African
Clever jackal gets away.
"Hawu, hawu, hawu, my children," Gogo began one evening. "You know, cleverness is a very important
thing to own! Why, cleverness has helped Nogwaja out of the cooking pot more than once!"
"The Jackal is also a clever animal, isn't he, Gogo?" asked little Sipho (see' poh), who was quite proud that
his nickname was Mpungushe (mpoo-ngoo'-shay = "jackal"). Gogo, in fact, had given him that name because of
the loud howl he had made as a baby. Sipho liked to think it was because he was quick and agile as the Jackal.
Gogo laughed and looked at the child at her feet. "Yes, my boy! You are right! Jackal is a very clever animal.
Sometimes too clever for his own good!"
"I remember how he helped Jabu the herdboy by tricking Bhubesi back into the snare. Tell us another tale
about Jackal, Gogo!" begged Sipho.
"Yes, Gogo," her other grandchildren chorused. "Please tell us...."
"Alright, my children. But listen and learn!" Gogo settled her round self down more comfortably upon the
tree stump. "Kwasuka sukela . . ."
One day long ago, Jackal was trotting through a narrow, rocky pass. As he often did, he kept his nose to the
ground as he ambled along, to catch the odd scent. "Never know when I'll happen upon my next meal, " he
thought to himself, although it was highly unlikely that he would find a rat out in the midday heat. But perhaps
he could catch a lizard or two.
Suddenly he was aware of a movement ahead of him in the pass. "Oh, no!" Jackal moaned and stopped deadstill in his tracks. Lion was coming toward him. Realising that he was too near to escape, Jackal was filled with
fear. He had played so many tricks on the great Bhubesi in the past, he was sure that lion would take this
opportunity to get his revenge. In a flash Jackal thought of a plan.
"Help! Help!" cried Jackal. He cowered down on the cliff path, looking above at the rocks.
Lion stopped short in surprise.
"Help!" Jackal howled, using the fear he felt in the middle of his chest to accentuate his cry. Jackal glanced
up at Bhubesi. "Oh, great Nkosi! Help! There is no time to lose! See those great rocks above us? They are about
to fall! We shall both be crushed to death!!!! Oh, mighty Lion, do something! Save us!" And Jackal cowered
even lower, his paws covering his head.
Lion looked up, most alarmed. Before he even had a chance to think, Jackal was begging him to use his
strength to hold up the overhanging rock. So Lion put his brawny shoulder to the rock and heaved.
"Oh, thank you, great King!" yelped Jackal. "I will quickly fetch that log over there to prop under the rock,
and we will both be saved!" With that Jackal bounded out of sight.
Lion was left all alone to struggle under the weight of the unmoving rock. How long he remained there before
he realised that it was another trick, we will never know. But this much we do know: Jackal continued to live by
his wits!
Why the Warthog goes about on his knees
African Folktale
"Oh, Gogo," little Sipho asked one evening, "could you tell us the story of clever Jackal again?" Sipho, whose
nickname was Mpungushe "jackal," never tired of hearing tales of his beloved namesake.
"Hawu, Sipho," moaned several of his siblings, "Not again, little Jackal! You will wear out our ears with
stories of Mpungushe!"
Gogo laughed her deep, round laugh. Soon each of her grandchildren were laughing along with her.
"I, too, love the stories of the Jackal!" Gogo looked at Sipho. "But we do not want to cause your brothers and
sisters to become deaf. I think there is another tale that I can tell you of an animal who tried to be as clever as
Jackal!"
Kwasuka sukela . . .
Wart hog had made himself a lovely, spacious home in an old termite mound that an aardvark* had cleared
out. He had built it up and made a wide entrance. He thought it was the most magnificant home in Africa and
would often stand at the entrance of his dwelling with his snout in the air as the giraffe, wildebeest** and zebra
passed to the watering hole. "Hah," he thought to himself, "no one has such a fine home!"
One day as he looked out from the entrance of his cave he was horrified to see a huge lion stealthily stalking
toward him. He started to back away, but because he had made the entrance to his place so grand, the lion
would have no difficulty in following Wart Hog right in. "Ahhhh," panicked Wart Hog, "Bhubesi will eat me in
my own lounge! What will I do?"
Wart Hog decided to use an old trick he'd heard Jackal bragging about. Wart Hog pretended to be supporting
the roof of his hole with his strong back, pushing up with his tusks. "Help!" he cried to the lion, "I am going to
be crushed! The roof is caving in! Flee, oh, mighty Bhubesi, before you are crushed along with me!"
Now Lion is no fool. He recognized Jackal's old ploy straight away ("Do you remember that story,
children?"), and he wasn't going to be caught out again. He roared so fiercely that Wart hog dropped to his
knees, trembling. Wart hog begged for mercy. Luckily for him Lion was not too hungry. So he pardoned the
wart hog and left, saying, "Stay on your kness, you foolish beast!"
Lion laughed to himself and shook his shaggy head as he walked away. Imagine, slow-witted Wart hog trying
to copy Jackal's trick! Wart hog took Lion's order to heart. That is why, to this day, you will see Wart hog
feeding on his knees, in a very undignified position, with his bottom up in the air and his snout snuffling in the
dust.
The four dragons
Asian Folktale
Once upon a time, there were no rivers and lakes on earth, but only the Eastern Sea, in which lived four
dragons: the Long Dragon, the Yellow Dragon, the Black Dragon and the Pearl Dragon. One day the four
dragons flew from the sea into the sky. They soared and dived, playing at hide-and-seek in the clouds.
"Come over here quickly!" the Pearl Dragon cried out suddenly.
"What's up?" asked the other three, looking down in the direction where the Pearl Dragon pointed.
On the earth they saw many people putting out fruits and cakes, and burning incense sticks. They were
praying! A white-haired woman, kneeling on the ground with a thin boy on her back, murmured,
"Please send rain quickly, God of Heaven, to give our children rice to eat."
For there had been no rain for a long time. The crops withered, the grass turned yellow and fields cracked
under the scorching sun.
"How poor the people are!" said the Yellow Dragon. "And they will die if it doesn't rain soon."
The Long Dragon nodded. Then he suggested, "Let's go and beg the Jade Emperor for rain."
So saying, he leapt into the clouds. The others followed closely and flew towards the Heavenly Palace. Being
in charge of all the affairs in heaven on earth and in the sea, the Jade Emperor was very powerful. He was not
pleased to see the dragons rushing in.
"Why do you come here instead of staying in the sea and behaving yourselves?"
The Long Dragon stepped forward and said, "The crops on earth are withering and dying, Your Majesty. I
beg you to send rain down quickly!"
