Variants of type AT 333

Little Red Riding Hood

Charles Perrault

Once upon a time there was a little village girl, the prettiest that had ever been seen. Her mother doted on her. Her grandmother was even fonder, and made her a little red hood, which became her so well that everywhere she went by the name of Little Red Riding Hood. One day her mother, who had just made and baked some cakes, said to her: "Go and see how your grandmother is, for I have been told that she is ill. Take her a cake and this little pot of butter." Little Red Riding Hood set off at once for the house of her grandmother, who lived in another village. On her way through a wood she met compere Wolf. He would have very much liked to eat her, but dared not do so on account of some wood-cutters who were in the forest. He asked her where she was going. The poor child, not knowing that it was dangerous to stop and listen to a wolf, said: "I am going to see my grandmother, and am taking her a cake and a pot of butter which my mother has sent to her." "Does she live far away?" asked the Wolf. "Oh yes," replied Little Red Riding Hood; "it is yonder by the mill which you can see right below there, and it is the first house in the village." "Well now," said the wolf, "I think I shall go and see her too. I will go by this path, and you by that path, and we will see who gets there first." The Wolf set off running with all his might by the shorter road, and the little girl continued on her way by the longer road. As she went she amused herself by gathering nuts, running after the butterflies, and making nosegays of the wild flowers which she found. The Wolf was not long in reaching the grandmother's house. He knocked. Toc Toc.

"Who is there?" "It is your granddaughter, Red Riding Hood," said the Wolf, disguising his voice, "and I bring you a cake and a little pot of butter as a present from my mother." The worthy grandmother was in bed, not being very well, and cried out to him: "Pull out the peg and the latch will fall." The Wolf drew out the peg and the door flew open. Then he sprang upon the poor old lady and ate her up in less than no time, for he had been more than three days without food. After that he shut the door, lay down in the grandmother's bed, and waited for Little Riding Hood. Presently she came and knocked. Toc Toc. "Who is there?" Now Little Red Riding Hood on hearing the Wolf's gruff voice was at first frightened, but thinking that her grandmother had a bad cold, she replied: "It is your granddaughter, Red Riding Hood, and I bring you a cake and a little pot of butter from my mother." Softening his voice, the Wolf called out to her: "Pull out the peg and the latch will fall." Little Red Riding Hood drew out the peg and the door flew open. When he saw her enter, the Wolf hid himself in the bed beneath the counterpane. "Put the cake and the little pot of butter on the bin," he said, "and come up on the bed with me." Little Red Riding Hood took off her cloak, but when she climbed up on the bed she was astonished to see how her grandmother looked in her nightgown. "Grandmother dear!" she exclaimed, "what big arms you have!" "The better to embrace you, my child!" "Grandmother dear, what big legs you have!" "The better to run with, my child!" "Grandmother dear, what big ears you have!" "The better to hear with, my child!"

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"Grandmother dear, what big eyes you have!" "The better to see with, my child!" "Grandmother dear, what big teeth you have!" "The better to eat you with!" With these words the wicked Wolf leapt upon Little Red Riding Hood and gobbled her up.

Moral

From this story one learns that children, Especially young lasses,

Pretty, courteous and well-bred, Do very wrong to listen to strangers,

And it is not an unheard thing If the Wolf is thereby provided with his dinner.

I say Wolf, for all wolves Are not of the same sort;

There is one kind with an amenable disposition Neither noisy, nor hateful, nor angry,

But tame, obliging and gentle, Following the young maids

In the streets, even into their homes. Alas! who does not know that these gentle wolves

Are of all such creatures the most dangerous!

Little Red Cap

Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm

Once there was a dear little girl whom everyone loved. Her grandmother loved her most of all and didn't know what to give the child next. Once she gave her a little red velvet cap, which was so becoming to her that she never wanted to wear anything else, and that was why everyone called her Little Red Cap. One day her mother said: "Look, Little Red Cap, here's a piece of cake and a bottle of wine. Take them to grandmother. She is sick and weak, and they will make her feel better. You'd better start now before it gets too hot; walk properly like a good little girl, and don't leave the path or you'll fall down and break the bottle and there won't be anything for grandmother. And when you get to her house, don't forget to say good morning, and don't go looking in all the corners." "I'll do everything right," Little Red Cap promised her mother. Her grandmother lived in the wood, half an hour's walk from the village. No sooner had Little Red Cap set foot in the wood than she met the wolf. But Little Red Cap didn't know what a wicked beast he was, so she wasn't afraid of him. "Good morning, Little Red Cap," he said. "Thank you kindly, wolf." "Where are you going so early, Little Red Cap?" "To my grandmother's." "And what's that you've got under your apron?" "Cake and wine. We baked yesterday, and we want my grandmother, who's sick and weak, to have something nice that will make her feel better." "Where does your grandmother live, Little Red Cap?" "In the wood, fifteen or twenty minutes' walk from here, under the three big oak trees. That's where the house is. It has hazel hedges around it. You must know the place." "How young and tender she is!" thought the wolf. "Why, she'll be even tastier than the old woman. Maybe if I'm crafty enough I can get them both." So, after walking along for a short while beside Little Red Cap, he said: "Little Red Cap, open your eyes. What lovely flowers! Why don't you look around you? I don't believe you even hear how sweetly the birds are singing. It's so gay out here in the wood, yet you trudge along as solemnly as if you were going to school." Little Red Cap looked up, and when she saw the sunbeams dancing this way and that between the trees and the beautiful flowers all around her, she thought: "Grandmother will be pleased if I bring her a bunch of nice fresh flowers. It's so early now that I'm sure to be there in plenty of time." So she left the path and went into the wood to pick flowers. And when she had picked one, she thought there must be a more beautiful one farther on, so she went deeper and deeper into the wood. As for the wolf, he went straight to the grandmother's house and knocked at the door. "Who's there?" "Little Red Cap, bringing cake and wine. Open the door." "Just raise the latch," cried the grandmother, "I'm too weak to get out of bed." The wolf raised the

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latch and the door swung open. Without saying a single word he went straight to the grandmother's bed and gobbled her up. Then he put on her clothes and her nightcap, lay down in the bed, and drew the curtains. Meanwhile Little Red Cap had been running about picking flowers, and when she had as many as she could carry she remembered her grandmother and started off again. She was surprised to find the door open, and when she stepped into the house she had such a strange feeling that she said to herself: "My goodness, I'm usually so glad to see grandmother. Why am I frightened today?" "Good morning," she cried out, but there was no answer. Then she went to the bed and opened the curtains. The grandmother had her cap pulled way down over her face, and looked very strange. "Oh, grandmother, what big ears you have!" "The better to hear you with." "Oh, grandmother, what big eyes you have!" "The better to see you with." "Oh, grandmother, what big hands you have!" "The better to grab you with." "But, grandmother, what a dreadful big mouth you have!" "The better to eat you with." And no sooner had the wolf spoken than he bounded out of bed and gobbled up poor Little Red Cap. When the wolf had stilled his hunger, he got back into bed, fell asleep, and began to snore very loud. A hunter was just passing, and he thought: "How the old woman is snoring! I'd better go and see what's wrong." So he stepped into the house and went over to the bed and saw the wolf was in it. "You old sinner!" he said, "I've found you at last. It's been a long time." He levelled his musket and was just about to fire when it occurred to him that the wolf might have swallowed the grandmother and that there might still be a chance of saving her. So instead of firing, he took a pair of scissors and started cutting the sleeping wolf's belly open. After two snips, he saw the little red cap, and after another few snips the little girl jumped out, crying: "Oh, I've been so afraid! It was so dark inside the wolf!" And then the old grandmother came out, and she too was still alive, though she could hardly breathe. Little Red Cap ran outside and brought big stones, and they filled the wolf's belly with them. When he woke up, he wanted to run away, but the stones were so heavy that his legs wouldn't carry him and he fell dead. All three were happy; the hunter skinned the wolf and went home with the skin, the grandmother ate the cake and drank the wine Little Red Cap had brought her and soon got well; and as for Little Red Cap, she said to herself: "Never again will I leave the path and run off into the wood when my mother tells me not to."

***** Another story they tell is that when Little Red Cap was taking another cake to her old grandmother another wolf spoke to her and tried to make her leave the path. But Little Red Cap was on her guard. She kept on going, and when she got to her grandmother's she told her how she had met a wolf who had bidden her good day but given her such a wicked look that "if it hadn't been on the open road he'd have gobbled me right up." "Well then," said the grandmother, "we'll just lock the door and he won't be able to get in." In a little while the wolf knocked and called out: "Open the door, grandmother, it's Little Red Cap. I've brought you some cake." But they didn't say a word and they didn't open the door. So Grayhead circled the house once or twice and finally jumped on the roof. His plan was to wait until evening when Little Red Cap would go home, and then he'd creep after her and gobble her up in the darkness. But the grandmother guessed what he had in mind. There was a big stone trough in front of the house, and she said to the child: "Here's a bucket, Little Red Cap. I cooked some sausages yesterday. Take the water I cooked them in and empty it into the trough." Little Red Cap carried water until the trough was full. The smell of sausages rose up to the wolf's nostrils. He sniffed and looked down, and in the end he stuck his neck out so far that he couldn't keep his footing and began to slide. And he slid off the roof and slid straight into the big trough and was drowned. And Little Red Cap went happily home, and no one harmed her.

About a Girl Saved from Wolf Cubs

Egbert de Liège (11th-century) What I have to relate, countryfolk can tell along with me, and it is not so much marvelous as it is quite true to believe. A certain man took up a girl from the sacred font,

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and gave her a tunic woven of red wool; sacred Pentecost was [the day] of her baptism. The girl, now five years old, goes out at sunrise, footloose and heedless of her peril. A wolf attacked her, went to its woodland lair, took her as booty to its cubs, and left her to be eaten. They approached her at once and, since they were unable to harm her, began, free from all their ferocity, to caress her head. “Do not damage this tunic, mice,” the lisping little girl said, “which my godfather gave me when he took me from the font!” God, their creator, soothes untame souls.

***** Latin original: De puella a lupellis seruata Quod refero, mecum pagenses dicere norunt, Et nom tam mirum quam ualde est credere uerum: Quidam suscepit sacro de fonte puellam, Cui dedit et tunicam rubicundo uellere textam; Quinquagesima sancta fuit babtismatis huius. Sole sub exorto quinquennis facta puella Progreditur, uagabunda sui inmemmor atque pericli, Quam lupus inuadens siluestria lustra petiut Et catulis predam tulit atque reliquit edendam. Qui simul aggressi, cum iam lacerare nequirent, Ceperunt mulcere caput feritate remota. "Hanc tunicam, mures, nolite", infantula dixit, Scindere, quam dedit excipiens de fonte patrinus!" Mitigat inmites animos deus, auctor eorum.

The Story of Grandmother

Paul Delarue

There was once a woman who had some bread, and she said to her daughter: "You are going to carry a hot loaf and a bottle of milk to your grandmother." The little girl departed. At the crossroads she met the bzou, who said to her: "Where are you going?" "I'm taking a hot loaf and a bottle of milk to my grandmother." "What road are you taking," said the bzou, "the Needles Road or the Pins Road?" "The Needles Road," said the little girl. "Well, I shall take the Pins Road." The little girl enjoyed herself picking up needles. Meanwhile the bzou arrived at her grandmother's, killed her, put some of her flesh in the pantry and a bottle of her blood on the shelf. The little girl arrived and knocked at the door. "Push the door," said the bzou, "it's closed with a wet straw." "Hello, Grandmother; I'm bringing you a hot loaf and a bottle of milk." "Put them in the pantry. You eat the meat that's in it and drink a bottle of wine that is on the shelf." As she ate there was a little cat that said: "A slut is she who eats the flesh and drinks the blood of her grandmother!" "Undress, my child," said the bzou, "and come and sleep beside me." "Where should I put my apron?" "Throw it in the fire, my child; you don't need it anymore." "Where should I put my bodice?" "Throw it in the fire, my child; you don't need it anymore."

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"Where should I put my dress?" "Throw it in the fire, my child; you don't need it anymore." "Where should I put my skirt?" "Throw it in the fire, my child; you don't need it anymore." "Where should I put my hose?" "Throw it in the fire, my child; you don't need it anymore." "Oh, Grandmother, how hairy you are!" "It's to keep me warmer, my child" "Oh, Grandmother, those long nails you have!" "It's to scratch me better, my child." "Oh, Grandmother, those big shoulders that you have!" "All the better to carry kindling from the woods, my child." "Oh, Grandmother, those big ears that you have!" "All the better to hear you with, my child." "Oh, Grandmother, that big mouth you have!" "All the better to eat you with, my child!" "Oh, Grandmother, I need to go outside to relieve myself." "Do it in the bed, my child." "No, Grandmother, I want to go outside." "All right, but don't stay long." The bzou tied a woolen thread to her foot and let her go out, and when the girl was outside she tied the end of the string to a big plum tree in the yard. The bzou got impatient and said: "Are you making cables?" When he became aware that no one answered him, he jumped out of bed and saw that the little girl had escaped. He followed her, but he arrived at her house just at the moment she was safely inside.

