boy walking away with golden goose while woman watchesTHE GOLDEN GOOSEThere was once an honest laborer who had three sons. The two eldest were stout clever lads, but as to the youngest one, John, he was little better than a simpleton.One day their mother wanted some wood from the forest, and it was the eldest lad who was to go and get it for her. It was a long way to the forest, so the mother filled a wallet with food for him. There was a loaf of fine white bread, and a bit ofcheese, and a leathern bottle of good red wine as well.The lad set off and walked along and walked along and after awhile he came to the place where he was going, and there under a tree sat an old, old man. His clothes were gray, and his hair was gray, and his face was gray, so he was gray all over.“Good-day,” said the man.“Good-day,” said the lad.“I am hungry,” said the gray man. “Have you not a bite and sup that you can share with me?”“Food I have, and drink too,” said the lad, “but it is for myself, and not for you. It would be a simple thing for me to carry it this far just to give it to a beggar”; and he went on his way.But it was bad luck the lad had that day. Scarcely had he begun chopping wood when the head of the ax flew off, and cut his foot so badly that he was obliged to go limping home, with not even so much as a fagot to carry with him.The next day it was the second son who said he would go to the forest for wood.“And see that you are more careful than yourbrother,” said his mother. Then she gave him a loaf of bread, and a bit of cheese, and a bottle of wine, and off he set.Presently he came to the forest, and there, sitting in the same place where he had sat before, was the old gray man.“Good-day,” said the man.“Good-day,” said the lad.“I am hungry,” said the gray man. “Have you not a bite or a sup to share with me?”“Food I have and drink as well, but I am not such a simpleton as to give it away when I need all for myself.”The lad went on to the place where he was going, and took his ax and began to chop, but scarcely had he begun when the ax slipped and cut his leg so badly that the blood ran, and he could scarcely get home again.That was a bad business, for now both of the elder brothers were lame.The next day the simpleton said he would go to the forest for wood.“You, indeed!” cried his mother. “It is not enough that your two brothers are hurt? Do youthink you are smarter than they are? No, no; do you stay quietly here at home. That is the best place for you.”But the simpleton was determined to go, so his mother gave him an end of dough that was left from the baking and a bottle of sour beer, for that was good enough for him. With these in his wallet John started off, and after awhile he came to the forest, and there was the gray man sitting just as before.“Good-day,” said the man.“Good-day,” answered the simpleton.“I am hungry,” said the gray man. “Have you not a bite or sup that you can share with me?”Oh yes, the simpleton had both food and drink in his wallet. It was none of the best, but such as it was he was willing to share it.He reached into his wallet and pulled out the piece of dough, but what was his surprise to find that it was dough no longer, but a fine cake, all made of the whitest flour. The old man snatched the cake from John and ate it all up in a trice. There was not so much as a crumb of it left.“Poor pickings for me!” said John.And now the old gray man was thirsty. “What have you in that bottle?” he asked.“Oh, that was only sour beer.”The old man took the bottle and opened it. “Sour beer! Why it is wine,” he cried, “and of the very best, too.”And the simpleton could tell it was by the smell of it. But the smell of it was all he got, for the old man raised the bottle to his lips, and when he put it down there was not a drop left in it.“And now I may go thirsty as well as hungry,” said John.“Never mind that,” said the old man. “After this you may eat and drink of the best whenever you will. Go on into the forest and take the first turning to the right. There you will see a hollow oak tree. Cut it down, and whatever you find inside of it you may keep; it belongs to me, and it is I who give it to you.”Then of a sudden the old man was gone, and where he went the simpleton could have told no one.The lad went on into the forest, as the gray man had told him, and took the first turn to the left,and there sure enough was a hollow oak tree. The lad could tell it was hollow from the sound it made when his ax struck it.John set to work, and chopped so hard the splinters flew.After awhile he cut through it so that the tree fell, and there, sitting in the hollow, was a goose, with eyes like diamonds, and every feather of pure gold.When John saw the goose he could not wonder enough. He took it up under his arm and off he set for home, for there was no more chopping for him that day.But if the goose shone like gold it weighed like lead. The farther John went the wearier he grew. After awhile he came to an inn, just outside of the city where the King lived. There the simpleton sat him down to rest. He pulled a feather from the golden goose, and gave it to the landlord and bade him bring him food and drink, and with such payment as that it was the very best that the landlord sat before him you may be sure.While the simpleton ate and drank the landlord’swife and daughter watched him from a window.“Oh, if we only had a second feather,” sighed the daughter.“Oh, if we only had!” sighed the mother.Then the two agreed between them that when the simpleton had finished eating and drinking, the daughter should creep up behind him and pluck another feather from the bird.Presently John could eat and drink no more. He rose up and tucked the golden goose under his arm, and off he set.The landlord’s daughter was watching, and she stole up behind him and caught hold of a feather in the goose’s tail. No sooner had she touched it, however, than her fingers stuck, and she could not let go. Off marched John with the goose under his arm, and the girl tagging along after him.The mother saw her following John down the road, and first she called, and then she shouted, and then she ran after her and caught hold of her to bring her home. But no sooner had she laid hands on the girl than she, too, stuck, and was obliged to follow John and the golden goose.The landlord was looking from the window. “Wife, wife,” he cried, “where are you going?” And he hurried after her and caught her by the sleeve. Then he could not let go any more than the others.The simpleton marched along with the three tagging at his heels, and he never so much as turned his head to look over his shoulder at them.The road ran past a church, and there was the clergyman just coming out of the door. “Stop, stop!” he cried to the landlord. “Have you forgotten you have a christening feast to cook to-day?” And he ran after the landlord and caught hold of him, and then he too stuck.The sexton saw his master following the landlord, and he ran and caught hold of his coat, and he too had to follow. So it went. Everyone who touched those who followed the golden goose could not let go, and were obliged to tag along at John’s heels.Now the King of that country had a daughter who was so sad and doleful that she was never known to smile. For this reason a gloom hungover the whole country, and the King had promised that any one who could make the Princess laugh should have her as a wife and a half of the kingdom as well.It so chanced the simpleton’s way led him through the city and by the time he came in front of the King’s palace the whole street was in an uproar, and John had a long train of people tagging along after him.The Princess heard the noise in the room where she sat sighing and wiping her eyes, and as she was very curious she went to the window and looked out to see what all the uproar was about.When she saw the simpleton marching along with a goose under his arm and a whole string of people after him, all crying and bawling and calling for help, it seemed to her the funniest thing she had ever seen. She began to laugh, and she laughed and laughed. She laughed until the tears ran down her cheeks and she had to hold her sides for laughing.But it was no laughing matter for the King, as you may believe. Here was a poor common lad, and a simpleton at that, who had made the Princesslaugh; so now, by all rights, he might claim her for a wife, and the half of the kingdom, too.The King frowned and bit his nails, and then he sent for John to be brought before him, and the lad came in alone, for he had set the people free at the gates.“Listen, now,” said the King to John. “It is true I promised that anyone who made the Princess laugh should have her for a wife, but there is more to the matter than that. Before I hand over part of the kingdom to anyone, I must know what sort of friends he has, and whether they are good fellows. If you can bring here a man who can drink a whole cellar full of wine at one sitting then you shall have the Princess and part of the kingdom, just as promised; but if you cannot you shall be sent home with a good drubbing to keep you quiet.”When John heard that he made a wry face. He did not know where he could find a man who could drink a whole cellar full of wine at one sitting.He went out from the castle, and suddenly he remembered the old gray man who had given him the golden goose. If the old man had helped him once perhaps he might again.He set out for the forest, and it was not long before he came to it. There, sitting where the old gray man had sat before, was a man with a sad and rueful face. He looked as though he had never smiled in all his life. He was talking to himself, and when the simpleton drew near he found the man was saying over and over, “How dry I am! How dry I am! Not even the dust of a summer’s day is as dry as I.”“If you are so thirsty, friend,” said John, “rise up and follow me. Do you think you could drink a whole cellar full of wine at one sitting?”Yes, the man could do that, and glad to get it, too. A whole cellar full of wine would be none too much to satisfy such a thirst as his.“Then, come along,” said John.He took the man back to the castle and down into the cellar where all the casks of wine were stored. When the man saw all that wine his eyes sparkled with joy. He sat him down to drink, and one after another he drained the casks until the very last one of them was empty. Then he stretched himself and sighed. “Now I am content,” said he.As for the King his eyes bulged with wonder that any one man could drink so much at one sitting.