 In a town in Persia there dwelt two brothers, one named Kasim, the other Alibaba. Kasim was married to a rich wife and lived in plenty, while Alibaba had to maintain his wife and children by cutting wood in a neighbouring forest and selling it in the town. One day, when Alibaba was in the forest, he saw a troop of men on horseback, coming toward him in a cloud of dust. He was afraid they were robbers, and climbed into a tree for safety. When they came up to him and dismounted, he counted forty of them. They unbridled their horses and tied them to trees. The finest man among them, whom Alibaba took to be their captain, went a little way among some bushes and said, Open Sesame! So plainly that Alibaba heard him. Footnote! Sesame is a kind of grain. End Footnote! A door opened in the rocks, and having made the troop go in, he followed them, and the door shut again of itself. They stayed some time inside, and Alibaba, fearing they might come out and catch him, was forced to sit patiently in the tree. At last the door opened again, and the forty thieves came out. As the captain went in last, he came out first, and made them all pass by him. He then closed the door, saying, Shut Sesame! Every man bridled his horse and mounted. The captain put himself at their head, and they returned as they came. Then Alibaba climbed down, and went to the door concealed among the bushes, and said, Open Sesame! and it flew open. Alibaba, who expected a dull, dismal place, was greatly surprised to find it large and well-lighted, hollowed by the hand of man, in the form of a vault, which received the light from an opening in the ceiling. He saw rich bales of merchandise, silk, stuffed brocades, all piled together, and gold and silver and heaps and money and other purses. He went in, and the door shut behind him. He did not look at the silver, but brought out as many bags of gold as he thought his asses, which were browsing outside, could carry, loaded them with the bags, and hid it all with faggots. Using the words, Shut Sesame! he closed the door and went home. Then he drove his asses into the yard, shut the gates, carried the money bags to his wife, and emptied them out before her. He bade her keep the secret, and he would go and bury the gold. Let me first measure it, said his wife. I will go borrow a measure of someone while you dig the hole. So she ran to the wife of Kaseem, and borrowed a measure. Knowing Alibaba's poverty, the sister was curious to find out what sort of grain his wife wished to measure, and artfully put some suet at the bottom of the measure. Alibaba's wife went home, and set the measure on the heap of gold, and filled it and emptied it often to her great content. She then carried it back to her sister, without noticing that a piece of gold was sticking to it, which Kaseem's wife perceived directly her back was turned. She grew very curious, and said to Kaseem when he went home, Kaseem, your brother is richer than you. He does not count his money, he measures it. He begged her to explain this riddle, which she did by showing him the piece of money, and telling him where she had found it. Then Kaseem grew so envious that he could not sleep, and went to his brother in the morning before sunrise. Alibaba, he said, showing him the gold piece, you pretend to be poor, and yet you measure gold. By this Alibaba perceived that through his wife's folly Kaseem and his wife knew their secret, so he confessed all, and offered Kaseem a share. That I expect, said Kaseem, but I must know where to find the treasure, otherwise I will discover all, and you will lose all. Alibaba, more out of kindness than fear, told him of the cave, and the very words to use. Kaseem left Alibaba, meaning to be beforehand with him, and get the treasure for himself. He rose early next morning, and set out with ten mules loaded with great chests. He soon found the place, and the door in the rock. He said, open Sesame, and the door opened, and shut behind him. He could have feasted his eyes all day on the treasures, but he now hastened to gather together as much of it as possible. But when he was ready to go, he could not remember what to say for thinking of his great riches. Instead of Sesame, he said, open barley, and the door remained fast. He named several different sorts of grain, all but the right one, and the door still stuck fast. He was so frightened at the danger he was in, that he had as much forgotten the word as if he had never heard it. About noon, the robbers returned to their cave, and saw Kaseem's mules roving about with great chests on their backs. This gave them the alarm. They drew their sabers, and went to the door, which opened on their captain, saying, open Sesame. Kaseem, who had heard the trampling of their horses' feet, resolved to sell his life dearly, so when the door opened, he leapt out and threw the captain down. In vain, however, for the robbers with their sabers soon killed him. On entering the cave, they saw all the bags laid ready, and could not imagine how any one had got in without knowing their secret. They cut Kaseem's body into four-quarters, and nailed them up inside the cave in order to frighten any one who should venture in, and went away in search of more treasure. As night drew on, Kaseem's wife grew very uneasy, and ran to her brother-in-law, and told him where her husband had gone. Alibaba did his best to comfort her, and set out to the forest in search of Kaseem. The first thing he saw on entering the cave was his dead brother. Full of horror, he put the body on one of his asses, and bags of gold on the other two, and covering all with some faggots returned home. He drove the two asses, laid them with gold into his own yard, and led the other to Kaseem's house. The door was opened by the slave Morgiana, whom he knew to be both brave and cunning. Unloading the ass, he said to her, This is the body of your master, who has been murdered, but whom we must bury as though he had died in his bed. I will speak with you again, but now tell your mistress I am come. The wife of Kaseem, on learning the fate of her husband, broke out into cries and tears, but Alibaba offered to take her to live with him and his wife, if she would promise to keep his counsel, and leave everything to Morgiana, whereupon she agreed and dried her eyes. Morgiana, meanwhile, sought an apothecary, and asked him for some lozenges. My poor master, she said, can neither eat nor speak, and no one knows what his distemper is. She carried home the lozenges, and returned next day, weeping, and asked for an essence only given to those just about to die. Thus in the evening no one was surprised to hear the wretched shrieks and cries of Kaseem's wife and Morgiana telling everyone that Kaseem was dead. The day after, Morgiana went to an old cobbler near the gates of the town, who opened his stall early, put a piece of gold in his hand, and bade him follow her with his needle and thread. Having bound his eyes with a handkerchief, she took him to the room where the body lay, pulled off the bandage, and bade him sew the quarters together, after which she covered his eyes again and led him home. Then they buried Kaseem, and Morgiana, his slave, followed him to the grave, weeping and tearing her hair, while Kaseem's wife stayed at home, uttering lamentable cries. Next day she went to live with Alibaba, who gave Kaseem's shop to his eldest son. The forty thieves on their return to the cave were much astonished to find Kaseem's body gone and some of their money-bags. We are certainly discovered, said the captain, and shall be undone if we cannot find out who it is that knows our secret. Two men must have known it. We have killed one, we must now find the other. To this end, one of you who is bold and artful must go into the city dressed as a traveller, and discover whom we have killed, and whether men talk of the strange manner of his death. If the messenger fails, he must lose his life lest we be betrayed. One of the thieves started up and offered to do this, and after the rest had highly commended him for his bravery, he disguised himself, and happened to enter the town at daybreak, just by Baba Mustafa's stall. The thief bade him good day, saying, Missed man, how can you possibly see to stitch at your age? Old as I am, replied the cobbler, I have very good eyes, and will you believe me when I tell you that I sewed a dead body together in a place where I had less light than I have now?" The robber was overjoyed at his good fortune, and giving him a piece of gold desired to be shown the house where he stitched up the dead body. At first Mustafa refused, saying that he had been blindfolded, but when the robber gave him another piece of gold he began to think he might remember the turnings if blindfolded as before. This means succeeded. The robber partly led him, and was partly guided by him right in front of Kasim's house, the door of which the robber marked with a piece of chalk. Then, well pleased, he made farewell to Baba Mustafa, and returned to the forest. By and by, Morgiana going out, saw the mark the robber had made, quickly guessed that some mischief was brewing, and fetching a piece of chalk, marked two or three doors on each side, without saying anything to her master or mistress. The thief, meantime, told his comrades of his discovery. The captain thanked him, and bade him show him the house he had marked. But when they came to it, they saw that five or six of the houses were chalked in the same manner. The guide was so confounded that he knew not what answer to make, and when they returned he was at once beheaded for having failed. Another robber was dispatched, and having one over Baba Mustafa marked the house in red chalk. But Morgiana, being again too clever for him, the second messenger was put to death also. The captain now resolved to go himself. But wiser than the others, he did not mark the house, but looked at it so closely that he could not fail to remember it. He returned and ordered his men to go into the neighbouring villages, and buy nineteen mules, and thirty-eight leather jars, all empty except one, which was full of oil. The captain put one of his men fully armed into each, rubbing the outside of the jars with oil from the full vessel. Then the nineteen mules were loaded with thirty-seven robbers in jars, and the jar of oil, and reached the town by dusk. The captain stopped his mules in front of Alibaba's house, and said to Alibaba, who was sitting outside for coolness, I have brought some oil from a distance to sell at tomorrow's market. But it is now so late that I know not where to pass the night, unless you will do me the favour to take me in. Though Alibaba had seen the captain of the robbers in the forest, he did not recognise him in the disguise of an oil merchant. He bade him welcome, opened his gates for the mules to enter, and went to Morgiana to bid her prepare a bed and supper for his guest. He brought the stranger into his hall, and after they had supped, went again to speak to Morgiana in the kitchen, while the captain went into the yard under pretense of seeing after his mules, but really to tell his men what to do. Beginning at the first jar, and ending at the last, he said to each man, As soon as I throw some stones from the window of the chamber where I lie, cut the jars open with your knives, and come out, and I will be with you in a trice. He returned to the house, and Morgiana led him to his chamber. She then told Abdala, her fellow slave, to set on the pot to make some broth for her master, who had gone to bed. Meanwhile her lamp went out, and she had no more oil in the house. Do not be uneasy, said Abdala. Go into the yard and take some out of one of those jars. Morgiana thanked him for his advice, took the oil pot, and went into the yard. When she came to the first jar the robber inside said softly, Is it time? Any other slave but Morgiana, on finding a man in the jar instead of the oil she wanted, would have screamed and made a noise. But she, knowing the danger her master was in, they thought herself of a plan, and answered quietly, Not yet, but presently. She went to all the jars, giving the same