Journeys Through Bookland V2

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JOURNEYS THROUGH BOOKLAND

A NEW AND ORIGINAL
PLAN FOR READING APPLIED TO THE
WORLD'S BEST LITERATURE
FOR CHILDREN

BY
CHARLES H. SYLVESTER
Author of English and American Literature

VOLUME TWO
New Edition

1922

CONTENTS

AESOP

THE FALCON AND THE PARTRIDGE (From the Arabian Nights)

MINERVA AND THE OWL

THE SPARROW AND THE EAGLE (From the Arabian Nights)

THE OLD MAN AND DEATH

INFANT JOY ........ William Blake

THE BABY ........ George MacDonald

THE DISCONTENTED STONECUTTER (From the Japanese)

DISCREET HANS ........ Wilhelm and Jakob Grimm

THE POPPYLAND EXPRESS ........ St. Louis Star Sayings

BLUEBEARD

LULLABY

RUMPELSTILTZKIN ........ Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm

THE MIRROR OF MATSUYANA (From the Japanese)

A CONTRAST

THE GOLDEN TOUCH ........ Nathaniel Hawthorne

THE CHILD'S WORLD ........ W. B. Rands

THE FIR TREE ........ Hans Christian Andersen

HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

PICTURE BOOKS IN WINTER ........ Robert Louis Stevenson

HOW THE WOLF WAS BOUND ........ Adapted by Anna McCaleb

THE DEATH OF BALDER ........ Adapted by Anna McCaleb

THE PUNISHMENT OF LOKI ........ Adapted by Anna McCaleb

SEVEN TIMES ONE ........ Jean Ingelow

SHUFFLE-SHOON AND AMBER-LOCKS ........ Eugene Field

AFTERWHILE ........ James Whitcomb Riley

WINDY NIGHTS ........ Robert Louis Stevenson

THE SNOW QUEEN ........ Hans Christian Andersen

THE CHIMERA ........ Nathaniel Hawthorne

A VISIT FBOM ST. NICHOLAS ........ Clement C. Moore

THE STORY OF PHAETHON

THE ENGLISH ROBIN ........ Harrison Weir

TOM, THE WATER BABY ........ Charles Kingsley

THE MILKMAID ........ Jeffreys Taylor

HOLGER DANSKE ........ Hans Christian Andersen

WHAT THE OLD MAN DOES is ALWAYS RIGHT ........ Hans Christian Andersen

THE FAIRIES OF CALDON-LOW ........ Mary Howitt

WHO STOLE THE BIRD'S NEST? ........ L. Maria Child

THE FIRST SNOWFALL ........ James Russell Lowell

THE KING OF THE GOLDEN RIVER ........ John Ruskin

THE STORY OF ESTHER

THE DARNING-NEEDLE ........ Hans Christian Andersen

THE POTATO ........ Thomas Moore

THE QUEEN OF THE UNDERWORLD

ORIGIN OF THE OPAL

IN TIME'S SWING ........ Lucy Larcom

WHY THE SEA IS SALT ........ Mary Howitt

PRONUNCIATION OF PROPER NAMES

For Classification of Selections, see General Index at end of Volume X.