“Yes, that is all very well,” said he to the simpleton. “I see you have a friend who can drink. Have you also a friend who can eat a whole mountain of bread without stopping? If you have, you may claim the Princess for your wife, but if you have not, then you shall be sent home with a good drubbing.”Well, that was not in the bargain, but perhaps the simpleton might be able to find such a man.He set off for the forest once more, and when he came near the place where the thirsty man had sat he saw there another man, and he was enough like the thirsty man to be his brother.As John came near to where he sat he heard him talking to himself, and what he was saying over-and-over was, “How hungry I am. Oh, how hungry I am.”“Friend,” said the simpleton, “are you hungry enough to eat a whole mountain of bread? If you are I may satisfy you.”Yes, a whole mountain of bread would be none too much for the hungry man.So John bade the stranger follow him and then he led the way back to the castle.There all the flour in the kingdom had been gathered together into one great enormous mountain of dough. When John saw how big it was his heart failed him.“Can you eat that much?” he asked of the hungry man.“Oh, yes, I can eat that much, and more, too, if need be,” said the man.Then he sat down before the mountain of bread and began to eat. He ate and he ate, and he ate, and when he finished not so much as a crumb of bread was left.As for the King he was a sad and sorry man. Not only was his daughter and part of the kingdom promised to a simpleton, but he had not even a cupful of flour left in the palace for his breakfast.And still the King was not ready to keep the promises he had made. There was one thing more required of the simpleton before he could have the Princess and part of the kingdom for himself. Let him bring to the King a ship thatwould sail both on land and water, and he should at once marry the Princess, and no more words about it.Well, John did not know about that, but he would do the best he could. He took the road that led back to the forest, and when he reached the place where the old man had sat, there was the old man sitting again just as though he had never moved from that one spot.“Well,” said the old man, “and has the golden goose made your fortune?”“That,” answered John, “is as it may be. It may be I am to have the half of a kingdom and a princess for a wife, and it may be that I am only to get a good drubbing. Before I win the Princess I must find a ship that will sail on land as well as on water, and if there is such a thing as that in the world I have never heard of it.”“Well, there might be harder things than that to find,” said the old man. It might be he could help John out of that ditch, and what was more he would, too, and all that because John had once been kind to him. The old man then reached in under his coat and brought out the prettiest littlemodel of a ship that ever was seen. Its sails were of silk, its hull of silver, and its masts of beaten gold.The old man set the ship on the ground, and at once it began to grow. It grew and grew and grew, until it was so large that it could have carried a score of men if need be.“Look,” said the old man. “This I give to you because you were kind to me and willing to share the best you had. Moreover it was I who drank the wine and ate the mountain of bread for you. Enter into the ship and it will carry you over land and water, and back to the King’s castle. And when he sees this ship he will no longer dare to refuse you the Princess for your wife.”And so it was. John stepped into the ship and sailed away until he came to the King’s palace, and when the King saw the ship he was so delighted with it that he was quite willing to give the Princess to the simpleton for a bride.The marriage was held with much feasting and rejoicing, and John’s father and mother and his two brothers were invited to the feast. But theyno longer called him the simpleton; instead he was His Majesty, the wise King John.As for the old gray man he was never seen again, and as the golden goose had disappeared also, perhaps he flew away on it.
boy walking away with golden goose while woman watches
There was once an honest laborer who had three sons. The two eldest were stout clever lads, but as to the youngest one, John, he was little better than a simpleton.
One day their mother wanted some wood from the forest, and it was the eldest lad who was to go and get it for her. It was a long way to the forest, so the mother filled a wallet with food for him. There was a loaf of fine white bread, and a bit ofcheese, and a leathern bottle of good red wine as well.
The lad set off and walked along and walked along and after awhile he came to the place where he was going, and there under a tree sat an old, old man. His clothes were gray, and his hair was gray, and his face was gray, so he was gray all over.
“Good-day,” said the man.
“Good-day,” said the lad.
“I am hungry,” said the gray man. “Have you not a bite and sup that you can share with me?”
“Food I have, and drink too,” said the lad, “but it is for myself, and not for you. It would be a simple thing for me to carry it this far just to give it to a beggar”; and he went on his way.
But it was bad luck the lad had that day. Scarcely had he begun chopping wood when the head of the ax flew off, and cut his foot so badly that he was obliged to go limping home, with not even so much as a fagot to carry with him.
The next day it was the second son who said he would go to the forest for wood.
“And see that you are more careful than yourbrother,” said his mother. Then she gave him a loaf of bread, and a bit of cheese, and a bottle of wine, and off he set.
Presently he came to the forest, and there, sitting in the same place where he had sat before, was the old gray man.
“Good-day,” said the man.
“Good-day,” said the lad.
“I am hungry,” said the gray man. “Have you not a bite or a sup to share with me?”
“Food I have and drink as well, but I am not such a simpleton as to give it away when I need all for myself.”
The lad went on to the place where he was going, and took his ax and began to chop, but scarcely had he begun when the ax slipped and cut his leg so badly that the blood ran, and he could scarcely get home again.
That was a bad business, for now both of the elder brothers were lame.
The next day the simpleton said he would go to the forest for wood.
“You, indeed!” cried his mother. “It is not enough that your two brothers are hurt? Do youthink you are smarter than they are? No, no; do you stay quietly here at home. That is the best place for you.”
But the simpleton was determined to go, so his mother gave him an end of dough that was left from the baking and a bottle of sour beer, for that was good enough for him. With these in his wallet John started off, and after awhile he came to the forest, and there was the gray man sitting just as before.
“Good-day,” said the man.
“Good-day,” answered the simpleton.
“I am hungry,” said the gray man. “Have you not a bite or sup that you can share with me?”
Oh yes, the simpleton had both food and drink in his wallet. It was none of the best, but such as it was he was willing to share it.
He reached into his wallet and pulled out the piece of dough, but what was his surprise to find that it was dough no longer, but a fine cake, all made of the whitest flour. The old man snatched the cake from John and ate it all up in a trice. There was not so much as a crumb of it left.
“Poor pickings for me!” said John.
And now the old gray man was thirsty. “What have you in that bottle?” he asked.
“Oh, that was only sour beer.”
The old man took the bottle and opened it. “Sour beer! Why it is wine,” he cried, “and of the very best, too.”
And the simpleton could tell it was by the smell of it. But the smell of it was all he got, for the old man raised the bottle to his lips, and when he put it down there was not a drop left in it.
“And now I may go thirsty as well as hungry,” said John.
“Never mind that,” said the old man. “After this you may eat and drink of the best whenever you will. Go on into the forest and take the first turning to the right. There you will see a hollow oak tree. Cut it down, and whatever you find inside of it you may keep; it belongs to me, and it is I who give it to you.”
Then of a sudden the old man was gone, and where he went the simpleton could have told no one.
The lad went on into the forest, as the gray man had told him, and took the first turn to the left,and there sure enough was a hollow oak tree. The lad could tell it was hollow from the sound it made when his ax struck it.
John set to work, and chopped so hard the splinters flew.
After awhile he cut through it so that the tree fell, and there, sitting in the hollow, was a goose, with eyes like diamonds, and every feather of pure gold.
When John saw the goose he could not wonder enough. He took it up under his arm and off he set for home, for there was no more chopping for him that day.
But if the goose shone like gold it weighed like lead. The farther John went the wearier he grew. After awhile he came to an inn, just outside of the city where the King lived. There the simpleton sat him down to rest. He pulled a feather from the golden goose, and gave it to the landlord and bade him bring him food and drink, and with such payment as that it was the very best that the landlord sat before him you may be sure.
While the simpleton ate and drank the landlord’swife and daughter watched him from a window.
“Oh, if we only had a second feather,” sighed the daughter.
“Oh, if we only had!” sighed the mother.
Then the two agreed between them that when the simpleton had finished eating and drinking, the daughter should creep up behind him and pluck another feather from the bird.
Presently John could eat and drink no more. He rose up and tucked the golden goose under his arm, and off he set.
The landlord’s daughter was watching, and she stole up behind him and caught hold of a feather in the goose’s tail. No sooner had she touched it, however, than her fingers stuck, and she could not let go. Off marched John with the goose under his arm, and the girl tagging along after him.
The mother saw her following John down the road, and first she called, and then she shouted, and then she ran after her and caught hold of her to bring her home. But no sooner had she laid hands on the girl than she, too, stuck, and was obliged to follow John and the golden goose.
The landlord was looking from the window. “Wife, wife,” he cried, “where are you going?” And he hurried after her and caught her by the sleeve. Then he could not let go any more than the others.
