The Bones Of Djulung
: The Lilac Fairy BookIn a beautiful island that lies in the southern seas, where
chains of gay orchids bind the trees together, and the days and
nights are equally long and nearly equally hot, there once lived
a family of seven sisters. Their father and mother were dead, and
they had no brothers, so the eldest girl ruled over the rest, and
they all did as she bade them. One sister had to clean the house,
a second carried water from the spr
cooked their food, while to the youngest fell the hardest task of
all, for she had to cut and bring home the wood which was to keep
the fire continually burning. This was very hot and tiring work,
and when she had fed the fire and heaped up in a corner the
sticks that were to supply it till the next day, she often threw
herself down under a tree, and went sound asleep.
One morning, however, as she was staggering along with her bundle
on her back, she thought that the river which flowed past their
hut looked so cool and inviting that she determined to bathe in
it, instead of taking her usual nap. Hastily piling up her load
by the fire, and thrusting some sticks into the flame, she ran
down to the river and jumped in. How delicious it was diving and
swimming and floating in the dark forest, where the trees were so
thick that you could hardly see the sun! But after a while she
began to look about her, and her eyes fell on a little fish that
seemed made out of a rainbow, so brilliant were the colours he
flashed out.
'I should like him for a pet,' thought the girl, and the next
time the fish swam by, she put out her hand and caught him. Then
she ran along the grassy path till she came to a cave in front of
which a stream fell over some rocks into a basin. Here she put
her little fish, whose name was Djulung-djulung, and promising to
return soon and bring him some dinner, she went away.
By the time she got home, the rice for their dinner was ready
cooked, and the eldest sister gave the other six their portions
in wooden bowls. But the youngest did not finish hers, and when
no one was looking, stole off to the fountain in the forest where
the little fish was swimming about.
'See! I have not forgotten you,' she cried, and one by one she
let the grains of rice fall into the water, where the fish
gobbled them up greedily, for he had never tasted anything so
nice.
'That is all for to-day,' she said at last, 'but I will come
again to-morrow,' and biding him good-bye she went down the path.
Now the girl did not tell her sisters about the fish, but every
day she saved half of her rice to give him, and called him softly
in a little song she had made for herself. If she sometimes felt
hungry, no one knew of it, and, indeed, she did not mind that
much, when she saw how the fish enjoyed it. And the fish grew fat
and big, but the girl grew thin and weak, and the loads of wood
felt heavier every day, and at last her sisters noticed it.
Then they took counsel together, and watched her to see what she
did, and one of them followed her to the fountain where Djulung
lived, and saw her give him all the rice she had saved from her
breakfast. Hastening home the sister told the others what she had
witnessed, and that a lovely fat fish might be had for the
catching. So the eldest sister went and caught him, and he was
boiled for supper, but the youngest sister was away in the woods,
and did not know anything about it.
Next morning she went as usual to the cave, and sang her little
song, but no Djulung came to answer it; twice and thrice she
sang, then threw herself on her knees by the edge, and peered
into the dark water, but the trees cast such a deep shadow that
her eyes could not pierce it.
'Djulung cannot be dead, or his body would be floating on the
surface,' she said to herself, and rising to her feet she set out
homewards, feeling all of a sudden strangely tired.
'What is the matter with me?' she thought, but somehow or other
she managed to reach the hut, and threw herself down in a corner,
where she slept so soundly that for days no one was able to wake
her.
At length, one morning early, a cock began to crow so loud that
she could sleep no longer and as he continued to crow she seemed
to understand what he was saying, and that he was telling her
that Djulung was dead, killed and eaten by her sisters, and that
his bones lay buried under the kitchen fire. Very softly she got
up, and took up the large stone under the fire, and creeping out
carried the bones to the cave by the fountain, where she dug a
hole and buried them anew. And as she scooped out the hole with a
stick she sang a song, bidding the bones grow till they became a
tree--a tree that reached up so high into the heavens that its
leaves would fall across the sea into another island, whose king
would pick them up.
