{"collection":"myth-cosmogony","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_74947/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_74947","id":"gutenberg_74947","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/74947","summary":null,"tags":["Category: Adventure","Category: German Literature","Category: Mythology, Legends & Folklore","Category: Short Stories","Fairy tales -- Germany -- Translations into English"],"text":"FAIRY TALES\n\n BY WILHELM HAUFF\n\n\n Translated by L. L. Weedon\n\n Illustrated by Arthur A. Dixon\n\n\n [Illustration]\n\n\n London Ernest Nister\n New York E. P. Dutton & Co.\n\n\n\n\n [Illustration: _THE STORY OF THE FALSE PRINCE._\n _\u201cThe tailor\u2019s heart swelled with pride and joy.\u201d_]\n\n\n\n\n [Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nCONTENTS\n\n\n PAGE\n THE STORY OF CALIPH STORK 9\n\n FATIMA\u2019S RESCUE 28\n\n THE STORY OF LITTLE MOUK 57\n\n THE STORY OF THE FALSE PRINCE 87\n\n THE DWARF LONG-NOSE 111\n\n ABNER, THE JEW WHO SAW NOTHING 153\n\n THE STORY OF ALMANSOR 160\n\n THE STORY OF THE FLORIN 181\n\n THE COLD HEART 207\n\n THE ADVENTURES OF SAID 276\n\n THE CAVERN OF STEENFOLL: A SCOTTISH LEGEND 327\n\n\n\n\n [Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nLIST OF FULL PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS\n\n\n COLOUR\n\n FACING PAGE\n THE TAILOR\u2019S HEART SWELLED WITH PRIDE AND JOY _Frontispiece_\n\n HE DECIDED TO FOLLOW THEM 62\n\n AN OLD WOMAN CAME SLOWLY ACROSS THE MARKET-PLACE 112\n\n SHE STOOD LEANING UPON HER STAFF WAITING FOR CUNO 196\n\n CHARCOAL PETER AND THE GLASS-MAN 232\n\n IT HAD TURNED INTO AN ENORMOUS DOLPHIN 316\n\n\n BLACK AND WHITE ILLUSTRATIONS\n\n FACING PAGE\n\n THE OWL WARNED THEM TO BE AS SILENT AS THE GRAVE 22\n\n HE MADE FOR THE DOOR SCREAMING LUSTILY FOR HELP 40\n\n HE HAD UNEARTHED A POT FULL OF GOLDEN COINS 72\n\n CHOOSING THE CASKETS 104\n\n THEY TOLD EACH OTHER THEIR SAD STORIES 140\n\n THEY RAN HERE AND THERE IN WILD DISORDER 154\n\n THE SLAVE HELD AN ENORMOUS DICTIONARY 168\n\n FASTER AND FASTER THEY WENT 184\n\n \u201cTHIS,\u201d THOUGHT HE, \u201cMUST SURELY BE THE ABODE OF THE\n GLASS-MAN\u201d 214\n\n SHE SAW A LITTLE OLD MAN COMING ALONG 258\n\n HE SAW A LITTLE MAN BENDING OVER HIM 292\n\n \u201cI CAME TO LOOK FOR THE CARMILHAN,\u201d HE SAID 332\n\n\n\n\n [Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nTHE STORY OF CALIPH STORK.\n\n\nCHAPTER I.\n\nChasid, Caliph of Bagdad, was taking his ease one beautiful afternoon,\nstretched out upon his couch. He had just awakened from a little nap\nand was in a pleasant mood. From time to time he drank from the cup of\ncoffee one of his slaves handed to him, and took long whiffs from a\nrosewood pipe, stroking his long beard the while, with an air of\nextreme complacency. In short, it was evident that the Caliph was in a\nvery good humour.\n\n [Illustration: _The Pedlar._]\n\nIt was the best time in the day for any one to approach him on\nbusiness, for he was usually inclined to grant any request one might\nask, and for this reason, his grand vizier Mansor was wont to visit\nhim at that hour. On this particular afternoon he came as usual, but\nseemed unaccountably quiet and thoughtful. The Caliph removed his\npipe from his mouth and said: \u201cWhy do you look so serious, Grand\nVizier?\u201d\n\nThe grand vizier crossed his arms on his breast, bowed low before his\nmaster, and answered:\n\n\u201cSire, it is no wonder I look disturbed, for below the palace wall\nstands a pedlar, who has such beautiful goods for sale that it angers\nme to think I have no money to spare just now.\u201d\n\nThe Caliph, who had long wished for an opportunity to confer some gift\nupon his vizier, sent a black slave to fetch the pedlar.\n\nVery soon the slave returned, ushering the pedlar into his master\u2019s\npresence. He was a fat little man, with a sunburnt face and dressed in\nrags. He carried a pack in which all sorts of wares were huddled\ntogether, pearls, rings, richly-chased pistols, goblets and combs.\n\nThe Caliph and his vizier took stock of everything, and finally the\nCaliph purchased handsome pistols for himself and his vizier Mansor,\nand a beautiful comb for Mansor\u2019s wife.\n\nAs the pedlar was about to close his pack, the Caliph noticed a little\ndrawer and asked if there was anything in it for sale.\n\nThe man opened the drawer and took out a snuff-box containing a dark\ncoloured powder, and a paper covered with very curious characters,\nwhich neither the Caliph nor his vizier were able to read. \u201cI had\nthese from a merchant, who picked them up in the streets of Mecca,\u201d\nsaid the pedlar. \u201cI do not know what they contain and they are at\nyour service for a very low price, as I do not know what to do with\nthem.\u201d\n\nThe Caliph, who was always glad to purchase rare manuscripts for his\nlibrary, even if he could not read them himself, bought both snuff-box\nand paper, and dismissed the pedlar.\n\nBut the Caliph was curious to know what the writing on the paper meant\nand asked the vizier if he knew of any one who would possibly be able\nto decipher it.\n\n\u201cMost gracious lord and master,\u201d said the vizier, \u201cnear the great\nMosque dwells a man known as Selim the Learned, who understands all\nlanguages; bid him come hither and maybe he will understand these\nmysterious characters.\u201d\n\nThe learned Selim was soon sent for and the Caliph addressed him thus:\n\u201cSelim, it is said of you that you are a very learned man; look well\nat this writing, and see if you can read it. If you are able to do so,\nI will give you a new robe for feast days, but if you are unable to do\nso you will receive twelve strokes upon the back and five-and-twenty\nupon the soles of your feet, because you have masqueraded under the\nname of Selim the Learned.\u201d\n\nSelim glanced at the writing intently and suddenly cried out: \u201cIt is\nLatin, my Lord, most certainly it is Latin.\u201d\n\n\u201cVery well, then,\u201d commanded the Caliph impatiently, \u201cif you know that\nit is Latin, tell me what it means.\u201d\n\nSelim began to translate: \u201cMan, whoever you be, who shall find this,\npraise Allah for his mercy. He who shall take a pinch of the powder\nin this snuff-box and say the word \u2018Mutabor\u2019 shall be able to\ntransform himself into any kind of animal and understand the\ncreature\u2019s language. When he wishes to return to his original form he\nmust bow three times towards the East and repeat the same word. But\nlet him beware, when in the transformed state, never to laugh,\notherwise he will forget the magic word and will be condemned to\nremain an animal.\u201d\n\nWhen Selim had finished reading, the Caliph was beside himself with\njoy. He made Selim take an oath that he would not reveal the secret,\ngave him a handsome robe, and sent him away.\n\n\u201cI call that a first-rate purchase,\u201d said he to Mansor. \u201cHow I long to\nbecome an animal! Early to-morrow morning you shall come with me, we\nwill go out into the fields, take a pinch of snuff from my box, and\nthen listen to all that is being said in the air and in the water, in\nthe field and in the woodland.\u201d\n\n\nCHAPTER II.\n\nThe following morning the Caliph Chasid had scarcely finished his\nbreakfast, when the grand vizier appeared in order to accompany his\nmaster upon his morning walk. The Caliph tucked the snuff-box\ncontaining the magic powder into his sash, and having commanded his\nattendants to remain behind, he and his vizier set out alone upon\ntheir way.\n\nFirst they passed through the royal gardens, but looked in vain for\nsome living creature so that they might test the power of the powder.\nThen the vizier suggested they should visit a pond where he had\nfrequently seen a number of storks disporting themselves, their\ndignified ways and hoarse cries having attracted his attention.\n\n [Illustration: _Immediately their legs began to shrink._\n (P. 14.)]\n\nThe Caliph approved of his suggestion and accordingly they went to the\npond. On their approach they noticed a stork walking gravely to and\nfro, searching for frogs, and now and again uttering loud cries; at\nthe same time they saw, above them in the air, a second stork floating\ngracefully towards them.\n\n\u201cI wager my beard, Sire,\u201d said the vizier, \u201cthese two long-legs will\nhold an amusing conversation together. What do you say to our\ntransforming ourselves into storks?\u201d\n\n\u201cThe very thing,\u201d answered the Caliph, \u201cbut first let us be very\ncareful that we know the way to become men again. Let me see--we must\nbow three times towards the East, and say \u2018Mutabor,\u2019 and immediately I\nshall be the Caliph, and you my vizier. But for heaven\u2019s sake do not\nlaugh, otherwise all will be lost.\u201d\n\nAs the Caliph spoke he saw the second stork slowly drop to earth, so\nhe quickly drew his snuff-box from his girdle, took a pinch, offered\nthe box to his vizier, who likewise snuffed the powder, whilst the\npair of them cried simultaneously, \u2018Mutabor!\u2019\n\nImmediately their legs began to shrink and to become thin and red,\ntheir beautiful yellow slippers turned into unshapely storks\u2019 feet,\ntheir arms became wings, their necks shot up from between their\nshoulders to the length of an ell at least, their beards disappeared,\nand their bodies were covered with soft white feathers.\n\n\u201cYou have a pretty beak, my lord vizier,\u201d said the Caliph, as he\nstared in astonishment at his companion. \u201cBy the beard of the prophet,\nI have never seen such a sight in my life.\u201d\n\n\u201cMany thanks,\u201d replied the vizier bowing. \u201cIf I may be permitted to\nsay so, you are almost better looking as a stork than a Caliph. But\ncome, let us join our companions and find out if we really can\nunderstand stork language.\u201d\n\nIn the meantime the other stork, which had just alighted, was pluming\nits feathers as it approached the first stork, so the two newly-made\nbirds hastened to come up to them, and to their astonishment\noverheard the following extraordinary conversation.\n\n\u201cGood-morning, Mrs. Long-legs, how early you are up.\u201d\n\n\u201cAh, my dear Clapperbill! I just came out to get a snack; anything I\ncan offer you, my dear, in the shape of a bit of lizard or a tit-bit\nof frog?\u201d\n\n\u201cThanks all the same, but I\u2019ve really no appetite--I came here for\nquite a different reason--I have to dance to-day before my father\u2019s\nguests, and I came here to practise a little by myself.\u201d\n\nWith these words the young stork began to twist and turn about in the\nmost ridiculous attitudes imaginable. The Caliph and Mansor stared at\nher in surprise, but when she stood on one foot, stretched out her\nwings and struck an attitude of supposed grace, she looked so absurd\nthat they could no longer contain themselves, but burst out into\nhearty and prolonged laughter. It was some time before they could\ncontrol themselves, but at length the Caliph stopped laughing, and\nsaid: \u201cOh! what a joke that was--I would not have missed it for any\nmoney. What a pity our laughter frightened the silly things away; they\nmight otherwise have sung to us also.\u201d\n\nBut suddenly the vizier remembered that they had been forbidden to\nlaugh during the time of their transformation. He at once reminded the\nCaliph of this. \u201cMecca and Medina,\u201d cried he, \u201cit would be a bad joke\nindeed if we had to remain storks for the rest of our lives. See if\nyou can remember the magic word, for upon my soul, I seem to have\nforgotten it.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe must bow three times towards the east and say \u2018Mu-Mu-Mu--\u2019\u201d\n\nNo further could they get. They bowed and bowed until their beaks\ntouched the ground, but try as they would they could _not_ remember\nthe magic word, and the unfortunate Caliph and his vizier were doomed\nto remain two storks.\n\n\nCHAPTER III.\n\nThe enchanted pair wandered sadly from field to field, wondering what\nthey could do to end their misery. They could not rid themselves of\ntheir birds forms, and it was equally impossible to return to the town\nand declare themselves to be the Caliph and his vizier, for who would\nhave believed a couple of storks, and was it to be supposed the\ninhabitants of Bagdad would consent to be ruled by a stork?\n\nAnd so they crept about for days, sustaining themselves meagrely on\nwild fruits, which they were scarcely able to eat on account of their\nlong beaks, but as yet they had no appetite for lizards and frogs, and\nsuch-like delicacies. Their only relaxation was the pleasure they\nfound in the use of their wings, for they were able to fly into Bagdad\nand watch, from the roofs of the houses, what went on in the city.\n\nAt first they noticed great sorrow and unrest, but within four days\nall this was changed and, watching from the roof of the Caliph\u2019s\npalace, they noticed a magnificent procession winding along in the\nstreet below--drums and fifes sounded, and a man clothed in a scarlet\nrobe, embroidered with gold, was seated upon a finely-caparisoned\nhorse, surrounded by a glittering escort. Half the inhabitants of\nBagdad came out to watch the procession, and cried as it passed--\u201cHail!\nMizra, ruler of Bagdad.\u201d\n\nThe two storks looked at each other and the Caliph said--\u201cCan you not\nguess now why we have been thus bewitched? Mizra is the son of my\ndeadly enemy, the powerful magician Kaschnur, who once in an evil\nmoment swore revenge against me. But we will not despair; come, my\nfaithful comrade, we will seek the grave of our great prophet, and\nperchance in that holy spot we shall be freed from the enchantment.\u201d\n\n [Illustration: _They had no appetite for lizards and frogs._\n (P. 16.)]\n\nSo they left the palace roof and flew towards Medina.\n\nBut they had had so little practice in flying that they soon grew\nweary. \u201cOh! sire!\u201d groaned the vizier, after a couple of hours, \u201cwith\nyour permission I must rest for awhile, you fly too quickly for me.\nIt is already evening, and would it not be as well to seek shelter for\nthe night?\u201d\n\nChasid agreed to his companion\u2019s request, and as he saw a ruin in the\nvalley beneath, which promised to afford a roof to cover them, they\nflew down to it. The place seemed to have been at one time a castle.\nBeautiful pillars raised themselves in the dilapidated apartments,\nwhich still retained evidences of their former splendour.\n\nChasid and Mansor wandered through the corridors, seeking for a dry\nspot suitable for a resting place, when suddenly Mansor stood still.\n\n\u201cMy lord and master,\u201d he whispered softly, \u201cridiculous as it may\nappear for a vizier, not to mention a stork, to be afraid of ghosts,\nthere is no doubt I feel an uncomfortable sensation of fright, for can\nyou not hear a weird groaning and sobbing noise close at hand?\u201d\n\nThe Caliph listened and heard the unmistakable sound of human weeping.\nAnxious to solve the mystery he hastened towards the spot from which\nthe sound proceeded.\n\nThe vizier seized him by the wing and begged him earnestly not to\nplace himself in the way of fresh danger, but the Caliph carried a\nbrave heart beneath his stork\u2019s feathers and, disengaging himself from\nhis companion, though with the loss of some feathers, he hurried along\nthe dark corridor.\n\nPresently he came to a door which was closed, but not fastened, and\nfrom behind which he distinctly heard the sound of sighing and\nweeping. He pushed the door open with his beak and stood astounded\nupon the threshold. In a ruined chamber, lighted only by the rays of\nthe moon, which streamed through a little casement window, he saw a\nlarge owl. Tears streamed from her great brown eyes, and with hoarse\nscreeching voice she bemoaned her sorrows, but no sooner did she\nperceive the Caliph and his vizier than she uttered a cry of joy;\ndaintily wiping the tears from her eyes with her brown-tinted wings,\nshe spoke to them, to their utter astonishment, in excellent Arabic--\n\n [Illustration: _He bowed his long neck._ (P. 20.)]\n\n\u201cWelcome, O ye storks,\u201d she cried, \u201cyou come to me as tokens of my\ndeliverance, for it was once prophesied to me that great good fortune\nwould befall me through the intervention of two storks.\u201d\n\nAs soon as the Caliph had recovered from his astonishment, he brought\nhis thin feet together and bowed his long neck in an elegant attitude.\n\n\u201cOwl,\u201d said he, \u201cafter what you have said, may I consider myself to be\nin the presence of a companion in distress? But alas! your hopes that\nwe may be able to assist you are in vain. You will recognise our\nhelplessness when you have heard our story.\u201d\n\nThe owl begged him to recount it, and the Caliph made her acquainted\nwith all that had befallen them.\n\n\nCHAPTER IV.\n\nWhen the Caliph had told his story the owl thanked him and said: \u201cNow\nyou shall hear my story and you will then see that I am no less\nunhappy than you and your vizier. My father is the King of the Indies,\nand I am his only and unfortunate daughter, Lusa by name. The same\nwicked magician Kaschnur, to whom you owe your misfortunes, bewitched\nme also. One day he came to my father and demanded that I should be\ngiven to his son Mizra for a wife, but my father, who is a hasty man,\nordered him to be thrown down the steps. The miserable wretch knew,\nhowever, how to transform himself and approach me when I was walking\nin my garden. Disguised as a slave, he offered me a refreshing drink,\nbut one which changed me into this horrible form. Fainting with\nhorror, I was seized by him and carried here, and before leaving me he\nshrieked these words in a terrible voice--\n\n\u201c\u2018Here shall you remain, hideous and shunned even by the beasts\nthemselves, until your end comes, or until some person shall be\nwilling, in spite of your dreadful appearance, to make you his wife.\nThis is my revenge upon you and your proud father.\u2019\n\n\u201cAll this took place many months ago. Lonely and sad I have passed my\nmiserable days, shunned by all, even the beautiful face of Nature\nturned from me, for by day I am blind, and it is only when the moon\u2019s\nfaint rays pierce my prison window that the veil falls from my eyes.\u201d\n\nAs the owl ceased speaking, she once more wiped her eyes with her\nwings, for the recital of her woes had caused her tears to flow\nafresh.\n\nThe princess\u2019s story had made the Caliph very serious--\u201cIt seems to\nme,\u201d he said, \u201cthat there is a strong resemblance between your trouble\nand ours, but where shall we find the key to unlock the mystery?\u201d\n\nThe owl answered more hopefully, \u201cMy lord as I told you, it was\nprophesied of me in my youth, by a wise woman, that good fortune would\ncome to me by the help of a stork. Now, the magician who was the cause\nof all our misfortunes comes once a month to these ruins, and feasts\nand makes merry with his companions in an apartment close by. Many a\ntime I have listened to their conversation and heard them recount\ntheir wicked deeds; might it not happen that Kaschnur would perhaps\nlet fall the magic word that would release you, during one of these\nrevels?\u201d\n\n\u201cOh! dearest princess,\u201d cried the excited Caliph, \u201ctell me, I beseech\nyou, the date of Kaschnur\u2019s next visit!\u201d\n\nThe owl was silent for a short space of time, then said she--\u201cDo not\nbe offended if I make a condition with you before granting your wish.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat is it,\u201d cried the Caliph, \u201cwhatever it is, be sure I shall be\nwilling to grant it you.\u201d\n\n\u201cWell, it is this,\u201d said the owl; \u201cI am as anxious as you are to\nregain my natural form, and this can only happen if one of you will\noffer me his hand.\u201d\n\nThe storks appeared somewhat taken aback, and the Caliph beckoned his\nvizier aside.\n\n\u201cGrand vizier,\u201d said he, \u201cit is a great nuisance, but you must just\ntake her.\u201d\n\n\u201cIndeed,\u201d replied the vizier, \u201cand when I reach home my wife will\nscratch my eyes out for my pains. Besides, I am an old man, whilst you\nare young and unmarried, and are therefore a more suitable match for a\nyoung and beautiful princess.\u201d\n\n\u201cWell, that is the point,\u201d the Caliph sighed sadly; \u201cwho told you she\nwas young and beautiful? I don\u2019t care to buy a cat in a bag like\nthat.\u201d\n\nThey argued together for some time, but when the Caliph found his\nvizier would rather remain a stork than marry the owl, he made up his\nmind to fulfil the condition himself.\n\n [Illustration: _THE CALIPH STORK_\n _\u201cThe owl warned them to be as silent as the grave\u201d_\n (_p. 25_)]\n\nThe owl was overjoyed, and assured the two storks they could not have\narrived at a more opportune moment, for the magicians were to meet\nthere that very night.\n\nSo she and the storks left the little room and threaded their way\nalong a dark narrow corridor until they came to a broken-down wall,\nthrough the crevices of which a bright light streamed. The owl warned\nthem to be as silent as the grave and pointed out a hole through which\nthey could peep into the great hall beyond.\n\nThis hall was magnificently decorated, and lighted up by many\ndifferent coloured lamps. In the middle of the apartment stood a round\ntable set with a variety of the choicest dishes. Round the table were\ncouches, upon which eight men reclined, and one of these men the\nstorks immediately recognised as the pedlar who had sold them the\nmagic powder. His neighbour invited him to recount his latest doings,\nand amongst other stories he recounted that of the Caliph and his\nvizier.\n\n\u201cWhat was the magic word you gave them?\u201d asked one of the other\nmagicians.\n\n\u201cA good difficult Latin one--it was \u2018Mutabor.\u2019\u201d\n\n\nCHAPTER V.\n\nAs the storks heard this word they were fairly beside themselves with\njoy. They ran so quickly to the door of the ruin that the owl could\nscarcely follow them. But when they reached the open air the Caliph\nturned to the owl and said in moved tones:--\u201cPreserver of my life and\nof the life of my friend, accept not only my eternal gratitude, but\nmyself as your husband!\u201d\n\nHe and the vizier then turned towards the East, three times they bowed\ntheir long necks towards the rising sun and cried \u201cMutabor,\u201d and in a\nmoment they were restored to their former state, and Caliph and vizier\nfell into each other\u2019s arms and embraced, congratulating each other\nupon the joy of their newly-found life.\n\nBut who shall describe their astonishment when they looked round and\nsaw a lovely lady, gorgeously attired, standing before them. Smilingly\nshe gave her hand to the Caliph. \u201cDo you not recognise your wife, the\nbrown owl?\u201d said she.\n\nThe Caliph was so enraptured at the sight of her beauty and grace that\nhe declared the most fortunate thing that had ever happened to him was\nto be turned into a stork.\n\nThe three set out towards Bagdad together. As the Caliph found in his\npockets not only the magic snuff-box, but his purse also, he was able\nto purchase in the next village all the necessaries required for their\njourney, and so they were able to push forward, and soon reached the\ngates of Bagdad.\n\nArrived there, the greatest astonishment prevailed at the sight of the\nCaliph and his companions. He had been given up for dead, and the\npopulace was overjoyed to welcome back their beloved ruler, but their\nhatred towards the usurper Mizra was as great in proportion.\n\nThe people crowded into the palace and seized upon the old magician\nand his son. The Caliph ordered the old man to be taken to the\napartment of the ruin the owl had inhabited, and there to be hanged,\nbut the son, who was ignorant of his father\u2019s magic arts, the Caliph\ngave the choice of death or a pinch of snuff. He chose the latter, and\nthe vizier at once offered him the snuff-box. He took a mighty pinch,\nand, the Caliph pronouncing the magic word, he at once became\ntransformed into a stork. The Caliph had a large cage made for him\nwhich he ordered to be placed in his gardens, and in which Mizra was\nconfined for the rest of his life.\n\nLong and happily the Caliph lived with his wife, the princess, the\npleasantest hours of the day being when the grand vizier paid his\nafternoon call, and they talked together of their curious experiences\nas storks, and when the Caliph was in a particularly good humour he\nwould condescend to imitate the vizier as he looked when a stork: he\nwould strut stiffly up and down the room, flap his arms as if they\nwere wings, and bow towards the East, vainly striving to recollect the\nforgotten word. This performance gave the Calipha and her children the\ngreatest delight, but when the Caliph teased the vizier too sorely and\ncroaked \u201cMu-Mu-Mu-\u201d for too great a length of time, the vizier would\nthreaten his master--\u201cI will tell the _Calipha_ what took place\noutside the door of the _owl princess\u2019s_ chamber!\u201d\n\n\n\n\nFATIMA\u2019S RESCUE.\n\n\nThe Cadi of Acara had two children named Mustapha and Fatima, who were\nthe joy and delight of their infirm and ailing father, and who loved\neach other very dearly. Mustapha was just two years older than Fatima,\nand it was his constant effort to provide pleasure and amusement for\nhis pretty little sister.\n\n [Illustration: _He knew a pirate ship had been seen in the\n neighbourhood._ (P. 29.)]\n\nOn her sixteenth birthday he gave a little feast for her, to which he\ninvited all her favourite playfellows. The feast was set out in the\ngarden, and consisted of the daintiest dishes that could be procured.\nAfter they had partaken of the meal, and when it was nearly evening,\nhe suggested that he should take them out for a sail upon the water.\n\nFatima and her friends were delighted, for it was a beautiful evening,\nand the view of the town from the water was a particularly fine one.\nWhen Mustapha had sailed the ship for a short time he wished to return\nto land; but the girls begged and entreated him to take them a little\nfurther out. He was most unwilling to do this, as he knew a pirate\nship had been seen in the neighbourhood some few days earlier. The\ngirls, however, were set on sailing out to a point of land that\nstretched far out into the sea, for they were anxious to land there in\norder to watch the sun set and see the great ball of fire sink down\ninto the sea.\n\nJust as they reached the point of land, they noticed a barque, manned\nwith armed men, and Mustapha fearing it might mean danger, ordered the\nboat to be turned round and rowed towards land. But the barque pursued\nthe smaller boat, overtook it and got between it and the land. By this\ntime the girls began to realise their danger, and so terrified were\nthey that they shrieked aloud and would not keep their seats in the\nboat. In vain Mustapha begged them to sit still, pointing out how\nimpossible it was to make any way whilst they impeded the movements of\nthe rowers. As the barque approached, with one accord they rushed to\nthe opposite side of the boat and their weight overturned it, and in a\nmoment they were all struggling in the water.\n\nThe people on shore had seen what was happening and several boats put\noff to assist Mustapha. They were just in time to help rescue the\nfrightened girls, and at their approach the strange barque sailed\naway. At first it was impossible to find out if everyone was safe;\nbut when the girls were brought ashore it was discovered, alas! that\nFatima and one of her companions were missing. In one of the boats was\na stranger, and on Mustapha questioning him as to how he got there he\nowned that he had belonged to the pirate ship. That he had jumped\noverboard to come to the assistance of the sinking girls, and that his\ncomrades had left him in the lurch when they fled from the approaching\nboats; but he had had time to see that two of the girls had been\nseized by the pirates and carried away in their ship.\n\nThe Cadi\u2019s grief knew no bounds, and as for Mustapha, he was beside\nhimself with sorrow, for not only did he blame himself for the loss of\nhis beloved sister, but her friend, who had also been taken captive,\nhad been for a long time past his promised bride, and would have been\nhis wife already had it not been that her parents were poor and the\nCadi did not think her a suitable match for his son.\n\nMustapha\u2019s father was a stern old man, and as soon as his grief had\nsufficiently subsided he sent for his son and said:\n\n\u201cOwing to your folly, I have been robbed of the joy and consolation of\nmy old age. Go, I banish you from my sight for ever, and the curse of\nyour old father shall rest upon your head, unless by some chance you\nshould be able to rescue Fatima, when I will forgive you and receive\nyou once more as my son.\u201d\n\nMustapha had already fully determined to endeavour to rescue his\nsister and her friend, but he had intended to seek his father\u2019s\nblessing before setting out upon his travels. However, the unjust\ntreatment he received did but steel his heart and made him the more\ndetermined not to cease from his quest until he had been successful.\n\nHe spoke to the man they had captured from the pirate ship, and from\nhim learned that the vessel was a slaver, and that the human wares\nwere generally carried to Balsora and there disposed of.\n\nMustapha decided to travel overland, as there happened to be no ship\nsailing just then from his native town, and he wished to reach Balsora\nsoon after the pirates. He had a good horse and little baggage and so\nhe reckoned he could do the journey in six days\u2019 time, but alas! upon\nthe evening of the fourth day, he was set upon quite suddenly by three\nmen. Seeing that resistance was useless, and supposing the attacking\nparty merely wanted his horse and money, he decided to surrender,\nwhich he did. The men then dismounted and, taking him in their midst,\nrode off with him at great speed.\n\nIt seemed to the poor youth that his father\u2019s curse was already about\nto light upon him, for he could not think how it would be possible for\nhim to rescue Fatima and Zoraida, deprived, as he shortly expected to\nbe, of all means. He and his companions rode silently along for about\nan hour; they then turned into a valley, skirted by gigantic trees and\ncarpeted with soft green turf. A brook gurgled peacefully through the\nvalley, and beside it some fifteen to twenty tents were pitched,\nwhilst a number of camels and horses were tethered to the tent-pegs.\nThe sound of a zither, accompanying two fine manly voices, issued from\none of the tents.\n\nIt seemed very improbable that people who had selected such a charming\nlittle spot for their camping place could have very evil intentions,\nand so Mustapha took heart and followed his guides quite cheerfully\nwhen, having unbound his feet and bidden him dismount, they led him\ninto a tent, larger and more richly decorated than any of the others.\nThe beautiful cushions, embroidered with gold, woven carpets, and\ngolden dishes, in which sweet perfumes burnt, would elsewhere merely\nhave betokened wealth and luxury; but in these lonely surroundings\nseemed to point to robbery.\n\nOn one of the cushions sat a little old man. His face was ugly,\nswarthy, and repulsive. A gleam of savage cunning in his eyes and a\ncruel look about his mouth gave him a hateful appearance. Although he\nseemed to be a person of some importance, Mustapha soon perceived that\nthe tent had not been so richly decorated on his account, and his\ncaptors\u2019 words confirmed this--\u201cWhere is the Chief?\u201d they asked the\nlittle man. \u201cAway hunting,\u201d he replied \u201cbut he told me to take his\nplace during his absence!\u201d\n\n\u201cMore the pity,\u201d replied one of the brigands, \u201cfor we must soon decide\nwhether this dog is to die or whether we are to obtain a ransom for\nhim, and that is a question for the Chief to decide, and not for you\nto meddle with.\u201d\n\n [Illustration: _On one of the cushions sat a little old man._\n (P. 32.)]\n\nThe little man raised himself in wrath and attempted to box the ears\nof the man who had annoyed him by this speech, but as he could not\nreach to do this, he burst into a perfect volley of abuse, and as the\nother brigands were not slow to reply, the tent soon resounded with\ntones of angry voices.\n\nBut the curtains at the entrance to the tent were suddenly lifted and\nin came a tall handsome young man, stately and dignified as a Persian\nprince. His clothing and weapons were plain and unadorned, with the\nexception of a dagger with a richly decorated hilt and a gleaming\nsabre. His determined mien and his whole appearance were such as\ncommanded respect without inspiring terror.\n\n\u201cWho dares to quarrel in my tent?\u201d he demanded of the startled men.\n\nFor a moment there was silence and then one of the brigands recounted\nall that had happened. The Chief\u2019s face reddened with anger--\u201cWhen\nhave I ever set you in my place, Hassan?\u201d he cried, and the little man\nseemed to shrink with fear, until he looked smaller than ever. He got\nup and began to slink out of the tent, when a good kick from the Chief\nsent him flying out of the doorway.\n\nAs soon as the little man had disappeared, the three men placed\nMustapha before the master of the tent, who had seated himself upon\nthe cushions. \u201cWe have brought you the man you bade us bring,\u201d they\nsaid. The Chief gazed earnestly at the prisoner and said: \u201cPasha of\nSulieika, your own conscience will tell you why you are in the\npresence of Orbasan.\u201d\n\nOn hearing these words Mustapha flung himself at Orbasan\u2019s feet.\n\n\u201cYou are in error, my lord,\u201d he said, \u201cI am an unfortunate traveller,\nbut not the Pasha of Sulieika.\u201d\n\nThe brigands appeared to be surprised, but the Chief said:\n\u201cDissimulation will not help you, I can bring witnesses to prove your\nidentity.\u201d And he thereupon commanded that one Zuleima should be\nbrought in.\n\nAn old woman appeared, and on being questioned as to whether or no the\nman before her was the Pasha of Sulieika, she answered immediately\nthat he was.\n\n\u201cWretched man,\u201d cried the Chief angrily, \u201cyou see how impossible it is\nto deceive me. You are not worthy that I should stain my good dagger\nwith your blood, but to-morrow morning I will have you bound to the\ntail of my horse and will go a-hunting with you, till the sun sets\nbehind the hills of Sulieika.\u201d\n\nMustapha\u2019s heart sank. \u201cIt is my father\u2019s curse that has driven me to\nthis shameful death,\u201d he cried; \u201calas, sweet sister, and Zoraida, how\ncan I ever hope to rescue you now.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis pretence is useless,\u201d said one of the brigands, \u201csee, the Chief\nbites his lips and feels for his dagger; if you wish to live another\nnight you had best come with me quickly.\u201d And binding Mustapha\u2019s hands\nbehind his back he was about to lead him from the tent, when three\nother brigands entered, with a prisoner in their midst. \u201cHere, as you\ncommanded us, we bring you the Pasha of Sulieika,\u201d said one of them,\nleading their prisoner before the Chief.\n\nMustapha glanced at the prisoner and could not but own that there was\na great resemblance between himself and the Pasha, only the other man\nwas darker in complexion and wore a dark beard.\n\nThe Chief was much surprised to see a second prisoner: \u201cWhich of you\nreally is the man I seek?\u201d he asked.\n\n\u201cIf you seek the Pasha of Sulieika,\u201d the prisoner answered proudly, \u201cI\nam he.\u201d\n\nThe Chief regarded him with a stern and terrible look and then made\nsigns that he was to be led away. This being done, he cut the cords\nthat bound Mustapha with his dagger and invited him to take a seat by\nhis side.\n\n\u201cI ask your pardon for the mistake that has occurred,\u201d he said, \u201cbut\nit was a strange interposition of Providence that placed you in the\nhands of my companions at the moment they were lying in wait for that\nvile wretch you have just seen.\u201d\n\nMustapha asked for one favour only as compensation, namely, that he\nmight be allowed to proceed on his way without further delay, and on\nthe Chief questioning him as to the reason of his great haste he told\nhim all. The Chief then persuaded him to remain with him one night at\nleast, telling him that both he and his horse needed rest, and\npromised to show him the next morning a short way by which he would be\nable to reach Balsora in a day and a half. Mustapha agreed to this and\nafter being most hospitably entertained slept soundly all night long\nin the robber\u2019s tent.\n\nWhen he awoke he found himself alone in the tent, but through the\nhangings over the doorway he could hear voices, which seemed to\nbelong to the Robber Chief and the little dark dwarf. He listened\nattentively, and to his horror heard the little man advising the Chief\nto murder him, as if he were allowed to go free he might betray the\nwhole troop.\n\nMustapha could not but perceive that the little man owed him a grudge,\nbecause he had been the cause of the sharp treatment he had received\nthe previous day. But the Robber Chief, after reflecting a few\nmoments, said: \u201cNo, he is my guest, and as such is sacred to me,\nbesides which he does not look like a man to betray one.\u201d\n\nHe then thrust aside the tent curtains and entered--\u201cPeace be with\nthee, Mustapha,\u201d he said, \u201cwe will drain a morning draught and then\nyou should prepare yourself to start.\u201d\n\n [Illustration: _He listened attentively._ (P. 37.)]\n\nHe handed his guest a cup of sherbert, and when they had each drunk,\nthey saddled their horses and Mustapha mounted and left the camp with\na lighter heart than when he had entered it.\n\nAs they left the tents behind them the Chief told his new friend that\nthe Pasha they had captured the previous day, after having promised\nhim and his men the free range of his territory, had captured one of\nthe best and bravest of them and, after torturing him terribly, had\nhanged him, and that now he should die himself.\n\nMustapha did not venture to remonstrate, being only too glad to escape\nwith a whole skin himself.\n\nWhen they reached the limit of the forest the Chief drew rein and\noffered his hand to Mustapha in farewell:\n\n\u201cMustapha,\u201d said he, \u201cyou have been in somewhat a strange fashion the\nguest of the Robber Orbasan. I will not ask you not to betray me, but\ntrust to you that you will not do so. You have suffered, without\ncause, all the pangs of the fear of death, and you deserve some\ncompensation. Take this dagger and if ever you are in need of help\nsend it to me and I will hasten to your aid. This purse of gold may\nalso be of assistance to you on your journey.\u201d\n\nMustapha thanked him for his generosity, accepted the dagger, but\nrefused the purse. But Orbasan, having pressed his hand, let the purse\nfall to the ground and then set spurs to his horse and rode off at\nsuch speed that Mustapha, seeing it was useless to overtake him,\npicked up the purse, and was astonished to find what a quantity of\nmoney it contained. Having thanked Allah for his goodness and\nrecommended the robber to his protection, he continued his journey in\na much more cheerful mood towards Balsora.\n\nHe reached that city on the seventh day of his journey, and as soon as\nhe had put up at an inn he enquired when the next yearly slave market\nwas to be held. To his horror and distress he heard that he had\narrived just two days too late for it.\n\nThe people sympathised with him over his delay and told him how much\nhe had lost, for on the very last day of the market two young slaves\nhad been put up for sale who were so beautiful that there had been\ngreat bidding amongst the people for them, and they fetched such a\nhigh price that only their present master, who was a very rich man,\ncould afford to buy them.\n\nOn making further enquiries as to their appearance he could no longer\ndoubt they were the two unfortunate girls he was in search of. He also\nheard that the man who had bought them was called Thiuli-Kos and lived\nforty miles away from Balsora; he was an elderly man who had amassed a\nlarge fortune, and had retired from public affairs and settled down to\nenjoy his possessions in peace and quietness.\n\nAt first Mustapha thought he would re-mount and try and overtake\nThiuli-Kos, but then he reflected that he could do little, for he was\nbut a single man against the large retinue Thiuli-Kos would no doubt\nhave with him, and that it would be impossible to wrest his prey from\nhim; he therefore thought of another plan. His resemblance to the\nPasha of Sulieika, which well-nigh proved fatal to him, might stand\nhim in good stead now, and he determined to enter Thiuli-Kos\u2019 house in\nthat name in order to attempt the rescue of the two girls. He\ntherefore engaged servants and horses and here Orbasan\u2019s gift of money\nassisted him. Having purchased magnificent clothing for himself and\nhis servants, he set out for Thiuli-Kos\u2019 palace. He reached it in five\ndays and found it was built on a lovely plain and was so surrounded by\nhigh walls that few of the buildings could be seen from without. He\ntook the precaution to dye his hair and beard a darker tint, and\ncoloured his face with the juice of a certain plant he knew of, so\nthat no one could have supposed he was any other than the real Pasha;\nthen he sent one of his servants to Thiuli\u2019s palace to ask for a\nnight\u2019s lodging. The servant returned accompanied by four beautifully\ndressed slaves, who led Mustapha\u2019s horse into the courtyard. They\nassisted him to alight and led him up a flight of marble steps to\nThiuli.\n\nThiuli was a jolly old fellow and received Mustapha kindly, and\nordered the best dishes his cook could prepare to be set before him.\nAfter dinner Mustapha turned the conversation to slaves, and the old\nman told him of the two beauties he had just lately bought, praising\ntheir appearance loudly, but regretting the fact that they appeared to\nbe so sad, so that Mustapha retired to bed in high hopes of being soon\nable to effect a rescue.\n\nHe had been asleep about an hour when he was awakened by the light of\na lamp streaming down upon his eyes. Raising himself on his elbow he\nat first believed himself to be still sleeping and dreaming, for\nbefore him stood the same swarthy little dwarf he had seen in\nOrbasan\u2019s tent. He carried a lamp in his hand, and a horrid grin\ndistended his mouth from ear to ear. \u201cWhat do you want?\u201d asked\nMustapha angrily, as soon as he had convinced himself he was awake.\n\n [Illustration: _FATIMA\u2019S RESCUE_\n _\u201cHe made for the door, screaming lustily for help\u201d_\n (_p. 43_)]\n\n\u201cDon\u2019t disturb yourself,\u201d replied the little man. \u201cI know quite well\nwhy you are here, your noble countenance is not unknown to me, but,\nhad I not assisted at the hanging of the Pasha of Sulieika I might\nhave mistaken you for him. But I am here to make a suggestion.\u201d\n\n\u201cFirst of all tell me why _you_ are here,\u201d said Mustapha.\n\n\u201cWell,\u201d replied the little man. \u201cI did not get on very well with the\nChief, and so I left him. Our last particular quarrel was over you,\nand so, Mustapha, it is but fair you should promise me your sister for\na wife, otherwise I will go straight to my new master and tell him who\nthe Pasha of Sulieika really is.\u201d\n\nMustapha was beside himself with rage and fear; just as he had thought\nhimself about to accomplish his design, this wretched little creature\ncame to frustrate it. There was only one thing to be done, he must\nkill the little horror, and he sprang out of bed, meaning to catch\nhim. But the dwarf had guessed what might happen and was prepared for\nhim. Dropping his lamp, he made for the door, screaming lustily for\nhelp.\n\nMustapha was now in sad straits and all present hope of rescuing the\ntwo girls was at an end; he had to think only of his own safety. He\nlooked out of the window and found it was some distance from the\nground and that there was a high wall he would have to scale as well.\nHowever, as he stood considering, he heard voices approaching, and\njust as the door was about to be burst open he jumped from the window,\nran across the courtyard and, climbing the wall nimbly, had soon left\nhis enemies behind. He never stopped running until he had reached the\nshelter of a wood, and then he threw himself down quite exhausted, to\ntry and think what he should do next. Of course he had lost his horses\nand his servants, having left them behind him at Thiuli\u2019s house, but\nhe still had a good sum of Orbasan\u2019s money in his girdle.\n\nVery soon he had invented another plan to save his sister. He\ncontinued his way through the wood until he reached a village, where\nhe purchased a horse at a low price which speedily carried him to a\ntown. Here he sought out a physician and offered him several pieces of\ngold on consideration that he would concoct a draught which would give\nall the semblance of death without harming the patient, and another\ndraught to counteract the effect of the first. Having made his\nbargain, he bought a false beard, a black gown, and all sorts of\nphials which a physician would be likely to have. He strapped his\nbaggage on the back of an ass and retraced his steps to Thiuli\u2019s\nhouse.\n\nHe was so changed in appearance that he scarcely knew himself, and had\nlittle fear of being recognised by Thiuli-Kos or anyone else. He\narrived at the palace and announced himself as the physician\nChakamankabudibaba. Everything happened as he wished it to do. The old\nman was so taken by his high-sounding name that he at once asked him\nto enter and take a seat at his table.\n\nAfter some conversation, in which Mustapha managed to give the\nimpression that he was a very learned man, Thiuli said he would take\nthis opportunity of having all his slaves examined and ascertain the\nstate of their health. Mustapha was overjoyed to think that he was so\nsoon to see his beloved sister again, but in this he was mistaken.\nThiuli conducted him to his seraglio, it is true, but when they\nreached a splendidly-furnished room there was no one in it. \u201cChambaba,\nor whatever your name may be, dear doctor,\u201d said Thiuli, \u201cbehold this\nopening in the wall. Through this each of my slaves shall pass her arm\nand you can feel her pulse, and ascertain the state of her health.\u201d\nMustapha made some objection to this arrangement, but Thiuli would not\nconsent to alter it, only he did consent to give a few hints as to the\nprevious state of their healths.\n\n [Illustration: _The slave slipped her hand through the opening._\n (P. 46.)]\n\nDrawing a strip of paper from his girdle Thiuli now began to call out\nthe names of his slaves, and as he called the slave who answered to\nthe name slipped her hand through the opening.\n\nSix times had Mustapha felt the pulses and pronounced six slaves in\ngood health, and then came the name of Fatima.\n\nTrembling with joy Mustapha grasped the little white hand and then,\nwith a grave air, pronounced the patient to be very ill.\n\nThiuli was very much concerned and asked the wise Chakamankabudibaba\nto prepare a medicine for her which could not fail to cure her.\nMustapha left the room and wrote the following message: \u201cFatima, I\nwill save you if you will consent to the following plan. I will give\nyou a draught which will make you appear dead for two days; I have\nanother draught in my possession which will restore you. If you\nconsent, pretend that the simple draught I will send you has been of\nno avail; I shall know this is a sign that you agree and will see that\nthe more potent draught is given you next.\u201d\n\nHe soon returned to the room, where Thiuli awaited him, bringing with\nhim a harmless draught which he handed to Fatima. He felt her pulse\nonce more, and managed at the same time to slip the little note under\nher bracelet; Thiuli was so distressed about Fatima\u2019s illness that he\nthought of no one else, and put off the medical examination of the\nother slaves until a more convenient season.\n\nWhen he and Mustapha had left the room he said to him sorrowfully:\n\u201cChadibaba, tell me frankly what you think of Fatima\u2019s state.\u201d\n\n\u201cAlas!\u201d answered the wise physician, heaving a deep sigh: \u201cmay the\nprophet give you consolation for I cannot. Fatima is suffering from a\nmalignant fever from which I am afraid she will not recover.\u201d Far from\nappreciating the plain speaking he had begged for, Thiuli flew into a\ngreat rage--\u201cYou wretched quack,\u201d cried he, \u201cdo you mean to say that\nthe slave for whom I paid two thousand gold pieces is to die like an\nold cow? Take note, if you do not manage to save her life I will have\nyou beheaded.\u201d\n\nMustapha saw that he had made a mistake and tried to reassure Thiuli.\n\nJust then a black slave came to tell the physician that the medicine\nhad done no good. \u201cExert your whole skill, Chakamdababelda or whatever\nyour name may be, I will make it worth your while to cure her,\u201d\nshrieked Thiuli, almost weeping to think of the possible loss of his\ntwo thousand gold pieces.\n\n\u201cI will give her a draught that is almost certain to relieve her,\u201d\nanswered Mustapha.\n\n\u201cYes, yes,\u201d sobbed the old man, \u201cby all means give her another\ndraught.\u201d\n\nWell pleased, Mustapha slipped away to fetch the sleeping draught,\nwhich he gave to the black slave to give to Fatima. Then, saying that\nhe needed to gather a few healing herbs which grew on the banks of the\nlake, he hurried out of the palace.\n\nAs soon as he reached the bank he took off his disguise and cast it\ninto the water, where it floated gaily about, then he hid himself in\nsome bushes and waited for the approach of night, when he went and hid\nhimself in the burial place attached to Thiuli\u2019s palace.\n\nMustapha had scarcely been gone an hour when the black slave came and\ninformed Thiuli that Fatima seemed at the point of death. The old man\nat once sent his servants to fetch the doctor, but they returned\nshortly, saying that he had undoubtedly fallen into the water and been\ndrowned, for his black robe was floating upon the surface, and every\nnow and again they had seen his grey beard bobbing up and down. Thiuli\nraved like a madman, tore his beard and beat his head against the\nwall, but all to no purpose, for shortly afterwards Fatima breathed\nher last.\n\nAs soon as Thiuli heard that she was really dead he ordered her to be\ntaken away to the burial place, for he could not bear having a dead\nperson in the house. The servants who bore her there did but place her\non the ground and run away, for they heard such dismal sighs and\ngroans that they were afraid. Of course it was Mustapha who had\nfrightened the servants, and as soon as they were out of the way he\ncame out from his hiding place and examined the girl he supposed to be\nhis sister. What was his horror to find that the girl who lay in the\ndeath-like trance bore no resemblance to Fatima whatever, but was a\ncomplete stranger.\n\nWhen he had a little recovered from his disappointment he reflected it\nwould be cruel to leave the poor girl in the state she was in, and so\nhe uncorked the phial he had brought containing the antidote and\npoured the medicine down her throat. At once she opened her eyes and\nbegan to breathe freely, but it was some little time before she could\nremember where she was and what had happened; but when she did she\nflung herself at Mustapha\u2019s feet and thanked him for having rescued\nher from her horrible captivity. Mustapha questioned her as to how it\nchanced that he had saved her instead of his sister Fatima.\n\n [Illustration: _He poured the medicine down her throat._\n (P. 48.)]\n\nShe looked at him for some moments in surprise.\n\n\u201cNow I begin to understand to what chance I owe my deliverance,\u201d she\nsaid at length. \u201cSince I have been in Thiuli\u2019s house I have been\ncalled Fatima, which I understand is your sister\u2019s name.\u201d\n\nAfter some little conversation Mustapha discovered that Fatima and\nZoraida were in the palace, but that, according to Thiuli\u2019s custom, he\nhad given them new names when they became his property, and they were\nnow called Mirza and Nurmahal.\n\nFatima, the rescued slave, could not but see how disappointed Mustapha\nwas that he had failed in his attempt to carry off his sister, and she\ndid all she could to encourage him to make a further effort, telling\nhim that she had a plan which might prove successful.\n\nSo Mustapha took heart and questioned her as to how he should set\nabout his task.\n\n\u201cI have been a slave in Thiuli\u2019s house for the last five months,\u201d she\nsaid, \u201cand from the first day thought out a means of escape, but it\nwas too difficult to carry out unaided. In the inner courtyard you may\nhave noticed a fine fountain, which casts its water on high from no\nless than ten different jets. Now there was a similar fountain in my\nfather\u2019s garden, which was fed by water conducted to it by an\nunderground passage, and I wished to find out if Thiuli\u2019s fountain was\nsupplied in a similar manner. So one day I began to praise it to\nThiuli and to say what a clever builder he must have had to design it.\n\u2018I designed it myself,\u2019 said he, well pleased, \u2018and what you see is\nnot the most wonderful part about it, for the water has to be brought\nhere from a distance of a thousand feet at least. I had a lofty arched\nunderground passage built from my courtyard to a brook and I had the\nwaters of the brook turned into this passage, through which it now\nflows and supplies my fountain with water. I designed and\nsuperintended the building of the whole thing myself.\u2019\n\n\u201cAfter hearing this I longed for the strength of a man that I might be\nable to raise one of the stones in the courtyard, reach the\nunderground passage, and be free. I can show you the direction in\nwhich this passage lies and by it you can one night obtain entrance to\nthe palace; but you will need one or two men to assist you, for you\nwill have to overpower the black slaves who keep watch over the\nquarters where the women slaves are kept.\u201d\n\nIn spite of the fact that he had already had two failures Mustapha\nonce more took heart, trusting that Allah would allow him to carry out\nsuccessfully the plan of Fatima the slave girl. He promised her that\nhe would arrange for her to reach her own home when he had rescued the\nothers, as a reward for lending him her assistance in gaining an\nentrance to the palace.\n\nHis principal anxiety was how he should obtain the assistance of two\nor three men. Suddenly he remembered Orbasan\u2019s dagger and the promise\nthe Robber Chief had made that he would come to his aid if ever he\nwere in need of help.