produced by david widger

a wonder-book for girls and boys

by nathaniel hawthorne

the three golden apples

contents :

tanglewood fireside introductory to " the three golden apples " the three golden apples tanglewood fireside after the story

introductory to " the three golden apples "

the snow-storm lasted another day ; but what became of it afterwards , i cannot possibly imagine .

the frost-work had so covered the windowpanes that it was hardly possible to get a glimpse at the scenery outside .

how exceedingly pleasant !

and , to make it all the better , it was cold enough to nip one 's nose short off !

well , what a day of frosty sport was this !

why , what could have become of the child ?

then there was a great laugh .

there were adamantine icicles glittering around all its little cascades .

and , it being now almost sunset , eustace thought that he had never beheld anything so fresh and beautiful as the scene .

when the sun was fairly down , our friend eustace went home to eat his supper .

but , before he had hammered out the very first rhyme , the door opened , and primrose and periwinkle made their appearance .

" go away , children !

i can't be troubled with you now ! " cried the student , looking over his shoulder , with the pen between his fingers .

" what in the world do you want here ?

i thought you were all in bed ! "

" hear him , periwinkle , trying to talk like a grown man ! " said primrose .

" and he seems to forget that i am now thirteen years old , and may sit up almost as late as i please .

but , cousin eustace , you must put off your airs , and come with us to the drawing-room .

" poh , poh , primrose ! " exclaimed the student , rather vexed .

" i don't believe i can tell one of my stories in the presence of grown people .

" all this may be very true , " said primrose , " but come you must !

so be a good boy , and come along . "

accordingly , without much more resistance , eustace suffered primrose and periwinkle to drag him into the drawing-room .

on one side of the fireplace there were many shelves of books , gravely but richly bound .

and so he had .

at least , so i judge from a few of the incidents , which have come to me at second hand . "

" possibly not , " replied mr. pringle .

" i suspect , however , that a young author 's most useful critic is precisely the one whom he would be least apt to choose .

pray oblige me , therefore . "

" sympathy , methinks , should have some little share in the critic 's qualifications , " murmured eustace bright .

" however , sir , if you will find patience , i will find stories .

but be kind enough to remember that i am addressing myself to the imagination and sympathies of the children , not to your own . "

accordingly , the student snatched hold of the first theme which presented itself .

it was suggested by a plate of apples that he happened to spy on the mantel-piece .

the three golden apples .

did you ever hear of the golden apples , that grew in the garden of the hesperides ?

but there is not , i suppose , a graft of that wonderful fruit on a single tree in the wide world .

not so much as a seed of those apples exists any longer .

all had heard of them , but nobody remembered to have seen any .

adventurous young men , who desired to do a braver thing than any of their fellows , set out in quest of this fruit .

many of them returned no more ; none of them brought back the apples .

no wonder that they found it impossible to gather them !

in my opinion it was hardly worth running so much risk for the sake of a solid golden apple .

had the apples been sweet , mellow , and juicy , indeed that would be another matter .

there might then have been some sense in trying to get at them , in spite of the hundred-headed dragon .

and once the adventure was undertaken by a hero who had enjoyed very little peace or rest since he came into the world .

as he went on his way , he continually inquired whether that were the right road to the famous garden .

the young women had been having a fine time together , weaving the flowers into wreaths , and crowning one another 's heads .

but , on hearing the stranger 's question , they dropped all their flowers on the grass , and gazed at him with astonishment .

" the garden of the hesperides ! " cried one .

" we thought mortals had been weary of seeking it , after so many disappointments .

and pray , adventurous traveller , what do you want there ? "

do you , then , love this king , your cousin , so very much ? "

" perhaps not , " replied the stranger , sighing .

" he has often been severe and cruel to me .

but it is my destiny to obey him . "

" i know it well , " answered the stranger , calmly .

but , then , the dragon with a hundred heads !

what mortal , even if he possessed a hundred lives , could hope to escape the fangs of such a monster ?

