more news of the monster, who had been doing terrible damage to the
people of the suburbs. Late that evening seven weary men crawled into
beds in a very humble lodging-house.
As Egkartes felt himself slipping into a comfortable sleep, he was
startled by the cry of a woman. He ran out to the house across the
street, whence came the cry, and entered without knocking.
He found a mother holding her baby high up, while the awful Hus kept
snapping at the child. A dozen men were in the room, sleeping off
a debauch. Egkartes sprang at the monster, who seemed to recognize
him, but without showing any fear, turned and coolly walked out of
the house. It wounded the pride of the young champion to see the
enemy treat him so indifferently. He returned to his men feeling
disheartened. He could see no way of killing the monster. What could he
do?
After many weeks of failure, Egkartes wandered to the king's garden and
sat down near the entrance, where he found many other Greek youths who,
like himself, aspired to the hand of the princess. They all knew that
it was her daily custom to walk in the garden at sunset, and they were
waiting to see her.
When the princess appeared, the young men stood up and humbly saluted
her--all but Egkartes, who remained sitting.
She approached the gate, and looking earnestly into all the faces of
the young men, paused for a moment, and threw down a rose. Then there
was a wild scramble among the rival youths for possession of the
flower, only a poor remnant of which finally remained in the hands of
the strongest.
Meanwhile the princess was wondering about the handsome boy who took no
part in the struggle, and presently she summoned Egkartes to her side.
The youth rose, scarcely believing his senses, and bowing very low,
approached the object of his despairing affection.
"Who are you, sir?" the princess asked, "and why have you not taken
part in the contest for the flower?"
"I am your most humble servant, Egkartes, and I beg your pardon if I
have displeased you by not joining in that mad rush for the flower. I
must save my strength for a more serious contest."
"But," replied the princess, "I judge by your conduct that you are
unwilling to please me."
For a moment the boy trembled on the brink of confessing his love, but
just as the words were forming on his lips, the princess motioned him
away. The boy was broken-hearted, for he was too blind to see that the
princess had really singled him out because he had not entered into
the contest, and had shown himself different from the common run of
love-sick youths.
Scarcely had Egkartes turned away when the Hus came running toward the
princess. She was almost paralyzed with fear.
But who could describe the panic that seized the foolish mob of young
men who had fought so valiantly for the rose? At sight of the Hus, they
fled in all directions. Egkartes alone remained to defend the princess.
When he saw his foe, he shouted with joy and rushed at the monster with
drawn sword.
The beast recognized his adversary, and, opening his great jaws,
charged upon him. When the combatants met, the boy's sword entered
the pig's mouth. As he withdrew his weapon, Egkartes fell, and the
pig, leaping over him, disappeared. Regaining his feet, the youth gave
pursuit, brandishing his bloody sword.
The princess saw the whole encounter, and as she ran to the palace, her
thoughts were divided between the peril from which she had escaped and
the wonderful valor of her young preserver. She was afraid to tell her
father of what had happened, lest he should deprive her of her free
hour, but all that night she lay awake dreaming of her hero and praying
that she might meet him again.
Three days later the city rejoiced over the news that a conjuror had
destroyed the Hus. The fellow was brought to the king to explain about
it. He said he had destroyed the monster by means of a charm. When
asked to produce the head of the pig, he said that as soon as the
creature died he vanished into smoke. The man's story was so plausible
that the king believed him, and ordered a great feast in his honor.
Poor Egkartes heard the news with sorrow, and the princess, shutting
herself up in her inner room, mourned bitterly. She did not wish to
marry the conjuror, for now she loved the brave Egkartes.
On the day of the feast the whole city was gay and the people ate and
drank in excess. Even Egkartes's men joined in the merrymaking; but the
young hero himself sulked in a dismal cellar.
It was fortunate for the boy that he had not joined with the masses in
their dissipation, for the Hus, knowing that they could not resist,
came into the city and bit thousands of the people.
When he heard the cry of the Hus in the streets, Egkartes emerged from
the cellar, eager for another combat.
People were scurrying for safety. None but the boy was armed. Hither
and thither ran the black brute biting as many as he could.
As Egkartes rushed at the beast, that knowing warrior recognized the
young Greek again and charged him furiously, first springing at his
throat.
