The Mohammedan Law Of Turkey Persia Egypt India Morocco And Algeria
: Japanese Fairy TalesThe laws of Mohammedanism which are founded on the Koran and the
Traditions of Mohammed to-day constitute the civil and religious code of
many millions of the world's inhabitants.
A country that is subject to the government of Mohammedans is termed
Dar-ool-Islam, or a country of safety and salvation, and a country which
is not subject to such government is termed Dar-ool-hurb, or a country
of enmity. Thou
they are so bound together by the common tie of Islam that as between
themselves there is no difference of country, and they may therefore be
said to compose but one dar or commonwealth.
A Mohammedan is subject to the law of Islam absolutely, that is without
distinction of place or otherwise.
Every unbeliever in the Mohammedan religion is termed a kafir, or
infidel, and infidels who are not in subjection to some Mohammedan state
are generally treated by Islamic lawyers as hurbees, or enemies.
The Mohammedans are taught to believe that their system of jurisprudence
is of divine origin, is incapable of improvement, and can never be changed
in any material particular. The fact is that with all its alleged source,
perfection and immutability Mohammedan law has not been able to escape the
inevitable rule of change which seems to affect everything and everybody
in this world.
There are certain countries where the entire legal and religious system is
based on the laws of Mohammedanism; such countries are: Turkey, Persia and
Morocco. There are other countries, such as Egypt, India and Algeria,
where the law of Islam operates side by side with other legal systems.
In India there are four distinct systems of jurisprudence, all in full
operation and effect. These are:
1. English law created by the British Parliament.
2. Anglo-Indian law, which is created in India by the Legislative Councils
of the British Government.
3. Hindu law, which applies to every one in British India who is a Hindu,
and to no one else.
4. Mohammedan law, which applies to every one in British India who is a
Mohammedan, and to no one else.
If a Mohammedan in India abandons his religion he ceases to be governed by
Mohammedan law.
Since the promulgation of the Regulations of Warren Hastings in 1772, all
suits in British India regarding inheritance, marriage, caste and other
religious usages and institutions with respect to Mohammedans have been
decided invariably according to Mohammedan law.
EGYPT.--There are four kinds of legal tribunals in Egypt, namely:
1. The Native Courts, which have civil and criminal jurisdiction over
natives.
2. The Consular Courts, which have jurisdiction over foreigners charged
with crime.
3. The Mixed Tribunals, which have civil and criminal jurisdiction over
persons of diverse citizenship.
4. The Mohammedan Courts, which deal with the questions of the personal
rights of the Mohammedan inhabitants according to the laws of Islam.
As over ninety per centum of the people of Egypt are Mohammedans, the
importance of the Mohammedan Courts is apparent.
The Mohammedan law of marriage and divorce is also recognized as
controlling and effective when the parties to a marriage are Mohammedans,
in Russia, Roumania, Servia, Bulgaria and Greece.
MARRIAGE.--Marriage is enjoined on every Mohammedan, and celibacy is
frequently condemned by Mohammed. "When the servant of God marries, he
perfects half of his religion," said the Prophet. Once Mohammed inquired
of a man if he was married, and being answered in the negative, he asked,
"Art thou sound and healthy?" When the man answered that he was the
Prophet angrily said, "Then thou art one of the brothers of the devil."
VALIDITY OF MARRIAGE.--Marriage, according to Mohammedan law, is simply a
civil contract, and its validity does not depend upon any religious
ceremony. Though the civil contract is not required to be reduced to
writing, its validity depends upon the consent of the parties, which is
called "ijab" and "gabul," meaning declaration and acceptance; the
presence of two male witnesses (or one male and two female witnesses); and
a dower of not less than ten dirhams to be settled on the woman. The
omission of the settlement does not, however, invalidate the contract, for
under any circumstances, the woman becomes entitled to her dower of ten
dirhams or more.
