arran which my noble lord the Marquis of Carabas for that was the title which Pousse was pleased to give to his master has commanded me to present to your majesty from him tell thy master, said the king, that I thank him and that he does me a great deal of pleasure another time he went and hid himself among some standing corn holding still his bag open and when a brace of partridges ran into it he drew the strings and so caught them both he went and made a present of these to the king as he had done before of the rabbit which he took in the Warran the king in like manner received the partridges with great pleasure and ordered him some money for drink the cat continued for two or three months thus to carry his majesty from time to time in game of his master's taking one day in particular when he knew for certain that he was to take the air along the riverside with his daughter, the most beautiful princess in the world he said to his master if you will follow my advice, your fortune is made you have nothing else to do but to go and wash yourself in the river in that part I shall show you and leave the rest to me the Marquis of Carabas did what the cat advised him to without knowing why or where for while he was washing the king passed by and the cat began to cry out help, help! my lord Marquis of Carabas is going to be drowned at this noise the king put his head out of the coach window and finding it was the cat who had so often brought him such good game he commanded his guards to run immediately to the assistance of his lordship the Marquis of Carabas while they were drawing the poor Marquis out of the river the cat came up to the coach and told the king that while his master was washing there came by some rogues who went off with his clothes though he had cried out thieves, thieves, several times as loud as he could this cunning cat had hidden them under a great stone the king immediately commanded the officers of his wardrobe to run and fetch one of the best suits for the lord Marquis of Carabas the king caressed him after a very extraordinary manner and as the fine Colossia had given him extremely set off his good mien for he was well made and very handsome in his person the king's daughter took a secret inclination to him and the Marquis of Carabas had no sooner cast two or three respectful and somewhat tender glances but she fell in love with him to distraction the king would need to have him come into the coach and take part of the airing the cat quite overjoyed to see his project begin to succeed marched before and meeting with some countrymen who were mowing a meadow he said to them good people you are a mowing if you do not tell the king that the meadow you mow belongs to my lord Marquis of Carabas you shall be chopped as small as herbs for the pot the king did not fail asking of the mowers to whom the meadow they were mowing belonged to my lord Marquis of Carabas answered they all together for the cat's threats had made them terribly afraid he sees sir said the Marquis is a meadow which never fails to yield a plentiful harvest every year the master cat who still went on before met with some reapers and said to them good people you who are reaping if you do not tell the king that all this corn belongs to the Marquis of Carabas you shall be chopped as small as herbs for the pot the king who passed by a moment after would need to know to whom all that corn which he then saw did belong to my lord Marquis of Carabas replied the reapers and the king was very well pleased with it as well as the Marquis whom he congratulated there upon the master cat who always went before said the same words to all he met and the king was astonished at the vast estates of my lord Marquis of Carabas Monsieur Puss came at last to a stately castle the master of which was an ogre the richest had ever been known for all the lands which the king had then gone over belonged to this castle the cat who had taken care to inform himself who this ogre was and what he could do asked to speak to him saying he could not pass so near his castle without having the honour of paying his respects to him the ogre could do and made him sit down I have been assured said the cat that you have the gift of being able to change yourself into all sorts of creatures you have a mind to you can for example transform yourself into a lion or elephant and the like that is true answered the ogre very briskly and to convince you you shall now see me become a lion Puss was so sadly terrified at the sight of a lion so near him that he immediately got into the gutter not without abundance of trouble and danger because of his boots which were no use at all to him in walking upon the tiles a while after when Puss saw that the ogre had resumed his natural form he came down and owned he had been very much frightened I have been more over informed said the cat but I know not how to believe it that you have also the power to take on you the shape of the smallest animals for example to change yourself into a rat or a mouse but I must own to you I take this to be impossible impossible cried the ogre you shall see that presently and at the same time he changed himself into a mouse and began to run about the floor Puss no sooner received this but he fell upon him and made him up meanwhile the king who saw as he passed this fine castle of the ogres had a mind to go into it Puss who heard the noise of his Majesty's coach running over the drawbridge ran out and said to the king your Majesty is welcome to this castle of my Lord Marquis of Caravus what my Lord Marquis called the king and does this castle also belong to you there can be nothing finer than this court and all the stately buildings which surround it let us go into it if you please the Marquis gave his hand to the princess and followed the king who went first they passed into a spacious hall where they found a magnificent collation which the ogre had prepared for his friends who were that very day to visit him but dare not enter knowing the king was there his Majesty was perfectly charmed with the good qualities of my Lord Marquis of Caravus as was his daughter who had fallen violently in love with him and seeing the vast estate he possessed said to him after having drunk five or six glasses it will be owing to yourself only my Lord Marquis if you are not my son-in-law the Marquis making several low bows accepted the honour which his Majesty conferred upon him and forthwith that very same day married the princess Pus became a great Lord and never ran after mice anymore but only for his diversion End of The Master Cat or Puss in Boots Felicia and the Pot of Pinks of the Blue Fairy Book this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Scott Mather The Blue Fairy Book by Andrew Lang Felicia and the Pot of Pinks Once upon a time there was a poor labourer who feeling that he had not much longer to live wished to divide his possessions between his son and daughter whom he loved dearly so he called them to him and said Your mother brought me as her dowry two stools and a straw bed I have besides a hen a Pot of Pinks and a silver ring which were given me by a noble lady who once lodged in my poor cottage When she went away she said to me Be careful of my gifts, good man see that you do not lose the ring or forget to water the Pinks As for your daughter I promise you that she shall be more beautiful than anyone you ever saw in your life Call her Felicia and when she grows up give her the ring and the Pot of Pinks to console her for her poverty Take them both then, my dear child he added and your brother shall have everything else The two children seemed quite contented and when their father died they wept for him and divided his possessions as he had told them Felicia believed that her brother loved her but when she sat down upon one of the stools he said angrily, keep your Pot of Pinks in your ring but let my things alone I like order in my house Felicia who was very gentle said nothing but stood up crying quietly while Bruno, for that was her brother's name sat comfortably by the fire presently when supper time came Bruno had a delicious egg and he threw the shell to Felicia saying there that is all I can give you if you don't like it go out and catch frogs there are plenty of them in the marsh close by Felicia did not answer but she cried more bitterly than ever and went away to her own little room she found it filled with the sweet scent of the Pinks and going up to them she said sadly beautiful Pinks you are so sweet and so pretty comfort I have left be very sure that I will take care of you and water you well and never allow any cruel hand to tear you from your stems as she leaned over them she noticed that they were very dry so taking her picture she ran off into clear moonlight to the fountain which was at some distance when she reached it she sat down upon the brink to rest but she had hardly done so when she saw a stately lady coming toward her surrounded by numbers of attendants six maids of honor carried her train and she leaned upon the arm of another when they came near the fountain a canopy was spread for her under which was placed a sofa of cloth of gold and presently a dainty supper was served upon a table covered with dishes of gold and crystal while the wind in the trees and the falling water of the fountain murmured the softest music Felicia was hidden in the shade too much astonished by all she saw to venture to move but in a few moments the queen said I fancy I see a shepherdess near that tree bid her come hither so Felicia came forward and saluted the queen timidly but with so much grace that all were surprised what are you doing here my pretty child asked the queen are you not afraid of robbers ah madam said Felicia poor shepherdess who has nothing to lose does not fear robbers you are not very rich then said the queen smiling answered Felicia that a pot of pinks and a silver ring are my only possessions in the world but you have a heart said the queen what should you say if anybody wanted to steal that I do not know what it is like to lose one's heart madam she replied but I have always heard that without a heart one cannot live and if it is broken one must die and in spite of my poverty I should be sorry not to live you are quite right to take care of your heart pretty one said the queen but tell me have you sucked no madam answered Felicia my brother ate all the supper there was then the queen ordered that a play should be made for her at the table and herself loaded Felicia's plate with good things but she was too much astonished to be hungry I want to know what you were doing at the fountain so late said the queen presently I came to fetch a pitcher of water for my pinks madam she answered to pick up the pitcher which stood beside her but when she showed it to the queen she was amazed to see that it had turned to gold all sparkling with great diamonds and the water of which it was full was more fragrant than the sweetest roses she was afraid to take it until the queen said it is yours Felicia go and water your pinks with it and let it remind you that the queen of the woods is your friend the shepherdess threw herself at the queen's feet and thanked her humbly for her gracious words oh madam she cried thank you to stay here a moment I would run and fetch my pot of pinks for you they could not fall into better hands go Felicia said the queen stroking her cheek softly I will wait here until you come back so Felicia took up her pitcher and ran to her little room but while she had been away Bruno had gone in and taken the pot of pinks leaving a great cabbage in its place when she saw the unlucky cabbage Felicia was much distressed and did not know what to do but at last she ran back to the fountain feeling before the queen said madam Bruno has stolen my pot of pinks so I have nothing but my silver ring but I beg you to accept it as a proof of my gratitude but if I take your ring my pretty shepherdess said the queen you will have nothing left and what will you do then oh madam she answered simply if I have your friendship I shall do very well so the queen took the ring and put it on her finger and mounted her chariot which was made of coral studded with emeralds six milk white horses and Felicia looked after her until the winding of the forest path hid her from her sight and then she went back to the cottage thinking over all the wonderful things that had happened the first thing she did when she reached her room was to throw the cabbage out of the window but she was very much surprised to hear an odd little voice cry out oh I am half killed and could not think where it came from because cabbages do not generally speak as soon as it was like Felicia who was very unhappy about her pot of pinks went out to look for it and the first thing she found was the unfortunate cabbage she gave it a push with her foot saying what are you doing here and how dared you put yourself in the place of my pot of pinks if I hadn't been carried replied the cabbage you may be very sure that I shouldn't have thought of going there it made her shiver with fright to hear the cabbage talk but he went on if you will be good enough to plant me by my comrades again where your pinks are at this moment hidden in Bruno's bed Felicia was in despair when she heard this not knowing how she was to get them back but she replanted the cabbage very kindly in his old place and as she finished doing it she saw Bruno's hand and said catching hold of it come here poor little creature you shall suffer for all the unkind things my brother has done to me ah shepherdess said the hand don't kill me I am rather a gossip I will tell you some surprising things that you will like to hear don't imagine that you are the daughter of the poor laborer who brought you up your mother was a queen who had six girls already and the king threatened that unless she had a son who could inherit his kingdom she should have her head cut off so when the queen had another little daughter she was quite frightened and agreed with her sister who was a fairy to exchange her for the fairy's little son now the queen had been shut up in a grey tower by the king's orders and when a great many days went by and still she heard nothing from the fairy she made her escape from the window by means of a rope ladder taking her little baby with her after wondering about until she was half dead with cold and fatigue she reached this cottage I was the laborer's wife and was a good nurse and the queen gave you into my charge and told me all her misfortunes and then died before she had time to say what was to become of you and all my life could keep a secret I could not help telling this strange tale to my neighbors and one day a beautiful lady came here and I told it to her also when I had finished she touched me with a wand she held in her hand and instantly I became a hen and there was an end of my talking I was very sad and my husband who was out when it happened never knew what had become of me after seeking me everywhere he believed that I must have been drowned by wild beasts in the forest that same lady came here once more and commanded that you should be called Felicia and left the ring and the pot of pinks to be given to you and while she was in the house 25 of the king's guards came to search for you doubtless meaning to kill you but she muttered a few words and immediately they all turned into cabbages it was one of them whom you threw out of your window yesterday I don't know how it was that he could speak either of them say a word before nor have I been able to do it myself until now the princess was greatly astonished at the hen's story and said kindly I'm truly sorry for you my poor nurse and wish it was in my power to restore you to your real form but we must not despair it seems to