Journeys Through Bookland, Volume 2 | Page 7

bring nothing. Have you anything to give?"
Grethel gave Hans a calf. "Good-bye," said Hans. "Good-bye," said
Grethel.
Hans took the calf, set it on his head, and the calf scratched his face.
"Good evening, mother."
"Good evening, Hans. Where have you been?"
"To Grethel's."
"What did you take to her?"
"I took nothing; she gave to me."
"And what did Grethel give you?"
"A calf," said Hans.
"And what did you do with it?"
"I set it on my head and it kicked my face."
"Then you acted stupidly, Hans; you should have led the calf home and

put it in the stall."
"To behave better, do nothing," thought Hans.
"Whither away, Hans?"
"To Grethel's, mother."
"Behave well, Hans."
"I'll take care; good-bye, mother."
"Good-bye, Hans."
Hans came to Grethel. "Good day," said he.
"Good day, Hans. What treasure do you bring?"
"I bring nothing. Have you anything to give?"
Grethel said, "I will go with you, Hans."
Hans tied a rope round Grethel, led her home, put her in the stall and
made the rope fast; then he went to his mother.
"Good evening, mother."
"Good evening, Hans. Where have you been?"
"To Grethel's."
"What did you take her?"
"I took nothing."
"What did Grethel give you?"
"She gave nothing; she came with me."
"And where have you left her, then?"
"I tied her with a rope, put her in the stall, and threw her some grass."
"Then you have acted stupidly, Hans; you should have looked at her
with friendly eyes."
"To behave better, do nothing," thought Hans; and then he went into
the stall, and made sheep's eyes at Grethel.
And after that Grethel became Hans's wife.
The Brothers Grimm, Jakob and Wilhelm, were very learned German
scholars who lived during the first half of the nineteenth century. They
were both professors at the University of Gottingen, and published
many important works, among them a famous dictionary. In their own
country it is, of course, these learned works which have given them
much of their fame, but in other countries they are chiefly known for
their Fairy Tales.
Most of these they did not themselves write; they simply collected and
rewrote. They would hear of some old woman who was famous for
telling stories remembered from childhood, and they would present

themselves at her cottage to bribe or wheedle her into telling them her
tales. Perhaps the promise that her words should appear in print would
be enough to induce her to talk; perhaps hours would be wasted in
trying to make her grow talkative, without success. At any rate, the
Grimm brothers finally collected enough of these stories to make a big,
fat book.

THE POPPYLAND EXPRESS
St. Louis Star Sayings
The first train leaves at 6 p. m. For the land where the poppy blows.
The mother is the engineer, And the passenger laughs and crows.
The palace car is the mother's arms; The whistle a low, sweet strain.
The passenger winks and nods and blinks And goes to sleep on the
train.
At 8 p. m. the next train starts For the poppyland afar. The summons
clear falls on the ear, "All aboard for the sleeping car!"
But "What is the fare to poppyland? I hope it is not too dear." The fare
is this--a hug and a kiss, And it's paid to the engineer.
So I ask of Him who children took On His knee in kindness great:
"Take charge, I pray, of the trains each day That leave at six and eight.
"Keep watch of the passengers," thus I pray, "For to me they are very
dear; And special ward, O gracious Lord, O'er the gentle engineer."

BLUEBEARD
Once upon a time there lived a great lord who had many beautiful
homes and who was fairly rolling in wealth. He had town houses and
castles in the country, all filled with rich furniture and costly vessels of
gold and silver. In spite of all his riches, however, nobody liked the
man, because of his ugly and frightful appearance. Perhaps people
could have endured his face if it had not been for a great blue beard that
frightened the women and children until they fled at his very approach.
Now, it so happened that there was living near one of his castles a fine
lady of good breeding who had two beautiful daughters. Bluebeard, for
such was the name by which he was known through all the country,
saw the two daughters and determined to have one of them for his wife.
So he proposed to the mother for one, but left it to her to decide which

of the daughters she would give him.
Neither of the daughters was willing to marry him, for neither could
make up her mind to live