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Tales for Labor Day
For the Labor Day weekend, read this collection of folk stories about the value of work. From sources
as diverse as Germany, India, Japan, and Ancient Greece come tales of daily labor, often with a moral, sometimes with an ironical twist....
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ARACHNE
There was a certain maiden of Lydia, Arachne by
name, renowned throughout the country for her skill as a weaver. She was as
nimble with her fingers as Calypso, that Nymph who kept Odysseus for seven
years in her...
HOFUS THE STONE-CUTTER: A JAPANESE LEGEND
Once upon a time in Japan, there was a poor stone-cutter, named Hofus, who
used to go every day to the mountain-side to cut great blocks of stone. He
lived near the mountain in a little stone hut, and worked hard and was
happy. One day he...
THE CHAMPION STONE-CUTTER
David Fraser was a famous Scotch hewer. On hearing that it
had been remarked among a party of Edinburgh masons that, though regarded as
the first of Glasgow stone-cutters, he would find in the eastern capital at
least his...
THE CHOICE OF HERCULES
Long, long ago, when the world was young, there were many deeds
waiting to be wrought by daring heroes. It was then that the mighty
Hercules, who was yet a lad, felt an exceeding great and strong desire to go
out into the wide...
THE ELVES AND THE SHOEMAKER
There was once a shoemaker who worked very hard and was
honest. Still, he could not earn enough to live on. At last, all he had in
the world was gone except just leather enough to make one pair of shoes. He
cut these...
THE HILLMAN AND THE HOUSEWIFE
It is well known that the Fairy People cannot abide
meanness. They like to be liberally dealt with when they beg or borrow of
the human race; and, on the other hand, to those who come to them in need,
they are...
THE METAL KING: A GERMAN FOLK-TALE
Once long ago there was a high mountain whose rocks were veined with gold
and silver and seamed with iron. At times, from a huge rent in the
mountain-side, there shot out roaring, red flames, and clouds of black
smoke. And when the village folk in...
THE NAIL
A merchant had done good business at the fair; he had
sold his wares, and filled his bag with gold and silver. Then he set out at
once on his journey home, for he wished to be in his own house before night.
At noon...
THE SMITHY: A HINDU FABLE
Once words ran high in a smithy. The furnace said:
"If I cease to burn, the smithy must close." The bellows said: "If I cease
to blow, no fire, no smithy." The hammer and anvil, also, each claimed...
THE SPEAKING STATUE
There was once a great emperor who made a law that
whosoever worked on the birthday of his eldest son should be put to death.
He caused this decree to be published throughout his empire, and, sending
for his chief...
Little Daffydowndilly
Daffydowndilly was so called because in his nature he resembled a flower,
and loved to do only what was beautiful and agreeable, and took no delight
in labor of any kind. But, while Daffydowndilly was yet a little boy, his
mother sent him away from his pleasant home, and put him under the care of a
very strict schoolmaster, who went by the name of Mr. Toil.
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