Open u Strange Things Someime Sill Happen and enter a fan fanas asti ticc word word of fai fai tales, a word of mischievous maids, wy women, enchanesses mdwives, and crones. crone s. Here is a reasre rove of ales that coud only have been t ogethe by he ceebaed Angela Caer, whom Saman Rushdie caed the "high sor ceress cere ss and he benevoen witch qeen of Engish iteae With an eye for he bizare, an ear for he eccenic, and a ongstanding fasc aion with the femae dominated tad ton of story eng Caer has chosen foty-ve ta tae ess fr from om twenyhree twenyhree cres tha evel in women's cnning and high spirits wisdom and imaginaion. Yong women owi men, magicians, even the devi himse Old women bring enchantmen, lck and sond advice. Midwives tak o frogs grs marry snakes jstce is most ways done and
Angela Carer ws ws bon in 1940 nd died in Febuy 1992. She as hghly accamed acca med fo her nove noves, s, n nc cud udn ng g Nights a he Ccu nd ost eceny We Chldren; so soies ncudng he colecon San and Srange jounls; nd ms The Company of Wolves and The
Mag Tohop. Coin n Sagood on Coinn onee o Ange te's te's odest fends is he auho nd us o he jungle jungle:: An Ars Ars n Peu. o jouey o She lustrted his book hie ing in Mexico.
Strange Things Sometimes Still Happen
SRNGE HINGS SOMEIMES SILL HPPEN Fairy Tales from Around the World
ete
by ANGELA CARTER illustrated by CORINNA SARGOOD
t
faber anfaber BOSTON
•
LONDON
Fst publshed in he Unted States n 1993 by Fabe and abe, Inc, 50 Coss See Wncheser, MA 01890. Ognally publshed n the Unted Kngdom n 992 by Vago Pess Lmted 20-23 Mandela Steet, Camden Town London NW1 OHQ Collecton copygh © 1992 by the estae of Angela Cate Illustaons copyght © 1992 by Conna Sagood Intoducton copyght © 1992 by Mana Wane The acknowledgemens on pages vivi consue an exenson of ths copyght notce All ghts eseved unde Intenatona and PanAmecan Copyght Conventons ncludng the ght of epoducon n whole o n pat n any fom A CIP ecod fo hs book s avalable fom the Lbay of Congess SB 0571198007 Jacke llustaton by Conna Sargood Jacke desgn by Lona Stovall Tet desgn by Lone Moon Pnted n the Uned States of Ameca
Contents
Acknowledgements Inroduion by Marna Warner
VI IX
STRONG MINDS AND LOW CUNNNG
The Twelve Wild Duc Old Foter hn The Dogs Snout People The Old Woman Against the Stream The Letter Tck Rolando and Brunilde The Greensh Bird The Crafty Woman
3 10 13 2 7 2 9
32
34
37 44
2.
UP TO SOMETHINGBLACK ARTS AND DRTY TRCKS
Pretty Maid Ibronka Enchanter and Enchantress The Telltale Lilac Buh Tatterhood The Witchball The Werefox The Witche' Piper Vailisa the Far The Midwe and the Frog 3.
49 61 64 65 72 74 76 78 87
BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE
Fair, Brown and Trembling Diirawic and Her Incestuou Brother The Mirror The Frog Maiden
95 04 1 8 1 9
123
The Sleeping Prince The Orphan 4.
126
MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS
Achol and Her Wild Mother Tunur, Tunur The Little Old Woman with Five Cows Achol and Her Adoptive Lioness-Mother 5.
1 39 144 152
MARRIED WOMEN
Sto of a Bird Woman Father and Mother Both Fast' Reason to Beat Your We The Three Lovers The Seven Leavenings The Unte We's Song The Woman Who Maied Her Son Duang and His Wild We A Stroke of Luck The Beans in the Quartjar 6.
135
159 162 163 165 1 67 173 174 177 1 84 1 86
SEFL STORES 191
A Fable of a Bird and Her Chicks The Three Aunts Tale of an Old Woman The Height ofPurple Passion Salt, Sauce and Spice, Onion Leaves, Pepper and Drippings Two Sisters and the Boa Spreading the Fingers
207
Publsher's note
210
Notes by AngeaCarter adShahrukhHusan
211
About theEditor andIlustrator
233
192 196 198 199 202
Acknowledgements
Permisson to reproduce these fary ales s grtefully acknowedged to the folowng: Pantheon Books a dvson of Random House, Inc. for The Old Woman Aganst the Stream' from Norwegian Folktales by Chrsten Asbjornsen an Jorgen Moe and A Fabe of a Brd and Her Chicks from Yiddish Folktales by Beatrce Slverman Wenrech; Constabe Publshers for The Werefox' and The Mirror from Chinese Ghou and Goblins by G. Wlloughby-Mead copyrgh © 1924; The Amercan Folklore Socey for Old Foster from Joual of Amercan Folklore XXXV (1925) and The Untrue Wfe's Song joual of Amecan Folklore XLVI (1934) The Unversty Press of Kentucky for The Telltale ac Bush from The Telltale Lilac Bh and Other West Virginian Ghost Tales by Ruth Ann Musck, copyrgh © 1965 Unversty of Chcago Press for Pretty Mad bronka The Wtches' Pper The Mdwfe and the Frog and A Strke of Luck rom Folktales of Hunga by Degh © 1956 by Unversty of Chcago The Greensh Brd from Folktales of Mexio by Paredes © 1970 by Unversty of Chcago Resaon to Beat your Wfe from Folktales of Ept by E Shamy© 1980 by Unversty of Chicago; The Wtchball Father and Mother Both "Fast and The Beans n he Quar ar' from Buying the Wind by Dorson © 1964 by Unversty of Chcago Jonathan Cape and Basc Books for The Heght of Purple Passon' from The Rationale of Dirty okes; Stanford Unversiy Press for The Three Lovers Columba Unversty Press New York for The Sleepng Prnce The Leter Trck and Spreadng he Fngers from Suriname Folklore by Melvlle] Herskovts and Frances S Herskovts,© 1936 and C W Danel Company for Vasssa the Far' Enchanter and Enchantress The Ltle Old Woman wth Fve Cows Story of a Brd Woman, The Crafy Woman, The Dogs Snou People from Sibean and Other Folktales: Pmitive Literature of the Empire of the Tsas, colected and ranslated by C Flngham Coxwel © 1925 Unversty of Caforna Press for hn Tnur, Tnjur The Woman Who Marred Her Son and The Seven Leavenngs from Speak Bird Speak Again Palestinian Arab Folktales collected and edted by Ibrahm Muhaw and Sharf Kanann copyrght© 1988 The Regens of the Unversty of Calforna Oxford Unversy Press for The Frog Maden' from Buese Folktales by Maun Htn Aung Calcuta 1948 olmes and Meer publshers for Drawc and her ncestuous Brother Achol and her Wd Moher' Acho and her Adoptve Loness-Moher, Duang and hs Wld Wfe' from Dinka Folktales African Stories from Sudan by Francs Madng Deng (New York Afrcana publshng Company, a dvson of olmes & Meer 1974), copyrght © 1974 by Francs Madng Deng Panheon Books a dvson of Random House Inc for Salt Sauce and Spce Onon Leaves, Pepper and Drppngs
AC K N O W L E D G E M E N TS
and 'Tale of an Od Woman, rom African Folktales by Roger D Abrahams copyright © 1983 Roger D. Abrahams; Popular Pbications or he Orphan rom Tal o Old Malawi, edited by E Singano & A.A Roscoe 1977, 1986 Every eort has been made to trace the copyright hoders in l copyright matera in ths book he pblisher regrets i there has been any oversight and suggests that the publisher be contacted in any such event.
Vl
Introduction
Italo Calvin, he I alian wrier an fabulis an colector of fairy ales believed srongly in the connection between fanasy and realiy: I am accustome o consier literature a search for knowlege,' he wroe. Face with [the] precarious existence of ribal life, he shaman respone by riding his boy of weight and ying to another world another leve of percepion, where he coul n the strength o change he face of realiy' Angea Carter wouldn' have made the same wish wih quie such a straight face, bu her combination of fantasy an revoutionary ongings correspons to the igh of Calvin's shaman She possesse the enchaners lightness of min an wit - it's ineresing tha she explore, in her ast wo novels, images of winged women Fevvers her arialiste heroine of Nights at the Circus, may have hache ike a bir, and in Wise Children, the win Chance sisters play various fairies or feahered creatures, from their rst foo on the stage as chi sars to their alliance in Hollywood for a specacular extravaganza of A Miummer Night's Dream. Fairy tales also offered her a means of ying - of ning an elling an aernaive story, of shifting something in the min, just as so many fairy ale characers shif something in their shape Sh e wroe her own - he azzling eroic variaions on Perrault's Mother Goose Tales an oher familiar sories in The Bloody Chamber- where she life Beauty an Red Riing Hoo an Bluebears ast wife out of the pasel nursery into the labyrinth of female desire She ha always rea very wiey in foklore from al over the wor, an compile her rs colec tion, The Od Wives' Fairy Tale Bk, two years ago; his secon volume is being publishe after her deah, in February 1992 from cancer She foun the stories in sources ranging from Siberia to Suriname and she arrange them into secions in a sequence
I N T R O D U C I ON
ha runs from one ale of female eroic endeavour to anoher about generosiy rewarded. There are few fairies in the sense of spries but he sories move in fairyland not he preied kitschied Victorians eland, but the darker dream realm of spiris and ricks magical alking animals riddles and spells n The Twelve Wild Ducks, he opening ale the heroine vows no o speak or to laugh or o cry until she has rescued her brothers from heir enchanted animal forms The issue of womens speech of women's noise of their/our clamour and laugher and weeping and shouing and hooting runs hrough all Angela Carer's writings, and informed her love of he folk ale. In The Magic Toyshop the lovely Aun Margaret canno speak because she is srangled by he silver torque which the malign pup pemaser her husband has made her as a bridal gift. Folklore, on he oher hand, speaks volumes about women's experience, and women are often the storytellers, as in one of the dashingly comic and highly Careresque ales in his collecion (Reason to Beat Your Wife') Angela Carter's partisan feeling for women, which burns in all her work, never led her o any conventional form of feminism bu she coninues here one of her original and effective strae gies, snatching out of the jaws of misogyny itself useful stories for women Her essay The Sadeian Woman ( 1979) found in Sade a liberaing teacher of he male-female status quo and made him illuminate the far reaches of womens polymorphous desires here she turns topsyurvy some cauionary folk tales and shakes ou he fear and dislike of women hey once expressed to create a new se of values about srong, ouspoken zesful sexual women who cant be kept down (see The Old Woman Against he Sream'; The Leer Trick) In We Chil dren, she creaed a heroine Dora Chance, who's a showgirl, a soubrete, a vaudeville dancer one of he low, he despised the invisible poor an old woman who's illegitimate and never married (born the wrong side of the blanket he wrong side of the tracks) and each of these stigmas is taken up with exuberan relish and scattered in the air like so much wedding confetti The last sory here Spreading he Fingers', a tough moraliy tale from Suriname about sharing what one has been given wih ohers also disclose he high vlue Angel rer placed on X
I N T R O D U C TIO N
generosity She gave herself er ideas, her wit, er incisive, nobullshit mind with open but never sentimental prodigaity. Her favourite fairy tale in te rst coction was a Russian riddle story The Wise Little Girl', in which the tsar asks her heroine for the impossible, and she delivers it without batting an eyelid ngela iked it because it was as satisfying as The Emperor's New Clothes, but no one was humiliated and every body gets the prizes. The story comes in the section called Cever Women, Resourcefu Girls and Desperate Stratagems', and its heroine is an essential Carter gure, never abashed nothing daunted, sharp-eared as a vixen and possessed of dry good sense. I t's entirey characteristic of ngelas spirit tat she should delight in the tsars confounding, and yet not want him to be humiliated She did not have the strengt, before she died to write the introduction she had planned to this voume, but she left four cryptic notes among h er papers: every real story contains something useful, says Walter Ben Jam the unperplexedness of the story "No one dies so poor that he does not leave something behind , said Pasca. fairy tales cunning and high spirits' Fragmentary as they are these prases convey the Carter philosophy She was scathing about the contempt the educated' can show, when two-thirds of the literature of te world perhaps more has been created by the illiterate Se liked the solid common sense of folk tales, the straightforward aims of their protagonists, the simpe mora distinctions, and the wily stratagems they suggest They're taes of the underdog, about cunning and high spirits winning trough in the end; theyre practical, and they're not high-own. For a fantasist with wings, ngela kept her eyes on the ground, wit reality rmy in her sights. She once remarked, fairy tae is a story were one king goes to anoter king to borrow a cup of sugar.' Feminist critics of the genre especially in the 1970s jibbed at the socially conventiona happy endings of so many stories (for example, When she grew up e married her and se became the tsarina') But Angea knew about satisfaction and
I N T R O D U C T IO
pleasure; and at the same time she believed that the goal of fairy tales wasn't a conservative one but a utopian one, indeed a form of heroic optimism as if to say: One day, we might be happy, even if it wont last Her own heroic optimism never failed her like the spirited heroine of one of her tales, she was resourceful and brave and even funny during the illness which brought about her death Few writers possess the best qualities of their work she did, in spades. Her imagination was dazzling, and through her daring, verti ginous plots, her precise yet wild imagery, her gallery of wonder ful bad-good girls beasts, rogues and other creatures, she causes readers to hold their breath as a mood of heroic optimism forms against the odds She had the true writer's gift of remaking the world for her readers She was a wise child herself, with a mobile face, a mouth which sometimes pursed with irony, and, behind the glasses, a wryness, at times a twinkle, at times a certain dreaminess with her long silvery hair and ethereal delivery, she had something of the Faerie Queene about her, except that she was never wispy or fey And though the narcissism of youth was one of the great themes in her early ction, she was herself exceptionally u n-narcissistic. Her voice was soft, with a storytellers condingness and lively with humour; she spoke with a certain syncopation, as she stopped to think her thoughts made her the most exhilarating companion, a wonderful talker, who wore her learning and wide reading with lightness who could express a mischievous insight or a tough judgement with scalpel precision and produce new ideas by the dozen without effort, weaving allusion, quotation, parody and original invention, in a way that echoed her prose style I 've got a theory that . ' she'd say, self-deprecatorily and then would follow something that no one else had thought of, some sally, some rich paradox that would encapsulate a trend, a moment She could be Wildean in her quickness and the glancing drollery of her wit And then she would pass on sometimes leaving her listeners astonished and stumbling Angela Carter was born in May 1940 the daughter of Hugh Stalker, a journalist for the Press Association who was a High lander by birth, had served the whole term of the First World War and had come south t Blhm to work He used to take
NTRODUCTION
her o he cinema, to he Tooing Granada where the glamour of he building (Alhambrastyle) and of the movie stars Oean Simmons in The Blue Lagoon) made an i mpression which ased she has wrien some of he most gaudy, sylish sexy passages abou seducion and female beauty on record snappy and glamorous are key words of peasure and praise in her vocabu lary. Her moher was from South Yorkshire, on her own mohers side ; his grandmoher was tremendously importan to Angela every word and gesture of hers displayed a natural dominance, a naive savagery and I am very grateful for al hat, now hough he core of see was a bit inconvenient when I was looking for boyfriends in he South Angela's moher was a scholarship girl, and liked things to be nice'; she worked as a cashier in Selfridge's in the 1920s, and had passed exams and wanted the same for her daughter. Angela went to Sreatham grammar school, and for a time enertained a fancy of becoming an Egypologist, bu lef school to ake u p an appreniceship on he Croydon Advertier arranged by her faher. As a reporter on he news desk, she had rouble wih her imaginaion (she used to like the Russian soryeller's formula, The sory is over, cant lie any more) and switched o wriing a record column as wel as feaures She got married for he rst ime when she was twentyone o a chemisry eacher a Bristol technical college, and began studying English a Brisol Univer siy in he same year, choosing to concenrae on medieva lieraure, which was then deniey uncanonica. ts forms from allegory o tales - as wel as its heerogeneity of one from bawdy o romance - can be found everywhere in her own oeuvre; Chaucer and Boccaccio remained among her favourie writers She also remembered hose days in a recen interview wih her grea friend Susannah Clapp for he talking in cafs o situa tioniss and anarchiss was the Sixties . was very very unhappy but was perfecy happy a the same ime. During this period, sh e rst began developing her inerest in folklore, discovering wih he r husband h e fok a nd jazz mu sic scenes of he 1960s (At a more recen, staid meeing of the Folklore Society she fondly recaled hose counterculura days when a member would attend with a pe raven on one shoulder. ) She began wriing ction: in her wenties she published four Xll
I N T R O D U C IO N
noves (Shadow Dance 966 The Magic Toyshop 1967 Severl Perceptions, 1968 Heroes and Villains 969 as wel as a sory for children, Ms Z, the Dark Young Lady 1970). She was heaped wih praise and prizes one of hem - the Somerse Maugham sipulaed ravel and she obeyed using the money to run away from her husband (I hink Maugham woud have approved') She chose Japan, because she revered the lms of Kurosawa. Japan marks an important transition; she stayed for wo years, from 1971 Her cion il then including the ferocious, aut elegy Love ( 197 1 revised 1987), showed her baroque powers of invention, and her fearless confronation of erotic vioence of female as well as mae sexuality she marked out her territory early, and men and women cash on it, ofte boodiy and the humour is mostly of he galows variety From he beginning, her prose was magni cenly rich intoxicaed with words a vivid and sensual lexicon of bodily atribues minerals ora and fauna - and she deal in strangeness. But Japan gave her a way of looking a her own culure which inensied her capacity to conjure strangeness out of the famiiar She also deepened her conac wih he Surrealis movement at this ime hrough French exiles from les vnements of 68 who had feched up in Japan On her reurn she examined various Engish sacred cows as well as the style of he times (from scarlet ipsick to sockings in DH Lawrence) in her wonderfully pungent series of articles for New Society (collected as othing Sacred in 1982). Two novels arose from her time in Japan , though hey do not deal wih Japan direcy: The Infeal Desire Machines of Doctor Homan ( 1972) and The Passion of ew Eve (977) in which contemporary conics are transmued ino bizarre, mutiple, picaresque alegories Though she never won he bestseler fortunes of some of her contemporaries (she would reect ruefully hat i was still a Boys Club out there, and did not realy mind much), and was never selected for one of the maor prizes, she enjoyed greaer inernational esteem her name tells from Denmark o Ausralia and she was repeatedly invited to each acceping inviaions from Shefed ( 1976-78) Brown Univer siy Providence (1980-8) the University of Adelaide (984) an d he Universiy of East Anglia (984-87) Sh e heped change the course of postwar writing in Engish - her inuence reaches
I N T R O D U C I O N
rom Salman Rushdie o Jeanette Winerson o American abu ists like Robert Coover Distance rom England heped her lay bare womens collusion wih heir own subjection. In the new collecion o her criicism Expletives Deleted she remembers, I spen a good many years being told wha I ought o think and how I ough to behave . . because I was a woman . bu then I stopped lisening o hem [men] and . . I stared answering back. 2 Angela was never someone to oer an easy answer, and in her rankness she was important to he eminis movement she liked o quote, semi ironicay Diry work bu someone has o do i when alking abou acing hard truhs, and she woud say o someone in a spiri o approval s/he doesnt temper the wind o he new-shorn amb. Her pubisher and riend Carmen Calil pubished her in Virago and her presence here since the sart o the house heped establish a womans voice in literature as special, as parti pris, as a crucial insrument in the forging o an ideniy or post-imperial, hypocriica, ossilised Britain For in spie o her keeneyed even cynica grasp o realiy, Angea Carer has always believed in change : shed reer to her naive leie-ism, but she never let go o i The American critic Susan Suleiman has celebraed Angela Carers cion as truy breaking new ground or women by occupying he male voice o narraive authoriy and at the same time impersonaing i o the point o parody so tha he rues are changed and the dreams become unruly, ransorme open to he mutiplicaion o narraive possibiities', hemselves a prom ise o a possibly dierent uture; he novels also expand our notions o wha it is possible o dream in the domain o sexuality, criicizing all dreams that are too narrow' 3 Angelas avourite icon o the eminine was Lulu, in Wedekinds play and her avourite star was Louise Brooks who played her in Pandora's Box; LouiseLulu was hardly someone who rejected tradiional emaleness, but rather ook it to such extremes that its nature was ransormed. uus character is very atracive to me, she woud say dryly and she borrowed rom it o creae her wanton, ribald and eisy heroines o the boards in Wise Childn. uu never ingraiated herse never sought ame, or ortune and suered neither guil nor remorse Accordin o Angela, her XV
I N T R O D U CT I O N
particular qualiy is, she makes being polymorphousy perverse look ike the only way to be. she had had a daugher, she once said she would have caled her Lulu She liked o ee o he opinions as classic GLC bu in spite o hese demurals she was an oiginal and commied political hinker too We Children ( 1989) was born ou o he democatic and socialist uopianism her armation o low culure, of he rude healh o popular language and humou as a longlasting eective means o survival: he Shakespeare (he novel conains amost al his characes and their plos in one om or anohe) isn't a poet o he lie bu an imagination spinging ou o olklore, with enegy and knowhow. She ound happiness with Mak Peace, who was training o become a primary schooleacher when she became il She oen spoke o he adiance o childen, their unuterable beauty and their love ; their son Alexande was born in 1983. Someimes, in he case o a geat wie it's easy to lose sigh o the pleasure they give, as critics seach o meaning and value inuence and importance; Angela Caer loved cinema and vaudeville and songs and he cicus, and she hersel coud enterain like no oher She included a soy rom Kenya in The Virago Book of Fai Tales abou a suana who is withering away while a poor man's wie is kept happy because her husband feeds her meat o the tongue' - sories, jokes, ballads. These are wha make women thrive he sory says; hey ae aso what Angela Cate gave so geneously o make ohes thrive Wise Children ends with the wods, Wha a joy it is o dance and sing ! Tha she should not have thrived hesel is sad beyond words Since he deah ribues have lled the papes and the airwaves. She would have been astonished by he aention, and pleased. It did no come o he in he ieime, not wih such whoeheaedness s pay a ribue o he poency ha while she was aive people el discomted by her that her wit and wichiness and subversiveness made he hard to handle like some wonderu beast o the kind she enjoyed in airy ales. Her iends wee lucky knowing he and her eaders too. We have been e a eas and she aid i out wih spread n ges or us to share. Marna Warnr, 1992 XVI
I � T R 0 l l' C T I 0 �
Italo Cavino, Six Memos for the Next Millennium, trans. Wiliam Weaver (London, 1992, p 26. 2. Angela Carter Expletives Deleted (London 12) p 5. 3. Susan Rubin Suleiman Subveive Intent: Gender Politics and the Avant-Garde (Hrvard 990) pp 340 I
This introduction contains material from Marina Waer's obitua of Angela Carter whih appeared in the Independent 18 Februa 1992
XVII
Part One
S T R O N G MIN D S A N D L O W C U N NIN G
The T w e l v e W i l d
Du cks
(Norwegian)
NCE on a time ere was a quee wo was out driving we tere ad been a new fall of snow in e winter but wen she ad gone a litle way, se began to bleed at te nose, ad ad to get out of er sledge And so as se sood tere leaning agais te fece ad saw te red blood on e wite sow, se fell aiking ow se ad twelve sons and no daugter, and se said o erself If only ad a daugter as wie as snow ad a s red a s blood, I souldn't care what became of all my sons But e words were scarce out of er mou before an old wic of te Trolls came up o er. daugter you shall ave, she said, ad se sall be as wite as sow, ad as red as blood; and your sos sall be mie bu you may k eep tem till te babe is crisened S o whe he time came te queen had a daughter and se was as white as snow, and as red as blood, ust as e Troll ad promised and so tey called er Snowwite and Rosyred'. Well tere was grea joy at te kigs court a nd te queen w as as glad as glad could be; but wen wa se ad promised o the old wich came io her mind, she sent for a silversmit, and bade him make twelve silver spoons, one for eac price and afer that she bade im make one more ad that se gave to Sow-wite and Rosyred But as soon as ever te princess was criseed, e princes were turned ito welve wild ducks and ew away. Tey never saw em again away ey wen, and away ey stayed. So te princess grew up and se was both all and fair, bu se was ofte so strange and sorrowful ad no oe could under stad wat it was tat ailed er Bu one evening the quee was 3
STRONG
MI N D S
AND
L OW
C U N NI N G
also sorrowful, for she had many srange thoughs when she hought of her sons She sid to Snow-white and Rosyred Why are you so sorrowful, my daughter? Is here anyting you want? If so only say he word, and you shal have it Oh, i seems so dull and loney here said Snow-whie and Rosyred; everyone else has brohers and sisters, bu am al alone; have none; and that's why I so sorrowfu But you had brothers, my daugher,' said the queen; I had twelve sons who were your brothers bu I gave hem all away o ge you ; and so she told her he whole story So when the princess heard ha, she had no rest ; for, in spie of all the queen could say or do, and al she wep and prayed the lassie would set off o seek her brothers, for she hought i was al her fau; and a las she got eave to go away from he palace On and on she walked ino he wide world so far you would never have hough a young lady could have srengh to walk so far. So once, when she was walking through a great, grea wood, one day she felt ired, and sa down on a mossy uf and fell aseep. Then she dreamt that she wen deeper and deeper into the wood il she came o a litle wooden hu and here she found her brohers Jus then she woke and straigh before her she saw a worn pah in the green moss and his path went deeper ino he wood; so she followed it and after a long ime she came o jus such a lile wooden house as hat she had seen in her dream. Now, when she wen into he room here was no one a home, bu there stood twelve beds, and weve chairs and twelve spoons a dozen of everyhing, in short So when she saw ha she was so glad, she hadnt been so glad for many a long year, for she coud guess at once tha her brohers live here and that hey owned he beds, and chairs and spoons So she began to make up the re, and sweep he room, and make the beds, and cook the dinner, and to make the house as idy as she could ; and when she had done al he cooking and work she ate her own dinner and crep under her youngest brohers bed and ay down there, bu she forgot her spoon upon e able So she had scarcey laid herself down before she heard 4
ST R O N G
M I N DS
AN D
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somehing apping and whirring in the air, and so all he twelve wild ducks came sweeping in; bu as soon as ever they crossed he threshold they became princes. Oh, how nice and warm i is in here, they said. H eaven bless him who made up he re, and cooked such a good dinner for us And so each ook up his silver spoon and was going o ea B ut when each had aken his own, there was one sill left lying on he able, and it was so like the rest ha hey couldn ell i from hem This i s ou r sisers spoon hey said; and if her spo on be here, she can' be very far of herself If this be our sister's spoon, and she be here, said he edest, she shal be kiled for she is o blame for all the il we suffer And his she lay u nder the bed and lisened to. No, said he youn gest, "twere a shame to ki her for ha. She has nothing o do with our suffering il; for if anyone's o bame, its our own moher. So hey se o work hu nting for her boh high an d low and a ast hey looked u nder al the beds an d so when hey came t o he younges princes bed, they found her, and dragged her out Then the eldes prince wished again o have her kiled, bu she begged and prayed so pretiy for herself. Oh gracious goodness! don kil me, for Ive gone about seeking you hese hree years, and if I coud only se you free, I'd wilingly ose my ife. Well! ' said hey, if yo u will se us free yo u may keep your life; for you can if you choose Yes; only el me ' said the princess ho w it can be do ne, and I'll do it, whatever i be You must pick histledown said he princes, and you must card i and spin i and weave it; and after you have done hat, you must u ou and make welve coats and twelve shrs and tweve neckerchiefs one for each of us and while you do tha, you mus neither tak, nor laugh nor weep. If you can do tha, we are free Bu where shall I ever get hisledown enough for so many 5
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neckerchiefs, and shirts, and coats?' asked Snow-white and Rosy-red We'l soon show you,' said the princes; and so they took her with them to a great wide moor, where there stood such a crop of thistles, all nodding and nodding in the breze, and the down al oating and glistening ike gossamers through the air in the sunbeams The princess had never seen such a quantity of thistledown in her life, and she began to pluck and gather it as fast and as well as she coud ; and when she got home at night she set to work carding and spinning yarn from the down So she went on a long long time, picking, and carding and spinning, and al the while keeping the princes' house, cooking, and making their beds At evening home they came, apping and whirring like wild ducks, and all night they were princes, but in the morning off they ew again, and were wild ducks the whole day But now it happened once, when she was out on the moor to pick thistledown and if I don't mistake, it was the very ast time she was to go thither it happened that the young king who rued that land was out hunting, and came riding across the moor, and saw her. So he stopped there and wondered who the lovey lady could be that walked along the moor picking thistledown, and h e asked her her name, and when he coud get no answer he was stil more astonished ; and at last he liked her so much, that nothing would do but he must take her home to his castle and marry her So he ordered his servants to take her and put her up on his horse Snow-white and Rosy-red wrung her hands, and made signs to them, and pointed to the bags in which her work was, and when the king saw she wished to have them with her, he told his men to take up the bags behind them. When they had done that the princess came to herself, itte by little, for the king was both a wise man and a handsome man too, and he was as soft and kind to her as a doctor But when they got home to the palace, and the old queen, who was his stepmother, set eyes on Snowwhite and Rosy-red, she got so cross and jeaous of her because she was so lovely, that she said to the king, Can't you see now, that this thing whom you have picked up , and whom 6
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you are going o marry is a witch ? Why she cant either talk or augh or weep ! But the king didn care a pin for what she said, bu hld on wih he wedding and married Snow-white and Rosy-red and they lived i n grea joy and glory; but she didn forge to go on sewing at her shirs So when the year was amos ou, Snow-white and Rosyred brought a prince into the world, and then the old queen was more spieful and jealous han ever A dead of night she sole in o Snowwhite and Rosy-red while she slept, and took away her babe, and threw it ino a pit full of snakes. Afer hat she cu Snow-white and Rosy-red in her n ger and smeared he blood over her mou h and went straight to the king. Now come and see, she said, what sor of a hing you have aken for your queen ; here she has eaten up her own babe. Then he king wa s so downcas, h e amos burst into tears, and said, Yes it mus be rue since I see i with my own eyes; but shell no do i again, m sure and so this time ll spare her life So before the next year was ou t sh e had another son , an d he same hing happened. The kings sepmother go more and more jealous and spiteful She stole in to he you ng queen a night while she slept, took away he babe and threw i into a pi ful of snakes, cut the young queens nger, and smeared he blood over her mouh, and then wen and old he king she had eaen up her own child. Then the king was so sorrowful, you can think how sorry he was and he said, 'Yes, it must be true since I see it wih my own eyes, but shell no do it again Im sure and so this time too ll spare her life Well, before the nex year was out Snow-white and Rosy-red brought a daugher into the world and her, too, the old queen ook and hrew i no he pit full of snakes, while he young queen slep Then she cu her nger, smeared the blood over her mouh, and went again to the king and said, 'Now you may come and see if it snt as say; shes a wicked wicked wich, for here she has gone and eaen up h er hird babe oo. Then the k in g wa s so sad here was no end to it for now h e couldn spare he r any longer bu had to order her to b e burn 7
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alive on a pile of wood. But just when he pile was all ablaze, and they were going to pu her on it she made signs o them o take welve boards and lay hem round he pile and on hese she laid the neckerchiefs, and he shirs and the coas for her brothers bu he youngest brohers shir wanted its left arm for she hadn had ime to nish i. And as soon as ever she had done ha, hey heard such a apping and whirring in the air and down came weve wild ducks ying over he fores, and each of hem snapped up his clothes in his bill and ew off with hem See now! said the old queen to he king, wasn I right when I old you she was a wich; but make hase and burn her before he pie burns low Oh ! said the king weve wood enough and o spare and so Il wait a bi, for I have a mind to see wha he end of all this will be As he spoke, up came he twelve princes riding aong as handsome wel-grown lads as youd wish o see; bu the younges prince had a wild ducks wing instead of his left arm Whats all his abou? asked he princes My queen is to be burn said he king, because shes a witch, and because she has eaen up her own babes. She hasn eaen hem a all, said the princes Speak now, siser; you have se us free and saved us, now save yourself Then Snow-whie and Rosyred spoke, and told he whole story; how every ime she was brought o bed the old queen, the kings sepmoher had stolen in o her a nigh had aken her babes away, and cu her little nger and smeared he blood over her mouh ; and then he princes took the king, and showed him the snakepit where hree babes lay playing wih adders and toads and lovelier children you never saw So he king had hem taken ou a once, and wen o his sepmoher, and asked her what punishment she thought hat woman deserved who coud nd i in her heart o beray a guiltless queen and three such blessed litle babes She deserves to be fas bound beween welve unbroken seeds, so ha each may take his share of her,' said the old queen You have spoken your own doom said the king and you 8
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shal suffer i t at once. ' So he wicked od queen was fast boud between tweve unbroken seeds, and each go his share of her. But the king took Snow-white and Rosy-red, ad their three chidren, and the twelve princes, and so they al went home o their father and moher and tod all hat had befalen them and there was joy and gadness over the whoe kingdom because the princess was saved and set free, and because she had set free her twelve brothers.
O l d F o s t er (Hillbilly, USA)
HEY use o be an old man, he lived way over in he fores by hisself and all he lived on was he caught women and boiled em in fron of the re and eat em Now he way my mother told me, hed go into the villages and ell em this and ha and get em o come ou and cach em and jest boil hey breass. Thas wha she old me, and then I ve heard hi hat he jes eat em Wel, hey was a beauifu sout woman he liked em the bes (hed a been righ ater me un your mother) s o every day hed come over to his womans house and hed tell her to please come over o see his house Why, Mr Foster I can nd the way Yes you can Il take a spool of red silk hread out of my pocket and Il sar windin hit on he bushes and ill carry ye straight to my house So she promised him one day shed come So she got her dinner over one day and she sared. So she folered he red silk hread and went on over to his house. When she got here, there was a poor little old boy siin over he re a boilin mea. And he says, 'Laws, Aunt - she was his aun - what er you doin here? Foser kils every woman ha comes here You leave here jest as quick as you can She sarted to jump out the door and she saw Foser a comin with wo young women one under each arm So she run back and says, Jack honey, whal I do, I see him a comin? J ump in that od coset under the sair and Il lock you in says Jack So she jumped in and Jack locked her in. So Foser come in and he was jes alkin and a aughin with hose two girls and telin the mos tales, and he was goin to taken em over o a corn shuckin next day Foser says Come on in and have supper wih me So Jack put up some boiled meat and waer hats all they had. As soon as the girs stepped in and seed the circumstance 10
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and seed their time had come their countenance fell Foster says You better come in and eat maybe the last chanct youl ever have. Girls both jumped up and started to run Foster jumps up and etched em and gets his tomihaw and starts upstairs with em . Stairs was shacly and rattly and as they went up one of the girls retched her hand bac and caught hod of a step and Foster jest tuc his tomihaw and haced her hand off It drapped into whar my mother was She laid on in there until next day atter Foster went then ac let her out She jest bird wored over to where the corn shucin was. When she got there Foster was there She didnt now how to git Foster destroyed. The people thought these people got out in the forest and the wld animals ud etch em. So she says I dreamt an awful dream last night I dreamed I lived close to Fosters house and he was aways a-wantin me to come to his house. Foster says Well that aint so and it shant be so and God forbid it ever should be so She went right on And I dreamt he put out a red thread and I follered hit to his house and there uz Jac broilin womens breasts in front of the re Foster says Well that aint so and it shant be so and God forbid it ever should be so. She went right on And he says "What er you doin' here! Foster ils every woman uz comes here.' Foster says Well that aint so and it shant be so and God forbid it ever should be so She went right on And I seed Foster a-comin with two girls And when they git thar the girls their hearts failed em and Foster etched em and gets his tomihaw and starts up stairs with em. Foster says Well that aint so and it shant be so a nd God forbid it ever should be so She went right on he stairs was shackly and rattly and as they went u p, one of the girls retched her hand bac and caught hold of a step and Foster jest tu his tomihaw and hacked her hand o ff Foster says Well that aint so and it shant be so and God forbid it ever shoud be so ll
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She says Hi t is so, and it shal be so and here I've got the hand to show. And they knowed the two girs was missin and they knowed i t was so so they lynched Foster and then they went and g ot Jack and bound him out.
