Boy's Column. Clever Peter and the Two Bottles. unknown People,"

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2081, 7 November 1885, Page 2 (Supplement)

Boy's Column. Clever Peter and the Two Bottles. unknown People,"

" Petfr," said his mother. " Yep," said Peter; for he was <yell biovu-'it up, and alwajs answered whru he nci- poker to. " My dear little child, thou art wi«p though so young. Now how shall we get money to pay our rent 9 " " Sell the egga that tho speokltd hen has laid." said Peter. " But when we have spent the money for them, what shall we do then?" " Sell moie eggs," eaid Peter ; for ho had an answer for everything. "But when the ppeckled hen layo no moro eggs, what then ? " " Wo Bhall see," 3ii» IVfT. Peter started off to i\e town with th? basket full of nico wimp cg^p. The thy was bright and warm atrl fair ; the wind blew softly, and the wheat li o Hi lay like green velvet in the sun. So be trudged nlonq with grent comfort until high noontide, Rgainst which time he had come nigh to the town, for he could see the red roofs and tho tall spires peeping over the crest of the next green hill. By this time his stomach was crying "Give! give.!" for it longed for bread and cheese.. Now a great gray etona stood near by, at the forking of the road, and just as Peter came to it be heard a mr 3 ". "Click! clack!" Ho tinned his hetd, and, lo and behold 1 the eide of the Rtone opened like a door, and out ceme a little old man drcaserl all in tine black velvet. " Good day, IMer," mid he. " Good-doy, sir," said Peter. "Will you strike a bargain with me for your eg(?B ? " said the little old man. Ye«, Peter would strike a bargain. What would the little gentleman give bun for his " I will give you this," Eftid the little o'cl man ; and he drew a black bottle out of his pocket. " Peter sftid, " It is not worth ns muc'u ns my basket of eggs." "Prut ?" B&id the little genilfinsn. "Yon should never judge by tba outside of tliingc. What would you like to have?" " I should like," said Peter, " to hays a good dinner." " Nothing easier," said the little gentleman ; and he drew the cork. "Popl pop!" and wliat should come out of the bott'o but two tall men dressed all in blue and gal . " A good dinner fo' 1 two," tcid the little man. No eoouer tuul than Bone. There Ftood the nicest dinnrr that ever you paw. Thon Peter and the halo man foil to with might and main, and ate till they could cat no more. "Yrs," raid Peter; "I will give you my basket of eggs for tho little black bottle. And so the bargain was struck. Then Peter stnrtrd off home, and the little man went back acjain into the great stone, and closed the door behind him. He took the basl.et of cg^s with him ; whore he took it, neither Peter nor I will ever be able to tell you. " What didst thou get for thy eggs, my little duck? 1 said hia mother, when Peter curae home again. " I got a bottle, mother," said Peter. Then at first Poter'a mother bog»n to think that Peter was a dull block. But when she saw what a wonderful bottle it was, fhe thought her Peter was as wise as the moon. And now nothing was lacking in the cottage. If Peter and his mother wanted this, it came to them ; if they wished for that, the two tall men in the bottle fetched it. Ono morning Peter said to his mother Mother, I am going to ask the King to let me marry hi 3 daughter." So off Ptter rode. At last he came to tho palace. "Id the lung at home?" said Ptter, when the door was opened. Yes, the King wes at home. So Peter went into the parlor and eat down, and then the King came in. " What is your name?" paid the King, "Peter Stultzenmilchen," said Peter. " And what do you want, Lord Peter?" said the King. " I want to marry ycur daughter," said Peter. To this the King said, "Ilum-m-ml" and Peter said nothing. Then the King taidthat no one should marry his daughter without bringing him a basket full of precious stones. "Ia that all?" said Peter. "Nothing is easier." So off he went until he catue to t. chestuut woods just back of the royal kitchengarden. There he uncorked his bottle. Pop I pop ! and out came tho two tall men. " What will you havo sir?" said they. Petor lold them what he wanted, and it was no tooner fmid than doie, for there on the ground before him stood a basket full of all kinds of precious stones ; each of them was as large as a heu's egg. But how thn King did open hia eyes, to bo sure, and how ho stared, when Peter showed him the basket ! " Now," .aaid Peter, " I should like lo marry your daughter, if you please." At this tho King hemmed and hawed again. No ; Peter could not marry tbe Princess yet, for the King had determined that no man Bhould marry his daughter without bringing him a bird, all of pure eilver, that could sing whenever it waß wanted. " Nothing easier," said Peter, and off ho went again. When he had come to the chestnut woods he uncorked his bottle, and told the two tall men what he wanted. No sooner said than done, for there was a bird of pure uilver. Thon Peter took it to tho palace. As for the King, he conld not look at it or listen to it enough. " Now," said Peter, " I should like to marry your daughter, if you please." But at this the King sang the same tune again. No ; Peter could not marry hia daughter yet, for the King had determined that the man who was to marry hia daughter should first bring him a golden sword ho keen that it could out a feather floating in tho air, yet so strong that it could cut through an irou bar. " Nothing easier," said Peter ; and this time the men of the bottle broupht him finch a sword as he asked for, and the hilt was studded all over with precious stones, so that it was very handsome indeed. Then Pater brought it to the King, and it cut throvgh a feather floating in tho air ; as for the iron bar, it cut through that aa easily as you would bite through a radish. And now it seemed aa though there waa nothing else to be done but to k t Peter marry the Princess, So tho King asked him in to supper, and they all three aat down together, the King and the Princess and Peter. After a while the King began to question Peter how he came by all these fino things — the precious stoncp, the silver bird, and the golden sword. But no; Peter would not tell. Then tho King and tho Princesß begged and begged him, until at last Peter lost liis wits and told all about the bottle. Then the King aaid nothing more, and presently, it being nine o'clock, Peter went to bed. After he had Kone, the King and tbe Princoea put their heads together, and tho end of the matter wad thut the wicked King went to Peter's room and stole the bottlo from under his pillow and put an empty one in its piece. When tho next morning had come, nnd they were all sitting at their brefUifnst together, the King said, " Now, Lord Peter, let us see what your bottlo will do ; give us such and such a kind of wine." " Nothing easier," s»id Peter. Then ho uncorked the bottle, but not do much as a single dead fly came out of it. " But wheie is the wine ?" paid the King. " I do not know," said Peter. At this tho King called him hard names, and turned him out of the palace, neck aril heels. So back poor Peter went to bin inothur with a flea in bis ear, as the saying it?. " Never mind," said bio mother. " Here

