The Child's World Part 22

"To Wolf," they all cried.

"Stealing is a crime that must be punished," said King Lion. "What shall be done?"

"Let Monkey be hanged," they all cried.

Monkey still had his magic fiddle. Holding it in his hand, he made a deep bow and said: "Give me leave to play a tune on my fiddle before I hang, O King."

Now, the beasts all loved a merry tune, and knowing that Monkey was a master player they called out, "Let him play."

III

Monkey placed the fiddle under his chin, drew the bow across the strings, and struck up "c.o.c.kcrow." This was a favorite tune with the court. At the first notes all nodded their heads in time to the music.

As Monkey played on, the entire court began to dance.

Round and round they went like a whirlwind. Over and over, quicker and quicker sounded the tune of "c.o.c.kcrow." Faster and faster flew the dancers, until one after another fell to the ground worn out.

Monkey saw nothing of all this. With eyes closed and his head placed lovingly against the fiddle, he played on and on, keeping time with his foot.

Wolf was the first one to cry out, "Please stop, Cousin Monkey. For pity's sake, stop."

But Monkey did not seem to hear him. Again and again sounded the magic notes of "c.o.c.kcrow."

King Lion had gone round and round with his young wife so many times that both were ready to drop. At last, as he pa.s.sed Monkey, he roared, "Stop, ape! My whole kingdom is yours if you will only stop playing."

"I do not want it," said Monkey. "Make Wolf confess that he tried to steal my bow and arrow. Then I will stop playing."

"I confess! I confess!" panted Wolf, who was ready to fall to the ground.

"Good," cried King Lion, as the music stopped. "Monkey is innocent. Let him have his bow and arrow."

"Punish Wolf!" cried the animals.

So Wolf was soundly beaten and driven from the court. Then Monkey went off rejoicing, carrying with him his magic gifts.

--AFRICAN TALE.

THE THREE TASKS

I

There were once two brothers who set out to seek their fortune. They wasted their time and their money in all sorts of foolish ways, and before long they were nearly penniless.

After the two brothers had been gone some time, their younger brother, who had always been thought the simpleton of the family, set out to seek his fortune.

One day as he was pa.s.sing through a village far away from home, he found his two brothers.

"Where are you going?" they asked.

"I am going to seek my fortune," he replied.

"Ha, ha! how foolish you are!" they cried. "With all our wit and wisdom we have been unable to make our fortune. It is silly of you even to try." And they laughed and made fun of him.

Nevertheless, the three brothers decided to travel on together. As they journeyed on, they saw a large ant hill by the side of the road. The two elder brothers were about to destroy it, when the simpleton said, "Leave the poor ants alone. I will not let you disturb them."

They went on their way until they came to a pond upon which two ducks were swimming. The two older brothers were about to kill them, when the simpleton said, "Leave them alone. I will not let you kill them."

Soon the three came to a tree, in the trunk of which was a wild bee's nest. The two older brothers wished to steal the honey. They started to make a fire under the tree and smoke out the bees. The simpleton said, "Leave the poor bees alone. I will not let you rob them."

II

At last the three brothers came to a castle where everything looked as if it had been turned to stone. There was not a single human being to be seen. They walked along the great wide hall, but still they saw no one.

"The castle must be enchanted," the brothers said to one another.

After pa.s.sing through many rooms, they came to a door in which there were three locks. In the middle of the door was a little grating through which they could look into the room beyond.

They saw a little man, dressed in gray, seated at a table. Twice they called to him, but he did not answer. They called a third time. Then he rose, opened the three locks, and came out.

He said not a word, but led them to a table on which a feast was spread.

When they had eaten and drunk as much as they wished, the old man showed each of them to a bedroom. There they rested well all night.

The next morning the little gray man came to the eldest brother and beckoned him to follow. He led him to a room in which there was a stone table, and on the table there lay three stone tablets.

[Ill.u.s.tration: The little gray man and the tablets]

On the table near the tablets was written:

"This castle is enchanted. Before the enchantment can be broken, there are three tasks to be performed. The one who performs these three tasks shall marry the youngest and dearest of the three princesses who now lie asleep in the castle."

When the eldest brother had read this, the old man gave him the first tablet. On it was written:

"In the forest, hidden beneath the thick moss, are the pearls which belonged to the princesses. They are a thousand in number. These must be collected by sunset. If one single pearl is missing, then he who has sought them shall be turned to stone."

The eldest brother searched the whole day long, but by sunset he had found only a hundred pearls. So he was turned to stone.

The following day the second brother tried his luck, but by sunset he had found but two hundred pearls. So he, too, was turned to stone.

Then it came the simpleton's turn. He searched all day amidst the moss, but he fared little better than his brothers. At last he sat down upon a stone and burst into tears.

As he sat there, the king of the ants, whose life he had once saved, came with five thousand ants. Before long the little creatures had found every one of the pearls and piled them up in a heap.