Pinocchio

Geppetto, a poor old wood carver, was making a puppet from a tree branch. "You shall be my little boy," he said to the puppet, "and I shall call you 'Pinocchio'." He worked for hours, carefully carving each detail. When he reached the mouth, the puppet started making faces at Geppetto. "Stop that, you naughty boy," Geppetto scolded, "Stop that at once !" "I won't stop !" cried Pinocchio.

"You can talk !" exclaimed Geppetto.

"Of course I can, silly," said the puppet. "You've given me a mouth to talk with." Pinocchio rose to his feet and danced on the table top. "Look what I can do !" he squealed.

"Pinocchio, this is not the time to dance," Geppetto explained. "You must get a good night's rest. Tomorrow you will start going to school with the real boys. You will learn many things, including how to behave."

On his way to school the next morning, Pinocchio stopped to see a puppet show. "I

can dance and sing better than those puppets and I don't need strings," boasted Pinocchio. He climbed onto the stage.

"Get off my stage," roared the Puppet Master. Then he noticed how much the crowd liked Pinocchio. He did not say anything and let Pinocchio stay. "Here, you've earned five copper coins," the Puppet Master told Pinocchio.

"Take these coins and go straight home," said the Puppet Master. Pinocchio put the coins into his sack.

He did not go very far before he met a lame Fox and a blind Cat. Knowing that Pinocchio had money, they pretended to be his friends. "Come with us. We'll teach you how to turn those copper pieces into gold," coaxed the sneaky Cat.

"We want to help you get rich. Plant your coins under this magic tree. In a few hours they'll turn to gold," said the Fox.

"Show me where," said Pinocchio excitedly. The Cat and Fox pointed to a patch of loose dirt. Pinocchio dug a hole and put the sack in it, marking the spot with a stone.

"Splendid !" exclaimed the Cat. "Now let's go to the inn for supper." After supper, the Fox and Cat, who weren't really lame or blind, quickly snuck away and disguised themselves as thieves. They hid by the tree waiting for Pinocchio to come back and dig up the money. After Pinocchio dug up the coins they pounced on him.

"Give us your money !" they ordered. But Pinocchio held the sack between his teeth and resisted to give the sack to them. Again they demanded, "Give us your money !"

Pinocchio's Guardian Fairy, who was dressed all in blue and had blue hair, sent her dog, Rufus, to chase the Fox and Cat away. She ordered Rufus to bring Pinocchio back to her castle. "Please sit down," she told Pinocchio. Rufus kept one eye open to watch what was going on.

"Why didn't you go to school today?" she asked Pinocchio in a sweet voice.

"I did," answered Pinocchio. Just then, his nose shot out like a tree branch. "What's happening to my nose?" he cried.

"Every time you tell a lie, your nose will grow. When you tell the truth, it will shrink," said the Blue Fairy. "Pinocchio, you can only become a real boy if you learn how to be brave, honest and generous."

The Blue Fairy told Pinocchio to go home and not to stop for any reason. Pinocchio tried to remember what the Blue Fairy told him.

On the way to home he met some boys. "Come with us," said the boys. "We know a wonderful place filled with games, giant cakes, pretty candies, and circuses." The boys didn't know that if you were bad, you were turned into donkeys and trained for the circus.

It was not very long before the boys began changing into donkeys. "That's what happens to bad boys," snarled the Circus Master as he made Pinocchio jump through a hoop.

Pinocchio could only grow a donkey's ears, feet, and tail, because he was made of wood. The Circus Master couldn't sell him to any circus. He threw Pinocchio into the sea. The instant Pinocchio hit the water, the donkey tail fell off and his own ears and feet came back. He swam for a very long time. Just when he couldn't swim any longer, he was swallowed by a great whale. "It's dark here," scared Pinocchio said.

Pinocchio kept floating deep into the whale's stomach. "Who's there by the light?" called Pinocchio, his voice echoing.

"Pinocchio, is that you?" asked a tired voice.

"Father, you're alive !" Pinocchio shouted with joy. He wasn't scared anymore. Pinocchio helped Geppetto build a big raft that would hold both of them. When the raft was finished, Pinocchio tickled the whale. "Hold tight, Father. When he sneezes, he'll blow us out of here !" cried Pinocchio.