answer, till she came to the jar of oil. She now saw that her master, thinking to entertain an oil merchant, had let thirty-eight robbers into his house. She filled her oil pot, went back to the kitchen, and having lit her lamp, went again to the oil jar, and filled a large kettle full of oil. When it boiled, she went and poured enough oil into every jar to stifle and kill the robber inside. When this brave deed was done, she went back to the kitchen, put out the fire and the lamp, and waited to see what would happen. In a quarter of an hour the captain of the robbers awoke, got up, and opened the window. As all seemed quiet, he threw down some little pebbles which hid the jars. He listened, and as none of his men seemed to stir, he grew uneasy, and went down into the yard. On going to the first jar and saying, Are you asleep? He smelled the hot, boiled oil, and knew at once that his plot to murder Alibaba and his household had been discovered. He found all the gang was dead, and missing the oil out of the last jar, became aware of the manner of their death. He then forced the lock of a door leading into a garden, and climbing over several walls made his escape. Morgiana heard and saw all this, and rejoicing at her success, went to bed and fell asleep. At daybreak Alibaba arose, and seeing the oil jar still there, asked why the merchant had not gone with his mules. Morgiana obeyed him look in the first jar, and see if there was any oil. Seeing a man, he started back in terror. Have no fear," said Morgiana. The man cannot harm you. He is dead. Alibaba, when he had recovered somewhat from his astonishment, asked what had become of the merchant. Merchant, said she, he is no more a merchant than I am. And she told him the whole story, assuring him that it was a plot of the robbers of the forest, of whom only three were left, and that the white and red chalk marks had something to do with it. Alibaba at once gave Morgiana her freedom, saying that he owed her his life. They then buried the bodies in Alibaba's garden, while the mules were sold in the market by his slaves. The captain returned to his lonely cave, which seemed frightful to him without his lost companions, and firmly resolved to avenge them by killing Alibaba. He dressed himself carefully and went into the town, where he took lodgings in an inn. In the course of a great many journeys to the forest, he carried away many rich staffs and much fine linen, and set up a shop opposite that of Alibaba's son. He called himself Kogia Hasan, and as he was both civil and well-dressed, he soon made friends with Alibaba's son, and threw him with Alibaba, whom he was continually asking to sup with him. Alibaba, wishing to return his kindness, invited him into his house, and received him smiling, fanguing him for his kindness to his son. When the merchant was about to take his leave, Alibaba stopped him, saying, Where are you going, sir, in such haste? Will you not stay and sup with me? The merchant refused, saying that he had a reason, and on Alibaba's asking him what that was, he replied, It is, sir, that I can eat no victuals that have any salt in them. If that is all, said Alibaba, let me tell you that there shall be no salt in either the meat or the bread that we eat tonight. He went to give this order to Morgiana, who was much surprised. Who is this man, she said, who eats no salt with his meat? He is an honest man, Morgiana, returned her master, therefore do as I bid you. But she could not withstand a desire to see this strange man, so she helped Abdala to carry up the dishes, and saw in a moment that Kogya Hassan was the robber captain, and carried a dagger under his garment. I am not surprised, she said to herself, that this wicked man who intends to kill my master will eat no salt with him, but I will hinder his plans. She sent up the supper by Abdala, while she made ready for one of the boldest acts that could be thought on. When the dessert had been served, Kogya Hassan was left alone with Alibaba and his son, whom he thought to make drunk, and then to murder them. Morgiana, meanwhile, put on her headdress, like a dancing girl, and clasped a girdle round her waist, from which hung a dagger with a silver hilt, and said to Abdala, Take your table, and let us go and divert our master and his guest. Abdala took his table, and played before Morgiana, until they came to the door, where Abdala stopped playing, and Morgiana made a low courtesy. Come in, Morgiana, said Alibaba, and let Kogya Hassan see what you can do. And turning to Kogya Hassan, he said, She's my slave and my housekeeper. Kogya Hassan was by no means pleased, for he feared that his chance of killing Alibaba was gone for the present. But he pretended great eagerness to see Morgiana, and Abdala began to play, and Morgiana to dance. After she had performed several dances, she drew her dagger and made passes with it, sometimes pointing it at her own breast, sometimes at her master's, as if it were part of the dance. Suddenly out of breath, she snatched the table from Abdala with her left hand, and holding the dagger in her right hand, held out the table to her master. Alibaba and his son put a piece of gold into it, and Kogya Hassan, seeing that she was coming to him, pulled out his purse to make her a present. But while he was putting his hand into it, Morgiana plunged the dagger into his heart. Unhappy girl! cried Alibaba and his son. What have you done to ruin us? It was to preserve you, master, not to ruin you, answered Morgiana. See here, opening the false merchant's garment and showing the dagger. See what an enemy you have entertained. Remember he would eat no salt with you, and what more would you have? Look at him. He is both the false oil merchant and the captain of the forty caves. Alibaba was so grateful to Morgiana for thus saving his life, that he offered her to his son in marriage, who readily consented, and a few days after the wedding was celebrated with greatest splendour. At the end of a year, Alibaba, hearing nothing of the two remaining robbers, judged they were dead and set out to the cave. The door opened on his saying, Open Sesame. He went in, and saw that nobody had been there since the captain left it. He brought away as much gold as he could carry, and returned to town. He told his son the secret of the cave, which his son handed down in his turn, so the children and grandchildren of Alibaba were rich to the end of their lives. Footnote. Arabian Nights. End footnote. End of the Forty Thieves. Hansel and Gretel from the Blue Fairy Book. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. This recording is by Mark Smith of Simpsonville, South Carolina. The Blue Fairy Book. By Andrew Lang. Hansel and Gretel. Once upon a time, there dwelled on the outskirts of a large forest, a poor woodcutter with his wife and two children. The boy was called Hansel, and the girl Gretel. He had always little enough to live on, and once, when there was a great famine in the land, he couldn't even provide them with daily bread. One night, as he was tossing about in bed, full of cares and worry, he sighed and said to his wife, What's to become of us? How are we to support our poor children now that we have nothing more for ourselves? I'll tell you what, husband, answered the woman. Early tomorrow morning, we'll take the children out into the thickest part of the wood. There we shall light a fire for them and give them each a piece of bread. Then we'll go on to our work and leave them alone. They won't be able to find their way home, and we shall thus be rid of them. No wife, said her husband. That I won't do. How could I find it in my heart to leave my children alone in the wood? The wild beasts would soon come and tear them to pieces. Oh, you fool, said she. Then we must all for die of hunger, and you may just as well go and plane the boards for our coffins. And she left him no peace till he consented. God, I can't help feeling sorry for the poor children, added the husband. The children, too, had not been able to sleep for hunger, and had heard what their stepmother had said to their father. Gretel wept bitterly, and spoke to Hansel. Now it's all up with us. No, no, Gretel, said Hansel. Don't fret yourself. I'll be able to find a way to escape, no fear. And when the old people had fallen asleep, he got up, slipped on his little coat, opened the back door, and stole out. The moon was shining clearly, and the white pebbles which lay in front of the house glittered like bits of silver. Hansel bent down, and filled his pocket with as many of them as he could cram in. Then he went back and said to Gretel, Be comforted, my dear little sister, and go to sleep. God will not desert us. Then he lay down in bed again. At daybreak, even before the sun was up, the woman came and woke the two children, Get up, you lie-abeds, we're all going to the forest to fetch wood. She gave them each a bit of bread, and said, There's something for your luncheon, but don't you eat it up before, for it's all you'll get. Gretel took the bread under her apron, as Hansel had the stones in his pocket. Then they all set out together on the way to the forest. After they had walked for a little, Hansel stood still and looked back at the house, and this maneuver he repeated again and again. His father observed him, and said, Hansel, what are you gazing at there, and why do you always remain behind? Take care and don't lose your footing. Oh, father, said Hansel, I am looking back at my white kitten, which is sitting on the roof, waving me a farewell. The woman exclaimed, What a donkey you are! That isn't your kitten, that's the morning sun shining on the chimney. But Hansel had not looked back at his kitten, but had always dropped one of the white pebbles out of his pocket on to the path. When they had reached the middle of the forest, the father said, Now children, go and fetch a lot of wood, and I'll light a fire that you may not feel cold. Hansel and Gretel heaped up brushwood till they had made a pile nearly the size of a small hill. The brushwood was set fire to, and when the flames leaped high the woman said, Now lie down at the fire-children and rest yourselves, we are going into the forest to cut down wood. When we've finished, we'll come back and fetch you. Hansel and Gretel sat down beside the fire, and at mid-day ate their little bits of bread. They heard the strokes of the axe, so they thought their father was quite near. But it was no axe they heard, but a bow he had tied on a dead tree, and that was blown about by the wind. And when they had sat for a long time, their eyes closed with fatigue, and they fell fast asleep. When they awoke at last it was pitch dark. Hansel began to cry and said, How are we ever going to get out of the wood? But Hansel comforted her. Wait a bit, he said, till the moon is up, and then we'll find our way sure enough. And when the full moon had risen he took his sister by the hand and followed the pebbles, which shone like new three-penny bits, and showed them the path. They walked on through the night, and at daybreak reached their father's house again. They knocked at the door, and when the woman opened it she exclaimed, You naughty children! What a time you slept in the wood! We thought you were never going to come back. But the father rejoiced, for his conscience had reproached him for leaving his children behind by themselves. Not long afterward there was again great dearth in the land, and the children heard their mother address their father thus in bed one night. Everything is eaten up once more. We have only half a loaf in the house, and when that's done it's all up with us. The children must be caught rid of, and we'll lead them deeper into the wood this time, so that they won't be able to find their way out again. There is no other way of saving ourselves. The man's heart smote him heavily, and he thought, Surely it would be better to share the last bite with one's children. But his wife wouldn't listen to his arguments, and did nothing but scold and reproach him. If a man yields once, he's done for, and so, because he had given in the first time, he was forced to do so the