The boy stood his ground, and thrusting his sword, as in their previous
fight, into the Hus's mouth, drove so hard that the weapon sank deep
into the stomach of the brute.
The Hus fell headlong, roaring loudly. Struggling to his feet, he stood
for a few moments, swaying from side to side, while the blood flowed
freely from his mouth. The boy, without knowing it, had struck the
pig's only vulnerable spot, the mouth. After a moment the great Hus
turned and fled, roaring like thunder. Though no one saw him die, it
seemed evident that he was mortally wounded.
Of course Egkartes became the hero of the hour. He was carried by six
strong men to the palace of the king, who was feasting in his hall,
not knowing of the brave deed that the boy had done. So when he heard
the people shouting at his gate, the king came to the palace steps and
called to the multitude who had followed Egkartes:
"Why have you come here with all this noise?" demanded his Majesty.
"Have I not given you a holiday and the freedom of the city? Why cannot
you caper in your own streets and lanes? Have I no rights as king? Go
to your homes or I shall call my soldiers to drive you there. Begone, I
say, begone!"
"May it please your Majesty," said one of the people, "we have brought
the hero who has just slain the Black Hus!"
"But," protested the angry king, "have I not at this very moment the
Black Hus hero at my table feasting with my nobles? By magic he slew
the monster but yesterday!"
But the people shouted, "Away with the magicman--away with the
imposter!"
The king was much perplexed, but wishing to learn the truth, he
commanded silence while he listened to the story of Egkartes and his
victorious encounter with the Hus. When he learned the truth then the
king ordered the lying conjuror to be hanged, and immediately the poor
imposter, protesting and struggling in vain, was dragged from the
dining hall and hanged in the garden.
Two weeks after this Egkartes was taken to the palace, with a great
flourish of trumpets, and was proclaimed the hero of the country. He
knew that he had not killed the pig as they had told the king; but
neither king nor people paid any attention to his explanations. All
insisted that he had killed the monster and had a right to the great
reward.
The princess of course was delighted, and said to Egkartes: "I do not
care whether you have killed the monster or not. I shall have you and
we shall live very happily together."
The boy yielded to her persuasion, and a week later they sat together
at a royal banquet in honor of their coming marriage. The company was
jubilant with praise and merrymaking. The king, the queen, the royal
ladies and brave knights drank deep and long of the red wine of the
hills.
The hero was happiest of all until he began to see knight after knight
flushed and boisterous from much eating and drinking. Then his thoughts
flitted back to the dinner at his father's home, and to the first
appearance of the Hus. He could not shake off the feeling that the Hus
would appear again, for the beast always appeared when men began to
grow foolish through drink.
It was not long before the king noticed that the boy was not laughing
and drinking with the rest.
"Art thou sick, Egkartes?" he asked.
"I am not sick, most noble Sire," replied the youth. "Be it known, O,
King, that I have refrained from drinking tonight because I want to
be ready for the Hus, which is sure to come wherever there is such
overindulgence."
Before he could proceed further, the knights broke into furious curses.
"Away with the imposter! Away with him! Ha! Ha!"
The king commanded silence as he stood up dizzy with wine. Red-faced
and boiling with anger he looked at the youth and said:
"Fetch in the guards and take this fellow to the guard house, and
presently we will have a hanging in the reception hall! Bah! Thou too
hast thought to seize my daughter's hand by trickery! Well, thou shalt
hang!"
The king sat down and the guards seized the boy by the back of the neck
and dragged him away, amid the laughter and jeers of the company.
The boisterous merriment continued until the princess stood up and
motioned for silence. Then she said:
"Most noble father, I now speak in behalf of all the women of Greece.
The men of Greece have for years treated women as slaves, creatures of
their wills. You, my father, without my consent offered my hand to any
who should prove victor over the Hus. You have already seen what has
happened. An imposter came first and frightened me nearly to death!
You did not care so long as you could keep your foolish word. Now
comes a youth who thrice has repelled the Hus, and because he has the
courage to tell you the truth, you order him hanged without mercy or
any thought of me. Henceforth I shall do my own choosing when it comes
to mating! If you hang Egkartes then you will find my dead body in the
morning by the side of his! Why have you condemned him in whom is our
only hope of safety? If the Hus should come tonight--?"