It is a recognized principle that the capacity of each of the parties to a
marriage is to be judged of by their respective lex domicilii.
The capacity of a Mussulman domiciled in England will be regulated by the
English law, but the capacity of one who is domiciled in the
Belad-ul-Islam, or Mohammedan country, by the provisions of Mohammedan
law.
We are told by the highest authorities on Islamic law that the three
principal conditions which are requisite for a proper marriage are:
understanding, puberty and freedom in the contracting parties.
The Mohammedan law fixes no arbitrary age at which either male or female
is competent to marry.
Besides understanding, puberty and freedom, the capacity to marry requires
that there should be no legal disability or bar to the union of the
parties; that in fact they should not be within the prohibited degrees of
relationship.
LEGAL DISABILITIES.--There are nine prohibitions to marry, namely:
1. Consanguinity, which includes mother, grandmother, sister, niece and
aunt.
2. Affinity, which includes mother-in-law, step-grandmother,
daughter-in-law and step-granddaughter.
3. Fosterage. A man cannot marry his foster-mother, nor foster-sister,
unless the foster-brother and sister were nursed by the same mother at
intervals widely separated. But a man may marry the mother of his
foster-sister, or the foster-mother of his sister.
4. Sister-in-law. A man may not marry his wife's sister during his wife's
lifetime, unless she be divorced.
5. A man married to a free woman cannot marry a slave.
6. It is not lawful for a man to marry the wife or mu'taddah of another,
whether the 'iddah be on account of repudiation or death. That is, he
cannot marry until the expiration of the woman's 'iddah, or period of
probation.
7. A Mohammedan cannot marry a Polytheist, but he may marry a Christian,
Jewess, or a Sabean.
8. It is not lawful for a man to marry his own slave, or a woman her
bondsman.
9. If a man pronounces three divorces upon a wife who is free, or two upon
a slave, she is not lawful to him until she shall have been regularly
espoused by another man, who having duly consummated the marriage,
afterwards divorces her, or dies, and her 'iddah from him be
accomplished.
In the Koran or El-Kor'an we find in the chapter on women (Sura IV.)
the law expressed as to certain prohibitions:
"Forbidden to you are your mothers, and your daughters, and your sisters,
and your aunts, both on the father's and mother's side, and your nieces on
the brother's and sister's side, and your foster-mothers, and your
foster-sisters, and the mothers of your wives, and your stepdaughters who
are your wards, born of your wives to whom you have gone in: (but if ye
have not gone in unto them, it shall be no sin in you to marry them) and
the wives of your sons who proceed out of your loins; and ye may not have
two sisters; except where it is already done. Verily, God is Indulgent,
Merciful!"
POLYGAMY.--According to Mohammedanism polygamy is a divine institution,
and has the express sanction of the law. Mohammed restrained the practice
of polygamy by limiting the maximum number of contemporaneous marriages,
and by making absolute equity toward all obligatory on the man. A
Mohammedan may marry four wives but no more. The law is thus stated: "You
may marry two, three, or four wives, but not more." However, all true
believers are enjoined that, "if you cannot deal equitably and justly with
all you shall marry only one."
In India more than ninety-five per centum of the Mohammedans are at the
present, either by conviction or necessity, monogamists. In Persia only
two per centum of the population enjoy the questionable luxury of
plurality of wives.
CELEBRATION OF MARRIAGE.--The Nikah, or celebration of the marriage
contract, is preceded and followed by festive rejoicings, which have been
variously described by Oriental travellers, but they are not parts of
either the civil or religious ceremonies. The Mohammedan law appoints no
specific religious ceremony, nor are any religious rites necessary for the
contraction of a valid marriage. Legally, a marriage contracted between
two persons possessing the capacity to enter into the contract is valid
and binding, if entered into by mutual consent in the presence of
witnesses. As a matter of practice a Mohammedan marriage is generally
concluded by a formal ceremony which is ended by the Qazi offering the
following prayer:
"O Great God! grant that mutual love may reign between this couple, as it
existed between Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Joseph and Zalikha, Moses
and Zipporah, his highness Mohammed and Ayishah, and his highness Ali
al-Murtaza and Fatimatu'z-Zahra."