Sahin (Palestinian Arab)
NCE tere was a king (and tere is no king
sip excep tat wic beongs o Aah may He be praised and exalted!) and he ad an only dauger H e ad no oter cidren and e was proud of er. One day as she was lounging about e daugter of the vizier came to visit er Tey sat togeer feeing bored. Were siting around ere feeing bored said te dauger of te vizier Wha do you say to going out and having a good time? Yes ' said e oter Sending for he daugers of the ministers and dignitaies of state te king's daugher gatered tem all togeter, and ey wen into er fahers orchard to ake e air eac going er own way. As e vizier's daugter was sauntering about se sepped on an iron ring. Taking old of it se pued and behold ! i opened te door to an underground alway, and se descended ino i. Te oter girls meanwile were distracted amusing hemselves Going i no te away e viziers daughter came upon a young man wit is seeves roled up And wa! tere were deer partridges and rabbits in front of im and he was busy plucking and skinning . Before e was aware of it se ad aready saluted im. Peace o you! And to you peace! e responded taken aback What d o you appen to be siser uman or jin n? Human se answered and te coicest of e race. Wat are you doing ere? By Ala e said we are fory young men all brohers 13
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Every day my broters go out to hunt in e morning and come ome oward evening I say ome and prepare heir food . Tats ne se cimed in Youre forty young men and were forty young ladies. Il be your wife, te kings daugter is for your edes broer, and al te oter girs are for al your oter broers. Se maced the girls wi e men . O! How deligted e was o ear his! Wats your name? n, e answered Welcome, n. He went and fetced a cair, and se it in front of er S e sa nex to im and ey sarted catting He roased some mea, gave it to er, and se ate. Se kept im busy uni e food e was cooking was ready n, se said wen e food was ready, you dont appen to ave some seeds and nuts in te ouse, do you? Yes by Alla, we do. Why don you get us some Il elp pass away te time In eir house e seeds and nuts were sored on a ig self He got up, brougt a ladder and climbed up o e self Having led is andkercief wi seeds and nu ts e was abou to come down wen she said Here, le me ake it from you. Hand i over! Taking te handkercief from im se pulled te ladder away and trew it to the ground leaving im sranded on e self Se en brougt out large bowls, prepared a uge platter, piled al e food on i and eaded sraigt out of tere taking e food with er and closing e door of e tunnel beind er. Puing e food under a ree, se called to te girs, Come eat, girls!' E! Were did is come from? tey asked, athering around ust ea and be quiet se replied. Wat more do you wan? jus ea! Te food was prepared for forty lads, and ere were fory lasses. Tey se o and ate i all Go on along now! commanded te viziers daugher. Eac one back were se came from Disperse! She dspersed em and tey went ther way Watng uni 14
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they were a busy, she took the platter back, pacing i where it was before and coming back ou again In time the girs al wen home Now we go back. To whom? To hn. When his brohers came home in he evenng hey could no nd hi m Oh hn, the y caled. hn! And behod ! he answered them from the shelf. H ey ! Wha are you doing up there? asked the edest broher. By Alah, broher hn answered, I set up the adder afer the food was ready and came to ge some seeds and nuts for passing away he time The adder sipped and I was stranded up here Very well, they said and set up the ladder for hi m. Wh en he came down, h e eldes brother said, No w g o bring h e food so we can have dinner. Gathering up the game they had hunted tha day, hey pu t it all in one pace and sa down. hn went o fetch the food from the kitchen, but he could not nd a single bite. Brother, he said coming back the cats must have eaten it Al right said he eldest. Come, prepare us whatever you can. Taking the organs of the huned animals from his an d that he made dinner and they te. Then they laid their heads down and went o sleep. The next morning they woke up and se ou for he hunt. Now brother they mocked him, be sure to et us go wihout dinner another evening. Let he cats eat it al! No, brothers,' he said. Dont worry. No sooner di d they leave than he roled up h is sleeves an d set to skinning and plucking the gazees, rabbits and partridges On time, he viziers daughter showed up. Having gone o he king's daughter and gathered al the other girls, she waited till they were amusing themseves with somehing and then dropped in on him. Saaam! And to you, peace! he answered. Wecome to the one who ook the food and lef me stranded on the shelf making me look riiculous to my brothers ! What you say i s true, she responded And yet I m likely to do 15
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even more than that to the one I love. ' And as for me, he murmured, your deeds are sweeter thn honey' Fetching a chair, he set it down for her and then he brought some seeds and nuts They sat down to entertain themselves and she kept him amused until she realised the food was ready hn she said isn't there a bathroom in your house ?' Yes there is he replied m pressed, and must go to the bathroom Where is it?' ts over there, he answered . Well come and show i to me. This is it here, he said showing it to her. She went in and so the story goes, made as if she did n ot know how to use it Come and show me how to use this thing' she caled I dont know what ese she said, but he came to show her you might say, how to sit on the toilet. Taking hold of him, she pushed him inside like this, and he ended up with his head down and his feet up. She closed the door on him and left Going into the kitchen she served up the food on to a platter and headed out of there. She put the food under a tree and caled to her friends, Come eat ' And where did you get al this?' All you have to do is eat' she answered. They ate and scattered each going her way. And she stoe away and returned the platter At the end of the day the brothers came home and there was no sign of their brother hn hn' they caled out '0 hn! But no answer came They searched the shef they searched here and they searched there Bu t it was no use. You know, said the edest I say there's something odd about hns behaviour. suspect he has a girlfriend. Anyway some of you go into the kitchen, nd the food, and bring it so we can eat. Im sure hn will show up any moment Going into the kitchen, they found nothing There's no food' they reported. ts all gone! Were now sure that hn has a girlfriend, and he gives her al the food. Let's go ahead and x whatever there is at hand so we can eat. Having prepared a quick meal they ate dinner and were 16
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conent. They prepared for sleep, but one of hem (All respec o he liseners!) was pressed and needed o relieve himself He went to he bathroom, an d lo! there was hn, u pside down . H ey, brothers! he shouted Heres hn, and hes fallen into he toilet! They rushed over and lifed him ou Wha a condition h e was in! They gave him a bath Tell me, said the eldes whas going on? By Allah, broher, replied hn, afer I cooked dinner I went o relieve myself, and I slipped. Very well ' returned he eldes Bu he food, where is it? By Allah, as far as I know is in the kichen but how should I know if the cas haven eaen i? Well, all righ! they said and wen back o sleep The nex morning, as hey were setting out, they mocked him again Why don you leave us wihout dinner another ni ght? No brothers! he said. Dont worry Pul ling hemselves ogether, they departed Now, on ime, he daughter of the vizier came o see he kings daughter, gathered the ohers, and hey came down o he orchard and spread out Waiting until hey were all caught up wih something, she slipped away to him, and lisen, brothers! she found him a home. Salaam! And o you, peace! he reored. Welcome! On he shelf he rst day and you made away wih he food ; and he second day you threw me ino the oile and stole he food, blackening my face in front of my brothers ! As for me, she said, Ill do even more han that o the one I love. And to me, is sweeter han honey he responded bringing her a chair. S he sat down, he brought seeds and nuts, a nd they passed away he ime enteraining hemselves. She k ept chating wih him u nil she knew he food was ready hn, she said. Yes Dont you have some drinks for us o enjoy ourselves? Theres mea here, and seeds and nuts. We could ea and have somehing o drin k 17
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Yes,' h e replied, we do' Why dont you bring some out, then?' she urged him. Bringing a bottle, e set it in front of her She poured drinks and handed them to him This one's to my health, she egged him on, and this ones also for my sake, until he fel over, as if no one were there. She then went and took some sugar, put it on to boil, and made a preparation for removing body hair She used it on him to perfection, and, brother, she made him ook like the most beautiful of girls Bringing a woman's dress, she put it on him Then, bringing a scarf, she wrapped it around his head and aid him down to sleep in bed She powdered his face, wrapped the scarf well around his head, put the bed covers over him, and left Then into the kitchen she went, loaded the food, and departed The girs ate, and the platter was eplaced When the brothers returned in the evening, they did not nd hn at home '0 n! hn! hn! No answer Let's search the batroom' they said among themselves But they did not nd him there They searched the shelf, and stil no sign of him Didn't I tel you hn has a girlfriend?' the eldest decared I'd say hn as a girlfriend and goes out with her Some of you, go and see if te food's stil there They did, and found nothing Again they resorted to a quick mea of organ meat When it was time to sleep, each went to his bed In his bed, the edest found our well-contented friend stretched out in it Back to his brothers he ran I tod you n has a girlfriend, but you didn't beieve me Come and take a look! Here's hn's bride! Come and see! Come and see! He caled his brothers, and they all came, clamouring, hns bride!' Removing his scarf, they looked at im carefully. Eh! A man's features are hard to miss They recognised him Eh! This is hn!' they souted Bringing water, they spashed his face til he woke up Looking himself over, what did he nd? They fetched a mirror He looked at himself and what a sight he was al rouged, powdered and beautied And now, they asked him, what do you have to say for yourself? 18
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By Allah brother answered hn 'listen and ll te you the truth Every day, around noon, a gir with such and such features comes to see me She says, Were forty young adies The kings daughter is for your eldest brother am yours, and all the other girs are for al your other brothers." Shes the one whos been doing these things to me every day Is that so? Yes, it is Fine. All of you go to the hunt tomorrow, suggested the eldest and I stay behind ith hn. Il take care of her! Pulling out his sword (so the story goes) he sat waiting in readiness. By Allah brothers, in due time she came. She had gathered the girs as usual, and they had come down to the orchard. Waiting unti their attention was caught she slipped away to him Before he was even aware of her, she had already sauted him. Saaam! And to you, peace! h e answered The rst item o n the shef and said all right the second time in the bathroom, and I said al right; but the third time you put make-up on me and turned me into a bride! And yet Im likely to do even more than that to the one I ove. No sooner had she said that than up rose the eldest brother and rushed over to her his sword at the ready. 'Listen, she reasoned with him. 'You are forty and we are forty. The kings daughter is to be your wife, and I, hns and so and so among us is for so and so among you, and so on. S he calmed him down. s it true, what youre saying? he asked 'Of course its true, she replied 'And who can speak for these girls? ' can. Youre th e one who ca n speak for them? Yes. ( hn meanwhile was listening and since he was already experienced he mused to himself that his brother had been taken in aready.) 'Agreed said th e eldest brother Come over here and et me pay you the bridewealth for the forty girls. Where are we to meet 19
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you? First pay me the bridewealth, she answered, and toorrow, go and reserve a certain pubic bath for us at your expense Stand guard at the gate, and as we go in you yourself can count us one by one - all forty of us Well go into the baths and bathe, and after we come out each of you will take his bride home by the hand ] ust like that? he wondered Of course she assured him. He brought out a blanket, she spread it, and - count, count, count - he counted one hundred Ottoman gold coins for each girl When he had nished counting out the money, she took it and went straight out Caling her friends over, she said, Sit here! Sit under this tree! Each of you open your hand and receive your bridewealth. Eh! they protested, You so and so! Did you ruin your reputation? No ones to say anything, she responded. Each of you will take her bridewealth without making a sound Giving each of them her money, she said, 'Coe Lets go home After she had left their place, hn said to his brother Brother, she tricked me and took only the food . But she tricked you and got away with our oney Who, me? the brother declared, Trick e? Tomorrow youll see The next day the brothers stayed at home. They went and reserved the baths at their own expense, and the eldest stood watch at the door, waiting for the girls to arrive. Meanwhile, the viziers daughter had got up the next day gathered all the girls, the kings daughter among them, and leading them in front of her, headed for the bath with them And behold! there was our effendi guarding the door As they were going in, he counted them one by one Count, count, he counted them all exactly forty Ging into the baths, the girls bathed and enjoyed themselves But after they had nished bathing and put on their clothes, she, the clever one, gave them this advice: Each of you is to shit in the tub she has bathed in, and lets line the tubs up all in a row. Each of them shat in her tub, and they arranged the neatly in a row, 20
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al forty of them. Now, he bahs had another door, away from the entrance Follow me this way, urged he viziers daughter, and hey all hurried ou The eldest brother waited an hour, two, three hen four, bu he girls did no emerge Eh! he said. Theyre taking a long ime abou i 'B rother, said hn, 'theyre gone . 'B ut isten ! he replied, where coud she have gone? The y all wen inside the bathhouse ogether. 'All righ, said hn, 'les go in and see. Going ino he bahhouse, brother, hey found the owner inside. 'Where did the girls who came ino he bathhouse go? '0 unce ! repied he owner, 'heyve been gone a ong ime 'An d how coud hey have ef? asked he edes broher 'They lef b that door he replied Now, hn , who was experienced, ooked in the bahing place and saw the tubs all lined up 'B rother! he caled ou. 'Yes. What is it? 'Come here and take a look, he answered. Here are he forty ! Take a good ook ! See how she had hem arranged so nealy ? Finally he brothers wen back home, wondering o hemseves, A nd now, wha are we goin o do? Leave hem to me ! voluneered Shn. ' ll take care of them The nex day hn disguised himsef as an old lady Wearing an old womans dress, he pu a beaded rosary around his neck and headed for he city. The daughter of he vizier, menwhile, had gahered the girs, and she was siing wih hem in a room above he street As he was coming from afar, she saw and recognised him She winked o her friends, saying, Ill go cal him, and you chime in wih, Heres our aunt! Wecome to our aunt !" As soon as she saw him draw near, she opened he door and came out running Welcome, wecome, welcome to our aunty! Welcome, auny! And, taking him by the hand, she pulled him inside to where they were. 'Welcome o our aunty! they clamoured , locking the door 'Wecome o our aunty! Now, girs, take off your clohes, urged he viziers daugher. 'Take off your clothes ts been a ong ime since weve had our 21
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clothes washed by our aunty's own hands. Let her wash our clothes!' By Allah, I m tired, protested hn By Allah, I cant d o it By Allah, you must do it, aunty,' they insisted It's been such a long time since weve had our clothes washed by our auntys hands She made all forty girls take off their clothes, each of them leaving on only enough to cover her modesty, and she handed the clothes to him He washed clothes till noon Come girls, said the vizier's daughter By Allah, it's been such a long time since our aunty has bathed us with her own hands Let her bathe us! Each of them put on a wrap and sat down, and he went around bathing them in turn By the time he had nished bathing them all, what a condition he was in ! He was exhausted When he had nished with one, she would get up and put on her clothes The viziers daughter would then wink at her and whisper that she should take the wrap she was wearing, fold it over, twist it, and tie a knot at one end so that it was lke a wh ip When all forty girls had nished bathing, th e leader spoke out, Eh , aunty ! Hey girls, she has ust bathed us and we mu st bathe her in return No, niece! he protested. I dont need a bath! For the sake of . . mpossible, aunty' insisted the vizier's daughter By Allah, this cant be Eh! You bathe and bathe all of us, and we dont even bathe you in return Come, girls! A t a wink from her, they set on him against his will. They were forty What could he do? They took hold of him and removed his clothes, and lo and behold ! he was a man Eh ' they exclaimed This isn't our aunty ts a man ! Have at him, girls!' And with their whips, each of them having braided her robe and tied knots in it, they put hn in the middle and descended on his naked body. Hit him from here, turn him aroun there and beat him again on the other side! All the while he was ju mping among them and shouting at the top of his voice. When she thought he had had enough, she winked at them to clear a path A oon as he aw hs way open, he opened the doo and 22
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dashed out running, wearing only the skin the Lord had given him. His brothers were at home, and before they were even aware of it, he showed up, naked. And what a condition he was in ! U p they sprang as if possessed . Hey! What happened to you? they asked Come ! Come! What hit you? 'Wait a minute he answered 'Such and such happened to me And now they asked amo ng themselves, what can we d o? Now, by Alah, answered hn, 'we have no recourse but for each of us to ask for the hand of his bride from her father. As for me, Im going to ask for her hand. But as soon as she arrives here, Im going to ki her No other punishment wi do Ill show her! They al agreed, each going to ask for his brides hand from her father, and the fathers gave their consent Now, the daughter of the minister was something of a devi. She asked her father, if anyone should come asking for her hand, not to give his consent before etting her know. When hn came to propose, the father said, 'Not u nti I consult with my dau ghter rst. The father went to consult with his daughter, and she said, 'Al right, give your consent, but on condition that there be a waiting period of one month so that the bridegroom can have enough time to buy the wedding clothes and take care of all the other details. After the asking for her hand was completed, the ministers daughter waited until her father had eft the house. She then went and put on one of his suits, wrapped a scarf around the lower part of her ace, and, taking a whip with her, headed for the carpenters workshop Carpenter! Yes, Yo ur Excellency ! In a while Il be sending you a concubine You will observe her height and make a box to t her. want it ready by tomorrow Otherwise, I have your head cut off And dont hold her here for two hours! 'N o, sir. I wont She lashed him twice and left, going directly - where? To the halva makers shop. 23
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'Halva maker! 'Yes. 'Im going to be sending yo a concbine momentarily You wil observe her. See her shape and her height. Yo must make me a hava doll that looks exactly like her And dont yo keep her here for a cople of hors or Il shorten yor life 'Yor order, 0 minister, said the man, 'will be obeyed She lashed hm twce with the whip and eft. She went and changed putting on her ordinary cothes, then went to the carpenters shop and stayed a while. After that she went and stood by the halva makers shop for a whie. Then she went straight home Changing back into her fathers sit she took the whip with her and went to the carpenter 'Carpenter 'Yes, my ord minister An ostrich shorten yor ife responded the girl I send you the concbine, and yo hold her here for two hours ! She descended on him with the whip, beating him all over Please, sir he pleaded, it was only becase I wanted to make sre the box was an exact t Leaving him alone, she headed for the halva makers. Him too, she whipped several times, and then she retrned home. The next day she sent for her save and said to him, 'Go bring the wooden box from the carpenters shop to the hava makers Put the halva dol in it lock it and bring it to me here 'Yes, Ill do it, he answered. When the box was brought, she took it in and said to her mother, 'Listen, mother Im going to leave this box with yo in trust W hen the time comes to take me out of the house and to load p and bring aong my trosseau, you must have this box broght with the trosseau and paced in the same room where I wil be. But, dear daughter protested the mother, 'what will people say? The ministers daghter is bringing a wooden box with her trosseau ! You wil become a laghing-stock. I dont know what else she said bt it was no se 'This is not yor concern, insisted the daghter. 'Thats how I want it When the bridegrooms family came to take the bride out of 24
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her ather's house, she was made ready, and the wooden box was brought along with her trousseau They took the wooden box and as she had tod them , placed it in the same room where she was to be As soon as she came into the room and the box was brought in, she threw out all the women. Go away she said Each o you must go home now ' Ater she had made everyone leave she locked the door. Then dear ones she took the do out o the box. Taking o her cothes, she put them on the doll and she paced her gold around its neck She then set the doll in her own place on the bridal seat tied a string around its neck, and went and hid u nder the bed, having rst unlocked the door. Her husband meanwhie was taking his time He stayed away an hour or two beore he came in. What kind o mood do you think he was i n when he arrived? H e was in a oul h umour, his sword in hand, ready to kill her as i he did not want to marry her in the rst place. As soon as he passed over the doorstep he looked in and saw her on the bridal seat Yes yes ! he reproached her. The rst time you abandoned me on the shel and took the ood, I said to mysel it was all right The second time you threw me into the toilet and took the ood, and I said all right The third time you removed my body hair and made me look like a bride, taking the ood with you, and even then I said to mysel it was all right. After all that you still werent satised . You tricked us all and took the brideweath or the orty girls leaving each o us a turd in the washtub Meanwhile as he nished each accusation, she woud pu ll the string and nod the dolls head . As i all that werent enough or you, he went n, you had to top it all with your aunty act. Welcome, welcome, aunty Its been a long time since weve seen our aunty. Its been such a long time since aunty has washed our clothes!" And you kept me washing cothes all day And ater a that you insisted, We must bathe aunty" By Alah, Im going to burn the hearts o all your paternal and maternal aunties ! Seeing her nod he r head in agreement, he yeled Y ou mean youre not araid? And youre not going to apologise?' Taking hold o his sword, he struck her a bow that made her head roll. A piece o halva (i the teer is not lying) ew into his mouth 25
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Turning it around in his mouth , he found it sweet. Alas, cousin ! ' he cried out. I f in death you're so sweet what would it have been ike if you were stil aive? As soon as she heard this, she ju mped up from under the bed and rushed over to him, hugging him from behind '0 cousin ! Here I am! she excaimed. I'm alive They consummated their marriage and lived together happily This is my tae I ve tod it; and in your hands I eave it.
T h e D o g ' s Sn o u t P e o p l e (Lettish)
ONG ago there lived in a forest country wo peoples: people with dogs' snous and good people The former were hunters and the later illed he soil Once he dogs snout people while huning caugh a girl belonging to he good people; she did no come from an adjacen setlemen but from a distant village. The people wih dogs snouts took he girl home and fed her on n us and sweet milk then afer a while, wishing to judge of her condition, they took a long needle a nd drove it into her forehead. They licked up he blood as a bear licks honey from a hive They fed he girl ill at las she seemed o be suitable for their purpose. She will be a delicious morsel! they said telling their mother o roast he girl while they were away hunting in he forest. The oven had already been heating for two days The men's moher now sent the girl o a neighbouring farm for a shovel upon which the victim could be hrown into the oven but by chance the girl went for the shovel o a farm belonging to the good people. She arrived and said to heir moher, Litle moher lend our woman wih the dog's snout a shovel.' Why does she require a shovel?' I do no know' You are a stupid girl ' said he moher of the good people Do you not know that he oven is being heaed for you? n carrying the shovel you will be assising your own death but I will instruc you little augher Take the shovel with you and when he woman with the dogs snout says "Lie upon he shovel ! then lie upon it crossways and when she says "ie more convenienly beg her to show you how to take your position. As soon as she has lain down lenghways on the shovel hrow her as quickly as possible into he oven and shut the door so tight that she cannot open i. When you have done this srew round you some ashes, 27
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and taking off your bast shoes put them on reversed, so that the front shal become the back and the back shal become the front; then run away with all you r might; they wil not nd you by your traces Take care that you do not fa into the hands of the dogs snout people, or there will be an end of you ! ' The gir took the shove and returned with it and the dog's snout woman said to her Lie down upon the shove!' The girl lay crossways. Then the dogs snout woman said, Lie down lengthways; it wil be better. I do not understand said the girl ; show me They disputed a ong while unti the dog's snout woman lay down upon the shovel. The gir immediatey seized it, thrust the woman rapidly into the oven and shut the door tight Then she shod herself, as the mother of the good people had instructed her, and ran away. The dogs snout men came home and ooked for their mother unsuccessfully. One said to another Perhaps she has gone on a visit to her neighbours; et us see if the roast meat is ready '
Th e O l d W o m an A g a in s t t h e Stream (Norwegian)
HERE was once a man who had an od wife, and she was so cross and contrary that she was hard to get aong with. The man in fact, didn't get along with her at al Whatever he wanted she always wanted the very opposite. Now one Sunday in ate summer t hap pened that the man and the wife went ot to see how the crop was getting aong. When they came to a ed on the other side of the river, the man said We, now it's ripe. Tomorrow we have to start reaping. Yes tomorrow we can start to clip it,' said the od woman What's that? Shal we cip? Aren't we going to be allowed to reap either, now ?' sid the man . No, cip i they shold, the old woman insisted There's nothing worse than knowing too little' said the man bt this time yo certainy mst have ost what little wits yo had. Have yo ever seen anyone clip the crop?' Litte do I know and little do care to know, said the od woman bt this know to be sre: the crop is going to be clipped and not reaped! There was nothing more to be said. Clip it they should, and that was that. So they waked back wranging and quarrelling unti they came to a bridge over the river,jst by a deep pool. t's an old saying' said the man that good tools do good work But dare say that'll be a qeer harvest which they clip with sheepshears he said. Shan't we be allowed to reap the crop at all, now ?' Nay, nay! - Clip, cip, cip shrieked the old woman, hopping up and down and snipping at the man's nose with her ngers. But in her fury she didn't look where she was going, and she tripped over the end of a post in the bridge and tmbled into the 29
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ver Old ways are hard to mend,' thought the man, but t'd be nce if I were rght for once - me too' He waded out n the pool and caught hold of the old woman's topknot, just when her head was barely above the water Well are we gong to reap the eld?' he said Cp, clip, clp ! ' shreked the old woman I'll teach you to cip, I wll' thought the man, and ducked her under But it ddnt help They were going to clip, she sad, when he let her up agan I can only believe that the old woman is mad ! ' sad the man to himself Many people are mad and don't know t; many have sense and don't show it. But now I'll have to try once more al the same ' he sad But hardy had he pushed her under before she thrust her hand up out of the water, and started clppng with her ngers as wth a par of scissors Then the man ew into a rage, and ducked her boh good and ong. But al at once her hand sank down beow the surface of the water, nd the old woman suddenly became so heavy that he had to et go hs hold If you want to drag me down nto the pool wth you now you can just ie there you Troll! ' sad the man And so there the old woman stayed Bt after a litte whe, the man thought t a pty tha she should le there and not have a Chrstian bural So he went down aong the rver, and started ooking and searchng for her But for al he ooked and for all he searched he couldn't nd her He took with him fok from the farm and other folk from the neghbourhood and they all started dggng and draggng down along the whoe rver But for all they looked no od woman dd they nd N o' sad the man That's no use at all This old woman had a mnd of her own,' he sad. She was so contrary whle she was alve that she can't very well be otherwse now We'll have to start searchng upstream and try above the fas Maybe she's oated herself upstream' Wel, they went upstream and looked and searched above the 30
falls. There ly the old womn She was the old woman against the strem, she was!
The Letter Trick (Surinamese)
HERE was a woman who had a husband Well then her husband was in the bush and she had another man. But when her husband went to the city, then the other man said to her said If you love me you must et me come seep in your house. ' Then she said to the man said Al right My husband is in the city, wil let you come. I am going to dress you in one of my skirts and blouses, and I am going to tell my husband that you are my sister from the plantation.' Then when she dressed him in the dress then that night he came there. And the woman tod her husband this was her sister Then at night they went to sleep But in the morning the woman went to the market because she sod things Then the man lay down upstairs. But when the woman's husband saw she did not come down, then he went to look and he saw a man. Then the man was angry. He took a stick and came running to the market towards the woman. But when the woman saw him coming, then the woman took a piece of paper then she read and cried. Then when the man came he said What are you doing?' Then she made up a speech. Hm! just received a etter that al my sisters on the plantation have changed into men.' Then the man said, They do not lie, because the on e who came to sleep with you last night that one too changed into a man But the ma n did not know how to read That is why the woman deceived him with such a trick.
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MOTHER and her daughter lived in a village The daughter was happy because she was engaged to a boy who ived in the same village, a woodcutter, and they were to be married within a few weeks So she passed all her time helping her mother a ittle working in the eds a ittle gathering wood a little; and then in h er free time she sat at the window and sang . as she spun She spun and she sang waiting for he anc to return from the forest One day a magician passed throug town and he heard singing she had a pretty voice. He turned around and saw this girl at the window. Seeing her and falling in love with her was one and the same for the magician And so he sent . he sent someone to ask if she would marry him This prin . this girl said No, because I am aready engaged to be maried I have a anc and I am very fond of him she replied, and in a few weeks we are getting married, she said, so I dont need a magician or these riches' because he had told her that he would make her a rich lady because she was poor Then the magician who had become indignant at her refusal, sent an eagle to kidnap the girl, who was called Brunilde, and it carried her to his caste where he showed her al his riches al his castles all his gold, all his money but she didnt care about any of it. She said I will marry Rolando and I want Rolando' The magician then told her If you dont marry me then you wil never leave this caste And in fact he locked her up . he locked her in a room near his bedroom. Since the magician slept very soundly during the night and snored for fear that someone woud steal her he had an efgy made of himself as big as he was and then he had bels ut on it a thousand tiny bells so that if 34
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anyone bum b umped ped into this efgy efgy he woud wake up Now Now er moter and an d Roland Rolando o were worri worried ed because the gir gir didn't come home, and her anc wanted to go and ki the magician But er mother said No wait et's wait a itte She said, f not he could hurt you too; let's wait a bit And they tried one nigt to get into into the gar garden den but bu t the the magician had had a wall built that surrounded the garden and it was so tall that it was impossible to enter. And the gir's moter sat al day and cried Finally one o ne day wen w en she was in th e forest forest she came u pon a fairy in the the for form m of an old ady ady who said said to her her Tell Tel l me me why w hy are you crying so?' And the gir's mother tod the od woman about her Brunilde and how she had been carried off. Listen' the fairy said listen I don't have much power in this case because the magician is much mu ch more powerfu powerfu than I. can't do anything anyth ing,',' she said However can help you' and she told told er e r that he had closed closed the girl in i n a room and that th at he ad had an efgy efgy made of imself imse lf So se s e said , You can't go go there because if one of o f those bells should ring he'l wake up.' She said: Listen to what you shoud do. This is te season wen the cotton falls from te trees trees You should sho uld go every day and l a bag with cotton cotton.. n the evening wen Rolando comes home from the forest you have him take te cotton cotton to the castle and Ill hep you yo u crawl throug a ole ' She said : I get the the bag bag into the the garden and an d you'll you'l l get get inside insid e the paac paacee into the the castle castle.. n the caste caste you you must stuff stuff a fe few bells eac night with cotton Unti you have stuffed them al so that they wil not n ot ring any more then we'l see wh at we we can do. d o.'' And in fact this poor woman said Of course I' do it. It wi take time but 'l 'l do it i t gla gladly dly'' So they talked to the you you ng man. During the day the mother mother gatered the cotton whie he went to work and in the evening they took too k the bag of cotton cotton to the castle and the mother moth er stuf st ufffed the bels. Unti one night the bells had n aly a been stuffed S h e went back back to t o th e old old woman woman in the fores forestt and an d told he r that that the last bel ad been stuffed that same evening. Then the old woman said, Take Rolando with you.' And so the young man was was made mad e to enter en ter through the same door that was was used to stuff stuff the bes and the od woman gave him a sword and tod him that when they were near en ough he shoud cut off off the left left ear of the 35
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magican. All the power of the magcian les in hs left ear she said said In fact they they entered entered the the cast caste e and and went to to get get the the gir. And An d the young you ng man went wen t to cut of off the magician's ear After After he cut off the ear the left ear where al hs power lay the entire caste crumbed, everythng crumbled. The young coupe took al the god the silver, and everythng that belonged to the magcian. They became rich they got married, and they lived happily ever after. after.
T h e G r e en i s h B i r d (Mexican)
HERE were three girls who were orphaned and Luisa did much sewing. The other two said that they didnt ike Luisas kind of life They would rather go to bars and such thing things. s. Wel that that kind kind of women women - gay women. So Luisa stayed home. She kept a jar of water on the window sil and she sewed and sewed a nd sewed sewed So then he came the Greenish Bird that was an enchanted prince And of course he iked Luisa a ot, so he woud light there on on the window sil and say Luisa raise your your eyes eyes to mine mi ne and you r troub troubles les will will be over. Bu t she woudnt On another night he came and and said said Luisa give me a drin k of water water from from your litte litte jar . Bu Butt she woud woud n't look to t o see if i f he was was a bird or a man or anythin anyth ing. g. Except she didnt didn t know whether whe ther he drank or not, but then then she s he saw he was a man man She gave him s ome water. So then he came again and propose proposed d to her and they fel fel in ove And the bird would would come inside; inside ; he woud woud ie in her bed There on the headboard. And he set up a garden for her with many fruit trees and other things and a messenger and a maid; so the the gir was was livi li ving ng in grand stye. stye . What Wh at shoud happen b ut that her sis siste ters rs found found ou t. ust ook at Luisa how high she has gone overnight. And us' one of the sisters says ust look at us the way we are Lets spy on her and see who it is that goes in there They went and spied on her and saw it was a bird so they bought penty of knives. And they put them on the window sil When the litte bird came out he was wounded woun ded al over over He said, Luisa Lu isa if you want to follow follow me I live in crysa towers on the plains of Merin Me rin.. I'm bady bady wounded' wounded ' he said said . So she bought a pair of iron shoes Luisa did and she took 37
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some some clohe clohess wih her - wha she she cou coud d carr carryy walking - and a guiar she had. And she went off afer him She came to he house where he Suns mother lived She was a blonde blonde old woman Very ugly So she got got there there and knocked on he door and i opened The old old woman said 'What are are you doing here? here ? If my son the the Sun Su n sees sees you yo u hell he ll devour you you she said said ' I m searching searchi ng for for he he Greenish Bird Bird she said said 'He was here Look hes bady wounded He lef a pool of loo lood d there there and hejus he justt lef lef a moment mom ent ago She said said,, 'All righ hen Im gong 'No she said 'hde and les see if my son can tell you something somethi ng He shines on all the world she said said So he came in very angry: angry: Whoo! Whoo! I smell humaneh. humaneh. Whoo-whoo! Whoo-whoo! If I can't have it, Ill eat you.
He said ths to his mother 'What do you want me to do, son son ? Theres Theres nobody nobody her he re. She calmed him down and gave him food. Then she old him tle by litte He said said 'Wheres he girl he said 'Le her come out so so I can see her So Luisa came out and asked him abou he Greenish B ird. He said said 'Me I dont know. know. I havent heard of him hi m I dont know where to to nd hm h m I havent seen anyhing ike that either. I t could be be hat he Moons mother mother or he Moon Moo n herself herself would know, he said. said. Well Well hen he n 'Al ' Alll right right Im I m going now now Wihout asing asing a bite bite of food So hen he Sun told her o ea rs and hen go And so hen hey h ey gave her something to ea, and she left. left. Al righ so she got o the house where the Moons moher lived. And so 'What are you dong here? If my daugher the Moon sees you she will devour you. And I don know how many other things he od woman said to her her 'Wel hen hen Ill go. I just wante wanted o ask her if she hadn seen the Greenish Bird Bi rd pass by here here 'He was here Look, theres he blood; hes very badly woun ded, ded, she said said Al rgh so she sarted o go away but the Moon sad 38
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'Hombre, don't go Come eat rst, and then you can go. So they
also gave her a bite to eat. As soon as they gave her something, she left. left. Why dont you go where where the mother of the Wind Win d lives and wait for the Wind to come home? The Wind goes into every nook and cranny cran ny ; there isnt a place place he doesnt doesn t visit' vis it' The mother of the Wind said, Al right,' so she she hid. hid . She S he said, But you'll have to hide, because if my son the Wind sees you, Heaven Heaven hep us' All Al l right,' right,' she said The Wind came home a vapoury and very angry, and his mother told him to behave, to take a seat, to sit down and have somethin g to to eat So he quieted quieted down And then the girl told told him that she was looking loo king for for the Greenish B ird But no can't tell you anything about that. 've never seen anything, he said Well, so the girl went out again, but they gave her breakfast rst and all that. The thing is that by the time she did nd out she had worn out the iron shoes she was wearing It happened that there was an old old hermit her mit way out ou t there, ther e, who tended ten ded to all all the t he birds He woud call them by bowing on a whiste and they woud all come, and all kinds of animals, too So she wen t there, too And he asked her what she was doing out there, in those onely wilds, and this and that. So she told the hermit, Im in search of the Greenish B ird Dont you know where he lives?' No he said What I do know is that he was here. And he's badly badly wound ed Bu t let me call call my birds, birds, and it may be be that they they know or have have heard where he is, or some thing Well, no. All the birds were called, but the old eagle was missing. The od eagle was right in the middle of it, eating tripe tripe The prince prin ce was to be be married, married , but bu t he he had prayed to God that he would get leprosy, somethin g ike sores, and he was il with sores. He was hoping Luisa would get there. But they were getting ready to to marry him h im The bride was was a princess and very rich but even so he di dnt dn t ove her He wanted to to wait fo for his Luisa. Lu isa. Wel then, so the old eagle was missing. The old man the hermit, began blowin blowin g and blowing on his whistle whistle until un til she came. What do you want, hombre? There I was peacefuy eating tripe, and you have to carry on ike that, that, with a a that blowing blowing Wait, dont be mean he said. There's a poor girl here 39
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looking for the Greenish Brd She says she's his sweetheart and is going to marry him' She's ooking for the Greenish Bird? The Greenish Brd is about to get married The only reason he hasn't marred yet is that hes very sck of some sores Hmm yes But the wedding feast is gong on and the bride's mother s there and everythng But anyway if she wants to go it's al rght. I just came from there. I was there eating trpe and guts and all that stuff they throw away If she wants to go al she has to do is butcher me a cow and we'l go ' The gir heard and she was very happy even if he was getting married and all that The hermit called her, and se came out and she saw al kinds of brds And he sad, The old eagle says that if you butcher a cow she wl take you al the way to the very palace' A right she said she would For she had plenty of money with her The bird had made her wel off from the beginning He would have married her then and there, if t hadn't been for those bratty sisters of hers So al rght so they did go. She slaughtered the cow and the eagle took her and the cow on her back She would y high hgh high; and then she would start comng down Give me a leg' she would say And she would eat the meat That's why we say a person is an old eagle' when they ask for meat She woud gve her meat And What do you see?' Nothing' she would say You can't see anything yet Its a very pretty paace made of nothng but glass It will shine n the sun' the eage would say I dont see anythng yet' And she would keep on going, straight straight ahead, who knows how far And then she woud y up and up and up. What do you see?' Well something like a peak that shnes But t's very far away ' Yes t's very far ' So the cow was al eaten up and stil they didn't get there And she sad she wanted more meat Luisa said Here take the knife' Sh e told the eagle that Cut off on e of my egs o r I 'l cut it off mysef' Luisa told the eage But she didn't say it wholeheartedly of course Not a chance Anyway the eagle said No no I only said it to test you. I'm 40
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going to eave you just outside because there are many cops around - or something ike that guarding the doors You ask permission to go in from one of them Tell them to let the ladies know you are coming in to cook. Don't ask for anything else' she said Get a job as a cook and then, wel, well see how things go for you. All right s o she left Luisa just outside the yard It was a great big yard made of pure gold or God knows what. As beautiful as could be She asked the guard to let her in And what is your reason for going in? What are you going to do?' She said, Well I 'm very poor, and ve come fro a long way off And Im looking for work. Anything I can do to eat, no matter if it is working in the kitchen' And her carrying a golden comb and all that the Greenish Bird had given her And the guitar. Let me go ask the mistress, he said, to see if they want to hire some kitchen help So he went and told her, A woman is looking for work' And who knows what ese What kind of woman is she? Well, she is like this, and thi s way and that way All right, tell her to come in and have her go around that way, so she won't come in through here in the palace, she said She didnt want her to go through the house So she went over there And everybody was very kind to her. Meanwhile the Greenish Bird was a person now, but he was all leprous and very sick. There was a little old woman who had raised him. She was the one who took care of him They had her there as a servant First she had raised the boy when she worked for his parents. Then she had oved over here to the bride's house. She was no bride when the old woman rst came there but the girl had falen in love with him But he loved his Luisa And wel the wedding feast was in full swing, you might say, and he began to feel much better for he heard a guitar being payed, and he asked the old woan why they hadn't told him there were strangers in the house And when he heard the guitar he told the woman who was taking care of him, w ho came to see him when he was sick Who is singing and playing the guitar?' Oh I had forgotten to tell you. A ady came wearing a pair of 41
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wornout iron shoes, and she also has a guitar and a comb' s there anything on the cob?' Well, don't know' She couldn't read any more than I can dont know what's on it. They look ike little wreaths or letters or I don't know what.' Ask her to end it to you and bring it here' And once he heard about the g itar, once he heard the guitar playing and all, he began to get well He got much better But neither the mother and father of the gir nor anybody else came to see him there He was all alone with the woman who took care of him. Because he looked very ugy But then the woman went and told the princess who was going to be his mother-inlaw, You shoud see how much better the prince is, the Greenish Bird . He is quite well now' So they al came to see him And that made him angrier yet, because they came to see him now that he was well. The girl was very rich and a princess and al that, and Luisa was a poor litte thing But he said , Go ask her to lend you her comb and bring it to me .' The od woman went and asked for the comb as if she wanted to comb her hair, and she went back where he was He didn't say anything he just looked at it. What do you say?' No, nothing,' he said. Tomorrow, or this afternoon, when they bring me food, have her bring it to me She's working here, after al,' he said. So when it was time to take him his dinner, she said , Listen, Luisa, go take the prince his dinner 'm very tired now. I'm getting old.' Luisa didn't want to go; she was putting on. She hung back and she hung back, but at last she went We , they greeted each other and saw each other and every thing And she said, Well, so you are aready engaged and are going to get married,' Luisa said And one cannot refuse anything to kings and princes' But have an idea, ever since heard the guitar,' said the boy What is it?' Everybody is going to make chocoate, and the cup drink, 'll marry the one who made it.' And she says, But I don't even know how to make chocolate! ' 42
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The old woman sad she woud make t for her the woman who was taking care of him. Because Lusa went and tod her about t ust magne what the prnce wants For al of us to come n cooks and no cooks and absolutey all the women here princesses and all And each one of us mus make a cup of chocoate and the cup he drnks hel marry the woman who made it And she sad dont know how . .' Now now' said the od woman dont worry about that. make it for you . And you can take t to him Well the rst to come in were all the bg shots as s always the case. First the brde then the mothern-law the father-naw ssters-inaw and everybody. And al he sad was I don t like it. I dont ke it.' The mothernlaw sad Now wonder who he wants to marry? ' And, I wonder who he wants to marry?' Well . . nobody. So then the od woman who took care of hm came Neither Then the other cook went n . And Lusa was the ast one. He tod them that she was the one he wanted to marry. That she had come searching for him from very far away and that he would marry her. And he drank al o Lusas cup of chocolate Bitter or not he didn't care And he married her. And colorin so red the story s nshed
The Crafty Woman (Lithuanian)
MAN and his young wife who had settled down to life n a village, agreed so well that nether of them pronounced a single unpleasant word they ony caressed and kissed each other For fully six months the Devi did hs best to make the pair quarrel but at last rritated by continued failure he expressed his rage by makng a dsagreeable noise in his throat and made ready to depart However, an old woman who was roaming about met him and said Why are you annoyed? The Devil expained and the woman on the understanding that she would receive some new bast shoes and a pair of boots endeavoured to make the young coupe disagree She went to the wife whle the husband was at work n the elds and having begged for alms said , Ah, my dear! how pretty and good you are! Your husband ought to love you from the depths of his soul know you live more amicably than any other couple in the word, but my daughter! will teach you to be yet happier Upon your husbands head at the very summit are a few grey hairs you must cut them off taking care that he does not notice what you are about.' But how shall I do that? When you have given your husband hs dinner, tell him to lie down and rest his head upon your lap then as soon as he goes to sleep whip a razor out of your pocket and remove the grey hairs. The young wife thanked her adviser and gave her a present The old woman went immediately to the ed and warned the husband that a misfortune threatened him since his amiable wife not only had betrayed him, but intended that afternoon to kill him and later to marry someone richer than himself When 44
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at midday the we arrived and after his meal placed her husbands head u pon her knees he pretended to be aseep and she took a razor from her pocket in order to remove the grey hairs nstantly the exasperated man jumped on to hs feet and, seizng hs wife by the hair began to abuse and strke her. The Devi saw a and coud not beleve his eyes; soon he took a ong poe attached oosely to one end of t the promsed bast shoes and boots and wthout comng cose passed them to the old woman ' wll not on any account approach nearer to you, he sad, lest you shoud n some way mpose upon me, for you reay are more crafty and cunnng than I am ! H avng delvered the boots and bast shoes the Devl vanished as quicky as if he had been shot from a gun.
