best I know how."
The Ladder was soon in the satchel with Brother Fox and Brother Wolf,
and Teenchy Duck went on her way, following the tracks of the Prince
of the Seven Golden Cows, and always crying:
"Quack! quack! Give me back my beautiful money!"
Going along and crying thus, Teenchy Duck came to her best and oldest
friend, the River.
"What are you doing here?" said the River, in astonishment, "and why
are you crying so? When I saw you this morning you seemed very happy."
"Ah!" said Teenchy Duck, "would you believe it? I have not eaten since
yesterday."
"And why not?" asked the sympathetic River.
"You saw me find the purse of gold," said Teenchy Duck, "and you saw
the Prince seize it. Ah, well! my master will kill me if I do not get
it and return it to him."
"Sometimes," the River replied, "a little help does a great deal of
good. Shall I go with you?"
"I should be very happy," said Teenchy Duck.
"But how can I follow you--I that have no limbs?" said the River.
"Get into my satchel," said Teenchy Duck. "I'll carry you as best I
can."
Then the River got into the satchel by the side of the other friends
of Teenchy Duck.
She went on her journey, keeping her eyes on the ground, so as not to
lose sight of the tracks of the thief, but still crying for her
beautiful money. On her way she came to a Bee-Hive, which had a mind
to laugh because Teenchy Duck was carrying such a burden.
"Hey, my poor Teenchy Duck! What a big fat satchel you have there,"
said the Bee-Hive.
"I'm not in the humour for joking, my dear," said Teenchy Duck.
"Why are you so sad?"
"I have been very unfortunate, good little people," said Teenchy Duck,
addressing herself to the Bees, and then she told her story.
"Shall we go with you?" asked the Bees.
"Yes, yes!" exclaimed Teenchy Duck. "In these days of sorrow I stand
in need of friends."
"How shall we follow you?" asked the Bees.
"Get into my satchel," said Teenchy Duck. "I'll carry you the best I
know how."
Then the Bees shook their wings for joy and swarmed into the satchel
along with the other friends of Teenchy Duck.
She went on her way always crying for the return of her beautiful
money. She walked and walked without stopping to rest a moment, until
her legs almost refused to carry her. At last, just as night was
coming on, Teenchy Duck saw with joy that the tracks of the Prince of
the Seven Golden Cows stopped at the iron gate that barred the way to
a splendid castle.
"Ah!" she exclaimed, "I have arrived at my journey's end, and I have
no need to knock on the gate. I will creep under."
_What befell Teenchy Duck at the Castle_
Teenchy Duck entered the grounds and cried out: "Quack! quack! Give me
back my beautiful money!"
The Prince heard her and laughed scornfully. How could a poor Teenchy
Duck compel a great lord to return the purse of gold?
Teenchy Duck continued to cry:
"Quack! quack! Give me back my beautiful money!"
It was night, and the Prince of the Seven Golden Cows ordered one of
his servants to take Teenchy Duck and shut her up in the henhouse with
the turkeys, the geese, and the chickens, thinking that these fowls
would kill the stranger, and that her disagreeable song would for ever
be at an end.
This order was immediately carried out by the servant, but no sooner
had Teenchy Duck entered the henhouse than she exclaimed:
"Brother Fox, if you do not come to my aid, I am lost."
Brother Fox came out of the satchel promptly, and worked so well at
his trade that of all the fowls he found there, not one remained
alive.
At break of day the servant-girl, whose business it was to attend to
the poultry-yard, opened the door of the henhouse, and was astounded
to see Teenchy Duck come out, singing the same old song:
"Quack! quack! Give me back my beautiful money!"
The astonished girl immediately told her master, the Prince, what had
happened, and the wife of the Prince, who had at that moment learned
all, said to her husband:
"This Duck is a witch. Give her the money, or it will bring us bad
luck."
The Prince of the Seven Golden Cows refused to listen. He believed
that the fox had only happened to enter his henhouse by accident.
Teenchy Duck made herself heard all day, and at night the Prince said
to his servants:
"Take this squaller and throw her into the stable under the feet of
the mules and horses. We will see in the morning what she will say."
The servants obeyed, and Teenchy Duck immediately cried:
"Brother Wolf, if you do not come quickly to my aid I shall be
killed."
Brother Wolf made no delay, and it was not long before he had
destroyed the horses and the mules. Next morning, before day, the
servants went to get the animals to put them to the ploughs and
waggons; but when they saw them lying dead their astonishment was
great. In the stable Teenchy Duck stood alone, singing in her most
beautiful voice:
"Quack! quack! Give me back my beautiful money!"
