Reading Notes. English Fairy Tales : Part A

 The Little Bull-Calf


Many years ago, a poor boys father gave him a bull calf. The father died and the boys mother married a mean man. The new stepfather told the boy that if he brought his calf into the house that he would kill it. The young boy and his calf left home and went far away. When he became hungry, he stopped and asked for bread and cheese. The boy shared the bread with his calf but the calf refused the cheese. The calf told the boy that he was going across the field into the wilderness to fight leopards, wolves, tigers, monkeys and a fiery dragon. He said he would kill them all but the fiery dragon would claim his life. The calf told the boy to skin him and take his bladder after he is defeated and it will kill anything he hits with it. The boy begged his calf not to do it but the calf told him to climb the tree and the cheese would save him. So, the boy climbed the tree and the monkeys followed. The boy squeezed the cheese and scared the monkey away. The boy watched as his calf fought and won his battles. He also saw him defeated by the dragon. The boy skinned his calf and removed its bladder. He continued on and came across a princess who was being offered to the dragon. He untied the girl, defeated the dragon and cut out its tongue but the dragon bit the boys finger off. The princess thanked the boy and put her ring in his hair before parting ways. The king happily found his daughter alive and sent notice to find a boy with a missing finger and a dragons tongue. Many people showed up with missing fingers and the tongues of random animals. Finally the boy appeared, in tattered clothing. Initially, the king was in disbelief but the princess recognized the boy. He had her ring and the tongue of the dragon. The boy married the princess and inherited the king's estate.

Image Source : mythfolklore blogspot

Bibliography : The Little Bull-Calf by, Joseph Jacobs Story link

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