"All right. You go back first, I'll send some rain down tomorrow." The Jade Emperor pretended to agree
while listening to the songs of the fairies.
The four dragons responded, "Thanks, Your Majesty!"
The four dragons went happily back. But ten days passed, and not a drop of rain came down. The people
suffered more, some eating bark, some grass roots, some forced to eat white clay when they ran out of bark and
grass roots. Seeing all this, the four dragons felt very sorry, for they knew the Jade Emperor only cared about
pleasure, and never took the people to heart. They could only rely on themselves to relieve the people of their
miseries. But how to do it? Seeing the vast sea, the Long Dragon said that he had an idea.
"What is it? Out with it, quickly!" the other three demanded.
"Look, is there not plenty of water in the sea where we live? We should scoop it up and spray it towards the
sky. The water will be like rain drops and come down to save the people and their crops," said Long Dragon.
"Good idea!" said the others as they clapped their hands.
"But," said the Long Dragon after thinking a bit, "we will be blamed if the Jade Emperor learns of this."
"I will do anything to save the people," the Yellow Dragon said resolutely.
"Then let's begin. We will never regret it," said Long Dragon.
The Black Dragon and the Pearl Dragon were not to be outdone. They flew to the sea, scooped up water in
their mouths, and then flew back into the sky, where they sprayed the water out over the earth. The four dragons
flew back and forth, making the sky dark all around. Before long the sea water became rain pouring down from
the sky.
"It's raining! It's raining! The crops will be saved!" the people cried and leaped with joy.
On the ground the wheat stalks raised their heads and the sorghum stalks straightened up. The god of the sea
discovered these events and reported to the Jade Emperor.
"How dare the four dragons bring rain without my permission!" said the Jade Emperor.
The Jade Emperor was enraged, and ordered the heavenly generals and their troops to arrest the four dragons.
Being far outnumbered, the four dragons could not defend themselves, and they were soon arrested and brought
back to the heavenly palace.
"Go and get four mountains to lay upon them so that they can never escape!" The Jade Emperor ordered the
Mountain God.
The Mountain God used his magic power to make four mountains fly there, whistling in the wind from afar,
and pressed them down upon the four dragons. Imprisoned as they were, they never regretted their actions.
Determined to do good for the people forever, they turned themselves into four rivers, which flowed past high
mountains and deep valleys, crossing the land from the west to the east and finally emptying into the sea. And
so China's four great rivers were formed -- the Heilongjian (Black Dragon) in the far north, the Huanghe
(Yellow River) in central China, the Changjiang (Yangtze, or Long River) farther south, and the Zhujiang
(Pearl) in the very far south.
The monk and the student
Asian Folktale
In one school the teacher was a monk. Most of all he loved to have a snack and a nap afterwards. Every time
before the lessons he ate so much that he could barely move.
Soon after the beginning of the lessons he always took a nap and slept until the bell for the end of the lessons
sounded.
The son of a poor villager was a student in the same school. His name was Lee. One time Lee asked the
monk:
- Teacher, may I ask you why do you sleep in all our lessons?
- My friend – replied the monk without any embarrassment. - It just seems that way. During these minutes I
meet with Buddha and listen to His wise words. That's why I try to sleep as much as I can.
One time Lee took care of his sick father during the night and fell asleep at school in the morning. He slept so
deeply that he didn't hear the bell, which woke the monk.
When the monk saw the sleeping boy, he got very angry, took Lee by the ear and started screaming:
- Ah, you, little weasel! How dare you fall asleep in my class?
- Teacher – said Lee – It just seemed that I slept. I was with Buddha and listened to His wise words.
- And what did the all-powerful Buddha said to you?
- The all-powerful Buddha told me:” Never in my life have I seen your teacher”.
Wayambeh the turtle
Australian Folktale
Oolah, the lizard, was out getting yams on a Mirrieh flat. She had three of her children with her. Suddenly she
thought she heard some one moving behind the big Mirrieh bushes. She listened. All of a sudden out jumped
Wayambeh from behind a bush and seized Oolah, telling her not to make a noise and he would not hurt her, but
that he meant to take her off to his camp to be his wife. He would take her three children too and look after
them. Resistance was useless, for Oolah had only her yam stick, while Wayambeh had his spears and boondees.
Wayambeh took the woman and her children to his camp. His tribe when they saw him bring home a woman of
the Oolah tribe, asked him if her tribe had given her to him. He said, "No, I have stolen her."
"Well," they said, "her tribe will soon be after her; you must protect yourself; we shall not fight for you. You
had no right to steal her without telling us. We had a young woman of our own tribe for you, yet you go and
steal an Oolah and bring her to the camp of the Wayambeh. On your own head be the consequences."
In a short time the Oolahs were seen coming across the plain which faced the camp of the Wayambeh. And
they came not in friendship or to parley, for no women were with them, and they carried no boughs of peace in
their bands, but were painted as for war, and were armed with fighting weapons.
When the Wayambeh saw the approach of the Oolah, their chief said: "Now, Wayambeh, you had better go
out on to the plain and do your own fighting; we shall not help you."
Wayambeh chose the two biggest boreens that he had; one he slung on him, covering the front of his body,
and one the back; then, seizing his weapons, he strode out to meet his enemies.
When he was well out on to the plain, though still some distance from the Oolah, he called out, "Come on."
The answer was a shower of spears and boomerangs. As they came whizzing through the air Wayambeh drew
his arms inside the boreens, and ducked his head down between them, so escaped.
As the weapons fell harmless to the ground, glancing off his boreen, out again he stretched his arms and held
up again his head, shouting, "Come on, try again, I'm ready."
The answer was another shower of weapons, which he met in the same way. At last the Oolahs closed in
round him, forcing him to retreat towards the creek.
Shower after shower of weapons they slung at him, and were getting at such close quarters that his only
chance was to dive into the creek. He turned towards the creek, tore the front boreen off him, flung down his
weapons and plunged in.
The Oolah waited, spears poised in hand, ready to aim directly his head appeared above water, but they
waited in vain. Wayambeh, the black fellow, they never saw again, but in the waterhole wherein he had dived
they saw a strange creature, which bore on its back a fixed structure like a boreen, and which, when they went
to try and catch it, drew in its head and limbs, so they said, "It is Wayambeh." And this was the beginning of
Wayambeh, or turtle, in the creeks.
The mother Bunbundoolooey put her child, a little boy Bunbundoolooey, who could only just crawl, into her
goolay. Goolay is a sort of small netted hammock, slung by black women on their backs, in which they carry
their babies and goods in general. Bunbundoolooey, the pigeon, put her goolay across her back, and started out
hunting.