HUSBAND AND WIFE.--A husband is not guardian over his wife any further
than respects the rights of marriage, nor does the provision for her rest
upon him any further than with respect to food, clothing and lodging.
A husband must reside equally with each of his wives, unless one wife
bestow her right upon another wife.
A wife cannot give evidence in a court of law against her husband. If she
becomes a widow she must observe mourning for the space of four months and
ten days.
In the event of her husband's death a wife is entitled to a portion of her
husband's estate, in addition to her claim of dower, the claim of dower
taking precedence of all other claims on the estate.
"The women," says the Koran, "ought to behave toward their husbands in
like manner as their husbands toward them, according to what is just."
When the husband has left the place of conjugal domicile without making
any arrangements for his wife's support, the judge is authorized by law to
make an order that her maintenance shall be paid out of any fund or
property which the husband may have left in deposit or in trust, or
invested in any trade or business.
When a woman abandons the conjugal domicile without any valid reason, she
is not entitled to maintenance from her husband.
The Mohammedan law lays down distinctly that a wife is bound to live with
her husband, and to follow him wherever he wishes to go; and that on her
refusing to do so without sufficient or valid reason, the courts of
justice, on a suit for restitution of conjugal rights by the husband,
would order her to live with her husband.
The obligation of the wife, however, to live with her husband is not
absolute. The law recognizes circumstances which justify her refusal to
live with him.
Although the condition of women under Mohammedan law is most
unsatisfactory, it must be admitted that Mohammed effected a vast and
marked improvement in the condition of the female population of Arabia.
Amongst the Arabs who inhabited the peninsula of Arabia the condition of
women was extremely degraded, for amongst the pagan Arabs a woman was a
mere chattel. The Koran created a great reformation in the condition of
women. For the first time in the history of Oriental legislation the
principle of equality between the sexes was approached.
DIVORCE.--The Mohammedan law of divorce is founded upon express
injunctions contained in the Koran, as well as in the Traditions, and its
rules occupy an important part of all Mohammedan works on jurisprudence.
These rules may be summarized thus:
The thing which is lawful but disliked by God is divorce.
A husband may divorce his wife without any misbehaviour on her part, or
without assigning any cause.
There is an irregular form of divorce in which the husband repudiates his
wife by three sentences, either express or metaphorical, as for example:
"Thou art divorced! Thou art divorced! Thou art divorced!" The Mohammedan
who thus divorces his wife is held in the Hidayah to violate the law,
but the divorce is legal.
A sick man may divorce his wife, even though he be on his death-bed.
An agent or agents may be appointed by a husband to divorce his wife.
In addition to the will or caprice of the husband, there are also certain
conditions which require a divorce.
The following are causes for divorce, but generally require to be ratified
by a decree from the Qazi or judge:
1. Jubb. That is, when the husband has been by any cause deprived of his
organ of generation. This condition is called majbub, and if it existed
before the marriage the wife can obtain instant divorce.
2. Unnah. Impotence of either husband or wife.
3. Inequality of race or tribe.
4. Insufficient dower. (If the stipulated dowry is not given when
demanded.)
5. Refusal of Islam. If one of the parties embrace Islam, the judge must
offer it to the other three distinct times, and if he or she refuse to
embrace the faith, divorce follows.
6. Unjust accusation of adultery by a husband against his wife.
7. If a wife becomes the proprietor of her husband or the husband becomes
the proprietor of his slave wife divorce takes place.
8. An invalid marriage of any kind, arising from consanguinity or affinity
of parties, or other causes.
9. The executed vow of a husband not to have sexual intercourse with his
wife for as long as four months.
