortably with it that suits me cried the starling and off it flew and very comfortable nests have starlings so it went on every bird taking away some knowledge of how to build nests but none of them waiting to the end meanwhile madge magpie went on working and working without looking up till the only bird that remained was the turtle dove and that hadn't paid any attention all along but only kept on saying it silly cry take two taffy take two at last the magpie heard this just as she was putting a twig across so she said one's enough but the turtle dove kept on saying take two taffy take two then the magpie got angry and said one's enough I tell you you still the turtle dove cried take two taffy take two at last and at last the magpie looked up and saw nobody near her but the silly turtle dove and then she got very angry and flew away and refused to tell the birds how to build nests again and that is why different birds build their nests differently end of chapter 36 the magpie's nest this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Joy Chan English fairy tales collected by Joseph Jacobs Chapter 37 Kate Krakenuts once upon a time there was a king and a queen as in many lands have been the king had a daughter Anne and the queen had one named Kate but Anne was far bonnier than the queen's daughter though they loved one another like real sisters the queen was jealous of the king's daughter being bonnier than her own and cast about to spoil her beauty so she took counsel of the henwife who told her to send the lassie to her next morning fasting so next morning early the queen said to Anne go my dear to the henwife in the glen and ask her for some eggs so Anne set out but as she passed through the kitchen she saw a crust and she took and munched it as she went along when she came to the henwifes she asked for eggs as she had been told to do the henwife said to her lift the lid off that pot there and see the lassie did so but nothing happened go home to your mini and tell her to keep her lada door better locked said the henwife so she went home to the queen and told her what the henwife had said the queen knew from this that the lassie had had something to eat so watched the next morning and sent her away fasting but the princess saw some country folk picking peas by the roadside and being very kind she spoke to them and took a handful of the peas which she ate by the way when she came to the henwifes she said lift the lid off that pot and you'll see so Anne lifted the lid but nothing happened then the henwife was rare angry and said to Anne tell your mini the pot won't boil if the fire's away so Anne went home and told the queen the third day the queen goes along with the girl herself to the henwife now this time when Anne lifted the lid off the pot off falls her own pretty head and on jumps a sheep's head so the queen was now quite satisfied and went home her own daughter Kate however took a fine linen cloth and wrapped it around her sister's head and took her by the hand and they both went out to seek their fortune they went on and they went on and they went on till they came to a castle Kate knocked at the door and asked for a night's lodging for herself and a sick sister they went in and found it was a king's castle who had two sons and one of them was sickening away to death and no one could find out what ailed him and the curious thing was that whoever watched him at night was never seen anymore so the king had offered a peck of silver to anyone who would stop up with him now Katey was a very brave girl so she offered to sit up with him till midnight all goes well as 12 o'clock rings however the sick prince rises dresses himself and slips downstairs Kate followed but he didn't seem to notice her the prince went to the stable saddled his horse caught his hound jumped into the saddle and Kate leapt lightly up behind him away rode the prince and Kate threw the green wood Kate as they passed plucking nuts from the trees and filling her apron with them they rode on and on till they came to a green hill the prince here drew bridal and spoke open open green hill and let the young prince in with his horse and his hound and Kate added and his lady him behind immediately the green hill opened and they passed in the prince entered a magnificent hall brightly lighted up and many beautiful fairies surrounded the prince and led him off to the dance meanwhile Kate without being noticed hid herself behind the door there she sees the prince dancing and dancing and dancing till he could dance no longer and fell upon a couch then the fairies would fan him till he could rise again and go on dancing at last the crop crew and the prince made all haste to get on horseback Kate jumped up behind and home they rode when the morning sun rose they came in and found Kate sitting down by the fire and cracking her nuts Kate said the prince had a good night but she would not sit up another night unless she was to get a peck of gold the second night passed as the first had done the prince got up at midnight and rode away to the green hill and the fairy ball and Kate went with him gathering nuts as they rode through the forest this time she did not watch the prince while she knew he would dance and dance and dance but she sees a fairy baby playing with a wand and overhears one of the fairies say three strokes of that wand would make Kate's six sisters bonnie as ever she was so Kate rolled nuts to the fairy baby and rolled nuts to the baby totalled after the nuts and let fall the wand and Kate took it up and put it in her apron and at Cock Crow they rode home as before and the moment Kate got home to her room she rushed and touched Anne three times with the wand and the nasty sheep's