\n\nSo he made haste to leave the burial place and, taking Fatima with\nhim, returned to the town in which he had purchased his physician\u2019s\ndisguise, and placed the girl in the charge of a poor but respectable\nwoman.\n\nThen, with the last of Orbasan\u2019s money he bought a horse, and set out\nonce more for the robber\u2019s dwelling place. He reached it in three\ndays\u2019 time, and, although an unexpected guest, was none the less a\nwelcome one.\n\nHe told Orbasan of his unsuccessful attempts to rescue his sister, and\nin spite of the gravity of the situation Orbasan could not refrain\nfrom laughing as he pictured his friend decked out as the physician\nChakamankabudibaba. But he was enraged to hear of the treachery of the\ndwarf, and vowed he would hang him with his own hands, as soon as he\ncould catch him. He promised Mustapha that as soon as he was rested\nand refreshed he would return with him and help him to carry out his\ndesigns.\n\nAccordingly on the following morning, Mustapha and Orbasan,\naccompanied by three of the latter\u2019s bravest men, set out for the\nlittle town where Mustapha had left the rescued Fatima. They rode so\nfast that they reached it in two days\u2019 time and, calling for Fatima,\nwho was to show them the way, rode on to a little wood not far from\nThiuli\u2019s palace. Here they hid themselves until nightfall and then\nFatima led the way to the brook which supplied the fountain. Very soon\nthey found the entrance to the underground passage and prepared to\ndescend. One of the men was left in charge of Fatima and the horses,\nand the rescued slave repeated her directions--They were to traverse\nthe passage until they came to the pipes which supplied the fountain;\nhaving raised one of the flag-stones they would find themselves in the\ninner courtyard. They would see two towers to right and left of them\nand, passing through the sixth door from the right hand tower, they\nwould come into the room where the real Fatima and Zoraida were shut\nup, watched by two black slaves.\n\n [Illustration: _Mustapha and the rescued girls slipped through\n the opening._ (P. 55.)]\n\nSo, well-armed and carrying crowbars with them, Mustapha, Orbasan, and\ntwo other men climbed down into the underground passage. The water in\nthe passage reached to their middles, but they were nevertheless able\nto move briskly forward. In half an hour\u2019s time they had reached the\nend of the passage, immediately below the fountain, and then they\nbegan to use their crowbars. The stone-work was thick and very strong,\nbut the efforts of the four men at length succeeded in forcing an\nopening sufficiently large for a man to crawl through.\n\nOrbasan crept through first and gave a hand to the others, and when\nthey all four stood in the courtyard they gazed around them in order\nto determine which of the doors was the one described to them.\n\nBut they were somewhat perplexed, for on counting from the right hand\ntower they found that one door had been walled up, and they were not\nsure whether Fatima had meant them to count this door or not.\n\nBut Orbasan did not hesitate long. \u201cMy good sword can open any door\nfor me,\u201d he said, and advanced towards the one he imagined to be the\nright one.\n\nOn opening the door they discovered six black slaves lying fast\nasleep. They would have retreated silently, as they saw they had come\nto the wrong door, but a figure in the corner raised itself, and a\nwell-known voice began to shriek for help. It was the little dwarf\nfrom Orbasan\u2019s camp.\n\nBut before the black slaves knew what was happening Orbasan had seized\nthe little man; tearing his girdle into pieces he stuffed part of it\ndown his throat, and with the rest he tied his hands behind his back,\nthen he turned his attention to the slaves, several of whom had been\nbound and gagged by Mustapha and the two robbers; in a few moments\nthey were completely overpowered, but were told their lives would be\nspared on condition that they told where Mirza and Nurmahal were to be\nfound.\n\nThey confessed that they were in the adjoining room, and on Mustapha\nhurrying in he found both Fatima and Zoraida, who had been awakened by\nthe noise.\n\nHurriedly snatching up their jewels and their clothing they followed\nMustapha out of the palace. The robbers wished to take some plunder\nwith them, but Orbasan forbade it, declaring that it should never be\nsaid of Orbasan that he broke into houses by night like a common\nthief.\n\nMustapha and the rescued girls slipped through the opening in the\ncourtyard into the underground passage, Orbasan promising to follow\nhim immediately, but before doing so he and one of the robbers took\nthe little dwarf and, leading him into the courtyard, hanged him with\na silken rope, which they had brought expressly for the purpose, to\nthe topmost point of the fountain.\n\nHaving so punished the treachery of the wretched little creature, they\nalso got down into the watercourse and followed Mustapha and the\ngirls.\n\nFatima and Zoraida, with tears in their eyes, would have thanked their\nnoble rescuer for having saved them from a miserable existence, but he\nbade them waste no time on words, for it was quite likely that\nThiuli-Kos would, before long, discover his loss and pursue them.\n\nIt was with a deep feeling of gratitude that, on the following day,\nMustapha and the girls bade Orbasan farewell, vowing that they would\nnever forget him. Fatima, the girl who had been first rescued, was\ncarefully disguised, and then sent to Balsora and put on board a boat\nwhich would carry her to her own home.\n\nAfter a short and most successful voyage Mustapha and the two girls\narrived home, and the joy of the old Cadi to see his dearly-loved\ndaughter once again was beyond all expression.\n\nHe gave a great feast to which he invited all his relations and\nfriends, to whom he made Mustapha relate all his adventures.\n\nWhen he had finished speaking the Cadi solemnly revoked the curse he\nhad put upon his son\u2019s head, and taking Zoraida\u2019s hand he placed it in\nthat of Mustapha. \u201cTake her,\u201d he said, \u201cas a reward for your unwearied\nperseverance, and take also the blessing of your aged father, whose\nearnest wish is that our city may never lack men who, like you,\ncombine tender brotherly affection with wisdom and perseverance.\u201d\n\n\n\n\nTHE STORY OF LITTLE MOUK.\n\n\nIn Nicea, which is my native place, there once lived a little man,\nnamed Mouk. I remember him very well indeed, although I was but a\nyoungster at the time, for I once received a good sound thrashing from\nmy father on his account.\n\nIn spite of the fact that he was already an old man, he was but three\nor four feet in height, and presented a most extraordinary appearance,\nfor although his body was small and delicate he carried a head upon\nhis shoulders that was larger than that of any full-grown man.\n\n [Illustration: _Little Mouk._]\n\nHe lived quite by himself and did all his own work. Had it not been\nfor the fact that every mid-day the smoke rose in thick volumes from\nhis chimney, folks would scarcely have known if he were alive or dead,\nfor he left his house but once in four weeks. It is true that he\nwalked up and down upon the flat roof of his house most evenings, but\nhe was so short that his body could not be seen, and so the story got\nabout that it was his head alone which promenaded upon the house-top.\n\nI am afraid that I and my playmates were bad boys who loved to tease\nand worry anyone we could, and we reckoned it rare fun when the time\ncame round for little Mouk to take his monthly walk abroad. We waited\noutside his house for him, and as soon as his big head, surmounted by\nan enormous turban, appeared, we threw our caps in the air and shouted\nfor joy. The head and turban always came out first, and the tiny\nlittle body which followed was clad in a shabby little cloak, wide\ntrousers and a broad girdle; attached to the latter was a long dagger,\nso much out of proportion to the size of his body that it was\ndifficult to tell at a first glance whether Mouk was fastened to the\ndagger or the dagger to him.\n\nIn spite of the fact that we naughty boys danced round him like young\nmaniacs, Mouk always bowed to us with great gravity, and walked down\nthe street with a dignified air, dragging his poor little feet,\nencased in huge loose slippers, laboriously after him.\n\nWe had made up a little rhyme which we sang as we danced around him.\nIt was as follows:\n\n \u201cLittle Mouk, we know you well,\n In a great big house you dwell,\n Only once a month you go\n For a walk with footsteps slow.\n Though you\u2019re but a dwarf, \u2019tis said,\n You\u2019ve a mountain for a head,\n Turn around and take a look,\n Run and catch us, little Mouk.\u201d\n\nI am ashamed to say I was one of the worst of the tormentors of the\npoor little man. I would twitch his cloak, and once I went behind him\nand trod on his huge slipper, thus causing him to fall. This seemed a\nfine joke to me; but I ceased to laugh, when I saw him turn towards my\nfather\u2019s house. He went in and remained there some time. I hid myself\nbehind the door and watched until he came out again.\n\nHe was accompanied by my father, who held his hand and bowed\nrepeatedly and most respectfully to him as he took his leave.\n\nI must confess that I felt very uneasy upon seeing this and remained a\nlong time in my hiding place, but at length hunger, which I disliked\neven worse than a thrashing, forced me to come out, and I stole into\nmy father\u2019s presence, shame-faced and with bowed head.\n\n\u201cI hear you have been playing your pranks upon the good little Mouk,\u201d\nsaid my father in stern tones. \u201cI am now about to tell you his story,\nafter which I am quite sure you will never wish to mock and annoy him\nagain; but first I must punish you for the offence you have committed,\nin the usual way.\u201d\n\nThe usual way meant five-and-twenty strokes with the stem of his long\npipe. Having unscrewed the amber mouth-piece, he used it to give me\nthe sound thrashing I so richly deserved.\n\nHe did not spare me a single stroke, but when he had finished he\nordered me to pay attention whilst he related the story of Little\nMouk.\n\n\u201cThe father of little Mouk, whose real name is Mukrah, was a highly\nrespected, though poor man, who also lived here in Nicea.\n\n\u201cHe was almost as much of a hermit as his son is. Unfortunately he\ncould not bring himself to love his son, for he was ashamed of his\ndwarfish figure, and consequently he would not have him educated.\n\n\u201cLittle Mouk was still but a merry child when he had reached the age\nof sixteen years, and his father, who was a stern man, scolded him\nfrequently for being so foolish and full of tricks when he had passed\nthe age of childhood.\n\n\u201cBut one day the old man had a bad fall and hurt himself so much that\nhe died, leaving poor ignorant little Mouk to fight his way in the\nworld as best he could.\n\n\u201cHis unkind relations, who had lent the dead man money which he would\nnow never be able to repay them, turned the poor little fellow out of\ndoors, advising him to seek his fortune abroad.\n\n\u201cLittle Mouk expressed himself as quite ready for his travels; but\nbegged that he might be allowed to take his father\u2019s clothes with him,\nand to this they consented.\n\n\u201cNow his father had been a fine tall man, so the clothes did not fit\nlittle Mouk, but this did not worry him. He cut them down in length\nand put them on, quite forgetting that they required taking in in the\nwidth as well. This is the reason of his extraordinary appearance, for\nthe large turban, the broad girdle, the wide trousers and the blue\nmantle are all heirlooms of his father, which he has always worn.\n\n\u201cThe dagger, too, was his father\u2019s; this he stuck in the girdle when\nhe set out upon his way, with his staff in hand.\n\n\u201cHappy and well content he wandered along. If he spied a piece of\nbroken glass glittering in the sunshine, he put it in his pocket\nbelieving it was a diamond.\n\n\u201cIf he saw the distant cupolas of a mosque shining like fire, or the\nsea stretched before him as smooth as a mirror, he hurried along\nthinking for sure he was coming to an enchanted country. But alas! the\nmagic pictures changed as he approached them, and all too soon his\nweariness and empty stomach reminded him that he was still in the land\nof mortals.\n\n\u201cThus he wandered on for two whole days and nights, hungry, weary, and\ndejected, in search of a fortune he began to fear he would never find.\nThe wild fruits were his only food and the hard earth was his bed. On\nthe third morning, from the top of a high hill, he saw a large town.\n\n\u201cHe could see the glittering crescent and bright coloured flags upon\nthe roofs and it seemed to little Mouk that they beckoned him nearer.\nHe stood a few moments watching the town and its surroundings in\nsurprise. \u2018There will little Mouk make his fortune if anywhere,\u2019 he\nsaid, and in spite of his fatigue he jumped for joy, then summoning\nall his strength he began to walk towards the city. But although it\nappeared so close he did not reach it until mid-day, for his poor\nlittle legs almost refused their office, so that he was obliged to\nrest frequently in the shade of a palm tree. But at length he reached\nthe city gate. He shook out his mantle, re-arranged his turban, spread\nout his girdle and set his dagger jauntily in it, then, wiping the\ndust from his shoes, he strode bravely into the city.\n\n\u201cHe had wandered through several streets, but nowhere had a door been\nopened to him, nowhere had the folks called out to him as he had\nimagined they would: \u2018Come in, little Mouk, come in, eat drink, and\nrest your weary little legs.\u2019\n\n\u201cBut as he glanced longingly at a fine large house opposite him, a\nwindow opened and an old woman popped her head out and began calling\nout in sing-song tones:\n\n \u201c\u2018Come everyone,\n The food is done,\n Decked is the cloth,\n Come taste the broth,\n Ye neighbours all\n Come to my call!\u2019\n\nThe house-door opened and little Mouk saw many cats and dogs enter. He\nstood a moment in doubt as to whether he should answer the invitation,\nbut at length he took courage and went in. A pair of young cats\ntrotted along before him and he decided to follow them, guessing they\nknew the way to the kitchen better than he did.\n\n [Illustration: _THE STORY OF LITTLE MOUK._\n _\u201cHe decided to follow them.\u201d_]\n\n\u201cWhen Mouk reached the top of the staircase he saw the old woman who\nhad looked out of the window. She looked at him sulkily and asked\nwhat he wanted--\u2018I heard you inviting everyone to partake of your\nfood,\u2019 answered little Mouk, \u2018and came in too, because I was so\nhungry.\u2019\n\n\u201cThe old woman laughed: \u2018Where do you come from, you queer little\nfellow?\u2019 she asked. \u2018Why, everyone in the town knows that I only cook\nfor my beloved cats, and now and again I invite a few guests to feast\nwith them, as you saw just now.\u2019 Little Mouk told what a hard lot his\nhad been since his father\u2019s death and begged her to let him partake of\nher cats\u2019 food for once. The old woman seemed pleased with the\ntruthfulness of the little fellow and gave him a plentiful supply of\nfood and drink.\n\n\u201cWhen he had satisfied his hunger the old woman looked at him for some\ntime and then said: \u2018Little Mouk, would you like to enter my service?\nIf you would you shall have little trouble and be well paid for your\nwork.\u2019\n\n\u201cLittle Mouk, who had enjoyed the cats\u2019 broth, consented, and entered\nthe service of Madam Ahavzi. His work was light but very curious.\n\n\u201cMadam Ahavzi had in all six cats, and little Mouk was expected to\nbrush their fur and anoint them with sweet-smelling essences. When\ntheir mistress was out he had to take charge of them. When they took\ntheir meals it was his task to set the dishes before them, and at\nnight he was expected to put them to bed on silken cushions and cover\nthem with velvet coverlets.\n\n\u201cThere were also several little dogs in the house for him to take\ncare of; but there was not so much fuss made over them as over the\ncats, which Madam Ahavzi treated as her own children.\n\n\u201cOn the whole Mouk\u2019s life was as solitary as it had been in his\nfather\u2019s house, for besides the old woman he saw no living creature\nbut the cats and dogs.\n\n\u201cFor some time all went well and little Mouk had plenty to eat and\nlittle to do, and the old woman was quite pleased and contented with\nhim, but by-and-by the cats were naughty. When the old woman went out\nthey jumped about the room, upset all manner of things and broke one\nor two valuable ornaments which happened to be in their way. But the\nmoment they heard the old woman\u2019s step on the stairs they crept back\nto their cushions and waved their tails to and fro as though nothing\nhad happened.\n\n\u201cMadam Ahavzi flew into a violent rage when she saw what a state the\nroom was in and laid the blame on Mouk, and it was useless for him to\nexcuse himself; she believed her innocent-looking cats rather than her\nservant.\n\n\u201cLittle Mouk was very sad to think that his misfortunes had overtaken\nhim again and he determined to quit his mistress\u2019 service.\n\n\u201cBut as he had discovered on his first journey that it is very\nunpleasant to be without money, he determined to try and help himself\nto wages, which his mistress had always promised but never yet given\nhim. There was a room in the house which was always kept locked and\nthe interior of which he had never seen, but he had often heard the\nold woman in it, and dearly wished to know what was hidden there. As\nhe now sat wondering where the money for his journey was to come from,\nit occurred to him that the closed room might contain the old woman\u2019s\ntreasures, but alas! the door was locked and he was unable to get in.\n\n\u201cOne morning, when Madam Ahavzi had gone out, one of the little dogs,\nwhich had never been treated very kindly by her, but which little Mouk\nhad petted and paid great attention to, came and pulled his wide\ntrousers and made signs to Mouk to follow him.\n\n\u201cMouk, who had always been fond of playing with the little dog,\nfollowed it, and it led him into the bedroom of his mistress and\nshowed him a little door he had never seen before. The door was ajar,\nand Mouk entering found himself in the room he had so long wished to\nenter. He peered about in every corner to see if he could find any\nmoney, but all in vain. Nothing but old clothes and strangely-shaped\nvases were lying about. One of these attracted his attention, for it\nwas of crystal and had a number of beautiful figures engraved upon it.\nHe took it up to examine it, but alas, to his horror, it had a cover\nwhich he had not noticed and which slipped off and broke into a\nthousand pieces.\n\n [Illustration: _Seeing an enormous pair of slippers, he made up\n his mind to take them._ (P. 66.)]\n\n\u201cFor some moments he was rooted to the spot with terror. His fate was\nnow decided, for if he did not run away he was quite certain the old\nwoman would kill him. He took a glance around to see which of the old\nwoman\u2019s possessions would be most useful to him upon his journey.\nSeeing an enormous pair of slippers, he made up his mind to take them,\nfor his own shoes were worn out; moreover it was quite certain that\nwith the big slippers on, no one could accuse him of still standing in\nhis childhood\u2019s shoes, so he quickly exchanged shoes, took a fine\nwalking stick, which had a handle carved in the form of a lion\u2019s head,\nand going to his own room donned the turban and cloak that had been\nhis father\u2019s, and left the house and town as fast as his legs could\ncarry him. Once outside the town he still continued running, for he\nwas afraid the old woman would overtake and punish him; but at length\nhe grew very weary, for his little body had to support such a large\nhead that he was soon overcome with fatigue. But when he would have\nstopped he could not, the big shoes kept urging him on, and he guessed\nat length they must be magic shoes. He did not know how to prevent\nthem dragging him along, but, driven to despair, he cried out, as\nthough to a pair of restive horses, \u2018Stop, stop, oh! stop,\u2019 and the\nslippers immediately stopped and Mouk threw himself upon the ground\nquite worn out.\n\n\u201cHe was delighted with the slippers, for, after all, he felt he had\ngained something for his work which would probably assist him on in\nthe world and help him to make his fortune. But in spite of his\npleasure fatigue overcame him and he fell asleep and dreamt. In his\ndream the little dog, which had assisted him in obtaining the\nslippers, appeared to him and said, \u2018Dear Mouk, you do not seem to\nquite understand the use of the slippers. Turn round on the heel, when\nyou have them on, three times, and you will then be able to fly\nwherever you please. With the little stick you will be able to find\ntreasure, for wherever gold is buried it will strike the earth three\ntimes and where silver is buried twice.\u2019 Such was little Mouk\u2019s dream,\nand when he awoke he determined to make a trial in order to discover\nif the dream had any truth in it. He put on the slippers and, lifting\none foot in the air, turned round on the heel of the other. But it was\na difficult task and the poor little fellow\u2019s enormous head dragged\nhim sometimes this way and sometimes the other, so that he fell over\ntwo or three times before he finally succeeded. But succeed he did,\nand then, wishing himself to be transported to the nearest town, he\nfound himself raised in the air and flying through the clouds like the\nwind, and before he could grasp what was happening he was in a market\nplace, where many booths had been set up and where innumerable people\nwere running to and fro.\n\n\u201cHe went in and out among them, but presently decided to seek a\nquieter street, for in the crowded market folks constantly trod upon\nhis big slippers and nearly threw him down, or else his long dagger\nstuck into the people and he then had some difficulty in avoiding the\nblows rained upon him.\n\n\u201cLittle Mouk now began to set his wits to work as to how he was to\nearn a piece of money. It is true that he had a staff which could\ndiscover hidden treasure, but where could he find a place all in a\nmoment where gold and silver lay hidden?\n\n\u201cHe might have exhibited himself in a booth and received money for it,\nbut was too proud to do so. Then it struck him his swift running might\nbe the means of earning him a livelihood and decided to offer his\nservices as a courier.\n\n\u201cThinking it likely that the king might pay the highest sum for such\nservice, he enquired the way to the palace.\n\n\u201cBy the palace gateway stood a guard, who asked what he wanted. Upon\nreplying that he wished for work he was sent to the overseer of the\nslaves. He repeated his request, adding that he wished for a post\namongst the royal messengers. The overseer looked him all over from\nhead to foot and said, \u2018How is it possible that you with your tiny\nlittle limbs, scarcely a span long, could become a courier? Away with\nyou, I am not here to waste my time with fools.\u2019\n\n\u201cBut little Mouk assured him he was not joking and offered to run a\nrace for a wager with their swiftest runner.\n\n\u201cThe overseer was amused, and told him to hold himself in readiness\nto run a race that very evening, then, taking him into the kitchen, he\nordered him to be supplied with plenty to eat and drink.\n\n [Illustration: _He found himself flying through the clouds._\n (P. 67.)]\n\n\u201cThen he went into the king\u2019s presence and told him about the funny\nlittle man and the request he had made.\n\n\u201cThe king was a merry gentleman and was therefore well pleased that\nlittle Mouk had been kept to make a joke for him.\n\n\u201cHe ordered stands to be set up in a large meadow behind the palace,\nso that the racing could be viewed in comfort by all the royal\nhousehold, and he also said that the greatest care was to be taken of\nthe dwarf.\n\n\u201cThe king told the prince and princess of the spectacle that was to be\nprovided for their entertainment, they told their servants, and so, as\nthe evening approached, everyone was in a state of pleased expectancy\nand everyone that had a leg to stand upon was hurrying to the meadow\nto see the boastful dwarf run a race.\n\n\u201cWhen the king and his sons and daughters had taken their seats,\nlittle Mouk appeared and made a deep obeisance to the distinguished\ncompany.\n\n\u201cA shout of merriment greeted the uncouth little figure, for the\npeople had never seen such a sight before.\n\n\u201cThe little body, surmounted by the huge head, and clothed in the\nmantle, the wide trousers, the long dagger stuck in the broad girdle,\nand the tiny feet in the big slippers, oh! altogether he looked too\nfunny for anything, and roar after roar of laughter went up.\n\n\u201cBut Mouk was not in the least put out by the laughter. He stood\nleaning proudly upon his little staff and waited for his adversary.\nThe overseer of the slaves, according to Monk\u2019s request, had selected\nthe very best runner in the kingdom, and he now stepped forward and\nplaced himself beside the little man and both awaited the signal to\nstart. Then the Princess Amarza waved her veil, which was the signal\nfor the start agreed upon, and, like two arrows aimed at the same\ntarget, the runners shot forward across the meadow.\n\n\u201cMouk\u2019s adversary had the advantage to begin with; but the little man,\narrayed in the magic slippers, soon overtook him, passed him, and\nreached the winning post long before the other came in, gasping for\nbreath.\n\n\u201cThe spectators were at first too much overcome with surprise and\nadmiration to give vent to applause, but no sooner did the king\ncommence to clap his hands than the whole multitude followed his\nexample and shouted--\u2018Bravo, little Mouk, long life to the winner of\nthe race.\u2019\n\n\u201cWhen little Mouk was brought before the king he bowed to him and\nsaid: \u2018Sire, I have given you a small proof of what I am able to\naccomplish, I pray you now grant me a position as courier to your\nMajesty.\u2019\n\n\u201c\u2018Your request is granted,\u2019 replied the king. \u2018Not only shall you be\none of my couriers, but I will grant you a place near my own person\nand you shall receive a yearly wage of a hundred gold pieces.\u2019\n\n\u201cMouk now thought his fortune must surely be made. From that time he\nwas employed constantly by the king to undertake all messages of\nimportance and secrecy, and as he performed his duties with\nconscientiousness and speed he continued to gain the king\u2019s favour.\nBut the king\u2019s courtiers were all jealous of him, for they could not\nbear that their master should prefer a dwarf to them, and they made\nmany plans to oust him from the royal favour, none of which succeeded.\n\n\u201cIt grieved little Mouk that he should be the object of their anger\nand he made up his mind to perform some act of kindness to them which\nwould reconcile them to him. It was then he remembered his staff, and\nhe thought to himself that if he could discover a hidden treasure that\nwould probably benefit them all, he would surely endear himself to\nthem.\n\n\u201cSo whenever he went out he took his staff in his hand, for he\nremembered to have heard that the father of the present king had\nburied a great deal of his treasure and had died before he could\nmanage to tell his son where it was hidden.\n\n\u201cOne evening chance led him into a part of the palace gardens that was\nbut seldom used, and suddenly he felt his staff strike the ground\nthree times. He knew well what that betokened and so, drawing his\ndagger from his girdle, he cut signs in the neighbouring trees, so\nthat he might recognise the spot again, returned to the castle, and,\nas soon as night fell, went back to the spot carrying a spade with\nhim.\n\n\u201cThe little dwarf had set himself a weary task, for his arms were weak\nand the spade was heavy, and he dug for a couple of hours at least\nbefore he felt the spade strike against some metal. Jumping into the\nhole he had dug he found he had unearthed a pot full of golden coins.\nHe was not strong enough to lift the pot from the earth, but he\nfilled his pockets with as many coins as he could carry and the next\nday, thinking to please his servants and companions, he distributed\nthe money liberally amongst them.\n\n [Illustration: _THE STORY OF LITTLE MOUK_\n _\u201cHe had unearthed a pot full of golden coins\u201d_\n (_p. 72_)]\n\n\u201cAlas! poor little Mouk, he had better have run off with it and left\nthe kingdom, for now he did but rouse their envy.\n\n\u201cOne declared he must be a magician, another said he had helped\nhimself from the king\u2019s treasures, for a sum of money had lately been\nmissing, and they one and all agreed that they would conspire together\nand see if they could not deprive him of the king\u2019s favour.\n\n\u201cSo one day the cup-bearer, who was a particular enemy of Mouk\u2019s\nentered the king\u2019s presence and begged to know how he had offended his\nroyal master.\n\n\u201cThe king looked at him in astonishment. \u2018You have not offended me,\u2019\nsaid he, \u2018I don\u2019t understand what you are talking about.\u2019\n\n\u201c\u2018Oh pardon me, your Majesty,\u2019 said the man, \u2018but do you not load the\ndwarf Mouk with treasures, whilst to me you have not given a single\ngold piece?\u2019\n\n\u201cThe king was surprised, for he knew he had given Mouk no money; but\nthe treasurer who was present, and who had cause to know that certain\nsums were missing from the treasury, added his story to that of the\ncup-bearer.\n\n\u201cThey told the king that Mouk always had more money than he knew how\nto spend, and the treasurer suggested that Mouk had stolen it from\nhis royal master.\n\n\u201cSo the king ordered spies to be set to watch the little man in order\nthat they might try and catch him in the act of stealing.\n\n\u201cThe following night little Mouk, who had generously given away all\nhis money, stole out to the garden with his staff and spade to find\nmore treasure.\n\n\u201cIt was not long before he discovered another pot of gold, and had\njust uncovered it and begun to fill his mantle with coins, when his\nenemies fell upon him, bound him hand and foot, and led him before the\nking. They unearthed the pot of gold and carried that with them too.\n\n\u201cThe king was not in a very good temper, for he had been awakened from\nhis sleep, and so his poor little courier got a very bad reception.\n\n\u201cThe wicked men who had caught Mouk now began to accuse him of having\nstolen the pot of money, declaring they caught him in the act of\nburying it in the earth. The king asked the accused what he had to say\nfor himself, and bade him tell how he came by so much money.\n\n\u201cLittle Mouk, knowing his own innocence, told the king boldly that he\nhad found the pot in the garden and that he had been digging it out,\nnot burying it.\n\n\u201cAll present laughed loudly at the impudence of the little dwarf in\nmaking such a foolish excuse. But the king was furious. \u2018You wretched\nlittle thief,\u2019 he cried, \u2018how dare you lie to me in this barefaced\nmanner, after having robbed me, too.\u2019 Then he asked his treasurer if\nit were true that a sum such as had been found with the dwarf really\nwere missing from the treasury.\n\n\u201cOf course the treasurer declared that not only that sum, but more\nstill had been missing, from time to time, and that he was absolutely\ncertain that it had been stolen.\n\n\u201cThe king commanded that little Mouk should be heavily chained and\nshut up in a prison in the tower, and the king bade the treasurer\ncarry the pot of gold away and count it carefully and put it back into\nthe treasury.\n\n\u201cThe dishonest man carried the pot home and counted out the gold, and\nwhen he came to the bottom of the pot he found a paper on which was\nwritten:--\n\n\u201c\u2018An enemy has over-run my land and I am forced to bury my treasures.\nWhoever finds this must carry it to my son or else the curse of a king\nwill rest upon him--Signed, King Said.\u2019\n\n\u201cThis paper the treasurer did _not_ show to his master.\n\n\u201cPoor little Mouk was in sad straits and wearied his brain trying to\nthink of a way out of his trouble.\n\n\u201cHe knew that to rob the king was usually punished by death, and yet\nhe could not make up his mind to tell the secret of his magic slippers\nand staff, guessing rightly that they would probably be taken from\nhim. His slippers were of no use to him now, for he was chained\nclosely to the wall, and think as he would he could hit upon no plan\nby means of which he could escape.\n\n\u201cThe following day, however, he was informed that sentence of death\nhad been passed upon him, and he made up his mind that as the magic\nstaff would certainly be of no benefit to him when he was dead, he\nmight as well sacrifice it to save his head. So he asked to be allowed\nto speak in private to the king and then told him the secret.\n\n\u201cThe king had little faith in the story, but he decided to put Mouk to\nthe proof and, unknown to the dwarf, a sum of money was buried in the\nearth. Mouk was released and shortly afterwards had found the money,\nfor the staff struck the ground three times just over the spot where\nit was buried. The king knew now that his treasurer had deceived him,\nand sent him a silken rope, as a hint that if he did not hang himself,\nhe would promptly be seized and led to the gallows, for monarchs in\nthe Eastern countries show their erring servants scant mercy.\n\n\u201cNow the king had promised to spare Mouk\u2019s life if he could prove his\ninnocence; but having discovered the secret of the staff, he began to\nsuspect that there was some magic connected with the marvellous\nrunning powers the little man possessed, and so he declared that,\nunless Mouk instantly disclosed the secret, though he would spare his\nlife, as he had promised, Mouk would be sent to perpetual\nimprisonment.\n\n\u201cLittle Mouk, who had had enough of prison life during the short time\nhe had been shut up in the tower, confessed that his speed had nothing\nto do with himself, but was given him by the magic slippers. He did\nnot, however, tell him the secret of turning round on his heel three\ntimes.\n\n [Illustration: _The king slipped into the shoes and commenced\n running round the garden._ (P. 79.)]\n\n\u201cThe king slipped into the shoes and commenced running round the\ngarden like mad. He ran and ran until he was exhausted, for little\nMouk could not deny himself this small revenge and did not tell him\nhow to make the shoes cease running, and so the king went on and on\nuntil he fell down in a faint.\n\n\u201cAs soon as the king regained consciousness he commenced to abuse\nlittle Mouk in no measured terms. \u2018I promise you life and pardon,\u2019\nsaid he, \u2018but unless you are out of my kingdom in less than twelve\nhours, I will go back upon my word and have you hanged.\u2019\n\n\u201cHe then walked off, carrying little Mouk\u2019s magic shoes and wand with\nhim, and these he shut up at once in his treasure chamber.\n\n\u201cAs for the poor little fellow, he went out of the country just as\npoor as he came into it, blaming his own folly in having supposed he\nwas suited to life at court.\n\n\u201cAs the country he had been in was not of very vast dimensions he\nfound himself upon the borders of it within a week, but after having\nbeen used to the magic shoes he found it very troublesome to be\nobliged to walk.\n\n\u201cOnce across the border little Mouk sought out the woods and took up\nhis abode in the most solitary and forsaken situation he could find,\nfor he was tired of the ways of men and wished to dwell alone.\n\n\u201cHe threw himself down upon the soft green grass beside a clear\nbrooklet, in the waters of which were reflected the green fig trees\nwhich grew in abundance upon the bank. He made up his mind that he\nwould never taste any food again, for he thought he was tired of life\nand wished to die. However, he fell asleep, and when he awoke he felt\nso terribly hungry that he decided that death by starvation would not\nbe a pleasant one and got up to search for something to eat.\n\n\u201cDelicious ripe figs hung upon the tree beneath which he had fallen\nasleep and he climbed up it and plucked some fruit. It tasted so good\nthat he had a fine feast, and then climbed down in order to take a\ndrink of water from the stream, but what was his horror when he saw\nhis reflection in the water, for his head was adorned with two\nenormous ears, and a huge, long, thick nose. He put up his hands to\nhis ears, they were a foot long at least.\n\n\u201c\u2018It is meet that I should wear asses\u2019 ears,\u2019 he cried, \u2018for like an\nass have I trampled my good fortune beneath my feet.\u2019\n\n\u201cHe wandered to and fro beneath the trees for a long time, until he\nagain felt so hungry that he had no resource but to help himself to\nsome more figs, for there was no other kind of fruit to be had. He\nplucked the fruit from a different tree, however.\n\n\u201cHaving finished his meal, it occurred to him that he might try and\ntuck his great unsightly ears beneath his turban, but when he put up\nhis hands to touch them they had dwindled down again to their ordinary\nsize.\n\n\u201cHe ran to the brook and looked in, and to his great joy discovered\nthat both long ears and huge nose had disappeared.\n\n\u201cHe now came to the conclusion that it was the fruit from the first\ntree which had caused his affliction, and the fruit from the second\ntree had cured him, and he recognised the fact with joy that he had\nonce more the means placed in his hands to bring him good fortune. He\ntherefore plucked from both trees as much fruit as he was able to\ncarry and began to retrace his steps towards the country he had so\nshortly left.\n\n\u201cIn the first town he came to he took care to obtain a disguise, which\nhe put on, and then made his way towards the city where the king\u2019s\npalace was. It happened to be just the time of year when fruit was\nscarce, and Mouk seated himself by the palace gateway, where he knew\nthe steward of the royal kitchens came every day to buy delicacies\nfrom the country people who went there to sell their wares.\n\n\u201cHe had not sat long before he saw the steward coming across the\ncourtyard. He looked at the wares spread out for his inspection and\npresently his eye chanced to light upon Mouk\u2019s basket of figs. \u2018Ah!\u2019\nsaid he, \u2018fruit is scarce just now, and his Majesty is very fond of\nit! What will you take for the basketful?\u2019\n\n\u201cLittle Mouk named a reasonable sum and the bargain was soon\ncompleted. The steward gave the basket to one of the slaves who\naccompanied him and went on his way, and little Mouk lost no time in\nmaking off, for he knew as soon as the figs he had sold were eaten the\nking would discover the misfortune that had overtaken him and would\nsearch for and punish the dealer who had been the cause of it.\n\n\u201cThe king was in great good humour that day, for his dinner had\npleased him particularly well and he praised the steward for his\nexcellent catering, but the steward, who had kept the figs back as a\nsurprise, smiled knowingly and quoted several wise saws--\u2018All\u2019s well\nthat ends well,\u2019 \u2018A fine evening may sometimes follow a dull day,\u2019 and\nso on, until the princesses, becoming curious, questioned him eagerly\nas to what he had still to set before them.\n\n [Illustration: _\u201cGood gracious, Father,\u201d cried the Princess,\n \u201cwhatever is the matter with you?\u201d_ (P. 84.)]\n\n\u201cThen with a smile of triumph he set the figs upon the table.\n\n\u201cThere was a general exclamation of \u2018Oh!\u2019 from everyone seated round.\n\n\u201c\u2018What delicious-looking fruit,\u2019 cried the king. \u2018How ripe, how\nluscious! Steward, you have indeed proved yourself to be a first-rate\nfellow.\u2019\n\n\u201cAs he spoke he drew the dish of fruit towards him and began dealing\nout the dainty with a sparing hand, for he was inclined to be a little\ngreedy.\n\n\u201cTo the princes and princesses he gave two each, but the ladies-in-waiting\nand the courtiers received but one a-piece, and then the king set himself\nto finish the fruit left over.\n\n\u201c\u2018Good gracious, father,\u2019 cried the Princess Amarza suddenly,\n\u2018whatever is the matter with you? You look most peculiar.\u2019\n\n\u201cEveryone stared at the king in astonishment, for he had a couple of\nenormous ears and a great big nose that stretched far beyond his chin.\nNext they all began to look at one another in horror and surprise for,\nmore or less, according to the quantity of fruit they had eaten, were\nthey adorned with large nose and ears.\n\n\u201cImagine the consternation that took possession of the whole court!\n\n\u201cFrom far and near doctors were sent for, and they ordered all sorts\nof pills and draughts, but without avail--they could not reduce the\nsize of the noses and ears of the victims, and even an operation upon\none of the princes failed, for no sooner were his nose and ears cut\noff than they grew again.\n\n\u201cMouk heard from his hiding place the news of the great disaster that\nhad overtaken the court, and deemed that the time had come for him to\nbargain. With the money he had obtained for the figs he had purchased\na fresh disguise, and now, clad in black robes and wearing a long\nwhite beard of goat\u2019s hairs, he approached the palace and introduced\nhimself as a foreign doctor of repute, and offered his services to\nrelieve the king and his court of their strange encumbrances.\n\n\u201cAt first no one paid much heed to him, but one of the princes, having\neaten one of the figs he brought as an antidote, speedily felt his\nnose and ears resume their original size, so then everyone came\nthronging round him to be cured.\n\n\u201cLast of all came the king, and, taking him by the hand, led him into\nhis treasure-chamber and bade him choose whatever he would if he would\nonly free him from the shameful calamity that had overtaken him.\n\n\u201cThese words fell like tones of sweetest music upon Mouk\u2019s ears, for\nhe had already spied his slippers and little magic staff upon the\nfloor of the treasure-chamber. He walked about admiring the various\ntreasures until the king was off his guard, when Mouk slipped his feet\ninto the slippers and grasped the magic staff. Then, tearing the false\nbeard from his face, he allowed the king\u2019s gaze to rest upon the\nwell-known features of his little courier.\n\n\u201c\u2018Faithless king,\u2019 cried Mouk, \u2018you who repay faithful service with\ningratitude, take as a well-deserved punishment the deformity that you\nbear. Your long ears and nose will remind you daily of little Mouk.\u2019\n\n\u201cAs he spoke he wheeled round quickly upon his heel and at the third\nturn he wished himself far away, and before the king had time to call\nfor help Mouk had disappeared.\n\n\u201cSince then the little man has lived here in our town, but he keeps\nhimself aloof from his fellow-men, because he has learnt to despise\nmankind. Experience has made him a wise man, and his wisdom calls for\nyour respect and admiration, even though his appearance may happen to\nbe somewhat extraordinary.\u201d\n\nThis is the story as my father told it to me. I expressed my sorrow\nand repentance for having so plagued the good little man, and my\nfather gave me another thrashing to keep me from forgetting my manners\nin future.\n\nI told my playmates the wonderful story of little Mouk and they agreed\nwith me that we would never tease or annoy him any more. In time we\ncame to love and reverence him to such a degree that we vied with each\nother in paying him every token of respect.\n\n\n\n\nTHE STORY OF THE FALSE PRINCE.\n\n\nThere was once a worthy tailor\u2019s apprentice named Labakan, who was\nlearning his trade from a clever master at Alexandria.\n\n [Illustration: _Labakan._]\n\nNo one could accuse the young man of being awkward in plying his\nneedle, on the contrary he worked very well indeed. Neither was he at\nall lazy, and yet there was certainly something wrong with him, for\nthough at times he would sit and sew for hours at such a rate that his\nneedle became red-hot, yet another time, and this occurred pretty\nfrequently, too, he sat wrapped in thought, staring before him with\nunseeing eyes, and having altogether such a very singular appearance,\nthat his master and his fellow apprentices would nudge each other and\nsay: \u201cLabakan is putting on his grand airs again.\u201d\n\nOn Friday, when other folk were returning quietly homewards to their\nwork after their prayers, Labakan strutted out from the mosque,\ndecked in fine clothes, which had cost him a good deal of trouble to\nprocure, and paraded himself through the streets and squares of the\ncity. When any of his companions met him and saluted him with: \u201cPeace\nbe with thee,\u201d or \u201cHow is it with thee to-day, friend Labakan?\u201d he\nwould merely reply by a wave of the hand, or a dignified nod.\nSometimes his master would say to him in a joke: \u201cWhat a fine prince\nyou would make, to be sure, Labakan.\u201d Then, instead of seeing he was\nbeing laughed at, he would be delighted and replied--\u201cSo you have\nnoticed that too, my master? I have long thought so myself.\u201d\n\nAnd so the foolish apprentice would go on, but his master put up with\nhis nonsense because he was not only a very clever workman, but a good\nfellow too.\n\nBut one day the Sultan\u2019s brother Selim, who happened to be travelling\nthrough Alexandria, sent a robe to Labakan\u2019s master to have some\nslight alteration made. The work was given to Labakan, because his\nwork was finer than that of any of the other apprentices.\n\nIn the evening, when the master and the men had all gone home to enjoy\na little well-earned rest and amusement after the labours of the day,\nan irresistible longing drew Labakan back to the workshop, for he\nwished to feast his eyes upon the Prince Selim\u2019s robe.\n\nFor some time he stood before it admiring the gold embroidery and the\nbrilliant colours of the silk and velvet, until at length he could\nresist no longer and put it on. It fitted him exactly as though it\nhad been made for him. \u201cDo I not make as fine a prince as Selim?\u201d he\nasked himself, strutting backwards and forwards across the room. \u201cHow\noften has the master himself told me that I was born to be a prince!\u201d\n\nWith the royal robe Labakan seemed also to have assumed a royal mood\nand he began really to persuade himself that he must be a king\u2019s son\nin disguise, and he therefore decided to leave the place, where the\npeople all seemed too stupid to recognise his worth. It seemed to him\nas though the splendid robe had been sent to him by some good fairy\nand to be too precious a gift to be despised, and so, putting the\nlittle money he possessed into his pockets, he slipped through the\ngates of Alexandria, his flight being covered by the darkness of the\nnight. The new prince caused a good deal of surprise amongst the\npeople of the towns he passed through, for it was not usual to see a\nman so handsomely arrayed walking on foot, but on being questioned he\nwould reply in dignified tones that he had his own reasons for so\ntravelling. This, however, did not satisfy the folks, and when he\nfound he was making a laughing-stock of himself, he spent part of his\nmoney in purchasing a broken-down old horse, which he obtained for a\nvery small sum, and which suited him excellently, because its quiet\npace called for little display of horsemanship and therefore did not\nbetray the fact that he was an unskilful rider.\n\nOne day, as he rode carefully along upon old Murva, as he had named\nhis horse, he was joined by another rider, who requested permission to\ntravel in his company, as converse made the time pass more pleasantly\nand quickly.\n\nThis rider was a cheery young fellow, and very good-looking. He\nquestioned Labakan as to whence he came and whither he was going, and\nit appeared that he too was riding about at present merely for his own\npleasure. He told his new friend that his name was Omar and that he\nwas the nephew of Elfi Bey, the unfortunate Pasha of Cairo, and that\nhis uncle had made a communication to him shortly before his death\nwhich would presently necessitate his taking a journey in a certain\ndirection. Labakan was not quite so communicative as his companion,\nbut he intimated that he came of very high parentage and was\ntravelling for his own pleasure.\n\nThe two young men seemed mutually pleased with each other and on the\nsecond day Labakan had become sufficiently familiar with him to ask\nhim what was the communication Elfi Bey had made to him, and was much\nsurprised to hear the following: Elfi Bey had brought up Omar from his\nearliest youth and he had never known his own parents. But the Pasha,\nbeing defeated and mortally wounded by his enemies, thought the right\ntime had now come to tell his adopted nephew that, instead of being\nhis nephew, he was really the son of a mighty ruler, who had removed\nthe young prince from his court on account of a prophecy the\nastrologers had made concerning him, and who had declared he would\nnot see his son again until his two-and-twentieth birthday.\n\nElfi Bey had not told him his father\u2019s name, but had given him minute\ninstructions as to what he was to do. Upon the fourth day of the\ncoming month of Ramadan, which was his birthday, he was to go to the\ncelebrated Pillar of El-Serujah, four day\u2019s journey east of\nAlexandria. He would there find some men awaiting him, to whom he was\nto present a dagger, with the words, \u201cI am he whom ye seek.\u201d The men\nwould answer, \u201cPraised be the Prophet who has preserved thee,\u201d and he\nwas to follow them, for they would then lead him to his father. The\ntailor\u2019s apprentice was very much astonished to hear his companion\u2019s\nstory and regarded him with envious eyes, inwardly raging over the\nfate which had first allowed Omar to pass for the nephew of a mighty\npasha, and yet heaped still further dignity upon him by proving him to\nbe a royal prince, whilst Labakan, though possessing all the\nattributes of a prince, came from humble origin and belonged to a\ncommon trade.\n\nHe was forced to confess that the young prince was of a pleasing\ncountenance and possessed gentle and engaging manners, and yet in\nspite of that he tried to persuade himself that the young man\u2019s father\nwould have preferred him, Labakan, for his son.\n\nAll day long he dwelt upon this and dreamt of its possibility at\nnight, and when morning dawned and he looked upon the face of the\nunconscious youth, he determined to take by cunning what an unkind\nfate had denied him. The dagger which was to establish the prince\u2019s\nidentity was stuck in his girdle, and Labakan drew it out and placed\nit in his own, then, mounting the prince\u2019s fleeter steed, he rode off\nand was many miles away before the prince awoke and discovered the\ntrick his perfidious companion had played him.\n\nIt was the first day of the month of Ramadan, and so Labakan had four\ndays in which to reach the Pillar of El-Serujah, which was well known\nto him and which was only two days\u2019 journey; but he hurried on as fast\nas he could, because he feared the real prince would overtake him.\n\nAt the end of the second day he came in sight of the Pillar, which\nstood upon a little hill in the midst of a wide plain, and could be\nseen for some miles away.\n\nLabakan\u2019s heart beat wildly and his guilty conscience made him afraid\nas to whether he might be able to carry out his intentions, but he\ncomforted himself with the thought that he had been born to be a\nprince and rode on.\n\nThe neighbourhood of the Pillar of El-Serujah was uninhabited and\ndesolate, and the new prince would have been in sad straits had it not\nbeen for his forethought in providing himself with food for several\ndays, so he encamped beneath a palm tree, with his horse tethered\nbeside him, and there awaited his fate.\n\nTowards the middle of the following day he saw a great company of\nhorses and camels advancing across the plain towards him. The company\nhalted at the foot of the hill and pitched magnificent tents, the\nwhole giving the impression of being the escort of some powerful pasha\nor sheik.\n\nLabakan guessed these were the men who had come to meet him, and would\nhave liked to present their future ruler to them immediately, but\nsuppressed his eagerness to take upon himself the r\u00f4le of prince, as\nthe following day was to see the accomplishment of all his desires.\n\nThe morning sun awakened the overjoyed tailor to the most important\nmoment of his life, for he was to be raised from his lowly position to\nthe side of a royal father.\n\n [Illustration: _At the end of the second day he came in sight of\n the Pillar._ (P. 92.)]\n\nIt is true that, as he saddled his horse and prepared to ride towards\nthe Pillar, he could not but remember what a dishonest step he was\nabout to take, and also what pain and grief he was bringing to the\nreal prince in blighting all the hopes he had in life, but the die was\ncast and he could not undo what he had already done, and his love of\nself whispered to his heart that he was handsome and stately enough to\nbe the son of the mightiest of kings.\n\nEncouraged by this thought he sprang upon his horse and, summoning all\nthe bravery he possessed, ventured to urge his steed to a gallop, and\nin less than a quarter of an hour he was at the foot of the hill.\n\nHe dismounted and, drawing forth Prince Omar\u2019s dagger, began to climb\nthe hill.\n\nAt the base of the Pillar stood six men, surrounding a grey-headed old\nman of noble and majestic appearance, who was glad in a magnificent\ncaftan of pure gold wrapped around with a white cashmere shawl, a\nwhite turban glistening with diamonds, all of which betokened him to\nbe a man of high estate and honour.\n\nLabakan approached him, and, bowing before him, presented the dagger,\nwith these words: \u201cI am he whom you seek.\u201d\n\n\u201cBlessed be the Prophet who hath preserved thee,\u201d answered the old\nman, whilst tears of joy streamed down his face: \u201cembrace thy father,\nmy dear, dear son!\u201d\n\nThe tailor had the grace to feel both touched and ashamed as the arms\nof the aged prince enfolded him.\n\nBut not for long was he to be left in undisturbed possession of his\nnew position, for he soon perceived a rider hurrying across the plain\ntowards them. Horse and rider presented a somewhat peculiar\nappearance, for whilst the animal appeared to be either unwilling or\nunable through fatigue to proceed further, the rider urged him forward\nwith both hands and feet. Only too soon did Labakan recognise the pair\nas his horse Murva and the rightful prince; but he was desperate and\ndetermined to brazen it out.