When she had gone some distance she came to a clump of bunnia or wattle trees. At the foot of one of these
she saw some large euloomarah or grubs, which were good to cat. She picked some up, and dug with her yam
stick round the roots of the tree to get more. She went from tree to tree, getting grubs at every one. That she
might gather them all, she put down her goolay, and hunted further round.
Soon in the excitement of her search, she forgot the goolay with the child in it, and wandered away. Further
and further she went from the Dunnia clump, never once thinking of her poor birrahlee, or baby. On and still on
she went, until at length she reached a far country.
The birrablee woke up, and crawled out of the goolay. First he only crawled about, but soon he grew stronger,
and raised himself, and stood by a tree. Then day by day he grew stronger and walked alone, and stronger still
he grew, and could run. Then he grew on into a big boy, and then into a man, and his mother he never saw while
he was growing from birrahlee to man.
But in the far country at length one day Bunbundoolooey, the mother, remembered the birrablee she had left.
"Oh," she cried, "I forgot my birrahlee. I left my birrablee where the Dunnias grow in a far country. I must go
to my birrahlee. My poor birrahlee! I forgot it. Mad must I have been when I forgot him. My birrahlee! My
birrahlee!"
And away went the mother as fast as she could travel back to the Dunnia clump in the far country. When she
reached the spot she saw the tracks of her birrablee, first crawling, then standing, then walking, and then
running. Bigger and bigger were the tracks she followed, until she saw they were the tracks of a man. She
followed them until she reached a camp. No one was in the camp, but a fire was there, so she waited, and while
waiting looked round. She saw her son had made himself many weapons, and many opossum rugs, which he
had painted gaily inside.
Then at last she saw a man coming towards the camp, and she knew he was her birrahlee, grown into a man.
As he drew near she ran out to meet him, saying:
"Bunbundoolooey, I am your mother. The mother who forgot you as a birrahlee, and left you. But now I have
come to find you, my son. Long was the journey, my son, and your mother was weary, but now that she sees
once more her birrahlee, who has grown into a man, she is no longer weary, but glad is her heart, and loud could
she sing in her joy. Ah, Bunbundoolooey, my son! Bunbundoolooey, my son!"
And she ran forward with her arms out, as if to embrace him.
But stern was the face of Bunbundoolooey, the son, and no answer did he make with his tongue. But he
stooped to the ground and picked therefrom a big stone. This swiftly he threw at his mother, hitting her with
such force that she fell dead to the earth.
Then on strode Bunbundoolooey to his camp.
The two brothers and the white-bearded old man
European Folktale
Once upon a time there were two brothers. They decided to start venturing from town to town and from
village to village to to seek happiness. Along the way they saw an old man with white beard heading towards
them.
The old man stopped and asked the boys where they were headed. When he found out he told them:
"I want to help you." He put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a handful of golden coins. " Which one of
you wants these?" he asked.
"I want them." replied the big brother immediately. The old man hand in his other pocket and pulled out a
precious gem, shining like the sun, and asked again:
"Which one of you want to have the gem?
"I want it." hasty answered the big brother and the old man gave him the gem. Then the old man put down the
sack he was carrying on his back and said:
"Now who is gonna help me bring this sack to the village?"
The big brother said nothing. On the other hand the little brother pulled up his sleeves and bended down to
help him. The old man smiled and said:
"Take it with you, my boy, along with everything that is inside."
"No it's not mine."
" Take it, take it." said the old man. "It's my gift to you."
The little brother opened the sack. And what did his eyes see? The bag was filled with precious gemstones.
He stood up to thank the old man, but he was nowhere to be found.
Brabo and the giant
European Folktale
Ages ago, when the giants were numerous on the earth, there lived a big fellow named Antigonus. That was
not what his mother had called him, but some one told him of a Greek general of that name; so he took this for
his own. He was rough and cruel. His castle was on the Scheldt River, where the city of Antwerp now stands.
Many ships sailed out of France and Holland, down this stream. They were loaded with timber, flax, iron,
cheese, fish, bread, linen, and other things made in the country. It was by this trade that many merchants grew
rich, and their children had plenty of toys to play with. The river was very grand, deep, and wide. The captains
of the ships liked to sail on it, because there was no danger from rocks, and the country through which it flowed
was so pretty.
So every day, one could see hundreds of white-sailed craft moving towards the sea, or coming in from the
ocean. Boys and girls came down to stand in their wooden shoes on the banks, to see the vessels moving to and
fro. The incoming ships brought sugar, wine, oranges, lemons, olives and other good things to eat, and wool to
make warm clothes. Often craftsmen came from the wonderful countries in the south to tell of the rich cities
there, and help to build new and fine houses, and splendid churches, and town halls. So all the Belgian people
were happy.
But one day, this wicked giant came into the country to stop the ships and make them pay him money. He
reared a strong castle on the river banks. It had four sides and high walls, and deep down in the earth were dark,
damp dungeons. One had to light a candle to find his way to the horrid places.
What was it all for? The people wondered, but they soon found out. The giant, with a big knotted club, made
out of an oak tree, strode through the town. He cried out to all the people to assemble in the great open square.
"From this day forth," he roared, "no ship, whether up or down the river, shall pass by this place, without my
permission. Every captain must pay me toll, in money or goods. Whoever refuses, shall have both his hands cut
off and thrown into the river.
"Hear ye all and obey. Any one caught in helping a ship go by without paying toll, whether it be night, or
whether it be day, shall have his thumbs cut off and be put in the dark dungeon for a month. Again I say,
Obey!"
With this, the giant swung and twirled his club aloft and then brought it down on a poor countryman's cart,
smashing it into flinders. This was done to show his strength.
So every day, when the ships hove in sight, they were hailed from the giant's castle and made to pay heavy
toll. Poor or rich, they had to hand over their money. If any captain refused, he was brought ashore and made to
kneel before a block and place one hand upon the other. Then the giant swung his axe and cut off both hands,
and flung them into the river. If a ship master hesitated, because he had no money, he was cast into a dungeon,
until his friends paid his ransom.
Soon, on account of this, the city got a bad name. The captains from France kept in, and the ship men from
Spain kept out. The merchants found their trade dwindling, and they grew poorer every day. So some of them
slipped out of the city and tried to get the ships to sail in the night, and silently pass the giant's castle.
But the giant's watchers, on the towers, were as wide awake as owls and greedy as hawks. They pounced on
the ship captains, chopped off their hands and tossed them into the river. The townspeople, who were found on
board, were thrown into the dungeons and had their thumbs cut off.