me after what you have told me that something must be going to happen soon just now however I must go and look for my pinks which I love better than anything in the world Bruno had gone out into the forest never thinking that Felicia would search in his room for the pinks and she was delighted by his unexpected absence and thought to get them back without further trouble but as soon as she entered the room she saw a terrible army of rats who were guarding the straw bed and when she attempted to approach it they sprang at her biting and scratching furiously quite terrified she drew back crying out oh my dear pinks how can you stay here in such bad company then she suddenly bethought herself of the pitcher of water thinking that it might have some magic power she ran to fetch it and sprinkled a few drops over the fierce looking swarm of rats in a moment not a tail or a whiskered was to be seen each one of them had made for his hole as fast as his legs could carry him so that the princess could safely take her pot of pinks she found them nearly dying for want of water and hastily poured all that was left in the pitcher upon them as she bent over them enjoying their delicious scent a soft voice that seemed to rustle among the leaves said lovely Felicia the day has come at last when I may have the happiness of telling you how even the flowers love you and rejoice in your beauty the princess quite overcome by the strangeness of hearing a cabbage a hen and a pink speak and by the terrible sight of an army of rats suddenly became very pale and fainted away at this moment in came Bruno working hard in the heat at this temper and when he saw that Felicia had succeeded in finding her pinks he was so angry that he dragged her out into the garden and shut the door upon her the fresh air soon made her open her pretty eyes and there before her stood the queen of the woods looking charming as ever you have a bad brother she said I saw he turned you out shall I punish him for it oh no madam she said I'm not angry with him but supposing he was not your brother after all that's the queen oh but I think he must be said Felicia what? said the queen have you not heard that you are a princess I was told so a little while ago madam but how could I believe it without a single proof oh dear child said the queen the way you speak assures me that in spite of your humble upbringing you are indeed a real princess and I can save you from being treated in such a way again she was interrupted at this moment by the arrival of a very handsome young man he wore a coat of green velvet fastened with emerald clasps and had a crown of pinks on his head he knelt upon one knee and kissed the queen's hand ah she cried my pink my dear son what a happiness to see you restore to your natural shape by Felicia's aid and she embraced him joyfully then turning to Felicia she said charming princess I know all the hen told you but you cannot have heard the zeffers to whom was entrusted the task of carrying my son to the tower where the queen your mother so anxiously waited for him left him instead in a garden of flowers while they flew off to tell your mother where upon a ferry with whom I had quarreled changed him into a pink and I could do nothing to prevent it you can imagine how angry I was and how I tried to find some means of undoing the mischief she had done but there was no help for it I could only bring Prince Pink to the place where you were being brought up hoping that when you grew up he might love you and by your care be restored to his natural form and you see everything has come right as I hoped it would your giving me the silver ring was the sign that the power of the charm was nearly over and my enemies last chance was to frighten you with her army of rats that she did not succeed in doing so now my dear Felicia if you will be married to my son with this silver ring your future happiness is certain do you think him handsome and amiable enough to be willing to marry him? Madam, replied Felicia blushing, you overwhelm me with your kindness I know that you are my mother's sister and that by your art you turned the soldiers who were sent to kill me into cabbages and my nurse into a hen and that you do me only too much honour in proposing that I shall marry your son how can I explain to you the cause of my hesitation I feel for the first time in my life how happy it would make me to be beloved can you indeed give me the prince's heart it is yours already lovely princess he cried taking her hand in his but for the horrible enchantment which kept me silent I should have told you long ago how dearly I love you this made the princess very happy and the queen who could not bear to see her dressed like a poor shepherdess touched her with her wand saying I wish you to be attired as befits your rank and beauty and immediately the princess's cotton dress became a magnificent robe of silver brocade embroidered with carbuncles and her soft dark hair was encircled by a crown of diamonds from which floated a clear white veil with her bright eyes and the charming colour in her cheeks she was altogether such a dazzling sight that the prince could hardly bear it how pretty you are Felicia he cried don't keep me in suspense I entreat you say that you will marry me ah said the queen smiling I think she will not refuse now just then Bruno who was going back to his work came out of the cottage and thought he must be dreaming when he saw Felicia but she called him very kindly and begged the queen to take pity on him what she said when he was so unkind to you oh madam said the princess I am so happy that I should like everybody else to be happy too the queen kissed her and said well to please you let me see what I can do for this cross Bruno and with the wave of her wand she turned the poor little cottage into a splendid palace full of treasures only the two stools in the straw bed remained just as they were to remind him of his former poverty then the queen touched Bruno himself and made him gentle and polite and grateful and he thanked her and the princess a thousand times lastly the queen restored the hen and the cabbages to their natural forms and left them all very contented the prince and princess were married as soon as possible with great splendor and lived happily ever after and of Felicia and the pot of pinks the white cat of the blue fairy book this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Scott Mather the blue fairy book by Andrew Lang the white cat once upon a time there was a king who had three sons who were all so clever and brave that he began to be afraid that they would want to reign over the kingdom before he was dead now the king though he felt that he was growing old did not at all wish to give up the government of his kingdom while he could still manage it very well so he thought the best way to live in peace would be to divert the minds of his sons by promises which he could always get out of when the time came for keeping them so he sent for them all and after speaking to them kindly he added but in return for such a gift as this it is only right that you should do something for me now as I think of retiring into the country it seems to me that a pretty lively faithful little dog would be very good company for me so without any regard for your ages I promise that the one who brings me the most beautiful little dog shall succeed me at once the three princes were greatly surprised by their father's sudden fancy for a little dog but as it gave the two younger ones a chance they would not otherwise have had of being king and as the eldest was too polite to make any objection they accepted the commission with pleasure they bade farewell to the king who gave them presents of silver and precious stones and appointed to meet them at the same hour in the same place after a year had passed to see the little dogs they had brought for him then they went together to a castle which was about a league from the city accompanied by all their particular friends to whom they gave a grand banquet and the three brothers promised to be friends always to share whatever good fortune befell them and not to be parted by any envy or jealousy and so they set out agreeing to meet at the same castle at the appointed time to present themselves before the king together each one took a different road and the two eldest met with many adventures but it is about the youngest that you are going to hear he was young and gay and handsome and knew everything that a prince ought to know there was simply no end to it hardly a day passed without his buying several dogs big and little, greyhounds, mastiffs, spaniels and lapdogs as soon as he had bought a pretty one he was sure to see a still prettier and then he had to get rid of all the others and buy that one as being alone he found it impossible to take 30 or 40,000 dogs about with him he journeyed from day to day not knowing where he was going until at last just at nightfall he saw a pretty forest he did not know his way and to make matters worse it began to thunder and the rain poured down he took the first path he could find and after walking for a long time he fancied he saw a faint light and began to hope that he was coming to some cottage where he might find shelter for the night at length, guided by the light he reached the door of the most splendid castle he could have imagined this door was of gold covered with carbuncles and it was the pure red light that had shown him the way through the forest the walls were of the finest porcelain in all the most delicate colors and the prince saw that all the stories he had ever read were pictured upon them but as he was terribly wet and the rain still fell in torrents he could not stay to look about anymore but came back to the golden door there he saw a deer's foot hanging by a chain of diamonds and he began to wonder who could live in this magnificent castle they must feel very secure against robbers he said to himself what is to hinder anyone from cutting off that chain and digging out those carbuncles and making himself rich for life he pulled the deer's foot and immediately a silver bell sounded and the door flew open but the prince could see nothing but numbers of hands in the air each holding a torch he was so surprised that he stood quite still until he felt himself pushed forward by other hands and with his sword to be prepared for whatever might happen he entered a hall paved with lapis lazuli while two lovely voices sang the hands you see floating above will swiftly your bidding obey if your heart dreads not conquering love in this place you may fearlessly stay the prince could not believe that any danger threatened him when he was welcomed in this way so guided by the mysterious hands which opened of its own accord and he found himself in a vast hall of mother of pearl out of which opened a number of other rooms glittering with thousands of lights and full of such beautiful pictures and precious things that the prince felt quite bewildered after passing through sixty rooms the hands that conducted him stopped and the prince saw a most comfortable looking armchair drawn up close to the chimney corner at the same moment the fire lighted itself and the pretty soft clever hands took off the prince's wet muddy clothes and presented him with fresh ones made of the richest stuffs all embroidered with gold and emeralds he could not help admiring everything he saw and the deft way in which the hands waited on him though they sometimes appeared so suddenly that they made him jump when he was quite ready and I can assure you that he looked very different from the wet and weary prince who had stood outside in the rain and pulled the deer's foot in a splendid room upon the walls of which were painted the histories of puss in boots and a number of other famous cats the table was laid for supper with two golden plates and golden spoons and forks and the sideboard was covered with dishes and glasses of crystal set with precious stones the prince was wondering who the second place could be for when suddenly in came about a dozen cats carrying guitars and rolls of music who took their places at one end of the room and under the direction of a cat who beat time with a roll of paper began to mew into every imaginable key and to draw their claws across the strings of the guitars making the strangest kind of music that could be heard the prince hastily stopped up his ears but even then the sight of these comical musicians sent him into fits of laughter what funny thing shall I see next he said to himself and instantly the door opened and in came a tiny figure captured by a long black veil it was conducted by two cats wearing black mantles and carrying swords and a large party of cats followed who brought in cages full of rats and mice the prince was so much astonished that he thought he must be dreaming but the little figure came up to him and threw back its veil and he saw that it was the loveliest little white cat it is possible to imagine she looked very young and in a sweet little voice that went straight to his heart she said to the prince king son you are welcome the queen of the cats is glad to see you lady cat replied the prince I thank you for receiving me so kindly but surely you are no ordinary pussy cat indeed the way you speak and the magnificence of your castle proves it plainly king son said the white cat I beg you to spare me these compliments for I am not used to them but now she added let supper be served and let the musicians be silent as the prince does not understand what they are saying so the mysterious hands began to bring in the supper and first they put on the table two dishes one containing stewed pigeons and the other a fricacy of fat mice the sight of the latter made the prince feel as if he could not enjoy his supper at all but the white cat seeing this assured him that the dishes intended for him were prepared in a separate kitchen and he might be quite certain that they contained neither rats nor mice and the prince felt so sure that she would not deceive him that he had no more hesitation in beginning presently he noticed that on the little paw that was next to him the white cat wore a bracelet containing a portrait and he begged to be allowed to look at it to his surprise he found it represented an extremely handsome young man who was so like himself that it might have been his own portrait the white cat sighed as he looked at it and seemed sadder than ever and the prince dared not ask any questions for fear of displeasing her so he began to talk about other things and found that she was interested in all the subjects he cared for himself and seemed to know quite well what was going on in the world after supper they went into another room which was fitted up as a theater and the cats acted and danced for their amusement and then the white cat said good night to him and the hands conducted him into a room he had not seen before hung with tapestry worked with butterflies wings of every color there were mirrors that reached from the ceiling to the floor and a little white bed with curtains of gauze tied up with ribbons the prince went to the bed in silence as he did not quite know how to begin a conversation with the hands that waited on him and in the morning he was awakened by a noise and confusion outside of his window and the hands came and quickly dressed him in his hunting costume when he looked out all the cats were assembled in the courtyard some leading greyhounds some blowing horns for the white cat was going out hunting the hands led a wooden horse up to the prince and seemed to expect him to mount it at which he was variant indignant but it was no use for him to eject for he speedily found himself upon its back and it pranced gaily off with him the white cat herself