THE　FLYING　SHIP＇24＇
  ＇24＇　From　the　Russian。
  Once　upon　a　time　there　lived　an　old　couple　who　had　three　sons；
  the　two　elder　were　clever；　but　the　third　was　a　regular　dunce。
  The　clever　sons　were　very　fond　of　their　mother；　gave　her　good
  clothes；　and　always　spoke　pleasantly　to　her；　but　the　youngest　was
  always　getting　in　her　way；　and　she　had　no　patience　with　him。
  Now；　one　day　it　was　announced　in　the　village　that　the　King　had
  issued　a　decree；　offering　his　daughter；　the　Princess；　in　marriage
  to　whoever　should　build　a　ship　that　could　fly。　　Immediately　the
  two　elder　brothers　determined　to　try　their　luck；　and　asked　their
  parents'　blessing。　　So　the　old　mother　smartened　up　their　clothes；
  and　gave　them　a　store　of　provisions　for　their　journey；　not
  forgetting　to　add　a　bottle　of　brandy。　　When　they　had　gone　the
  poor　Simpleton　began　to　tease　his　mother　to　smarten　him　up　and
  let　him　start　off。
  'What　would　become　of　a　dolt　like　you？'　she　answered。　　'Why；　you
  would　be　eaten　up　by　wolves。'
  But　the　foolish　youth　kept　repeating；　'I　will　go；　I　will　go；　I
  will　go！'
  Seeing　that　she　could　do　nothing　with　him；　the　mother　gave　him　a
  crust　of　bread　and　a　bottle　of　water；　and　took　no　further　heed　of
  him。
  So　the　Simpleton　set　off　on　his　way。　　When　he　had　gone　a　short
  distance　he　met　a　little　old　manikin。　　They　greeted　one　another；
  and　the　manikin　asked　him　where　he　was　going。
  'I　am　off　to　the　King's　Court；'　he　answered。　　'He　has　promised　to
  give　his　daughter　to　whoever　can　make　a　flying　ship。'
  'And　can　you　make　such　a　ship？'
  'Not　I。'
  'Then　why　in　the　world　are　you　going？'
  'Can't　tell；'　replied　the　Simpleton。
  'Well；　if　that　is　the　case；'　said　the　manikin；　'sit　down　beside
  me；　we　can　rest　for　a　little　and　have　something　to　eat。　　Give　me
  what　you　have　got　in　your　satchel。'
  Now；　the　poor　Simpleton　was　ashamed　to　show　what　was　in　it。
  However；　he　thought　it　best　not　to　make　a　fuss；　so　he　opened　the
  satchel；　and　could　scarcely　believe　his　own　eyes；　for；　instead　of
  the　hard　crust；　he　saw　two　beautiful　fresh　rolls　and　some　cold
  meat。　　He　shared　them　with　the　manikin；　who　licked　his　lips　and
  said：
  'Now；　go　into　that　wood；　and　stop　in　front　of　the　first　tree；　bow
  three　times；　and　then　strike　the　tree　with　your　axe；　fall　on　your
  knees　on　the　ground；　with　your　face　on　the　earth；　and　remain
  there　till　you　are　raised　up。　　You　will　then　find　a　ship　at　your
  side；　step　into　it　and　fly　to　the　King's　Palace。　　If　you　meet
  anyone　on　the　way；　take　him　with　you。'
  The　Simpleton　thanked　the　manikin　very　kindly；　bade　him　farewell；
  and　went　into　the　road。　　When　he　got　to　the　first　tree　he　stopped
  in　front　of　it；　did　everything　just　as　he　had　been　told；　and；
  kneeling　on　the　ground　with　his　face　to　the　earth；　fell　asleep。
  After　a　little　time　he　was　aroused；　he　awoke　and；　rubbing　his
  eyes；　saw　a　ready…made　ship　at　his　side；　and　at　once　got　into　it。
