The Magic Of The Mermaids
: The Sea FairiesWhen Trot and Cap'n Bill entered the Rose Chamber they found the two
mermaids reclining before an air fountain that was sending thousands
of tiny bubbles up through the water.
"These fountains of air are excellent things," remarked Queen
Aquareine, "for they keep the water fresh and sweet, and that is the
more necessary when it is confined by walls, as it is in this
castle. But now, let us counsel togethe
the emergency that confronts us."
"How can we tell what to do without knowing what's going to happen?"
asked Trot.
"Somethin's sure to happen," said Cap'n Bill.
As if to prove his words, a gong suddenly sounded at their door and
in walked a fat little man clothed all in white, including a white
apron and white cap. His face was round and jolly, and he had a big
mustache that curled up at the ends.
"Well, well!" said the little man, spreading out his legs and
putting his hands on his hips as he stood looking at them. "Of all
the queer things in the sea, you're the queerest! Mermaids, eh?"
"Don't bunch us that way!" protested Cap'n Bill.
"You are quite wrong," said Trot. "I'm a--a girl."
"With a fish's tail?" he asked, laughing at her.
"That's only just for a while," she said, "while I'm in the water,
you know. When I'm at home on the land I walk just as you do, an' so
does Cap'n Bill."
"But we haven't any gills," remarked the Cap'n, looking closely at
the little man's throat, "so I take it we're not as fishy as some
others."
"If you mean me, I must admit you are right," said the little man,
twisting his mustache. "I'm as near a fish as a man can be. But you
see, Cap'n, without the gills that make me a fish, I could not live
under water."
"When it comes to that, you've no business to live under water,"
asserted the sailor. "But I s'pose you're a slave and can't help
it."
"I'm chief cook for that old horror Zog. And that reminds me, good
mermaids, or good people, or good girls and sailors, or whatever you
are, that I'm sent here to ask what you'd like to eat."
"Good to see you, sir," said Cap'n Bill. "I'm nearly starved,
myself."
"I had it in mind," said the little man, "to prepare a regular
mermaid dinner, but since you're not mermaids--"
"Oh, two of us are," said the Queen, smiling. "I, my good cook, am
Aquareine, the ruler of the mermaids, and this is the Princess
Clia."
"I've often heard of you, your Majesty," returned the chief cook,
bowing respectfully, "and I must say I've heard only good of you.
Now that you have unfortunately become my master's prisoners, it
will give me pleasure to serve you as well as I am able."
"We thank you, good sir," said Aquareine.
"What have you got to eat?" inquired Trot. "Seems to me I'm hollow
way down to my toes--my tail, I mean--and it'll take a lot to fill
me up. We haven't eaten a morsel since breakfast, you know."
"I think I shall be able to give you almost anything you would
like," said the cook. "Zog is a wonderful magician and can procure
anything that exists with no more effort than a wiggle of his thumb.
But some eatables, you know, are hard to serve under water, because
they get so damp that they are soon ruined."
"Ah, it is different with the mermaids," said Princess Clia.
"Yes, all your things are kept dry because they are surrounded by
air. I've heard how the mermaids live. But here it is different."
"Take this ring," said the Queen, handing the chief cook a circlet
which she drew from her finger. "While it is in your possession, the
food you prepare will not get wet, or even moist."
"I thank your Majesty," returned the cook, taking the ring. "My name
is Tom Atto, and I'll do my best to please you. How would you like
for luncheon some oysters on the half-shell, clam broth, shrimp
salad, broiled turtle steak and watermelon?"
"That will do very nicely," answered the Queen.
"Do watermelons grow in the sea?" asked Trot.
"Of course, that is why they are called watermelons," replied Tom
Atto. "I think I shall serve you a water ice, in addition to the
rest. Water ice is an appropriate sea food."
"Have some watercress with the salad," said Cap'n Bill.
"I'd thought of that," declared the cook. "Doesn't my bill of fare
make your mouths water?"
"Hurry up and get it ready," suggested Trot.
Tom Atto at once bowed and retired, and when they were done, Cap'n
Bill said to the queen, "Do you think, ma'am, we can manage to
escape from Zog and his castle?"
"I hope we shall find a way," replied Aquareine. "The evil powers of
magic which Zog controls may not prove to be as strong as the fairy
powers I possess, but of course I cannot be positive until I
discover what this wicked magician is able to do."
