young lord followed her, and watched her change her fine dress of
feathers for her catskin dress, and then he knew her for his own
scullery-maid.
Next day he went to his mother, and told her that he wished to marry the
scullery-maid, Catskin.
"Never," said the lady of the castle--"never so long as I live."
[Illustration: She went along, and went along, and went along]
Well, the young lord was so grieved that he took to his bed and was very
ill indeed. The doctor tried to cure him, but he would not take any
medicine unless from the hands of Catskin. At last the doctor went to
the mother, and said that her son would die if she did not consent to
his marriage with Catskin; so she had to give way. Then she summoned
Catskin to her, and Catskin put on her coat of beaten gold before she
went to see the lady; and she, of course, was overcome at once, and was
only too glad to wed her son to so beautiful a maid.
So they were married, and after a time a little son was born to them,
and grew up a fine little lad. Now one day, when he was about four years
old, a beggar woman came to the door, and Lady Catskin gave some money
to the little lord and told him to go and give it to the beggar woman.
So he went and gave it, putting it into the hand of the woman's baby
child; and the child leant forward and kissed the little lord.
Now the wicked old cook (who had never been sent away, because Catskin
was too kind-hearted) was looking on, and she said, "See how beggars'
brats take to one another!"
This insult hurt Catskin dreadfully: and she went to her husband, the
young lord, and told him all about her father, and begged he would go
and find out what had become of her parents. So they set out in the
lord's grand coach, and travelled through the forest till they came to
the house of Catskin's father. Then they put up at an inn near, and
Catskin stopped there, while her husband went to see if her father would
own she was his daughter.
Now her father had never had any other child, and his wife had died; so
he was all alone in the world, and sate moping and miserable. When the
young lord came in he hardly looked up, he was so miserable. Then
Catskin's husband drew a chair close up to him, and asked him, "Pray,
sir, had you not once a young daughter whom you would never see or
own?"
And the miserable man said with tears, "It is true; I am a hardened
sinner. But I would give all my worldly goods if I could but see her
once before I die."
Then the young lord told him what had happened to Catskin, and took him
to the inn, and afterwards brought his father-in-law to his own castle,
where they lived happy ever afterwards.
THE THREE LITTLE PIGS
Once upon a time there was an old sow who had three little pigs, and as
she had not enough for them to eat, she said they had better go out into
the world and seek their fortunes.
Now the eldest pig went first, and as he trotted along the road he met a
man carrying a bundle of straw. So he said very politely:
"If you please, sir, could you give me that straw to build me a house?"
And the man, seeing what good manners the little pig had, gave him the
straw, and the little pig set to work and built a beautiful house with
it.
Now, when it was finished, a wolf happened to pass that way; and he saw
the house, and _he smelt the pig inside_.
So he knocked at the door and said:
"_Little pig! Little pig! Let me in! Let me in!_"
But the little pig saw the wolf's big paws through the keyhole, so he
answered back:
"_No! No! No! by the hair of my chinny chin chin!_" Then the wolf
showed his teeth and said:
"_Then I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house in._"
[Illustration: So he huffed and he puffed and he blew the house in]
So he huffed and he puffed and he blew the house in. Then he ate up
little piggy and went on his way.
Now, the next piggy, when he started, met a man carrying a bundle of
furze, and, being very polite, he said to him:
"If you please, sir, could you give me that furze to build me a house?"
And the man, seeing what good manners the little pig had, gave him the
furze, and the little pig set to work and built himself a beautiful
house.
Now it so happened that when the house was finished the wolf passed that
way; and he saw the house, and _he smelt the pig inside_.
So he knocked at the door and said:
"_Little pig! Little pig! Let me in! Let me in!_"
But the little pig peeped through the keyhole and saw the wolf's great
ears, so he answered back:
"_No! No! No! by the hair of my chinny chin chin!_"
Then the wolf showed his teeth and said:
"_Then I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house in!_"
[Illustration: So he huffed and he puffed and he blew the house in]
So he huffed and he puffed and he blew the house in. Then he ate up
little piggy and went on his way.
Now the third little piggy, when he started, met a man carrying a load
of bricks, and, being very polite, he said:
"If you please sir, could you give me those bricks to build me a house?"
And the man, seeing that he had been well brought up, gave him the
bricks, and the little pig set to work and built himself a beautiful
house.
