Wonder Tales from Many Lands 12

Wonder Tales from Many Lands 12

He took out the pot and filled it with water, and hung it over the

fire. Then he threw the charm into it. At once the rice began to boil

and bubble up. The whole house was filled with the delicious smell of

it.

 

It did not take long for the neighbours to find out that the old man

had his wonderful rice again. They hastened to buy of him, and soon he

had made even more money than before.

 

One day the cat, which had grown very lean and thin, came sneaking into

the house with one of the customers. As soon as the dog saw her he gave

a snarl and was about to fly at her, but the old man caught the cat up

in his arms. “Oh, my dear little cat,” he cried, “how glad I am to see

you. But how thin you have grown! Never mind; there is plenty in the

house now, and soon you will grow fat again.”

 

So the cat came back to her master again, but for as long as she lived

the dog never forgave her, and they never became friends again. The old

man did not know that however. He loved them both; he was quite happy

to have them as companions, and lived very prosperous and contented

until the end of his days.

 

 

 

 

THE CROW PERI

 

A PERSIAN STORY

 

 

THERE was once a youth named Hassan, who was so poor that he had

scarcely rags to cover him, and he was often obliged to go hungry to

bed.

 

One day Hassan went out to the forest beyond the city and set a snare,

hoping to catch a bird or some small animal that would serve him for a

meal. After setting it, he hid himself in the bushes near by to wait.

He had not been there long when he heard a loud flapping, and running

out he saw that a large black crow was caught in the snare.

 

Hassan was greatly disappointed. He had hoped for something more worth

eating than a crow. However, even that was better than nothing. He took

the bird from the snare, and was about to wring its neck when it spoke

to him in a human voice.

 

“Hassan, Hassan, do not kill me! Spare my life and I will make your

fortune for you.”

 

Hassan was greatly surprised to hear the crow speak, but after a moment

he swallowed his surprise and answered it.

 

“Make my fortune!” cried he. “How can you make my fortune?—you, a crow?

No, no, I am hungry, and the best fortune that can happen to me now is

to have a full stomach!”

 

Again he was about to wring the bird’s neck, but it called to him so

piteously that he could not but pause.

 

“Hassan! Hassan! You do not know what you are doing. I am no common

crow. Let me go now, and do you return to-morrow to this same spot and

you will find something in the snare that will be worth more to you

than I can possibly be.”

 

“Very well,” said Hassan. “I will let you go, but I do this through

pity, and not because I believe in the least that you can better my

fortunes.”

 

“That is well,” said the crow. “You will see, however, that I will keep

my promise. But before you let me go, pluck three feathers from my

wings. If you are ever in trouble, blow one of these feathers into the

air and call to me, and I will come and give you aid.”

 

Hassan did as the crow bade him. He plucked three feathers from its

wings, but as he did so he could not keep from laughing.

 

“You may laugh,” said the crow, “but you will soon find that my

promises are not vain. To-morrow return to your snare, and you will

find in it something that will be of value to you.”

 

It then spread its wings and flew away over the tree-tops, flapping

heavily.

 

Hassan returned home, but the next day he came to the forest again. As

he approached the spot where the snare was, he gave a cry of joy and

wonder. Caught in it was the most beautiful bird he had ever seen or

dreamed of. Its feathers were of pure silver, and over them played the

most gorgeous colours, like the colours of a rainbow. Its eyes shone

like diamonds, and its crest was tipped with jewels of seven different

kinds.

 

“Such a bird as this is not to be eaten,” said Hassan to himself. “It

is a gift that is fit for the King. I will take it to the palace and

present it to him, and he will be sure to reward me handsomely.” At the

same time he could not help marvelling to think how truly the crow had

spoken.

 

The youth hastened back to the city and borrowed a cage from a

neighbour. Then he returned to the tree, and put the wonderful bird in

the cage, and set out for the palace. He had thrown a piece of cloth

over the cage, so as to hide the bird, but the light from it was so

bright that it shone through, and set every one to wondering what it

could be that the ragged youth was carrying so carefully.

