__________________________________________ -------The Fisherman and His Wife---------- There was once a fisherman who lived with his wife close to the sea.Their house was very old, and the rooms were small and dark.The woman found it very unpleasant to live there and wanted to move somewhere nicer but they did not have the money. One day,when he was fishing,he pulled in his line and on the end was the biggest fish he had evere caught.To his surprise the fish started talking,"Listen fisherman,"he said,"please don't kill me for I am not teally a fish,I am a magic prince.You would not enjoy it if you ate me,back in the water." "Well,"said the fisherman,"I wouldn't think of keeping a fish that could speak."He quickly put the fish back in the water and watched as it swam away in the clear,blue sea. He caughy nothing else that day and went home to his wife intheir old house. "Have you not caught anything today,husbad?" "No,"teplied he,"I did catch one fish,a great big one,in fact,but he aid he was a magic prince,so I let him go." "You let him go,did you?I suppose you didn't.What should I have wished for?" "You know I can't stand this old house,you should have asked him for a nice new one.Go back to the sea and call to him and tell him we want a new house.I'm sure he'll give us one." The man did not really want to go,but he did not want to upset his wife either,so off he went to the sea When he reached the sea he noticed that the waves were a little higher and the sea a darker blue.He went to the shore and said: "Great fish in the sea,please listen to me,My wife won't let be,as I'd have it be." When he had finished,the fish he had aught earlier came swimming up and said,"What does she want?" "Well,"said the man,"My wife thinks that because I let you go,I should have wished for something.I should have asked you for a new house as she does not like our old one." "Go home,"said the fish,"she has one already." The man went home and found that in place of his old home was a new house.Indeed,everything in it was new:the kitchen,the bd ,and thy even had a little garden with all kinds of fruit trees."This is much better,"said his wife. "We'll see about that," said his wife,quietly. Everything was fine for the next two weeks but then the wife said,"Listen,husband,this new house is too small,far too small,and I need a bigger garden as well.Go back to the fish and tell him we want something bigger,like a nice,stone palace." "NO,wife,"replied the fisherman,"the fish has already gimve us this house.I don't want to goto him again,he might be angry with ne." "Just go,will you?He will be happy to do it for the man who saved his life." The man's heart was heavy,and he objected to going.He thought to himself that sit wasn't righyt,but before long he foud himself at the seashore looking at a sea that seeed almost angry Nevertheless he called out to the fish: "Great fish in the sea,please listen to me, My wife won't let be,as I'd have it be" "Well what does shewant this time?"said the fish."Oh,"said the ma a little fearfully, "she wants to live in a stone palace." "Go home,"said the fish,"she is standing in front of the door right now." When the man arrived at the place where his house had been he foud a great stone palace,and his smiling wife waitng on the steps. "Well aren't you coming in then,"she said taking his arm.They entered the palace together.Their mouths dropped open in surprise.Everything was so beautiful.The walls were shiny and new,and there were beautiful.bringhly colore things in every room.Behind the house was a large yard containing horses,dogs and many other farm animals;beyod the house was great garden mor than two miles long,filled with flowers,plants and beautiful trees. "Well,"said the wife,"Isn't this fine?" "Yes,"said the man,"and it shall remain so.We'll stay in this beautiful palace and be happy forever." "We'll see about that,"replied his wife, quietly." The next morning the wife woke first.The sun had just risen and she could see the beautiful countryside out of her bedroom window.When she heard her husband waking up she pushed him out of bed saying,"Come over here to the widow.Look at this beautiful land.Why can't we be rulers of it? Go to the fish and tell him we want to be rulers of this land." ___________________________________________ --------------Hansel and Gretel------------ Near a large wood there once lived a poor woodcutter with his wife and two children,a boy and a girl.The boy was called Hansel,and the girl,Gretel.They never had nice things to eat and sometimes,when ther was a food shortage in the land they could not eve get bread.As he lay in bed one night the fater was very troubled. "What will happen to us?How can we feed our little ones when we haven't any thig ourselves?"he asked his wife. "I tell you what,"answered his wife."early tomorrow morning we will lead the children farinto the wood,light them a fire,give each of leave them alone.They will never find their way home and we will not have to feed them any more." "No,wife,"said the man,"I cannot do that. How could anyone leave two little children alone in the wood where they will probably be