Home at last, Geppetto tucked Pinocchio into his bed. "Pinocchio, today you were brave, honest and generous," Geppetto said. "You are my son and I love you."

Pinocchio remembered what the Blue Fairy told him. "Father, now that I've proven myself, I'm waiting for something to happen," he whispered as he drifted off to sleep.

The next morning Pinocchio came running down the steps, jumping and waving his arms. I He ran to Geppetto shouting, "Look Father, I'm a real boy !"

Rapunzel

A long time ago, a husband and wife lived happily in a cottage at the edge of a wood. But one day the wife fell ill. She could eat nothing and grew thinner and thinner. The only thing that could cure her, she believed, was a strange herb that grew in the beautiful garden next to their cottage. She begged her husband to find a way into the garden and steal some of this herb, which was called rapunzel.

Now this garden belonged to a wicked witch, who used it to grow herbs for her spells.

One day, she caught the husband creeping into her garden. When he told her what he had come for, the witch gave him some rapunzel, but she made him promise to give her their first-born child in return. The husband agreed, thinking that the witch would soon forget the promise. He took the rapunzel back to his wife, who felt better as soon as she had eaten it.

A year later, a baby girl was born and the witch did come and take her away. She told the couple they would be able to see their daughter in the garden behind their house. Over the years they were able to watch her grow up into a beautiful child, with long fair hair. The witch called her Rapunzel after the plant her father had come to take.

When she was twelve years old, the witch decided to lock Rapunzel up in a high tower in case she tried to run away. The tower had no door or staircase, but Rapunzel was quite happy up there as she could sit at the window watching the life of the forest and talking to the birds. Yet sometimes she would sigh, for she longed to be back in the beautiful garden where she could run and skip in the sunshine. Then she would sing to cheer herself up.

Each day, the witch came to see her, bringing fresh food. She would stand at the bottom of the tower and call out,

"Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your long hair."

Rapunzel, whose long golden hair was plaited, would twist it round one of the bars and drop it out of the window, and the witch would climb up it. When she left, Rapunzel would let down her golden hair again, and the witch would slide nimbly down to the ground. One day, the king's son was riding through the forest when he heard Rapunzel singing. Mystified, he rode to the tower, but could see no door, so could not understand how anyone could be there. He decided to stay and watch the tower and listen to the singing. After a while the witch came along and the prince watched her carefully. ° his amazement, as she called out,

"Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your long hair," a long golden plait of hair fell almost to the ground.

The prince saw the witch climb up the hair and disappear through the window, and he made up his mind he would wait until she had gone and see if he could do the same.

So after the witch had gone, he stood where the witch had been and called,

"Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your long hair."

When the golden plait came tumbling down,

he climbed up as the witch had done and found to his astonishment the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. They talked for a long time and then the prince left, promising to come again. Rapunzel looked forward to his visits, for she had been lonely. He told her all about the world outside her tower, and they fell deeply in love.

One day Rapunzel said to the witch, "Why is it when you climb up my hair you are so heavy? The handsome prince who comes is much lighter than you." At this, the witch flew into a rage and took Rapunzel out of the tower and led her into the forest to a lonely spot and told her she must stay there without food or shelter. The witch cut off Rapunzel's hair and then hurried back to the tower with the long plait of golden hair.

That evening when the prince came by, he called out as usual,

"Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your long hair."

The witch, who had secured the plait of golden hair inside the window, threw it down. The prince climbed up eagerly, only to be confronted with the wicked witch. "Aha," she cackled, "so you are the visitor who has been coming to see my little Rapunzel. I will make sure you won't see her again," and she tried to scratch out his eyes.

The prince jumped out of the high window, but was not killed for he landed in a clump of thorny bushes. His face, however, was badly scratched and his eyes hurt so that he could not see, and he stumbled off blindly into the forest.

After several days of wandering and suffering, he heard a voice singing. Following the sound. he drew closer and realized he had found Rapunzel, who was singing as she worked to make a home for herself in the forest. He ran towards her, calling her name, and she came and kissed him. As she did so, his eyes were healed and he could see again.