was riding a monkey which climbed even up to the eagle's nests when she had a fancy for the young eagles never was there a pleasanter hunting party and when they returned to the castle the prince and the white cat subbed together as before but when they had finished she offered him a crystal goblet which must have contained a magic draft for as soon as he had swallowed its contents he forgot everything even the little dog that he was seeking for the king and only thought how happy he was to be with the white cat and so the days passed in every kind of amusement until the year was nearly gone the prince had forgotten all about meeting his brothers he did not even know what country he belonged to but the white cat knew knew when he ought to go back and one day she said to him do you know that you have only three days left to look for the little dog for your father and your brothers have found lovely ones then the prince suddenly recovered his memory and he cried what can have made me forget such an important thing my whole fortune depends upon it and even if I could in such a short time find a dog pretty enough to gain me a kingdom where should I find a horse who would carry me to the prince he began to be very vexed but the white cat said to him king son do not trouble yourself I am your friend and will make everything easy for you you can still stay here for a day as the good wooden horse can take you to your country in 12 hours I thank you beautiful cat said the prince but what good will it do me to get back if I have not a dog to take to my father see here there is a prettier one in this than in the dog star oh white cat dear said the prince how unkind you are to laugh at me now only listen she said holding the acorn to his ear and inside it he distinctly heard a tiny voice say oh the prince was delighted for a dog that can be shut up in an acorn must be very small indeed he wanted to take it out and look at it but the white cat said it would be better not to open the acorn till he was before the king in case the tiny dog should be cold on the journey he thanked her a thousand times and said goodbye quite sadly when the time came for him to set out the days have passed so quickly with you he said I only wish I could take you with me now but the white cat shook her head and sighed deeply in answer after all the prince was the first to arrive at the castle where he had agreed to meet his brothers but they came soon after and they saw the wooden horse in the courtyard jumping like a hunter the prince met them joyfully and they began to tell him all their adventures but he managed to hide from them what he had been doing and even led them to think that a turn spit dog which he had with him was the one he was bringing for the king fondest they all were of one another the two eldest could not help being glad to think that their dog certainly had a better chance the next morning I started in the same chariot the elder brothers carried in baskets two such tiny fragile dogs that they hardly dared to touch them as for the turn spit he ran after the chariot and got so covered with mud that one could hardly see what he was like at all when they reached the palace everyone crowded round to welcome them as they went into the king's great hall and when the two brothers presented their little dogs nobody could decide which was the prettier they were already arranging between themselves to share the kingdom equally when the youngest stepped forward drawing from his pocket the acorn the white cat had given him he opened it quickly and there upon a white cushion they saw a dog so small that it could easily have been put through a ring the prince laid it upon the ground and it got up at once and began to dance the king did not know what to say for it was impossible that anything could be prettier than this little creature nevertheless as he was in no hurry to part with his crown he told his sons that as they had been so successful the first time he would ask them to go once again and seek by land and sea for a piece of muslin so fine that it could be drawn through the eye of a needle the brothers were not very willing to set out again but the two eldest consented because it gave them another chance and they started as before the youngest again mounted the wooden horse and rode back at full speed to his beloved white cat every door of the castle stood wide open and every window and turret was illuminated so it looked more wonderful than before the hands hastened to meet him and led the wooden horse off to the stable while he hurried in to find the white cat she was asleep a little basket on a white satin cushion but she very soon started up when she heard the prince and was overjoyed at meeting him once more how could I hope that you would come back to me king's son she said and then he stroked and petted her and told her of his successful journey and how he had come back to ask her help as he believed that it was impossible to find what the king demanded the white cat looked serious and said she must think what was to be done but that suddenly there were some cats in the castle who could spin very well and if anybody could manage it they could and she would set them the task herself and then the hands appeared carrying torches and conducted the prince and the white cat to a long gallery which overlooked the river from the windows of which they saw a magnificent display of fireworks of all sorts after which they had supper which the prince liked even better than the fireworks for it was very late and he was hungry after his long ride so the days passed quickly as before it was impossible to feel dull with the white cat and she had quite a talent for inventing new amusements indeed she was cleverer than a cat has any right to be but when the prince asked her how it was that she was so wise she only said king's son do not ask me guess what you please I may not tell you anything the prince was so happy that he did not trouble himself at all but presently the white cat told him that a year was gone and that he need not be at all anxious about the piece of muslin as they had made it very well this time she added I can give you a suitable escort and on looking out into the courtyard the prince saw a superb chariot of burnished gold enameled in flame color with a thousand different devices it was drawn by twelve snow white horses harnessed four abreast their trappings were flame colored velvet embroidered with diamonds a hundred chariots followed each drawn by eight horses and filled with officers in splendid uniforms and a thousand guards surrounded the procession go said the white cat and when you appear before the king in such state he surely will not refuse you the crown which you deserve take this walnut but do not open it until you are before him then you will find in it the piece of stuff you asked me for lovely blanchette said the prince how can I thank you properly for all your kindness to me only tell me that you wish it and I will give up forever all thought of being king and will stay here with you always king son she replied it shows the goodness of your heart that you should care so much for a little white cat who is good for nothing but to catch mice but you must not stay so the prince kissed her little paw and set out you can imagine how fast he traveled when I tell you that they reached the king's palace in just half the time it had taken the wooden horse to get there this time the prince was so late that he did not try to meet his brothers at their castle so they thought he could not be coming and were rather glad of it and displayed their pieces of muslin to the king proudly feeling sure of success and indeed the stuff was very fine and would go through the eye of a very large needle but the king who was only too glad to make a difficulty sent for a particular needle which was kept among the crown jewels and had such a small eye that everybody saw it once that it was impossible that the muslin should pass through it the princes were angry and were beginning to complain that it was a trick when suddenly the trumpets sounded and the youngest prince came in his father and brothers were quite astonished at his magnificence and after he had greeted them he took the walnut from his pocket and opened it fully expecting to find the piece of muslin but instead there was only a hazelnut he cracked it and there lay a cherry stone everybody was looking on and the king was chuckling to himself at the idea of finding the piece of muslin in a nutshell however the prince cracked the cherry stone but everyone laughed when he saw it contained only its own kernel he opened that and found a grain of wheat and in that was a millet seed then he himself began to wonder muttered softly white cat white cat are you making fun of me in an instant he felt a cat's claw give his hand quite a sharp scratch and hoping that it was meant as an encouragement he opened the millet seed and drew out of it a piece of muslin 400 L's long woven with the loveliest colors and most wonderful patterns and when the needle was brought it went through the eye six times with the greatest of ease the king turned pale and the other princess stood silent and sorrowful for nobody could deny that this was the most marvelous piece of muslin that was to be found in the world presently the king turned to his sons and said with a deep sigh nothing could console me more in my old age than to realize your willingness to gratify my wishes go then once more and whoever at the end of a year can bring back the loveliest princess shall be married to her and shall without further delay receive the crown for my successor must certainly be married the prince considered that he had earned the kingdom fairly twice over but still he was too well-bred to argue about it so he just went back to his gorgeous chariot and surrounded by his escort returned to the white cat faster than he had come this time she was expecting him the path was strewn with flowers and a thousand brassiers were burning scented woods which perfumed the air seated in a gallery from which he could see his arrival the white cat waited for him well, king's son, she said here you are once more without a crown madam said he, thanks to your generosity I have earned one twice over but the fact is that my father is so loathed apart with it that it would be no pleasure to me to take it never mind, she answered it's just as well to try and deserve it as you must take back a lovely princess with you next time I will be on the lookout for one for you in the meantime let us enjoy ourselves tonight I have ordered a battle between my cats and the river rats on purpose to amuse you so this year slipped away even more pleasantly than the preceding ones sometimes the prince could not help asking the white cat how it was she could talk perhaps you are a fairy, he said or has some enchanter changed you into a cat but she only gave him answers that told him nothing days go by so quickly when one is very happy that it is certain the prince would never have thought of it being time to go back when one evening as they sat together the white cat said to him that if he wanted to take a lovely princess with him the next day he must be prepared to do what she told him take the sword, she said and cut off my head I cried the prince, I cut off your head? planchette darling how could I do it I entreat you to do as I tell you king's son, she replied the tears came into the prince's eyes as he begged her to ask him anything but that to set him any task she pleased as a proof of his devotion but to spare him the grief of killing his dear pussy but nothing he could say altered her determination and at last he draught his sword and desperately with a trembling hand cut off the little white head but imagine his astonishment and delight when suddenly a lovely princess stood before him and while he was still speechless with amazement the door opened and a goodly company of knights and ladies entered each carrying a cat's skin they hastened with every sign of joy to the princess kissing her hand and congratulating her on being once more restored to her natural shape she received them graciously but after a few minutes begged that they would leave her alone with the prince you see prince that you were right in supposing me to be no ordinary cat my father reigned over six kingdoms the queen, my mother whom he loved dearly had a passion for traveling and exploring and when I was only a few weeks old she obtained his permission to visit a certain mountain of which she had heard many marvelous tales and set out taking with her a number of her attendants on the way they had to pass near an old castle belonging to the fairies nobody had ever been into it but it was reported to be full of the most wonderful things and my mother remembered to have heard that the fairies had in their garden such fruits as were to be seen and tasted nowhere else she began to wish to try them for herself and turned her steps in the direction of the garden on arriving at the door which blazed with gold and jewels she ordered her servants to knock loudly but it was useless it seemed as if all the inhabitants of the castle must be asleep or dead now the more difficult it became to obtain the fruit the more the queen was determined that habit she would so she ordered that they should bring ladders and get over the wall into the garden but though the wall did not look very high and they tied the ladders together to make them very long it was quite impossible to get to the top the queen was in despair but as night was coming on she ordered that they should encamp just where they were and went to bed herself feeling quite ill she felt so disappointed in the middle of the night she was suddenly awakened and saw to her surprise a tiny ugly old woman seated by her bedside who said to her must say that we consider it somewhat troublesome of your majesty to insist upon tasting our fruit but to save you annoyance my sisters and I will consent to give you as much as you can carry away on one condition that is that you shall give us your little daughter to bring up as our own oh your madame cried the queen is there nothing else that you will take for the fruit I will give you my kingdoms willingly no reply the old fairy we will have nothing but your little daughter she shall be as happy as the day is long and we will give her everything that is worth having in fairyland but you must not see her again until she is married though it is a hard condition said the queen I consent for I shall certainly die if I do not taste the fruit and so I should lose my little daughter either way so the old fairy led her into the castle and though it was still the middle of the night the queen could see plainly that it was far more beautiful than she had been told which you can easily believe prince said the white cat when I tell you that it was this castle that we are now in well you gathered the fruit yourself queen said the old fairy or shall I call it to come to you oh I beg you to let me see it come when it is called queen that will be something quite new the old fairy whistled twice and then she cried apricots peaches nectarines cherries plums hairs melons grapes apples oranges lemons gooseberries strawberries raspberries come and in an instant they came tumbling in one over another and yet they were neither dusty nor spoiled and the queen found them quite as good as she had fancied them you see they grew upon fairy trees the old fairy gave her golden baskets in which to take the fruit away and it was as much as 400 mules could carry then she reminded the queen of her agreement and led her back to the camp and next morning she went back to her kingdom but before she had gone very far she began to repent of her bargain and