ILLUSTRATIONS

KAY AND GERDA AT PLAY AMONG THE FLOWEBS ... (Color Plate) Arthur
Henderson
AESOP (Halftone) ..... From Painting by Velasquez
THE OWL ..... Herbert N. Rudeen
THE SPARROW AND THE EAGLE ..... Herbert N. Rudeen
INFANT JOY ..... Lucille Enders
JAPANESE GATE ..... Herbert N Rudeen
THE STONECUTTER AND HIS SILKEN COUCH ..... Herbert N. Rudeen
EVERYTHING REJOICED IN A NEW GROWTH ..... Herbert N. Rudeen
BLUEBEARD ..... Herbert N. Rudeen
THE PASS KEY ..... Uncredited
SHE SLIPPED SILENTLY AWAY ..... Herbert N. Rudeen
SISTER ANN WATCHING FROM THE TOWER ..... Herbert N. Rudeen
RUMPELSTILTZKIN ..... Herbert N. Rudeen
AWAITING THE RETURN OF THE FATHER ..... Herbert N. Rudeen
JAPANESE LANTERN ..... Herbert N. Rudeen
HER GREATEST PLEASURE WAS TO LOOK INTO THE MIRROR ..... Herbert N.
Rudeen
YEARNING LOVE ..... Lucille Enders
THE FIGURE OF A STRANGER IN THE SUNBEAM ..... Arthur Henderson
MARYGOLD WAS A GOLDEN STATUE ..... Arthur Henderson
THE CHILD'S WORLD ..... Marion Miller
THE SWALLOWS AND THE STORK CAME ..... Herbert N. Rudeen
THE FAT MAN TOLD ABOUT KLUMPEY-DUMPEY ..... Herbert N. Rudeen
HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN ..... (Halftone) Uncredited
PICTURE BOOKS IN WINTER ..... Iris Weddell White
THE GODS WERE AMAZED ..... A. H. Winkler
HODER HURLED THE DART ..... Herbert N. Rudeen
STRANGE OPAL LIGHTS FILTERED THROUGH THE WATER ..... A. H. Winkler
THOR'S HAND GRIPPED HIM ..... W. O. Reese
SHUFFLE-SHOON AND AMBER-LOCKS ..... Lucille Enders
HOLLYHOCKS ..... Donn P. Crane
THE GOBLIN AND THE MIRROR ..... Herbert N. Rudeen
THE SNOW-FLAKE AT LAST BECAME A MAIDEN ..... Herbert N. Rudeen
THEY FLEW OVER WOODS AND LAKES ..... Herbert N Rudeen
"HE IS BLOWING BUBBLES" ..... Herbert N. Rudeen
THE CROW STOPPED TO LOOK AT HER ..... Herbert N. Rudeen
THE REINDEER RAN AS FAST AS IT COULD GO ..... Herbert N. Rudeen
THE SNOW QUEEN'S CASTLE ..... Herbert N. Rudeen
PEGASUS AT THE FOUNTAIN ..... Herbert N Rudeen
PEGASUS DARTED DOWN ASLANT ..... Herbert N. Rudeen
ST. NICHOLAS ..... Herbert N. Rudeen
IN VAIN PHAETHON PULLED AT THE REINS ..... Donn P. Crane
THERE WAS A LITTLE CHIMNEY SWEEP, AND HIS NAME WAS TOM ..... Donn P.
Crane
THEY CAME UP WITH A POOR IRISH WOMAN ..... Donn P. Crane
BEES AND HIVES ..... Donn P. Crane
HARTHOVER PLACE ..... Donn P. Crane
ALL RAN AFTER TOM ..... Donn P. Crane
TOM LOOKED DOWN THE CLIFF ..... Donn P. Crane
THE OLD DAME LOOKED AT TOM ..... Donn P. Crane
TOM LOOKED INTO THE CLEAR WATER ..... Donn P. Crane
SIR JOHN SEARCHING FOR TOM ..... Donn P. Crane
TOM WAS NOW A WATER BABY ..... Donn P. Crane
"OH, YOU BEAUTIFUL CREATURE!" SAID TOM ..... Donn P. Crane
TOM ESCAPED THE OTTER ..... Donn P. Crane
THE SALMON, KING OF ALL THE FISH ..... Donn P. Crane
TOM ON THE BUOY ..... Donn P. Crane
PORPOISES ..... Donn P. Crane
A LOBSTER ..... Donn P. Crane
ELLIE AND THE PROFESSOR ..... Donn P. Crane
MRS. BEDONEBYASYOUDID ..... Donn P. Crane
SHE TOOK TOM IN HER ARMS ..... Donn P. Crane
TOM FOUND THE CABINET ..... Donn P. Crane
THE LAST OF THE GAIRFOWL ..... Donn P. Crane
AND BEHOLD, IT WAS ELLIE ..... Donn P. Crane
HOLGER DANSKE ..... Arthur Henderson
THE FIGUREHEAD ..... Arthur Henderson
"MY DEAR GOOD HUSBAND" ..... Herbert N. Rudeen
THE FAIRIES OF CALDON-LOW ..... Iris Weddell White
WHO STOLE THE BIRD'S NEST? ..... Herbert N. Rudeen
"FATHER, WHO MAKES IT SNOW?" ..... Iris Weddell White
"HELLO! I'M WET, LET ME IN" ..... Donn P. Crane
"SORRY TO INCOMMODE YOU" ..... Donn P. Crane
"PRAY SIR, WERE YOU MY MUG?" ..... Donn P. Crane
"THOU HAST HAD THY SHARE OF LIFE" ..... Donn P. Crane
HE CAST THE FLASK INTO THE STREAM ..... Donn P. Crane
THE DWARF SHOOK THE DROPS INTO THE FLASK ..... Donn P. Crane
MORDECAI IN THE KING'S GATE ..... Arthur Henderson
HE PUT ON SACKCLOTH AND ASHES ..... Arthur Henderson
THEN HAMAN WAS AFRAID ..... Arthur Henderson
PLUTO SEIZED PROSERPINA ..... Arthur Henderson
IN TIME'S SWING ..... Herbert N. Rudeen
SO THE BARGAIN WAS MADE ..... Mildred Lyon

