Part 8
Meanwhile the Bear had been toiling and moiling away at his bundle of wood, which took him much longer to collect than he expected; however, at last he arrived quite exhausted at the woodcutter’s cottage. Seeing the brass Khichri pot by the fire, he threw down his load and went in. And then—mercy! wasn’t he angry when he found nothing in it—not even a grain of rice, nor a tiny wee bit of pulse, but only a smell that was so uncommonly nice that he actually cried with rage and disappointment. He flew into the most dreadful temper, but though he turned the house topsy-turvy, he could not find a morsel of food. Finally, he declared he would take the wood away again, but, as the crafty old woman had imagined, when he came to the task, he did not care, even for the sake of revenge, to carry so heavy a burden.
“I won’t go away empty-handed,” said he to himself, seizing the Khichri pot; “if I can’t get the taste I’ll have the smell!”
Now, as he left the cottage, he caught sight of the beautiful golden pears hanging over into the yard. His mouth began to water at once, for he was desperately hungry, and the pears were the best of the season. In a trice he was on the wall, up the tree, and gathering the biggest and ripest one he could find, was just putting it into his mouth when a thought struck him.
“If I take these pears home I shall be able to sell them for ever so much to the other bears, and then with the money I shall be able to buy some Khichri. Ha, ha! I shall have the best of the bargain after all!”
So saying, he began to gather the ripe pears as fast as he could and put them in the Khichri pot, but whenever he came to an unripe one he would shake his head and say, “No one would buy that, yet it is a pity to waste it.” So he would pop it into his mouth and eat it, making wry faces if it was very sour.
Now all this time the Woodman’s Wife had been watching the Bear through a crevice, and holding her breath for fear of discovery; but, at last, what with being asthmatic, and having a cold in her head, she could hold it no longer, and just as the Khichri pot was quite full of golden ripe pears, out she came with the most tremendous sneeze you ever heard—“A-h-che-u!”
The Bear, thinking some one had fired a gun at him, dropped the Khichri pot into the cottage yard, and fled into the forest as fast as his legs would carry him.
So the Woodrnan and his Wife got the Khichri, the wood, and the coveted pears, but the poor bear got nothing but a very bad stomachache from eating unripe fruit.
THE THIEF AND THE FOX
By Ramaswarni Raju
A man tied his horse to a tree and went into an inn. A Thief hid the horse in a wood, and stood near the tree as if he had not done it.
“Did you see my horse?” said the man.
“Yes,” said the Thief, “I saw the tree eat up your horse.”
“How could the tree eat up my horse?” said the man.
“Why it did so,” said the Thief.
The two went to a Fox and told him of the case. The Fox said. “I am dull. All last night the sea was on fire; I had to throw a great deal of hay into it to quench the flames; so come to-morrow, and I shall hear your case.
“Oh, you lie,” said the Thief. “How could the sea burn? How could hay quench the flames?”
“Oh, you lie,” said the Fox, with a loud laugh; “how could a tree eat up a horse?”
The Thief saw his lie had no legs, and gave the man his horse.
THE FARMER AND THE FOX
By Ramaswami Raju
A farmer was returning from a fair which he had attended the previous day at a neighboring market town. He had a quantity of poultry which he had purchased. A Fox observed this, and approaching the Farmer, said, “Good morning, my friend.”
“What cheer, old fellow?” said the Farmer.
“I am just coming from the wood, through which you mean to go with your poultry. A band of highwaymen has been tarrying there since daybreak.”
“Then what shall I do?” said the Farmer.
“Why,” said the Fox, “if I were you I should stay here a while, and after breakfast enter the wood, for by that time the robbers will have left the place.”
“So be it,” said the Farmer, and had a hearty breakfast, with Reynard for his guest.
They kept drinking for a long time. Reynard appeared to have lost his wits; he stood up and played the drunkard to perfection. The Farmer, who highly admired the pranks of his guest, roared with laughter, and gradually fell into a deep slumber. It was some time after noon when he awoke. To his dismay he found that the Fox was gone, and that the poultry had all disappeared!
“Alas!” said the Farmer, as he trudged on his way home with a heavy heart, “I thought the old rogue was quite drowned in liquor, but I now see it was all a pretense. One must indeed be very sober to play the drunkard to perfection.”
THE FOOLS AND THE DRUM
By Ramaswami Raju
Two fools heard a Drum sounding, and said to themselves, There is some one inside it who makes the noise.”