10. Difference of country. As, for example, if a husband flee from a
non-Moslem country to a country of Islam and his wife refuses to accompany
him.
11. Apostasy from Islam.
The Greek Church holds that marriage is dissoluble in case of adultery,
but not till a probationary period has elapsed during which a bishop or
priest mediates with a view to reconciliation.
A fourth marriage is unlawful.
When a man or woman apostatizes from Islam, then an immediate dissolution
of the marriage takes place, whether the apostasy be of the man or of the
woman, without a judicial decree. If both husband and wife apostatize at
the same time, their marriage bond remains; and if at any future time the
parties again return to Islam, no remarriage is necessary to constitute
them man and wife.
There is a form of divorce known as khula which is when a husband and
wife disagreeing, or for any other cause, the wife on payment of a
compensation or ransom to the husband, is permitted by law to obtain from
him a release from the marriage tie.
Mubara'ah is a divorce which is effected by mutual release.
A COMPARISON.--When compared with the Mosaic law it will be seen that by
the latter, divorce was only sanctioned when there was "some
uncleanness" in the wife, and whilst in Islam a husband can take back his
divorced wife, in the law of Moses it was not permitted. See Deut. xxiv.,
1-4.
IDDAH OR IDDAT.--This is the term of probation incumbent upon a woman in
consequence of a dissolution of marriage, either by divorce or the death
of her husband. After a divorce the period is three months, and after the
death of her husband four months and ten days, both periods being enjoined
by the Koran.
EFFECTS OF DIVORCE:
1. Sexual intercourse between the divorced persons becomes unlawful.
2. The wife is free to marry another husband after the completion of her
iddah; or immediately if the marriage was never consummated.
3. The husband may complete his legal number of four wives without
counting the divorced one, or may marry a woman who could not be lawfully
joined with the divorced one, for example, her sister, after the
completion of her iddah but not before.
4. If the marriage has been consummated before the divorce, the whole of
the unpaid dower becomes immediately payable by the husband to the wife,
and is enforceable like any other debt if the marriage had not been
consummated and the amount of dower was specified in the contract, he is
liable for half that amount; if none was specified, he must give the
divorced wife a present suitable to her rank, or their value. But the wife
has no right to anything if the divorce took place by her wish, or in
consequence of any disqualifications on her side, as for instance, her
apostasy.
5. The wife is entitled to be maintained by her husband during the iddah
on the same scale as before the divorce, conditionally on submitting to
her husband's control as regards her place of residence and general
behaviour. But on completion of her iddah she ceases to have any claim
for maintenance.
More
-
The Man, the Horse, the Ox, and the Dog
A HORSE, Ox, and Dog, driven to great straits by the cold, sought shelter and protection from Man. He received them kindly, lighted a fire, and warmed them. He let the Horse make free with his oats, gave the Ox an abundance of hay, and fed the Dog... The Mandarin And The Butterfly
A mandarin once lived in Kiang-ho who was so exceedingly cross and disagreeable that everyone hated him. He snarled and stormed at every person he met and was never known to laugh or be merry under any circumstances. Especially he hated boys and g... The Manslayer
A MAN committed a murder, and was pursued by the relations of the man whom he murdered. On his reaching the river Nile he saw a Lion on its bank and being fearfully afraid, climbed up a tree. He found a serpent in the upper branches of the tree, an... The Marvellous Musician
THERE was once upon a time a marvellous musician. One day he was wandering through a wood all by himself, thinking now of one thing, now of another, till there was nothing else left to think about. Then he said to himself: `Time hangs very heavil... The Marvelous Dog And The Wonderful Cat
[Illustration: Background, books scattered on library shelves. Foreground, a white dog with glasses and a black cat seated at a low table, studying books and making notes.] Once upon a time there was an old enchanter who taught magic and enchan... The Master and His Dogs