When the Prince of the Seven Golden Cows heard the sad news, he became
white with rage, and in his fury he wanted to give his servants a
thousand lashes for not having taken better care of the animals. But
his wife calmed him little by little, then: "My husband, give back to
Teenchy Duck this purse you have taken, or else we shall be ruined,"
she said.
"No," cried the Prince, "she shall never have it!"
All this time Teenchy Duck was walking up and down, to the right and
to the left, singing at the top of her voice:
"Quack! quack! Give me back my beautiful money!"
"Heavens!" said the Prince, stopping his ears, "I am tired of hearing
this ugly fowl squall and squawk. Quick! throw her into the well or
the furnace, so that we may be rid of her."
"What shall we do first?" the servants asked.
"It matters not," said the Prince, "so long as we are rid of her."
The servants took Teenchy Duck and threw her into the well, thinking
this the easier, and the quickest way to be rid of her.
As Teenchy Duck was falling, she cried: "Come to my assistance, good
Ladder, or I am undone."
The Ladder immediately came out of the satchel, and leaned against
the walls of the well. Teenchy Duck came up the rounds, singing:
"Quack! quack! Give me back my beautiful money!"
Everybody was astonished, and the Prince's wife kept saying: "Give the
witch her money."
"They would say that I am afraid of a Teenchy Duck," said the Prince
of the Seven Golden Cows. "I will never give it up." Then, speaking to
his servants, he said: "Heat the oven, heat it to a white heat, and
throw this witch in."
The servants had to obey, but they were so frightened that none dared
touch her. At last, one bolder than the rest seized her by the end of
the wing and threw her into the red-hot oven. Everyone thought that
this was the end of Teenchy Duck, but she had had time to cry out:
"Oh! my dear friend River, come to my assistance, or I shall be
roasted."
The River rushed out and quenched the fire and cooled the oven.
When the Prince went to see what was left of Teenchy Duck, she met him
and began to repeat her familiar song:
"Quack! quack! Give me back my beautiful money!"
The Prince of the Seven Golden Cows was furious.
"You are all blockheads!" he cried to his servants. "You never knew
how to do anything. Get out of here! I will drive you off the place.
Hereafter I will take charge of this witch myself."
That night, before retiring, the Prince and his wife went and got
Teenchy Duck, and prepared to give her such a beating as they had no
doubt would cause her death.
Fortunately, Teenchy Duck saw the danger and cried out:
"Friend Bees! come out and help me."
A buzzing sound was heard, and then the Bees swarmed on the Prince and
his wife, and stung them so badly that they became frightful to
behold.
"Return the money to this ugly witch," groaned the unfortunate wife.
"Run, or we are done for."
The Prince did not wait to be told twice. He ran and got the purse
full of gold, and returned it to Teenchy Duck.
"Here," said he, "I am conquered. But get out of my grounds quickly."
Full of joy, Teenchy Duck went out into the road singing: "Quack!
quack! I have got my beautiful money! Quack! quack! Here is my
beautiful money!"
On her way home she returned the friends that had aided her to the
places where she had found them, thanking them kindly for their help
in time of need.
At break of day Teenchy Duck found herself at her master's door. She
aroused him by her loud cries. After that, the family was rich and
Teenchy Duck was well taken care of. If she went to the village pond
it was only to tell her comrades of her remarkable way of gaining the
beautiful money.
_St Christopher_
Once upon a time there lived a great giant. He had mighty arms and
legs and could carry tons upon his back. His name was Offero.
Offero had one wish. He wished to serve the greatest king on earth. He
was told that the emperor was the most powerful. So he went to him and
said, "Lord Emperor, will you have me for your servant?"
The emperor was delighted with him. "Promise to serve me for ever, my
good fellow," he said.
"Ah no," said Offero. "I dare not promise that. But of this be sure,
as long as I am your servant, no harm shall come to you."
So they journeyed on together. The emperor was delighted with his new
servant. All his soldiers were poor and weak compared to Offero.
In the evening when the soldiers rested, the emperor loved to listen
to music. He had with him a harper who would play upon his harp and
sing sweetly.
Once the harper sang a song in which the name of Satan was heard. At
this name the emperor trembled and made the sign of the cross.
"Why do you tremble, Lord Emperor?" asked the giant.
"Hush!" said the emperor.
"Tell me, or I will leave you," said Offero.
"I tremble because I fear Satan," answered the emperor. "I made the
sign of the cross so that he cannot harm me. He is as wicked as he is
strong."
