Chapter 2

Before long the three fairies returned, bearing between them a lily filled with a white liquid.

As they approached the Queen herself came forth from her crystal palace, followed by many of her subjects.

Stepping up to where Ned lay, she said in a soft voice: "Do not rise, for even now you are much too tall. I myself must pour this magic nectar upon your lips."

So saying, she stepped lightly upon a stone close by and, bending forward, placed the lily to Ned's mouth.

The next moment he felt a strange sensation running through him, and looking down at his hands and feet was delighted to see that they were becoming smaller and smaller.

Though great was his delight, he did not forget his manners, and, turning to the little fairy, said: "How may I ever repay you for your great kindness? Indeed," he added, scarcely able to restrain the tears which came to his eyes, "whatever would my dear mother have thought had I returned to her in the form of a giant?"

"Thank me no more," answered the Fairy Queen, "for gladly will I do any favor for the boy who thinks of his mother first. In the future, should you need my aid, hang this ring about a bluebird's throat and send him to me."

And with these words she placed a slender gold ring upon Ned's little finger.

"But how shall I catch the bird?" asked Ned, his curiosity aroused before he had time to think of thanking her small highness.

"Whistle thrice upon a blade of grass," she answered, "and the bird will fly to thee. Then place the ring about his neck and bid him hasten to the Fairy Queen of the Lake."

During all this time Ned had been growing smaller and smaller. He had almost forgotten this, when his little friend, the Gnome, exclaimed: "There! You're your own self again!" At which Ned turned to the Queen, and, after thanking her again ran hastily to the brook to assure himself that such was the case.

So, bidding farewell to his kind friend, the Fairy Queen, and her three Ladies-in-Waiting, he accompanied the Gnome down the valley.

THE MAGIC AXE

Ned meets the King and proposes to cut down the big Oak Tree.

THE MAGIC AXE

PRESENTLY the Gnome turned to Ned and said:

"I must leave you for a time. But with the Fairy Queen's magic ring upon your finger, you will be safe from harm. Self reliance is what all boys should practise. Therefore, travel for a few days alone. At the end of that time I will join you." And with these words the Gnome disappeared.

For a moment Ned felt a wild desire to call him back. But with a shrug of his shoulder, he put away the thought and bravely set out in search of further adventure.

He had gone but a short distance when he came to a Magic Axe, chopping away all by itself at one of the tallest trees.

"Good morning, Mistress Axe," he said. "Doesn't it tire you to be chopping away all alone there at that old tree?"

"Not at all, my son. Put me in your knapsack and I will make you famous."

Picking up the axe, Ned placed it in his knapsack and set off once more. After a while, he came to a place where the road was hollowed out of a mass of solid rock, and here, in the distance, he heard a sharp noise like that of iron striking against stone.

"Some giant must be breaking rocks away up there," he said to himself, and climbed up the mountain. When he reached the top of the high rock, he found a Magic Pickaxe, all alone by itself, digging away at the hard stone as if it were soft clay.

Every time that wonderful pickaxe struck a blow it went more than a foot into the rock.

"Good morning, Mistress Pickaxe," said Ned. "Doesn't it tire you to be digging alone here, hollowing away at that old rock?"

"Not at all, my little man. Put me in your knapsack and I will make you famous."

Ned picked up the pickaxe and placing it in his knapsack, again went on.

After a while he came to a brook which he followed up the hillside.

The farther he went the smaller it grew until finally, it ended in a little nutshell, from which this tiny stream began its journey down the mountain.

"Good morning, Miss Spring," said Ned. "Doesn't it tire you to be gushing away all alone by yourself in your little corner?"

"Indeed it does, my little man. Put me in your knapsack and I will make you famous."

Ned picked up the little nutshell and plugging it up with moss, placed it carefully in his knapsack with the Magic Axe and the Magic Pickaxe.

After some little time he came to a king's palace. Now, although it was a magnificent palace, everyone living there was perfectly miserable, for one morning, without the least warning, an immense oak had sprung up, with leaves and branches so thick that they shut out the sun from all the windows, making the castle as dark as night.

Of course in those days there was no gas and electricity, and although the king had commanded that candles be made as high as barber poles, they spluttered and often went out when the wind blew.

