Part 13

"Well, as you are resolved to go, let me advise you. On the other side of yonder mountain is the den of the Fairy Lioness, which is at this moment very much troubled by a pustule on her paw, and you will find her at the entrance of her den, holding her pustulous paw above her head and roaring. Now, you must approach her cleverly without being noticed by her, and taking aim with your bow and arrow, shoot into the pustule, which, being wounded, will at first cause her great pain and make her roar. But soon the pain being past, she will feel comfortable and give you whatever you demand of her."

The lad went, and found the Fairy Lioness, as foretold by the old dame, standing at the entrance of her cave, and roaring on account of her pain. The lad at once taking aim, shot and wounded the pustule. The pain of the Lioness increasing she exclaimed:

"Oh! who was it that shot this arrow? I would I could find him and devour him. Oh! Oh! Oh!"

But soon, the matter of the wound coming out, she felt comfortable, and said:

"Who was it that shot this arrow? By Heaven, I would give him whatever he demanded."

The lad at once jumping out from his concealment stood before the Lioness, who seeing him exclaimed:

"Was it you, young hero, that healed me of my pain which was troubling me so long?"

"Yes, it was I," answered the lad.

"Demand of me whatever you please," said the Lioness, "I am ready to give to such a hero as you anything that you may ask."

"Give me," said the lad, "some milk of your own udders, which is the only remedy to heal my sick mother."

"In yonder cave," said the Lioness, "there are two orphan cubs; go kill them, and flaying them, bring the skins to me."

The lad did so and brought her the two whole skins. The Lioness milked her udders into them until they were filled.

"Here," said the Lioness, "take these and go, and be careful not to harm my little cubs on your way."

The lad took the two cubs' skins full of milk and thanking the Lioness, departed. On his way, however, he slily stole two beautiful cubs and began to run. But the mother Lioness smelling her young ones, pursued the lad, and overtaking him, exclaimed:

"How now, human being! is this the way you reward kindness done to you? Why did you steal my two cubs?"

"I humbly beg your pardon," answered the lad. "I was so much pleased with your kindness that I wanted to have a permanent keepsake from you, and what better thing could I carry with me than a brace of your cubs, which I will nourish on princely diet and keep as faithful friends."

The Lioness, being much pleased with this answer, gave him leave to carry the cubs. He soon came to his hostess, who asked if he brought the Fairy Lioness's milk.

"Yes, auntie, I have brought it," answered the lad, presenting the two skins full of milk.

During the night, however, when the lad was sound asleep, the old woman poured out the Lioness's milk from the skins into a cask and filled them with common goat's milk. On the following day, the lad, loading the skins on the back of his horse, took the cubs and went home. The stepmother, drinking the milk, exclaimed:

"O good! I am healed."

The lad again went hunting as usual. The witch said to the giant:

"Giant, did I not tell you to advise me and name a task from which my stepson would never return? Why are you devising only light tasks which he can so easily accomplish? Now you must either advise me as to the most dangerous expedition in which he will surely lose his life, or I will betray you to him and he will cut you into pieces."

"What can I do?" replied the giant, "your son is the bravest hero that ever lived; no mortal can vanquish him. He will return from any expedition, no matter how dangerous it may be. Let him go this time and bring you a jug full of the Water of Life."

The witch again feigned sickness, and when the lad came to see her she said:

"O my son, I am dying, my bones are breaking," and the crackling of the dry bread under the bed was heard when she turned from one side to the other.

"What shall I do for you, mother?" asked the lad sadly.

"The only remedy for me this time," answered the witch, "is the Water of Life, and you must go and bring to me a jug full, else I shall die."

The lad at once mounted his horse and taking with him the two cubs, which by that time had grown up to be a pair of fine young lions, he went to his hostess and explained the object of his expedition.

"O son," exclaimed the good woman, "I see plainly that you are employed for some wicked purpose; there must be a detestable plot against your life. This is the most dangerous expedition that ever human being has undertaken, and no one has ever returned from the task you have started upon. Be advised, go back; your mother is surely false."