So the prosperity of the city was destroyed, for the foreign merchants were afraid to send their ships into the
giant's country. The reputation of the city grew worse. It was nicknamed by the Germans Hand Werpen, or
Hand Throwing; while the Dutchmen called it Antwerp, which meant the same thing. The Duke of Brabant, or
Lord of the land, came to the big fellow's fortress and told him to stop. He even shook his fist under the giant's
huge nose, and threatened to attack his castle and burn it. But Antigonus only snapped his fingers, and laughed
at him. He made his castle still stronger and kept on hailing ships, throwing some of the crews into dungeons
and cutting off the hands of the captains, until the fish in the river grew fat.
Now there was a brave young fellow named Brabo, who lived in the province of Brabant. He was proud of
his country and her flag of yellow, black and red, and was loyal to his lord. He studied the castle well and saw a
window, where he could climb up into the giant's chamber.
Going to the Duke, Brabo promised if his lord's soldiers would storm the gates of the giant's castle, that he
would seek out and fight the ruffian. While they battered down the gates, he would climb the walls. "He's
nothing but a 'bulle-wak'" (a bully and a boaster), said Brabo, "and we ought to call him that, instead of
Antigonus."
The Duke agreed. On a dark night, one thousand of his best men-at-arms were marched with their banners,
but with no drums or trumpets, or anything that could make a noise and alarm the watchmen.
Reaching a wood full of big trees near the castle, they waited till after midnight. All the dogs in the town and
country, for five miles around, were seized and put into barns, so as not to bark and wake the giant up. They
were given plenty to eat, so that they quickly fell asleep and were perfectly quiet.
At the given signal, hundreds of men holding ship's masts, or tree trunks, marched against the gates. They
punched and pounded and at last smashed the iron-bound timbers and rushed in. After overcoming the garrison,
they lighted candles, and unlocking the dungeons, went down and set the poor half-starved captives free. Some
of them pale, haggard and thin as hop poles, could hardly stand. About the same time, the barn doors where the
dogs had been kept, were thrown open. In full cry, a regiment of the animals, from puppies to hounds, were at
once out, barking, baying, and yelping, as if they knew what was going on and wanted to see the fun.
But where was the giant? None of the captains could find him. Not one of the prisoners or the garrison could
tell where he had hid.
But Brabo knew that the big fellow, Antigonus, was not at all brave, but really only a bully and a coward. So
the lad was not afraid. Some of his comrades outside helped him to set up a tall ladder against the wall. Then,
while all the watchers and men-at-arms inside, had gone away to defend the gates, Brabo climbed into the
castle, through a slit in the thick wall. This had been cut out, like a window, for the bow-and-arrow men, and
was usually occupied by a sentinel. Sword in hand, Brabo made for the giant's own room. Glaring at the youth,
the big fellow seized his club and brought it down with such force that it went through the wooden floor. But
Brabo dodged the blow and, in a trice, made a sweep with his sword. Cutting off the giant's head, he threw it out
the window. It had hardly touched the ground, before the dogs arrived. One of the largest of these ran away with
the trophy and the big, hairy noddle of the bully was never found again.
But the giant's huge hands! Ah, they were cut off by Brabo, who stood on the very top of the highest tower,
while all below looked up and cheered. Brabo laid one big hand on top of the other, as the giant used to do,
when he cut off the hands of captains. He took first the right hand and then the left hand and threw them, one at
a time, into the river.
A pretty sight now revealed the fact that the people knew what had been going on and were proud of Brabo's
valor. In a moment, every house in Antwerp showed lighted candles, and the city was illuminated. Issuing from
the gates came a company of maidens. They were dressed in white, but their leader was robed in yellow, red,
and black, the colors of the Brabant flag. They all sang in chorus the praises of Brabo their hero.
"Let us now drop the term of disgrace to the city--that of the Hand-Throwing and give it a new name," said
one of the leading men of Antwerp.
"No," said the chief ruler, "let us rather keep the name, and, more than ever, invite all peaceful ships to come
again, 'an-'t-werf' (at the wharf), as of old. Then, let the arms of Antwerp be two red hands above a castle."
"Agreed," cried the citizens with a great shout. The Duke of Brabant approved and gave new privileges to the
city, on account of Brabo's bravery. So, from high to low, all rejoiced to honor their hero, who was richly
rewarded.
After this, thousands of ships, from many countries, loaded or unloaded their cargoes on the wharves, or
sailed peacefully by. Antwerp excelled all seaports and became very rich again. Her people loved their native
city so dearly, that they coined the proverb "All the world is a ring, and Antwerp is the pearl set in it."
To this day, in the great square, rises the splendid bronze monument of Brabo the Brave. The headless and
handless hulk of the giant Antigonus lies sprawling, while on his body rests Antwerp castle. Standing over all,
at the top, is Brabo high in air. He holds one of the hands of Antigonus, which he is about to toss into the
Scheldt River.
No people honor valor more than the Belgians. Themselves are to-day, as of old, among the bravest.
The origin of fire
Native American Folktale
Long, long ago, animals and trees talked with each other, but there was no fire at that time. Fox was most clever
and he tried to think of a way to create fire for the world.
One day, he decided to visit the Geese, te-tl, whose cry he wished to learn how to imitate. They promised to
teach him if he would fly with them. So they contrived a way to attach wings to Fox, but cautioned him never to
open his eyes while flying.
Whenever the Geese arose in flight, Fox also flew along with them to practice their cry. On one such adventure,
darkness descended suddenly as they flew over the village of the fireflies, ko-na- tcic-a. In mid-flight, the glare
from the flickering fireflies caused Fox to forget and he opened his eyes--instantly his wings collapsed! His fall
was uncontrollable. He landed within the walled area of the firefly village, where a fire constantly burned in the
center.
Two kind fireflies came to see fallen Fox, who gave each one a necklace of juniper berries, katl-te-i-tse.
Fox hoped to persuade the two fireflies to tell him where he could find a way over the wall to the outside. They
led him to a cedar tree, which they explained would bend down upon command and catapult him over the wall
if he so desired.
That evening, Fox found the spring where fireflies obtained their water. There also, he discovered colored
Earth, which when mixed with water made paint. He decided to give himself a coat of white. Upon returning to
the village, Fox suggested to the fireflies, "Let's have a festival where we can dance and I will produce the
music."
They all agreed that would be fun and helped to gather wood to build up a greater fire. Secretly, Fox tied a piece
of cedar bark to his tail. Then he made a drum, probably the first one ever constructed, and beat it vigorously
with a stick for the dancing fireflies. Gradually, he moved closer and closer to the fire.
Fox pretended to tire from beating the drum. He gave it to some fireflies who wanted to help make the music.
