 section 40 of popular tales from the Norse This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org reading by Lars Rolander. Popular Tales from the Norse by Sir George Webb Dacent section 40 Goosey Grissel Once on a time there was a widower who had a housekeeper named Grissel, who set her much at him and teased him early and late to marry her. At last the man got so weary of her, he was at his wit's end to know how to get rid of her. So it fell on a day between hate, time and harvest that she went out to pull hemp. Grissel's head was full of her good looks and her handiness, and she worked away at the hemp till she grew giddy from the strong smell of the ripe seed, and at last down she fell flat, fast asleep among the hemp. While she slept her master got a pair of scissors and cut her skirt short all round, and then he rubbed her all over face and all, first with tallow and then with suit till she looked worse than the Dale himself. So when Grissel woke and saw how ugly she was she didn't know herself. Can this be me now? said Grissel. Nay, nay, it can never by me. So ugly have I never been. It's surely the Dale himself. Well, that she might really know the truth. She went off and knocked at her master's door and asked, Is your cursey at home the day, father? Aye, aye, our cursey is at home safe enough, said the man, who wanted to be rid of her. Well, well, she said to herself, Then I can't be his Grissel. And stole away and right glad the man was, I can tell you. So when she had walked a bit she came to Greatwood where she met two thieves. The very men for my money, thought Grissel, Since I am the Dale, thieves are just fit fellows for me. But the thieves were not of the same mind, not they. As soon as they set eyes on her they took to their heels as fast as they could, For they thought the evil one was come to catch them. But it was no good, for Grissel was long-legged and swift-footed, And she came up with them before they knew where they were. If you're going out to steal, I go with you and help, said Grissel, For I know the whole country round. So when the thieves heard that they thought they had found a good mate And were no longer afraid. Then they said they were off to steal a sheep, Only they didn't know where to lay hold of one. Oh, said Grissel, That's a small matter, for I was made with a farmer, Ever so long out in the wood-junder, And I could find the sheep-fold though the night were darkest pitch. The thieves thought that grand, And when they came to the place, Grissel was to go into the fold and turn out the sheep, And they were to lay hold on it. Now the sheep-fold lay close to the wall of the room where the farmer slept, So Grissel crept quite softly and carefully into the fold. But as soon as she got in, she began to scream out to the thieves, Will you have a weather? Here are lots to choose from. Hush, hush, said the thieves, Only take one that is fine and fat. Yes, yes, but will you have a weather or a year? Will you have a weather or a year? For here are lots to choose from, screamed Grissel. Hush, hush, said the thieves again, Only take one that's fine and fat, It's all the same to us whether it's a weather or a year. Yes, screamed Grissel who stuck to her own. But will you have a weather or a year? A weather or a year? Here are lots to choose from. Hush, hush, said the thieves and take a fine fat one, Whether or you it's all one to us. But just then out came the farmer in his shirt Who had been waked by all this clatter And wanted to see what was going on. So the thieves took to their heels And Grissel after them, upsetting the farmer in her flight. Stop boys, stop boys! She screamed, but the farmer who had only seen the black monster Grew so afraid that he could scare stand For he thought it was the Dale himself That had been in his sheepfold. The only help he knew was to go indoors And wake up the whole house And they all sat down to read and pray For he had heard that was the way To send the Dale about his business. Now the next night the thieves said They must go and steal a fat goose To show them the way. So when they came to the goose-keeping Grissel was to go in and turn one out For she knew the ways of the place And the thieves were to stand outside And catch it. But as soon as ever she got in She began to scream Will you have a goose or candor? You may peek and choose here. Hush, hush, choose only a fine fat one, And one said the thieves. Yes, yes, but will you have a goose or candor? Goose or candor, you may peek and choose Screamed Grissel. Hush, hush, only choose one that's fine and fat And it's all one to us whether it's goose or candor But do hold your jaw, said they. But while Grissel and the thieves were settling this One of the goose began to cackle And then another cackled And then the whole flock cackled and hissed And out came the farmer to see what all the noise could mean And away went the thieves And Grissel after them at full speed And the farmer thought again It was the black dale flying away For long led she was And she had no skirts to hamper her. Stop a bit, boys! She kept on screaming You might as well have said whether you would have a goose or candor But they had no time to stop, they thought And as for the farmer he began to read and pray With all his house, small and great For they thought it was the dale and no mistake Now the third day when night came The thieves and Grissel were so hungry They did not know what to do So they made up their minds to go to the larder Of a rich farmer who lived by the wood side And steal some food Well off they went But the thieves did not dare to venture themselves So Grissel was to go up the steps Which led to the larder and hand the food out And the others were to stand below And take it from her So when Grissel got inside She saw the larder was full of all sorts of things Fresh meat and salt And sausages and oat cake The thieves begged her to be still And just throw out something to eat And to bear in mind how badly they had fated for two nights But Grissel stuck to her own that she did Well you have fresh meat or salt Or sausages or oat cake Just look what a lovely oat cake She bowled out enough to split your head You may have what you please For here's plenty to choose from But the farmer worked with all this noise And ran out to see what it all meant As for the thieves off they ran as fast as they could But while the farmer was looking after them Down came Grissel so black and ugly Stop a bit, stop a bit boys She bellowed You may have what you please For there's plenty to choose from And when the farmer saw that ugly monster He too thought the dale was loose For he had heard what had happened to his neighbors The evenings before So he began both to read and pray And everyone in the whole parish began to read And pray, for they knew that you could read the dale away The next evening was Saturday evening And the thieves wanted to steal a fat ram For their Sunday dinner And well they might, for they had fasted many days But they wouldn't have Grissel with them at any price She brought bad luck with her jaw, they said So while Grissel was walking about with her Waiting for them on Sunday morning She got so awfully hungry For she had fasted for three days That she went into a turnip field And pulled up some turnips to eat But when the farmer who owned the turnips rose He felt uneasy in his mind And thought he would just go and take a look At his turnips on the Sunday morning So he pulled on his trousers And went to the market His trousers and went across the moss Which lay under the hill Where the turnip field lay But when he got to the bottom of the field He saw something black walking about in the field And pulling up his turnips And he soon made up his mind that it was the dale So away he ran home as fast as he could And said the dale was among the turnips This frightened the whole house out of their wits And they agreed they'd best send for the priest And get him to bind the dale That won't do, said the good wife This is Sunday morning You'll never get the priest to come For either he'll be in bed Or if he's up he'll be learning his sermon by heart Oh, said the good man Never fair I'll promise him a fat loin of veal And then he'll come fast enough So off he went to the priest's house But when he got there sure enough The priest was still in bed The maid begged the farmer to walk into the parlor While she ran up to the priest and said Farmer so-and-so was downstairs And wished to have a word with him Well, when the priest heard that such a worthy man Was downstairs, he got up at once And came down just as he was in his slippers And night-capped So the good man told him his errand How the dale was loose in his turnip field And if the priest would only come and bind him He would send him a fat loin of veal Yes, the priest was willing enough And called out to his groom to saddle his horse While he dressed himself Nay, nay, father, said the man The dale won't wait for us long And no one knows where we shall find him again If we miss him now Your reverence must come at once Just as you are So the priest followed him just as he was With the clothes he stood in And went off in his night-cap and slippers But when they got to the moss It was so moist the priest couldn't cross it in his slippers So the good man took him on his back To carry him over On they went The good man picking his way From one clump to the other Till they got to the middle Then Grisel cut sight of them And thought it was the thieves bringing the ram Is he fat? she screamed Is he fat? And made such a noise that the wood rang again The dale knows if he's fat or lean I'm sure I don't, said the good man When he heard that You want to know you'd better come yourself and see And then he got so afraid He threw the priest head over heels into the soft wet moss And took to his legs And if the priest hasn't got out Why I dare say he's lying there still End of section 40 Read by Lars Rolander Section 41 of popular tales from the Norse This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer Please visit LibriVox.org Recording by David Federman Popular Tales from the Norse By Sir George Webb Descent Section 41 The lad who went to the North Wind Once upon a time There was an old widow who had one son And as she was poorly and weak Her son had to go up into the safe To fetch a meal for cooking But when he got outside the safe and was just going down the steps There came the North Wind Puffing and blowing Caught up the meal and so away with it through the air Then the lad went back into the safe for more But when he came out again on the steps The North Wind didn't come again and carry off the meal with a puff And more than that He did so the third time At this the lad got very angry And as he thought it hard that the North Wind should behave so He thought he'd just look him up And ask him to give up his meal So off he went but the way was long And he walked and walked But at last he came to the North Wind's house Good day said the lad And thank you for coming to see us yesterday Good day answered the North Wind For his voice was loud and gruff And thanks for coming to see me What do you want? Oh answered the lad I only wish to ask you to be so good as to let me have back that meal you took from me on the safe steps For we haven't much to live on and if you're going to go on snapping up the morsel we have There'll be nothing for it but to starve I haven't got your meal Said the North Wind But if you are in such need I'll give you a cloth which will get you everything you want If you only say Cloth, spread yourself And