The Blue Fairy Book

by Andrew Lang

  Any other slave but Morgiana, on finding a man in the jar instead of the oil she wanted, would have screamed and made a noise; but she, knowing the danger her master was in, bethought herself of a plan, and answered quietly : ‘ Not yet, but presently.’ She went to all the jars, giving the same answer, till she came to the jar of oil. She now saw that her master, thinking to entertain an oil merchant, had let thirty-eight robbers into his house. She filled her oil pot, went back to the kitchen, and, having lit her lamp, went again to the oil jar and filled a large kettle full of oil. When it boiled she went and poured enough oil into every jar to stifle and kill the robber inside. When this brave deed was done she went back to the kitchen, put out the fire and the lamp, and waited to see what would happen.

  In a quarter of an hour the Captain of the robbers awoke, got up, and opened the window. As all seemed quiet he threw down some little pebbles which hit the jars. He listened, and as none of his men seemed to stir he grew uneasy, and went down into the yard. On going to the first jar and saying: ‘Are you asleep ?’ he smelt the hot boiled oil, and knew at once that his plot to murder Ali Baba and his household had been discovered. He found all the gang were dead, and, missing the oil out of the last jar, became aware of the manner of their death. He then forced the lock of a door leading into a garden, and climbing over several walls made his escape. Morgiana heard and saw all this, and, rejoicing at her success, went to bed and fell asleep.

  At daybreak Ali Baba arose, and, seeing the oil jars there still, asked why the merchant had not gone with his mules. Morgiana bade him look in the first jar and see if there was any oil. Seeing a man, he started back in terror. ‘Have no fear,’ said Morgiana ; ‘the man cannot harm you: he is dead.’ Ali Baba, when he had recovered somewhat from his astonishment, asked what had become .of the merchant. ‘ Merchant! ’ said she, ‘he is no more a merchant than I am!’ and she told him the whole story, assuring him that it was a plot of the robbers of the forest, of whom only three were left, and that the white and red chalk marks had something to do with it. Ali Baba at once gave Morgiana her freedom, saying that he owed her his life. They then buried the bodies in Ali Baba’s garden, while the mules were sold in the market by his slaves.

  The Captain returned to his lonely cave, which seemed frightful to him without his lost companions, and firmly resolved to avenge them by killing Ali Baba. He dressed himself carefully, and went into the town, where he took lodgings in an inn. In the course of a great many journeys to the forest he carried away many rich stuffs and much fine linen, and set up a shop opposite that of Ali Baba’s son. He called himself Cogia Hassan, and as he was both civil and well dressed he soon made friends with Ali Baba’s son, and through him with Ali Baba, whom he was continually asking to sup with him. Ali Baba, wishing to return his kindness, invited him into his house and received him smiling, thanking him for his kindness to his son. When the merchant was about to take his leave Ali Baba stopped him, saying: Where are you going, sir, in such haste? Will you not stay and sup with me ?’ The merchant refused, saying that he had a reason; and, on Ali Baba’s asking him what that was, he replied : ‘ It is, sir, that I can eat no victuals that have any salt in them.’ If that is all,’ said Ali Baba, ‘let me tell you that there shall be no salt in either the meat or the bread that we eat to-night.’ He went to give this order to Morgiana, who was much surprised. Who is this man,’ she said, ‘who eats no salt with his meat?’ ‘He is an honest man, Morgiana,’ returned her master; ‘therefore do as I bid you.’ But she could not withstand a desire to see this strange man, so she helped Abdallah to carry up the dishes, and saw in a moment that Cogia Hassan was the robber Captair, and carried a dagger under his garment. ’ ‘I am not surprised,’ she said to herself, ‘that this wicked man, who intends to kill my master, will eat no salt with him ; but I will hinder his plans.’