All the woodcutters in the kingdom had tried to cut down this tree, but its bark was so tough that it turned the edge of every axe, and for every branch that was lopped off, two instantly grew in its place. At last the king had offered three bags of gold to anyone who would rid him of his troublesome oaktree.

Now this was not the only trouble that beset the poor king. For, although the surrounding country was rich in springs and brooks, the royal gardens were dry as the desert of Sahara. And although the king had also promised three bags of gold to anyone who would dig a well, no one had yet been able to dig deeper than a foot, as the palace was built on a rock of solid granite.

Each day the king grew more angry, but of course that did no good. At last calling the poet laureate of his kingdom, he asked him what should be done.

Running his fingers through his long curly hair, the poet thought a while. Then summoning the Royal Carpenter, ordered him to make an immense placard, on which, when finished, this wise poet printed:

"To him who cuts my oaktree down I'll give three bags of gold But he who fails shall lose his life And lie beneath the mold."

"But what good will that exquisite poem do?" asked the king, sarcastically.

"It will keep your Royal Highness from being irritated by this endless sound of chop, chop, chop," replied the poet. "I verily believe every man in your kingdom has had a hack at the tree. Now, he who reads this sign, will first make sure his axe is a good one. And my poetic ears will be spared much of this frightful noise which is far worse than a steel rivetter at work on a ninety story building in New York City." Which shows that this poet had an eye that could see into the future, for at that time, as far as I know, Columbus hadn't even asked the Queen of Spain to pawn her diamond rings!

"Very well," replied the king, "have the sign nailed on this dreadful tree and we will see what happens."

As soon as Ned arrived at the castle he bowed politely to the king, who happened to be standing nearby with all his courtiers.

"Ha, ha," laughed the king, as Ned read the sign. "Do you, too, wish to lose your ears?" At which all the courtiers laughed heartily, the first time in many months that anybody in that castle had laughed, or even smiled, for that matter.

"I can but try," answered Ned bravely, and opening his knapsack, took out his Magic Axe. Standing it up, with the handle leaning against the enchanted tree, he stepped back a few feet and shouted: "Chop, chop, chop!"

At once the axe began to chop, now right, now left, and up and down, and in an incredibly short time that immense tree was cut to bits. It took only a quarter of an hour, and yet there was such a monstrous heap of wood that the whole court needed nothing else to burn for a whole year.

But when Ned asked the king for the three bags of gold, that stingy old monarch said, "Before I give you the reward, you must perform another task."

"What is it?" asked Ned.

"You must dig me a well so that I may have plenty of water," answered the king.

THE MAGIC SPRING

Ned mounted the little Donkey and rode away.

THE MAGIC SPRING

"I CAN but try, your Majesty," said Ned bravely, and again opening his knapsack, took out his Magic Pickaxe. Laying it carefully on the ground in the proper position, he shouted:

"Pick, pick, pick!"

At once the pick began to burst the granite to splinters, and in less than a quarter of an hour had dug a well more than a hundred feet deep in the solid rock.

"Is the well deep enough, your Majesty?" asked Ned politely.

"Certainly," answered the king, "but where is the water to come from?" And he winked at his courtiers, who smiled to themselves, for they all thought Ned would fail, after all, for as yet there wasn't a drop of water in the well.

But Ned wasn't discouraged. He quietly opened his knapsack again and took out the nutshell covered with moss, and placed it on a magnificent fountain vase which, not having any water, had been filled with a beautiful bouquet of flowers.

"Gush, gush, gush!" he shouted, stepping aside to avoid a wetting.

At once water began to burst out among the flowers, singing with a gentle murmur, and falling down in a sparkling cascade, that was so cold it made everybody shiver. And in less than a quarter of an hour the well was filled, and a deep trench had to be dug to take away the overflow, otherwise the whole palace would have been flooded.

"You have indeed earned the reward," said the king. And he ordered a little donkey saddled and bridled and the six bags of gold hung from his back, three on either side. After which Ned was invited to a great feast, and when that was over, he mounted the little donkey and rode away, with the three bags of gold hanging from each side of the saddle and a little gold ring on his finger, which the king's daughter gave him after washing her pretty face in water for the first time in many months.