And once again it happened that when it was finished the wolf chanced to
come that way; and he saw the house, and he _smelt the pig inside_.
So he knocked at the door and said:
"_Little pig! Little pig! Let me in! Let me in!_"
But the little pig peeped through the keyhole and saw the wolf's great
eyes, so he answered:
"_No! No! No! by the hair of my chinny chin chin!_"
"_Then I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house in!_" says the
wolf, showing his teeth.
[Illustration: Well! he huffed and he puffed ... but he could _not_
blow the house down]
Well! he huffed and he puffed. He puffed and he huffed. And he huffed,
huffed, and he puffed, puffed; but he could _not_ blow the house down.
At last he was so out of breath that he couldn't huff and he couldn't
puff any more. So he thought a bit. Then he said:
"Little pig! I know where there is ever such a nice field of turnips."
"Do you," says little piggy, "and where may that be?"
"I'll show you," says the wolf; "if you will be ready at six o'clock
to-morrow morning, I will call round for you, and we can go together to
Farmer Smith's field and get turnips for dinner."
"Thank you kindly," says the little piggy. "I will be ready at six
o'clock sharp."
But, you see, the little pig was not one to be taken in with chaff, so
he got up at five, trotted off to Farmer Smith's field, rooted up the
turnips, and was home eating them for breakfast when the wolf clattered
at the door and cried:
"Little pig! Little pig! Aren't you ready?"
"Ready?" says the little piggy. "Why! what a sluggard you are! I've been
to the field and come back again, and I'm having a nice potful of
turnips for breakfast."
Then the wolf grew red with rage; but he was determined to eat little
piggy, so he said, as if he didn't care:
"I'm glad you like them; but I know of something better than turnips."
"Indeed," says little piggy, "and what may that be?"
"A nice apple tree down in Merry gardens with the juiciest, sweetest
apples on it! So if you will be ready at five o'clock to-morrow morning
I will come round for you and we can get the apples together."
"Thank you kindly," says little piggy. "I will sure and be ready at five
o'clock sharp."
Now the next morning he bustled up ever so early, and it wasn't four
o'clock when he started to get the apples; but, you see, the wolf had
been taken in once and wasn't going to be taken in again, so he also
started at four o'clock, and the little pig had but just got his basket
half full of apples when he saw the wolf coming down the road licking
his lips.
"Hullo!" says the wolf, "here already! You _are_ an early bird! Are the
apples nice?"
"Very nice," says little piggy; "I'll throw you down one to try."
And he threw it so far away, that when the wolf had gone to pick it up,
the little pig was able to jump down with his basket and run home.
Well, the wolf was fair angry; but he went next day to the little
piggy's house and called through the door, as mild as milk:
"Little pig! Little pig! You are so clever, I should like to give you a
fairing; so if you will come with me to the fair this afternoon you
shall have one."
"Thank you kindly," says little piggy. "What time shall we start?"
"At three o'clock sharp," says the wolf, "so be sure to be ready."
"I'll be ready before three," sniggered the little piggy. And he was! He
started early in the morning and went to the fair, and rode in a swing,
and enjoyed himself ever so much, and bought himself a butter-churn as a
fairing, and trotted away towards home long before three o'clock. But
just as he got to the top of the hill, what should he see but the wolf
coming up it, all panting and red with rage!
Well, there was no place to hide in but the butter-churn; so he crept
into it, and was just pulling down the cover when the churn started to
roll down the hill--
_Bumpety, bumpety, bump!_
Of course piggy, inside, began to squeal, and when the wolf heard the
noise, and saw the butter-churn rolling down on top of him--
_Bumpety, bumpety, bump!_
--he was so frightened that he turned tail and ran away.
But he was still determined to get the little pig for his dinner; so he
went next day to the house and told the little pig how sorry he was not
to have been able to keep his promise of going to the fair, because of
an awful, dreadful, terrible Thing that had rushed at him, making a
fearsome noise.
"Dear me!" says the little piggy, "that must have been me! I hid inside
the butter-churn when I saw you coming, and it started to roll! I am
sorry I frightened you!"
But this was too much. The wolf danced about with rage and swore he
would come down the chimney and eat up the little pig for his supper.
But while he was climbing on to the roof the little pig made up a
blazing fire and put on a big pot full of water to boil. Then, just as
the wolf was coming down the chimney, the little piggy off with the lid,
and plump! in fell the wolf into the scalding water.