A CERTAIN MAN, detained by a storm in his country house, first of all killed his sheep, and then his goats, for the maintenance of his household. The storm still continuing, he was obliged to slaughter his yoke oxen for food. On seeing this, his D... The Master Cat Or Puss In Boots
There was a miller who left no more estate to the three sons he had than his mill, his ass, and his cat. The partition was soon made. Neither scrivener nor attorney was sent for. They would soon have eaten up all the poor patrimony. The eldest ha... The Master Mariner
Once upon a time a fine young fisherman rose early in the morning, and sailed alone to the fishing-grounds. There was very little wind, and beneath the speckled clouds and the cold, pearly light of the late dawn, the broad, low billows went slowly a... The Master Of The Harvest
BY MRS. ALFRED GATTY (ADAPTED) The Master of the Harvest walked by the side of his cornfields in the springtime. A frown was on his face, for there had been no rain for several weeks, and the earth was hard from the parching of the east winds. Th... The Master Thief
There was once a farmer who had a son named Will, and he sent him out in the world to learn a trade and seek his fortune. Now he hadn't gone far when he was stopped by a band of robbers who called out to him: "Your purse or your life!" And he... The Master Thief
THERE was once upon a time a husbandman who had three sons. He had no property to bequeath to them, and no means of putting them in the way of getting a living, and did not know what to do, so he said that they had his leave to take to anything they... The Master-maid
There was once a king and a queen and they had a bonny boy whom they loved beyond anything. Now when he was grown up into a fine young prince, the King, his father, went a-hunting one day and lost his way in the forest, and when he came through it... The Master-maid
Once upon a time there was a king who had many sons. I do not exactly know how many there were, but the youngest of them could not stay quietly at home, and was determined to go out into the world and try his luck, and after a long time the King ... The Master-maid
Once there was a King who had a son, and this Prince would not stay at home, but went a long, long way off to a very far country. There he met a Giant; and though it seems a strange thing for a King's son to do, the Prince went to the Giant's hous... The Matsuyama Mirror
A long, long time ago there lived in a quiet spot a young man and his wife. They had one child, a little daughter, whom they both loved with all their hearts. I cannot tell you their names, for they have long since been forgotten; but the name ... The Mecha-meck
<p>That fearful time when the forest fire set all the Brownies busy burying their food and dishes at the feast-hall, you remember it took six of them to carry and hide the Mecha-meck. For it is a large fat white root as big as a baby, and sometimes i... The Medicine In The Sky
<p>This is one of the greatest and best secrets of Woodcraft—The Medicine in the Sky.</p> <p>Let me tell you a story about it. There was once an Indian who left his own people, to live with the white man, in the East. But the Great Spirit was d... The Mermaid And The Boy
Long, long ago, there lived a king who ruled over a country by the sea. When he had been married about a year, some of his subjects, inhabiting a distant group of islands, revolted against his laws, and it became needful for him to leave his wif... The Mermaids
The next morning, as soon as Trot had helped wipe the breakfast dishes and put them away in the cupboard, the little girl and Cap'n Bill started out toward the bluff. The air was soft and warm and the sun turned the edges of the waves into sparkli... The Merry Cobbler And His Coat
Spare, the merry cobbler, of whom we read in the last story, was treated like a prince at the King's court; and the news of his good fortune reached his brother Scrub in the moorland cottage one first of April, when the cuckoo came again with two ... The Merry Wives
From the Danish There lay three houses in a row, in one of which there lived a tailor, in another a carpenter, and in the third a smith. All three were married, and their wives were very good friends. They often talked about how stupid their hu... The Messenger
Here in the morning we're starting so soon, Give us a message, we'll ride to the moon, Straight through the meadows and hop o'er the stile, And we will but charge you a farthing a mile. A farthing a mile! a farthing a mile!... The Metal King