So, watching a moment, when the drummer was out, they pierced a hole in each side of it, and pushed their hands in. Each felt the hand of the other within the Drum, and exclaimed, “I have caught him!”
Then one said to the other, “Brother, the fellow seems to be a stubborn knave; come what will, we should not give in.”
“Not an inch, brother,” said the other.
So they kept pulling each other’s hand, fancying it was the man in the Drum. The drummer came up, and finding them in such an awkward plight showed them with his fist who the man in the Drum really was. But as his fine Drum was ruined, he said, with a sigh, “Alas! Fools have fancies with a triple wing!”
THE LION AND THE GOAT
By Ramaswami Raju
A lion was eating up one after another the animals of a certain country. One day an old Goat said, “We must put a stop to this. I have a plan by which he may be sent away from this part of the country.”
“Pray act up to it at once,” said the other animals.
The old Goat laid himself down in a cave on the roadside, with his flowing beard and long curved horns. The Lion, on his way to the village, saw him, and stopped at the mouth of the cave.
“So you have come, after all,” said the Goat.
“What do you mean?” said the Lion.
“Why, I have long been lying in this cave. I have eaten up one hundred elephants, a hundred tigers, a thousand wolves, and ninety-nine lions. One more lion has been wanting. I have waited long and patiently. Heaven has, after all, been kind to me,” said the Goat, and shook his horns and his beard, and made a start as if he were about to spring upon the Lion.
The latter said to himself, “This animal looks like a Goat, but it does not talk like one. So it is very likely some wicked spirit in this shape. Prudence often serves us better than valor, so for the present I shall return to the wood,” and he turned back.
The Goat rose up, and, advancing to the mouth of the cave, said, “Will you come back tomorrow?”
“Never again,” said the Lion.
“Do you think I shall be able to see you, at least, in the wood to-morrow?”
“Neither in the wood nor in this neighborhood any more,” said the Lion, and running to the forest, soon left it with his kindred.
The animals in the country, not hearing him roar any more, gathered round the Goat, and said, “The wisdom of one doth save a host.”
THE GLOWWORM AND THE JACKDAW
By Ramaswami Raju
Jackdaw once ran up to a Glowworm and was about to seize him. “Wait a moment, good friend,” said the Worm, “and you shall hear something to your advantage.”
“Ah! what is it?” said the Daw.
“I am but one of the many glowworms that live in this forest. If you wish to have them all, follow me,” said the Glowworm.
“Certainly!” said the Daw.
Then the Glowworm led him to a place in the wood where a fire had been kindled by some woodmen, and pointing to the sparks flying about, said, “There you find the glowworms warming themselves round a fire. When you have done with them I shall show you some more, at a distance from this place.”
The Daw darted at the sparks and tried to swallow some of them, but his mouth being burned by the attempt, he ran away exclaiming, “Ah, the Glowworm is a dangerous little creature!”
THE CAMEL AND THE PIG
By Ramaswami Raju
A camel said, “Nothing like being tall! Look how tall I am!”
A Pig, who heard these words, said, “Nothing like being short! Look how short I am!”
The Camel said, “Well, if I fail to prove the truth of what I said. I shall give up my hump.”
The Pig said, “If I fail to prove the truth of what I have said, I shall give up my snout.”
“Agreed!” said the Camel.
“Just so!” said the Pig.
They came to a garden, inclosed by a low wall without any opening. The Camel stood on this side of the wall, and reaching the plants within by means of his long neck, made a breakfast on them. Then he turned, jeeringly to the Pig, who had been standing at the bottom of the wall, without even having a look at the good things in the garden, and said, “Now, would you be tall or short?”
Next they came to a garden, inclosed by a high wall, with a wicket gate at one end. The Pig entered by the gate, and, after having eaten his fill of the vegetables within, came out, laughing at the poor Camel, who had had to stay outside because he was too tall to enter the garden by the gate, and said, “Now, would you be tall or short?”
Then they thought the matter over and came to the conclusion that the Camel should keep his hump and the Pig his snout, observing, “Tall is good, where tall would do; of short, again, ’tis also true!”
THE DOG AND THE DOG DEALER
By Ramaswami Raju
A dog was standing by the cottage of a peasant. A man who dealt in dogs passed by the way. The Dog said, “Will you buy me?”
The man said, “Oh, you ugly little thing! I would not give a quarter of a penny for you!”
Then the Dog went to the palace of the king and stood by the portal. The sentinel caressed it, and said, “You are a charming little creature!”
Just then the Dog Dealer came by. The Dog said, “Will you buy me?”