So the little piggy put on the cover again, boiled the wolf up, and ate
_him_ for supper.
NIX NAUGHT NOTHING
Once upon a time there lived a King and a Queen who didn't differ much
from all the other kings and queens who have lived since Time began. But
they had no children, and this made them very sad indeed. Now it so
happened that the King had to go and fight battles in a far country, and
he was away for many long months. And, lo and behold! while he was away
the Queen at long last bore him a little son. As you may imagine, she
was fair delighted, and thought how pleased the King would be when he
came home and found that his dearest wish had been fulfilled. And all
the courtiers were fine and pleased too, and set about at once to
arrange a grand festival for the naming of the little Prince. But the
Queen said, "No! The child shall have no name till his father gives it
to him. Till then we will call him 'Nix! Naught! Nothing!' because his
father knows nothing about him!"
So little Prince Nix Naught Nothing grew into a strong, hearty little
lad; for his father did not come back for a long time, and did not even
know that he had a son.
But at long last he turned his face homewards. Now, on the way, he came
to a big rushing river which neither he nor his army could cross, for it
was flood-time and the water was full of dangerous whirlpools, where
nixies and water-wraiths lived, always ready to drown men.
So they were stopped, until a huge giant appeared, who could take the
river, whirlpool and all, in his stride; and he said kindly, "I'll carry
you all over, if you like." Now, though the giant smiled and was very
polite, the King knew enough of the ways of giants to think it wiser to
have a hard and fast bargain. So he said, quite curt, "What's your pay?"
"Pay?" echoed the giant, with a grin, "what do you take me for? Give me
Nix Naught Nothing, and I'll do the job with a glad heart."
Now the King felt just a trifle ashamed at the giant's generosity; so he
said, "Certainly, certainly. I'll give you nix naught nothing and my
thanks into the bargain."
So the giant carried them safely over the stream and past the
whirlpools, and the King hastened homewards. If he was glad to see his
dear wife, the Queen, you may imagine how he felt when she showed him
his young son, tall and strong for his age.
"And what's your name, young sir?" he asked of the child fast clasped in
his arms.
"Nix Naught Nothing," answered the boy; "that's what they call me till
my father gives me a name."
Well! the King nearly dropped the child, he was so horrified. "What
have I done?" he cried. "I promised to give nix naught nothing to the
giant who carried us over the whirlpools where the nixies and
water-wraiths live."
At this the Queen wept and wailed; but being a clever woman she thought
out a plan whereby to save her son. So she said to her husband the King,
"If the giant comes to claim his promise, we will give him the
hen-wife's youngest boy. She has so many she will not mind if we give
her a crown piece, and the giant will never know the difference."
Now sure enough the very next morning the giant appeared to claim Nix
Naught Nothing, and they dressed up the hen-wife's boy in the Prince's
clothes and wept and wailed when the giant, fine and satisfied, carried
his prize off on his back. But after a while he came to a big stone and
sat down to ease his shoulders. And he fell a-dozing. Now, when he woke,
he started up in a fluster, and called out:
"Hodge, Hodge, on my shoulders! Say
What d'ye make the time o' day?"
And the hen-wife's little boy replied:
"Time that my mother the hen-wife takes
The eggs for the wise Queen's breakfast cakes!"
Then the giant saw at once the trick that had been played on him, and he
threw the hen-wife's boy on the ground, so that his head hit on the
stone and he was killed.
Then the giant strode back to the palace in a tower of a temper, and
demanded "Nix Naught Nothing." So this time they dressed up the
gardener's boy, and wept and wailed when the giant, fine and satisfied,
carried his prize off on his back. Then the same thing happened. The
giant grew weary of his burden, and sate down on the big stone to rest.
So he fell a-dozing, woke with a start, and called out:
"Hodge, Hodge, on my shoulders! Say
What d'ye make the time o' day?"
And the gardener's boy replied:
"Time that my father the gardener took
Greens for the wise Queen's dinner to cook!"
So the giant saw at once that a second trick had been played on him and
became quite mad with rage. He flung the boy from him so that he was
killed, and then strode back to the palace, where he cried with fury:
"Give me what you promised to give, Nix Naught Nothing, or I will
destroy you all, root and branch."