serve up all kind of good dishes With this the lad was well content But as the way was so long he couldn't get home in one day So he turned into an inn on the way And when they were going to sit down to supper he laid the cloth on the table which stood in the corner and said Cloth, spread yourself And serve up all kinds of good dishes He had scarce said so Before the cloth did as it was bid And all who stood by it thought it a fine thing But most of all the landlady So when all were fast asleep at dead of night She took the lad's cloth and put another in its stead Just like the one he had got from the North Wind But which couldn't so much as serve up a bit of dry bread So when the lad woke He took his cloth and went off with it And that day he got home to his mother Now said he I've been to the North Wind's house And a good fellow he is For he gave me this cloth And when I only say to it Cloth, spread yourself And serve up all kinds of good dishes I get any sort of food I please All very true I dare say Said his mother But seeing is believing I shan't believe it till I see it So the lad made haste Drought a table Layed the cloth on it and said Cloth, spread yourself And serve up all kinds of good dishes But never a bit of dry bread did the cloth serve up Well said the lad There's no help for it But to go to the North Wind again And away he went So he came to where the North Wind lived Late in the afternoon Good evening, said the lad Good evening, said the North Wind I want my rights for that meal of ours Which you took, said the lad For as for that cloth I got It isn't worth a penny I've got no meal, said the North Wind But yonder you have a ram Which coins nothing but gold and ducats As soon as you say to it Rain, ram, make money So the lad thought this a fine thing But as it was too far to get home that day He turned in for the night to the same inn Where he had slept before Before he called for anything He tried the truth of what the North Wind had said of the ram And found it all right But when the landlord saw that He thought it was a famous ram And when the lad had fallen asleep He took another which couldn't coin gold ducats And changed the two Next morning off went the lad And when he got home to his mother He said After all, the North Wind is a jolly fellow For now he has given me a ram Which can coin golden ducats If I only say Ram, ram, make money All very true I daresay Said his mother But I shan't believe any such stuff Until I see the ducats made Ram, ram, make money Said the lad But if the ram made anything It wasn't money So the lad went back again The North Wind blew him up And said the ram was worth nothing And he must have his rights for the meal Well said the North Wind I've got nothing else to give you But that old stick in the corner yonder But it's a stick of that kind That if you say Stick, stick, lay on It lays on till you say Stick, stick, now stop So as the way was long The lad turned in this night too To the landlord But as you could pretty well guess How things stood as the cloth and the ram You lay down at once on the bench And began to snore as if you were asleep Now the landlord Who easily saw that the stick Must be worth something Hunted up one which was like it And when he heard the lad snore Was going to change the two But just as the landlord Was about to take the lad bald out Stick, stick, lay on So the stick began to beat the landlord Till he jumped over chairs And tables and benches And yelled and roared Oh my, oh my Did the stick be still? Else it will beat me to death And you shall have back Both your cloth and your ram When the lad thought the landlord Had got enough he said Stick, stick, now stop Then he took the cloth And put it into his pocket And went home with his stick in his hand Leading the ram by a cord round its horns And so he got his rights For the meal he had lost End of section 41 Recording by David Federman The Master Thief Once upon a time There was a poor cottageer Who had three sons He had nothing to leave them When he died And no money with which To put them to any trade So that he did not know What to make of them At last he said He would give them leave To take to anything each liked best And to go with or so ever They pleased And he would go with them A bit of the way And so he did He went with them till They came to a place Where three roads met And there each of them chose a road And their father bade them goodbye And went home I have never heard tell What became of the two elder But as far as the youngest He went both far and long As you shall hear So it fell out one night As he was going through a great wood That such bad weather overtook him It blew and sleeted and drove So that he could scarce keep his eyes open And in a trice Before he knew how it was He got bewildered And could not find either road or path But as he went on and on At last he saw a glimmering of light Far far off in the wood So he thought he would try And get to the light And after a time he did reach it There it was in a large house And the fire was blazing so brightly inside That he could tell the folk Had not yet gone to bed So he went in And saw an old dame bustling about And minding the house Good evening said the youth Good evening said the old dame Who to to it such foul weather Out of doors tonight said he So it is said she Can I get leave to have a bed and shelter here tonight Asked the youth You'll get no good by sleeping here Said the old dame Or if the folk come home and find you here They'll kill both me and you What sort of folk then are they That live here asked the youth Oh robbers and a bad lot of them too Said the old dame They stole me away when I was little And have kept me as their housekeeper ever since Well for all that I think I'll just go to bed Said the youth Come what may I'll not stir out at night In such weather Well well Said the old dame But if you stay it will be the worse for you With that the youth got into a bed Which stood there But he dared not go to sleep And very soon after in came the robbers So the old dame told them how a stranger fellow Had come in whom she had not been able To get out of the house again Did you see if he had any money Said the robbers Such a one is he, money Said the old dame The tramper Why if he had closed to his back It was as much as he had Then the robbers began to talk among themselves What they should do with him If they should kill him outright Or what else they should do Meantime the youth got up and began to talk to them And to ask if they didn't want a servant For it might be that he would be glad to enter their service Oh they said If you have a mind to follow the trade that we follow You can very well get a place here It's all one to me what trade I follow Said the youth When I left home father gave me leave To take to any trade I chose Well have you a mind to steal Asked the robbers I don't care said the youth For he thought it would not take long to learn that trade Now there lived a man a little way off Who had three oxen One of these he was going to take to the town to sell And the robbers had heard what he was going to do So they said to the youth If he were good to steal the ox From the man by the way without his knowing it And without doing him any harm They would give him leave to be their serving man Well the youth set off and took with him a pretty shoe With a silver buckle on it which lay about the house And he put the shoe in the road Along which the man was going with his ox And when he had done that he went in the wood And hid himself under a bush So when the man came by he saw the shoe at once That's a nice shoe said he If only I had the fellow to it I'd take it home with me And perhaps I'd put my old dame in a good humor for once For you must know he had an old wife So cross and snappish it was not long Between each time that she boxed his ears But then he bethought him that he could do nothing With the odd shoe unless he had the fellow to it So he went on his way and let the shoe lie in the road Then the youth took up the shoe and made all the haste he could To get before the man by a shortcut through the wood And laid it down before him in the road again When the man came along with his ox He got quite angry with himself for being so dull As to leave the fellow to the shoe lying in the road Instead of taking it with him So he tied the ox to the fence and said to himself I may just as well run back and pick up the other And then I'll have a pair of good shoes for my old dame And so perhaps I'll get a kind word from her for once So he set off and hunted and hunted up and down for the shoe But no shoe did he find And at length he had to go back with the one he had But meanwhile the youth had taken the ox and gone off with it And when the man came and saw his ox gone He began to cry in bewail For he was afraid his old dame would kill him outright When she came to know that the ox was lost But just then it came across his mind that he would go home And take the second ox and drive it to the town And not let his old dame know anything about the matter So he did this and went home and took the ox Without his dames knowing it and set off with it to the town But the robbers knew all about it and they said to the youth If he could get this ox too without the man's knowing it And without his doing him any harm He should be as good as any one of them If that were all the youth said He did not think it a very hard thing This time he took with him a rope And hung himself up under the armpits to a tree right in the man's way So the man came along with his ox And when he saw such a sight hanging there He began to feel a little queer Well said he Whatever heavy thoughts you had who have hanged yourself up there It can't be helped, you may hang for what I care I can't breathe life into you again And with that he went on his way with his ox Down slipped the youth from the tree And ran by a footpath and got before the man And hung himself up right in his way again Bless me, said the man Were you really so heavy at heart that you hanged yourself up there Or is only a piece of witchcraft that I see before me I, I, you may hang for all I care Whether you are a ghost or whatever you are So he passed on with his ox Now the youth did just as he had done twice before He jumped down from the tree, ran through the wood by a footpath And hung himself up right in the man's way again But when the man saw this sight for the third time He said to himself Well, this is an ugly business Is it likely now that they should have been so heavy at heart as to hang themselves All these three? No I cannot think it is anything else than a piece of witchcraft that I see But now I'll soon know for certain If the other two are still hanging there It must be really so But if they are not Then it can be nothing but witchcraft that I see So he tied up his ox And ran back to see if the others were still really hanging there But while he went and peered up into all the trees The youth jumped down and took his ox And ran off with it When the man came back and found his ox gone He was in a sad plight And, as anyone might know without being told He began to cry and bemoan But at last he came to take it easier And so he thought There's no other help for it than to go home And take the third ox without my dames knowing it And to try and drive a good bargain with it So that I may get a good sum of money for it So he went home and set off with the ox And his old dame knew never a word about the matter But the robbers, they knew all about it And they said to the youth That if he could steal this ox As