适合初一阅读的英语短文篇 57页

‎1 The Hen and the Little Girl In a country home, a mother hen and her cute chicks were living happily. A little girl came to visit the country home, but was very bored. One night, the girl went into the chicken house. As soon as she went in, there was disorder.‎ Here and there cries of the chickens could be heard. The father, who was inside, woke up.‎ ‎"What's going on? Why are you bothering the chickens?" "Because I'm bored." "You have to sleep now, go inside."‎ The girl went into the chicken house, again, the next day. There was a racket again, as the chickens were frightened. The moon in the night sky was worried. This time, the little girl's father will not be forgiving.‎ Finally, the sleeping father woke up. "Why are the chickens crying? By chance" The father was angry and came out to the yard.‎ ‎"What's wrong with you? Is it okay to bother animals that can't talk? You need to be punished." When the little girl saw her father's angry face, she began to cry.‎ ‎"It is true that I bothered the chickens, but I was bored yesterday. But today I went in to apologize to the chickens. I was going to hug the chickens."‎ When the father heard what his daughter said, a smile quickly appeared on his face. "You are truly my daughter." The father praised his daughter. He was proud of his daughter that knew how to apologize. The moon in the sky gave a big laugh, too.‎ ‎2 The Mermaid Princess In the deep, sea palace, there lived a mermaid princess. Whenever she sang a song with her beautiful voice, everyone envied her. However, the mermaid princess wanted to go to the outside world.‎ ‎"I would like to hear the beautiful sound of birds. "The king promised her. "When you turn 15 years old, you can go and see the life above the sea." "Oh, I can't wait!‎ Finally, it was the mermaid princess' 15th birthday. She went up to the sea. The princess saw a great ship. And she saw a handsome prince standing on the ship. The princess fell in love with him at first sight.‎ However, as thunder and lightning struck, the ship sank on its side. The prince lost his consciousness and fell deep into the sea. "Oh, no! The prince fell into the water. Let me hurry and save him."‎ The princess saved the prince and laid him on the sand. The princess took care of him all night. When the prince opened his eyes, the mermaid princess hid from him. She thought he might get scared by her tail. Just then, a princess from a neighbor land came out to see the sea and she saw the prince.‎ The princess watched from a far the prince who always came out to the sea at night. The princess was very sad. She wanted to become a human so that she could be with the prince.‎ She asked the witch. "Okay, I will make you into a human, but you must give me your beautiful voice. If the prince marries someone else, you will become a water bubble. You must marry the prince."‎ On the sand, she drank the medicine that the witch had given her. With the big sudden pain, she turned into a human. Just then, the prince who came out to the sea saw the princess.‎ The prince took the princess who could not speak, to his palace. Although she could not speak, she was happy to be living near the prince. The prince was going to be married to a princess from a neighbor land.‎ ‎"I will be marrying the princess that saved my life." 'I am the one that saved your life.' But, her voice could not be heard.‎ At night, the mermaid princess' older sisters came up to the sea. They gave the mermaid princess a knife and said, "If you stab the prince with this knife, you can be a mermaid again. If you don't, you will become a water bubble."‎ On the night of the wedding, the mermaid princess was going to stab the sleeping prince with the knife. But, she could not kill the loving prince. "It's best that I just turn into a water bubble. "When morning came, the mermaid turned into a water bubble and went up to heaven.‎ ‎3 The Naked King Long, long time ago, there lived a very fancy king. The king changed his clothes 12 times a day. He really liked to show off to his subjects. "My clothes are the best in the world."‎ One day, two tailors planned a trick. "Why don't we teach that stupid and extravagant king a lesson. He doesn't even worry ‎ about his starving people." "That's right! He thinks he's the best."‎ The two men went to see the king. "Oh, the world's most marvelous king! We have brought the most beautiful cloth in the whole world." "However, not everyone is able to see the cloth. Those that tell lies and have bad hearts are not able to see this fine cloth."‎ After the king heard those words, he became very interested. "Could there really be such a cloth? If I can make clothes out of those cloths, my clothes will be the best in the whole world. Hurry and show me the cloth." The king began to get more and more greedy.‎ The tailors pretended that the cloth was real, as they showed it to the king. The king and the fine-spoken subjects could not see anything before them. But, none of them could show that they could not see it.‎ The king and his fine-spoken subjects just looked at each other. Then, the tailor quickly spoke in a arrogant manner. "Well, is there no honest man here? How can you look at this beautiful cloth and not praise it."‎ Among the subjects, one of them made a flattering comment out loud. "Wow! This is the first time that I have seen such a wonderful cloth." All the subjects tried to be the first to praise the cloth. Then, the king was amazed with the beauty of the cloth, too.‎ The king gave the money and ordered them to make his clothes. For several days, the tailors pretended to be making the clothes. The king became worried and told one of his subjects to go and see how the clothes was coming along.‎ The subject could not say how much the clothes had been completed. As hard as he looked, he could not see it. But, he could not say that he was unable to see it. Instead, he pretended to be amazed at how beautiful it was coming along.‎ A few days later, the tailors came back with the King's clothes. "Here you are, try on this clothes." The king was not able to honestly say that he could not see the clothes. He, too, pretended to look over it.‎ One man said, "Your majesty, lets go and show off this finest clothes in the world." The subjects all agreed at the same time. "Yes, that is a good idea."‎ The king walked out to the street very proudly and walked with pride. All the people in the land came out to see the king's new clothes. They were all surprised, though.‎ Just then, a little girl shouted out, "Our king is naked!" Then everyone said,"He's naked, he's naked!"‎ The king now realized the truth. However, with only his undergarments on, he still walked in a dignified manner. Even though he was embarrassed, he could not stop walking. Why not? Because he was the king.‎ ‎4 The Elf of the Rose There once was a rose bush in full bloom in a big garden. An elf was living in the most beautiful rose in the garden, and she was so small that people could not see her. She had long blond hair to her toes and beautiful wings.‎ One day, it got dark before she got home. She had been dancing and flying around so she didn't have time to get back to the rose bush. Suddenly, the weather got cold, evening dew started to fall, and a strong wind began to blow. She could not stay in the other flowers because they were all closed up.‎ ‎"What am I going to do now? It's too cold." She got scared because she had never stayed outside at night. There was a twinkling light from the other side of the garden. "It's too cold, and I am scared. Maybe I should spend tonight there."‎ The elf flew to a pavilion on the other side of the garden in a hurry. But there were already two people in the pavilion. A beautiful young lady and a handsome man were praying that they would never be apart from each other. They were in love.‎ ‎"But we must go far away from each other soon." "Your brother is sending me away because he does not like our marriage. Oh my bride, please wait for me until I come back to you!" She sobbed and nodded her head.‎ She pulled off a rose from the bush which was aside her and kissed it. Then she gave him the rose as a token of her love. At that moment, the rose opened up. The elf went into the rose secretly.‎ At that moment, a horrible looking man entered the pavillion. He was the brother of the young lady. "What? You want to marry my sister?" He drew his sword and cut the young man and buried him under a linden-tree.‎ ‎"He is gone forever now, and he will forget my sister. How dare the poor little boy want to marry my sister? It is common to die during a trip, so nobody will suspect me of murdering him." The brother brushed up his clothes and disappeared.‎ The elf woke up and found she was in the middle of a dark forest. "Oh my! The forest is moving!" But it was not a forest. It was the hair of the young lady's brother. She shivered with fear and anger.‎ When they got in the house, the young lady from the garden was crying. The man looked at his sister and gave her a chilly smile, and went to bed. "Oh my lover, my dear fiance, please come back safely." She sobbed sadly and fell asleep.‎ The elf sat down quietly spreading her wings and told the young lady what she saw that day. "What I am trying to say now is not a dream. If you dig under the linden-tree in the garden, you will find your fiance. It is your brother who killed him."‎ The beautiful young lady woke up. She secretly went out of her room and dug under the linden-tree as the elf had said.‎ Her lover was lying in the ground, cold dead. She cried out sadly and killed herself right next to her fiance. After some time passed, a flower called, 'Jasmine' came into bloom at the place where the two lovers had died. The Jasmine had big white flowers on the branch and had a sweet smell.‎ Incidentally, the young lady's brother was walking down the road and he pulled off a branch of the jasmine and put it near his bedside. When night fell, two bees with poison stingers came out of the jasmine flowers and bit the brother's ears and mouth, and then they vanished.‎ ‎5 The Ugly Duckling A mother duck was brooding on her eggs near the margin of a pond. A flock of lovely baby ducks was soon born, making sweet peeping sounds when the eggs were broken. But one egg remained unbroken. "It is strange. Why has this egg not broken?"‎ The mother duck continued her brooding. At last, the egg was broken and a baby duck was born. However that baby duck was very ugly compared to the other baby ducks.‎ The mother duck was worried, but still she took the baby ducks near the water and taught them how to swim. The ugly duckling also swam with his brothers and sisters, moving his legs eagerly. "It is lucky though. That baby swims well." Still his brothers pecked at the ugly duckling with their bills.‎ ‎"How hideous this baby duck is. We don't want to see you. Go to a cat." His brothers gave a very hard time to the poor duckling. "Stop it, don't do that!" The mother duck sighed and said, "Ah! I wish that this baby could live happily at another place."‎ The baby duck heard what his mother said and dropped tears of sorrow saying, "Mom, I will leave. Good-bye." The ugly duckling left his nest beyond the pond.‎ When he entered the forest, other birds were frightened by the baby duck and ran away. "Why do they run away? Is it because I am so awful?" The baby duck became sadder and plodded along the field.‎ Near the water beside the field, two wild ducks were playing around. "Yah, what is that ugly duck? Let's make fun of him." The two wild ducks flew up in the air and threw stones at the baby duck.‎ ‎"Bang! Bang!" At that time, a hunter shot his gun. The two wild ducks fell down dead to the ground. "Uh? What is this small bird?" The hunter took home the awkward little baby duck along with the two wild ducks.‎ ‎"Dad, what is this poor-looking bird?" "I took it with me in order to give it to you, my son. It was trembling with fear in the water." The children gave a hard time to the baby duck by pulling its wings and tail.‎ ‎"That hurts! Ow!" The baby duck spilled a jug of milk while running away from the cruel hands of the children. The dishes on the table were also broken. The angry hunter sent out the baby duck with a flourish of his broomstick. And so the after being cast out from the house of the hunter, the ugly duckling spent a long and cold winter alone.‎ Finally spring came. The baby duck had a good stretch and flew up in the air vigorously. "Uh! I am flying!"‎ Upon the lake, a flock of white and pretty swans were playing around while swimming. "They are indeed pretty birds." The baby duck became sad. "Those birds may not like me as I am so ugly."‎ The baby duck tried to run away from the group of beautiful swans. "Hi! Where are you going? Come and play around with us!" The baby duck approached the swans hesitatingly. At that moment, the baby duck saw his own appearance reflected to the lake. There was one more beautiful swan gliding gracefully across the water.‎ The ugly duckling who overcame all suffering had finally become a beautiful swan. And so he lived happily ever after.‎ ‎6 Nightingale A long time ago in China there lived an emperor. The emperor loved to read books. One day, in the book he was reading, it wrote, "The most beautiful precious treasure is the bird nightingale."‎ The emperor had never seen or heard of nightingale. "What is nightingale?" No one has ever seen or heard of it.‎ The emperor was very curious as to what nightingale was. "Bring nightingale to me at once". The servants were worried by the emperor's command. They looked here and there.‎ One day a little girl said that she knew of nightingale. She said that the bird she had was nightingale. It was a small cute bird. At ‎ once nightingale was brought to the emperor.‎ The emperor was very happy. "Ah ~ is this bird called nightingale?" For the first time in his life, he heard the beautiful voice and was impressed and deeply moved.‎ ‎"Please give me nightingale and I will reward you handsomely." So nightingale came to live in the palace. Everyday Nightingale sang for the emperor.‎ Emperor was happy every time he heard Nightingale sing. He was so proud of Nightingale that he allowed the servants to hear it too. However, Nightingale was not happy. Nightingale felt trapped and had no freedom.‎ One day the neighboring country sent a gift to the emperor. It was a nightingale doll made of jewels and gold. Every time the doll was wound up it sang beautifully. Furthermore, the emperor if wanted could hear it everyday.‎ ‎"It's really amazing. It's beauty is the finest in the world." The real Nightingale was sad. The real Nightingale decided to leave. It flew off into the forest of freedom.‎ The Nightingale doll kept on singing. One day the doll broke. No body was able to fix it. The emperor was heart broken.‎ The emperor became ill. He just laid there waiting to die. Just then, from the window, a beautiful song came flowing in. Everyone looked.‎ Sitting by the window, Nightingale began singing. Shortly after, the emperor became better. Nightingale was happy. Soon, the emperor's face was filled with happiness once again.‎ ‎7 The Wild Swans Once upon a time in a kingdom far away, there were eleven Princes and a single Princess, by the name of Elisa. One day, their mother died of a disease.‎ Eventually the King married again. The new Queen hated the twelve children.‎ She said craftily, "Elisa is weak, and it would be good for her to go to the country for recuperation." The King was grateful to the Queen, as she seemed to care for the health of his daughter. Therefore, the Princess was sent off to the remotest corner of the country.‎ The Queen then changed the eleven Princes into swans through her magic power, and sent them away from the royal palace. The Princes flew away crying sadly. "Oh! I feel good. It is my world now."‎ After some time, the King missed Princess Elisa and sent for her. The Queen had Princess Elisa wear a dirty and worn-out dress. The King was very surprised to see the dirty Princess Elisa. "Elisa, how do you dress yourself?" Then the Queen said quickly, "Dear Lord, it seems that Princess Elisa has gone mad." The King was furious and sent the Princess away from him.‎ ‎"Ah! Where are my brothers?" The Princess asked a man passing by, "Have you ever seen eleven Princes?" The man said, "I have not seen eleven Princes but I have seen eleven swans. Strangely the swans wore golden crowns. You may find them near the river."‎ Princess Elisa waited for her brothers near the river hoping to find them. At night, eleven swans swooped down to the ground and were turned into the form of Princes. "My brothers!" "Elisa!" They cried and embraced each other.‎ The brothers were trapped under the spell of the wicked Queen, and were forced to become swans and fly around to look for something to eat during the day. Elisa prayed earnestly, "Dear God, please release the magic curse from my brothers." In her dreams that night, a fairy appeared and said, "Make mantles for your brothers with hemp and have them wear the mantles. However, you should not speak at all until those mantles are made completely."‎ The Princes thought that Elisa, who did not speak and merely kept knitting, had become strange. One day, a Prince from a neighboring kingdom saw the knitting Princess when he was out hunting. The Prince took Elisa to his palace saying to himself, "She is a really beautiful lady. I am going to make her happy."‎ But Elisa did not say anything, and only kept knitting eagerly. At nightfall of the next day, the hemp was all used up. Elisa picked some more hemp near a grave but was caught by the Prince. The Prince said, "You dared to go to a grave at night? You must be a witch. Take this witch and burn her at the stake!"‎ Princess Elisa was unable to say anything and was imprisoned. Princess Elisa continued knitting without taking rest even in the prison. Princess Elisa was finally knitting the eleventh mantle, while being carried on a cart going to the burning place. The villagers threw stones at her while shouting, "That witch is still knitting. Burn her at the stake!"‎ At that precise moment, the eleven swans flew in. Princess Elisa threw the finished mantles to the swans. Only then, Princess Elisa opened her mouth. "I now can speak. I am not a witch."‎ They donned the knitted hoods they were turned back into Princes. The Princess told the Prince what had happened up to that time. Thereafter, the Prince and Princess Elisa lived happily together in their kingdom.‎ ‎8 The Unwise Hans In the countryside, there lived three brothers. The first and second brothers were very wise. But the third was not very wise. People called him unwise Hans. All three of the brothers wanted to marry the princess. The princess had said that she wanted to marry the wisest man on the land. "We only have one week."‎ So in order to marry the princess, they hurried off on their way. The father of the three brothers gave horses to only two of the sons. The first brother got a brown horse and the second brother got a white horse. But, no horse was given to Hans. The unwise Hans left on a goat, instead of a horse.