Silesian folk tales
James Lee
Paperback
(RareBooksClub.com, May 12, 2012)
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. 1915 Excerpt: ...good father found his task a heavy one, for he was only a cottager with a small garden. He had neither cow nor farm. He had but one goat. He was often at a loss to procure fodder for this poor animal, and yet the goat was indispensable. It supplied the youngest children with good nourishment, and there was sufficient milk besides to enable the good mother to furnish a tasty oatmeal porridge on Sundays. Kilian was accustomed to go up the mountain in summer to mow the rich grass, which he bundled and stored in a little shed on the spot. In winter, after the first snow had fallen, he drew it down in a rude homemade sled. One morning the careworn man, his scythe on his shoulder, went as usual on his mountain trip. He was accompanied by the three oldest boys that they might help him rake the hay and store it in the shed. While they were busily at work, the perspiration running in big drops from their foreheads, a man on horseback rode by. He appeared to have sprung from the earth. When he reached Kilian and his children he stopped, turned around and snarled at the terrified father, "How dare you mow up here? Who gave you permission to do so?" "Ah, noble sir," answered the poor man, "pardon me if I have trespassed on your land. I was ignorant that the grass was owned by anyone in particular. I always believed it belonged to anyone who took the trouble to carry it away. Still, if I have done wrong and have taken your property, do not judge me too harshly, but let mercy temper justice. Tell me where you live and I shall gladly bring it and store it in your barns." The horseman allowed his large dark eyes to rest on the suppliant for a while, and then said, "You appear to me to be an honest man. This time you may go unpunished, but...