Scottish Folk and Fairy Tales from Burns to Buchan (Penguin Classics) by Gordon Jarvie Read Free Book Online

webs than anything else.’
    The queer little man laughed again. ‘I’ve wandered many a mile in my time without a horse to help me, and I’ve heard it said that ower-much walking makes the feet unshapely,’ he replied. ‘But waste no time in talking, good Dame. Go your way into the house; and, hark’ee, if anyone asks you who brought you hither so quickly, tell them that there was a lack of men, so you just had to be content to ride behind the Brownie o’ Ferne-Den.’

KATHERINE CRACKERNUTS
Elizabeth Grierson
    There was once a King whose wife died, leaving him with an only daughter, whom he dearly loved. The little Princess’s name was Velvet-Cheek, and she was so good, and bonnie, and kind-hearted that all her father’s subjects loved her. But as the King was generally engaged in transacting the business of the State, the poor little maiden had rather a lonely life, and often wished that she had a sister with whom she could play, and who would be a companion to her.
    The King, hearing this, made up his mind to marry a middle-aged countess, whom he had met at a neighbouring court, who had one daughter, named Katherine, who was just a little younger than the Princess Velvet-Cheek, and who, he thought, would make a nice playfellow for her.
    He did so, and in one way the arrangement turned out very well, for the two girls loved one another dearly, and had everything in common, just as if they had really been sisters.
    But in another way it turned out very badly, for the new Queen was a cruel and ambitious woman, and she wanted her own daughter to do as she had done, and make a grand marriage, and perhaps even become a queen. And when she saw that Princess Velvet-Cheek was growing into a very beautiful young woman – more beautiful by far than her own daughter – she began to hate her, and to wish that in some way she would lose her good looks.
    ‘For,’ thought she, ‘what suitor will heed my daughter as long as her stepsister is by her side?’
    Now, among the servants and retainers at her husband’s castle there was an old henwife, who, men said, was in league with theevil spirits of the air, and who was skilled in the knowledge of charms, and philtres, and love potions.
    ‘Perhaps she could help me to do what I seek to do,’ said the wicked Queen; and one night, when it was growing dusk, she wrapped a cloak around her, and set out to this old henwife’s cottage.
    ‘Send the lassie to me tomorrow morning before she has broken her fast,’ replied the old dame when she heard what her visitor had to say. ‘I will find out a way to mar her beauty.’ And the wicked Queen went home content.
    Next morning she went to the Princess’s room while she was dressing, and told her to go out before breakfast and get the eggs that the henwife had gathered. ‘And see,’ added she, ‘that you don’t eat anything before you go, for there is nothing that makes the roses bloom on a young maiden’s cheeks like going out fasting in the fresh morning air.’
    Princess Velvet-Cheek promised to do as she was bid, and go and fetch the eggs; but as she was not fond of going out of doors before she had had something to eat, and as, moreover, she suspected that her stepmother had some hidden reason for giving her such an unusual order, and she did not trust her stepmother’s hidden reasons, she slipped into the pantry as she went downstairs and helped herself to a large slice of cake. Then, after she had eaten it, she went straight to the henwife’s cottage and asked for the eggs.
    ‘Lift the lid of that pot there, your Highness, and you will see them,’ said the old woman, pointing to the big pot standing in the corner in which she boiled her hens’ meat.
    The Princess did so, and found a heap of eggs lying inside, which she lifted into her basket, while the old woman watched her with a curious smile.
    ‘Go home to your lady mother, hinny,’ she said at last, ‘and tell her from me to keep the press door better