Princess Clia was looking out of one of the windows. "I think I can
see an opening far up in the top of the dome," she said. They all
hastened to the windows to look, and although Trot and Cap'n Bill
could see nothing but a solid dome above the castle--perhaps because
it was so far away from them--the sharp eyes of Aquareine were not
to be deceived.
"Yes," she announced, "there is surely an opening in the center of
the great dome. A little thought must convince us that such an
opening is bound to exist, for otherwise the water confined within
the dome would not be fresh or clear."
"Then if we could escape from this castle, we could swim up to the
hole in the dome and get free!" exclaimed Trot.
"Why, Zog has probably ordered the opening well guarded, as he has
all the other outlets," responded the Queen. "Yet it may be worth
while for us to make the attempt to get back into the broad ocean
this way. The night would be the best time, when all are asleep, and
surely it will be quicker to reach the ocean through this hole in
the roof than by means of the long, winding passages by which we
entered."
"But we will have to break out of the castle in some way," observed
Cap'n Bill.
"That will not be difficult," answered Aquareine. "It will be no
trouble for me to shatter one of these panes of glass, allowing us
to pass out and swim straight up to the top of the dome."
"Let's do it now!" said Trot eagerly.
"No, my dear, we must wait for a good opportunity when we are not
watched closely. We do not wish the terrible Zog to thwart our
plan," answered the Queen gently.
Presently two sailor boys entered bearing trays of food, which they
placed upon a large table. They were cheery-faced young fellows with
gills at their throats, but had laughing eyes, and Trot was
astonished not to find any of the slaves of Zog weeping or
miserable. Instead, they were as jolly and good-natured as could be
and seemed to like their life under the water. Cap'n Bill asked one
of the boys how many slaves were in the castle, and the youth
replied that he would try to count them and let him know.
Tom Atto had, they found, prepared for them an excellent meal, and
they ate heartily because they were really hungry. After luncheon
Cap'n Bill smoked his pipe contentedly, and they renewed their
conversation, planning various ways to outwit Zog and make their
escape. While thus engaged, the gong at the door sounded and Sacho
entered.
"My diabolical master commands you to attend him," said the boy.
"When?" asked Aquareine.
"At once, your Majesty."
"Very well, we will follow you," she said. So they swam down the
corridors following Sacho until they again reached the golden-domed
room they had formerly visited. Here sat Zog just as they had left
him, seemingly, but when his prisoners entered, the magician arose
and stood upon his cloven feet and then silently walked to a
curtained archway.
Sacho commanded the prisoners to follow, and beyond the archway they
found a vast chamber that occupied the center of the castle and was
as big as a ballroom. Zog, who seemed to walk with much difficulty
because his ungainly body swayed back and forth, did not go far
beyond the arched entrance. A golden throne was set nearby, and in
this the monster seated himself. At one side of the throne stood a
group of slaves. They were men, women and children. All had broad
gold bands clasped around their ankles as a badge of servitude, and
at each throat were the fish's gills that enabled them to breathe
and live under water. Yet every face was smiling and serene, even in
the presence of their dread master. In parts of the big hall were
groups of other slaves.
Sacho ranged the prisoners in a circle before Zog's throne, and
slowly the magician turned his eyes, glowing like live coals, upon
the four. "Captives," said he, speaking in his clear, sweet voice,
"in our first interview you defied me, and both the mermaid queen
and the princess declared they could not die. But if that is a true
statement, as I have yet to discover, there are various ways to make
you miserable and unhappy, and this I propose to do in order to
amuse myself at your expense. You have been brought here to undergo
the first trial of strength between us." None of the prisoners
replied to this speech, so Zog turned to one of his slaves and said,
"Rivivi, bring in the Yell-Maker."
Rivivi was a big fellow, brown of skin and with flashing, black
eyes. He bowed to his master and left the room by an archway covered
with heavy draperies. The next moment these curtains were violently
pushed aside, and a dreadful sea creature swam into the hall. It had
a body much like that of a crab, only more round and of a jet-black
color. Its eyes were bright yellow balls set on the ends of two
horns that stuck out of its head. They were cruel-looking eyes, too,
and seemed able to see every person in the room at the same time.
The legs of the Yell-Maker, however, were the most curious part of
the creature. There were six of them, slender and black as coal, and
each extended twelve to fifteen feet from its body when stretched
out in a straight line. They were hinged in several places so they
could be folded up or extended at will. At the ends of these thin
legs were immense claws shaped like those of a lobster, and they
were real "nippers" of a most dangerous sort.
