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Table of Contents

The hare and the tortoise ............... 2 The wolf and the lamb .................... 2 The ant and the dove ..................... 3 Little Red Riding Hood ................... 3 Cinderella ....................................... 6 The Pied Piper of Hamelin ........... 10 The ugly Duckling ......................... 12 Pinocchio...................................... 14 The Story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves ............................ 21 The Three Little Pigs .................... 26 The Fox and the Geese ................ 30 The Story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears.................................. 33 The Story of Puss in Boots ........... 35 The Sleeping Beauty Story ........... 38 Hansel and Gretel ........................ 39 The Lion and the Mouse ............... 43 Jack and the beanstalk................. 43 The Steadfast Tin Soldier ............. 47 Tinkerbell and the Secret of the Wings ........................................... 50 Brave ............................................ 54

1

THE HARE AND THE TORTOISE A tortoise one day met a hare who made fun of her. ―My, my, you move so slowly, you will never get far!‖

but steadily. By the time the hare woke up, the tortoise was near the finishing line. He ran as fast as he could, but he could not catch up with the tortoise.

The tortoises, upset by the hare’s manner, said, ―Let’s have a race and see who is faster.‖

THE WOLF AND THE LAMB

The hare laughed and said, ―You must be joking! But all right, we’ll see who reaches the other side of the hill first.‖ Off he ran, leaving the tortoise far behind.

A lamb was grazing with a flock of sheep one day. She soon found some sweet grass at the edge of the field. Farther and farther she went, away from the others. She was enjoying herself so much that she did not notice a wolf coming nearer to her. However, when it pounced on her, she was quick to start pleading, ―Please, please don’t eat me yet. My stomach is full of grass. If you wait a while, I will taste much better.‖

After a while, the hare stopped to wait for the tortoise to come long. He waited and waited till he felt sleepy. ―I might as well take a nap,‖ he thought. ―Even if she catches up with me, I can easily win the race.‖ So he lay down under a shady tree and closed his eyes.

The wolf thought that was a good idea, so he sat down and waited. After a while, the lamb said, ―If you allow me to dance, the grass in my stomach will be digested faster.‖ Again the wolf agreed.

When the tortoise passed the sleeping hare, she walked on slowly 2

She could have drowned if a dove up a nearby tree had not seen her. Seeing that the ant was in trouble, the dove quickly plucked off a leaf and dropped it into the water near the struggling ant. The ant moved towards the leaf and climbed up there. Soon it carried her safely to dry ground.

While the lamb was dancing, she had a new idea. She said, ―Please take the bell from around my neck. If you ring it as hard as you can, I will be able to dance even faster.‖ The wolf took the bell and rang it as hard as he could. The shepherd heard the bell ringing and quickly sent his dogs to find the missing lamb. The barking dogs frightened the wolf away and saved the lamb’s life.

Just at that time, a hunter nearby was throwing out his net towards the dove, hoping to trap it. Guessing what he was about to do, the ant quickly bit him on the heel. Feeling the pain, the hunter dropped his net. The dove was quick to fly away to safety. LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD

THE ANT AND THE DOVE

Jacob Karl Grimm y Wilhelm Grimm

Once upon a time there was a dear little girl who was loved by every one who looked at her, but most of all by her grandmother, and there was nothing that she would not have given to the child. One hot day, an ant was searching for some water. After walking around for some time, she came to a spring. To reach the spring, she had to climb up a blade of grass. While making her way up, she slipped and fell into the water.

Once she gave her a little cap of red velvet, which suited her so well that she would never wear anything else. So she was always called Little Red Riding Hood. One day her mother said to her, "Come, Little Red Riding Hood, here 3

is a piece of cake and a bottle of wine. Take them to your grandmother, she is ill and weak, and they will do her good. Set out before it gets hot, and when you are going, walk nicely and quietly and do not run off the path, or you may fall and break the bottle, and then your grandmother will get nothing. And when you go into her room, don't forget to say, good-morning, and don't peep into every corner before you do it." I will take great care, said Little Red Riding Hood to her mother, and left The grandmother lived out in the wood, half a league from the village, and just as Little Red Riding Hood entered the wood, a wolf met her. Little Red Riding Hood did not know what a wicked creature he was, and was not at all afraid of him. "Good-day, Little Red Riding Hood," said he. "Thank you kindly, wolf." "Whither away so early, Little Red Riding Hood?" "To my grandmother's." "What have you got in your apron?" "Cake and wine. Yesterday was baking-day, so poor sick grandmother is to have something good, to make her stronger." "Where does your grandmother live, Little Red Riding Hood?" "A good quarter of a league farther on in the wood. Her house stands under the three large oak-trees. You surely must know it," replied Little Red Riding Hood. The wolf thought to himself, "What a tender young creature. She will be better to eat than the old woman. I must act carefully." So he walked for a short time by the side of Little Red Riding Hood, and then he said, "See Little Red Riding Hood, how pretty

the flowers are about here — why do you not look around? I believe, too, that you do not hear how sweetly the little birds are singing; you walk gravely along as if you were going to school, while everything else out here in the wood is very merry.‖ Little Red Riding Hood raised her eyes, and when she saw the sunbeams dancing here and there through the trees, and pretty flowers growing everywhere, she thought, 'Suppose I take grandmother a rose. That would please her too. It is so early in the day that I shall still get there in good time.' And so she ran from the path into the wood to look for a rose. Meanwhile the wolf ran straight to the grandmother's house and knocked at the door. "Who is there?" "Little Red Riding Hood," replied the wolf. "I am bringing cake and wine. Open the door." "Lift the latch," called out the grandmother, "I am too weak, and cannot get up."

The wolf lifted the latch, the door sprang open, and without saying a word he went straight to the grandmother's bed, and devoured her. Then he put on her clothes, dressed himself in her cap, laid 4

himself in bed. Little Red Riding Hood, however, had been running about picking roses, and when she had gathered so many that she could carry no more, she remembered her grandmother, and set out on the way to her. She was surprised to find the cottage-door standing open, and when she went into the room, she had such a strange feeling that she said to herself, 'Oh dear, how uneasy I feel to-day, and at other times I like being with grandmother so much.' She called out, "Good morning," but received no answer. So she went to the bed. There lay her grandmother.

When the wolf had appeased his appetite, he lay down again in the bed, fell asleep and began to snore very loud. A huntsman was just passing the house, and thought to himself, 'How the old woman is snoring. I must just see if she wants anything.' So he went into the room, and when he came to the bed, he saw that the wolf was lying in it. "Do I find you here, you old sinner," said he. "I have long sought you." Then just as he was going to fire at him, it occurred to him that the wolf might have devoured the grandmother, and that she might still be saved, so he did not fire, but took a pair of scissors, and began to cut open the stomach of the sleeping wolf. When he had made two snips, he saw the Little Red Riding Hood, and then he made two snips more, and the little girl sprang out, crying, "Ah, how frightened I have been. How dark it was inside the wolf."

"Oh, grandmother," she said, "what big ears you have." "The better to hear you with, my child," was the reply. "But, grandmother, what big eyes you have," she said. "The better to see you with, my dear." "But, grandmother, what large hands you have." "The better to hug you with." "Oh, but, grandmother, what a terrible big mouth you have." "The better to eat you with." And scarcely had the wolf said this, he was out of bed and swallowed up Little Red Riding Hood.

And after that the aged grandmother came out alive also, but scarcely able to breathe. Little Red Riding Hood, however, quickly fetched great stones with which they filled the wolf's belly, and when he awoke, he wanted to run away, but the stones were so heavy that he collapsed at once, and fell dead.

5

CINDERELLA

Charles Perrault

The wife of a rich man fell sick, and as she felt that her end was drawing near, she called her only daughter to her bedside and said, "Dear child, be good and pious, and then the good God will always protect you, and I will look down on you from heaven and be near you." Thereupon she closed her eyes and departed. Every day the maiden went out to her mother's grave, and wept, and she remained pious and good. When winter came the snow spread a white sheet over the grave, and by the time the spring sun had drawn it off again, the man had taken another wife. The woman had brought with her into the house two daughters, who were beautiful and fair of face, but vile and black of heart. Now began a bad time for the poor step-child. "Is the stupid goose to sit in the parlor with us," they said. "He who wants to eat bread must earn it. Out with the kitchen-wench." They took her pretty clothes away from her, put an old grey bedgown on her, and gave her wooden shoes.

"Just look at the proud princess, how decked out she is," they cried, and laughed, and led her into the kitchen. There she had to do hard work from morning till night, get up before daybreak, carry water, light fires, cook and wash. Besides this, the sisters did her every imaginable injury - they mocked her and emptied her peas and lentils into the ashes, so that she was forced to sit and pick them out again. In the evening when she had worked till she was weary she had no bed to go to, but had to sleep by the hearth in the cinders. And as on that account she always looked dusty and dirty, they called her Cinderella. It happened that the father was once going to the fair, and he asked his two step-daughters what he should bring back for them. "Beautiful dresses," said one, "Pearls and jewels," said the second. "And you, Cinderella," said he, "what will you have?" "Father break off for me the first branch which knocks against your hat on your way home." So he bought beautiful dresses, pearls and jewels for his two stepdaughters, and on his way home, as he was riding through a green thicket, a hazel twig brushed against him and knocked off his hat. Then he broke off the branch and took it with him. When he reached home he gave his step-daughters the things which they had wished for, and to Cinderella he gave the branch from the hazel-bush. Cinderella thanked him, went to her mother's grave and planted the branch on it, and wept so much that 6

the tears fell down on it and watered it. And it grew and became a handsome tree. Thrice a day Cinderella went and sat beneath it, and wept and prayed, and a little white bird always came on the tree, and if Cinderella expressed a wish, the bird threw down to her what she had wished for. It happened, however, that the king gave orders for a festival which was to last three days, and to which all the beautiful young girls in the country were invited, in order that his son might choose himself a bride. When the two step-sisters heard that they too were to appear among the number, they were delighted, called Cinderella and said, "comb our hair for us, brush our shoes and fasten our buckles, for we are going to the wedding at the king's palace."

you, if you have picked them out again in two hours, you shall go with us." The maiden went through the backdoor into the garden, and called, "You tame pigeons, you turtledoves, and all you birds beneath the sky, come and help me to pick the good into the pot, the bad into the crop." Then two white pigeons came in by the kitchen window, and afterwards the turtle-doves, and at last all the birds beneath the sky, came whirring and crowding in, and alighted amongst the ashes. And the pigeons nodded with their heads and began pick, pick, pick, pick, and the rest began also pick, pick, pick, pick, and gathered all the good grains into the dish. Hardly had one hour passed before they had finished, and all flew out again. Then the girl took the dish to her step-mother, and was glad, and believed that now she would be allowed to go with them to the festival.

Cinderella obeyed, but wept, because she too would have liked to go with them to the dance, and begged her step-mother to allow her to do so. "You go, Cinderella," said she, "covered in dust and dirt as you are, and would go to the festival. You have no clothes and shoes, and yet would dance." As, however, Cinderella went on asking, the stepmother said at last, "I have emptied a dish of lentils into the ashes for

But the step-mother said, "No, Cinderella, you have no clothes and you can not dance. You would only be laughed at." And as Cinderella wept at this, the step-mother said, if you can pick two dishes of lentils out of the ashes for me in one hour, you shall go with us. And she thought to herself, that she most certainly cannot do again. When the step-mother had emptied the two dishes of lentils amongst the ashes, the maiden went through the back-door into the garden and cried, "You tame pigeons, you turtledoves, and all you birds beneath the sky, come and help me to pick the 7

good into the pot, the bad into the crop." Then two white pigeons came in by the kitchen-window, and afterwards the turtle-doves, and at length all the birds beneath the sky, came whirring and crowding in, and alighted amongst the ashes. And the doves nodded with their heads and began pick, pick, pick, pick, and the others began also pick, pick, pick, pick, and gathered all the good seeds into the dishes, and before half an hour was over they had already finished, and all flew out again. Then the maiden was delighted, and believed that she might now go with them to the wedding. But the step-mother said, "All this will not help. You cannot go with us, for you have no clothes and can not dance. We should be ashamed of you." On this she turned her back on Cinderella, and hurried away with her two proud daughters. As no one was now at home, Cinderella went to her mother's grave beneath the hazel-tree, and cried, "Shiver and quiver, little tree, Silver and gold throw down over me." Then the bird threw a gold and silver dress down to her, and slippers embroidered with silk and silver. She put on the dress with all speed, and went to the wedding. Her stepsisters and the step-mother however did not know her, and thought she must be a foreign princess, for she looked so beautiful in the golden dress. They never once thought of Cinderella, and believed that she was sitting at home in the dirt, picking lentils out of the ashes. The