when the king came out to meet her she looked so sad that he guessed that something had happened and asked what was the matter she was afraid to tell him but when as soon as they reached the palace five frightful little dwarves were sent by the fairies to fetch me she was obliged to confess what she had promised the king was very angry and had the queen and myself shut up in a great tower and safely guarded and drove the little dwarves out of his kingdom but the fairies sent a great dragon who ate up all the people he met and whose breath burnt up everything as he passed through the country and at last after trying in vain to save myself of this monster the king to save his subjects was obliged to consent that I should be given up to the fairies this time they came themselves to fetch me in a chariot of pearl drawn by seahorses followed by the dragon who was led with chains of diamonds my cradle was placed between the old fairies who loaded me with caresses and away we whirled through the air to a tower which they had built on purpose for me there I grew up surrounded with everything that was beautiful and rare and learning everything that is ever taught to a princess but without any companions but a parrot and a little dog who could both talk and receiving every day a visit from one of the old fairies who came mounted upon the dragon one day however as I sat at my window I saw a handsome young prince who had seemed to have been hunting in the forest which surrounded my prison and who was standing and looking up at me when he saw that I observed him he saluted me with great deference you can imagine that I was delighted to have someone new to talk to and in spite of the height of my window our conversation was prolonged till night fell then my prince reluctantly bade me farewell but after that he came again many times and at last I consented to marry him but the question was how was I to escape from my tower the fairies always supplied me with flax from my spinning and by great diligence I made enough cord for a ladder that would reach the foot of the tower but alas just as my prince was helping me to descend the crossest and ugliest of the old fairies flew in before he had time to defend himself my unhappy lover was swallowed up by the dragon as for me the fairies furious at having their plans defeated for they intended me to marry the king of the dwarves and I utterly refused changed me into a white cat when they brought me here I found all the lords and ladies of my father's court awaiting me under the same enchantment the people of lesser rank had been made invisible all but their hands as they laid me under the enchantment the fairies told me all my history or until then I had quite believed that I was their child and warned me that my only chance of regaining my natural form was to win the love of a prince who resembled in every way my unfortunate lover and you have won it lovely princess interrupted the prince you are indeed wonderfully like him you are a princess in voice in features and everything and if you really love me all my troubles will be at an end and mine too cried the prince throwing himself at her feet if you will consent to marry me I love you already better than anyone in the world she said but now it is time to go back to your father we shall hear what he says about it so the prince gave her his hand and let her out and they mounted the chariot together it was even more splendid than before as the whole company even the horses shoes were of rubies with diamond nails and I suppose that is the first time such a thing was ever seen as the princess was as kind and clever as she was beautiful you may imagine what a delightful journey the prince founded for everything the princess said seemed to him quite charming when they came near the castle where the brothers were to meet the princess got into a chair carried by four of the guards it was hewn out of one splendid crystal silk and curtains which he drew round her that she might not be seen the prince saw his brothers walking upon the terrace each with a lovely princess and they came to meet him asking if he had also found a wife he said that he had found something much rarer a white cat at which they laughed very much and asked him if he was afraid of being eaten up by mice in the palace and then they set out together for the town each prince and princess rode in a splendid carriage the horses were decked with plumes of feathers and glittered with gold after them came the youngest prince and last of all the crystal chair at which everybody looked with admiration and curiosity when the courtiers saw them coming they hastened to tell the king are the ladies beautiful? he asked anxiously and when they answered that nobody had ever before seen such lovely princesses he seemed quite annoyed however he received them graciously but found it impossible to choose between them then turning to his youngest son he said have you come back alone after all? your majesty replied the prince will find in that crystal chair a little white cat which has such soft paws and muse so prettily that I am sure you will be charmed with it the king smiled and went to draw back the curtains himself but at a touch from the princess the crystal shivered into a thousand splinters and there she stood in all her beauty her fair hair floated over her shoulders and was crowned with flowers and her softly falling robe was of the purest white she saluted the king gracefully while a murmur of admiration rose from all around sire she said I am not come to deprive you of the throne you fill so worthily I have already six kingdoms permit me to bestow one upon you and upon each of your sons I ask nothing but your friendship and your consent to my marriage with your youngest son we shall still have three kingdoms left for ourselves the king and all the courtiers could not conceal their joy and astonishment and the marriage of the three princes was celebrated at once the festivities lasted several months and then each king and queen departed to their own kingdom and lived happily ever after end of the white cat the water lily the gold spinners of the blue fairy book this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org that's L-I-B-R-I-V-O-X-dot-O-R-Z recording by Kristi Noak the blue fairy book by Andrew Lang the water lily the gold spinners once upon a time in a large forest there lived an old woman in three maidens they were all three beautiful but the youngest was the fairest their hut was quite hidden by trees and none saw their beauty but the sun by day and the moon by night and the eyes of the stars the old woman kept the girls hard at work from morning till night spinning gold flax into yarn and when one distaff was empty another was given them so they had no rest the thread had to be fine and even and when done was locked up in a secret chamber by the old woman who twice or thrice every summer went on a journey before she went she gave out work for each day of her absence and always returned in the night so that the girls never saw what she brought back with her neither would she tell them whence the gold flax came nor what it was to be used for now when the time came round for the old woman she was set out on one of these journeys she gave each maiden work for six days with the usual warning children don't let your eyes wander and on no account speak to a man for if you do your thread will lose its brightness and misfortunes of all kinds will follow they laughed at this off-repeated caution saying to each other how could our gold thread lose its brightness and have we any chance of speaking to a man on the third day after the old woman's departure a young prince hunting in the forest got separated from his companions and completely lost weary of seeking his way he flung himself down under a tree leaving his horse to browse at will and fell asleep the sun had set when he awoke and began once more to try and find his way out of the forest at last he perceived a narrow footpath which he eagerly followed and found that it led him to a small hut the maidens who were sitting at the door of their hut for coolness saw him approaching and the two elder ones were much alarmed for they remembered the old woman's warning but the youngest said never before have I seen anyone like him let me have one look they entreated her to come in but seeing that she would not left her and the prince, coming up, courteously greeted the maiden and told her he had lost his way in the forest and was both hungry and weary she set foot before him and was so delighted with his conversation that she forgot the old woman's caution and lingered for hours in the meantime the prince's companion sought him far and wide but to no purpose so they sent two messengers to tell the sad news to the king who immediately ordered a regiment of cavalry and one of infantry to go and look for him after three days' search they found the hut the prince was still sitting by the door and had been so happy in the maidens company that the time had seemed like a single hour before leaving he promised to return and fetch her to his father's court where he would make her his bride when he had gone she sat down to her wheel to make up for lost time but was dismayed to find that her thread had lost all its brightness her heart beat fast and she wept bitterly for she remembered the old woman's warning and knew not what Miss Wharton might now befall her the old woman returned in the night and knew by the tarnished thread what had happened in her absence she was seriously angry and told a young maiden she had brought down misery both on herself and on the prince the maiden could not rest for thinking of this at last she could bear it no longer and resolve to seek help from the prince as a child she had learned to understand the speech of birds and this was now of great use to her for seeing a raven pluming itself on a pine bough she cried softly to it dear bird, cleverest of all birds as well as swift as unwing wilt thou help me? how can I help thee? asked the raven she answered, fly away until thou comes to the splendid town where stands the king's palace seek out the king's son and tell him that a great Miss Wharton has befallen me then she told the raven how her thread had lost its brightness how terribly angry the old woman was and how she feared some great disaster the raven promised faithfully to do her bidding and spreading its wings flew away the maiden now went home and worked hard all day at winding up the yarn her elder sisters had spun for the old woman would let her spin no longer toward evening she heard the ravens CRA! CRA! from the pine tree and eagerly hastened thither to hear the answer by great good fortune the raven had found a wind wizard's son in the palace garden who understood the speech of birds and to him he had entrusted the message when the prince heard it he was very sorrowful and took counsel with his friends how to free the maiden then he said to the wind wizard's son beg the raven to fly quickly back to the maiden and tell her to be ready on the ninth night for then will I come and fetch her away the wind wizard's son did this and the raven flew so swiftly that it reached the hut that same evening the maiden thanked the bird heartily and went home telling no one what she had heard as the ninth night junior she became very unhappy for she feared less some terrible mischance should arise and ruin all on this night she crept quietly out of the house and waited trembling at some little distance from the hut presently she heard the muffled tramp of horses and soon the armed troop appeared led by the prince who had prudently marked all the trees beforehand in order to know the way when he saw the maiden he sprang from his horse lifted her into the saddle and then behind rode homeward the moon shone so brightly that they had no difficulty in seeing the marked trees by and by the coming of dawn loosened to the tongues of all the birds and had the prince only known what they were saying or the maiden been listening they might have been spared much sorrow but they were thinking only of each other and when they came out of the forest the sun was high in the heavens next morning when the youngest girl did not come to her work the old woman asked where she was the sisters pretended not to know but the old woman easily guessed what had happened and as she was in reality the wicked witch determined to punish the fugitives accordingly she collected nine different kinds of enchanters nightshade added some salt which she first bewitched and doing all up in a cloth into the shape of a fluffy ball sent it after them on the wings of the wind saying whirlwind mother of the wind lend thy aid against her who sinned carry with thee this magic ball cast her from his arms forever bury her in the rippling river at midday the prince and his men came to a deep river spanned by so narrow a bridge that only one rider could cross at a time the horse on which the prince and the maiden were riding had just reached the middle when the magic ball flew by the horse in its fright suddenly reared and before anyone could stop it flung the maiden into the swift current below the prince tried to jump in after her but his men held him back and in spite of his struggles led him home where for six weeks he shut himself up in a secret chamber and would neither eat nor drink so great was his grief at last he became so ill his life was disbared of and in great alarm the king caused all the wizards of his country to be summoned but none could cure him at last the wind wizard's son said to the king sent for the old wizard from Finland he knows more than all the wizards of your kingdom put together a messenger was at once sent to Finland and a week later the old wizard himself arrived on the wings of the wind honored king said the wizard the wind has blown this illness upon your son and a magic ball has snatched away his beloved this it is which makes him grieve so constantly let the wind blow upon him that it may blow away his sorrow then the king made his son go out into the wind and he gradually recovered and told his father all forget the maiden said the king and take another bride but the prince said he could never love another a year afterward he came suddenly upon the bridge where his beloved met her death as he recalled the misfortune he wept bitterly and would have given all he possessed to have her once more alive in the midst of his grief he thought he heard a voice singing and looked round but could see no one then he heard the voice again and it said alas be witched and all for second his eye must lie forever here my beloved no thought has taken to free his bride that was so dear he was greatly astonished sprang from his horse and looked everywhere to see if no one were hidden under the bridge but no one was there then he noticed a yellow water lily floating on the surface of the water half hidden by its broad leaves but flowers do not sing and in great surprise he waited hoping to hear more then again the voice sang alas be witched and all for second his eye must lie forever here but no thought has taken to free his bride that was so dear the prince suddenly remembered the gold spinners and said to himself if I ride thither who knows but that they could explain this to me he at once rode to the hut and found the two maidens at the fountain he told him what had befallen their sister the year before and how he had twice heard a strange song but yet could see no singer they said that the yellow water lily could be none other than their sister who was not dead but transformed by the magic ball before he went to bed the eldest made a kick of magic herbs which she gave him to eat in the night he dreamed that he was living in the forest and could understand all