Woman's Curiosity
: The Folk-tales Of The MagyarsA shepherd saved the life of the daughter of the king of snakes, the
princess narrowly escaping being burnt to death. To show him her
gratitude she taught him the language of animals, and he was able to
understand them. One day his donkey said something that made him smile;
whereupon his wife commenced to tease him, and wanted to know the joke,
but the shepherd was unable to gratify her wish, as his betraying the
secre
death. However the wife would not give in and leave him in peace, but
continued to torment her husband with so many questions that he at last
determined to die rather than to bear his wife's ill-temper any longer.
With this view he had his coffin made and brought to his house; he laid
down in the coffin quite prepared for death and ready to divulge the
secret. His faithful dog sat mournfully by his side watching, while the
cock belonging to the house merrily hopped about in the room. The dog
remonstrated with the cock and said that this was not the time for
merriment, seeing how near their master was to death. But the cock
replied quite curtly, "It's master's own fault! why is he such a great
fool and coward? Look at me! I have fifty wives, and they all do as I
tell them to do! If I can get on with so many, surely he ought to be
able to manage one!" Hearing this the shepherd jumped out of the coffin,
seized a wet rope-end and gave the woman a sound thrashing.
Peace was restored, and they lived happily together ever after.
More
-
Why The Peetweet Cries For Rain
"Come to me, every bird that flies," said the Great Father. "There is work to be done that only my birds can do." The birds were happy that they could do something to please the Great Father, for they remembered how good he had always been to th... Why The Possum's Tail Is Bare
A long time ago, the Possum had a fine bushy tail of which he was very proud, so much so that he would even sing of it at the dance. As the Rabbit's tail is short and stubby, he had no patience with such absurd vanity, and at last he thought of a wa... Why The Rabbit Is Timid
One night the moon looked down from the sky upon the people on the earth and said to herself, "How sorrowful they look! I wish I knew what troubles them. The stars and I are never sad, and I do not see why men should be troubled." She listened clo... Why The Raven's Feathers Are Black
Long, long ago the raven's feathers were white as snow. He was a beautiful bird, but the other birds did not like him because he was a thief. When they saw him coming, they would hide away the things that they cared for most, but in some marvelous... Why The Sea Is Salt
Frothi, king of the Northland, owned some magic millstones. Other millstones grind corn, but these would grind out whatever the owner wished, if he knew how to move them. Frothi tried and tried, but they would not stir. "Oh, if I could only mov... Why The Serpent Sheds His Skin
The serpent is the grandfather of the owl, and once upon a time if the owl needed help, she would say, "My grandfather will come and help me," but now he never comes to her. This story tells why. When the owl carried away the little quail, she w... Why The Swallow's Tail Is Forked
This is the story of how the swallow's tail came to be forked. One day the Great Spirit asked all the animals that he had made to come to his lodge. Those that could fly came first: the robin, the bluebird, the owl, the butterfly, the wasp, and ... Why The Tail Of The Fox Has A White Tip
"I must have a boy to watch my sheep and my cows," thought an old woman, and so she went out to look for a boy. She looked first in the fields and then in the forest, but nowhere could she find a boy. As she was walking down the path to her home, ... Why The Water In Rivers Is Never Still
All kinds of strange things came to pass in the days of long ago, but perhaps the strangest of all was that the nurses who cared for little children were not women, but brooks and rivers. The children and the brooks ran about together, and the bro... Why The White Hares Have Black Ears
In the forest there is a beautiful spirit. All the beasts and all the birds are dear to him, and he likes to have them gentle and good. One morning he saw some of his little white hares fighting one another, and each trying to seize the best of th... Why The Woodpecker's Head Is Red
One day the woodpecker said to the Great Spirit, "Men do not like me. I wish they did." The Great Spirit said, "If you wish men to love you, you must be good to them and help them. Then they will call you their friend." "How can a little bird... Why The Wren Flies Close To The Earth
One day when the birds were all together, one of them said, "I have been watching men, and I saw that they had a king. Let us too have a king." "Why?" asked the others. "Oh, I do not know, but men have one." "Which bird shall it be? How sha... Why There Is A Hare In The Moon