“Oh,” said the man, “you guard the palace of the king, who must have paid a high price for you. I cannot afford to pay the amount, else I would willingly take you.”
“Ah!” said the Dog, “how place and position affect people!”
THE TIGER, THE FOX, AND THE HUNTERS
By Ramaswami Raju
A fox was once caught in a trap. A hungry Tiger saw him and said, “So you are here!”
“Only on your account,” said the Fox in a whisper.
“How so?” said the Tiger.
“Why, you were complaining you could not get men to eat, so I got into this net to-day, that you may have the men when they come to take me,” said the Fox, and gave a hint that if he would wait a while in a thicket close by he would point out the men to him.
“May I depend upon your word?” said the Tiger.
“Certainly,” said the Fox.
The Hunters came, and seeing the Fox in the net, said, “So you are here!”
“Only on your account,” said the Fox, in a whisper.
“How so?” said the men.
“Why, you were complaining you could not get at the Tiger that has been devouring your cattle; I got into this net to-day that you may have him. As I expected, he came to eat me up, and is in yonder thicket,” said the Fox, and gave a hint that if they would take him out of the trap he would point out the Tiger.
“May we depend upon your word?” said the men.
“Certainly,” said the Fox, while the men went with him in a circle to see that he did not escape.
Then the Fox said to the Tiger and the men, “Sir Tiger, here are the men; gentlemen, here is the Tiger.”
The men left the Fox and turned to the Tiger. The former beat a hasty retreat to the wood, saying, “I have kept my promise to both; now you may settle it between yourselves.”
The Tiger exclaimed, when it was too late, “Alas! what art for a double part!”
THE SEA, THE FOX, AND THE WOLF
By Ramaswami Raju
A fox that lived by the seashore once met a Wolf that had never seen the Sea. The Wolf said, “What is the Sea?”
“It is a great piece of water by my dwelling,” said the Fox.
“Is it under your control?” said the Wolf.
“Certainly,” said the Fox.
“Will you show me the Sea, then?” said the Wolf.
“With pleasure,” said the Fox. So the Fox led the Wolf to the Sea and said to the waves, “Now go back”—they went back! “Now come up”—and they came up! Then the Fox said to the waves, “My friend, the Wolf, has come to see you, so you will come up and go back till I bid you stop; and the Wolf saw with wonder the waves coming up and going back.
He said to the Fox, “May I go into the Sea?”
“As far as you like. Don’t be afraid, for at a word, the Sea would go or come as I bid, and as you have already seen.”
The Wolf believed the Fox, and followed the waves rather far from the shore. A great wave soon upset him, and threw his carcass on the shore. The Fox made a hearty breakfast on it.
THE FOX IN THE WELL
By Ramaswami Raju
A fox fell into a well and was holding hard to some roots at the side of it, just above the water. A Wolf, who was passing by, saw him, and said, “Hello, Reynard, after all you have fallen into a well!”
“But not without a purpose, and not without the means of getting out of it,” said the Fox.
“What do you mean?” said the Wolf.
“Why,” said the Fox, “there is a drought all over the country now, and the water in this well is the only means of appeasing the thirst of the thousands that live in this neighborhood. They held a meeting, and requested me to keep the water from going down lower; so I am holding it up for the public good.”
“What will be your reward?” said the Wolf.
“They will give me a pension, and save me the trouble of going about every day in quest of food, not to speak of innumerable other privileges that will be granted me. Further, I am not to stay here all day. I have asked a kinsman of mine, to whom I have communicated the secret of holding up the water, to relieve me from time to time. Of course he will also get a pension, and have other privileges. I expect him here shortly.”
“Ah, Reynard, may I relieve you, then? May I hope to get a pension and other privileges? You know what a sad lot is mine, especially in winter.”
“Certainly,” said the Fox; “but you must get a long rope, that I may come up and let you in.
So the Wolf got a rope. Up came the Fox and down went the wo1f, when the former observed, with a laugh, “My dear sir, you may remain there till doomsday, or till the owner of the well throws up your carcass,” and left the place.
ASHIEPATTLE AND HIS GOODLY CREW
By P. C. Asbjörnsen
Once upon a time there was a king, and this king had heard about a ship which went just as fast by land as by water; and as he wished to have one like it, he promised his daughter and half the kingdom to anyone who could build one for him. And this was given out at every church all over the country. There were many who tried, as you can imagine; for they thought it would be a nice thing to have half the kingdom, and the princess wouldn’t be a bad thing into the bargain. But they all fared badly.