The prince took Rapunzel to his father's palace. where he told his story. Rapunzel was reunited with her parents who were overjoyed to see their daughter again. and a proclamation was made banning the witch from the kingdom. Then a grand wedding took place. Rapunzel married the prince and lived with him for many years. As for the witch. she was never seen again.

Snow With and the Seven Dwarfs

 

One winter's day, when the snow was falling, a beautiful queen sat sewing by a window. As she looked out on to the white garden she saw a black raven, and while she looked at it she accidentally

pricked her finger with the needle. When she saw the drop of blood she thought to herself, "How wonderful it would be if I could have a little girl whose skin was as white as the snow out there, her hair as black as the raven and her lips as red as this drop of blood."

Not long afterwards the queen had a baby daughter, and when she saw her jet black hair, snowy white skin and red red lips she remembered her wish and called her Snow White.

Snow White grew up to be a pretty child, but sadly, after a few years, her mother

died and her father married again. The new queen, Snow White's stepmother,.' was a beautiful woman too, but she was very vain. More than anything else she wanted to be certain that she was the most beautiful woman in the world. She had a magic mirror, and she used to look at herself in it each clay and say:

"Mirror, mirror on the wall,

Who is the fairest one of all?"

and the mirror would always reply,

"You, oh Queen, are the fairest one of all."

The queen would smile when she heard this for she knew the mirror never failed to speak the truth.

The years passed. Each year Snow White grew prettier and prettier, until one day, her stepmother looked in the magic mirror and said,

"Mirror, mirror on the wall,

Who is the fairest one of all?"

and the mirror replied,

"You, oh Queen, are fair, 'tis true,

But Snow White is fairer now than you."

The queen was angry and jealous. In a terrible rage she decided that Snow White should be killed.

She called for a hunter and told him to take Snow White far into the forest and to kill her there. In order to prove that Snow White was indeed dead, she commanded him to cut out Snow White's heart and bring it back to her. The hunter was very sad. Like everyone in the king's household he loved Snow White, but he knew he must obey his orders. He took her deep into the forest and, as he drew his knife, Snow White fell to her knees.

"Please spare my life," she begged. "Leave me here. I'll never return to the palace, I promise." The hunter agreed gladly. He was sure the queen would never know he had disobeyed her. He killed a young deer and cut out its heart and took this to the queen, pretending it was Snow White's heart.

Poor Snow White was tired, lonely and hungry in the forest. She wandered through the trees, hoping she would find enough berries and nuts to keep herself alive. Then she came to a clearing and found a little house. She thought it must be a woodman's cottage where she might be able to stay, so she knocked at the door. When there was no answer, she opened it and went inside.

There she saw a room all spick and span with a long table laid with seven places — seven knives and forks, seven wooden plates and drinking cups, and on the plates and in the cups were food and drink. Snow White was so hungry she could not bear to leave the food untouched so she took a little from each plate and each cup. She did not want to empty one person's plate and cup only.

Beyond the table were seven little beds all neatly made. She tried out some of them, and when she found one that was comfortable, she fell into a deep sleep, for she was exhausted by her long journey through the forest.

The cottage was the home of seven dwarfs. All day long they worked in a nearby mine digging diamonds from deep 'inside the mountain.

When they returned home that evening, they were amazed to see that someone had been into their cottage and had taken some food and drink from each place at their table. They were also surprised to find their beds disturbed, until one dwarf called out that he had found a lovely girl asleep on his bed. The Seven Dwarfs gathered round her, holding their candles high, as they marvelled at her beauty. But they decided to leave her sleeping for they were kind men.

The next morning Snow White awoke and met the dwarfs, and she told them her story. When she explained how she now had no home, the dwarfs immediately asked her whether she would like to stay with them.

"With all my heart, I'd love to do that," Snow White replied, happy that she now had a home, and she hoped she could be of help to these kind little people.

The dwarfs suspected that Snow White's stepmother, the wicked queen, had magic powers and they were worried that she would find out that Snow White had not been killed by the hunter. They warned Snow White that when she was alone all day she should be wary of strangers who might come to the cottage.

Back at the palace the queen welcomed the hunter when he returned with the deer's heart. She was happy that now she was once more the most beautiful woman in the world. As soon as she was alone, she looked in her magic mirror and said, confidently,

"Mirror, mirror on the wall,

Who is the fairest one of all?"