The Wolf and the Three Girls

Italo Calvino

Once there were three sisters who worked in a certain town. Word reached them one day that their mother, who lived in Borgoforte, was deathly ill. The oldest sister therefore filled two baskets with four bottles of wine and four cakes and set out for Borgoforte. Along the way she met the wolf, who said to her, "Where are you going in such haste?" "To Borgoforte to see Mamma, who is gravely ill." "What's in those baskets?" "Four bottles of wine and four cakes." "Give them to me, or else – to put it bluntly – I'll eat you." The girl gave the wolf everything and went flying back home to her sisters. Then the middle girl filled her baskets and left for Borgoforte. She too met the wolf. "Where are you going in such haste?" "To Borgoforte to see Mamma, who is gravely ill." "What's in those baskets?" "Four bottles of wine and four cakes." "Give them to me, or else – to put it bluntly – I'll eat you." So the second sister emptied her baskets and ran home. Then the youngest girl said, "Now it's my turn." She prepared the baskets and set out. There was the wolf. "Where are you going in such haste?" "To Borgoforte to see Mamma, who is gravely ill." "What's in those baskets?" "Four bottles of wine and four cakes." "Give them to me, or else – to put it bluntly – I'll eat you." The little girl took a cake and threw it at the wolf, who had his mouth open. She had made the cake especially for him and filled it with nails. The wolf caught it and bit into it, pricking his palate all over. He spat out the cake, leaped back, and ran off, shouting, "You'll pay for that!"

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Taking certain short cuts known only to him, the wolf ran ahead and reached Borgoforte before the little girl. He slipped into the sick mother's house, gobbled her up, and took her place in bed1. The little girl arrived, found her mother with the sheet drawn up to her eyes, and said, "How dark you've become, Mamma!" "That's because I've been sick so much, my child," said the wolf. "How big your head has become, Mamma!" "That's because I've worried so much, my child." "Let me hug you, Mamma," said the little girl, and the wolf gobbled her up whole. With the little girl in his belly, the wolf ran out of the house. But the townspeople, seeing him come out, chased him with pitchforks and shovels, cornered him and killed him. They slit him open at once and out came mother and daughter still alive. The mother got well, and the little girl went back and said to her sisters, "Here I am, safe and sound!"

Grammie wolf

Ed Young

Many years ago in China there lived a young widow with her three children. On their grandmother's birthday, the mother went to visit her. "Shang," she cautioned her oldest daughter before she left, "you must watch over your sisters Tao and Paotze while I am gone. Lock the door and don't let anyone inside. I shall be back tomorrow." A wolf who was hiding near the house at the edge of the woods overheard the news. When it was dark he disguised himself as an elderly woman and knocked at the door of the three girls' house. "Who is it?" called Shang. "Shang, Tao, and Paotze, my treasures, it is your Grammie," answered the wolf as sweetly as possible. "Grammie," said Shang through the door, "Mummy just went to see you!" "It is too bad I missed her. We must have taken different roads," replied the crafty wolf. "Grammie," asked Tao, "why is your voice so different tonight?" "Your old Grammie caught cold and is hoarse. Please let me in quickly, for it is drafty out here and the night air is very bad for me." The tenderhearted girls could not bear to keep their grandmother out in the cold, so they unlatched the door and shouted, "Grammie, Grammie!" As soon as the wolf crossed the threshold, he blew out the candle, saying the light hurt his tired eyes. Shang pulled a chair forward for her grandmother. The wolf sat down hard on his tail hidden under the skirt. "Ouch!" he exclaimed. "Is something wrong, Grammie?" asked Shang. "Nothing at all, my dear," said the wolf, bearing the pain silently. Then Tao and Paotze wanted to sit on their Grammie's lap. "What nice, plump children," said the wolf, holding Tao on one knee and Paotze on the other. Soon the wolf said, "Grammie is tired and so are you children. Let's go to bed." The children begged as usual to be allowed to sleep in their huge double bed with Grammie. Soon Paotze felt the wolf's tail against her toes. "Grammie, what's that furry thing?" she asked. "Oh, that's just the brush I always have by me to keep away mosquitoes and flies," answered the wolf. Then Tao felt the sharp claws on the wolf. "Grammie, what are these sharp things?" "Go to sleep, dear, they are just Grammie's nails." Then Shang lit the candle and caught glimpse of the wolf's hairy face before he could blow out the light. Shang was frightened. She quickly grabbed hold of Paotze and said, "Grammie, Paotze is thirsty. She needs to get up to get a glass of water." "Oh, for goodness sake," said the wolf, losing patience, "tell her to wait until later." Shang pinched Paotze so that she started to cry. 1 Calvino thus describes in a note (op. cit. p. 720) a "too gruesome" episode that he omitted from the text: "the wolf kills the mother and makes a doorlatch cord out of her tendons, a meat pie out of her flesh, and wine out of her blood. The little girl, pulling on the doorlatch says, 'What a soft cord you've put here Mamma!' [in the original dialect: Che corda molegata che te gh'è, mama']. Then she eats the meat pie and drinks the wine, with comments in the same vein."

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"All right, all right," said the wolf, "Paotze may get up!" Shang thought quickly and said, "Tao, hurry and help Paotze get a glass of water!" When the two younger ones had left the bedroom, Shang said, "Grammie, have you ever tasted our luscious gingko nuts?" "What is a gingko nut?" asked the wolf. "The meat of the gingko nut is softer and more tender than a firm baby and tastes like a delicious fairy food," replied Shang. "Where can you get some?" asked the wolf, drooling. "Those nuts grow on trees outside our house." "Well, your Grammie is too old to climb trees now," sighed the wolf. "Grammie, dear, I can pick some for you," said Shang sweetly. "Will you, angel?" pleaded the wolf. "Of course, I'll do it right now!" said Shang, leaping out of bed. "Come back quickly," called the wolf after her. Shang found Tao and Paotze in the other room. She told them about the wolf, and the three girls quickly decided to climb up the tallest gingko tree around their cottage. The wolf waited and waited, but no one came back. Then he got up and went outside and shouted, "Shang, Tao, Paotze, where are you?" "We're up in the tree, eating gingko nuts," called Shang. "Throw some down for me," yelled the wolf. "Ah, Grammie, we just remembered Mummy telling us that gingkos are fairy nuts. They change when they leave the tree. You'll just have to climb up and eat these mouth-watering nuts here." The wolf was raging as he paced back and forth under the tree. Then Shang said, "Grammie, I just had an idea. There is a clothesbasket by the door with a long clothesline inside. Tie one end to the handle and throw the end of the rope up to me. We shall pull you up here." The wolf happily went to get the clothesbasket. Shang pulled hard on the rope. When the basket was halfway up, she let go, and the wolf fell to the ground badly bruised. "Boo hoo, hoo!" cried Shang, pretending to be very sorry. "I did not have enough strength to pull poor Grammie up!" "Don't cry, Sister," said Tao, "I'll help you pull Grammie up!" The greedy wolf got into the basket again. Shang and Tao pulled with all their might. The wolf was two thirds up the tree before they let go of the rope. Down he fell with a crash. He began to scold. "Grammie, Grammie, please don't get so upset," begged Paotze. "I'll help my sisters to pull you all the way this time." "All right, but mind you be very careful or I'll bite your heads off!" screeched the wolf. The three children pulled with all their strength. "Heave, ho, heave ho!" they sang in rhythm as they hauled the wolf up slowly till he was thirty feet high. He was just beyond reach of a branch when Shang coughed and everyone let go of the rope. As the basket spun down, the wolf let out his last howl. When the children were unable to get any answer to their calls of "Grammie," they slid down the tree and ran into the house, latched the door and soon went to sleep.

Goldflower and the Bear

Chiang Mi

Long, long ago, there was a clever and brave girl called Goldflower who lived with her mother and brother. They were very happy. One day, her mother said: "Your Aunty is ill. I'm going to see her and won't be back tonight. Look after your brother and ask your Granny to stay with you tonight!" Then she left with a basket of eggs and a hen. At sunset, Goldflower herded the sheep home. After penning up the sheep, she shooed all the chickens into the coop. Then, she and her brother climbed a small hill to call Granny. Usually, after one shout, there would be an answer, but today there was no reply after several shouts. Goldflower thought: "It doesn't matter. I'm not afraid." They went home and she bolted the door.

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Lighting a wick, they sat by the fire-pan and she began to tell her brother a story. Suddenly they heard a knock at the door. Brother hugged her and cried: "I'm afraid!" They heard a strange but kindly voice saying: "I'm Granny." Brother was very happy and shouted: "Sister, open the door! Granny has come!" Goldflower leaned against the door and asked: "Is that you, Granny? What's wrong with your voice?" "I've a cold." Came the reply followed by coughs. The boy urged his sister to open the door. Meanwhile the voice continued: "My dear, there is something wrong with my eyes and I'm afraid of light. Please blow out the wick before letting me in." It was so dark in the room that they couldn't see who was coming in. Goldflower invited "Granny" to a stool, but it cried out when sitting down. The children jumped in fright. The "Granny" said: "Dear, I've a boil so I can't sit on hard wood. Please give me a wicket basket." The swishing of the Bear's tail in the dark caused Goldflower to ask: "What's making that noise?" "Oh! It's the fly-swatter your grandpa bought for me," replied "Granny." The clever girl stoked the fire and, wow, there was a pair of hairy feet! Now she realized this isn't Granny. It's the Bear which likes to eat children. Goldflower calmed and pretended to have seen nothing. But how to deal with this wicked Bear? Her mother had told her that bears were afraid of lice. She grabbed a handful of seeds and took off her brother's hat, pretending to be catching lice in his hair. She threw the seeds into the fire. They crackled. The Bear growled: "Don't let him sleep with me with his lice. Let him sleep outside!" Brother was so afraid that he began to sob. Goldflower coaxed him to go to the other room to sleep. She locked the door on her way back. When she got back, the Bear asked her to go to bed. The Bear was very happy because it could have a hearty meal at midnight. But the clever Goldflower was also thinking of a way out. After sleeping for a while, she cried: "My tummy hurts! I want to go on the pot." The Bear thought: She would not be good to eat like this. So it tied one end of a belt to Goldflower's hand and let her go outside. After a while, the Bear pulled and then pulled again. It seemed that the girl was still on the other end. A long time passed. The Bear called several times but there was no answer. It got worried and pulled hard. Clunk. Something tumbled. The Bear was puzzled and felt its way along the belt. There was nothing at the end but a pot. The Bear was very angry. It was already midnight and the Bear started bellowing for food like any beast. Failing to find Goldflower, it stopped to drink some water from a pond before continuing the search. It saw Goldflower in the water and was overjoyed. When the Bear reached into the water to grasp Goldflower, she disappeared. The Bear angrily watched. When the water became still, Goldflower reappeared. The Bear reached out but Goldflower again vanished. The Bear did not know what to do. A laugh came from above. The Bear quickly looked up and saw Goldflower in a tree. The image in the water was her reflection. The Bear wanted to climb the tree, but Goldflower had covered it with grease. The Bear slipped again and again. The Bear could only wait under the tree hapless while Goldflower laughed up on the tree. "Granny, do you want to eat some pears? Please get me the spear in the house." The Bear was really happy to hear this and went to fetch the spear. The Bear handed her the spear and, pointing to a few big pears, it said: "Give me those." "Granny, open your mouth. Here comes the pear!" Goldflower threw one at the Bear's mouth. The Bear ate it in two bites and asked her to spear some more. "Granny, this time open your mouth wide. It's a real big one." The Bear opened its mouth as wide as it could. And with all her might, Goldflower threw the spear into its mouth. With a groan, the Bear fell flat. Goldflower slid down the tree and kicked the dead Bear. "Do you still want to eat children?" Roosters crowed. Goldflower opened the door to her brother's room. He was sleeping soundly. She woke him and took him to the dead body. Now he knew that it was the wicked old Bear. The sun was rising red in the east. Mother came back. She was very pleased to hear what had happened and praised the brave little girl. The story of Goldflower and the Bear spread far and wide.