" go back , " cried they all , " go back to your own home !

no matter for the golden apples !

no matter for the king , your cruel cousin !

we do not wish the dragon with the hundred heads to eat you up ! "

the stranger seemed to grow impatient at these remonstrances .

he carelessly lifted his mighty club , and let it fall upon a rock that lay half buried in the earth , near by .

with the force of that idle blow , the great rock was shattered all to pieces .

" but the dragon of the hesperides , you know , " observed one of the damsels , " has a hundred heads ! "

" nevertheless , " replied the stranger , " i would rather fight two such dragons than a single hydra .

so i was forced to bury it under a stone , where it is doubtless alive , to this vary day .

but the hydra 's body , and its eight other heads , will never do any further mischief . "

besides all this , he took to himself great credit for having cleaned out a stable .

" do you call that a wonderful exploit ? " asked one of the young maidens , with a smile .

" any clown in the country has done as much ! "

" had it been an ordinary stable , " replied the stranger , " i should not have mentioned it .

that did the business in a very short time ! "

" was it the girdle of venus , " inquired the prettiest of the damsels , " which makes women beautiful ? "

" no , " answered the stranger .

" it had formerly been the sword-belt of mars ; and it can only make the wearer valiant and courageous . "

" an old sword-belt ! " cried the damsel , tossing her head .

" then i should not care about having it ! "

" you are right , " said the stranger .

this was a very odd and frightful sort of figure , as you may well believe .

any person , looking at his tracks in the sand or snow , would suppose that three sociable companions had been walking along together .

on hearing his footsteps at , a little distance , it was no more than reasonable to judge that several people must be coming .

but it was only the strange man geryon clattering onward , with his six legs !

six legs , and one gigantic body !

certainly , he must have been a very queer monster to look at ; and , my stars , what a waste of shoe-leather !

when the stranger had finished the story of his adventures , he looked around at the attentive faces of the maidens .

" perhaps you may have heard of me before , " said he , modestly .

" my name is hercules ! "

" we had already guessed it , " replied the maidens ; " for your wonderful deeds are known all over the world .

we do not think it strange , any longer , that you should set out in quest of the golden apples of the hesperides .

come , sisters , let us crown the hero with flowers ! "

then they flung beautiful wreaths over his stately head and mighty shoulders , so that the lion 's skin was almost entirely covered with roses .

it looked all like a huge bunch of flowers .

but , still , he was not satisfied .

" ah ! must you go so soon ? " they exclaimed .

hercules shook his head .

" i must depart now , " said he .

" we will then give you the best directions we can , " replied the damsels .

" the old one ! " repeated hercules , laughing at this odd name .

" and , pray , who may the old one be ? "

" why , the old man of the sea , to be sure ! " answered one of the damsels .

you must talk with this old man of the sea .

hercules then asked whereabouts the old one was most likely to be met with .

but , before he was out of hearing , one of the maidens called after him .

" do not be astonished at anything that may happen .

only hold him fast , and he will tell you what you wish to know . "

hercules again thanked her , and pursued his way , while the maidens resumed their pleasant labor of making flower-wreaths .

they talked about the hero , long after he was gone .

meanwhile , hercules travelled constantly onward , over hill and dale , and through the solitary woods .

sometimes he swung his club aloft , and splintered a mighty oak with a downright blow .

but thus it always is with persons who are destined to perform great things .

what they have already done seems less than nothing .

what they have taken in hand to do seems worth toil , danger , and life itself .

persons who happened to be passing through the forest must have been affrighted to see him smite the trees with his great club .

hastening forward , without ever pausing or looking behind , he by and by heard the sea roaring at a distance .

a carpet of verdant grass , largely intermixed with sweet-smelling clover , covered the narrow space between the bottom of the cliff and the sea .

and what should hercules espy there , but an old man , fast asleep !

but was it really and truly an old man ?

well , the old man would have put you in mind of just such a wave-tost spar !

yes ; it was the selfsame old man of the sea , whom the hospitable maidens had talked to him about .

as you may easily imagine , the old man of the sea awoke in a fright .

but his astonishment could hardly have been greater than was that of hercules , the next moment .

but still he kept fast hold .

but the bird could not get away .

but hercules would not let him go .

but hercules held on .

but hercules was no whit disheartened , and squeezed the great snake so tightly that he soon began to hiss with pain .

for , one of the hardest things in this world is , to see the difference between real dangers and imaginary ones .