"Farewell," said the giant. "I seek Satan now. If he is stronger than
you, I must serve him."
So he journeyed through the land and soon found Satan at the head of a
large army.
"Where do you go? Whom do you seek?" asked Satan.
"I seek Satan," said Offero. "I would have him for my master, for he
is the mightiest king on earth."
"I am he," answered Satan. "Come with me and you shall have happy and
easy days."
Offero served Satan for months and was well pleased with his master.
At last, as they were marching through the land one day, they came
upon a place where four roads met. Just here stood a cross.
When Satan saw the cross, he turned his army and marched quickly away.
"What does this mean?" asked the giant. "Are you afraid of that
cross, my master?"
Satan was silent.
"Answer me," said Offero, "or I leave you at once."
Then Satan said, "Yes, it is true that I fear the cross. Upon it hung
the Son of Mary."
"Then I leave you straightway," said Offero. "I seek the Son of Mary.
He shall be my king, since he is stronger than you."
Many days he searched, but alas! few could tell him anything of his
new king, the Son of Mary. At last he found an old hermit and asked
him the question he had asked so many others.
"How can I serve the Son of Mary?"
"You must fast," said the hermit.
"Ah, no!" said Offero. "If I fasted I should lose my great strength."
"Then you must pray," said the hermit.
"How can I pray?" asked Offero, "I know no prayers."
"Then," said the gentle old man, "I think the Son of Mary would be
pleased to have you use your strength in some good work. Why not carry
travellers across the stream in the name of the Son of Mary?"
"That is just to my mind," cried Offero, overjoyed. So straightway he
built a hut by the swift stream, and cut a stout staff to steady his
steps when the river roared high.
Travellers were glad to be helped on their way by this rough yet
kindly giant. Sometimes they offered him money, but he always shook
his great head. "I do this for the love of the Son of Mary," he said.
Many years went by. Offero's hair was now white as snow and his back
was a little bent. But his strength was still great. One night, as he
lay asleep, he was awakened by a voice, such a gentle, pleading little
voice--"Dear, good, kind Offero, carry me across!"
He sprang to his feet, caught up his staff, and crossed to the farther
shore. No one was there.
"I must have been dreaming," thought Offero as he laid himself down in
his bed once more.
Again he fell asleep and again the same voice awoke him. How sweet,
yet sad it sounded! "Dear, good, kind Offero, carry me across!"
He patiently crossed the deep, swift river, but again no one was to be
seen. Once more he lay down in his bed and fell asleep. And once more
came the pleading little voice, "Dear, good, kind Offero, carry me
across!"
And now, for the third time, the old giant seized his palm-tree staff
and pressed through the cold river. There on the shore stood "a
tender, fair little boy with golden hair. He looked at the giant with
eyes full of trust and love."
Offero tossed him on his shoulder and then turned to the river. Dark
and surging it rose to his waist. The child grew heavier and heavier.
The giant bent under his burden. Now and then he felt he should surely
sink into the river and be swept away.
At last he struggled up the bank and set down the child. "My little
Master," he gasped, "do not pass this way again; I have come near
losing my life."
But the fair child said to Offero, "Fear not, but rejoice. All thy
sins are forgiven thee. Know that thou hast carried the Son of Mary.
That thou mayest be sure of this, fix thy staff in the earth."
Offero obeyed, and lo! out of the bare palm-staff sprang leaves and
dates. Then Offero knew that it was Christ whom he had borne, and he
fell at His feet.
A little hand rested in blessing upon the giant's bowed head.
"Henceforth," said the Son of Mary, "thy name shall be, not Offero but
Christoffero."
Thus it was that Christopher came by his name. Because he was true to
his name we always call him St Christopher.
_Wondering Jack_[9]
JAMES BALDWIN
_The Brothers set out to seek their Fortunes_
Once there was a poor farmer who had three sons--Peter, Paul, and
Jack.
[Footnote 9: A fairy-tale of Finland.]
Now Peter was big, fat, red-faced, and slow; Paul was slender,
awkward, and ill-natured; Jack was quick, and bright, and so little
that he might have hidden himself in one of Peter's big boots.
The poor farmer had nothing in the world but a little hut that seemed
ready to tumble down every time the wind blew. He worked hard, but it
was all he could do to earn bread for his family.
The boys grew very fast, and by-and-by they were old enough to work.
Then their father said to them, "Boys, I have taken care of you these
many days when you were too little to take care of yourselves. Now I
am old, and you are strong. It is time for you to go out and earn your
living."