"What do you say, Miss Impudence? I'll see whether your prophecy will
come true. Let every gate be barred! Fasten every door with a double
lock! Let the royal guards stand in every hallway! And you, ungrateful
maiden, dance before this company. By the gods! We'll see whether the
Hus is greater than the king!"
The king sat down heavily, and the princess obediently arose to dance
before a drunken assembly.
Scarcely had she stood upon the floor than in rushed the Hus. Neither
walls, nor doors nor swords had been able to keep him out.
The queen was first to try to leave the room, but the Hus flung himself
upon her and buried his teeth in her shoulder. The king attempted to
draw his sword, but the beast sprang upon him before he could even
touch the hilt, seized him round the middle and shook him till he
seemed like to fall apart. The once brave knights lay where they were
and called loudly for the guards.
Amid the confusion the princess ran to the guard room where her lover
lay bound. When the terrified guards heard that the Hus was in the
palace, they were only too glad to release their prisoner.
Egkartes was not surprised to hear of the return of the Hus. He gladly
dashed to the banqueting hall. When he appeared before him the Hus
dropped his latest victim and squealed with rage. Well did the beast
remember his many wounds received at the hands of Egkartes. As if to
take revenge, he bounded toward the boy, who aiming his sword again
at the beast's mouth, drove the weapon home, running it well down the
throat. With a roar of rage the Hus sprang back, dashed for the nearest
window, jumped to the earth, and disappeared into the dark night, still
roaring furiously.
In a moment the knights were on their feet. Now that there was no
danger they were eager to defend the king and queen; but his Majesty,
ordering the knights out of the palace, embraced the hero, exclaiming:
"Thou shalt indeed be my son."
So the royal marriage was consummated and the princess became the wife
of the noble Egkartes.
The first act of the prince was to banish all drink from the kingdom,
for, as he told the people, the Hus could never be killed but would be
helpless as long as they refused to befuddle their senses with wine. He
received great honor and later ascended to the throne--and the kingdom
prospered as long as it took heed to the words of Egkartes.
THE LEVIATHAN
MANY years ago, before New York was settled, a poor old crocodile left
her native Egyptian shores and swam to the mouth of the Hudson River.
Up the river bank she crawled, till she found a home. Here she laid ten
eggs and hid them in the hot sand.
Soon ten wee long-jaws came out and crept about in the sun. Mother
crocodile fed her offspring with small birds, that she caught by lying
in the river with her mouth wide open. The birds, seeing only the upper
part of the great jaws, were easily fooled into mistaking them for an
old tree trunk. Sometimes as many as fifty of them flew down to rest
and gossip on the crocodile's teeth and cold tongue. Suddenly, when the
clatter was loudest, the huge jaws came together with a mighty snap,
crushing every little warbler. Then the cunning old mother fed her
children with sweet titbits.
In the course of five years one of the young brood had grown to a
monstrous size, and his ugly temper made him the terror of all the
others. One day, in a fit of anger, he bit his two sisters so badly
that they died. Then the savage reptile disappeared and stayed away,
none of the family knew where, for fifteen years.
At the end of that time, he returned to find his mother dying, with her
seven good sons about her, weeping bitter tears. But not a sign of pity
did the returned wanderer show for his dying mother and her sorrowing
children.
He was now a monster more than a hundred feet in length, and it was
no wonder that when the brothers--pygmies in comparison with him--saw
him coming toward them they fled in terror to the river, leaving their
helpless mother at the mercy of her wicked son. Toward evening the
brothers crept to the bank to see what was going on and the furious
giant, who was lying in wait for them caught five of the little fellows
and killed them as if in mere love of slaughter. The two others saved
their lives by hiding till dark, when they fled to a place of safety
down the river.
Not content with killing his brothers, the fiendish destroyer turned
upon his mother, telling her that he had come back to avenge the
insults heaped upon him when he was a little fellow; then with a
vicious snap he bit off her tail, and she died at sundown.