prince approached her, took her by the hand and danced with her. He would dance with no other maiden, and never let loose of her hand, and if any one else came to invite her, he said, "This is my partner." She danced till it was evening, and then she wanted to go home. But the king's son said, "I will go with you and bear you company," for he wished to see to whom the beautiful maiden belonged. She escaped from him, however, and sprang into the pigeon-house. The king's son waited until her father came, and then he told him that the unknown maiden had leapt into the pigeonhouse. The old man thought, "Can it be Cinderella." And they had to bring him an axe and a pickaxe that he might hew the pigeon-house to pieces, but no one was inside it. And when they got home Cinderella lay in her dirty clothes among the ashes, and a dim little oil-lamp was burning on the mantle-piece, for Cinderella had jumped quickly down from the back of the pigeon-house and had run to the little hazel-tree, and there she had taken off her beautiful clothes and laid them on the grave, and the bird had taken them away again, and then she had seated herself in the kitchen amongst the ashes in her grey gown. Next day when the festival began afresh, and her parents and the step-sisters had gone once more, Cinderella went to the hazel-tree and said, "Shiver and quiver, my little tree, Silver and gold throw down over me." Then the bird threw down a much more beautiful dress than on the 8

preceding day. And when Cinderella appeared at the wedding in this dress, every one was astonished at her beauty. The king's son had waited until she came, and instantly took her by the hand and danced with no one but her. When others came and invited her, he said, "This is my partner." When evening came she wished to leave, and the king's son followed her and wanted to see into which house she went. But she sprang away from him, and into the garden behind the house. Therein stood a beautiful tall tree on which hung the most magnificent pears. She clambered so nimbly between the branches like a squirrel that the king's son did not know where she was gone. He waited until her father came, and said to him, "The unknown maiden has escaped from me, and I believe she has climbed up the pear-tree." The father thought, "Can it be Cinderella." And had an axe brought and cut the tree down, but no one was on it. And when they got into the kitchen, Cinderella lay there among the ashes, as usual, for she had jumped down on the other side of the tree, had taken the beautiful dress to the bird on the little hazel-tree, and put on her grey gown. On the third day, when the parents and sisters had gone away, Cinderella went once more to her mother's grave and said to the little tree, "Shiver and quiver, my little tree, silver and gold throw down over me." And now the bird threw down to her a dress which was more splendid and magnificent than any she had yet had, and the slippers were golden. And when she went to the

festival in the dress, no one knew how to speak for astonishment. The king's son danced with her only, and if any one invited her to dance, he said this is my partner. When evening came, Cinderella wished to leave, and the king's son was anxious to go with her, but she escaped from him so quickly that he could not follow her. The king's son, however, had employed a ruse, and had caused the whole staircase to be smeared with pitch, and there, when she ran down, had the maiden's left slipper remained stuck. The king's son picked it up, and it was small and dainty, and all golden. Next morning, he went with it to the father, and said to him, no one shall be my wife but she whose foot this golden slipper fits. Then were the two sisters glad, for they had pretty feet. The eldest went with the shoe into her room and wanted to try it on, and her mother stood by. But she could not get her big toe into it, and the shoe was too small for her. Then her mother gave her a knife and said, "Cut the toe off, when you are queen you will have no more need to go on foot." The maiden cut the toe off, forced the foot into the shoe, swallowed the pain, and went out to the king's son. Then he took her on his his horse as his bride and rode away with her. They were obliged, however, to pass the grave, and there, on the hazel-tree, sat the two pigeons and cried, "Turn and peep, turn and peep, there's blood within the shoe, the shoe it is too small for her, the true bride waits for you." Then he looked at her foot and saw how the blood was trickling from it. 9

He turned his horse round and took the false bride home again, and said she was not the true one, and that the other sister was to put the shoe on. Then this one went into her chamber and got her toes safely into the shoe, but her heel was too large. So her mother gave her a knife and said, "Cut a bit off your heel, when you are queen you will have no more need to go on foot." The maiden cut a bit off her heel, forced her foot into the shoe, swallowed the pain, and went out to the king's son. He took her on his horse as his bride, and rode away with her, but when they passed by the hazel-tree, the two pigeons sat on it and cried, "Turn and peep, turn and peep, there's blood within the shoe, the shoe it is too small for her, the true bride waits for you." He looked down at her foot and saw how the blood was running out of her shoe, and how it had stained her white stocking quite red. Then he turned his horse and took the false bride home again. "This also is not the right one," said he, "have you no other daughter." "No," said the man, "there is still a little stunted kitchenwench which my late wife left behind her, but she cannot possibly be the bride." The king's son said he was to send her up to him, but the mother answered, oh, no, she is much too dirty, she cannot show herself. But he absolutely insisted on it, and Cinderella had to be called.

rose up and the king's son looked at her face he recognized the beautiful maiden who had danced with him and cried, "That is the true bride." The step-mother and the two sisters were horrified and became pale with rage, he, however, took Cinderella on his horse and rode away with her. As they passed by the hazeltree, the two white doves cried, "Turn and peep, turn and peep, no blood is in the shoe, the shoe is not too small for her, the true bride rides with you." And when they had cried that, the two came flying down and placed themselves on Cinderella's shoulders, one on the right, the other on the left, and remained sitting there. When the wedding with the king's son was to be celebrated, the two false sisters came and wanted to get into favor with Cinderella and share her good fortune. When the betrothed couple went to church, the elder was at the right side and the younger at the left, and the pigeons pecked out one eye from each of them. And thus, for their wickedness and falsehood, they were punished with blindness all their days. THE PIED PIPER OF HAMELIN

She first washed her hands and face clean, and then went and bowed down before the king's son, who gave her the golden shoe. Then she seated herself on a stool, drew her foot out of the heavy wooden shoe, and put it into the slipper, which fitted like a glove. And when she 10

Once upon a time... on the banks of a great river in the north of Germany lay a town called Hamelin. The citizens of Hamelin were honest folk who lived contentedly in their Grey stone houses. The years went by, and the town grew very rich. Then one day, an extraordinary thing happened to disturb the peace. Hamelin had always had rats, and a lot too. But they had never been a danger, for the cats had always solved the rat problem in the usual way- by killing them. All at once, however, the rats began to multiply. In the end, a black sea of rats swarmed over the whole town. First, they attacked the barns and storehouses, then, for lack of anything better, they gnawed the wood, cloth or anything at all. The one thing they didn't eat was metal. The terrified citizens flocked to plead with the town councilors to free them from the plague of rats. But the council had, for a long time, been sitting in the Mayor's room, trying to think of a plan. "What we need is an army of cats!" But all the cats were dead. "We'll put down poisoned food then . . ." But most of the food was already gone and even poison did not stop the rats. "It just can't be done without help!" said the Mayor sadly.

knock at the door. "Who can that be?" the city fathers wondered uneasily, mindful of the angry crowds. They gingerly opened the door. And to their surprise, there stood a tall thin man dressed in brightly colored clothes, with a long feather in his hat, and waving a gold pipe at them. "I've freed other towns of beetles and bats," the stranger announced, "and for a thousand florins, I'll rid you of your rats!" "A thousand florins!" exclaimed the Mayor. "We'll give you fifty thousand if you succeed!" At once the stranger hurried away, saying: "It's late now, but at dawn tomorrow, there won't be a rat left in Hamelin!" The sun was still below the horizon, when the sound of a pipe wafted through the streets of Hamelin. The pied piper slowly made his way through the houses and behind him flocked the rats. Out they scampered from doors, windows and gutters, rats of every size, all after the piper. And as he played, the stranger marched down to the river and straight into the water, up to his middle. Behind him swarmed the rats and every one was drowned and swept away by the current. By the time the sun was high in the sky, there was not a single rat in the town. There was even greater delight at the town hall, until the piper tried to claim his payment. "Fifty thousand florins?" exclaimed the councilors, "Never..."

Just then, while the citizens milled around outside, there was a loud 11

" A thousand florins at least!" cried the pied piper angrily. But the Mayor broke in. "The rats are all dead now and they can never come back. So be grateful for fifty florins, or you'll not get even that . . ."

the dark rock, he played his pipe even louder still and a great door creaked open. Beyond lay a cave. In trooped the children behind the pied piper, and when the last child had gone into the darkness, the door creaked shut.

His eyes flashing with rage, the pied piper pointed a threatening finger at the Mayor. "You'll bitterly regret ever breaking your promise," he said, and vanished. A shiver of fear ran through the councilors, but the Mayor shrugged and said excitedly: "We've saved fifty thousand florins!"

That night, freed from the nightmare of the rats, the citizens of Hamelin slept more soundly than ever. And when the strange sound of piping wafted through the streets at dawn, only the children heard it. Drawn as by magic, they hurried out of their homes. Again, the pied piper paced through the town, this time, it was children of all sizes that flocked at his heels to the sound of his strange piping. The long procession soon left the town and made its way through the wood and across the forest till it reached the foot of a huge mountain. When the piper came to

A great landslide came down the mountain blocking the entrance to the cave forever. Only one little lame boy escaped this fate. It was he who told the anxious citizens, searching for their children, what had happened. And no matter what people did, the mountain never gave up its victims. Many years were to pass before the merry voices of other children would ring through the streets of Hamelin but the memory of the harsh lesson lingered in everyone's heart and was passed down from father to son through the centuries. THE UGLY DUCKLING

Once upon a time . . . down on an old farm, lived a duck family, and Mother Duck had been sitting on a 12

clutch of new eggs. One nice morning, the eggs hatched and out popped six chirpy ducklings. But one egg was bigger than the rest, and it didn't hatch. Mother Duck couldn't recall laying that seventh egg. How did it get there? TOCK! TOCK! The little prisoner was pecking inside his shell. "Did I count the eggs wrongly?" Mother Duck wondered. But before she had time to think about it, the last egg finally hatched. A strange looking duckling with grey feathers that should have been yellow gazed at a worried mother. The ducklings grew quickly, but Mother Duck had a secret worry. "I can't understand how this ugly duckling can be one of mine!" she said to herself, shaking her head as she looked at her lastborn. Well, the grey duckling certainly wasn't pretty, and since he ate far more than his brothers, he was outgrowing them. As the days went by, the poor ugly duckling became more and more unhappy. His brothers didn't want to play with him, he was so clumsy, and all the farmyard folks simply laughed at him. He felt sad and lonely, while Mother Duck did her best to console him.

"Poor little ugly duckling!" she would say. "Why are you so different from the others?" And the ugly duckling felt worse than ever. He secretly wept at night. He felt nobody wanted him. "Nobody loves me, they all tease me! Why am I different from my brothers?" Then one day, at sunrise, he ran away from the farmyard. He stopped at a pond and began to question all the other birds. "Do you know of any ducklings with grey feathers like mine?" But everyone shook their heads in scorn. "We don't know anyone as ugly as you." The ugly duckling did not lose heart, however, and kept on making enquiries. He went to another pond, where a pair of large geese gave him the same answer to his question. What's more, they warned him: "Don't stay here! Go away! It's dangerous. There are men with guns around here!" The duckling was sorry he had ever left the farmyard. Then one day, his travels took him near an old countrywoman's cottage. Thinking he was a stray goose, she caught him. "I'll put this in a hutch. I hope it's a female and lays plenty of eggs!" said the old woman, whose eyesight was poor. But the ugly duckling laid not a single egg. The hen kept frightening him: "Just wait! If you don't lay eggs, the old woman will wring your neck and pop you into the pot!" And the cat chipped in: "Hee! Hee! I hope the woman cooks you, then I can gnaw at your bones!" The poor ugly 13

duckling was so scared that he lost his appetite, though the old woman kept stuffing him with food and grumbling: "If you won't lay eggs, at least hurry up and get plump!" "Oh, dear me!" moaned the now terrified duckling. "I'll die of fright first! And I did so hope someone would love me!" Then one night, finding the hutch door ajar, he escaped. Once again he was all alone. He fled as far away as he could, and at dawn, he found himself in a thick bed of reeds. "If nobody wants me, I'll hid here forever." There was plenty a food, and the duckling began to feel a little happier, though he was lonely. One day at sunrise, he saw a flight of beautiful birds wing overhead. White, with long slender necks, yellow beaks and large wings, they were migrating south.

"Goodness! How I've changed! I hardly recognize myself!" The flight of swans winged north again and glided on to the pond. When the duckling saw them, he realized he was one of their kind, and soon made friends. "We're swans like you!" they said, warmly. "Where have you been hiding?" "It's a long story," replied the young swan, still astounded. Now, he swam majestically with his fellow swans. One day, he heard children on the river bank exclaim: "Look at that young swan! He's the finest of them all!" And he almost burst with happiness.

"If only I could look like them, just for a day!" said the duckling, admiringly. Winter came and the water in the reed bed froze. The poor duckling left home to seek food in the snow. He dropped exhausted to the ground, but a farmer found him and put him in his big jacket pocket. "I'll take him home to my children. They'll look after him. Poor thing, he's frozen!" The duckling was showered with kindly care at the farmer's house. In this way, the ugly duckling was able to survive the bitterly cold winter.

