Blue Fairy Book
Blue Fairy Book Blue Fairy Book
-83- the King was astonished, but very glad, and asked how it had fared with him. "First-rate," he answered; "and now I've survived the one night, I shall get through the other two also." The landlord, when he went to him, opened his eyes wide, and said: "Well, I never thought to see you alive again. Have you learned now what shuddering is ?" "No," he replied, "it's quite hopeless; if someone could only tell me how to!" The second night he went up again to the old castle, sat down at the fire, and began his old refrain: "If I could only shudder!" As midnight approached, a noise and din broke out, at first gentle, but gradually increasing; then all was quiet for a minute, and at length, with a loud scream, half of a man dropped down the chimney and fell before him. "Hi, up there!" shouted he; "there's another half wanted down here, that's not enough"; then the din commenced once more, there was a shrieking and a yelling, and then the other half fell down. "Wait a bit," he said; "I'll stir up the fire for you." When he had done this and again looked around, the two pieces had united, and a horrible-looking man sat on his seat. "Come," said the youth, "I didn't bargain for that, the seat is mine." The man tried to shove him away, but the youth wouldn't allow it for a moment, and, pushing him off by force, sat down in his place again. Then more men dropped down, one after the other, who fetching nine skeleton legs and two skulls, put them up and played ninepins with them. The youth thought he would like to play too, and said: "Look here; do you mind my joining the game?" "No, not if you have money." "I've money enough," he replied, "but your balls aren't round enough." Then he took the skulls, placed them on his lathe, and turned them till they were round. "Now they'll roll along better," said he, "and houp-la! now the fun begins." He played with them and lost some of his money, but when twelve struck everything vanished before his eyes. He lay down and slept peacefully. The next morning the King came, anxious for news. "How have you got on this time?" he asked. "I played ninepins," he answered, "and lost a few pence." "Didn't you shudder then?" "No such luck, said he; "I made myself merry. Oh! if I only knew what it was to shudder!"
-84- On the third night he sat down again on his bench, and said, in the most desponding way: "If I could only shudder!" When it got late, six big men came in carrying a coffin. Then he cried: "Ha! ha! that's most likely my little cousin who only died a few days ago"; and beckoning with his finger he called out: "Come, my small cousin, come." They placed the coffin on the ground, and he approached it and took off the cover. In it lay a dead man. He felt his face, and it was cold as ice. "Wait," he said "I'll heat you up a bit," went to the fire, warmed his hand, and laid it on the man's face, but the dead remained cold. Then he lifted him out, sat down at the fire, laid him on his knee, and rubbed his arms that the blood should circulate again. When that too had no effect it occurred to him that if two people lay together in bed they warmed each other; so he put him into the bed, covered him up, and lay down beside him; after a time the corpse became warm and began to move. Then the youth said: "Now, my little cousin, what would have happened if I hadn't warmed you?" But the dead man rose up and cried out: "Now I will strangle you." "What!" said he, is that all the thanks I get? You should be put straight back into your coffin," lifted him up, threw him in, and closed the lid. Then the six men came and carried him out again. "I simply can't shudder," he said, "and it's clear I sha'n't learn it in a lifetime here." Then a man entered, of more than ordinary size and of a very fearful appearance; but he was old and had a white beard. "Oh! you miserable creature, now you will soon know what it is to shudder," he cried, "for you must die." "Not so quickly," answered the youth. "If I am to die, you must catch me first." "I shall soon lay hold of you," spoke the monster. "Gently, gently, don't boast too much, I'm as strong as you, and stronger too." "We'll soon see," said the old man; "if you are stronger than I then I'll let you off; come, let's have a try." Then he led him through some dark passages to a forge, and grasping an axe he drove one of the anvils with a blow into the earth. "I can do better than that," cried the youth, and went to the other anvil. The old man drew near him in order to watch closely, and his white beard hung right down. The youth seized the axe, cleft the anvil open, and
- Page 41 and 42: of dying unmarried. A lovely Prince
- Page 43 and 44: -35- "Ah! madam," the King of the G
- Page 45 and 46: one of my hairs. Just try to take i
- Page 47 and 48: -39- criminal. It is true that I lo
- Page 49 and 50: -41- carefully. The Fairy came back
