St. Nicholas Volume 41, PT. 1; A Monthly Magazine for Boys and Girls (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1914 Excerpt: ...a heavy load of wood. As be stopped to rest by the road, Hans thrust a few coins into his hand and hurried on. Later on, a blind beggar held out his cup, and Hans filled it. As his pockets grew lighter, his heart grew lighter, and so did his feet. He gave his last penny to a poor woman, who thanked him gratefully. "Bless you, my boy " she said. "You have a good heart, and a light foot. May you dance before the king " "I'd like nothing better," replied Hans, laughingly. No sooner had he spoken than his shoes began to dance along the road, carrying him he knew not whither. He soon found out, however, that the road led straight up the hill to the castle; but Hans could not stop himself. On he danced until he reached the castle gate; the solemn warder gazed at Hans with round eyes, but one tap from his little red shoe opened the gate, and Hans went dancing through. Across the court he sped, past groups of astonished lords and ladies, up the steps into the great hall of the castle, then up a flight of marble stairs, past two petrified grooms, and into the throne-room itself. Breathless as he was, Hans did not stop dancing even when he saw the black-robed king himself, for he knew that his very life depended on it. So he whistled, he sang, and he danced as he had never danced before. The king's face was as black as thunder when he first saw Hans. One lift of his finger, and the soldiers who stood about him would have seized Hans and carried him away to the dungeon. But the king did not raise his hand, for the boy's merry, winning face attracted him, and he had not the heart to stop him. At first, he simply smiled in a dignified way, but at last the merry tunes and the clattering red shoes were too much for him; he broke down, and lau...