Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-05-15
CLEVER PETER AND THE TWO
BOTTLES.
a Clever Wonder STORY CIeVerIy Told by
Howard Pyle.

"Peter, said his mother.
eyes, " said Peter; for he was well brought
up, aud always answered when he was spok
en- to.
"My dear little child, thou art wise though
so young. Now how shall we get money to
pay our rentf"
"Sell the eggs that the speckled hen has
laid, said Peter.
"But when we have spent the money for
them, what shall we do theni"
''Sell more eggs said Peter; for he had
an answer for everything.
"But when the speckled hen lays no more
eggs, what them"
ave shall see, " said Peter.
Peter started off to town with the basket
full of nice white eggs. The day was bright
and warm and fair; the wind blew softly,
and the wheat fields lay like green velvet in
the sun So he trudged along with great
comfort until high noontide, against which
time he had come nigh to the town, for he
could see the red roofs and the tall spires
peeping over the crest of the next green hill.
BY thistime his stomach was crying "Give!
giveln for it longed for bread and cheese.
Now great grey stone stood near by, at the
forking of the road, and just as Peter came
to it he heard a noise.
10 and behold! the side of the stone opened
like a door, and out came a little old man
dressed all in fine black velvet.
''Good day, Peter said he.
Good day, sir, said Peter.
evil you strike bargain with me for
your eggsln said the little old man.
Yes Peter would strike bargain. What
would the little gentleman give him for his
eggsf
81 will give you this" said the little old
man: and he drew a black bottle out of his
pocket.
Peter said, at is not worth as much as my
basket of eggs"
"Pntl" said the little gentleman "'You
should never judge by the outside of things.
What would you like to havei"
81 should like, said Peter, 'to have a
good dinner"
Nothing easier, said the little gentleman;
and he drew the cork ''Pop! pop" and
what should come out of the bottle but two
tall men dressed all in blue and gold
~ good dinner for two" said the little
man. No sooner said than done There
stood the incest dinner that you ever saw.
Then Peter and the little man fell to with
might and main, and ate till they could eat
no more.
rs, Sdlu clcI, Will give lOu my
basket of eggs for the little black bottle. ="
And so the bargain was struck Then Peter
started off home, and the little man went
back again into the great stone, and closed
the door behind him. He took the basket of
eggs with him; where he took it neither Pet
er nor will ever be able to tell you.
"What didst thou get for thy eggs, my
little duckl" said his mother, when Peter
| came home again.
81 got a bottle, MOTHER said Peter.
Then at first Peters mother began to think
that Peter was a dull block But when she
saw what wonderful bottle it was, she
thought her Peter was as wise as the moon.
And now nothing was lacking in the cot
tage. If Peter aud his mother wanted this,
it came to them; if they wished for that, the
two tall men in the bottle fetched it.
One morning Peter said to his mother,
''mother, am going to ask the King to let
me marry his daughter"
So off Peter rode At last he came to the
palace.
as the King at homein said Peter, when
the door was opened
| Yes, the King was at home. So Peter
went into the parlor and sat down, and then
the King came in.
"What is your namei" said the King.
| ''ItleT SluilLtHlllllCntllJ hhlu ItJtT.
"And what do you want, Lord Peterf"
said the King.
81 want to marry your daughter" said
| Peter.
To this the King said, "IIum-m-m!" and
Peter said nothing, Then the King said that
he had determined that no one should marry
his daughter without bringing him basket
full of precious stones.
sis that all ~ said Peter 'Nothing is
easier" So off he went until he came to a
chestnut woods Just back of the royal kitchen
| garden. There he uncorked his bottle. Popl
| pop! and out came the two tall men. ''What
| will you have, srln said they. Peter told
| them what he wanted, and it was no sooner
said than done, for there on the ground be-
fore him stood basket full of all kinds of
precious stones; each of them was as large as
a hens egg,
But how the King did open his eyes, to be
sure, and how he stared, when Peter showed
him the basket
'Now," said Peter, 81 should like to mar
ry your daughter, if you please"
At this the King hemmed and hawed again.
No; Peter could not marry the Princess yet,
for the King had determined that no man
should marry his daughter without bringing
him bird, all of pure silver, that could sing
whenever it was wanted.
''Nothing easier, said Peter, and off he
went again.
When he had come to the chestnut woods
he uncorked his bottle, and told the two tall
men what he wanted. No sooner said than
done, for there was bird of pure silver.
Then Peter took it to the palace. AS for
the King, he could not look at it or listen to
it enough.
"Now,n said Peter, 81 should like to mar
ry your daughter, if you please"
But at this tine King sang the same tune
again. No; Peter could not marry his daugh-
ter yet, for the King had determined that the
man who was to marry his daughter should
first bring him golden sword so keen that il
could cut feather floating in the air, yet SC
strong that it could cut through an iron bar.
''Nothing easier" said Peter; and this
time the men brought him such a sword as he
asked for, and the hilt was studded all over
with precious stones, so that it was very
handsome indeed. Then Peter brought it &c
the King, and it cut through a feather float
ing in the air; as for the iron bar it cut
through that as easily as you would bite
through a radish
And now it seemed as though there wa