PINOCCHIO Carlo Collodi

However, by springtime, he had grown so big that the farmer decided: "I'll set him free by the pond!" That was when the duckling saw himself mirrored in the water. Once upon a time... a carpenter, picked up a strange lump of wood 14

one day while mending a table. When he began to chip it, the wood started to moan. This frightened the carpenter and he decided to get rid of it at once, so he gave it to a friend called Geppetto, who wanted to make a puppet. Geppetto, a cobbler, took his lump of wood home, thinking about the name he would give his puppet. "I'll call him Pinocchio," he told himself. "It's a lucky name." Back in his humble basement home and workshop, Geppetto started to carve the wood. Suddenly a voice squealed:

"You naughty boy! I haven't even finished making you, yet you've no respect for your father!" Then he picked up the puppet and, a step at a time, taught him to walk. But the minute Pinocchio stood upright, he started to run about the room, with Geppetto after him, then he opened the door and dashed into the street. Now, Pinocchio ran faster than Geppetto and though the poor cobbler shouted "Stop him! Stop him!" none of the onlookers, watching in amusement, moved a finger. Luckily, a policeman heard the cobbler's shouts and strode quickly down the street. Grabbing the runaway, he handed him over to his father. "I'll box your ears," gasped Geppetto, still out of breath. Then he realised that was impossible, for in his haste to carve the puppet, he had forgotten to make his ears. Pinocchio had got a fright at being in the clutches of the police, so he apologised and Geppetto forgave his son.

"Ooh! That hurt!" Geppeto was astonished to find that the wood was alive. Excitedly he carved a head, hair and eyes, which immediately stared right at the cobbler. But the second Geppetto carved out the nose, it grew longer and longer, and no matter how often the cobbler cut it down to size, it just stayed a long nose. The newly cut mouth began to chuckle and when Geppetto angrily complained, the puppet stuck out his tongue at him. That was nothing, however! When the cobbler shaped the hands, they snatched the good man's wig, and the newly carved legs gave him a hearty kick. His eyes brimming with tears, Geppetto scolded the puppet.

Indeed, the minute they reached home, the cobbler made Pinocchio a suit out of flowered paper, a pair of bark shoes and a soft bread hat. The puppet hugged his father. "I'd like to go to school," he said, "to become clever and help you when you're old!" Geppetto was touched by this kind thought. "I'm very grateful," he replied, "but we haven't enough money even to buy you the first reading book!" Pinocchio looked downcast, then Geppetto suddenly rose to his feet, put on his old tweed coat and went out of the house. Not long after he returned carrying a first reader, but

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minus his coat. It was snowing outside.

"There's Pinocchio! There's Pinocchio!"

"Where's your coat, father?" "I sold it." "Why did you sell it?" "It kept me too warm!" Pinocchio threw his arms round Geppetto's neck and kissed the kindly old man. It had stopped snowing and Pinocchio set out for school with his first reading book under his arm. He was full of good intentions. "Today I want to learn to read. Tomorrow I'll learn to write and the day after to count. Then I'll earn some money and buy Geppetto a fine new coat. He deserves it, for . . ." The sudden sound of a brass band broke into the puppet's daydream and he soon forgot all about school. He ended up in a crowded square where people were clustering round a brightly coloured booth. "What's that?" he asked a boy. "Can't you read? It's the Great Puppet Show!" "How much do you pay to go inside?" "Fourpence.' "Who'll give me fourpence for this brand new book?" Pinocchio cried. A nearby junk seller bought the reading book and Pinocchio hurried into the booth. Poor Geppetto. His sacrifice had been quite in vain. Hardly had Pinocchio got inside, when he was seen by one of the puppets on the stage who cried out:

"Come, along. Come up here with us. Hurrah for brother Pinocchio!" cried the puppets. Pinocchio weent onstage with his new friends, while the spectators below began to mutter about uproar. Then out strode Giovanni, the puppet-master, a frightful looking man with fierce bloodshot eyes. "What's going on here? Stop that noise! Get in line, or you'll hear about it later!" That evening, Giovanni sat down to his meal, but when he found that more wood was needed to finish cooking his nice chunk of meat, he remembered the intruder who had upset his show. "Come here, Pinocchio! You'll make good firewood!" The poor puppet started to weep and plead. "Save me, father! I don't want to die . . . I don't want to die!" When Giovanni heard Pinocchio's cries, he was surprised. "Are your parents still alive?" he asked. "My father is, but I've never known my mother," said the puppet in a low voice. The big man's heart melted. 16

"It would be beastly for your father if I did throw you into the fire . . . but I must finish roasting the mutton. I'll just have to burn another puppet. Men! Bring me Harlequin, trussed!" When Pinocchio saw that another puppet was going to be burned in his place, he wept harder than ever. "Please don't, sir! Oh, sir, please don't! Don't burn Harlequin!" "That's enough!" boomed Giovanni in a rage. "I want my meat well cooked!" "In that case," cried Pinocchio defiantly, rising to his feet, "burn me! It's not right that Harlequin should be burnt instead of me!" Giovanni was taken aback. "Well, well!" he said. "I've never met a puppet hero before!" Then he went on in a milder tone. "You really are a good lad. I might indeed . . ." Hope flooded Pinocchio's heart as the puppet-master stared at him, then at last the man said: "All right! I'll eat half-raw mutton tonight, but next time, somebody will find himself in a pickle." All the puppets were delighted at being saved. Giovanni asked Pinocchio to tell him the whole tale, and feeling sorry for kindhearted Geppetto, he gave the puppet five gold pieces. "Take these to your father," he said. "Tell him to buy himself a new coat, and give him my regards." Pinocchio cheerfully left the puppet booth after thanking Giovanni for being so generous. He was hurrying homewards when he met a halfblind cat and a lame fox. He couldn't help but tell them all about his good fortune, and when the pair set eyes

on the gold coins, they hatched a plot, saying to Pinocchio: "If you would really like to please your father, you ought to take him a lot more coins. Now, we know of a magic meadow where you can sow these five coins. The next day, you will find they have become ten times as many!" "How can that happen?" asked Pinocchio in amazement. "I'll tell you how!" exclaimed the fox. "In the land of Owls lies a meadow known as Miracle Meadow. If you plant one gold coin in a little hole, next day you will find a whole tree dripping with gold coins!" Pinocchio drank in every word his two "friends" uttered and off they all went to the Red Shrimp Inn to drink to their meeting and future wealth. After food and a short rest, they made plans to leave at midnight for Miracle Meadow. However, when Pinocchio was wakened by the innkeeper at the time arranged, he found that the fox and the cat had already left. All the puppet could do then was pay for the dinner, using one of his gold coins, and set off alone along the path through the woods to the magic meadow. Suddenly... "Your money or your life!" snarled two hooded bandits. Now, Pinocchio had hidden the coins under his tongue, so he could not say a word, and nothing the bandits could do would make Pinocchio tell where the coins were hidden. Still mute, even when the wicked pair tied a noose round the poor puppet's neck and pulled it tighter and tighter, Pinocchio's last thought was "Father, help me!"

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Of course, the hooded bandits were the fox and the cat. "You'll hang there," they said, "till you decide to talk. We'll be back soon to see if you have changed your mind!" And away they went. However, a fairy who lived nearby had overheard everything . . . From the castle window, the Turquoise Fairy saw a kicking puppet dangling from an oak tree in the wood. Taking pity on him, she clapped her hands three times and suddenly a hawk and a dog appeared. "Quickly!" said the fairy to the hawk. "Fly to that oak tree and with your beak snip away the rope round the poor lad's neck!" To the dog she said: "Fetch the carriage and gently bring him to me!" In no time at all, Pinocchio, looking quite dead, was lying in a cosy bed in the castle, while the fairy called three famous doctors, crow, owl and cricket. A very bitter medicine, prescribed by these three doctors quickly cured the puppet, then as she caressed him, the fairy said: "Tell me what happened!" Pinocchio told her his story, leaving out the bit about selling his first reading book, but when the fairy asked him where the gold coins were, the puppet replied that he had lost them. In fact, they were hidden in one of his pockets. All at once, Pinocchio's nose began to stretch, while the fairy laughed. "You've just told a lie! I know you have, because your nose is growing longer!" Blushing with shame, Pinocchio had no idea what to do with such an ungainly nose and he

began to weep. However, again feeling sorry for him, the fairy clapped her hands and a flock of woodpeckers appeared to peck his nose back to its proper length. "Now, don't tell any more lies," the fairy warned him," or your nose will grow again! Go home and take these coins to your father." Pinocchio gratefully hugged the fairy and ran off homewards. But near the oak tree in the forest, he bumped into the cat and the fox. Breaking his promise, he foolishly let himself be talked into burying the coins in the magic meadow. Full of hope, he returned next day, but the coins had gone. Pinocchio sadly trudged home without the coins Giovanni had given him for his father. After scolding the puppet for his long absence, Geppetto forgave him and off he went to school. Pinocchio seemed to have calmed down a bit. But someone else was about to cross his path and lead him astray. This time, it was Carlo, the lazy bones of the class. "Why don't you come to Toyland with me?" he said. "Nobody ever studies there and you can play all day long!" "Does such a place really exist?" asked Pinocchio in amazement. "The wagon comes by this evening to take me there," said Carlo. "Would you like to come?" Forgetting all his promises to his father and the fairy, Pinocchio was again heading for trouble. Midnight struck, and the wagon arrived to pick up the two friends, along with some other lads who could hardly 18

wait to reach a place where schoolbooks and teachers had never been heard of. Twelve pairs of donkeys pulled the wagon, and they were all shod with white leather boots. The boys clambered into the wagon. Pinocchio, the most excited of them all, jumped on to a donkey. Toyland, here we come! Now Toyland was just as Carlo had described it: the boys all had great fun and there were no lessons. You weren't even allowed to whisper the word "school", and Pinocchio could hardly believe he was able to play all the time. "This is the life!" he said each time he met Carlo. "I was right, wasn't I?" exclaimed his friend, pleased with himself. "Oh, yes Carlo! Thanks to you I'm enjoying myself. And just think: teacher told me to keep well away from you." One day, however, Pinocchio awoke to a nasty surprise. When he raised a hand to his head, he found he had sprouted a long pair of hairy ears, in place of the sketchy ears that Geppetto had never got round to finishing. And that wasn't all! The next day, they had grown longer than ever. Pinocchio shamefully pulled on a large cotton cap and went off to search for Carlo. He too was wearing a hat, pulled right down to his nose. With the same thought in their heads, the boys stared at each other, then snatching off their hats, they began to laugh at the funny sight of long hairy ears. But as they screamed with laughter, Carlo suddenly went pale and began to stagger. "Pinocchio, help! Help!" But Pinocchio himself was stumbling

about and he burst into tears. For their faces were growing into the shape of a donkey's head and they felt themselves go down on all foursf. Pinocchio and Carlo were turning into a pair of donkeys. And when they tried to groan with fear, they brayed loudly instead. When the Toyland wagon driver heard the braying of his new donkeys, he rubbed his hands in glee. "There are two fine new donkeys to take to market. I'll get at least four gold pieces for them!" For such was the awful fate that awaited naughty little boys that played truant from school to spend all their time playing games. Carlo was sold to a farmer, and a circus man bought Pinocchio to teach him to do tricks like his other performing animals. It was a hard life for a donkey! Nothing to eat but hay, and when that was gone, nothing but straw. And the beatings! Pinocchio was beaten every day till he had mastered the difficult circus tricks. One day, as he was jumping through the hoop, he stumbled and went lame. The circus man called the stable boy. "A lame donkey is no use to me," he said. "Take it to market and get rid of it at any price!" But nobody wanted to buy a useless donkey. Then along came a little man who said: "I'll take it for the skin. It will make a good drum for the village band!" And so, for a few pennies, Pinocchio changed hands and he brayed sorrowfully when he heard what his awful fate was to be. The puppet's new owner led him to the edge of the sea, tied a large stone to his neck, and a long rope round 19

Pinocchio's legs and pushed hlm into the water. Clutching the end of the rope, the man sat down to wait for Pinocchio to drown. Then he would flay off the donkey's skin. Pinocchio struggled for breath at the bottom of the sea, and in a flash, remembered all the bother he had given Geppetto, his broken promises too, and he called on the fairy. The fairy heard Pinocchio's call and when she saw he was about to drown, she sent a shoal of big fish. They ate away all the donkey flesh, leaving the wooden Pinocchio. Just then, as the fish stopped nibbling, Pinocchio felt himself hauled out of the water. And the man gaped in astonishment at the living puppet, twisting and turning like an eel, which appeared in place of the dead donkey. When he recovered his wits, he babbled, almost in tears: "Where's the donkey I threw into the sea?" "I'm that donkey", giggled Pinocchio. "You!" gasped the man. "Don't try pulling my leg. If I get angry . . ." However, Pinocchio told the man the whole story . . . "and that's how you come to have a live puppet on the end of the rope instead of a dead donkey!" "I don't give a whit for your story," shouted the man in a rage. "All I know is that I paid twenty coins for you and I want my money back! Since there's no donkey, I'll take you to market and sell you as firewood!" By then free of the rope, Pinocchio made a face at the man and dived into the sea. Thankful to be a

wooden puppet again, Pinocchio swam happily out to sea and was soon just a dot on the horizon. But his adventures were far from over. Out of the water behind him loomed a terrible giant shark! A horrified Pinocchio sawits wide open jaws and tried to swim away as fast as he could, but the monster only glided closer. Then the puppet tried to escape by going in the other direction, but in vain. He could never escape the shark, for as the water rushed into its cavern-like mouth, he was sucked in with it. And in an instant Pinocchio had been swallowed along with shoals of fish unlucky enough to be in the fierce creature's path. Down he went, tossed in the torrent of water as it poured down the shark's throat, till he felt dizy. When Pinocchio came to his senses, he was in darkness. Over his head, he could hear the loud heave of the shark's gills. On his hands and knees, the puppet crept down what felt like a sloping path, crying as he went: "Help! Help! Won't anybody save me?" Suddenly, he noticed a pale light and, as he crept towards it, he saw it was a flame in the distance. On he went, till: "Father! It can't be you! . . ." "Pinocchio! Son! It really is you . . ." Weeping for joy, they hugged each other and, between sobs, told their adventures. Geppetto stroked the puppet's head and told him how he came to be in the shark's stomach. "I was looking for you everywhere. When I couldn't find you on dry land, I made a boat to search for you on the sea. But the boat capsized in a 20

storm, then the shark gulped me down. Lucklly, it also swallowed bits of ships wrecked in the tempest, so I've managed to survive by gettlng what I could from these!" "Well, we're still alive!" remarked Pinocchio, when they had finished recounting their adventures. "We must get out of here!" Taking Geppetto's hand, the pair started to climb up the shark's stomach, using a candle to light their way. When they got as far as its jaws, they took fright, but as so happened, this shark slept with its mouth open, for it suffered from asthma.

