How the dog, cat and mouse became enemies (Part I)

Everybody knows that the dog and cat, the cat and the mouse are not friends. Yet there was a time when these three animals got along very well together.

Here is the story of how they became enemies.

Once there was a mighty king who ruled over a large-and rich country. The fields were green, the cattle fat and the people happy. Near the capital, where the king lived, was a large forest. Often the king and his ministers went to the forest to hunt. They never returned home without some animal which they had caught.

One day the king went to the forest with his friends and nobles. When they entered the forest they saw a strange sight. Dead deer, and wild goats and pigs were lying all over the ground. All the dead animals were half-eaten. It looked as if a greedy giant had taken a bite here and there.

The king flew into a temper. How could this happen in his kingdom! He ordered his nobles to find out who had killed the animals. But though his nobles searched everywhere, they could not find the culprit. After many hours of searching, they decided to return home. But one of the nobles stayed behind. He hid himself in the midst of some thick bushes.

Not long after the sun had set, he heard the whirling of mighty wings above the branches of the trees. To his surprise, many animals ran in fright out of the bushes. A moment later, a giant eagle dived down upon them. With his sharp claws and hard beak the huge bird attacked the frightened animals. Soon they all lay dead on the ground. The bird then began to eat them. He ate only the most tender parts of the bodies. When he had eaten enough, he spread his great wings and flew up into the sky.

The nobleman told the king all that he had seen. Immedi­ately the king sent soldiers to guard the forest, so that the eagle could not hunt there anymore. So the eagle began to at­tack cattle in the village.

Every night the villagers found some of their buffaloes, goats or horses killed. Many of the villagers became poor. With­out their buffaloes they could not plow their fields, and they could not grow enough rice. They decided to ask the king to help them. The king offered a big reward to anyone who could kill the bird. A few noblemen tried but none of them was clever enough. The great bird swooped down on them so fast they did not have time to strike with their swords. They were torn to pieces by its sharp claws and hard beak. Soon nobody wanted to fight the bird.

The king did not know what to do. He offered a larger re­ward but no one wished to lose his life for gold.

Tobe continued ........ 
Part II
Part III

 

The legend of Alpine Flower - The Flowers from the Moon

 High in the mountains lived a prince whose great wish was to journey to the moon, because he loved its gentle glow. His dream finally came true. When he reached the moon lie dis­covered its light came from the moon king's beautiful daughter.

The two young people soon fell in love, but the worlds they came from were just too different and soon they had to part. As a sign of her great love, the moon king's daughter gave the prince one of the smooth and lovely flowers that covered the moon like snow and this was how the first alpine flower was brought to earth.

THE RICH LANDOWNER

Once there was a fat old man whose uncle had died and left him much land and money. The old man and his wife had no children, although each day they prayed for a son, and the old man build a school for the children of the village.

One day, when the old man was out walking, he happened to pass the school. The teacher had been scolding the children. “You are like mice and donkeys,” he said to himself. “Maybe he can make a son for me out of mice and donkeys.” The old man hurried to farmer whose field he owned. “Sell me your donkey,” he said. “And have you boy help me catch some mice.”

The farmer thought the old man was crazy, but he did as he was told, and soon the old man was back at the school with a donkey and a bag of mice. “Here,” he said to the teacher, “I've brought you all you need.”

“All I need?” said the teacher puzzled. He didn't know what the old man was talking about.

“This morning you told the children you could make men out of donkeys and mice. Now, I want you to make me a son. Here are some mice, and here is a donkey.”

The teacher didn't know what to do, but he knew the old man was rich, and so he said. “All right, but you must leave the animals with me for three weeks.”

After three weeks had passed, the old man went again to the school. The teacher had hidden the donkey and give the mice to the children, but he didn't want to make the old man unhappy. “Ali, sir,” he said. “I have bad news. The mice died.”

“Never mind about the mice, then.” said the old man. “But what about the donkey?”

“The donkey. sir. I mean son, sir, is doing very well indeed. He has gone to the city to help the governor. You'll be happy to hear that your son is the governor's assistant.”

When the old man heard this, he gave the teacher some money and rushed home to tell his wife the good news. “Tomorrow,” he said. “I will go to the city to see our son and give him good wishes.”

The next day, the old man put on his best clothes and trav­eled to the city. he went straight to the governor's house, and the guards let him in because he looked so rich and important. He talked loudly about his son.

“Who is that man, and why is he making so much noise?” asked the governor.

“I don't know, sir,” said his young assistant, “but he seems to know everyone.”

“Well. I don't know him.” said the governor. Tell the guards to show him out.”

When the guards asked him to leave, the old man began to shout. “Doesn't the governor know who I am? Son, tell him.” he cried, waving at the governor's assistant. Tell him who I am.”

The young assistant said he'd never seen the old man be­fore, and the guards then had to carry the old man out.

The next day, the rich old man returned to the governor's house. This time, he carried a donkey's feed-bag. I’ll make him remember who he once was,” he said and held the bag before the eyes of the governor’s assistant.

“Who is that strange old man?” said the assistant. “And why does he pint at me when he waves that feed –bag”

“He says he's your father, sir,” said the guard.

“But I have no parents. You know that.” the young man re­plied. “Show him out, but be gentle with him.”

“The governor's assistant was once a donkey in my field,” the rich landowner told the guard.

Now the guard knew that old man was crazy, but he wanted to be gentle, so he said, "That may well be true, sir, but if you come back here. I shall have to lock you up.”

And so the rich old man went home. He was very unhappy and he wept as he told his wife that their son did not know him. A few days later, the old man went out for a walk. As he walked past one of the fields, he suddenly saw the donkey. “So! You've came back.” the old man shouted. 'I'll teach you to re­spect your father.” He picked up a stick and began to chase to donkey.

The old man chased the donkey across the field, but he was too slow to catch it. The donkey leaped over the fence and disappeared.