he had stolen the other two Then he should be master over the whole band Well, the youth set off and ran into the wood And as the man came by with his ox He set up a dreadful bellowing Just like a great ox in the wood When the man heard that You can't think how glad he was For it seemed to him That he knew the voice of his big bullet And he thought that now he should find both of them again So he tied up the third ox And ran off from the road to look for them in the wood But meantime The youth went off with the third ox Now, when the man came back And found he had lost this ox too He was so wild that there was no end to his grief He cried and roared and beat his breast And, to tell the truth It was many days before he dared go home For he was afraid Lest his old dames should kill him outright on the spot As for the robbers They were well pleased either When they had to own that the youth was master Over the whole band So one day They thought they should try their hands At something which he was not man enough to do And they set off altogether Every man jack of them And left him alone at home Now, the first thing that he did When they were all well clear of the house Was to drive the oxen out to the road So that it might run back to the man From whom he had stolen them And right glad he was to see them As you may fancy Next he took all the horses which the robbers had Loaded them with the best things he could lay his hands on Gold and silver And clothes and other fine things And then he bade the old dame to greet the robbers When they came back And to thank them for him And to say that now he was setting off on his travels And they would have hard work to find him again And with that, off he started After a good bit He came to the road along which he was going When he fell among the robbers And when he got near home And could see his father's cottage He put on a uniform Which he had found among the clothes He had taken from the robbers Those made just like a generals So he drove up to the door As if he were any other great man After that he went in And asked if he could have a lodging Know that he couldn't at any price However, should I be able, said the man To make room in my house For such a fine gentleman I, who scarce have a rag to lie upon And miserable rags too You always were a stingy old hunk, said the youth And so you are still When you won't take your own son in What? You, my son, said the man Don't you know me again, said the youth Well, after a little while He did know him again But what have you been turning your hand to That you have made yourself so great A man in such haste, asked the man Oh, I'll soon tell you, said the youth You said I might take to any trade I chose And so I bound myself apprentice To a pack of thieves and robbers And now I've served my time out And then become a master thief Now there lived a squire Close by to his father's cottage And he had such a great house And such heaps of money He could not tell how much he had He had a daughter too And a smart and pretty girl she was So the master thief Set his heart about having her to wife And he told his father to go to the squire And ask for his daughter for him If he asks by what trade I get my living You can say I'm a master thief I think you have lost your wits, said the man For you can't be in your right mind When you think of such stuff No, he had not lost his wits His father must and should go to the squire And ask for his daughter Nay, but I tell you I daren't go to the squire and be your spokesman He who is so rich and has so much money, said the man Yes, there was no help for it, said the master thief He should go whether he would or no And if he did not go by fair means He would soon make him go by foul But the man was still loath to go So he stepped after him And rubbed him down with a good birch cudgel And kept on till the man came crying And sobbing inside the squire's door How now, my man, what ails you, said the squire So he told him the whole story How he had three sons who set off one day And how he had given them leave to go with or so ever they would And to follow whatever calling they chose And here now is the youngest come home And has thrashed me till he has made me come to you And ask for your daughter for him to wife And he bids me say, besides, that he's a master thief And so he fell to crying and sobbing again Never mind, my man, said the squire, laughing Just go back and tell him from me He must prove his skill first If he can steal the roast from the spit in the kitchen on Sunday While all the household are looking after it He shall have my daughter Just go and tell him that So he went back and told the youth Who thought it would be an easy job So he set about and caught three hairs alive And put them into a bag And dressed himself in some old rags Until he looked so poor and filthy That it made one's heart bleed to see And then he stole into the passage The back door of the squire's house On the Sunday forenoon with his bag Just like any other beggar boy But the squire himself and all his household Were in the kitchen watching the roast Just as they were doing this The youth let one hair go And it set off and ran round and round the yard In front of the house Oh, just look at that hair Said the folk in the kitchen And were all for running out to catch it Yes, the squire sought running to Oh, let it run, said he There's no use in thinking to catch a hair on the spring A little while after The youth let the second hair go And they saw it in the kitchen And thought it was the same they had seen before And still wanted to run out and catch it But the squire said again it was no use It was not long before the youth Let the third hair go And it set off and ran round and round the yard As the others before it Now they saw it from the kitchen And still thought it was the same hair That kept on running about To be out after it Well, it is a fine hair Said the squire Come, let's see if we can't lay our hands on it So out he ran and the rest with him Away they all went The hair before and they after So that it was rare fun to see But meantime the youth took the roast And ran off with it And where the squire got a roast for his dinner that day I don't know But one thing I know and that is That he had no roast hair Now it chanced that the priest Came to dinner that day And when the squire told him what a trick The master thief had played him He made such game of him that there was no end of it For my part Said the priest I can't think how it would ever happen to me To be made such a fool of by a fellow like that Very well, only keep a sharp look out Said the squire Maybe he'll come to see you before you know a word of it But the priest stuck to his text That he did The squire because he had been so taken in Later in the afternoon came the master thief And wanted to have the squire's daughter As he had given his word But the squire began to talk him over And said Oh, you must first prove your skill a little more For what you did today was no great thing after all Couldn't you now play off a good trick On the priest who is sitting in there And making game of me for letting such a fellow As you twist me round his thumb Well, as for that It wouldn't be hard, said the master thief So he dressed himself up like a bird And threw a great white sheet over his body And took the wings of a goose And tied them to his back And so climbed up into a great maple Which stood in the priest's garden And when the priest came home in the evening The youth began to bawl out Father Lawrence Father Lawrence For that was the priest's name Who is that calling me? Said the priest I'm an angel, said the master thief To let you know that you shall be taken up alive Into heaven for your piety's sake Next Monday night you must hold yourself Ready for the journey For I shall come then to fetch you in a sack And all your gold and your silver And all that you have of this world's goods You must lay together in a heap In your dining room Well, Father Lawrence fell on his knees Before the angel and thanked him And the very next day he preached a farewell sermon And gave it out that there had come down An angel unto the big maple in his garden Who told him that he was to be taken up alive Into heaven for his piety's sake And he preached and made such a touching discourse That all who were at church wept Both young and old So the next Monday night came the master thief Like an angel again And the priest fell on his knees And thanked him before he was put into the sack But when he had got him in well The master thief drew and dragged him Over stocks and stones Ow, ow! Growned the priest inside the sack Where ever are you going? This is the narrow way Which leadeth unto the kingdom of heaven Said the master thief, who went on dragging him Along till he had nearly broken every bone In his body. At last he tumbled him Into a goose house that belonged to the squire And the geese began pecking And pinching him with their bills So that he was more dead than alive Now you are in the flames of purgatory To be cleansed and purified For life everlasting, said the master thief And with that he went his way And took all the gold which the priest had laid together In his dining room. The next morning When the goose girl came to let the geese out She heard how the priest lay in the sack And bemoaned himself in the goose house In heaven's name, who's there And what ails you? She cried Ow, said the priest If you are an angel from heaven Do let me out And let me return again to earth For it is worse here than in hell The little fiends keep on pinching me with tongs Heaven help us, I'm no angel at all Said the girl, as she helped the priest out of the sack I only look after the squire's geese And like enough, they are the little friends Which have pinched your reverence Oh! Grown to the priest This is all that master thief's doing Ah, my gold and my silver And my fine clothes And he beat his breast And hobbled home at such a rate That the girl thought he had lost his wits all at once Now when the squire came to hear How it had gone with the priest And how he had been along the narrow way And in the purgatory he laughed Till he well nice split his sides And when the master thief came And asked for his daughter, as he had promised The squire put him off again and said You must do one masterpiece better still That I may see plainly what you are fit for Now, I have twelve horses in my stable And on them I will put twelve grooms One on each, if you are so good a thief As to steal the horses from under them I'll see what I can do for you Very well I dare say I can do it Said the master thief But shall I really have your daughter if I can? Yes, if you can I'll do my best for you Said the squire So the master thief set off to a shop And bought brandy enough to fill two pocket flasks And into one of them He put a sleepy drink But into the other only brandy After that he hired eleven men To lie and wait at night behind the squire's stable yard And last of all For fair woods and a good bit of money He borrowed a ragged gown and cloak From an old woman and so With a staff in his hand and a bundle at his back He limped off as evening grew on Towards the squire's stable Just as he got there They were watering the horses for the night And had their hands full of work What the devil do you want Said one of the grooms to the old woman Oh, oh It is so bitter cold Said she and shivered And shook and made rye faces Who to to It is so cold A poor wretch may easily freeze to death And with that She fell to shivering and shaking again Oh, for the love