Tales of Folk and Fairies

The Magic Turban, the Magic Sword and the Magic Carpet A Persian Story 159 The Three Silver Citrons A Persian Story 180 The Magic Pipe A Norse Tale 201 The Triumph of Truth A Hindu Story 221 Life’s Secret A Story of Bengal 251 Dame Pridgett and the Fairies 278 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE He took out his pipe and blew a tune. Frontispiece Seeing no one, the creature dropped on its knees and bellowed, “Beau Madjam!” 29 She sat down beside the hearth and took off her head. 127 Then the demon flew out through the window and away through the night. 169 The Princess took the cup and drank. 191 The Rajah brought the girl down, while the crows circled about his head. 241 TALES OF FOLK AND FAIRIES THE MEESTER STOORWORM A Story from Scotland There was once a lad, and what his real name was nobody remembered, unless it was the mother who bore him; but what every one called him was Ashipattle. They called him that because he sat among the ashes to warm his toes. He had six older brothers, and they did not think much of him. All the tasks they scorned to do themselves they put upon Ashipattle. He gathered the sticks for the fire, he swept the floor, he cleaned the byre, he ran the errands, and all he got for his pains were kicks and cuffs and mocking words. Still he was a merry fellow, and as far as words went he gave his brothers as good as they sent. Ashipattle had one sister, and she was very good and kind to him. In return for her kindness he told her long stories of trolls and giants and heroes and brave deeds, and as long as he would tell she would sit and listen. But his brothers could not stand his stories, and used to throw clods at him to make him be quiet. They were angry because Ashipattle was always the hero of his own stories, and in his tales there was nothing he dared not do. Now while Ashipattle was still a lad, but a tall, stout one, a great misfortune fell upon the kingdom, for a Stoorworm rose up out of the sea; and of all Stoorworms it was the greatest and the worst. For this reason it was called the Meester Stoorworm. Its length stretched half…