‎ The older brothers laughed at Hans. Still, Hans left with his brothers. After sometime, Hans picked up a dead crow on the road. "Brothers, look at this." "What are you going to do with that?" "I'm going to give it to the princess." The brothers continued to laugh at Hans.‎ As Hans was going along the road, besides the crow, he picked up an old wooden clog and good quality mud. The older brothers no longer paid attention to Hans' strange behavior and hurried off on their horses reaching the castle before Hans.‎ In front of the castle there stood the princess and many people who wanted to marry her. However, all the people who went inside of the princess' room came out stuttering and muttering quietly to themselves. Finally the first brother went in. "You're not right. Please go."‎ The first brother had forgotten everything that he had memorized. So, he could not say one word. Next the second brother went in. The princess told him to leave, as well. The second brother could not understand the princess’ question. Hans was the last person to go in.‎ ‎"The room is hot." "The rooster is being roasted." "Then roast my crow, as well, please." "What should we do? There is no plate." "Here it is."‎ Hans showed the old wooden clog that he had hidden. The princess made a smile on her face. "Then where can we get the sauce?"‎ Hans showed her the mud that he had picked up on the road, too. "Ha, Ha, Ha- this is really fun."‎ The unwise Hans gave the princess the wisest answers. That's how the princess and the unwise Hans got married. The unwise Hans became the king of that land.‎ ‎9 Thumbelina Once upon a time, there lived a woman who had no children. The woman went to a sorcerer and begged, "I want to raise a pretty baby." The sorcerer then gave her a flower seed. As soon as the seed was planted, a tulip blossomed forth. From the floral leaf, a lovely baby girl who was as short as a thumb was born.‎ ‎"Mother, how are you?" The baby girl who came out from the flower said hello to her mother with a beautiful voice. The woman was very happy and wanted to give her a pretty name. "A baby who is as short as a thumb...I will name her as Thumbelina."‎ Thumbelina led a happy life sailing her ship across a pond filled with flowers. But one night, there appeared a horrible-looking toad when Thumbelina was asleep. "She is really a pretty girl. I am going to make her my bride." The toad carried the sleeping girl on his warty back and went to his pond. Thumbelina woke up in the morning, and was so surprised that she could do nothing but weep silently.‎ She thought that she would rather die than become the wife of a toad. The fish who saw this unhappy event were sympathetic towards the poor girl, and said, "Thumbelina is pitiful. Let's help her." The fish cut the leaf of a lotus flower on which Thumbelina was riding, so that she could run away from the toad. She was roaming around the riverside riding on the leaf of a lotus flower. At that time, a beetle came flying about and spied the top of the head of Thumbelina.‎ ‎"Uh! She is a very pretty girl. Okay, I am going to make her my friend." The beetle grabbed Thumbelina and flew into the forest. "How about that? She is my friend. Isn't she very pretty?" The beetle bragged about her to his other beetle friends, but they all thought that she was an odd creature. "What? She only has two legs but has no wings like we do. It is really strange."‎ With his friends making fun of him, the beetle began to dislike Thumbelina. He went away with his friends, leaving the girl ‎ alone in the branches. She spent many lonely days eating tree fruits and flowers. "Dear God, please send me to my mother." Thumbelina wandered around the forest shivering from cold and hunger.‎ After some time, it began to snow. Thumbelina was looking for a place to take shelter when she finally saw a twinkling light. "I am Thumbelina. Please allow me to take a rest in your house." A field mouse woman greeted the girl warmly saying, "Oh my dear, please come in."‎ The field mouse woman loved Thumbelina as if she were her own daughter. One day, a rich mole from a neighboring burrow came to the house for a holiday. He said, "She is a really pretty girl. It would be good if she became the wife of my son." The field mouse woman was very happy about what the rich mole said. But Thumbelina did not like that haughty fellow. Yet she was unable to reject what the field mouse woman wanted.‎ Thumbelina was taking a walk sadly in an underground passage, which was actually the house of the mole. At that time, she found a swallow that had fallen on the ground. "Ah, poor swallow. Please gain your strength." Thumbelina nursed the swallow earnestly. Finally, spring came, and the swallow gained strength and was about to leave the underground passage. He said, "Dear Thumbelina, come with me to the flower country where there is nothing but sun and flowers."‎ She agreed and rode on the back of the swallow to the flower land, where the Prince of the country greeted her saying, "Welcome, Thumbelina! I was waiting for you." There began a great party to welcome the happy girl. The Prince said, "Dear Thumbelina, would you please marry me and become the Queen of the flower country?"‎ She said, "Yes, I will!" The Prince then gave his royal crown and wings to Thumbelina. To her bird companion she said, "Dear swallow, please deliver this news to my mother." Thereafter, the Prince and Thumbelina led a very happy life in the flower country.‎ ‎10 The Terrible King A long time ago, there lived a terrible king. The terrible king's wish was that all the people would shake in fear at the sound of his name. The terrible king made the lives of the people in the neighbor land horrible. "Here! Take everything!"‎ The Terrible King The terrible king viciously took away all the belongings of the neighbor land. He even scared the poor women and children. The king was not even sorry to the children and women. The terrible king bothered the people of the neighbor land worse and worse everyday. The palace became more and more magnificent.‎ ‎"Put up a statue in the church!" Now the terrible king was ordering the church to place a statue of himself there. However, the ministers could not do that." Your majesty may be great, but God is even greater."‎ The terrible king was becoming angry. It was because he thought that he was the greatest in the whole world. Then the king was angry. "What! He is greater? Then I will defeat God."‎ In a loud voice, the terrible king said that he would win against God. That's why he ordered that a magnificent ship be built in order to go to the heaven. He said he would ride the ship to go and defeat God. The terrible king rode the ship up to heaven.‎ From the sky, an angel was sent. However, the terrible king shot over a thousand bullets at the angel. "Ahhhhhh" Being shot, the angel was bleeding. The blood dropped unto the terrible king's ship. The angel's blood was so heavy that the king's ship sank. ‎ The terrible king became angry, again. "Build a more stronger ship." The terrible king wanted a better ship, so he ordered all the workers in his kingdom to build it. "I will defeat God for sure!"‎ The terrible king went up to heaven, once more. God sent mosquitoes to the terrible king. The terrible king just laughed at the mosquitoes. "Go and bring me the best carpet."‎ The king made another command. He thought that if he wrapped the carpet around his body the mosquitoes would not be able to bite him. But one mosquito went inside of the carpet. Because of that one mosquito, the terrible king was rolling around screaming. The terrible king that couldn't even catch one mosquito was a laughingstock for his troops.‎ ‎11 Last Dream for an Old Oak Tree Once upon a time, there was a large oak tree in the forest. This oak tree was very old. One day during the hot summer, a mayfly flew by and alighted on a leaf of the oak tree.‎ ‎"Mayfly, you must be so sad." "Why?" "You get to live only one day." The oak tree felt sorry for the mayfly. Mayfly asked, "Don't you live for one day?" "No. I live much longer than you do."‎ The mayfly nodded and asked, "Really? Then, are you happy now?" "Yes, I am very happy," replied the oak tree.‎ Then the mayfly smiled and said, "I am very happy, too. Although I get to live only one day, it doesn't matter. You get to live much longer than I do, but we are both happy, aren't we?" The oak tree and the mayfly kept on talking to each other.‎ Eventually, the mayfly leaned on the oak tree and fell asleep. "Mayfly!" The oak tree called the mayfly, but the mayfly did not respond.‎ It had died. "Mayfly, have a happy dream." The oak tree blessed the mayfly for the last time.‎ Many weeks then passed. Spring, summer and fall went by, and winter came. Finally, the long-awaited day of Christmas came. The oak tree wanted to rest now.‎ The oak tree had a dream on Christmas day. In it, pretty flowers were abundant and butterflies were flying in a green forest. In this dream, the oak tree met the mayfly. The mayfly said, "Come play here. It is such a happy place." The oak tree was very pleased indeed to see the mayfly.‎ While the oak tree was sleeping, its roots were cut. It was time for the oak tree to die. The oak tree went to a happy world, dreaming.‎ ‎12 The Happy Couple A long time ago, there was a happy prince and princess in a country. They took care of and loved each other very much, and their country was happy, too. Therefore they didn't envy anything else. There was one thing they worried about. They wanted to make sure they could live happily forever like this One day, one of the subjects found out the couple's worry and told them, "Prince, I heard that there is a magic charm, and it can protect you from any unfortunate event. If you always carry the magic charm with you, your fear and worry will disappear."‎ ‎"Is it true? Where can I find that charm?" The prince asked him joyfully. "There is an old man in the forest, and he knows about everything. You can ask him."‎ The couple visited the old man, and asked for help with their worries and fears. The old man nodded his head as if he knew everything and said, "Travel all around the world. Then, when you meet a very happy couple, ask them to cut a piece of their underwear. If you keep the piece of the underwear, your fear and worry will go away."‎ The couple appreciated the old man's kindness and set out on the journey. The couple wandered around everywhere and heard about a happy knight and his wife of one town. They went to visit the knight. "Are you really happy like the rumor?" Then the knight answered. "Of course, we are, Prince. But our only worry and problem is that we didn't have any children."‎ They had to find an absolutely happy couple, so they continued their journey. They visited a happy couple who were famous for their happiness in the next town. And they asked the couple if they were really happy. The couple answered. "Yes, we are very happy. But we have too many children. A mother with a large brood never has a peaceful day. We worry too much about our children."‎ They could not get a magic charm this time too, and kept going on their trip. It was very hard to find the happiest couple in the world. One day, the prince couple met a shepherd and his wife in a big field.‎ The shepherd was playing a flute and driving a herd of sheep, and his wife took their two children to him. As soon as the shepherd saw his family, he ran to them directly. He kissed and embraced each of them by turns. They sat in a circle and had lunch after the wife had prepared it.‎ The prince couple watched for a while and approached them. "Excuse me. You look so happy!" The shepherd smiled and said, "Sure, any king or queen can never be happier than we are."‎ The prince couple thought that they finally found what they were looking for. "I am sorry, but could you please cut a piece of your underwear for us?" The prince couple asked them very politely, but the shepherd couple felt confused and said, "Of course we would like to help you, but we don't wear any underwear."‎ In the end, the couple set out on their journey again with nothing. Finally they came back to their home because they were so tired, and because they couldn't find the magic charm too. As soon as they came back to their country, they visited the old man.‎ The prince told their story to the old man and asked him. "Why did you make us suffer from the long trip for a charm which doesn't even exist?" The old man smiled and said, "Well, do you really think your trip was a vain effort? Think about it carefully. While you were traveling around, you learned many things about how other people live, didn't you?"‎ The prince thought to himself for a while and said, "Ah, now I understand. You mean that true happiness is up to yourself." The prince's wife smiled and nodded her head. The happy couple held their hands and looked in each other's eyes.‎ The old man said as he watched them. "The true magic charm that you are searching for is in your mind. Keep it carefully from now on. Then, you'll never be unhappy with whatever comes your way."‎ ‎13 The Cripple Hans There once was a rich feudal lord. He and his wife had a big farm. They wished everyone else would live as happily as they did. On one Christmas Eve, a beautifully decorated Christmas tree stood in their big hall, and firewood was burning vigorously. The couple invited all the poor children and their parents of the country to their house.‎ Traditional Christmas meals were served to everyone, and people went back to their homes and talked about the dinner and the gifts. Kersten and Ole, who were working in a garden, received the gifts for their children and went back home. "Both masters are very kind, but that's because they are rich. They are enjoying themselves."‎ ‎"We have only four suits of clothes. Why didn't they give anything to Hans? Maybe it's because Hans is a cripple, so they forgot him." Hans was a very active and smart boy, but he had to stay in bed for five years because of his weak legs. "Oh, but I received a book for Hans" Hans was so happy because of the book. The thick fairy tale book had a lot to read and to think about deeply.‎ Kersten and Ole were always complaining because they were always busy. "Some people have both happiness and wealth at the same time, but for other people, the only thing they have is poverty. Why do we have to suffer so much because of Adam and Eve? If we were Adam and Eve, we would not behave like them." "You would do same as they did. This book can tell you why."‎ ‎"What did the book say?" Hans read a story to his parents loudly. 'One woodcutter couple always complained that their unhappiness began because of Adam and Eve. At that time, a King was riding a horse and heard them and said, "Come to my palace with me. You can live as luxuriously as I can. You have seven kinds of wonderful dishes and deserts at every meal."‎ ‎"Never touch the plate covered with a lid in the middle of the table. As soon as you touch the plate, your peaceful and luxurious life will be over." The woodcutter couple lived luxuriously after that, but soon they became curious what was on the plate under the lid. After a while, they uncovered the lid of the plate.‎ ‎"That's it. Now go back where you came from. Do not blame Adam and Eve any more. You have the same amount of curiosity as they did, and besides you cannot appreciate God's grace and gifts." Hans' parents were surprised by the story about the woodcutter couple, and they told Hans to read the same story every night.‎ One night, Hans read his parents a story about a man who does not know both sadness and dissatisfaction. 'A long time ago, a King became ill, and there was only one cure the underwear of a man who never knew both sadness and dissatisfaction. His subjects visited every king and nobleman of the world searching for the cure, but they could not find it.'‎ One day, a swineherd was sitting next to a ditch said, "I don't know anything about sadness and dissatisfaction. I have always have been living my life happily." "Give me your underwear. We will give you half of our kingdom in exchange for that." Even though the subjects tried to persuade him, the swineherd did not have underwear to give to the subject of the King. Hans' parents laughed loudly as if they had not laughed for a long time.‎ ‎"What are you so happy about? It's been a long time since I saw you smiling." "Hans read a story about a man who does not know about sadness and dissatisfaction. He is too poor to have any underwear. Try to imagine him! Everyone has his own burden to carry by himself. But if you listen to other people's stories, you will feel your burden of life is much lighter than before."‎ ‎"Where did you get this book?" "One year ago at the Christmas party, the mistress gave us as a gift. At that time, we wanted to have underwear as a gift rather than a book. But this book is like magic. It gives us the answers to what we always were curious about." After that day, the schoolmaster visited Hans, who always stays in his bed in the afternoons, gave him a lot of knowledge that children at school could learn.‎ The schoolmaster got invited to the feudal lord's mansion and had a meal with them. In the middle of dinner, he told them the book that they had given to Hans was such a blessed gift for the family. The mistress gave some silver coins to the schoolmaster, and asked him to give them to Hans. Hans' parents were very happy to get the silver coins. "Crippled Hans brings us blessings."‎ A few days later, the mistress herself visited Hans with a basket of delicious bread, fruit and juice, and a cage with a black bird.‎ ‎ Hans was so happy for the gift, but his parents were not. "Rich people cannot think. If Hans cannot take care of the bird, we have to do the troublesome work. In the end, a cat will eat the bird anyway."‎ A cat often visited the room, but it seemed that it was not interested in the black bird. One afternoon, when Hans was reading the book, the cat was staring at the bird in the cage above a dresser. The cat jumped up to the window frame next to the cage in a breath. Hans worried about the bird, and he tried to throw his fairy tale book at the cat, but it did not reach the cat.‎ Hans wielded a bedcover, but it was a vain effort. The cat jumped up to the dresser and dropped the cage to the ground. At the same time, Hans suddenly leaped to his feet from his bed, picked up the cage and shooed the cat away. Hans saw himself holding the cage in his hand. He realized what happened to him and ran out to the road.‎ ‎"I can walk. Now I can walk!" On that day, Hans' family had a big party. The feudal lord and his wife were happy as if their own son could walk again. "You have a good mind, God bless you always." Hans went to a school in Copenhagen because he was so smart, and he could understand so well what he read. His parents were sad that they could not live with their son, but they were very happy whenever they got a letter with happy news from him.‎ ‎"What happened to Hans is proof that God does not forget poor children." "What happened to Hans is such a miracle. Is it like one of the stories which Hans used to tell us?" Hans' parents held each other's hands and looked at each other piously.‎ ‎14 The Shadow A scholar who used to live in a cold region took a trip to a place of tropical weather. He stayed in the house all day because it was too hot to go out. "Phew. It is so hot. I can't even go outside."