The Fairy Tales of Charles Perrault
So soon as Little Thumb heard the Ogre snore, he waked his brothers,
and bade them put on their clothes presently, and follow him. They
stole down softly into the garden, and got over the wall. They kept
running almost all night, trembling all the while, without knowing
which way they went.
The Ogre, when he waked, said to his wife:
"Go up stairs and dress those young rascals who came here last night."
The Ogress was very much surprised at this goodness of her husband,
not dreaming after what manner he intended she should dress them; but
thinking that he had ordered her to go and put on their cloaths, went
up, and was strangely astonished when she perceived her seven
daughters killed, and weltering in their blood. She fainted away; for
this is the first expedient almost all women find in such-like cases.
The Ogre, fearing his wife would be too long in doing what he had
ordered, went up himself to help her. He was no less amazed than his
wife, at this frightful spectacle.
"Ah! what have I done?" cried he. "The cursed wretches shall pay for
it, and that instantly."
He threw then a pitcher of water upon his wife's face; and having
brought her to herself:
"Give me quickly," cried he, "my boots of seven leagues, that I may go
and catch them."
He went out; and, having run over a vast deal of ground, both on this
side and that, he came at last into the very road where the poor
children were, and not above a hundred paces from their father's
house. They espied the Ogre, who went at one step from mountain to
mountain, and over rivers as easily as the narrowest kennels.[5]
Little Thumb, seeing a hollow rock near the place where they were,
made his brothers hide themselves in it, and crowded into it himself,
minding always what would become of the Ogre.
[Footnote 5: That is, 'channels.']
The Ogre, who found himself much tired with his long and fruitless
journey (for these boots of seven leagues extremely fatigue the
wearer), had a great mind to rest himself, and, by chance, went to
sit down upon the rock where these little boys had hid themselves. As
he was worn out, he fell asleep: and, after reposing himself some time
he began to snore so frightfully, that the poor children were no less
afraid of him, than when he held up his great knife, and was going to
cut their throats. Little Thumb was not so much frightened as his
brothers, and told them that they should run away immediately towards
home, while the Ogre was asleep so soundly; and that they should not
be anxious about him. They took his advice, and got home presently.
Little Thumb came up to the Ogre, pulled off his boots gently, and put
them on upon his own legs. The boots were very long and large; but as
they were Fairies, they had the gift of becoming big and little,
according to the legs of those who wore them; so that they fitted his
feet and legs as well as if they had been made on purpose for him.
He went immediately to the Ogre's house, where he saw his wife crying
bitterly for the loss of her murdered daughters.
"Your husband," said Little Thumb, "is in very great danger, being
taken by a gang of thieves, who have sworn to kill him, if he does not
give them all his gold and silver. Just when they held their daggers
at his throat, he perceived me, and desired me to come and tell you
the condition he is in, and that you should give me whatsoever he has
of value, without retaining any one thing; for otherwise they will
kill him without mercy; and, as his case is very pressing, he desired
me to make use (you see I have them on) of his boots, that I might
make the more haste, and to shew you that I do not impose upon you."
The good woman, being sadly frightened, gave him all she had: for this
Ogre was a very good husband, tho' he used to eat up little children.
Little Thumb, having thus got all the Ogre's money, came home to his
father's house, where he was received with abundance of joy.
There are many people who do not agree in this circumstance, and
pretend that Little Thumb never robbed the Ogre at all, and that he
only thought he might very justly, and with safe conscience take off
his boots of seven leagues, because he made no other use of them, but
to run after little children. These folks affirm, that they were very
well assured of this, and the more, as having drank and eaten often at
the faggot-maker's house. They aver, that, when Little Thumb had taken
off the Ogre's boots, he went to Court, where he was informed that
they were very anxious about a certain army, which was two hundred
leagues off, and the success of a battle. He went, say they, to the
King, and told him that, if he desired it, he would bring him news
from the army before night. The King promised him a great sum of money
upon that condition. Little Thumb was as good as his word, and
returned that very same night with the news; and this first expedition
causing him to be known, he got whatever he pleased; for the King paid
him very well for carrying his orders to the army, and abundance of
ladies gave him what he would to bring them news from their lovers;
and that this was his greatest gain. There were some married women,
too, who sent letters by him to their husbands, but they paid him so
ill that it was not worth his while, and turned to such small account,
that he scorned ever to reckon what he got that way. After having, for
some time, carried on the business of a messenger, and gained thereby
great wealth, he went home to his father, where it was impossible to
express the joy they were all in at his return. He made the whole
family very well-to-do, bought places for his father and brothers; and
by that means settled them very handsomely in the world, and, in the
mean time, rose high in the King's favour.
_The Moral_
_At many children parents don't repine,
If they are handsome; in their judgment shine;
Polite in carriage are, in body strong,
Graceful in mien, and elegant in tongue.