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Variants of related types

AT 123 - The wolf and the seven little kids

Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm

Here was once an old goat who had seven little ones, and was as fond of them as ever mother was of her children. One day she had to go into the wood to fetch food for them, so she called them all round her. "Dear children," said she, "I am going out into the wood; and while I am gone, be on your guard against the wolf, for if he were once to get inside he would eat you up, skin, bones, and all. The wretch often disguises himself, but he may always be known by his hoarse voice and black paws." "Dear mother," answered the kids, "you need not be afraid, we will take good care of ourselves." And the mother bleated good-bye, and went on her way with an easy mind. It was not long before some one came knocking at the house-door, and crying out, "Open the door, my dear children, your mother is come back, and has brought each of you something." But the little kids knew it was the wolf by the hoarse voice. "We will not open the door," cried they; "you are not our mother, she has a delicate and sweet voice, and your voice is hoarse; you must be the wolf." Then off went the wolf to a shop and bought a big lump of chalk, and ate it up to make his voice soft. And then he came back, knocked at the house-door, and cried, "Open the door, my dear children, your mother is here, and has brought each of you something." But the wolf had put up his black paws against the window, and the kids seeing this, cried out, "We will not open the door; our mother has no black paws like you; you must be the wolf." The wolf then ran to a baker. "Baker," said he, "I am hurt in the foot; pray spread some dough over the place." And when the baker had plastered his feet, he ran to the miller. "Miller," said he, "strew me some white meal over my paws." But the miller refused, thinking the wolf must be meaning harm to some one. "If you don't do it," cried the wolf, "I'll eat you up!" And the miller was afraid and did as he was told. And that just shows what men are. And now came the rogue the third time to the door and knocked. "Open, children!" cried he. "Your dear mother has come home, and brought you each something from the wood." "First show us your paws," said the kids, "so that we may know if you are really our mother or not." And he put up his paws against the window, and when they saw that they were white, all seemed right, and they opened the door; and when he was inside they saw it was the wolf, and they were terrified and tried to hide themselves. One ran under the table, the second got into the bed, the third into the oven, the fourth in the kitchen, the fifth in the cupboard, the sixth under the sink, the seventh in the clock-case. But the wolf found them all, and gave them short shrift; one after the other he swallowed down, all but the youngest, who was hid in the clock-case. And so the wolf, having got what he wanted, strolled forth into the green meadows, and laying himself down under a tree, he fell asleep. Not long after, the mother goat came back from the wood; and, oh! what a sight met her eyes! the door was standing wide open, table, chairs, and stools, all thrown about, dishes broken, quilt and pillows torn off the bed. She sought her children, they were nowhere to be found. She called to each of them by name, but nobody answered, until she came to the name of the youngest. "Here I am, mother," a little voice cried, "here, in the clock-case." And so she helped him out, and heard how the wolf had come, and eaten all the rest. And you may think how she cried for the loss of her dear children. At last in her grief she wandered out of doors, and the youngest kid with her; and when they came into the meadow, there they saw the wolf lying under a tree, and snoring so that the branches shook. The mother goat looked at him carefully on all sides and she noticed how something inside his body was moving and struggling. "Dear me!" thought she, "can it be that my poor children that he devoured for his evening meal are still alive?" And she sent the little kid back to the house for a pair of shears, and needle, and thread. Then she cut the wolf's body open, and no sooner had she made one snip than out came the head of one of the kids, and then another snip, and then one after the other the six little kids all jumped out alive and well, for in his

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greediness the rogue had swallowed them down whole. How delightful this was! so they comforted their dear mother and hopped about like tailors at a wedding. "Now fetch some good hard stones," said the mother, "and we will fill his body with them, as he lies asleep." And so they fetched some in all haste, and put them inside him, and the mother sewed him up so quickly again that he was none the wiser. When the wolf at last awoke, and got up, the stones inside him made him feel very thirsty, and as he was going to the brook to drink, they struck and rattled one against another. And so he cried out: "What is this I feel inside me knocking hard against my bones? How should such a thing betide me! They were kids, and now they're stones." So he came to the brook, and stooped to drink, but the heavy stones weighed him down, so he fell over into the water and was drowned. And when the seven little kids saw it they came up running. "The wolf is dead, the wolf is dead!" they cried, and taking hands, they danced with their mother all about the place.

AT 311B* - The Girl with Gold Earrings

Luis Camara Cascudo A mother, who was very severe with her children, gave her little daughter a pair of gold earrings. When the girl went to the fountain to fetch water and wash herself, she used to to remove the earrings and place them over a stone. One day she walked to the fountain, took a bath, filled the jug and went home, forgetting the earrings. When she came home, she noticed the lack and, afraid that mother would scold and punish her, ran back to the fountain to recover the earrings. Getting there, she found a very ugly old man who grabbed her, put her on his back and took her along. The old man seized the girl, dropped her into a sack, sewed up the sack and told the girl that, with her, he would knock at each door to earn a living, and said that everytime he ordered she should sing from inside the sack, or else he would beat her with his staff. Wherever he came to, he put the sack on the ground and said:

Sing, sing, oh my sack,

Else my staff will crack.

And the sack sang:

In this sack I lie,

In this sack I'll die;

My earrings of gold

The fountain shall hold. All were amazed and gave money to the old man. Till one day he came by the house of the girl's mother, who recognized at once her daughter's voice. Then they invited the old man to eat and drink and, since it was late already, they urged him to sleep there. At night, having drunk too much, he fell deeply asleep. The girls hastened to open the sack and rescue the girl who was already so weak, dying almost. In the girl's place, they filled the sack with excrements. Next day, the old man woke up, took the sack, put it on his back and went away. At a neighbouring house he asked whether they would want to hear a singing sack. He put it on the ground and said:

Sing, sing, oh my sack,

Else my staff will crack. Nothing. The sack kept silent. He repeated once. Nothing. Then he stroke the sack with the staff until it was ruptured all over and revealed the prank the girls had played on the old man, who felt possessed.

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AT 437 - The Princess who Loved her Father like Salt2

Maive Stokes In a country there lived a king who had seven daughters. One day he called them all to him and said to them, “My daughters, how much do you love me?” The six eldest answered, “Father, we love you as much as sweetmeats and sugar;” but the seventh and youngest daughter said, “Father, I love you as much as salt.” The king was much pleased with his six eldest daughters, but very angry with his youngest daughter. “What is this?” he said; “my daughter only loves me as much as she does salt!” Then he called some of his servants, and said to them, “Get a palanquin ready, and carry my youngest daughter away to the jungle.” The servants did as they were bid; and when they got to the jungle, they put the palanquin down under a tree and went away. The princess called to them, “Where are you going? Stay here; my father did not tell you to leave me alone in the jungle.” “We will come back,” said the servants; “we are only going to drink some water.” But they returned to her father’s palace. The princess waited in the palanquin under the tree, and it was now evening, and the servants had not come back. She was very much frightened and cried bitterly. “The tigers and wild beasts will eat me,” she said to herself. At last she went to sleep, and slept for a little while. When she awoke she found in her palanquin some food on a plate, and a little water, that God had sent her while she slept. She ate the food and drank the water, and then she felt happier, for she thought, “God must have sent me this food and water.” She decided that as it was now night she had better stay in her palanquin, and go to sleep. “Perhaps the tigers and wild beasts will come and eat me,” she thought; “but if they don’t, I will try to-morrow to get out of this jungle, and go to another country.” The next morning she left her palanquin and set out. She walked on, till, deep in the jungle, she came to a beautiful palace, which did not belong to her father, but to another king. The gate was shut, but she opened it, and went in. She looked all about, and thought, “What a beautiful house this is, and what a pretty garden and tank!” Everything was beautiful, only there were no servants nor anybody else to be seen. She went into the house, and through all the rooms. In one room she saw a dinner ready to be eaten, but there was no one to eat it. At last she came to a room in which was a splendid bed, and on it lay a king’s son covered with a shawl. She took the shawl off, and then she saw he was very beautiful, and that he was dead. His body was stuck full of needles. She sat down on the bed, and there she sat for one week, without eating, or drinking, or sleeping, pulling out the needles. Then a man came by who said to her, “I have here a girl I wish to sell.” “I have no rupees,” said the princess; “but if you will sell her to me for my gold bangles, I will buy her.” The man took the bangles, and left the girl with the princess, who was very glad to have her. “Now,” she thought, “I shall be no longer alone.” All day and all night long the princess sat and pulled out the needles, while the girl went about the palace doing other work. At the end of other two weeks the princess had pulled out all the needles from the king’s body, except those in his eyes. Then the king’s daughter said to her servant-girl, “For three weeks I have not bathed. Get a bath ready for me, and while I am bathing sit by the king, but do not take the needles out of his eyes. I will pull them out myself.” The servant-girl promised not to pull out the needles. Then she got the bath ready; but when the king’s daughter had gone to bathe, she sat down on the bed, and pulled the needles out of the king’s eyes. As soon as she had done so, he opened his eyes, and sat up. He thanked God for bringing him to life again. Then he looked about, and saw the servant-girl, and said to her, “Who has made me well and pulled all the needles out of my body?” “I have,” she answered. Then he thanked her and said she should be his wife. When the princess came from her bath, she found the king alive, and sitting on his bed talking to her servant. When she saw this she was very sad, but she said nothing. The king said to the servant-maid, “Who is this girl?” She answered, “She is one of my servants.” And from that moment the princess became a servant-girl, and her servant-girl married the king. Every day the king said, “Can this lovely girl be really a servant? She is far more beautiful than my wife.” One day the king thought, “I will go to another country to eat the air.” So he called the pretended princess, his wife, and told her he was going to eat the air in another country. “What would you like me to bring you when I come back?” She answered, “I should like beautiful sárís and clothes, and gold and silver jewels.” Then the king said, “Call the servant-girl, and ask her what she would like me to bring her.” The real princess

2 As the title indicates, this narrative involves motif H592.1: Love like Salt, famously present in Shakespeare's King Lear.

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came, and the king said to her, “See, I am going to another country to eat the air. What would you like me to bring for you when I return?” “King,” she answered, “if you can bring me what I want I will tell you what it is; but if you cannot get it, I will not tell you.” “Tell me what it is,” said the king. “Whatever it may be I will bring it you.” “Good,” said the princess. “I want a sun-jewel box.” Now the princess knew all about the sun-jewel boxes, and that only fairies had such boxes. And she knew, too, what would be in hers if the king could get one for her, although these boxes contain sometimes one thing and sometimes another. The king had never heard of such a box, and did not know what it was like; so he went to every country asking all the people he met what sort of box was a sun-jewel box, and where he could get it. At last one day, after a fruitless search, he was very sad, for he thought, “I have promised the servant to bring her a sun-jewel box, and now I cannot get one for her; what shall I do?” Then he went to sleep, and had a dream. In it he saw a jungle, and in the jungle a fakír who, when he slept, slept for twelve years, and then was awake for twelve years. The king felt sure this man could give him what he wanted, so when he woke he said to his sepoys and servants, “Stay here in this spot till I return to you; then we will go back to my country.” He mounted his horse and set out for the jungle he had seen in his dream. He went on and on till he came to it, and there he saw the fakír lying asleep. He had been asleep for twelve years all but two weeks: over him were a quantity of leaves, and grass, and a great deal of mud. The king began taking off all the grass, and leaves, and mud, and every day for a fortnight when he got up he cleared them all away from off the fakír. When the fakír awoke at the end of the two weeks, and saw that no mud, or grass, or leaves were upon him, but that he was quite clean, he was very much pleased, and said to the king, “I have slept for twelve years, and yet I am as clean as I was when I went to sleep. When I awoke after my last sleep, I was all covered with dirt and mud, grass and leaves; but this time I am quite clean.” The king stayed with the fakír for a week, and waited on him and did everything for him. The fakír was very much pleased with the king, and he told this to him: “You are a very good man.” He added, “Why did you come to this jungle? You are such a great king, what can you want from me?” “I want a sun-jewel box,” answered the king. “You are such a good man,” said the fakír, “that I will give you one.” Then the fakír went to a beautiful well, down which he went right to the bottom. There, there was a house in which lived the red fairy. She was called the red fairy not because her skin was red, for it was quite white, but because everything about her was red—her house, her clothes, and her country. She was very glad to see the fakír, and asked him why he had come to see her. “I want you to give me a sun-jewel box,” he answered. “Very good,” said the fairy, and she brought him one in which were seven small dolls and a little flute. “No one but she who wants this box must open it,” said the fairy to the fakír. “She must open it when she is quite alone and at night.” Then she told him what was in the box. The fakír thanked her, and took the box to the king, who was delighted and made many salaams to the fakír. The fakír told him none but the person who wished for the box was to open it; but he did not tell him what more the fairy had said. The king set off on his journey now, and when he came to his servants and sepoys, he said to them he would now return to his country, as he had found the box he wanted. When he reached his palace he called the false princess, his wife, and gave her her silks and shawls, and sárís, and gold and silver jewels. Then he called the servant-girl—the true princess—and gave her her sun-jewel box. She took it, and was delighted to have it. She made him many salaams and went away with her box, but did not open it then, for she knew what was in it, and that she must open it at night and alone. That night she took her box and went out all by herself to a wide plain in the jungle, and there opened it. She took the little flute, put it to her lips, and began to play, and instantly out flew the seven little dolls, who were all little fairies, and they took chairs and carpets from the box, and arranged them all in a large tent which appeared at that moment. Then the fairies bathed her, combed and rolled up her hair, put on her grand clothes and lovely slippers. But all the time the princess did nothing but cry. They brought a chair and placed it before the tent, and made her sit in it. One of them took the flute and played on it, and all the others danced before the princess, and they sang songs for her. Still she cried and cried. At last, at four o’clock in the morning, one of the fairies said, “Princess, why do you cry?” “I took all the needles out of the king, all but those in his eyes,” said the princess, “and while I was bathing, my servant-girl, whom I had bought with my gold bangles, pulled these out. She told the king it was she who had pulled out all the other needles and brought him to life, and that I was her servant, and she has taken my place and is treated as the princess, and the king has married her, while I am made to do a servant’s work and treated as the servant.” “Do not cry,” said the fairies. “Everything will be well for you by and by.” When it was close on morning, the princess played on the flute, and all the chairs, sofas, and fairies became quite tiny, and went into the box, and the tent disappeared. She shut it up, and took it back to the king’s palace. The next night she again went out to the jungle-plain, and all happened as on the night before.