that the bird said to each other next morning he told this to the maidens and they said that the charmed cake had caused it and advised him to listen well to the birds and see what they could tell him and when he had recovered his bride they begged him to return and deliver them from their wretched bondage having promised this he joyfully returned home and as he was riding through the forest he could perfectly understand all that the bird said he heard a thrush say to a magpie how stupid men are they cannot understand the simplest thing and now quite a year since the maiden was transformed into a water lily and though she sings so sadly that anyone going over the bridge must hear her yet no one comes to her aid her former bridegroom wrote over it a few days ago and heard her singing but was no wiser than the rest and he is to blame for all her misfortunes added the magpie if he heeds only the words of men she will remain a flower forever she was soon delivered where the matter only laid before the old wizard of Finland after hearing this the prince wondered how he could get a message conveyed to Finland he heard one swallow say to another come let us fly to Finland we can build better nests there stop kind friends cried the prince will you do something for me the birds consented and he said take a thousand greetings from me to the wizard of Finland and ask him how I may restore a maiden transformed into a flower to her own form the swallows flew away and the prince rode on to the bridge there he waited hoping to hear the song but he heard nothing but the rushing of the water and the moaning of the wind and disappointed rode home shortly after he was sitting in the garden thinking that the swallows must have forgotten his message when he saw an eagle fly above him the bird gradually descended until it perched on a tree close to the prince and said the wizard of Finland greets thee and bids me say that thou mayst free the maiden thus go to the river and smear thyself all over with mud then say from a man into a crab and thou will become a crab plunge boldly into the water swim as close as thou canst to the water lilies' roots and loosen them from the mud and reeds this done fasten thy claws onto the roots and rise with them to the surface let the water flow all over the flower and drift with the current until thou comes to a mountain ash tree on the left bank there is near it a large stone stop there and say from a crab into a man from a water lily into a maiden and ye both will be restored to your own forms full of doubt and fear the prince let some time pass before he was bold enough to attempt to rescue the maiden when a crow said to him why dost thou hesitate the old wizard has not told thee wrong neither have the birds deceived thee hasten and dry the maiden's tears nothing worse than death can befall me thought the prince and death is better than endless sorrow so he mounted his horse and went to the bridge again he heard the water lilies in the ment and hesitating no longer smeared himself all over with mud and saying from a man into a crab plunged into the river for one moment the water hissed in his ears and then all was silent he swam up to the plant and began to loosen its roots but so firmly were they fixed in the mud and reeds that this took him a long time he then grasped for them and rose to the surface letting the water flow over the flower the current carried them down the stream but nowhere could he see the mountain ash at last he sought and close by the large stone here he stopped and said from a crab into a man from a water lily into a maiden and to his delight found himself once more a prince and the maiden was by his side she was ten times more beautiful than before and wore a magnificent pale yellow robe sparkling with jewels she thanked him for having freed her from the cruel witches power and willingly consented to marry him but when they came to the bridge they had left his horse it was nowhere to be seen for though the prince thought he had been a crab only a few hours he had in reality been under the water more than ten days while they were wondering how they should reach his father's court they saw a splendid coach driven by six gaily capricent horses coming along the bank in this they drove to the palace the king and queen were at church weeping for their son whom they had long mourned for dead great was their delight and astonishment when the prince entered leading the beautiful maiden by the hand the wedding was at once celebrated and there was feasting and merry-making throughout the kingdom for six weeks some time afterward the prince and his bride were sitting in the garden when a crow said to them ungrateful creatures have you forgotten the two poor maidens who helped you in your distress must they spin gold flags forever have no pity on the old witch the three maidens are princesses whom she stole away when they were children together with all the silver utensils which she turned into gold flags poison were her fittest punishment the prince was ashamed for having forgotten his promise and set out at once and by great good fortune reached the hut when the old woman was away the maidens had dreamed that she was coming and were ready to go with him but first they made a cake in which they put poison and left it on the table where the old woman was likely to see it when she returned she did see it and thought it looked so tempting that she greedily ate it up and at once died in the secret chamber were found fifty wagon loads of gold flags and as much more was discovered buried the hut was raised to the ground and the prince and his bride and her two sisters lived happily ever after end of the water lily the gold spinners the terrible head of the blue fairy book this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Scott Robbins the terrible head once upon a time there was a king whose only child was a girl now the king had been very anxious to have a son or at least a grandson to come after him but he was told by a prophet whom he consulted that his own daughter's son should kill him this news terrified him so much that he determined never to let his daughter be married for he thought it was better to have no grandson at all than to be killed by his grandson he therefore called his workmen together and made them dig a deep round hole in the earth and then he had a prison of brass built in the hole and then when it was finished he locked up his daughter no man ever saw her and she never even saw the fields and the sea but only the sky and the sun for there was a wide room on the roof of the house of brass so the princess would sit looking up at the sky watching the clouds float across and wondering whether she should ever get out of her prison now one day it seemed to her but the sky opened above her and a great shower of shining gold fell through the window in the roof and lay glittering in her room not very long after the princess had a baby a little boy who when the king her father heard of it he was very angry and afraid for now the child was he had not quite the heart to kill the princess and her baby outright but he had them put in a huge brass bound chest and thrust up to sea that they might either be drowned or starved or perhaps come to a country where they would be out of his way so the princess and the baby floated and drifted in the chest on the sea all day and night but the baby was not afraid of the waves nor of the wind for he did not know that they could hurt him and he slept quite soundly and the princess sang a song over him and this child my child how sound you sleep though your mother's care is deep you can lie without at rest in the narrow the brass bound chest in the starless night and drear you can sleep and never hear billows breaking and the cry of the night wind wandering by in soft purple mantles sleeping with your little face on mine hearing not your mother weeping and the breaking of the brine well the daylight came at last and the great chest was driven by the waves against the shore of an island there the brass bound chest lay with the princess and her baby in it till a man of that country came past and saw it and dragged it on to the beach and when he had broken it open behold there was a beautiful lady and a little boy so he took them home and was very kind to them and brought up the boy till he was a young man now when the boy had come to his full strength the king of that country fell in love with his mother and wanted to marry her but he knew that she would never part from her boy though he thought of a plan to get rid of the boy and this was his plan a great queen of a country not far off was going to be married and this king said that all his subjects must bring him wedding presents to give her and he made a feast to which he invited them all and they all brought their presents some brought gold cups and some brought necklaces of gold and amber and some brought beautiful horses but the boy had nothing though he was the son of a princess or his mother had nothing to give him then the rest of the company began to laugh at him and the king said if you have nothing else to give at least you might go and fetch the terrible head the boy was proud and spoke without thinking then I swear that I will bring the terrible head if it may be brought by a living man but of what had you speak I know not then they told him that somewhere a long way off there had well three dreadful sisters monstrous overish women with golden wings and claws of brass and with serpents growing on their heads instead of hair now these women were so awful to look on that whoever saw them was turned at once into stone and two of them could not be put to death but the youngest whose face was very beautiful could be killed and it was her head that the boy had promised to bring you may imagine it was no easy adventure when he heard all this he was perhaps sorry that he had been sworn when he heard all this he was perhaps sorry that he had sworn to bring the terrible head but he was determined to keep his oath so he went out from the feast where they all sat drinking and making merry and he walked alone by the sea in the dusk of the evening at the place where the great chest with himself and his mother in it had been cast ashore there he went and sat down on a rock looking toward the sea and wondering how he should begin to fulfill his vow then he felt someone touch him on the shoulder and he turned and saw a young man like a king's son having with him a tall and beautiful lady whose blue eyes shone like stars they were taller than mortal men and the young man had a staff in his hand with golden wings on it and two golden serpents twisted round it and he had wings on his cap and on his shoes he spoke to the boy and asked him why he was so unhappy and the boy told him how he had sworn to bring the terrible head and knew not how to begin to set about the adventure then the beautiful lady also spoke and said that it was a foolish oath and a hasty but it might be kept if a brave man had sworn it then the boy answered that he was not afraid if only he knew the way then the lady said that to kill the dreadful woman with the golden wings and the brass claws and to cut off her head he needed three things first a cap of darkness which would make him invisible when he wore it next a sword of sharpness which would cleave iron at one blow and last the shoes of swiftness with which he might fly in the air the boy answered that he knew not where such things were to be procured and that wanting them he could only try and fail then the young man taking off his own shoes said first you shall use these shoes till you have taken the terrible head and then you must give them back to me and with these shoes you will fly as fleet as a bird or a thought over the land or over the waves of the sea wherever the shoes know the way but there are ways which they do not know roads beyond the borders of the world and these roads have you to travel now first you must go to the three grey sisters who live far off in the north and are so very cold that they have only one eye and one tooth among the three you must creep up close to them and as one of them passes the eye to the other you must seize it and refuse to give it up till they have told you the way to the three fairies of the garden and they will give you the cap of darkness and the sword of sharpness and show you how to wing beyond this world to the land of the terrible head then the beautiful ladies said go forth at once and do not return to say goodbye to your mother for these things must be done quickly and the shoes of swiftness themselves will carry you to the land of the three grey sisters for they know the measure of that way so the boy thanked her and he fastened on the shoes of swiftness and turned to say goodbye to the young man and the lady but behold they had vanished he knew not how or where then he leaped in the air to try the shoes of swiftness and they carried him more swiftly than the wind over the warm blue sea over the happy lands of the south over the northern peoples who drank maresmil and lived in great wagons wandering after their flocks across the wide rivers where the wild fowl rose and fled before him and over the plains and the cold north sea he went over the fields of snow and the hills of ice to a place where the world ends and all water is frozen and there are no men nor beasts nor any green grass there in the blue cave of the ice he found the three grey sisters the oldest of living things their hair was as white as the snow and their flesh of an icy blue and they mumbled and nodded in a kind of dream and their frozen breath hung round them like a cloud now the opening of the cave in the ice was narrow and it was not easy to pass in without touching one of the grey sisters but floating on the shoes of swiftness the boy just managed to steal in and waited till one of the sisters said to another who had their one eye sister what do you see do you see old times coming back no sister then give me the eye for perhaps I can see farther than you then the first sister passed the eye to the second but as the second groped for it the boy caught it cleverly out of her hand where is the eye sister said the second grey woman you have taken it yourself sister said the first grey woman have you lost the eye sister have you lost the eye said the third grey woman shall we never find it again and see old times coming back then the boy slipped from behind them out of the cold cave into the air and he laughed aloud when the grey women heard that laugh they began to weep for now they knew that a stranger had robbed them and that they could not help themselves and their tears froze as they fell from the hollows where no eyes were and rattled on the icy ground of the cave then they began to implore the boy to give them their eye back again and he could not help being sorry for them they were so pitiful but he said he would never give them the eye till they told him the way to the fairies of the garden then they rung their hands miserably for they guessed why he had come and how he was going to try to win the terrible head now the dreadful women were akin to the three grey sisters it was hard for them to tell the boy the way but at last they told him to keep always self and with the land on his left and the sea on his right till he reached the island of the fairies of the garden then he gave them back the eye and they began to look out once more for the old times coming back again but the boy flew south between sea and land keeping the land always on his left hand till he saw a beautiful island crowned with flowering trees there he alighted and there he found the three fairies of the garden they were like three very beautiful young women dressed one in green one in white