"Not I," said the lad, "I will certainly go."

The old woman said, "As soon as you place your jug in the fountain to receive the water, which oozes out only in the thickness of a hair, a heavy sleep will fall upon you, and you will remain there benumbed for seven days and nights. First, scorpions will assail you; then serpents; then beasts of prey, and at last all kinds of genii. You will surely be devoured by them."

"Let come what may, I will go," said the lad, and taking the two lions with him, he started for the fountain of the Water of Life.

He came to the fountain and found the water oozing out in a tiny stream. As soon as he placed his jug under it, a sound sleep overpowered his senses and he remained there benumbed for seven days and seven nights. Soon innumerable large scorpions began to attack the sleeping hero. But the lions destroyed all of them. Then thousands of terrible serpents made their appearance and assailed the lad, hissing and striking with their forked tongues. The lions, after a bloody fight, destroyed them also. Soon a whole army of voracious beasts surrounded the fountain in search of the lad. The lions, after a sanguinary strife, succeeded in destroying them also.

At the end of the seven days and nights, the lad awoke, and to his great horror saw that he was surrounded by a high wall which the lions had built of the carcasses of the beasts and serpents they had killed. The two faithful guardians were now sitting on either side of their master and were watching his every motion. The lad, seeing them stained with blood from head to foot, understood how much he owed to them in the preservation of his life. He then washed them clean with the Water of Life and taking the jug, which by that time was filled, he returned to his hostess.

"Did you bring the Water of Life?" asked the old dame.

"Yes, auntie, I did," answered the lad, presenting her the jug full of water.

"It was not you that succeeded," returned the old woman, "but Heaven and your faithful lions that preserved your life."

During the night, as the lad was sleeping, the old woman poured the Water of Life into another vase, and filled the jug with common water, which the lad in the morning took to his stepmother, who drinking it said:

"O, happy! I am healed."

The following day the lad again went hunting. The witch said to the giant:

"Can you not devise some means to destroy my stepson? By Heaven, I will destroy you this time if you do not tell me how to destroy him."

"Your stepson is brave," answered the giant, "he is a unique hero, and no one can kill him but yourself."

"How! how!" exclaimed the witch with great joy, "tell me and I will do it."

"Do you not remember the three red hairs among his black hairs on his head? As soon as they are picked, your son dies."

On the following day the witch said to the lad:

"Come, son, lay your head in my lap and take a nap."

The lad did so and soon slept. The witch immediately took hold of the three red hairs and picked them out. A spasm or two, and the hero died.

"Now, giant," said the witch, "take that sword and chop this corpse into small pieces."

"Not I," answered the giant, "my hand will not be lifted to chop such a hero."

"You coward!" exclaimed the witch, and taking the sword she chopped the corpse into small pieces, put these into a sack, and threw them over the garden wall. One of the little fingers, however, fell into the garden.

The lions learned that their master was killed, and that his chopped body had been put into the bag. They immediately took hold of the bag and carried it to the old woman, the hostess of the hero. Opening the bag, she took out the body, and putting every part in its proper place made a whole; only the little finger was missing. She explained to the lions what was missing, and they at once went, and smelling their master's finger in the garden, found it and brought it to the old woman, who put it in its proper place. Now she brought the milk of the Fairy Lioness, which she had secretly preserved, and poured it over the body. Immediately all the broken bones, muscles and sinews came together, and all the members being united, the body became as sound and delicate as that of a newborn babe. Then she brought the Melon of Life, and put it before his nostrils. As soon as the lad smelt it, he sneezed seven times. Then she poured the Water of Life down his throat. At once the lad opened his eyes, and jumped up, saying:

"O, what a sound sleep was this that overpowered my senses!"

"Sleep!" exclaimed the kind woman. "Yes, a sleep out of which you would never have awaked had not Providence preserved you." And she told him what had happened.

"Now, my good hostess," said the lad, "you have done me a very great kindness--a kindness that I can never reward. May Heaven reward you!"