Fox quickly thrust his tail into the fire, lighting the bark, and exclaimed, "It is too warm here for me, I must find
a cooler place."
Straight to the cedar tree Fox ran, calling, "Bend down to me, my cedar tree, bend down!"
Down bent the cedar tree for Fox to catch hold, then up it carried him far over the wall. On and on he ran, with
the fireflies in pursuit.
As Fox ran along, brush and wood on either side of his path were ignited from the sparks dropping from the
burning bark tied to his tail.
Fox finally tired and gave the burning bark to Hawk, i-tsarl-tsu- i, who carried it to brown Crane, tsi-nes-tso-l.
He flew far southward, scattering fire sparks everywhere. This is how fire first spread over the Earth.
Fireflies continued chasing Fox all the way to his burrow and declared, "Forever after, Wily Fox, your
punishment for stealing our fire will be that you can never make use of it for yourself."
Coyote spills the stars
Native American Folktale
In the beginning days when all came up from the underworld a huge gathering was planned, uniting all the fourleggeds and flyers. At this meeting Our Mother selected a human being to take a jar of stars, hang them in the
sky and name them for all to enjoy.
Coyote was very interested in what was going on, but being a wiggler and trickster then as he is no, Our Mother
turned to him and said "Do not make mischief here!"
The human being was busy, placing the stars in ordered patterns upon the sky...Seven Stars here and the three
Pot Rest Stars there. When he had placed the beautiful Morning Star he stood back and admired his work, as did
all the rest.
While everyone including Our Mother was gathered to gaze at the luminous Morning Star, Coyote tiptoed over
to the jar of stars to see for himself what the man was doing. As he lifted the jar's lid just a little, the stars rose to
the occasion, pushed the lid away and raced for the sky. This is the reason so many twinkle without order or
pattern, and why so many are not named.
Our Mother was angry with Coyote, and said that because of his mischief with the stars Coyote would forever
be a wanderer and bring trouble with him wherever he may go. That some days he could be happy and
abundant, but other days he would see unhappiness and hunger.
The Jaguar and the Little Skunk
South American Folktale
Once there was a gentleman jaguar and a lady skunk. Mrs. Skunk had a son, who was baptized by Mr. Jaguar,
so Mrs. Skunk became his comadre (godmother). And as Mr. Jaguar had baptized the little skunk, he was Mrs.
Skunk's compadre (godfather).
Mr. Jaguar decided to go looking for food and came to Mrs. Skunk's house.
"Well, compadre, what are you looking for? What have you come here for?" the skunk asked the jaguar.
"Comadre, what I have come to do is to look for some food," said Mr. Jaguar.
"Oh," said Mrs. Skunk.
"I want my godson to come with me so that he can learn to hunt," said Mr. Jaguar.
"I don't think your godson ought to go; he's still very small and something could happen to him. He better not
go, compadre," said Mrs. Skunk. But the little skunk protested:
"No, mother, I had better go. What my godfather says is true. I need to get some practice, if I'm going to learn
to hunt," said the little skunk.
"But if you go, you'll be so far away," said Mrs. Skunk.
"I'm going, I'm going. Come on, let's go." So they set off on a long walk.
"We're going to where there's a river. That's where we're going," Mr. Jaguar explained to the little skunk, his
godson.
"When are we going to get there?" asked the little skunk.
"We're getting close. Follow me so you won't get lost," said Mr. Jaguar.
"All right," answered the little skunk. They finally came to the river.
"This is where we're going to eat," said Mr. Jaguar to the little skunk.
"All right," said the little skunk.
"Come on over here. I'm going to sharpen my knife," said Mr. Jaguar.
"All right," said the little skunk, looking at his godfather.
Mr. Jaguar sharpened his claws, which he called his "knife."
"I sharpened my knife. Now you're going to be on guard, because I am going to sleep. When you see them
come, wake me up," said Mr. Jaguar.
"All right," said the little skunk, "all right, godfather."
Then Mr. Jaguar told him: "Don't shout. Just scratch my belly when they come. Scratch my belly, so I won't
alarm them. But don't wake me up if just any little old animals without antlers come along, only when the one
with big antlers gets here. That's when you'll wake me up."
"All right," said the little skunk. Then the one with the big antlers came, and the skunk awakened Mr. Jaguar.
He scratched his belly, and pointed out the deer to Mr. Jaguar, who attacked the animal with big antlers. He
went after him and seized him.
"All right, my godson, let's eat. We're going to eat meat," said the jaguar.
"All right," said the little skunk. And so they ate and ate.
"Now we're going to take whatever leftovers there are to your mother," said the jaguar.
"Since we are full, we can take something to your mother. Your mother will have meat to eat, just as we did.
We will take some to your mother," said the jaguar. When they came back to the mother's house, he told the
lady:
"Look at the food here. Look, we've brought you some food, the food that we hunted. Eat your fill of the
meat, comadre," the jaguar said to Mrs. Skunk.
"All right," said the skunk, and ate the meat.
"I'm full," she said.
"It's good that you're satisfied. I've seen that you are, so I'll be leaving now," said Mr. Jaguar to Mrs. Skunk.
And so he left.
After the jaguar left, the little skunk stayed with his mother.
When they ran out of meat, Mrs. Skunk said to her son: Dear, our meat is all gone."
"Yes, the meat is all gone. I better go and get us some more food," said the little skunk.
"How can you, son? Do you think you're big enough? You're very small. Don't you think you'll be killed?"
asked Mrs. Skunk.
"No, mother, I already know how to hunt, my godfather taught me how," replied the little skunk.
"I'm leaving now." He left, and Mrs. Skunk was very worried.
Her son came once more to the river, the place to which he had come with his godfather to get the meat.
"This is how my godfather did it. Why shouldn't I be able to do the same thing?" said the little skunk.
"This is how you sharpen a knife," said the little skunk. He sharpened his "knife."
"This is the way my godfather did it. I'm not going to hunt the little animals, I'm just going to hunt the one
with the great big antlers. I'm going to hunt one for myself just like the one I ate with my godfather. I have my
knife here and I'm going to sleep for a little while." The little skunk lay down to sleep, but then he awakened.
He was waiting for the one with the big antlers, and when he came, he attacked him, thinking he was as strong
as his godfather. But he just hung from the neck of the one with big antlers. His claws had dug into his skin. He
was hanging from his neck and was carried far away and fell on his back. He was left with his mouth wide
open.
Since he had not come home to his mother, she wondered: "What could have happened to my son? Why
hasn't he come back yet? Something must have happened to him. I better go and look for him."