head fell off and she was her own pretty self again the third night Kate consented to watch only if she should marry the sick prince all went on as on the first two nights this time the fairy baby was playing with a birdie Kate heard one of the fairies say three bites of that birdie would make the sick prince as well as ever he was Kate rolled all the nuts she had to the fairy baby till the birdie was dropped and Kate put it in her apron at Cock Crow they set off again but instead of cracking her nuts as she used to do this time Kate plucked the feathers off and cooked the birdie soon there rose a very savory smell oh said the sick prince I wish I had a bite of that birdie so Kate gave him a bite of the birdie and he rose up on his elbow by and by he cried out again oh if I had another bite of that birdie so Kate gave him another bite and he sat off on his bed that he said again oh if only I had a third bite of that birdie so Kate gave him a third bite and he rose quite well dressed himself and sat down by the fire and when the folk came in next morning they found Kate and the young prince cracking nuts together meanwhile his brother had seen Annie and had fallen in love with her as everybody did who saw her sweet pretty face so the sick son married the well sister and the well son married the sick sister and they all lived happy and died happy and never drank out of a dry cappy end of chapter 37 Kate cracker nuts this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Joy Chan English fairy tales collected by Joseph Jacobs chapter 38 the cold lad of Hilton at Hilton Hall long years ago they lived a brownie that was the contrarious brownie you ever knew at night after the servants had gone to bed it would turn everything toxy-turvy put sugar in the salt cellars pepper into the beer and it was up to all kinds of pranks it would throw the chairs down put tables on their backs break out fires and do as much mischief as could be but sometimes it would be in a good temper and then what's a brownie you say oh it's a kind of a sort of a bogal but it isn't so cruel as a red cap what you don't know what's a bogal or a red cap me what's the world are coming to of course a brownie is a funny little thing half man half goblin with pointed ears and hairy hide when you bury a treasure you scatter over it blood drops of a newly slain kid or lamb or better still bury the animal with the treasure and a brownie will watch over it for you and frighten everybody else away where was I well as I was a saint the brownie at hilton hall would play at mischief but if the servants laid out for it a bowl of cream or a knuckle cake spread with honey it would clear away things for them and to make everything tidy in the kitchen one night however when the servants had stopped up late they heard a noise in the kitchen and peeping in saw the brownie swing to and fro in the jack chain and saying woes me woes me the acorns not yet fallen from the tree that's to grow the wood that's to make the cradle that's to rock the band that's to grow to the man that's to lay me woes me woes me so they took pity on the poor brownie and asked the nearest henwife what they should do to send it away that's easy enough said the henwife and told them that a brownie that's paid for its service in ought that's not perishable goes away at once so they made a cloak of lincoln green with a hood to it and put it by the hearth and watched they saw the brownie come up and seeing the hood and cloak put them on and frisk about dancing on one leg and saying I've taken your cloak I've taken your hood the cold lad of hilton will do no more good and with that it vanished and was never seen or heard of afterwards end of chapter 38 the cold lad of hilton this is a libravox recording all libravox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to find out how you can volunteer please visit libravox.org recording by joy chan english fairy tales collected by joseph jacob's chapter 39 the ass the table and the stick a lad named jack was once so unhappy at home through his father's ill treatment that he made up his mind to run away and seek his fortune in the wide world he ran and he ran till he could run no longer and then he ran right up against a little old woman who was gathering sticks he was too much out of breath to beg pardon but the woman was good-natured and she said he seemed to be a likely lad so she would take him to be her servant and would pay him well he agreed for he was very hungry and she brought him to her house in the wood where he served her for a 12 months and a day when the year had passed she called him to her and said she had good wages for him so she presented him with an ass out of the stable and he had but to pull net his ears to make him begin at once to ear and when he braided they dropped from his mouth silver sixpences and half crowns and golden guineas the lad was well pleased with the wage he had received and the way he rode till he reached an inn there he ordered the best of everything and when the innkeeper refused to serve him without being paid beforehand the boy went off to the stable pulled the ass's ears and obtained his pocket full of money the host had watched all this through a crack in the door and when night came on he put an ass of his own for the precious nitty of the poor youth so jack without knowing that any change had been made rode away next morning to his father's house now i must tell you that near his home dwelt a poor widow with an only daughter the lad and the maiden were fast friends and true loves but when jack asked his father's leave to marry the girl never till you have the money to keep her was the reply i have that father said the lad and going to the ass