A LONG time ago, there lived a man who was very rich. He owned vast tracts of land, and lived in a splendid castle, that stood upon a high, steep hill, from whence he could see for miles around.
But this man had the misfortune to be very ill-looking, and had a beard which, from its color, caused him to be called Blue Beard.
Not far from his castle lived a lady who had two very pretty daughters. Blue Beard asked her for one of them in marriage, leaving it to her to choose which it should be. But both girls, when his offer was reported to them, refused him, not only on account of his beard, but because there were stories afloat that although he had already been married more than once, nobody could tell what had become of his wives.
Blue Beard, thinking, to overcome the objections of the sisters, invited them to make a visit at his castle. They went and spent a week there, during which there were constant feasts and balls. In fact, Blue Beard managed so well that before the end of the week, Fatima, the youngest of the sisters, outgrew her dislike for him, and became his wife.
A month was given up to festivity in honor of the marriage, and the time passed away like a dream. At the end of it, Blue Beard told his wife that he was obliged to leave her for a few weeks, as he had some affairs to attend to in a distant part of the country.
"But my dear Fatima," said he, "you can enjoy yourself in my absence, in any way that you please. You can give dinners, and invite your friends to visit you, for you are the sole mistress in this castle. Here are the keys to all the rooms in the house. This small key belongs to the Blue Closet, at the end of the long hall, on the ground floor. I give you leave," he continued "to open or do what you like, with all of the castle, except this closet; but this, my dear, you must not enter, nor even put the key into its lock. Now, do not forget, for if you fail to obey me, you must expect the most dreadful punishment."
Fatima promised not to forget, and Blue Beard, after kissing her in a tender manner, stepped into his coach and was driven away.
As soon as he was gone, Fatima sent word to her sister Anne, and to several friends, to come without delay and make her a visit. She also sent a note to her two brothers, both officers in the army, asking them to obtain a leave of absence, and spend a few days with her.
Her brothers wrote to her that they would arrive the next day. So eager, however, were her other friends to see the riches of Blue Beard, that they all came within two hours. They went from room to room, showing fresh wonder and admiration at every new object they beheld.
During the day, Fatima was so busy that she never once thought of the Blue Closet, but when all the guests were gone, she felt a great desire to know what it contained. She took out the key, and went down the stairs that led to it. On reaching the door, she stopped, and began to reason with herself, and her heart failed her, for she knew that she was not doing right. But her desire to know about the closet grew stronger each moment, and at last she put the key into the lock and opened the door.
She walked into the closet a few steps, and there saw a horrible sight. She was in the midst of blood, and hanging around the walls were the bodies of the former wives of Blue Beard whom he had slain.
Fatima trembled like a leaf, and the key slipped from her fingers and fell on the floor. It was some moments before she could recover strength enough to pick it up, and fly from the place.
Observing the key to be stained with blood, she tried to wipe it off, but the blood would not come out. In vain did she try washing and scouring, the blood still remained, for the key was a magic one, the gift of a fairy to Blue Beard.
The next day, Blue Beard suddenly came home, saying that he had received word that there was no need of his making the intended journey. He asked Fatima for his keys, and she gave them to him, all except the one to the Blue Closet. He looked them over, and then asked, "How is it that the key of the Blue Closet is not here?"
"I must have left it in my room," said his wife.
"Bring it to me at once, then," said Blue Beard.
Poor Fatima went to get the key. Before going back with it, she thought she would try once more to wash off the blood-stains. But Blue Beard became tired of waiting for her, and, coming to her room, snatched the key from her hands. He looked at it a moment, and then burst into a terrible rage.
"Pray, madam," said he, "how came this blood to be here?"
"I am sure I do not know," said Fatima, turning very pale.
"You do not know?" said Blue Beard, in a voice like thunder. "I know full well. You have been in the Blue Closet. And since you are so fond of prying into secrets, you shall take up your abode with the ladies you saw there!"
Almost dead with terror, Fatima sank upon her knees and entreated him in the most piteous manner to forgive her. But the cruel Blue Beard, deaf to her cries, drew his sword and bade her prepare for death at once.
She begged that he would at least allow her a short time to pray. "I will give you half an hour," said Blue Beard, in a harsh voice, "and no more." Then he left the room.
As soon as he left her, Fatima ran to her sister, and told her as well as she could for her sobs, that she had but half an hour to live, and asked her to go to the top of the tower and see if there were no signs of their brothers' coming.
Her sister did so, and the poor trembling girl below cried out from time to time, "Sister Anne, my dear sister Anne, do you see any one coming yet?" Her sister always replied "No, I see no one; I see naught but the sun which makes a dust, and the grass which is green."
At last they heard the angry voice of Blue Beard, who cried out, "Are you ready? the time is up." Fatima begged for five minutes more, which he, knowing she was wholly at his mercy, granted. Fatima then called again to her sister "Sister Anne, do you see any one coming yet?"
Her sister replied as before, "I see nothing but the sun which makes a dust, and the grass which is green."
Quickly the five minutes sped away, and then the voice of Blue Beard was heard calling "Are you ready yet?"
Again she begged for a brief delay, only two minutes longer. Then she called, "Anne, sister Anne, do you not see some one now?"
"I see," said her sister, "a cloud of dust on the left hand side of the road, not far off."
"Do you think it is our brothers?" said the wife.
"Alas, no, dear sister," said Anne as the cloud of dust drew near; "it is only a flock of sheep."
Once more Blue Beard's voice was heard, and the poor wife begged again for a minute's delay. Then she called out again, for the last time, "Sister Anne, do you see any one coming yet?"
Her sister quickly answered, "I see two men on horseback but they are still a great way off."
"Thank Heaven!" cried Fatima, "it must be our brothers. Make every signal in your power, dear sister, for them to lose no time."
Blue Beard now cried out so loudly that his voice shook the whole house. His poor wife came down and knelt at his feet, crying for mercy. Blue Beard seized her by the hair, and was just about to cut off her head, when a noise at the castle gates made him pause. Footsteps were heard coming, and in a few moments Fatima's two brothers rushed in with drawn swords, and, when they saw what Blue Beard was about, quickly put an end, to him.
Fatima had fallen into a faint at the time Blue Beard seized her by the hair, and she lay so pale and lifeless that one would have thought that she was dead too, but she soon recovered her senses, and then she could scarcely believe that she was safe, and that her cruel husband had met the death he so richly merited. But there he lay, stark and cold, and by her side were her sister Anne, and her dear brothers whose coming had saved her from a horrible death.
As Blue Beard had no relations, all his riches went to Fatima. She gave each of her brothers money enough to enable him to live in comfort, and to her sister, who was married shortly afterward, she gave a large dowry. She herself became in due time, the wife of a young nobleman, whose kind treatment soon made her forget Blue Beard's cruelty.
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Old Mother Goose and Her Son Jack
OLD MOTHER GOOSE lived in a cottage with her son Jack. Jack was a very good lad, and although he was not handsome, he was good-tempered and industrious, and this made him better looking than half the other boys. Old Mother Goose carried a long stick, she wore a high-crowned hat and high heeled shoes, and her kerchief was as white as show. Then there was the Gander that swam in the pond, and the Owl that sat on the wall. So you see they formed a very happy family. But what a fine, strong fellow the Gander was! Whenever Old Mother Goose wanted to take a journey, she would mount upon his broad, strong back, and away he would fly, and carry her swiftly to any distance.
Now Old Mother Goose thought her Gander often looked sad and lonely; so one day she sent Jack to market to buy the finest Goose he could find. It was early in the morning when he started, and his way lay through a wood. He was not afraid of robbers; so on he went, with his mother's great clothes-prop over his shoulder. The fresh morning air caused Jack's spirits to rise. He left the road, and plunged into the thick of the wood, where he amused himself by leaping with his clothes-prop till he found he had lost himself. After he had made many attempts to find the path again, he heard a scream. He jumped up and ran boldly towards the spot from which the sound came. Through an opening in the trees he saw a young lady trying to get away from a ruffian who wanted to steal her mantle. With one heavy blow of his staff, Jack sent the thief howling away, and then went back to the young lady, who was lying on the ground, crying. She soon dried her tears when she found that the robber had made off, and thanked Jack for his help. The young lady told Jack that she was the daughter of the Squire, who lived in the great white house on the hill-top. She knew the path out of the wood quite well, and when they reached the border, she said that Jack must come soon to her father's house, so that he might thank him for his noble conduct. When Jack was left alone, he made the best of his way to the marketplace. He found little trouble in picking out the best Goose, for when he got there he was very late, and there was but one left. But as it was a prime one, Jack bought it at once, and keeping to the road, made straight for home. At first the Goose objected to be carried; and then, when she had walked along slowly and gravely for a short time, she tried to fly away; so Jack seized her in his arms and kept her there till he reached home. Old Mother Goose was greatly pleased when she saw what a fine bird Jack had bought; and the Gander showed more joy than I can describe. And then they all lived very happily together for a long time. But Jack would often leave off work to dream of the lovely young lady whom he had rescued in the forest, and soon began to sigh all day long. He neglected the garden, cared no more for the Gander, and scarcely even noticed the beautiful Goose. But one morning, as he was walking by the pond, he saw both the Goose and the Gander making a great noise, as though they were in the utmost glee. He went up to them and was surprised to find on the bank a large golden egg. He ran with it to his mother, who said, "Go to market, my son; sell your egg, and you will soon be rich enough to pay a visit to the Squire." So to market Jack went, and sold his golden egg; but the rogue who bought it of him cheated him out of half his due. Then he dressed himself in his finest clothes, and went up to the Squire's house. Two footmen stood at the door, one looking very stout and saucy, and the other sleepy and stupid.
When Jack asked to see the Squire, they laughed at him, and made sport of his fine clothes; but Jack had wit enough to offer each of them a gold piece, when they at once showed him to the Squire's room.
Now the Squire, who was very rich, was also very proud and fat, and scarcely turned his head to notice Jack; but when he showed him his bag of gold, and asked for his daughter to be his bride, the Squire flew into a rage, and ordered his servants to throw him into the horse-pond. But this was not so easy to do, for Jack was strong and active; and then the young lady came out and begged her father to release him. This made Jack more deeply in love with her than ever, and he went home determined to win her in spite of all. And well did his wonderful Goose aid him in his design. Almost every morning she would lay him a golden egg, and Jack, grown wiser, would no longer sell them at half their value, to the rogue who had before cheated him. So Jack soon grew to be a richer man than the Squire himself. His wealth became known to all the country round, and the Squire at length consented to accept Jack as his son-in-law.
The Old Mother Goose flew away into the woods on the back of her strong Gander, leaving the cottage and the Goose to Jack and his bride, who lived happily ever afterwards.
Now Old Mother Goose thought her Gander often looked sad and lonely; so one day she sent Jack to market to buy the finest Goose he could find. It was early in the morning when he started, and his way lay through a wood. He was not afraid of robbers; so on he went, with his mother's great clothes-prop over his shoulder. The fresh morning air caused Jack's spirits to rise. He left the road, and plunged into the thick of the wood, where he amused himself by leaping with his clothes-prop till he found he had lost himself. After he had made many attempts to find the path again, he heard a scream. He jumped up and ran boldly towards the spot from which the sound came. Through an opening in the trees he saw a young lady trying to get away from a ruffian who wanted to steal her mantle. With one heavy blow of his staff, Jack sent the thief howling away, and then went back to the young lady, who was lying on the ground, crying. She soon dried her tears when she found that the robber had made off, and thanked Jack for his help. The young lady told Jack that she was the daughter of the Squire, who lived in the great white house on the hill-top. She knew the path out of the wood quite well, and when they reached the border, she said that Jack must come soon to her father's house, so that he might thank him for his noble conduct. When Jack was left alone, he made the best of his way to the marketplace. He found little trouble in picking out the best Goose, for when he got there he was very late, and there was but one left. But as it was a prime one, Jack bought it at once, and keeping to the road, made straight for home. At first the Goose objected to be carried; and then, when she had walked along slowly and gravely for a short time, she tried to fly away; so Jack seized her in his arms and kept her there till he reached home. Old Mother Goose was greatly pleased when she saw what a fine bird Jack had bought; and the Gander showed more joy than I can describe. And then they all lived very happily together for a long time. But Jack would often leave off work to dream of the lovely young lady whom he had rescued in the forest, and soon began to sigh all day long. He neglected the garden, cared no more for the Gander, and scarcely even noticed the beautiful Goose. But one morning, as he was walking by the pond, he saw both the Goose and the Gander making a great noise, as though they were in the utmost glee. He went up to them and was surprised to find on the bank a large golden egg. He ran with it to his mother, who said, "Go to market, my son; sell your egg, and you will soon be rich enough to pay a visit to the Squire." So to market Jack went, and sold his golden egg; but the rogue who bought it of him cheated him out of half his due. Then he dressed himself in his finest clothes, and went up to the Squire's house. Two footmen stood at the door, one looking very stout and saucy, and the other sleepy and stupid.
When Jack asked to see the Squire, they laughed at him, and made sport of his fine clothes; but Jack had wit enough to offer each of them a gold piece, when they at once showed him to the Squire's room.
Now the Squire, who was very rich, was also very proud and fat, and scarcely turned his head to notice Jack; but when he showed him his bag of gold, and asked for his daughter to be his bride, the Squire flew into a rage, and ordered his servants to throw him into the horse-pond. But this was not so easy to do, for Jack was strong and active; and then the young lady came out and begged her father to release him. This made Jack more deeply in love with her than ever, and he went home determined to win her in spite of all. And well did his wonderful Goose aid him in his design. Almost every morning she would lay him a golden egg, and Jack, grown wiser, would no longer sell them at half their value, to the rogue who had before cheated him. So Jack soon grew to be a richer man than the Squire himself. His wealth became known to all the country round, and the Squire at length consented to accept Jack as his son-in-law.
The Old Mother Goose flew away into the woods on the back of her strong Gander, leaving the cottage and the Goose to Jack and his bride, who lived happily ever afterwards.
Friday, May 2, 2008
Jack the Giant Killer (Part 1)
IN the days when King Arthur ruled in Britain, there were many giants in the land--huge, fierce monsters, who kept folks in constant terror. It was at this time that our hero, Jack, was born. He grew up a brave, fearless, little fellow; and before he was ten years old, he had made up his mind to gain a name for himself by ridding the land of some of the giants.
Of all those in Jack's part of the country, no giant was dreaded more than one named Cormoran, who dwelt on a hill called St. Michael's Mount, which rises out of the sea near the coast of Cornwall. He was so tall that when the tide was low, he could walk through the sea from his cave over to Cornwall, and this he did quite often--never going back without carrying along some poor farmer's cattle or sheep.