The simpleton marched along with the three tagging at his heels, and he never so much as turned his head to look over his shoulder at them.
The road ran past a church, and there was the clergyman just coming out of the door. “Stop, stop!” he cried to the landlord. “Have you forgotten you have a christening feast to cook to-day?” And he ran after the landlord and caught hold of him, and then he too stuck.
The sexton saw his master following the landlord, and he ran and caught hold of his coat, and he too had to follow. So it went. Everyone who touched those who followed the golden goose could not let go, and were obliged to tag along at John’s heels.
Now the King of that country had a daughter who was so sad and doleful that she was never known to smile. For this reason a gloom hungover the whole country, and the King had promised that any one who could make the Princess laugh should have her as a wife and a half of the kingdom as well.
It so chanced the simpleton’s way led him through the city and by the time he came in front of the King’s palace the whole street was in an uproar, and John had a long train of people tagging along after him.
The Princess heard the noise in the room where she sat sighing and wiping her eyes, and as she was very curious she went to the window and looked out to see what all the uproar was about.
When she saw the simpleton marching along with a goose under his arm and a whole string of people after him, all crying and bawling and calling for help, it seemed to her the funniest thing she had ever seen. She began to laugh, and she laughed and laughed. She laughed until the tears ran down her cheeks and she had to hold her sides for laughing.
But it was no laughing matter for the King, as you may believe. Here was a poor common lad, and a simpleton at that, who had made the Princesslaugh; so now, by all rights, he might claim her for a wife, and the half of the kingdom, too.
The King frowned and bit his nails, and then he sent for John to be brought before him, and the lad came in alone, for he had set the people free at the gates.
“Listen, now,” said the King to John. “It is true I promised that anyone who made the Princess laugh should have her for a wife, but there is more to the matter than that. Before I hand over part of the kingdom to anyone, I must know what sort of friends he has, and whether they are good fellows. If you can bring here a man who can drink a whole cellar full of wine at one sitting then you shall have the Princess and part of the kingdom, just as promised; but if you cannot you shall be sent home with a good drubbing to keep you quiet.”
When John heard that he made a wry face. He did not know where he could find a man who could drink a whole cellar full of wine at one sitting.
He went out from the castle, and suddenly he remembered the old gray man who had given him the golden goose. If the old man had helped him once perhaps he might again.
He set out for the forest, and it was not long before he came to it. There, sitting where the old gray man had sat before, was a man with a sad and rueful face. He looked as though he had never smiled in all his life. He was talking to himself, and when the simpleton drew near he found the man was saying over and over, “How dry I am! How dry I am! Not even the dust of a summer’s day is as dry as I.”
“If you are so thirsty, friend,” said John, “rise up and follow me. Do you think you could drink a whole cellar full of wine at one sitting?”
Yes, the man could do that, and glad to get it, too. A whole cellar full of wine would be none too much to satisfy such a thirst as his.
“Then, come along,” said John.
He took the man back to the castle and down into the cellar where all the casks of wine were stored. When the man saw all that wine his eyes sparkled with joy. He sat him down to drink, and one after another he drained the casks until the very last one of them was empty. Then he stretched himself and sighed. “Now I am content,” said he.
As for the King his eyes bulged with wonder that any one man could drink so much at one sitting.
“Yes, that is all very well,” said he to the simpleton. “I see you have a friend who can drink. Have you also a friend who can eat a whole mountain of bread without stopping? If you have, you may claim the Princess for your wife, but if you have not, then you shall be sent home with a good drubbing.”
Well, that was not in the bargain, but perhaps the simpleton might be able to find such a man.
He set off for the forest once more, and when he came near the place where the thirsty man had sat he saw there another man, and he was enough like the thirsty man to be his brother.
As John came near to where he sat he heard him talking to himself, and what he was saying over-and-over was, “How hungry I am. Oh, how hungry I am.”
“Friend,” said the simpleton, “are you hungry enough to eat a whole mountain of bread? If you are I may satisfy you.”
Yes, a whole mountain of bread would be none too much for the hungry man.
So John bade the stranger follow him and then he led the way back to the castle.
There all the flour in the kingdom had been gathered together into one great enormous mountain of dough. When John saw how big it was his heart failed him.
“Can you eat that much?” he asked of the hungry man.
“Oh, yes, I can eat that much, and more, too, if need be,” said the man.
Then he sat down before the mountain of bread and began to eat. He ate and he ate, and he ate, and when he finished not so much as a crumb of bread was left.
As for the King he was a sad and sorry man. Not only was his daughter and part of the kingdom promised to a simpleton, but he had not even a cupful of flour left in the palace for his breakfast.
And still the King was not ready to keep the promises he had made. There was one thing more required of the simpleton before he could have the Princess and part of the kingdom for himself. Let him bring to the King a ship thatwould sail both on land and water, and he should at once marry the Princess, and no more words about it.
Well, John did not know about that, but he would do the best he could. He took the road that led back to the forest, and when he reached the place where the old man had sat, there was the old man sitting again just as though he had never moved from that one spot.
“Well,” said the old man, “and has the golden goose made your fortune?”
“That,” answered John, “is as it may be. It may be I am to have the half of a kingdom and a princess for a wife, and it may be that I am only to get a good drubbing. Before I win the Princess I must find a ship that will sail on land as well as on water, and if there is such a thing as that in the world I have never heard of it.”
“Well, there might be harder things than that to find,” said the old man. It might be he could help John out of that ditch, and what was more he would, too, and all that because John had once been kind to him. The old man then reached in under his coat and brought out the prettiest littlemodel of a ship that ever was seen. Its sails were of silk, its hull of silver, and its masts of beaten gold.
The old man set the ship on the ground, and at once it began to grow. It grew and grew and grew, until it was so large that it could have carried a score of men if need be.
“Look,” said the old man. “This I give to you because you were kind to me and willing to share the best you had. Moreover it was I who drank the wine and ate the mountain of bread for you. Enter into the ship and it will carry you over land and water, and back to the King’s castle. And when he sees this ship he will no longer dare to refuse you the Princess for your wife.”
And so it was. John stepped into the ship and sailed away until he came to the King’s palace, and when the King saw the ship he was so delighted with it that he was quite willing to give the Princess to the simpleton for a bride.
The marriage was held with much feasting and rejoicing, and John’s father and mother and his two brothers were invited to the feast. But theyno longer called him the simpleton; instead he was His Majesty, the wise King John.
As for the old gray man he was never seen again, and as the golden goose had disappeared also, perhaps he flew away on it.