Part Two U TO SOMETH I NG B L A C K A RTS A N D D I RT Y TRICKS
P e t t y M a i d I b r on k a (Hungarian)
HERE was a pretty girl in the viage That is why she was caled by the name of Pretty Maid bronka. But what of it, if all the other girls and what a bevy of them used to gather to do their spinning together - had a over to them seves, and she alone had none? For quite a wh ile she waited patiently pondering over her chances but then the thought took hold of her mind: wish God would give me a sweetheart even if one of the devils he were' That evening wh en the young were together in th e spinning room , in walks a young lad in a sheepskin cape and a hat graced with the feather of a crane. Greeting the others he takes a seat by the side of Pretty Maid Ibronka Well, as is the custom of the young they start up a conversa tion talking about this and that, exchanging news. Then it happened that the spindle slipped from bronkas hand At once she reached down for it and her sweetheart was also bending for it but as her groping hand touched his foot she felt it was a coven hoof. Well great was her amazement as she picked u p her spindle bronka went to see them out as on that evening the spinning had been done at her place. Before separating they had a few words together and then they bid each other goodbye. As is the custom of the young they parted with an embrace. t was then that she felt her hand go into his side straight through his esh That made her recoi with even greater amazement. There was an od woman in the vilage To that woman she went and said Oh mother, put me wise about this As you may know for long they have been wagging their tongues in the 49
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village saying hat of all he vllage girls only Prey Maid Ibronka is withou a sweetheart And I was wating and waiting for one when he wish took hold of my mind tha God would give me a sweeheart even if one of the devils he were And on tha very same evening a young man appeared in a sheepskin cape and a ha graced with a crane feaher. Sraigh up to me he walked and took a sea by my side Well we sared up a conversaion as is he cusom of he young talking abou this and ha mus have become heedless of my work and le the spindle slip from my hand A once reached down o pick it up and so di d he bu as my groping hand chanced to touch his foot, I fel i was a cloven hoof This was so queer i made me shudder Now pu me wise mother what should I be doing now? 'Well she said go and do he spinning at some oher place changing from here o there so you can see if he will nd you She did so and ried every spinning room there was in the village bu wherever she wen he came after her Again she wen o see he old woman 'Oh moher didnt he come to every single place wen? see I shall never ge rid of him his way and I dare not hink of wha is going o come of all his do not know who he is nor from where he came. And I nd i awkward to ask him Well heres a piece of advice o you There are litle girls in he village who are just learning o spin and hey nd it good pracice to wind the thread into balls Ge yourself such a ball, and when hey gather again a your place for the spinning see hem ou when hey leave and while you are talking o each other before parting, fuss abou unil you can get the end of he hread ied n a kno round a tuf in his sheepskin cape When he akes leave and goes his way le he hread unwind from he ball When you feel ha there is no more to come make it ino a ball again following he rack of he unwound thread Well hey came o he r place o do the spinning. Th e ball of hread she kep in readiness Her sweethear was keeping her waiing The ohers began easing her: Your sweetheart s going o le you down, Ibronka! 'To be sure h e won H e wll come; only some busness is now 50
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keeping him away' They hear the door open. They stop n sence and expectation: who is going to open the door? t is Ibronka's sweetheart. He greets them all and takes a seat at her side And as is the custom of the young they make conversation each havng something to tel the other Amid such talk the time passes Let's be goin g home it must be close to midnight' And they did not tarry long but quickly rose to their feet and gathered their beongngs Good night to you all! ' And they le off and leave the room one after the other. Outside the house a nal goodbye was said and each went his way and was soon bound homeward . And the pair drew closer to each other and were talking about this and that. And she was manipuating the thread until she got the end knotted round a tuft of wool in his sheepskin cape. Well they did not make ong with their conversation as they began to feel the chill of the nght. You better go in now my dear' he said to bronka, or you'll catch cold. When the weather turns mld we may converse at greater eisure.' And they embraced Good night' he sad. Good nght' she sad to hm. And he we nt his way And she began to unwind the ball as he was walking away. Fast dd the thread unwind from the bal And she began to speculate how much more there woud be still to come but no sooner than ths thought came nto her head than it stopped For a while she kept watng. But no more thread came off the ball Then she started to rewind it And bravely she followed the track of the thread as she went winding it into a bal again. Rapidly the bal was growing in her hand And she was thinkng to herself that she woud not have to go very much farther. Bu t where woul d the thread be leading her? I t led her straight to the church Well' she thought he must have passed this way' Bu t th e thread led h er further on straight to the churchyard And she waked over to the door. And through the keyhole the ight shone from the nside And she bent down and peeped 51
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through the keyhole. And whom does she behold there? Her own sweetheart. She keeps her eye on him to nd out what he was doing Well he was busy sawing the head of a dead man in two She s aw him separate the two parts just the same way we cut a melon in two And then she saw him feasting on the brains from the halved head Seeing that she grew even more horried She broke the thread and in great haste made her way back to the house But her sweetheart must have caught sight of her and briskly set out after her. No sooner had she reached home in great weariness and bolted the door safely on the inside than her sweetheart was calling to her through the window Pretty Maid Ibronka what did you see looking through the keyhole? ' She answered Nothing did I see' You must tell me what you saw or your sister shall die ' Nothing did I see If she dies we'l bury her.' Then her sweetheart went away First thing in the morning she went to the old woman In great agitation did she appea to her as her sister had died Oh mother I need your advice' What about?' Well I did what you advised me to do ' What happened then?' Oh just imagine where I was led m following the thread. Straight to the churchyard' Well what was his business there?' Oh just imagine he was sawing a dead man's head in two just the same way we'd go about cutting up a melon And there I stayed and kept my eye on him to see what he'd be doing next. And he set to feasting on the brains from the severed head I was so horried that I broke the thread and in great haste made my way back home But he must have caught sight of me because as soon as I had the door safey bolted on the inside he was calling to me through the window "Pretty Maid Ibronka what did you see looking through the keyhole? "Nothing did I see'' "You must tell me what you saw, or your sister shall die'' I said then "If she dies we wil bury her but nothing did I see through the 52
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keyhole"' Now listen the old woman said take my advice and pu t your dead siste in the outhouse Next evening sh e did n ot dae to go spinning with he friends but her sweetheat was caling again though he wi ndow Petty Maid Ibronka what did you see through the keyhole?' Nothing did I see You must tell me what you saw he said or you mother shall die I f she dies we wi uy he but nothing did I see looking though the keyhole He turned away fom the window an d was off. Ibronka was pepaing for a nights est. When she ose in the moning she found her mother dead. She went to the old woman. Oh mothe what wil al this ead to? My mother too - shes dead D o not wory about it ut p ut her corpse in th e outhouse In the evening her sweetheart came again He was calling her though the window Petty Maid Ibonka tell me what did you see looking through the keyhole?' Nothing did I se e You must tell me what you saw' he said o your father shall die If he dies we will bury him, ut nothing did I see ooking though the keyhole' He sweetheat turned away from the window and was off and she retired for the night But she could not help musing over he lot; what would come of all this? And she went on speculating u ntil she felt sleepy an d moe at ease But she could not rest fo long. Soon she lay wide awake and was pondering over he fate. I wonde what the future keeps i n store for me? And when the day boke she found he fathe dead Now I am left alone. She took the corpse of he father into the outhouse a nd then she went as fast as she could to the old woman again. Oh mother mothe! I need your comfort in my distress. What is goin g to happen t o me?' You know what s going to happen to you ? I may te you. You 53
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are going o die. Now go and ask your friends to be here when you die. And when you die because die you will for cerain, they must no take ou the cofn eiher hrough the door or he window when hey carry i o he churchyard. ' How then?' They mus cut a hole hrough the wall and mus push the cofn through ha hole. Bu hey should no carry it along he road but cut across hrough he gardens and he bypaths And hey shoud no bury i in he burial ground but in he dich of he churchyard. ' ell, sh e wen home Then she sent word to her friends, he girls in he village, and hey appeared a her call n he evening her sweeheart came o he window Prety Maid Ibronka, wha did you see looking through he keyhole?' Nohing did I see You mus el me a once,' he said, or you shal die' f I die, they will bury me bu nohing did I see hrough the keyhole' He turned away from he window and ook off Well, for a while she and her friends kep up heir conversa ion They were only half inclined o beieve ha she would die When hey grew tired hey went o sleep B ut when they awoke, they found Ibronka dead. They were no long in bringing a cofn and cuing a hole hrough he wall They dug a grave for her in the dich of he churchyard They pushed the cofn hrough he hole in he wall and wen off wh i They did not follow he road, bu wen cross-counry, cuing hrough the gardens and he bypaths When hey came o he churchyard they uried her Then hey returned to the house and lled in the hole hey had cu hrough he wall. so happened hat before she died, Ironka enjoined hem to take care of the house until furher events ook pace Before long, a beauiful rose grew ou of Ibronka's grave. The grave was no far from he road, and a prince, driving past in his coach, saw i So much was he aken y is beauy ha he stopped the coachman a once Hey! Rein in the horses and ge me that rose from the grave. Be quick aou it' 54
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At once the coachman came to a halt H e ju mps from the coach and goes to fetch the rose. But when he wants to break it off the rose will not yield He is pulling harder now but stll it does not yield He is puling the rose with all his might but all in va Oh what a dum my you are! Havent you got the brains to pick a rose? Come o n here get back on the coach and let me go and get the ower The coach man got back on to hs seat and the prince gave him the rens, w hich h e had been holdng whil e the other went for the rose. T he prince then jumped down from the coach and went to the grave o sooner had he grasped the rose than it came of at once and h e was holding it in his hand Look here, you idiot wth al your tearing and pulling you could not get me this rose and hardly did I touch it and off t came into my hand' Well, they took off, driving back home at great speed. The prince pinned the rose on hs breast. At home he found a place for it in front of the dining-room mirror so that he should be able to look at it even while he was having his meals. There the rose stayed One evening some leftovers remained on the table after supper. The prince left them there. may eat them some other time' Thi s happened every now and again O nce the servant asked the prince, Did your majesty eat the leftovers?' ot I' said the prnce. guessed it was you who nished off what was left o, I did not, he says We, theres something shy about t' Says the servant, I am going to nd out whos in this the cat, or whoever Neither the prince nor the servant would have guessed that the rose was eating the remains. Well' said the prince, we must eave some more food on the table And you will lie n wait and see whos going to eat it up They left plenty of food on the table And the servant was lying in wait but never for a moment did he suspect the rose. 55
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And the rose alighted from her place by the mirror and shook itself and at once it turned into such a beautiful maiden that you could not nd a second to her not in all Hun gary not in all the wide world Well she sat down on a chair at the table and supped wel off the dishes. She even found a glass of water to nish off her supper Then she shook herself a little and back again she was i n her place in front of the mirror in the shape of a rose Well the servant was impatiently waiting for day to break. Then he went to the prince and reported ve found it out your royal majesty it was the rose This evening you must lay the table properly an d leave penty of food on it. am going to see for mysef whether you are teling me the truth An d a s they were lying in wait the prince and the servant they saw the rose alight from her place. She made a slight movement then shook herself and at once turned into a ne and beautiful maiden She takes a chair sits down at the table and sups well on the dishes The prince was watching her as he sat under the mirror And when she n ished her supper and poured herself a glass of water and was about to shake herself into a rose again the prince clasped his arms round her and took her into his la p My beautiful and beloved sweetheart You are mine and I am yours for ever and nothing but death can us part Oh i t cannot be so said bronka To be sure it can be he says. And why not?' There is more to it than you thin k Well I just remember a slip I have made in the story Here goes then On the day she was buried her sweetheart appeared at her window as usual He called in to her But no answer came He goes to the door and kicks it open. Tell me you door, was it through you they took out bronkas cofn ? No it was not. He goes then to the window Tell me you window was it through you they took the cofn out?' No i t was not He takes himself off to the road Tell me you road was i t this way they took the cofn? 56
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No, it was not.' He goes to the hurhyard. Tel me, you hurhyard, was it in your ground they buried Pretty Maid bronka? No, it was not ' Well that is the mssing part Fervently the prine is now wooing her and tries to win her onsent to their marrage. But she resorts to evasion And nally she made her ondition, I wil marry you only if you never ompel me to go to hurh. Said the prine, Well then, we oud get along without you going to hurh. Even if sometimes go myself. sha never ompel you to ome with me He re is another part of the story I mssed tellng in its proper order As he did not get any the wiser from the answer of the road, and the hurhyard either, her sweetheart said to hmself, Well, see m ust get mysef a pair of iron moasins and an iron staff and then shall not stop untl I n d you, Pretty Maid bronka, even if have to wear them away to naught' The tme omes when bronka is expetng a hild The ouple are iving h appily o ny she never goes along with him to hurh Day follows day, the years slip by Agan she s with hid They have already two hldren, and they are no longer babes, but a boy of ve and six years of age. And it s their father who takes them to hurh. True enough, he himsef had foun d t strange enough that ony his hidren went with hm while al other folks appeared together with their wives And he knew that they rebuked him for t and sad, Why does not your majesty bring aong the queen?' He says, Wel, th at is the ustom with us.' But all the same he felt embarrassed after this rebuke, and next Su nday, when he was gettng ready with the boys to go to hurh, he said to his wife, Look here, mssus, why won't you come with us too? She answered, Look here, husband, don 't you remember you r promise? How then? Must we stik to t for ever and aye? I've been hearing their sorn long enough . And how ould gve up going 57
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o church when he kids want me to go with hem? Whaever we were saying hen, let us forget abou it. All righ let it be as you wish, bu it will give rise o rouble beween us two However, as I see you've set your ind on i I am wiling to go with you . Now let me go and dress for church' So they went, and i made he people rejoice o see hem togeher Tha is the right hing, your maesty,' hey said, coing to church wih your wife The mass is drawing o a close and when it ends, a an is walking up o he couple wearing a pair of iron moccasins worn o holes and wih an iron saff in his hand He calls out loudly I pedged mysef, Ibronka, that I would pu on a pair of iron occasins and ake an iron saff, and go ou looking for you, even f I should wear them to naught Bu before I had worn the quite away, I found you Tonigh I shal come to you. And he disappeared On their way home the king asked his wife, Wha did ha an mean by threaening you?' ] ust wai t and see and you wil learn what will coe of i So both were anxiousy waiing for the evening to coe. The day was drawing to a close. Suddenly here was soeone calling through the window Prety Maid Ibronka wha did you see hrough the keyhole? Prey Maid Ibronka then began her speech: I was he pretiest girl in the village bu o a dead and not a living soul am I speaking and all the other girls had a sweehear - bu o a dead and no o a living soul am I speaking Once I le it ou I wish God woud give me one, even if one of he devils he were. There mus have been somehing in the way I said it because ha evening, when we gathered o do our spinning here appeared a young ad in a sheepskin cape, and a ha graced with a feaher of a crane. He greets us and takes a sea at my side and we are conversing as is the custom of he young. And hen i so happened - but o a dead and not to a iving sou am I speaking hat y spinde slipped from my hand I ben to pick it up and so did my sweehear, but as my groping hand ouched his foo I fe a once - but o a dead and not o a living soul am I speaking ha i was a cloven hoof. And I recoied in horror tha God had 58
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given m e a devil for a sweetheart - but to a dead and not to a living soul am I speaking And he is shouting at the top of his voice through th e window. Pretty Maid Ibronka what did you see looking through the keyhole? But when at the parting as is the custom with the young we embraced my hand went straight through his esh. At that I grew even more horried. There was a woman in the village and I went to ask for her advice. And she put me wise but to a dead and not to a living soul am I speaking' And he kept shouting through the window Pretty Maid Ibronka what did you see ooking through the keyhole?' And then my sweetheart took leave and went away. And I wished he would never come again - but to a dead and not to a living soul am I speaking. The woman said I was to try to do the spinning at some other pace once here once there so that he might not nd me But wherever I went there he came And again I went for advice to the woman - but to a dead and not to a living soul am I speaking And he was shouting through the window Pretty Maid Ibronka what did you see looking through the keyhole ? Then the woman advised me to get mysef a ball of thread which I was to fasten on to his sheepskin cape. And when he asked me and I said "Nothing did I see he said "Tell me at once or your sister shal die If she dies we will bury he r but nothing did I see looking through the keyhole. And he came again next evening and asked me what I had seen through the keyhole - but to a dead and not to a living soul am I speaking .' And all the while he never stops shouting through the window. And my sister died And the next evening he came again and was caling to me through the window - but to a dead and not to a iving sou am I speaking "el me what you saw or your mother shal die' I she dies we will bury her. Next evening he is caling to me again , " Pretty Maid Ibronka what did you see looking through the keyhole? - but to a dead and not to a living soul am I speaking. "Tel me what you saw or your father shal 59
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de. "I he des we wl bury hm, but nothng dd I see ookng through the keyhole On that day I sent word to my rends and they came and t was arranged that when I ded they would not take my cofn ether through the door or the window. Nor were they to take me along the road or bury me n the churchyard And he went on shoutng through the wndow, Pretty Mad Ibronka what dd you see lookng through the keyhoe? And my rends cut a hoe through the wall and we nt along the road when they took me to the churchyard where they bured me n the dtch - but to a dead and not to a lvng soul am I speakng' An d th en he collapsed under the wndow. He uttered a shout whch shook the castle to ts bottom and t was he who ded then Her mother and her ather and her sster rose rom ther long sleep. And that s the end o t
E n c h an t e r an d En c h an t r e s s (M o rdvi n)
MA N who was a magician took a girl-magcian as his wife The man went to the bazaar w hereupon his wife who had a over called him and they drank and ate together. n the evening the hus band returned late from the bazaar and lookng through the window saw his wife and her lover drinking and eating The lover caught a glimpse of the husband and said to the woman Who peered through the window just now?' I know' said the woman; she took a small whp and going out struck her husband with the whip and said Be no more a man ; become a yellow dog! ' The peasant became a yelow dog. t grew day and the other dogs seeng the yelow dog began to tear him The yellow dog galloped along the road ; bounded and leapt; he saw some shepherds feedng ther ock and he went to them. Pleased that the yelow dog had joined them the shep herds fed hm and gave hm water. The dog looked after the ock so well that there was nothing left for the shepherds to do. As they saw that the dog acted efcently they began to stay away from the eld Once when the dog was guarding the ock the shepherds were in the tavern A merchant entered this tavern and said A thief s pestering me ; he comes every night' You should have our dog ! ' said the she pherds and they related the dogs services The merchant made an offer for the dog and though the shepherds did not wsh to sell him, they were overcome by the thought of the money The merchant bought the dog and led hm home Nght came and wth t the magcanwife of the yellow dog arrived to commit a theft The woman entered the merchant's house and began to remove his money chest. The yellow dog threw himself upon hs wfe took away the money 61
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chest and lay down upon it. n the morning the merchant rose and saw that the chest was gone ; pushing the yellow dog, he said , I bought a dog to no purpose for thieves have got hold of my money. No sooner had the merchant pushed the dog, than he saw his coffer. The yelow dog slept three nights at the merchant's, and each night deprived his wife of the merchant's money. The wife ceased to visit the merchant for the purpose of theft. The queen bore two sons but both disappeared in the night the wife of the yelow dog had stolen them When the queen was again about to give birth to a child the king, who had heard of the yellow dog, went to the merchant and asked for him The queen bore a son but the wife of the yellow dog came by night and tried to steal him. However, no sooner had the wife of the yelow dog entered the royal dwelling and seized the third little prince than the yellow dog rushed up and snatched the infant from her In the morning the child was found safe and protected by the dog in the middle of a eld. The king took his son and said to the yelow dog, If you were a man I would give you half my kingdom. ' The yellow dog ived well now at the kings house ; nevertheless he longed for his wife He left the king and galloped to his own home where he looked in at the window and found his wife again drinking with her lover The lover saw the yellow dog and said, Someone ooked through the window.' I know him,' answered the woman She went out and struck the yellow dog with a whip and he became a sparrow For a long time he ew about as a sparrow Then the wife began to long for her husband. She went into the forest and having made a cage, threw into it some millet seeds and hoped to effect a capture The husband was roaming about in the form of a sparrow and was very hungry. He ew into the forest, found the cage, and, stepping in to peck at the grains, was caught The wife came and took the cage, dragged her husband out of it, made him once more a man, and said, Return home, take the king's two rst children from the cellar, and restore them to him.' The peasant accompanied his wife home, and, having taken the king's children from the celar, carried them to the king. When the king saw his eldest sons his 62
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delight knew no bounds and he oaded the peasant with gifts The peasant took the money and went home and said, We woman we have enough money now ! ' Come old man , his wife replied, et us build a stone house and se the square ogs' But th e peasant ha d not forgotten the tortures inicted on him by his wife, and he said, Woman become a chestnut mare; I will use you to transport both stones and ogs' The peasant-magician had scarcely spoken when his wife became a chestnu t mare, and by harnessing her and setting her to transport stones he was enabled to erect a stone house When it was competed he harnessed the chestnut, and transported the ogs a great num ber of th em The yard was no w led with the timber, and the od man said , Wife, change again to a woman ' I mmediately the mare became a woman. The woman had taught the peasant and the peasant had taught the woman. Now she is aways baking pancakes nd feeding her husband, and he sels ogs nd they ive very wel.
The Telltale Lilac Bush (USA, Hillbill)'
N OLD MAN and woman oce lived by them selves along the Tygart Valey River There had bee trouble betwee thm for may years. Few people vsed hem, and t was ot mmedaely oced that he wfe had unaccoutably disap peared. People suspected tha the od man had ked her bu her body coud not be foud ad the queston was dropped. The od ma lived a gay life after hs wfe's disappearance, utl oe nght when a group of youg me were sttig o his porch, taking of al the parties whch he old man was gvg. Whe hey were talkg a arge llac bush growng nearby bega beang on the wndow pane and beckonng owards them as though t were tryng to tel them somehing No one woud have hough anyhg of hs if the wnd had been blowg. But there was no wd- no eve a sma breeze Payg no attention to the old man's protests the young men dug up the lilac bush They were stuned when he roots were found to be growig from the palm of a woman's had. The old ma screamed and ran down the h towards the rver, never to be see again
T a t t e rh o o d (Norwegian)
NCE on a tme there was a king and a queen who had no chidren, and that gave the queen much grief; she scarce had one happy hour She was always bewaling and bemoanng her self and saying how du and onesome t was n the paace I f we had children thered be life enough,' she said. Wherever she went in all her ream she found God's bessing in children, even n the vlest hut; and wherever she came she heard the Goodies scolding the bairns and saying how th ey had done that and that wrong All this the queen heard, and thought it would be so nice to do as other women did . At last the kng and queen took into their paace a stranger lassie to rear up that they mght have her always wth them , to love her f she dd we, and sod her if she did wrong like their own chld. So one day the ttle lasse whom they had taken as their own ran down into the palaceyard and was playing wth a god apple J ust then an old beggar wfe came by who had a itte girl with her, and t wasn't long before the ltte assie and the beggar's bairn were great frends and began to play together, and to toss the god apple about between them. When the queen saw this as she sat at a window in the palace, she tapped on the pane for her foster-daughter to come up She went at once but the beggar girl went up too; and as they went nto the queen's bower, each held the other by the hand Then the queen began to scod the little lady and to say You ought to be above runn ing about and playing wth a tattered beggar's brat.' And so she wanted to drive the assie downstairs If the queen ony knew my mother's power shed not drive 65
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me out, said the little lassie; and when the queen asked what she meant more plainly she told her how her mother could get her children if she chose The queen wouldn't believe it, but the lassie held her own, and said every word of it was true and bade the queen only to try and make her mother do it So the queen sent the lassie down to fetch up her mother. Do you know what your daughter says?' asked the queen of the old woman as soon as ever she came into the room No; t he beggar wife knew nothing about it Well she says you can get me children i f you will, answered the queen Queens shouldn't listen to beggar lassies silly stories,' said the old wife and strode out of the room Then the queen got angry and wanted again to drive out the little lassie; but she declared it was true every word that she had said Let the queen only give my mother a drop to drink said the lassie. When she gets merry shell soon nd out a way to help you The queen was ready to try this; so the beggar wife was fetched up again once more, and treated both with wine and mead as much as she chose; and so it was not long before her tongue began to wag. Then the queen came out again with the same question she had asked before One way to help you perhaps I know said the beggar wife Your Majesty mu st make them bring in two pails of water soe evening before you go to bed In each of them you must wash yourself and afterwards throw away the water under the bed When you look under the bed next morning, two owers will have sprung up, one fair and one ugly The fair one you must eat the ugly one you must let stand; but mind you dont forget the last.' That was what the beggar wife said. Yes; the queen did what the beggar wife advised her to do She had the water brought up in two pails washed herself in them, and emptied them under the bed; and lo! when she looked under the bed next morning there stood two owers One was 66
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ugly and foul and had black eaves; but the other was so brght and fair and lovely she had never seen ts like so she ate it up at once. B ut the pretty ower tasted so sweet, that she couldn't help herself She ate the other up too for she thought t can't hurt or help one much ether way, I'll be bound.' Well sure eno ugh, after a whle the queen was brought to bed. First of all she had a gir who had a wooden spoon in her hand and rode upon a goat loathy and ugly she was and the very moment she came nto the world she bawled out Mamma .' I f 'm your mamma,' said the queen God gve me grace to mend my ways. O h, don't be sorry' sad the gir wh o rode on t he goat for one will soon come after me who is better ookng.' So, after a wh le the queen had another girl who was so fair and sweet no one had ever set eyes on such a lovely chld, and with her you may fancy the queen was very well pleased The elder twn they called Tatterhood', because she was always so ugly and ragged, and because she had a hood whch hung about her ears in tatters The queen coud scarce bear to look at her and the nurses tried to shut her up in a room by herself but it was all no good where the younger twn was there she must also be and no one could ever keep them apart Well one C hristmas eve, when they were half grown up there rose such a frightful nose and clatter n the gallery outside the queen's bower So Tatterhood asked what t was that dashed and crashed so out in the passage Oh ! said the queen, it sn't worth askng about But Tatterhood wouldn't give over tll she found out all about t; and so the queen told her t was a pack of Trols and witches who had come there to keep Christmas. So Tatterhood said she'd just go out and drve them away and in spite of al they could say and however much they begged and prayed her to let the Trols alone, she must and would go out to drve the wtches off; but she begged the queen to mnd and keep all the doors close shut , so that not one of them came so much as the least bit ajar. Having said this, off she went with her wooden spoon and began to hunt and sweep away the hags and al this whl e there 67
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was such a pother out in the gallery, the like of t was never heard The whole paace creaked and groaned as if every joint and beam were going to be torn out of its place. Now, how it was Im sure I can't tell; but somehow or other one door did get the least bt ajar. Then her twn sister just peeped out to see how things were going with Tatterhood, and put her head a tiny bit through the opening But POP! up came an old witch and whipped off her head, and stuck a cals head on her shoulders instead; and so the princess ran back nto the room on all fours, and began to moo' ike a caf. When Tatterhood came back and saw her sister, she scolded them all round, and was very angry because they hadn't kept better watch, and asked them what they thought of their heedlessness now when her sister was turned into a calf B ut still I 'll see if I can't set her free,' she said Then she asked the king for a ship in full trim, and well tted wth stores; but captan and sailors she wouldn't have No, she woud sail away with her sister al aone; and as there was no holding her back, at ast they let her have her own way Then Tatterhood saled off and steered her shp right under the land where the wtches dwelt and when she came to the landng place, she told her sister to stay quite stil on board the ship; but she herself rode on her goat up to the witches' castle. When she got there, one of the windows n the gallery was open, and there she saw her sister's head hung up on the window frame; so she leapt her goat through the window nto the gallery, snapped up the head, and set off with t. After her came the witches to try to get the head again, and they ocked about her as thick as a swarm of bees or a nest of ants; but the goat snorted and puffed and butted with his horns, and Tatterhood beat and banged them about wth her wooden spoon; and so the pack of wtches had to give it up So Tatterhood got back to her ship, took the cals head off her sster, and put her own on again, and then she became a grl as she had been before After that she saied a long, long way, to a strange king's ream Now the kng of that land was a widower, and had an only son So when he saw the strange sai, he sent messengers down to the 68
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strand to nd out wence i t cae, and wo owned it but wen te kings e n cae down tere, tey saw never a living soul on board but Tatterood, and tere se was, riding round and round te deck on er goat at full speed, till er elf locks streaed again in te wind Te folk fro te palace were all aazed at tis sigt, and asked were tere not ore on board. Yes, tere were se ad a sister wit er, said Tatterood . Her, too, t ey wanted to see but Tatterood said No No one sall see er , u nless te kin g coes i self' se said and so se began to gallop about on er goat till te deck tundered again . So we n t e servants got back to te palace, a nd told wat tey ad seen and eard down at te sip, te ki ng was for setting out at once , ta t e igt see te lassie t at rode on te goat Wen e got down Tatterood led out her sister, an d se was so fair and gentle, te king fell over ead and ears in love wit er as e stood He brougt te bot back wit i to te palace, and wanted to ave te sister for is queen; but Tatterood said No: te king couldn't ave er in any way unless te king's son cose to ave Tatterood Tat you ay fancy te prince was very loat to do, suc an ugly ussy as Tatterood was but at last te king and all te oters in te palace talked i over, and e yielded, giving is word to take er for is queen but it went sore against te grain and e was a doleful an Now tey set about te wedding, bot wit brewing and baking, and wen all was ready tey were to go to curc; but te prince tougt it te weariest curcing e ad ever ad in all is life First, te kin g drove o wit is bride, and se was so lovely and so grand , al l te people stopped to look after er all along te road, and tey stared at er till se was out of sigt. After te cae te prince on orseback by te side of Tatterood, wo trotted along on er goat wit er wooden spoon in er st, and to look at im, it was ore like going to a burial tan a wedding and tat is own so sorrowful e seeed, an d wit never a word t o say Wy don't you talk? asked Tatterood wen tey ad ridden a bit 69
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Why, wha should I talk about? answered he prince Well, you might at leas ask me why I ride upon his ugly goa, said Taerhood Why do you ride on ha ugly goat? asked the prince Is i an ugly goat? why, is he grandes horse a bride ever rode on, answered Taerhood ; and in a rice he goa became a horse, and ha the nes he prince had ever se eyes on Then hey rode on again a bi, bu h e prince was jus as woeful as before, and couldnt ge a word ou. So Tatterhood asked him again why he didn alk, and when he prince answered, he didnt know wha o talk abou, she said , You can at leas ask me why I ride wih this ugly spoon in my st' Why do you ride with ha ugly spoon? asked he prince Is it an ugly spoon? why, is he lovelies silver wand a bride ever bore, said Tatterhood; and in a trice it became a silver wand, so dazzling bright, he sunbeams glistened from it. So they rode on anoher bi, bu the prince was just as sorrowful, and said never a word In a lile while Taterhood asked him again why he didn alk, and bade him ask why she wore ha ugly grey hood on her head Why do you wear ha ugly grey hood on your head? asked the prince Is it an u gly hood? why, its the brighes golden crown a bride ever wore, answered Taerhood, and i became a crown on he spo. Now hey rode on a long while again, and the prince was so woeful ha he sat wihout sound or speech, j us as before So his bride asked him again why he didnt talk and bade him ask now why her face was so ugly and ashen-grey? Ah! asked he prince, why is your face so ugly and ashen grey? I ugly? said he bride You hink my sister prey but I am ten times preier and lo! when he prince looked a her, she was so lovely he hough here never was so ovely a woman in all he world After hat, I shouldn wonder if he prince found his tongue, and no longer rode along hanging down his head So hey drank the brida cup boh deep and ong, and afer 70
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that, both pnce and king set out with their brides to the princesss father's palace and there they had another bridal feast and d rank anew, both deep and ong. There ws no end to the fun; and, if you make haste and run to the kings palace, I dare say you nd theres stil a drop of the brida ae left for you
The W i t chb a l l (USA Hillbilly)
NCE there was a poor boy who wanted to marr a girl, but her folks didn't want him. Hi grandma was a witch, an' she said she'd x it up Sh e made a horsehair witchball, an ' pu t it u nde the girl's doorstep. The girl come outside, passin' over the witchball, an went back in the house. She started to say somethin to her mother, an' ripped out, an' every time she spoke a word, she'd rip out. Her mother told her to stop that or shed lick her. Then the mother went out for somethin', an when she came back in, she broke wind, too, every time she spoke The father come in an' he did the same thing He thought somethin was the matter so he called the doctor, an' when the doctor come in over the doorstep, he started to poop with every word he said, and they were all atalkin an apoopin' when the ole witch come in, an' told 'em God had probably sent tat on them as a curse because they wouldn' allow their daughter to marry the poor boy. They told her to run an' git the boy, 'cause he could marry their girl right away, if God would only take that curse offa them. The ole witch went an' got the boy, an on her way out, she slipped the witchball out from under the doorstep The boy an' gir got married an' lived happy ever after
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The W e r e fo x (Chinese)
ANY years ago, a Buddhist monk named Chi Hsan led a vey holy and mortied life. He never wore silk tramped from town to town on foot, and slept in the open. One moonlight night, he was preparing to sleep in a copse adjoining a gave, ten miles from a city in Shan Si. By the light of the moon he saw a wid fox place on it s head a skul and some withered bones, go through several mysteious move ments, and then deck itself out with grass and leaves. Presenty the fox assumed the form of a beautifu woman, very quietly and plainly dressed, and in this guise it wandered out of the copse on to the adjoining high oad As the tramping of a hosemans mount became audible, coming from the noth-west, the woman began to weep and wail, her attitude and gestures showing extreme grief A man on horseback appoached, pulled his horse up, and alighted Lady,' he cried, what brings you here, alone in the night? Can hep you?' The woman stopped crying and told her tae I am the window of So-and-so My husband died suddeny last yea leaving me penniless; my parents ive a long way off. do not know the way, and there is no one I can tun to to hep me to get back to my home. When he heard whee her parents lived, the horseman said come from that pace, and I am now on my way home again. f you d o not mind rough taveling, you may ride my horse, and wil walk beside it.' The woman accepted gratefully, and vowed she woud never foget the hoseman's kindness. She was just on the point of mounting when the monk Chi Hs a n came out of the copse 74
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cryng to the horseman Beware! She s not human; she is a werefox I f you do not believe me wat a few moments and I wl make her resume her true shape ' So he made a sgn or mudra wth his ngers uttered a dhrani (or spe) and cried in a lod voice Why do yo not return at once to your orgnal form? The woman immedatey fel down, trned into an od fox and expired He r esh and bood owed away like a stream and nothng remained but the dead fox a skul a few d ry bones and some eaves and blades of grass. The cavaler qute convnced prostrated himsef severa times before the priest and went away ful of astonshment
The Witches' Piper (Hungarian)
Y elder brother was p1pg or some people at a certain place, while another ellow, a man rom Etes, was playing or the children at the same house It must have been on a day beore Ash Wednesday At eleven oclock or so, the children were taken home The man who had been playing for them, t ncle Matyi, was paid or his piping He took leave o my brother and let or home On his way home, three women stepped up to him and said, Come along, Uncle Matyi! We want you to play or us Lets go to that house over there, at the end o the street And have no fear, were going to pay or your piping When he went in, they took him by the arms (by the way, the man is still living in the village) and made him stand on the bench near the wall And there he was piping or them Money came in showers at his eet. Gee, Im not doing badly at all! he said to himsel. At about midnight, there came a terrible crash, and in a wink he ound himsel standing right in the top o the white poplar, at the end o the village. Damn it! How the dickens can get down rom this tree? Suddenly a cart came up the road. When it reached the tree, he called down Oh brother, do help me!' But the man drove on, taking no heed o Uncle Matyi. Beore long another cart drove up towards the tree. On the cart was Pter Barta, a ellow from Karancssg say, brother, stop your horses and help me get down The man brought his horses to a halt and said, Is that you, Uncle Matyi? Da mn it, to be sure its me' What on earth ar you doing up there?' 76
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We, brother, three women stopped me on my way home They asked me to folow them to a house at the end of the street When I went in they made me sand on a bench and there I was to pipe for the m And they've given me a lot of money for it When the man got him down from the tree Uncle Matyi began looking for the money he had tucked into the hem of his cloak. Bt there was no money There was ony a ot of broken crockery and itte chips of glass. Sch strange things sometimes stil happen
V a s i l i s s a th e F a i r (Russian)
MERCHANT and his wife living in a certain country had an only daughter the beautifu Vasilissa When the child was eight years old the mother was seized with a fatal illness but before she died she called Vasilissa to her side and giving her a litte doll said Listen dear daughter! remember my last words I am dying, and bequeath to you now together with a parents bessing this doll Keep it always beside you but show it to nobody; if at any time you are in troube give the dol some food and ask its advice' Then the mother kissed he r daughter sighed deeply and died . After his wife's death the merchant grieved for a ong time and next began to think whether he should not wed again. He was handsome and woud have no difculty in nding a bride; moreover he was especially pleased with a certain little widow no longer young who possessed two daughters of about the same age as Vasilissa The widow was famous as both a good housekeeper and a good mother to her daughters but when the merchant married her he quickly found she was unkind to his daughter Vasiissa being the chief beauty in the vilage was on that account envied by her stepmother and stepsisters They found faut with her on every occasion and tormented her with impossible tasks; thus, the poor girl suffered from the severity of her work and grew dark from exposure to wind and sun Vasilissa endured al and became every day more beautiful; but the stepmother and her daughters who sat ide with folded hands grew thin and almost ost their minds from spite What supported Vasilissa? This She received assistance from her doll; otherwise she could not have surmounted her daily diultes. 78
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Vasilissa, as a rule kept a dainty morsel for her doll, and in the evening when everyone had gone to bed she would seal to her close and regale her doll and say Now dear eat and listen to my grief! Though I am living in my fathers house my life is joyless; a wicked stepmother makes me wretched; please direct my life and tell me wha to do The doll tased the food and gave advice to the sorrowing child, and in the morning performed her work so that Vasilissa could res in the shade or pluck owers; already the beds had been weeded and he cabbages watered and he waer carried and he stove heaed I was nice for Vasilissa to live wih her doll. Several years passed. Vasilissa grew up and the young men in he town sought her hand in marriage; bu they never looked at he sepsisters. Growing more angry than ever he stepmoher answered Vasilissas suitors thus: I will no le you have my youngest daugher before her sisters She dismissed he suiors and vened her spie on Vasilissa with harsh words and blows Bu i happened that the merchan was obliged to visit a neighbouring country, where he had business; and in he meanwhile he sepmoher went to live in a house siuated close to a hick fores In the forest was a glade in which stood a cotage and in the coage lived Baba-Yaga who admied nobody to her coage, and devoured people as if they were chickens. Having moved o the new house, the merchant's wife coninually on some preext or other sen he haed Vasilissa ino the fores bu he girl always reurned home safe and unharmed, because he doll directed her and took care she did not enter BabaYaga's cottage. Spring arrived and he stepmother assigned to each of the hree girls an evening task; hus, she set one o make lace a second o kni stockings and asilissa to spin One evening having exinguished all he lights in he house except one candle in he room where he girls sat at work, the sepmoher wen o bed. In a litle while the candle needed atention and one of the stepmoher's dau ghers took the snuffers and beginning o cut the wick as if by accident put ou the light 79