The prisoners knew, as soon as they saw the awful claws, why the
thing was called the "Yell-Maker," and Trot gave a little shiver and
crept closer to Cap'n Bill. Zog looked with approval upon the
creature he had summoned and said to it, "I give you four victims,
the four people with fish's tails. Let me hear how loud they can
yell."
The Yell-Maker uttered a grunt of pleasure and in a flash stretched
out one of its long legs toward the queen's nose, where its powerful
claws came together with a loud noise. Aquareine did not stir; she
only smiled. Both Zog and the creature that had attacked her seemed
much surprised to find she was unhurt. "Again!" cried Zog, and again
the Yell-Maker's claw shot out and tried to pinch the queen's pretty
ear. But the magic of the fairy mermaid was proof against this
sea-rascal's strength and swiftness, nor could he touch any part of
Aquareine, although he tried again and again, roaring with anger
like a mad bull.
Trot began to enjoy this performance, and as her merry, childish
laughter rang out, the Yell-Maker turned furiously upon the little
girl, two of the dreadful claws trying to nip her at the same time.
She had no chance to cry out or jump backward, yet she remained
unharmed. For the Fairy Circle of Queen Aquareine kept her safe. Now
Cap'n Bill was attacked, and Princess Clia as well. The half-dozen
slender legs darted in every direction like sword thrusts to reach
their victims, and the cruel claws snapped so rapidly that the sound
was like the rattling of castanets. But the four prisoners regarded
their enemy with smiling composure, and no yell greeted the
Yell-Maker's efforts.
"Enough!" said Zog, softly and sweetly. "You may retire, my poor
Yell-Maker, for with these people you are powerless."
The creature paused and rolled its yellow eyes. "May I nip just one
of the slaves, oh Zog?" it asked pleadingly. "I hate to leave
without pleasing your ears with a single yell."
"Let my slaves alone," was Zog's answer. "They are here to serve me
and must not be injured. Go, feeble one."
"Not so!" cried the Queen. "It is a shame, Zog, that such an evil
thing should exist in our fair sea." With this, she drew her fairy
wand from a fold of her gown and waved it toward the creature. At
once the Yell-Maker sank down unconscious upon the floor; its legs
fell apart in many pieces, the claws tumbling in a heap beside the
body. Then all grew withered and lost shape, becoming a pulpy mass,
like gelatin. A few moments later the creature had melted away to
nothing at all, forever disappearing from the ocean where it had
caused so much horror and pain.
Zog watched this destruction with surprising patience. When it was
all over, he nodded his head and smiled, and Trot noticed that
whenever Zog smiled, his slaves lost their jolly looks and began to
tremble. "That is very pretty magic, Aquareine," said the monster.
"I myself learned the trick several thousand years ago, so it does
not astonish me. Have you fairies nothing that is new to show me?"
"We desire only to protect ourselves," replied the Queen with
dignity.
"Then I will give you a chance to do so," said Zog. As he spoke, the
great marble blocks in the ceiling of the room directly over the
heads of the captives gave way and came crashing down upon them.
Many tons of weight were in these marble blocks, and the magician
had planned to crush his victims where they stood. But the four were
still unharmed. The marble, being unable to touch them, was diverted
from its course, and when the roar of the great crash had died away,
Zog saw his intended victims standing quietly in their places and
smiling scornfully at his weak attempts to destroy them.