girl sitting by spinning wheel, three women in long cloaks watching herTHE THREE SPINNERSThere was once a girl who was so idle and lazy that she would do nothing but sit in the sunshine all day. She would not bake, she would not brew, she would not spin, she would not sew. One morning her mother lost patience with her entirely, and gave her a good beating. The girl cried out until she could be heard even into the street.Now it so chanced the queen of the country was driving by at that time, and she heard the cries. She wished to find out what the trouble was, so she stopped her coach and entered the house. She went through one room after another, and presently she came to where the girl and her mother were.“What is all this noise?” she asked. “Why is your daughter crying out?”The mother was ashamed to confess what a lazy girl she had for a daughter, so she told the queen what was not true.“Oh, your majesty,” cried she, “this girl is the worry of my life. She will do nothing but spin all day, and I have spent all my money buying flax for her. This morning she asked me for more, but I have no money left to buy it. It was because of that she began to cry, as you heard.”The Queen was very much surprised. “This girl of yours must be a very fine spinner,” she said. “You must bring her to the palace, for there is nothing I love better than spinning. Bring her to-morrow, and if she is as wonderful a spinner as I suspect, she shall be to me as my own daughter, and shall have my eldest son as a husband.”When the girl heard she was to go to the palace and spin she was terrified. She had never spun a thread in her life, and she feared that when the Queen found this out she would be angry and would have her punished. However, she dared say nothing.The next day she and her mother went to the palace, and the Queen received them kindly. The mother was sent home again, but the daughter was taken to a tower where there were three great rooms all filled with flax.“See,” said the Queen. “Here is enough flax to satisfy you for awhile at least. When you have spun this you shall marry my son, and after that you shall have all the flax you want. Now you may begin, and to-morrow I will come to see how much you have done.”So saying the Queen went away, closing the door behind her.No sooner was the girl alone than she burst into tears. Not if she lived a hundred years could she spin all that flax. She sat and cried and cried and cried.The next morning the Queen came back to see how much she had done. She was very much surprised to find the flax untouched, and the girl sitting there with idle hands. “How is this?” she asked. “Why are you not at your spinning?”The girl began to make excuses. “I was so sad at being parted from my mother that I could do nothing but sit and weep.”“I see you have a tender heart,” said the Queen. “But to-morrow you must begin to work. When I come again I shall expect to see a whole roomful done.”After she had gone the girl began to weep again. She did not know what was to become of her.Suddenly the door opened, and three ugly old women slipped into the room. The first had a splayfoot. The second had a lip that hung down on her chin. The third had a hideous broad thumb.The girl looked at them with fear and wonder. “Who are you?” she asked.The one with the splayfoot answered. “We are three spinners. We know why you are weeping, and we have come to help you, but before we help you, you must promise us one thing: that is that when you are married to the Prince, we may come to your wedding feast, that you will let us sit at your table, and that you will call us your aunts.”“Yes, yes; I will, I will,” cried the girl. She was ready to promise anything if they would only help her.At once the splayfoot sat down at the wheel, and began to spin and tread. She with the hanging lip moistened the thread, and the woman with the broad thumb pressed and twisted it. They worked so fast that the thread flowed on like a swift stream.Before the next evening they had finished the whole roomful of flax.When the Queen came again she was delighted to find so much done. “To-morrow,” said she, “you shall begin in the second room.”The next day the girl was taken into the second room, and it was larger than the first and was also full of flax.Scarcely had the Queen left her when the door was pushed open, and the three old women came into the room.“Remember your promise,” said they.“I remember,” answered the girl.The old women then took their places and began to spin. Before the next evening they had finished all the flax that was in the room.When the Queen came to look at what had been done, she was filled with wonder. Not only had all the flax in the room been spun, but she had never seen such smooth and even threads.“To-morrow,” said she, “you shall spin the flax that is in the third room, and the day after you shall be married to my son.”The third day all happened just as it had before.The girl was taken to the third room and it was even larger than the others. Scarcely had she been left alone when the three old women opened the door and came in.“Remember your promise,” said they.“I will remember,” answered the girl.The old women took their places, and before night all the flax was spun. Then they rose. “To-morrow will be your wedding day, and we will be at the feast. If you keep your word to us, all will go well with you, but if you forget it, misfortune will surely come upon you.” Then they disappeared through the door as they had come, the eldest first.When the Queen came that evening she was even more delighted than before. Never had she seen such thread, so smooth it was and even.The girl was led down from the tower and dressed in silks and velvets and jewels, and when thus dressed she was so beautiful that the Prince was filled with love and joy at the sight of her. The next day they were married, and a grand feast was spread. To this feast all the noblest in the land were invited.The bride sat beside her husband, and he could look at no one else, she was so beautiful.Just as the feast was about to begin the door opened and the three old women who had spun the flax came in.The Prince looked at them wonderingly. Never had he seen such hideous, ugly creatures before. “Who are these?” he asked of the girl.“These,” said she, “are my three old aunts, and I have promised they shall sit at the table with us, for they have been so kind to me that no one could be kinder.”The girl then rose, and went to meet the old women. “Welcome, my aunts,” she said, and led them to the table. The Prince loved the girl so dearly that all she did seemed right to him. He commanded that places should be put for the old women, and they sat at the table with him and his bride.They were so hideous, however, that the Prince could not keep his eyes off them. At length he said to the eldest, “Forgive me, good mother, but why is your foot so broad?”“From treading the thread, my son, from treading the thread,” she answered.The Prince wondered; he turned to the second old woman. “And you, good mother,” he said, “why does your lip hang down?”“From wetting the thread,” she answered. “From wetting the thread.”The Prince was frightened. He spoke to the third old woman. “And you, why is your thumb so broad, if I may ask it?”“From pressing and twisting,” she answered. “From pressing and twisting.”The Prince turned pale. “If this is what comes of spinning,” said he, “never shall my bride touch the flax again.”And so it was. Never was the girl allowed even to look at a spinning wheel again; and that did not trouble her, as you may guess.As for the old women, they disappeared as soon as the feast was over, and no one saw them again, but the bride lived happy forever after.
girl sitting by spinning wheel, three women in long cloaks watching her
There was once a girl who was so idle and lazy that she would do nothing but sit in the sunshine all day. She would not bake, she would not brew, she would not spin, she would not sew. One morning her mother lost patience with her entirely, and gave her a good beating. The girl cried out until she could be heard even into the street.
Now it so chanced the queen of the country was driving by at that time, and she heard the cries. She wished to find out what the trouble was, so she stopped her coach and entered the house. She went through one room after another, and presently she came to where the girl and her mother were.
“What is all this noise?” she asked. “Why is your daughter crying out?”
The mother was ashamed to confess what a lazy girl she had for a daughter, so she told the queen what was not true.
“Oh, your majesty,” cried she, “this girl is the worry of my life. She will do nothing but spin all day, and I have spent all my money buying flax for her. This morning she asked me for more, but I have no money left to buy it. It was because of that she began to cry, as you heard.”
The Queen was very much surprised. “This girl of yours must be a very fine spinner,” she said. “You must bring her to the palace, for there is nothing I love better than spinning. Bring her to-morrow, and if she is as wonderful a spinner as I suspect, she shall be to me as my own daughter, and shall have my eldest son as a husband.”
When the girl heard she was to go to the palace and spin she was terrified. She had never spun a thread in her life, and she feared that when the Queen found this out she would be angry and would have her punished. However, she dared say nothing.
The next day she and her mother went to the palace, and the Queen received them kindly. The mother was sent home again, but the daughter was taken to a tower where there were three great rooms all filled with flax.
“See,” said the Queen. “Here is enough flax to satisfy you for awhile at least. When you have spun this you shall marry my son, and after that you shall have all the flax you want. Now you may begin, and to-morrow I will come to see how much you have done.”
So saying the Queen went away, closing the door behind her.
No sooner was the girl alone than she burst into tears. Not if she lived a hundred years could she spin all that flax. She sat and cried and cried and cried.
The next morning the Queen came back to see how much she had done. She was very much surprised to find the flax untouched, and the girl sitting there with idle hands. “How is this?” she asked. “Why are you not at your spinning?”
The girl began to make excuses. “I was so sad at being parted from my mother that I could do nothing but sit and weep.”
“I see you have a tender heart,” said the Queen. “But to-morrow you must begin to work. When I come again I shall expect to see a whole roomful done.”
After she had gone the girl began to weep again. She did not know what was to become of her.
Suddenly the door opened, and three ugly old women slipped into the room. The first had a splayfoot. The second had a lip that hung down on her chin. The third had a hideous broad thumb.
The girl looked at them with fear and wonder. “Who are you?” she asked.
The one with the splayfoot answered. “We are three spinners. We know why you are weeping, and we have come to help you, but before we help you, you must promise us one thing: that is that when you are married to the Prince, we may come to your wedding feast, that you will let us sit at your table, and that you will call us your aunts.”
“Yes, yes; I will, I will,” cried the girl. She was ready to promise anything if they would only help her.
At once the splayfoot sat down at the wheel, and began to spin and tread. She with the hanging lip moistened the thread, and the woman with the broad thumb pressed and twisted it. They worked so fast that the thread flowed on like a swift stream.Before the next evening they had finished the whole roomful of flax.
When the Queen came again she was delighted to find so much done. “To-morrow,” said she, “you shall begin in the second room.”
The next day the girl was taken into the second room, and it was larger than the first and was also full of flax.
Scarcely had the Queen left her when the door was pushed open, and the three old women came into the room.
“Remember your promise,” said they.
“I remember,” answered the girl.
The old women then took their places and began to spin. Before the next evening they had finished all the flax that was in the room.
When the Queen came to look at what had been done, she was filled with wonder. Not only had all the flax in the room been spun, but she had never seen such smooth and even threads.
“To-morrow,” said she, “you shall spin the flax that is in the third room, and the day after you shall be married to my son.”
The third day all happened just as it had before.The girl was taken to the third room and it was even larger than the others. Scarcely had she been left alone when the three old women opened the door and came in.
“Remember your promise,” said they.
“I will remember,” answered the girl.
The old women took their places, and before night all the flax was spun. Then they rose. “To-morrow will be your wedding day, and we will be at the feast. If you keep your word to us, all will go well with you, but if you forget it, misfortune will surely come upon you.” Then they disappeared through the door as they had come, the eldest first.
When the Queen came that evening she was even more delighted than before. Never had she seen such thread, so smooth it was and even.
