 62. Soria-Moria Castle. Once on a time there was a poor couple who had a son whose name was Helvor. Ever since he was little boy, he would turn his hand to nothing, but just sat there and groped about in the ashes. His father and mother often put him out to learn this trade or that. But Helvor could stay nowhere, for when he had been there a day or two he ran away from his master and never stopped till he was sitting again in the ingle poking about in the cinders. Well one day a skipper came and asked Helvor if he hadn't a mind to be with him and go to sea and sea-strange lands. Yes, Helvor would like that very much, so he wasn't long in getting himself ready. How long they sailed I'm sure I can't tell. But the end of it was they fell into a great storm and when it was blown over and it got still again they couldn't tell where they were, for they had been driven away to a strange coast which none of them knew anything about. Well, as there was just no wind at all, they stayed lying windbound there and Helvor asked the skipper's leave to go on shore and look about him. He would sooner go, he said, than lie there and sleep. Do you think now you're fit to shore yourself before folks, said the skipper, why you've no clothes but those rags you stand in? But Helvor stuck to his own and so at last he got leave, but he was to be sure and come back as soon as ever it began to blow. So off he went and found a lovely land. Wherever he came there were fine large flat cornfields and rich meads, but he couldn't catch a glimpse of a living soul. Well, it began to blow, but Helvor thought he hadn't seen enough yet and he wanted to walk a little farther just to see if he couldn't meet any folk. So after a while he came to a broad high road so smooth and even you might easily roll an egg along it. Helvor followed this and when evening drew on he saw a great castle ever so far off from which the sunbeams shone. So as he had now walked the whole day and hadn't taken a bit to eat with him he was as hungry as a hunter, but still the nearer he came to the castle the more afraid he got. In the castle kitchen a great fire was blazing and Helvor went into it, but such a kitchen he had never seen in all his born days. It was so grand and fine, there were vessels of silver and vessels of gold, but still never a living soul. So when Helvor had stood there a while and no one came out he went and opened the door and there inside sat a princess who spanned upon a spinning wheel. Nay, nay, now she called out, dare Christian folk come hither. But now you'd best be off about your business if you don't want the troll to gobble you up for here lives a troll with three heads. All one to me said the lad. I'd be just as glad to hear he had four heads besides. I'd like to see what kind of a fellow he is. As for going I won't go at all. I've done no harm but meet you must get me for I'm almost starved to death. When Helvor had eaten his fill the princess told him to try if he could brandish the sword that hung against the wall. No he couldn't brandish it he couldn't even lift it up. Oh said the princess now you must go and take a pull of that flask that hangs by its side that's what the troll does every time he goes out to use the sword. So Helvor took a pull and in the twinkling of an eye he could brandish the sword like nothing and now he thought at high time the troll came and low just then up came the troll puffing and blowing. Helvor jumped behind the door. Who too said the troll as he put his head in at the door what a smell of Christian man's blood. I said Helvor you'll soon know that to your cost and with that he hewed off all his heads. Now the princess was so glad that she was free she both danced and sang but then all at once she called her sisters to mind and so she said would my sisters were free too where are they asked Helvor well she told him all about it one was taken away by a troll to his castle which lay 50 miles off and the other by another troll to his castle which was 50 miles further still but now she said you must first help me to get this ugly carcass out of the house yes Helvor was so strong he swept everything away and made it all clean and tidy in no time so they had a good and happy time of it and the next morning he set off at Peep of Grey Dawn he could take no rest by the way but ran and walked the whole day when he first saw the castle he got a little afraid it was far grander than the first but here too there wasn't a living soul to be seen so Helvor went into the kitchen and didn't stop there either but went straight further on into the house Nene called out the princess dare Christian folk come hither I don't know I'm sure how long it is since I came here but in all that time I haven't seen a Christian man to her best you saw how to get away as fast as you came for here lives a troll who has six heads I shan't go said Helvor if he has six heads besides he'll take you up and swallow you down alive said the princess but it was no good Helvor wouldn't go he wasn't at all afraid of the troll but meat and drink he must have for he was half starved after his long journey well he got as much of that as he wished but then the princess wanted him to be off again no said Helvor I won't go I've done no harm and I've nothing to be afraid about he won't stay to ask that said the princess for he'll take you without law or leave but as you won't go just try if you can brandish that sword yonder which the troll wields in war he couldn't brandish it and then the princess said he must take a pull at the flask which hung by its side and when he had done that he could brandish it just then back came the troll and he was both stout and big so that he had to go sideways to get through the door when the troll got his first head in he called out who to what a smell of christian man's blood but that very moment Helvor hewed off his first head and so on all the rest as they popped in the princess was overjoyed but just then she came to think of her sisters and wished out loud they were free Helvor thought that might easily be done and wanted to be off at once but first he had to help the princess to get the trolls carcass out of the way and so he could only set out the next morning it was a long way to the castle and he had to walk fast and run hard to reach it in time but about nightfall he saw the castle which was far finer and grander than either of the others this time he wasn't the least afraid but walked straight through the kitchen and into the castle there sat a princess who was so pretty there was no end to her loveliness she too like the others told him there hadn't been christian folk there ever since she came thither and bade him go away again else the troll would swallow him alive and do you know she said he has nine heads ii said helvor if he had nine other heads and nine other heads still i won't go away and so he stood fast before the stove the princess kept on begging him so prettily to go away lest the troll should cobble him up but halvor said let him come as soon as he likes so she gave him the troll sword and bade him take a pull at the flask that he might be able to brandish and wield it just then back came the troll puffing and blowing and tearing along he was far stouter and bigger than the other two and he too had to go on one side to get through the door so when he got his first head in he said as the others had said who to what a smell of christian man's blood that very moment helvor hewed off the first head and then all the rest but the last was the toughest of them all and it was the hardest bit of work helvor had to do to get it hewn off although he knew very well he had strength enough to do it so all the princesses came together to that castle which was called sorria moria castle and they were glad and happy as they had never been in all their lives before and they were all fond of helvor and helvor of them and he might choose the one he liked best for his bride but the youngest was fondest of him of all the three but there after a while helvor went about and was so strange and dull and silent then the princesses asked him what he lacked and if he didn't like to live with them any longer yes he did for they had enough and to spare and he was well off in every way but still somehow or other he did so long to go home for his father and mother were alive and them he had such a great wish to see well they thought that might be done easily enough you shall go thither and come back hither safe and unscathed if you will only follow our advice said the princesses yes he'd be sure to mind all they said so they dressed him up till he was as grand as a king's son and then they set a ring on his finger and that was such a ring he could wish himself thither and hither with it but they told him to be sure not to