But before Ned rode away, he put his Magic Axe and his Magic Pickaxe back in his knapsack, "for who can tell," he said to himself, "what need I may have of these two useful tools."

His knapsack was now well filled, for the cook in the royal kitchen had also placed in it a loaf of bread, a cheese and a knife in case he became hungry while on his journey of adventure.

As Ned traveled on, the forest became darker and darker, for the trees grew so close together that the sun could hardly shine through the thick leafy roof. Suddenly he heard a great voice singing:

"I am the master of this wood And everyone bows to me, My head is as big as a drygoods box And my legs as long as a tree."

Then, all at once, the voice changed to a whistle, which sounded like the siren on a sound steamer when the weather is foggy.

"It must be a giant singing," thought Ned. "Goodness! but he's a loud whistler. I guess he blows through his fingers!" and he hid beneath a clump of bushes.

"Ho, ho!" cried the voice, and a giant came crashing through the forest.

On seeing Ned, he shouted:

"Come out of there, and I'll make a mouthful of you."

"Don't be in a hurry," replied Ned bravely. "I'm going to make you my servant."

"Ho, ho!" laughed the giant, "that is a good joke! I'll pitch you into that raven's nest up there to teach you to make less noise in my forest."

"_Your_ forest!" laughed Ned. "It's as much mine as yours, and if you say another word, I'll cut it down in a quarter of an hour."

"Ha, ha!" shouted the giant, "I should like to see you begin, my brave Sir Kid!"

Carefully placing his Magic Axe on the ground, Ned shouted, "Chop, chop, chop!"

At once the axe began to chop, now right, now left, and up and down, till the branches tumbled down on the giant's head like hail in autumn.

"Stop, stop!" cried the giant. "Don't destroy my forest. Who the mischief are you?"

"Sit down and I'll tell you the story of the famous Puss in Boots, who once killed a giant and gave his castle to his Master, the Lord of Carabas," said Ned.

"How could a cat kill a giant? You are making sport of me."

"Not at all," replied Ned. "Have you never read the story of Puss in Boots?"

"No, but I once heard my cousin, the Giant of the Beanstalk, speak of a cat who wore boots. But that was long ago when we were both boys."

"Well, I'll tell you then," said Ned. "Puss in Boots' master was the youngest of three sons. When their father died, the two older brothers received the farm and money, while he was left nothing but a Cat, who said to him one day, 'Do just what I tell you and I will make you rich. Give me a bag and a pair of boots, because the brambles scratch my legs, and you shall see what I will do for you.'

"Well, when the boots were made and he had put them on, he hung the bag about his neck, and set out for a rabbit warren where lived great numbers of rabbits. Opening the bag he stretched himself out as though he were dead, and waited for a hungry rabbit to poke his nose into the bag to eat the bran. Pretty soon along came a young rabbit and as soon as it had crept in to eat the bran, Puss in Boots pulled the string, and that was the last of the little rabbit.

"Then, running off to the palace, he gave it to the king, saying it was a present from his master, my Lord of Carabas, the name he had invented for his young master. Every day he brought some kind of game, until by and by the king thought my Lord of Carabas a great man and Puss in Boots a most wonderful cat, which indeed he was."

"He was indeed," said the big giant, moving uneasily on the log on which he was sitting.

"Well, one day," continued Ned, "Puss in Boots bade his master bathe in the river, and leave the rest to him. Just then the King passed by.

"'Help, help!' cried Puss. 'Robbers have stolen my master's clothes!'

"At once the king ordered his guards to the rescue, and fitting out my Lord of Carabas with a new suit of clothes, invited him to ride in the coach with his beautiful daughter.

"As they rolled along they came in sight of a castle owned by a bad giant."

MAGIC FOOD

The Giant cannot understand how Ned can eat cheese.

MAGIC FOOD

"PUSS IN BOOTS, who had reached the castle in advance of the royal party, opened the door and said with a low bow to the wicked ogre:

"'I hear you have the power to change yourself into any animal.'

"'That is true,' answered the ogre, so pleased that at once he turned himself into a lion.