second. But the children were awake, and had heard the conversation. When the old people were asleep, Hansel got up, and wanted to go out and pick up pebbles again as he had done the first time. But the woman had barred the door, and Hansel couldn't get out. But he consoled his little sister and said, Don't cry, Gretel, and sleep peacefully, for God is sure to help us. At early dawn the woman came and made the children get up. They received their bit of bread, but it was even smaller than the time before. On the way to the wood Hansel crumpled it in his pocket, and every few minutes he stood still and dropped a crumb on the ground. Hansel, what are you stopping and looking about you for? said the father. I'm looking back at my little pigeon, which is sitting on the roof, waving me a farewell, answered Hansel. Fool! said the wife. That isn't your pigeon, it's the morning sun glittering on the chimney. But Hansel gradually threw all his crumbs on the path. The woman led the children still deeper into the forest, farther than they had ever been in their lives before. Then a big fire was lit again, and the mother said, Just sit down there, children, and if you're tired you can sleep a bit. We're going into the forest to cut down wood, and in the evening when we're finished we'll come back to fetch you. That midday Gretel divided her bread with Hansel, for he had strewn his all along their path. Then they fell asleep, and evening passed away, but nobody came to the poor children. They didn't wake till it was pitch dark, and Hansel comforted his sister, saying, Only wait, Gretel, till the moon rises, then we shall see the breadcrumbs I scattered along the path. They will show us the way back to the house. When the moon appeared they got up. But they found no crumbs, for the thousands of birds that fly about the woods and fields had picked them all up. Never mind, said Hansel to Gretel, you'll see we'll find a way out. But all the same they did not. They wandered about the whole night, and the next day, from morning till evening, but they could not find a path out of the wood. They were very hungry, too, for they had nothing to eat but a few berries they found growing on the ground. And at last they were so tired that their legs refused to carry them any longer, so they lay down under a tree, and fell fast asleep. On the third morning after they had left their father's house, they set about their wandering again, but only got deeper and deeper into the wood, and now they felt that if help did not come to them soon they must perish. At midday they saw a beautiful little snow-white bird sitting on a branch, which sang so sweetly that they stopped still and listened to it, and when its song was finished it flapped its wings and flew on in front of them. They followed it, and came to a little house on the roof of which it perched, and when they came quite near they saw that the cottage was made of bread and roofed with cakes, while the window was made of transparent sugar. Now we'll set, too, said Hansel, and have a regular blowout. I'll eat a bit of the roof, and you, Gretel, can eat some of the window which you'll find a sweet morsel. Hansel stretched up his hand and broke off a little bit of the roof to see what it was like, and Gretel went to the casement and began to nibble at it. Thereupon a shrill voice called out from the room inside, "'Nibble, nibble, little mouse! Who's nibbling my house?' The children answered. "'Tis Heaven's own child, the tempest wild,' and went on eating, without putting themselves about. Hansel, who thoroughly appreciated the roof, tore down a big bit of it, while Gretel pushed out a whole round window-pane and sat down the better to enjoy it. Suddenly the door opened, and an ancient dame leading on a staff hobbled out. Hansel and Gretel were so terrified that they let what they had in their hands fall. But the old woman shook her head and said, "'Oh, oh, you dear children, who led you here? Just come in and stay with me. No ill shall befall you.' They took them both by the hand, and let them into the house, and laid a most sumptuous dinner before them, milk and sugared pancakes with apples and nuts. After they had finished, two beautiful little white beds were prepared for them, and when Hansel and Gretel lay down in them, they felt as if they had got into Heaven. The old woman had appeared to be most friendly, but she was really an old witch who had waylaid the children, and had only built the little bread-house in order to lure them in. When any one came into her power she killed, cooked, and ate him, and held a regular feast-day for the occasion. Now witches have red eyes, and cannot see far, but like beasts they have a keen sense of smell, and know when human beings pass by. When Hansel and Gretel fell into her hands, she laughed maliciously, and said jeeringly, �I�ve got them now!� they shan�t escaped me. Early in the morning, before the children were awake, she rose up, and when she saw them both sleeping so peacefully, with their round rosy cheeks, she muttered to herself, �That�ll be a dainty bite!� Then she seized Hansel with her bony hand, and carried him into a little stable, and barred the door on him. He might scream as much as he liked. It did him no good. Then she went to Gretel, shook her till she awoke, and cried, �Get up, you lazy bones! Fetch water and cook something for your brother!� When he�s fat, I�ll eat him up. Gretel began to cry bitterly, but it was of no use. She had to do what the wicked witch bait her. So the best food was cooked for poor Hansel, but Gretel got nothing but crab shells. Every morning the old woman hobbled out to the stable, and cried, �Hansel put out your finger, that I may feel if you are getting fat!� But Hansel always stretched out a bone, and the old dame whose eyes were dim couldn�t see it, and thinking always it was Hansel�s sister, wondered why he fattened so slowly. When four weeks had passed and Hansel still remained thin, she lost patience and determined to wait no longer. �Hi, Gretel� she called to the girl, �Be quick and get some water. Hansel may be fat or thin, I�m going to kill him tomorrow and cook him.� �Oh!� how the poor little sister sobbed as she carried the water, and how the tears rolled down her cheeks. �Kind Heaven help us now� she cried. �If only the wild beasts in the wood had eaten us, then at least we should have died together.� �Just hold your peace� said the old hag. �It won�t help you.� Early in the morning Gretel had to go out and hang up the kettle full of water, and light the fire. �First we�ll bake� said the old dame. �I�ve heated the oven already and needed the dough.� She pushed Gretel out to the oven, from which fiery flames were already issuing. �Creep in� said the witch, �and see if it�s properly heated so that we can shove in the bread.� For when she had got Gretel in she meant to close the oven, and let the girl bake, that she might eat her up too. Gretel perceived her intention, and said, �I don�t know how I�m to do it. How do I get in?� �You silly goose� said the hag. �The opening is big enough, see. I could get in myself.� And she crawled toward it, and poked her head into the oven. Then Gretel gave her a shove that sent her right in, shut the iron door, and drew the bolt. �Gracious!� How she yelled!� It was quite horrible, but Gretel fled, and the wretched old woman was left to perish miserably. Gretel flew straight to Hansel, opened the little stable door, and cried, �Hansel, we are free!� The old witch is dead. Then Hansel sprang like a bird out of a cage when the door is opened. How they rejoiced, and fell on each other�s necks, and jumped for joy, and kissed one another. And as they had no longer any cause for fear, they went in the old hag�s house, and here they found, in every corner of the room, boxes with pearls and precious stones. �These are even better than pebbles� said Hansel, and crammed his pockets full of them. And Gretel said, �I too will bring something home�, and she filled her apron full. �But now� said Hansel, �let�s go and get well away from the witch�s wood�. When they had wandered about for some hours they came to a big lake. �We can�t get over� said Hansel, �I see no bridge of any sort or kind.� �Yes, and there�s no ferry boat either� answered Gretel. �But look, there swims a white duck. If I ask her, she�ll help us over�. She called out, �Here are two children, mournful very, seeing neither bridge nor ferry. Take us upon your white back, and row us over, quack, quack.� The duck swam toward them, and Hansel got on her back, and bade his little sister sit beside him. �No� answered Gretel, �we should be too heavy a load for the duck. She shall carry us across separately.� The good bird did this, and when they were landed safely on the other side, and had gone for a while, the wood became more and more familiar to them, and at length they saw their father�s house in the distance. Then they set off to run, and bounding into the room fell on their father�s neck. The man had not passed a happy hour since he left them in the wood, but the woman had died. Gretel shook out her apron so that the pearls and precious stones rolled about the room, and Hansel threw down one handful after the other out of his pocket. Thus all their troubles were ended, and they lived happily ever after. My story is done. See there runs a little mouse. Anyone who catches it may make himself a large fur cap out of it. End of story. Snow White and Rose Red of the Blue Fairy Book. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. That�s L-I-B-R-I-V-O-X dot O-R-G. Recording by Kristie Nowak. The Blue Fairy Book by Andrew Lang. Snow White and Rose Red. A poor widow once lived in a little cottage with a garden in front of it in which grew two rose trees, one bearing white roses and the other red. She had two children who were just like the two rose trees. One was called Snow White and the other Rose Red, and they were the sweetest and best children in the world, always diligent and always cheerful. But Snow White was quieter and more gentle than Rose Red. Rose Red loved to run about the fields and meadows and to pick flowers and catch butterflies, but Snow White sat at home with her mother and helped her in the household, or read aloud to her when there was no work to do. The two children loved each other so dearly that they always walked about hand in hand whenever they went out together, and when Snow White said, �We will never desert each other,� Rose Red answered, �No, not as long as we live.� And the mother added, �Whatever one gets, she shall share with the other.� They often roamed about in the woods gathering berries, and no beast offered to hurt them. On the contrary, they came up to them in the most confiding manner. The little hare would eat a cabbage leaf from their hands. The deer grazed beside them. The stag would bound past them merrily, and the birds remained on the branches and sang to them with all their might. No evil ever befell them. If they tarried late in the wood and night overtook them, they lay down together on the moss and slept till morning, and their mother knew they were quite safe, and never felt anxious about them. Once, when they had slept all night in the wood and had been awakened by the morning sun, they perceived a beautiful child in a shining white robe sitting close to their resting place. The figure got up, looked at them kindly but said nothing, and vanished into the wood. And when they looked round about them, they became aware that they had slept quite close to a precipice over which they would certainly have fallen had they gone on a few steps further in the darkness, and when they told their mother of their adventure, she said what they had seen must have been the angel that guards good children. Snow White and Rose Red kept their mother�s cottage so beautifully clean and neat that it was a pleasure to go into it. In summer, Rose Red looked after the house and every morning before her mother awoke, she placed a bunch of flowers before the bed, from each tree a rose. In winter, Snow White lit the fire and put on the kettle, which was made of brass but so beautifully polished that it shone like gold. In the evening, when the snowflakes fell, their mother said, �Snow White, go and close the shutters�, and they drew round the fire while the mother put on her spectacles and read aloud from a big book and the two girls listened and sat and span. Beside the mother-ground lay a little lamb, and behind them perched a little white dove with its head tucked under its wings. One evening, as they sat thus coasily together, someone knocked at the door as though he desired admittance. The mother said, �Rose Red, open the door quickly. It must be some traveller seeking shelter.