Fairy Tales: The Naughty Boy

Bedtime stories and fairy tales are enjoyed by all, young and old. "The Naughty Boy" is one of the favorites.

 

A long time ago lived an old poet, a very kind old poet. While he was sitting one evening in his room, a terrible storm came and the rain streamed down from heaven, but the old poet sat warm and comfortable by the fireplace where the fire blazed and the roasting apple hissed.

 

"People who don't have a roof over their heads will be drenched to the skin," said the good old poet.

 

"Oh let me in! Let me in! I am cold, and I'm so wet!" a child exclaimed suddenly. The child stood crying at the door and knocking to get in, while the rain poured down and the wind made all the windows rattle.

 

"Poor thing!" said the old poet, as he went to open the door. There stood a little boy, naked, and the water ran down from his long golden hair. He trembled with cold, and if he hadn't come into a warm room, he would have perished in the terrible storm.

 

"Poor child!" said the old poet, as he took the boy by the hand. "Come in, come in, and I will make you better! You will have wine and roasted apples, because you are a charming child!" The boy really was charming. His eyes were like two bright stars, and although the water trickled down his hair, it waved in beautiful curls. He looked exactly like a little angel, but he was so pale, and his whole body trembled with cold. He had a little bow and some arrows, but the bow was ruined by the rain and the arrows' colors ran together.

 

The old poet sat down beside his hearth, and took the little fellow on his lap. He squeezed the water out of his dripping hair, warmed his hands between his own, and boiled some sweet wine for him. Then the boy recovered, his cheeks became rosy again, he jumped down from the lap where he was sitting, and danced around the kind old poet.

 

"You are a merry fellow," said the old man. "What's your name?"

 

"My name is Cupid," answered the boy. "Don't you know me? There is my bow; it shoots well, I can assure you! Look, the weather is clearing up now, and the moon is shining clearly again through the window."

 

"Why, your bow is ruined," said the old poet.

 

"That is sad indeed," said the boy, and he took the bow in his hand and examined it on every side. "Oh, it's dry again, and isn't hurt at all. The string is very tight. I will try it right now." So he bent his bow, took aim, and shot an arrow at the old poet, right into his heart. "You see now that my bow wasn't ruined," he said laughing, and away he ran.

 

What a naughty boy, to shoot the old poet in that way. The man who had taken him into his warm room, who had treated him so kindly, and who had given him warm wine and the very best apples!

 

The poor poet lay on the ground and cried, because the arrow had really flown into his heart.

 

"What a naughty boy Cupid is!" he said. "I will tell all children about him so they can be careful not play with him because he'll only cause them sorrow and many a heartache."

 

And all good children to whom he told this story, watched out for this naughty Cupid; but he still made fools of them because he is astonishingly cunning. When the university students come from their classes, he runs beside them in a black coat and with a book under his arm. It is difficult for them to recognize him, and they walk along with him arm in arm, as if he were a student like them. Then, by surprise, he shoots an arrow into their chests. When the young women go to church, there he is again close behind them. Yes, he is forever following people.

 

At the theatre, he sits in the large chandelier and burns in bright flames so that people think it is really a flame, but they soon discover it is something else. He roams around in palace garden and ridges. Yes, once he even shot your father and mother right in the heart. Ask them and they'll tell you.

 

Oh, he is a naughty boy, that Cupid. You must never have anything to do with him. He is forever running after everybody. Just think! He shot an arrow once at your old grandmother! But that's a long time ago, and it's all in the past now, but a she never forgets a thing like that. Naughty Cupid! But now you know him, and you know, too, how badly behaved he is!

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