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What are we to do now?' said the girls. There is no light in the whole house and our tasks are unnished; someone must run for a light to Baba-Yaga' I can see my pins' said the daughter who was making lace I shall not go' Neither shall I' said the daughter who was knitting stockings; my needles are bright' You must run for a ight Go to Baba-Yagas, they both cried pushing Vasilissa from the room Vasilissa went to her closet, placed some supper ready for the doll and said Now, little dol, have something to eat and hear my trouble They have sent me to Baba-Yaga's for a ight and she will eat me Do not be afraid ! ' answered the dol Go on your errand but take me with you No harm will befall you whie I am present.' Vasilissa placed the doll in her pocket, crossed herself and entered the thick forest but she trembled. Suddenly a horseman galloped past; he was white and dressed in white, his steed was white and had a white saddle and bridle. The morning light was appearing The girl went further and another horseman rode past; he was red and dressed in red and his steed was red. The sun rose Vasilissa waked al night and al day but on the following evening she came out in a glade, where stood Baba-Yaga's cottage The fence around the cottage was made of human bones and on the fence there were xed huma n skulls with eyes Instead of doorposts at the gates there were human legs; instead of bolts there were hands, instead of a lock there was a mouth with sharp teeth Vasilissa grew pale from terror and stood as if transxed Suddenly another horseman rode up; he was back and dressed in black and upon a back horse; he sprang through Baba-Yaga's gates and vanished, as if he had been hurled into the earth Night came on But the darkness did not last long ; the eyes in al the skuls on the fence ighted up and at once it became as light throughout the glade as if it were midday. Vasiissa trembled from fear and not knowing whither to run she remained motioness 80
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Suddeny she heard a terrbe noise The trees cracked, the dry leaves rusted and out of the forest Baba-Yaga appeared ridin g in a mortar which she drove with a pestle, while she swept away traces of her progress with a broom. She came up to the gates and stopped ; then snifng about her, cried Phoo phoo I sme a Russia n! Who is here? Vasiissa approached the od woman timdy and gave her a ow bow then she said I t s I granny My stepsisters have sent me to you for a light. ' Very we, sad Baba-Yaga I know them I f you rst of a ive with me and do some work then I wi gve you a light If you refuse I will eat you.' Then she turned to the gates and excaimed Strong bots unock; wde gates oen The gates opened and Baba-Yaga went out whisting Vasilissa folowed, and al agan cosed. Having entered the room the wtch stretched hersef and said to Vasilissa Hand me everythng n the oven; I am hungry. Vasilissa it a torch from the skuls upon the fence and drawing the food from the oven, handed it to the witch The meal woud have been sufcient for ten men. Moreover Vasilissa brought up from the cear kvass, and honey and beer and wine The old woman ate and drank amost everything. She eft nothing for Vasilissa but some fragments end-crusts of bread and tny morsels of sucking pg Baba-Yaga ay down to seep and said When I go away tomorrow take care that you cean the yard sweep out the cottage cook the dnner and get ready the inen. Then go to the cornbn, take a quarter of the wheat and ceanse it from impurities. See that all is done otherwise I shall eat you. After gving these injunctions Baba-Yaga began to snore But Vasiissa placed t he remans of the od womans meal before he r do and bursting into tears said, Now lttle dol take some food and hear my gref BabaYaga has set me a terrible task, and has threatened to eat me f I fai n any way; hep m e!' The dol answered Have no fear beautful Vasiissa Eat your supper say your prayers and ie down to seep; mornng is wiser than evenng.' It was eary when Vasissa woke but Baba-Yaga, who had 81
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already risen was looking out of the window. Suddenly the light from the eyes in the skulls was extinguished; then a pale horseman ashed by, and it was altogether daylight Baba-Yaga went out and whistled; a mortar appeared before her with a pestle and a hearth broom. A red horseman ashed by and the sun rose Then Baba-Yaga took her place in the mortar and went forth, driving herself with the pestle and sweeping away traces of her progress with the broom. Vasilissa remained alone and eyeing Baba-Yaga's house wondered at her wealth The girl did not know which task to begin with But when she ooked she found that the work was already done: the doll had separated from the wheat the last grains of impurity Oh, my dear liberator' said Vasiissa to the doll you have rescued me from misfortune ! ' You have only to cook the dinner' said the doll climbing into Vasilissa's pocket God help you to prepare it; then rest in peace!' Towards evening Vasilissa laid the table and awaited Baba Yaga's return It became dusk and a black horseman ashed by the gates; it had grown altogether dark But the eyes in the skuls shone and the trees cracked and the leaves rustled Baba-Yaga came Vasilissa met her Is all done?' asked the witch Look for yourself granny! ' Baba-Yaga examined everything and vexed that she had no cause for anger, said My true servants my bosom friends grind my whea t! Three pairs of hands appeared, seized the wheat and bore it from sight. BabaYaga at e to repletion prepared for seep and again gave an order to Vasiissa Tomorrow repeat your task of today; in addition remove the poppies from the cornbin and cleanse them from earth, seed by seed; you see, someone has maliciously mixed earth with them!' Having spoken, the od woman turned to the wall and snored Vasilissa began to feed her doll who said, as on the previous day Pray to God and go to sleep; morning is wiser than evenin g; all will be done dear Vasilissa! ' 82
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In the orning Baba-Yaga departed again in her ortar and iediately Vasiissa and the doll set to work at their tasks The old woan returned, observed everything and cried out My faithful servants, y close friends, squeeze the oil rom the poppies! ' Three pairs of hands seied the poppies and bore the fro sight. Baba-Yaga sat down to dine and Vaslissa stood silent Why do you say nothing?' rearked the witch You stand as if you were dub.' Tiidly Vasiissa replied, I you would perit e I should ike to ask you a question.' Ask , bu t reeber, n ot every question eads to good. Y ou wil learn uch ; you will soon grow old. ' I only wish to ask you' said the gir, about what I have seen . When I cae to you a pale horsean dressed in whi te on a wh te horse overtook e. Who was he? e is y clear day' answered BabaYaga. Then another horsean, who was red and dressed in red, and wh o rode a red horse, overtook e. Who was he?' e was y litte red su n ! was the answer But who was the black horsean who passed e at the gate granny? e was y dark night; all three are y faithful servants' Vasilissa recaled the three pairs of hands, but was silent. ave you nothing ore to ask?' said B abaYaga. I have but you said granny that I shall learn uch as I grow oder.' It is well,' answered the witch, that you have enquired only about things outside and not about anything here! I do not like y rubbish to be carried away and I eat overinquisitve people! Now I will ask you soething How did you succeed in perfor ing the tasks which I set you?' My ohers blessing assisted e,' answered Vasilissa. Depart, favoured daughter! I do not require people who have been blessed BabaYaga dragged Vasilissa out of the roo and pushed her beyond the gate, took down fro the fence a skul with burning eyes and, putting it on a stick gave it to the girl and 83
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said Take this ight to your stepsisters; they sent you here for it.' Vasilissa ran off the skull giving her light whic h onl y went out in the morning and at last, on the evening of the second day she reached home As she approached the gates she was on the point of throwing away the skull, for she thought that there would no longer be any need for a light at home. Then suddenly a hollow voice from the skul was heard to say Do not cast me aside but carry me to your stepmother.' Glancing at the house, and not seeing a light in any of the windows she decided to enter with the skull. At rst her stepmother and stepsisters met her with caresses telling her that they had been without a light from the moment of her departure; they could not strike a light in any way and if anybody brought one from the neighbours it went out directly it was carried into the room. Perhaps your light will last said the stepmother When they carried the skull into the room its eyes shone brightly and looked continually at the stepmother and her daughters All their efforts to hide themselves were vain wher ever they rushed they were ceaselessly pursued by the eyes and before dawn had been burnt to ashes though Vasilissa was unharmed In the morning the girl buried the skull in the ground locked up the house and visited the town where she asked admission into the home of a certain od woman who was without kindred Here she lived quietly and awaited her father But one day she said to the old woman It tires me to sit idle granny ! Go of and buy me some of the best lax; will busy myself with spinning The old woman purchased the ax and V asilissa sat down to spin The work proceeded rapidly and the thread when spun was as smooth and ne as a small hair The thread lay in heaps, and it was time to begin weaving, but a weaver's comb could not be found to suit Vasilissa's thread, and nobody would undertake to make one Then the girl had recourse to her doll who said Bring me an old comb that has belonged to a weaver and an od shuttle, and a horse's mane, and will do everything for you. Vasilissa obtained everything necessary, a nd lay down to sleep . The doll in a single night made a rst-rate loom Towards the 84
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end o f winter nen had been woven o f so ne a texture that t could be drawn through the needle where the thread shoud pass In spring the linen was bleached and V asilssa sad to the od woman Sel this linen granny and keep the money for yourself The old woman glanced at the work and said with a sigh Ah ! my child nobody but a tsar woud wear such linen I wi take it to the palace. Sh e went to the royal dweling an d walked up a nd down n front of th e windows When the tsar saw h er he said What do you desire old woman ? Your Majesty,' she answered I have brought some wonde rful material and wil show it to nobody but yourself.' The tsar ordered that she should be admitted, and marveled when he saw the linen How much do you ask for it?' he enquired It is not for sale Tsar and Father! I have brought it as a gift The tsar thanked her and sent her away wth some presents Some shirts for the tsar were cut out from this linen but a seamstress could nowhere be found to complete them. At last the tsar summoned the old woman and said to her You were able to spin and weave this linen so you will be able to sew together some shirts from it.' Tsar it was not I who spun and wove the linen ; it is the work of a beautiful maiden Wel et her sew them ! ' The old woman returned home and related everything to Vasilissa The gir said in reply I knew that this work woud not pass out of my hands She shut herself n her room and began the undertakng soon without resting her hands she had completed a dozen shirts The od woman bore them to the tsar whe Vaslssa washed herself and combed her hair dressed and then took a seat at the window and there awaited events. She saw a royal servant come to the old womans house He entered the room and said The Tsar-Emperor desires to see the sklfu worker who made his 85
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shrts and to reward her out o fhs roya hands.' Vasissa presented herself before the tsar. So much dd she please him that he said, I cannot bear to separate from you; become my wfe! The tsar took her by her white hands, placed her beside hmself, and the wedding was ceebrated. Vaslissa's father quicky returned to rejoce at hs daughter's good fortune and to lve wth her. Vasiissa took the od woman nto the palace, and never separated from the ltte dol, which she kept in her pocket.
T h e M i d w i f e an d th e F r o g (Hungarian)
Y grandmothers mother was a midwife the queens mdwfe, as we used to say, because she drew her pay from the parish, whch in our eyes meant the whoe cou ntry One night she was called away to assist at a chdbirth. t was about midnight It was pitch dark on the road and t was raning When the woman was delivered of her babe God let her have a good one my great-grandmother started off homeward On th e road she ca me across a big rog. t was hopping along right n front of her My greatgrandmother had aways had a holy fear of frogs, and she cried out n terror, Get out of my way, you hideous creature ! Why on earth are you hoppng around me? s it a midwfe you may be wantng? And thus she was conversing with the frog as she proceeded on her way, and the frogjumped coser and closer to her Once it got right under her feet, and she stepped on it It gave such a shriek that my great-grandmother almost ju mped out of her shoes Well, she went home eaving the frog on the road and the frog hopped o ff to some place wherever t had its abode Back at home, my greatgrandmother went to bed Suddeny she heard a cart drivng into the yard She thought there was another chdbrth where her assstance would be needed Soon she saw the door open Two men came in both were very darkskinned They were both spindeshanks; their egs looked ike a pair of pipestems, and their heads were as big as a bushel They greeted her with, Good evenng, and then said, We want to take you aong, mother; you must come and help with a birth' She said, Who s it? as t s the custom of a midwife t o enqure where her assistance s wanted One of the men said, On the road you promised my wife to 87
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help her wih he child when her time came. ' And his gave my great-grandmoher somehing o hink o, because she had no met a single soul on her way back excep the rog. It's rue' she though o herse I asked her by way o a joke "Is i a midwie you're ooking or? I might come and help you oo' The two men said to her Do no tarry, mother' Bu she said to hem, 'm no going wih you because I've me no human creaure and ve promised nohing' Bu they were so insistent tha she should keep her promse hat naly she said, Wel, as you are so keen on aking me along I'l go with you. Sh e thought o hersel tha in any case she'd ake her rosary with her, and ha i she would pray, God woud not orsake her wherever she'd be aken by the wo men And then he men le her aone and she began o dress She dressed herse quite neatly, and when she was ready she asked the men, s i a long journey? Shal pu on more warm clothes?' We aren' going ar. t wil ake us an hour and a ha or so o get back But hurry up moher because my wie was in a bad sae when I le her' Then she nished dressing and wen ou wih the wo men They pu her in their black coach and soon were driving up a big mountain It was Magyar6s Mountain, no ar rom the banks o he Szucsva As hey were driving aong suddenly he moun tain opened up beore hem and hey drove sraigh hrough the spit, righ into he centre o he mountain They pulled up beore a house and one o the men opened the door or her. Well, you go in to her, he said You'll nd my wie here. She's lying on he oor' And as she stepped through the door, she beheld a small woman lying on he oor She, too, had a head as big as a bushel She looked ill and was groaning terribly My grea-grandmother said to her You're in a bad sae, daughter aren't you? But have no ear, God will deliver you o your burden, and hen you'l fee wel again.' The woman hen said to my grea-grandmoher, Don't say tha God will help me My husband mus not hear you saying it' The midwie asked, Wha ese could I say?' 88
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Say the givak [a type of devi] will help you .' Then my great-grandmother we had it from he r ow n mouth felt as if the words had frozen on her lips, so alarmed did she grow at the thought of what pace she had been brought to No sooner had she thought about it than the child was born a spindleshanks with legs as thin as pipestems and a head as big as a stewpot My great-grandmother thought to herself Well, I was brought here, but how am I to get back? So she turned to the woman Wel your men have brought me to your place but how can get back? It's pitch dark outside I coudn't nd my way back home aone The sick woman then said, Do not worry about that. My husband will take you back to the same place he brought you from And then she asked my great-grandmother Well, mother, do you know who am ? I coudn't say do I've asked your husband a few questions about you but he didn't tell me a thing He said shoud go with them and I 'd earn in time who you were.' Well yo u know who am? am the frog you kicked about on the road and trod under your feet. Now this should serve as a lesson that if you happen to come across some creature like me at about midnight or an hour past it, do not speak to it nor take heed of what you see J ust pass along on your way You see you stopped to talk to me and made a promise to me. So you had to be brought here, because was that frog you met on the road.' Th en m y great-grandmother said I 've do ne myjo b here; now get me back to my home. The n the man cam e in and asked he r Well wha t would you want me to pay for your troubles?' Then the old midwife said I dont want you to pay me anything. Get me right back to the place you brought me from The ma n said, Do not worry We stil have ha lf an hour or so to get you back But now et me take you to our arder so that you may see for yourself that we are doing well You needn't fear that we haven't the wherewithal to pay for your services' And my greatgrandmother folowed him to the larder. n the larder she behed all sorts of food heaped on the shev es: our and bacon and rkins of lard here and loaves of bread and cream there and a ot of other things a arranged in neat order 89
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to say nothing of veritabe ounds of gold and silver. Now you can see for yourself what peny there is. Whatever he rich en and he wealthy farers deny o the poor in their greed becomes ours and goes into our storeroo' And he turned o my greatgrandoher and said Wel oher et's get aong. There isn't uch ie eft for us to get you back to your hoe. Take of tis gold an aproful as I see you have on your Sunday apron .' And he insised on her aking an apronfu of gold He woudn' le her leave he arder unil she had lled her apron wih i When she had put the god in her apron she was taken o the top of Magyar6s Mountain by he sae coach in which she had rst coe Bu dawn was already coing on and soon the cock utered is rst crow The the en pushed her fro the back coach - hough they were si near the op - ad said to her Trot along other you can nd your way hoe from here.' And when she ook a ook at he r apron to ake sure that she had he gold, there was nohing whatever in her apron; ha heap of gold had vanished ino hin air. And that is al there is o he sory you can ake it fro e.
Part Three
B EAUTI FUL PEOPLE
F a i r , B r o wn an d T r e m b l in g (Irish)
N G Aedh Crucha ived i n Tir Cona, and he had three daughters whose names were Fair Brown and Trembling Fair and B rown had new dresses, and went to church every Sunday Trembing was kept at home to do the cooking and work. They would not let her go out of the house at all ; for she was more beautifu than the other two, and they were in dread she might marry before themseves. They carried on in this way for seven years At the end of seven years the son of the king 0f Omanya fe in love with the edest sister One Su nday morning, after the other two had gone to church, the old henwife came into the kitchen to Trembing and said, ts at church you ought to be this day, instead of working here at home' How could go? said Trembing. have no clothes good enough to wear at church. And if my sisters were to see me there theyd kill me for going out of the house' 'll give you' said the henwife, a ner dress than either of them has ever seen A nd now tel me what dress wil yo u have?' 'll have ' said Trembing a dress as white as snow, and green shoes for my feet .' Then the henwife put on th e cloak of darkness cipped a piece from the old clothes the young woman had on and asked for the whitest robes in the word and the most beautifu that could be found and a pair of green shoes. That moment she had the robe and the shoes and she brought them to Trembing, who put them on . When Trembling was dressed and ready the henwife said I have a honeybird here to sit on your right shouder, and a honey-n ger to put on 95
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your left At the door stands a milk-white mare, with a golden saddle for you to sit on and a golden bridle to hold in your hand' Trembling sat on the golden saddle And when she was ready to start, the hen wife said, You must not go inside the door of the church, and the minute the people rise up at the end of mass, do you make off, and ride home as fast as the mare will carry you . When Trembling came to the door of the church there was no one inside who could get a glimpse of her but was striving to know who she was; and when they saw her hurrying away at the end of mass they ran out to overtake her. But no use in their running; she was away before any man could come near her From the minute she left the church till she got home she overtook the wind before her and outstripped the wind behind She came down at the door went in, and found the henwife had dinner ready. She put off the white robes, and had on her old dress in a twinklng. When the two sisters came home the henwife asked, H ave you any news today from the church? We have great news said they We saw a wonderful, grand lady at the church door The like of the robes she had we have never seen on woman before It's little that was thought of our dresses beside what she had on And there wasnt a man at the church from the king to the beggar, but was trying to look at her and know who she was' The sisters would give no peace till they had two dresses like the robes of the strange ady; but honey-birds and honey-ngers were not to be found Next Sunday the two sisters went to church again and left the youngest at home to cook the dinner After they had gone, the henwife came in and asked , Wil you go to church today? I would go,' said Trembling, if I coud get the going. What robe wil l you wear? asked the henwife. The nest black satin that can be found, a nd red shoes for my feet What colour do you want the mare to be? I want her to be so back and so glossy that I can see myself in her body 96
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The henwife put o n the coak o f darkness, and asked for the robes and the mare. That moment she had them When Trem bling was d ressed the henwife put the honey-bird on her right shoulder and the honey-nger on her left The saddle on the mare was siver and so was the bridle When Trembling sat in the saddle and was going away the henwife ordered her strictly not to go inside the door of the church, but to rush away as soon as the people rose at the end of mass and hurry home on the mare before any man could stop her That Sunday the people were more astonished than ever and gaed at her more than the rst time, and all they were thinking of was to know who she was But they had no chance for the moment the peope rose at the end of mass she slip ped from the church was in the siver saddle, and home before a man coud stop her or talk to her The henwife had the dinner ready. Trembling took off her satin robe and had on her old cothes before her sisters got home. What news have you today asked the henwife of the sisters when they came from the church Oh we saw the grand strange lady again! And its little that any man coud think of our dresses after looking at the robes of satin that she had on ! And all at church, from high to low had their mouths open, gazing at her and no man was looking at us The two sisters gave neither rest nor peace til they got d resses as nearly like the strange ladys robes as they could nd Of course they were not so good for the ike of those robes could not be found in Erin. When th e third Sun day came, Fair and B rown went to church dressed in black satin They eft Trembing at home to work in the kitchen and told her to be sure and have dinner ready when they came back After they had gone and were out of sight the henwife came to the kitchen and said Wel my dear are you for church today I would go if I had a new dress to wear I 'll get you any dress you ask for What dress would you like? asked the hen wife 97
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A dress red as a rose from the waist down and whie as snow from the waist up ; a cape of green on my shoulders ; and a hat on my head with a red a white, and a green feaher in t and shoes for my fee wih the toes red the middle whie and the backs and hees green ' The henwife p ut on the coak of darkness wished for all hese things, and had them. When Trembling was dressed, he hen wife pu he honeybird on her righ shoulder and he honey nger on her left, and pacng he hat on her head, clipped a few hairs from one ock and a few from anoher with her scissors and that momen the most beauiful golden hair was owing down over the girls shoulders Then he henwife asked wha kind of a mare she woud ride She said whte wth blue and gold-cooured diamondshaped spots all over her body on her back a saddle of gold, and on her head a golden bridle The mare stood there before the door, and a bird siing beween her ears which began to sing as soon as Trembling was in he sadde, and never stopped ill she came home from the church The fame of the beauful strange ady had gone ou through the world and all he princes and great men that were in i came o church ha Sunday each one hoping hat i was hmself would have her home wh hm afer mass The son of the king of Omanya forgot al about the eldes sister, and remained outside the church, so as o cach he strange lady before she could hurry away. The church was more crowded han ever before and here were three tmes as many ouside There was such a hrong before the church tha Tremblng could only come insde the gate. As soon as the people were rising a the end of mass, he lady slipped ou through the gate, was n the golden saddle in an nsant and sweepng away ahead of he wnd But f she was he prince of Omanya was a her sde and seizng her by the foo he ran with the mare for thrty perches and never le go of he beautful lady til he shoe was puled from her foo and he was ef behind wih it in his hand. She came home as fas as he mare coud carry her, and was thinking all the time that the henwife would kl her for losing he shoe 98
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Seeing he so vexed and so changed in the face the old woman asked What's the troube that's on you now? Oh ! 've lost one of the shoes off my feet said Trembing . Don't mind that dont be vexed' said the henwife Maybe it's the best thing that eve happened to you.' Then Trembling gave up all the things she had to the henwife pu t on h er o d clothes and went to work in the kitchen. When the sisters came home the henwife asked Have you any news fom the chuch?' We have indeed said they fo we saw the grandest sight today The stange ady came again in grander aray than before. On heself and the hose she ode were the nest colours of the world and between the ears of the hose was a bid which never stopped singing from the time she came til she went away The lady herself is the most beautifu woman eve seen by man in Ein .' Afte Trembing had disappeared from the chu ch the son of the king of Omanya said to the other kings' sons wi have that ady for my own.' They all said You didnt win he r j ust by taking the shoe off he foot you'll have to win her by the point of the swod. You'l have to ght fo her with us befoe you can call her you own . Wel, said the son of the king of Omanya when nd the lady that shoe will t I'll ght for he never fear befoe eave her to any of you. Then all the kings sons wee unesy and anxious to know who was she that lost the shoe; and they began to travel all over Erin to know could they nd he. The prince of Omanya and al the othes went in a great company togethe and made the ound of Erin. They went everywhere - noth south east and west. They visited evey pace where a woman was to be found and left not a house i n th e kingdom they di d not seach to know could they n d the woman the shoe woud t not cring whethe she was ich o poor of high o ow degee. The prince of Omanya always kept the shoe. And when the young women saw it they had great hopes for it was of pope size neither lage nor small and it would beat any man to know of what mateial it was made One thought it woud t he if she cut a little fom her geat toe and another with too shot a foot 99
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put something in the tip of her stocking. But no use, they only spoiled their feet, and were curing them for months afterwards The two sisters, Fair and Brown heard that the princes of the world were looking all over Erin for the woman that could wear the shoe, and every day they were talking of trying it on And one day Trembing spoke up and said, Maybe its my foot that the shoe will t Oh, the breaking of the dogs foot on you ! Why say so when you were at home every Sunday?' They were that way waiting and scolding the younger sister, till the princes were near the place. The day they were to come the sisters put Trembling in a closet, and locked the door on her When the company came to the house, the prince of Omanya gave the shoe to the sisters But though they tried and tried, it would t neither of them Is there any other young woman in the house? asked the pnce There is' said Trembling, speaking up in the closet. 'm here' Oh ! we have her for nothing but to pu t out the ashes,' said the sisters But the prince and the others wouldnt leave the house till they had seen her So the two sisters had to open the door When Trembling came out, the shoe was given to her, and it tted exactly. The prince of Omanya ooked at her and said, You are the woman the shoe ts, and you are the woman I took the shoe from' Then Trembling spoke up, and said, Do you stay here til I return' Then she went to the henwife's house The old wom an put on the cloak of darkness got everything for her she had the rst Sunday at church, and put her on the white mare in the same fashion Then Trembling rode along the highway to the front of the house All who saw her the rst time said, This is the lady we saw at church Then she went away a second time and a second time came back on the black mare in the second dress which the henwife gave her. All who saw her the second Sunday said That is the 1 00
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ady w e saw at church. ' A third tme she asked for a short absence, and soon came back on the thrd mare and n the thrd dress. All who saw her the thrd tme sad, That s the ady we saw at church Every man was satsed , and knew that she was the woman . Then al the prnces and great men spoke up and sad to the son of the king of Omanya Youll have to ght now for her before we let her go wth you .' I 'm here before you, ready for combat answered the prnce Then the son of the kng of Lochn stepped forth. The struggle began and a terrble struggle t was They fought for nne hours And then the son of the kng of Lochin stopped, gae up hs clam , and left the eld Next day the son of the kng of Spain fought sx hours and yeded hs claim. On the thrd day the son of the kng of Nyerf6i fought eight hours, and stopped The fourth day the son of the ki ng of Greece fough t sx hours, and stopped On the fth day no more strange prnces wanted to ght And a the sons of kngs in Ern sad they woud not ght wth a man of their own land, that the strangers had had their chance, and as no others came to clam the woman, she belonged of rght to the son of the kng of Omanya. The marriage day was xed, and the nvtatons were sent out. The weddng asted for a year and a day. When the weddng was over, the kngs son brought home the brde and when the tme came a son was born. The young woman sent for her eldest sster, Far, to be wth her and care for her. One day when Trembing was well and when her husband was away hunting, the two ssters went out to walk And when they came to the seasde the eldest pushed the youngest sster n. A great whale came and swalowed her. The eldest sster came home alone, and the husband asked, Where is your sister? She has gone home to he r father n Bayshannon Now that am well I don't need her. Wel,' sad the husband, looking at her 'm in dread ts my wfe that has gone Oh ! no' sad she . It's my sster Far thats gone. Snce the ssters were very much alke the prnce wa s n doubt That nght he put his sword between them, and sad f you are 101
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m y wife, this sword wl get warm; f not i t will stay cold. ' In the morning wen he rose up, te sword was as cold as when he put it there. It happened when te two sisters were walkng by the seashore that a little cowboy was down by the water mindng cattle, and saw Fair push Trembling into the sea and next day, when the tide came in e saw the whale swim up and trow her out on the sand When she was on the sand she said to the cowboy When you go ome in the evenng wt the cows tell the master that my sster Fair pused me into the sea yesterday; that a whale swallowed me, and then threw me out, but wll come again and swallow me with the coming of the next tide then hell go out with the tide, and come agan with tomorrow's tide, and throw me agan on the strand The wale will cast me out three tmes Im under the encantment of this whae, and cannot eave the beach or escape myself. Unless my usband saves me before I 'm swallowed a fourth time I shal be lost He mu st come and shoot the whae wth a silver bullet when he turns on the broad o his back U nder te breast-n of the whale is a reddishbrown spot. My h usband must hit im in that spot, for it is te only place in whic h he can be klled' When the cowboy got ome, te eldest sister gave hm a draught of oblivion, and e did not tel Next day he went agan to the sea The whale came and cast Trembling on shore again She asked the boy Did you tell the master what I told you to tel hm?' I did not, sad he. I forgot.' How did you forget' asked she The woman of the house gave me a drink that made me forget' Well, don't forget telng him this night And if she gves you a drnk, don't take it from her' As soon as the cowboy came home, the eldest sister offered him a drink He refused to take t till he had delivered his message and tod all to the master The tird day the prince went down with his gun and a silver bullet n it. He was not ong down when te whae came and threw Trembling upon the beac as the two days before. She had no power to speak to er husband tl he had kled the wale. Then the whale went out, turned 102
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over once o n the broad o f his back and showed the spot for a moment only That moment the prince red. He had but the one chance and a short one a that But he took it, and hit the spot and the whae, mad with pain, made he sea a around red with blood and died That minute Trembing was abe to speak, and went home with her husband, who sent word to her father what the eldest sister had done The father came, and told him any death he chose to give her to give it The prince told the father he woud eave her ife and death with himself. The father had her put out then on the sea in a barre, with provisions in it or seven years. I n time Trembling had a second child , a daughter. The prince and she sent the cowboy to schoo, and trained him up as one o their own chidren and said f the litte girl that is born to us now lives, no other man in the word wil get her but hi m The cowboy and the prince's daughter ived on till they were married The mother said to her husband, You could not have saved me from the whae but for the itte cowboy. On that account don't grudge him my daughter The son of the kin g of Omanya and Trembling had fourteen children, and they ived happiy ti the two died of old age
D i i r a w i c an d H e r I n c e s t u o u s Brother (Sudan, Dinka)
GI RL caled Diirawic was extremely beautiful. All the girs of the tribe listened to her words. Old women all istened to her words Small children al listened to her words. Even old men al istened to her words. A man called Teeng wanted to marry her but her brother who was also called Teeng, refused. Many people each offered a hundred cows or her bridewealth, but her brother refused. One day Teeng spoke to his mother and said I woud like to marry my sister Diirawic' His mother said I have never heard of such a thing. You shoud go and ask your father.' He went to his father and said Father I would ike to marry my sister' His father said My son I have never heard of su ch a thing A man marrying his sister is something I cannot even speak about. You had better go and ask your mothers brother.' He went to his other's brother and said, Uncle I would like to marry my sister His maternal unce exclaimed My goodness Has anybody ever married his sister? Is that why you have aways opposed her marriage? Was it because you had it in your heart to marry her yourself? I have never heard of such a thing! Bu t what did your mother say about this?' My mother told me to ask my father. I agreed and went to my father. My father said he had never heard su ch a thing and told me to come to you .' If you want my opinion said his uncle I think you should ask your father's sister' He went around to a his relatives that way. ach one 104
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expressed surprise and suggested that he should ask another Then he cae to his others sister and said Aunt, Aun t, I would like lik e to arry arry y sister She said, My child if you prevented your sister fro being arried because you wanted her what can I say! Marry her if that that is your wish She Sh e is your sister' Diirawic did not know about this One day she called all the girls and said, Girls, let us go shing Her words were always listened to by everyone, and when she asked for anything, everyone obeyed So all the girls went, including little children. They They went and shed shed In the ean tie, her brother Teeng took out his favourte ox, Mok and slaughtered it for a feast He was very happy that he was allowed to marry his sister. All the people cae to the feast. Although Diir Dii rawic did not know her brothers plans her little sister had overheard the conversation and knew what was happening. Bu t she kept silent; silent; she did did not say anything. A kite ew down do wn and grab grabbe bed d u p the tail tail of Teengs ox, M ijok . Then The n it ew to th e river where where Diiraw Diirawic ic was shin g and d ropped it in her lap She looked at the tail tail and recognised recognised it This looks like the tail of y brothers brothers ox, Mok , she said What has killed killed hi? I left left hi tethered tethered and alive alive ! ' The girls tried to console her saying, sayin g, Diirawic Diirawi c , tails are all the sae But if it is the tail of Mok Mok then perhaps soe iportant guests have arrived. It ay be that they are people wanting to arry you. Teeng ay have decided to honour the with his favourite avourite ox. N othing othi ng bad has happened. ' Diirawic was still troubled. She stopped the shing and suggested that they return to nd out what had happened to her brothers brothers ox They went back As they arrived, the little sister of Diirawic cae running to her and ebraced her saying, My dear sister Diirawic, Diirawic, do you know what has happened?' I ont know k now said Diiraw Diirawic. ic. Then I will tell you a secret, continued her sister, but please dont mention me ntion it to anyone, not even even to our other other 105
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Come on , sser, ell me,' said Drawc Drawc Teeng has been prevenng you from beng marred because he wants o marry you,' her siser sad. He has slaughtered his ox, M Mjo jok, k, to celebrate celebrate hs engagemen o you. M Mjok jok s dead ' Drawc Drawc cre cred d and sad, So that s w h y God God made the kite kit e y with Mjok's al and drop it n my ap So be There is nohing I can do' Sser,' Ss er,' sad her lle lle sser, sser, let me connue wh wha wh a I have o ell you When Whe n your broher bedevls you and forgets that tha t you are his sser, wha do you do? found a knfe for you. He wll want you o seep wth him in he hu. Hide he knfe near he bed And a ngh when he s fas asleep cut off hs estcles He wl de And he will not be be able able o o do anyhng any hng o you' you ' Sser,' Ss er,' said Dirawc, you have gven gven me good good advce advce ' Drawc kept he secret and dd not tell the grls what had occurred Bu she cried whenever she was alone She wen and mlked he cows People drank he mlk. Bu when Teeng was gven gven mk, m k, he refused. refused. A nd when wh en he was gven food he refused Hs heart was on hs sser Tha s where hs heart was At bedtme bedt me he sad, I woud ke to to sleep n that that hu, hu , Drawc, sster sster le us share he he hut.' hu t.' Dirawc said, Nothng is bad, my broher. We can share the hu' They dd Ther lttle lttle sser sser also also insised on sleepng sl eepng wh w h hem h em in the hu. So she slept on the other side of he hu. In he mddle of the ngh, Teeng got up and moved he way me n do ! At ha momen, a zard spoke and said Come, Teeng, have you really become an mbecle? How can you behave lke that towards your sster? He fel ashamed asham ed and lay down He wated for a whle and then t hen go up agan And when he re red d to do wha men do , the grass grass on he thatching spoke and said, What What an mbec mbecle le ! How can you forget that she s your y our siser?' He fel ashamed and cooled cooled down Ths me he waed waed much mu ch loner Then his desre rose and he go up The rafers spoke and said, '0, he man has really become an do! How can your 106
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heart b e o n your mother's daughter's daughter's body? body? Have you bec become ome a hopeless hopeless imbecile?' i mbecile?' e cooled cooled down dow n This time tim e he remained quiet for for a very ong on g time but then his min d returned to it aga again in . This went o n until u ntil very very close close to to dawn. Then h e reached that point when a man's heart fails him The walls spoke and said You monkey of a human being what are you doing?' The utensils rebuked him. The rats in the hut laughed at him Everything started shouting at him, Teeng, imbecile what are you doing to your your sster?' At that tha t moment mom ent,, he h e fel fel back back ashamed and an d exhausted exhau sted and fel into into a deep dee p sleep . The little girl got up and woke her older sister saying You fool, don' d on'tt you see he h e is now sleeping? sleeping ? This is the time to cut off off his testices' testices' Diirawic got got u p and cut them off. Teeng Te eng died Then the two girls got up and beat the drums in a way that told everybody that there was an exclusive dance for girls No men could attend that dance Nor could married women and children. So all the girls came out running from their huts and went to the dance. Diirawic then spoke to them and said Sisters caed you to say that I am going into the wilderness' She then went on to explain to them the whole story and ended, I did not want t leave you in secret So wanted a chance to bid you farewel befo be fore re leavin leaving. g.'' All the t he girls girls decided they they woud not remain remain behind beh ind If your brother did it to you' they argued what is the guarantee that our brothers wil not do it to us? We must al a l eave together!' S o all the th e girls of the tribe tribe decided decided to go go . Ony On y very smal girls remained . As A s they left left the ittle sister sister of Diirawic said I want to go with with you. ' But they would not let her. You are too young they said. You You must stay.' stay.' n that case' case' sh e said said will cry ou t loud loud an d tell tell everyone everyone your plan ! ' And she started started to to cry cry out. 107
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H ush, hush, said the girls Then turning to Diirawic they said, Le her come with us. She is a girl wih a hear She has taken our side If we die die we die ogether ogether with her ! already taken Diirawic Diirawic acceped and they wen They waked; hey walked and walked and walked, until they came came to the borders between the human erritory and he ion word They carried their axes and their spears; hey had everyhing hey migh need. need . They divided he work among hemselves Some cu the timber for rafers and poles Ohers cut the grass for thatching And they the y buil for for hemselves hemselves an enormouse enormouse house - a house hous e fa far larger even han a catlebyre. The number of girs was tremen dous. They buil many beds for themselves inside the hut and made a very srong s rong door to make sure of their safey onl y problem was was hat hey had no food food B u hey foun found d Their only a large anhill, full of dried mea, grain, and all the oher foodstuff oodstuffs that they needed They wondered wonder ed where a a his h is could have come from from Bu Diirawi Di irawicc explained explai ned o them. Sisters, Siste rs, we are women and i is he woman who bears the human race Perhaps God has seen our plight, and not waning us o perish, has provided provided us with all this. Let us take i in good grac gracee ! They did Some went for rewood. Ohers feched water. They cooked and ae Every day hey woud dance the womens dance in grea happiness and hen sleep. One evening a lion came in searc search h of insects and found oun d hem dancing. Bu seeing such a arge number of girls, he became frighened and lef Their number was such as would frighen anyone It then th en occurred to the lion to urn ino a dog and go in o their thei r compound. He did He went here looking for droppings of food Some girs hit him and chased him away Ohers said, Dont kill hm He is a dog and dogs are fr frends! ends ! B u he he sceptic sceptical al ones said, Wha Wha kind o f dog would would be i n this isolaed isolaed world? world ? Where do you you think thi nk he came fr from? om ? Oher girls said, sa id, Perhaps Perhaps he h e came all h e wa y from from the th e cale cale camp, following us! Perhaps he thought he whole camp was moving and so he ran ran afte afterr us ! Diirawic's sister was afra afraid id of he dog She had not seen a dog 108
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following the m And the distance was so great great that the dog could not have travelled all the way alone She worried but sad nothing. Yet she could not sleep sleep ; she stayed stayed awake while all the others others slept One nght he lion came and knocked at the door He had overheard the names of the older girls one of them Diirawic. After knocking at the door he said, Diirawic please open the door for for me' The Th e little grl grl who was was awake answered cha nting : 'A chol asleep, A dau asleep asleep Nyankiir yank iir asleep Diirawic is asleep The gir gir are are asleep asleep!!
