THE ANIMAL FRIENDS

Northern Advocate, 21 March 1934, Page 2

THE ANIMAL FRIENDS

There Avas once a Serbian nobleman Avhd was so poor that he had nothingleft but an empty castle, a handsome horse, and his hunting gear. One day, as he was returning from a hunt AVith a stag he had killed, a fox suddenly, appeared beside him and said: ‘‘Pray, sir, let me enter your services! I could guard your noble horSe when von have to leave it tethered.'" ‘ - ; The huntsman laughed, and let her come home with him.- He was very skilful in the chase, so that there Avas always enough to eat, and in the cold weather he made huge tires of brushwood; in fact, her. hcav life seemed like. Paradise to, the poor little fox, who had been hungry and half frozen and hunted many a time in her life. Whenever she visited her old acquaintances she gossiped about her good situation, Avith the result that all sorts’ of boasts were continually arriving arid asking the youth to tie their master. Among others there Avere a bear, a Avolf, arid a kumrekusha —a huge bird that could carry off a horse in its talons. All these creatures Avere devoted to the kindly youth, aa4io fed them, gave them shelter, and took the sharp painful thorns out of their pads. When they had served him for some time they held a meeting to decide what they should give him for a birthday present. They decided tffiit a Avife Avould be, the best thing, and settled on a certain beautiful princess. One day, when this damsel Avas walking in her garden, the kumrekusha swooped down out of a tree and carried kef. off. The princess Avas quite satisfied with her Avonderful castle, and Avas as happy as the day is long; but her father was in despair. He offered a huge retvard for the recovery of hia^hild. Now,there was an old witch living in the.eapital Avho Avas tired of mixing love-pptipns and sleeping-draughts, and was desperately afraid of being burned at the stake. She thought: "If 1 can AVin this reward I shall be able to retire, and be a respectable person," So she never ceased her efforts till she discovered the Avhereabouts of the priri. cess. . One day, as she Avalkcd in the forest, the princess found an old gipsy woman sitting on a carpet. They exchanged greetings, and the stranger cleve’rly turned, the conversation into a series of stories. The princess listened and listened till she Avas tired of standing; she sat:dbAvn at last by the side of this entertaining old Avoman. Then the AAdteh slashed the carpet Avith a Avhip, arid itlrose in the air and carried them off to file' king's palace. His Majesty Avas delighted, and if the princess had any thoughts of wandering back to her husband on foot it Avas no, use, for the king had her shut up in a tall tower lest she should bo carried off again. The nobleman Avas so miserable that he lay in bed and did not go hunting for two days. The animals had no sup- j per, ’They all said that something) must bit done to end this stale of | affairs. . j The next day the princess looked out i of her AVindow and saAV a beautiful car I playing Avitli the dead leaves on 1 hrgreen, sward.; She sent her maids of) honour to catch it, but-puss would rial i be caught. There never was so frisky J and playful a cal. At last the eatne out , of her tower, crying impatiently, GLet me try!" Once inpre the, kumrekusha sAvooped out. of a tree and caught her up, avli ilo the fox, who was really the cat in disguise took to her heels Avith all the king's greyhounds and men-at-arms in fiilf cry~after her, Theri the king was so angry at the part the animals had played in his daughter’s elopement that he voAved to kill every beast in the land, big and little, wild arid tame, except his cavalfy horses. Accordingly he seT off for the fd,fest with his army. Meanwhile the. aniriials had banded themselves together ririder the generalship of the fotf. '■ . • !. When the royal army halted for the after the first day’s march all tin!4 mice had -nibbled through the bridles and the ropes that dreAV the cannon. However, the king sent back to .trie for neAV ones, and once moffi set off in pursuit of'his enemies,

When he Avas encamped the next night all the moles in the land mined the earth round about. On the morroAV AA r hen they tried to muster for the attack, the soldiers sank struggling into the soft earth, whilst all the birds in the land dropped stones o'ri them from above. The king Avas slain; the princess and her husband inherited the throne; and if anyone ill-used an animal during their reign lie was stuck in the stocks, ducked in the ducking pool, and locked in the lock-up till he Avas sorry for his misdeed.