take it off and not to name their names for there would be an end of all his bravery and then he'd never see them more if i only stood at home i'd be glad said helvor and it was done as he wished then stood helvor at his father's cottage door before he knew a word about it now it was about dusk and even and so when they saw such a grand stately lord walk in the old couple got so afraid they began to bow and scrape then helvor asked if he couldn't stay there and have a logic there that night no that he couldn't we can't do it at all they said for we haven't this thing or that thing which such a lord is used to have to her best your lordship went up to the farm no long way off for you can see the chimneys and there they have lots of everything helvor wouldn't hear of it he wanted to stop but the old couple stuck to their own that he had better go to the farmers there he would get both meat and drink as for them they hadn't even a chair to offer him to sit down on no said helvor i won't go up there till tomorrow morning early but let the just stay here tonight worst come to the worst i can sit in the chimney corner well they couldn't say anything against that so helvor sat down by the engel and began to poke about in the ashes just as he used to when he lay at home in the old days and stretched his lazy bones well they chattered and talked about many things and they told halvor about this thing and that and so he asked them if they had never had any children yes yes they once had a lad whose name was helvor but they didn't know whether he had wandered they couldn't even tell whether he were dead or alive couldn't it be me now said helvor let me see i could tell him well enough said the old wife and rose up our helvor was so lazy and dull he never did a thing and besides he was so ragged that one tatter took hold of the next tatter on him no there never was the making of such a fine fellow in him as you are master a little while after the old wife went to the hearth to poke up the fire and when the blaze fell on helvor's face just as when he was at home of old poking about in the ashes she knew him at once ah but is it you after all helvor she cried and then there was such joy for the old couple there was no end to it and he was forced to tell how he had fared and the old dame was so fond and proud of him nothing would do but he must go up at once to the farmers and show himself to the lassies who had always looked down on him and off she went first and helvor followed after so when she got up there she told them all how her helvor had come home again and now they should only just see how grand he was for said she he looks like nothing but a king's son all very fine said the lassies and tossed up their heads will be bound he's just the same biggerly ragged boy he always was just then in walked helvor and then the lassies were all so taken aback they forgot their sarks in the angle where they were sitting darning their clothes and ran out in their smocks well when they were back again they were so shame faced they scarce dared look at helvor towards whom they had always been so proud and haughty ii said helvor you always thought yourself so pretty and neat no one could come near you but now you should just see the eldest princess i have set against her you look just like milkmaids and the midmost is prettier still but the youngest who is my sweetheart she's fairer than both sun and moon would to heaven she were only here said helvor then you'd see what you would see he had scarce uttered these words before there they stood but then he felt so sorry for now what they had said came into his mind up at the farm there was a great feast got ready for the princesses and much was made of them but they wouldn't stop there no we want to go down to your father and mother they said to helvor and so we'll go out now and look about us so he went down with them and they came to a great lake just outside the farm close by the water was such a lovely green bank here the princesses said they would sit and rest a while they thought it's so sweet to sit down and look over the water so they sat down and when they had sat a while the youngest princess said i may as well comb your hair a little helvor yes helvor laid his head on her lap and so she combed his body locks and it wasn't long before helvor fell fast asleep then she took the ring from his finger and put another in instead and so she said now hold me all together and now would we were all in soria moria castle so when helvor woke up he could very well tell that he had lost the princesses and began to weep and wail and he was so downcast they couldn't comfort him at all in spite of all his father and mother said he wouldn't stop there but took farewell of them and said he was safe not to see them again for if he couldn't find the princesses again he thought it not worthwhile to live well he still had three hundred dollars left so he put them into his pocket and set out on his way so when he had walked a while he met a man with a tidy horse and he wanted to buy it and began to chaffer with the man i said the man to tell the truth i never thought of selling him but if we could strike a bargain perhaps what do you want for him asked helvor i didn't give much for him nor is he worth much he's a brave horse to ride but he can't draw at all still he's strong enough to carry your knapsack and you too turn and turn about said the man at last they agreed on the price and helvor laid the knapsack on him and so he walked a bit and rode a bit turn and turn about at night he came to a green plain who stood a great tree at the roots of which he sat down there he let the horse loose but he didn't lie down to sleep but opened his knapsack and took a meal at peep of day off he said again for he could take no rest so he rode and walked and walked and rode the whole day through the wide wood where there were so many green spots and glades that shone so bright and lovely between the trees he didn't know at all where he was or whether he was going but he gave himself no more time to rest than when his horse cropped a bit of grass and he took a snack out of his knapsack when they came to one of those green glades so he went on walking and riding by turns and as for the wood there seemed to be no end to it but at dusk the next day he saw a light gleaming away through the trees wood there were full care away thought helvor that i might warm myself a bit and get a morsel to keep my body and soul together when he got up to it he saw the light came from a wretched little hut and through the window he saw an old couple inside they were as gray-headed as a pair of doves and the old wife had such a nose why it was so long she used it for a poker to stir the fire as she sat in the angle good evening said helvor good evening said the old wife but what erin can you have in coming thither she went on for no christian folk have been here these hundred years or more well helvor told him all about himself and how he wanted to get to soria moria castle and asked if she knew the way thither no said the wife that i don't but see now here comes the moon i'll ask her she'll know all about it for doesn't she shine on everything so when the moon stood clear and bright over the treetops the old wife went out thou moon thou moon she screamed can't thou tell me the way to soria moria castle no said the moon that i can't for the last time i shone there a cloud stood before me wait a bit still said the old wife to helvor by and by comes the west wind he's sure to know for he puffs and blows around every corner nene said the old wife when she went out again you don't mean to say you've got a horse too just turn the poor beastie loose in our town and don't let him stand there and starve to death at the door then she ran on but won't you swap him away to me we've got an old pair of boots here with which you can take 20 miles at each stride those you shall have for your horse and so you'll get all the sooner to soria moria castle that helvor was willing to do it once and the old wife was so glad at having the horse she was ready to dance and skip for joy for now she said i shall be able to ride to church i too think of that as for helvor he had no rest and wanted to be off at once but the old wife said there was no hurry lie down on the bench with you and sleep a bit for we've no bed to offer you and i'll watch and wake you when the west wind comes so after a while up came the west wind roaring and howling along till the walls creaked and groaned again out ran the old wife thou west wind thou west wind can't stout tell me the way to soria moria castle here's one who wants to get thither yes i know it very well said the west wind and now i'm just off thither to dry clothes for the wedding that's to me if he's swift of