The Flower Princess Page 5

  THE TEN BLOWERS

  I

  ONCE upon a time there was a fat Miller who lived in the Land ofWindmills. Now that is a queer country, where the people look queer,talk and live and dress queerly, and where queer things are likely tohappen at any time. So you must not be surprised if this should be aqueer tale of the Miller and his mill and his family; but you must takemy queer word for it that the happenings were all queerly true as Ishall tell them.

  The Miller was a thoughtful fellow, as the folk of the Land of Windmillsare apt to be; and he had ideas. When his first son was born he sat downand thought for a long time. His baby had fine lungs; he cried louderand longer than any baby of whom the Miller had ever heard, so that thefather had to go out of doors to think.

  "He is a very remarkable child!" said the Miller to himself. "Histalents in the way of lung-power are extraordinary; they must bedeveloped. I believe in deciding as soon as possible what a child shallbe, according to his earliest inclinations. With his fine lungs he mustbecome a Blower of some kind; a Musician,--perhaps a Corneter or aFlutist. But that we can decide later. I shall begin to train himimmediately."

  So the Miller trained the lungs of his son. His first gift to the babywas an ivory whistle, and the little fellow soon learned to blow it sothat his mother was nearly deafened. When he grew stronger he had apenny trumpet, and then there was a racket, to be sure! But the morenoise he made the more were the Miller and his good wife delighted. Forthey said to each other: "What wonderful talents has our son! Surely hewill become a great blowing Musician in the days that are to be."

  Before he was a year old Hans could blow a little bugle so loudly thatall the dogs of the neighborhood would rush to the house and surroundit, barking. But he made no tunes on the bugle; only noise.

  Not long after this came a little brother for Hans; and this baby showedthe same talents as the first one, by day and by night filling thecottage with his sturdy bellows. You might think that this would havedisturbed the peace of the Miller and his wife, who could get no sleepat all. But no, indeed! They were twice delighted.

  "Look now!" they said, "we shall have two little Blowers in thefamily,--perhaps a flute and a trombone; perhaps a cornet and afife,--who knows?" And they began to put Piet through the same trainingthat Hans had received; which was very pleasant for the little brothers,as you can imagine. There was no crying of "Oh, children! Don't makesuch a racket!" in that house. There was no hiding of whistles andtrumpets and bugles. When one noisy toy wore out they were immediatelygiven a new one, for fear that they should forget how to blow. And theyplayed at nothing else all day long but blowing, and blowing, andblowing. The house was so noisy that the neighbors did not often visitthe Miller's wife. But she cared nothing at all for that.

  Then another baby came; and as the years went by more little brothersblessed the Miller's cottage, each with the same wonderful lung-power,the same puffy cheeks, the same fondness for blowing. Till before theMiller fairly had counted them all, he found himself sitting at the headof a table around which ten little Blowers kicked their heels and blewon their porridge to cool it.

  Now ten little Blowers, each blowing all day long for dear life, haveten big appetites; and the Miller had hard work to supply them withfood. The children were not helping him by earning money. Oh no! Theywere too busy blowing,--practicing on the flutes, trombones, trumpets,bugles, fifes, horns, oboes, cornets, bassoons, and piccolos which theirfather had bought them, hoping that they would be Musicians. But it wasvery strange; although they were becoming skillful indeed in making aloud noise, they had never yet made any music. The more they practicedthe further they seemed to be from any tune. When they all got togetherand blew their instruments as hard as they could, you cannot imagine amore wonderful noise than that which they produced! They could blow thepanes out of the windows and the leaves from the trees, but they couldnot make the least little tune to save their lives.

  At last the poor Miller saw that they never would make any tune, becausethere was no music in them, not in one of them. They could never beMusicians, though they were wonderful Blowers. You see, unless theycould blow tunes on their instruments no one would ever pay merely tohear them blow; indeed, nowadays folk seldom ventured near the mill, thefamily made such a din. And this blew trade away, even on windy days.The Miller was growing poorer and poorer, and it seemed unlikely thathis children would ever help him to earn their bread, for they had beenbrought up to blow, and that was all they knew how to do.

  One morning the Miller went out to grind some grain which Farmer Husshad left the night before. Huss, who was stone deaf, was the onlyneighbor who cared nowadays to come to the noisy mill, and naturally theMiller was anxious to please him. But when he looked up at the cloudlesssky he saw that there would be no grinding done that morning. There wasno breeze anywhere, and the mill was sound asleep. The windmill waslazy, like all its race, and unless an urging wind was blowing it wouldnot work at all. On breezeless days the mill slept from morning untilnight, and then the farmers who had brought their grain grumbled andwere angry with the poor Miller; which, of course, was veryunreasonable. Farmer Huss had vowed that if his grain was not groundbefore noon he would never come near the Miller again; and that would bebad indeed, for, deaf though he was, he remained the Miller's bestcustomer. Worst of all, there was not a crust in the house, not a pennyto buy bread. And although the children were now so busy blowing thatthey had forgotten to be hungry, before night they would be crying forfood. What was to be done?