The lion heard her and said Little Little girl girl what s the matter with you, staying up so late?' late?' She answered hm saying My dear man it s thirst am suf su ffering erin g fro from m a d readful readful thirst . ' Why? asked the lion. Don't the girls fetch water from the river?' Yes answered answered the lttle lttle girl girl they do Bu t snc e I was born, I do not drnk water from a pot or a gourd. I drink only from a container made of reeds reeds And don't they bring you water in such a container? asked the lon No, N o, she sad They They only bring bring water n pots and gourds, even though there is a container of reeds in the house Where is that contain container? er? asked the lion. t s outside outside there there on the plat platform! ' sh e answered. answered. So he took took it i t and left l eft to fetch etc h water for for her. he r. The container containe r of reeds reeds would not hold water The lion spent much time trying to x t with clay. But when he lled it, the water washed washed the clay away away The lon kept on trying un til dawn. dawn . Then he returned wth the container of reeds and put t back where it was He then rushed back to the bush before the girls got got up up Ths we nt on for many nghts. The T he little little grl grl slept only durin g 109
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the daytime The girls ebuked he fo this saying Why d o you sleep n the daytime? Cant you sleep at night? Whee do you go at night? She did not tell them anythng But she worried She lost so much weight that she became very bony. One day Dirawic spoke to he siste and sad Nyanaguek my mothers daughte, what is making you so lean? I told you to emain at home. Ths s too much for a chid you age! Is it your mothe you are missing? I will not alow you to make the other gils miserabe. If necessary daughter of my mother, I will kil you. But Diiawic's sister woud not revea the truth The gs went on rebuking he but she would not tel them what she knew. One day she boke down and cied and then said My dea siste, Diirawic I eat as you see In fact, I get plenty of food so much that I do not nsh what I eceive. But even if I did not receive enough food I have an endurng heat Pehaps I am able to endue moe than any one of you hee. What I am suffering from is something none of you has seen Evey night a ion gives me geat touble. It s just that I am a peson who does not speak That animal you thought to be a dog is a lon. I remain awake at night to potect us all and then sleep in the daytime He comes and knocks at the doo. Then he asks fo you by name to open the door. I sing back to hm and tel him that you are al asleep. When he wonders why I am awake, I tel him it is because I am thisty I explain that I only dink out of a containe made of eeds and that the gls bing water only n pots and gourds Then he goes to fetch water fo me. And seeing that he cannot stop the wate from owng out of the container, he returns towards dawn and dsappears only to be back the folowing night. So that is what s destroying me, my dea sste. You bame me in van I have one thing to tell you,' said Diawic. J ust be calm and when he comes do not answe I will emain awake with you' They ageed Diiawic took a lage spear that they had inheited from thei ancestos and remaned awake close to the doo. The lion came at hs usua hour. He came to the doo, but 10
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somehow h e became afrad and umped away wthout knocking. He had a feeling that something was going on So he left and stayed away for some time Then he returned to the door towards dawn. He sad 'Dirawic open the door for me! There was ony silence. He repeated hs request Sti there was only silence He said 'We! The little gr who always answered me is at ast dead! H e started to break through the door, and when h e succeeded n pushing his head n, Diirawc attacked him with the large spear, forcing hm back nto the courtyard. Please, Diirawc, he pleased, do not kl me. Why not ? asked Diirawc What brought you here? 'I only came in search of a sleeping place ! 'We, I a m killing you for that said Dirawic. Please alow me to be your brother the lion contnued to plead . I wll never attempt to hurt anyone agan. I wll go away f you don t wan t e here. Pease! So Diirawic et him go He went. But before he hd gone a ong way, he returned and sad to the girls then gathered outside I am going but I wl be back n two days with al my horned cattle. Then he disappeared. After two days he came back with al his horned catte, as he had promsed. Then he addressed the girls saying ' Here I have come. It s true tht I am lion . I want you to ki that big bul in the herd . Use its meat for taming me If I live wth you untamed, I mght become wild at nght and attack you And that would be bad . So kll the bu and tame me by teasng me wth the meat They agreed So they fell on hi m and beat hm s o m uch that hs fur made a storm on hs back as t fel off. They klled the bu and roasted the meat. They woud bring a fat pece of meat close to hs mouth then pull t away A puppy dog would jump out of the sava which drpped fom the ions mouth They would gve the puppy a fata bow on the head. Then they would beat the ion again Anoher piece of fat meat would be held cose to hs mouth then pulled awy, and another puppy would u mp out of the falng saliva. They woud gve it a 111
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low on the head and eat the lion some more. Four puppies emerged, and all four were killed. Yet the lions mouth streamed with a wild saliva. So they took a large quantity of steaming hot roth and poured it down his throat clearing it of all the remaining saliva His mouth remained wide open and sore He could no longer eat anything He was fed only milk, poured down his throat He was then released For four months, he was nursed as a sick person His throat continued to hurt for all this time Then he recovered The girls remained for another year It was now ve years since they had left home The lion asked the girls why they had left their home The girls asked him to address his questions to Diirawic, as she was their leader. So he turned to Diirawic and asked the same question. My rother wanted to make me his wife ' explained Diirawic. I killed him for that. I did not want to remain in a place where I had killed my own rother. So I left I did not care aout my life. I expected such dangers as nding you If you had eaten me it would have een no more than I exected' Well, I have now ecome a rother to you all said the lion. A s an older rother, I think I should take you al l ack home. My cattle have since multiplied They are yours If you nd that your land has lost its herds, these will replace them. Otherwise they will increase the cattle already there, ecause I have ecome a memer of your family. Since your only rother is dead, let me e in the place of Teeng, your rother. Cool your heart and return home' He pleaded with Diirawic for aout three months Finally she agreed ut cried a great deal When the girls saw her cry, they all cried They cried and cried because their leader Diirawic, had cried . The lion slaughtered a bull to dry their tears They ate the meat Then he said to them, Let us wait for three more days and then leave! ' They slaughtered many ulls in sacrice to less the territory they crossed as they returned throwing meat away everywhere 1 12
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they passed A s they did so, they prayed This is for the anials and the birds that have heped keep us healthy for all this tie without death or illness in our idst May God direct you to share in this eat.' They had put one bul into their big house and locked the house praying, Our dear house we give you this bull. And you bull if you shoud break the rope and get out of the house that will be a sign of grace fro the hut. f you should reain inside, then we bequeath you thi s hut as we leave. ' And they left All this tie the people at home were in ou rning Diirawic's father never shaved his head. He left the ungrooed hair of ourning on his head and did not care about his appearance Her other too, was in the sae condition. She covered hersef with ashes so that she looked grey. The rest of the parents mourned, but everyone ourned especialy for Diirawic. They did not care as uch for their own daughters as they did for Diirawic. The any en who had wanted to marry Diirawic also neglected theselves in ourning Young men and girls wore only two beads B ut older people and children wore no beads at all. All the girls cae and tethered their herds a distance fro the village They all looked beautiful Those who had been iature had grown into aturity. The older ones had now reached the peak of youth and beauty They had blossomed and had also becoe wiser and adept with words The little boy who was Diirawics youngest brother had now grown up Diirawic resebled her other who had been an extreey beautiful girl. Even in her od age she stil retained her beauty and her resemblance to her daughter stil showed The litte boy had never realy known his sister as he was too young when the girs left. B ut when he saw Diirawic in the newly arrived catte camp e saw a cear reseblance to his other He knew that his two siters and the other girls of the cap had disappeared So he cae and said, Mother, saw a girl in the cattle cap who ook s like she could be my sister, even tho ugh I do not reeber my sisters 1 13
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Child, don' you fee shame? How can you recognise people who le soon afer you were born? How can you recall people long dead? This is evil magic! This is he work of an evil spiri!' She sared o cry and al he women joined her i n crying. Ageses came running from differen camps o show her sympahy. They all cried even as hey ried o console her wih words Then came Diirawic with he girls and said My dear woman permi us o shave o your mourning hair And al of you, e us shave of your mourning hair! Surprised by her words, hey said, Wha has happened ha we should shave of our mourning hair? Then Diirawic asked hem why hey were in mourning The old woman sared to cry as Diirawic spoke and said My dear girl I los a girl like you She died ve years ago and ve years is a long time If she had died only wo or even hree years ago I migh have dared o say you are my daugher. As i is I can'. But seeing you my dear daugher, has cooled my hear Diirawic spoke again, saying, Dear Moher, every child is a daugher. As I sand in fron of you I feel as hough I were your daugher So please lisen o wha I say as hough I were your own daugher We have all heard of you and your famed name. We have come from a very far-off pace because of you. Please allow us o shave your head I oer ve cows as a oken of my reques.' Daughter' said he woman I shal honour your reques bu no because of h e cows I have no use for cale Nigh and day I hink o nohing bu my los Diirawic Even his child you see means nohing o me compared o my los child Diirawic Wha grieves me is ha God has refused o answer my prayers. I have called upon our clan spirits and I have called upon my ancesors and they do no lisen This I resen I will lisen o your words, my daugher The ac ha God has brough you along and pu hese words ino your mouh is enough o convince me' So she was shaved Diirawic gave the woman beauiful leaher skirs made from skins of animals hey killed on he way They were no from he hides of cale, sheep or goas She decoraed 1 14
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the edges o f the skirts with beautiful beads and made bead designs of cattle gures on the skirts. On the bottom of the skirts she eft the beautiful natural furs of the animals The woman cried and Diirawic pleaded with her to wear them She and he girls went and brought mik from their own catte and made a feast Diirawics father welcomed the end of mourning. But her mother continued to cry as she saw all the festivities So Diirawic came to her and said, Mother coo your heart I am Diirawic ' Then s he shrieked with cries of joy. Everyone began t o cry od women, small girls everyone. Even blind women dragged themseves out of their huts feeling their way with sticks, and cried. Some peope died as they cried Drums were taken out and for seve n days people danced with joy Me n cam e from distant vilages, each with seven buls to sacrice for Diirawic. The other girls were almost abandoned. All were concerned with Diirawic People danced and danced. They said, Diirawic if God has brought you then nothing is bad That is what we wanted. Then Diirawic said, I have come back Bu t I have come with this man to take the place of my brother Teeng.' Very well agreed the people. Now there is nothing to worry about There were two other Teengs. Both were sons of chiefs Each one came forward asking to marry Diirawic t was decided that they should compete Two arge kraals were to be made. Each man was to ll his kraal with cattle. The kraals were buit The men began to l them with cattle One Teeng failed to ll his kraal The other Teeng succeeded so well that some cattle even remained outside Diirawic said, will not marry anyone until my new brother is given four girls to be his wives. Only then shall I accept the man y people want.' People listened to her words. Then they asked her how the man became her brother. So she told the whole story from its beginning to its en d. The people agreed wit h her and picked four of the n est girls 1 15
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for her new brother Diirawic then accepted the man who had won the competition She was given to her husband and she continued to treat the ion-man as her ful brother She gave brth rst to a son and then to a daughter She bore tweve children But when the thirteenth child was born he had the characteristics of a lion Her lionbrother had brought his family to her village and was living there when the child was born. The elds of Diirawic and her brother were next to each other Their chidren played together. As they played the small lion-child, then still a baby would put on leather skirts and sing When Diirawic returned the children told her but she dismissed w hat they said. You are liars How can such a small child do these things? They would explain to her that he pnched them a nd dug his nails into their skins and would suck blood from the wounds Their mother simply dismissed their complaints as lies. But the lionbrother began to wonder about the chid He said Does a newly born human being behave the way this chid behaves? Dirawic tried to dispe hs doubts But one day her brother hid and saw the chld dancing and singing in a way that convinced him that the child was a lion and not a human being. So he went to his sister and said What you bore was a lion ! What shal we do? The woman said What do you mean? He is my chd and should be treated as such. think we should kil h im, said the ion-brother That is impossible, she said. How can I allow my chid to be kiled? He will get used to human ways and wil cease to be aggressive. No continued the lion Let us kil hi m by poison if you want to be gentle with him What are you takng about?' retorted hs sister Have you forgotten that you yourself were a lon and were th en tamed into a humn being? Is it true that old people lose their memory? The boy grew up with the children. But when he reached the age of herding he woud go and bleed the children by turn and suck blood from their bodies. He would tell them not to speak 116
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and that f they said anything to ther elders he woud kll them and eat them. The children woud come home wth wounds, and when asked, woud say their wounds were from thorny trees. B ut the on dd not believe them He would te them to stop lying and tel the truth but they would not. One day he went ahead of them and hd on top of the tree under which they usually spent the day. He saw the onchild bleed the children and suck ther blood Right there he speared him. The child died He then turned to the chdren and asked why they had hidden the truth for so ong. The chidren expaned how they had been threatened by the on-chid. Then he went and explained to his sster, Drawc what he had do ne.
The M i r r o r (apanes)
HERE s a pretty Japanese tae o a smal armer who bought his young we a mirror. She was surprised and deghted to know that it reected her ace and chershed her mirror above al her possessions. She gave birth to one daughter and died young; and the armer put the mrror away in a press, where t lay or long years The daughter grew up the very image o her mother; and one day when she was amost a woman, her ather took her aside, and told her o her mother and of the mirror which had reected her bauty. The grl was devoured with curiosty, unearthed the mrror rom the od press and looked into t. Father! she cred See! Here s mothers ace ! ' It was her own ace she saw; but her ather said nothing. The tears were streaming down hs cheeks, and the words would not come.
T h e F r o g M a i d en (Burmese)
N od couple was childless, and the husband and the we onged or a chld. So when the wie ound that she was with child, they were over joyed; but to their great disappontment, the wie gave birth no to a human child, but to a lttle sherog. However, as the little rog spoke and behaved as a human child, not only the parents but also the neghbours came to love her and caed her aectonately Little Miss Frog. Some years ater the woman ded, and the man decded to marry agan. The woman he chose was a widow with two ugly daughters and they were very jeaous o Little Mss Frogs popuarty wth the neighbours Al three took a deght n l-treating Lttle Miss Frog One day the youngest o the kngs four sons announced that he woud perorm the hairwashng ceremony on a certain date and he nvited a young adies to jon in the ceremony, as he woud choose at the end o the ceremony one o them to be hs pncess. On the morning o the apponted day the two ugy sisters dressed themseves n ne rament, and with great hopes o being chosen by the prince they started or the palace. Lttle Miss Frog ran ater them, and peaded, 'Sisters, pease let me come with you The sisters laughed and said mockingy, What the little rog wants to come? The invitation is to young ladies and not to young rogs Lttle Mss Frog waked along with them towards the palace, peading or permission to come . B ut the ssters were adamant, and so at the paace gates she was let behind However, she spoke so sweetly to the guards that they alowed her to go n Lttle Mss Frog ound hundreds o young lades 1 19
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gaered round te pool full of liies in te palace grounds and se took er place among tem and waied for e prince Te prince now appeared and wased is air in e pool Te ladies also et down eir hair and joined in te ceremony A e end of e ceremony te prince decared a as te adies were all beautiful e did not know whom o coose and so e would row a posy of jasmines into e air; and te lady on wose ead e posy fel woud be is princess Te prince en rew te posy into te air, and al e ladies presen looked u p expecanly. Te posy owever fel on Little Miss Frogs ead o e grea annoyance of te adies especially te wo sepsisers Te prince also wa disappointed but e fel ha e sould keep is word So Litle Miss Frog was married o e prince and se became Lile Princess Frog Some ime laer e old king caled is four sons to m and said, 'My sons, I am now too old o rule e country and I want to retire o e forest and become a ermi So I mus appoint one of you as my successor As ove you al aike will give you a ask o perform, and e wo performs it successfully sall be king in my place. Te task is bring me a golden deer a sunrse on e sevent day from now. Te youngest prince wen ome to Lile Princess Frog and told er about e task 'What only a golden deer! excaimed Princess Frog. 'Eat as usual my prince and on e appoined day I will give you a golden deer So te younges prince stayed at ome wile e tree elder princes went into e forest in searc of te deer On te seven day before sunrise Little Princess Frog woke up er usband and said, Go to e paace prince, and ere is your golden deer Te young prince looked ten rubbed his eyes and looked again. Tere was no misake about it e deer wic Lile Princess Frog was oding by a lead was really of pure gold. So e wen to te paace and to the grea annoyance of e elder princes wo brougt ordinary deers he was declared o be e eir by e king Te elder princes, owever pleaded for a second cance, and e king reluctanly agreed. Ten perform is second task said te king. 'On e sevent day from now a sunrise you mus bring me te rice a never 120
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becomes stale, a nd the meat that is ever fresh ' The youngest prince went home an d told Princess Frog about the new task. Don't you worry, sweet prince,' said Princess Frog. Eat as usual, sleep as usua, and on the appointed day wil give you the rice and meat. So the youngest prince stayed at home, whie th e three eder princes went in search of the rice and meat. On the seventh day at sunrise, Little Princess Frog woke up her husband and said, My Lord, go to the paace now, an d here is your rice and meat ' The youngest prince took the rice and meat, and went to the paace, and to the great annoyance of the elder princes who brought ony welcooked rice and meat, he was again declared to be the heir But the two elder princes again peaded for one more chance, and the king said, This is positively the ast task On the seventh day from now at sunrise, bring me the most beautiful woman on this earth ' Ho, ho!' said the three elder princes to themselves in great joy Our wives are very beautiful, and we wil bring them. One of us is sure to be declared heir, and our good-fornothing brother wil be nowhere this time.' The youngest prince overheard their remark, and felt sad, for his wife was a frog and ugy When he reached home, he said to his wife, Dear Princess, must go and ook for the most beautifu woman on this earth. My brothers will bring their wives, for they are realy beautifu, but I wil nd someone who is more beautiful Don't you fret, my prince,' repied Princess Frog. Eat as usual, seep as usual and you can take me to the paace on the appointed day surely I shall be declared to be the most beautifu woman' The youngest prince ooked at the princess in surprise ; but he did not want to hurt her feeings, and he said gently, All right, Princess wil take you wth me on the appointed day' On t he seventh day at dawn Litte Princess Frog woke u p the prince and said, My Lord, must make myself beautiful So please wait outside and call me when it is nearly time to go' The prince eft the room as requested. After some moments, the prince shouted from outside, Princess it is time for us to go' 21
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Please wait my Lord, replied the pncess I a m just powdering my face' After some moments te princ shouted, Princess, we must go now. All right, my Lord repied the princess please open the door for me' The prince thought to himself Perhaps ust as se was abe to obtain the goden deer and the wonderfu rce and meat she s abe to make herself beautifu', and he expectanty opened the door but e was disappointed to see Lttle Prncess Frog still a frog and as ugly as ever. However so as not to urt her feelings, the prnce said nothing and took her along to the paace. When the prince entered the audience camber with his Frog Princess the tree elder princes wth their wves were aready there The king looked at the prince in surprise and sad, Where is your beautful maiden?' I wil answer for te prnce my kng' said te Frog Princess. I am s beautiful maiden .' She then took off her frog skn and stood a beautiful maiden dressed n slk and satin. The kng declared her to be te most beautful maiden n te world, and selected te prince as is successor on the throne. The prnce asked his princess never to put on the ugy frog skin again, and the Frog Princess to accede to his request, trew te skin into the re. '
T h e S l e e p in g P r in c e (Surinamese)
FATHER had a daughter but the child loved nothing so much as the e d of grass which her father had planted. Ony that she loved. Every morning her nurse took her to look at the grass One morning when they went the horses were feeding on the grass. Then they fought and fought and bood fell on the grass The gir said My nurse look how the horses are eating my grass til they ght Bu t look how nice the red is on the earth. ' At once a voice answered her it said Look ho w nice the red is on top of the earth . Wel if you were to see the Sleeping Prince ! But the one who said the thing must come before eight days are up and she will see the Sleeping Prince. And she will see a fan and she should fan the prince until the prince shall awaken. Then she shoud kiss the prince. And she wi see a botte of water, and she sha sprinkle al the sticks which she sees But wh en sh e went she took her clothes a nd sh e had a back dol and a broken razor Then she took them and carried them there too Then she saw the prince and she took the fan and began to fan the prince. She fanned so til . an od woman sat by at the side She was a witch. Then she asked her she said if she was not tired of fanning? But she said No no. ' Not long after the old woman cam e back and she asked her she said Dont you wa nt to go and urinate? And s at once she got up to go and u rinate The old woman took up the an and began to fan. And so before the gir came back the prince awakened and the od woman kissed the prince. And so the od woman had to marry the prince because the aw was that the one who kissed the prince should be the one to marry him Bu t when they were already married t hen he womn made 123
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her look afer the fowls She was very sad, because in her fahers counry she was a princess and here she had o ook afer the fowls They built a nice litle house for her to live in Then at night when she reurned from her work she put on her ne clohes, and she payed a singing box Bu when she nished paying hen she took up the black doll and the razor, and she asked it she said My black dol my black doll, ell me if that is ustice or I wil cu off your neck. Then she pu hem back and she went o sleep But a soldier passed one nigh Then he heard how sweetly the singing box played. He hid at the side of he house and he heard everyhing he girl asked the black doll And so he went and old the king ha the girl who looked after the chickens did hus The selfsame night he king went to isen J ust as he woman asked he lack doll if ha was justice, the king knocked on he door ha she open the door a once As the door opened he king saw he woman and at once he fained because he did no know ha this woman was a princess She was wearing her ne clothes And when the king came o himself he called the woman and said he would cal a big audience and she must explain what made her ask ha of the black doll When they came o he audience, she said before all the imporant peope 'Yes in my fathers counry was a princess and here mus look after the fows And she relaed everyhing tha had happened beween her and he od woman, and she had acted towards her o cause her (the witch) o marry the price And so they found her in the right and hey killed the od woman From her bones hey made a stepladder to climb to he op of her bed. And from the skin of he od woman she made a carpe to spread on the ground. And from he head she made a wash-basin in which to wash her face And so she came o marry the prince laer. was her desiny
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T he O rp ha n (African, Malawi)
LONG tme ago a certain man marred Hs wfe gave brth to a baby girl whom they named Dminga When Diminga's mother died, her father marred again, and his new wife bore hm several more chidren. Athough her husband asked her to care for Diminga, the stepmother cursed the chd and would not treat her as her own She would not bthe her, she fed her only husks, and made her sleep n a kraal. So Diminga looked a dirty miserabe ttle gir a skeeton dressed n rags. All she longed for was to d e so that she might jon her rea mother. One nght Dmnga dreamed that he mother was calling her: Dminga! Dminga my child! You need not starve said the voice. Tomorrow at noon, when you are grazng the cattle, take your bg cow Chincheya and tel her to do what I have asked. ' The next day Diminga took her catte into the eds a s usual. When midday came and her hunger was at ts worst, she remembered her dream She went to Chincheya, patted her back, and said, Chincheya. Do what my mother tod you No sooner had she sad ths than many pates of food appeared before her There was rice beef chicken, tea and much more. Dmnga ate until she was ful - and stil there was food left over. She made the surplus disappear and returned home that day so satsed that she surprsed her stepmother by refusing to eat the husks whch were offered for her supper. H ave them yourself,' she sad Now ths happened many times as each day Chncheya pro duced food for Dmnga when they were alone in the elds As Dmnga grew fatter, her stepmother grew more suspous, 126
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asking Why are you growing fat even though you refuse to eat at home? What do you eat?' But Diminga woud not tel her secret and at ast the stepmother insisted that her own daughter must accompany Dim inga when she grazed her catte the next day Diminga was reluctant to take the gir but she had no choice. When the time came for the midday mea she tod her stepsister to say nothing of what she was about to see. The gir watched as Diminga took Chincheya aside and spoke to her. She was amazed when suddenly there was food everywhere. Her mouth watered; she tasted a the dishes then she hid a bit of each u nder her ngernais before Diminga made the remains vanish . That night after Diminga had gone to sleep the girl tod her mother to fetch plates and when these were brought she heaped upon them all the food that she had hidden saying This food comes from that cow Chincheya. Abundant and delicious food appears when Diminga speaks to her.' The old woman was thunderstruck She gobbed up the food and set about making pans to get al the rest that was still inside the cow A few days later, she told her husband that she was feeling unwell. Now for this reason a traditiona dance was held and during this dance the stepmother seemed to fal into a trance She cried out The spirits demand the sacrice of the cow Chincheya' Diminga was furious. She refused to alow the killing. Her stepmother peaded with her husband Shoud die because of your daughters in fatuation with a cow? And her h usband peaded with his daughter but Diminga was determined that Chincheya should not be kiled. Then as she sept, one night she heard her mother's voice again It said My daughter Diminga et them saughter Chincheya. But do not eat the meat yoursef Take the stomach Bu ry it on an isand You wi see what wil happen So Diminga aowed the sacrice to take place. The stepmother was sady disappointed to n d not even a sin ge grain of rice inside the cow indeed the meat itsef was tasteess Diminga 127
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wept at Cinceyas deat; but se folowed er oter's instructions and planted te cow's stomac on an island Were te stoac was planted a goden tree grew. Its leaves were pound notes and its fruts were coins: pennes shilings, sixpences and orins Te tree glittered and dazzled te eyes of anyone who dared to look at it One day a sip passed te island. Wen te owner saw te goden tree e ordered is men to go asore and collect te oney They shook te tree and tried to pck off the oney, but tey could not ove it The owner asked te local cief to sake the tree, ten eac of is vllagers in turn to do te sae. Stl no one was successful in arvesting the money. Ten te sp's owner, wo was a European asked te chief, Is tere anyone wo as not tried to sake te tree? Go and search your vllage n case you ave left anyone behind' Te searc took pace and te one reaning person wo ad not tried to sake the tree was found - a ragged dirty gir wt sad eyes It was Diminga Everyone lauged wen se was taken to te tree. Can tis iserable girl succeed wen we ave failed !' Let er try, said te European The tree swayed as Diinga approached As se touched t te tree began to sake and wen se eld it coins and notes sowered to te ground in great ples, enoug to l several bags Instant arriage was arranged between Diinga and te European, and tey went to lve at his ouse Wen se ad bated dressed in new clotes and perfued erself Dnga was un recognisably beautiful And se was appy with er new life. After soe tie Dinga visited er oe, taking with er servants, carrying cases of clothes, food and oney for er faily. Tey welcoed her warly, especaly wen tey saw her gifts. And er fater was glad tat is daugter's troubles were now nised. But her stepoter was full of envy and began plannng once ore to get te better of Diinga Tus it appened that when Diinga was sitting wit er famly er oneeyed stepsister 128
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came to her with a needle i n her hands saying Let m e nd ice in your hair sister. I have no lice' said Diminga. But her stepmother insisted and the gir began her search. Then suddeny, she drove the needle into Dimingas head Diminga jerked and was transformed into a bird which e away The old woman dressed her daughter in Diminga's clothes and veiled her face She told Dimingas servants that their mistress was sick They took Diminga home and told their master of his wifes illness Whenever he tried to remove the veil his wife' said You must leave it for I am not we ' On e day hi s servant Guao went to the river to wash cothes and saw a small bright beautiful bird perched on a tree. t began to sg: Guao, Guao Guao Is Manuel at home With one eyed-we This terible oneeyed we ?
Guao listened enchanted by the music and his curiosity was aroused Each day he saw the itte bird and heard the song then nally he took his master to witness the strange event. The master trapped the bird and took it home where he made a pet of it Whenever he touched the birds head he noticed it trembed. He looked closely and saw a neede When he pulled out the needle the bird was transformed into a beautifu gir Diminga his wife. When Diminga told him of her sufferings her husband ran and unveiled the sick wife' - and shot her. He ordered his servants to cut the body into pieces which were dried then mixed with rice and put into bags. The bags of food were sent to Dimingas stepmother wth the message Dmnga has arrve safely and sends you this gift. ' The od woma n was satised to hear the ne s and shared the food amongst her famiy. It was ony when she looked into the last bag of meat that she realised that she had been truy 129
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punshed. Inside the bag was a hman head, wth its one eye fxed pon her in a terrible gaze
Part Four MOTH ERS AND DAUGHTERS
A c h o l an d
Her Wild
M o th e r
(Sudan, Dinka)
CHOL, Lanchichor (The Bind Beast) and Adhalchingeeny (The Exceedingy Brave One) were iving with their mother Their mother woud go to etch rewood. She gathered many pieces o wood and then put her hands behind her back and said , '0 dear, who will help me it this heavy oad ?' A ion came passing by and said, hep you lit the load what wil you give me? I wil give you one hand she said. She gave him a hand ; he heped her lit the oad and she went home Her daughter Achol, said, Mother, why is your hand ike that? My daughter it is nothing,' she answered. Then she et again to etch rewood She gathered many pieces o wood and then put her hand behind her back and said, '0 dear, who wi now hep me it this heavy load The lion came and said, I help you it the oad what will you give me? wil give you my other hand! And she gave him the other hand He ited the load on to her head and she went home without a hand Her daughter saw her and said, Mother what has happened to your hands? You shoud not go to fetch rewood again ! You must stop But she insisted that there was nothing wron and went to etch rewood. Again she colected many pieces o rewood put her arms behi nd her back and said, Who wi now hep me lit this heavy oad?' Again the ion came and said, I hep you it the oad, what wi you give me? 1 35
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She said I will give you one oot! She gave him her oot; h e helped her, and she went home Her daughter said, Mother, this time I insist that you do not go or the frewood! Why is all ths happening? Why are your hands and your oot like this? My daughter it s nothing to worry about, she said. 'It is my nature. She went back to the orest another tme and collected many pieces o frewood Then she put her arms behind her back and said, Who will now help me lit this load? The lion came and said What will you now give me? She said, I wl l give you my other oot! So she gave him the other oot; he helped her, and she went home. This time she became wild and turned into a lioness She would not eat cooked meat; she would only have raw meat Achols brothers went to the cattle camp with their mothers relatives. So only Achol remained at home wth her mother When her mother turned wild she went into the orest, leaving Achol alone She would only return or a short time in the evening to look or ood Achol would prepare something or her and put it on the platorm in the courtyard Her mother would come at night and sng in a dialogue with Achol A chol Achol where your father?' My father is still in the cattle camp!' And where Lanchichor? Lanchichor is still in the cattle camp! And where is Adhalchingeeny ? Adhalchingeeny is still in the cattle camp! And where the food?' Mother, scrape the insides of our ancient gour.
She would eat and leave. The ollowing night she would return and sing Achol would reply; her mother would eat and return to the orest This went on or a long time Meanwhle, Lanchichor came rom the cattle camp to visit his mother and sister. When he arrived home, he ound his mother absent He also ound a large pot over the cooking re. He wondered about these things and asked Achol, Where is Mother 136
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gone and why are you cooking i n such a big pot? She repied a cooking in this big pot because our other has turned wid and is in the foest but she coes at night for food Take that pot off the re h e said. I cannot,' she repied I ust cook for her' He let her. She cooked and put the food on the platfor before they went to bed Their other came at night and sang Achol replied as usual Her other ate and eft. Achol's brother got very frightened. He eptied his bowes and left the next ong When he was asked in the catte cap about the people at hoe he was too ebarrassed to tell the truth; so he said they were wel Then Achos father decided to coe hoe to visit his wife and his daughter. He found the big pot on the re and his wife away When he asked Achol, she expained everything to hi. He also tod her to take the pot off the re, but she wou ld not. She put the food on the platfor, and they went to bed. Achol's father tod her to let hi take cae of the situation. Achol agreed Her other came and sang as usua. Acho eplied. Then her other ate. But her father was so frightened that he returned to the cap. Then came Adhalchingeeny (The Exceedingly Brave One) and brought with hi a very strong rope He cae and found Achol cooking with the arge pot an d when Acho explained to hi their others condition he tod her to take the pot off the re, but she woud not give in . He let her proceed with her usua plan He paced the rope near the food in a way that would trap his mother when she took the food. He tied the other end to his foot. Their other cae and sang as usual Achol replied As their other went towads the food Adhalchingeeny puled the rope, gagged her and tied her to a pole. He then went and beat her with part of the heavy rope. He beat her and beat her and beat her Then he gave her a piece of raw meat, and when she ate it, he beat her again He beat her and beat her and beat her. Then he gave her two pieces of eat one raw and one roasted She refused the raw one and took the roasted one saying My son , 137
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have now become human, so please stop beting me.' They then reunied and lived happily
Tunjur, Tunjur ( P a l e t i n a n A a b ) T e t ify t a t C o d i s O n e ! A U D I N C E T he re i n o go d b u t C o d . TELL R :
HERE was once a woman who could not get pregnant and have chidren. Once upon a day she had an urge; she wated babies. '0 Lord! she cried out why o all women a m ike this? Woud that could get pregnant d have a baby, and may Allah grant me a gir eve i she is only a cooking pot! Oe day she became pregat A day came and a day went and behold! she was ready to deiver. Se wet into abour and delivered giving birth to a cooking pot. What ws the poor woman to do? She wased it cleaing it we pt the id on t and placed it on the sel One day the pot started to tak. Mother she said take me dow n rom this se!' Alas, daghter!' replied the mother were am I going to put yo? What do you care? said the daghter. ust bring me dow ad I will make you ric or geerations to come The mother broght her dow Now pt my id on said the pot, and leave e outside the door. Puttig the lid on the moter took er outside the door The pot started to roll, singig a she went unjr tur clink, clik 0 my mama! She rolled nti she came to a pace where people usually gather a while people were pssig by. A man came and found te pot a settled in its place. Eh! he exclaied who has pt this pot i the middle o the path? ll be damned ! What a beauti pot! ts probably made o silver He ooked it over well. H ey peope! he called wose pot is tis? Wo put it here? No one claimed it By Alla he sid 'm goig to take it home with m e. On his way home, e went by the honey vedor. He h ad the 139
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po lled with honey and brought i home o his wife Look, wife, he said, how beautiful is his pot! The whole family was greatly pleased wih it. n wo or hree days they had guess, and hey wanted o offer them some honey. The woman of the house brough he po down from he shelf Push and pull on he lid, but he po would no open She caled her husband over. Pull and push, but open it he could not His guess piched in Lifting the pot and dropping i, the man tried to break it open with hammer and chisel He ried everything, bu it was no use They sent for he blacksmith, and he tried and ried, to no avai Wha was he man to do? Damn your owners!' he cursed he po, Did you hink you were going o make us wealthy? And aking it up, he hrew i ou he window. When they turned their back and could no onger see i, she stared o roll, saying as she wen. Tunjur, tunjur 0 my mama In my mouth I brought the honey. Clink, clink 0 my mama. In my mouth I brought the honey. '
Bring me up the sairs she said o her mother when she reached home. Yee exclaimed he moher I hought you had disappeared, that someone had aken you . Pick me up! said the daugher. Picking her up, my litle darlings, he moher ook he lid off and found he po full of honey. Oh ! How pleased she was Empty me! said he po. The mother empied the honey into ajar, and pu the po back on the shelf. Mother, said he daugher the next day, ake me down ! The moher brough her down from he shelf Mother, pu me ouside he door! ' The mother placed her outside he door, and she sared roling - unjur, unjur, clink, clink - until she reached a pace where people were gahered, and then she stopped A man passing by found her. 140
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Eh! he hought what kind o f a po s ths? ' H e ooked i over. How beaufu he found i! To whom does this belong?' he asked Hey people! Who are he owners of ths pot? He waied bu no one sad I s mne. Then he sad, By Allah, I' m going o ake i. He took i and on hs way home sopped by the bucher and had it lled with mea. Bringing i home o hs wfe he said Look wfe how beauiful is ths pot Ive found! By Alah I found i so pleasing I bough meat and lled i and brough it home' Yee! hey al cheered how ucky we are! Wha a beauiful pot! They put t away. Towards evening they wanted to cook he mea Push and pull on the pot t woud no open! What was he woman o do? She caled her husband over and her chldren. Lift drop strke - no use. They ook it o the blacksmih but wih no result The husband became angry God damn your owners! he cursed i. What n the world are you?' And he threw t as far as hs arm would reach. As soon s he turned his back she sarted rolling a nd si ngin g: Tunjur, tunjur 0 my mama In my mouth I brought the meat. Tuur tunjur 0 my mama In my mouth I brought the meat. '
She kept repeaing ha tll she reached home Lif me u p ! she said o her mother The moher lfed her up , took the mea washed the pot and put i away on the shelf. B ring me ou of he house! said he daughter the next day The mother brough her ou and she said Tunjur unjur clnk clink' as she was rollng untl she reached a spo close by the king's house where she came to a sop In he morning i is sad he son of the king was on his way ou and behod! here was he pot settled in is pace Eh ! What's this? Whose pot s it?' No one answered . By Aah' he said I'm gong o take it He took t nside and called his wife over. Wife,' he said ake hs po! I brought i home for you. Is he mos beauifu pot! 141
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The wife took the po Yee! How beauiful i is ! B y Alah, I m going o pu my jewelery in it Taking the pot wih her she gahered all her jewellery even that which she was wearing, and pu i in he po She also brough al their gold and money and suffed hem in he po til i was ful to the brim then she covered i and pu it away in the wardrobe Two or hree days wen by and it was ime for the wedding of her brother She put on her velvet dress and brough the po out so tha she could wear her jewelery. Push and pul but the po woud no open She caled to her husband and he could no open i either. A the peope who were here ried to open it ifing and dropping. They took it o he blacksmith , and he tried but could not open i The husband fel defeated God damn your owners! he cursed i, what use are you o us? Taking i up he hrew it ou he window. Of course he was not al that anxious to et i go, so he went o cach it from he side of he house. No sooner did he turn around than she stared to run : 'Tunjur tunjur 0 my mama In my mouth I brought the treasure. Tunjur, tunjur 0 my mama, In my mouth I brought this treasure.
