Fairy stories and wonder tales, by Dr. Thomas Dunn English

Preface

The author of the following Fairy Stories and Wonder Tales has long been known throughout the world as the writer of a much admired song of half a century ago, as well as the author of poems of far greater merit, and as novelist, playwright and journalist. The tales in this volume, gathered up with his consent from various periodical publications, represent but a small part of Dr. English’s contribution to Child Literature, and testify to his success in this department and to the wholesomeness of his writings for the young.

If the impression made upon my own mind by reading these stories as they first appeared in print, be any criterion of the manner in which they were received by others, my desire to have them collected and published in this volume needs no other explanation. That some of them have been translated into other languages is perhaps further evidence of the interest awakened by them in their original form and that they are deserving of the permanence now given them.

Preface,

To the publishers of the various periodicals in which these tales first reached the public, and who have so courteously consented to this present use of them, and especially to Messrs. Harper & Brothers, The Century Company and The Nezv York Independent, I hereby make my most grateful acknowledgments.

Florence English Noll.

To the Memory of

MY MOTHER

ANNIE MAXWELL ENGLISH whose approval these tales had won in their earlier form this volume is affectionately dedicated F. E. N.

Contents

I. Pambookat, {Harper's Magazine .) , . i

II* The Axe of Ranier, (St. Nicholas .) # 32

III* Didoze, (-A^. Y. Independent .) . # *54

II. The Axe of Ranier

Once upon a time there lived on the borders of a forest an old woman named Jehanne, who had an only son, a youth of twenty-one years, who was called Ranier. Where the two had originally come from no one knew, but they had lived in their little hut for many years. Ranier was a wood-cutter, and depended on his daily labor for the support of himself and mother, while the later eked out their scanty means by spinning. The son, although poor, was not without learning, for an old monk in a neighbouring convent had taught him to read and write, and had given him instructions in arithmetic. Ranier was handsome, active and strong, and very much attached to his mother, to whom he paid all the honour and obedience due from a son to a parent.

One morning in Spring Ranier went to his work in the forest with his axe on his shoulder, whistling one of the simple airs of the country as he pursued his way. Striding along beneath the branches of the great oaks and chestnuts, he began to reflect upon the hard fate which seemed to doom him to toil and wretchedness, and, thus thinking, whistled no longer. Presently he sat down upon a moss-covered rock, and laying his axe by his side, let his thoughts shape themselves into words.

“This is a sad life of mine," said Ranier. “ I might better it, perhaps, were I to enlist in the army of the King, where I should at least have food and clothing ; but I cannot leave my mother, of whom I am the sole stay and support. Must I always live thus — a poor wood-chopper, earning one day the bread I eat the next, and no more ? ”

Ranier suddenly felt that some one was near him, and, on looking up, sprang to his feet and removed his cap. Before him stood a beautiful lady, clad in a robe of green satin, with a mantle of crimson velvet on her shoulders, and bearing in her hand a white wand.

Fairy Talcs.

“ Ranier ! ” said the unknown, “ I am the fairy, Rougevert. I know your history, and have heard your complaint. What gift shall I bestow on you ? ”

“ Beautiful fairy,” replied the young man, “ I scarcely know what to ask. But I bethink me that my axe is nearly worn out, and I have no money with which to buy another.”

The fairy smiled, for she knew that the answer of Ranier came from his embarrassment ; and, going to a tree hard by, she tapped on the bark with her wand. Thereupon the tree opened, and she took from a recess in its centre a keen-edged axe with an ashen handle.

“ Here,” said Rougevert, “ is the most excellent axe in the world. With this you can achieve what no wood-chopper has ever done yet. You have only to whisper to yourself what you wish done, and then speak to it properly, and the axe will at once perform all you require, without taxing your strength and with marvellous quickness.”

The fairy then taught him the words he should use, and, promising to farther befriend him as he had need, vanished.

Ranier took the axe and went at once to the place where he intended to labour for the day. He was not sure that the axe would do what the giver had promised, but thought it proper to try its powers. “ For,” he said to himself, “ the ranger has given me a hundred trees to fell, for each of which I am to receive a silver groat. To cut these in the usual way would take many days. I will wish the axe to fell and trim them speedily, so,” — he continued aloud, as he had been taught by the fairy — “ Axe ! axe ! chop ! chop ! and work for my profit ! ”

Thereupon the axe suddenly leaped from his hands and began to chop with great skill and swiftness. Having soon cut down, trimmed and rolled a hundred trees together, it returned and placed itself in the hands of Ranier.