he pulled his long ears well he pulled and he pulled to one of them came off in his hands but nearly though he he whored and he he whored let fall no half crowns or guineas the father picked up a hayfork and beat his son out of the house i promise you he ran ah he ran and ran till he came bang against the door and burst it open and there he was in a joiner's shop your unlikely lad said the joiner served me for 12 months in a day and i will pay you well so he agreed and served the carpenter for a year and a day now said the master i will give you your wage and he presented him with a table telling him he had but to say table be covered and at once it would be spread with lots to eat and drink jack hitched the table on his back and away he went with it till he came to the inn well host shouted he my dinner today and that of the best very sorry but there is nothing in the house but ham and eggs ham and eggs for me exclaimed jack i can do better than that come my table be covered at once the table was spread with turkey and sausages roast mutton potatoes and greens the public and opened his eyes but he said nothing not he that night he fetched down from his attic a table very like that of jack and exchanged the two jack none the wiser next morning hitched the worthless table onto his back and carried it home now father may marry my lass he asked not unless you can keep her reply the father look here exclaimed jack father i have a table which does all my bidding let me see it said the old man the lads set it in the middle of the room and bade it be covered but all in vain the table remained bare in a rage the father caught the warming pan down from the wall and warmed his son back with it so that the boy fled howling from the house and ran and ran till he came to a river and tumbled in a man picked him out and bait him assist him in making a bridge over the river and how do you think he was doing it why by casting a tree across so jack climbed up to the top of the tree and threw his weight on it so that when the man had rooted the tree up jack and the tree had dropped on the father bank thank you said the man and now for what you have done i will pay you so say he tore a branch from the tree and fettled it up into a club with his knife there exclaimed he take this stick and when you say to it up stick and bang him it will knock anyone down who angers you the lad was overjoyed to get this stick so away he went with it to the inn and as soon as the publican appeared up stick and bang him was his cry at the word the cudgel flew from his hand and battered the old publican on the back wrapped his head bruised his arms tickled his ribs till he fell groaning on the floor still the stick belabored the prostrate man nor would jack call it off till he had got back the stolen ass and table then he galloped home on the ass with the table on his shoulders and the stick in his hand when he arrived there he found his father was dead so he brought his ass into the stable and pulled its ears till he had filled the manger with money it was soon known through the town that jack had returned rolling in wealth and accordingly all the girls in the place set their caps at him now said jack i shall marry the richest lass in the place so tomorrow do you all come in front of my house with your money and your aprons next morning the street was full of girls with aprons held out and gold and silver in them but jack's own sweetheart was among them and she had neither gold nor silver not but two copper pennies that was all she had stand aside lass said jack to her speaking roughly thou hast no silver nor gold stand off from the rest she obeyed and the tears ran down her cheeks and filled her apron with diamonds upstick and bang them exclaimed jack whereupon the cudgel leapt up and running along the line of girls knocked them all on the heads and left them senseless on the pavement jack took all their money and poured it into his true love's lap now lass he exclaimed thou art the richest and i shall marry thee end of chapter 39 the ass the table and the stick this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings in the public domain for more information or to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Joy Chan English fairy tales collected by Joseph Jacobs chapter 40 fairy ointment Dame Goodie was a nurse that looked after sick people and minded babies one night she was woke up at midnight and when she went downstairs she saw a strange squinny-eyed little ugly old fellow who asked her to come to his wife who was too ill to mind her baby. Dame Goodie didn't like the look of the old fellow but business is business so she popped on her things and went down to him and when she got down to him he whisked her up onto a large coal-black horse with fiery eyes that stood at the door and soon they were going at a rare pace Dame Goodie holding on to the old fellow like grim death they rode and they rode till at last they stopped before a cottage door so they got down and went in and found the good woman a bed with the children playing about and the babe a fine bouncing boy beside her. Dame Goodie took the babe which was as fine a baby boy's you'd wish to see the mother when she handed the baby to Dame Goodie to mind gave her a box of ointment and told her to stroke the baby's eyes with it as soon as it opened them after a while it began to open its eyes. Dame Goodie saw that it had squinny eyes just like its father so she took the box of ointment and stroked its two eyelids with it but she couldn't help wondering what it was for as she had never seen such a thing done before so she looked to see if the others were looking and when they were not noticing she stroked her own right