Hope played all the afternoon with her doll and was very happy. When the sunset gun sounded, she had to stop playing. With the Puritans, the Sabbath began at sunset, and no child could play after the gun was heard.
The little maid kissed her baby and went into the bedroom to find a warm place for it to stay until the next evening. There lay father's Sunday coat; what warmer nest could she find for Mary Ellen than its big pocket?
After breakfast the next day, every one got ready to go to meeting. Master Brown filled the little tin foot stove with hot coals from the hearth; then he took his gun from its hook. In those days no man went anywhere without his gun—not even to church, for the Indians were likely to come at any time.
Sometimes the firing of a gun was the call to worship. More often a big drum, beaten on the steps of the meeting house, told the people it was time to come together.
At the sound of the drum, Master Brown and his wife, with Elizabeth and Hope, started to church. From every house in the village came men, women, and children. They were always ready when the drum began to beat, for no one was ever late to meeting in those days.
Master Brown led his family to their pew and opened a little door to let them in. The pew was very much like a large box with seats around the sides.
The church was cold, for there was no fire. The children warmed their fingers and toes by the queer little foot stove their father had brought from home.
When every one was seated, the minister climbed the steps to his high pulpit. The sermon was always very long—three hours at least. The children could not understand what it was all about, and it was very hard for them to sit still and listen quietly.
Elizabeth was four years older than Hope, so she felt quite like a little woman. She sat up beside her mother and looked at the minister almost all the time; but sometimes she had to wink hard to keep awake. When she thought she could not let her feet hang down another minute, she would slip down to the footstool to rest.
Elizabeth was often ashamed of Hope, who could not sit still ten minutes. She tried to listen to the sermon, but could not. When she began to stir about a little, her mother shook her head at her. She sat still for a few minutes, but was soon restless again.
Presently she began to be sleepy and laid her head upon her father's arm for a nap. Just then she felt something in his pocket. A happy smile came over Hope's face; she was wide-awake now. Slipping her hand into the wide pocket, she drew out Mary Ellen and smoothed her wrinkled gown.
Master Brown's thoughts were all on the sermon, and even Mistress Brown did not notice Hope for a little time. When she did, what do you suppose she saw? Hope was standing on the seat showing her doll to the little girl in the pew behind her.
Oh, how ashamed her mother was! She pulled her little daughter down quickly and whispered, "Do you want the tithingman to come? Well, sit down and listen." Taking Mary Ellen, she slipped the doll into her muff.
Little Hope did sit down and listen. She did not even turn around when the kind lady behind them dropped a peppermint over the high-backed pew for her. She was very much afraid of the tithingman, who sat on a high seat. He had a long rod with a hard knob on one end and a squirrel's tail on the other.
When he saw a lady nodding during the sermon, he stepped around to her pew and tickled her face with the fur end of the rod. She would waken with a start and be, oh! so ashamed. She would be very glad the pew had such high sides to hide her blushing face.
Perhaps you think the boys who sat on the other side of the church had a good time. But there was the tithingman again. When he saw a boy whispering or playing, he rapped him on the head with the knob end of the rod. The whispering would stop at once, for the rod often brought tears and left a headache.
Besides keeping the boys from playing and the grown people from going to sleep, the tithingman must turn the hourglass. In those days very few people could afford clocks, but every one had an hourglass. It took the fine sand just one hour to pour from the upper part of the glass into the lower part.
When the sand had all run through, the tithingman turned the glass over and the sand began to tell another hour. The glass was always turned three times before the minister closed the service. Then the men picked up their muskets and foot stoves, the women wrapped their long capes closely about them, and all went home.
At sunset the Puritan Sabbath ended. The women brought out their knitting and spinning, or prepared for Monday's washing, and the children were free to play until bedtime.
—MARGARET PUMPHREY.
NAHUM PRINCE
More than a hundred years ago, our country was at war with England. George Washington was at the head of our army. As you know, he and his men were fighting for our country's freedom.
The English army was larger than our army, and General Washington needed all the men he could get. The regular troops were with him.