And so Mrs. Skunk went as far as the bank of the river. She was looking everywhere for her son, but couldn't
find him. She began to cry when she found the tracks where the one with the big antlers had come by running.
"They must have come by here," said Mrs. Skunk, and began to follow the tracks.
She came to the place where her son had been left lying on his back. When the mother caught sight of him,
she noticed that his teeth were showing and shouted at him: "Son, what are you laughing at? All your teeth are
showing," she said to him before she had gotten very close. When she did get close she told him: "Give me your
hand. I've come to get you, but you're just laughing in my face." She put her hand on him, thinking that he was
still alive, but when she noticed that he was already dead, she began to cry.
How the Monkey Got a Drink When He Was Thirsty
South American Folktale
Once upon a time the monkey made the tiger very angry. This is how it happened. The monkey was seated
high up among the leafy branches of a mango tree playing upon his guitar. The tiger passed that way and lay
down under the tree to rest. Just to tease him the monkey played and sang this little song:
"Tango
The
tiger's
Tee hee, Tee hee."
ti
tar,
bones
tango
are
in
ti
my
tar,
guitar.
The tiger was very angry. "Just wait until I catch you, Mr. Monkey," he said. "Then I'll show you a trick or
two with bones."
The monkey leaped from one tree to another keeping himself so well hid by the foliage that the tiger could
not see him. Then he came down out of the trees and hid himself in a hole in the ground. When the tiger came
near he again played and sang his little song:
"Tango
The
tiger's
Tee hee, Tee hee."
ti
tar,
bones
tango
are
in
ti
my
tar,
guitar.
The tiger put his paw into the hole and caught the monkey's leg. "Oh, ho, Mr. Tiger!" said the monkey. "You
think that you have caught my leg but what you really have is just a little stick. Oh, ho! Oh, ho!" Then the tiger
let go of the monkey's leg.
The monkey crawled farther back into the hole in the ground where the tiger's paw could not reach him. Then
he said: "Thank you so much, Mr. Tiger, for letting go of my leg. It really was my leg, you know." Again he
played and sang his little song:
"Tango
The
tiger's
Tee hee, Tee hee."
ti
tar,
bones
tango
are
in
ti
my
tar,
guitar.
The tiger was angrier than ever. He waited and waited for the monkey to come out of the hole in the ground
but the monkey did not come. He had discovered another way out and once more from the high tree tops he
sang down to the waiting tiger:
"Tango
The
tiger's
Tee hee, Tee hee."
ti
tar,
bones
tango
are
in
ti
my
tar,
guitar.
There had been a great drought in the land and there was only one watering place where the beasts could
drink. The tiger knew that the monkey would have to go there when he was thirsty so he decided to wait for him
and catch him when he came to drink.
When the monkey went to the watering place to get a drink he found the tiger there waiting for him. He ran
away as fast as the wind for he was really very much afraid of the tiger.
He waited and waited until he thought he should die of thirst, but the tiger did not go away from the watering
place for a single minute. At last the monkey thought of a trick by which he would be able to get a drink.
He lay down by the side of the pathway as if he were dead. After a while an old woman came along the path
carrying a dish of honey in a basket upon her head. She saw the monkey lying there by the path and, thinking
that he was dead, she picked him up and put him into the basket with the dish of honey. When the monkey saw
that it was honey in the dish he was very happy. He opened the dish and covered himself all over with the soft
sticky honey. Then as the old woman walked under the trees he lightly sprang out of the basket into the trees.
The old woman did not miss him until she got home and found only part of her dish of honey in the basket.
"Why, I thought I had brought home a dead monkey in my basket," she said to her children. "Now there is no
monkey here and my dish is only half full of honey. The monkey must have been playing one of his tricks."
The monkey had, in the meantime, stuck leaves from the trees into the honey all over his body so that he was
completely disguised. His own mother would never have recognised him. He looked something like a
porcupine; but instead of sharp quills there were green leaves sticking out all over him. In this fashion he went
to the drinking place and the tiger did not recognise him. He took a long, deep drink. He was so thirsty and the
water tasted so good that he stayed in the drinking place too long. The leaves came out of the honey which had
held them and the tiger saw that it was really the monkey. The monkey was barely able to escape.
He was so badly frightened that he waited and waited a long, long time before he again went to the drinking
place. At last he got so thirsty that he couldn't wait any longer. He went to the resin tree and covered himself
with resin. Then he stuck leaves into the resin and again went to the drinking place.
The tiger saw him, but as the tiger expected to see the leaves come off just as soon as the monkey got into the
water, he thought he would wait and catch him in his bare skin. This time the leaves did not come off, for the
resin held them fast and was not in the least affected by the water. The tiger thought that it was not the monkey
and that he must have made a mistake. The monkey drank all he wished and then strolled away leisurely
without the tiger's attacking him. He used the resin and leaves every time he wanted a drink after that. He kept
up the trick until the rainy season arrived and he could find plenty of water in other places than the big drinking
place.
Cinderella
Fairy tale by The Brothers Grimm
The wife of a rich man fell sick, and as she felt that her end was drawing near, she called her only daughter to
her bedside and said, "Dear child, be good and pious, and then the good God will always protect thee, and I will
look down on thee from heaven and be near thee." Thereupon she closed her eyes and departed. Every day the
maiden went out to her mother's grave and wept, and she remained pious and good. When winter came the snow
spread a white sheet over the grave, and when the spring sun had drawn it off again, the man had taken another
wife.
The woman had brought two daughters into the house with her, who were beautiful and fair of face, but vile and
black of heart. Now began a bad time for the poor step-child. "Is the stupid goose to sit in the parlour with us?"
said they. "He who wants to eat bread must earn it; out with the kitchen-wench." They took her pretty clothes
away from her, put an old grey bedgown on her, and gave her wooden shoes. "Just look at the proud princess,
how decked out she is!" they cried, and laughed, and led her into the kitchen. There she had to do hard work
from morning till night, get up before daybreak, carry water, light fires, cook and wash. Besides this, the sisters
did her every imaginable injury they mocked her and emptied her peas and lentils into the ashes, so that she was
forced to sit and pick them out again. In the evening when she had worked till she was weary she had no bed to
go to, but had to sleep by the fireside in the ashes. And as on that account she always looked dusty and dirty,
they called her Cinderella. It happened that the father was once going to the fair, and he asked his two stepdaughters what he should bring back for them. "Beautiful dresses," said one, "Pearls and jewels," said the
second. "And thou, Cinderella," said he, "what wilt thou have?" "Father, break off for me the first branch which
knocks against your hat on your way home." So he bought beautiful dresses, pearls and jewels for his two stepdaughters, and on his way home, as he was riding through a green thicket, a hazel twig brushed against him and
knocked off his hat. Then he broke off the branch and took it with him. When he reached home he gave his
step-daughters the things which they had wished for, and to Cinderella he gave the branch from the hazel-bush.