The girl was led down from the tower and dressed in silks and velvets and jewels, and when thus dressed she was so beautiful that the Prince was filled with love and joy at the sight of her. The next day they were married, and a grand feast was spread. To this feast all the noblest in the land were invited.
The bride sat beside her husband, and he could look at no one else, she was so beautiful.
Just as the feast was about to begin the door opened and the three old women who had spun the flax came in.
The Prince looked at them wonderingly. Never had he seen such hideous, ugly creatures before. “Who are these?” he asked of the girl.
“These,” said she, “are my three old aunts, and I have promised they shall sit at the table with us, for they have been so kind to me that no one could be kinder.”
The girl then rose, and went to meet the old women. “Welcome, my aunts,” she said, and led them to the table. The Prince loved the girl so dearly that all she did seemed right to him. He commanded that places should be put for the old women, and they sat at the table with him and his bride.
They were so hideous, however, that the Prince could not keep his eyes off them. At length he said to the eldest, “Forgive me, good mother, but why is your foot so broad?”
“From treading the thread, my son, from treading the thread,” she answered.
The Prince wondered; he turned to the second old woman. “And you, good mother,” he said, “why does your lip hang down?”
“From wetting the thread,” she answered. “From wetting the thread.”
The Prince was frightened. He spoke to the third old woman. “And you, why is your thumb so broad, if I may ask it?”
“From pressing and twisting,” she answered. “From pressing and twisting.”
The Prince turned pale. “If this is what comes of spinning,” said he, “never shall my bride touch the flax again.”
And so it was. Never was the girl allowed even to look at a spinning wheel again; and that did not trouble her, as you may guess.
As for the old women, they disappeared as soon as the feast was over, and no one saw them again, but the bride lived happy forever after.
GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE BEARSThere was once a little girl whose hair was so bright and yellow that it glittered in the sun like spun-gold. For this reason she was called Goldilocks.One day Goldilocks went out into the meadows to gather flowers. She wandered on and on, and after a while she came to a forest, where she had never been before. She went on into the forest, and it was very cool and shady.Presently she came to a little house, standing all alone in the forest, and as she was tired and thirsty she knocked at the door. She hoped the good people inside would give her a drink, and let her rest a little while.Now, though Goldilocks did not know it, this house belonged to three bears. There was a GREAT BIG FATHER BEAR,and a middling-sized mother bear, and adear little baby bear, no bigger than Goldilocks herself. But the threebears had gone out to take a walk in the forest while their supper was cooling, so when Goldilocks knocked at the door no one answered her.She waited awhile and then she knocked again, and as still nobody answered her she pushed the door open and stepped inside. There in a row stood three chairs. One was a GREAT BIG CHAIR, and it belonged to the father bear. And one was amiddling-sized chair, and it belonged to the mother bear, and one was adear little chair, and it belonged to the baby bear. And on the table stood three bowls of smoking hot porridge. “And so,” thought Goldilocks, “the people must be coming back soon to eat it.”She thought she would sit down and rest until they came, so first she sat down in the GREAT BIG CHAIR, but the cushion was too soft. It seemed as though it would swallow her up. Then she sat down in themiddle-sized chair, and the cushion was too hard, and it was not comfortable. Then she sat down in thedear little chair, and it was just right, and fitted her as though it had been made for her. So there she sat, and she rocked and she rocked, and she sat andshe sat, until with her rocking and her sitting she sat the bottom right out of it.And still nobody had come, and there stood the bowls of porridge on the table. “They can’t be very hungry people,” thought Goldilocks to herself, “or they would come home to eat their suppers.” And she went over to the table just to see whether the bowls were full.The first bowl was a GREAT BIG BOWL with a GREAT BIG WOODEN SPOON in it, and that was the father bear’s bowl. The second bowl was amiddle-sized bowl, with amiddle-sized wooden spoonin it, and that was the mother bear’s bowl. And the third bowl was adear little bowl, with adear little silver spoonin it, and that was the baby bear’s bowl.The porridge that was in the bowls smelled so very good that Goldilocks thought she would just taste it.She took up the GREAT BIG SPOON, and tasted the porridge in the GREAT BIG BOWL, but it was too hot. Then she took up themiddle-sized spoonand tasted the porridge in themiddle-sized bowl, and it was too cold. Then shetook up thelittle silver spoonand tasted the porridge in thedear little bowl, and it was just right, and it tasted so good that she tasted and tasted, and tasted and tasted until she tasted it all up.After that she felt very sleepy, so she went upstairs and looked about her, and there were three beds all in a row. The first bed was the GREAT BIG BED that belonged to the father bear. And the second bed was amiddling-sized bedthat belonged to the mother bear, and the third bed was adear little bedthat belonged to the dear little baby bear.Goldilocks lay down on the GREAT BIG BED to try it, but the pillow was too high, and she wasn’t comfortable at all.Then she lay down on themiddle-sized bed, and the pillow was too low, and that wasn’t comfortable either.Then she lay down on thelittle baby bear’s bedand it was exactly right, and so very comfortable that she lay there and lay there until she went fast asleep.Now while Goldilocks was still asleep in thelittle bed the three bears came home again, and as soon as they stepped inside the door and looked about them they knew that somebody had been there.“SOMEBODY’S BEEN SITTING IN MY CHAIR,” growled the father bear in his great big voice, “AND LEFT THE CUSHION CROOKED.”“And somebody’s been sitting in my chair,” said the mother bear, “and left it standing crooked.”“And somebody’s been sitting in my chair,” squeaked the baby bear, in his shrill little voice, “and they’ve sat and sat till they’ve sat the bottom out”; and he felt very sad about it.Then the three bears went over to the table to get their porridge.“WHAT’S THIS!” growled the father bear, in his great big voice, “SOMEBODY’S BEEN TASTING MY PORRIDGE, AND LEFT THE SPOON ON THE TABLE.”“And somebody’s been taking my porridge,” said the mother bear in her middle-sized voice, “and they’ve splashed it over the side.”“And somebody’s been tasting my porridge,”squealed the baby bear, “and they’ve tasted and tasted until they’ve tasted it all up.” And when he said so the baby bear looked as if he were about to cry.“If somebody’s been here they must be here still,” said the mother bear; so the three bears went upstairs to look.First the father bear looked at his bed. “SOMEBODY’S BEEN LYING ON MY BED AND PULLED THE COVERS DOWN,” he growled in his great big voice.Then the mother bear looked at her bed. “Somebody’s been lying on my bed and pulled the pillow off,” said she in her middle-sized voice.Then the baby bear looked at his bed, and there lay little Goldilocks with her cheeks as pink as roses, and her golden hair all spread over the pillow.“Somebody’s been lying in my bed,” squeaked the baby bear joyfully, “and here she is still!”Now when Goldilocks in her dreams heard the great big father bear’s voice she dreamed it was the thunder rolling through the heavens.And when she heard the mother bear’s middle-sized voice she dreamed it was the wind blowing through the trees.But when she heard the baby bear’s voice it was so shrill and sharp that it woke her right up. She sat up in bed and there were the three bears standing around and looking at her.“Oh, my goodness me!” cried Goldilocks. She tumbled out of bed and ran to the window. It was open, and out she jumped before the bears could stop her. Then home she ran as fast as she could, and she never went near the forest again. But the little baby bear cried and cried because he had wanted the pretty little girl to play with.
There was once a little girl whose hair was so bright and yellow that it glittered in the sun like spun-gold. For this reason she was called Goldilocks.
One day Goldilocks went out into the meadows to gather flowers. She wandered on and on, and after a while she came to a forest, where she had never been before. She went on into the forest, and it was very cool and shady.
Presently she came to a little house, standing all alone in the forest, and as she was tired and thirsty she knocked at the door. She hoped the good people inside would give her a drink, and let her rest a little while.
Now, though Goldilocks did not know it, this house belonged to three bears. There was a GREAT BIG FATHER BEAR,and a middling-sized mother bear, and adear little baby bear, no bigger than Goldilocks herself. But the threebears had gone out to take a walk in the forest while their supper was cooling, so when Goldilocks knocked at the door no one answered her.
She waited awhile and then she knocked again, and as still nobody answered her she pushed the door open and stepped inside. There in a row stood three chairs. One was a GREAT BIG CHAIR, and it belonged to the father bear. And one was amiddling-sized chair, and it belonged to the mother bear, and one was adear little chair, and it belonged to the baby bear. And on the table stood three bowls of smoking hot porridge. “And so,” thought Goldilocks, “the people must be coming back soon to eat it.”
