Lang The Blue Fairy Book - Andrew Lang

1. Auflage 2021
ISBN: 978-3-98594-049-3
Verlag: Phoemixx Classics Ebooks
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: 6 - ePub Watermark

E-Book, Englisch, 377 Seiten

The Langs' Fairy Books are a series of 25 collections of true and fictional stories for children by Andrew Lang and his wife, Leonora Blanche Alleyne published between 1889 and 1913.The Blue Fairy Book: The book assembled a wide range of tales, with seven from the Brothers Grimm, five from Madame d'Aulnoy, three from the Arabian Nights, and four Norwegian fairytales, among other sources. The Blue Fairy Book was the first volume in the series, and so it contains some of the best known tales, taken from a variety of sources.Here in one attractive volume are 'Sleeping Beauty,' 'Rumpelstiltskin,' 'Beauty and the Beast,' 'Hansel and Gretel,' 'Puss in Boots,' 'Trusty John,' 'Jack the Giantkiller,' 'Goldilocks,' and many other favorites that have become an indispensable part of our cultural heritage.All in all, this collection contains 37 stories, all narrated in the clear, lively prose for which Lang was famous. Not only are Lang's generally conceded to be the best English versions of standard stories, his collections are the richest and widest in range. His position as one of England's foremost folklorists as well as his first-rate literary abilities makes his collections unmatchable in the English language.

Andrew Gabriel Lang was a prolific Scots man of letters. He was a poet, novelist, and literary critic, and a contributor to anthropology. He now is best known as a collector of folk and fairy tales.The Young Scholar and JournalistAndrew Gabriel Lang grew up in Selkirk in the Scottish Borders, the son of the town clerk and the eldest of eight children. The wild and beautiful landscape of his childhood had a great effect on the young Lang and inspired in him not only a life-long love of the outdoors but a fascination with local folklore and history. The Borders is an area rich in history and he grew up surrounded by tales of Bonnie Prince Charlie and Robert the Bruce. Amongst his many later literary achievements was his Short History of Scotland.A gifted student and avid reader, Lang went to the prestigious St Andrews University (now holding a lecture series in his honour every few years) and then to Balliol College, Oxford. He would later write about the city in Oxford: Brief Historical and Descriptive Notes, published in 1880.Moving to London at the age of 31, already a published poet, he started working as a journalist. His dry sense of humour, writing style and huge array of interests made him a popular editor and columnist and he was soon writing for The Daily Post, Time magazine and Fortnightly Review. It was whilst working in London that he met and married his wife Leonore Blanche Alleyne.The Fairy BooksAmongst the most famous of Andrew Lang books are The Rainbow Fairy Books, growing from Lang's interest in myths and folklore which continued to grow as he and Leonore travelled through France and Italy hearing local legends. In the late 19th century, interest in the native fairy tales of Britain had declined and there were very few books recounting them for young readers. In fact fairy tales and magical stories in general were being attacked by some educationalists as being harmful to children. It was to challenge this notion that Lang first began collecting fairy stories for the first of his coloured fairy books, The Blue Fairy Book.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Lang, Andrew

