Part 3

One day the great King of the Magicians and Sorcerers was leaving his country to visit a neighboring Queen. He was leaning on his walking-stick, having been travelling since the break of day, when the sun rose and spread his beneficent rays over all nature. The birds sang blithely, and the little crickets in the grass made themselves noisy; but the King, while enjoying the scene and the sounds around him, went forward without delay. The sun shone brightly, the birds were joyous, and all nature seemed to be happy, but the King suffered from fatigue. Great beads of perspiration broke out on his forehead, and he longed for a cloud that would give shade and coolness. The earth seemed to be a furnace. The sun spread its great rays of light and the cloud came not. The King begged for a clump of woods that he might have the benefit of shade, and for a stream of cool and sparkling water that he might quench his thirst. The road was long and dusty, and the wells were dry.

But in the air, far away, appeared the King of the Lapwings. He bore in his beak a draught of water, and his wings were dripping wet. Faster than the wind he made his way to the dying King.

"Ah," said the bird, "it was indeed time that I came;" and with the end of his wing, as tenderly as would a mother, he washed the face of the unfortunate King, and placed between his lips the water he held in his beak. The King revived and opened his eyes.

"Ah, thou," he exclaimed, "who gave me back my life! I am hereafter under all obligations to you."

"Wait a moment, your majesty," said the King of the Lapwings; "thirst still devours you, but have hope. Behold in the distance my faithful subjects, who come forth, each one carrying at the end of its wings the delightful refreshment you have longed for."

The lapwings arrived on all sides. Each one deposited in the mouth of the unfortunate King the fresh water for which he thirsted.

"Ah, this is better than bread," said the King, reviving; "what can I do to show my gratitude?"

"Nothing," said the King of the Lapwings. "Nothing," responded the other birds. "Continue your journey, and you will find yourself hereafter under the shadow of our wings."

Then the King resumed his journey. Night came, and he found himself near the palace of the Queen whom he had intended to visit. The lapwings still continued with him. No matter how bright the sun shone, no matter how suffocating the heat as he journeyed on, a gentle lapwing came to his assistance. Touched by the solicitude of these birds the King said:

"I cannot leave you, my friends, you who had pity on me when I was forsaken by all, without giving you a substantial evidence of my gratitude. Tell me, what can I do for you? How can I show you how grateful I am?"

At these words the King of the Lapwings advanced and spoke to the King:

"We desire, your majesty, to be the most beautiful of birds. We want a golden crown on our heads, so that we may be placed before the peacock, who is so proud of his plumage, and before the gay nightingale, who is so proud of his song."

At these words a great sadness filled the heart of the King, who could read the future, and he responded, shaking his head:

"Ah! you foolish birds, larger of heart than of mind! you do not know the weight of a crown and of the numberless dangers to which it exposes those who possess it. A golden diadem, say you? Alas! it will bring you misfortune; ambition without bounds is wicked and perilous. Dear friends, demand of me something else."

"No, no," cried the lapwings, on all sides, young and old, little and big, "that is the only gift we desire—a crown on our heads. Ah, what happiness! We will fly in the air and each bird will envy us."

The King then saw that nothing he could say would convince his companions. He had promised to satisfy their first request, and his word was sacred.

"Come with me," said he, "to my friend, the magician Zacchar. No one is more expert in the working of metal. At his touch iron becomes more supple, silver becomes malleable, and gold is mere paste. Come! and you shall have the diadem you long for."

During three days the magician worked pure gold. The bellows blew and the hammers thumped. During three nights he chased the marvellous crowns that were to adorn the heads of the lapwings. At the dawn of the fourth day the King arrived, with a sad smile on his face.

"Friends," said he to the birds, "my promise is fulfilled. Take these diadems; take these diadems, which are masterpieces of art, and go whither your destiny calls you."

At these words the lapwings uttered loud cries of joy.

"Go, go," cried the King, "escape from man or you are lost."

Without understanding his warning, but obeying the command of the powerful King, the lapwings took flight, filled with joy and happiness. They went here and there, flying to the tops of the mountains and descending to the depths of the valleys, telling of their good fortune to all their friends both far and wide.