of heaven Can I get leave to stay here for a while And sit inside the stable door To the devil with your leave Said one Pack yourself off this minute For if the squire sets his eye on you He'll lead us a pretty dance A cold bag of bones Said another whose heart took pity on her The old hag may sit inside and welcome Such a one as she can do no harm And the rest said Some she should stay and some she shouldn't But while they were quarreling and minding the horses She crept further and further into the stable Till at last she sat herself down behind the door And when she had got so far No one gave any more heed to her As the night wore on The men found it rather cold work To sit so still and quiet on horseback Who-to-two it is so devilish cold Said one and beat his arms cross-wide That it is, said another I freeze so that my teeth chatter If only one had a quid to chew, said a third Well, there was one who had an ounce or two So they shared it between them Though it wasn't much, after all, that each got And so they chewed and spat And spat and chewed This helped them somewhat, but in a little while They were just as bad as ever Said one and shivered and shook Who-to-two Said the old woman and shivered so that Every tooth in her head shattered Then she pulled out the flask with Brandy in it And her hand shook so that the spirit Splashed about in the flask And then she took such a gulp that it went Bop in her throat What's that you've got in your flask, old girl? Said one of the grooms Oh, it is only a drop of Brandy, old man Said she Brandy, well, I never do let me have a drop Screamed the whole twelve one after another Oh, but it is such a little drop Mumbled the old woman It will not even wet your mouth round But they must and would have it There was no help for it And so she pulled out the flask with the sleepy drink in it And put it to the first man's lips Then she shook no more But guided the flasks that each of them Got what he wanted And the twelfth had not done drinking But for the first sat and snored Then the master thief threw off his beggars rags One groom after the other so softly off their horses And set them astride On the beams between the stalls And so he called his eleven men And rode off with the squire's twelve horses But when the squire got up in the morning And went to look after his grooms They had just begun to come too And some of them fell to spurring the beams with their spurs Till the splinters flew again And some fell off And some still hung on and sat there looking like fools Ho, ho! said the squire I see very well who has been here But as for you, a pretty set of blockheads You must be to sit here and let the master thief Steal the horses from between your legs So they all got a good leathering Because they had not kept the sharper lookout Further on in the day came the master thief again And told how he had managed the matter And asked for the squire's daughter As he had promised But the squire gave him one hundred dollars down And said he must do something better still Do you think now? Said he Steal the horse from under me while I am riding on his back Oh sure, I daresay I could Said the master thief If I were really sure of getting your daughter Well, well The squire would see what he could do And he told the master thief a day when he would be taking a ride On a great common where they drilled the troops So the master thief soon got hold Of an old worn out jade of a mare And set to work And made traces in collar of withies and broom twigs And bought an old beggarly cart and a great cask After that The old beggar woman he would give her ten dollars If she would get inside the cask And keep her mouth agape over the taphole Into which he was going to stick his finger No harm should happen to her She should only be driven about a little And if he took his finger out more than once She was to have ten dollars more Then he threw a few rags and tatters over himself And stuffed himself out And put on a wig and a great beard of goat's hair So that no one could know him again And set off for the common Where the squire had already been riding about a good bit When he came to the place He went along so softly and slowly That he scarce made an inch away Yep, yep And so he went on a little Then he stood stock still And so on a little again And all together the pace was so poor It never once came into the squire's head That this could be the master thief At last the squire rode right up to him And asked if he had seen anyone lurking about In the woods thereabouts No, said the man I haven't seen a soul Harky now, said the squire If you have a mind to ride into the wood And hunt about and see if you can fall upon Anyone lurking about there You shall have the loan of my horse And a shilling into the bargain To drink my health for your pains I don't see how I can go Said the man For I have been going to a wedding With this cask of mead which I have been To town to fetch And here the tap has fallen out by the way The taphole Right off, said the squire I'll look after your horse and cask Well, on these terms the man was willing to go But he begged the squire to be quick And putting his finger into the taphole When he took his own out And a mind and keep it there till he came back At last the squire grew weary Of standing there with his finger in the taphole So he took it out Now I shall have ten dollars more Screamed the old woman inside the cask And then the squire saw it once Off home, but he had not gone far Before they met him with a fresh horse The master thief had already been to his house And told them to send one The day after he came to the squire And would have his daughter as he had given his word But the squire put him off again With fine words and gave him two hundred dollars And said he must do one more Masterpiece. If he could do that He should have her Well well, the master thief thought he could do it If he only knew what it was to be Do you think now? Said the squire, you can steal the sheet off our bed And the shift off my wife's back Do you think you could do that? It shall be done, said the master thief I only wish I was as sure of getting your daughter So when night began to fall The master thief went out and cut down a thief Who hung on the gallows And threw him across his shoulders And carried him off Then he got a long ladder And set it up against the squire's bedroom window And so climbed up And kept bobbing the dead man up and down Just for all the world like one that was peeping in at the window That's the master thief old lass Said the squire And gave his wife a nudge on the side Now see if I don't shoot him that's all So saying He took up a rifle which he had laid at his bedside No no Pray don't shoot him after telling him he might come and try Said his wife Don't talk to me for shoot him I will Said he, and so he lay there and aimed and aimed But as soon as the head came up Before the window Of it, so soon it was down again At last he thought he had a good aim Bang! went the gun Down fell the dead body of the ground with a heavy thump And down went the master thief too As fast as he could Well, said the squire It is quite true that I am the chief magistrate In these parts, but people are fond of talking And it would be a bore If they came to see this dead man's body I think the best thing to be done Is that I should go down and bury him You must do as you think best, dear Said his wife So the squire got out of bed and went downstairs And he had scarce put his foot out of the door Before the master thief stole in And went straight upstairs to his wife Why, dear, back already Said she For she thought it was her husband Oh yes, I only just put him into a hole And threw a little earth over him It is enough that he's out of sight For it is such a bad night out of doors By and by I'll do it better But just let me have the sheet to wipe myself with And I'll have made myself in such a mess with him So he got the sheet After a while he said You know I'm afraid You must let me have your night shift too For the sheet won't do by itself That I can see So she gave him the shift also But just then it came across his mind That he had forgotten to lock the house door So he must step down and look to that Before he came back to bed And away he went with both shift and sheet A little while after it came the true squire Why, what a time you've taken To lock the door, dear Said his wife And what have you done with this sheet and shift What do you say? Said the squire Why, I'm asking what you have done with this sheet and shift That you had to wipe off the blood Said she What in the devil's name? Said the squire Next day came the master thief And asked for the squire's daughter As he had given his word And a good lump of money into the bargain For, to tell the truth He was afraid lest the master thief should Steal the eyes out of his head And that the people would begin to say spiteful things Of him if he broke his word So the master thief lived well and happily from that time Forward. I don't know whether he Stole any more, but if he did I'm quite sure it was only for the sake Of a bit of fun Chapter 42 Read by Morgan Saletta Section 43 Of popular tales from the Norse This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings Are in the public domain For more information Or to volunteer Please visit LibriVox.org Read by Sharon Riscadal Popular Tales from the Norse By Sir George Webb Dawson Section 43 The Best Wish Once upon a time There were three brothers I don't quite know how it happened But each of them had got the right To wish one thing, whatever he chose So the two elder were not long A thinking, they wished that every time They put their hands in their pockets They might pull out a piece of money For, they said, the man who has As much money as he wishes for Is only a little bit more than A little bit more than The money as he wishes for Is always sure to get on in the world But the youngest Wished something better still He wished that every woman He saw might fall in love with him As soon as she saw him And you shall soon hear How far better this was Than gold and goods So when they had all Wished their wishes The two elder were for setting out To see the world The youngest brother asked if He mightn't go along with them But they wouldn't hear of such a thing Wherever we go, they said We shall be treated as counts And kings, but you, you Starvelling wretch Who haven't a penny and never will have One, who do you think will care A bit about you? Well, in spite of that I'd like to go with you, said Boots Perhaps a dainty bit may fall To my share too, off the plates Of high and mighty lords At last, after begging And praying, he got leave To go with them, if he would Be their servant else They wouldn't hear of it So when they had gone A day or two, they came to an inn Where the two who had The money alighted and called For fish and flesh and fowl And brandy and mead And everything that was good But Boots, poor fellow, had To look after their luggage And all that belonged to the Two great people. Now as he went to and fro Outside and loitered about In the innyard, the innkeeper's Wife looked out of the window And saw the servant of the Gentleman upstairs, and All at once she thought She had never set eyes On such a handsome chap. So she stared and stared And the longer she looked The handsomer he seemed. Why, what, by the dale's Skin and bones, is that You are standing there gaping At out of the window, said her husband? I think it would be better If you just looked how the Sucking pig is getting on Instead of hanging out of the window