English Fairy Tales
By Joseph Jacobs

Presented by

Public Domain Books

Master of All Masters

A girl once went to the fair to hire herself for servant. At last a funny-looking old gentleman engaged her, and took her home to his house. When she got there, he told her that he had something to teach her, for that in his house he had his own names for things.

He said to her: “What will you call me?”

“Master or mister, or whatever you please sir,” says she.

He said: “You must call me ’master of all masters.’ And what would you call this?” pointing to his bed.

“Bed or couch, or whatever you please, sir.”

“No, that’s my ’barnacle.’ And what do you call these?” said he pointing to his pantaloons.

“Breeches or trousers, or whatever you please, sir.”

“You must call them ’squibs and crackers.’ And what would you call her?” pointing to the cat.

“Cat or kit, or whatever you please, sir.”

“You must call her ’white-faced simminy.’ And this now,” showing the fire, “what would you call this?”

“Fire or flame, or whatever you please, sir.”

“You must call it ’hot cockalorum,’ and what this?” he went on, pointing to the water.

“Water or wet, or whatever you please, sir.”

“No, ’pondalorum’ is its name. And what do you call all this?” asked he, as he pointed to the house.

“House or cottage, or whatever you please, sir.”

“You must call it ’high topper mountain.’”

That very night the servant woke her master up in a fright and said: “Master of all masters, get out of your barnacle and put on your squibs and crackers. For white-faced simminy has got a spark of hot cockalorum on its tail, and unless you get some pondalorum high topper mountain will be all on hot cockalorum.” .... That’s all.

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How to Get Into This Book  •  Preface  •  Tom Tit Tot  •  The Three Sillies  •  The Rose-Tree  •  The Old Woman and Her Pig  •  How Jack Went to Seek His Fortune  •  Mr. Vinegar  •  Nix Nought Nothing  •  Jack Hannaford  •  Binnorie  •  Mouse and Mouser  •  Cap O’ Rushes  •  Teeny-Tiny  •  Jack and the Beanstalk  •  The Story of the Three Little Pigs  •  The Master and His Pupil  •  Titty Mouse and Tatty Mouse  •  Jack and His Golden Snuff-Box  •  The Story of the Three Bears  •  Jack the Giant-Killer  •  Jack the Giant-Killer  •  Henny-Penny  •  Childe Rowland  •  Molly Whuppie  •  The Red Ettin  •  The Golden Arm  •  The History of Tom Thumb  •  Mr. Fox  •  Lazy Jack  •  Johnny-Cake  •  Earl Mar’s Daughter  •  Mr. Miacca  •  Whittington and His Cat  •  The Strange Visitor  •  The Laidly Worm of Spindleston Heugh  •  The Cat and the Mouse  •  The Fish and the Ring  •  The Magpie’s Nest  •  Kate Crackernuts  •  The Cauld Lad of Hilton  •  The Ass, the Table, and the Stick  •  Fairy Ointment  •  The Well of the World’s End  •  Master of All Masters  •  The Three Heads of the Well  •  Notes and References