Part 1

_Uniform with this Volume_

CHRISTMAS TALES OF FLANDERS

With Plates in Colour and many Black and White Illustrations by JEAN DE BOSSCHÈRE

"This handsome and well-illustrated book is one of the most attractive we have seen this season. It gives us renderings of the popular fables and legends current in Flanders and Brabant which have a colour and quaintness of their own, yet combines adventures with an unobtrusive and so more effective moral."--_Saturday Review._

"There are delightful stories; even more attractive than the letterpress are M. de Bosschère's illustrations. Conceived with inexhaustible fancy, full of quaint detail, and set down with a fascinating naïveté they embody the characters and scenes of the tales with a fullness of particularism that should provide endless entertainment to youthful readers. They are the best and most complete series of designs yet produced by the artist."--_Connoisseur._

"The illustrations by Jean de Bosschère are of a droll fancy. The artist has a notable power of the grotesque, and both in colour and black and white he uses it."--_Daily Telegraph._

LONDON: WILLIAM HEINEMANN

FOLK TALES OF BEASTS AND MEN

BEASTS & MEN

FOLK TALES COLLECTED IN FLANDERS AND ILLUSTRATED BY JEAN DE BOSSCHÈRE

LONDON · WILLIAM HEINEMANN NEW YORK · DODD, MEAD & COMPANY

_London: William Heinemann, 1918_

CONTENTS

PAGE UPS AND DOWNS 1 THE THREE MONKEYS 5 HOW THE GOLDFINCH GOT HIS COLOURS 10 THE COCK AND THE FOX 14 THE MOST CUNNING ANIMAL 19 SPONSKEN AND THE GIANT 22 WHY CATS ALWAYS WASH AFTER EATING 40 THE CHORISTERS OF ST. GUDULE 41 THE TRIAL OF REYNARD THE FOX 50 THE MAGIC CAP 83 SUGAR-CANDY HOUSE 91 POOR PETER 95 THE PEASANT AND HIS ASS 103 THE KING OF THE BIRDS 109 A DRUM FULL OF BEES 116 THE DRUNKEN ROOKS 131 THE BATTLE OF THE BIRDS AND BEASTS 133 THE END OF THE WORLD 139 THE REWARD OF THE WORLD 147 ONE BAD TURN BEGETS ANOTHER 153 THE PEASANT AND THE SATYRS 159 THE TWO FRIENDS AND THE BARREL OF GREASE 163 WHY THE BEAR HAS A STUMPY TAIL 168 THE WITCH'S CAT 173

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

IN COLOUR

_Facing page_ "HE TORE A RIB FROM HIS SIDE AND CUT OFF MY EAR" _Frontispiece_ "I HOPE YOU WILL ENJOY YOUR DRINK. GOOD-BYE!" 2 ALL THE BIRDS WERE VERY PROUD OF THEIR APPEARANCE 12 "WHAT ELSE CAN I DO!" ASKED CHANTICLEER 44 THE TRIAL OF REYNARD THE FOX 68 "YOU HAVE MERITED DEATH A HUNDRED TIMES" 80 JAN AND JANNETTE 90 BIRDS GOING TO THE RACE 112 THE BATTLE OF THE BIRDS AND BEASTS 132 AN IMMENSE DRAGON LYING BY THE WATER-SIDE 148 THE SATYRS' VILLAGE 160 "ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS TO SIT ON THE ICE" 170