As luck would have it, the shark had been basking in shallow waters since the day before, and Pinocchio soon reached the beach. Dawn was just breaking, and Geppetto, soaked to the skin, was half dead with cold and fright. "Lean on me, father." said Pinocchio. "I don't know where we are, but we'll soon find our way home!" Beside the sands stood an old hut made of branches, and there they took shelter. Geppetto was running a temperature, but Pinocchio went out, saying, "I'm going to get you some milk." The bleating of goats led the puppet in the right direction, and he soon came upon a farmer.

Of course, he had no money to pay for the milk. "My donkey's dead," said the farmer. "If you work the treadmill from dawn to noon, then you can have some milk." And so, for days on end, Pinocchio rose early each morning to earn Geppetto's food. At long last, Pinocchio and Geppetto reached home. The puppet worked late into the night weaving reed baskets to make money for his father and himself. One day, he heard that the fairy after a wave of bad luck, was ill in hospital. So instead of buying himself a new suit of clothes, Pinocchio sent the fairy the money to pay for her treatment. One night, in a wonderful dream, the fairy appeared to reward Pinocchio for his kindness. When the puppet looked in the mirror next morning, he found he had turned into somebody else. For there in the mirror, was a handsome young lad with blue eyes and brown hair. Geppetto hugged him happily. "Where's the old wooden Pinocchio?" the young lad asked in astonishment. "There!" exclaimed Geppetto, pointing at him. "When bad boys become good, their looks change along with their lives!" THE STORY OF SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARVES Jacob Karl Grimm y Wilhelm Grimm

Grimm's Fairy Tale version translated by Margaret Hunt language modernized a bit by Leanne Guenther

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studied dark magic and owned a magic mirror, of which she would daily ask, Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all?. Each time this question was asked, the mirror would give the same answer, "Thou, O Queen, art the fairest of all." This pleased the queen greatly as she knew that her magical mirror could speak nothing but the truth. Once upon a time, long, long ago a king and queen ruled over a distant land. The queen was kind and lovely and all the people of the realm adored her. The only sadness in the queen's life was that she wished for a child but did not have one. One winter day, the queen was doing needle work while gazing out her ebony window at the new fallen snow. A bird flew by the window startling the queen and she pricked her finger. A single drop of blood fell on the snow outside her window. As she looked at the blood on the snow she said to herself, "Oh, how I wish that I had a daughter that had skin as white as snow, lips as red as blood, and hair as black as ebony." Soon after that, the kind queen got her wish when she gave birth to a baby girl who had skin white as snow, lips red as blood, and hair black as ebony. They named the baby princess Snow White, but sadly, the queen died after giving birth to Snow White. Soon after, the king married a new woman who was beautiful, but as well proud and cruel. She had

One morning when the queen asked, "Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all?" she was shocked when it answered: You, my queen, are fair; it is true. But Snow White is even fairer than you. The Queen flew into a jealous rage and ordered her huntsman to take Snow White into the woods to be killed. She demanded that the huntsman return with Snow White's heart as proof. The poor huntsman took Snow White into the forest, but found himself unable to kill the girl. Instead, he let her go, and brought the queen the heart of a wild boar. Snow White was now all alone in the great forest, and she did not know what to do. The trees seemed to whisper to each other, scaring Snow White who began to run. She ran over sharp stones and through thorns. She ran as far as her feet could carry her, and just as evening was about to fall she saw a little house and went inside in order to rest.

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Inside the house everything was small but tidy. There was a little table with a tidy, white tablecloth and seven little plates. Against the wall there were seven little beds, all in a row and covered with quilts. Because she was so hungry Snow White ate a few vegetables and a little bread from each little plate and from each cup she drank a bit of milk. Afterward, because she was so tired, she lay down on one of the little beds and fell fast asleep.

"Oh good heaven! " they cried. "This child is beautiful!" They were so happy that they did not wake her up, but let her continue to sleep in the bed. The next morning Snow White woke up, and when she saw the seven dwarves she was frightened. But they were friendly and asked, "What is your name?" "My name is Snow White," she answered.

After dark, the owners of the house returned home. They were the seven dwarves who mined for gold in the mountains. As soon as they arrived home, they saw that someone had been there -- for not everything was in the same order as they had left it. The first one said, "Who has been sitting in my chair?" The second one, "Who has been eating from my plate?"

"How did you find your way to our house?" the dwarves asked further.

The third one, "Who has been eating my bread?"

Then she told them that her stepmother had tried to kill her, that the huntsman had spared her life, and that she had run the entire day through the forest, finally stumbling upon their house.

The fourth one, "Who has been eating my vegetables?" The fifth one, "Who has been eating with my fork?" The sixth one, "Who has been drinking from my cup?" But the seventh one, looking at his bed, found Snow White lying there asleep. The seven dwarves all came running up, and they cried out with amazement. They fetched their seven candles and shone the light on Snow White.

The dwarves spoke with each other for awhile and then said, "If you will keep house for us, and cook, make beds, wash, sew, and knit, and keep everything clean and orderly, then you can stay with us, and you shall have everything that you want." "Yes," said Snow White, "with all my heart." For Snow White greatly enjoyed keeping a tidy home.

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So Snow White lived happily with the dwarves. Every morning they went into the mountains looking for gold, and in the evening when they came back home Snow White had their meal ready and their house tidy. During the day the girl was alone, except for the small animals of the forest that she often played with.

face, she disguised herself as an old peddler woman, so that no one would recognize her, traveled to the dwarves house and knocked on the door.

Now the queen, believing that she had eaten Snow White's heart, could only think that she was again the first and the most beautiful woman of all. She stepped before her mirror and said:

"That is all right with me," answered the peddler woman. "I'll easily get rid of my apples. Here, I'll give you one of them."

Mirror, mirror, on the wall, Who in this land is fairest of all? It answered: You, my queen, are fair; it is true. But Snow White, beyond the mountains With the seven dwarves, Is still a thousand times fairer than you. This startled the queen, for she knew that the mirror did not lie, and she realized that the huntsman had deceived her and that Snow White was still alive. Then she thought, and thought again, how she could rid herself of Snow White -- for as long as long as she was not the most beautiful woman in the entire land her jealousy would give her no rest.

Snow White put her head out of the window, and said, "I must not let anyone in; the seven dwarves have forbidden me to do so."

"No," said Snow White, "I cannot accept anything from strangers." "Are you afraid of poison?" asked the old woman. "Look, I'll cut the apple in two. You eat half and I shall eat half." Now the apple had been so artfully made that only the one half was poisoned. Snow White longed for the beautiful apple, and when she saw that the peddler woman was eating part of it she could no longer resist, and she stuck her hand out and took the poisoned half. She barely had a bite in her mouth when she fell to the ground dead. The queen looked at her with an evil stare, laughed loudly, and said, "White as snow, red as blood, black as ebony wood! The dwarves shall never awaken you." Back at home she asked her mirror:

At last she thought of something. She went into her most secret room -- no one else was allowed inside -and she made a poisoned apple. From the outside it was beautiful, and anyone who saw it would want it. But anyone who might eat a little piece of it would died. Coloring her

Mirror, mirror, on the wall, Who in this land is fairest of all? It finally answered: You, my queen, are fairest of all.

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Then her cruel and jealous heart was at rest, as well as a cruel and jealous heart can be at rest.

But the dwarves answered, "We will not sell it for all the gold in the world."

When the dwarves came home that evening they found Snow White lying on the ground. She was not breathing at all. She was dead. They lifted her up and looked at her longingly. They talked to her, shook her and wept over her. But nothing helped. The dear child was dead, and she remained dead. They laid her on a bed of straw, and all seven sat next to her and mourned for her and cried for three days. They were going to bury her, but she still looked as fresh as a living person, and still had her beautiful red cheeks.

Then he said, "Then give it to me, for I cannot live without being able to see Snow White. I will honor her and respect her as my most cherished one."

They said, "We cannot bury her in the black earth," and they had a transparent glass coffin made, so she could be seen from all sides. They laid her inside, and with golden letters wrote on it her name, and that she was a princess. Then they put the coffin outside on a mountain, and one of them always stayed with it and watched over her. The animals too came and mourned for Snow White, first an owl, then a raven, and finally a dove. Now it came to pass that a prince entered these woods and happened onto the dwarves' house, where he sought shelter for the night . He saw the coffin on the mountain with beautiful Snow White in it, and he read what was written on it with golden letters. Then he said to the dwarves, "Let me have the coffin. I will give you anything you want for it."

As he thus spoke, the good dwarves felt pity for him and gave him the coffin. The prince had his servants carry it away on their shoulders. But then it happened that one of them stumbled on some brush, and this dislodged from Snow White's throat the piece of poisoned apple that she had bitten off. Not long afterward she opened her eyes, lifted the lid from her coffin, sat up, and was alive again. "Good heavens, where am I?" she cried out. The prince said joyfully, "You are with me." He told her what had happened, and then said, "I love you more than anything else in the world. Come with me to my father's castle. You shall become my wife." Snow White loved him, and she went with him. Their wedding was planned with great splendor and majesty.

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Snow White's wicked step-mother was invited to the feast, and when she had arrayed herself in her most beautiful garments, she stood before her mirror, and said:

THE THREE LITTLE PIGS

Mirror, mirror, on the wall, Who in this land is fairest of all? The mirror answered: You, my queen, are fair; it is true. But the young queen is a thousand times fairer than you. Not knowing that this new queen was indeed her stepdaughter, she arrived at the wedding, and her heart filled with the deepest of dread when she realized the truth - the evil queen was banished from the land forever and the prince and Snow White lived happily ever after.

There was once upon a time a pig who lived with her three children on a large, comfortable, old-fashioned farmyard. The eldest of the little pigs was called Browny, the second Whitey, and the youngest and best looking Blacky. Now Browny was a very dirty little pig, and, I am sorry to say, spent most of his time rolling and wallowing about in the mud. He was never so happy as on a wet day, when the mud in the farmyard got soft, and thick, and slab. Then he would steal away from his mother's side, and finding the muddiest place in the yard, would roll about in it and thoroughly enjoy himself. His mother often found fault with him for this, and would shake her head sadly and say, "Ah, Browny! Some day you will be sorry that you did not obey your old mother." But no words of advice or warning could cure Browny of his bad habits. Whitey was quite a clever little pig, but she was greedy. She was always thinking of her food, and looking forward to her dinner. And when the farm girl was seen 26

carrying the pails across the yard, she would rise up on her hind legs and dance and caper with excitement. As soon as the food was poured into the trough she jostled Blacky and Browny out of the way in her eagerness to get the best and biggest bits for herself. Her mother often scolded her for her selfishness, and told her that someday she would suffer for being so greedy and grabbing.

Browny, what sort of a house would you like to have?" "A house of mud," replied Browny, looking longingly at a wet puddle in the corner of the yard. "And you, Whitey?" said the mother pig in rather a sad voice, for she was disappointed that Browny had made so foolish a choice. "A house of cabbage," answered Whitey, with a mouth full, and scarcely raising her snout out of the trough in which she was grubbing for some potato parings. "Foolish, foolish child!" said the mother pig, looking quite distressed. "And you, Blacky?" turning to her youngest son. "What sort of a house shall I order for you?"

Blacky was a good, nice little pig, neither dirty nor greedy. He had nice dainty ways (for a pig), and his skin was always as smooth and shining as black satin. He was much cleverer than Browny and Whitey, and his mother's heart used to swell with pride when she heard the farmer's friends say to each other that someday the little black fellow would be a prize pig. Now the time came when the mother pig felt old and feeble and near her end. One day she called the three little pigs round her and said, "My children, I feel that I am growing old and weak, and that I shall not live long. Before I die I should like to build a house for each of you, as this dear old sty in which we have lived so happily will be given to a new family of pigs, and you will have to turn out. Now,

"A house of brick, please mother, as it will be warm in winter and cool in summer, and safe all the year round." "That is a sensible little pig," replied his mother, looking fondly at him. "I will see that the three houses are got ready at once. And now one last piece of advice. You have heard me talk of our old enemy the fox. When he hears that I am dead, he is sure to try and get hold of you, to carry you off to his den. He is very sly and will no doubt disguise himself, and pretend to be a friend, but you must promise me not to let him enter your houses on any pretext whatever." And the little pigs readily promised, for they had always had a great fear of the fox, of whom they had heard many terrible tales.