\n\nThe rider had been seen beckoning and making signs from a long way\nback, and now that, in spite of the wretched pace of his horse, he had\nreached the foot of the hill, he hastily dismounted and dashed up the\nhill. \u201cWait,\u201d he cried frantically, \u201cwait, and do not let yourselves\nbe deceived by the basest of impostors. I am Omar, and I will allow no\none to misuse my name.\u201d\n\nThe spectators of this extraordinary scene were astounded,\nparticularly the aged prince, who turned from one to the other of the\ntwo claimants in uncertainty. But Labakan turned to him and said in a\nvoice of studied calmness--\u201cMost gracious lord and father, do not\nallow yourself to be deceived, this man is but a mad tailor\u2019s\napprentice, who deserves our pity rather than our anger.\u201d\n\nThese words well-nigh drove the prince crazy. Foaming with rage, he\nwould have rushed upon Labakan had not the bystanders prevented him.\n\n\u201cYou have spoken truly, my dear son,\u201d said the aged prince. \u201cThe poor\nman must indeed be mad. He shall be bound and placed upon one of the\ncamels and perhaps later we may be able to do something for him.\u201d\n\nThe young man\u2019s rage had exhausted itself and he cried to the prince:\n\u201cMy heart tells me that you are my father, and I pray you, by the\nmemory of my mother, to give me a hearing.\u201d\n\nBut the prince only shook his head--\u201cHow the poor fellow raves,\u201d he\nsaid, then, leaning upon the false prince\u2019s arm, he began to descend\nthe hill. They then mounted beautifully caparisoned horses and rode\nat the head of the company across the plains.\n\nThe unfortunate prince had his hands firmly bound and was placed upon\na camel whilst a guard rode on either side of him to watch his every\nmovement.\n\nThe aged prince was named Saaud, and he was Sultan of the Wechabites.\n\nFor a long time he had been childless and then one son had been born\nto him. But the astrologers whom he had consulted as to the boy\u2019s\nfuture told him that until he had passed the age of twenty-two he\nwould be in constant danger of being supplanted by an enemy, and\ntherefore he had entrusted the care of his child to his old and valued\nfriend Elfi Bey, and had passed two-and-twenty anxious years awaiting\nhis son\u2019s coming.\n\nThe Sultan told his supposed son this story and added how pleased and\nmore than contented he was with his appearance and bearing.\n\nOn reaching the Sultan\u2019s own country they were greeted with shouts of\njoy by the whole populace, for the news of the prince\u2019s coming had\nspread like wildfire through all the villages and towns. Arches of\nflowers and greenery spanned the roads, and tapestries of gorgeous\ncolours decked the houses, and all the people shouted praise to the\nProphet for sending them such a handsome prince. No wonder the\ntailor\u2019s heart swelled with pride and joy, whilst Prince Omar felt\nmore unhappy than ever at his sad state. The air resounded with cries\nof \u201cOmar,\u201d but he who had the right to the name rode unnoticed\nthrough the throng, except when now and then some one asked who it was\nthat was bound and guarded so securely. Then the answers his guards\nmade caused his heart to sink: \u201cHe is but a mad tailor,\u201d they said.\n\nThe procession at length reached the Sultan\u2019s capital, where\neverything had been prepared for their reception with even greater\nsplendour than in the other towns. The Sultana, an elderly and\ndignified lady, awaited them with her entire court in the most\nmagnificent room in the palace. The floor of the apartment was covered\nwith an enormous carpet and the walls were hung with pale blue cloth,\ndraped with golden cords and tassels which hung from silver hooks.\n\nAs it was already dark when the procession reached the palace, the\nroom was lighted with innumerable many-coloured lamps, the light from\nwhich turned night into day. Beneath the brightest light the Sultana\nsat upon her throne, which was raised upon four steps and was of pure\ngold set with amethysts. The four most distinguished emirs held a\ncanopy of red silk over her head, and the Sheik of Medina fanned her\nwith a fan of peacock\u2019s feathers.\n\nThus the Sultana awaited the coming of the son she had not seen since\nhis birth, although in her dreams he had been frequently present with\nher, so that she felt certain she would know him again in the midst of\nthousands.\n\nPresently the noise of the approaching procession was heard, and\nbefore long the curtains were drawn aside and the Sultan approached\nhis wife, leading his supposed son by the hand.\n\n\u201cHere I bring you the son you have yearned for so long,\u201d he cried. But\nthe Sultana would not allow him to proceed--\u201cThat is not my son,\u201d said\nshe. \u201cThose are not the features the Prophet allowed me to gaze on in\nmy dreams.\u201d\n\nJust as the Sultan was about to reprove her for her superstition, the\ndoor burst open and in dashed the rightful prince, who had managed to\nescape from his guards. Breathlessly he flung himself before the\nthrone and cried: \u201cSlay me here if you will, O cruel father, for this\nshame will I bear no longer.\u201d\n\nAll present were astounded at his words, and the guards would once\nmore have seized the unfortunate prince, but the Sultana stepped\nforward and, gazing at him earnestly, cried: \u201cStay, this is my\nrightful son, this is he whom my eyes have never rested on since his\nbirth, but whom my heart recognises nevertheless.\u201d\n\nThe guards drew back involuntarily; but the Sultan cried to them in\nwrath to seize the madman. \u201cIt is for me to decide,\u201d he said angrily.\n\u201cOf what worth are the dreams of a woman beside the real token which\nthis, my son, brought me from my friend Elfi Bey. He who brought the\ndagger is the rightful heir.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt was stolen,\u201d cried Omar furiously. \u201cHe betrayed my confidence with\ntreachery and stole the dagger.\u201d\n\nBut the Sultan would not listen to his son, for he was very obstinate\nwhen once he had formed an opinion, and he ordered Omar to be taken\naway by force, and he went to his own room violently enraged with the\nSultana, with whom he had lived in peace and happiness for the last\nfive-and-twenty years. Of course Labakan accompanied him; but the\nSultana remained behind in great grief, for she was absolutely certain\nthat an impostor had gained the affection of the Sultan and ousted\ntheir own son.\n\nWhen her grief had somewhat subsided she set herself to think of means\nwherewith she could convince her husband of his error. This was a\ndifficult task, for the dagger had been the token decided upon as a\nmeans of recognition, and moreover Omar had related so much of his\nearly life to Labakan that the tailor was able to play his part\nwithout betraying himself.\n\nShe called to her presence the men who had been with the Sultan at the\nPillar of El-Serujah, in order to question them narrowly as to what\nhad taken place there, and then she took counsel with her most\nconfidential slaves.\n\nMany suggestions were offered, but at length an old Circassian woman\nasked: \u201cDid not the bearer of the dagger say that he whom you regard\nas your son was in reality Labakan, a tailor\u2019s apprentice?\u201d\n\n\u201cYes, that is so,\u201d replied the Sultana, \u201cbut I do not see what that\nhas to do with the case.\u201d\n\n\u201cMay it not be that he gave his own name and trade to your son?\u201d said\nthe slave. \u201cIf this is so, then I know of a plan by which we can\ndetect the impostor, and which I will tell you of in secret.\u201d\n\nThe slave whispered her plan in the Sultana\u2019s ear, and the mistress\napproved so well of it that she prepared herself at once to go into\nthe Sultan\u2019s presence.\n\nThe Sultana was a wise woman, well knowing the Sultan\u2019s weak points\nand how to take advantage of them, and so she pretended to yield her\nopinion and to be willing to accept the false son, merely making one\ncondition. The Sultan, who regretted the anger he had shown towards\nhis wife, readily agreed to let her make her own condition.\n\n\u201cWell,\u201d said she, \u201cwe will set the two claimants a task. Anyone can\nmanage a horse or throw a spear; but I have hit upon something more\ndifficult. We will see which of them shall make the best caftan and a\npair of trousers.\u201d\n\nThe Sultan laughed good-naturedly: \u201cAnd so my son is to compete with\nyour crazy tailor,\u201d he said. \u201cWell, be it as you will, but if the\ntailor makes ever so fine a caftan I will not own him as a son.\u201d\n\nThe Sultan went to his son and begged him to gratify the whim of his\nmother who wished for a caftan made by the hands of her son. Labakan\nlaughed for joy. If it only depended on that, he thought, then the\nSultana would very speedily be well pleased with him.\n\nTwo rooms had been prepared, one for the prince, the other for the\ntailor, and there they were to give proof of their skill, and each\nwas given a piece of silk, scissors, needles and thread. The Sultan\nwas very curious as to what sort of a thing his son\u2019s caftan would\nlook like.\n\nThe Sultana felt nervous and her heart beat anxiously lest her plan\nshould prove a failure.\n\nTwo days were allowed the young men in which to complete their task,\nand on the third day the Sultan sent for his wife and as soon as she\nhad joined him he ordered the two young men to be brought in and to\nbring their caftans with them.\n\n [Illustration: _The slave whispered her plan in the Sultana\u2019s\n ear._ (P. 100.)]\n\nLabakan strode triumphantly into the apartment and spread out his\ngarment proudly before the eyes of the astonished Sultan. \u201cSee,\nfather,\u201d said he, \u201csee, most honoured mother, is this not a\nmasterpiece? I would lay a wager that even the court tailor himself\ncould not make a better one.\u201d\n\nThe Sultana smiled and turned to Omar: \u201cAnd what have you\naccomplished, my son?\u201d said she.\n\nFor reply Omar flung the roll of silk and scissors upon the floor. \u201cI\nwas taught to manage a horse, to handle a sword, and to hurl a\nlance,\u201d said he, \u201cbut the art of needlework is unknown to me, neither\nis it a fitting art for the adopted son of Elfi Bey, the ruler of\nCairo.\u201d\n\n\u201cO thou true son of thy father,\u201d cried the Sultana, \u201coh! that I might\nembrace thee and claim thee for my son. Pardon me, my lord and\nmaster,\u201d she said, turning to the Sultan, \u201cthat I have tricked you in\nthis way, in order to prove to you which is the prince and which the\ntailor. Certainly the caftan your son has made is a magnificent one,\nbut I should like to ask him who taught him his trade?\u201d\n\nThe Sultan bit his lip and glanced suspiciously first at his wife and\nthen at Labakan, who had turned crimson with embarrassment and\nvexation at having betrayed himself.\n\n\u201cThis test is not sufficient,\u201d the Sultan decreed, \u201cbut Allah be\npraised, I know of a way out of the difficulty.\u201d\n\nHe ordered his swiftest horse to be saddled, mounted in haste, and\nrode off towards a wood, which was not far from the city. In the midst\nof this wood dwelt a fairy named Adolzaide, who was said to have\nbefriended previous Sultans of that country and given them good advice\nwhen they were in any difficulty, and so the Sultan turned to her in\nhis present trouble.\n\nHe reached the spot where she was supposed to dwell, and having\ndismounted and tethered his horse to a tree, he cried out in a loud\nvoice: \u201cAdolzaide, if it be true that you have befriended my fathers\nin former times, help me now in my dire need, I pray you.\u201d\n\nScarcely had he spoken these words when the trunk of a cedar tree\nparted and a veiled woman, clad in long white garments, appeared.\n\n\u201cI know your errand, Sultan Saaud,\u201d she said, \u201cand I am ready to help\nyou, because your desire is an honourable and just one. Take these two\ncaskets, show them to the two youths who claim to be your son, and let\nthem choose which casket they will have. The true Omar will not fail\nto choose rightly, and you will then be no longer in doubt as to which\nis your heir.\u201d\n\nThe veiled woman then handed him two caskets of ivory, richly\nornamented with gold and pearls. Upon the lids of the caskets, which\nthe Sultan was unable to raise, were inscriptions in glittering\ndiamonds; one was \u201cHonour and Glory\u201d and the other \u201cHappiness and\nRiches.\u201d The Sultan racked his brains to try and discover how the\ncaskets could possibly help him to discover his real son. He tried\nagain and again to open the lids, but in vain.\n\nAs soon as the Sultan reached his palace he sent for the Sultana and\ntold her the result of his visit to the fairy, and her heart leapt\nwith joy, for she was certain that now the truth would be arrived at.\n\nA table was placed before the Sultan\u2019s throne and upon it the Sultan\nhimself placed the two caskets, then he seated himself upon his throne\nand made a sign to one of his slaves to open the doors of the\napartment. A brilliant train of pashas and emirs streamed in, for they\nhad been ordered to be in attendance when this further trial was made.\nThey seated themselves upon the cushions ranged along the walls, and\nthen the Sultan ordered Labakan to be summoned.\n\nProudly he stepped into the room and, bowing before the throne, asked:\n\u201cWhat does my lord and father command?\u201d\n\n\u201cMy son,\u201d replied the Sultan, \u201cas some doubt has been cast upon your\nclaim to bear the name you call yourself, this test will decide the\ntruth. Here are two caskets; choose one, I doubt not you will choose\nrightly.\u201d\n\nLabakan approached the caskets and read the inscriptions; he pondered\nawhile and then said--\u201cHonoured father! what can be greater than the\nhappiness of being your son, and what more noble than the riches of\nyour favour? I choose the casket with the inscriptions \u2018Happiness and\nRiches.\u2019\u201d\n\n\u201cLater on we will see if you have chosen rightly,\u201d said the Sultan,\nand then he signed to his slaves to bring Omar in.\n\nHis downcast looks and dejected mien roused the pity of all who beheld\nhim. He threw himself down before the throne and enquired what the\nwill of the Sultan might be.\n\nHe was told he had to choose one of the caskets upon the table. He\nread the inscriptions carefully and then said: \u201cThe last few day have\ntaught me how uncertain happiness is and how fleeting are riches;\nbut they have also taught me that honour dwells for ever in the\nbrave man\u2019s heart, and the glory of a good name is better than\nriches--therefore I choose \u2018Honour and Glory.\u2019\u201d\n\n [Illustration: _THE STORY OF THE FALSE PRINCE_\n _CHOOSING THE CASKETS_\n (_p. 104_)]\n\nBefore the Sultan allowed either of the young men to open their\ncaskets he sent for a ewer of water from the holy stream in Mecca,\nand, having washed his hands, he turned his face towards the East and\nprayed to the Prophet that he would allow this test to decide beyond\nall doubt the identity of the rightful prince. Then he arose and bade\nthe young men open their caskets, but although before it had been\nfound impossible to raise the lids they now flew open of their own\naccord.\n\nInside Omar\u2019s casket, upon a tiny velvet cushion, lay a little golden\ncrown and sceptre, but within Labakan\u2019s lay a needle and thread.\n\nThe Sultan commanded them to bring the caskets to him. He took the\nlittle crown from its velvet bed and immediately it began to increase\nin size until it was large enough to set upon his son\u2019s head, which\nthe Sultan did, bidding Omar sit down at his right hand.\n\nThen turning to Labakan, he said: \u201cThere is an old proverb, \u2018The\nshoemaker must stick to his last,\u2019 and it seems that you must stick to\nyour needle. Had it not been that someone, to whom I can deny nothing,\nhas pleaded for you, it would have gone hardly with you, but as it is\nI will spare your wretched life, but I warn you to hasten to leave my\ncountry.\u201d\n\nAshamed and repentant, Labakan cast himself at the feet of the\nprince.\n\n\u201cCan you ever forgive me my treachery?\u201d he cried, with tears in his\neyes.\n\n\u201c\u2018Faithful to a friend, generous to an enemy,\u2019 is the motto of our\nrace,\u201d answered the prince--\u201ctherefore I bid thee \u2018go in peace.\u2019\u201d\n\n\u201cYou are indeed my son,\u201d cried the aged Sultan, embracing him, and all\nthe pashas and emirs rose and shouted: \u201cHail to the king\u2019s son, hail\nto our noble prince.\u201d\n\nDuring the noise occasioned by these general rejoicings, Labakan, his\ncasket beneath his arm, slipped unperceived from the room.\n\nHe hurried down to the stable, bridled his horse Murva, and rode out\nof the gateway in the direction of Alexandria.\n\nHis life as prince appeared to him now like a brief but splendid\ndream, only the beautiful casket set with pearls and diamonds remained\nto remind him that he had not dreamt it all.\n\nWhen at length he reached Alexandria, he rode to the shop of his\nformer master, dismounted, fastened his horse to the door-post and\nwent in.\n\nHis master, who did not recognise him at first, bowed and asked what\nhe might require, but when he looked at the supposed customer more\nclosely he saw who he was and, calling his apprentices and pupils to\ncome to his assistance, they all set upon Labakan and beat him soundly\nwith whatever they happened to have in their hands, flat irons,\nmeasures, shears, and so on, until at last the poor fellow fell at\ntheir feet as limp as a heap of old clothes.\n\nAs he lay there his master gave him a sound rating for having stolen\nthe caftan; in vain Labakan assured him he was there to restore it, no\none would believe him, and some of the apprentices picked him up and\nthrew him out of the door. He managed to get upon Murva\u2019s back and\nrode away to a little inn, where he was glad to lay his weary head\nupon a pillow, whilst he mused upon the uncertainty of happiness and\nthe vanity of earthly riches, and before he fell asleep he had\ndetermined to renounce his dreams of grandeur and set to work to earn\nhis living as an honest fellow.\n\nThe next day, being still of the same mind, he sold his casket to a\ndealer in precious stones, bought himself a house and set up a\nworkshop. He hung out a sign with \u201cLabakan, Tailor,\u201d painted upon it,\nand then began to await his customers.\n\nAs his clothing had been most grievously torn by the rough handling he\nhad received from his master and former companions, he took the needle\nand thread he had found in the casket and began to repair his\nclothing. He was called away and on his return, as he was about to\ncontinue his work what was his surprise to find his needle sewing\nbusily away without any hand to guide it and making the finest and\nneatest stitches, quite surpassing the best work Labakan had ever\ndone.\n\nTruly, even the smallest of fairy gifts is bound to prove useful and\nvaluable. Not the least value of this gift was the fact that the\nthread in the needle was never used up, but sewed on and on, no matter\nhow much the needle sewed.\n\nIt was no wonder Labakan soon became famous as a tailor. Orders\nflocked in from far and near, and all he had to do was to start the\nneedle sewing, and it went straight on by itself until the garment was\nfinished.\n\nMaster Labakan worked so much better and cheaper than any other tailor\nin Alexandria that everybody wished to have their clothes made by him;\nonly one thing puzzled them, he employed no assistants and he always\nworked with his door shut.\n\nSo after all the motto on his casket came true, for happiness and\nriches came to him, though in a different guise to what he had\nexpected them. From time to time he heard news of Prince Omar. It was\nsaid that he was the bravest of the brave, the pride and glory of his\npeople, and the terror of his enemies. At such times as he heard of\nhim Labakan would say to himself: \u201cI am better off as a tailor, for to\nwin honour and glory one must risk one\u2019s life.\u201d\n\nAnd so he lived happy and contented all the days of his life, and as\nfor the magic needle, for all I know to the contrary, it may be sewing\nbusily away to this very day.\n\n\n\n\nTHE DWARF LONG-NOSE.\n\n\nMany years ago, in a certain city in Germany, there lived an honest\ncobbler and his wife. The good man sat all day and mended boots and\nshoes; he made new ones too, if he could get a customer to trust him\nwith the job, but then he had first to buy the leather, for he was too\npoor to keep a stock in hand. His wife sold fruit and vegetables,\nwhich she grew in a little plot of ground outside the city gates. She\nhad many customers, for she was clean and tidy, and had a knack of\nsetting out her wares to the best advantage.\n\n [Illustration: _Jacob._]\n\nThe cobbler and his wife had a beautiful little boy, named Jacob.\nAlthough he was but eight years of age he was tall and well grown,\nand so he sat by his mother\u2019s side in the market-place, and acted as\nerrand boy to the housewives and cooks who made large purchases from\nhis mother, carrying the fruit and vegetables home for them. Very\noften he came back with a piece of money in his pocket, or at least\nwith a cake, or some sweetmeats, for he was so pretty and obliging\nthat people liked to see him in their homes.\n\nOne morning the cobbler\u2019s wife was sitting in her accustomed place in\nthe market. She had a supply of cabbages and other vegetables, fresh\nherbs and seeds, and a smaller basket of early pears and apricots.\n\nLittle Jacob sat beside her and called out in his shrill little voice:\n\u201cCome buy, come buy, fine cabbages, fresh herbs, early pears, fine\nripe apples and apricots. Come buy, buy, buy, my mother\u2019s goods are\ncheap to-day.\u201d\n\nAn old woman came slowly across the market-place. She was dressed in\nrags and tatters and had a little, pointed face, all wrinkled and\nfurrowed with age, red-rimmed eyes, and a sharp hooked nose that\nnearly met the pointed chin. She helped herself along with a stick,\nand it is difficult to say how she moved, for she stumbled and limped\nand rolled along almost as though her legs were broken-down wheels\nwhich would soon give way.\n\nThe cobbler\u2019s wife stared hard at her, for although she had been\nsitting in the market-place every day for the last sixteen years she\nhad never noticed the queer old creature before. But she shuddered\ninvoluntarily when the old woman hobbled towards her and stood still\nbefore the baskets.\n\n [Illustration: _THE DWARF LONG-NOSE._\n _\u201cAn old woman came slowly across the market-place.\u201d_]\n\n\u201cAre you Hannah, the vegetable dealer?\u201d she said in a cracked\nunpleasant voice, her head shaking as though with palsy.\n\n\u201cYes, that is my name,\u201d replied the cobbler\u2019s wife, \u201cis there anything\nI can serve you with?\u201d\n\n\u201cI must see, I must see,\u201d she replied. \u201cLet me look at your herbs and\nsee if you have anything I require.\u201d\n\nShe plunged her brown skinny fingers into the basket of herbs which\nhad been so neatly set out, and, grasping handful after handful, put\nthem to her long hooked nose and smelt them.\n\nThe cobbler\u2019s wife was much put out to see her rare herbs handled in\nthis way, but she did not like to say anything, for it was the\ncustomer\u2019s right to examine the goods, and besides she was half afraid\nof the old woman.\n\nWhen the whole of the basket of herbs had been handled and turned over\nthe old woman muttered--\u201cRubbish, rubbish, the whole lot of it. Fifty\nyears ago I could have bought what I wanted; this is good for\nnothing.\u201d\n\nThese words angered little Jacob. \u201cYou are a rude old woman,\u201d he said\nangrily; \u201cfirst you take up our beautiful fresh herbs in your nasty\nbrown fingers and crush them, then you put them to your long, hooked\nnose, so that nobody else who had seen you, would want to buy them,\nand then you miscall our wares, as bad stuff and rubbish, when even\nthe Duke\u2019s cook does not disdain to buy from us.\u201d\n\nThe old woman looked fixedly at the spirited lad and laughed in a\nrepulsive manner. Then said she, in a hoarse croaking voice, \u201cAh, my\nlittle man, do you like my nose, my nice long nose? Then you shall\nhave a nice long nose too, one that shall reach from the middle of\nyour face right down below your chin.\u201d As she talked she shuffled\nalong to the other basket in which the cabbages were placed. She took\nthe finest creamy crisp heads and crushed them in her hands until they\ncreaked and cracked, then threw them back into the basket anyhow. \u201cBad\ngoods, bad cabbages,\u201d she said.\n\n\u201cDon\u2019t shake your head to and fro like that,\u201d cried the little boy,\nbeginning to feel frightened. \u201cYour neck is as thin as a cabbage stalk\nand looks as though it might snap in two, and if your head rolled off\ninto our cabbage basket, who would buy from us then?\u201d\n\n\u201cSo you don\u2019t like thin necks, eh?\u201d muttered the old woman. \u201cVery\nwell, then, you shall have none at all. Your head shall stick close\ndown to your shoulders so that there will be no danger of its falling\noff your little body.\u201d\n\n\u201cCome, come, don\u2019t talk such rubbish to the child,\u201d said the cobbler\u2019s\nwife, vexed at length, \u201cif you wish to buy anything make your choice\nfor you are frightening other customers away.\u201d\n\n\u201cVery well,\u201d answered the old woman grimly, \u201cI will buy these six\ncabbages. But you must let your little son carry them home for me,\nfor I have to support myself on my stick and can carry nothing myself.\nI will reward him for his trouble.\u201d\n\nThe little boy did not want to go and began to cry, for he was afraid\nof the ugly old woman, but his mother bade him go quite sternly, she\nwould have been ashamed to let the weakly old creature carry such a\nheavy burden, so he put the cabbages in a cloth and followed the old\nwoman from the market-place.\n\nShe walked so slowly that it was about three-quarters of an hour\nbefore they reached her home, which was in a very out-of-the-way part\nof the town, and which was a miserable-looking little house.\n\nThe old woman drew a rusty key from her pocket and slipped it into the\nkeyhole, and the door sprang open.\n\nBut what was little Jacob\u2019s astonishment on entering the house to find\nit most beautiful. The walls and ceiling were of marble, the furniture\nof ebony, inlaid with gold and polished jewels, and the floor was of\nglass and so slippery that the little boy fell down several times.\n\nThe old woman drew a little silver whistle from her pocket and blew it\nso shrilly that the tones resounded all through the house.\n\nA number of guinea-pigs at once came hurrying down the stairs, and\nJacob was astounded to see that they were walking erect on their hind\nlegs and had their feet thrust into nut-shells instead of shoes. They\nwore men\u2019s clothing and had hats on their heads made in the newest\nfashion.\n\n\u201cWhere have you put my slippers, you ragamuffins?\u201d asked the old\nwoman, striking them with her staff, so that they began to whine and\njump about. \u201cHow much longer do you expect to keep me standing here?\u201d\n\nThe guinea-pigs bounded up the stairs and soon returned with a pair of\ncocoa-nut shells, lined and bound with leather. These they put on the\nold woman\u2019s feet and at once she ceased to hobble and limp, flung away\nher staff, and began to glide about over the slippery floor with the\ngreatest rapidity, dragging Jacob after her.\n\nShe came at length to a room bearing some resemblance to a kitchen,\nthough the tables were of mahogany, and the couches and chairs covered\nwith exquisite tapestries. \u201cSit down,\u201d said the old woman in friendly\ntones, pushing him as she spoke into a corner of a sofa and then\nrolling a table in front of him, so that he could not get out again.\n\n\u201cYou must be tired, walking so far, and carrying such a heavy burden,\u201d\nshe said, \u201cnow I am going to reward you for your trouble and make you\nsome soup such as you have never tasted before, and will remember all\nyour life long.\u201d She again blew her whistle and again a number of\nguinea-pigs appeared, dressed in human attire. They wore cook\u2019s\naprons, and had cooking spoons and carving knives stuck in their\nwaistbands. After them came a crowd of squirrels, clad in wide\nTurkish trousers, with little green velvet caps on their heads. They\nappeared to be the kitchen servants, for they at once began to clamber\nup and down the walls and brought pots and pans, eggs and butter,\nherbs and flour, and carried them to the fireplace, where the old\nwoman seemed to be very busy with her cookery.\n\nThe fire burned merrily and the contents of the pans began to steam\nand hiss and send forth a very pleasant smell.\n\nAt length the soup was cooked and the old woman poured some into a\nsilver dish and set it before little Jacob.\n\n\u201cEat, my little man,\u201d said she, \u201cand you will have all that you have\ncoveted in me. You shall become a clever cook too, but you shall\nnever, never find the herb that was missing in your mother\u2019s basket.\u201d\n\nThe boy did not understand what she was talking about; but he went on\neating his soup, which was delicious. His mother often cooked tasty\ndishes for him, but never anything like this. An odour of fine herbs\nand vegetables arose from it, it was both sour and sweet and very\nstrong. As he finished the last of it the guinea-pigs set light to\nsome incense, which rose in a blue cloud and was wafted through the\nroom. Thicker and thicker the incense rose and the little boy began to\nfeel stupefied.\n\nHe tried to rise, telling himself that he must hasten back to his\nmother, but he only fell back again, and at length, quite overcome,\nhe fell fast asleep on the old woman\u2019s sofa.\n\nThen he began to dream, such strange dreams! It seemed to him as\nthough the old woman took off all his clothes and dressed him up in a\nsquirrel\u2019s skin and he was at once able to jump about like the other\nsquirrels in the house and began to take his place with them and the\nguinea-pigs, and that, like they, he too became one of the old woman\u2019s\nservants.\n\nAt first he was the shoe-black and it was his duty to polish the\ncocoa-nut shells the old woman wore instead of shoes. He had learnt to\npolish shoes in his own home, and as his father was a cobbler he had\nbeen particularly well taught, so that he was clever at his work. A\nyear seemed to pass and then he dreamt that he was given more\nimportant duties. He and some other squirrels were set to work to\ncatch the sunbeam dust and sift it through fine sieves. This dust was\nused instead of flour to make the bread the old woman ate, for she had\nno teeth, and sunbeam dust makes the very softest and finest of bread.\nAnother dream year passed and then he was promoted to be one of the\nwater-carriers. You must not imagine the old woman kept a\nwater-cistern or a water-butt handy. Oh! dear no! Jacob and the\nsquirrels had to draw the dew from the roses into hazel-nut shells;\nthis was the old woman\u2019s drinking water, and as she was always thirsty\nit was hard work to keep her supplied with it. At the end of another\nyear he was appointed to do the indoor work. His particular duty was\nto keep the glass floor in order. He had to sweep it over and then\nwrap soft polishing cloths round his feet and slide up and down the\nroom until the glass shone brilliantly.\n\nAt the end of the year he was promoted to the kitchen; this was a\nplace of honour, only to be reached after long training. He began at\nthe beginning as a scullion and advanced rapidly until he was head\ncook. Sometimes he could not but wonder at his own skill, for he could\ncook the most difficult dishes and could make no less than two hundred\ndifferent kinds of pastries. Then he was a first-rate hand at soups,\nand could make every kind that had ever been heard of, and knew the\nuse of every kind of vegetable that grew.\n\n [Illustration: _Jacob had to draw the dew from the roses._\n (P. 118.)]\n\nSeveral years had now passed away in the service of the old woman and\none day she put on her cocoa-nut shoes, took her staff and basket in\nher hand, and prepared to go out. Before leaving she told Jacob to\ncook a chicken for her dinner on her return and be sure to stuff it\nwell with seasoning.\n\nWhen he had prepared the chicken, he went to the room where the herbs\nwere kept to collect some to stuff it with, and to his surprise saw a\nlittle cupboard that he had not noticed before. The door was ajar and\nhe peeped curiously in and saw a number of little baskets from which\nissued a strong and pleasant odour. He opened one of them and saw that\nit contained a very curious-looking plant. The leaves and stalks were\nof a bluish-green colour and it bore a flower of a deep red hue,\nflecked with yellow. He looked closely at the flower, then smelt it\nand noticed it had the same scent as the soup which the old woman had\nonce cooked for him. It was a very strong scent, so strong indeed that\nit made him sneeze, and he went on sneezing again and again until at\nlength--he awoke.\n\nHe lay on the old woman\u2019s sofa and looked around him in surprise. \u201cHow\nreal dreams do seem sometimes,\u201d he said to himself. \u201cI could have been\ncertain that I was a squirrel just now, and had guinea-pigs and\nsquirrels for my companions, also that I had learnt to be a first-rate\ncook. How Mother will laugh when I tell her all about it, but she will\nscold me, too, for having fallen asleep in a stranger\u2019s house instead\nof helping her in the market-place.\u201d\n\nHe jumped up in a hurry, but his limbs were stiff from sleeping so\nlong, especially his neck; he could not turn it about very easily, and\nhe seemed so sleepy still that he kept striking his nose against the\nwalls and cupboards.\n\nAs he stood upon the threshold the guinea-pigs and squirrels came\nwhimpering round him as though they would like to go with him and he\nbegged them to come, for they were dear little creatures, but they\nwent clattering back in their nut-shell shoes and he could hear them\nsqueaking away in the house.\n\nThe old woman had brought him a long distance from the market-place,\nand he had some difficulty in finding his way back through the narrow\nlanes, especially as there seemed to be a great crowd of people.\nSomewhere near he thought there must be a dwarf to be seen, for the\npeople were pushing and craning their necks and calling out to one\nanother, \u201cJust look, what a hideous dwarf! Where can he come from?\nWhat a long nose he has, and how his head is sunk between his high\nshoulders; he has no neck at all, and see what great brown hands he\nhas.\u201d\n\nJacob would have liked to have seen the dwarf himself, for he always\nliked to see anything extraordinary, but he could not wait, because he\nknew he ought to hurry back to his mother.\n\nHe felt frightened and nervous when at length he reached the\nmarket-place, for his mother looked so altered. He felt sure he could\nnot have slept very long, for she had still a quantity of fruit and\nvegetables unsold, but she sat with her head leaning on her hand,\nnever calling out to the passers-by to buy her wares. She was paler\ntoo, and looked very sad.\n\nHe hesitated as to what he should do, but at length he took heart and\ncrept up behind her and, laying his hand caressingly upon her arm,\nsaid: \u201cMother dear, what ails you? Are you angry with me?\u201d\n\nShe turned to look at him, but started back with a cry of horror.\n\u201cWhat do you want with me, you hideous dwarf,\u201d she cried. \u201cSuch jokes\nare out of place.\u201d\n\n\u201cBut, Mother,\u201d said Jacob in alarm, \u201cyou cannot be well. Why do you\ndrive your son away?\u201d\n\n\u201cHave I not told you to go away,\u201d said Hannah angrily, \u201cyou will get\nnothing from me by such jokes, you ugly creature.\u201d\n\n\u201cShe must be out of her mind,\u201d said the little one, \u201chowever shall I\nget her back home? Mother dear, look well at me, I am your own little\nson Jacob.\u201d\n\n\u201cNow you have gone too far with your impertinence,\u201d cried the woman.\n\u201cNot content, you hideous dwarf, with standing there and frightening\nmy customers away, you must needs make game of my grief and sorrow.\nNeighbours, listen to this fellow, who dares to say he is my son\nJacob.\u201d\n\nHer neighbours all came crowding round her and began to abuse poor\nJacob in no measured terms, telling him it was cruel to joke with a\npoor bereaved mother who had had her lovely boy stolen away seven long\nyears ago, and they threatened to tear him limb from limb if he did\nnot go away at once.\n\n [Illustration: _\u201cGood gracious me, what is that?\u201d_ (P. 124.)]\n\nPoor Jacob knew not what to make of it all. He had gone that morning\nwith his mother to the market-place, or so he believed, had helped\nher set out her wares of fruit and vegetables, had carried home the\nold woman\u2019s cabbages, taken a little soup and fallen asleep for a\nshort time, and yet his mother and the neighbours declared he had been\nabsent seven years.\n\nAnd they called him a horrible dwarf! What could have taken place?\nWhen he saw that his mother would have nothing to do with him the\ntears came into his eyes, and he turned sadly away and went up the\nstreet towards the little shop where his father sat and mended shoes\nduring the daytime.\n\n\u201cI will see if he will recognise me,\u201d he said to himself. \u201cI will just\nstand in the doorway and speak to him.\u201d\n\nWhen he reached the cobbler\u2019s shop he stood in the doorway and looked\nin. The old man was so busy that he did not notice him at first, but\npresently, on looking up, he dropped the shoe he was mending and cried\nout: \u201cGood gracious me, what is that?\u201d\n\n\u201cGood evening, master,\u201d said the little man, as he entered the shop,\n\u201chow is trade just now?\u201d\n\n\u201cBad, very bad, little gentleman,\u201d said the cobbler, \u201cI cannot work as\nwell as I did, I am getting old and I have no one to help me, for I\ncannot afford an assistant.\u201d\n\nJacob was astounded that his father should not have recognised him\neither, so he answered: \u201cHave you no son whom you could train to help\nyou?\u201d\n\n\u201cI had one, Jacob by name; he should be a tall, well-grown youth by\nnow, who would have been able to be my right hand, for even as a\nlittle fellow he was handy and clever at my trade. He was so handsome\ntoo, and had such pleasant manners, that he would no doubt have\nbrought me more customers; very likely by this time I might have given\nup cobbling shoes and have made new ones instead. But alas! such is\nlife!\u201d\n\n\u201cWhere is your son then?\u201d enquired Jacob with trembling voice.\n\n\u201cNo one can tell,\u201d replied the old man, \u201cfor seven years ago he was\nstolen from us.\u201d\n\n\u201cSeven years ago,\u201d cried Jacob in horrorstricken tones.\n\n\u201cYes, little gentleman, seven long years ago. I remember it as though\nit were yesterday. My wife came home from the market weeping and\nwringing her hands, the child had been absent all day, and though she\nhad searched for him everywhere she had not been able to find him. I\nhad warned her many a time to keep a careful eye upon our pretty boy,\ntelling her there were bad folks in the town who might steal him for\nthe sake of his good looks. But she was proud of him, and often, when\nthe gentry bought fruit and vegetables of her, she sent him to carry\nhome their purchases.\n\n\u201cBut one day an ugly old woman came into the market and began to\nbargain with her. In the end she bought more than she could carry, and\nmy wife, being a kind-hearted woman, let her take the boy with her,\nand--from that hour to this he has never been seen again.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd that was seven years ago?\u201d asked Jacob.\n\n\u201cSeven years, alas! We sought him high and low, and our neighbours,\nwho had all known and loved the dear little fellow, helped in the\nsearch; but without avail. Neither could we hear any news of the old\nwoman who had taken him away. No one seemed to know anything about her\nexcept one old woman who was over ninety years of age, and she said\nshe must be the wicked Fairy Herbina, who visited the town once every\nfifty years to buy things she required.\u201d\n\nThus spoke Jacob\u2019s father, as he hammered away at his shoe and drew\nthe thread backwards and forwards busily, and the poor little fellow\nbegan to understand at last what had happened to him. It had been no\ndream, but, transformed into a squirrel, he had really served the\nwicked fairy for seven years. His heart was well-nigh ready to burst\nwith rage and grief. Seven years of his youth had been stolen from him\nand what had he received in return? He had learnt to polish cocoa-nut\nshoes and glass floors. Also he had learnt all the secrets of the art\nof cookery from the old woman\u2019s guinea-pigs! He stood so long\nconsidering what had been said, that his father asked him at length:\n\u201cCan I do anything for you, sir? Do you require a pair of shoes, or,\u201d\nhe added with a smile, \u201cperhaps a covering for your nose would be\nuseful to you.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat is the matter with my nose?\u201d asked Jacob, \u201cwhy should I require\na covering for it?\u201d\n\n\u201cWell,\u201d replied the cobbler, \u201ceveryone to his taste. But I must say\nif I had a nose like yours I would make a case for it of bright red\nleather. See, I have just such a piece by me. A good stout cover for\nyour nose would be most useful, for I am quite sure you must be\nconstantly knocking it against everything that comes in your way.\u201d\n\nThe little fellow\u2019s heart sank with fear. He felt his nose and found\nit was very thick and quite two spans in length. And so the old woman\nhad altered his appearance too! That was why his mother had not known\nhim and why everyone called him \u201can ugly dwarf.\u201d\n\n\u201cMaster,\u201d he said to his father, \u201chave you a mirror you could lend\nme?\u201d\n\n\u201cYoung sir,\u201d said the father earnestly, \u201cyour figure is hardly such as\nto give you cause for conceit, and you have no reason to look into a\nglass constantly. Break yourself of the habit, in your case it is a\nfoolish one.\u201d\n\n\u201cBelieve me it is not out of conceit that I wish to see myself,\u201d said\nJacob, \u201cand I do beseech you to lend me a glass for a moment.\u201d\n\n\u201cI do not possess such a thing,\u201d said the cobbler. \u201cMy wife had one\nsomewhere, but I do not know where she has hidden it. If you really do\nwish to see yourself, you had best go across the road and ask Urban,\nthe barber, to let you take a look in his. He has one about twice the\nsize of your head, so go and admire yourself by all means.\u201d\n\nWith these words his father took him by the shoulders and pushed him\ngently from the shop, locked the door upon him and went on with his\nwork.\n\nJacob, who had known the barber well in days gone by, crossed the road\nand entered his shop.\n\n\u201cGood-morning, Urban,\u201d he said, \u201cI have come to ask a favour of you.\nWill you be so good as to allow me a glance into your looking-glass?\u201d\n\n\u201cWith pleasure, there it stands,\u201d he said laughing heartily, and the\ncustomer who was being shaved laughed also. \u201cYou are a handsome little\nfellow,\u201d the barber went on, \u201ctall and slim, a neck like a swan, hands\nas dainty as a queen\u2019s, and as pretty a little nose as one could see\nanywhere. It is no wonder that you are conceited, and wish to take a\nglance at yourself. Well, you are welcome to the use of my mirrors,\nfor it shall never be said of me that I was so jealous of your good\nlooks I would not lend you my mirror to admire them in.\u201d Shrieks of\nlaughter greeted the barber\u2019s words, but poor little Jacob, who had\nseen himself reflected in the mirror, could not keep the tears from\nhis eyes. \u201cNo wonder you did not recognise your son, Mother dear,\u201d he\nsaid to himself, \u201cin the happy days when you were wont to parade him\nproudly before the neighbours\u2019 eyes, he bore little resemblance to the\nthing he has now become.\u201d\n\nPoor fellow, his eyes were small and set like a pig\u2019s, his nose was\nenormous and reached beyond his chin, his neck had disappeared\naltogether, and his head had sunk down between his shoulders, so that\nit was painful to attempt to move it either to the right or left. He\nwas no taller than he had been seven years before, but his back and\nhis chest were bowed out in such a manner that they resembled a\nwell-tilled sack supported upon two weak little legs. His arms,\nhowever, had grown so long that they hung down almost to his feet, and\nhis coarse brown hands were the size of those of a full-grown man,\nwith ugly spider-like fingers. The handsome, lively little Jacob had\nbeen changed into an ugly and repulsive-looking dwarf.\n\n [Illustration: _Jacob, who had seen himself reflected in the\n mirror, could not keep the tears from his eyes._ (P. 128.)]\n\nHe thought once more of the morning on which the old witch had\nfingered his mother\u2019s goods and when he had twitted her with her large\nnose and ugly hands. Everything he had found fault with in her she had\ngiven him now, with the exception of the thin neck, for he had no neck\nat all.\n\n\u201cSurely you have admired yourself sufficiently,\u201d said the barber\nlaughingly. \u201cNever in my dreams have I seen such a comical fellow as\nyou, and I have a proposal to make to you. It is true I have a great\nmany customers, but not quite so many as I had at one time, for my\nrival, Barber Lather, has come across a giant and has engaged him to\nstand at his door and invite the people to enter. Now a giant is no\nvery great wonder, but you are, my little man. Enter into my service,\nand I will give you board and lodging and clothing free, and all you\nwill have to do is to stand at my door and ask folks to come in and be\nshaved, and hand the towels, soap and so on to the customers. I shall\nget more customers and you may be sure you will receive a good many\ncoins for yourself.\u201d\n\nThe little fellow was inwardly very much hurt that he should have been\ninvited to act as a barber\u2019s decoy; but he answered quite politely\nthat he did not wish for such employment and walked out of the shop.\n\nHis one consolation was that, however much the old witch had altered\nhis body, she had had no control over his spirit. He felt that his\nmind had become enlarged and improved, and he knew himself to be wiser\nand more intelligent than he had been seven years previously. He\nwasted no time in bewailing the loss of his good looks, but what did\ngrieve him was the thought that he had been driven like a dog from his\nfather\u2019s door, and therefore he determined to make one more effort to\nconvince his mother of his identity.\n\nHe returned to the market-place and begged her to listen quietly to\nhim. He reminded her of the day on which the old woman had taken him\naway and recalled to her many incidents of his childhood. Then he told\nher how, transformed into a squirrel, he had served the wicked fairy\nfor seven years, and how his present hideous features had been given\nhim because he had found fault with the old woman\u2019s features.\n\nThe cobbler\u2019s wife knew not what to believe. Every detail he had told\nher of his childhood was correct, and yet she could not believe it\npossible that he could have been changed into a squirrel, besides\nwhich she did not believe in fairies, good or evil. When she looked at\nthe ugly little dwarf she found it impossible to accept him as her\nson. She thought the best thing that could be done was to talk the\nmatter over with her husband, and so she collected her baskets and she\nand Jacob went back to the cobbler\u2019s shop.\n\n\u201cSee here,\u201d she said, \u201cthis fellow declares he is our lost Jacob. He\nhas described to me exactly how he was stolen away seven years ago and\nhow he has been bewitched by a bad fairy.\u201d\n\n\u201cIndeed,\u201d cried the cobbler angrily, \u201che has told you exactly what I\ntold him an hour ago, and has tried to take you in with his story.\nBewitched was he, well, I will disenchant this little son of mine.\u201d\n\nSo saying, the cobbler took a bundle of leather strappings and,\nseizing poor Jacob, whipped him unmercifully, until the poor fellow,\nscreaming with pain, managed to make his escape.\n\nIt is strange how little sympathy is ever shown to an unfortunate\nbeing who happens to have anything ridiculous about his appearance.\nThis was the reason that poor Jacob was obliged to pass all that day\nand night without tasting food and that he had no better couch than\nthe cold steps of a church.\n\n [Illustration: _The cobbler whipped him unmercifully._\n (P. 131.)]\n\nBut, notwithstanding, he slept until the morning sun rose and wakened\nhim, and then he set himself earnestly to consider how he was to earn\na livelihood for himself, seeing that this father and mother had cast\nhim off.\n\nHe was too proud to serve as a barber\u2019s signpost, or to exhibit\nhimself in a show for money. But, remembering how excellently he had\nlearnt to cook when he was in his squirrel form, he thought it\npossible that he might make use of his art now; at any rate he\ndetermined to try. He remembered to have heard that the Duke who owned\nthat country was said to be very fond of good living, and so, as soon\nas the day was sufficiently advanced, he made his way to the palace.\n\nThe porter at the great gateway laughed at him in scorn when he said\nhe wished to see the chief cook, but on his persisting he led him\nacross the courtyard; all the servants who were about the place stared\nat him, and then followed in his train, laughing and jeering at him.\n\nThey made such an uproar that the steward came out to see what all the\nnoise was about. He carried a whip in his hand and with it he laid\nabout him right and left. \u201cYou hounds,\u201d said he, \u201chow dare you\ndisturb your master\u2019s slumbers? Don\u2019t you know that he is not awake\nyet?\u201d\n\n\u201cBut, sir,\u201d cried the servants, \u201clook what brings us here. Is that not\nexcuse enough? Look at the queer little dwarf we are bringing you?\u201d\n\nAs the steward saw poor Jacob he had hard work to keep from laughing,\ntoo, but as he considered it would be beneath his dignity to join in\nthe mirth with the other servants he managed to restrain himself, and\ndriving them off with his whip, led Jacob into his own apartments and\nasked him what he wanted. Jacob begged to be conducted to the head\ncook, but the steward could scarcely believe him.\n\n\u201cSurely, my little man, it is to me you wish to apply for a situation.\nDo you not wish to become the Duke\u2019s jester?\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, sir,\u201d replied the dwarf. \u201cI am a first-rate cook and understand\nhow to prepare all sorts of delicacies. I thought the head cook might\nbe willing to make use of my art.\u201d\n\n\u201cEvery man to his own liking, little man; but it seems to me you are\nrather a foolish fellow. As the Duke\u2019s jester you would have had no\nwork to do, fine clothes to wear, and plenty of good food to eat and\ndrink. Still, we will see what we can do for you, though I doubt if\nyour cookery is sufficiently good to suit the Duke\u2019s table, and you\nare too good to be made a mere scullion of.\u201d\n\nThe steward then led him to the head cook, to whom Jacob hastened to\noffer his services.\n\nThe head cook took a good look at him and burst out laughing. \u201cYou a\ncook indeed!\u201d he said scornfully. \u201cWhy, you could not reach the top of\nthe stove to stir a pan. Someone has been making game of you in\nsending you here.\u201d\n\nBut Jacob was not to be put off in this way. \u201cOf what account are a\nfew eggs, syrup and wine, flour and spices in a house like this?\u201d he\nsaid; \u201corder me to make any tasty dish you can think of and allow me\nto have the ingredients I require and you shall soon judge whether or\nno I am a good cook.\u201d\n\n\u201cWell, so be it,\u201d said the head cook, and, taking the steward\u2019s arm,\nhe led the way to the kitchen. \u201cJust for the joke of the thing we will\nlet the little man do as he wishes.\u201d\n\nThe kitchen was a magnificent place. Fires burned in twenty huge\nstoves, a stream of clear water, which served also for a fish-pond,\nflowed through the apartment, the cupboards which contained the stores\nmostly in use were of marble and costly wood, and there were ten large\npantries containing every kind of delicious foods from both Eastern\nand Western countries.\n\nNumbers of servants were running to and fro, carrying kettles and pans\nand spoons and ladles. As the head cook entered they all stood still\nand there was not a sound to be heard but the crackling of the fires\nand the rippling of the stream. \u201cWhat has the Duke ordered for his\nbreakfast to-day?\u201d the great man asked of one of the inferior cooks.\n\n\u201cMy lord has been pleased to order Danish soup and red Hamburg\npatties,\u201d replied the man.\n\n\u201cVery well,\u201d said the head cook, turning to Jacob, \u201cyou hear what his\nHighness has ordered. Will you undertake to prepare such difficult\ndishes? As to the Hamburg patties, you will never be able to make\nthem, for the recipe is a secret.\u201d\n\n\u201cThere is nothing easier,\u201d replied the dwarf, for as a squirrel cook\nhe had often been called upon to prepare these dishes. \u201cFor the soup I\nshall require herbs, spices, wild boar\u2019s head, certain roots,\nvegetables, and eggs, and for the patties (here he lowered his voice\nso that only the steward and the head cook could hear him) I require\nfour kinds of meat, ginger, and a sprig of a herb that is known by the\nname of \u2018trencher-man\u2019s mint.\u2019\u201d\n\n\u201cBy my honour as a cook, you must have learnt your trade from a\nmagician,\u201d said the head cook. \u201cYou have hit upon the right\ningredients, and the mint is an addition I never thought of, but which\nwill certainly add to the flavour of the dish.\u201d\n\n [Illustration: _The dwarf prepared the food._ (P. 136.)]\n\n\u201cWell,\u201d said the steward, \u201cI would not have believed it possible; but\nby all means let him have the things he asks for, and see how he will\nmanage to prepare the breakfast.