Crimson Fairy Book

Chapter 27 How a Beggar Became a Jazz
Once upon a time there was a man who had only one son, who was lazy and stupid, and refused to do anything he was asked to do.Before his death, the father called his son to him and told him that he would soon leave him behind and that there would be nothing in the house except the hut and a pear tree behind the house.He told his son to work, otherwise he would starve to death.After saying this, the old man died.

However, the boy didn't listen to his father's exhortations. He wandered around as usual, picking pears from the tree to eat when he was hungry.This pear tree is different from other pear trees. It bears fruit all year round, and the fruits are big and sweet.

One day in the middle of winter, a fox passed by and was attracted by this magical pear tree.

"My God, what a pear!" he said to the boy. "Please send me a basket of pears. You will be lucky!"

"Oh, little fox, if I gave you a basket of pears, what would I eat?" asked the boy.

"Believe me, and do as I tell you," said the Fox, "I'm sure you will be lucky." So the boy got up, picked the ripest pears, and put them in a rush basket.After thanking the boy, the fox entered the palace with the basket in his beak, and came before the king.

"Your Majesty, my master has given you his best pears, and I beg you to accept them," said the fox, putting the basket at the king's feet.

"Pears! There are still pears in this season?" The king looked down at the pears and asked in surprise, "Excuse me, who is your master?"

"Count Piro," replied the fox.

"How can he have pears in the middle of winter?" asked the king.

"Oh, he has all he wants," replied the fox, "and he's even richer than you, Sire."

"Then what shall I give him in return for his pears?" asked the king.

"Nothing, Sire, or you will break his heart," said the fox.

"Well then, you tell him that I thank him from the bottom of my heart, and I will enjoy it to my heart's content." The fox then walked out of the palace.

He bounced back to the cabin with the empty basket in his mouth, and told the boy what had happened.Despite the fox's relish, the boy didn't seem interested.

"You're right," said he, "but you haven't brought me anything, and I'm dying of hunger!"

"Leave me alone," replied the Fox, "I know what I am doing, and you will know it later, and it will bring you good luck."

A few days later, the fox came again.

"I must have a basket of pears," he said to the boy.

"Oh, little fox, if you take all my pears, what shall I eat?" said the boy.

"Don't quarrel, everything will be all right." While reassuring the boy, the fox brought a bigger basket and filled it with pears.

He took the basket in his mouth and came to the palace again.

"Your Majesty, seeing that you like pears so much, I bring you another basket," said the fox, "and also my master, Count Piro, who pays you great respect."

"Now that the mountain has been covered by heavy snow, how can such pears grow?" the king exclaimed.

"The heavy snow will not affect the harvest of pears," said the fox casually. "My master is so rich that he can do anything. Today, he sent me to ask for your permission to marry your princess. "

"If he is richer than I am," said the King, "I must refuse him. My dignity does not allow me to accept his charity."

"Oh, my lord, you must not think so," replied the fox, "don't worry about the dowry, Count Piro wants nothing but the princess herself."

"Is he really so rich that he doesn't even want a dowry?" asked the king.

"Didn't I tell you that he's richer than you?" said the Fox reproachfully.

"Well, then, invite him here, and we shall have a good talk," said the King.

So the fox went back to the boy, and said to him, "I have told the king that you are Count Pyro, and have proposed marriage to his daughter for you."

"My God, little fox, what have you done?" cried the boy despondently. "When the king sees me like this, he will order my head to be cut off."

"Oh, no!" said the fox, "just listen to my arrangement." After saying that, the fox came to the city and walked into the best tailor's shop.

"Count Piro, my master, begs you to send him at once the best coat in the shop," cried the fox, with a pompous air, "and if it fits well, I will pay for it tomorrow! He is really in a hurry today, why don't I take the clothes back first." The tailor had never served anyone in the court, so he immediately took out all the finished clothes.The fox chose a white coat inlaid with silver thread, asked the tailor to wrap it in a bundle, and walked out of the tailor's shop with the bundle in his mouth. He went to a horse dealer's shop again, and the fox asked the horse dealer to give him the best horse. Go to the hut, for the king is going to summon the owner of the house.

Putting on a gorgeous coat, riding a tall horse, and led by a fox, the boy reluctantly went to the palace to meet the king.

"What shall I say to the King, little fox?" asked the boy nervously. "You know, I never spoke to the King."

"You needn't say anything," replied the fox, "and leave it to me. Just say 'Good morning, Your Majesty,' and that will do."

Soon they arrived at the palace, and the king met Count Piro at the door, and led him into the hall, where a feast had already been laid.The princess sat silently waiting, but like Count Piro, she said nothing.

Seeing that Count Piro was silent, the king asked the fox: "Why doesn't the count talk?" The fox replied: "He has to think about how to manage his own property, so he can't talk to you like ordinary people." The king was very satisfied. , After the banquet, Count Piro and the fox bid farewell to the king.

The next morning, the fox came again.

"Give me another basket of pears," he said.

"I can give you pears, little fox, but you know, that's what I live on," said the boy.

"Oh, leave this to me, and you will eventually understand that this will bring you good luck." The fox said, and entered the palace with the basket in his mouth.

"My lord, Count Piro, has sent me to bring you pears," said he, "and he wants to know whether you will agree to his marriage proposal."

"Tell the count that the wedding may take place at any time if he wishes," replied the king.The fox bounced back and ran back to announce the news.

"But I can't get the princess here, little fox," said the boy despondently.