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A wood-cutter was coming home late from his work, and had to pass by the plain. He wondered when he saw the tent. “I went by some time ago,” he said to himself, “and I saw no tent here.” He climbed up a big tree to see what was going on, and saw the fairies dancing before the princess, who sat outside the tent, and he saw how she cried though the fairies did all they could to amuse her. Then he heard the fairies say, “Princess, why do you cry?” And he heard her tell them how she had cured the king, and how her servant-girl had taken her place and made her a servant. “Never mind, don’t cry,” said the fairies. “All will be well by and by.” Near morning the princess played on her flute, and the fairies went into the box, and the tent disappeared, and the princess went back to the palace. The third night passed as the other two had done. The wood-cutter came to look on, and climbed into the tree to see the fairies and the princess. Again the fairies asked her why she cried, and she gave the same answer. The next day the wood-cutter went to the king. “Last night and the night before,” he said, “as I came home from work, I saw a large tent in the jungle, and before the tent there sat a princess who did nothing but cry, while seven fairies danced before her, or played on different instruments, and sang songs to her.” The king was very much astonished, and said to the wood-cutter, “To-night I will go with you, and see the tent, and the princess, and the fairies.” When it was night the princess went out softly and opened her box on the plain. The wood-cutter fetched the king, and the two men climbed into a tree, and watched the fairies as they danced and sang. The king saw that the princess who sat and cried was his own servant-girl. He heard her tell the fairies all she had done for him, and all that had happened to her; so he came suddenly down from the tree, and went up to her, and took her hand. “I always thought you were a princess, and no servant-girl,” he said. “Will you marry me?” She left off crying, and said, “Yes, I will marry you.” She played on her flute, and the tent disappeared, and all the fairies, and sofas, and chairs went into the box. She put her flute in it, as she always did before shutting down the lid, and went home with the king. The servant-girl was very vexed and angry when she found the king knew all that had happened. However, the princess was most good to her, and never treated her unkindly. The princess then sent a letter to her mother, in which she wrote, “I am going to be married to a great king. You and my father must come to my wedding, and must bring my sisters with you.” They all came, and her father and mother liked the king very much, and were glad their daughter should marry him. The wedding took place, and they stayed with her for some time. For a whole week she gave their servants and sepoys nice food cooked with salt, but to her father and mother and sisters she only gave food cooked with sugar. At last they got so tired of this sweet food that they could eat it no longer. At the end of the week she gave them a dinner cooked with salt. Then her father said, “My daughter is wise though she is so young, and is the youngest of my daughters. I know now how much she loved me when she said she loved me like salt. People cannot eat their food without salt. If their food is cooked with sugar one day, it must be cooked with salt the next, or they cannot eat it.” After this her father and mother and sisters went home, but they often came to see their little daughter and her husband. The princess, the king, and the servant-maid all lived happily together.

AT 437 - The Seventy-Year-Old Corpse

Richard M. Dorson

Once upon a time there was an old man who gathered thorn bushes and sold them for a living. The old man had a daughter who was home alone while her father went to collect thorn bushes. One day when the old man was gone she got her cotton ghonda [cotton ball] and spinning wheel and sat outside spinning the cotton. A nightingale sat on the wall and said, "Unfortunately, you'll marry a seventy-year-old corpse." When the old man came home in the evening she said, "Father, today a nightingale sat on the wall and said, 'Unfortunately, you'll marry a seventy-year-old corpse.'" The old man answered, "My daughter, a nightingale is a bird. He said something. You don't have to worry." The next day the old man went to collect thorn bushes and his daughter sat outside spinning cotton. Again the nightingale came and said, "Unfortunately, you'll marry a seventy-year-old corpse." When her father came back she said, "Father, today the nightingale came and told me, 'Unfortunately, you'll marry a seventy-year-old corpse.'" He said, "My daughter, how do you know what a nightingale says? Wash your clothes and hair tomorrow. I'll take you to your aunt's house."

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In the morning, the old man's daughter heated water and washed her hair and herself. She washed her clothes and baked bread. When her father came they took a few loaves of bread and a jug of water and left. They went and went and then she asked, "Father, where is my aunt's house?" He answered, "My daughter, we have to go a little farther." They went went a little farther and she asked, "Father, I'm getting tired. Where is my aunt's house?" He answered, "We'll be there soon. If you are hungry, let us sit here and eat our bread." They sat in the desert and were eating. The bread stuck in the old man's throat. He said, "I wish there were some water!" The old man's daughter said, "I'll go look around and fill the jug." The old man said, "No, I'll go." His daughter insisted, "I'll go." She grabbed the jug and went until she came to a fort in which there was a pool. She filled her jug and when she returned she saw that the door of the fort was shut. She said, "God, what shall I do?" She sat there crying and digging the ground. Suddenly a window opened and she went in. There were seven rooms, each one's door opening from the inside to the other. Inside the seventh room there was a seventy-year-old corpse. There were needles all over the corpse. She sat by the corpse for a while. Suddenly a caravan's bells started ringing. She climbed over the roof and shouted, "Sarwon [camel driver], how much is a concubine?" The sarwon answered, "One kisi sadtamani [bag with 100 coins]." She said, "I'll give you two kisi sadtamani, give me a concubine." She gave him two kisi sadtamani, and the sarwon tied a concubine to a rope and she pulled her up on the fort. She told the concubine, "I'll go make ablution and pray. You go inside and pick the needles from the corpse. Don't pick the needle on his nose until I come." The old man's daughter made ablution and started praying. The concubine was picking the needles from the corpse. She picked all the needles and she picked even the last needle which was on his nose. The corpse sneezed and sat down. He said, "God, who gave me my wish so that I give her her wish?" The old man's daughter heard him and was upset. The "corpse" married the concubine and made the old man's daughter a concubine. After a few days the "corpse" was going to the city to buy clothes for his wife. He asked the old man's daughter, "What do you want me to buy for you?" She said, "I want a patience stone and a black-handled knife." When he went to the city he bought clothes for his wife and then went to a store and said, "I want a patience stone and a black-handled knife." The storekeeper answered, "I have a patience stone, but I don't have a black-handled knife." He bought a patience stone, but wherever he went he couldn't find a black-handled knife. He was very sad when he was going home and thought, "The poor concubine asked for a patience stone and a black-handled knife, but I could only find one of them for her." A passerby asked, "Why are you so sad?" He answered, "A person asked me to buy her a patience stone and a black-handled knife. I bought the patience stone, but I couldn't find the black-handled knife." The man said, "go to such and such a store. He has a black-handled knife." The "corpse" went to the store and bought the black-handled knife. He came back and joined the passerby who had shown him where to buy it. As they were going the passerby asked, "Whom have you bought the patience stone and the black-handled knife for?" The "corpse" answered, "It is for such and such a person." The passerby said, "If she lives in your house, watch her closely. She'll put hereself in an oven and cover the top. Then she'll tell her story from the beginning to the end. At the end she'll kill herself." The "corpse" brought the patience stone and the black-handled knife and gave them to the old man's daughter. She put herself in an oven and covered the top. The "corpse" sat near the oven and listened. The old man's daughter started from the beginning. "Once there was an old man who made a living by selling thorn bushes. His daughter was alone in the house when he went to gather thorn bushes. She brought her cotton ghonda and spinning wheel out and sat spinning the cotton. A nightingale sat on the wall and said, 'Unfortunately, you'll marry a seventy-year-old corpse.' When her father came home she told him. He said, 'My daughter, a nightingale is a bird. What does he know?' The next day her father went to collect thorn bushes, and she sat outside spinning cotton. The nightingale came and said, 'Unfortunately, you'll marry a seventy-year-old corpse.' When her father came home she told him again. He said, "My daughter, he's a bird. What does he know? Tomorrow wash your hair and your clothes, bake some bread, and I'll take you to your aunt's house.' "O patience stone, you patient and I patient, O black-handled knife, be the witness of my heart! "In the morning she heated water, washed her clothes and herself, and baked bread. They took a few loaves of bread and a jug, and her father said, 'Let me take you to your aunt's house.' They left home and went and went and finally she asked, 'Father, where is my aunt's house?' He said, 'We have to go a little farther.' "O patience stone, you patient and I patient, O black-handled knife, be the witness of my heart!

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"They went a little farther, and the girl said, 'Father, where is my aunt's house?' He answered, 'My daughter, if you are hungry we'll sit here and eat our bread and rest. Then we'll go.' They sat in the desert and were eating their bread. The bread got stuck in her father's throat, and he said, 'I wish there was some water to drink.' The daughter grabbed the jug and said, 'Father, I'll go find some water.' He said, 'No, I'll go.' She said, 'I'll go' and she went. "O patience stone, you patient and I patient, O black-handled knife, be the witness of my heart! "She went and went until she reached a fort with the door open. She went in and filled her jug, and when she returned the door was closed. She sat there and cried and dug the ground and cried and dug the ground until a window opened. "O patience stone, you patient and I patient, O black-handled knife, be the witness of my heart! "She went in through the window and saw six rooms opening inside each other. In the seventh room there was a corpse covered with needles. She sat by the corpse and in a while she heard a caravan's bell. She climbed on the roof and called, 'Sarwon, how much is a concubine?' He answered, 'One kisi sadtamani.' She gave him two kisi sadtamani and bought a concubine and pulled her in the room and told her, 'Pick all the needles from this corpse's body, but don't pick the one from the tip of his nose.' "O patience stone, you patient and I patient, O black-handled knife, be the witness of my heart! "The old man's daughter was praying. The concubine picked all the needles and the needle on the corpse's nose. The corpse sneezed and sat up and said, 'God, who fulfilled my wish so that I fulfill her wish?' "O patience stone, you patient and I patient, O black-handled knife, be the witness of my heart! "The concubine was the first one the 'corpse' saw. He married the concubine and made me his concubine. One day he was going to the city to buy clothes for his wife. He asked me what I wanted him to buy for me. I said, 'I want a patience stone and a black-handled knife.' He went to the city and bought me a patience stone and a black-handled knife. Now I have put myself in the oven, and told my story. Shall I stab him or shall I stab myself?" When she said this the "corpse" opened the top of the oven and took her out. He asked the concubine, "Do you want a loaf of barley bread or a bidaw horse [a racehorse]?" She answered, "What am I going to do with a loaf of barley bread? I want a bidaw horse to take me on the mountains and deserts." He tied her to a bidaw horse's tail and run him until she was torn to pieces. He covered her skull with silver and made it into a glass to drink water, and married the old man's daughter. God fulfilled their wish. May He fulfill ours too.

AT 449 - The Lay of the Were-Wolf

Marie de France Amongst the tales I tell you once again, I would not forget the Lay of the Were-Wolf. Such beasts as he are known in every land. Bisclavret he is named in Brittany; whilst the Norman calls him Garwaf.

It is a certain thing, and within the knowledge of all, that many a christened man has suffered this change, and ran wild in woods, as a Were-Wolf. The Were-Wolf is a fearsome beast. He lurks within the thick forest, mad and horrible to see. All the evil that he may, he does. He goeth to and fro, about the solitary place, seeking man, in order to devour him. Hearken, now, to the adventure of the Were-Wolf, that I have to tell.

In Brittany there dwelt a baron who was marvellously esteemed of all his fellows. He was a stout knight, and a comely, and a man of office and repute. Right private was he to the mind of his lord, and dear to the counsel of his neighbours. This baron was wedded to a very worthy dame, right fair to see, and sweet of semblance. All his love was set on her, and all her love was given again to him. One only grief had this lady.

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For three whole days in every week her lord was absent from her side. She knew not where he went, nor on what errand. Neither did any of his house know the business which called him forth.

On a day when this lord was come again to his house, altogether joyous and content, the lady took him to task, right sweetly, in this fashion, "Husband," said she, "and fair, sweet friend, I have a certain thing to pray of you. Right willingly would I receive this gift, but I fear to anger you in the asking. It is better for me to have an empty hand, than to gain hard words."

When the lord heard this matter, he took the lady in his arms, very tenderly, and kissed her. "Wife," he answered, "ask what you will. What would you have, for it is yours already?" "By my faith," said the lady, "soon shall I be whole. Husband, right long and wearisome are the days that

you spend away from your home. I rise from my bed in the morning, sick at heart, I know not why. So fearful am I, lest you do aught to your loss, that I may not find any comfort. Very quickly shall I die for reason of my dread. Tell me now, where you go, and on what business! How may the knowledge of one who loves so closely, bring you to harm?"

"Wife," made answer the lord, "nothing but evil can come if I tell you this secret. For the mercy of God do not require it of me. If you but knew, you would withdraw yourself from my love, and I should be lost indeed."

When the lady heard this, she was persuaded that her baron sought to put her by with jesting words. Therefore she prayed and required him the more urgently, with tender looks and speech, till he was overborne, and told her all the story, hiding naught.

"Wife, I become Bisclavret. I enter in the forest, and live on prey and roots, within the thickest of the wood."

After she had learned his secret, she prayed and entreated the more as to whether he ran in his raiment, or went spoiled of vesture.

"Wife," said he, "I go naked as a beast." "Tell me, for hope of grace, what you do with your clothing?" "Fair wife, that will I never. If I should lose my raiment, or even be marked as I quit my vesture, then a

Were-Wolf I must go for all the days of my life. Never again should I become man, save in that hour my clothing were given back to me. For this reason never will I show my lair."

"Husband," replied the lady to him, "I love you better than all the world. The less cause have you for doubting my faith, or hiding any tittle from me. What savour is here of friendship? How have I made forfeit of your love; for what sin do you mistrust my honour? Open now your heart, and tell what is good to be known."

So at the end, outwearied and overborne by her importunity, he could no longer refrain, but told her all. "Wife," said he, "within this wood, a little from the path, there is a hidden way, and at the end thereof an

ancient chapel, where oftentimes I have bewailed my lot. Near by is a great hollow stone, concealed by a bush, and there is the secret place where I hide my raiment, till I would return to my own home."

On hearing this marvel the lady became sanguine of visage, because of her exceeding fear. She dared no longer to lie at his side, and turned over in her mind, this way and that, how best she could get her from him. Now there was a certain knight of those parts, who, for a great while, had sought and required this lady for her love. This knight had spent long years in her service, but little enough had he got thereby, not even fair words, or a promise. To him the dame wrote a letter, and meeting, made her purpose plain.

"Fair friend," said she, "be happy. That which you have coveted so long a time, I will grant without delay. Never again will I deny your suit. My heart, and all I have to give, are yours, so take me now as love and dame."

Right sweetly the knight thanked her for her grace, and pledged her faith and fealty. When she had confirmed him by an oath, then she told him all this business of her lord—why he went, and what he became, and of his ravening within the wood. So she showed him of the chapel, and of the hollow stone, and of how to spoil the Were-Wolf of his vesture. Thus, by the kiss of his wife, was Bisclavret betrayed. Often enough had he ravished his prey in desolate places, but from this journey he never returned. His kinsfolk and acquaintance came together to ask of his tidings, when this absence was noised abroad. Many a man, on many a day, searched the woodland, but none might find him, nor learn where Bisclavret was gone.

The lady was wedded to the knight who had cherished her for so long a space. More than a year had passed since Bisclavret disappeared. Then it chanced that the King would hunt in that self-same wood where the Were-Wolf lurked. When the hounds were unleashed they ran this way and that, and swiftly came upon his scent. At the view the huntsman winded on his horn, and the whole pack were at his heels. They followed him from morn to eve, till he was torn and bleeding, and was all adread lest they should pull him down. Now the King was very close to the quarry, and when Bisclavret looked upon his master, he ran to him for pity and for grace. He took the stirrup within his paws, and fawned upon the prince's foot. The King was very fearful at this sight, but presently he called his courtiers to his aid.

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"Lords," cried he, "hasten hither, and see this marvellous thing. Here is a beast who has the sense of man. He abases himself before his foe, and cries for mercy, although he cannot speak. Beat off the hounds, and let no man do him harm. We will hunt no more to-day, but return to our own place, with the wonderful quarry we have taken."

The King turned him about, and rode to his hall, Bisclavret following at his side. Very near to his master the Were-Wolf went, like any dog, and had no care to seek again the wood. When the King had brought him safely to his own castle, he rejoiced greatly, for the beast was fair and strong, no mightier had any man seen. Much pride had the King in his marvellous beast. He held him so dear, that he bade all those who wished for his love, to cross the Wolf in naught, neither to strike him with a rod, but ever to see that he was richly fed and kennelled warm. This commandment the Court observed willingly. So all the day the Wolf sported with the lords, and at night he lay within the chamber of the King. There was not a man who did not make much of the beast, so frank was he and debonair. None had reason to do him wrong, for ever was he about his master, and for his part did evil to none. Every day were these two companions together, and all perceived that the King loved him as his friend.

Hearken now to that which chanced. The King held a high Court, and bade his great vassals and barons, and all the lords of his venery to the

feast. Never was there a goodlier feast, nor one set forth with sweeter show and pomp. Amongst those who were bidden, came that same knight who had the wife of Bisclavret for dame. He came to the castle, richly gowned, with a fair company, but little he deemed whom he would find so near. Bisclavret marked his foe the moment he stood within the hall. He ran towards him, and seized him with his fangs, in the King's very presence, and to the view of all. Doubtless he would have done him much mischief, had not the King called and chidden him, and threatened him with a rod. Once, and twice, again, the Wolf set upon the knight in the very light of day. All men marvelled at his malice, for sweet and serviceable was the beast, and to that hour had shown hatred of none. With one consent the household deemed that this deed was done with full reason, and that the Wolf had suffered at the knight's hand some bitter wrong. Right wary of his foe was the knight until the feast had ended, and all the barons had taken farewell of their lord, and departed, each to his own house. With these, amongst the very first, went that lord whom Bisclavret so fiercely had assailed. Small was the wonder that he was glad to go.

No long while after this adventure it came to pass that the courteous King would hunt in that forest where Bisclavret was found. With the prince came his wolf, and a fair company. Now at nightfall the King abode within a certain lodge of that country, and this was known of that dame who before was the wife of Bisclavret. In the morning the lady clothed her in her most dainty apparel, and hastened to the lodge, since she desired to speak with the King, and to offer him a rich present. When the lady entered in the chamber, neither man nor leash might restrain the fury of the Wolf. He became as a mad dog in his hatred and malice. Breaking from his bonds he sprang at the lady's face, and bit the nose from her visage. From every side men ran to the succour of the dame. They beat off the wolf from his prey, and for a little would have cut him in pieces with their swords. But a certain wise counsellor said to the King,

"Sire, hearken now to me. This beast is always with you, and there is not one of us all who has not known him for long. He goes in and out amongst us, nor has molested any man, neither done wrong or felony to any, save only to this dame, one only time as we have seen. He has done evil to this lady, and to that knight, who is now the husband of the dame. Sire, she was once the wife of that lord who was so close and private to your heart, but who went, and none might find where he had gone. Now, therefore, put the dame in a sure place, and question her straitly, so that she may tell—if perchance she knows thereof—for what reason this Beast holds her in such mortal hate. For many a strange deed has chanced, as well we know, in this marvellous land of Brittany."

The King listened to these words, and deemed the counsel good. He laid hands upon the knight, and put the dame in surety in another place. He caused them to be questioned right straitly, so that their torment was very grievous. At the end, partly because of her distress, and partly by reason of her exceeding fear, the lady's lips were loosed, and she told her tale. She showed them of the betrayal of her lord, and how his raiment was stolen from the hollow stone. Since then she knew not where he went, nor what had befallen him, for he had never come again to his own land. Only, in her heart, well she deemed and was persuaded, that Bisclavret was he.

Straightway the King demanded the vesture of his baron, whether this were to the wish of the lady, or whether it were against her wish. When the raiment was brought him, he caused it to be spread before Bisclavret, but the Wolf made as though he had not seen. Then that cunning and crafty counsellor took the King apart, that he might give him a fresh rede.

"Sire," said he, "you do not wisely, nor well, to set this raiment before Bisclavret, in the sight of all. In shame and much tribulation must he lay aside the beast, and again become man. Carry your wolf within your

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most secret chamber, and put his vestment therein. Then close the door upon him, and leave him alone for a space. So we shall see presently whether the ravening beast may indeed return to human shape."

The King carried the Wolf to his chamber, and shut the doors upon him fast. He delayed for a brief while, and taking two lords of his fellowship with him, came again to the room. Entering therein, all three, softly together, they found the knight sleeping in the King's bed, like a little child. The King ran swiftly to the bed and taking his friend in his arms, embraced and kissed him fondly, above a hundred times. When man's speech returned once more, he told him of his adventure. Then the King restored to his friend the fief that was stolen from him, and gave such rich gifts, moreover, as I cannot tell. As for the wife who had betrayed Bisclavret, he bade her avoid his country, and chased her from the realm. So she went forth, she and her second lord together, to seek a more abiding city, and were no more seen.

The adventure that you have heard is no vain fable. Verily and indeed it chanced as I have said. The Lay of the Were-Wolf, truly, was written that it should ever be borne in mind.

AT 449 - The Lay of Melion

Anonymous Breton lay At the time when King Arthur reigned (he who conquered lands and who gave rich gifts to knights and to warriors) he had with him a bachelor; I`ve heard him called Melion. Melion was very courteous and doughty indeed, and made himself loved by all; he possessed very great knighthood and was courteous company. The king had a very rich retinue, throughout the whole world he was praised for courtesy and for prowess and for goodness and for generosity. On this day they were making their vows, and note that they kept them. This Melion vowed one which brought great evil on him. He said that he would never love a girl, no matter how noble and pretty she was, who had loved any other man, or had spoken of any. It was so a long time. Those who had heard the vow repeated it in many places and told it to the girls, and when the girls heard it they hated him bitterly. Those who were in the royal chambers and served the queen - there were more than a hundred - held a council: they said that they would never love him nor speak to him, no lady wished to look at him, no girl speak to him. When Melion heard this, he sighed deeply; he did not wish to seek adventure any more, nor had he any wish to bear arms; he was very sad, very downcast, and he quite lost his reputation. The king knew about this and it troubled him greatly. He had Melion sent for and he spoke to him. `Melion,` said King Arthur, `what`s happened to your great sense, your reputation, and your knighthood? Say what`s wrong with you, don`t keep it to yourself. If you wish for land or manor, or anything else you could have, if it is within my royal power, your shall have it as you wish. Willingly I will restore you to health,` the king said, `if I can. I have a castle by the sea, in all this world is not its equal, it has beautiful woods for hunting and river banks for hawking, and it has a very valuable forest. I will give you this to aid your recovery. You will certainly be able to relax completely there.` The king gave it to him in fief,.Melion thanked him for it. He went to his castle; he took 100 knights there. The country pleased him, and he liked the wood very much. When he had been there a year, he had come to love the country greatly, for he asked for no other distraction than what he found in the forest. One day Melion and his foresters had gone hunting. With him were his hunters, who had a great affection for him, for he was their liege lord and all honour was mirrored in him. They soon found a great stag; they soon caught and broke it up. He stopped in a great clearing to listen out for the call. With him was a squire; in his hand he held two greyhounds. In the clearing, which was green and pretty, Melion saw a girl coming on a lovely palfrey; its trappings were very costly. She was wearing a dress of scarlet samite, which was very well sewn with laces, and at her neck a mantle of ermine - a queen never wore a better. A lovely body and fair shoulders; her hair was blonde; little mouth, well moulded and coloured like a rose; blue eyes, clear and laughing; she was very beautiful in every appearance; she was coming alone, without company, she was very comely indeed, and slender. Melion went to meet her. He greeted her very politely. `Lovely one,` he said, `I greet you in the name of the glorious King Jesus. Tell me where you were born, and what has brought you here.` She replied, `I will tell you, for I will never lie in a word: I am of high birth enough, and born of noble lineage. I have come to you from Ireland. Know that I am very much your dear one. I have never loved another man apart from you, nor will I ever love again. I have heard you strongly praised, I would never wish to love another except you alone; never will I ever have love for another.`

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When Melion realised that his vows had come about, he embraced her around the waist and kissed her more than 30 times. Then he went for all his men, he told them what had happened. They saw the girl; in the kingdom there was none so beautiful. They led her to the castle and they celebrated joyfully. He married her with great richness and he was very joyful. The festivities lasted 15 days. He held her 3 years very dearly; he had 2 sons of her in the 3 years and was very happy and joyful at this. One day he went into the forest, and led his dear wife with him. He found a stag and pursued it. It fled, head down. He had a squire with him, who was carrying his quiver. They entered a great clearing, and looked into the bushes. He saw a very large stag standing there, and looked at his wife, laughing. `Lady,` he said, `if I wished, I would show you a very large stag: see it, there in those bushes.` `Faith,` she said, `Melion, know that if I don`t have some of that stag, I shall never eat.` She fell in a swoon from her palfrey, and Melion picked her up. When he could not comfort her, she began to weep bitterly. `Lady,` he said,` mercy, for God`s sake, don`t weep any longer, I beg you; I have on my hand such a ring, see it here on my middle finger. It has 2 stones in the mounting, no one ever saw any made like these; one is white, the other scarlet; you may hear a great marvel of them: touch me with the white, and place it on my head, when I have undressed completely, I will become a wolf, great and running. For love of you, I will catch the stag, and bring you some of the fat. For God`s sake I beg you, wait for me here, and guard my clothes. I leave you with my life and my death; there will be no comfort for me if I am not touched with the other ring, for I will never be a man again.` He called his squire and commanded him to take off his stockings. The latter came up and took off his lord`s stockings, and Melion went into the wood. He took off his clothes, none was left, he put his cloak around him. She touched him with the ring, when she saw him undressed and naked. Then he became a great running wolf. He had fallen into great trouble! The wolf went off, running very fast, where he saw the stag lying. Quickly he was on the trail. The struggle was great before he had approached and caught it and had some of the fat. The lady said to the squire, `Now we`ll leave him to hunt.` She mounted, did not wait any longer, and she took the squire with her. The lady returned straight to Ireland, her country. She went to the harbour, found a ship, and spoke at once to the sailors, that they should take her to Dublin, a city by the sea, which belonged to her father, the king of Ireland; from that moment she had what she requested. As soon as she had come to port she was received with great joy. Here we leave her at that, and talk of Melion. Melion chased the stag, pressing it hard. He caught it up in the moor, knocked it down at once, then took from it a great steak and carried it off in his mouth. Hastily he returned to where he had left his wife; but he did not find her, she was heading for Ireland. He was very unhappy and did not know what to do when he did not find her in the place. But nevertheless, although he was a wolf he had the reasoning and memory of a man. He waited until it started getting dark; then he saw a ship which was being loaded, which was to sail that night and go straight to Ireland. He went in that direction, waited until night came and entered it without thinking of the risk, for he had no care for his life. Under a hurdle he hid himself, and crouched and lay waiting. The sailors hurried themselves, for they had good wind; they then turned towards Ireland, each had what they wished for. They hauled their sails up, they ran by the sky and by the stars, and the next day as day broke they saw the land of Ireland. And when they came to port, Melion waited no longer, but came out of his hurdle and leapt out on to the sand. The sailors shouted at him, and threw their oars; one hit him with a stick, so that they almost caught him. He was glad when he escaped them. He went on to a mountain. He looked out for a long time on the country where he knew his enemies. He still had his steak, which he had brought from his land; he was very hungry, so he ate it. The sea had exhausted him. He went into a forest, found cows and oxen there; he killed and strangled many. There he began his war: he killed more than a hundred at this first beginning. The people who were in the woodland saw the loss of the animals. They ran to the city and told and related to the king that there was a wolf in the forest who was laying the land waste, had killed many of their animals. But the king thought nothing of it. Melion went through the forest so far, through mountains and through desert, that he had ten wolves accompanying him. He coaxed and flattered them so much that he led them with him, and they did everything he wished. They wandered through the land, mistreating men and women. They had been a complete year like this and had laid the whole land waste, killed men and women and destroyed the whole land. They knew how to watch out for themselves very well and the king could not trap them. One night they had travelled a long way and they were tired and harassed. They arrived at a wood next to Dublin, on a hill alongside the shore: the wood was next to a plain, all around there was open country. They entered to rest, but they were destroyed and deceived. A peasant saw them - he ran at once to the king. `Lord,` he said, `in the round wood the 11 wolves are lying.` When the king heard this, he was very pleased. He addressed his men.

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The king called his men. `My lords,` he said, `listen here! Know for truth that this man has seen all 11 wolves in my forest.` They stretched out around the wood the nets in which they used to catch pigs. When they were all stretched out, the king mounted; he did not wait any longer. His daughter said that she would come with him and see the wolf hunt. At once they went to the wood, quietly and in secret; they surrounded the wood completely, for there was a great number of men there, who were carrying axes and maces, and some bare swords. As well as that there were 1000 hounds crying out who soon found the wolves. Melion saw that he was betrayed; he saw clearly that he was in a bad position. The dogs came bearing down on them and they went fleeing to the nets. They were all torn apart and killed. Not a single one escaped alive except Melion, who escaped by throwing himself over the nets; he went away into a great wood; he escaped from them by cleverness. The hunters returned to the city, where the king made himself very happy. The king was very joyful that he had 10 of the 11 wolves, for he was very well revenged on the wolves: none had escaped except one. His daughter said: `That`s the biggest. He will still make them all regret it.` When Melion escaped, he climbed up a mountain. He was very sad,as it weighed on him greatly about his wolves that he had lost. He had laboured hard for a long time, but now he will soon be rescued. King Arthur was coming to Ireland, for he wished to make a peace. They had been at war in the country, and he wished to reconcile the enemies. He wished to go and conquer the Romans, and he wished to lead them with him in his war. The king came discreetly, he did not bring many people; 20 knights he brought with him. It was very good weather, and he had a good wind. The ship was very rich and great, there was a good pilot; it was well furnished, provisioned well with men and arms. Their shields were hung out, Melion recognised them; first he knew Gawain`s shield, then he recognised Ywain`s shield, then King Idel`s shield (Ydier); this all pleased him and he thought that it was fine. He recognised the king`s shield well. Note truly, he had great joy when he saw it! - he was very glad and rejoiced very much for he believed that he could still find mercy. Towards the land they came sailing, but the wind came against them so that they could not enter the port; then there was great discomfort. They turned to another port, 2 leagues from the city. There used to be a great castle there, but now it was all ruined, and when they arrived it was night; it had become dark. The king arrived at the port. He was very tired and harassed, for the ship had made him very sick. He called the seneschal. `Go out,` he said, `see outside there where I can sleep tonight.` The seneschal returned to the ship, called the chamberlains. `Go out,` he said, `outside with me, and we`ll prepare the king`s lodging.` They went out of the ship and came to the lodging; they had 2 candles carried and they had them lit very quickly. They carry quilts and carpets; it was well furnished hastily. Then the king disembarked and came straight to the lodging. And when he had entered, he was pleased when he found it so good. Melion did not hesitate. He went on to meet the ship, he halted near to the castle; he recognised them very well. He knows well if he does not have comfort from the king, he will receive death in Ireland; but he does not know how to go on. He is a wolf, he cannot speak; and nevertheless he will go on and put himself at the mercy of fortune. He came to the king`s door. He knew all the warriors; he did not stop, he went straight to the king, although he is in danger of death. He lets himself fall at the king`s feet, he does not wish to get up again; at which you would have seen astonishment there. The king said: `I see marvels! This wolf has come here to me. Now, you should be well aware that he is under my protection, no one dare to touch or approach him!` When the food was ready, the lords washed, the king washed and sat down. Before them cloths were laid. The king called Ydel, and sat him at his side. At the king`s feet lay Melion, he knew all the lords well. The king looked at him often; he gave him a piece of bread and he ate it. The king began to marvel. He said to King Ydel: `Look, be sure that this wolf is tame.` The king gave him a piece of meat and he willingly ate it. Then Gawain said, `Lords, see, this wolf is completely turned against nature.` All the lords said between themselves that no one had ever seen such a courteous wolf. The king had the wine brought before the wolf in a basin. The wolf saw it and he drank some. You may be sure that he desired it greatly; he drank enough of the wine and the king saw him do so very clearly. When they had got up from eating, and the lords had washed, they went out on to the beach; the wolf was always with the king, he could not find anywhere to go where the wolf could be taken from him. When the king wished to go to bed, he ordered his bed to be prepared, he went to sleep, he was very tired, and the wolf went with him; he could not be separated from him. He went to lie at the king`s feet. The king of Ireland had had messages that Arthur had come to him. He was very pleased and rejoiced greatly at it. Very early, at dawn, he rose; he went down to the port. He took his lords with him and they journeyed straight to the port. They greeted each other very warmly, Arthur showed him great friendship, and did him great honour. When he saw him coming towards him, he did not at all wish to act proudly; he got up

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and kissed him. The horses are ready, they wait no longer, they are mounted, now they will go towards the city. The king mounts his palfrey, he took good care of his wolf, who did not wish to leave him, and was always at his stirrup. The king of Ireland was very joyful with Arthur. The escort was rich and large. They came to Dublin, and dismounted before the great hall. When the king went up into the keep (donjon) the wolf held him by the skirt of his robes; when King Arthur was seated, the wolf set himself at his feet. The king looked at his wolf. He called him beside the dais. The 2 kings sat together. There was a very rich company there, and the lords were served very well. Everywhere throughout the house they were very plentifully served. But Melion looked, and recognised in the middle of the hall the squire whom his wife had brought. He knew well that he has crossed the sea and had come into Ireland. He went to seize him by the shoulder. The other could not hold out against him; Melion knocked him down in the hall. He would have killed and destroyed him on the spot if it were not for the king`s servants, who saw the great disturbance. From every part of the hall, they brought wooden clubs and sticks. The wolf would have been killed there and then, when King Arthur cried out. `Don`t you dare touch him,` he said, `Faith! Know that this wolf is mine.` Ydel said, son of Urien, `Lords, you are not doing right; if the wolf did not hate the lad, he would not have touched him.` And the king said, `Ydel, you`re right.` Arthur went down from the dais, and went to the wolf. He said to the young man: `You will confess why he caught you, or you die.` Melion looked at the king and tightened his grip on the lad. The lad cried out and asked mercy from the king, and said that he will tell the truth. At once he told the king how the lady had brought him, how she had touched Melion with the ring and led him to Ireland. He said and admitted everything, as it had happened to him. Arthur called the king of Ireland: `Now I know well that this is true; I am very glad about my warrior. Have the ring brought to me, and your daughter who carried it off; she has tricked him wickedly.` The king turned away, went into his chamber, took King Ydel with him. He flattered and coaxed his daughter so much that she gave him the ring. He brought it to King Arthur. As soon as he saw the ring, Melion knew it well. He went to the king and knelt before him and kissed his two feet. King Arthur wanted to touch him, but Gawain would not allow it. `Good uncle,` he said, `don`t! Take him into a chamber, one to one privately, so that he is not embarrassed by the crowd.` The king called Gawain, and took Ydel with him too; he led them into a chamber. When he was in, he shut the door. He placed the ring on the wolf`s head. He face appeared like a man`s, all his figure changed, then he became a man and spoke. He let himself fall at the king`s feet. They had him covered with a mantle. When they saw him formed as a man, they rejoiced a great deal. The king wept with compassion over him, and as he wept asked him how this had happened to him; they had lost him through sin. He had his chamberlain sent for, he had rich clothes brought for him; he dressed and groomed him well and led him into the hall. They were amazed throughout the house when they saw Melion coming. The king of Ireland brought out his daughter and presented her to Arthur to do all his will with her, whether he wished to burn or dismember her. Melion said, `I will touch her with the stone, I will not let her off.` Arthur said to him, `You will not! For the sake of your lovely children you will leave it.` All the warriors begged him, and Melion granted their request. King Arthur stayed until he had brought peace in the war. He went to his own country, taking Melion with him. Melion was very glad and had great joy. He left his wife in Ireland, he commended her to the devils. She would never again be loved by him, because she had reduced him to such a state as you have heard in the story. He never wished to take her back, he would rather let her be burnt or hanged. Melion said, `It will always happen that whoever believes his wife in everything will be ruined in the end. He ought not to believe all she says.` The lay of Melion is true, all the warriors say this for certain.

AT 449 - The Story of Sidi-Nouman

Andrew Lang The Caliph, Haroun-al-Raschid, was much pleased with the tale of the blind man and the dervish, and when it was finished he turned to the young man who had ill-treated his horse, and inquired his name also. The young man replied that he was called Sidi-Nouman.

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"Sidi-Nouman," observed the Caliph, "I have seen horses broken all my life long, and have even broken them myself, but I have never seen any horse broken in such a barbarous manner as by you yesterday. Every one who looked on was indignant, and blamed you loudly. As for myself, I was so angry that I was very nearly disclosing who I was, and putting a stop to it at once. Still, you have not the air of a cruel man, and I would gladly believe that you did not act in this way without some reason. As I am told that it was not the first time, and indeed that every day you are to be seen flogging and spurring your horse, I wish to come to the bottom of the matter. But tell me the whole truth, and conceal nothing." Sidi-Nouman changed colour as he heard these words, and his manner grew confused; but he saw plainly that there was no help for it. So he prostrated himself before the throne of the Caliph and tried to obey, but the words stuck in his throat, and he remained silent. The Caliph, accustomed though he was to instant obedience, guessed something of what was passing in the young man's mind, and sought to put him at his ease. "Sidi-Nouman," he said, "do not think of me as the Caliph, but merely as a friend who would like to hear your story. If there is anything in it that you are afraid may offend me, take courage, for I pardon you beforehand. Speak then openly and without fear, as to one who knows and loves you." Reassured by the kindness of the Caliph, Sidi-Nouman at length began his tale. "Commander of the Faithful," said he, "dazzled though I am by the lustre of your Highness' presence, I will do my best to satisfy your wishes. I am by no means perfect, but I am not naturally cruel, neither do I take pleasure in breaking the law. I admit that the treatment of my horse is calculated to give your Highness a bad opinion of me, and to set an evil example to others; yet I have not chastised it without reason, and I have hopes that I shall be judged more worthy of pity than punishment." Commander of the Faithful, I will not trouble to describe my birth; it is not of sufficient distinction to deserve your Highness' attention. My ancestors were careful people, and I inherited enough money to enable me to live comfortably, though without show. Having therefore a modest fortune, the only thing wanting to my happiness was a wife who could return my affection, but this blessing I was not destined to get; for on the very day after my marriage, my bride began to try my patience in every way that was most hard to bear. Now, seeing that the customs of our land oblige us to marry without ever beholding the person with whom we are to pass our lives, a man has of course no right to complain as long as his wife is not absolutely repulsive, or is not positively deformed. And whatever defects her body may have, pleasant ways and good behaviour will go far to remedy them. The first time I saw my wife unveiled, when she had been brought to my house with the usual ceremonies, I was enchanted to find that I had not been deceived in regard to the account that had been given me of her beauty. I began my married life in high spirits, and the best hopes of happiness. The following day a grand dinner was served to us but as my wife did not appear, I ordered a servant to call her. Still she did not come, and I waited impatiently for some time. At last she entered the room, and she took our places at the table, and plates of rice were set before us. I ate mine, as was natural, with a spoon, but great was my surprise to notice that my wife, instead of doing the same, drew from her pocket a little case, from which she selected a long pin, and by the help of this pin conveyed her rice grain by grain to her mouth. "Amina," I exclaimed in astonishment, "is that the way you eat rice at home? And did you do it because your appetite was so small, or did you wish to count the grains so that you might never eat more than a certain number? If it was from economy, and you are anxious to teach me not to be wasteful, you have no cause for alarm. We shall never ruin ourselves in that way! Our fortune is large enough for all our needs, therefore, dear Amina, do not seek to check yourself, but eat as much as you desire, as I do!" In reply to my affectionate words, I expected a cheerful answer; yet Amina said nothing at all, but continued to pick her rice as before, only at longer and longer intervals. And, instead of trying the other dishes, all she did was to put every now and then a crumb, of bread into her mouth, that would not have made a meal for a sparrow. I felt provoked by her obstinacy, but to excuse her to myself as far as I could, I suggested that perhaps she had never been used to eat in the company of men, and that her family might have taught her that she ought to behave prudently and discreetly in the presence of her husband. Likewise that she might either have dined already or intend to do so in her own apartments. So I took no further notice, and when I had finished left the room, secretly much vexed at her strange conduct. The same thing occurred at supper, and all through the next day, whenever we ate together. It was quite clear that no woman could live upon two or three bread-crumbs and a few grains of rice, and I determined to find out how and when she got food. I pretended not to pay attention to anything she did, in the hope that little by little she would get accustomed to me, and become more friendly; but I soon saw that my expectations were quite vain.

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One night I was lying with my eyes closed, and to, all appearance sound asleep, when Amina arose softly, and dressed herself without making the slightest sound. I could not imagine what she was going to do, and as my curiosity was great I made up my mind to follow her. When she was fully dressed, she stole quietly from the room. The instant she had let the curtain fall behind her, I flung a garment on my shoulders and a pair of slippers on my feet. Looking from a lattice which opened into the court, I saw her in the act of passing through the street door, which she carefully left open. It was bright moonlight, so I easily managed to keep her in sight, till she entered a cemetery not far from the house. There I hid myself under the shadow of the wall, and crouched down cautiously; and hardly was I concealed, when I saw my wife approaching in company with a ghoul--one of those demons which, as your Highness is aware, wander about the country making their lairs in deserted buildings and springing out upon unwary travellers whose flesh they eat. If no live being goes their way, they then betake themselves to the cemeteries, and feed upon the dead bodies. I was nearly struck dumb with horror on seeing my wife with this hideous female ghoul. They passed by me without noticing me, began to dig up a corpse which had been buried that day, and then sat down on the edge of the grave, to enjoy their frightful repast, talking quietly and cheerfully all the while, though I was too far off to hear what they said. When they had finished, they threw back the body into the grave, and heaped back the earth upon it. I made no effort to disturb them, and returned quickly to the house, when I took care to leave the door open, as I had previously found it. Then I got back into bed, and pretended to sleep soundly. A short time after Amina entered as quietly as she had gone out. She undressed and stole into bed, congratulating herself apparently on the cleverness with which she had managed her expedition. As may be guessed, after such a scene it was long before I could close my eyes, and at the first sound which called the faithful to prayer, I put on my clothes and went to the mosque. But even prayer did not restore peace to my troubled spirit, and I could not face my wife until I had made up my mind what future course I should pursue in regard to her. I therefore spent the morning roaming about from one garden to another, turning over various plans for compelling my wife to give up her horrible ways; I thought of using violence to make her submit, but felt reluctant to be unkind to her. Besides, I had an instinct that gentle means had the best chance of success; so, a little soothed, I turned towards home, which I reached about the hour of dinner. As soon as I appeared, Amina ordered dinner to be served, and we sat down together. As usual, she persisted in only picking a few grains of rice, and I resolved to speak to her at once of what lay so heavily on my heart. "Amina," I said, as quietly as possible, "you must have guessed the surprise I felt, when the day after our marriage you declined to eat anything but a few morsels of rice, and altogether behaved in such a manner that most husbands would have been deeply wounded. However I had patience with you, and only tried to tempt your appetite by the choicest dishes I could invent, but all to no purpose. Still, Amina, it seems to me that there be some among them as sweet to the taste as the flesh of a corpse?" I had no sooner uttered these words than Amina, who instantly understood that I had followed her to the grave-yard, was seized with a passion beyond any that I have ever witnessed. Her face became purple, her eyes looked as if they would start from her head, and she positively foamed with rage. I watched her with terror, wondering what would happen next, but little thinking what would be the end of her fury. She seized a vessel of water that stood at hand, and plunging her hand in it, murmured some words I failed to catch. Then, sprinkling it on my face, she cried madly: "Wretch, receive the reward of your prying, and become a dog." The words were not out of her mouth when, without feeling conscious that any change was passing over me, I suddenly knew that I had ceased to be a man. In the greatness of the shock and surprise--for I had no idea that Amina was a magician--I never dreamed of running away, and stood rooted to the spot, while Amina grasped a stick and began to beat me. Indeed her blows were so heavy, that I only wonder they did not kill me at once. However they succeeded in rousing me from my stupor, and I dashed into the court-yard, followed closely by Amina, who made frantic dives at me, which I was not quick enough to dodge. At last she got tired of pursuing me, or else a new trick entered into her head, which would give me speedy and painful death; she opened the gate leading into the street, intending to crush me as I passed through. Dog though I was, I saw through her design, and stung into presence of mind by the greatness of the danger, I timed my movements so well that I contrived to rush through, and only the tip of my tail received a squeeze as she banged the gate. I was safe, but my tail hurt me horribly, and I yelped and howled so loud all along the streets, that the other dogs came and attacked me, which made matters no better. In order to avoid them, I took refuge in a cookshop, where tongues and sheep's heads were sold. At first the owner showed me great kindness, and drove away the other dogs that were still at my heels, while I crept into the darkest corner. But though I was safe for the moment, I was not destined to remain long

24

under his protection, for he was one of those who hold all dogs to be unclean, and that all the washing in the world will hardly purify you from their contact. So after my enemies had gone to seek other prey, he tried to lure me from my corner in order to force me into the street. But I refused to come out of my hole, and spent the night in sleep, which I sorely needed, after the pain inflicted on me by Amina. I have no wish to weary your Highness by dwelling on the sad thoughts which accompanied my change of shape, but it may interest you to hear that the next morning my host went out early to do his marketing, and returned laden with the sheep's heads, and tongues and trotters that formed his stock in trade for the day. The smell of meat attracted various hungry dogs in the neighbourhood, and they gathered round the door begging for some bits. I stole out of my corner, and stood with them. In spite of his objection to dogs, as unclean animals, my protector was a kind-hearted man, and knowing I had eaten nothing since yesterday, he threw me bigger and better bits than those which fell to the share of the other dogs. When I had finished, I tried to go back into the shop, but this he would not allow, and stood so firmly at the entrance with a stout stick, that I was forced to give it up, and seek some other home. A few paces further on was a baker's shop, which seemed to have a gay and merry man for a master. At that moment he was having his breakfast, and though I gave no signs of hunger, he at once threw me a piece of bread. Before gobbling it up, as most dogs are in the habit of doing, I bowed my head and wagged my tail, in token of thanks, and he understood, and smiled pleasantly. I really did not want the bread at all, but felt it would be ungracious to refuse, so I ate it slowly, in order that he might see that I only did it out of politeness. He understood this also, and seemed quite willing to let me stay in his shop, so I sat down, with my face to the door, to show that I only asked his protection. This he gave me, and indeed encouraged me to come into the house itself, giving me a corner where I might sleep, without being in anybody's way. The kindness heaped on me by this excellent man was far greater than I could ever have expected. He was always affectionate in his manner of treating me, and I shared his breakfast, dinner and supper, while, on my side, I gave him all the gratitude and attachment to which he had a right. I sat with my eyes fixed on him, and he never left the house without having me at his heels; and if it ever happened that when he was preparing to go out I was asleep, and did not notice, he would call "Rufus, Rufus," for that was the name he gave me. Some weeks passed in this way, when one day a woman came in to buy bread. In paying for it, she laid down several pieces of money, one of which was bad. The baker perceived this, and declined to take it, demanding another in its place. The woman, for her part, refused to take it back, declaring it was perfectly good, but the baker would have nothing to do with it. "It is really such a bad imitation," he exclaimed at last, "that even my dog would not be taken in. Here Rufus! Rufus!" and hearing his voice, I jumped on to the counter. The baker threw down the money before me, and said, "Find out if there is a bad coin." I looked at each in turn, and then laid my paw on the false one, glancing at the same time at my master, so as to point it out. The baker, who had of course been only in joke, was exceedingly surprised at my cleverness, and the woman, who was at last convinced that the man spoke the truth, produced another piece of money in its place. When she had gone, my master was so pleased that he told all the neighbours what I had done, and made a great deal more of it than there really was. The neighbours, very naturally, declined to believe his story, and tried me several times with all the bad money they could collect together, but I never failed to stand the test triumphantly. Soon, the shop was filled from morning till night, with people who on the pretence of buying bread came to see if I was as clever as I was reported to be. The baker drove a roaring trade, and admitted that I was worth my weight in gold to him. Of course there were plenty who envied him his large custom, and many was the pitfall set for me, so that he never dared to let me out of his sight. One day a woman, who had not been in the shop before, came to ask for bread, like the rest. As usual, I was lying on the counter, and she threw down six coins before me, one of which was false. I detected it at once, and put my paw on it, looking as I did so at the woman. "Yes," she said, nodding her head. "You are quite right, that is the one." She stood gazing at me attentively for some time, then paid for the bread, and left the shop, making a sign for me to follow her secretly. Now my thoughts were always running on some means of shaking off the spell laid on me, and noticing the way in which this woman had looked at me, the idea entered my head that perhaps she might have guessed what had happened, and in this I was not deceived. However I let her go on a little way, and merely stood at the door watching her. She turned, and seeing that I was quite still, she again beckoned to me. The baker all this while was busy with his oven, and had forgotten all about me, so I stole out softly, and ran after the woman. When we came to her house, which was some distance off, she opened the door and then said to me, "Come in, come in; you will never be sorry that you followed me." When I had entered she fastened the door, and took me into a large room, where a beautiful girl was working at a piece of embroidery. "My daughter,"

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exclaimed my guide, "I have brought you the famous dog belonging to the baker which can tell good money from bad. You know that when I first heard of him, I told you I was sure he must be really a man, changed into a dog by magic. To-day I went to the baker's, to prove for myself the truth of the story, and persuaded the dog to follow me here. Now what do you say?" "You are right, mother," replied the girl, and rising she dipped her hand into a vessel of water. Then sprinkling it over me she said, "If you were born dog, remain dog; but if you were born man, by virtue of this water resume your proper form." In one moment the spell was broken. The dog's shape vanished as if it had never been, and it was a man who stood before her. Overcome with gratitude at my deliverance, I flung myself at her feet, and kissed the hem of her garment. "How can I thank you for your goodness towards a stranger, and for what you have done? Henceforth I am your slave. Deal with me as you will!" Then, in order to explain how I came to be changed into a dog, I told her my whole story, and finished with rendering the mother the thanks due to her for the happiness she had brought me. "Sidi-Nouman," returned the daughter, "say no more about the obligation you are under to us. The knowledge that we have been of service to you is ample payment. Let us speak of Amina, your wife, with whom I was acquainted before her marriage. I was aware that she was a magician, and she knew too that I had studied the same art, under the same mistress. We met often going to the same baths, but we did not like each other, and never sought to become friends. As to what concerns you, it is not enough to have broken your spell, she must be punished for her wickedness. Remain for a moment with my mother, I beg," she added hastily, "I will return shortly." Left alone with the mother, I again expressed the gratitude I felt, to her as well as to her daughter. "My daughter," she answered, "is, as you see, as accomplished a magician as Amina herself, but you would be astonished at the amount of good she does by her knowledge. That is why I have never interfered, otherwise I should have put a stop to it long ago." As she spoke, her daughter entered with a small bottle in her hand. "Sidi-Nouman," she said, "the books I have just consulted tell me that Amina is not home at present, but she should return at any moment. I have likewise found out by their means, that she pretends before the servants great uneasiness as to your absence. She has circulated a story that, while at dinner with her, you remembered some important business that had to be done at once, and left the house without shutting the door. By this means a dog had strayed in, which she was forced to get rid of by a stick. Go home then without delay, and await Amina's return in your room. When she comes in, go down to meet her, and in her surprise, she will try to run away. Then have this bottle ready, and dash the water it contains over her, saying boldly, "Receive the reward of your crimes." That is all I have to tell you." Everything happened exactly as the young magician had foretold. I had not been in my house many minutes before Amina returned, and as she approached I stepped in front of her, with the water in my hand. She gave one loud cry, and turned to the door, but she was too late. I had already dashed the water in her face and spoken the magic words. Amina disappeared, and in her place stood the horse you saw me beating yesterday. This, Commander of the Faithful, is my story, and may I venture to hope that, now you have heard the reason of my conduct, your Highness will not think this wicked woman too harshly treated? "Sidi-Nouman," replied the Caliph, "your story is indeed a strange one, and there is no excuse to be offered for your wife. But, without condemning your treatment of her, I wish you to reflect how much she must suffer from being changed into an animal, and I hope you will let that punishment be enough. I do not order you to insist upon the young magician finding the means to restore your wife to her human shape, because I know that when once women such as she begin to work evil they never leave off, and I should only bring down on your head a vengeance far worse than the one you have undergone already."

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Original Portuguese texts

O Chapelinho Encarnado

(Portugal)

Abílio Manuel Guerra Junqueiro

Era uma vez uma rapariguinha muito bonita e cheia de bondade, a quem sua mãe e sua avó adoravam extremosamente. A boa da avozinha, que passava o tempo a imaginar o que poderia agradar à neta, deu-lhe um dia um chapéu de veludo vermelho. A pequenita andava tão contente com o seu chapéu novo, que já não queria pôr outro, e começaram a chamar-lhe a menina do chapelinho encarnado. A mãe e a avó moravam em duas casas separadas por uma floresta de meia légua de comprido. Uma manhã a mãe disse à pequenita: — Tua avó está doente, e não pôde vir ver-nos. Eu fiz estes doces, vai levar-lhos tu com esta garrafa de vinho. Toma cuidado não quebres a garrafa, não andes a correr, vai devagarinho e volta logo. — Sim, mamã, respondeu ela, hei-de fazer tudo como deseja. Atou o seu avental, meteu num cestinho a garrafa e os doces, e pôs-se a caminho. No meio da floresta um lobo aproximou-se dela. A pequenita, que nunca vira lobos, olhou para ele sem medo algum. — Bons dias, chapelinho encarnado. — Bons dias, meu senhor, respondeu delicadamente a pequena. — Onde vais tão cedo? — A casa da minha avó que está doente. — E levas-lhe alguma coisa? — Levo, sim senhor; levo-lhe uns bolos e uma garrafa de vinho para lhe dar forças. — Diz-me onde mora a tua, avó, que também a quero ir ver. — É perto, aqui no fim da floresta. Há ao pé uns carvalhos muito grandes, e no jardim há muitas nozes. — Ah! tu é que és uma bela noz, disse consigo o lobo. Como eu gostava de te comer. Depois continuou em voz alta: — Olha, que bonitas árvores e que lindos passarinhos. Como é bom passear nas florestas, e então que quantidade de plantas medicinais que se encontram! — O senhor, é com certeza um médico, respondeu a inocente pequenita, visto que conhece as ervas medicinais. Talvez me pudesse indicar alguma que fizesse bem a minha avó. — Com certeza, minha filha, olha, aqui está uma, e esta também, e aquela. Mas todas as plantas que o lobo indicava, eram plantas venenosas. A pobre criança, queria-as apanhar para as levar a sua avó. — Adeus, meu lindo chapelinho encarnado, estimei muito conhecer-te. Com grande pena minha, tenho de te deixar para ir ver um doente. E pôs-se a correr em direcção da casa da avó, enquanto que a pequerrucha se entretinha em apanhar as plantas que ele tinha indicado. Quando o lobo chegou à porta da velha, achou-a fechada e bateu, mas a avó não se podia levantar da cama, e perguntou: — Quem está aí? — É o chapelinho encarnado, respondeu o lobo imitando a voz da pequerrucha. A mamã manda-te bolos e uma garrafa de vinho. — Procura debaixo da porta disse a avó, que encontrarás a chave. Encontrou-a, abriu a porta, engoliu duma bocada a pobre velha inteira, e depois, vestindo o fato que ela costumava usar, deitou-se na cama. Pouco depois entrou a pequenita, assustada e admirada de encontrar a porta aberta, porque sabia o cuidado com que a avó a costumava ter fechada. O lobo tinha posto uma touca na cabeça, que lhe escondia uma parte do focinho, mas o que lhe ficava descoberto era horrível. — Ai! avozinha, disse a criança, porque tens tu as orelhas tão grandes? — É para te ouvir melhor, minha filha. — E porque estás com uns olhos tão grandes? — É para te ver melhor. — E para que estás com os braços tão grandes?

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— É para te poder abraçar melhor. — E Jesus! para que tens hoje uma boca tão grande e uns dentes tão agudos? — É para te comer melhor. A estas palavras o lobo arremessou-se à pobre pequena, e engoliu-a. Como estava repleto, adormeceu, e começou a ressonar muito alto. Um caçador que passava por acaso, perto da casa, e que ouviu aquele barulho, disse consigo: A pobre velha está com um pesadelo, está pior talvez, vou ver se precisa dalguma coisa. Entra, e vê o lobo estendido na cama. — Olá, meu menino, diz ele: há muito tempo que te procuro. Armou a sua espingarda, mas parando logo: Não, disse ele, não vejo a dona da casa. Talvez o lobo a engolisse viva. E em lugar de matar o animal com uma bala, pegou na sua faca de mato, e abriu-lhe cuidadosamente a barriga. Apareceu logo o chapelinho encarnado e saltou para o chão, gritando: — Ai! que sítio medonho onde eu estive fechada! A avó saiu também contentíssima por ver outra vez a luz do dia. O lobo continuava a dormir profundamente, e o caçador meteu-lhe então duas grandes pedras na barriga, coseu tudo, e escondeu-se com a avó e a neta para verem o que se ia passar. Decorrido um instante o lobo acordou, e como tinha sede, levantou-se para ir beber ao lago. Ao andar ouvia as pedras baterem uma na outra, e não podia compreender o que aquilo era; com o peso, caiu no lago, e afogou-se. O caçador tirou-lhe a pele, comeu os bolos e bebeu o vinho com a velha e a sua neta. A velha sentia-se remoçar, e o chapelinho encarnado prometeu não tornar a passar na floresta, quando sua mãe lho proibisse.

O Chapelinho Vermelho

(Brasil)

Luis Camara Cascudo Uma senhora viúva tinha uma filha de dez anos que era o seu enlevo. Sempre que se aproximava o dia do aniversário de Laura, a mãe a levava à cidade e escolhia um presente ao gosto da pequena. No seu décimo aniversário, ela desejou possuir uma sombrinha cor vermelha, que a mamãe comprou. Desde então não saía a passeio sem a sombrinha, as meninas vizinhas puseram-lhe a alcunha de "Chapelinho Vermelho". Certa vez a mãe de Laura preparou um bolo para a filha levar à casa de sua avó, à beira de uma floresta. Recomendou-lhe que fosse pelo caminho sem dele se desviar, porque no mato havia bichos maus. Laura tomou o bolo e a princípio observou a recomendação; mas em dado ponto do itinerário, viu uma borboleta azul que era uma beleza e quis segurá-la. A borboleta voou para a mata; Chapelinho Vermelho seguiu-lhe a pista até um recanto onde se lhe deparou um vulto de olhos de fogo, que a fitou demoradamente: era um lobo que logo se aproximou, perguntando o que viera fazer ali. Respondeu a menina que levava um bolo à sua avó e, vendo uma borboleta, seguiu-a até a paragem onde se achava. A isso respondeu o interlocutor: - Você é que está um bolo bom de comer. – E prosseguiu: - Diga-me uma cousa, menina: sua avó mora só? - Sim, senhor. - E você quando lá chegar como faz para ela lhe abrir a porta? - Eu bato e ela pergunta: - Quem está aí? Respondo: - É Chapelinho Vermelho, sua neta, que lhe vem trazer um bolo. Vovó diz, então: - A chave está por baixo da porta, presa ao cordão cuja ponta se vê de fora. Eu abro a porta e entro, porque minha vovó já custa a se levantar da cama. Informado o lobo, concluiu a ingênua criança: - Agora peço que o senhor me indique a direção que devo seguir para achar com presteza o caminho e me perdoe ter entrado em seus domínios sem lhe pedir licença. Não foi por mal e só por causa da borboleta. O lobo apontou-lhe um rumo errado e partiu pela floresta como uma flecha, até descobrir a casa da avó de Laura, onde, imitando a voz desta e pondo em prática as informações colhidas, entrou e chegando ao quarto engoliu a pobre velha, tendo antes fechado a porta de entrada e posto a chave no lugar de costume. Assim satisfeito, deitou-se na cama da vítima e cobriu-se o melhor que pôde. Decorrido um certo espaço de tempo, chega Chapelinho Vermelho e, depois das perguntas e respostas costumeiras, entra, ignorando tudo que se havia passado com a velha, não tendo, entretanto, fechado, por esquecimento, a porta da rua. Ao penetrar no quarto, depôs o bolo em um móvel e notando que a suposta avó estava toda enrolada na cama, inquiriu:

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- Vovó, você parece que está com muito frio? Teve em resposta: - Muito frio, minha neta. - Vovó, por que é que você está com as orelhas tão compridas? - É para ouvir bem, minha neta. - E por que vovó está com a boca tão grande? - É para devorar-te. – E segurando Laura, engoliu-a, como antes o fizera à velha avó. Nos arredores da vivenda da pobre velha morava um caçador cujas ovelhas de vez em vez eram dizimadas por esse mesmo lobo e o caçador andava-lhe no encalço. Passando por perto daquela habitação, quase sempre via a avó da menina à janela e com ela conversava, mas na tarde de que se trata e em que ocorreram tão graves acontecimentos, olhou e não a viu. Intrigou-o a circunstância de achar aberta a porta da rua. Caminhou para o lugar indicado e entrou na sala; silêncio absoluto! Pé ante pé foi até o quarto e, desde logo vendo o lobo, imaginou o que teria acontecido. Tomou da faca e sangrou-o. Examinando o animal de perto verificou que estava com o ventre entumescido; abriu-o e eis que saltam as duas vítimas que lhe relataram quanto haviam sofrido do feroz animal. Chapelinho Vermelho e o caçador transportaram a velha, que ficou desde então morando com a filha e a neta. Desde esse dia Laura nunca mais se esqueceu das recomendações e conselhos maternos.

AT 311B* - A Menina dos Brincos de Ouro

(Brasil)

Luis Camara Cascudo Uma mãe, que era muito severa para os filhos, fez presente a sua filhinha de uns brincos de ouro. Quando a menina ia à fonte buscar água e tomar banho, costumava tirar os brincos e botá-los em cima de uma pedra. Um dia ela foi à fonte, tomou banho, encheu a cabaça e voltou para casa esquecendo-se dos brincos. Chegando em casa, deu por falta deles e, com medo de a mãe ralhar com ela e castigá-la, correu à fonte a buscar os brincos. Chegando lá, encontrou um velho muito feio que a agarrou, botou nas costas e levou consigo. O velho pegou a menina, meteu dentro de um surrão, coseu o surrão e disse à menina que ia sair com ela de porta em porta para ganhar a vida e que, quando ele ordenasse, ela cantasse dentro do surrão senão ele bateria com o bordão. Em todo lugar que chegava, botava o surrão no chão e dizia:

Canta, canta meu suurão,

Senão te meto este bordão. E o surrão cantava:

Neste surrão me meteram,

Neste surrão hei de morrer;

Por causa de uns brincos d'ouro

Que na fonte eu deixei. Todo mundo ficava admirado e dava dinheiro ao velho. Quando foi um dia, ele chegou à casa da mãe da menina que reconheceu logo a voz da filha. Então convidaram o velho para comer e beber e, como já era tarde, instaram muito com ele para dormir. De noite, como ele tinha bebido demais, ferrou num sono muito pesado. As moças foram, abriram o surrão e tiraram a menina que já estava fraquinha, quase para morrer. Em lugar da menina, encheram o surrão de excrementos. No dia seguinte, o velho acordou, pegou no surrão, botou às costas e foi-se embora. Adiante em um casa, perguntou se queriam ouvir um surrão cantar. Botou no chão e disse:

Canta, canta meu surrão,

Senão te meto este bordão. Nada. O surrão calado. Repetiu ainda. Nada. Então o velho meteu o cacete no surrão que se arrebentou todo e mostrou a peça que as moças tinham pregado no velho, o qual ficou possesso.