STORIES FROM THE TRAVELS OF BARON

MUNCHAUSEN

RUDOLPH ERICH RASPE

A Night in the Snow

I once set off on a journey to Russia, in the midst of winter, from a just notion that frost and snow must, of course, mend the roads, which every traveller had described as uncommonly bad. I went on horseback, as it is the most convenient manner of travelling, provided, however, that rider and horse are in good condition.

I was but lightly clothed, and of this I felt the inconvenience the more I advanced northeast. As I went on, night and darkness overtook me. No village was to be seen. The country was covered with snow, and I was unacquainted with the road.

Tired, I alighted, and fastened my horse to something like a pointed stump of a tree, which appeared above the snow. For the sake of safety, I placed my pistols under my arm, and lay down on the snow, where I slept so soundly that I did not open my eyes until full daylight. It is not easy to conceive my astonishment, to find myself in the midst of a village, lying in a churchyard; nor was my horse to be seen, but I heard him soon after neigh somewhere above me.

On looking upwards I beheld him hanging by his bridle to the weathercock of the steeple. Matters were now very plain to me. The village had been covered with snow overnight; a sudden change of weather had taken place; I had sunk down to the churchyard whilst asleep, gently, and in the same proportion as the snow had melted away; and what

in the dark I had taken to be a stump of a little tree appearing above the snow, to which I had tied my horse, proved to have been the cross or weathercock of the steeple!

Without long consideration, I took one of my pistols, shot the bridle in two, brought down the horse, and proceeded on my journey.

The Wolf in Harness

My horse carried me well. Advancing into the interior parts of Russia, I found traveling on horseback rather un

fashionable in winter; therefore, I submitted, as I always do, to the custom of the country, took a single horse sledge, and drove briskly towards St. Petersburg. In the midst of a dreary forest, I spied a terrible wolf making after me, all the speed of ravenous winter hunger.

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He soon overtook me. There was no possibility of escape. Mechanically I laid myself down flat in the sledge, and let my horse run for our safety. What I wished, but hardly hoped or expected, happened immediately after. The wolf did not

mind me in the least, but took a leap over me, and falling furiously on the horse, began instantly to tear and devour the hind part of the poor animal, which ran the faster for his pain and terror.

Thus unnoticed and safe myself, I lifted my head slyly up, and with horror I beheld that the wolf had eaten his way into the horse's body. It was not long before he had forced himself fairly into it, when I took my advantage and fell upon him with the butt end of my whip.

This unexpected attack in his rear frightened him so much, that he leaped forward with all his might; the horse's carcass dropped on the ground; but in his place the wolf was in the harness, and I on my part whipping him continually, we both arrived, in full career, safe in St. Petersburg, contrary to our respective expectations, and very much to the astonishment of the spectators.

A Mad Fur Coat

A mad dog soon after camẹ running against me in a narrow street at St. Petersburg. Run who can, I thought; and to do this better, I threw off my fur cloak, and was safe within doors in an instant. I sent my sergeant for the cloak which had been well bitten by the mad dog, and he put it in the wardrobe with my other clothes.

The day after I was amazed and frightened by the servant's bawling, "Oh, sir, your fur cloak is mad!"

I hastened up to him, and found almost all my clothes tossed about and torn to pieces. The fellow was perfectly right in his apprehensions about the fur cloak's madness. I saw it myself just then falling upon a fine full-dress suit, which it shook and tossed in an unmerciful manner.

The Frozen Post Horn

I left St. Petersburg and on my return felt on the road greater inconveniences than those I had experienced on my setting out. I travelled post, and finding myself in a narrow lane, bid the postilion give a signal with his horn, that other travellers might not meet us in the narrow passage. He blew with all his might; but his endeavors were in vain. He could not make the horn sound, which was unaccountable and rather unfortunate, for soon after we found ourselves in the presence of another coach coming the other way.

There was no proceeding; however, I got out of my carriage, and being pretty strong, placed it, wheels and all, upon my head. I then jumped over a hedge about nine feet high (which, considering the weight of the coach, was rather difficult) into a field, and came out again by another jump into the road beyond the other carriage. I then went back for the horses, and placing one upon my head, and the other under my left arm, by the same means brought them to my coach, put to, and proceeded to an inn at the end of our stage. I should have told you that the horse under my arm was very spirited, and not above four years old. As I made my second spring over the hedge, he expressed great dislike to that violent kind of motion by kicking and snorting; however, I confined his hind legs by putting them into my coatpocket.

After we arrived at the inn my postilion and I refreshed ourselves: he hung his horn on a peg near the kitchen fire; I sat on the other side.

Suddenly we heard a tereng! tereng! teng! teng! We looked round, and now found the reason why the postilion had not been able to sound his horn. His tunes were frozen

up in the horn, and came out now by thawing, plain enough, and much to the credit of the driver; so that the honest fellow entertained us for some time with a variety of tunes, without putting his mouth to the horn - The King's March Over the Hill and over the Dale with many other favorite tunes; until at length the thawing entertainment concluded.

The Stag and the Cherry Tree

I one day went hunting and, having spent all my shot, I found myself unexpectedly in the presence of a stately stag, looking at me as unconcernedly as if he had known of my empty pouches. I charged immediately with powder, and upon it a good handful of cherry stones, for I had sucked the fruit as far as the hurry would permit. Thus I let fly at him, and hit him just on the middle of the forehead, between his antlers. It stunned him he staggered yet he made off.

A year or two after, being with a party in the same forest, I beheld a noble stag with a fine full-grown cherry tree above ten feet high between his antlers. I immediately recollected my former adventure, looked upon him as my property, and brought him to the ground by one shot, which at once gave me the haunch and cherry sauce; for the tree was covered with the richest fruit, the like I had never tasted before.

Adventure in the Stomach of a Fish

I was once in great danger of being lost in a most singular manner in the Mediterranean. I was bathing in that pleasant sea one summer's afternoon, when I discovered a very large fish, with his jaws quite extended, approaching me with the greatest velocity.

There was no time to be lost, nor could I possibly avoid