Favorite Fairy Tales
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Logan Marshall >> Favorite Fairy Tales
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"Never had prince such a subject;" and when Whittington was told this at
the table, he answered:
"Never had subject such a king."
Going with an address from the city, on one of the King's victories, he
received the honor of knighthood. Sir Richard Whittington supported many
poor; he built a church, and also a college, with a yearly allowance to
poor scholars, and near it raised a hospital. The figure of Sir Richard
Whittington, with his cat in his arms, carved in stone, was to be seen
till the year 1780, over the archway of the old prison of Newgate, that
stood across Newgate Street.
THE STORY OF BLUE BEARD
[Illustration]
Many years ago there was a rich man who had a singular blue beard, which
made him very ugly. Being left a widower, he wished to marry one of the
two beautiful daughters of a neighboring lady, and at last the younger
of these girls consented to be his wife.
About a month after the marriage, Blue Beard told his bride that he must
leave her for a time, as he had some business to attend to at a
distance. He gave her his keys, and told her to make free of everything
and entertain her friends while he was absent, but ending by drawing
one key from the bunch and saying:
"This small key belongs to the room at the end of the long gallery--and
that, my dear, is the one room you must not enter, nor even put the key
into the lock. Should you disobey, your punishment would be dreadful."
[Illustration]
Blue Beard set out on his journey, and for a time his wife found
pleasure in showing her friends all her magnificence; but again and
again she wondered what could be the reason why she was not to visit the
room at the end of the long gallery. At last her curiosity became such
that she could not resist the temptation to take just one peep within
the forbidden door. When she reached the door she stopped for a few
moments to think of her husband's warning, that he would not fail to
keep his word should she disobey him. But she was so very curious to
know what was inside, that she determined to venture in spite of
everything.
So, with a trembling hand, she put the key into the lock, and the door
immediately opened. The window shutters being closed, she at first saw
nothing; but in a short time she noticed that the floor was covered with
clotted blood, on which the bodies of several dead women were lying.
(These were all the wives whom Blue Beard had married, and murdered one
after another!) She was ready to sink with fear, and the key of the
door, which she held in her hand, fell on the floor. When she had
somewhat recovered from her fright, she took it up, locked the door
and hurried to her own room, terrified by what she had seen.
As she observed that the key had got stained with blood in falling on
the floor, she wiped it two or three times to clean it; but the blood
still remained; she next washed it; but the blood did not go; she then
scoured it with brickdust, and afterwards with sand. But notwithstanding
all she could do, the blood was still there, for the key was a fairy,
who was Blue Beard's friend, so that as fast as she got the stain off
one side it appeared again on the other. Early in the evening Blue
Beard returned, saying he had not proceeded far before he was met by a
messenger, who told him that the business was concluded without his
presence being necessary. His wife said everything she could think of
to make him believe that she was delighted at his unexpected return.
[Illustration]
The next morning, he asked for the keys. She gave them, but, as she
could not help showing her fright, Blue Beard easily guessed what had
happened.
"How is it," said he, "that the key of the closet upon the ground floor
is not here."
"Is it not?" said the wife. "I must have left it on my dressing table."
"Be sure you give it me by and by," replied Blue Beard.
After going several times backwards and forwards, pretending to look for
the key, she was at last obliged to give it to Blue Beard. He looked at
it attentively, and then said:
"How came this blood upon the key?"
"I am sure I do not know," replied the lady, turning as pale as death.
"You do not know?" said Blue Beard sternly. "But I know well enough. You
have been in the closet on the ground floor. Very well, madam; since you
are so mightily fond of this closet, you shall certainly take your place
among the ladies you saw there."
[Illustration]
His wife, almost dead with fear, fell upon her knees, asked his pardon
a thousand times for her disobedience, and begged him to forgive her,
looking all the time so sorrowful and lovely that she would have melted
any heart that was not harder than a rock.
But Blue Beard answered:
"No, no, madam; you shall die this very minute."
"Alas," said the poor creature, "if I must die, allow me, at least, a
little time to say my prayers!"
"I give you," replied the cruel Blue Beard, "half a quarter of an
hour--not one moment longer."