Lif me up! she said o her mother when she reached home Lifting her up the mother removed the lid Yee! May your reputaion be blackened! she cried ou Wherever did you ge this? What in he word is it? The mother was now rich She became very very happy Its enough now, she said o her daugher, aking away he treasure You shouldnt go ou any more. People wi recognise you. No no! begge the daughter. Let me go ou t just on e ast time. The nex day my darlings she wen out saying Tunjur unjur my mama. The man wh o found her he rs t time saw her again. Eh! What in he world is this thing?' he exclaimed It mus have some magic in i since it's always ricking peope God damn is owners By Allah he Grea Im going to si and shi in 142
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t H e went ahead , my dangs an shat ght n t Cosng te d on him, she olled aong: 'Tunjur, tunjur 0 y mama In y mouth I brought the caca. Tunjur tunur, 0 y maa, In y mouth I brought the caca.
Lt me up! she said to er moter wen she eaced ome The mote l fted he up 'You naugty tng, you ! sad the mote I tod you not to go out agan that people woud ecognse you. Dont you think its enoug now ? Te mote then wased te pot wth soap put pefume on t, and placed it on the self. Ts s my stoy, I ve tod t and n you ands I eave t
T h e L i t t l e O l d W o m an w i t h Five Cows (Yakut)
NE morning a little old woman got up and went to the eld containng her ve cows She took from the earth a herb with ve sprouts and, · without breaking either root or branch, carried it home and wrapped it in a blanket and placed it on her pillow. Then she went out again and sat down to milk her cows Suddenly she heard tambourine bells jinge and scissors fall, on account of which noise she upset the milk Having run home and looked, she found that the plant was uninjured. Agan she issued forth to mik the cows, and again thought she heard the tambourine bels jingle and scissors fall, and once more she spilt her milk Returning to the house, she looked into the bedchamber There sat a maiden with eyes of chalcedony and lps of dark stone, with a face of light-coloured stone and wth eyebrows like two dark sables stretching their forefeet towards each other; her body was visible through her dress her bones were visble through her body; her nerves spreading this way and that, like mercury, were visible through her bones The plant had become ths maiden of indescribable beauty Soon afterwards Kharjit-Bergen, son of the meritorious Khan Kara, went into the dark forest He saw a grey squrrel sitting on a curved twig, near the house of the little old woman with ve cows, and he began to shoot, but as the light was bad, for the sun was already setting, he did not at once succeed in his purpose At this time one of his arrows fell into the chimney. 'Old woman! take the arrow and bring it me he cried, but received no answer. His cheeks and forehead grew ushed and he became angry a wave of arrogance sprang from the back of his neck, and he rushed into the house. 144
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When h e entered and saw the maiden h e lost consciousness. But he revived and el in love. Then he went out and, jum ping on his horse raced home at u gaop Parents ' said he there is such a beautiul maiden at the house o a little old woman with fve cows Get hold o this maiden and give her to me !' The ather sent nine servants on horseback, and they galloped at ull speed to the house o the itte old woman with fve cows All the servants became unconscious when they beheld the maiden's beauty. However, they recovered, and all went away except the best one o them. Little old woman' said he, give this gir to the son o the meritorious Khan Khara !' I wil give her' was th e answer They spoke to the maiden. wil go' she announced . Now as the bridegroom's wedding git' said the old woman drive up cattle and fll my open felds with horses and horned stock' Immediately the request was uttered and beore the agree ment was concluded the man gave an order to collect and drive up the animas as the bridegroom's git. Take the maiden and depart!' said the ittle od woman when the stock o horses and cattle had been given as arranged The maiden was quicky adorned an d a fnely speckled horse that spoke like a human being was ed u p to her skiully. They put on it a silver hater, saddled it with a silver saddle, which was paced over an upper silver saddle-oth and a lower silver saddle-oth and they attached a litte silver whip Then the son-inlaw led the bride rom the mother's side by the whip, mounted his horse and took the bride hom e They went along the road a nd the young man said, n the depth o the orest there is a trap or oxes; I will go there. Proceed aong this road! t divides into two paths. On the road leading to the east is hanging a sabe skin. But on the road leading to the west there should be the skin o a mae bear with the paws and head and with white ur at the neck. Go on the path where the sable skin is hanging.' He pointed out the road and went away. The girl made her way to the ork in the road but on coming to it orgot the directions Going along the path where the bear 145
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ski was hagig, she reached a sma iro hu Suddey ou of he hu came a devis daughter dressed i a iro garmet above he kee She had oy oe eg ad that was twised; a sige bet had projeced from beow her breast ad her sige furious eye was situated in the midde of her forehead Havig shot forth a fy-foot iron togue o to her breas she pued he gir from the horse dropped her o the groud ad tore a the ski from her face ad threw it o her own face She dragged off a the girs ery ad put it o hersef The mouig he devis daugher rode away The husbad met he devis daughter whe she arrived at he house of he meritorious Kha Khara Nine youths came o ake her horse by the hater; eight maides did ikewise It is said hat he bride wrogy faseed her horse to the wiow tree where he od widow from Semyaksi used o tether her spotted ox. The greaer part of those who thus received he bride became sorey depressed ad he remaider were disechated; sorrow fe o them A who me the bride abomiaed her Eve the red weases ra away from her thus showing she was repugat to them Grass had bee strewn o he pahway up o her hu ad o this grass she was ed by the hand. Having etered she repeished the re wih he ops of three young arch trees The they coceaed her behid a curtai, whie they themseves aso drak ad payed ad aughed ad made merry Bu he marriage feast came to an end ad there was a reur o ordiary ife. The itte od woma wih ve cows o goig ito ope coutry o seek her cows foud that the pa with ve sprous was growig beer than usua. She dug i up with is roos ad, carryig i home wrapped i up and paced it o he r piow The she we back ad began to mik he cows bu the tambourine with the bes began to tike ad he scissors fe wih a oise Going back to he house the od woma foud the ovey maide seaed ad ookig more ovey ha ever Mother she said 'my husbad ook me away from here. My dear husband said, "I must go away o some busiess, but before he wet he said "Wak aog he path where the sabes ski is hagig ad do o go where he bears ski is hagig I forgo ad we aog the second path to a litte iron house A 146
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devil's daughter tore the skin from my face and put i t o n her own face she dragged off al my ne things and put them on; and ext this devis daughte mounted my horse and set out She threw away skin and bones and a grey dog seized m y lungs and heart with his teeth and carried them to open country. I grew here as a plant for it was decreed that should not die atogether Perhaps it has been settled that ater I shall bear children The devils daughter has affected my fate for she has married my h usband and contaminated his esh and blood ; she has absorbed his esh and blood. When shal see him? The meritorious Khan Khara came to th e ed belonging to the little old woman with ve cows The speckled white horse who was endowed with human speech, knew that his mistress had revived and he began to speak. He compained to Khan Khara thus: The devis daughter has killed my mistress, torn al the skin from her face and covered her own face with it; she has dragged away my mistresss nery and clothed hersef in it The devil's daughter has gone to live with Khan Kharas son and become his bride. But my mistress has revived and now ives. If your son does not take this fair girl as his bride, then wil complain to the white Lord God on his sea of white stone by the lake that has silver waves and golden oating ice and bocks of silver and black ice; and will shatter your house and your re, and will eave you no means of iving A divine man must not take a devils daughter Fasten this devils-daughter bride to the legs of a wid horse. Let a stream of rushing water fa on your son and cleanse him during thirty days; and let the worms and repiles suck away his conaminated blood Aferwards draw him from he waer and expose him to he wind on the top of a tree fo thirty nights so that breezes from the north and from the south may penerae his heart and liver and purify his conaminated esh and blood When he is cleansed let him persuade and retake his wife !' The khan heard and understood the horse's words. t s said he threw aside tears from both eyes then he galoped home On seeng him the bide changed countenance. Son said Khan Khara, whence and from whom did you take your wife? She is the da ughter of the itle old woman with v e cows 147
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What was the appearance o f the horse o n which you brouht her? What kind of woman did you bring? Do you know her origin? To these questions the son answered, Beyond the third heaven, in the upper region which has the white stone seat is the white God his younger brother collected migratory birds and united the into one society Seven maidens, his daughters in the for of seven cranes, came to earth and feasted and entered a round eld and danced; and an instructress descended to them She took the best of the seven cranes and said, "Your mission is to go out to people; to be a Yakut on this middle land ; you must not dislike this ipure middle land ! You are appointed worthy of the son of the meritorious Khan Khara and are to wear a skin made of eight sables. On account of him you will become human and bear children, and bring them up. After speaking she cut off the end of the cranes wings. The aiden wept "Turn into a ares tail-grass and grow! said the instructress; "A little old woman with ve cows will nd the herb and turn it into a maiden and give her in marriage to Khan Kharas son took her according to this direction and as she was described to me; but I accepted a strange being; in reality, as appears to e, took nothing! After his sons reply the khan said, Having seen and heard, have come The speckled horse with the huan voice has complained to me When you bore away your wife you spoke to her of a forked road You said, "On the eastern path there is hanging a sables skin and on the western path a bears skin. You said, "Do not go on the path with the bears skin, but go along the path showing a sable skin! But she forgot, and passed along the path which had a bears skin She reached the iron house and then a devils daughter jumped out to meet her, dragged her fro her horse and threw her down, tore the whole of the skin from her face and placed it on her own face. The devils daughter dressed herself in the girl's nery and silver ornaments and rode hither as a bride She fastened the horse to the old willow it is already a mark "Attach the devils daughter to the feet of a wild stallion! said the horse to me, "and wash your son in a swift stream for a whole month of thirty nights ; let worms and reptiles suck away his contaminated body and blood 148
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Carry him away and expose him to he breeze on he op of a tree during a onth of hirty nights. Le he breezes search him fro the norh and from the souh; e i blow hrough his heart and liver! said the horse to me. "Let him g and persuade his wife and ake her! But away with this woan ! Do no show her! She will devour people and cattle f you do not get rid of her said he horse, I wi ll coplain o the whie God On hearing this the son became much ashamed and a workman called Booruk seized he bride, who was siting behind a curtain and draggin g her by the foo fasened her on the legs of a wild horse. The horse kicked the devils daugher to pieces and o deah. Her body and blood were aacked on the ground by worms and repiles and became worms and repiles moving abou ill the present ime Afer being placed in a stream of rushing water he khans son was placed on a tree so ha he spring breezes coming from the norh and from he south blew hrough him hus his containaed body and blood were puried and when he was brough home dried up and scarcely breahing only his skin and bones remained He rode to he region of the wedding gift as before and having pickeed his horse dismounted at his mother-in-aw's house. The little od woan who owned the ve cows uered out joyfully she rejoiced as if he dead had come o life and he los had been found Fro the picketing spo o the ten she strewed green grass and spread on the fron bed a white horse-skin wih hoofs She kiled a milch cow and a large breasted are and made a wedding feast. The girl approached her husband with ears Why have you come o e? she asked. You spil my dark blood you cut my skin deeply. You gave me up as food for dogs and ducks. You gave e o he daugher of an eigh-legged devi A fter ha, how can you seek a wife here? Girs are more numerous than perch and wome n han grayling; my heart is wounded and my mi nd is agitated ! wil l no come ! I did n o send you o he daugher of an eighlegged devil and when I wen away on an imporan matter I pointed ou your pah I did no knowingly direct you to a perilous place and did no know wha would happen when I said o you Go and mee your fae! The ladyinsrucress and protectress, the 1 49
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creatress, chose you and appoined you or me; thereore you revived and are aive' he said; and whaever may happen, good or i, shal un ailingy ake you ' he litte od woman with ve cows wiped aways ears rom both eyes and sa down between these wo children How is i hat, having met, you do no rejoice when you have returned to ie ater deah and been ound aer having been os? Neither o you mus oppose my will he maiden gave her word, but said Agreed!' unwilingly Then he young man sprang up and danced and jumped and embraced and kissed and drew in his breath. he couple payed the bes games and burs ino loud laugher and alked u nceasingly Ouside hey astened the specked horse ha spoke ike a human being, laid on him the silver saddleoth, saddled him wih h e silver sadde, bridled him with he silver bridle, hung on him he siver saddle bags and aached o him he ittle siver whip. When he maiden had been dressed and all was compee on her she was sent o. She and her husband knew as they went along that it was winter by the ne snow that was alling; hey knew i was summer by the rain; they knew it was autumn by he og he servans rom the nine houses o Khan Khara, the house servants rom eight houses and the room atendants rom seven houses, and nine ords' sons who came out ike nine cranes hought How wil the bride arrive? Wil she march ou or wil she saunter? And wil sables arise rom her ootsteps?' hinking thus, they prepared arrows so vigorousy hat he skin came o heir ngers; they attended so closely o heir work that their sigh became dull. Seven grownup daughters like seven cranes, born a one ime, wised hreads so hat he skin came rom heir knees, and said, , when he bride comes, she blows her nose loudly, dear lie kings wil be pleniu .' he son arrived with his bride, and two maidens took heir horses by the bridle at he picke rope he son and his bride dismounted and she bew her nose; therefore dear itle kings woud come! Insanly he women began to weave garments. Sables ran along the place rom which the bride stepped orward, and some o he young men hastened into the dark 150
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foest to shoot them. From the foot of the pcetng post o the tent the way h been spread with geen gss On vng the be kine the e wth thee banches of ach Then they hd he behn cutan They stetche stap n nne poons n tied to t nnety whte speckle fos. On the gh sde o he house they thrust nto the gound nne posts an fastene to them nne white foas n put on he oals nne fendy socees who dnk kumyss On the eft sde of the house hey set up eght posts. Weddng festvties wee begun in honou of the bide's enty into the home. Waios ollecte nd expets cme togethe. It s said tht nine ncestl spts cme om a hgher plce n twelve ancestra spits ose fom the gun . It is sd tht nine tbes came fom unde the goun nd usng whps of dy wood totted bady. Those havng on stiups cowed togethe and those hvng coppe stups went unsteaiy Al ha colected fom the foeign tbes n fom the tents of the nomad vlges thee wee snges thee wee ances thee wee storytees; hee wee those who jumped on one oot and thee wee lepes hee wee cows possessng ve-kopeck pieces, thee wee saunteres. Then the we es-on high ew u pwds those weng n the owe egons snk nto the eath; and nhabtnts of he mdde egion the eth septed nd wake wy. The e emaine l the thi dy but before the moow most of the fagments had been collected all animas h been enosed and chden wee sporting in the pce he esennts e s to be lve tody.
A ch o l an d H e r A d o p t i v e Lioness-Mother (Sudan, Dinka)
CHENG gave birth to two children Maper and Acho. They had three paternal haf-brothers. Achol was betrothed to a man caed Kwol. The family moved to the ion territory. As Achol was still small her brother carried her. Their hafbrothers were jealous of Achos good fortune in being betrothed so young. They agreed on a plan to abandon Acho and her brother Maper in the wilderness One evening, they secretly put some medicine in their milk Achol and Maper fel into a heavy seep That night a gourd ful of milk was paced near them and the cattle camp moved on, leaving them behind Acho was the rst to wake up the next morning. When she saw that they had been eft behind she cried and woke her brother up. Maper son of my mother the camp has gone and we have been left behind Maper woke up ooked around and said 'So our ow n brothers have left us! Never mind drink your milk They drank some milk and then moved into a ditch made by an elephant This provided them with shelter and protection There they sept Aong came a lioness looking for remains in the camp . When she saw the ditch she looked into it and saw the children. They cried, '0, Father we are dead we are eaten! The loness spoke and said My chldren do not cry. I wil not eat you Are you children of human beings? Yes they said 'Why are you here? sh e asked 'We were abandoned by our half-brothers, said Maper. 'Come along with me said the lioness ' wil look after you as my own children; have no children of my own. 152
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They agreed and went with her On the way Maper escaped and returned home ho me.. Achol remained remained with the lioness lioness They went to the lionesss hou se and she sh e looked looked afte afterr Achol and raised her unti she s he became a big big girl n the mean time Achos relatives were mourning her loss The half-bro half-brothe thers rs denied den ied having played a fou fou trick. But M aper explained that he an d his sister siste r were eft eft behind behin d and an d foun foun d by a ioness ione ss from whom wh om he had escaped escaped.. Some years later the camp again moved to the lion territory. By this time M aper had become become a grow grown n man One day as he and his age-mates were herding they came to the home of the lioness Maper did not recognise the village. The lioness had gone to to hunt hunt Achol was there. there . But Maper did not recognise her One of the age-mates spoke to Achol saying 'Girl will you please ple ase give us water to d rink? ink ? Acho said This is not a house where people ask for water I see see yo you u are are hum h uman an beings ; this pace is dangerous for for you ! 'We are are very very thirsty, thirsty, they explai explained ned.. 'Pease et us drink . She brought them water and they drank. Then they left Achols mother the lioness returned, carrying an animal she had kiled. She threw the animal ani mal down and sang: san g: Achol Achol Come out of the hut My daughter whom I raised raised in plent plenty When people were gathering wild ain My daughter was never vexed; Daughter, come out, I am here. My little littl e one who wh o was wa s left behind, My little one whom I found unhurt unhurt My little one whom I raised, Achol, Ac hol, my beloved one, Come, meet me me my my daughter daug hter '
They met and embraced and then cooked for themselves and ate Achols mother told her 'Daughter 'Daughter if human beings come do not run away from them; be nice to them That is how you will get get marrie married. d. Maper was attracted to Acho and that same evening he returned with a friend to court her Achols mother gave her a 153
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separate hut in which to entertain her age-mates. So when Maper Map er came with wit h his frie friend nd and asked asked to be accommodated accommodated she let them int o that hut. She ade ade their their beds on one side of the hut, hu t, while whi le she herself slept on on the th e other othe r side At night, night , Mapers desire for for Acho Acho increased and he h e wanted to move over to to her side of the hut hu t But whenever he h e tried to move a lizard on the wall spoke saying, Th e man is about to violat violatee his own sister! So he stopped. Then he tried to move again, and a raft rafter er on on the the ceiin cei ing g spoke and said sai d 'The 'The man man is about to to violate his sister! sister ! When he tried tried again the grass grass said said the same Mapers Maper s friend friend woke up and said 'Who is speaking? speaki ng? What Wha t are they saying? Maper said, do not know and I do not under stand what they mean by "sister. "sister. S o they asked the girl to tel tel the more about about who wh o sh e was was . Achol then told them the story of how she and her brother had been abandoned and how the lioness had fou found nd the m 'Really? 'Really? said Maper with excit excitemen ementt Yes Yes said Acho. 'The 'T hen, n, let let us leave for for home You You are my sister sister . embraced ed him h im and and cried cried and a nd cried W hen he n she became became Achol embrac cal she sh e told Maper Ma per and his friend that she could not leave leave the ioness, for the lioness had taken very good care of her. But they th ey persuaded her to eave with them Their camp moved on the next morning to avoid meeting the the lioness That morning the lioness left very early to hunt. When she returned in the evening, evening, she sang to to Achol as as usua us ua but Achol did not reply She repeated the song several times, and Achol did not answer She went inside the hut and found that Achol was gone She cried and cried and cried: Where has my daughter gone? Has a lion eaten eaten her or have the hu h u man beings taken her he r away away fro from m e? e? Then she sh e ran following ollowing the cattl cattlee cap. She ran ra n and ran and ran The The cattle camp arrived arrived at the the vilage and and Achol was hidd hi dden en The lioness continued to run and run and run until she reache reached d the vilage She stopped stopped outside the vilage and began to sing her usua song. As soon as Acho heard her voice she jumped out of her hiding hidi ng place The ran toward towardss one another and embraced . 154
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Achol's father took out a bu and slughtered it in hosptaty for the loness The lioness said she would not go back to the forest but woud rather stay among the human beings wth her daughter Acho Achol was married and was gven to her husband. Her mother, the loness moved wth her to her martal home And they all all lived happily toge together ther
Part Five
M A R RI E D W O M E N
S t o r y o f a B i r d W o m an (S ib eri an tri bal, Ch uk ch i)
LAD went to a ake in the open country There he saw many birds, o which some were geese and some were guls but both geese and gus et their garments on the shore. The youth seized their clothing whereupon al the geese and guls said, Restore it He gave back the stoen things o all the goosegirs but kept the clothes o one gullmaiden and took her or himsel. She bore him two chidren rea human children When th e women went to colect leaves the gullwie went with them into the eds but as she gathered grasses badly her mother-inaw scolded her. All the birds were ying away and the wie who pined to return to her own and, went with her chidren behind the tent as the geese passed by H ow would it be she said or me to carry away my chidren The geese plucked their wings and stuck eathers on the childrens seeves, and the wie and her children ew away together When the husband came he coud not n d his wie, or she was gone. He could learn nothing about her so he said to his mother Make me ten pairs of very good boots Then he departed to the birds country and saw an eagle who said to hi m, Go to th e seashore ; there you wi nd an old ma n cutting down wood; he is making rewood. He is o a monstrous aspect behind so do not draw near to him rom that direction he would swalow you . A pproac him face to ace. The old man said, Whence have you come and whither are you going?' The ad answered I married a gulmaiden, w ho bore me two children but she has now disappeared with them I am looking for her 159
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How will you ravel?' I have en pairs of boos, was the reply The old man said, will make you a canoe' He made a beauiful canoe, wih a cover like a snuff-box The young man ook his place in it, and he old one said If you desire o go o he righ say o he canoe, "Wok, wok, and move your right foo A lile laer, if you wish o go to he lef you will say "Wok, wok! and move your lef foo The canoe was swif as a bird The old man coninued When you reach he shore and wish o land say "Kay! and push he cover wih your hand! The young man approached the shore, pressed he cover and he canoe grounded He saw many bird-children a play on he ground I was bird-land He found his children and hey recognised heir father Faher has come He said Tel your mother I have arrived They soon reurned a nd wih hem came the wifes broher, who approached he young man and said, Your wife has been aken as he wife of our chief, a grea sea-bird. Th e man entered his wifes house The chief bird kissed her on he cheek and said o he young man Why have you come? I will no resore your wife o you The broher-in-law sat down in the en The husband and he great bird grappled wih one anoher and he young man, seizing his opponen by he neck, hrus him ou The chief bird depared o his coury and was oud in complaint, whereupon many birds ew hiher and many gulls of various kinds While he young man was sleeping wih his wife she called ou Counless warriors have come, wake u p quickly ! Bu he remained asleep and as here were cries and noise around he house she grew alarmed. Soon he birds drew feahers and poised hem like arrows bu the young man wen ou and seizing a sick waved i in various direcions he sruck one birds wing, anoher's neck and another's back. Then al the birds ed bu on he morrow here came wice as many; hey seemed as numerous as a swarm of gnas Bu he young man lled a a vessel wih waer and sprinkled he birds wih it Aferwards hey could not y, being frozen o he spot, and no more came. 160
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The young man now bore hs wfe and chdren home to hs own peope. Taking his seat n the canoe, he covered t over as before and comng to the shore, found the litte od m n. 'Well? sad the latter 'I have brought the m was the repy 'Then depart! Here are your boots take them nd set off. When, n tme, they forsook the canoe, they foun d the eagle in the old place. They were exhausted The eagle sad 'Put on my cothing. The young man attred hmsef n the eages cothng and ew home. The eage had sad to hi , 'You wll assume my attre but do not take t n to the house ; eave it a tte way off n a eld So th e young man eft the grment on the ground, an d t ew back to the eagle. They arrived home The youth now pushed some falen wood with hs foot, and it became great herd He drove the herd before hm then nonted hs wfe wth bood and married her Ceasing to be a brd she becme human nd dressed hersef as a woman .
F a t h e r an d M o th e r B o t h F a s t ' (USA, Hillbilly)
H yes. Wel a fela stayed with a grl and by and by he wen o his father and he sad, Father 'm going o marry that gr' He says J ohn let me tell you - 'se fast when I was young, and that gr's your sser' We he fet bad and he lef her. By and by he picked up another one, and he stayed wth her for a while and he went to his faher and he sad Faher, I'm gong to marry tha grl' He sad ohnny, was fast when was young - ha gr's your sister. Fet awful bad and so one day he's setting up by the sove with his head hung down, and hs mother sad Whas the troube, John? No nothng She says, Theres somehng, and wan to know what it s Why did you leave that girl, the rst one you sayed wth, and you left your second one?' Well,' he said Faher tod me he was fast when he was young, and they's both my ssters. Says J ohnny I want to tel you somehing, was fas when I'se young and your father ant your father a al. '
R e a s on t o B e a t Y o u r W i fe (Egyptian)
WO friends met Te rst said to te second, How are you, So-andso? We ave not met for a ong tme. Tose were te days. How are tngs going for you now? Te second answered, We, by God , I got marred, and my wfe s te "daugter of good peope. J ust as one wses a wife to be. Te rst asked, Have you beaten er yet or not? No, by God, tere s no reason to beat her. Se does everyting as I ws. Se as to get a t east one beatng, just so tat se may know wo te master of te ouse s ! By God , yes! You are rgt. A week passed, and tey met agan. Te rst asked te second, H ey, wat did you do? Dd you beat her? No! I just cant nd a reason ! ' I wll gve you a reason. Buy s, plenty o f t, and take i t to er and say, "Cook t, because we wll ave a guest for dinner , and leave te ouse Wen you go home later, watever se has cooked, say tat you wanted it some oter way ! The man said , Fine. H e bougt some cats and went ome. At the door, e soved te s at is we and sad, 'Cook t, for we wil ave guests, and e ew outsde. Te woman sad to ersef, My gir, wat are you gong to do wth all ths s? He ddnt te you ow to x it. Se tought and tougt and nally said, I wl ry some, bake some, and make some in a casserole wt onons and tomatoes. She ceaned te ouse and prepared everyting. As dinner time approaced, er infant son made a mess on te oor rigt next to te tabe were tey st crossegged on the oor to eat As she went to get someting to clean t, se eard er usband 163
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and his friend knocking a he door. She ran o he door, and in order not o leave he mess like that she covered it wih a dish which happened to be in her hand. They waked in and sa down on he oor a he abe and said to her, Bring the ood, moher o Soand-so. Firs she ook out he ried sh He said, Fried! wan i baked mmediaely she ook ou he baked sh. He shoued No baked ; mean in a casseroe! mmediately she ook ou the casseroe. He became rusraed nd confused. He said wan I wan She sked What? He replied in baemen wan shi' She immediately said, iting the dish off the o or Here i is
The
Thr e e
Lo vers
( USA , New Mexi co)
NC E tere was a woman wo lved n a cty and was married to a man named J os Pomuceno. Ts man owned seep He was obliged to look ater his business n te country. And wen ever e woud go out o te city is we never mssed a cance to betray m So it was tat tngs got so bd tat se hd tree overs It s appened tat one ngt wn te usband wasnt at ome the tree were going to come te same ngt. Tats te way ts woman ad tngs arranged when te rst one cam. Ten te second one arrved H e knocked at te door Te we said to te rst one wo was tere, My sband. Were sall I ide Hide n tat wardrobe. Te m a n id n the wardrobe. Te oter man entered A tte wle later te trd one arrived and knocked at te door Te woman says to te scond one, My usband. No, e says. I t is yo r sband let im ki me. I do as I please I am sure tat it snt your usband. Yo are giving severa o us te ru n-around. When the woma n saw tat e didn't believe tat it could be er sband, se tred to drve te oter one of telling im to go away, tat verytng was o, tat e soud return some oter time. T en tis ellow sad to er rom outsde Snce you cant do aytng else, wy dont you t least gve me a kss?' Yes te one who s wt er tels her I ts al rgt Tel m to come to te window. Te one outsde comes to te wndow and the oter one olds up is rump or im tere, and te ellow outside ksses it. When te latter saw tat e ad kissed the oter's posterior, 165
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he felt rather bad and tried to get even some way; so he gain called to him that he iked it, and or him to come back again. The second time that he appeared at the window he didnt try to kiss as he had done the rst time but struck a match and set re to him. When the one inside elt the ame, he came away from there yeling and eaping through the room 'Fire Fire Fire! Then the one who was shut up in the wardrobe answered Throw your urniture outside, lady So ends the story o the wie oJos Pomuceno
T h e S e v en L e a v en in g s (Palestinian Arab)
H ERE was once in times pas an old woman who lived in a hu all by hersef. She had no one a a One day when the weaher was beauiful she said , Ah yes By Alah today is sunny and beautiful and Im going to ake he air by the seashore. B ut let me rs knead this dough When she had nished kneading he dough, having added he yeas, she put on her best clohes saying, By Alah, I ust have o go and take the air by the seashore. Arriving at he seashore she sat down to res, and o there was a boat and i was already ling with people. Hey uncle! she said to the man the owner of the boa. Where in Allahs safekeeping might you be going By Aah, were headin g for Beiru. Al righ, brother. Take me with you. ' Leave me alone old woman he said. The boats already ful and theres no place for you. Fine she said Go. But if you don ake me wih you may your boa ge suck and sink No one paid h er a ny aenion, and hey se o. Bu t heir boat had no gone twenty metres when i sared to sink Eh hey exclaimed, t looks as if ha old womans curse has been heard Turning back hey called he od woman over and ook her with hem. In Beiru, she did not know anybody or anything. I was jus before sunset The passengers wen ashore, and she oo came down and sa a while, leaning agains a wall. Wha else could she have done? People were passing by, coming and going, and it was geting very lae. n a while a man passed by Everyone was already at home, and here was his woman siting against the wall 167
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What are you doing here siser? he asked By Allah broher, she answered, I'm no doing anyhing I m a sranger in own, wih no one to urn o I kneaded my dough and leavened i and came ou or pleasure until it rises when I ll have to go back Fine he said. Come home with me then . He took he r home wih him There was no one there excep him and his wie. They brough fod, laughed and played you should have seen them enjoying themselves Ater they had nished lo! he man brought a bundle o sicks this big and set o it - Wheres the side hat hurts most? - unil he had broken hem on his wies sides Why are you doing his grandson? the ol woman asked, approachng in order o block his way Get back! he said You dont know what her sin is Beer say ou o he way! He kept beaing his wie unil he had broken he whole bundle You por woman! exclaimed the old lady when he man had sopped . Whats your sin, you sad one? By Allah, replied the wie, Ive done nohing, and it hadnt even occurred o me He says i's because I can get pregnan and have children Is hat all? asked the old woman This ones easy. Lisen , and le me tell you Tomorrow, when he comes to beat you tell him youre pregnant The next day as usual, he husband came home, bringing wih him he needed household goods and a bundle o sicks. Aer dinner he came o bea his wie but he had not hi her wih he rst stick when she cried ou, Hold your hand ! Im pregnan! Is i true? Yes by Alla! From ha day on h e stopped beaing her. She was pampered, her husband not leting her ge up to do any o the housework Whaever she desired was brought to her side Every day aer tha the wie came to he old woman and said, What am I going to do, grandmoher? Wha i he should nd out? No mater he old woman would answer. Sleep easy The burning coals o evening urn o ashes in he morning. Daily the 168
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old woan sted the wies bely with rags to ake it ook bigger and said st keep on tellng hi yo're pregnant and eave it to e The evenings ebers are the ornngs ashes ' No w this an happened to be the sltan and peope heard what was said The sltans we is pregnant! Te sltan's wie s pregnant! ' When her tie to deliver had coe the we went to the baker and said I want yo to bake e a dol n the shape o a baby boy All right' he agreed and baked her a doll whc h she wrapped and broght hoe withot her hsband seeing her. Then people said The sltans wie is in abor shes ready to deliver ' The od woan cae forth. Back in y contry a idwie, she said She got pregnant as a reslt o y eorts and I shold be the one to deliver her. I don't want anyone bt e to be arnd. Fine' people agreed. In a while, word went ot: She gave birth ! She gave brth ! ' And what dd she gve brth to?' She gave birth to a boy. Wrapping the dol up, the wie paced t in the crib People were saying She gave brth to a boy! ' They went p to the sltan and sad she had given brth to a boy The crier ade hs ronds annoncing to the townspeople that it was orbidden to eat or drink except at the sltans house or the next week Now the old woan ade t known that no one was permitted to see the baby ntl seven days had passed. On the seventh day it was annonced that the sltans we and the baby were going to the pblic baths Meanwhile every day the wie asked the old woan What a I going to do grandother? What i y hsband shold nd ot? And the old woan wold reply, Rest easy y dear ! The evenings coals are the ornings ashes' On t he seventh da y th e baths were reserved or the sltan's we Taking resh clothes wth the the woen went accopanied by a servant. The s tans we wen nto the bath and he woen set the servant n ron o the dol saying to her Take care o the boy! Watch ot that soe dog doesnt stray in and snatch hi aay! ' In a whle the servant's attention wandered, and a dog cae grabbed the doll, and ran away with it. Ater hi ran the 169
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servan, shouing, Shame on you! Leave he son of my maser alone! ' B ut he dog jus kept running, munching on he doll is said that here was a man in tha ciy who was suffering from exreme depression He had been tha way for seven years, and no one could cure him Now, he momen he saw a dog running wih a servan fas behind him shouing, Leave the son of my maser alone!' he stared to augh. And he laughed and laughed til his hearsickness meled away and he was well again Rushing ou, he asked her, Whats your sory? I see you running behind a dog who has snatched away a dol, and you're shouting at him o eave he son of your master alone What's going on?' Such and such is he sory she answered This man had a sister who had just given birth o twin boys seven days before Sending for her, he said, Siser, won't you pu one of your boys at my disposa? Yes,' she said, giving him one of her babies The suans wife ook him and went home People came o congratulae her How happy she was! After some time the od woman said, You know, grandchildren I hink my dough must have risen, and want to go home and bake he bread. Why dont you stay?' hey begged her You brought blessings wih you' don know what ese they said, bu she answered, No. The land is onging for is people. I want o go home ' They put her on a boat, lling it with gifts, and said, Go in Allahs safekeeping When s he came home, she pu t her gifts away an d resed for a day or wo Then she checked her dough. Yee, by Allah!' she exclaimed My dough hasnt risen ye I'm going o the seashore for a good ime' At he shore she sa for a while, and lo here was a boat. Where are you going uncle' By Allah, were going o Aleppo,' hey answered. Take me with you ' Leave me aone, old woman. The boats ful and thre's no room If you dont ake me wih you, may your boat ge stuck and sink in the sea ! They set ou, bu in a whie he boa was about to sink. They 170
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reurned and caed the old ady over, taking her with them. Being a sranger, where was she to go? She sa down by a wall, wih people coming and going until late in the evening. Afer everybody had gone home for the nigh a man passed by. Wha are you doing here? By Allah Im a stranger in town I don know anyone, and here I am, siting by this wall. 'I s it right you shou ld be sitting here in he sreet? Come, ge up and go home wih me Geting up, she wen with him Again, there was onl y he and his wife. They had no children or anybody ese. They ate and enjoyed hemselves, and everything was ne, but when ime cae for seep he fetched a bundle of sticks and beat his wife unil he had broken he sticks on her sides The second day he same thing happened . On the third day he old woman said, By Allah I wn o nd ou why this man beats his wife like this She asked her, and the wife replied 'By Allah, heres nohing the maer with me, except that once my husband brough home a bunch of black grapes I put hem on a bone-white plater and brought them in "Yee I said, "How beauifu is he black on the white ! Then he sprang up and said "So May soand-so of yours be damned ! Youve been keeping a black save for a lover behind my back I protesed that I had only meant the grapes, but he wouldnt believe me Every day he brings a bundle of sicks and beas me . Ill save you, said the old woman. Go and buy some black grapes and put them on a bone-white platter. I n th e evening, afer he had had his dinner, t he wife brought the grapes and served them. The old woman then umped in and said, 'Yee You see son By Alah heres nohing more beautifu han he black on the white So h e exclaimed shaking his head. Its not only m y wife who says his Youre an old lady and say the same thing I urns ou my wife hasn done anything and Ive been reating her like his Don tel m e youve been beating her ust for that exclaimed the old woman. 'What Have you lost your mind? Look here Don you see how beauiful are hese black grapes on this white plate? 171
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I t is sad they became good frends and the husband stopped beatng hs wfe. Havng stayed wth them a few more months the old woman said The and has been longng for its people. Maybe my dough has risen by now. I want to go home' Stay old lady! ' they said You brought us blessngs. ' No,' sh e answered. I want to go home They prepared a boat for her and lled t with food and other provsions. She gathered hersef together and went home There in her own house after she had sat down rested and put her things away she checked the dough. By Alah' she sad t has just begun to rse and I might as wel take t to the baker. She took it to the baker who baked her bread Ths is my tale Ive told it and in your hands I leae it.
T h e U n t r u e W i f e ' s S on g (USA, North Carolina)
NCE a man an his wife were ridin' on a ship. One day the man w as talkin to the captain an' they got to takin about women . The captain said hed never seen a virtuous woman The man said his wife was virtuous, and the captain bet the ships cargo against the man's dde that he coud seduce the mans wife within three hours. The man sent his wife up to the captains cabin After waiting for two hours the man became a little uneasy so he walked by the captains cabin an played on his ddle an' sang: For two long hours You've resisted the captains powers The cargo will soon be ours.