As there was no Djulung to give her rice to, the girl soon became
fat again, and as she was able to do her work as of old, her
sisters did not trouble about her. They never guessed that when
she went into the forest to gather her sticks, she never failed
to pay a visit to the tree, which grew taller and more wonderful
day by day. Never was such a tree seen before. Its trunk was of
iron, its leaves were of silk, its flowers of gold, and its fruit
of diamonds, and one evening, though the girl did not know it, a
soft breeze took one of the leaves, and blew it across the sea to
the feet of one of the king's attendants.
'What a curious leaf! I have never beheld one like it before. I
must show it to the king,' he said, and when the king saw it he
declared he would never rest until he had found the tree which
bore it, even if he had to spend the rest of his life in visiting
the islands that lay all round. Happily for him, he began with
the island that was nearest, and here in the forest he suddenly
saw standing before him the iron tree, its boughs covered with
shining leaves like the one he carried about him.
'But what sort of a tree is it, and how did it get here?' he
asked of the attendants he had with him. No one could answer him,
but as they were about to pass out of the forest a little boy
went by, and the king stopped and inquired if there was anyone
living in the neighbourhood whom he might question.
'Seven girls live in a hut down there,' replied the boy, pointing
with his finger to where the sun was setting.
'Then go and bring them here, and I will wait,' said the king,
and the boy ran off and told the sisters that a great chief, with
strings of jewels round his neck, had sent for them.
Pleased and excited the six elder sisters at once followed the
boy, but the youngest, who was busy, and who did not care about
strangers, stayed behind, to finish the work she was doing. The
king welcomed the girls eagerly, and asked them all manner of
questions about the tree, but as they had never even heard of its
existence, they could tell him nothing. 'And if we, who live
close by the forest, do not know, you may be sure no one does,'
added the eldest, who was rather cross at finding this was all
that the king wanted of them.
'But the boy told me there were seven of you, and there are only
six here,' said the king.
'Oh, the youngest is at home, but she is always half asleep, and
is of no use except to cut wood for the fire,' replied they in a
breath.
'That may be, but perhaps she dreams,' answered the king.
'Anyway, I will speak to her also.' Then he signed to one of his
attendants, who followed the path that the boy had taken to the
hut.
Soon the man returned, with the girl walking behind him. And as
soon as she reached the tree it bowed itself to the earth before
her, and she stretched out her hand and picked some of its leaves
and flowers and gave them to the king.
'The maiden who can work such wonders is fitted to be the wife of
the greatest chief,' he said, and so he married her, and took her
with him across the sea to his own home, where they lived happily
for ever after.
From 'Folk Lore,' by A. F. Mackenzie.
More
-
The Beggar Princess
Once upon a time there lived a king who had great wealth and also many daughters, among whom he divided his kingdom before he died. That is, he gave lands and estates to all but his fourth daughter, the Princess Yvonne, who from her lack of fortun... The Beggars Of Ratcliffe Fair
As I went to Ratcliffe Fair, there I met with a jolly beggare, Jolly beggare, and his name was John, and his wife's name was Jumping Joan; So there was John and Jumping Joan, Merry companions ev... The Beginning Of The Armadillos
THIS, O Best Beloved, is another story of the High and Far-Off Times. In the very middle of those times was a Stickly-Prickly Hedgehog, and he lived on the banks of the turbid Amazon, eating shelly snails and things. And he had a friend, a Slow-So... The Bell Of Dojoji
The monk Anchin was young in years but old in scholarship. Every day for many hours he read the Great Books of the Good Law and never wearied, and hard characters were not hard to him. The monk Anchin was young in years but old in holiness; h... The Bells Of The Solomon Seal
<p>Let us go out into the woods, and look for the Solomon Seal. This is May and we should find it in some half open place, where it is neither wet nor dry. Here it is! See the string of bells that hangs from its curving stem. Dig out its roots, wash ... The Belly and the Members