To her horror, the mirror replied,

"You, oh Queen, are fair, 'tis true,

But Snow White is fairer still than you."

The queen trembled with anger as she realized that the hunter had tricked her. She decided that she would now find Snow White and kill her herself.

The queen disguised herself as an old pedlar woman with a tray of ribbons and pretty things to sell and she set out into the forest. When she came to the dwarfs' cottage in the clearing, she knocked and smiled a wicked smile when she saw Snow White come to the door.

"Why, pretty maid," she said pleasantly, "won't you buy some of the wares I have to sell? Would you like some ribbons or buttons, some buckles, a new lacing for your dress perhaps?"

Snow White looked eagerly at the tray.

The queen could see that she was tempted by the pretty lacing and so she asked if she could help to tie it on for her. Then she pulled the lacing so tight that Snow White could not breathe, and fell to the floor, as if she were dead. The queen hurried back to her palace, sure that this time Snow White was really dead.

When the dwarfs came home that evening, they found Snow White lying on the floor, deathly pale and still. Horrified, they gathered around her. Then one of them spotted that she had a new lacing on her dress, and that it was tied very tightly. Quickly they cut it. Immediately Snow White began to breathe again and colour came back to her cheeks. All seven dwarfs heaved a tremendous sigh of relief as by now they loved her clearly. After this they begged Snow White to allow no strangers into the cottage while she was alone, and Snow White promised she would do as they said.

Once again in the palace the queen asked the mirror,

"Mirror, mirror on the wall,

Who is the fairest one of' all?"

And the mirror :replied,

"You, oh Queen, are fair, 'tis true,

But Snow White is fairer still than you."

The queen was speechless with rage. She realized that once more her plans to kill Snow White had failed. She made up her mind to try again.

She chose an apple with one rosy-red side and one yellow side. Carefully she inserted poison into the red part of the apple. Then, disguised as a peasant woman, she set out once more into the forest.

When she knocked at the cottage door, the queen was quick to explain she had not come to sell anything. She guessed that Snow White would have been warned not to buy from anybody who came by. She simply chatted to Snow White and cis Snow White became more at ease she offered her an apple as a present. Snow White was tempted, but she refused, saying she had been told not to accept anything from strangers.

"Let me show you how harmless it is," said the disguised queen. "I will take a bite, and if I come to no harm, you will see it is safe for you too."

She knew the yellow side was not poisoned and took a bite from there. Thinking it harmless, Snow White stretched out her hand for the apple and also took a bite, but from the rosy-red side.

At once Snow White was affected by the poison and fell down as though dead. That evening when the dwarfs returned they were quite unable to revive her. They turned her over to see if her dress had been laced too tightly. But they could find nothing different about her. They watched over her through the night, but when morning came she still lay without any sign of life, and they decided she must be dead. Weeping bitterly, they laid herein a coffin and placed a glass lid over the top so that all could admire her beauty, even though she was dead. Then they carried the coffin to the top of a hill where they took turns to stand guard.

The queen was delighted that day when she looked in her mirror and asked,

"Mirror, mirror on the wall,

Who is the fairest one of all?"

and the mirror replied,

"You, oh Queen, are the fairest one of all."

How cruelly she laughed when she heard those words. Not long after this a prince came riding through the forest and came to the hill where Snow White lay in her glass-topped coffin. She looked so beautiful that he loved her at once and he asked the dwarfs if he might have the coffin and take it to his castle. The dwarfs would not allow him to do this, but they did let the prince kiss her.

As the prince kissed Snow White gently, he moved her head. The piece of poisoned apple fell from her lips. She stirred and then she stretched a little. Slowly she came back to life. Snow White saw the handsome prince kneeling on the ground beside her, and fell in love with him straight away.

Then the queen far away in the palace heard from the mirror,

"You, oh Oueen, are fair, tis true,

But Snow White is fairer still than you."

She was furious that Snow White had escaped death once more. And now the king discovered what mischief she had been up to, and banished her from his land. No one ever saw her or her mirror again.

As for Snow White, she said farewell to her kind friends the dwarfs, and rode away on the back of the prince's horse. At his castle they were married and they both lived happily forever afterwards.