foot he can go along with me out ran helvor you'll have to stretch your legs if you mean to cave up said the west wind so off he set overfield and hedge and hill and fell and helvor had hard work to keep up well said the west wind now i've no time to stay with you any longer for i've got to go away yonder and tear down a strip of spruce wood first before i go to the bleaching ground to dry the clothes but if you go alongside the hill you'll come to a lot of lassies standing washing clothes and then you've not far to go to soria moria castle in a little while helvor came upon the lassies who stood washing and they asked if he had seen anything of the west wind who was to come and dry the clothes for the wedding ii that i have said helvor he's only gone to tear down a strip of spruce wood it'll not be long before he's here and then he asked them the way to soria moria castle so they put him on the right way and when he got to the castle it was full of folk and horses so full it made one giddy to look at them but helvor was so ragged and torn from having followed the west wind through brush and briar and bog that he kept on one side and wouldn't show himself till the last day when the bridal feast was to be so when all as was then right and fitting were to drink the bride and bridegroom's health and wish them luck and when the cupbearer was to drink to them all again both knights and squires last of all he came in turn to helvor he drank their health but let the ring which the princess had put upon his finger as he lay by the lake fall into the glass and bade the cupbearer go and greet the bride and hand her the glass then up rose the princess from the board at once who is most worthy to have one of us she said he that has set us free or he that here sits by me as bridegroom well they all said there could be but one voice and will as to that and when helvor heard that he wasn't long and throwing off his beggars rags and arraying himself as bridegroom aye aye here is the right one after all said the youngest princess as soon as she saw him and so she tossed the other one out of the window and held her wedding with helvor end of section 62 section 63 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 recorded by DDA popular tales from the north by Sir George Webb Descent section 63 Bruin and Reinhardt the bear and the fox had once bowed a furkin of butter together they were to have it at you and he did till then under a thick spruce bush after that they went a little way off and lay down on a sunny bank to sleep so when they had lain a while the fox got up shook himself and bowled out yes then he ran off straight to the furkin and ate a good third part of it but when he came back and the bear asked him where he had been since he was so fat about a pound he said don't you believe then that I was being to barcel to a christening feast so soon said the bear and pray what was the bear's name just began said the fox so they lay down to sleep again in a little while up jump the fox again bowled out yes and ran off to the furkin this time too he ate a good lump when he came back and the bear asked him again where he had been he said oh wasn't I bitten to barcel again don't you think and pray what was the bear's name this time asked the bear half eaten said the fox the bear thought that a very queer name but he hadn't wandered along over it before he began to yell and gap and fell asleep well he hadn't lain long before the fox jumped up as he had done twice before bowled out yes and ran off to the furkin which this time he cleared right out when he got back he had been bitten to barcel again and when the bear wanted to know the bear's name he answered licked to the bottom after that they lay down again and slept a long time but then they were to go to the furkin to look at the bottom and when they found it eating up the bear threw the blame on the fox and fox on the bear and each said the one had been at the furkin while the other slept well well said Reinhardt we'll soon find this out which of us has eaten the butter we'll just lay down in the sunshine and he was cheeks and chaps are easiest when we wake is the thief yes that trial brun was ready to stand and as he knew in his heart he had never so much as tested the butter he lay down without a care to sleep in the sun then Reinhardt stole off to the furkin for morsel of butter which stuck there in the crack and then he crept back to the bear and greased his chaps and cheeks with it and then he too laid down to sleep as if nothing had happened so when they both woke the sun had melted the butter and the bear's whiskers were all greasy so it was brun after all no one else who had eaten the butter and of section 63 section 64 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 recorded by Didier popular tales from the north by Sir George Webb Decent section 64 Tom Totherhouse once on a time there was a goodie who had a deaf husband a good easy man he was but that was just why she thought more of the lad next door whom they called Tom Totherhouse now the lad that served the deaf man saw very well that the two had something between them and one day he said to the goodie dare you wager ten dollars mother that I don't make you lay bare your own shame yes I dare said she and so they wagered ten dollars so one day while the lad and the deaf man stood threshing in the barn the lad saw that Tom Totherhouse came to see the goodie he said nothing but a good while before dinner time he turned toward the barn door and bowled out hello what are we to go home already said the man who hadn't given any heed to what the lad did yes we must since mother calls said the lad so when they got into the passage the lad became to hem and cuff that the goodie might get Tom Totherhouse out of the way but when they came into the room there stood a whole bowl of custards on the table nay nay mother cried out the man shall we have custards today yes that you shall dear said the goodie but she was as sour as verges and as cross as two sticks so when they had eaten and drunk all the good cheer up off they went again to their work and the goodie said to Tom deal take that lad's sharp nose this was all his fault but now you must be off as fast as you can and I'll come down to you in the mead with a snack between meals this the lad stood outside in the passage and listened to do you know father he said I think we'd best go down into the hollow and put our fans to right which is blown down before the neighbors swine get in and root up our meadow II let's go and do it said the man for he did all he was told good easy man so when the afternoon was half spent down came the goodie sneaking along into the mead with something under her apron nay nay mother said the man it can't be you any longer are we to have a snake between meals too yes yes that you shall she said but she was sour and wilder than ever so they made merry and crammed themselves with panics and baller and had a drop of brandy into the bargain I'll go off to Tom to the house with a snake shan't I mother said the lad he's had nothing between meals I'll be bound ah do there's a good fellow said the goodie who all at once got I smiled at milk as he went along the lad broke a banner to bits and drop the crams here and there as he walked but when he got to Tom to the house he said now you just take care for our old cock has found out that you come too often to see our goodie he won't stand it any longer and he has sworn to drive his axe into you as soon as ever he can set eyes on you as for Tom he was so frightened his chaos knew which way to turn and the lad went back again to his master there's something wrong he said with Tom's plot and he begs you to be so good as to take your axe and go and see if you can't set it right yes the man set off with his axe but Tom taught her house had scarce coat side of him before it tooks to his heels as fast as he could the man turned and twisted the plot round and round and looked at it on every side and when he couldn't see anything wrong with it he went off home again but on the way he picked up the bits of broken banner which the lad had left fall his old dame stood in the meadow and looked at him as he did this for a while and wondered and wonder what it could be her husband was gathering up oh i know said the lad master speaking up stones i'll be bound for he has marked how often this tom totter house runs over here and the old fellow won't stand it any longer and now he has sworn to stone mother to death off when the goodie as fast as her legs could carry her what in the world is it that mother is running after now ask the man when he reached the spot where she had stood oh said the lad maybe the house at home is on fire so there run the husband behind and the goodie before and as she runs is