‎ At night, people came out from their houses to get fresh air. The scholar also went out of his house and looked around here and there. "There are a lot of people here. Now I feel better. But how come the house across the street is so quiet?"‎ ‎"Music flows from the house, and such beautiful flowers are in the house. There must be a pretty woman living in that house. "Then, one evening.‎ ‎"That house is quiet again. The only thing that moves in the house is my shadow." The scholar acted as if he was talking to his own shadow.‎ Suddenly, his shadow on the house went into the inside the house. The scholar was shocked. Then, the next day. "How can I lose my own shadow? People will laugh at me. Phew. What am I going to do? I feel awful. What am I going to do now?"‎ In a tropical region, everything grew really fast. Fortunately, the scholar's shadow grew a lot in a week.‎ Then, one evening. Someone visited the scholar. "Who is it? Please come in." A well-dressed gentleman came into his house. "Excuse me, but have we meet before?" The gentleman answered. "Don't you recognize me? Well, I guess you've never imagined that I would show up in front of you with this kind of look. I have been enjoying my own life very much since I left you." "Then, you must be." "That's right! I am your shadow." "How amazing! How can this happen? And how are you doing?"‎ ‎"I will tell you everything. But promise me one thing before I tell my story. Don't you ever tell anyone that I used to be your shadow." "I promise!"‎ ‎"I went into the house across the street and met a Goddess. I learned a lot of things while I was staying there with her. Then, she allowed me to live my own life all by myself. Sometimes I gave severe punishments to bad people. People always welcomed me wherever I was. They just loved me." "Really? That's amazing! How can this happen?" "I've to go now. See you next time."‎ A few years later, the shadow visited the scholar again. The scholar was writing a book, but he was so sad because no one read his book. He felt tired of writing. "You look very exhausted." "No one can understand my book." "You have to take a rest. Let's go to a spa. I will pay for the trip for you. Instead, you should be my shadow." "Oh god! Do I really have to be your shadow?" After long thinking about the shadow's suggestion, the scholar decided to go on the trip and be a shadow.‎ There were lots of people in the spa, and a princess was one of them. The princess saw the shadow and thought, "He is so nice. I want to go out with him."‎ She met the shadow. She liked him very much because he knew everything. The shadow pointed to the scholar and said, "He is my shadow. If you want to know about something, please ask him." "You look so smart."‎ The princess decided to get married to the shadow.‎ The shadow met the scholar and said, "I am going to marry the princess. You can come to the castle and live with us. But you have to be my shadow and have to live under my feet forever." "No, that doesn't make any sense. You are MY shadow."‎ The shadow put the scholar in prison, and then he told the princess. "My shadow is out of his mind. He kept insisting that I am his shadow. There seems to be no chance of his recovery. I will help him to disappear quietly." "Yes, you need to help him."‎ The princess and the shadow finally got married. But the scholar died in prison. ‎ There laid the same red shoes as the Princess in the showcase. "These shoes were made specifically for a daughter of a count, but they did not fit on her feet. That's why they are in there." The noblewoman had bad sight now, so she did not know that they were red. The red shoes fit Karen's feet very well.‎ Karen liked her new red shoes very much. When Karen appeared at the ceremony with her red shoes, the minister advised her to wear black shoes instead of the red shoes. On the next Sunday, there was the Communion Service, but Karen wore the red shoes and went to church again.‎ As soon as Karen and the noblewoman got down from their carriage, an old soldier bowed politely and said, "Madam, I will clean the dust on your shoes." "Oh, thank you." As Karen showed her red shoes to the soldier, he said, "Such a beautiful pair of shoes. It will look great if you dance with these shoes."‎ Then, he muttered to himself chanting a spell and touching Karen's shoes with his finger. "Red shoes! Never ever come off from this young lady's feet when she dances." The noblewoman threw some coins at him and entered the church with Karen.‎ When the Communion Service was over and they went out of the church, the old soldier shouted, "The young lady's red shoes are still beautiful!" Then, Karen started to dance even though she did not want to dance. She could do nothing to stop herself from dancing. "Miss Karen, Please stop dancing and step into the carriage."‎ Even though he lifted her up and sat her on the carriage, she did not stop dancing. When the angry noblewoman took off Karen's shoes, she stopped dancing. As soon as they got home the lady threw the red shoes into a closet. Afterward, the noblewoman caught a bad disease. Karen cared for her earnestly.‎ One day, an invitation came for a big ball of the town. 'If I put on those red shoes, I will dance very well. Yes, If I wear them once and put them in the closet, madam will never know.' Karen hesitated looking at the noblewoman in the bed and then the red shoes.‎ In the end, she submitted to her desire and put the red shoes on. Then, her feet moved by themselves and started to run to the dance hall. "Oh, how do I stop?" Her feet moved on their way, and they passed by a square and came into a forest.‎ When Karen passed by a church, an angel appeared and said, "Karen, you will dance with your favorite red shoes forever." "Angel, my feet hurt painfully. Please stop them from dancing." "Karen, you will find the houses of greedy and selfish children while you are dancing."‎ ‎"They will feel regret when they see you, you who began to dance because of greed." "Please forgive me. I was wrong." The angel disappeared, and Karen passed by the house she used to live in. The noblewoman had died, and her casket was coming out from her house. 'She was so good and kind to me.'‎ Then there was the house of an executioner as Karen went through the town. "Mr. Executioner, I can not take off my shoes from my feet. Please cut them off." When he heard the story of Karen, he cut her feet off and made her a pair of crutches.‎ Karen finally stopped dancing, and served for other people while she was staying in the church. One day, she prayed to God while she was reading the Bible, "God! I am a selfish sinner. Please save me." An angel came out in front of Karen and showed her how many people were praying for her.‎ ‎"You finally regret what you have done." Someone whispered through Karen's ears. "This is the grace of God." When Karen answered with modesty, her soul rose up to Heaven. Karen lived happily forever in Heaven.‎ ‎48 The Beetle Who Went on His Travels Once upon a time, a King had a horse with golden horseshoes. That horse had slender legs, bright eyes and a mane covering above its neck like a veil. It was very beautiful. ‎ The horse rode through the gunpowder smoke and a rain of bullets carrying the King on its back in the battles. He beat off enemies by kicking his legs, and saved the King's life by crossing the dead bodies of his enemies. It was more valuable than anything else. That's why the horse got the golden horseshoes.‎ A Beetle who listened to the news came out of his barn and went to the horseshoer. "I want to have golden horseshoes like the horse has. Why can't I be as good as the horse? People always bring it food and drinks and comb its hair. I am living in the King's barn, too."‎ ‎"But do you know how the horse got the golden horseshoes?" The horseshoer shouted at the Beetle. " I know I deserve better than I am treated now. I will go to the outside world and will have great success." The horseshoer yelled at the Beetle wanting him to go away.‎ It was not clear how far the Beetle had flown, but the Beetle arrived in a beautiful garden full of roses and lavender fragrance. The Ladybugs of the garden said, "This is such a wonderful place. Isn't it beautiful?" "I used to live in a much better place than this. I don't understand what you said." Beetle said arrogantly.‎ As the Beetle flew farther, a cabbage worm was crawling under the hay, and said, "What a beautiful world this is. There is the Sun with warm light. Someday, I will be born again with the beautiful wings of a butterfly."‎ ‎"You will you fly like a butterfly? I am on the way from the King's barn. Even the horse that used to put on my old and worn shoes does not dream such an empty hope. That horse is now wearing golden horseshoes. Will you fly with wings? I can fly right now!" Beetle stretched his wings and flew away boastfully.‎ After a short time, Beetle faced a sudden shower while he was sleeping in a wide lawn. Beetle swam to avoid the rain, but it sometimes fell down and turned him over because the Beetle was soaked in rain.‎ After a long time, the rain abated a little. The Beetle took shelter on wet a linen wrinkled from the heavy rain. A day passed, and the sky was bright and clear. Two frogs were talking to each other delightfully on the linen.‎ ‎"What fantastic weather it is. Because this linen is wet from the rain, my hind legs are wet, and I feel like I am swimming." "You are right. The air is so fresh because of the good humidity." Then, the Beetle interrupted their conversation and said, "Have you ever been to the King's barn? That place is wet and warm. Its climate is perfect for me. Is there a manure pile where I can take a rest?"‎ Because the frogs did not want to answer the Beetle's question, the Beetle moved to another place, and he met a couple of happy earwigs on a broken piece of flowerpot. "My son is in love. How pure he is." "My son just came out from his egg, but he can already can walk around."‎ The Beetle received an invitation from the earwigs, and he visited their house. But when the young earwigs tried to pull his mustache, he left the place searching for a manure pile. After a while, he met many beetles in a stream. "Maybe you come from a manure pile." The oldest beetle asked him.‎ ‎"I am from the King's barn, a much more majestic place than a manure pile. I lived with golden horseshoes. But don't ask me any more. I am carrying out my secret duties." The Beetle got married to a pretty beetle, but he got tired and bored soon. He said that he would look for food, and then escaped.‎ While he continued on his journey, he flew into a greenhouse and fell asleep with a happy dream. Suddenly, the children of a gardener came into the greenhouse, caught the Beetle, tied him up to a wooden shoe boat with a wool string and floated the boat on a lake, so the beetle could not fly away.‎ At that moment, a fly came over and said, "I have to take a rest to get some sunlight here. You seem to enjoy yourself very much." "Don't you see that I am tied up with string over here?" "Oh, but I am not the one who tied you up." The fly said this and flew away.‎ ‎"Now I know what the world is like. I hate it so much. I am the only one who's truly right. But everything is over." When the Beetle was muttering to himself sadly, a boat came carrying girls. "A little bug is tied up to a wooden shoe. How sad!"‎ The Beetle saved his life with the help of the girls, And he flew into a huge building through an open window. The place the Beetle landed was on the mane of the horse that the King loved. The Beetle seized the mane until he concentrated about himself.‎ ‎"I am sitting on the horse that the King likes the most. I am like the King! Did the horseshoer ask me how come this horse won the golden horseshoes once? Now I know. This horse won the golden horseshoes to take me on his back." The Beetle became happy as he thought this way.‎ As sunlight spread across the King's barn, everything became bright and lively. "Travels always give you a broader point of ‎ view. Well, if you look around this world carefully, you will find out this place is not quite so bad." The Beetle muttered to himself happily bathing in the sun.‎ ‎49 An Old Church Bell There once was a small town in Germany where acacia flowers were in full bloom, and apple and pear trees bore fruit in autumn. This town was beautiful but poor.‎ On one day of late autumn, when the grape vine leaves were dried with a red color, it rained heavily, and there was a cold strong wind. It was not good news for the poor people in this town. As it got dark outside, the small old houses got darker.‎ There was one small and shabby house with a very small window. The people in that house were very poor, but they were good and honest. When a solemn church bell tolled piously and peacefully, a boy came into the world.‎ His mother was very happy, because the church bell seemed to deliver her happy news to the whole town.‎ The boy grew up well, and his family moved to another town. On the day that the boy turned six, he visited his hometown with his mother. The town was still poor though.‎ There were new graves in the churchyard, and the old bell was laying on a lawn next some walls. That was the bell from the church bell tower. A new bell was hanging in the tower.‎ The mother told her son that the old bell tolled for people of the town when they had baptism ceremonies, weddings and funerals, and it was always on people's minds whenever they were sad or happy.‎ As she told him how the old bell had given her comfort when she was in pain giving birth to him, and how it had tolled happily to the town, he gazed at the bell with a warm heart.‎ The old bell took a place in a part of the boy's memory. Soon, he grew up as a red-haired, freckled and tall young man. His eyes were as clear as a lake, and luckily, he could go to a military academy, where most of the students were aristocrats, without paying any tuition.‎ The young man's name was Marebaha, that is, John Christoph Friedrich von Schiller. He became a political exile, and one of the greatest and immortal poets of Germany who wrote poems about the legendary warrior of Switzerland, 'Wilhelm Tell' and 'Die Jungfrau von Orleans'.‎ What happened to the old church bell? The old bell was sold as a lump of metal and sent to Bayern in Germany. It was used as material to make a statue of a great heros who gave glory to the German people.‎ The old church bell melted and flowed into the frame of the statue of Johann Christoph and became a part of its head and chest. This statue has generally been known to the public now, after one hundred years from the day Marbaha was born. The statue is still standing on Stuttgart Square.‎ ‎50 The Bottle Neck Once, there was a poor family. They were so poor that they had to live in an attic. They had an old birds cage, and it had a jar at the bottom. The jar didn't have a body but it had a mouth. It was standing upside down and was used as a water bucket for the bird. "Peep peep"‎ The bird in the cage sang a song. Her voice was so pretty. "Bird, I wish I could sing like you." The jar envied the bird's voice. "A long time ago, I used to sing as you do."‎ In the past, before she was broken, the nickname of the jar was 'skylark'. When people opened the mouth of the jar, they heard the 'pop' sound as a song. "But look, it was not just a song."‎ The jar told her the story about how she came to the poor attic. She remembered when she went on a picnic with the old furrier family. It was the day of the ceremony when one pretty daughter of the furrier got engaged. "I still remember the day as vividly as yesterday."‎ She told her about when she was put in the middle of flames. And she talked about when she fell on the ground and when she was trapped in the mud. The jar kept talking, but the bird kept singing. "Peep peep" "Don't you think my story is interesting?"‎ The bird didn't answer and kept singing. The jar started to talk again. She talked about the story when she traveled around the world. She told how she came to the furrier's hands and also a love story of a couple. "I never stopped my journey."‎ It was true that the jar never stopped its journey. She went to France and America. At last, the jar happened to come back to the house of the furrier's daughter.‎ The jar wanted to be a really important water bucket for the poor furrier's daughter. But the jar couldn't recognize that the old lady was the furrier's pretty daughter. As times went by, she grew old. Maybe the jar could remember only the first time when she met the daughter.‎ ‎51 The Flower Greet the Spring It was a very cold winter. The seeds of the flowers were crouching in a room under the ground. The room was comfortably warm. The seeds were all sleeping peacefully.‎ One day, it rained moistly. The raindrops sank into the ground and woke up the seeds. "Wake up. Spring is just around the corner!" "Mm, mm..." The seeds moved their bodies slightly, but they did not want to wake up.‎ Lovely spring was coming with big steps, and the sun was shining with a bright smile. The sunlight came through the underground and reached the place where the seeds were sleeping. "Ah, I feel itchy! I want to breathe in some fresh air." Finally, the seeds woke up and stretched.‎ Spring rain came again, and it made the hard clod of soil moist and soft after it flowed into the ground. The hard clod of soil dissolved, and the sun patted the soil tenderly. "Ah, I can't just sit down here any more!"‎ When the seed swayed all her body, a beard-looking root started to come out from her brown body. The white root turned to light green and stretched her root to the side where the sunlight was bright and warm. Finally, a new bud of the seed came out of the ground and reached out her shy face quietly.‎ ‎"Oh, how bright!" She blinked her eyes several times because it was too bright to open her eyes. Then, she closed her eyes tightly.‎ ‎"Pretty little baby, open your eyes slowly. You are going to be okay." The sun whispered with her soft voice to the seed sitting on top of a ginkgo tree. The spring breeze was blowing soft and fresh, and there was a joyful skylark's song. "Wow, what a cute little sprout you are!" The sprout became so happy, and she was no longer afraid of the bright sunshine.‎ The sprout grew up well. The light green colored leaves grew darker and darker everyday. Soon, the new bud became a flower plant. And she bore a red flower bud. One day, the flower bud bloomed. It was a beautiful flower that looked just like the sun.‎ ‎52 The Flax A long time ago, there was a flower called 'Flax'. " I am so happy. No one is happier than me in the world."‎ A leaf of grass said to the Flax. "You don't know anything about the world. Do you know how painful it is to live here?" "That's not true! I've never seen more beautiful flowers than me. I am so happy now."‎ One day, people came and pulled up the Flax's stem. It hurt her badly, but she thought to herself, 'One good day, one bad day. It's okay. Just be brave!' But the people put her in water and broke her.‎ ‎"Well, that's all right. I used to be happy. I can get over this little pain.'" After tolerating all the pain, she became great linen. "I am lucky! I became very beautiful because I endured the suffering. I am so happy."