 

At the palace Hassan found that it was a difficult matter to see the

King. At last, however, he was allowed to come before his presence,

and at once he uncovered the cage so that the bird could be seen.

 

The King was filled with wonder at the sight. He had never seen such a

bird before. He questioned Hassan and made him repeat again and again

the story of how he had caught the bird, and exactly what it was that

the crow had said to him.

 

“There is some magic in this,” said the King. “I will keep the bird,

and never before have I received a gift that pleased me so much. I will

also prove to you that the crow spoke the truth, for, from now on, your

fortune is made.”

 

The King then caused the youth to be clothed in magnificent garments,

and he also gave him for his own a handsome house near to the palace,

and slaves to serve him, and gold to spend. Every day he sent for

Hassan to come to him, and because the youth was clever and handsome

and adroit, he soon became the King’s favourite above all others.

 

But success is sure to make enemies. The King’s former favourite became

very jealous of Hassan, and he began to scheme to destroy the youth,

and win back the King’s favour to himself. One day he went to the King

and said, “What a pity it is that such a wonderful bird as Hassan has

brought you should be kept in a cage! What it should have is an ivory

palace, in which you could visit it and sit at ease to watch it.”

 

“That is true,” answered the King, “but I do not know how I could

obtain such a palace. There is not enough ivory in all my kingdom to

build such a thing.”

 

“It is plain enough,” answered Hassan’s enemy, “that Hassan is the

favourite of some magic power. Ask him to build the palace, and if he

refuses, threaten him with death. Then I am sure that in some way he

will be able to provide it for you.”

 

This the enemy said, not because he at all believed it, but because he

wished to destroy Hassan.

 

After spending a short time in thought, the King agreed to this plan.

He sent for Hassan and said to him, “I am, as you know, greatly

delighted with the bird that you have given me, but now I wish for

still another thing. I wish you to build an ivory palace in which the

bird can live, and in which I can go to visit it.”

 

“Alas, your Majesty, how can I build such a place as that?” cried

Hassan. “I have nothing of my own, as you know, but only what you

yourself have given me, and in all your kingdom there is not enough

ivory to build a whole palace of it.”

 

“Nevertheless, you must provide it,” answered the King, “and if you do

not do so, your life shall answer for it.”

 

When Hassan heard these words, he was greatly troubled. He went out

from the King’s presence and returned home, and there he prepared to

die, for he knew not where to find enough ivory to build one room, to

say nothing of a whole palace.

 

Suddenly, in the midst of his despair, he remembered the three feathers

that he had plucked from the crow’s wing. He feared they were lost, but

after some search he found them laid away in a corner with the rags he

had once worn. He took them up, and blowing one of them into the air he

called upon the crow to come and help him.

 

Almost at once he heard outside a heavy flapping of wings, and a large

crow flew in through the window and lighted beside him.

 

“What do you wish?” asked the crow, “and why have you called upon me?

Are you in trouble?”

 

“Trouble enough,” answered Hassan, “and trouble that may end in my

losing my life.” He then told the crow what it was that the King had

demanded of him, and that he did not see how it would be possible for

him to carry it out.

 

“Do not despair over this,” answered the crow. “It is not such a

difficult matter as you seem to think. Ask the King to give you forty

cartloads of wine, with bullocks to pull them, and forty slaves to

drive the carts, and do you come away with me into the forest, and I

may be able to get the ivory for you.”

 

The youth had little hope of this. Still, he asked the King for

the things, as the crow had bade him,—forty cartloads of wine, the

bullocks, and the forty slaves, and the King was not slow to give

them to him. Then Hassan went away with them into the forest, and the

crow flew before to show him in which direction to go. After they had

journeyed a long distance, they came to a pool, and all round this pool

were marks that showed that it was the drinking-place for a great herd

of elephants. There had been a drought, however, and the water had

almost dried up.