So, early the next morning, the three boys started out to seek their
fortunes.
"Where shall we go?" asked Peter.
"Yes, where shall we go?" said Paul. "Things have come to a pretty
pass when one can't stay at home."
"Well, I am going to the King's palace," said Jack.
"And what will you do there?" said Paul. "You are a fine fellow to be
going to kings' palaces."
"I will tell you," said Jack. "The King's palace is a very grand
place. It is built of white stones and it has six glass windows on the
front side of it.
"But a huge oak-tree has grown up right against the glass windows. The
leaves are so many and so big that they shut out all the sunlight, and
the rooms of the palace are dark even in midday."
"Well, what of that?" asked Peter.
"Yes, what of that?" growled Paul. "What have you to do with the oak?"
"The King wants it cut down," said Jack.
"Well, then, why don't his men cut it down?" asked Paul.
"They can't," said Jack. "The tree is so hard that it blunts the edge
of every axe; and whenever one of its branches is cut off, two bigger
ones spring out in place of it. The King has offered three bags of
gold to anyone who will cut the tree down."
"How did you learn all this?" asked Peter.
"Oh, a little bird told me," said Jack. "You see, I can read and you
cannot. I am going to the King's palace to see if I can't earn those
bags of gold."
"Not till I try it," cried Paul; "for I am older than you."
"I should have the first trial," said Peter; "for I am older than
either of you. Come along, boys, let's all go down and take a look at
the big oak."
And so all three took the road that led to the King's palace.
_Their Adventures by the Way_
Peter and Paul went jogging along with their hands in their pockets.
They did not look either to the right or to the left.
But little Jack skipped this way and that, noticing everything by the
roadside. He watched the bees buzzing among the flowers, the
butterflies fluttering in the sunlight and the birds building their
nests in the trees.
He asked questions about everything. "What is this? Why is this? How
is this?"
But his brothers only growled and answered, "We don't know."
By-and-by they came to a mountain and a great forest of pine-trees.
Far up the side of the mountain they could hear the sound of an axe
and the noise of falling branches.
"I wonder who is chopping wood up there," said Jack. "Do you know,
Paul?"
"Of course I don't know," growled Paul. "Hold your tongue."
"Oh, he is always wondering," said Peter. "You would think he'd never
heard an axe before."
"Well, wonder or no wonder," said Jack, "I mean to go up and see who
is chopping wood."
"Go, then," said Paul. "You will tire yourself out and be left behind.
But it will be a good lesson to you."
Jack did not stop to listen to these words. For he was already
climbing up the mountain toward the place where the chopping was
heard.
When he came to the top, what do you think he saw?
He saw a bright steel axe working all alone and cutting down a big
pine-tree. No man was near it.
"Good-morning, Mr Axe," he said. "I think you must be tired chopping
at that old tree all by yourself."
"Ah, master," said the axe. "I have been waiting for you a long time."
"Well, here I am," said Jack; and he took the axe and put it into his
pocket.
Then he ran down the mountain and soon overtook his brothers.
"Well, Mr Why-and-How," said Paul, "what did you find up there?"
"It was really an axe that we heard," answered Jack.
"Of course it was," said Peter. "You might have saved yourself all
your trouble by staying with us."
After the boys had passed through the woods they came to a great rocky
place between two mountains. The path was narrow and crooked, and
steep cliffs towered above it on both sides.
Soon they heard a dull sound high up on the top of a cliff. _Thump!
Thump! Thud!_ it went, like someone striking iron against stone.
"I wonder why anyone is breaking stones up there," said Jack.
"Yes, of course you wonder," growled Paul; "you are always wondering."
"It is nothing but a woodpecker tapping on a hollow tree," said Peter.
"Come along, and mind your own business."
"Business or no business," said Jack, "I mean to see what is going on
up there."
With these words he began to climb up the side of the cliff. But Peter
and Paul stood still and laughed at him, and cried, "Good-bye, Mr
Why-and-How!"
And what do you think Jack found far up on the great rock?
He found a bright steel pickaxe working all alone. It was so hard and
sharp that when it struck a rock it went into it a foot or more.
"Good-morning, Mr Pickaxe," he said. "Are you not tired digging here
all by yourself?"
"Ah, my master," answered the pickaxe, "I have been waiting for you a
long time."
"Well, here I am," said Jack; and he took the pickaxe and put it into
his other pocket.
Then he slid merrily down between the rocks to the place where Peter
and Paul were resting themselves.
