ENGLISH FAIRY TALES
ENGLISH FAIRY TALES
All over the world children love to hear fairy tales. Hence English Fairy Tales no doubt will attract the interest of the little readers with lovely tales.
A FOLKLORE FROM BENGAL IN ENGLISH FAIRY TALES
A FOOLISH WEAVER AND A FOX
Once there lived a foolish weaver, Jola. One day he went to the field with a sickle to reap paddy, but instead fell asleep. Waking up, he again took the sickle and found it very hot. The sickle had become hot in the sun, but Jola thought it had a fever. “My sickle will die!” he wept bitterly.
FROM THE COLLECTION OF ENGLISH FAIRY TALES
In the adjacent field, a farmer was working. On hearing Jola crying, he asked, “What happened?” Jola replied, “My sickle has a fever.” The farmer laughed and said, “Dip it in water, its fever will go.” Dipping in water, the sickle became cold, Jola too, became happy.
TALES AND STORIES
Then one day, Jola’s mother had a fever. Everyone suggested calling the doctor. But Jola said, “I know the medicine.“ He took his mother to a pond and dipped her in the water. The more she struggled, the more he pressed her in the water saying, “Wait, your fever is going down.” Then when the old woman became still, Jola brought her out of the water and found her dead. He cried and fasted for three days. A fox was Jola’s friend. He said, “Friend, don’t cry. I’ll arrange your marriage with the king’s daughter.“ Hearing this Jola wiped his tears and went home.
A COLLECTION OF FAIRYTALES
Since then every day he started reminding the fox about his marriage. The fox said, “Of course, I’ll do so, but first you weave some very fine cloth.” For two months Jola only weaved cloth. Then fox asked Jola to bathe well with soap and himself went to the king. Wearing a good dress, shoes, and a turban on his head, the fox stood in front of the king. He thought the fox was very learned. He asked, “Why have you come here learned fox?” “Majesty, I want to know if you would get your daughter married to our Raja (king).” The fox didn’t lie because people called Jola, Raja. But the king thought Jola was a king like him. So he asked the fox to describe his king.
A COLLECTION OF ENGLISH FAIRY TALES
The fox said, “Raja is very handsome. Moonlight floods his room. He is as wise as he is educated. Ten falls with his one strike. He feeds and clothes people.” Jola was really very handsome. His house had a broken roof, so moonlight flooded his room. But the king thought, maybe like his own palace, it was very bright and beautiful. Jola was neither wise nor educated. So fox said Jola was as wise as he was educated. But the king thought he was very wise and educated. But the king thought he was very wise and educated.
A TALE OF JOLA
Ten falls with his one-stroke is also true. It is not ten men but ten paddy crops. He was a farmer, so he reaped paddy crops with his sickle. But the king thought, he was very brave, so he could kill ten men with one strike.
FOX PRAISES JOLA IN ENGLISH FAIRY TALES
He was a farmer and a weaver. So the fox said he feeds and clothes people. But the king thought he looks after many poor people. So the king was happy and rewarded the fox one thousand rupees. He said the marriage will take place after eight days.
FOX INVITES THE VILLAGERS
The fox came to Jola’s house. Within two months Jola had weaved many lengths of cloth. The fox gave a length of cloth and two rupees to each villager and said, “After eight days my friend’s marriage will take place with the king’s daughter. Jola has invited you all.” Everybody was happy to hear this as they all loved Jola since he was a good person.
FOX INVITES EVERYONE IN ENGLISH FAIRY TALES
Then the fox went to all the animals, birds, and insects and said, “My friend will get married after eight days. You all are invited. You all have to sing there.” They all said, “Sure, sure.” It took seven days for the fox to complete his invitation.
JOLA THE BRIDEGROOM
On the eighth day, the fox hired a gorgeous dress for Jola. When Jola wore that dress he looked so handsome, that anybody would believe he was a great king. Then will all the invitees and Jola fox went to the king’s palace.
STRANGE MUSICIANS
At a distance away from the king’s palace, the fox said, “Look, there’s the light of the king’s palace! You all come slowly. I’ll go and inform the king.” All agreed. Then the fox told the birds, animals, and insects to sing as they could. They all started singing, shouting, and screeching. What a terrible noise it was! The people of the palace started to tremble to hear such a strange noise. Then when fox came to inform the king, he worriedly asked, “Fox, what noise is that?” fox replied, “It is the noise of our musicians and invitees.”
COLLECTION OF ENGLISH FAIRY TALES
The king was worried. He didn’t know how to accommodate so many guests. But the fox assured the king not to worry as he would immediately send them back. The king felt relieved. He rewarded the fox five thousand rupees.
A GRAND FEAST
The fox bought puffed rice and tiny fish and spread them on the field. All the birds and animals started enjoying their meal. He then gave sweets to the villagers and sent them back. Then with Jola he came to the king. On the way, he warned Jola not to speak, or his marriage will not take place.
JOLA’S STRANGE BEHAVIOUR IN ENGLISH FAIRY TALES
Everybody was pleased to see such a handsome groom but was sad as he was silent. Fox explained to them that since his mother had passed away, he is quiet. At dinner time they served delicious food on golden plates and bowls. Jola couldn’t recognize any of the dishes. So he mixed them all and ate half and tied the rest in his shawl. Everybody was puzzled. Fox explained to them, “He ties up all the leftover of his food in his shawl and gives to the poor.”
FOOLISH JOLA IN ENGLISH FAIRY TALES
At night Jola was again confused. A mosquito curtain was hanging on an ivory bed. Poor Jola had neither seen a bed nor a mosquito curtain. First, he went right under his bed. Then when he didn’t find any pillow, he came out and walked around his bed. Without finding a door he thought, “O, a room inside a room! And the door is on the roof!” He climbed the bedpost. As he reached the top of the mosquito curtain the bed crashed with Jola. He started crying. It was good that there was only the king’s daughter inside the room and fox outside the door. She scolded the fox.
A HAPPY ENDING IN ENGLISH FAIRY TALES
The king’s daughter was very intelligent. She took leave from her father and went to another country with Jola. There she gave him the best education. Within a couple of years, Jola became a great scholar and a brave man. Then the news came that the king had passed away. Since the king had no sons, before his death he declared his son-in-law the next king.
And they lived happily ever after.