IN BLACK AND WHITE

PAGE THERE HE MET MISTRESS GOAT 1 THE FARMER PUT HER IN THE FOLD 3 UP AND DOWN 4 THREE FRIENDS 5 LITTLE JAMES GOT PUSHED OVER THE SIDE 7 "PULL, BROTHER, PULL, AND WE'LL SOON HAVE HIM OUT" 8 HE HAPPENED TO LOOK IN THE MIRROR 9 BIRDS 10 THE ANGEL WHOSE MISSION IT WAS TO COLOUR THE BIRDS 11 HE TOOK A PLACE AMONG THE MOST BEAUTIFUL OF THEM ALL 12 SONG OF GRATITUDE 13 THE FOX WAS NOT A LITTLE FRIGHTENED 14 "DON'T GO AWAY, MY DEAR FRIEND," SAID THE FOX 17 "THAT IS TRUE," SAID THE COCK TO HIMSELF 18 THE SOLDIER, THE FOX, AND THE BEAR 19 THERE WAS A FLASH, A LOUD REPORT.... 21 THE TWO HEROES OF THE STORY 22 SPONSKEN, THE GIANT, AND THE PRINCESS 25 HE TOSSED THE BIRD INTO THE AIR 27 "THE THREE ANIMALS ARE A BEAR, A UNICORN, AND A WILD BOAR" 28 THE BEAR FOLLOWED HIM INTO THE HOLLOW TRUNK 29 WITH A MIGHTY CRASH HE RAN FULL TILT INTO THE TREE 31 SPONSKEN, THE PRINCESS, THE GIANT 33 ALL THE ATTENDANTS FLED AT ONCE 37 MARRIED A GIRL 39 THE CAT AND THE SPARROW 40 "I'VE JUST BEEN TURNED OUT OF HOUSE" 41 "THEY LAUGH AT ME" 43 "HUSH!" SAID CHANTICLEER 45 BREAKING THE GLASS TO SMITHEREENS 47 THE ROBBERS LOST NO TIME IN DECAMPING 49 THE KING 50 AT THE HEAD OF THE PROCESSION MARCHED CHANTICLEER 53 THE FOX'S CHÂTEAU 55 THE POOR BEAST ROARED WITH PAIN 57 HE IMMEDIATELY CALLED A COUNCIL OF HIS MINISTERS 59 "TAKE ME TO THIS HOUSE" 61 "TYBERT AND BRUIN ARE BADLY KNOCKED ABOUT" 63 "AND CAUSED HIM TO JUMP AT LEAST TWENTY FEET INTO THE AIR" 64 "I WAS MISCHIEVOUS AND UNRULY" 67 "AND PEARLS TOO?" SHE WHISPERED 69 "I SAW HIM STOP AT THE FOOT OF A GREAT TREE" 71 THE CONSPIRACY GAINED ADHERENTS EVERY DAY 73 THE SUIT OF GOLDEN ARMOUR EMRIK WORE 75 THEY WALKED IN SILENCE 77 REYNARD SPRANG AT HIS THROAT 79 THE KING OF THAT LAND CAUGHT HIM 82 CALF AND GOAT 83 "YOU WERE BEING MADE A FOOL OF" 85 JAN AND THE THREE STUDENTS 87 TWIRLED THE CAP ROUND THREE TIMES ON HIS FINGER 89 AND DIPPED THEM INTO THE HORSE-TROUGH 90 WERE CARRIED SAFELY OVER TO THE OTHER BANK 91 "GR-R-R, I'LL EAT THEM UP!" 93 WOLF'S HEAD 94 JACO PETER AND HIS FRIEND 95 "SMEAR YOURSELF FROM HEAD TO FOOT" 97 REYNARD SEIZED THE OPPORTUNITY TO WARN HIS FRIEND 99 AN EXCLAMATION OF ASTONISHMENT 100 AWAY WENT THE COACHES 102 "OH DEAR ME, THAT'S TWICE!" 103 "HALLO, MY MAN," CRIED THE LORD 105 "I CAN'T GET UP, BECAUSE I'M DEAD!" 107 SENT HIM SPRAWLING FROM TOP TO BOTTOM OF THE STAIRS 108 THE EAGLE AND THE KINGLET 109 "IS OUR KING THEN ONLY TO BE LOOKED AT?" 111 THERE WAS THE SOUND AS OF A RUSHING MIGHTY WIND 113 HE IS KNOWN AS THE KINGLET 115 DONATUS 116 THERE WAS A KNOT-HOLE IN THE WOODEN FLOOR 119 "I DID NOT HEAR YOU KNOCK" 121 THE SWARM OF BEES WITHIN BEGAN TO BUZZ ABOUT IN GREAT COMMOTION 123 BEATING ANOTHER TATTOO UPON THE DRUM 124 THE BEADLE, TOO, STUMBLED AND FELL 125 HE HAD FAITHFULLY CARRIED OUT ALL HIS INSTRUCTIONS 127 IT WAS THE LABOURER DRESSED IN THE DRUMMER'S CLOTHES 128 RODE STRAIGHT INTO A MARSH 130 WHEN THE FIFTY ROOKS BEGAN TO FLY HE COULD NOT GET FREE 131 THE ROOKS 132 FIGHTING 133 THE KINGLET WARNED HIM TO BE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO BUZZ 135 THE GREAT OFFENSIVE BEGAN 137 THE FOX 138 THE CAT RUSHED OUT OF THE ROOM 139 THE CAT, THE DOG, THE COCK, THE RABBIT, AND THE GOOSE 141 "SEE IF YOU CAN ESPY A HOUSE" 142 "JUMP ON TO MY BEAUTIFUL CURLY TAIL" 143 THE OTHER FOUR GOT ON TO THE DOG'S BACK 145 SENT ME FLYING THROUGH THE AIR 146 THE DRAGON 147 "MY SIGHT IS SO WEAK AND MY POWERS SO FEEBLE" 149 "DOES THE DRAGON MIND GETTING UNDER THE STONE AGAIN?" 151 TWO FOXES 152 NOTHING WAS LEFT OF THE FISHES 153 THE BIGGEST AND FATTEST FISH 155 STRETCHED HIMSELF OUT AT FULL LENGTH 156 "I WILLINGLY GIVE YOU YOURS!" 158 "WHY ARE YOU BLOWING YOUR SOUP?" 159 "THERE IS NO PLACE IN MY HOUSE FOR A MAN WHO CAN BLOW HOT AND COLD" 161 SATYR 162 THE TWO FRIENDS 163 "WHERE HAS ALL OUR GREASE GONE?" 165 BEGUN, HALF-DONE, ALL-DONE 167 MRS. BRUIN AND REYNARD 168 "AFTER A TIME THE FISH WILL COME TO BITE AT IT" 169 "ONE, TWO, THREE...!" 171 BORN WITH A LITTLE STUMPY TAIL 172 MARGOT AND THE CAT 173 SHE MEANT TO KEEP HER THERE UNTIL SHE HAD GROWN BIGGER AND FATTER 175 PADDLING WITH HER BROOM 177 HE WAS REALLY A PRINCE 179

