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Index
Old Man Made Young Again
Lord's Animals and Devil's
Beam
Old Beggar-Woman
Three Sluggards
Twelve Idle Servants
Shepherd Boy
Star-Money
Stolen Farthings
Brides on ir Trial
Odds and Ends
Sparrow
Tale of Cockaigne
Ditmarsh Tale of Wonders
A Riddling Tale
Snow-White and Rose-Red
Wise Servant
Glass Coffin
Lazy Harry
Griffin
Strong Hans
Peasant in Heaven
Lean Lisa
Hut in Forest
Sharing Joy and Sorrow
Willow-Wren
Sole
Bittern and Hoopoe
Owl
Moon
Duration of Life
Death's Messengers
Master Pfriem
Goose-Girl at Well
Eve's Various Children
Nixie of Mill-Pond
Little Folks' Presents
Giant and Tailor
More
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Fairy Tale Index Page
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A certain King had three sons who were all equally dear to him,
and he did not know which of them to appoint as his successor
after his own death. When the time came when he was about to
die, he summoned them to his bedside and said, "Dear children,
I have been thinking of something which I will declare unto
you; whichsoever of you is the laziest shall have the kingdom."
The eldest said, "Then, father, the kingdom is mine, for I am so
idle that if I lie down to rest, and a drop falls in my eye, I will
not open it that I may sleep." The second said; "Father, the kingdom
belongs to me, for I am so idle that when I am sitting by the fire
warming myself, I would rather let my heel be burnt off than draw
back my leg." The third said, "Father, the kingdom is mine, for I am
so idle that if I were going to be hanged, and had the rope already
round my neck, and any one put a sharp knife into my hand with
which I might cut the rope, I would rather let myself be hanged than
raise my hand to the rope." When the father heard that, he said, "Thou
hast carried it the farthest, and shalt be King."
Margaret Hunt (London, 1884) |