In one little town in Vermont all the strong, able-bodied men had gone to the front. News came that the English and the Americans were about to meet in battle. The Americans needed more men and called for volunteers. Old men with white hair and long beards volunteered. Young boys with smooth cheeks and unshaven lips volunteered. There wasn't a boy in the village over thirteen years of age who didn't volunteer.
Even lame Nahum Prince offered himself. He brought out his grandfather's old gun and got in line with the others. He stood as straight and tall as he could—as a soldier should stand.
Soon the captain came along the line to inspect the volunteers. When he saw Nahum, he said, "No, no, Nahum, you cannot go; you know you cannot. Why, you could not walk a mile. Go home, my lad."
Just then the good old minister came by. "Yes, Nahum," he said, "you must stay at home. Who knows but that you will find a greater work to do for your country right here?"
And lame Nahum dropped out of the line.
Then the volunteers marched off, every man and boy in the village except Nahum Prince. Poor Nahum! His heart was heavy.
"What can I do for my country in this small village?" he said to himself. "Oh, I wish I could be a soldier!"
He walked toward his home slowly and sadly. Just as he passed the blacksmith shop, three horseman galloped up to the door.
"Where is the blacksmith?" asked one.
"He and all the men and boys have gone to join the army," said Nahum. "There isn't a man or a boy in town except me. I wouldn't be here if I were not lame."
"We cannot have this horse shod," said the rider to the others. "We shall not reach there in time."
"Why, I can set a shoe," said Nahum.
"Then it is lucky you are left behind," said the man. "Light up the forge and set the shoe."
Nahum lighted the fire, blew the coals with the bellows, and soon put on the shoe.
"You have done a great deed to-day, my boy," said the rider as he thanked Nahum and rode away.
The next week the boys came home and told of a great battle. They told how the Americans were about to lose the fight when Colonel Seth Warner, leading a band of soldiers, rode up just in time to save the day.
Nahum said nothing, but he knew that Colonel Warner would not have arrived in time if he had not set that shoe. And it was really Nahum Prince and Colonel Seth Warner who won the victory of Bennington.
THE LITTLE COOK'S REWARD
Betty lived a long, long time ago on a farm in North Carolina. She knew how to clean up the house, to wash the dishes, to sew, and to cook. She knew how to knit, and to spin and weave, too.
One day Betty's father said, "Let us go to town to-morrow. President Washington is passing through the South, and a man told me to-day that he will be in Salisbury to-morrow."
"Yes," said Betty's brother Robert, "and our company has been asked to march in the parade. One of the boys is going to make a speech of welcome."
"I should like to go," said their mother, "but I can't leave home."
"Oh, yes, you can, mother," said Betty. "I have stayed here by myself many times, and I can stay to-morrow. You go with father, and I will take care of things."
The next morning every one on the place was up before the sun. Robert was so impatient to start to town that he could scarcely eat any breakfast. Mother was so excited that she forgot to put coffee in the coffee pot.
At last every one had left, and Betty was alone. "I wish I could see the President," she said, "and I do wish I could see his great coach. Father says that it is finer than the Governor's. Four men ride in front of it, and four behind it. The servants are dressed in white and gold. How I wish I could see it all!"
While Betty was talking to herself, she was not idle. She washed the dishes and she cleaned the house. Then, as it was not time to get dinner, she sat down on the shady porch.
"I wonder whether General Washington looks like his picture," she said. "Oh, if I could only see him!"
But what sound was that? Betty stood up, and shading her eyes with her hands, looked down the road. Four horsemen came along at a gallop. Then there followed a great white coach, trimmed with gold and drawn by four white horses. There were four horsemen behind the coach, and last of all came several black servants.
All stopped at the gate. A tall handsome man stepped from the coach and came up the walk. Betty felt as if she could neither move nor speak. She remembered, however, all that her mother had taught her, and she made a low curtsy as the gentleman reached the steps.
"Good morning, my little maid," he said. "I know it is late, but would you give an old man some breakfast?"