  And　the　ship　rose　and　rose；　and　in　another　minute　was　flying
  through　the　air；　when　the　Simpleton；　who　was　on　the　look　out；
  cast　his　eyes　down　to　the　earth　and　saw　a　man　beneath　him　on　the
  road；　who　was　kneeling　with　his　ear　upon　the　damp　ground。
  'Hallo！'　he　called　out；　'what　are　you　doing　down　there？'
  'I　am　listening　to　what　is　going　on　in　the　world；'　replied　the
  man。
  'Come　with　me　in　my　ship；'　said　the　Simpleton。
  So　the　man　was　only　too　glad；　and　got　in　beside　him；　and　the　ship
  flew；　and　flew；　and　flew　through　the　air；　till　again　from　his
  outlook　the　Simpleton　saw　a　man　on　the　road　below；　who　was
  hopping　on　one　leg；　while　his　other　leg　was　tied　up　behind　his
  ear。　　So　he　hailed　him；　calling　out：
  'Hallo！　　what　are　you　doing；　hopping　on　one　leg？'
  'I　can't　help　it；'　replied　the　man。　　'I　walk　so　fast　that　unless
  I　tied　up　one　leg　I　should　be　at　the　end　of　the　earth　in　a
  bound。'
  'Come　with　us　on　my　ship；'　he　answered；　and　the　man　made　no
  objections；　but　joined　them；　and　the　ship　flew　on；　and　on；　and
  on；　till　suddenly　the　Simpleton；　looking　down　on　the　road　below；
  beheld　a　man　aiming　with　a　gun　into　the　distance。
  'Hallo！'　he　shouted　to　him；　'what　are　you　aiming　at？　　As　far　as
  eye　can　see；　there　is　no　bird　in　sight。'
  'What　would　be　the　good　of　my　taking　a　near　shot？'　replied　the
  man；　'I　can　hit　beast　or　bird　at　a　hundred　miles'　distance。　　That
  is　the　kind　of　shot　I　enjoy。'
  'Come　into　the　ship　with　us；'　answered　the　Simpleton；　and　the　man
  was　only　too　glad　to　join　them；　and　he　got　in；　and　the　ship　flew
  on；　farther　and　farther；　till　again　the　Simpleton　from　his
  outlook　saw　a　man　on　the　road　below；　carrying　on　his　back　a
  basket　full　of　bread。　　And　he　waved　to　him；　calling　out：
  'Hallo！　　where　are　you　going？'
  'To　fetch　bread　for　my　breakfast。'
  'Bread？　　Why；　you　have　got　a　whole　basket…load　of　it　on　your
  back。'
  'That's　nothing；'　answered　the　man；　'I　should　finish　that　in　one
  mouthful。'
  'Come　along　with　us　in　my　ship；　then。'
  And　so　the　glutton　joined　the　party；　and　the　ship　mounted　again
  into　the　air；　and　flew　up　and　onward；　till　the　Simpleton　from　his
  outlook　saw　a　man　walking　by　the　shore　of　a　great　lake；　and
  evidently　looking　for　something。
  'Hallo！'　he　cried　to　him；'　what　are　you　seeking？
  'I　want　water　to　drink；　I'm　so　thirsty；'　replied　the　man。
  'Well；　there's　a　whole　lake　in　front　of　you；　why　don't　you　drink
  some　of　that？'
  'Do　you　call　that　enough？'　answered　the　other。　　'Why；　I　should
  drink　it　up　in　one　gulp。'
  'Well；　come　with　us　in　the　ship。'
  And　so　the　mighty　drinker　was　added　to　the　company；　and　the　ship
  flew　farther；　and　even　farther；　till　again　the　Simpleton　looked
  out；　and　this　time　he　saw　a　man　dragging　a　bundle　of　wood；
  walking　through　the　forest　beneath　them。
  'Hallo！'　he　shouted　to　him；　'why　are　you　carrying　wood　through　a
  forest？'
  'This　is　not　common　wood；'　answered　the　other。
  'What　sort　of　wood　is　it；　then？'　said　the　Simpleton。