\u201d\n\nAs it was found that the dwarf could not reach up to the table, a\nslab of marble was laid across two chairs, and all the things he asked\nfor were set upon it. Steward, head cook and all the rest of the\nservants stood around and watched in amazement the clever, cleanly and\nbrisk manner in which he prepared the food. When he had mixed\neverything, he ordered the pots to be placed upon the fire and allowed\nto boil until he said they were to be taken off. Then he began to\ncount \u201cOne, two, three,\u201d and so on right up to five hundred, and then\nhe cried, \u201cStop! off with the pots!\u201d\n\nThey were immediately taken off the fire, and the dwarf begged the\nhead cook to taste the contents.\n\nA golden spoon was brought and the head cook approached the stove,\nlifted the lid of one of the pots, helped himself to a spoonful of\nsoup, then, closing his eyes, smacked his lips with pleasure and\nenjoyment.\n\n\u201cDelicious,\u201d he murmured, \u201cby the Duke\u2019s head, it is delicious.\nSteward, will you not taste it?\u201d\n\nThe Steward tasted both soup and patties, and then stroked his\nwaistcoat gently with delight. \u201cHead cook,\u201d said he, \u201cyou are an\nexperienced and first-rate cook, but never have you made such soup or\nsuch patties.\u201d\n\nThe head cook tasted the food again, then he reverently shook the\ndwarf by the hand. \u201cLittle one,\u201d said he, \u201cyou are a master of your\ncraft. That pinch of trencher-man\u2019s herb has given the patties an\nextra flavour that renders them quite perfect.\u201d\n\nAt this moment the Duke\u2019s special attendant came to say that his\nmaster was ready for his breakfast, so the food was served up in\nsilver dishes. The head cook, however, took the little man into his\nroom and was about to have a talk with him, when a message came from\nthe Duke desiring his attendance.\n\nHe dressed himself in his best clothes and hastened into his master\u2019s\npresence.\n\nThe Duke was looking extremely pleased. He had finished every morsel\nof the food set before him and was wiping his beard as the head cook\nentered.\n\n\u201cCook,\u201d said he, \u201cI have always been well satisfied with your cooking\nand with the work of those under you; but tell me, who prepared my\nbreakfast this morning? I declare it has never been so well served\nsince I sat upon the throne of my fathers. I wish to know the cook\u2019s\nname, so that I may reward him with a few ducats.\u201d\n\n\u201cMy lord, it is a most wonderful story,\u201d answered the head cook, and\nproceeded to tell his master about the dwarf who had arrived that\nmorning and who had insisted upon being engaged as a cook. The Duke\nwas much surprised, and sent for Jacob and questioned him closely as\nto his name, where he came from, and so on.\n\nPoor Jacob could not very well own that he had been bewitched and\nchanged into a squirrel, but he was not far from the truth when he\nsaid he was now without parents and that he had learnt cooking from an\nold woman. The Duke did not urge him to say more, being much taken up\nwith staring at the strange figure and features of his new cook. \u201cIf\nyou will serve me,\u201d he said, \u201cI will pay you fifty ducats a year, give\nyou a fine robe and two pairs of breeches. Your duties will be to cook\nmy breakfast every morning, order and superintend the preparation of\nmy dinner, and take over the entire management of the kitchen. As I\nalways prefer to name my servants myself, I shall give you the name of\nLong-Nose, and your position will be that of second head cook.\u201d\n\nLong-Nose fell at the feet of his new master, kissed them, and vowed\nto serve him faithfully.\n\nThe little fellow was thus provided for, and he certainly did honour\nto his position, for the Duke was a different man from the time the\ndwarf entered his service. Before that time he had been in the habit\nof throwing the plates and dishes at the head of the cook who did not\nmanage to please him; indeed, on one occasion he had flung a calf\u2019s\nfoot at his head cook because it was not sufficiently tender, and,\ncatching the poor man on the forehead had hurt him so much that for\nthree days he had to keep his bed. It is true the Duke always paid for\nhis acts of temper afterwards with a handful of ducats, but,\nnevertheless, his cooks were wont to set the dishes before him in fear\nand with trembling hands. But since the dwarf had been in the house\nall had been changed. The master took five meals a day instead of\nthree, in order to thoroughly appreciate the skill of his little\nservant, and never had he been dissatisfied yet, but had found\neverything served to him both novel and excellent. He was always in a\ngood temper and grew fatter day by day.\n\nSometimes as he sat at table he would send for his head cook and Jacob\nand bid them share the delicious food set before him, which was\nconsidered a very great honour indeed.\n\nThe dwarf was the wonder of the whole city. The head cook constantly\nreceived entreaties from various personages to be allowed to witness\nthe dwarf\u2019s cooking, and some of the most distinguished men in the\nState asked and received permission from the Duke to allow their cooks\nto take lessons from the little man. They paid him well for the\ninstructions they received, but Long-Nose divided the money between\nall the other cooks, for he did not wish them to become jealous of\nhim.\n\nTwo whole years the dwarf passed in the Duke\u2019s service and was well\ncontent with the treatment he received. It was only the thought of his\nestrangement from his parents that gave him the least unhappiness.\nNothing out of the common had happened to him until the following\noccurrence took place.\n\nHe was a better hand at a bargain than most, always seeing at a glance\nwhich were the best goods on sale, and for this reason, whenever he\nhad the time, he used to go to market himself.\n\nOne morning he went to the goose fair to buy geese. He was no longer\ngreeted with scorn and laughter, for everyone knew him to be the\nDuke\u2019s favourite cook, and every good wife with geese to sell thought\nherself lucky if his long nose turned in her direction.\n\nHe went up and down the market-place, and at length purchased three\nlive geese which were just the size he required. He lifted the basket\nin which they were placed upon his broad shoulders and turned towards\nhome.\n\nIt struck him as somewhat strange that only two of the geese cackled\nand gabbled as geese are wont to do; the third was silent, except when\nshe heaved a sigh that sounded almost human.\n\n\u201cThe creature must be ill,\u201d he said aloud. \u201cI had better cook her\nquickly before she gets worse.\u201d\n\nThen to his astonishment the goose answered quite plainly--\n\n \u201cLong-Nose, look thee,\n If thou cook me,\n No good \u2019twill do,\n The deed thou\u2019lt rue.\u201d\n\nFrightened out of his wits, Long-Nose set down the cage, and the goose\nlooked at him with her beautiful wise eyes and sighed.\n\n\u201cThere, there,\u201d said the dwarf, \u201chave no fear, I would not harm such a\nwonderful bird as yourself, for it is not once in a lifetime that one\nmeets a goose that can talk. I wager you have not always worn\nfeathers; I myself have been bewitched, and turned into a squirrel,\nand I expect it is the same with you.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou are right,\u201d said the goose. \u201cAlas! I did not always bear this\nhumble form, and at my birth who would have dared prophecy that Mimi,\nthe daughter of the great magician Wetterbock, would end her days in a\nDuke\u2019s kitchen.\u201d\n\n [Illustration: _THE DWARF LONG-NOSE_\n _\u201cThey told each other their sad stories\u201d_\n (_p. 143_)]\n\n\u201cSet your mind at rest, dear Miss Mimi,\u201d said the dwarf consolingly;\n\u201cso sure as I am an honest fellow and second cook to his Highness, no\none shall do you any harm. I will have a coop placed for you in my own\napartment and you shall have as much food as you require and I will\ndevote all my spare time to you. The rest of the kitchen servants will\nbe told that I am fattening you on some particular herbs to give you a\nspecially good flavour, and I will take the first opportunity of\nsetting you at liberty.\u201d\n\nThe goose thanked him with tears in her eyes, and the dwarf took means\nto provide for her as he had promised. She was placed in a wicker cage\nand fed by Long-Nose alone, and he took care, instead of giving her\nthe ordinary food required by geese, to serve her with dainty cakes\nand sweets. As often as he could he sat and talked to her and tried to\ncomfort her. They told each other their sad stories, and in this way\nLong-Nose learned that Mimi was the daughter of the great magician\nWetterbock, who lived on the island of Gothland. He had quarrelled\nwith a very wicked fairy, who had managed to outwit him and, in\nrevenge, to change Mimi into a goose, and bring her far away from her\nhome.\n\nThe dwarf in return told her all his adventures, and she said: \u201cI am\nnot altogether ignorant of magic myself, having learnt some things\nfrom my father. What you tell me about the quarrel over the herb\nbasket and your sudden transformation on smelling a certain herb\nproves to me that the old woman used some herb in her enchantment, and\nif you are able to find that herb you will probably regain your\nnatural form.\u201d This was small comfort for Long-Nose, for he had not\nthe least idea where he could find such a herb. Still, he thanked her,\nand tried to be a little more hopeful too.\n\nIt was just at this time that the Duke had a visit from a neighbouring\nPrince, a friend of his.\n\nHe sent for Long-Nose and said to him: \u201cNow is the time to prove if\nyou serve me faithfully, and are a true master of your art. This\nPrince, who is now my guest, lives better than anyone I know, except\nmyself. He prides himself upon the first-rate cooks he keeps and he is\na very knowing man. Now be careful that my table is served daily with\nsuch dishes that may arouse his astonishment and envy. Never let the\nsame kind of food appear twice during his visit. You may ask my\ntreasurer for as much money as you require to purchase materials for\nyour cooking. If you wanted to baste your roasts with gold and\ndiamonds you should have them. I would sooner beggar myself than have\nto blush for the quality of my viands.\u201d\n\nThe dwarf bowed and promised the Duke that he would so manage that the\ndainty palate of the Prince could not fail to approve of the dishes\nset before him.\n\nThe little cook exerted all his skill and spared neither his master\u2019s\ntreasures nor himself. All day long he was enveloped in a cloud of\nsteam, out of which issued his voice giving orders to the other cooks\nand scullions. It would take too long to recount all the delicious\nfoods he cooked, suffice it to say that for a whole fortnight the\nDuke and his guest were served as they had never been served before,\nand a smile of enjoyment was constantly to be seen upon the face of\nthe royal visitor.\n\nAt the end of that time the Duke sent for the dwarf and presented him\nto the Prince, asking him, at the same time, what he thought of him as\na cook.\n\n\u201cYou are indeed a wonderful cook,\u201d said the noble visitor to the\nlittle man. \u201cDuring the whole of my stay here I have not had the same\nkind of dish twice. But I must own I have been surprised that you have\nnever tempted our appetites with the queen of all dainties, a\nSouzeraine pasty.\u201d\n\nThe dwarf was rather upset, for it chanced that he had never heard of\nthis before, but he managed to hide his discomposure.\n\n\u201cSir,\u201d said he, \u201cI had hoped you were to honour this court with your\npresence for a long time yet, and therefore did I delay setting this\ndish before you, for with what better dish could a cook serve you, as\na parting greeting, than with that of a Souzeraine pasty?\u201d\n\n\u201cOh! indeed,\u201d said the Duke smiling, \u201cso I suppose you were waiting\nfor me to leave the world for ever before giving me the parting\ngreeting, for I have never so much as heard of this pasty, much less\ntasted it. But we will wait for it no longer; to-morrow morning we\nshall expect you to serve it up to us for breakfast.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs my lord wills,\u201d answered the dwarf, and bowing low he left their\npresence. He was terribly upset, for he had not the least idea how to\nmake the pasty. He went to his room and there wept and bemoaned his\nsad fate.\n\nBut the goose Mimi came to him and, after enquiring the cause of his\nsorrow, said: \u201cDry your tears, for I think I can help you in this\nmatter. This dish was frequently set upon my father\u2019s table and I know\npretty well how it was concocted. Even if I cannot tell you every\nsingle ingredient, you will no doubt flavour the pie so deliciously\nthat the Prince will not detect any omission.\u201d\n\nShe then proceeded to name to the dwarf the various ingredients\nrequired.\n\nHe was ready to jump for joy, and blessed the day upon which he had\npurchased the goose, and then set to work to make the pasty.\n\nHe made a little trial one to begin with and it tasted delicious. He\ngave the head cook a piece to taste and he could not say enough in\npraise of it.\n\nThe following morning he made a large one and sent it to table\ndecorated with wreaths of flowers. He dressed himself in his state\nrobes and entered the dining hall just as the carver had served the\nDuke and his guest with slices of the pasty.\n\nThe Duke took a large mouthful and then cast his eyes up towards the\nceiling. \u201cAh!\u201d said he, as soon as he could speak, \u201cthis has been\ntruly called the queen of pasties, and as for my cook, he is the king\nof cooks. What say you, dear friend?\u201d\n\nThe guest took one or two mouthfuls before answering, and then, having\nwell tasted the flavour, he said rather scornfully as he pushed away\nhis plate: \u201cIt is as I thought! It is an excellent pasty no doubt,\nbut not the Souzeraine.\u201d\n\nThe Duke frowned and reddened with anger--\u201cDog of a dwarf,\u201d cried he,\n\u201chow dare you treat me so? I have a good mind to have your head\nchopped off as a punishment for your bad cookery.\u201d\n\n\u201cMy lord, I assure you I have made the pasty according to all the\nrules of the art of cookery,\u201d replied the dwarf trembling.\n\n\u201cIt is false, you rascal,\u201d replied the Duke, kicking him away. \u201cIf it\nwere right my guest would not say it was wrong. I have a good mind to\nhave you made into mincemeat and baked in a pie yourself.\u201d\n\n\u201cHave mercy,\u201d cried the poor little man, prostrating himself before\nthe royal guest and clasping his feet in his arms. \u201cI pray you tell me\nwhat I have left out of the pasty that it fails to suit your palate?\nDo not condemn me to death for a handful of meat and flour.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt will be of little assistance to you to know, my dear Long-Nose,\u201d\nanswered the Prince with a smile, \u201cI was quite certain yesterday that\nyou would not be able to make this pasty as well as my cook can,\nbecause the chief requisite is a herb which does not grow in this\ncountry. It is known as \u2018The Cook\u2019s Delight,\u2019 and without this the\npasty is practically tasteless, and your master will never eat it with\nthe same pleasure that I can in my own country.\u201d\n\nThen the Duke flew into the most terrible rage--\u201cI vow by my honour\nthat either you shall taste this pasty to-morrow morning, exactly as\nyou are accustomed to have it, or else the head of this fellow shall\npay for his blunder. Go, dog of a dwarf, I give you four-and-twenty\nhours to accomplish it in.\u201d\n\nThe poor dwarf went to his room and told this fresh trouble to the\ngoose.\n\n\u201cCome, take heart,\u201d said she, \u201cfortunately I know every herb that\ngrows and I am sure I can find this one for you. It is a happy thing\nthat it chances to be a new moon to-night, for only at the time of the\nnew moon does this plant grow. But tell me, are there any ancient\nchestnut trees near the palace?\u201d\n\n\u201cOh! yes,\u201d replied the dwarf, with a lighter heart. \u201cTwo hundred paces\nfrom the palace, beside the lake, there is quite a large group of\nchestnut trees; but why do you ask?\u201d\n\n\u201cBecause the herb is only found at the root of very old chestnut\ntrees,\u201d answered Mimi. \u201cLet us lose no time, but go and search for\nwhat you require. Take me under your arm and put me down when we have\nreached the spot, and I will help you search.\u201d\n\nHe did as she bade him; but as he would have passed out of the gateway\nof the palace, the sentry barred the way with his lance. \u201cMy good\nLong-Nose,\u201d said he, \u201cI have the strictest orders not to let you out\nof the house. Your end has come, I fear.\u201d\n\n\u201cBut surely I can go into the garden,\u201d replied the dwarf. \u201cBe so good\nas to send one of your comrades to enquire if I may go into the garden\nto search for herbs.\u201d\n\nThe sentry did so and permission was given, for the garden had such\nhigh walls surrounding it that it seemed impossible for him to escape.\n\n [Illustration: _The goose sought in vain for the herb._\n (P. 149.)]\n\nAs soon as he was in the open he placed Mimi carefully on the ground\nand she at once began to run towards the lake on the banks of which\nthe chestnut trees grew. Long-Nose followed her with a sinking heart,\nfor he had already made up his mind that, if the herb could not be\nfound, he would drown himself in the lake rather than allow his head\nto be cut off.\n\nThe goose sought in vain for the herb, she left not a blade of grass\nunturned, and at length she began to cry from sympathy. She would not\ngive up the search until evening began to fall, and the darkness made\nit difficult to distinguish any surrounding objects. Just as they were\nabout to abandon the search the dwarf looked across the lake and then\ncried out: \u201cLook, at the other side of the lake is a huge old chestnut\ntree. Let us go and search there, perhaps good fortune blooms yonder.\u201d\n\nThe goose waddled and flew and waddled and flew, the dwarf hurrying\nafter her as fast as his little legs would let him, until at length\nthey had reached the other side of the lake. The chestnut tree cast a\nvast shade and it was so dark all around that it was difficult to\ndistinguish anything, but suddenly the goose gave a cry of joy and\nflapped her wings with delight.\n\nShe thrust her head into the long grass and plucked something which\nshe deftly offered in her bill to Long-Nose. \u201cThis is the herb,\u201d said\nshe, \u201cand it grows here in such quantities you will always have a\nplentiful supply.\u201d\n\nThe dwarf looked at the herb thoughtfully. A sweet scent assailed his\nnostrils and reminded him of the scene of his transformation; the\nstalk, too, of the plant was of a bluish-green colour and it bore a\nbright red flower, flecked with yellow.\n\n\u201cMimi,\u201d said he, \u201cby great good fortune I do believe we have chanced\nupon the very herb that changed me from a squirrel into the creature I\nam now. Shall I make a trial of it?\u201d\n\n\u201cNot yet,\u201d replied the goose. \u201cTake a handful of the herbs with you\nand let us go back to your room. There you can collect your money and\nall that you possess and then we will try the power of the herb.\u201d\n\nThey returned to the dwarf\u2019s room, he with a heart beating loudly with\nexcitement. He took between fifty and sixty ducats he had saved, and\ntied them up in a bundle with some of his clothes, then saying: \u201cMay\ngood fortune aid me to be rid of my burden,\u201d he thrust his nose into\nthe bunch of herbs and sniffed their fragrance. Then his limbs and\njoints began to crack and stretch, he could feel his head rising from\nbetween his shoulders, squinting down his nose he could see it growing\nsmaller and smaller, his back and chest straightened themselves out,\nand his legs became longer.\n\nThe goose looked on in astonishment. \u201cOh! how tall and handsome you\nare,\u201d she cried, \u201cthere is not the faintest resemblance left to the\ndwarf Long-Nose.\u201d\n\nAs for Jacob, he was beside himself with joy; but he did not forget\nthe thanks he owed to Mimi. His first impulse was to go to his\nparents, but gratitude urged him to suppress this wish.\n\n\u201cBut for you,\u201d he said to Mimi, \u201cI might have retained my hideous form\nall the days of my life, or I might even have lost my life. Now is the\ntime to repay my debt. I will take you straightway to your father,\nwhose magic powers will at once enable him to disenchant you.\u201d The\ngoose wept tears of joy and accepted his offer gratefully.\n\nJacob passed the sentries safely, for they had only been ordered to\nbar the way to the dwarf Long-Nose.\n\nWith Mimi beneath his arm he very soon reached the sea-shore, and\nbefore long her home was in sight.\n\nThe great Wetterbock soon turned the goose into a charming young lady,\nand, having loaded her rescuer with valuable gifts, bade him farewell.\n\nJacob hastened home, and his parents were only too delighted to accept\nthe handsome young man as their long-lost son.\n\nWith the presents he had received from Wetterbock he was able to\npurchase a shop, and he became a very rich man and lived happily all\nhis days.\n\nBut his disappearance from the Duke\u2019s palace caused a great hubbub.\nWhen the morning came on which the Duke was to fulfil his vow and\nbehead the dwarf if he had not found the herb, lo! the dwarf himself\nwas missing.\n\nThe Prince declared the Duke had allowed him to escape to avoid losing\nsuch a splendid cook, and said he had broken his word.\n\nThey quarrelled so violently that a war ensued, which is known in all\nhistories of those lands as \u201cThe Herb War,\u201d and when at length peace\nwas declared it was called \u201cThe Pasty Peace,\u201d and at the reconciliation\nfeast the Prince\u2019s cook served up a Souzeraine pasty, to which the Duke\ndid full justice.\n\n\n\n\nABNER, THE JEW WHO SAW NOTHING.\n\n\nThis is the story of Abner, the Jew, who by reason of his great powers\nof observation, instead of benefiting himself by his sagacity, brought\nhimself into dire straits and well-nigh lost his life.\n\n [Illustration: _Abner, the Jew._]\n\nIt is well known that all Jews are observant and crafty; Abner was no\nexception to the rule.\n\nHe was strolling one evening beyond the gateway of Morocco, glancing\nfrom right to left in case by chance he could see anything likely to\nbe used to his advantage. He was feeling particularly well pleased\nwith himself, for he had done a very good day\u2019s business. He had\nmanaged to sell a sick slave for a good sum of money, knowing he would\nprove of little value to the purchaser, and he had bought a camel-load\nof gum and spices for a very low price, and expected to make a large\nprofit, so he smiled and stroked his beard and paced up and down in a\nvery happy frame of mind.\n\nPresently he heard the sound of people running and shouting and a\nnumber of the Emperor\u2019s grooms, with the Master of the Horse at their\nhead, came along. They ran here and there in wild disorder, evidently\nsearching eagerly for something or someone who was lost.\n\n\u201cHullo, you dog of a Jew,\u201d cried the Master of the Horse, \u201chave you\nseen anything of the Emperor\u2019s horse, a fine creature ready saddled\nand bridled? He has run away and is lost.\u201d\n\n\u201cAh,\u201d answered Abner thoughtfully, \u201che was one of the swiftest horses\nyou could meet, with a small, delicately-shaped hoof, silver shoes,\nhis mane shone like gold, fifteen hands high, a tail three feet and a\nhalf in length, and his bridle bit is of pure gold.\u201d\n\n\u201cYes, yes,\u201d cried the Master of the Horse, \u201cyou have described him\nexactly; tell me where we can find the Emperor\u2019s horse.\u201d\n\n\u201cBut I have seen no horse,\u201d replied Abner, smiling craftily, \u201chow\ntherefore can I tell you where he is?\u201d\n\nThe Master of the Horse was about to insist upon Abner explaining this\napparent contradiction, when by a strange coincidence another event\noccurred which prevented him.\n\nA troop of black slaves came running towards them, crying aloud, \u201cHath\nany one seen the Empress\u2019 lap-dog? Aline, Aline, where art thou?\u201d\n\n\u201cIs it not a small spaniel with a long coat, a feathery tail, and lame\nin the right foreleg?\u201d\n\n [Illustration: _ABNER, THE JEW WHO SAW NOTHING_\n _\u201cThey ran here and there in wild disorder\u201d_\n (_p. 154_)]\n\n\u201cYes, yes,\u201d cried the slaves, \u201cof a certainty thou hast described the\ndog. The Empress is in a swoon on account of the loss of her\nfavourite and will certainly not recover until Aline is restored to\nher; tell us, therefore, where thou hast seen the dog!\u201d\n\n\u201cI have seen no dog,\u201d replied Abner, \u201cneither was I so much as aware\nthat our Empress possessed one.\u201d\n\nThen both the stable men and the slaves of the harem fell to abusing\nAbner, the shameless Jew, who did not scruple to make game of his\nEmperor and Empress. They seized him and dragged him before the\nEmperor and recounted all that had happened, suggesting that most\ncertainly the Jew had seen and stolen the animals in question.\n\nThe Jew continued to protest his innocence, but all in vain; by way of\na beginning he was ordered and received fifty strokes with the\nbastinado upon the soles of his feet, and after that he was assured\nthat if the horse and the little dog were not recovered he would pay\nfor their loss with his life.\n\nThe palace was still in a high state of commotion, when a black slave\ncame running in, breathless and exhausted, but bearing the good news\nthat both horse and dog had been found.\n\nThe horse, fed on the best corn and oats in the Emperor\u2019s stable, had\nyet preferred his freedom and a bite of grass in a green meadow, where\nhe had been found quietly grazing.\n\nAs for the little dog, he had been found in the company of a number of\nmongrels whose society was quite unfit for such an aristocratic little\nanimal as an Empress\u2019 pet.\n\nThe Emperor now demanded an explanation from Abner as to how he had\nbeen able to describe two animals he had never seen.\n\nThe Jew bowed low before the Emperor and made answer: \u201cI was taking a\nwalk in the cool of the evening in a little wood, where the soil was\nsandy and loose; presently I noticed the prints of small paws, the\nright fore-paw print making a slighter impression in the sand than the\nothers, therefore I knew the little animal was lame. One each side of\nthe fore-paw prints there was a slight trail in the sand which proved\nthe animal\u2019s ears had been long and sweeping the ground, and it was\nimpossible to avoid knowing that the tail was long and feathery, for,\nin an access of joy, probably at the freedom he was enjoying, he had\nwagged his tail to and fro, and brushed the sand aside. Therefore I\nknew to a nicety the kind of dog that had passed that way.\n\n\u201cAs far as the horse is concerned, as I was walking upon another path\nin the wood I noticed the tracks of a horse\u2019s hoofs. I examined them\nand found them small and delicate, such as only a highly-bred horse\u2019s\nhoofs would be; from the distance apart I judged that the horse had\nbeen galloping at a great rate, and I noticed a stone against which he\nhad evidently struck one hoof and left a small silver shaving,\ntherefore I knew he was shod with silver shoes. The path down which I\nwas walking was seven feet wide and the palms on each side had had the\ndust brushed from their leaves. \u2018Ah!\u2019 said I, \u2018the horse swished his\ntail to and fro and swept the palms with it on each side of him,\ntherefore the tail must have been at least three and a half feet in\nlength.\u2019 The branches of the trees beneath which I was walking were\nsome five feet from the ground and I saw that leaves had freshly\nfallen from them, no doubt brushed off by the horse in his flight,\ntherefore I guessed him to be fifteen hands high. On the bushes I saw\ntraces of golden-brown horse hair, caught here and there, and I knew\nthen the colour of the horse that had passed that way.\n\n\u201cAs I left the cover of the bushes I noticed a tiny mark of gold on a\nrock, and guessed that the runaway had had a golden bit between its\nteeth, which it had rubbed against the stone as it bounded past.\u201d\n\n\u201cNow, by the beard of the Prophet,\u201d cried the delighted Emperor, \u201cthat\nis what I call good eyesight, and no mistake. I only wish my master of\nthe Hounds and the Chief of the Police had such eyes for a trail. Now,\nMaster Jew, it is but fair we should reward you on account of what you\nhave innocently suffered, and for the sake of the sagacity you have\nshown. As you should have paid me a hundred sequins, you shall be\npardoned fifty on account of the fifty strokes you received. Now open\nyour purse and pay me the other fifty, but remember to beware in\nfuture of how you make a laughing stock of your Emperor: if you wish\nto ridicule anyone, the pain in your feet may serve to remind you it\nwould be best to make a butt of one of lesser degree!\u201d\n\n\n\n\nTHE STORY OF ALMANSOR.\n\n\nThere was once a Sheik of Alexandria named Ali Banu. Although he was\ngood and generous, rich and clever, he was a very unhappy man, for he\nhad the misfortune to lose his only son when he was but ten years of\nage, and the joy of his father\u2019s heart.\n\n [Illustration: _Almansor in the camp of the Franks._ (P. 164.)]\n\nIt was at the time when the Franks overran the country like a pack of\nhungry wolves. They had conquered Alexandria and had pushed their way\nfurther and further, and attacked the Mamelukes.\n\nThe Sheik was a wise man and tried therefore to keep the peace with\nthem, but they grudged him his wealth and so made an excuse to\nquarrel with him. They pretended that he had been supplying the\nMamelukes secretly with weapons, horses, and stores, and so they\nseized his young son Kairam and carried him away to their camp as a\nhostage.\n\nThe Sheik offered ransom money, but the Franks would not part with the\nboy, because they believed that if they kept him long enough the\nfather would be glad to pay even the most extortionate price for his\nrelease.\n\nBut suddenly they were recalled to their own land, and as they had not\ntime to bargain with the Sheik before embarking, they carried the boy\nKairam with them.\n\nThe boy\u2019s mother died of a broken heart and the poor old man never\nceased to grieve for his son. Every year, upon the anniversary of the\nday his son was captured, he made a rule of setting at liberty twelve\nslaves. In order to divert his mind from his sorrow, the twelve who\nwere about to be liberated each had to recount to him a story, and\nwhen this had been done they were released.\n\nUpon one of these anniversaries some ten or eleven years after\nKairam\u2019s abduction, the Sheik took his seat on the floor, for his\nmourning for his son forbade him to sit upon the carpet of joy, his\nfriends and acquaintance, who had come to comfort him, sat near him,\nand close beside him was Mustapha, the Dervish, who was his closest\nfriend and had been his son\u2019s instructor.\n\nThe slaves who were about to be released were gathered before him;\nsome were old and some young, but the one who called for the most\nattention was a tall and very handsome young man, whom the Sheik had\npurchased for a large sum of money, only a few days previously, of a\nslave trader from Tunis.\n\nWhen several of the slaves had told their stories and it came to this\nyoung man\u2019s turn, he arose, bowed to the Sheik, and said in a clear\nvoice:\n\n\u201cMy Lord, the stories that have already been told are so much more\ninteresting than any I could tell relating to myself, that with your\npermission I will recount to you the adventures of one of my friends.\n\n\u201cUpon the slave ship which brought me from Algeria there was a young\nman of about my own age who seemed to have been born to a better\nposition than that in which I found him.\n\n\u201cThe rest of the unfortunate beings upon the ship were either of a low\nclass, so that I did not care to mix with them, or else spoke a\nlanguage I did not understand, and so, whenever I had any spare time,\nI spent it with this young man. His name was Almansor, and, by the\nmanner in which he spoke, I judged him to be an Egyptian.\n\n\u201cWe took great pleasure in each other\u2019s society, and one day we told\neach other our stories, and his seemed certainly more interesting than\nmine.\n\n\u201cAlmansor\u2019s father held a distinguished position in an Egyptian town.\nHe spent the days of his childhood surrounded by every comfort,\nalthough he was not spoilt or allowed to become effeminate, for his\nfather was a wise man and trained him to be good and virtuous, and\ngave him for his instructor a very learned man who taught him all that\na youth should know. Almansor was about ten years of age when the\nFranks came from over the sea and made war upon his nation.\n\n\u201cThe boy\u2019s father evidently incurred the displeasure of the Franks,\nfor one day they came and demanded his wife as a hostage and a\nguarantee of his good intentions towards them, and upon his refusing\nto give her up they tore his son from him by force, and carried him\naway to their camp.\u201d\n\nAs the young slave recounted this, the Sheik hid his face in his hands\nand a murmur of displeasure arose in the apartment.\n\n\u201cHow could this young man be so foolish as to tell such a story?\u201d the\nSheik\u2019s friends asked one another. \u201cHow can he be so cruel as to open\nAli Banu\u2019s wounds afresh instead of attempting to heal them? How can\nhe renew his grief instead of trying to allay it?\u201d\n\nThe overseer of the slaves was full of anger over the young man\u2019s\neffrontery, and bade him roughly hold his peace, but the slave only\nshowed surprise, and asked the Sheik in what way his story had\ndispleased him. So the Sheik raised his head from his hands and said:\n\u201cCalm yourselves, my friends. This young man has been but three days\nbeneath my roof and quite possibly does not know of my sorrowful\nhistory. It is possible, considering the cruelties the Franks\nperpetrate, there may be another story similar to mine, or even this\nAlmansor might be--\u201d The Sheik did not finish his sentence, but bade\nthe slave continue his story.\n\n\u201cThe young Almansor,\u201d said he, \u201cwas, as I said, carried away to the\ncamp of the Franks, where he did not fare so badly, for one of the\ngenerals took a fancy to him, and was amused at the boy\u2019s answers to\nhis questions, which were interpreted to him by a dragoman. He saw\nthat he was well cared for and had all the food required, but that did\nnot compensate the boy for the loss of his father and mother.\n\n\u201cHe wept bitterly, but his tears did not melt the hard hearts of his\ncaptors. When the camp was broken up Almansor hoped he would be sent\nhome, but no, the army moved on and on in pursuit of the Mamelukes,\nand young Almansor was carried in its train.\n\n\u201cIn vain he begged and implored the officers to send him back to his\nfather; they told him he was the only security they had for his\nfather\u2019s good faith.\n\n\u201cBut all of a sudden a great commotion took place, all the soldiers\nbegan packing in great haste, and Almansor heard that the army had\nbeen recalled. He felt certain that if the Franks returned to their\nown country he would be restored to his home, and was happy in the\nthought of so soon seeing his parents again. The retreat towards the\nsea-shore was a hurried one, and Almansor very soon saw the great\nships lying at anchor. The soldiers began to embark at once, but by\nnightfall only a small number were on board. Almansor tried hard to\nremain awake, for he believed he was to be set free immediately, but\nin spite of his efforts he fell into a deep sleep. Afterwards he felt\nsure that the Franks must have drugged him, for he slept so soundly\nthat when he awoke it was broad daylight, and he found himself in\nquite a different room to the one in which he had gone to sleep.\n\n\u201cHe sprang from his couch, but no sooner touched the floor than he\nfell down, for the floor seemed to sway up and down, and everything in\nthe room went round and round. He rose and steadied himself by the\nwall, so that he might be able to get out of the room.\n\n\u201cA most extraordinary splashing and roaring noise was all around him,\nand he scarcely knew whether he was awake or dreaming, for he had\nnever heard anything like it before. He managed to reach a little\nstaircase and climbed it. What was his horror to see around him\nnothing but sea and sky, and he discovered that he was on a ship. He\nwept bitterly and begged to be taken back. He tried to fling himself\ninto the sea in order that he might swim ashore. But the Franks held\nhim fast, and one of the officers ordered him to be brought to him and\npromised him that, if he were good and obedient, he should be sent\nhome, but told him it had not been possible for them to spare time to\ntake him to his father, and had they left him behind by himself he\nwould have perished miserably.\n\n\u201cBut the Franks did not keep their promise, for after many days, when\nthe ship at length reached the shore, it was not in Egypt they landed,\nbut on the coast of France, which was the name of the country they\ncame from. During the voyage and whilst he had been in the camp,\nAlmansor had learnt a good deal of the Frankish language, and he found\nthis very useful, now that he was in a country where no one\nunderstood a word of his language.\n\n\u201cFor many days he marched with the army into the interior of the\ncountry, and crowds came flocking to see him, for his companions gave\nout that he was the King of Egypt\u2019s son, who had been sent to France\nto be educated. This they said in order that the people might believe\nthat they had conquered Egypt and made peace with that country.\n\n\u201cAt length they reached a very large town, which was the end of the\njourney. He was handed over to a doctor, who took him into his house\nand instructed him in the manners and customs of the country.\n\n\u201cFirst of all he was made to put on different clothing, which felt\ntight and uncomfortable, and was not nearly so nice to look at as his\nEgyptian clothes. He was no longer allowed to bow, with his arms\ncrossed upon his breast, when he wished to show his respect to any\none. Instead he was taught to raise his large black felt hat with one\nhand, and make a slight obeisance. He was not allowed to sit\ncross-legged upon a cushion, as is the pleasant custom in the East,\nbut was made to sit upon a high-legged chair and let his legs hang\ndown. The mode of eating, too, was most trying, for everything he put\ninto his mouth had to be conveyed there by means of a steel fork.\n\n\u201cThe doctor was a stern and cruel man who gave the boy no peace. If he\nforgot and said to a visitor: \u2018Salem aleicum,\u2019 he had a good beating,\nfor he had been taught to say: \u2018Votre serviteur.\u2019 He was not allowed\nto speak or write in his own language, and he might even have\nforgotten his native tongue had it not been for a man who lived in\nthat town, and who was very kind to him.\n\n\u201cThis man was very learned and understood a great many Eastern\nlanguages, Arabic, Persian, Coptic, and even Chinese, and made a great\ndeal of money by teaching them to other people. He invited Almansor to\nvisit him several times a week, gave him fruit and cakes, and made him\nfeel very much at home. He was a most extraordinary old man, for he\nordered clothes for Almansor such as high-class people in Egypt wear,\nand kept them in a certain room in his house. When Almansor came to\nvisit him he was sent to this room, with a servant, who helped him to\ndress himself in these garments, and then he was taken into what was\ncalled \u2018The Arabian Hall.\u2019\n\n\u201cThis hall was decorated with palms, cedars and all sorts of flowers\nthat grow in Eastern countries. Persian carpets were laid on the\nfloors, and cushions were placed against the walls, but there was no\nsign of a chair or table. The old professor was seated upon one of the\ncushions, but he was dressed quite differently to his usual attire. He\nwore a Turkish turban on his head, a false grey beard that reached to\nhis waist. On his legs he had wide Turkish trousers, and besides this\nhe had a robe made from a brocaded dressing gown, and yellow slippers.\n\n\u201cAlthough he was of a very peaceable nature, he wore a Turkish sabre,\nand had a dagger, set with imitation jewels, thrust into his girdle.\nHe smoked a pipe with a stem at least four feet in length, and was\nwaited upon by servants clad in Eastern attire, with hands and faces\ncoloured dark brown.\n\n\u201cAt first Almansor only thought how very curious it all was, but after\na while he began to think of what great advantage to him the hours\nspent with the old man might be. At the doctor\u2019s he was forced to\nconverse in the French tongue, but at the old man\u2019s house he was\nencouraged to speak the Egyptian language. On entering he was expected\nto give the Eastern greeting, to which the old man solemnly responded;\nthen he was told to sit down, and the host conversed with his guest in\na mixture of Persian, Arabic and Coptic. He had a servant beside him,\nwho on these occasions was called a slave, and this slave held an\nenormous dictionary, and whenever the old man was at a loss for a\nword, he beckoned to the slave to turn over the leaves of the book\nuntil he came to the word he wanted, and then he went on talking\nagain.\n\n\u201cThe pretended slaves served sherbet and such-like drinks in Turkish\ndrinking-vessels, and if Almansor wanted to please the old man very\nmuch he used to tell him that everything looked as it did in his own\nhome in the East. Almansor could read Persian very well, and this was\nof great use to the old man, for he made the boy read aloud from\nPersian manuscripts, and repeated the words carefully after him, and\nso learnt the correct pronunciation.\n\n [Illustration: _THE STORY OF ALMANSOR_\n _The slave held an enormous dictionary_\n (_p. 168._)]\n\n\u201cThese were happy days for poor Almansor, for the professor never sent\nhim away empty-handed, but gave him sometimes money, and sometimes\nunderwear, and other useful things with which the doctor would not\nprovide him. And so he lived for some years in the capital of France,\nwithout his longing for home ever growing less. When he was about\nfifteen years of age something happened which had a great influence\nupon his fortunes. The Franks, or the French as he was taught to call\nthem, chose for their Emperor the general who had once made a pet of\nAlmansor in Egypt.\n\n\u201cAlthough Almansor knew that one of the generals had been proclaimed\nEmperor, he did not know it was the one he had so frequently spoken to\nbefore he left his native land.\n\n\u201cOne day, when he was crossing one of the bridges which span the wide\nriver flowing through the city, he saw a man, dressed in simple\nuniform, leaning against the parapet, gazing down into the water.\n\n\u201cThe man\u2019s features seemed familiar to him and, quickly reviewing the\npast, he remembered where he had last seen him. He was the French\ngeneral who had been so kind to him in Egypt. He did not know his\nright name, only the nickname by which the soldiers spoke of him, but,\ntaking courage, he advanced towards him, crossed his arms upon his\nbreast, and said \u2018Salem aleicum, Little Corporal.\u2019\n\n\u201cThe man turned in astonishment, stared hard at the youth for a few\nmoments, and then said: \u2018Is it possible, _you_ here, Almansor? How is\nyour father, and how are things going on in Egypt? How do you come to\nbe in France?\u2019\n\n\u201cAlmansor could not restrain his tears. Weeping bitterly, he made\nanswer: \u2018Then you did not know that your dogs of countrymen had\nbrought me here? Alas! Little Corporal, it is many a long year since I\nsaw my native land.\u2019\n\n\u201c\u2018I trust,\u2019 said the man, with an angry frown, \u2018that they did not\nbring you away from Egypt.\u2019\n\n\u201c\u2018Indeed they did,\u2019 replied Almansor; \u2018an officer, moved by compassion\nfor me, paid for my board and keep at the house of a doctor, who beats\nand ill-treats me, and almost starves me to death. But oh! how glad I\nam I have met you, for now I know that you will help me.\u2019\n\n\u201c\u2018How can I help you?\u2019 asked the man smiling.\n\n\u201c\u2018Well,\u2019 replied Almansor, \u2018you may be sure that I am not going to ask\nyou for money, for I am sure you have little to spare. I remember\nthat, although you were a general, when you were so kind to me, you\nwere poor, and were never able to afford such fine clothes as the\nothers, and I can see by your shabby hat and coat that you are not\nmuch better off now, but, as you know, your people have lately chosen\na new Emperor, and as he was one of your generals it may chance that\nat least you know someone who is acquainted with him.\u2019\n\n\u201c\u2018And if I do, what then?\u2019 replied the man.\n\n\u201c\u2018I want you to say a good word for me, Little Corporal, and get the\nEmperor to grant me my liberty. It would not cost very much money to\nsend me home across the sea; but whatever you do, you must promise to\nkeep this a secret from the doctor and the Arabian professor.\u2019\n\n\u201c\u2018Who may the Arabian professor be?\u2019 the soldier asked.\n\n\u201c\u2018A most extraordinary man, but I will tell you of him some other\ntime.\u2019 replied Almansor. \u2018But if these two were to hear of it they\nwould most certainly prevent my leaving France. And will you promise\nthen to find some one to speak for me to the Emperor?\u2019\n\n [Illustration: _\u201cIs it possible, you here, Almansor?\u201d_\n (P. 171.)]\n\n\u201c\u2018Come with me and I may perhaps be able to help you now,\u2019 said his\nfriend.\n\n\u201c\u2018Now?\u2019 cried the youth, \u2018that I cannot do, for I shall get a good\nbeating from the doctor if I do not hurry home.\u2019\n\n\u201c\u2018What have you in that basket?\u2019 asked the man, laying his hand upon\nAlmansor\u2019s shoulder.\n\n\u201cThe boy blushed with shame and hesitated, but said finally: \u2018Little\nCorporal, it is not here with me as it was in my own home. I am forced\nnow to perform the duties assigned to the lowest of my father\u2019s\nslaves. The doctor is a miserly man, and every day he sends me to a\nmarket which is at some distance from our house, because I can get\nthings cheaper there than they are in our part of the town. Look at\nthese few herrings, this handful of salad, and this little pat of\nbutter: every day I have to tramp miles in order to buy such things.\nOh! if only my father knew it.\u2019\n\n\u201cThe soldier appeared moved by the boy\u2019s distress--\u2018Come with me,\u2019 he\nsaid, \u2018and I promise you the doctor shall not punish you, even if he\nhas to go without herrings or salad. So take courage and come.\u2019\n\n\u201cHe took Almansor by the hand and led him along with him, and although\nthe boy\u2019s heart beat loudly when he thought of the doctor, yet he\ncould not but feel great confidence in the man beside him and so he\ndecided to do as he advised. So he trotted along, his basket on his\narm, sorely perplexed, however to notice how everyone raised their\nhats to them, and stood staring after them. He asked his companion\nwhat it meant, but he only laughed and gave no answer.\n\n\u201cAt length they reached a splendid palace, which the man entered: \u2018Do\nyou live here, Little Corporal?\u2019 asked Almansor.\n\n\u201c\u2018This is my dwelling-place, certainly,\u2019 replied the soldier, \u2018and I\nam going to introduce you to my wife.\u2019\n\n\u201c\u2018Ah! but you have a splendid home,\u2019 replied Almansor. \u2018I suppose the\nEmperor gives you your quarters free?\u2019\n\n\u201c\u2018It is true I owe these quarters to the Emperor,\u2019 answered his\ncompanion. They mounted a wide staircase and reached a magnificent\nanteroom, where he was told to put down his basket, and then they went\ninto a most beautiful apartment, where a lady was sitting upon a sofa.\nThe soldier spoke to her in a language the boy did not understand, and\nthey both laughed a good deal, and then the lady asked him, in the\nFrench tongue, a number of questions about Egypt, and then the Little\nCorporal said: \u2018I have come to the conclusion that the best thing we\ncan do is to take you straight to the Emperor, and for you to tell him\nyour story.\u2019\n\n\u201cAlmansor was frightened to face such a great man; but he thought of\nhis home and the misery he now endured and took courage. \u2018I will go,\u2019\nhe said bravely, \u2018but tell me, Little Corporal, must I prostrate\nmyself before him, shall I place my forehead to the ground? Tell me\nhow I ought to behave.\u2019\n\n\u201cThe soldier and his wife laughed heartily and assured him this was\nnot necessary.\n\n\u201c\u2018Has he a very fierce and majestic appearance?\u2019 he asked again, \u2018has\nhe a long beard? Will his eyes flash fire? Tell me how I shall\nrecognise him.\u2019\n\n\u201c\u2018I would rather not describe him to you, Almansor,\u2019 answered his\ncompanion, \u2018but I will tell you how you may recognise the Emperor. All\nwho are in the room will take off their hats respectfully, the Emperor\nalone will remain covered.\u2019\n\n\u201cHe led Almansor towards the Emperor\u2019s reception room and the boy\nbegan to tremble all over as they approached the door.\n\n\u201cA servant opened it and they were in the presence of some thirty men,\nall of whom had ranged themselves in a semi-circle. They wore\nmagnificent uniforms, and gold lace and glittering orders sparkled\nupon their breasts. Almansor thought his plainly-dressed companion\nmust be lower in rank than anyone present. They all stood bare-headed\nand Almansor began to search for one who wore a hat. In vain, it\nseemed to him that the Emperor could not be present, for all carried\ntheir hats in their hands. Then his glance fell upon his companion,\nand lo! he was wearing his hat.\n\n\u201cThe boy was astounded and put up his hand to his own head to remove\nthe hat he had forgotten until then: \u2018Salem aleicum, Little Corporal,\u2019\nhe said. \u2018I know that I am not Emperor of France, so it is not\nbecoming for me to remain covered. But now you are the only person\nwearing a hat, can it be that _you_ are the Emperor?\u2019\n\n\u201c\u2018You have guessed it at length,\u2019 he replied, \u2018and besides being the\nEmperor, I am your friend. You must not blame me for your misfortunes,\nbut rather put them down to a succession of unfortunate circumstances,\nand rest assured I will send you home in the first ship that is sailing\nto your country. Now run away to my wife and tell her about the Arabian\nprofessor or anything else you like. I will send the herrings and the\nsalad to the doctor, but you will remain in the palace as my guest.\u2019\n\n\u201cThus spoke the man who was the Emperor. Almansor fell upon his knees\nand kissed his hand, begging his forgiveness for not having recognised\nhim, but assuring him that he did not in the least resemble an\nEmperor.\n\n\u201c\u2018You are right,\u2019 replied the Emperor laughingly, \u2018but you see I have\nonly been an Emperor for a few days, so that I have not had time for\nimperial majesty to stamp itself upon my features.\u2019 Then he nodded for\nthe boy to go.\n\n\u201cFrom that time Almansor lived very happily. He was allowed to visit\nthe Arabian professor, but he did not see the doctor again.\n\n\u201cAfter the lapse of a few weeks the Emperor sent for him and told him\nthat a ship was about to sail for Egypt. He loaded him with presents\nand money, and sent him to the coast; but not before the boy had\nexpressed his deep gratitude and affection to the one who had shown\nhim so much kindness.\n\n\u201cBut alas! Almansor\u2019s troubles were not yet over, Allah would not yet\npermit him to see his native shore. The French nation was then at war\nwith another Frankish people, the English. These English captured\nevery French ship they could, and so it happened that on the sixth day\nthe ship on which Almansor sailed was surrounded by a number of\nEnglish ships, and was obliged to surrender. All the crew were\ntransferred to another smaller vessel and, as ill luck would have it,\nthis small vessel became detached from the rest of the fleet during a\nstorm. Now there are robbers upon the high seas just as there are in\nthe desert, and the small ship was seized by a pirate ship from Tunis,\nand all the crew were sent to Algiers and sold as slaves. Almansor was\nnot so badly off as the Christians, because he was a Mussulman and a\ntrue Believer, but notwithstanding he began to abandon all hope of\never seeing his father\u2019s house again. He had been purchased by a rich\nman, and for five years he lived with him, cultivating his garden and\nrearing his flowers. But suddenly the rich man died and left no near\nheirs, so that his property was divided up, his slaves were shared\nout, and Almansor fell into the hands of a slave-dealer who was just\nfitting out a ship to carry his slaves to another port, in order to\nsell them for a better price. I chanced to be one of this dealers\nslaves and was taken upon the same ship with Almansor. We soon made\nfriends and he told me his wonderful adventures. But, when we landed,\nI was a witness of Allah\u2019s goodness and merciful guidance, for it was\nupon Almansor\u2019s native shore that we disembarked, and it was in the\nmarket place of his native town that we were publicly sold, and oh! my\nLord, it was his own dear father who bought him.\u201d\n\nThe Sheik Ali Banu had listened thoughtfully to the slave\u2019s story,\nbut the conclusion did not quite seem to satisfy him.\n\n\u201cThe young man would be about one-and-twenty, you say?\u201d he enquired.\n\n\u201cYes, my Lord, my own age,\u201d answered the slave.\n\n\u201cAnd what do you say is the name of his native town?\u201d\n\n\u201cIf I was not mistaken it was Alexandria,\u201d was the reply.\n\n\u201cAlexandria!\u201d cried the Sheik. \u201cThen it was my son. Did he ever call\nhimself Kairam? Had he dark eyes and brown hair?\u201d\n\n\u201cYes, my lord,\u201d said the slave, \u201cand sometimes he called himself\nKairam and _not_ Almansor.\u201d\n\n\u201cBut tell me,\u201d said the old man, \u201care you sure his own father bought\nhim, did he assure you it was so? Because if this is the case he\ncannot be my son.\u201d\n\nThe slave answered: \u201cI heard him thank Allah for having brought him\nback to his own city, and when an aged and distinguished-looking man\napproached him and bought him he whispered to me: \u2018My misfortunes are\nat an end, for it is my own father who has bought me.\u2019\u201d\n\n\u201cAlas! it was _not_ my son,\u201d cried the Sheik in tones of deep grief.\n\nThen the young man could contain himself no longer. Tears of joy\nrushed to his eyes and he threw himself at the Sheik\u2019s feet and cried:\n\u201cBut it was your son, Kairam, or Almansor, for it was you who\npurchased him.