- Page 51 and 52: -43- Desert gave her, the Yellow Dw
- Page 53 and 54: -45- hardly turned to continue his
- Page 55 and 56: -47- had been played her that she h
- Page 57 and 58: "Grandmamma, what great ears you ha
- Page 59 and 60: "Ha!" said the Princess, "this is v
- Page 61 and 62: -53- anybody being able to follow h
- Page 63 and 64: -55- to the city, where his father
- Page 65 and 66: -57- put himself into as great fury
- Page 67 and 68: -59- governed him entirely. When sh
- Page 69 and 70: -61- who had the smartest whiskers
- Page 71 and 72: "Ay, to be sure!" cried Miss Charlo
- Page 73 and 74: -65- spite of his mother's tears an
- Page 75 and 76: Beneath the stone lies a treasure w
- Page 77 and 78: -68- the enchanted garden, which sp
- Page 79 and 80: -70- who counselled him to set so h
- Page 81 and 82: -72- embraced him, the envious Vizi
- Page 83 and 84: -74- will. "Save my life, genie," s
- Page 85 and 86: -76- went to visit a pious woman ca
- Page 87 and 88: -78- money I've spent on your educa
- Page 89 and 90: -80- soon learn to shudder." "If th
- Page 91: -82- a time, when they had warmed t
- Page 95 and 96: -86- RUMPELSTILTZKIN THERE was once
- Page 97 and 98: -88- manikin called out: "That's no
- Page 99 and 100: -90- safely into port with a rich c
- Page 101 and 102: -92- he saw were his own, and consi
- Page 103 and 104: -94- their agreement, and to prepar
- Page 105 and 106: -96- frightened he was. But when th
- Page 107 and 108: -98- happiness. Be as true-hearted
- Page 109 and 110: -100- "Ah, Beauty! why are you so u
- Page 111 and 112: -102- should cost me my life. Take
- Page 113 and 114: -104- seemed to come from some bush
- Page 115 and 116: -106- can I ever thank you enough,
- Page 117 and 118: -108- the King's daughter; so the f
- Page 119 and 120: -110- "That I have, master; it was
- Page 121 and 122: -112- "Yes, yes, wait till to-morro
- Page 123 and 124: -114- evil together, and love each
- Page 125 and 126: -116- "Just tell me when you have g
- Page 127 and 128: -118- bestir himself, for the calf
- Page 129 and 130: -120- hut, to greet the maiden cour
- Page 131 and 132: -122- home with all the speed he co
- Page 133 and 134: -124- Now the poor brother had both
- Page 135 and 136: -126- Another time he went and hid
- Page 137 and 138: -128- The ogre received him as civi
- Page 139 and 140: -130- came, Bruno had a delicious e
- Page 141 and 142: -132- "But if I take your ring, my
-83-<br />
the King was astonished, but very glad, and asked how it had fared with him. "First-rate," he answered; "and now I've survived<br />
the one night, I shall get through the other two also." The landlord, when he went to him, opened his eyes wide, and said:<br />
"Well, I never thought to see you alive again. Have you learned now what shuddering is ?" "No," he replied, "it's quite<br />
hopeless; if someone could only tell me how to!"<br />
The second night he went up again to the old castle, sat down at the fire, and began his old refrain: "If I could only shudder!"<br />
As midnight approached, a noise and din broke out, at first gentle, but gradually increasing; then all was quiet for a minute, and<br />
at length, with a loud scream, half of a man dropped down the chimney and fell before him. "Hi, up there!" shouted he; "there's<br />
another half wanted down here, that's not enough"; then the din commenced once more, there was a shrieking and a yelling, and<br />
then the other half fell down. "Wait a bit," he said; "I'll stir up the fire for you." When he had done this and again looked<br />
around, the two pieces had united, and a horrible-looking man sat on his seat. "Come," said the youth, "I didn't bargain for that,<br />
the seat is mine." The man tried to shove him away, but the youth wouldn't allow it for a moment, and, pushing him off by<br />
force, sat down in his place again. Then more men dropped down, one after the other, who fetching nine skeleton legs and two<br />
skulls, put them up and played ninepins with them. The youth thought he would like to play too, and said: "Look here; do you<br />
mind my joining the game?" "No, not if you have money." "I've money enough," he replied, "but your balls aren't round<br />
enough." Then he took the skulls, placed them on his lathe, and turned them till they were round. "Now they'll roll along<br />
better," said he, "and houp-la! now the fun begins." He played with them and lost some of his money, but when twelve struck<br />
everything vanished before his eyes. He lay down and slept peacefully. The next morning the King came, anxious for news.<br />
"How have you got on this time?" he asked. "I played ninepins," he answered, "and lost a few pence." "Didn't you shudder<br />
then?" "No such luck, said he; "I made myself merry. Oh! if I only knew what it was to shudder!"
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