THE MEMBERS of the Body rebelled against the Belly, and said, "Why should we be perpetually engaged in administering to your wants, while you do nothing but take your rest, and enjoy yourself in luxury and self-indulgence?' The Members carried out ... The Benevolent Goblin
FROM GESTA ROMANORUM (ADAPTED) In the kingdom of England there is a hillock in the midst of a dense wood. Thither in old days knights and their followers were wont to repair when tired and thirsty after the chase. When one of their number called ... The Best Wish
There were once three brothers whose only possession was a pear tree. They took turns guarding it. That is to say while two of them went to work the third stayed at home to see that no harm came to the pear tree. Now it happened that an Angel fr... The Betrothal Gifts
THE STORY OF KUBIK AND THE FROG A farmer who had three sons was much troubled in his mind as to how he should leave his property. "My farm is too small to divide," he kept thinking to himself. "If I divide it into three equal parts and give eac... The Billy Goat And The King
Once there lived a certain king who understood the language of all birds and beasts and insects. This knowledge had of course been given him by a fairy godmother; but it was rather a troublesome present, for he knew that if he were ever to reveal ... The Bird 'grip'
Translated from the Swedish. It happened once that a king, who had a great kingdom and three sons, became blind, and no human skill or art could restore to him his sight. At last there came to the palace an old woman, who told him that in the w... The Bird Boy
Late one autumn night a young queen stood by her window, gazing upon the silent and deserted meadows gleaming in the moonlight. Suddenly, far, far up in the sky, she heard the weird cry of birds flying southward, and lifting her eyes, the Queen behe... The Bird Of Truth
Once upon a time there lived a poor fisher who built a hut on the banks of a stream which, shunning the glare of the sun and the noise of the towns, flowed quietly past trees and under bushes, listening to the songs of the birds overhead. ... The Bird With The Golden Gizzard
THE STORY OF TWO BROTHERS There was once a poor man who had a large family. He was so poor that he had nothing to feed the children. For three days they had had no food. On the third day as the father was out cutting osiers he saw, sitting in a b... The Bird's Nest
A Froebel Finger Play Here upon the leaves at rest A little bird has built her nest. Two tiny eggs within she's laid, And many days beside them stayed. Now she's happy; listen well! Two baby birds break through the... The Bird-cherry
A bird-cherry grew out on a hazel bush path and choked the bushes. I deliberated for a long time whether I had better cut down the bird-cherry, or not. This bird-cherry grew not as a bush, but as a tree, about six inches in diameter and thirty fee... The Birdcatcher, the Partridge, and the Cock
A BIRDCATCHER was about to sit down to a dinner of herbs when a friend unexpectedly came in. The bird-trap was quite empty, as he had caught nothing, and he had to kill a pied Partridge, which he had tamed for a decoy. The bird entreated earnestly... The Birds, the Beasts, and the Bat
THE BIRDS waged war with the Beasts, and each were by turns the conquerors. A Bat, fearing the uncertain issues of the fight, always fought on the side which he felt was the strongest. When peace was proclaimed, his deceitful conduct was apparent ... The Birth Of Bran
CHAPTER I There are people who do not like dogs a bit--they are usually women--but in this story there is a man who did not like dogs. In fact, he hated them. When he saw one he used to go black in the face, and he threw rocks at it until it ... The Bitch and Her Whelps
A BITCH, ready to whelp, earnestly begged a shepherd for a place where she might litter. When her request was granted, she besought permission to rear her puppies in the same spot. The shepherd again consented. But at last the Bitch, protected by... The Biter Bit
Once upon a time there lived a man called Simon, who was very rich, but at the same time as stingy and miserly as he could be. He had a housekeeper called Nina, a clever capable woman, and as she did her work carefully and conscientiously, her m... The Black Bowl
Long ago, in a part of the country not very remote from Kioto, the great gay city, there dwelt an honest couple. In a lonely place was their cottage, upon the outskirts of a deep wood of pine trees. Folks had it that the wood was haunted. They sai... The Black Bull Of Norroway