Jack set his wits to work, and at last thought he had a plan by which he would be able to put an end to the misdeeds of this monster. He took, one evening, a pickaxe and shovel, a lantern, and a horn, and getting on a raft, paddled over to St. Michael's Mount. He went to work at once and dug a deep pit in front of the giant's cave. Next he placed sticks across the top of the pit, and on the sticks spread straw, while over the straw he strewed loose earth until all looked like solid ground.
By this time day had dawned; so Jack stepped back a short distance, and blew a loud blast upon his horn. It awaked Cormoran, who came out to see what it meant, and when he beheld Jack was in a great rage.
"You saucy little imp," said he "just wait a moment, and I'll broil you for my breakfast."
With this he came running to catch Jack; but the pit was right in his way, and the instant he set foot on the earth covering it, the sticks broke, and down he crashed, over his head into it.
"There, Mr. Cormoran," said Jack, "you see it is sometimes a bad thing to be in too much of a hurry for your breakfast."
At this the giant began to make frantic efforts to climb out, so Jack ran up with his pickaxe and gave him a blow on the head which killed him.
Jack returned home, and when the news spread of what he had done, the people were full of joy, and made a great hero of Jack, giving him the title of JACK THE GIANT KILLER; while the Duke of Cornwall made him a present of a sword and belt, upon which, in golden letters, were the words:--
"This is the gallant Cornish manWho slew the Giant Cormoran."
But this only made Jack crave for more glory; so he started for Wales, where the number of giants was very great indeed. One day, as night fell, he came to a fine large house where he thought he would ask for lodgings. He knocked at the door, and was startled when a giant with two heads came to answer. He was civil, however, and asked Jack in, and gave him his supper and a bed; but Jack did not trust him altogether, and made up his mind not to go to sleep. The giant seemed to have a habit of talking to himself--as would be natural to one having two heads--and presently he began to sing a kind of duet, some of which Jack was able to make out. First, one head sang, in a soft tenor voice:
"Although with me he stays this night,He shall not see the morning light."
And then the other head growled, in a deep bass:
"For as he lies asleep in bed,With my trusty club I'll smash his head."
"Oho!" said Jack, "that's your game is it, Mr. Giant? Now for a plan to fool you."
Jack thought a moment, and then went to the fire-place, where he found a log of wood. He put this in his place in the bed, covered it up well, and then crawled under the bed.
In the middle of the night the giant stole into the room with a club in his hands. Drawing near the bed, he raised the club and gave the log of wood a number of terrible whacks. Then, thinking Jack must surely be dead, he went away.
When Jack appeared in the morning, without a sign of hurt upon him, the giant could hardly believe his eyes.
"How did you sleep?" he asked. "Did anything disturb you during the night?"
"Oh, at one time I thought I felt a rat switch me with his tail," said Jack, "but for the rest, I slept very soundly."
The giant went to get breakfast ready; and while he was away Jack caught sight of a leather bag in a corner of the room. He thought of another trick to play on the giant; so he put the bag under his coat, which was quite loose. The giant brought in two big bowls of porridge, to which he and Jack sat down. The giant took a spoon in each hand, and began to feed both mouths at once, which made his porridge go pretty fast; but not any faster than Jack's did, for he was stowing his away in the bag. The giant was so busy feeding that he did not take much notice of Jack until he had finished his bowl, when he looked up and was greatly surprised to find that the little fellow had emptied his also. While he was still wondering, Jack said:--
"Now I'll show you something strange. I can cut off my head or legs, or any other part of my body, and put them on again a good as ever. Just see this, for instance." And he took a knife and cut the bag, so that all the porridge tumbled out on the floor.
The giant's conceit had already been very much hurt as being outdone by such a little chap as Jack, and now he lost his wits completely. "Ods splutter my nails," said he, "I can do that myself." So he took the knife, and stuck it in where his porridge was--and dropped dead on the floor.
Of all those in Jack's part of the country, no giant was dreaded more than one named Cormoran, who dwelt on a hill called St. Michael's Mount, which rises out of the sea near the coast of Cornwall. He was so tall that when the tide was low, he could walk through the sea from his cave over to Cornwall, and this he did quite often--never going back without carrying along some poor farmer's cattle or sheep.
Jack set his wits to work, and at last thought he had a plan by which he would be able to put an end to the misdeeds of this monster. He took, one evening, a pickaxe and shovel, a lantern, and a horn, and getting on a raft, paddled over to St. Michael's Mount. He went to work at once and dug a deep pit in front of the giant's cave. Next he placed sticks across the top of the pit, and on the sticks spread straw, while over the straw he strewed loose earth until all looked like solid ground.
By this time day had dawned; so Jack stepped back a short distance, and blew a loud blast upon his horn. It awaked Cormoran, who came out to see what it meant, and when he beheld Jack was in a great rage.
"You saucy little imp," said he "just wait a moment, and I'll broil you for my breakfast."
With this he came running to catch Jack; but the pit was right in his way, and the instant he set foot on the earth covering it, the sticks broke, and down he crashed, over his head into it.
"There, Mr. Cormoran," said Jack, "you see it is sometimes a bad thing to be in too much of a hurry for your breakfast."
At this the giant began to make frantic efforts to climb out, so Jack ran up with his pickaxe and gave him a blow on the head which killed him.
Jack returned home, and when the news spread of what he had done, the people were full of joy, and made a great hero of Jack, giving him the title of JACK THE GIANT KILLER; while the Duke of Cornwall made him a present of a sword and belt, upon which, in golden letters, were the words:--
"This is the gallant Cornish manWho slew the Giant Cormoran."
But this only made Jack crave for more glory; so he started for Wales, where the number of giants was very great indeed. One day, as night fell, he came to a fine large house where he thought he would ask for lodgings. He knocked at the door, and was startled when a giant with two heads came to answer. He was civil, however, and asked Jack in, and gave him his supper and a bed; but Jack did not trust him altogether, and made up his mind not to go to sleep. The giant seemed to have a habit of talking to himself--as would be natural to one having two heads--and presently he began to sing a kind of duet, some of which Jack was able to make out. First, one head sang, in a soft tenor voice:
"Although with me he stays this night,He shall not see the morning light."
And then the other head growled, in a deep bass:
"For as he lies asleep in bed,With my trusty club I'll smash his head."
"Oho!" said Jack, "that's your game is it, Mr. Giant? Now for a plan to fool you."
Jack thought a moment, and then went to the fire-place, where he found a log of wood. He put this in his place in the bed, covered it up well, and then crawled under the bed.
In the middle of the night the giant stole into the room with a club in his hands. Drawing near the bed, he raised the club and gave the log of wood a number of terrible whacks. Then, thinking Jack must surely be dead, he went away.
When Jack appeared in the morning, without a sign of hurt upon him, the giant could hardly believe his eyes.
"How did you sleep?" he asked. "Did anything disturb you during the night?"
"Oh, at one time I thought I felt a rat switch me with his tail," said Jack, "but for the rest, I slept very soundly."
The giant went to get breakfast ready; and while he was away Jack caught sight of a leather bag in a corner of the room. He thought of another trick to play on the giant; so he put the bag under his coat, which was quite loose. The giant brought in two big bowls of porridge, to which he and Jack sat down. The giant took a spoon in each hand, and began to feed both mouths at once, which made his porridge go pretty fast; but not any faster than Jack's did, for he was stowing his away in the bag. The giant was so busy feeding that he did not take much notice of Jack until he had finished his bowl, when he looked up and was greatly surprised to find that the little fellow had emptied his also. While he was still wondering, Jack said:--
"Now I'll show you something strange. I can cut off my head or legs, or any other part of my body, and put them on again a good as ever. Just see this, for instance." And he took a knife and cut the bag, so that all the porridge tumbled out on the floor.
The giant's conceit had already been very much hurt as being outdone by such a little chap as Jack, and now he lost his wits completely. "Ods splutter my nails," said he, "I can do that myself." So he took the knife, and stuck it in where his porridge was--and dropped dead on the floor.
Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves(part one)
THERE once lived in a town in Persia two brothers, one named Cassim, and the other Ali Baba. Cassim had married a rich wife, but Ali Baba was poor, and made his living by cutting wood, which he brought upon three asses into the town to sell.
One day when he was in the forest cutting wood, he saw a troop of horsemen coming toward him. Fearing they might be robbers, he climbed a tree to hide. Near the tree there was a steep bank formed of solid rock. When the horsemen came up Ali Baba counted them and found they were forty in number. They dismounted in front of the rock, and one, who seemed to be captain, said the words, "Open, Sesame," when instantly a door opened in the rock. Then they all passed through, and the door closed after them.
Ali Baba stayed in the tree, and after awhile the door opened again, and the robbers came out. Then the captain closed the door by saying, "Shut, Sesame," and they all rode away.
When they were out of sight Ali Baba came down, and, going up to the rock, said, "Open, Sesame." The door at once opened, and Ali Baba, entering, found himself in a large cave, lighted from a hole in the top, and full of all kinds of treasure--rich silks and carpets, gold and silver ware, and great bags of money. He loaded his three asses with as many of the bags of gold as they could carry; and, after closing the door by saying, "Shut, Sesame," made his way home.
When he got there and told his wife of their good luck she was overjoyed, and wished to count the gold to see how rich they were. "No," said Ali Baba, "that will take too long. I must dig a hole and bury it at once." "You are right," said she, "but at least let us form some idea how much there is. Let me measure it while you dig the hole."
But as she had no measure of her own, she ran to Cassim's wife to borrow one. Now Cassim's wife was very inquisitive, and wished to find out what they were going to use the measure for, so she covered the bottom of it with suet. When Ali Baba's wife had done with it she carried it back, but did not notice that a piece of gold had stuck to the suet. When Cassim's wife saw the gold she wondered greatly--knowing Ali Baba to be so poor--and told her husband about it. He went to Ali Baba, and persuaded him to explain how he had become rich enough to have to measure his money, and when he heard the story, he made up his mind that he, too, would get some of the treasure.
So he started for the forest with a lot of mules the next morning. He opened the door by saying, "Open, Sesame," and when he went in, it closed after him. He began to pile up bags of gold near the door, but when he was ready to go he found that he had forgotten the magic words which opened it, and before he could recall them, the robbers returned. The moment they caught sight of him they rushed upon him with their swords and killed him, and then cut his body in four quarters and hung them up in the cave.
When night fell, and Cassim had not returned, his wife was greatly alarmed and ran to Ali Baba. He tried to comfort her; but when morning came, and Cassim did not yet appear, he set out for the cave with his three asses. When he reached there, and saw his brother's body, he was struck with horror at the sight, but he quickly wrapped up the pieces and carried them home on one of the asses loading the other two again with gold.
He now wished to get Cassim buried without letting anyone know that he had not died a natural death. Cassim's wife had a slave named Morgiana, who was very quick-witted, and Ali Baba took her into his confidence, and got her to assist him. She went very early in the morning, to an old cobbler named Mustapha, and bribed him to come and stitch the body together, tying a handkerchief over his eyes as she led him to and from the house, so that he would not know where he had done the work. Then it was given out that Cassim had died, and the funeral was held without betraying the secret of his death.
The customs of the country allowed a man to have more than one wife, and it was also usual when a husband died that his brother should marry his widow. So, in order that he might enjoy his good fortune and live as a man of wealth without causing remarks to be made about his sudden rise in life, Ali Baba married Cassim's widow, who was known to be rich, and went to live in her house.
One day when he was in the forest cutting wood, he saw a troop of horsemen coming toward him. Fearing they might be robbers, he climbed a tree to hide. Near the tree there was a steep bank formed of solid rock. When the horsemen came up Ali Baba counted them and found they were forty in number. They dismounted in front of the rock, and one, who seemed to be captain, said the words, "Open, Sesame," when instantly a door opened in the rock. Then they all passed through, and the door closed after them.
Ali Baba stayed in the tree, and after awhile the door opened again, and the robbers came out. Then the captain closed the door by saying, "Shut, Sesame," and they all rode away.
When they were out of sight Ali Baba came down, and, going up to the rock, said, "Open, Sesame." The door at once opened, and Ali Baba, entering, found himself in a large cave, lighted from a hole in the top, and full of all kinds of treasure--rich silks and carpets, gold and silver ware, and great bags of money. He loaded his three asses with as many of the bags of gold as they could carry; and, after closing the door by saying, "Shut, Sesame," made his way home.
When he got there and told his wife of their good luck she was overjoyed, and wished to count the gold to see how rich they were. "No," said Ali Baba, "that will take too long. I must dig a hole and bury it at once." "You are right," said she, "but at least let us form some idea how much there is. Let me measure it while you dig the hole."
But as she had no measure of her own, she ran to Cassim's wife to borrow one. Now Cassim's wife was very inquisitive, and wished to find out what they were going to use the measure for, so she covered the bottom of it with suet. When Ali Baba's wife had done with it she carried it back, but did not notice that a piece of gold had stuck to the suet. When Cassim's wife saw the gold she wondered greatly--knowing Ali Baba to be so poor--and told her husband about it. He went to Ali Baba, and persuaded him to explain how he had become rich enough to have to measure his money, and when he heard the story, he made up his mind that he, too, would get some of the treasure.
So he started for the forest with a lot of mules the next morning. He opened the door by saying, "Open, Sesame," and when he went in, it closed after him. He began to pile up bags of gold near the door, but when he was ready to go he found that he had forgotten the magic words which opened it, and before he could recall them, the robbers returned. The moment they caught sight of him they rushed upon him with their swords and killed him, and then cut his body in four quarters and hung them up in the cave.
When night fell, and Cassim had not returned, his wife was greatly alarmed and ran to Ali Baba. He tried to comfort her; but when morning came, and Cassim did not yet appear, he set out for the cave with his three asses. When he reached there, and saw his brother's body, he was struck with horror at the sight, but he quickly wrapped up the pieces and carried them home on one of the asses loading the other two again with gold.
He now wished to get Cassim buried without letting anyone know that he had not died a natural death. Cassim's wife had a slave named Morgiana, who was very quick-witted, and Ali Baba took her into his confidence, and got her to assist him. She went very early in the morning, to an old cobbler named Mustapha, and bribed him to come and stitch the body together, tying a handkerchief over his eyes as she led him to and from the house, so that he would not know where he had done the work. Then it was given out that Cassim had died, and the funeral was held without betraying the secret of his death.
The customs of the country allowed a man to have more than one wife, and it was also usual when a husband died that his brother should marry his widow. So, in order that he might enjoy his good fortune and live as a man of wealth without causing remarks to be made about his sudden rise in life, Ali Baba married Cassim's widow, who was known to be rich, and went to live in her house.
Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves(part two)
Meanwhile, the robbers had again visited their cave; and finding that the body had been removed, saw that somebody knew their secret, and resolved not to rest till they found out who it was. One of them proposed to go into the town to see if he could find a clue, and the captain allowed him to do so. He fell in, by accident, with old Mustapha, who told him of how he had been hired to sew up a dead body. The robber at once felt that he was on the track of the one he was looking for, so he offered the old man a large piece of gold to show him the house where he had done the sewing. Mustapha explained that his eyes had been covered on the way, but the robber thought that if he were again blindfolded he might remember the turns he had made, and so find the place. They tried this plan. Mustapha walked on and at last stopped before a house which was, indeed, Ali Baba's. The robber marked the door with chalk, and returned to his comrades.
Shortly after, Morgiana came out of the house and saw the mark, and thinking it might mean mischief, she marked two or three doors on each side in the same way.
The robber, in the meantime, had reported his success, and the captain ordered all to go into the town, separately, and meet together at a certain place, where he would join them. He took the robber who had found the house, and went with him to look at it, and see what had best be done. The robber led him into the street where Ali Baba lived, and when they came to one of the doors which Morgiana had marked, he pointed to it, but the captain noticed that the next house was marked in the same way, and on looking further found five or six more. He saw that they were foiled, and ordered his men to return to the forest. When they got there, they put to death the robber who they thought had deceived them--a fate which he admitted he deserved for not taking more pains.
Another of the troop then said he would try the task. He went and engaged Mustapha to lead him as he had the first one, and when he stopped at the house, he put a mark with red chalk, in a place where he thought it would not be seen.
But it did not escape the eyes of Morgiana, and she marked the other houses in the same place and manner.
The robbers went to the town as before, but when the captain and the robber came to the street they found that they were baffled again. So all returned, and the second robber was put to death for his failure as the first had been.
Then the captain went himself, and got Mustapha to conduct him in the same way he had the others; but he did not put any mark on the house. Instead, he looked at it so carefully that he would know it when he saw it again. He then sent his men to buy nineteen mules and thirty-eight leather oil-jars, one full of oil and the rest empty. When they had brought them to the cave, he put a man in each of the empty jars, and loaded all the jars on the mules, and set out for the town so as to reach it about dark.
He led his mules through the streets till he reached the house of Ali Baba, to whom he applied for lodging; saying that he was an oil merchant who had just arrived, and could not find a place to stay. Ali Baba was hospitable and allowed him to drive his mules into his yard, where he unloaded them, and set the jars in rows, whispering to his men that when they should hear him throw a stone out of the window, they must come out of the jars, and he would join them. He then went into the house and was shown to a room.
Now it happened that Morgiana needed some oil, and as it was too late to buy any, she thought she would take a little out of the jars in the yard. So she went out with her oil-pot and drew near one of the jars to help herself, when, to her great surprise, she heard a man's voice within it say, softly, "Is it time?" Startled as she was, she did not lose her presence of mind, but answered, "Not yet, but presently." She went in this way to all of the jars, answering the same until she came, last of all, to the jar of oil.
She at once saw the danger to which her master was exposed, and laid a plan to avert it. She filled a great kettle from the jar of oil, and set it on the fire till the oil was boiling. Then she took it and poured enough into each jar to kill the robber inside. After that she went into the house; and, putting out her light, watched through a window to see what would happen.
She had not waited long before the captain, hearing no one stirring, opened his window and began throwing stones at the jars. But as no movement followed, he became alarmed and stole down into the yard, where he found that all of his men were dead. Full of rage and despair, he climbed over the wall of the yard and made his way off to the cave.
When Morgiana saw him go, she went to bed well pleased to have succeeded in saving her master and his family. The next morning she told Ali Baba of what she had done, and he and one of his servants dug a trench in his garden in which they buried the robbers.
The captain soon laid a plot to be revenged on Ali Baba, whom he now hated worse than ever. First changing his looks as much as he could, he went to the town and rented a warehouse, to which he took a lot of silks and other stuffs, and set up as a merchant under the name of Cogia Hassan.
Now Ali Baba's son was a merchant, and, as it happened, had his warehouse near that of Cogia Hassan; and as Ali Baba often went there, the captain soon discovered their relationship. So he set himself to get into the friendship of the son, and succeeded so well that he was soon invited to Ali Baba's house to dine.
He went, and carried concealed, a dagger with which he intended to kill Ali Baba at the first chance. At the table he took no salt, for among the Persians, even the wickedest think it wrong to kill a man whose salt they have eaten. Morgiana, who was serving, noticed this, and it caused her to suspect him. On looking at him more closely, she was sure that he was the false oil merchant. She saw his purpose, and thought of a bold scheme to defeat it, and relieve her master of all further danger from him.
She was a fine dancer, and often danced before the guests of Ali Baba; so, after the meal, as Ali Baba and his son and their guest sat smoking, she came to give a performance. She carried a tambourine in one hand, and in the other a dagger, which, in dancing, she pointed playfully at the breast of each as though that were part of the dance. When she was through she went from one to another with her tambourine, according to the custom, and Ali Baba and his son each put in a piece of gold. Then she came to Cogia Hassan, and, while he was reaching his hand to put in a coin, plunged her dagger into his heart, and he fell dead.
Ali Baba cried out with horror; but when Morgiana told him who his guest was, and, opening his garment, showed him the concealed dagger; his feelings changed to joy at his escape, and admiration for Morgiana's shrewdness, courage, and fidelity; and it seemed to him that he could not say nor do enough to thank her.
They soon disposed of the captain's body by burying him in the garden with his comrades, and as the robbers were now all dead, they were free from further danger. After awhile, Ali Baba's son married Morgiana, and they lived long in peace and happiness.
Shortly after, Morgiana came out of the house and saw the mark, and thinking it might mean mischief, she marked two or three doors on each side in the same way.
The robber, in the meantime, had reported his success, and the captain ordered all to go into the town, separately, and meet together at a certain place, where he would join them. He took the robber who had found the house, and went with him to look at it, and see what had best be done. The robber led him into the street where Ali Baba lived, and when they came to one of the doors which Morgiana had marked, he pointed to it, but the captain noticed that the next house was marked in the same way, and on looking further found five or six more. He saw that they were foiled, and ordered his men to return to the forest. When they got there, they put to death the robber who they thought had deceived them--a fate which he admitted he deserved for not taking more pains.
Another of the troop then said he would try the task. He went and engaged Mustapha to lead him as he had the first one, and when he stopped at the house, he put a mark with red chalk, in a place where he thought it would not be seen.
But it did not escape the eyes of Morgiana, and she marked the other houses in the same place and manner.
The robbers went to the town as before, but when the captain and the robber came to the street they found that they were baffled again. So all returned, and the second robber was put to death for his failure as the first had been.
Then the captain went himself, and got Mustapha to conduct him in the same way he had the others; but he did not put any mark on the house. Instead, he looked at it so carefully that he would know it when he saw it again. He then sent his men to buy nineteen mules and thirty-eight leather oil-jars, one full of oil and the rest empty. When they had brought them to the cave, he put a man in each of the empty jars, and loaded all the jars on the mules, and set out for the town so as to reach it about dark.
He led his mules through the streets till he reached the house of Ali Baba, to whom he applied for lodging; saying that he was an oil merchant who had just arrived, and could not find a place to stay. Ali Baba was hospitable and allowed him to drive his mules into his yard, where he unloaded them, and set the jars in rows, whispering to his men that when they should hear him throw a stone out of the window, they must come out of the jars, and he would join them. He then went into the house and was shown to a room.
Now it happened that Morgiana needed some oil, and as it was too late to buy any, she thought she would take a little out of the jars in the yard. So she went out with her oil-pot and drew near one of the jars to help herself, when, to her great surprise, she heard a man's voice within it say, softly, "Is it time?" Startled as she was, she did not lose her presence of mind, but answered, "Not yet, but presently." She went in this way to all of the jars, answering the same until she came, last of all, to the jar of oil.
She at once saw the danger to which her master was exposed, and laid a plan to avert it. She filled a great kettle from the jar of oil, and set it on the fire till the oil was boiling. Then she took it and poured enough into each jar to kill the robber inside. After that she went into the house; and, putting out her light, watched through a window to see what would happen.
She had not waited long before the captain, hearing no one stirring, opened his window and began throwing stones at the jars. But as no movement followed, he became alarmed and stole down into the yard, where he found that all of his men were dead. Full of rage and despair, he climbed over the wall of the yard and made his way off to the cave.
When Morgiana saw him go, she went to bed well pleased to have succeeded in saving her master and his family. The next morning she told Ali Baba of what she had done, and he and one of his servants dug a trench in his garden in which they buried the robbers.
The captain soon laid a plot to be revenged on Ali Baba, whom he now hated worse than ever. First changing his looks as much as he could, he went to the town and rented a warehouse, to which he took a lot of silks and other stuffs, and set up as a merchant under the name of Cogia Hassan.
Now Ali Baba's son was a merchant, and, as it happened, had his warehouse near that of Cogia Hassan; and as Ali Baba often went there, the captain soon discovered their relationship. So he set himself to get into the friendship of the son, and succeeded so well that he was soon invited to Ali Baba's house to dine.
He went, and carried concealed, a dagger with which he intended to kill Ali Baba at the first chance. At the table he took no salt, for among the Persians, even the wickedest think it wrong to kill a man whose salt they have eaten. Morgiana, who was serving, noticed this, and it caused her to suspect him. On looking at him more closely, she was sure that he was the false oil merchant. She saw his purpose, and thought of a bold scheme to defeat it, and relieve her master of all further danger from him.
She was a fine dancer, and often danced before the guests of Ali Baba; so, after the meal, as Ali Baba and his son and their guest sat smoking, she came to give a performance. She carried a tambourine in one hand, and in the other a dagger, which, in dancing, she pointed playfully at the breast of each as though that were part of the dance. When she was through she went from one to another with her tambourine, according to the custom, and Ali Baba and his son each put in a piece of gold. Then she came to Cogia Hassan, and, while he was reaching his hand to put in a coin, plunged her dagger into his heart, and he fell dead.
Ali Baba cried out with horror; but when Morgiana told him who his guest was, and, opening his garment, showed him the concealed dagger; his feelings changed to joy at his escape, and admiration for Morgiana's shrewdness, courage, and fidelity; and it seemed to him that he could not say nor do enough to thank her.
They soon disposed of the captain's body by burying him in the garden with his comrades, and as the robbers were now all dead, they were free from further danger. After awhile, Ali Baba's son married Morgiana, and they lived long in peace and happiness.
The pancake
ONCE ON a time there was a good housewife who had seven hungry children. One day she was busy frying pancakes for them, and this time she had used new milk in the making of them. One was lying in the pan, frizzling away — ah! so beautiful and thick — it was a pleasure to look at it. The children were standing round the fire, and the husband sat in the corner and looked on. "Oh, give me a bit of pancake, mother, I am so hungry!" said one child. "Ah, do! dear mother," said the second. "Ah, do! dear, good mother," said the third. "Ah, do! dear, good, kind mother," said the fourth. "Ah, do! dear, good, kind, nice mother," said the fifth. "Ah, do! dear, good, kind, nice, sweet mother," said the sixth. "Ah, do! dear, good, kind, nice, sweet, darling mother," said the seventh. And thus they were all begging for pancakes, the one more prettily than the other, because they were so hungry, and such good little children. "Yes, children dear, wait a bit until it turns itself," she answered — she ought to have said "until I turn it" — "and then you shall all have pancakes, beautiful pancakes, made of new milk — only look how thick and happy it lies there." When the pancake heard this, it got frightened, and all of a sudden, it turned itself and wanted to get out of the pan, but it fell down in it again on the other side, and when it had been fried a little on that side too, it felt a little stronger in the back, jumped out on the floor, and rolled away, like a wheel, right through the door and down the road. "Hallo!" cried the good wife, and away she ran after it, with the frying pan in one hand and the ladle in the other, as fast as she could, and the children behind her, while the husband came limping after, last of all. "Halloo, won't you stop? Catch it, stop it. Halloo there!" they all screamed, the one louder than the other, trying to catch it on the run, but the pancake rolled and rolled, and before long, it was so far ahead, that they could not see it, for the pancake was much smarter on its 'legs' than any of them. When it had rolled a time, it met a man. "Good-day, pancake!" said the man. "Well met, Manny Panny," said the pancake. "Dear pancake," said the man, "don't roll so fast, but wait a bit and let me eat you." "When I have run away from Goody Poody and the husband and seven squalling children, I must run away from you too, Manny Panny," said the pancake, and rolled on and on, until it met a hen. "Good day, pancake," said the hen. "Good day, Henny Penny," said the pancake. "My dear pancake, don't roll so fast, but wait a bit and let me eat you," said the hen. "When I have run away from Goody Poody and the husband and seven squalling children, and from Manny Panny, I must run away from you too, Henny Penny," said the pancake, and rolled on like a wheel down the road. Then it met a cock. "Good-day, pancake," said the cock. "Good-day, Cocky Locky," said the pancake. "My dear pancake, don't roll so fast, but wait a bit and let me eat you," said the cock. "When I have run away from Goody Poody and the husband and seven squalling children, from Manny Panny, and Henny Penny, I must run away from you too, Cocky Locky," said the pancake, and rolled and rolled on as fast as it could. When it had rolled a long time, it met a duck. "Good-day, pancake," said the duck. "Good-day, Ducky Lucky," said the pancake. "My dear pancake, don't roll so fast, but wait a bit and let me eat you," said the duck. "When I have run away from Goody Poody and the husband and seven squalling children, from Manny Panny, and Henny Penny, and Cocky Locky, I must run away from you too, Ducky Lucky," said the pancake, and with that it fell to rolling and rolling as fast as ever it could. When it had rolled a long, long time, it met a goose. "Good-day, pancake," said the goose. "Good-day, Goosey Poosey," said the pancake. "My dear pancake, don't roll so fast, but wait a bit and let me eat you," said the goose. "When I have run away from Goody Poody and the husband and seven squalling children, from Manny Panny, and Henny Penny, and Cocky Locky, and Ducky Lucky, I must run away from you too, Goosey Poosey," said the pancake, and away it rolled. So when it had rolled a long, very long time, it met a gander. "Good-day, pancake," said the gander. "Good-day, Gander Pander," said the pancake. "My dear pancake, don't roll so fast, but wait a bit and let me eat you," said the gander. "When I have run away from Goody Poody and the husband and seven squalling children, from Manny Panny, and Henny Penny, and Cocky Locky, and Ducky Lucky, and Goosey Poosey, I must run away from you too, Gander Pander," said the pancake, and rolled and rolled as fast as it could. When it had rolled on a long, long time, it met a pig. "Good-day, pancake," said the pig. "Good-day, Piggy Wiggy," said the pancake, and began to roll on faster than ever. Nay, wait a bit," said the pig, "you needn't be in such a hurry-scurry; we two can walk quietly together and keep each other company through the wood, because they say it isn't very safe there." The pancake thought there might be something in that, and so they walked together through the wood; but when they had gone some distance, they came to a brook. The pig was so fat it wasn't much trouble for him to swim across, but the pancake couldn't get over. "Sit on my snout," said the pig, "and I will ferry you over." The pancake did so. "Ouf, ouf," grunted the pig, and swallowed the pancake in one gulp, and as the pancake couldn't get any farther — well, you see we can't go on with this story any farther, either.