When the other birds saw the crowns with which the heads of the lapwings were encircled they paid due homage to the symbols. Whenever there was a feast or an important funeral the lapwings and their friends walked in the place of honor, before the eagles and the peafowls, leaving far behind them the humming-bird (that living flower), the linnet, and the nightingale.

But, unfortunately, it happened one day that a lapwing came too near the abode of man, and a hunter saw it and killed it.

"What is this?" exclaimed the sportsman, perceiving the golden crown. Seizing it, he ran quickly to the jeweller's.

"Worker in metals!" said he, "see this marvellous diadem the lapwing carries! Of what metal is it made?"

The jeweller took the crown, turned it on all sides, and looking at it with greedy eyes, exclaimed:

"It is of pure gold, and if you will part with it I will pay you an hundred shekels."

When the other sportsmen found out the value of the ornament that the lapwings wore on their heads, they made haste to go into the country, and they pursued the lapwings, wherever they could find them. New weapons were invented, and the hunters watched day and night, killing all the lapwings that were so unfortunate as to appear in sight.

"Lord, have mercy on us!" exclaimed the lapwings, "and blind the eyes of the cruel men who are killing us!"

But the crown of the lapwings was so brilliant that it resembled the sun's rays, and even in the darkness it shone like the stars. There was no rest or escape for these unfortunate birds. The dark night, even, was as fatal to them as the day. The huntsmen pursued them with so much vigor that only ten remained alive.

"What shall we do?" asked the King of the Lapwings, who had not yet been destroyed. "Let us go and implore the great King to relieve us of these golden crowns that are the cause of all our misfortunes."

Immediately the lapwings started on their journey in search of the great King. Some of them stopped by the way, so that only a few reached the King's throne, where they were welcomed, the powerful ruler talking to them kindly as he would have talked to faithful friends.

"Lapwings with the golden diadems! My dear companions, what can I do to please you this day?"

"Great Prince!" they replied, "you can give us our lives by removing these unfortunate gifts that adorn our heads—by taking away these golden crowns that have been the cause of all our misfortunes."

"I will grant your desire," said the great King; "but in remembrance of your kindness to me you shall hereafter wear a diadem of feathers; but bear in mind that happiness is not in the gift of the great or the rich, but that it only belongs to those who earn it."

Thereafter the lapwings were no longer pursued by man, and they were happier with their modest tuft of feathers than they had been with their golden diadem.

VI

THE ROOSTER, THE CAT, AND THE

REAP-HOOK

_The Story of the Rooster_

Once on a time there were three brothers, who were orphans. The oldest was called Jack, the second was called John, and the youngest was known as Jack-John. Their father was a poor laborer, who was compelled to get up in the morning when the roosters crew for daylight, and he worked all day, and until very late in the night. He found it a hard matter to earn his daily bread, and it was only with a great deal of toil and trouble that he could provide for his little children. When the mother was alive they could manage to make both ends meet, but after she died it seemed that everything was changed. The ground was less fertile, and the rains were less frequent, and the crops were smaller than they had been. In short, matters were in such a condition that the family had fallen into the most abject want; and to add to all this, during a very cold winter, their father died, leaving them alone. As may be supposed, the children cried and mourned a long time, but, at last, as is natural with children, they ceased to grieve. After a while, when all had ceased to mourn, the oldest said:

"The land has been a curse to us. Let us divide the inheritance of our father and go abroad. Perhaps we can make our fortunes elsewhere."

"What inheritance do you speak of? What riches have we?" inquired Jack-John.

"I know not, my dear brother," said the eldest. "Let us make an inventory and then we will see."

The inventory was made without any trouble, and, after paying a few just debts there was nothing left but a cat, a rooster, and a reap-hook. The brothers thereupon, in order to be perfectly fair, had to draw lots. The short straw gave the rooster to Jack, the cat to John, and the reap-hook to Jack-John.