Aladin and the Wonderful Lamp

Far off in a beautiful city in China a ragged urchin called Aladdin used to play in the street. His father, a poor tailor, tried to make him work, but Aladdin was lazy and disobedient, and refused even to help in his father's shop. Even after his father died Aladdin still preferred to roam in the streets with his friends, and did not feel ashamed to eat the food his mother bought with the money she earned by spinning cotton.

One day a wealthy stranger came to the city. He noticed Aladdin in the street and thought, "That lad looks as though he has no purpose in life. It will not matter if I use him, then kill him."

The stranger quickly found out that Aladdin's father was dead. He called Aladdin over to him.

"Greetings, nephew," he said, "I am your father's brother.. I have returned to China only to find my clear brother, Mustapha, is dead. Take this money and tell your mother I shall visit her."

Aladdin's mother was puzzled when Aladdin told her the stranger's message. "You have no uncle," she said. "I don't understand why this man should give us money."

The next day the stranger came to their house and talked about how he had loved

his brother and offered to buy a fine shop where Aladdin could sell beautiful things to the rich people in the city. He gave Aladdin some new clothes and in a short while Aladdin's mother began to believe this man was a relation.

The stranger now invited Aladdin to go with him to the rich part of the city. Together they walked through beautiful gardens and parks where Aladdin had never been before. At last the stranger showed Aladdin a flat stone with an iron ring set into it.

"Lift this stone for me, nephew," he said, "and go into the cavern below. Walk through three caves where you will see gold and silver stored. Do not touch it. You will then pass through a garden full of wonderful fruit and beyond the trees you will find a lamp. Pour out the oil and bring the lamp to me. Pick some of the fruit on your return if you wish."

Aladdin lifted the stone and saw some steps leading down into a cave. He was frightened to go down but the stranger placed a gold ring with a great green emerald on his finger.

"Take this ring as a gift," he said, "but you must go or I shall not buy you a shop."

Now the stranger was in fact a magician. He had read about a lamp with magical powers and he had travelled far to find it. He knew the magic would not work for him unless the lamp was fetched from the cavern and handed to him by someone else. After Aladdin had brought him the lamp the magician planned to shut him in the cave to die.

Down in the cavern Aladdin found all as he had been told. He hurried through the rooms filled with silver and gold, and passed through the garden where the trees were hung with shimmering fruit of all colours. At the far end stood an old lamp. Aladdin took it, poured out the oil, and then picked some of the dazzling fruit from the trees as the magician had suggested. To his surprise they were all made from stones. Aladdin took as many as he coul carry and returned to the steps.

"Give me the lamp," demanded the magician as soon as Aladdin came into sight.

"Help me out first," replied Aladdin who could not hand him the lamp because his arms were so full. They argued fiercely until crash, the stone slab fell back into place. The magician could not move the stone from the outside, nor Aladdin from within. He was trapped. The magician knew he had failed in his quest and decided to leave the country at once.

For two days Aladdin tried to get out of the cave. He became weak with hunger and thirst and finally as he sat in despair he rubbed his hands together. By chance he rubbed the gold ring that the stranger had given him. There was a blinding flash and a genie appeared. "I am the genie of the ring. What can I do for you, master?"

"Get me out of here," Aladdin gasped. He was terrified of the great burning spirit of the genie glowing in the cavern. BefOre he knew what had happened he was standing on the ground above the entrance to the cavern. Of the stone slab there was no sign. Aladdin set off for home and collapsed with hunger as he entered the house.

His mother was overjoyed to see him. She gave him all the scraps of food she had and when she said she had no more Aladdin suggested selling the lamp to buy some food.

"I'll get a better price for it, if it's clean," she thought, and she rubbed the lamp with a cloth. In a flash the genie appeared. Aladdin's mother fainted in horror but Aladdin seized the lamp. When the genie saw him with the lamp it said:

"I am the genie of the lamp. What can I do for you, master?"

"Get me some food," ordered Aladdin.

By the time his mother had recovered there were twelve silver dishes of food and twelve silver cups on the table. Aladdin and his mother ate as they had never eaten before. They had enough for several days, and then Aladdin began to sell the silver dishes and cups. He and his mother lived comfortably in this way for some time.