Ones own sportsmen are always prettiest
A SPORTSMAN went out once into a wood to shoot, and met a snipe. "Dear friend," said the snipe, "don't shoot my children?" "How shall I know your children?" asked the sportsman; "what are they like?" "Oh!" said the snipe, "mine are the prettiest children in all the wood." "Very well," said the sportsman, "I won't shoot them; don't be afraid." But for all that, when he came back, there he had a whole string of young snipes in his hand which he had shot. "Oh! oh!" said the snipe, "why did you shoot my children after all?" "What, these your children!" said the sportsman; "why, I shot the ugliest I could find!" "Poor them!" said the snipe; "don't you know that each one thinks his own children are the prettiest in the world?" (1) Be a good sport - it doesn't always help.Dressing up elegantly can help.
Bear and fox
What wasthe young'sname?THE big bear and the clever fox had once bought a firkin of butter together; they were to have it at Christmas-tide, and hid it till then under a thick spruce bush. After that they went a little way off and lay down on a sunny bank to sleep. So when they had lain a while the fox got up, shook himself, and bawled out "yes." Then he ran off straight to the firkin and ate a good third part of it. But when he came back, and the bear asked him where he had been since he was so fat about the paunch, he said, "Don't you believe then that I was bidden to a childbed feast." "So, so," said the bear. "What was the young's name?" "Just-begun," said the fox. So they lay down to sleep again. In a little while up jumped the fox again, bawled out "yes," and ran off to the firkin. This time, too, he ate a good lump. When he came back, and the bear asked him again where he had been, he said, "Oh wasn't I bidden to a naming childbed party again, don't you think." "And pray what was the young's name this time?" asked the bear. "Half-eaten," said the fox. The bear thought that a very queer name, but he hadn't wondered long over it before he began to yawn and gape, and fell asleep. Well, he hadn't lain long before the fox jumped up as he had done twice before, bawled out "yes," and ran off to the firkin, which this time he cleared right out. When he got back he had been bidden to childbed feast again, and when the bear wanted to know the young's name he answered, "Licked-to-the-bottom." After that they lay down again, and slept a long time; but then they were to go to the firkin to look at the butter, and when they found it eaten up, the bear threw the blame on the fox, and the fox on the bear; and each said the one had been at the firkin while the other slept. "Well, well," said Reynard, "we'll soon find this out, which of us has eaten the butter. We'll just lay down in the sunshine, and he whose cheeks and chaps are greasiest when we wake, he is the thief." Yes, that trial the big bear felt ready to stand; and as he knew in his heart he had never so much as tasted the butter. Then Reynard stole off to the firkin for a morsel of butter, which stuck there in a crack. Then he crept back to the bear who now lay without a care, sleeping in the sun, and greased his chaps and cheeks with it. Then he, too, lay down to sleep as if nothing had happened. So when they both woke, the sun had melted the butter, and the bear's whiskers were all greasy; so it was the bear after all, and no one else, who had eaten the butter. Was it? (2)
Bushy bride
ONCE there was a widower who had a son and a daughter by his first marriage. Both were good children, and loved each other dearly. Some time after the man married a widow, who had a daughter by her first husband. and she was both ugly and bad, like her mother. So from the day the new wife came into the house there was no peace for her stepchildren in any corner; and at last the boy thought he'd best go out into the world and try to earn his own bread. And when he had wandered a while he came to a king's palace, and got a place under the coachman, and quick and willing he was, and the horses he looked after were so sleek and clean that their coats shone again. But the sister who stayed at home was treated worse than bad; both her stepmother and stepsister were always at her, and wherever she went, and whatever she did, they scolded and snarled so, the poor lassie hadn't an hour's peace. All the hard work she was forced to do, and early and late she got nothing but bad words, and little food besides. So one day they had sent her to the burn to fetch water; and what do you think? up popped an ugly, ugly head out of the pool, and said, "Wash me, you lassie." "Yes, with all my heart, I'll wash you," said the lassie. So she began to wash and scrub the ugly head; but truth to say she thought it nasty work. Well, as soon as she had done washing it, up popped another head out of the pool, and this was uglier still. "Brush me, you lassie," said the head. "Yes, with all my heart, I'll brush you." And with that she took in hand the matted locks, and you may fancy she hadn't very pleasant work with them. But when she had got over that, if a third head didn't pop up out of the pool, and this was far more ugly and loathsome than both the others put together. "Kiss me, you lassie!" "Yes, I'll kiss you," said the lassie, and she did it too, though she thought it the worst work she had ever had to do in her life. Then the heads began to chatter together, and each asked what they should do for the lassie who was so kind and gentle. "'That she be the prettiest lassie in the world, and as fair as the bright day," said the first head. "That gold shall drop from her hair every time she brushes it," said the second head. "That gold shall fall from her mouth every time she speaks," said the third head. So when the lassie came home looking so lovely, and beaming as the bright day itself, her stepmother and her stepsister got more and more cross, and they got worse still when she began to talk, and they saw how golden guineas fell from her mouth. As for the stepmother, she got so mad with rage, she chased the lassie into the pigsty. That was the right place for all her gold stuff, but as for coming into the house she wouldn't hear of it. Well, it wasn't long before the stepmother wished her own daughter to go to the burn to fetch water. So when she came to the water's edge with her buckets, up popped the first head. "Wash me, you lassie," it said. "The Deil wash you," said the stepdaughter. So the second head popped up. "Brush me, you lassie," it said. "The Deil brush you," said the stepdaughter. So down it went to the bottom, and the third head popped up. "Kiss me, you lassie," said the head. "The Deil kiss you, you pig's-snout," said the girl. Then the heads chattered together again, and asked what they should do to the girl who was so spiteful and cross-grained; and they all agreed she should have a nose four ells long, and a snout three ells long, and a pine-bush right in the midst of her forehead, and every time she spoke ashes were to fall out of her mouth. So when she got home with her buckets, she bawled but to her mother - "Open the door." "Open it yourself, my darling child," said the mother. "I can't reach it because of my nose," said the daughter. So when the mother came out and saw her, you may fancy what a way she was in, and how she screamed and groaned; but, for all that, there were the nose and the snout and the pine-bush, and they got no smaller for all her grief. Now the brother, who had got the place in the king's stable, had taken a little sketch of his sister, which he carried away with him, and every morning and every evening he knelt down before the picture and prayed to The first bigwig for his sister, whom he loved so dearly. The other grooms had heard him praying, so they peeped through the key-hole of his room, and there they saw him on his knees before the picture. So they went about saying how the boy every morning and every evening knelt down and prayed to an idol which he had, and at last they went to the king himself and begged him only to peep through the key-hole, and then his Majesty would see the boy, and what things he did. At first the king wouldn't believe it, but at last they talked him over, and he crept on tiptoe to the door and peeped in. Yes, there was the boy on his knees before the picture, which hung on the wall, praying with clasped hands. "Open the door!" called out the king; but the boy didn't hear him. So the king called out in a louder voice, but the boy was so deep in his prayers he couldn't hear him this time either. "Open the door, I say!" roared the king; "It's I who want to come in." Well, up jumped the boy and ran to the door, and unlocked it, but in his hurry he forgot to hide the picture. So when the king came in and saw the picture, he stood there as if he were fettered, and couldn't stir from the spot, so lovely he thought the picture. "So lovely a woman there isn't in all the wide world," said the king. But the boy told him she was his sister whom he had drawn, and if she wasn't prettier than that, at least she wasn't uglier. "Well, if she's so lovely," said the king, "I'll have her for my queen;" and then he ordered the boy to set off in haste. The boy paced as best he could, and started off from the king's palace. When the brother came home to fetch his sister, the stepmother and stepsister said they must go too. So they all set out, and the good lassie had a casket in which she kept her gold, and a little dog, whose name was "Little Flo" - those two things were all her mother left her. And when they had gone a while, they came to a lake which they had to cross; so the brother sat down at the helm and the stepmother and the two girls sat in the bow in the front, and so they sailed a long, long way. At last they caught sight of land. "There," said the brother, "where you see the white strand yonder, there's where we're to land;" and as he said this he pointed across the water. "What is it my brother says?" asked the good lassie. "He says you must throw your casket overboard," said the stepmother. "Well, when my brother says it, I must do it," said the lassie, and overboard went the casket. When they had sailed a bit farther, the brother pointed again across the lake. "There you see the castle we're going to." "What is it my brother says?" asked the lassie. "He says now you must throw your little dog overboard," said the stepmother. Then the lassie wept and was sore grieved, for Little Flo was the dearest thing she had in the world, but at last she threw him overboard. "When my brother says it, I must do it, but heaven knows how it hurts me to throw you over, Little Flo," she said. So they sailed on a good bit still. "There you see the king coming down to meet us," said the brother, and pointed towards the strand. "What is it my brother says?" asked the lassie. "Now he says you must make haste and throw yourself overboard," said the stepmother. Well, the lassie wept and moaned; but when her brother told her to do that, she thought she ought to do it, and so she leapt down into the lake. But when they came to the palace, and the king saw the horrible bride, with a nose four ells long, and a snout three ells long, and a pine-bush in the midst of her forehead, he was quite scared out of his wits; but the wedding was all ready, both in brewing and baking, and there sat all the wedding guests, waiting for the bride; and so the king couldn't help himself, but was forced to take her for better for worse. But angry he was, that any one can forgive him, and so he had the brother thrown into a pit full of snakes. Well, the first Thursday evening after the wedding, about midnight, in came a lovely lady into the farm kitchen, and begged the kitchen-maid, who slept there, so prettily to lend her a brush. That she got, and then she brushed her hair, and as she brushed, down dropped gold. A little dog was at her heel, and to him she said, "Run out, Little Flo, and see if it will soon be day." This she said three times, and the third time she sent the dog it was just about the time the dawn begins to peep, Then she had to go, but as she went she sang, "Out on you, ugly Bushy Bride,Lying so warm by the king's left sideWhile I on sand and gravel sleep,And over my brother adders creep,And all without a tear. ""Now I come twice more, and then never again," she said. So next morning the kitchen-maid told what she had seen and heard, and the king said he'd watch himself next Thursday night in the kitchen, and see if it were true, and as soon as it got dark, out he went into the kitchen to the kitchen-maid. But all he could do, and however much he rubbed his eyes and tried to keep himself awake, it was no good; for the Bushy Bride chanted and sang till his eyes closed, and so when the lovely lady came, there he slept and snored. This time, too, as before, she borrowed a brush, and brushed her hair till the gold dropped, and sent her dog out three times, and as soon as it was grey dawn, away she went singing the same words, and adding, "Now I come once more, and then never again." The third Thursday evening the king said he would watch again; and he set two men to hold him, one under each arm, who were to shake and jog him every time he wanted to fall asleep; and two men he set to watch his Bushy Bride. But when the night wore on, the Bushy Bride began to chant and sing, so that his eyes began to wink, and his head hung down on his shoulders. Then in came the lovely lady, and got the brush and brushed her hair, till the gold dropped from it; after that she sent Little Flo out again to see if it would soon be day, and this she did three times. The third time it began to get grey in the east; then she sang - "Out you go, ugly Bushy Bride,Lying by the king's side;While I sleep on sand and gravelcreeping over my brother adders,all without tears." "Now I come back never more," she said, and went towards the door. But the two men who held the king under the arms clenched his hands together, and put a knife into his grasp; and so, somehow or other, they got him to cut her in her little finger, and drew blood. Then the true bride was freed, and the king woke up, and she told him now the whole story, and how her stepmother and sister had deceived her. So the king sent at once and took her brother out of the pit of snakes, and the adders hadn't done him the least harm, but the stepmother and her daughter were thrown into it in his stead. And now no one can tell how glad the king was to be rid of that ugly Bushy Bride, and to get a queen who was so lovely and bright as the day itself. So the true wedding was held, and every one talked of it over seven kingdoms; and then the king drove to bakery in their coach, and little Flo went inside with them too, and when the best of wafers was given they drove back again, and after that I saw nothing more of them. Cosmetic surgery had its counterpart.
The Bachelors and the Python
There were only two unmarried men in the village. All the rest had found suitable partners, but Kalemeleme was so gentle that he would not stand up for his own rights, or anyone else's, while Kinku was so bad-tempered that no one could stand his tantrums for long. Thus these two lived in unhappy loneliness, until one day Kalemeleme took his bow and arrows and going into the forest in the early morning, when the dew was on the grass, he shot a grey wild-cat and a brown wild-cat. On his way home he met Moma, the great rock python, mightiest snake in the forest, and was about to shoot when Moma pleaded, "Gentle one, have mercy on me, for I am stiff with cold. Take me to the river where it is warm." Touched with pity, Kalemeleme took the great reptile on his shoulders to the stream and threw him in. Moma lifted his head above the reeds and said, "Thank you, gentle one. I have seen your loneliness. Throw in your grey wild-cat and your brown wild-cat and take what the water-spirit gives you." Kalemeleme threw his grey wild-cat and his brown wildcat into the river. Immediately the water began to ripple and grow redder and redder until beneath the surface there appeared a great, red, open mouth. He put in his hand and pulled out a gourd. He took it home and opened it, when out stepped . . . the most beautiful girl that was ever seen, and she was as good as she was lovely. She could weave mats, plait baskets, and make pots; she kept the house so neat, and cultivated the garden so well, she prepared the food so carefully and helped her neighbors so willingly, that soon Kalemeleme and his beautiful wife were the favourites of the village. Kinku came to him and asked, "Tell me, Kalemeleme, where did you get your wife?" "The water-spirit gave her to me," Kalemeleme replied, and he told him the circumstances. "Well, I want a wife too," said Kinku, so he took his bow and his arrows and went off into the forest when the sun was boiling hot overhead. He killed a grey wild-cat and a brown wild-cat. On his way home he too met Moma, the mighty python, wilting with the heat under a bush. He was about to shoot when Moma pleaded, "Mercy, Kinku. Have mercy on me for I am suffocated with this heat. Take me to the river where it's cool." "What! Take you, a loathsome reptile? Find your own way to the river!" "Very well. Come along." And the snake glided through the undergrowth, while Kinku followed. Moma plunged into the water and, lifting his head above the reeds, he called out, "Kinku. I have seen your loneliness. Now throw in your grey wild-cat and your brown wild-cat and take what the water-spirit gives you." Kinku threw in his grey wild-cat and his brown wildcat. At once the water began to ripple and became redder and redder, until beneath the surface Kinku saw a huge open mouth. He put in his hand and drew out a pumpkin. He staggered home with it. It became heavier and heavier as he went, and at last he dropped it. It cracked, and out stepped . . . the ugliest woman that ever was, and before he could recover from his shock she boxed him soundly on the ears, and taking him by the nose she said, "Come on, Kinku. I am your wife." She didn't give him the chance to say "no", but pummelled him and biffed him, bullied him and blamed him. She led him a dog's life, for she was as lazy as she was hideous. "Kinku, carry the water! Kinku, cut the firewood! Kinku, cultivate the garden! Kinku, cook the meal!" while she simply lay about and abused him. Of course Kinku blamed the water-spirit, but had he only known it, he had nobody to blame but himself.
