Part 42

One morning the Giant was lying awake in bed when he heard some lovely music. It sounded so sweet to his ears that he thought it must be the King's musicians passing by. It was really only a little linnet singing outside his window, but it was so long since he had heard a bird sing in his garden that it seemed to him to be the most beautiful music in the world. Then the Hail stopped dancing over his head, and the North Wind ceased roaring, and a delicious perfume came to him through the open casement. "I believe the Spring has come at last," said the Giant; and he jumped out of bed and looked out.

What did he see?

He saw a most wonderful sight. Through a little hole in the wall the children had crept in and they were sitting in the branches of trees. In every tree that he could see there was a little child. And the trees were so glad to have the children back again that they had covered themselves with blossoms, and were waving their arms gently above the children's heads. The birds were flying about and twittering with delight, and the flowers were looking up through the green grass and laughing. It was a lovely scene, only in one corner it was still Winter. It was the farthest corner of the garden, and in it was standing a little boy. He was so small that he could not reach up to the branches of the tree, and he was wandering all around it, crying bitterly. The poor tree was still quite covered with frost and snow, and the North Wind was blowing and roaring above it. "Climb up! little boy," said the tree, and it bent its branches down as low as it could; but the boy was too tiny.

And the Giant's heart melted as he looked out. "How selfish I have been!" he said; "now I know why the Spring would not come here. I will put that poor little boy on the top of the tree, and then I will knock down the wall, and my garden shall be the children's playground for ever and ever." He was really very sorry for what he had done.

So he crept downstairs and opened the front door quite softly, and went out into the garden. But when the children saw him they all ran away. Only the little boy did not run, for his eyes were so full of tears that he did not see the Giant coming. And the Giant stole up behind him and took him gently in his hand, and put him up into the tree. And the tree broke at once into blossom, and the birds came and sang on it, and the little boy stretched out his two arms and flung them round the Giant's neck, and kissed him. And the other children, when they saw that the Giant was not wicked any longer, came running back, and with them came the Spring. "It is your garden now, little children," said the Giant, and he took a great ax and knocked down the wall. And when the people were going to market at 12 o'clock they found the Giant playing with the children in the most beautiful garden they had ever seen.

All day long they played, and in the evening they came to the Giant to bid him good-by.

"But where is your little companion?" he said, "the boy I put into the tree." The Giant loved him the best because he had kissed him.

"We don't know," answered the children; "he has gone away."

"You must tell him to be sure and come here to-morrow," said the Giant. But the children said that they did not know where he lived, and had never seen him before; and the Giant felt very sad.

Every afternoon, when school was over, the children came and played with the Giant. But the little boy whom the Giant loved was never seen again. The Giant was very kind to all the children, yet he longed for his first little friend, and often spoke of him. "How I would like to see him!" he used to say.

Years went over, and the Giant grew very old and feeble. He could not play about any more, so he sat in a huge, armchair, and watched the children at their games, and admired his garden. "I have many beautiful flowers," he said, "but the children are the most beautiful of all."

One winter morning he looked out of his window as he was dressing. He did not hate the Winter now, for he knew that it was merely the Spring asleep, and that the pretty flowers were resting.

Suddenly he rubbed his eyes in wonder, and looked and looked. It certainly was a marvelous sight. In the farthest corner of the garden was a tree quite covered with lovely white blossoms. Its branches were all golden, and silver fruit hung down from them, and underneath it stood the little boy he had loved.

Downstairs ran the Giant in great joy, and out into the garden. He hastened across the grass, and came near to the child. And when he came quite close his face grew red with anger, and he said: "Who hath dared to wound thee?" For on the palms of the child's hands were the prints of two nails, and the prints of two nails were on the little feet.

"Who hath dared to wound thee?" cried the Giant; "tell me, that I may take my big sword and slay him."

"Nay!" answered the child; "but these are the wounds of Love."

"Who art thou?" said the Giant, and a strange awe fell on him, and he knelt before the little child.