  She sent up the supper by Abdallah, while she made ready for one of the boldest acts that could be thought on. When the dessert had been served, Cogia Hassan was left alone with Ali Baba and his son, whom he thought to make drunk and then to murder them. Morgiana, meanwhile, put on a head-dress like a dancing-girl’s, and clasped a girdle round her waist, from which hung a dagger with a silver hilt, and said to Abdallah : ‘Take your tabor, and let us go and divert our master and his guest.’ Abdallah took his tabor and played before Morgiana until they came to the door, where Abdallah stopped playing and Morgiana made a low courtesy. ‘Come in, Morgiana,’ said Ali Baba, ‘ and let Cogia Hassan see what you can do;’ and, turning to Cogia Hassan, he said : ’ She’s my slave and my housekeeper.’ Cogia Hassan was by no means pleased, for he feared that his chance of killing Ali Baba was gone for the present; but he pretended great eagerness to see Morgiana, and Abdallah began to play and Morgiana, to dance. After she had performed several dances she drew her dagger and made passes with it, sometimes pointing it at her own breast. sometimes at her master’s, as if it were part of the dance. Suddenly, out of breath, she snatched the tabor from Abdallah with her left hand. and, holding the dagger in her right, held out the tabor to her master. Ali Baba and his son put a piece of gold into it. and Cogia Hassan, seeing that she was coming to him, pulled out his purse to make her a present, but while he was putting his hand into it Morgiana plunged the dagger into his heart.

  ‘ Unhappy girl ! ’ cried Ali Baba and his son, ‘what have you done to ruin us ? ’ ‘It was to preserve you, master, not to ruin you,’ answered Morgiana. ‘See here,’ opening the false merchant’s garment and showing the dagger ; ‘see what an enemy you have entertained! Remember, he would eat no salt with you, and what more would you have ? Look at him! he is both the false oil merchant and the Captain of the Forty Thieves.’

  Ali Baba was so grateful to Morgiana for thus saving his life that he offered her to his son in marriage, who readily consented, and a few days after the wedding was celebrated with great splendour. At the end of a year Ali Baba, hearing nothing of the two remaining robbers, judged they were dead, and set out to the cave. The door opened on his saying: ‘ Open, Sesame!’ He went in, and saw that nobody had been there since the Captain left it. He brought away as much gold as he could carry, and returned to town. He told his son the secret of the cave, which his son handed down in his turn, so the children and grandchildren of Ali Baba were rich to the end of their lives.18

  HANSEL AND GRETTEL

  ONCE upon a time there dwelt on the outskirts of a large forest a poor woodcutter with his wife and two children; the boy was called Hansel and the girl Grettel. He had always little enough to live on, and once, when there was a great famine in the land, he couldn’t even provide them with daily bread. One night, as he was tossing about in bed, full of cares and worry, he sighed and said to his wife: ‘What’s to become of us? how are we to support our poor children, now that we have nothing more for ourselves? ’ ‘ I’ll tell you what, husband,’ answered the woman ; ‘early to-morrow morning we’ll take the children out into the thickest part of the wood; there we shall light a fire for them and give them each a piece of bread; then we’ll go on to our work and leave them alone. They won’t be able to find their way home, and we shall thus be rid of them.’ ‘No, wife,’ said her husband, ‘that I won’t do; how could I find it in my heart to leave my children alone in the wood? the wild beasts would soon come and tear them to pieces.’ ‘Oh ! you fool,’ said she, ‘then we must all four die of hunger, and you may just as well go and plane the boards for our coffins;’ and she left him no peace till he consented. ‘But I can’t help feeling sorry for the poor children,’ added the husband.

  The children, too, had not been able to sleep for hunger, and had heard what their step-mother had said to their father. Grettel wept bitterly and spoke to Hansel: ‘Now it’s all up with us.’ ‘No, no, Grettel,’ said Hansel, ‘don’t fret yourself; I’ll be able to find a way of escape, no fear.’ And when the old people had fallen asleep he got up, slipped on his little coat, opened the back door and stole out. The moon was shining clearly,
and the white pebbles which lay in front of the house glittered like bits of silver. Hansel bent down and filled his pocket with as many of them as he could cram in. Then he went back and said to Grettel: ‘Be comforted, my dear little sister, and go to sleep: God will not desert us; ’ and he lay down in bed Again.

