As he was journeying on, he fell in with an Ape, who gibbered at him, and said,
"Kia! kia! kia! where are you off to, Little Peachling?"
"I"m going to the ogres" island, to carry off their treasure," answered Little Peachling.
"What are you carrying at your girdle?"
"I"m carrying the very best millet dumplings in all j.a.pan.
"If you"ll give me one, I will go with you," said the Ape.
So Little Peachhing gave one of his dumplings to the Ape, who received it and followed him. When he had gone a little farther, he heard a Pheasant calling-
"Ken! ken! ken! where are you off to, Master Peachling?"
Little Peachling answered as before; and the Pheasant, having begged and obtained a millet dumpling, entered his service and followed him.
A little while after this they met a Dog, who cried-
Bow! wow! wow! whither away, Master Peachling?"
"I"m going off to the ogres" island, to carry off their treasure.
"If you will give me one of those nice millet dumplings of yours, I will go with you," said the Dog.
"With all my heart," said Little Peachling. So he went on his way, with the Ape, the Pheasant, and the Dog following after him.
When they got to the ogres" island, the Pheasant flew over the castle gate and the Ape clambered over the castle wall, while Little Peachling, leading the Dog, forced in the gate and got into the castle.
Then they did battle with the ogres and put them to flight, and took their King prisoner. So all the ogres did homage to Little Peachling, and brought out the treasures which they had laid up. There were caps and coats that made their wearers invisible, jewels which governed the ebb and the flow of the tide, coral, musk, emeralds, amber, and tortoise sh.e.l.ls, besides gold and silver. All these were laid before Little Peachling by the conquered ogres.
So Little Peachling went home laden with riches, and maintained his foster parents in peace and plenty for the remainder of their lives.
THE TWO LIZARDS
By Annie Ker
IN the old days there lived two lizards, Webubu and Nagari. Webubu was plain of speech, and moreover was unable to cry aloud, but Nagari, by stretching his long neck, could produce a sweet low sound, somewhat after the manner of a whistle.
Nagari longed for companions, so he stretched his neck and cried "U-u- u-u-u." Then many women, hearing the sweet sound, flocked to where Nagari sat, and listened to his music. This pleased Nagari, and he continued to sound his long note. "U-u-u-u-u," he sang, and the women sat so still, one might have thought them dead or weeping.
Webubu, on the contrary, had no one to cheer him in his loneliness.
"What can I do," he said, "to draw women to me as Nagari has done? I have not a sweet voice as he has. What can I do?"
As he was speaking a thought grew up in his heart, and he began to act.
He cut a slim piece of hollow bamboo, and pierced small holes in it.
Thus was the first flute (duraio) born. Webubu then built himself a platform high in a corkwood tree, which we call "troba" on the beach, and seating himself there he began to play his flute.
The women sat patiently around Nagari, while he sounded his one note, "U-u-u!" But on a sudden, upon the still air, broke the sweet voice of Webubu"s flute. High and sweet were the notes which Webubu sent forth from his flute.
"M! m!" said the listening women.
"U-u-u-u," sang Nagari.
"Ah, ss-ss-ss!" cried the women. "Deafen us not with thy "U," when we would hear this strange music!"
Nagari was much troubled at this saying, and marveled greatly. Then one woman made bold to rise up, and saying, "I shall return," she went to seek the sweet music. Now this woman lied, for she never returned.
After a time, another woman arose and said, "Stay here, my friends; I shall return."
Then she went in like manner to look for the music. And she also lied, for she returned not. And so with each woman, until Nagari was left sitting alone as he had been at the beginning.
Now Webubu was still playing his flute on the platform he had built in the corkwood tree, when the women came in sight. He was alarmed for the safety of his frail platform, when he saw these many people advancing, and he cried, "Come not up into the tree. Remain below, I beseech you, O women!"
But the women were consumed with eagerness to be close to the music which had taken their hearts, and they climbed, all of them, until they were upon the platform of Webubu.
Then straightway what he had feared came to pa.s.s, and Webubu, and his flute, and the mult.i.tude of women fell crashing through the branches of the corkwood tree to the ground beneath.
And from that hour until now, all corkwood trees lean toward the earth, as I will show thee, if thou wilt go with me to the beach where they grow.
DE KING AND DE PEAFOWL
By Mary Pamela Milne-Horne
ONE day once "pon a time de King hab a party of ladies an" genelmen.
An" arter de party, de band was ter come an" play. But de fiddler was took sick, so dey could not dance. So de King said, "I am gwine ter sen" ober ter my frien"s an" ask dem ter come an" sing." So he sen", an" de genelman say he was very glad an" his family was Dog, Peafowl, and Tiger. So he sen" Missis Duck fus, an" dey said, "Can you sing?
let me har you voice."
Dey put her in a rocking-chair "pon de platform, an" de Duck say, "Hahh! hahh!" an" den he say, "Dat will not do. Sen" for Dog." An"
dey took her an" put her in a coop, an" all de ducks come round an" ask to have her let out, an" say, "Hahh! hahh! hahh!"
Den dey sen" for Dog an" tole him dat if he fin" a salt beef bone in de road, he mus" not pick it up, "cos it mek him rough in his troat. So Dog did not pick it up, but pa.s.s it; but arter, when he go, his voice did not suit either. Dey tole Dog to sing, an" he said, "How! how!
how!" An" de King say, "Don"t wan" a man ter ask me how-he will not do." Dey saw a Fowl coming. "Can you sing?" An" de Fowl say "Ka!
ka! ka!" an" dey said, "Dat will not do," an" dribe de Fowl "way. De c.o.c.k came in arter, an" de c.o.c.k said, "Coquericou," an" dey said, "De King don" wan" ter know when de daylight, sah!" De King came in an"
said, "All dese people cannot sing; dey will not do."
Dey sen" Tiger, an" dey said, "You must not pick up a big salt beef bone in de road." An" de Tiger did pick it up, an" Tiger could not sing, an" said, "Grum! grum! grum!"
"Dat voice is wuss dan all, dat voice will not do."
Den dey sen" off for Peafowl, but Peafowl would not go. Dey went back ter dinner, all de people went back ter dinner, an" when dey were at dinner in a large house, de Peafowl came in an" sing-
Mi - kale an" iv"ry, Mi - kale an" iv"rv. Mi -
kale an" iv"ry, Mi - kale an" iv"ry, Why - ou, Why - ou
Why - ou Why - ou Why-ou Wife gwine ter die.
Den de genelmen jump up an" say, "Hullo! What dat?" De King say, "Sing again, my pritty lil" bird," an" den de Peafowl sang, "Mikale an"
iv"ry, Mikale an" iv"ry, Mikale an" iv"ry, Whyou, Whyou, Whyou, Whyou, Whyou wife gwine ter die." "What dat? What dat? What dat?" dey say, an" de bird den settin" on de tree sing, "Mikale an" iv"ry," etc.
De King say, "Sing again, you pritty lil" bird. You dress shall be tipped with blue, an" you shall hab a beautiful field of corn as a present." An" de bird sang again better, when he har dat, "Mikale an"