English Fairy Tales - Penn State University

English Fairy Taleswhich he was going home with, when he saw the wolf com-THE MASTER AND HIS PUPILILing. Then he could not tell what to do. So he got into thechurn to hide, and by so doing turned it round, and it rolled THERE WAS ONCE a very learned man in the north-countrydown the hill with the pig in it, which frightened the wolf so who knew all the languages under the sun, and who wasmuch, that he ran home without going to the fair. He went to acquainted with all the mysteries of creation. He had onethe little pig’s house, and told him how frightened he had big book bound in black calf and clasped with iron, andbeen by a great round thing which came down the hill past with iron corners, and chained to a table which was madehim. Then the little pig said:fast to the floor; and when he read out of this book, he unlockedit with an iron key, and none but he read from it, for“Hah, I frightened you, then. I had been to the fair andbought a butter-churn, and when I saw you, I got into it, it contained all the secrets of the spiritual world. It told howand rolled down the hill.”many angels there were in heaven, and how they marched inThen the wolf was very angry indeed, and declared he their ranks, and sang in their quires, and what were theirwould eat up the little pig, and that he would get down the several functions, and what was the name of each great angelchimney after him. When the little pig saw what he was of might. And it told of the demons, how many of themabout, he hung on the pot full of water, and made up a there were, and what were their several powers, and theirblazing fire, and, just as the wolf was coming down, took off labours, and their names, and how they might be summoned,the cover, and in fell the wolf; so the little pig put on the and how tasks might be imposed on them, and how theycover again in an instant, boiled him up, and ate him for might be chained to be as slaves to man.supper, and lived happy ever afterwards.Now the master had a pupil who was but a foolish lad, and heacted as servant to the great master, but never was he suffered tolook into the black book, hardly to enter the private room.48