Opening, part 20 · page 21 2101Then, one day, a rumour reached the king that a large army was marching against him.102Vaguely he recollected some tales he had heard about a magic cornet which could provide as many soldiers as would serve to conquer the earth, and which had been removed by his grandfather to a cellar.checked by a teacher103Thither he hastened that he might renew his power once more, and in that black and slimy spot he found the treasures indeed.104But the table fell to pieces as he touched it, in the cornet there remained only a few fragments of leathern belts which the rats had gnawed, and in the bag nothing but broken bits of stone.105And the king bowed his head to the doom that awaited him, and in his heart cursed the ruin wrought by the pride and foolishness of himself and his forefathers.106[From Contes Populaires Slaves, par Louis Leger.]107The Rover of the Plain108A long way off, near the sea coast of the east of Africa, there dwelt, once upon a time, a man and his wife.109They had two children, a son and a daughter, whom they loved very much, and, like parents in other countries, they often talked of the fine marriages the young people would make some day.110Out there both boys and girls marry early, and very soon, it seemed to the mother, a message was sent by a rich man on the other side of the great hills offering a fat herd of oxen in exchange for the girl.111Everyone in the house and in the village rejoiced, and the maiden was despatched to her new home.112When all was quiet again the father said to his son:113'Now that we own such a splendid troop of oxen you had better hasten and get yourself a wife, lest some illness should overtake them.114Already we have seen in the villages round about one or two damsels whose parents would gladly part with them for less than half the herd.115Therefore tell us which you like best, and we will buy her for you.'116But the son answered:117'Not so; the maidens I have seen do not please me.118If, indeed, I must marry, let me travel and find a wife for myself.'119'It shall be as you wish,' said the parents; 'but if by-and-by trouble should come of it, it will be your fault and not ours.'120The youth, however, would not listen; and bidding his father and mother farewell, set out on his search.121Far, far away he wandered, over mountains and across rivers, till he reached a village where the people were quite different from those of his own race.122He glanced about him and noticed that the girls were fair to look upon, as they pounded maize or stewed something that smelt very nice in earthen pots--especially if you were hot and tired; and when one of the maidens turned round and offered the stranger some dinner, he made up his mind that he would wed her and nobody else.1 2← previousOpening, part 19next →Opening, part 21↑ back to The Orange Fairy BookThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3027/20/page/2/