The Rabbit Steals the Elephants Dinner
Kalulu the rabbit was one day watching the children of Soko the monkey playing in the trees, and saw one monkey reach out his tail and catch his brother round the neck, holding him a helpless prisoner in mid-air. Kalulu thought that this was splendid, and though he had no long tail, he could twist forest creepers into a noose. During the next few days numbers of animals were caught in this way and held fast in the forest thickets, only escaping with difficulty. They thought that it was only an accident, but had they known, it was Kalulu who was experimenting with his noose. At last Polo the elephant decided to make a new village, and, being king of the animals, he called every living thing in the forest to come and help him build it. All came with the exception of Kalulu. He had caught a whiff from the delicious beans which Polo's wives were cooking for his dinner, and when the beans were cold Kalulu came out of the bushes and ate them up. Polo was furious when he reached home and found that his beans had been stolen. Whoever could have taken his dinner? Next day he told the lion to lie in wait nearby, and to pounce upon the thief if one appeared. Now Kalulu was hiding in the bushes and heard the plan, so he spent that night in twisting a big noose, which he set in a side path close to the cooking pots. Next morning, when the animals had gone to work on the new village, Kalulu strolled out into the open and began to eat Polo's beans, with one eye on the place where he knew that the lion was hiding. Having finished his meal Kalulu ran off, when, as he expected, Ntambo the lion leapt out in pursuit. Kalulu bolted through the noose that he had set, and when Ntambo followed he was caught and swung into mid-air, where he wriggled and squirmed till evening, when the animals returned to the village and set him loose. Ntambo was too ashamed to saythat he had been fooled by a little rabbit, so simply said that some unknown animal had ensnared him. Next day Mbo the buffalo was set to watch the beans of his chief, but Kalulu had set a great noose between two palm trees. When Kalulu had finished his meal of the chief's beans and was strolling away, the buffalo burst out at him, but the rabbit ran between the two palm trees, and when the buffalo followed he was caught by the noose and swung into mid-air, where he wriggled and squirmed till evening, when the animals returned to set him loose. Mbo the buffalo was so ashamed that he would not say how he had been outwitted, merely remarking that there must be some misdoer dwelling among them. The leopard, the lynx, the wart-hog and the hunting dog were all fooled in the same way, and still Kalulu stole Polo's daily bowl of beans. At last Nkuvu the tortoise, wiser than the rest, went privately to King Polo the elephant and said, "If your wives will smear me with salt and put me into your dinner of beans tomorrow, I will catch the thief." Next day Nkuvu was secretly smeared with salt and hidden in the beans. The worthless rabbit again determined to get his dinner without working for it, and having set his noose, he sauntered up to the cooking pots when all the animals were out at work and began to eat. He thought that the beans were even nicer than usual. They were so deliciously salty. But before Kalulu could finish, Nkuvu had bitten tightly on to his foot. The rabbit screamed, he pleaded, he threatened and offered bribes, but all to no purpose. Nkuvu said nothing, but simply held on to Kalulu's foot, and when the animals returned from the building of the new village Kalulu was still a prisoner. At once the animals saw who the thief really was, and they determined to pay him back exactly as he had treated them. For six days he had to do without any dinner, and every day they went off to work leaving Kalulu tied by a noose to a tree. By the time that this punishment was finished the rabbit was so thin that the animals took pity on him and let him go, warning him that it was better to work for his food than to steal it, and that though a thief may escape for a time, he will at last surely be caught.
Greek mythology——The Four Ages
There had been four ages since the human world first cameinto being ．They are the Golden Age，the Silver Age，the Age of Bronze and the Age of Iron．The Golden Agewas the best of all．It was an age when Kronus sat on thethrone．Generous nature met all the needs of men ．There wereno extremes of cold and heat．And the evils of the human worldwere still kept in the cask．Epimetheus guarded the cask and Pandora was not yet made to open．Men lived a happy life．They were forever young．They were always eating richly and knew neither hard labour nor sorrow．When death came it came like apeaceful sleep．And they became good spirits in heaven ．The Silver Age was one in which the human race was somewhat less valuable in body and mind．The period was of helpless be ginning．It lasted a hundred years．And it was the time of manhood，short and troubled．Men spent in ignorance and evil．They no longer admired the gods and offered no sacrifices．However，as the race of the Silver Age was not entirely lack of goodness，they had some honour and lived on as spirits under the earth．During the age of Bronze men became further degenerated ．Dressed in bronze and armed with weapons of bronze，they live din the houses of bronze．Cruel and heartless，they delighted inwar and died in endless struggle．When they passed away，they came into the darkness of the lower world．The last age，that of Iron，was one of continual care and grief．There was no family love，no sense of respectful duty，no friend ship and hospitality．Nor was there any faith，truth and justice．Evil was widespread，might was right，and the flames of war burnt the surface of the earth．It was a race of men given up by gods ．
Greek mythology——Hecuba
Hecuba
He cuba's life was one of grief and sorrow．She saw withher own eyes her eldest born Hector killed and insulted by Achilles．She saw her son Polites slain in front of her by Pyrrhus．And she saw her husband，the aged Priam，dragged towards the household altar and ruthlessly butchered there．After the fall of Troy she was carried into slavery ．Shehad the misfortune to witness her daughter Polyxena，her soleconsolation in bondage ，sacrificed at the tomb of Achilles．She had the sad fate to see washed ashore the corpse of her young estson Polydorus，who had been entrusted to the Thracian king for safekeeping．With her fifty children all dead she became thequeen of sorrows from whom no other woman could obtain the crown ．Yet in her distress and despair，she plucked up hercourage to avenge herself upon the Thracian king，who had murdered her son in order to get her son's gold．Later，as Dionysushad prophesied ，she was transformed into a dog with bloodshoteyes and，unable to endure the new misery，she leapt into thesea and thus ended her unfortunate life．
He cuba's life was one of grief and sorrow．She saw withher own eyes her eldest born Hector killed and insulted by Achilles．She saw her son Polites slain in front of her by Pyrrhus．And she saw her husband，the aged Priam，dragged towards the household altar and ruthlessly butchered there．After the fall of Troy she was carried into slavery ．Shehad the misfortune to witness her daughter Polyxena，her soleconsolation in bondage ，sacrificed at the tomb of Achilles．She had the sad fate to see washed ashore the corpse of her young estson Polydorus，who had been entrusted to the Thracian king for safekeeping．With her fifty children all dead she became thequeen of sorrows from whom no other woman could obtain the crown ．Yet in her distress and despair，she plucked up hercourage to avenge herself upon the Thracian king，who had murdered her son in order to get her son's gold．Later，as Dionysushad prophesied ，she was transformed into a dog with bloodshoteyes and，unable to endure the new misery，she leapt into thesea and thus ended her unfortunate life．
Greek mythology——The Sirens
The Sirens Far out in the sea there was an island，on the rocky edge of which lived three Sirens，the three sisters of magic song．Half human and half bird，the Siren sisters sat in a field of flowers，singing in voices that excited the hearts of men．The attractive songs were so sweet that ships were attracted to the island and struck to pieces on the rocks．No sailor nor ship had ever been known to pass the Island of the Sirens without being attracted to disaster ．Acting on the advice of Circe，Odysseus took careful preparation against the Sirens．Before their ships came to where they could hear the song，Odysseus had himself tied to the mast ，stopped the ears of his men with wax and ordered them to ignore his orders and gestures when they were passing the fatal island ．Soon they came in sight of the rocky island，and the attractive song reached the ears of Odysseus．It moved him so much that he struggled in despair to free himself and shouted for his men to turn towards the rich and flowery grass land of the singing sisters．But no one paid any attention to him．The sailors kept straight on until they were completely out of hearing．Then his friends freed him and took the wax out of their ears．For once the Sirens had sung with no effects．The eldest of the sisters，Partherope，loved Odysseus so much that she threw herself into the sea after his ships had passed．
Greek mythology——Io
Io was the daughter of a rivergod．She was loved，run after and won by Zeus．Hera became so greeneyed that she flew down from Olympus one day to pay her rival back ．Zeus，however，had foreseen her arrival and changed Io into abeautiful white little cow．Seeing through the trick，Hera asked for the cow as a present and Zeus had to give in to her wish ．Then she left the cow to the care of a hundredeyed monster，Argus．Argus' eyes were ever open and no escape was possible．Unable to bear to see her so unhappy，Zeus sent Hermes down todestroy the monster．Dressed up as a shepherd，Hermes lulled Argus to sleep with his sweet songs and long stories，then killed him and set Io free．But Hera's anger was not to be calmed downyet．She sent a gadfly to attack the cow and drive her from land to land．In her misery the cow passed over the strait which divides Europe and Asia．In this way the strip of water got itsname Bosporus ，the way of the cow．She wandered over thesea，which by chance got from her its name the Ionian Sea ．In the end she arrived in Egypt where she was turned back into hernatural form ．She settled down and gave birth to a son，Some of her children remained in Egypt and ruled as kings for a longtime．
Greek mythology——Jason
Among the pupils of the wise and just Centaur，there wasa boy named Jason．He was by birth a prince．His father Aeson was once king of Iolcus，but was overthrown by his own half brother Pelias．So he sent his baby son Jason to the Centaur for safekeeping．As a boy Jason took part in the boarhunt．When he grew up into a strong youth he was told of the secret of his birth．So he went to avenge his father's wrongs ．On his way back to his native city he met a weak old woman waiting to be helped across a mountain stream．Kind and polite，Jason carried the old lady on his back and walked across the stream．Little had he thought that the old woman was just Hera herself ．Thus he got the help and protection of a power fulfriend at the beginning of his life．As he lost one shoe in the stream he had to enter Pelias' palace in only one shoe． Pelias was quite scared to see such a stranger because he had been warned by a prophet to be careful of a man wearing only one shoe．He was not surprised when Jason told him who he was and what his business was about．The artful Pelias welcomed hisnephew with false pride and joy ；he promised to give up the kingdom to one who had proved himself worthy of it．And heurged the youth to bring the golden fleece back from Colchis．He felt quite certain that his nephew would never come back alivefrom the hopeless task．Pelias' prediction was quite right．Jasondied a poor death in the kingdom of Colchis．
Ajax（the Great）
Ajax（the Great） Ajax was a man of giant stature，daring but slow．When the Trojan War was about to break out he led his forces from Salamis to join the Greek army at Aulis．As one of the trustiest champions of the Greek cause，he was given thejob of guarding one end of the Greek camp near Troy．He was noted in the battlefield for his bravery and courage．After Achilles' death he became one of the two hot contestants for the dead hero's shield and armour，the other being Odysseus．When the weapons were finally judged to his rival，Ajax went mad for grief．Unable to get over the hardships，he took his own life．When，in order to seek the advice of，Odysseus came to visit the lower world，the shade of Ajax frowned uponhim．In the lower world Ajax chose to be a lion，guided clearly by the bitter recollection of his former life．
Sleep On Brushwood and Taste Gall
During the Spring and Autumn period （770－476BC）, the State of Wu launched an attack against the State of Yue. The King of Wu was seriously wounded and soon died. His son Fu Chai became the new King. Fu was determined to get revenge. He drilled his army rigidly until it was a perfect fighting force. Three years later, he led his army against the State of Yue and caught its king Gou Jian. Fu took him to the State of Wu.
In order to avenge his father's death, Fu let him live in a shabby stone house by his father's tomb and ordered him to raise horses for him. Gou pretended to be loyal to Fu but he never forgot his humiliation. Many years later, he was set free. Gou secretly accumulated a military force after he went back to his own state. In order to make himself tougher he slept on firewood and ate a gall-bladder before having dinner and going to bed every night. At the same time he administered his state carefully, developing agriculture and educating the people. After a few years, his country became strong. Then Gou seized a favorable opportunity to wipe out the State of Wu.
Later, people use it to describe one who endures self-imposed hardships to strengthen one's resolve to realize one's ambition.
In order to avenge his father's death, Fu let him live in a shabby stone house by his father's tomb and ordered him to raise horses for him. Gou pretended to be loyal to Fu but he never forgot his humiliation. Many years later, he was set free. Gou secretly accumulated a military force after he went back to his own state. In order to make himself tougher he slept on firewood and ate a gall-bladder before having dinner and going to bed every night. At the same time he administered his state carefully, developing agriculture and educating the people. After a few years, his country became strong. Then Gou seized a favorable opportunity to wipe out the State of Wu.
Later, people use it to describe one who endures self-imposed hardships to strengthen one's resolve to realize one's ambition.
The Latecomers Surpass the Old-timers
This set phrase is derived from the complaints Ji An made to the emperor.
Ji Anlived at the time of Emperor Wudi of the Western Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-A.D.24). He was respected for being upright and just and for daring to speak the truth. He did not bother about amall matters in personal behaviour and in being an official. He was particular about actual effects and ,although he did not cause a stir ,he could keep the prefecture he governed in perfect order. Because of this. the imperial court transferred him to the central government from being the perfect of the Donghai Prefecture to being a commander in charge of the appointment and dismissal of the local officals.
Once,Emperor Wudi said that he would implement the policy of benevolence and justice of Confucianism and would do good turns to the people.Emperor Wudi Had hardly finished his remards when Ji An said that there was no need for the emperor to say so.Why should the emperor bother,Ji An said, about pretending to implement the policy of benevolence and justice since he was so greedy and avaricious within himself? This choked the emperor off. The emperor suddenly Changed his countenance and declared the meeting over. All the civilian and military officers at court were breathless with anxiety for fear that Ji An might bring disaster upon himself because of this. After returning, Emperor Wudi said to the people around him that Ji An was a little too rude and too straightforward.