UPS AND DOWNS

The summer had been very hot. Not a drop of rain had fallen for many weeks, and there was drought in the valley where the animals lived. The streams had dried up and the springs had ceased to flow. Master Fox took up his pipe and went out to take a walk under the lime-trees to think things over. There he met Mistress Goat, all dressed up in her Sunday clothes.

"Good morrow, cousin," said he. "You are very fine to-day."

"Yes," she answered, "I put on my best dress because it helps me to think. What we are to do for water I do not know. We have finished all that we had in the barrel, and unless we can find some more very quickly I and my children will die of thirst."

"To tell you the truth," said the Fox, "I was thinking the same thing. I am so dry that my tongue is sticking to the roof of my mouth, and I cannot even smoke my pipe with pleasure. What do you say to going together in search of water? Four eyes are better than two, any day in the week."

"Agreed," said the Goat; and away they started together. For a long time they looked everywhere, but not a trace of water could they find. All of a sudden the Goat gave a cry of joy, and running up to her the Fox saw that she had discovered a well, on the brink of which she was standing gazing at the cool water far below.

"Hurrah!" cried the Fox. "We are saved!"

"Yes," answered the Goat, "but see how far down the water is! How are we to get at it!"

"You just leave that to me," said the Fox. "I know all about wells--I've seen them before. All one has to do is to get into the bucket which is hanging by the rope and descend as smoothly and as safely as you please. I'll go first, just to show you the way."