And the child smiled on the Giant, and said to him:

"You let me play once in your garden, to-day you shall come with me to my garden, which is Paradise."

And when the children ran in that afternoon they found the Giant lying dead under the tree, all covered with white blossoms.

THE BATTLE OF THE BIRDS, OR, THE GRATEFUL RAVEN AND THE PRINCE

_A Scotch Tale_

Once upon a time a great contest took place between every wild creature. The son of the King of Tethertown went to see the battle; but he arrived late, and saw only one fight. This was between a huge Raven and a Snake. The King's son ran to aid the Raven, and with one blow took the head off the Snake. The Raven was very grateful, and said: "Now, I will give thee a sight; come upon my wings."

They flew over seven mountains, seven glens, and seven moors. That night, at the Raven's request, the King's son slept in the house of one of the Raven's sisters. He was to meet the Raven next morning for another trip; and for three days they journeyed. On the third morning a handsome boy, who was carrying a bundle, came to meet the King's son.

This boy told how he had been under a spell; and he was at once released from it by the power of the King's son. In return, he gave him the bundle which he carried, and cautioned him not to open it until he found the place where he desired to dwell.

On the homeward trip the bundle became very heavy, and the King's son stopped in a grove to open it. Immediately a beautiful castle sprang up before him. He was very sorry, for he wanted to live in the glen opposite his father's palace. Just then a Giant appeared and offered to put the castle back in the bundle on condition that the Prince give him his first son when he was seven years old. The Prince promised, and soon he had his castle in the right place. At the palace door there was a beautiful maiden, who asked him to marry her. The wedding took place at once, and all were happy.

Before many years they had a son; and then the Prince, who was now King, remembered his promise to the Giant. When the boy was seven years old the Giant came to claim him. The Queen said she would save her child. She dressed the cook's son in fine clothes, and gave him to the Giant. But the Giant feared some treachery, and said to the boy: "If thy father had a rod what would he do with it?"

"He would beat the dogs if they went near the King's meat," answered the boy.

Then the Giant knew he had been deceived, and he went again to the palace. Again the Queen tried to trick him by giving him the butler's son. When the Giant found he had been fooled a second time, he stalked back to the castle, and made a terrible scene. The castle shook under the soles of his feet as he cried: "Out here with thy son, or the stone that is highest in thy dwelling shall be the lowest." So, in great fear, the Queen gave her son to the Giant.

The lad lived many years in the Giant's home. On a certain holiday, when the Giant was away, the boy heard sweet music. Looking up the stairs he saw a beautiful little maiden. She beckoned to him to come to her, then said: "To-morrow you may choose between my two sisters for your bride; but, I pray you, say you will take only me. My father is forcing me to marry a Prince whom I hate."

On the morrow the Giant said: "Now, Prince, you may go home to-morrow, and take with you either of my two eldest daughters as your wife."

The Giant was very angry when the Prince said: "I want only the pretty little one."

The Giant in a great rage imposed three tasks upon the King's son. He had to clean a byre, or cow-shed, which had not been cleaned for seven years. Secondly, he was to thatch the byre with bird's down; and lastly, he must climb a tall fir-tree and bring five eggs, unbroken, from the magpie's nest for the Giant's breakfast. These tasks were too great for any mortal to accomplish, but the youth was willing to try.

He worked all morning on the dirty byre, and accomplished practically nothing. At noon, while he was resting under a tree, the Giant's daughter came and talked to him. In utter dejection he showed her the impossibility of completing the task by nightfall. With words of sympathy and encouragement, she left him and went on her way. After she had gone, the Prince in great weariness fell asleep under the tree.

It was evening before he awoke. His first thought was of the unfinished task, and he jumped to his feet, though only half awake. He looked at the byre, and then he rubbed his eyes; and then he looked at the byre again, for, lo! it was clean. Some one had come to his aid while he slept. When the Giant came home, he knew the King's son had not cleaned the byre, but he could not prove it, so he had to keep his word.