AESOP

Many centuries ago, more than six hundred years before Christ was born,
there lived in Greece a man by the name of Aesop. We do not know very
much about him, and no one can tell exactly what he wrote, or even that
he ever wrote anything.

We know he was a slave and much wiser than his masters, but whether he
was a fine, shapely man or a hunchback and a cripple we cannot be sure,
for different people have written very differently about him.

No matter what he was or how he lived, many, many stories are still told
about him, and the greater part of the fables we all like to read are
said to have been written or told by him, and everybody still calls them
Aesop's fables.

Some of the stories told about him are curious indeed. Here are a few of
them.

In those days men were sold as slaves in the market, as cattle are sold
now. One day Aesop and two other men were put up at auction. Xanthus, a
wealthy man, wanted a slave, and he said to the men: "What can you do?"

The two men bragged large about the things they could do, for both
wanted a rich master like Xanthus.

"But what can you do?" said Xanthus, turning to Aesop.

"The others can do so much and so well," said Aesop, "that there's
nothing left for me to do."

"Will you be honest and faithful if I buy you?"

"I shall be that whether you buy me or not."

"Will you promise not to run away?"

"Did you ever hear," answered Aesop, "of a bird in a cage that promised
to stay in it?"

Xanthus was so much pleased with the answers that he bought Aesop.

Some time afterward, Xanthus, wishing to give a dinner to some of his
friends, ordered Aesop to furnish the finest feast that money could buy.

The first course Aesop supplied was of tongues cooked in many ways, and
the second of tongues and the third and the fourth. Then Xanthus called
sharply to Aesop:

"Did I not tell you, sirrah, to provide the choicest dainties that money
could procure?"

"And what excels the tongue?" replied Aesop. "It is the great channel of
learning and philosophy. By this noble organ everything wise and good is
accomplished."

The company applauded Aesop's wit, and good humor was restored.

"Well," said Xanthus to the guests, "pray do me the favor of dining with
me again to-morrow. And if this is your best," continued he turning to
Aesop, "pray, to-morrow let us have some of the worst meat you can
find."

The next day, when dinner-time came, the guests were assembled. Great
was their astonishment and great the anger of Xanthus at finding that
again nothing but tongue was put upon the table.

"How, sir," said Xanthus, "should tongues be the best of meat one day,
and the worst another?"

"What," replied Aesop, "can be worse than the tongue? What wickedness is
there under the sun that it has not a part in? Treasons, violence,
injustice, and fraud are debated and resolved upon by the tongue. It is
the ruin of empires, of cities, and of private friendships."

* * * * *

At another time Xanthus very foolishly bet with a scholar that he could
drink the sea dry. Alarmed, he consulted Aesop.

"To perform your wager," said Aesop, "you know is impossible, but I will
show you how to evade it."

They accordingly met the scholar, and went with him and a great number
of people to the seashore, where Aesop had provided a table with several
large glasses upon it, and men who stood around with ladles with which
to fill the glasses.

Xanthus, instructed by Aesop, gravely took his seat at the table. The
beholders looked on with astonishment, thinking that he must surely have
lost his senses.

"My agreement," said he, turning to the scholar, "is to drink up the
sea. I said nothing of the rivers and streams that are everywhere
flowing into it. Stop up these, and I will proceed to fulfill my
engagement."

* * * * *

It is said that at one time when Xanthus started out on a long journey,
he ordered his servants to get all his things together and put them up
into bundles so that they could carry them.

When everything had been neatly tied up, Aesop went to his master and
begged for the lightest bundle. Wishing to please his favorite slave,
the master told Aesop to choose for himself the one he preferred to
carry. Looking them all over, he picked up the basket of bread and
started off with it on the journey. The other servants laughed at his
foolishness, for that basket was the heaviest of all.