In bygone days, long centuries ago, there lived a widowed Queen who had three daughters. And this widowed Queen was so poor, and had fallen upon such evil days, that she and her daughters had often much ado to get enough to eat. So the eldest P... The Black Bull Of Norroway
Long ago in Norroway there lived a lady who had three daughters. Now they were all pretty, and one night they fell a-talking of whom they meant to marry. And the eldest said, "I will have no one lower than an Earl." And the second said, "I wi... The Black Dog And The White Dog
A Man in the East once went about saying, "I can put these two dogs together, one of which is white, and the other black, as you see, and make a gray dog of them; and turn the gray dog again to the black dog and the white dog, if people would pay ... The Black Thief And Knight Of The Glen
IN times of yore there was a King and a Queen in the south of Ireland who had three sons, all beautiful children; but the Queen, their mother, sickened unto death when they were yet very young, which caused great grief throughout the Court, particul... The Blind Man and the Whelp
A BLIND MAN was accustomed to distinguishing different animals by touching them with his hands. The whelp of a Wolf was brought him, with a request that he would feel it, and say what it was. He felt it, and being in doubt, said: "I do not quite k... The Blue Belt
Once on a time there was an old beggar-woman, who had gone out to beg. She had a little lad with her, and when she had got her bag full she struck across the hills towards her own home. So when they had gone a bit up the hill-side, they came upon ... The Blue Bird
A powerful and wealthy king, having lost his wife, was so inconsolable, that he shut himself up for eight entire days, in a little cabinet, where he spent his time in knocking his head against the wall, until the courtiers were afraid he would kil... The Blue Bird
Once upon a time there lived a King who was immensely rich. He had broad lands, and sacks overflowing with gold and silver; but he did not care a bit for all his riches, because the Queen, his wife, was dead. He shut himself up in a little room ... The Blue Light
There was once upon a time a soldier who for many years had served the king faithfully, but when the war came to an end could serve no longer because of the many wounds which he had received. The king said to him: 'You may return to your home, I nee... The Blue Mountains
There were once a Scotsman and an Englishman and an Irishman serving in the army together, who took it into their heads to run away on the first opportunity they could get. The chance came and they took it. They went on travelling for two days thr... The Blue Parrot
In a part of Arabia where groves of palms and sweet-scented flowers give the traveller rest after toilsome journeys under burning skies, there reigned a young king whose name was Lino. He had grown up under the wise rule of his father, who had lat... The Boasting Traveler
A MAN who had traveled in foreign lands boasted very much, on returning to his own country, of the many wonderful and heroic feats he had performed in the different places he had visited. Among other things, he said that when he was at Rhodes he had... The Bobolinks Have A Tea Party
"The other day," commenced daddy, "the bobolinks had an afternoon tea. "The tea party was given for the meadow larks. The bobolinks are great friends of the meadow larks and they wanted to be the first this season to entertain them. Besides, ... The Bogey-beast
There was once a woman who was very, very cheerful, though she had little to make her so; for she was old, and poor, and lonely. She lived in a little bit of a cottage and earned a scant living by running errands for her neighbours, getting a bite... The Bones Of Djulung
In a beautiful island that lies in the southern seas, where chains of gay orchids bind the trees together, and the days and nights are equally long and nearly equally hot, there once lived a family of seven sisters. Their father and mother wer... The Boston Tea-party
BY JOHN ANDREWS (ADAPTED) [5] On November 29, 1773, there arrived in Boston Harbor a ship carrying an hundred and odd chests of the detested tea. The people in the country roundabout, as well as the town's folk, were unanimous against allowi... The Bowman and Lion
A VERY SKILLFUL BOWMAN went to the mountains in search of game, but all the beasts of the forest fled at his approach. The Lion alone challenged him to combat. The Bowman immediately shot out an arrow and said to the Lion: "I send thee my messeng... The Box Of Robbers