Then it happened that Aladdin saw the sultan's daughter, Princess Badroulboudoir. Aladdin loved her at first sight and sent his mother to the sultan's court to ask the sultan permission for the princess to marry him. He told her to take as a gift the stone fruits he had brought from the cave.

It was several days before Aladdin's mother could speak with the sultan, but at last she was able to give him the stone fruits. The sultan was truly amazed.

"Your son has such fine jewels he would make a good husband for my daughter, I am sure," he told Aladdin's mother.

But the sultan's chief courtier was jealous. He wanted his son to marry the princess. Quickly, he advised the sultan to say he would decide on the marriage in three months' time. Aladdin was happy when he heard the news.

But at the palace, the chief courtier spoke against Aladdin and when Aladdin's mother returned in three months, the sultan asked her: "Can your son send me forty golden bowls full of jewels like the ones he sent before only this time carried by forty servants?"

Aladdin rubbed the lamp once more and before long forty servants each carrying a gold bowl filled with sparkling jewels were assembled in the courtyard of their little house.

When the sultan saw them, he said:

"I am sure now that the owner of these riches will make a fine husband for my daughter."

But the chief courtier suggested yet another test. "Ask the woman," he said, "if her son has a palace fit for your daughter to live in."

"I'll give him the land and he can build a new palace," declared the sultan, and he presented Aladdin with land in front of his own palace. Aladdin summoned the genie of the lamp once more. Overnight the most amazing palace appeared with walls of gold and silver, huge windows, beautiful halls and courtyards and rooms filled with treasures. A carpet of red velvet was laid from the old palace to the new, for the princess to walk on to her new home. Aladdin then asked the genie for some fine clothes for himself and his mother, and a glorious wedding took place.

Aladdin took care always to keep the wonderful lamp safe. One day the princess gave it to an old beggar who was the magician in disguise, but that story will have to keep for another time.

Beauty and the Beast

A rich merchant who had three sons and three daughters lived in a big house in the city. His Youngest daughter was so beautiful she was called Beauty by all who knew her. She was as sweet and good as she was beautiful. Sadly all of the merchant's ships were lost at sea and he and his family had to move to a small cottage in the country. His sons worked hard on the land and Beauty was happy working in the house, but his two elder daughters complained and grumbled all day long, especially about Beauty.

One day news came that a ship had arrived which would make the merchant wealthy again. The merchant set off to the city, and just before he left he said, "Tell me, daughters, what gifts would you like me to bring back for you?"

The two older girls asked for fine clothes and jewels, but Beauty wanted nothing . Realizing this made her sisters look greedy, she thought it best to ask for something. "Bring me a rose, father," she said, "just a beautiful red rose."

When the merchant reached the city he found disaster had struck once more and the ship's cargo was ruined. He took the road home wondering how to break the news to his children. He was so deep in thought that he lost his way. Worse still, it started to snow, and he feared he would never reach home alive. Just as he despaired he noticed lights ahead, and riding towards them he saw a fine castle. The gates stood open and flares were alight in the courtyard.

In the stables a stall empty with hay in the manger and clean bedding on the floor

ready for his horse.

The castle itself seemed to be deserted, but a fire was burning in the dining-hall where a table was laid with food. The merchant ate well and still finding no one went upstairs to a bedroom which had been prepared. " It is almost as if I were expected," he thought.

In the morning he found clean clothes had been laid out for him and breakfast was on the table in the dining - hall. After he had eaten he fetched his horse and as he rode away he saw a spray of red roses growing from a rose bush. Remembering Beauty's request, and thinking he would be able to bring a present for at least one daughter, he plucked a rose from the bush.

Suddenly a beast-like monster appeared. "Is this how you repay my hospitality?" it roared. "You eat my food, sleep in my guest-room and then insult me by stealing my flowers. You shall die for this."

The merchant pleaded for his life, and begged to see his children once more before he died. At last the beast relented. "I will spare your life," it said, "if one of your daughters will come here willingly and die for you. Otherwise you must promise to return within three months and die yourself."