� Rose Red hastened to unbar the door and thought she saw a poor man standing in the darkness outside, but it was no such thing. Only a bear who poked his thick black head through the door. Rose Red screamed aloud and sprang back in terror. The lamb began to bleed, the dove flapped its wings, and Snow White ran and hid behind her mother's bed. But the bear began to speak and said, �Don�t be afraid, I won�t hurt you. I am half-frozen, and only wish to warm myself a little.� �My poor bear� said the mother, �Lie down by the fire. Only take care you don�t burn your fur.� Then she called out, �Snow White and Rose Red, come out. The bear will do you no harm.� �He is a good, honest creature.� So they both came out of their hiding places, and gradually the lamb and dove drew near too, and they all forgot their fear. The bear asked the children to beat the snow a little out of his fur, and they fetched a brush and scrubbed him till he was dry. Then the beast stretched himself in front of the fire and growled quite happily and comfortably. The children soon grew quite at their ease with him, and led their helpless guest a fearful life. They tugged his fur with their hands, put their small feet on his back, and rolled him about here and there, or took a hazel wand and beat him with it. And if he growled, they only laughed. The bear submitted to everything with the best possible good nature. Only when they went too far he cried, �O children, spare my life. Snow White and Rose Red, don�t beat your lover dead.� When it was time to retire for the night, and the others went to bed, the mother said to the bear, �You can lie there on the hearth in heaven�s name. It will be shelter for you from the cold and wet.� As soon as day dawned, the children let him out, and he trotted over the snow into the wood. From this time on the bear came every evening at the same hour, and laid down by the hearth and let the children play what pranks they liked with him, and they got so accustomed to him that the door was never shut till their black friend had made his appearance. When spring came, and all outside was green, the bear said one morning to Snow White, �Now I must go away, and not return again the whole summer.� �Where are you going to, dear bear?� asked Snow White. �I must go to the wood and protect my treasure from their wicked dwarves. In winter, when the earth is frozen hard, they are obliged to remain underground, for they can�t work their way through. But now, when the sun has thawed and warmed the ground, they break through and come up above to spy the land and steal what they can. What once falls into their hands and into their caves is not easily brought back to light.� Snow White was quite sad over their friend�s departure, and when she unbarred the door for him, the bear, stepping out, caught a piece of his fur on the door-knocker, and Snow White thought she caught sight of glittering gold beneath it. But she couldn�t be certain of it, and the bear ran hastily away and soon disappeared behind the trees. A short time after this, the mother sent the children into the wood to collect faggots. They came in their wanderings upon a big tree which lay felled on the ground, and on the trunk among the long grass they noticed something jumping up and down, but what it was they couldn�t distinguish. When they approached nearer, they perceived a dwarf with a wise-and-face and a beard a-yard long. The end of the beard was jammed into a cleft of the tree, and the little man sprang about like a dog on a chain, and didn�t seem to know what he was to do. He glared at the girls with his fiery red eyes and screamed out, �What are you standing there for? Can�t you come and help me? �What were you doing, little man?� asked Rose-Red. �You stupid inquisitive goose!� replied the dwarf. �I wanted to split the tree in order to get the little chips of wood for our kitchen fire. Those thick logs that served to make fires for coarse-greedy people like yourselves quite burn up all the little food we need. I had successfully driven in the wedge and all was going well, but the cursed wood was so slippery that it suddenly sprang out, and the tree closed up so rapidly that I had no time to take my beautiful white beard out. So here I am stuck fast, and I can�t get away, and you silly, smooth-faced, milk-and-water girls just stand and laugh. What wretched you are! The children did all in their power, but they couldn�t get the beard out. It was wedged in far too firmly. �I will run and fetch somebody� said Rose-Red. �Crazy, blockheads!� snapped the dwarf. �What�s the good of calling anyone else? You�re already too, too many for me. Does nothing better occur to you than that? �Don�t be so impatient� said Snow White. �I�ll see you get help.� And taking her scissors out of her pocket, she cut off the end of his beard. As soon as the dwarf felt himself free, he seized a bag full of gold which was hidden among the roots of the tree, lifted it up, and muttered aloud, �Cursed, these rude wretches!� cutting off a piece of my splendid beard. With these words he swung the bag over his back, and disappeared without as much as looking at the children again. Shortly after this, Snow White and Rose-Red went out to get a dish of fish. As they approached the stream, they saw something which looked like an enormous grasshopper, springing toward the water as if it were going to jump in. They ran forward and recognized their old friend the dwarf. �Where are you going to?� asked Rose-Red. �You�re surely not going to jump into the water. �I�m not such a fool� screamed the dwarf. �Don�t you see that cursed fish is trying to drag me in?� The little man had been sitting on the bank fishing when, unfortunately, the wind had entangled his beard in the line which immediately afterward the big fish bit. The feeble little creature had no strength to pull it out. The fish had the upper fin, and dragged the dwarf toward him. He clung on with all his might to every rush and blade of grass, but it didn�t help him much. He had to follow every movement of the fish, and was in great danger of being drawn into the water. The girls came up just at the right moment, held him firm, and did all they could to disentangle his beard from the line. But in vain, beard and line were in a hopeless muddle. Nothing remained but to produce the scissors and cut the beard, by which a small part of it was sacrificed. When the dwarf perceived what they were about, he yelled to them, �Do you call that manners, you toadstools, to disfigure a fellow�s face? It wasn�t enough that you shortened my beard before, but you must now need to cut off the best bit of it? I can�t appear like this before my own people?� I wished you�d been in Jericho first. Then he fetched a sack of pearls that lay among the rushes, and without saying another word he dragged it away and disappeared behind a stone. It happened that soon after this the mother sent the two girls to the town to buy needles, thread, laces, and ribbons. Their road led over a heath where huge boulders of rock lay scattered here and there. While trudging along, they saw a big bird hovering in the air, circling slowly above them, but always descending lower, till at last it settled on a rock not far from them. Immediately afterward they heard a sharp, piercing cry. They ran forward and saw with horror that the eagle had pounced on their old friend the dwarf and was about to carry him off. The tender-hearted children ceased hold of the little man and struggled so long with the bird that at last he let go his prey. When the dwarf had recovered from the first shock he screamed in his screeching voice, couldn't you have treated me more carefully? You have torn my thin little coat all to shreds, useless, awkward hussies that you are. Then he took a bag of precious stones and vanished under the rocks into his cave. The girls were accustomed to his ingratitude and went on their way and did their business in town. On their way home, as they were again passing the heath, they surprised the dwarf, pouring out his precious stones on an open space, for he had thought no one would pass by it so late an hour. The evening sun shone on the glittering stones, and they glanced and gleamed so beautifully that the children stood still and gazed on them. What are you standing there gaping for? Screamed the dwarf, and his ash and gray face became scarlet with rage. He was about to go off with these angry words when a sudden growl was heard, and a black bear trotted out of the wood. The dwarf jumped up in great fright, but he hadn't time to reach his place of retreat, for the bear was already close to him. Then he cried in terror. Dear Mr. Bear, spare me. I'll give you all my treasure. Look at those beautiful precious stones lying there. Spare my life. What pleasure would you get from a poor, feeble little fellow like me? You won't feel me between your teeth. There, lay hold of those two wicked girls. They will be a tender morsel for you, as fat as young quails. Eat them up for heaven's sake. But the bear, paying no attention to his words, gave the evil little creature one blow with his paw, and he never moved again. The girls ran away, but the bear called after them. Snow White and Rose Red, don't be afraid. Wait, and I'll come with you. Then they recognized his voice and stood still, and when the bear was quite close to them his skin suddenly fell off, and a beautiful man stood beside them, all dressed in gold. I am the king's son, he said, and have been doomed by that unholy little dwarf who had stolen my treasure to roam about the woods as a wild bear till his death should set me free. Now he has got his well-married punishment. Snow White married him and Rose Red his brother, and they divided the great treasure the dwarf had collected in his cave between them. The old mother lived for many years peacefully with her children, and she carried the two rose trees with her, and they stood in front of her window, and every year they bore the finest red and white roses. End of Snow White and Rose Red. The Goose Girl of the Blue Fairy Book. 