The wood-chopper was very much delighted with all this, and sat there pleasantly reflecting upon his good fortune in possessing so useful a servant, when the ranger of the forest came along. The latter, who was a great lord, was much surprised when he saw the trees lying there.

“ How is this?” asked the ranger, whose name was Woodmount. “At this time yesterday these trees were standing. How did you contrive to fell them so soon ?”

“ I had assistance, my Lord,” replied Ranier ; but he said nothing about the magic axe.

Lord Woodmount hereupon entered into conversation with Ranier, and finding him to be intelligent and prompt in his replies, was much pleased with him. At last he said :

“ We have had much difficulty in getting ready the timber for the King’s new palace, in consequence of the scarcity of wood-cutters and the slowness with which they work. There are over twenty thousand trees yet to be cut and hewn, and for every tree fully finished the King allows a noble of fifty groats, although he gives but a groat for the felling alone. It is necessary that they should all be ready within a month, though I fear that it is impossible. As you seem to be able to get a number of laborers together, I will allot you a thousand trees, if you choose, should you undertake to have them all ready to be hauled away for the builders’ use within a month’s time.”

The Axe of Ranier.

“ My Lord,” answered Ranier, “ I will undertake to have the whole twenty thousand ready before the time set.”

“Do you know what you say?” inquired the ranger, astonished at the bold proposal.

“ Perfectly, my Lord,” was the reply. “ Let me undertake the work on condition that you will cause the forest to be guarded, and no one to enter save they have my written permission. Before the end of the month the trees will be ready.”

“Well,” said Lord Woodmount, “it is a risk for me to run ; but, from what you have done already, it is possible you may obtain enough woodmen to complete your task. Yet, beware ! If you succeed I will not only give you twenty thousand nobles of gold, but also appoint you — if you can write, as you have told me — the deputy ranger here ; and for every day less than a month in which you finish your contract I will add a hundred nobles ; but, if you fail, I will have you hanged on a tree. When shall you begin ? ”

“To-morrow morning,” replied Ranier.

The next morning, before daylight, Ranier took his way to the forest, leaving all his money save three groats with his mother, and, after telling her that he might not return for a day or so, passed the guard that he found already set, and plunged into the wood. When he came to a place where the trees were thickest and loftiest, he whispered to himself what he had to do, and said to the axe : “ Axe ! axe ! chop ! chop ! and work for my profit.” The axe at once went to work with great earnestness, and by nightfall over ten thousand trees were felled, hewn and thrown into piles. Then Ranier, who had not ceased before to watch the work, ate some of the provisions which he had brought with him, and throwing himself under a great tree, whose spreading boughs shaded him from the moonlight, drew his scanty mantle around him, and slept soundly till sunrise.

The next morning Ranier arose and looked with delight at the work already done ; then, speaking again to the axe, it began chopping away as before.

Now it chanced that morning that the chief ranger had started to see how the work was

The Axe of Ranter.

being done, and, on reaching the forest, asked the guards if many wood-cutters had entered. They all replied that only one had made his appearance, but he must be working vigorously, since all that morning, and the whole day before, the wood had resounded with the blows of axes. The Lord Woodmount thereupon rode on in great anger, for he thought that Ranier had mocked him. But presently he came to great piles of hewn timber, which astonished him much ; and then he heard the axes’ sound, which astonished him more, for it seemed as though twenty thousand woodchoppers were engaged at once, so great was the din. When he came to where the axe was at work, he thought he saw — and this was through the magic power of the fairy — thousands of wood-cutters, all arrayed in green hose and red jerkins, some felling the trees, some hewing them into square timber, and others arranging the hewn logs into piles of a hundred each, while Ranier stood looking on. He was so angry at the guards for having misinformed him, that he at once rode back and rated them soundly on their supposed un-

Fairy Tales.

truth. But as they persisted in the story that but one man had passed, he grew angrier than ever. While he was still rating them, Ranier came up.

“ Well, my Lord,” said the latter, “ if you will go or send to examine, you will find that twenty thousand trees are already cut, squared and made ready to be hauled to the King’s palace-ground.”

The ranger at once rode back into the forest, and, having counted the number of piles, was much pleased, and ordered Ranier to come that day week when the timber would be inspected, and if it were all properly done he would receive the twenty thousand nobles agreed upon.

“ Excuse me, my Lord,” suggested Ranier, “ but the work has been done in two days instead of thirty ; and twenty-eight days off at a hundred nobles per day makes twentytwo thousand eight hundred nobles as my due.”

“True,” replied the ranger; “and if you want money now ”

“ Oh, no ! ” interrupted Ranier, “ I have three groats in my purse, and ten more at home, which will be quite sufficient for my need.”