screech out ah don't stone me to death don't stone me to death and i'll give you my word never to let tom totter house come near me again now the ten dollars are mine pulled out the lad and so they were and of section 64 section 65 of popular tales from the north this is a libervox recording all libervox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit libervox.org read by kalinda popular tales from the north by sir george web dacent section 65 little annie the goose girl once on a time there was a king who had so many geese he was forced to have a lassi to tend them and watch them her name was annie and so they called her annie the goose girl now you must know there was a king's son from england who went out to woo and as he came along and sat herself down in his way sitting all alone there you little annie said the king's son yes said little annie here i sit and put stitch to stitch and patch on patch i'm waiting today for the king's son from england him you mustn't look to have said the prince nay but if i'm to have him said little annie have him i shall after all and now limners were sent out into all lands and realms to take the likenesses of the fairest princesses and the prince was to choose between them so he thought so much of one of them that he set out to seek her and wanted to wed her and he was glad and happy when he got her for his sweetheart but now i must tell you this prince had a stone with him which he laid by his bedside and that stone knew everything and when the princess came little annie told her if so be she'd had a sweetheart before or didn't feel herself quite free from anything which she didn't wish the prince to know she'd better not step on that stone which lay by the bedside if you do it will tell him all about you said little annie so when the princess heard that she was dreadfully downcast and fell upon the thought to ask annie if she would get into bed that night in her stead and lie down by the princess side and then when he was sound asleep annie should get out and the princess should get in and so when he woke up in the morning he would find the right bride by his side so they did that and when annie the goose girl came and stepped upon the stone the prince asked who is this that steps into my bed a maid pure and bright said the stone and so they lay down to sleep but when the night wore on the princess came and lay down in annie's stead but next morning when they were to get up the prince asked the stone again who is this that steps out of my bed one that has had three barons said the stone when the prince heard that he wouldn't have her you may know very well and so he packed her off home again and took another sweetheart but as he went to see her little annie went and sat down in his way again sitting all alone there little annie the goose girl said the prince yes here I sit and put stitch to stitch and patch on patch for I'm waiting today for the king's son from England said annie oh you mustn't look to have him said the king's son nay but if I'm to have him have him I shall after all that was what annie thought well it was the same story over again with the prince only this time when his bride got up in the morning the stone said she'd had six burns so the prince wouldn't have her either but sent her about her business but still he thought he'd try once more if he couldn't find one who was pure and spotless and he sought far and wide in many lands till at last he found one he thought he might trust but when he went to see her little annie the goose girl had put herself in his way again sitting all alone there you little annie the goose girl said the prince yes here I sit and put stitch to stitch and patch on patch for I'm waiting today for the king's son from England said annie him you mustn't look to have said the prince nay but if I'm to have him have him I shall after all said little annie so when the princess came little annie the goose girl told her the same as she had told the other two if she'd had any sweetheart before or if there was anything else she didn't wish the prince to know she mustn't tread on the stone that the prince had put at his bedside for said she it tells him everything the princess got very red and downcast when she heard that for she was just as naughty as the others and asked any if she would go in her stead and lie down with the prince that night and when he would sound asleep she would come and take her place and then he would have the right bride by his side when it was light next morning yes they did that and when little annie the goose girl came and stepped upon the stone the prince asked who is this that steps into my bed a maid pure and bright said the stone and so they lay down to rest farther on in the night the prince put a ring on annie's finger and it fitted so tight she couldn't get it off again for the prince saw well enough there was something wrong and so he wished to have a mark by which he might know the right woman again well when the prince had gone off to sleep the princess came and drove annie away to the pigsty and lay down in her place next morning when they were to get up the prince asked who is this that steps out of my bed one that's had nine barns said the stone when the prince heard that he drove her away at once for he was in an awful rage and then he asked the stone how it all was with these princesses who had stepped on it for he couldn't understand it at all he said so the stone told him how they had cheated him and sent little annie the goose girl to him in their stead but as the prince wished to have no mistake about it he went down to her where she sat tending her geese for he wanted to see if she had the ring too and he thought if she has it to her best to take her at once for my queen so when he got down he saw in a moment that she had tied a bit of rag around one of her fingers and so he asked her why it was tied up oh i've cut myself so badly said little annie the goose girl so he must and would see the finger but annie wouldn't take the rag off then he caught hold of the finger but annie she tried to pull it from him and so between them the rag came off and then he knew his ring so he took her up to the palace and gave her much fine clothes and attire and after that they held their wedding feast and so little annie the goose girl came to have the king of england's son for her husband after all just because it was written that she should have him end of section 65 section 66 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 recorded by didier popular tales from the north by sir george wabdescent section 66 introduction to appendix anansi stories the negroes in the west indies still return the tales and traditions which their fathers and grandfathers brought with them from africa some 30 years back these anansi stories as they are called were invariably told the negro wax which lasted for nine successive nights the reciters were always man in those days when the slaves were still half heathen and when the awful obia was universally believed in search of the negroes as attended church or chapel kept their children away from these funeral gatherings the works are now it is believed almost entirely discontinued and with them have gone the stories the negroes are very shy of telling them and both the clergyman of the church of england and the dissenting minister said their faces against them and called them foolishness a translator whose early childhood was passed in those islands remembers to have heard such stories from his nurse who was an african born but beyond a stray fragment here and there the rich store which he possessed has altogether escaped his memory the following stories have been taken down from the mouth of a west indian nurse in his sister's house who born and bred in it is rather regarded as a member of the family than as a servant they are printed just as she told them and both their genuineness and their affinity with the stories of all the races will be self-evident thus we have the wishing tree of the hindus the calpavriska of somadeva and the german fairy tales in a pumpkin tree which throws down as many pumpkins as the poor widow wishes in one story we have boots to the life while the man whom he outwits his own brother to the north strolls in another we find a speaking beast which reminds us at winds of the egyptian story of anesu and satu as well as of the machandel boom and the milky white dew we find here the woman who washes the dirty head rewarded and the man who refuses to wash it punished in the very words used in the bushy bride we find two in nancy fairy the same story both in groundwork and incident as we have in the lessee and her godmother and most surprising of all in the story of anansi and quankua we find the very tray about a trick played with the