Good Stories for Holidays Part 29

THE OLD WITCH

BY THE BROTHERS GRIMM (TRANSLATED)

There was once a little girl who was very willful and who never obeyed when her elders spoke to her; so how could she be happy?

One day she said to her parents: "I have heard so much of the old witch that I will go and see her. People say she is a wonderful old woman, and has many marvelous things in her house, and I am very curious to see them."

But her parents forbade her going, saying: "The witch is a wicked old woman, who performs many G.o.dless deeds; and if you go near her, you are no longer a child of ours."

The girl, however, would not turn back at her parents' command, but went to the witch's house. When she arrived there the old woman asked her:--

"Why are you so pale?"

"Ah," she replied, trembling all over, "I have frightened myself so with what I have just seen."

"And what did you see?" inquired the old witch.

"I saw a black man on your steps."

"That was a collier," replied she.

"Then I saw a gray man."

"That was a sportsman," said the old woman.

"After him I saw a blood-red man."

"That was a butcher," replied the old woman.

"But, oh, I was most terrified," continued the girl, "when I peeped through your window, and saw not you, but a creature with a fiery head."

"Then you have seen the witch in her proper dress," said the old woman.

"For you I have long waited, and now you shall give me light."

So saying the witch changed the little girl into a block of wood, and then threw it on the fire; and when it was fully alight, she sat down on the hearth and warmed herself, saying:--

"How good I feel! The fire has not burned like this for a long time!"

s.h.i.+PPEITARO

A j.a.pANESE FOLK-TALE:

BY MARY F. NIXON-ROULET (ADAPTED) [10]

[Footnote 10: From j.a.panese Folk-Stories and Fairy Tales. Copyright, 1908, by American Book Company.]

Once upon a time there was a brave soldier lad who was seeking his fortune in the wide, wide world. One day he lost his way in a pathless forest, and wandered about until he came at length to a small clearing in the midst of which stood a ruined temple. The huge trees waved above its walls, and the leaves in the thicket whispered around them. No sun ever shone there, and no human being lived there.

A storm was coming up, and the soldier lad took refuge among the ruins.

"Here is all I want," said he. "Here I shall have shelter from the storm-G.o.d's wrath, and a comfortable place to sleep in."

So he wrapped himself in his cloak, and, lying down, was soon fast asleep. But his slumbers did not last long. At midnight he was wakened by fearful shrieks, and springing to his feet, he looked out at the temple door.

The storm was over. Moonlight shone on the clearing. And there he saw what seemed to be a troop of monstrous cats, who like huge phantoms marched across the open s.p.a.ce in front of the temple. They broke into a wild dance, uttering shrieks, howls, and wicked laughs. Then they all sang together:--

"Whisper not to s.h.i.+ppeitaro That the Phantom Cats are near; Whisper not to s.h.i.+ppeitaro, Lest he soon appear!"

The soldier lad crouched low behind the door, for brave as he was he did not wish these fearful creatures to see him. But soon, with a chorus of wild yells, the Phantom Cats disappeared as quickly as they had come, and all was quiet as before.

Then the soldier lad lay down and went to sleep again, nor did he waken till the sun peered into the temple and told him that it was morning. He quickly found his way out of the forest and walked on until he came to the cottage of a peasant.

As he approached he heard sounds of bitter weeping. A beautiful young maiden met him at the door, and her eyes were red with crying. She greeted him kindly.

"May I have some food?" said he.

"Enter and welcome," she replied. "My parents are just having breakfast.

You may join them, for no one pa.s.ses our door hungry."

Thanking her the lad entered, and her parents greeted him courteously but sadly, and shared their breakfast with him. He ate heartily, and, when he was finished, rose to go.

"Thank you many times for this good meal, kind friends," said he, "and may happiness be yours."

"Happiness can never again be ours!" answered the old man, weeping.

"You are in trouble, then," said the lad. "Tell me about it; perhaps I can help you in some way."

"Alas!" replied the old man, "There is within yonder forest a ruined temple. It is the abode of horrors too terrible for words. Each year a demon, whom no one has ever seen, demands that the people of this land give him a beautiful maiden to devour. She is placed in a cage and carried to the temple just at sunset. This year it is my daughter's turn to be offered to the fiend!" And the old man buried his face in his hands and groaned.

The soldier lad paused to think for a moment, then he said:--

"It is terrible, indeed! But do not despair. I think I know a way to help you. Who is s.h.i.+ppeitaro?"

"s.h.i.+ppeitaro is a beautiful dog, owned by our lord, the prince,"

answered the old man.

"That is just the thing!" cried the lad. "Only keep your daughter closely at home. Do not let her out of your sight. Trust me and she shall be saved."

Then the soldier lad hurried away, and found the castle of the prince.

He begged that he might borrow s.h.i.+ppeitaro just for one night.

"You may take him upon the condition that you bring him back safely,"

said the prince.