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A short time afterwards the old pig died, and the little pigs went to live in their own houses. Browny was quite delighted with his soft mud walls and with the clay floor, which soon looked like nothing but a big mud pie. But that was what Browny enjoyed, and he was as happy as possible, rolling about all day and making himself in such a mess. One day, as he was lying half asleep in the mud, he heard a soft knock at his door, and a gentle voice said, "May I come in, Master Browny? I want to see your beautiful new house." "Who are you?" said Browny, starting up in great fright, for though the voice sounded gentle, he felt sure it was a feigned voice, and he feared it was the fox. "I am a friend come to call on you," answered the voice. "No, no," replied Browny, "I don't believe you are a friend. You are the wicked fox, against whom our mother warned us. I won't let you in." "Oho! Is that the way you answer me?" said the fox, speaking very roughly in his natural voice. "We shall soon see who is master here," and with his paws he set to work and scraped a large hole in the soft mud walls. A moment later he had jumped through it, and catching Browny by the neck, flung him on his shoulders and trotted off with him to his den. The next day, as Whitey was munching a few leaves of cabbage out of the corner of her house, the

fox stole up to her door, determined to carry her off to join her brother in his den. He began speaking to her in the same feigned gentle voice in which he had spoken to Browny. But it frightend her very much when he said, "I am a friend come to visit you, and to have some of your good cabbage for my dinner." "Please don't touch it," cried Whitey in great distress. "The cabbages are the walls of my house, and if you eat them you will make a hole, and the wind and rain will come in and give me a cold. Do go away. I am sure you are not a friend, but our wicked enemy the fox." And poor Whitey began to whine and to whimper, and to wish that she had not been such a greedy little pig, and had chosen a more solid material than cabbages for her house. But it was too late now, and in another minute the fox had eaten his way through the cabbage walls, and had caught the trembling, shivering Whitey and carried her off to his den. The next day the fox started off for Blacky's house, because he had made up his mind that he would get the three little pigs together in his den, and then kill them, and invite all his friends to a feast. But when he reached the brick house, he found that the door was bolted and barred, so in his sly manner he began, "Do let me in, dear Blacky. I have brought you a present of some eggs that I picked up in a farmyard on my way here." "No, no, Mister Fox," replied Blacky. "I am not gong to open my door to you. I know your cunning ways. You have carried off poor Browny and

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Whitey, but you are not going to get me."

and bolted the door, and put the shutter up over the window.

At this the fox was so angry that he dashed with all his force against the wall, and tried to knock it down. But it was too strong and well built. And though the fox scraped and tore at the bricks with his paws, he only hurt himself, and at last he had to give it up, and limp away with his forepaws all bleeding and sore.

"Oho!" exclaimed the fox to himself. "You think you will escape me that way, do you? We shall soon see about that, my friend." And very quietly and stealthily he prowled round the house looking for some way to climb onto the roof.

"Never mind!" he cried angrily as he went off. "I'll catch you another day, see if I don't, and won't I grind your bones to powder when I have got you in my den!" And he snarled fiercely and showed his teeth. Next day Blacky had to go into the neighboring town to do some marketing and to buy a big kettle. As he was walking home with it slung over his shoulder, he heard a sound of steps stealthily creeping after him. For a moment his heart stood still with fear, and then a happy thought came to him. He had just reached the top of a hill, and could see his own little house nestling at the foot of it among the trees. In a moment he had snatched the lid off the kettle and had jumped in himself. Coiling himself round, he lay quite snug in the bottom of the kettle, while with his foreleg he managed to put the lid on, so that he was entirely hidden. With a little kick from the inside, he started the kettle off, and down the hill it rolled full tilt. And when the fox came up, all that he saw was a large black kettle spinning over the ground at a great pace. Very much disappointed, he was just going to turn away, when he saw the kettle stop close to the little brick house, and a moment later, Blacky jumped out of it and escaped with the kettle into the housed, when he barred

In the meantime Blacky had filled the kettle with water, and having put it on the fire, sat down quietly waiting for it to boil. Just as the kettle was beginning to sing, and steam to come out of the spout, he heard a sound like a soft, muffled step, patter, patter, patter overhead, and the next moment the fox's head and forepaws were seen coming down the chimney. But Blacky very wisely had not put the lid on the kettle, and, with a yelp of pain, the fox fell into the boiling water, and before he could escape, Blacky had popped the lid on, and the fox was scalded to death. As soon as he was sure that their wicked enemy was really dead, and could do them no further harm, Blacky started off to rescue Browny and Whitey. As he approached the den he heard piteous grunts and squeals from his poor little brother and sister who lived in constant terror of the fox killing and eating them. But when they saw Blacky appear at the entrance to the den, their joy knew no bounds. He quickly found a sharp stone and cut the cords by which they were tied to a stake in the ground, and then all three started off together for Blacky's house, where they lived happily ever after. And Browny quite gave up rolling in the mud, and Whitey ceased to be greedy, for they never forgot how nearly these 29

faults had brought them to an untimely end. THE FOX AND THE GEESE

But Gobble, the youngest, I grieve to say, Soon came to a very bad end, Because she preferred her own silly way, And would not to her mother attend. For she made, with some boards, an open nest, For a roof took the lid of a box; Then quietly laid herself down to rest, And thought she was safe from the Fox.

There was once a Goose at the point of death, So she called her three daughters near, And desired them all, with her latest breath, Her last dying words to hear. "There's a Mr. Fox," said she, "that I know, Who lives in a covert hard by, To our race he has proved a deadly foe, So beware of his treachery." Build houses, ere long, of stone or of bricks, And get tiles for your roofs, I pray; For I know, of old, Mr. Reynard's tricks, And I fear he may come any day." Thus saying, she died, and her daughters fair, -Gobble, Goosey, and Ganderee, -Agreed together, that they would beware Of Mr. Fox, their enemy.

But Reynard, in taking an evening run, Soon scented the goose near the pond; Thought he, " Now I'll have some supper and fun, For of both I am really fond." Then on to the box he sprang in a trice, And roused Mrs. Gobble from bed; She only had time to hiss once or twice Ere he snapped off her lily-white head. Her sisters at home felt anxious and low When poor Gobble did not appear, And Goosey, determined her fate to know, Went and sought all the field far and near. At last she descried poor Gobble's head, And some feathers not far apart, So she told Ganderee she had found her dead, And they both felt quite sad at heart.

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And resolved in his mind to accomplish this feat, And have the young goose for a meal. So he slyly lighted a bundle of straws, And made no more noise than a mouse, Then lifted himself up on his hind paws, And quickly set fire to the house. Now Goosey was pretty, but liked her own way, Like Gobble, and some other birds." 'Tis no matter," said she, "if I only obey A part of my mother's last words." So her house she soon built of nice red brick, But she only thatched it with straw; And she thought that, however the fox might kick, He could not get e'en a paw. So she went to sleep, and at dead of night She heard at the door a low scratch; And presently Reynard, with all his might, Attempted to jump on the thatch. But he tumbled back, and against the wall Grazed his nose in a fearful way, Then, almost mad with the pain of his fall, He barked, and ran slowly away. So Goosey laughed, and felt quite o'erjoyed To have thus escaped from all harm; But had she known how the Fox was employed, She would have felt dreadful alarm; For Gobble had been his last dainty meat, So hungry he really did feel, --

'Twas soon in a blaze, and Goosey awoke, With fright almost ready to die, And, nearly smothered with heat and with smoke, Up the chimney was forced to fly. The Fox was rejoiced to witness her flight, And, heedless of all her sad groans, He chased her until he saw her alight, Then eat her up all but her bones. Poor Ganderee's heart was ready to break When the sad news reached her ear. "'Twas that villain the Fox," said good Mr. Drake, Who lived in a pond very near. "Now listen to me, I pray you," he said, "And roof your new house with some tiles, Or you, like your sisters, will soon be dead, -A prey to your enemy's wiles." So she took the advice of her mother and friend, And made her house very secure, Then she said, -- "Now, whatever may be my end, The Fox cannot catch me, I'm sure."

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He called at her door the very next day, And loudly and long did he knock, But she said to him, -- "Leave my house, I pray, For the door I will not unlock; "For you've killed my sisters I know full well, And you wish that I too were dead." "Oh dear," said the Fox, " I can't really tell Who put such a thought in your head: "For I've always liked geese more than other birds, And you of your race I've loved best." But the Goose ne'er heeded his flattering words, So hungry he went to his rest. Next week she beheld him again appear, "Let me in very quick," he cried, "For the news I've to tell you'll be charmed to hear, And 'tis rude to keep me outside." But the Goose only opened one window-pane, And popped out her pretty red bill, Said she, "Your fair words are all in vain, But talk to me here if you will." "Tomorrow," he cried, " there will be a fair, All the birds and the beasts will go; So allow me, I pray, to escort you there, For you will be quite charmed I know." "Many thanks for your news," said Ganderee, "But I had rather not go with you; I care not for any gay sight to see," -

So the window she closed, and withdrew. In the morning, howe'er, her mind she changed, And she thought she would go to the fair; So her numerous feathers she nicely arranged, And cleaned her red bill with much care. She went, I believe, before it was light, For of Reynard she felt much fear; So quickly she thought she would see each sight, And return ere he should appear. When the Goose arrived she began to laugh At the wondrous creatures she saw; There were dancing bears, and a tall giraffe, And a beautiful red macaw. A monkey was weighing out apples and roots; An ostrich, too, sold by retail; There were bees and butterflies tasting the fruits, And a pig drinking out of a pail. Ganderee went into an elephant's shop, And quickly she bought a new churn; For, as it grew late, she feared to stop, As in safety she wished to return. Ere, however, she got about half the way, She saw approaching her foe; And now she hissed with fear and dismay, For she knew not which way to go. But at last of a capital plan she bethought, 32

Of a place where she safely might hide; She got into the churn that she had just bought, And then fastened the lid inside. The churn was placed on the brow of a hill, And with Ganderee's weight down it rolled, Passing the Fox, who stood perfectly still, Quite alarmed, though he was very bold. For the Goose's wings flapped strangely about, And the noise was fearful to hear; And so bruised she felt she was glad to get out, When she thought that the coast was clear.

Then into the churn the Fox quickly got; But, ere the Goose put on the top, A kettle she brought of water quite hot, And poured in every drop. Then the Fox cried out, "O! I burn, I burn, And I feel in a pitiful plight;" But the Goose held fast the lid of the churn, So Reynard he died that night. Moral Mankind have an enemy whom they well know, Who tempts them in every way; But they, too, at length shall o'ercome this foe, If wisdom's right law they obey.

So safely she reached her own home at noon, And the Fox ne'er saw her that day; But after the fair he came very soon, And cried out in a terrible way, -"Quick, quick, let me in! oh, for once be kind, For the huntsman's horn I hear; Oh, hide me in any snug place you can find, For the hunters and hounds draw near."

THE STORY OF GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE BEARS

So the Goose looked out in order to see Whether Reynard was only in jest; Then, knowing that he in her power would be, She opened the door to her guest. "I'll hide you," she said, " in my nice new churn." "That will do very well," said he; "And thank you for doing me this good turn, Most friendly and kind Ganderee."

Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Goldilocks. She went for a walk in the forest. Pretty soon, 33

she came upon a house. She knocked and, when no one answered, she walked right in. At the table in the kitchen, there were three bowls of porridge. Goldilocks was hungry. She tasted the porridge from the first bowl.

bed, but it was too hard. Then she lay in the second bed, but it was too soft. Then she lay down in the third bed and it was just right. Goldilocks fell asleep.

"This porridge is too hot!" she exclaimed. So, she tasted the porridge from the second bowl. "This porridge is too cold," she said So, she tasted the last bowl of porridge. "Ahhh, this porridge is just right," she said happily and she ate it all up. After she'd eaten the three bears' breakfasts she decided she was feeling a little tired. So, she walked into the living room where she saw three chairs. Goldilocks sat in the first chair to rest her feet. "This chair is too big!" she exclaimed. So she sat in the second chair. "This chair is too big, too!" she whined. So she tried the last and smallest chair. "Ahhh, this chair is just right," she sighed. But just as she settled down into the chair to rest, it broke into pieces! Goldilocks was very tired by this time, so she went upstairs to the bedroom. She lay down in the first

As she was sleeping, the three bears came home. "Someone's been eating my porridge," growled the Papa bear. "Someone's been eating my porridge," said the Mama bear. "Someone's been eating my porridge and they ate it all up!" cried the Baby bear. "Someone's been sitting in my chair," growled the Papa bear. "Someone's been sitting in my chair," said the Mama bear. "Someone's been sitting in my chair and they've broken it all to pieces," cried the Baby bear. They decided to look around some more and when they got upstairs to the bedroom, Papa bear growled, "Someone's been sleeping in my bed," "Someone's been sleeping in my bed, too" said the Mama bear 34

"Someone's been sleeping in my bed and she's still there!" exclaimed Baby bear.

for me, and you shall see that your portion is not so bad as you imagine it to be."