So then they saw they must give up the dear little Prince, and this time
they really wept and wailed as the giant carried off the boy on his
back. And this time, after the giant had had his rest at the big stone,
and had woke up and called:
"Hodge, Hodge, on my shoulders! Say
What d'ye make the time o' day?"
the little Prince replied:
"Time for the King my father to call,
'Let supper be served in the banqueting hall.'"
Then the giant laughed with glee and rubbed his hands saying, "I've got
the right one at last." So he took Nix Naught Nothing to his own house
under the whirlpools; for the giant was really a great Magician who
could take any form he chose. And the reason he wanted a little prince
so badly was that he had lost his wife, and had only one little daughter
who needed a playmate sorely. So Nix Naught Nothing and the Magician's
daughter grew up together, and every year made them fonder and fonder of
each other, until she promised to marry him.
Now the Magician had no notion that his daughter should marry just an
ordinary human prince, the like of whom he had eaten a thousand times,
so he sought some way in which he could quietly get rid of Nix Naught
Nothing. So he said one day, "I have work for you, Nix Naught Nothing!
There is a stable hard by which is seven miles long, and seven miles
broad, and it has not been cleaned for seven years. By to-morrow evening
you must have cleaned it, or I will have you for my supper."
Well, before dawn, Nix Naught Nothing set to work at his task; but, as
fast as he cleared the muck, it just fell back again. So by
breakfast-time he was in a terrible sweat; yet not one whit nearer the
end of his job was he. Now the Magician's daughter, coming to bring him
his breakfast, found him so distraught and distracted that he could
scarce speak to her.
"We'll soon set that to rights," she said. So she just clapped her hands
and called:
"Beasts and birds o' each degree,
Clean me this stable for love o' me."
And, lo and behold! in a minute the beasts of the fields came trooping,
and the sky was just dark with the wings of birds, and they carried away
the muck, and the stable was clean as a new pin before the evening.
Now when the Magician saw this, he grew hot and angry, and he guessed it
was his daughter's magic that had wrought the miracle. So he said:
"Shame on the wit that helped you; but I have a harder job for you
to-morrow. Yonder is a lake seven miles long, seven miles broad, and
seven miles deep. Drain it by nightfall, so that not one drop remains,
or, of a certainty, I eat you for supper."
So once again Nix Naught Nothing rose before dawn, and began his task;
but though he baled out the water without ceasing, it ever ran back, so
that though he sweated and laboured, by breakfast-time he was no nearer
the end of his job.
But when the Magician's daughter came with his breakfast she only
laughed and said, "I'll soon mend that!" Then she clapped her hands and
called:
"Oh! all ye fish of river and sea,
Drink me this water for love of me!"
And, lo and behold! the lake was thick with fishes. And they drank and
drank, till not one drop remained.
Now when the Magician returned in the morning and saw this he was as
angry as angry. And he knew it was his daughter's magic, so he said:
"Double shame on the wit that helped you! Yet it betters you not, for I
will give you a yet harder task than the last. If you do that, you may
have my daughter. See you, yonder is a tree, seven miles high, and no
branch to it till the top, and there on the fork is a nest with some
eggs in it. Bring those eggs down without breaking one or, sure as fate,
I'll eat you for my supper."
Then the Magician's daughter was very sad; for with all her magic she
could think of no way of helping her lover to fetch the eggs and bring
them down unbroken. So she sate with Nix Naught Nothing underneath the
tree, and thought, and thought, and thought; until an idea came to her,
and she clapped her hands and cried:
"Fingers of mine, for love of me,
Help my true lover to climb the tree."
Then her fingers dropped off her hands one by one and ranged themselves
like the steps of a ladder up the tree; but they were not quite enough
of them to reach the top, so she cried again:
"Oh! toes of mine, for love o' me,
Help my true lover to climb the tree."
Then her toes began to drop off one by one and range themselves like the
rungs of a ladder; but when the toes of one foot had gone to their
places the ladder was tall enough. So Nix Naught Nothing climbed up it,
reached the nest, and got the seven eggs. Now, as he was coming down
with the last, he was so overjoyed at having finished his task, that he
turned to see if the Magician's daughter was overjoyed too: and lo! the
seventh egg slipped from his hand and fell
Crash!
"Quick! Quick!" cried the Magician's daughter, who, as you will observe,
always had her wits about her. "There is nothing for it now but to fly
at once. But first I must have my magic flask, or I shall be unable to
help. It is in my room and the door is locked. Put your fingers, since I
have none, in my pocket, take the key, unlock the door, get the flask,
and follow me fast. I shall go slower than you, for I have no toes on
one foot!"