‎ A few days later, the linen was cut with scissors and pricked by needles. However, the linen endured the pain. After the pain, she became a great suit of clothes.‎ ‎"Look at me! I am a great suit of clothes. Finally I became a useful thing." A few years later, she was almost worn-out.‎ She had to suffer the pain of being torn into pieces. Then, the Flax became a fine and white piece of paper. 'People write letters on my body. I am so lucky.' Next, she happened to be sent to a printing shop, and then, she was published as hundreds of books. 'I am going to live my life with everybody's respect and attention. I am very happy.'‎ After a while, she was thrown away into a bathtub. 'After hard work all day long, I should take a rest. Maybe I will be sent to a better place in the future like the way I have been in the past.'‎ One day, the paper was put into a fireplace. 'Ouch! This is too hot! But I have to put up with this for more happy days.' The Flax lived with a joyful and appreciating attitude towards her life.‎ ‎53 The Butterfly's finding a Bride There once was a butterfly flying gently. He was flying in the blue sky and was looking for his bride. 'Flower is the best bride for me!' The Butterfly thought, but there were too many flowers to choose only one.‎ ‎"I will be able to find a beautiful flower if I fly all around the world." The Butterfly started to fly around to find the flower to be his bride. First, he found a snowdrop. "What a pretty flower she is! But she's too small."‎ The Butterfly flew to another place. He found a saffran this time. "Oh, she is beautiful. But she's too mature."‎ The Butterfly flew around again. "Wow, she's amazing!" He found an anemone. "But she's too passionate." The Butterfly flew away.‎ Then he met a violet. "She is a very soft flower, but she is too tender to be my bride."‎ Then he went to a tulip. "Hi, butterfly!" A red tulip nodded her head and greeted the butterfly. "Oh, hi!" Even though he replied to the red tulip, the Butterfly thought that the red tulip is too dazzling to be his bride.‎ ‎"What do I have to do now? I can't find my bride." This time, he met a daffodil. "That daffodil is too pure. She is too pure and she even looks lonely." The Butterfly did not like the daffodil as his bride.‎ The Butterfly arrived at the place filled with apple tree flowers. "Tomorrow, the apple tree flower will fade along with the wind even if she is blooming today." The apple tree flower wasn't good enough to be the butterfly's bride, either.‎ There was a pea flower. "Wow, she is very splendid!" Pea flowers were in elegant bloom with red and white colors. The Butterfly liked the pea flower because she was neither too lonely nor too dazzling.‎ ‎"Hi, Miss Pea flower?" Butterfly flew closer to her to ask to be his bride. Then, he caught sight of a messy flower hanging on a leaf with a withered bean chaff. He ran away in a hurry after seeing that.‎ In this way, spring and summer passed. But the butterfly still could not find his bride. Autumn came. One day Butterfly smelled a strong scent while he was flying. There was a peppermint in the field.‎ ‎"That's great. Even though peppermint does not have any flowers, her leaves have a very strong scent. Peppermint's leaves are the same as flowers. I will make her my bride." Butterfly flew next to the peppermint and asked, "Miss Peppermint, would you please be my bride?"‎ Then the peppermint said, "Mr. Butterfly, it is autumn now. You and I are too old. Don't tell me about 'being your bride' any more." In the end, Butterfly could not find any bride.‎ ‎54 Children's Prattle One day, some children got together and were talking to each other. They all lived in wealthy families.‎ One girl spoke confidently, "My family is very rich. My parents studied a lot."‎ One boy was listening to the girl and said, " 'If your name ends with '-sen', you will be miserable.' Well, I feel lucky I have no '-sen' at the end of my name."‎ Then, the girl spoke again. "You're right. I have a friend whose name is 'Martsen', and his family is so poor."‎ Another boy said holding up his head confidently, "My father is in a high position. Everybody is afraid of him."‎ At that moment, one boy was listening to this conversation behind a door. He was poor, and his name ended with '-sen'. He could not mix with the children because he was so poor.‎ ‎'This is so sad. I can never be a great man.' He envied all the children in the room.‎ As time went by, the children all grew up. A millionaire was living in the town. A lot of people wanted to visit his house. "This is such a wonderful house. Whose house is this?"‎ The owner of the house was the poor boy. The boy grew up to be a great sculptor. Even though he was not born rich, and his name ended with '-sen', the boy became a great man. The children in the room were all wrong.‎ ‎55 The Daisy There was a house where various kinds of flowers were blooming in the front yard. In every May, spring flowers came into bloom beautifully. Tulips, roses and peonies boasted their lovely figures.‎ The Daisy A Daisy on a small part of the lawn close to the roadside and out side of the fence was also in bloom. She was very small. "Those flowers over there must be very happy. People come to look at them." The small daisy envied the tulips, roses and peonies in the front yard.‎ Then suddenly, a tiny little skylark came over to the small daisy, and she danced around her and sang beautiful songs. "What a small pretty flower you are." The tiny little skylark stroked the daisy, and flew away to the wide and blue sky. Now, other ‎ flowers envied the small daisy.‎ The next morning, the Daisy heard the skylark's tearful voice. The Small Daisy looked up at a cage hanging in the window. The skylark was crying in the cage. The Daisy wanted to help the skylark, but she couldn't do anything.‎ After a while, two boys came over the fence, and crouched down near the Daisy. "This lawn is good." Two boys poked at the lawn around the Daisy. They drew a circle around her and cut out the lawn.‎ Small daisy came to stand in the middle of the sod. "Well done. Should I pull this little daisy out?" "No, let's keep it there. It's pretty." Two boys brought the lawn and laid it down in the cage.‎ The skylark flapped her little wings and cried. But the small Daisy could not comfort her. "Water, I want to drink water. Everyone forgot to give it to me. Why is the air so impure and thick?" The skylark felt painful and pecked the lawn with her bill.‎ Until that night, nobody gave her some water. The skylark nodded her head to the Daisy. "Good bye. You will dry up and die like me soon." The skylark was very thirsty and painful but she did not touch the Daisy.‎ The Daisy was so sad. The skylark died laying her head next to the Daisy.‎ The next day, the two boys came back. They made a grave for the skylark with tears in their eyes. The Daisy was thrown away with the lawn on the street. "It was not the grave which the skylark wanted to have." The Daisy said to herself.‎ ‎56 Benu and Glenu There were two islands called Benu and Glenu around Holstein Castle located next to the Zeeland coast. On these two islands, there were forests, ranches, fields, churches and towns. These two islands were located close to each other side by side.‎ One night, there was a big rainstorm. The earth and sky were shaking and the ground seemed to crack, the church bells swayed and tolled by themselves, sea waves roared higher than ever before.‎ The next morning, Benu completely disappeared as if it had never existed before. Even now, on quiet summer evenings, some fishermen say they saw the white church tower of Benu under the sea, and others say they heard the church bell.‎ The legend, 'Benu is laying down deep under the sea waiting for Glenu', spread across the whole town, and when rainstorms rose up, the children of Glenu shivered and heard the sound of waves with fear.‎ ‎"Is Benu going to take Glenu away under the sea tonight?" The children used to be terrified with this thought and muttered prayers, and went to bed. But the next morning, Glenu was still there. Forests, fields full of fully ripened grains, and picturesque farmhouses are all still there.‎ But Glenu was looking forward to the day. Even though it does not know how many days it has to wait, Glenu knows that someday it will disappear before anyone is aware of it.‎ Suddenly one morning, the Glenu that was there had vanished. Even the day before yesterday, wild swans were swimming through the sea between Zeeland and Glenu, sailing boats were passing by smoothly, people were riding horse carriages which splashed water and went to Glenu, but one day Glenu vanished forever.‎ When you travel far away from Holstein for 10 years and come back, forests may be surrounded by an open and green plain, and you may smell the hay. You may doubt your eyes looking at where you are and the houses that you've never seen before.‎ Holstein castle will still be glittering its golden spire, but the castle will look as if it moved 1 mile to the inland. You will reach the shore crossing forests and fields, but there is no island in your sight but a boundless ocean, you will ask yourself this,‎ ‎"Did Benu finally take Glenu? One night, did the rainstorm that shakes the sky and earth really move Holstein castle 1 mile inland?" However, the rainstorms will never arise, and this will happen at noon in bright sunlight.‎ It will be men who will build banks around Glenu, linking Glenu and Zeeland draining the sea. And then, they will turn the place into a rich plain As the legend says, even though Glenu will vanish, Zeeland will be broader. It is not Benu that will take Glenu away, but it is Zeeland that will hold Glenu with its long and wide bank.‎ ‎57 The Toy Soldier Some toy soldiers made of brass were standing on a shelf of a toy shop. One of them had only one leg.‎ The Toy Soldier The shop had also a castle made of paper. A beautiful paper ballerina stood in front of the castle gate.‎ The toy soldier with one-leg loved the ballerina. He wanted to dance with her, but he couldn't ask her because he only had one leg.‎ One day, a little girl bought the ballerina and took her to her house. The toy soldier was so sad. That night, the wind blew very hard. The toy soldier fell down to the street because of the wind. Some naughty boys found the toy soldier.‎ ‎"Look at him! This toy soldier has only one leg. Let's throw him into the river." The boys threw him in the river. When the toy soldier was drifting down the river, a big fish came over and swallowed him in its mouth.‎ After a while, the fish was caught by a fisherman's rod. He sold the fish to a woman. She cut the fish while preparing dinner after she came back home. She found the toy soldier inside of the fish. The woman was surprised. "Oh, what is this?" She gave him to her daughter.‎ The girl took him to her room. At that moment, the toy soldier saw the beautiful paper ballerina. "Toy soldier, How did you come to this house?" They were so happy to meet again. The Ballerina said, "Frankly speaking, I like you. Stay here with me forever."‎ The toy soldier was so happy when he heard that. But the naughty girl thought the toy soldier and the ballerina didn't make a good match.‎ ‎"Oh, I hate the ugly toy soldier!" She threw him in to the fireplace. Flames were all over his body. "Good-bye, Ballerina!"‎ At that moment, the wind blew and took the paper ballerina to the fireplace, too. The toy soldier and the ballerina were burned together.‎ The next morning, the woman found a heart-shaped piece of brass in the fireplace. It was the symbol of the toy soldier's and the ballerina's love.‎ ‎58 The Birth Of Poetry And Art When Adam and Eve were expelled from Eden, there was an incident when the flames of a blazing sword of an angel, who had sent them away, burned a birds' nest.‎ The birds were all burned to death, but a new bird was born from one of the ruddily heated eggs. This means that the unique 'Phoenix' was born.‎ The phoenix builds its nest in Arabia, and there is a myth that it set fire to its own nest once every 100 years. Among those ruddy eggs heated by the fire, a new Phoenix comes to be born again.‎ The phoenix flies as fast as a ray of light, its feathers are of dazzling beauty, and the sound of its voice is very sweet.‎ When a mother sits next to her baby's cradle and dandles the baby, the Phoenix comes down to the baby's pillow, and the glaring feathers of Phoenix make a halo around the baby's head. The phoenix flies around rooms of poor people, sprinkles sunshine, and carries the fragrance of violets into the rooms.‎ The phoenix stays not only in Arabia but it flies around the far North Pole, broad field, above the rivers where the sunshine falls in coal mines and in our front yards where beautiful flowers bloom.‎ On the carriage of the Greek tragic poet, Thespis, the Phoenix became a talkative crow, for the troubadours of Island it played the harp disguised as a swan, and on the shoulder of Shakespeare the phoenix whispered "eternity" as it was the Odin's crow.‎ The phoenix sang beautiful songs, and people kissed its shining fallen feathers from its wings. Even though the Phoenix came from glorious Paradise, people may not see the Phoenix because they are busy with seeing sparrows.‎ The bird of the Paradise! Born once every 100 years, dies in flames! When it was born under the tree of wisdom in the garden of the Paradise, God kissed the Phoenix and gave him a name. That was "Poetry and Art".‎ ‎59 A Princess and the Green Pea A long time ago, there was a prince of a country. When he grew old enough to marry, he decided to find a princess who was going to be his queen. So he started to travel all around the world.‎ The prince visited many countries and searched for a beautiful and kind princess, but no princess seemed good enough to be his ‎ bride. "There is no great princess in this world." He was disappointed and went back to his country spiritlessly.‎ One day, there was a frightening night of thunder, lightning, and very severe rainstorms. Suddenly, someone knocked on the door of the castle. "Who is it in the middle of this stormy night?" The king went out his room and opened the door by himself curiously. A girl in shabby clothes was standing in front of the door. Even though she looked tired from the severe rainstorm and the strong winds, she was beautiful and looked clever.‎ She was soaking wet with rain. "I am a princess of your neighboring country, but I got lost. Could you please let me stay in your castle tonight." She asked him politely. The king was surprised to hear that the shabby girl was a princess, and he allowed her to stay in his castle out of pity.‎ But the queen thought the girl was lying. 'Is the girl with those shabby clothes a princess? I am sure she is not a princess, but let her stay here with us tonight for the moment.'‎ The queen thought to herself like this and went into a guest's room. She took all the sheets off the bed, and put a grain of a green pea on the bed. Then, she covered the bed with twenty layers of blankets and another twenty layers of soft bird feather blankets. The girl fell asleep in that bed.‎ The next morning, the queen asked the girl, "Did you sleep well last night?" Then, she answered, "I appreciate your kindness, but there was something under the blankets. It hurt me so much I could hardly sleep last night."‎ The queen was surprised at what she heard, and she thought that the girl must be a great princess. If the girl was so sensitive that she could not sleep well because of a green pea even under many blankets and soft bird feather blankets, she must be a noble princess. They found the noble princess accidentally. The prince was happy when he heard the story.‎ The prince made the princess his wife. The green pea was displayed in a museum. If someone had not taken the pea away, maybe we could have seen the pea in the museum.‎ ‎60 The Angel When a good kid dies, an angel with white wings comes down from the sky. The angel embraces the kid, and flies around everywhere showing him beautiful things. She takes him to places where there are beautiful flowers and angels sing. The kid feels so happy in the angel's arms.‎ ‎"Sweet Heart, what kind of flower do you want to plant in the garden of Heaven?" The angel asked the kid. "Well, what do I plant?" The kid and the angel searched for good flowers for the garden of Heaven.‎ Under the angel and the boy, there was standing a delicate and beautiful rose bush. But a naughty boy was torturing the rose bush. "Angel, Let's plant the rose bush over there in the garden."‎ The angel kissed the good kid's head. "Yes, you are right. Let's bring the bush and plant it in the garden." The angel held the rose bush and the kid in her arms and tried to go back to the garden of heaven.‎ On the ground were piles of garbage and dust. Broken pieces of plates, an abandoned flowerpot and rootless wild flowers were all over the ground. The kid said, "Angel, let's take the wild flowers, too." The good kid embraced the wild flowers in his arms.‎ Then, the angel talked to him sadly, "A little boy who is very sick is living in the basement. He has been staying in his bed because of his sickness, since he was a little baby. He can not see any sunlight and has to stay in his room."‎ ‎"Angel, let's meet the boy before we go back to Heaven." The baby asked her. "What's wrong?" "You'll see."‎ The angel went to the small basement room with the kid, rose bush and the wild flower. The sick boy kept coughing in the dark room alone. "Ah! I wish I could walk and run outside, and I want to see the beautiful flowers too." He seemed dizzy and went back to his bed leaning on the wall.‎ ‎"Angel, can I give him this rose bush and the wild flowers? These are the only things I have." He asked the angel. "Then, what are we going to plant in the garden of Heaven?"‎ ‎"There are lots of beautiful flowers in the garden. The garden will still be beautiful without this rose bush and the wild flowers." The angel was impressed by the kid's warm heart. "Ok, Let's give these flowers to him."‎ The angel gave the sick boy bright sunlight and the cool breeze. And then she also planted the rose bush and the wild flowers. The sick boy cried for joy.‎ The angel and the kid went back to Heaven. The angel told the story about what had happened to God. "What a nice kid! I will give you a present." He gave him a pretty pair of white wings on his back. After that, the good kid became an angel.‎ ‎61 The Swans' Nest A long long time ago, there were swans. The swans flew to the plains. They were called 'Lombard'. Another group of swans flew to Byzantium, and they flocked to the Emperor's crown to protect it. The swans were just like a shield to guard the Emperor.‎ One day, there was a scream from France. The swans flew to France with flames hanging on their wings. The French people prayed to God for help. "Oh, God. Please protect us."‎ There was a Danish swan standing on the green plain next to the seashore with a crown on his head. The swan handed over his crown to England. At that time, some swans used to fly up to the sky. One of them made a beautiful song with a harp. The melody echoed around to far away. That's why the mountains of Norway are still beautiful.