At this the ranger laughed outright, and then rode away.

At the end of a week, Ranier sought the ranger’s castle, and there received not only an order on the King’s treasurer for the money, but also the patent of deputy-ranger of the King’s forest, and the allotment of a handsome house in which to live. Thither Ranier brought his mother, and as he was now rich, he bought him fine clothing, and hired him servants, and lived in grand style, performing all the duties of his office as though he had been used to it all his life. People noticed, however, that the new deputy-ranger never went out without his axe, which occasioned some gossip at first ; but some one having suggested that he did so to show that he was not ashamed of his former condition, folk were satisfied, — though the truth was that he carried the axe for service only.

Now it happened that Ranier was walking alone one evening in the forest to observe whether any one was trying to kill the Kings deer, and while there, he heard the clash of swords. On going to the spot whence the noise came, he saw a cavalier richly clad, with his back to a tree, defending himself as he best might, from a half-dozen men in armour, each with his visor down. Ranier had no sword, for, not being a knight, it was forbidden him to bear such a weapon ; but he bethought him of his axe, and hoped it might serve the men as it had the trees. So he wished these cowardly assailants killed, and when he uttered the prescribed words, the axe fell upon the villains, and so hacked and hewed them that they were at once destroyed. But it seemed to the knight thus rescued that it was the arm of Ranier which guided the axe, for such was the magic of the fairy.

So soon as the assailants had been slain, the axe came back into Ranier’s hand, and Ranier went to the knight, who was faint with his wounds, and offered to lead him to his house. And when he examined him fully, he bent on his knee, for he discovered that it was the King, Dagobert, whom he had seen once before when the latter was hunting in the forest.

The King said : “ This is the deputy-ranger, Master Ranier. Is it not ?”

“ Yes, sire !” replied Ranier.

The King laid the blade of his sword on Ranier’s shoulder, and said :

“ I dub thee knight. Rise up, Sir Ranier ! Be trusty, true and loyal.”

Sir Ranier arose a knight, and with the King examined the faces of the would-be assassins, who were found to be great lords of the country, and among them was Lord Woodmount.

“Sir Ranier,” said the King, “have these wretches removed and buried. The office of chief ranger is thine.”

While the King was partaking of refreshments at Ranier’s house, the new ranger sent trusty servants to bury the slain. After this, King Dagobert returned to his palace, whence he sent the new knight his own sword, a baldrick and spurs of gold, a collar studded with jewels, the patent of chief ranger of the forest, and a letter inviting him to visit the Court,

Now, when Sir Ranier went to Court, the ladies there, seeing that he was young and handsome, treated him with great favour ; and even the King’s daughter, the Princess Isaure, smiled sweetly on him, which, when divers great lords saw, they were very angry, and plotted to injure the new-comer ; for they thought him of base blood, and were much chagrined that he should have been made a knight, and be thus welcomed by the Princess and the ladies of the Court ; and they hated him more as the favourite of the King. So they conferred together how to punish him for his good fortune, and at length formed a plan which they thought would serve their ends.

It must be understood that King Dagobert was at that time engaged in a war with King Grimbald, who reigned over an adjoining kingdom, and that the armies of the two kings now lay within thirty miles of the forest, and were about to give each other battle. As Sir Ranier, it was supposed, had never been bred to feats of arms, they thought if they could get him in the field, he would so disgrace himself

The Axe of Ranier.

as to lose the favour of the King and the court dames, or be certainly slain. For these lords knew nothing of the adventure of the King in the forest — all those in the conspiracy having been slain — and thought that Ranier had either rendered some trifling service to the King, or in some way had pleased the sovereign’s fancy. So when the King and some of the great lords of the Court were engaged in talking of the battle that was soon to be fought, one of the conspirators, named Dyvour, approached them, and said :

“ Why not send Sir Ranier there, sire ; for he is, no doubt, a brave and accomplished knight, and would render great service ?”

The King was angry at this, for he knew that Ranier had not been bred to arms, and readily penetrated the purpose that prompted the suggestion. Before he could answer, however, Sir Ranier, who had heard the words of Dyvour, spoke up and said :

“ I pray you, sire, to let me go ; for, though I may not depend much upon my lance and sword, I have an axe that never fails me.”

Then the King remembered of the marvellous feats which he had seen Ranier perform in his behalf, and he replied :

“ You shall go, Sir Ranier ; and as the Lord Dyvour has made a suggestion of such profit, he shall have the high honour of attending as one of the knights in your train, where he will, doubtless, support you well.”

At this, the rest laughed, and Dyvour was much troubled, for he was a great coward. But he dared not refuse obedience.