The merchant agreed to return and went on his way. At home his children listened with sorrow to his tales of the lost cargo and his promise to the monster. His two elder daughters turned on Beauty, saying, "Your stupid request for a rose has brought all this trouble on us. It is your fault that father must die." When the three months were up Beauty insisted on going to the castle with her father, pretending only to ride with him for company on the journey. The beast met them, and asked Beauty if she had come of her own accord, and she told him she had.

"Good," he said. "Now your father can go home and you will stay with me."

"What shall I call you?" she asked bravely.

"You may call me Beast," he replied.

Certainly he was very ugly and it seemed a good name for him. Beauty waved a sad farewell to her father. But she was happy that at least she had saved his life.

As Beauty wandered through the castle she found many lovely rooms and beautiful courtyards with gardens. At last she came to a room which was surely meant just for her. It had many ofher favourite books and objects in it. On the wall hung a beautiful mirror and to her surprise, as she looked into it, she saw her father arriving back at their home and her brothers and sisters greeting him. The picture only lasted a few seconds then faded. "This Beast may be ugly, but he is certainly kind," she thought. "He gives me all the things I like and allows me to know how my family is without me."

That night at supper the Beast joined her at the candle-lit table. He sat and stared at her. At the end of the meal he asked: "Will you marry me?"

Beauty was startled by the question but said as gently as she could, "No, Beast, you are kind but I cannot marry you."

Each day it was the same. Beauty had everything she wanted during the day and each evening the Beast asked her to marry him, and she always said no. One night Beauty dreamt that her father lay sick. She asked the Beast if she could go to him, and he refused saying that if she left him he would die of loneliness. But when he saw how unhappy Beauty was, he said:

"If you go to your family, will you return within a week?"

"Of course," Beauty replied.

"Very well, just place this ring on your dressing table the night you wish to return, and you shall come back here. But do not stay away longer than a week, or I shall die."

The next morning Beauty awoke to find herself in her own home. Her father was indeed sick, but Beauty nursed him lovingly. Beauty's sisters were jealous once more. They thought that if she stayed at home longer than a week the Beast would kill her. So they pretended to love her and told her how much they had missed her. Before Beauty knew what had happened ten days had passed. Then she had a dream that the Beast was lying still as though he were dead by the lake near his castle.

"I must return at once," she cried and she placed her ring on the dressing table.

The next morning she found herself once more in the Beast's castle. All that day she expected to see him, but he never came. "I have killed the Beast," she cried, "I have killed him." Then she remembered that in her dream he had been by the lake and quickly she ran there. He lay still as death, down by the water's edge.

"Oh, Beast!" she wept, "Oh, Beast! I did not mean to stay away so long. Please do not die. Please come back to me. You are so good and kind." She knelt and kissed his ugly head.

Suddenly no Beast was there, but a handsome prince stood before her. "Beauty, my dear one," he said. "I was bewitched by a sell that could only be broken when a beautiful girl loved me and wanted me in spite of my ugliness. When you kissed me just now you broke the enchantment."

Beauty rode with the prince to her father's house and then they all went together to the prince's kingdom. There he and Beauty were married. In time they became king and queen, and ruled for many happy years.

Peter Pan

Wendy, John, and Michael Darling lived in London. One night, Wendy woke to find a strange boy sitting on the floor who was crying.

"My name is Wendy," she said. "Who are you? Why are you crying?

"I'm Peter Pan," the boy replied. "I'm crying because my shadow won't stick to me."

"Don't cry," Wendy said. "We can fix that." And she sewed Peter's shadow to the tips of his shoes. Peter was delighted.

"Fly back to Neverland with me and my fairy, Tinker Bell," Peter begged. "You could be our mother and take care of us."

"Can you teach me to fly?" Wendy asked. Peter nodded.

"Let's wake John and Michael," Wendy said. "You can teach us all to fly and then we

will leave for Neverland !"

The children were soon flying around the room. then—Swoosh ! Out the window they all flew.

Wendy, John, and Michael flew behind Peter Pan and Tinker Bell, following the golden arrows that pointed the way to Neverland. Finally, they were flying over the island.

"The lost boys live with me and Tinker Bell. I'm their captain," Peter said. "The Indians live over there, and the mermaids live in the lagoon. And there are pirates too, led by Captain Hook."

