 Chapter 17 of Fairy Tales from Brazil 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 Beth Thomas Fairy Tales from Brazil by Elsie Spicer Eels chapter 17 why the sea moans once upon a time there was a little princess who lived in a magnificent royal palace all around the palace there was a beautiful garden full of lovely flowers and rare shrubs and trees the part of the garden which the princess liked most of all was the corner of it which ran down to the sea she was a very lonely little princess and she loved to sit and watch the changing beauty of the sea the name of the little princess was Dionysia and often seemed to her that the sea said as it rushed against the shore Dionysia Dionysia one day when the little princess was sitting all alone by the sea she said to herself oh I'm so lonely I do so wish I had somebody to play with when I ride out in the royal chariot I see little girls who have other little boys and girls to play with them because I am a royal princess I never have anybody to play with me if I have to be a royal princess and not play with other children I do think I might have some sort of live thing to play with me then a most remarkable thing happened the sea said very slowly and distinctly over and over again so there couldn't be any mistake about it Dionysia Dionysia the little princess walked up close to the sea just as close as she dared to go without danger of getting her royal shoes and stockings wet straight out of the biggest wave of all there came a sea serpent to meet her she knew that it was a sea serpent from the pictures in her royal storybooks even though she had never seen a sea serpent before but somehow this sea serpent looked different than the pictures instead of being a fierce monster it looked kind and gentle and good she held out her arms to it right away come play with me said Dionysia I am Labismina and I have come to play with you replied the sea serpent after that the little princess was very much happier the sea serpent came out of the sea to play with her every day when she was alone if anyone else came near Labismina would disappear into the sea so no one but Dionysia ever saw her the years passed rapidly and each year the little princess grew to be a larger and larger princess at last she was 16 years old and a very grown-up princess indeed she still enjoyed her old playmate Labismina and they were often together on the seashore one day when they were walking up and down together beside the sea the sea serpent looked at Dionysia with sad eyes and said I too have been growing older all these years dear Dionysia now the time has come that we can no longer play together I shall never come out of the sea to play with you anymore but I shall never forget you and I shall always be your friend I hope that you will never have any trouble but if you ever should call my name and I will come to help you then the sea serpent disappeared into the sea about this time the wife of a neighbouring king died and as she lay upon her deathbed she gave the king a jeweled ring when the time comes when you wish to wait again she said I ask you to marry a princess upon whose finger this ring shall be neither too tight nor too loose after a while the king began to look about for a princess to be his bride he visited many royal palaces and tried the ring upon the finger of many royal princesses upon some the ring was too tight and upon others it was too loose there was no princess whose finger it fitted perfectly at last in his search the king came to the royal palace where the princess Dionysia lived the princess had dreams of her own of a young and charming prince who would someday come to wed her so she was not pleased at all the king was old and no longer handsome and when he tried the ring upon Dionysia's finger she hoped with all her heart that it would not fit it fitted perfectly the princess Dionysia was frightened nearly to death will I really have to marry him she asked her royal father her father told her what a very wealthy king he was with a great kingdom and a wonderful royal palace ever so much more wonderful and grand than the palace the princess Dionysia had always had for her home her father had no patience at all with her for not being happy about it you ought to consider yourself the most fortunate princess in all the world he said Dionysia spent her days and nights weeping her father was afraid that she would grow so thin that the ring would no longer fit her finger so he hastened the plans for the wedding one day Dionysia walked up and down beside the sea crying as if her heart would break all at once she stopped crying how stupid I have been she said my old playmate love is men are told me that if ever I was in trouble she would come back and help me with all my silly crying I had forgotten about it Dionysia walked up close to the sea and called softly love is men are love is men are out of the sea came the sea serpent just as she used to come the princess told the sea serpent all about the dreadful trouble which was threatening to spoil her life have no fear said love is men tell your father that you will marry the king when the king presents you with a dress the colour of the fields and all their flowers and that you will not marry him until he gives it to you then the sea serpent disappeared again into the sea Dionysia sent word through her father to her royal suitor that she would wed him only when he procured her a dress the colour of the fields and all their flowers the king was very much in love with Dionysia so he was secretly filled with joy at this request he searched everywhere for a dress the colour of the fields and all their flowers it was a very difficult thing to find but at last he procured one he sent it to Dionysia at once when Dionysia saw that the king had really found the dress for her she was filled with grief she thought that there was no escape and that she would have to marry the king after all as soon as she could get away from the palace without being noticed she ran down to the sea and again called Labismena Labismena the sea serpent at once came out of the sea do not fear she said to Dionysia go back and say that you will not wed the king until he gives you a dress the colour of the sea and all its fishes when the king had this new request of Dionysia's he was rather discouraged however he searched for the dress and at last after expending a great sum of money he procured such a gown when Dionysia saw that a dress the colour of the sea and all its fishes had been found for her she again went to see counsel from her old playmate do not be afraid Labismena again said to her this time you must ask the king to get you a dress the colour of the sky and all its stars you may also tell him that this is the last present you will ask him to make you when the king heard about the demand for a dress the colour of the sky and all its stars he was completely disheartened but when he heard that Dionysia had promised this would be