 

The crow bade Hassan fill the pool with the wine he had brought with

him, and this he did. Then, by the crow’s directions, Hassan hid

himself and the carts and bullocks and slaves some little distance away.

 

Toward evening there was a great noise of trampling and trumpeting

in the forest, and a huge herd of elephants came down to the pool to

drink. They were very thirsty, for the supply of water had been low for

some days. When they found the pool full to the brim, they trumpeted

with joy and rushed to it to drink. They drank and drank, and presently

they were all overcome with the wine and fell down and lay as though

dead.

 

Then Hassan called to the forty slaves, and they came and cut off all

the elephants’ tusks and loaded them upon the carts, and there were

forty cartloads.

 

Hassan and his slaves and carts left the forest before the elephants

awoke, and by the next day they were back in the city again.

 

When the King saw the loads of ivory that Hassan had brought with him,

he could not wonder enough.

 

Hassan’s enemy was filled with rage and envy, but he dissembled. “Did I

not know it?” said he to the King. “I tell you there is nothing in the

world that Hassan cannot do if only he wishes to.”

 

The ivory palace was built, and every day the King went there to sit

and watch the bird, and Hassan was more of a favourite with him than

ever.

 

But one day Hassan’s enemy thought of a new plot to destroy him. He

went to the King and said, “What a pity it is that such a beautiful

bird as this should never make a sound. No doubt it could make the most

ravishing music if it would but sing.”

 

“Yes, it is a pity,” answered the King, and at once he became

dissatisfied.

 

“It must be that the bird misses its former owner,” said the enemy. “If

Hassan really wished to please you, he would find the former owner and

bring him here, so that the bird might sing again.”

 

“Yes, that is true,” said the King, “and I would greatly like to hear

it sing.”

 

He then sent for Hassan and told him what he wished.

 

“But, your Majesty,” cried Hassan in despair, “I do not know who was

the owner of the bird, nor have I any means for finding out. As you

know, I caught it in a snare far away from the city, and where there is

no house within sight.”

 

Nevertheless the King was determined that Hassan must find the former

owner of the bird and bring him to the palace. If he did not, his life

should answer for it.

 

Hassan went out from the King’s presence very sad. Then he bethought

himself of the crow’s feathers. He took one of the two that still

remained, and blew it into the air, and called to the crow to come.

 

Almost at once the crow appeared and settled on the ground beside him.

 

“What is it that you wish now?” it asked. “Are you again in trouble?”

 

“Yes, I am in trouble, and my trouble is very grievous.” Hassan then

told the crow what it was that the King demanded of him.

 

“This is a more difficult matter than the former one,” answered the

crow. “Nevertheless, it may be managed. Do you ask the King to give

you a vessel fitted out in the most complete and magnificent way. The

sails must be of silk and the figurehead of gold. It must be painted

and gilded within and without. There must be a dining-hall hung about

with velvet curtains, and the dishes must be of solid gold. There must

also be a bathroom with a marble bath-tub, and there must be damsels on

the ship, dressed in shining colours, and with bracelets and anklets of

gold set with precious stones. Do this, and then, when the vessel is

ready, I will instruct you further.”

 

Hassan did as the crow bade him. He went to the King and asked him for

a vessel fitted out in exactly the manner the crow had described to

him. This the King gave him.

 

When the vessel was finished, Hassan went on board, taking the crow

with him. They sailed away and sailed away, and always the crow told

Hassan in which direction to steer. After seven days and seven nights,

they came within sight of an island. The island was very pleasant to

look upon, for there were flowers and trees loaded with fruit, and

shining domes and palaces.

 

“Look, Hassan,” said the crow. “That is the place whither we are

bound. Now listen attentively to what I tell you, for I can guide you

no farther; I must leave you, but if you will follow out exactly all

my directions, everything will go well with you. That island belongs

to the Queen of the Peris. She is a very powerful fairy, and very

beautiful. She is very curious as well. When she sees your vessel, she

will be anxious to find out about it, whence it comes, and who is the

owner. She will send her messengers to inquire about it. But you must

answer no questions, and you must let no one but the Queen herself come

on board. She will wish to go all over the vessel, and when she sees

the bathroom she will admire it so much that she will wish to take a

bath there. This you must agree to. Then, while she is bathing, you

must sail away with her, for she is the owner of the Wonder Bird, and

for her and her alone will it sing.”