His wife heard him an from within she sang back Too late too late my dear, He has me around the middle; Too late too late, my dear, Youve lost your damned oldfddle
T h e W o m an W h o M a r r i e d Her Son (Palestinian Arab)
NCE upon a time there was a woman. She wen out to gather wood, and gave birth to a daugh ter. She wrapped he baby in a rag, tossed her under a ree, and wen on her way The birds came, built a nest around the baby, and fed her. The girl grew up. One day she was sitting n a ree next to a pool. How beauiful she was (Praise the creaor of beauty, and he Creaor is more beautifu than all !) Her face was like the moon . The son of the sultan came to he pool to water his mare, but the mare drew back, sartled. He dismounted o nd out what he matter was, and he saw he gir in the tree, lighting up the whole pace wih her beauy. He ook her with him, drew up a marriage conrac, and married her When he ime for pilgrimage came, he son of he sultan decided to go on he ha. Take care of my wife unti I return from he ha, he said o his mother Now the moher was very jealous of her daughter-in-aw, and as soon as her son departed she threw his wife out of he house. Going over o the neighbours house, the wife lived with them, working as a servant The mother dug a grave in the palace garden and buried a sheep in it. She then dyed her hair back and put on makeup o make herself look young and pey She lived in the palace, acting as if she were her son's wife When he came back from the ha, the son was taken in by his mothers disguise and thought her his wife. He asked her abou his mother, and she said, Your mother died, and she is buried in the paace garden After she slept with her son, the moher became pregnan and sarted to crave things My good man,' she said to her son, bring me a bunch of sour grapes from our neighbour's vine The son 1 74
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sent one of the women servants to ask for the grapes When the servant knocked on the neighbours door the wife of the stan's son opened it. '0 mistress of or mistress' said the servant, you whose palace is next to ors give me a bnc of sour grapes to satisfy the craving on or side! My mother gave birth to m e i n te wilderness answered the wife, and over me birds have bilt their nests The sultans son has taken his mother to wife and now wants to satisfy her craving at my expense Come down 0 scissors and ct ot her tonge lest se betray my secret The scissors came down and ct ot the servant's tonge She went home m mbling so badly no one coud nderstand what she was saying The son of te sltan then sent one of his men servants to fetch the bunch of sor grapes. Te servant went, knocked on the door, and said , ' 0 mistress of our mistress, yo whose palace is next to ours give me a bunc of sour grapes to satisfy the craving on or side! My mother gave birth to m e in te wilderness' answered the wife of the s ltans son, and over me birds have bilt their nests. The sultan's son has taken his mother to wife and now wants to satisfy er craving at my expense Come down 0 scissors, and ct out his tonge, est he betray my secret! The scissors came down and ct out his tongue. Finaly the son of the sltan himself went and knocked on the door. '0 mistress of or mistress' e said you whose palace is next to ours, give me a bnch of sor grapes to satisfy the craving on or side M y mother gave birth to me in te widerness a nd over me birds have bilt their nests The king's son has taken his mother to wife and now wants to satisfy her craving at my expense! Come down, 0 scissors, and cut out his tongue. Bt I can't nd it in myself to et i t happen! The scissors came down and hovered arond hi m, bt did not cut ot his tonge. Te sltan's son un derstood He went and dug up the grave in the garden and behod! there was a sheep in it When he was certain tat his wife was actally his mother he sent for the crier Let im who oves the Propet te cal went ot bring a bndle of wood and a burning coa 175
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The son of the sultan hen lt the re. Hail, hal! Fnshed is our tae
D u an g an d H i s W i l d L i f e (S uda n, D inka)
MOU was so beautiful She was betrothed to a man from the ribe Bu she was no yet given to her betrothed . She stil ived with her family There was a man called Duan g in a neighbouring village. Duangs faher said to hi My son, Duang it is high ime you married. Faher,' repied Duang I canno marry; I have not ye foun d the gir of my heart But my son' argued his father I want you to marry while I am alive. I may not live long enough o atend your marriage I wi look, Father ' said Duang but I wil marry only when I nd the gir of my heart.' Very well, my son ' said his father with understanding. They ived together uni he faher died Duang did no arry. Then his mother died. He did no marry These deaths made him abandon himself in mourning; so he no longer took care of his appearance. His mourning hair grew ong and wild He never shaved or groomed his hair He was a very rich man. His cattebyres were ful of catle, sheep and goats. One day he lef for a trip to a nearby tribe. On he way he heard he drus beaing oud. He folowed he sounds of he drums and foun d peope dancing So he sood and wached he dance In the dance was he girl caled Amou When she saw hi sanding she left he dance and went near him. She greeted him. They sood talking. When he relatives of the man who was berohed o Amou saw her, they became disurbed Why should Aou leave the dance o greet a man who was merey waching? And then she dared o sand and alk wih him ! Who 177
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is the man anyway? They called her and asked her She answered I dont see anything wrong! I saw the man looking as though he were a stranger who needed help So I went to greet him in case he wanted something There is nothing more to it They dismissed the matter athough they were not convinced Amou did not go back to the dance She went and talked to the man again She invited him to her famiys home So they left the dance and went She seated him and gave him water She cooked for him and served him The man spent two days in her house and then left and returned home He went and called his relatives and tod them that he had found the gir of his heart They took cattle and returned to Amous vilage The man who had betrothed Amou had paid thirty cows Amous relatives sent them back and accepted Duangs cattle. The marriage was competed and Amou was given to her husband She went with him and gave birth to a daughter called Kiliingdit Then she had a son She and her husband lived alone with their children. Then she conceived her third child While she was pregnant her husband was in the cattle camp. But when she gave birth he came home to visit her and stay with them for the rst few days after her delivery After she delivered she felt a very strong craving for meat She was still newly delivered She said to her husband, ' am dying of craving for meat I cannot even eat Her husband said to her If it is my cattle you have your eyes on I wil not slaughter an animal merely because of your craving! What sort of a craving is this which requires the killing of livestock? I will not slaughter anything. That ended the discussion B ut she still suffered and could not eat or work. She would just sit there Her husband became impaient and embittered by her craving He slaughtered a lamb openly so that she and the others could see it Then he went and killed a puppy dog secretly He roasted both the lamb and the puppy in smouldering smudge 178
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When they were ready he took the dog meat to his wife i n her womens quarters He grabbed his children by the hands and took them away with him to the male quarters His wife protested, Why are you taking the children away? Aren't they eating with m e? He said, I thought you said you were dying of craving I think it would be better for you and the children if you ate separately They will share with me. He seated the m nex t to him an d they ate together. She never doubted what he said even though she felt insulted. That he would poison h er was out of the question So she ate her meat. As soon as she ate her ll her mouth started to drip with saiva In a short while she became rabid Then she ran away eaving her little baby behind Her h usband took the boy to the cattle camp and left only the girl at home. She suffered very much taking care of her baby brother Fearing that her mother might return rabid she took the remainder of her mothers dog meat dried it, and stored it She would cook a portion of it and place it on a platform outside the hut together with some other food she had prepared . For a whie her mother did not come. Then one night she came She stood outside the fence of the house and sang:
'Kiliingdit Kiliingdit, Where has your father gone? Kiliingdit answered :
My father has gone toJuachnyiel Mother your meat on the plao Your food is on the plaorm, The things with which you were pooned. Mother, shall we join you in the forest? What sort of home this without you ? He r mother would take the food and share it with the lions This went on for some time. I n t he me an time, t he womans brothers had n ot heard of her giving birth One of th em called Bo because he wa s born after 1 79
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wins, said o he ohers, Brohers, I hink we should visi our siser Maybe she has given birh and is now in some difculies aking care of herself and he house' The lile girl coninued o labour hard looking afer he baby and preparing food for he moher and hemselves She also had to proec herself and he baby so heir moher would no nd hem and having become a lioness ea hem. She came again another nigh and sang. Kiliingdi replied as usual Her moher ae and lef In he mean ime, Bol ook his gourds ful of mik and lef for his siser's home He arrived in he dayime When he saw he village so quie, he feared ha somehing migh have gone wrong Is our siser really a home? he said o himself Perhaps wha I was afraid of in my hear has occurred Perhaps our siser died in childbirh and her husband wih he children have gone away and abandoned he house' Anoher par of him said Don be foolish! Wha has killed her? She is a newly delivered moher and is conned inside he hu' I see he lile girl' he said o himself bu I do no see her mother As soon as he lile girl saw him she raced owards him, crying Where is your moher Kiliingdi?' he asked her in hase She old him he sory of how her moher urned wild beginning wih her mohers craving for meat and her fahers poisoning her wih dog mea When she comes in the evening she explained, her companions are he wives of lions' Will she come tonigh? asked her uncle. She comes every nigh, answered Kiliingdit Bu Uncle, when she comes please do not reveal yourself to her She is no longer your siser She is a lioness If you revea yoursef o her she will kill you and he loss wil be ours We shall hen remain wihou anyone o ake care of us' Very well he said Tha nigh she came again. She sang her usual song. Kiliingdi sang her response 180
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As she approached the platform to pick p her food, s he said Kiliingdit my daughter, why does the hose sel ike this? Has a human being come? Has yor father retrned?' Mother, my father has not retrned What would brin g him back? Only y little brother and I are here And were we not human beings when you left s? f you want to eat s, then do so. Yo will save e from a the trobles am going through I have su ffered beyond end urance. ' M y darling Kiliingdit,' she said how can I possiby ea t you? I know I have become a beast of a mother, bt I have not lost my heart for you my da ghter Is not the fact that yo cook for me evidence of our continuing bond? I cannot ea t yo ! When Bol heard his sister's voic, h e insisted on going o t to eet her but his niece pleaded with him saying Don't be deceived by her voice She is a beast and not yor sister She will eat yo! ' S o he stayed ; she ate and left to join the wives o f the lions. The next orning Bo retrned to the cattle cap to tell his brothers that their sister had become a lioness Bewildered by the news, they took their spears and came to their sisters home They took a bl with them They walked and walked and then arrived. They went and sat down. The litte girl went ahead and prepared the food for her mother in the usa way. Then they all went to sleep The little gir went into the ht with her baby brother, as usual bt the men sept otside, hiding in wait for their sister. She came at night and sang as sa . Kiliingdit responded She picked u p her food and ate wit h the wives of the lions. Then she brought the dishes back. As she pt them back she said, Kiliingdit! Yes, Mother answered Kiliingdit My dear daghter' she contined, why does the hose feel so heavy? Has your father returned? Mother' said Kiiingdit my father has not retrned. When he abandoned me with this litte baby was it his intention to return to us ?' 18
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Kiliingdit argued the mother if your father has returned why do you hde it from me dear daughter? Are you such a smal child that you cannot understand my sufering? Mother Kiiingdit said again 'I mean what I say my father has not come It is I alone with the little baby If you want to eat us then eat us As the mother turned to go her brothers jumped o n her and caught her She struggled in their hands for quite a long time but could not break away They tied her to a tree. The next morning they slaughtered the bull they had brought Then they beat her and beat her They would tease her with raw meat by bringing it close to her mouth and pulling it away from her Then they would continue to beat her. As she was teased with meat saliva fell from her mouth and formed little puppies They continued to tease her and beat her until three puppies had emerged from her saliva Then she refused raw meat She was given roast meat from the bull and she ate it The brothers beat her some more un til she shed all the hairs that had grown on her body Then she opened her eyes looked at them closely sat down and said, 'Please hand me ittle baby The baby was brought He could no longer suck his mothers breasts. When the mother had fully recovered her brothers said We shall take you to our cattle camp You will not go to the cattle camp of such a man again! Bu t she insisted on going to her husbands cattle camp saying 'I must go back to him. I cannot abandon him Her brothers could not understand her. They wanted to attack her husband and kil him but she argued against that When she saw that they did not understand her she told them that she wanted to take care of him in her own way She was not going back to him out of love but to take revenge So they left her and she went to her husband. When she got to the cattle camp he was very pleased to have her back She did not show any grievance at all She stayed with him and he was very happy with her 182
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One day she lled a gourd wth sour milk. She pounded grain and made porrdge Then she served hm sayng 'Ths is my rst feast since I left you I hope you give me the pleasure of nding it your heartiest meal Frst he drank the mlk. Then came the porrdge wth ghee and sour milk mixed into t He ate Then she offered hm some more milk to drink on top of the porrdge. When he tred to refuse she pleaded wth h m . The man ate and ate and ate, u ntil he burst and died.
A Stroke of Luck (Hungarian)
E went ploughing He was a poor man. Th plough cut a furrow and turned up a lot of money. When he set eyes on it, he began to speculate about what to say to his wife He feared that she might blurt it out to the neighbours, and they would be served a summons to appear before the magistrate He went and bought a hare and a sh. When she brought him his midday meal he said to her after he had dined, Lets fry a sh. She said, What do you think ! How could we catch a s h here in the eld? Come on woman Ive just seen a couple of them when I was ploughing around the blackthorn shrub He led her to the blackthorn shrub Says the woman, Look, old man, theres a sh H avent I told you so?' And he ung the ox goad at the shrub so that the sh turned out at once. Then he said Lets catch a hare. Dont be kidding me . You havent got a gun Never mind ll knock it off with the ox goad They were going along when she cried out Look theres a hare on the tree yonder there. ' The man ung his goad at the tree and th e hare fell down They were working till the day drew to a close and in the evening they made their way home. When they went past the church they heard an ass braying The man said to the woman You know what the ass is braying? He is saying "The priest says in his sermon that soon a comet will appear and that will be the end of the world ! They went on When they passed the city hall the ass uttered another loud bray The man said The ass says that The 184
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agistrate and the town clerk have just been caught ebezzling public funds ' As tie wore on they were making good use of their oney. The neighbours kept asking the Where did that lot of oney coe fro? ' Then she said to one of the neighbour women, I wouldnt ind telling you bu t you ustn't pass it on to anyone. ' And she told her that they had found the oney. heir neighbour reported it to the agistrate, and they were suoned to appear before hi. And when he was questioned about the oney, the an denied it By no means did they nd any oney Not a penny had been found by the . Th e agistrate then said, Your wife will tel e. ' What's the us e asking her. She's just a silly woa n,' he said he woman ew into a temper and began to shout at hi Do n't you dare say tha t again. Didn't we nd the oney when we caught the sh under the blackthorn bus h?' Now Your onour ay hear for yourself Catching a sh in a bush What next! ' Can't you reeber how you shot down a hare fro the tree with the ox goad?' Well haven't I told Your onour? It's no use aski ng that fool of a woan.' A fool you are yourself. Have you forgotten that on o ur way hoe we heard an ass braying when we passed the church, and you said that the priest was preaching that a comet would appear and that would be the end of the world ' Now wasn't I right Your onour I t would be better to eave her alone or she ight give offence with her silly talk' The woman ew into a rage and said Don't you remember that when we were passing the city hall and the ass uttered a loud bray you were telling e "that the agistrate and the town clerk have been just caught out . . ' The agistrate ju ped to his feet and said to the an ake her home, my good ma she sees to have lost her wits'
T he B e an s in t he Q u a r t J a r (USA, Hillbilly)
HE old man had aken sick and thought hes gonna die anyway so he called his wife in and confessed he said been stepping ou and want to be hones with you and wan o ask your forgiveness before go. And she said, Al righ and l forgive you.' She forgive him. By and by she was aken sick and she called him in and she said No, look, I sepped out quie a lot, and I want to ask forgiveness. He said Yes, Il forgive you She said Every time I epped ou I pu a bean in a quar jar. And youl nd they're al here on hat manelpiece, excep that quart I cooked the oher Saturday
Part Six
USEFUL STORI ES
A
F a b l e o f a B i r d n d
H e r Chi c k s
(Yiddish)
NCE pon tme mothe bd who had thee chicks wanted to css ve She pt the rst one unde he wng and stated ying acoss As she ew she sad , e me, child , when Im old wi you cary me n de yo wng the way I m carrying you now? Of cose epled th e chck What question ! 'Ah, sad the mothe d, yoe lyng Wth that she et the chick sp and it fe nto the ve and downed. The mother went back for the second chick, which she took nder her wing. Once me s she ws ying acoss the rver she sad Tel me, child when Im od wil yo cay me nder your wing the way Im cyng yo nw? Of couse eplied the chck. Wht a eston! A h, sad t he mothe d yoe yng. Wth tht sh e let the second chick sp, and t so doned. Then the mothe wen bck fo the thd chick w hch she took under he wing. Once moe she sked n md-ght Te me, chld , when I am old , w yo cy me n der yo win g the way Im crying yo now? No mother epied the thrd chck How coud I ? B y then Il have chcks of my own to cy. 'Ah my derest chid, sid the mothe bird, youre the one who tells the truth. Wth hat she ced the thrd chck to the other bank of the rver.
T he T h r e e A un t s (Norwegian)
NCE upon a ime there was a poor man who ived in a hu far away in the wood and got his living by shooting. He had an only daughter who was very pretty and as she had los her moher when she was a child and was now half grown up she said she would go out ino the world and earn her bread. Well lassie' said he faher, true enough you have earnt nothing here bu how to puck birds and roas hem but stil you may as well ry to earn your bread.' So he girl wen off o seek a place, and when she had gone a lite whie, she came o a paace. here she stayed and got a pace and he queen liked her so well that al he other maids got envious of her. So hey made up their minds o tell the queen how he assie said she was good to spin a pound of ax in fourand-twenty hours for you mu st know the queen ws a great housewife and though much of good work Have you said his? Then you shal do it, said the queen ; but you may have a ittle longer ime if you choose.' Now he poor assie dared not say she had never spun in a her life bu she only begged for a room to herself. hat she got and he wheel and he ax were brought up to her. here she sat sad and weeping, and knew no how to help hersef. She pulled he wheel this way and ha, and twised and turned i about but she made a poor hand of i for she had never even seen a spinni ng-wheel in her life Bu t a at once as she sa there in came an old woman to her What ails you, child? she said Ah ! said he lassie, wih a deep sigh i's no good o tel you , for you'll never be abe to help me Who knows?' said the od wife Maybe I know how o hep 192
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you after all' Well thought the lassie to herself may as we tel he r, and so she told her how her felowservants had given out that she was good to spin a pound of ax in fourandtwenty hours. And here am I, wretch that am, shut up to spin a that heap in a day and a night, when I have never even seen a spnnng wheel n al my born days' Well never mi nd chd, said the old woman f youl ca me Aun t on the happiest day of your life ll spn thi s ax for you and so yo u may just go away and le down to sleep. ' Yes the lassie was wiling enough and off she went and lay down to sleep. Next morning when she awoke, there lay al the ax spun on the tabe, and that so clean and ne no one had ever seen such even and pretty yarn The queen was very glad to get such nice yarn and she set greater store by the asse than ever. But the rest were still more envous and agreed to tel the queen how the asse had said she was good to weave the yarn she had spun in fourand-twenty hours. So the queen said agan as she had said t she must do it; but if she coudn't quite nish it n fourand twenty hours she wouldn't be too hard upon her, se mght have a lttle more tme This tme too, the lasse dared not say no but begged for a room to herself and then she would try. Thre she sat again , sobbing and cryng and not knowng whic way to turn, when another old woman came in and asked What ails you chld?' At rst the assie wouldnt say but at ast she tod her te whole story o f her gref Well, well ! said the od wfe never mind. f youll call me Aunt o the happiest day of your life, l weave ths yarn for you and so you may j ust be off and lie down to sleep Yes the lasse was wlling enough; so she w en t away an d ay down to sleep When she awoke, there lay the piece of lnen on the table, woven so neat and close no woof could do better. So the lassie took the piece and ran down to the queen, who was very gad to get such beautifu lnen and set greater store tan ever by the lassie But as for the others they grew tll more bitter against her, and thought o noting but how to nd out somethng to tell about her. 193
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A t last they told the queen the lassie had said she was good to make up the piece of linen into shirts in four-and-twenty hours Well, all happened as before the assie dared not say she couldnt sew ; so she was shut up again in a room by herself and there she sat in tears and grief. B ut then another old wife came who said she would sew the shirts for her if she would cal her Aunt on the happiest day of her life The lassie was only too gad to do this, and then she did as the old wife told her and went and lay down to sleep Next morning when she awoke she found the piece of linen made up into shirts which lay on the table and such beautiful work no one had ever set eyes on and more than that, the shirts were al marked and ready for wear So when the queen saw the work she was so glad at the way in which it was sewn that she capped her hands, and said, Such sewing I never had nor even saw, in all my born days; and after that she was as fond of the lassie as of her own children; and she said to her Now, if you like to have the prince for your husband, you shall have him for you will never need to hire work-women You can sew and spin, and weave al yourself. So as the assie was pretty and the prince was glad to have her the wedding soon came on. But just as the prince was going to sit down with the bride to the bridal feast, in came an ugly old hag with a long nose Im sure it was three ells long So up got the bride and made a curtsy and said Goodday Auntie. 'That auntie to my bride? said the prince Yes, she was ! ' Well then shed better sit down with u s to the feast said the prince; but to tell you the truth, both he and the rest thought she was a oathsome woman to have next you. But just then in came another ugly old hag She had a back so humped and broad, she had hard work to get through the door Up jum ped the bride in a trice, and greeted her with Good-day Auntie! And the prince asked again i f that were his brides aunt. They both said, yes so the prince said, if that were so she too had better sit down with them to the feast But they had scarce taken their seats before another ugly old 194
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hag came in, wth eyes as age as saces, and so ed and bleared 'twas gresome to ook at he But up jum ped the brde agan, with he Goodday Aute, and he, too, the pnce asked to st dow but I can't say he was vey gad or he thought to hmsef, Heaven shed me om such aunties as my bde has!' So when h e had sat a whle h e cold not keep h s thoghts to himself any onge, bt asked Bt how, n a the wold can my bide who s sch a lovely asse have sch oathsome msshapen aunts? I'l soon te you how t s' said the st. I was jst as good-ookig when I was he age; but the eason why Ive got ths ong nose s, becase I was always kept sittng, and poking, and nodding ove my spnning, and so my nose got stetched and stetched, until it got as ong as you now see t A nd I , said the second, eve sce I wa s yong I have sa t and scttled backwads and fowads ove my loom, and that's how my back has got so broad and hmped as yo now see it. Ad I' said the thid, eve since I was litte, I have sat, and stared and sewn , and sewn and staed, nght and day; and thats why m y eyes have got so ugy and ed and now there's no hep fo them. S o, so! ' said the pince, "twas ucky I came to know ths ; fo f fok can ge t so gy and oathsome by a t hs , th en my bde sha nether spn, no weave, no sew al her fe ong
T a l e o f an O l d W o m an ( Afr i c a , B o n d e s )
HERE was once an old woman who had no husband and no relations no money and no food One day she took her axe and went to the forest to cut a little rewood to sell so that she could buy something to eat. She went very far right into the heart of the bush and she came to a large tree covered with owers and the tree was called Muiwa. The woman took her axe and began to fell the tree. The tree said to her 'Why are you cutting me? What have done to you? The woman said to the tree am cutting you down to make some rewood to sell so that can get some money so that can buy food to keep from starving for I am very poor and ha ve no husband or relations Th e tree said to her Let me give you some children to be your own children to help you in your work but you must not beat them nor are you to scold them. f you scold them you will see the consequences The woman said 'All right I wont scold them Then the owers of that tree turned into many boys and girls The woman took them and brought them home Each child had its own work - some tilled others hu nted elephants, and still others shed. There were girls who had the work of cutting rewood and girls who had the work of collecting vegetables and girls who pounded our and cooked it The old woman didnt have to work any more, for now she was blessed Among the girls there was one smaller than all the rest The others said to the woman 'This little girl must not work. When she is hu ngr and cries for food give it to her and dont be angry 196
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at her for al of this. The woman said to them A right, y chidren, whaever you te me I wi do In this way, they ivd togthr for so ti. h woan didn't have to work xcpt to fed th littst child whn it wanted to at. On day th chid said to th woan, 'I am vry hun gry. Give e soe food to at The woan scodd th chid, saying How you pstr m, you ch ildren of the bush ! Gt it out of the pot yourself. The chid cried and crid bcause it had been scoded by the woman. Soe of hr brothrs and sisters came, and asked her what was th atter Sh tod the When I said I was hungry and asked for food our othr said to , "How I am worrid by these bush chidren Then the boys and girs waited unti those who had gone hunting rturned, and they tod them how th matter stood. So hey said to the woman , So you said w are children of the bush We'll just go back to our mothr, Muiwa, and you can dwe aone The woman padd with the vry way, but they woudnt stay. hey al rturnd to th tr and bcam Rowrs again as it was before and a th popl aughd at hr Sh dwet in povrty til sh did bcaus sh did not hd th insruction given to her by the tree.
T h e H e i gh t o f P u r p l e P a s s i on (USA)
HERE was this saior walkig dow the street and he met a Lady Wearig Lipstick Ad she said to him Do you know what the Height o Purple Passion is? Ad he said No. Ad she said, Do you wat to d out? Ad he said Yes So she told him to come to her house at ve ocock exactly. So he did ad whe he rang the doorbel, birds e w out al aroud the houe Ad they wt aroud the house three times and the door opeed ad they al ew i again Ad there was the Lady Wearig Lipstick Ad she said Do you sti wat to kow what the Height of Purple Passio is?' Ad he said he wated to d out. So she told him to go ad take a bath ad be very clea. So he did ad he came runing back ad sipped o the soap ad broke his eck. Thats the end. He never oud out what it was My girl ried Aice tod me this story. It happeed to somebody she kows
S a l t , S a u c e an d S p i c e , On i on L e a v e s , P e p p e r an d D r i p p in g s ( Afr i c a , H a u s a )
H I S story s abou Salt, and Sauce and Spce and Onon Leaves and Pepper and Drppngs. A story a sory! Let i go le it come Salt and Sauce and Spce and Onon Leaves and Pepper and Drippings heard a report of a certan youth who was very handsome but he son of the evil sprit. They all rose up urned no beaufu madens and then they set off As they were gong aong, Drppings lagged behnd he others who drove her sill furher off telng her she sank. But she crouched down and hid untl hey had gone on and then she kep followng hem When hey had reached a certan stream, where they came across an old woman who wa s bathng Drppings hough they would rub down her back for her if she asked but one said, May Alah save me that I should lift my hand o touch an old womans back . The od woman dd not say anyhng more and he ve passed on Soon Drippings came aong encountered he od woman washing and greeted her. She answered and sad Maiden where are you gong?' Drppngs repled I am gong to nd a certan youh.' And the od woman asked her too, to rub her back, but unlike he others Drippngs agreed Afer she had rubbed her back well for her the od woman said May Alah bless you And s he said, too, This young man to whom you are all gong do you know his name?' Drppngs said No we do not know his name .' Then he od woman told her He is my son hs name is Daskandarin but you must no ell the others then she fel slen. Drppings coninued o folow far behind the ohers tl they got to the place where the young man dweed They were about to go n when he called out to them Go back and e nter one at a 199
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time which they did. Sa came forward rs and was about to ener when the voice asked Who is there? It is I she replied I Sal who make the soup tasy He said Wha is my name?' She said I do no know your name litle boy I do not know your name Then he old her Go back young ady go back' and she did . Next Sauce came forward When she was abou to ener she, too was asked Who are you? She answered M y name is Sauce and I make the soup sweet. And he said Wha is my name? Bu sh e did no know either and so he said Turn back litte girl turn back Then Spice rose up and came forward and she was abou to enter when she was asked Who is his young lady; who is his? She said I is I who gree you young man it is I who gree you What is your name young girl wha is your name? My n ae is Spice who makes he soup savoury. I have heard your name youn g woman I have heard your name. Speak mine She said I do no know your name little boy I do no know your name Turn back young ady urn back. So she turned back and sat down Then Onion Leaves came and suck her head into the room . Who is this young gir wh o is this? asked he voice. It is I who salue you young man it is I w ho saue you. Wha is your name litle gir what is your name? My name is Onion Leaves who makes the soup smel nicey' He said I heard your name litle gir What is my name? But she didn't know i and so she also had to turn back. Now Pepper came along She said Your pardon you ng man your pardon' She was asked who was here She said It is I Pepper young man i t i s I Pepper who make the soup ho I have heard your name young lady. Tell m e my name. ' I d o no know your name young man I do not know your name He said Turn back young maid urn back. Now on ly Drippings was lef When the ohers asked her if she was going in she said Can I enter he house where such good people as you have gone and been driven away? Would not hey the sooner drive out one who stinks?' They said Rise up and go in for hey waned Drippings too to fail. So she got up and went in here. When the voice asked her 200
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who she was, she said M y name is Drippings, little boy, my name is Bato which m akes the soup smell' He said, I have heard your name There remains my name to be tod She said, Daskandarini, young an, Daskandarini And he said, Enter' A rug was spread for her clothes were given to her, and slippers of gold And then of Salt , Sauce, Spice, Onio n Leaves and Pepper , who before had despised h er one said, will always sweep for you', another, I will pound for you' , another, I will draw water for you , another, I wil pound the ingredients of the soup for you', and another I will stir the food for you' They all became er handmaidens. And the moral of all this is that it is fro such common thi ngs that our most blessed foods are ade So just as suc common stuf may be transformed u nder the right circum stance, if you see a man is poor, do not despise him You do not know but that some day he may be better than you That is all.
T w o S i s t e r s an d t h e B o a (Chinese)
NCE there was an old Kucong or old woman who had buried her husband in her youth. Her soe possession was two daughters, the elder nineteen years od, and the younger seventeen One aternoon she returned home rom working in the mountains eeing thirsty and tired. So she sat down u nder a mango tree to rest. This mango tree was aden with ripe, goldenyellow ruit hanging down rom the branches. A breeze blew rom the mountains, carrying the exquisite ragrance o ripe mangoes to her nose making her mouth water. Suddenly, the heard a swishing sound, shasha' up in the ango tree and then thin pieces o bark ell on her. The old woman thought that somebo must be up there, so without even taking a look she caled out, jokingly, Whos the young man up in the tree whittling arrows out o mango branches? Whoever you are i you would honour me by presenting me with a ew mangoes, you can have your choice o my two daughters Hardly had the s words escaped her lips when there came the rusting o leaves, huahua, and a ully ripe mango ell plop right on the ground Feeling delighted and thanku at once the old woman picked up the mango and began eating it all the whie looking up in the tree Better or her she had not looked, or she was al agog with what she saw. Coiled all around the mango tree was a boa as thick as a bulls thigh knocking mangoes ree its tail swishing back and orth The could not care less about picking up any more mangoes and she scurried down the mountain in eaps and bounds her bamboo basket on her back Wheezing and gasping for breath the old woman entered her 202
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door As she saw her two darlig daughters coming up to meet her she called to mind what had happened under the mango tree. She couldn't hep feeing nervous and confused, as if she were stuck in a briar patch. She waked outside and was met by a strange sight Though it was aready dark, all her chickens were stil circling around outside the chicken coop. She tried repeat edly to drive them inside, but they would not go She wet up to the coop and peeped in. Gosh The very same boa which had been coiled around the mango was right there, lying in the chicken coop! As she was about to run away the huge ong boa began to speak 'Binbai, just now you made a promise under the mago tree: whoever picked a mango and gave it to you to eat coud have his choice of one of your two daughters. Now please keep your promise Give me one of your girs If you shoud go back on your word dont blame me for getting impolite! Seeing that boa in the chicken coop with its brighty patterned scay skin, gleamig eyes ad that og forked tongue sticking out the binbai shivered from head to foot. She couldnt say yes but she couldn't say no, either So all she said was, Now dont get mad boa be patient please Let me talk this over with my grls so I can tell you what they think. The binbai went back into the house an d recouted al that had happened to her two daughters Oh my ittle darlings' she exclaimed Its not that Mama doesnt love you or dote on you but I have no choice other than to push you in the burning re. Now you two sisters have to think it over who is willig to marry the boa? No sooner had the old woman nished speaking than the older daughter started screaming, No no! I wont go! Who could marry such an ugly dreadful thing?' The younger sister thought for a while She saw that her mothers life was threatened, while her older sister was adamant Mama she said to prevent the boa from doing you and sister any har m and so you two can live in peace, Im wiling to marry the boa' And with that, she cried many a sad sad tear. The binbai led her second chid to the gate of the chicken coop and told the boa he could have her. That very night, the old woman took the snake into her home and the boa and Second 203
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Daghter were married he next morning, when the boa was abot to ake her second daghter awa moher and chid wep in one anohers arm How hard i was o par! Off wen he boa, eading he binbai's dear chid o the virgin forest deep in he montains where he brogh her to a cave. She groped abo in he dark dark cave, folowing after the boa. On nd on the wen never coming o he end So worried and afraid was Second Daughter, that her teardrops fell like strings of pearls. Ronding a bend in he cave, there was a gleam of igh and sddenl, a resplenden, magnicent paace came in view here were endess, vermilion walls and elow ies wihot nmber long verandas and tiny pavi ions tal bildings and spacious cortards Everwhere one could see carved beams painted rafters, piles of god carved jade and wall hangings of red and green sik Second Dagher was simpl dazled As she rned arond that errifing, dreadfl boa which had been close b had disappeared Waking beide her now was a gorgeosl dressed ong man, looking ever so vigoros nd handsome Oh she exclaimed, compleel oudone How cold his be? he ong man beside her replied Dear Miss am he king of the snakes of his region Not ong ago when wen o o make a inspecion tor of he snake ribes saw o two sisers How I admired our wisdom and beauty! I made up m mind right then to have one of ou as m wife and thats how I though of a wa to win our mohers approva Now, m hopes have come tre, Oh, dear Miss! n m palace yoll have gold ad siver witho end, more cloh han ou can ever use, and more rice han ou can ever eat Let s ove each other dearl, enjoing a gorious ife, o he end of or das As she listened o the snake kings words, Second Sisters hear ooded with warmh She took hold of his hand, and, smiling sweet, waked owards he resplenden magnicen palace Second Siser and the snake king lived happil as newlweds for a time. Then, one da she took leave of her hsband o go bck home and visi her mother and sister She old hem all abo her rich fll married life with he king of he snakes How could he elder daghter not be full of regret? A she ogh ' to bame for being so fooish . f I had promised to 204
U S E F U L S TO R I E S
marry the boa n the rst place, would no I have been he one now enjoyng glory honour and rches in that paace instead of my younger sster? So she made up her mnd, then and there Rgh ! Thas wha Il d o Ill nd a way o wed a boa too ! Afer he younger siser eft o return to the snake king he eder sister walked deep nto the mo untans carrying a baske on her back To nd boa, she would ony go where the grass was ta or the ju nges were dense. From dawn t o dusk and dusk to dawn, she kep on searching untl, a las, afer great difculty, she found a boa un der a bush Its eyes were shu, for he boa was enjoyng a good snooze. Firs Sster gingerly raked the snake nto her basket and left for home n hgh sprs, the boa on her back. She had ony gone hafway when he boa woke up It stuck ou is tongue and lcked the back of her neck Instead of beng frghened by what he snake was dong Frs Sser secrety fet que delighed Hey! she whspered softly Don be so affeconae just yet! Wa ll we ge home! After gettng back home, she lad he boa n her bed then rushed o make he re and do the cookng After supper, Frst Sser told her mother, 'Mama I found a boa today oo, and I shall marry hm tonight. From now on, I can lve a rch comforabe lfe, jus lke my baby sster! And off she went o sleep wth her boa. No long after he mother went to bed she heard her daughters voce 'Mama ts up to my highs ! The binbai dd not say a word, thnking all she was hearin g was a par of newly-weds having fun playng around . Afer a whle, Frst Sser caled out, her voce rembing, Mama ts up o my was! The od woman did not undersand wha such words could mean, so she dd no budge an nch Yet more tme passed untl hs time she heard a mournful voice from the nner room, 'Mama its up to my neck now . . And hen, all was sence he binbai fe somehing was not qute rght, so she quckly rolled out of bed, lit a pine orch and went to ake a ook. Tha dreadful boa had swalowed down her eder daughter, eaving but a lock of her har! 205
U E F U L TO R I S
The old woman felt sd nd nervous. She pced back nd forth in the room not knowing wht to do to rescue her daughter In the end she coud think of doing was to pul down her der thached hut set it re and burn u p the boa. In the rging ames a loud bng ws herd. As the bo was being burned to death it burst into mny pieces. In a later age these cme to be countess snkes big nd itte. The next morning the binbai picked out of the ashes a few of her daughters bones that hd not been consumed by the re. Sh e dug a hoe in the ground and b ried the holding back he r tears. Afterwards she declred, My elder daughter! This is al because of your greed ' With these words she went off ino he dense junge and deep into the ountains to look for her second daughter nd her son-in-aw the king of the snakes.
S p r e a d i n g t h e F in in g e r s (Surinamese)
N the eary ties B a Yau was a pantation overseer. He had two wives in the city But as he found provisions on the panta pantaion ion,, he brough brough them to his wives. wives . Bu t when he brough broughtt things, then he sa id to the 'When you eat you must spread your ngers. But when he said this, the rst one did not understand very we what that meant to say. He told the second wife the sae thing and that one understood. What he meant was that when he brought the things, they were not to eat the alone alon e they were to give others half Now the one who did not understand what tha sai, in the afternoon afternoon when she cooked she ate. Then she went outsid e, and spread her ngers and said Ba Yau said when I eat I must spread y ngers. Ba Yau brought her uch bacon and salt sh She alone ate it But when Ba Yau brought the things for the other ot her one she sh e shared half with other people, pe ople, because she had understoo un derstood d what the proverb proverb had had said. said . Not ong after afterwar wards ds Ba Yau died But Bu t when B a Yau was dead , nobody brou brough ghtt anyt an ythi hing ng to to the the wif wi fe who who had had spread sprea d her he r n gers for the air She sat alone But to the other one who had shared things with other people any people brought hings. One brought her a cow, one brought her sugar one brought her coff coffee ee.. SSo o she received any a ny thin t hings gs fr from others. othe rs. Now one day, the one wife went to the other, and she said Yes, sister ever since Ba Yau died I have suffered hunger No one brought e anything But look, how is it that so any peope have brought brought thi ngs o you Then the other one asked her Well when Ba Yau had brought you things, th ings, what did you you do with the ? She said, said, I aone ate the the . Then the other one said again, When Ba Ya said to you, 207
U S F U L S TO R I E S
"Y ou must "You mu st spead or or ngers nger s what what did did ou do? She said said When Whe n ate I spead spead m nges nges in the air air T h e o h e r one said said,, 'So 'So We Wel l hen, the ai must mu st bring ou things because ou spead ou ngers fo the air. As for msef mse f he he same sa me people to to whom whom I gave gave things, thi ngs, bring b ring me things thing s in re retu tun. n. The proveb, when ou eat o ms spread ngers, means wh en ou eat, you ms m s ea wit with h peope peope ou ou m us not keep all for ousef. Otherwise when ou have nothing, nobod else is going to give ou because ou had not given peope what was ous
British Publisher's Note
About a month before she died, Angela Carter was in the Brompton Hospital n London. The manuscript of Srange Thing Someime Sill Happen lay on her bed. 'Im just nishing ths off for the grls', she said Virago published her rst book of non-ction, The Sadeian Woman in 1 9 7 9 . Her loyalty to us was boundless. When we rst heard she was ill we told her not to worry about this collection we had published The Old Wive' Fairy Tale Book, that was enough. But no, Angela clam ed it was just the project for an ailing writer to pursue while lying on he couch And so she worked on the book until a few weeks before her death. Though a the stores were coected put in order d grouped under her chosen headings, and Virago was nstructed to print the jacket beetroot red, Angela Carter was unable to nish the notes beyond The Witches Pper in P Two. We e extremely gratel to Shrukh Husain edtor of the forthcomng The Virago Book f Wiche, who was able to draw on her own extensive knowledge of folkore and fairy taes to complete the remaining 2 9 notes, ncluding ncluding Rolando and Br B runilde and The Greenish Bird from Part One Shahrukh Husain has included the remarks and notes from Angela Carter's own le of notes wherever they were left
210
Notes
MNDS AND LOW CUNN CUNNING ING Part One: STRONG MNDS 1 The The Twelve Wild Duc From he colecton of Norwegan folk tales made by Peter Chrstan Asbj Asbjrn rnss en and an d r r gan Moe, n Geo George Webb Darsen Dar sens s h ands ome Vicorian translaion Popular Popular Talesfrom the Norse Norse (Ednburgh 903). T h e lm-mak lm- maker er Alfred Alfred Hitchco Hitchcock ck tho th ou gh noh noh ng was more more omn omn ous han th e ook ook of blood on das da se ess Blood on s n ow caches cach es even more drecty drect y at h e v s cera The Th e r aven av en h e blood th e s now no w hes he s e are th e elements of th e u n appeas app easabl ablee norther nor thern n for for mulae mul ae of des de s re re In Th Th e Story of Cona Co nall Gu ban in J F F Campbell Campbell s Popular Tales of the West Highlan Conal would not ake a wife forever whose head should be back as the raven and her face as far as the snow and her cheeks as red as bod Campbel crsply suggess the raven must have been eating some hng hng becaus becau s e of a th thee blood and and offers offers a v aran r antt fromInverness: from Inverness: When he got up in the moing there was young snow, and the raven was upon a say say near him, and and a bit bi t of ofesh in his his bea beak k The piece piece ofesh eshfell and Conall went to lt it, and the raven said to him, that Fair Beauteous Smooth w as white whi te as the snow sno w upon the spray spray,, her cheek as red as the esh that t hat w in his hand, and her hair as black the feather eather that was was in his wing wing Popu Popuar ar Tales of th th e West Wes t Hi Highlands ghlands orally collected with a trnslation j.F j. F Campb Campbell ell,, Vol. 1, Paisl, Paisl, 1892)
This carnivorous imagery expresses the depths of a woman's desre for a ch ch d d n tradii trad iional onal stor st ore ess SnowWhte SnowWhte'' in he famlar vers ve rsio ion n co co leced by th thee Bro Br ohe hers rs Gr mm s tarts off th e s ame way wa y P eas ea s e noe no e that th at accordng accord ng o he editors editor s of Pa Pa estnan es tnan Arab s t ories ri es ch ldes ld esss mohers moh ers n fary tales w s h for for daughte dau ghters rs far more frequent frequ entyy than th they ey do for s ons. ons . The Twelve Wld Ducks wth its savage begnning and theme of s s b ng n g devotion devo tion forms th thee bas b ass s of the t he Dan Da nsh sh Hans Han s Chrs Chr s tan Ander sen's s en's ov ely literary lite rary s tory tor y Th e Wld Swans Swa ns Ander An derss en u p grade ra ded d th thee duck du ckss o r omantc omant c s wans altho alth ou gh feel th a f w w d ducks du cks were we re good 211
NOTES
enough for bsen , they should have been good enough for him. 2.