the last present she would ask for he decided it might be a good investment after all he set out to procure the dress with all possible speed and at last he found one when Dionysia saw the dress the colour of the sky and all its stars she thought that this time there was no escape from marrying the king she called the sea serpent with an anxious heart for she was afraid that now even Labismena could do nothing to help her Labismena came out of the sea and answered to her call go home to the palace and get your dress the colour of the field and all its flowers and your dress the colour of the sea and all its fishes and your dress the colour of the sky and all its stars then hurry back here to the sea for I have been preparing a surprise for you all the time the king had been procuring the wonderful gowns for Dionysia the sea serpent had been building a ship for her when Dionysia returned from the royal palace with her lovely dresses all carefully packed into box there was a queer little boat awaiting her it was not at all like any other boat she had ever seen and she was almost afraid to get into it when Labismena asked her to try it this little ship which I have built for you said Labismena will carry you far away over the sea to the kingdom of a prince who is the most charming prince in all the world when you see him you will want to marry him above all others oh Labismena how can I ever thank you for all you have done for me right Dionysia you can do the greatest thing in the world for me said Labismena though I have never told you and I do not believe that you have ever suspected it I am really an enchanted princess I shall have to remain in the form of a sea serpent until the happiest maiden in all the world at the hour of her greatest happiness calls my name three times you will be the very happiest girl in all the world on the day of your marriage and if you'll remember to call my name three times then you'll break my enchantment and I shall once more be a lovely princess instead of a sea serpent Dionysia promised her friend that she would remember to do this the sea serpent asked her to promise three times to make sure when Dionysia had promised three times and again embraced her old playmate and thanked her for all that she had done she sailed away in the little ship and the sea serpent disappeared into the sea Dionysia sailed and sailed in the little ship and at last it bore her to a lovely island she thought that she had reached her destination so she stepped out of the boat not forgetting to take her box of dresses with her as soon as she was out of the boat it sailed away now what shall I ever do said Dionysia the ship has gone away and left me and how shall I ever own my living I have never done anything useful in all my life Dionysia surely had to do something to own her living immediately so she had once set out to see what she could find to do she went from house to house asking for food and work at last she came to the royal palace here at the royal palace they told her they had great need of a maid to take care of the hens Dionysia thought that this was something that she could do so she accepted the position at once it was of course very different work from being a princess in a royal palace but it provided her with food and shelter and when Dionysia thought of having to marry the old king she was never sorry that she had left home time passed and at last there was a great feast day celebrated in the city everybody in the palace went except for the little maid who minded the hens after everybody had gone away Dionysia decided that she would go to the fester too she combed her hair and put on her gown which was the colour of the fields and all their flowers in this wonderful gown she was sure nobody would ever guess that she was a little maid who had been left at home to mind the hens she did want to go to the fester she hurried there as fast as she could and arrived just in time for the dancing everybody at the fester noticed the beautiful maiden in her gown the colour of the fields and all their flowers the prince fell madly in love with her nobody had ever seen her before and nobody could find out who the beautiful stranger was or where she came from before the fester was over Dionysia slipped away and when the rest of the royal household returned home there was a little maid minding the hens just as they had left her the second day of the fester everybody went early except for the little maid who looked after the hens when the others had gone she put on her dress the colour of the sea and all its fishes and went to the fester she attracted even more attention than she had the day before when the fester was over and the royal household had returned to the royal palace the prince remarked to his mother don't you think that the beautiful stranger at the fester looks like the little maid who minds our hens what nonsense replied his mother how could the little maid who minds our hens ever get such wonderful gowns to wear just to make sure however the prince told the royal counselor to find out if the little maid who minds the royal hens had been to the fester all the servants told about leaving her at home with the hens and coming back and finding her just as they had left her whoever the beautiful stranger at the fester may be said the prince she is the one above all others whom i want for my wife i shall find her some way the third day of the fester Dionysia went to tide in her gown the colour of the sky and all its stars the prince felt more madly in love with her than ever he could not get her to tell him who she was or where she lived but he gave her a beautiful jewel when the prince returned home he would not eat any food he grew thin and pale everyone around the palace tried his best to invent some dish which would tempt the prince's appetite finally the little maid who took care of the hens said that she thought she could prepare a dish which the prince would eat accordingly she made a dish of broth for the prince and in the bottom of the dish she dropped the jewel which the prince had given her when the broth was set before the prince he was about to send it away untouched just as he did everything else but the sparkling jewel attracted his attention who made this dish a broth he asked as soon as he could speak it was made by the little maid who minds the hens replied his mother send the little maid to come to me at once cried the prince i knew that the beautiful stranger at the fester looked like our little maid who minds the hens the prince married Dionysia the very next day and Dionysia was the very happiest girl in all the world for from the first moment she had seen the prince she had known that he was the one above all others whom she wished to marry alas in Dionysia's excitement she forgot all about calling the name of her old playmate Labis Mena at the hour of her marriage as she had promised to do she thought of nothing but the prince there was no escape for