In that way. Don't you know what Grandfolk we have in the house today? Oh, said the old dame, I don't care Of farthing about such a pack Of rubbish. If they don't like it And be off, but just Do come and look at this lad Out in the yard, so handsome A fellow I never saw in All my born days. And If you'll do as I wish, we'll Ask him to step in and treat him a little For poor lad he seems to have A hard fight of it. Have you lost the little brains you had Goodie, said the husband, whose Eyes glistened with rage, into The kitchen with you, and mind the fire But don't stand there glowering Under strange men. So the wife had nothing left for it But to go into the kitchen And look after the cooking. As for the lad outside She couldn't get leave to ask him in Or to treat him either. But just as she was about Spitting the pig in the kitchen She made an excuse for running out Into the yard, and then and there She gave boots a pair of scissors Of such a kind That they cut of themselves Out of the air, the loveliest Clothes anyone ever Saw, silk and Satin, and all that was Fine. This you shall have Because you are so handsome, Said the innkeeper's wife. So when the two elder Brothers had crammed themselves With roast and boiled They wished to be off again And boots had to stand Behind their carriage and be their Servant, and so they traveled In a good way until they came to Another inn. There the two brothers again Alighted and went indoors, but boots Who had no money, they wouldn't Have inside with them. No, he must wait outside And watch the luggage. And Mind, they said, if anyone Asks you who's servant you are Say we are two foreign Princes. But the same thing happened now As happened before, while Hanging about out in the yard The innkeeper's wife came to the Window and saw him, and she too Fell in love with him just like The first innkeeper's wife, and There she stood and stared, for She thought she could never have Her fill of looking at him. Then her husband came running Through the room with something The two princess had ordered, Don't stand there like a cow at A barn door, but take this into The kitchen and look after your Friend. Don't you see what grand People we have in the house today? I don't care a far thing for Such a pack of rubbish, said the wife. If they don't like what they get They may lump it and eat what they Brought with them. But just do Come here and see what you shall See. Such a handsome fellow As walks here out in the yard I never saw in all my born Days. Shouldn't we ask him In a treat him a little? He looks As if he needed it, poor chap. Then she went on, Such a love, Such a love. You never had much with, And the little you had is clean Gone, I can see, said the man Who was much more angry than the First innkeeper, and chased His wife back, neck, and crop Into the kitchen with you And don't stand glowering After lads, he said. So she had to go in And mined her fish kettle And she dared not treat boots For she was afraid of her old man. But as she stood there making up The fire, she made an excuse For running out into the yard And then and there she gave Boots a tablecloth, Which was such that it Covered itself with the best Dishes you could think of As soon as it was spread out. This shoe shall have, She said, because you are So handsome. So when the two brothers Had eaten and drank Of all that was in the house And had paid the bill in hard cash They set off again, and boots Stood up behind their carriage. But when they had gone so far That they grew hungry again They turned into a third inn And called for the best And dearest they could think of. For, they said, we are Two kings on our travels And as for our money It grows like grass. Well, when the innkeeper heard that There was such a roasting And baking and boiling Why, you might smell the dinner At the next neighbor's house Though it wasn't so very near And the innkeeper was at his wits And to find all he wished To put before the two kings. But boots, he had to stand outside Here too, and look after The things in the carriage. So it was the same story over again. The innkeeper's wife came to the window And peeped out, and there she saw The servant standing by the carriage. Such a handsome chap She had never set eyes on before So she looked and looked And the more she stared, the handsomer He seemed to the innkeeper's wife. Then out came the innkeeper Scampering through the room With some dainty, which the traveling kings Had ordered, and he wasn't very Soft-tongued when he saw his old dame Standing and glowering out of the window. Don't you know better than to stand Gaping and staring there when we Have such great folk in the house, he said Back into the kitchen with you this minute To your custards. Well, well, she said, as for them I don't care a pin. If they can't wait till the custards Are baked, they may go without, that's all. But do pray, come here And you'll see such a lovely lad Standing out here in the yard. Why, I never saw such a pretty fellow In my life. Shant we ask him in now And treat him a little, for he looks As if it would do him good. Oh, what a darling! What a darling! I want and get about you've been All your days, and so you are still Said her husband, who is in such a rage He scarce knew which leg to stand on. But if you don't be off to your Custards this minute, I'll soon Find out how to make you stir Your stumps, see if I don't. So the wife had off to her Custards as fast as she could, For she knew that her husband would Stand, no nonsense. But as she stood there over the fire She stole out into the yard And gave Boots a tap. If you only turn this tap, she said You'll get the finest drink Of whatever kind you choose, Both mead and wine and brandy And this you shall have Because you are so handsome. So when the two brothers had eaten And drunk all they could, they Started from the inn, and Boots Stood up behind again as their Servant, and thus they drove Far and wide till they came To a king's palace. There the two elder gave Themselves out for two emperors Sons. And as they had plenty of money And were so fine that their clothes Shown again ever so far off They were well treated. They had rooms in the palace And the king couldn't tell How to make enough of them. But Boots, who went about In the same rags he stood in When he left home, and who Never had a penny in his pocket He was taken up by the king's guard And put across to an island Whether they used to row over All the beggars and rogues That came to the palace. This the king had ordered Because he wouldn't have the Merth at the palace, spoiled By those dirty black guards, And thither too, only Just as much food as would Keep body and soul together Was sent over every day. Now Boots brothers saw Very well that the guard Was rowing him over to the Island, but they were Glad to be rid of him, and Didn't pay the least heed to Him. But when Boots got over there He just pulled out His scissors, and began To snip and cut in the air So the scissors cut out The finest clothes anyone Would wish to see. Silk and satin both, and all The beggars on the island were Soon dressed far finer than the King, and all his guests in The palace. After that Boots pulled out His tablecloth, and spread It out, and so they got Food to the poor beggars. Such a feast had never Been seen at the king's palace As was served that day At the beggars' isle. Thirsty too, I'll Be bound, you all are, said Boots, and out with his tap Gave it a turn, and so Beggars got all a drop to Drink, and such aile And mead the king himself Had never tasted in All his life. So next morning When those who were to bring The beggars their food on the island Came rowing over with the Scrapings of the porridge pots And cheese pairings, that was What the poor riches had. The beggars wouldn't so much as Taste them, and the king's men Bearing what it could mean. But they wondered much more When they got a good look At the beggars, for they were So fine the guard thought They must be emperors, or Popes at least, and that They must have rowed to a wrong Island. But when they looked Better about them they saw That they were come to the old Place. Then they soon Found out it must be he Whom they had rowed out Or who had brought the beggars on the island All this state and bravery. And as soon as they got back to the palace They were not slow to tell How the man whom they had Rowed over the day before Had dressed out all the beggars So fine and grand that Precious things fell from their Clothes. And as For the porridge and cheese we took They wouldn't even taste Them so proud have they Got, they said. One of them too had smelled Out that the lad had a pair Of scissors which he cut Out the clothes with. When he only snips With those scissors up in the air He snips and cuts Out nothing but silk and Satin said he. So when the princess heard That she had Neither peace nor rest Till she saw the lad and his Scissors that cut out silk And satin from the air Such a pair was worth having, she Thought, for with its help She would soon get all the Finery she wished for. Well, she begged the king So long and hard he was Forced to send a messenger for the Lad who owned the scissors And when he came to the palace The princess asked him if it Were true that he had such and Such a pair of scissors and If he would sell it to her. While true he had such a pair said Boots, but sell it he wouldn't. And with that he took the Scissors out of his pocket and Snipped and snipped with them In the air till strips of silk And satin flew all about him. Nay, you must sell me those Scissors, said the princess. You may ask what you please For them, but have them I Must. No such a scissors he Wouldn't sell at any price Again. And while they stood And haggled for the scissors The princess had time To look better at Boots And she too Thought with the innkeeper's wives That she had never seen Such a handsome fellow Before. So she began to bargain For the scissors over again And begged and prayed Boots To let her have them. He might ask many, many Dollars for them, to us all The same to her just so She got them. No, sell them I won't Said Boots, but all the same. If I can get leave To sleep one night on the Floor of the princess bedroom Close by the door I'll give her the scissors. I'll do her no harm. But if she's afraid, she may Have two men to watch Inside the room. Yes, the princess was glad Enough to give him leave, for She was ready to grant him anything If she only got the scissors. So Boots lay on the floor Inside the princess bedroom That night, and two men Stood watch there too. But the princess didn't get Much rest after all, for When she ought to have been asleep She must open her eyes To look at Boots, and So it went on the whole night If she shut her eyes for a minute She peeped out at him again the next Such a handsome fellow He seemed to her to be. Next morning Boots was rode over to the beggar's Isle again, but when they came With the porridge scrapings and Cheese pairings from the palace There was no one who would taste Them that day either, and so Those who brought the food were More astonished than ever. But one of those who brought The food arrived to smell out That the lad who had owned the Scissors owned also A tablecloth, which He only needed to spread out And it was covered with All the good things he could wish For. So when he got back To the palace he wasn't Long before he said, Such hot joints and such Custards I never saw the Like of in the king's palace. And when the princess heard That she told it to the king And begged and prayed so long That he was forced to Send a messenger out to