"'I doubt if you can become as small as a mouse,' said Puss in Boots.

"Instantly the ogre changed himself into a mouse, whereupon Puss in Boots pounced upon him and ate him up.

"At that moment up drove the coach. Throwing open the castle door, Puss in Boots said with a hospitable bow:

"'Welcome to the castle of my Lord of Carabas.' And, to make a long story short," laughed Ned, "his master married the King's daughter and lived happily ever after."

"Whew!" gasped the giant. "He certainly was a wonderful cat," and he looked anxiously at the Magic Axe.

Presently Ned began to feel hungry, and opening his knapsack, took out his bread and cheese.

"What is that white stuff?" asked the giant, who had never seen cheese before.

"That is a stone," answered Ned, commencing to eat it with a hungry appetite.

"Do you eat stones?" asked the giant.

"Oh yes," answered Ned. "That's my regular food, which explains why I'm not so big as you who eat oxen; but it's also the reason why, little as I am, I am ten times as strong as you are. Now take me to your house."

The giant looked at the Magic Axe which had so nearly destroyed his forest, and then at Ned eating a stone with apparent relish.

"I will," he said, and humbly led the way to his monstrous cabin.

"Now listen," said Ned to the giant after they were fairly seated, "one of us must be the master, and the other the servant. If I can't do whatever you do, I am to be your slave; if you're not able to do whatever I do, you are to be mine."

"Agreed," said the giant. "I'd be tickled to death to have a little servant like you. It's too much work for me to think, and you have brains enough for both. Well, let's start the trial. Here are my two buckets,--go and get the water to make the soup!"

Ned looked at the buckets, the tops of which he couldn't even see, for they were two enormous hogsheads, ten feet high and six broad. It would have been much easier for him to drown himself in them than to move them.

"Ho, ho!" shouted the giant. "Do what I do and get the water."

"What's the good of that?" replied Ned. "I'll go get the spring itself to put in the pot," knowing that he could easily run back to the king's castle for the little magic nutshell.

"No, no!" said the giant, "that won't do. You have already half spoiled my forest with your Magic Axe. I don't want you to take my spring away. You may attend to the fire, and I'll go for the water."

So the giant hung up the kettle, put into it an ox cut into pieces, fifty cabbages, and a wagon-load of carrots, skimming the broth with a frying pan, tasting it every now and then until it was done. When everything was ready, he turned and said:

"Now we'll see if you can do what I can. I feel like eating the whole ox, and you into the bargain. I think I'll serve you for dessert."

"All right," answered little Ned. But before sitting down he slipped his knapsack under his jacket.

Then the two champions set to work. Perhaps Ned was a trifle nervous, knowing only too well that if he failed he must be the giant's servant.

Well, the giant ate and ate, and Ned wasn't idle; only he pitched everything, beef, cabbage, carrots, and all, into his knapsack when the giant wasn't looking.

"Ouf!" at last grunted the giant, "I can't do much more. I've got to undo the lower button of my waistcoat."

"Eat away, starveling!" cried Ned, sticking half a cabbage into his knapsack.

"Ouf!" groaned the giant, "I must loosen another button. But what sort of an ostrich's stomach have you got, Kiddo? I should say you were used to eating stones!"

"Eat away, lazy-bones!" said Ned, sticking a huge chunk of beef into his knapsack.

"Ouf!" sighed the giant for the third time, "I must open the third button."

"Bah!" answered Ned. "It's the easiest thing to relieve yourself," and taking his knife, he slit his jacket and the knapsack under it the whole length of his stomach. "Now's your turn. Do as I do, _if you can!_"

"Excuse me!" gasped the giant. "You win. I'd rather be your servant than do that."

Then kissing Ned's hand in token of submission, he lifted his little master on his shoulder, and slinging the six bags of gold over his back, started off through the forest.

"Wait a minute," said Ned, "I've forgotten my Magic tools." So the giant picked them up and thrusting them in his pocket, again set off at a tremendous rate.

After a while, they came in sight of a great castle where lived a lord even more wicked than the cruel Blue Beard. As they drew nearer, they heard loud screams like those of some fair lady in distress. The next minute the wicked lord dragged a lovely lady by the hair across the courtyard.