  Hollow-eyed with hunger and anxiety, the Miller sat down and stared atthe motionless mill. Something must be done! Unless the children couldhelp him earn a penny he must sell their flutes, trombones, trumpets,bugles, fifes, horns, oboes, cornets, bassoons, and piccolos; but whatthen would become of their wonderful talents for blowing?

  "Must all their practice be wasted?" thought the Miller. "They haveblown, they have blown until their breath is as strong as the wind. Ha!I have an idea!" And jumping up he ran as fast as his legs would carryhim to gather his little flock. "It is an ill babe that blows no good!"said the Miller to himself.

  The Miller found his boys in the mill yard blowing on their teninstruments. Hans the eldest, who was head and shoulders taller than hisfather, had the huge bassoon, and the baby, who was just able to toddle,grasped a piccolo. All the other brothers big and little, tall andshort, were tootling upon their various instruments with their cheeksbulging out like balloons; and the noise was so deafening that the bugsand beetles burrowed down into the ground to escape it, while even thefishes in the well turned over on their backs and fainted from thevibrations. Whenever they were hungry the Miller's sons always blewhardest, because then they forgot about their empty stomachs. Althoughit was a still day,--so still that the windmill's arms were quitemotionless,--when the children blew the notes from their instruments thesmoke about the cottage chimney huddled itself together and scuddedhorizontally away. The trees swayed as if blown by a tempest, and thewaters of the duck-pond became humpy with waves; so that the ducks werein danger of drowning. When the Miller saw all this he was delighted,and his face beamed like the sun after a shower.

  "Good, my children, good!" he cried. "You are wonderful little Blowers,and you shall make my fortune yet, though there is not one note of musicin the ten of you. But look now; I have an idea! Gather around me and Iwill tell you."

  The ten children dropped their instruments and crowded eagerly about theMiller, for they hoped that he was going to tell them some way to get adinner. But instead of this, he led them in a procession straight to thewindmill, where it stood lazily holding out its arms for the breezewhich did not come.

  "Look at that lazy windmill!" said the Miller. "He has ground no mealfor a whole day, and we have no money to buy food. Now, children, openyour mouths and blow, _blow_, as hard as you know how, to see whetheryou cannot blow wind into his sails and make him go."

  So the ten boys stood in a row, and at a signal took in a deep breath.When the Miller counted
"One--two--_three_!" they made round mouths andblew out a long breath, straight towards the windmill's nearest arm. Andlo! Instantly the sails filled, and the great windmill spun around likemad, whether it would or no. The Miller's idea was wonderful! Thechildren jumped up and down, clapping their hands. Why had they neverthought of this before? This was better than blowing instruments!

  The Miller told the children to keep on blowing, and ran into the millto fill the hopper with grain. The white flour went sifting into thebags till their sides were plump and firm. In a few moments all thegrain was ground, and the Miller was on his way to deliver the bags toneighbor Huss. And deaf old Huss was so pleased to have his meal readybefore he expected it that he paid the Miller double, promising to callagain very soon. So now the Miller had money to buy bread for hischildren; and a fine supper they enjoyed that night, you may be sure.

  Best of it all was that their good luck had come to stay. The childrengave up their flutes, trombones, trumpets, bugles, fifes, horns, oboes,cornets, bassoons, and piccolos, because they had decided not to bemusicians, but mill-blowers instead,--which was a blow to music. Afterall, they said, their new profession was a more distinguished one. Forwith practice any one can blow a blast on a trombone, but few familiesof ten have lungs so mighty that they can blow a windmill when it wantsto stand still.

  They practiced and they practiced, before and after school. And theygrew so skillful that the Miller declared them to be better than anybreeze, for they were always ready when he wanted them. On days when nobreeze was blowing and all the other windmills in the land were as quietas the market on Sunday,--then the neighbors flocked to the Miller ofthe wonderful blowing family, and at his mill they were sure of havingtheir grain ground quickly and well. The Miller was fast growing rich.He charged double price, always; and, indeed, folk thought it was worthpaying a double price to see the Miller's Ten Blowers at their work.