Just then, Goldilocks woke up and saw the three bears. She screamed, "Help!" And she jumped up and ran out of the room. Goldilocks ran down the stairs, opened the door, and ran away into the forest. And she never returned to the home of the three bears.

The cat's master obtained both bag and boots, and watched the cat pull on the boots and throw the bag over his shoulder. Then Puss in Boots sallied forth.

THE END THE STORY OF PUSS IN BOOTS

He went to a warren in which there were a great number of rabbits. He put some bran and some parsley into his bag, and then waited for some innocent rabbit to feast on the dainties. Soon two young rabbits jumped into his bag and Puss in

There was once a miller who had three sons, and when he died his estate was divided among them. The older sons fared very well, but the youngest received nothing but the cat, and he often complained bitterly of his lot.

them. Boots drew the strings and caught

"My brothers may get their living easily enough," he said, "but as for me, I may soon die of hunger and want." The cat, who had heard this, came out of the cupboard where he had been listening." "Do not worry, my good master," he said. "You have only to give me a bag and have a pair of boots made

Puss in Boots was very proud of his prey, and hurried with it to the palace and asked to speak to the king. Bowing low, Puss said, "Sire, I have brought for you rabbits from the warren of my noble lord, the Marquis of Carabas (the title Puss gave to his master), which he commanded me to present to your majesty with his compliments."

The king was much pleased and said, "Tell your lord Marquis of

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Carabas that I accept his present with pleasure." In this manner the cat continued to carry presents of game to the king at least once a week for two or three months.

After the marquis was dressed, the king was much impressed with him, and asked him to ride in the royal coach; and it was not at all strange that the king's daughter at once fell deeply in love with him.

Then one day Puss in Boots said to his master, "If you will only follow my advice, your fortune is made. Go to the river and bathe just where I show you."

Quite overjoyed, Puss in Boots marched before the coach, giving orders to the workmen he met along the way.

The Marquis of Carabas did exactly as the cat advised, and while he was bathing, the king passed by, riding in his coach with his daughter, the loveliest princess in the world. Then Puss in Boots began to cry out, "Help! Help! My lord Marquis of Carabas is going to be drowned!" Hearing the cries, the king ordered his attendants to go to the rescue of my lord Marquis of Carabas. While the servants were drawing the young man from the river, Puss in Boots came up to the coach and told his majesty that thieves had run off with his master's clothes, though in reality he himself had hidden them under a stone.

Presently as the king came by, he saw some mowers working in a meadow, and asked them to whom the meadow belonged. To my lord Marquis of Carabas!" the mowers answered, as the cat had instructed them. "A very fine piece of land you have there, my lord marquis," said the king. "You speak the truth, sire," replied the young man, "for it never fails to bring me a most bountiful harvest." Soon the coach passed another field where laborers were working industriously. When the king asked to whom the field belonged, they answered, "To my lord Marquis of Carabas!"

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The king once more complimented the marquis upon his rich possessions.

boots were of no use at all to him in walking on the tiles. However, the ogre resumed his natural form, and the cat came down, saying that he had been very frightened indeed. "I have further been told," said the cat, "that you can also transform yourself into the smallest of animals, for example, a rat or a mouse. But I can scarcely believe that. I must admit to you that I think that that would be quite impossible."

At last Puss in Boots arrived at a stately castle. It belonged to an ogre, the richest ever known, and all the lands through which the king had passed that morning belonged to him. The Ogre received Puss as civilly as an ogre could do and asked him to sit down. "I have been told," began Puss in Boots, "that you are able to change yourself into any kind of creature that you have a mind to. You can, for example, transform yourself into a lion, an elephant, or the like." "That is true," answered the ogre very briskly; "and to convince you, I shall now become a lion." The cat was so terrified at the sight of a lion so near him that he leaped onto the roof, which caused him even more difficulty, because his

"Impossible!" cried the ogre. "You shall see!", and in an instant he became a mouse and began to scamper about the floor. No sooner had Puss seen the Ogre in the form of a mouse than he sprang upon him, eating him in an instant In the meantime the king's coach approached the Ogre's castle. The king desired to visit it, and ordered the attendants to drive up to the gates. Hearing the wheels on the drawbridge, Puss in Boots hastened out. "Your majesty is indeed welcome to the castle of my lord Marquis of Carabas!" he said. "And is this splendid castle also yours, my lord Marquis of Carabas?" inquired the king. "Let us go in, if you please."

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THE SLEEPING BEAUTY STORY

The marquis gave his hand to the princess, and they followed the king into the castle. In the spacious hall they found a splendid feast which had been prepared by the Ogre for some of his friends. The king was so charmed with the good qualities of my lord Marquis of Carabas that when he had partaken of the banquet he said: "It will be your own fault if you do not soon become my son-in-law, my dear lord Marquis of Carabas!" So after a short courtship the princess became the bride of the marquis and they lived happily ever after

Once upon a time, in a land far far away (a land which had no visa for pretty princess, you see, so Cinderella, Snow White and many more princess lived there) slept a beautiful princess, called...err...urm... the sleeping beauty. So one day, her sleeping pills wore off, and she suddenly woke up from her deep slumber. She quickly logged on to PreetyFakeBook.com and found that all her friends from school days where in a relationship. Worried about she would die alone, single, she pinged Cinderella about her relationship. "How did you get prince charming?" inquired the sleeping beauty. "Oh its simple," Cinderella, then told her about her deception of gate crashing the princes grand ball in which she was not at all invited. Then she informed to mysteriously escape from the dance leaving the 38

prince excited high and dry. Thus in a nutshell, he comes hunting for you. "Oh it is," Sleeping beauty said and decided to try it on. She quickly dressed amazing and gate crashed a princes ball (since the land had free visa, there was no limit for prince grand ball, they happened every day) but far from noticing her, the prince simply was busy playing kingdomVille on his iPrince and distressed she decided to go back to sleep. On the way she met Snow White, who was busy painting the night sky. "Hello there..." said the Sleeping beauty, "I see that engagement ring on your fingers. How are you?"

asked her the secret to get a handsome prince. Rapunzel giggled from the tower, and send a 'Dhotiranjan Varadahastam Kesh Kala' oil, the secret behind long hair. Happy that finally she can do something, Sleeping beauty returned to her tower to try the new shampoo. When she returned she found the door ajar, cautiously, she stepped in, worried that she might find 7 little men in there, she found a note on her bed. 'Was here to ask you out, seems you already are engaged somewhere else. - Prince Charming.' HANSEL AND GRETEL Jacob Karl Grimm y Wilhelm Grimm

"I am fine," beamed Snow white flashing that ring. She told her about the story and explained to her that the key to finding the good man is to live with 7 men and then dump them for the eight one who rescues you from them. Sleeping beauty considered that idea for a while, then realized Snow White was top in the Physical Education class and also had joined weekend karate lessons, while she was simply...well.. sleeping. Living with 7 men and still staying a virgin for 8th was not her cup of tea. Sad that she would die alone, she walked past Rapunzels tower, who was sitting on the top most window. She immediately called her and

Once upon a time a very poor woodcutter lived in a tiny cottage in the forest with his two children, Hansel and Gretel. His second wife often ill-treated the children and was forever nagging the woodcutter. "There is not enough food in the house for us all. There are 39

too many mouths to feed! We must get rid of the two brats," she declared. And she kept on trying to persuade her husband to abandon his children in the forest. "Take them miles from home, so far that they can never find their way back! Maybe someone will find them and give them a home." The downcast woodcutter didn't know what to do. Hansel who, one evening, had overheard his parents' conversation, comforted Gretel. "Don't worry! If they do leave us in the forest, we'll find the way home," he said. And slipping out of the house he filled his pockets with little white pebbles, then went back to bed. All night long, the woodcutter's wife harped on and on at her husband till, at dawn, he led Hansel and Gretel away into the forest. But as they went into the depths of the trees, Hansel dropped a little white pebble here and there on the mossy green ground. At a certain point, the two children found they really were alone: the woodcutter had plucked up enough courage to desert them, had mumbled an excuse and was gone.

Night fell but the woodcutter did not return. Gretel began to sob bitterly. Hansel too felt scared but he tried to hide his feelings and comfort his sister. "Don't cry, trust me! I swear I'll take you home even if Father doesn't come back for us!" Luckily the moon was full that night and Hansel waited till its cold light filtered through the trees. "Now give me your hand!" he said. "We'll get home safely, you'll see!" The tiny white pebbles gleamed in the moonlight, and the children found their way home. They crept through a half open window, without wakening their parents. Cold, tired but thankful to be home again, they slipped into bed. Next day, when their stepmother discovered that Hansel and Gretel had returned, she went into a rage. Stifling her anger in front of the children, she locked her bedroom door, reproaching 40

her husband for failing to carry out her orders. The weak woodcutter protested, torn as he was between shame and fear of disobeying his cruel wife. The wicked stepmother kept Hansel and Gretel under lock and key all day with nothing for supper but a sip of water and some hard bread. All night, husband and wife quarreled, and when dawn came, the woodcutter led the children out into the forest. Hansel, however, had not eaten his bread, and as he walked through the trees, he left a trail of crumbs behind him to mark the way. But the little boy had forgotten about the hungry birds that lived in the forest. When they saw him, they flew along behind and in no time at all, had eaten all the crumbs. Again, with a lame excuse, the woodcutter left his two children by themselves. "I've left a trail, like last time!" Hansel whispered to Gretel, consolingly. But when night fell, they saw to their horror, that all the crumbs had gone. "I'm frightened!" wept Gretel bitterly. "I'm cold and hungry and I want to go home!" "Don't be afraid. I'm here to look after you!" Hansel tried to encourage his sister, but he

too shivered when he glimpsed frightening shadows and evil eyes around them in the darkness. All night the two children huddled together for warmth at the foot of a large tree. When dawn broke, they started to wander about the forest, seeking a path, but all hope soon faded. They were well and truly lost. On they walked and walked, till suddenly they came upon a strange cottage in the middle of a glade. "This is chocolate!" gasped Hansel as he broke a lump of plaster from the wall. "And this is icing!" exclaimed Gretel, putting another piece of wall in her mouth. Starving but delighted, the children began to eat pieces of candy broken off the cottage. "Isn't this delicious?" said Gretel, with her mouth full. She had never tasted anything so nice. "We'll stay here," Hansel declared, munching a bit of nougat. They were just about to try a piece of the biscuit door when it quietly swung open. "Well, well!" said an old woman, peering out with a 41

crafty look. "And haven't you children a sweet tooth?" "Come in! Come in, you've nothing to fear!" went on the old woman. Unluckily for Hansel and Gretel, however, the sugar candy cottage belonged to an old witch, her trap for catching unwary victims. The two children had come to a really nasty place. "You're nothing but skin and bones!" said the witch, locking Hansel into a cage. I shall fatten you up and eat you!" "You can do the housework," she told Gretel grimly, "then I'll make a meal of you too!" As luck would have it, the witch had very bad eyesight, an when Gretel smeared butter on her glasses, she could see even less. "Let me feel your finger!" said the witch to Hansel every day to check if he was getting any fatter. Now, Gretel had brought her brother a chicken bone, and when the witch went to touch his finger, Hansel held out the bone. "You're still much too thin!" she complained. When will you become plump?" One day the witch grew tired of waiting. "Light the oven," she told Gretel. "We're going to have a

tasty roasted boy today!" A little later, hungry and impatient, she went on: "Run and see if the oven is hot enough." Gretel returned, whimpering: "I can't tell if it is hot enough or not." Angrily, the witch screamed at the little girl: "Useless child! All right, I'll see for myself." But when the witch bent down to peer inside the oven and check the heat, Gretel gave her a tremendous push and slammed the oven door shut. The witch had come to a fit and proper end. Gretel ran to set her brother free and they made quite sure that the oven door was tightly shut behind the witch. Indeed, just to be on the safe side, they fastened it firmly with a large padlock. Then they stayed for several days to eat some more of the house, till they discovered amongst the witch's belongings, a huge chocolate egg. Inside lay a casket of gold coins. "The witch is now burnt to a cinder," said Hansel, "so we'll take this treasure with us." They filled a large basket with food and set off into the forest to search for the way home. This time, luck was with them, and on the second day, they saw their father come out of the house towards them, weeping. "Your stepmother is dead. 42

Come home with me now, my dear children!" The two children hugged the woodcutter.

of the Beasts. "Was I not right?" said the little Mouse.

"Promise you'll never ever desert us again," said Gretel, throwing her arms round her father's neck. Hansel opened the casket. "Look, Father! We're rich now . . . You'll never have to chop wood again." And they all lived happily together ever after.