tail of a nox which is met within a variation to boots who ate a match with a troll here is the variation well she was with a troll the lad was to go out to watch the swine so he trove them home to his father's house but first he cut their tails off and stuck them into the ground then he went home to the troll and begged him to come and see how his swine were going down to hell but when the troll saw the swine's tail sticking out of the ground he wanted to pull them back again so he caught hold of them and gave a great tug and then down he fell with his heels up in the air and the tails in his fist they are called anansi stories because so many of them turn on the feast of anansi whose character is a mixture of master thief and of boots but the most curious thing about him is that he illustrates the beast epic in a remarkable way in all the west indian islands anansi is the name of spiders in general and of a very beautiful spider with yellow stripes in particular footnote compare crawler's european glossary where alan sasa is given as the european four spider the change of a and into l is not uncommon even supposing the west indian world to be uncorrupted and a footnote the negroes think that this spider is the anansi of their stories but that his superior cunning enables him to take any shape he pleases in fact he's the example which the african tribes from which these stories came have chosen to take as pointing out the superiority of wit of a brute strength in this way they have matched the cleverness and dexterity of the spider against the bone and the muscle of the lion inviably to the disadvantage of the letter after this introduction we let the tales speak for themselves only premissing that the jack spaniard in the first story is a very pretty fly of the wasp kind and like his european brother very small in the west that the kash kash is a little red yam which imparts a strong red dye to everything with which it is boiled and that the dukana is a forest tree which bears a fruit though of what kind it is hard to say and of section 66 section 67 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 recorded by didier popular tales from the north by sir george wap descent section 67 why the jack spaniard's waist is small anansi and mosquito were talking together one day and boasting of their father's crops anansi said his father had never had such a crop in his life before and mosquitoes said he was sure his father's was bigger for one yam the dug was as big as his leg this tickled jack spaniard so much that he laughed till he broke his waist in two that's why the jack spaniard's waist is so small and of section 67 section 68 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 lucy perry popular tales from the north by sir george wap descent section 68 anansi and the lion once on a time anansi planned the scheme he went to town and bought ever so many furkins of fat and ever so many sacks and ever so many balls of string and a very big frying pan then he went to the bay and blew a shell and called the headfish in the sea green eel to him then he said to the fish the king sends me to tell you that you must bring all the fish on the shore for he wants to give them new life so green eel said he would and went to call them meanwhile anansi lighted a fire and took out some of the fat and got his frying pan ready and as fast as the fish came out of the water he caught them and put them into the frying pan and so he did with all of them until he got to the headfish who was so slippery that he couldn't hold him and he got back again into the water when anansi had fried all the fish he put them into the sacks and took the sacks on his back and set off to the mountains he had not gone very far when he met lion and lion said to him well brother anansi where have you been i have not seen you a long time anansi said i have been traveling about but what have you got there said the lion oh i have got my mother's bones she has been dead these 40 11 years and they say i must not keep her here so i am taking her up to the middle of the mountains to bury her then they parted after he had gone a little way the lion said i know that anansi is a great rogue i dare say he has got something there that he doesn't want me to see and i will just follow him but he took care not to let anansi see him now when anansi got into the wood he set his sacks down and took one fish out and began to eat then a fly came and anansi said i cannot eat anymore for there is someone near so he tied the sack up and went on further into the mountains where he set his sacks down and took out two fish which he ate and no fly came he said there's no one near so he took out more fish but when he had eaten about half a dozen the lion came up and said well brother anansi a pretty tail you have told me oh brother lion i am so glad you have come never mind what tail i have told you but come and sit down it was only my fun so the lion sat down and began to eat but before anansi had eaten two fish lion had emptied one of the sacks then anansi said to himself greedy fellow eating up all my fish what do you say sir i only said you do not eat half fast enough for he was afraid the lion would eat him up then they went on eating but anansi wanted to revenge himself and he said to the lion which of us do you think is the strongest the lion said why i am of course then anansi said we will tie one another to the tree and we shall see which is the stronger now they agreed that the lion should tie anansi first and he tied him with some very fine string and did not tie him tight and anansi twisted himself about two or three times and the string broke then it was anansi's turn to tie the lion and he took some very strong cord the lion said you must not tie me tight for i did not tie you tight and anansi said oh no to be sure i will not but he tied him as tight as ever he could and then told him to try and get loose the lion tried and tried in vain he could not get loose then anansi thought now is my chance so he got a big stick and beat him and then went away and left him for he was afraid to loose him lest he should kill him now there was a woman called miss anansi who was going out one morning to get some callaloo spinach in the wood and as she was going she heard someone say good morning miss anansi she could not tell who spoke to her but she looked where the voice came from and saw the lion tied to the tree good morning mr lion what are you doing there he said it is all that fellow anansi who has tied me to the tree but will you loose me but she said no for i'm afraid if i do you will kill me but he gave her his word he would not still she could not trust him but he begged her again and again and said well if i do try to eat you i hope all the trees will cry out shame upon me so at last she consented but she had no sooner loosed him than he came up to her to eat her for he had been so many days without food that he was quite ravenous but the trees immediately cried out shame and so he could not eat her then she went away as fast as she could and the lion found his way home when the lion got home he told his wife and children all that had happened to him and how miss anansi had saved his life so they said they would have a great dinner and ask miss anansi now when anansi heard of it he wanted to go to the dinner so he went to miss anansi and said she must take him with her as her child but she said no then he said i can make myself into quite a little child and then you can take me and at last she said yes and he told her when she was asked what pap her baby ate she must be sure to tell them it did not eat pap but the same food as everyone else and so they went and had a very good dinner and set off home again but somehow one of the lion's sons fancied that all was not right and he told his father he was sure it was anansi and the lion set out after him now as they were going along before the lion got up to them anansi begged miss anansi to put him down that he might run which she did and he got away and ran along the wood and the lion ran after him when he found the lion was overtaking him he turned himself into an old man with a bundle of wood on his head and when the lion got up to him he said good morning mr lion and the lion said good morning old gentleman then the old man said what are you after now and the lion asked if he had seen anansi pass that way but the old man said no that fellow anansi is always meddling with someone what mischief has he been up to now then the lion told him but the old man said it was no use to follow him anymore for he would never catch him and so the lion wished him good day and turned and went home again end of section 68 recording by lucy perry in bath on april 16th 2009 section 69 of popular tales from the norse this is