\u201d\n\nThe Sheik stood speechless, staring at the youth\u2019s handsome face.\n\u201cMustapha,\u201d said he to the old Dervish, \u201cmy eyes are dimmed with a\nveil of tears so that I can see nothing. Tell me, does this youth\nindeed resemble my son Kairam?\u201d\n\nThe aged Dervish approached and, laying his hand upon the young man\u2019s\nforehead, said: \u201cKairam, what was the text I taught you the very day\nyou were taken away to the Frankish camp?\u201d\n\n\u201cMy dear master,\u201d said the youth, pressing his lips to the Dervish\u2019s\nhand, \u201cit was this: \u2018He who loves Allah and has a good conscience,\nthough he were in the desert of misery, is never alone, for he has two\ncompanions who walk beside him and comfort him.\u2019\u201d\n\nThen the Dervish placed the young man in the Sheik\u2019s arms. \u201cTake him,\u201d\nhe said, \u201cfor so surely as you have mourned your son as lost, so\nsurely is he found again.\u201d\n\nThe Sheik was beside himself with joy, and all present joined in his\ndelight for they loved him dearly and shared in his happiness as they\nhad shared his grief.\n\nOnce more the house resounded with songs of joy and mirth, as it had\nbeen wont to do. Again the youth was pressed to tell his story with\nstill more minute details, and all united to praise the Arabian\nprofessor and the Emperor and everyone who had shown kindness towards\nthe young man.\n\nThe gathering did not break up until quite late at night, and before\nthey left the Sheik presented each of his friends with some rich gift,\nthat he might always have cause to remember the joyful day.\n\n\n\n\nTHE STORY OF THE FLORIN.\n\n\nIn Upper Suabia stands to this very day the ruins of a castle that was\nonce the most stately in the whole neighbourhood, namely, that of\nHohenzollern. It is built upon the summit of a steep hill, from the\nrugged heights of which the surrounding country can be viewed far and\nwide. But, further than the eye can travel, throughout the most remote\nparts of Germany, the race of Hohenzollern was ever known, feared and\nrespected.\n\n [Illustration: _Stormy Weather Zollern._ (P. 182.)]\n\nHundreds of years ago there lived in this solitary stronghold one of\nthe race who, it is true, was feared, but also distrusted by all,\nalthough it could not be actually said of him that he oppressed his\nsubjects or lived at open enmity with his neighbours.\n\nFew besides the inhabitants of the castle had ever heard him speak a\ncivil word, for if he rode through the valley and chanced to meet\nanyone who raised his cap and said: \u201cGood evening, Count, what fine\nweather we are having,\u201d he would reply in surly tones, \u201cRubbish!\u201d or\n\u201cI know that already.\u201d\n\nBut if anyone neglected his work, or if perchance the Count met a\npeasant driving his cart on a narrow road so that he could not pass\nquickly, then a perfect storm of fury burst from his lips. He did not\nill-treat the object of his wrath, but he would rage and storm so\nwildly that folks had given him the nickname of \u201cStormy Weather\nZollern.\u201d\n\nStormy Weather had a wife who was the direct opposite of himself; for\nshe was as mild and gentle as a May day, and her kind words and\npleasant smile often went a good way towards healing the breach\nbetween her husband and the neighbours he offended. She was good to\nthe poor and would climb down the steep hill-side, summer and winter\nalike, to go to the aid of anyone in distress. Sometimes she met the\nCount when she was thus employed, and he would glance at her and say:\n\u201cNonsense, nonsense, why don\u2019t you mind your own business?\u201d\n\nMany a less loving wife would have ceased to love such a disagreeable,\ncross-grained fellow, but not so the Lady Hedwig. She would try to\ncoax the Count into a better temper, or make excuses for him when\nthere were really none to be made.\n\nThey had one son, a sweet little baby whom the Count professed to care\nvery little about. He never saw him but once a week, and that was on a\nSunday afternoon, when the nurse carried the baby in her arms. When he\nsaid \u201cFather\u201d for the first time, the Count gave the Nurse a florin;\nbut he took no further notice of the child.\n\nOn the little one\u2019s third birthday the Count ordered him to wear his\nfirst pair of breeches, and had him clothed in velvet and silk, and\nvery pretty he looked. Then he ordered his own and a second very fine\nspirited horse to be brought to the gateway and, taking the child on\nhis arm, began to descend the steep staircase, his spurs rattling and\nclanging as he went. The Lady Hedwig made it a rule never to enquire\nwhere he was going or when he was returning when he rode out, but now\nher anxiety for her child urged her to.\n\n\u201cAre you going riding?\u201d The Count did not answer, so she said: \u201cWhy\nare you taking the little one with you? Cuno is going for a walk with\nme.\u201d\n\n\u201cRubbish,\u201d said the Count, and went on down the steps until he reached\nthe courtyard. Then he put the child upon the horse\u2019s back and tied\nhim firmly on with a broad scarf, flung himself upon his own steed and\ntrotted out of the castle gates, taking the reins of the little boy\u2019s\nhorse in his own hands. At first the little one seemed to enjoy riding\ndown the hill with his father. He clapped his hands and laughed and\nshook his horse\u2019s mane to make it go faster, and the Count was pleased\nand said once or twice: \u201cYou will be a brave fellow some of these fine\ndays.\u201d\n\nBut when the plain was reached and, instead of a trot, the Count\nchanged the horse\u2019s pace to a gallop, the child was nervous. First he\nbegged his father to go slower, but instead of that the pace was\nincreased. The strong wind took poor Cuno\u2019s breath away and he began\nto cry softly. Faster and faster they went, and then the boy screamed\nat the top of his voice.\n\n\u201cNonsense, nonsense, stop that screaming,\u201d began Stormy Weather\nZollern; but at that moment his own horse shied, and the reins of the\nchild\u2019s steed slipped from his grasp. It took some moments to regain\nthe mastery of his horse, and when he had done this he saw to his\nconsternation that the boy\u2019s horse was riderless and was galloping\nback towards the castle.\n\nAlthough such a hard surly man, his heart failed him at this sight,\nfor he believed nothing less than that his child lay crushed upon the\nroadside. He tore his beard and made great lament.\n\nHe rode back, but could see no trace of the boy, and was beginning to\nthink that the restive animal had flung him into a ditch, when\nsuddenly he heard a child\u2019s voice calling him. He turned quickly, and\nthere, not far from the roadside, an old woman sat beneath a tree and\nrocked the little one upon her knees.\n\n\u201cHow do you come to have the boy, you old witch?\u201d cried Stormy Weather\nangrily. \u201cBring him here to me immediately!\u201d\n\n\u201cNot so fast, not so fast, my lord Count,\u201d said the old woman, \u201cor\nyou, too, may come to grief on your fine horse. You ask me how I come\nto hold the child in my arms! Well, his horse threw him and he was\nhanging, bound by one little foot, his hair sweeping the dust, when\nI caught him in my apron.\u201d\n\n [Illustration: _THE STORY OF THE FLORIN_\n _\u201cFaster and faster they went\u201d_\n (_p. 184._)]\n\n\u201cOh! Rubbish,\u201d said the Count ill-humouredly. \u201cGive him to me, for I\ncannot dismount, the horse is restive and might kick him.\u201d\n\n\u201cGive me a florin then?\u201d begged the old woman.\n\n\u201cRubbish!\u201d cried the Count and threw her a few coppers.\n\n\u201cNo, no,\u201d said the old woman, \u201cgive me a florin.\u201d\n\n\u201cA florin indeed, you\u2019re not worth one,\u201d answered the Count. \u201cGive me\nthe child quickly, or I will set my dog on you.\u201d\n\n\u201cAh! so I\u2019m not worth a florin?\u201d she said with a scornful smile.\n\u201cWell, we shall see some day if your inheritance will be worth so much\nas a florin. Here, take your coppers, you can keep them.\u201d As she spoke\nshe threw the coppers towards the Count, and so straight was her aim\nthat they fell, one by one, into the leathern purse the Count still\nheld in his hand.\n\nThe Count was unable to speak for some minutes, so astounded was he at\nthe old woman\u2019s dexterity. Then his surprise changed to anger. He\nraised his gun and levelled it at her, but she kissed and caressed the\nlittle Count, holding him before her, so that the bullet would have\nstruck him first.\n\n\u201cYou are a good honest little lad,\u201d she said. \u201cRemain so all your life\nand you will have all you wish for.\u201d Then she released him and,\nshaking her finger threateningly at the Count, cried--\u201cZollern,\nZollern, you still owe me the florin.\u201d Then she turned away heedless\nof the Count\u2019s angry words, and, leaning on her staff, disappeared in\nthe wood.\n\nConrad, the Count\u2019s groom, dismounted, and, taking the little boy in\nhis arms, set him on his saddle and then mounted behind him and rode\nafter his master up the steep hill to the castle.\n\nThis was the first and last time that Stormy Weather Zollern took his\nlittle son riding, for he considered him effeminate and faint-hearted\nbecause he had cried when the horse galloped, and decided that he\nwould never be worth anything. He looked at him with displeasure and\nwhenever the little one came to him and wished to sit upon his knee\nand be caressed he would push him away and say harshly: \u201cRubbish--get\naway!\u201d\n\nThe Lady Hedwig had borne her husband\u2019s ill-temper without a murmur,\nbut his harsh treatment of his innocent child wounded her deeply. She\nfretted and fretted, for whenever the boy committed some trifling\noffence he was punished so severely that she was afraid for him, and\nat length it preyed upon her mind so much that she fell ill and died.\nShe was mourned by the whole household and by everyone in the\nneighbourhood, though most deeply by her son.\n\nFrom this time the Count took no further notice of his son, but left\nhim entirely to the care of his nurse and the old chaplain. Shortly\nafterwards he married again, a young and rich lady, and as she had\ntwin sons the Count consoled himself with them.\n\nCuno\u2019s favourite walk was to visit the old woman who had once saved\nhis life. She told him all about his dead mother, and how much good\nshe had done in her lifetime. The maids and men-servants warned him\nrepeatedly not to go so often to see her, assuring him that she was\nnothing more nor less than a witch. But the boy was not afraid, for\nthe chaplain had taught him that there were no such people as witches\nand that the stories about them riding on broomsticks through the air\nwere all nonsense.\n\nIt is true he saw at the old woman\u2019s hut all sorts of strange things\nwhich he could not understand, and he still remembered the trick with\nthe copper coins which she had played on his father. Then she knew how\nto mix all sorts of ointments and draughts with which to heal both man\nand beast; but it was certainly not true, as some folks declared, that\nshe had a weather-glass, and when she hung it over the fire there was\na fearful thunderstorm. She taught the young Count a good deal that\nwas useful to him, for instance, all sorts of remedies for sick horses\nand cattle, how to mix a bait to lure the fishes, and many other\nuseful things. The old woman was almost his sole companion, for his\nnurse died and his stepmother never troubled about him at all.\n\nBy-and-by, as his brothers grew up, his life was even sadder than\nbefore, for the twins were so fortunate as to keep their seats at\ntheir first ride, and Stormy Weather Zollern thought them clever manly\nfellows and loved them accordingly, and rode out with them every day\nand taught them everything he knew himself. But they did not learn\nmuch good; the Count could neither read nor write and he would not\nallow his sons to waste time over such things.\n\nBy the time they were ten years old they were as wild and quarrelsome\nas their father and led a cat-and-dog life between themselves.\n\nIt was only when they wanted to play some unkind trick on Cuno that\nthey were united.\n\nTheir mother did not interfere, she thought it manly for them to fight\none another. One day an old servant spoke to the Count about the way\nthe two boys fought and quarrelled, and although he only said:\n\u201cRubbish!\u201d he bore it in remembrance, and thought out a means to\nprevent their killing one another as they grew older and fiercer, for\nthe witch\u2019s warning still rang in his ears: \u201cWe shall see if your\ninheritance will be worth a florin.\u201d\n\nOne day when he was out hunting he noticed two hills which seemed to\nhim to have been specially formed as the site of two castles, and made\nup his mind to build one on each. And so he did, and named the castles\none Schalksberg, and the other Hirschberg. Stormy Weather Zollern\nintended leaving the castle of Hohenzollern to his eldest son and the\nother two castles to the two younger ones, but his wife never rested\nuntil she made him alter his mind.\n\n\u201cStupid Cuno,\u201d this was what she always called the poor boy, \u201cstupid\nCuno is rich enough as it is with what he inherited from his mother,\nand yet you would give him the beautiful castle of Hohenzollern, and\nmy sons are only to have a castle with nothing but woods attached.\u201d\n\n [Illustration: _The old woman taught the Count a good deal that\n was useful to him._ (P. 189.)]\n\nIn vain the Count pointed out to her that Cuno could not be so easily\ndeprived of his birthright; she wept and scolded until even Stormy\nWeather, who was generally so stubborn, gave in for the sake of peace,\nand made a will leaving Schalksberg to Schalk, the younger of the\ntwins, and Hohenzollern to Wolf, the elder, whilst Hirschberg,\ntogether with the little town of Balingen, were given to Cuno.\n\nSoon afterwards he fell very ill. The doctor warned him of his\napproaching end and so did the chaplain, the latter bidding him\nprepare to face death, but he only growled out:--\u201cRubbish!\u201d and so\ndied as he had lived, a wild, fierce-tempered man.\n\nScarcely had he been laid in his grave than the Countess brought the\nwill to Cuno and told him mockingly that, since he was so learned, he\nmight read it and see for himself that he had no longer any interest\nin Hohenzollern, and she rejoiced with her two sons over the fact that\nthey had deprived Cuno of his inheritance.\n\nCuno did not attempt to dispute the will, but took leave of the castle\nwith tears in his eyes, for not only had he been born there, but his\ndear mother lay buried there, and his good old friend the chaplain\nlived there, whilst his only other friend lived close by. The Castle\nof Hirschberg was a fine stately castle, but very lonesome and\ndesolate, and he suffered terribly from home-sickness and for longing\nafter his beautiful birthplace.\n\nThe Countess and the twin brothers, who were now eighteen years of\nage, were sitting one evening, gazing down upon the road that led to\nthe castle of Hirschberg, when they saw a stately knight approaching\non horseback. He was followed by a litter, borne by two mules and\naccompanied by many attendants. For a long time they could not think\nwho was coming to visit them, but at length Schalk cried: \u201cIt is only\nour brother from Hirschberg.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat! Stupid Cuno?\u201d asked the Countess in surprise. \u201cHe is evidently\ngoing to honour us with an invitation to pay him a visit. The litter\nhe has no doubt brought for me, to carry me up to the Castle of\nHirschberg. Well, I would not have credited him with so much good\nfeeling. One act of politeness deserves another, so we will go down to\nthe castle gates and meet him. Now be sure you look pleasant and\nreceive him kindly; probably when we reach Hirschberg he will make us\na present each. He will give you a horse possibly, you a suit of\narmour, and as for me I have long wanted his mother\u2019s jewels.\u201d\n\n\u201cI will accept nothing from Stupid Cuno,\u201d said Wolf, \u201cand I shall\ncertainly not make him welcome: as far as I am concerned, the sooner\nhe follows my father the better pleased I shall be; we shall then\ninherit the Castle of Hirschberg, and Schalk and I will sell you the\njewels at a cheap rate.\u201d\n\n\u201cIndeed, you rascal,\u201d scolded his mother, \u201cand so I am to buy the\njewels of you, eh? Is that your thanks to me for having procured the\nCastle of Zollern for you? Schalk, my son, you would give me the\njewels without payment, would you not?\u201d\n\n\u201cDeath is the only thing to be had without payment,\u201d joked her son,\nlaughing, \u201cand if it is true the jewels are worth a king\u2019s ransom we\nshould be foolish indeed to hang them round your neck for nothing. As\nsoon as Cuno dies we shall ride over to Hirschberg and divide his\nproperty. The jewels we shall sell, and if you give a higher price\nthan anyone else you can have them.\u201d\n\nAs they talked they had approached the castle gate, and the Countess\nwas forced to suppress her anger, for Cuno was now riding over the\ndrawbridge.\n\nWhen he became aware of his stepmother and his brothers he reined in\nhis horse, dismounted, and greeted them politely, for although they\nhad done him so much harm he would not allow himself to forget that\nthey were his brothers and she his father\u2019s widow.\n\n\u201cWe are indeed pleased that you should visit us, my son,\u201d said the\nCountess in honied tones, and with a caressing smile. \u201cAnd how is\neverything at Hirschberg? Do you grow more accustomed to the place? I\nsee you have brought a litter. What a splendid one! An empress need\nnot blush to ride in it. I expect it will not be long before there is\na Mistress to ride about in it.\u201d\n\n\u201cI have not yet thought of marriage, my gracious lady mother,\u201d replied\nCuno, \u201cand therefore I am here to fetch someone to keep me company at\nhome, and I have brought the litter on that account.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou are very thoughtful and kind,\u201d the lady interrupted him.\n\n\u201cHe cannot very well mount a horse now,\u201d Cuno continued quietly. \u201cIt\nis Father Joseph, the chaplain, that I have come for. I am going to\ntake him with me, for he was my tutor, and we settled it should be so\nbefore I left Hohenzollern. Then I intend taking with me the old woman\nwho lives at the foot of the hill. She is very old now and it was she\nwho saved my life the first time I went out to ride with my father.\nThere are rooms to spare in Hirschberg, and there she shall spend her\nlast days.\u201d\n\nSo saying, he passed through the courtyard and entered the castle to\nfetch the old chaplain. Wolf bit his lips with anger, the Countess was\nwhite with rage, but Schalk laughed out loud: \u201cWhat will you give me\nfor the horse he was to present to me?\u201d he cried. \u201cBrother Wolf, shall\nI exchange it for your suit of armour? Ha! ha! ha! so he is going to\ntake the old chaplain and the witch to keep him company. What a fine\npair to be sure! In the morning he can amuse himself by taking lessons\nin Greek, and in the afternoon he can study witchcraft. Stupid Cuno is\nwithout doubt a comical fellow.\u201d\n\n\u201cHe is a very low fellow,\u201d said the Countess, \u201cand you should be\nashamed to laugh at him. It is a disgrace to the family, and we shall\nbe shamed in the eyes of the whole neighbourhood when it becomes known\nthat the Count has taken the old witch to live with him, and carried\nher off in a magnificent litter drawn by mules. He has inherited his\ntastes from his mother, she was always mixing herself up with sick\nfolks and common people. What would his father say?\u201d\n\n\u201cHis father would just say \u2018Rubbish,\u2019\u201d said Schalk, laughing.\n\n\u201cHere he comes,\u201d said the Countess, \u201che is not ashamed to give the old\nman his arm, just as though he were his equal. I will not meet him\nagain.\u201d\n\nSo the mother and her two sons did not wait to bid Cuno good-bye, but\nhe just led his old friend gently across the bridge and placed him in\nthe litter. When he came to the foot of the hill he stopped in front\nof the old woman\u2019s hut, and found her quite ready to accompany him.\nShe had a large bundle of little glass pots, and little bottles with\nmedicine in them, and she stood leaning upon her staff waiting for\nCuno.\n\nThings did not turn out as the Countess had supposed they would, for\ninstead of laughing at him everyone praised Cuno for his kindness in\ncaring for the last days of the poor old woman, and his pious\naffection for the old priest, Father Joseph.\n\nThe only persons who found fault with him were the Countess and his\ntwo brothers, and, as everyone knew how disagreeable and quarrelsome\nthey were, no one paid any heed to the unkind things they said.\n\nThey passed Cuno by as though he were a stranger, and this treatment\nhurt the young man very much, for he thought it wrong that three\nbrothers should be at enmity with one another, and so he hit upon a\nplan which he thought might help to make them all better friends.\n\nBetween the three estates of the three brothers there was a fish-pond,\nplentifully stocked with fish. This pond belonged to the estate of\nHirschberg, and Cuno, knowing how fond his brothers were of fishing,\ninvited them to meet him there for a day\u2019s sport.\n\nIt was a beautiful spring morning, and the three brothers arrived at\nthe pond almost at the same moment. \u201cNow it is strange,\u201d cried Schalk,\n\u201cthat we should all arrive at the pond together. It was just striking\nseven o\u2019clock as I rode out from Schalksberg.\u201d\n\n [Illustration: _THE STORY OF THE FLORIN._\n _\u201cShe stood leaning upon her staff waiting for Cuno.\u201d_]\n\n\u201cI left Hohenzollern exactly at seven o\u2019clock, also,\u201d said Wolf.\n\n\u201cAnd I started at seven from Hirschberg,\u201d said Cuno.\n\n\u201cThen,\u201d said Schalk, \u201cit is quite clear that the pond must be exactly\nin the centre of the three estates. It is a fine piece of water, too.\u201d\n\n\u201cYes,\u201d replied Cuno, \u201cand that is the reason why I have invited you\nhere this morning. I know you are both fond of fishing, and although I\nalso like to cast a line now and again, there is fish enough in the\npond for all three of us, and room on the bank, too, even if we all\nwished to fish here together. And so, my brothers, I propose to make\nthe pond common property and give both of you the same right to fish\nhere as myself.\u201d\n\n\u201cIndeed, our brother is mighty condescending,\u201d said Schalk, mockingly.\n\u201cAnd what shall we be expected to give in return, for, as everyone\nknows--death is the only thing to be had without payment.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd yet I give you this without any wish for payment,\u201d replied Cuno.\n\u201cAll I want is to meet you here from time to time and have a little\nspeech with you. Are we not all sons of the same father?\u201d\n\n\u201cWell,\u201d said Schalk, ungraciously, \u201cI think there is nothing so stupid\nas to fish in company. One just drives the fish away from the other.\nBut let us take it in turns; you, Cuno, fish Monday and Thursday, Wolf\non Tuesday and Friday, and I on Wednesday and Saturday.\u201d\n\n\u201cI will not agree to it,\u201d said the gloomy Wolf. \u201cI will accept\nnothing, neither will I share with any one. It was only fair, Cuno, to\noffer to divide the pond with us, for it really belongs to all three\nequally; but let us cast the dice and see who shall possess it in the\nfuture. If I am more fortunate than you, you can always ask leave of\nme to fish here.\u201d\n\n\u201cI never gamble with dice,\u201d replied Cuno, saddened by his brother\u2019s\ningratitude.\n\n\u201cOur brother is much too pious for that,\u201d said Schalk, sneeringly.\n\u201cBut I have another plan which even the most pious hermit could not\nobject to. Let us cast our lines and fish here until the clock strikes\ntwelve, and whoever has caught the most fish by that time shall have\nthe pond for his own.\u201d\n\n\u201cWell,\u201d said Cuno, \u201cI am a foolish fellow to try for a prize that\nreally belongs to myself, but just to show you I was in earnest in\noffering to share the pond I will accept the challenge.\u201d\n\nCuno allowed his brothers to choose their own positions and the three\nbegan to fish. Then it seemed as though the fish knew who was the\nrightful owner, for they swarmed to take Cuno\u2019s bait. No sooner did\nthe line touch the water than twenty or thirty fish swam up, pushing\neach other out of the way in their anxiety to be caught. Before two\nhours had passed the ground all around Cuno was strewn with beautiful\nfish.\n\nThen he ceased fishing and went to see what luck his brothers had had.\nSchalk had but three little fish and Wolf five, and both of them were\nlooking very grim, for they could see from where they stood the\nenormous quantity Cuno had caught.\n\nAs Cuno approached, Wolf broke up his rod in a rage and flung the\npieces into the pond--\u201cIt is absurd,\u201d said he, \u201cto suppose that you,\nstupid Cuno, can have beaten us fairly. How is it possible for you to\ncatch more fish in a couple of hours than I could catch in a year? It\nis only by means of witchcraft that you have succeeded.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou have hit the mark, brother,\u201d said Schalk, \u201cthe old witch he keeps\nat Hirschberg has taught him how to enchant the creatures. We were\nfoolish to fish with him. Before long he will turn wizard himself.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou wicked men,\u201d answered Cuno angrily. \u201cI have had an opportunity\nthis morning to judge of your greed, your shamelessness, and your\nrude, rough manners. Go your ways and never come here again. It would\nbe better for you if you were only half so good and pious as the poor\nold woman you have called a witch.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, a real witch she is not,\u201d said Schalk, mockingly, \u201cfor if she\nwere she would prophesy more correctly than she has done. Did she not\ntell my father that a great part of his inheritance would be sold for\na florin? Now at his death he owned all the land within sight of\nHohenzollern, and it is not likely that it will ever dwindle away so\nthat it will be worth no more than a florin. She is a foolish old\nwoman and you are just stupid Cuno.\u201d\n\nSchalk made off as fast as he could when he had finished speaking,\nfor he was afraid of his brother\u2019s strong arm, and Wolf followed him,\nin a worse temper than his surly father had ever been.\n\nCuno took his brothers\u2019 cruel behaviour so much to heart that he fell\nill, and had it not been for the ministrations of Father Joseph and\nthe healing drinks the old woman prepared he must have died.\n\nWhen his brothers heard that he lay at the point of death they gave a\nbanquet, and when they were flushed with wine they made a compact that\nwhoever first heard of Cuno\u2019s death should fire the cannons from his\ncastle to tell his brother the good news. And the one who fired first\nwas to have the best cask of wine in Cuno\u2019s cellar.\n\nFrom this time Wolf kept a servant constantly in the neighbourhood of\nHirschberg, and Schalk bribed one of Cuno\u2019s servants to let him know\nthe moment his master was dead.\n\nBut this servant had more affection for his good, kind master than for\nthe wicked Schalk, and one day he asked the old woman if there were\nindeed no chance of his master\u2019s recovery, and on her telling him that\nCuno was very much better he expressed his joy and told her of the\nplan the brothers had made.\n\nThe old woman was very angry, and told Cuno, who, however, would not\nbelieve such unnatural conduct, and so the old woman urged him to make\na trial and pretend he was dead, and then if the cannons were fired\nthey would, of course, hear them.\n\nSo Count Cuno sent for the servant his brother had bribed, and bade\nhim ride in haste and tell Schalk that he, Cuno, was at the point of\ndeath.\n\nAs the servant rode out of the gateway, Wolf\u2019s spy stopped him and\nenquired whither he rode in such hot haste.\n\n\u201cAlas!\u201d said the man, \u201cmy poor master is at the point of death. It is\nsaid he cannot live through the night.\u201d\n\n\u201cIndeed!\u201d cried the man and ran to saddle his horse and in a very\nshort space of time he was riding furiously towards Hohenzollern. Such\nwas his speed that, on reaching the gates, his horse fell and he had\nonly time to say--\u201cCount Cuno is dying,\u201d before he became unconscious.\n\n [Illustration: _He told her of the plan the brothers had made._\n (P. 200.)]\n\nImmediately afterwards the cannons of Hohenzollern thundered forth and\nWolf and his mother made merry, and congratulated one another on the\nbig cask of wine they would win from Cuno\u2019s cellar. They reckoned on\nthe inheritance of the fine castle, the fish pond, and the beautiful\njewels. And all the time the cannons sounded, each shot being followed\nby a wonderful echo, or what at first they took to be one, for they\nspeedily discovered it was the sound of shot being fired from\nSchalksberg.\n\n\u201cSchalk must have had a spy at Hirschberg too,\u201d Wolf said to his\nmother with a laugh. \u201cWell, well, we shall have to share the wine as\nwell as the rest of the inheritance.\u201d\n\nWith that he mounted his horse, for he guessed that Schalk would try\nto be before him and pocket some of Cuno\u2019s valuables before he\narrived. But when he reached the fish-pond the two brothers met, and\neach blushed with shame, for each knew he had tried to be before his\nbrother, and cheat him of part of the inheritance.\n\nThey rode along together and never mentioned Cuno, but discussed how\nthey should settle affairs in the future, and how they should decide\nwhich of them should own Hirschberg.\n\nBut when they had crossed the drawbridge and entered the courtyard\nthey saw their brother looking out of the window, quite hale and\nhearty. But his eyes flashed with wrath as he glanced at his two\nbrothers.\n\nThey were very much afraid at first, for they thought it must be\nCuno\u2019s ghost; but as soon as they discovered he was alive and well,\nWolf said sheepishly, \u201cWhy, I thought you were dead, brother!\u201d\n\nSchalk said very little, but if looks could have killed, Cuno would\nhave had but a short time to live.\n\nThen Cuno cried in a voice of thunder: \u201cFrom this time I renounce all\nrelationship between us. I heard the firing of cannons from your two\ncastles and understood very well how you were making merry over my\ndeath. I have five field-pieces here at Hirschberg and I have had them\nloaded, and unless you make haste to get beyond range of the bullets\nyou shall judge what sort of marksmen we have here at Hirschberg.\u201d\n\nThey did not need a second warning, for they saw he meant what he\nsaid, and so they set spurs to their horses and raced down the hill.\nCuno fired a cannon ball over their heads, not meaning to harm them,\nbut merely to give them a good fright.\n\nOn their way down they began to quarrel as to who was to blame, both\ndeclaring he had fired his cannon solely because he had heard his\nbrother firing. So bitter were they that when at length they parted\ncompany each vowed he hated and detested his brother worse even than\nCuno.\n\nSoon afterwards Cuno made his will, but he told no one what was in it.\nThe old woman plagued her favourite sorely to tell her if he had left\nanything to his brothers, but he would not, and in the end she never\nknew, for she died the following year. All her pills and potions could\nnot help her then, for she was ninety-eight years old, and the disease\nshe died of was \u201cold age,\u201d which the cleverest doctor in the world\ncannot cure.\n\nCount Cuno laid her to rest with every mark of respect and sorrow. It\nwas not long before the old chaplain also left him, and then he became\na very lonely man. But his loneliness was not for long, for Cuno, the\ngood, died in his twenty-eighth year. Some said he was poisoned by his\nbrothers, but whether it were so or no, no one ever really knew.\n\nAgain the country resounded with the roar of cannons, twenty-five\nrounds being fired from the castles of Zollern and Schalksberg.\n\n\u201cWell, there is no mistake this time,\u201d said Schalk, as he met his\nbrother Wolf on the road.\n\n\u201cNo, indeed,\u201d answered Wolf, \u201cand if he were to rise and glare at us\nfrom the window as he did before, I have a pistol with me, ready\ncharged, that will soon teach him to hold his peace.\u201d\n\nAs they rode up the castle hill a rider and his retinue joined them.\nNeither of the brothers knew him, but supposed he must be a friend of\nCuno\u2019s who had come to his funeral, so they began to praise the dead\nman, lamented his early death, and Schalk even shed a few crocodile\ntears. But the knight answered never a word, only rode silently up the\nhill-side.\n\nWhen the brothers dismounted, Wolf called for wine--\u201cand of the best,\nMaster Cellarman,\u201d he added--\u201cfor now we are going to enjoy\nourselves.\u201d\n\nHe went up the stairs and entered the great hall, followed closely by\nthe silent knight, who, when the twins had seated themselves at the\ntable, drew a silver coin from his vest pocket, and, flinging it on\nthe table between them, cried: \u201cThere is your inheritance, you will\nfind it correct, the exact amount being a florin.\u201d\n\nThe brothers looked surprised, laughed uneasily, and asked him what he\nmeant.\n\nThe knight drew forth a parchment, with numerous seals attached, and\nbegan to read out what Cuno had set down there. Every act of enmity\nthey had shown him during his lifetime was chronicled there, and then\ncame an order that his estates and all that he possessed, with the\nexception of his mother\u2019s jewels, were to be sold to the State of\nW\u00fcrtemberg for the sum of one florin. The jewels, however, were to be\nsold, and the money be used to endow a house for the poor in the\nlittle town of Balingen.\n\nThe brothers laughed no longer; but gnashed their teeth with rage, for\nthey knew they could not wrest their inheritance from W\u00fcrtemberg; they\nhad lost for ever the beautiful castle and all the estates belonging\nto it, all they were to inherit was a paltry florin.\n\nWolf slipped it into his pocket and he and Schalk stalked from the\ncastle without so much as a word to the Commissioner of W\u00fcrtemberg.\nThey rode home, each to his own castle, but on the following morning\nWolf rode over to Schalksberg and suggested they should go to the\nlittle town of Balingen which had gone to W\u00fcrtemberg with the rest of\nthe estates, and, just to show the folks they did not care, spend\ntheir inheritance on a quart of wine in which to drink each other\u2019s\nhealths. So they rode together to the inn at Balingen, called for a\nquart of red wine, and drank to each other.\n\nWhen it was finished they called for the landlord, and Wolf flung the\nflorin upon the table, but the landlord shook his head and told them\nthat early that morning a messenger had come from W\u00fcrtemberg and had\nparaded the town, with beat of drum, and proclaimed that the State had\nordered all florin pieces to be called in and the use of them\ndiscontinued--\u201cand therefore,\u201d said the landlord, \u201cI must ask you to\npay me in a different coin.\u201d\n\nThe brothers looked at each other and turned pale. Neither of them had\nany other money with him and so they were obliged to owe the landlord\nfor the quart of wine.\n\nThey went on their way silently, for they did not feel in the mood for\nconversation, but when they came to the cross roads, where the way to\nthe right led to Hohenzollern and that to the left to Schalksberg,\nSchalk said: \u201cWell, our inheritance, it seems, was not worth a florin,\nmoreover, the wine we thought to purchase with it was bad!\u201d\n\n\u201cYes,\u201d replied Wolf thoughtfully, \u201cand the old woman\u2019s prediction has\ncome true, for did she not say \u2018We shall see some day if your\ninheritance be worth so much as a florin\u2019? We have not been able to\npay for a quart of wine with ours.\u201d\n\nThen they parted company and rode back to their castles, angry with\nthemselves and the whole world.\n\n\n\n\nTHE COLD HEART.\n\n\nIf ever you should travel through the country of Suabia you should\ntake a peep at the Black Forest, not only that you may admire the\nmagnificent pine-trees, but that you may study the people living\nthere, for they are quite unlike any of their neighbours. The\ninhabitants of the Black Forest near the town of Baden are tall and\nbroad and it would almost seem as though the invigorating scent of the\npine-trees had strengthened their bodies and their characters too, for\nthey are fearless, frank and honest. Their principal industries are\nglass-making and clock-making. The costume they wear, too, is\ndifferent from the ordinary run of peasants, and gives them a strange\nand somewhat dignified appearance.\n\n [Illustration: _The Little Glass-man._]\n\nOn the other side of the Forest, although of the same race, the\ninhabitants are, on account of the different occupations they pursue,\nsomewhat different in their manners and customs. These people work\nchiefly in the Forest as wood-cutters and timber-merchants. They fell\ntheir pine-trees and then float them down the Nagold to the Neckar,\ndown the Neckar to the Rhine, even travelling as far as Holland, the\nrafts of the Black Forest being known upon the sea-coast. They stop\ntheir rafts at every town they come to, so that folks may buy their\ntimber if they have a mind to; but the broadest and tallest beams and\nmasts are sold to the Dutch ship-builders for a good round sum of\nmoney. These men, accustomed to a rough, wandering life, are as\ndifferent in character from the people living in the other part of the\nForest as their costumes differ.\n\nThe men living in the neighbourhood of Baden wear black jackets,\nclosely pleated trousers, red stockings, and peaked hats; the woodmen,\nhowever, wear jackets of dark coloured linen, broad green braces,\nblack leather breeches, from one of the pockets of which a brass foot\nrule protrudes, but their chief pride is in their boots, which reach\nnearly to their middle, so that the raftsmen can wade through fairly\ndeep water without wetting their feet.\n\nAt one time it was believed that two spirits inhabited the Black\nForest; the one, known as \u201cThe Little Glass-man,\u201d was a good little\nspirit, and but three feet and a half in height, and was always to be\nseen dressed in the same costume as the glass-makers or clock-makers\nwore; but Dutch Michael, who haunted the further side of the Forest,\nwas a broad-shouldered giant and was dressed like a raftsman. Some of\nthe wood-cutters who had seen him declared his boots were so big that\nan ordinary full-grown man could have stood upright in one of them and\nyet not have reached to the top of it.\n\nA young Black Forester, named Peter Munk, is said to have had a very\nextraordinary adventure with these two wood-spirits. Peter lived with\nhis mother, who was a widow, in the very heart of the Forest. His\nfather had been a charcoal burner and after his death the mother\ntrained her son to the same employment.\n\nAt first Peter was content to follow his father\u2019s occupation and to\nsit by his sooty kiln, as black as soot himself, and now and again to\ndrive into the towns and villages to sell his charcoal. But he had\nplenty of time for reflection and it gradually began to occur to him\nthat his lot was not a very happy one. He thought how smart the\nglass-makers and clock-makers looked, decked out in their best clothes\non Sunday. \u201cBut,\u201d said he to himself, \u201cif I were to put on my father\u2019s\njacket with its silver buttons, and encase my legs in bright red\nstockings and swagger down the street, folks would say, \u2018\u2019Tis only\nPeter Munk, the charcoal burner, after all.\u2019\u201d\n\nThe wood-cutters, raftsmen and timber-merchants were also objects of\nhis envy. Whenever these forest giants came into the village in their\nsplendid costumes, decked out with silver buttons and buckles and\nchains, and stood with their great legs wide apart, watching the dance\nperhaps, using strange Dutch oaths, and smoking long pipes from\nCologne, he would say to himself--\u201cAh! what happiness to be a man like\nthat!\u201d Sometimes one of these fortunate beings would lunge a hand into\nhis pocket and bring out a handful of florins and commence to gamble\nwith them; six batzen at a time they would risk at dice, and Peter had\nseen one of the richest timber-merchants lose in a night more money\nthan he or his father had ever earned in a year, and yet not seem\ngreatly upset over the loss of the money.\n\nAt these times Peter would feel half beside himself and would steal\naway to his lonely hut consumed with rage and jealousy.\n\nThere were three men in particular who excited his admiration and\nenvy. One was a tall stout man, with a very red face, who was said to\nbe the richest man in the country. He was called \u201cFat Ezekiel.\u201d\n\nTwice a year he journeyed to Amsterdam and was always lucky in getting\na better price for his timber than anyone else, so that he could\ntravel back in state, whilst his neighbours had to get back as best\nthey could.\n\nThe second man was the tallest and thinnest man in the whole Forest\nand was nicknamed the Long-legged Lounger, and Peter Munk envied him\nhis extraordinary impudence, for he would flatly contradict the most\nimportant personages, and no matter how crowded the inn might be he\nwould take up four times as much room as the fattest men; he would\nplant his elbows on the table, or stretch his long legs upon a bench,\nand no one ventured to expostulate, because he was so immensely rich.\n\nThe third man, however, was young and handsome, and was the best\ndancer in the district, so that he was known far and wide as the King\nof the Dancers. He had at one time been very poor and acted as servant\nto one of the timber merchants, but suddenly he had become enormously\nrich. Some said he had found a pot of gold, others affirmed he had\nfished up a parcel of gold pieces from the bottom of the river, which\nhad been part of the lost Nibelungen treasure; but, no matter how he\nhad attained it, the fact remained that he had suddenly become very\nrich indeed and was looked upon as little short of a prince by his\nless lucky friends and companions.\n\nPeter Munk\u2019s mind was often occupied by the good fortune of these\nthree men, as he sat alone in the forest or by his fire!\n\nIt is true that all three of them were hated by their neighbours on\naccount of their unnatural avarice and their want of feeling for those\nwho owed them money, or for the poor, but though they were hated they\nwere treated with respect on account of their money, for they could\nafford to scatter it about as the pine-trees scattered their needles.\n\n\u201cAlas!\u201d sighed Peter one day, \u201cI can stand my poverty no longer;\nwould that I were as rich and respected as Fat Ezekiel, or as impudent\nand powerful as the Long-legged Lounger, or as fine a dancer as the\nDance King and be able to throw florins to the fiddlers instead of\npence. Where _do_ these fellows get their money from?\u201d\n\nIn thinking of ways and means by which he might amass money, he at\nlength remembered the stories the people used to tell of the little\nGlass-man and Dutch Michael. In his father\u2019s lifetime they had\nfrequently been visited by folks as poor as themselves, and the\nconversation would turn to rich folks and how they had acquired their\nmoney, and the little Glass-man had not infrequently played a\nprominent part in the conversation. He even thought he could remember\nthe little verse it was necessary to recite in the Forest if one\nwished to summon the little man; it began:\n\n Owner of all in the pine woods green,\n Many a hundred years thou hast seen,\n Thine all the land where the pine-trees grow--\n\nBut there he stopped short, and strive as he would he could not\nremember the rest of the verse.\n\nHe thought about asking some of the old men who had been his father\u2019s\nfriends, but a certain shyness prevented his mentioning the little\nGlass-man and so betraying perhaps what was in his mind. There were\nvery few rich people in the Forest and he wondered why some of them\nhad not tried their luck with the wood-spirits. At last he persuaded\nhis mother to talk about the little man; but she could tell him\nlittle more than he knew already. Moreover, she could only remember\nthe first line of the verse; but finally she said the spirit only\nshowed himself to folks born on a Sunday between the hours of eleven\nand two.\n\n\u201cHad you but known the charm,\u201d said she, \u201cyou might have summoned the\nLittle Man yourself, for you were born at mid-day on a Sunday.\u201d\n\nOn hearing this Peter Munk was nearly beside himself with impatience\nto set out upon this adventure. Surely the portion of the verse he\nknew would prove sufficient to summon the little Glass-man to a\nSunday\u2019s child like himself.\n\n [Illustration: _Peter Munk sat alone in the forest._ (P. 211.)]\n\nSo one day when he had managed to sell all his charcoal, instead of\nkindling a new fire he dressed himself in his father\u2019s best jacket and\nred stockings, put the pointed hat upon his head and, taking his five\nfoot blackthorn staff in his hand, bade good-bye to his mother. \u201cIt\nwill soon be time to draw lots and decide who is to go for a soldier,\nand I am going to the magistrate to remind him that as you are a\nwidow and I your only son I am exempt from serving in the army,\u201d said\nhe.\n\nHis mother praised him for his thoughtfulness and he set out towards a\nparticular clump of black pines.\n\nThis spot was the highest point in the Black Forest and there was not\na village nor a hut for some miles around it, for the superstitious\npeople thought it was haunted. Although the trees there grew thick and\ntall they were never felled, for it was said that when anyone had\nattempted to do so terrible accidents occurred. Sometimes the axe had\nsprung from the haft and buried itself in the man\u2019s foot, or a\nstubborn tree trunk that seemed to defy the stroke of the axe fell\nsuddenly and crushed the wood-cutter, injuring him severely and even\nkilling him. Even the finest tree could but be used for fuel, for the\nraftsmen would not take a single log from this particular clump, for\nit was said that it would bring them bad luck and that raft and\nraftsmen would sink.\n\nAnd so it chanced that the trees grew thicker and taller, excluding\nevery ray of sunshine, so that even in the daytime it was dark as\nnight there, and Peter Munk\u2019s courage began to fail him as he reached\nthe spot, for there was not a sound to be heard, no voice, no footstep\nexcept his own, the stroke of no axe resounded, and even the birds\nseemed to have deserted the place.\n\n [Illustration: _THE COLD HEART_\n _\u201cThis\u201d thought he \u201cmust surely be the abode of the Glass-man\u201d_\n (_p. 217_)]\n\nPeter reached the highest point of the mountain and stood before a\npine-tree of tremendous girth, for which a Dutch ship-builder would\nhave given many a hundred florins. \u201cThis,\u201d thought he, \u201cmust surely be\nthe abode of the Glass-man,\u201d and so he drew his hat from his head,\nbowed low, and said with a trembling voice:--\n\n\u201cGood-evening, Master Glass-man,\u201d but there was not a sound in reply.\n\u201cPerhaps I had better try the little verse,\u201d he thought, and began in\nflattering tones:\n\n \u201cOwner of all in the pine woods green,\n Many a hundred years thou hast seen,\n Thine all the lands where the pine-trees grow--\u201d\n\nAs he spoke he saw to his terror a strange little figure peeping out\nfrom behind the big tree trunk. It seemed to be dressed exactly as he\nhad heard in the black vest, red stockings, and pointed hat. Even the\npale, clever little face he seemed to see for a moment; but it\ndisappeared as quickly as it had come.\n\n\u201cMaster Glass-man,\u201d cried Peter in trembling tones, \u201cI pray you do not\nmake sport of me. If you think I did not see you you are mistaken.\u201d\nBut there was no reply, beyond a faint chuckle from behind the tree.\n\nAt length his impatience overcame his fear--\u201cWait awhile, my fine\nfellow,\u201d he cried angrily, \u201cI will soon catch you.\u201d He made a bound\ntowards the tree and darted round to the other side. But there was no\nGlass-man there, only a dainty little squirrel that scampered up the\ntrunk of the tree.\n\nPeter Munk shook his head. He perceived clearly that his failure was\non account of his not knowing the concluding line of the verse, but\nponder as he might he could not call it to memory. The squirrel showed\nitself upon the lower branches of the pine-tree and appeared to mock\nand make sport of him. It dressed its fur, waved its bushy tail, gazed\nat him with its bright clever eyes, but at length he was half afraid\nof it, for one moment it seemed to have a man\u2019s head and to wear a\npointed hat, the next moment it was like any ordinary squirrel, then\nsuddenly its hind legs became clothed with red stockings and black\nshoes. In short it was quite the strangest little creature Peter Munk\nhad ever seen and he was afraid of it, and so he turned and left the\nspot quicker than he had gone there.\n\nIt seemed to him that the woods grew darker and thicker as he ran,\nuntil he became possessed of an absolute terror, and it was not until\nhe heard the barking of dogs in the distance that he slackened his\npace, then, as a peasant\u2019s hut burst on his astonished gaze, he found\nthat in his fright he had been running in the opposite direction to\nthat which he had intended, and instead of arriving at the dwellings\nof the glass-makers he had come out amongst the wood-cutters and\nraftsmen.\n\nThe people who lived in this particular cottage were wood-cutters, and\nthe family consisted of an old man, his son, the master of the house,\nand his family.\n\nPeter Munk approached them and asked if they could give him a night\u2019s\nlodging, and they received him kindly and hospitably, never so much as\nasking for his name or where he came from. They gave him cider to\ndrink and in the evening they roasted a large woodcock for his supper,\none of the daintiest morsels to be had in the Black Forest.\n\nWhen they had made a good meal the housewife and her daughters seated\nthemselves round a big blaze of light, which the youths kindled from\nthe resinous pine-wood, and commenced plying their distaffs, the old\ngrandfather, the guest, and the master sat smoking and watching the\nwomen at their work, but the young men of the family busied themselves\nfashioning wooden spoons and forks.\n\nOut in the woods a storm raged and howled amongst the pine-trees. Now\nand again there was the sound of a falling tree or the cracking of\nbranches as they were torn from the parent stem. The fearless youths\nwould have run out into the wood in order to watch the fearful but\ngrand spectacle, but their grandfather forbade them.\n\n\u201cNo one wandering in the wood to-night would ever return,\u201d said he.\n\u201cWithout doubt Dutch Michael is abroad and seeks a new raft-load in\nthe forest.\u201d\n\nThe boys had heard many a time of Dutch Michael; but nevertheless they\nbegged their grandfather to tell them a story about him. Peter Munk,\ntoo, who had only heard vague reports about him in his own part of the\ncountry, joined his requests to that of the boys and asked him to tell\nhim who he really was and where he lived.\n\n\u201cWhy, to think you don\u2019t know that now,\u201d said the old man. \u201cYou must\nhave come from the other side of the forest then, if not further\naway. I will tell you all I know of Dutch Michael.\n\n\u201cSome hundreds of years ago, so the story goes, there were no more\nhonest and respectable folks to be found far and wide than the Black\nForesters. It is only since so much money came into the country that\nfolks have become dishonest and wicked. Nowadays on a Sunday young men\ndance and smoke, and swear, enough to make one\u2019s hair stand on end,\nbut in those days it was different, and even though he stands at the\nwindow and hears me say it, I maintain that Dutch Michael is at the\nroot of all the evil.\n\n\u201cMore than a hundred years ago there lived a rich timber merchant, who\nhad many work-people and whose business was carried on from here to\nfar down the Rhine. He was a good pious man and a blessing rested on\nall his ventures.\n\n\u201cOne evening there came to his door a man the like of whom he had\nnever seen before. He wore the dress of a Black Forester, but he was a\ngreat deal taller than the tallest man and one could scarcely believe\nit possible for there to be such a giant.\n\n\u201cHe asked for work and the merchant, seeing that he looked so strong\nand likely to be able to carry heavy burdens, asked what wages he\nrequired and soon came to terms with him.\n\n\u201cMichael was the man\u2019s name, and such a workman his master had never\nhad before. When it came to hewing trees, he was worth three other\nmen, and when the timber had to be carried away, though there were six\nmen at the end of a trunk he would take the other end by himself and\nmake no labour of it at all.\n\n\u201cAt the end of half a year he came to his master and said he was tired\nof felling timber and would like to go with the rafts and see the\nplaces the timber went to.\u201d\n\n\u201c\u2018Well,\u2019 said his master, \u2018I will not stand in your way. It is true\nthat you are more useful to me as a wood-cutter, for strong men are\nneeded for such hard work, whereas one has need of skill and dexterity\nrather than strength upon a raft. However, this once you shall go.\u2019\n\n\u201cAnd so it came to pass, and he was to set out with a raft consisting\nof eight portions, all being connected. But on the evening before they\nwere to start Michael brought down to the river\u2019s edge eight more huge\ntrees, the biggest and longest that had ever been seen, and each one\nhe carried upon his shoulder as easily as though it had been his\nraft-pole. To this day no one knows where they had been felled.\n\n\u201cThe timber merchant\u2019s heart rejoiced, for he reckoned this timber\nwould fetch a vast sum; but Michael only said--\u2018They are for a raft\nfor myself. I could not very well manage on the other little rafts.\u2019\n\n\u201cHis master offered him a pair of raftsmen\u2019s boots, in return for the\nservice he had done him, but Michael thrust them aside and produced a\npair such as never were seen before. My grandfather assured me they\nmust have weighed a hundred pounds at least and were five or six feet\nhigh.\n\n\u201cThe raft set out and, just as he had astonished the wood-cutters,\nnow he made the raftsmen open their eyes.