Publisher's Synopsis
TABLE OF CONTENTS THE GOLDEN GOOSE: A German Fairy Tale by the Grimm Brothers published in 1905. There are three brothers and the youngest is given the name of Simpleton. His two eldest brothers are sent by their father into the forest to chop wood, and are given, as their lunch by their mother, some rich cake and wine. They both meet an old man who asks them to share their lunch with him. They both refuse. In the forest, they are unable to cut any wood and get an injury. The young brother, Simpleton, agrees to share his lunch with the old man. He then cuts a tree down and finds a Golden Goose in its branches. After some adventures the Simpleton eventually meets and marries a Princess. The moral of the story is do good and more good will come to you. THE LAD WHO WENT TO THE NORTH WIND From the Popular Tales from the Norse, published in 1859, by Sir George Webbe Dasent (1817-1896). Once on a time there was an old widow who had one son and, as she was poorly and weak, her son had to go up into the shop to fetch meal for cooking; but when he got outside the shop, and was just going down the steps, there came the North Wind, puffing and blowing, caught up the meal, and so away with it through the air. Then the lad went back into the shop for more; but when he came out again on the steps, if the North Wind didn't come again and carry off the meal with a puff; and more than that, he did so the third time. At this the lad got very angry; and as he thought it hard that the North Wind should behave so, he thought he'd just look him up, and ask him to give up his meal.... THE GREAT STONE FACE A short story written and published by Nathaniel Hawthorne, (1804-1864) in 1850. In a valley in the U.S. there is a rock formation which local people think resembles a gigantic human face. Local folklore says that someday a boy will be born who will look like the stone face. This boy would then be recognised as the greatest and most noble person of his time. Ernest, a local boy, sets himself the task of finding such a person. After much disappointment and, when, many times, he thinks he has found the most noble person but it turns out not to be the case, local people actually acknowledge that Ernest is the person he has been seeking