The next morning, Sir Ranier departed along with the King for the field of battle, bearing his axe with him ; and, when they arrived, they found both sides drawn up in battle order, and waiting the signal to begin. Before they fell to, a champion of the enemy, a knight of fortune from Bohemia, named Sir Paul, who was over seven feet in height, and a very formidable soldier, who fought as well with his left hand as with his right, rode forward between the two armies, and defied any knight in King Dagobert’s train to single combat.

Then said Dyvour: “No doubt, here is a good opportunity for Sir Ranier to show his prowess,”

41 Be sure that it is ! ” exclaimed Sir Ranier ; and he rode forward to engage Sir Paul.

When the Bohemian knight saw only a stripling, armed with a woodman’s axe, he laughed. “ Is this girl their champion, then ?” he asked. 44 Say thy prayers, young sir, for thou art not long for this world, I promise thee.”

But Ranier whispered to himself, “ I want me this braggart hewn to pieces, and then the rest beaten and added, aloud : 44 Axe ! axe ! chop ! chop ! and work for my profit ! ” Whereupon the axe leaped forward, and dealt such a blow upon Sir Paul that it pierced through his helmet, and clave him to the saddle. Then it went chopping among the enemy with such force that it cut them down by hundreds ; and King Dagobert with his army falling upon them, won a great victory.

Now the magic of the axe followed it here as before, and every looker-on believed he saw Sir Ranier slaying his hundreds. So it chanced when the battle was over, and those were recalled who pursued the enemy, that a group of knights and the great lords of the Court who were gathered around the King,

4 S and were discussing the events of the day, agreed as one man, that there never had been a warrior as potent as Sir Ranier since the days of Roland, and that he deserved to be made a great lord. And the King thought so, too. So he created him a baron on the field, and ordered his patent of nobility to be made out on their return, and gave him castles and land ; and, furthermore, told him he would grant him any favour more he chose to ask, though it were half the kingdom.

When Dyvour and others heard this, they were more envious than ever, and concerted together a plan for the ruin of Lord Treefell, for such was Sir Ranier’s new title. After many things had been proposed and rejected, Dyvour said: “The Princess Isaure loves this stripling, as I have been told by my sister, the Lady Zanthe, who attends on her Highness. I think he has dared to raise his hopes to her. I will persuade him to demand her hand as the favour the King has promised. Ranier does not know our ancient law, and, while he will fail in his suit, the King will be so offended at his presumption that he will speedily dismiss him from the Court.”

The Axe of Ranier.

This plan was greatly approved. Dyvour sought out Ranier, to whom he professed great friendship, with many regrets for all he might have said or done in the past calculated to give annoyance. As Dyvour was a great dissembler, and Ranier was frank and unsuspicious, they became very intimate. At length, one day when they were together, Dyvour said :

“ Have you ever solicited the King for the favour promised ? ”

And Ranier answered, “ No !”

“ Then,” said Dyvour, “ it is a pity that you do not love the Princess Isaure.”

“Why?” inquired Ranier.

“ Because,” replied Dyvour, “ the Princess not only favours you, but, I think, from what my sister Zanthe has said, that the King has taken this mode of giving her to you, and at her special instance.”

Ranier knew that the Lady Zanthe was the favourite maiden of the Princess, and, as we are easily persuaded in the way our inclinations run, he took heart and determined to act upon Dyvour’s counsel.

About a week afterward, while the King was walking in the courtyard of his palace, as he did at times, he met with Ranier.

“ You have never asked of me the favour I promised, good Baron,” said King Dagobert.

“It is true, your Majesty,” said Ranier; “ but it was because I feared to ask what I most desired.”

“Speak,” said the King, “and fear not.”

Therefore Ranier preferred his request for the hand of the Princess.

“ Baron,” replied the King, frowning, “some crafty enemy has prompted you to this. The daughter of a king should only wed with the son of a king. Nevertheless, there is an ancient law, never fulfilled since the conditions are impossible, which says that any one of noble birth, who has saved the King s life, vanquished the King’s enemies in battle, and built a castle forty cubits high in a single night, shall wed the King’s daughter. Though you have saved my life and vanquished my enemies, yet you are not of noble birth, nor, were you so, could you build such a castle in such a space of time.”

“ I am of noble blood, nevertheless,” said Ranier, proudly, “ although I have been a wood-chopper. My father, who died in banishment, was the Duke of Manylands, falsely accused of having conspired against the late King, your august father ; and I can produce the record of my birth. Our line is as noble as any in your realm, sire, and nobler than most.”