No one intended to leave Martha alone that afternoon, but it happened that everyone was called away, for one reason or another. Mrs. McFarland was attending the weekly card party held by the Women's Anti-Gambling League. Sister Nell's young man ha... The Boy And The Dragon
Once, long ago, before the white man came to Canada, a boy was living with his parents in a village near the ocean. As he had no brothers or sisters, he was often lonely, and he longed for adventure and companionship. At last he decided t... The Boy and the Filberts
A BOY put his hand into a pitcher full of filberts. He grasped as many as he could possibly hold, but when he tried to pull out his hand, he was prevented from doing so by the neck of the pitcher. Unwilling to lose his filberts, and yet unable to ... The Boy and the Nettles
A BOY was stung by a Nettle. He ran home and told his Mother, saying, "Although it hurts me very much, I only touched it gently." "That was just why it stung you," said his Mother. "The next time you touch a Nettle, grasp it boldly, and it will b... The Boy And The Wolves Or The Broken Promise
A North American Indian story. Once upon a time an Indian hunter built himself a house in the middle of a great forest, far away from all his tribe; for his heart was gentle and kind, and he was weary of the treachery and cruel deeds of those wh... The Boy Bathing
A BOY bathing in a river was in danger of being drowned. He called out to a passing traveler for help, but instead of holding out a helping hand, the man stood by unconcernedly, and scolded the boy for his imprudence. "Oh, sir!" cried the youth, ... The Boy Hunting Locusts
A BOY was hunting for locusts. He had caught a goodly number, when he saw a Scorpion, and mistaking him for a locust, reached out his hand to take him. The Scorpion, showing his sting, said: If you had but touched me, my friend, you would have los... The Boy In The Land Of Shadows
Two orphan children, a boy and a girl, lived alone near the mountains. Their parents had long been dead and the children were left to look after themselves without any kindred upon the earth. The boy hunted all day long and provided much ... The Boy Of The Red Twilight Sky
Long ago there dwelt on the shores of the Great Water in the west a young man and his younger wife. They had no children and they lived all by themselves far from other people on an island not far from the coast. The man spent his time in... The Boy Who Became A Robin
AN OJIBBEWAY LEGEND BY HENRY R. SCHOOLCRAFT (ADAPTED) Once upon a time there was an old Indian who had an only son, whose name was Opeechee. The boy had come to the age when every Indian lad makes a long fast, in order to secure a Spirit to be ... The Boy Who Could Keep A Secret
Once upon a time there lived a poor widow who had one little boy. At first sight you would not have thought that he was different from a thousand other little boys; but then you noticed that by his side hung the scabbard of a sword, and as the boy g... The Boy Who Found Fear At Last
Once upon a time there lived a woman who had one son whom she loved dearly. The little cottage in which they dwelt was built on the outskirts of a forest, and as they had no neighbours, the place was very lonely, and the boy was kept at home by hi... The Boy Who Overcame The Giants
Once long ago, before the white man came to Canada, an orphan boy was living alone with his uncle. He was not very happy, for he had to work very hard, and tasks more fitted for a man's shoulders than for a boy's were often placed upon him. When h... The Boy Who Was Called Thick-head
Three brothers lived with their old Indian mother in the forest near the sea. Their father had long been dead. At his death he had little of the world's goods to his credit and his widow and her sons were very poor. In the place where the... The Boy Who Was Saved By Thoughts
A poor widow woman once lived near the sea in Eastern Canada. Her husband had been drowned catching fish one stormy day far off the coast, and her little boy was now her only means of support. He had no brothers or sisters, and he and his mother, ... The Boy Who Went To The North Wind
"Go you now to the safe and get some meal," said the mother of the Boy. "And mind that you carry it carefully, for there is but little left." So the Boy went to the safe to get the meal, but as he came back with it the North Wind blew it away, a... The Boyhood Of A Painter
