The Little Anklebone- The Story of a Boy And a Wolf

The Little Anklebone

Once upon a time, there was a little boy. He had lost his parents; so he went to live with his Auntie, and she set him to herd the sheep. All day long the little fellow wandered barefoot through the pathless plains, tending his flock, and playing his tiny shepherdʼs pipe from morning till the evening.

But one day came a great big wolf, and looked hungrily at the small shepherd and his fat sheep. The wolf said, Little boy! shall I eat you, or your sheep?

Then the little boy answered politely, I donʼt know, Mr. Wolf; I must ask my Auntie. Wait till tomorrow and I shall answer your question.

So all day long he piped away on his tiny pipe, and in the evening he brought the flock home. When it was dark, he went to his Auntie and asked, Auntie dear, a great big wolf asked me to-day if he should eat me, or your sheep. Which shall it be?

Then his Auntie looked at the wee little shepherd, and at the fat flock, and said sharply, Why, you, of course!

So next morning the little boy drove his flock out into the pathless plains, and played cheerfully his shepherdʼs pipe until the great big wolf appeared. Then he put aside his pipe, and, going up to the savage beast, said, Oh, if you please, Mr. Wolf, I asked my Auntie, and she says you are to eat me.

Now the wolf was a savage one, as wolves always are. But it could not help having just a spark of pity for the tiny barefoot shepherd, who played his pipe so sweetly. Therefore the wolf asked the boy, Could I do anything for you, little boy, after Iʼve eaten you?

Thank you! replied the tiny shepherd. If you would be so kind, after youʼve picked the bones: do thread my anklebone on a string and hang it on the tree that weeps. It is by the pond to the east. Do so, and I shall be much obliged.

So the wolf ate the little shepherd, picked the bones, and afterwards hung the anklebone by a string to the branches of the tree, where it danced and swung in the sunlight.

Now, one day, three robbers, who had just robbed a palace, happened to pass that way. They sat down under the tree and began to divide their loot. Just as they had arranged all the golden dishes and precious jewels and costly items into three heaps, a jackal howled.

Now you must know that thieves always use the jackalʼs cry as a note of warning. It so happened that at the very same moment the jackal howled, Little Ankleboneʼs thread snapped, and the bone fell plump on the head of the chief robber.

The robber imagined some one had thrown a pebble at him, and began shouting, Run! run!—we are discovered! Saying so, he bolted away as hard as he could. He was followed by his companions, who, in their haste, left all the treasure behind them.

Now you may wonder what happened to the Anklebone. It so happened that in the treasure was a little black stone. This stone had magical qualities. As the robbers were running away, the Anklebone hit the stone, and the bone magically turned into a boy.

Now, said Little Anklebone, turned into a boy, to himself, I shall lead a fine life!

So he gathered the treasure together, and sat under the tree that drooped over the pond. From the wood of the tree he made a new pipe. He played so sweetly on the new shepherdʼs pipe, that all the beasts of the forest, and the birds of the air, and the fishes of the pond came to listen to him.

Then Little Anklebone put marble basins round the pond for the animals to drink out of. And in the evening the does (female deer), and the tigresses, and the she-wolves gathered round him to be milked. When he had drunk his fill he milked the rest into the pond, till at last it became a pond of milk. And all night, Little Anklebone sat by the milken pond and piped away on his shepherdʼs pipe.

Now, one day, an old woman passed by the pond. She was carrying a pitcher on her head to fetch water. She heard the sweet strains of Little Ankleboneʼs pipe, and, following the sound, came upon the pond of milk. There she saw the animals, and the birds, and the fishes, listening to the music. She was wonderstruck, especially when Little Anklebone, from his seat under the tree, called out, Fill your jar, mother! All drink who come here!

Then the old woman filled her jar with milk, and went on her way rejoicing at her good fortune. But as she travelled back to her village, she met with the King of that country. The King, while hunting in the forest, had lost his way.

Give me a drink of water, good mother, he cried, seeing the jar; I am half dead with thirst!

It is milk, my son, replied the old woman; I got it from a milken pond. Then she told the King of the wonders she had seen, so that he resolved to have a look at them himself.

He saw the milken pond, and all the animals and birds and fishes gathered round, while Little Anklebone played ever so sweetly on his shepherdʼs pipe. The King said to himself, I must have the tiny piper, even if I have to die for it!

No sooner did Little Anklebone hear these words than he set off running, and the King ran after him. Never was there such a chase before or since, for Little Anklebone hid himself amid the thickest briars and thorns. But the King was so determined to have the tiny piper, that he did not care for scratches.

At last the King was successful, but no sooner did he take hold of Little Anklebone than the clouds above began to thunder and lightning began to strike. And the little boy turned into a bone again.

All the animals began to howl, and as soon as the howling died down, the bone began to sing:

O clouds! why should you storm and flare?
Poor Anklebone is forced to roam.
O animals, birds and dear fish! why do you howl?
Poor Anklebone must leave his home.

And he sang so piercingly sweet that pity filled the Kingʼs heart, especially when he saw that he was holding nothing but a bone after all.

So the King let go of the bone, and the little bone turned back into a little boy. The King returned to his Kingdom, disappointed.

The boy went back to his seat under the tree by the pond. Even today he sits there, and plays his shepherdʼs pipe, while all the beasts of the forest, and birds of the air, and fishes of the pond, gather round and listen to his music. And sometimes, people who wander through the forest hear the pipe, and then they say, That is Little Anklebone, who was eaten by a wolf ages ago!