When Bluebeard had left her to herself, she called her sister; and,
after telling her that she had but half a quarter of an hour to live:
"Please," said she, "Sister Ann" (this was her sister's name), "run up
to the tower, and see if my brothers are in sight; they promised to come
and visit me to-day; and if you see them, make a sign for them to gallop
on as fast as possible."
Her sister instantly did as she was desired, and the terrified lady
every minute called out:
"Sister Ann, do you see anyone coming?"
And her sister answered:
"I see nothing but the sun, which makes a dust, and the grass, which
looks green."
In the meanwhile, Blue Beard, with a great simitar in his hand, bawled
as loud as he could:
"Come down instantly, or I will fetch you."
"One moment longer, I beseech you," replied she, and again called softly
to her sister:
"Sister Ann, do you see anyone coming?"
To which she answered:
"I see nothing but the sun, which makes a dust, and the grass, which
looks green."
Blue Beard again bawled out:
"Come down, I say, this very moment, or I shall come and fetch you."
"I am coming; indeed I will come in one minute," sobbed his unhappy
wife. Then she once more cried out:
"Sister Ann, do you see anyone coming?"
"I see," said her sister, "a cloud of dust a little to the left."
"Do you think it is my brothers?" continued the wife.
"Alas, no, dear sister," replied she, "it is only a flock of sheep!"
"Will you come down or not, madam?" said Blue Beard, in the greatest
rage imaginable.
[Illustration]
"Only one moment more," answered she. And then she called out for the
last time:
"Sister Ann! do you see no one coming?"
"I see," replied her sister, "two men on horseback coming to the house;
but they are still at a great distance."
"God be praised!" cried she; "it is my brothers. Give them a sign to
make what haste they can."
At the same moment Blue Beard cried out so loud for her to come down,
that his voice shook the whole house. The poor lady, with her hair
loose and her eyes swimming in tears, came down, and fell on her knees
before Blue Beard, and was going to beg him to spare her life, but he
interrupted her, saying: "All this is of no use, for you shall die;"
then, seizing her with one hand by the hair, and raising the simitar he
held in the other, he was going with one blow to strike off her head.
The unfortunate woman, turning toward him, desired to have a single
moment allowed her to compose herself.
"No, no," said Blue Beard; "I will give you no more time, I am
determined. You have had too much already."
Again he raised his arm. Just at this instant a loud knocking was
heard at the gates, which made Blue Beard wait for a moment to see
who it was. The gates were opened, and two officers entered with
their swords in their hands. Blue Beard, seeing they were his wife's
brothers, endeavored to escape, but they pursued and seized him
before he had got twenty steps, and, plunging their swords into
his body, laid him dead at their feet.
The poor wife, who was almost as dead as her husband, was unable at
first to rise and embrace her brothers, but she soon recovered.
As Blue Beard had no heirs, she found herself the possessor of his great
riches. She used part of her vast fortune in giving a marriage dowry to
her sister Ann, who soon after was married. With another part she bought
captains' commissions for her two brothers; and the rest she presented
to a most worthy gentleman whom she married soon after, and whose kind
treatment soon made her forget Blue Beard's cruelty.
LITTLE RED RIDING-HOOD
[Illustration]
Once upon a time there lived a little girl, who was so sweet and pretty
and good that everybody loved her. Her old grandmother, who was very
fond of her, made her a little red cloak and hood, which suited her so
well that everyone called her "Little Red Riding-Hood."
One day, Little Red Riding-Hood's mother told her to take a basket with
some butter and eggs and fresh-baked cake to her grandmother, who was
ill. The little girl, who was always willing and obliging, ran at once
to fetch her red cloak, and, taking her basket, set out on her journey.
On her way she met a wolf, who wished very much to eat her up; but who
dared not do so because some wood-cutters were working close by. So he
only said:
"Good-morning, Little Red Riding-Hood; where are you off to so early?"
Little Red Riding-Hood, who did not know how dangerous it was to talk to
a wolf, replied:
"I am going to see my grandmother, who is ill in bed, to take her some
butter and eggs and a fresh-baked cake that my mother has made for her!"
"Where does your grandmother live?" asked the wolf.
"In the little white cottage at the other side of the wood," answered
Red Riding-Hood.
"Well," said the wolf, "I am going that way, too. If you will let me, I
will walk part of the way with you." So Little Red Riding-Hood, who
suspected no harm, set off with the wolf for her companion.