eaten by wild animals." "Oh!"said she,"the all four of uswill die of gunger."She kept talking to him this way until at last he agreed. The two children,however.were sohumgry that they had not been able to go to sleep.and they had heard what their stepmother proposed to do with them.Gretel said to Hansel,"We are finished,dear brother." "Don't cra Gretel,"said Hansel,"I will make sure this doesn't happen," When Hansel heard that the old couple had gone to sleep, he put on his coat and quietly let himself out theback coor .The moon was shining brightly and the white stonse on the path in front of the house shone like silver coins.Hansel filled his pockets full of stones, then returned to his room. "Don't be afraid,little sister,"he said to Hansel,"God will not forget us.Now try to gert some sleep." Early the next day the woman called the two children. "Get up both of you,"she said." and come with us into the wood to pick up sticks."Then she gave each of them a piece of berad and told them to keep it for dinner and not to eat it before as they would get nothing else. Soon after they all started together for the wood.They had not gone far before Hansel stood still and looked back at the house.He did this again and again.till his fathere said. "Hnsel,what are you looking at?" "Oh,father."said Hansel,"I am looking at my white dog who is sitting on a stone."But Hansel had not really been looking at the dog;he was dropping the stones out of his pocket. When they came to the middle of the wood the father said,"Now,children,pick up sticks and we will make a fire." Hansel and Gretel gathered up many sticks, and when the fire was going,the woman said, "You can lie down by the fire and rest youre-selves while we go further to cut wood. When we have finished we will come and get you." Hansel and Gretel sat by the fire and when dinner-time came they ate their bread.They could still hear the soud of wood being cut so they thought that their father was not far off.However,their father had tied a branch so that it would hit a tee every time the wind blew, and this was the noise that the children could hear. They were very tired and soon they fell asleep in front of the fire.They did not wake up until it was night and very dark.Gretel began to cray, and then we'll find our way out of the wood." "Wait,"said Hansel,"the moon will be up in a minute,and then we'll find our way out fast enough." Before long the geat full moon rose in the sky,and Hansel took his little sister's hand and followed the stones which shone brightly showing them the way home.They walked all night, and at break of day reached their father's house.They knokced at the door and when the woman opened it and saw Hansel and Gretel she looked surprised.Then she quickly said,"Why did you sleep so long in the wood?We began to think you were not coming back at all." The father was delighted to see the children for he gelt that it was wrong to leave them alone and helpless. Not long afterward there was again a food shortage.The children heard their stepmother saying to their fathere,"There is hardly anything left to eat,only a little bread.When that is gone what are we going to do? We must leave the children in the forest.This time we will take them deeper into the wood,so that they will not be able to find their way out .It's the only thing to be done tosave us." The man's heart was heavey, and the thought,"I would rather share our last bread with the children."But the woman had made up her mind,and nothing the man said made any difference to her.As he had given in the first time he also had to give in the second time. The children,however,had heard all of thi.When his parents had gone to sleep,Hnsel got up again to go out and pick up some stones, but he foud that the woman had closed the doore and he could not get outside.All the same he said to his little sister,"Never mind,Gretel,don't cry,but go to sleep.God will take cre of us." The next morning the woman woke the children.She gave them each a piece of bread,but it was smaller than last time. As they walked to the wood Hansel broke the berad in this pocket and then dropped a piece on the ground. The woman led the children deeper and ceeper into the wood,to a part where they had enever been before.Again alarge fire was made and their mother said,"Stay here children and when youare tired have a sleep.We are going further to cut wood.When we have finished we will come for you. When dinner-time came Gretel shared her bread with Hansel,because he had dropped his as they came along.Then they fell asleep and the evening went by without anyone coming to them.When they awoke it was dark. Hansel said to his sister"Wait till the moon is up,then we shall see the bread I dropped on the ground,and that will show us the way home." The moon rose,but they could see no bread,forthe birds that lived ni the woods had eaten every piece. They still tried to find a way but eve though they walked the whole night and all the next day they were still in the wood.Tired and gungry,they lay down under a tree and fell asleep. The next day they moved on but they both knew that they were deep in the wood