She thought she would sit down and rest until they came, so first she sat down in the GREAT BIG CHAIR, but the cushion was too soft. It seemed as though it would swallow her up. Then she sat down in themiddle-sized chair, and the cushion was too hard, and it was not comfortable. Then she sat down in thedear little chair, and it was just right, and fitted her as though it had been made for her. So there she sat, and she rocked and she rocked, and she sat andshe sat, until with her rocking and her sitting she sat the bottom right out of it.
And still nobody had come, and there stood the bowls of porridge on the table. “They can’t be very hungry people,” thought Goldilocks to herself, “or they would come home to eat their suppers.” And she went over to the table just to see whether the bowls were full.
The first bowl was a GREAT BIG BOWL with a GREAT BIG WOODEN SPOON in it, and that was the father bear’s bowl. The second bowl was amiddle-sized bowl, with amiddle-sized wooden spoonin it, and that was the mother bear’s bowl. And the third bowl was adear little bowl, with adear little silver spoonin it, and that was the baby bear’s bowl.
The porridge that was in the bowls smelled so very good that Goldilocks thought she would just taste it.
She took up the GREAT BIG SPOON, and tasted the porridge in the GREAT BIG BOWL, but it was too hot. Then she took up themiddle-sized spoonand tasted the porridge in themiddle-sized bowl, and it was too cold. Then shetook up thelittle silver spoonand tasted the porridge in thedear little bowl, and it was just right, and it tasted so good that she tasted and tasted, and tasted and tasted until she tasted it all up.
After that she felt very sleepy, so she went upstairs and looked about her, and there were three beds all in a row. The first bed was the GREAT BIG BED that belonged to the father bear. And the second bed was amiddling-sized bedthat belonged to the mother bear, and the third bed was adear little bedthat belonged to the dear little baby bear.
Goldilocks lay down on the GREAT BIG BED to try it, but the pillow was too high, and she wasn’t comfortable at all.
Then she lay down on themiddle-sized bed, and the pillow was too low, and that wasn’t comfortable either.
Then she lay down on thelittle baby bear’s bedand it was exactly right, and so very comfortable that she lay there and lay there until she went fast asleep.
Now while Goldilocks was still asleep in thelittle bed the three bears came home again, and as soon as they stepped inside the door and looked about them they knew that somebody had been there.
“SOMEBODY’S BEEN SITTING IN MY CHAIR,” growled the father bear in his great big voice, “AND LEFT THE CUSHION CROOKED.”
“And somebody’s been sitting in my chair,” said the mother bear, “and left it standing crooked.”
“And somebody’s been sitting in my chair,” squeaked the baby bear, in his shrill little voice, “and they’ve sat and sat till they’ve sat the bottom out”; and he felt very sad about it.
Then the three bears went over to the table to get their porridge.
“WHAT’S THIS!” growled the father bear, in his great big voice, “SOMEBODY’S BEEN TASTING MY PORRIDGE, AND LEFT THE SPOON ON THE TABLE.”
“And somebody’s been taking my porridge,” said the mother bear in her middle-sized voice, “and they’ve splashed it over the side.”
“And somebody’s been tasting my porridge,”squealed the baby bear, “and they’ve tasted and tasted until they’ve tasted it all up.” And when he said so the baby bear looked as if he were about to cry.
“If somebody’s been here they must be here still,” said the mother bear; so the three bears went upstairs to look.
First the father bear looked at his bed. “SOMEBODY’S BEEN LYING ON MY BED AND PULLED THE COVERS DOWN,” he growled in his great big voice.
Then the mother bear looked at her bed. “Somebody’s been lying on my bed and pulled the pillow off,” said she in her middle-sized voice.
Then the baby bear looked at his bed, and there lay little Goldilocks with her cheeks as pink as roses, and her golden hair all spread over the pillow.
“Somebody’s been lying in my bed,” squeaked the baby bear joyfully, “and here she is still!”
Now when Goldilocks in her dreams heard the great big father bear’s voice she dreamed it was the thunder rolling through the heavens.
And when she heard the mother bear’s middle-sized voice she dreamed it was the wind blowing through the trees.
But when she heard the baby bear’s voice it was so shrill and sharp that it woke her right up. She sat up in bed and there were the three bears standing around and looking at her.
“Oh, my goodness me!” cried Goldilocks. She tumbled out of bed and ran to the window. It was open, and out she jumped before the bears could stop her. Then home she ran as fast as she could, and she never went near the forest again. But the little baby bear cried and cried because he had wanted the pretty little girl to play with.
The Three Little Pigs
The Three Little Pigs
THE THREE LITTLE PIGSA mother pig and her three little pigs lived together in a wood very happily all through the long summertime, but towards autumn the mother pig called her little ones to her and said, “My dear little pigs, the time has come for you to go out into the world and seek your own fortunes. You will each want to build a little house to live in, but do not build them of straw or leaves; straws are brittle and leaves are frail. Build your houses of bricks, for then you will always have a safe place to live in; you can go in and lock the door, and nothing can harm you.” She then bade the little pigs farewell, and away they ran out into the world to make their fortunes.The first little pig had not gone far when he met a man with a load of straw. The straw looked so warm, and smelled so good that the little pig quite forgot what his mother had told him.“Please, Mr. Man,” said the little pig, “giveme enough straw to build a house to keep me warm through the long winter.”The man did not say no. He gave the little pig all the straw he wanted, and then he drove on.The little pig built himself a house of straw, and it was so warm and cosy that he was quite delighted with it. “How much better,” said he “than a house of cold hard bricks.”So he lay there snug and warm, and presently the old wolf knocked at the door.“Piggy-wig, piggy-wig, let me in!” he cried.“I won’t, by the hair on my chinny-chin-chin,” answered the pig.“Then I’ll huff, and I’ll puff, and I’ll blow your house in.”The little pig laughed aloud, for he felt very safe in his snug straw house.“Well, then huff, and then puff, and then blow my house in!” he cried.Well, the old wolfdidhuff and puff, and hedidblow the house in, for it was only made of straw, and then he ate up the pig.The second little pig when he left the forest ranalong and ran along and presently he met a man with a great load of leaves.“Oh, kind Mr. Man, please give me some leaves to build me a little house for the winter time,” cried the piggy.The man was willing to do this. He gave the pig all the leaves he wanted, and then he went on his way.The pig built himself a house of leaves and it was even snugger and warmer than the straw house had been. “How silly my mother was,” said the pig, “to tell me to build a brick house. What could be warmer and cosier and safer than this.” And he snuggled down among the leaves and was very happy.Presently along came the great wolf, and he stopped and knocked at the door.“Piggy-wig, piggy-wig, let me in!” he cried.“I won’t, by the hair of my chinny-chin-chin!”“Then I’ll huff, and I’ll puff, and I’ll blow your house in.”The little pig laughed when he heard that, for the walls were thick, and he felt secure.“Well, then huff, and then puff, and thenblowmy house in.”So the wolf huffed, and he puffed, and hedidblow the house in, and he ate up the little pig that was inside of it.Now the third little pig was the smallest pig of all, but he was a very wise little pig, and he meant to do exactly as his mother had told him to do. After he left the forest he met a man driving a wagon-load of straw, but he did not ask for any of it. He met the man with the load of leaves, but he did not ask for any of it. He met a man with a load of bricks, andthenhe stopped and begged so prettily for enough bricks to build himself a little house that the man could not refuse him.The pig took the bricks and built himself a little red house with them, and it was not an easy task either. When it was done it was not so soft as the little straw house, and it was not so warm as the little leaf house, but it was a verysafelittle house.Presently the old wolf came along and knocked at the door—rat-tat-tat!“Piggy-wig, piggy-wig, let me in,” he called.“I won’t, by the hair on my chinny-chin-chin.”“Then I’ll huff, and I’ll puff, and I’ll blow your house in.”“Well, then huff, and then puff, and then blow my house in,” answered the pig.So the old wolf huffed and he puffed, and hepuffed and he huffed, and heHUFFED AND HE PUFFEDtill he almost split his sides, and he justcouldn’tblow the house in, and the little pig laughed to himself as he sat safe and comfortable inside there.The old wolf saw there was nothing to be done by blowing, so he sat down and thought and thought. Then he said, “Piggy-wig, I know where there is a field of fine turnips.”“Where?” asked the little pig.“Open the door and I will tell you.”No, the little pig could hear quite well with the door closed.“It is just up the road three fields away,” said the wolf, “and if you would like to have some I will come for you at six o’clock to-morrow morning, and we will go and dig them up together.”“At six o’clock!” said the little pig. “Very well.”Then the old wolf trotted off home, licking hislips, and he was well content, for he thought he would have pig for breakfast the next day.But the next morning the little pig was up and astir by five o’clock. Off he trotted to the turnip field and gathered a whole bagful of turnips and was home again before the old wolf thought of coming.At six o’clock the old wolf knocked at the door.