For this reason ,Ji An was never promoted again. When he was the commander in charge of the appointment and dismissal of the local officials, both Gongsun Hong and Zhang Tang were low -ranking lfficials of little importance. Later ,they were promoted continuously. Gongsun Hong became the prime minister and Zhang Tang became the imperial censor. However, JiAn's post remained thesame. One day, Ji An said to Emperor Wudi that the way the emperor used his ministers was just like piling up firewood, which meant that the latecomers surpassed the old-timers. Of course, Emperor Wudi could see that Ji An was complaining. So,turning to his ministers, Emperor Wudi said, "It is true that no one can stop learning.You see, Ji An is making more and more indiscreet remarks."
This story comes from The Historical Records. Later generations use the set phrase "the latecomers surpass the old-timers " to indicate that successors can cxcel the predecessors, which is quite different from the original idea when Ji An said that the latecomers surpassed the old-timers.
Ji Anlived at the time of Emperor Wudi of the Western Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-A.D.24). He was respected for being upright and just and for daring to speak the truth. He did not bother about amall matters in personal behaviour and in being an official. He was particular about actual effects and ,although he did not cause a stir ,he could keep the prefecture he governed in perfect order. Because of this. the imperial court transferred him to the central government from being the perfect of the Donghai Prefecture to being a commander in charge of the appointment and dismissal of the local officals.
Once,Emperor Wudi said that he would implement the policy of benevolence and justice of Confucianism and would do good turns to the people.Emperor Wudi Had hardly finished his remards when Ji An said that there was no need for the emperor to say so.Why should the emperor bother,Ji An said, about pretending to implement the policy of benevolence and justice since he was so greedy and avaricious within himself? This choked the emperor off. The emperor suddenly Changed his countenance and declared the meeting over. All the civilian and military officers at court were breathless with anxiety for fear that Ji An might bring disaster upon himself because of this. After returning, Emperor Wudi said to the people around him that Ji An was a little too rude and too straightforward.
For this reason ,Ji An was never promoted again. When he was the commander in charge of the appointment and dismissal of the local officials, both Gongsun Hong and Zhang Tang were low -ranking lfficials of little importance. Later ,they were promoted continuously. Gongsun Hong became the prime minister and Zhang Tang became the imperial censor. However, JiAn's post remained thesame. One day, Ji An said to Emperor Wudi that the way the emperor used his ministers was just like piling up firewood, which meant that the latecomers surpassed the old-timers. Of course, Emperor Wudi could see that Ji An was complaining. So,turning to his ministers, Emperor Wudi said, "It is true that no one can stop learning.You see, Ji An is making more and more indiscreet remarks."
This story comes from The Historical Records. Later generations use the set phrase "the latecomers surpass the old-timers " to indicate that successors can cxcel the predecessors, which is quite different from the original idea when Ji An said that the latecomers surpassed the old-timers.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Stupid Question
Stupid Question Dan was the doorman of a club in a big city. Everyday, thousands of people passed his door, and a lot of them stopped and asked him, "What's the time, please?" After a few months, Dan said to himself, "I'm not going to answer all those stupid people any more. I'm going to buy a big clock and put it upon the wall here." Then he did so. “Now people aren't going to stop and ask me the time," he thought happily. But after that, a lot of people stopped, looked at the clock and then asked Dan, "Is that clock right?”
english joke
One girl went to the preacher and confessed her sin. Girl: Father, I have sinned. Preacher: What did you do, little girl¡ Girl: Yesterday, I called a man a son of a Bitch. Preacher: Why¡ What did he do to you¡ Girl: He touched my breast. Preacher: You mean like this¡ (The guy did it.) Girl: (A little shy from the touch) Yes. Preacher: Thats no reason to call him that. Girl: But he also took off my cloth. Preacher: You mean like this¡ (He did it again.) Girl: Yes, thats what he did. Preacher: Thats still no reason to call him that. Girl: And he put his you-know-what into my you-know-what... Preacher: (evil laugh...) You mean like this¡ (And you-know-what) Girl: (After a few minutes...) Ugh... Yeah, thats what he did... Preacher: My dear girl, thats still no reason to call him a... Girl: But he had AIDS!! Preacher: THAT SON OF A BITCH!!!
The motorbike accident
There's the sad story of the poor guy who was in a terrible motorcycle accident. When he came out from under the anesthetic, the doctor was leaning over him anxiously. "Son," he said, "I've got some good news and some bad news. "The bad news is that your were in a very serious accident, and I'm afraid we had to amputate both your feet just above the ankle." "Jesus," gasped the patient. "What's the good news?" "The fellow in the next bed over would like to buy your boots."
Travel Expenses
A businessman walked into a New York City bank and asked for the loan officer. He said he was going to Europe on business for two weeks and needed to borrow $5,000. The loan officer said the bank would need some security for such a loan. The business man then handed over the keys to a Rolls Royce that was parked on the street in front of the bank. Everything checked out and the loan officer accepted the car as collateral for the loan. An employee then drove the Rolls into the bank's underground garage and parked it there. Two weeks later the businessman returned, repaid the $5,000 and the interest which came to $15.41. The loan officer said, "We do appreciate your business and this transaction has worked out very nicely, but we are a bit puzzled. While you were away we checked and found that you are a multimillionaire. What puzzles us is why you would bother to borrow $5,000?" The business man replied: "Where else in New York City can I park my car for 2 weeks for 15 bucks?"
Mutes
Joke:2 Mutes There were two deaf mutes standing on a street corner talking to each other in sign language. Mute #1 (SIGN) "What would you like to do?" Mute #2 (SIGN) "I don't know, what about you?" Mute #1 (SIGN) "Let's get my car, find some girls, drive to a dark space and have some fun." Mute #2 (SIGN)"Good idea." So they get his car, find some girls, drive to a dark spot and are having a ball when the guy in the back seat taps the guy in the front seat on the shoulder... Front Seat Mute (SIGN) "What?" Back Seat Mute (SIGN)"Have you got any protection?" Front Seat Mute (SIGN) "No. Don't you?" Back Seat Mute (SIGN) "No. We had better go to a drug store and get some." They proceeded to drive to a drug store and the man in the back seat gets out and goes inside. In two minutes he is back outside and taps on the car window. Inside Mute (SIGN) "What?" Outside Mute (SIGN) "I've got a problem." Inside Mute (SIGN) "What?" Outside Mute (SIGN)"I can't make the druggist understand what I want." Inside Mute (SIGN) "I know What to do." Outside Mute (SIGN) "What?" Inside Mute (SIGN) "Go back inside. Put five dollars on the counter. Put your pecker on the counter. He'll know what you want." Outside Mute (SIGN) "Good idea." The man goes back into the drug store and two minutes later he's back at the car window. Inside Mute (SIGN) "Well?" Outside Mute (SIGN) "It didn't work." Inside Mute (SIGN) "What do you mean?" Outside Mute (SIGN) "I did what you told me to do. I went inside. I put 5 dollars on the counter. I put my pecker on the counter. He put his on the counter. It was bigger than mine. He took my 5 dollars."
About Drivers
Joke:About Drivers What's the first thing that come to your mind when you see a Chinese man driving a BMW 3 series? * A pimp What's the first thing that comes to your mind when you see a Malay man driving a BMW 3 series? * Ahmad What's the first thing that comes to your mind when you see an Indian man driving a BMW 3 series? * A car jockey What's the first thing that comes to your mind when you see a Bhai driving a BMW 3 series? * A car repossesor.
Bambi
Joke:Bambi George and Harriet were married twenty-five years. They decided to celebrate with a trip to Las Vegas. When they entered the hotel/casino and registered, a sweet young woman dressed in a very short skirt, became very friendly. George brushed her off rather rudely. Harriet objected, "George,she was nice, that young woman, and you were so rude." "Harriet, she's a prostitute." "I don't believe you. That sweet young thing?" "Let's go up to our room and I'll prove it." In their room, George called down to the desk and asked for Bambi to come to room 1217. "Now," he said, "you hide in the bathroom with the door open just enough to hear us, okay?" She did. Soon, there was a knock on the door.George opened it and Bambi walked in, swirling her hips provocatively. "So, I see you're interested after all," she said. George asked, "How much do you charge?" "$125 basic rate, $100 tips for special services." George was taken aback. "$125! I was thinking more in the range of $25." Bambi laughed derisively. "You must really be a hick if you think you can buy sex for that price." "Well," said George, "I guess we can't do business. Goodbye." After she left, Harriet came out of the bathroom. "I just can't believe it." George said, "Let's forget it. We'll go have a drink, then eat dinner." At the bar, as they sipped their cocktails, Bambi came up behind George pointed slyly at Harriet, and said, "See what you get for $25?"
Canada America
An American will say, "Hot day!" A Canadian will say, "Hot day, eh?" meaning "It's a hot day, isn't it?" This is something deeper than spelling or pronunciation. It goes to the heart of the less-assertive Canadian character. The United States was born when Americans revolted against King George III and asserted their independence. Canada never came to a similar point of self-assertion and that little word "eh?" is their refusal even to assert that it's a hot day without inviting somebody else to verify it. One definition of a Candian is "a North American who refuses to join the revolution". Another way to tell the difference between a Canadian and an American is to invite the suspected Canuck to lunch and watch him eat. If he's really upper crust, he'll eat like an Englishman, with knife and fork held firmly in his right and left hands. He'll cut with his knife, pack the results on the back of his fork and convey the food to his mouth with the fork still in this left hand. Many an American eats with knife and fork, too, but in a different way. He takes the knife in his right hand and the fork in his left to cut up the food. Then he puts the knife down and takes the fork in the right hand to convey the food to his mouth. A common garden-variety Canadian does the job differently. He doesn't use his knife at all, except for particularly stubborn steaks and other such tough foods. Instead he takes the fork in his right hand and leaves the knife beside his plate. Then he cuts the food with the edge of the fork and feeds himself with the fork held in the same hand. But suppose all these tests are inconclusive. There's one more, rather dangerous, way to tell a Canadian from an American. Just remark to the suspect that Canadians and Americans are so much alike that it's hard to tell one from the other. If the person involved is an American, he'll probably agree. But if he's a Canadian he'll let you know, in no unterms, that you're wrong. And that stubborn sense of difference is one main reason why the two countries, despite similarities, remain separate. (I'm pretty sure I agree with the last statement, but I'm not too sure if I like being called a wimp that doesn't even dare to assert that it's a hot day. (Which it is today.) And I'm tremendously relieved to know that I'm upper crust when it comes to eating. -KO)
A cat’s dictionary
purring: Sound of a cat manufacturing cuteness. purrverse: poem about a strange kitty. purranoia: The fear that your cat is up to something. Human being: Automatic door opener for cats. purrpetual:Everlasting love for domesticated felines. purrson: A male kitty. purrpetual motion:A kitty playing.
Chewing Gums
Joke:Chewing Gums An American tourist in Bangkok went to a Thai Restaurant and ordered a steamed prawn as the main course. After finished, he called the Thai waiter. He asked the waiter "what do you do with the prawn shells?" The waiter answered, "we throw away!". The American proudly says, " in America, we send to factory. We make prawn crackers". Then he ordered some oranges.. After he finished eating the oranges, he asked the Thai waiter, "what do you do with the orange peels?". The waiter answered, "we throw away!". The American then said, " in America, we send to factory. We make marmalades". The Thai waiter just quiet. The American, took out the chewing gum, the wrapper says, " Made in Thailand". While chewing the gum, he called the waiter and asked him, " what do you do with the used chewing gum?" The waiter said, " we throw away!". The American said , " in America, we send to factory. We make condoms!!" The Thai waiter, fed up of the American, then asked him, " what do you do! with used condoms?" The American replied, "we throw away!!" The waiter then said, "in Thailand, we send to factory. We make chewing gum!!!!"
Why E-mail is like a penis...
Some folks have it, some don't. Those who have it would be devastated if it were ever cut off. Those who have it think that those who don't are somehow inferior. Those who don't have it may agree that it's neat, but think that it's not worth the fuss that those who have it make about it. Many of those who don't have it would like to try it. (e-mail envy) It can be up or down. It's more fun when it's up, but it makes it hard to get any real work done. In the long distant past, its only purpose was to transmit information vital to the species. Some people still think that's the only thing it should be used for, but most folks today use it just for fun most of the time. If you don't apply the appropriate measures, it can spread viruses. If you use it too much, you'll find it becomes more and more difficult to think coherently. We tend to attach an importance to it that is far greater than its actual size and influence warrants. If you're not careful what you do with it, it can get you into a lot of trouble! If you stay on it too long your hands cramp up. Wife gives you funny look when asked to kiss it. If caught using someone else's; you better have a good reason. Hard to sleep at night if it hasn't been checked in a while. Sometimes you dream your using it, then wake up and realize you did. The stuff you get from it is sometimes hard to swallow.
She choked
Joke:She choked A man was visiting his wife in hospital where she has been in a coma for several years. On this visit, he decides to rub her left breast instead of just talking to her. On doing this, she lets out a sigh. The man runs out and tells the doctor who says this is a good sign and suggests he should try rubbing her right breast to see if there is any reaction. The man goes in and rubs her right breast and this brings a moan from his suggests the man should go in and try oral sex, saying he will wait outside as it is a personal act and he doesn't want the man to be embarrassed. The man goes in then comes out about five minutes later, white as a sheet and tells the doctor his wife is dead. The doctor asks what happen to which the man replies: "She choked."
China beat Columbus to it, perhaps
China beat Columbus to it, perhaps
An ancient map that strongly suggests Chinese seamen were first round the world
THE brave seamen whose great voyages of exploration opened up the world are iconic figures in European history. Columbus found the New World in 1492; Dias discovered the Cape of Good Hope in 1488; and Magellan set off to circumnavigate the world in 1519. However, there is one difficulty with this confident assertion of European mastery: it may not be true.
It seems more likely that the world and all its continents were discovered by a Chinese admiral named Zheng He, whose fleets roamed the oceans between 1405 and 1435. His exploits, which are well documented in Chinese historical records, were written about in a book which appeared in China around 1418 called “The Marvellous Visions of the Star Raft”.
Next week, in Beijing and London, fresh and dramatic evidence is to be revealed to bolster Zheng He's case. It is a copy, made in 1763, of a map, dated 1418, which contains notes that substantially match the descriptions in the book. “It will revolutionise our thinking about 15th-century world history,” says Gunnar Thompson, a student of ancient maps and early explorers.
The map (shown above) will be unveiled in Beijing on January 16th and at the NationalMaritimeMuseum in Greenwich a day later. Six Chinese characters in the upper right-hand corner of the map say this is a “general chart of the integrated world”. In the lower left-hand corner is a note that says the chart was drawn by Mo Yi Tong, imitating a world chart made in 1418 which showed the barbarians paying tribute to the Ming emperor, Zhu Di. The copyist distinguishes what he took from the original from what he added himself
The map was bought for about $500 from a small Shanghai dealer in 2001 by Liu Gang, one of the most eminent commercial lawyers in China, who collects maps and paintings. Mr Liu says he knew it was significant, but thought it might be a modern fake. He showed his acquisition to five experienced collectors, who agreed that the traces of vermin on the bamboo paper it is written on, and the depigmentation of ink and colours, indicated that the map was more than 100 years old.