Cinderella thanked him, went to her mother's grave and planted the branch on it, and wept so much that the tears
fell down on it and watered it. It grew, however, and became a handsome tree. Thrice a day Cinderella went and
sat beneath it, and wept and prayed, and a little white bird always came on the tree, and if Cinderella expressed
a wish, the bird threw down to her what she had wished for.
It happened, however, that the King appointed a festival which was to last three days, and to which all the
beautiful young girls in the country were invited, in order that his son might choose himself a bride. When the
two step-sisters heard that they too were to appear among the number, they were delighted, called Cinderella
and said, "Comb our hair for us, brush our shoes and fasten our buckles, for we are going to the festival at the
King's palace." Cinderella obeyed, but wept, because she too would have liked to go with them to the dance,
and begged her step-mother to allow her to do so. "Thou go, Cinderella!" said she; "Thou art dusty and dirty,
and wouldst go to the festival? Thou hast no clothes and shoes, and yet wouldst dance!" As, however,
Cinderella went on asking, the step-mother at last said, "I have emptied a dish of lentils into the ashes for thee,
if thou hast picked them out again in two hours, thou shalt go with us." The maiden went through the back-door
into the garden, and called, "You tame pigeons, you turtle-doves, and all you birds beneath the sky, come and
help me to pick
"The good into the pot,
The bad into the crop."
Then two white pigeons came in by the kitchen-window, and afterwards the turtle-doves, and at last all the birds
beneath the sky, came whirring and crowding in, and alighted amongst the ashes. And the pigeons nodded with
their heads and began pick, pick, pick, pick, and the rest began also pick, pick, pick, pick, and gathered all the
good grains into the dish. Hardly had one hour passed before they had finished, and all flew out again. Then the
girl took the dish to her step-mother, and was glad, and believed that now she would be allowed to go with them
to the festival. But the step-mother said, "No, Cinderella, thou hast no clothes and thou canst not dance; thou
wouldst only be laughed at." And as Cinderella wept at this, the step-mother said, "If thou canst pick two dishes
of lentils out of the ashes for me in one hour, thou shalt go with us." And she thought to herself, "That she most
certainly cannot do." When the step-mother had emptied the two dishes of lentils amongst the ashes, the maiden
went through the back-door into the garden and cried, "You tame pigeons, you turtle-doves, and all you birds
under heaven, come and help me to pick
"The good into the pot,
The bad into the crop."
Then two white pigeons came in by the kitchen-window, and afterwards the turtle-doves, and at length all the
birds beneath the sky, came whirring and crowding in, and alighted amongst the ashes. And the doves nodded
with their heads and began pick, pick, pick, pick, and the others began also pick, pick, pick, pick, and gathered
all the good seeds into the dishes, and before half an hour was over they had already finished, and all flew out
again. Then the maiden carried the dishes to the step-mother and was delighted, and believed that she might
now go with them to the festival. But the step-mother said, "All this will not help thee; thou goest not with us,
for thou hast no clothes and canst not dance; we should be ashamed of thee!" On this she turned her back on
Cinderella, and hurried away with her two proud daughters.
As no one was now at home, Cinderella went to her mother's grave beneath the hazel-tree, and cried,
"Shiver and quiver, little tree,
Silver and gold throw down over me."
Then the bird threw a gold and silver dress down to her, and slippers embroidered with silk and silver. She put
on the dress with all speed, and went to the festival. Her step-sisters and the step-mother however did not know
her, and thought she must be a foreign princess, for she looked so beautiful in the golden dress. They never once
thought of Cinderella, and believed that she was sitting at home in the dirt, picking lentils out of the ashes. The
prince went to meet her, took her by the hand and danced with her. He would dance with no other maiden, and
never left loose of her hand, and if any one else came to invite her, he said, "This is my partner."
She danced till it was evening, and then she wanted to go home. But the King's son said, "I will go with thee
and bear thee company," for he wished to see to whom the beautiful maiden belonged. She escaped from him,
however, and sprang into the pigeon-house. The King's son waited until her father came, and then he told him
that the stranger maiden had leapt into the pigeon-house. The old man thought, "Can it be Cinderella?" and they
had to bring him an axe and a pickaxe that he might hew the pigeon-house to pieces, but no one was inside it.
And when they got home Cinderella lay in her dirty clothes among the ashes, and a dim little oil-lamp was
burning on the mantle-piece, for Cinderella had jumped quickly down from the back of the pigeon-house and
had run to the little hazel-tree, and there she had taken off her beautiful clothes and laid them on the grave, and
the bird had taken them away again, and then she had placed herself in the kitchen amongst the ashes in her
grey gown.
Next day when the festival began afresh, and her parents and the step-sisters had gone once more, Cinderella
went to the hazel-tree and said
"Shiver and quiver, my little tree,
Silver and gold throw down over me."
Then the bird threw down a much more beautiful dress than on the preceding day. And when Cinderella
appeared at the festival in this dress, every one was astonished at her beauty. The King's son had waited until
she came, and instantly took her by the hand and danced with no one but her. When others came and invited
her, he said, "She is my partner." When evening came she wished to leave, and the King's son followed her and
wanted to see into which house she went. But she sprang away from him, and into the garden behind the house.
Therein stood a beautiful tall tree on which hung the most magnificent pears. She clambered so nimbly between
the branches like a squirrel, that the King's son did not know where she was gone. He waited until her father
came, and said to him, "The stranger- maiden has escaped from me, and I believe she has climbed up the peartree." The father thought, "Can it be Cinderella?" and had an axe brought and cut the tree down, but no one was
on it. And when they got into the kitchen, Cinderella lay there amongst the ashes, as usual, for she had jumped
down on the other side of the tree, had taken the beautiful dress to the bird on the little hazel-tree, and put on her
grey gown.
On the third day, when the parents and sisters had gone away, Cinderella went once more to her mother's grave
and said to the little tree
"Shiver and quiver, my little tree,
Silver and gold throw down over me."
And now the bird threw down to her a dress which was more splendid and magnificent than any she had yet
had, and the slippers were golden. And when she went to the festival in the dress, no one knew how to speak for
astonishment. The King's son danced with her only, and if any one invited her to dance, he said, "She is my
partner."
When evening came, Cinderella wished to leave, and the King's son was anxious to go with her, but she escaped
from him so quickly that he could not follow her. The King's son had, however, used a stratagem, and had
caused the whole staircase to be smeared with pitch, and there, when she ran down, had the maiden's left slipper
remained sticking. The King's son picked it up, and it was small and dainty, and all golden. Next morning, he
went with it to the father, and said to him, "No one shall be my wife but she whose foot this golden slipper fits."