"Well, Mr Why-and-How," said Paul, "what great wonder did you find up
there?"
"It was really a pickaxe that we heard," answered Jack.
About noon the boys came to a pleasant brook. The water was cool and
clear, and it flowed in shady places among reeds and flowers.
The boys were thirsty, and they stopped to drink. Then they lay down
on the grass to rest.
"I wonder where this brook comes from," said Jack.
"Of course you do," growled Paul. "You are always trying to pry into
things and find out where they come from. You are foolish."
"Foolish or not foolish," answered Jack, "I am going to find out all
about this brook."
So, while his brothers went to sleep in the shade, he ran along up its
banks, looking at this thing and that and wondering at them all.
The stream became narrower and narrower until at last it was not
broader than his hand. And when he came to the very beginning of it,
what do you think he found?
He found a walnut shell out of which the water was spouting as from a
fountain.
"Good-morning, Mr Spring," said Jack. "Are you not tired staying here
all alone in this little nook where nobody comes to see you?"
"Ah, my master," answered the spring in the walnut shell, "I have been
waiting a long time for you."
"Well, here I am," said Jack; and he took the walnut shell and put it
into his cap.
His brothers were just waking up when he rejoined them.
"Well, Mr Why-and-How," said Peter, "did you find where the brook
comes from?"
"Indeed, I did," answered Jack. "It spouts up from a spring."
"You are too clever for this world," growled Paul.
"Clever or not clever," said Jack, "I have seen what I wished to see,
and I have learned what I wished to learn."
_Jack's Victory at the Palace_
At last the three boys came to the King's palace. They saw the great
oak that darkened the windows, and on the gateposts they saw a big
poster printed in red and black letters.
"See there, Jack," said Paul. "Read that, and tell us what it says."
"Yes, I wonder what it says," said Jack, laughing. And this is what he
read:
NOTICE
Know all men by these presents: If anyone will cut down this
oak-tree and carry it away, the King will give him three
bags full of gold. If anyone will dig a well in the
courtyard so as to supply the palace with water, he may wed
the King's daughter and the King will give him half of
everything.
The King has said it and it shall be done.
"Better and better," said Peter. "There are three tasks instead of
one, and the prize is more than double."
"But it will take someone smarter than you to win it," said Paul; and
he stroked his head gently.
"It will take someone stronger than you," answered Peter; and he
rolled up his shirt-sleeves and swung his big arms around till their
muscles stood out like whipcords.
The boys went into the courtyard. There they saw another placard
posted over the door of the great hallway.
"Read that, Jack," said Paul. "Read it and tell us what it says."
"Yes," said Jack, "I wonder what it says."
SECOND NOTICE
Know all men by these presents: If anyone shall try to cut
down the oak and shall not succeed, he shall have both his
ears cut off. If anyone shall try to dig the well and shall
not succeed, he shall have his nose cut off. The King in his
goodness has so commanded, and it shall be done.
"Worse and worse," said Peter. "But hand me an axe, and I will show
you what I can do."
The sharpest axe in the country was given him. He felt its edge; he
swung it over his shoulder. Then he began to chop on the oak with all
his might; but as soon as a bough was cut off, two bigger and stronger
ones grew in its place.
"I give it up," said Peter. "It cannot be done."
And the King's guards seized him and led him away to prison.
"To-morrow his ears shall come off," said the King.
"It was all because he was so awkward," said Paul. "Now, see what a
skilful man can do."
He took the axe and walked carefully round the tree. He saw a root
that was partly out of the ground, and chopped it off. All at once two
other roots much bigger and stronger grew in its place.
He chopped at these, but the axe was dulled, and with all his skill he
could not cut them off.
"Enough!" cried the King; and the guards hurried him also to jail.
Then little Jack came forward.
"What does that wee bit of a fellow want?" asked the King. "Drive him
away, and if he doesn't wish to go, cut off his ears at once."
But Jack was not one whit afraid. He bowed to the King and said,
"Please let me try. It will be time enough to cut off my ears when I
have failed."
"Well, yes, it will, I suppose," said the King. "So go to work quickly
and be done with it."
Jack took the bright steel axe from his pocket. He set it up by the
tree and said, "Chop, Mr Axe! Chop!"
You should have seen the chips fly.
The little axe chopped and cut and split, this way and that, right and
left, up and down. It moved so fast that nobody could keep track of
it, and there was no time for new twigs to grow.
In fifteen seconds the great oak-tree was cut in pieces and piled up
in the King's courtyard, ready for firewood in the winter.