‎ Another swan hit a marble rock very hard. The marble rock broke into pieces. Then, a Goddess of Beauty came out of it. And the other swan hung the people's ideas in the air with ropes. Those ropes connected one country to another so that people's knowledge and ideas could spread to the rest of the world through the ropes.‎ God loves the swans' nest. The swans' nest never breaks apart even when giant birds fiercely attack it because the swans will fight back all together. After a long time passes, swans will fly up to the sky from their nest, and people will watch them fly. Their beautiful songs will echo around us continuously.‎ ‎62 The Thorny Road of Honor Every country has great and respectable people. They teach us about battle, glory and failure in life.‎ ‎"Know yourself." Socrates, who we all know, was held in contempt by many people. But he wanted to know a lot of things. Even now, he is respected by people.‎ ‎"The future is in the dark." The prophet 'Homer' always worried about the future, so his hair all turned white. After a while, his eyes went blind. But he is always remembered as the greatest prophet of history. Great men have always been produced continuously.‎ ‎"Have mercy on me. Please give me a penny" The great poet Camoniz was a beggar when he was young. But he has a magnificent monument of his own. If no one had given him money, he would have died from hunger.‎ There is another man to talk about. He stayed in prison for a long time. "I am not crazy!" He is the one who invented steam power, but he could not be recognized as a great man in his days. People said that he was crazy. The great inventor, Salomon Deco ended his life in a mental institution.‎ ‎"I have found a new continent." Famous Columbus found the new Continent, but he got arrested and died in chains.‎ ‎"Someday, you will find out about the new continent." He died in chains, but now he is very famous for his discovery of the American Continent.‎ ‎"The earth goes around the sun." Galileo knew the earth circles the sun, but he suffered from blindness and deafness.‎ ‎"Still, the earth goes around the sun." He told people the earth travels around the sun even though it got him in trouble. Everything has a painful thorny path. Tolerate and stand firm no matter what comes your way. The mere pain of the moment will turn into glory.‎ ‎63 The Old Tombstones There once was a wealthy family in a small town. One day, all the family got together in their living room. They were talking about an old stone in the garden. The children loved to get on the stone. Some young ladies stopped them from getting on the stone because it was a tombstone a long time ago.‎ The Old Tombstones ‎"That tombstone was from a monastery." "Oh my! It is for Mr. and Mrs. Preven."‎ They were the last people who were buried in the cemetery of the monastery. They were the oldest people in the town. People thought they were rich, but they lived simply. They were also nice people.‎ The couple was always sitting on the bench in front of their house. And they always gave people warm greetings. Everyone in the town just loved them. The old couple treated poor people very well too. They gave them food and clothes. But the wife passed away earlier than the husband.‎ The old man cried loudly out of sadness because life without his wife was so lonely. He was very happy when he got married. But now, his wife was dead, and he was too old. That is our life and destiny! Time is supposed to go by.‎ After a little while, their tombs were moved to a different resting place. Their tombstone was sold to people. That's why Preven and Marda's tombstone is in the family's garden.‎ Now, there is a road on the place where the old couple's graves were laying. But people forgot them a long time ago as everything is forgotten as time goes by. The tombstone glows under the moonlight.‎ ‎64 The Bell A church bell tolled and its echo reached the streets. The sound of the bell seemed to be from a forest.‎ The Bell The people thought the bell sounded strange and went into the forest to find the bell. One day, the king said to his people, "Anyone who finds out where the sound of the bell comes from, I will give a high position."‎ A lot of people went into the forest. No one could find out where it came from. Then, one man found where the sound came from. It came when a giant owl hit its body against a tree. But he didn't know which tree it was.‎ He got a prize from the king, but nothing had changed. One day, a group of children went into the forest. They all wanted to find the sound of the bell.‎ All the children went into the forest, but three children didn't. After a short while, some of them were exhausted. Many of them went back to the town. The rest of the children in the forest said, "We've been searching everywhere, but there is no 'bell'." ‎ At that moment, a bell sound came from deep in the forest. They went deeper into the woods. Then, they heard water flowing. "Hey! What do you think is that sound?‎ The boys were all curious about the sound. "No, this is not the sound we heard." One of the boys answered. He was a prince. The rest of them all went back to town. The prince started to go into the forest all by himself from then on.‎ But one day, a poor boy came up in front of him. "I'll go with you. But I can't walk as fast as you, because of my wooden shoes." The poor boy walked toward the forest. The prince walked as fast as the poor boy did. "I will find the bell in the end!"‎ Around sunset, the forest became peaceful and quiet. The prince went deeper in to the woods. He climbed up a cliff. He got to the top of it before sunset. He looked down at the broad sea. It was very beautiful.‎ Then, the tune of the forest came from somewhere. He also could hear the tune of the sea. He stretched his arms toward the sky, sea and forest. As soon as the poor boy held the prince's hand, the holy sound of the bell echoed all around.‎ ‎65 The Silent Book A long time ago, there was a farmhouse. A casket was under the tree in the garden. Since no one lived in the house, nobody felt sad.‎ There was a thick book as well as a dead body inside of the casket. Many kinds of flowers and plants were put in the book. One day, a young traveler heard about the dead man's story from an old farmer. "He was a student from Sweden."‎ ‎"He could speak foreign languages and write poems. He was smart, but suddenly, he lost his talent. That's why he came to this ranch. He sat down and thought about something everyday. Sometimes he read, and cried. Before he died, he asked me a favor."‎ ‎"What did he ask you?" "To put a book in his casket. That poor boy has a sweet sleep forever in the casket now."‎ The young traveler saw the dead student's face. "He looks so peaceful. Maybe he is happy now." "I don't know why his old pen pals don't come over here to see him." "Maybe they are all just busy."‎ ‎"He used to think for a long time reading the old letters. His friends are all gone, and he is alone now. What a pity!"‎ ‎"Anyway, what are those leaves in the book?" "I have no idea." The leaves were still in the book, but the friendship was gone.‎ ‎"There are white flowers." "The dead student pulled the flowers up for himself. His tears are still in the flower." "There are nettles, trumpet honeysuckle and even lilies! Wow, those are a lot of flowers!"‎ ‎"Every single flower has the student's memory. But now, it is just a memory of the past." Soon, a woodworker came to cover the casket. Dead men always keep silent leaving their secrets behind them.‎ ‎66 A Cheerful Temper A long time ago, there was a young man named Billy. Billy inherited the warm and good characteristics of his father. "My father had such a good personality. He was the horse-keeper of a funeral carriage."‎ ‎"No matter how hard the work was, he always smiled. I got the habit of visiting the church cemetery from my father and of reading the newspaper, too."‎ ‎"He said reading the newspaper would help my studying a lot. Sometimes, I take a walk to the church cemetery by myself. I learned a lot from my father." One day, he saw a tombstone while he was walking down to the church cemetery. "The man who was buried right here was miserable before he died."‎ ‎"Even though he had a good job and made enough money for living, he got angry easily. Maybe he was too narrow- minded. For all of his entire life, he worried and got angry, then he was buried here." Billy went to another grave and saw another tombstone.‎ ‎"This man right here was happy before he died, I guess. He was from a good family of high class. He spent his life enjoying everyday." Billy got close to the other grave and saw its tombstone.‎ ‎"The man under this tombstone makes me sad. He spent all of his life hoping to come up with one extraordinary idea. One day, when he had the wonderful idea, he died from the shock. Maybe he is not resting peacefully even now."‎ Next, he came to another grave and saw the tombstone. "A very stingy woman lies in this grave. She used to tell her neighbor that she was raising a cat, but she just made the noise of a cat 'Mew, mew'. Maybe she was the stingiest woman."‎ He stopped in front of another tombstone and looked down. "In this grave, a young lady from a good family lies. She used to sing a song whenever she was at a party, but she sang the same song every time." He walked to the next grave.‎ ‎"There is a widow here. She always said good things with her mouth, but she said bad things in her mind. She used to visit from house to house and say bad things about her friends and neighbors."‎ ‎"Whoever was buried and stayed in their own caskets without moving a finger, then, they will be born again with good personalities. Some day, when the time to end my life comes, I will write down this on my tombstone, 'A Man with Good Personality'."‎ ‎67 THE STRAW, CHARCOAL AND THE PEA A long time ago there lived a poor grandmother. “Today, I will make a dish out of peas.” Grandmother prepared to light the oven furnace with firewood and straw. “Ouch, Ouch” “Oh my goodness.” As soon as the peas were poured into the pot, each one cried out.‎ Just then, when the grandmother wasn’t looking one pea jumped out of the pot and rolled in front the straw. “Whew! I made it. But where am I?” The pea whispered to himself.‎ Right about then, a lump of charcoal that was burning in the furnace made a small cry and flew out. “Gosh! This is hard” The charcoal squinted his eyes and wiped his sweat away.‎ The straw first questioned the pea. “Pea, how did you get here?” “From grandmother’s pot, just as the fire was being lite up to cook me and my friends, I ran away” The pea proudly boasted.‎ Next, the straw asked the charcoal. “How did you get here?” “With all my strength from the pot, I just barely got out.” Charcoal replied weakly.‎ When the straw heard this, he poured out his heart too. “My fate is similar to yours too. All my brothers went into the fire, but luckily I slipped out through the fingers.” “Oh I see!” “Really?” The pea and the charcoal each said a word and nodded.‎ Charcoal said in a worried voice. “What should we do now?” “Since, we all escaped luckily let us live together in this strange land.”‎ In hearing pea, charcoal and straw thought for a moment. “What should we do?” “I think we should do what the pea said.” So, the pea, charcoal and the straw decided to leave that place.‎ It hadn’t been long since they left when they came across a stream. “How can we cross the stream?” “There’s no stepping stone, if only there were some logs.? “We can’t go back, can’t there be a better way?” They stared at one another and worried.‎ A little while later, the straw thought of a good idea. “Since my body is light and long, if I lie down and stretch myself across the stream you guys can cross.” “Will it be alright?” “We will have to see.” On the one hand, pea and charcoal couldn’t help in worrying.‎ The straw laid across the stream. “Hurry! You must cross quickly. If you stay in one place too long, I could catch on fire.” Charcoal quickly began crossing over the straw.‎ But, as charcoal was crossing, he looked down. “I'm scared! Oh what should I doΑ” Charcoal could no longer move. “Hurry up and cross!” Straw said with all his might.‎ However, just at that moment, from the charcoal the straw caught on fire. “Oh no!” The straw broke in two and fell into the stream. “Ahh!” At the same time, charcoal fell into the water.‎ Pea, who was watching this scene, couldn’t help laughing. “Ha Ha Ha” “Ha Ha Ha” The pea laughed so hard that he broke in two. “Oh no, I’m dying”‎ Luckily just then, a tailor was crossing the bridge. “I will rest here for a while.” “Help me” the tailor heard a faint voice and found the split pea.‎ The sympathetic tailor sewed the split pea back together, “You are lucky that I’m a tailor.” “I’m really fortunate.” As the tailor was finishing up sewing the pea, the pea said gratefully.‎ The pea thanked the tailor. “Thank you very much.” “But, because the thread is black there will be a mark.” Just like the tailor said, since then there was a black mark down the middle of the pea.‎ ‎68 The Frog Prince A long time ago, in a far away land there lived a princess. The princess was the most prettiest, from the time she was a baby anyone who saw her admired her appearance.‎ On one special day, "Princess, the neighboring country sent this gold ball to you. The King has sent this golden ball to you princess. This is the only gold ball in the world."‎ The princess thought that she was the most beautiful person in the world. So she disliked anything that was ugly and only liked what looked pretty and tasted good.‎ The princess who had no friends always played alone on the palace lawn with her ball. "If only I had a friend to play with this ball, how nice it would be." Since she was so lonely she talked to herself. "Play ball with me."‎ The princess looked over to where the voice came from. There was nobody there. "Who is it?" "Would you like to play ball with me?"‎ The only thing that the princess discovered was a ugly frog who lived in the palace well. The most ugliest and dirtiest frog appeared in front of the princess. "The most beautiful princess, I will be happy to play with you."‎ ‎"My goodness, how can this ugly frog think of playing ball with me?" The princess went into the palace angrily. The frog was left alone once again.‎ One day, while the princess was playing with her gold ball it fell into the well. Because the well was so dark, the gold ball couldn't be seen. So, the princess sat down with a thud and began to cry. Just then, the ugly frog appeared.‎ ‎"Why are you crying, princess?" "My gold ball fell into your well." "I will get your gold ball, if you let me stay and live by your side?" Even though she did not like the ugly frog, she wanted her gold ball back.‎ With the help of the frog, the princess was able to get her ball back. "Princess, let me live with you." "Hyump! An ugly frog like you, I don't even want to see you." "But, you promised me." Still the frog kept following the princess.‎ When the princess was having her meal the frog ate beside her. Even when she tucked herself in bed the frog slept beside her. However, the princess disliked living with the ugly frog.‎ Several days later, the princess became so angry that she threw the ugly frog on the ground. However, instead of the ugly frog a handsome prince was standing before her. "My savior, would you marry me?" The most beautiful princess was able to marry the most handsome prince.‎ ‎69 Cinderella There once lived a cute lovable girl named Cinderella. But one day a misfortune came upon her. Cinderella's mother was ill and soon died. Every day Cinderella cried so sadly.‎ ‎"Cinderella, Cinderella don't cry" Father, comforted her and comforted her. But, because Cinderella missed her mother so much she cried every day. "Cinderella please don't cry. Soon your stepmother will be arriving."‎ The stepmother brought with her two daughters. Cinderella was happy to have a new stepmother and stepsisters. However, it wasn't for long, for Father soon had to leave on a far away trip. "Pretty Cinderella, listen to your stepmother and stepsisters." Cinderella promised her father that she would.‎ Everyday, while the lazy, ugly stepsisters played they teased Cinderella. Cinderella always stayed up late cleaning and washing the laundry. "Cinderella! Clean my shoes." Cinderella always wore tattered clothes and worked all day doing housework.‎ One day, an invitation came from the royal palace. "Mother, the prince is having a ball in finding a bride." Stepmother and stepsisters were in a commotion is choosing there clothes for the ball.‎ ‎"Until we get back clean the house and have the laundry washed spotlessly." The powered and dressed up stepmother and stepsisters left for the ball. "Oh! How I wish to go to the ball too." Cinderella left all alone began to cry.‎ All of a sudden the room became bright and a fairy godmother appeared. "Pretty Cinderella why are you crying?" "I want to go to the ball too. But, there's so much to do and I have nothing to wear"‎ ‎"Don't worry Cinderella." As soon as the fairy godmother waved her magic wand, the housework that the stepmother asked was finished. And as soon as the tattered clothes were touched by the magic wand it changed into a splendid dress. And on her feet a pair of lovely glass slippers.‎ ‎"Once the clock strikes twelve the spell will be broken. Don't forget and come before then." As soon as Cinderella arrived at the ball everyone's eyes starred at her. "Ah! Who can that lovely girl be?" The prince asked Cinderella to dance. The two danced happily.‎ The clock began to strike twelve. The startled Cinderella ran out of the ballroom. She left the ball so quickly that she lost one of her glass slippers. As soon as she came out of the palace the spell was broken. Cinderella went back home with one of her glass slippers.‎ The prince could not forget the girl who left the ball so quickly. So, the prince searched house by house to find the girl who would fit the glass slipper. However, there was no girl who was able to fit the glass slipper. Finally, he came to Cinderella's house.‎ The stepsisters fought over the glass slipper and tried it on. Both had big feet and did not fit the shoe. The prince was very disappointed.‎ ‎"I will try on the glass slipper." Cinderella tried on the glass slipper. The shoe fit her perfectly. Cinderella took out the other glass slipper to put it on, "Ah! It was you." The prince and Cinderella went back to the palace and lived happily ever after.‎ ‎ 70 Rapunzel Once upon a time, there lived an old couple in a village. The old couple prayed every day that they might have a baby. One day, an old woman moved into the house next door. The Old woman raised lettuce that looked very tasty and delicious.‎ The old wife wanted to eat the lettuce from next door, and she constantly pestered her husband to let her eat that mouth-watering lettuce. "Dear, I want to have that lettuce." Without knowing what else to do, the husband crept next door and stole the old woman's lettuce.‎ However, the woman next door was a witch, and she noticed that the husband of her neighbor had stolen the lettuce. The witch said, "You dare to steal another's lettuce. You deserve to be punished." The husband said, "I am sorry, but my wife wants to have the lettuce very much."