\n\n\u201cThey had believed, when they saw the huge additional portion Michael\nhad attached to the raft, that it would travel much slower on that\naccount. But not so, as soon as it reached the Neckar it darted ahead\nlike an arrow. When they came to a sharp bend in the river, whereas\nthe raftsmen would formerly have had some trouble to keep the raft in\nthe middle of the stream, and not to run it aground, now, Michael just\nsprang into the water and with one mighty push turned the raft either\nto left or right until the danger was past.\n\n\u201cWhen they came to a straight stretch he would run along the different\nportions of the raft until he came to the front one, and then, bidding\nall the men put by their poles he would stick his own enormous pole\ninto the gravelly river-bed and send the raft rushing forward at such\na pace that trees, country, villages, all seemed flying past. And so\nit came about that they reached Cologne in less than half the time it\nusually took. Here the raftsmen had been wont to sell all their\ntimber; but Michael now dissuaded them from doing this.\n\n\u201c\u2018You are fine merchants,\u2019 said he, \u2018you don\u2019t know how to protect\nyour own interests. Do you suppose the people of Cologne need all the\nwood they purchase from the Black Forest for themselves? Not they!\nThey give you about half what it is really worth and sell it again at\na dearer rate in Holland. Let us sell the smaller timber here and take\nthe larger trees to Holland, and whatever we make over and above the\nusual price will be our profit.\u2019\n\n [Illustration: _Michael made the raftsmen open their eyes._\n (P. 222.)]\n\n\u201cSo spoke the crafty Michael, and his companions were only too ready\nto follow his advice, some because they wanted to go to Holland to see\nthe country and some because they liked the idea of the extra money.\nOnly one man amongst them remained honest, and he begged the rest not\nto endanger his master\u2019s property risking the troublesome journey to\nHolland, or at least if they went there not to cheat the merchant out\nof the better price that they sold the wood for. But they would not\nlisten to him and soon forgot his words, that is to say, with the\nexception of Michael. So they floated down the Rhine, Michael steering\nthe raft, and very soon they reached Rotterdam.\n\n\u201cHere they obtained four times the usual price for the wood, the huge\ntrunks Michael had added fetching in particular a very high price. The\nBlack Foresters were delighted at the sight of so much gold. Michael\ndivided it, one portion for the master and three portions to be\ndivided between the raftsmen.\n\n\u201cThe men at once began to waste their money in the inns, drinking and\ngambling with sailors and all sorts of rabble and dishonest folks. The\none honest man amongst them Dutch Michael sold to a press-gang man and\nhe was carried off and never heard of again. From that time Holland\nbecame the Black Foresters\u2019 Paradise and Dutch Michael was their king.\nIt was some time before the timber merchants discovered the truth of\nthe matter, and so it gradually came about that riches, oaths, bad\nhabits, drinking and gambling were introduced from Holland into the\nBlack Forest.\n\n\u201cWhen the whole story did come out, however, Dutch Michael was\nnowhere to be found. But he is not dead, and for over a hundred years\nhe has haunted our forest, and it is said he has helped many a one to\nbecome rich, but at the cost of his poor soul. I will say no more\nabout that, still it is very certain that on stormy nights such as the\npresent, he seeks out the finest trees from the portion of the forest\nwhere it is forbidden to fell timber; my own father saw him break one\nthat was full four feet thick as though it had been a reed. This\ntimber he gives to those who have left the straight path of honesty\nand gone to him for help. At midnight he helps them to carry the wood\nto the river, and steers the rafts down the streams for them until\nthey reach Holland.\n\n\u201cBut if I were King in Holland, I would have them sunk with shot to\nthe bottom of the stream, for every ship that carries but a single\nboard or beam sold by Dutch Michael is bound to sink. That is why one\nhears of so many shipwrecks. How else could it be that a fine ship, as\nlarge as a church should go to the bottom of the sea? Every time Dutch\nMichael fells a tree in the forest, a plank in some ship bursts, the\nwater penetrates and the good ship is lost with all hands.\n\n\u201cThat is the story of Dutch Michael, and it is quite true that it was\nhe who introduced everything that is bad in the Black Forest. He can\nmake one as rich as a dream,\u201d he added mysteriously, \u201cbut I would\nrather be without his wealth, and not for the whole world would I\nstand in the shoes of Fat Ezekiel or the Long-legged Lounger, and it\nis said that the Dance King had given up his soul to him also.\u201d\n\nThe storm had blown over during the old man\u2019s recital and now the\nmaidens timidly lit their lamps and crept away to bed, and the men\nplaced a sack of leaves for a pillow for Peter Munk upon the bench in\nthe chimney corner, and wishing him good-night, left him to himself.\n\nCharcoal Peter, as he was usually called, had terrible dreams that\nnight. He thought that the grim gigantic form of Dutch Michael came to\nthe window and, forcing it open, stretched a long arm through the\nspace and shook a purse of gold pieces at Peter. The money clinked\nmusically in his ears. The next moment however, who should appear but\nthe little Glass-man. He rode here and there in the air upon a huge\ngreen glass bottle and Peter thought he could hear the low chuckling\nhe had heard in the clump of black pines; then suddenly he caught the\nsound of a hoarse voice booming in his left ear these words:\n\n \u201cIn Holland there\u2019s gold to be had\n For the asking, so wherefore be sad?\n Dutch Michael has gold, glitt\u2019ring gold,\n Come to him, then, for riches untold.\u201d\n\nThen in his right ear he heard the three lines of the little\nGlass-man\u2019s verse recited and a soft voice whispered, \u201cFoolish\nCharcoal Peter, foolish Peter Munk, can\u2019t you think of a word to rhyme\nwith \u2018grow\u2019 and you born at mid-day on a Sunday, too? For shame,\nPeter, come try for a rhyme, try for a rhyme.\u201d Peter groaned and\nsighed in his sleep and tried his hardest to make a rhyme, but as he\nhad never made a single one when awake he did not succeed any better\nin his dreams.\n\n [Illustration: _Peter tapped his forehead with his fingers._\n (P. 227.)]\n\nHe awoke as the first streaks of dawn appeared and sat up, placed his\nelbows on the table and rested his head upon his hands. As he\nremembered the whispering in his ears he said to himself: \u201cRhyme\nfoolish Charcoal Peter, for goodness sake make a rhyme.\u201d He tapped his\nforehead with his fingers, but no rhyme would come, and as he sat\nthere sad and disturbed in his mind, trying hard to find a rhyme to\n\u201cgrow,\u201d the young fellows passed the cottage and one of them was\nsinging at the top of his voice:\n\n \u201cI stood beside a little hut,\n Just where the pine-trees grow,\n Peeped in for my beloved,\n But her face she would not show.\u201d\n\nThe words rushed through Peter\u2019s ears like lightning; but like\nlightning they were gone again. He jumped up, ran from the cottage,\npursued the three men, and seized the singer roughly by the arm.\n\u201cStop, friend,\u201d he cried, \u201cwhat did you rhyme with \u2018grow\u2019? Be good\nenough, please, to tell me what you were singing.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat\u2019s that to you, fellow?\u201d replied the Black Forester. \u201cI can sing\nwhat I like, I suppose? Let go my arm, or----\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, no,\u201d screamed Peter, clinging all the tighter to him, \u201cI will not\nlet you go until you have told me what you were singing.\u201d But the\nsinger\u2019s two companions fell upon Peter and gave him such a drubbing\nhe was forced to let go the singer\u2019s clothing, and fell fainting to\nhis knees.\n\n\u201cNow you have your deserts,\u201d they said, laughing, \u201cand perhaps you\nwill know better another time than to molest honest folk on an open\nroad.\u201d\n\n\u201cI will certainly remember not to do so any more,\u201d replied Charcoal\nPeter with a sigh, \u201cbut now that you have given me a good beating be\nso good as to tell me slowly and clearly the words of the song.\u201d\n\nThey laughed at him and mocked him, but the singer repeated the words\nto him and then, laughing and singing, the three young men went on\ntheir way.\n\nPeter raised himself painfully to his feet. \u201cAh,\u201d he said, \u201cso \u2018show\u2019\nrhymes with \u2018grow.\u2019 Very well, Master Glass-man, we will have a word\nto say to each other by-and-by.\u201d He went back to the cottage, took\nleave of his host, and with his staff in his hand set out once more\nfor the clump of black pine-trees.\n\nHe walked slowly, for he had to compose a last line to the verse, and\nalthough he now had a word to rhyme he found it a difficult matter to\nmake up the whole line. But by the time he was close to the place and\nthe pines began to grow taller and thicker, he had his line quite\ncomplete, and so overjoyed was he that he made a bound forward and\nnearly bounded up against a huge giant of a man, dressed as a\nraftsman, and carrying a pole in his hand the size of a ship\u2019s mast,\nwho stepped suddenly from out of the clump of pine-trees.\n\nPeter Munk\u2019s knees shook with fright as he saw the giant taking slow\nsteps alongside of him, in order to accommodate himself to Peter\u2019s\npace. \u201cWithout doubt it is Dutch Michael,\u201d thought he, but the huge\nfigure paced silently on.\n\nPeter glanced sideways at him from time to time. He was certainly\ntaller than the tallest man he had ever seen, his face was neither\nyoung nor old, but was covered with lines and creases innumerable. He\nwore a linen vest and the enormous boots which were drawn up over his\nleather breeches Peter recognised at once from the old man\u2019s story.\n\n\u201cPeter Munk, what are you doing in this clump of black pines?\u201d he\nasked at length in deep threatening tones.\n\n\u201cGood morning, sir,\u201d answered Peter, trying to appear unconcerned,\nalthough he was trembling violently. \u201cI am only on my way home.\u201d\n\n\u201cPeter Munk,\u201d replied the Forest King, glaring at the unfortunate\nyoung man, \u201cyour way does not lie through this clump of trees.\u201d\n\n\u201cWell, not exactly,\u201d said Peter, \u201cbut it is so hot to-day that I\nthought it would be cooler here beneath the pine-trees.\u201d\n\n [Illustration: _Peter nearly bounded up against a huge giant._\n (P. 229.)]\n\n\u201cDon\u2019t lie to me, Charcoal Peter,\u201d thundered the giant, \u201cor I will\nstrike you to the earth with my pole. Do you suppose I did not see you\nbegging from the little Glass-man?\u201d Then in milder tones Dutch Michael\nwent on. \u201cIt was a foolish thing to do, Peter, and it was lucky for\nyou you could not remember the lines of the verse, for the little\nfellow is a terrible miser, and only gives grudgingly; moreover,\nwhoever accepts money from him is never happy again his whole life\nlong. You are a simpleton, Peter, and I am sorry for you from the\nbottom of my heart. To think that a fine handsome fellow like you\nshould be nothing better than a charcoal burner! When other folks\njingle fat ducats in their pockets you have only a few copper coins to\nshow. It is a wretched life to lead.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou are right there, it is a wretched life,\u201d said Peter.\n\n\u201cWell, well,\u201d proceeded Dutch Michael, \u201cI have helped many a poor\nfellow in distress and you would not be the first. Just say how many\nhundred florins you would like to have to begin with?\u201d\n\nAs he spoke he jingled the money in his enormous pockets and it\nsounded just as it had done in Peter\u2019s dream.\n\nPeter\u2019s heart beat fast with fear and he was hot and cold by turns,\nfor Dutch Michael had not the appearance of one who gave money out of\ncharity alone. He remembered the mysterious words of the old man\nregarding the men who had enriched themselves at the Forest King\u2019s\nexpense, and overcome with terror he cried out: \u201cMany thanks, sir, for\nyour kind offer, but I would rather have nothing to do with you,\u201d and\nwith that he took to his heels and ran for his life.\n\nBut the terrible Michael was not to be shaken off. By taking huge\nstrides he kept pace with Peter--\u201cYou will regret this,\u201d he said,\n\u201cmark my words you will regret it. Do not run so fast, yonder is the\nboundary of my domains and I can go no further.\u201d\n\nOn hearing these words Peter hastened on more than ever and as he\nreached the boundary he made a spring for safety. Dutch Michael hurled\nhis huge pole after him. It missed him, but the force with which it\nhad been thrown caused it to break into splinters. One splinter fell\nat his feet and Peter stopped to pick it up to throw it back at\nMichael; but before he could do so he felt the wood turn and twist in\nhis hand, and to his horror he saw that it had turned into a huge\nsnake, which was about to spring at him. He tried to shake it off, but\nit had fastened itself round his arm and darted its horrible head\ntowards his face, when suddenly a woodcock flew down and seized the\nsnake\u2019s head in its beak and flew off with it. Dutch Michael raged and\nbellowed in vain, and Peter, trembling in every limb, once more set\nout upon his way. The path grew steeper and steeper until at length he\nfound himself before the big pine-tree in the centre of the clump of\nblack pines. As on the previous day, he bowed to the invisible\nGlass-man and began reciting the verse:\n\n \u201cOwner of all in the pine-woods green,\n Many a hundred years thou hast seen,\n Thine all the lands where the pine trees grow--\n To the Sunday-born thy face now show!\u201d\n\n\u201cWell, it\u2019s not quite right yet, but as it is you Charcoal Peter, I\nwill let it pass,\u201d said a fine soft voice near him.\n\nPeter turned in surprise and saw, seated beneath a beautiful\npine-tree, a little old man. He was wearing a black vest, red\nstockings, and a large pointed hat. He had a refined, delicate little\nface and a long white beard as soft as a cobweb; but the most\nextraordinary thing about him that Peter at first sight noticed was\nthat he was smoking a long pipe of blue glass; but on approaching\nnearer Peter discovered that everything the little man wore, coat,\nshoes, stockings, all were made of coloured glass; but it was as\nflexible as though it were still hot, and went into folds, as cloth\nwould have done, with every movement of the little man\u2019s body.\n\n [Illustration: _THE COLD HEART._\n _Charcoal Peter and the Glass-man._]\n\n\u201cAnd so you met that rascal Dutch Michael,\u201d said the little man. \u201cHe\nwould have done you an injury had I not taken his magic wand from him.\nMoreover, he will not easily get it again.\u201d\n\n\u201cYes, Master Glass-man,\u201d replied Peter, bowing low. \u201cI had a terrible\nfright. And so you were the woodcock that pecked the snake to death?\nVery many thanks. But I have come to you for advice. Things are not\nvery flourishing with me. A charcoal-burner does not get on in the\nworld, and, as I am young and strong, I should like to be in a better\nposition, especially when I see others like Fat Ezekiel and the Dance\nKing with as much money as they can spend.\u201d\n\n\u201cPeter,\u201d said the little man sternly, as he blew a cloud of smoke from\nhis pipe, \u201cPeter, don\u2019t let me hear you speak of these men. Just for a\nfew years\u2019 happiness, or perhaps only the appearance of happiness they\nwill pay by an eternity of misery. You should not be-little your\ntrade. Your father and grandfather before you pursued it. I trust\nit is not the love of idleness that has led you to me.\u201d\n\nPeter was alarmed by the little man\u2019s earnestness and blushed. \u201cNo,\nno,\u201d he faltered, \u201cI know full well that idleness is the root of all\ntrouble; but you cannot wonder that I should wish to better myself. A\ncharcoal-burner is thought so little of, the glass-makers,\nclock-makers and raftsmen are all of higher standing.\u201d\n\n\u201cPride goes before a fall,\u201d said the little man in more friendly\ntones. \u201cYou men are a strange race! It is seldom that any one of you\nis content with his position. If you were a glass-worker you would no\ndoubt wish to be a timber merchant, and if you were a timber merchant\nyou would want to be the Keeper of the Forest, or even a magistrate. I\nam accustomed to grant three wishes to every Sunday-child that knows\nhow to find his way to me. The first two are free to be granted; but I\ncan refuse to grant the third if I think it is a foolish one. So wish\nsomething for yourself, Peter, but take care that it is something good\nand useful.\u201d\n\n\u201cHurrah! you are without doubt a first-rate little fellow, Master\nGlass-man. And so as I may wish what I will, I wish that I may dance\nas well as the Dance King, and when I am with Fat Ezekiel I may always\nhave as much money in my pockets as he has.\u201d\n\n\u201cFool!\u201d cried the little man angrily, \u201cwhat an idiotic wish to make,\nto be able to dance and to have a supply of money with which to\ngamble. You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Peter, to cheat yourself\nof your good fortune in such a manner. Of what use will it be to your\npoor mother that you can dance well? And of what use your money if you\nonly spend it in the ale house? When you are with Fat Ezekiel and the\nDance King your pockets will be as full as theirs, but you will leave\nyour money behind you, and be as poor and hungry the rest of the week\nas you were before. I will grant you one other wish, but see that you\nmake better use of it.\u201d\n\nPeter scratched his head and spoke after some deliberation. \u201cVery\nwell, I wish for the finest glass factory in the Black Forest and\nsufficient money to carry on my business.\u201d\n\n\u201cNothing else?\u201d asked the little man earnestly. \u201cNothing else, Peter?\u201d\n\n\u201cWell,\u201d said Peter, \u201cwhilst I am about it you might as well add a\nhorse and a little carriage.\u201d\n\n\u201cOh! you stupid, you stupid!\u201d cried the little man, and in his wrath\nhe flung his glass pipe at the nearest pine-tree and smashed it into a\nhundred pieces. \u201cA horse and carriage indeed! Why couldn\u2019t you wish\nfor knowledge and common sense. But there, there, no need to look so\nsad, the second wish was not altogether so foolish as the first. A\nglass factory is not a bad thing to possess and will certainly provide\nits owner with a living, but had you wished for knowledge and common\nsense with it, the horse and carriage would have followed as a natural\nconsequence.\u201d\n\n\u201cBut, Master Glass-man,\u201d replied Peter, \u201cI have still one wish left\nand I will wish for knowledge and common sense if you think it so\nnecessary for me to possess it.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, no, mark my words you will find yourself in such a dilemma one of\nthese fine days that you will be thankful to have a remaining wish to\nhelp you out, and now go home. Here are two thousand golden crowns,\nsee that you use them to the best advantage, and don\u2019t come here\nasking for more money or I will hang you from the top of the tallest\ntree. Three days ago old Winkfritz died. He owned the largest glass\nfactory in the forest. Go first thing to-morrow morning and make a bid\nfor the business. See that you are industrious and behave yourself\nwell, and I will visit you from time to time and give you good advice\nto make up for your not having wished for common sense, but I must\ntell you seriously that your first wish was an evil wish. Be careful\nhow you take to frequenting ale-houses, for never yet did they do\nanyone anything but harm.\u201d\n\nWhilst speaking the little man had taken out another pipe made of the\nvery finest glass, filled it with dried fir cones, and stuck it in his\nlittle toothless mouth. He now drew forth an enormous burning glass\nand, stepping out into the sunlight, lighted his pipe by means of the\nglass.\n\nWhen he had succeeded he offered his hand to Peter in friendly\nfashion, gave him a little more good advice, smoked faster and faster,\nand at length disappeared in a cloud of smoke, which circled higher\nand higher until it reached the tree tops, leaving a scent of genuine\nDutch tobacco behind it.\n\nWhen Peter reached home he found his mother in great trouble about\nhim, for the good woman quite supposed he had been made to enlist for\na soldier.\n\nHe told her he had met a good friend in the Forest who had given him\nenough money to start a different business. Although his mother had\nlived for thirty years in the charcoal-burner\u2019s hut and had become as\naccustomed to the sooty faces of her men-folk as a miller\u2019s wife to\nher husband\u2019s floury face, she had still sufficient vanity at once to\ndespise their former position as soon as she saw a chance of\nbettering it.\n\n [Illustration: _The little man disappeared in a cloud of smoke._\n (P. 236.)]\n\n\u201cAs the mother of a man who owns a glass factory,\u201d said she, \u201cI shall\nbe a degree above my neighbours, and in future I shall take a foremost\nseat in church amongst the well-to-do people.\u201d\n\nPeter soon made a bargain with Winkfritz\u2019s heirs for possession of the\nglass factory. He retained all the workmen employed there and worked\nhard, making glass night and day. At first he liked his new trade. He\nwalked about the factory with his hands stuck in his pockets, looking\nat this and that and making his workmen laugh at his queer questions.\nHis greatest pleasure was to watch the glass-blowing; he liked to take\nthe soft material and fashion it into all sorts of queer figures. But\nhe soon tired of the work and by degrees he came less often to the\nfactory; first it fell to passing only an hour a day there, then he\nwould come in every other day, finally only once a week, and all this\ncame of frequenting the ale-house. The Sunday after he had met the\nlittle Glass-man, he went to the inn and there he found the Dance\nKing, already dancing, and Fat Ezekiel, with a can of beer beside him,\nplaying pitch and toss for crown pieces. He put his hand in his pocket\nto be sure the little Glass-man kept good faith, and found his pockets\nbulging with gold and silver. In his limbs he felt a strange and\nunaccustomed twitching, as though he wanted to dance, and as soon as\nthe first dance was over he took his partner out and placed himself\nclose to the Dance King. For every skip the Dance King made Peter made\ntwo. If the Dance King bounded a foot into the air Peter bounded twice\nas high, and no matter what complicated steps the Dance King made,\nPeter\u2019s dancing was twice as complicated. He bounded, he pranced, he\ntwisted until all who beheld him were in a whirl of wonder.\n\nAs soon as it became known that Peter had purchased a glass factory,\nand when folks saw the careless way in which he flung a handful of\ncoppers at a time to the musicians, their astonishment knew no\nbounds. Some said he must have found buried treasure in the forest,\nothers said he had inherited a big sum of money, and everyone paid him\ngreat respect and attention because it was apparent he was a monied\nman. The same evening he lost twenty crowns, but in spite of that his\nmoney still chinked in his pockets as though he had plenty left.\n\nWhen Peter saw how much he was looked up to he scarcely knew how to\ncontain himself for pride and joy. He threw his money about with a\nfree hand and gave a goodly portion to the poor, remembering the times\nwhen he had suffered for want of money.\n\nThe Dance King\u2019s art having been quite supplanted by that of Peter,\nthe latter was nicknamed \u201cDance Emperor,\u201d but this nickname soon gave\nplace to another and a worse one. On Sundays in the inn there was no\nworse gambler than he, for no one could afford to lose as much as he\ncould, but as he always played with Fat Ezekiel, who won his money\neasily, he had still, just as the little Glass-man had promised, as\nmuch money in his pockets as his opponent.\n\nIf he lost twenty or thirty crowns one minute, no sooner had Fat\nEzekiel slipped them into his pocket than the same sum appeared in\nPeter\u2019s. He took to gambling every day in the week, and what with\ndrinking and playing he soon became one of the worst characters in the\nBlack Forest, and so he came to be called \u201cGambling Peter\u201d instead of\n\u201cDance Emperor.\u201d\n\nIt was on account of this that his glass factory soon began to show\nsigns of decay. He ordered glass to be made as before; but as he had\nno business capacity he did not know how to dispose of it to the best\nadvantage, and soon had such an accumulation of glass goods that he\nwas obliged to sell to pedlars or anyone who would buy it at half\nprice, so that he might have the money to pay his workmen.\n\nOne evening as he was going home from the inn he could not help\nthinking of the terrible muddle he had made of his affairs and\nworrying himself over the loss of his fortune, when suddenly he became\naware that someone was walking beside him, and behold it was the\nlittle Glass-man.\n\nPeter flew into a terrible rage and accused the little man of being\nthe cause of all his misfortunes. \u201cOf what use to me is a horse and a\ncarriage?\u201d he cried. \u201cOf what use my factory and all my glass? I was\nhappier as a poverty-stricken charcoal-burner than I am now, for I\nnever know when the bailiffs may come and seize my goods to pay my\ndebts.\u201d\n\n\u201cOh!\u201d replied the little Glass-man, \u201cso it is my fault, is it, that\nyou are unhappy? Is this the thanks you offer me for my generosity?\nWhy did you wish so foolishly? You wished to be a glass manufacturer\nand yet knew nothing about the business. Did I not warn you to be\ncareful what you wished for? It was knowledge and common sense you\nwanted.\u201d\n\n [Illustration: _Peter grabbed the Glass-man by the collar._\n (P. 241.)]\n\n\u201cKnowledge and common sense,\u201d screamed Peter. \u201cI will show you that I\nhave as much common sense as you have,\u201d and with these words he\ngrabbed the Glass-man by the collar and cried--\u201cNow I have you,\nMaster Glass-man, and I will not let you go until you have granted me\na third wish. Give me now at this very moment, on this very spot, two\nhundred thousand crown pieces, a house and--oh! oh!!\u201d he shrieked\naloud, for the Glass-man had turned into a mass of hot molten glass\nand burnt his hand. Of the little man himself there was nothing to be\nseen.\n\nFor several days he was reminded of his ingratitude and foolishness by\nhis burnt and swollen hand, but he managed to stifle his conscience\nand said to himself--\u201cWell, well, even if my factory and everything in\nit is sold, I have still got Fat Ezekiel to provide me with as much\nmoney as I shall require. As long as his pockets are full on a Sunday,\nI cannot have mine empty.\u201d\n\nJust so, Peter, but how if a time should come when they are empty?\nThis was exactly what happened. One Sunday he came driving up to the\ninn in his carriage and the people looking out of the window remarked:\n\u201cHere comes Gambling Peter,\u201d or \u201cHere comes the Dance Emperor,\u201d or\n\u201cHere comes the rich glass manufacturer.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m not so sure about his riches,\u201d said another, \u201cthere are grave\nreports about him in the town and it is said that the bailiffs are to\nseize his goods for debt.\u201d\n\nPeter nodded to the men at the window and called pompously--\u201cMaster\nInnkeeper, is Fat Ezekiel here yet?\u201d \u201cYes, yes, here I am,\u201d said Fat\nEzekiel, \u201cwe have kept your place, Peter, and we are at the cards\nalready.\u201d\n\nSo Peter Munk went in and slipped his hand into his pocket and found\nthat Fat Ezekiel must have plenty of money, for his own pockets were\nquite full.\n\nHe sat down to the table and began to play, losing and winning much\nas the others did. But as the night began to fall most of the players\nrose and went home, but not so Peter Munk. He challenged Fat Ezekiel\nto remain and play on.\n\nAt first he was not willing, but presently he consented. \u201cVery well,\u201d\nhe said at length, \u201cI will just count my money and then we will throw\nthe dice for five crowns a point, for less than that it is mere\nchild\u2019s play.\u201d Ezekiel drew out his purse and counted five hundred\ncrowns, so Peter knew exactly how much he had.\n\nBut though Ezekiel had won before, he now began to lose his money and\nhis temper too. So sure as he threw double fives Peter threw double\nsixes; whatever Ezekiel threw, Peter threw higher, until at length he\nhad won all Ezekiel\u2019s money with the exception of five crown pieces.\n\n\u201cIf I lose this,\u201d cried Ezekiel, \u201cI will still go on playing, and try\nto retrieve my luck; you shall lend me some of your winnings, Peter,\nfor one good comrade always helps another.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs much as you please,\u201d replied Peter, \u201ca hundred crowns if\npossible,\u201d for he was merry over his winnings and in a very good\ntemper.\n\nBut again Ezekiel lost and Peter started as he heard a harsh voice\nbehind him say--\u201cOh! ho! there goes the last coin!\u201d\n\nPeter looked round and saw Dutch Michael standing behind him. In his\nterror he let fall his money, but Fat Ezekiel saw nothing, but only\nasked Peter to lend him some money that they might go on playing.\nHalf in a dream Peter thrust his hand into his pocket. It was empty,\nhe tried the other--empty too. He turned them inside out, but not the\nsmallest copper coin was to be seen, and now he remembered for the\nfirst time what his wish had been--that he might always have as much\nmoney as Fat Ezekiel--well, Ezekiel had none and so Peter\u2019s had all\ndisappeared like smoke.\n\nAt first the innkeeper and Fat Ezekiel would not believe that he had\nno money, but when they saw that his pockets really were empty they\nwere very angry, for they declared he must be a sorcerer and that he\nhad wished his money and his winnings away at home so that he might\nnot have to lend any.\n\nPeter attempted to defend himself, but appearances were against him.\nEzekiel declared that the following day he would publish the news all\nover the Black Forest, and the innkeeper said he should go and\ndenounce Peter as a sorcerer to the magistrate and that he would most\nassuredly be burnt. Then they flew at him, beat him soundly, tore his\njacket off his back, and threw him out of the door of the inn.\n\nNo star shone in the sky as Peter crept miserably home, but in spite\nof that he recognised a dark figure that walked beside him and kept\npace with him. At length the figure spoke--\u201cWell, Peter Munk, there is\nan end to you and your splendour. I could have told you exactly what\nwould happen when you would not listen to me but hurried off to that\nstupid Glass Dwarf. Now see what you have come to through despising my\nadvice. But try me once, for I am really sorry for your pitiful fate.\nNo one has ever repented of coming to me for assistance, and if you\nare not afraid come to me to-morrow to the clump of pine-trees; I will\nbe there if you call me.\u201d\n\nBut Peter shuddered and ran home as fast as his legs could carry him.\n\n\nPART II.\n\nWhen Peter entered his glass factory on the Monday morning he found\nthe bailiffs already in possession. He was asked if he had any money\nwith which he could settle his debts, and on his replying that he had\nnot, his factory, house, stables, horse, carriage and the stock in\nhand were all seized.\n\n\u201cWell,\u201d said he, \u201csince the little man has done nothing for me I will\nsee what the big one will do.\u201d And he set off running as fast as\nthough the police were at his heels.\n\nHe reached the clump of black pines, and as he passed the spot where\nhe had seen the little Glass-man it seemed as though an invisible hand\ncaught him and held him back. But he tore himself loose and dashed\nacross the boundary line into Dutch Michael\u2019s domain. Breathlessly he\ncalled: \u201cDutch Michael, Dutch Michael,\u201d and immediately the gigantic\nfigure of the raftsman stood before him.\n\n\u201cSo you have come,\u201d he said, laughing. \u201cAnd did they wish to sell up\nyou and your possessions? Well, well, it was the fault of the little\nman, miser that he is. If one makes a present it may as well be one\nworth having. But follow me to my house and I will see if we cannot\ndrive a bargain.\u201d\n\n\u201cMake a bargain?\u201d thought Peter, \u201cwhat have I to exchange with him?\nHave I got to serve him, I wonder?\u201d\n\nDutch Michael led him up a steep woodland pathway until at length they\ncame to a steep ravine, with rugged rocky sides. Michael sprang down\nthe rugged rocks as though they had been a polished marble staircase,\nbut Peter almost fainted when he saw that the giant grew taller and\ntaller until he was the height of a church tower. He stretched up an\narm as long as a weaver\u2019s beam, with a hand the size of a parlour\ntable, and bade Peter seat himself upon it and hold tight.\n\nPeter trembled with fright but obeyed, took his seat upon the giant\u2019s\nhand, and held tight to his thumb.\n\nThey went down and down, ever deeper, but to Peter\u2019s surprise it was\nnot at all dark, indeed it was quite the contrary, for the sun shone\nso brightly in his eyes that it dazzled him. The further Peter went\ndown, the smaller Michael became, until when they reached the bottom\nof the ravine he was the same size as he had been when Peter first saw\nhim.\n\nThey were standing outside a house, such as a well-to-do peasant might\nhave inhabited, and the room Peter was shown into was much the same as\nany other room except that it seemed very dreary. A tall clock in a\nwooden case stood by the wall, an enormous china stove and the usual\nfurniture were all there. Michael invited him to take a seat at the\ntable and, going out, returned speedily with glasses and a flask of\nwine. He poured it out and they began to talk, Dutch Michael telling\nPeter of all the joys there were to be met with in foreign lands. He\ndescribed the beautiful towns and rivers until Peter conceived a great\nlonging to go and see them.\n\n [Illustration: _Michael stretched up an arm, with a hand the\n size of a parlour table._ (P. 246.)]\n\n\u201cAh!\u201d said Michael craftily, \u201ceven if your whole body and mind wanted\nto undertake some great piece of business your poor silly heart would\nquake with fear. I can\u2019t think what a fine fellow like you wants with\na heart. When you were called a cheat and a rogue where did you feel\nit most? Not in your head, I\u2019ll be bound! When the officers of the law\ncame and took possession of all your belongings did you have a\nstomach-ache? Tell me, where did it hurt you most?\u201d\n\n\u201cMy heart,\u201d replied Peter, placing his hand upon his heaving breast.\n\n\u201cNow forgive me,\u201d said Michael, \u201cif I remind you that you have given\naway many hundred crown pieces to beggars and other rabble. What good\nhas it done you? They blessed you and wished you good health. Did that\ndo you any good? What was it prompted you to put your hand in your\npocket every time a beggar held out his ragged hat to you? Your\n_heart_, I tell you. Neither your eyes, nor your tongue, nor your arm,\nnor your leg, but your heart. You took things to _heart_ as the saying\nis.\u201d\n\n\u201cBut how can I help it? I try my best to suppress it; but my heart\nbeats until it hurts me.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou poor fellow,\u201d laughed Michael, \u201cgive me that little palpitating\nthing and see how much better you will feel without it!\u201d\n\n\u201cGive you my heart!\u201d screamed Peter in horror, \u201cwhy, I should die on\nthe spot. No, that I will not!\u201d\n\n\u201cOf course, you would die if an ordinary physician were to cut out\nyour heart. But with me it is quite a different matter. Come with me,\nand I will convince you.\u201d\n\nHe rose and beckoned to Peter to follow him into another room. Peter\u2019s\nheart contracted painfully as he crossed the threshold of this room;\nbut he paid no heed to it, such astonishing sights claimed his\nattention. There were rows of shelves, and upon these stood glass\nbottles filled with transparent fluid, and in each of these bottles\nthere was a heart. Every bottle was labelled and Peter read the names\nwith the greatest curiosity. There was the name of the Chief\nMagistrate, Fat Ezekiel\u2019s, the Dance King, in fact all the principal\npeople in the neighbourhood.\n\n\u201cObserve,\u201d said Michael, \u201call these people have rid themselves of fear\nand sorrow for life. Not one of these hearts beats with fear or sorrow\nany more, and their former possessors are very well off without such\nunquiet guests to disturb them.\u201d\n\n\u201cBut what do they carry in their breasts in place of them?\u201d enquired\nPeter, who felt faint and giddy.\n\n\u201cThis,\u201d replied Michael, and he showed him a heart of stone he had\ntaken from a drawer.\n\n\u201cOh!\u201d said Peter with a shudder, \u201ca heart of stone? But that must be\nvery cold in one\u2019s breast.\u201d\n\n\u201cYes, yes,\u201d replied Michael, \u201cquite pleasantly cool. What do you want\nwith a warm heart? Even in winter a glass of good cherry brandy will\nwarm your body better than your heart could, and in summer when it is\nhot and sultry it is nice and cooling. Then, as I have said, neither\ngrief, nor foolish pity, nor sorrow of any sort can affect such a\nheart.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd is that all you have to offer me?\u201d asked Peter ungraciously, \u201cI\nhad hoped for money and you offer me a stone.\u201d\n\n\u201cCome, I think a hundred thousand crown pieces would be sufficient for\nyou at first. If you deal advantageously with it you will soon be a\nmillionaire.\u201d\n\n\u201cA hundred thousand!\u201d exclaimed the poor charcoal-burner, joyfully.\n\u201cCome, come, my heart, don\u2019t beat so wildly, for we are about to part\ncompany. Here, Michael, give me the money and the stone and you may\nhave this disturber of my peace.\u201d\n\n\u201cI thought you would prove a sensible fellow,\u201d said Michael, \u201ccome, we\nwill have another glass of wine and then I will count out the money.\u201d\n\nThey seated themselves in the next room and drank so much wine that\nPeter fell asleep.\n\nWhen he awoke it was to the friendly sound of a post horn, and see,\nthere he was, seated in a beautiful carriage. He put his head out of\nthe window and saw the Black Forest in the distance behind him. At\nfirst he could not believe it was himself that sat in the carriage,\nfor his clothes were not the same as those he had worn the day before;\nbut he remembered everything so clearly that he could no longer doubt.\n\u201cCharcoal Peter am I, and no mistake,\u201d he said.\n\nHe was surprised he felt no sadness at leaving his home and the Forest\nwhere he had lived for so long. Even the thought of his mother whom he\nwas leaving alone, helpless and in dire poverty, provoked no feeling\nof remorse in him, and he could not call up a tear nor even a sigh. He\nfelt perfectly indifferent.\n\n\u201cOf course,\u201d said he, \u201ctears and sighs, home-sickness, and grief, come\nfrom the heart and, thanks to Dutch Michael, mine is now of stone.\u201d\n\nHe put his hand to his breast, but nothing moved there. \u201cIf he has\nkept his word as well regarding the hundred thousand dollars as he has\nkept it respecting my heart, I shall have nothing to complain of;\u201d\nwith that he began to search the carriage. He found everything he\ncould possibly require in the shape of clothing, but no money. But at\nlength he came across a pocket in the lining of the carriage which was\nstuffed with gold and notes, and letters of credit to all the\nprincipal cities.\n\n\u201cNow I have everything I can possibly want,\u201d he said, and settling\nhimself comfortably in the corner of his carriage drove away out into\nthe world.\n\nFor two years he drove about the country, peering right and left from\nthe windows of his carriage at the houses and villages he passed. When\nhe came into a town he put up at an inn, then went round with a\ncourier, who showed him all the beautiful and interesting sights, not\none of which afforded him the least delight, for his heart of stone\nprevented him taking pleasure in anything. Nothing, however beautiful,\nappealed to his senses any longer. Nothing was left to him but to eat\nand drink and sleep--and so he lived without interest or aim in life;\nto amuse himself he ate and drank, and to prevent his being bored he\nslept.\n\nNow and again he thought of the days when he had been happy and gay,\nalthough he had been obliged to work hard for a livelihood. In those\ndays every beautiful view had delighted him, music and singing had\nenchanted him, and the simple food his mother cooked for him and\nbrought to him as he sat beside his kiln had been more appetising\nthan all the dainty dishes he partook of now. As he thought of the\npast it struck him as very singular that he no longer desired to smile\neven, whereas formerly the smallest joke had served as an excuse for\nlaughter. When other folks laughed he drew his lips into the form of a\ngrin out of politeness; but his heart no longer laughed. It is true he\nwas never upset over anything, but then he was not really satisfied.\n\nIt was not home-sickness or grief; but a sense of blankness, weariness\nand friendlessness that at length drove him back home.\n\nAs he drove out of Strassburg and saw again the beautiful dark\npine-trees of his native forest, and looked upon the honest faces of\nhis countrymen, and heard the homely, well-remembered tones of their\nspeech, he placed his hand quickly to his heart, for his blood was\ncoursing wildly through his veins and he felt as though he must both\nweep and laugh together. But--how foolish! His heart was of stone, and\nstones are dead and can neither laugh nor weep.\n\nHis first visit was to Dutch Michael, who received him with\nfriendliness as he had formerly done. \u201cMichael,\u201d said Peter, \u201cI have\ntravelled all over the world and taken pleasure in nothing; I was only\nbored. It is true that the stone thing I carry in my breast shielded\nme from a great deal of unpleasantness, I am never angry or sad, but\nthen I am never glad either and I feel only half alive. Could you not\nput a little life into the stone heart, or even give me back my old\nheart? I had it for five-and-twenty years and had become accustomed to\nit, and even if it makes me commit some foolishness occasionally,\nstill it was a merry, happy heart.\u201d\n\n [Illustration: _For two years Peter drove about the country._\n (P. 251.)]\n\nThe giant laughed a grim and bitter laugh. \u201cWhen you are dead, Peter\nMunk,\u201d he replied, \u201cyou shall have your soft, feeling heart back\nagain, and experience all the sensations you knew before. But as long\nas you are alive you cannot have it. It would have been of little\nservice to you either, in the life of idleness you have been living\nlately. Why don\u2019t you settle down now, marry, build a house, make\nmoney? All you require is work; because you were idle you were bored\nand then you blame your innocent stone heart.\u201d\n\nPeter saw that there was sense in what Michael said and made up his\nmind to devote his time to money-making. Michael gave him another\nhundred thousand dollars and they parted good friends.\n\nVery soon the news was spread abroad in the Black Forest that Charcoal\nPeter, or Gambling Peter, had returned, and that he was richer than\nformerly. As usual, now that he had returned a rich man he was\nreceived with open arms by those who had turned their backs on him in\nhis misfortunes. He now pretended that he was a timber merchant, but\nthis was only a blind, his real business was that of a money-lender\nand corn-dealer.\n\nVery soon half the folks in the Black Forest owed him money, and he\ncharged ten per cent for all he lent. Or again he sold corn to the\npoor, who had not the money to pay immediately, for three times its\nworth.\n\nHe was first-rate friends with the magistrate now, and when it\nhappened that Peter\u2019s debtors did not pay up to the very day the\nmagistrate would come with his officers and sell up their homes and\ndrive father, mother and children out into the forest. At first it\ncaused rich Peter some inconvenience, for the poor creatures besieged\nhis house, the men begged for some consideration, the women tried to\nsoften his heart of stone, and the children cried for bread. But he\nbought a pair of fierce dogs to stop the \u201ccaterwauling,\u201d as he called\nit, and so soon as a beggar appeared he set his dogs on to him.\n\nBut what caused him the most trouble was his poor old mother. She had\nfallen into extreme poverty, and though her son had returned a rich\nman he did not attempt to provide for her. She came sometimes to his\ndoor, weak and ill, her tottering steps supported by a stick, but she\ndid not venture into the house, for once she had been driven out of\nit. It was a sore grief to her that she should be dependent on the\ncharity of others when her own son could so well have afforded to care\nfor her in her old age. But his heart of stone was never moved by the\nsight of the pale worn face and the withered outstretched hand.\n\nWhen she knocked at his door he drew some coppers from his pocket and\ngave them to a servant to hand to her. He could hear her trembling\nvoice as she thanked him and wished him well, he heard her coughing\npitifully as she crept away, and then he thought no more about the\nmatter, except that he had spent some money with no hope of its being\nreturned.\n\nAt last Peter made up his mind to get married. He knew quite well that\nevery father in the Black Forest would be only too glad to let him\nmarry his daughter, but he was very difficult to please, for he\nwanted everyone to praise the good sense he had shown in making his\nchoice and to be envious of his good fortune.\n\nSo he went to every dance-room in the countryside, but not one of the\nbeautiful maidens he met there did he think sufficiently beautiful. At\nlength he heard that a poor wood-cutter\u2019s daughter was the most\nbeautiful and most virtuous maiden in the whole of the Black Forest.\nShe lived quietly, keeping her father\u2019s house in beautiful order, and\nnever so much as showed herself at the dance-rooms, not even at\nholiday times. No sooner did Peter hear of this marvel than he made up\nhis mind to wed her, and rode out to the cottage where she dwelt. The\nbeautiful Lisbeth\u2019s father received this fine-looking gentleman with\nsurprise, and was still more astonished when he heard that Peter\nwished to be his son-in-law. He did not take long to make up his mind,\nfor he supposed that all his poverty and anxious striving would now be\nat an end, and so he agreed to his request without so much as asking\nLisbeth\u2019s consent, but she was such an obedient child that she did not\nventure to object, and so became Mrs. Peter Munk.\n\nBut the poor girl was not as happy as she expected to be. She had\nthought herself an accomplished housekeeper, but she could do nothing\nto please Master Peter. She was pitiful towards the poor, and, knowing\nher husband to be a man of means, she thought it no wrong to give them\na little money or food. But when Peter happened to see her one day he\ntold her with an angry glance and in harsh tones that she was wasting\nhis goods. \u201cWhat did you bring with you,\u201d he cried, \u201cthat you think\nyou can spend so lavishly? Why, your beggar father\u2019s staff would\nscarcely serve to heat the soup, and yet you throw money about as\nthough you were a princess. If I catch you doing it again you shall\nfeel the weight of my hand.\u201d\n\nThe beautiful Lisbeth wept bitterly when she was alone, and wished\nherself back again in her father\u2019s poor little cottage instead of\nliving in the grand house of the rich but miserly and hard-hearted\nPeter Munk. Had she known that he had a heart of stone in his breast\nand could love neither her nor anyone else she would not have been so\nsurprised.\n\nSometimes, as she sat in her doorway, a beggar would pass by and hold\nout his hand in entreaty. Then Lisbeth closed her eyes tightly that\nshe might not see his misery, and clenched her hands so that they\nshould not involuntarily stray to her pocket for a coin. And so it\nhappened that Lisbeth came to be ill-thought of throughout the whole\nof the Black Forest, and it was said that she was even more miserly\nthan Peter himself.\n\nBut one day Lisbeth sat by the door of her house and sang a little\nsong as she twirled her distaff, for she was merry because the weather\nwas fine and Peter had ridden out into the country. She saw a little\nold man coming along, bent beneath the weight of an enormous sack and\npanting painfully. She looked at him pityingly, thinking to herself\nthat it was not right that such an old man should be so heavily laden.\n\nJust as the old man reached Lisbeth he stumbled and almost fell\nbeneath the weight of his sack. \u201cHave pity, dear lady, and give me a\ndrink of water,\u201d he gasped, \u201cI can go no further, I am completely\nexhausted.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou are too old to carry such a heavy weight,\u201d said Lisbeth.\n\n\u201cTrue,\u201d replied the old man, \u201cbut it is on account of my poverty that\nI am forced to go round as a carrier, otherwise I should not be able\nto earn a livelihood. But a rich lady like yourself knows nothing of\nthe pinch of poverty or how good a cool draught of fresh water seems\non such a hot day.\u201d\n\nOn hearing this Lisbeth hurried into the house, took a pitcher from\nthe shelf and filled it with water, and when she turned to hand it to\nthe old man and saw how wretched and tired out he looked as he sat\nupon his sack, she felt so much pity for him, that she could not\nresist giving him more substantial help. So she set the water aside\nand filled a cup with red wine and gave it to him with a large slice\nof rye bread.\n\n\u201cThis will do you more good than water, seeing that you are so old,\u201d\nshe said, \u201cbut be careful, do not drink so hastily, take a morsel of\nbread with the wine.\u201d\n\n [Illustration: _THE COLD HEART_\n _\u201cShe saw a little old man coming along.\u201d_\n (_p. 258_)]\n\nThe old man looked at her with tears in his eyes--\u201cI am very old,\u201d\nhe said, \u201cbut in all my life I have seen few so pitiful as you or\nwhose gifts were given with such gracious kindness. But such a kind\nheart will not go unrewarded.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, indeed, and the reward she shall have at once,\u201d cried a terrible\nvoice, and when they turned, there stood Peter with a face purple with\nrage.\n\n\u201cAnd so you give my best wine to beggars, and serve it in my own cup,\ntoo. Now you shall have your reward.\u201d\n\nLisbeth threw herself at his feet and begged for forgiveness, but his\nheart of stone knew no pity; he turned the whip he was carrying round\nand struck her forehead with the ebony handle with so much force that\nshe sank back lifeless into the arms of the old man. Immediately he\nbegan to regret what he had done and stooped to see if she were yet\nalive. But the little old man spoke in well-known tones: \u201cDo not\ntrouble, Charcoal Peter, she was the sweetest and loveliest flower in\nthe whole of the Black Forest; now that you have trodden it under foot\nit will never bloom again.\u201d\n\nEvery drop of blood forsook Peter\u2019s cheeks--\u201cSo it is you,\u201d he said.\n\u201cWell, what is done, is done. I trust you will not give me up to the\nhand of the law for this murder.\u201d\n\n\u201cMiserable wretch!\u201d replied the little Glass-man. \u201cWhat satisfaction\nshould I have in giving your mortal body to the hangman? It is no\nearthly court of justice you have to fear, but another and a more\nawful one, for you have sold your soul to the evil one.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd if I have sold my heart,\u201d screamed Peter, \u201cwho, but you, is to\nblame for it, you and the deceitful tricks you played on me with the\ntreasures I was to gain through you? You drove me to seek other help,\nthat has been my undoing, and so the responsibility lies with you.\u201d\n\nBut scarcely had he spoken before the little Glass-man began to grow\nbigger. He grew and he swelled until he became a huge giant, his eyes\nwere as big as saucers and his mouth was the size of a baker\u2019s oven out\nof which flames began to dart. Peter threw himself on his knees, for\nhis stone heart did not prevent his limbs from shaking like an aspen\ntree.\n\nWith hands like vulture\u2019s claws the wood spirit seized him by his\nneck, twisted him about as the whirlwind does the dry leaves, and then\ndashed him to the ground so that his ribs cracked.\n\n\u201cEarth-worm!\u201d he cried, in a voice that rolled like thunder, \u201cI could\nshatter you to pieces if I would, for you have offended the Lord of\nthe Forest. But for the sake of this dead woman, who fed me and gave\nme drink, I will give you eight days\u2019 grace. If during that time you\ndo not repent, I will come and grind your bones to powder and you will\ndepart in the midst of your sins.\u201d\n\nIt was evening when some passing men found Peter Munk lying\nunconscious on the ground; they turned him over and sought for some\nsign of life, but for some time in vain. At length one of them went\ninto the house and fetched some water and sprinkled it on his face.\nThen he drew a deep breath, groaned and opened his eyes, looked around\nhim anxiously, and asked for his wife, but no one had seen her.\n\n [Illustration: _Some passing men found Peter Munk lying\n unconscious on the ground._ (P. 263.)]\n\nHe thanked the men for their assistance, crept into his house and\nsearched from cellar to attic, but in vain; what he had hoped might\nprove a bad dream was bitter reality.\n\nNow that he was left quite alone, strange thoughts came to him; he\nhad no fear, for was not his heart cold? But when he thought of the\ndeath of his wife, it reminded him that his own death would come one\nday. And how heavily laden with sin he would be! His soul would be\nweighed down by the tears of the needy, the curses of those he had\nruined, the groans of the wretched ones that had been dragged down by\nhis dogs, the quiet despair of his own mother, and the innocent blood\nof Lisbeth. How would he be able to answer her old father when he came\nand demanded: \u201cWhere is my daughter, your wife?