the island To fetch the lad who owned The tablecloth. And so Boots came back to the palace. The princess must And would have the cloth of Him and offered him gold And green woods for it, But Boots wouldn't sell it at any price. But If I may have Leave to lie on the bench By the princess' bedside Tonight, she shall have The cloth. But if she's afraid, she is Welcome to set four men To watch inside the room. Yes, the princess Agreed to this, so Boots Lay down on the bench By the bedside And the four men watched. But if the princess Hadn't much sleep the night Or she had much less this For she could scarce Get a wink of sleep. There she lay, wide awake Looking at the lovely lad The whole night through, and After all, the night seemed Too short. Next morning Boots was Road off again to the beggar's island Though sorely against the prince's will So happy was she to be near him But it was past praying for To the island he must go And there was an end of it. But when those who brought The food to the beggar's came With the porridge scrapings and cheese Pairings, there wasn't one of them Who would even look at what the king Sent, and those who brought It didn't wonder either Though they all thought it strange That none of them were thirsty But just then one of the king's Guards smelled out That the lad who owned the Scissors and the tablecloth had Tap besides which If one only Turned it a little gave out the Rareest drink both ale And mead and wine So when he came back to the palace He couldn't keep his mouth shut This time any more than before He went about telling high And low about the tap And how easy it was to draw All sorts of drink out of it And as for that mead and ale I've never tasted the like Of them in the king's palace Honey and syrup are nothing To them for sweetness So When the princess heard that She was all forgetting the tap And was nothing loath To strike a bargain With the owner either So she went again to the king And begged him to send A messenger to the beggar's isle After the lad who had owned The scissors and cloth For now he had another thing Worth having she said And when the king heard it was a tap That was good to give The best ale and wine Anyone could drink when one gave it a turn He wasn't long In sending the messenger I should think So when Boots came up to the palace The princess asked whether it was true He had a tap which could do Such and such things Yes, he had such a tap in his Boat pocket said Boots But when the princess wished with all her might To buy it, Boots said As he had said twice before He wouldn't sell it Even if the princess bade half The kingdom for it But all the same said Boots If I may have left to sleep On the prince's bed Tonight outside the quilt She shall have my tap I'll not do her any harm But if she's afraid She may set eight men To watch in her room Oh, no said the princess There was no need of that She knew him now so well And so Boots lay outside the prince's Bed that night But if she had not slept much The two nights before She had less sleep that night For she couldn't shut her eyes The live long night But lay and looked at Boots Who lay alongside her Outside the quilt So when she got up in the morning And they were going to row Boots back to the island She begged them to hold Hard a little bit And in she ran to the king And begged him so pridly To let her have Boots for a husband She was so fond of him And unless she had him She did not care to live Well, well said the king You shall have him if you must For he who has such things Is just as rich as you are So Boots got the princess And half the kingdom The other half he was to have When the king died And so everything went smooth and well But as for his brothers Who had always been So bad to him He packed them off To the beggar's island There said Boots Perhaps they may find out His best off The man who has his pockets full of money Or the man whom all women Fall in love with Nor to tell you the truth Do I think it would help them Much to wander about Upon the beggar's island Pulling pieces of money out of their pockets And so if Boots Hasn't taken them off the island There they are still walking About to this very day Eating cheese pairings And the scrapings of the porridge pots End of section 43 Section 44 Of popular tales from the Norse This is a LibraVox recording All LibraVox recordings Are in the public domain For more information Or to volunteer Please visit LibraVox.org Read by Deborah Cornell On July 12, 2008 In Greenbank, Washington Popular tales from the Norse By Sir George Web Descent Section 44 The Three Billy Goats Gruff Once on a time There were three Billy Goats Who were to go up the hillside To make themselves fat And the name of all three Was Gruff On the way up Was a bridge over a burn They had to cross And under the bridge lived a great Ugly troll With eyes as big as saucers And a nose As long as a poker So first of all Came the youngest Billy Goat Gruff Up to cross the bridge Trap, trip, trap Who's that? Tripping over my bridge Roared the troll It is only I The tenuous Billy Goat Gruff And I'm going up the hillside To make myself fat Such a small voice Now I'm coming to gobble you up Said the troll Oh no Pray don't take me I'm too little that I am Wait a bit till the second Billy Goat Gruff comes He's much bigger We'll be off with you Said the troll A little while after Came the second Billy Goat Gruff To cross the bridge Trap, trip, trap Who's that? Tripping over my bridge Roared the troll Oh It's the second Billy Goat Gruff And I'm going up the hill to make myself fat Said the Billy Goat Now I'm coming to gobble you up Said the troll Oh no Don't take me Wait a little till the big Billy Goat Gruff comes He's much bigger Very well Be off with you But just then came The big Billy Goat Gruff Trap, trap, trip, trap When the bridge For the Billy Goat was so heavy That the bridge creaked and groaned under him Who's that tramping over my bridge? Roared the troll It is I The big Billy Goat Gruff Said the Billy Goat Who had an ugly horse voice at his own Now I'm coming to gobble you up Roared the troll Well come along I've got two spears And I'll poke your eyeballs out your ears I've got besides two curling stones And I'll crush you to bits Body and bones That was what the Billy Goat said And so he flew at the troll And poked his eyes out with his two horns And crunched him to bits Body and bones and tossed him out Into the burn And after that he went up the hillside There the Billy Goats got So fat they were scarce Able to walk home again And if the fat hasn't fallen off them Why they're still fat And so snip, snap, snout This tale's told out End of section 44 Once on a time there was a man Who had to drive his sledge to the wood for fuel So a bear met him Out with your horse said the bear Or I'll strike all your sheep dead by summer Oh, heaven help me then Said the man There's not a stick of firewood in the house You must let me drive home a load of fuel Else we shall be frozen to death I'll bring the horse to you tomorrow morning Yes, on those terms He might drive the wood home That was a bargain But Bruin said If he didn't come back He should lose all his sheep by summer So the man got the wood on the sledge And rattled homewards But he wasn't over-pleased at the bargain you may fancy So just then a fox met him Why what's the matter Said the fox Why are you so down in the mouth Oh, if you want to know Said the man I met a bear up yonder in the wood And asked him to bring Dobbin back tomorrow At this very hour for if he didn't get him He said he would tear all my sheep to death by summer Stuff, nothing worse than that Said the fox If you'll give me your fattest weather I'll soon set you free, see if I don't Yes, the man gave his word And swore he would keep it too Well, when you come with Dobbin tomorrow For the bear said the fox I'll make a clatter up in that heap of stones yonder And so when the bear asked what that noise is You must say To his Peter the Marksman Who has the best shot in the world And after that you must help yourself Next day off set the man And when he met the bear Something began to make a clatter up in this heap of stones Hirst, what is that? Said the bear Oh, that's Peter the Marksman To be sure, said the man He's the best shot in the world I know him boy's voice Have you seen any bears about here, Eric? Shouted out a voice in the wood Say no, said the bear No, I haven't seen any Said Eric What's that then that stands alongside your sledge Bald out the voice in the wood Say it's an old fur stump Said the bear Oh, it's only an old fur stump Said the man Such fur stumps we take in our country And roll them on our sledges Bald out the voice If you can't do it yourself, I'll come and help you You can help yourself and roll me up on the sledge, said the bear No, thank you I can help myself well enough, said the man And rolled the bear onto the sledge Such fur stumps we always bind Fast on our sledges and our part of the world Bald out the voice Shall I come and help you? Say you can help yourself and bind me fast Do, said the bear No, thanks I can help myself well enough, said the man Who set to binding Bruin fast With all the ropes he had So that at last The bear couldn't stir a paw Such fur stumps we always Drive our axes into In our part of the world Bald out the voice For then we guide them better Going down the steep pitches Pretend to drive your axe into me Do now, said the bear Then the man took up his axe And at one blow split the bear's skull So that Bruin lay dead in a trice And so the man and the fox were great friends But when they came near the farm The fox said I have no mind to go right home with you For I can't say I like your tikes So I'll just wait here And you can bring the weather to me But mind and pick out one nice and fat Yes, the man would be sure to do that And thank the fox much for his help So When he had put up a doven He went across to the sheep stall Wither away now Asked his old dame Oh, said the man I'm only going to the sheep stall To fetch a fat weather for that cunning fox Who said our doven free I gave him my word I would Wither indeed, said the old dame Never a one shall that thief of a fox get Haven't we got doven safe And the bear into the bargain And as for the fox I'll be bound he's stolen more Of the hour geese than the weather is worth And if he hasn't stolen them He will Have the grace of your swiftest hounds in the sack And slip them loose after him And then, perhaps We shall be rid of this robbing reiner Well The man thought that good advice So he took two fleet red hounds And put them in the sack and set off with them Have you brought the weather, said the fox Yes, come and take it Said the man As he untied the sack And let slip the hounds Huff, said the fox And gave a great spring True was what the old saw says Well done Is often ill paid And now too I see the truth of another Saying, the worst foes Are those of one's own house That was what the fox said As he ran off And saw the red foxy hounds At his heels End of section 45 Recording by David Fetterman Section 46 Of Popular Tales from the North This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information Or to volunteer Please visit LibriVox.org Read by Roger Maline Popular Tales from the North By Sir George Webber Descent Section 46 The husband Who was to mind the house The husband Who was to mind the house Once on a time There was a man So surly and cross He never thought his wife did anything right in the house So One evening, in haymaking time He came home Scolding and swearing And showing his teeth And making a