But if perchance an offspring prove but weak,
Him they revile, laugh at, defraud and cheat.
Such is the wretched world's curs'd way; and yet
Sometimes this urchin whom despis'd we see,
Through unforeseen events doth honour get,
And fortune bring to all his family._
_The Ridiculous Wishes_
The Ridiculous Wishes
In days long past there lived a poor woodcutter who found life very
hard. Indeed, it was his lot to toil for little guerdon, and although
he was young and happily married there were moments when he wished
himself dead and below ground.
One day while at his work he was again lamenting his fate.
"Some men," he said, "have only to make known their desires, and
straightway these are granted, and their every wish fulfilled; but it
has availed me little to wish for ought, for the gods are deaf to the
prayers of such as I."
As he spoke these words there was a great noise of thunder, and
Jupiter appeared before him wielding his mighty thunderbolts. Our poor
man was stricken with fear and threw himself on the ground.
"My lord," he said, "forget my foolish speech; heed not my wishes, but
cease thy thundering!"
"Have no fear," answered Jupiter; "I have heard thy plaint, and have
come hither to show thee how greatly thou dost wrong me. Hark! I, who
am sovereign lord of this world, promise to grant in full the first
three wishes which it will please thee to utter, whatever these may
be. Consider well what things can bring thee joy and prosperity, and
as thy happiness is at stake, be not over-hasty, but revolve the
matter in thy mind."
Having thus spoken Jupiter withdrew himself and made his ascent to
Olympus. As for our woodcutter, he blithely corded his faggot, and
throwing it over his shoulder, made for his home. To one so light of
heart the load also seemed light, and his thoughts were merry as he
strode along. Many a wish came into his mind, but he was resolved to
seek the advice of his wife, who was a young woman of good
understanding.
He had soon reached his cottage, and casting down his faggot:
"Behold me, Fanny," he said. "Make up the fire and spread the board,
and let there be no stint. We are wealthy, Fanny, wealthy for
evermore; we have only to wish for whatsoever we may desire."
Thereupon he told her the story of what had befallen that day. Fanny,
whose mind was quick and active, immediately conceived many plans for
the advancement of their fortune, but she approved her husband's
resolve to act with prudence and circumspection.
"'Twere a pity," she said, "to spoil our chances through impatience.
We had best take counsel of the night, and wish no wishes until
to-morrow."
"That is well spoken," answered Harry. "Meanwhile fetch a bottle of
our best, and we shall drink to our good fortune."
Fanny brought a bottle from the store behind the faggots, and our man
enjoyed his ease, leaning back in his chair with his toes to the fire
and his goblet in his hand.
"What fine glowing embers!" he said, "and what a fine toasting fire! I
wish we had a black pudding at hand."
Hardly had he spoken these words when his wife beheld, to her great
astonishment, a long black pudding which, issuing from a corner of the
hearth, came winding and wriggling towards her. She uttered a cry of
fear, and then again exclaimed in dismay, when she perceived that this
strange occurrence was due to the wish which her husband had so rashly
and foolishly spoken. Turning upon him, in her anger and
disappointment she called the poor man all the abusive names that she
could think of.
"What!" she said to him, "when you can call for a kingdom, for gold,
pearls, rubies, diamonds, for princely garments and wealth untold, is
this the time to set your mind upon black puddings!"
"Nay!" answered the man, "'twas a thoughtless speech, and a sad
mistake; but I shall now be on my guard, and shall do better next
time."
"Who knows that you will?" returned his wife. "Once a witless fool,
always a witless fool!" and giving free rein to her vexation and
ill-temper she continued to upbraid her husband until his anger also
was stirred, and he had wellnigh made a second bid and wished himself
a widower.
"Enough! woman," he cried at last; "put a check upon thy froward
tongue! Who ever heard such impertinence as this! A plague on the
shrew and on her pudding! Would to heaven it hung at the end of her
nose!"
No sooner had the husband given voice to these words than the wish was
straightway granted, and the long coil of black pudding appeared
grafted to the angry dame's nose.
Our man paused when he beheld what he had wrought. Fanny was a comely
young woman, and blest with good looks, and truth to tell, this new
ornament did not set off her beauty. Yet it offered one advantage,
that as it hung right before her mouth, it would thus effectively curb
her speech.
So, having now but one wish left, he had all but resolved to make good
use of it without further delay, and, before any other mischance could
befall, to wish himself a kingdom of his own. He was about to speak
the word, when he was stayed by a sudden thought.
"It is true," he said to himself, "that there is none so great as a
King, but what of the Queen that must share his dignity? With what
grace would she sit beside me on the throne with a yard of black
pudding for a nose?"
In this dilemma he resolved to put the case to Fanny, and to leave her
to decide whether she would rather be a Queen, with this most horrible
appendage marring her good looks, or remain a peasant wife, but with
her shapely nose relieved of this untoward addition.