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 Brett Condren, the Blue Fairy Book by Andrew Lang, The Goose Girl. Once upon a time, an old queen whose husband had been dead for many years had a beautiful daughter. When she grew up, she was betrothed to a prince who lived a great way off. Now, when the time drew near for her to be married and to depart into a foreign kingdom, her old mother gave her much costly baggage and many ornaments, gold and silver, trinkets and knickknacks, and in fact, everything that belonged to the royal trousseau. For she loved her daughter very dearly. She gave her a wedding maid also who was to ride with her and hand her over to the bridegroom, and she provided each of them with a horse for the journey. Now, the princess's horse was called Falada, and could speak. When the hour for departure drew near, the old mother went to her bedroom, and taking a small knife, she cut her fingers till they bled. Then she held a white rag under them, and letting three drops of blood fall into it, she gave it to her daughter and said, Dear child, take great care of this rag. It may be of use to you on the journey. So they took a sad farewell of each other, and the princess stuck the rag in front of her dress, mounted her horse, and set forth on the journey to her bridegroom's kingdom. After they had ridden for about an hour, the princess began to feel very thirsty, and said to her waiting maid, Prey, get down and fetch me some water in my golden cup out of yonder stream. I would like a drink. If you're thirsty, said the maid, dismount yourself and lie down by the water and drink. I don't mean to be your servant any longer. The princess was so thirsty that she got down, bent over the stream, and drank, for she wasn't allowed to drink out of the golden goblet. As she drank, she murmured, Oh, heaven, what am I to do? And the three drops of blood replied, If your mother only knew, her heart would surely break in two. But the princess was meek and said nothing about her maid's rude behavior, and quietly mounted her horse again. They rode on their way for several miles, but the day was hot, and the sun's rays smote fiercely on them, so that the princess was soon overcome by thirst again. As they passed by a brook, she called once more to her waiting maid. Prey, get down and give me a drink from my golden cup, for she had long ago forgotten her maid's rude words. But the waiting maid replied, more hodlily than ever before, If you want a drink, you can dismount and get it. I don't mean to be your servant. Then the princess was compelled by her thirst to get down, and bending over the flowing water, she cried and said, Oh, heaven, what am I to do? And the three drops of blood replied, If your mother only knew, her heart would surely break in two. And as she drank thus, and leaned right over the water, the rag containing the three drops of blood fell from her bosom and floated down the stream, and she and her anxiety never even noticed her loss. But the waiting maid had observed it with delight, as she knew it gave her power over the bride. For in losing the drops of blood, the princess had become weak and powerless. When she wished to get on her horse Filata again, the waiting maid called out, I mean to ride, Filata, you must mount my beast. And this too she had to submit to. Then the waiting maid commanded her harshly to take off her royal robes, and put on common ones. And finally she made her swear by heaven not to say a word about the matter when they reached the palace. And if she hadn't taken this oath, she would have been killed on the spot. But Filata observed everything, and laid it all to heart. The waiting maid now mounted Filata, and the real bride the worst horse, and so they continued their journey till at length they arrived at the palace yard. There was great rejoicing over the arrival, and the prince sprang forward to meet them, and taking the waiting maid for his bride, he lifted her down from her horse, and led her upstairs to the royal chamber. In the meantime, the real princess was left standing below in the courtyard. The old king, who was looking out of his window, beheld her in this plight. And it struck him how sweet and gentle, even beautiful she looked. He went at once to the royal chamber, and asked the bride who it was she had brought with her, and had left thus standing in the court below. "'Oh,' replied the bride, "'I brought her with me to keep me company on the journey. Give the girl something to do, that she may not be idle.' But the old king had no work for her, and couldn't think of anything. So he said, I have a small boy who looks after the geese. She'd better help him. The youth's name was Kerdkin, and the real bride was made to assist him in herding geese. Soon after this the false bride said to the prince, "'Dearest husband, I pray you grant me a favour,' he answered, "'That I will.'" Then let the slaughterer cut off the head of the horse I rode hereupon, because it behaved very badly on the journey. But the truth was she was afraid lest the horse should speak and tell how she had treated the princess. She carried her point, and the faithful philata was doomed to die. When the news came to the ears of the real princess, she went to the slaughterer, and secretly promised him a piece of gold if he would do something for her. There was in the town a large dark gate through which she had to pass night and morning with the geese. Would he kindly hang up philata's head there that she might see it once again? The slaughterer said he would do as she desired, chopped off the head, and nailed it firmly over the gateway. Early the next morning, as she and Kerdkin were driving their flock through the gate, she said as she passed under, "'O philata, tis you hang there?' the head replied. "'Tis you, pass under, princess fair. If your mother only knew, her heart would surely break in two.' And she left the tower and drove the geese into a field, and when they had reached the common where the geese fled, she sat down and unleashed her hair, which was of pure gold. Kerdkin loved to see it glitter in the sun and wanted much to pull some hair out. Then she spoke, Wind, wind, gently sway, blow Kerdkin's hat away, let him chase or field and wode till my locks of ruddy gold, now astray and hanging down, be combed and plated in a crown. Then a gust of wind blew Kerdkin's hat away, and he had to chase it over hill and dale. When he returned from the pursuit she had finished her combing and curling, and his chance of getting any hair was gone. Kerdkin was very angry and wouldn't speak to her, so they herded the geese till the evening, and then went home. The next morning, as they passed under the gate, the girl said, Ophelada, tis you hang there? And the head replied, Tis you pass under, princess air, if your mother only knew, her heart would surely break in two. Then she went on her way till she came to the common, where she sat down and began to comb out her hair. Then Kerdkin ran up to her and wanted to grasp some of the hair from her head, but she called out hastily, Wind, wind, gently sway, blow Kerdkin's hat away, let him chase or field and wold till my locks of ruddy gold, now astray and hanging down, be combed and plated in a crown. Then a puff of wind came, and blew Kerdkin's hat far away, so that he had to run after it. And when he returned she had long finished putting up her golden locks, and he couldn't get any hair, so they watched the geese till it was dark. But that evening when they got home Kerdkin went to the old king and said, I refuse to herd geese any longer with that girl. For what reason? asked the old king, because she does nothing but annoy me all day long, replied Kerdkin, and he proceeded to relate all her iniquities, and said, every morning as we drive the flock through the dark gate, she says to a horse's head that hangs on the wall. Oh, for that it is you hang here. And the head replies, could you pass under, princess fear, if your mother only knew her heart would surely break in two? And Kerdkin went on to tell what passed on the common where the geese fed, and how he had always to chase his hat. The old king made him go and drive forth his flock as usual the next day. And when morning came, he himself took up his position behind the dark gate, and heard how the goose girl greeted Filada. Then he followed her through the field, and hid himself behind a bush on the common. He soon saw with his own eyes how the goose boy and goose girl looked after the geese, and how after a time the maiden sat down and loosed her hair that glittered like gold. And repeated, wind, wind, gently sway, blow Kerdkin's hat away, let him chase her field and wode till my locks of ruddy gold, now astray and hanging down, be combed and plated in a crown. Then a gust of wind came and blew Kerdkin's hat away, so that he had to fly over hill and dale after it. And the girl, in the meantime, quietly combed and plated her hair, all this the old king observed, and returned to the palace without anyone having noticed him. In the evening, when the goose girl came home, he called her aside and asked her why she behaved as she did. I may not tell you why, how dare I confide my woes to anyone, for I swore not to by heaven, otherwise I should have lost my life. The old king begged her to tell him all, and left her no peace, but when he could get nothing out of her, at last she said, well, if you won't tell me, confide your trouble to the iron stove there. And he went away. And she crept to the stove, and began to sob and cry, and to pour out her poor little heart, and said, here I sit, deserted by all the world. I, who am a king's daughter, and a false waiting-mate has forced me to take off my own clothes, and has taken my place with my bridegroom, while I have to fulfill the lowly office of goose girl. If my mother only knew, her heart would surely break in two. But the old king stood outside at the stove chimney, and listened to her words. Then he entered the room again, and bidding her leave the stove, he ordered royal apparel to be put on her, in which she looked amazingly lovely. Then he summoned his son, and revealed to him that he had got the false bride, who was nothing but a waiting-mate, while the real one, and the guys of the ex-goose girl, was standing at his side. The young king rejoiced from his heart, when he saw her beauty, and learned how good she was, and a great banquet was prepared, to which everyone was bitten. The bridegroom sat at the head of the table, the princess on one side of him, and the waiting-mate on the other side, but she was so dazzled that she did not recognize the princess and her glittering garments. Now when they had eaten and drunk, and were merry, the old king asked the waiting-mate to solve a naughty point for him. What, he said, should be done to a certain person who has deceived everyone, and he proceeded to relate the whole story, ending with, now what sentence should be passed? Then the false bride answered, She deserves to be put star-naked into a barrel lined with sharp nails, which should be dragged by two white horses up and down the street till she is dead. You are the person, said the king, and you have passed sentence on yourself, and even so shall it be done to you. And when the sentence had been carried out, the young king was married to his real bride, and both reigned over the kingdom in peace and happiness. End of the Goose Girl. Toads and Diamonds of the Blue Fairy Book The Blue Fairy Book by Andrew Lang Toads and Diamonds There was once upon a time a widow who had two daughters. The eldest was so much like her in the face and humor that whoever looked upon the daughter saw the mother. They are both so disagreeable and so proud that there was no living with them. The youngest, who is the very picture of her father for courtesy and sweetness of temper, was with all one of the most beautiful girls ever seen. As people naturally love their own likeness, this mother even doted on her eldest daughter and at the same time had a horrible aversion for the youngest. She made her eat in the kitchen and work continually. Among other things, this poor child was forced twice a day to draw water above a mile and a half off the house and bring home a pitcher full of it. One day, as she was at this fountain, there came to her a poor woman, who begged of her to let her drink. Oh, I, with all my heart, Goody, said this pretty little girl, and rinsing immediately the pitcher, she took up some water from the clearest place of the fountain and gave it to her, holding up the pitcher all the while, that she might drink the easier. The good woman, having drunk, said to her, You are so very pretty, my dear, so good and so mannerly that I cannot help giving you a gift. For this was the fairy, who had taken the form of a poor country woman to see how far the civility and good matters of this pretty girl would go. I will give you for a gift, continued the fairy, that, every word you speak there shall come out of your mouth either a flower or a jewel. When this pretty girl came home, her mother scolded her for staying so long at the fountain. I beg your pardon, mama, said the poor girl, for not making more haste. And in speaking these words there came out of her mouth two roses, two pearls, and two diamonds. What is it I see there? said the mother, quite astonished. I think I see pearls and diamonds come out of the girl's mouth. How happens this child? This was the first time she had ever called her child. The poor creature told her frankly all the matter, not without dropping out infinite numbers of diamonds. In