Old Foer
Collected from ane Gentry in 1 923 in Hot Springs North Caroina by Isobel Gordon Carter Text from journal of American Folklore 38 ( 925) 360 . This ancient story o f sex murder and serial klng traveled across the Atlantic with the rst English settlers of the US in the sxteenth and seventeenth centuries Old Foster is rst cousn to the snster Mr Fox (see e Old Wve' a ale oo edited by Angea Carter p 8) and to The Robber Bridegroom' o the Brothers Grmm 3
hn
From Speak Bird, Speak Again Paletinian Arab Folktale colected and edted by Ibrahm Muhawi and Sharif Kanaana, and pubished by the Unversty of Californa Press These stores were collected on tape between 978 and 1980 in Gallee since 1 948 part of the state o Israel, the West Bank and Gaza In the Paestinian tradition women are the custodians of narrative; f men tel stories they must adopt the narrative style of women Since storytelling style matures wth age old women have the edge on everybody else. Taes are told on winter nghts, when there is lttle work n the elds, and extended famiies gather together or mutua entertanment. The oldest woman usuay starts The gatherngs are dominated by women; there s a pronounced pro-woman bas to al these Paestinian stories although the Palestnan famiy is as Muhawi an Kanaana expain patrilineal patrlateral poygynous, endoga mous and patriocal. n their introduction they note that the pattern of free mate choce by women is so consistently at odds wth the facts of socal lfe that we must naly conclude that a deeply felt emotona need is being artculated. Nevertheess hn wth ts exuberantly selfassertive heroine was told by a sxty-veyear-old man from Galilee a poughman and shepherd all hs life. In another varant the exhausted hero newy married, says to hn Beeve me you are the man and I am the bride. And it is nothing but the truth 4.
Te Dog Snout People
A story from the Baltc country of Latva colected in the 1880s and publshed in a majestic colleton aled Siberian and Other Folk-Tales: 212
N OTES
Pmitive Literature of the Empire of the ars coected and translated with an intoduction and notes by C FillinghamCoxwel (London C.W Daniel 1 925) Christian culture was so w to inuence th e peope of heavily forested Latvia who ae said to have etained pagan altars as ate as 1 83 5. Accoding to tradition mariage was obtained by abduction a risky business. Geogaphicaly between and politicaly at the mercy of Germany and Russia fo centuries the Letts according to Filingham Coxwe regaded the Gemans and Russians with hatred and des pair. Filingham-Coxwel aso thought the enigmatic dog's snout people' themseves might contain memories of aborigina Lettish inhabitants 5.
he Old Woman Against the Stream
Norwegian again fom the same Asbj!rnsen and Moe collection as The Tweve Wild Ducks' in a modern tansation by Pat Shaw and Ca Noman (New Yok Pantheon Books). Oiginaly pubished in Os o by Deyes Verag in 1 960 6.
The Letter rick
The people who were taken fom West Africa as saves to the pace formery called Dutch Guiana now Suriname took with them an invisibe treasure of memoy and cutue. In the late 1920s the anthropoogists Melvile J Herskovits and Frances S Herskovits coec ted a vast numbe of tales and songs in the coasta city of Paramaribo The anguage of the city was a thick rich Creole the Herskovits tansated thei materia into Engish. The city of Paramaibo possessed a mixedrace cuture Dutch I ndian Carib Aawak Chinese and Javanese people mingled with those of African descent but amongst the atte a strong African inuence remained expressing itself not only in voodoo beliefs and practices but i n such matters as the tying of a headscar Descent was taced though the matena line; the men were often absent as migant workers Storyteing had an impotant place in this community Taes wee told to entertain the dead as they ay in state And there was a taboo against teling stoies in daytime because if you did so death would come and sit beside you, and you woud die too (Suriname Folk-lore, coected by Melville J Heskovits and Frances S Heskovits [New Yok Columbia Univesity Pess 1 936] p 35 1 .) 213
NOTES
7.
Rolando and Brunilde
This type of industrous spinner o seamstress s often rewarded wth an lustious ove smpy for sittng at her wndow sewng or snging. (See The Greenish Brd', ths volume p. 37) Here though she attracts an evi magcan who abducts and theeafter deactvates her. Qute unusually, it s he mother who embarks on the Path o Trals as a sort of trckster-herone. A fayhag s her heper and Rolando her assstant. The tale includes some nteresting images of the two old women humpng heavy bags ove a garden wa and breakng into the castle actvties generally reserved fo the young. 8.
The Greenish Bird
A Mexican variant of the stoy most famlar n the beautful No wegan form, East o the Sun, West o' the Moon, in Peter Chrstan Asbj�rnsen and J�rgan Moe's colecton (see The Old Wives' Fair Tale oo, p. 22) Lke the ast tae this Mexican one begns wth an industrous spinner at a wndow Lusa is swftly won over by her brd-wooer and begins an indeterminate sexual elatonshp Like the Greek ove god hero of Apuleius' thrdcentury Latn novela Cupd and Psyche contained in the Golden As, the greensh brd s magica, generous and wonderful n bed. Luisa knows nothng about him, whch does not particulaly bothe her Lke Psyches sisters Luisa's too ae jeaous, and mar the eatonshp causng the severey wounded pince to abandon her with an njuncton to come n search of him. The iron shoe clad herone who vists the sun and the moon in seach o her offended lover occus in Easten Europe too most notaby attempting to redeem a Pg-prnce The Cap 0' Rushes ending to this tale s smiar to the Eytan Cindeela story The Pincess n the Suit o Leathe The Ol Wives Fair Tale oo p 39), when the Pince, havng reaised his sweetheart s a servant n his palace, demands that she bing his meals to hm. (Folktales of Mexico by Americo Paredes [Chcago 970] p 95 ) .
9.
The Crafty Woman
From the Batic state of Lthuania, again from C Filngham-Coxwell's colection He quotes a Russan vaation, from around Moscow, n whch the part o the od woman is played by a young ew.
214
NOTES
Part Two: P TO SOMETH NG BLACK ARTS A N D D IRTY TRICKS I.
Prett Maid bronka
This popular Hungaran story has been narrated in almost every vllage in the country in fary smilar form. It is also known in Lthuania and Yugoslava. Hungarian popular belief has a particuar dread of a revved corpse but the terrble lover, with his hat graced wth a crane's feather and is cloven hoof s remniscent of the demon lover who returns to claim his faithless mistress in the great Scots ballad, The House Carpenter' (in Francs Chld's colection The English and Scottish Popular Ballads 3 vols. New York 1957) The demon takes the Scotswoman away on shipboar and destroys her But bronka gets away wth t This story was narrated by Mihly Fdics, an literate day-labourer, in 938 when he was eighty-sx years old He had gone to the nted States at the tme of World War I and worked as a labourer there but soon returned to Hungay He learned his stories during the long winter evenings in the vllage houses where people went to spin together. Later, working as a umberjack, his stores were the principal source of entertainment in the forest camp. It was his custom to interrupt his own story by caling out "Bones to his listeners, to see wether they had gone to sleep: f the encouraging answer "tiles came, he went on with the story but f there was no answer, he knew that hs companons had dropped off, and the tale was to be continued the foowing day' (p 130 Folktales of Hunga). Ths nformation, together with the story comes rom Folktales from Hungay edted by Linda Deg and translated by Judith Halasz (London, Routledge & Kegan Paul 1 965) Copyright University of Chicago, 965 In the series Folktales of the Word, edited by Richard M. Dorson 2.
Enchanter and Enchantress
A wtch duel, or transormaton contest, tle from tribal Russia For more about transormation contests see he Old Wve' a ale oo , p. 235 This story comes rom a Finnourkish people caled the Mordvns, who lied between the rives Volga and Oka n the heart of Russia when ths story was collected n the nneteenth century. The Mordvnan idea of the cosmos was that of the beehve FlnghamCoxwell, p 568.
215
NOTES
3
The Telltale Lilac Bush
As old o Kei Ketcum in 963 by Mrs Sarah Dadisman of Union, Monroe Country, Wes Virginia. (From The Telltale Lilac Bush and Other West Virginian Ghost Tales coleced by Ru Ann Musick [Universiy of Kenucky Press, 965] p. 1 2) 4.
Tatterhood
A Norwegian sory from Asbj!rnsen and Moe, Darsents ranslation 5
m
George Webb
The Witchball
An old-fasioned faring story from rura America, as old by seventy six-year-old V. edford, of Clay Couny, Kentucky is ex is reprined from Buying the Wind: Reonal Folklore in the United States edited and coleced by Richard M Dorson (University of Cicago Press, 1964). Vance Randop found another wise woman wi access o faring powder in e Ozark mountains in Arkansas; his sory may be found in The Ol Wives' Fairy Tale oo p. 73 6.
The Werefox
From Chinese Ghosts and Goblins edied by G. WilougbyMeade (ondon, Consable, 928) p 23. 7
The Witches' Piper
Narrated by Mily Bertok, aged sixty-seven, a erdsman of Kisar tyan, Nograd County, Hungary, and colleced by Linda Degh in 1 95 . Once upon a time, he bagpiper provided the music for e Shrove Tuesday dance Witches woud force he piper o play for hem and then pay h im back wih a dirty rick 8
Vasilsa the Fair
The eroine Vasilissa is as famiiar in Russian foklore as e European Ela ie. Cinderela. (See The Ol Wives Fai Tale oo , 'Vasilissa te Priess Daughter, p. 57 and 'The Baba Yaga, p 1 5 1 .) he ale conains powerful indicaors ha he Baba Yagas origins are probably in te Moher goddess of various myologies Se refers to e morning, day and nig as er 'own and her mortar and pesle are 26
NOTES
reminscent o f corn and wheat grndng In addton, she possesses re, a basc eleent. (A ore obscure tale tells how she stole re.) She s stern and harsh n her judgeent but just and not devoid of ethics conforng to the deathly aspect of the Mother goddess. The skulls surrounding her home represent the dead n general, though The Witch and her Servants The Yellow Sto Book, ed Andrew Lang) contains a more specc explanation. When the ubiquitous wanich of Russian tales goes to work for a wtch she delvers the followng warng
Ifyou look after them both for a year I will give you anything you like to ask; but on the other hand you let any of the anima escape you your last hour come and your head shall be stuck on the last spike of my fence The other spikes as you see are already adorned and the skul are all those of dferent seants I have had who have failed to do what I demanded (p 1 61 ) The reaning rddle is that of the nvisible pars of hands It s clear that the hag is alludng to the secrecy of womens mysteries when she expresses approval that Vasilissa has stopped short of askng the question that would force her to reveal what is inside her house Her aversion to blessngs may well represent the fear of a pagan goddess beng driven out by Christanty. Fllngham-Coxwell's note referrng to Russian society at the te of collection, says The prest has a difcult, ill-pad and not very exalted poston So superstiton and a belef in wtchcraft abound though the efforts of the orthodox church to suppress pagan practices and tradtions have not been wthout a large measure of success' (p 67 1 Siberian and Other Folktales). A poem enttled Russan Folk-Tales ncludes the lnes:
Cannibal witches will scarcely attack or make ready to eat u Easily quickly we conquer enemies dare approach u. For details of the Baba Yaga herself, see Angela Carters note to The Baba Yaga' The Old Wives' Fai Ta Book p 239) (Siberian and Other Folktales: Primitive Literature o the Empire o the Tsars, collected, translated and wth an ntroducton by C. Fllngha Coxwell, London, 1 925 p 680.) The Midwe and the Frog Ths story, set n the Magyar Mountains not fa from the banks of the Szuscava, was collected by Gyula Orlutory from thrty-three-yearold Mrs Gergely Taas n 1943 The ivak of ths story s glossed n the book as a mnor devil This tale-type counts as a legend the world over snce t contnues to 217
NOTES
be beieved A Midde Easen vaiant in which a midwife delives a djin's wife, is always old as if i occured o a acquaiance of the tele Thee the terried woma accepts a handful of stones which un o gold whe she eturs home. A Nose vesio appeas in Folktale of Norway edited by Reidar Christiansen (aslaed by Pa Shaw Ivesen, The Uivesiy of Chicago Press, 1 964, p 05) Numeous vaiats exist in he Briish Ises Accodig o Kathaine Biggs, he earlies vesion is from Geae of Tilbu in he 3th C', Folktale of England The University of Chicago Pess, 965. See The Faiy Midwife', p. 38 ad The Midwife', i The Bet-Loved Folktale of the World, edied by Joanna Cole, Achor, Doubleday, New York, 983, p. 280 (Folktale from Hunga, edied by Lida Degh, ad ansated by Judith Halasz [Chicago, 1965], p. 296.)
Part Three: BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE I.
Fair Brown and Trembling
This Iish Ciderea was colected by Jeremiah Curti i 1 887 i Gaway. The ukid sistes here are Trembig's ow. The hewife is the Cetic equivalet of the fairy godmothe. Storytelers sometimes pefered o avoid he use of he wod witch' in I reand and Scotlad. It was oo much like temping fae' so they teded to call he a bid-woma o a hewife Though henwives ae usually good (see Ducan Williams's colecions, where the henwife is Jack's greaest helpe in he Jack aes) hey do occasioally le slip a remak hat igges a sequence of malig eves (see Frak McKena, The Steed of the Bel [cassette] selected fom he archives of the Use Folk ad Taspo Museum). The henwife asks Trembling o stay outside the church raher ha going i, perhaps suggesing pacices ouside the appoval of he Chuch Magic good, bad o idiffeen had the saus of the Devil's wok in Chisianity so magica practices such as the use of he cloak of dakess would have been frowed o. Temblig's husbad is the so of the Kig of the ancien ciy of Emaia i Ulser, caled Omaia hee He changed his oyaties fom Fai o Trembig afe seeig he magica egalia. Anohe soy i Curi's epeoie has he King of Geece maryig an Iish kig's eldes daughter he fallig i love with he younge, Gil an Og. He cuses hem both, tuig Gil an Og into a ca withi her case' and he sise ino a sepet in he bay' Gil an Og consuls a duid and iiiaes a seies of ghts in ode to fee hem both (Myths and Folktale of Irend 28
NOTES
j eemiah Cuin epnted fom the 1890 Lttle, Bown and Co. edion by Dover Pubicatons Inc., Toono, London, 1 975 , p. 1 ). The goden ha cu adrif occus as fa a e ld as Inda (cf Pince Lionheat, n Thee Was Once a King' (n Folk Tale of Pakitan, reod by Sayyd Fayyaz Mahmud, Lok Vsa [Pakstan undated] , p 1 1 7) . Sands of Prncess Yasmin's goden har are seen o atng downstream by a kng, who detemines o mary the owne of he hair. The wlingness of he King and Trembng to allow heir daughte o may he cowherd may have somethng to do with h s staement n Cuin's telng of K Arhu In that ime thee was a aw n the world tha f a young man came o woo a young woman and her people woudn't gve her to him, he young woman shoud ge her death by law' (Cutn, p 1 1 3). (Irih Folk-Tales, edited by Heny Gasse, Pengun Fokloe Lbray [Hamondswoth, UK , 1 985], p 57.) 2.
Diirawac and her Incetuou Brother
Ths stoy was old by a wenty-yea-old man (who was no a member of edor, Fancs Mad ing Deng's family). Angela Cae notes hat he Dinka ae cae herdes and subssence farmers of the Sudan. The land abou 1 0 per cen of he Sudan s cossed by the Nile and s tribuaries, making communications df cut. The man goal of a Dinka is o may and have chidren' (p. 1 66) Adus and chlden seep ogethe in hus One peson s asked o tel a stoy, hen peope tel soes in succession, noes Angela Carer, then quoes fom Fancs Madng Deng: As he storytelng progesses, people begn to fal aseep one by one Sometmes hey fal aseep wake up n he mdde of a stoy and then fal aseep agan Peope who wake up in the mdde of a stoy ae usually bought up o dae brey. As ime passes and some people begin to seep and pehaps snoe, the storytee sats o ask fom ime o ime: Ae you asleep? As ong as there are peope stil awake, storyteling connues The as so yele s que key to be he last peson awake and so the na soy wl be lef ncompete (p. 9). The ions in mos Dinka soies are ceay no rea lons bu epesent a wld, unamed side of human naue Nether ae the puppes who accodng to a footnoe, symbolse wldness and hee foe mei such bua teamen in folk ales The vctm is subdued by sevee beang and easing. The anmal's paiay to aw mea ndcaes hs wldness and s seecton of cooked mea sgnes t has been amed (see Duang and Hs Wld Wife p. 177 of he pesen book) 219
NOTES
It i motl women and oung people who tell the tore. Store tend to be assocated wth bedtme and are geared towar the chldren the primay educator of chldhood (p 198). I is likey ha he sibling inces taboo is powerfully reinforced no only from the communiy bu he mos insignican sources, because of he childrens communal seeping environmen. I is for he heroine Diirawac who kiled her broher ha he village mourns he eldery allowing heir hair o grow maed and he young abandoning heir beads to signify disaser. Vioaion of he incest taboo is considered more unnaural han murder. No single eniy in he ale dispues he validiy of he aboo Dnka Folktales: African Stores from the Sudan, edied by Francis Mading Deng [New York and London 974], p 7 8. ) 3
The Mrror
Though his varian is poignan even ragic, he moif of he mistaken mirror image is generally found in humorous taes. In one version a man quarres wih hs wife afer buying a mirror he mistakes for an image of his dead faher A nun mediaes This version of he ale is also found in India China and Korea. The Sun goddess of Japanese myh once ook exile from he chaoic world in he Heaveny Rock Dwelling and was enticed back when he ceesia smih fashioned a mirror of iron and od her ha her reecion was a riva goddess. Beguied by is beauty and brighness, she reurned to ligh up the world. Chnese Ghou and Goblns, edied by G WiloughbyMeade [Londo n 928], p 1 84 ) 4.
The Frog Maden
The sart of the ale, with is wicked sepmother and wo sepsisers is complemened by furher echoes of he Cinderella sory when he Frog Maiden arrives o see he prince in a carro coach wih mice for horses. Variaions of his sory are found al over he word The Three Feahers' (Brohers Grimm) The Whie Cat (France) and The Monkey Princess (Pakisan) are al sandard taes feauring he Dummlng (simpleon) hero. In her Introducton to the Interpretaton of Fa tale (Spring Publications Inc, Dalas, USA 1970) Marie Louise von Franz says hat the bride is eiher a toad, a frog a whie ca an ape a lizard puppe ra, a socking or a hopping nighcap - no even living objects - and sometimes a urte. A few ines down she explains ha The man acton s concerned wth thendng of the right female upon whch 220
NOTES
depen the inheritance of the female and further, that the hero does not peo any mculine dee He s not a hero in the proper sense of the word He helped all the time by the feminine element which solves the whole problem for him . . The sto en with a marage a balanced union of the male and female elements So the general structure seems to point to a problem in which there s a dominating male attitude a situation which lacks the feminine element and the sto tel u how the missingfeminine is brought up and restored (p. . (Burmese Folktales edted and collected by Man Hin Ang [Ca ctta 1 948], p. 1 37.) 5.
The Sleeping Prince
The motie for the prncesss jorney is proided by the sght of horses' blood on the grass and her comment abot ts beaty This seems a strange sentiment except that the blood and he beay of i on the grass s probably connected with menstral intaion and ferilty. Ths s borne ot by he nisible oce gidng the princess to go in search of a mate The oice also mentons sicks and the sprnkling of water elemens that neer acaly materialise in the sory sggesing a sexa iniiaion which comes o pass only mch later The gory se to whch the prncess pts the wchs remnants cold agan be reated to pbery he pain and trama of sexa depriaton and isoaton represened by the wch are now objects of access to womanhood and sexal frition partclarly the adder which leads to her bed. This tale s fond n India oo, beginnng like he famos Brtsh ale Cap ORshes wh the explsion of the yonges princess who gies an nacceptable response to her kng-father's qestion. The prncess asks he prnce for some pppes and he oerhears her enacting the ncdents of her ife. The imposor her maid s bred to the wast and tramped by horses Suriname Folk-lore colleced by Melille J. Herskots and Frances S Herskoits New York, 1 936 p. 38 1 .) The Orphan The moif of he mother feeding her dagher from beyond the grae occurs he world ove. An almos eact arael wh hs aspect of he tae is the Grimm Brothers One Eye, Two Eye and Three Eye Treasre associated with the tree s also a feare of both, focsng prmary on the herones imminen rse n socia sats She is no a conjrer thogh her stemother proes to hae access to spells and enchantmen The herones own inner magc emanates from her 221
NOTES
innocence Te second common mof here s e type found in Te Goose Gil were an envious woman deceitflly takes e pace o f te tre brde See Te Woman Who Marred Her Son and The Sleeping Pince n ths voume A hrd sandad eement in faiy tales s he metamorposs of women into brds, either at wil or by enchantment for exampe, The White Duck' (European) The Cane Wfe' Qapan ese). See also Te Brd Woman', incuded n his colecion A more exciting parallel is found n Devil Woman' in Tales of the Cochiti Indians collected by Ru Benedct (Smithsonan Instituton, 930). Here a demon transforms a new mother into a bid a dove in ths nstance by sickng a pin n her head. The emoval of te pin ends the encantment (Tales of Old Malawi eod and edied by E. Sngano and A.A. Roscoe [Limbe Malaw 986] p. 69.) Part Four: MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS I.
Achol and Her Wild Mother
Anoher Dinka sory feauring a hman ion This one s tod by the daugter of Cief Deng Majok Nyankoc Deng wo was then aged eighteen to tweny. Peaps Achos moter's grisly compulsion to gathe wood and fofe her hands and feet to the ion actually epresent some ohe kind of misdemeanour, such as adultery. Angela Carte's notes copied from Dinka Folktale wod seem to support this lions are what the Dnka fear most (p 25) and A person who violates fundamena preceps of te Dinka moral code s often identied in the folk taes as an ousider and an animal' (p 6) She comments this differentates te anima from te human, the lons of e stories are not realy ions Hence the empass on uman nteracton with ions. As in the oter stores, the lioness s fed nightly by he daughter untl her son arives and beats te wildness out of her (see Duang and His Wld Wife p 77 in his collecion) (Deng p 95.) 2.
Tunjur Tunjur
A fty-veyeaold woman called Fatime rom he vilage of Arrabe n Gallee told te story of Tunjur, a cookingpot. Angea Carters notes quote he descpton of anoher teller fom Speak Bird, Speak Again (p. 31): When she came o the part about te mn defecatng in the cooking pot and he pot cosng on im Im Nabl auged; then stil laughing she said the pot chopped off te mans equpment Angea Care comments that men dont lke he sores partly becase some 222
NOTES
of the mores of which they are guardians eg the "womans honour thing are consistently challenged in the tales in which heroines predominate'. She goes on to quote again from Speak Bird, Speak Again (p 14) the ideologcal basis of the system les in the fatherson bond The female is denied as the other ' In ths story the daughter a cookng pot s qui e clearly the other, but is sparklingly in step with the cunning and playful herone of hn (see p. 1 3 noe p 2 2) n her ability to match every man in wits and strength She s a recognisable female rickster of the famous British Molly Whuppie ype (a female JacktheGiantKiller, even to the exten of going hat little b further than she has to, for the sake of a bit of fun The story s well in keepng with the woman's need in society to artculate her capablites without beng in he custody of he male infrastructure so men are entirely peripheral to this story except as fools (M uhawi and Kanaana, p 55.) 3 The Little Old Woman with Five Cows
A Yaku creaion myh tells of a Supreme Being who created a small and level world which was scratched up by evil deons and sprts making the hlls and valleys The evil spirits were regularly appeased and thanked by Yaku shamans Today hey inhabi the Lena basin and ntermarry wih Russans. The mgical maiden in this Yakut tale has her origins in what would appear to be foundaton myh of sorts The mddle land nhabted by the human race, here represented by the Yakuts is clearly n need of honour or redempion and the maiden is sen down as the saviour, duly sufferng trials, death and resurrecton Unlke he Finn Kngs Daughter' (Reidar Christiansen, p 47) and other tales, in which the reader is informed in phrase or sentence about the metamorphosis, this tale contains the horrc and explci process of transformation The demoness herself s lke the muzayyara an Egyptan waternymph with iron breasts (Folktales of Ept edited and translated by Hasan M E-Shamy U niversiy of Chicago, 1 938 p 80) Angela Carter comments: The ancient I ndan stories contain many horrible descrp tions of Rakshasas (ogres The goddess Kali herself is epcted her most ferocous wth her tongue hangng from her mouth like the demoness of this story who shoos out an ron tongue ke the trollwoman n he Finn King's Daughter', ths demoness is not quite famliar wth the social cusoms of the socety she is attempting to inltrate There is a cryptc reference to he fact that she wrongly fastened her horse to the willow ree where 223
NOTES
the old wdow fo Seyaksin used to tethe he spotted fox and this erts the hostilty of he husbands clan. The edito of Siberian and Other Folktale notes that each species of tee has a aste of ts own except the larch and it is with a larch branch that the plant aden kindles the re when she arives suggesting that she s n tune with huans and coes n fullent of a greate plan She also knows of an nterestng cleansing itual vtal to get d of the internal and extenal pollution of he husband caused by couplng with the deoness. The hanging of the Khan's son fo the tee fo pucaton i s einscent of Chst on the cucx and othe suspended gods such as Attis (Anatola), Sluy (Wales) and Wotan (Geanic) all of who etuned after a few days. (C. FillnghaCoxwell, p. 262.) 4.
Achol and her Adoptive Lioness-Mother
In ths tale told by a twentyyearold woan the ncest taboo s once agan theatened but antained through the intervention of non huan creatues. (Cf Diawac and He ncestuous Bothe' p. 104. Angela Carte coents: ncest taboos ae paticulaly coplex and ipotant n polygaous societes. Hee for exaple, Achol and he bothe cannot ecognze each othe, having been sepaated in ealy chldhood though the deceit of the half bothes.' Part Five: MARRIED WOMEN 1.
Sto of a Bird Woman
Angela Carter jotted down soe salient quotes fo Siberian and Other Folktale in he notes Stoies of brdwoen occu aong the Yakuts, the Lapps and the Saoyedes; It s not unknown fo a Sbeian folktale heo to ode a lage supply of boots when he undetakes a geat feat'; and Geneally speakng, the Chukchs beleve that all nature is aniated and that every aterial object can act, speak and walk by itself The transfoatons of anial goddesses into huan wves is the piay coponent of ths stoy. Japanese and Chnese folkloe abound n these. The jouney and agical battle of edepton found hee ae unusual, though Geneally the husband has to content hself wth his childen o - possbly - ae encountes with the departed wfe The Welsh classc The Song of Talesin ncludes a seies of incdents n which the goddess Ceedwen takes the fo of bids angng fo a ighty eagle to a acabe raven and a lowly hen (C FllnghamCoxwell p 82) 224
NOTES
2.
Father and Mothe Both Fast'
The tue pupose of ths joke which challen ges he incest taboo, is to rebound on the main protagonst It contans bawdy refeences to adultery and legitimacy, as do most cuckolded husband jokes It was coleced from Jim Alley by Richard Dorson (Buying the Wind; Regional Folklore in the United States, Richad M. Dorson [Chcago, 196], p 79) 3 Reason to Beat Your We
This pece of scatologcal humour comes from a thiyyea-old peasant woman from a vilage in the Nile delta, who remembered hearng it from her mother when she was ten Her husband put up some resistance to her offer of telling the story to the (male) editor Hasan EShamy and acceded to his appeal only on condiion hat he voice would not be recoded He enjoyed the stoy though and oked that his wife had put it to good use. The editor adds :
The climactic even in this humoro aecdote belongs under the geneal mot absurd wish The overall mot may be contrasted to The Taming of the Shrew which carries the local title of Kill Your Cat on Your Wedding Night In fac it is the notion o f a husband establishing his superiority over an already du tiful wife that gets its comeuppance here, so t s appropriate that the tae comes from a woman who go t from an olde woman The tale seems o advocate indulgence of the weaknesses of men and the fact that being dutiful pays off but it hin ts at conceaed guile with the robust earthy hum our famlar in Arab ales. For the audacious use of shit see hn (p. 13) and Tanjur Tanju' (p 139 and note pp 222223) (Hasan E-Shamy p. 2 1 7. ) 4 The Three Lovers
The paramour at the window in this tale from southwest Mexco receves a smiar fate to Chaucers character n The Mers Tale after havng hs rump kssed. (Cuentos Espaoles de Colorado y de Nuevo Mejico Vol. I , orgina tex by Juan B Rae! Stanford Universty Press 1957, p 105 Ths text ranslated by Merle E Simmons p. 427.)
225
NOTES
5
The Seven Leavenings
Angela Cate notes: Fatime again two taes woven together by the personaty of the old woman The woman moves fom fathers house to husbands house and at no time has space of her own but dont dsmiss the power of the "othe expessed partly n teng of taes embrodey, basketmaking pottey, weddng songs, aments. Then she quotes from Speak Bird Speak Easy: fo the femae, conct s nherent n the stuctue of the system. A footnote from the editors of that book eads: Inabiity to get pegnant and have children is the most common theme in al the folktaes n ths colecton (p. 207). Wthout a doubt this s one of the anxetes expessed by women in tales, patcuarly snce a man s moe easy fogiven f he hts a wfe who doesnt have chden (Jo cit.) The woman in this stoy is cleay an old crone wth magca instncts, a wly and wse helper of women who speaks n a cyptc language of he own ; fo exampe, The land s longng for its people want to go home. Pehaps the fact that the bread doesnt leaven means that he work the deverance of women from thei husbands, s neve nished except of course when t suts the stoytele to brng the tae to ts end. Beng an old woman, she s particularly sutabe as the companon of a younger woman and unkely to msguide her. This gves her the space to pactise the necessary wles to im prove the lot of her potge Angela Cater quotes, Ode women are thought to be asexual the husband is therefoe more eady to beleve n his wfes nnocence after the old woman conms her intepretation of "back on white (p. 2 1 ) The fame/vgnette fomat is standad n the Midde East (cf the Araban Nights). The seven in the title suggests that t is part of a cycle of seven stoies narated n the same formua. (Muhaw and Kanaana p 206.) 6.
The Untre We's Song
Anothe dang woman teaches her husband a esson in ths story colected by Ralph S. Boggs from B.L Lunsfod aged foty-fou, of North Caolna Ths tale is based on Old Hidebrande', a longe tale oignating from Euope and with an antclercal bias. (oual ofAmerican Folklore, 4 7 934 p. 305. ) 7.
The Woman Who Maied Her Son
Ths story was told by an eightytwoyearold woman from the vlage of Radya, distrct of Nablus, in Paestine, notes Angela Cater. The famar scenario of a wfe being replaced by a rval has a twist 226
NOTES
here when a mother repaces her daughterinaw n her sons bed and even becomes pregnant Muhawi and Kanaana compare her pca (cravng or sour grapes to the western one or pckes. The same theme appears in Rom' in Jan Knapperts Myt and Legen of the Congo, London 1 979 Roms mothers acton is in part prompted by pty that unknown to hm, hs sweetheart has abandoned hm so it is the young m an h imsel who commts a grsy suicde, chanting: I entered the lap I came out of My strength went back where it came from (p. 27).
Here though the mother s motvated by seshness and ust. In part her jeaousy s trggered by sharing status wth another wom an. Angea Carter quotes a Palestnan proverb The household o the ather is a payground and that o the husband is an educaton A woman always beongs n one househod or another' She ots down some phrases sexuality - uttery dsruptive o soca fabric especay emale sexuality; sexes segregated honour'. The tae certan y demonstrates the fear o dsru pton caused by this exampl e o emae sexualty gone rampant The sur to amy honour - guarded by men but odged in women - is punished with death by burnng Interestngly though the editors Muhawi and Kanaana attrbute the teler's omission o the deta o ths punishment to her quckenng o pace and brevty towards the end o the story it s reay more key to be her way o reducng the puntve consequences o emale transgresson. As or the segregaton o sexes - perhaps that s what makes t easer to beieve that a son coud mstake his mother or hs we, however wel dsguised she may be O course a mothernaw could be as young as thrty The brutaty o the w es action n casuay cutting ou t the innocent servant's tongue s not particuary unusua n fary tales or for that matter n history Here t ndcates her commtment to sence. When her tme o sence is up she alows the messenger to keep hs tongue The sience o a woma n in airy taes through either enchantment or commtment is a standard narrative devce to aciltate pot deveop ment. Ths s a legacy rom the early Midde Ages when women in European narratves lost ther voices durng the perod between betrotha and marrage he sence o herones appears as a redemp ton mot in severa German airy taes where loquacous herones never became popuar. In Europe the silencing of herones or ear o evl spels or the threat o everasting condemnaton was lnked to concepts o power and retribution or the origina sin (Muhaw and Kanaana p 60 ) 227
NOTES
8.
Duang and His Wild We
This sory was told by Nyanjur Deng, anoher of Chief Deng Maok's daughters, aged wenty. Angela Carter quotes from Dinka Folktale The ae Chief of he Nyok extended he pracce of dpomatic marriage furher han anyone else in he hisory of the Dnka He had nearly 200 wives drawn from most of he corners of Dnkaland. The famy was cosey knt lvng in several large villages, and all knds of dialects were spoken and subcultures represented' (p. 99) Here Duang considers hs wifes pica (cravng) o be unreasonabe snce the Dinka deplore he klng of animas for any reason other than ritual or sacrice His decefu act re-emphasses tha from Amous point of view Duang has behaved as an outsder. Havng gone through the cvlsing ritua (see Diirawac and Her Incestuous B rother' p. 04 and Achol and Her Wld Mother' p. 35) she avenges herself wh his death (Deng, p 97 ) 9
A Stroke of Luck
One of a body of jocular tales about the inabiliy of women to keep a secret. n some varants the rustng husband ges ino rouble; here he urns it to hs advantage (Degh, p. 47) 10
The Beans in the Quartjar
Anoher cuckolded husband joke told by Jim Alley to Richard Dorson (see Father and Mother Both "Fast p. 162 and The Untrue Wfe' Song p 73) (Dorson p. 80 .)
Part Six: USEF L STORIES 1
A Fable of a Bird and Her Chicks
A stern and drky humorous fble abou preparaton for the touh and persecutory side of ife, this story is representaive of Yddish humour and aphorisms. From Yiddish Foltales, edied by Beatrice Siverman Wenreich with a foreword by Leonard Woof. 2.
The Three Aunts
Od Habetro is the English variant of the Norse tale in whch the 228
NOTES
heper presents hersef to the ay spinners husband as an lustraton of what mght happen to hs wfe f she is forced to pursue the crafts of spnnng and weavng (cf. Vaslssa the Far p. 78 who actualy does spn weave and sttch the kngs shrts to perfecton, so is naturally under no pressure to contnue) The azy spnner though resists the pressure of her stratened crcumstances to te her to a spinning whee . Since the only reease from her penury es n marryng an auent man gue and subterfuge are necessary escape devces. What s most enjoyabe is the conspracy of women, which not ony conceals the herones trckery but saves her from a future of drudgery and rebuke Not so the post 1 8 1 9 edtons of the Grmms' story whch demands of the reader You must yourself admt that she was a dsgustng woman . (Darsent p. 194) 3
Tale ofan Old Woman
Murwa' s the Bondes word for sycamore An amost identical story occurs n the South Pacc. These stores ndcate that the condtons imposed by magca hepers are bnd ng If they are not duy respected, the creatures wthdraw (see Story of a Brd Woman' p 1 59) . In both these stores nothng s left behind as a remnder of the days of grace (African Folktales edted by Roger Abrahams New York Pantheon Fokore Lbrary 1 983), p. 57. ) 4.
The Height of Purple Passion
An unsolved mystery riddle endng n antclimax. The author colec ted t from a nneyearold American gr n the presence of her stunned parents. The source of the joke s probaby a French terary story that stil survives under varous names includng The Bordeaux Diligence whch occurs in a Htchcock anthology of horror stories from the ate sixtes (The Rationale of the Dity joke Vol I by C. Legman [London Panther 973] p 1 2 1 ) 5
Salt Sauce and Spice, Onion Leaves Peppe and Drippings
The power of the name s a fundamental premse of ths story The password - he coveted mans name - is ony gained after a specc and vtal test has been passed. Un ke the Tom Tt Tot group (stores lke Rumpestltskn') the test s servce and generosty of sprit rather than trickery and contest. As n al Dummling (smpleton) stores the most unkey canddate trumphs. (Abrahams, p. 299.)
229
NOTES
6.
Tw Sisters and the Boa
A careless joke with a non-human creature results in a scary mistake (see 'The Mdwife and the Frog p 87) The ale s otherwse of the Beauty and he Beast ype. The point tha the wcked sister always seems to mss s that the reward ies not n emuatng her sisters acions but n her generosy of sprit (Source unknown ) 7.
Spreading the Fngers
A moral tale fro Suriname remniscent of an ora Isamic ale n which a pauper shares out the food quoa allocated hm for hs entre life and ensures hat he never goes hungry But his gam s with God who is a willing payer in i. (Melvlle J. and Frances S Heskovts, p 35 5. )
230
The End