‎ The witch said, "Is that so? Then you can take as much as you want. But there is a condition." The husband asked, "What is it?" The witch said, "If a baby is born, you have to give me the child." After a while, his wife got pregnant and gave birth to a pretty girl. The witch swiftly crept off with the baby girl and disappeared into the forest.‎ She gave the name Rapunzel to the girl, and this child grew up fast to become a beautiful lady. Yet the witch was afraid of losing Rapunzel, so she locked her up in a tower.‎ ‎"Rapunzel, Rapunzel, please let down your golden hair." When Rapunzel dropped down her long hair, the witch would climb up in order to prevent Rapunzel from meeting other people.‎ One day, a Prince happened to pass by the tower. The Prince lost his heart to the beautiful singing voice of Rapunzel. "How can I climb up to the tower?" The Prince decided to wait under the tower until he saw an opportunity.‎ On the next day, the Prince saw that the witch climbed up to the tower on the lovely yellow hair of Rapunzel. After the witch left the tower, the Prince imitated the witch. He said, "Rapunzel, Rapunzel, please let down your golden hair." Then the long hair was dropped from the inside of the tower.‎ Upon seeing Rapunzel, the Prince fell instantly in love with her. He said, "You are the most beautiful lady in the world." Rapunzel also lost her heart to the handsome prince. The two lovers met each other every night, hiding from the eyes of the witch.‎ However one day, the witch found out about these secret meetings, cut off the hair of Rapunzel, and sent her to a desert. Then the witch dropped down the cut hair to the Prince, as he came to see Rapunzel. When the Prince climbed up the tower, holding the cut hair, the witch cast off the ladder sending the Prince crashing to the ground.‎ He fell heavily on the earth at the base of the tower and became blind. The Prince gained strength by wandering around the land in order to find Rapunzel, and finally met her in the heart of the desert. Rapunzel recognized the Prince at once. Upon realizing that the Prince had become blind, Rapunzel's eyes filled with tears, which trickled down into the eyes of the Prince.‎ At that moment, the Prince gained his eyesight again with the power of love. Then the two people returned to the royal palace and lived happily ever after.‎ ‎71 Mother Holle Once upon a time, there lived a widow with two daughters. One was a beautiful and diligent stepdaughter, and the other was her ugly and lazy real daughter.‎ One day, the stepdaughter broke the mirror of her stepmother while cleaning the house. "Oh, no! What can I do?" The stepdaughter shed frightened tears thinking of the angry face of her stepmother. Then a strange sound came from the inside of the broken mirror.‎ ‎"Please come in. You may come in." The stepdaughter peeped hesitantly into the mirror, at which moment the girl lost her wits in the glare of the shining light.‎ ‎"Ah, where am I?" When she came to her senses, she was standing in a garden filled with shining sunlight and beautiful flowers. The girl kept walking dreamily among the flowers.‎ After a while, pieces of bread shouted out to the girl from a hot oven. "Wow! It's hot! It's too hot. Please take us from the oven." The girl took out all the pieces of bread from the oven despite the blazing heat, and kept walking.‎ ‎"My arms are painful as they hold something heavy. Please shake my arms." A tree with apples hung in thick clusters begged the girl, crying, "My apples are fully ripened and are ready to eat. Please shake my arms by all means."‎ The girl stopped walking and shook the apple tree. The fruit dropped down from the apple tree as if it were raining. The girl collected all the apples that fell down.‎ Finally, she arrived at a small inn. The girl knocked on the door carefully saying, "Knock--knock! Is there anyone here?" Suddenly, the door was flung wide open, and an old lady appeared. The girl was frightened and tried to run away.‎ But the old lady said, "You don't have to be afraid of me. Would you like to live with me? You only have to shake off my bedding cleanly like flying feathers. Then the feathers will become the snow which is fallen on the ground. I am Mother Holle."‎ The girl did the housekeeping work very hard, and the bedding was shaken off with flying feathers like snowflakes. And although the old lady treated the girl very nicely, one day the child dropped tears saying, "I want to go home. I miss my stepmother and stepsister." The girl begged the old lady saying, "Dear Grandmother, please let me go home." The old lady then said smiling at her, "All right, you have indeed worked hard until now. I will let you go home."‎ The old lady stood in front of the mirror holding her hands, and said, "Pretty Girl, you may find your way home after you pass through this mirror. And you can take these with you as you have worked hard." At that moment, gold and silver money and valuables were showered down into the breast of the girl from heaven. The grateful child said, "Thank you, Grandmother." Finally, she arrived back at home.‎ ‎"Mother, Mother!" The stepmother was surprised to see the girl bringing in a great load of gold and silver money and valuables. The girl told her what happened, and upon hearing the story, the stepmother believed that her real daughter might have such luck as well.‎ The stepmother deliberately broke the mirror which was held by her real daughter. There was a sound from the mirror saying, "Please come in. You may come in." The stepmother pushed her rather ugly and lazy real daughter into the mirror. She also happened to walk among the fields like her younger sister.‎ Pieces of bread shouted out to her from an oven saying, "Wow! It's hot. It's too hot. Please take us out of the oven." But the girl kept walking saying, "Hum! I am busy. And I may get hurt if I touch hot pieces of bread." A crying apple tree begged her, and saying, "My arms are too painful. Please shake my arms." But the girl kept walking again saying, "It is indeed troublesome. I don't want to have any fruit like an apple."‎ Finally, an inn appeared. "Ah, this is the place!" The door was open, and an old lady appeared saying, "It is good to have someone to work for me. All you have to do is to shake off my bedding." The girl agreed to do so, but was tired of working ‎ after one or two days.‎ The girl spent every day idly without working hard to shake off the bedding. The threshing old lady was not satisfied with the lazy girl. Then she said, "My Girl, you may stop working for me and return home. Here is the compensation for your work."‎ Gladly, the girl waited for gold and silver money and valuables in front of the mirror. "Mother, Mother!" The lazy girl called to her mother. Upon seeing her daughter returned home, the mother of the girl shouted in dismay. "Oh, no!" There were all sorts of dirty insects and worms attached to the body of the lazy girl, who was forced to live with those dirty insects and worms attached to her body all her life.‎ ‎72 The Singing Bone There was a land that had a big concern, because of a wild boar that was digging up the field biting people and killing them.‎ The Singing Bone ‎"This is a terrible thing. Everyday the people are shaking in fear." The king walked around the room here and there, everyday. "I will give a big reward for the person who catches the boar." However, the boar had such a big body and was so wild that no one dared to go near it.‎ At the same time, the King announced that whoever caught the boar would marry his daughter. Slowly people began to gather.‎ Even two poor brothers were willing to try this dangerous job. The sneaky and money making older brother said, "I will catch it and marry the princess." The kind and friendly younger brother said, "If I can get rid of the people's worry, then I will try." ‎ The two brothers went their separate ways to catch the boar. "Brother, be careful!" The younger brother was concerned for his older brother. However, the older brother did not even listen and went into the forest.‎ The younger brother did not go far. When he found a dwarf who's beard was caught in a tree branch. "Please help me. I can't get up, because my beard is stuck." The younger brother quickly brought down the dwarf from the tree.‎ ‎"Thank you. You have truly a kind heart. Take this net. When the boar appears, throw it at him right away." The younger brother thanked the dwarf. He carried the net and walked into the forest looking for the boar.‎ ‎"Roar!" When the boar saw the younger brother, it ran to him with great power. The younger brother threw the net that was on his shoulder, at the boar.‎ The boar that was running forward, got cut from the sharp net and his head split into two. The younger brother tied the boar onto his shoulders and headed for the castle.‎ Meanwhile, the older brother that went in the opposite direction found a drinking house in the forest. "Alright, I will have a drink here and work up my courage." Just then, across from him, he saw his younger brother coming out carrying the boar. "My goodness, how did he." The greedy brother was boiling with rage.‎ ‎"Little brother, come on in over here. Since you have caught the boar, have a drink of wine and rest." Without suspecting anything, the little brother drank the wine.‎ ‎"Big brother! Let's go to the castle and share this happiness." The little brother, being so tired, fell asleep after drinking the wine.‎ The older brother was jealous of his little brother for catching the boar. The older brother dragged the sleeping younger brother and threw him below the bridge, where he died.‎ And pretending that he had caught the boar, he tied it onto his shoulders and went to the king.‎ ‎"You are truly a great young man. As I promised I will make you my son-in-law." The older brother became the king's son-in-law.‎ After a few years a shepherd was walking below the bridge when he saw a bone that was white as snow. "I will make a flute with that bone." The shepherd took the bone and made a magnificent flute. However, before the shepherd had a chance to play it, the flute started to play on its own.‎ ‎"Listen people, listen people. Listen to my song. Long time ago, my older brother killed me and threw me under the bridge. Then he took the boar that I had caught and married the princess." The song caused pain to the hearts of the people.‎ ‎"This is a very strange flute." The shepherd took the strange flute to the king. In front of the king, the flute sang again. After hearing the words of the song, the king went under that bridge and dug up the ground. Inside, the bones of the younger brother was there.‎ ‎"Go and capture that man." The king ordered the capture of the older brother. "A brave young man has died for no good ‎ reason!" The king mourned the death of the younger brother and buried his bones in a sunny place.‎ ‎73 The Little Elves Long time ago, there lived a very poor shoemaker. Because the old man was so poor, he had enough leather to make only one pair of shoes. Still, the very understanding old man never complained. "Tomorrow morning, let's make one pair of shoes with a cheerful heart."‎ The Little Elves After the old man cleaned and prepared the leather that he was going to work on the next day, he placed it on the worktable and went to sleep. The next day, it was morning. The old man was very surprised. "Oh, where did this beautiful shoes come from?" On top of the worktable, the leather was gone, instead a pair of shoes that had been made with a lot of effort was there.‎ A little later, a customer came into the store. "I saw from the outside window the very beautiful shoes. Please, sell the shoes to me." The customer showed such a great desire to buy the shoes that he bought it for much more than the normal price. With that money, the old man bought enough leather to make four pairs of shoes.‎ ‎"Dear, Lord thank you very much." The old man prayed with a grateful heart. "Tomorrow, let's wake up with a fresh feeling and make some beautiful shoes." However, there was no need to. When the old man woke up from his sleep, the shoes were already made.‎ Because the shoes were so beautiful, all four pairs were sold at a very expensive price. This kept happening all the time. At night, the leather would be carefully prepared, placed on top of the worktable and he would go to sleep. The next morning, a well tailored made shoes would be on top of the worktable.‎ The old man quickly became rich. Whenever the old man saw his neighbors or a poor person, he would help them as if it was his own work and lived happily. It was a few nights before Christmas. After the old man finished preparing the leather and before going to bed, he said to his wife,‎ ‎"Tonight, let's stay awake through the night. Then we can see the person who is helping us." The old woman, too, was very curious as to who was helping them all this time. "Okay. Let's hide and see."‎ The old man and the old woman hid behind the closet and watched the workshop table. How much time could have past. Little naked elves started to go up the worktable one by one. "Hurry, Let's Hurry." The little elves were singing as they started to work.‎ ‎"Cut and sew. Cut and sew." "Let's make wonderful shoes and give it to the old man." "We are little elves! We are kind elves that help kind people."‎ The little elves were singing happily as they made beautiful shoes. With little fingers, they skillfully pierced and sewed with a needle and banged with the hammer. The old man and the old woman were so shocked that they could not believe their eyes. The elves, without resting for a second, worked hard and finished making the shoes. When the sun was rising, they quickly hid themselves.‎ ‎"Because of those little elves, we became rich." "We must show them our gratitude." In a rush, the old woman found some leather. "The elves weren't wearing any clothes. How cold they must be. Let's make the elves some pants and shirts." "That's a good idea."‎ The old man and the old woman devotedly made the clothes for the elves. When it was night, the old man and the old woman placed on top of the worktable clothes, instead of the leather. In the middle of the night, the elves came out and discovered their clothes. "What fabulous clothes." "Yes, they are." Each of the elves put on their clothes and were very happy. They disappeared as they sang. After that, the old man and the old woman continued to work hard and lived even more happily.‎ ‎74 Hansel and Gretel Once upon a time, there lived in a village a lovely brother and sister called Hansel and Gretel. But their stepmother did not like them at all. The morning of one day, their stepmother said to the children, "Let's go to the forest to pick some fruit."‎ The older brother Hansel marked his way by dropping white pebbles, without letting his stepmother know. When they reached ‎ a deep forest, their stepmother had the children work. And she stealthily crept away from them and out of the forest.‎ Total darkness surrounded the children after they had worked for some time, and the day grew to a close. Then Hansel saw the shining pebbles in white along the trail of the dark mountain. The children came home by looking at the pebbles Hansel had cast.‎ After a few days, their stepmother suggested to the children that they again go pick fruit. Hansel marked his way by dropping the pieces of bread that remained from breakfast in the morning. When they arrived at the deep forest, their stepmother ran away in secret again.‎ When night fell, Hansel tried to find the pieces of bread he had dropped down on the road. But the pieces of bread had been eaten up by the birds and were not to be found. The children suddenly began to be afraid.‎ Hansel and Gretel wandered around the forest for some time. "Brother, there is a house." Gretel shouted. They came near the house, and found that it was made entirely of cookies and candies. The children were so hungry and fell upon the walls of the house with great appetite.‎ At that time, a dreadful hag appeared. Upon seeing the children, she thought that, 'I am going to eat them up after they become fat.' The hag pretended to be friendly to the brother and sister, saying, "Little children, live with me. Then I will give you many things to eat."‎ But she locked up Hansel in a prison and had Gretel work hard. She gave a large amount of cookies and candies to Hansel every day in order to eat him after he became fat. However, the hag had weak eyesight and was unable to see well.‎ ‎"Dear Hansel, please stick out your finger." Every time Hansel would stick out chicken bone through the bars of his cage. The hag was very angry and shouted, "Why you don't get fat soon? You must eat a lot in order to be fat."‎ Gretel knew that the like of her brother was in danger. Gretel said to the hag, "Please see if the fire in the stove is burning well. My eyesight is weak, and I am unable to see well."‎ The hag said, "You foolish girl! Can't you even do that? You shall not eat anything today, either!" The hag looked in the stove. At that moment, Gretel forcefully pushed the hag into the stove and closed the door.‎ When the hag was burnt and dead, Gretel saved Hansel and they escaped from the witch's cottage. The children wandered around for several days to find their house, eating the cookies they brought from the gingerbread house. When they returned home they found that their stepmother had run away, but their father greeted them with delight. Thereafter, Hansel and Gretel lived happily with their father.‎ ‎75 The Little Red Riding Hood A long time ago, in a little town, there lived a little girl name Little Red Riding Hood. The red hat that her grandmother had made for her looked so nice on her, that everyone called her by that name. One day, the grandmother was sick, so she went to visit her. "Little Red Riding Hood, grandmother is sick, so go and give this to her. You must not go wandering."‎ At the entrance of the woods, a wolf appeared. "Little Red Riding Hood, Where are you going?" "I'm going to visit my grandmother." "Is your grandmother sick?" "Yes."‎ The wolf thought to himself. 'I'll eat the grandmother and Little Red, at the same time.' The wolf spoke kindly. "Are you taking flowers? Your sick grandmother will be very happy to receive flowers from you."‎ Little Red Riding Hood did not go straight to her grandmother's house. She was busy picking flowers for her grandmother. She had quickly forgotten that her mother had told her to not wander elsewhere. After seeing Little Red picking flowers, the wolf went quickly to grandmother's house.‎ The wolf talked like the voice of Little Red Riding Hood. "Grandmother, it's me Little Red Riding Hood. I heard you were sick, so I came to see you. Please open the door." As soon as the door was opened, the wolf swallowed the grandmother with one big bite.‎ After changing into grandmother's clothes, the wolf laid in bed waiting for Little Red Riding Hood. "Where should I hide and wait? That's it! If I change myself as the grandmother, Little Red Riding Hood will think that I am her and will come close to me. Then I'll eat her with one bite."