\u201d\n\nHe was tormented in his dreams, and repeatedly awoke, hearing a sweet\nvoice calling to him: \u201cPeter, Peter, see that you get a warmer heart.\u201d\nEven when he was awake it was the same, and he knew the voice to be\nLisbeth\u2019s. He went down to the inn to divert his thoughts, and there\nhe met Fat Ezekiel. He sat down opposite to him and they began to talk\nof all sorts of things, the weather, the war, the stars, and at last\nof death and how quickly some had died off.\n\nThen Peter asked the fat one what he thought of death and the\nhereafter.\n\nEzekiel answered that the body died and was buried, but the soul\nsoared up to heaven or down to the evil one.\n\n\u201cIs the heart buried with the body?\u201d asked Peter.\n\n\u201cCertainly that is buried too!\u201d\n\n\u201cBut if one had no heart?\u201d queried Peter.\n\nEzekiel looked at him in horror. \u201cWhat do you say? Are you trying to\nmake game of me? Do you mean to say that I have no heart?\u201d\n\n\u201cOh! yes, you have a heart right enough,\u201d said Peter, \u201cbut it is made\nof stone.\u201d\n\nEzekiel stared at him in astonishment, looked round to see that no one\nwas listening, and then said: \u201cHow do you know that? Has your own\nceased to beat also?\u201d\n\n\u201cIt beats no longer, at least not in my breast,\u201d answered Peter Munk.\n\u201cBut tell me, now you understand how it is with me, what will happen\nto our _hearts_?\u201d\n\n\u201cWhy worry about that, my friend,\u201d laughed Ezekiel. \u201cYou are alive at\npresent and that is the best of having a heart of stone, one is never\nafraid of such thoughts.\u201d\n\n\u201cQuite true, but one thinks about them all the same,\u201d said Peter, \u201cand\nI can remember still how they would have frightened me once upon a\ntime.\u201d\n\n\u201cOf course, we can\u2019t expect things to go very well with us,\u201d said\nEzekiel. \u201cOnce upon a time I asked a schoolmaster about it and he told\nme that our hearts would be weighed; the light ones went up on the\nscale and those heavy with sin went down, so I expect our stone hearts\nwill be pretty heavy.\u201d\n\n\u201cSometimes I am a little uncomfortable to think that my heart _should_\nbe so indifferent to such things,\u201d said Peter.\n\nSo they talked together. That night Peter heard the voice whispering\nfive or six times in his ear: \u201cPeter, Peter, see that you get a warmer\nheart!\u201d He felt no remorse for what he had done, but when he told his\nservants that his wife had gone on a journey he wondered to himself\nwhither she had journeyed.\n\nSix whole days and nights passed and ever it seemed to him there was a\nvoice whispering in his ear, and he could think of nothing but the\nlittle Glass-man and his warning. And so, on the seventh day, he\nsprang out of bed and said: \u201cWell, I will see if I cannot get a warm\nheart again, instead of this unfeeling stone in my bosom, for it makes\nmy life both tedious and lonely.\u201d So he dressed himself in his best\nand rode off to the clump of black pines. When he reached the\noutskirts he dismounted, tied up his horse, and hurried to the summit\nof the hill, and as he came to the big pine-tree he repeated his\nverse:\n\n \u201cOwner of all in the pine-woods green,\n Many a hundred years thou hast seen,\n Thine all the lands where the pine-trees grow--\n To the Sunday-born thy face now show!\u201d\n\nAt once the little Glass-man appeared, but he did not seem at all\nfriendly; but looked gloomy and sad. He wore a coat of black glass,\nand a long crape veil floated from his hat, and Peter knew very well\nfor whom he wore mourning.\n\n\u201cWhat do you want with me, Peter Munk?\u201d he asked in deep tones.\n\n\u201cThere is still a wish due to me, Mr. Glass-man,\u201d answered Peter with\ndowncast eyes.\n\n\u201cIs it possible for a heart of stone to wish for anything?\u201d said the\nlittle man. \u201cYou have everything a man of your bad disposition\nrequires, and I shall not readily grant your request.\u201d\n\n [Illustration: _That night Peter heard the voice whispering in\n his ear._ (P. 266.)]\n\n\u201cBut you promised me three wishes,\u201d said Peter \u201cand one I have not yet\nmade use of.\u201d\n\n\u201cI have the right to withhold it if it is a foolish wish,\u201d said the\nlittle man, \u201cbut say on, what do you want?\u201d\n\n\u201cTake this cold stone out of my breast and give me back my warm\nliving heart in place of it,\u201d Peter asked.\n\n\u201cHad I aught to do with the exchange?\u201d demanded the little man. \u201cAm I\nDutch Michael, who gives fortunes and stone hearts away? You must\nrecover your heart from him.\u201d\n\n\u201cBut he will never give it back to me,\u201d answered Peter.\n\n\u201cBad as you are, I am sorry for you,\u201d said the little man after a few\nmoments\u2019 consideration, \u201cand as your wish is not a foolish one I will\npromise to assist you. Listen, you will never obtain your heart by\nforce and so you must employ cunning, and it may not be a difficult\ntask, for stupid Michael always was and stupid he will remain,\nalthough he prides himself upon being extremely clever. So go straight\nto him and do exactly as I tell you.\u201d The Glass-man then gave Peter a\nlittle cross of pure transparent glass, and proceeded to give him\nminute instructions as to how he should act. \u201cHe cannot take your\nlife,\u201d said the little man, \u201cand he will let you go free if you hold\nthis out to him and whisper a prayer. As soon as you have obtained\nwhat you want come back here to me.\u201d\n\nPeter Munk took the little cross, made sure he remembered every word\nthe little man had told him, and went straight off to the spot where\nMichael was wont to be found. He called him three times by name and at\nonce the giant appeared. \u201cAnd so you have killed your wife,\u201d he said\nwith a horrible laugh. \u201cWell, I should have done the same. Did she not\nwaste your fortune on beggars? But it would be best for you to leave\nthe country for a time, for there will be a fine fuss when it is found\nout; and so I suppose you want money and have come to fetch it from\nme?\u201d\n\n\u201cYou have guessed it exactly,\u201d replied Peter, \u201cbut I shall require a\ngood big sum this time. It is a long way to America.\u201d\n\nMichael went in advance and led the way to his home. As soon as he\nreached it he went to a chest and took out several packets of gold.\nWhilst he was counting it Peter said: \u201cYou are a rascal, Michael, for\nyou deceived me, telling me that I had a stone in my breast, and that\nyou had my heart.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd is it not so?\u201d asked the astonished Michael, \u201ccan you feel your\nheart beat? Do you know what fear or remorse is?\u201d\n\n\u201cAh! you have just made my heart stand still, but I have it still in\nmy breast and so has Ezekiel. It was he who told me you had lied to\nus; you are not the one to take one\u2019s heart out without his feeling\nit, that would be magic.\u201d\n\n\u201cBut I assure you I did,\u201d said Michael angrily. \u201cYou, and Ezekiel, and\nall the other rich people who have had dealings with me have hearts of\nstone, and your own original hearts I have here, shut up in a room.\u201d\n\n\u201cNow how easily the lies trip from your tongue!\u201d laughed Peter. \u201cYou\nmust make some one else believe that. I have seen dozens of similar\ntricks on my travels. The hearts you have in your room there are\nmerely waxen ones. You are a rich fellow, I allow, but you do not\nunderstand magic.\u201d\n\nThe giant became furious and tore open the door of the room. \u201cCome in\nand read all these labels; look at this, look at that, do you see it\nis labelled \u2018Peter Munk\u2019s Heart!\u2019 do you see how it throbs? Could you\nmake a waxen one do that?\u201d\n\n\u201cAll the same, it is wax,\u201d said Peter. \u201cA real heart does not beat\nlike that, I have mine still in my breast. No, it is evident you do\nnot understand magic.\u201d\n\n\u201cBut I will prove it to you!\u201d cried the angry Michael; \u201cyou shall feel\nfor yourself that it is your own heart.\u201d\n\nHe tore Peter\u2019s vest open, took a stone from his breast and showed it\nto him. Then he took the real heart, breathed on it, and put it\ncarefully in its place, and immediately to his delight Peter felt it\nbegin to beat.\n\n\u201cNow what have you to say?\u201d laughed Michael.\n\n\u201cTruly you were in the right,\u201d answered Peter, carefully drawing the\nlittle cross from his pocket. \u201cI would not have believed it possible\nfor a man to do such a thing.\u201d\n\n\u201cWell, it was as I said,\u201d answered Michael; \u201cyou see I do understand\nmagic, but come, now, I must put the stone back in your breast.\u201d\n\n\u201cSoftly, softly, Michael!\u201d cried Peter, and he took a step backwards\nand held out the cross towards him. \u201cWith a morsel of cheese the\nmouse is caught, and this time it is you who have been caught.\u201d And\nhe at once began to murmur the first prayer that came to his lips.\n\nAt once Michael began to dwindle away, fell down on the ground and\nwrithed like a worm, and groaned and sighed, and all the hearts in the\nglass bottles began to throb and beat until it sounded like the\nclock-maker\u2019s workshop. But Peter was afraid, and his courage began to\nfail him, and he turned and ran out of the house and, driven by fear,\nhe climbed the steep face of the rocky ravine, for he could hear\nMichael raging and stamping and uttering fearful oaths.\n\n [Illustration: _\u201cCome in and read all these labels,\u201d said the\n giant._ (P. 270.)]\n\nAs soon as he reached the top he ran quickly to the clump of black\npines. A fearful thunderstorm broke out suddenly, lightning flashed\nfrom left to right of him, striking the trees about him, but he\nreached the domain of the little Glass-man in safety.\n\nHis heart was beating with joy, simply because it _did_ beat. But\nsuddenly he saw with horror that his past life had been even as the\nterrible thunderstorm that had dealt destruction right and left in the\nbeautiful forest. He thought of Lisbeth, his good and beautiful wife,\nwhom he had murdered on account of his avarice, and he saw himself as\nan outcast of humanity. When he reached the little hill where the\nGlass-man dwelt he was weeping bitterly.\n\nThe Glass man sat beneath the pine-tree and smoked a pipe, and he\nlooked more cheerful than previously. \u201cWhy do you weep, Charcoal\nPeter?\u201d he asked. \u201cDid you not get your heart? Have you still a stone\nin your breast?\u201d\n\n\u201cAh! sir!\u201d sighed Peter, \u201cwhen I had a heart of stone I never wept, my\neyes were as dry as the land in July; but now my heart is breaking as\nI think of all I have done. My debtors I drove out to misery and want,\nand set my dogs upon the poor and sick, and you know alas! how my whip\nfell upon that snow-white brow!\u201d\n\n\u201cPeter, you have been a great sinner!\u201d said the little man. \u201cMoney and\nidleness spoilt you; when your heart became as a stone you could feel\nneither joy, nor sorrow, neither remorse nor pity. But repentance can\nmake amends and if I knew for certain that you were sorry for your\npast life I would still do something for you.\u201d\n\n\u201cI ask for nothing more,\u201d answered Peter, and let his head sink\nmournfully upon his breast. \u201cAll is over for me, never again can I\nrejoice, and what can I do alone in the world? My mother will never\nforgive me for what I have done; even now, maybe, I have brought her\nto her grave, monster that I am. And Lisbeth, my wife! It were a\nkindness to strike me dead, Master Glass-man, so that my miserable\nlife were at an end.\u201d\n\n\u201cGood,\u201d replied the little man, \u201cif you insist, well, I have my axe\nnear at hand.\u201d\n\nHe took his pipe quietly from his mouth, tapped it and put it back\nagain. Then he rose slowly and stepped behind the pine-tree. But Peter\nsat down upon the grass weeping, his life had become worthless to him,\nand patiently he awaited the stroke of death. Shortly afterwards he\nheard light footsteps behind him and thought, \u201cHe is coming now!\u201d\n\n\u201cLook round, Peter Munk!\u201d cried the little man. Peter wiped the tears\nfrom his eyes and, looking round, saw--his mother, and Lisbeth, his\nwife, smiling at him. He sprang up joyfully, \u201cThen you are not dead,\nLisbeth? And you are here also, Mother, and have forgiven me?\u201d\n\n\u201cThey pardon you,\u201d said the little Glass-man, \u201cbecause you are truly\npenitent, and everything shall be forgotten. Go home now to your\nfather\u2019s cottage and be a charcoal-burner as before; if you are honest\nand industrious you will learn to respect your work, and your\nneighbours will love and esteem you more than if you had ten tons of\ngold.\u201d\n\nThus spoke the little Glass-man, and then bade him farewell.\n\nThe three happy people praised and blessed him and turned towards\nhome.\n\nPeter\u2019s splendid house was no longer standing. It had been struck by\nlightning and burnt to the ground, together with all his money and\ntreasures, but it was no great distance to the old hut, and so they\nturned their steps towards it and were not in the least troubled about\nthe great loss.\n\nBut what was their surprise on reaching the little hut to find it had\nbecome a fine farm-house, furnished throughout with simplicity, but\nwith everything that was necessary and good.\n\n\u201cThat is the work of the little Glass-man,\u201d cried Peter.\n\n\u201cHow beautiful everything is,\u201d said Lisbeth; \u201cI shall be far happier\nand more at home here than in the great big house with its many\nservants.\u201d\n\nFrom that time Peter became an industrious and honest fellow. He was\ncontented with what he had and plied his trade without grumbling; and\nso it came to pass that through his own exertions he became well off\nand respected and loved by everyone in the Forest.\n\nHe never quarrelled with his wife, honoured his mother, and gave to\nthe poor who came knocking at his door.\n\nAfter a time a beautiful boy came to them, to add to their happiness,\nand then Peter went to the clump of pine-trees and again recited his\nlittle rhyme, but the Glass-man did not show himself.\n\n\u201cMaster Glass-man,\u201d cried Peter loudly, \u201cdo listen to me, for I only\nmeant to ask you to be godfather to my little son!\u201d\n\nBut there was no reply, only a little breath of wind sighed through\nthe pine-trees and blew a few cones to the ground.\n\n\u201cWell, I will take these as a remembrance, as you will not show\nyourself to me,\u201d said Peter, and popped the cones into his pocket, and\nwent home. But when he took off his best coat and his mother shook out\nthe pockets before laying it away in the chest, out tumbled four fine\nbig rolls of gold pieces. That was the good Glass-man\u2019s christening\npresent to _little_ Peter.\n\nAnd so they lived happily ever after, and when Peter Munk was an old\nman with grey hair he was wont to say: \u201cIt is better to be content\nwith little, than to have money and possessions and a cold heart.\u201d\n\n\n\n\nTHE ADVENTURES OF SAID.\n\n\nAt the time when Harun Al-Raschid was ruler of Bagdad there lived in\nBalsora a man named Benezar. He had a sufficiently large fortune to be\nable to live comfortably and at ease without working for a livelihood.\n\nEven when his son was born he did not change his mode of living, for\nhe said: \u201cWherefore should I wear myself out working at a trade, just\nso that I may be able to leave Said, my son, another thousand gold\npieces if I am lucky, or a thousand less if I am unlucky? What is\nenough for two is enough for three, as the saying is, and if he turns\nout well he shall want for nothing.\u201d\n\n [Illustration: _Benezar and the baby Said._ (P. 276.)]\n\nAnd so he announced his intention of not allowing his son to become a\nmerchant, but took care to study learned books with him, and as,\naccording to his ideas, besides learning and reverence for age,\nnothing became a young man more than a knowledge of arms and a\ncourageous disposition, he had him carefully instructed in the skilful\nhandling of weapons and all modes of defence.\n\nAnd so Said was able to compare favourably not only with youths of his\nown age, but with his elders, as an excellent fighter, and as for\nriding and swimming none could compete with him.\n\nWhen he was eighteen years of age his father sent him to Mecca to\nworship at the grave of the Prophet, as was customary.\n\nBefore he set out his father sent for him, praised his good conduct,\ngave him some good advice, and provided him with money for the\njourney. Then he told him the following story. \u201cI am,\u201d said he, \u201ca man\nwho is above sharing the superstitions of the lower classes. It is\ntrue that I like to amuse myself by listening to stories of fairies\nand enchanters, but I certainly do not believe, as many of the\nuneducated do, that there is any truth in the suggestion that they are\nable to have an influence on the lives and actions of men. Your\nmother, however, who died twelve years ago, believed in them as firmly\nas she believed in the Koran; indeed, she confided to me once, after\nmaking me promise never to divulge her words to anyone but her child,\nthat she had been in communication with a fairy from the day of her\nbirth. I tried to laugh her out of the idea, but I must confess, Said,\nthat at your birth such strange things occurred that even I was taken\nby surprise. All day long there had been a thunderstorm and the sky\nwas so dark that it was impossible to read without a light. About four\no\u2019clock in the afternoon I was told a little son had been born to me.\nI hurried to your mother\u2019s apartments to see you and bless you, but I\nfound her door closed and all her attendants standing outside it, and\non my questioning them they told me your mother had turned them all\nout because she wished to be alone. I knocked at the door, but in\nvain, it remained closed.\n\n\u201cAs I stood unwillingly amongst the attendants outside your mother\u2019s\ndoor the thunderstorm suddenly ceased, as though it had never been,\nand the most surprising thing about it was that although the sky was a\nbeautiful deep blue above our dear city of Balsora, all around it lay\nclouds as black as night and lightning flashed and darted around the\ncircle of blue.\n\n\u201cWhilst I was observing this spectacle with great curiosity, the door\nof my wife\u2019s room flew open, but I would not allow the maids to enter\nand went in alone. As I entered my nostrils were assailed with an\noverpowering scent of roses, carnations and hyacinths. Your mother\nlaid you in my arms and pointed out a little silver whistle which hung\nsuspended from your neck by a gold chain, as fine as silk.\n\n\u201c\u2018The beneficent fairy of whom I told you once has been here,\u2019 said\nshe, \u2018and has given your son this present.\u2019\n\n [Illustration: _\u201cThere is your gift.\u201d_ (P. 280.)]\n\n\u201c\u2018Perhaps she was the witch who made the weather fine and left behind\nher this scent of roses and carnations?\u2019 I asked jokingly. \u2018She might\nhave given him something better than a silver whistle, a purse of gold\nor a fine horse would have been more acceptable.\u2019 Your mother begged\nme not to make fun, as fairies are easily offended and their blessings\nthen turn to curses.\n\n\u201cSo to please her I said no more; but six years later she mentioned\nit to me again, for in spite of her youth she felt that she was at the\npoint of death. She gave me the whistle and told me to give it to you\nwhen you were twenty years of age, and on no account to let you out of\nmy sight before you were that age. There is your gift,\u201d proceeded\nBenezar, taking a silver whistle attached to a long gold chain from a\ncasket, \u201cI give it to you in your eighteenth year, instead of your\ntwentieth, as you are starting on your travels, and before you return\nI may be gathered to my fathers.\u201d\n\n\u201cI do not see any reason for your remaining another two years with me\nas your mother wished, for you are a good, sensible young fellow, and\nunderstand how to handle weapons as well as though you were\nfour-and-twenty years old at least, and therefore there is no reason\nwhy you should not be declared of age to-day as though you really were\ntwenty. And now depart in peace, and in happiness or misfortune, from\nwhich Heaven defend you, remember your father.\u201d\n\nSaid took an affectionate and touching farewell of his father, hung\nthe chain around his neck, stuck the whistle in his girdle, swung\nhimself upon his horse, and rode to the place from which the caravan\nfor Mecca started. In a short time eighty camels and a large number of\nriders had assembled; the caravan was in motion, and Said rode out of\nthe gates of Balsora, his native town, which he was not to see again\nfor a long time.\n\nThe novelty of the journey and the different circumstances in which\nhe found himself distracted his thoughts at first, but when they\napproached the desert and the surroundings became more desolate and\nbarren, he had time to think of many things, especially his father\u2019s\nlast words to him.\n\nHe took out his whistle, looked at it and placed it between his lips,\nto judge if it had a good tone. But it gave forth no tones at all,\nalthough he blew until he nearly cracked his cheeks. Annoyed at the\nuseless gift he had received, he tucked the whistle carelessly away\nagain. But presently his thoughts turned to his mother\u2019s mysterious\nwords. He had often heard of fairies, but he had never been able to\nascertain that any of their neighbours in Balsora had any connection\nwhatever with supernatural beings; the stories he had heard had always\nhad their foundation in foreign lands and in olden times, and so he\nthought that fairies and such-like apparitions had ceased to visit\nmankind or to take an interest in their destinies. But in spite of\nthis he could not help thinking that something very strange had\nhappened to his mother and he racked his brains to think what it could\nall mean, and thus it happened that he was so wrapped in his own\nthoughts that he rode all day long without taking notice of the other\ntravellers, who sang and laughed as they journeyed on.\n\nSaid was a handsome young man with bright, fearless eyes, a sweet,\ngood-natured mouth, and, although so young, he had a very dignified\nbearing. The stately manner in which he rode his horse, fully\nequipped as he was in warlike attire, drew the attention of many of\nthe travellers upon him. One old man who rode beside him was so well\npleased with him that he endeavoured by drawing him into conversation\nto find out if his character fitted his appearance, and Said, who had\nbeen brought up to reverence age, answered politely and modestly, but\nwithal so cleverly and prudently, that the old man was delighted with\nhim. But as Said\u2019s whole mind was concentrated on one subject it was\nnot long before he led up to it in conversation, and he asked the old\nman if he believed in fairies and such-like spirits and whether he\nconsidered they were able to have any influence over the lives of men.\n\nThe old man stroked his beard and shook his head slowly. \u201cI have\nfrequently heard of such visions,\u201d he said, \u201cbut I cannot say that I\nhave personally encountered any supernatural creature whatever; at the\nsame time I have heard of numberless cases of fairies and genii\nappearing to others.\u201d He then began to recount to Said a number of\nsuch extraordinary stories that at last the young man\u2019s head was in a\nwhirl, and he could not but believe that the strange circumstances\nthat were supposed to have taken place at his birth were actually\ntrue, and that he was under the protection of some powerful fairy who\nwould assist him if ever, finding himself in danger, he blew the\nlittle silver whistle. He dreamt that night of fairies, genii, castles\nin the air, and magic horses.\n\nBut unfortunately the next day he was disillusioned. The caravan had\ntravelled all day at a leisurely pace, when towards evening some dark\nobjects were observed at the most distant point in the desert; some\nthought it was only another caravan approaching, but Said\u2019s old friend\ncried out to all to be prepared for an attack, for without doubt a\nhorde of wild Arabs was approaching.\n\nThe men seized their weapons, the women and merchandise were placed in\nthe centre, and all was prepared for an attack.\n\nThe dark mass moved slowly across the plain, looking at the distance\nlike a number of storks about to wing their flight to foreign lands.\nBut as they approached nearer they increased their pace, and very soon\nit was seen they were a body of men armed with lances who dashed\nforward with incredible swiftness upon the caravan. The men defended\nthemselves bravely; but the robber force consisted of four hundred\nmen, and they surrounded the caravan on every side, attacking\nskilfully with their lances. At this terrible moment Said, who had\nfought with the bravest, remembered his whistle and, placing it to his\nlips, blew with all his might. Alas! he let it fall again quickly, for\nit emitted not a sound. Enraged over this bitter disappointment he\ntook aim at an Arab, who, by reason of his magnificent apparel, was\ndistinguished from the rest. He shot him through the heart and the man\nfell from his horse--dead.\n\n\u201cAllah! what have you done, young man,\u201d cried the old man. \u201cNow we are\nlost indeed.\u201d\n\nAnd so it appeared, for when the robbers saw this man fall they\nuttered horrible yells and renewed the attack so fiercely that the\nfew men who were still unwounded were soon dispersed. Said was\nsurrounded in a few moments by five or six, but he wielded his lance\nso dexterously that no one could approach him. At length one of them\nwas about to despatch him with an arrow when a comrade made a sign to\nhim to desist, and before Said could determine what the new mode of\nattack was to be he felt a lassoo flung over his head; he made frantic\nefforts to free himself from it, but in vain, the cord only drew\ntighter and tighter--he was a prisoner. The caravan was now completely\novercome, some of the men killed, the rest captured and, as the Arabs\ndid not all belong to one company, they divided the prisoners and\nbooty between them, some of them journeying to the South, others\ntowards the East.\n\nFour armed men rode beside Said and regarded him with angry looks, and\nhe felt sure that the man he had killed must have been a person of\nimportance, probably a prince or chieftain. He felt thankful that he\nhad incurred their special wrath, for he quite expected they were\ntaking him to their camp to kill him, and death was preferable to\nslavery, which was the only other alternative. The armed men watched\nhis every movement and threatened him with their spears if he\nattempted to turn round. However, he managed to turn his head for a\nmoment and was delighted to see that the old man who had been his\ncompanion, and whom he had believed to be dead, was accompanying his\nparty.\n\nAt length he saw trees and tents in the distance, and as they came\nnearer a number of women and children came to meet them, and scarcely\nhad these exchanged a few words with the robbers than they broke into\nfearful weeping and screaming and, raising their arms towards Said,\ncursed him loudly.\n\n [Illustration: _Said made frantic efforts to free himself._\n (P. 284.)]\n\n\u201cThis is he,\u201d they shrieked, \u201cwho has killed the great and noble\nAlmansor, the bravest of all men, this is he, and he shall die and we\nwill give his flesh to the jackals to devour.\u201d\n\nThey pelted him with pieces of wood, clods of earth, and anything\nthey could lay hands on, so fiercely, that one of Said\u2019s guards was\nobliged to intervene. \u201cBack, unruly ones,\u201d he cried, \u201cgive place, you\nwomen; the man who slew the noble Almansor must die, it is true, but\nby the hand of a brave man, not by the hand of a woman.\u201d\n\nWhen they reached an open space amongst the tents they stopped, the\nprisoners were fastened together in couples, and the booty carried\ninto the tents. Said, however, was bound alone and was led into a\nlarge tent where an old man sat. He was magnificently clothed and his\nstately mien showed that he was the chief of the robber band. The men\nwho led Said in approached him with sorrowful looks and bent heads.\n\n\u201cThe shrieks of the women have broken to me the news of what has\noccurred,\u201d he said majestically, \u201cand your attitudes confirm it;\nAlmansor has fallen.\u201d\n\n\u201cAlmansor has fallen, indeed,\u201d answered the men, \u201cbut we bring here to\nyou his murderer in order that you may determine what manner of death\nhe shall die. Shall we shoot at him from a distance with our arrows,\nor shall we chase him down a pathway of spears, or shall we hang him,\nor have him torn to pieces by horses?\u201d\n\n\u201cWho are you?\u201d asked Selim, the chief, glancing gloomily at the\ncaptive, who stood before him waiting courageously to meet his death.\n\nSaid answered briefly and with truth.\n\n\u201cDid you murder my son treacherously, attacking him with arrow or\nspear from the rear?\u201d\n\n\u201cNot so,\u201d replied Said, \u201cI killed him in fair fight, and because he\nhad slain eight of my companions before my eyes.\u201d\n\n\u201cIs it as he says?\u201d demanded Selim of Said\u2019s guard.\n\n\u201cYes, it is true enough,\u201d one of them made reply, \u201cAlmansor was killed\nin fair fight.\u201d\n\n\u201cThen he only did the same as we would have done,\u201d replied Selim; \u201che\nkilled his enemy who would have robbed him of life and liberty,\ntherefore unbind him at once.\u201d\n\nThe men stared at him in surprise and began to obey him most\nunwillingly--\u201cIs the murderer of your brave son to go unpunished?\u201d one\nof them asked, \u201cI would we had killed him at once instead of bringing\nhim here.\u201d\n\n\u201cHe shall not die!\u201d cried Selim: \u201cI claim him as my share of the\nbooty; he shall be my servant and I will have him in my own tent.\u201d\n\nSaid could find no words with which to thank the old man--the men left\nthe tent grumbling. As soon as they had communicated Selim\u2019s decision\nto the women and children who were waiting outside to witness Said\u2019s\nexecution, there was a terrible outcry, some of them vowing to avenge\nAlmansor\u2019s death, as his own father would not.\n\nThe rest of the prisoners were divided amongst their capturers, some\nwere released in order that they might go and treat for a ransom for\nsome of their wealthy prisoners, and some were kept as slaves and sent\nto tend the herds of cattle; many who had formerly ten or twelve\nslaves to wait upon them were now set to perform the most menial\nduties. But not so Said. Was it his brave, heroic, appearance which\nprepossessed Selim in his favour or was it the intervention of some\ngood fairy? There was no knowing which, but Said was certainly treated\nmore like a son than a servant. But the strange affection of Selim for\nSaid caused jealousy amongst the others. Everywhere he encountered\nhostile glances, and when he passed through the camp he heard\nmurmurings and angry words, and sometimes an arrow would whizz past\nhis breast, and at such times he could not help thinking that the\nlittle whistle he carried must in some way protect him.\n\nIf he complained to Selim it was useless, for the whole camp seemed\nbanded together to shield the would-be murderer and to take part\nagainst Said.\n\nAnd so one day Selim said: \u201cI had hoped that you might have stood to\nme in place of my son whom you slew, but the fault lies neither with\nyou nor me. They are all embittered against you, and I find I am\nunable to protect you. Of what good would it be to me after your death\nto punish your murderer?\n\n\u201cAs soon as the men return from their present expedition I shall say I\nhave received the ransom money from your father and send you away in\ncharge of several trustworthy men.\u201d\n\n\u201cBut there is no one I can trust beside yourself,\u201d said Said. \u201cThey\nwill murder me as soon as we are well on the way.\u201d\n\n\u201cI will make them take an oath to protect you that no one has ever\nyet broken.\u201d\n\nA few days later the men returned to camp and Selim kept his promise.\nHe gave the youth weapons, a handsome robe, and a horse, summoned the\nfighting men and chose five from them to serve as Said\u2019s escort,\nforced them to take a solemn oath that they would not kill him, and\nbade him farewell with tears.\n\n [Illustration: _Sometimes an arrow would whizz past his breast._\n (P. 288.)]\n\nThe five men rode in gloomy silence through the desert with Said. The\nyoung man could not fail to see how unwillingly they executed their\ncommission, and what troubled him also was that two of his escort had\nbeen present at the fight in which he had killed Almansor. They had\nridden for about eight hours when Said noticed they were whispering\ntogether and that they looked at him more evilly than previously even.\nHe strained every effort to overhear what they said and became aware\nthat they were speaking in a mysterious language that they only used\namongst themselves when it was necessary to keep the matters in hand\nperfectly secret. Selim had, however, taken care to instruct Said in\nthis language, so that he was now able to understand what they were\ntalking about, which was not a very reassuring subject!\n\n\u201cHere is the spot where we attacked the caravan,\u201d said one, \u201cand where\none of the bravest of men fell by the hand of a mere boy.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe wind has obliterated the tracks of his horses\u2019 feet,\u201d replied\nanother, \u201cbut I have not forgotten where they were.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd to our shame the one by whose hand he fell still lives,\u201d said a\nthird. \u201cHas ever such a thing been heard of, that a father would not\nrevenge the death of his only son? Selim, without doubt, is becoming\nold and childish.\u201d\n\n\u201cBut if the father neglects his duty,\u201d spoke a fourth, \u201cthen it is\nleft to a friend to revenge his fallen friend. Here on this spot ought\nwe to strike him down. That is as it should be according to ancient\ncustom.\u201d\n\n\u201cBut we swore to protect him,\u201d cried the fifth. \u201cWe may not kill him,\nfor we must not break our oath.\u201d\n\n\u201cThat is true,\u201d said another, \u201cand therefore the assassin must not die\nby the hands of his enemies.\u201d\n\n\u201cWait!\u201d cried the most forbidding-looking of them all, \u201cold Selim has\na wise head, but not so wise as he would have us believe. It is true\nwe swore that we would spare the man\u2019s life, but if we leave him\nalive, but bound hand and foot, the burning sun and the sharp teeth of\nthe jackals will soon make an end of him.\u201d\n\nSaid had made up his mind to the worst, but was determined to make an\neffort to regain his liberty. Suddenly he turned his horse aside, and,\nsetting spurs to it, rode like the wind across the desert. But the\nfive robbers understood the desert better than he did. In a moment\nthey separated, urged their horses forward at a furious pace, and\nspeedily succeeded in surrounding the unhappy youth. They would not\nuse their weapons on account of the oath they had taken, but once more\nusing a lassoo they threw it over his head and brought him to the\nground; then they beat him unmercifully, bound his hands and feet with\nropes, and left him lying upon the burning sand.\n\nSaid begged for mercy, promising them a handsome sum as ransom: but\nthey laughed mockingly and rode away. He listened to the sound of\ntheir horses\u2019 hoofs for a few moments and then gave himself up for\nlost. He thought of the grief of his father when his only son did not\nreturn to him, and he thought of his own misery, in being left to die\nsuch a terrible death in the flower of his youth. The sun rose higher\nand higher and scorched his head and face. With great difficulty he\nsucceeded in rising to his feet. But this gave him little relief. The\nlittle whistle had fallen from his girdle and hung loosely from his\nneck. He succeeded at length, after great trouble, in taking it\nbetween his lips; but again it failed him. Overcome with despair he\nsank down upon the sand once more and speedily became unconscious.\n\nSeveral hours later he awoke, hearing a voice close to him and feeling\nhimself seized by the shoulder. He uttered a cry of horror, for he\nthought it was a jackal that was about to devour him. Next he felt a\ntouch upon his legs, and became aware that it was not the claws of a\nwild beast that were mauling him--but the hands of a human being\ntending him carefully, and then he heard a voice say, \u201cHe is alive,\nbut evidently takes us for enemies.\u201d\n\nAt length Said opened his eyes and saw a little man bending over him.\nHe was very fat and had small eyes and a very long beard. He spoke to\nthe young man in friendly tones, helped him to rise, gave him food and\ndrink, and told him as he refreshed himself that he was a merchant\nfrom Bagdad, named Kalum-Bek, and that he dealt in shawls and veils\nfor women. He had been on a business journey and was on his way home\nwhen he found Said lying half dead upon the sand. The young man\u2019s\nbrilliant apparel and the glittering jewels in his dagger had\nattracted his attention, and he had used every effort to revive him,\nand at length he had succeeded.\n\nThe young man thanked him for saving his life, for he saw that without\nthis man\u2019s intervention he must have perished miserably, and as he had\nno means of helping himself and did not take kindly to the idea of\ntrudging afoot through the desert, he thankfully accepted a seat on\none of the heavily-laden camels and determined to go to Bagdad\nfirst, and then see if he could join himself to a party travelling\nto Balsora.\n\n [Illustration: _THE ADVENTURES OF SAID_\n _\u201cHe saw a little man bending over him\u201d_\n _p. 292_]\n\nOn the way the merchant discoursed on the excellent qualities of the\nRuler of the Faithful, Harun Al-Raschid. He told him of his love of\njustice and his shrewdness, and how he could unravel the deepest\nmysteries of the law in the most remarkable manner. \u201cBut he takes good\ncare to keep himself informed as to what is taking place among his\nsubjects,\u201d said Kalum-Bek. \u201cHis chief Chamberlain Messour is my\ncousin, and he tells me that he never goes to bed as other folks do,\nbut just contents himself with a few hours\u2019 sleep in the morning, but\nevery night he disguises himself as a merchant or sailor, or in some\neveryday costume, and wanders about Bagdad to see that everything is\nright and in order, as it should be. That is the reason that folks are\nso polite to everyone who speaks to them, for it may just as well be\nthe Caliph as some dirty Arab, and there is sufficient timber around\nBagdad to provide rods to whip the whole populace.\u201d\n\nListening to his stories Said could not help being glad that he was to\nvisit Bagdad and probably see the celebrated Harun Al-Raschid in spite\nof the fact that he was so anxious to see his father.\n\nThey reached Bagdad in ten days\u2019 time and Said was astounded at the\nmagnificence of the city, which was then at the height of its glory.\nThe merchant invited him to come to his house and Said accepted\nwillingly, for he had no money to pay for a lodging. The day after his\narrival he dressed himself carefully in the splendid clothing\nbestowed on him by the robber chieftain and thought to himself that he\nneed not be ashamed to go out into the streets and show himself. But\nat that moment the merchant entered and looked at him with a cunning\nsmile.\n\n\u201cIt is all very well, young sir,\u201d said he, \u201cto have a fine appearance;\nbut have you money in your pockets to suit your attire? What do you\nintend to do with yourself? It seems to me you are a bit of a dreamer,\nand do not consider the future at all.\u201d\n\n\u201cDear Kalum-Bek,\u201d said the youth, blushing, for he was much confused,\n\u201cit is true I have no money, but perhaps you will be kind enough to\nadvance me a little, so that I may journey home, and my father will\nnot fail to refund it to you.\u201d\n\n\u201cYour father, fellow?\u201d cried the merchant, laughing loudly, \u201cI verily\nbelieve the sun has injured your brain. Do you suppose I believe a\nsingle word of the fairy tales you told me in the desert, about your\nfather being a rich man in Balsora, you his only son, and about the\nrobbers attacking you and so on? I know that all rich people in\nBalsora are merchants and I have had dealings with most of them. But I\nnever heard of one named Benezar. Therefore, it is quite certain that\neither you never came from Balsora or else you are the son of a poor\nman, and to a young vagabond like you I will certainly advance no\nmoney.\u201d\n\nSaid turned pale with rage; but nothing that he could say would\napparently convince the merchant that he was speaking the truth. Said\nreminded him how he had been found lying bound in the desert, but the\nmerchant replied that it was quite likely he was a robber himself and\nthat the persons he had attacked had overcome and bound him.\n\nAt length, as the merchant would advance him no money, Said decided\nthat there was nothing left for him to do but to apply to the Caliph\nfor assistance; but Kalum-Bek reminded him that in order to approach\nthe Caliph he would have to apply to Messour the Chamberlain, and that\nhe would give his cousin a hint of the sort of liar Said was.\nPresently the artful fellow pretended to relent.\n\n\u201cI pity you on account of your youth,\u201d he said, \u201cthere is still hope\nthat you may improve, and I am willing to employ you in my shop in the\nBazaar. You shall serve me for a year and at the end of that time if\nyou are not satisfied to remain with me I will give you your wages and\nlet you go where you will. I give you until mid-day to decide. If you\nconsent, well and good; if not I shall seize your robe and dagger and\nall you have that is worth anything to repay myself for the cost of\nyour journey here, and the price of the seat on the camel. After that\nI shall have you turned out of my house and you may go and beg in the\nbazaars or at the doors of the mosques.\u201d\n\nWith these words the wicked little creature left the poor young man,\nwho gazed after him with contemptuous eyes. He was disgusted to think\nof the cunning way in which he had been entrapped. He thought he would\nescape, but found the windows were barred and the door locked and so,\nafter some consideration, he came to the conclusion that for the\npresent he had better agree to the terms offered him and serve in the\nshop. There seemed nothing else to be done, for without money he could\nnot hope to reach Balsora; but he made up his mind to appeal to the\nCaliph on the first opportunity.\n\nThe following day Kalum-Bek took his new servant to his shop. He\nshowed him the shawls and veils and stuffs in which he dealt and\ninstructed him in his duties.\n\nDressed as a merchant\u2019s assistant he was to stand at the door of the\nshop and show off the wares. And now Said understood why the bad\nlittle man wanted him.\n\nKalum-Bek, being short and very ugly, excited the derision of the\npassers-by as he stood inviting custom. The boys teased him, the women\ncalled him a scarecrow, and everyone made fun of him, but everyone\nlooked with admiration at the tall, handsome youth who handled the\ngoods so cleverly and showed them off to the best advantage.\n\nWhen Kalum-Bek saw that his plan answered and that Said attracted many\nmore customers than he had been able to, he treated the young man much\nbetter, fed him well and saw that he had good clothes to show off his\nfine face and figure; but these attentions did not soften Said in the\nleast and he made up his mind to escape on the first opportunity.\n\nOne day they had done an unusually good trade in the shop, so many\nthings had been bought that the porters were all away carrying home\nthe goods the customers had bought, but a lady entered the shop,\nbought some goods and asked for a man to carry them home at once.\n\n\u201cIn half an hour, I will send them with pleasure,\u201d said Kalum-Bek,\n\u201cbut just now all my men are out; if you cannot wait so long, perhaps\nyou would prefer to engage an outside porter.\u201d\n\n\u201cA fine merchant you are,\u201d said the lady angrily, \u201cto advise me to\nengage a strange man to carry home my purchases. He would doubtless\nmake off with my goods and who would repay me then? No, according to\nthe custom of the market, it is your duty to provide a man to carry\nhome goods purchased, and I insist upon having one.\u201d\n\n\u201cCertainly, certainly,\u201d said Kalum-Bek, \u201cif you will only wait half an\nhour I can oblige you.\u201d\n\n [Illustration: _Said was to stand at the door of the shop and\n show off the wares._ (P. 298.)]\n\n\u201cThis is a common shop indeed,\u201d replied the enraged lady, \u201cnot to\nprovide sufficient porters. But there stands a great idle fellow, he\nshall carry home my parcel and I will give him a coin for his pains.\u201d\n\n\u201cOh! no!\u201d screamed Kalum-Bek, \u201cI cannot spare my assistant, he is my\nsignboard to attract folks in. He is not allowed to leave the door.\u201d\n\n\u201cNonsense,\u201d replied the old woman, and without further parlance pushed\nher parcel into Said\u2019s arms. \u201cYou cannot sell very good wares if you\nneed to lay traps to catch your customers.\u201d\n\n\u201cFor goodness sake go, but be quick to return,\u201d said the merchant,\n\u201cthe old wretch will make her complaints heard all over the Bazaar.\u201d\n\nSaid followed the old lady, who walked a great deal quicker than one\nwould have thought possible at her age. They reached a beautiful\nhouse, knocked, and the wide doors flew open and they ascended a\nflight of marble steps. As the old lady beckoned Said to follow her,\nhe went into a magnificent apartment decorated in a superb style. The\nold lady seated herself in an exhausted condition upon a sofa and\nsigned to the young man to put down his parcel, handed him a small\nsilver coin and bade him depart.\n\nHe had reached the door when a silvery voice called him by name. He\nturned, astonished that anyone in that place should know his name, and\nto his surprise saw a beautiful lady, surrounded by numerous slaves\nand women servants, sitting upon the sofa where the old woman had\nbeen. Dumb with surprise he folded his arms and made a deep obeisance.\n\n\u201cSaid, dear youth,\u201d said the lady, \u201calthough I am sorry for the\nmisfortunes that have befallen you, still Bagdad is the place\nappointed by fate for your fortunes to change, should it happen that\nyou left your father\u2019s house before the time appointed. Said, have\nyou still your little whistle?\u201d\n\n\u201cIndeed I have,\u201d he cried joyfully as he drew forth the golden chain,\n\u201cand are you the good fairy who gave it to me at my birth?\u201d\n\n\u201cI was your dear mother\u2019s friend,\u201d answered the fairy, \u201cand I will be\nyours as long as you remain worthy. Oh! how foolish was your father to\ndisregard my instructions. You would have been saved much suffering.\u201d\n\n\u201cWell, it cannot be helped,\u201d said Said. \u201cBut dearest lady, could you\nnot harness the North-East wind to your cloud carriage and carry me\naway in a few moments to my father\u2019s house in Balsora? I will promise\nto patiently await the remaining six months before I am twenty years\nof age.\u201d\n\nThe fairy smiled. \u201cThat is easier said than done,\u201d she said.\n\u201cUnfortunately I am unable to do anything for you at present, not even\nrescue you from Kalum-Bek, who happens to be under the protection of\nyour most powerful enemy.\u201d\n\n\u201cThen I have a bad fairy as well as a good one, eh?\u201d said Said; \u201cbut\nif you can do nothing else you can surely help me with good advice.\nShall I go to the Caliph and complain to him? He is a wise man and he\nwill know how to protect me against Kalum-Bek.\u201d\n\n\u201cYes, Harun is very wise, but unfortunately he is but human and trusts\nhis Chamberlain implicitly, and with justice, too, for he has tried\nhim and proved him to be trusted. But honest Messour in his turn\ntrusts Kalum-Bek, and there he is wrong, for Kalum is a bad man,\nalthough he is Messour\u2019s cousin. He has told Messour a number of lies\nabout you and these lies have been repeated to the Caliph, so that if\nyou went to them with your true story they would not believe you; you\nmust wait for a fitting opportunity to go to Harun, for it is written\nin the stars that you are to become the object of his especial\nfavour.\u201d\n\n\u201cAlas!\u201d answered Said, \u201cI suppose then I must submit for the present\nto be the servant of Kalum-Bek. But one favour you might be able to\ngrant me. I have been brought up to the use of arms, and my greatest\npleasure is to take part in tournaments where there is fighting with\nlance and sword. Every week the youths of this town meet together and\nengage in such a tournament, but only the best-born are allowed to\ncompete, a shopman\u2019s assistant would certainly not be allowed to enter\nthe lists. Could you manage to let me have a horse, a suit of clothes\nand weapons, and to alter my face so that I should not be recognised?\u201d\n\n\u201cThat is a wish such as does credit to a noble youth,\u201d replied the\nfairy. \u201cYour mother\u2019s father was the bravest man in Syria and his\nspirit seems to have descended on you. Take note of this house. Every\nweek you may come here and you will find awaiting you a horse, two\narmed servants, robes and weapons, also a wash for your face that will\ntransform you completely. And now, Said, farewell! Persevere in your\nwise and virtuous conduct and you will find that in six months\u2019 time\nyour whistle will sound when you blow it, and Zuleima\u2019s ear will not\nbe deaf to it.\u201d\n\nThe young man parted from his protectress with thanks, carefully\nnoted the position of the house, and went back to the Bazaar.\n\nHe arrived at the right moment to rescue his master, Kalum-Bek. The\nshop was crowded with people, the boys were dancing round Kalum and\ntaunting him, and the older people stood by and laughed. The merchant\nwas in a furious rage. He stood with a shawl in one hand and a veil in\nthe other. The uproar was caused by Said\u2019s absence, for scarcely had\nhe left than Kalum took his stand at the door and began to cry his\nwares, but nobody would buy from the ugly old man.\n\nKalum had noticed two men walking up and down the Bazaar, evidently\nlooking out for something. In reality they had come to buy presents\nfor their wives and had been commanded by them to purchase only from\nthe handsome young shopman.\n\nAt length Kalum called to them: \u201cHere, my masters, you will find\neverything you require by me. Shawls and veils of the finest quality.\u201d\n\n\u201cThat may be, my good man,\u201d they replied, \u201cbut it has become the\nfashion amongst the women to buy their goods from a certain handsome\nyoung man named Said, and we are looking out for him. If you can\ndirect us to him we will come and buy from you another time.\u201d\n\n\u201cAllah is good,\u201d said Kalum, grinning in friendly fashion, \u201cthe\nprophet has led you to the right door. You wish to buy veils from the\nhandsome young shopman, then step inside, this is his shop.\u201d\n\nOne of the men laughed at his assertion that he the ugly little\ncreature, was the tall handsome shopman but the other man, who\nbelieved he was being made fun of, lost his temper and rated him in no\nmeasured terms. Kalum was beside himself and called his neighbours to\ntestify that his shop was the one known as the shop of the handsome\nyoung assistant. But the neighbours, who were jealous of the trade he\ndrove, pretended to know nothing about the matter and the two men\nstruck the \u201cold liar,\u201d as they called him. Kalum protected himself\nmore by shrieking and yelling than by using his fists and so he\nattracted a crowd to his shop. Everyone in the town knew him to be an\navaricious old cheat and so no one interfered, for they thought he\ndeserved all he was getting. One of the men had seized him by the\nbeard and was about to further ill-treat him when he was seized and\nflung violently to the ground, so that his turban and both his shoes\nflew off.\n\nThe crowd, who would have enjoyed seeing Kalum ill-used, began to\nmurmur, the companion of the man who had been knocked down advanced to\nhis assistance, but when he saw himself confronted by a tall, handsome\nyoung fellow he thought it better not to strike him. Kalum no sooner\nspied his assistant than he began calling out, \u201cThere he is, there is\nthe handsome young shopman called Said.\u201d The man who had been knocked\ndown got up again and limped away rather ashamed of himself, without\nhaving bought either shawl or veil.\n\n\u201cOh! prince of shop-assistants,\u201d cried Kalum-Bek, \u201cyou did indeed\narrive at the very moment you were wanted. How can I reward you for\nthe service you have done me?\u201d\n\nSaid had merely acted on the spur of the moment, and now that the\naffair was over he half regretted having interfered on the old man\u2019s\nbehalf, for he well knew he deserved a good punishment. However, he\nthought he might make use of the old fellow\u2019s offer of a reward. So he\nasked to be given one evening a week for his own amusement, either to\ntake a walk or to spend it as he wished, and Kalum-Bek, who knew his\nassistant had too much good sense to attempt to escape without money,\nreadily granted him the favour.\n\n [Illustration: _The man was seized and flung violently to the\n ground._ (P. 304.)]\n\nThe following Wednesday was the day upon which the young men of high\nrank met to hold their tournament, and so Said asked if he could have\nthis evening for himself. Kalum being willing, the young man went\nstraight off to the street in which the fairy lived and knocked at the\ndoor, which immediately flew open. The servants appeared to be\nprepared to receive him, for, without asking his business, they took\nhim upstairs to a fine apartment where they first gave him magic\nwater to wash in. Having laved his face he looked at himself in a\nmirror and found that his face was tanned as by the sun and that he\nhad a fine black beard, so that he looked at least ten years older\nthan he had done previously.\n\nAfter that they led him into another room where a superb suit of\nclothes awaited him which might not have disgraced the Caliph himself.\nIn addition to a turban of the finest materials, having a heron\u2019s\nplume fastened with a diamond clasp, there was a dress of shimmering\nred silk embroidered with silver flowers, a corselet of silver\nchain-work, so finely made that it accommodated itself to every\nmovement of his body, and was yet so strong that neither lance nor\nsword could pierce it. A Damascus sword with richly-jewelled scabbard\nand hilt completed his warlike attire.