" why do you squeeze me so hard ?

let me go , this moment , or i shall begin to consider you an extremely uncivil person ! "

" my name is hercules ! " roared the mighty stranger .

the old one was an inhabitant of the sea , you must recollect , and roamed about everywhere , like other sea-faring people .

and the giant , if he happens to be in the humor , will tell you exactly where the garden of the hesperides lies . "

thanking the old man of the sea , and begging his pardon for having squeezed him so roughly , the hero resumed his journey .

his name was antreus .

i have sometimes argued with such people , but never fought with one .

nothing was before him , save the foaming , dashing , measureless ocean .

it evidently drew nearer ; for , at every instant , this wonderful object became larger and more lustrous .

how it had got afloat upon the sea , is more than i can tell you .

and , true enough , what a cup it must have been !

it was as large as large but , in short , i am afraid to say how immeasurably large it was .

the waves tumbled it onward , until it grazed against the shore , within a short distance of the spot where hercules was standing .

he had scarcely rested , until now , since he bade farewell to the damsels on the margin of the river .

the noise awoke hercules , who instantly started up and gazed around him , wondering whereabouts he was .

and , on that island , what do you think he saw ?

no ; you will never guess it , not if you were to try fifty thousand times !

it was a giant !

but such an intolerably big giant !

this does really seem almost too much to believe .

meanwhile , the bright cup continued to float onward , and finally touched the strand .

what the sky was to the giant , such are the cares of earth to those who let themselves be weighed down by them .

poor fellow !

he had evidently stood there a long while .

" who are you , down at my feet there ?

and whence do you come , in that little cup ? "

" i am hercules ! " thundered back the hero , in a voice pretty nearly or quite as loud as the giant 's own .

" and i am seeking for the garden of the hesperides ! "

" ho ! ho ! ho ! " roared the giant , in a fit of immense laughter .

" that is a wise adventure , truly ! "

" and why not ? " cried hercules , getting a little angry at the giant 's mirth .

" do you think i am afraid of the dragon with a hundred heads ! "

at last , the storm swept over , as suddenly as it had come .

so far above the shower had been his head , that not a hair of it was moistened by the rain-drops !

when the giant could see hercules still standing on the sea-shore , he roared out to him anew .

" i am atlas , the mightiest giant in the world !

and i hold the sky upon my head ! "

" so i see , " answered hercules .

" but , can you show me the way to the garden of the hesperides ? "

" what do you want there ? " asked the giant .

" i want three of the golden apples , " shouted hercules , " for my cousin , the king . "

" you are very kind , " replied hercules .

" and cannot you rest the sky upon a mountain ? "

" none of them are quite high enough , " said atlas , shaking his head .

you seem to be a fellow of some strength .

what if you should take my burden on your shoulders , while i do your errand for you ? "

nevertheless , it seemed so difficult an undertaking , that , for the first time in his life , he hesitated .

" is the sky very heavy ? " he inquired .

" why , not particularly so , at first , " answered the giant , shrugging his shoulders .

" but it gets to be a little burdensome , after a thousand years ! "

" and how long a time , " asked the hero , " will it take you to get the golden apples ? "

" o , that will be done in a few moments , " cried atlas .

accordingly , without more words , the sky was shifted from the shoulders of atlas , and placed upon those of hercules .

next , he slowly lifted one of his feet out of the forest that had grown up around it ; then , the other .

this was the greatest depth of the sea .

at last the gigantic shape faded entirely out of view .

if any such misfortune were to happen , how could he ever get rid of the sky ?

and , by the by , its weight began already to be a little irksome to his head and shoulders .