  'If　you　throw　it　upon　the　ground；'　said　the　man；　'it　will　be
  changed　into　an　army　of　soldiers。'
  'Come　into　the　ship　with　us；　then。'
  And　so　he　too　joined　them；　and　away　the　ship　flew　on；　and　on；　and
  on；　and　once　more　the　Simpleton　looked　out；　and　this　time　he　saw
  a　man　carrying　straw　upon　his　back。
  'Hallo！　　Where　are　you　carrying　that　straw　to？'
  'To　the　village；'　said　the　man。
  'Do　you　mean　to　say　there　is　no　straw　in　the　village？'
  'Ah！　　but　this　is　quite　a　peculiar　straw。　　If　you　strew　it　about
  even　in　the　hottest　summer　the　air　at　once　becomes　cold；　and　snow
  falls；　and　the　people　freeze。'
  Then　the　Simpleton　asked　him　also　to　join　them。
  At　last　the　ship；　with　its　strange　crew；　arrived　at　the　King's
  Court。　　The　King　was　having　his　dinner；　but　he　at　once　despatched
  one　of　his　courtiers　to　find　out　what　the　huge；　strange　new　bird
  could　be　that　had　come　flying　through　the　air。　　The　courtier
  peeped　into　the　ship；　and；　seeing　what　it　was；　instantly　went
  back　to　the　King　and　told　him　that　it　was　a　flying　ship；　and　that
  it　was　manned　by　a　few　peasants。
  Then　the　King　remembered　his　royal　oath；　but　he　made　up　his　mind
  that　he　would　never　consent　to　let　the　Princess　marry　a　poor
  peasant。　　So　he　thought　and　thought；　and　then　said　to　himself：
  'I　will　give　him　some　impossible　tasks　to　perform；　that　will　be
  the　best　way　of　getting　rid　of　him。'　　And　he　there　and　then
  decided　to　despatch　one　of　his　courtiers　to　the　Simpleton；　with
  the　command　that　he　was　to　fetch　the　King　the　healing　water　from
  the　world's　end　before　he　had　finished　his　dinner。
  But　while　the　King　was　still　instructing　the　courtier　exactly
  what　he　was　to　say；　the　first　man　of　the　ship's　company；　the　one
  with　the　miraculous　power　of　hearing；　had　overheard　the　King's
  words；　and　hastily　reported　them　to　the　poor　Simpleton。
  'Alas；　alas！'　he　cried；　'what　am　I　to　do　now？　　It　would　take　me
  quite　a　year；　possibly　my　whole　life；　to　find　the　water。'
  'Never　fear；'　said　his　fleet…footed　comrade；　'I　will　fetch　what
  the　King　wants。'
  Just　then　the　courtier　arrived；　bearing　the　King's　command。
  'Tell　his　Majesty；'　said　the　Simpleton；　'that　his　orders　shall　be
  obeyed；　'and　forthwith　the　swift　runner　unbound　the　foot　that　was
  strung　up　behind　his　ear　and　started　off；　and　in　less　than　no
  time　had　reached　the　world's　end　and　drawn　the　healing　water　from
  the　well。
  'Dear　me；'　he　thought　to　himself；　'that's　rather　tiring！　　I'll
  just　rest　for　a　few　minutes；　it　will　be　some　little　time　yet
  before　the　King　has　got　to　dessert。'　　So　he　threw　himself　down　on
  the　grass；　and；　as　the　sun　was　very　dazzling；　he　closed　his　eyes；
  and　in　a　few　seconds　had　fallen　sound　asleep。
  In　the　meantime　all　the　ship's　crew　were　anxiously　awaiting　him；
  the　King's　dinner　would　soon　be　finished；　and　their　comrade　had
  not　yet　returned。　　So　the　man　with　the　marvellous　quick　hearing
  lay　down　and；　putting　his　ear　to　the　ground；