and one in red and they were dancing and singing round an apple tree with apples of gold and this was their song the song of the western fairies round and round the apples of gold round and round dance we goss do we dance from the days of old bow the enchanted tree round and round round we go while the spring is green or the stream shall flow or the wind shall stir the sea there is none we may taste of the golden fruit till the golden new time come many a tree shall spring from shoot many a blossom be withered at root many a song be dumb broken and still shall be many a loot or ever the new times come round and round the tree of gold round and round dance we so doth the great world spin from a fold summer and winter and fire and cold song that is sung and tale that is told even as we dance that fold and unfold round the stem of the fairy tree these grave dancing fairies were very unlike the grey women to see the boy and treated him kindly then they asked him why he had come and he told them how he was sent to find the sword of sharpness in the cap of darkness and the fairies gave him these and a wallet and a shield and belt of the sword which had a diamond blade around his waist and the cap they set on his head and told him that now even they could not see him though they were fairies then he took it off and they each kissed him and wished him good fortune and then they began again their eternal dance round the golden tree for it is their business to guard it till the new times come or till the world's ending so the boy put the cap on his head and hung the wallet round his waist and the shining shield on his shoulders and flew beyond the great river that lies coiled like a serpent around the whole world and by the banks of that river there he found the three terrible women all asleep beneath the poplar tree and the dead poplar leaves lay all about them their golden wings were folded and their brass claws were crossed and two of them slept with their hideous heads and the serpents in their hair writhed out from under the feathers of gold but the youngest slept between her two sisters and she lay on her back with her beautiful sad face turned to the sky and though she slept her eyes were wide open if the boy had seen her he would have been changed into stone by the terror and the pity of it she was so awful but he had thought of a plan for killing her without looking on her face as soon as he caught sight of the three from far off he took his shining shield from his shoulders like a mirror so that he saw the dreadful women reflected in it and did not see the terrible head itself then he came nearer and nearer till he reckoned that he was within a sword stroke of the youngest and he guessed where he should strike a back blow behind him then he drew the sword of sharpness and struck once and the terrible head was cut from the shoulders of the creature and the blood leaped out and struck him like a blow but he thrust the terrible head into his wallet and flew away without looking behind then the two dreadful sisters who were left wakened and rose in the air like great birds and though they could not see him because of his cap of darkness they flew after him up the wind following by the scent through the clouds like hounds hunting in a wood they came so close that he could hear the clatter of their golden wings and their shrieks to each other here, here no, there this way he went as they chased him but the shoes of swiftness flew too fast for them and at last their cries and the rattle of their wings died away as he crossed the great river that runs round the world now when the horrible creatures were far in the distance and the boy found himself on the right side of the river he flew straight eastward trying to seek his own country but as he looked down from the air he saw a very strange sight a beautiful girl chained to a stake at the high water mark of the sea the girl was so frightened or so tired that she was only prevented from falling by the iron chain about her waist and there she hung as if she were dead the boy was very sorry for her and flew down and stood beside her when he spoke she raised her head and looked round but his voice only seemed to frighten her then he remembered that he was wearing the cap of darkness and that she could only hear him, not see him though he took it off and there he stood before her the handsomest young man she had ever seen in all her life with short curly yellow hair and blue eyes and a laughing face and he thought her the most beautiful girl in the world so first with one blow of the sword of sharpness he cut the iron chain that bound her and then he asked her what she did there and why men treated her so cruelly and she told him that she was the daughter of the king of that country and that she was tied there to be eaten by a monstrous beast out of the sea for the beast came and devoured a girl every day now the lot had fallen on her and as she was just saying this a long fierce head of a cruel sea creature rose out of the waves and snapped at the girl but the beast had been too greedy and too hurried so he missed his aim the first time before he could rise and bite again the boy had whipped the terrible head out of his wallet and held it up and when the sea beast leaped out once more its eyes fell on the head and instantly it was turned into a stone and the stone beast is there on the sea coast to this day then the boy and the girl went to the palace of the king, her father where everyone was weeping for her death and they could hardly believe their eyes when they saw her come back well and the king and queen made much of the boy and could not contain themselves for delight when they found he wanted to marry their daughter so the two were married with the most splendid rejoicings and when they passed some time at court they went home in a ship to the boy's own country for he could not carry his bride through the air so he took the shoes of swiftness and the cap of darkness and the sword of sharpness up to a lonely place in the hills there he left them and there they were found by the man and woman who had met him at home beside the sea and had helped him to start on his journey when this had been done the boy and his bride set forth for home and landed at the harbor of his native land but whom should he meet in the very street of the town but his own mother flying for her life from the wicked king who now wished to kill her because he found that she would never marry him or if she had liked the king ill before she liked him far worse now that he had caused her son to disappear so suddenly she did not know of course where the boy had gone but thought the king had slain him secretly so now she was running for her very life and the wicked king was following her with a sword in his hand then behold she ran into her son's very arms but he had only time to kiss her and step in front of her when the king struck at him with his sword the boy caught the blow on his shield and cried to the king I swore to bring you the terrible head and see how I keep my oath then he drew forth the head from his wallet and when the king's eyes fell on it instantly he was turned into stone just as he stood there with his sword lifted now all the people rejoiced because the wicked king should rule them no longer and they asked the boy to be their king but he said no he must take his mother home to her father's house so the people chose for king the man who had been kind to his mother when first she was cast on the island in the great chest presently the boy and his mother and his wife set sail for his mother's own country and from which she had been driven so unkindly but on the way they stayed at the court of a king and it happened that he was holding games and giving prizes to the best runners, boxers and court-throwers then the boy would try his strength with the rest but he threw the court so far that it went beyond what had ever been thrown before and fell in the crowd striking a man so that he died now this man was no other than the father of the boy's mother who had fled away from his own kingdom for fear his grandson should find him and kill him after all thus he was destroyed by his own cowardice and by chance and thus the prophecy was fulfilled but the boy and his wife and his mother went back to the kingdom that was theirs and lived long and happily after all their troubles End of The Terrible Head Recording by Scott Robbins The story of Pretty Goldilocks Once upon a time there was a princess who was the prettiest creature in the world and because she was so beautiful and because her hair was like the finest gold and waved and rippled nearly to the ground she was called Pretty Goldilocks She always wore a crown of flowers and her dresses were embroidered with diamonds and pearls and everybody who saw her fell in love with her Now one of her neighbors was a young king who was not married he was very rich and handsome and when he had heard all that was said about Pretty Goldilocks though he had never seen her he fell so deeply in love with her that he could neither eat nor drink so he resolved to send an ambassador to ask for a marriage he had a splendid carriage made for his ambassador and gave him more than a hundred horses and a hundred servants and told him to be sure and bring the princess back with him After he had started nothing else was talked of at court and the king felt so sure that the princess would consent that he fed his people to work at pretty dresses and splendid furniture that they might be ready by the time she came Meanwhile the ambassador arrived at the princess's palace and delivered his little message but whether she happened to be cross that day or whether the compliment did not please her is not known she only answered that she was very much obliged to the king that she had no wish to be married The ambassador set off sadly on his homeward way bringing all the king's presence back with him for the princess was too well brought up to accept the pearls and diamonds when she would not accept the king so she had only kept 25 English pins that he might not be vexed When the ambassador reached the city where the king was waiting impatiently everybody was very much annoyed with him for not bringing the princess and the king cried like a baby but he could console him Now there was at the court a young man who was more clever and handsome than anyone else he was called Charming and everyone loved him excepting a few envious people who were angry at his being the king's favorite and knowing all the state secrets He happened to one day be with some people who were speaking of the ambassador's return and saying that his going to the princess had not done much good when Charming said, Rashley if the king had sent me to the princess Goldilocks I am sure she would have come back with me His enemies at once went to the king and said you will hardly believe what Charming has the audacity to say that if he had been sent to the princess Goldilocks she would certainly have come back with him he seems to think that he is so much handsomer than you that the princess would have fallen in love with him and followed him willingly The king was very angry when he heard this Ha ha! said he Does he laugh at my unhappiness and think himself more fascinating than I am? Go and let him be shut up in my great tower to die of hunger So the king's guards went to fetch Charming who had thought no more of his rash speech and carried him off to prison with great cruelty The poor prisoner had only a little straw for his bed and but for a little stream of water which flowed through the tower he would have died of thirst One day when he was in despair he said to himself How can I have offended the king? I am the most faithful subject and have done nothing against him The king chanced to be passing the tower and recognized the voice of his former favorite He stopped to listen in spite of Charming's enemies who tried to persuade him to have nothing more to do with the traitor But the king said Be quiet, I wish to hear what he says and then he opened the tower door and called to Charming who came very sadly and kissed the king's hand saying What have I done, Sire, to deserve this cruel treatment? You mocked me and my ambassador, said the king and you said that if I had sent you for the princess goalie Vox you would certainly have brought her back That is quite true, Sire, replied Charming I should have drawn such a picture of you and represented your good qualities in such a way that I am certain the princess would have found you irresistible but I cannot see what there is in that to make you angry The king could not see any cause for anger either when the matter was presented to him in this light and he began to frown very fiercely at the quarters who had so misrepresented his favorite So he took Charming back to the palace with him and after seeing that he had a very good supper he said to him You know that I love pretty goalie Vox as much as ever Her refusal has not made any difference to me but I don't know how to make her change her mind I really should like to send you to see if you can persuade her to marry me Charming replied that he was perfectly willing to go and would set out the very next day But you must wait till I can get a grand escort for you said the king But Charming said that he only wanted a good horse to ride and the king, who was delighted at his being ready to start so promptly gave him letters to the princess and bade him good speed It was on a Monday morning that he set out all alone upon his errand thinking of nothing but how he could persuade the princess goldilocks to marry the king He had a writing book in his pocket and whenever any happy thought struck him he dismounted from his horse and sat down under the trees to put it into the harangue which he was preparing for the princess before he forgot One day when he had started at the very earliest dawn and was riding over a great meadow he suddenly had a capital idea On screening from his horse he sat down under a willow tree which grew by a little river When he had written it down he was looking round him pleased to find himself in such a pretty place When all at once he saw a great golden car lying gasping and exhausted upon the grass In leaping after little flies she had thrown herself high upon the bank where she had lain till she was nearly dead Charming had pity upon her and though he couldn't help thinking that she would have been very nice for dinner he picked her up gently and put her back into the water As soon as Dane Cobb felt the refreshing coolness of the water she sank down joyfully to the bottom of the river Then swimming up to the bank quite boldly she said I thank you Charming for the kindness you have done me you have saved my life one day I will repay you So saying she sank down into the water again leaving Charming greatly astonished at her politeness Another day as he journeyed on he saw a raven in great distress The poor bird was closely pursued by an eagle which would have soon eaten it up had not Charming quickly fitted an arrow to his bow and shot the eagle dead The raven perched upon a tree very joyfully Charming said he it was very generous of you to rescue a poor raven I am not ungrateful some day I will repay you Charming thought it was very nice of the raven to say so and went on his way Before the sun rose he found himself in a thick wood where it was too dark for him to see his path and here he heard an owl crying as if it were in despair Park said he that must be an owl in great trouble I'm sure it has gone into a snare and he began to hunt about and presently found a great net which some bird catchers had spread the night before What a pity it is that men do nothing but torment and persecute poor creatures which