a libra vox recording all libra vox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit libra vox.org read by george yeager popular tales from the norse by sir george web docent section 69 anansi and kwankwa kwankwa was a very clever fellow and he had a large house full of all sorts of meat but you must know he had a way of saying kwankwa how what when anyone asked him anything so they called him kwankwa one day when he was out he met atukama anansi's wife who was going along driving in ox but the ox would not walk so atukama asked kwankwa to help her and they got on pretty well till they came to a river when the ox would not cross through the water then atukama called to kwankwa to drive the ox across but all she could get out of him was kwankwa kwankwa at last she said oh you stupid fellow you're no good stop here and mind the ox while i go and get help to drive him across so off she went to fetch anansi as soon as atukama was gone away kwankwa killed the ox and hid it all away where anansi should not see it but first he cut off the tail then he dug a hole near the riverside and stuck the tail partly in leaving out the tip when he saw anansi coming he caught hold of the tail pretending to tug at it as if he were pulling the ox out of the hole anansi seeing this ran up as fast as he could and tugging at the tail with all his might fell over into the river but he still had hold of the tail and contrived to get across the water when he called out to kwankwa you idle fellow you couldn't take care of the ox so you shan't have a bit of the tail and then on he went when he was gone quite out of sight kwankwa took the ox home and made a very good dinner next day he went to anansi's house and said anansi must give him some of the tail for he had got plenty of yams but he had no meat then they agreed to cook their pot together kwankwa was to put in white yams and anansi the tail and red yams when they came to put the yams in kwankwa put in a great many white yams but anansi only put in one little red kush kush yam kwankwa asked him if that little yam would be enough he said oh plenty for i don't eat much when the pot boiled they uncovered it and sat down to eat their shares but they couldn't find any white yams at all the little red one had turned them all red so anansi claimed them all and kwankwa was glad to take what anansi would give him now when they had done eating they said they would try which could bear heat best so they heated two irons and anansi was to try first on kwankwa but he made so many attempts that the iron got cold before he got near him then it was kwankwa's turn and he pulled the iron out of the fire and poked it right down anansi's throat end of section 69 section 70 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 recording by Renu popular tales from the north by George Dason section 70 the ear of corn and the 12 men anansi said to the king that if he would give him an ear of corn he would bring him 12 strong men the king gave him the ear of corn and he went away at last he got to a house where he asked for a night's lodging which was given him the next morning he got up very early and threw the ear of corn out of the door to the fowls and went back to bed when he got up in the morning he looked for his ear of corn and could not find it anywhere so he told them he was sure the fowls had eaten it and he would not be satisfied unless they give him the best cock they had so they were obliged to give him the cock and he went away with it all day until night when he came to another house and asked again for a night's lodging which he got but when they wanted to put the cock into the fowl house he said no the cock must sleep in the pen with the sheep so they put the cock with the sheep at midnight he got up killed the cock threw it back into the pen and went back to bed next morning when it was time for him to go away his cock was dead and he would not take anything for it but one of the best sheep so they gave it to him and he went off with it all that day until nightfall when he got to a village where he again asked for a night's lodging which was given to him and when they wanted to put his sheep with the other sheep he said no the sheep must sleep with the cattle so they put the sheep with the cattle in the middle of the night he got up and killed the sheep and went back to bed next morning he went for his sheep which was dead so he told them they must give him the best heifer for his sheep and if they would not do so he would go back and tell the king who would come and make war on them so to get rid of him they were glad to give him the heifer and let him go and away he went and walked nearly all day with the heifer towards evening he met a funeral and asked who's it was one of the men said it was his sister so he asked the man if they would let him have her they said no but after a while he begged so hard saying he would give them the heifer that they consented and he took the dead body and walked away carrying it until it was dark when he came to a large town where he went to a house and begged hard for a night's lodging for himself and his sister who was so tired he was obliged to carry her and they would be thankful if they would let them rest there that night so they let them in and he asked them to let them sit in the dark as his sister could not bear the light so they took them into a room and left them in the dark and when they were alone he seated himself on a bench near the table and put his sister close by his side with his arm around her to keep her up presently they brought them in some supper one plate he sat before his sister and put her hand in it and the other played for himself but he ate out of both plates when it was time to go to bed he asked if they would allow his sister to sleep in a room where there were 12 strong men sleeping for she had fits and if she had one in the night they would be able to hold her and would not disturb the rest of the house so they agreed to this and he carried her in his arms because he said she was so tired she was asleep and laid her in a bed he charged the man not to disturb her and went himself to sleep in the next room in the middle of the night he heard the man calling out for they smelled a horrid smell and tried to wake the woman first one man gave her a blow and then another until all the man had struck her but a nuns it took no notice of the noise in the morning when he went in for his sister and found her dead he declared they had killed her and that he must have the 12 men to this the talisman said no not supposing that all the men had killed her but the men confessed that they had each given her a blow so he would not be satisfied with less than the 12 and he carried them off to the king and delivered them up end of section 17 section 71 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 recorded by Didier popular tales from the north by Sir George Webb Desson section 71 the king and the ants tree there was a king who had a very beautiful daughter and he said whoever would cut down an ants tree which he had in his kingdom without brushing off the ants should marry his daughter now a great many came and tried but no one could do it for the ants fell out upon them and stung them and they were forced to brush them off there was always someone watching to see if they brushed the ants off then an antsy went and the king's son was set to watch him when they showed him the tree he said wow that's nothing I know I can't do that so they gave him the axe and he began to hue but each blow he gave the tree he shook himself and brushed himself saying all the while do you see me do that I suppose you think I'm brushing myself but I'm not and so he went on until he had cut down the tree but the boy thought he was only pretending to brush himself all the time and the king was obliged to give him his daughter and of section 71 section 72 of popular tales from the nurse this is a library box recording all library box recordings are in the public domain for more information in order to volunteer please visit librarybox.org read by Selinda Mendoza popular tales from the nurse by church wept ascent section 72 the little child and a pumpkin tree there was once a poor widow who had six children one day when she was going out to look for something to eat for she was very poor she met an old man sitting by the river side he said to her good morning and she answered good morning father he said to her will you wash my head she said she would so she washed it and when she was going away he gave her a small coin and told her to go a certain distance and she would see a large tree full of pumpkins she was then to dig a hole at the root of the tree and bury the money and when she had done so she was to call for as many pumpkins as she liked