‎ Finally, Little Red Riding Hood arrived. "Grandmother, I'm here." With flowers in her hands, she went in. However, grandmother was laying in bed covered with a blanket. Little Red Riding Hood went near the grandmother.‎ However, a big ear was sticking out of the side of grandmother's hat. "Grandmother, grandmother! Why is your ear so big?" "So, I can hear your voice better with." The wolf that pretended as the grandmother answered kindly.‎ ‎"Grandmother, why are your eyes so big?" "So I can see your cute face better with." "Grandmother, why is your hand so big?" "So I can hold you better with."‎ ‎"Then why is your mouth so big?" "So I can easily eat you with." After saying that, the wolf swallowed Little Red with one bite.‎ The wolf that had eaten up Little Red Riding Hood and the grandmother suddenly became sleepy. "Since I'm full, should I get some sleep before I go?" The wolf began to snore and fall deep in sleep. Then, a hunter that was out hunting came to grandmother's house to get some water. He saw the big wolf sleeping on the bed. However, the wolf was sleeping away.‎ Somewhere, a human's voice could be heard. "Help me. Inside the wolf's stomach is a person." The hunter found scissors and cut open the wolf's stomach. Little Red Riding Hood and the grandmother came out of the stomach. "Yea! I'm alive! Thank you!" They thanked the hunter. Then, what could have happened to the wolf?‎ ‎76 The Singing Lark A long time ago, there once lived a father who had three daughters. One day, before he left for a long journey, he said to his daughters, "When I come back what gifts should I bring back for you?" The eldest daughter wanted pearls and the second daughter wanted diamonds. However the youngest daughter wanted a singing lark.‎ The Singing Lark Father promised to bring back the gifts and left for his journey. Several months later, Father had finished his journey and returned. He brought back the eldest and the second daughter's presents, but he was not able to get his youngest daughter's gift. And because he loved his youngest daughter the most, he felt very sad.‎ One day as he was resting in the forest, there up on the big tree he saw a singing lark. He went up the tree to get the singing lark. All of a sudden, a lion came and said, "Who came to take away my singing lark?"‎ ‎"If you wish to take this bird, when I go to your house, give me the first thing that comes running out. Can you promise me?" Father was worried that his youngest daughter would come out, but because he was afraid of the lion he gave his word to the lion. ‎ When he arrived, as expected, the youngest daughter came running out without even putting on her shoes. Father told the youngest daughter the whole truth. The youngest daughter consoled her father and said, she would try to persuade the lion.‎ As soon as she arrived, the lion turned into a prince. The prince was cast upon a spell, during the day he was a lion and at night he lived as a prince.‎ She married the prince. They also had children. Soon afterward, a few days later, a message came that her second sister was getting married. The youngest wanted to go to the wedding with her prince. However, if the prince saw daylight he would be turned into a pigeon and fly around for seven years.‎ But, because his wife wanted to go together, he started for his journey. The wife was good at blocking away the sunlight. However, inside the church there was a hole in the window and one stream of sunlight came in.‎ So the prince turned into a pigeon and flew away. The wife for seven years searched for the pigeon.‎ She prayed to god to help her. "Dear god, please show me where he is." God replied that he was about to marry a princess from another country.‎ She then went into the castle secretly and whispered to the prince. "Prince, you are my husband. You must leave with me." All of a sudden the prince's spell was broken. The prince was under the terrible princess spell, and was just about to marry her.‎ The prince and his wife left for their own country. When they arrived home, their child had grown up quite a bit too. And they lived happily ever after for a long time.‎ ‎77 The Old Man and His Grandson A long time ago there lived a very old man. He was so old that he could not see or hear very well. He also could not walk very well, or eat very well for his hand shook. The old man's son and daughter in law thought he was a nuisance. So, they had him to eat his meals squatted in the corner, behind the stove.‎ They gave him very little to eat. The old man would have sad look on his face as he looked at his son and daughter in law's dinner table. One day the old man's hand shook so terribly that he dropped his dish on the floor. The daughter in law started ‎ lecturing and scolding. And from that day, his meals were served in a shabby dish.‎ Not long afterwards, the family was sitting having their dinner. When, their four year old grandson was sitting on the floor carefully laying out and checking each of branches. The father asked, "What are you doing?" "I am making a small barrel."‎ ‎"Why are you making it?" The son answered, "So that I can fill it with yours and mother's portion of food, when I grow up."‎ The old man's son and daughter in law looked at one another and without saying a word started weeping. The two quickly brought their old father to their dinner table. From that day on, the old man sat with the family when they had their meals. Even when the old man spilt his food here and there, the son and the daughter in law did not say a word.‎ ‎78 The Virgin Mary’s child A long time ago there lived a poor woodcutter and his wife. This couple had a daughter. However, they were so poor that they couldn’t even feed their daughter.‎ Then one day, while the woodcutter was chopping wood in the forest a beautiful Virgin Mary appeared. “Since you are living a hard life, why don’t you give me your daughter. I will take good care of her for you.” “Yes, I understand.” The Virgin Mary carried the child and went up into the heaven.‎ The child was able to eat delicious food, wear nice clothes, become friends with the angels and lived happily. When the child turned 14years olds, the Virgin Mary left for a long journey.‎ ‎“While I am gone take care of these 13 keys to heaven. Out of the 13 keys you may open 12 of them, however, you must never open the last key. If you open that door, unhappiness will come upon you." “Yes, I will keep in mind.”‎ As soon as the Virgin Mary left, the little girl started opening door by door. The little girl who had opened all the twelve doors wanted to open the last door as well. Just then her fingers turned into glimmering gold.‎ A little while later, Virgin Mary returned. When Virgin Mary saw the little girl’s finger, she knew that the little girl had not kept her promise. “Did you open the 13th door?” “No, I never opened it.” Virgin Mary wanted to give the little girl another chance and asked her two more times. However, the little girl kept lying.‎ The angry virgin Mary sent the little girl back to earth. When she woke up from her sleep she knew that she was sent to earth and started to cry. However, she was not able to make a sound.‎ The little girl lived in a oak tree in the forest. Then one day, a prince who was out hunting discovered the little girl. “Who are you?” The little girl could not answer.‎ Even though the little girl could not utter a word, because she was so beautiful the prince fell in love. And he married the little girl.‎ A year later the queen bore a son. That night the Virgin Mary went to the queen. “Confess that you opened the 13th door. If you don’t, I will take your son away.” “No, I never opened it.” So, the Virgin Mary took the child and ran away with it.‎ Afterward, the queen had another son and a daughter, but Virgin Mary took all of them to heaven. From the people, there was a rumor that the queen was a wicked witch. The queen wanted to tell them, but she could not speak.‎ Eventually, the queen was sentence to death. The queen was set upon the fire post. It was just then, that the queen's heart began to melt. The queen thought, “if only I had confessed that I had opened the door! All of a sudden, she was able to speak.‎ ‎“Yes, virgin Mary, I did open that door.” Just then, rain came pouring down from the sky and turned out the fire. And then the virgin Mary carried down the three children and spoke tenderly. “Whoever, confesses and repents their sins will be forgiven.” Afterwards, the queen lived happily for a very long time.‎ ‎79 The wolf and the fox A long time ago, a wolf and a fox lived together. However, because the wolf was stronger, the fox always did as the wolf commanded. The fox always wished to be free of the wolf.‎ Then one day, the wolf went to the farmhouse to eat some pancakes. The next day, the wolf wanted to eat the pancakes again. So, he once again went alone.‎ When the farmer heard the rustling sound, the farmer came and began hitting the wolf. The wolf came back limping and started venting out his angry to the fox. “It’s all because of you. Because of you my leg is broken.” The fox wanted to say otherwise but, kept to himself.‎ The next day the fox and the wolf went to the farmhouse. They ate beef at the butcher shop. The wolf ate greedily but the fox ‎ ate little by little, walking back and forth by an escape hole. With a rustling sound the owner came back. Just then the fox quickly escaped through the hole.‎ But unfortunately, the wolf ate so much that he became too fat to fit through the hole. “Fox, help me please.” However, the fox did not help and ran away alone into the forest. Eventually, the wolf died from getting hit by the farmer. When the fox found out that the bad wolf was gone, he gloated and went into the forest.‎ ‎80 The Bremen Music Band There was once an old horse that became so useless that his owner decided to sell him. When the horse found out he decided to run away to Bremen. The horse wanted to join the Bremen band. On his way the horse met an old dog. The horse asked the dog, "Looking at you, I'm sure your owner threw you out too. Why don't you go with me to join the Bremen band." "That's a good idea."‎ They left together for Bremen. One their way they met a cat and a hen. They all left together to go to Bremen. Just when the sun was about to go down they found a house in the forest. "There is a house over there. Let's go over there."‎ They looked inside the house. It was a house full of thieves. The four animals decided to throw out the thieves. For a long time they discussed and finally thought of a good idea. If the horse stood on his hind legs, the dog will clim on next then the cat will go on, and finally the hen will stand on the very top. And then each of them will yell from the top of their lung. "Neigh, neigh" "Bark, bark" "Meow, meow" "Cock a doodle doo"‎ At the same time, they crashed through the window and went inside. Already, the thieves were frightened by the terrible voice that they ran away into the forest. The animals ate the food that was set up on the table. "Let's go to sleep." When the thieves, who were crouched and hiding far away, couldn't hear anything. "Go over there and check it out!"‎ One thief went inside to light a candle. In the dark, he saw the cat's glowing eyes and yelled. The thief was startled and just as he was about to run out the back door, the dog bit his leg. And the horse with his hind legs kicked him hard. In this commotion, the hen who woke up startled, started yelling, "cock a doodle doo" loudly.‎ The thief went and told the leader. "There is a scary witch in the house." From that day on the thieves didn't even go near that house. The Bremen band lived there forever.‎ ‎81 The Lion and the Mouse Who Returned a Favor A cute baby mouse went on a picnic in the woods. At the same time, a lion was taking a nap in the warm sunlight. The baby mouse was alarmed to see the large lion taking a nap. 'Wow! Mr. Lion is bigger than I've heard!'‎ While gazing at the lion, the baby mouse happened to step on the lion's paw. Instantly, the lion opened his eyes and glared at the mouse. "What fool stepped on my foot?" Scared to death, the baby mouse shivered.‎ ‎"Mr. Lion, please forgive me." begged the baby mouse. However, the lion was very displeased that the little mouse stepped on his foot. "I'm sorry. Please, forgive me. If you spare my life, I will return a favor," said the mouse. "Huh! How can such a little creature like you return my favor?" snorted the lion.‎ The baby mouse mustered all his courage and said once again, "Mr. Lion, you will be in trouble someday and who knows who can help you?"‎ The lion was impressed by the little mouse's courage and said, "Well, well, well! Since I appreciate your courage, I'll forgive you. I will let you go." "Thank you, Mr. Lion!" The baby mouse hurriedly ran a way.‎ One day, the lion was proudly rambling around the forest and got trapped in a hunter's net. "I can't believe this! I got caught in a trap that humans set!'" The lion was very scared because he thought the hunters would come any minute.‎ The lion regretted that he came out to search for food. 'I should have stayed home.' The lion recklessly cried out, "Help! Help me!"‎ However, other animals could not help the lion because they were afraid that the hunters would come at any moment. Then, the little mouse who was living outside the forest came running after hearing the lion cry.‎ ‎"Mr. Lion, what happened?" "As you can see, I got caught in a trap that the hunters set. But, no one can help me," cried the lion. "Mr. Lion, can I help you?"‎ ‎"How can such a small creature like you help me?" The baby mouse began nibbling and nibbling. He did his best. Slowly, a few strings of the net broke off.‎ Finally, the lion was able to get out of the net. "Thank you, Little Mouse. How can I repay you?" "You forgave me last time," replied the mouse. The big lion thanked the little baby mouse with all his heart.‎ ‎82 The Fox Trapped in the Vineyard It was a sunny summer day. A fox was passing by a vineyard. Looking at the ripe grapes, the fox exclaimed, 'How delicious they must be!' The fox really wanted to taste the grapes.‎ So, the fox tried to go over the fence, but it was too high for him. Looking around, he found a small hole in the corner. "Ha, ha, ha! Thank God! I can go through the hole and eat as many grapes as I want!"‎ The fox put his head in the hole but his stomach was too big. "Ouch! Why didn't they make a larger hole?" complained the fox.‎ ‎'Why don't I starve myself for a few days. Then, my stomach will become slim enough for me to go through the hole.' Dreaming of eating delicious grapes, the fox starved for three days. The fox's stomach really became slim. "Well, I'd better go quickly into the vineyard!" he said.‎ The fox put his body through the hold in the fence. With such a slim stomach, the fox was able to easily pass through the hole. After getting inside the vineyard, the fox jumped up and down with joy. 'I am so clever.'‎ ‎.‎ The fox madly picked and ate the grapes from a vine in full bloom. "Umm! How tasty!"‎ Walking by the vineyard, a bear spotted the fox eating delicious grapes. "Fox! Fox!" called out the bear. "What's up?" carelessly replied the fox, as he was concentrating on eating grapes. "Can you give me some grapes? I am so hungry," begged the bear.‎ There were a lot of grapes left in the vineyard. However, the fox did not want to share the grapes. "No! I will eat them all. I starved for three days to get at these grapes."‎ The bear reluctantly walked away. The fox snorted at the bear. 'Hmm! Trying to eat grapes with just a word?'‎ The fox ate grapes until his stomach became swollen. 'I am too full. I cannot eat any more. I had better go home and take a nap.'‎ The fox put his head in the hole. But, what happened? His stomach is too bulky for him to get outside. "Yelp, yelp! Let's use all my strength." The fox exerted all his power from his body, but it was no use.‎ The fox had no choice but to starve for three days. And, he could come out of the hole only after his stomach had gotten slim. "Oh, my! I'm so hungry." The fox held his growling stomach and went back home. Watching this, the bear and other animals laughed at the greedy fox.‎ ‎83 The Goose with the Golden Eggs Once upon a time, there lived a farmer in a small town. The farmer worked hard on his farm. One day, a weird-looking goose came to the farm.‎ The Goose with the Golden Eggs Tying up the goose, the farmer was thinking, 'I should cook this goose for breakfast in the morning.' The next day, the farmer approached the goose to cook it.‎ However, the farmer was startled. The goose had laid a golden egg. "How did the goose that lays golden eggs come to me?" The farmer was so happy that he danced cheerfully.‎ The farmer was able to get a golden egg every morning. In the market, everybody loved to buy the golden eggs. Getting weary of working, the farmer did not want to farm.‎ ‎'Perhaps, there must be an enormous amount of gold in that goose's stomach. Although it looks like an ordinary goose, it lays golden eggs.' The farmer was determined to open the goose's stomach. He wanted to be rich instantly rather than gradually.‎ The farmer cut the goose's stomach open with scissors. But, he found nothing but just what any other goose would have. "Why! How could this be?" regretted the farmer, but it was no use. The goose was already dead.‎ ‎84 Donkey and the Load of Salt Once upon a time, a salt merchant moved from place to place selling salt. One day, he was walking on a bridge over a stream with salt loaded on the back of a donkey. "Yo-ho! Yo-heave-ho!"‎ Donkey and the Load of Salt The donkey missed his step because he was too tired. "Splash!" The donkey fell into the water. The merchant set the donkey upright quickly. At that very same moment, the donkey realized his load became lighter as the salt melted in the water.‎ So, the donkey fell down again on purpose. Now, all the salt melted, and his load became very light. The donkey returned home humming merrily. Without knowing the donkey's intentions, the merchant just thought he had bad luck.‎ The next day, the donkey arrived at the stream carrying salt. "Yo-ho! Yo-heave-ho!" The donkey remembered the incident yesterday. "Neigh! If I fall down in the water, my load will get lighter!' The donkey sunk down in the water on purpose.‎ Finally, the salt merchant realized the donkey's intentions. However, a lot of salt had already disappeared in the water. The salt merchant became angry.‎ Holding the donkey's behavior responsible, the salt merchant decided to give him a hard time. First, he put a lump of light cotton into the salt bag and loaded it on the back of the donkey. 'What? It's weird. Salt is too light today.'‎ The donkey could not suspect the salt merchant's trick. Again that day, the donkey fell down in the water intentionally when he arrived at the stream. Yet, the wet cotton lump became greatly heavy.‎ ‎'Neigh! What makes it so heavy?' The donkey could not understand. The salt merchant said to the donkey groaning under a heavy load on his back, "You fool, donkey, you are caught in your own scheme." The donkey regretted that he tricked the merchant.