Then the three brothers embraced each other affectionately, and promised to meet at the old homestead as soon as they had made their fortune; and each took a different road.

After travelling a long time in the plains and on the mountains, always keeping ahead, Jack, the eldest, reached a great kingdom belonging to Prince Calamor. Jack's journey had been a long one, and the sun was disappearing little by little, and the night coming on rapidly.

"Ah, how tired I am!" exclaimed Jack. "If I could only find a tavern where I could rest!"

He had hardly ceased to speak when, at a turn in the road he saw a beautiful castle, built on a rock, like an eagle's nest, and flanked on both sides by twelve towers.

"This is the very thing," said the tired traveller, and he announced his arrival by lifting the heavy knocker of a brass door.

"What do you want?" said a voice from the inside.

"I want a lodging-place," said Jack, "for myself and my little companion."

"The master of this house," said the porter, opening the door, "never refuses hospitality to those who demand shelter. Come in, and make yourself at home."

When Jack had entered, the friendly porter inquired:

"My friend, have you dined this afternoon?"

"My faith, no!" exclaimed Jack. "My wallet is empty, and it has been empty since morning."

"Come to the table, then," exclaimed the porter, pushing Jack along the wide hall-way. "Eat and drink and spare nothing, for you are the guest of his most powerful majesty King Calamor."

Jack did not wait for a second invitation. He hurried to the dining-room and ate his fill, and his rooster—the rooster with the golden feathers—ate heartily of the crumbs that fell from the table. As it was already late, the porter made haste to prepare a bed for the wayfarer, and Jack soon fell asleep, with the rooster perched on the headboard of his bed.

It so happened that in that country those who served King Calamor had to go and search for Day every morning. They not only had to search for Day, but they had to hunt for the place where it could be found. Jack slept but lightly, and he heard the conversation of the servants, who were in the same room.

"Get up!" said one; "it is time for us to be going. We must be hunting for Day."

"Wait a little," said the other, "I am very sleepy."

"No, no," said the first, "we must make haste, or some one who rises earlier might seize the Sun and carry it away, and then the King, our master, would be very angry."

"Is the wagon ready?" asked another.

"Yes, and the axles are all well greased. It is early, and the wagon will not break, as it did last week, and we will be able to go much faster."

All this time Jack was thinking to himself in this wise: "Truly this is a queer country that the King's people have to go off to hunt Day." The servants were up and ready to go, when Jack cried out:

"Friends, get back to bed, and I will take charge of your work. I will fetch the Day."

"What! you!" said a servant. "Only one man! And do you pretend that you can do what ten horses can hardly accomplish? You are making game of us."

"I make game of no one. You will soon see that I mean what I say," said Jack.

"That seems very queer," said the head-servant.

"Fear not," said Jack, "I will help you through this by the assistance of my little companion—my rooster with the golden feathers."

"But, see here!" exclaimed the head-servant, with an air of sternness, "if you do not bring Day at the appointed hour, the King will be without mercy, and you will be hanged."

"Nay, let me do as I wish," said Jack, sleepily; "go to bed quietly."

With this assurance the servants and the carters did not need to be coaxed. They returned to their beds and slept heavily. Shortly after, the rooster with the golden feathers crew.

"What is that?" exclaimed the sleepers arising from their couches in surprise.

"It is very simple," said one. "Our friend yonder is about to start on his journey in search of Day."

"That is very strange!" exclaimed the others as they fell back in their beds.

An hour afterward the rooster crew again. "_Lock-the-Dairy-door! Lock-the-Dairy-door!_"

The noise awoke them all.

"What is that?" exclaimed the servants.

"It is nothing," said Jack. "My little companion is merely telling me that he has returned from his journey in search of the Day. Get up and see."

The servants at once arose, and, to the astonishment of them all, they saw the Sun appearing over the mountain-tops more brilliant than ever. Seeing this there was at once a contention among the servants as to which should be the first to carry the strange news to King Calamor.

"Master! master!" cried one, more nimble than the rest, "if you only knew!"

"What has happened?" exclaimed the King; "speak quickly!"