Many strange things happened long ago, and one of them was that a hare, a monkey, and a fox agreed to live together. They talked about their plan a long time. Then the hare said, "I promise to help the monkey and the fox." The monkey declared, "I ... Why There Is A Man In The Moon
"Goodman," said the goodwife, "you must go out into the forest and gather sticks for the fire. To-morrow will be Sunday, and we have no wood to burn." "Yes, goodwife," answered the goodman, "I will go to the forest." He did go to the forest, ... William Tell
I suppose that most people regard William Tell, the hero of Switzerland, as an historical character, and visit the scenes made memorable by his exploits, with corresponding interest, when they undertake the regular Swiss round. It is one of the... Wirreenun The Rainmaker
The country was stricken with a drought. The rivers were all dry except the deepest holes in them. The grass was dead, and even the trees were dying. The bark dardurr of the blacks were all fallen to the ground and lay there rotting, so long was i... Witch Stories
I will now tell you something I have seen with my own eyes. In the village of Dhubia next to mine the only son of the Paranik lay ill for a whole year. One day I went out to look at my rahar crop which was nearly ripe and as I stood under a mowah tr... Witch Stories
Young girls are taught witchcraft against their wills and if they refuse to "eat" their father or brother they die or go mad. There was a girl in my own village and she went out gathering herbs with another girl who was a witch. As usual they sang a... Witch Stories
In the village of Mohulpahari there was a youth named Jerba. He was servant to Bepin Teli of Tempa and often had to come home in the dark after his day's work. One night he was coming back very late and, before he saw where he was, suddenly came upo... Witchcraft
The higher castes do not believe in witchcraft. If a man is ill they give him medicines and if he dies in spite of the medicine they do nothing further. But all the lower castes believe in witchcraft and know that it is a reality. The Santal women l... Witchcraft
Girls are taught witchcraft when they are young and are married to a bonga husband. Afterwards when they marry a man they still go away and visit the bonga and when they do so they send in their place a bonga woman exactly like them in appearance an... Witches And Conjurors
From and before the days of King Saul, to the present moment, witches have held dreaded sway over the affairs of man. Cruel laws have been promulgated against them, they have been murdered by credulous and infuriated mobs, they have lost their li... Witches Punished
A neighbour, who does not wish to have his name recorded, states that he can vouch for the incidents in the following tale. A farmer who lost much stock by death, and suspected it was the work of an old hag who lived in his neighbourhood, consult... Witches Transforming Themselves Into Cats
One of the forms that witches were supposed to change themselves into was that of a cat. In this metamorphosed state they were the more able to accomplish their designs. The following tale, illustrative of this belief, was told me by the Rev. R.... With What Measure Ye Mete
"The story of the tax collector of Siargao reminds me of an official of that rank whom I once knew," said a fellow naturalist whom I once met at a club in Manila, and with whom I had been exchanging experiences. "It was when I was gathering specim... Wizard's Glen
Four miles from Pittsfield, Massachusetts, among the Berkshire Hills, is a wild valley, noted for its echoes, that for a century and more has been called Wizard's Glen. Here the Indian priests performed their incantations, and on the red-stained Dev... Woman's Curiosity
A shepherd saved the life of the daughter of the king of snakes, the princess narrowly escaping being burnt to death. To show him her gratitude she taught him the language of animals, and he was able to understand them. One day his donkey said som... Woodpecker
The woodpecker's screech was a sign of rain. This bird is called by two names in Welsh which imply that it foretold storms; as, Ysgrech y coed, the wood screech, and Caseg y drycin, the storm mare. These names have found a place in Welsh couple... Wyandank
From Brooklyn Heights, or Ihpetonga, highplace of trees, where the Canarsie Indians made wampum or sewant, and where they contemplated the Great Spirit in the setting of the sun across the meeting waters, to Montauk Point, Long Island has been swept... Y Fuwch Frech The Freckled Cow
In ages long gone by, my informant knew not how long ago, a wonderful cow had her pasture land on the hill close to the farm, called Cefn Bannog, after the mountain ridge so named. It would seem that the cow was carefully looked after, as indicat... Y Fuwch Gyfeiliorn The Stray Cow
The history of the Fairy Stray Cow appears in Y Brython, vol. iii., pp. 183-4. The writer of the story states that he obtained his materials from a Paper by the late Dr. Pugh, Penhelyg, Aberdovey. The article alluded to by Gwilym Droed-ddu, the ... Yet They Call It Lover's Leap