‎ ‎85 Belling the Cat All the mice met together in a council against a fierce cat. "We cannot live because of the cat. There must be some ideas to get rid of it." "Please tell us your ideas."‎ But despite the enthusiastic discussion, they were unable to come up with a good idea. The oldest mouse advised the other mice, "It would be nice if someone let us know when the cat is coming." Having no good ideas, they were just studying each other's facial expressions.‎ At that time, the youngest mouse confidently said, "If we tie a bell around the cat's neck, we will know when the cat is approaching so we can run away." Everyone agreed to the young mouse's opinion.‎ Then, the leader mouse replied, "That is a good idea. If we tie a bell to the cat, we will be able to run away in advance. But, who is going to tie a bell to the cat?"‎ After hearing the leader, all the mice became quiet. No one wanted to tie a bell to the cat. The young mouse that offered the idea slowly read the others' faces and left the meeting.‎ ‎86 A Single-log Bridge There were two goat villages in the woods. The goats from the upper village and those from the lower village disliked one another. One day, a goat from the upper village and that from the lower village came across each other on a single-log bridge.‎ A Single-log Bridge The two goats were fighting to get by first. The goat from the lower village said, "Since I got here first, I should cross the bridge first."‎ Unyieldingly, the goat from the upper village replied, "Excuse me, but I got here first. I will cross the bridge first!" Both goats would not give in.‎ ‎"Yo-ho! Yo-heave-ho!" They fought by butting each other with their horns. "I will never give in." "Me neither!" Both goats had their way until the end. While fighting, their horns ended up being tangled in the other's.‎ At that moment, the goat from the upper village missed his step. And so the other goat also slid down the cliff. The two goats were swept away by the rough, flowing water and drifted away with the current. "Bleat! Help me!" The two goats fell off the bridge because they did not yield to the other.‎ ‎87 A Dog and His Meat There lived a homeless dog wandering around. Having starved all day, the dog was very hungry. 'Where can I find something to eat?'‎ While the dog was passing by a butcher shop, the owner was bargaining with a customer. 'Now's the time!' When the owner took his eyes off the meat, the dog stole a cut of meat and ran away.‎ ‎"Stop right there!" screamed the owner. The dog ran for his life.‎ As he arrived in the deep and quiet woods, the dog heaved a sigh of relief. However, the dog did not put down the piece of meat in his mouth. 'If I put it down, somebody is going to take it a way, right?' The dog was looking around cautiously.‎ When he crossed a bridge over a river. He looked down from the bridge. 'Wait a minute! What is going on? '‎ There was another dog in the water, holding a piece of meat in his mouth. Moreover, that dog's meat looked a lot bigger than what he had.‎ ‎'Why! That fellow has a bigger piece of meat!' The dog got angry and barked loudly, "grrr..., ruff, ruff" As he barked, the meat in his mouth fell with a splash into the river.‎ The flowing water carried the meat further and further away. The foolish dog regretted it, but it was too late. Having lost the meat because of his greed, the dog barked all day long on the bridge in vain.‎ ‎88 The Frog and the Cow Baby frogs went on a picnic in the woods. Getting out of the pond for the first time, they sang merrily.‎ Then, they found a cow grazing in a field. "Oh, my! What is that?" "It is huge!" All of them wondered what kind of animal it was. "Let's ask Daddy."‎ They returned home in a hurry and shouted, "Daddy, we saw a strange animal." "What kind of animal was it?"‎ ‎"It had large horns on its head and its body was way bigger than you. Even if we all add up our power, we can not defeat that animal."‎ The father was curious what the animal looked like. "Really? Was it bigger than my stomach?" "Yes. Much bigger than that!"‎ The father frog blew up his stomach largely, "Well, now, I'm as big as the animal, right?" "No, you are as big as the animal's heel." The father puffed himself up deeply and blew up his stomach enormously.‎ ‎"How about now? Am I as big as the animal, huh?" "No, not even." Thinking he could not be outdone, the father frog puffed up his stomach even more.‎ The father frog's stomach was blown up as big as he could get. Right at that very moment, the father frog's stomach burst with a bang.‎ ‎89 The city mouse and the country mouse A city mouse and a country mouse were distant relatives. The country mouse wrote a letter to the city mouse. "How are you, my city cousin? Come visit us sometime." The city mouse in his best suit visited the country mouse.‎ ‎"Welcome. Please help yourself before you leave." The country mouse prepared rice, beans and dried fruit. The city mouse laughed at the food and said,‎ ‎"Gosh! You invited me over to give me this kind of food? You should come visit me. I will treat you to delicious food." The city mouse bragged about the city where he was living to the country mouse.‎ ‎"Thank you for inviting me. I will come over for sure." Thinking about his trip to the city, the country mouse was too excited to sleep. 'At last, I'm going to the city tomorrow.'‎ Delighted, the country mouse came to the city mouse's house. "Knock, knock." "Anybody home?" "Oh, welcome!" greeted the city mouse cheerfully. The city mouse showed the country mouse all over his house.‎ The country mouse was surprised how grand the house was. "The house is really big. Magnificent! I am so proud that you are my relative." "Don't mention it." The city mouse was pleased.‎ The city mouse led the country mouse to the kitchen. When they climbed up the table, there were a large piece of bread, fruit and cheese on it. "Well, help yourself. I have food like this everyday." "Wow! They look delicious. I envy you."‎ The country mouse began eating the tasty cheese. It was right then that the kitchen door opened with a bang and a man came in. The city mouse dragged the country mouse and ran away helter-skelter.‎ Breathing heavily after hiding in the mouse-hole, the city mouse said, "Hugh! That was close." The country mouse was unable to understand the city mouse's behavior. However, on the next day and the following day, the same thing happened.‎ After a few days, the country mouse said to the city mouse, "I should go back to my house in the country. Even if I eat nothing ‎ but beans, I can live peacefully. Why don't you come with me to the country? It would be better than living here nervously like this."‎ The city mouse was so embarrassed that he could not do anything. The country mouse came back home and never went back to the city.‎ ‎90 A Bundle of Sticks There once lived three greedy brothers in a town. Everyday, three brothers fought to get more things. One day, their father called them out to reason with them, "Sons, stop fighting with each other."‎ However, they still remained greedy. After thinking deeply for a few days, the father came up with a good idea. The father gathered his three sons to express his dying wish.‎ ‎"I will leave all my assets to one of you who can break off this bundle of sticks." Every son shouted out that he could do it, competing with one another. "That is easy." "Give it to me." The father handed a very large bundle of wooden sticks to them.‎ The oldest son tried hard to break the bundle off. Nevertheless, the wooden sticks were unbreakable.‎ The second son snorted at his older brother and challenged in breaking the bundle. He was unable to do it, either. Then, the youngest son came forward. But, the result was the same.‎ Then, the father divided the bundle into three sets and passed them to each son. "Well, try to break them now." The three sons could break them easily. Then, a smile emerged on their faces.‎ The father tenderly advised them, "There is nothing you cannot do if the three of you stand together. Help one another until you die." The three sons shed tears because they were moved by the father's advice.‎ ‎91 The Bat Once upon a time, the animals living on the ground and those flying in the sky fought against each other. However, a bat could not take part on either side because he was timid and had no courage.‎ When the beasts seemed like winning, the bat went to them and said, "I would like to fight with you." They believed him.‎ Yet, the bat began to worry, as the birds started to move ahead. So, the bat went to them and begged, "I am on your side because I am winged, too."‎ They pleasantly accepted the bat. "Sure. Since you have wings, you are on our side." The fight between the birds and the beasts continued and the bat went back and forth to the winning side.‎ Then one day, peace was made in the woods. The birds and the beasts learned that the bat went hither and thither between them. All the animals determined to expel him. Turned away from both sides, the bat started to live in a dark cave.‎ ‎92 The Fox and The Stork The stork and the fox did not get along very well. The fox invited the stork over to his house first. The stork was looking forward to having a feast at fox's house. The fox served a large bowl of soup to the stork. "Please have as much as you want, Mr. Stork.” "Mr. Fox, Thank you very much.”‎ The stork put his beak into the bowl, but he was not able to eat it. The stork tried very hard to eat the soup. On the other hand, the fox was slurping up the soup deliciously.‎ The stork realized that the fox had tricked him. Without even having a taste, stork left for his home.‎ A few days later the stork said to the fox. "Thank you for having invited me. Why don't you come over to my house for dinner? I prepared a delicious beef soup." The fox couldn't wait to go. He was looking forward to it.‎ Several days later, fox visited the stork's house. The stork served the delicious beef soup in a long bottle. But, the fox's mouth was too small, he could not reach the delicious soup. Drooling, the fox was only able to observe the stork savoring the delicious soup.‎ ‎93 The Oak and the Reed Once upon a time, there lived a huge oak tree. The oak tree was proud that it was the biggest and strongest in the world. "Despite any hardships, I can survive till the end. There is nothing as powerful as me."‎ One day, a severe windstorm began. Watching the other trees fall down one by one, the oak tree was triumphant. "I'll be fine."‎ However, the oak tree collapsed when the windstorm was blowing. Flowing on the water, the oak tree thought, 'How did I end up like this?'‎ As it was swept away by the river, the oak tree passed a field of reeds. The reeds were standing there without being broken. "Oh, Mr. Reed! How did you survive the rainstorm with your fragile body?" The oak tree envied the reeds.‎ One of the reeds kindly said to the oak tree flowing down, "Mr. Oak Tree, you showed that you were the strongest in the world, right? The wind brings down anything with an air of importance."‎ ‎"We never think highly of ourselves, but lower our heads when we come across a windstorm. If you had lowered your head without being so proud, you would have survived the rainstorm."‎ ‎94 The Wind and The Sun The wind and the sun decided to have a bet. The wind knew that the sun had no strength and believed that he could win. "I'm the best in the world.” "Mr. Wind, why don't you and I find out who is the stronger one."‎ The Wind and The Sun Just then a traveler was walking by. "Why don't we find out who could first take off that man's jacket.” The sun confidently suggested. "Fine."‎ The wind confidently, with all his strength began to blow. Just then the clear blue sky and the sun was no where to be seen and only the wind began to blow. The traveler tucked his jacket in closer and said, "Why is it so cold all of a sudden?” The stronger the wind blew, the traveler pulled his jacket closer and closer to him.‎ ‎"Whew, I'm so cold where has the sun gone to? If this keeps up, I'm going to fly off.” The traveler stopped and tucked in his jacket even more.‎ The sun arrived with a big smile on his face. "Now it is my turn." The sun beamed his warm sunlight. The exhausted wind stepped back.‎ The traveler wiped his sweat and said, "Just a little while ago, the wind was blowing strongly how is it all of a sudden, the sun is shining down." The traveler took off his jacket and threw it down.‎ The sun gave a big smile and said, "Wind, there are something in his world that can't be done by strength alone." The boastful wind was so embarrassed that he ran off.‎ ‎95 The Crow and the Water Bottle It was a scorching hot summer day. One crow was very thirsty. "I'm so thirsty." The thirsty crow roamed around looking for water. After flying for a long time, the crow found a water bottle in one of the farmer's yard. The crow was so happy that he was able to have a drink.‎ The crow put his beak into the bottle. However, because the bottle was so long, he was not able to reach the water. The crow was exhausted.‎ ‎'Should I go some other place for a drink?' He thought. However, because his wings were damage, he was not able to move. "What shall I do?”‎ The crow flew round and round the farmer's yard, and thought. "Sure, that's what I will do." The crow had an idea.‎ With all his strength, the crow started picking up stones. "One, two." He did this several times until the bottle was filled with stones. Then the crow drank a lot of water. Finally, the crow had enough strength to fly again.‎ ‎96 The Fox and the Monkey that Became a King Once upon a time, the animals gathered together and had a meeting in the woods. Their meeting was about 'Who gets to become the king?' However, they could not come to a conclusion easily.‎ After a long period of time, a rabbit suggested, "How about if the best dancer becomes the king?" "Yeah, that sounds good," agreed the other animals. Therefore, each animal came out in turn and danced eagerly. Nevertheless, there was no other animal who could dance as good as the flexible monkey.‎ Animals gave the monkey a clap. "Wow! The monkey dances the best. Let's crown the monkey as our king." As a result, the monkey became the king. After the monkey became king, a cunning fox got jealous. 'How can such a stupid animal become king? None sense!'‎ One day, the fox found a snare with a piece of meat on it while walking around. The fox carefully picked up the snare and took it to the monkey king.‎ ‎"My lord! I discovered a treasure. It is magnificent." "Really? Bring it to me quickly." The monkey was so excited that he approached the snare carelessly.‎ And the monkey fell into the snare. "Snap!" "Ouch!" shouted the monkey with surprise. The monkey realized he got caught in a trap and blamed the fox. "You deceived me. What a bad fox!"‎ Then, the fox laughed at the monkey and said, "You stupid monkey! How embarrassing it is for us to have such a fool like you as a king!"‎ After saying that, the fox disappeared. The monkey became the laughingstock of other animals for behaving without thinking carefully.‎ ‎97 The Lion and the Fox Who were Afraid of the Mouse The ray of the warm sunlight told us that it was spring. A lion was sleeping peacefully in the forest.‎ While the lion was fast asleep, a mouse went on top of the lion. The bold mouse played happily on top of the lion. "Yuppie! This is really fun." The mouse ran around thumping and stomping here and there.‎ The lion was not able to sleep with all the racket. The lion knew that there was someone on top of him. So, the lion made a surprise attack and rolled on the ground.‎ And the mouse fell over. When the lion saw the mouse he was relieved and said, "Whew! It was only a mouse."‎ However, far away a fox had seen the scene. The fox laughed mockingly to the lion and said, "You're as big as a mountain and you're afraid of the mouse. You're a coward!" The fox kept making fun of the Lion.‎ Finally the lion spoke, "I wasn't afraid of the mouse. I was only shocked to find a bold enough animal not afraid to run around on top of a lion." When the fox heard this he quietly left.‎ ‎98 Two Travelers and the Bear Once upon a time, two young men were walking along the mountain trail. They were very close friends.‎ But, all of a sudden, a bear showed up. Shocked, the young men were looking for a place to hide. One fellow hid himself by climbing up a tree, but the other one was unable to run away.‎ When the bear pounced upon him, the fellow who could not run away threw himself flat down upon the ground and pretended to be dead. The young man on the ground held his breath and stayed still. The bear, coming up to him, put his muzzle close to the man, and sniffed. "He's dead. I don't eat dead meat."‎ The bear left the young man along and went away. After the bear was gone, the friend in the tree came down. Wiping away his cold sweat, the friend asked, "What did the bear say to you?"‎ ‎"Oh, the bear told me", said the other, "Not to hang out with a friend who runs away when a risky situation occurs."‎ After hearing him, the young man who climbed up the tree alone felt sorry for his behavior. Friends mean being there for each other even when danger comes.‎ ‎99 The Son and the Picture of a Lion Once upon a time, there lived a very timid-minded father in a town. He was always worried that his son might get hurt. The son was brave and loved hunting, but his father prevented his son from hunting everyday.‎ One night, the father dreamed of his son being pursued by a lion. After he woke up, he thought, 'I should not leave things like this.' The father built a strong wooden house for his son because he believed his son would not be in danger if he locked his son in the house.‎ The father brought pictures of animals to his son's room so that the son would not get bored. The father even stuck a picture of a lion on the wooden wall. However, the son felt stuffy about just staying home.‎ One day, the son vented his anger on the picture of a lion. "You bastard! I cannot go outside because of you! Why did you appear in my father's dream and torture me?" The son hit the picture with his fist.‎ Right then, the wooden wall broke down and a thorn got stuck in his hand. The son tried to take it out, but it did not come out easily. Due to the thorn, the wound enlarged and the inflammation worsened.‎ After a few days, the young son died from the wound. The father who tried to shut his child in lost his child because of his actions.‎ ‎100 The Monkey and the Fishermen Once upon a time, there lived a monkey in the woods. The monkey climbed up the tree and looked down at the river everyday.‎ One day, the monkey saw fishermen throw a net over the river. He watched how the fishermen caught fish.‎ Sometime after, the fishermen left the net and went to have lunch. Then, the monkey climbed down from the tree and went to the riverside. The monkey was planning to throw the net like the fishermen did.‎ The monkey was confident since he was good at imitating. Yet, the net wound around the monkey when he touched it. Tied up in the net, the monkey fell into the water.‎ The monkey regretted his behavior, but it was too late. "I should have learned how to use the net before touching it. After believing my prowess and showing off, I am in a bad fix." The monkey who did not behave carefully drowned in the water.‎