and she should have them so the woman went and did as she was told and she called for six pumpkins one for each child and six came down and she carried them home and now they always had pumpkins enough to eat for whenever they wanted any the woman had only to go to the tree and call and they had as many as they liked one morning when she got up she found a little baby before the door so she took it up and carried it in and took care of it every day she went out but in the morning she bought enough pumpkins to serve the children all day one day when she came back she found the food was all gone so she scalded her children's and eaten for eating it all up they told her they had not taken any that it was the baby but she would not believe them and said how could a little baby get up and help itself but the children still persisted it was the baby so one day when she was going out she put some pumpkin in a colobush and set a trap over it when she was gone the baby could up as usual to eat the food and got its head fastened in the trap so that it could not get out and began knocking its head about and crying out oh do lose me for that woman will kill me when she comes back when a woman came in she found the baby fastened in the trap so she bit it well and turned it out of doors and begged her children's pardon for having wronged them then after she turned the baby out he changed into a great big man and went to the river where he saw the old man shooting by the river side who asked him who to wash his head as he had asked the poor woman but the man said no he would not wash his dirty head and so he wished the old man goodbye then the old man asked him if he would like to have a pumpkin to which he said yes and the old man told him to go until he saw a large tree with plenty of pumpkins on it and then he must ask for one so he went until he got to the tree and the pumpkins looked so nice he could not be satisfied with one so he called out 10 pumpkins come down and the 10 pumpkins felled and crushed him end of section 72 section 73 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 Clarica popular tales from the Norse by Sir George Webb Dassent section 73 the brother and his sisters there were once upon a time three sisters and a brother the sisters were all proud and one was very beautiful and she did not like her little brother because she said he was dirty now this beautiful sister was to be married and the brother begged their mother not to let her marry as he was sure the man would kill her for he knew his house was full of bones so the mother told her daughter but she would not believe it and said she wouldn't listen to anything that such a dirty little scrub said and so she was married now it was agreed that one sister was to remain with their mother and the other was to go with the bride and so they set out on their way day when they got to the beach the husband picked up a beautiful tortoise shell comb which he gave to his bride then they got into the boat and rode away over the sea and when they reached their home they were so surprised to see their little brother for the comb had turned into their brother they were not at all glad to see him and the husband thought to himself he would kill him without telling his wife when night came the boy told the husband that at home his mother always put him to sleep in the blacksmith's shop and so the husband said he should sleep in the smithy in the middle of the night the man got up intending to kill them all and went to his shop to get his irons ready but the boy jumped up as soon as he went in and he said boy what is the matter with you so the boy said when he was at home his mother always gave him two bags of gold to put his head on then the man said he should have them and went and fetched him two bags of gold and told him to go to sleep but the boy said now mind when you hear me snore i'm not asleep but when i'm not snoring then i'm asleep then the boy went to sleep and began to snore and as long as the man heard the snoring he blew his bellows but as soon as the snoring stopped the man took his irons out of the fire and the boy jumped up then the man said why what's the matter why can't you sleep the boy said no for at home my mother always gave me four bags of money to lie upon while the man said he should have them and brought him four bags of money then the boy told him again the same thing about his snoring and the man bait him go to sleep and he began to snore and the man to blow his bellows until the snoring stopped then the man took out his irons again and the boy jumped up and the man dropped the irons saying why what's the matter now that you can't sleep the boy said at home my mother always gives me two bushels of corn so the man said he should have the corn and went and brought it and told him to go to sleep then the boy snored and the man blew his bellows till the snoring stopped and when he again took out his irons and the boy jumped up and the man said why what's it now the boy said at home my mother always goes to the river with a sieve to bring me some water so the man said very well I will go but I have a cock here and before I go I must speak to it then the man told the cock if he saw anyone moving in the house he must crow that the cock promised to do and the man set off now when the boy thought the man was gone far away he got up and gave the cock some of the corn then he woke up his sisters and showed them all the bones the man had in the house and they were very frightened then he took the two bags of gold on his shoulders and told his sisters to follow him he took them to the bay and put them into the boat with the bags of gold and left them wilson he went back for the four bags of money when he was leaving the house he emptied the bags of corn to the cock who was so busy eating he forgot to crow until they had got quite away when the man returned home and could not find them in the house he went to the river where he found his boat gone and so he had no way of going after them when they landed at their own place the boy turned the boat over and stove it in so that it was of no use anymore and he took his sisters home and told their mother all that had happened and his sisters loved him and they lived very happily together afterwards and do so still if they are not dead end of section 73 section 74 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 Scott Carpenter popular tales from the Norse by Sir George Webb Descent section 74 the girl and the fish there was once a girl who used to go to the river to fetch water but when she went she was never in a hurry to come back but stayed so long that they made up their minds to watch her so one day they followed her to the river and found when she got there she said something the reciter forgets the words and a fish came up and talked to her and she did not like to leave it for it was her sweetheart so next day they went to the river to see if the fish would come up for they remembered what the girl said and used the same words then up came the fish immediately and they caught it and took it home and cooked it for dinner and a part they set by and gave to the girl when she came in whilst she was eating a voice said do you know what you were eating I am he you have so often talked with if you look in the pigs tub you will see my heart then the voice told her to take the heart and wrap it up in a handkerchief and carry it to the river when she got to the river she would see three stones in the water she was to stand on the middle stone and dip the handkerchief three times into the water all this she did and then she sank suddenly and was carried down to a beautiful place where she found her lover changed from a fish into his proper form and there she lived happily with him forever and this is the reason why there are mermaids in the water end of section 74 section 75 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 Scott Carpenter popular tales from the Norse by Sir George Webb Descent section 75 the lion the goat and the baboon a lion had a goat for his wife one day goat went out to market and while she was gone lion went out in the wood where he met with baboon who made friends with lion for fear he would eat him and asked him to go home with him but the lion thought it would be a good chance so he asked the baboon to go home with him and see his little ones when they got home the baboon said to the lion why you have got plenty of little goats here the lion said yes they are my children so the baboon said if they are they are little goats and they are very good meat so the lion said don't make a noise their mother will come presently and we will see so these little goats took no notice but went out to meet their mother and told her what had passed their mother said to them