115

THE FLYING TRUNK.

HERE was once a merchant, who was so rich that he
could pave the whole street with gold, and almost have
enough left for a little lane. But he did not do that; he
knew how to employ his money differently. When he spent a
shilling he got back a crown, such a clever merchant was he ;
and this continued till he died.

His son now got all this money ; and he lived merrily, going
to the masquerade every evening, making kites out of dollar
notes, and playing at ducks and drakes on the sea-coast with
gold pieces instead of pebbles, In this way the money might
soon be spent, and indeed it was so. At last he had no more
than four shillings left, and no clothes to wear but a pair of
slippers and an old dressing-gown. Now his friends did not
trouble themselves any more about him, as they could not walk
with him in the street, but one of them, who was good-natured
sent him an old trunk, with the remark, “ Pack up!” Yes, that
was all very well, but he had nothing to pack, therefore he seated
himself in the trunk.

That was a wonderful trunk. So soon as any one pressed the
lock, the trunk could fly. He pressed it, and whir7 / away flew
the trunk with him through the chimney and over the clouds,
farther and farther away. But as often as the bottom of the trunk
cracked a little he was in great fear lest it might go to pieces,
and then he would have flung a fine somersault ! In that way
he came to the land of the Turks. He hid the trunk in a wood
under some dry leaves, and then went into the town. He could
do that very well, for among the Turks all the people went
dressed like himself in dressing-gown and slippers. Then he met
a nurse with a little child.

“Here, you Turkishnurse,” he began,” “ what kind ofagreat castle
is that close by the town, in which the windows are so high up ?”

“There dwells the Sultan’s daughter,” replied she. “ It is pro-
phesied that she will be very unhappy respecting a lover ; and
therefore nobody may go to her, unless the Sultan and Sultana
are there too.”

“Thank you !” said the merchant’s son ; and he went out into
the forest, seated himself in his trunk, flew on the roof, and crept
through the window into the Princess’s room.

She was lying asleep on the sofa, and she was so beautiful that
the merchant’s son was compelled to kiss her. Then she awoke,
and was very much startled; but he said he was a Turkish angel
who had come down to her through the air, and that pleased her.

They sat down side by side, and he told her stories about her
eyes ; he told her they were the most glorious dark lakes, and
8—2