FAIRY DO-NOTHING AND GIANT SNAP-’EM-UP
Inthe days of yore there lived a very idle, greedy, naughty boy such as we never hear of in these times. His name was Master No-Book. The young gentleman hated lessons like mustard, both of which brought tears to his eyes. And during school hours he sat gazing at his books, pretending to be busy, while he considered where he could get the nicest pies, pastries, ices, and jellies. He smacked his lips at the very thought of them.
Whenever Master No-Book spoke, it was to ask for a piece of cake, or an apple, or a bit of plum pudding. Indeed, very frequently when he did not get permission to eat the goodies, this naughty glutton helped himself without leave.
One afternoon Master No-Book, having played truant from school, was lolling on his mamma’s best sofa, with his leather boots tucked up on the satin cushions, and nothing to do but to suck a few oranges, and nothing to think of but how much sugar to put into them, when suddenly an event took place which filled him with astonishment.
A sound of soft music stole into the room, becominglouder and louder, the longer he listened, till at length a large hole burst open in the wall of the room. Then there stepped into his presence two magnificent Fairies, just arrived from their castles in the air, to pay him a visit. They had travelled all the way on purpose to talk with Master No-Book.
The Fairy Do-Nothing was gorgeously dressed with a wreath of flames round her head, a robe of gold tissue, a necklace of rubies, and a bouquet of glittering diamonds in her hand. Her teeth were gold, her hair was of the most brilliant purple, and her eyes were green. In fact she was a most fine and fashionable Fairy.
The Fairy Teach-All, who followed next, was simply dressed in white muslin, with bunches of natural flowers in her brown hair; and she carried a few, neat, small books, which made Master No-Book shudder.
The two Fairies now informed him that they very often invited large parties of children to spend some time at their palaces. Therefore they had now come to invite Master No-Book, but as they lived in opposite directions, he would have to choose which he would visit first.
“In my house,” said the Fairy Teach-All, speaking with a very sweet smile, and a soft, pleasing voice, “my young friends rise at seven every morning, and amuse themselves with workingin a beautiful garden of flowers, raising fruits of all kinds, visiting the poor, playing together, and learning to know the world they live in and how to fulfill the purposes for which they have been brought into it. In short, all our amusements tend to some useful object; and you will grow wiser, better, and happier every day you remain in the Palace of Knowledge.”
“But in the Castle Needless, where I live,” interrupted the Fairy Do-Nothing, rudely pushing her companion aside, “we never think of working. No one is ever asked a question. We lead the most fashionable life imaginable. Each of my visitors sits with his back to as many of the company as possible, and whenever he can, he sits in the most comfortable chair. If he takes the trouble to wish for anything, he gets it. Clothes are provided of the most magnificent kinds, which go on by themselves without buttons or strings. Delicious dishes are served smoking hot under his nose, at all hours, while any rain that falls is of lemonade, chocolate, and cider. And in Winter it generally snows ice-cream and tutti-frutti, for an hour during the forenoon.”
Nobody need be told which Fairy Master No-Book preferred. And quite charmed at his good fortune in receiving such a delightful invitation, he eagerly gave his hand to his splendid new acquaintance, who promised him so much pleasureand ease. He gladly proceeded with her in a carriage lined with velvet, stuffed with downy pillows, and drawn by milk-white swans, to that magnificent residence, Castle Needless, which was lighted by a thousand windows during the day and by a million lamps at night.
Here Master No-Book enjoyed a constant holiday and a continual feast. A beautiful lady, covered with jewels, was ready to tell him stories from morning till night. Servants waited to pick up his playthings if they fell, and to draw out his purse or pocket handkerchief when he wished to use them.
Thus Master No-Book lay dozing for hours and days on richly embroidered cushions, never stirring from his place in the garden, but admiring the view of trees covered with the richest burnt almonds, the grottoes of sugar-candy, a fountain of lemonade, and a bright clear pond filled with goldfish that let themselves be caught.
Nothing could be more complete, yet strange to say Master No-Book did not seem particularly happy. Every day he became more peevish. No sweetmeats were worth the trouble of eating, no game was pleasant to play, and he wished that it were possible to sleep all day as well as night.
Not a hundred miles from the Fairy Do-Nothing’s palace, there lived a cruel monster calledthe Giant Snap-’Em-Up. When he stood erect, he looked like the tall steeple of a great church. He raised his head so high that he could peep over the loftiest mountains; and he was obliged to climb a ladder to comb his own hair.
Every morning this prodigiously great Giant walked round the world before breakfast, looking for something to eat. He lived in fine style, and his dinners were most magnificent, consisting of an elephant roasted whole, ostrich patties, a tiger smothered in onions, stewed lions, and whale soup. But for a side dish, his favourite of all consisted of little boys, as fat as possible, fried in crumbs of bread with plenty of pepper and salt.