More
-
The Little Gray Man
A nun, a countryman, and a blacksmith were once wandering through the world together. One day they lost their way in a thick, dark forest, and were thankful when they saw, in the distance, the walls of a house, where they hoped they might obtain... The Little Green Frog
Cabinet des Fees. In a part of the world whose name I forget lived once upon a time two kings, called Peridor and Diamantino. They were cousins as well as neighbours, and both were under the protection of the fairies; though it is only fair to ... The Little Hare
Contes populaires des Bassoutos. Recueillis et traduits par E. Jacottet. Paris: Leroux, Editeur. A long, long way off, in a land where water is very scarce, there lived a man and his wife and several children. One day the wife said to her husba... The Little Hare Of Oki
A Japanese Fairy Tale RETOLD BY B. M. BURRELL Alice lived in New York, but she still had the nurse who had taken care of her when she was a tiny baby in far-away Japan. Nurse wore the picturesque kimono and obi of her native land, and looked ... The Little House
There was once a man named Prudent, who was a widower and he lived alone with his little daughter. His wife had died a few days after the birth of this little girl, who was named Rosalie. Rosalie's father had a large fortune. He lived in a great... The Little Hunchback
In the kingdom of Kashgar, which is, as everybody knows, situated on the frontiers of Great Tartary, there lived long ago a tailor and his wife who loved each other very much. One day, when the tailor was hard at work, a little hunchback came and... The Little Lame Fox
There was once a wealthy farmer who had three sons. The oldest was a selfish overbearing fellow. The second was a weak chap who always did everything his brother suggested. The youngest whose name was Janko was not as bright and clever as his brot... The Little Match Girl
It was dreadfully cold, it was snowing fast, and almost dark; the evening--the last evening of the Old Year--was drawing in. But cold and dark as it was, a poor little girl, with bare head and feet, was still wandering about the streets. When she ... The Little Match Girl
BY HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN (TRANSLATED) It was very, very cold; it snowed and it grew dark; it was the last evening of the year, New Year's Eve. In the cold and dark a poor little girl, with bare head and bare feet, was walking through the streets... The Little Match Girl
IT was dreadfully cold; it was snowing fast, and was almost dark, as evening came on--the last evening of the year. In the cold and the darkness, there went along the street a poor little girl, bareheaded and with naked feet. When she left home sh... The Little Mermaid
FAR out in the ocean, where the water is as blue as the prettiest cornflower and as clear as crystal, it is very, very deep; so deep, indeed, that no cable could sound it, and many church steeples, piled one upon another, would not reach from the ... The Little Old Woman Who Lived In A Vinegar-bottle
There was once upon a time a little old woman who lived in a vinegar-bottle. One day, as she was sweeping out her house, she found a silver coin, and she thought she should like to buy a fish. So off she went to the place where the fishermen wer... The Little Peasant
There was a certain village wherein no one lived but really rich peasants, and just one poor one, whom they called the little peasant. He had not even so much as a cow, and still less money to buy one, and yet he and his wife did so wish to have one... The Little Pig
BY MAUD LINDSAY Once upon a time a little black-and-white pig with a curly tail went out to take a morning walk. He intended to go to the Mud Puddle, but before he got there he came to a garden gate that was stretched wide open. "Umph, umph,... The Little Pink Pig And The Big Road
BY JASMINE STONE VAN DRESSER Once there was a little pink pig with five little spotted brothers and sisters. They had a nice home in the wood lot with their mama, and a nice yard with a little white fence around it. The little pigs were very happ... The Little Princess Of The Fearless Heart
BY B. J. DASKAM Once upon a time the great, yellow stork carried a baby Princess to the Queen of that country which lies next to fairy-land. All throughout the kingdom the bells rang, the people shouted, and the King declared a holiday for a ... The Little Purse With Two Half-pennies
There was once an old man and an old woman. The old woman had a hen and the old man had a rooster; the old woman's hen laid two eggs a day and she ate a great many, but she would not give the old man a single one. One day the old man lost patience an... The Little Singing Frog
There was once a poor laborer and his wife who had no children. Every day the woman would sigh and say: If only we had a child! Then the man would sigh, too, and say: It would be pleasant to have a little daughter, wouldn't it? At last... The Little Soldier
I Once upon a time there was a little soldier who had just come back from the war. He was a brave little fellow, but he had lost neither arms nor legs in battle. Still, the fighting was ended and the army disbanded, so he had to return to the... The Little Tree That Longed For Other Leaves
BY FRIEDRICH RUCHERT (TRANSLATED) There was a little tree that stood in the woods through both good and stormy weather, and it was covered from top to bottom with needles instead of leaves. The needles were sharp and prickly, so the little tree s... The Little Tree That Never Grew Up