"Pirates?" exclaimed Wendy, John, and Michael, all in the same breath. Wendy was frightened, but Michael and John wanted to see the pirates right away.

"Hook's the meanest pirate ever," Peter warned. "But he's afraid of the crocodile. The crocodile bit off Hook's hand and liked the taste so much that it follows him, hoping for more. Luckily for Hook, the crocodile swallowed a clock. It goes 'Tick, Mock, and warns Hook when the crocodile is nearby"

"Oh, my God r" cried Wendy, not sure if she really wanted to stay in Neverlanc: after all.

Peter led Wendy, John, and Michael to his house under the woods. They entered through a door hidden in an old tree stump. When the lost boys saw Wendy, they shouted, "Hooray ! Will you be our mother?"

"I'm only a little girl," Wendy answered. "I have no experience." But the lost boys looked so sad that she said, "I'll do my best."

That night Wendy tucked the boys into bed and told them the tale of Cinderella.

Life was pleasant in the cosy house under the woods.

Wendy took care of the boys, who explored the island during the day. At night, they gathered for meals, played make- believe games, and listened while Wendy told them stories.

One day, Peter and the children went exploring near the mermaids' lagoon. Suddenly Peter yelled, "Pirates ! Take cover." The boys ran away, and Peter and Wendy hid.

Peter and Wendy could see that the pirates had tied up Tiger Lily, the Indian princess. The pirates had left her on a rock in the lagoon.

Peter was afraid that Tiger Lily would drown when the tide came in. He had to save her ! In a voice that sounded just like Captain Hook's, he shouted, "Set her free !"

"But, Captain," the pirates yelled, "you ordered us to bring her here !"

"Let her go !' Peter roared, still sounding like Hook. "Aye, aye," the pirates said, and set Tiger Lily free. She swam quickly back to the Indian camp.

When Captain Hook found out what had happened, he knew Peter had tricked his pirates. Hook became furious!

That night, Wendy told the boys a story about three children who left their parents and flew to Neverland. Their mother and father missed them very much. The children loved Neverland, but they never forgot their home.

"Did they ever go back?" the lost boys asked.

"Oh, yes," Wendy replied. "They flew home to their mummy and daddy, and everyone was happy."

The story made Wendy, John, and Michael homesick. They decided to fly home the next morning. "If you come back with us," Wendy told the lost boys, I'm sure our mother and father would adopt you."

"Hooray !" shouted the boys, jumping with joy.

Wendy asked Peter if he and Tinker Bell would come home with them too. But Peter didn't want to live where grown-ups could tell him what to do.

Peter was sad that his friends were leaving. Still, he wanted the children to arrive home safely, so he asked Tinker Bell to guide them on their trip.

Early the next morning, Tinker Bell and the children left the house under the woods. But Captain Hook's pirates were hiding nearby. They captured all the children, tied them up, and marched them towards the pirate's ship.

Tinker Bell escaped, and hurried back to tell Peter what had happened.

"It's Hook or me this time !" yelled Peter to Tinker Bell as they flew off to save Wendy and the boys.

On the pirate's ship, Captain Hook demanded, "Who wants to become a pirate?" The boys shook their heads.

"Then make them walk the plank !" Hook roared. The boys tried to look brave, but they were afraid.

Suddenly, they heard the "Tick, Tock" of the crocodile. Now it was Captain Hook's turn to be afraid.

But the "Tick, Tock" was only Peter, imitating the crocodile-. He flew onto the deck and shouted, "I've got you now, Hook !" Captain Hook jumped up and swung at Peter with his sword. Peter was quick, and stepped away. He slashed at Hook with his own sword until they came close to the edge of the ship.

Peter lunged with his sword, and Hook fell into the sea, where the crocodile was waiting for him. And that was the end of Captain. I-look!

When Peter was certain that Hook was gone forever, he and Tinker Bell set off for London with Wendy and the boys.

Wendy's parents were happy to see their children again. Mr. and Mrs. Darling hugged Wendy, John, and Michael, and agreed to adopt the lost boys. They asked Peter to stay with them also, but he said, "I'm going to stay in Neverland where I never have to grow up."

"Goodbye then, Peter. We'll miss you," everyone called. Peter Pan and Tinker Bell waved goodbye and flew home to Neverland.