Little friends may prove great friends JACK AND THE BEANSTALK

THE LION AND THE MOUSE

Once when a Lion was asleep a little Mouse began running up and down upon him; this soon wakened the Lion, who placed his huge paw upon him, and opened his big jaws to swallow him. "Pardon, O King," cried the little Mouse: "forgive me this time, I shall never forget it: who knows but what I may be able to do you a turn some of these days?" The Lion was so tickled at the idea of the Mouse being able to help him, that he lifted up his paw and let him go. Some time after the Lion was caught in a trap, and the hunters who desired to carry him alive to the King, tied him to a tree while they went in search of a wagon to carry him on. Just then the little Mouse happened to pass by, and seeing the sad plight in which the Lion was, went up to him and soon gnawed away the ropes that bound the King

Richard Walker

ONCE upon a time there lived a poor widow who had an only son named Jack. She was very poor, for times had been hard, and Jack was too young to work. Almost all the furniture of the little cottage had been sold to buy bread, until at last there was nothing left worth selling. Only the good cow, Milky White, remained, and she gave milk every morning, which they took to market and sold. But 43

one sad day Milky White gave no milk, and then things looked bad indeed. "Never mind, mother," said Jack. "We must sell Milky White. Trust me to make a good bargain, "and away he went to the market. For some time he went along very sadly,-but after a little he quite recovered his spirits. "I may as well ride as walk," said he; so instead of leading the cow by the halter, he jumped on her back, and so he went whistling along until he met a butcher. "Good morning,"said the butcher. "Good morning, sir," answered Jack. "Where are you going ?" said the butcher. "I am going to market to sell the cow."

ran all the way home to tell his mother how lucky he had been. But oh! how disappointed the poor widow was. "Off to bed with you!" she cried; and she was so angry that she threw the beans out of the window into the garden. So poor Jack went to bed without any supper, and cried himself to sleep. When he woke up the next morning, the room was almost dark; and Jack jumped out of bed and ran to the window to see what was the matter. The sun was shining brightly outside, but from the ground right up beside his window there was growing a great beanstalk, which stretched up and up as far as he could see, into the sky.

"It's lucky I met you," said the butcher. "You may save yourself the trouble of going so far." With this, he put his hand in his pocket, and pulled out five curiouslooking beans. "What do you call these ?" he said. "Beans," said Jack. Yes," said he, "beans, but they're the most wonderful beans that ever were known.If you plant them overnight, by the next morning they'll grow up and reach the sky. But to save you the trouble of going all the way to market, I don't mind exchanging them for that cow of yours." "Done!" cried Jack, who was so delighted with the bargain that he

"I'Il just see where it leads to," thought Jack, and with that he stepped out of the window on to the beanstalk, and began to climb upwards. He climbed up and up, till after a time his mother's cottage looked a mere speck below, but at last the stalk ended, and he found himself in a new and beautiful country. A little way off there was a great castle, with a broad road leading straight up to the front gate. 44

But what most surprised Jack was to find a beautiful maiden suddenly standing beside him.

which seemed to shake even the thick walls of the castle.

"Goodmorning, ma'am," said he, very politely..

"Dearie me, that is my husband!" said the giantess, in a terrible fright; "we must hide you somehow," and she lifted Jack up and popped him into the empty kettle.

"Good morning, Jack," said she; and Jack was more surprised than ever, for he could not imagine how she had learned his name. But he soon found that she knew a great deal more about him than his name; for she told him how, when he was quite a little baby, his father, a gallant knight, had been slain by the giant who lived in yonder castle, and how his mother, in order to save Jack, had been obliged to promise never to tell the secret. "All that the giant has is yours," she said, and then disappeared quite as suddenly as she came. "She must be a fairy," thought Jack. As he drew near to the castle, he saw the giant's wife standing at the door. "If you please, ma'am," said he, "would you kindly give me some breakfast? I have had nothing to eat since yesterday." Now, the giant's wife, although very big and very ugly, had a kind heart, so she said:"Very well, little man, come in; but you must be quick about it, for if my husband, the giant, finds you here, he will eat you up, bones and all." So in Jack went, and the giant's wife gave him a good breakfast, but before he had half finished it there came a terrible knock at the front door,

No sooner had the giant's wife opened the door than her husband roared out: "Fee, fi, fo, fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman; Be he alive, or be he dead, I'll grind his bones to make my bread!" Nonsense!" said his wife; "you must be mistaken. It's the ox's hide you smell." So he sat down, and ate up the greater part of the ox. When he had finished he said: "Wife, bring me my money-bags." So his wife brought him two full bags of gold, and the giant began to count his money. But he was so sleepy that his head soon began to nod, and then he began to snore, like the rumbling of thunder. Then Jack crept out, snatched up the two bags, and though the giant's dog barked loudly,he made his way down the beanstalk back to the cottage before the giant awoke. Jack and his mother were now quite rich; but it occurred to him one day that he would like to see how matters were going on at the giant's castle. So while his mother was away at market, he climbed up, and up, and up, and up, until he got to the top of the beanstalk again. The giantess was standing at the door, just as before, but she did not know Jack, 45

who, of course, was more finely dressed than on his first visit. "If you please, ma'am," said he, "will you give me some breakfast?" "Run away," said she, "or my husband the giant will eat you up, bones and all. The last boy who came here stole two bags of gold-off with you!" But the giantess had a kind heart, and after a time she allowed Jack to come into the kitchen, where she set before him enough breakfast to last him a week. Scarcely had he begun to eat than there was a great rumbling like an earthquake, and the giantess had only time to bundle Jack into the oven when in came the giant.No sooner was he inside the room than he roared: "Fee, fi, fo, fum. I smell the blood of an Englishman; Be he alive, or be he dead, I'll grind his bones to make my bread!" But his wife told him he was mistaken, and after breakfasting off a roasted bullock, just as if it were a lark, he called out: "Wife, bring the little brown hen!" The giantess went out and brought in a little brown hen, which she placed on the table. "Lay!" said the giant; and the hen at once laid a golden egg. "Lay!" said the giant a second time; and she laid another golden egg. "Lay!" said the giant a third time; and she laid a third golden egg. "That will do for to-day," said he, and stretched himself out to go to sleep. As soon as he began to snore, Jack crept out of the oven, went on tiptoe to the table, and, snatching up the little brown hen,

made a dash for the door. Then the hen began to cackle, and the giant began to wake up; but before he was quite awake, Jack had escaped from the castle,and, climbing as fast as he could down the beanstalk, got safe home to his mother's cottage. The little brown hen laid so many golden eggs that Jack and his mother had now more money than they could spend. But Jack was always thinking about the beanstalk; and one day he crept out of the window again, and climbed up, and up, and up, and up, until he reached the top. This time, you may be sure, he was careful not to be seen; so he crept round to the back of the castle, and when the giant's wife went out he slipped into the kitchen and hid himself in the oven. In came the giant, roaring louder than ever: "Fee, fi, fo, fum. I smell the blood of an Englishman; Be he alive, or be he dead. I'll grind his bones to make my bread!" But the giantess was quite sure that she had seen no little boys that morning; and after grumbling a great deal, the giant sat down to breakfast. Even then he was not quite satisfied, for every now and again he would say: . "Fee, fi, fo, fum I smell the blood of an Englishman;" and once he got up and looked in the kettle. But, of course, Jack was in the oven all the time! When the giant had finished, he called out: "Wife, bring me the golden harp!" So she brought in the 46

golden harp, and placed it on the table. "Sing!" said the giant; and the harp at once began to sing the most beautiful songs that ever were heard. It sang so sweetly that the giant soon fell fast asleep; and then Jack crept quietly out of the oven, and going on tiptoe to the table, seized hold of the golden harp. But the harp at once called out:"Master! master!" and the giant woke up just in time to catch sight of Jack running out of the kitchen-door. With a fearful roar, he seized his oak-tree club, and dashed after Jack, who held the harp tight, and ran faster than he had ever run before. The giant, brandishing his club, and taking terribly long strides, gained on Jack at every instant, and he would have been caught if the giant had not slipped over a boulder. Before he could pick himself up, Jack began to climb down the beanstalk, and when the giant arrived at the edge he was nearly half-way to the cottage. The giant began to climb down too; but as soon as Jack saw him coming, he called out: "Mother, bring me an axe!" and the widow hurried out with a chopper. Jack had no sooner reached the ground than he cut the bean-stalk right in two. Down came the giant with a terrible crash, and that, you may be sure, was the end of him. What became of the giantess and the castle nobody knows. But Jack and his mother grew very rich, and lived happy ever after.

THE STEADFAST TIN SOLDIER Hans Christian Andersen's

There were once five-and-twenty tin soldiers. They were all brothers, born of the same old tin spoon. They shouldered their muskets and looked straight ahead of them, splendid in their uniforms, all red and blue. The very first thing in the world that they heard was, "Tin soldiers!" A small boy shouted it and clapped his hands as the lid was lifted off their box on his birthday. He immediately set them up on the table. All the soldiers looked exactly alike except one. He looked a little different as he had been cast last of all. The tin was short, so he had only one leg. But there he stood, as steady on one leg as any of the other soldiers on their two. But just you see, he'll be the remarkable one. On the table with the soldiers were many other playthings, and one that no eye could miss was a marvelous castle of cardboard. It had little windows through which you could look right inside it. And in front of the castle were miniature trees around a little mirror supposed to represent a lake. The wax swans that swam on 47

its surface were reflected in the mirror. All this was very pretty but prettiest of all was the little lady who stood in the open doorway of the castle. Though she was a paper doll, she wore a dress of the fluffiest gauze. A tiny blue ribbon went over her shoulder for a scarf, and in the middle of it shone a spangle that was as big as her face. The little lady held out both her arms, as a ballet dancer does, and one leg was lifted so high behind her that the tin soldier couldn't see it at all, and he supposed she must have only one leg, as he did.

could not get the lid open. The nutcracker turned somersaults, and the slate pencil squeaked out jokes on the slate. The toys made such a noise that they woke up the canary bird, who made them a speech, all in verse. The only two who stayed still were the tin soldier and the little dancer. Without ever swerving from the tip of one toe, she held out her arms to him, and the tin soldier was just as steadfast on his one leg. Not once did he take his eyes off her. Then the clock struck twelve and clack! - up popped the lid of the snuffbox. But there was no snuff in it, no-out bounced a little black bogey, a jack-in-the-box. "Tin soldier," he said. "Will you please keep your eyes to yourself?" The tin soldier pretended not to hear. The bogey said, "Just you wait till tomorrow."

"That would be a wife for me," he thought. "But maybe she's too grand. She lives in a castle. I have only a box, with four-and-twenty roommates to share it. That's no place for her. But I must try to make her acquaintance." Still as stiff as when he stood at attention, he lay down on the table behind a snuffbox, where he could admire the dainty little dancer who kept standing on one leg without ever losing her balance. When the evening came the other tin soldiers were put away in their box, and the people of the house went to bed. Now the toys began to play among themselves at visits, and battles, and at giving balls. The tin soldiers rattled about in their box, for they wanted to play too, but they

But when morning came, and the children got up, the soldier was set on the window ledge. And whether the bogey did it, or there was a gust of wind, all of a sudden the window flew open and the soldier pitched out headlong from the third floor. He fell at breathtaking speed and landed cap first, with his bayonet buried between the paving stones and his one leg stuck straight in the air. The housemaid and the little boy ran down to look for him and, though they nearly stepped on the tin soldier, they walked right past without seeing him. If the soldier had called, "Here I am!" they would surely have found him, but he thought it contemptible to raise an uproar while he was wearing his uniform.

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Soon it began to rain. The drops fell faster and faster, until they came down by the bucketful. As soon as the rain let up, along came two young rapscallions. "Hi, look!" one of them said, "there's a tin soldier. Let's send him sailing." They made a boat out of newspaper, put the tin soldier in the middle of it, and away he went down the gutter with the two young rapscallions running beside him and clapping their hands. High heavens! How the waves splashed, and how fast the water ran down the gutter. Don't forget that it had just been raining by the bucketful. The paper boat pitched, and tossed, and sometimes it whirled about so rapidly that it made the soldier's head spin. But he stood as steady as ever. Never once flinching, he kept his eyes front, and carried his gun shoulder-high. Suddenly the boat rushed under a long plank where the gutter was boarded over. It was as dark as the soldier's own box.