Long, long ago, when the world was very young, so young that the flowers and trees and grasses had voices and talked with each other, or sang with the breezes that blew softly around them, there lived in the midst of a forest a very littl... The Little Weaver Of Duleek Gate
BY SAMUEL LOVER You see, there was a waiver lived, wanst upon a time, in Duleek here, hard by the gate, and a very honest, industherous man he was, by all accounts. He had a wife, and av coorse they had childhre, and small blame to them, and pl... The Little Window
A Froebel Finger Play Look, my dear, at this window clear. See how the light shines through in here. If you would always see the light, Keep your heart's window clean and bright. ... The Lizards
A Naturalist, cruel as a Turk, Two Lizards in his garden catches, And coolly sets himself at work To anatomize the little wretches. The plumpest now he has dissected, And torn the reptile limb from limb; With microscope he ... The Lochmaben Harper
"Oh, heard ye of a silly harper, Wha lang lived in Lochmaben town, How he did gang to fair England, To steal King Henry's wanton brown?" Once upon a time, there was an old man in Lochmaben, who made his livelihood by going ... The Lost Half-hour
Once upon a time there was an old widow woman who had three sons: the first two were clever enough, but the third, Bobo by name, was little better than a silly simpleton. All his mother's scoldings and beatings--and she smacked the poor lad soundly ... The Lost Money
BY BOLTON HALL Doris's papa gave her a five-dollar bill, such a lot of money! Doris went to a big bank and asked if they could give her smaller money for it. The banker said he thought they could. So he gave her two two-dollar bills and a big sil... The Loveliest Rose In The World
BY HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN (ADAPTED) Once there reigned a queen, in whose garden were found the most glorious flowers at all seasons and from all the lands of the world. But more than all others she loved the roses, and she had many kinds of this ... The Loving Pair
A WHIPPING Top and a Ball lay close together in a drawer among other playthings. One day the Top said to the Ball, "Since we are living so much together, why should we not be lovers?" But the Ball, being made of morocco leather, thought herself ... The Lute Player
Once upon a time there was a king and queen who lived happily and comfortably together. They were very fond of each other and had nothing to worry them, but at last the king grew restless. He longed to go out into the world, to try his strength in... The Macaw And The Marmot
A brilliantly-colored Macaw, A wandering clown, near the spot Where she hung in a balcony, saw-- A Savoyard, more likely than not. He was showing--a penny to gain-- An animal ugly and squat; Which he lauded in high-... The Mad Goose And The Tiger Forest
Hu-lin was a little slave girl. She had been sold by her father when she was scarcely more than a baby, and had lived for five years with a number of other children in a wretched houseboat. Her cruel master treated her very badly. He made her g... The Magic Bon Bons
There lived in Boston a wise and ancient chemist by the name of Dr. Daws, who dabbled somewhat in magic. There also lived in Boston a young lady by the name of Claribel Sudds, who was possessed of much money, little wit and an intense desire to go... The Magic Book
There was once an old couple named Peder and Kirsten who had an only son called Hans. From the time he was a little boy he had been told that on his sixteenth birthday he must go out into the world and serve his apprenticeship. So, one fine... The Magic Kettle
Right in the middle of Japan, high up among the mountains, an old man lived in his little house. He was very proud of it, and never tired of admiring the whiteness of his straw mats, and the pretty papered walls, which in warm weather always slid ba... The Magic Mirror
From the Senna A long, long while ago, before ever the White Men were seen in Senna, there lived a man called Gopani-Kufa. One day, as he was out hunting, he came upon a strange sight. An enormous python had caught an antelope and coiled i... The Magic Of The Mermaids
When Trot and Cap'n Bill entered the Rose Chamber they found the two mermaids reclining before an air fountain that was sending thousands of tiny bubbles up through the water. "These fountains of air are excellent things," remarked Queen Aquare... The Magic Palace
Ibrahim, the most learned and pious man of the city, whom everybody held in esteem, fell on troubled days. To none did he speak of his sufferings, for he was proud and would have been compelled to refuse the help which he knew would have been offe... The Magic Ring
Once upon a time there lived an old couple who had one son called Martin. Now when the old man's time had come, he stretched himself out on his bed and died. Though all his life long he had toiled and moiled, he only left his widow and son two hun... The Magic Swan
There were once upon a time three brothers, of whom the eldest was called Jacob, the second Frederick, and the youngest Peter. This youngest brother was made a regular butt of by the other two, and they treated him shamefully. If anything went w... The Magic Tears