The second and third tasks were done in much the same way. The Prince would try very hard to do the work alone, and when he was just about to fail the Giant's daughter would come and encourage the youth.

In getting the eggs from the magpie's nest, the Giant's daughter was in a great hurry, because she felt her father's breath on the back of her neck. In her haste she left her little finger in the magpie's nest, but there was no time to go back and get it.

When the third task was finished, the Giant ordered them to get ready for the wedding.

The Giant tried to deceive the King's son at the very last. The three daughters were dressed alike, and brought before him, and he was to choose which one was his promised bride. But the Prince knew her by the hand on which the little finger was missing; so all was well.

After the wedding the bride and bridegroom went to their chamber. The Giant's daughter said: "Quick! quick! We must fly. My father plans to kill you."

Then she took an apple and cut it into four parts, two of which she put on the bed; one piece was placed by the door, and the other outside. After that was done, they hurried out to the stables, mounted the blue-gray filly, and were off.

In the meantime the Giant was waiting for them to go to sleep. At last he could wait no longer, so he called out: "Are you asleep yet?" And the apple at the head of the bed answered: "No, we are not asleep." He called out the same thing three more times, and the three other pieces of apple answered him the same way. When the piece outside the door replied, the Giant knew he had been fooled, and that the couple had fled. He started after them in hot pursuit.

Just at dawn the Giant's daughter said: "My father is close behind us, because his breath is burning my neck. Put thy hand in the filly's ear and throw behind thee whatever thou findest."

The Prince did so, and at once a thick forest of blackthorn sprang up behind them.

At noon the Giant's daughter again said: "I feel my father's breath on my neck." So the Prince reached into the filly's ear and took a piece of stone, which he threw behind him. At once a huge rock was between them and the Giant.

By evening the Giant was close upon them for the third time. Out of the filly's ear the King's son took a bladder of water, and threw it behind him. A fresh-water lake then stretched twenty miles behind them. By this time the Giant was coming so fast that he could not stop, but plunged headlong into the lake and was drowned.

When they approached the Prince's home, the maiden said she would wait for him by the well. "Go thou and greet thy father, then come back for me. But let neither man nor creature kiss thee, or thou wilt forget me."

The youth was welcomed by all his family, but he kissed none of them. As misfortune would have it, however, an old grayhound jumped upon him and licked his face, and then he did not remember the Giant's daughter.

She waited a long time for his return. After a while she wandered to an old Shoemaker's cottage and asked him to take her to the palace, that she might see the newly returned Prince. The Shoemaker, greatly awed by her unusual beauty, said: "Come with me. I am well acquainted with the servants at the castle, and will arrange for you to see the company."

The pretty woman attracted much attention at the feast. The gentlefolk took her to the banquet hall and gave her a glass of cordial. Just as she was going to drink, a flame appeared in the glass, and a golden pigeon and a silver pigeon sprang out of the flame. At the same time, three grains of barley fell upon the floor.

The two pigeons flew down and ate the barley grains. As they ate, the golden pigeon said: "Do you remember how I cleaned the byre?" Three more grains of barley fell to the ground, and the golden pigeon again spoke: "Do you remember how I thatched the byre?" Still three more grains fell to the ground, and the golden pigeon once more spoke: "Do you remember how I robbed the magpie's nest? I lost my little finger, and I lack it still."

Then the King's son remembered, and he sprang and claimed the Giant's little daughter as his bride.

JACK AND THE BEANSTALK

RETOLD BY MARY LENA WILSON

A long, long time ago there was a boy named Jack. He and his mother were very poor, and lived in a tiny cottage. Jack's mother loved him so much that she could never say no to anything he asked. So whenever he wanted money she gave it to him, until at last all they had was gone. There was nothing left with which to buy supper. Then the poor woman began to cry, and said to her son:

"Oh, Jack, there is nothing in the house to eat; and there is no money to buy food. You will have to take the old cow to town and sell her. She is all we have left."