"What a terrible brother!" thought the two escaping crocodiles as they
made their way farther from the scene of danger. But the truth of the
whole matter was that the monstrous fellow was not really their brother
at all! He was the great Leviathan from Asia. You see, after the old
crocodile had laid her ten eggs in the hot sun to hatch, Mendacia, the
mother of lies and injustice, exchanged a Leviathan egg for one of the
crocodile eggs. So when the eggs were hatched, Mrs. Crocodile, without
knowing it, had a stranger among her own children.
Mendacia was jealous of the new nation across the waters, and had
secretly followed the old crocodile, hoping to destroy the young
republic through her terrible Leviathan. This monster was related to
all the Leviathans that did so much damage to the children of Israel
in the days of Moses. These beasts had always been murderers and
man-eaters and Mendacia was the evil spirit that prompted all the
wicked deeds.
So here she was in the land of America with her cruel monster fully
grown and ready to begin work. Fifteen years ago, when her pet had
committed murder, she it was who carried him away to shield him
from just punishment. She was with him when he killed his mother,
and Mendacia and her slave Brutus applauded him for that crime of
unspeakable shame. After committing this terrible deed, Leviathan lay
down and slept for a month.
Meanwhile Brutus built a beautiful house on Leviathan's back, and
Mendacia richly furnished it. When the sleeper awoke, slowly he opened
his dull eyes and blinked. Then, more slowly, he opened his forty-foot
mouth and shook his forty-foot tail. As yet he was unconscious of
the house upon his back but when he rose to his short legs and shook
himself, he realized that he was holding up something besides his own
weight.
Finding that he could not shake off his strange burden, the beast made
for the river and attempted to sink, but could not do that, for the
house kept him afloat. He tried to roll over, to turn a somersault, but
all in vain. At last, exhausted, he lay in the river as if dead.
It was then that Mendacia spake words of reproof to her beast.
"Leviathan! You poor foolish fellow! Why do you make such a fuss over
a thing that you cannot change? If you disturb my house any more I'll
be compelled to drive a nail through your back into your heart. But if
you obey me, all will be well and I'll be your best friend. I'll help
you obtain your food, and I promise that one human being a day will be
furnished for your evening meal. Come, will you agree to do as I say,
or not?"
The Leviathan thought for a long time and ended in blinking his lazy
consent.
Now, on the bank of the river lived a boy and a girl. The boy's name
was Lex and the girl's was Veritas. Both were seventeen years old.
One hot July day Lex took his friend for a little row up the Hudson.
They had not gone far before they spied a peculiar craft coming toward
them. Lex ceased rowing and the two gazed with wonder at the strange
sight. On came the wonderful house, like a floating palace upon a brown
island.
It was the Leviathan, of course. As it approached them, a beautiful
woman gracefully walked toward the snout of the Leviathan, followed by
her slave, and both sat down on the humps that formed the monster's
eyebrows. From these commanding positions they held curtains over the
creature's eyes, lest he should become too restive, and frighten away
his prey. The beast had not eaten a human morsel for many days and he
was very hungry. Nearer and nearer came the boy and the girl to the
threatened destruction. But Mendacia, whose eyes were fastened upon the
boy, suddenly thought of a new way to vary her life of plotting and
murder. How amusing it would be to drag the children aboard and play
with them a little before taking their lives! It would be such fun to
hear them crying and begging for the mercy that would never be granted.
So she guided the Leviathan by gently tapping him with her heel till
the children's boat touched his side, and then, quicker than can be
told, she and Brutus dragged the surprised youngsters aboard.
When the monster knew what the woman was doing, and found that his
anticipated dinner had been lifted upon his back, his barking sounded
like thunder-claps and his great thrashing tail lashed the water into
foam. But the woman told her captives that they were on an island and
that the noises were made by machinery.
She ordered a sumptuous luncheon and while the children ate with great
delight, she watched them. Finally she determined to serve Veritas to
the hungry monster and keep Lex. Why not keep him and make a slave of
him? With this in view she gave the boy a powerful drink which made
him entirely subject to her will while he was under its influence. He
entirely forgot poor Veritas.
When Veritas saw what influence the woman had gained over Lex she was
much disturbed.
As soon as she found an opportunity to speak to her friend, the girl
said: "Oh, Lex, do not go near that woman, who is as ugly as she can
be!"