He brought her from his treasures a horseload of gold and a horseload of silver, saying:

"These are for you; spend as much as you like and pray for me as long as you live."

The lad came to his palace and found that his beautiful bride was imprisoned in a dark cellar, where she was left to starve, while the witch, his stepmother, was in an excess of merriment with the giant and half a dozen younglings around her. They were all amazed to see the hero enter, and the giant was about to make his exit through a secret door in the wall when the lad seized hold of him, saying:

"How now, coward, are you running? Stop and solve this puzzle for me; whose are these ugly younglings that are infecting the very air of my palace?"

"They are my children out of yonder woman, your mother," answered the giant.

"Mother! I have no mother," exclaimed the lad. "You increase so soon, do you? Now we are going to have great merriment. Go and bring me from yonder mountain, wood enough to build a large pile."

The giant obeyed, and soon a large pile of wood was built in the courtyard of the palace. The lad struck a flint and lighted the wood. Soon the whole pile was on fire, burning like a furnace.

"Now, giant," said the lad, "take hold of these bastards, and throw them into the fire, one by one."

The giant obeyed, and all the younglings were burned on the pile.

"Bring now yonder witch, and throw her into the fire," ordered the lad. She also shared the fate of the bastard children.

"Now, shall I throw you also?" asked the lad of the giant.

"Hero," exclaimed the giant, "I honor you, I will obey you."

"Well, then," said the lad, "I will not kill you. Come, pass under my sword and swear obedience to me."

The giant kissed the sword, and passing under it became the bondman of the lad.

The lad then released his beautiful wife from the dark prison. They celebrated anew their nuptials for forty days and forty nights, and enjoyed a happy life thereafter.

Thus they attained their wishes. May Heaven grant that you may attain your wishes!

Three apples fell from heaven; one for me, one for the story-teller, and one for him who entertained the company.

THE TRICKS OF A WOMAN.

Serkis was a simple farmer who prayed every morning before he went to the fields, and every evening after he came from his work. One day his wife said to him:

"Husband, why do you not mention in your prayer that God may preserve you from the tricks of a woman?"

"Tricks of a woman?" exclaimed the man. "I am not such a coward as to be afraid of a woman or her tricks."

"Is that your opinion of a woman?" asked his wife.

"Yes, that is my opinion of a woman," answered Serkis sternly, as he shouldered his farming utensils.

The woman decided to give her husband proof of a woman's power, so she bought some fish, and putting them in her apron, took them to the farm at noon, when she carried her husband's dinner. The farmer went to the bank of a neighboring brook to eat his dinner, when his wife, taking advantage of his absence, buried the fish here and there in the field, and went home. Soon Serkis returned to his ploughing, and as the earth was turned, lo! fish came out of the ground. He picked them up, and in the evening, bringing them home to his wife, told her that he had taken them from the farm and that he believed the Creator had created them in that very place. He then ordered his wife to cook them, and on the following day bring them to the farm for his dinner. On the morrow, the woman cooked the fish, ate them herself, and took to her husband a bowl of pea soup for his dinner.

"Where are the fish?" asked Serkis.

"Fish! what fish?" exclaimed the woman, feigning surprise.

"Why, the fish which I picked from the farm yesterday," said the farmer.

"Are you crazy, husband?" said she, "you have not brought home any fish that I know of."

"What!" exclaimed Serkis, taking hold of the whip, "you have eaten my fish, and do you call me crazy?" and he threatened to beat her.

"Help!" exclaimed the woman, and ran to a neighbor's farm.

Thereupon the ploughmen of the neighborhood came to the rescue of the woman and took hold of Serkis.

"Nay, let me beat her to death," said Serkis; "she has eaten my fish, and now she calls me crazy."

The ploughmen asked the woman what fish he meant.

"Nay, I beseech you," exclaimed the woman, "take hold of him, don't let him go; he will kill me. Woe upon me! he is certainly crazy, he is a lunatic. Ask him where he found the fish he talks of."

"Why, I caught them just here," said Serkis. "I dug them from the ground."

"Alas!" exclaimed the ploughmen; "the woman is right, he has really lost his mind."