Presently Red Riding-Hood stopped to gather a nosegay of wild flowers
for her grandmother, and the wolf, who had thought of a plan to get the
little girl for his dinner, said "Good morning," and trotted away.
[Illustration]
As soon as he was out of sight, he began to run as fast as he could. In
a short time he reached the grandmother's cottage and knocked at the
door.
"Who is there?" asked the old grandmother, as she lay in bed.
"It is Little Red Riding-Hood," answered the wolf. "I have brought you
some butter and eggs and a fresh-baked cake which mother has made for
you."
"Pull the bobbin and the latch will go up," said the old grandmother. So
the wolf pulled the bobbin and opened the door, and sprang upon the poor
old grandmother and ate her all up in a twinkling.
Then he put on her night-cap and got into bed, and lay down to wait for
Red Riding-Hood.
Very soon there came a little soft tap at the door.
"Who is there?" called out the wolf.
"It is Little Red Riding-Hood, grandmother dear. I have brought you some
butter and eggs and a fresh-baked cake which mother has made for you."
Then the wolf called out, disguising his voice as much as he could:
"Pull the bobbin and the latch will go up." So Little Red Riding-Hood
pulled the bobbin and went inside.
[Illustration]
"Good morning, dear grandmother," she said. "How are you feeling today?"
"Very bad indeed, my dear," answered the wolf, trying to hide himself
under the bedclothes.
"How strange and hoarse your voice sounds, grandmother," said the little
girl.
"I have got a bad cold, my dear," said the wicked wolf.
"Grandmother, what very bright eyes you have!" went on Red Riding-Hood,
surprised to see how strange her grandmother looked in her nightclothes.
"The better to see you with, my dear," said the wolf.
"Grandmother, what very big ears you have!"
"The better to hear you with, my child."
"Grandmother, what very long arms you have!"
"The better to hug you with, my dear."
"But, grandmother, what great big teeth you have," said Red Riding-Hood,
who was beginning to get frightened.
"The better to eat you with," roared the wolf, suddenly jumping out of
bed. He seized hold of poor Little Red Riding-Hood, and was just about
to eat her up, when there was a great noise outside, and the door burst
open and in rushed the wood-cutters, who had seen the wolf talking to
the little girl in the wood, and came to see what mischief he was up to.
They killed the wicked wolf quite dead; and so Little Red Riding-Hood
was saved, and ran home to tell her mother all about her terrible
adventure.
[Illustration]
SINDBAD THE SAILOR
[Illustration]
Sindbad the sailor, after all his adventures and wanderings, settled
down in happiness and prosperity in Bagdad. Here are the stories which
he told to his friends of his seven marvelous voyages.
THE FIRST VOYAGE
My father died while I was young and left me a fortune. Having no one to
restrain me, I fell into bad ways, by which I not only wasted my time,
but injured my health, and destroyed my property.
When I recovered, I collected together what was left of my fortune, and
bought merchandise, which I loaded on board a vessel for the port of
Balsora.
[Illustration]
During the voyage we touched at several islands, where we sold or
exchanged our goods. We were one day becalmed near a small island. As
its appearance was inviting, we determined to dine upon it. But while we
were laughing and preparing for dinner, the island began to move, and at
the same moment the people in the ship called out that we were on the
back of a monstrous whale. Some jumped into the boat, and others swam to
the ship; but before I could get off the animal dived into the sea, and
I had only time to catch hold of a piece of wood that had been brought
from the ship to serve as a table. Upon this piece of timber I was
carried away by the current. The others reached the vessel, but a gale
sprang up and the ship sailed without me. I floated during that and the
next night, but the following morning was thrown on a small island.
I found fresh water and fruit. I looked about for some house, but found
none. There were a number of colts grazing together, but no traces of
other animals. When evening approached I took some more fruit and
climbed in a tree to sleep. About midnight the sound of trumpets and
drums seemed to pass around the island, which continued until morning,
when again it seemed to be uninhabited. On the next day I found that the
island was small, and that no other land was in sight. I therefore gave
myself up as lost. Nor were my fears lessened when I found that the
shore abounded with enormous serpents and other sea monsters. I found,
however, that they were timid, and that the rattling of sticks would
make them dive into the water.