Yes, she was ugly to all who did not like her, but to Lex she seemed
very beautiful, and he was angry with Veritas for making such a remark.
But before he could reply they heard Mendacia talking to her beast. "Be
quiet for a little while," she said, "your supper will soon be served."
What did it all mean? The crashing of the great jaws and the roaring of
the ravenous beast made a hideous din.
The children now knew that they were on the back of some sea monster,
and the thought made both shudder; even Lex began to see the woman as
she was, though the charm had not entirely lost its effect.
But he had not long to wait before learning her real character. As soon
as she had convinced the monster that he would be fed, he quieted down,
and Mendacia walked with dignity toward the children.
Before she reached them, her slave appeared and delivered a message to
his mistress.
"Most gracious queen," he said, bowing very low, "there is a man
swimming at a little distance. What shall we do?"
Mendacia hesitated; but reflecting that the magic potion she had given
Lex would make everything she did look right to him, she decided to
secure the bather for the Leviathan's meal. She did not care for
Veritas's opinion--in fact she was glad of an opportunity to frighten
her.
So she directed the beast toward the bather. Being naked, the man
modestly crouched as far beneath the water as possible, and in
amazement he watched the craft gliding nearer and nearer.
When they were almost upon the poor fellow, Veritas screamed. The man
turned to flee, but hesitated because he had no clothes, and only sank
deeper in the dark waters, while Mendacia called to him with a gentle
voice and an inviting motion of her arm.
It did not take long for something to happen. The hungry monster was
overeager and snatched for his prey too soon. With a wild yell, the man
sprang to his feet and plunged for the bank, the Leviathan following
him rapidly.
The children, speechless with fright, watched the frantic efforts of
the man striving to escape his pursuer. With a sigh of relief they saw
him, not more than a few feet beyond the beast's snout, reach the bank
and stagger for safety. The monster climbed the bank after him with his
burden swaying on his back like a captive balloon. But the man reached
a small cave, into which he flung himself with all the strength that he
had left.
All this happened so quickly that the children did not comprehend it;
they leaned weakly against the side of the house, scarcely realizing
that they were on the beast's back.
By this time Lex had fully recovered from the spell. Suddenly he turned
upon Mendacia with a scathing rebuke, calling her an ugly hag and a
terrible monster.
Mendacia was terribly enraged again, sharp lines of anger furrowed her
face. Fearing for his companion, Lex caught her arm and they turned and
fled into the house. The woman quickly followed, and with the help of
the serving man thrust them into a dark room, with a warning that if
they did not obey her their end was near.
Though much frightened, the prisoners barricaded the door as best they
could, and tried to plan a way of escape.
They thought of several schemes but dismissed them as not being likely
to succeed. At last Lex whispered:
"Oh! Veritas, I know what I shall do!" and he drew out his pocket
knife. "I'll dig through this floor to the beast's hide and scoop a few
handfuls of leather from his hide, till he shakes the house off his
back!"
At once the boy proceeded to put his words into action. It was not easy
as it seemed, for the wood of the floor was hard and the knife not very
sharp. But soon Lex found a small crack and set to work to whittle his
way through. For hours he worked. His hands became so sore that he had
to rest every few minutes and Veritas took turns at whittling till Lex
refused to let her work any longer.
At last the boy succeeded in making a hole through which he could
easily approach the back of the monster. It was then midnight, and all
was ready for the last act; but now Lex was too tired to do more. Both
he and Veritas were so weary that they fell into deep slumber.
Just before the sun rose, the slave sprang out of bed to begin
preparations for breakfast. He crept into his mistress's room and found
that she was asleep. Then he thought that he would take a look at
the children. He took a candle, carefully unlocked the door of their
prison, opened it a little way and peered in.
As he looked more closely he saw the knife still clutched in the boy's
hand, and the hole that the knife had made. At once he knew what the
young prisoners had been trying to do, and he began to lock the door,
so as to keep them confined till he could give the alarm. But all at
once, Lex awoke, and gazed into the other's eyes. In a moment the
serving man burst into the room and sprang like a wild cat upon the
boy, who scrambled to his feet and with his knife stabbed the man in
the neck. At this Brutus let go his hold and fled screaming from the
room.