Betty's cheeks grew as pink as the rose by the porch. She made another curtsy and said, "Indeed, I will. I am the only one at home, for father, mother, and Robert have gone to Salisbury to see the great Washington. But I am sure I can give you some breakfast. Father says that I am a good cook."
"I know you are, and that you are as brisk as you are pretty. Just give me a breakfast, and I promise you that you shall see Washington before your father, mother, or brother Robert does."
"I will do the best I can, sir," Betty said.
The other men came in, and all sat on the porch and talked while Betty worked. Getting her mother's whitest cloth and the silver that came from England, she quickly set the table. She brought out a loaf of new bread and a jar of fresh honey. Then she ran to the spring house and got yellow butter and rich milk. She had some fresh eggs that had been laid by her own hens. These she dropped into boiling water. Last of all she cut thin slices of delicious ham.
When everything was ready, Betty went to the porch and invited the strangers in. Her cheeks were now the color of the red rose by the gate.
The visitors ate heartily of all the good things Betty had prepared. As the tall, handsome gentleman rose to go, he leaned over and kissed her. "My pretty little cook," he said, "you may tell your brother Robert that you saw Washington before he did, and that he kissed you, too."
You may believe that Betty did tell it. She told it to her children, and they told it to their children, and I am telling it to you to-day.
—MRS. L.A. McCORKLE.
ROCK-A-BY, HUSH-A-BY, LITTLE PAPOOSE
Rock-a-by, hush-a-by, little papoose,
The stars come into the sky,
The whip-poor-will's crying, the daylight is dying,
The river runs murmuring by.
The pine trees are slumbering, little papoose,
The squirrel has gone to his nest,
The robins are sleeping, the mother bird's keeping
The little ones warm with her breast.
The roebuck is dreaming, my little papoose,
His mate lies asleep at his side,
The breezes are pining, the moonbeams are shining
All over the prairie wide.
Then hush-a-by, rock-a-by, little papoose,
You sail on the river of dreams;
Dear Manitou loves you and watches above you
Till time when the morning light gleams.
—CHARLES MYALL.
THE TAR WOLF
I
Many hundreds of moons ago, there was a great drought. The streams and lakes were drying up. Water was so scarce that the animals held a council to decide what they should do.
"I hope it will rain soon and fill the streams and lakes," Great Bear said. "If it does not, all the animals will have to go to a land where there is more water."
"I know where there is plenty of water," said Wild Goose.
"I do, too," said Wild Duck.
Most of the animals did not wish to go away. "It is well enough for the ducks and geese to go," said Wild Cat; "they like to move about. It is well enough for Great Bear to go; he can sleep through the winter in one hollow tree as soundly as in another. But we do not wish to leave our hunting grounds."
"If we go to a new country," said Gray Wolf, "we shall have to make new trails."
"And we shall have to clear new land," said Big Beaver, who had to cut down the trees when land was cleared.
All this time the Rabbit said nothing. "Brother Rabbit," Great Bear asked, "what do you think about this matter?"
Brother Rabbit did not answer. His eyes were shut, and he seemed too sleepy to think about anything.
Great Bear asked again, "What do you think about it, Brother Rabbit? Shall we go to the place the ducks and geese have found, where there is plenty of water?"
"Oh," answered Brother Rabbit, "I do not mind the drought. I drink the dew on the grass in the early morning; I do not need to go where there is more water."
And he shut his eyes again.
"Well," said Red Deer, "if there is dew enough for Brother Rabbit every morning, there is dew enough for us. We need not go to another country."
"Those are wise words, my brother," said Brown Terrapin.
All the others said, "Those are wise words, my brother," and the council was over. The animals were happy because they thought they need not go away from their homes.
Days passed, and still it did not rain. The animals found that the dew did not keep them from suffering from thirst. They were afraid that, after all, they would have to go to another country.
Still the Rabbit looked sleek and fat. He declared that he got all the water he needed from the dew on the grass in the early morning.
"You sleep too late," he said. "By the time you get up, the sun has dried the dew."
II
After that, the animals came out earlier than before, but they could not get water enough from the morning dew. They did not understand why the Rabbit looked so well.