[Illustration: _Sindbad the Sailor_
We Rowed as Fast as we Could]
I climbed the tree next night, and the drums and trumpets returned as
before. On the third day, I had the satisfaction of seeing a body of
men, who, on landing, were astonished to see me there. Having related
to them how I came hither, they told me they were grooms of King
Mihrage; that the island belonged to genii, who visited it every night
with drums and trumpets; that the genii had allowed their sovereign to
train his colts upon the island; and that they, being sent every six
months to select some, had arrived for that purpose.
The grooms carried me to King Mihrage, who allowed me apartments in his
palace.
One day I saw men unloading a ship in the harbor, and saw that some of
the bales were those which I had sent to Balsora. Going up to the
captain, I said:
"Captain, I am Sindbad."
"Surely," said he, "I and the passengers saw Sindbad swallowed in the
waves many hundred miles away."
Some others, however, coming up, I was recognized; and the captain then
restored me the bales, with many congratulations. I made a valuable
present to King Mihrage, who bestowed a rich gift on me in return; and,
having made some advantageous purchases, I arrived at Balsora, where,
after I had sold my goods, I found myself possessed of a hundred
thousand sequins.
THE SECOND VOYAGE
[Illustration]
Becoming weary of a quiet life in Balsora, and having bought trading
goods, I again went to sea with some merchants. After touching at
several places, we landed at an uninhabited island. We amused ourselves
in different ways, but I, having taken my wine and provisions, sat down
and fell asleep. When I awoke, I found that my companions were gone, and
that the ship had sailed. I climbed to the top of a very high tree, and
perceived at a distance an object that was very large and white. I
descended to the ground, and ran toward this strange-looking object.
When I approached it I found it was about fifty paces in circumference,
quite round, and as smooth as ivory, but had no sort of opening. It was
now almost sunset, and suddenly the sky became darkened. I looked up and
beheld a bird of enormous size, moving like a prodigious cloud toward
me. I recollected that I had heard of a bird called the roc, so large
that it could carry away young elephants, and I therefore conjectured
that the large object I had been looking at was the egg of this bird.
As the bird approached I crept close to the egg, so that I had one of
the legs of this winged animal before me when it alighted. This limb
being as large as the trunk of a tree, I tied myself firmly to it with
my turban.
[Illustration]
The next morning the bird flew away, and carried me from this desert
island. I was borne so high that I could not see the earth, and then
carried downward so swiftly that I lost my senses. When I recovered, I
was on the ground. I quickly untied the cloth that bound me, and
scarcely was I free when the bird, having taken up a large serpent,
again flew away. I found myself in a deep valley, the sides of which
were too steep to be climbed. As I walked up and down in despair I
noticed that the valley was covered with diamonds of enormous size. But
I soon saw other objects of much less agreeable appearance. Immense
serpents were peeping out of holes on every side. When night came, I
took shelter in a cave, the entrance of which I guarded with the largest
stones I could find, but the hissing of the serpents entirely deprived
me of sleep. When day returned, the serpents retired to their holes; and
I came out of my cave, but with extreme fear. I walked heedless of the
serpents until I became weary, and then sat down and fell asleep. I was
awakened by something which fell near me. It was a large piece of fresh
meat, and presently I saw several other pieces.
I was now convinced that I must be in the famous valley of diamonds, and
that the pieces of meat were thrown in by merchants, who expected eagles
to pounce upon the flesh, to which diamonds were almost sure to
adhere. I hastened to pick up some of the largest diamonds I could find,
which I put into a little bag, and fastened it to my girdle. I then
selected the largest piece of flesh in the valley, which I tied to my
waist with the cloth of my turban, and then lay down upon my face to
wait for the eagles. Very soon one of the strongest pounced upon the
meat on my back, and flew with me to its nest on the top of the
mountain. The merchants began shouting to frighten the eagles, and when
they had forced the birds to quit their prey, one of them came to the
nest where I was. At first the man was frightened when he saw me there,
but after recovering himself, asked me how I got there. I told him and
the rest of the merchants my story. I then opened my bag, and they
declared that they had never seen diamonds of equal luster and size with
mine. The merchants having gathered their diamonds together, we left the
place the next morning, and crossed the mountains until we reached a
port. We there took ship and proceeded to the island of Roha. At that
place I exchanged some of my diamonds for other merchandise, and we went
on to Balsora. From Balsora I reached my native city, Bagdad, in which I
lived easily upon the vast riches I had won.
