Pretty Michal   By: Mór Jókai (1825-1904)

A FREE TRANSLATION OF MAURUS JÓKAI'S ROMANCE "A SZÉP MIKHÁL"

BY R. N. BAIN

NEW YORK CASSELL PUBLISHING COMPANY 104 & 106 FOURTH AVENUE

COPYRIGHT, 1892, BY CASSELL PUBLISHING COMPANY.

All rights reserved.

THE MERSHON COMPANY PRESS, RAHWAY, N. J.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

Wherein is shown how sagely the Rev. Master Fröhlich brought up his motherless daughter, pretty Michal, 1

CHAPTER II.

Wherein is shown how the evil dragon brought to naught all the sage devices of our reverend friend, 10

CHAPTER III.

Wherein is clearly shown that he who tends the sheep is much more honorable than he who slaughters them, 19

CHAPTER IV.

Wherein are described all manner of robbers and dangers, wherefrom the righteous are wondrously delivered, 26

CHAPTER V.

Which will be a short chapter but not a very merry one, 52

CHAPTER VI.

Contains the proper explanation of things which have hitherto remained obscure, 56

CHAPTER VII.

Wherein are described the house and the mistress of the house, 60

CHAPTER VIII.

In which are described the joys of long parted but finally reunited kinsmen, and everyone learns to know exactly how he stands, 66

CHAPTER IX.

In the course of which the stern father, in the hardness of his heart, chastizes his lost son, but finally grants forgiveness to the repentant prodigal, 72

CHAPTER X.

In which is shown how vain it is for womankind to murmur against the course and order of this world, 81

CHAPTER XI.

Wherein is shown what terrible perils befall women who are not resigned to their fate, and do not obey their lords and masters, 89

CHAPTER XII.

Consists of a very few words which are, however, of all the more consequence, 102

CHAPTER XIII.

Wherein the knavish practices of the evil witch are only insinuated, but not yet fully divulged, 103

CHAPTER XIV.

Which goes to prove that the society of great folks is not always a thing to be desired, 107

CHAPTER XV.

Valentine really becomes one of those who work in blood, 122

CHAPTER XVI.

Wherein is shown of what great use it is when a mother is hardhearted toward her only son. Also concerning divers skirmishes with the Turks, things not to be read of without a shudder, 129

CHAPTER XVII.

In which it is shown by an edifying example that he who pursues the path of evil must needs fall into the ditch, 140

CHAPTER XVIII.

Wherein is related what very different fates befell the two honest comrades, 145

CHAPTER XIX.

The story now to be related very much resembles the story of Joseph and Potiphar, but not quite, inasmuch as it is not Joseph, but Potiphar, who is finally cast into prison, 152

CHAPTER XX.

In which is a very circumstantial, if not very pleasant, description of all the conditions to be observed in the exchange and purchase of slaves, 165

CHAPTER XXI.

Is full of good tidings, inasmuch as it treats of the discomfiture of evil doers, 168

CHAPTER XXII.

Wherein is related what end was reserved for the evil doers by way of deterrent example, which example, however, only distressed the soft hearted without terrifying the stiff necked, 172

CHAPTER XXIII.

In which it is shown not only that Satan is the author of all evil, but also that the grisly witches, his handmaidens, are always ready with their malicious practices to plunge poor mortals into utter destruction, 181