MemGPT/example_short_stories · Datasets at Hugging Face

text stringlengths 0 74
asked the mill-folk if the tall youth were their son. No,
answered they, he's a foundling. Fourteen years ago he floated
down to the mill-dam in a box, and the mill-boy pulled him out
of the water.

Then the king knew that it was none other than the child of
good fortune which he had thrown into the water, and he said,
my good people, could not the youth take a letter to the queen.
I will give him two gold pieces as a reward. Just as the king
commands, answered they, and they told the boy to hold himself
in readiness. Then the king wrote a letter to the queen, wherein
he said, as soon as the boy arrives with this letter, let him be
killed and buried, and all must be done before I come home.
The boy set out with this letter, but he lost his way, and in the
evening came to a large forest. In the darkness he saw a small
light, he went towards it and reached a cottage. When he went in,
an old woman was sitting by the fire quite alone. She started
when she saw the boy, and said, whence do you come, and whither
are you going. I come from the mill, he answered, and wish
to go to the queen, to whom I am taking a letter, but as I have
lost my way in the forest I should like to stay here over night.
You poor boy, said the woman, you have come into a den of thieves,
and when they come home they will kill you. Let them come,
said the boy, I am not afraid, but I am so tired that I cannot go
any farther. And he stretched himself upon a bench and fell
asleep.

Soon afterwards the robbers came, and angrily asked what strange
boy was lying there. Ah, said the old woman, it is an innocent
child who has lost himself in the forest, and out of pity I have
let him come in, he has to take a letter to the queen. The robbers
opened the letter and read it, and in it was written that the
boy as soon as he arrived should be put to death. Then the
hardhearted robbers felt pity, and their leader tore up the letter
and wrote another, saying, that as soon as the boy came, he should
be married at once to the king's daughter. Then they let him lie
quietly on the bench until the next morning, and when he awoke
they gave him the letter, and showed him the right way.

And the queen, when she had received the letter and read it,
did as was written in it, and had a splendid wedding-feast
prepared, and the king's daughter was married to the child of
good fortune, and as the youth was handsome and friendly she lived
with him in joy and contentment.

After some time the king returned to his palace and saw that
the prophecy was fulfilled, and the child married to his daughter.
How has that come to pass, said he, I gave quite another order
in my letter.

So the queen gave him the letter, and said that he might see for
himself what was written in it. The king read the letter and
saw quite well that it had been exchanged for the other. He
asked the youth what had become of the letter entrusted to him,
and why he had brought another instead of it. I know nothing
about it, answered he, it must have been changed in the night,
when I slept in the forest. The king said in a passion, you shall
not have everything quite so much your own way, whosoever marries
my daughter must fetch me from hell three golden hairs from
the head of the devil, bring me what I want, and you shall keep
my daughter. In this way the king hoped to be rid of him for ever.
But the child of good fortune answered, I will fetch the golden
hairs, I am not afraid of the devil. Whereupon he took leave of
them and began his journey.

The road led him to a large town, where the watchman by the gates
asked him what his trade was, and what he knew. I know
everything, answered the child of good fortune. Then you can do us
a favor, said the watchman, if you will tell us why our market
fountain, which once flowed with wine has become dry, and no
longer gives even water. That you shall know, answered he, only
wait until I come back.

Then he went farther and came to another town, and there also the
gatekeeper asked him what was his trade, and what he knew.
I know everything, answered he. Then you can do us a favor and
tell us why a tree in our town which once bore golden apples now
does not even put forth leaves. You shall know that, answered he,
only wait until I come back.

Then he went on and came to a wide river over which he must cross.
The ferryman asked him what his trade was, and what he knew. I
know everything, answered he. Then you can do me a favor, said
the ferryman, and tell me why I must always be rowing backwards
and forwards, and am never set free. You shall know that,
answered he, only wait until I come back.

When he had crossed the water he found the entrance to hell. It
was black and sooty within, and the devil was not at home, but
his grandmother was sitting in a large arm-chair. What do you
want, said she to him, but she did not look so very wicked. I
should like to have three golden hairs from the devil's head,
answered he, else I cannot keep my wife. That is a good deal
to ask for, said she, if the devil comes home and finds you, it
will cost you your life, but as I pity you, I will see if I cannot
help you.