One day Gray Wolf said to Wild Cat, "Let us watch the Rabbit and see where he gets so much dew that he is never thirsty."
That night they stayed in the woods near Rabbit's wigwam, so as to follow him on the trail. They kept awake all night for fear that they might sleep too late.
Very early in the morning, Brother Rabbit came out of his wigwam and ran swiftly down the hill. Wild Cat and Gray Wolf followed as fast and as quietly as they could.
The dew was on the grass and leaves, but Brother Rabbit did not stop to get it. Instead, he ran down the hill and pushed away a heap of brush. Wild Cat and Gray Wolf hid behind some bushes and watched him.
Brother Rabbit drank from a little spring. Then he filled a jar with clear, fresh water, piled the brush over the spring again, and went up the hill to his wigwam.
Ah! now Gray Wolf and Wild Cat knew why Brother Rabbit did not mind the drought; and they made a plan to punish him for being so selfish.
They got tar and resin from the pine trees, and out of these they made a great wolf. After placing it close to the spring, they hid again in the bushes, to see what would happen.
Early the next morning, Brother Rabbit came running down the hill for more water. He stopped when he saw the tar wolf by his spring.
"What are you doing here, Gray Wolf?" he asked. Of course there was no answer.
"Has my brother no ears?" asked Brother Rabbit.
As the wolf was still silent, Brother Rabbit became angry. "Answer me, Gray Wolf," he cried. But there was no answer.
Then Brother Rabbit slapped the tar wolf with his right front paw. It stuck fast, and Brother Rabbit could not pull it away.
"Let me go," he cried, "or I will slap you with the other paw."
He slapped the tar wolf with the left front paw. That too, stuck fast.
Now Brother Rabbit was very angry. "Let me go, Gray Wolf," he cried. "Let me go, I say!"
As Grey Wolf did not let him go, Brother Rabbit kicked the tar wolf, first with one of his hind paws and then with the other. Both stuck fast, and so he was held by all four paws.
Just then Gray Wolf and Wild Cat came from their hiding place.
"We have caught you, Brother Rabbit," they said. "Now we are going to take you to the council and tell how you tried to keep all the water for yourself."
III
They took Brother Rabbit to the council house, and sent for Great Bear and all the other animals. Soon all came, and the council began. Gray Wolf told that he had seen Brother Rabbit go to the spring, uncover it, get water, and cover the spring up again.
The animals said that Brother Rabbit must be punished, but how they could not decide.
"Burn him alive," said Gray Wolf.
"I am quite willing," Brother Rabbit said, smiling. "Fire is my friend and will not hurt me."
"We might cut off his head," said Brown Terrapin.
"Very well," said the Rabbit, quietly. "Try that. It will not hurt me, for a better head will grow back."
He said he was not afraid of each thing that was mentioned.
"Is there nothing of which you are afraid?" asked Great Bear, at last. "Is there nothing that can hurt you?"
"Of only one thing am I afraid," answered Brother Rabbit, in a low voice. "I am afraid you will turn me loose in the brier patch. Please do not throw me in the brier patch."
"Turn him loose in the brier patch!" cried all the animals.
How frightened Brother Rabbit looked now!
"Oh, Gray Wolf," he begged, "burn me; cut off my head. Do anything else with me, but please don't throw me in the brier patch."
The more he begged, the faster Gray Wolf hurried to the brier patch. The other animals followed close behind. They were all talking about the tricks Brother Rabbit had played on them and how they had never before been able to get even with him.
When they came to the edge of the brier patch, Brother Rabbit begged harder than ever.
"Good Wolf," he cried, "do anything else with me, but don't throw me in the brier patch!"
Gray Wolf laughed and threw Brother Rabbit far into the patch.
Brother Rabbit landed on his feet, and off he ran through the briers. He called back, "Thank you, good Wolf! You threw me right on my trail! I was born and bred in the brier patch. I was born and bred in the brier patch!"
He was running so fast that by the time he said this, he was out of sight.
—THE INDIAN TAR-BABY STORY.