good faith, cried the mother, I must send my child thither. Come hither, family, look what comes out of thy sister's mouth when she speaks. Wouldst not thou be glad, my dear, to have the same gift given to thee? Thou hast nothing else to do but to go and draw water out of the fountain, and when a certain poor woman asks you to let her drink, to give it to her very civilly. It will be a very fine sight indeed, said this ill-bred minx, to see me go draw water. You shall go, Hasi, said the mother, and this minute. So away she went, but grumbling all the way, taken with her the best silver tankard in the house. She was no sooner at the fountain than she saw coming out of the wood a lady most gloriously dressed, who came up to her and asked to drink. This was, you must know, the very fairy who appeared to her sister, but now had taken the air and dressed her princess, to see how far this girl's rudeness would go. Am I, come hither, said the proud, saucy one, to serve you with water, pray? I suppose the silver tankard was brought purely for your ladyship, was it? However you may drink out of it, if you have a fancy. You are not over and above mannerily answered the fairy, without putting herself in a passion. Well then, since you have so little breeding, and are also so disabledging, I give for you a gift that at every word you speak there shall come out of your mouth a snake or a toad. So soon as her mother saw her coming she cried out, Well, daughter? Well, mother, answered the pert Hasi, throwing out of her mouth two vipers and two toads. Oh, mercy, cried the mother. What is it I see? Oh, it is that wretched sister who has occasioned all this, but she shall pay for it, and immediately she ran to beat her. The poor child fled away from her and went to hide herself in the forest, but not far from thence. The king's son, then on his return from hunting, met her, and seeing her so very pretty, asked her what she did there alone and why she cried. Alas, sir, my mother has turned me out of doors. The king's son, who saw five or six pearls and as many diamonds come out of her mouth, desired her to tell him how that happened. She thereupon told him the whole story, and so the king's son fell in love with her, and considering himself that such a gift was worth more than any marriage portion, conducted her to the palace of the king's father, and there married her. As for the sister, she made herself so much hated that her own mother turned her off, and the miserable wretch, having wandered about a good while without finding anybody to take her in, went to a corner of the wood, and there died. But note, written by Charles Perot. Once upon a time there lived a king who was so just and kind that his subjects called him the Good King. It happened one day when he was out hunting, that a little white rabbit, which his dogs were chasing away, sprang into his arms for shelter. The king stroked it gently, and said to it, Well, Bunny, as you have come to me for protection, I will see that nobody hurts you. And he took it home to his palace, and had it put in a pretty little house with all sorts of nice things to eat. That night, when he was alone in his room, a beautiful lady suddenly appeared before him. His long dress was as white as snow, and she had a crown of white roses upon her head. The Good King was very much surprised to see her, for he knew his door had been tightly shut, and he could not think how she had got in. But she said to him, I am the very truth. I was passing through the wood when you were out hunting, and I wished to see if you were really good, as everybody said you were. So I took the shape of a little rabbit to come to your arms for shelter, for I knew that those who are merciful to animals will be still kinder to their fellow men. If you would refuse to help me, I should have been certain that you were wicked. I thank you for the kindness you have shown me, which has made me your friend forever. You have only to ask me anything you want, and I promise that I will give it to you. Madam, said the Good King, since you are a fairy, you no doubt know all my wishes. I have but one son whom I love very dearly. That is why he is called Prince Darling. If you are really good enough to wish to do me a favor, I beg that you will become his friend. With all my heart, answered the fairy, I can make your son the handsomest prince in the world, or the richest, or the most powerful. Choose whichever you like for him. I do not ask either of these things for my son, replied the Good King, but if you will make him the best of princes, I shall indeed be grateful to you. What good would it do to him to be rich, or handsome, or to possess all the kingdoms of the world if he were wicked? You know well he would still be unhappy. Only a good man can be really contented. You are quite right, answered the fairy, but it is not my power to make Prince Darling a good man, unless he will help me. He must himself try hard to become good. I can only promise to give him good advice, to scold him for his faults, and to punish him if he will not correct and punish himself. The Good King was quite satisfied with this promise, and very soon afterward he died. Prince Darling was very sorry, for he loved his father with all his heart, and he would willingly have given all his kingdoms and all his treasures of gold and silver if they could have kept the Good King with him. Two days afterward, when the prince had gone to bed, the fairy suddenly appeared to him and said, I promised your father that I would be your friend, and to keep my word I have come to bring you a present. At the same time she put a little gold ring upon his finger. Take great care of this ring, she said. It is more precious than diamonds. Any time you do a bad deed it will prick your finger, but if in spite of its pricking you go on your own evil way you will lose my friendship and I shall become your enemy. So saying, the fairy disappeared, leaving Prince Darling very much astonished. For some time he behaved so well that the ring never pricked him, and that he was so contented that his subject called him Prince Darling the Happy. One day, however, he went out hunting, but could get no sport, which put him at a very bad temper. It seemed to him as he rode along that his ring was pressing into his finger, that as it did not prick him he did not heed it. When he got home and went to his own room, his little dog Bibi ran to meet him, jumping round him with pleasure. Get away, said the prince quite gruffly. I don't want you, you are in the way. The poor little dog, who didn't understand this at all, pulled at his coat to make him at least look at her, and this made Prince Darling so cross that he gave her quite a hard kick. Instantly his ring pricked him sharply, as it had been a pin. He was very much surprised, and sat down in a corner of his room feeling quite ashamed of himself. I believe the fairy is laughing at me, he thought. Surely I can have done no great wrong in just kicking a tiresome animal. What is the good of my being ruler of a great kingdom if I am not even allowed to beat my own dog? I am not making fun of you, said a voice, answering Prince Darling's thoughts. You have committed three faults. First of all, you were out of temper because you could not have what you wanted, and you thought all men and animals were only made to do your pleasure. Then you were really angry, which is very naughty indeed, and lastly, you were cruel to a poor little animal, who did not in the least deserve to be ill-treated. I know you are far above a little dog, but if it were right and allowable that great people should ill-treat all those who were beneath them, I might at this moment beat you or kill you, for a fairy is greater than a man. The advantage of possessing a great empire is not to be able to do the evil that one desires, but to do all the good that one possibly can. The Prince saw how naughty he had been and promised to try and do better in the future, but he did not keep his word. The fact was, he had been brought up by a foolish nurse who had spoiled him when he was little. If he wanted anything, he only had to cry and fret and stamp his feet, and she would give him whatever he asked for, which had made himself willed. Also she had told him from morning to night that he would one day be a king, and that kings were very happy, because everyone was bound to obey and respect them, and no one could prevent them from doing just as they wanted. When the Prince grew old enough to understand, he soon learned that there could be nothing worse than to be proud, obstinate, and conceited, and he had really tried to cure himself of these defects. But by that time all his faults had become habits, and a bad habit is very hard to get rid of. Not that he was naturally of a bad disposition. He was truly sorry when he had been naughty and said, I am very unhappy to have to struggle against my anger and pride every day. If I had been punished for them when I was little, they would not be such a trouble to me now. His ring pricked him very often, but sometimes he left off when he was doing it once, but at other times he would not attend to it. Strangely enough, it gave him only a slight prank for trifling fault, but when he was really naughty it made his finger actually bleed. At last he got tired of being constantly reminded and wanted to be able to do as he liked, so he threw his ring aside and thought himself the happiest of men to have got rid of its teasing pricks. He gave himself up to doing every foolish thing that occurred to him, until he became quite wicked and nobody could like him any longer. One day when the Prince was walking about, he saw a young girl who was so very pretty that he made up his mind at once that he would marry her. Her name was Celia, and she was as good as she was beautiful. This darling fancy that Celia would think herself only too happy if he offered to make her a great queen, but she said fearlessly, Sire, I am only a shepherdess and a poor girl, but nevertheless I will not marry you. Do you dislike me? asked the Prince, who was very much vexed at this answer. No, my Prince, replied Celia. I cannot help thinking you very handsome, but what good would riches be to me and all the grand dresses and splendid carriages that you would give me if the bad deeds which I should see you do every day made me hate and despise you. The Prince was very angry at this speech, and commanded his officers to make Celia a prisoner and carry her off to his palace. All day long the remembrance of what she had said annoyed him, but as he loved her he could not make up his mind to have her punished. One of the Prince's favorite companions was his foster brother, whom he trusted entirely, but he was not at all a good man and gave Prince Darling very bad advice, and encouraged him in all his evil ways. When he saw the Prince so downcast he asked what was the matter, and when he explained that he could not bear Celia's bad opinion of him and was resolved to be a better man in order to please her, this evil advisor said to him, you are very kind to trouble yourself about this little girl. If I were you I would soon make her obey me. Remember that you are a king and that it would be laughable to see you trying to please a shepherdess, who ought to be only too glad to be one of your slaves. Keep her in prison and feed her on bread and water for a little while, and then, if she still says she will not marry you, have her head cut off to teach other people that you mean to be obeyed. Why, if you cannot make a girl like that do as you wish, your subjects will soon forget that they are only put on this world for our pleasure. But said Prince Darling, would it not be a shame if I had an innocent girl put to death, for Celia has done nothing to deserve punishment. If people will not do as you tell them they ought to suffer for it, answered his foster brother. But even if it were unjust you would better be accused of that by your subjects than that they should find out that they may insult and thwart you as soon as they please. In saying this he was touching a weak point in his brother's