And as they bound him with ropes some of the farmers said:

"He of late has been giving signs of this."

"It is a hereditary disease," said some others, "many members of his family have been crazy."

So, treating the poor man as a lunatic, they brought him to his home and bound him to a pillar after whipping him. At night, when everybody else had gone, the woman approached her husband, saying:

"How now, husband? Are you afraid of a woman's tricks or not? This was the least of all."

"For Heaven's sake, wife, untie me," said Serkis in a pitiful voice. "Be sure my first prayer hereafter shall be to be preserved from a woman's tricks."

She released him and thereafter he was wise as respects women.

A WISE WEAVER.

A king was once sitting upon his throne when an embassador from a distant country approached, drew a line around the throne, and sat down without speaking a word. The King did not understand this mystery. He called his ministers. They also did not understand it. It was a disgrace to the King that he did not have a man wise enough to understand the symbolical message of a neighboring sovereign. The King was very angry, and ordered his ministers to solve the riddle themselves, or to find some one in the city to solve it immediately; otherwise he would put them all to death. Thereupon the ministers began to search through the realm for a wise man. After a long quest they came to a certain house, which they entered. There was no one in the first room but a baby sleeping in a cradle. And strange to say, the cradle was rocking without any visible cause. They entered the adjacent room, and lo! there also was a baby sleeping in a cradle, which was rocking, though no one was in the room. They walked out into the back yard, where they saw wheat washed and spread to dry; there was a cane moving to and fro, driving away the sparrows, in order that they might not eat the wheat. The ministers of the King were surprised, and going down into the cellar they found a weaver weaving cloth. As his wife had died soon, after giving birth to twins, he had both to weave for his living and do a housewife's work and nurse his children. He therefore had connected the two cradles and the sparrow driver to his loom and shuttle with cords; and so, in this manner, by virtue of his cleverness he was performing all his duties without much trouble. The ministers thought that this man might solve the King's riddle, and so they told him what had happened. The weaver thought a while and then taking a couple of marbles and a chicken, went with the ministers. Entering the presence of the King, he looked the foreign embassador in the face, and threw before him the marbles. The embassador took from his pocket a handful of grain and spread it on the floor. The weaver put down the chicken, which in a few minutes ate all the grain. Thereupon the embassador put on his sandals and ran away speedily.

"What was all this?" asked the King.

"By drawing the line around the throne," answered the weaver, "the embassador wished to say that their King was coming to besiege us, if we did not humiliate ourselves and pay tribute. To this I answered by dropping marbles, which meant that they were children compared to ourselves and that they would better go and play marbles, rather than to undertake a war which would result in their utter ruin. By spreading the handful of grain he meant that their forces were innumerable. By the chicken which ate all the grain, I meant that a company of ours was enough to destroy a legion of theirs."

The King was pleased with the weaver, and gave him costly presents, but the weaver took only a little to enable him to bring up his beloved twins. The King wanted to make him his prime minister, but the weaver declined, saying:

"Let me continue to be a weaver; only I beg you to remember, that wisdom and understanding are not distributed according to rank and that the common tradesmen are entitled to be treated as humanely as your peers and noblemen."

MIND OR LUCK--WHICH?

Mind and Luck were one day debating.

"It is only by me that a man becomes a man," said Luck.

"No, it is by me," insisted Mind. At last they decided to make a trial upon a villager who was working on a neighboring farm. Luck first approached the man, and lo! the ploughshare unearthed a jug. The farmer stopped, and opening the mouth of the jug saw that it was full of gold coins.

"Ah!" he exclaimed, "I shall be a rich man." But soon he changed his mind and said,--"Yes, but how will it be if thieves hear about my wealth, and come and rob me, and upon my resistance, kill me?"

While he was thus musing, he saw the judge passing by, on his way to the village. He at once decided to give the gold to the judge, and himself continue to live his tranquil farmer's life. Accordingly he ran and called the judge to the farm. But before the judge had arrived, Mind had entered the man's brain. He hid the jug and said to the judge:

"Sir, you are a judge, you are a learned man; do tell me, which of these two oxen of mine is the better one?"