"Halt him! Stop him! He didn't pay his toll. He hasn't shown his passport. "But the current ran stronger and stronger. The soldier could see daylight ahead where the board ended, but he also heard a roar that would frighten the bravest of us. Hold on! Right at the end of that gutter plank the water poured into the great canal. It was as dangerous to him as a waterfall would be to us. He was so near it he could not possibly stop. The boat plunged into the whirlpool. The poor tin soldier stood as staunch as he could, and no one can say that he so much as blinked an eye. Thrice and again the boat spun around. It filled to the top - and was bound to sink. The water was up to his neck and still the boat went down, deeper, deeper, deeper, and the paper got soft and limp. Then the water rushed over his head. He thought of the pretty little dancer whom he'd never see again, and in his ears rang an old, old song: "Farewell, farewell, O warrior brave,

"Where can I be going?" the soldier wondered. "This must be that black bogey's revenge. Ah! if only I had the little lady with me, it could be twice as dark here for all that I would care." Out popped a great water rat who lived under the gutter plank. "Have you a passport?" said the rat. "Hand it over." The soldier kept quiet and held his musket tighter. On rushed the boat, and the rat came right after it, gnashing his teeth as he called to the sticks and straws:

Nobody can from Death thee save." And now the paper boat broke beneath him, and the soldier sank right through. And just at that moment he was swallowed by a most enormous fish. My! how dark it was inside that fish. It was darker than under the gutterplank and it was so cramped, but the tin soldier still was staunch. He lay there full length, soldier fashion, with musket to shoulder. Then the fish flopped and floundered in a most unaccountable way. Finally it was perfectly still, and 49

after a while something struck through him like a flash of lightning. The tin soldier saw daylight again, and he heard a voice say, "The Tin Soldier!" The fish had been caught, carried to market, bought, and brought to a kitchen where the cook cut him open with her big knife. She picked the soldier up bodily between her two fingers, and carried him off upstairs. Everyone wanted to see this remarkable traveler who had traveled about in a fish's stomach, but the tin soldier took no pride in it. They put him on the table and-lo and behold, what curious things can happen in this worldthere he was, back in the same room as before. He saw the same children, the same toys were on the table, and there was the same fine castle with the pretty little dancer. She still balanced on one leg, with the other raised high. She too was steadfast. That touched the soldier so deeply that he would have cried tin tears, only soldiers never cry. He looked at her, and she looked at him, and never a word was said. Just as things were going so nicely for them, one of the little boys snatched up the tin soldier and threw him into the stove. He did it for no reason at all. That black bogey in the snuffbox must have put him up to it. The tin soldier stood there dressed in flames. He felt a terrible heat, but whether it came from the flames or from his love he didn't know. He'd lost his splendid colors, maybe from his hard journey, maybe from grief, nobody can say. He looked at the little lady, and she looked at him, and he felt himself melting. But still he stood steadfast,

with his musket held trim on his shoulder. Then the door blew open. A puff of wind struck the dancer. She flew like a sylph, straight into the fire with the soldier, blazed up in a flash, and was gone. The tin soldier melted, all in a lump. The next day, when a servant took up the ashes she found him in the shape of a little tin heart. But of the pretty dancer nothing was left except her spangle, and it was burned as black as a coal. TINKERBELL AND THE SECRET OF THE WINGS Production Company: Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Pictures

Tinker Bell ventures into the mysterious Winter Woods and meets a frost fairy named Periwinkle – and a magical secret is revealed! ‖

Tinkers' Nook was bustling with activity. The tinker fairies were making snowflake baskets for the fairies of winter. A flock of snowy owls soon arrived for the baskets, bringing a final shipment order for Fairy Mary with them. "Goodness," Fairy Mary said. "They need twenty more baskets for tomorrow's pickup!" Tink watched as the magnificent birds headed off toward the Winter Woods. "There's a whole 50

other world over there," she said to herself. Later that day, Tink volunteered to help her friend Fawn take animals to the Winter Woods to hibernate. But Fawn told Tink that they could only bring animals to the border, and weren't allowed to go into the Winter Woods. Then she got disracted by a sleeping marmot. "No hibernating yet!" she called into the animal's ear. "You do that in winter!" Even though she knew it could be dangerous, Tink was very curious about the Winter Woods. With Fawn distracted, Tinker Bell jumped across the border! Tink gazed in wonder at the beautiful wintry landscape, enchanted by the delicate snowflakes that drifted down all around her. Suddenly, her wings began to sparkle in a burst of colorful light---and she heard the faint sound of a baby's laugh! The magical moment ended when Fawn yanked Tinker Bell back into autumn. Fawn touched Tink's wings and gasped. They were freezing! Fawn rushed Tink straight to the fairy hospital. A healing-talent fairy examined Tink's wings. Then she warmed them until they were back to normal again. Tink was on a mission to find out what had made her wings sparkle. She flew off to the Book Nook, where she found a wing-shaped book she hoped would give some answers. Unfortunately, a bookworm had chewed through the pages. A fairy told Tink that the author of the book---the Keeper--might be able to help her. But he lived in the Winter Woods.

Tinker Bell put on a warm outfit, packed the book in a bag, and snuck into the tinkers' workshop. Then the adventurous fairy climbed inside a snowflake basket. Tink's fairy friends watched closely. In a moment, Tink was soaring through the air. The young owl that had picked up the basket had no idea there was a stowaway inside! As the owl crossed into the Winter Woods, Tinker Bell felt a cold blast of air. She peeked out of the basket and saw a majestic valley spread before her! Suddenly, the owl accidentally let go of Tink's basket! She crashed onto the landing area, sending snowflakes scattering everywhere. Tinker Bell ducked behind the basket to hide---then realized that her book had been flung onto the ice. She had to get it back before a winter fairy found it! Just then, Lord Milori, the Lord of Winter, arrived. "Now, that is odd," he said, grabbing the book from Sled, a winter fairy who had spotted it. Lord Milori asked Sled to return the book to the Keeper. Tinker Bell secretly followed Sled to the Hall of Winter. When she arrived, she spotted the Keeper, whose name was Dewey. Then another winter fairy rushed into the room and asked Dewey why her wings were sparkling! Suddenly, Tinker Bell's wings began to sparkle, too---just like when she had crossed the border the other day! An irresistible force pulled her toward the fairy. The fairy's name was Periwinkle.

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Lost Things, too?" asked Tink. "I called them Found Things," Periwinkle replied, smiling. Next, they went to the Frost Forest, where Peri introduced Tinker Bell to her friends Gliss and Spike. They went ice-sliding, which was like sledding on a frozen roller coaster. Tink had a wonderful time!

The girls hoped Dewey could explain what was happening to their wings. He brought Tink and Peri over to a giant snowflake. "Just put your wings into the light," he told them. A few seconds later, the chamber filled with images showing the journey of a baby's first laugh---a laugh that split in two and landed on a dandelion! One half traveled to the Pixie Dust Tree on the warm side of Pixie Hollow, and Tinker Bell was born. The other half blew into the Winter Woods, and baby Periwinkle arrived. That meant Tink and Peri were sisters! Suddenly, Lord Milori arrived. He was concerned about the book Sled had found. "What if a warm fairy brought it here?" he asked Dewey. "If a warm fairy comes here, you will send them back." Peri and Tink, who had been hiding behind the snowflake, gasped. Did this mean that Tinker Bell would have to go home already? Dewey told the girls they could have a little time to visit before Tink had to go home. Tink put on her coat and earmuffs to keep warm. When they got to Periwinkle's house, Peri showed Tink a bundle of items she had been collecting. "You collect

That night outside Periwinkle's house, after Tinker Bell had built a fire to stay warm, she had a thought. "I made it warmer over here," she said. "Maybe I could make it colder over there." Tink wanted her sister to be able to visit her on the warm side of Pixie Hollow. Suddenly, the snow floor crumbled beneath them. It was melting from the fire! A lynx named Fiona brought them to safety. Dewey told the girls that now it was really time for Tink to go back home. The girls realized that they might never see each other again. Tinker Bell had to come up with a plan. When the three fairies reached the border, Tinker Bell broke into fake sobs. "I can't watch!" Dewey cried. "Meet me here tomorrow. There's something I need you to bring," Tink whispered to Peri. A little while later, Tinker Bell arrived back on the warm side of Pixie Hollow. She asked her friends Clank and Bobble for help. The three fairies were hard at work when a few of Tinker Bell's other friends stopped by. Clank had told them about Tink's newfound sister, and everyone couldn't wait to find out more about her! The next day, Tinker Bell arrived at the border with Bobble and Clank, who were pulling a strange-looking 52

contraption. It was a snowmaker! Periwinkle and her friends gasped in surprise. "How does it work?" Peri asked. A few seconds later, the snowmaker started to grate a block of ice and turn it into snow. Peri was delighted! Peri's journey through the warm seasons was filled with one amazing sight after the next. She saw a fastmoving rainbow and a field of blooming flowers. She thought everything was so beautiful. Soon, Fawn, Iridessa, Rosetta, Silvermist , and Vidia got to meet the frost fairy face to face. "Everyone ... this is Periwinkle, my sister!" Tinker Bell announced. Peri was continuing her tour of the warm side of Pixie Hollow when Tink noticed that Peri's wings had started to wilt. The snowmaker was running out of ice, and there wasn't enough snow to keep Peri cold! Immediately, Tink brought Peri back to the border. At the moment, Lord Milori appeared. "Lift your wings," he told Peri. "Let the cold surround them." Suddenly Queen Clarion, the Queen of Pixie Hollow, arrived. She looked at the girls sadly. "This is why we do not cross the border," Lord Milori told Tinker Bell and Periwinkle. "I'm sorry. You two may never see each other again." As the girls went their separate ways, Lord Milori mounted his owl and flew off---but not before he knocked the snowmaker into a stream. Instead of going over the waterfall as Lord Milori had intended, the contraption caught on a ledge. There it remained, making

a snowstorm out of the ice chunks that flowed into it. Later that day, Queen Clarion tried to make Tinker Bell understand why the rule about not crossing the border was so important. She told the story of two fairies who fell in love. One was from the warm seasons and one was from the Winter Woods. One of the fairies crossed the border and broke a wing---an injury for which there was no cure. Just as the queen finished her sad tale, it began to snow! Queen Clarion was concerned. It was very dangerous for snow to fall in Pixie Hollow. Queen Clarion, Tink, and a group of fairies arrived at the stream to find Clank and Bobble attempting to free the snowmaker---which was making a small blizzard---from the ledge. Everyone rushed to help. Finally, they succeeded in pushing the machine into the water, but snow still showered down from the sky! "It's too late," Queen Clarion said quietly. "The seasons have been thrown out of balance." If the warm side got too cold, the Pixie Dust Tree would freeze---and there would never be any more pixie dust. Just then, Tink noticed that a flower that Periwinkle had brought to the warm side of Pixie Hollow was still blooming! Tinker Bell flew straight to the Winter Woods, but her wings iced over and she fell. She asked why the flower was still alive. Gliss explained that frost tucks warm air inside. "We could frost the Pixie Dust Tree before the freeze hit," Peri suggested. Tink and the frost fairies flew to the Pixie Dust Tree. They got right to work, but it looked as if the job 53

would be too big for them to complete in time. Then Tink spotted Dewey, Lord Milori, and the rest of the frost fairies flying toward them.

BRAVE Production Company: Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Pictures

But Tink was afraid that help had come too late. The freeze had already swept across the warm seasons of Pixie Hollow and the Pixie Dust Tree. The fairies gathered anxiously around the Pixie Dust Well. Sunlight was streaming through the frozen branches of the tree. Ever so slowly, the frost melted. Then the pixie dust began to flow again! All of a sudden, Tinker Bell realized that she had broken a wing when she had flown to the Winter Woods. "It's getting warmer," Tink said bravely to Peri. "You should get back to winter." As the sisters held hands and said good-bye, an explosion of light burst from their wings. Magically, Tink's wing was healed! From that day on, warm fairies could cross over the border into winter anytime they liked. A coat of frost kept them safe and warm. Friendships between warm fairies and winter fairies bloomed---all just as beautiful as Periwinkle's flower!.

In Scotland, King Fergus of Clan DunBroch presents his young daughter Merida with a bow for her birthday. While practicing, Merida encounters a will-o'-the-wisp. Soon afterwards, Mor'du, a giant demon bear, attacks the family. Merida escapes along with her mother Queen Elinor while Fergus fights off the bear at the cost of his left leg. Years later, Merida has become a free-spirited teenager and an older sister of identical triplets: Hamish, Hubert and Harris. Her mother informs her that Merida is to be betrothed to one of her father's allied clans. Reminding Merida of a legend about a prince who ruined his own kingdom, Elinor warns her that failure to marry could harm DunBroch. Despite the warning, Merida is dissatisfied with the arrangement. The clans arrive with their first-born sons to compete in Highland Games for Merida's hand. Merida declares she is eligible to compete for her own hand as the first-born of Clan DunBroch, causing a falling out between Merida and Elinor. After cutting the family tapestry in anger, Merida flees into the woods. There, the will-o'-the-wisps lead her to the 54

hut of an elderly witch posing as a wood carver. After some bargaining, the witch agrees to give Merida a spell to change her mother; in the form of a cake.

Merida returns to the castle and gives Elinor the cake, causing her mother to transform into a large bear. With the help of her brothers, Merida and Elinor return to the witch's now deserted cottage where they discover that the spell will be permanent unless undone by the second sunrise. The witch leaves Merida a riddle, mentioning that she must "mend the bond torn by pride." The two begin to reconcile their relationship while Merida observes that the spell is slowly becoming permanent, as Elinor often loses control and acts like a bear. After encountering the wisps again, the two follow them to ancient ruins and discover that Mor'du was once the prince in Elinor's legend, who received the same spell from the witch. Merida theorizes that she can reverse the spell by repairing her family tapestry.

At the castle, the clans are on the verge of war, but the princess quells their fighting and declares that the children should be allowed to get married in their own time. Merida then sneaks into the tapestry room with Elinor, who is losing control of her human self. Fergus enters the bed chamber and is attacked by Elinor until she regains human consciousness and races out of the castle in desperation. Fergus gives chase. With the help of her brothers, who have transformed into cubs by eating the cake, Merida rides after her father while sewing up the tapestry. The clan members and Fergus capture Elinor, but Merida intervenes just before Mor'du attacks. Elinor kills Mor'du by luring him under a falling menhir, releasing the prince's spirit. Merida places the tapestry over Elinor, but nothing happens. After breaking down in tears and reconciling with her mother, Elinor is transformed back along with the triplets, and the family is reunited. A few days later, the clans depart for their respective lands and Merida and Elinor ride their horses together.

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