The Portland daily press., 1866-12-25
The story of the Noses.
ppou 1ABouLAYE's "FAIRY BOOK"

At DEWITT, in the neighborhood of Prague,
there once lived a rich and whimsical old farm
er who had beautiful daughter. The students
of Prague, of whom there were at that time
twenty-five thousand, often walked in the di-
rection of DEWITT, and more than one of them
offered to follow the plough in hopes of becom-
ing the son-in-law of the farmer. The first
condition that the cunning peasant set on each
new servant was this: Il engage you" he
would say, sfor year, that is till the cuckoo
sings the return of spring; but il, from now till
then, you say once that you are not satisfied,
will cut off your nose. / give you the same
right over me-" he added laughing. And he
did as he said Prague was full OF students
with their nose glued on, which did not pre-
vent an ugly scar, and, still less, bad jokes
To return from the farm disfgured and, ridicul-
ed was well calculated to cool the warmest
passion.
A young man by the name of Coranda, some-
what ungainly in manner, but cool, adrolt ana
cunningS which are not bad aids in making
ones fortune took it in his head to try the ad-
venture. The farmer received him with his
usual good nature, and, the bargain mace,
sent him to the field to work. At breakfast
| time the other servants We're called put good
| care was taken to forget Coranda. AT dlnnerl IL
was the same. Coranda gave himself no trouD-
| lie about it, He went to the house, and, while
| the farmers wife was feeding the chickens, un-
hooked an enormous ham from the Kitchen
rafters, took huge loaf from the cupboard, and
went back to the fields to dine and take nap.
| "Are you Satished? asked the farmer When
he returned at night. ~
"Perfectly satisfied" said Coranda; have
dined better than you. have. f@
| At that instant the farmers wife came rush
| in, crying that her ham was gone Coranda
| laughed and the farmer turned pale.
care you not satisfied" asked Coranda.
| "a ham is only ham,, answered his mas
ter. .sSuch trifle does not trouble me-" But
after that time he took good care not to leave
| the student fasting. sg A7 - 4...s
seated themselves in the wagon to 60 to church
saying to Coranda, ut is your business to cook
| the dinner. Cut up the piece of meat you see
yonder, with onions, carrots, leeks and pars-
ley, and boil them all together in the great pot
| over the kitchen fire."
"Very,well," answered Coranda.
| There was a little petdog at the farm house
by the name of Parsley. Coranda killed him,
skinned him, cut him up with the meat and
vegetables, and put the whole to boil over the
kitchen fire. When the farmers wife returned
she called her favorite but, alas! she saw moth
| ing but bloody skin hanging by the window.
| "What have you done?" said she to Coranda.
| "What you ordered me, mistress. l have
boiled the meat onions, carrots and leeks, and
parsley into the bargain" tarags
wicked wretch!' cried the farmer, chad you
the heart to kill the innocent creature that was
| the joy of the house?"
"Are you not satisfied" said Coranda, TAX
| ing his knife from his pocket.
| II did not say that" returned the farmer.
"a dead dog is nothing but dead dog" But
1he sighed.
/ went to market. Fearing their terrible serv-
ant, they said to him, Stay at home, and do
| exactly as you see others do"
every well" said Coranda.
There was an old shed in the yard, the troof
of which was falling to pieces The carpen-
tiers came to repair it and began, as usual, by
| tearing down the roof Coranda took ladder
and mounted the roof of the house, which was
quite new. Shingles, laths, nails and tiles, he
tore off everything, and scattered them all to
the winds. When the farmer returned, the
house was open to the sky.
"Villain!' said he what new trick have you
played me?
81 have obeyed you, MASTER" answered Co
randa "YOu told me to do exactly what l
saw others do. Are you not satisfied" And
he took out his knife.
Satisfied ?'' returned the farmer, "why
should not be satisfied? A few shingles more
or less will not injnre me-" But he sighed.
Night came; the farmer and his wife said to
each other that it was high time to get rid of
this incarnate demon. AS is always the case
with sensible people, they never did anything
without consulting their daughter, it being the
custom in Bohemia to think that children al
ways have more wit than their parents.
Father" said Helen, II will hide in the
great pear tree early in the morning, and call
like the cuckoo. You can tell Coranda that
the year is up, since the cuckoo is singing; pay
him and send him away
Early in the morning the plaintive cry of
the cuckoo was heard through the fields. The
farmer seemed surprised. swell, my boy,
spring has come" said he. "Do you hear the
cuckoo singing yonder? / will pay you, and
we will part good friends"
"a cuckoO!" said Coranda, that is a bird
which have always wanted to see.' $50 i.str
He ran to the tree and shook it with all his
might, when behold a young girl fell from the
branches, fortunately more frightened than
hurt. SEQ 81 13saes
"Villainp' cried the farmer. b.ag
Are you not satisfied" said Coranda open
ing his knife
"Wretch! you kill my daughter, and yov
think that l ought to be satisfied, 1 am furi-
GUS. Begone, if you would not die by my
handi"
81 will go when have cut off your nose,"
said Coranda. II have kept my word, do you
keep yours"
before his face; you will surely letme redeem
ut depends upon what you offer,p said Co
randa.
aWiil you take ten sheep for it?"
Ten cows?"
mo; would rather cut off your nose"
And he sharpened his knife on the doorstep.
Father" said Helen, "the fault was mine;
it belongs to me to repair it, Coranda, will
you take my hand instead of my fathers
nOse?"
yes" replied Coranda
III make one condition" said the young girl.
"We will make the same bargain; the first of
us that is not satisfied after marriage shall
have his nose cut off by the other"
"Good," replied Coranda. Il would rather
it was the tongue; but that will come next"
Never was a finer wedding seen at Prague,
and never was there a happier household Co
randa and the beautiful Helen were a model
pair The husband and wife were never heard
to complain of each other; they loved with
drawn swords and, thanks to their ingenious
bargain, they kept for long years both their