Now there were three brothers, who lived far away on the borders of a forest; the eldest was called Peter, the second Paul, and the youngest Espen Ashiepattle, because he always sat in the hearth, raking and digging in the ashes.
It so happened that Ashiepattle was at church on the Sunday when the proclamation about the ship, which the king wanted, was read. When he came home amid told his family, Peter, the eldest, asked his mother to get some food ready for him, for now he was going away to try if he could build the ship and win the princess and half the kingdom. When the bag was ready lie set out. On the way he met an old man who was very crooked and decrepit.
“Where are you going?” said the man.
“I’m going into the forest to make a trough for my father. He doesn’t like to eat at table in our company,” said Peter.
“Trough it shall he!” said the man. “What have you got in that bag of yours?” he added.
“Stones,” said Peter.
“Stones it shall be,” said the man. Peter then went into the forest and began to cut and chop away at the trees and work away as hard as he could, but in spite of all his cutting and chopping he could only turn out troughs. Toward dinner time he wanted something to eat and opened his bag. But there was not a crumb of food in it. As he had nothing to live upon, and as he did not turn out anything but troughs, he became tired of the work, took his ax and bag on his shoulder, and went home to his mother.
Paul then wanted to set out to try his luck at building the ship and winning the princess and half the kingdom. He asked his mother for provisions, and when the bag was ready he threw it over his shoulder and went on his way to the forest. On the road he met the old man, who was very crooked and decrepit.
“Where are you going?” said the man.
“Oh, I am going into the forest to make a trough for our sucking pig,” said Paul.
“Pig trough it shall be,” said the man. “What have you got in that bag of yours?” added the man.
“Stones,” said Paul.
“Stones it shall be,” said the man.
Paul then began felling trees and working away as hard as he could, but no matter how he cut and how he worked he could only turn out pig troughs. He did not give in, however, but worked away till far into the afternoon before he thought of taking any food; then all at once he became hungry and opened his bag, but not a crumb could he find. Paul became so angry he turned the bag inside out and struck it against the stump of a tree; then lie took his ax, went out of the forest, and set off homeward.
As soon as Paul returned, Ashiepattle wanted to set out and asked his mother for a bag of food.
“Perhaps I can manage to build the ship and win the princess and half the kingdom,” said he.
“Well, I never heard the like,” said his mother. “Are you likely to win the princess, you, who never do anything but root and dig in the ashes? No, you shan’t have any bag with food!”
Ashiepattle did not give in, however, but he prayed and begged till he got leave to go. He did not get any food, not he; but he stole a couple of oatmeal cakes and some flat beer and set out.
When he had walked a while he met the same old man, who was so crooked and tattered and decrepit.
“Where are you going?” said the man.
“Oh, I was going into the forest to try if it were possible to build a ship which can go as fast by land as by water,” said Ashiepattle, “for the king has given out that anyone who can build such a ship shall have the princess and half the kingdom.”
“What have you got in that bag of yours?” said the man.
“Not much worth talking about; there ought to be a little food in it,” answered Ashiepattle.
“If you’ll give me a little of it I’ll help you, said the man.
“With all my heart,” said Ashiepattle, “but there is nothing but some oatmeal cakes and a drop of flat beer.”
It didn’t matter what it was, the man said; if he only got some of it he would be sure to help Ashiepattle.
When they came up to an old oak in the wood the man said to the lad, “Now you must cut off a chip and then put it back again in exactly the same place, and when you have done that you can lie down and go to sleep.”
Ashiepattle did as he was told and then lay down to sleep, and in his sleep lie thought he heard somebody cutting and hammering and sawing and carpentering, but he could not wake up till the man called him; then the ship stood quite finished by the side of the oak.
“Now you must go on board and everyone you meet you must take with you,” said the man. Espen Ashiepattle thanked him for the ship, said he would do so, and then sailed away.
When he had sailed some distance he came to a long, thin tramp, who was lying near some rocks, eating stones.
“What sort of a fellow are you, that you lie there eating stones?” asked Ashiepattle. The tramp said he was so fond of meat he could never get enough, therefore he was obliged to eat stones. And then he asked if he might go with him in the ship.
“If you want to go with us, you must make haste and get on board,” said Ashiepattle.
Yes, that he would, but he must take with him some large stones for food.
When they had sailed some distance they met one who was lying on the side of a sunny hill, sucking at a bung.
“Who are you,” said Ashiepattle, “and what is the good of lying there sucking that bung?”