When dinner-time came, Aesop was very tired, for he had had a difficult
time to carry his load for the last few hours. When they had rested,
however, they took bread from the basket, each taking an equal share.
Half the bread was eaten at this one meal, and when supper-time came the
rest of it disappeared.

For the whole remainder of the journey, which ran far into the night and
was over rough roads, up and down hills, Aesop had nothing to carry,
while the loads of the other servants grew heavier and heavier with
every step.

The people of the neighborhood in which Aesop was a slave one day
observed him attentively looking over some poultry in a pen that was
near the roadside; and those idlers, who spent more time in prying into
other people's affairs than in adjusting their own, asked why he
bestowed his attention on those animals.

"I am surprised," replied Aesop, "to see how mankind imitate this
foolish animal."

"In what?" asked the neighbors.

"Why, in crowing so well and scratching so poorly," rejoined Aesop.

[Illustration: "AESOP" Painting by Valasquez, Madrid ]

Fables, you know, are short stories, usually about animals and things,
which are made to talk like human beings. Fables are so bright and
interesting in themselves that both children and grown-ups like to read
them. Children see first the story, and bye and bye, after they have
thought more about it and have grown older, they see how much wisdom
there is in the fables.

For an example, there is the fable of the crab and its mother. They were
strolling along the sand together when the mother said, "Child, you are
not walking gracefully. You should walk straight forward, without
twisting from side to side."

"Pray, mother," said the young one, "if you will set the example, I will
follow it."

Perhaps children will think the little crab was not very respectful, but
the lesson is plain that it is always easier to give good advice than it
is to follow it.

There is another, which teaches us to be self-reliant and resourceful. A
crow, whose throat was parched and dry with thirst, saw a pitcher in the
distance. In great joy he flew to it, but found that it held only a
little water, and even that was too near the bottom to be reached, for
all his stooping and straining.

Next he tried to overturn the pitcher, thinking that he would at least
be able to catch some of the water as it trickled out. But this he was
not strong enough to do. In the end he found some pebbles lying near,
and by dropping them one by one into the pitcher, he managed at last to
raise the water up to the very brim, and thus was able to quench his
thirst.

THE FALCON AND THE PARTRIDGE

From The Arabian Nights

Once upon a time a Falcon stooped from its flight and seized a
Partridge; but the latter freed himself from the seizer, and entering
his nest, hid himself there. The Falcon followed apace and called out to
him, saying:

"O imbecile, I saw you hungry in the field and took pity on you; so I
picked up for you some grain and took hold of you that you might eat;
but you fled from me, and I know not the cause of your flight, except it
were to put upon me a slight. Come out, then, and take the grain I have
brought you to eat, and much good may it do you, and with your health
agree."

When the Partridge heard these words he believed, and came out to the
Falcon, who thereupon struck his talons into him and seized him.

Cried the Partridge, "Is this that which you told me you had brought me
from the field, and whereof you told me to eat, saying, 'Much good may
it do you, and with your health agree?' Thou hast lied to me, and may
God cause what you eat of my flesh to be a killing poison in your maw!"

When the Falcon had eaten the Partridge his feathers fell off, his
strength failed, and he died on the spot. Know that he who digs for his
brother a pit, himself soon falls into it.

MINERVA AND THE OWL

"My most solemn and wise bird," said Minerva one day to her Owl, "I have
hitherto admired you for your profound silence; but I have now a mind to
have you show your ability in discourse, for silence is only admirable
in one who can, when he pleases, triumph by his eloquence and charm with
graceful conversation."

The Owl replied by solemn grimaces, and made dumb signs. Minerva bade
him lay aside that affectation and begin; but he only shook his wise
head and remained silent. Thereupon Minerva commanded him to speak
immediately, on pain of her displeasure.

The Owl, seeing no remedy, drew up close to Minerva, and whispered very
softly in her ear this sage remark: "Since the world is grown so
depraved, they ought to be esteemed most wise who have eyes to see and
wit to hold their tongues."

THE SPARROW AND THE EAGLE

From The Arabian Nights

Once a Sparrow, flitting over a flock of sheep, saw a great Eagle swoop
down upon a newly weaned lamb and carry it up in his claws and fly away.
Thereupon the Sparrow clapped his wings and said, "I will do even as
this Eagle did."