So the Fox got into the bucket, and the weight of him caused it to descend, while the empty bucket at the other end of the rope rose to the top of the well. A minute afterwards he was at the bottom, leaning over the side of the pail and greedily lapping up the water. Nothing had ever tasted so delicious. He drank and drank until he could hold no more.

"Is it good?" cried Mrs. Goat from above, dancing with impatience.

"It is like the purest nectar!" answered the Fox. "Get into the bucket quickly and come down and join me."

So the goat stepped into the bucket, which immediately began to descend with her weight, while at the same time the bucket with Master Fox in it began to rise to the surface. The two met half-way.

"How is this?" asked Mrs. Goat in surprise. "I thought you were going to wait for me!"

"Ah, my dear friend," answered Reynard with a wicked grin, "it is the way of the world. Some go up and some go down. I hope you will enjoy your drink. Good-bye!"

And as soon as he got to the top he jumped out of the bucket and ran off at top speed.

So poor Mrs. Goat had to stay there at the bottom of the well until the farmer came and found her, half dead with cold. When at last she was rescued she found that she had only exchanged one prison for another, for the farmer put her into the fold with his own sheep and goats, and so she lost her liberty for ever.

THE THREE MONKEYS

There were once three monkeys who were going for a voyage in a balloon. (This was in Monkey-land, far, far away and ever so long ago.) The three were so much alike that it was impossible to tell one from the other, and to make matters worse each of them answered to the name of James. Such a thing would never do in the crew of a balloon, so the old monkey who was in command decided that each of the three should have a different name. The first was to be called James, the second Jemmy, and the third Little James.

So far so good. The three monkeys climbed into the balloon, the ground ropes were untied, and the voyage was begun. When they had reached a height of some hundreds of feet, the captain wished to give an order, so he called to the first monkey: "James!"

"Aye aye, sir," said all the three, running up to him.

"I called James," said the captain, looking from one to the other.

"Well, I am James," answered the first monkey.

"No, no. James is my name," said the second.

"And mine too," said the third.

"How can you be James if I am he?" cried the first angrily.

"I tell you James is my name!" cried the second.

"No, mine!"

And so the three monkeys began to quarrel and dispute. Words led to blows, and soon they were tumbling about all over the car of the balloon, biting, scratching, and pummelling while the captain sat in his chair and bawled to them to stop. Every minute it seemed as though the car would overturn, and the end of it was that Little James got pushed over the side. He turned a beautiful somersault, and fell down, down, down through the air, landing in a soft bed of mud, into which he sank so that only his face and the top of his yellow cranium were visible.

"Help! help!" bawled Little James at the top of his voice.

Up ran a pair of monkeys belonging to the neighbourhood and stood looking at him.

"He's in the mud, brother," said one.

"Up to his neck," said the other. "How silly!" And they both began to grin.

"Help!" cried Little James again, more faintly, for he was sinking deeper, and the mud was nearly at the level of his mouth. "Pull me out! Pull me out!"

"Ah, but how?" asked the first monkey, looking at him gravely.

"Wait a minute," cried the second, "I have an idea!" and he pulled out of his pocket one of those leather suckers on a string which boys use to lift stones. Moistening the disc, he clapped it on to Little James's head, and began to tug on the cord with all his might.

"Hey!" cried the other monkey, running to help. "Pull, brother, pull, and we'll soon have him out!"

_Crack!_ The cord snapped suddenly, and the two monkeys tumbled head over heels. Never mind; they got another cord to repair the damage, and this time they succeeded in pulling Little James clear of the mud.

Did I say Little James? Alas! it was only half of him! His rescuers had pulled so hard that he had broken off short in the middle, and his two legs were left embedded in the mud.

"Dear me!" said the first monkey, scratching his head. "This is very sad. The poor fellow has lost his legs. What shall we do?"

"Let us make him some wooden ones!" said the other.

So said, so done. They made him a beautiful pair of wooden legs, and Little James hobbled painfully home. By the time he reached his house he felt so ill that he went straight to bed. "I believe I am going to die," he said to himself. "I must make my will and set down the cause of my death."