Leseproben

IV
It was not long before I communicated to his Majesty the plan I formed for seizing the enemy’s whole fleet.  The Empire of Blefuscu is an island parted from Lilliput only by a channel eight hundred yards wide.  I consulted the most experienced seamen on the depth of the channel, and they told me that in the middle, at high water, it was seventy glumguffs (about six feet of European measure).  I walked toward the coast, where, lying down behind a hillock, I took out my spy-glass, and viewed the enemy’s fleet at anchor— about fifty men-of-war, and other vessels.  I then came back to my house and gave orders for a great quantity of the strongest cables and bars of iron.  The cable was about as thick as packthread, and the bars of the length and size of a knitting-needle.  I trebled the cable to make it stronger, and for the same reason twisted three of the iron bars together, bending the ends into a hook.  Having thus fixed fifty hooks to as many cables, I went back to the coast, and taking off my coat, shoes, and stockings, walked into the sea in my leather jacket about half an hour before high water.  I waded with what haste I could, swimming in the middle about thirty yards, till I felt ground, and thus arrived at the fleet in less than half an hour.  The enemy was so frightened when they saw me that they leaped out of their ships and swam ashore, where there could not be fewer than thirty thousand.  Then, fastening a hook to the hole at the prow of each ship, I tied all the cords together at the end.  Meanwhile the enemy discharged several thousand arrows, many of which stuck in my hands and face.  My greatest fear was for my eyes, which I should have lost if I had not suddenly thought of the pair of spectacles which had escaped the Emperor’s searchers.  These I took out and fastened upon my nose, and thus armed went on with my work in spite of the arrows, many of which struck against the glasses of my spectacles, but without any other effect than slightly disturbing them.  Then, taking the knot in my hand, I began to pull; but not a ship would stir, for they were too fast held by their anchors.  Thus the boldest part of my enterprise remained.  Letting go the cord, I resolutely cut with my knife the cables that fastened the anchors, receiving more than two hundred shots in my face and hands.  Then I took up again the knotted end of the cables to which my hooks were tied, and with great ease drew fifty of the enemy’s largest men-of-war after me. When the Blefuscudians saw the fleet moving in order, and me pulling at the end, they set up a scream of grief and despair that it is impossible to describe.  When I had got out of danger I stopped awhile to pick out the arrows that stuck in my hands and face, and rubbed on some of the same ointment that was given me at my arrival.  I then took off my spectacles, and after waiting about an hour, till the tide was a little fallen, I waded on to the royal port of Lilliput. The Emperor and his whole Court stood on the shore awaiting me.  They saw the ships move forward in a large half-moon, but could not discern me, who, in the middle of the channel, was under water up to my neck.  The Emperor concluded that I was drowned, and that the enemy’s fleet was approaching in a hostile manner.  But he was soon set at ease, for, the channel growing shallower every step I made, I came in a short time within hearing, and holding up the end of the cable by which the fleet was fastened, I cried in a loud voice:  “Long live the most puissant Emperor of Lilliput!” The Prince received me at my landing with all possible joy, and made me a Nardal on the spot, which is the highest title of honor among them. His Majesty desired that I would take some opportunity to bring all the rest of his enemy’s ships into his ports, and seemed to think of nothing less than conquering the whole Empire of Blefuscu, and becoming the sole monarch of the world.  But I plainly protested that I would never be the means of bringing a free and brave people into slavery; and though the wisest of the Ministers were of my opinion, my open refusal was so opposed to his Majesty’s ambition that he could never forgive me.  And from this time a plot began between himself and those of his Ministers who were my enemies, that nearly ended in my utter destruction. About three weeks after this exploit there arrived an embassy from Blefuscu, with humble offers of peace, which was soon concluded, on terms very advantageous to our Emperor.  There were six ambassadors, with a train of about five hundred persons, all very magnificent.  Having been privately told that I had befriended them, they made me a visit, and paying me many compliments on my valor and generosity, invited me to their kingdom in the Emperor their master’s name.  I asked them to present my most humble respects to the Emperor their master, whose royal person I resolved to attend before I returned to my own country.  Accordingly, the next time I had the honor to see our Emperor I desired his general permission to visit the Blefuscudian monarch.  This he granted me, but in a very cold manner, of which I afterward learned the reason. When I was just preparing to pay my respects to the Emperor of Blefuscu, a distinguished person at Court, to whom I had once done a great service, came to my house very privately at night, and without sending his name desired admission.  I put his lordship into my coat pocket, and, giving orders to a trusty servant to admit no one, I fastened the door, placed my visitor on the table, and sat down by it.  His lordship’s face was full of trouble; and he asked me to hear him with patience, in a matter that highly concerned my honor and my life. “You are aware,” he said, “that Skyresh Bolgolam has been your mortal enemy ever since your arrival, and his hatred is increased since your great success against Blefuscu, by which his glory as admiral is obscured.  This lord and others have accused you of treason, and several councils have been called in the most private manner on your account.  Out of gratitude for your favors I procured information of the whole proceedings, venturing my head for your service, and this was the charge against you:  “First, that you, having brought the imperial fleet of Blefuscu into the royal port, were commanded by his Majesty to seize all the other ships, and put to death all the Bigendian exiles, and also all the people of the empire who would not immediately consent to break their eggs at the smaller end.  And that, like a false traitor to his Most Serene Majesty, you excused yourself from the service on pretence of unwillingness to force the consciences and destroy the liberties and lives of an innocent people. “Again, when ambassadors arrived from the Court of Blefuscu, like a false traitor, you aided and entertained them, though you knew them to be servants of a prince lately in open war against his Imperial Majesty. “Moreover, you are now preparing, contrary to the duty of a faithful subject, to voyage to the Court of Blefuscu. “In the debate on this charge,” my friend continued, “his Majesty often urged the services you had done him, while the admiral and treasurer insisted that you should be put to a shameful death.  But Reldresal, secretary for private affairs, who has always proved himself your friend suggested that if his Majesty would please to spare your life and only give orders to put out both your eyes, justice might in some measure be satisfied.  At this Bolgolam rose up in fury, wondering how the secretary dared desire to preserve the life of a traitor; and the treasurer, pointing out the expense of keeping you, also urged your death.  But his Majesty was graciously pleased to say that since the council thought the loss of your eyes too easy a punishment, some other might afterward be inflicted.  And the secretary, humbly desiring to be heard again, said that as to expense your allowance might be gradually lessened, so that, for want of sufficient food you should grow weak and faint, and die in a few months, when his Majesty’s subjects might cut your flesh from your bones and bury it, leaving the skeleton for the admiration of posterity. “Thus, through the great friendship of the secretary the affair was arranged.  It was commanded that the plan of starving you by degrees should be kept a secret; but the sentence of putting out your eyes was entered on the books.  In three days your friend the secretary will come to your house and read the accusation before you, and point out the great mercy of his Majesty, that only condemns you to the loss of your eyes— which, he does not doubt, you will submit to humbly and gratefully.  Twenty of his Majesty’s surgeons will attend, to see the operation well performed, by discharging very sharp-pointed arrows into the balls of your eyes as you lie on the ground. “I leave you,” said my friend, “to consider what measures you will take; and, to escape suspicion, I must immediately return, as secretly as I came.” His lordship did so; and I remained alone, in great perplexity.  At first I was bent on resistance; for while I had liberty I could easily with stones pelt the metropolis to pieces; but I soon rejected that idea with horror, remembering the oath I had made to the Emperor, and the favors I had received from him.  At last, having his Majesty’s leave to pay my respects to the Emperor of Blefuscu, I resolved to take this opportunity.  Before the three days had passed I wrote a letter to my friend the secretary telling him of my resolution; and, without waiting for an answer, went to the coast, and entering the channel, between wading and swimming reached the port of Blefuscu, where the people, who had long expected me, led me...