and if help did not come soon they would die.Then they saw a beautiul snow-white bird sitting on a branch,it was singing so beautifully that they stopped to listen.When it had finished its song,the bird flew in front of them and they followed it until it landed on the roof of a little house.It was a strange-looking house;when the children got closer they saw to their delit,that it was built of bread,with a roof of cake,and widows made of sugar. "Right,"Hansel said,"let's have a good meal for a change.I will have a piece of the roof,and you have a nice,sweet window." Hansel picked off a piece of the roof and began eating,and Gretel stood by a window and ate some of it.Then a voice called from inside: "Who(s eating my hose?" The children answered: "The wind, the wind,the child of heaven," and quietly ate on. Hansel who thought that the roof tasted very good,had torn off another big piece ,and Gretel had taken out the window and sat down to enjoy it.Suddenly the door opened and an old woman came out. Hansel and Gretel were shaking in their shoes with fear nad dropped the food from their hands. The old woman said,"Dear children,who brought you here?comein,do,and stay with me;no danger shall cometo you!" She took them by the hand and led them into the house.Inside a good dinner was readylmilk,cakes,fruit and many other things the children had never even seen before.Afterwards,two little white beds wereuncoverd, and Hansel and Gretel lay down in them,and felt as if they were in heven. The old woman, however,was not friendly;she wasreally a witch who caught any children who came to her house to eat the good things it was made of.When she tad them in her power,she killed them,then cooked and ate them.The witch could not see far,but she had a good sense of smell and could smell humans from far away.As soon as Hnsel and Gretel came near her house,she had laughed,and seid to herself,"I'll have them on bread-they shall not escape." Early the next morning,before the children were awake, she got up,and as she saw their round,red faces,she thought,"Ther's a tasty dish."Then she quickly took nold of Hnsel and carried him to a little stable whre she pu him in so he could not escape.He shouted as loudly as he could,but it was no use.Next she went to Gretel and cried,"Get up,girl and get some water to cook your brother something nice;he is outside in the stable and must be fattened up.When he is fat enough I shall eat him." Gretel began to cry,but she was forced to do what the old witch ordered. From then on Hansel was given lots of good food, but Gretel got only dry bread.Every norning the old witch went to the stable and said,"Hansel,put your finger out so that I can feel how fat you are getting."But Hansel used to put out a bone instead of a finger, and the old woman,Whose sight was so bad that she could not see,wondred why he did not graw fat. When four weeks had passed,and Hansel still remained thin,she decided she would wait no longer. "Whether Hansel is fat or thin,I will kill and eat hima tomorrow!" The tears ran down the face of his poor little sister. "Dear God,help us!"she prayed."if the wild animals had eaten us in the woods we should at least have died together." When the witch had gone poor Gretel saw her chance and ran to Hansel,Telling him what she had heard. "We must escape somehow,otherwise she will kill us both." Hansel said,"I know how to get out,for I have loosened the window.But first you must ge hermagic wand so we can save ourselves if she follows us.Bring the flute that hangs in her room as well." Gretel managed to get both the wand and the flute,and the children escaped. When the old witch came to see whether her dinner was ready,she saw they had escaped.She ran angrily to the window and, though her eyes were bad,she saw the children running away. She quickly put on her shoes which went several yards at each step and quickly caught up with the children.Gretel,however,had seen her coming,and using the magic wand, turned Hansel into a lake and herself into a swan,and she stayed in the middle of the lake. The witch sat on the shore and tried to get the swan to come to her by throwing pieces of bread to it.Gretel did not go near,and at last she had to go home without the children. Then Gretel used the wand to change herself and Hansel back to their usual forms,and they traveled on through the nigt.The girl then turned herself into a beautiful rose in the middle of a thorny hedge ,and Hansel sat by the side. Soon the witch came along.She acted as if she did not know Hansel. "Young man,"she said,"may Ipick that beautiful rose?" "Oh yes,"said Hansel. She went to the hedge in a hurry to gather the flower,Knowing that it was Gretel,and Hansel pulled out his flute and began to play.The flute was a magic flute,and whoever heard it had to dance whether they liked it or not.The old wich was forced to dance on and on without rest, and could not stop to pick the rose.The thorns torethe clothes from her body,and caught in her skin,until at last, she could not move. Then Gretel set herself free once more and she and Hansel set out for home.Aftertraveling a long way,Gretel grew