So he sent for pen and paper and began to write. Before very long, however, he stopped and began to scratch his head in perplexity. "If I am going to die," he thought, "I must be going to die of something! Now, what am I going to die of? This must be carefully considered, for above all one must write the truth in one's last testament!"

So he pondered and pondered, but he could not make up his mind as to the cause of his death. Was he going to die of the fall from the balloon, or of his broken legs, or what? Just then he happened to look in the mirror by the bedside, and saw that there was a lump on his forehead, which he had got while fighting with James and Jemmy in the balloon.

"Why, of course," cried he, "I am going to die of that big bruise on my forehead!" So he wrote it down in his will, and then, happy at having solved the difficulty, turned over on his side and died.

And, as I said before, this all took place in Monkey-land, ever so long ago.

HOW THE GOLDFINCH GOT HIS COLOURS

When the Angel whose mission it was to colour the birds had finished his work, he began to scrape his palette and to make ready for departure. He had done his task well, for the plumage of the feathered creatures all around him glowed with a thousand glorious colours. There was the lordly eagle, arrayed in a robe of golden brown. The peacock had a tail of shimmering blue and green that looked as if it were studded with precious stones. The crow's black coat shone in the sun with a kind of steely radiance, very wonderful to behold. The canary was as yellow as a buttercup; the jay had a spot of blue sky on either wing; even the humble sparrow wore a handsome black neck-tie; while Chanticleer, the cock, was resplendent in yellow, black, and red. All the birds were very proud of their appearance, and they strutted about here and there, gazing at their reflections in the water and calling upon their neighbours to come and admire their beauties.

Alone among the birds the little goldfinch took no part in the rejoicing. Somehow or other the Angel had overlooked him, so that he remained uncoloured, a drab little creature, in his sober grey dress, among the gaily clothed throng. More than once he had tried to draw the Angel's attention to himself, and now, seeing him cleaning his palette in readiness to depart, he stepped forward and said: "Have pity on me, good Angel, and paint my plumage as you have painted that of the others, so that I may walk among them unashamed. I have nothing to commend me--no beautiful song like the nightingale or the throstle, no grace of form such as the swallows have. If I am to go unadorned, nothing remains for me but to hide myself among the leaves."

Then the Angel took pity on the little creature, and would gladly have painted him with glowing colours, but alas, he had scraped his palette clean. Therefore he took up a brush, and going from bird to bird took from each a spot of colour, which he laid upon the goldfinch, blending a score of brilliant hues with marvellous skill. When he had finished, the tiny bird was transformed, and from being the saddest in that brilliant company he took a place among the most beautiful of them all.

It is not possible, by means of words, to describe the beauty of the colouring which the Angel gave to the goldfinch, but you may see him any day you like, sitting on a thistle, and chirping his song of gratitude and praise.

THE COCK AND THE FOX

This is the story that the old woman who was called Tante Sannie told to the little boy who would always be talking:

A long time ago (she said) there lived in a farmyard a Cock who was very proud of himself, and with reason, too, for he was, indeed, a plump and handsome bird. Nothing could have been finer than his appearance when he strutted through the yard, lifting his feet high as he walked, and nodding his head at each step. He had a magnificent comb of coral-red, and blue-black plumage streaked with gold, which shone so brilliantly when the sun flashed on it that it was a joy to see him. No wonder that his twenty wives gazed at him admiringly and followed him wherever he went, and were quite content to let him hustle them about and gobble up all the fattest worms and the finest grains of corn.

If this Cock was proud of his appearance, there was one thing of which he was even prouder, and that was his voice. He was a famous songster; he could crow you high and he could crow you low; he could utter tones as deep as the pealing of the organ in church or as shrill as the blast of a trumpet. Every morning, when the first streak of dawn appeared in the sky, he would get down off his perch, raise himself on his toes, stretch out his neck, close his eyes and crow so loudly that he roused people who were sleeping in the next parish. And this he loved to do, because it was his nature.