The Violet Fairy BookAndrew Lang Thirty-five fairy tales from the folklore of Portugal, Rumania, Germany, Italy, Africa, Scandinavia, Russia, Serbia, and Japan. |
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answered asked bade basket beasts beautiful began brother clothes cook cried date tree daughter dishes door Dotterine dragon drew ducats dwarf Elsa emperor eyes Fairy father fell felt flute forest frog gave gazelle girl give golden grew Halfman hand happened hare Hassebu head heard heart herb holy water horse Iliane Jesper killed king Kioto knew laughed leave listen lived looked lute player maiden mare master morning mother never night Nunda ogre ogress old woman once Osaka palace Petru prince princess queen reached replied rode round sack Schippeitaro sight sleep soon Stan Stan Bolovan stood strange suddenly Sultan Darai tell things thought told took town tree turned Vassili VIOLET FAIRY BOOK Virgilius Virgilius the Sorcerer Vizir waited walked Welwa wife wonder wood young
Popular passages
Page 126 - I should never have travelled all this way," exclaimed the frog from Kioto, and as he spoke, he took his hands from his friend's shoulders and they both fell down on the grass. Then they took a polite farewell of each other, and set off for home again, and to the end of their lives they believed that Osaka and Kioto, which are as different to look at as two towns can be, were as like as two peas.
Page 126 - What a pity we are not bigger," said the Osaka frog, "and then we could see both towns from here and tell if it is worth our while going on." "Oh, that is easily managed," returned the Kioto frog. "We have only got to stand up on our hind legs, and hold on to each other, and then we can each look at the town he is travelling to." This idea pleased the Osaka frog so much that he at once jumped up and put his front paws on the shoulder of his friend, who had risen also. There they both stood, stretching...
Page 74 - Welcome, 0 lute player,' said he. ' Where do you come from ? ' ' My country, sire, is far away across many seas. For years I have been wandering about the world and gaining my living by my music.' ' Stay here then a few days, and when you wish to leave I will give you what you ask for in your song — your heart's desire.
Page 73 - She traveled through many lands and saw many cities, and went through many hardships before she got to the town where the heathen king lived. When she got there she walked all round the palace and at the back she saw the prison. Then she went into the great court in front of the palace, and taking her lute in her hand, she began to play so beautifully that one felt as though one could never hear enough. After she had played for some time she began to sing, and her voice was sweeter than the lark's....
Page 111 - Leave me alone, and do not seek to know the reason,' replied- she, bursting into tears, and the man thought that it was no time to question her, and went away to his work. He could not, however, forget all about it, and a few days after he inquired again the reason of her sadness, but only got the same reply. At length he felt he could bear it no longer, and tried a third time, and then his wife turned and answered him.
Page 90 - The young man wondered at this strange freak, and went laughing in search of the maiden. ' Ah, it is no laughing matter,' sighed she. ' He means to eat you, and there is only one way in which I can help you. You must heat an iron shovel red hot, and hold it out to him instead of your hand.
Page 215 - But how are we to know when the tub is full ? ' said Jesper. ' Don't you trouble about that,' said the king ; ' that's my part of the business.' This seemed to everybody present rather unfair, but no one liked to be the first to say so, and Jesper had to put the best face he could on the matter, and begin his story.
Page 120 - Dear me! Don't you understand that I am going to take the whole forest back with me?' said Stan, tying two other trees as he spoke. Til tell you what,' cried the dragon, trembling with fear at the thought of such a thing, 'let me carry the wood for you, and you shall have seven times seven sacks full of ducats.' 'You are a good fellow, and I agree to your proposal,' answered Stan, and the dragon carried the wood. Now the three days...
Page 76 - And gifts from out your store, And as I play my gentle lay I linger near your door. And if you hear my singing Within your palace, sire, Oh! give, I pray, this happy day, To me my heart's desire. As soon as the king heard this song, he ran out to meet the lute player, took him by the hand and led him into the palace. "Here," he cried, "is the boy who released me from my prison. And now, my true friend, I will indeed give you your heart's desire.
Page 69 - ... and in a few seconds brought him to the dragon's palace. The king's son went in and said to the queen, " Get ready as soon as possible." She was soon ready, when they both mounted the horse, and began their journey home. Soon after the dragon came home, and when he saw the queen had disappeared, said to his horse, " What shall we do ? Shall we eat and drink first, or shall we pursue them at once ? " The horse answered, " Whether we eat and drink or not it is all one, we shall never reach them.