eyelid with the ointment. No sooner had she done so than everything seemed to change about her the cottage became elegantly furnished the mother in the bed was a beautiful lady dressed up in white silk the little baby was still more beautiful than before and its clothes were made of a sort of silvery gauze its little brothers and sisters around the bed were flat-nosed imps with pointed ears who made faces at one another and scratched their poles sometimes they would pull the sick lady's ears with their long and hairy paws in fact they were up to all kinds of mischief and Dame Goodie knew that she had got into a house of pixies but she said nothing to nobody and as soon as the lady was well enough to mind the baby she asked the old fellow to take her back home so he came round to the door with the cold black horse with eyes of fire and off they went as fast as before or perhaps a little faster till they came to Dame Goodie's cottage where the squinny-eyed old fellow lifted her down and left her thanking her civilly enough and paying her more than she had ever been paid before for such service now next day happened to be market day and as Dame Goodie had been away from home she wanted many things in the house and trudged off to get them at the market as she was buying the things she wanted who should she see but the squinny-eyed old fellow who had taken her on the cold black horse and what do you think he was doing why he went about from stall to stall taking up things from each here's some fruit and there's some eggs and so on and no one seemed to take any notice now Dame Goodie did not think at her business to interfere but she thought she ought not to let so good a customer pass without speaking so she ups to him and bobs a curtain says good and sir I hope it's how your good lady and little one up as well as but she couldn't finish what she was a saying for the funny old fellow started back in surprise and he says to her says he what do you see me today see you says she well of course I do as plain as the sun in the skies and what's more says she I see you are busy too into the bargain ah you see too much said he now pray with which eye do you see all this with the right eye to be sure said she as proud as can be to find him out the ointment the ointment cried the old pixie thief take that for meddling with what don't concern you you shall see me no more and with that he struck her on her right eye and she couldn't see him anymore and what was worse she was blind on the right side from that hour to the day of her death end of chapter 40 fairy ointment this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings in the public domain for more information on to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Joy Chan English fairy tales collected by Joseph Jacobs chapter 41 the well of the world's end once upon a time and a very good time it was though it wasn't in my time nor in your time nor anyone else's time there was a girl whose mother had died and her father had married again and her stepmother hated her because she was more beautiful than herself and she was very cruel to her she used to make her do all the servants work and never let her have any peace at last one day the stepmother thought to get rid of her all together so she handed her a sieve and said to her go fill it at the well of the world's end and bring it home to me full or woe betide you for she thought she would never be able to find the well of the world's end and if she did how could she bring home a sieve full of water well the girl started off and asked everyone she met to tell her where was the well of the world's end but nobody knew and she didn't know what to do when a queer little old woman all bent double told her where it was and how she could get to it so she did what the old woman told her and at last arrived at the well of the world's end but when she dipped the sieve in the cold cold water it all ran out again she tried and she tried again but every time it was the same and at last she sat down and cried as if her heart would break suddenly she heard a croaking voice and she looked up and saw a great frog with goggle eyes looking at her and speaking to her what's the matter dearie it said oh dear oh dear she said my stepmother has sent me all this long way to fill the sieve with water from the well of the world's end and i can't fill it know how at all well said the frog if you promise me to do whatever i bid you for a whole night long i'll tell you how to fill it so the girl agreed and then the frog said stop it with moss and dob it with clay and then it will carry the water away and then it gave a hop skip and jump and went flop into the well of the world's end so the girl looked about for some moss and lined the bottom of the sieve with it and over that she put some clay and then she dipped it once again into the well of the world's end and this time the water didn't run out and she turned to go away just then the frog popped up its head out of the well of the world's end and said remember your promise all right said the girl for thought she what harm can a frog do me so she went back to her stepmother and brought the sieve full of water from the well of the world's end the stepmother was fine and angry but she said nothing at all that very evening they heard something tap tapping at the door low down and a voice cried out open the door my hini my heart open the door my own darling mind you the words that you and i spoke down in the meadow at the world's end well whatever can that be cried out to the stepmother and the girl had to tell her all about it and what she had promised the frog girls must keep their promises said the stepmother go and open the door this instant