THE RABBIT AND THE WOLF
The rabbit liked to play tricks on the other animals. Best of all, he liked to play tricks on the wolf. At last the wolf grew angry and said that he was going to get even with the rabbit.
One day he caught the rabbit coming through a field.
"Now," said the wolf, "I am going to pay you for all the tricks you have played on me. I will cut off your ears and use them for spoons to stir my hominy pot. As soon as I sharpen this stone, off your ears go!"
While the wolf sharpened the stone, he sang in his harsh voice a song somewhat like this:
"Watch me sharpen,
Watch me sharpen;
Soon I am going to cut off your ears.
Sicum, sicum, sicum, sicum,
Sicum, se mi su!"
When he sang,
"Sicum, sicum, sicum, sicum,
Sicum, se mi su!"
the rabbit could almost feel the sharp stone cutting his ears. But he was a brave little rabbit and said nothing.
At last the wolf stopped singing for a moment.
Then the rabbit said, "Brother Wolf, I know a new dance. Don't you wish me to teach it to you?"
"Yes, when I have cut off your ears," said the wolf.
Then he went on singing,
"Sicum, sicum, sicum, sicum,
Sicum, se mi su!"
"After my ears are cut off," said the rabbit, "I can never dance any more."
Now the wolf knew that the rabbit could sing and dance better than any other animal, and he wished very much to learn the new dance. He went on sharpening the stone, but he did not sing while he worked.
After a while he asked, "Is the new dance as pretty as the Snake Dance?"
"Oh, a great deal prettier," answered the rabbit.
"Is it as pretty as the Turkey Dance?"
"Oh, a great deal prettier than the Turkey Dance."
"Is it as pretty as the Eagle Dance?"
"Oh, a great deal prettier than the Eagle Dance."
The wolf asked if the new dance was as pretty as other dances he had seen, and the rabbit said that it was much prettier.
This pleased the wolf, as he wished to have a new dance for the green corn festival.
"You may teach me the dance now," he said. "I can cut off your ears afterward."
"Very well," said the rabbit; "pat your foot to keep time, and watch me while I dance."
So the wolf stood in the middle of the field, patting his foot and shaking a rattle while the rabbit danced around him and sang,
"Watch me dance around the field,
Watch me dance around the field,
Hi, la, hi, la, hi!"
Then the rabbit made a ring in the middle of the field. He said to the wolf, "Now, you dance around this ring, and sing just as I do."
He made a larger ring for himself and danced around just beyond the wolf. The wolf thought that this was the finest dance he had ever seen. He and the rabbit danced faster and faster, and sang louder and louder.
As the rabbit danced, he moved nearer and nearer to the edge of the field. The wolf was dancing so fast and singing so loud that he did not notice this.
The rabbit kept on singing,
"Now I dance on the edge of the field,
Now I dance on the edge of the field,
Hi, la, hi, la, hi!"
At last, Brother Rabbit reached the edge of the field; then he jumped into the blackberry bushes and ran away. The wolf tried to give chase, but he was so dizzy that he could not run. And the rabbit got away without having his ears cut off.
—SOUTHERN INDIAN TALE.
BLOCK CITY
What are you able to build with your blocks?
Castles and palaces, temples and docks.
Rain may keep raining, and others go roam,
But I can be happy and building at home.
Let the sofa be mountains, the carpet be sea,
There I'll establish a city for me:
A kirk and a mill and a palace beside,
And a harbor as well where my vessels may ride.
Great is the palace with pillar and wall,
A sort of a tower on the top of it all,
And steps coming down in an orderly way
To where my toy vessels lie safe in the bay.
This one is sailing and that one is moored:
Hark to the song of the sailors on board!
And see on the steps of my palace, the kings
Coming and going with presents and things!
Now I have done with it, down let it go.
All in a moment the town is laid low,
Block upon block lying scattered and free,
What is there left of my town by the sea?
—ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON.
A GOOD PLAY
We built a ship upon the stairs
All made of the back-bedroom chairs,
And filled it full of sofa pillows
To go a-sailing on the billows.
We took a saw and several nails,
And water in the nursery pails;
And Tom said, "Let us also take
An apple and a slice of cake;"—
Which was enough for Tom and me
To go a-sailing on, till tea.