  At daybreak, even before the sun was up, the woman came and woke the two children: ‘Get up, you lie-abeds, we’re all going to the forest to fetch wood.’ She gave them each a bit of bread and spoke: ‘There’s something for your luncheon, but don’t you eat it up before, for it’s all you’ll get.’ Grettel took the bread under her apron, as Hansel had the stones in his pocket. Then they all set out together on the way to the forest. After they had walked for a little, Hansel stood still and looked back at the house, and this manœuvre he repeated again and again. His father observed him, and spake : ‘ Hansel, what are you gazing at there, and why do you always remain behind? Take care, and don’t lose your footing.’ ‘ Oh ! father,’ said Hansel, ‘ I am looking back at my white kitten, which is sitting on the roof, waving me a farewell.’ The woman exclaimed : ’ What a donkey you are! that isn’t your kitten, that’s the morning sun shining on the chimney.’ But Hansel had not looked back at his kitten, but had always dropped one of the white pebbles out of his pocket on to the path.

  When they had reached the middle of the forest the father said: ‘ Now, children, go and fetch a lot of wood, and I’ll light a fire that you mayn’t feel cold.’ Hansel and Grettel heaped up brushwood till they had made a pile nearly the size of a small hill. The brushwood was set fire to, and when the flames leaped high the woman said : ‘ Now lie down at the fire, children, and rest yourselves: we are going into the forest to cut down wood ; when we’ve finished we’ll come back and fetch you.’ Hansel and Grettel sat down beside the fire, and at midday ate their little bits of bread. They heard the strokes of the axe, so they thought their father was quite near. But it was no axe they heard, but a bough he had tied on to a dead tree, and that was blown about by the wind. And when they had sat for a long time their eyes closed with fatigue, and they fell fast asleep. When they awoke at last it was pitch-dark. Grettel began to cry, and said: ‘How are we ever to get out of the wood?’ But Hansel comforted her. ‘Wait a bit,’ he said, ‘ till the moon is up, and then we’ll find our way sure enough.’ And when the full moon had risen he took his sister by the hand and followed the pebbles, which shone like new threepenny bits, and showed them the path. They walked all through the night, and at daybreak reached their father’s house again. They knocked at the door, and when the woman opened it she exclaimed : ’ ‘You naughty children, what a time you’ve slept in the wood! we thought you were never going to come back.’ But the father rejoiced, for his conscience had reproached him for leaving his children behind by themselves.

  Not long afterwards there was again great dearth in the land, and the children heard their mother address their father thus in bed one night: ‘Everything is eaten up once more; we have only half a loaf in the house, and when that’s done it’s all up with us. The children must be got rid of; we’ll lead them deeper into the wood this time, so that they won’t be able to find their way out again. There e is no other way of saving ourselves.’ The man’s heart smote him heavily, and he thought: ‘ Surely it would be better to share the last bite with one’s children! ’ But his wife wouldn’t listen to his arguments, and did nothing but scold and reproach him. If a man yields once he’s done for, and so, because he had given in the first time, he was forced to do so the second.

  But the children were awake, and had heard the conversation. When the old people were asleep Hansel got up, and wanted to go out and pick up pebbles again, as he had done the first time; but the woman had barred the door, and Hansel couldn’t get out. But he consoled his little sister, and said: ‘Don’t cry, Grettel, and sleep peacefully, for God is sure to help us.’

  At early dawn the woman came and made the children get up. They received their bit of bread, but it was even smaller than the time before. On the way to the wood Hansel crumbled it in his pocket, and every few minutes he stood still and dropped a crumb on the ground. ‘Hansel, what are you stopping and looking about you for? ’ said the father. ‘I’m looking back at my little pigeon, which is sitting on the roof waving me a farewell,’ answered Hansel. ‘Fool!’ said the wife;’ that isn’t your pigeon, it’s the morning sun glittering on the chimney.’ But Hansel gradually threw all his crumbs on to the path. The woman led the children still deeper into the forest, farther than they had ever been in their lives before. Then a big fire was lit again, and the mother said : ‘Just sit down there, children, and if you’re tired yon can sleep a bit; we’re going into the forest to cut down wood, and in the evening when we’re finished we’ll come back to fetch you.’ At midday Grettel divided her bread with Hansel, for he had strewed his all along their path. Then they fell asleep, and evening passed away, but nobody came to the poor children. They didn’t awake till it was pitch-dark, and Hansel comforted his sister, saying : ’ ‘Only wait, Grettel, till the moon rises, then we shall see the bread-crumbs I scattered along the path; they will show us the way back to the house.’ When the moon appeared they got up, but they found no crumbs, for the thousands of birds that fly about the woods and fields had picked them all up. ‘Never mind,’ said Hansel to Grettel; ‘ you’ll see we’ll still find a way out;’ but all the same they did not. They wandered about the whole night, and the next day, from morning till evening, but they could not find a path out of the wood. They were very hungry, too, for they had nothing to eat but a few berries they found growing on the ground. And at last they were so tired that their legs refused to carry them any longer, so they lay down under a tree and fell fast asleep.

