FOR THE CHILDREN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13874, 7 October 1908, Page 9

FOR THE CHILDREN.

THE PRINCESS AND'', KING ; GRISLY* ....... beard., "'■ ; ; -. .-, A' krkat king a daughter '"wasvery beautiful, but so proud and conceited .that'', none of the pruices who came to ask.her in marriage were good enough her,, and she-only laughed at them.' - ■■'/ .":.'-. .' Once,/tipoti a time, the king, held a great feast, and invited all her suitors; and they sat in a row according to their, rank. Then the princess came inland pasised by them all, but she had .something, spiteful to say ..; to every one. The first was too fat, the ; next was too kill, the next''.Was short,' the fourth Was too pale, the fifth was too red, and the sixth was not straight 'enough,; But she laughed more than all at "a. "good. king who was there.. , . ,-. ... ;, : ';." Look at him," said" she; C" His .■ beard. ■ is like an old' ..'....He shall called, Grislybeard." So the king' got the nickname of Grislybeard."" ' .'''"".." '. i But the old king was 'very angry when ; '. he saw /how' his daughter behaved, arid he • vowed that she should marry;-the; tot beggar, that came to the door. '■">■' ■'"'.' /Two. days after there came by.a travelling musician, who • began . to•-. sing -•under.- the window and,beg alms,* and when lfXve king ■ ■..-., heard-him, he: said r/". Let hiri come -'xcd* So they brought in a dirty-looking-fellow*;-and when he had sung the,king.said, ," You have sung so well, that 1 will give r you. imy; daughter for your wife.".' "■„■ '.'■_...,.". ,". ''■'...'" ( .-..- The princess begged and prayed j but the king said,'." 1., have promised :.to. give you to the first beggar, and I will keep my word." ; -'. So she - was.' married -to - the. : , • musician. •'"••■■ '•/ '- '- .■■-•;■--' : .'- -■-■■-'■ Then the. beggar'took "with" him;' and they goon came to a great wood." i" Whose is this wood?" said she. ' '". } " It belongs to King Grislybeard," -answer-' - ed. he. If you had taken him/ alii -would hove.been yours.''; ' ' ■..■.;/,■ . ' - ; ; "Ah,- how.,unlucky I am!'' /sighed she. "I wish I had married him." .-■■ Next day. they came to some fine ■ meadows. /".'...■-, , :;,;.,:„:.,.: :;..:• --.'': .. ■.:*!;''"; .. ' ■;■; "Whose are these beautiful green mea- ■ dows if" said she. >-~ >■■...-■ ~■ ■:■:-<■■■■-..■ ' "They belong to King Grisiybeavdj if you had taken him, they would have been yours." .'•".""■ " j "Ah, how unlucky I am!" said she. "I wish I had married- King Grislybeard!" Then they came to a great city., '£■ v "Whose is this noble-cily?"' said she. , "It belongs to; King k Grislybeard? if yott .__ had taken him, itwould have been yours." 'Ah, how miserable I am!" sighed she. "Why did, I not marry. King Grißiybeai'd?"* ; " That is no ' business of .mine/'. said th.9, I musician. \ " Why should' you wish, for another husband? Am T not good enough for .you?" ■■■■■■■ .. 'At last they came to a small cottage."' ■"What a paltry place!" saidshi. "To Whom does that little dirtv hole belong?" ■ The musician .answered, "That is our house, where we are to live. '.'.< Now make the ..fire, and put on .wafer, and * cook.-my fiUDe '"> for I, am -very .tired.:?" > 3Jut'- the princess.knew nothing of making and"' cooking, and the beggar was forced to help ' her. ■ '..;'. " * . When they had eaten a very scanty meal 1 ' they went to bed; but.the' musician called .her : up very early in the'morning to clean the house. ■ Thus they lived for two" "days; and when- they had eaten tip all- there-was in /the cottage the man. said.";" Wife,-" we ' can't go on thus, spending, money and.earn- : ing nothing. ;You.must:learn/to- weavers-; . . kets." . Then he.went l out.and cut willows/ and brought them homeland-she 3 weave,' ; but it'.made -her,. fingers very. sore. ; " See now,'"said the musician! " you an • good for ' noth ing, • you:' can ■'• do'' no" work-— what a bad bargain I have got': However, 111 try and set up - a trade in' Jots' 'and pans, and you shall stand in the market and. sell them." ' _ s. - i. :. ■ - "Alas!" sighed she, "when I stand'"'in the market, and any of my father's court' pass •■ by; and see' 1 hie ■there J^ii'6w' - 'tbeytwill laugh at me!" . , '~. ..;'.. ';;/ .. .-I.,'",'"' ' '_ But;' the; beggar" did iiiot« care for./ that* arid said she must work, if she did. not' ■ wish l.to die of * hunger ■ He; bought ■* \oti\ , ' of. ware r and she sat down: with:; it' in th». * -■:■ corner of> the market -..but a drunken soldier soon came by, and rode his horse ' against' her .i ! stall ''and''-br6kS-V-ifcU''4i€i?.' goods into a thousand pieces.' "Then she begkn.'jto.weep,] - and" knew ; not what to-do. ,\ So she raitii home and told her husband. .V.;'..? ■;." Who would have .thought .you .would! .- have ' been so silly,': .said he,'---" as to- put; an. earthenware stail'ia the. corner of.the market; whei"e everybody passes? 3titi<sib ~; Us have more crying; I see you-ate not fit for this sort of work," so I' have beerilxi the king's palace, and asked if they did'nptt; want a kiteheri«maid/jarid'^hey^b*v» ed to take you."" Thus, the princess became a kitchen-maid, and helped k the cook' to-do all .the dirty work. _ ■ She had. not been there long before sheheard, that the king's eldest son was going to .be;: married, i Then 'thought of;her own,«ad fate, and -bitterly grieved for. tfio pride and folly which had brought htt-'dal low. ■'.:'"»• : ";-;- : ' ;; - > ,'--;;_ l* ,'_;;''.■'.*!,.ri All on a sudden, as she wai» going out, la] came the ' king's ' ©on hi goldan . cfafehsK,. and she saw that it' was King Grislybeard»j She sprang to the door to run awiy,. bufl' on the step*. King Grislybeard overtook;' her and said': •-/•;■ .; ■'.■■;■.■ ■• ziz'^'r&r,;-

. "Fear me not! I am the musician who' haft lived with yon in the but. I brought! you there because I- loved yon. lam also the soldier who ups-ot your stall. I have* done all this only, to cure you of prides Now all is over; you iiave learnt• wisddßta. your faults arc gone, arid it '-'time for 'out?' marriage feast!" Then the chamberlains came and.brougntii her; the most beautiful robes; ■and her father: and- his whole court were there already.; and congratulated her on her marriage!' Joy was in every face. - The featit. wa« grand, and all were metty: :•....;