"The horses are——"

"Broken down like the others," the King interrupted. "Well, it can't be helped."

"No, no, your Majesty; the horses are still in their stalls, and the wagons have not been out of the stables. But, get up and look! Get up and admire the Day."

"Ah, you rascals! Do you make game of me? Did Day come by itself to-day?"

"Yesterday, your Majesty," said the servant, "a stranger came and asked for lodging for himself and a queer creature with golden feathers. It carries a bunch of feathers in its tail and a tuft of feathers on its head."

"Ah, well, what did he do?" said King Calamor.

"What has he done? What has he done?"

"Yes," said the King, "answer me."

"Well, then," said the servant, "this insignificant creature, that seems as if it could be crushed by a blow of the hand, is stronger than all your horses put together. Without wagons or assistance of any kind it started out, about two hours ago, and has already returned, bringing the Sun."

"I cannot believe such a miracle!" exclaimed the King.

"Nevertheless it is the truth," said the servant. "What fatigue and trouble this creature would save us!"

"Yes," said the King, "how many horses and wagons would I not save! But what you say does not seem credible."

"Nothing can be truer," insisted the servant, "and you can easily satisfy yourself."

"How can that be?" inquired the King.

"Well," said the servant, "tell the stranger and his companion to remain in the castle, and by watching with us to-night you can be convinced."

"Tell him to stay," said the King. "I am anxious to witness this queer phenomenon."

These directions were followed, and to the King who was waiting, the day seemed long indeed. Never had he been so impatient. When night came he went to bed in the granary with the servants.

"Do not be uneasy," said Jack; "I shall take charge of these matters again to-morrow," and everybody went to sleep with the exception of the King, who could not close his eyes, he was so impatient.

At three o'clock in the morning the rooster crew, "_Lock-the-Dairy-door!_"

"Who is that?" exclaimed the King. "Who talks in that language?"

"It is my little companion, the rooster," said Jack. "He is preparing to go into the country in search of Day."

The King lay quiet. At four o'clock he heard again the sonorous voice of the strange creature with the golden feathers.

"Hey, my friend!" the King cried, "what is that?"

"It is the rooster who has returned," said Jack. "His expedition has been a prosperous one, as you can see. He has brought Day with him, and already the light of it is shining on the mountain-tops and filling the valleys. Rise, your Majesty, and see for yourself."

At these words the King arose and ran to the window. The stranger had spoken the truth. Day—clear, joyous, and resplendent—shone over the land. Bewildered and confused, the King could hardly recover from his astonishment. What would he not give to possess such an enchanted rooster! And if he possessed him, how jealous and envious of his good fortune the neighboring kings would be! Without loss of time the King said to Jack:

"My friend, your companion pleases me much, and he can be of great service to me. Will you sell him?"

"Sell him!" exclaimed Jack. "By no means! I would not sell him for gold and silver."

"Let us see," said the King, "for a hundred crown pieces?"

"No," said Jack, sturdily, "not for a thousand."

"By my kingdom!" said the ruler, "you are hard to please. What price have you set on him?"

"In exchange for my companion," said Jack, "I want you to give me your most beautiful daughter for a wife."

"What!" cried the King, "for no less?"

"For no less," said Jack.

"So be it," said the King. "I give you my youngest daughter, and a hundred thousand gold crown pieces for her dowry."

In a transport of joy Jack threw himself on the King's neck, and the marriage was celebrated at once, in the midst of pomp becoming so great a princess.

From that time the good King Calamor had no occasion to send his servants and his horses for the Day.

_The Story of the Cat_

We have seen how Jack made his fortune. Now let us see what became of his brother John, the possessor of the cat. We shall soon know whether he wandered over the earth in misery and misfortune.