  On the third morning after they had left their father’s house they set about their wandering again, but only got deeper and deeper into the wood, and now they felt that if help did not come to them soon they must perish. At midday they saw a beautiful little snow-white bird sitting on a branch, which sang so sweetly that they stopped still and listened to it. And when its song was finished it flapped its wings and flew on in front of them. They followed it and came to a little house, on the roof of which it perched; and when they came quite near they saw that the cottage was made of bread and roofed with cakes, while the window was made of transparent sugar. ‘ Now we’ll set to,’ said Hansel, ‘and have a regular blow-out.19 I’ll eat a bit of the roof, and you, Grettel, can eat some of the window, which you’ll find a sweet morsel.’ Hansel stretched up his hand and broke off a little bit of the roof to see what it was like, and Grettel went to the casement and began to nibble at it. Thereupon a shrill voice called out from the room inside:

  ‘Nibble, nibble, little mouse,

  Who’s nibbling my house?’

  The children answered:

  ‘Tis Heaven’s own child,

  The tempest wild,’

  and went on eating, without putting themselves about. Hansel, who thoroughly appreciated the roof, tore down a big bit of it, while Grettel pushed out a whole round window-pane, and sat down the better to enjoy it. Suddenly the door opened, and an ancient dame leaning on a staff hobbled out. Hansel and Grettel were so terrified that they let what they had in their hands fall. But the old woman shook her head and said: ‘ Oh, ho ! you dear children, who led you here? Just come in and stay with me, no ill shall befall you.’ She took them both by the hand and led them into the house, and laid a most sumptuous dinner before them—milk and sugared pancakes, with apples and nuts. After they had finished, two beautiful little white beds were prepared for them, and when Hansel and Grettel lay down in them they felt as if they had got into heaven.

  The old woman had appeared to be most friendly, but she was really an old witch who had waylaid the children, and had only built the little bread house in order to lure them in. When anyone came into her power she killed, cooked, and ate him, and held a regular feast-day for the occasion. Now witches have red eyes, and canno
t see far, but, like beasts, they have a keen sense of smell, and know when human beings pass by. When Hansel and Grettel fell into her hands she laughed maliciously, and said jeeringly : ‘ I’ve got them now; they shan’t escape me.’ Early in the morning, before the children were awake, she rose up, and when she saw them both sleeping so peacefully, with their round rosy cheeks, she muttered to herself: ‘That’ll be a dainty bite.’ Then she seized Hansel with her bony hand and carried him into a little stable, and barred the door on him; he might scream as much as he liked, it did him no good. Then she went to Grettel, shook her till she awoke, and cried : ’ Get up, you lazy-bones, fetch water and cook something for your brother. When he’s fat I’ll eat him up.’ Grettel began to cry bitterly, ut it was of no use: she had to do what the wicked witch bade her.

  So the best food was cooked for poor Hansel, but Grettel got nothing but crab-shells. Every morning the old woman hobbled out to the stable and cried : ‘ Hansel, put out your finger, that I may feel if you are getting fat.’ But Hansel always stretched out a bone, and the old dame, whose eyes were dim, couldn’t see it, and thinking always it was Hansel’s finger, wondered why he fattened so slowly. When four weeks passed and Hansel still remained thin, she lost patience and determined to wait no longer. ‘Hi! Grettel,’ she called to the girl, ‘be quick and get some water. Hansel may be fat or thin, I’m going to kill him to-morrow and cook him.’ Oh! how the poor little sister sobbed as she carried the water, and how the tears rolled down her cheeks! ’ ‘Kind heaven help us now!’ she cried; ‘if only the wild beasts in the wood had eaten us, then at least we should have died together.’ ‘Just hold your peace,’ said the old hag; ‘it won’t help you.’