“Are you ready to go for the turnips, Piggy?” he cried.“Ready!” answered the pig. “Why I was up and off to the field an hour ago and I have all the turnips I want, and I’m boiling them for breakfast.”“That’s what you did!” said the wolf. And then he thought a bit. “Piggy, do you like fine ripe apples?” he asked.Yes, the pig was very fond of apples.“Then I can tell you where to find some.”“Where is that?”“Over beyond the hill in the squire’s orchard, and if you will play me no tricks I will come for you at five o’clock to-morrow, and we will go together, and gather some.”Very well; the pig would be ready.So the wolf trotted off home, and this time he was very sure that he would have a nice fat little piggy for breakfast the next morning.The little pig got up at four o’clock the next day, and off he started for the orchard as fast as his four little feet would carry him. But the way was long, and the tree was hard to climb, and while he was still up among the branches gathering apples the old wolf came trotting into the orchard. The little pig was very much frightened, but he kept very still and hoped, up among the leaves, the wolf would not see him.The wolf peered about, first up one tree and then up another, and finally he spied the piggy up among the branches.“Why did you not wait for me?”“Oh, I knew you would be along presently.”“How soon are you coming down?”“When I have picked a few more apples.”The old wolf sat down at the foot of the tree, and the pig sat up among the branches crunching apples and smacking his lips.“Are they good?” asked the wolf looking up; and his mouth watered.Yes, they were very good.“Could you not throw one down to me?”Yes, the little pig could do that.He picked the biggest, reddest apple he could, and then he threw it, but he threw it far off, and in such a way that it went bounding and rolling down the hill slope. The wolf bounded down the hill after it, and while he was catching it, the little pig climbed down the tree and ran safely home with his basketful of apples.When the old wolf found the pig had tricked him again he was very angry. He was more determined than ever that he would catch the little pig. He trotted off to the little red house and knocked at the door.“Did you get all the apples you wanted?” asked the wolf.Yes, the little pig had all he wanted, and he was very much obliged to the wolf for telling him about the orchard.“Listen, Piggy, there’s to be a fine fair over in the town to-morrow,” said the wolf. “Wouldn’t you like to go?”Yes, the little pig would like very much to go.“Very well,” said the wolf. “Then I will come for you at half-past three to-morrow, and we will go together.”“Very well,” said the little pig. But long before half-past three the next day, piggy was off to the fair, and he took four bright silver pieces with him, for he wanted to buy himself a butter-churn. It did not take him long to buy the churn, and then he started home again, carrying it on his back.But the wolf had learned a thing or two about the little pig’s tricks. He, too, started off to the fair long before half-past three, and so it was that the little pig was scarcely half-way home, and had just reached the top of a high hill, when he saw the wolf come trotting up the hill directly toward him. The little pig was terrified. He looked all around but he could not see any place to hide. He decided the best thing he could do was to get inside the churn. So he put it down and crept inside it. But the hill was very steep, and no sooner was the piggy inside the churn than it began to roll down the hill slope bumpety-bumpety-bump, over rocks and stones, leaping and bounding like a live thing. The little pig did not know what washappening to him. He began to squeal at the top of his voice.The old wolf was half-way up the hill when he heard the noise. He looked up, and there was a great round thing coming bounding over the rocks straight at him, and squeaking and squeaking as it came. He gave one look and his hair bristled with fear, and with a howl he turned tail and ran home as fast as he could. He never stopped till he was safe inside his house, and had shut and locked the door behind him. There he crouched, trembling and wondering what would happen. But nothing happened, and all was quiet, so after awhile the wolf ventured out and ran over to the pig’s house.“Piggy, Piggy! Are you in there?”Yes, the little pig was sitting by the fire roasting apples.“Then, listen while I tell you what happened to me on the way to the fair.” Then the wolf put his nose close to the crack of the door, and told the little pig all about the great round squealing thing that had chased him down the hill.The little pig laughed and laughed. “AndI can tell you exactly what the great squealing thing was; it was a churn I had bought at the fair, and I was inside it.”wolf in potWhen the old wolf heard this he was so furious that he determined to have the little pig whether or no, even if he had to climb up on the roof and down the chimney to get him. He stuck his sharp nails in between the bricks of the house and climbed right up the side of it and onto the roof. Then he climbed up on the chimney and slid down it into the fire-place.But the little pig had heard what he was doing,and was ready for him. He had a great pot of boiling water on the fire, and when he heard the wolf slipping and scrabbling down the chimney he took the lid off the kettle, and plump! the old wolf fell right into the boiling water. Then the little pig clapped the lid tight down over him, and that was the end of the wolf.But the little pig lived on in peace and plenty forever after, and if any other wolf ever came along to bother him I never heard of it.
A mother pig and her three little pigs lived together in a wood very happily all through the long summertime, but towards autumn the mother pig called her little ones to her and said, “My dear little pigs, the time has come for you to go out into the world and seek your own fortunes. You will each want to build a little house to live in, but do not build them of straw or leaves; straws are brittle and leaves are frail. Build your houses of bricks, for then you will always have a safe place to live in; you can go in and lock the door, and nothing can harm you.” She then bade the little pigs farewell, and away they ran out into the world to make their fortunes.
The first little pig had not gone far when he met a man with a load of straw. The straw looked so warm, and smelled so good that the little pig quite forgot what his mother had told him.
“Please, Mr. Man,” said the little pig, “giveme enough straw to build a house to keep me warm through the long winter.”
The man did not say no. He gave the little pig all the straw he wanted, and then he drove on.
The little pig built himself a house of straw, and it was so warm and cosy that he was quite delighted with it. “How much better,” said he “than a house of cold hard bricks.”
So he lay there snug and warm, and presently the old wolf knocked at the door.
“Piggy-wig, piggy-wig, let me in!” he cried.
“I won’t, by the hair on my chinny-chin-chin,” answered the pig.
“Then I’ll huff, and I’ll puff, and I’ll blow your house in.”
The little pig laughed aloud, for he felt very safe in his snug straw house.
“Well, then huff, and then puff, and then blow my house in!” he cried.
Well, the old wolfdidhuff and puff, and hedidblow the house in, for it was only made of straw, and then he ate up the pig.
The second little pig when he left the forest ranalong and ran along and presently he met a man with a great load of leaves.
“Oh, kind Mr. Man, please give me some leaves to build me a little house for the winter time,” cried the piggy.
The man was willing to do this. He gave the pig all the leaves he wanted, and then he went on his way.
The pig built himself a house of leaves and it was even snugger and warmer than the straw house had been. “How silly my mother was,” said the pig, “to tell me to build a brick house. What could be warmer and cosier and safer than this.” And he snuggled down among the leaves and was very happy.
Presently along came the great wolf, and he stopped and knocked at the door.
“Piggy-wig, piggy-wig, let me in!” he cried.
“I won’t, by the hair of my chinny-chin-chin!”
“Then I’ll huff, and I’ll puff, and I’ll blow your house in.”
The little pig laughed when he heard that, for the walls were thick, and he felt secure.
“Well, then huff, and then puff, and thenblowmy house in.”
So the wolf huffed, and he puffed, and hedidblow the house in, and he ate up the little pig that was inside of it.
Now the third little pig was the smallest pig of all, but he was a very wise little pig, and he meant to do exactly as his mother had told him to do. After he left the forest he met a man driving a wagon-load of straw, but he did not ask for any of it. He met the man with the load of leaves, but he did not ask for any of it. He met a man with a load of bricks, andthenhe stopped and begged so prettily for enough bricks to build himself a little house that the man could not refuse him.
The pig took the bricks and built himself a little red house with them, and it was not an easy task either. When it was done it was not so soft as the little straw house, and it was not so warm as the little leaf house, but it was a verysafelittle house.
Presently the old wolf came along and knocked at the door—rat-tat-tat!
“Piggy-wig, piggy-wig, let me in,” he called.
“I won’t, by the hair on my chinny-chin-chin.”
“Then I’ll huff, and I’ll puff, and I’ll blow your house in.”
“Well, then huff, and then puff, and then blow my house in,” answered the pig.