\n\nWhen he was completely equipped and about to leave the house, one of\nthe servants gave him a silk handkerchief and told him that the\nmistress of the house had sent it to him, so that when he wished to\nbecome his usual self again he had but to wipe his face with it and\nthe tan colour and beard would disappear.\n\nIn the courtyard of the house three beautiful horses were standing.\nSaid mounted the finest and his servants the other two, and he then\nrode joyously forth to the tournament.\n\nAll eyes were attracted by the splendour of his dress and weapons and\na murmur of surprise went round the ring as he entered it.\n\nIt was indeed a glittering assembly of all the noblest and bravest\nyoung men in Bagdad, even the brothers of the Caliph taking part in\nthe fray. As Said entered, the son of the Grand Vizier and some of his\nfriends approached him and asked his name and birthplace.\n\nSaid replied that his name was Almansor and that he came from Cairo,\nand was travelling about. Having heard rumours of the valour and skill\nof the young nobles of Bagdad, he had wished to witness their feats\nand perhaps take part in them.\n\nA young man, approving of Said\u2019s bold appearance, ordered a lance to\nbe given to him and bade him choose his parties, for the whole Company\nhad divided itself into two parties, so that they might encounter each\nother in a mass and then singly.\n\nBut if Said\u2019s appearance had attracted the general attention his feats\nof arms did so still more. His horse was faster than a bird, and his\nsword flashed like lightning.\n\nHe threw his lance at the target as though it had been an arrow from\nthe bow of an expert archer. At the conclusion of the tournament he\nhad beaten all his opponents, and the Caliph\u2019s brother and the Grand\nVizier\u2019s son, who had been on his side, begged him to try a bout with\nthem. He succeeded in vanquishing the Caliph\u2019s brother, but the\ncontest with the Grand Vizier\u2019s son remained undecided, and it was\nthought better to settle it at the next meeting.\n\nThe day after the tournament everyone in Bagdad was speaking of the\nhandsome and brave stranger. Even those who had been beaten by him\nwere loud in their praise of him, and Said heard folks discussing him\nas he stood at the door of the shop and regretting that no one knew\nwhere he lived.\n\nWhen the time for the next tournament came he found in the fairy\u2019s\nhouse a still more beautiful suit of clothes and more costly weapons.\nHalf Bagdad had assembled to witness the fray and the Caliph himself\nlooked down upon it from a balcony. He too was astounded at Almansor\u2019s\ndexterity, and at the end of the day he hung a gold medal and chain\naround his neck as a mark of his admiration.\n\nBut this second and still more brilliant victory aroused the jealousy\nof some of the young people: they did not like to feel that a stranger\nshould come and triumph over the flower of their young nobility, and\nthey determined amongst themselves that five or six of them would\nattack him at once, as if by chance.\n\nSaid did not fail to notice the angry glances of the young men, and\nspeedily noted that with the exception of the Caliph\u2019s brother and the\nGrand Vizier\u2019s son not one of them had any friendly inclination\ntowards him. Strange to say, the young man who seemed to be the most\nset against him was the young man he had knocked down in Kalum\u2019s shop,\nand he looked at him so suspiciously that Said was half afraid he had\nrecognised him by his height or his voice. Even the friendship of the\nCaliph\u2019s brother and the Grand Vizier\u2019s son was somewhat embarrassing,\nfor they questioned him closely as to where he was to be found.\n\nBut the plan the envious young men made against him was frustrated,\nfor in addition to his own foresight and bravery the Caliph\u2019s brother\nand the Grand Vizier\u2019s son came to his assistance as soon as they saw\nhim surrounded by half a dozen opponents, all of whom were trying to\nunhorse him. Together they scattered the whole troop and the Caliph\u2019s\nbrother threatened to expel the treacherous young men from the lists.\n\nFor over four months Said continued thus to prove his bravery to the\nastonishment of all Bagdad, when one night as he was on his way home\nfrom the place of combat he heard some voices which sounded familiar.\nFour men were in front of him, walking slowly and apparently\ndiscussing something of great moment.\n\n [Illustration: _Said approached them quietly._ (P. 309.)]\n\nSaid approached them quietly and then discovered that they were\nspeaking in the dialect spoken by Selim\u2019s robber horde, and he\nsuspected that they were probably planning a robbery.\n\nHis first impulse was to make off as fast as he could, but on\nconsideration he decided to listen to what they were saying in the\nhope of preventing some mischief.\n\n\u201cThe porter distinctly said the street on the right-hand side of the\nBazaar,\u201d said one; \u201che will pass down it to-night with the Grand\nVizier.\u201d\n\n\u201cGood,\u201d replied the other, \u201cI am not afraid of the Grand Vizier, he is\nold and no particular hero; but the Caliph will show fight, besides I\ndo not trust him. There will be a dozen or so bodyguards following\nhim, I\u2019ll be bound.\u201d\n\n\u201cNot one soul,\u201d answered a third. \u201cWhenever he has been seen at night\nit was always either with the Vizier or the Chamberlain alone.\nTo-night he must be ours; but he is not to be harmed.\u201d\n\n\u201cI think the best we can do is to throw a lassoo over his head. He\nmust not be killed, for we should not get much of a ransom for his\ncorpse, if we had anything at all.\u201d\n\n\u201cThen one hour before midnight!\u201d they all said together, and parted,\neach in a different direction.\n\nSaid was not a little alarmed and at first started off to warn the\nCaliph, but remembering what the fairy had said about Kalum-Bek having\npoisoned his mind against him he determined to rely upon his own good\nsword to assist him.\n\nSo instead of returning to Kalum-Bek\u2019s house he sat down upon the\nsteps of a mosque to await the hour before midnight. Shortly before\nthe time he went and hid himself in the porch of a house in the street\nthe robbers had mentioned.\n\nPresently two men came strolling down the street whom he took at first\nto be the Caliph and his Vizier; but when they came opposite to him\nthey clapped their hands softly and two others came hurrying to join\nthem. They whispered awhile and parted, three hiding themselves in\nanother porch, not far from Said, and one walking up and down the\nroad. The night was very dark, but quiet, and so Said had to trust to\nhis sharp ears alone.\n\n [Illustration: _The fourth, seeing what had happened, fled._\n (P. 312.)]\n\nHalf an hour passed before he heard steps coming from the direction of\nthe Bazaar. The robber must have heard them also, for he slunk past\nSaid towards the Bazaar. The steps came nearer and Said could just\nrecognise some dark forms, when the robber clapped his hands softly\nand the same moment the three in the background darted forward. Those\nattacked must have been armed, for he could hear the clash of swords,\nso, unsheathing his own Damascus steel, he threw himself into the\nthick of the fray, shouting: \u201cDown with the enemies of the noble\nHarun.\u201d He felled one robber at the first stroke and then attacked two\nothers who were about to disarm a man whom they had caught in a\nnoose. He hewed at the cord blindly, to sever it, but in so doing\nstruck one of the robbers so furiously across the arm that he cut his\nhand off. But now the fourth robber, who had been fighting another\nman, turned towards Said, who was still engaged with the third, but\nthe man whose cords had been cut no sooner felt himself free than he\ndrew his dagger and struck one of the robbers in the side. The fourth,\nseeing what had happened, threw away his sword and fled.\n\nSaid was not left long in doubt as to whom he had saved, for the\ntaller of the two men approached him and said: \u201cI do not know which is\nthe more incomprehensible, the attack on my life or my freedom, or the\nsurprising manner in which you came to my assistance. How did you know\nwho I was, and did you know of these men\u2019s intentions?\u201d \u201cRuler of the\nFaithful,\u201d answered Said, \u201cfor I do not doubt that you are he, this\nevening I chanced to walk behind four men, who were speaking a strange\ndialect that I once learnt. They spoke of taking you prisoner and of\nkilling your Vizier. As it was too late to come and warn you, I\ndetermined to hide myself near the spot they had mentioned for the\nattack to take place, and to come to your assistance.\u201d\n\n\u201cI thank you heartily,\u201d said Harun, \u201cbut I am not anxious to remain\nhere any longer than necessary and so I give you this ring; bring it\nto the palace to-morrow and I will think how best I can reward you.\nCome, Vizier, we had best be going.\u201d\n\nAs he spoke he placed a ring on the young man\u2019s finger, and then\nattempted to draw the Vizier away, but the latter begged him to excuse\nhim a moment and, turning to the astonished youth, he handed him a\nheavy purse. \u201cYoung man,\u201d said he, \u201cmy master, the Caliph, can raise\nyou to any height he pleases, even to be my successor; I myself can do\nlittle, but the little I can do is better done to-day. Therefore take\nthis purse and remember that I still count myself your debtor.\u201d\n\nQuite intoxicated with happiness Said hurried away home. Here,\nhowever, he met with a very bad reception, for Kalum-Bek was very\nangry with him for being so late. He had been afraid lest he had lost\nhis handsome sign post, and so he raged and scolded like a madman. But\nSaid, who had given a glance into his purse and seen that it was full\nof pieces of gold, thought to himself that now he had sufficient money\nto take him home, even without the assistance of the Caliph, which he\nguessed would take no mean form, and so he gave back Kalum-Bek word\nfor word and told him plainly that he would remain with him no longer.\n\n\u201cYou rascally vagabond,\u201d said Kalum-Bek, \u201cwhere will you obtain a\ndinner or a night\u2019s lodging if I withdraw my protection from you?\u201d\n\u201cThat is no concern of yours,\u201d answered Said defiantly. \u201cGood-bye to\nyou, for you will see me no more.\u201d\n\nSo saying, he ran off, whilst Kalum-Bek stared after him, dumb with\nsurprise. The next morning, when he had had time to consider matters,\nhe sent his porters out to spy out news of his assistant, and after\nsome time one of them returned with the news that he had seen Said\ncome out of a mosque and enter a caravanserai. He was wearing a\nhandsome dress, a dagger and sword and a magnificent turban.\n\nWhen Kalum-Bek heard this he said: \u201cHe must have robbed me and dressed\nhimself up on my money. Oh! what an unfortunate man I am.\u201d\n\nHe hastened to the chief of the police, and as it was known that he\nwas a relative of Messour, the Chamberlain, he had no difficulty in\ngetting an order for Said\u2019s arrest.\n\nSaid was calmly sitting outside a caravanserai conversing with a\nmerchant whom he had met there, about the journey to Balsora, his\nnative town, when suddenly several men fell upon him and bound his\nhands behind him, in spite of his resistance.\n\nHe asked by what right they used such violence and they replied that\nit was in the name of the law and by the instigation of his master,\nKalum-Bek. And Kalum-Bek himself, appearing at that moment, mocked and\nreviled Said and, plunging his hand into the young man\u2019s pocket, drew\nforth, to the surprise of the surrounding people, a large purse full\nof gold.\n\n\u201cDo you see what he has stolen from me?\u201d he yelled in triumph. And the\nbystanders looked at Said in disgust. \u201cSo young, so handsome, and yet\nso wicked,\u201d they said. \u201cTo prison with him that he may be flogged.\u201d\n\nSo they dragged him away to prison, followed by a crowd of people\ncalling out, \u201cDo you see the handsome shop-assistant from the Bazaar?\nHe robbed his master of two hundred gold pieces and then ran away.\u201d\n\nBrought before the chief of the police, Said would have defended\nhimself; but the officer would not allow him to speak and only\nlistened to Kalum-Bek, who declared that the money and purse found\nupon Said belonged to him. The judge therefore ordered the money to be\ngiven to Kalum-Bek, but it did not gain him possession of the handsome\nyoung assistant, who was worth at least a thousand gold pieces to him.\n\n\u201cIn accordance with the law passed by my illustrious master, the\nCaliph, a few days ago,\u201d said the judge, \u201cevery thief who steals over\na hundred gold pieces is to be sent to perpetual banishment on a\ndesert island. This thief has fallen into my hands exactly at the\nright time, for he completes the number of twenty such fellows.\nTo-morrow they will be packed on board a ship and sent to sea.\u201d\n\nSaid was in despair; he begged the officer to listen to him and to\nallow him to speak one word to the Caliph, but he found no mercy.\nKalum-Bek, who now regretted the false accusation, also spoke in his\nfavour, but the judge answered: \u201cYou have your money and you can be\ncontent, go home and keep quiet, otherwise I shall fine you ten gold\npieces for every word you utter in argument.\u201d Kalum was silent then,\nthe judge motioned with his hand, and the unhappy Said was led away.\n\nHe was taken to a dark, damp prison, where nineteen other unfortunate\ncreatures were lying about on some mouldy straw. They received their\nnew companion with rude laughter and horrible expressions of anger\nagainst the judge and the Caliph.\n\nTerrible as it seemed to him to be doomed to be cast upon a desert\nisland, yet he comforted himself with the thought of leaving his\nloathsome prison, thinking it could not be so bad when once they had\nput to sea. But he was deceived, for the twenty criminals were cast\ndown into the hold, which was pitch dark, very close, and so low that\nit was impossible to stand upright.\n\nThe anchor was weighed and Said wept bitter tears as the ship receded\nfrom his native land. Once a day the prisoners received a little bread\nand fruit and a drink of water. The atmosphere was so close and\nunhealthy that almost every other day one of the prisoners was found\ndead, but Said\u2019s youth and splendid health saved him.\n\nThey had been at sea about a fortnight when there was an unaccustomed\nrunning to and fro upon deck, and the roaring of the waves and\npitching of the vessel having increased, Said guessed that there was a\nstorm raging. As the rocking of the vessel grew worse and worse,\nshrieks and lamentations resounded from below, and when the prisoners\nfound that the hold was filling with water they knocked at the\ntrap-door, and as no one answered they threw themselves against it and\ntheir united strength burst it open. As they came upon deck they found\nthat the crew had deserted them and taken to the boats. Most of the\nprisoners were in despair, for the violence of the storm seemed, if\nanything, to increase. They took a last meal of the provisions they\nfound on the ship, when suddenly the ship, which had been stuck fast\nupon a rock, was washed off by an enormous wave and sank.\n\n [Illustration: _THE ADVENTURES OF SAID._\n _\u201cIt had turned into an enormous dolphin.\u201d_]\n\nSaid had managed to secure a floating spar, and by using his feet\nas oars he had kept himself afloat for some time, when suddenly the\nlittle magic whistle on the golden chain slipped from his vest and he\nthought he would try it once more. This time it gave forth a clear\nsilvery tone, and in a moment the storm had subsided as though oil had\nbeen poured upon the waves. He was about to gaze around him to see if\nland were in sight, when he noticed a peculiar movement in the spar\nupon which he sat astride, and in some alarm he saw that it had turned\ninto an enormous dolphin and was carrying him along as swiftly as an\narrow. He guessed he had his good fairy to thank for this and called\nout his thanks to her.\n\nHis extraordinary steed went at such speed that before evening fell he\nsighted land and became aware that he was in a wide river. As they\nwere going against the stream the pace slowed down a little. By this\ntime Said was very hungry, so he blew his whistle and wished for a\nmeal. Immediately the huge fish stopped, a table rose up from the\nwater, as dry as though it had been a week in the broad sunshine; it\nwas set out with the most delicious food and drink imaginable, and\nSaid set to and made a hearty meal, for since his imprisonment his\nfood had been scanty and unappetising. When he had at length satisfied\nhis hunger he uttered his thanks and the table disappeared, he dug his\nheels into the dolphin\u2019s sides and it began to swim on again.\n\nAs the sun began to sink Said saw a town in the distance, the towers\nof which seemed to him to resemble those of Bagdad. He had no great\nwish to land in Bagdad, but his faith in the good fairy was so strong\nthat he was sure she would not allow him to fall into the hands of the\nwicked Kalum-Bek.\n\nAbout a mile distant from the town Said noticed a fine country\nmansion, and to his surprise the dolphin began to steer towards it.\n\nUpon the roof of the house were several well-dressed men, and on the\nshore were a number of servants, all of whom were staring at him in\nastonishment. A flight of marble steps led from the water to the\nmansion, and here the dolphin stopped, and Said had scarcely set foot\nupon the steps when the fish disappeared.\n\nAt once some servants hurried towards him and begged him, in their\nmaster\u2019s name, to go up to him after he had changed his wet clothing.\n\nThey brought a suit of clothes to him and, having dressed hastily, he\nfollowed the servants to the roof, where he found three men, the\ntallest and handsomest of whom came towards him with a friendly smile.\n\n\u201cWho are you, wonderful stranger,\u201d he asked, \u201cwho can tame the fishes\nof the sea so that you can guide them to the right or left as a good\nhorseman guides his charger? Are you a magician or a man like\nourselves?\u201d\n\n\u201cSir,\u201d replied Said, \u201cI have been a most unfortunate man for some time\npast, but if you will give me permission I will tell you all about\nit.\u201d And he commenced to tell his story from the moment he left his\nfather\u2019s house until the time of his wonderful escape.\n\nHe was interrupted frequently by exclamations of astonishment, but as\nhe concluded the master of the house said: \u201cI believe you implicitly,\nSaid, but you tell us that you won a gold chain at the tournament and\nthat the Caliph gave you his ring; can you produce these?\u201d\n\n\u201cI carry them next my heart,\u201d said the youth, \u201cand would only part\nwith them with my life, for I consider the saving of the Caliph\u2019s life\nto have been the noblest action I could have performed.\u201d With that he\nhanded the chain and ring to the men.\n\n\u201cBy the beard of the prophet, it is my ring,\u201d cried the tall handsome\nman. \u201cGrand Vizier, come and let us embrace our deliverer.\u201d\n\nIt seemed to Said that he must be dreaming when the two embraced him,\nand immediately he flung himself upon his face and said, \u201cPardon me,\nRuler of the Faithful, for having spoken as I did before you, for I\nperceive now that you are none other than Harun Al-Raschid, the Great\nCaliph of Bagdad.\u201d\n\n\u201cI am your friend,\u201d answered Harun, \u201cand from this time your troubles\nare all over. Come with me to Bagdad and you shall be one of my most\ntrusted officials, for you proved your metal the night you saved my\nlife.\u201d\n\nSaid thanked him and said how gladly he would remain with him always\nif only he would allow him first to go and visit his father, who must\nbe in great sorrow and trouble on his account. The Caliph assented\nreadily to this and so they mounted their horses and rode into Bagdad,\nwhich they reached just as the sun was setting.\n\nThe Caliph ordered a magnificent suite of apartments to be prepared\nfor Said, and besides this promised to build him a house of his own.\n\nThe Caliph\u2019s brother and the Grand Vizier\u2019s son, Said\u2019s old companions\nin arms, hastened to come to him as soon as they heard what had\noccurred. They embraced the gallant defender of their ruler and begged\nhim to be their friend. But they were speechless with astonishment\nwhen he handed the gold chain to them and said: \u201cI have been your\nfriend for a long time, do you not remember this chain?\u201d\n\nThey had only known him with a beard and a dark brown complexion, and\nwhen he told them why he had disguised himself, and when he had proved\nto them by a bout of fencing that he really was Almansor, they\nembraced him joyfully and said they reckoned themselves fortunate in\nhaving such a friend.\n\nThe following day, as Said was sitting with the Caliph and the Grand\nVizier, the Chamberlain Messour entered and said, \u201cRuler of the\nFaithful, I wish to ask a favour.\u201d\n\n\u201cTell me first what it is!\u201d answered the Caliph.\n\n\u201cWithout stands my cousin, Kalum-Bek, a well-known merchant of the\nBazaar. He has a curious affair with a man from Balsora, whose son was\nKalum\u2019s servant, but who robbed him and ran off, no one knows whither.\nAnd now the father demands his son from Kalum, who cannot produce him.\nAnd Kalum begs that you should, in virtue of your wisdom and great\nlearning, decide between him and the man from Balsora.\u201d\n\n\u201cI will judge between them,\u201d replied Harun. \u201cLet your cousin and his\nadversary appear in the Hall of Justice in half an hour\u2019s time.\u201d\n\n [Illustration: _A crier was going through the Bazaar._\n (P. 322.)]\n\nWhen Messour had thanked the Caliph and withdrawn, Harun said: \u201cIt is\nyour father, Said, and as I fortunately know the whole truth of the\ncase I will give judgment like Solomon. You shall conceal yourself\nbehind the curtains of my throne until I call you, and you, Grand\nVizier, send at once for the wicked and all too hasty police officer.\nI shall need him as a witness.\u201d Both did as they were requested.\nSaid\u2019s heart beat quickly when he saw his father\u2019s pale and careworn\nface and noticed the tottering steps with which he entered the Justice\nHall but Kalum-Bek\u2019s confident smile, as he whispered to his cousin\nthe Chamberlain, enraged him so that he could scarcely restrain\nhimself from rushing out and giving him a good beating, for he owed\nthe greater number of his sufferings to this wicked man. The Hall was\ncrowded with people who wished to hear the Caliph pronounce justice,\nand as soon as the ruler of Bagdad had taken his seat on the throne\nthe Grand Vizier commanded silence and then asked who it was that\nappeared as complainant.\n\nKalum-Bek stepped forward with a bold look on his face and said: \u201cSome\ndays ago a crier was going through the Bazaar offering a purse of gold\nfor news of Said of Balsora. As this Said had been in my employ I\nsaid, \u2018Here, friend, I can earn your purse of gold.\u2019 Then this man,\nwho is so hostile towards me now, came to me in a friendly fashion and\nasked what I knew. I replied, \u2018You are Benezar his father?\u2019 and as he\njoyfully agreed, I went on to tell him how I had found Said in the\ndesert, and saved him and taken care of him and brought him to Bagdad.\nIn the joy of his heart he gave me the purse of gold, but the foolish\nman, when I went on to tell him how his son had served me and how he\nhad run off with my money, would not believe me and demanded both his\nmoney and his son; neither could I give him, for the money belonged to\nme in payment of the news I had given him, and his worthless son I\ncannot give him back.\u201d\n\nNext Benezar spoke, defending his son and saying that he was incapable\nof stealing, being of a noble and virtuous mind, and he begged the\nCaliph to enquire deeply into the matter. \u201cI hope you did your duty\nand gave information of the theft, Kalum-Bek?\u201d said the Caliph.\n\u201cCertainly!\u201d he replied, smiling, \u201cI took him before the magistrate.\u201d\n\n\u201cLet the magistrate be called,\u201d said the Caliph, and to everyone\u2019s\nsurprise he appeared immediately. The Caliph asked him if he\nremembered the affair, and he assured him he did. \u201cDid you examine the\nyoung man and did he acknowledge the theft?\u201d asked Harun.\n\n\u201cNo, he was most obstinate and would confess to none but you!\u201d replied\nthe magistrate.\n\n\u201cBut I do not remember having seen him,\u201d said the Caliph.\n\n\u201cNo, indeed,\u201d answered the magistrate. \u201cI might take up too much of\nyour time if I sent you every vagabond who wishes to speak with you.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou know that my ear is open to all,\u201d answered Harun. \u201cBut perhaps\nthe proofs of the theft were so clear that you did not think it\nnecessary to bring him to me. You had doubtless witnesses, Kalum, to\nprove that the money really was yours?\u201d\n\n\u201cWitnesses?\u201d he asked, turning pale, \u201cno I had no witness, for you\nknow, Ruler of the Faithful, that one piece of gold is exactly like\nanother, so how could I bring witnesses to prove that these actual\npieces were missing from my money chest?\u201d\n\n\u201cThen how did you know that that particular sum of money belonged to\nyou?\u201d asked the Caliph.\n\n\u201cOn account of the purse they were in,\u201d said Kalum.\n\n\u201cHave you got the purse here?\u201d he enquired further.\n\n\u201cHere it is,\u201d said the merchant, and taking out a purse he handed it\nto the Grand Vizier that he might give it to the Caliph.\n\nBut the Vizier cried out in feigned astonishment, \u201cBy the beard of\nthe Prophet! The purse is yours? You dog! The purse belonged to me and\nI gave it filled with a hundred gold pieces to a brave young man who\nrescued me from a great danger.\u201d\n\n\u201cCan you swear to that?\u201d asked the Caliph.\n\n\u201cI am perfectly certain,\u201d replied the Vizier, \u201cmy daughter worked it\nfor me.\u201d\n\n\u201cAh, you have received false information, magistrate,\u201d said the\nCaliph. \u201cWhy did you believe the purse belonged to Kalum?\u201d\n\n\u201cHe swore it was his,\u201d said the magistrate anxiously. \u201cAnd so you\nswore falsely?\u201d thundered the Caliph to the merchant, who stood pale\nand trembling before him.\n\n\u201cAllah! Allah!\u201d cried he. \u201cOf course I do not wish to say anything\nagainst the Grand Vizier, but the purse is really mine and the\ngood-for-nothing Said stole it. I would give a thousand gold pieces if\nhe were here on the spot.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat did you do with this Said then?\u201d asked the Caliph. \u201cWhere must\nwe send to bring him here?\u201d\n\n\u201cI sent him to a desert island,\u201d said the magistrate.\n\n\u201cOh! Said, my son, my son!\u201d cried the unhappy father.\n\n\u201cThen he confessed his crime?\u201d asked the Caliph.\n\nThe magistrate turned pale, and said unsteadily, \u201cIf I remember\nrightly he did in the end.\u201d\n\n\u201cThen you are not quite certain?\u201d the Caliph went on in severe tones.\n\u201cVery well, then we will ask him himself. Said, stand forth, and you,\nKalum-Bek, pay me at once a thousand gold pieces because he is here\non the spot.\u201d\n\nKalum and the magistrate thought it must be a ghost. They fell to\ntheir knees crying, \u201cMercy, mercy.\u201d Benezar was half fainting with joy\nand fell into the arms of his lost son.\n\nThen in firm, hard tones the Caliph asked: \u201cMagistrate, here is Said,\nnow will you affirm that he confessed his crime?\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, no,\u201d howled the magistrate, \u201cI only listened to Kalum\u2019s evidence,\nbecause he is looked upon as a respectable man.\u201d\n\n [Illustration: _Benezar fell into the arms of his lost son._\n (P. 325.)]\n\n\u201cDid I appoint you judge that you should only listen to rich people?\u201d\ncried Harun with contempt and anger. \u201cI will banish you to a desert\nisland for ten years, so that you may have time to think on justice.\nAnd you, miserable man, who restored the dying, not for the sake of\nsaving him, but to make him your slave, you shall pay the thousand\ngold pieces.\u201d\n\nKalum rejoiced to be let off so cheaply and was about to thank the\nCaliph, when he went on: \u201cFor swearing falsely about the money you\nwill receive a hundred strokes on the soles of your feet. Further, it\nis for Said to decide whether he shall take the whole of your shop and\npossessions with you as his slave, or whether he will be satisfied\nwith ten pieces of gold for every day he served you.\u201d\n\n\u201cLet the miserable old wretch go,\u201d cried the youth, \u201cI wish for\nnothing that was his.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo,\u201d replied Harun. \u201cI intend you to be compensated. I will choose\nfor you the ten pieces of gold for every day, and you must reckon how\nmany days you were in his clutches. And now away with the miserable\ncreatures!\u201d\n\nWhen they had been taken away the Caliph led Benezar and Said into\nanother room; there he told the father of the brave manner in which\nhis son had saved his life, his recital being interrupted by the yells\nof Kalum, whose hundred gold pieces were being counted out on the\nsoles of his feet.\n\nThe Caliph invited Benezar, together with Said, to live with him in\nBagdad. He agreed, but made one journey home in order that he might\nfetch his large fortune. Said took up his residence at once in the\npalace built for him by the grateful Caliph, and lived there like a\nprince. The Caliph\u2019s brother and the Grand Vizier\u2019s son were his\nconstant companions, and it became a password in Bagdad: \u201cI wish I\nwere as good and happy as Said, the son of Benezar.\u201d\n\n\n\n\nTHE CAVERN OF STEENFOLL.\n\nA SCOTTISH LEGEND.\n\n\nMany years ago two fishermen lived happily together upon one of the\nrocky islands off the Scottish coast. They were both unmarried and had\nno near relations, and their united efforts, although they were of\nvery different dispositions, sufficed to provide them with all they\nneeded. They were much of an age, but in appearance and character they\nresembled each other about as much as an eagle resembles a calf.\n\n [Illustration: _One big wave washed up a ball of pure gold._\n (P. 329.)]\n\nCaspar Stump was a short fat man with a broad fat face like a full\nmoon, and good-tempered twinkling eyes, which seemed as though they\nwere strangers to trouble and care.\n\nNot only was he very fat, he was also rather lazy, and so the\nhousehold duties fell to his share; he had to cook and bake, make the\nnets to catch fish and to sell in the market, and help to cultivate\ntheir little field.\n\nHis companion was the direct opposite, tall and thin, with bold\nfeatures, a hooked nose like a hawk\u2019s, and sharp eyes; he was the\nhardest-working and most intrepid of fishermen, the most venturesome\nclimber after bird\u2019s eggs, which were found in the rocky crevices of\nthe cliffs, and the most industrious field labourer on the island, as\nwell as being one of the keenest to drive a bargain in the market of\nKirkwall. But as his wares were good and he always traded honestly,\neveryone liked to deal with him, and Will Hawk, as his neighbours\nnicknamed him, in spite of his fondness for money, always shared his\nprofits willingly with Caspar Stump, so that the two of them not only\nmade a very good living, but were able to put by something for a rainy\nday.\n\nBut Will Hawk was not content with that, he wanted to be _rich_, _very\nrich_, and as he knew that sheer hard work, such as his, rarely\nbrought in extraordinary wealth, he began to think that he must try\nand find out some other means of making money, and taking it for\ngranted that he would succeed, he discussed the matter freely with\nCaspar Stump. Caspar, who accepted everything that Will said as Gospel\ntruth, told his neighbours of the fortune his companion was about to\nmake, and so a rumour went abroad that Will Hawk had sold his soul to\nthe evil one.\n\nAt first Will laughed at these reports, but gradually he began to\nwish that some spirit would appear and tell him where he might\ndiscover buried treasure, and he ceased to contradict the neighbours\nwhen they joked him about it. It is true he still continued to carry\non his ordinary occupation, but with less zeal, and often wasted the\ntime when he should have been fishing in idle wanderings after\nadventures which he hoped would make him rich. Unfortunately for him\nas he was one day standing on the sea-shore gazing out to sea, as\nthough he expected the waves rolling in to bring a fortune to his\nfeet, one big wave washed up a quantity of shingle and lose sea-weed,\nand amongst the sea-weed a yellow ball, a ball of pure gold.\n\nWill stood as though enchanted; his hopes of untold wealth had not\nbeen empty dreams, the sea had given him gold, pure shining gold,\nwhich the action of the sea had worn down, probably from a large bar,\nto a ball the size of a bullet.\n\nIt seemed quite clear to him now that at some time a richly-laden\nvessel must have gone to pieces on the rocks, and that it was for him\nto find and raise the buried treasures, hidden beneath the waves. From\nthis time he devoted all his energies to the task, carefully hiding\nhis find from all, even from his friend. He neglected everything else\nand spent days and nights on the sea-shore, not casting out fishing\nnets, but using a drag which he had made on purpose to haul in\ntreasure.\n\nHis only reward was poverty, for he had ceased to make money himself\nand Caspar\u2019s sleepy efforts did not bring in enough to feed the two of\nthem. In searching for riches all the little fortune they possessed\nwas lost. But just as easy-going Caspar had once allowed Will Hawk to\nprovide the money for his maintenance, so he now accepted poverty\nwithout complaint, and it was this silent endurance on the part of his\nfriend that spurred Will on to further efforts to amass wealth.\n\nBut what made him still more intent on continuing the search was that,\nwhenever he lay down to sleep, it seemed to him that someone whispered\na word in his ear. It was always the same, but he never could remember\nit when he was awake. It is true that there seemed no connection\nbetween this circumstance and his present quest, but on a mind like\nWill\u2019s everything seemed to make an impression, and even this\nmysterious whispering strengthened him in the belief that he was\ndestined for a great piece of good fortune and that he would one day\nfind a large heap of gold.\n\nOne day he was surprised by a storm whilst on the shore where he had\nfound the ball of gold, and the violence of it caused him to take\nshelter in a neighbouring cave. This cave, which the people called the\nCavern of Steenfoll, consisted of a long subterranean passage with two\nopenings to the sea, which afforded the waves free passage to and fro,\nand there they roared and foamed as they rushed along it.\n\nThe cave was only accessible in one spot from the land, and that\nthrough a crevice in the roof, but it was seldom that any but reckless\nboys ventured there, for, in addition to the dangers of the place it\nwas supposed to be haunted.\n\nWith great difficulty Will succeeded in letting himself down and took\nhis seat upon a jutting rock about twelve feet from the surface. Here,\nwith the waves roaring beneath his feet and the storm raging above his\nhead, he fell into his usual way of thinking about the sunken ship and\nwhat sort of a vessel it could have been, for, in spite of having\nquestioned all the oldest inhabitants on the island, he had been\nunable to obtain any news of a wreck in that place.\n\nHow long he had sat there he did not know himself, but when he at\nlength awoke from his dreams he found that the storm had passed over,\nand he was just about to climb out of the cave when he heard a voice\nfrom the depths which pronounced the word \u201cCarmil-han\u201d quite\ndistinctly.\n\n [Illustration: _Will heard a voice from the depths._ (P. 331.)]\n\n\u201cWhy,\u201d cried he, \u201cthat is the word I have heard so often in my dreams.\nWhat can it mean?\u201d\n\nTerrified, he began to climb quickly upwards when, just as he was\ncreeping out of the crevice, he heard once more, \u201cCarmilhan,\u201d softly\nwhispered from the depths. Then he fled like a frightened deer to his\nhome.\n\nWill was, however, no coward, he had merely been taken unawares;\nbesides that, his craze for gold was too strong in him for the\nappearance of danger to frighten him from the path he had entered\nupon. One moonlight night as he was using his drag in his search for\ntreasures near the Cavern of Steenfoll, it caught fast in something.\nHe pulled with all his strength, but could not move it. In the\nmeantime the wind had risen, dark clouds drifted across the sky, the\nboat rocked violently and threatened to overturn, but Will would not\ngive in, he tugged and pulled until at length the resistance ceased,\nand as he felt no weight he thought the cords of the net must have\nbroken. But just as the clouds were about to cover the moon a round\nblack mass rose to the surface and once more he heard the word\n\u201cCarmilhan\u201d whispered. He would have seized it, but as he was about to\nstretch out his arm it disappeared in the darkness of the night and\nthe storm broke, forcing him to seek shelter beneath the rocks. Here\nhe fell asleep from sheer exhaustion, but only to endure the same\nrestless misery that he endured by day, owing to his everlasting\nlonging for wealth.\n\nThe first rays of the rising sun illumined the surface of the water\nwhen Will awoke. He was about to set out upon his accustomed work when\nhe saw something approaching him from a distance; he recognised it to\nbe a boat with a man in it, but what aroused his curiosity was that\nthe boat was moving along without the assistance of either sails or\nrudder and the bows were turned to the shore.\n\n [Illustration: _THE CAVERN OF STEENFOLL._\n _\u201cI came to look for the Carmilhan,\u201d he said_\n _p. 335._]\n\nThe boat came nearer and nearer and stopped at length beside Will\u2019s\nboat, and Will could see that the person in it was a little wizened\nold man, dressed in yellow linen with a red pointed night-cap on\nhis head, his eyes were closed and he looked as though he were dead.\nWill called to him several times without obtaining an answer, and was\nabout to fasten a cord to the boat in order to tow it along when the\nman opened his eyes and writhed about in a fashion that filled even\nthe hardy fisherman with horror.\n\n\u201cWhere am I?\u201d he asked with a deep sigh, speaking in Dutch, and Will,\nwho had learnt a few words of that language from the Dutch herring\nfishers, told him the name of the island, and asked him who he was and\nwhat had brought him there.\n\n\u201cI came to look for the Carmilhan,\u201d he said.\n\n\u201cWhat _is_ the Carmilhan?\u201d cried the fisherman eagerly.\n\n\u201cThe Carmilhan does not exist any longer,\u201d the man said, \u201cbut it was\nonce a fine ship, heavily laden with gold.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhen was it wrecked, and where?\u201d\n\n\u201cIt happened more than a hundred years ago, I am not quite certain\nwhere. I have come to find the place and to fish up the lost gold; if\nyou will help me we will divide whatever we find.\u201d\n\n\u201cI agree with all my heart, but what must I do?\u201d asked Will.\n\n\u201cWhat you have to do requires courage; you must go to the wildest and\nmost deserted portion of the island at midnight, take a cow with you,\nkill it, and get some one to wind you up in its skin. Your companion\nmust then lay you down on the ground and leave you, and before the\nclock strikes one o\u2019clock you will know where the treasures of the\nCarmilhan lie.\u201d\n\n\u201cBut that was how old Engrol was lost, soul and body,\u201d cried Will in\nterror; \u201cyou are without doubt the evil one and I will have nothing to\ndo with you,\u201d and he rowed hastily away.\n\nThe little man ground his teeth with rage and abused him roundly, but\nthe fisherman bent to his oars and was soon out of hearing, and after\nhe had turned and rounded a rock he was out of sight also. But the\nknowledge that the evil spirit had endeavoured to make use of his\navarice in order to lure him into his toils with gold did not cure the\ninfatuated fisherman; on the contrary he intended to make use of the\ninformation he had obtained from the little man, without getting into\nhis clutches, and so he continued to fish all around that barren coast\nfor gold, neglecting the wealth of fish he might have obtained in\nother parts of the sea, in the same way that he neglected all his\nother work, so that day by day he and his companion sank into deeper\npoverty, until at length they wanted for the necessities of life.\n\nBut although this state of things was entirely owing to Will Hawk\u2019s\nobstinacy and greed and that the support of both of them fell to\nCaspar Stump alone, the latter never made him the slightest reproach,\nbut showed him the same deference, the same confidence in his better\njudgment as in the days when all his undertakings were successful.\nThis increased Will\u2019s troubles considerably, but drove him still more\nto seek for money, because he hoped to repay his friend for his\npresent deprivations.\n\nThe whispered word \u201cCarmilhan\u201d resounded ever in his slumbers. In\nshort, want, disappointed expectations and avarice at length drove him\nmad, so that he decided to do what the little man had advised,\nalthough he knew from hearsay that he was selling himself to the\npowers of darkness.\n\nAll Caspar\u2019s representations were in vain. Will became more violent\nthe more he was besought to give up his intentions. The good-natured,\nweak-minded fellow at last gave in and consented to assist him in\ncarrying out his plans.\n\nBoth their hearts were filled with grief as they led out a beautiful\ncow, the last of their possessions. They had brought her up from a\ncalf and had forborne to sell her because they could not bear to trust\nher in strange hands. But the evil spirit that had taken possession of\nWilliam\u2019s mind stifled all better feeling in him, and Caspar could\nresist him in nothing.\n\nIt was September and the long nights of the Scottish winter had began\nand the dark clouds were racing along before the rough wind and seemed\nto lose themselves in the waters of the Clyde, deep shadows filled the\nmountain clefts, and the damp turfy marshes and the sullen streams\nlooked dark and forbidding. Will Hawk went in advance and Caspar\nfollowed, shuddering at his own audacity. Tears filled his dim eyes as\noften as he looked at the poor cow which went so trustfully to meet\nits death at the hand that had hitherto tended it. They reached at\nlength the boggy pass, overgrown with moss and heather and strewn with\nlarge stones, and surrounded by a wild chain of mountains that lost\nthemselves in mist and were seldom crossed by the foot of man. Over\nthe boggy ground they went until they reached a great stone in the\ncentre, from which a frightened eagle soared screaming.\n\nThe poor cow lowed mournfully as though she recognised the horror of\nthe place and the fate that awaited her. Caspar turned away to hide\nhis fast-flowing tears. He looked down the rocky way they had come up\nand from whence one could hear the moaning of the sea, and then looked\nup towards the mountain tops, hidden by a black cloud from which a\ndull murmuring came. When he again looked at Will he had already bound\nthe poor cow to the stone and stood with axe raised ready to strike.\n\nThis was too much for poor Caspar. Wringing his hands, he fell upon\nhis knees and entreated Will to desist from tempting Providence and to\nspare the life of the poor animal.\n\n\u201cBe it as you will,\u201d replied the infatuated man; \u201cbut if you have your\nway you may as well kill me instead of the cow, for otherwise I shall\nsurely die of hunger.\u201d\n\nIt was in vain for Caspar to reason with him and to protest that in\nfuture he would work hard in order to provide a living for both of\nthem, Will would not listen; he threw away the axe, but seizing a\nknife declared that as Caspar preferred the cow to him he would put an\nend to his wretched life.\n\nPoor Caspar seized his hand and, snatching the knife, threw it away,\nthen taking the axe he struck the cow such a tremendous blow that it\nfell dead at its master\u2019s feet.\n\nCaspar, assisted by Will, then hurriedly removed the hide, and Will\nallowed his friend to envelope him in it, although he seemed suddenly\nto have been stricken with terror at what he was doing.\n\nThe thunderstorm had increased in violence, and by the time Will was\nfirmly fastened into the cow\u2019s hide it was so dark that the two\nfriends could no longer see each other and bade each other farewell in\ntotal darkness.\n\nLeft to himself Will endured an agony of fear and suspense; at length\nhe would gladly have disentangled himself from the hide and rushed\nafter Caspar, but he had been too firmly tied up to be able to free\nhimself.\n\n [Illustration: _Over the boggy ground they went._ (P. 338.)]\n\nThe storm continued to increase in fury until at length the waters\nrose and almost covered him and he began to think that he would be\ndrowned, when a sort of waterspout arose and, catching him up, dashed\nhim to the foot of the rocks with so much force that he became\nunconscious.\n\nWhen he regained his senses he felt bruised and weak. He could hear a\nfaint sound of singing, which at first he took to be merely the\nsighing and moaning of the waves, but as it grew louder he began to\nrecognise the tune as a hymn which he had heard the fishermen singing\non board a Dutch herring smack.\n\nNearer and nearer came the sound of the music, and presently to his\nsurprise he saw a procession of human figures approaching him. Grief\nand fear were depicted on their countenances, and their clothes were\nall dripping with water.\n\nAs they came close up to him the singing ceased; the procession was\nled by several musicians, then came a number of sailors, and behind\nthem walked a big fat man dressed in quaint, old-fashioned garments,\nwhich were richly embroidered with gold threads. He had a sword by his\nside and in his hand he carried a long thick Spanish cane with a gold\nknob.\n\nA negro boy walked beside him carrying the long pipe from which his\nmaster drew a whiff from time to time. A number of other richly-dressed\nmen accompanied him, all of them carrying pipes, though not such\nhandsome ones as that of the stout man. Behind these came a\nnumber of women, all handsomely attired in old-fashioned garments,\nsome of them carried little children in their arms, and some led\nchildren by the hand.\n\nA crowd of Dutch sailors closed the procession, each of them having a\nquid of tobacco in his mouth and a pipe between his teeth, which he\nsmoked in gloomy silence. As the whole assembly began to close round\nWill, the smoke from their pipes grew denser and denser and he felt as\nthough he were about to be smothered.\n\nHe was by nature a courageous man, but a nameless terror now seemed\nto seize him, which was increased by the sight of the little yellow\nman, who had suddenly appeared and was seated close beside him.\n\n [Illustration: _A negro boy walked beside him, carrying the long\n pipe._ (P. 340.)]\n\nHe looked exactly as he had done before, except that now, as though to\nmock the assembled company, he, too, had a pipe in his mouth.\n\nIn an agony of terror Will now turned to the big stout man and cried,\n\u201cIn the name of him you serve, who are you and what do you want with\nme?\u201d\n\nThe big man took three whiffs from his pipe in solemn silence, then he\nhanded his pipe to his servant and replied coldly:\n\n\u201cI am Alfred Franz van der Swelder, captain of the ship Carmilhan\nfrom Amsterdam, which was lost with all hands on this rocky coast on\nthe return journey from Batavia. These are my officers and passengers,\nand those are my brave sailors, all of whom were drowned with me. Why\nhave you called us from out the depths of the sea? Why do you disturb\nour rest?\u201d\n\n\u201cI wish to know where the treasures of the Carmilhan lie hidden.\u201d\n\n\u201cAt the bottom of the sea.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhere?\u201d\n\n\u201cIn the Cavern of Steenfoll.\u201d\n\n\u201cHow can I reach them?\u201d\n\n\u201cA goose will dive after a herring, are not the treasures of the\nCarmilhan worth much more?\u201d\n\n\u201cHow much shall I succeed in obtaining?\u201d\n\n\u201cMore than you will ever be able to spend.\u201d\n\nThe little yellow man grinned and the whole assembly burst out\nlaughing.\n\n\u201cHave you finished your questioning?\u201d asked the captain.\n\n\u201cI have, farewell!\u201d replied Will.\n\n\u201cFarewell, until we meet again,\u201d answered the Dutchman, and turned to\ngo.\n\nThe musicians again led the procession, and they turned to depart in\nthe same order in which they had come, singing the same solemn chant,\nwhich faded away in the distance until at length it became lost in the\nsound of the waves beating upon the shore.\n\nWill now exerted all his strength to free himself from the hide that\nwrapped him round so tightly. He succeeded at last in freeing one arm\nand then commenced to loosen the cords that fastened him into the\nhide, until he had untied all the knots and rolled out of the hide.\nWithout losing a moment he hastened home, where he found poor Caspar\nlying unconscious upon the floor of the hut. Having restored him to\nhis senses with some trouble the good fellow wept tears of joy to see\nonce again the friend of his youth, whom he believed to have lost for\never. But his joy was soon quenched when Will told him of the\ndesperate undertaking he had now on hand.\n\n\u201cI could no longer endure the misery of this wretched place,\u201d he said,\n\u201cnow that it is within my power to attain riches for us both. Follow\nme or not, as you will.\u201d\n\n [Illustration: _He brought to the surface an iron chest full of\n gold pieces._ (P. 344.)]\n\nWith these words Will took up a torch, a flint and steel, and a rope\nand hastened away. Caspar followed as quickly as he could and found\nhis friend standing by the crevice in the rock leading to the Cavern\nof Steenfoll. He was making ready to lower himself by the rope into\nthe black depths below.\n\nFinding that all his entreaties to desist availed nothing, Caspar\nprepared to descend with his friend, but Will bade him remain where\nhe was and hold the rope. With fearful exertions, which only the\nblindest avarice could have driven him to make, he succeeded in\nclimbing down into the cavern until he reached a portion of projecting\nrock beneath which the black waves dashed to and fro, crested with\nwhite foam. He gazed eagerly into the water and saw something gleaming\nin the depths. Laying aside his torch, he dived beneath the waves and\nseized a heavy object, which he brought up to the surface. It was an\niron chest full of gold pieces. He told his companion what he had\nfound, but paid no attention to his entreaties to be content with what\nhe had and to re-ascend. Will thought he had but obtained the first\nfruits of his labours and dived again. A mocking laugh arose from the\ndepths of the sea, and the diver rose no more.\n\nSuch was the end of Will Hawk. Caspar went home a changed man. The\nterrible experiences he had undergone were too much for his weak head\nand sensitive heart and unsettled his mind. He allowed everything\nbelonging to him to go to rack and ruin, and wandered about day and\nnight, staring before him with unseeing eyes, and pitied but avoided\nby all.\n\nA fisherman is said to have seen and recognised Will Hawk, one stormy\nnight, amongst the crew of the Carmilhan, close to the shore, and on\nthe same night Caspar Stump disappeared and was never seen again,\nalthough he was sought for in every direction.\n\nFolks aver, however, that from that time forward the crew of the\nCarmilhan appear at certain times in the Cavern of Steenfoll and that\nboth Will Hawk and Caspar Stump are seen with them.\n\n\n_Printed in Bavaria._\n\n\n\n\nTranscriber\u2019s Note\n\nThe presence or absence of page numbers in illustration captions are\nall as printed.\n\nMinor punctuation errors have been repaired.\n\nHyphenation has been made consistent.\n\nTypographic errors have been corrected as follows:\n\n Page 16--repeated \u2018and\u2019 deleted--... towards the east and say ...\n\n Page 63--Madame amended to Madam (for consistency with other\n occurrences)--... and entered the service of Madam Ahavzi.\n\n Page 84--end amended to and--... they could not reduce the size\n of the noses and ears ...\n\n Page 108--call amended to all--... they all set upon Labakan and\n beat him soundly ...\n\n Page 111--be amended to the--... and had a knack of setting out\n her wares to the best advantage.\n\n Page 128--und amended to and--... his nose was enormous and\n reached beyond his chin, ...\n\n Page 151--whith amended to with--... a heart beating loudly with\n excitement.\n\n Page 171--see amended to seen--... he remembered where he had\n last seen him.\n\n Page 220--belieuve amended to believe--... and one could\n scarcely believe it possible for there to be such a giant.\n\n Page 225--bream amended to beam--... but a single board or\n beam ...\n\n Page 233--repeated \u2018and\u2019 deleted--Your father and grandfather\n before you ...\n\n Page 256--proverty amended to poverty--... for he supposed that\n all his poverty and anxious striving ...\n\n Page 257--be amended to he--\u201cWhat did you bring with you,\u201d he\n cried, ...\n\n Page 261--low amended to law--I trust you will not give me up to\n the hand of the law ...\n\n Page 272--repeated \u2018the\u2019 deleted--... his past life had been\n even as the terrible thunderstorm ...\n\n Page 280--or amended to for--... as your mother wished, for you\n are a good, sensible young fellow, ...\n\n Page 283--gashed amended to dashed--... they were a body of men\n armed with lances who dashed forward with incredible swiftness\n ...\n\n Page 307--expect amended to expert--... had been an arrow from\n the bow of an expert archer.\n\n Page 329--wich amended to which--... but using a drag which he\n had made on purpose ...\n\nThe frontispiece has been moved to follow the title page. Other\nillustrations have been moved where necessary so that they are not in\nthe middle of a paragraph.","title":"Fairy tales","tradition":"myth-cosmogony","translated_text":null,"word_count":78240}