Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1901-09-14
THE DERVlSH and
The BOWL OF PEAS.
AN ARMENIAN roLK.TALE,
By FANNY d. BERGEN.


who had no children. The man kept
shop in the city where they lived. The
wife was very fond OF children and often
felt very lonely in her home while her
husband was away at his work. She Of
ten used to go out and sit on the door
step as the children passed, going to and
from school. Then she would sigh and
look lcngingly at the little boys and girls
who were going by her door and wish
that she had children of her own.
One afternoon as she sat thus, Der
wish who was passing along the street.
stopped 10 speak with her. He asked
her why she sighed and looked so long
ingly after the school children.
She replied: I'VE have no children
children and hear them talk. sigh,
wishing that | had children Of my own
The Dervish reached into the has
which hung from his grdle and took out
some dried peas. He filled small bowl
with these peas and gave them to the
woman, saying: Put these peas under
your pillow tonight when you 60 to
sleep and when you awaken your house
will no longer be childless."
The Dervishes are supposed to know
many things and to be able to accom-
plish many wonders, so the woman did
Is she had been commanded. That night
she went to sleep with the peas placed
safely under her pillow.
Sometime after midnight she was
awakened and found her bed full of
small children who were running and
crawling about, clamoring for food. She
rose very early in the morning and
kneaded great pan of bread to bake,
TO feed the many little children that
thronged about her, but these little peo-
pie were SO hungry that they would not
wait until the bread was baked, but con-
tinually seized portions of the dough and
ate 1t. This vexed the woman very much
for she saw there would be no dough
left to bake into loaves. At length she
stopped kneading, and taking a large
stick in her hand, in her anger she beat
the children so hard that she suddenly
found she had killed them. Then she
began TO weep and said: Alas alas
What have done? have killed all my
little children. Now there is no one to
take their fathers dinner to him in his
shop"
Then the woman heard small voice
calling from one corner of the kitchen
where stood pair of her shoes. Going
to look she found that one baby had hid
den himself in one OF her shoes and was
safely concealed there. He called out,
"You have no: killed me. l am still
alive. ! will carry my fathers dinner
to him."
The mother was pleased, and after
lifting the little fellow out OF her shoe
gave him food, then babe him sit down
and wait until she had baked bread and
prepared his fathers dinner. When the
dinner was prepared and packed in some
small saddle-bags she went out and led
the donkey, for they owned one, to the
door. After the saddle-bags were put on
the donkey's back she said: But where
will you sit. my child? You are too
small to ride on the donkey" The little
boy said, Il can ride in his ear. Put me
there and you will see that ! will be quite
Safe
S. the mother put the little fellow
in one OF the donkey's ears.
The donkey knew the way to the shop,
for he had often gone with the dinner
before. AS he was going along the street
the queer little fellow sitting in one car
began to sing to himself. The people
along the street stopped to listen, and
some ran toward the donkey to see what
II could mean, for they could hear some
one singing in clear voice and yet no
person was to be seen. At length the
donkey turned into the right shop, the
man took out his dinner, lifted his little
son from the donkey's ear and began to
eat. After while he said, my little
son, can you go to the spring under a
large apple tree that grows out in yonder
field and bring me some fresh water!"
The little fellow took the red earthen
water vessel in his hand and started to
fetch the water. When he got to the
spring he saw that the tree oyershadow-
ing it was full OF beautiful red apples, so
he placed the vessel on the ground and
climbed up into the tree to gather some
Of the fruit. The apples were very good
and as he sat on branch eating some
and gathering others to carry away, a
great giant came stalking along. There
are many OF these giants who live out
side the cities in caves in the mountain
sides. They are very large of stature,
have seven eyes, and talk in a loud, roar
ing voice.
Now the apple tree which the little son
of the shop-keeper had climbed belonged
to this particular giant. why are you
stealing my fruit' Come down this min-
u,ew But the little boy was frightened
and kept quiet, away up in the tree. The
giant, however, insisted that he must
come down, and at last said "Well, il
you will not come down, you must al
least hand me some OF the apples which
belong TO me. Bring me some apple:
and put them in my hand and you may
remain in the tree" The giant spoke
more kindly, so the little boy being les:
frightened did as he was told, but as hs
reached some apples out to the giant
the latter quickly seized him in one great
hand and shut him up in the game-bae
which hung from his girdle,
The little fellow did not like being
stuffed down among the various kinds OF
birds and other small animals which the
giant had taken while out hunting, but
he could not help himself and so had tc
" still until the giant opened the bal