[Illustration]
THE THIRD VOYAGE
I soon resolved upon a third voyage, and once more took ship at Balsora.
After we had been at sea a few weeks, we were overtaken by a dreadful
storm, and were obliged to cast anchor near an island which the captain
had endeavored to avoid; for he assured us that it was inhabited by
pigmy savages, covered with hair, who would speedily attack us in great
numbers. Soon an innumerable multitude of frightful savages, about two
feet high, boarded the ship. Resistance was useless. They took down our
sails, cut our cable, towed the ship to land, and made us all go on
shore. We went towards the interior of the island and discovered a large
building. It was a lofty palace, having a gate of ebony, which we pushed
open, and soon discovered a room in which were human bones and roasting
spits. Presently there appeared a hideous black man, who was as tall as
a palm tree. He had but one eye, his teeth were long and sharp, and his
nails like the talons of a bird. He took me up as I would a kitten, but
finding I was little better than skin and bone, put me down with
contempt. The captain, being the fattest of the party, was sacrificed
to his appetite. When the monster had finished his meal he stretched
himself upon a great stone bench in the portico, and fell asleep,
snoring louder than thunder. In this manner he slept till morning. In
the morning he went out. I said to my companions:
"Do not waste time in useless sorrow; let us hurry to look for timber
to make rafts."
[Illustration]
We found some timber on the seashore, and labored hard; but having no
tools, it was evening before we had finished; and while we were on the
point of pushing the raft off the beach, our hideous tyrant returned
and drove us to his palace, as if we had been a flock of sheep. We saw
another of our companions sacrificed, and the giant lay down to sleep as
before. Our desperate condition gave us courage; nine of us got up very
softly, and held the points of the roasting spits in the fire until we
made them red-hot; we then thrust them at once into the monster's eye.
He uttered a frightful scream, and having tried in vain to find us,
opened the ebony gate and left the palace. We did not stay long behind
him, but ran to the seashore, got our rafts ready, and waited for
daylight to embark. But at dawn we beheld our monstrous enemy, led by
two giants of equal size, and followed by many others. We jumped upon
our rafts, and pushed them from the shore, the tide helping us. The
giants seeing us likely to escape, tore great pieces of rock, and wading
in the water up to their waists, hurled them at us with all their might.
They sank every one of the rafts but that on which I was; thus all my
companions, except two, were drowned. We rowed as fast as we could, and
got out of the reach of these monsters. We were at sea two days, but at
last found a pleasant island. After eating some fruit, we lay down to
sleep, but were soon awakened by the hissing of an enormous serpent. One
of my comrades was instantly devoured by this terrific creature. I
climbed up a tree as fast as I could, and reached the topmost branches;
my remaining companion was following me, but the dreadful reptile
entwined itself round the tree and caught him. The serpent then went
down and glided away. I waited until late the next day before I ventured
to descend. Evening again approached, and I gathered together a great
quantity of small wood, brambles, and thorns. Having made them into
fagots, I formed a circle round the tree, and fastened the uppermost to
the branches of the tree. I then climbed up to the highest branches. At
night the serpent came again, but could not reach the tree; and crawling
vainly round and round my little fortification until daylight, he went
away. The next day I spied a ship in full sail a long way off. With the
linen of my turban I made a signal, which was perceived. I was taken on
board the ship and there told my adventures. The captain was very kind
to me. He said that he had some bales of goods which had belonged to a
merchant who had unintentionally left him some time ago on an
uninhabited island. As this man was undoubtedly dead, he intended to
sell the goods for the benefit of his relatives, and I should have the
profit of selling them. I now recollected this was the captain with whom
I sailed on my second voyage. I soon convinced him that I was really
Sindbad, whom he supposed to have been lost. He was delighted at the
discovery, and eagerly acknowledged that the property was mine. I
continued my voyage, sold my goods to great advantage, and returned
to Bagdad.