The judge was angry and departed scolding the man. Mind also departed, and the farmer began to soliloquize:

"Oh, what a blockhead I am! why did I not give the gold to the judge? Surely he was the best man to have it. What shall I do with these coins? Where shall I keep them?"

He did not work during the rest of the day, but spent his time in useless meditation. In the evening he saw the judge returning from the village. He ran to meet him and begged him to come to his farm for a moment. The judge thought there must be meaning in the man's conduct, and entered the field. By that time Mind had returned to the man's brain, and he said to the judge:

"Sir, you are a learned man; do tell me which is the larger, the lot which I ploughed yesterday or the one I ploughed to-day?"

The judge thought that the man was crazy and departed smiling. Mind also departed from the man, who began to beat his head, saying:

"What a pumpkin-pated fellow I am! Why did I not give the gold to him? Where shall I keep it? What shall I do with it?"

So saying he placed the jug in his lunch-bag, and came home leading the oxen.

"Wife! O wife!" he exclaimed; "lead the oxen to the stable, give them hay, and take the plough in. I will go to the judge and come back."

His wife, a shrewd woman, saw that there was something in the lunch-bag which her husband did not put down. It must be something which she thought she ought to know, so she said to him:

"It is not my business to take care of your oxen. I have hardly time enough to drive and milk the cows, and care for the sheep. You put in your oxen and plough, and go wherever you please."

The man, putting the lunch-bag by the door, began to attend to his oxen. While he was thus occupied, the woman opened the bag, and seeing the jug full of gold, took it out and put a round stone in its place. The man then took the bag to the judge, and placing it before him, said:

"I have brought you this as a present." On opening it they saw that it was a stone. The judge was angry with the man, but thinking that he might after all have a secret, he cast him into prison. He put two spies in his cell to watch the man and report whatever he did or said. The man began to meditate in the jail, motioning with his hands:

"The jug was as big as this, its mouth as wide as this, its belly as large as this, and the gold in it as much as this."

The spies reported to the judge that the man was making certain gestures, but not speaking. The judge called the man and asked what it was he was showing with his hands. Mind entered the man's brain, and he answered:

"I was thinking to myself that you had a head as big as this, a neck as thick as this, a beard as long as this. And I was asking myself whose pate and beard was the larger, yours or our goat's?"

Thereupon the judge was very angry and ordered his men to beat the farmer to death. The thrashing was hardly begun when the man exclaimed:

"Do not beat me, I will tell the truth."

They ceased beating him, and brought him to the judge, who asked him to tell the truth as to what he was measuring in the jail.

"The truth is this," said the man, "that if you continued to beat me I would surely die."

This made the judge laugh, and he ordered the man to be released, being convinced that he was only a lunatic. The man came safely home. Thereupon Mind and Luck shook hands and made friends, saying:

"Luck with Mind, Mind with Luck, can make a man a man."

THE WORLD'S BEAUTY.

A rich merchant of the city of Bagdad had accumulated great wealth and property. He had a wife and a son. One day the merchant fell sick, and felt that he was about to die. On his deathbed he called his son, saying:

"You see, my son, I have accumulated so great wealth that even princes have not as much. I bequeath all to you. Continue my business and enjoy your property, but never go to the city of Tiflis."

Then he called his wife, explained to her the mystery of his riches, and gave her the key of his secret chamber, saying:

"If my son spends all my wealth and becomes poor, then you may tell him my secrets."

The merchant died, and his son, continuing his business, one day took forty camel-loads of merchandise, and set out for the city of Erzerum. In the caravansary, where he deposited his goods in Erzerum, he met two poor men in rags, sighing and beating their breasts.

"What is the matter with you?" asked the young merchant.

"Oh!" exclaimed the two ragamuffins, "It is something that cannot be told."

The lad had great compassion on them, and said:

"Nay, masters, tell me your grief; I am ready to spend all my wealth for your sake."

At last they said: