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AN ENGLISH TALE
Once upon a time there lived a man who married a bad-tempered woman.
She could not run the house properly but always objected to any improvements, which her husband suggested. As a result the man was very unhappy until his wife died. By that time he had grown quite old, and his only son had already grown up.
One day the man gave his son two horses and a needle and told him to go about the country and travel until he met a young married couple. He told the young man to find out which of them was the real head of the family. If he saw that the wife obeyed her husband, he was to give the wife one of the horses as a present, but if he discovered that the wife made all the decisions, he was to give her the needle.
The son started off. He had travelled for three days when he came across a house at the side of the road which, as people told him, had been occupied for some time by a young married couple. When the young man entered the house, the young couple were having dinner. He explained what he had been told to do.
"We've been married for three years, and I have never taken a single step without talking it over with my husband," said the woman. "It's shameful not to obey one's husband. I have always been a very obedient wife. Isn't that so, John?" she added turning to her husband.
"Of course, dear," John agreed. Then," said the young man. "One of the horses will be yours. Which would you prefer?" After they had examined both the horses closely, the husband was the first to speak: "We take the white horse with the grey spots. I like his strong legs"
"Oh, no, John," the woman interrupted at once. "We shall take the black one."
"0f course, dear," John agreed without hesitation. "I don't mind taking the black one if you like it."
"That will do," said the young man. "I've made up my mind." And he gave the woman the needle.
THE WHITE GLOVES
The Rook was a lazy bird, but not too lazy to swoop down and snatch a pair of white gloves that a fine gentleman had dropped while walking through the park.
The rook struggled to draw them over on her long claws and at last she succeeded and flew to a tree, thinking herself the finest bird of all.
All the birds flew to work next morning, to gather beetles, flies and midgets in the woods and fields, but the rook still sat on her tree.
"Come with us!" cried the birds but the rook cawed: "Go away, I can't come. I don't want to get my gloves dirty!"
The birds ate their food and then flew home to their nests.
"Give me some! I'm hungry!" cried the rook.
"You can't eat with your gloves on", they replied. "You'll get them dirty."
"Put the food in my mouth and I'll swallow it," begged the Rook.
"You are not a baby," laughed the birds. "Babies don't wear white gloves." boon the birds settled on their nests for the night. But the Rook could not sleep because she was too hungry. "Fine clothes aren't of much use if I can't eat!" she decided at last.
"The next morning when the other birds flew to the woods and fields the Rook was ready to go with them. And the fine white gloves had been placed in the bare twig nest to make a soft bed for the baby rooks who would soon be chipping their way out of the eggs.
SIMPLETON
One fine day a boy went down the road. He had two gold coins in his pocket. Soon the boy met a farmer with a basket in his hands.
"Have you any pennies in your pocket?" asked the fanner.
"No," answered the boy, "I have only two gold coins which my brother gave me. They sent me away from home because I am stupid. They call me Simpleton."
When the farmer heard that Simpleton had two gold coins and was stupid, he said, "Do you see this fine goose'' It's one of the finest geese in the world I`ll give it to you for your gold coins. And I'll give you the basket, too."
Simpleton thought that the goose was really fine. He gave the farmer his gold coins and took the basket with the goose in it.
Just then the Simpleton saw a big house and asked the farmer: "Whose big house is that on the hill?"
"You don't know whose house that is!" cried the man. "You are so stupid. It's the king's palace!"
"So that is the palace of the king!" cried Simpleton. "Then I know what I'll do. I'll take my goose to the palace and give it to the king."
Simpleton went to the palace with the basket in his hand and the goose in the basket.
When he came to the palace, he said to the man at the door, "See this fine goose! It's one of the finest geese in the world! And it's a present for the king.
"If you want to take that goose to the king, you must give me half of it," said the man. "I am the keeper of the door and half of everything that goes through the door comes to me."
"What shall I do?" cried Simpleton. "I cannot take half of the goose to the king".
"I`ll tell you what to do", said the servant. "Take the goose to the king and he will give you the reward. Ask some good coins, and I'll take half of the reward."
So Simpleton agreed to give the servant half of his reward. The keeper of the door allowed him to enter the palace.
They came to a fine staircase that led to the king's room. Another servant stood there.
'This is the keeper of the staircase", the first servant said to the boy. "Show him the present that you have for the king."
When Simpleton showed the keeper of the staircase his goose, the man said: "A fine goose. I am the keeper of the staircase, and half of everything that goes up the staircase comes to me."
So Simpleton agreed to give this servant half of the reward, too.
The servants looked at each other and laughed. "How stupid the boy is!" they thought. They led the boy to the king's room.
When Simpleton came in, he gave his goose to the king. "What do you want for it?" asked the king. "Ask gold coins," whispered the keeper of the staircase. But Simpieton said politely, "I want a good beating, Your Majesty".
"Don`t be stupid," said the king. "Why do you want a good beating for your goose?!"
But Simpleton only repeated, "Give me a good beating."
So the king ordered two soldiers to give the stupid boy a good beating as a reward for his goose.
But then Simpleton said quickly, "But the reward is not only mine, Your Majesty. I promised to give half of it to the keeper of the door and the other half to the keeper of the staircase".
The king turned to his servants. "Well, you'll have it", he said. "You'll each get half of the beating."
When the soldiers and servants went away, the king said to Simpleton, "Tell me your name, my boy".
"My two brothers call me Simpleton, Your Majesty," answered the boy. "They say I am stupid, so they sent me away from home."
"Well, I don't agree with your brothers," said the king. "I think you are a clever boy. Now I shall give you a better reward than gold. You'll be my chief minister".
THE NIGHTINGALE
Once upon a time there lived in France a powerful King. He was so stern that all the people were afraid of him.
The only person he loved in the whole world was his daughter, Marguerite. She was very young and very, very beautiful.
"Daughter", said the King when she grew up, "the man who wishes to marry you must first prove that he is the bravest and the cleverest man in France. From today you will live in the room of the highest tower of my palace. There will be the strongest lock at the door, and the bravest of my soldiers will guard you. Whoever can reach you there unarmed and safe, will receive your hand."
When Princess Marguerite heard about that she cried bitterly because for many months she loved the gay and handsome Marquise of Hautmont, who often sang beneath her window and played sweet music on the flute.
But she knew that she must obey her father and sadly she went to the room of the highest tower in the palace. The soldiers stood outside, her door was locked and the servants watched her by night and by day.
The news was carried throughout the country. Many brave knights and princes set out to prove that they were braver and cleverer than any other men in France, but not one of them succeeded.
Meanwhile, the gay and handsome Marquis of Hautmont was walking along in the forest. He was playing his flute and thinking of some plan of how to reach Princess Marguerite in her tower room.
One day, when he was walking and playing his flute, he came up to an old woodsman, sitting outside his cottage door. The woodsman was carving a bird out of a piece of wood.
The old man looked at him. "That is the most wonderful music you are making, young sir", he said. "It's more beautiful than the song of the nightingale that sings at night outside my cottage door."
"But that bird which you are carving is more beautiful", said the young Marquis politely.
"Ah, if my wooden bird had a voice as fine as the music of your flute, what a wonderful thing that would be!" said the old man. "The whole world would want to gaze up at it, and listen to its song."
The young Marquis looked thoughtfully at the wooden bird in the old man's hand. Suddenly an idea began to form in his mind...
A few weeks later the news came to the city where the King lived. People spoke of a wonderful wooden bird, as big as a man. It sang more beautiful than a real nightingale, and was carved so well that people travelled many miles to see it.
"Bring the bird to me!" the King commanded. "Such a magnificent creature must live in my palace!"
His servants went out to the streets, where great crowds of people had gathered. The people gazed at the strange bird and listened to its music.
When the bird was brought to the King, he listened to the music for a long time. "This is indeed a wonderful thing", he said. The man who did it must be clever indeed. I shall keep it in my palace to make music for me whenever I feel sad."
Now the Princess, who was very lonely and unhappy in her high tower, heard about the wooden nightingale. She begged her father to let her hear the music. And the King agreed because he loved her very much and knew how lonely she was.
The servants carried the great wooden bird up the long staircases to the Princess ' room. They passed all the soldiers on guard, the doors were widely open for them, and at last they put the bird down on the floor of the Princess' room.
She clasped her thin hands in delight when she saw its beauty. "Sing to me, wooden nightingale!" she whispered.
And from the open mouth of the nightingale came the thin sweet music. The flute was playing the love songs that the young Marquis of Hautmont had played and sung to her many months before.
The Princess' eyes widened in surprise.
And when the music was finished, a little door in the side of the wooden nightingale opened, and out stepped the gay young Marquis. He smiled and bowed to the King and the Princess.
When the King realized what had happened, he got angry at first. But he was just and he remembered his promise to give the Princess Marguerite's hand in marriage to the bravest and the cleverest young man in France.
The Marquis of Hautmont and the Princess Marguerite married and lived happily.
And the old woodsman was not forgotten. He came to live in a cottage at the palace gates. There he carved toys for the children of the city.
THE BOASTFUL BAMBOO
Once upon a time in a great forest near the high Mountain in a faraway land there were two bamboo trees. One was tall and strong, and its branches stretched high above all the other trees in the forest. It bowed to no wind that blew, so it came to feel that it was the most powerful thing in the world, and this made it very proud and boastful.
The other bamboo was very different from its neighbor. It was small and slender. Every wind that blew made it shiver and shake. It felt very sad because it was not very tall and strong.
Only one thing gave the little bamboo pleasure. On warm sunny days the children came to play in the cool shady forest, and they chose the little bamboo tree for their own.
They hang its lower branches with garlands of flowers and sat in its shade all day long, playing their games.
When twilight began to darken the woods, the children said good night to the little bamboo and went off to their homes, leaving its branches still hung with flowers. This made the little bamboo very happy until the big tall bamboo began to make fun of it.
"Playing with children is all you are good for, little bamboo", it said.
"Now look at me. I am tall and strong. I shall make a fine mast for a ship and I shall sail on the ocean and see all the great cities in foreign lands, while you stay at home playing with children".
This made the little bamboo so sad that it could not say a word. But one day two woodcutters came into the forest and stopped beside the bamboo trees.
"This tree will make a fine mast for a ship," said one, patting the bamboo trunk of the larger tree.
Out came their axes and saws and down went the tree, and it was carried off to the seashore.
Next day the woodcutters came back to cut down the smaller tree. But the children were there, playing under the branches, and they begged the woodcutters not to cut down their friend.
"To be sure", said one woodcutter to the other, "there's not enough wood in this tree to make it worth much".
"You may keep your little tree", said the other woodcutter to the children, but you must dig it up and move it away from here, for we are cutting down the whole forest to make room for the rice fields".
The children agreed to do this, and the kind-hearted woodcutters helped them to dig up the little tree. They tried not to damage its roots.
Then they planted it again in a lovely garden by the sea. There the bamboo was very happy, for there were no bigger trees to shut it off from sunlight and rain, and the children cared for it lovingly and came every day to play under its branches.
One day there blew up a terrible storm. The wind howled, and the sea beside the garden sent angry waves to the seashore. The children were frightened and ran home. The little bamboo was frightened, too. But the roots of the tree grew deep and strong as the children took care of it. Though it shivered and bent down before the angry wind, its trunk did not break.
Then a grave wave brought a broken mast of a ship on the shore. The little bamboo looked at it sadly, and soon it recognized the tall, proud bamboo, which had once stood beside in the forest.
"I am sorry", said the little bamboo. "Is there anything I can do for you?"
"No", said the big bamboo. "The waves have smashed me. How foolish I was to boast so when we were both in the forest! You are so much happier, little tree. You are safe in the garden with the children to love you".
After that the mast said no more. In the morning the woodcutters came and chopped it into firewood. Then the children came and sat under their friend, the little bamboo, and made little boats from the chips the woodcutters had left. They did not recognize the tall, proud bamboo from the forest. Only the little bamboo knew that it was the same tall, proud bamboo, but it said nothing about it.
JUMBO THE ELEPHANT
Ali was nine. Dark-coloured and thin, he was tall for a boy of nine. Ali had neither a mother nor a father and he was very poor. But he had three things, which no other boy had. First, he had a bright scarf made of silk, which he wore on his head. The second thing, which he had, was a pair of short grey trousers. They were very old but Ali had no other clothes to wear. And the third thing was a young elephant, Jumbo by name. Jumbo was a very good elephant and Ali loved him very much.
The two friends worked very hard. They woke up very early when the sun showed its rosy face in the sky and did not go to sleep till late at night. On one side of his elephant Ali painted with ink a word which in English stands for: "I can carry things". And on the other side he painted a word which in English stands for "I can carry people".
Together they went from village to village and from town to town and did all kinds of work. They got little money for their work but they always had some money to pay for a cup of coffee and a few pieces of bread for Ali and some vegetables for Jumbo.
Jumbo was quick to understand Ali and did everything Ali wanted him to do. Jumbo knew when Ali wanted him to help people to get on or off his back. And he took Ali's cap and held it before the people when they paid their fare. Ali and Jumbo always lived in a village but now they often came even to large towns with a lot of traffic and Jumbo quickly learned to cross the streets when the traffic lights changed from red to green...
Once Ali and Jumbo went to a shop. Ali got some warm brown cakes. He was so hungry that he did not go far from the shop, but sat down on the ground, just opposite the shop and began to eat. The cakes were so nice and warm that Ali ate the first one very quickly. He wanted to eat the second cake when he suddenly saw the elephant's little red eyes looking down hungrily at the cake in his hand.
"Oh, I am very sorry, old friend! I did not think of you, you are hungry, too. " said Ali and gave Jumbo a cake. Jumbo took it and quickly put it into his mouth. And then Ali saw something very interesting and strange: Jumbo was so pleased that he began to dance: he jumped first on one leg, then on the other and then stood on his two front legs with his back legs high up!
A man stopped, then another and soon there were a lot of people standing there round the dancing elephant. They laughed and gave Ali vegetables, cakes and money. They wanted to thank Jumbo for his dance. Soon Ali had a lot of money in his hand. The dancing elephant was the talk of the day in the small village.
Ali washed the words off the elephant's sides and they again went from village to village. Now Ali knew that Jumbo liked cakes so much that danced after every one he ate. The two friends were happy. Now Ali had a suit in bright colors, a shirt and even a pair of nice brown shoes.
But soon Jumbo began to understand that people gave money to him, not to Ali. And now he did not want to dance if Ali did not give him five delicious cakes.
But one fine day Jumbo did not want to eat cakes at all. He had no appetite for them any more. When Ali saw this he turned pale. He understood everything. "Jumbo has had too much of a good thing," he said to himself. "And that is the end of his dances".
And, of course, Jumbo did not dance any more. So Ali painted the words on the elephant's sides again and they went back to their work. Jumbo liked vegetables again and did not look at Ali when he ate his cakes.
If you go to Ali's village you can hear the story from Ali's own lips. And you can see Jumbo, too. But don't give him any cakes, he still does not like them.
PERO'S THREE WISHES
Once upon a time there lived in Sicily on a beautiful island in the Mediterranean Sea a young man named Pero. He lived all alone in a simple wooden house and worked very hard for his living.
One day, in spring, when the sun was shining and the birds were singing, Pero was sitting and thinking. "Why should I spend the whole of my life in one small place?" he asked himself. "It's time to go into the world and earn my fortune".
So he packed his things into a bundle, and set off. He had a little money which he had saved during the past few months. Now he was walking along and whistling merrily. He looked around for some way to make his fortune. Suddenly he saw an old beggar sitting by the roadside.
"Good afternoon to you, old man," Pero called to him ." I am off to the city to seek my fortune. "
"Give me a little money to buy some bread. I am starving. You will not regret it."
Pero was a kind young man, and his heart was touched.
"Of course!" he said at once. "Take all this money that I have in my pocket. I am young and strong, and can soon earn some more".
"Thank you for your kindness", cried the old beggar and disappeared. And in his place stood a young man dressed in shining clothes.
''Pero", he said, "'You were so kind to the poor old beggar, so I shall grant you three wishes. But think carefully before you decide what they are to be."
Pero thought for a few minutes and then he said: "Please, give me first a gun which never misses its target, secondly a violin that will make everybody dance, and thirdly a gift of speech which nobody can resist".
There was a blinding flash of light, and when Pero opened his eyes the gun and the violin lay at his feet.
He picked them up and ran towards the nearest village. While coming to the village he saw a wild duck flying by. Pero raised the magic gun and fired it at the duck. The bird fell down, but before Pero could pick it up, a passing farmer took it from the ground.
"All right," said Pero. "You may have the bird - but first you must dance for it", - and he began to play his magic violin. The farmer danced and danced. On and on played Pero, faster and faster. "Stop! Stop!" cried the farmer. " Stop - and I will give you thousand crowns!"
"This is an easy way to take my fortune", thought Pero and he stopped the music.
The farmer went into the house and brought out a bag of gold. But when Pero took the bag with the gold the farmer cried: "Help! Stop! Thief! This man has stolen my money! Help, friends! Stop! Thief!"
All the villagers came running from all the directions and seized Pero. Quickly they took him to the market-place for punishment.
In those days the punishment for stealing was death. But when the rope was put around the Pero's neck he cried: "Good people, grant me one last request before I die! Let me play one tune on my violin and you will remember my music!"
"Don't give him that violin!" cried the farmer. "It's a magic violin and we'll all dance to death!"
But Pero only smiled. He knew that because of his three gifts, no one could refuse him anything he asked. And the villagers gave him his violin.
The nearest to him began to dance to the music, and as it grew louder, they all began to dance faster.
On and on he played, and round and round danced the villagers. He played till they became tired and asked him to stop and still he played on. They became red in the face and their eyes wide open. And still Pero played on!
At last, when they could dance no longer, the magistrate cried: " Stop! Stop! Only stop this terrible music and you can go free again!"
And so Pero stopped playing, and the villagers stopped dancing. Pero stepped down from the platform, picked up his violin, his gun and the thousand crowns, which the farmer had paid for the wild duck and walked quietly away.
He walked out of the Market Square and back along the road to his native village, into the small wooden house where he had lived all his life. Pero was now a wise young man. He realized that his magic gun and magic violin could bring trouble as well as good fortune. So he put them away in a safe place in case of need, and decided not to use them unless some special reason.
But his gift of speech he used once more, when he won the prize at the wits competition.
THE FLY WHO WANTED TO HAVE A TAIL
One day the Fly looked at the animals and birds round her and saw that they ail had tails.
"It's a good thing to have a tail," thought the Fly. "What's a pity I have not a tail! But I am going to have one. Yes, I shall have a tail!"
And she at once flew to the Man. "Please, Man, give me a tail," she said to the man. "All animals and birds have tails, only I haven't, I also want to be beautiful!"
"The trouble with you Fly, is that you are a fool. They all have tails because tails help them to live. Look!" The Man pointed to the Monkey hanging by its tail from the tree. "You see, for him a tail is like one more hand. As for you, I don't think you must have a tail".
The Fly got very angry with the Man. "I want you to give me a beautiful tail," she said angrily.
"You strange little thing," laughed the Man. "All right, if you see an animal with a tail only to make it beautiful, you will have a tail, too."
"Well, " said the Fly, "I shall fly to animals and birds and ask them to give me a tail. But remember your words that if I see someone with a tail that doesn't help him and only makes him beautiful, you will give me his tail!"
"All right," said the Man and laughed again. The Fly was happy. "I am sure some animal or bird will give me its tail," she thought and hurried out of the room.
She flew out of the window right to the river. There she saw a fish.
"Give me your beautiful tail, will you?" she said to the Fish. I am sure you have it only to be beautiful."
"You are a fool to say that. I can't give you my tail, it helps me to swim," answered the Fish and swam away.
Then the Fly flew to the woods. She saw a bird sitting high in a tree. "Will you give me your tail, please?" said the Fly to the bird. "It doesn't help you, it only makes you beautiful ".
"Oh, no, you are wrong. How do you think I can fly and make a nest for myself or get something to eat for my children without my tail?"
"But you have your beak," answered the Fly.
"Yes, that is so, but I must have my tail, too. I cannot work without it." The bird saluted the Fly with its beak and began to work with it sitting on its tail. "You watch me," the bird said, "This is the way I work".
The Fly watched the bird for a minute and saw that it was right. She flew away and soon met the Fox. The Fox had a beautiful red-brown tail. It looked wonderful. "Well, I am sure the fox will give me her tail," thought the Fly.
"Give me your tail, will you?" the Fly began her old song again.
"How can you talk like that?! If I give you my tail I can die!"
"But why?" asked the Fly. "When the men and dogs come to the woods I must run away. I brush the ground with my long tail. And the dogs do not know where I have gone. So you see how much my tail helps me."
The Fly said good-bye to the Fox and flew away. She flew home straight to the Man. When the Man saw the Fly he asked her, "Where have you been all this time? Has anyone given you a tail? Report to me."
"Well, no one wants to give me a tail. They say they must have a tail, because they cannot swim, run or work without it," answered the Fly.
"You see!" said the Man. "I knew it! I knew it all along. Next time think before you ask me something."
"But I want a tail, too! Give me a tail, Man. Will you?" repeated the Fly.
"Haven't the animals and birds taught you a good lesson?" asked the Man. But the Fly didn't listen to him. She flew and flew around him, sat on his nose, lips and cheeks, and repeated angrily, "Give me a tail, Man!"
"Well," said the Man. "Go to the Cow, you have not been to the Cow, have you?"
The fly at once flew out of the window and hurried to the Cow. She sat on the Cow's back and wanted to ask her the questions about the tail. But "Swish-sh" went the Cow's long tail and that was the end of the Fly who wanted to have a tail so much.
THE SLAVE AND THE LION
Long, long ago there lived a slave. He was a very good man. He always worked very hard. But his master was so cruel to him that one day he гаn away. Не decided to live in the forest, but he could find no food there, and soon became very weak.
One morning the slave was walking in the forest. He was very hungry and very tired. So the poor slave was very, very unhappy. At last he came to a large cave. He went in, lay down and soon fell asleep.
Some time passed. Suddenly the slave heard a terrible noise. He understood that there was a wild animal somewhere near. He tried to go away, but he could not because he saw a big lion at the mouth of the cave. The lion was roaring terribly. The slave did not know what to do. "The lion will kill me," thought the slave. "What shall I do?"
But suddenly the lion came slowly towards him. The slave saw that the lion was not angry. Then he saw that the lion limped. The slave went up to the big, wild animal, raised the lion's paw from the ground and looked at it. He saw a very large thorn in it. He pulled it out, and at once the lion felt better. The lion began to jump like a dog. Then the lion licked the slave's hands and feet with joy.
The slave was not afraid of the lion any more. When night came, he lay down beside the lion in the cave, and they slept together.
The next morning the lion went out of the cave. He killed an animal for food and brought some meet to the slave. From that day on he would always bring some meet to his new friend. For a few months the friends lived together in the cave, and the slave was very pleased with his new life.
But one day, when the slave was walking in the forest, the soldiers found him and took him back to his cruel master.
In those days a slave who ran away from his master had to fight a hungry lion in the arena. Thousands of people came to see the fight. The poor clave stood in the middle of the arena and waited. In a minute there was a terrible roar and a lion ran in. In one jump the big wild animal reached the slave. But the slave shouted with joy because the lion lay down and began to lick his feet. It was his old friend, the lion of the cave.
The governor told him to explain everything to the people. The slave told his story. "This is the same lion," he said. "And we love each other like brothers." The people were very pleased, and they asked the governor to let the slave live.
"Live and be free!" they shouted. Others shouted, "Let the lion be free, too! Let the lion and the slave be free!"
The governor of the town had to agree. So the slave went away, and he took the lion with him.
WHY MONKEYS LIVE IN THE TREES
The monkeys were a very happy family; they had a little warm house made of wood, beautiful quick children whom they loved very much, and a lot to eat and drink. They liked to play and jump around, to run after each other. And they were pleased with everything.
"Old girl", said the Monkey to his wife one day, "what's the matter with our cousins? Why did not they come to see us yesterday?"
"They are meeting trouble," answered his wife.
"But who is Trouble? Why don't I know him? I have neither met nor seen him around here."
'It's a good thing not to meet trouble and you must be glad of it," answered his wife.
"But I want to know who Trouble is."
"Well, I have no time for a talk like that, my dear. I must look after the little ones. It's a pity you do not listen to me. I think you are going to pay for it. Meet trouble but I do not think you are going to be happy about it."
"She is not right," the Monkey thought about his wife. "I must learn who Trouble is. I am going to ask the Old Bear about it. Yes, it's a good thing to go to the Old Bear."
And the Monkey went to the Old Bear, who was too old to go out but who knew and understood everything.
The Monkey told the Bear his story and asked him to help him to meet Trouble.
"Well, " said the Bear, "if you want me to help you, I am going to. But you are a fool, if you want to meet trouble."
He went away and soon came back with a large bag made of cotton.
"Here, brother," said he and gave the bag to the Monkey, "I think you know what you are doing. Take this bag and carry it into an open field. When you are in the field, open the bag and see what there is in it."
"But am I going to meet Trouble in the end?" he asked the Bear.
"Of course you are, and very soon. You are going to learn what trouble is. And when you come back here, report to me what you have seen."
The Monkey thanked the Bear, picked up the bag, put it on his back and went to the field. For some time he walked in the wood, then turned to the left and soon was in the field. When he was in the middle of the field he opened the bag. Suddenly a big grey dog jumped out of it. It had long white teeth in its big mouth.
"Pleased to meet you!" laughed the dog. The Monkey paled. He ran away and the dog ran after him barking and biting his legs and tail. The monkey hurried to the wood and quickly got up the first tree he saw on his way. The dog sat down at the foot of the tree.
"Well, are you going to get down and meet trouble? Why don't you come down?" barked the dog.
But the Monkey did not say a word. All day long he sat in the tree and cried. When night came and it became cool and the pale moon showed its face in the sky, the dog ran away. Then the Monkey got down the tree and ran back to his wife. He told her everything.
"That's what I call thick-headed," said his wife. "Remember my words and do not trouble trouble till trouble troubles you. I don't think you want to meet trouble any more".
"Oh, no. I don't", answered the Monkey.
After that the Monkey told all his children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren don`t come down from the trees. And from that day on they have always lived in the trees.
DOCTOR KNOW-ALL
One day a farmer took some wood to the market. A doctor saw the sledge with the wood and he stopped the farmer and said: "Bring the sledge with the wood into my yard. I want some wood."
Soon the farmer was in the doctor's yard. The yard was large. In one corner there were horses, in another cows and a lot of hens ran around.
When the wood was on the ground in the doctor's yard the farmer went into the house to get his money. It was dinner-time and the farmer saw all the good things on the table. He took his money and wanted to leave the house but stopped at the door and said: "What a good thing it is to be a doctor! You are so rich! I want to be a doctor too! I want to be rich too."
"Well", answered the doctor," I can tell you what you must do. Get a book, a handbag for medical things, some nice new clothes for yourself and a new sledge. Then write on the door of your house: Doctor Know-All". The farmer did so.
At that time somebody took a lot of money from a very rich man who lived not very far from the farmer's house. And nobody knew where the money was. One day the rich man's wife said to her husband:
"I have heard that there is a doctor not far from us, Doctor Know-Ail. I think he must know everything. If so, he must know where our money is. Let's ask him to come and help us". The rich man went to the farmer and asked him for help.
"Well, I can come," answered the farmer," but my wife must come with me."
The farmer and his wife came to the rich man at dinner-time. The rich man asked the farmer to have dinner with him. "And my wife too," answered the farmer.
"All right, and your wife too," repeated the rich man. The farmer and his wife sat down at the table. They were greatly pleased with everything they saw around them. The farmer began to count the number of dishes. A man came in and brought the first dish. It was soup.
"That's the first!" said the farmer to his wife. The man went pale and quickly left the room, for he was one of the men who took the rich man's money. He thought Doctor Know-All knew everything about it.
Then another man came in with the meat and the farmer said to his wife, "And that's the second!" The second man turned pale and left the room hurriedly.
And so the farmer repeated the sentence every time when somebody brought in a new dish. After dinner the five men came up to the farmer when the rich man was not in the room and said: "How did you learn about the money? Who told you everything? If you do not say a word we can give you a lot of money." The five men gave the farmer a lot of money and told him where the rich man's money was. It was in the house under the floor. The farmer and his wife laughed happily and looked at each other.
After that the rich man said to the farmer: "And now, Doctor Know-All, tell us what you know and show us what you can". The farmer took out the book and began to read it. Soon he shut the book and said, "The money is in a bag under the floor."
And, of course, the money was there. The rich man was very happy to have his money back. He thanked the farmer and gave him a lot of money. And the farmer and his wife were very pleased too. They were rich and lived happily to the end of their days.
THE STORK AND THE CRAB
A stork lived by a pond. He was happy because there were many fish in it. But as he grew older he could not hunt for fish. So he thought of a plan.
He stood at the pond looking very sad. A fish asked him: "What is the matter, uncle Stork?"
The Stork answered that he felt sad, but he was sad not for himself but for all them.
"But why are you sad for all of us?" asked the fish. Other fish joined the first one and waited for the Stork's answer.
"I am sad," said the Stork slowly," because people said that they would dry the pond and plant trees here. They need trees, many trees."
"What shall we do then?" asked the fish.
"There is a way out of it if you trust me."
The fish said that they trusted him and they asked him earnestly to help him.
The Stork answered that there was a big lake behind the mountain. The lake was much bigger than this pond where they lived. And he promised to take all the fish there.
"Take me first, take me first!" cried every fish.
The Stork picked up two of them and flew off, to the other side of the mountain and ate them.
Then he returned to the pond for more fish. After he had eaten enough, he rested for some time.
When the stork became hungry again he flew back to the pond. A big crab was waiting for him near the pond. "Uncle Stork," said the crab, "you are helping only the fish. Why don't you think of me, too?"
"A change of food will be good," thought the Stork and said, "Of course, my friend, I shall save you, too."
He took the crab and flew up. From the air the crab looked down. He could not see a lake anywhere. As the stork flew down, the crab saw many fish bones on a big stone.
"Where is the lake?" he asked. The Stork laughed. "I have eaten many fish. Now it's your turn."
The crab was frightened, but he did not loose his head of fear. He quickly turned on his side and dug his long sharp claws into the stork's neck. The Stork struggled hard to free himself. But the crab dug his claws deeper and deeper until the Stork fell dead.
The crab crawled back to the pond. He told everyone how the Stork had been cheating them and how he had killed him.
THE OWL
Long, long ago the owl was a painter. He was a very good worker not lazy, quick and nice to those for whom he worked. All the birds went to the owl and asked him to paint their feathers. He painted them in different beautiful colours just as the birds wanted it. They were all greatly pleased with the owl, all but the raven. The raven did not like the colours or the way the owl painted its feathers. All the birds changed the colour of their feathers from time to time, only the raven did not change his colour. His feathers were snow-white and he liked their colour very much. He often showed his wings to all the birds and said;" My white feathers are wonderful, aren't they?"
But time passed and soon the raven began to like other colours and was not happy about his white feathers any more. One day he went to the owl and said:" Very well, you may paint my feathers too, but they must have a colour that no other bird has."
The owl thought and thought what colour to paint the raven's feathers; ha showed the raven one rich colour after another but the raven did not like them. In the end the owl painted them black and said: "now you have a colour that no other bird has".
FIVE BLIND MEN
One man was going to a town on an elephant. On the road he met five blind men. They were beggars.
„Step aside!" shouted the man. „Don't you see an elephant in front of you? He will crush you down".
The beggars quickly stepped aside and one of them said: "How can we know there is an elephant in front of us? We are blind as a noonday owl".
The second beggar said: "We want to know what an elephant looks like". „Why don't you come up to the animal and touch it with your hands? Then you will know what this wonderful animal looks like", said the man.
The blind men came to the elephant and began to touch it with their hands. One blind man touched the tail, the other - his foot, the third touched his ear, the fourth - his trunk and the fifth his side. The blind man who touched the elephant's tail said:
„Hm, I've never thought that the elephant is like a broom".
„What are you talking about?" said the second beggar, who was touching the elephant's foot with his hands. „The elephant looks like a column!"
„Both of you are talking nonsense", said the third beggar who was touching his ear. „The elephant looks like a leaf of a big lotus."
„Nonsense!", cried the fourth beggar. „The elephant looks like a thick rope".
The fifth blind man who was touching his side began to laugh. „It seems to me that you are afraid of the animal and don't come up to him. Now listen to what I am going to say. The elephant looks like a wall of a fortress."
„Oh, no!" cried the first blind man, „the elephant looks like a broom!"
„A column" said the second beggar.
„A big lotus leaf, said the third man.
„A very thick rope!" shouted the fourth.
„A wall of a fortress!" cried the fifth beggar.
The elephant and the man got tired of the noise the beggars were making and went away, but the five blind men continued shouting. Night came, but the beggars were still shouting.
„The elephant looks like a broom!"
„A column!"
„A very big lotus leaf!"
„A very thick rope!"
„A wall of a fortress!"
In the morning of the next day the blind men were still arguing.
„The elephant looks like a broom!"
„No, he looks like a leaf of a lotus!"
„A column!"
„A very thick rope!"
„A wall of a fortress!"
It is said that they are still sitting by the road and arguing about the elephant.
THE STRONGEST MAN
Once there lived a man. His name was Robert Brown. He said to everyone that he was the strongest man in the world and often showed how strong he was to other people. He said; "If I find a man, who is stronger than I am, I will give him my purse with all my money”
One day he was riding somewhere and his horse lost a shoe. When Robert came to the nearest town, he asked for someone who could shoe his horse.
The smith in that town was very strong too. Robert Brown told the smith to bring him some of the best horseshoes he had. When the smith brought him, the strong man looked at them, took one of them and said: "This is a bad shoe, it's no good for my horse. Haven't you anything better? Look!" And he took it in his strong hands and broke it easily. The smith looked at him but said nothing. Then he brought another horseshoe. Brown took it and broke it as easily as the first one. Then the smith brought him a third one. Robert Brown broke it too and then said: "I see that you have not got any good horseshoes. Don't you see that I need something really good for my horse? Bring me one more and I'll go". The smith brought him a fourth shoe and Robert Brown gave him some coins.
The smith looked at the coins, took one and said: "This is a bad coin. Haven't you got anything better? Look!" He took the coin between his fingers and broke it into two. It was now Robert Brown's turn to be surprised. He did not say anything but gave the smith another coin. The smith broke it too. The man gave him a third coin. The smith broke it like the first two and said: "I see that you haven't got any good coins. Don't you see that I need some really good ones? So give me one more and we'll be quits".
Robert Brown looked at him and said: 'I`ve promised to give my purse to anyone I meet, who is stronger than I am. Here it is! Take it! It's yours now".
HOW A HUSBAND WAS A HOUSEWIFE
A grumbling husband reproached his wife that she had an easy life. „I work in the field all day long," he said, „while you go walking at home from one corner to another."
„All right", the wife said, unable to stand it any longer. „Let's exchange our duties. I'll go to the field for the whole day, and you do the housework."
The husband was very pleased. The wife explained to the husband what he had to do. Before going to the field she said, "Cook some porridge for lunch and churn butter from sour cream and don't forget to take the cow to the pasture".
The wife went to make hay and the husband began to cook porridge. He washed the pot, poured some water into it and added some cereal. Then he lit a fire in the oven so big that the porridge should be ready soon. Then he remembered the cow and went to take it to the pasture leaving the kitchen door open. While he was taking it to the pasture a pig with piglets saw the open kitchen door and rushed inside. When the man returned to the kitchen it was a mess. He drove the pig with its piglets out of the kitchen and then remembered that he had not churned butter yet. He rushed to the barn to fetch the churn. He saw a big barrel in the barn, leaned over the edge to see what was inside and fell into it. There was flower in the barrel. He began to sneeze and tried to climb out of the barrel but he could not.
The wife came home for lunch and began to look for her husband. She could not see him anywhere. The kitchen floor was in a mess. The porridge in the pot was all burnt. And someone was sneezing and cursing in the barn.
The wife went into the barn and found her husband in the flour barrel. She did not scold him but only smiled. Then she set everything right: cooked the porridge, cleaned the kitchen, milked the cow, churned butter, had her lunch and fed her husband.
A STORY ABOUT A WOODPECKER
Once upon a time an old woman was cooking cakes in the oven. She was wearing a black dress and a white apron. A poor man came to her house and said:
- Good woman, I’m very hungry. Please give me one of your cakes. But the woman said:
"These cakes are very big for you. I shall bake you a little cake”.
So she made a very little cake And she put it in the oven. But the cake in the oven became bigger and bigger. And she said :
"I shall not give you this cake. It is very big for you. I shall bake you another little cake”.
And she again made a very little cake and put it into the oven. But the cake again became bigger and bigger. So she made the third, the fourth and the fifth cake. But they were all very big. And finally she said:
"I shall not give you anything. All my cakes are very big. Go away”.
And the poor man went away hungry.
Now comes the strangest part of the story. When the poor man went, the woman began to eat her cakes. But when she ate she became smaller and smaller. And at last she turned into a black bird. Sometimes you can see this bird in the forest.
Some people say, that the woman, who did not want to give a cake to the poor man is now a woodpecker.
THE MAN WHO BUILT BRIDGES
Once upon a time two brothers who lived on adjoining farms fell into conflict. It was the first serious rift in 40 years of farming side by side, sharing machinery, and trading labour and goods as needed without a hitch. Then the long collaboration fell apart.
It began with a small misunderstanding and it grew into a major difference, and finally it exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of silence.
One morning there was a knock on John's door. He opened it to find a man with a carpenter's toolbox. "I'm looking for a few days work" he said. "Perhaps you would have a few small jobs here and there I could help with? Could I help you?"
"Yes," said the older brother. "I do have a job for you. Look across the creek at that farm. That's my neighbour, in fact, it's my younger brother. Last week there was a meadow between us and he took his bulldozer to the river and now there is a creek between us.
"Well, he may have done this to spite me, but I'll do him one better. See that pile of lumber by the barn? I want you to build me a fence, an 8-foot fence — so I won't need to see his place or his face anymore."
The carpenter said, "I think I understand the situation. "Show me the nails and the post hole digger and I'll be able to do a job that pleases you." The older brother had to go to town, so he helped the carpenter get the materials ready and then he was off for the rest of the day.
The carpenter worked hard all that day measuring, sawing, nailing, and hammering. About sunset when the farmer returned, the carpenter had just finished his job. The farmer's eyes opened wide, his jaw dropped. There was no fence there at all. It was a bridge — a bridge stretching from one side of the creek to the other! A fine piece of work handrails and all, and the neighbour, his younger brother, was coming across, his hand outstretched.
"You are quite a fellow to build this bridge after all I've said and done." The two brothers stood at each end of the bridge, and then they met in the middle, taking each other's hand.
They turned to see the carpenter hoist his toolbox on his shoulder. "No, wait! Stay a few days. I've a lot of other projects for you," said the older brother.
"I'd love to stay on," the carpenter said, "but, I have many more bridges to build."
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