With one stride the giant stepped over the castle wall.

"Shall I toss him over the moon?" he asked.

"No, leave him to me," replied Ned. The wicked lord trembled and grew as pale as a white swan that swam nearby in a beautiful fountain.

"My giant servant at a sign from me, will pitch you over the moon. But instead, as you have the reputation of being the greatest liar that ever lived, we will see who can tell the biggest story, you or I. If you lose, you shall give your castle to this fair lady and take yourself off, I don't care where, but you must never return."

At once the wicked lord commenced to tell the biggest story he could imagine.

"I have a bull so large that a man can sit on each of his horns, and the two can't touch each other with a twenty foot pole."

"Oh, that's nothing," replied Ned. "At home on the farm we have a bull so large that a servant sitting on one of his horns can't see the servant sitting on the other."

"You win," laughed the pretty princess, clapping her hands at Ned. Then the wicked lord went to his stable and saddling his best horse, rode away. But as he passed through the gate, Ned touched his steed with his magic gold ring. Instantly the horse turned into an immense bird and flew away. But where he went no one knows to this day.

MAGIC EARS

The Man with Ears like a Donkey invited Ned to eat with him.

MAGIC EARS

"DEAR me," said the giant suddenly. "I've forgotten all about my errand. You and your Magic Axe have robbed me of my memory," and the big man scratched his hand and looked anxiously at Ned.

"What is it?"

"I was to take a chicken to my old mother," answered the giant sadly.

"Go ahead," said Ned. "I can take care of myself. At any rate it is about time my friend the Gnome came back to me."

"You are very kind," said the giant. "Here are your Magic Axe and your Magic Pickaxe. I almost forgot them," and he set off at a great rate for his mother's house.

Ned, too, quickened his pace, for it was growing late, and the shadows creeping from tree to tree. At length he saw a light in the distance. It was a very little light, not much larger than a star, and at first Ned thought it might be a giant firefly. However, he kept on and after a while it turned out to be a little candle in the window of a poor woodcutter's hut. Knocking on the door, it was presently opened by a strange looking man. He had long hairy ears like a donkey and was dressed in the skins of wild animals.

"Welcome," he said in a kindly voice, "I am just preparing my evening meal. Come in and eat." Ned followed the donkey-eared man into the cottage and sat down at the rude wooden table on which were spread black bread and beans.

"I have but humble fare to offer you," said the donkey-eared man, but his smile was a kind one as he helped Ned to the beans with a large wooden spoon. "But as I see you are a traveler, you no doubt have fared worse at times," and he smiled again in such a friendly way, that Ned took a great liking to him.

"You are right. I'm a traveler, seeking adventures and many strange things I have seen while visiting Gnomeland."

"I have heard little of the world since my ears were changed into those of a donkey," sighed the donkey-eared man.

"Is there no magic charm which will remove them?" asked Ned, as he finished the last bean on his plate and wiped his mouth carefully with the pocket handkerchief which his kind mother had given him the very morning he had set out for Gnomeland.

"None whatever," answered the man with a sigh. "There is no charm nor magic herb, but I've heard tell of a Magic Axe that once cut down a charmed oak tree overshadowing a king's palace. But where am I to find that Magic Axe?"

"Oh master dear, pray ask this lad Your donkey ears to sever; For then your own two ears will take Their place as good as ever,"

sang a little bird from her tree in the forest.

When Ned heard that, he jumped up and went behind the door where he had hung his knapsack. Taking out the Magic Axe, he laid it on the table before the donkey-eared man.

"Cut off my ears!" shouted the donkey-eared man.

"I can't do it," said Ned, trembling all over.

"Do as I ask you," begged the donkey-eared man, laying his head on the table.

Instead, however, Ned touched the donkey ears with his little magic gold ring, at the same time whispering, "Away with you!"

Off went the long, hairy ears, and the next minute, two grew in their place, just like yours and mine.

"Oh, now I'm free from donkey ears, Three cheers and once, again, three cheers! No more the witch's evil snare Shall force me donkey ears to wear!"

sang the donkey-eared man, dancing about the room.