Jack felt very bad when he saw his mother crying; so he quickly got the cow and started off to town. As he was walking along he passed the butcher, who stopped him and said:

"Why, Jack! what are you driving your cow away from home for?" And Jack replied sadly: "I am taking her to town to sell her."

Then he noticed that the butcher held in his hand some colored beans. They were so beautiful he could not keep from staring at them.

Now, the butcher was a very mean man. He knew the cow was worth more than the beans, but he did not believe Jack knew it, so he said: "You let me have your cow, and I will give you a whole bag of these beans."

Jack was so delighted that he could hardly wait to get the bag in his hand. He ran off home as fast as he could.

"Oh, mother, mother!" he shouted, as he reached the house; "see what I have got for the old cow!"

The good lady came hurrying out of the house, but when she saw only a bagful of colored beans she was so disappointed to think he had sold her cow "for nothing" that she flung the beans as far as she could. They fell everywhere--on the steps, down the road, and in the garden.

That night Jack and his mother had to go to bed without anything to eat.

Next morning, when Jack looked out of his window, he could hardly believe his eyes. In the garden where his mother had thrown some of the beans there were great beanstalks. They were twisted together so that they made a ladder. When Jack ran out to the garden to look more closely he found the ladder reached up, up--'way up into the clouds! It was so high he could not see the top.

Jack was very excited, and called to his mother: "Mother, dear, come quickly! My beans have grown into a beautiful beanstalk ladder that reaches to the sky! I am going to climb up and see what is at the top."

Hour after hour he climbed, until he was so tired he could hardly climb any more. At last he came to the end, and peered eagerly over the top to see what was there. Not a thing was to be seen but rocks and bare ground.

"Oh," said Jack to himself. "This is a horrid place. I wish I had never come."

Just then he saw, hobbling along, a wrinkled, ragged old woman. When she reached Jack she looked at him and said:

"Well, my boy, where did you come from?"

"I came up the ladder," answered Jack.

The old woman looked at him very sharply. "Do you remember your father?" she asked.

Jack thought this a queer question, but he replied: "No, I do not. Whenever I ask my mother about him she cries, and will not tell me."

At this, the old woman leaned her face very close to Jack's and snapped her bright eyes. "_I will tell you_," she said, "for _I am a Fairy_!"

The Fairy smiled. "Do not be afraid, my dear, for I am a good, good Fairy. But before I tell you anything, you must promise to do exactly as I say."

Jack promised, and the Fairy began her story.

"A long while ago, when you were only a tiny baby, your father and mother lived in a beautiful house, with plenty of money and servants and everything nice. They were very happy, because everyone loved your father for the kind things he did. He always helped people who were poor and in trouble.

"Now, miles and miles away there was a wicked Giant. He was just as bad as your father was good. When he heard about your father he decided to do something very terrible. He went to your house and _killed him_. He would have killed you and your mother, too, but she fell down on her knees and begged: 'Oh, please do not hurt me and my little baby. Take all our treasures, but do not kill us.'

"Now of course the money was what the Giant really wanted, so he said: 'If you promise that you will never tell your little boy who his father was, or anything about me, I will let you go. If you do tell him, I shall find out and kill you both.'

"Your mother quickly promised, and ran out of the house as fast as she could. All day long she hurried over the rough roads with you in her arms. At last, when she could hardly walk a step further, she came to the little house where you live now.

"Now, my dear Jack. I am your father's good fairy. The reason I could not help him against the wicked Giant was because I had done something wrong. When a fairy does something wrong she loses her power. My power did not come back to me until the day when you went to sell your cow. Then _I_ put it into your head to sell the cow for the pretty beans. _I_ made the beanstalk grow. _I_ made you climb up the beanstalk.

"Now, Jack, this is the country where the wicked Giant lives. I had you come here so you could get back your mother's treasure."

When Jack heard this he was very excited.

"Follow the road," said the Fairy, "and you will come to the Giant's house. And do not forget that some day you are to punish the wicked Giant." And then she disappeared.

Jack had not gone far before he came to a great house. In front of it stood a little woman. Jack went up to her and said very piteously: "Oh, please, good, kind lady, let me come in your beautiful house and have something to eat and a place to sleep."

The woman looked surprised. "Why, what are you doing here?" she said. "Don't you know this is where my husband, the terrible Giant, lives? No one dares to come near here. Every one my husband finds he has locked up in his house. Then when he is hungry he _eats them_! He walks fifty miles to find some one to eat."

When Jack heard this he was very much afraid. But he remembered what the Fairy had told him, and once more he asked the woman to let him in.

"Just let me sleep in the oven," he said. "The Giant will never find me there."

He seemed so tired and sad that the woman couldn't say no, and she gave him a nice supper.

Then they climbed a winding stair and reached a bright, cozy kitchen. Jack was just beginning to enjoy himself, when suddenly there was a great pounding at the front door.

"Quick, quick!" cried the Giant's wife; "jump into the oven."

Jack was no sooner safely hidden than he heard the Giant say, in tones of thunder:

"Fee, fi, fo, fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman!"

When Jack heard this he thought surely the Giant knew that he was in the house, but the wife said calmly:

"Oh, my dear, it is probably the people in the dungeon."

Then they both came down to the kitchen. The Giant sat so close to the oven that by peeping through a hole, Jack could easily see him. He _was enormous_! And how much he did eat and drink for his supper! When at last he was through, he roared:

"Wife, bring me my hen!" And the woman brought in a beautiful hen.

"Lay!" commanded the Giant; and what was Jack's surprise when the hen laid a golden egg. Every time the Giant said: "Lay!"--and he said it many times--the hen obeyed.

At last both the woman and her husband fell asleep. But Jack did not dare to sleep. He sat all cramped and tired in the oven, watching the Giant.

When it began to get light he slowly pushed the oven door open and crawled out ever so softly. For a minute he hardly dared breathe for fear of waking the Giant. Then quick as a flash, he seized the hen and stole out of the house as fast as his feet could carry him.

He did not stop running until he reached the beanstalk. All out of breath, he climbed down the ladder with the hen in his arms.

Now, all this time, Jack's poor mother thought her son was surely lost. When she saw him she said:

"Oh, Jack, why did you go off and leave me like that?"

"But, mother," said Jack--and proudly he held out the hen--"see what I have brought you this time: a hen that lays golden eggs. Now we can have everything we want. You need never be sad any more."

Jack and his mother were very happy together for many months. Whenever they wanted anything, they just told the hen to lay a golden egg.

But after a while Jack remembered his promise to the Fairy to punish the Giant. So he said to his mother:

"Mother dear, I think I will go back and get some more of our treasure from the Giant."

The poor woman felt very bad when her son said this. "Oh, please do not go, Jack," she begged. "This time the Giant will find you and kill you for stealing his hen."

Jack decided he would not worry his mother, but he would find a way to fool the Giant. He got some paint to color his skin brown and had a queer suit of clothes made so that no one could discover who he was. Without telling anyone, he got up early one morning and climbed up the beanstalk.

It was dark and cold before he reached the Giant's house. There at the front door was the Giant's wife; but she did not know Jack in his queer clothes.

"Good evening, Lady," said Jack, very politely. "Will you let me in for a night's rest? I am very tired and hungry."

But the woman shook her head. "I can't let anyone in. One night I let in a poor boy like yourself, and he stole my husband's favorite treasure. My husband is a cruel Giant, and since his hen was stolen he has been worse than ever."

"Oh, _please_ let me come in just for to-night. If you don't I shall have to lie here on the ground and die."

"Well, I can't let you do that. But mind, I shall have to hide you in the lumber-closet, or my husband may find you and eat you up."