Howard Pyle

THIS SPECIAL EDITION IS PUBLISHED BY ARRANGEMENT WITH THE PUBLISHERS OF THE REGULAR EDITION

HARPER & BROTHERS

BY

E.M. HALE AND COMPANY

EAU CLAIRE, WISCONSIN

Here, my little man, you may hold my cap and bells,—and you, over there, may hold the bauble! Now, then, I am ready to talk as a wise man should and am a giddy-pated jester no longer!

This is what I have to say:

One must have a little pinch of seasoning in this dull, heavy life of ours; one should never look to have all the troubles, the labors, and the cares, with never a whit of innocent jollity and mirth. Yes, one must smile now and then, if for nothing else than to lift the corners of the lips in laughter that are only too often dragged down in sorrow.

It is for this that I sit here now, telling you all manner of odd quips and jests until yon sober, wise man shakes his head and goes his way, thinking that I am even more of a shallow-witted knave than I really am. But, prut! Who cares for that? I am sure that I do not if you do not.

Yet listen! One must not look to have nothing but pepper and salt in this life of ours—no, indeed! At that rate we would be worse off than we are now. I only mean that it is a good and pleasant thing to have something to lend the more solid part a little savor now and then!

So, here I'll sit; and, perhaps, when you have been good children, and have learned your lessons or done your work, your mother will let you come and play a little while with me. I will always be ready and waiting for you here, and I will warrant your mother that I will do you no harm with anything that I may tell you. If I can only make you laugh and be merry for a little while, then my work will be well done, and I will be glad in the doing of it.

And now give me my cap and bells again, for my wits are growing cold without them; and you will be pleased to reach me my bauble once more, for I love to have him by me.

Will you be seated? And you, over there, seat the baby on the grass! Are you ready? Very well; then I will tell you a story, and it shall be about "The Skillful Huntsman."

THE SKILLFUL HUNTSMANPage 1 Two OpinionsFacing P. 4 Ye Song Of Ye Foolish Old Woman " 5 A Newspaper Puff " 12 Three Fortunes " 13 CLAUS AND HIS WONDERFUL STAFFPage 14 Venturesome Boldness Facing P. 16 Superficial Culture " 17 HOW DAME MARGERY TWIST SAW MORE THAN WAS GOOD FOR HERPage 28 Ye Song Of Ye Gossips Facing P. 32 A Victim To Science " 33 Play And Earnest " 36 The Accident Of Birth " 37 CLEVER PETER AND THE TWO BOTTLES Page 43 Ye Romantic Adventures Of Three Tailors Facing P. 44 Fancy And Fact " 45 Ye Two Wishes " 48 A Verse With A Moral But Not Name " 49 HANS HECKLEMANN'S LUCK Page 57 Ye Song Of Ye Rajah And Ye Fly Facing P. 64 Pride In Distress " 65 Profession And Practice " 68 A Tale Of A Tub " 69 FARMER GRIGGS'S BOGGART Page 69 Ye Story Of A Blue China Plate " 76 Moral Blindness " 77 Overconfidence " 80 The Force Of Need " 81 THE BIRD IN THE LINDEN TREE Page 82 THE APPLE OF CONTENTMENT Page 96 A Disappointment Facing P. 96 Ye Sad Story Concerning One Innocent Little Lamb And Four Wicked Wolves " 97

This Is The Way That One In Cap And Motley Stops For Awhile Along The Stony Path Of Life To Make You LaughFrontispiece Jacob's Mother And The Herr MayorPage 2 Jacob And The Red One" 4 Two OpinionsFacing P. 4 Ye Song Of Ye Foolish Old Woman" 5 Jacob Shoots At The MagpiePage 6 Jacob And The Magic Plough " 8 Jacob And The Red One Go Hunting Together " 11 A Newspaper PuffFacing P. 12 Three Fortunes " 13 Jacob And Gretchen Get The Best Of The Red One And Go Home Together HappilyPage 13 Claus And The Master Of Black-arts " 16 Venturesome Boldness Facing P. 16 Superficial Culture " 17 Clause And The White SnakePage 18 The Master Is Angry " 20 Claus Listens To The Talk Of The Two Ravens " 21 Claus And The Manikin " 23 Hans Discovers Claus's Luck " 25 Dame Twist Drinketh Tea " 30 The Little Man And The Great Horse " 32 Ye Song Of Ye Gossips Facing P. 32 A Victim To Science " 33 Dame Twist Visits A Strange Patient Page 34 Dame Twist Drives Away The Little Folks " 36 Play And Earnest Facing P. 36 The Accident Of Birth " 37 Dame Margery Twist Goeth To See The Merry Doings At The Fair Page 38 Dame Twist Sees The Little Man In Green For The Last Time Page 40 Ye Romantic Adventures Of Three Tailors Facing P. 44 Fancy And Fact " 45 Clever Peter And The Little Gentleman In Black Page 46 Clever Peter Rides To The King's Palace Upon His Fine Horse " 48 Ye Two Wishes Facing P. 48 A Verse With A Moral But No Name " 49 Peter Eats With The King And Princess Page 51 Clever Peter And The Unlucky Bottle " 54 Clever Peter Opens The Unlucky Bottle For The King And Princess " 56 Hans Hecklemann Page 58 Catherine " 58 Hans Hecklemann Goes To The Cottage Of The Old Wise Woman In Search Of His Luck " 61 Hans Hecklemann And The Old Wise Woman Page 62 Hans Finds His Luck " 64 Ye Song Of Ye Rajah And Ye Fly Facing P. 64 Pride In Distress " 65 Hans Hecklemann Ploughs For Gold Page 65 Profession And Practice Facing P. 68 A Tale Of A Tub " 69 Farmer Georgie Griggs Page 70 Dame Mally Griggs " 72 Farmer Griggs And The Boggart " 73 Ye Story Of A Blue China Plate Facing P. 76 Moral Blindness " 77 The Departure Page 77 Farmer Griggs And The Wise Man " 78 Overconfidence Facing P. 80 The Force Of Need " 81 The Boggart Rejoices Page 81 Ye King " 84 Prince John " 84 The Prince Aids The Old Woman " 86 The Great Ugly Troll Finds The Prince By The Fire " 88 The Goose-herd And Her Daughter Meet The Princess At The Roadside " 90 The Prince Looks Through The Magic Key Page 91 The Old King Rejoices At His New Daughter-in-law " 94 A Disappointment Facing P. 96 Ye Sad Story Concerning One Innocent Little Lamb And Four Wicked Wolves " 97 The Little Man Asks For His Cap Page 98 Christine And The Apple " 100 Christine's Mother And Sisters Wish For The Apple " 101 The King Reaches For The Apple " 101 The King Talks With The Wise Man " 105 The King's Steward And Christine " 106 Christine Gives The Apple To The King " 107