So he waxed proud in his own conceit, and, mimicking one greater than
he, flew down forthright and lighted on the back of a fat ram with a
thick fleece, that was matted by his lying till it was like woolen felt.
As soon as the Sparrow pounced upon the sheep's back he flopped his
wings to fly away, but his feet became tangled in the wool, and, however
hard he tried, he could not set himself free.

While all this was passing, the shepherd was looking on, having seen
what happened first with the Eagle and afterward with the Sparrow. So in
a great rage he came up to the wee birdie and seized him. He plucked out
his wing feathers and carried him to his children.

"What is this?" asked one of them.

"This," he answered, "is he that aped a greater than himself and came to
grief."

The Old Man and Death

A poor and toil-worn peasant, bent with years and groaning beneath the
weight of a heavy fagot of firewood which he carried, sought, weary and
sore-footed, to gain his distant cottage. Unable to bear the weight of
his burden longer, he let it fall by the roadside, and lamented his hard
fate.

"What pleasure have I known since I first drew breath in this sad world?
From dawn to dusk it has been hard work and little pay! At home is an
empty cupboard, a discontented wife, and lazy and disobedient children!
O Death! O Death! come and free me from my troubles!"

At once the ghostly King of Terrors stood before him and asked, "What do
you want with me?"

"Noth-nothing," stammered the frightened peasant, "except for you to
help me put again upon my shoulders the bundle of fagots I have let
fall!"

INFANT JOY

By William Blake

"I have no name;
I am but two days old."
"What shall I call thee?"
"I happy am;
Joy is my name."
Sweet joy befall thee!

Pretty Joy!
Sweet Joy, but two days old.
Sweet Joy I call thee:
Thou dost smile:
I sing the while,
"Sweet joy befall thee!"

THE BABY

By George Macdonald

Where did you come from, baby dear?
Out of the everywhere into the here.

Where did you get your eyes so blue?
Out of the sky as I came through.

What makes the light in them sparkle and spin?
Some of the starry spikes left in.

Where did you get that little tear?
I found it waiting when I got here.

What makes your forehead so smooth and high?
A soft hand stroked it as I went by.

What makes your cheek like a warm white rose?
Something better than any one knows.

Whence that three-cornered smile of bliss?
Three angels gave me at once a kiss.

Where did you get that pearly ear?
God spoke, and it came out to hear.

Where did you get those arms and hands?
Love made itself into hooks and bands.

Feet, whence did you come, you darling things?
From the same box as the cherub's wings.

How did they all just come to be you?
God thought about me, and so I grew.

But how did you come to us, you dear?
God thought of YOU, and so I am here.

THE DISCONTENTED STONECUTTER

Adapted from the Japanese

Once upon a time there was a man who worked from early morning till late
at night cutting building stones out of the solid rock. His pay was
small and hardly enough to keep his wife and children from starving. So
the poor stonecutter grew discontented and sighed and moaned bitterly
over his hard lot.

One day when his work seemed harder than usual and his troubles more
than he could bear he cried out in despair:

"Oh, I wish I could be rich and lie at ease on a soft couch with a
curtain of red silk!"

Just then a beautiful fairy floated down from heaven, and softly said,
"Thy wish is granted thee." So the poor stonecutter found himself rich
and powerful and resting easily on his silken couch with its red
curtain. As he gazed out, however, he saw the king of the country ride
by with many horsemen before and behind him, and with a great golden
sunshade held over his head. It irritated the rich man to have no
parasol over his head and to see another more powerful than himself, and
in his discontentment he exclaimed, "Would that I were a king such as
that one."

Once again his good fairy appeared, waved his wand, and said, "It shall
be as thou desirest." Immediately the man was king, and before him and
behind him rode his men-at-arms, and over his head was a golden
sunshade. But elsewhere the sun shone fiercely down and dried up the
vegetation with its terrible heat. It was reflected into the
face of the king so that even the golden sunshade did not keep him from
suffering. Once more he sighed discontentedly, "If I could only be the
sun!"

[Illustration: THE STONECUTTER AND HIS SILKEN COUCH]

Almost before he spoke he found himself to be the sun, and he began
joyously to send his fiery rays above, below and everywhere roundabout
him. He scorched the grass of the earth, and burned the faces of its
rulers and felt his power unlimited until a little cloud placed itself
between him and the earth and threw back his scorching rays. It still
angered him to find something more powerful than himself, and he wished
aloud that he might be the cloud.