Then were the two sisters glad, for they had pretty feet. The eldest went with the shoe into her room and wanted
to try it on, and her mother stood by. But she could not get her big toe into it, and the shoe was too small for her.
Then her mother gave her a knife and said, "Cut the toe off; when thou art Queen thou wilt have no more need
to go on foot." The maiden cut the toe off, forced the foot into the shoe, swallowed the pain, and went out to the
King's son. Then he took her on his horse as his bride and rode away with her. They were, however, obliged to
pass the grave, and there, on the hazel-tree, sat the two pigeons and cried,
"Turn and peep, turn and peep,
There's blood within the shoe,
The shoe it is too small for her,
The true bride waits for you."
Then he looked at her foot and saw how the blood was streaming from it. He turned his horse round and took
the false bride home again, and said she was not the true one, and that the other sister was to put the shoe on.
Then this one went into her chamber and got her toes safely into the shoe, but her heel was too large. So her
mother gave her a knife and said, "Cut a bit off thy heel; when thou art Queen thou wilt have no more need to
go on foot." The maiden cut a bit off her heel, forced her foot into the shoe, swallowed the pain, and went out to
the King's son. He took her on his horse as his bride, and rode away with her, but when they passed by the
hazel-tree, two little pigeons sat on it and cried,
"Turn and peep, turn and peep,
There's blood within the shoe,
The shoe it is too small for her,
The true bride waits for you."
He looked down at her foot and saw how the blood was running out of her shoe, and how it had stained her
white stocking. Then he turned his horse and took the false bride home again. "This also is not the right one,"
said he, "have you no other daughter?" "No," said the man, "There is still a little stunted kitchen-wench which
my late wife left behind her, but she cannot possibly be the bride." The King's son said he was to send her up to
him; but the mother answered, "Oh no, she is much too dirty, she cannot show herself!" He absolutely insisted
on it, and Cinderella had to be called. She first washed her hands and face clean, and then went and bowed
down before the King's son, who gave her the golden shoe. Then she seated herself on a stool, drew her foot out
of the heavy wooden shoe, and put it into the slipper, which fitted like a glove. And when she rose up and the
King's son looked at her face he recognized the beautiful maiden who had danced with him and cried, "That is
the true bride!" The step-mother and the two sisters were terrified and became pale with rage; he, however, took
Cinderella on his horse and rode away with her. As they passed by the hazel-tree, the two white doves cried,
"Turn and peep, turn and peep,
No blood is in the shoe,
The shoe is not too small for her,
The true bride rides with you,"
and when they had cried that, the two came flying down and placed themselves on Cinderella's shoulders, one
on the right, the other on the left, and remained sitting there.
When the wedding with the King's son had to be celebrated, the two false sisters came and wanted to get into
favour with Cinderella and share her good fortune. When the betrothed couple went to church, the elder was at
the right side and the younger at the left, and the pigeons pecked out one eye of each of them. Afterwards as
they came back, the elder was at the left, and the younger at the right, and then the pigeons pecked out the other
eye of each. And thus, for their wickedness and falsehood, they were punished with blindness as long as they
lived.
From Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, Household Tales, trans. Margaret Hunt (London: George Bell, 1884)
Aesop's fables
The Mountains in Labour
One day the Countrymen noticed that the Mountains were in labour; smoke came out of their summits, the earth
was quaking at their feet, trees were crashing, and huge rocks were tumbling. They felt sure that something
horrible was going to happen. They all gathered together in one place to see what terrible thing this could be.
They waited and they waited, but nothing came. At last there was a still more violent earthquake, and a huge
gap appeared in the side of the Mountains. They all fell down upon their knees and waited. At last, and at last, a
teeny, tiny mouse poked its little head and bristles out of the gap and came running down towards them, and
ever after they used to say: "Much outcry, little outcome."
The Hares and the Frogs
The Hares were so persecuted by the other beasts, they did not know where to go. As soon as they saw a single
animal approach them, off they used to run. One day they saw a troop of wild Horses stampeding about, and in
quite a panic all the Hares scuttled off to a lake hard by, determined to drown themselves rather than live in
such a continual state of fear. But just as they got near the bank of the lake, a troop of Frogs, frightened in their
turn by the approach of the Hares scuttled off, and jumped into the water. "Truly," said one of the Hares, "things
are not so bad as they seem: "There is always someone worse off than yourself."
The Wolf and the Kid
A Kid was perched up on the top of a house, and looking down saw a Wolf passing under him. Immediately he
began to revile and attack his enemy. "Murderer and thief," he cried, "what do you here near honest folks'
houses? How dare you make an appearance where your vile deeds are known?" "Curse away, my young friend,"
said the Wolf. "It is easy to be brave from a safe distance."
The Woodsman and the Serpent
One wintry day a Woodsman was tramping home from his work when he saw something black lying on the
snow. When he came closer he saw it was a Serpent to all appearance dead. But he took it up and put it in his
bosom to warm while he hurried home. As soon as he got indoors he put the Serpent down on the hearth before
the fire. The children watched it and saw it slowly come to life again. Then one of them stooped down to stroke
it, but the Serpent raised its head and put out its fangs and was about to sting the child to death. So the
Woodsman seized his axe, and with one stroke cut the Serpent in two. "Ah," said he, "No gratitude from the
wicked."
The Bald Man and the Fly
There was once a Bald Man who sat down after work on a hot summer's day. A Fly came up and kept buzzing
about his bald pate, and stinging him from time to time. The Man aimed a blow at his little enemy, but his palm
came on his head instead; again the Fly tormented him, but this time the Man was wiser and said: "You will
only injure yourself if you take notice of despicable enemies."
The Fox and the Stork
At one time the Fox and the Stork were on visiting terms and seemed very good friends. So the Fox invited the
Stork to dinner, and for a joke put nothing before her but some soup in a very shallow dish. This the Fox could
easily lap up, but the Stork could only wet the end of her long bill in it, and left the meal as hungry as when she
began. "I am sorry," said the Fox, "the soup is not to your liking." "Pray do not apologise," said the Stork. "I
hope you will return this visit, and come and dine with me soon." So a day was appointed when the Fox should
visit the Stork; but when they were seated at table all that was for their dinner was contained in a very longnecked jar with a narrow mouth, in which the Fox could not insert his snout, so all he could manage to do was
to lick the outside of the jar. "I will not apologise for the dinner," said the Stork: "One bad turn deserves
another."