iry Tales_, but I make no apology for offering a
sprightlier version. Nor do I apologize for presenting any stories that
may have been included somewhere among the indifferent translations to
which Andrew Lang lent his name.

I am of course deeply indebted to the various people who told me these
stories in the first place and to many scholarly folklorists, Jugoslav,
Czechoslovak, Bulgarian, German, and English whose books and reports I
have studied.

P. F.

_Decoration Day, 1921._

[Illustration]

CONTENTS

PAGE

THE LAUGHING PRINCE: The Story of the Boy Who
Could Talk Nonsense 1

BEAUTY AND THE HORNS: The Story of an Enchanted
Maiden 27

THE PIGEON'S BRIDE: The Story of a Princess Who
Kissed and Told 51

THE LITTLE LAME FOX: The Story of the Youngest
Brother Who Found the Magic Grape-Vine and Married
the Golden Maiden 73

THE ENCHANTED PEAFOWL: The Story of the Golden
Apples, the Wicked Dragon, and the Magic Horse 107

THE DRAGON'S STRENGTH: The Story of the Youngest
Prince Who Killed the Sparrow 139

THE LITTLE SINGING FROG: The Story of a Girl
Whose Parents were Ashamed of Her 161

THE NIGHTINGALE IN THE MOSQUE: The Story of
the Sultan's Youngest Son and the Princess Flower o' the
World 171

THE GIRL IN THE CHEST: The Story of the Third
Sister Who was Brave and Good 201

THE WONDERFUL HAIR: The Story of a Poor Man
Who Dreamed of an Angel 219

THE BEST WISH: The Story of Three Brothers and an
Angel 229

THE VILAS' SPRING: The Story of the Brother Who
Knew that Good was Stronger than Evil 241

LORD AND MASTER: The Story of the Man Who Understood
the Language of the Animals 253

THE SILVER TRACKS: The Story of the Poor Man Who
Befriended a Beggar 267

THE LAUGHING PRINCE

[Illustration]

_The Story of the Boy Who Could Talk Nonsense_

THE LAUGHING PRINCE

There was once a farmer who had three sons and one little daughter. T