 

Hassan promised to do exactly as the crow bade him in all things, and

then it spread its wings and flew away and out of sight. Hassan ordered

the captain to sail the vessel up close to the shore of the island, and

there they dropped anchor.

 

Presently he could see that they had been observed from the island.

People gathered on the shore, many of them magnificently dressed, and

presently several boats put out and were rowed over to the ship’s side.

In them were messengers from the Queen.

 

These messengers questioned Hassan as to whence the vessel came and

whose it was. But Hassan would answer none of these questions. Neither

would he allow them to come on board to examine the vessel, though they

greatly wished it, and it had been, indeed, their Queen’s commands that

they should do so.

 

“If the Queen wishes to know about the vessel, she must come herself,”

said Hassan.

 

The messengers returned to shore very much dissatisfied. But presently

another boat put forth from the shore, and in it was the Queen herself.

She was rowed over to the ship’s side, and she said to the youth that

she would now come on board herself and bring her maidens with her.

 

She was so beautiful and so magnificent that Hassan scarcely knew

how to refuse her. However, he remembered the crow’s words, and was

determined to obey them.

 

“Your majesty, if you will do me the honour to enter my ship, it and

all that are in it are yours,” he said; “but as to anyone’s coming on

board with you, that I cannot allow, for I was expressly forbidden to

permit anyone but yourself to visit the ship.”

 

The Queen was very much offended by Hassan’s words. Still, she was so

very curious that she could not resist coming on board to see whether

the ship was really as magnificent within as it seemed from the outside.

 

The youth showed her all over it, and she was filled with admiration

at the beauty and completeness of its furnishing. When she entered the

room where the marble bath was, she was particularly delighted, and

after examining all the arrangements she signified to Hassan that she

would like to bathe in the marble tub.

 

Hassan at once retired and sent the damsels he had brought with him to

attend the Queen.

 

While she was bathing, the sails were set, and the ship sailed away

from the island and back across the sea toward Hassan’s own country.

 

When the Queen had finished bathing, and had returned to the deck, she

was amazed to find the ship under way and the island already lost to

view. She commanded Hassan to carry her back at once to her island, but

this the youth would in nowise consent to do. He explained to the Queen

why it was that he had carried her off—that it was to save his own

life. He said that later on, if she wished, she might return to her own

country, but first she must see whether the bird belonged to her, and

whether it would sing for her. He also told her so many pleasant things

about the King, his master, that the Queen became quite curious to see

him.

 

“I make no doubt from what you tell me,” said she, “that the bird is

one that I lost some time ago. If it is, I shall be glad to make it

sing for your master, but after that I must of course return home, and

I shall take the bird with me.”

 

The youth doubted whether the King would agree to this, but he kept his

thoughts to himself, and at last brought the Queen to the city and into

the King’s palace.

 

When the King saw the lady Hassan had brought with him, he was amazed

at her beauty. He could think of nothing else. Even the bird was

forgotten. He caused her to sit at his right hand and did all he could

to entertain her.

 

The Queen was no less pleased with him, and some time was spent in

talking pleasantly together.

 

“And now, your Majesty,” said the Queen at last, “let us visit the

ivory palace where the Wonder Bird is kept, and see whether it is mine,

and if it is, I can promise you that it will immediately begin to sing,

and that its voice is as beautiful as its plumage.”

 

The King at once arose, and together they went to the ivory palace. No

sooner had the Queen crossed the threshold than the bird burst into

song, and its song was so beautiful that all who heard it stood as

though enchanted. They could not stir, nor scarcely breathe until the

song was ended.

 

After the first day at the King’s palace, the Queen spoke no more of

returning to her own island. She had fallen deeply in love with the King, and he with her.