"Just leave everything to me," said the fox. "I've done a good job, haven't I?"

A grand wedding was prepared in the palace, and the boy finally married the princess in the palace.

After a week of reception, the fox said to the king: "My master wants to take the bride back to his own castle."

"Very well, I will go with them," replied the King.He ordered his courtiers and entourage to get ready, and brought out the best horses for himself, Count Piro, and the princess.Then they set off across the plain, the Fox running far ahead.

The fox saw a large flock of sheep quietly eating the rich green grass, so he stopped and asked the shepherd, "Whose sheep belong to them?"

"It's a Troll's," answered the Shepherd.

"Shh," said the fox mysteriously, "Look, a group of men with guns on horseback is coming from behind. If you tell them that these sheep belong to trolls, they will kill the flock. The flock is gone, and the trolls will definitely kill them." You! If they ask, you tell the sheep that the sheep belong to Count Piro, so that everyone will be safe." After speaking, the fox ran away, not wanting the king to see his conversation with the shepherd.

Soon, the king rushed over.

"What a beautiful flock!" he said, reining in the horse. "I never had such a flock in my pasture. Whose flock is this?"

"These are Count Piro's sheep," answered the shepherd, who had no idea that the man was the king.

"Then he must be a very rich man," thought the king, glad that he had found a rich son-in-law.

At this time, the fox saw a group of pigs arching the roots of the tree again.

"Whose pig is this?" the fox asked the swineherd.

"It's a troll's pig," replied the swineherd.

"Shh," the fox whispered deliberately, as if someone might overhear, "did you see that group of horsemen with guns coming towards us? If you told them these pigs belonged to trolls, they would kill them." The pigs are gone, the pigs are gone, the trolls will definitely kill you! If they ask, you can say that the pigs belong to Count Piro, and everyone will be safe." After saying that, the fox ran away quickly.

Soon the king came on horseback.

"What a fat pig!" he said, reining in the horse. "I never had such a fat pig on my farm. Whose pig is this?"

"It's Count Pyro's pig," replied the swineherd, who had no idea that the man was the king.And the king was once again thankful that he had found a rich son-in-law.

At this time, the fox ran forward faster, and in a meadow full of flowers, he saw a herd of horses grazing. "Whose horse is this?" the fox asked the shepherd.

"This is a troll's horse," replied the Wrangler.

"Shh!" whispered the fox, lowering his voice, "do you see that group of horses with guns coming towards us? If you tell them these horses belong to trolls, they will drive them away. The herd is gone, and the trolls are sure to kill you! If they ask, you say the herd belongs to Count Piro, and everyone will be safe."

After the fox finished speaking, he ran away in a hurry.

In a few minutes the king came on horseback.

"What a beautiful horse! I wish it were my own!" he asked. "Whose horse is it?"

"It is Count Pyro's horse," answered the shepherd, who had no idea that the man was the King.The king thought that since these horses belonged to his son-in-law, they belonged to him, and his heart beat with joy.

Finally, the fox came to the castle where the ogre lived.He went up the steps, crying with tears all over his face:

"Oh, you poor people, what a miserable life you are!"

"What happened?" the ogre asked tremblingly, startled by the fox.

"Did you see the group of people riding this way? They were sent by the king to kill you!"

"Dear little fox, please help us!" the ogre begged the fox together with his wife.

"Well, then, I'll do my best," replied the Fox, "you two had better hide in the big oven, and I'll let you out when the soldiers are gone."

The troll and his wife hurried into the oven, and the fox closed the oven door.At this time, the king came.

"Waiting for you to dismount, Your Majesty," the fox said with a deep bow, "This is Count Piro's palace!"

"This palace is more magnificent than mine!" cried the king, looking around at the wonderful treasures that filled the hall, and then asked, "But why are there no servants here?"

"His Excellency Count Piro wants to ask the princess to choose her own servants," replied the fox, and the king was very satisfied with all this.He whipped his horse and went back, leaving the newlyweds in the castle.After dark, the fox crept downstairs and lit the kitchen fire. The ogre and his wife were burned alive.Early the next morning, the fox said to Count Piro: "Now you are rich and happy, and you don't need me anymore. But, before I go, I want you to promise me one thing in return for me, That is, after I die, please make me a good coffin and give me a beautiful funeral."

"Oh, little fox, don't say anything about death," cried the princess, who was already very fond of the fox, but he went away anyway.

After some time the Fox wanted to see if Count Pirro would thank him at all, so he returned to the castle, and lay down on the doorstep and pretended to be dead.Just then the princess was going out for a walk, and when she saw the fox, she fell on her knees beside him, and wept.

"My dear little fox, you must not die," she wailed, "you poor little one, you must have the most beautiful coffin in the world!"

"To make a coffin for an animal?" said Count Pyro. "What nonsense! Throw him into a ditch by the legs."

At this moment, the fox jumped up and cried, "You mean and ungrateful beggar. Have you forgotten that I gave you all your wealth?"

Count Piro was startled when he heard this.He was afraid that the fox would take the castle back, and then he would be poor again, and could only live on pears.So he hurriedly asked the fox to appease his anger, saying that he was just joking, but he already knew that the fox was pretending to be dead.For the sake of the kind princess, the fox was no longer angry and agreed to live in the castle.During the years he lived in the castle, he often played and played with Count Pirro's children.When he did die, they had a silver coffin made for him, and Count Piro and his wife took him to the funeral.

(End of this chapter)