Satisfied with the lot that had befallen him, the poor fellow went on his way singing and whistling, feeling no uneasiness as to his destination. He paused only to drink the sparkling waters, or to eat the luscious fruit that had been ripened by the golden sun. He travelled thus for many miles, until one day he found himself in the country where the birds speak the language of men—the country of the Murzipouloums, where the flowers sing songs to themselves, and the cattle fly in the air. He was astonished by these things, but presently he came to a village where a new and a more astonishing spectacle presented itself to his sight. More than a hundred people were abroad in the streets, armed with sticks, chasing rats and mice that seemed to laugh at them. At the sight of this new and peculiar war, John could not keep his countenance. He laughed aloud. At this unseemly display of jollity the people on all sides cried out:

"What in the world are you laughing at?" Some were furious and some were curious.

"I laugh, my poor friends," said John, "because you give yourselves so much trouble for so small a thing."

"So small a thing!" they cried—"a small thing! One can tell you are a stranger here, otherwise you would know that the rats and the mice are our most terrible enemies. It would be an easier matter for us to contend with ten thousand men."

"Now, is this true?" exclaimed John. "Well, here is my little companion who will aid you greatly. In one hour's time he will do more of this kind of work than all the rest of you could do in a year."

The people gathered around, admiring the little creature with gray eyes. It seemed to be very mild.

"Young man," cried they, "do you wish to have a laugh at our expense?"

"You can see for yourselves," said John, and with that he turned the cat loose among the rats and mice. You may be sure the cat was very happy. A leap here, a bound there, a jump yonder—to the right and to the left, before and behind—and the rats and the mice were destroyed by hundreds and by thousands. The people marvelled greatly, the more so since the cat had accomplished in a very short time a work that would have required the aid of an army of rat-killers.

While this work was going on, the Prince of the country happened to be passing by. He saw the work the cat had accomplished, and cried out:

"Hey, my friends! Where did you find such a creature as that? Where did you discover such a warrior?"

Thereupon John advanced politely, and said to the Prince:

"The creature which you see so cleverly amusing itself with the mice is called a cat. It is my faithful friend, and since it came into my possession I have never permitted it to leave me."

"My young friend," said the Prince, "you have there a fine fortune. My castle is infested with rats and mice; sell me your companion, and you shall be well paid."

"Be separated from my best friend!" exclaimed John. "Never, never will I do that."

"Let us see," said the Prince; "will you not sell me your companion for a hundred crown pieces?"

"No," cried John; "I would die of grief."

"I will give you a thousand then," said the Prince.

"Never," said John, stoutly.

"My friend," exclaimed the Prince, "be reasonable. I must have your cat. Name the price."

John scratched his head thoughtfully, and replied:

"Well, give me a meadow and a mill, a vineyard and a thousand crown-pieces, and a carriage to ride in."

"They shall be yours," said the Prince.

"Then," said John, "my beautiful cat is yours."

_The Story of the Reap-hook_

We have thus far followed the history of Jack, with his rooster, and John, with his cat. What became of Jack-John, the younger brother, with his reap-hook?

Journeying over hills and across valleys, with his reap-hook hung over his shoulder, stopping only to eat and to drink, the younger brother, at the end of thirty days and thirty nights, arrived in the great empire of Malissours. It was in the month of July, and the fields were yellow with the golden grain, which waved lightly in the wind. For the first time since he left home, Jack-John felt tired; his limbs refused to carry him farther. How happy he would be, he thought, if he could only reach the village near by, where there was an orange-grove. But his efforts were useless, and the young fellow lay down in the shadow of a big oak, and was soon fast asleep.

How long he remained there he did not know; but when Jack-John awoke, it was morning, and he was surrounded by a crowd of people who eyed him curiously without daring to approach.

"Hey, friends!" he cried, "I am ravenously hungry. Have you nothing to offer me?"

"Yes, yes," was the reply on all sides, "but on one condition."

"And what is that?" asked Jack-John.

"You must tell us what the half-moon in a handle, which you have sleeping beside you, is for."

"The half-moon that sleeps?" exclaimed Jack-John in surprise. "What do you mean?"

"Your companion that sleeps beside you on the green moss," said the people.

"You make me laugh," said Jack-John. "It is not my companion—it is not an animal. It is simply a reap-hook."

"A reap-hook," exclaimed the people. "What a strange name! Never before have we seen such a thing."