Mr Liu was unsure of its meaning, and asked specialists in ancient Chinese history for their advice, but none, he says, was forthcoming. Then, last autumn, he read “1421: The Year China Discovered the World”, a book written in 2003 by Gavin Menzies, in which the author makes the controversial claim that Zheng He circumnavigated the world, discovering America on the way. Mr Menzies, who is a former submariner in the Royal Navy and a merchant banker, is an amateur historian and his theory met with little approval from professionals. But it struck a chord: his book became a bestseller and his 1421 website is very popular. In any event, his arguments convinced Mr Liu that his map was a relic of Zheng He's earlier voyages.
The detail on the copy of the map is remarkable. The outlines of Africa, Europe and the Americas are instantly recognisable. It shows the Nile with two sources. The north-west passage appears to be free of ice. But the inaccuracies, also, are glaring. California is shown as an island; the British Isles do not appear at all. The distance from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean is ten times greater than it ought to be. Australia is in the wrong place (though cartographers no longer doubt that Australia and New Zealand were discovered by Chinese seamen centuries before Captain Cook arrived on the scene).
The commentary on the map, which seems to have been drawn from the original, is written in clear Chinese characters which can still be easily read. Of the west coast of America, the map says: “The skin of the race in this area is black-red, and feathers are wrapped around their heads and waists.” Of the Australians, it reports: “The skin of the aborigine is also black. All of them are naked and wearing bone articles around their waists.”
But this remarkable precision, rather than the errors, is what critics of the Menzies theory are likely to use to question the authenticity of the 1418 map. Mr Menzies and his followers are naturally extremely keen to establish that the 1763 copy is not a forgery and that it faithfully represents the 1418 original. This would lend weighty support to their thesis: that China had indeed discovered America by (if not actually in) 1421. Mass spectrography analysis to date the copied map is under way at WaikatoUniversity in New Zealand, and the results will be announced in February. But even if affirmative, this analysis is of limited importance since it can do no more than date the copyist's paper and inks.
Five academic experts on ancient charts note that the 1418 map puts together information that was available piecemeal in China from earlier nautical maps, going back to the 13th century and Kublai Khan, who was no mean explorer himself. They believe it is authentic.
The map makes good estimates of the latitude and longitude of much of the world, and recognises that the earth is round. “The Chinese were almost certainly aware of longitude before Zheng He set sail,” says Robert Cribbs of CaliforniaStateUniversity. They certainly assumed the world was round. “The format of the map is totally consistent with the level of knowledge that we should expect of royal Chinese geographers following the voyages of Zheng He,” says Mr Thompson.
Moreover, some of the errors in the 1418 map soon turned up in European maps, the most striking being California drawn as an island. The Portuguese are aware of a world map drawn before 1420 by a cartographer named Albertin di Virga, which showed Africa and the Americas. Since no Portuguese seamen had yet discovered those places, the most obvious source for the information seems to be European copies of Chinese maps.
But this is certainly not a unanimous view among the experts, with many of the fiercest critics in China itself. Wang Tai-Peng, a scholarly journalist in Vancouver who does not doubt that the Chinese explored the world early in the 15th century (he has written about a visit by Chinese ambassadors to Florence in 1433), doubts whether Zheng He's ships landed in North America. Mr Wang also claims that Zheng He's navigation maps were drawn in a totally different Chinese map-making tradition. “Until the 1418 map is scientifically authenticated, we still have to take it with a grain of salt,” he says.
Most forgeries are driven by a commercial imperative, especially when the market for ancient maps is booming, as it is now. The Library of Congress recently paid $10m for a copy of a 1507 world map by Martin Waldseemuller, a German cartographer. But Mr Liu says he is not a seller: “The map is part of my life,” he claims.
The consequences of the discovery of this map could be considerable. If it does indeed prove to be the first map of the world, “the history of New World discovery will have to be rewritten,” claims Mr Menzies. How much does this matter? Showing that the world was first explored by Chinese rather than European seamen would be a major piece of historical revisionism. But there is more to history than that. It is no less interesting that the Chinese, having discovered the extent of the world, did not exploit it, politically or commercially. After all, Columbus's discovery of America led to exploitation and then development by Europeans which, 500 years later, made the United States more powerful than China had ever been.
An ancient map that strongly suggests Chinese seamen were first round the world
THE brave seamen whose great voyages of exploration opened up the world are iconic figures in European history. Columbus found the New World in 1492; Dias discovered the Cape of Good Hope in 1488; and Magellan set off to circumnavigate the world in 1519. However, there is one difficulty with this confident assertion of European mastery: it may not be true.
It seems more likely that the world and all its continents were discovered by a Chinese admiral named Zheng He, whose fleets roamed the oceans between 1405 and 1435. His exploits, which are well documented in Chinese historical records, were written about in a book which appeared in China around 1418 called “The Marvellous Visions of the Star Raft”.
Next week, in Beijing and London, fresh and dramatic evidence is to be revealed to bolster Zheng He's case. It is a copy, made in 1763, of a map, dated 1418, which contains notes that substantially match the descriptions in the book. “It will revolutionise our thinking about 15th-century world history,” says Gunnar Thompson, a student of ancient maps and early explorers.
The map (shown above) will be unveiled in Beijing on January 16th and at the NationalMaritimeMuseum in Greenwich a day later. Six Chinese characters in the upper right-hand corner of the map say this is a “general chart of the integrated world”. In the lower left-hand corner is a note that says the chart was drawn by Mo Yi Tong, imitating a world chart made in 1418 which showed the barbarians paying tribute to the Ming emperor, Zhu Di. The copyist distinguishes what he took from the original from what he added himself
The map was bought for about $500 from a small Shanghai dealer in 2001 by Liu Gang, one of the most eminent commercial lawyers in China, who collects maps and paintings. Mr Liu says he knew it was significant, but thought it might be a modern fake. He showed his acquisition to five experienced collectors, who agreed that the traces of vermin on the bamboo paper it is written on, and the depigmentation of ink and colours, indicated that the map was more than 100 years old.
Mr Liu was unsure of its meaning, and asked specialists in ancient Chinese history for their advice, but none, he says, was forthcoming. Then, last autumn, he read “1421: The Year China Discovered the World”, a book written in 2003 by Gavin Menzies, in which the author makes the controversial claim that Zheng He circumnavigated the world, discovering America on the way. Mr Menzies, who is a former submariner in the Royal Navy and a merchant banker, is an amateur historian and his theory met with little approval from professionals. But it struck a chord: his book became a bestseller and his 1421 website is very popular. In any event, his arguments convinced Mr Liu that his map was a relic of Zheng He's earlier voyages.
The detail on the copy of the map is remarkable. The outlines of Africa, Europe and the Americas are instantly recognisable. It shows the Nile with two sources. The north-west passage appears to be free of ice. But the inaccuracies, also, are glaring. California is shown as an island; the British Isles do not appear at all. The distance from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean is ten times greater than it ought to be. Australia is in the wrong place (though cartographers no longer doubt that Australia and New Zealand were discovered by Chinese seamen centuries before Captain Cook arrived on the scene).
The commentary on the map, which seems to have been drawn from the original, is written in clear Chinese characters which can still be easily read. Of the west coast of America, the map says: “The skin of the race in this area is black-red, and feathers are wrapped around their heads and waists.” Of the Australians, it reports: “The skin of the aborigine is also black. All of them are naked and wearing bone articles around their waists.”
But this remarkable precision, rather than the errors, is what critics of the Menzies theory are likely to use to question the authenticity of the 1418 map. Mr Menzies and his followers are naturally extremely keen to establish that the 1763 copy is not a forgery and that it faithfully represents the 1418 original. This would lend weighty support to their thesis: that China had indeed discovered America by (if not actually in) 1421. Mass spectrography analysis to date the copied map is under way at WaikatoUniversity in New Zealand, and the results will be announced in February. But even if affirmative, this analysis is of limited importance since it can do no more than date the copyist's paper and inks.
Five academic experts on ancient charts note that the 1418 map puts together information that was available piecemeal in China from earlier nautical maps, going back to the 13th century and Kublai Khan, who was no mean explorer himself. They believe it is authentic.
The map makes good estimates of the latitude and longitude of much of the world, and recognises that the earth is round. “The Chinese were almost certainly aware of longitude before Zheng He set sail,” says Robert Cribbs of CaliforniaStateUniversity. They certainly assumed the world was round. “The format of the map is totally consistent with the level of knowledge that we should expect of royal Chinese geographers following the voyages of Zheng He,” says Mr Thompson.
Moreover, some of the errors in the 1418 map soon turned up in European maps, the most striking being California drawn as an island. The Portuguese are aware of a world map drawn before 1420 by a cartographer named Albertin di Virga, which showed Africa and the Americas. Since no Portuguese seamen had yet discovered those places, the most obvious source for the information seems to be European copies of Chinese maps.
But this is certainly not a unanimous view among the experts, with many of the fiercest critics in China itself. Wang Tai-Peng, a scholarly journalist in Vancouver who does not doubt that the Chinese explored the world early in the 15th century (he has written about a visit by Chinese ambassadors to Florence in 1433), doubts whether Zheng He's ships landed in North America. Mr Wang also claims that Zheng He's navigation maps were drawn in a totally different Chinese map-making tradition. “Until the 1418 map is scientifically authenticated, we still have to take it with a grain of salt,” he says.
Most forgeries are driven by a commercial imperative, especially when the market for ancient maps is booming, as it is now. The Library of Congress recently paid $10m for a copy of a 1507 world map by Martin Waldseemuller, a German cartographer. But Mr Liu says he is not a seller: “The map is part of my life,” he claims.
The consequences of the discovery of this map could be considerable. If it does indeed prove to be the first map of the world, “the history of New World discovery will have to be rewritten,” claims Mr Menzies. How much does this matter? Showing that the world was first explored by Chinese rather than European seamen would be a major piece of historical revisionism. But there is more to history than that. It is no less interesting that the Chinese, having discovered the extent of the world, did not exploit it, politically or commercially. After all, Columbus's discovery of America led to exploitation and then development by Europeans which, 500 years later, made the United States more powerful than China had ever been.
he language business in China： English beginning to be spoken here
he language business in China： English beginning to be spoken here
The market for English-language education in China is huge. The profits are not
“MY MOTHER used to be an engineer, but now she's a housewife. I don't like her job. I want to be a designer. I like to think up new ideas.” Not the words of a young British or American child, but a nineyear- old Chinese girl in Shenzhen city, southern China. And Shun Yushun is no prodigy. She is typical of her English First school, one of 68 on the mainland started by a Swedish-owned language-teaching chain.
Yushun belongs to a new generation in a country where older folks, deprived of education during the Cultural Revolution, speak almost no English at all. Even young adults struggle, having passed through an archaic school system that still insists on the brute memorisation of words and grammar. Zhang Jin, a 24-year-old from remote Guizhou province, studied English from the age of 12 and then for four years at HuananUniversity. But she has trouble putting a sentence together.
Today the Chinese are obsessed with English. Anything up to a fifth of the population is learning the language. As Gordon Brown, the British finance minister, observed on a trip to China last year, in two decades China's English speakers will already outnumber native English speakers in the rest of the world. This is fuelling a market that comprises everything from books, teaching materials and tests to teacher training and language schools themselves. At $60 billion a year, China is already the world's largest market for English-language services, estimates Mari Pearlman at ETS, an American group that developed TOEFL, a well-known test of English-language proficiency.
The bulk of this, she says, is spent on teaching materials: dictionaries, language textbooks and classroom aids. Most of these are supplied by the education arms of foreign companies in partnership with local firms. Macmillan has sold more than 100m school textbooks in China with its partner FLTRP, which has a fifth of the market and is the leading Chinese publisher of English-language books. Longman (which belongs to Pearson, part-owner of The Economist), Oxford University Press and HarperCollins have popular bilingual dictionaries, while Thomson Learning has licensed its teaching materials to People's Education Press.
Never too young to learn
Demand for textbooks has been boosted by the government's recent lowering (from 12 to nine) of the age at which primary-school pupils start to learn English, and many eastern cities have begun teaching it at six. On some estimates, English texts now account for up to one-fifth of the country's entire book sales. Though foreign publishers must license books to Chinese publishers, almost half the English-teaching market involves the purchase of foreign copyright.
There is also an increasing call for high-tech teaching. At its kindergartens, Beijing's municipal government has just started testing interactive whiteboards made by a British firm, Promethean. At 33,000 yuan ($4,125) a go, they enable teachers to integrate traditional materials with movie clips, radio broadcasts and other internet content. Nicole de Lalouvière, the director of learning at the British Council in Beijing, claims its website, managed with a Chinese partner and offering free tests, vocabulary and business English, has become “the biggest online university in the world”, with 2m students
Testing is also growing fast, as students with overseas ambitions practise for international college-entrance exams, and Chinese employers seek proof of English ability. Once again, foreigners are in pole position, though the two main suppliers, ETS and a venture between the British Council and Cambridge Assessment, are run as not-for-profit organisations. Teacher training promises to become another big market, given the shortage of half a million English teachers in state schools and Beijing's push to improve English ahead of the 2008 Olympics.
Finally, there are the private language schools themselves—some 50,000 of them, reckons Ms Pearlman, from family-run outfits to chains such as English First, Wall Street English and New Oriental, a Chinese operator that claims to be the biggest, with 2.5m enrolled students. While such schools were established for adults, the demand today is from parents willing to spend up to half their household income to boost their offspring's chances. The 550 students at English First's Shenzhen school used mostly to be adults; now more than 70% are children. And they are getting younger. The rage at kindergarten these days is English-speaking classes for four-year-olds.
Adults and college students, meanwhile, can choose from the many business-English classes at foreign colleges, such as the universities of Illinois, Maryland and Nottingham, which are establishing MBA courses and even entire campuses in China to tap into the huge numbers of potential students.
Yet not all this readily translates into profit. Education remains highly regulated. It is no accident that the state propaganda department controls the ministry of education, which only recently allowed (heavily edited) English textbooks from foreign publishers into the state system. Foreigners still cannot publish in China, receiving only royalties on their content. Their partners (such as FLTRP) use their materials to do a roaring business training teachers and running conferences. Though selling books to private language-schools can be more lucrative, these schools are also shackled. Foreign chains need a Chinese partner and must have their teaching materials approved. The difficulties and costs prompted English First to franchise all but four of its 68 schools: after a decade in China it has yet to recoup its investment.