for she was glad the girl would have to obey a nasty frog so the girl went and opened the door and there was the frog from the well of the world's end and it hopped and it skipped and it jumped till it reached the girl and then it said lift me to your knee my hini my heart lift me to your knee my own darling remember the words you and i spoke down in the meadow by the world's end well but the girl didn't like to tell her stepmother said lift it up this instant you hussy girls must keep their promises so at last she lifted the frog up onto her lap and it lay there for a time till at last it said give me some supper my hini my heart give me some supper my darling remember the words you and i spoke in the meadow by the well of the world's end well she didn't mind doing that so she got at a bowl of milk and bread and fed it well and when the frog had finished it said go with me to bed my hini my heart go with me to bed my own darling mind you the words you spoke to me down by the cold well so weary but that the girl wouldn't do till her stepmother said do what you promised girl girls must keep their promises do what your bid or out you go you and your froggy so the girl took the frog with her to bed and kept it as far away from her as she could well just as the day was beginning to break what should the frog say but chop off my head my hini my heart chop off my head my own darling remember the promise you made to me down by the cold well so weary at first the girl wouldn't for she thought of what the frog had done for her at the well of the world's end but when the frog said the words over again she went and took an axe and chopped off its head and lo and behold there stood before her a handsome young prince he told her that he had been enchanted by a wicked magician and he could never be unspelled till some girl would do his bidding for a whole night and chop off his head at the end of it the stepmother was that surprised when she found the young prince instead of the nasty frog and she wasn't best pleased you may be sure when the prince told her that he was going to marry his stepdaughter because she had unspelled him so they were married and went away to live in the castle of the king his father and all the stepmother had to console her was that it was all through her that her stepdaughter was married to a prince end of chapter 41 the well of the world's end this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings in the public domain for more information or to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Joy Chan English fairy tales collected by Joseph Jacobs chapter 42 master of all masters a girl once went to the fair to hire herself for servant at last a funny looking old gentleman engaged her and took her home to his house when she got there he told her that he had something to teach her for that in his house he had his own names for things he said to her what will you call me master or mister whatever you please sir says she he said you must call me master of all masters and what would you call this pointing to his bed bed or couch or whatever you please sir no that's my barnacle and what do you call these said he pointing to his pantaloons breaches or trousers or whatever you please sir you must call them squibs and crackers and what would you call her pointing to the cat cat or kit or whatever you please sir you must call her white faced simony and this now showing the fire what would you call this fire or flame or whatever you please sir you must call it hot coccolorum and what's this he went on pointing to the water water or wet or whatever you please sir no pondolorum is its name and what do you call all this asked he as he pointed to the house house or cottage or whatever you please sir you must call it high topper mountain that very night the servant woke her master up in a fright and said master of all masters get out of your barnacle and put on your squibs and crackers for white faced simony has got a spark of hot coccolorum on its tail and unless you get some pondolorum high topper mountain will be all on hot coccolorum that's all end of chapter 42 master of all masters this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings in the public domain for more information or to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Joy Chan English fairy tales collected by Joseph Jacobs chapter 43 the three heads of the well long before Arthur and the knights of the round table they reigned in the eastern part of England a king who kept his court at Colchester in the midst of all his glory his queen died leaving behind her an only daughter about 15 years of age who for her beauty and kindness was the wonder of all that knew her but the king hearing of a lady who had likewise an only daughter had a mind to marry her for the sake of her riches though she was old ugly hooked nose and humpbacked her daughter was a yellow dowdy full of envy and ill nature and in short was much of the same mold as her mother but in a few weeks the king attended by the nobility and gentry brought his deformed bride to the palace where the marriage rights were performed they had not been long in the court before they set the king against his own beautiful daughter by false reports the young princess having lost her father's love grew weary of the court and one day meeting with her father in the garden she begged him with tears in her eyes to let her go and seek her fortune to which the king consented and ordered her mother-in-law to give her what she pleased she went to the queen who gave her a canvas bag of brown bread and hard cheese with a bottle of beer though this was but a pitiful dowry for a king's daughter she took it with thanks and proceeded