Contes et légendes. 1re Partie

yeux, m., eyes.

Zuidersée, Zuyder Zee.

1

The original of this story is the common English nursery tale, "The Three Bears and Little Silver Hair."

2

This is one of the most popular of the Bohemian folk stories. It has been translated into many languages, and an elaborate version of it can be found in Laboulaye's "Fairy Book."

3

The story of the "Moss Rose" has been developed from the following beautiful lines by Krummacher:—

"Weary of pleasure,And laden with treasure,The Angel of flowersHad wandered for hours;When he sunk to his restWith his wings on his breast.And the rose of the gladeLent her beautiful shade,To guard and to coverThe flower king's slumber.When the Angel awoke,Then in rapture he spoke:"Thou queen of my bowers,Thou fairest of flowers,What gift shall be mine,And what guerdon be thine?""In guerdon of dutyBestow some new beauty,"She said, and then smiled,Like a mischievous child.In anger he started,But ere he departed,To rebuke the vain flower,In the pride of her power,He flung some rude mossHer fair bosom across.But her new robes of greenSo became the fair queen,That the Angel of flowersMistrusted his powers,And was heard to declareHe had granted her prayer.

4

Another version of this story can be found in "Les Contes de Fées de Charles Perrault," where it is entitled "Les Souhaits Ridicules."

5

A Russian folk story. The cat is considered a foreigner who has just arrived from Siberia, while the fox, the bear, and the wolf are quite at home in the forest.

6

This is the Russian version of the myth of the Snow Maiden, which appears in the folk tales of all northern nations. Small at the beginning of the season, the child's rapid growth is emblematic of the rapid increase of the cold, and her sudden disappearance in the woods is typical of the melting of the last snows, which linger longest in the dense forests where the sunbeams cannot penetrate.

7

Jumping through the fire is a vestige of heathenism.

8

One of the Austro-Hungarian folk tales. Different versions of this story have been given, among others by Wratislaw, in his "Sixty Folk Tales from exclusively Slavonic Sources," and by Laboulaye in his well-known "Fairy Book."

9

This is one of the Dutch Mediæval Legends. The only Stavoren now existing is a little fishing town on the northeast coast of the Zuyder Zee. This gulf was caused by "the terrific inundations of the thirteenth century," when thousands of people perished. It was only after this inundation took place that the city of Amsterdam arose on the southwest shore of the Zuyder Zee. The story, with the exception of the inundation, is purely mythical.

10

The Baltic Sea, between Germany, Denmark, Scandinavia, and Russia.

11

Dantzic, a city in West Prussia, on the Baltic coast.

12

Many dikes are built in Holland to prevent the country from being submerged, as a great portion of it now lies beneath the level of the North Sea.

13

This is a Russian fairy story. It is a favorite along the shores of the Baltic Sea.

14

This is one of the Swedish folk tales; another well-known version of "Hans and Gretchen."

15

This anecdote is adapted from a story in a French Reader, "Livre de Morale en Action," by Barrau.

16

Brittany is the most westerly province of France. The people, who are called Bretons, are descendants of the ancient Celts. They have a language of their own, are very imaginative, and delight in extravagant tales like this one, which is one of their special favorites. Laboulaye also gives a version of this tale in his "Fairy Book."

17

A Russian fable.

18

A Russian folktale.

19

One of the folktales so popular among Russian peasants. All the witches are known as Baba-Iaga in Russia.

20

This is one of the Hungarian-Slavonian stories. Different versions have been given by Slavonic writers. Wratislaw gives a translation of it in his "Sixty Folk Tales," and Laboulaye has given his version of it in his "Fairy Book."

21

An Arabian legend. The Mahometans are the followers of Mahomet. In Arabia and Turkey God is called Allah. A pacha is the same as a bashaw. The Koran is the Mahometan Bible.

22

A Slavonic legend.

23

A Servian tale.

24

This story is adapted from a legend published in "Le Magasin Pittoresque," a popular French periodical.

25

This is a popular tale in Touraine, in Central France. It is merely the French version of the tale told by every nation, and has innumerable counterparts. Tours is the capital of the province of Touraine. The Loire is one of the great rivers in France, which it divides into two almost equal parts.

26

This is one of the Servian national tales; different versions of it can be found in Wratislaw's "Folk Tales," and in the "Magasin Pittoresque."

27

This is one of the folk tales told along the banks of the Danube. It forms part of the Slavonic folk lore.

28

One of the stories in the collection of Canon Christopher Schmid, the German writer, who was born in 1768 and died in 1854. These stories were translated into French by the tutor of the Comte de Paris in 1842, and have been the delight of French as well as of German children. In the original version this story is very long indeed, as the worthy Canon used his stories as vehicles for his religious teachings. This is a complete outline of the story.

29

This is one of the Hindu legends. Buddha is one of the principal Hindu gods and teachers. Those who follow his precepts are called Buddhists.

30

Nirvana is the Hindu heaven, for the Buddhists imagine that the virtuous after death pass into a negative state of bliss, while those who have not yet reached the necessary state of perfection undergo various transmigrations of soul.