We sailed along for days and days,
And had the very best of plays;
But Tom fell out and hurt his knee,
So there was no one left but me.
—ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON.
THE MONKEY'S FIDDLE
I
Once upon a time there was a great famine in the land, and Monkey could find no food. There were no bulbs, no beans, no insects, nor anything else to eat.
At last Monkey said to himself, "Why should I perish here with hunger? My uncle Orang-outang has enough and to spare; I shall go to him, and he will give me food and shelter."
So he set out and soon came to the place where Orang-outang lived. For a long time Monkey was happy in his new home, but by and by he heard that there was no longer a famine in his own land. Then he decided to go back.
Before he started, Orang-outang made him a present of a fiddle and of a bow and arrow,
"With this bow and arrow you can kill any animal," he said. "With this fiddle you can make anything dance until you bid it stop."
Thanking his uncle for the presents, Monkey set out on his homeward journey. On the way he met Brother Wolf.
"What news, Brother Wolf?" asked Monkey.
When Wolf had told him the news, Monkey asked, "What have you been doing to-day?"
"Oh," said Wolf, "I have been following a deer all the morning, but I have been unable to get near enough to kill him. Now I am faint with hunger."
"I can help you," said Monkey. "I have a magic bow and arrow. Show me the deer, and I will bring him down."
When Wolf showed him the deer, Monkey fitted an arrow to the bow and took aim. Hardly had the arrow left the bow when the deer fell dead.
Monkey and Wolf sat down and had a good feast. As Wolf ate, he thought of the magic bow and arrow, and he planned to get them away from Monkey.
"First I will ask for them," he said to himself. "If Monkey will not give them to me, I will use force."
When Wolf had finished eating, he said to Monkey, "Please give me the bow and arrow."
"I will not," said Monkey. "They were a present from my dear uncle; why should I give them to you?"
"Very well," said Wolf. "I am stronger than you, and I will take them by force."
II
Wolf was just about to snatch the bow and arrow from Monkey when Jackal came along. Then Wolf thought of a new plan.
He called out to Jackal, "Help! help! Monkey has stolen my magic bow and arrow."
Jackal came running to them. Wolf told his side of the story, and Monkey told his.
"I cannot believe either of you," said Jackal. "Let us lay the question before the court. There Lion, Tiger, and the other animals will hear you both; perhaps they will be able to decide to whom the magic bow and arrow belong. But to keep you two from quarreling, I had better take care of the bow and arrow."
Monkey gave them to Jackal, and all three started off to court. When they arrived, there sat Lion on the throne. Seated around were the other animals of the jungle.
Monkey told his story first. Standing in front of the throne, he made a low bow and said, "The great famine, my lord, drove me out of my country, and I had to take refuge with my uncle. When I started back home, he gave me this bow and arrow. Finding Wolf almost starving, I shot a deer for him. Instead of being grateful for the food, he tried to rob me of the bow and arrow. I am here to ask that you restore them to me."
"He does not tell the truth," cried Wolf.
Then Jackal said, "I believe that the bow and arrow belong to Wolf; he and Monkey were quarreling about them when I came along. They agreed to leave the question to you, King Lion. I know you will see that justice is done."
Wolf looked very innocent and said nothing.
King Lion rose and asked, "What say you? To whom do the bow and arrow belong?"
"To Wolf," they all cried.
"Stealing is a crime that must be punished," said King Lion. "What shall be done?"
"Let Monkey be hanged," they all cried.
Monkey still had his magic fiddle. Holding it in his hand, he made a deep bow and said: "Give me leave to play a tune on my fiddle before I hang, O King."
Now, the beasts all loved a merry tune, and knowing that Monkey was a master player they called out, "Let him play."
III
Monkey placed the fiddle under his chin, drew the bow across the strings, and struck up "Cockcrow." This was a favorite tune with the court. At the first notes all nodded their heads in time to the music. As Monkey played on, the entire court began to dance.