The Chinese government is not entirely comfortable with western teaching methods. China has no government drive to welcome native English speakers, unlike Japan, where the ministry of education runs the 19-year-old JET programme, which puts thousands of foreign teachers to work in state schools. Indeed, until a few years ago, private language schools in China could be fined for hiring foreign English teachers.
Although China's passion for English is palpable, it will become a lucrative and open market only if China's Communist Party allows it to. It is reluctant because, along with English textbooks and teachers come western ways of learning and thinking—ways that might one day threaten the party's authority.
The market for English-language education in China is huge. The profits are not
“MY MOTHER used to be an engineer, but now she's a housewife. I don't like her job. I want to be a designer. I like to think up new ideas.” Not the words of a young British or American child, but a nineyear- old Chinese girl in Shenzhen city, southern China. And Shun Yushun is no prodigy. She is typical of her English First school, one of 68 on the mainland started by a Swedish-owned language-teaching chain.
Yushun belongs to a new generation in a country where older folks, deprived of education during the Cultural Revolution, speak almost no English at all. Even young adults struggle, having passed through an archaic school system that still insists on the brute memorisation of words and grammar. Zhang Jin, a 24-year-old from remote Guizhou province, studied English from the age of 12 and then for four years at HuananUniversity. But she has trouble putting a sentence together.
Today the Chinese are obsessed with English. Anything up to a fifth of the population is learning the language. As Gordon Brown, the British finance minister, observed on a trip to China last year, in two decades China's English speakers will already outnumber native English speakers in the rest of the world. This is fuelling a market that comprises everything from books, teaching materials and tests to teacher training and language schools themselves. At $60 billion a year, China is already the world's largest market for English-language services, estimates Mari Pearlman at ETS, an American group that developed TOEFL, a well-known test of English-language proficiency.
The bulk of this, she says, is spent on teaching materials: dictionaries, language textbooks and classroom aids. Most of these are supplied by the education arms of foreign companies in partnership with local firms. Macmillan has sold more than 100m school textbooks in China with its partner FLTRP, which has a fifth of the market and is the leading Chinese publisher of English-language books. Longman (which belongs to Pearson, part-owner of The Economist), Oxford University Press and HarperCollins have popular bilingual dictionaries, while Thomson Learning has licensed its teaching materials to People's Education Press.
Never too young to learn
Demand for textbooks has been boosted by the government's recent lowering (from 12 to nine) of the age at which primary-school pupils start to learn English, and many eastern cities have begun teaching it at six. On some estimates, English texts now account for up to one-fifth of the country's entire book sales. Though foreign publishers must license books to Chinese publishers, almost half the English-teaching market involves the purchase of foreign copyright.
There is also an increasing call for high-tech teaching. At its kindergartens, Beijing's municipal government has just started testing interactive whiteboards made by a British firm, Promethean. At 33,000 yuan ($4,125) a go, they enable teachers to integrate traditional materials with movie clips, radio broadcasts and other internet content. Nicole de Lalouvière, the director of learning at the British Council in Beijing, claims its website, managed with a Chinese partner and offering free tests, vocabulary and business English, has become “the biggest online university in the world”, with 2m students
Testing is also growing fast, as students with overseas ambitions practise for international college-entrance exams, and Chinese employers seek proof of English ability. Once again, foreigners are in pole position, though the two main suppliers, ETS and a venture between the British Council and Cambridge Assessment, are run as not-for-profit organisations. Teacher training promises to become another big market, given the shortage of half a million English teachers in state schools and Beijing's push to improve English ahead of the 2008 Olympics.
Finally, there are the private language schools themselves—some 50,000 of them, reckons Ms Pearlman, from family-run outfits to chains such as English First, Wall Street English and New Oriental, a Chinese operator that claims to be the biggest, with 2.5m enrolled students. While such schools were established for adults, the demand today is from parents willing to spend up to half their household income to boost their offspring's chances. The 550 students at English First's Shenzhen school used mostly to be adults; now more than 70% are children. And they are getting younger. The rage at kindergarten these days is English-speaking classes for four-year-olds.
Adults and college students, meanwhile, can choose from the many business-English classes at foreign colleges, such as the universities of Illinois, Maryland and Nottingham, which are establishing MBA courses and even entire campuses in China to tap into the huge numbers of potential students.
Yet not all this readily translates into profit. Education remains highly regulated. It is no accident that the state propaganda department controls the ministry of education, which only recently allowed (heavily edited) English textbooks from foreign publishers into the state system. Foreigners still cannot publish in China, receiving only royalties on their content. Their partners (such as FLTRP) use their materials to do a roaring business training teachers and running conferences. Though selling books to private language-schools can be more lucrative, these schools are also shackled. Foreign chains need a Chinese partner and must have their teaching materials approved. The difficulties and costs prompted English First to franchise all but four of its 68 schools: after a decade in China it has yet to recoup its investment.
The Chinese government is not entirely comfortable with western teaching methods. China has no government drive to welcome native English speakers, unlike Japan, where the ministry of education runs the 19-year-old JET programme, which puts thousands of foreign teachers to work in state schools. Indeed, until a few years ago, private language schools in China could be fined for hiring foreign English teachers.
Although China's passion for English is palpable, it will become a lucrative and open market only if China's Communist Party allows it to. It is reluctant because, along with English textbooks and teachers come western ways of learning and thinking—ways that might one day threaten the party's authority.
Building the nation：China's next building site
Building the nation：China's next building site
Planning a rival for Shenzhen and Shanghai
ITS economy shows few signs of needing one, but China is revving up what officials call a “new engine of growth” to supplement the dynamos of Shanghai and Shenzhen, the two port cities at the forefront of the country's economic transformation. A strip of industrial sprawl and barren semi-wasteland that stretches for 150km (90 miles) along the northern coast is being turned into a development zone far bigger than either Shanghai's or Shenzhen's. And its planners have been given the central government's blessing to experiment with a wide range of economic and bureaucratic reforms.
The government has high hopes for this venture. The Binhai New Area, as the zone is called, is intended to help a swathe of northern China, including the capital, Beijing, and the provinces around the Bohai gulf, enjoy the same kind of economic boom generated by Shenzhen in the Pearl River delta and by Shanghai in the lower reaches of the Yangtze. With the help of tax incentives and (for now) far cheaper land than either Shanghai or Shenzhen, officials hope to make the zone a manufacturing powerhouse for everything from aircraft and cars to microchips and chemicals.
They want Tianjin city to regain its pre-Communist era status as north China's financial capital. Binhai's port, already north China's largest, is due to double its container-handling capacity by 2010. The zone has also allocated an expanse of coast for recreation: an old Soviet aircraft carrier is moored in one desolate spot as the centrepiece of what is intended to become a military theme park. It offers fashion shows in its cavernous hangar bay.
The green light for Binhai has been a long time coming. Tianjin's leaders established the zone in 1994, but it was not until last year that the central government gave a clear signal that it regarded this as a project of national importance, not just a local venture. In March the development of Binhai was listed as one of the country's goals in a five-year economic plan adopted by China's legislature. On June 6th a central government document declared Binhai to be an “experimental zone for comprehensive reform”. Hitherto only Pudong New Area, Shanghai's flagship development zone, had enjoyed this title, which it acquired last year.
Binhai has emerged as the development zone darling of China's president, Hu Jintao, and its prime minister, Wen Jiabao (himself a native of Tianjin), just as Shenzhen was to the late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping in the 1980s and Pudong was to Mr Hu's predecessor, Jiang Zemin. Shenzhen, which is adjacent to Hong Kong, and Shanghai, with its pre-Communist history of capitalist flair, were obvious places to set up zones offering privileged terms to foreign investors. In the north, more deeply imbued with old-style Communist thinking and riven by rivalries (not least between Tianjin and neighbouring Beijing), choosing a place to act as economic trend-setter and investment hub proved more difficult. Lobbying by Tianjin's mayor, Dai Xianglong, a former chief of the central bank who took up the city post in 2002, clearly helped.
The prominence recently given to Binhai suggests that for all the leadership's rhetoric about pushing more investment towards less developed regions in the centre, west and north-east of the country, the coast is still seen as the best bet for sucking in money. By naming Binhai as a testing ground for reform, the leadership is also sending a signal that it is not fazed by recent public criticism of some aspects of economic change, including the inroads made by foreign investors. Binhai hopes another $20 billion of foreign capital will be invested in the zone by 2010, compared with $15.9 billion between 1994 and the end of last year (most of it in the Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area, a long-established foreign investment enclave within Binhai where the likes of Motorola, Toyota and Samsung have large factories). And despite worries about overheating, Binhai is aiming for average annual GDP growth of 17% for the next five years. In the same period, it will spend $15 billion on infrastructure.
Binhai is still working out the details of its “comprehensive reform” package. Pi Qiansheng, a deputy Communist Party chief of Tianjin and Binhai's ebullient boss, says the central government is likely to approve them next month. Political reform is not high on the agenda, apart from efforts to streamline bureaucracy. Chinese leaders have been wary of calls by some academics for Shenzhen, 1,900km (1,200 miles) to the south, to be given greater freedom to conduct experiments with democracy. Binhai, much closer to Beijing, is hardly likely to be a trailblazer.
Binhai officials prefer to talk about reforms in the financial sector (more freedom for venture capitalists and private investment in banking) and what
they call “land administration”. This is a euphemism for one of the most hotly debated issues of China's current economic reforms, namely whether, and how, to turn rural land into a marketable commodity. Remarkably for such a senior party official, Mr Pi says that “privatisation of land is a possibility”, although he suggests that this is not about to happen soon. Xiao Jincheng, a government researcher in Beijing, says Binhai is considering a different approach from that of Pudong and Shenzhen, where the government simply appropriated land from peasants with little compensation. Binhai's innovation could be to allow peasants to sell land-use rights and profit from the proceeds.
Market-oriented reforms will be less apparent in the supply of water. Tianjin, like much of northern China, has an acute shortage of it. Binhai will depend on water diverted from the YangtzeRiver basin, a massively expensive project, as well as desalinated seawater, which is also costly. The government, rather than industry, is likely to bear most of the burden.
Planning a rival for Shenzhen and Shanghai
ITS economy shows few signs of needing one, but China is revving up what officials call a “new engine of growth” to supplement the dynamos of Shanghai and Shenzhen, the two port cities at the forefront of the country's economic transformation. A strip of industrial sprawl and barren semi-wasteland that stretches for 150km (90 miles) along the northern coast is being turned into a development zone far bigger than either Shanghai's or Shenzhen's. And its planners have been given the central government's blessing to experiment with a wide range of economic and bureaucratic reforms.
The government has high hopes for this venture. The Binhai New Area, as the zone is called, is intended to help a swathe of northern China, including the capital, Beijing, and the provinces around the Bohai gulf, enjoy the same kind of economic boom generated by Shenzhen in the Pearl River delta and by Shanghai in the lower reaches of the Yangtze. With the help of tax incentives and (for now) far cheaper land than either Shanghai or Shenzhen, officials hope to make the zone a manufacturing powerhouse for everything from aircraft and cars to microchips and chemicals.
They want Tianjin city to regain its pre-Communist era status as north China's financial capital. Binhai's port, already north China's largest, is due to double its container-handling capacity by 2010. The zone has also allocated an expanse of coast for recreation: an old Soviet aircraft carrier is moored in one desolate spot as the centrepiece of what is intended to become a military theme park. It offers fashion shows in its cavernous hangar bay.
The green light for Binhai has been a long time coming. Tianjin's leaders established the zone in 1994, but it was not until last year that the central government gave a clear signal that it regarded this as a project of national importance, not just a local venture. In March the development of Binhai was listed as one of the country's goals in a five-year economic plan adopted by China's legislature. On June 6th a central government document declared Binhai to be an “experimental zone for comprehensive reform”. Hitherto only Pudong New Area, Shanghai's flagship development zone, had enjoyed this title, which it acquired last year.
Binhai has emerged as the development zone darling of China's president, Hu Jintao, and its prime minister, Wen Jiabao (himself a native of Tianjin), just as Shenzhen was to the late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping in the 1980s and Pudong was to Mr Hu's predecessor, Jiang Zemin. Shenzhen, which is adjacent to Hong Kong, and Shanghai, with its pre-Communist history of capitalist flair, were obvious places to set up zones offering privileged terms to foreign investors. In the north, more deeply imbued with old-style Communist thinking and riven by rivalries (not least between Tianjin and neighbouring Beijing), choosing a place to act as economic trend-setter and investment hub proved more difficult. Lobbying by Tianjin's mayor, Dai Xianglong, a former chief of the central bank who took up the city post in 2002, clearly helped.
The prominence recently given to Binhai suggests that for all the leadership's rhetoric about pushing more investment towards less developed regions in the centre, west and north-east of the country, the coast is still seen as the best bet for sucking in money. By naming Binhai as a testing ground for reform, the leadership is also sending a signal that it is not fazed by recent public criticism of some aspects of economic change, including the inroads made by foreign investors. Binhai hopes another $20 billion of foreign capital will be invested in the zone by 2010, compared with $15.9 billion between 1994 and the end of last year (most of it in the Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area, a long-established foreign investment enclave within Binhai where the likes of Motorola, Toyota and Samsung have large factories). And despite worries about overheating, Binhai is aiming for average annual GDP growth of 17% for the next five years. In the same period, it will spend $15 billion on infrastructure.
Binhai is still working out the details of its “comprehensive reform” package. Pi Qiansheng, a deputy Communist Party chief of Tianjin and Binhai's ebullient boss, says the central government is likely to approve them next month. Political reform is not high on the agenda, apart from efforts to streamline bureaucracy. Chinese leaders have been wary of calls by some academics for Shenzhen, 1,900km (1,200 miles) to the south, to be given greater freedom to conduct experiments with democracy. Binhai, much closer to Beijing, is hardly likely to be a trailblazer.
Binhai officials prefer to talk about reforms in the financial sector (more freedom for venture capitalists and private investment in banking) and what
they call “land administration”. This is a euphemism for one of the most hotly debated issues of China's current economic reforms, namely whether, and how, to turn rural land into a marketable commodity. Remarkably for such a senior party official, Mr Pi says that “privatisation of land is a possibility”, although he suggests that this is not about to happen soon. Xiao Jincheng, a government researcher in Beijing, says Binhai is considering a different approach from that of Pudong and Shenzhen, where the government simply appropriated land from peasants with little compensation. Binhai's innovation could be to allow peasants to sell land-use rights and profit from the proceeds.
Market-oriented reforms will be less apparent in the supply of water. Tianjin, like much of northern China, has an acute shortage of it. Binhai will depend on water diverted from the YangtzeRiver basin, a massively expensive project, as well as desalinated seawater, which is also costly. The government, rather than industry, is likely to bear most of the burden.
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