A GERMAN FOLE-TALE (ADAPTED) Once long ago there was a high mountain whose rocks were veined with gold and silver and seamed with iron. At times, from a huge rent in the mountain-side, there shot out roaring, red flames, and clouds of black sm... The Metal Pig
IN THE city of Florence, not far from the Piazza del Granduca, runs a little cross street called Porta Rosa. In this street, just in front of the market place where vegetables are sold, stands a pig, made of brass and curiously formed. The color h... The Mice and the Weasels
THE WEASELS and the Mice waged a perpetual war with each other, in which much blood was shed. The Weasels were always the victors. The Mice thought that the cause of their frequent defeats was that they had no leaders set apart from the general a... The Mice in Council
THE MICE summoned a council to decide how they might best devise means of warning themselves of the approach of their great enemy the Cat. Among the many plans suggested, the one that found most favor was the proposal to tie a bell to the neck of t... The Mid-day Rock
FROM THE FRENCH of J. JARRY. ONCE upon a time there was a poor man, who lived somewhere in the middle of the woods near a place called Gatines de Treigny. Everybody called him Father Rameau. Not that he had any children--he had not even ever be... The Milk-white Doo
There was once a man who got his living by working in the fields. He had one little son, called Curly-Locks, and one little daughter, called Golden-Tresses; but his wife was dead, and, as he had to be out all day, these children were often left al... The Milk-Woman and Her Pail
A FARMER'S daughter was carrying her Pail of milk from the field to the farmhouse, when she fell a-musing. "The money for which this milk will be sold, will buy at least three hundred eggs. The eggs, allowing for all mishaps, will produce two hundr... The Miller, His Son, and Their Ass
A MILLER and his son were driving their Ass to a neighboring fair to sell him. They had not gone far when they met with a troop of women collected round a well, talking and laughing. "Look there," cried one of them, "did you ever see such fellows,... The Mink And The Wolf
In a big forest in the north of America lived a quantity of wild animals of all sorts. They were always very polite when they met; but, in spite of that, they kept a close watch one upon the other, as each was afraid of being killed and eate... The Mischievous Dog
A DOG used to run up quietly to the heels of everyone he met, and to bite them without notice. His master suspended a bell about his neck so that the Dog might give notice of his presence wherever he went. Thinking it a mark of distinction, the Do... The Miser
A MISER sold all that he had and bought a lump of gold, which he buried in a hole in the ground by the side of an old wall and went to look at daily. One of his workmen observed his frequent visits to the spot and decided to watch his movements. H... The Miser And His Wife
["Let us cast away nothing," says Mr. Gifford, "for we know not what use we may have for it." So will every one admit whose reading has been sufficiently extensive to enable him to judge of the value of the simplest traditional tales. The present il... The Miser In The Bush
A farmer had a faithful and diligent servant, who had worked hard for him three years, without having been paid any wages. At last it came into the man's head that he would not go on thus without pay any longer; so he went to his master, and said, '... The Mishaps Of Handy Andy
Andy Rooney was a fellow who had the most singularly ingenious knack of doing everything the wrong way. He grew up in his humble Irish home full of mischief to the eyes of every one save his admiring mother. But, to do him justice, he never meant ... The Mohammedan Law Of Turkey Persia Egypt India Morocco And Algeria
The laws of Mohammedanism which are founded on the Koran and the Traditions of Mohammed to-day constitute the civil and religious code of many millions of the world's inhabitants. A country that is subject to the government of Mohammedans is ter... The Mole and His Mother
A MOLE, a creature blind from birth, once said to his Mother: "I am sure than I can see, Mother!" In the desire to prove to him his mistake, his Mother placed before him a few grains of frankincense, and asked, "What is it?' The young Mole said, ... The Mole And Other Animals