Labis Mena she had to remain in the form of a sea serpent because of Dionysia's neglect she lost her chance to come out of the sea and become a lovely princess herself and find a charming prince of her own for this reason her sad moan is heard in the sea until this very day perhaps you have noticed it you'll often hear the call come from the sea as it breaks against the shore Dionysia Dionysia no wonder the sea moans it is enough to make a sea serpent sad to be forgotten by the very person one has done the most to help end of chapter 17 chapter number 18 of fairy tales from brazil 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 Lola Janie fairy tales from brazil by Elise Spicer-Elz how the brazilian beetles got their gorgeous coats in brazil the beetles have such beautifully colored hard shell coats up on their backs that they are often setting pins and necklaces like precious stones once upon a time years and years ago they had ordinary plain brown coats this is how it happened that the brazilian beetle earned a new coat one day a little brown beetle was crawling along a wall when a big gray rat ran out from a hole on the wall and looked down scornfully at the little beetle oh ho he said to the beetle how slowly you crawl along you'll never get anywhere in the world you just look at me and see how fast i can run the big gray rat ran to the end of the wall wheeled around and came back to the place where the little beetle was slowly crawling along at only a tiny distance from where the rat had left her don't you wish that you could run like that said the big gray rat to the little brown beetle you are surely a fast runner replied the little brown beetle politely her mother had taught her always to be polite and had often said to her that a really polite beetle never boasts about her own accomplishments the little brown beetle never boasted a single boast about the things she could do she just went on slowly crawling along the wall a bright green and gold parrot in the mango tree over the wall had heard the conversation how would you like to race with the beetle he asked the big gray rat i live next door to the tail of bird he added and just to make the race exciting i'll offer a bright colored coat as a prize to the one who wins the race you may choose for it any color you like and i'll have it made to order i'd like a yellow coat with stripes like the tigers said the big gray rat looking over his shoulder at his gaunt gray size as if he were already admiring his new coat i'd like a beautiful bright colored new coat too said the little brown beetle the big gray rat laughed long and loud until his gaunt gray sides were shaking why you talk just as if you thought you had a chance to win the race he said when he could speak the bright green and gold parrot said the royal palm tree at the top of the cliff as the goal of the race he gave the signal to start and then he flew away to the royal palm tree to watch for the end of the race the big gray rat ran as fast as he could then he thought how very tired he was getting what's the use of hurrying he said to himself the little brown beetle cannot possibly win if i were racing with somebody who could really run it would be very different then he started to run more slowly but every time his heart beat it said hurry up hurry up the big gray rat decided that it was best to bathe the little voice in his heart so he hurried just as fast as he could when he reached the royal palm tree at the top of the cliff he could hardly believe his eyes he thought he must be having a bad dream there was the little brown beetle sitting quietly besides the bright green and gold parrot the big gray rat had never been so surprised in all his life how did you ever manage to run fast enough to get here so soon he asked the little brown beetle as soon as he could catch his breath the little brown beetle drew out the tiny wings from her sides nobody said anything about having to run to win the race she replied so i flew instead i did not know that you could fly said the big gray rat in a subdued little voice after this said the bright green and gold parrot never judge anyone by his looks alone you never can tell how often or where you may find concealed wings you have lost the prize until this day even in brazil where the flowers and birds and beasts and insects have such gorgeous coloring the rat wears a plain dull gray coat then the parrot turned to the little brown beetle who was waiting quietly at his side what color do you want your new coat to be he asked the little brown beetle looked up at the bright green and gold parrot and at the green and gold palm trees above their heads at the green mangoes with golden flushes on their cheeks lying on the ground under the mango tree at the golden sunshine upon the distant green hills i choose a coat of green and gold she said from that day to this the brazilian beetle has worn a coat of green with golden lights upon it for years and years the brazilian beetles were all very proud to wear green and gold coats like that of the beetle who raced with the rat then once upon a time it happened that there was a little beetle who grew discontented with her coat of green and gold she looked up at the blue sky and out at the blue sea and wished that she had a blue coat instead she talked about it so much that finally her mother took her to the parrot who lived next to the tailor bird you may change your coat for a blue one said the parrot but if you change you'll have to give up something oh i'll gladly give up anything if only i may have a blue coat instead of a green and gold one said the discontented little beetle when she received her new coat she thought it was very beautiful it was a lovely shade of blue and it had silvery white lights upon it like the lights of the stars when she put it on however she discovered that it was not hard like the green and gold one from that day to this the blue beetles coats have not been hard and firm that is the reason why the jewelers have difficulty in using them in pins and necklaces like other beetles from the moment that the little beetle put on her new blue coat she never grew again from that day to this the blue beetles have been much smaller than the green and gold ones when the brazilians made their flag they took for it a square of green the color of the green beetles coat within this square they placed a diamond of gold like the golden lights which play upon the green beetles back then within the diamond they drew a circle to represent the round earth and they colored it blue like the coat of the blue beetle upon the blue circle they placed stars of silvery white like the silvery white lights on the back of the blue beetle about the blue circle of the earth which they thus pictured they drew a band of white and upon this band they wrote the model of their country or them a progresso order and progress end of chapter 18 recording by Lola Janey and of fairy tales from Brazil by Elise Spicer-L's