Identifier: crimsonfairybook00lang (find matches)
Title: The crimson fairy book
Year: 1903 (1900s)
Authors: Lang, Andrew, 1844-1912 Ford, H. J. (Henry Justice), 1860-1941, ill
Subjects:
Publisher: London New York : Longmans, Green and Co.
Contributing Library: Boston Public Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive

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escued from the flames by the shepherd.The King of the Snakes, then turning to the shepherd,said to him : What reward will you choose for saving mychild ? * Make me to know the language of beasts, answeredthe shepherd, * that is all I desire. The king replied : Such knowledge would be of nobenefit to you, for if I granted it to you and you told anyone of it, you would immediately die ; ask me rather forwhatever else you would most like to possess, and it shallbe yours. But the shepherd answered him : Sir, if you wish toreward me for saving your daughter, grant me, I prayyou, to know the language of beasts. I desire nothingelse; and he turned as if to depart. Then the king called him back, saying : If nothingelse will satisfy you, open your mouth. The man obeyed,and the king spat into it, and said : Now spit into mymouth. The shepherd did as he was told, then the Kingof the Snakes spat again into the shepherds mouth.When they had spat into each others mouths three times,the king said :
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THE LANGUAGE OE BEASTS 59 Now you know the language of beasts, go in peace;but, if you value your life, beware lest you tell any one ofit, else you will immediately die. So the shepherd set out for home, and on his waythrough the wood he heard and understood all that wassaid by the birds, and by every living creature. Whenhe got back to his sheep he found the flock grazing peace-fully, and as he was very tired he laid himself down bythem to rest a little. Hardly had he done so when tworavens flew down and perched on a tree near by, andbegan to talk to each other in their own language: * Ifthat shepherd only knew that there is a vault full of goldand silver beneath where that lamb is lying, what wouldhe not do ? When the shepherd heard these words hewent straight to his master and told him, and the masterat once took a w^aggon, and broke open the door of thevault, and they carried off the treasure. But instead ofkeeping it for himself, the master, who w^as an honour-able man, gave it a

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