Some four-footed creatures Assembled one day, At the game of the blind man Together to play. A Dog and a Monkey, Brimful of his tricks-- With a Fox, Hare and Eat, And a Squirrel--made six. The Monkey, he... The Monday Story
Once upon a time there was a town called Atpat. In it there lived a very saintly king. One day he formed the wish to fill the shrine of Shiva, the moon-god, with milk up to the ceiling. He consulted his chief minister, and the latter sent a crier th... The Money Box
IN a nursery where a number of toys lay scattered about, a money box stood on the top of a very high wardrobe. It was made of clay in the shape of a pig and had been bought of the potter. In the back of the pig was a slit, and this slit had been e... The Monkey
A Monkey, clothed in silk, Will a Monkey still remain; So says an ancient proverb, And so say I again; As to all, it clearly will appear, Who listen to our fable here. In dress of gaudy hues, Such as harlequin would c... The Monkey and the Camel
THE BEASTS of the forest gave a splendid entertainment at which the Monkey stood up and danced. Having vastly delighted the assembly, he sat down amidst universal applause. The Camel, envious of the praises bestowed on the Monkey and desiring to ... The Monkey and the Dolphin
A SAILOR, bound on a long voyage, took with him a Monkey to amuse him while on shipboard. As he sailed off the coast of Greece, a violent tempest arose in which the ship was wrecked and he, his Monkey, and all the crew were obliged to swim for thei... The Monkey and the Fishermen
A MONKEY perched upon a lofty tree saw some Fishermen casting their nets into a river, and narrowly watched their proceedings. The Fishermen after a while gave up fishing, and on going home to dinner left their nets upon the bank. The Monkey, who i... The Monkey And The Jelly-fish
Children must often have wondered why jelly-fishes have no shells, like so many of the creatures that are washed up every day on the beach. In old times this was not so; the jelly-fish had as hard a shell as any of them, but he lost it through his ... The Monkey And The Magpie
To her friend, the crafty Monkey, Said a Magpie,--"If you'll go With me unto my dwelling, I've some pretty things to show. For, sure you know, I've skill A thousand things to steal. You shall see them, if you will, ... The Monkeys and Their Mother
THE MONKEY, it is said, has two young ones at each birth. The Mother fondles one and nurtures it with the greatest affection and care, but hates and neglects the other. It happened once that the young one which was caressed and loved was smothered... The Moon
The inhabitants of most of our rural districts still retain the old dislike to a new moon on Friday, and perpetuate it by the saying,-- Friday's moon, Come when it wool, It comes too soon. Or by the following,-- Frid... The Moon Maiden
There was an old bamboo cutter called Take Tori. He was an honest old man, very poor and hard-working, and he lived with his good old wife in a cottage on the hills. Children they had none, and little comfort in their old age, poor souls. Take ... The Morning Star And The Evening Star
Once upon a time something extraordinary happened. If it had not happened it would not be told. There was once an emperor and empress who were childless. So they sought out all the wizards and witches, all the old women and astrologers; but their ... The Mother and the Wolf
A FAMISHED WOLF was prowling about in the morning in search of food. As he passed the door of a cottage built in the forest, he heard a Mother say to her child, "Be quiet, or I will throw you out of the window, and the Wolf shall eat you." The Wol... The Mother Murre
BY DALLAS LORE SHARP One of the most striking cases of mother-love which has ever come under my observation, I saw in the summer of 1912 on the bird rookeries of the Three-Arch Rocks Reservation off the coast of Oregon. We were making our slow ... The Mount Of The Golden Queen
Once upon a time a lad who tended the cattle in the wood was eating his noon-tide meal in a clearing in the forest. As he was sitting there he saw a rat run into a juniper-bush. His curiosity led him to look for it; but as he bent over, down he we... The Mountain in Labor
A MOUNTAIN was once greatly agitated. Loud groans and noises were heard, and crowds of people came from all parts to see what was the matter. While they were assembled in anxious expectation of some terrible calamity, out came a Mouse. Don't ma... The Mourning-cloak Butterfly Or The Camberwell Beauty