is auoihe 1 barkel of eggs from the ppcckled hon." S., p. d r set Gil' widh thr o to the market t-iwn, .i' )>a had .lor.o with the others bcfori . T \\ j'-m be iT.d conip to the crert storm at tinf nki ', of tl"2 rc-iJ, whoai al.- 'aid he ni'-et hot 'h^ s'.iTie little he had mot th<> fiiat time. "Will voa otr;;:o a bargain?' ™.Uhe. Yl.'3, iVter would strike a bsr,»i>n' and ,'jhdly. Thereupon the lktle old rir.n broi^'Ht out another black bottle. " 'IVo men raa in this bottle," said the litt 1 .' 1 r! tman. " \\ he.i they have done all that you want ihftu to do, say 'Biikket lug,' end they will go oa^k again. Will you trade with me ?" So ti-e tiade was made, and Peter slaited Imhie. "Now," said he to himself, " I will rido a iitt'e," and ho drew the cork out of the bottle. "Pop! popl Out came two men from tlio bottle ; but this time they were ugly and black, and each held a stout stick in his hand. They said not a word, but without more ado fell upon Peter, and began thrashing him as though be was wheat on the barn floor. " Stop 1 stop 1" cried Pettr, and he went hopping and skipping up and down, and here and there; but it seem°d as though tbe t.vo ug!y black men diJ not heir him, for the bIo"V3 fell aa thick as hail on the r.oof. At last he gathered hi? wits together like a flock of pi-eons, and cried, " Brikket-ligg ! brikketliggl" Then, whisk! pop ! they went back into the bottle again, and Peter corked it up tic-htly. The next day .he started off to the palace once more. Presently the King came in, in dressinggown and slippvrs. " What ! ara you back i>g&in ?" paid he. * " Yq% I am back again," said Pekr. " What do you want ?" said tho King. " I want to marry the Princess," said Peter. " What have you brought this time I" raid the King. " I have brought another bottle," paid Peter. " My dear," aaid the King to the Frincen?, 11 the Lord Peter baa brought another bottle with him." Thereat the Princ nBSn 8S was very polite al?o. Would Lord Peter let them pea the bottle? Oil yep, Peter would do that; so ho di6w it out of his pocket and set it down upon the tablo. And then Peter opened the bottle. Hui ! what a hubbub there was ! Tho King hopped about until hia slippers flew off, hia dressing gown fluttered like great wings, and his crown rolled off from hia head and across the floor like a quoit at the fair. Aa for the Princes, t»ho never danced in all her life ao she danced that morning. " Oh, Peter, dear Lord Peter, cork up your men afain 1 " " Will you give me bisk my bottle ? " said Peter. " Ye-», yes," cried the King. " Will you marry me ? " eaid P«.ter. "Yes, ve-V' cried the Princess. Thsn Peter said " Brikk/t-ligg," and the two tall men popped back into tha bottle again. So the Kmpfgave him back hi 3 other boitle, and the minister was cilled in and married him to the Princess.