In the lower part of the township of Cavendish, Vermont, the Black River seeks a lower level through a gorge in the foot-hills of the Green Mountains. The scenery here is romantic and impressive, for the river makes its way along the ravine in a ser... Ymenyn Y Tylwyth Teg Or Fairy Butter
I cannot do better than quote Pennant on this matter. His words are:-- Petroleum, rock oil, or what the Welsh call it, Ymenin tylwyth teg, or Fairies' butter, has been found in the lime stone strata in our mineral country. It is a ... Yorimasa The Brave Archer
Genzan Yorimasa was a brave warrior and a very useful man who lived more than eight thousand moons ago. On account of his valor and skill in the use of the bow he was called to Kioto, and promoted to be chief guard of the imperial palace. At that ... Yosemite Valley
(Explanatory) (3) Mr. Stephen Powers claims that there is no such word in the Miwok language as Yosemite. The valley has always been known to them, and is to this day, when speaking among themselves, as A-wa'-ni. This, it is true, is only the name ... Yoshitsune
[It has been generally believed, both by Japanese and Europeans who have written about the Ainos, that the latter worship Yoshitsune, a Japanese hero of the twelfth century, who is said,--not, indeed, by Japanese historians, but by J... Yr Ellyll Dan Or Goblin Fire
The Rev. T. H. Evans, in his History of the Parish of Llanwddyn, states that in that parish Will of the Wisp is called Yr Ellyll Dan. This is indeed the common name for the Ignis fatuus in most, if not in all parts of Wales, but in some places wh... Ysbryd Ystrad Fawr
Yr oedd Ysbryd yn Ystrad Fawr, ger Llangwm, yn arfer ymddangos ar brydiau ar lun twrci, a'i gynffon o'i amgylch fel olwyn troell. Bryd arall, byddai yn y coed, nes y byddai y rhai hyny yn ymddangos fel pe buasent oll ar dan; bryd arall, byddai fe... Another Time'
"Aye," said the old man, "but how wilt thou deal with King Achilles? Will he not be wroth, hearing that he hath been cheated of his wife?" "Not so," answered the king, "for we have indeed used his name, but he knoweth nothing of this marriage. And... Another Time'
"Aye," said the old man, "but how wilt thou deal with King Achilles? Will he not be wroth, hearing that he hath been cheated of his wife?" "Not so," answered the king, "for we have indeed used his name, but he knoweth nothing of this marriage. And... As I Will Now Set Forth To Thee: 'daughter Of Leda Send Not Thy
child to the land of Euboea, for I will give her in marriage at ... As I Will Now Set Forth To Thee: 'daughter Of Leda Send Not Thy
child to the land of Euboea, for I will give her in marriage at ... C The Divorce
There was once a man who had reason to suspect his wife's faithfulness. He first tried threatening and scolding her; but this had no good effect, for far from being ashamed she only gave him back harder words than she received. So he set to work to ... Iphigenia Who Am Alive And Yet Dead To My Own People Bid Thee----'
But when Orestes heard this, he brake in, "Where is this Iphigenia? Hath the dead come back among the living?" ... Iphigenia Who Am Alive And Yet Dead To My Own People Bid Thee----'
But when Orestes heard this, he brake in, "Where is this Iphigenia? Hath the dead come back among the living?" ... King
The boy Arthur was really the son of King Uther Pendragon, but few persons knew of his birth. Uther had given him into the care of the enchanter Merlin, who had carried him to the castle of Sir Hector,[A] an old friend of Uther's. Here the young pri... King
The boy Arthur was really the son of King Uther Pendragon, but few persons knew of his birth. Uther had given him into the care of the enchanter Merlin, who had carried him to the castle of Sir Hector,[A] an old friend of Uther's. Here the young pri... Prometheus The Friend of Man
Many, many centuries ago there lived two brothers, Prometheus or Forethought, and Epimetheus or Afterthought. They were the sons of those Titans who had fought against Jupiter and been sent in chains to the great prison-house of the lower world, ... That Is Red With The Blood Of Strangers Whereat I Serve' And If
Orestes ask by what means I am alive, thou shalt say that Artemis put a hind in my stead, and that the priest, thinking that he smote me with the knife, slew the beast, and that the goddess brought me to this land." Then said Pylades, "My oath is e... That Is Red With The Blood Of Strangers Whereat I Serve' And If
Orestes ask by what means I am alive, thou shalt say that Artemis put a hind in my stead, and that the priest, thinking that he smote me with the knife, slew the beast, and that the goddess brought me to this land." Then said Pylades, "My oath is e... The Great English Poet Alfred Tennyson Told It In His Idylls Of The
... The Great English Poet Alfred Tennyson Told It In His Idylls Of The
...