There was once a king named Theophile who lived in a dim castle on the edge of the ocean, but so far above the water that the flying spray never reached its lowest terrace; and only the strongest-winged seagulls could circle its towers and turrets... The Magician And His Pupil
From the German of A. Godin. THERE was once a poor shoemaker renowned far and wide as a drunkard. He had a good wife and many daughters, but only one son. As soon as this son was old enough his mother dressed him in his best clothes, combed his... The Magician's Horse
Once upon a time, there was a king who had three sons. Now it happened that one day the three princes went out hunting in a large forest at some distance from their father's palace, and the youngest prince lost his way, so his brothers had to re... The Magnet
I. In olden days there was a shepherd whose name was Magnes. Magnes lost a sheep. He went to the mountains to find it. He came to a place where there were barren rocks. He walked over these rocks, and felt that his boots were sticking to them. ... The Magpie's Nest
BY JOSEPH JACOBS All the birds of the air came to the magpie and asked her to teach them how to build nests. For the magpie is the cleverest bird of all at building nests. So she put all the birds round her and began to show them how to do it. Fi... The Maiden And The Frog
[This tale of the frog-lover is known in every part of Germany, and is alluded to by several old writers of that country. It is the tale "Der Froschkoenig, oder der Eiserne Heinrich," in Grimm. "These enchanted frogs," says Sir W. Scott, "have migra... The Maiden Of Unai
The Maiden of Unai was fair as an earthly deity, but the eyes of man might not behold her. She dwelt in a hidden place in her father's house, and of what cheer she made the live-long day not a soul could tell, but her father who kept watch, and he... The Maiden With The Wooden Helmet
In a little village in the country of Japan there lived long, long ago a man and his wife. For many years they were happy and prosperous, but bad times came, and at last nothing was left them but their daughter, who was as beautiful as the morning.... The Mail-coach Passengers
BY HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN (ADAPTED) It was bitterly cold. The sky glittered with stars, and not a breeze stirred. "Bump,"--an old pot was thrown at a neighbor's door; and, "Bang! Bang!" went the guns, for they were greeting the New Year. It wa... The Mallet
There were once two farmer men who were brothers. Both of them worked hard in seed-time and in harvest-time. They stood knee-deep in water to plant out the young rice, bending their backs a thousand times an hour; they wielded the sickle when the ... The Man and His Two Sweethearts
A MIDDLE-AGED MAN, whose hair had begun to turn gray, courted two women at the same time. One of them was young, and the other well advanced in years. The elder woman, ashamed to be courted by a man younger than herself, made a point, whenever her... The Man and His Wife
A MAN had a Wife who made herself hated by all the members of his household. Wishing to find out if she had the same effect on the persons in her father's house, he made some excuse to send her home on a visit to her father. After a short time she... The Man and the Lion
A MAN and a Lion traveled together through the forest. They soon began to boast of their respective superiority to each other in strength and prowess. As they were disputing, they passed a statue carved in stone, which represented "a Lion strangle... The Man and the Satyr
A MAN and a Satyr once drank together in token of a bond of alliance being formed between them. One very cold wintry day, as they talked, the Man put his fingers to his mouth and blew on them. When the Satyr asked the reason for this, he told him ... The Man Bitten by a Dog
A MAN who had been bitten by a Dog went about in quest of someone who might heal him. A friend, meeting him and learning what he wanted, said, "If you would be cured, take a piece of bread, and dip it in the blood from your wound, and go and give i... The Man In The Moon
The Man in the Moon Sups his sowins with a cutty-spoon. A Northumberland dish called sowins, is composed of the coarse parts of oatmeal, which are put into a tub, and covered with water, and then allowed to stand till it turns sour. A... The Man Who Died On Holy Innocents' Day
Once upon a time there was a man named Kalle Kula. He was a wild fellow, and had committed many a grievous crime during his life. When he came to die, and his wife took up the Bible to pray for him as he was lying there, he said, "No, this is Holy... The Man Who Never Knew Fear
TRANSLATED FROM THE GAELIC BY DOUGLAS HYDE There was once a lady, and she had two sons whose names were Louras (Lawrence) and Carrol. From the day that Lawrence was born nothing ever made him afraid, but Carrol would never go outside the door fr... The Man Who Would Not Scold
Old Wang lived in a village near Nanking. He cared for nothing in the world but to eat good food and plenty of it. Now, though this Wang was by no means a poor man, it made him very sad to spend money, and so people called him in sport, the Mis... The Man Without A Heart
Once upon a time there were seven brothers, who were orphans, and had no sister. Therefore they were obliged to do all their own housework. This they did not like at all; so after much deliberation they decided to get married. There were, unfortun... 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...