go back and take no notice and I shall come home presently and shall do for him so she went and bought some molasses and took it home with her the lion said are you calm what news oh she said good news taste here he tasted and said it's very good it's honey and she said it's baboon's blood they've been killing one today the blood is running in the street and everyone is carrying it away the lion said hush there's one in the house and we shall have him at this the baboon rushed off and when they looked for him he was gone and never came near them again which saved the little goats lives end of section 75 section 76 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 recorded by Didier popular tales from the north by Sir George Webb Descent section 76 Anansi and Baboon Anansi and Baboon were disputing one day which was fattest Anansi said he was sure he was fat but Baboon declared he was fatter than Anansi proposed that they should prove it so they made a fire and agreed that they should hang up before it and see which would drop most fat then Baboon hang up Anansi first but no fat dropped then Anansi hang up Baboon and very soon the fat began to drop which smelled so good that Anansi cut a slice out of Baboon and said oh brother Baboon you're fat for true but Baboon didn't speak so Anansi said well speak or not speak I'll eat you every bit today which he really did but when he had eaten up all Baboon the bits joined themselves together in his stomach and began to pull him about so much that he had no rest and was obliged to go to the doctor doctor told him not to eat anything for some days then he was to get a ripe banana and hold it to his mouth when the Baboon who would be hungry smelled the banana he would be sure to run up to eat it and so he would run out of his mouth so Anansi starved himself and got the banana and did as the doctor told him but when he put the banana to his mouth he was so hungry he couldn't help eating it so he didn't get rid of the Baboon which went on pulling him about till he was obliged to go back to the doctor who told him he would soon cure him and he took the banana and held it to Anansi's mouth and very soon the Baboon jumped up to catch it and ran out of his mouth and Anansi was very glad to get rid of him and Baboons to this very day like bananas and of section 76 section 77 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 Scott Carpenter popular tales from the Norse by Sir George Webb Dacent section 77 the man and the dokonitri there was once a man and his wife who were very poor and they had a great many children the man was very lazy and would do nothing to help his family the poor mother did all she could in the wood close by grew a dokonitri which was full of fruit every day the man went and ate some of the fruit but never took any home so he ate and he ate until there were only two dokonas left on the tree one he ate and left the other next day when he went for that one he was obliged to climb up the tree to reach it but when he got up the dokonitri fell down when he got down the dokonitri jumped up and so it went on until he was quite tired then he asked all the animals that passed by to help him but they all made some excuse they all had something to do the horse had his work to do or he would have no grass to eat the donkey braid last came a dog and the man begged him hard to help him so the dog said he would then the man climbed up the tree and the dokonitri jumped to the ground again when the dog picked it up and ran off with it the man was very vexed and ran after the dog but it ran all the faster so that the man could not overtake him the dog seeing the man after him ran to the seashore and scratching a hole in the ground buried himself all but his nose which he left sticking out soon after the man came up and seeing the nose cried out that he had never seen ground have nose and catching hold of it he tugged till he pulled out the dog when he squeezed him with all his might to make him give up the dokonitri and that's why dogs are so small in their bodies to this very day end of section 77 section 78 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 popular tales from the Norse by Sir George Webb Dacent section 78 Nancy Ferry there was once an old woman called Nancy Ferry she was a witch and used to steal all the little babies as soon as they were born and eat them one day she stole a little baby who was so beautiful that she had not the heart to eat her but she took her home and brought her up she called her daughter named her Nancy Ferry after herself and the girl called the old woman Granny so the girl grew up and the more she grew the more beautiful she got the old woman never let her daughter know of her doings but one day when she had brought a baby home and had locked herself in a room her daughter peeped through a chink to see what she was about and the old woman saw her shadow and thought her daughter had seen what she was doing and the daughter thought her granny had seen her and was very much afraid so the old woman asked her Nancy Ferry did you see what I was doing no granny she asked the girl several times Nancy Ferry did you see what I was doing and the girl always answered no granny so the old woman took her to a hut in the wood and left her there as a punishment and she took her food every day one day it happened that the king's servant going that way saw the beautiful girl come out of the hut next day he went again and saw the same beautiful girl again so he went home and told the prince that he could show him in the wood a girl more beautiful than he had ever seen the prince went and saw the girl and then sent a band of soldiers to fetch her home and took her for his bride a year later she had a baby soldiers were sent to keep guard at the gate and the room was full of nurses but in the middle of the night the old woman came in a whirlwind and put them all to sleep she stole the child an ongoing away gave the mother a slap on the mouth which made her dumb the next morning there was a great stir and they said the mother had eaten the child there was a trial but the mother was let off that time the next year she had another baby and the same thing happened again the old woman came in the middle of the night in a whirlwind and put them all to sleep she stole the child and struck the mother on the mouth which made it bleed in the morning there was a stir and the servant made who was jealous said the mother had eaten the child all believed it as her mouth was covered with blood and besides what could be expected of a girl brought out of the wood so she was tried again and condemned to be hanged invitations were sent out to all the grand folk to come and see her hanged so many fine carriages came driving up at last just before the time there came a very grand carriage all of gold which glistened in the sun in it were the old woman and two children dressed in fine clothes with the king's star on them when the queen saw this grand carriage she got her speech and sang do spare me till I see that grand carriage the old woman came into the courtyard and asked the people if they saw any likeness to anyone in the children they said they were like the prince and asked her how she came by them and told her that she had stolen them she said that she had not stolen them she had taken them for they were her own the prince had taken away her daughter without her leave and so she had taken his children but she was willing to give them back if they would allow that she was right so they consented and the old woman and the old woman made the prince and his queen a present of the grand carriage and so they lived happily the old woman was allowed to come and see the children whenever she liked but the servant girl who had said the queen had eaten her babies was hanged and of section 78 section 79 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 Linda Ferguson popular tales from the Norse by Sir George Webb Descent section 79 the dancing gang a water carrier once went to the river to fetch water she dipped in her kalabash and brought out a crayfish the crayfish began beating his claws on the kalabash and played such a beautiful tune that the girl began dancing and could not stop the driver of the gang wondered why she did not come and sent another to see after her when she came she too began to dance so the driver sent another who also began to dance when she heard the music and the crayfish singing then the driver sent another and another till he had sent the whole gang at last he went himself and when he found the whole gang dancing he too began to dance and they all danced till night when the crayfish went back into the water and if they haven't done dancing they are dancing still end of section 79 recording by Linda Ferguson end of popular