dust Dear love, don't be so angry There's a good man Said his goodie To do her work I'll go out with the mowers and mow And you shall mind the house at home Yes, the husband thought That would do very well He was quite willing, he said So early next morning His goodie took a sigh Over her neck And went out into the hayfield With the mowers and began to mow But the man was to mind the house And do the work at home First of all He wanted to churn the butter But when he had churned a while He got thirsty And went down to the cellar To tap a barrel of ale So just when he had knocked in the bung And was putting the tap into the cask He heard overhead The pig come into the kitchen Then off he ran Up the cellar steps With the tap in his hand As fast as he could to look after the pig Lest it should upset the churn When he got up and saw the pig Had already knocked the churn over And stood there, routing and grunting Amongst the cream which was running All over the floor He got so wild with rage That he quite forgot the ale barrel And ran at the pig as hard as he could He caught it too Just as it ran out of doors And gave it such a kick That Piggy lay for dead on the spot Then all at once He remembered he had the tap in his hand But when he got down to the cellar Every drop of ale Had run out of the cask Then he went into the dairy And found enough cream left To fill the churn again And so he began to churn For butter they must have at dinner When he had churned a bit He remembered that their milking cow Was still shut up in the buyer And hadn't had a bit to eat Or a drop to drink all the morning Though the sun was high Then all at once he thought It was too far to take her down to the meadow So he'd just get her up in the housetop For the house you must know Was thatched with sods And a fine crop of grass Was growing there Now their house lay close up Against a steep down And he thought if he laid a plank Across to the thatch at the back He'd easily get the cow up But still He couldn't leave the churn For there was his little babe Crawling about on the floor And if I leave it He thought the child is safe to upset it So he took the churn on his back And went out with it But then he thought he'd better first Water the cow before he turned her out In the thatch So he took up a bucket To draw water out of the well But as he stooped down At the well's brink All the cream ran out of the churn Over his shoulders And so down into the well Now it was near dinner time And he hadn't even got the butter yet So he thought he'd best boil the porridge And fill the pot with water And hung it over the fire When he had done that He thought the cow might perhaps fall Off the thatch and break her legs Or her neck So he got up on the house to tie her up One end of the rope He made fast to the cow's neck And the other he slipped down the chimney And tied around his own thigh And he had to make haste For the water now began to boil in the pot And he had still to grind the oatmeal So he began to grind away But while he was hard at it Down fell the cow off the housetop After all And as she fell She dragged the man up the chimney by the rope There he stuck fast And as for the cow She hung halfway down the wall Swinging between heaven and earth For she could neither get down nor up And now the goodie had waited Seven lengths and seven breaths For her husband to come And call them home to dinner But never a call they had At last she thought she'd waited Long enough and went home But when she got there And saw the cow hanging in such an ugly place She ran up and cut the rope in two With her side But as she did this Down came her husband out of the chimney And so when his old dame Came inside the kitchen There she found him standing On his head in the porridge pot End of section 46 Recording by Roger Maline Popular Tales from the Norse This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer Please visit LibriVox.org Read by Sharon Riskadal Popular Tales from the Norse By Sir George Webb Dawson Section 47 Dappelgram Once on a time There was a rich couple who had 12 sons But the youngest when he was grown up Said he wouldn't stay any longer at home But be often to the world To try his luck His father and mother Said he did very well at home And had better stay where he was But no, he couldn't rest Away he must and would go So at last they gave him leave And when he had walked a good bit He came to a king's palace Where he asked for a place And got it Now the daughter of the king of that land Had been carried off into the hill By a troll And the king had no other children So he and all his land Were in great grief and sorrow And the king gave his word That anyone who could set her free Should have the princess And half the kingdom But there was no one who could do it Though many tried But when the lad had been there A year or so He longed to go home again And see his father and mother And back he went But when he got home His father and mother were dead And his brothers had shared All that the old people owned Between them And so there was nothing left for the lad Shant I have anything at all Then out of fathers and mothers Goods said the lad He was still alive when you went Gatting and wandering about so long Said his brothers But all the same there are 12 mares Up on the hill which we haven't yet Shared among us If you choose to take them for your share You're quite welcome Yes the lad was quite content So he thanked his brothers And went at once up on the hill Where the 12 mares were out at grass And when he got up there Each of them had a foal At her side And one of them had besides Along with her A big dapple grey foal Which was so sleek That the sun shone from its coat A fine fellow you are My little foal said the lad Yes said the foal But if you'll only kill All the other foals So that I may run And suck all the mares one year more You'll see how big and sleek I will be then Yes the lad was ready to do that So he killed all those 12 foals And went home again So when he came back the next year To look after his foal and mares The foal was so fat and sleek That the sun shone from its coat And it had grown so big The lad had hard work To mount it As for the mares Another foal Well it's quite plain I lost nothing by letting you suck All my 12 mares said the lad to the yearling But now you're big enough to come along With me No said the colt I must bide here a year longer And now kill all the 12 foals That I may suck all the mares This year too And you'll see how big and sleek I'll be by summer Yes the lad did that One year when he went up on the hill To look after his colt and the mares Each mare had her foal But the dapple coat was so tall The lad couldn't reach up to his crest When he wanted to feel how fat he was And so sleek he was too That his coat glistened In the sunshine Big and beautiful you were Last year my colt said the lad But this year you're far grander There's no such horse in the king's table But now you must come along With me No said dapple again I must stay here one year more Kill the 12 foals as before That I may suck the mares The whole year And then just come and look at me When the summer comes Yes the lad did that He killed the foals And went away home But when he went up next year To look after dapple and the mares He was quite astonished So tall and stout and sturdy He never thought a horse could be For dapple had to lie down On all fours Before the lad could be stride him And it was hard work to get up Even then, although he lay flat And his coat was so smooth And sleek The sunbeams shone from it As from a looking-glass This time dapple was willing Enough to follow the lad So he jumped up on his back And when he came riding home To his brothers They all clapped their hands And crossed themselves For such a horse They had never heard of Nor seen before If you will only get me The best shoes you can For my horse And the grandest saddle and bridle That are to be found, said the lad You may have my 12 mares Upon the hill yonder And their 12 foals into the bargain For you must know That this year too Every mare had her foal Yes, his brothers were ready to do that And so the lad got Such strong shoes under his horse That the stones flew high aloft As he rode away across the hills And he had a golden saddle And a golden bridle Which gleamed and glistened A long way off Now we're off to the king's palace, said Dappelgram That was his name But mind you asked the king For a good stable and good fodder For me Yes, the lad said he would mind He'd be sure not to forget And when he rode off from his brother's house You may be sure it wasn't long With such a horse under him Before he got to the king's palace When he came there The king was standing on the steps And stared and stared At the man who came riding along Nay, nay, said he Such a man and such a horse I never yet saw in all my life But when the lad asked If he could get a place in the king's household The king was so glad he was ready To jump and dance as he stood on the steps Well, they said perhaps He might get a place there I said the lad But I must have good stable room For my horse and fodder That one can trust Yes, he should have meadow hay And oats as much as Dappel could cram And all the other knights Had to lead their horses out of the stable That Dappelgram might stand alone And have it all to himself But it wasn't long Before all the others In the king's household Began to be jealous of the lad And there was no end To the bad men And there was no end to the bad things They would have done to him If they had only dared At last they thought of telling the king He had said He was man enough to set The king's daughter free Whom the troll had long since carried away Into the hill If he only chose The king called the lad before him And said he had heard the lad Said he was good to do so and so So now he must go And do it If he did it He knew how the king had promised his daughter And half the kingdom And that promise would be faithfully kept If he didn't He should be killed The lad kept on saying He never said any such thing But it was no good The king wouldn't even listen to him And so the end of it was He was forced to say He'd go and try Down in the mouth and heavy-hearted And then Dappelgrimm Asked him at once Why he was in such dumps Then the lad told him all And how he couldn't tell Which way to turn For as for setting the princess free That's downright stuff Oh but it might be done Perhaps Dappelgrimm I'll help you though But you must first have me well shod You must go and ask for One pound of iron And twelve pound of steel for the shoes And one smith to hammer And another to hold Yes, the lad did that And got for answer yes He got both the iron And he steel and the smiths And so Dappelgrimm was shod Both strong and well And off went the lad from the courtyard In a cloud of dust But when he came to the hill Into which the princes had been carried The pinch was how to get up The steep wall of rock Where the troll's cave was In which the princes had been hid For you must know the hill Stood straight up and down Right on end As upright as a house wall And as smooth as a sheet of glass The first time The lad went at it He got a little way up But then Dappel's forelegs slipped And down they went again On the hill The second time he rode at it He got some way further up But then one forelegs slipped And down they went with a crash Like a land slip But the third time Dappel said Now we must show our metal And went at it again Till the stones flew heaven high About them and so they got up Then the lad rode right into The cave