character, for the prince's fear of losing any of his power made him at once abandon his first idea of trying to be good, and resolved to try and frighten the shepherdess into consenting to marry him. His foster brother, who wanted him to keep this resolution, invited three young courtiers, as wicked as himself, to sup with the prince. And they persuaded him to drink a great deal of wine, and continued to excite his anger against Celia by telling him that she had laughed at his love for her. Until at last, in quite a furious rage, he rushed off to find her, declaring that if she still refused to marry him, she should be sold as a slave the very next day. But when he reached the room in which Celia had been locked up, he was greatly surprised to find that she was not in it, though he had the key in his own pocket all the time. His anger was terrible, and he vowed vengeance against whoever had helped her escape. His bad friends, when they heard him, resolved to turn his wrath upon an old nobleman who had formerly been his tutor, and who still dared sometimes to tell the prince of his faults, for he loved him as if he had been his own son. At first Prince Darling had thanked him, but after a time he grew impatient, and thought it must be just near love of fault-finding that made his old tutor blame him when everyone else was praising and flattering him. So he ordered him to retire from his court, though he still from time to time spoke of him as a worthy man whom he respected, even if he no longer loved him. His unworthy friends feared that he might someday take it into his head to recall his old tutor, so they thought now a good opportunity of getting him banished forever. They reported to the prince that Suleiman, for that was the tutor's name, had boasted of having helped Celia to escape, and they bribed three men to say that Suleiman himself had told them about it. The prince, in great anger, sent his foster-brother with a number of soldiers to bring his tutor before him in chains, like a criminal. After giving this order he went to his own room, but he had scarcely got into it when there was a clap of thunder which made the ground shake and the fairy truth appeared suddenly before him. I promised your father, said she sternly, to give you good advice, and to punish you if you refused to follow it. You have despised my counsel and have gone your own evil way until you are not outwardly a man. Finally you are monster, the whore of everyone who knows you. It is time that I should fulfill my promise and begin your punishment. I condemn you to resemble the animals whose ways you have imitated. You have made yourself like the lion by your anger and like the wolf by your greediness. Like a snake you have ungratefully turned upon those who would be a second father to you. Your cheerlessness has made you a bull, therefore in your new form take the appearance of all these animals. The fairy has scarcely finished speaking when the Prince Darling saw to his horror that her words were fulfilled. He had a lion's head, a bull's horns, a wolf's feet, and a snake's body. At the same instance he found himself in a great forest beside a clear lake in which he could see plainly the horrible creature he had become, and a voice said to him, look carefully at the state to which your wickedness has brought you. Believe me your soul is a thousand times more hideous than your body. Prince Darling recognized the voice of the fairy truth and turned in a fury to catch her and eat her up if he possibly could. But he saw no one, and the same voice went on, I laugh at your powerlessness and anger, and I intend to punish your pride by letting you fall into the hands of your own subjects. The Prince began to think that the best thing he could do would be to get as far away from the lake as he could, then at least he would not be continually reminded of his terrible ugliness. So he ran toward the wood, but before he had gone many yards he fell into a deep pit which had been made to trap bears, and the hunters, who were hiding in a tree, leapt down and secured him with several chains and led him into the chief city of his own kingdom. On the way, instead of recognizing that his own faults had brought this punishment upon him, he accused the fairy of being the cause of all his misfortunes and bit and torred his chains furiously. As they approached the town he saw that some great rejoicing was being held, and when the hunters asked what had happened they were told that the Prince, whose only pleasure it was to torment his people, had been found in his room, killed by a thunderbolt, for that was what had supposed to become of him. Four of his courtiers, those who had encouraged him in his wicked doings, had tried to seize the kingdom and divide it between them, but the people who knew it was their bad councils which had so changed their Prince, had cut off their heads, and had offered the crown to soulmen whom the Prince had left in prison. This noble lord had just been crowned, and the deliverance of the kingdom was the cause of the rejoicing. Four they said, he is a good and just man, and we shall once more enjoy peace and prosperity. Prince Darling roared with anger when he heard this, but it was still worse for him when he reached the great square before his own palace. He saw soulmen seated upon a magnificent throne, and all the people crowded around him, wishing him a long life that he might undo all the mischief done by his predecessor. Presently soulmen made a sign with his hand that the people should be silent, and said, I have accepted the crown you have offered me, but only that I may keep it for Prince Darling, who was not dead as you suppose. The fairies assured me that there is still hope that you may one day see him again, good and virtuous as he was when he first came to the throne. Alas he continued, he was led away by flatterers. I knew his heart, and am certain that if it had not been for the bad influence on those who surrounded him, he would have been a good king and a father to his people. We may hate his faults, but let us pity him and hope for his restoration. As for me, I would die gladly if that would bring back our Prince to reign justly and worthily once more. These words went to Prince Darling's heart. He realized the true affection and faithfulness of his old tutor, and for the first time approached himself for all his evil ways. At the same instant he felt his anger melting away, and began quickly to think over his past life, and to admit that his punishment was not more than he had deserved. He left off tearing at the iron bars of the cage in which he was shut up, and became as gentle as a lamb. The hunters who had caught him took him to a great menagerie from where he was chained up among the other wild beasts, and he was determined to show his sorrow for his past bad behavior by being gentle and obedient to the man who had to take care of him. Unfortunately, this man was very rough and unkind, and though the poor monster was quite quiet, he often beat him without rhyme or reason when he happened to be in a bad temper. One day when this keeper was asleep, a tiger broke its chain and flew at him to eat him up. This darling, who saw that this was going on, at first felt quite pleased to think that he should soon be delivered from his persecutor, but soon thought better of it and wished that he were free. I would return good for evil, he said to himself, and save the unhappy man's life. He had hardly wished this when his iron cage flew open and he rushed to the side of the keeper, who was awake and was defending himself against the tiger. When he saw the monster had got out, he gave himself up for lost, but his fear was soon changed into joy for the kind monster flew itself upon the tiger and very soon killed it, and then came and crouched at the feet of the man it had saved. Overcome with gratitude, the keeper stood to caress the strange creature which had done him such a great service, but suddenly a voice said in his ear, a good action should never go unrewarded, and at the same instant the monster disappeared, and he saw at his feet only a pretty little dog. Prince Darling, delighted by this change, frisked about the keeper, showing his joy in every way he could, and the man taking him up in his arms carried him to the king, to whom he told the whole story. The queen said that she would like to have this wonderful little dog, and the prince would have been very happy in his new home if he could have forgotten that he was a man and a king. The queen petted and took care of him, but she was so afraid that he would get too fat that she consulted the court physician, who said that he was to be fed only upon bread, and was not to have much even of that. So poor Prince Darling was terribly hungry all day long, but he was very patient about it. One day, when they gave him his little loaf for breakfast, he thought he would like to eat it out in the garden. So he took it up in his mouth and trotted away towards a brook he knew of a long way from the palace. But he was surprised to find that the brook was gone, and where it had been stood a great house that seemed to be built of gold and precious stones. Numbers of people splendidly dressed were going into it, and sounds of music and dancing and feasting could be seen from the windows. But what seemed very strange was that those people who came out of the house were pale and thin, and their clothes were torn and hanging in rags about them. Some fell down dead as they came out before they had time to get away. Others crawled farther with great difficulty, while others, again on the ground, fainting with hunger and begged a morsel of bread from those who were going into the house, but they would not so much as look at the poor creatures. Prince Darling went up to a young girl, who was trying to eat a few blades of grass she was so hungry. Touched with compassion he said to himself, I am very hungry, but I shall not die of starvation before I get to my dinner. If I give my breakfast to this poor creature, perhaps I may save her life. So he laid his piece of bread in the girl's hand, and saw her eat it up, eagerly. She soon seemed to be quite well again, and the prince, delighted to have been able to help her, was thinking of going home to the palace, when he heard a great outcry and turning around, saw Celia, who was being carried against her will into the great house. For the first time the prince regretted that he was no longer the monster, then he would have been able to rescue Celia. Now he could only bark feebly at the people, who were carrying her off, and try to follow them, but they chased and kicked him away. He determined not to quit the place until he knew what had become of Celia, and blamed himself for what had befallen her. Alas, he said to himself, I am furious with the people that are carrying Celia off, but isn't that exactly what I did myself? And had I not been prevented, did I not intend to be still more cruel to her? Here he was interrupted by a noise above his head. Someone was opening a window, and he saw with delight that it was Celia herself, who came forward and threw out a plate of most delicious looking food. Then the window was shut again, and the prince, darling, who had not had anything to eat all day, thought he might as well take the opportunity of getting something. He ran forward again, but the young girl to whom he had given his bread gave a cry of terror, and took him up in her arms, saying, don't touch it, my poor little dog. That house is the palace of pleasure, and everything that comes out of it is poisoned. At the same moment, a voice said, you see a good action always brings its reward, and the prince found himself changed into a beautiful white dove. He remembered that white was the favorite color of the fairy truth, and began to hope that he might at last win back her favor. But just now his first care was for Celia, and rising into the air he flew round and round the house until he saw an open window. But he searched through every room in vain, no trace of Celia was to be seen, and the prince, in despair, determined to search