" i really pity the poor giant , " thought hercules .

" if it wearies me so much in ten minutes , how must it have wearied him in a thousand years ! "

he began to be afraid that the giant would never come back .

why , if he did not stand perfectly still , and keep the sky immovable , the sun would perhaps be put ajar !

" i am glad to see you again , " shouted hercules , when the giant was within hearing .

" so you have got the golden apples ? "

" certainly , certainly , " answered atlas ; " and very fair apples they are .

i took the finest that grew on the tree , i assure you .

ah ! it is a beautiful spot , that garden of the hesperides .

yes ; and the dragon with a hundred heads is a sight worth any man 's seeing .

after all , you had better have gone for the apples yourself . "

" no matter , " replied hercules .

" you have had a pleasant ramble , and have done the business as well as i could .

i heartily thank you for your trouble .

cannot i carry the golden apples to the king , your cousin , much quicker than you could ?

as his majesty is in such a hurry to get them , i promise you to take my longest strides .

and , besides , i have no fancy for burdening myself with the sky , just now . "

here hercules grew impatient , and gave a great shrug of his shoulders .

it being now twilight , you might have seen two or three stars tumble out of their places .

everybody on earth looked upward in affright , thinking that the sky might be going to fall next .

" o , that will never do ! " cried giant atlas , with a great roar of laughter .

" i have not let fall so many stars within the last five centuries .

by the time you have stood there as long as i did , you will begin to learn patience ! "

" what ! " shouted hercules , very wrathfully , " do you intend to make me bear this burden forever ? "

" we will see about that , one of these days , " answered the giant .

i bore it a good while longer , in spite of the back-ache .

well , then , after a thousand years , if i happen to feel in the mood , we may possibly shift about again .

you are certainly a very strong man , and can never have a better opportunity to prove it .

posterity will talk of you , i warrant it ! "

" pish ! a fig for its talk ! " cried hercules , with another hitch of his shoulders .

" just take the sky upon your head one instant , will you ?

i want to make a cushion of my lion 's skin , for the weight to rest upon .

it really chafes me , and will cause unnecessary inconvenience in so many centuries as i am to stand here . "

" for just five minutes , then , i 'll take back the sky .

only for five minutes , recollect !

i have no idea of spending another thousand years as i spent the last .

variety is the spice of life , say i . "

ah , the thick-witted old rogue of a giant !

tanglewood fireside .

after the story .

and how long was his little finger ? "

" as long as from tanglewood to the lake , " said eustace .

" sure enough , that was a giant ! " repeated sweet fern , in an ecstasy at the precision of these measurements .

" and how broad , i wonder , were the shoulders of hercules ? "

" that is what i have never been able to find out , " answered the student .

" they were bigger , " said eustace , " than the great chestnut-tree which stands beyond captain smith 's house . "

pray let me advise you never more to meddle with a classical myth .

your imagination is altogether gothic , and will inevitably gothicize everything that you touch .

the effect is like bedaubing a marble statue with paint .

this giant , now !

" i described the giant as he appeared to me , " replied the student , rather piqued .

they are the common property of the world , and of all time .

mr. pringle could not forbear a smile .

" which you , doubtless , were born to remedy , " said mr . pringle , laughing outright .

" well , well , go on ; but take my advice , and never put any of your travesties on paper .

and , as your next effort , what if you should try your hand on some one of the legends of apollo ? "

but i will turn over your suggestion in my mind , and do not quite despair of success . "

eustace bright went back to the study , and again endeavored to hammer out some verses , but fell asleep between two of the rhymes .

end of project gutenberg 's the three golden apples , by nathaniel hawthorne