at full speed And caught up the princes And threw her over his saddle-bow And out and down again Before the troll had time Even to get on his legs And so the princes was freed When the lad came back To the palace The king was both happy and glad To get his daughter back That you may well believe But somehow or other Though I don't know how The others about the court That the king was angry With the lad after all Thanks you shall have For freeing my princes, said he To the lad when he brought The princes into the hall And made his bow. She ought to be mine as well As yours for you're a word-fast Man, I hope, said the lad. I, I, said the king, Have her you shall Since I said it. But first of all To the palace hall. Now you must know There was a high steep ridge Of rock close outside the windows Which threw such a shade Over the hall that never A sunbeam shone into it. That wasn't in our bargain, Answered the lad, But I see this is past praying Against I must even go And try my luck For the princes I must And will have. I went to Dappel And told him what the king wanted And Dappelgrimm thought It might easily be done But first of all He must be new shod And for that ten pound of iron And twelve pound of steel Besides were needed And two smiths, one to hammer And the other to hold And then they'd soon get the sun To shine into the palace hall. So when the lad asked Them at once, the king couldn't Say nay for very shame And so Dappelgrimm got New shoes and such Shoes. Then the lad jumped upon his back And off they went again And for every leap The Dappelgrimm gave Down sank the ridge Fifteen elves into the earth And so they went on Till there was nothing left To the ridge for the king to see. When the lad got back to the king's palace He asked the king If the princes were not his now For now no one could say That the sun didn't shine into the hall. But then the others Set the kings back up again And he answered the lad Should have her, of course He had never thought of anything else But first of all He must get as grand A horse for the bride to ride On to church as the Dappelgrimm had himself. The lad said The king hadn't spoken a word about this Before and that he thought He had now fairly earned the princes But the king held to his own And more if the lad Couldn't do that He should lose his life That was what the king said. So the lad went down To the stable in doleful Dumps as you may well fancy And there he told Dappelgrimm All about it, how the king Had laid that task on him To find the bride as good A horse as the bridegroom had Himself else he would lose His life. But that's not so easy, he said For your match isn't to be Found in the wide world. Oh yes, I have a match Said Dappelgrimm But isn't so easy to find him For he abides in hell. Still we'll try. And now you must go up to the king And ask for new shoes for me Ten pound of iron And twelve pound of steel And two smiths One to hammer and one to hold And mind you see that the points And ends of these shoes are sharp And twelve sacks of rye And twelve sacks of barley And twelve slaughtered oxen We must have with us And mind we must have The twelve oxen We must have the twelve ox hides With Twelve hundred spikes driven into Each and let me see A big tar barrel That's all we want. So the lad went up to the king And asked for all That Dappelgrimm had said And the king again thought he couldn't Say nay for shame's sake And so the lad got all He wanted. Well, he jumped up on Dappelgrimm's Back and rode away from the palace. And when they had ridden Far far over the hill and Heath Dappel asked Do you hear anything? Yes, I hear an awful hissing And rustling up in the air said the lad I think I'm getting afraid. That's all the wild birds That fly through the wood They are sent to stop us But just cut a hole In the corn sacks And then they'll have so much To do with the corn They'll forget us quite. Yes, the lad did that. He cut holes in the corn sacks So that the rye and barley Ran out on all sides. Then all the wild birds That were in the wood came flying Round them so thick That the sunbeams grew dark. But as soon as they saw the corn They couldn't keep to their Purpose but flew down And began to pick and scratch At the rye and barley And after that they began to fight Among themselves. As for Dappelgrimm and the lad They forgot all about them And did them no harm. So the lad rode on and on Far far Over mountain and dale Over sandhills and more Then Dappelgrimm began To prick up his ears again And at last he asked The lad if he heard anything Yes, now I hear such an ugly roaring And howling in the wood all round It makes me quite afraid. Ah said Dappelgrimm That's all the wild beasts That range through the wood And they're sent out to stop us. But just cast out the twelve carcasses Of the oxen that will give them Enough to do and so They'll forget us outright. Yes, the lad cast out The carcasses and then All the wild beasts in the wood Both bears and wolves and lions All fell Beasts of all kinds Came after them. But when they saw the carcasses They began to fight for them Among themselves till blood Floated in the streams. But Dappelgrimm and the lad They quite forgot. So the lad rode far away And they changed the landscape Many many times For Dappelgrimm didn't let the grass Grow under him as you may fancy. At last Dappel Gave a great Nay. Do you hear anything he said? Yes, I hear something like a colt Naying loud, a long, long way off Answered the lad. That's a full grown colt then Said Dappelgrimm. If we hear him nay so loud Such a long way off. After that they traveled a good bit Escape once or twice maybe Then Dappelgrimm gave another nay. Now listen And tell me if you hear anything he said. Yes, now I hear a nay Like a full grown horse Answered the lad. I said Dappelgrimm. You'll hear him once again soon And then you'll hear He's got a voice of his own. So they traveled on and on And changed the landscape Once or twice perhaps And then Dappelgrimm made The third time. But before he could ask the lad If he heard anything Something gave such a nay Across the heathy hillside The lad thought hill and rock Would surely be rent asunder. Now he's here Said Dappelgrimm. Make haste now and throw the oxhide With the spikes in them Over me and throw down The tar barrel on the plane Then climb up into that great Spruce fur yonder. When it comes Fire will flash out of both nostrils And then the tar barrel will catch fire. Now mind what I say. If the flame rises I win. If it falls I lose. But if you see me winning Take and cast the bridle You must take it off me Over its head And then it will be tame enough. So just as the lad Had done throwing the oxhides With the spikes Over Dappelgrimm And had cast down the tar barrel On the plane and had got well Up into the spruce fur Up galloped a horse With fire flashing out of his nostrils And the flame caught the Tar barrel at once. Then Dappelgrimm and the Strange horse began to fight Till the stones flew heaven high. They fought and bit And kicked Both with four feet and hind feet And sometimes the lad could see them And sometimes he couldn't. But at last the flame Began to rise. For wherever the strange horse kicked or bit He met the spiked hides And at last He had to yield. When the lad saw that He wasn't long in getting down from the tree And in throwing the bridle Over its head So tame you could hold it With a pack thread. And what do you think? That horse was Dappled too. And so like Dappelgrimm You couldn't tell which was which. Then the lad Bestowed the new Dapple He had broken and rode home To the palace. And old Dappelgrimm ran loose By his side. So when he got home there stood The king out in the yard. Can you tell me now, said the lad Which is the horse I have caught And broken, and which is the one I had before? If you can't I think your daughter Is fairly mine. Then the king went And looked at both Dapples High and low, before And behind. But there wasn't a hair on one Which wasn't on the other as well. No, said the king, That I can't. And since you've got my daughter Such a grand horse for her wedding You shall have her with all my heart. But still We'll have one trial more Just to see whether You are fated to have her. First she shall Hide herself twice And then you shall hide yourself Twice. If you can find out her hiding place And she can't find out yours Why then you're fated And so you shall have her. That's not in the bargain Either, said the lad. But we must just try since it must Be so, and so the princes Went off to hide herself First. So she turned herself Into a duck, and lay Swimming on a pond That was close to the palace. But the lad only ran down To the stable and asked Dapplegrim What she had done with herself. Oh, you only need to take Your gun, said Dapplegrim And go down to the brink of the pond And aim at the duck which Lies swimming about there, and She'll soon show herself. So the lad snatched up His gun and ran off to the pond I'll just take a pop at this duck, he said And began to aim at it Nay, nay, dear friend, don't shoot It's I, said the princes. So he had found her once. The second time The princess turned herself Into a loaf of bread And laid herself on the table Among four other loaves And so like was she to the others No one could say which was which. But the lad went again Down to the stable to Dapplegrim And said how the princess Had hidden herself again And he couldn't tell At all what became of her. Oh, just take and sharpen A good bread knife, said Dapplegrim And do as if you were going to cut into The third loaf on the left hand Of those four loaves Which are lying on the dresser In the king's kitchen And you'll find her soon enough Yes, he was down In the kitchen in no time And began to sharpen The biggest bread knife he could lay Hands on. Then he cut hold Of the third loaf on the left hand And put the knife to it As though he was going to cut it into I'll just have a slice off This loaf, he said Nay, dear friends, said the princess Don't cut its eye So he had found her Twice. Then he was to go and hide But he and Dapplegrim Had settled it all so well Beforehand it wasn't easy To find him. First he turned himself Into a tick And hid himself in Dapplegrim's Left nostril And the princess went about Hunting him everywhere high And low. At last She wanted to go into Dapplegrim's stall But he began to bite and kick So that she daren't go near him And so she couldn't find the lad Well, she said Since I can't find you You must show where you are Yourself. And in a trice The lad stood there On the stable floor The second time Dapplegrim told him again what to do And then He turned himself into a Claude of earth And stuck himself between Dapplegrim's hoof and shoe On the near forefoot So the princess hunted Up and down, out and in Everywhere. At last She came into the stable And wanted to go into Dapplegrim's Loose box. This time He let her come up to him And she pried high and low But under his hoofs She couldn't come For he stood firm as a rock On his feet, and so She couldn't find the lad Well, you Must just show yourself For I'm sure I can't find you Said the princess, and as she Spoke, the lad stood By her side on the stable floor Now you are mine Indeed, said the lad, for now You can see I'm Fated to have you This he said both to the father And daughter. Yes It is so fated, said the king So it must be. Then they got ready the wedding In right down earnest And lost no time about it And the lad got on Dapplegrim And the princess On Dapplegrim's match And then you may fancy You were not long on their way To the church. End of section 47.