No children were so well-fed or in such good condition for eating as those in the Fairy Do-Nothing’s garden, who was a particular friend of the Giant Snap-’Em-Up. She oftentimes laughingly said that she gave him permission to help himself, whenever he pleased, to as many of her visitors as he chose. And in return for such civility the Giant often invited her to dinner.
One day, when Master No-Book felt even more lazy, more idle, more miserable than ever, he lay beside a perfect mountain of toys and cakes, wondering what to wish for next, and hating the very sight of everything and everybody. At last he gave so loud a yawn of weariness and disgust, and he sighed so deeply, that the Giant Snap-’Em-Upheard the sounds as he passed along the road before breakfast.
Instantly he stepped into the garden to see what was the matter. On observing a large, fat, overgrown boy, as round as a dumpling, lying on a bed of roses, he gave a cry of delight, followed by a gigantic peal of laughter which was heard three miles off.
Picking up Master No-Book between his finger and thumb, with a pinch that nearly broke his ribs, he carried him rapidly toward his own castle; while the Fairy Do-Nothing laughingly shook her head as he passed, saying:—
“That little man does me great credit! He has been fed only for a week, and is as fat already as a prize ox! What a dainty morsel he will be! When do you dine, my friend Snap-’Em-Up, in case I should have time to look in upon you?”
On reaching home the Giant immediately hung up Master No-Book by the hair of his head on a prodigious hook in the larder. Then he went away to look for more little boys.
There, in torture of mind and body—like a fish on a hook—the wretched Master No-Book began to reflect seriously on his former ways, and to consider what a happy home he might have had if he had been satisfied to go to school and study with the other boys.
In the midst of these sad reflections, Master No-Book’s attention was attracted by the sound of many voices laughing, talking, and singing, which caused him to turn his eyes and look out of the larder window. For the first time he observed that the Fairy Teach-All’s garden lay upon a beautiful sloping bank not far away.
There a crowd of merry, noisy, rosy-cheeked boys were busily employed, and seemed happier than the day was long. Poor Master No-Book watched them, envying the enjoyment with which they raked the flower-borders, gathered fruit, carried baskets of vegetables to the poor, worked with carpenters’ tools, drew pictures, shot with bows and arrows, and played ball. Then they sat in sunny arbours learning their lessons, till, the dinner-bell having been rung, the whole party sat down to a feast of roast meat, apple-pie, and other good wholesome things. The Fairy Teach-All presided, and helped her guests to as much as was good for them.
Large tears rolled down the cheeks of Master No-Book while watching this scene, and remembering that if he had known what was best for him, he might have been as happy as the happiest of these excellent boys, instead of being about to suffer a most miserable death.
Now, as the Giant Snap-’Em-Up wished a nice dish of fried boys for dinner, and as there wasplenty of time, he seized a large basket in his hand, and set off at a rapid pace toward the Fairy Teach-All’s garden. It was very seldom that Snap-’Em-Up ventured to forage there, as he had never once succeeded in carrying off a single captive from that garden, it was so well fortified and so bravely defended. But on this occasion, being desperately hungry, he felt bold as a lion, and walked with outstretched hands straight toward the Fairy Teach-All’s dinner-table, taking such huge strides that he seemed almost to trample on himself.
A cry of consternation arose the minute this tremendous Giant appeared. And as usual, as when on such occasions he had made the same attempt before, a dreadful battle took place. Fifty active little boys flew upon the enemy with their dinner knives, and like a nest of hornets, stung him in every direction, till he roared with pain, and would have run away; but the Fairy Teach-All rushed forward, and cut off his head with the carving-knife.
If a great mountain had fallen to the earth, it would have seemed like nothing in comparison with the Giant Snap-’Em-Up, who crushed houses to powder under him. But the greatest event which occurred was the death of the Fairy Do-Nothing, who had been looking on at this battle, and who was too lazy to run away. When theGiant fell, his sword came with so violent a stroke on her head that she instantly expired.
The Fairy Teach-All, seeing the enemy dead, hastened to the Giant’s Castle, and lost no time in liberating Master No-Book from his hook in the larder.
From this very hour, Master No-Book became the most diligent, active, happy boy in the Fairy Teach-All’s garden. And on returning home a few months afterward, he astonished all his teachers at school by his wisdom and studiousness. He scarcely ever stirred without a book in his hand, never lay on a sofa again, and preferred a three-legged stool to a comfortable chair with a back. He detested holidays, and never ate a morsel of food till he had worked very hard and got an appetite.
When he grew up, he was known as Sir Timothy Bluestocking. And though generally very good-natured and agreeable, Sir Timothy was occasionally to be seen in a violent passion, laying around him with his walking-stick, and beating little boys within an inch of their lives. It invariably appeared that he had found them to be lazy, idle, or greedy.
Catherine Sinclair(Adapted)