If we are to believe the proverb, a 'Jack of all Trades is master of none,' and it is mostly true. But here and there even in our own day, we meet with some gifted person who seems to be able to do anything he desires, and during the periods of hi... The Boyhood Of Fionn
He was a king, a seer and a poet. He was a lord with a manifold and great train. He was our magician, our knowledgable one, our soothsayer. All that he did was sweet with him. And, however ye deem my testimony of Fionn excessive, and, although... The Boys and the Frogs
SOME BOYS, playing near a pond, saw a number of Frogs in the water and began to pelt them with stones. They killed several of them, when one of the Frogs, lifting his head out of the water, cried out: "Pray stop, my boys: what is sport to you, is... The Boys With The Golden Stars
Once upon a time what happened did happen: and if it had not happened, you would never have heard this story. Well, once upon a time there lived an emperor who had half a world all to himself to rule over, and in this world dwelt an old herd and... The Brahman Wife And Her Seven Sons
Once upon a time there was a town called Atpat. In it there lived a poor Brahman who used always to perform Shradh or memorial ceremonies to his father on the last day of the month of Shravan. When performing these ceremonies he always invited other... The Bramble-bush
A ring-dance imitation-play, the metrical portion of which is not without a little melody. The bramble-bush is often imaginative, but sometimes represented by a child in the centre of the ring. All join hands, and dance round in a circle, singing,--... The Brave Brown Sparrows In Winter
"You know," said daddy, "I saw such a strange thing to-day in the city." "Tell us about it," said Jack. "What was it?" asked Evelyn, who was always interested in whatever daddy had to say. "Well," continued daddy, "in a tree in the park ... The Brave Little Tailor
One summer's day a little tailor sat on his table by the window in the best of spirits, and sewed for dear life. As he was sitting thus a peasant woman came down the street, calling out: "Good jam to sell, good jam to sell." This sounded sweetly ... The Brave Men Of Calais
Many years ago, King Edward III of England took the town of Calais from the French king. He could not take it by force, for the walls were very strong, but he succeeded by another plan. He placed his soldiers all round the walls, and would let no ... The Brazier and His Dog
A BRAZIER had a little Dog, which was a great favorite with his master, and his constant companion. While he hammered away at his metals the Dog slept; but when, on the other hand, he went to dinner and began to eat, the Dog woke up and wagged his ... The Bremen Town Musicians
There was a man who owned a donkey, which had carried his sacks to the mill industriously for many years, but whose strength had come to an end, so that the poor beast grew more and more unfit for work. The master determined to stop his food, but ... The Bronze Ring
Once upon a time in a certain country there lived a king whose palace was surrounded by a spacious garden. But, though the gardeners were many and the soil was good, this garden yielded neither flowers nor fruits, not even grass or shady trees. ... The Brother and the Sister
A FATHER had one son and one daughter, the former remarkable for his good looks, the latter for her extraordinary ugliness. While they were playing one day as children, they happened by chance to look together into a mirror that was placed on their... The Brown Bear Of Norway
There was once a king in Ireland, and he had three daughters, and very nice princesses they were. And one day, when they and their father were walking on the lawn, the king began to joke with them, and to ask them whom they would like to be ma... The Brownie O' Ferne-den
There have been many Brownies known in Scotland; and stories have been written about the Brownie o' Bodsbeck and the Brownie o' Blednock, but about neither of them has a prettier story been told than that which I am going to tell you about the Bro... The Brownie Of Blednock
"There came a strange wight to our town en', An' the fient a body did him ken; He twirled na' lang, but he glided ben, Wi' a weary, dreary hum. His face did glow like the glow o' the West, When the drumly cloud had ... The Buffoon and the Countryman
A RICH NOBLEMAN once opened the theaters without charge to the people, and gave a public notice that he would handsomely reward any person who invented a new amusement for the occasion. Various public performers contended for the prize. Among them ...