on her journey passing through groves woods and valleys to that length she saw an old man sitting on a stone at the mouth of a cave who said good morrow fair maiden we're away so fast aged father says she i'm going to seek my fortune what have you got in your bag and bottle in my bag i have got bread and cheese and in my bottle good small beer would you like to have some yes said he with all my heart with that the lady pulled out her provisions and bade him eat and welcome he did so and gave her many thanks and said there's a thick thorny hedge before you which you cannot get through but take this wand in your hand strike it three times and say pray hedge let me come through and it will open immediately then a little further you will find a well sit down on the brink of it and there will come up three golden heads which will speak and whatever they require that do promising she would she took her leave of him coming to the hedge and using the old man's wand it divided and let her through then coming to the well she had no sooner sat down than a golden head came up singing wash me and comb me and lay me down softly and lay me on a bank to dry that i may look pretty when somebody passes by yes said she and taking it in her lap combed it with a silver comb and then placed it upon a primrose bank then up came a second and a third head saying the same as the former so she did the same for them and then pulling out her provisions sat down to eat her dinner then said the heads once another what shall we weird for this damsel who has used us so kindly the first said i weird her to be so beautiful that she shall charm the most powerful prince in the world the second said i weird her such a sweet voice as shall far exceed the nightingale the third said my gift shall be none of the least as she is a king's daughter i'll weird her so fortunate that she shall become queen to the greatest prince that reigns she then let them down into the well again and so went on her journey she had not traveled long before she saw a king hunting in the park with his nobles she would have avoided him but the king having caught a sight of her approached and what with her beauty and sweet voice fell desperately in love with her and soon induced her to marry him this king finding that she was the king of colkis's daughter ordered some chariots to be got ready that he might pay the king his father-in-law a visit the chariot in which the king and queen rode was adorned with rich gems of gold the king her father was at first astonished that his daughter had been so fortunate till the young king let him know of all that had happened great was the joy at court amongst all with the exception of the queen and her clubfooted daughter who were ready to burst with envy the rejoicings with feasting and dancing continued many days then at length they returned home with the dowry her father gave her the humpbacked princess perceiving that her sister had been so lucky in seeking her fortune wanted to do the same so she told her mother and all preparations were made and she was furnished with rich dresses and with sugar almonds and sweet meats in great quantities and a large bottle of malaga sack with these she went the same road as her sister and coming near the cave the old man said young woman with her so fast what's that to you said she then said he what have you in your bag and bottle she answered good things with you shall not be troubled with won't you give me some said he no not a bit nor a drop unless it would choke you the old man frown saying evil fortune attend ye going on she came to the hedge through which she aspired a gap and thought to pass through it but the hedge closed and the thorns ran into her flesh so that it was with great difficulty that she got through being now all over blood she searched for water to wash herself and looking round she saw the well she sat down on the brink of it and one of the heads came up saying wash me comb me and lay me down softly as before but she banged it with her bottle saying take that for your washing so the second and third heads came up and met with no better treatment than the first we upon the heads consulted among themselves what evils to plague her with for such usage the first said let her be struck with leprosy in her face the second let her voice be as harsh as a corn crakes the third said let her have for husband but a poor country cobbler well she goes on till she came to a town and it being market day the people looked at her and seeing such a mangy face and hearing such a squeaky voice all fled but a poor country cobbler now he not long before had mended the shoes of an old hermit who having no money gave him a box of ointment for the cure of leprosy and a bottle of spirits for a harsh voice so the cobbler having a mind to do an act of charity was induced to go up to her and ask her who she was I am said she the king of colkister's daughter-in-law well said the cobbler if I restore you to your natural complexion and make a sound cure both in face and voice will you and reward take me for husband yes friend she replied with all my heart with this the cobbler applied the remedies and they made her well in a few weeks after which they were married and so set forward for the court at colkister when the queen found that her daughter had married nothing but a poor cobbler she hanged herself in wrath the death of the queen so pleased the king who was glad to get rid of her so soon that he gave the cobbler a hundred pounds to quit the court with his lady and take to a remote part of the kingdom where he lived many years mending shoes his wife spinning the thread for him end of chapter 43 the three heads of the well end of english fairy tales