Yuko's files

  T HERE was once a king’s son who had a larger and more beautiful collection of books than any one else in the world, and full of splendid copper-plate engravings. He could read and obtain information respecting every people of every land; but not a word could he find to explain the situation of the garden of paradise, and this was just what he most wished to know. His grandmother had told him when he was quite a little boy, just old enough to go to school, that each flower in the garden of paradise was a sweet cake, that the pistils were full of rich wine, that on one flower history was written, on another geography or tables; so those who wished to learn their lessons had only to eat some of the cakes, and the more they ate, the more history, geography, or tables they knew. He believed it all then; but as he grew older, and learned more and more, he became wise enough to understand that the splendor of the garden of paradise must be very different to all this. “Oh, why did Ev...

FAR away in the land to which the swallows fly when it is winter, dwelt a king who had eleven sons, and one daughter, named Eliza. The eleven brothers were princes, and each went to school with a star on his breast, and a sword by his side. They wrote with diamond pencils on gold slates, and learnt their lessons so quickly and read so easily that every one might know they were princes. Their sister Eliza sat on a little stool of plate-glass, and had a book full of pictures, which had cost as much as half a kingdom. Oh, these children were indeed happy, but it was not to remain so always. Their father, who was king of the country, married a very wicked queen, who did not love the poor children at all. They knew this from the very first day after the wedding. In the palace there were great festivities, and the children played at receiving company; but instead of having, as usual, all the cakes and apples that were left, she gave them some sand in a tea-cup, and told them to pretend it...

...o poveste de demult, când străbunicele voastre, nevestele primilor geto-daci, erau cele mai viteze femei din vremea aceea. Pentru că ţara era atunci cârmuită de femei, legende spun că se numea Femina. - Dar cum se numeau? - Le zicea amazoane. Ele umblau călare mai bine decât bărbaţii. Aveau braţe tari, ochi ageri şi inimi calde. Din fugă săreau de pe un cal pe altul. Puteau călări pe sub burta calului. Regina lor se numea Pentesileea şi se zicea despre ea că ar fi fost nepoata unui zeu din adâncile păduri ale Carpaţilor. - Era frumoasă regina? - Da, era mai frumoasă decât Afrodita despre care atâta se povesteşte. Înspre miazănoapte de gurile Istrului se pripăşiseră strămoşii sciţilor, un neam de războinici ce trăiau din jafuri şi prăzi, ba se spunea despre ei că mâncau prinşii din lupte. Amazoanele întăriseră paza vadurilor de la gurile Istrului, apărându-le cu vitejie când vrăjmaşii încercau să le cotropească ţara. Odată, la o sărbătoare, bărbaţii s-au între...