TUC SOK TONI: TONY THE CRICKET

THERE ONCE WAS A CRICKET WHO HAD A MAGIC VIOLIN. WHEN HE PLAYED
IT, MIRACLES WOULD HAPPEN. BABIES WOULD STOP CRYING, CHILDREN
WOULD STOP FIGHTING AND EVERYONE WOULD BE HAPPY AND FORGET THEIR
CARES.
THE CRICKET WAS POOR IN MONEY, BUT RICH IN HAPPINESS UNTIL ONE DAY
THE FAIRY KING HEARD HIM PLAYING AND HE WAS SO DELIGHTED WITH THE
PLAYING THAT HE ORDERED THE CRICKET TO BE BROUGHT TO HIM. WHEN THE
CRICKET CAME BEFORE THE KING, HE ORDERED HIM TO BECOME THE COURT
MUSICIAN. AND SO THE CRICKET BEGAN TO PLAY. BUT NOW HE NO LONGER
PLAYED TO MAKE PEOPLE HAPPY, HE PLAYED FOR MONEY. PEOPLE FROM
ALL OVER THE WORLD WERE COMING TO THE PALACE TO HEAR HIM PLAY.
AND WITH THEM THEY BROUGHT MUCH GOLD TO GIVE TO THE CRICKET.
BUT AS TIME WENT ON THE MAGIC VIOLIN DID NOT WANT TO PLAY FOR
THESE PEOPLE. INSTEAD OF BEAUTIFUL MUSIC IT GAVE OUT TEARS WHEN
IT WAS PLAYED. THE KING NO LONGER HEARD THE BEAUTIFUL MUSIC, HE
TOOK THE VIOLIN AND SMASHED IT AND EXILED THE CRICKET FROM THE
PALACE.
THE CRICKET'S FAMILY TOOK HIM BACK, HAPPY TO HAVE HIM RETURN HOME
BUT THE CRICKET WAS SAD BECAUSE HE FELT HE WOULD NEVER PLAY A
VIOLIN AGAIN. HIS FAMILY BOUGHT HIM A NEW VIOLIN BUT HE WOULD
NOT PLAY IT BUT INSTEAD HE WENT OUT INTO THE FOREST AND CARVED HIS
OWN AS HE HAD DONE WITH THE FIRST VIOLIN. HE STARTED TO PLAY AND
IT SOUNDED WONDERFUL. HIS FAMILY AND GIRLFRIEND, ON HEARING HIM
PLAY, RAN OUT TO SEE HIM. HE COULD PLAY AGAIN BUT COULD HE WORK
MIRACLES FOR PEOPLE WITH HIS MUSIC? NOT FAR OFF IN THE WOODS HE
HEARD A BABY SCREAMING AND CRYING. NOTHING THE MOTHER COULD DO
WOULD CALM THE CHILD. HE CREPT CLOSE TO THE MOTHER AND CHILD AND
BEGAN TO PLAY HIS VIOLIN. IN NO TIME THE BABY BEGAN TO LAUGH AND
SMILE AND THE CRICKET KNEW THAT HE HAD REGAINED HIS POWER. "NEVER
AGAIN" SAID THE CRICKET, "WILL I PLAY FOR MONEY. I WILL PLAY TO
BRING HAPPINESS TO ALL."
THAT EVENING A GREAT CELEBRATION WAS HELD IN THE FOREST, FOR THE
CRICKET AND HIS GIRLFRIEND WERE MARRIED AND AS THE SAYING GOES
"BIZONY, MA IS ELNEK, HA MEG MEG NEM HALTAK" OR THEY ARE STILL
LIVING HAPPILY IF THEY HAVEN'T DIED YET. VEGE--THE END.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT IS HUNGARIAN AND HER FAMILY HAS TOLD HER THE STORY
EVER SINCE SHE WAS BORN.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; 5931 LOLA

Date learned: 03-31-1971