She changed him into an ant and said, creep into the folds of my
dress, you will be safe there. Yes, answered he, so far, so good,
but there are three things besides that I want to know - why a

asked the mill-folk if the tall youth were their son. No,

answered they, he's a foundling. Fourteen years ago he floated

down to the mill-dam in a box, and the mill-boy pulled him out

of the water.

Then the king knew that it was none other than the child of

good fortune which he had thrown into the water, and he said,

my good people, could not the youth take a letter to the queen.

I will give him two gold pieces as a reward. Just as the king

commands, answered they, and they told the boy to hold himself

in readiness. Then the king wrote a letter to the queen, wherein

he said, as soon as the boy arrives with this letter, let him be

killed and buried, and all must be done before I come home.

The boy set out with this letter, but he lost his way, and in the

evening came to a large forest. In the darkness he saw a small

light, he went towards it and reached a cottage. When he went in,

an old woman was sitting by the fire quite alone. She started

when she saw the boy, and said, whence do you come, and whither

are you going. I come from the mill, he answered, and wish

to go to the queen, to whom I am taking a letter, but as I have

lost my way in the forest I should like to stay here over night.

You poor boy, said the woman, you have come into a den of thieves,

and when they come home they will kill you. Let them come,

said the boy, I am not afraid, but I am so tired that I cannot go

any farther. And he stretched himself upon a bench and fell

asleep.

Soon afterwards the robbers came, and angrily asked what strange

boy was lying there. Ah, said the old woman, it is an innocent

child who has lost himself in the forest, and out of pity I have

let him come in, he has to take a letter to the queen. The robbers

opened the letter and read it, and in it was written that the

boy as soon as he arrived should be put to death. Then the

hardhearted robbers felt pity, and their leader tore up the letter

and wrote another, saying, that as soon as the boy came, he should

be married at once to the king's daughter. Then they let him lie

quietly on the bench until the next morning, and when he awoke

they gave him the letter, and showed him the right way.

And the queen, when she had received the letter and read it,

did as was written in it, and had a splendid wedding-feast

prepared, and the king's daughter was married to the child of

good fortune, and as the youth was handsome and friendly she lived

with him in joy and contentment.

After some time the king returned to his palace and saw that

the prophecy was fulfilled, and the child married to his daughter.

How has that come to pass, said he, I gave quite another order

in my letter.

So the queen gave him the letter, and said that he might see for

himself what was written in it. The king read the letter and

saw quite well that it had been exchanged for the other. He

asked the youth what had become of the letter entrusted to him,

and why he had brought another instead of it. I know nothing

about it, answered he, it must have been changed in the night,

when I slept in the forest. The king said in a passion, you shall

not have everything quite so much your own way, whosoever marries

my daughter must fetch me from hell three golden hairs from

the head of the devil, bring me what I want, and you shall keep

my daughter. In this way the king hoped to be rid of him for ever.

But the child of good fortune answered, I will fetch the golden

hairs, I am not afraid of the devil. Whereupon he took leave of

them and began his journey.

The road led him to a large town, where the watchman by the gates

asked him what his trade was, and what he knew. I know

everything, answered the child of good fortune. Then you can do us

a favor, said the watchman, if you will tell us why our market

fountain, which once flowed with wine has become dry, and no

longer gives even water. That you shall know, answered he, only

wait until I come back.

Then he went farther and came to another town, and there also the

gatekeeper asked him what was his trade, and what he knew.

I know everything, answered he. Then you can do us a favor and

tell us why a tree in our town which once bore golden apples now

does not even put forth leaves. You shall know that, answered he,

only wait until I come back.

Then he went on and came to a wide river over which he must cross.

The ferryman asked him what his trade was, and what he knew. I

know everything, answered he. Then you can do me a favor, said

the ferryman, and tell me why I must always be rowing backwards

and forwards, and am never set free. You shall know that,

answered he, only wait until I come back.

When he had crossed the water he found the entrance to hell. It

was black and sooty within, and the devil was not at home, but

his grandmother was sitting in a large arm-chair. What do you

want, said she to him, but she did not look so very wicked. I

should like to have three golden hairs from the devil's head,

answered he, else I cannot keep my wife. That is a good deal

to ask for, said she, if the devil comes home and finds you, it

will cost you your life, but as I pity you, I will see if I cannot

help you.

She changed him into an ant and said, creep into the folds of my

dress, you will be safe there. Yes, answered he, so far, so good,

but there are three things besides that I want to know - why a