“ If that be true, and I doubt it not,” answered King Dagobert, “ the law holds good for you. But you must first build a palace where we stand, and that in a single night. So your suit is hopeless.”

The King turned and entered the palace, leaving Ranier in deep sorrow, for he thought the condition impossible. As he stood thus, the fairy, Rougevert, appeared.

** Be not downcast,” she said ; “ but build that castle to-night.”

“ Alas ! ” cried Ranier, “ it cannot be done.”

“ Look at your axe,” returned the fairy. “ Do you not see that the back of the blade is shaped like a hammer ? ”

So she taught Ranier what words to use, and vanished.

Fairy Tales.

When the sun was down, Ranier came to the courtyard, and raising his axe with the blade upward, he said aloud : “ Axe ! axe ! hammer ! hammer ! and build for my profit ! ” The axe at once leaped forward with the hammer part downward, and began cracking the solid rock on which the courtyard lay, and shaping it into oblong blocks, and heaping them one on the other. So much noise was made thereby that the warders first, and then the whole Court, came out to ascertain the cause. Even the King himself was drawn to the spot. And it seemed to them, all through the magic of the fairy, that there were hundreds on hundreds of workmen in green cloth hose and red leather jerkins, some engaged in quarrying and shaping, and others in laying the blocks, and others in keying arches, and adjusting doors and windows, and making oriels and towers and turrets. And still as they looked, the building arose foot by foot, and before dawn a great stone castle, forty cubits high, with its towers and battlements, its portcullis, and its great gate, stood in the courtyard.

When King Dagobert saw this he em-

The Axe of Ranier.

braced Ranier, continued to him the title of his father, whose ducal estates he restored to the son, and sending for the Princess Isaure, who appeared radiant with joy and beauty, he betrothed the young couple in the presence of the Court.

So Ranier and Isaure were married, and lived long and happily ; and, on the death of Dagobert, Ranier reigned. As for the axe, that is lost, somehow, and, although I have made diligent inquiry, I have never been able to find where it is. Some people think the fairy took it after King Ranier died, and hid it again in a tree ; and I recommend all woodchoppers to look at the heart of every tree they fell, for this wonderful axe. They can not mistake it, since the word “Boldness” is cut on the blade, and the word “ Energy” is printed, in letters of gold, on the handle.

m.

Didoze.

Once upon a time there lived a youth whose name was Fearnot. His father had been a gentleman of the Court and his mother one of the ladies in waiting to the Queen, and both were of noble descent. But the pair had given offense in some way to the royal family, whereby they lost favour. Pursued by the frown of the sovereign, they left the royal presence, and sought shelter in a small chateau, which had belonged to the Lady Sol, Fearnot’s mother, before her marriage with the chevalier, her husband. The income of the couple was so small that they barely managed to support themselves, their only son, and one servant. In a few years their very existence was forgotten by the Court, and after their old servant died and their son had nearly arrived at the age of manhood they

Didoze .

died also and on the same day. Their son received their parting blessing, with an injunction to devote himself to honour and truth, and to enter the service of the King at the first opportunity, making his profession that of arms — at that period the only avenue to distinction. The father had occupied the closing years of his life in the instruction of his son, having the future profession of the latter in view ; and Fearnot was enabled to ride, fence, and perform all kinds of martial exercises. He had also been taught to read, write, and compose verses so well that he was esteemed a skillful minstrel, and almost too learned for any one not destined for a clerk.

The patrimony of Fearnot was small. Besides the ch&teau and its furniture, there was a village of six small houses, tenanted by some woodmen, who paid him a small rent, a little pasture-field, about ten acres of thriving woodland, and as much more in arable ground and orchard. Besides these, he had two horses, both so aged as to have become staid in demeanour and orderly in habits, two swords, a complete suit of armour, a few silk and velvet mantles, a gold baldrick, a harp and zither, and a purse containing twenty broad pieces of gold. It was not a tempting array of riches, and Fearnot pondered long and deeply on the best mode of winning reputation and wealth. For several nights he lay awake, engaged in thinking upon his circumstances and the course he should pursue, until the dawn surprised him, when he would fall asleep and not wake until noonday.

On the sixth of these wakeful nights he failed to fall asleep as usual on the approach of daylight. As the rays of the morning sun streamed into his scantily-furnished chamber, his eyes fell upon the opposite side of the apartment. There they rested on a switch of witch hazel, which he had picked up in the forest the day before and brought home, placing it against the wall previously to retiring to rest. As he looked on this, he observed that the top of the switch began to swell and puff, until it took the shape of a long, lank face; a couple of twigs on the upper part lengthened into a pair of thin, bony arms ; and the switch, after raising itself upon its single leg, com-