<p>There was once a lady who dwelt in Camberwell. She was so good to see that people called her "The Camberwell Beauty." She dressed so magnificently that her robe was covered with gold, and spangled with precious stones of most amazing col... The Mouse and the Bull
A BULL was bitten by a Mouse and, angered by the wound, tried to capture him. But the Mouse reached his hole in safety. Though the Bull dug into the walls with his horns, he tired before he could rout out the Mouse, and crouching down, went to sle... The Mouse And The Frog
One day a Mouse met a Frog, and so well did they like each other that they said they would travel together. The Frog feared lest the Mouse should come to harm, and so tied his own hind-leg to the fore-leg of the Mouse. After a walk of some days li... The Mouse The Bird And The Sausage
Once upon a time, a Mouse, a Bird, and a Sausage, entered into partnership and set up house together. For a long time all went well; they lived in great comfort, and prospered so far as to be able to add considerably to their stores. The Bird's du... The Mouse The Bird And The Sausage
Once upon a time, a mouse, a bird, and a sausage, entered into partnership and set up house together. For a long time all went well; they lived in great comfort, and prospered so far as to be able to add considerably to their stores. The bird's duty... The Mouse, the Frog, and the Hawk
A MOUSE who always lived on the land, by an unlucky chance formed an intimate acquaintance with a Frog, who lived for the most part in the water. The Frog, one day intent on mischief, bound the foot of the Mouse tightly to his own. Thus joined tog... The Mud-dauber Wasp
<p>If you look under the roof of any wooden barn in Eastern America you are likely to see the nest of the common Mud-wasp.</p> <div> <img src="/images/i134.png" alt="The Mud-dauber Wasp (life size)" title="The Mud-dauber Wasp (life size)" height="353"... The Muff The Fan And The Umbrella
If some absurd presumption show-- In seeking everything to know, To serve but for a single use May also be without excuse. Upon a table, once, together lay A Muff, Umbrella, and a Fan. In dialect such as, in a former day,... The Mule
A MULE, frolicsome from lack of work and from too much corn, galloped about in a very extravagant manner, and said to himself: "My father surely was a high-mettled racer, and I am his own child in speed and spirit." On the next day, being driven a ... The Mules and the Robbers
TWO MULES well-laden with packs were trudging along. One carried panniers filled with money, the other sacks weighted with grain. The Mule carrying the treasure walked with head erect, as if conscious of the value of his burden, and tossed up and d... The Muley Cow
Nimble Deer was a famous jumper. And so was the Muley Cow. In Farmer Green's herd there was no other that could match her. Living as he did in the pasture, Billy Woodchuck had often seen and admired the Muley Cow as she jumped the fence in order... The Mushroom And The Goose
A Goose that was once cackling with great pride thought that a Mushroom was gazing at it, and said, "You contemptible thing, why do you stare at me like that? You can never hope to meet me on terms of equality, can you?" "Certainly, madam," sai... The Musical Trust
By D. K. Stevens There was once a man who could execute "Old Zip Coon" on a yellow flute, And several other tunes to boot, But he couldn't make a penny with his tootle-ti-toot Tootle-ootle-ootl... The Mutiny
BY A. DE LAMARTINE (ADAPTED) When Columbus left the Canaries to pass with his three small ships into the unknown seas, the eruptions of Teneriffe illuminated the heavens and were reflected in the sea. This cast terror into the minds of his seamen... The Nail
BY THE BROTHERS GRIMM A merchant had done good business at the fair; he had sold his wares, and filled his bag with gold and silver. Then he set out at once on his journey home, for he wished to be in his own house before night. At noon ... The Naughty Little Sick Snowbird
Daddy had been encouraging Jack and Evelyn to feed the little birds that came outside the window. So one evening when it was time for their story he told them about the Christmas a little snowbird had had the year before. "He was a very self... The Necklace Of Tears
By Mrs. Egerton Eastwick. ONCE, many years ago, there lived in Ombrelande a most beautiful Princess. Now, Ombrelande is a country which still exists, and in which many strange things still happen, although it is not to be found in any map of th...