The woman thought, ‘if only this fine yam were a daughter, how happy I should be.’ To her astonishment the yam answered, ‘If I were to become your daughter, would you promise never to reproach me with having been a yam?’
The magician threw on the fire a powder he had about him, at the same time saying some magical words. The earth trembled and opened in front of them, disclosing a square flat stone with a brass ring in the middle to raise it by.
This strange man was no uncle of Aladdin, nor was he related at all to him; but he was a wicked magician, who wanted to make use of the lad's services.
The forty thieves carried bags of treasure, and hid it in a cave, which opened for them in the solid rock on saying the words, ‘Open, Sesame.’
The landlady put the pea upon a dresser and left it there, and a chicken wandering by saw it and jumped up on the dresser and ate it. So when the laziest man called the next day and asked for his pea the landlady couldn't find it.
This is why, if you find a child crying and ask the cause, you will often be told he is ‘crying for nothing.’
Anansi continued his fishing with the help of two men. The latter were exceedingly kind to him, and aided him in every possible way. But instead of being grateful to them, Anansi behaved very badly.
The witch's plan was a very simple one, and had never yet failed. When she wanted a child she just flung her ball in the direction of the child's home, and however far off it might be, the ball was sure to reach it. Then the ball would begin rolling slowly back to the witch, so that the kid always thought that he could catch it the next minute.
He was harsh by nature, this Dimian, and wanted everything to go his own way. If any one talked or acted against him, Dimian's fists were soon prepared for answer.
One day, as Margery was coming home from the next village, she met with some wicked, idle boys, who had tied a young raven to a staff. She offered at once to buy the raven for a penny, and this they agreed to.
Her father was a very respectable farmer but misfortunes and persecutions ruined this worthy man, and was the source of all poor Margery’s troubles.
The poor lady gave birth to two beautiful boys, when just as she was pressing them to her bosom a huge bear rushed upon her, and snatching up one of the babes in its mouth, darted off into the thickest of the forest with it.
‘I have heard of you so often that I am very glad to meet you. I am told that you are more powerful than any man on earth, and as I am powerful too, let us try which is the strongest.’
The good and the bad gods disputed, —the bad gods wanting to be at the head of the government of this world, and the good gods likewise wanting to be at the head.
In the days when strange things used to happen in the world, and the devil himself used sometimes to walk about in it in a bare-faced fashion, he came to a very small town where he resolved to stay a while to play some of his tricks.
The Moon was sad. So one evening he went to see the beautiful maiden Tseh-N’io. And when he saw her he loved her at once.
Nyankupon was amazed at Spider's cleverness in fulfilling the three conditions. He immediately gave him permission for the future to call all the old tales Anansi tales.
Next day Kweku Tsin saw his father quietly slip out of the house, with his precious pot hung round his neck. Kweku Tsin followed. Then, selecting the highest and most inaccessible-looking tree, Father Anansi began to climb.
It’s little we know concerning the creatures and their ways, and with whom and what they’re mixed up.
‘Get up, wise man!’ repeated the chancellor in French. ‘Do you mean me?’ exclaimed Pinchauvas. And with one bound he stood up.