Round and round they went like a whirlwind. Over and over, quicker and quicker sounded the tune of "Cockcrow." Faster and faster flew the dancers, until one after another fell to the ground worn out.
Monkey saw nothing of all this. With eyes closed and his head placed lovingly against the fiddle, he played on and on, keeping time with his foot.
Wolf was the first one to cry out, "Please stop, Cousin Monkey. For pity's sake, stop."
But Monkey did not seem to hear him. Again and again sounded the magic notes of "Cockcrow."
King Lion had gone round and round with his young wife so many times that both were ready to drop. At last, as he passed Monkey, he roared, "Stop, ape! My whole kingdom is yours if you will only stop playing."
"I do not want it," said Monkey. "Make Wolf confess that he tried to steal my bow and arrow. Then I will stop playing."
"I confess! I confess!" panted Wolf, who was ready to fall to the ground.
"Good," cried King Lion, as the music stopped. "Monkey is innocent. Let him have his bow and arrow."
"Punish Wolf!" cried the animals.
So Wolf was soundly beaten and driven from the court. Then Monkey went off rejoicing, carrying with him his magic gifts.
—AFRICAN TALE.
THE THREE TASKS
I
There were once two brothers who set out to seek their fortune. They wasted their time and their money in all sorts of foolish ways, and before long they were nearly penniless.
After the two brothers had been gone some time, their younger brother, who had always been thought the simpleton of the family, set out to seek his fortune.
One day as he was passing through a village far away from home, he found his two brothers.
"Where are you going?" they asked.
"I am going to seek my fortune," he replied.
"Ha, ha! how foolish you are!" they cried. "With all our wit and wisdom we have been unable to make our fortune. It is silly of you even to try." And they laughed and made fun of him.
Nevertheless, the three brothers decided to travel on together. As they journeyed on, they saw a large ant hill by the side of the road. The two elder brothers were about to destroy it, when the simpleton said, "Leave the poor ants alone. I will not let you disturb them."
They went on their way until they came to a pond upon which two ducks were swimming. The two older brothers were about to kill them, when the simpleton said, "Leave them alone. I will not let you kill them."
Soon the three came to a tree, in the trunk of which was a wild bee's nest. The two older brothers wished to steal the honey. They started to make a fire under the tree and smoke out the bees. The simpleton said, "Leave the poor bees alone. I will not let you rob them."
II
At last the three brothers came to a castle where everything looked as if it had been turned to stone. There was not a single human being to be seen. They walked along the great wide hall, but still they saw no one.
"The castle must be enchanted," the brothers said to one another.
After passing through many rooms, they came to a door in which there were three locks. In the middle of the door was a little grating through which they could look into the room beyond.
They saw a little man, dressed in gray, seated at a table. Twice they called to him, but he did not answer. They called a third time. Then he rose, opened the three locks, and came out.
He said not a word, but led them to a table on which a feast was spread. When they had eaten and drunk as much as they wished, the old man showed each of them to a bedroom. There they rested well all night.
The next morning the little gray man came to the eldest brother and beckoned him to follow. He led him to a room in which there was a stone table, and on the table there lay three stone tablets.
On the table near the tablets was written:
"This castle is enchanted. Before the enchantment can be broken, there are three tasks to be performed. The one who performs these three tasks shall marry the youngest and dearest of the three princesses who now lie asleep in the castle."
When the eldest brother had read this, the old man gave him the first tablet. On it was written:
"In the forest, hidden beneath the thick moss, are the pearls which belonged to the princesses. They are a thousand in number. These must be collected by sunset. If one single pearl is missing, then he who has sought them shall be turned to stone."
The eldest brother searched the whole day long, but by sunset he had found only a hundred pearls. So he was turned to stone.
The following day the second brother tried his luck, but by sunset he had found but two hundred pearls. So he, too, was turned to stone.
Then it came the simpleton's turn. He searched all day amidst the moss, but he fared little better than his brothers. At last he sat down upon a stone and burst into tears.
As he sat there, the king of the ants, whose life he had once saved, came with five thousand ants. Before long the little creatures had found every one of the pearls and piled them up in a heap.