never do them any harm, said he and he took out his knife and cut the cords of the net and the owl flitted away into the darkness but then turning with one flicker of her wings she came back to Charming and said It does not need many words to tell you how great a service you have done me I was caught in a few minutes the foulers would have been here without your help I should have been killed I am grateful and one day I will repay you These three adventures were the only ones of any consequence that we felt Charming upon his journey and he made all the haste he could to reach the palace of the Princess Goldilocks When he arrived he thought everything he saw delightful and magnificent diamonds were as plentiful as pebbles and the gold and silver, the beautiful dresses the sweet meats and pretty things that were everywhere quite amazed him he thought to himself if the princess consents to leave all this and come with me to marry the king he may think himself lucky then he dressed himself carefully in rich brocade with scarlet and white plumes and through a splendid embroidered scarf over his shoulder and looking as gay and as graceful as possible he presented himself at the door of the palace harrying in his arm a tiny pretty dog which he had bought on the way the guards saluted him respectfully and a messenger was sent to the princess to announce the arrival of Charming as ambassador of her neighbor the king Charming said to the princess the name promises well I have no doubt that he is good looking and fascinates everybody indeed he does madam said all her maids of honour in one breath we saw him from the window of the garret where we were spinning flecks and we could do nothing but look at him as long as he was in sight well to be sure said the princess that's how you amuse yourselves is it looking at strangers out of the window be quick and give me my blue satin embroidered dress and comb out my golden hair let somebody make me fresh garlands of flowers and give me my high healed shoes and my fan and tell them to sweep my great hall and my throne for I want everyone to say I am really pretty goldilocks you can imagine how all her maids scurried this way and that to make the princess ready and how in their haste they knocked their heads together and hindered each other till she thought they would never have done however at last they let her into the gallery of mirrors that she might assure herself that nothing was lacking in her appearance and then she mounted her throne of gold ebony and ivory while her ladies took their guitars and began to sing softly then Charming was let in and was so struck with astonishment and admiration that at first not a word could he say but presently he took courage and delivered his hurray bravely ending by begging the princess to spare him the disappointment of going back without her so Charming answered she all the reasons you have given me are very good ones and I assure you that I should have more pleasure in obliging you than anyone else but you must know that a month ago as I was walking by the river with my ladies I took off my gloves and as I did so a ring that I was wearing slipped off my finger and rolled into the water as I valued it more than my kingdom you may imagine how vexed I wasn't losing it and I vowed never listen to any proposal of marriage unless the ambassador first brought me back my ring so now you know what is expected of you for if you talked for 15 days and 15 nights you could not make me change my mind Charming was very much surprised by this answer but he bowed low to the princess to accept the embroidered scarf and the tiny dog he had brought with him but she answered that she did not want any presents and that he was to remember what she had just told him when he got back to his lodge and he went to bed without eating any supper and his little dog, who was called Frisk couldn't eat any either but came and lay down close to him all night Charming sighed and lamented how am I to find a ring that fell into the river a month ago, said he it is useless to try you must have told me to do it on purpose knowing it was impossible and then he sighed again Frisk heard him and said my dear master, don't despair the luck may change, you are too good not to be happy let us go down to the river as soon as it is light but Charming only gave him two little pots and said nothing and very soon he fell asleep at the first glimmer of dawn Frisk began to jump about and when he had waked Charming they went out together, first into the garden in the spring where they wandered up and down Charming was thinking sadly of having to go back unsuccessful when he heard someone calling Charming, Charming he looked all about him and thought he must be dreaming as he could not see anybody then he walked on and the voice called again Charming, Charming who calls me, said he Frisk, who was very small and could look closely into the water, cried out I see a golden carp coming there was the great carp who said to Charming you saved my life in the meadow by the willow tree and I promised that I would repay you take this it is Princess Goldilocks ring Charming took the ring out of Dame Carp's mouth thanking her a thousand times and he and tiny Frisk went straight to the palace where someone told the princess that he was asking to see her ah poor fellow said she he must have come to say goodbye finding it impossible to do as I asked so in came Charming who presented her with the ring and said Madam I have done your bidding will it please you to marry my master when the princess saw her ring brought back to her unhurt she was so astonished that she thought she must be dreaming truly Charming said she you must be the saviour of some failure you could never have found it Madam, answered he I was helped by nothing but my desire to obey your wishes since you are so kind said she perhaps you will do me another service for till it is done I will never be married there is a prince not far from here whose name is Gallifren who once wanted to marry me but when I refused he uttered the most terrible threats against me and vowed that he would lay waste to my country but what could I do I could not marry a frightful giant as tall as a tower who eats up people as a monkey eats chestnuts and he talks so loud that anybody who has to listen to him becomes quite deaf nevertheless he does not refuse to persecute me and to kill my subjects so before I can listen to your proposal you must kill him and bring me his head Charming was rather dismayed at this command but he answered very well princess I will fight this Gallifren I believe that he will kill me but at any rate I shall die in your defence then the princess was frightened and said everything she could think of to prevent Charming from fighting the giant but it was of no use and he went out to arm himself suitably and then taking little frisk with him he mounted his horse and set out for Gallifren's country everyone he met told him what a terrible giant Gallifren was and that nobody dared go near him and the more he heard the more frightened he grew frisk tried to encourage him by saying while you are fighting the giant dear master I will go and bite his heels and when he stoops down to look at me you can kill him Charming praised his little dog's plan but knew that this help would not do much good at last he drew near the giant's castle and saw to his horror that every path that led to it was strewn with bones before long he saw Gallifren coming his head was higher than the tallest trees and he sang in a terrible voice bring out your little boys and girls pray do not stay to do that curve for I shall eat so very many I shall not know if they have any thereupon Charming sang out as loud as he could to the same tune come out and meet the valiant Charming who finds you not at all alarming although he is not very tall he's big enough to make you fall the rhymes were not very correct but you see he had made them up so quickly that it is a miracle that they were not worse especially as he was horribly frightened all the time when Gallifren heard these words he looked all about him and saw Charming standing sword in hand this put the giant into a terrible rage and he aimed a blow at Charming with his huge iron club which would certainly have killed him if it had reached him but at that instant a raven perched upon the giant's head and pecking with its strong beak and beating with its great wings so confused and blinded him that all his blow fell harmlessly upon the air and Charming rushing in gave him several strokes with his sharp sword so that he fell to the ground whereupon Charming Charming cut off his head before he knew anything about it and the raven from a tree close by croaked out you see I have not forgotten the good turn you did me in killing the eagle today I think I have fulfilled my promise of repaying you indeed I owe you more gratitude than you ever owed me replied Charming and then he mounted his horse and rode off with Gallifren's hand when he reached the city the people ran after him Charming who has killed the giant and their shots reached the princess's ear but she dared not ask what was happening for fear she should hear that Charming had been killed but very soon he arrived at the palace with the giant's head of which she was still terrified though it could no longer do her any harm Princess said Charming I have killed your enemy I hope you will now consent to marry the king my master oh dear no said the princess not until you have brought me some water from the gloomy cavern not far from here there is a deep cave the entrance to which is guarded by two dragons with fiery eyes who will not allow anyone to pass them when you get into the cavern you will find an immense hole which you must go down and it is full of toads and snakes at the bottom of this hole there is another little cave in which rises the fountain of health and beauty it is some of this water that I really must have everything it touches becomes wonderful the beautiful things will always remain beautiful and the ugly things become lovely if one is young one never grows old and if one is old one becomes young you see Charming I could not leave my kingdom without taking some of it with me Princess said he you at least can never need this water but I am an unhappy ambassador whose death you desire where you send me I will go though I know I shall never return and as the princess Goldilocks showed the sign of relenting he started with his little dog for the gloomy cavern everyone he met on the way said what a pity that a handsome young man should throw away his life so carelessly he is going to the cavern alone and though he had a hundred men with him he could not succeed why does the princess ask impossibilities Charming said nothing but he was very sad when he was near the top of a hill he dismounted to let his horse graze while Frisk amused himself by chasing flies Charming knew Charming knew he could not be far from the gloomy cavern and on looking about him he saw a black hideous rock from which came a thick smoke followed in a moment by one of the dragons with fire blazing from his mouth and eyes his body was yellow and green and his claws scarlet and his tail was so long that it lay in a hundred coils Frisk was so terrified at the sight of it that he did not know where to hide Charming quite determined to get the water or die from the sword and taking the crystal flowers which pretty Goldilocks had given him to fill said to Frisk I feel sure that I shall never come back from this expedition when I am dead go to the princess and tell her that her errand has cost me my life then find the king my master and relate all my adventures to him as he spoke he heard a voice calling Charming Charming who calls me to the hollow tree who said to him you saved my life when I was caught in the net now I can repay you trust me with the flask for I know all the ways of the gloomy cavern and can fill it from the fountain of beauty Charming was only too glad to give her the flask and she flitted into the cavern quite unnoticed by the dragon and after some time returned with the flask filled to the very brim with sparkling water Charming thanked her with all his heart and joyfully hastened back to the town he went straight to the palace and gave the flask to the princess who had no further objection to make so she thanked Charming and ordered the preparation should be made for her departure and they soon set out together the princess found Charming such an agreeable companion that she sometimes said to him why didn't we stay where we were I could have made you king and we should have been so happy but Charming only answered I could not have done anything that would have vexed my master so much even for a kingdom or to please you though I think you are as beautiful as the sun at last they reached the king's great city and he came out to meet the princess bringing magnificent presents and the marriage was celebrated with great rejoicings but Goldilocks was so fond of Charming that she could not be happy unless he was near her and she was always singing his praises if it hadn't been for Charming she said to the king I should never have come here you ought to be very much obliged to him he did the most impossible things and got me water from the fountain of beauty so I can never grow old and shall get prettier every year then Charming's enemy said to the king it is a wonder that you are not jealous the queen thinks there is nobody in the world like Charming as if anybody you had sent could not have done just as much it is quite true now I come to think of it said the king letting me train hand and foot and thrown into the tower so they took Charming with a reward for having served the king so faithfully he was shot up in the tower where he saw only the jailer who brought him a piece of black bread and a pitcher of water every day however little Frisk came to console him and told him all the news when pretty Goldilocks heard what had happened she threw herself at the king's feet and begged him to set Charming free but the more she cried the more angry he was and at last she saw that it was useless to say any more but it made her very sad then the king took it into his head that perhaps he was not handsome enough to please the princess Goldilocks and he thought he would bathe his face with the water from the fountain of beauty which was in the flask on a shelf in the princess's room where she had placed it that she might see it often now it happened that one of the princess's ladies in chasing a spider had knocked the flask off the shelf and broken it and every drop of the water had been spilled not knowing what to do she had hastily swept away the pieces of crystal and then remembered that in the king's room she had seen a flask of exactly the same shape also filled with sparkling water so without saying a word she fetched it and stood it upon the queen's shelf now the water in this flask was what was used in the kingdom for getting rid of troublesome people instead of having their heads cut off in the usual way their faces were bathed with the water and they instantly fell asleep and never woke up anymore so when the king, thinking to improve his beauty took the flask and sprinkled the water upon his face he fell asleep and nobody could wake him little Frisk was the first to hear the news and he ran to tell Charming who sent him to beg the princess not to forget the poor prisoner all the palace was in confusion on account of the king's death but tiny Frisk made his way through the crowd to the princess's side and said Madam, did not forget poor Charming then she remembered all he had done for her and without saying a word to anyone went straight to the tower and with her own hands took off Charming's