So Nix Naught Nothing did as he was bid, and soon caught up the
Magician's daughter. But alas! they could not run very fast, so ere long
the Magician, who had once again taken a giant's form in order to have a
long stride, could be seen behind them. Nearer and nearer he came until
he was just going to seize Nix Naught Nothing, when the Magician's
daughter cried: "Put your fingers, since I have none, into my hair, take
my comb and throw it down." So Nix Naught Nothing did as he was bid,
and, lo and behold! out of every one of the comb-prongs there sprang up
a prickly briar, which grew so fast that the Magician found himself in
the middle of a thorn hedge! You may guess how angry and scratched he
was before he tore his way out. So Nix Naught Nothing and his sweetheart
had time for a good start; but the Magician's daughter could not run
fast because she had lost her toes on one foot! Therefore the Magician
in giant form soon caught them up, and he was just about to grip Nix
Naught Nothing when the Magician's daughter cried: "Put your fingers,
since I have none, to my breast. Take out my veil-dagger and throw it
down."
So he did as he was bid, and in a moment the dagger had grown to
thousands and thousands of sharp razors, criss-cross on the ground, and
the Magician giant was howling with pain as he trod among them. You may
guess how he danced and stumbled and how long it took for him to pick
his way through as if he were walking on eggs!
So Nix Naught Nothing and his sweetheart were nearly out of sight ere
the giant could start again; yet it wasn't long before he was like to
catch them up; for the Magician's daughter, you see, could not run fast
because she had lost her toes on one foot! She did what she could, but
it was no use. So just as the giant was reaching out a hand to lay hold
of Nix Naught Nothing she cried breathlessly:
"There's nothing left but the magic flask. Take it out and sprinkle some
of what it holds on the ground."
And Nix Naught Nothing did as he was bid; but in his hurry he nearly
emptied the flask altogether; and so the big, big wave of water which
instantly welled up, swept him off his feet, and would have carried him
away, had not the Magician's daughter's loosened veil caught him and
held him fast. But the wave grew, and grew, and grew behind them, until
it reached the giant's waist; then it grew and grew until it reached
his shoulders; and it grew and grew until it swept over his head: a
great big sea-wave full of little fishes and crabs and sea-snails and
all sorts of strange creatures.
So that was the last of the Magician giant. But the poor little
Magician's daughter was so weary that, after a time she couldn't move a
step further, and she said to her lover, "Yonder are lights burning. Go
and see if you can find a night's lodging: I will climb this tree by the
pool where I shall be safe, and by the time you return I shall be
rested."
Now, by chance, it happened that the lights they saw were the lights of
the castle where Nix Naught Nothing's father and mother, the King and
Queen, lived (though of course, he did not know this); so, as he walked
towards the castle, he came upon the hen-wife's cottage and asked for a
night's lodging.
"Who are you?" asked the hen-wife suspiciously.
"I am Nix Naught Nothing," replied the young man.
Now the hen-wife still grieved over her boy who had been killed, so she
instantly resolved to be revenged.
"I cannot give you a night's lodging," she said, "but you shall have a
drink of milk, for you look weary. Then you can go on to the castle and
beg for a bed there."
So she gave him a cup of milk; but, being a witch-woman, she put a
potion to it so that the very moment he saw his father and mother he
should fall fast asleep, and none should be able to waken him so he
would be no use to anybody, and would not recognize his father and
mother.
Now the King and Queen had never ceased grieving for their lost son.
They were always very kind to wandering young men, and when they heard
that one was begging a night's lodging, they went down to the hall to
see him. And lo, the moment Nix Naught Nothing caught sight of his
father and mother, there he was on the floor fast asleep, and none could
waken him! He did not recognize his father and mother nor they did not
recognize him.
But Prince Nix Naught Nothing had grown into a very handsome young man,
so they pitied him very much, and when none, do what they would, could
waken him, the King said, "A maiden will likely take more trouble to
waken him than others, seeing how handsome he is. Send forth a
proclamation that if any maiden in my realm can waken this young man,
she shall have him in marriage, and a handsome dowry to boot."
So the proclamation was sent forth, and all the pretty maidens of the
realm came to try their luck, but they had no success.