[Illustration: EVERYTHING REJOICED IN A NEW GROWTH]

Again his wish was granted, and he found himself floating where he
wished through the sky. He ran between the sun and the earth and
sheltered the latter so that the grass grew green, the trees leaved out
again, and everything rejoiced in a new growth. Then he sent great
floods of rain upon the earth, filled the rivers till they overflowed,
swept homes and herds into the sea, and destroyed the works of man in
every direction. But try as he would he could not move one great rock
that stood right across his way. Though he sent waters that roared
around its base and pushed hard against it, yet it remained immovable.
Such a failure angered the man-cloud, and again he cried out, "Would
that I were a rock, so strong and immovable is it."

This time, also, his guardian angel interfered, and he found himself a
rock that withstood the sun, the wind and the waters. But then, one day,
there came along a rude stonecutter, who with chisel and heavy hammer
began to cut the great rock into small, regular building stones. "What
does this mean?" cried the rock. "Has this man power to cut me in
pieces? Surely I am weaker than he! Would I were a stonecutter!"

"As thou wishest, so shall it be," said his guardian angel, and
immediately he was again a stonecutter, working hard as before and for
small wages, but happy and contented with his lot.

DISCREET HANS

By Wilhelm and Jakob Grimm

Hans's mother asked, "Whither are you going, Hans?"

"To Grethel's," replied he.

"Behave well, Hans."

"I will take care; good-bye, mother."

"Good-bye, Hans."

Hans came to Grethel. "Good day," said he.

"Good day," replied Grethel. "What treasure do you bring today?"

"I bring nothing. Have you anything to give?"

Grethel presented Hans with a needle.

"Good-bye," said he.

"Good-bye, Hans."

Hans took the needle, stuck it in a load of hay, and walked home behind
the wagon.

"Good evening, mother."

"Good evening, Hans. Where have you been?"

"To Grethel's."

"And what have you given her?"

"Nothing; she has given me something."

"What has Grethel given you?"

"A needle," said Hans.

"And where have you put it?"

"In the load of hay."

"Then you have behaved stupidly, Hans; you should put needles on your
coat sleeve."

"To behave better, do nothing at all," thought Hans.

"Whither are you going, Hans?"

"To Grethel's, mother."

"Behave well, Hans."

"I will take care; good-bye mother."

"Good-bye, Hans."

Hans came to Grethel. "Good day," said he.

"Good day, Hans. What treasure do you bring?"

"I bring nothing. Have you anything to give?"

Grethel gave Hans a knife.

"Good-bye, Grethel."

"Good-bye, Hans."

Hans took the knife, put it in his sleeve and went home.

"Good evening, mother."

"Good evening, Hans. Where have you been?"

"To Grethel's."

"And what did you take to her?"

"I took nothing; she has given something to me."

"And what did she give you?"

"A knife," said Hans.

"And where have you put it?"

"In my sleeve."

"Then you have behaved foolishly again, Hans; you should put knives in
your pocket."

"To behave better, do nothing at all," thought Hans.

"Whither are you going, Hans?"

"To Grethel's, mother."

"Behave well, Hans."

"I will take care; good-bye, mother."

"Good-bye, Hans."

Hans came to Grethel. "Good day, Grethel."

"Good day, Hans. What treasure do you bring?"

"I bring nothing; have you anything to give?"

Grethel gave Hans a young goat.

"Good-bye, Grethel."

"Good-bye, Hans."

Hans took the goat, tied its legs and put it in his pocket. Just as he
reached home it was suffocated.

"Good evening, mother."

"Good evening, Hans. Where have you been?"

"To Grethel's."

"And what did you take to her?"

"I took nothing; she gave to me."

"And what did Grethel give you?"

"A goat."

"Where did you put it, Hans?"

"In my pocket."

"There you acted stupidly, Hans; you should have tied the goat with a
rope."

"To behave better, do nothing," thought Hans.

"Whither away, Hans?"

"To Grethel's, mother."

"Behave well, Hans."

"I will take care; good-bye, mother."

"Good-bye, Hans."

Hans came to Grethel. "Good day," said he.

"Good day, Hans. What treasure do you bring?"

"I have nothing. Have you anything to give?"

Grethel gave Hans a piece of bacon.

"Good-bye, Grethel."

"Good-bye, Hans."

Hans took the bacon, tied it with a rope, and swung it to and fro, so
that the dogs came and ate it up. When he reached home he held the rope
in his hand, but there was nothing on it.

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