MY FOURTH VOYAGE
[Illustration]
My desire of seeing foreign countries rendered my pleasures at home
unsatisfactory. I therefore arranged my affairs, commenced a voyage to
Persia, and having bought a large stock of goods loaded a ship and again
embarked. The ship struck upon a rock, and the cargo was lost. A few
others and myself were borne by the current to an island, on which we
were surrounded by black savages, and carried to their huts. The savages
offered us herbs; my companions eagerly took them, for they were hungry.
Grief would not allow me to eat; and presently I saw that the herbs had
made my comrades senseless. Rice, mixed with oil of cocoanuts, was then
offered to us, which my companions ate greedily and grew fat. My unhappy
friends were then devoured one after another, having become appetizing
to the cannibals. But I languished so much that they did not think me
fit to eat. They left me to the care of an old man, from whom I managed
to escape; and taking care to go a contrary way from that which the
savages had taken I never stopped till night. At the end of seven days,
on the seashore I found a number of white persons gathering pepper. They
asked me in Arabic who I was, and whence I came; and I gave them an
account of the shipwreck, and of my escape. They treated me kindly and
presented me to their King, who treated me with great liberality. During
my stay with them, I observed that when the King and his nobles went
hunting, they rode their horses without bridle or saddle. With the
assistance of some workmen I made a bridle and saddle, and having put
them upon one of the King's horses, presented the animal, thus
equipped, to His Majesty. He was so delighted that he instantly mounted
and rode about the grounds almost the whole day. All the ministers of
state and the nobility induced me to make saddles and bridles for them,
for which they made me such magnificent presents that I soon became very
rich. The King at last requested that I would marry, and become one of
his nation. From a variety of circumstances I could not refuse, and he
therefore gave me one of the ladies of his Court, who was young, rich,
beautiful, and virtuous. We lived in the greatest harmony in a palace
belonging to my wife. I had made a good friend of a very worthy man who
lived in this place. Hearing one day that his wife had just died, I went
to condole with him on this unexpected calamity. We were alone together,
and he appeared to be in the deepest grief. After I had talked with him
some time on the uselessness of so much sorrow, he told me that it was
an established law that the living husband should be buried with the
deceased wife, and that within an hour he must submit. I shuddered at
the dreadful custom. In a short time the woman was attired in her most
costly dress and jewels, and placed in an open coffin. The procession
then began, the husband following the corpse. They ascended to the top
of an exceedingly high mountain, and a great stone was removed, which
covered the mouth of a deep pit. The corpse was let down, and the
husband, having taken leave of his friends, was put into another open
coffin, with a pot of water and seven small loaves, and he was let down.
The stone was replaced and they all returned. The horror of this was
still fresh upon my mind, when my wife fell sick and died. The King and
the whole Court, out of respect to me, instantly prepared to assist at a
similar ceremony with me. I restrained the feeling of despair until we
arrived at the top of the mountain, when I fell at the feet of the King
and begged him to spare my life. All I said was ineffectual, and after
my wife was let down, I also was put into the deep pit, everyone being
totally indifferent to my cries and lamentations. I made the cave echo
with my vain complaints. I lived some days on the bread and water which
had been put into my coffin, but this supply was at length exhausted. I
then wandered to a remote part of this frightful cave and lay down to
prepare for death. I was thus wishing only for a speedy termination of
my misery, when I heard something walking and panting. I started up,
upon which the thing panted still more, and then ran away. I pursued it,
and sometimes it seemed to stop, but on my approach continued to go on
before me. I pursued it, until at last I saw a glimmering light like a
star. This redoubled my eagerness, until at last I discovered a hole
large enough to allow my escape. I crept through the aperture, and found
myself on the seashore, and discovered that the creature was a sea
monster which had been accustomed to enter at that hole to feed upon the
dead bodies. Having eaten some shellfish, I returned to the cave, where
I collected all the jewels I could find in the dark. These I carried to
the seashore, and tied them up very neatly into bales with the cords
that let down the coffins. I laid them on the beach, waiting till some
ship should pass. In two days a ship came out of the harbor, and passed
by that part of the coast. I made a signal, and a boat took me on board.
I was obliged to say that I had been wrecked; for, had they known my
real story, I should have been carried back, as the captain was a
native of this country. We touched at several islands, and at the port
of Kela, where I found a ship ready to sail for Balsora; and having
presented some jewels to the captain who had brought me to Kela, I
sailed, and at last arrived at Bagdad.
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