  They had neat little uniforms of blue and white, like figures on atile,--blue trousers and white millers' smocks, and wooden shoes. Andthey were trained to stand in an orderly row, with big Hans at the headand chubby baby Tod at the foot, all puff-cheeked, ruddy, andbroad-chested from much blowing. And they blew all together,--one--_two!_one--_two!_ one--_two!_--with a sound like a great wind in the chimneyon a January night, while the windmill whirled around like a mad thingand seemed ready to blow to pieces. But the on-lookers had to be carefulto put a rock in their pockets, or to hold on to something steady, lestthey be blown from their feet by the blast which the children blew.

  Stories of the Miller's wonderful family spread far and wide, and manyfolk came to see the little Blowers at their work. They were often askedto show their skill in various ways. Hans might easily have earned hisliving as a blacksmith's bellows, could his father have spared him fromthe mill. The village children often coaxed the younger Blowers to blowtheir kites up into the sky or their sailboats down the canals. Eventhe baby earned many a penny by blowing the soot out of the cottagechimneys and the dust from corners in the goodwives' spandy floors. Butthe Miller himself did not encourage all this. "Best stick to your homemill, my sons," he said, "and good will come of it. Do not waste yourbreath in blowing small things, and one day your breath shall blow usinto fortune." And this seemed likely to be true; for every day theywere becoming more famous and more rich. And all the other millers inthe land were so jealous that they could not sleep o' nights.

  II

  There came a time when the Miller was kept busy indeed, and proudly so.For he had been commanded by the King himself to grind one thousandsacks of flour for the wedding-cookery of the young Prince, his son. ThePrince was to cross the sea to be married to the daughter of the proudKing of Outland; and when he had brought his fair bride home there wasto be great rejoicing,--feasting and merrymaking at the capital of theLand of Windmills. And the Miller's flour was to make the hugewedding-cake and a little cake for each of the guests. For his share inall this preparation the Miller was to receive a great price,--a bag ofgold. So he hurried about, and the children blew, and the windmillwhirled, and dusty flour went pouring into the King's sacks, until allwas done. Then the Miller sat proudly at the head of his table,surrounded by his proud family, and with the sack of gold in the middleof the board for them to admire.

  They were eating their goodly supper and drinking the health of thePrince and his bride, for the morrow was to be the wedding-day. Everyone was talking and laughing under his breath--for they dared not laughaloud nowadays, for fear of blowing out all the lights. Suddenly therecame the galloping of horses' hoofs along the highway and a thunderingknock at the door.

  "Open!" cried a voice. "A messenger of the King!"

  The fat Miller ran to the door and undid the bolts as fast as he could,while his children crowded around to hear the King's message. But theyheld their breaths, lest the message be blown away as soon as spoken.

  There sat a rider on a great black horse; and behind him eleven groomsheld eleven horses, of different sizes, the smallest one being theprettiest, tiniest white pony you ever saw.

  "Ho! Miller!" shouted the messenger. "I bring the King's command thatyou and your family of Blowers mount and ride with me to the Capital,for the King has need of you. I bring steeds for all; lose no time inobeying the King's message."

  The Miller and his sons were startled and amazed; they could not guesswhether for joy or for sorrow they were thus called to court. But ofcourse there was nothing for them but to obey the King. Quickly theymounted the eleven steeds which the eleven grooms had brought. The fatMiller went first, on a fat little brown horse which looked like him;and behind him came long, lanky Hans on a long-limbed bay. After himfollowed Piet on a gallant chestnut, behind whom galloped all the otherbrothers, with Tod the baby on the tiny white pony bringing up the rear.But the Miller's poor wife was left behind, not knowing whether to besorry or glad because of the King's summons to her family.

  Nearly all night they galloped, thud-thud! over the quiet roads, pastshut-eyed houses and dozy windmills, drowsy canals and dreamingvillages. And at early dawn they came to the Capital City. Here thetired King himself rode out to meet them, accompanied by a crowd ofsleepy soldiers and cross-looking nobles. The Miller and his ten boysslipped from their saddles and knelt in a row before the King, awaitinghis commands. But he had no time for ceremony this morning.

  "Rise!" he cried impatiently. "Do not kneel there when time is soprecious! Rise and hasten to the seashore, Miller. I have heard whatwonderful Blowers your children are. It is for this reason I have sentfor you. Out yonder on the sea lies the ship of my son, the Prince, whohas sailed for Outland to bring home a bride. Yesterday morn he started;but he has not gone far. My telescopes show that the ship still lieshelpless, as she has lain for twelve hours, becalmed between theWindless Headlands in the Bay of Calms. The wedding was to have beenthis morning at ten in the Outland King's cathedral. Hasten, Miller! Hehas yet many leagues to go. You and your children must blow the Princeinto port in season for the ceremony, or his life is lost. For if he belate, even by five minutes, the Outland King has bargained that he mustdie. He is a proud father; she is a proud Princess, and must be keptwaiting by no one. My word is pledged; my son is in danger! Save thePrince, Miller, and you shall be made a Duke, and all your childrenEarls."