chains everyone putting a golden crown upon his head and the royal mantle upon his shoulder she said come faithful Charming I make you king and will take you for my husband Charming once more free and happy fell at her feet and thanked her for her gracious words everybody was delighted that he should be king and the wedding which took place at once was the prettiest that can be imagined and Prince Charming and Princess Goldilocks lived happily ever after Madam, don't know end of the story of pretty Goldilocks recording by Jeanette Selig the history of Whittington of the Blue Fairy Book this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org the Blue Fairy Book by Andrew Lang the history of Whittington Dick Whittington was a very little boy when his father and mother died so little indeed that he never knew them nor the place where he was born he strolled about the country as ragged as a colt till he met with a wagoner who was going to London and who gave him leave to walk all the way by the side of his wagon without paying anything for his passage this pleased little Whittington very much as he wanted to see London sadly for he had heard that the streets were paved with gold and he was willing to get a bushel of it but how great was his disappointment poor boy when he saw the streets covered with dirt instead of gold and found himself in a strange place without a friend without food and without money though the wagoner was so charitable is to let him walk up by the side of the wagon for nothing he took care not to know him when he came to town and the poor boy was in a little time so cold and hungry that he wished himself in a good kitchen and by a warm fire in the country in his distress he asked charity of several people and one of them bid him go work for an idle rogue that I will said Whittington with all my heart I will work for you if you will let me the man who thought this savoured of wit and impertinence though the poor lad intended only to show his readiness to work gave him a blow with a stick which broke his head so that the blood ran down in this situation and fainting for want of food he laid himself down at the door of one Mr. Fitzwarren a merchant where the cook saw him and, being an ill-natured hussy ordered him to go about his business or she would scald him at this time Mr. Fitzwarren came from the exchange and began also to scold at the poor boy bidding him to go to work Whittington answered that he should be glad to work if anybody would employ him and that he should be able if he could get some victuals to eat for he had had nothing for three days and he was a poor country boy and knew nobody and nobody would employ him he then endeavored to get up but he was so very weak that he fell down again which excited so much compassion in the merchant that he ordered the servants to take him in and give him some meat and drink and let him help the cook to do any dirty work that she had to set him about people are too apt to approach those who beg with being idle but give themselves no concern to put them in the way of getting business to do or considering whether they are able to do it which is not charity but we returned to Whittington he would have lived happily in this worthy family had he not been bumped about by the cross cook who must be always roasting and basting or when the spit was idle employed her hands upon poor Whittington at last Miss Alice, his master's daughter was informed of it and then she took compassion on the poor boy and made the servants treat him kindly besides the crossness of the cook Whittington had another difficulty to get over before he could be happy he had by order of his master a flock bed placed for him in a garret where there was a number of rats and mice he ran over the poor boy's nose and disturbed him in his sleep after some time however a gentleman who came to his master's house gave Whittington a penny for brushing his shoes this he put into his pocket being determined to lay it out to the best advantage and the next day seeing a woman in the street with a cat under her arm he ran up to know the price of it the woman, as the cat was a good mouser asked a deal of money for it but on Whittington's telling her he had but a penny in the world and that he wanted a cat sadly this cat Whittington concealed in the garret for fear she should be beat about by his mortal enemy the cook and here she soon killed a frightened away the rats and mice so that the poor boy could now sleep his sound as a top soon after this the merchant who had a ship ready to sail called for his servants, as his custom was in order that each of them might venture something to try their luck and whatever they sent was to pay neither fright nor custom for he thought justly that God Almighty would bless him the more readiness to let the poor partake of his fortune all the servants appeared but poor Whittington who, having neither money nor goods could not think of sending anything to try his luck but his good friend Miss Alice, thinking his poverty kept him away ordered him to be called she then offered to lay down something for him but the merchant told his daughter that would not do it must be something of his own upon which poor Whittington said he had nothing but a cat which he bought for a penny that was given him fetch thy cat boy, said the merchant, and send her Whittington brought poor Puss and delivered her to the captain with tears in his eyes for he said he should now be disturbed by the rats and mice as much as ever all the company laughed at the adventurer but Miss Alice who pitted the poor boy and gave him something to buy another cat while Puss was beating the billows at sea poor Whittington was severely beaten at home by his tyrannical mistress the cook who used him so cruelly and made such game of him for sending his cat to sea that at last the poor boy determined to run away from his place and having packed up the few things he had he set out very early in the morning on all Hollow's day he travelled as far as Holloway and there sat down on a stone to consider what course he should take for while he was thus ruminating bow bells of which there were only six began to ring he thought their sounds addressed him in this manner earn again Whittington thrice Lord Mayor of London Lord Mayor of London said he to himself what would not one endure to be Lord Mayor of London and ride in such a fine coach well I'll go back again and bear all the pummeling and ill usage of Sicily rather than miss the opportunity of being Lord Mayor so home he went and happily got into the house and about his business before Mrs. Sicily made her appearance we must now follow Miss Puss to the coast of Africa how perilous our voyage is at sea how uncertain the winds and the waves and how many accidents attend a naval life the ship that had the cat on board was long beaten at sea and at last by contrary winds driven on a part of the coast of Barbary which was inhabited by moors and unknown to the English these people received our countrymen with civility and therefore the captain in order to trade with them showed them the patterns of the goods he had on board and sent some of them to the king of the country who was so well pleased that he sent for the captain and the factor to come to his palace which was about a mile from the sea here they were placed according to the custom of the country on rich carpets flowered with gold and silver and the king and queen being seated at the upper end of the room dinner was brought in which consisted of many dishes but no sooner where the dishes put down but an amazing number of rats and mice came from all quarters and devoured all the meat in an instant the factor in surprise turned round to the nobles and asked if these vermin were not offensive oh yes said they very offensive and the king would give half his treasure to be freed of them for they not only destroy his dinner as you see but they assault him in his chamber and even in beds so that he is obliged to be watched while he is sleeping for fear of them the factor jumped for joy he remembered poor Whittington and his cat and told the king he had a creature on board the ship that would dispatch all these vermin immediately the king's heart heaved so high at the joy which this news gave him that his turban dropped off his head bring this creature to me he said vermin are dreadful in a court and if she will perform what you say I will load your ship with gold and jewels in exchange for her the factor who knew his business took this opportunity to set forth the merits of Miss Puss he told his majesty that it would be inconvenient to part with her as when she was gone the rats and mice might destroy the goods in the ship but to oblige his majesty he would fetch her run run said the queen I am impatient to see the dear creature away flew the factor while another dinner was providing and returned with the cat just as the rats and mice were devouring that also he immediately put down Miss Puss who killed a great number of them the king rejoiced greatly to see his old enemies destroyed by so small a creature and the queen was highly pleased and desired the cat might be brought near that she might look at her upon which the factor called Pussy Pussy Pussy and she came to him he then presented her to the queen who started back and was afraid to touch a creature who had made such havoc among the rats and mice however when the factor stroke the cat and called Pussy Pussy the queen also touched her and cried Pussy Pussy for she had not learned English he then put her down on the Queen's lap where she, purring played with her Majesty's hand and then sang herself to sleep the king having seen the exploits of Miss Puss and being informed that her kittens would stalk the whole country bargained with the captain and factor for the whole ship's cargo and then gave them ten times as much for the cat as all the rest amounted to on which taking leave of their Majesty's and other great personages at court they sailed with a fair wind for England whither we must now attend them the morn had scarce dawn when Mr. Fitzwarren arose to count over the cash and settle the business for that day he had just entered the counting house and seated himself at the desk when somebody came tap tap at the door Who's there? said Mr. Fitzwarren A friend answered the other What friend can come at this unseasonable time? A real friend is never unseasonable answered the other I come to bring you good news of your ship Unicorn the merchant bustled up in such a hurry that he forgot his gout instantly opened the door and who should be seen waiting but the captain and factor with a cabinet of jewels and a bill of landing for which the merchant lifted up his eyes and thanked heaven for sending him such a prosperous voyage then they told him the adventures of the cat and showed him the cabinet of jewels which they had brought for Mr. Whittington upon which he cried out with great earnestness but not in the most poetical manner Go send him in and tell him of his fame and call him Mr. Whittington by name it is not our business to animadvert upon these lines we are not critics but historians it is sufficient for us that they are the words of Mr. Fitzwarren and though it is beside our purpose and perhaps not in our power to prove him a good poet we shall soon convince the reader that he was a good man which was a much better character for when some who were present told him that this treasure was too much for such a poor boy as Whittington he said God forbid that I should deprive him of a penny it is his own and he shall have it to a farthing he then ordered Mr. Whittington in who was at this time cleaning the kitchen and would have excused himself from going into the counting house saying the room was swept and his shoes were dirty and full of hobnails the merchant however made him come in and ordered a chair to be set for him upon which thinking they intended to make sport for him as had been too often the case in the kitchen he besought his master not to mock a poor simple fellow who intended them no harm but let him go about his business the merchant taking him by the hand said indeed Mr. Whittington I am in earnest with you and send for you to congratulate you on your great success your cat has procured you more money than I am worth in the world and may you long enjoy it and be happy at length being shown the treasure and convinced by them that all of it belonged to him he fell upon his knees and thanked the Almighty for his providential care of such a poor and miserable creature he then laid all the treasure at his master's feet who refused to take any part of it but told him he hardly rejoiced at his prosperity and hoped the wealth he had acquired would be a comfort to him and would make him happy he then applied to his mistress and to his good friend Miss Alice who refused to take any part of the money but told him she hardly rejoiced at his good success and wished him all imaginable felicity he then gratified the captain factor and the ship's crew for the care they had taken of his cargo he likewise distributed presents to all the servants in the house not forgetting even his old enemy the cook though she little deserved it after this Mr. Fritz Warren advised Mr. Whittington to send for the necessary people and dress himself like a gentleman and made him the offer of his house to live in until he could provide himself with a better now it came to pass when Mr. Whittington's face was washed his hair curled and he dressed in a rich suit of clothes that he turned out a gentile young fellow and as wealth contributes much to give a man confidence he in a little time dropped that cheapest behaviour which was principally occasioned by a depression of spirits and soon grew a sprightly and good companion in so much that Miss Alice who had formerly pitied him now fell in love with him when her father perceived they had this good liking for each other he proposed a match between them to which both parties cheerfully consented and the lord mayor court of alderman, sheriffs, the company of stationers the royal academy of arts and a number of eminent merchants attended the ceremony and were elegantly treated as an entertainment made for that purpose history further relates that they lived very happy had several children and died at a good age Mr. Whittington served as sheriff of London and was three times lord mayor in the last year of his mayoralty he entertained King Henry V and his queen after his conquest of France upon which occasion the king in consideration of Whittington's merit said never had Prince such a subject which being told to Whittington at the table he replied never had subjects such as a king his majesty out of respect to his good character conferred the honour of knighthood on him soon after Sir Richard many years before his death constantly fed a great number of poor citizens built a church and a college to it with the yearly allowance for poor scholars and near it erected a hospital he also built Newgate for criminals and gave liberally to Saint Bartholomew's hospital and other public charities End of the history of Whittington Recording by Scott Robbins The wonderful sheep of the Blue Fairy book This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org That's L-I-B-R-I-V-O-X-dot-O-R-G Recording by Christie Nowock The Blue Fairy book by Andrew Lang The Wonderful Sheep Once upon a time in the days when fairies lived there was a king who had three daughters who were all young and clever and beautiful but the youngest of the three who was called Miranda was the prettiest and most beloved and her father gave her more dresses and jewels in a month than he gave the others in a year but she was so generous that she shared everything with her sisters and they were all a