tired,so they laid themselves down to sleep.As they slept,thewitch,who had escaped from the thorny hedge,came by.Seeing her magic wand,she picked it up and tuned poor Hnsel into a ceer.She then decided to leave them in the woods to beeaten by wild animals as it was toomuch trouble to try and get them home again. When Gretel woke and foud what had happened she cried for poor Hansel.Beside her,Tears rolled from Hansel's eys,too. Gretel said,"Rest,little deer;I will never leave you." She took the poor deer with her as shetried to find her way home.At last they came to alittle house,and when Gretel foud that no one lived there decided that she and Hansel would stay put. She made a soft bed for the deer.Each morning she went out and gatheredfood for goth of them.The deer ate out of her hand, and they played happily gatherd together.in the evening,when Gretel was tired,she laid her head on the deer and slept;if only Hnsel had had his own body they would have led a very happy life. They lived like this for years and Gretel became a youg woman.One day the King came to hunt there .When the deer heard the noise of the hunt,the dogs,the horses anbd the hutemen,he wanted to see what was going on. "Oh sister,"he said,"let me go int the wood,soI can see wht is happenig." He asked so often the at last she let him go. "But,"she said,"be sure to come back in the evening.I shall close the door to keep out the huntsmen,but if you tap and say,"Sister,let me in,"I shall know you.If you do not speak,I shall keep the door closed." Hansel ran away as fast as hecould,jumping high in the air in his happiness.The King and his huntsmen followed the beautiful animal,but could not catch him he would jump over a hedge and be out of sight again. When it became dark Hansel ran home and said,"Sister,let me in!"Gretel openend the door and he jumped in,and he was soon sleeping soundly on his soft bed. Next morning the hunt continued and whe he heard the noise,the deer said,"sister open the door for I must go." Once agein the King and huntsmen followed the little deer.The hunt lasted all day.and towards evening one of the gunters hit he deer in the foot .Although he was hurt,Hansel just got home before he was caught.The man who had hit him followed hehind and heard the deer go inside when the door opened.The hunstsmen ran to the King and told him wht he had seen. "Tomorrow,"said the King,k"we shall have anothe hunt and this time we shall catch this deer." Gretel was very upset when she saw that Hansel was hurt;after washing the blood away she put some magic on his foot, and they sttled sown to sleep. In the morning there was no mark anywhere on the deer's foot and when Hansel heard the hunt starting again hesaid,"I must go Gretel,but I will take care they don't catch me." But Gretel was still upset from the night before. "I am sure they will kill you this time;I will not let you go." "I shall die,"said Hnsel,"if you keep me here."Gretel was not happy but she had to let him go,and he quickly ran off into the wood. When the King saw the deer he said to his men,"Follow him allday long until you catch him,but let no one do him harm."The deer was too fast for them however and evening was approaching when the King told his men to stop. "Show me where the little house is,"he said to the man who had followed the deer the day before.When they got there the King knocked on the door and said"Sister,let mei." The door was opened and the King entered and there stood a girl more lovely than any he had ever seen. Gretel was very frightened when she saw that it was not the very frightened when she saw that it was not the deer but a King who had entered her house,but the King spoke kindly. Afte a while hetook her hand and said,"Will you come to my palace and be my wife?" "Yes,"replied Gretel,"I will come to your palace but I cannot be your wife,and my deer must go with me for I cannot part with him." "Well,"said the King,"he shall come and live with you all your life, and shall want for noting." Just then in came the little deer and soon they were ready to leave.The King lifted Gretel on to his horse and they rode to his palace with the deer running happily behind them.On the way Gretel told the King her story.He knew the old witch and her bad ways and sent for her the nest day.He ordered her to change the deer back into human form. When she saw her dear brother again Gretel was so thankful that she agreed to marry the King.They lived happily all their days,and Hansel became the King's right hand man. ___________________________________________ ----------The Frog-Prince----------------- In the good old days,when wisher often came true,there lived a king whose daughters were all beautiful. The youngest was so beautiful that eve the sun,who had seen so much beauty, was surprised every time he kissed her face. Close to the king's home was a dark forest. In the forest under an old tree was a waterhole. The princess often went there on hot days,to sit on the bank by the cool water. She loved playing witha a special golden ball which she would throw high in the air and then catch. Wne day,insted of falling into her little