  The King ceased speaking, and the crowd of nobles hustled the Miller andhis family down to the shore, whence, far off against the dawn, sharpeyes could dimly see the Prince's ship lying on the water, like a leafon the surface of a calm well. The Miller ranged his Ten Blowers in arow, as they always stood when about to make the windmill whirl; andthey were a flight of steps, one above the other, good to see. Then theMiller cried,--

  "Blow, my children! Blow with all your might, when I speak the word; fora great matter is at stake. Now; one, two, _three_!"

  The boys drew in a long breath, puffed their cheeks, let out theirbreath, expanded their chests, and at the third count blew with alltheir might, till their eyes bulged and they were purple in the face
.The trees bent to the ground, and the birds flew out of their nests,chirping wildly. And soon after this the watchmen on the palace wall,who were spying at the Prince's ship with their telescopes, gave a greatcheer. The sails had filled with wind, and the vessel was moving ever soslowly towards Outland.

  "Again, my babes!" roared the Miller. "One, two, _three_!" and once morea blast blew from the shore, so mighty that the hats of the nobles wentflying off into the sea, and the King himself nearly lost his crown ofpearls and rubies; which would have been a scandalous thing! Once morethe lookouts on the battlements cheered. The Prince's ship was movingsteadily forward past the Windless Headlands, out of the Bay of Calms.

  "Once more!" shouted the Miller, encouraged by the King's nod ofdelight. "One more blow for our King and Prince, my children!" And athird time the Ten filled their lungs and puffed their cheeks in thegood cause.

  This time the watchers danced wildly on the palace walls, and waved agolden banner to the King, which was the signal that all was well. Forthe Prince's ship had scudded clean out of sight, straight towardsOutland and the Bride. Once in the open gulf the ship was in no furtherdanger of being becalmed.

  ONE MORE BLOW FOR OUR KING]

  This is how the Miller and his Ten saved the life of the Prince of theLand of Windmills, and became very dear to their King. For, aided by thebreath of the Miller's sons, the Prince reached Outland in time,--yes,even with time to spare; the Princess was not ready for him! And herfather was so pleased by this promptness of the bridegroom that, whenthe newly married pair left Outland after the grand wedding, they tookwith them as a gift from the King one hundred buckets of silver and onehundred buckets of gold and one hundred buckets of shining jewels, themost beautiful that ever were seen. So that when the Prince reached theLand of Windmills he was able to give fine presents to all who had doneservices for him. And you may be sure that the Miller and his boys werenot among the last of this number.

  The Miller was made Duke of Millwind, and he received one of the onehundred buckets of jewels; while each of the Earls, his sons, had one ofthe buckets of gold. And the Miller's wife received one of thebuckets of silver; though she had done nothing at all but stay at homeand worry.

  After that there was no longer any need for the Miller and his family toweaken themselves with work. They were rich and noble; and now it wasfair to give the other millers in the land a chance. But no other Millerhad so talented a family, you see. The best thing of all was that thePrince and Princess, who, upon the old King's death, themselves becameKing and Queen, lived to have ten daughters, each more beautiful thanthe others. And when they were grown up, the King their father marriedthem to the ten young Earls, the sons of the Duke of Millwind, in tokenof his gratitude to that fine fat gentleman who was once a Miller. AndHans the eldest son, who married the eldest Princess,--he who had firstshown his talent as a Blower,--Hans himself became in time King of theLand of Windmills; which was great fortune for the Miller's son, as Ithink you must agree. So the Miller's saying proved true, that theywould "blow themselves into fortune."

  Now it was in the reign of this illustrious pair that two wonderfulinventions were made,--squeaker-balloons and soap-bubbles. They wereinvented at the command of King Hans in honor of his first infant, whowas born with a perfectly wonderful talent for blowing.

  The Riverside Press_Electrotyped and printed by H. O. Houghton & Co.Cambridge, Mass., U. S. A._

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  Transcriber's note:

  Each chapter title was printed on a separate page and then repeated onthe page where the chapter began. In this e-book chapter titles areused only once to avoid unnecessary repetition.

  Page 26, "See" changed to "She" (She glanced at Joyeuse)