through the world till he found her. He flew on and on for several days till he came to a great desert where he saw a cavern, and to his delight, there sat Celia, sharing the simple breakfast of an old hermit. Overjoyed to have found her, Prince Darling perched upon her shoulder, trying to express by his caresses how glad he was to see her again. And Celia, surprised and delighted by the tameness of this pretty white dove, stroked it softly, and said, though she never thought of its understanding her, I accept the gift that you made me of yourself, and I will love you always. Take care what you are saying, Celia, said the old hermit. Are you prepared to keep that promise? Indeed I hope so, my sweet shepherdess cried out the prince, who was at that moment restored to his natural shape. You promised to love me always. Tell me that you really mean what you said, or I shall have to ask the fairy to give me back the form of the dove, which pleased you so much. You need not be afraid that she will change your mind, said the fairy, throwing off the hermit's robe in which she had been disguised and appearing before them. Celia has loved you ever since she first saw you, only she would not tell you while you were so obstinate and naughty. Now you have repented and mean to be good as you deserve to be happy, and so she may love you so much as she likes. Celia and Prince Darling threw themselves at the fairy's feet, and the prince was never tired of thanking her for her kindness. Celia was delighted to hear how sorry he was for all his past follies and misdeeds, and promised to love him as long as she lived. Rise, my children, said the fairy, and I will transport you to the palace, and Prince Darling shall have back again the crown he forfeited by his bad behavior. While she was speaking they found themselves in Suleiman's hall, and his delight was great at seeing his dear master once more. He gave up the throne joyfully to the prince, and remained always the most faithful of his subjects. Celia and Prince Darling reigned for many years, but he was so determined to govern worthily and to do his duty that his ring, which he took to wearing again, never once pricked him severely. End of PRINCE DARLING. BLUE BEARD OF THE BLUE FAIRY BOOK This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. This recording by Sarah Jennings. THE BLUE FAIRY BOOK By Andrew Lang. BLUE BEARD. There was a man who had fine houses both in town and country, a deal of silver and gold plate, and broidered furniture, and coaches gilded all over with gold. But this man was so unlucky as to have a blue beard, which made him so frightfully ugly that all the women and girls ran away from him. One of his neighbors, a lady of quality, had two daughters who were perfect beauties. He desired of her one of them in marriage, leaving to her choice which of the two she would bestow on him. They would neither of them have him, and sent him backward and forward from one another, not being able to bear the thoughts of marrying a man who had a blue beard. And what besides gave them disgust and aversion was his already having been married to several wives, and nobody ever knew what became of them. Bluebeard, to engage their affection, took them with the lady their mother, and three or four ladies of their acquaintance. With other young people of the neighborhood, to one of his country's seats, where they stayed a whole week. There was nothing then to be seen but parties of pleasure, hunting, fishing, dancing, mirth, and feasting. Nobody went to bed, but all passed the night in rallying and joking with each other. In short, everything succeeded so well that the youngest daughter began to think the master of the house, not to have a beard so very blue, and that he was a mighty civil gentleman. As soon as they returned home, the marriage was concluded. About a month afterward, Bluebeard told his wife that he was obliged to take a country journey for six weeks at least, about affairs of very great consequence, desiring her to divert herself, in his absence, to send for her friends and acquaintances, to carry them into the country if she pleased, and to make good cheer wherever she was. Here, said he, are the keys of the two great wardrobes, wherein I have my best furniture. These are of my silver and gold plate, which is not in everyday use. These open my strong boxes, which hold my money, both gold and silver. These my caskets of jewels, and this is the master key to all my apartments. But for this little one here, it is the key of the closet at the end of the great gallery on the ground floor. Open them all, go into all and every one of them, except that little closet, which I forbid you, and forbid it in such a manner, that if you happen to open it, there's nothing but what you may expect from my just anger and resentment. She promised to observe very exactly whatever he had ordered, when he, after having embraced her, got into his coach and proceeded on his journey. Her neighbors and friends did not stay to be sent for by the new married lady, so great was their impatience to see all the rich furniture of her house, not daring to come while her husband was there, because of his blue beard, which frightened them. They ran through all the rooms, closets and wardrobes, which were all so fine and rich that they seemed to surpass one another. After that, they went up into the two great rooms, where was the best and richest furniture. They could not sufficiently admire the number and beauty of the tapestries, beds, couches, cabinets, stands, tables, and looking glasses, in which you might see yourself from head to foot. Some of them were framed with glass, others with silver, plain and gilded, the finest and most magnificent ever were seen. They ceased not to extol and envy the happiness of their friend, who in the meantime in no way diverted herself in looking upon all these rich things because of the impatience she had to go and open the closet on the ground floor. She was so much pressed by her curiosity that without considering that it was very uncivil to leave her company, she went down a little back staircase, and with such excessive haste that she had twice her thrice like to have broken her neck. Coming to the closet door, she made a stop for some time, thinking upon her husband's orders, and considering what unhappiness might attend her, she was disobedient. But the temptation was so strong she could not overcome it. She then took the little key and opened it, trembling, but could not at first see anything plainly because the windows were shut. After some moments she began to perceive that the floor was all covered over with clotted blood, on which lay the bodies of several dead women, ranged against the walls. These were all the wives whom Bluebeard had married and murdered one after another. She thought she would have died for fear, and the key which she pulled out of the lock fell out of her hand. After having somewhat recovered her surprise, she took up the key, locked the door, and went upstairs into the chamber to recover herself. But she could not. She was so much frightened. Having observed that the key of the closet was stained with blood, she tried two or three times to wipe it off, but the blood would not come out. In vain did she wash it, and even rub it with soap and sand. The blood still remained, for the key was magical, and she could never make it quite clean. When the blood was gone off from one side, it came again on the other. Bluebeard returned from his journey the same evening, and said he had received letters upon the road, informing him that the affair he went about was ended to his advantage. His wife did all she could to convince him that she was extremely glad of his speedy return. Next morning he asked her for the keys, which she gave him, but with such a trembling hand that he easily guessed what had happened. What, said he, is not the key of my closet among the rest? I must certainly have left it above upon the table, said she. Fail not to bring it to me presently, said Bluebeard. After several goings backward and forward, she was forced to bring him the key. Bluebeard, having very attentively considered it, said to his wife, How comes this blood upon the key? I do not know, cried the poor woman, paler than death. You do not know, replied Bluebeard. I very well know. You were resolved to go into the closet, were you not? Mighty well, madam, you shall go in and take your place among the ladies you saw there. Upon this she threw herself at her husband's feet, and begged his pardon with all the signs of true repentance, bowing that she would never more be disobedient. She would have melted a rock so beautiful and sorrowful was she, but Bluebeard had a heart harder than any rock. He must die, madam, said he, and that presently. Since I must die, answered she, looking upon him with her eyes all bathed in tears, give me some little time to say my prayers. I give you, replied Bluebeard, half a quarter of an hour, but not one moment more. When she was alone she called out to her sister, and said to her sister Anne, for that was her name, go up I beg you upon the top of the tower, and look if my brothers are not coming over. They promised me that they would come today, and if you see them, give them a sign to make haste. Her sister Anne went to the top of the tower, and the poor afflicted wife cried out from time to time, Anne, sister Anne, do you see anyone coming? And sister Anne said, I see nothing but the sun, which makes a dust, and the grass, which looks green. And the meanwhile, Bluebeard, holding a great saber in his hand, cried out as loud as he could ball to his wife. Come down instantly, or I shall come up to you. One moment longer if you please, said his wife, and then she cried out very softly, Anne, sister Anne, does thou see anybody coming? And sister Anne answered, I see nothing but the sun, which makes a dust, and the grass, which is green. Come down quickly, cried Bluebeard, or I will come up to you. I am coming, answered his wife. And then she cried, Anne, sister Anne, does thou not see anyone coming? I see, replied sister Anne, a great dust, which comes on this side here. Are they my brothers? Alas, no, my dear sister, I see a flock of sheep. Will you not come down, cried Bluebeard? One moment longer, said his wife, and then she cried out, Anne, sister Anne, does thou see anybody coming? I see, said she, two horsemen, but they are yet a great way off. God be praised, replied the poor wife joyfully. They are my brothers. I will make them a sign, as well as I can, for them to make haste. Then Bluebeard bawled out so loud that he made the whole house tremble. The distressed wife came down and threw herself at his feet, all in tears, with her hair about her shoulders. That signifies nothing, says Bluebeard. You must die. Then taking hold of her hair with one hand, and lifting up the sword with the other, he was going to take off her head. The poor lady, turning about to him and looking at him with dying eyes, desired him to afford her one little moment to recollect herself. No, no, said he, recommend thyself to God, and was just ready to strike. At this very instant there was such a loud knocking at the gate that Bluebeard made a sudden stop. The gate was opened and presently entered two horsemen, who, drawing their swords, ran directly to Bluebeard. He knew them to be his wife's brothers, one a dragoon, the other a musketeer, so that he ran away immediately to save himself. But the two brothers pursued so close that they overtook him before he could get to the steps of the porch. When they ran their swords through his body and left him dead, the poor wife was almost as dead as her husband, and had not strength enough to rise and welcome her brothers. Bluebeard had no heirs, and so his wife became mistress of all his estate. She made use of one part of it to marry her sister Anne to a young gentleman who had loved her a long while, another part to buy captain's commissions for her brothers, and the rest to marry herself to a very worthy gentleman, who made her forget the ill time she had passed with Bluebeard. End of Bluebeard.