hands, the princess's golden ball rolled alongthe groud into the water. The child went to the well to look for her ball. The well was so deep however,that she could no see the botm. She began to cry. She cried louder and louder as though nothing could comfort her. Then she heard a voice call out,"Why,princess,wht is the matter? You cry so loudly even a stone would feel sorry for you. "She looked round to see who was talking wnd saw a frog pushing his head out of the water. The frog was not very nice to look at ,but the p@rincess told him abou her problem. "Well,stop your cring right now,"said the frog,"I can help you. Whgat will you give me if I fetch your ball for you?" "Anything you like, my dear frog," she said:"my clothes, my riches, or even my crown." The frog thought abou this for a moment and then said,"Thank you princess,but I don't want any of these things.What I want is for you to love me and let me be your friend.I want you to play with me and to let me sit next to you at your table.If you'll let me eat off your plate and share your littl bed with you,('ll get your golden ball from the bottom of the well." "Very well," she said,"I'll promise anythinmg you like if you get my ball back for me,"AsThe frog disappeared into the will the princess thought to herself,"What a fool the frogis!He can only dit in the water and talk to other frogs,he can' be frinds with humans." In a little while the frog reappeared with the ball in his mouth.He threw it to he princess.She was so pleased to get it back that she picked it up and ran off straight wway. "Stop!Stop!Tahe me with you,I can't run so fast,"shouted the little frog.It was no use; even though he shouted as loudly as he could the princess took no notice.Soon she was home and she quickly forgotallabout the little frog whou had helped her. The frog sadly wnt back into hiswell The next day the rpincess sat down to eat with the King and the rest of her family.She was eating off her little gold dish whe a stange noise was heard. Somethig jumped up the stairs knocked on the door and said. "YUoug pincess,let mi in!"She ran to the door and saw the frog seated there.She shut the door quickly, and hurried back to her place in great fear. The king saw this and said,"Child,why are you afraid?_What is at the door?" "A frog,"she answered. "What does the frog want with you?" asked the4 king. "Well,dear father,yesterday,when I was playing in the forest, my golden ball fell into the well. I started crying and the frog head me. He got the ball back for me. I promised him he could be my friend,but I never thought he would come so far out of his water. Now he is outside and wants to come in."There was another knock at the door and the frog called: "Open the door,my princess,deare, Open the door to your true love here! Remember the promise you yesterday made By the cool well,inthe old tree's shade." Then the King said,"You must not beak youre promise,so go andlet him in." She did not want to,but the King ordered her todo as she was asked. The frog got onto the table and said,"Push your little gold dish nearer so that we may eat together.The princess did so but it was easy to see that she did not like it.The frog ate a lot,but the princess did not touch her food.At last he said,"I am full.Now I am tired,take mi to your little room,put mein your bed and we will lie down and go to sleep." The princess began to cry at the thought of the cold frog,whom she could not ring herself to touch,sleeping in her pretty,clean bed. The King grew angry with her and sid, "Tose who have helped us in our need are not to be forgotten afterwards." So she lifted the frog with two fingers, carred him upstairs and put him sown in a corner of her room.When she was in bed the frog came over to her and said,"I am tired,I would like to go to bed too.Lift me up please, really angry.She picked the frog up but instead of putting him in her bed,she threw him against hte wall. "Now you can sleep if you like,you bad frog,"she shouted. When he fell to the groud,however,he was no longer a frog but a rince,with beautiful,smiling eyes.He told the princess how an old witch had changed him into a frog.Nobody except the youg princess had the power to change him back. "Tomorrow we will travel back to my kingdom together,"he said.They soept happily, and when the sun came up the next morning, a carriage with eiht white horses arrived at the door.Behid the horse stood Henry,the faithful sevant of the youg rince.Henry was so upset when his mnater had been turned into a frog that he had put three rings of inton aroud his heart to stop it beaking from sadness. The carriang set off for hte prince's land with the prince and princess happy together inside the carriage and Henry outside,driveing.They had not gone far when the young cuple heard a noise as if something was breaking.Twice more they heard the same noise and they thought that something in the carriage had beoken.However when they looked outside they saw that it was only the iron rings springing from Henry's heart,because he was so overjoyed at his master's happiness. ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________