So the old wolf huffed and he puffed, and hepuffed and he huffed, and heHUFFED AND HE PUFFEDtill he almost split his sides, and he justcouldn’tblow the house in, and the little pig laughed to himself as he sat safe and comfortable inside there.
The old wolf saw there was nothing to be done by blowing, so he sat down and thought and thought. Then he said, “Piggy-wig, I know where there is a field of fine turnips.”
“Where?” asked the little pig.
“Open the door and I will tell you.”
No, the little pig could hear quite well with the door closed.
“It is just up the road three fields away,” said the wolf, “and if you would like to have some I will come for you at six o’clock to-morrow morning, and we will go and dig them up together.”
“At six o’clock!” said the little pig. “Very well.”
Then the old wolf trotted off home, licking hislips, and he was well content, for he thought he would have pig for breakfast the next day.
But the next morning the little pig was up and astir by five o’clock. Off he trotted to the turnip field and gathered a whole bagful of turnips and was home again before the old wolf thought of coming.
At six o’clock the old wolf knocked at the door.
“Are you ready to go for the turnips, Piggy?” he cried.
“Ready!” answered the pig. “Why I was up and off to the field an hour ago and I have all the turnips I want, and I’m boiling them for breakfast.”
“That’s what you did!” said the wolf. And then he thought a bit. “Piggy, do you like fine ripe apples?” he asked.
Yes, the pig was very fond of apples.
“Then I can tell you where to find some.”
“Where is that?”
“Over beyond the hill in the squire’s orchard, and if you will play me no tricks I will come for you at five o’clock to-morrow, and we will go together, and gather some.”
Very well; the pig would be ready.
So the wolf trotted off home, and this time he was very sure that he would have a nice fat little piggy for breakfast the next morning.
The little pig got up at four o’clock the next day, and off he started for the orchard as fast as his four little feet would carry him. But the way was long, and the tree was hard to climb, and while he was still up among the branches gathering apples the old wolf came trotting into the orchard. The little pig was very much frightened, but he kept very still and hoped, up among the leaves, the wolf would not see him.
The wolf peered about, first up one tree and then up another, and finally he spied the piggy up among the branches.
“Why did you not wait for me?”
“Oh, I knew you would be along presently.”
“How soon are you coming down?”
“When I have picked a few more apples.”
The old wolf sat down at the foot of the tree, and the pig sat up among the branches crunching apples and smacking his lips.
“Are they good?” asked the wolf looking up; and his mouth watered.
Yes, they were very good.
“Could you not throw one down to me?”
Yes, the little pig could do that.
He picked the biggest, reddest apple he could, and then he threw it, but he threw it far off, and in such a way that it went bounding and rolling down the hill slope. The wolf bounded down the hill after it, and while he was catching it, the little pig climbed down the tree and ran safely home with his basketful of apples.
When the old wolf found the pig had tricked him again he was very angry. He was more determined than ever that he would catch the little pig. He trotted off to the little red house and knocked at the door.
“Did you get all the apples you wanted?” asked the wolf.
Yes, the little pig had all he wanted, and he was very much obliged to the wolf for telling him about the orchard.
“Listen, Piggy, there’s to be a fine fair over in the town to-morrow,” said the wolf. “Wouldn’t you like to go?”
Yes, the little pig would like very much to go.
“Very well,” said the wolf. “Then I will come for you at half-past three to-morrow, and we will go together.”
“Very well,” said the little pig. But long before half-past three the next day, piggy was off to the fair, and he took four bright silver pieces with him, for he wanted to buy himself a butter-churn. It did not take him long to buy the churn, and then he started home again, carrying it on his back.
But the wolf had learned a thing or two about the little pig’s tricks. He, too, started off to the fair long before half-past three, and so it was that the little pig was scarcely half-way home, and had just reached the top of a high hill, when he saw the wolf come trotting up the hill directly toward him. The little pig was terrified. He looked all around but he could not see any place to hide. He decided the best thing he could do was to get inside the churn. So he put it down and crept inside it. But the hill was very steep, and no sooner was the piggy inside the churn than it began to roll down the hill slope bumpety-bumpety-bump, over rocks and stones, leaping and bounding like a live thing. The little pig did not know what washappening to him. He began to squeal at the top of his voice.
The old wolf was half-way up the hill when he heard the noise. He looked up, and there was a great round thing coming bounding over the rocks straight at him, and squeaking and squeaking as it came. He gave one look and his hair bristled with fear, and with a howl he turned tail and ran home as fast as he could. He never stopped till he was safe inside his house, and had shut and locked the door behind him. There he crouched, trembling and wondering what would happen. But nothing happened, and all was quiet, so after awhile the wolf ventured out and ran over to the pig’s house.
“Piggy, Piggy! Are you in there?”
Yes, the little pig was sitting by the fire roasting apples.
“Then, listen while I tell you what happened to me on the way to the fair.” Then the wolf put his nose close to the crack of the door, and told the little pig all about the great round squealing thing that had chased him down the hill.
The little pig laughed and laughed. “AndI can tell you exactly what the great squealing thing was; it was a churn I had bought at the fair, and I was inside it.”
wolf in pot
When the old wolf heard this he was so furious that he determined to have the little pig whether or no, even if he had to climb up on the roof and down the chimney to get him. He stuck his sharp nails in between the bricks of the house and climbed right up the side of it and onto the roof. Then he climbed up on the chimney and slid down it into the fire-place.
But the little pig had heard what he was doing,and was ready for him. He had a great pot of boiling water on the fire, and when he heard the wolf slipping and scrabbling down the chimney he took the lid off the kettle, and plump! the old wolf fell right into the boiling water. Then the little pig clapped the lid tight down over him, and that was the end of the wolf.
But the little pig lived on in peace and plenty forever after, and if any other wolf ever came along to bother him I never heard of it.
woman in hood saying "shhh" and holding up keyTHE GOLDEN KEYIt was winter, and a little lad had gone out into the forest to gather wood to keep the fire going at home. As there was snow upon the ground he took his little sledge with him, for he could carry home a larger load on the sledge than on his back.He gathered together a heap of fallen branches, and then piled them neatly on the sledge, putting the larger pieces at the bottom. Before he had finished the task his fingers were almost frozen, for he had no mittens. “Before I start to drag mysled home,” said he to himself, “I will build a fire and warm my hands a bit.”He took a stick, and cleared away some of the snow, so as to have a place to build the fire. When he had done this he saw a little golden key lying there on the ground. The little lad picked it up, wondering. “Wherever there is a key, there must be a lock,” he said.He began to scrape away the earth, and presently he found a curious looking chest made of iron inlaid with silver. There were words written on the lid of the chest, but the little boy could not read them.He lifted the chest out from the earth, and it seemed to him that something was stirring inside of it. Then a little thin voice, as thin as a thread, cried to him. “Let me out! Let me out, and I will make your fortune.”The little boy was very much surprised. The chest seemed too small for any living being to be in it.“Who are you?” he asked.“Open the chest and see. If you will only let me out you will never be sorry.”The little boy put the golden key in the lock andit fitted exactly. He turned it round and the lock flew back. But as to what was in the chest you will have to wait until he lifts the lid before you can see.
woman in hood saying "shhh" and holding up key
It was winter, and a little lad had gone out into the forest to gather wood to keep the fire going at home. As there was snow upon the ground he took his little sledge with him, for he could carry home a larger load on the sledge than on his back.
He gathered together a heap of fallen branches, and then piled them neatly on the sledge, putting the larger pieces at the bottom. Before he had finished the task his fingers were almost frozen, for he had no mittens. “Before I start to drag mysled home,” said he to himself, “I will build a fire and warm my hands a bit.”
He took a stick, and cleared away some of the snow, so as to have a place to build the fire. When he had done this he saw a little golden key lying there on the ground. The little lad picked it up, wondering. “Wherever there is a key, there must be a lock,” he said.
He began to scrape away the earth, and presently he found a curious looking chest made of iron inlaid with silver. There were words written on the lid of the chest, but the little boy could not read them.
He lifted the chest out from the earth, and it seemed to him that something was stirring inside of it. Then a little thin voice, as thin as a thread, cried to him. “Let me out! Let me out, and I will make your fortune.”
The little boy was very much surprised. The chest seemed too small for any living being to be in it.
“Who are you?” he asked.
“Open the chest and see. If you will only let me out you will never be sorry.”
The little boy put the golden key in the lock andit fitted exactly. He turned it round and the lock flew back. But as to what was in the chest you will have to wait until he lifts the lid before you can see.